Sutton Inn

Eight pm on a Saturday evening I order a Tanqueray and tonic. They’re out of Tanqueray. I switched to Bombay. They were out of lime. They were out of three or four things on the menu — but not things like fresh fish — they were out of basic menu items; they were out of bread. (There’s a grocery store a block away).
The food was acceptable, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing either exceptional or disappointing. Some lovely pasta, a piece of fish, a nice beet salad.
The wine list was average and typically overpriced for NYC; they sell relatively generic/​pedestrian wines, also available at the liquor store across the street for a third of the price.
And they have gone the «no tip/​service included» route popular in NY, a policy not-​so-​coincidentally timed, with the $ 0.50 raise in minimum wage for tipped employees. Charge a «20% service charge,» pay waiters $ 12/​hr and use the rest to pay cooks and dishwashers. Waiters go from netting $ 300 a shift to $ 80… pre tax. Great law — take from Peter the waiter — pay Paul the cook, and help the owner keep more for himself.
Apparently (per my server) all the original staff (as they did at other «no-​tip» restaurants) left when their pay was cut by 75%. Oh well, at least the owner saves payroll.
And the owner is apparently a real estate trust fund baby who grew up in Sutton Place, inherited daddy’s building and now lives in Seattle. Rather than rent it to a real restaurateur, he decided to open his own restaurant. He wants to keep the rent along with the tips. But not being a real restaurateur with limited restaurant experience, he decided he could run a restaurant from 3000 miles away.
They told me there is not a manager per se, those duties are left to the (new) $ 12/​hr servers… another way to save on payroll.
I won’t be returning any time in the foreseeable future.

Came here for restaurant week. Wasn’t really a deal. You basically get a free dessert for the price… that’s all. I really enjoyed the appetizers. Kale salad and mushroom risotto. Both my boyfriend and I ordered the salmon which I really did enjoy. My boyfriend thought it was too dry which I did not at all. I did not like the dessert which was a chocolate mousse and a citrus vacherin. It was good service, however, we were there quite early before a crowd ever showed. The waitress was not helpful when we asked about her opinion on two separate entrees. All she did was repeat what is written on the menu. They do have a wonderful wine selection and I highly recommend chateauneuf du pape dom du viex lazaret 2011. It was amazing. All and all it was an enjoyable experience. Just not an experience I would’ve paid the amount we paid for it even for restaurant week. The wine was worth every penny though.

Dined here during resturant week. There was great service and food presentation. All courses incorporated a variety of ingredients that blended well. Very delighted.

My boyfriend and I came here for the last night of restaurant week and really enjoyed everything we tried. I started off with the sweet potato soup, which they pour table side, and thought that the combination of cheddar, apple, and gingerbread was unexpected and delicious. My boyfriend had the mushroom risotto and I thought that it was great as well, and I don’t even care for risotto or mushrooms. For my main course I got the chicken and it was cooked perfectly! They serve it with cauliflower, almonds, and grapes, which I’ve never seen on any other menu, and enjoyed every single bite of it. The deserts here are not to be missed as they are carefully constructed and combine unique and subtle flavors that keep you guessing and going back for more. You can tell that a lot of thought and care goes into everything that they make here and the food is by no means generic. In a city where great food is the norm, this restaurant manages to stand out.
This is the first restaurant I’ve been to that doesn’t accept tipping, so I wasn’t sure what to expect in terms of service. However, the servers were all very attentive and knowledgeable.
If you’re in the area I’d say Sutton Inn is a great choice when you’re looking for something unique for either date night or dinner with parents.

Restaurant Week Review: Rather than $ 38 prie fixe, they had $ 45 prie fixe and then claimed no gratuity. Ehh I like how they tried to sneak that one in. Onto the food, really great flavors and perfect execution on the mushroom risotto and chicken entrée. Please skip the sea scallop appetizer, that scallop was so miniscule I am convince they took one big scallop and carved one 3 mini rounds and the sous chef ate the cut-​outs and tried to pass the dish as an ‘artful’ appetizer. Please give the clients respectful portions please. If you are looking for a cozy place for girls night out this might be a fun place. Try to ask for the tables in the back near the bar, the main dining room was too tight.

Good food. Ok environment. I feel if they upgrade their furniture and service level, they will be able to receive a Michelin star.

We originally planned to just stop for a casual dinner, but then after looking at the menu, we cancelled our after-​dinner plans so we could do the tasting menu. We thought why not, let’s do the wine pairing as well, and I am so glad we did. Chef Scott provided an amazing dinner. We started with the Slow Poached Egg, and it so creamy and flavorful. Then we had the Nantucket Bay Scallops, and my boyfriend doesn’t even like seafood, but raved about this dish. The Long Island Duck Breast was my personal favorite. I had to ask later how they got the duck skin so crispy. It was amazing. We proceeded to the Soy Marinated Atlantic Hake, and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned We finished with the Chocolate Mousse Crunch, and afterwards had warm baked Chai cookies. I forgot to take pictures, and I’m kicking myself now. I’m looking forward to my next visit!

I want to start off by saying that I REALLY wanted to like this place. I heard about it a while ago and I have been wanting to try it out. Although it is restaurant week, and it might not be the best accurate representation of the best the restaurant has to offer, it should have been as good of an experience to want me to come back and eat off the regular menu… isn’t that the whole point of restaurant week after all? First off, I was definitely the youngest person in the place. I know its Midtown-​east, but it seems that all the 75 y. o + UES diplomats and businessmen eat here. I called before and asked about a dress code and they said it was casual, when I showed up… casual…I felt super underdressed as I opened the door and saw every man wearing a sports jacket. I had a reservation for 8 and sat down 15 minutes early waiting for a friend to arrive. We asked for a cocktail list from the bar and was told they didn’t have a menu… but the bartender could make anything we like… first turn off. While waiting for my friend to join us, we asked for bread, not only did it take like 15 minutes for bread, but the bread was horrific, it was cold, and tasted like a Parmesan Ritz Cracker baked last week, butter was hard and had to chomp away at it with my knife due to the fact that I was starving at this point. When my friend finally arrived, it took another 20 minutes until they didn’t notice his arrival and we had to ask if we even had a waiter, which we were unsure who we were supposed to even communicate with to order. When the server came over, we ordered the 2011 Cotes De Rhone and each placed our individual RW order. 20 minutes later, wine came out, I tasted it… It was good. I asked to see the bottle, waiter showed it to me and it was a 2012, same vineyard… but still, I paid for a 2011 and I could tell the difference in vintage. I asked the waiter to see the wine list again because I swore I saw 2011 but she never brought it over and dodged the question. Risotto was delicious. Waited 45 minutes for Chicken and it was super tender, however, soggy skin, incredibly under seasoned, asked for some salt for something to help bring it to life, grapes were confusing but cool I guess… and then there was dessert… CITRUS VACHERIN GRAPEFRUIT, YUZU TAPIOCA, KAFFIR LIME ICE CREAM??? Was the worst dessert I have ever had in my entire life. Plate was empty, one piece of grapefruit, yuzu tapioca tasted like grainy bitter rotten jello, kaffir lime ice cream was ½ way melted and had no kaffir lime flavor we all love… and don’t even get me started on the rock hard, flavorless vacherin. Super disappointed, this is one of those instances where I wish no tip was included so I could have saved some money and left a nice $ 0 tip. It was that horrible.

I will certainly be coming back here. The service was impeccable. They don’t accept tips which is nice and makes me feel like the waiters are paid a living wage. Our server did a fantastic job explaining my questions going into detail about the process rather than just the dish. The ambiance is elegant without being stuffy or trendy.
The focaccia is great, the pretzel role is like eating a pretzel ball, and I did not try the parmesan bread. To start, I had the Ricotta Gnudi. The sauce they were in was delicious and the brussels sprouts were perfectly cooked. It was good, but I wish I had gone with the sweet potato soup like the rest of my family. For my main course I had the Hake, which was phenomenal. The fish was cooked perfectly and the potatoes, edamame, and mushrooms added a balanced heartiness to the dish.
For desert I had the Grapefruit Vacherin. The presentation was beautiful and the flavor was decent, the ice cream being the best part.

Anyone in the area should come here, great spot, young chef who is enthusiastic and ready to cook! Cool venue, solid food, nice staff, decent prices, nothing bad to say, keep up the good work!

The Sutton inn has a nice semi-​historic atmosphere. It was full but not packed on a Friday night, so I think this place is a little bit under the radar. We came here with friends, and we had a reservation.
Things are a little bit pricey, but the tip is included in the price, so everything is less expensive than it seems. Servers were friendly, and the service was pretty good, which is impressive when you consider that this place has only been around for a few weeks.
Here’s the breakdown of the food:
Baby Kale Salad — everyone liked this, it was a nice starter. How could you not like aged gouda?
Caramelized butternut squash — I was a big fan of this dish, mostly because it was really unique. The caramelized squash has a crème brûlée-​ish top, and it comes in a thin bed of creamy ricotta-​like goat cheese. Paired with whole lightly cooked cranberries, and chestnuts it’s a great dish with unique flavors. Thanksgiving without the turkey.
Smoked ricotta tortellini — I was also a fan of this dish, the sausage gives it a nice salty profile, and the brussel spouts make it fresh. A little small, but delicious.
Pan seared salmon — this was delicious, but heavy. Bacon is delicious, hollandaise is delicious, and the salmon is cooked well. The spaghetti squash allows you to scoop up all that extra hollandaise sauce that could have been lost and gone forever.
Soy marinated atlantic hake — I thought this was really unique as well — a nice light dish, with some salt and umami from the soy. I would recommend this.
Our friends got the wild mushroom risotto and the grilled hanger steak, which they liked as well. The grilled hanger steak look really good.
Overall, this was a nice intimate setting, with good unique food, that will probably only get more crowded.

Overall the food was good but nothing terribly special especially for the prices. I had the hanger steak which was disappointing as it didn’t have much flavor to it. My friend had the Bronzino which was well cooked but again lacking much flavor. The tortellini appetizer was very good.
The no tipping rule didn’t seem to affect service which was find. Not great but fine.

Delicious cuisine, artfully executed and portions are just right. I think the ambiance is very nice so, a perfect place for date night or a special occasion.

Hands down one of the worst dining experiences I have had in a long time. I decided to bring clients there and was impressed by the menu and ambience in the photographs.
I walked in and immediately could tell there was miscommunication amongst the staff. The music was not on and I asked if it was always so quiet. They let me know it had not been turned on yet. Odd since they were open.
The server came and took our drink order (no cocktail menu) and after that we saw her two times. One when we had to literally flag her down after flagging down every single one of her colleagues and another time of flagging her down to get the bill.
New Drinks were presented and old empty glasses were left behind. Apps served with no plates. Our drinks sat empty 75% of the time. We flagged down a different server who was obviously annoyed that we bothered her since it wasn’t her table.
Food was overcooked and far from what I read would be the experience. I could hardly eat it. The bathroom had a rancid smell and was far from being clean.
I would never go back to this establishment. It’s one thing to lack in one department but to lack everywhere is far from good. The only thing I can say was positive was the company I had.

Came across this hidden gem a couple of months ago and now have been there twice. Each time I have dined there I have left beyond satisfied, it felt like I was eating at a 5 star establishment. You wouldn’t know it by looking at it but this place is truly a diamond in the rough. The service is absolutely top notch, even though this restaurant has a strict *NO TIPPING ALLOWED* rule. That’s right, you read that correctly, and you wouldn’t even know it.
As for the food, everything I have tried has been great. The bread they offer you at the beginning at the meal is highly addictive. Your choice of a popover, pretzel bread or the Foccia, you might have to tell them to stop coming over because you can easily down 3 – 4 pieces before you know it. I have had the Porkchop and the Duck and could honestly not give you one negative comment about either. The ice-​cream for dessert was a perfect way to end up the meal and you get 3 scoops and have the choice of choosing 3 different types if you want nestled on crushed graham crackers. My advice, go with the graham cracker ice cream!

I wasn’t planning on drinking but their cocktail game looked really strong. I got the French Pepper and it was weirdly spicy and calming at the same time.
Food menu is separated into Classic and Seasonal. The English pea soup was marvelous, smooth, light and refreshing. It was quite genius to use diced carrots in lieu of croutons. A seafood dish with fava and artichoke has got quite good reviews from critics, but since it is seasonal the fish is now branzino instead of salmon. It was a very substantial portion of protein. The skin was ridiculously crispy but the fish was a tad too greasy and overcooked. The blend of vegetables was on point. I never thought parsley, artichoke and fava would work so well together. Didn’t order dessert. Espresso was good quality.
Service was attentive. Price is on higher side despite the no tip policy. Overall great new gem in an otherwise extremely uninspiring neighborhood.

This is a first for me… I’m still sitting at the table, as I write this review. In all my journeys, I have never felt compelled to review a restaurant whilst still at the table.
Pick any complimentary adjective and that is how I feel about Sutton Inn. This has been a positively stunning meal. Magnificent.
The Jonah Crab was superb and my Rabbit Roulade was out of this world.
Our server Samy could not have been more lovely or efficient, but the star of the night is the chef. Chef Scott Grewe is a godsend. This prodigy fires on all cylinders.
The best part? I just moved into the building across the street! And now, now I’m home.
Thank you.

You need to get here and order the bee sting cocktail. End of story. Best drink I’ve had in a while.
Food was delicious as well, especially the sweet potato soup. Service was top notch. I sat at the bar and was served by Tamara. She made my experience one of a kind.

I went here for Valentine’s Day since it was one of the only restaurants that had a reservation open. I’m pretty sure I only got a spot because a lot of folks don’t know about this place yet, it opened 3 months ago.
The menu that night was a prix fixe so a lot of items were not offered on the regular menu. Everything from the endive salad to the braised lamb shoulder was excellent. The restaurant was even nice enough to throw in a few extras such as an oyster with caviar, mango palate cleanse and macaroons to go. Would definitely come back here next time I’m in the area.

Sutton Inn fits in well with the Midtown East neighborhood. The ambiance is quiet and pleasant allowing for easy conversation. The waitstaff are all kind and knowledgeable as well.
The food was great but the menu seems like it is trying a bit too hard. I got the Organic Chicken, which was quite tasty along with the brussel sprouts on the side. However, the cauliflower had a bit of an off taste. My Fiancé had the duck and said it was excellent, but the ginger/​orange combination through her off a bit.
Overall, a great addition to the neighborhood.