Buoy 35: ‘A hidden gem’

All mariners know to pay attention to buoys, but this particular buoy is an invitation to a great night out.

Just at the edge of Blue Point, Buoy 35 is celebrating its one-year anniversary. Named after the actual Buoy 35 that marks the exit from Corey Creek, the restaurant embraces its nautical roots. “We say make a left at buoy 5, make a right at buoy 35,” a spokesperson for owners Blue Point Hospitality Group said, noting that Buoy 35 embraces a whole bunch of traffic from people coming by various means. “We have eight slips on the side. They’re all transient. You can come by your boat seven days a week.”

The Blue Point restaurant, located at 1 Curtis Road, came to be when Blue Point Hospitality Group, also owners of the Bodhi’s Beach Shack, acquired the space formerly occupied by JT’s on the Bay.

“We wanted to build something for the local community to come down and get a bite to eat,” the spokesperson said.

Buoy 35’s success comes from its diverse menu crafted by chef Maureen Dennings. With more than 40 years of culinary experience, including 15 years as the executive chef at Snapper Inn, Dennings brings a wealth of knowledge to the kitchen.

“I’ve been doing this for 40 years,” Dennings said. “My parents owned a deli, so you know, always been in this business.”

The menu offers dishes from the classic Buoy Burger, marinated beef seared and served on an English muffin, to their Mahi Reuben sandwich served to be a crowd staple.  Other notable dishes include their skirt steak served with mashed potatoes and broccoli and lobster roll, made with 100 percent Maine lobster, which has emerged as the summer’s bestseller.

The restaurant also offers appetizers, from their tangy fried calamari topped with a pineapple glaze and scallions to their refreshing summer salad served with a strawberry dressing.

Denning tries to keep things different by switching up the specials as well.

“We do specials every week,” Dennings said. “I get bored, you know, so I want to try new stuff—if I see something or I go out and I eat something and I’m like, oh, that’s interesting. So, I take this and change that.”

Besides their food, Buoy 35 keeps up with the calming scenery with cozy fire pits and outdoor seating providing water views straight from the restaurant. Buoy 35 has kept up with their nautical theme by importing a buoy straight from Marathon Key, Fla., and the hostess stand crafted to look just like a boat’s front yard.

Even with facing challenges from the weather earlier in the year, the restaurant was able to keep going thanks to the local support. As Buoy 35 enters its second year, the team is looking forward to the changing seasons.

“The fall season here is spectacular,” the spokesperson said. 

Plans are already in motion for seasonal decorations, menu changes, and football specials. The restaurant plans to bring back the pumpkin beer on draft on Sept. 6, as well as other notable dishes, from their New England clam chowder to the Buoy chili.

Despite its growing popularity, Buoy 35 remains committed to its “hidden gem” status.

“We don’t have a website, we don’t have a phone number,” the spokesperson said.  “We just kind of love that hidden-gem vibe. People like to come down to their place and make it feel like it’s theirs.”

The restaurant does have an Instagram account (@Buoy_35), where customers can keep up to date with incoming bands and new additions to the restaurant.

Anjolique Powell is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.