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The Sardine Factory
Good-for-Kids Rating
BabiesToddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
American
French
Seafood
Family Dining
Reservations
Fine Dining
The Sardine Factory Description
"Now I get why this place is so famous!" my 16-year-old said with a laugh as we exited The Sardine Factory, after what I can only describe as the most sumptuous meal we've ever experienced. The food was so amazing that my normally picky-eater teens were tempted to try every new delicacy, from abalone bisque — served at the White House for Ronald Reagan's inauguration — to miniature lamb chops with truffle sauce, to a crab and prawn cocktail. We left with a week's worth of stories: the ceiling-high flames on my Flaming Sardine (a galliano-based cocktail), the between-course sorbet served in swans carved out of ice, the wine cellar with a personal locker for Clint Eastwood. The staff members treat you with an old-world graciousiousness that today's kids have almost no experience with. As we waved goodbye, the staff felt like the best kind of uncles — the kind you want to visit with again and again.
Planning Notes
- Reserve online.Reservations, which are important, especially on weekends, are made through Open Table.
- Location, location, location. Ask to sit in the greenhouse-like atrium in the summer; if it's coldm choose the Captain's Room, where a fire roars in the 19th-century fireplace.
Just the Facts
Hours: Dinner: Sunday through Thursday 5-9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5-10 p.m. Cocktails daily 5 p.m. to midnight.
Fees: Pricey
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