Watch a game inside or put your feet in the sand outside at the Sand Bar & Grille
“It’s a local flavor – it’s a local vibe”
By Peter Conway
“When you sit at the Sand Bar & Grille and have a meal, it’s not just local ingredients, said Jordan Wallace, manager of the Sand Bar & Grille. “It’s a local flavor – it’s a local vibe,”
The surf-and-turf vibe is underlined in the freshly-imported sand that covers the grounds at the Harbor-side entrance, where patrons have the option to dine. The Orca Bar, in the same realm, offers an intimate feel with its enclosed sides. Both settings provide diners and drinkers with an optimal view of the Oak Bluffs Harbor and the impressive boats that float on it.
The establishment’s three bar and beach ambiance, along with local and antique décor on the inside, distinguish the Sand Bar & Grille from any other spot on the Island.
In the month prior to This Week visiting, The Sand Bar & Grille lost a valuable part of its operation: Chef John White. However, his legacy lives on the menu, especially with his Famous Baja Fish Tacos. Served in Soft Flour Tortillas, blackened Mahi and accented with cabbage, mango salsa, and a Hawaiian BBQ sauce that will race through your taste buds and educate you about local Pacific island flavors.
Appetizers like Crab Cakes, Truffle Fries, and Lobster Mac & Cheese get you started. The crispy Calamari comes lightly fried along with banana peppers that are seasoned with garlic and parmesan cheese. A cup of hot marinara sauce joins the dish.
Other favorite entrees include the All American Sand Bar Burger and the Smoked Salmon BLT.
Finalize your dining experience with dessert options like Brownie Madness, which is served with chunks of warm brownie and chocolate chip cookie dough over vanilla ice cream. This irresistible chocolate concoction topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and crushed Oreo cookies.
As the only beach bar on the Island, and thanks to its impressive size, the Sand Bar & Grille is a hotspot for celebrations like bachelor and bachelorette parties. Its party planning service takes the pressure off customers and helps deliver an unforgettable experience filled with proper libations, activities, and music.
Music is a constant background fixture at the Sand Bar.
The Grateful Dead and other bygone favorites echo from the street-side bar. Energetic conversations trail from active customers to bartenders and servers as the Serbia and Brazil World Cup matchup begins on the TV, ideally placed next to the newly-implemented 1800s-style fireplace façade.
A Lord of the Rings pinball machine and a shuffleboard table lining the walls guide customers to the outside bar that’s length summarizes the array of craft beers and liquors that your thirsty palette can select from.
The Sand Bar & Grille street-side entrance
Hostesses stand in front of The Sand Bar & Grille’s Harborside entrance
It is easy to understand why The Sand Bar & Grille is a favorite of both locals and visitors. It’s the distinct Martha’s Vineyard aesthetic attached to it. The surfboard countertops at the street-side entrance were pulled from Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven, which rests atop the Steam Ship Authority’s old drawbridge banisters.
Even with the Sand Bar & Grille’s antique build out, a young staff and contemporary music assure a young atmosphere, especially at night when a lively crowd gathers for a true “beach party”.
For the remainder of the summer weekends, The Sand Bar & Grille will feature a range of Island Rock, Classic Rock & Reggae artists
Manager Josh Haynes says, “The idea is to have a variety of music and musicians.”
he atmosphere at The Sand Bar & Grille is designed with a multitude of seating options, whether at the inside bar enjoying a set of live music, or at the Harbor-side bar where a sunny day would struggle to seem so pleasant somewhere else. With good food, good music and good people, you are sure to add good times when you put your feet in the sand at the Sand Bar and Grille.
