I had my daughter's baby shower here. the staff was remarkable and attentive. We chose a brunch buffet and the food was beyond delicious. Most guests had seconds. Our host was Eric who greeted us upon arrival and checked in throughout the event. The room was set up specifically as we requested . When guests were done eating the staff quickly cleared their plates. The bartender was available and quick to supply the ladies with libations if needed. As someone who has worked in the catering industry I was clearly impressed at the food presentation, the quality of the food, and the attentiveness of the staff. My guests had such an enjoyable day and the new mom to be was overjoyed!!! read more

Fantastic dinner at James and Main! The ambiance was very nice and inviting for my whole family and me. We had multiple people come to our table and greet us. The food was all delicious, and I would like to give a special shout-out to the amazing French onion soup! The cocktails were very good as well; the table really enjoyed the pickle martini! read more

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We had a great experience here! The ambiance in the parlor dining is quiet, intimate and perfect for date night. The food was delicious, and I enjoyed the Aunt Kathy cocktail. Our server John was so great and attentive, all of the service was excellent and people were so friendly. We can't wait to come back! read more

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Wow! Another fantastic dinner at James & Main; they never seem to disappoint! We started with the spicy salmon tartar and the clams & shrimp for appetizers - both were excellent. For dinner, we had the Salmon with pesto risotto and the Bavette steak - absolutely terrific. For dessert, we ordered another glass of wine, and just relaxed. Our waiter, Thomas, was friendly, responsive and attentive to our needs and regularly checking in with us to ensure our satisfaction. We sat in the main dining room which includes the bar area, and it was lively and loud. We very much enjoyed our dinner and want to return again, but sit in the parlor or outside deck areas. read more

Popped into James & Main for a Friday happy hour. The location has changed so many times over the years but I hope James & Main is here to stay because I loved my experience. It gives an antique old timey vibe. Bartenders James and Meghan were top notch and so nice. I started with the espresso martini and then switched to the J&M martini(both drinks are on the menu). It's my new fave martini. They have a few options for apps and bites on their hh menu as well. We got 1/2 dozen little necks, which were cleaned nicely, the calamari which came with this ginger aioli. It was a nice zippy flavor to the lightly breaded but crispy calamari. We also got the prime rib French dip which was accompanied the jus, and a horseradish cream sauce as well as fries. I can't wait to go back read more

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James & Main was occupied for a private birthday, but have no fear, we had the outside roofed dining area overlooking the bar. Good quality bread on the side. Butter dish with salt and extra virgin olive oil. Mussels are seasoned with fresh tarragon and shallots and garlic. Use the bread for the mussel shallot sauce! Rack of lamb was cooked to perfection with a light mustard glaze on a bed of gravied mashed potatoes, w a side of brussel sprouts and watercress. The polenta was tasty. Despite a party going on we were assisted by someone with water, someone with bread, an our server. Kudos to a well-run establishment where The Fishery used to be. Nice and fancy! read more

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Each weekend, we make it a priority to try one of our local restaurants. My grandparents were once local restaurant owners, and this is one of the ways we love to give back to our community. This weekend, we tried James & Main, and it did not disappoint. The ambiance was beautiful. It had a rustic with a touch of art deco charm. The service was impeccable. We were warmly greeted by two waiters who recited the specials and the entire menu without once looking down. It felt like fine dining at its best. As a family with shellfish and wheat allergies, we truly appreciated that the restaurant does not mix oils or cross-contaminate. That kind of care goes a long way. The food was amazing! Absolutely bursting with flavor. For our toddlers, we ordered chicken fingers and French fries--which must have been the best they've ever had, because the plates were completely clean. My husband had the short ribs with linguine, a chef's special of the night. It reminded us of a short rib Bolognese. The meat was incredibly tender and seasoned so well that the linguine soaked up every bit of flavor. We raved about it so much that our oldest asked for a bite and gave it his full stamp of approval. For myself, I ordered the chicken Milanese which was a crispy, perfectly breaded cutlet topped with arugula, Kumato tomatoes, and shaved Asiago, lightly drizzled with olive oil. Each bite was bright and flavorful. It might have even had a splash of a vinaigrette. The dish was light yet satisfying, without any greasy heaviness. For drinks, we tried the Aunt Kathy and the Rick Flare. The Rick Flare had a smooth finish with a subtle spicy kick, while the Aunt Kathy was more of a berry-based drink with notes of lemon and basil. It reminded me of hibiscus drink. As someone who doesn't usually go for cocktails, I loved how the fruit and herbs took center stage over the Gin and St. Germain. Overall, we were incredibly impressed. James & Main is stroller-friendly and handicap-accessible. They even have tables in the bathrooms which would be great for parents who need a space for infant changing. Whether you're planning a family outing or a cozy date night, this spot is worth trying. Make the reservation online, I think they get booked quickly. read more

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Like Jordan Belfort, I'll ask that you judge this place on its negatives because it has so few... Honestly the only issue I had was the price to food ratio. In other words, for the amount of money some of these dishes cost, I would've liked to have seen a little more food on the plate. HOWEVER, the food that was served was delicious! The sea bass was perfectly cooked, the rice/risotto that came with it was tasty, and even the bread they served was fresh. Another differentiator this place has is its staff. A lot of restaurants of this breed have some real idiots working there... Not only is the staff here knowledgeable and friendly, but you can tell they genuinely care about their work. I'll almost certainly be back and to be honest, I wish I could give it 4.5 stars... But next time I come in I hope the prices if anything remain consistent. read more

Every thing is wonderful and the food is delicious! Specials are always good and the drinks are always amazing

Wow what a great experience at such a great restaurant. Food was amazing, try the wings, steak and burger. Eric is the best and the nicest guy. Christie the waitress was terrific too. We will be back read more

2nd time here, so I am ok reviewing. Excellent staff, excellent service, food was great. Had the Gentlemans dinner, which was NY Strip with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Steak was tender with flavor. The sides were on point. The bread on the table was just ok, but everything else makes this place worthy of another visit. Classy atmosphere. Very busy for a Thursday night. read more

This place is absolute perfection. Imagine great quality dining, combined with ambiance, courtesy and reasonable pricing. This is James & Main. I have dined twice, both on group nights of girls night out. On both occasions we had sit down dinner first and ended up topping off the night at the bar. Food was consistently tasty. Service is warm, knowledgeable and courteous. The ambiance is absolute old world class. We were never rushed, despite being the last ones out. I wonder how this place has not made it "viral" online yet, but maybe I want to keep it that way. Highly recommend! read more

A Love Letter to James and Main There are restaurants, and then there are temples of taste -- sacred spaces where the soul exhales, the palate sings, and the bathroom humbles you with the grace of Versailles. James and Main is the latter. Tucked into the heart of East Rockaway like a secret whispered among culinary saints, this place doesn't just serve food -- it orchestrates an experience. The steak? If Hemingway had tasted it, he would've put down the pen -- not out of envy, but in silent reverence. The cocktails? So precise, so poetic, they deserve their own ISBN. And the staff moves like a Broadway cast that's been rehearsing for this performance their entire lives. But let us speak, now, of the bathroom. I have traveled. I have peed in Rome, in Tokyo, in the gilded halls of five-star hotels. But nothing--nothing--could have prepared me for the transcendence of urination that awaited me here. From the ambient lighting to the soft hand towels folded like origami swans, I found myself unworthy of the porcelain throne before me. It was not a bathroom. It was a sanctuary. A meditation chamber. A spa for the soul. I went in a man. I came out reborn. James and Main is more than a restaurant -- it's a reminder that the extraordinary still exists in the quiet corners of our towns. Come hungry. Leave elevated. And for God's sake, don't skip the bathroom. read more

James & Main - The Louvre of lavatories. You don't just pee here -- you reflect on your life choices while doing it - New American Near Me - East Rockaway, New York

A lovely place for drinks and dinner. Great ambiance outdoor seating and lots of parking. We enjoyed the zucchini chips, pistachio pesto gnocchi, chicken, burger, and chocolate mousse. We were celebrating our son's birthday. The service was exceptional. Everyone was friendly. Definitely going to come back and try other menu items read more

James & Main - Pistachio pesto gnocchi - New American Near Me - East Rockaway, New York

Lovely ambiance, attentive owner and menu although not huge, it offered a mix of seafood and good American meal staples. I ordered the Australian ribs which were unfortunately way too salty, seems they over did the seasoning rub. They were accompanied by a ridiculous portion of mash potatoes (which didn't taste homemade btw) and over cooked dried Brussels sprouts. So much potential for this place but they need a better chef, it also took really long to get the main entrée. read more

James & Main - Australian ribs. - New American Near Me - East Rockaway, New York

First time dining here. My friend & I decided to check it out for restaurant week. We didn't have a reservation but they were still able to accommodate us. Great choice! We had the Chicken Jimmy & salmon w/risotto. Good food, good size portions & will definitely return again. Just a side note: you have to pay to park in the nearby lot. read more

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We went to James and Main for the first time for lunch. The decor and ambiance is beautiful. We ate in the tent by the water and it's a relaxing vibe. Our server Rita was very friendly and attentive. The menu has a lot of great choices both for food and drinks. We ate raw oysters that were fresh and chilled perfectly. My husband had the oyster po boy that was very delicious, fried lightly with nice crunchy bread and I had the chicken and ginger dumplings that were excellent. I would have given them 5 stars but the entrees came out about 30-40 minutes after the oysters and there were only 6-8 tables occupied. I will try them again. read more

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With my bestie at James and Main where love , laughter & good times come to life. On A spur of the moment( winter day ).. this place is awesome. And the brunch looks spectacular! Happy almost New Year everyone ! Thanks to Olivia the wines she recommends are a perfect choice ! read more

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I like stopping in for a glass of wine. So far everything I have had on the menu was made with quality ingredients and cooked properly and served hot. They get a lot of points for that. It's a good looking place that someone obviously put a lot of money into. Sometimes the air is a little stale but I deal with it. The reason it's not five stars is because I feel they went to other restaurants in the area to see what people are charging, got an average, and added 33% to those prices. Everything there just seems kind of overpriced. I will be back read more

James and Main was on our list for a bit. As one of the more local "fine dining" options, we were looking forward to a proper meal out post baby! Food here was great and the service was awesome. I was surprised how large the location was; it felt like the place kept going and going. Also lovely to be on the water; hoping next time we can sit outside and enjoy it more. read more

Our first time here after much buzz and it did not disappoint! Ambiance is incredible and the food we ordered was amazing. Bonus that we came on a night with a live band guy. We sat on the high top tables in bar area- great mix of band music and getting to watch sports games. Noise level wasn't too crazy. Definitely will be back read more

James & Main - Salmon - New American Near Me - East Rockaway, New York

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I want to thank everyone at James & Main for the exceptional service and seriously delicious food for our graduation party. Everyone enjoyed themselves, the atmosphere was perfect and the service wonderful. Highly recommend having a private event here. Thanks to Danny, Eric and staff. The Hurst and Brower families. read more

I highly recommend this restaurant! It wasn't too loud so we were able to hold a conversation, and it's been completely remodeled and it looks great! The food was honestly delicious! I had the mama salad and the lobster ravioli and it was outstanding!! read more

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I'm don't rate many restaurants on LI very high but this place was really great. Very much needed in the RVC area! The atmosphere was excellent; great music, great lighting, outdoor bar on the water and nice large round booths to eat in by the bar area. The cocktails were on point! A well made old fashioned with one large ice cube (win) and different dirty martini with pickle juice. We loved the apps we had (salad and dumplings) and both enjoyed our main courses. We will definitely be back! read more

What a gem. Can't wait to come back. Excellent service. Amazing ambiance and the food was so tasty. Only had wine so can't comment on the drinks but someone in my party had an old fashioned and said it was great. read more

Called to ask what time the kitchen closed they said 10pm. I arrived at 9 and they were already cleaning putting the chairs up. They should have said the kitchen may close earlier due to lack of customers. I worked a 9 hour shift beforehand and I would have went somewhere else instead of going out my way to go here. read more

Food was excellent! Highly recommend thr sea bass! Bok choy had an excellent soy flavoring. Blue point oysters on point! Good old fashion! Atmosphere was a bit upscale but still casual and pleasant staff I liked that! read more

Visited here with a group of 10 friends on a Saturday night. It was everyone's first time dining here, and we all said we would come back again. They have a great selection of drinks. I had the best pickle martini I've ever drank. All the apps were delicious: the seafood tower, salmon tartare, and a charcuterie board. My partner and I split the sea bass and the special pasta. The sea bass was crispy and cooked perfectly. read more

James & Main - J&M Dirty Martini - New American Near Me - East Rockaway, New York

Great atmosphere on water. However the male outside bartenders (on a Saturday afternoon as I write this review) seem to be inept when it comes to service. The female bartenders are great. Empty glasses are abundant as the guys for some reason pay no attention to refilling them! Management should address this ! read more

My husband and I were excited to go to James & Main for an early birthday celebration. Unfortunately, it did not live up to the reviews. I think they had staff issues, as everything took a while. I ordered Cesar salad and it took a while, as we had to ask manager or owner to see about my salad. We never got bread on the table and we noticed the waiter looked frustrated. He offered us a free drink for all the service issues. Then we got our sea bass and it was not cooked in the middle and we had to send it back. We did get it back cooked and hot and it was good but we were frustrated by the end. . Also we told the waiter that it was very cold in the restaurant as we felt the back door was open the whole time. He stated he will put the heat on but we still felt chilly. Overall it was not the best experience and the owner/ manager never came to our table to see how everything went. We were not happy and I gave it one star. read more

What an Amazing addition to the South Shore Restaurant Scene. Beautifully and uniquely decorated with high ceilings and an open feel at the bar with very private oversized booths in the main dining room. Friendly staff, cocktail list was fun, wine list was ridiculous...! This place is going to crush it with their outside bar once the weather warms up. A must visit! read more

Wine list was varied, lots of choices. Steaks were very good, the sides that came with mine were excellent (roasted Brussels sprouts). We thought the seafood tower was a little skimpy, but fresh. Shrimp were succulent. My salad was not really a salad; it was a few small pieces of apple and sweet potato bits over 1 piece of bib lettuce. I kid you not. One decorative piece to line the plate. I thought the waiter could have been more forthcoming about that. Dessert was standard premade chocolate dense cake from somewhere. Yummy, but nothing you can't get anywhere else. Service was just ok. Ambience in bar area was actually the nicest room in the place I thought. Only trouble with that is as bar gets crowded noise level increases. read more

I didn't realize that James & Main was the old "Reel" in East Rockaway when I made the reservation. Upon walking in, my wife and I could tell by the decor, this was definitely an upgrade from the previous establishment. Its design is of an upscale "Americana" style. Almost steakhouse like but not. Eric the maître d was extremely friendly. The menu is actually pretty diverse but not completely unrelated. Tonight we chose the Oysters Jimmy (Rockefeller) as an appetizer with the chopped salad. The oysters were probably the best Rockefeller style I've ever had. The "dressing" did not get in the way of the oysters which were not over done nor under cooked. They were spot on. Delicious. The salad is what you'd expect, blue cheese crumbles, bacon tomatoes. I ordered from the special menu, a seasonal cocktail (gingerbread old fashioned) which was fantastic. I had the beef short rib lasagna with fried burrata. As good an Italian dish as I've ever had. My wife had the Australian baby lamb chops which she loved. Eric even bought us a round of drinks. Super nice guy and knowledgeable. He's been a chef in some of the more well known restaurants in our area. Tony our waiter was top notch as well. Very easy guy to talk with. Absolutely no pretense, a genuine guy. I'm happy the food was as good as it was and the atmosphere and service was equally as pleasant. We look forward to dining here more often. read more

Two words to describe- mediocre and overpriced: Brussel sprouts bland (needed some gd salt) Gave bread 45 minutes after getting seated Ran out of everything Saw the server twice Prime Rib French dip was BLAND Creamed spinach was literal soup No ice -Not worth it- (the only good thing was the bus boys) read more

Our first visit to James and Main what a disappointment! Expectations were high based on reviews and the menu, reservations were made by phone during the mid week. Upon arrival we were seated at a table located in their tent with windows which were flapping in the wind, this tent is directly next to their outdoor bar, which was very active with loud music and whose speakers were also located in the tent! The atmosphere was not conducive to fine dining. We voiced our displeasure to the hostess and were just dismissed. However, the food was very good but just meant to be served in a better atmosphere. read more

It was the second day of it being open. The service and food was fantastic. There was a slight delay to our table but the hostess profusely apologized and it was out of her hands because the table refused to leave after they paid the bill. Starters: deviled eggs with trout. One of the most delicious bites ever. Grilled oysters were perfectly seasoned and grilled. For entrees, halibut and clams. Portions were a great size and the cocktails were fantastic. The bartenders knew what they were doing. Tony our server was enthusiastic and so helpful! We will be back! We need a restaurant like this on the north shore. read more

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Danny and Eric created a very special & casual atmosphere including a relaxing ambiance. The food and service were amazing. A Special shout out to Megan and Rita. Many thanks and looking forward to returning again and again and again! read more

We ate there right after they opened and thought that it was very good. Tonight we had friends join us and it was disappointing. The food was good but the selections were limited. It seems as if the entrees were streamlined. The service was slow. The dessert menu listed only four items. This is a nice looking restaurant and I was really looking forward to dinner. I rarely complain about prices but I expected more for what we paid. It's such a pretty place, I'm sorry that I have to be so negative. read more

Best of luck to the new owners of this attractively decorated restaurant! Very attentive staff. Sat at the bar with a friend and had a burger which came with diner quality French fries. The bun looked and tasted like it came from Lidl supermarket across the street. Ordered vodka on the rocks which was measured and poured using a thimble. Baffled by the unusually small menu as I thought J&M was a steakhouse. Mediocre at best but willing to try again read more

I was here for a work event and the outdoor space was so beautiful I had to come back! My mother, sister, and I came here on a Wednesday to take advantage of their girl dinner promo (Caesar salad, a martini, and French fries for $25) and ordered some appetizers and desserts as well. Everything was delicious, service was great and it wasn't crowded at all. Will definitely be back! read more