About Us

At Island View Waterfront Cafe, we believe in creating more than just a dining experience — we craft memories. Nestled on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Essex, MD, our cafe offers a unique blend of scenic beauty and culinary excellence. Our passionate team is dedicated to providing a warm and inviting ambiance for our guests. Explore our story, and join us in celebrating life's moments against the backdrop of the serene waters.

Social Event Details

Welcome to the Island View Waterfront Cafe

The Island View was built during prohibition as a waterfront dance hall, tavern and picnic grove for people from Baltimore City to escape the summer heat. Tom & Fran Laing purchased the property in 1968 and operated as Tom's Tavern until 1983 and then changed the name to The Island View. In 2000 the building was completely renovated to take advantage of the great waterfront view. Although Mr. Tom and Ms. Fran have passed along, their granddaughter Jessica Laing-Heddings and great grandchildren continue to operate the four-generation family business. As a venue, it's the perfect location for weddings, events and family celebrations.

Centrally located on the east coast of the United States, people from all over come to relax, celebrate and enjoy the view. It's quiet, friendly, out-of-the-way, with a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay.

Family owned and operated for over 50 years... Check out our time-line!

1928-1940 Goth's Grove

1940-1965 Mac's Grove

1965-1968 Gaff's Grove,
1969-1983 Tom's Tavern

1983-2000 Island View Inn
July 2000 Island View Waterfront Café

October 2021 Island View Waterfront Weddings and Events

1968

What Were They Thinking?

Tom and Fran Laing took the road less traveled who would have guessed they would set the course for a fifty-year, three generation run in business. They harbored a dream... and without any training or business background they jumped - with both feet into an exciting new world.

1969

Year One

Our "new home" was a tired old place, built in the 1920's, it had already seen 30 years of business as a waterfront picnic grove and dance hall. In its heyday people from Baltimore would spend summer weekends here dancing, swimming, fishing, boating, escaping the humidity of the city. But the heyday was ending when my parents took over. Ocean City was the new rave and the old parks (Tolchester Beach, Bay Shore, Betterton) were closed or closing and the smaller picnic groves like my parents weren't far behind. But Tom and Fran rolled up their sleeves and got to work: $1.75 all you could eat "Shrimp Nites", 50 Cent Draft Beers, Sing-a-longs, Hawaiian Luau's, hard work, long hours and remarkable customers!

1969

We Don't Know How She Did It?

kitchen was tiny, with a massive cast iron stove, 2 refrigerators, a 3-compartment sink, and deep fryer. There was barely room to move... No microwaves back then, everything was cook to order... Always a pot of soup or stew simmering on the stove and a casserole or pot pie baking in the oven... Open 10am to 2am - 7 days a week. Customers "pitched in" washing glasses, clearing tables, pouring beer when we couldn't keep up. Ms. Fran kept up the pace for years and continued to cook into her 90's. We don't know where she found the energy but she built the business into a family of friends who still feel the love today... You're the best and we still love you.

1969

It Wasn't Always Called The Island View

It started as "Tom's Tavern" named after the man who dreamed of owning his own bar. Tom's was a cavernous place, decorated in timeworn beer signs (Arrow, Hamm. Gunther, National) from the 1940's & 50's. It had a pool table, shuffleboard, juke-box, pin-ball and cigarette machine. There was an old wall mounted public telephone with 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ coin slots that doubled as the business line (it's still the same today). Centered on the back bar was an ancient cash register with rows of whiskey bottles lined right and left. Other shelves held the Natty Boh beer glasses, cigars and racks of potato chips. Red, round, bar stools lined the front bar with ash trays (in full use) for every seat. On the bar there were jars of hot sausages, pickled eggs, pickled pig's feet and coddies for sale - 25¢ each. The beer coolers were full of National and Pabst Blue Ribbon, 7-up and Coke. Even the rest rooms (complete with "novelty" machine) were fascinating with the odd door knobs*, toilet tanks mounted on the wall and a long trough in the men's room. No Air Conditioning in 1968, only large screened windows and black oscillating fans humming back and forth to the screech and bang of the swinging screen doors as customers came and went. In the winter the only real heat was a large brick fireplace and an Army pot belly stove that customers fed to keep warm. A true community bar where generations learned to play pool and behave themselves. Sadly, Tom passed away in 1984 marking the end of an era leaving his children to begin the next chapter. In the summer of 2000, we tore the old Tom's Tavern down and built the new Island View overlooking the Chesapeake. We miss Tom (and Fran) and the old smoke-filled tavern, the breaking pool balls, the clack of shuffle board quakes, the clattering, ringing pin-ball machines. But we have a lifetime of memories and friendships that can never be torn down and are still with us today and will be forever.