935 Surf Shack
You don’t have to be a guest at North Beach’s 935 Ocean Beachside Inn to grab a bite or a drink at the 935 Surf Shack. Located in the backyard of the newly renovated inn — formerly known as The Windjammer By the Sea, a hotel property with a 200-year history — this outdoor-only, window-service eatery is entering just its second season but is already gaining a reputation as a hidden gem among locals and visitors alike. The Surf Shack delivers a relaxed, coastal vibe with more than 100 outdoor seating options that include Adirondack chairs, picnic tables and shaded tables with umbrellas. Though the menu is simple, it’s focused on quality, with fresh, never-frozen lobster rolls as the standout item. Other offerings include house-made guacamole with chips, hot dogs, chicken salad wraps, and a new addition for this season: chicken wings. Complementing the food is a full bar featuring craft cocktails made with fresh-squeezed citrus. The Surf Shack is open through Columbus Day, operating from 3 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 8 p.m. on weekends. Weekday hours may expand in July, depending on the weather. The Scene recently caught up with 935 Surf Shack general manager Chris Hollis to talk about this beachside spot’s focus on fresh ingredients, popular menu items, customer favorites and plans for the current season.
How long has the 935 Surf Shack been around?
We opened last year, in September 2024. We were only open for about eight weeks, but it was great. … We reopened on May 1, so we’ve been open a little over a month now. This is our first full season.
What makes the 935 Surf Shack unique?
The menu is fairly simple, but what we do, we do well. … Whatever we do, we try to do it the best as we can, just trying to use the freshest ingredients possible.
What is your favorite thing on your own menu?
I’m a little biased because I created it, but this year, we brought in a citrus juicer. We’re doing all of our own fresh citrus, which is great for margaritas, and we’ve been making our own lemonade as well. … We have a cocktail on our menu that’s called the Cinnamon Rainbows blueberry lemonade — it’s got Absolut Citron vodka, fresh-squeezed lemonade and blueberry syrup. Three simple ingredients, but the drink comes out great. It’s probably our best seller.
What is something that everyone should try?
I would definitely say the lobster rolls. … Not everybody likes lobster, though, so I would say it’s either that, or you definitely have to try the chips and guacamole or the pretzel bites.
Name a celebrity you would like to see eating at the 935 Surf Shack.
Definitely Tom Brady. … Dave Portnoy [of Barstool Sports] would be a fun one as well.
What’s one essential skill needed to successfully run a restaurant?
I would say truly caring about the opinions of your employees, your customers and your vendors, taking their feedback into consideration, and implementing changes based on the feedback you’re getting.
What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?
The summers are amazing — you really can’t beat it. … I also really like that you get a lot of diversity. You can be in Boston in an hour, you can be in Portland in an hour [or] you can be in the mountains in two hours. You get kind of a little bit of everything.
— Matt Ingersoll
Featured Photo: Courtesy Photo.
