Sustainability in Seafood at Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant

Tucked away on the eastern tip of Long Island lies a beloved restaurant that captures the true meaning of community and sustainability.

Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant, which sits on 8 acres of waterfront property in Montauk, is a testament to the determination and vision of six local fisherman who stand by a principle: “Respect the ocean. Harvest the bounty. Feed the people.”

What has emerged as a popular seafood destination known for its impressive menu and stunning panoramic views of the Block Island Sound initially served as a commercial fishing dock, which was first rented by the six longtime friends — Kevin Maguire, Dave Aripotch, Chuck Weimar, Bill Grimm, Stu Foley and Richard Jones — in 1973. Their shared passion for fishing inspired them to begin directly transporting the fish they caught on their boats to New York City.

Over the years, their fleet got bigger and bigger, and they made the pivotal decision to purchase the property in 1985.

“They would pitch tents on Ditch [Plains] and surf and fish for days,” said Amanda Jones, Inlet Seafood’s director of operations, and wife to one of the owners’ sons. “They loved it so much that they wanted to make it a career.”

Although they didn’t have any experience in the restaurant industry, the six owners decided to create an establishment where they could cut out the middlemen and serve the fish they caught on their boats directly onto their customer’s plates.

This “dock-to-dish” approach was adapted by Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant upon opening in 2006, and it is one of the many reasons why customers keep going back.

“We are trying to bridge the gap between how many middlemen touch the fish before it gets to a customer,” Jones explained. “It’s typically five — but here, it’s zero.”

With the untold number of fish having been collectively brought into the dock by the six fishermen, it should come as no surprise to learn that if you’ve enjoyed seafood in the last 40 or so years, it was likely caught by one of them.

And when you eat at the restaurant, there’s an even greater chance that the fish you ordered was caught that same day.

Since it first opened, Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant has been solid in its commitment to sustainability, and its menu is a true testament to that. For instance, the catch of the day is never listed on the menu. Instead, servers will inform customers directly, because the type of fish caught changes day to day.

By putting a focus on what the fisherman in Montauk can catch, the restaurant can offer fish that is fresh and of a high quality, and crafted with expertise by Master Sushi Chef Jun Lin and Executive Chef F. Henry Jimenez.

Notable menu items include the Fluke Picatta, which features local fluke, mashed potatoes, garlic spinach, olives, capers, and lemon butter, as well as the Spicy Seafood Fra Diavolo, which includes sautéed shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels, and spicy marinara sauce.

The cocktail menu boasts a variety of drinks named after the six families, such as the Pontos Punch (Sailor Jerry rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and Meyer’s rum float), which pays tribute to Jones family, and Captain Happy’s Cocktail (ginger beer, lime juice, soda, mint), named after one of the owners who doesn’t drink.

Although the restaurant was built with the intention of being a haven for locals during the winter and a place for tourists to enjoy a beautiful Montauk sunset while enjoying a good meal, it has become so much more than that. Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant has grown into being a second home to the families of the six fishermen.

“We’ve gotten married here, lost our loved ones here, had Communions here,” Jones noted. “It’s really been a staple for all of us, and so we are working hard to keep it in the family. But at the end of the day, we’re all just normal families trying to scrape by.”

Jones, who has been working at Inlet Seafood Dock & Restaurant for two years, shared that they have been making strides to give back to the community. In addition to a $25,000 donation made to the Montauk Food Pantry this year, the restaurant offers 25 percent off for locals on Thursdays — but, according to Jones, everyone ends up getting the discount. “We figure that if you’re in Montauk [and it’s] not between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you deserve the 25 percent,” she said.

On May 1, the restaurant added a new addition to their property called the “Snack Shack,” which allows beachgoers and surfers to grab a quick lobster roll or coffee on their way to the beach.

“I think what makes Inlet so special is that we’ve had the consistency of fresh seafood all along,” Jones said.