The Shipwright's Daughter — Restaurant in Stonington

We had heard about this place and were anxious to try it. The only reservation they had available was 9:30 and one a little later, on a Saturday night. We didn't want to eat too late so we went with 9:30. From the start, we were made to feel like that was a mistake even though that was an option offered by the restaurant. They were out of two dishes, which we understand happens, but then they were also not doing the tasting menu. They said they only do about 17 per night, unless you reserve them online. They ask that you book through Resy, which doesn't say anything about reserving a tasting menu. On the menus and on the website it doesn't say you need to reserve a tasting menu online. So we were a little shocked and disappointed. We were told it was because the kitchen was too overwhelmed when people ordered the five course tasting menu. So if you go, I hope you're one of the lucky 17!

It was this that made it feel like we were being rushed and by making a 9:30 reservation, we'd made a mistake they only the restaurant knew was a mistake. The food came out way too quick. It was lukewarm at best. There was little flavor. The pistachio dip and hollandaise sauces on the plates maybe has the most taste. Even the sourdough bread and butter was bland. The plate I was served on had a large crack on the side with a very noticable missing piece. It looked sloppy and uncared for. I don't know if that's the case with the food or just because it was a later reservation. Again, if the kitchen doesn't want to cook and they don't want to serve people past a certain time, don't make those reservations available. Before we finished our meal we were told that the kitchen was wondering if we want to order dessert. Presumably so they could just close up and go home, but I've never been asked that way before. I get it people want to go home after a long day. But we didn't ask for the 9:30 reservation. It was something that they had on their website. We ordered dessert which probably was the best part of the meal, though that doesn't mean much. The staff was already gathering to go home while we finished our dessert, adding to the pressing feeling we just were not welcome or wanted there. Part of going out to a place like this is being a le to enjoy and soak in the experience. There wasn't much to take in, and we left feeling disappointed and unwelcome. Save your money and go...

We drove over an hour to have dinner here. We opted for the chef's tasting menu and were extremely underwhelmed. Wine was poured well before each course, not alongside of or after plates were presented, and the next wine was poured while we were still finishing our last glass, so we each had two glasses of wine in front of us at all times. Such strange timing. We were rushed through the first three tiny one-bite courses and finished those in under 30 minutes (no bread was provided). We had two oysters, a tiny razor clam the size of pea pod, a spiny white fish dish with a forkful of food, if that, a slice of tuna belly the size of a fat string bean (two courses included a huge grilled leek across the plate that was so tough we were unable to cut through or chew!) and finally a tuna steak which was an expected tasting menu size, and a lovely rhubarb dessert that was also an appropriate tasting menu size. The main course and dessert were James Beard award worthy, but tying the whole meal together just didn't cut it. Especially when you are spending over $400 on a meal that you are in and out of the restaurant in 1.5 hours...and still slightly hungry. To add to that, we waited 10 minutes for our table and had a cocktail while standing in the bar. The cocktails were blah - we had the Cousteau Martini (I am a dirty martini lover and couldn't wait to taste this oyster martini - it tasted like gin and vodka, no other flavor) and the Clear Daze, which was pre-mixed and poured out of a tiny bottle, not freshly made. Sorely disappointed in the whole experience and would not recommend. If you want a good tasting menu, go to Strega in New Haven. THAT is the right way to enjoy a tasting menu, with wine pairing. 5-star, and worth...

Second visit since March but will not return.

Food, which was quite good and innovative last time, was lack luster. Escargot and black ink pasta are very good and taste of seafood as they should be. Shaved fluke had 4 tiny thin slices with almost no seasoning, little taste, and costs $17. I could do so much better at a good sushi restaurant. Shaved whelk pasta was rubbery and tasteless—we had to add salt and lime to make it edible. Seared tuna was overcooked. And the whipped pink concoction that goes with the $6 breads has no seasoning and the content felt greasy and sticks to the roof of my mouth quite unpleasantly. Our rude waitress insisted that it had whipped blackberries and thyme. Must have been a minuscule amount of thyme. And pass the salt please. Steak tartar was served on lukewarm fried potato stack that had long past its crispiness and appeared prepared well in advance - we had a much better version in March. Where is the James Beard award chef?

Service: Rudest waitress I have ever met. Other than cracking a smile when we ordered a second escargot, she was sour and kept giving me dirty looks when I didn’t order a drink, didn’t want her to takeaway my $6 breads, and when we asked questions about ingredients. She practically threw the check at us at the end of our dining. There was a much nicer waitress in glasses who kept picking up her slack and took our order when our own waitress didn’t show up for a long time. For all this, our check included a 3% surcharge for the waitstaff.

We are CT residents and were thrilled to have a James Beard award winning restaurant within driving distance. Disappointment cannot fully describe our...