The Sycamore Inn — Restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga

This place is legendary, and if you eat here, you'll know why. l started off with something that was new to me, at least: a Smoked Manhattan (which includes a slick server-flair, as they balance a glass with mesquite-smoke spilling out from atop a curled orange rind, and then uncork a cask of the concoction before pouring it into the smoking vessel - the flavor and smell combined is campfire-cozy...).

Paired with this was the Avocado Spread with fried Pita triangles - not guacamole, mind you - but a perfect topping for the chips, whose consistency and texture are a blend of soft and crisp.

I had to try the Oysters Rockefeller, of course, having heard of them in various contexts for years as "fancy food," but never seeming to find the moment to order them, and I was absolutely delighted! The blend of savory, creamy, and, well, oyster-ey is a unique pleasure, and one I recommend.

Since the first was so good, I decided to give the Dark Cherry Manhattan a go, and it knocked my socks off! To be completely honest, I think they may have gone a little heavy on the cherry juice, but a) that's probably what most people order it for, and b) I have basically the opposite of a sweet-tooth, so it's probably more of a me-problem, lol.

Bread service is a four-pack of sourdough rolls, fresh and steaming from the oven (along with a ramekin of chilled, softened butter). The depth of this dough is pretty much indescribable, and I wonder if the starter doesn't date all the way back to 1939!

My next choice of potent potables was the Cucamonga Manhattan. Glancing over the ingredients and trying to figure out exactly what made it Cucamongan, I assumed it must be the orange-bitters, but the citrus flavor was swallowed by the other components. Don't get me wrong: it was delicious, but it was just good in a different way than I was expecting, and wouldn't mind trying again with a bit of a ramp-up.

Properly appetized, it was time to choose my entree, and I'd been meaning to give high-end hamburgers a try, so I took a chance on the Route 66 Burger.

Fam: I do not lie when I say this is one of the best burgers I have eaten in my lifetime. And that's a lot. Just read the ingredients on the menu, and understand that "bacon jam" is exactly as perfect a blend of sweet and savory as you might expect. If it were put in the oven and baked to a crisp, it would be bacon-brittle. George Motz should hear about this burger. My only regret is that when the server asked me how I wanted it cooked, I reflexively said "Medium," forgetting where I was, but then again, if it had been medium-rare, it might have been too good, lol.

To end my flight of cocktails named after a borough in NY (they should sell it as one, tbh; they're all a very unique and clever take on the original), I had the eponymous Sycamore, and it was simply the epitome of a good Manhattan, in my book.

I would like to say that their french fries (which came with the burger) are top-tier - better than those two other restaurants that people say have good fries, which I'll only refer to as "Around-N-About" and "Schtick-Donald's" XD...

Of course the service was exemplary, and their hospitality commensurate to the fine hotel from which they came. To suggest otherwise would be a slight upon their honor.

Obviously, 10/10...

I wanted to write this review to thank Eddie, our family's server, for our dinner to celebrate my passed-over BIL's birthday. He passed away in 2017, and he and his wife and friends frequently visited the Sycamore Inn to enjoy their happy hour and sit on the deck outside. Since he passed it's become an annual thing to celebrate here in his memory on his birthday and often many other family celebrations, as coming here always brings us fond memories of him. As a child in the 80s, my parents would go here for a nice dinner out with friends or a date night. Now, it has become something much more special to us. Last night, we put my BIL’s picture on the table, my husband bought a drink and placed it in front of the photograph, and then Eddie, surprised us at the end of the night, very discreetly told me that he noticed we were having a celebration so he brought out a slice of cheesecake with a candle and lit it for my brother in law and for us to sing happy birthday to him in spirit. It's the small, kind gestures that mean the most in life. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the food has consistently improved over the years, and we've been pleased coming here. I genuinely appreciate Eddie for making it extra special for us last night. Even before he brought the dessert for our celebration, we had a large party with some indecisive people, and he never once came across as impatient or rushed anyone for a second. His energy was enthusiastic, joyful, and kind the entire night through, and I was impressed from the moment I met him because we don't often see people as genuine and kind as he is. The Sycamore Inn is lucky to have him, and Eddie, we appreciate what you did for us last night, and we wish you well and send you our love. Everyone who helped us last night was kind, all the food was good, and they accommodated our request to dine on the patio when it didn't look like it was open when we arrived. Still, they cleaned the tables off for us and made us comfortable, and it was a good evening all...

I made a reservation about a week before my arrival requesting a quiet table for 2 in the main dining room. I said it was for a birthday. I called the restaurant directly and spoke to an employee. We had been excited about going there.but our experience was horrifying. It started well - the waiter tried to be funny and let me borrow a flashlight to read the menu- the restaurant had low lighting and COULD have been romantic. Right after we ordered our food they brought in a huge party with 4-5 small children under 10 years old. They sat the kids right next to us and it was noisy- REALLY NOISY!!,,,,my partner and I couldn’t even hear each other to have a conversation. And since our waiter also handled that huge party we had terrible service. My partner had to tip the bellboy for us to get our food. My filet mignon was good - the only positive about the experience. The vegetables were okay - my sycamore Bellini was not cold but tasted okay. My partners prime rib was undercooked- he ordered medium well - it wasn’t even close. I was going to order dessert and coffee for us but then the bus boy brought over bread pudding with a candle in it. We didn’t order it and would have ordered our own desserts but the waiter never came back. My partner had to get up early the next morning so just put his credit card on the table- no one ever brought us a check - they just took the card and charged it without us ever seeing the bill. I hope we were not overcharged!,,,,,,so end of story we spent over $300.00 and the experience felt like ChuckyCheese. I got a migraine from all the noise and one of the restaurant workers came by our table carrying a big box of dishes and knocked into my chair and said nothing.We will never go back to this restaurant it is way overpriced for what you get and the service is horrible and for them to allow a bunch of kids in the main dining room for dinner is ridiculous. Needless to say Sycamore Inn is not the place to go if you want a nice quiet...