Summer House Beachside Bistro

I live in NYC, so this was our weekend escape. Nantucket is absolutely beautiful. We spent the day biking around the island and eventually found ourselves in this charming spot. Luckily, we arrived just before the lunch rush and were seated right away, no wait at all. I don’t usually explore much when it comes to seafood, but something nudged me to try the poached seafood salad. It was the perfect choice for a hot day: refreshing, chilled, and bursting with flavor. It paired wonderfully with a crisp glass of prosecco. My friends had the lobster roll, huge compliments, it was delicious!

This is a must for us when we visit Nantucket. The surroundings are absolutely gorgeous and truly serene. The servers have always been super nice, and the food is very good. True, it’s a bit pricey, but like other reviewers have said, you’re paying for the incredible scenery - and we think it’s worth it!

Gorgeous spot for lunch close to the beach. Quite private and I was surprised at how good it was given the 3.5 star rating. This is not a bar on the beach and footwear is required so maybe other reviewers, like me, were expecting something a bit more basic and not so pricey. $28 for the humus plate, which I enjoyed but is probably the most I’ve paid anywhere for a humus appetiser.

Food is expensive but you're paying for the view and convenience of being very close to the beach. The staff was super friendly and thoughtfully brought out our kids meal with the appetizers without us having to ask. Relaxed environment for families. There seemed to be a pretty fun happy hour happening even though when didn't partake. I think the overall quality of the food and service was pretty good.

You're paying for the location which is beautiful if the weather is nice. We got the wings, the tuna tartar, and the Tiramisu. The food was fine. The menu is large and varied, with a great selection but the prices are on the higher end even for Nantucket. They were out of the main ingredient for the house cocktail which was disappointing. I paid $17 for a basic Tito's and cran in a disposable plastic cup but there was very good live music and a relaxed atmosphere. We will visit again.

Great food had the Margherita pizza. Read some reviews about management and business hours. Opened right in time for us and is a beautiful spot to eat relax and have a drink by the beach. Free wifi as well.

We are here at the Cottages for an extended staycation, and so dining at the Bistro for many meals. The staff, ambiance, and experience of the Bistro is astoundingly lovely. Lily the hostess is super pleasant and accomodating of our often showing up a bit late. Phillipe the barman makes great drinks and has a fantastic playlist. The waitstaff hustle like you can't believe. I like to enjoy a predinner drink. The wine list has what you need. We never feel rushed in any way. The tables are appropriately spaced apart for Covid compliance, and we feel absolutely safe here. The oysters are freshly shucked and great. The tuna tartar and octopus are great starters. The burger is a fantastic blend and tastes delicious. The NY Strip is over-the-top the best steak I have had - multiple times now. For seafood, you can enjoy cod or flounder or halibut. All are delightful. The vegetable sides are scrumptious. I can't comment on the pasta dishes because I am gluten intolerant. For dessert, they have gelato. The salted caramel and the cherry vanilla are "to die for." All in all, don't hesitate to come for lunch or dinner. Be forewarned though that if you don't have a reservation, you may have to wait. Oh, and they have several tables down on the sand. Dining under the stars was a memorable occasion (dress warmly since it can be windy, or ask for a blanket). Enjoy!

The patio has the perfect atmosphere. Beautiful views of the water and the right amount of sea breeze. The food is delicious and the service is top notch. They are friendly and helpful. I recommend getting their truffle fries no mater what you order as they are some of the best I've had! Do note that to get to the patio the only way down is stairs. So not ADA friendly. Perfect spot to catch up with friends or have an afternoon date.

Food is expensive but you're paying for the view and convenience of being very close to the beach. The staff was super friendly and thoughtfully brought out our kids meal with the appetizers without us having to ask. Relaxed environment for families. There seemed to be a pretty fun happy hour happening even though when didn't partake. I think the overall quality of the food and service was pretty good.

Too expensive. Wow. Plus no service for one hungry person Not recommended. Disappointed

Food was great, service was really nice and the view was also really good. I would firmly recommend it

for the second time called and made reservations for lunch only to get there and have them say we are not serving food/ lunch. such poor organization. no wonder they have been closed by nantucket government. i will never go there again until under new mngt or proof that they treat patrons with respect.

I live a few blocks over. See this pool every day. And every day my 5 year old daughter wants to swim in it. So I got her super cute today to go spend a lot of money on lunch and was told to swim in the pool is $75 per guest. I asked for a neighborly family discount. Yeah... they don't want extra people in the pool besides hotel guests. So they don't give any special breaks... not even for a 5 year old. You can keep your $36 burger and $10 modelo.

Extremely expensive. I understand that all of Nantucket is expensive but all of these prices are astronomical. Why am I paying $5 to add a slice of cheese to my $34 burger? Service was also terrible, very slow and waitress barely checked up on us. Food was good, not worth the price, I'd recommend you take your business elsewhere.

Very poor, overpriced food. Chicken strips were so dry I could not swallow without water. Fries were also soggy and stale.

This rating is for unresponsiveness. Called on Monday to request Saturday lunch res. Polite young woman took all info, including name/phone/email/specific time request, and said a "reservationist" would call. After 24 hours of nothing, I emailed the address provided on-line. Never got a response to either inquiry. Sure hope the Summer House - Beachside Bistro crew can get their act together before the busy season!

If you invested in a $38 lobster roll what would your expectation be? I'm guessing a large format buttered and grilled brioche roll brimming with mounds of fresh cold lobster meat enrobed in just enough mayo and perhaps a sprinkling of herbs and celery to tie it all together in a sublime, summery mouth-gasm might justify the eye popping price tag? Well move along because there's nothing to see here other than a flaccid hotdog bun with a pile of turning lobster meat swimming in enough mayo to choke a horse--or mask the taste of the gamey lobster. Highway robbery at its finest. Now let's discuss the fish tacos. Some applicable adjectives: mushy, spoiled, uninspired. Furthermore what little fish we detected was overpowered by raw cabbage and turnt, army green guac. Easily the most bogus fish taco we've ever later barfed up. One star for some very decent fried clams and well carbonated Diet Coke.

Love it here always. Pricey but the ambience makes up for it. I would say the cocktails are expensive too but it's a lovely spot around sunset and they provided us blankets when children or ourselves get cold. Good service as well 10/10

The bistro boasts having elegant evening dining with tablecloths, candles, piano music, an extensive menu & more. Nothing could be further from the truth. We had a reservation for 13 people, but were divided between two tables, which were sans tablecloths (plastic tops), candles & music. The paper menu was very limited & pricey drinks were served in plastic cups. We were prepared to spend more for a great meal, but were not prepared to pay $$$ for mediocre food. Entrees arrived minutes after appetizers. Several of the meals (again $$$) lacked flavor. To add insult to injury, the tabs for each table were combined into one bill which was not itemized! The manager gave us menus so that we could figure out what each item cost! We had to ask about drink prices, as they are not provided on the menu! He refused any assistance! It took us more than 45 minutes to decipher & pay our bill! Every member of our party agreed, this was worst dining experience they'd ever had.

Allowed me to book an OpenTable reservation but the place was closed for the day for a private party. Not cool and not good management.

Overpriced and underwhelmed. The fish tacos came in the same whole wheat wrap they use for the chicken salad wrap, cut into squares and skewered. The "avocado" spread came as perfectly creamy and green as the three layer nacho dip you'll find at stop and shop. The second star is for the atmosphere, which does feel very Nantucket. Great views, great music, service was mixed. Lower your expectations for a mediocre meal, but get the vibe you probably came for.

$18 for a plastic cup with house Cabernet. I complained then the apparent floor manager told me he didn't work there then hid in the back.

3.5/5 for me here We came here after a nice bike-ride from the center of Nantucket (about a 10-miler) which is great on a sunny day. After the 45 min or so ride, we made our way to the beach-side bistro and sat down for some cocktails and lunch. The atmosphere is very casual as people come dressed up or dressed down from the pool. The service was a bit slow but friendly overall. Getting to the food, I started with the New England Clam chowder that was flavorful and hearty. I then moved to the open-face steak sandwich that I thought was a bit overcooked and not as tender as I had hoped for it to be. I also tried the baja fish tacos that were well done and balanced with excellent flavor. To cap things off, I finished my meal with a mudslide that was ok. Overall, the atmosphere was casual and laid back. The food and service were good but the price-tag was a bit steep for lunch as it was around $90/person after tax and tip with a couple of cocktails each. Buon appetito.

I don't know why there are so many bad reviews! The food here was so tasty, best gazpacho I've ever had in my life. The waiters were so sweet. Can't wait to come again.

My stomach still turns thinking about the fish tacos. If you go to this place, do it for the view and maybe a drink unless you're into overpriced food poisoning. Eat at your own risk.