Dining with dear friends - pre- wedding planning. Seated pretty quickly once party arrived- moved to up stairs dining area which boasts a true Gatsby experience. As a long time patron of The Babylon Carriage, glad to see the place open once again. Structurally- the size and space remained recognizable- noticed rotation of bar, walls taken down and the white & black tiles on the floor helped bring a light and bright feel to this space. Service was spectacular- Gina our server was great. The loss of star for a couple reasons. 1) this place is LOUD! Nothing seems to absorb the sound and with the seating capacity upstairs... found ourselves yelling to hear one another across the table. 2) note to a server... when you run down the specials, EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAVORITE! You're job is to upsell and make all items sound appealing. Telling patrons something "isn't your favorite" re: red snapper is a big no no. Might I recommend telling a little while lie OR just leave it out off the list. It was great to try out the new space- moved to the patio after dinner - awesome summer night. Great job read more

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My Husband and I where greeted to smileing faces and prompt service. Ramone was our waiter, the most pleasant, attentive, and friendly waiter. He periodly checked on us and attended to all our experience at The James. We also spoke to Matthew one of the Managers. read more

They made the space look amazing! The vibes are great, the staff is friendly and attentive! The food was delicious as were the drinks. The only con was the price of the drinks. My husband and I got two martinis before dinner at the bar and the one round cost $55. I don't expect a martini to be cheap by any means but $25 a pop is a little steep for Babylon village. It is definitely going for the upscale restaurant vibe and it achieves it. Would absolutely return for a special occasion! I had the lamb chops and they were amazing. read more

The James - Lamb chop special (Thursdays) - American Near Me - Babylon, New York

I have to admit it's really for the show of being there. It really is exquisite on the inside. The bar area is big enough to fit a lot of people and just hang out socialize. The food is subpar for the price. I got the burger and it was burnt another order at the table of the steak was overcooked as well. I would come back not to eat, but just at the bar. read more

I went out for a birthday dinner last night, my first time at the restaurant. The food was great, but our server was rude and dismissive. He would ask us questions and then walk away before we could answer. He also forgot my side order and tried to charge us for a drink we never ordered... I had better service at a diner. read more

I'm saddened to write that this is the 2nd time I sat at the bar and after having a few delicious cocktails I ordered The James Burger cooked medium. The burger came out almost raw and we gave it back to the bartender and he ordered us another burger also cooked medium. The 2nd burger came out slightly more cooked, but also close to raw... the dead center of the burger was uneatable. I noticed a gentleman that looked like he was with the management of the restaurant and told him of my experience. His name was Frankie and he wanted to know if I wanted him to cook the burger for me. At this time after the 2nd attempt, I was past the point of wanting to attempt it again. I've spent my entire career in the wine and restaurant industry and I'm a big believer that it's important that the restaurant knows when a customer is unhappy with their order, hence why I told him. I'm shocked that in such an upscale restaurant, the manager never offered to take the burger off the bill or somehow do the right thing, except say the next time you come ask for Frankie and I'll cook the burger myself. I'm thinking there will not be a next time. We had made reservations for Valentines night, but we're definitely going to cancel, as if they can't make the burger correctly, how are they going to mess up the steak. Extremely disappointing!! read more

Charged me another tables $400 bill - never apologized just said it would get refunded and it never did. Eventually just disputed with my CC but terrible management, incompetent waitstaff and the food is just not that good. read more

Wow. Totally blown away by everything at The James! The ambiance was so chic and the service and food were on point! Both my husband and I were blown away. We shared the surf and turf app then ordered beef Wellington, shell steak, brocollini, duck fat potatoes and a tiramisu. It was all cooked to perfection! read more

The James - Surf and turf app - American Near Me - Babylon, New York

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I thought the restaurant was overpriced. I had the filet mignon and it was tough. The mashed potatoes had big lumps in it, and it was just not the best place to go. The pork chops were very tender, but it was too spicy for the person that I was with so she couldn't enjoy it as much as she should have When we pulled up in the car. It was very difficult to try to figure where to park. I know my party all said that they wouldn't go back. Thank you. read more

A wonderful evening at The James. We sat at the bar and enjoyed several glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. We split the Cesar salad and smoked salmon which was light, delicious and presented beautifully. The staff was positive, happy and the patrons surrounding us were considerate of each others space having a wonderful time! We also shared the bread pudding . Perfect ending to our evening. The James is a perfect addition to Babylon Village. Look forward to going back! read more

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Love the design, beautiful place Great long bar, ordered calamari But didn't like it , too Salty for me! Overall will go back to try something else Great bar service read more

We went to Friday happy hour this past week and loved it. Service and food were top tier in spite of being wildly busy. Bartender Olga was fantastic. Biggest recommendation if you're going for happy hour is to show up ahead of the 4PM published open - there were only two seats left at the bar when we arrived at 3:57. read more

Loved this new restaurant. Beautifully renovated and is definitely an example of fine dining. The staff was friendly and they served at the proper pace to make you feel you had all the time you need to enjoy the meal. It was great! . read more

Drinks and food are very good. Definitely a little different vibe than a cocktail bar at the bar. More like a pick up spot for older men looking for younger women. But the food and drinks were good and the place is extremely nice. read more

The food was really good. The fried calamari was light and fresh. The steak au poivre was incredibly tender and that sauce was amazing. It's been over month since we went and I'm still thinking about the sauce. The service wasn't that great as they seemed too busy for amount of servers and the noise level was high. Otherwise I would have rated them with 5 stars. read more

The James - Steak au poivre - American Near Me - Babylon, New York

Had an amazing evening. The cocktails at the bar were perfect. Had the caviar "bump" at the bar before dinner. I am not a fan of caviar but it was so tasty! And fun!!! Our server Gina was very knowledgeable about the menu and made great recommendations. Half off wine selections helped us choose amazing wines that usually are prohibitive for us. Matt came to our table often through the night checking on us. We had the Cioppino and the beef Wellington. Both so good. We have leftovers for tomorrow! Overall a great high end experience and worth every penny. Look forward to returning. read more

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I never leave restaurant reviews, but I downloaded Yelp just to write this after such a disappointing and frustrating experience. We came to The James in Babylon for a joint birthday and Father's Day celebration. At first, everything seemed promising--they knew it was my birthday, gave me a card, and gave us a round of prosecco for the table, which was a really thoughtful touch. But unfortunately, everything went downhill from there. To start, the service was an absolute mess. Our server was constantly missing--we had to flag someone down just to get basic things like water, and he repeatedly forgot what we asked for. I ordered more wine, and instead of bringing a fresh, chilled glass, he poured from a warm carafe into my existing glass... only to realize it was the wrong wine, mixing it with what I had before. I had to request a completely new glass. Even something as simple as water was mishandled. I asked for still while the rest of the table had sparkling. Not only did my original request go ignored, but when I asked another server, he topped off everyone's glasses--including those with sparkling--with still water. Then, our original waiter came back and topped everyone's glass again, this time with sparkling. It was chaotic and honestly ridiculous. The disorganization extended to the food service too. Food runners had to use a paper cheat sheet at the table to figure out who ordered what--and even then, they still got it wrong. I work in hospitality myself, and if I ever treated a table like this, I'd be fired on the spot. Our server, while friendly, clearly lacked proper training. At one point, he was so physically close while pouring water that he was practically leaning on my stepbrother. Personal space and professionalism were completely lacking. And then... the food. I was especially looking forward to the duck entrée, but as soon as it hit the table, I could tell it was going to be disappointing. The duck was dry and tough, the lentils were undercooked, and the carrots had a bizarre flavor--presumably because they'd been cooked with the lentils. Our fries were soggy, and the broccolini was burnt on the ends. The only thing I enjoyed were the oysters (hard to mess those up). Despite everything, we gave dessert a shot. We ordered two cheesecakes and a sticky toffee pudding cake. Twenty minutes later, we were brought one cheesecake, the pudding, and an 18-layer chocolate cake with a moldy strawberry on top--which felt like the final insult. We arrived at 5:30 PM and didn't leave until 8:30 PM. Three hours for that experience? Unacceptable. I understand it was a busy night, but that doesn't excuse the neglect, poor communication, or the lack of coordination between staff. This place seriously needs to rethink their training, organization, and overall quality standards. The prices at The James suggest a refined, elevated experience--but what we got was chaotic, careless, and far from worth it. read more

Wife enjoyed her chicken dish- my steak was drowned in a sauce -might as well called salsbury steak-just ok $250.00 some wine and tip- read more

food was good our whole party enjoyed everything they got, and our waiter brandon did a great job. the decaf coffee he brought me with dessert was delish, served in a little french press very nice touch note to the head chef: get a vegetarian or vegan entree option!!! just one!!! it's 2025!! read more

This place is a miss for me. I wasn't impressed with the menu to begin with but we were going for a friends birthday so it wasn't my choice. There's limited options for appetizers if you're not obsessed with seafood which I am not. I went with the Caesar salad and it was hands down the worst Caesar salad I've ever had. How do you screw up a bowl of lettuce? There was a pound of cheese on top and no dressing. No flavor at all-waste of $18. I was limited on my choice of entrees also as I don't eat red meat and the chicken was on the bone so I went with the cauliflower and I was very impressed with this. While it never would have filled me if I hadn't also had the salad, it was very flavorful and a hint of spice. The side dish options are also subpar so I went with the fries and they were just okay. Not greasy but also not crispy. The complimentary bread was also hard as a rock. My friend got the octopus app and said it was overcooked and too chewy and got the lamb chop special which was supposed to be charred but was straight up burnt. The dessert menu didn't wow me either so I skipped it and after splitting the bill evenly amongst my table it cost over $100-much better options out there for 100 bucks imo. They gave us all a complimentary glass of champagne tho for the birthday celebration-that was very generous. Decor wise it's an upgrade from the outdated carriage house tho and the staff was friendly. Ohh and the chairs-I HATE when you can't put your purse on the chair cuz of the rounded edges on the seat, I'm not putting my expensive purse on the floor so I had to sit there holding it all night! read more

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The dining experience was nice and service was quick and attentive. We celebrated two birthdays and they did not disappoint with complimentary champagne. Ordering off the prix fixe menu was the best bang for your buck. The only complaint was that the pork chop was too spicy. It also has a nice decor and there's a all day happy hour on Sundays. read more

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Beautiful place they are very organized the staff very friendly and attentive they didn't rush us they took their time between the meals so we can enjoy each meal . The bar area was a little noisy but at the table we didn't hear that to loud so we can have a conversation not needed to raise our voice to hear each other ! The food was very good we enjoy each meal .we will be back . I recommend this place ! read more

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Came to The James on a Wednesday night with friends. It was definitely busy for during the week. It is absolutely beautiful inside and I had high hopes of this place. We were given bread after our server took our drink order and thank goodness we had bread because our appetizers took probably 30 minutes to come out. We got the baked clams, Caesar salad, and shrimp cocktail. I misread the menu and didn't realize bacon came on the baked clams, not a fan at all. The Caesar salad was not great. Shrimp cocktail was average, didn't like how they already put lemon on. I had a feeling the mains were going downhill from here. I ordered the roasted chicken. It was the driest roasted chicken I've ever had. I could barely eat it. My husband got the paccheri pasta and it was straight up gross. Too salty but also had no flavor. Our friends got the beef Wellington and they enjoyed. Our server was knowledgeable and attentive. I would come back for drinks and that's it! read more

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Ok service was great Appetizers- the calamari and octopus were OUSTANDING. However, our steaks (at lease $60 each, we ordered medium were over well done.) As I used to be a waitress, I will never say anything to the server, however they should ask if it's cooked ok It was well over done, still good, but when paying that much, it should come the way you ordered (medium) not well done when you're paying 60 plus dollars read more

Reminiscent of a busy Manhattan steakhouse with a loud, large atmosphere. It's not romantic, yet fun and exciting. Warm upstairs seating. Food was spot on. I ahd the duck cassoulet appetizer and the pork chop entree. Both fanastic. The duck was confit to a crisp, moist, and tender inside. The sauce was a good balance of acidic, salty, and savory. Pork chop was cooked well, mosit with a bit of cherry pepper spice. Another person at my table said their pork chop was dry but then realized he had no sauce on the dish. Kitchen error, perhaps. Service was not so good. Slow and inattentive, yet the wait staff seemed to be running around. Other sections wouldn't even clear unused wine glasses, stating he would send over the waiter to do it. Spilled some wine from the wine bottle after breaking the cork. Not exactly excellent service, but the waiter was nice and respectful. Left a good tip. The Saint Joseph Northern Rhone was exceptional and a fantastic value, highly recommended. The wine list was beautiful. Cheers! read more

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Had dinner here and it was just good, not great, which was slightly disappointing because of the price point. There was a bar cart that made table side margaritas and the bartender spilled some of my wife's drink on the table. Very small amount and it didn't affect the drink, but she didn't offer to make a new one, or at least comp the drink. We shared baked clams, aroncini balls, and a salad to start. They were all fine. Had the crispy red snapper for dinner which was tasty. Not a bad experience but not in a rush to go back. read more

Desmond was spectacular! Great service, great food, and Desmond was the best server I could have asked for! Im looking forward to coming here in the future! best girls night! read more

Had the price fixe dinner menu - well-varied selection. Didn't like the way the waitstaff brought a loaf of bread to the table & stabbed it with a knife. Now we have to cut our own bread. The wedge salad was delish & was offered to be chopped. On the other hand the caesar salad was not cut up, the lettuce was limp & doused with grated cheese. Not very good. The main entree Pacheri & the pork chop were excellent. The cheesecake was delicious. Nice & light. Didn't get our waitress's name but she has long dark hair & she was the best. Very professional. read more

Came in to celebrate a birthday, ambiance was beautiful. We were seated upstairs and our server came by and confirmed us by name we used for our reservation which I thought was a nice touch but probably the only time I truly felt acknowledged throughout the entire dinner, remainder of time it was difficult to get our waiters attention. In terms of food, it was really good except for one dish: we ordered the bone marrow and oyster special which was delicious, the fried calamari which was also good and the beef tartare which ended up getting 3 out of our party of 4 sick (more on this later) so I don't recommend that dish. They cooked the porterhouse to perfection and it's 60 day dry age so there is a distinct taste to it but thought it was delicious. We complimented the porterhouse with the broccolini, asparagus, and creamed spinach and all sides were really good. I had to remind the waiter we were there for a birthday and tried the crème brûlée that was creamy and also tasty. We paired everything with a glass of wine - they had a good bottle selection however, we found a lot of it to be overpriced. Overall, although the food was delicious - get ready to spend top dollar because imo everything was a bit overpriced. I am disappointed that we paid over $600+ to then get sick from their beef tartare (the one person who didn't eat the tartare was the only one who wasn't sick that's how we narrowed it down). I did call and spoke to their manager Matthew to advise him of our food poisoning and no remorse was given and was very cold about the entire situation. His solution was to ask for him if we return but I personally don't see us ever going back. I'm happy we tried it but there are many other great steakhouses to try in LI. read more

I will be recommending this place to whoever is looking for Great place to go out . Drinks , food , service and atmosphere were great. I was with a group of 10 and everyone only had good things to say at well. read more

The James - American Near Me - Babylon, New York

First of all let me say this place looks amazing. The renovations are gorgeous! From the new bar design to the wallpapered individual water closets. The service was good as well. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The food was a huge disappointment. I don't know if they're still ironing out the kinks but we were not happy with any of our appetizers or drinks and the porterhouse steak was not cooked properly. I hate sending food back but unfortunately we needed to... twice. Did not even eat it. Such a sin to waste food and I hate to leave a poor review but we left hungry and really missing the carriage house. read more

Absolutely beautiful. Love it. It was delicious. There were 5 of us and everyone loved their meal. Except it is incredibly loud. Difficult to hear anything at our own table. We were yelling at each other for the entire meal. A note to the owners; Perhaps extend those rugs on the steps to some of the second floor. The ceiling on the second floor is an option for acoustical tiles (the paint is dark and you would not even notice the acoustical tiles) There are other options like tapestries to soak up some of that noise. We talked to other people there and they had the same reaction. I would still go back. Overall great food and good experience but I would have given 5 stars if we could hear each other. Everyone should check it out and decide for themselves, maybe go on a quiet or slow evening. read more

Beautiful decor. Valet parking. As you enter you are greeted by a Hostess and then escorted to a table Ample dining area. Bar is located as you enter, fully loaded, large enough to accommodate people comfortably We started with the "caviar bump" fennel/tarragon infused vodka shot. With caviar( not in the drink) The Seafood plateau has lobster,clams,oysters( the grande is plenty for a party of 4) Sea bass,lobster theramidor,beef Wellington,crispy salmon All arrived in a timely manner and were flavorful ( shamelessly we cleaned our plates) Our server " Dane" was a delight, always making sure we were satisfied. " Tom" ( thank you so much!) sent out several desserts The sticky toffee cake is prepared table side, chocolate layer cake is truly decadent, eclair( lemony) partieroles drizzled with chocolate We had a great evening. The restaurant has a second floor which is quite ample As the evening progresses. ,it does get a tad loud And the music seemed to be competing. read more

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I was hearing AMAZING things about "The James", Originally;what had brought me in was a possible job opportunity.. I figured, I drove all this way during rush hour may we well have a drink after dropping my resume off... I was greeted politely by Alexi who made THE BEST Old Fashion I have ever had (and im also a bartender).. I had an Angels Envy Rye Old Fashion extra sweet and it was LITERALLY PERFECT! I was telling Alexi how amazing it was and she responded with "If you like that, you would love the apricot one" She honestly sold me, because I wasn't even thinking about having a second until she got in my head lol As I was taking a peek at the food menu I was greeted by Patty who was extremely personable, she over heard that I also bartend and asked me where I work.. We ended up having a great conversation about food/life/love and everything in between, its easy to say I will 100 percent be back regardless of being hired, these girls are wonderful and deserve a shout out. The food that was recommended came out exactly how I anticipated (pure perfection) and the service was equally as amazing! I am so happy "The James" has been recommended to me, I will be paying the compliments forward. Lastly, I do want to mention how beautiful the appearance of this restaurant is, from the inside out it portrays a elegant yet modern taste of the 20s-30s, it may have been the classic music in the background adding character to the marble bar.. or it could have been the aroma in the air, this restaurant represents itself well through its employees, its food and its service! 5 stars hands down ! See you guys soon (: read more

The ambiance is beautiful, it is a modern twist to the old Carriage house concept, with white and black tile throughout. The drinks were strong and tasty, but the food was sub-par. Based on the reviews, I figured the food would be booming with flavor. However, the salmon was dry. I was expecting a bit more flavor, but the appetizers were tasty. I enjoyed the grilled calamari, but note, it comes overtop a bean salad which didn't seem to pair well with the calamari. The server was lovely. I was seated on the second floor (which I recommend for a romantic date night). It was my spouse's birthday, and I notified the staff, though nobody sang to him. Overall, I would say The James has a beautiful ambiance for cocktails. read more

We normally love The James. Have been there many times in the past and always love the bartenders that have served us. We always eat at the bar. Tonight we went and were served by a girl who was clearly inebriated and high on something. We ordered oysters and shrimp and a burger. She couldn't even get the appetizers correct and completely forgot to put in our burger and then disappeared. We ended up throwing down a $50 and leaving..hungry.. if we ever walk in there again and see her we will be sure to walk right out. She has no business working in such a high class establishment. read more

absolutely a horrible experience. if you plan on going here for a special occasion or birthday, don't plan on it. save your money and go to prime or rare650. I came here expecting decent service but everything was below par from what most steakhouses would offer. for the prices they charge you might as well check out other spots. work on hiring some friendly/kind waitress. who also don't bluff and don't meet what they promise read more

I came in for Hapoy Hour with a friend. The bartender seemed like he wanted to be anywhere but there. It took a long time to get one of the 3 bartenders attention. The burger and fries were fantastic, but not good enough to sit at a bar for half hour with no service. read more

Had dinner this evening with wife, daughter and granddaughter. 2nd floor table but when we arrived we were told that they would not seat us until all members of the party were.present in spite of having a reservation. A lot of trouble communicating the issue with the greeter because of the incredible noise level. The.bar was crowded and there was a party on the first floor room so.somewhat understandable. The rest of our party arrived and we were brought upstairs to our table. The dining room was 2/3rds full but the sound level was defening. Our family of 5 simply could not hear each other. Added to the problem, loud, inappropriate music blasting from speakers near the ceiling about every 6 feet. I asked our waiter if they could turn down the music and he said it couldn't be done. His supervisor offered to move us and he did. Hardly any.change. the voice of music was rock, pop and rap. Trying to talk with each other was impossible. It was so loud that even as the evening went on and the dining room emptied out we still found ourselves yelling to be heard. The loudest dining experience I've ever encountered. The food was very good. The calamari was easily the best I've ever had. Bread, perfect. Service was very good and appropriate. Prices a bit high but I'm getting used to that. I won't be going back for the simple reason that I don't wish to spend the evening screaming to be heard and straining to hear conversations over music that was horribly loud and inappropriate for dining. Noting the lack of comments about noise levels possibly I'm in the minority but for a fine dining experience with friends and relatives I'll be going to Tellers in Islip where we can hear each other without yelling. read more

I hate writing negative reviews, but feel if we're not honest, things cannot be improved. I'll start off by saying the ambiance was incredible and they've really outdid themselves with the renovations; this is exactly the ambiance I look for in a restaurant. Our waitress was wonderful and so was the rest of the staff. That being said, I was NOT impressed by the food or drinks at all, in fact I was pretty disappointed. I frequent many upscale restaurants and don't mind paying a hefty price for a good meal, but the prices do not match the quality of the food. The baked clams with the anchovy breadcrumbs just tasted way too much like the ocean for me. Maybe some people can tolerate this, but I surely could not. The taste was so overpowering in a negative way and I wanted to spit it out, but did not have a paper napkin to do so. The lychee martini tasted like rubbing alcohol with too much of a lemon zest taste. I ordered the ribeye (my favorite choice of steak) and felt it was more fatty than usual. We topped it off with the bone marrow butter and it had this stale old cellar taste. I had to put so much steak sauce on the steak to get rid of that very odd taste. (FYI - I love bone marrow and have ordered it off many menus) this did not taste fresh at all and gave the steak a very unpleasant taste. For pricing, here's what we ordered: 2 glasses of wine 1 lychee martini 1 soda Ribeye Filet Mignon Side of mashed potatoes Side of asparagus Total Cost: $317 It was my friends birthday, and they were kind enough to give her a birthday card, complimentary glass of champagne for each of us and a dessert (which was good). I thought this was a really nice touch and thoughtful. Again, beautiful ambiance, great staff but they need to step it up with the food or they will not get repeat customers for these prices. You cannot charge BlackStone prices and not deliver the same quality food. read more