Just had an absolutely wonderful holiday dinner at Elaine's What a great restaurant to be in the Stony Brook area It is perfectly decorated and has an extremely diverse menu I loved the appetizer of stuffed calimari that was a special The Bronx antipasto was unbelievable all fresh ingredients What a great spot! On the way out I met Elaine ( owner!) who is a wonderful host and has selected a top notch team to work with her You won't be disappointed

Stopped at Elaine's on my way home from NYC (I missed the ferry) and I stopped in here after driving past it on the way to the ferry that I missed! I got the salmon and couscous and happy hour wine. Everything was delicious. The staff was friendly and I met Elaine who is wonderful! I will be back!

Went had a great experience, met Elaine and her husband, couldn't be nicer, has the seafood pasta special, potato leek mashed potatoes, ricotta lemon basil spread with bread. Had the salmon on the menu and it was also delicious. Martinis were perfection. Overall great vibe of the restaurant as well, beautiful decor.

Seems like the place has made improvements based on some of the reviews I've read which I'm pleasantly surprised to see. Came here with family to celebrate a birthday. First impressions is the place is laid out as quite a fancy Italian-ish place. The only thing is it's missing most of the main dishes you'd expect from an Italian restaurant focusing more on niche dishes most of which are quite good. My reason for the 4 stars is due to the initial slow service of getting our drinks and our server not being quite as attentive initially. What also irked me for being a fancy Italian place is that they don't include homemade Italian bread that should be served promptly to patrons with butter and not at an up charge. The bread of offer was around $7 and tried to be overly fancy with odd choices for seasoning and topping and not as soft or enjoyable as one would expect. Ok now onto the mostly good, the entrees are surprisingly varied you have a few fish options such as a salmon and another, two steak options such as an excellent filet mignon dish and a type of skirt steak. There's also the usual chicken dish and a few other options as well as specials. All the entrees were of high quality and came out as ordered the filet mignon was surprisingly great and had that melt in your mouth feel, another minor complaint is as with some restaurants side dishes if included are quite small in portion size and entrees here are more or less ala carte which can get that bill quite up there in price although the truffle fries in particular were excellent. There's the usual dessert options such as Affogato, Tiramisu and an assortment of coffee and espresso options. All in all wouldn't hurt if more traditional dishes were to be included and if bread can be provided to the table with butter and olive oil instead of undercooked bread that you pay for. Service also could be improved when you're initially seated but everyone was friendly and made the experience mostly pleasant.

Finally! A reputable, elegant, classy, delicious restaurant has established in East Setauket (3VI). I can commute for once under a 1 mile! I am a bit disheartened by the 'elites' mixed reviewing nature underneath but so goes their stories (and narratives). It seems that the ambiance and aesthetics of the establishment is in high praise- no disagreement there. If anyone remembers what the old tai show looked like, this place is barely recognizable in a good way. I know it's a weird statement (but if you're accustomed to my reviews, this is what it is) but the bathrooms here are some of the nicest I've ever been in. That's free marketing in my book. Very modern look, nice black/gold touches, like the little lamps (I personally don't see the point), and the bar area has nice separation with the main dining room. Little things that no one are going to notice is the sound deadening panels from the bar room / ceiling so it keeps the hustle and bustle segregated to a degree. This is a restaurant review so who cares about this! Cocktails and bar staff are top notch. It's that simple, and a lot of these other so called 3-4 $ establishments kind of cut corners in this area. It's not shocking because the bar staff are comrade's from other reputable/respected establishments. You can safely order NOT off the cocktail list menu and still get a drink that wasn't curated from google or AI. I do personally like what they have to house offer though, impressive wine listing, the negroni / spritz customs aren't personally for me but seem to cater well with the demographic. Elaine's is advertised with backings of southern Italy / Sicily with roots from Neapolitan and Calabrian roots. Huge fan of the Bronx Meatballs (though I wish there was 3), dressed up very nicely with the peppers and onions. They have Panelle as an offering, enough said there. They only push the wings for 'bar menu/happiest hour' but they are VERY GOOD and nice option. Feel like so many people are moving away from offering wings, STOP. Pizza oven is a nice touch too if that's what your going for. 'First dishes' pastas, have had them all and no complaints on the taste front. Wish they were a bit more plentiful on the quantity but not going to dock for it. Reason being is by the time I've had some bread service, small plates + 'for the table' and a paste I crawl to the next course. Next course - 'Large Plates', as stated above usually crawl at this point and need to be rolled out of the joint but I have had the skirt steak and do enjoy such. My wife has had the Norwegian Salmon and loved it for it's fluffy, flakey nature. I usually sit at the bar and eat, but upon initial opening we had made reservations for dining experience. Again, no complaints and not surprised. Same vein as the bar staff comment, there's many servers who are in this area from reputable/respectable establishments who work here as well or have moved to this place. Negative comments about the wait staff/bar staff are mind boggling to me. Elaine herself and Enzo are restaurant people and it shows through how the staff represents themselves. You can often see Elaine & Enzo in the trenches with the staff.. no perching in a ivory white tower. If it's what you're looking for they also do offerings for private parties within. I will jokingly say it can be two thumbs up that they ditched the questionable valet service. They get so many things right that we take for granted or modern restaurants are starting to overlook. It's a MUST recommend if from the area, passing through the area, and a high recommend for just looking for another upscale American Italian blended joint with a great bar scene. Cin Cin!

Elaine's has gracefully risen from the cherished legacy of Pentimento, bringing back the same passion for exquisite dining that captured our hearts years ago. Nestled in its new location, Elaine's embraces you with warmth and sophistication, inviting you on a culinary journey unlike any other. The moment you step inside, you're enveloped by an ambiance that seamlessly marries modernity with a timeless charm. The decor whispers tales of the past while offering a fresh, contemporary vibe. I first attended opening weekend, and they did not miss a beat. It was also lovely to see some familiar faces among their staff (hello, Guillermo!!!). I've been back several times since, and once you go there, you will understand why. Some of the menu items I sampled included the following: They offer complimentary green olives to start you off. We ordered the calamari to share (their menu indicates whether something is shareable for the table or more for 1-2 people). The batter on the calamari was fresh, crispy, and the calamari itself was not rubbery. The "arancini" (rice balls) were dense and cheesy and a perfect way to start any meal. The Caesar salad was enormous and could be shared with a few people. Same with the arugula salad. For entrees we enjoyed the brick chicken--moist and juicy chicken. The salmon, served with quinoa, was a generous portion and reminded me of the preparation they used at their previous location. Their pasta is freshly prepared, and the tagliatelle with shrimp is a dish you should definitely try. They have a robust wine list and can accommodate any type of foodie or drinker. Next time you are in Setauket, make sure you make a reservation at Elaine's. Highly recommend!

This place was very nice, from the ambiance to the food. I had the skirt steak and the arugula salad. It was just righ. The waiter was attwntice and sonwere the owners. I will be retuening to try more.