North Fork Table & Inn 57225 Main Road, Southold, NY 11971

"I think it was summer 2018 so things may have changed, to be fair. We had reservations and when we showed up, were made to wait a long time, eventually it seemed like they were waiting for a place to hide us, because they tucked us away in a corner. I got a very pretentious vibe from the experience and the food didn’t seem to warrant that level of exclusivity. Service was all meh. It stands out for me as a uniquely bad dining experience, and we’d been looking forward to it because I thought this restaurant was deservedly highly-rated."

"While this place is very nice, the cocktails were the size of a thimble. They also charge $22 for a vodka soda. They actually added $5 for club soda in addition to the vodka soda. The veal was like rubber. Inedible. This place is overpriced for what you get. Disappointment."

"One of the best dining experiences my wife and I have ever had. We ordered an assortment of appetizers and everyone hit. Unique, artistic, and delicious. All of the serving staff were attentive and our main waitress made excellent recommendations, including the wine pairing for our entrees. Speaking of the entree, perfectly cooked and seasoned filet. Melted in our mouths like butter with a phenomenal side of puréed potatos. Dessert was a revelation. I personal haven’t been a big fan of rhubarb pie, but their strawberry rhubarb pie with pistachio ice cream made me a believer. Also split their incredible warm chocolate cake with Carmel sauce. If you are in the area and you are looking for a special meal, this is the place. Hats off to the chefs!"

"The restaurant is phenomenal. Cocktails and mocktails were both delicious, the duck tot was an incredible bite, the fish is fresh and so well done, and we are still remembering the desserts to each other (lava cake and strawberry sponge cake were our choices, but it appears you can’t go wrong on the desserts)"

"The owner here was inspired by a place he used to work at between NYC and Upstate NY. I would rather go there than here, even though it is hours away and costs 3-4 times more. The standards of service are not met here or even attempted. They brought me in for a shift. For the bartender to have never connected that a martini is commonly known and taught to be stronger than highballs was a bit weird. It is designed to be twice the standard pour, formally. On the bar side, it was the stickiest bar I had ever worked at, even though the closing tasks ask for bottles to be wiped each night. Hand soap was only put at the sink the day I was there. So many bottles were not front facing that it just looked thoughtless. They said after that the bussers polish the glassware, but a glass ruined by soap scum sits there with the rest and is not used because it is severely stained. So probably not being polished, and every bar I have been by can do handwashing and polishing themselves, especially if it was skipped or poorly done. To be as not busy as they are, there really is no excuse. They are giving half the amount of chicken for the same price, was the motivating speech from the chef. The bartender designs the drinks but scoffs at formal training, which would really tie in a couple of things about how to understand what ice does to a drink or how to maintain cleanliness. Also some context to different drinks, how they taste and how they change over time according to trends like their fifties era martini. It is not as much vermouth as prior eras but experts from 1950 began recommending 3.7:1 instead of 2:1 before it decreased further. The closing checklist even notes the fruit fly risk, but the bar is blissfully unaware of how to find time to do the daily tasks but cannot be redirected because they shun anyone with formal training. Syrup bottles only refilled but never cleaned or wiped down, could easily be washed each night if anyone cared. I observed quietly throughout the shift, but there was added emphasis placed around the need to ice the shaker last: shaking with ice already waters it down and is the part that waters it down the most. The shake being much longer than standard waters it much more than chilling the shaker first does. They might design it to be extra-watered down by the shakes, but at least understand that and teach it so without the concern about if the ice put in first will ruin it. There is less Cointreau in the margarita because "the drink is already sweet without it". The citrus is to neutralize the flavours of a drink. It is sweet because you added two sugar-based syrups and the Cointreau would maybe combine the drink better to be left as standard, reducing one or both syrups if it is too sweet. Formal training could only improve upon learning how a bar works, how density and mechanics affect a drink, and how to integrate the risk of mistakes such as not holding a glass over the ice bin because someone else may have to waste his/her time to help you clean it if a bottle breaks or spills. When those courtesies are overlooked, it becomes less professional. It would not be hard to start introducing the menu to people as they enter, especially with such a small menu of cocktail and wine offerings. A statement or few of each wine could be learned, but is not known by even the head bartender. Menus carelessly dropped in front of people before walking away, even sitting slanted as if it was not worth it to just have them match and orient towards the guest sitting there. I would expect better attention to service even from corporate restaurants. Texting on shift and sticky bar, not knowledgeable about drinks, but also threatened by formal training. They also refused to pay for my time, and refused to respond to the one message in which I asked about it. A lot more passion for the craft exists but not from this location. For several years, I worked with the place they emulate, on a priority team of people they choose for large event assistance. I will refer everyone I know of to that one, instead."