Island View Waterfront Cafe

2542 Island View Road
Essex, MD 21221
Call 410-687-9799

A quiet, friendly, out-of-the-way place, the Island View Waterfront Café offers great food, great prices, and a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay that is just icing on the cake.

Only 8 miles off the Baltimore beltway, or a short boat ride from Hart-Miller Island, we offer dining room seating in a casual, comfortable setting with awesome views from nearly every seat. Plus we have a full-service bar, outdoor deck and picnic seating, carryout, and boat slips for mariners from near and far.

Come, relax, and enjoy the visit for lunch or dinner, a special event...or even for a weekend breakfast during the summer. We also cater weddings, private parties, showers, etc. Imagine a waterfront wedding! At any time of the year, the Island View welcomes you!

The Island View was built in the late 1920s and renovated in 2000. It was built as a dance hall, tavern, and picnic grove for people from Baltimore City to enjoy throughout the summer. Tom & Fran Laing purchased the property in 1968 and operated it as Tom's Tavern. In 1983 it was handed down to the family and the name changed to The Island View. In 2000 the building was renovated to take advantage of the great waterfront view. Although Tom has passed along, Ms. Fran continues to crack the whip and people from all over still come to relax and enjoy the View. The third generation, Jessica and Bryan are now running the restaurant.. It is a quiet, friendly, out-of-the-way place that offers great food at great prices...and a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay.

Check out our history! And while the names may have changed, we've become a family tradition, owned and operated by the Laings, since 1969!