Le Bilboquet — Restaurant in Town of East Hampton

Lighten Up Guys, It's Wednesday! I have owned a home 5 minutes from the restaurant for 20 years, and was so excited to learn that a new place was finally opening in this awesome location. To be fair, I was warned by friends that it was seemingly impossible to get a reservation and one had to just show up. So given it was a quiet Wednesday in July (so quiet, I could literally park on the wharf right outside the restaurant), I suggested to my brother and his wife (who also own a home out here and eat out all the time) that we attempt to go to Le Bilboquet. Upon arrival I was immediately confronted with the Bouncer/Gatekeeper who asked "can I help you in an intimidating tone?" I simply said I was meeting several people and could they seat a table for 3? He asked if my entire party was there and I said "I do not know, can I check at the bar," and was allowed in... I think I was allowed in, I kinda just kept walking, so maybe I entered forcibly? Do they really not want customers here?

Once inside, the bartender asked what I was drinking, I sat down, waited for my party and made a new friend with a local ex-gallery owner. My party arrived and the lovely host said there was a wait for an outdoor table, but we could sit inside. My brother and his wife were only allowed in the restaurant by the gatekeeper because they said that I was already in, and they overheard them turning away the chef of La Grenouille until his wife finally chirped in to say who he was! The bar was void of customers except for a large group of wall street wives, and a few random people, so why the attitude.

We waited for about a half hour at the bar (highly recommend the rose sangria), and an outside table never materialized so we sat in the almost empty main room (see picture attached). But given that the indoor space has been so luxuriously renovated in creamy beach tones, it was great despite the disappointment about not being outside with all the "famous" people who had reservations. After about 15 minutes no one came to our table, and we asked for a waitperson, ordered and dinner came in a normal amount of time and was delicious! The chef/owner/manager came over to greet us (and potentially gave us a phone number that works). All the items were great especially the crab and avocado salad, scallops (please more corn salsa) and the bass.

Other points I should make, the prices are no worse then other places in the Hamptons, and the service for that matter is no worse, but yes unprofessional and untrained but we are used to that out here. But really they should not be arguing with each other in front of customers! Even the reservations policy which I found out is that one can either make a reservation in person ahead of time, or text/call them if you can find or be given a number that works, is not crazy given how many people make reservations and then do not show up. Thus the only thing that is unusual and offensive is the gatekeeper who has to go. Come on guys read these reviews, do you really want people like me who come all year round and eat out all the time, to not be welcome in your restaurant? I only saw one famous person (Tory Burch) that night, so where are the rest of these fancy pants that you want to populate your restaurant exclusively? They are not here mid week, and certainly not here off season! I love and hate this place at the same time, but alas, I my husband would not put up with the doorman looking him over and judging him, so we likely will not be back until the attitude is gone....well I will probably be back with girlfriends especially since the bartenders are nice and not bad...

The service actually shocked me at this trip to Bilboquet. I have been coming to this restaurant for over 10 years with friends and family and the service has been at times a bit snappy or rude, but I have never experienced anything like this. We were booked for four people to celebrate a birthday and when we arrived on time for our 6pm reservation, the host at the entryway told the hostess to take us to our table and to let us know "It was the only option." I thought this was a bit strange but as we walked through the restaurant to the outdoor area, it started storming and was so windy and rainy that the restaurant closed the outdoor area. We were told to wait by the doors while the hostess checked with the maitre d' about what to do. We were then told that we could sit at the bar (no drinks were offered on the restaurant) and wait an hour for the other parties to finish eating and then we could have one of their tables. When I pointed out that I'd made the reservation weeks before and the reservation was at 6pm because we had plans afterwards, she looked at me and said that "it will be figured out. We have over 700 people dining with us tonight." I asked in what way and she hastily ran away to the maitre d'. Fast forward 30 minutes and we're still standing in the entryway, never having been offered even a glass of water and the maitre d' finally finds us a table in a doorway. We order our appetisers and our mains and after the appetisers we wait about an hour and the mains still haven't arrived. I call over a server to ask where the mains are and the maitre d' appears. I assume he is coming over to apologise and offer some sort of solution. Instead, he tells us we need to move tables and go sit in another area and our food will be brought there. I have NEVER been moved in the middle of eating and was shocked. The food didn't come for another 10 minutes and I finally called over a member of staff and said I was shocked at the service and something should be done to remedy it. The food arrived -- it was fine. A mediocre Bronzino for two that cost an eye-watering $94. The sides were delicious but the main course definitely left something to be desired. With our food barely off of our plates, servers kept coming to clear -- clearly eager to get us out of the restaurant so the other reservations could be shuttled in. We were never shown a dessert menu, rather two "on the house" small desserts were brought over swiftly without any mention of why they were arriving. No apologies or even just a moment to say, "We were underprepared for the rain, please enjoy these desserts on us as we're so sorry for the delays." The bill came to $493 for four people. It was the first time in my life I left no tip. I have worked in service in many different jobs (including restaurants) and never have I experienced behaviour like that of the maitre d'. I have no qualms that this was because there were mostly women at the table -- and we didn't seem "important" enough for him. I will never eat here again and advise others not to if you want to be treated like a...

What a pitiful attempt at fine dining. In the land of constant turnover and overpriced, sub-par cuisine, the Sag Harbor outpost of the NYC restaurant Le Bilboquet is the worst new place to open in the last few years. Sag Harbor is known for being the low key Hampton town - the entire staff needs an attitude adjustment - STAT!!! It wasn’t one incident it was all: A doorman that is trying to revive the last days of disco with the velvet rope era of Studio54....Sad part was the place was empty on a Saturday night - it was laughable for this weirdo behave in this manner.

Waiters that are so rude and arrogant they should find another line of work. The need to feed Lorenzo, our waiter, and the entire staff big servings of humble pie should be mandatory. If the food is sub-par then you need to drop the arrogant behavior, just throwing that out there.

To make matters worse during this dining experience - I suddenly felt ill, and ran to the bathroom. Imagine my surprise to walk into the women’s room to find a man washing the mirrors. I asked if there was the ladies room (please note I was sober, not one of the messy drunk women you find at a place like this) He informed me “Yes, this is the ladies room you can use any of these stalls" and turned around continuing to wash the mirror. I was a bit taken back that a man was cleaning the ladies room but he didn’t have the common sense to leave when a woman walked in. Nothing could be more than DISGUSTING and DISRESPECTFUL.

The following morning- I decided to call this pathetic business establishment to tell them I got sick in their bathroom. I got the run around - I finally called the NYC location- to have the manager of Sag Harbor location call me back - I am shocked they didn't ask for a pint of blood.

The man on the other side of the phone - not only saw nothing wrong with my complaints I listed but he also called me a liar. Telling me I didn't get sick in his bathroom. Beyond shocking, hey arrogant fool - if I am going to this length to inform you of the crappy service - I have no reason to lie - but again the level of unwarranted arrogance is the reason it’s the pits. Can't wait to see what this place will be next year!!!

Since this jerk didn't believe me the conversation escalated and arrogant rude man threatened me to call the board of health, if I got so sick. FYI, I just got off the phone with them. SO not only am I writing this review of your awful excuse of a fine dining but I want it to be known that the arrogant loser manager (the one with the french accent)- shouldn't dare a paying customer to call the Board of Health - you should be fired for that and calling your customer a liar. I can give the person’s name I reported your business to at the SUFFOLK COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES, if you want. They are fully aware of your behavior..... KARMA... if you are torn between eating ANYWHERE else or here - go ANYWHERE ELSE!!!! Hell even a dumpster behind any of the other places...