Montauk is about as hip a place as you can find in the Hamptons. With its surf-obsessed lifestyle, five-star eats, and a spread of bars that range from old-school dives to upscale cocktail purveyors, this small fisherman’s village is anything but sleepy. Here are our picks for the best bars in Montauk.
Best for Date Night Cocktails: The Crow’s Nest
What to order: A mezcal negroni with Carpano Bianco and Cynar
The Crow’s Nest is a proper date spot that centers on an impeccable dinner menu. If cocktails are what you’re after, you’ll find no shortage of delicious libations, but don’t sleep on the dessert menu: the super-moist olive oil cake with orange and pomegranate salad is the stuff sweet dreams are made of.
Best for Live Music: The Surf Lodge
What to order: the Paraiso, with Avion tequila, aloe vera cucumber mint salt and agave
If we’re being honest, the Surf Lodge could have snagged a couple superlatives here: It’s got a killer dinner menu and a beach-bar vibe that simultaneously screams ’70s kitsch and Montauk summer. The live music calendar, which feels like it’s pulled straight out of a hip NYC rock club, will give you yet another reason to make the trek out to the furthest village in the East End.
Best for Outdoor Sips: Navy Beach
What to order: the Ferretti, with rosé, orange vodka, vermouth and blood orange
Navy Beach opened in 2010, but with an old-school approach to beach drinking (the place lines up picnic tables on its 200-foot stretch of sand), you might think it’s been slinging beverages for decades. Stroll by — or pull up your boat — in search of ocean-air atmosphere, and stay for the surprisingly large rosé selection.
Best for Making an Impression: Duryea’s
What to order: a choice rosé from the extensive list
Duryea’s might seem like it has a bit of an identity crisis, hocking seafood both retail and from its made-to-order snack stand, and then serving up its own takes on classy summer drinks. But take one step out onto its tastefully decorated, ocean-view deck, and you’ll be happy you stopped by for a glass of wine.
Best for Craft Beer: Montauk Brewing Company
What to order: a flight of beers that says “long live summer”
Part of a long tradition of naming a brewery after the place in which it resides, the Montauk Brewing Company has carved out quite a following in the East End and throughout the tri-state area. While the standbys are sure to be a safe bet here — the Summer Ale is a no-brainer — don’t skip over the more interesting offerings, like the Wave Chaser IPA and the Watermelon Session Ale.
Best for a Good Story: Memory Motel
What to order: a domestic bottle
Once (and arguably still) a low-brow dive, the bar at the Memory Hotel is a place you visit for a quick beer so you can say you hung where rock stars once imbibed. As with any watering hole lore, it’s unclear how much time the Rolling Stones actually spent here, but seeing as Mick Jagger chose to name a song off of 1976’s Black and Blue after the Memory Motel — after spending some pre-tour rehearsal months in Montauk in the mid-’70s — this is a place you’ll want to stop if you’re fan of good old rock ‘n’ roll.
Best for Rosé Brunch: Arbor
What to order: the prix-fixe brunch pizza & rosé
Arbor sports comparatively limited seasonal hours, but if you find yourself in Montauk during the summer months, you probably won’t find a better brunch than here, at a place that takes the meal seriously and sweetens the pot with rosé. While the brunch pizza is pretty unique, the eggs benedict or the French toast will do just fine, too.
Best for Feeling Like a Local: Liar’s Saloon
What to order: the plastic cup mudslide drizzled with chocolate syrup
Since 1984, this thirst-quenching standby at the Offshore Sports Marina has been serving a no-frills drink selection and staying open 364 days a year (that pesky Christmas). While it’s basically a fisherman’s hangout (bring cash!), this cozy spot is an authentic, casual place to close out an evening.
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