Nantucket is a small island but large in the number of excellent and very good restaurants. In fact many who vacation on-island come here especially for fine dining. Which is why The Pearl - with a reputation of being among the best of the best, is significant. First, let's be clear here. This is fine dining: linens on the tables, water from bottles not the tap, and curious and elaborate preparations of sometimes esoteric ingredients into amazing and surprising dishes steeped in traditional French country cooking. We started with the tuna martini, sushi grade tuna, lightly marinated and served up in a martini glass with creme fraiche, and a green salad which was locally-sourced, in a sesame-influenced light dressing. Craning our necks to look at the table next to us, the pork pot-stickers looked and smelled divine and did not last long enough on our neighbor's plate for me to do the starving, hungry dog begging routine (not that I would have, anyway). Large plates for us were Halibut for me and Duck for my wife, which we traded back and forth, both of which were excellent; the duck being nicely trimmed and lean, the halibut, beautiful, white and perfectly prepared. The wine list was quite extensive and rather French in origin, with my dining companion choosing a Sauvignon Blanc that she enjoyed, and me choosing un verre de l'eau. Forget trying to get out for under a c-note here, it's not going to happen, so only come to The Pearl if you can afford the island's best, and if you can afford it you'll not be disappointed. N.B.:Make a reservation well in advance of your planned dining experience, especially in July and August. Consider making your reservation before you even arrive on Nantucket and savor the anticipation. read more

A really awesome meal last night at Pearl. This place really gets it right. Staff was attentive, our server described the dished beautifully. It is expensive, with out a doubt, but if you are looking for "The Good Stuff", prepared in an imaginative way with terrific creativity... it is at Pearl. read more

By far the coolest place to have a drink on the whole island! The tuna martini was incredible and the wok fried lobster is one of a kind! Definitely a must on Nantucket! read more

Overrated and overpriced. Keep drinking in Nantucket and the food will eventually taste better wherever you go...

Brilliant cuisine, fantastic wine pairings, cool atmosphere, and friendly and attentive service. The tuna tartare appetizer and wok fried lobster did not disappoint. Certainly not the least expensive meal I've ever eaten, but definitely a standout dining experience. read more

Do not miss The Pearl when you visit Nantucket. The food is out of this world and the wine list is endless and priced right. I avoided the place (even with fabulous reviews) because I thought it was a sushi restaurant. I was so wrong. We had duck wraps with hoisin, steak and of course the lobster lo mien. Out of this world!! read more

Elegant, trendy and somehow reflecting the beauty and ambiance of the Island itself, the Pearl is aptly named. An all white dining room with beautiful aquariums, art, white table cloths, hip music and perfect lighting, the scene is set for fabulous coastal cuisine cooked with the freshest ingredients and a unique flair I would describe as an impossible cross between classic french and California nouvelle. The chef's fresh vegetable plate is local produce cooked to perfection then immediately immersed in a cold water bath so the carrots, beets, etc. taste the pure essence of the vegetable. The wok fried lobster with lo mein noodles was so good (if not pricey at $58) I don't know when I have had a better seafood entree. The BBQ tenderloin with a cilantro ponzu dipping sauce was succulent and delicious. First rate cocktails and an excellent wine list. You will not find better on the Island or in New York City for that matter. Bring your wallet. read more

Excellent meal!!!!! Top quality, service and so creative!!!! Thanks for accommodating gluten free without any sacrifices!!!!

Just horrible. We waited two hours for our dinner and it was cold. Way overpriced!! Never again.

good food, prime location, too crowded seating/ventilation, questionable service, expensive....but a better value than the other premier restaurants on the island. read more

Sooo overrated! The service was terrible... We waited 10 minutes for someone to bring us water and additional time for someone to take our drink order. Not to mention I think the chef is a little high maintenance because the waiter informed us he was not allowed to take partial orders (meaning order apps then come back to order dinner) which I felt was extremely rude! The food was good. The prices were reasonable. The atmosphere was just so/so it was extremely loud and just an overall disappointment. What is so concerning is this was not even considered a busy weekend for the island... read more

After 2 hours of waiting we still haven't had a answer if our food is coming. I would never come back to this restaurant again. Single handily ruining my birthday dinner. read more

Not impressed. If you order the Wok Lobster entree at over $50.00 they give you a big bowl of pasta and then the lobster is still in the shell. With a brand new dress on I was not about to use the lobster crackers and table the lobster and then get my hands all greasy and food on them, use my napkin and then stain my new dress, so I had to leave the lobster behind which was a shame. Overall, I thought the whole experience was just ok. read more

Food was quite good. Highly recommend the lobster rangoon and lobster entree. What brought this down from 4 stars to 3 stars for me was the service at this price point. At this level, I expect the entire experience to be fairly flawless and there was a huge delay between appetizers and entree (45 min) which made it distinctly less enjoyable. Perhaps it was what we ordered or just our server as the table next to us came and left before we had even been served our desserts. I would eat here again -- it was good -- but not the incredible overall experience that I was hoping for. read more

Delicious. Went there in June and this restaurant lives up to it's hipe. I had the wok fried lobster which is a must try. Being in Nantucket, I tried the lobster everywhere I went and this one sure was unique. Also had the calamari appetizer which was great. Service was good. They have half bottles of wine which is a plus. Great place! I would go back in a heartbeat. The indie music in the back ground was a nice surprise. read more

My favorite restaurant on Nantucket. There's nothing else like it on the island and the menu and quality of food is very high quality. The ambiance is both relaxed but hip and trendy. I don't eat meat or fish anymore but they were more than able to create a whole dish on the spot (and not just with vegetables). The cocktails are the best on Nantucket. My favorite are the secret recipe cosmo and "moon-shine". It's possible to get last minute reservations on the wait list. I sat here next to John Kerry once. read more

I went here for dinner on a Friday night. The food and service were okay but I expect more from such a dressy and sophisticated atmosphere. I chose this place based on reviews and I wasn't impressed. read more

Have eaten at the Pearl many times over the years and had found it to be one of Nantucket's best. Unfortunately on our recent visit we were very disappointed. The service was indifferent and not up to the standards of a restaurant in its price class. Share plates were served without serving utensils, no bread offered, portions were skimpy and the plates were not well presented. We found it to be a shadow of its former self. read more

Great food. I loved the food combinations and the service was great! We got a great desert whisky ( never tried one of those ) that got us ready for the next step.... The bar! It's a bit small and can get crowded but in Nantucket vibes it was Cousy and great! We'll definitely come back here next time we're in Nantucket. read more

After much research and menu reviews we decided to go to Pearl and we are glad we did. The space was interesting and not what you would expect in Nantauket, and that was part of the appeal. The service was excellent from the moment we walked in, very attentive without being in the way. Nice deep wine list, and service, with reasonable priced selections. For dinner my wife opted for the $65.00 Pre Fiex menu. Which consisted of Ahi Tuna tartar with creme fraiche with roe and ginger, beef a manago salad and lobster with house made lo mein. I had the 60 second steak with foir and truffle emulsion topped with a qauil egg, and Miso glazed black cod. Everything was perfectly prepared and the flavor profiles were amazing. While the meal was not cheap ($250 for 2 with a bottle of wine) it was well worth it. It is a meal that I will remember and strongly recommned that anyone that loves food should plan on a visit. read more

Generally good food but way overpriced. If you like this type of Asian fusion you are much better off going to Nautilus which had better dishes overall and bit less expensive in a more relaxed (although more rushed) atmosphere. read more

We had a meal here for restuarant week. To be honest it was only my 2nd time eating here. Food was great! The tuna martini, so fresh and flavors were melt in your mouth. The scallop entree was also VERY VERY good. The low stars come from service. our waiter, (looks like Kramer from Fraizer) was extremely rude. One member of our group commented that she felt like a 5 year old after he spoke to her. After spending a LARGE amount of money here on dinner and wine with our group, we were immediately handed our check, even though we were finishing dessert and coffee cocktails and then our coats. If it was after closing or a need for the table for another seating we would understand, but it was 10:30. , there were plenty of empty tables, the bar was packed and people around us were just starting their entrees. Food was great, but for the price, the service is better at stubbys. read more

The absolute best of Nantucket! Would give it 10 stars if I could! Wait staff is superb and the bartenders are fantastic! They provide a great atmosphere for adults (wouldn't take kids there). I love the 60 second steak and the pot stickers, my husband loves the wok fried lobster and the lobster Rangoon! Exceptional food every time, never disappoints! read more

Warning: pork ramen is BORING!!!!! Why does this place feel like the 80's? Felt like I should be sneaking off to the bathroom to do a line. Yikes. Update the decor! For all the hype I was pretty underwhelmed. End of season, slow night, but still, felt like this was probably a hot, trendy place about 10 years ago and now they're just coasting. So the ramen, totally one-note. I mean, Top Ramen has more kick than this dish. The table next to us were friends of the chef's and they were getting the royal treatment, so our so-so dinner really felt like cold-shoulder cooking. Nothing really rocked our world. The ceviche martini thing, whatever. Maybe its from living in CA where we have some pretty mindblowing sushi in the crummiest little strip malls...one extra star for a really swell bartender where we hung out a bit before and after. For the money, there should be a bit more "wow" on the menu. read more

My husband and I went here for our Anniversary dinner a couple of weeks ago. We ordered a few appetizers and split an entree, which was mainly because we wanted to save room for dessert and drinks later on in the evening. They happily accomodated our request. Two of the three appetizers were very good (lobster rangoon and some dumplings) and one tasted good but was probably the tiniest portion we have ever seen (salmon sashimi). We had fried wok lobster for the entree and that was outstanding. Our cocktails were just ok - definitely should have gone with the wine list! We did split a fantastic dessert, since it looked so good (we were not disappointed - sorry, can't recall the name, but it had coconut in it). The staff was friendly and efficient and we had a nice quiet two seater table. They are not near the water and there is no good outside view of any kind, but the overall atmosphere is nice. The bill was $240. We were happy with the experience, but probably would not go out of our way to go back. read more