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    Dark Horse Restaurant

    4.0 (213 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Bars, Seafood
    Open 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Dark Horse Restaurant Photos

    DARK HORSE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Dark Horse Restaurant

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    Reviews With Photos - Dark Horse Restaurant

    Steph G.

    I really would love to give this a 5 star review because the food was excellent. When we got there my mom and I ordered a dirty martini with the stuffed blue cheese olives. They ran out of grey goose and Belvedere. So we had to order with kettle one. When they brought It out mine only had one olive & my moms had two. They said they ran out of olives. It was an odd start but we proceeded to order. My mom had the salmon harvest bowl - she said It was the best meal she had in a long time! Very flavorful. I had the seared tuna. I can not eat sesame seeds so they were able to accommodate and make the tuna without. It was soooo delicious. We also checked in on yelp for a free glass of wine. They said It was only 1 free glass per table (doesn't say that on the check in) All in all I would be back because the food was dynamite!

    a martini with a lime garnish
    Shirley T.

    Went and had dinner at this restaurant where we were warmly greeted and were able to pick our table where we wanted to are. The nice fireplace provided a warm ambiance which was needed on a cold night. Our server was very nice especially when we asked her about the different items on the menu. We started with soups ( tomato and French onion) and skillet cornbread. My main meal was crab cakes and Caesar salad The food was tasty all around .

    Fried Calamari
    Danielle D.

    Always delicious at Dark Horse. Love knowing I can eat safely as a celiac. Also delicious for non gluten allergies. The hot chicken sandwich was delicious. And my go to as a starter is always the calamari.

    Menu 2022
    Kseniya K.

    As the saying goes, always bet on the dark horse. Our experience proved that we made a good bet by choosing this unassuming looking restaurant from a myriad other options in Riverhead town. On a Monday evening, the place only had four other tables dinning, so we had our pick of seats. For a busy time like the weekend, get reservations, as the restaurant is not that big and fairly popular with the locals. Relaxing, quaint atmosphere. A bar is available. The noise level gets loud, so consider that if you want to dine in a quiet space--come early, and during off peak times. Our waiter was accommodating and friendly. Left us alone to enjoy our meal, which was appreciated. Ask for menu suggestions other than the "best seller" of fried chicken and brussels sprouts--you can get that anywhere. Ask for something that is the restaurant's specialty. $118 for a dinner for two was a bit excessive--the prices are on par with NYC restaurants, which is a bit excessive for Riverhead in Long Island. But, tourism is the main money maker of summers in Long Island. Our meal was delicious and satisfying in every regard. $10 cornbread [in a skillet] was piping hot from the oven--so fluffy and light, like a corn pancake. Paired with maple infused butter (sweet & decadent death for your liver), this could've easily been a breakfast/brunch dish (if the portion was bigger). With there was more of that sweet, gooey butter--a tiny shot glass is certainly not enough. $21 duck pate was underwhelming. It is made in-house, and is the pride and joy of this restaurant. It was delicate and smooth. However, the flavor just wasn't there for me. Bland pate that could've been made out of anything. Had to crunch on those cornichons and mustard to give this appetizer a kick. The tiny jar was certainly not worth Manhattan appetizer price of $21. $37 confit duck leg was the show stopper that stole our hearts. A stunning presentation, this dish is truly Instagram worthy. Moreover, the taste delivered. Every element on that plate was prepared to perfection. We delighted in every bite, from the crunchy, twice-baked potato to the delicate oyster mushroom sautéed with spinach. The duck was perfect--very tender meat. The skin was crispy and juicy. I never eat duck/chicken/fish skins, but this duck had top quality glaze, making even the skin taste like a wonderful addition to the overall flavor profile of this complex dish. So many ingredients and elements in this dish overwhelm you at first, but they work harmoniously to create a stunning symphony of taste that I did not want to end. Sadly, we didn't have any space for dessert. All the mains that were delivered to other customers looked scrumptious and hearty. Would gladly return to sample more of the menu.

    Cornbread skillet freshly made !
    Jessica S.

    Decided to go out east for the day and stumbled upon this little restaurant. We got the hot honey spicy chicken sandwich with fries & the homemade cornbread skillet as our starter. We were both very satisfied with our meals. The chicken sandwich was so flavorful and had just the right amount of heat. The cornbread skillet was so gooey & warm it basically fell apart in your mouth. We both loved our meals and will deff be back to when we are in the area.

    Pastrami Sandwich
    Chelsea T.

    Food: so good! I absolutely loved the calamari. The chicken burger was tender and tasty! (I didn't love the salsa on top- but it was still delish). My husband got the pastrami sandwich and liked it also. Drink: YUM! strong and tasty. Just the way its supposed to be. haha. They also have a check in deal for a free glass of wine with a purchase of an entree. Service: great! Our waiter was nice, efficient and also funny. An added plus, he was the bartender too. He gave attention to each table, answered the phone, made our drinks and had the time to share some laughs. Atmosphere: it is pretty tiny but it is very nice! They have plants and flowers around the perimeter. Loved it! We shall be back :)

    Shakshuka and hot honey chicken sandwich
    Christine C.

    Went for lunch while in the area and was pleasantly surprised. I did a quick search for gluten free and found this place. My mother has Celiac and was over the moon that she could have anything on the menu! My shakshuka was good, she loved her chicken sandwich. But the star of lunch was the fried calamari. The place is cute and intimate, good music playing. We'll be back next time we're near.

    Steak frites

    A full menu that is (or can be made) gluten free?! Dream come true. This includes multiple gluten free beers, including a Belgian white on draft. Had a delicious meal, from apps to entree and a big highlight, dessert. Blondie sundae! Enjoyable ambiance and friendly waiter. Was quite busy when we arrived at 7 pm but cleared out by 8 pm. Will definitely be back to try more of the menu!

    Chicken Fried Chicken

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    4 months ago

    The food, the ambiance, and the service were all excellent. I follow a gluten free diet, so I was thrilled to find this restaurant.

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    8 months ago

    Terrible food . And waitress continues to tap her fingernails on plates , wine glasses, etc. it's just gross .

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious! All food available gluten free, amazing service, great food, fun atmosphere!

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Food was delicious, nice little cozy corner restaurant. Great service. Clean. Would recommend.

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Good stuff and good ingredients and good service. Had lunch here a few times and it's been great.

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    3 years ago

    Delicious Extensive GF menu with good ambience. Centrally located in downtown Riverhead.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Dark Horse Restaurant

    Is the restaurant GF entirely, or do they have options to make the dishes GF? I'm a bit confused by the reviews.

    View All 2 Questions

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    Photos
    Inside the front dining area
    Inside the front dining area
    Apple cobbler with home made cream and berries
    Apple cobbler with home made cream and berries
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    This was our second time visiting there. Cute and quaint place in an interesting location because…read moreyou're in a residential area. I ordered the vegetable panini and it was delicious. There was a hair in it (I've worked in a restaurant before so I was extremely understanding about that). I sent it back for a new one and they took it off the bill without me asking. My husband ordered the burger and he devoured it. The truffle fries are a must. Last time they had a better more varied beer selection. This time they only had one IPA on tap but it was good. Overall a great experience and I'd come back again!

    I really want to give this restaurant a 4 or 5 but the service lacked today. My wife had called to…read moreconfirm if we needed a reservation for two and she was told no and that they would ensure us we had a table. Once we got there; with our luck, the restaurant was full and we had to wait a few mins because their system was down. Which is understandable. As we wait, the couple after us had made reservations for 2 and their table was ready. First impressions matter to me and there is no reason for inconsistency when it comes to reservations. Finally, after a few more mins, they found us a table. Once we sat, and we ordered some water, they decided to moves us again to another table. Now im bothered but I didn't want that to ruin my night. The waitress took our order for drinks and food. The whisky sour was ok and our wait for food began. The couple next to us had their appetizers and main entrees served before we even got our appetizers. I understand it may have been busy, but everyone around was getting there food quicker, lack of attention. We finally got our entrees and the dishes were ok. My duck was cooked perfectly but my wife's dish lacked some flavor. She had to be careful because the fish had fish bones and we had thought they had taken those out. As we waited for the food I noticed that the owner was walking around and greeting the customers and finding out how the food was. I believe that every owner should follow this man's footsteps because he was very attentive to all and I feel that he turned our experience around for the better. Once we finished, he asked us about the food and what brought us there. Conversation with him was great and easy. We mentioned to him that my wife and I were celebrating our anniversary and he surprised us with a dessert and coffee. This dessert was incredible and his sweet gesture made the experience so much better. I hope to return one day and give them another chance. I would say try this restaurant and make sure you make reservations because the restaurant is always full.

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    Lounge area
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    12/31/25 we had an incredible lunch early dinner at the Cooperage. We started off with drinks and…read morethe fabulous Bloody Mary. I ordered the shrimp bisque which was delicious. For dinner we had the amazing Rack of lamb which was a generous portion of lamb with 8 bones! It was cooked perfectly and was so delicious and tender. The ladies ordered the braised short rib with a pappardelle pasta which was delicious as well. Everything was great but I do have to personal gripes. 1. No crackers for the soup and 2. You have to order bread and pay for it. I was surprised by this and wasn't happy about that. But I'm not going to knock off a star because the food was great. But to pay for bread, C'mon man. We spent plenty there. I will go back and sneak in some rolls!

    Photos
    Valentines day decorations
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    Flourless chocolate cake with chocolate gelato, great!
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    Dark Horse Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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