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A summer evening in Oak Bluffs with waterfront dining at Jetty Beach House (the old Lobsterville Bar and Grille building), sunset harbor views, and a scenic ride to Vineyard Haven.
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Oak Bluffs has a handful of waterfront restaurants worth planning an evening around. The main three today are Jetty Beach House (in the old Lobsterville Bar and Grille building), Nancy's, and Sand Bar, all on the water, each with a different feel.
Lobsterville Bar and Grille sat directly on the water, and from a table there you could watch the sun go down over the harbor. In 2026 the building reopened as Jetty Beach House, so the view is still on the menu. The kitchen does fresh seafood; a lobster roll and a drink while the light fades is a hard combination to beat. It draws locals as well as visitors, which is usually a good sign.
Sunset over the water from the Oak Bluffs waterfront.
Sunset over East Chop from the Oak Bluffs side, the sky going orange behind the rooflines.
Nancy's runs a broad menu, seafood through burgers, and handles families and bigger groups well. The upstairs bar has a good angle on the sunset.
Sand Bar is the casual one: open-air, beachside, food and drinks without any fuss. It's a good landing spot at the end of a day around Oak Bluffs.
The patio at Sand Bar and Grille: umbrellas, high tops, and the harbor at the end of the deck.
After dinner, the ride back to Vineyard Haven is worth taking slowly. You get water views for much of the way, and it's a quiet end to the day.
Sand Bar at night, lit green and red, the deck still open after the sunset crowd has moved on.
Circuit Avenue is the town's main drag, with shops, cafes, and galleries packed along a walkable stretch. The Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest operating platform carousel in the United States, is here too, and worth a stop even without kids in tow.
Filmed July 2022The island moves on: shops, signs and prices may differ from what you see here. The text of this guide was checked September 2026.
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