Anchor Down

Love the new summer menu.
The burrata appetizer is amazing. We loved the crab cake as well. For entrees we had the lobster roll, Salmon and the burger. All were excellent.
The atmosphere is very cozy and warm. It is a small place so I recommend making reservations in advance. They have outside seating as well during the warm weather.

My tuna was very good. And chef did prepare the lobster roll special for my daughter. I was little disappointed by some facets of the evening, but the place was crowded and on a Monday that’s saying something.

The food here is really excellent, especially for Long Island (yes, I know that makes me sound like a snob, but honest to god so many of the restaurants I’ve been to on the island just miss the mark. But I digress…).
We had oysters, baked clams, and blackened swordfish. The swordfish was a bit overcooked, but otherwise everything was really well executed, and the baked clams were some of the best I’ve ever had (simply prepared with lots of garlic and white wine, bread crumbs weren’t all mushy…).
The service left far more to be desired. We sat at the bar while we waited for our table and even though it wasn’t that busy we waited 10 minutes before the bartender acknowledged us. In fact the bar completely cleared out and we were the only ones sitting there, and she still started to tend to the glasses left behind before greeting us; we had to flag her down and ask for menus. It was like we were invisible. The waitstaff were also slow and not terribly attentive; they just seemed like they were all very distracted.
Finally – and this probably can’t be helped – but this place also gets very loud. It’s smallish and the ceiling is fairly low, so I suspect it’s simply the acoustics. But it made for an unpleasant meal at times.
Overall this is a solid place, would definitely come back again for the food, they know what they are doing.

My last review for Anchor Down (which earned me the ROTD in June 2015) was written one year ago and this restaurant still remains one of my favorite places to eat! Chef Stephen has added Chef Jason DeLeo to his team which has inspired subtle and delicious nuances to a great repertoire of dishes. Tonight I started with the Thai Coconut Curry Mussels which were plump and tasty. It’s no wonder this dish is very popular — the broth is outstanding! I used my shells as spoons and devoured the entire bowl! When Chef passed by my chair I asked him to surprise me with my main course. He presented me with a fabulous Crab Stuffed Sole on a bed of Sauteed Spinach, Roasted Potatoes, and Lemon Butter Sauce. Wow. This was a winner, winner, fish dinner! Big portion too! I brought a third of it home with me and I swear, I can hear it calling out my name already!
I love this place! It’s still laid back and comfortable without any pretentiousness. The staff has pretty much remained the same which speaks volumes about the leaders who run this team.
Woohoo! As good as it gets!

This was perhaps my 4^th, and best dinner here yet.
I’m sorry that I didn’t get my server’s name, but she was terrific!
The muscles with the Thai Coconut Curry sauce was amazing! Nice, fresh, plump juicy muscles in a delicious sauce! But the best part was the swordfish! Often it is overcooked, but not here; it was perfectly blackened and nice & moist. Dinner was so good, that I didn’t feel the need to have desert, which was not easy.
Best of all, my 3 hard to please friends, like it just as much, if not more.

I think the last time I was surrounded by so much lobster… um, err, never mind. One word — bibs! The space is intimate, cozy and FULL of phenomenal surf and turf specials. Everyone at our table ordered the stuffed lobster oreganata, but some of the specials of that evening included grilled swordfish with andoui sausage and filet mignon medallions wrapped in bacon with grilled shrimp. I ordered the crispy yellowfin tuna with green beans and wasabi cream. It had the sweet, velvety texture you expect from sushi grade tuna followed with an unexpected wash of heat and salinity. My tongue was having a dance party, while the rest of the table was cracking lobster claws and tails. Apparently, it was worth the mess and effort — the lobster meat practically dissolved in your mouth. This is a definite seafood destination!

A bunch of old friends and I decided to go to dinner having not seen each other for a long time. We decided to come to Anchor Down.
Everything was absolutely delicious. The service was fantastic. The waitress made a couple of small errors but more then made up for it. One of the things that annoys me is when a server makes a mistake and blames the kitchen. We all make mistakes sometimes. It’s how those mistakes get handled that matters. In this case she took responsibility and was extremely apologetic. To me, that is a sign of professionalism.
The food was fresh and well prepared. The presentation was excellent. Most of us got the lobster special. It was sooo good. We had the fried calamari for an appetizer. I loved that it wasn’t just a plate of calamari. There were peppers and basil that was also fried and really balanced out the dish well.
I will definitely be coming back and bringing more people to share the experience.
To Stephen, the chef, and all his staff, thank you for a wonderful dinner.

This restaurant is very lovely inside, just what you would expect from a sea-​themed eatery. The food was ok. The calms were good and the crab cakes were pretty good. Both items were on the salty side and took a very long time to arrive. Where this restaurant really falls short is service. We had two waitresses and one was more attentive then the other. The less attentive waitress seemed to have some favorites in the place, she gave them the specials and even smiled-​possible friends I guess. Even when calling to make our reservations she was rude on the phone. We weren’t having it so we just paid for your appetizers and left.

One would think living on an Island we would have an abundance of quality seafood eatery’s but not so. Luckily for us we finally found one!!!
This restaurant boast old school charm as well as a very contemporary seafood menu.
Everyone enjoyed their meals and the service was spot on!!!
The atmosphere is charming and the prices reasonable.
Enjoy!!!

Fantastic Restaurant in Merrick!
Been here quite a few times with my wife, and friends. From summer to winter, happy hour to dinner. Excellent Food, Great Drinks, and a kind, warm, cozy atmosphere. Fireplace is on in the winter, the nautical décor is great, and the staff are all attentive and polite. Steve the owner, a fantastic guy and an amazing chef, always comes out to greet everyone, and say hello. Keep doing what you’re doing! See you soon!

All in all the entire meal was great.
We ordered the calamari & shrimp which was awesome
& also the crab cake appetizer, which was the better of the two in my opinion.
For my entrée I ordered the special (lobster tracie) it was awesome, came with a side of burnt broccoli, super flavorful although a tad bit salty.
The person I came with had the swordfish (special). I tasted it, we both agreed that it was really good but it was a little salty (the sweet potato& spinach)
We would both come back but we would ask for them to lay off the salt lol
Oh & the service … Impeccable. I only wish I could remember her name…

Anchor Down is a good restaurant with great salads. Inside was cozy, charming and lively. It seems to be a popular place with the locals. My fiancé and I came here on a recommendation of another couple. They canceled at the last minute so we decided to keep the reservation. The bartender made a great martini. I only ordered a salad, mussels and a side of fries (good) because I wanted to save room for dessert. My fiancé ordered the Kale Caesar salad (great) and the Branzino. He didn’t care for his entrée. He stated that it was small and overly charred and he didn’t like the side of farro pilaf. It was cold. The chocolate cake was decent.
He’s on the fence about returning for round two.

Second visit to this off the beaten path gem and I am just as impressed with the food as the first time. When we last visited, I had the whole Bronzino with faro. Grilled, fresh meaty and delicious. As it was St. Patty’s Day, delicious fresh baked Irish Soda bread and soft butter made it’s way to our table and disappeared much too quickly. We spied a huge bowl of fried calamari and shrimp at the next table. Lisa asked if the chef would consider serving it grilled as we had already carbed out on the bread. The chef replied that he could make a nice sauté for us. Tender tentacles and rings and medium shrimp in a steaming fragrant bowl of bright marinara, fresh basil and red and green cherry peppers was just right. I loved how the spice and vinegar of the peppers played off of the sweet seafood. Tonight, I was going to try their crispy tuna with wasabi cream, but one of the chalkboard specials caught my eye. Undecided, the waitress stated that I could have the tuna anytime but tonight’s duck was really special. Am i making a mistake ordering duck at a seafood restaurant (like do people really order chicken at steakhouses)? I have to tell you, this dish was a winner. Beautifullly plated, four gorgeous medallions of medium rare breast meat resting on top of a sauced wild rice. Beet purée and a cranberry reduction the perfect foil for the luscious rich meat. Sipping a nice pinot noir while savoring every last morsel made this a memorable meal.

Cozy and friendly little spot way down in residential south Merrick… interesting and diverse menu with high quality ingredients, obviously prepared with love. Although the bowl of fried calamari and shrimp looked amazing, we were pleased that the chef could make the same dish sautéed with hot cherry peppers and marinara… really delicious and guilt free. The whole Branzino on a bed of cous cous with grilled long stemmed artichoke hearts was fantastic and I preferred this grain to the farro pilaf that I had on our last visit. The fish was served whole sans the bones and perfectly seared with a nice bit of char. Lee had the duck breast special on a beet purée with a wild rice mixture studded with, I believe, cranberries. Perfectly cooked with a pink center and paired with a nice Pinot Noir.
They will be serving their fresh baked Irish Soda Bread and Corned Beef & Cabbage all weekend for the holiday. Every dish that came out of the kitchen looked amazing and we look forward to returning when the patio soon opens.

This place is a hidden gem in residential south Merrick! What a nice surprise to find something outside of all the usual downtown restaurants in south shore towns!
The atmosphere: casual, comfortable, and a step or two step up from a bar/​grill. We sat by the fireplace in the room that didn’t have the bar. I think it was a more intimate environment compared to the louder bar side.
I started the evening with a brandy alexander– nice flavor if you’re in the mood for a delicious and slightly heavy drink (bc it has cream). My mates had oysters and mussels in Thai coconut curry (rave reviews!!)
Menu and food: SO good! There was a seafood pot pie on special which looked great, one of my dining mates had it and said it was very good and nicely done. Crab cakes were a big hit, as was the branzino which was already deboned. I had the strip steak (yep I’m that person) which was cooked nicely at medium. I subbed the regular mashed potatoes for Gorgonzola mashed potatoes I saw on the menu, and also had burnt broccoli (that’s what they call it) and it was all DELISH!
Wouldn’t hesitate to go again… soon!

Just came back from my third time eating here, which ended up being my favorite meal. My friend and I came after purchasing a groupon, great deal. Tuesday night and the place was decently crowded. For the app we got the spicy fried calamari with basil and peppers which was very good. I personally can only have so much of the fried stuff. Onto dinner, my friend ordered the Panko crusted sole with spinach which he was thrilled with. I tasted it and it was delicious. I got the tuna based off the recommendation from the waitress (I asked if she would do the salmon or tuna and she said they just changed the tuna up and it was highly recommended). The tuna was crusted in some kind of wasabi something with these delicious green beans underneath. It was served with some Chinese noodles on top for a crunch element. It was DELICIOUS! I cleaned the whole plate! Too full for dessert!
Wait staff was super friendly and attentive. Quick service. Great ambiance. Quiet location. Just voted best seafood on Long Island for 2016. I highly recommend it!!! Yum!

It was Saturday night and we had a Groupon for Anchor Down so we decided to go to Merrick, down by all the boat yards and see what it was all about. Even with GPS we were taken thru residential neighborhoods and finally at the very end of the road was Anchor Down. surrounded by boats wrapped in plastic for the winter. Its a very quaint rather small restaurant that was very comfortable when we were seated in the darker bar side. The bar was rather large for such a small place but I guess in the Summer the boaters stop by here for drinks. We ordered a couple of drinks; a Marguerita which they made with well Tequila $ 11 and a Grey Goose up with a twist and were charged $ 14…kind of high for the area. We then ordered appys; Fried Calamari and Shrimp with a tasty marinara sauce… a large portion and delicious to boot. And we shared a lettuce wedge with bleu cheese and crumbles… absolutely wonderful! We didnt do as well with the mains. BG had Garlic Panko Crusted Sole that was ok and I had the Horseradish crusted Salmon… a mistake… there was no crust and it was covered with a thick cream flavored topping that killed the flavor of the fish and was really overkill. The fish would have been better grilled… my bad! the Chef/​owner visited with us and he was fun to chat with about food.
Would we return to this venue? Absolutely YES! It was nice eating there and the folks were very hospitable… But, I would order my mains differently. forget the fancy stuff and go straight fish… no embellishments!

Super small, intimate, and adorable little local seafood restaurant. I was *hooked* from the moment I walked in.
Okay, after that terrible joke, I’ll get to the nitty gritty. The service was slow to start but once a waitress came by everything was smooth sailing.
Okay okay I’ll stop with the jokes.
It was pretty busy on the Tuesday night I came in with my future hubby and father-​in-​law. We were seated at a table in the corner and perused the menu for quite some time. There were too many things on the menu I wanted to try! But after some deliberation here is what we got:
My father-​in-​law had the shrimp poboy and loved it.
My honey had the crab and corn cakes with hopping john salad and he really enjoyed it. The crab cakes were very good.
I had the lobster roll. It was one of the best ones I’ve ever had. Huge chunks of some of the freshest lobster I’ve ever had. The mayo had tons of tarragon in it which made it so good. The roll was special. It reminded me of a pretzel and it held up the lobster perfectly. And the fries were on point too.
I’m definitely coming back for this lobster roll as soon as possible!

The Chef here puts out some of the best dishes I’ve had in years. Some are unique (Chilled Watermelon, Roasted Corn & Feta salad), others are timeless classics; such as the most delicate Lobster Bisque with an incredible depth of flavor that I’ve ever had. The Crab Cake was the best I’ve had on Long Island in years; and I am a Crab Cake snob!
Other points of interest on the menu were the Mussels which we enjoyed very much, and pretty much any dish that we observed during our stay looked well put-​together and delicious!
The place is a bit claustrophobic at first when you walk in due to the low ceilings, and the outdoor patio area is also a bit tight as you are fully surrounded by a wooden fence to hide the surrounding boat yard; but do not let this deter you from the real reason we all venture out to eat, which is the food!!! Enjoy!

Cute local seafood restaurant. Not directly on the water, but still a nice outdoor seating area.
My husband and I split the lobster roll and fish and chips. Fresh and filling.
The waitresses were very friendly, also.