Beachtree

Beachtree

166 West Main St.

East Islip, NY  11730

(516) 798-1172

http://www.beachtreerestaurant.com/

Here We Go:   With a light, seaside vibe, Beachtree makes for a nice place to grab a bite or to reserve space for larger parties. Although the food looks and tastes pretty good, you can't help but notice that none of it really screams "fresh." Even for brunch, whether you get random "cold spots" in your food is hit or miss. Either the food is all premade or bought frozen, because getting something custom ordered (i.e. no onions mixed in, etc.) isn't an option. Don't get me wrong, I still do like their Chicken Cordon Blue, but it's hard to find someone who wants to come along and take their chances on what they order.


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Bottom Line:  Take it or leave it.

Don Juan

Don Juan

4899 Merrick Rd.
Massapequa Park, NY

(516) 798-1172

www.donjuanny.com/

Here We Go:  Don Juan's is a nice, sleek Mexican restaurant that serves up some good dishes in close quarters.  The food is kind of pricey (an average of $18), but I like that there are simple options for kids, like tacos, burgers and chicken nuggets.  You'll find parking in back lot, but I'd suggest calling for reservations before just showing up and trekking up to the door.  And now for the bad:  the bar is small and fills up easily, so don't bank on hanging out there to wait for a seat.  Even then, the sangria wasn't anything special (Tango's in Central Islip takes The Sangria Award).  We tried to revisit Don Juan's and when we asked the hostess to put us on the list, she informed us that she didn't know how long we would have to wait since they had reservations to wait on.  So we had the option of waiting for an indefinite period of time, looking at the empty tables and waiting for reservation holders who weren't even there, or leaving.  We left.  If you're looking for a place where you'll get more bang for your buck and some spectacular food, check out Pancho Villa's in Huntington.

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Bottom Line:  Take it or leave it.

Peninsula

Peninsula

55 West Main St.
Bay Shore, NY 11706

http://www.allmenus.com/ny/islip/59067-peninsula-fs/menu/

Here We Go:   The thing about a place like Penninsula is that the decor just makes it worth revisiting.  Sure, you can get pretty much anything on the menu at any other Chinese or sushi restaurant, respectively, but when you walk in and step on the little bridge that takes you over the koi pond, you just feel like you're in a great place.  At night, the room darkens and the ceiling comes to life with little twinkling stars and the large salt water fish tank is stunning.  Once you take in all of the sights, you can focus on the menu, which boasts everything you'd expect.  Really, the thing that sets Peninsula apart from the rest is the atmosphere, so check it out for that reason, but you can get this food as take out someplace else (and probably for a little less money).

Feast Your Eyes:

Beef and Broccoli

Sweet and Sour Chicken (sauce on the side per request)

Sushi Bar

Garden Salad with Ginger Dressing

Honey Roll

 Maki Lunch Box

Bottom Line:  Take it or leave it.