Bernardin’s Restaurant @ zevely House

Always an amazing special occasion here. Alec is our favorite server. Beautiful atmosphere on the covered patio, perfect cocktails and incredible apps and entrees. Dessert is no exception. The homemade strawberry shortcake is my absolute favorite. As you can see it was my birthday order. We love everything about this fabulous restaurant.

Crab cakes were dry & lacking flavor, clam chowder tasted like potato soup, sea bass was tasty; duck was lacking texture no crust All dishes lacking salt. We were disappointed to say the least. Mosquitoes outside seating decided to have us for an entree.

Summary: This was our first time to Bernardin's restaurant. The skinny: great service, good food, atmosphere is great upstairs, but lord there are some issues in the basement (where the bathrooms are)! We made a reservation for 5:45 pm and showed up around 5:15, shortly after they opened. We were the only ones there and were sat straight away in a small, cozy room. As it would turn out, we were the only ones sat in that room, which made date night feel very special. The waitress Abby was very kind, made wonderful recommendations, and was the perfect amount of attentive that you want when dining out on a date. She knew the bourbon and rye in stock and had actually eaten there so she was able to describe the food to my date. The drinks that came were impeccable. I like a Manhattan up with rye, which is unfortunately difficult for some places to make. The bar tender at Bernardin's mastered it, fortunately. My date's martini came extra dirty, just how she ordered it - another thing that we know doesn't happen just anywhere. The food was delicious. My date had the lobster over lobster and I had the elk. She loved the lobster, stating that the sauce was just enough to highlight but not outshine the lobster flavor. I ordered the elk medium rare, expecting a bit on the rare side. It was delivered medium well, but was still very good. We ordered snails and brussels for an appetizer (both amazing), so the smaller entree sizes were actually perfect and we left full. The only real negative thing I have to say is that there is a terrible stagnant smell in the washrooms, located in the basement, for which they have installed fans and maybe a dehumidifier. My date reported that when she stepped into the lady's room, the tiles squished down and water came up, which was off-putting. Fortunately they are in the basement, far enough from the tables that you can't smell them.

I wanted to do something very special for my husband’s birthday this year. Bernardin’s did not disappoint. The place was beautiful, the atmosphere was cozy and quiet. The staff was great. We both loved our food. We shared a Brussels sprouts appetizer and we also shared the Cinnamon Roll Bread pudding. He had the Atlantic Salmon for his entree and I had the Chilean Sea Bass. We tried some of each others of course. Everything was just wonderful. Thank you for a great evening.

Delicious curated dining choices. We started with appetizers : Korean gojoung steak bites -Yum ..could have eaten 5 of these! And a tomato burrata, -would have been perfect if had a summer garden tomato ..We had filet mignon-cooked perfectly.... and the emu-seared rare to med rare-needed additional sear, however, tasted similar to the filet...and the special of red snapper-cooked perfectly except the accompanying sliced potatoes were undercooked. Service was impeccable with our waiter very prompt and knowledgeable of all menu items. Nice wine selection with generous pours, no cocktail menu but willing to make most requested cocktails I had very good Old Fashioned. Finally had the strawberry shortcake-very british presentation and deliciously delicate and the cinnamon roll bread pudding- a decadently sweet surprise served the a balancing vanilla ice cream-don't skip this one. Took a hit on the wallet- but worthy!

It's a fancy spot with fancy food, perfect for special gatherings with family and friends. The friendly staff's explanations really make the dining experience even better.

We visited for dinner and were immediately drawn to the charm of the beautifully preserved historic house. The outdoor patio is a definite highlight, offering a pleasant ambiance. Our server greeted us warmly and explained the evening’s specials. We started with the watermelon gazpacho and the classic Caesar salad. From a culinary perspective, the gazpacho lacked depth and seasoning, coming across as somewhat bland. The Caesar salad was visually appealing but the addition of tomatoes introduced a bitterness that disrupted the balance of flavors. I ordered the lamb chops medium-well, but they arrived rare, indicating a lapse in kitchen communication or execution. The accompanying sauce did not complement the dish, falling short of what one would expect from a dish of this caliber. My friend’s meal was similarly disappointing. While presentation was thoughtfully executed, the focus on aesthetics seemed to overshadow the importance of taste and quality. We decided to end our experience early and requested the check. Our server processed payment without checking back, which missed an opportunity to address any concerns or improve guest satisfaction. Overall, the restaurant shows promise, especially with its outdoor setting and ambiance, but there are clear areas in food preparation and service that require attention. I’m rating it two stars with hope for improvement.

Dine in on Valentine’s day and it was all in all a great experience. Food was delicious and the waitress was friendly and kind. Had the lamb chops and an expresso martini!