Where to eat before or after a Jones Beach concert

Some of my favorite food memories have been the meals I ate after concerts, when my ears were ringing and my belly rumbling from hours of loud music. A late-night patty melt, seared on a flattop by a guy wearing a paper hat, the onions perfuming the bright room … a pair of crunchy chicken tacos in a Styrofoam box, handed through a drive-thru window after doing the shark fins to Jimmy Buffett. When I was young, there was never time to eat before the show, but, as I get older, I increasingly want a bite or a cocktail to get me ready to rock out.

At Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, you’re paying top dollar to see legendary performers by the water, and there is absolutely no need to be distracted by hunger pangs. So here are a few options for before or after the show, all within minutes of Wantagh State Parkway Bridge, Meadowbrook State Parkway Bridge, Great South Bay Bridge and the State Boat Channel Bridge (part of Robert Moses Causeway) that will take you there whether you’re coming from the west or east. 

THE SEAFOOD SHACK

Bigelow's

79 N. Long Beach Rd., Rockville Centre, 516-678-3878, bigelows-rvc.com

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tues.–Thurs; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri. and Sat.; noon to 8 p.m. Sun; closed Mon.

It would be wrong to have a Jones Beach food story without mentioning this O.G. clam shack, a staple of the Sunrise Highway since 1939. Co-owner Anthony Andreolas said Bigelow’s has been popular with concertgoers and musicians for decades, including the roadies from Phish at one point. The best thing about this place is you can come “as you are,” he added, because the nostalgic room is so low-key.

Take a seat at the counter and watch the cooks sifting flour for their many fried delights, which include scallops, calamari, popcorn shrimp, oysters and fish-and-chips. The thing to order here is a plate of the fried Ipswich, or whole-belly, clams (MP), which are as buttery and briny as they come. The recipe has stayed the same since the place opened, and it’s still perfect. 

DINNER AND A SHOW

Bayberry

501 E. Main St., Islip, 631-210-0011, bayberryislip.com

Open noon to 10 p.m. Wed and Thurs.; noon to 11 p.m. Fri.; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun.; closed Mon. and Tues.

This one is for the adults in the room who treat concerts like the theater or opera. Located on the main drag of Islip, Bayberry is a lovely gastropub like you might find in London or the tonier neighborhoods of Manhattan. There is art on the walls, and gorgeous French tile on the floor. And they have a nice happy hour deal if you sit at the bar: 50 percent off bar drinks until 7 p.m., with discounted food. This is perhaps not the vibe you want if you’re seeing Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner on August 21, but appropriate if you’re heading out to see Steve Winwood (September 12).

Bayberry is also on Newsday’s 2026 list of Long Island’s best burgers for its 45-day dry-aged 1890 Burger ($27 with fries). There are also steaks, pastas and seafood dishes, but the standout item during a recent meal was a plate of chickpea fries ($12), the street food called panisse in the South of France. Never having had these before, I expected the thick little logs to taste beany, but they’re made from chickpea flour and had the texture of custard. They were awesome, and yes, they’re on the happy hour menu for $10.

HOMESTYLE ITALIAN

Frankie's Pizzeria & Restaurant

1696 Merrick Rd., Merrick, 516-377-9500, frankiesmerrick.com

Open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun.–Wed; 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thurs.–Sat.

There are a lot of Frank’s and Frankie’s floating around in this part of the world. So, just to clarify, this shopping-center pizzeria is not the same as Uncle Frank’s in Wantagh, Frank’s Trattoria in Long Beach or the now-shuttered Frank’s Steaks in Rockville Centre. But this is exactly why it’s charming. Frankie’s Pizzeria is Long Island Italian food done right. Which means it’s the one of the most satisfying meals you’ll ever eat. The portions are ginormous, which is helpful if you’re about to spend several music-filled hours at the beach. Up at the front, there’s an impressive pizza case featuring slices with an artisanal crust.

There’s also a full-service restaurant on the other side of the wall where you can feast on pastas as well as your standard variety of meat and fish dishes. They also make a hulking Italian chopped salad ($23.92) that I finally had to force myself to stop eating, it was so well executed.

But here’s a scoop: Frankie Lonigro and his son Jake also do a small selection of Neapolitan-style pizzas with a 72-hour ferment on the crust. Their Margherita pie ($22.88), crust puffed out and bubbled with black char, is a hidden gem. What a find!

THE 24-HOUR DINER

Lighthouse Diner

3240 Sunrise Hwy., Wantagh, 516-826-8111, thelighthousediner.com

Open 24 hours daily

Sunrise Highway is the land of diners. Just driving between the Meadowbrook Parkway and Robert Moses to the east, you’ll pass who knows how many diners. But the Lighthouse is the only one that’s still open 24 hours, because who wants to skip out early on The Beach Boys (August 2) to go to a restaurant? The Lighthouse Diner has been owned by Peter Theodosiou since 1986 and it’s as big and blingy and American flag–themed as they come. The menu has not been cut down or streamlined like it has at many other diners, so you can still find everything from Romanian pastrami to hot Virginia ham and moussaka.

I got a Greek burger ($14) and it had so much cooked spinach on there, I almost thought it was healthy. As with any 24-hour joint, there are little rules that are meant to keep the place from falling into pandemonium. My server said it can get really busy after a Jones Beach concert, and although there’s a no to-go cup rule for folks dining in, he nicely gave me one for the car. Now that’s Long Island hospitality.

THE FUNKY LATE-NIGHT SPOT

Mi Casa Restaurant

177 W. Merrick Rd., Freeport, 516-442-7111, micasarestaurantfreeport.com

Open 11 a.m. to midnight Mon.–Wed.; 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Thurs.–Sat.; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sun.

Now it’s time for the afterparty! Let’s keep the music going with a round of bachata. Not too far from the Meadowbrook Parkway, the town of Freeport has its fair share of Dominican restaurants. But Mi Casa stands out for its accommodating hours. This place, tucked into a shopping center with ample free parking, is part of an enclosed minimall with a laundromat, beauty supply store and notary public. Walk through the little hallway/vestibule and into the lively restaurant, which has sort of a sports bar–wedding venue vibe with lots of comfy booths.

The menu is extensive, with all manner of mariscos (seafood dishes), over-the-top mofongo (green plantain) platters with pork, chicken, beef, shrimp or calamari, and Dominican specialties such as goat and oxtail stews.

But the biggest win of the evening was the picadera tipica, or Dominican fried appetizer platter. Twenty bucks and change will get you a plentiful assortment of fried cheese blocks, fried shrimp, plantains, chicken tenders, beef and flavorful logs of sausage.