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“It’s not a speakeasy, if you say it is,” joked Ed Fabian, standing behind the bar at Artemis, a new cocktail lounge tucked inside the Station Yards complex in Ronkonkoma.
But whether you call it a speakeasy or not, the place is unlike anything else around.
“I’m in love with this place,” Fabian said. “There’s really nothing else like it outside of New York City.”
Artemis is officially opening its doors this Friday at 4 p.m., offering a cozy, dimly lit escape for lovers of handcrafted drinks and small plates.
And it all started with what was essentially a storage unit.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Fabian — best known for Billie’s 1890 in Port Jefferson — partnered with Brendan Mooney of Fire Island Ferries and Shoreline Trading Company in Bay Shore, and Anthony Vero of Aurora Contractors to bring Artemis to life.
The trio got a call from a broker at TRITEC, the developers behind Station Yards, about a small, windowless space they weren’t sure what to do with.
“It was basically a storage room,” Fabian said. “No windows, glass doors that opened up to lockers in the back. But we thought — what if we leaned into that and made something totally different?”
TRITEC had thrown out the idea of a speakeasy-style concept. From there, the team ran with it, diving into research and eventually landing on the name Artemis — inspired by a rum-running boat that once smuggled liquor along the Great South Bay during Prohibition.
“There’s actually a real story behind the Artemis,” Fabian said. “It got chased down by the Coast Guard — a cutter named the Black Duck — off Orient Point. There was a shootout, people were injured, and the boat ended up in Port Jeff.”
The kicker?
“Brendan’s family eventually bought the Artemis,” Fabian said. “He runs the ferry now. I live in Port Jeff. It just made sense.”
IF YOU GO
Artemis is small, dark and deliberate — with just 60 seats, a few standing spots, and no room for cutting corners.
“We don’t have soda guns. We don’t have sour mix. Every single bottle of juice is fresh,” Fabian said. “You’ll taste the difference immediately.”
The bar has a liquor locker program, where members can buy and store premium bottles on site, access exclusive events, and book priority reservations.
“If you’re in business or just like quality drinks, it’s the kind of thing that makes sense,” Fabian said. “It’s your bottle, your tab, you walk out.”
The vibe is intentionally low-key. There’s no sign out front. The lighting is subtle. And you’ll need to be led in — part of the charm.
“We didn’t want it to feel cheesy. It’s not swing jazz and bowler hats,” Fabian said. “It’s a cocktail lounge named after a smuggler boat. That’s it.”
Expect an elevated food program, too. Fabian brought on chef Albert Jacques, who comes from a fine dining and seafood background.
Think grazing boards, empanadas, sandwiches and shrimp cocktail.
“There are no forks here,” Fabian said. “It’s meant to be shared. It’s not dinner — it’s snacks. It’s conversation.”
As for hours?
“Every day,” Fabian said. “We’ll be open late — and the bartenders from other places will probably start showing up after their shifts.”
Artemis is located inside Station Yards, right across from the Ronkonkoma LIRR station. Parking is available on-site.
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