Carriage House Restaurant — Restaurant in Rye

My fiancee and I have been going to this restaurant since our first date. Last night we went for our last "date-versary" before we get married. What an AWFUL experience now. Apparently the restaurant has changed owners. The new owners completely destroyed the "feel" of the carriage house restaurant. They've modernized it and made it feel cold and sterile. The room was so cold because there is no more carpet or anything to keep the heat in. The fireplace which used to have a roaring fire was now empty and cleaned out. I am giving this "new" restaurant 2 stars only because the food is very good. Otherwise it would get one. The service was literally prob one of the worst experiences I've had. I've explained below but I would NOT recommend this restaurant and will not be returning. We arrived at 7:20 at which time I realized that I had been tricked. The entire restaurant was different. Being good sports we decided to try it. We were seated and water was poured for us. I am a younger blue collar worker however I don't appreciate being spoken to like I'm dumb. The waitress spent 3 minutes telling us how the menu "worked". We then asked the waitress for a minute to look at the menu. The waitress returned at 7:46. Thats 20 minutes. During that time the waitress was tending to the other "older" guests and literally ignoring us. It took over 12 minutes for me to get 1 drink ordered. When our entree's arrived they messed up my buddy's dinner and gave him the wrong meal. He said it was fine and started eating the one he was given. Then another waitress came by, switched plates with him, and made a condescending comment about how he should eat what he had ordered. We received dessert, which to their credit, they tried to make up for by giving us 2 extra. We left at approximately 9:40. OVER 2 HOURS. This was a very expensive meal and not worth the money, time, or most importantly the experience. It was not busy in the restaurant either. There were 3 other couples that I saw, most which got their meals and left before we even got our dinners. Bottom line I would NOT recommend this restaurant anymore. I have multiple friends who used to go here and now I'm sure none of us will be returning. I'm disappointed and saddened about this as I got engaged right outside of this restaurant because it was the spot of our first date. I guess it it time to move on and I suggest you...

My wife and I had a surprise free night sans kids and booked reservations very late here and were very surprised and pleased with this little gem we stumbled upon.  We live over an hour west of Rye and had not heard of The Carriage House, so we didn't have any frame-of-reference for the restaurant outside their already many glowing reviews.  This gave us confidence to drive the hour for dinner out

Being on the seacoast, we assumed they would have a great seafood menu, but were surprised with the diverse sea and land menu options.  We started off with a whitefish pate served on basically this beautiful crispy on the outside, soft and rich on the inside hash-brown.  It's simple and simply delicious.

My wife had the Arctic Char (think salmon) served over fresh corn and bok choy coated in a Calabrian chili oil and topped off with grilled peaches.  Her only complaint was there were not enough peaches (she could have probably eaten a gallon of grilled peaches that night).

After a week on the cape and eating fish every night, I opted for the hanger steak served over duck fat cooked potatoes and a wild watercress salad coated in a demi-glaze.  The steak was well cooked, the potatoes were crisp and flavorful and the watercress brought a fresh brightness to the plate, but the kicker was the demi-glaze...I could have bathed in it!

We closed out the night with a blueberry crostata.  I had no idea what a crostata was, so just think like a little Italian baked tart filled with super fresh, sweet and tart blueberries and this luscious vanilla bean ice cream.  The baking technique was on point and the flavors were very well balanced.

We had an excellent evening filled with great food, service and overall ambiance.  The only thing I would change (which they can't) is the road that separates the restaurant from the ocean.  This is in my opinion one of the best if not the best restaurants in the state.  We will be back soon and...

The dining experience was, unfortunately, underwhelming. From the start, the rundown exterior and unkempt entryway set a poor first impression. The lack of reservations forced us to sit at the bar—accessed via a steep staircase. The bar itself was dimly lit, and the wooden seats were incredibly uncomfortable, making it difficult to enjoy the meal.

On a positive note, the bartender delivered impeccable service, a highlight of the evening. However, the food left much to be desired. My cocktail shrimp had a strange chemical taste, while his salad was entirely forgettable. The ravioli proved to be the only saving grace, as it was well-prepared. My white fish pâté, on the other hand, was disappointing—a deep-fried hash brown brick topped with overly salty pâté and unremarkable ? radish slices as garnish.

The drinks fared better, with a good pilsner beer and sauvignon blanc providing some solace amidst the otherwise lackluster fare. However, even the tap water failed to impress, tasting unpleasantly of chlorine and other additives.

At $124 for the meal, I cannot recommend returning. The impeccable service and decent beverages were overshadowed by an overall lack of quality in both food...