Iron Skillet Restaurant

We came here for our anniversary dinner. The owners wait the table and cook the food themselves. This place is unique because it is TRULY a comfy, warm atmosphere. I think the entire restaurant seats 8 – 10 people total, and there’s only 2 turnovers a night. The service is amazing. I felt as if I was at a friend’s house for dinner, but the food tasted like I was at a fine dining restaurant.
They also do not charge a corkage fee– which is perfect because after a long day wine tasting at the vineyards, you wanna bring a bottle (or two) of your newly acquired wines to dinner without having to pay another $ 25 on top of your $ 50 bottles.
We had such a great time enjoying the food and the service was so detailed and friendly, I can’t wait to come back!

Found this little gem on our way back home from a nearby vineyard to get a small bite to eat. Went with the penne alla vodka and it was simply amazing! The pasta was cooked al dente and the vodka sauce had the perfect consistency and texture mixed with plenty of garlic that just burst in flavor. We devoured it in no time. For dessert, we decided to go with the strawberry short cake and WOW! What a surprise! This cake just melts in your mouth and my taste buds were screaming for more. Everything is home made, the décor is antique, and the atmosphere is very comfortable. We will definitely be coming back in the near future to try other stuff on the menu. Highly recommend!

This place is special. Bob and Maryann are meant to be running this gift of a restaurant. I had the pot roast (no knife necessary — enough said…) and my partner had the tuna steak. The soups are pure art (he had the tomato and I had the corn chowder). The strawberry shortcake has a fantastic surprise crunch in the best way. Such a wonderful experience, punctuated by incredible homemade food. Perfection.

It’s currently the morning after my dinner at the Iron Skillet and I still have a big smile on my face (and a full stomach) from my experience with Bob and Mary Ann. As many other reviewers have said, the Iron Skillet is a truly special place that can’t really be compared with any other dining experience.
The food was incredible (we had the rack of ribs and the salmon, along with several soups, chicken gyoza and the strawberry shortcake) but the environment makes the Iron Skillet one of the truly unique and memorable places that I’ve ever had a meal. We were the only couple being served at the time, which allowed both Bob and Mary Ann to sit with us and walk us through the preparation process for each menu item we had ordered as well as just chat about what led them to create such a great restaurant in their home.
Each course was delicious (my girlfriend, who is as close to a salmon expert as one could be, declared her dish the best salmon she had ever had) and made even better by the atmosphere and the owners. We can’t wait to go back and try everything else on the menu!

Great food with personable service! Incomparable these days! Will go again and highly recommended.

Sometimes I leave a restaurant and I just want to sing. When I left the iron skillet I was internally rejoicing and subtly singing, ‘This magic moment, so different and so new… Was like any other… until I ate you’…
Iron skillet is a special experience.
Automatic stars for the BYOB and home style, intimate kitchen setting in an 1800’s home.
I Was referred to come here by another Unilocal elite, and made plans two weeks in advance. When I made the reservations the owner mentioned there were things we needed to order early… however I totally forgot and I think it was great — because it left us all wanting more. The menu is simple and traditional and many of the options changed (considering the available portions and seasonality of ingredients). We all ordered soups. from the 4 options. Bob is a natural chef, and draws vivid pictures while he shares some steps of the cooking process as he tells us the menu. the red pepper soup-​it was magnificent. The perfect consistency, the right amount of seasoning –and just an overall symphony on your senses. I sampled the corn chowder and the beef barley… equally outrageous. For dinner I ordered the crab cakes. The cakes were perfect-​mostly crab meat and magnificently seared… accompanied by the best broccoli I have ever eaten in my life. Period. Rice was excellent. Only request would have been a little bit more sauce (because it was SO GOOD!). On to the best part of the meal: dessert.
Alleluia. Thank you lord.
These desserts were exceptional. We ordered three and decided to share. ‘Take my breath away’ mr. strawberry shortcake. Bobs description is dead on; ‘everything except the Berry gradually disappears and all you are left with is that sweet bite’. It is a sensory overload. A must. the cheesecake — There just aren’t words. the creaminess, the freshness, the crunchy but soft crust. I am truly speechless. Best. Cheesecake. Ever.
I could go on and on about our experience but I think you should try it for yourself. The New York Times seem to agree-​the iron skillet is a dream come true. Thank you bob and Maryann.

The soups were exquisite, the rack of lamb was perfection on a plate accompanied by ‘pommes d’Annà, and strawberry shortcake. Sorry Unilocalers for the picture, but I was too busy enjoying dinner with my husband, drinking a bottle of Clovis Points’ Archeology (brought from home) and talking with Bob and Maryann, the delightful owners/​chef/​waiter/​maître d’ and the people at the two tables next to us to remember to take a picture of a full plate of food. This was an amazing experience that wasn’t marred by social media and an iPhone. Go. Enjoy. And revel in the delicious food and personal attention that you can get there and no other restaurant.

This restaurant misses the mark. The food was subpar. A very limited menu offers no creativity and the dishes offered were not good. We had the dumplings which were store bought and reheated. I heard the microwave ding prior to them being served. The Italian wedding soup had a tinny flavor masked only by the powdered parmesan cheese generously shaken on top. The ribs were described by our waiter as the finest available a BJs wholesale club. We decided instead to have the Bolognese. With another ding of the microwave my entrée was served. This course included reheated pasta in a dry meat sauce. The flavor was tolerable and thanks for that, because I would burp it up for the next 14 hours. As I washed down this meal with a can of coke served in a plastic solo cup, the table next to us offered me some bread they had smuggled in. This was the highlight of the meal.
I went to this restaurant because of the glowing Unilocal reviews. I was very disapointed.

This restaurant is so sweet and full of love! The owners are the staff… They take the time to get to know the customers and the food is delicious! Our dinners came with ride and vegetable… The other came with mashed pot and carrots. The food is plenty! We came home with leftovers. Byob is great. There is a great wine store less than 2 tenths of a mile down the road… Near walbuams-​It has all Long Island wines … Only $ 10 a bottle!!! Go grab a few before coming to dinner
The strawberry shortcake is yum yum!!!
Excellent visit and full of quaint charm, passion, dedication, commitment, love, and care!
We will be back!!!

An easy 5-​star review here. Iron Skillet has everything you need for a fun, unique, and most importantly, delicious dining experience. Let me explain why…
Fun:
— Meeting an owner/​chef is always a good time. Bob and Mary (owners/​chefs/​servers) couldn’t be nicer. Personally, I like meeting the person preparing my meal. Talk about what’s good that day, what he feels like cookin’ up, some fun off-​menu items, hearing tales of customers… it always adds to the experience.
Unique:
— You’re literally in a dining room of a home. This could be your family kitchen
— BYOB isn’t unique on it’s own, but in this region you can snag so many local wines that going out early that day to find the perfect bottle is a great time
— It’s also BYO bread. Again, it’s fun hitting up the local market to pick out what your going to dine with that night.
— With you making so many choices, it really feels like more than your average dinner.
— In a time where you can pay $ 28 for baked ziti at the finer places in town, the prices here are extremely reasonable.
Delicious:
— The escargot. Theeee escargot is so simple and so good. Normally, I’m not big on the dish, but I’ll eat these by the dozen. Even after polishing off two orders, we were dipping peices of bread in the leftover sauce.
— The ribs. Literally, they jump off of the bone. So tender. I would eat this now and I just finished dinner. Do it. (Call ahead for these).
— The strawberry shortcake. So simple, yet so damn good! Do it.
OK, you get the point. Overall, it was a really fun experience and one that I would love to do again soon! Do it… (but call ahead first!)

This is my second time dining here and if possible it was better then the first. Twice now I have walked out stating «this was the best meal I have ever had.» After traveling in Italy for a month I can honestly that the bolognese is better then most if not all of the 5 star restaurants and mom and pop shops throughout Italy. The ribs literally fall off the bone and the portion is massive. I have been to both Memphis and Texas and wouldn’t get my ribs anywhere else. Bob and Maryann make you feel like a kid coming home from college with your mom having by ours favorite meal ready for you. You can tell that they love what they do. The strawberry shortcake is to die for and literally the best bite of desert you’ll ever have.

our party of four had three different dinners … Rack of lamb, pot roast and salmon. ALL outstanding reviews! the soups and apps were also EXCELLENT! Oh, the deserts are scrumptous… strawberry shortcake, cheesecake and the WOW Chocolate cake! All of the menu offerings are described very well. DELIGHTFUL. feeling like you are in the dining room of a friendly home having a terrific home 1cooked meal. we will be there again and again!

Home style meals, cute surroundings. Beef barley soup really is great, the strawberry shortcake is truly a stand out.
The sound of nearly every course being reheated in the microwave was different, well aware all restaurants use them to some extent, I worked in restaurants for years, starting as a crêpe chief in my teens, but this was more than average.
We should have ordered something that required immediate prep to get a feel for some of those dishes, we went with the meatloaf and the crab cakes. I did feel a bit like I was at my nanny’s for dinner and it is home style cooking.
The prices are no lower than any of the traditional restaurants, not a bargain, but an interesting experience.
All cash, bring your own bottle, also bring your own bread and any extras you might want.

I won a dinner bet w/​my wife so I decided to finally try this place out. At first I was apprehensive after literally walking into Bob and Maryann’s home but I loosened up and enjoyed the charm of the place.
The appetizer soups were awesome — all three sounded good and i could have tried another bowl. My wife and i cleaned our plates of the pot roast and chicken franchise. It was so good there was nothing to bring home.
This is home cooking at its best and am looking forward to returning.
My wife said this was the best bet she has ever lost.

This tiny place was an amazing find. Reservations are required, because it holds maybe 15 people. Bob explains the details of any menu item wonderfully. Everything we ordered was delicious, and the price was right!
I really liked the feel of the place, it seems like you are just walking into someone’s home to share a family meal or something, and with the rural feel of the North Fork, it just seemed to fit.

I have been to the Iron Skillet at least 7 times since finding this restaurant on Unilocal over the fall. It is, by far, my favorite dining experience on Long Island.
Upon reading the Unilocal reviews I knew to make a reservation prior to dining. When I called for our first reservation and spoke with Bob, he made sure to explain to me that the establishment was cash only and that it was BYOB. We have since been there a number of times when walk ins have arrived, and Bob has always done his best to accommodate those people while reminding them of these factors. In fact, I have never seen anyone turned away, but reminded that this may not always be possible.
I believe I have tried all of the soups currently offered, and they are all amazing! Italian Wedding Soup was recently added to the menu and it was the best I’ve ever had!
I chose the Shrimp Francaise for my first meal and was blown away. The shrimp were so delicately battered and it was served with the most perfect sides of fresh broccoli and rice which were equally amazing. I was convinced that I was going to order this each time we dined here. But then I decided that I wanted to try something else. So I had the pot roast. And the Bolognese. And the meatloaf. And the crabcakes. And the tuna. And the ribs. All of them were blow your mind amazing. I honestly cannot tell you which one is my favorite.
Everyone has heard the phrase, «the ribs fell off the bone». You simply cannot use that phrase until you have tried these ribs. My husband and I called in advance (another tip that Bob made sure to tell us about the first time we called) to order them for one of our dinners. The portion was so huge, between the two of us, we could only eat half a rack! I’ve never seen anything like that! And the seasoning/​rub that was used on the ribs was superb.
I just had to try the Bolognese after hearing feedback from fellow diners. O.M.G. is all I can say. I polished off the entire bowl– it was a huge bowl, and I am a small person, but I could not leave any behind– that is how good it was! The sauce is so complex and flavorful and does NOT need cheese or anything else added to it! Growing up in a Italian household, my father’s favorite dish was Bolognese and he orders it everywhere he goes. I decided to bring him home an order one night. That was a mistake– he actually told me that I «ruined» Bolognese for him and that he refuses to eat it if it comes from anywhere other than the Iron Skillet!
On our last trip to the Iron Skillet, I had the escargot (another special order item)… now I am spoiled and will have to order it every time I go there! I always associated escargot with chewiness, but the texture was soft and delicate.
The desserts… what can I say? Order «the trifecta» (all 3) and share them! The strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, and chocolate mousse are all delicious in their own way, there’s something for everybody (and 3 for me! LOL)
Bob and Maryann are very gracious hosts. Maryann is in the kitchen most of the night working her magic, and Bob goes back and forth between attending to the guests and preparing meals. It is just like dining with family. They create an absolutely wonderful experience.
Things to note:
1. very small restaurant, seats a handful of people at a time, out of courtesy to everyone– call in advance!
2. Cash only (Bob will remind you when you call)
3. BYOB (again, Bob will remind you when you call)
4. Items to order in advance: escargot appetizer, rack of lamb, ribs, steak (call a few days before your reservation)
5. You better save room for dessert!!!

Let me start this review by saying thank you very much, Unilocalers. If it wasn’t for your reviews I never would have found this place. Before going there, I almost felt that there was no way it could live up to how great all of the reviews were. But, the Iron Skillet lived up to the reviews and then some. This is by far my new favorite restaurant. We are literally driving out here from Valley Stream in Nassau County just for dinner, and we will continue to do so. This is like no other restaurant that I have ever been to. It is so unique because of its small size. Dining here is a truly special experience.
A little something about myself before I get to the restaurant… I am an adventurous eater and have had all different kinds of food from all over the world. What I usually don’t look forward to is traditional American/​comfort food (ie I am usually miserable at Thanksgiving dinner). But this place is a total game changer for me. For the first time I can really appreciate some great home cooking.
On to the food. Out of 2 times there, my wife and I have tried 4 different soups. We tried the roasted red pepper soup, sweet corn chowder, beef barley, and the pea soup. All were delicious. The roasted red pepper soup had a subtle sweetness, as we were told the peppers were charred until black to really bring out the flavor. The corn chowder was delicious and hearty with fresh, local sweet corn that really burst with flavor. The beef barley (Bob’s favorite soup) was delicious and the meat was super tender. My favorite, the pea soup, had a wonderful texture and amazing flavor, especially since there was no meat added. Try them all! You will not be disappointed!
As for our entrees, my wife has had both the shrimp francese and pot roast. The shrimp were delicately coated in an absolutely perfect francese batter. My wife is Italian and has had this dish many times, but never as good as this. The shrimp themselves were delicate, tender, and delicious! You can tell that they are a quality product. The dish was served with delicious, light, fluffy rice and fresh string beans which were perfectly seasoned.
The pot roast was so delicate and tender that my wife cut into it with the back of her knife by accident and didn’t even realize it until she looked down! It was served with candied carrots (which my wife said were the best she ever had), red cabbage which was delicious and not overpowering, and great, homemade mashed potatoes. There is no question why this dish is a best seller.
Time to discuss what I now consider to be my new favorite dish, what I would request for my last meal. I called in advance to order the rack of lamb both times I dined here. The dish is absolutely perfect. The lamb was served to temperature as requested (medium-​medium rare). From the flavorful crust on the outside to the perfectly done center, it is absolutely delicious. My mouth is literally watering as I type this. The best bite on it is getting a little of the outside crust with just a touch of rich, savory fat on the inside. This dish is served with mandolin sliced potatoes creating a flower on the plate. The top layer is cooked to a potato chip crunch and the inside is creamy, savory deliciousness. Alongside is a perfectly cooked vegetable, always fresh. First time it was string beans and second time it was broccoli.
Make sure you save room for dessert. They have three different cakes. Don’t pick between them, just order all of them. The strawberry shortcake may be our overall favorite. It is a homemade yellow cake with a layer of meringue and fresh whipped cream/​macerated strawberries on top. It was so good, words don’t do it justice. You just have to go get some. The homemade cheesecake is one of the richest, creamiest, silkiest that I’ve ever had. The texture was unlike any I’ve had in the past, and it was by far the best. The chocolate mousse cake is rich, decadent, and super chocolatey! If you love chocolate this cake definitely has you covered!
Looking beyond the fantastic food, I have to mention how nice it was to dine here while having a great conversation with Bob (the owner). We dined very early on our second visit, so they weren’t busy yet and we were able to chat throughout our meal. Bob is such a great guy, he is very passionate about what he has with the Iron Skillet. Bob really knows his stuff when it comes to great food. We haven’t met the other owner Mary Anne yet, but we really hope to take a moment on our next visit to thank her for the wonderful experiences that we have had.
If you are thinking about dining here, remember to call ahead for reservations. The Iron Skillet only seats a few people at a time so you don’t want to miss out. It’s cash only and you can BYOW or BYOB.
By the way… This is really a 6 star review, but Unilocal didn’t give me that option up top… Go get some!

The Iron Skillet in Mattituck has become my favorite restaurant on all of Longuyland and has now moved in to the top 10 dining establishments/​experiences of all time. Yes, it really has.
I’ve been here at least 15x for dinner and I’ll be going there repeatedly, until the day I leave this planet. And even then, I’ll be meeting Bob and Mary-​Anne somewhere in the clouds eating their amazing food with some fermented grape juice grown from vineyards in cloud soil.
I cannot express my love for this place restaurant in person or in writing… just go and love it for everything that it is. READ my first review for dining tips…
THIS has been a review by Gaurav

It’s like dinner at grandma’s without the cheek pinching and inquiries about why you haven’t found a girlfriend yet.
You walk in to Bob and Mary Ann’s home and say hello to their gorgeous cat. The dining room is small — about 16 seats total, which is why you must have reservations and abide by them. Also, since this is such a small establishment, the only beverages they offer are water, coffee and tea.
Perry and I ordered:
Corn chowder
Beef barley soup
Crab cakes
Fettuccine bolognese
All three desserts: cheesecake, chocolate mousse, and the divine strawberry shortcake (hey, we were on our mini-​moon!)
The crab cakes and the strawberry shortcake were hands down, the best I’ve ever had. The green beans and herb rice were also fantastic. I loved the corn chowder (they make soups chunky, not watery) and the fettucine was a huge serving. I really really recommend a visit to their humble home and I hope you love them as much as we did!

11−22−2−14
There are just not enough good words to say about the Iron Skillet. The food is consistently wonderful always prepared to perfection. Try the Ribs (make sure you order in advance,) the crab cakes, the pot roast, and the EVERYTHING on the menu!!!
Bob and Maryann take special care to ensure that everything you eat, as well as your dining experience is always warm and welcoming… You’ve heard of comfort food, well this is a comfort restaurant that will never dissapoint you!
03−16−13
The Iron Skillet is clearly the favorite restaurant of my wife and myself. They serve the best food, which is the reason that we go there a couple of times a month and travel 140 miles, round trip. We usually start off with the hearty beef vegetable barley soup and Gyoza or stuffed mushrooms. The more people we bring to a meal the more items we have to share. The pot roast is the «best ever» which really describes all the various items on the menu. If you call ahead and order the Rack of Lamb or Spare Ribs and you will be in for a very special treat. The owners, Bob and Maryann, are very friendly and make everyone feel welcome and special. Make sure you bring all your friends and family, they will thank you that you did.