THE JAMES — Restaurant in Town of Babylon

I never leave restaurant reviews, but i had to after such a disappointing and frustrating experience. We came to The James in Babylon for a joint birthday and Father’s Day celebration. At first, everything seemed promising—they knew it was my birthday, gave me a card, and gave us a round of prosecco for the table, which was a really thoughtful touch. But unfortunately, everything went downhill from there.

To start, the service was an absolute mess. Our server was constantly missing—we had to flag someone down just to get basic things like water, and he repeatedly forgot what we asked for. I ordered more wine, and instead of bringing a fresh, chilled glass, he poured from a warm carafe into my existing glass… only to realize it was the wrong wine, mixing it with what I had before. I had to request a completely new glass.

Even something as simple as water was mishandled. I asked for still while the rest of the table had sparkling. Not only did my original request go ignored, but when I asked another server, he topped off everyone’s glasses—including those with sparkling—with still water. Then, our original waiter came back and topped everyone’s glass again, this time with sparkling. It was chaotic and honestly ridiculous.

The disorganization extended to the food service too. Food runners had to use a paper cheat sheet at the table to figure out who ordered what—and even then, they still got it wrong. I work in hospitality myself, and if I ever treated a table like this, I’d be fired on the spot.

Our server, while friendly, clearly lacked proper training. At one point, he was so physically close while pouring water that he was practically leaning on my stepbrother. Personal space and professionalism were completely lacking.

And then… the food. I was especially looking forward to the duck entrée, but as soon as it hit the table, I could tell it was going to be disappointing. The duck was dry and tough, the lentils were undercooked, and the carrots had a bizarre flavor—presumably because they’d been cooked with the lentils. Our fries were soggy, and the broccolini was burnt on the ends. The only thing I enjoyed were the oysters (hard to mess those up).

Despite everything, we gave dessert a shot. We ordered two cheesecakes and a sticky toffee pudding cake. Twenty minutes later, we were brought one cheesecake, the pudding, and an 18-layer chocolate cake with a moldy strawberry on top—which felt like the final insult.

We arrived at 5:30 PM and didn’t leave until 8:30 PM. Three hours for that experience? Unacceptable. I understand it was a busy night, but that doesn’t excuse the neglect, poor communication, or the lack of coordination between staff. This place seriously needs to rethink their training, organization, and overall quality standards.

The prices at The James suggest a refined, elevated experience—but what we got was chaotic, careless, and far...

We visited this restaurant yesterday, expecting a high-end dining experience, but unfortunately, it fell short in multiple areas.

Parking Issues: The parking situation is poorly managed. You’re essentially forced to valet, which feels more like a scam than a convenience. Customers should have the option to self-park without hassle.

Service Problems: We had a 4 PM reservation and were the only ones in the dining room. Despite this, the hostess seated us at a table we didn’t like. When we requested to move to a booth, she said she’d check and let us know—but never came back. From the start, her demeanor was standoffish and dismissive.

Our first waiter wasn’t much better. His table-side manner was rude and passive-aggressive. We again asked about moving to a booth, especially since they were all empty, but he claimed they were “reserved.” This was confusing, as booth reservations weren’t an option when we booked. The sun was glaring in our eyes, and after complaining, we were begrudgingly moved to another table—just one over.

Eventually, a different waiter took over, who was much more professional and courteous. However, it was frustrating that the booths remained empty for over an hour. Later, we saw two people seated at a booth for four, while smaller two-person tables were available. The lack of consistency and fairness in how we were treated was disappointing.

Food and Drinks: The food itself was good, but the drinks were overpriced. Unfortunately, the poor service overshadowed the quality of the meal.

Final Mistake: At the end of our meal, my fiancée asked to have her food wrapped, but it was thrown out instead. To their credit, the manager apologized and had a fresh dish prepared. While we appreciated this effort, it merely corrected their mistake and added unnecessary waiting time after we had already paid. Some form of compensation for the inconvenience would have been appropriate.

Overall Experience: We originally came with the intention of potentially hosting our wedding party here, but after this experience, we will be looking elsewhere. The service was unprofessional, and the staff’s attitude failed to match the “high-end” standards they claim to offer.

We do not recommend this restaurant. They aim to compete with venues like Scotto Brothers but fall drastically short in both service...

We went to The James in Babylon last week and wanted to share our experience. When we first entered the parking lot it was valet parking in all the spaces outside of the entrance. We didn't want to do valet parking, so we ended up parking in the lot next door. We walked in for a 4 pm reservation and the place was empty. The hostess led us upstairs to a dining area, but neglected to ask us if we were able to climb stairs first. She just assumed we were. When we got to the top of the second staircase, she led us to a table in the far corner by a door, which was either a men's room or an office. The place was empty in this dining room as well. We were disappointed with the seating but made the best of it. As other people showed up, they were led to the other side of the room and were seated in nice two person booths. Our entrees were a-la-cart so if we wanted sides that was an additional charge. We both just had water to drink and did not order an appetizer or dessert. I did not finish my meal and asked for a box. The waitress asked if it was ok if she wrapped it. I said ok and she took my food to the kitchen. A little while later a young man came to the table with a bag and a coat check ticket. He handed us the ticket and said we could pick up my leftovers downstairs when we leave. This is the first time I ever experience this. Other restaurants just give you the bag at your table. The waitress brought our check to the table, and we realized that since we haven't paid for the food yet, they appeared to be holding my leftovers hostage until we paid the bill. Our bill came to $136.00 plus tax ($147.73) plus tip ($30.00) for a total of $177.73. A bit pricey for my taste. One good thing is that we were able to use the Babylon Carriage House gift certificate I received as a gift a year and a half ago. As we left, we had to stop at the hostess counter and give them my coat check ticket to get my leftovers. Don't think we will go back to this restaurant any time soon. If we want to have the same meal, we had at The James we could go to Palmer's American Grille in Farmingdale for a 1/3 of the price. They include sides with their entrees. ...