Loved by J1-ers; despised by locals – but now one bar is fighting back
If you have ever taken that much-talked about trip to the US for one glorious summer and found yourself in Montauk, then you have probably heard of the Sloppy Tuna.
In fact, even if you weren’t a member of a J1 crew but know a person who knows a person who ended up in Montauk, you have probably seen countless Facebook updates about the place: it's something of an institution, in fact, for the Irish who find themselves in the locale.
Once upon a time the bar was known as Nicks. Now the rebranded Sloppy Tuna has become one of the places to be in Montauk.
Last year, the popular website College Times even included it in their list of places you just have to visit if you’re on a J1 in the area.
However, apparently, the locals are kind of over the whole Jersey Shore fad now and want some peace and quiet. In 2012, the club was even shut down very briefly.
Page Six is now reporting that owner Drew Doscher has filed a lawsuit against the town of East Hampton and fire marshal Thomas Baker for “intentional government overreaching and misconduct”.
The club claims that their occupancy limits were lower than they should have been, so it was inevitable they would face overcrowding issues.
The owner is also taking issue with the amount of noise ordinances they have been given.
The lawsuit filed by the Sloppy Tuna owner is seeking almost €2m from the town of East Hampton and fire marshal Baker combined.
Locals have been taking issue with the club for a number of years now, with many messages on their Facebook page expressing their upset with the Sloppy Tuna. One user wrote: “I could not be more discouraged as to what the summer environment has become in my hometown.
"Sloppy Tuna, along with the Surf Lodge, are without question part of the problem.”
They continue in their post that Montauk is now “filled with a bunch of disrespectful young kids from the city”.
