East Hampton residents have successfully halted a revised plan for a casual Italian eatery in Montauk, only to find themselves facing a proposal with double the original capacity. Marley Dominguez, owner of the Offshore Montauk hotel, had sought to replace his larger, original restaurant concept, Este, with a smaller, more relaxed omakase-style venue after facing local opposition.
Dominguez had initially received approval for the larger Este from the East Hampton Town Planning Board. However, residents voiced concerns, accusing him of deceptive practices and fearing the venue would become a rowdy day and nightclub. In response, Dominguez proposed scaling down the project, which was subsequently rejected by the planning board last week.
Following the rejection of the revised plan, Dominguez announced his intention to proceed with the original, larger-capacity proposal. "We listened carefully to the concerns raised by the town, and in response, proposed a modification that would reduce the size and occupancy of the space," Dominguez stated through a representative for his company, Enduring Hospitality. "The Planning Board ultimately decided not to move forward with that option, and we respect their decision. As a result, we will return to the plan originally proposed and approved by the board."
A representative for the planning board indicated that the initial approval for the larger plan was based on assurances of a small staff, no direct bar service, and operations consistent with the town's definition of a restaurant. However, paperwork for the revised proposal suggested different intended uses for the venue, according to the representative. The board noted that realistic occupancy estimates for both plans differed by only about 11 patrons, despite the owner's projections.
The original plan, approved in December, involves a three-story, 8,250-square-foot building designed to accommodate more than double the occupancy of the scaled-back version. Under the rejected revised proposal, Dominguez had planned to shift the format from a standard Italian restaurant to an omakase-style menu emphasizing locally sourced ingredients. This revised plan would have reduced the second-floor dining space capacity by 45% and rooftop space by 12%, along with fewer bathrooms and the elimination of ground-floor and rooftop bar seating.
Concerns about the project's scale intensified in April when details emerged suggesting the space was intended for a larger crowd, leading to a petition distributed by anonymous locals in late May. "We’re not idiots — you cannot have a financially feasible restaurant with only 39 seats — they want to make it a disco-jammin’ daytime and nightclub," one East Hampton resident told The Post. However, sources suggest the petition may have been initiated by a business rival of Dominguez's seeking to eliminate competition.