text: Just in time for Mother’s Day, Charlie’s Boat Yard opened its doors. After a jaunt to Wilkeson Pointe to check out the Whitaker Studios wind sculptures (one has not been spinning), my wife and I stopped by the Small Boat Harbor to check out the latest restaurant addition to the waterfront.
  
  The expanded deck feature at Charlie’s looks great, and while not complete, it will be a huge addition to the restaurant once completed. Currently work is underway on a patio bar, which should be quite the attraction once operational. The channel marker tables look sharp, and also add a nice nautical vibe to the deck.
  
  Inside the eatery, it’s easy to see that the place has been updated into a bit more of a refined restaurant. The ceiling has been spiffed up, wood floors have been laid, and there’s a hostess station. It’s not nearly as casual as the former Dug’s Dive, yet there’s still every opportunity to wear shorts and flip-flops. The place looks more befitting of a port marina than the ‘dive’ that Dug’s was aiming for. The menu is fairly extensive and there is a full bar for eating and drinking.
  
  Back out on the watery side of life, we noticed that along with a number of other marina improvements, there were 16 roller launches for kayaks and canoes. Once again, this is a key feature, as is the bike path that meanders around the restaurant, connecting numerous other Outer Harbor destinations. In the image below, you can clearly see where the new terminus outlook will be situated along the breakwater (see here).
  
  In the image above, you can see the location of the proposed Queen City Landing.
  
  Soon, Charlie’s will be opening its grab ‘n go window for service of hotdogs and ice cream. There will also be food delivery for Safe Harbor Marina slip holders. Transient slips are based on availability.
  
  One amenity that I would like to throw into the ring is the addition of sturdy chaise deck chairs that would line the patch of grass in-between the water’s edge and the bike path. This would be ideal for people who simply want to lay out and enjoy the boating activity while sunning. In the perfect world, there would be drink service to these lounge chairs. As much as there are plenty of places to sit in upright chairs and benches at the Outer Harbor, it would be nice to see some reclined seating for people who want to lay back and relax for a while.
  
  Charlie’s Boat Yard | 1111 Furhmann Boulevard | Buffalo, NY 14203 | 716.828.1600 | info@charliesboatyard.com