Hampton Tradition XXXIX - Gosman's

By T.J. Clemente

In 1943, Robert Gosman purchased from the Bonner Fuel Company what is now Gosman's Dock. His daughter, Roberta Gosman Donovan, recalled, "It was originally where people bought fuel. Back then there were only two docks, Bonner's and the Montauk Yacht Club." In fact, before the dredging, according to Roberta, one could actually walk over the mud in the harbor from Gosman's Dock out to Star Island.

It wasn't until 1946 that the first Gosman's Restaurant was built - a shack where people sat on old fish boxes to eat. Roberta said, "We opened it because it was miles from the nearest place to get coffee and chowder. The original restaurant was only opened for breakfast and lunch, and was basically for the commercial fisherman who kept their boats at the dock." Today, Gosman's is an empire with three restaurants - Gosman's Dock Restaurant, Top Side and Inlet Café, and Gosman's Clam Bar (stand-up and take out). The establishment is located on 5 acres with more than 800 feet of waterfront.

Robert Gosman was from Amagansett where his dad worked for the Long Island Rail Road. He met his wife Mary, who was from Ireland, during a summer romance while they both had seasonal jobs in East Hampton. Mary and Robert eventually married and had five children - John, Bill, Richard, Roberta, and Emmett - who still run the family business, which is now in its 65th year.

During the early years, Gosman's Dock bought and brokered lobsters and fish, and sold fuel as well. In the '60s, the restaurant was expanded with an outside deck, and dinner was added to the menu. Roberta was a waitress at the Gosman's back then and laughed when she said, "They came by boat, plane, bus, cars, bikes and by foot." By the '70s, the restaurant was expanded to what it is now, with the beautiful covered decks facing the entrance to Lake Montauk Harbor.

While dining, patrons at Gosman's often watch the sport and commercial fishing boats, which sometimes steer close to the restaurant to show off the trophy fish caught that day. A small army of staff efficiently serves the customers who sit and watch paradise from their dinner seats. Roberta recalled her mother's attention to the gardens that surround the restaurant, and when she sees the gulls she remembers her father's wise words to her - "When the gulls fly high the weather will change."

In the bar area at Gosman's is a bell engraved with the date it opened - May 21, 1968 - and not much has changed since. When you sit at the bar you can feel the history.

Whether it's someone's first dinner there or 100th, the staff works to ensure that the service and food meets the highest standards. The Gosman family works hard as a unit to achieve this goal. When you visit Gosman's Dock it's hard to imagine a time when it was just a gas pump and a few commercial slips, because it's now one of the prime destinations in the Hamptons. The love and commitment Robert and Mary Gosman found in each other blossomed into an empire that their children have proudly continued.

Gosman's is located at 500 West Lake Drive, Montauk. For reservations, call 631-668-5330.

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