Anthony D’Angelo knows what he’s doing when it comes to the restaurant business. His grandfather, after all, ran a diner in Groton, and his father started up the venerable Tony D’s in New London, a place that’s still in the family thanks to the younger D’Angelo’s talent for food and management.

Anthony himself took over a longtime downtown Niantic ice cream and food stand a few years ago and renamed it Tony D's Craft Creamery (his brother owns The Blue Duck restaurant in New London). And in March, D’Angelo opened a restaurant at 378 Rope Ferry Road in the former Sunset Ribs building in the Mago Point area of Waterford, calling it Fat Tuna Restaurant & Raw Bar.

“It’s been known as a seasonal place; it’s been that way for 30 years,” he told me earlier this month. “Hopefully we can change that.”

People may still remember the restaurant as a place with loud music and so-so food, but D’Angelo has worked hard to change the Sunset Ribs vibe into more of a relaxed and fun family atmosphere. The restaurant still has music on the weekends, but “It is more of an acoustic vibe,” as D’Angelo said in answer to a question posted on Yelp.

In the warmer weather, the ambiance is pretty cool, with a deck and patio overlooking the Niantic River, but the view is still nice in the colder months, and D’Angelo has been working with the Daversa family across the way to brainstorm events such as “Jingle Bell Drive” that will entice visitors to the isolated area off Route 156 for a light display during the holidays.

“It’s a little gem in Waterford,” D’Angelo said of Mago Point, which is also host to a pickleball court next door to his restaurant.

D’Angelo said his first summer at Fat Tuna went so well he’s already in an expansion mindframe, planning to expand into a huge upstairs space by 2025. He said the restaurant, closed only on Mondays, currently has space inside for 70 diners, but an extra 90 seats outside; the expansion upstairs will leave room for upwards of 300 patrons in the warmer months.

More immediately, D’Angelo has started up a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at Fat Tuna, plus a Sunday brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some of the favorite brunch items include a seafood quiche, fresh waffles and lobster eggs benedict, he said; other restaurant staples are lobster mac and cheese and bread pudding.

D’Angelo said Fat Tuna, named after a boat he saw in the reality TV series “Wicked Tuna,” has begun expanding into private events such as Christmas parties, business meetings and birthday gatherings, serving buffet fare.

“You’re a public servant,” D’Angelo said of his experience as a restaurateur.

D’Angelo’s new place says “friendly” right down to the decor, which is decidedly relaxed and aqua-blue colorful.

“When you walk in, it makes you smile,” he said.

D’Angelo said about 80% of his staff he hired new during his early period, including college students home for the summer and teachers looking for a little extra income.

Being next to the water, Fat Tuna has a seafood vibe (a previous incarnation of the restaurant was called Captain Ahab’s) made obvious by the charter fishing excursions that depart from docks nearby. D’Angelo said he buys much of his dinner fare from local fishermen, including swordfish puffs brought in by the well-known Eshenfelder family.

But, given his Italian heritage and the fact the family has a pasta shop in New London next to Tony D’s restaurant, D’Angelo said Fat Tuna also is known for the fresh pasta it makes on site. CTInsider named Fat Tuna one of 10 new restaurants in Connecticut to try in May, citing its calamari caprese, half-pound burgers and lobster ravioli.

D’Angelo notes that Tony D’s, where he started as a chef, has been named among the state’s Best Italian Restaurants in the past. While Sunset Ribs was more a bar and music scene, D’Angelo said he wants to concentrate on fine food and a great ambiance, expanding its reach as a year-round destination.

“My focus is on providing the entire experience,” he said. “The community is first. ... You just enjoy everybody. That’s the biz.”

Lee Howard is The Day’s business editor. Reach him at l.howard@theday.com.