Came for dinner, party of 5. Arrived at 7:15. Employees were pleasant and cheery. Food was ok, not fabulous. Time from order to table..... That cost them 2 stars and half. Food arrived at 8:15 after a long long wait. Steak over cooked. Eggplant was cold. Would not go there again. read more

Went here with grandson. Both got burgers. The waiter was a pal! He asked for my id when I got a drink (how charming!). Waiter also pointed out that in my license I had more hair then I do now. What a character! The food was good though and I would return. Thanks dark horse! read more

Great location. Wonderful staff. Fabulous food. Ross Cummings, Manager/ Event-Coordinator, is an All-Star. We had a rehearsal dinner here and were very happy. read more

Family day out in the area and we came across the Dark Horse, we had a wonderful lunch. The food was fresh and tasty. Even picky kids enjoyed them selfs. Friendly and helpful staff. Clean and COVID-19 setup made you feel comfortable. read more

Service was poor. People were walking in no one around . Not the bartender and no wait staff. When staff did show up at the bar they were eating their own meals not paying attention to the tables. Bench seats which were vinyl were covered in tape to seal rips, as well as peeling up. Lobster roll was on a plain hot dog roll, the lobster was chopped extremely fine. Not worth the expense. Bison pastrami was tough, not much flavor. The fries were over cooked dark brown and hard. read more

Great rainy day lunch at the dark horse! Bison pastrami! Hello--wonderful--as in why eat extra fatty beef pastrami ever again-this was so great! I had a chance to catch up w/ an ole new friend in this atmosphere of genuine art deco graphics and clean finish linens. Even for a slow rainy afternoon, I believe the kitchen gave their all for a memorable meal. read more

Great Sunday Brunch. Service was courteous and COVID appropriate. Food was flavorful, plentiful and presented well. Parking in the back for easy access. I will return again. read more

Nice little place. Went with the lady. Dinner for 2 was around 70 with tip and used check in offer as well. I got the chicken fried chicken. Was a very generous portion. Cooked crispy. Nice veggies. Seasoned well. She got the personal pizza. She was disappointed as the pizza crust was mostly soggy and flavorless. Calamari was good I've had better but not bad. Served with cocktail sauce. Don't be fooled...it's not marinara. Was a quiet Tuesday night. We were one of only 4 tables at 7pm. Music was nice. Staff was very friendly. I would almost go so far as to say they were too friendly...like it felt fake but who am I to judge. Better than bring ignored. This is a nice find out here in riverhead. I like their concept of good real food local etc. A little pricey but worth a try for a nice night out. read more

Dark Horse Restaurant - Chicken fried chicken with gravy, veggies and potatoes. - American Near Me - Riverhead, New York

Place was pretty empty when we came in. Ordered the a personal pizza and seafood mac and cheese. The bartender was super friendly. The portion of the food is perfect but a little pricey. I left with feeling content and not dying from over eating. read more

Dark Horse Restaurant - Personal Pizza with chicken and bacon - American Near Me - Riverhead, New York

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I'm so glad we found Dark Horse! What an amazing establishment filled with such incredible staff. It was dinner time and my young boys should be eating. I called, nervous they might be too busy and we needed to eat. They were so accommodating and reserved a table for us. Upon our arrival, my younger son fell asleep. I called and mentioned my dilemma and asked if I could order take out. The staff knew we wanted to eat and offered to help my bring my son in. I am so grateful to have encountered such accommodating and nice people, but I had to let him nap. As I ordered my food, I asked the usual questions about their gluten free options. They have so many options and dedicated areas in the kitchen, even gluten free chicken tenders for the kids! Amazing! We picked up the food and parked in the lot in the back. I couldn't wait to open the food and try it all! I did! I'm sorry I was so excited to have so many choices that I didn't take pictures of the food. Trust me, all my fellow celiacs and gluten intolerant people, go - run! It is amazing. Thank you Dark Horse, we will definitely be back. read more

I wish I could give this place 0 stars. Our waitress looked like she was high as a kite. Food was terrible. I ordered a salad with grilled chicken and the chicken was disgusting. I tried to return it and the waitress was arguing with me. Overpriced and very poor quality and service. Will not return, ever. read more

This is my favorite restaurant. My husband and I celebrate every birthday, anniversary, Valentine's day, date night etc. here. The food is amazing and it caters to almost every allergy. It's hard to find GF food that doesn't taste like cardboard however, at Dark Horse you can't tell the difference. It's a laid back hipster atmosphere. The staff and manager Ross are excellent. They give you a true at home experience. I can rave about them and this restaurant enough! Also it is reasonably priced and have a variety of ciders for the GF drinkers. read more

Great dinner. Awesome service. Wait staff extremely attentive. Food came out quickly. Everything delicious from the baked oysters to the roasted eggplant and roasted peppers with fresh mozzarella! Will definitely recommend this place. They had live music (one man on a guitar) who was terrific. Not too loud. Comfortable seating. Just two doors down from Tweeds but not as noisy and cramped as Tweeds can be. Give it a try! read more

Wow. Not just gluten friendly, diet restriction friendly. First time time I went into a restaurant and didn't feel like a leper. Loved it. Will definitely be back. read more

Their customer service is excellent. I had a last-minute party of 14 for a lunch after my fathers funeral. The staff was amazing and accommodating. The food was amazing! They definitely helped us and was super supportive I will be coming here again very soon. read more

Had no idea the entire dinner menu would be gluten free. As someone with celiac I was beyond excited. Staff was incredible, even the musician was super friendly. Loved the food, dessert was amazing, and the sauces were my favorite ! read more

Went in for lunch, ordered an entree, and checked in on Yelp for a glass of wine offer. Supposed to be any wine on the menu so I ordered the Verdejo. I was reading something so I didn't try it immediately. When I finally reached for the glass, I was disappointed to find that the bartender had clearly poured me a standard house white, and was very disappointed. I wonder how often he tries to pass off the cheaper house wines when people select from the full wine menu. Feeling tricked and put in an awkward position, I chose to have the server cancel my entree and I left. This was particularly disappointing because I had been there once before for a lovely dinner, with delicious food and generous portions. Was really looking forward to their lunch menu, but the bar tender's trick really turned me off. read more

Visiting Riverhead for the weekend and Dark Horse is definitely a little gem here! The staff and atmosphere were warm and inviting. Fresh local seafood and live music! What a great experience! We will be back! read more

I LOVE this place! We took a day trip to visit the local wineries and ended up having lunch AND dinner here, because the food...and the staff...are amazing! Everything on the menu is gluten free and locally grown....and absolutely delicious. No cross contamination in their kitchen! It doesn't get any better than that! Ross, Sonja, and the rest of the staff are so accommodating....funny, personable....we shared some great laughs. They're also quite knowledgeable about food allergies, we spoke about quite a few topics. Ask them and they'll tell you which local farms provide their produce and meats. Got to love it. Everything we've ever had there is good....from the cornbread served with dinner, salad with gluten free croutons!, the fried calamari served with a delectably sweet marinara, the beef burgers made with grass fed beef, the apple squash soup (to die for!), the perfectly seasoned chicken burger, the incredible hand cut french fries, the honey dijon salmon (omg!)....and the desserts...ohhhh, the desserts. They make amazing desserts. Try the fruit cobbler....the fruit changes with what's in season. They also offer dairy free (or regular) ice cream to put on it. Definitely the best place on Long Island....I live two hours away and wish I could eat there more often!! read more

I took my mom for an early Mother's Day lunch. We went here just based on reviews and we didn't even check the menu. There was a large party starting (probably 16 - 20 people, I didn't count) which included a few kids (between 6 and 13 I'd say) and I don't like that, normally. Well, I am SO happy we stayed here because the food was delicious, our waiter (Brandon) was very cool and the place is just beautiful! We sat at a very comfortable booth and I ordered the chicken burger for me and my mom chose the bison pastrami sandwich and they both came with fries. Let me start by saying WOW. The bison pastrami was so tender and salty, the perfect way she wanted it. The chicken burger was not like ANYTHING I've had before. I got it with their homemade mozzarella and I've never been able to describe a chicken burger as something that melted in my mouth. It was a flavor orgasm. The spice blend they use keeps the burger so moist without being messy, the cheese melts perfectly and the bun (I'm not gluten free so I can only speak for myself) was soft and perfect. And don't let me forget the fries! The best I've had. We were both so full we couldn't get dessert but, wow, were we full for 1 full day :^ ) Even with including 3 beers to our meal (2 for me, 1 for her), our tab was less than $50!!!! We will be back (without warning haha) for our 2nd course. Oh...in closing...what made it 100% perfect was that the large party with kids was completely subdued! They kept their conversations low, all of the kids behaved themselves and they were polite to everyone. This has restored some of my faith in humanity still caring about some people more (or just as much) than themselves, even if just for dinner. read more

As someone who is gluten free due to a wheat allergy, it was such a relief to go to a restaurant where I knew the food was safe and I would be taken care of. That itself would be worth a few stars for me, but the food was also absolutely delicious and both I and my non-gluten free boyfriend enjoyed everything we had. We had the calamari and beef tartare for starters, and then I had the beef merlot and he had the salmon. Everything was perfectly cooked, seasoned and plated. Whether or not you are gluten free the food is amazing, but if you are gluten free you can eat without worry. read more

Great food and it makes it even better that the entire restaurant is gluten free. Couldn't be happier to have ran into this place.

I ate at the Dark Horse after a grueling day in Suffolk Supreme Court with a buddy. The waiter was SUPER nice, was polite when we mentioned we had to be back in Court in 45 minutes, and took great care of us. The Walnut, Apple and Blue Cheese Salad was AMAZING and really big (enough for an entire meal), and I also had the Bison Burger which was prepared perfectly for me. Sides were great and the bill was ridiculously reasonable. Eat there when you can !! read more

Food is excellent. They can make almost anything GF but I've been coming here for the past 5 yrs and their service has been getting slower and slower. While I was waiting for my food, I heard the same thing from the table next to me. Also, last time, they placed my burger on top of a regular bun. This makes me nervous now whenever I come back. Whatever is going on, these mishaps will be the downfall of this once great eatery. read more

We went for dinner on a Sunday night. It was quiet and intimate. Our waiter Brandon was knowledgeable about menu, really great service. Food was 5-star and came out quickly. Sesame tuna and the lamb ragu. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience but then... for a restaurant that touts supporting its local businesses and suggests sustainability, it was so very disappointing to put our leftovers in the refrigerator at home and find they were in styrofoam containers. Really? How about some compostable cardboard ones, please!! Or some other recyclable material? Yes, it is more expensive but we only have this one planet. And maybe some paper handle bags as well. You will feel better about the environment, and so will your customers. So please go and eat that but either bring something for leftovers or leave them there. read more

I had lunch recently at a new restaurant in Riverhead called The Dark Horse. I had one of the best French onion soups ever followed by a delicious cheese board with apply, honey and local chutney. My friend had New England clam chowder followed by a Beixing Duck wrap which was also terrific. They've only been open a couple of months. We definitely recommend them and plan on going back again for lunch or dinner. read more

The grill cheese was ok... Drinks were awful! First it took over 20 min. to get our drinks. I ordered a pumpkin beer and it was disgusting!!! It tasted like rotten cider. Wouldn't go there again... read more

Excellent Restaurant! I love the location! Interior is inviting. They do not promote that all of their menu items are GF! A huge plus! Yet, you could never tell! Everything from the Roasted Shrimp Bisque, to the salads, and Blondies are amazing! Haven't had a bad meal yet. Service is quick and pleasant. Great local wine list and cocktails! A must try! read more

What a pleasant surprise! Definitely some hits and some misses, but overall, a nice addition to the North Fork dining options. The highlight was the spinach salad, with egg and bacon, unusual but wonderful! On the other hand, the tomato and mozzarella was a shade below average. The soft shell crab special was excellent, and the steak frites a solid B+. The wines were well selected and much more reasonably priced than elsewhere. And finally, the couldn't have been more accommodating toward our young daughter. read more

Great local beers on tap! Very friendly staff! Highly recommend! If you are in the mood for comfort food and in the area this is the spot!

Thank you thank you thank you to Dark Horse Restaurant for saving us from wine tasting overdose. We hit multiple places as the day went on, and were majorly flagging by early dinnertime. My Celiac date was well taken care of here, as they have plenty of gluten-free options including FRIED CHICKEN! We split fried chicken and a burger on gf bun, both of which put us on cloud nine. Both were very well cooked, and the chicken was enough for 2 whole meals. They had live music and a check-in deal for a free glass of wine, though I had to pass after a whole day of wine. I definitely recommend them! read more

For a Wednesday dinner we were in Riverhead, NY. Can't say there are lots of restaurants, but a short list of promising ones were found on Yelp. We asked the hotel for their recommendations, but opted to try Dark Horse. The service was very good and very friendly. I had the monkfish that nicely prepared. The others in our party were more than satisfied with their entrees. I noticed on Yelp they had 2 offers, one a free glass of wine and the other, a $40 voucher for $20. No brainer, did the purchase on the iPhone, showed the waitress as well as the free glass of wine offer. Since we ordered a bottle already, she whacked another $10 bucks of the bill for the total deduction of the bill of $50 with the voucher purchased for $20, so a $30 savings. We went back to the hotel and gave them the input and encouraged them to go to Dark Horse sometime. Will go back again for sure when my travels take me there. read more

I find it hard to review this place. The restaurant was nice, the food was good, the service was excellent. I don't have one single complaint, yet strangely nothing is drawing me back there. They offer a menu of high end ingredients which is impressive. If you want a grass fed piece of beef or a buffalo burger, they have it. But for all their fancy ingredients, nothing really knocked my socks off. I kind of sense there must be some people that go there so that on Monday they can sound urbane when they tell people at work about the organic grass fed burger they had, when really they would have, in all likelihood, enjoyed a diner burger just as much for half the price. Like I said, perfectly pleasant dining experience, good food, its just missing something I can't quite put my finger on. read more

After spending Mother's Day at Pindar vineyards, we decided to jump on yelp and find a last minute place for dinner on the way home. We called from the parking lot to see if they had a table and as fate would have it, they had a last minute cancellation and could accommodate our party of 7. To continue our day of wine, we received free glasses of wine for checking in with Yelp. We ordered fried calamari which was light and tasty. We also ordered baked clams thinking it would be usual clams with breadcrumbs and butter. They were whole clams with a herb butter sauce. I would normally stay away, but they were delicious! My husband has the French onion soup, he said it's one of the best he's had. They had a lot of choices for my 7 year old niece and she went with pizza. Looked good. Everyone ordered and shared the ribeye. The steak was tender and flavorful. It came with mashed potatoes, asparagus and cauliflower. I don't know what they do to the veggies but I couldn't stop eating them! Everyone we interacted with were friendly and we enjoyed being there overall! Would highly recommend. read more

A sign on the door stated that this restaurant was Kid Friendly. Well, our stroller barely fit past the tables, they only had 2 high chairs which were in use, no changing table in the bathroom, and the kids menu LOL was the same exact thing as the adult menu. My husband ordered a burger and so did my 2 year old, and they both got the same thing. The only difference was that the child's burger was cheaper. Came with potato chips, not a vegetable or even fries. UGH! What 2 year old eats potato chips!?!? Not mine! The food took FOREVER (over a 1/2 hour) and with a child, we know that is a no-no. I asked the waiter for some bread (he was nice and all, but waiting tables is not his forte)- it took like 15 minutes to get a piece of bread! We asked for milk, never got it. Didn't bother asking twice, I figured by the time the milk came, we'd be home already! We only stopped in b/c we visited the aquarium and it was memorial day weekend and there weren't many options for places to eat. Overpriced, slow and the last place I would return with a child. The sign on the window should have stated, "Not for Kids" :( read more

An amazing find for a quick weekend away with the wife. I had the Tuna steak with seaweed salad and rice - it was amazing. The tuna was done to perfection. My wife had the skirt steak with Brussel Sprouts. Equally delicious. The wait staff were very friendly, courteous, knowledgeable and funny. Dark Horse is definitely a place I'd recommend and return to. read more

Not impressed with the service. To be fair, I never ate here. I inquired about hosting my rehearsal dinner here, but was turned off by the owner's attitude. She was EXTREMELY difficult to get in touch with & would only respond back rudely via e-mail. I was so fed up with how inattentive she was & frankly how rude she was to me, I canceled our rehearsal dinner there just a week before. Talk about scrambling last minute. Her prices seemed to be very fair, but I would rather pay extra if that meant dealing with someone more professional. We ended up having our rehearsal dinner at the Riverhead Project, and while it was twice the cost, it was perfect!!!! So glad it worked out that way. read more

3.5 stars. I agree with Ashley M.; the rear entrance gives you a false sense of the style of restaurant. You're a little surprised when you (finally) reach the dining area. It seems a little too upscale for the name and location, but the staff are friendly and make you feel comfortable. Regardless, the food was good and I like that they have a lot of GF options, but the burger could have been slightly thicker. The GF calamari app was excellent. One real turn off was the restroom directly off of the dining room between the bar and entrance. I understand this may be an old building, but to me this is an eating establishment no-no. I'd would definitely eat here again, but won't go out of my way to do it. read more

I was looking for gluten free pizza in Riverhead and found Dark Horse instead. What an unexpected surprise. It's rare to find a restaurant with both good food and service but Dark Horse has both. The Kobe beef burger and the gluten free chicken pasta were amazing. The burger was season perfectly and the pasta was delicious. The gluten blondie with ice cream and caramel is my new favorite dessert. The amazing service was provided by our waitress Jamie. Everything dish she recommended was as good as she promised. Even though I live over an hour away, I plan to make the trip again soon with friends. Dark Horse is truly a hidden gem! read more

I have to say the experience was just ok - service was fine, food was pretty good, dining area a bit awkward and boxy. But the problem was that it was expensive - and I'm okay with that if the dining experience is worth the price. We were in town for business and ate at several higher end restaurants. This just didn't do anything for me. read more