Chilmark Tavern

Chilmark Tavern definitely defied my expectations. I came here simply because I’m staying in West Tisbury, and by the time I had checked in to my hostel it was one of the few places still open nearby. I saw “tavern” and figured it would be typical tavern fare, but it definitely is not. It’s an upscale and expensive restaurant, and the food and service were both incredible. Be aware that it is BYOB, I was an idiot and ordered a virgin paloma not realizing that. It’s probably the closest to fine dining I’ve ever been, although the dinosaur coloring pages at the bar undercut that a bit. While fine dining isn’t really my style, I was very happy with my experience. Never had I experienced so much order regret at a restaurant before, and it’s not because I didn’t enjoy what I had but just that I wanted to try so many things on the menu. I had a ricotta toast special and tuna tartare, both were supremely presented, thoughtfully flavored dishes. The price is quite steep, but I have no regrets.

The food is very good. I find the “nickel and diming” of the menu to be a genuine insult. $5 for bread, itemizing for sauces on food, itemizing corkage fee based on whether you bring your own glasses. It’s ridiculous and makes for a horrible customer experience. And it’s a bad business practice. Simply increase the cost per entree to cover your costs. Your patrons can afford it and will appreciate it - managing your menu this way cheapens the entire experience. With regard to the service it was terrible, our food came out in 15 minutes and we felt rushed. We traveled up island for a great experience and that’s not what we got.

A gorgeous restaurant with delicious food. The mussels came in a broth similar to the broth of clam chowder, the best I’ve ever had. Halibut fish and chips was made to perfection. BYOB, but I like that they have three different house wines for anyone who forgets their libations.

The food was fantastic - the fish and chips were some of the best we’ve had. The service was also amazing! We had a hard time getting a cab/uber back to our boat and the owner actually drove us back to Menemsha during peak dinner hours. It was so nice to see such genuine hospitality and kindness. We will be sure to visit every time we are back on island!

Had a great experience here. The atmosphere was really casual, but nice; the service was 5 stars; the menu was really inventive. Four stars overall because, even though the food was very unique, it didn’t deliver as much flavor as I would have liked. The pasta dish pictured here was good, but not great; the scallops were good, but again, not a great overall dish (although they were cooked nicely). The place is BYOB—$14 corking fee for a bottle of wine—which I think is very reasonable. Overall, prices are fair. I’d go back to try some other things, but for now, I’m fairly impressed!

It’s just incredible how in one of the toughest businesses made more difficult by seasonality and staffing challenges that this upscale but casual byob restaurant maintains such high level consistency. A bustling, almost celebratory atmosphere last night set the stage for celebrity sitings and an incredible meal for our party of 6–we shared nearly every appetizer, melt in your mouth pork chops, the best roast chicken ever, perfectly prepared halibut and a simple but perfect Tavern burger that everyone wanted a bite of! The salads and side vegetable dishes from Island farms were absolutely delicious and then…The desserts! Whoa. As every year, we can’t wait to go back.

Our family had an absolutely amazing experience and a wonderful first meal out on Island last week. We were eager to goto some new restauraunts and we will most definetly be back! They are BYOB and do a fantastic job at it!!! We brought bourbon and wine to drink while dining. We tried the following: Apps: - Calamari App - Onion rings - Sourdough w/ scape butter (to die for) Entrees: - Vegetarian curry * 3 people - Fish and Chips - Tuna entree over green beans (SO FRESH) - Wagyu steak and lobster Mac n cheesy All were cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was on point and we had no complaints at all. Will be back again. 10/10 would reccomend to a friend!

What a way to end the day with love and kindness and great food. Perfect service and a beautiful vibe. BYOB and creative alcohol free cocktails. Chilmark’s best summer hangout. ❤️