Tradition
Welcome to Oceanos
This is the story of the Panteleakis family and their dedication to what they know best, what they share most, and what they love.
Ask anyone who has been to our seafood restaurant in Fair Lawn. They will tell you about the homemade bread, rolled and baked by the hands of Peter, the owner. Peter is the same man who you’ll see in the kitchen prepping and cooking alongside the kitchen staff. Soon after, you'll see him mingling among the guests making sure each patron is not merely satisfied, but ecstatic with his/her dining experience.
They’ll also describe the son Nikos who can be found behind the bar serving signature cocktails, as much as he’d be seen in the kitchen working as line manager inspecting each plate, or even on the floor serving the hot plates to their tables. Some will speak of the wife/mother behind the scenes, taking care of the operations while tending to all the details for private event reservations.
As anyone who’s been to our Fair Lawn seafood grill will tell you, Oceanos is all about family — at Oceanos you are "family."
Oceanos is but ten years young, yet it‘s been a sacred family tradition over 40 years in the making.
And like any day in the Panteleakis' week, it all starts with the Famous Fulton Market.
.... and so it begins...
1:00 AM
It’s the wee hours of the morning and while most of Fair Lawn is fast asleep, the Panteleakis duo of Father (Peter) and son (Nikos) both grab their coats and, with a coffee in hand, head out to the car to start the day — their 1:00 am check in at the Fulton Fish Market. Peter has been doing this for over 40 years and Nikos ever since he was a kid (12 years old) — it‘s like their second home, with all the fish vendors referring to them affectionately as “Mr. Whale” and “Little Whale.” The Panteleakis’ reputation among these fish sellers is legendary, demanding only the best quality seafood and never asking about the price. With a trained eye and discriminating touch, “Mr. Whale” discerns quality without breaking stride as he hand picks the freshest catch of the day for his seafood restaurant in Fair Lawn.
2:30 AM
By 2:30 am, Peter and son Nikos are back in their car heading straight for the Master Purveyors where the “Solasz” family, Sam Solasz and sons Mark and Scott, await in their state-of-the-art dry aging facility. Here, Pete Panteleakis practices the same intense scrutiny, scanning the hanging USDA Prime Beef for maximal marbling, before deciding on the juiciest cuts for his day back at Oceanos seafood restaurant in Fair Lawn.
3:30 AM
By 3:30 am, the Panteleakis duo is ready for “home” — their stainless steel kitchen where the real work begins. Trading a jacket for an apron, Peter effortlessly transitions into master breadmaker where, with creative flair, he kneads, braids, and works and bakes his dough for today’s 80 loaves - not counting the phyllo dough nests for desserts at his Fair Lawn restaurant.
By the crack of dawn, with the city just beginning to yawn and stretch for the day, the Panteleakis family is on their second shift and are preparing to welcome their first guests to their restaurant in Fair Lawn. Our goal as seafood and restaurant experts is to make you feel as comfortable here at Oceanos Restaurant as you are in your own home — or, as Nikos would say, “Welcome home.”
WELCOME TO OCEANOS