It’s Official, I’m Hooked — Hooked Restaurant In Oak Bluffs

So, I’ve been to Hooked for its opening party.  I have gone there for drinks with friends and loved it, but was yet to have dinner there.  That’s kind of sad, especially for me, since it’s been open since May, and I’ve been hearing great things about it.

With my husband’s family in town for vacation, there are a total of 20 of us venturing out to restaurants for dinner, which is always quite an adventure, since there are not many places that can easily accommodate such a large party. Each Summer when they come, we go to their usual favorites, but this year, it was time to try something new, Hooked. It’s the perfect place for large (or small) parties, but I did not realize how perfect it would actually be.

It was a Monday, and we made the reservation for 2o for 6 pm.  They were happy to accommodate us which I was thrilled about.  I decided to get there a little early, so I could enjoy the 4 – 6 pm oyster happy hour, “Buck a Shuck.”  Who doesn’t love local Katama Bay oysters for only $1.00 a piece?

As I was enjoying my oysters, family members began to arrive.  We were seated in the outdoor patio, which was great, because we all enjoy outdoor dining.  The space is private and spacious. Before going outside, everyone had to check out the inside.  Everyone oooo’d and ahhhh’d as they walked through to get to our seats.  They thought it was light and airy, and very “Vineyardy,” which I agree with.  Also, many could not believe how different it looked.

One of the things that people were looking forward to were the lawn games we had talked about prior to deciding to go the Hooked, and they were not disappointed.  As we played croquet and bocce with cocktails in hand on the perfect lawn with a water view in the distance, we joked about feeling like we were in a Town and Country magazine shoot.  The evening could not have been more perfect to us as we played on and watched the next generation play together.

The servers were wonderful, bringing us drinks and taking family photos for us, and gently reminded that we might want to think about dinner before it got too busy.  So, we finished up, laughing about who beat who in bocce and ping pong, and headed to the outdoor patio.  Everyone was in an amazing mood.  I think it was one of those moments where the magic of Summer on Martha’s Vineyard with those you love, got to us all.

People were happy with the menu, so much to choose from, including two types of fried chicken, lobster mac & cheese, fishermen’s stew, gumbo, and more.  We had two apps, so we could try as much as possible.  We had the lobster tacos – the lobster was crispy and perfectly seasoned.  We had the lobster mac & cheese, the lobster bisque, the calamari, and it was all delicious.  We even got oyster shooters – it was our own little party on that patio.

Though we feasted with apps, we were all excited for dinner.  I selected the catch of the day which offered a number of different types of seafood prepared to your liking.  I had the scallops with the caper vinegaerette, accompanied by red potatoes and broccoli.  Simply outstanding!  A couple more standouts I tried were the gumbo, the fried chicken from hell (a bit of spice with that one), and the fish and chips.  I wish I could have had more but my eyes were hungrier than my stomach.

As the adults were finishing up, I took my niece, Isabel, my nephew Dylan, and of course my daughter Charly to the photo booth set up near the main bar.  Who knew that we would have so much fun being silly with each other while taking photos in that little booth.  I had to get others to go and indulge.  The photos were emailed to us, and when they came through we had to laugh even more.  These are the types of things they’ll remember when they go home to NY, and what help make me a cool Aunt and Mom too I guess.

When it was time to call it a night, hours later, everyone agreed that this was one of the best times we have ever had together on the Vineyard.  Between the lawn games, the excellent service, the scrumptious food, the cocktails, and the wonderful company, we were beyond happy.  There was even a full moon and a star-filled sky to gaze at and enjoy.

Truly this experience at Hooked will be etched in my memory, and I will come back again and again.  Thanks to all those at Hooked who helped make it all possible.

Thanks for reading On Point. You can find Hooked on Facebook.  And speaking of social media, don’t forget to  “Like” us on Facebook, on follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Pinterest and YouTube.

~Guinevere

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P.S. – if you’d like to learn a little more about Hooked, check out Hooked…..The Whole Island May Very Well Be – New Oak Bluffs Restaurant