Léon 1909 — Restaurant in Town of Shelter Island

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Last night at Leon’s was undoubtedly the best evening yet at what more and more of my friends are calling the best restaurant in the Hamptons, and I can vouch that it’s true! Situated in the middle of Shelter Island, this gem is a five minute car ferry ride from Sag Harbor and 10 from Greenport. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by Chris, the head manager, whose warm smile and genuine hospitality set the tone for a fantastic night. It was impressive, especially considering the challenges he and the team faced after the island had shut down due to a terrible storm the night before. Yet, he managed to create an inviting atmosphere, making us feel right at home, even on one of the busiest evenings of the year. And the place was spotless!

Entering the restaurant, I was immediately captivated by the beautiful hearth fireplace, and the intoxicating aromas of grilled seafood and chicken wafting through the air. Kudos to the creatively brilliant head chef, Armond, who has masterfully crafted a summer menu that celebrates the hyper local seafood of the region. Each dish was a treasure trove of flavors, encouraging a reorientation of the senses to the hyper-local delights of Northeastern seafood. Nearly everything on the menu at this beautiful restaurant is a little bit of a revelation.

The menu thrilled us with both new tastes and beloved classics. I was particularly taken by the half chicken, marinated in a secret brine and slow-cooked over an open fire, delivering a delicate and savory experience. The Bluefin Tuna Belly, served with Nasturtium, Surf Clam, Ají Dulce, and Cilantro, sidestepped the typical blandness often found in seafood dishes. The Montauk Red Shrimp Crudo, reminiscent of Sicily, was perfectly marinated with punchy Elderflower Vinegar and garnished with Salted Kumquat, fresh herbs, and dill. Our favorite Caesar salad, crafted with a secret blend of Breadcrumbs, Black Pepper, and Parmesan, was a delightful addition. And the Dry-Aged Ribeye was nothing short of perfection—peppery, juicy, and grilled to buttery bliss.

Despite being in the thick of the second serving rush, the waiting staff remained attentive and efficient. I always admire a well-organized team that works seamlessly together, and Chris and his leadership team truly exemplified that. Our waiter Yee was exceptional. When our food arrived, the table erupted with excitement over the sassy bites and novel taste sensations.

At the end, on our way out we exchanged a few words with Gillian, the bar manager who was gracious and left us with a kind smile. The perfect ending to the evening.

Leon’s continues to impress with its commitment to quality and exceptional service. If you’re looking for an unforgettable dining experience in the Hamptons, Leon’s on Shelter Island is the place to be. I can't wait to return and explore more of the culinary wonders this gem...

This was my 3rd visit and I was looking forward to introducing my mom to it (I have been mentioning Leon to friends who visit the Hamptons ) I happen to be in the business and manage a very bustling and popular Soho brasserie and I usually do care to review any restaurants I visit ..if I don’t like a place then I would just stop going and save myself a hassle ,but I do like Leon and think the food is very good ,I feel for the team when I watch how busy they are and some of them are in the weeds so to speak ,overwhelmed by the onslaught of diners rushing in . The server helping us (or NOT ) single handedly ruined the experience last night ! Quite a different experience from a week ago at the bar with my teenage daughter when a female bartender and later a male bartender could not have been nicer and more attentive. The server last night on the patio was was confrontational ,argumentative, non flexible And if you dared to ask for something that he may not be familiar with (such as a strawberry lemonade proposed to us last week at the bar or The Clams without the sausage because you don’t eat porc or more croutons for the broth etc ) his initial reaction is a firm NO!!!! Then you get practically admonished and told to read the menu .. ´Please ask the chef or the bartender ‘ is not something he likes to hear because you are wasting his time . At this point I will not add the fact that he was AWOL for the rest of the dinner (I did notice the next door table of 4 going on about a dish of pasta /portion size issue perhaps ..he then had to get the manager to deal with the guests ) it was best that he stayed away at that point .. The rest of the team were very nice and accommodating,from the lady Md’ at the door who accommodated us a 1/2 hour before our reservation,to the bussing /running team that was attentive to details . I cannot be the only one bothered by this server’s horrible and negative service ,and I hope that the management work on training him better . I realize that staffing can be an issue ,especially our here in the middle of nowhere ,but some good training and management can go a...

we have never written negative reviews, because we understand that we do not live in an perfect world and we are all not perfect. But the way how the manager greeted us and how he communicated with us when we arrived at the restaurant goes beyond all limits... I booked our table outside for 7- 7:15pm by phone they confirmed and said yes: the table will be ready for you at 7pm ( I was with my wife and it is not very convenient for her to stay in the room for a long time especially where there is a fireplace and periodically there is some smoke from the fire… sometimes it’s gets sick of the smoke ) We were a bit delayed and arrived at 7:22pm we apologized for the delay and I said we have a reservation outside , but The manager answered us quite rudely that this would not happen, I asked the reason why? The manager just answering to me like we are his personal enamy , he looked at us angrily. Then we again i tried to explain that we had a reservation for a table outside, because it was important for us, to which he categorically rejected all our requests, and said that under no circumstances YOU will you be given a table outside. We thought the way how he was talking to us like we are his personal enemies, although we were just GOOOD customers who wanted to eat deliciously FOOD :))) then he lied and said to us that we were 45 minutes late, although we were maybe only 15 minutes late. I told him this is not true and secondly it’s not professional talks to your clients like that! after which he became furious, and it seemed to us that he would now rush at us with his fists... 🤯 Thanks for “hospitality”, I just want other people to know about this situation and be prepared, this could happen to anyone simply because some manager at that moment was not in the mood to communicate politely with his clients. p.s I guess his name was Chris . and btw , the food was good and the waiters were very nice professionally. but the evening was...