The Bay Street

The martinis were good but not good enough to warrant mid size US city prices for a martini that is mostly cheap liquor and chopped fruit that is unincorporated into the drink beyond existing on the rim or in the drink in chunks.
The Alley food truck that sits next door seems to be affiliated, you can even take the food into the restaurant to enjoy with your drink. But I assure you, you will not enjoy it because everything tastes like dirty grill.
Given the other options this place may very well be 5 star for Sodus but if you’ve travelled outside of the 315 area code you probably know better.

This restaurant, which we have been eating at for years, is the epitome of the phrase «hidden gem». As others note, you could drive by a dozen times and never realize that hidden behind a roadhouse bar is some of the most exquisite food you’re likely to ever find in this area. In addition to a menu heavy on seafood and meat, some prepared with considerable heat (spice-​wise), there is a reasonable wine list and an extensive martini list. What the chef is best known for are his sauces and soups; the oyster stew is an absolute must-​try. The mandatory (if you aren’t a vegetarian) entrée is the rack of lamb. This isn’t prepared the traditional way with the rack intact and possibly sporting little hats. In the Bay Street presentation, the chops are separated and treated lovingly to delicious gravy. The other accompaniments to the entrees, usually some mashed starch and well-​boiled vegetable, are inconsequential to the enjoyment of the meal and occasionally overly salted. Ignore them and delve into whatever pièce de résistance occupies the center of your plate. I enjoyed a delicious sampling of my wife’s Macadamia encrusted haddock along with my filet mignon bathed in a brandy Maytag (cheese, not appliance) peppercorn sauce and (unbelievably) a couple of lamb chops shared by a neighboring diner. Yes, someone gave me some food off their plate because it was too good not to share! Are you kidding me? That’s happened to me zero times before, but it exemplifies how much the regulars love to share the delicious food. Once you’ve experienced it, you’ll become a regular, although I am not sure your altruism is sufficient, as my neighbor’s was, to overcome the self-​indulgent greed this food inspires. Of course, everything comes at a price and this is true here. Dinner for two is always north of a ‘hunge’ (for the 315’ers, that’s 100.00), as we say in the ROC, but your ‘hunge’r for fine, casual dining will certainly be sated. Sorry, couldn’t resist. Service is friendly, warm, and casual (as is the dress). You can wear jeans by Levi or Versace, shoes by Payless or Prada, no one really cares, they’re too busy enjoying their dinners. Come and enjoy, but you’re not getting any of my lamb. Sorry.

The prime rib was cooked to a perfect medium rare with a lovely crisp and salty rub, the perfect bite. Thank you

I was in town from NC and the filet and lobster was excellent! The staff was very friendly and the restaurant has a ton of character.

This is a well hidden «secret» — the best food on the point. The best martinis. Great character all together. My favorite place in Sodus Point. Restaurant could be pricey.

The tavern exterior has a ramshackle, uninviting appearance. We would not ordinarily give such a place even momentary consideration, except for the recommendation of our b&b. Inside, there was a local casual vibe that was a mix between salty fishermen and locals out for a drink. Attire was jeans to formal. The dining room was in the back. In that room, there was a gracious ease from hostess to server. Chatter was animated and it was quite apparent that many knew each other. We were made to feel very much at home. What was quite a surprise – in this unassuming little tavern – we had meals we can only hope for from top chefs. The seafood chowder was all about fresh scallops to shrimp in a light tasty sauce. Crab cakes were not jumbo lump, but tasty with your choice of pesto or wasabi. I had the seared colossal scallops, done to perfection. My dining partner had a flaky, moist sea bass with Chardonnay cream sauce. Wow! The chef was said to be prized for his soups and sauces. I would have preferred a leek cream sauce on my scallops, but his key west salsa was acceptable. For dessert I had a key lime pie that was the best I’ve eaten anywhere!

Probably one of the best dinners I have had in many years. Very well prepared and delivered to the table HOT. Not much to look at from the outside but don’t let that fool you. Not the cheapest but fresh and very well prepared. Drove from Pittsford to Sodus and would do it again. Excellent helpful service, great selection of entres.

Absolutely love this place! We have come here at least 2 times a year for probably the last 8 – 10 years. Every time we have experienced amazing, innovative food, beautifully prepared and our party whether it was 6 or 10 people were served together and everyone was VERY happy with their food. Whether it was filet mignon or seafood the portions were generous and delicious. The service is impeccable. This is one of those places that you leave feeling like you had a good experience. Waitresses have great personalities.
Have a martini at the bar before dinner. They have a huge menu of martinis. We have sampled a lot of them — chocolate, wildberry, cucumber. That one was surprisingly fresh and tasty!
Go here, you will be glad you did!

Kinda the diamond in the ruff that stayed that way for decades. Don’t get me wrong, everything from the food coming out of the kitchen to the banter of the staff is warm and welcome (even the regulars are inviting) But something is missing.
Isn’t this place called The Bay Street «Hotel»? I was told there are about 9 – 12 rooms upstairs, (there appears to be four floors all together) that are either empty, used for storage and/​or creepily housing a couple of old mascots (you’ll have to ask the staff about that one).
To me, this just seems like a terrible waste. I understand renovations are costly but how much are they losing on those empty and unused rooms?
Considering there are nothing but Bed and Breakfasts’ in Sodus Point, a reasonable hotel over such a popular bar and restaurant during the peak months of summer would make that money back quickly.
Bottom line: Baystreet is top notch for what they do.

Very good food, the staff was so friendly !!! It seems like a lot of people are «regulars», (Everyone knows everyone).
Great choices for food, my Wife and I both had Filet and lobster tail, (but with different sauces) they had 3 to chose from. The sauce goes on the Filet, I had bacon and Horseradish sauce. The sauce is thick, not runny. My Wife had Brie and a marsalla sauce on her’s.
We had garlic Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans, Both good !!! The Serving sizes are smaller, so get an App., unless your a light eater.
The martini bar is when you first walk in, very cool looking, Key west theme. We did not however, try the martini’s.

Went here based on Unilocal reviews and they were spot on. Excellent food and super-​friendly people. Doesn’t look very fancy, particularly on the outside, but truly excellent food.

A Jewel! I’ve been here at least 15 times, and have NEVER been disappointed. Quality of the food is A+…consistently. You don’t find fine food like this outside of NYC. You might get lucky, but I HIGHLY recommend reservations. Do NOT judge this «book» by it’s cover.

This place makes me laugh thinking about it.
I don’t even know how to describe the exterior. Old wood, I guess. The sign doesn’t exactly stand out. It was only by chance that I saw it. They do have a nice porch on the front of the building that I imagine would be a nice spot to have a drink during the summer after a long day of fishing.
When you first walk inside, you go through the bar. It looks like a dive. Once you get past the uneven floors and the pool table, you get to the hostess stand. She then takes you to a dining room away from the bar area that is actually very nice. It’s a small dining room, but it looks nothing like the bar area. This is probably a good place to mention that it probably is a good idea to make a reservation before you go. It filled up quick and without one, you could be waiting a while.
Apparently this place does good martinis. I didn’t sample any but they brought us an encyclopedia-​sized martini menu with over 100 different kinds. I settled for the beer menu. Nothing on tap, which is disappointing, but a good amount of bottles. I had a Burning River from Great Lakes, to give you an idea of the selection. They also have a few wines and a full bar if whiskey is your thing.
The food was outstanding. Seriously, what business does this place have being in Sodus Point? I had some diver scallops with a Key West salsa. Delicious. It came with some garlic mashed potatoes that were unbelievably good as well as some spinach and rice, which I also devoured. I also sampled a bite of a frenched pork chop someone at the table had ordered. It was really, really good. And I didn’t even get a bite of the part that was stuffed with prosciutto and other delicious ingredients. We even ordered some desserts. They peanut butter ice cream and chocolate pie was fantastic and packed with enough sugar to power me through the hour-​long car ride back to Syracuse.
I have one gripe with the whole experience. There was a very long pause in between when we got our salads and when the entrees came out. It must have been an hour or more. The whole dining experience took around 3 hours. Granted, we enjoyed our time talking but there were a couple times when I was wondering what the hold up was.
If you live in Rochester or Syracuse and don’t mind driving a little bit, take a drive out to Sodus Point some Saturday in the summer. Walk around the little town a little, hang out by the water, and then have a meal that is better than 99% of the meals you’ll have in either city. Just make sure you’re not in a hurry.

Bay Street is by far my favorite restaurant in Western New York. It is a hidden gem in Sodus Point with the personality and aura of vacationing in Key West. The outside is dingy looking, but don’t let that scare you. The wait staff has been serving us for years and they are the best. The food is ALWAYS perfect. Portion sizes are actually normal! Food and service quality are outstanding. Nice selection of wine and lovely presentation both in main course and dessert. Don’t miss the Bay Street… a real treasure!

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover! The rotted wood exterior may keep people out, but the totally unassuming Bay Street is up there with fine NYC dining — seriously. Just don’t plan on anything swanky, unless you consider pink flamingos and palm trees high end décor!
Unbelievable food and the best Martini menu you have ever experienced. Make sure you make reservations during the peak summer months or plan to eat elsewhere. If you like spicy food, this place is for you. Get the Soused Shrimp and Scallops or Rack of Lamb. My two favorites. Never had a bad meal here and have tried most of the menu. The only steak option is Fillet, which is the only downside to this place for me. I prefer a NY strip personally, or at least some selection as they have 3 – 4 Fillet options. Definitely go early and have one of their 88 martinis to get your buzz on. If you go fruity, they squeeze the juice right at the bar.
Can’t say enough good here. Best food within 100 miles, including Syracuse and Rochester. Enjoy.