The manager, Anthony, is a classy, gracious, gentleman who takes time from his busy schedule to meet with many customers for feedback. Matt the bartender - a great guy and talented bartender. He is very personable and can make you laugh. Our server, Nichole, was a sweetheart and very attentive. A great place to dine, and what a view. I highly recommend it. read more

The Wharf Restaurant - At the Wharf Restaurant in Madison, CT. - New American Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

My wife and I ordered two dishes: Fish and Chips and Steak Frites. The prices were certainly not cheap, and we found the portions rather small, especially for a place that presents itself as a luxury, high-quality establishment. The Fish and Chips was good. Unfortunately, the Steak Frites was a completely different experience, and it was the most expensive course in the menu. I ordered the steak rare, but when it arrived, it was immediately obvious that something was not right. The texture and appearance of the meat made it seem as though it had either been reheated or had been sitting out for some time. The juices appeared cooked onto and into the meat, which is certainly not what you expect from a freshly prepared steak ordered rare. I explained the problem to the cook and mentioned that I have worked as a chef, so I know what properly prepared meat should look and taste like. I was told that they would prepare a new steak for me. I then waited approximately 40 minutes. By that point, my wife had completely finished her meal, and I was actually about to cancel my order when the replacement finally arrived. Unfortunately, the second steak was overcooked. At that point, I told the waitress that I no longer wanted it. She was polite, apologized, and seemed to completely understand my decision, which I appreciated. My complaint is not simply that one dish was prepared incorrectly. Mistakes happen in every kitchen. The real issue is how a restaurant responds when something goes wrong. Waiting around 40 minutes for a replacement steak while the other person at the table has already finished eating, only for the replacement to arrive incorrectly cooked as well, is far below the standard of service I would expect from an establishment in this price range. Quality is not simply about charging premium prices or presenting yourself as a luxury establishment. Quality has to be demonstrated through the food, the kitchen, the service, and especially through the ability to correct a problem when one occurs. Unfortunately, based on our experience, the prices and the image this establishment tries to project were well above the actual quality we received. read more

We went there for our 10 year anniversary, which is a pretty big milestone and we could have spent the evening anywhere but we chose this restaurant. The service was very very slow, the food was mediocre and we didn't expect a parade, but they couldn't have cared less about our anniversary. We enjoyed each other and that's what matters but regretted choosing this restaurant. read more

The Wharf is inside the beautiful Madison Beach Hotel, with the perfect setting right by the water. I love the atmosphere and we've been here 3 times already this summer. Outside on the covered porch, they have both dining tables and high tops facing the water. The outdoor space is limited and they have tables inside as well, but I'd recommend the outdoor seating on a nice day, if you're dining alone or with up to 2-3 people. My favorites are the New England Clam Chowder and Lobster Roll. Their fries aren't my favorite and even though I'm not a huge fan of truffles, their truffle fries were also quite good. One thing to note is that the service level has varied. Sometimes it's been quite slow and we've also had a mix-up with the order. If they raised the service level, it'd feel even more upscale. read more

On Menu - seafood bowl - mussels, lobster, shrimp, and monk fish. This is what I got - no lobster, 1 shrimp, 6 mussels were bad 6 were okay. All for approximately $45. I was very hungry and made the mistake of eating everything. Paid the price that evening. Oh did I ever paid the price! Never again! read more

This restaurant is located in the beautiful Madison Beach Hotel located right next to the water. I came here for dinner so I didn't really see the views but the restaurant had a classy peaceful vibe and was great for a large group of 12 people. We pretty much had a private room even though you could see the rest of the restaurant. The server was nice and efficiently got everyone drinks. I'm not sure if there was a corkage fee but we got a mix of cocktails and brought our own wine. The oysters were good and not briny. My sea bass was okay, a bit unusual that it came on top of a bed of lentils which lacked flavor. Desserts were excellent though. We got pumpkin cheesecake which was actually in the shape of a pumpkin which was super cute and tasty. read more

The Wharf Restaurant - New American Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Disappointing Valentines dinner-long waiting line with reservations, cartilage abounded in the Dover Sole (no warning from the server), no rose for our table at the end (as others received them left and right). The Wharf has been our choice for brunch, lunch, and dinner for decades (before and after the renovation). This was by far my most disappointing (worst!) experience. On the plus side, the crabcake first course was excellent! The desserts-fruit tart and the chocolate one-were mediocre (chocolate was the better of the two). Definitely not worth the price needless to say. read more

The setting is a beautiful view of Long Island Sound. We had the fish and chips and chicken salad for lunch. The fish was moist but had a strange spice in the breading possibly tarragon that did not go well in the breading. The chicken salad was tasteless and the house made potato chips lacked flavor and salt. Given the prices the food should have been better. read more

The outdoor seating was great. Service was okay. My tarragon chicken salad was inedible. It consisted of very dry cubes of chicken which were difficult to wash down. By the time the waitress came to clear the table, my friend had finished her meal. I told the waitress that was the worst chicken salad I ever had. She asked if I wanted anything else to eat, which I declined. No amendments were made to the bill, and paying $26 for a horrible meal will not have me back as a customer. read more

This is a total skip. The service lacks everything and the chiefs are there to match. After creating a reservation for my daughter's 18th birthday, on her birthday, as a family dinner and leaving a note on the reservation and calling same day, when they opened, to confirm and asking for outside seating, we were met with absolutely nothing. No happy birthday for my daughter, no friendly greeting. Oh, and we sat inside. Ok fine, that's isn't the worst thing, but keep reading ... it's gets waayyyy better. We were sat and the waitress didn't appear for over 20 minutes. Then she takes appetizer orders but only for half the table before just walking away. When she comes back with our drinks, she mentions the her assist mentioned the other orders and placed them. Meanwhile, our waitress is nowhere to be found and there are many empty tables. The mussels were stringy and chewy so those went back. You can get sick from bad mussels. Then comes the opportunity to order our main meals. That was uneventful. When the food comes, my wife's dinner was almost warm, my daughter and I ordered the same thing, Filet Mignon, and it came well, we ordered medium rare. My sons was a hamburger and over cooked as well. The dishes went back. After another 15 minutes, they bring new plates for all and the Filet Mignon is now severely undercooked with a rare cool center - times 2. My son's burger was ok but they used the same bun as it was soaked in burger juice and was gross. My wife's was warm this time. YAY! Needless to say at those prices, we looked at the server and said you can take the steaks back. So there goes my daughter's 18th birthday dinner. And still no happy birthday from anyone. Another waitress final apologized and we left 2 hours after our reservation time without having eaten. Time to replace the staff -- all of them -- and not a manager in sight. PS - the table next to us leaving said "good luck", they didn't like their food or service either. read more

Lovely place to enjoy a meal after a day at the beach. Complimentary valet parking. Food was to die for. The table loved their clam chowder ! I kept it simple and went with fish and chips. The breading on it was perfect! Lobster got two thumbs up, but not the best utensils to pick away at the insides. Blackened salmon was also good but little too much char for my liking. Table service by our waitress, Martha, was great. Came in with an unforgettable smile every time and made our time here welcoming. There was a wait for outdoor dining so we choose to sit inside which still had good visibility of the outside sunset skies. read more

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This is a near perfect setting, right on Long Island Sound with views to the south and west. We sat on the porch on a sunny November afternoon, waiting for the sunset, and it was perfect, except for the loud, profane, and obnoxious person seated near us. He was a frequent customer, known to management. When the space opened up, our server, Drew, offered to move us further away from him. Kudos to Drew. The food was good. The shrimp were huge and fresh. The stuffed peppers were tasty but were not hot when brought to us. Definitely a place to stop on a sunny afternoon. read more

The food was fantastic, the atmosphere on the deck was spectacular (sunset) but what set the evening apart was the helpfulness and professionalism of Robert and Lisa. On a very busy Holiday Weekend Saturday night, they were able to find us 4 seats along the High Rail with a perfect view of Sunset, Faulkner's, and Tuxis. Kudos to the Wharf and the MBH. read more

The Wharf Restaurant - Sunset from T he Deck at the Wharf, MBH. - New American Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

We did the buffet today at the Wharf Restaurant in Madison this Thanksgiving. Obviously being located right on the Sound, the views were spectacular, and we enjoyed our seating in the heated deck area. The set up for the buffet itself was a bit clumsy, you had to walk through several narrow areas to get back to your seating. And there was no signage as you entered the restaurant, we had gone through the door leading to the buffet rather than the reservations area, a few other people were confused about that as well. Mixed feelings about the food. All the sides we tried were very good, but the carving station was disappointing. The Prime Rib was not seasoned properly, it ended up tasting very bland. The turkey was even worse -- was processed and had a weird pinkish hue to it. Neither one of us finished our turkey serving. The desserts, on the other hand, were phenomenal. Although I appreciate anyone working hard on a holiday, service was somewhat flat. No one was smiling, and our waitress didn't have much of a personality. It took an extremely long time for us to receive "the add bill" (water, alcoholic beverages, etc). I'm giving the Wharf Restaurant 3 Stars. Honestly, we'd be hard pressed to come back again, because at $95 a head (before the compulsory 18% gratuity and the "add bill"), I feel it's fairly expensive for what you receive. My impression of the Wharf Restaurant is that the food can be "Hit of Miss" -- you could go there and have an outstanding meal or you could have a blah one, it's a crap shoot. Being that we live on the other side of the state, it's doubtful we'll be back anytime soon. read more

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Had a very disappointing experience at Mothers Day brunch. Prime rib was tough, halibut was rubbery , strawberries were over ripe, quiche was cold - need I go on. The worst thing for me was the fact that no one returned my several calls because apparently no one cares that they charge you a fortune but the quality of the food is not there. read more

The location and ambiance were wonderful, and the restaurant was well maintained. The staff were friendly, attentive and professional. The food was generally decent, but the menu is somewhat limited. Also, I would not order the hot lobster roll again. The portion size was small and the lobster was somewhat dried out and lacked real lobster flavor. I've had much better elsewhere (see my review for Dead Eye Dick's on Block Island). read more

Sat at 11:45am. Wait staff did come to our table until 20 minutes later. Appetizer arrived 15 minutes later and we ordered our main course. 40 minutes later, our main course arrived. Two of us ordered rare burgers, but they arrived dry and over cooked. I make better burgers on my grille at home at at a fraction of the price. With the limited menu size here, I can't imagine why the service is so slow. read more

This boutique hotel is so cute. Everyone is nice and welcoming. We came when the sun set so we didn't get to see the water but the hotel room is clean and the restaurant was delicious. I couldn't stop eating the bread haha. Our waiter Martha was friendly and professional and checked on us a multiple times. The hotel room came with a little note from our room attendant Brooke which was a plus and different from other hotels. I would recommend staying here at least once as it is such a different atmosphere. Being on the beach and hearing the waves is something we don't get much often. I feel like I am somewhere else in the world even though I am only a couple hours from my house. Will be coming back soon!!! read more

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Went with a friend for a lobster mania. Food was good and the service as always was great.

Second time we made a reservation- they were double booked which they openly owned that was their system- waited 50 minutes after the 6:30 reservation to be seated at our table, occupied by folks who were seated there since 5:00. The swordfish dinner arrived cold, poorly cooked, sent it back and then had to wait for another choice. Another time we reserved 4 seats at the High Top area, arrived first but told they were double booked, agreed to a tableland watch the 4 High Tops remain empty during our entire dinner. Poor management with no interest in changing the system. Very disappointed. read more

Went for a small financial advisory dinner event that had free food and seating provided by a company at this restaurant. A very good establishment, and the higher price of food is worth it if you're looking for a nice meal. The food was very good and tender. I had some chicken with beans, brown rice, a salad, a dinner roll, and cheesecake for dessert. The chicken was well made and tasted delicious. The green beans were very good, although a bit chewy in some parts. The rice was a little dry but very flavorful and didn't impact the meal. The dinner roles were fresh and the cheesecake very tasty. The service was very nice, and the waitstaff was respectful and polite. Good indicator of the how the restaurant treats patrons. The ambiance was nice, with a view overlooking the water and out to Long Island. Outdoor seating was available, but the presentation was inside and still very enjoyable. Will be returning to this place for more high-end dining and celebration dinners in the future. read more

The Wharf Restaurant - Chicken with Green Beans and Rice - New American Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

Birthday celebration ruined. I don't recommend planning to celebrate a special occasion here as you are rolling the dice with your plans as they don't honor reservations. Had reservation for 4, outside with water view as she loves to watch water and wildlife. She is a bit bougie, likes nice things. She was excited for the dinner. But unfortunately our night was ruined. Nothing to post nothing to share. When we arrived we were told an outdoor table wasn't available for us. (Empty tables but not for us). Host was rude saying those tables are for reservations. I repeated I made a reservation and called to confirm that it would be outside. He said sorry but there were people in front of us. We were sat near host stand where we could hear folks checking in without reservations being sat outside. Also saw a couple of 2 move from a table of 2 to a table for 4. (There were empty tables) No views, no special services, seated in an empty obstructed view indoor room. Mediocre appetizers and dinner selection lacking flavor. Hundreds of dollars wasted. I have been to the wharf many times. Usually ok, but views add to it. Walkable and many locals. I will not recommend nor return. 1 star for service time which was average read more

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary with a delightful dinner at the Wharf. The highlight was being attended to with gracious elegance and kindess by our waitress, Marianne. She set the standard for excellence in restaurant work and professionalism, I will long remember her! Our food was good. I had the scallop special with a very good sauce and a risotto. My husband's steak looked amazing (though I don't eat meat, he loved it.) It was soaked in mushrooms and what looked to be an expertly prepared au jus. Lastly, we had a truly remarkable pot de creme chocolat- oh my goodness, it was delicious, and nothing like a typical restaurant dessert- really amazing. We also had very well made drinks. Our compliments to the bartender. The Wharf is an exceptional Madison restaurant, and we go for special occasions, and often bring friends. We have loved it before and the affair continues! read more

The ambiance is corporate, like you would find at a conference or wedding. Hotel-ish, but it is a hotel restaurant. We ate at the very busy bar. Not many were eating; many were drinking. Awaiting a free blues concert upstairs, apparently. The bar emptied out once the show started, leaving us and a few other unfortunate ones dining. Perhaps they enjoyed whatever they ordered. My wife got the tasteless halibut entree. I ordered the salmon entree, which may have been good if they didn't dump at least a quarter cup of olive oil all over it. I sent it back and got a burger, because, hopefully that would be good. It was decent, yet it seemed oiled as well. The squeaky wheel definitely got greased that evening. The bartender knew many of the people at the bar much better than he knew the menu. Not much else to say about the guy except he is abrupt when busy and surrounded by the regulars he knew and much kinder when the only ones left were us and a few others when the free music started. read more

We had a fantastic experience here recently. Stumbled upon it on when staying for an overnight at the shore. We wanted lunch with a view and this surely did not disappoint. When I later came on Yelp and saw their 3 stars - I was disappointed! I RARELY choose a restaurant without coming to Yelp first - and I'm so happy I did!! I definitely need to keep in mind that we all have different tastes. Moving along - we sat on the back deck with lovely views of the Sound. We both got cocktails. I chose a 'special' white watermelon sangria. I was worried it'd be too sweet but it wasn't! It was fantastically refreshing. For lunch, my husband and I both chose the hot lobster roll. It was DECADENT. Perfectly griddled roll STUFFED with so.much.lobster! They state 6 oz on the menu - but seriously - there was as much meat on this roll as I pick out of a 1.25lb lobster. Served with a side of butter so it didn't come out sopping wet already. I got a side Caesar salad and my husband got the homemade chips. Everything was delicious! We had the most delightful lunch! read more

The Wharf Restaurant - Just amazing! Can't wait to go back to try again! - New American Near Me - Madison, Connecticut

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View was beautiful food was very disappointing. Worst fish and chips and burger I've ever had. Linguini and clams was below average. Oysters and desert were good. Most of service was excellent except for Carmela who was rude. I said this is the best hotel I've stayed at and her response was what do you stay at motels. Then said she was joking well a wise man told me there is truth to a joke... read more

Yesterday was the 4th or 5th time in as many years (excluding the pandemic) a group of us met for Christmas Day dinner at Madison Beach hotel restaurant. Let me say that the location is spectacular- the water views cannot be surpassed. The staff is also very nice, overall. But the food we had yesterday convinced us we'll never return. At about $100 per person (tip and one cocktail each included), the food is simply not worth it. Four of us ordered the Beef Wellington and while the beef was a very fine cut, the food came out cold. The pastry around the beef was soggy. My daughter's chicken dinner had uncooked carrots as a side. The clam chowder appetizer was ok, but at these rates it should have been great! I guess the pear salad and duck on polenta starters were nice. The desserts, however, were actually dry and stale. While the service was on par for a high end restaurant, the food was just not worth it. It's disappointing as there aren't many restaurants open on Christmas Day. I guess we'll have to go back to the casinos. At least for the comparable expense there, the food is outstanding. read more

O M G We did the takeout thanksgiving package and holy cow - it WAAAAY exceeded our expectations. Everything was freaking delicious!!!!! I have never had better turkey breast in my life. I am not exaggerating. I'm not a white meat lover, but this was so juicy and flavorful. And that stuffing!! I'm going to be dreaming about that. I could go on and on about everything (except the green bean casserole - that was just meh - not bad, but not over the top phenomenal like everything else) but I'll spare you. Trust me, everything but the green beans was stunningly delicious. An incredibly sweet hand-written note accompanied the reheating instructions. Before I tasted a morsel, that thoughtfulness just blew me away. (And the fact that the chef came out to meet my husband and the other guy picking up their orders.) We were both very pleasantly surprised at the amount of care and obvious love that went into this delicious meal. If you're looking for a place to order your thanksgiving dinner from, this is definitely the place to call. We've tried various places over the years, but no more. I will order thanksgiving dinner from this restaurant every year as long as they do it. It was absolutely superb!!!!!!! Somehow I've never eaten at this restaurant, but based on this meal, I can't wait to go there! read more

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I'm rounding up slightly due to the beautiful views at sunset from the porch section of this restaurant. We stayed at this hotel at the end of the summer for a birthday trip. Our first night, we got the BBQ chicken dinner and the burger. The chicken entree was good, but the burger was the standout. So much so that we ordered it again the next day, along with new England clam chowder and crab cakes. The crab cakes were tiny but delicious. And the chowder was great as well. I forget the name of the drink, but the ginger beer cocktail was bitter and at such a high price point, definitely a disappointment. The hostesses and waitresses were all very attentive and happy to answer any questions we had. If you come here around sunset and the weather is nice, make sure to grab a seat at the far right end of the porch to soak in the sunset views over the water. read more

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Constantly had good food here every year and friendly service with a great view! The drinks are not the best, but are totally fine and the spot is worth it read more

Food was mediocre and service was slow. I was hoping to have a wonderful meal, however I left feeling very disappointed. I will not be returning. read more

Great food and service! As a traveler would like to have WiFi. Almost non existent!! But free when it is!!

I ate here twice and I'm baffled that this restaurant is not rated higher as I found it very good. The first night I was here I had a burger. I asked for medium rare and that's what I got. I can honestly say it was one of the best burgers I've ever had in the state of Connecticut. I didn't even get a picture of it. It didn't come with french fries, it came with these unusual kind of chips which I was very ambivalent about because I honestly figured they would be stale. It's happened before in other places. They were absolutely delicious and I think I enjoyed them as much as I would have traditional french fries. The burger was cooked perfectly and it was juicy as anything. The bun which was really more of a roll with soft and buttery and I was in Burger Heaven. The restaurant is part of Madison Beach Hotel and offered breathtaking views and a relaxed environment and was not too crowded. This is not a snooty restaurant and I say that because I saw a few mentions of that in the reviews and I didn't get that vibe at all. There were people in sundresses and casual jeans . They were all types really. For dessert I got this chocolate raspberry cake that I can only describe as one of the best pieces of cake I've ever had and even my dad who is not a big dessert eater and who is a very picky eater told me later that he struggled not grab it off my plate because he had one bite and it was so delicious. The second time I ate here was for brunch and I got a fruit plate with some sausage on the side. I was a little disappointing that honestly as I enjoyed the fresh melon which was bursting with flavor but the cantaloupe was a little bit of a disappointment. The only thing I really didn't like was the sausage as it was way too big and thick for me as I prefer small sausage links. It had a funny flavor as well and I really cannot recommend the sausage unless you are the type of likes giant size sausage that looks more suited for dinner meal then for brunch. The staff were warm and accommodating and I will come back here in a minute. All in all I had two very enjoyable meals in a very nice environment and a beautiful hotel. read more

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The food was good but not as hot as I would like. Our waitress was attentive at first and then she disappeared for long periods. After we finally ordered we waited again and even though our drinks were empty, no one came and asked if we wanted more. Finally our food was brought by a gentleman who asked if we wanted more drinks. We said yes but no drinks until our waitress finally showed. After we finished our food no one asked if we wanted desert and the check took forever and when it arrived it was another tables check. We finally talked to the manager and just received a "sorry. May try it again and see how it goes read more

Our party of floor arrived on a Tuesday night about 7:30 pm. We were told we'd have to wait about 5 minutes. So we assumed the dining room was full. We were seated about 10 minutes later. There were only 5 tables occupied. So it definitely not full. Our lovely server gave us our menu and we got water. She let us look at the menus and took our drink orders. She returned and we gave her our orders. Soon after we received our bread. It was warm and good tasting. About 10 minutes later the two people who ordered soup got their soup. But we had no drinks. Another 5 minutes passed and we finally got our drinks. We asked for more bread and they said they would get some. The dinners arrived. Two orders of fish and chips, short ribs, and a spinach strawberry salad with chicken. The food was good but not outstanding. The potatoes were definitely gummy and had been sitting a while and the broccoli was overcooked. They came back to say that their bread was not delivered today so there was no more. Our water was never refilled, even though the glasses were empty. The table was cleared very efficiently by two young men. The bill was processed quickly and without any problems. I visited the ladies room and there were no paper towels. I'm not sure if they were understaffed or having management issues, but this certainly wasn't what I was expecting. The friends we were with had been there in the past and they said this definitely wasn't the same level of service and food quality. read more

I spent Christmas and New Year's here because they were one of the only things open in Madison. The bartenders are super nice and it was a great social environment. I will visit this place again and again some people have complained and said it's pricey, but youve got pay for good quality, things and good company. read more

Can't wait to go back tonight! The Wharf's Porch was toasty and comfortable outdoor dining. The tables were very well spaced-- adhering to social distance guidelines. The server was friendly and knowledgeable ( almost too much --we didn't need to hear the cost of the Catch of the Day when describing it but maybe other want to know market price before ordering) Our entrees were absolutely delicious! No doggie bags because we are it all! We are guests of the hotel and get to eat here again before we check out. Priced right and beautiful view!!! read more

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Our Family has been to The Wharf Restaurant at Madison Beach Hotel for two decades, we have been privy watching the evolving transformation, always organic, fluid, mindful of our shoreline.. This past weekend, we were a party of 8, 4 adults, 4 children, everyone was tired and it was late, but they did everything within their power, to make sure the adults, and children were entertained.. Kudos, to Derik, Carmella, Kim, and Matt, truly made it such a special evening.. The appetizer's, and entrees, were fabulous, and the staff never hesitates to help their guests, A Gem on our shoreline, very blessed.. N S.. read more

I would go back. The service was good and the restaurant was clean. The pork belly and scallops was delicious. The crab cake was filled with crab as well. My daughter had the bolognese and she said it was excellent and also filled with meat. I had the steak, it was cooked perfectly how I like it and the masked potatoes were nice and silky smooth. My husband had been wanting a. Lobster roll for a while. He liked the roll but not the chips. Overall it was nice experience and convenient as we were also staying at the hotel. I would go back to both the hotel and restaurant. read more

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Great place for lunch, drinks, and light meals. The absolutely beautiful water views are well worth the crazy high prices. The food is always delicous....portions are a little on the small side but makes up with the quality. We each had a Cobb salad and Crown Royal Manhattan. Everything was spot on with these meals and also when we've been here in the past. Did I say the views are incredible? Gets very busy here when seating outside so if you're coming from out of town, I suggest reserving a table. Place to go at least once in late Spring, Summer, or early Fall. read more