Stoney Lonen to open second location near Long Neck

Since business partners Bryan Lookup and Ray Searles moved south and acquired the Stoney Lonen Restaurant and Irish Pub on Second Street in Rehoboth Beach, they said, they have worked to build a following of local, year-round residents.

However, Lookup said they hope to expand their client base by early August when the business owners open a second Stoney Lonen location in the Harris Teeter shopping center near Long Neck.

“We pride ourselves on being a neighborhood pub and restaurant,” he said. “We are looking to build a local clientele.”

Even in Rehoboth, Lookup said, their restaurant is a place where customers come in once or twice a week to grab a bite to eat and stick around in good company.

At the newest location, which was formerly a taproom, the owner said despite the larger, 25-seat bar and nine big-screen televisions, liquor licenses had to be changed because they really want to create a family-friendly restaurant.

“We are an Irish pub,” Lookup said. “But in that same respect we are a restaurant also, so we really focus on the food. It’s more than just regular pub fare.”

The menu, he said, will be the same as the menu at the Rehoboth Beach location, which features items like fresh local fish, crab cakes, steaks, fish and chips, a kids' menu and corned beef and cabbage.

With plenty of room at the new location, the bar will also have 10 beers on tap, including the three drafts available in Rehoboth - Guiness, Harp and Smithwicks. In addition, Lookup said he is planning to have four or five craft brews on tap and more bottles as well.

At the first location, bartender Chester Davis said the anticipation is building for the new restaurant to open.

“I think it is going to be busy as all get-out,” Davis said. “I don’t think that place is big enough.”

He said this despite the larger bar size and the indoor and outdoor dining rooms at the new location, which seat about 85 at a time, similar to the Rehoboth location.

And looking forward into the coming fall and winter seasons, Davis is optimistic about the potential for a thriving year-round business.

“I think it is going to be a big-time year-round joint, seven days a week,” he said.

The owners said they hope to open the Stoney Lonen, Long Neck during the first week of August. The restaurant will open at 3 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 a.m. on weekends. For more information, call 302-945-1227.