Commack Restaurants

With its warm atmosphere and exceptional service, it's easy to understand why The Garden Grill is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Housed in a 120-year-old Victorian country inn, the family-owned restaurant is romantically decorated with ornate moldings, floral accents, and antique furnishings that make you feel as though you've stepped back in time.

While the décor is reminiscent of a more gilded era, the young, attentive staff and gourmet fare quickly bring you back to the present. The extensive menu at The Garden Grill features a wide variety of steaks, seafood, and pasta. The sunflower-seeded bread and sun dried tomato butter were a pleasant surprise, as was the fresh garden salad that accompanies each entrée on the menu.

To start, we ordered coconut shrimp and Prince Edward Island mussels as appetizers. The crispy fried, coconut crusted jumbo shrimp were outstanding; they arrived tossed with baby greens and pecans and drizzled in a mandarin orange ginger dressing. The mussels were sautéed in a light lemon butter white wine sauce and topped with toasted breadcrumbs. The delicious sauce was savored long after the mussels were eaten, as we dipped bread in it throughout our meal.

The considerable menu made it difficult to decide on an entrée, but we finally chose the filet mignon au poivre and the broiled seafood platter. The tender and juicy filet mignon was lightly peppered and marinated in a peppercorn sauce, and was accompanied by sautéed broccoli rabe and garlic mashed potatoes. The plentiful seafood platter consisted of jumbo shrimp, sea scallops, stuffed flounder, lobster tail and overstuffed baked clams in a light white wine butter sauce, served with saffron infused rice. I regret that I'm unable to report on the restaurant's desserts as we were too full to dare eat another bite, but I can say that the dessert menu looked very appetizing.

The Garden Grill also specializes in catered events both on and off premises. I can personally attest to their on-premises party hosting, as I have had the pleasure of attending 60th birthday, christening, and communion parties there. The Sunday brunch buffet is exceptional; I don't believe I've enjoyed a buffet at another restaurant or catered event quite as much as I did the brunch buffet at Garden Grill.

Whether you're planning a romantic dinner for two, a festive meal with friends, or a catered family event, I recommend you check out The Garden Grill. You can enjoy a complete lunch for between $20-30pp and dinner for between $40-60pp. Reservations are recommended for Friday and Saturday evenings.