Alchemy Bistro & Bar — Restaurant in Edgartown

Sadly this review isn’t for the food, which I was excited to try but didn’t, it’s for the service received. So, here we go....

We stopped by Alchemy on a Friday night while on vacation. They didn’t have any more tables....sad day! But wait, we are in luck!!! We are told we can make reservations for the next day for two people at either 5:30p or 9p...yayy!!! We’ll take the 9! We gladly put down a credit card and are told if we miss our reservation we will be charged $25 per person...no problem, WE WILL BE THERE!!

Next day, after a long day of sight seeing, beaches and soaking up the sun, we nap and then set our alarm for 8:15p so we can make it there early. Yay! We arrive at 8:57p and are told our table isn’t ready yet, NO PROBLEM! We will hang outside, people watch and enjoy the great night. 9:10p. I see one of the hostesses come out, looks like she’s looking for us! Yay! I jump up and head back inside to check. We are told, “Hey, that beautiful corner table on the porch of the restaurant is yours, once those ladies get up.” Yay! So I head back outside, and enjoy more of the beautiful night outside with my friend. 9:17p. I see the ladies get up from our beautiful porch table! Yay! Then, I see someone cleaning the table. Yay! 9:25p. Wait a minute....I see another couple who arrived and checked in after us, be led to OUR beautiful outside table. Noooo!!! So I get up again, walk inside and double check what’s going on. Another hostess says, let me check on your table and starts walking upstairs. Huh?!?!! Then, another hostess appears and says my name and takes us outside, across the street to their outdoor “overflow” tent area. Booooo! I ask hostess #3 why we are being seated here and not the other table and she shares there was a “mix-up”. (Sidebar, so why not accommodate us at another table IN the restaurant? I digress...😕). So we sit down, trying to make the best of it, but wait.... our table and chairs are on uneven grass! Noooo.. CANT MAKE THIS STUFF UP! After sitting for a bit, listing to a loud party next to us, we decide that it’s just not worth it to stay here and spend our hard earned coins when we’ve received such a poor welcome. I lay down a cash tip, briefly explain the issue to our waiter, and we leave. Sad, sad day.

For a place that tries to set a high standard for its guest by requiring reservations and credit card hold and cancellation fees, I would have expected a better initial experience. I guess better...

My daughters were here visiting for a week, we made a reservation on Thursday for 6 pm on Saturday evening to celebrate my daughters birthday and to spend time with family and a special friend. We were a party of 5 and arrived on time and were promptly seated in the 2nd floor dining room.

It was an important evening for myself and my family filled with laughs and good food. We had a long wait between dinner and desert. When the our waiter finally came with our deserts we asked for another round of drinks. This is where one of the rudest moments in all of my years of dining at Alchemy,- some 20 now took place. Keep in mind the pace of the dinner was not of our making it was lengthy but enjoyable.

The host,- Jay came to our table while we were enjoying our desert and said that they would not be able to serve another round of drinks as they had reservations still coming and that we would have to leave to accommodate arriving reservations. This certainly was not due to the fact we had one to many rounds as this was to be only our 2nd round of the evening. We being a polite family acknowledged his request. We then sat there for another 20 minutes before receiving our bill.

I have spent many evenings at Alchemy over the past 20 years including their New Years eve event. We are respectful, nice people who tip well. I am the owner of a real estate company who has booked thousand of visitors into rentals in Edgartown and I have always recommended Alchemy. The very rude and inappropriate ending to what had been a lovely evening left us feeling rather empty.

I will withdraw recommending Alchemy to my clients and will not be frequenting in the off season and winter until this awful ending is a distant memory. Sad that a business places so much value in pushing people through that they forget the reason those of us who live here frequent their establishment and return time and time again. This to shall become a distant memory, it certainly...

What a pleasure it is to write this review! We went there this past Saturday night with another couple. This place checks all the boxes; atmosphere, food and service. The atmosphere is Island casual with a very comfortable layed back vibe. The service was impeccable!Our Server was attentive, friendly and engaging. The wives engaged her in some friendly conversation. She was a great sport and even introduced her boyfriend, who is a Bartender there, to our table! Our wives loved that!

Now the very best part, THE FOOD! It’s hard to describe how delicious all our meals were. Everyone at the table were raving about their meals! My wife had Pan Seared Halibut, the other lady at our table had F/V Martha Rose Scallops, the other guy had Paccheri Pasta all’Amatriciana I had Jonah Crab & Grilled Asparagus Salad with a shrimp cocktail. Everything was cook to perfection!! Really!

The Paccheri Pasta all’Amatriciana had a delicious flavor I’ve never had before. I’d love to have the recipe for that sauce. My wife couldn’t stop commenting how wonderful her Halibut was!

My wife and I finished our meal with pistachio cake with a side of pistachio ice cream. My wife and I took one bite and were blown away! Rich, bursting with flavor topped by creamy frosting and a beautifully baked cake.

The price? No, it isn’t cheap but like everything else, you get what you pay for! After eating here the price is the last thing you will remember.

This place is a true rare gem on Martha’s Vineyard! We’ll be going again when we return!

I have lived all over Western Europe and the United States and this may be the best dining experience I’ve ever had!

Thank you Alchemy for a wonderful and memorable...