The big back room at the Harbor Crab Co. in Patchogue got a facelift this winter, and its brand-new garage doors are being rolled up just in time for the warmth.
The glass doors allow for a wide-open, floor-to-ceiling waterfront experience at the Crab, no matter the weather, and without any plastic drapes.
The room received updates throughout, with new floors and furniture, along with retractable glass panels on its east side to further enhance the river views and bay breezes.
“We felt we had to answer the call with all the new places opening up on Main Street,” said Harbor Crab Co. co-owner Mark Miller. “It seems like a new restaurant is opening every other day and a fresh coat of paint wasn’t going to do the job.”
The Crab’s next move will be to update its double-decker steamboat Barefoot Princess, which offers additional dining directly on the Patchogue River.
“We knew we needed to accent the one thing Main Street doesn’t have, which is the water,” Miller said. “Long Islanders and people in general are magnetically attracted to water, so we re-worked existing space with panoramic, waterfront views from every angle. It’s got a whole new feel.”
The Crab’s grand reopening party for its back bar is this Friday, April 7, beginning with the start of Happy Hour at 4 p.m. and going all-night long.
“We’ve always had an extremely busy restaurant,” Miller said. “But we want to get back that casual cocktail and appetizer crowd that we once had — that cocktail-ing crowd.”
“The feedback so far in just a few days has been phenomenal,” he continued. “The place is light and airy and fun again — as a waterfront local’s place should be.”
He said the ease of parking and free nightly live music should only help in their efforts.
“It’s certainly an attitude-free vibe here,” he said.
Top: Harbor Crab co-owner and bartender Mike Stephani enjoys the Crab’s enhanced river views with his sister and fellow bartender, Mary Stephani. (Credit: Michael White)
