Whitby Castle — Restaurant in City of Rye

Whitby Castle was absolutely incredible as our wedding venue!! My husband and I chose there because we wanted something unique - and a castle was just that. After reading great reviews about the food and service, we decided to go ahead and book it. I am so so glad we did - it was just phenomenal. Ralph - our maitre'd - was seriously amazing. He was so attentive and accommodating. He worked with us during planning - helped us switch out a few things we didn't want (the slider station) for some extras we did want (the drunken sundae dessert station). He also helped us out when we had only a 125 head count (we invited 190 and needed to guarantee 150) by absorbing the cost of linen rentals, giving us extra food packed up, and more. He really went above and beyond for us. In addition to that, on the day of the wedding, he really hustled and worked so hard to ensure everything was to our liking.

Anything at all we needed, we would just tell any member of the staff (they all had ear pieces to communicate easily, which was a really great and organized system), and Ralph came to us immediately and took care or whatever we asked for. He was really a fantastic maitre'd. Additionally, the overall service at Whitby really exceeded our expectations. Not only did we notice that the staff was very efficient and friendly, but so many of our guests commented on how impressed they were with the service. I cant't comment on the bridal attendant because unfortunately she had a minor accident and sprained her ankle on the stairs, but honestly with Ralph and the staff, we really didn't even feel like we were missing out on any service. One example of the great attention to detail we noticed was the presentation of the entrees - servers would surround each table at a time and would all place the plates in front of our guests in a synchronized fashion - which was visually impressive as well as a really nice touch.

Finally, now that I have sung the praises of the castle itself, Ralph, and the service, I will talk about the food. The food was absolutely beyond incredible. At our tasting, we enjoyed the food, but the chef must have really stepped up their game on our wedding day because everything was delicious. My husband and I have very high standards when it comes to food and often eat in fine restaurants. When we tasted the food at our wedding, we were thrilled. We didn't get to taste every single thing at the cocktail hour, but everything we did try was fantastic and many of our family members and guests raved about the cocktail hour as well. Our entree choices were the seared duck breast, Chateaubriand with Port wine sauce, and herb roasted salmon. We opted for mashed potatoes and haricort vert as the accompaniments. We had a plate of all three at our sweetheart table, and the flavors were great. Everything was cooked to perfection, and as we walked around to all of our guests' tables we noticed that this was consistent for all of the plates. We had multiple people tell us that the food was the best they have ever had at any wedding and that it was delicious and they couldn't get enough. This was truly a wonderful thing to hear. My maid of honor told me that even though she orders Chateaubriand and every single wedding she goes to, this was the best she ever tasted. Also, the wedding cake was off the charts. We chose vanilla cake with salted caramel filling, and it was out of this world. All in all, Whitby Castle gave us a...

Whitby Castle in Rye, NY is the absolute best & most perfect place for a wedding & we very highly recommend it as your wedding venue! We got married in March 2024 on a Saturday afternoon at Whitby & it was better than we ever could have imagined thanks to the breathtaking venue & all the amazing managers & staff. We looked at 10 wedding venues in Tri-state area before finding Whitby, & we knew we had to get married there the minute we saw it. First was the gorgeous castle & grounds (flawlessly manicured lawns on Rye Golf club & striking views of LI Sound), & how the venue provided accommodations for all weather types. Next was the wedding package, which included everything needed & was the best price for all options; we couldn’t find a better price anywhere.

From our first meeting w/ Niki, the Catering Sales Manager at Whitby, we knew we made the right choice. Niki handled everything w/ the venue throughout the process, including catering, vendors, amenities & all options available through Whitby. Niki took the time to get to know us & thoroughly explained the numerous elements to consider when planning our wedding. She made us feel as if she genuinely cared about us & our wedding (because she did). We later met w/ the Ops Manager, Ralph, about 3 weeks before the wedding & he was just as awesome. Ralph had all the particulars laid out for every aspect of our wedding & provided a comprehensive timeline & wedding plan. Niki & Ralph were incredibly professional & knowledgeable, & also exceedingly responsive & accommodating.

Weather was no concern on our wedding day because of how Whitby operates. They have complete & functional outdoor heating throughout the wraparound patio that hosted much of cocktail hour, despite it being high 50°. We had wonderful sun on morning of our wedding, but it was windy & our ceremony would be on colder side in afternoon. We did not want our guests to sit in the cold, so we had an indoor wedding, & it was beyond stunning. The magnificent arch windows in the reception hall gave us astonishing light & scenic views for the ceremony. Regardless of weather, they set up for both options, to have our wedding inside or outside. We thought this was amazing considering how unpredictable weather can be. Some venues tend to have multiple weddings to maximize space, but we appreciated that Whitby treated us as the main event.

In addition to astounding views & spectacular customer service, the entrées & various food courses were outstanding. I am not sure which our guests raved about more, the delectable food or marvelous views. We also have nothing but phenomenal things to say about Rosa, the bridal attendant at Whitby. Rosa was exceptionally attentive & helpful throughout the day. Niki, Ralph, Rosa, & our maître d', Gabriel, were all extremely organized & prepared for every scenario. There were so many moving parts & minute details involved in our wedding, but Gabriel was so on top of everything & made it a day to remember. The service was impeccable & all Whitby staff were tremendously kind & helpful. Nearly all our guests told us how it was not only the most beautiful & fun wedding they have ever been to, but the best party. Whitby gave us a wedding beyond our dreams. We couldn’t be happier w/ our wedding & we know it was all because of the venue & their fantastic team. We very highly recommend Whitby Castle as your wedding venue!

Sincerely, Mr. & Mrs. David &...

We had our wedding on 7/20/19 and it was really the best day ever.

PROS: -Ralph was very detailed oriented and ran the show seamlessly. We had a 20+ bridal party and he managed to keep everyone in line and organized from start to finish. - Food was to die for - since our wedding we have gotten a lot of feedback about how remarkable the food was, everyone says it felt like 5 star restaurant food rather than wedding food - You get a lot for your money, we were narrowed down to three venues, Whitby was about 10$ more a person, however it was worth it. The cocktail hour and what is included is like an entire meal in addition to the meal. - Service is amazing, every staff member is knowledgable on what to do, they are respectful and timely - Timing - our entire wedding 200+ people were all served within a 25 minute period, majority were served within 15 minutes. They can whip up seriously good food within short amount of time - Ceremony option - inside/outside up to the last minute. We ended up having the hottest day of the summer 100+ degrees and we ended up moving the ceremony inside. It was well air conditioned and everyone was comfortable. This was ultimately our biggest deciding factor, so many venues their rain plan included a tent rental and it is not something we were looking to do. Thank goodness we had Whitby's indoor option available, guests were very thankful. And the inside is just as pretty as the outside -You receive a bridal attendant who sets up all your decor and makes sure you have drinks/food the whole night. Rosa was a rockstar! - Planning - they are very organized with the planning and money leading up to the big day. They reached out to check in and assure that we were following the timeline. They were also great at answering my five million questions throughout the year leading up to the day.

CONS - They were unable to provide a head table option without additional funds. They only provide round tables and a sweetheart table option. You would think as a major wedding venue, a head table with 4 rectangle tables connected wouldn't be a big deal. And it wasn't they happily accommodated it but we had to pay for it. For the amount you pay for the Whitby that should be included. It wasn't that much more money but still felt like they should have covered that. Hopefully it will be something they add for future brides. - Service charge - while the other two venues we considered did have a 20% service charge, it was their tip. As it was getting close to the end and of course you want everything to go right, spending every darn penny on little things... then you have to figure out tip for 15+ people. They really should work the gratuity into the contract like the other castle venues we looked at.

Overall, can't say enough positives. The space if truly one of a kind. There are so many different settings that your guests get to experience. The cocktail hour is really unique on their wrap around porch and overlooks the golf course and water. Everyone says you don't eat on your wedding night, well we left there very full. We had a blast and the entire night went so smooth. Thank you Whitby for a...