The Original Crab Shanty on City Island is doing brisk business and most everyone in the restaurant…read moreis there for the Lobster Special, which, according to my friend who recommended the Crab Shanty, had disappeared from the official menu. My friend says he and his wife come here all the time and get the same thing. I brought someone here and we liked it very much and at $38, it's a good value. We walked in the nautically themed Crab Shanty and were seated quickly. Even though the Lobster Special had disappeared from the official menu, I understand it was always possible to order it and it was inevitable they had to bring it back out on the official menu. It comes first with garlic bread that you will devour. Next you have the choice of a salad or clam chowder and that clam chowder hits with the garlic bread. Then comes the main event with the whole lobster split lengthwise, two baked clams and a broiled or steamed shrimp. On the side you can choose fries, rice pilaf or baked potato. The fries were good, the clams and shrimp better and the lobster was great. The lobster is buttered and seasoned well. These are not jumbo lobster, but adequate for the price point. No one goes home hungry and the Crab Shanty goes easy on the wallet so you can return anytime. Service is good too. Four stars!

Had an amazing time at The Crab Shanty today (4/12/26)! The food was on point as always--hot,…read morefresh, and consistently delicious. My sister went all in with the stuffed lobster loaded with clams and shrimp, plus a baked potato and New England clam chowder. I had the Mediterranean Baltimore-style crabs in garlic sauce with clam chowder and broccoli--absolutely . If you love whole crabs like I do, this is the spot. The drinks? Top tier. My sister had a Bloody Mary and Hennessy coladas, and I had an 1800 margarita--bartender definitely knows what they're doing! Only downside was the wait--about 45 minutes--but it was restaurant week on City Island, so expected. Honestly though, the "deal" wasn't much (just a free virgin piña colada or soft drink), so don't go expecting big specials. Overall, still my go-to every time. Great vibes, great food, and always worth it. I'll definitely be back!

It's been years since I've been here. I'd forgotten how great the food is and service is…read moreimpeccable. Friends took me here for my birthday and we had reservations at another place, but they "lost" them? All of us have been here before so we decided why not, and see what happens. The place was incredibly busy, we had about a 20 minute wait but it was worth it! Our server Robert was top notch. Professional and cordial. He Immediately came over with glasses of water, garlic bread, cheese and olive tapas, a house salad, and napkins. Tried the broiled fisherman's combo: shrimp, scallops, fish fillet, mussels, stuffed clams, lobster tail, and a side, I opted for linguini with garlic aioli. Everything was cooked very well and the presentation amazing and beautiful. Now here's something you don't see every day; an actual stuffed clam where the clam is still partially attached to the shell! None of that surimi crap! Finished the meal with a double espresso, shared a tartufo and cheese cake. I don't know if the digestif was complementary, but it was a nice touch. I don't know how the kitchen keeps up with the orders. The waitstaff must put a few miles on their feet a day and a cardio workout carrying the trays overflowing with food. Amazing! Everything in the restaurant is kept neat, clean, and organized. The music is not overwhelming. You can hear each other at the table. When the weather is a little nicer, they have beautiful outdoor seating with views of Long Island sound. It is very romantic, when the sun is setting, you can imagine yourself being somewhere exotic and far away. As the song goes; "Sometimes you don't know what you got till it's gone."

Big portions and food was cooked well but absolutely no flavor. Service was also not great…read more Too expensive for the food.

With City Island's seafood Old-school Gs reigning for a lot of folks, there are smaller restaurants…read morethat showcase a different menu on the strip. Take Archie's and Ohana- that aren't completely 'OG'- caliber- but, have remained a staple for the last 8-9 years. Now, it's Frida's turn. Since it was my turn to pick a restaurant for an outing to spend some sister time, Frida's low-key feel seemed like a good fit. Located on the southbound(?) lane heading towards the water, Little Frida has a nice light-color charm with a couple of turquoisey outdoor tables, two tables inside and some window high-top seating. The design is more trendy and subdued than the colorful and classic style seen in a lot of a Mexican restaurants. The menu is simple and basic- with burgers added to the mix and no cocktail situation- just conventional and Mexican soft drinks like Jarritos and some agua frescas. Our server Nazaret, brought us a nice helping of thick tortilla chips- the way I like them instead of the flimsy ones that break just by looking at them with Guacamole and Salsa dips. The Guacamole was better tasting than the large tomato chunk salsa in my opinion. Our drinks were plentiful- but between Agua de Jamaica(s) that were ordered and my horchata, they missed on flavors. My Shrimp Tacos were packed real nice with.... diced tomatoes, purple cabbage (yum), onions, etc- with cut up shrimp. Good though. All the other dishes my sisters ordered, seemed ok. We enjoyed the green sauce Nazaret brought us and it wasn't tear-inducing at all- which we all tolerated on each of our dishes. To finish things off, our server brought a shareable slice of a flan from his Abuelita's recipe that had all the right notes of creamy, rich and a wonderful amber-sugar-caramel taste. We all dogged it. Frida is very modest, service is super nice, these folks make their own tortillas- and food is flavorful.

As a Mexican food lover, I am SO happy this place is on city island! The owner was so sweet and…read morewelcoming when we walked in. He took the time to explain certain items on the menu when we had questions. The menu had a lot of delicious items, it was hard for me to choose but I ended up getting 3 tacos, some guac & of course churros for dessert! The guac was some of the freshest guac I've had in a while! The portion was pretty large too! I got the chicken, steak & el pastor tacos. They were SOOOOO stuffed. For $12, I was shocked and so satisfied. They also make their tortillas from scratch which made them even more unique and delicious! The green salsa was sooo tasty. Especially on the chicken and steak tacos. The el pastor was cooked perfectly and had pineapples too which balanced the flavor so well. The churros were delicious and came with a Nutella dipping sauce. Deff worth a visit!

City Island is a place where everyone knows your name? That's true and if you're not from there…read morethey treat you like an outsider, and not in a good way. They said it won best Irish bar in the Bronx, well that never happened. Check the list of Irish bars in the Bronx and go elsewhere for good food.

Fun little gathering spot on City Island. They sometimes host trivia nights which are really funread more

This has become one of my favorite spots. It is a trek up to City Island, but more than worth it!…read more I love their pan seared tuna especially with the seasonal veggies. It is always fresh and juicy. Combined with a glass of cold prosecco This last time I got the meatloaf, which was delicious. More of a Hungarian dish, which you can't get everywhere. The ambience inside and out is hip and for me nostalgic. My friend who's from Europe, couldn't get over how friendly Bronxites are! The owner and the other guests, were charming As I said there's more to New York City than Manhattan!!

I stepped foot on the Black Whale for the first time to experience dining in the heart of City…read moreIsland- when I pass by, I have always being intrigued by it's charming and quaint look which makes the place have a pleasant and unique feel. Once you step in it you don't feel like you are in The Bronx. I chose to sit outdoors since it was a nice breezy afternoon and I felt enchanted by all the garden furniture surrounded by plants under trees. I ordered the pan seared sesame tuna salad and a passion fruit margarita and they were both very good. I also ordered a tiramisu for dessert which was also delicious. De-the server was very friendly, attentive and helpful at the time of ordering- I communicated that it was my first time at the restaurant and she made a few suggestions to assist with my choices. It is definitely a place worth trying.

Archie's Tap & Table is operating on an entirely different level from the typical City Island…read morerestaurant scene. This is not your standard seafood shack or casual neighborhood spot. The chef comes from the world of high-end NYC dining, and you can feel that experience in every detail of the food. There's a level of creativity, precision, and thoughtfulness here that honestly feels Michelin-worthy. This makes sense, because the restaurant has earned that recognition. Beyond the food, Archie's also has one of the best Scotch and whiskey (bourbon and rye included) selections anywhere in the area. It feels curated by people who genuinely care about food and drink, not just running another restaurant. We eat there often, especially for brunch, which is spectacular and consistently better than it has any right to be for a neighborhood spot on City Island. The best example of the attention to detail was the chopped cheese sandwich special. When it arrived, my first thought was: "How is anyone supposed to eat this giant thing?" But then you take a bite and realize the bread was custom made specifically for the sandwich. Somehow it completely melts in your mouth along with the meat and cheese, making this enormous sandwich unexpectedly delicate and perfectly balanced. It's the kind of detail most restaurants would never even think about. Archie's is a true hidden gem and proof that truly exceptional food can exist in places you wouldn't expect.

Large selection for breakfast and brunch and our service was exceptional. The places is small but…read morevery nice and we had a good time.

Ate at the bar for the first time. Wonderful experience. Staff was welcoming. Tons of holiday…read moredecorations were up. Food and drinks were great. Try the crab fettuccine or mozzarella en carroza

Dakota's on the Cove has been in my periphery for a while. Up until today, I had not been here…read moresince the space was its former occupant, Ice House. While I had heard mixed things about Dakota's, I wanted to check it out for myself. I had been meaning to catch up with some of my IRL Yelp friends, and thought this would be a great place to meet up - so off we went. Dakota's is located right on the water in Throgg's Neck and provides great views of the marina. The dining area is separated into a front room, bar area, back room, outdoor patio, and a biergarten area. The decor and aesthetics have a nautical vibe - think blues, greys, and whites with lots of clean lines. One of my friends told me that the menu is relatively new, as they got a new chef ~ 2 weeks ago. The menu isn't large, in fact it's somewhat limited in my view; there are a few apps, mains, and sides - but I would like to have seen an expanded salad selection (there are only two on the menu) and a sandwich section, especially given the aesthetics and the fact that they're open for lunch. We decided to start by sharing some apps and one of their salads: the tuna tartare, the mussels, and the specific salad name escapes me but it had feta whip. Everything was very good - the tuna was fresh and came with some thin crostini that provided a welcome contrast in texture. The salad was flavorful, but the portion was small for the price and the combination of feta whip with the dressing made it a little too wet. The mussels were great - we chose to have them prepared in a white wine sauce which was super flavorful. It came with two pieces of focaccia which were good albeit slightly stale; crostini would have been better. For mains, we split two: the fish and chips and the linguine with clam sauce. The former was pretty good - two generous pieces of fish, but it could have used more fries; the apple slaw it was served with cut through the heaviness of the dish well. The linguini was also good, however it's hard for me to justify a pasta dish being over $30 - especially in this case where there were relatively few clams and the portion was not big. We also ordered a side of broccoli rabe which was good - though the addition of some garlic bulbs/slices would have elevated it. For desert we split the lemon gelée abd biscoff cheesecake. I wasn't a fan of the former, it had a tough-ish consistency and lacked flavor; the cheesecake was better. Service was excellent; we made conversation with several members of staff while we were there - including the owner. They are really putting an effort in to make this place great and I saw it in all aspects of my experience. Overall, I had a great time at Dakota's; I think they still need to fine-tune their menu, especially in relation to portion sizes and prices. However, if this is an improvement from where they were, then they're taking a step in the right direction.

Great little local bar to enjoy a cocktail we were their first my girlfriends birthday and had a…read moregreat time ; nice bartender nice locals and very very reasonably priced drinks ... my boyfriend doesn't drink they had n/a perfect! Street parking is the only catch !

Awesome sports bar. Jen, the bartender, is a lot of fun. The best bar on City Island!read more

Love this place…read more Great cosmos and the chicken quesadilla and mango habanero wings are soooo good Their ceviche is also yummy Fun bartenders

The food was really good. The server brought these chips to the table, we had yuca balls,…read moremofonguitos & chicken sandwich. The coconut mojito is really good. Would come back here.

Love this place! The steak is always tender and cooked perfectly every time. The sides are just as…read moredelicious, and the service is very attentive, which makes the whole experience even better. I highly recommend the corn brûlée -- it's a must-try! I am also absolutely obsessed with the mushrooms! Definitely a spot worth coming back to if you want good steak and great ambiance! I recently went to the infamous STK in NYC and wished I had come here instead

We came here for Christmas and had a good experience overall. They were offering a prix fixe menu…read morethat included appetizers, entrées, and dessert. There were five of us, and the appetizers were served family-style, so we essentially ordered one of each to share. Our least favorite appetizer was the shrimp cocktail, but the mandarin salad was amazing. I'm a big salad person, and a good salad really goes a long way for me--this one definitely delivered. The entrées were ehhh okay, nothing to rave about, and the vegetables were served family-style as well, which we appreciated since it allowed everyone to share and try a bit of everything. Drinks were great too. Our server, Dar-b, was excellent. He even gave the table shots and joined us for one, which really added to the fun and festive vibe. Overall, it's a nice spot with decent food and solid service. No complaints here.