Dined here with two friends on a recent Friday night in May. We made our reservation with only a week to spare and as such were only able to secure an outdoor table. It was still quite chilly outside but we were sandwiched between two heaters which made it very manageable. Our waitress was wonderful and service was incredibly prompt which I appreciate because I have noticed that service on the island is generally more relaxed (i.e. slow). For appetizers we shared the baby gem salad and the pork bolognese. Both good but the pork bolognese was a small but mighty star. Pasta was perfectly al dente and we really enjoyed the goat cheese with the pork. For our mains we ordered the pork chop, halibut and mushroom lasagna. The portions were large and we were all satisfied with our orders (though the pork chop was quite salty). Enjoyed this enough that I would for sure come back. read more

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We sat outside and it was a great outdoorsy vibe. The service was great, attentive to clearing the table for the next course. The food was delicious and fresh with the seafood and beef having a very flavorful taste to it. read more

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My partner and I ordered the baby heirloom panzanella, pan-seared cod, pan-seared halibut, and vanilla bean panna cotta - TASTE: 4/5 - favorites included the panzanella's fresh and slightly-salted tomatoes, cod's lump crab and snap peas side, halibut's coconut-lime emulsion, and panna cotta's lemongrass flavor w peach slices TEXTURE: 5/5 - loved the complimentary bread's softness, panzanella's crispy cornbread, cod's potato gnocchi and super crispy fish skin, and panna cotta's crunchy crumble topping PRICE: 3/5 - knew MV would be expensive, but $50+ entrees were rough. Subtotal came to $240 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - almost all of the entrees were a satisfying portion w beautiful presentations SERVICE: 4/5 - booked a reservation prior and arrived on time at 5:30pm on a Friday. Our waiter was professional and helpful, and our food was ready 15-25min after ordering ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - lovely outdoor patio and traditional decor inside. Appreciate the seasonally-focused and chef-owned space read more

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Updated: Was so excited to go back as this place is one of my favorites on the island. Beautiful food -- bass and panzanella were exceptional. However when hair was found in my son's pasta, which of course they replaced immediately, the manager initially argued about comping the dish before ultimately doing so, repeatedly telling me "but we replaced it." At Détente's price point and reputation, the response should have been immediate and gracious at a minimum. Food quality is outstanding but management needs work. Unfortunately left a horrible experience for my last dinner on the island. read more

Exceptional experience overall. Food was second to none and service was top notch! As someone who's summers here regularly, this place screams consistency as it relates to fine dining. I wouldn't eat out anywhere else in 02539. read more

Luciano was awesome! We sat by the bar and he convinced us to stay for dinner. We got the bass and halibut and then the bread pudding as dessert. It was casual but elegant ambiance. We sat indoors by the bar but they had both indoor and outdoor seating. Highly recommend! read more

Detente - Striped bass - Wine Bars Near Me - Edgartown, Massachusetts

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Best restaurant experience on the island of Martha's Vineyard by far! Clearly the best in Edgartown, and right in the middle of the action! You can't go wrong, making your reservation here I promise you, he will be satisfied! Clearly, the best, the monkfish and halibut were perfect. I'd say. The ambience is here. The presentation and deliciously sized portions. Impeccable service, candlelight dinner! This is the restaurant you want to reserve for sure as one of your choices when visiting Martha's Vineyard. They also have a beautiful little bar in there and the bartender knows wines and will choose one for you if you wish or let you taste a few. Just loved every minute of it especially the atmosphere. Highly recommended for the best dining experience in Martha's Vineyard! read more

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Nice ambiance sitting in the courtyard. I got the cod which was super fresh and my family loved their entrees too. Service was good and our waiter even took the time to give us local recommendations to do around MV. Overall great experience! read more

Detente - Pan Seared Scallops* - Wine Bars Near Me - Edgartown, Massachusetts

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Pretty standard upscale American fare. Pork chop was well seasoned. The local monkfish was good but the fish portion was incredibly small. It came with a side of lobster bao but the bao was too thick and the lobster to bread ratio was very off (almost no lobster inside). We also got a cavatelli bolognese as an appetizer, which was okay, but the cavatelli was a little mushy. For drinks, I did enjoy the still rose and the rose cava - both were delicious. We noted in our reservation that we were celebrating our one year wedding anniversary but they didn't do anything to help celebrate (no champagne, card, dessert, or even greeting), which was disappointing and unlike most other upscale restaurants. Wouldn't recommend coming back. Better off going to l'etoille if you want an upscale dinner. read more

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Wonderful night out with the wife to celebrate our anniversary on the island. Our meal was perfect from drinks, apps, dinner, dessert, but most of all- service! We couldn't have been more happier with the service and how incredible our meals were. Will definitely come back next time we're on MV. read more

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Arrived and was shown to upstairs to a room filled with kids, asked to be reseated, was told no and that we would perhaps be happier elsewhere. Then proceeded to charge us $50 cancellation fee despite us not "no showing" and their being packed with folks trying to get in. Save your money and vote with you feet! 19 Raw Oyster Bar is WAY WAY better, ate there many times on our trip and had great service and even met the owner. Detente needs to replace that host, as she has terrible customer service and does not belong in that sort of CS role. HARD PASS ON THIS PLACE read more

Overall food quality and service was really good. The menu was well thought of.... Kudos to the Chef! The two star deduction was due to 1- made BIRTHDAY reservation for 4 via Resy but the host never informed the server; 2- the butter cake was not fresh and was very dry and tasted as though it could have been days old or possible store bought. read more

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Best restaurant in Edgartown we experienced by a wide margin. The food was exceptional. The service by Jose was exceptional. Cocktails are wonderful and very reasonably priced. We started with the Tuna Tartare and the Tomato and Fried Cornbread Panzanell. Both were good, but the Panzanell was by far the better (although the tomatoes required a bit of salt to bring their flavor out). Our entrees were the Duck and the Lamb Duo. Both were again exceptional! It was the most tender lamb chop we have ever experienced. For dessert we had the blueberry bread pudding. Like everything else that evening, it was delicious! Can't wait to return! read more

Food was off the hook and the service was amazing. The setting was cool with very good indoor and outdoor seating. Would 100% recommend for any dinner. read more

Actually, caught by surprise on this. Don't know why, but expected this to be an overpriced and underwhelming place. But the food was terrific, albeit a small menu, and execution was far better than expected. Scallops app and a daily special peach salad was superb. Roasted cod accompanied with fresh vegetables and sublime sauce were excellent, and kids had the bolognese app that was doubled to be an entree portion. Seriously may be one of the best bolognese preps I have ever had. Cornbread was deep fried and quite heavy, and is the only item not recommended. Sat inside in a small dining space, as it seems like most of the seating is outside, but ambience was still very cozy and inviting. Would definitely recommend if you are seeking a higher-end dinner in Edgartown. read more

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"Lasagna" wasn't to our liking but a great selection of wine and outdoor seating were great.

Finally, we got to sit down and have a nice (socially distant) dinner outside. So my dining companions would probably give this place a 4. But we all agreed we had excellent French wines and I personally had one of the best pork chops I think I've ever had. I also had a taste of my dining companions' pasta and scallops. While they weren't as perfect as my dish, they were still very good. The service was excellent and dining in the courtyard on a warm summer night was probably better than dining inside. So everyone is overruled. 5-stars all the way... don't miss it. read more

The food here on their limited menu is very good and overly expensive. We shared a special burrata tomato salad and one order of striped bass. Both were excellent. Service is very good and courteous. Suggest checking out menu on line before making a reservation that must be guaranteed by a credit card. read more

Around 5:30 we headed inside to sit at the bar, which has 6-8 seats. Other than one couple finishing up their meal, the bar was empty throughout our meal. The pork bolognese appetizer is excellent, and could be a small entree, $18. The heirloom tomato app was good, the fried cornbread is presented as small cubes and adds a nice touch. $18. We like to sit at the bar as we always meet great folks, characters, travelers and locals. The bartender was very aloof. A bartender can make or break an experience and this one didn't really add to the atmosphere or ambiance, and made no attempt to engage us or even make us feel welcomed. My drink did not arrive as I requested and at the end he asked us if we wanted dessert and we replied no. After a few minutes he came back and presented us with dessert menus, so not a great listener. He was happily chatting with other servers and a couple long time customers, so I guess as we were new here we didn't earn his time. read more

Best food on Martha's Vineyard and it's not even close. Everything from cocktails to appetizers to main courses were fantastic. Service was great. No complaints! read more

Really cute restaurant tucked into a little square in Edgartown on Winter street- we almost missed it when we were walking down the street! Social distancing: we sat outdoors at good distances from other tables and all the wait staff wore masks appropriately. The food was good- the entire menu looked like things we would eat so we had a really hard time deciding! We ended up getting the cornbread panzanella (basically a tomato based salad with cornbread croutons) and bolognaise to start (nice and tender beef with homemade pasta noodles). I ended getting the scallops, which were HUGE and flavorful, expertly prepared. The boyfriend got the swordfish steak, which was quite the meal. Finished off with the blueberry bread pudding, topped with elderflower ice cream, which was gooey and slightly boozy tasting because of the elderflower. Overall a lovely restaurant, would definitely support!! read more

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Food delicious , atmosphere pleasant Expensive but worth it. Great experience You could do a lot worse

We sat outside on an adorable patio, ate some really great food and just enjoyed ourselves. Food was overall very good. So happy with everything except for the bread (they cut into it too soon so while it was warm, it was also underbaked - we didn't finish what we were served which is unusual for my beau and I). We went with multiple apps and mains. It's already been a couple weeks so it feels like an eternity but I remember thinking that the gnocchi were delicious (and that I wanted more!), the fish was cooked to perfection,the milanese was so good, the bolognese was delicious and that, while I loved trying my beau's dish, I was super happy to have chosen the fish for my dinner. Service was good and efficient. Would I go back? Yes. I'd love to try to do more date nights on the island but we'd definitely circle back to this spot...it was our first date night out alone as new parents so this place will probably hold special memories for a long time read more

We ate out on the lawn and it was surprisingly not buggy. Had the swordfish and it was tastefully prepared. Desserts were excellent. Overall great experience. read more

This restaurant is amazing. Everything tastes fantastic. Even when you don't think you're going to like something, you end up loving it. Compliments to the chef! Outstanding!!! read more

I want to start this review by saying that the food here is great. It's well done and super tasty. Fresh ingredients and interesting preparations. But unfortunately the shortcomings here were just too blatant and three stars is all I can muster. Came here as a party of four on a Friday night around 8:30pm. We didn't have a reservation so we were well aware upon greeting the hostess that we might be slapped across our proverbial faces with a considerable wait. As it turned out (or so we initially thought), we were told that we only needed to wait 15-20 minutes. Just enough time for a drink at the bar (or so we initially thought). Half an hour later, we manage to make eye contact with the elusive hostess. She tells us that the party at the table we've been waiting for is just finishing up, so it should only be a few minutes (or so we thought). Finally, 9:30 rolls around, and we are *finally* seated. Listen, I just hate being misled when it comes to how long I need to endure hunger. If it's an hour wait, it's an hour wait. Fine. I might stay, and I might go somewhere else if presented with that information. What irks me is that I felt pretty gypped all evening and little did I know, the wait time was just the start of it. For the moment, let me circle back to the good, because Detente *does* offer good quality product. As I said, we started out with drinks. I went with a cucumber gin cocktail which was wonderfully refreshing but quite strong. The standout drink of the night, however, was a vodka/strawberry number that was true Christmas in July. The drink itself was green but sitting majestically in the middle was one massive strawberry ice cube. Now this was a fantastic drink. If you want to take it to the next level (I didn't but hindsight 20-20, ya know), let the strawberry ice cube melt a bit and take a little nibble out of it between courses for a palette cleanser. Why did I get this second cocktail? After finishing my first, I wanted to try out a beer. I didn't know most of the beers on tap, so I asked our waiter what he'd recommend. He simply replied "I don't know, I don't like beer". Well folks, if that isn't a conversation ender then I don't know what is. Like, ugh, come on, dude. Fine. You don't like beer. I'm not going to fault you for that. But can we see some more effort please? Maybe tell us what's popular or go ask someone else who works there? Groan. So that's why I got my second and very delicious cocktail (see why I'm having a hard time here?) Onto the food. Since we were all quite hungry at this point, we decided to each order our own entree as well as three apps for the table. The apps are all between $16-$18. For that price we should've all ended up with food babies. But we were left with more like first-trimester fetuses. Yellowfin Tuna Tartare: B+/A- Detente highlights this as one of its signature dishes. The tuna was light and fluffy with some yummy flavors going on in the accompaniments. The plate was prepared creatively and was certainly nice aesthetically. My issue won't come as a surprise to you--the amount of tuna served was just a smidge bigger than a golf ball. That's about one bite each for the four of us. I can definitely see why it's on Detente's tasting menu. Seared Sea Scallops: A- Cooked to perfection. Fresh, rich and flavorful. You're served two lightly browned scallops which, again, are presented beautifully. But managing to get every member of our party a solid piece required far more thought than eating a nice meal warrants. Cheese Plate: B- This where it started to get downright comical. This plate honestly looked like animals had gotten into the kitchen and we were served what they left behind. I can hardly talk about how yummy the cheese selection was because I didn't eat enough to remember much. My experience with cheese/charcuterie plates is usually the opposite--I'm overwhelmed by the amount of food. So this was quite the novel experience. We also weren't given bread/crackers initially so the stinginess was in full effect. Pan Crisped Fluke w/ octopus: A- The entrees were actually all incredibly delicious. I tried the duck, cod and bass as well, and all were fantastic. Fair portions too! Fresh, seasonal ingredients. I love fluke tartare but had never tried it cooked, so I opted for this one as my plate. The fish was great but I wasn't a fan of the octopus preparation. It also felt discordant when taking the plate as whole. In other words, the fluke was the star of the show and the octopus was that kid whose mom made him do the school play but he never went to rehearsal so he's just standing up there terrified the whole time. So Dentente, I get it. Small portion sizes are "in". Overpriced meals at restaurants in vacation hotspots are also "in" (and have never been "out"). But there's a line, and you crossed it. I hate to give you three stars given how good everything was, but I just can't muster four. read more

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Had a lovely dinner at Detente last night. We sat outside on the little patio and it was nice and intimate. The one thing that was lacking was music. It was almost too quiet to talk. Regardless, our meal was delicious. We started with the panzanella salad, which was very refreshing. We then got the monkfish and the halibut for entrees. Both had a ton flavor. We ended up liking the monkfish a bit more. We got a bottle of wine to go along with our meal. Nice wine selection. Our waitress was lovely and friendly. Definitely recommend this place for a nicer dinner on MV. read more

Third summer in a row frequenting Detente and their sister restaurant in Oak Bluffs. Both are inviting, welcoming and offer stellar food. Wine selections by the glass are always excellent. Tonight's Chardonnay is from the Russian River and exactly how I like it buttery with a tad of oak. The Pinot Noir is stellar too. Peach salad with cheese and truffle oil is a standout. As a vegetarian you can always find something on the menu to eat. It's all superb. Freshly baked bread with butter is always appreciated in my book too. A sweet locale tucked in back of a little shopping plaza. It's a nice quiet vibe compared to many of the other in town restaurants. read more

Detente - I came for this tonight - pear salad. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edgartown, Massachusetts

Pleasant restaurant in Edgartown. In fact, quite a gem. Tucked away from the main streets in a quiet cove. Lovely atmosphere. Two floors of dining, cozy bar and well appointed decor. I decided on the local catch, sea bass. My partner Jane went with the scallops, they were both delicious! Generous portion with a perfect culinary of flavors and overall presentation. Serving staff were very professional and friendly. I'll make sure to visit here again. read more

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A treasure in Edgarton. The food was exceptional and service very attentive. Outdoor seating allowed me to feel comfortable eating during this pandemic. read more

Detente - Blueberry bread pudding was best bread pudding I have ever consumed. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edgartown, Massachusetts

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There were 4 of us. Duck Halibut Halibut Lamb All of the food was delicious! The duck was amazing! Great cocktails. Great service. Looking forward to dine there again. Very soon! read more

Delicious!! Loved the cute outdoor area. Fabulous sides and apps :) I will definitely be going back.

We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here. While it is not on the waterfront, it made up for it in every aspect. The wine list was well curated (loved our Dumol 2017 Viognier) and our server (can't recall his name but he was from Ecuador I believe) was attentive and charming. The food was fresh and delicious, the fried cornbread sublime. read more

This place is worth every dime - we came here for a double date and what a beautiful area! The patio is charming and the staff was knowledgeable and so attentive. Everything we ate was mouthwateringly good, you honestly can't go wrong with anything on the menu! The beef tenderloin/short rib was incredible. We will definitely be back!!! read more

Detente - Beef tenderloin does not disappoint. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edgartown, Massachusetts

The food is so so, the service and drinks were great. At the prices they charge, the food should be much better. Avoid the signature peach salad, it just tastes like fake truffle oil. read more

I feel bad writing this but...this restaurant is bad. It's so highly rated yet the food...is bad? So are the drinks. I sent a drink back for the first time in my time. I'm just trying to save people the time and money. The potatoes were sickly sweet, the sea bass was dry, the mash was tasteless, the duck rolls were dry AND tasteless, my drink was half Averna (why????). Our scallops came with three of the tiniest scallops I've ever seen in my life and they were tasteless. Not trying to sound snotty but my family and I love fine dining, our palates are wide, and...we don't understand this place at all. It's...it's bad. read more

Maybe the best restaurant on Martha's Vineyard. My wife and I have eaten there many many times over probably a decade, the food is consistent and the wine selection is good. Definitely the nicest people, delivering excellent service. It's in town but a little off the beaten path so the location might make it a little hard for newcomers to find, it's definitely worth the effort. read more

Soooo Delicious!! The tenderloin and braised short rib with celery root purée and asparagus.. perfection

Détente Restaurant was one of the places recommended by the Inn we were staying at. While walking around town, we found this restaurant hidden on a quiet street, Winter St. We made reservations for that night. Indoor and outdoor seating are available. For those that wished to eat outdoors, they had a canopy/ canvas covering to keep the rain out as the weather was a little inclement the week we visited the island. We opted for indoor dining. Lots of Wine options, only 4 drink cocktails and various beer options are available. We had a scallop appetizer followed by the main meal, Pork Chop for my husband and Crusted Cod fish for me. Both were excellent and the flavors, seasonings, and sauces were superb. This was one of the only restaurants on this island that served coffee which my husband appreciated. For dessert, we shared the chocolate torte that came with cherries and ice cream. Servers all wore masks. Excellent service by Miona. Nice quiet restaurant. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Ddetente has seriously delicious food in a lovely setting. This was easily the best meal we had on Martha's Vineyard.