Buoy One - Riverhead

First and foremost, there was no air conditioning. We were seated outside under umbrellas, but that left half of us in the shade and the other half exposed to t... read more First and foremost, there was no air conditioning. We were seated outside under umbrellas, but that left half of us in the shade and the other half exposed to the sun. We arrived early, following the restaurant's advice, and were seated and placing our orders by 4:30. After two guests ordered scallops, our server informed us that they had just run out—at 4:30. To stay cool and hydrated, we requested ice for our drinks, only to be told they were out of ice. When the shrimp arrived, which used to be the best I've ever had, they looked pale and, more importantly, they hadn't been cleaned properly. There were visible remnants of the deveining through the batter, making them quite unappetizing. I ended up removing the breading and deveining the shrimp myself, only to find they were overcooked and tough. Friends who know how much I love Buoy One were shocked and asked if the restaurant had “slipped.” This might have been just a bad night, but I'm not eager to return to find out. I used to travel from Pennsylvania specifically to dine here because it was that good. The owner is a talented and capable woman, and I can only guess that these issues occurred outside her control. I’m not sure if the restaurant has changed ownership or what led to the closure of the other location, but I’m concerned about its future. This is a disappointing review for me. If you don’t have air conditioning, consider installing awnings so your guests don’t have to endure the heat. If your ice machine is broken, send someone to get bags of ice. And please, do not let the quality of your amazing menu items falter. UPDATE: I emailed Lorraine as requested. She replied, attributing the mistakes to her staff and the heat, and offered me a $100 gift card to take down the review. Six hours later, she emailed again to say that North Forker magazine had rated them the best seafood on the North Fork, implying my review wouldn’t matter. I declined the gift card and am keeping the review up because it reflects our real experience, and I’m uncomfortable being compensated to remove it. She’s lost a loyal customer in me. Buyer beware.

I visited the restaurant earlier today and had an incredible experience thanks to my waitress, Drea! She was outstanding, especially considering the difficult c... read more I visited the restaurant earlier today and had an incredible experience thanks to my waitress, Drea! She was outstanding, especially considering the difficult conditions she and her colleagues have to endure. With the summer heat outside, it was quite uncomfortable in the restaurant, lacking both fans and air conditioning. I can’t imagine how tough it must be for the staff to work under these circumstances every day. It’s concerning that a business can operate without ensuring a suitable environment for its employees, as the absence of AC makes their jobs significantly harder. Despite the heat, Drea remained professional and efficient, but I believe that having air conditioning would greatly improve her working conditions. My advice to the management is simple: install AC or consider shutting down.

Took my dad to Buoy One for Father’s Day dinner and we had the best experience. We loved everything we ate, my dad especially enjoyed the Old Bay Flounder speci... read more Took my dad to Buoy One for Father’s Day dinner and we had the best experience. We loved everything we ate, my dad especially enjoyed the Old Bay Flounder special. Our server Matthew was great as well, we really enjoyed the overall vibe of the restaurant and will definitely be back soon!

I LOVE THIS PLACE. just because. great oysters. low key vibe! : : read more I LOVE THIS PLACE. just because. great oysters. low key vibe! : :

Waitress directed us to sit down inside and wait for her. She never came in the next 30 minutes. her supervisor found out and apologies to us and asked the wait... read more Waitress directed us to sit down inside and wait for her. She never came in the next 30 minutes. her supervisor found out and apologies to us and asked the waitress why we weren’t served and the waitress proceed to blamed us for sitting ourselves down so she is punishing us and let us wait. We ended up ordering to go during our wait anyway but was still shocked to hear what words came out of this server to excuse herself from her inability to do her work. Food was fresh if any consolation.