21 Oceanfront

If you want ocean air served with a side of old-school swagger, this is it. The room is dim, leather banquettes glow under warm sconces, and a piano tugs at the volume as sunset slips past the pier windows. Order the prime rib eye for a perfect pink center and a seared crust, then push the plate aside and let the white truffle mac n cheese do its slow, stupid work. The oyster Rockefeller arrives with briny heat and browned butter. Crowd is a mix of locals celebrating birthdays, couples on date night, and bartenders polishing martinis for the piano crowd. Service moves with practiced ease: brisk, polite, unshowy. Expect a lively Friday or Saturday evening when the singer takes hold and the bar becomes an island of loud conversation. Park with the valet, then walk back along the pier to clear your mouth and your head.