The Restaurant at Four Eleven York — Restaurant in Norfolk

I have been visiting The Restaurant at Four Eleven York since I moved to Norfolk in 2020. Over the years, I have celebrated countless special moments here: birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s Days, my surprise engagement, and most recently, my wedding.

Having attended college in NYC and traveled to over 20 countries during my time in the Merchant Marine, I can confidently say that the food, drinks, service, and hospitality at Four Eleven are top tier. I have never left disappointed. Their brunch is incredible, offering a variety of dishes that cater to every palate, and it even concludes with a delightful homemade doughnut—a perfect sweet treat to finish the meal. Each dinner dish is visually stunning and engages the senses with beautiful plating. I’ve enjoyed everything from seafood pasta and jerk red snapper (my absolute favorite) to exquisite steak and chicken dishes, all with no complaints. The appetizer menu is a delightful surprise on every visit, featuring unique offerings like soft shell crab sandwiches, shrimp and oyster po’boys, and fried octopus.

Drinks are always a highlight, too. Whether you’re in the mood for something soft and sweet, a cocktail to put some hair on your chest, or a selection of wines and beers, Four Eleven has an extensive list that will satisfy any craving.

In 2023, I reached out to the owner to inquire about proposing to my girlfriend. To my surprise, they were incredibly accommodating, even on the Sunday before Labor Day, arranging everything for our immediate family, our photographer, and the two of us.

Most recently, on October 5th, 2024, I celebrated my wedding at The Restaurant at Four Eleven York and at The York Inn, the charming bed and breakfast next door, also owned by the same proprietor. It was an intimate and dreamy occasion for our 39 guests, with absolutely no complaints. The owner took on the role of wedding coordinator, ensuring everything ran smoothly and efficiently. The staff was empathetic, pleasant, and proactive, making our day even more special. We personalized the food and drinks, offering guests signature cocktails and three options each for the first and main courses.

Reflecting on all these cherished memories, I am grateful to Four Eleven for being a constant in our lives. This restaurant has not only provided incredible meals but also hosted some of our most significant milestones. I look forward to many more visits and celebrations in the years to come, as we continue to create lasting memories in this...

Preface to this review: we've been here a few times before and really love the place. Food is usually really good and service as well.

We went for mother's day brunch. Drinks were pretty good-- 1 Cocktail and 1 non alcohol beet juice based drink. However food and service were subpar and compared to our previous experiences here, very subpar.

Food and service: salad with goat cheese and a few dried cherries. Good amount of cheese and dried fruit was nice, but it was otherwise unmemorable, with just a relatively mediocre amount of lettuce. It wasn't bad by any means, just missing something. Two little donuts were brought out complimentary before the salad which was nice, and I asked for a coffee at that point as well. Had a burger and while the accutraments on and around the burger were good, the burger itself was so severely undercooked that the middle was practically, almost literally, raw. I didn't send it back because I was already upset and disappointed because roughly 20 minutes prior, I had asked for coffee which never came. I assume it was simply forgotten, but the waitress didn't come by for a while and there was simply no one to tell that it was not brought to the table. Last little annoyance was hearing a "happy mothers day" by our waitress to the table next to us which was not offered to my wife. This was a small thing, but ultimately added to the disappointment of the experience.

IMO, this was probably just an inexperienced server, hopefully an anomaly with the burger, nothing purposefully malicious and we'll likely go back again given our previous experiences over the past few years (breakfast at the attached inn, dinner at the restaurant, etc). So this time was a 2/5 stars for this individual time dining there, but other times...

Thoughtful. The food and ambiance were amazing, but what set the experience apart was the thoughtfulness of the staff and Sam our wait staff in particular. I can say the food was cerebral in a way that brought a smile to our faces. Get the octopus. Seriously. It's that good. The crudo was well balanced and the texture of the appetizer was delightful. The cheddar biscuits between the courses were tasty and playful. Even the butter seemed to be thoughtfully chilled and served at the appropriate temperature. The onion jam was flavorful but not overwhelming. My wife had the salmon and she said it ranked up there as the best salmon she's had while dining out. I had the halibut and have to say it was my favorite fish entree I've eaten.The green curry was created with a depth hand as it was perfectly balanced against the cumin, macadamia nut, and coconut. I don't typically like farro but this was a great pairing for the other flavors. Before desserts, Sam, our wait staff brought us non-alcoholic bubbly for our anniversary to celebrate. My wife has never drank champagne or any alcohol for that matter so it was a pleasant surprise. My wife got the olive oil cake with blood orange and cardamom. It was well just a delightful end of meal dessert. I got a bonet piemontese. It was butterscotch and chocolate and meringue. I started this with one word. Thoughtful. The food seemed well planned and executed. The service from the host to the bartender and especially our waitress was intentional and we felt very well cared for. This was hands down an experience and well worth the expense. We'll be...