Canteen

this is a real duzy. everytime we go in there they charge different prices for coffee. is a latte $ 6 or $ 8? the prices are 100% markup. however this is not about the prices it is about the attitude about the service and the management. we went there for a second time today and once again they charge differtly for the orders. when we try to tell the cashier that he is charging more than this morning he rudely claims he is the manager and set all the prices. does not even try to apologize but just treats us like we are a pain in his side. I ask for his manager and he tells me that guy is only a cashier and that I am talking too loud. he again is not apologetic and treats me like I am a pain. am I not the one giving them money? then we are waiting for our coffee and the General Manager comes out, and tells us this is the third time he has had toninteract with us and we are banned from all their establishments on this gay resort. he didnt even try to apologize or try to rectify the situation. he didnt even ask us for our side of the story. fish stinks from the top and i am not surprised that entire selection of real estate is a revolving door of ownership. all this guy wanted to do is to usurp what power he thought he had and tell us we are banned from allnof his establishments. the overall owners are the same ones that own the OUT Hotel in Manhattan. as conference, incentive and event planners this post needs to notify them that we will never use any ofntheir services in Fire Island or NYC again. how hard is it to serve an overpriced cup of coffee at the same price all the time. eatat home on Fire Island!

Ok. It’s overpriced.
However it’s casual, fast, and the food is decent.
I got the ¼ lb burger which was good and comes with I believe a real pickle. It doesn’t have the jarred pickle taste. I also got the side of fries, which is ok.
In terms of the pulled pork sandwich, I really enjoyed this item although I wish it were bigger.

«Bring your own canteen»
It may be recommended that you by your food someplace else or get something besides the fish tacos. You get three decently sized taco but that is where the good part ends. I found the tacos to be VERY bland (I had to add a lot of salt and pepper) and the fish had a weird oder and aftertaste. It may have been that particular night because a couple other people were saying the same thing about the tacos. Maybe the cook was having an off night.
Perhaps, I will try the burgers if I go back to this place.
However, I will say that the customer service was decent, which is why I gave this place two stars instead of one.

There’s no other place to go, so maybe pack groceries before you come to the pines? They only have six items on the menu and can’t manage to keep them stocked.

This year the Canteen has seen a massive improvement. For the first time in ages there are new menu items and on my most recent visit we tried the Tuna Tacos and Brown Rice Bowl. Lots of new options beyond just the usual «guilty pleasures» like hamburgers and fries — but those late night staples are delicious too. The staff is friendly and every time I go in there are new menu items and new attempts to serve customers better.

Great place. Sandwich was good. Pizza was great! Mini-​Crab Cakes… So Delicious… Loved the mini-​bottles of Prosecco. Love sitting out door. Its the mess hall to the Pines’ gay summer camp vibe. :)

It’s pretty bad. It is called canteen so why should we expect anymore.
The service here is hit it miss as is the food. One employee can be so energetic and friendly, and the next day another employee is texting in your face when you want to pay.
The food is mediocre and way over priced for the quality. But it’s conveniently located so when you need a coffee and a snack it seems easiest.
Go here for coffee and packaged food items.

I have been spending my summers in fire island for the last 6 years, and I can still count on one hand the amount of times I ve been to canteen in the past years. Unfortunately, this summer I was there twice. In my first experience two weeks ago, I can agree with the previous reviews here. Canteen has super overpriced food, attitude service and cardboard tasting junk food. For regular fire island goers like me, we know that going to canteen is like having lunch at an amusement park, Disneyland-​like. Expensive and fake.
But this weekend (last Friday) I really got food poisoned out of their fish tacos (or tuna salad, only God knows). When I first saw the food (which had a bad look already) I felt that «this is not good» instinct and as soon as I went home my stomach took care of the rest. I spent the entire weekend in bed throwing up and in the bathroom. Excuse my honesty.
I had tickets (worth $ 300) for the ascension weekend parties that I had to give up as I was feeling so sick. Thanks canteen! You ruined my weekend. Before leaving the island today, I stopped by to tell them about the situation. As normal, the manager said she was really sorry and that the feedback was appreciated. She even offered to buy me coffee. But no thank you! I can’t drink coffee yet as I am still feeling sick, and yes I work in the same industry and I was expecting for you to take my email or phone number and to reimburse my 36 dollars sickening lunch!
Canteen is very disappointing. Not only because I can tell the amount of income they make, and they could do MUCH better. But also, because they have no idea how to please they target market. Sorry for the harsh review, but I am actually not sorry after having spent the weekend hugging the toilet.

Where do I even begin?
*SPEED: If these guys moved any slower they’d be dead.
*COSTS: Overpriced is an understatement. Chicken quesadillas $ 12
Mac & Cheese $ 8
*TASTE: The two items mentioned above had a very similar flavor. I’m not sure if it was from the cardboard takeout boxes they slopped my food into or if it was from something else like maybe they use cheap aluminum pans in the kitchen or something, but the food had an AWFUL taste that I’d describe as both toxic & metallic. I couldn’t even get through half of it and believe me I tried; I was f’n STARVING! I was SO disappointed & frustrated. The waiting, the cost, the food & the lack of appreciation shown for shopping there left SUCH a bad taste in my mouth. Unfortunately, Canteen is really the only place in The Pines serving food so, the likelihood of them trying harder or even pretending to be appreciative of your business, is slim to none. As for me, I’d gnaw off my own arm before ever eating there again. Save your money! Take a walk over to Cherry Grove where there are places serving food that you can actually eat & afford and where they’re grateful for your business. Shame on you Canteen. One star is too many.

I get it, Canteen is on Fire Island and it’s a hot spot. But really? You charge double for a Jack Daniels and serve ½ of what’s normal? Same for my friend, we had a drink while waiting for the ferry, one sip and gone was my $ 15 or so Jack.
We paid $ 55 and didn’t even get service.

Redefining overpriced. Ice coffee for nearly five dollars? A cheeseburger for sixteen dollars? Come on now Service may be friendly but absolutely no value here at at all and unfairly so.

The Pines really has no real food options so Canteen was it. That being said, service is friendly and the outside patio area is nice and faces the harbor. The pulled pork sandwich was actually quite good while the margerita pizza, while filling, reminded me of one of those personal pan pizzas you can make at home.

This place is the closest eatery you can find as soon as you get off the Fire Island Ferry. Lots of casual food like Burgers, Salads, Wraps, Burritos, Quesadillas, Sandwiches, etc Please be noted that most items are over-​priced. Bottled soft drinks were $ 4, Coconut Water and Gatorade were $ 3.50 and my Cuban Sandwich was $ 14. It can get expensive so please bring lots of $$$ with you. Btw, my Cuban sandwich was actually pretty good.

Yes definitely an improvement from the previous incarnation in this spot. The menu is fresh and plenty of options. The hours are great, especially given that there are so few options in the Pines to grab a snack to eat if you are out and about.
I know this is a general Fire Island issue, but I will say that the prices are a little steep. Staff are friendly so long as you smile :-)

Canteen is a great upgrade from the Bay Bar it replaced. Service is usually pretty fast and they have a variety of sandwiches and salads.
I have had lunch here several times this summer (2010) and have enjoyed much of what I ordered.
Some comments…
— The burgers come with parmesan fries, lettuce, tomato, and onion. It’s been consistently good although the platter is not served in a consistent way. Sometimes the burger comes with a bun, and other times with an english muffin. Sometimes, the lettuce, tomato, and onion comes lightly dressed which I really like. It adds another flavor to the burger instead of adding ketchup and/​or mustard. The last time I ate at Canteen, they were not dressed :(
— The Lobster sandwich is quiet tasty and comes with a lot of lobster. The sandwich isn’t consistently served with the same kind of roll.
— The sausage sandwich has good flavor but I wish you got a bit more sausage.
— The pulled pork sandwich has too much barbecue sauce served with it.
— The parmesan fries are great and consistently made. The only thing that isn’t consistent is the serving side when it comes with your sandwich. Sometimes you get a lot… sometimes you don’t get enough. Also, not all sandwiches come with a side of these fries. Read the board closely.
There is seating inside, in the front overlooking the harbor, and in the back next to the pool. When you sit by the pool, you can also sit on one of the cabanas if they are available. The cabanas are nice if you want to stay out of the sun, but you don’t always get a breeze in there.
Canteen serves limited alcohol but if you sit by the pool, you can order drinks from the pool’s bar.
** August 2011 Update **
Canteen no longer lets you sit by the pool. It is reserved for the Blue Whale. I also didn’t see the Lobster sandwich on the menu anymore. As a result, I downgraded my rating from 4 to 3 stars.
Yesterday, I saw an ad for some healthy choices. It will be interesting to try some of those.
** August 2011 Update #2 **
The Lobster sandwich is back and still stuffed with lots of lobster! I still miss eating by the pool, but the Lobster packed sandwich pushes my ratings back to 4 stars.

Canteen is the refurbished Bay Bar space in the Pines.
As in the past, you can order food for service at nearby tables, but there’s also a pretty darn good selection of grab-​and-​go food and drink for breakfast, lunch, or early light dinner.
The fish tacos are OK, the fried clams are just the right amount of spicy, and the iced tea is dang tasty. Popular morning indulgences, like chocolate croissants, are still available.
Staff are pleasant-​enough local high schoolers (at least it seems that way to me) or college students with summer jobs still learning the basics of service, but a little kindness with them goes a long way.
And the manager, Andre, is pretty tasty. Just sayin.