Sunset Grille

What Sunset Grille does

Sunset Grille is a privately held, single-location waterfront restaurant and bar operation located at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City, Maryland. Founded in 2004, the business employs 156 people and operates a multi-venue complex comprising 4 bars and 6 dining areas, anchored by the main dining room and supplemented by the Teasers dockside tiki bar and The Bridge rooftop bar. The restaurant serves fresh seafood, steaks, sandwiches, and a full cocktail program to leisure diners, boaters, families, fishing tournament participants, and private event bookers, with menu entrees priced up to $55 (e.g., jumbo lump crab cakes) and an average check consistent with an upscale-casual destination concept.

The business is part of a broader Sunset Marina ecosystem that includes sister operations such as Micky Fins (a separate restaurant at the Ocean City Fishing Center), Atlantic Tackle, Sunset Provisions, and the marina itself, all linked as sister sites on Sunset Grille's website. Revenue is generated entirely through physical-footfall channels — dine-in food and beverage sales, private event hosting (corporate events, rehearsal dinners, birthdays), large take-out and catering orders, and an on-site apparel and gift card shop. The restaurant is a seasonal operation, closing annually from New Year's Day through mid-February for renovations, and relies on a recurring summer entertainment calendar plus annual hosting of the White Marlin Open and Mid-Atlantic Tournament to drive August demand.

The technology stack is intentionally light: Toasttab powers online reservations and catering ordering, TripAdvisor supports review-driven discovery, Facebook and Instagram carry social marketing, and live camera feeds of the marina are streamed to the website. There is no proprietary technology platform, no subscription or membership model, and no mobile app; the business operates entirely on direct-to-consumer physical transactions priced at the dish and cocktail level. Marketing is anchored by organic social, the published entertainment schedule, tournament-driven word-of-mouth, and the venue's self-described "Voted Maryland's Favorite Restaurant" branding, with no formal paid acquisition, sales team, or institutional investor involvement disclosed.

Name

Sunset Grille

Legal name

Sunset Grille

Website

https://ocsunsetgrille.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sunset Grille is a privately held, single-location waterfront restaurant and bar complex at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City, Maryland, operating 4 bars and 6 dining areas serving fresh seafood, steaks, and cocktails to tourists, boaters, families, and private event bookers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rooftop Bars & Outdoor Nightlife Venues (MPAGAIAF)

Keywords

• Waterfront dining
• Fresh seafood restaurant
• Private event hosting
• Boat-accessible dining
• Casual american cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

West Ocean City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Dine-In Food and Beverage Sales: The primary revenue stream is from food and beverage sales at the waterfront restaurant, encompassing fresh seafood, steaks, sandwiches, cocktails, beer, and wine across 4 bars and 6 dining areas.
2. Private Event Hosting: Revenue generated from hosting corporate events, birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, and large group celebrations. Booked via an event inquiry form on the website.
3. Catering and Take-Out Orders: Large take-out orders are accepted for special events. Gift cards are also sold via the restaurant and by phone for mailing.
4. Apparel and Merchandise Sales: On-site apparel shop selling shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and souvenirs, plus Sunset Grille gift cards available for purchase by phone or in-person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sunset Grille is a waterfront dockside restaurant at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City, Maryland, serving fresh seafood, steaks, sandwiches, and American cuisine across 4 bars and 6 dining areas. The restaurant offers dine-in, take-out, private event hosting, Sunday brunch on The Bridge rooftop, an on-site apparel shop, and gift cards, with boat-accessible dock dining for marina patrons.

Product overview

Sunset Grille is a waterfront dockside bar and restaurant operating as a single unified brand at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City, MD. The core offering centers on the main restaurant serving fresh seafood, steaks, and American cuisine across 6 dining areas with 4 bars. The portfolio includes three distinct venue concepts: Teasers Bar (open-air Caribbean-style dockside tiki bar), The Bridge Rooftop Bar (upscale rooftop deck with marina views), and the main dining room. Supporting services encompass a full cocktail and craft beer program, Sunday brunch on The Bridge, live entertainment, private event hosting, an on-site apparel shop, live camera feeds of the marina, and a children's menu (Little Mates). Food service includes appetizers and salads, sandwiches and entrees, desserts, and catering for large pickup orders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teasers Bar: An open-air dockside bar with Caribbean experience, offering outside dining and live entertainment with a tiki bar atmosphere.
• The Bridge Rooftop Bar

Products and services

• Sunset Grille Main Restaurant Waterfront dockside restaurant in West Ocean City, MD at Sunset Marina, offering fresh seafood, steaks, sandwiches, and American cuisine across 4 bars and 6 dining areas with bay views. Open to dine-in guests, with online reservations via Toasttab and phone.
• Teasers Dockside Bar Open-air Caribbean-style dockside tiki bar with outdoor dining, live entertainment, and boat dock parking where guests can dock and enjoy cocktails while watching the daily catch come in.
• The Bridge Rooftop Bar Uncovered rooftop bar and viewing deck overlooking Sunset Marina with panoramic views of Assateague Island, the O.C. Inlet, Boardwalk amusement rides, and the Ocean City skyline, featuring fireplaces, a large bar area, and outdoor seating.
• Private Event Hosting Event booking services for corporate events, birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, and large group celebrations, with multiple venue options including dockside dining and The Bridge rooftop bar. Bookings submitted through the website inquiry form.
• Sunday Brunch on The Bridge Weekly Sunday brunch served from 10am-1pm on The Bridge rooftop bar during summer months, featuring chef-inspired creations with views of Sunset Marina.
• Sunset Grille Apparel Shop On-site retail apparel store at the Sunset Grille location offering branded shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and souvenirs. Gift cards also available for purchase in-person or by phone order for any occasion.
• Sunset Grille Gift Cards Sunset Grille gift cards available for purchase at the restaurant in-person or by phone order to be mailed for any occasion. Cannot be purchased online.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voted Maryland's Favorite Restaurant

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sunset MarinacoreOthersSunset Grille is located within the Sunset Marina complex, sharing the waterfront property with the marina, its boat slips, and the Sunset Marina Store (Sunset Provisions). The close integration of restaurant and marina facilities enables boat-accessible dining and event hosting for fishing tournament participants.
• Teasers BarcoreOthersTeasers Bar is a distinct open-air Caribbean-style dockside bar operated within the Sunset Grille ecosystem, located immediately outside the main restaurant. It is described as 'the world famous Teaser's Cup' home venue and features its own branding, outdoor tiki bar atmosphere, and live entertainment schedule.
• Micky Fins (Sister Restaurant)minorOthersMicky Fins is a separate sister restaurant located at the Ocean City Fishing Center (just over the Route 50 bridge in West Ocean City). Both are locally owned and operated. Sunset Grille links to Micky Fins as a 'sister site' and refers guests there as an alternative dining option.
• Ocean City Fishing CenterminorOthersOcean City Fishing Center is the location of the sister restaurant Micky Fins. Referenced as a sister site on Sunset Grille's website, with a linked logo and URL.
• Atlantic TackleminorOthersAtlantic Tackle is a fishing gear store listed as a sister site on Sunset Grille's website. It is co-located at Sunset Marina, serving the fishing community that Sunset Grille draws.
• Sunset Provisions (Sunset Marina Store)minorOthersSunset Provisions is the on-site supply/store at Sunset Marina, referenced as a sister site on Sunset Grille's website, selling provisions to marina guests and boaters.
• Toasttab (Reservation Platform)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorToasttab provides the online reservation system for Sunset Grille, enabling guests to book tables directly via a hosted reservation link (tables.toasttab.com). Sunset Grille also uses Toasttab for catering ordering. This is a third-party technology channel partner for bookings and catering.
• TripAdvisorminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSunset Grille maintains a TripAdvisor presence with an icon/link on its website, leveraging the platform for reviews and visibility to tourists and diners researching Ocean City restaurants.
• White Marlin Open & Mid-Atlantic TournamentcoreOthersSunset Grille, Teasers Bar, and Sunset Marina are the primary venues for the White Marlin Open and Mid-Atlantic Tournament — two nationally prominent fishing tournaments held annually in August. These events draw large crowds of anglers and spectators who dine at the restaurant and dock at the marina.
• D3CorpminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerD3Corp, an Ocean City, Maryland-based web design agency, designed and maintains the Sunset Grille website (ocsunsetgrille.com).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harborside Bar & Grill: Long-standing waterfront restaurant and bar in West Ocean City offering similar seafood-focused menus, multiple bar environments, and boat-accessible dining. Directly competes for the same dock-and-dine tourist and local customer base within a few miles of Sunset Grille.
• Waterman's Crab House: Maryland waterfront-style crab house and seafood restaurant with dock-side dining, raw bar, and full bar. Comparable to Sunset Grille's dockside dining model and fresh-seafood menu orientation, serving a similar Mid-Atlantic leisure dining customer.
• Captain's Table: Family-owned Ocean City seafood restaurant offering fresh-catch menus, full bar service, and casual waterfront-style dining. Competes for the same Mid-Atlantic seafood tourist segment with overlapping menu categories and pricing tier.
• The Crab Bag: Easton, Maryland seafood-focused restaurant known for crab cakes, casual full-service dining, and a craft bar program. Comparable in menu emphasis on Maryland seafood and casual-but-premium positioning, though located in a different sub-region of the Eastern Shore.
• Micky Fins: Sister restaurant of Sunset Grille, located at the Ocean City Fishing Center. Operates the same waterfront seafood/dockside bar concept with overlapping customer base (anglers, boaters, tourists) and is directly cross-promoted on Sunset Grille's website as a sister site.
• Hammerheads Dockside: Gulf Shores, Alabama dockside bar and grill offering casual waterfront dining, fresh seafood, and a tropical bar atmosphere. Comparable concept to Sunset Grille's Teasers dockside bar (open-air tiki, boat docking, live entertainment) in a different coastal tourism market.

Regional players

• The Wharf Restaurant: Multi-location waterfront seafood and casual dining operator on the East Coast. Compares to Sunset Grille on the waterfront seafood, multi-bar, family-friendly model but serves broader geographies and is not a direct in-market competitor.
• Rusty Rudder: Iconic waterfront restaurant and bar in Dewey Beach, Delaware offering seafood, multiple bar environments, and live entertainment on the bay. Operates the same beach-frontier seafood/bar/entertainment hybrid concept but serves a different Mid-Atlantic beach market.

Broad incumbents

• Phillips Seafood: Established Maryland-based seafood restaurant group operating multiple full-service locations (including Ocean City and Baltimore). Overlaps with Sunset Grille on the Maryland seafood tourism customer but competes as a broader, multi-location chain rather than a single-site waterfront specialist.

Others

• Sunset Provisions / Sunset Marina Store: Co-located sister business at the Sunset Marina complex selling provisions, tackle, and convenience items to boaters. Functionally adjacent ecosystem participant (shared real estate and customer traffic) rather than a direct restaurant competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sunsetgrille90
• Instagraminstagram.com/ocsunsetgrille
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocsunsetgrille

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunset Grille