Sag Harbor Tavern — Restaurant in Town of East Hampton

Same as my Yelp review.

Sag Harbor Tavern started out with a great vibe and friendly service. The staff was attentive and provided helpful recommendations, which initially set a positive tone for the evening. The ambiance, while fitting the tavern theme, was exceedingly dark, making it difficult to read the menu, especially with some walls painted completely black. The reservation policy was also perplexing; requiring reservations just to have a drink at the bar seemed counterintuitive for a place branded as a tavern, especially during a busy Memorial Day weekend.

The experience presented a mix of highs and lows. The croquettes were exceptional, featuring a well-balanced blend of dijonnaise, aged cheddar, and ham, which created a delightful flavor profile. This appetizer raised expectations for the meal, but unfortunately, the main courses did not meet the same standard. The highly anticipated $30 burger, despite being made with dry-aged beef, was a letdown. The burger was bland and only came with white onion and American cheese, lacking any additional toppings or special sauces that would justify its price. For $30, one would expect a more luxurious selection of dressing, such as premium cheeses, lettuce, tomato, etc. The toasted bun, while airy and soft, did little to elevate the overall experience. In comparison, a fully dressed burger at McDonald's offers more. Additionally, I have never in my life seen a place that prices its burger higher than fish and chips. The presence of burnt bits on my fries from the fryer further detracted from the meal.

The fish and chips, priced at $28, also fell short. The thin batter, although crispy, did not adhere well to the fish, which tasted less fresh than expected. The same uninspired cottage fries accompanied the dish, lacking both flavor and texture. The overall blandness of the dishes highlighted a need for significant improvement in both flavor and presentation.

In summary, while the opening weekend may account for some of the shortcomings, the experience at Sag Harbor Tavern was underwhelming. The potential is there, particularly with standout items like the croquettes, but much work is needed to elevate the main courses to match the initial promise. The burger, which is supposed to be a highlight, was particularly disappointing given its high price and lackluster execution. Until substantial improvements are made, I would hesitate to recommend this establishment and might consider revisiting in a few months to see if the necessary changes have been...

Staff not particularly welcoming, especially for a new place. And it was understaffed, not enough servers. I ordered a 50$ entree, and although tasty, it came with nothing (a few vegetables, potatoes?) and had a lot of oil; when I asked for some bread to sop up the "sauce" I was repeatedly informed "No the chef will have no bread service" even though I could see bread being served with an order of mussels at the next table. I offered to pay for the item- still no go. I think a) if a customer makes a reasonable request for something that is obviously in the house, esp if offering to pay it should be fulfilled b) at that price it should come with something on the side. The food was decent, not outstanding, wouldn't rush back. Just seems unfriendly, it's really just a pub with high prices. These "bread wars" at the restaurants are another unfortunate result of Covid; if restaurants don't want to provide bread free of charge anymore it should at minimum always be available for a price. I just came back from Italy and every restaurant served bread without being requested, but this is bottom line America. The new owner would do well to remember that Dockside was here for 20 plus years and customers were used to a...

Really wanted to like this place as we love redhook in bk but unfortunately there’s not much they share in common. Waited 45 mins to be sat on a Sunday, not a big deal. Ordered the croquettes, two burgers, the squid ink pasta and drinks. Drinks took 30 mins to arrive. After 45 mins I asked about our appetizer and was assured they were coming. After an hour I asked if we could have some bread at least as we’d been waiting for an hour. Was told with a smile that they wouldn’t give me bread. I told them I would pay and that we’d been waiting an hour for our appetizers and they said sorry but no bread. Then they started arguing with eachother and it was obvious they had forgot our order. Croquettes came out 20 minutes later and while mine was good, my girlfriend’s was cold in the middle. Then the entrees came out and both burgers were cold. The pasta was good though and so was the sundae dessert. We sat outside and the sunset view was nice but the slow service and cold food was...