18th Amendment was a fantastic choice for a memorable dinner while visiting the area with family. Our group included three senior citizens, a baby, and three adults, and we were looking for a legitimate dining experience - it is vacation, after all! I had walked past 18th Amendment earlier in the week and thought it looked worth checking out - just peering in the window, it had a great atmosphere and inviting vibe. When I requested an online reservation I received a prompt and friendly callback - and when we arrived the next night, they had a highchair set up and waiting for us. The cocktails were excellent. I don't mind paying almost city prices when drinks are thoughtfully crafted, balanced, and unique - these absolutely delivered. Our server was wonderful. We asked whether the chef could prepare something for the baby and she quickly returned with several options. Since it was his first birthday, we let him splurge and ordered a filet with risotto. The kitchen sent it out right away, which helped avoid an imminent pre-bedtime meltdown. Dad tax applied--the baby's dinner was delicious! The bartender even sent over a small mocktail for him to try - a thoughtful touch. Every entrée at the table was phenomenal and everyone cleaned their plates. The ingredients were fresh, the portions were generous, and the quality was evident throughout the meal. Great food paired with outstanding service made it easy to justify the price, which again, was not extraordinarily high, all things considered. I highly recommend 18th Amendment if you're looking for a dining experience that's a step above the ordinary. read more

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TL/DR: My friends and I made reservations here for a celebratory dinner, but we wouldn't recommend this place for anything other than grabbing a drink. Pros: -The cocktails were lovely, very inventive, and delicious. Loved that they used fresh local strawberries! -The appetizers were also creative and tasty. We got the chef eggs and the cremini mushrooms. However for the price the apps were tiny -My entree (the Pasture - souvlaki with Israeli couscous and cucumber salad) was delicious, well seasoned and balanced Cons: -Service was shockingly slow. We had a 7:30 reservation and didn't get our entrees until 9pm. For almost every element we ordered (bread service, apps, entrees) we had to follow up with the waitress to see what the ETA would be. She apologized several times, but a manager got defensive and said that there was only one chef. It was a Saturday night and there were only 2 other small tables in the place, and maybe 3 people at the bar, so no clear reason why everything was so slow. At these prices, especially in Penn Yan, you would expect better service. -Most of our party ordered the Bucher. I understand it can be tricky to plate 5 burgers at once, but for this price, you'd expect the burgers to not come out soggy on the bottom. With the fried egg, gravy, and melted cheese the burgers only had one texture (mushy) and a one-note, overly rich flavor. Really needs a fresh or acidic element to add textural contrast and cut through the fat. The fries lacked seasoning, we needed to add more salt. -There was a surprise $15 credit card charge, which was not posted on their website or menus. We only saw it when it appeared on the final bill. While credit card surcharges aren't unheard of, in NY state they need to be posted ahead of time. Legality aside, hitting customers with a surprise charge at an upscale place like this is honestly tacky. read more

18th Amendment - Strawberry caviar cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Penn Yan, New York

We dined here on a Wednesday evening in early August. The meal began auspiciously, the host moving things around so we did not have to sit at a high top. The free bread was warm and delicious. The brown butter Manhattan was on point. An amuse bouche arrived. We shared the "Eggs on Eggs" starter - deviled eggs topped with caviar and blinis. For $31, we received two eggs, each halved and topped with a blini and a small amount of indistinguishable caviar, with a bit of shredded lettuce. While tasty, neither the ingredients nor presentation justified the price tag. With the mains, I had a glass of Hector wine essence. That was also good. But the egg topped pork chop was chewy and also pricy at $39. The menu promised a hash, but it sat on top of fries. If memory serves, La Portena's crab dish, a special, was announced as a saute, but turned out to be crab cakes. These commanded a $43 price tag. This was a nice enough dish, but expensive for what it was. If you are sensing a theme here, I think the prices here are about 20% higher than they should be. Perhaps we came on an off night. Later that week, we ate at the Burnt Rose, under the same management, and had a better experience. read more

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We had a great dinner here tonight. The vibe is great- small but lots of character. The service was outstanding. Our server, Dave, gave some great recommendations. We enjoyed lots of wonderfully made cocktails: the banana old fashioned, brown butter manhattan, Date night martini, and the special margarita (strawberry jalapeño). Our food was also super tasty with great presentation and flavor. We got the duck and pork and shared the grilled romaine app. We like all ! The grilled romaine wasn't anything special, but was tasty. The duck was cooked perfectly and the pork had good flavor. Overall, a great experience and high level dining for the area! read more

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We were on vacation in Penn Yan so decided to try -8th Amendment. Had a lovely, well-paced meal with excellent service.

We had just an excellent meal and excellent service at the 18th amendment! I splurged and had the fillet and I'm so glad I did. Our server and the rest of the staff were outstanding! The chef prepares outstanding food! Next time we visit Penn Yan we will definitely be back! read more

Service was outstanding as was the food and cocktails. Innovative and delicious. A home run!!

What a terrific dinner I had with my wife at The 18th Amendment last night. After doing some research we decided on this restaurant. Oh boy am I so glad we chose this place. From the moment we walked in, throughout the dinner we were treated very well. Our server Dave or "Davio", was very knowledgeable about everything on the menu from the cocktails, the food selections and dessert. The smoked Backyard BBQ old fashioned with a mini hotdog and dill pickle was interestingly delicious. The brown butter bourbon manhattan was quite pleasantly different. The Nikolata Lebanese falafel and colossal Delmarva crab cocktail were great starters. But the Moroccan beef stew was just bursting with flavors and the filet mignon was grilled to a perfect medium rare. What a great experience it was to eat at this restaurant. Who would have thought one would find such Michelin style cuisine in a small town like Penn Yan NY. I just wish it was closer to home on Long Island. read more

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Excellent food and cocktails in a trendy setting. Well trained staff. Delicious gourmet fresh choices. Highly recommend this place.

I'm super excited to update this review. Since my initial review, 18th Amendment has been taken over by Rose & Chet from Burnt Rose Wine Bar located just a few steps away. They've created completely new food and cocktail programs that are absolutely marvelous and a wonderful edition to the Penn Yan culinary scene. We started off with a sampling of beautifully fried chicken in a spicy cream sauce, which was an excellent surprise to begin with. We then moved onto the duck sausage and crispy cremini. My wife and I absolutely love duck and I'm so glad that the natural flavor of the duck meat wasn't overpowered by the fennel and spice mixture, but rather, they worked harmoniously to amplify the other's flavors. Also, I have to give props for the honey roasted green beans, they were fantastic. The cremini were mind blowing and my new favorite way to eat mushrooms. You can't go wrong with frying goat cheese and garlic stuffed mushrooms, but the tomato coulis really made it next level. This light, thin tomato sauce added a nice freshness and flavor complexity, without making the dish too heavy for an appetizer. I highly recommend all of these dishes. For our mains entrées, I had the Water, which (if I remember correctly) was a salmon and my wife had the Ranch as a rare strip steak. My salmon was expertly cooked and seasoned, but what I really want to point out is this creamed corn type accompaniment and the fresh cherry tomatoes. This creamed corn was so tasty and never would I have thought to serve a great salmon over it, but it worked so outstandingly well and in combination with the super fresh and perfectly ripened cherry tomatoes, every bite was a sublime experience. To add onto this, my wife absolutely loved her steak and it was cooked perfectly rare for her, which is often something she has trouble finding in the FLX area. It's usually overcooked to medium rare, but this was excellent for her. It pains me to say, but I can't remember what we had for cocktails, but I do know that we enjoyed each one that we tried. Really, every single thing we tried was fantastic and this is definitely one of my top choices if you're visiting the area and looking for a more intimate and upscale option. This is surely a step in the right direction for our area's culinary renaissance. read more

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We tried to get a quick bite at the bar. The chef was rude, didn't acknowledge us and he was 3' away. Several servers were nearby talking and we had to get their attention. They told us they were too booked and couldn't accommodate us because of upcoming reservations. There were approximately 4 seated tables and 2 others at the bar when we were there. It seems they should try harder given the lower volumes in off seasons. Had they been gracious about it we may have tried again, but given the rude and uncaring behavior we will not be back. read more

We had a fantastic experience at 18th Amendment while visiting the area last weekend. We ended up going there twice for dinner. The first night Rose was bartending and she was amazing. So talented with the cocktails and proved is with information about the area. Absolutely delicious dinner both evenings. read more

Right in the heart of downtown Penn Yan, the interior is open and on a Friday at 6 pm the bar was filled with 6 people having dinner. The menu looked terrific - a great representation of different food, unique prep etc. The prices were high. There's nothing fancy here. After a full day of wine tasting, their beverage menu had a wonderful list of wines throughout the area. But no beer. And we were tired of wine. I felt weird to ask if they even had beer but they did. The server shared 2 IPA options. 2. We started with splitting the wedge salad - stay away! $15 for an iceberg wedge with very little of anything else on it and no seasoning. Yes, you know what a wedge salad is and this was not it. No salt and pepper on the table and a small paper napkin. NEWS ALERT: when you have entrees at $41 it would be a great investment to provide salt and pepper as well as cloth napkins. The cost is minimal and the impression so much better. My husband ordered the mixed grill which were 3 sausage with spaetzle and red cabbage. $41.00. I had the lamb burger $27.00 with soggy hand cut fries. Meh for both. Nothing was seasoned. In the meantime the place is filling up - it's Friday night 6:45 - still one server and she has to keep returning to the table for salt and pepper, new napkins you get it? And groups of 6 and 4 are pouring in. Started getting slower and slower........... I was hoping for a great experience so when we asked for dessert - wait for it....... they had a pumpkin something - that was it? Yup. The icing on the cake was the coffee was AWFUL. Really. We spent close to $200 for that experience. Read the 5/7/23 by Jeff and you'll see it models his experience. Yes we felt actually angry about it. Before the owners buy another restaurant I suggest they may want to focus on the details of what makes people come back - seasoning, taste, value, and customer service. read more

Sorry for the epic saga, but the longer this goes, the more annoyed I get... I came here a month or so ago, it was a group of 4 adult females and a baby. By the time they were able to fit us in, there were only one or two other tables in the restaurant that were seated. We started with a round of drinks, ordered an appetizer, and then our food. Everything was fine until the waitress came back and asked us if we wanted another round of drinks. Sure, we of course take a moment going through the drink menu to figure out what we all want. Waitress seems to be laughing along and chatting with us. Waitress takes order and leaves. Waitress then comes back about 5 minutes later, singles out one of the females in the group and says that she can't serve her anymore. We were all shocked. When we asked why, she said she wasn't sure and would have to ask her manger and when we asked her to find out she then said another table complained. There was only one other table still seated in the restaurant and it was 8 people. At this point, I could also see an individual who I can only assume was the spineless manager attempting to sneak away. We were so turned off, we asked to get our food to go, cancel the drinks and got out of there as fast as we could. Believe me, we can be loud, but we were literally there for dinner WITH A BABY. This wasn't a rager or anything. No one was falling over, spilling, yelling, vomiting (except maybe the baby), etc. So, I emailed the restaurant through the contact section on their own website, asking for some clarification as to what had happened. I wasn't going to put a place on blast if I had missed something and there was some legit reason. But here we are a month later and no one has ever bothered to reach out. We literally just wanted some answers. But now, since this place handled themselves so freaking poorly that night and then couldn't be bothered to respond to a question, I have no patience left. We have a lot of friends that take weekend trips to the area, and I make sure to tell them to avoid this place at all costs now. I can't even tell you if the food was actually good, because it was cold by the time we got home, and ate. read more

I was visiting a friend in town and we went to dinner here. I own a couple of restaurants, so I know everything about cooking and service. This place was incredible. Had the salmon stack, grilled Cesar, and the pork shank, my buddy had the chicken with peanut sauce. All of the food was excellent and next time I am in town definitely stop here or the owners other spot which would is the Burnt Rose Wine Bar. This owner, the chef, and their team do a tremendous job! read more

A huge pleasure! Delicious cocktails and transcendent food in a welcoming space with expert staff. read more

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The drinks were good, the service was good. The music was good. The lights were way too bright that it almost felt like a cafeteria, making us want to leave sooner than we would've had the lighting been better. read more

The good? Ambiance and interior are very modern and tastefully appointed. Natural brick inside gives it a very cozy high end feel. Unfortunately this is the only positive of this place. We will be straightforward and honest about the service- it's terrible. Their lackluster service is attributed to the fact that they only have one server and one bartender. The server plays hostess, waitress, bus boy and handles everything else on the floor which requires multiple people to run efficiently. This is extremely inadequate and leads to a terrible dining experience. Over 20 minutes to show up to take a drink order? Another 20+ minutes to make and deliver said drinks? I understand fine cocktails take time to create but 20-30 minutes is simply unacceptable at $15 a drink. The food is mediocre at very best, and that's being generous. Portions are consistent with child-size. Taste is non-existent. I'm convinced there is not a single pinch of any sort of seasoning in that kitchen. Bland, shapeless, and disappointing is best way to describe the food. We also overheard the 4 top next to us describing their dissatisfaction with the food. They need to focus less on presentation and more on taste + satisfaction of the cuisine. The drinks were good. Not great, but good. We ordered an old fashioned that took over a half an hour to make and deliver. The oh-bee-hive had a refreshing citrusy spring taste to it. All in all, I would not recommend. This was quite possibly the worst $200 I have ever spent and frankly I felt robbed and cheated as I walked out. I have absolutely no doubt this place will be closed within the next year or two. High prices and low quality is not a sustainable business model. read more

Seeing 5 stars I was skeptical, but this is the best restaurant I have been to in a while. What a find. The bartender was amazing, curating his own drink specials and just having an entertaining time with us at the bar. The vibe was fun, local and interesting. The food fantastic, fresh and interesting. Great wine selection, not large, but very good. I cannot say enough. Keep the good time rolling! read more

18th Amendment - Awesome local rye whiskey only found at 18th Amendment. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Penn Yan, New York

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Great menu, great food, fantastic service. Menu changes around the season. Menu isn't large, but has a ton of variety.

As a passionate supporter of small businesses, I regret that I have to leave this review. Several weeks ago my best friend from high school and I were celebrating her 50th birthday. I was excited to bring her to 18th Amendment based on my prior experience in January 2024. During that first visit, my husband and I had the pleasure of being served by the owner since it was a slower time of year. We had great conversation with her as she told us her story, that she was from California and eager to be a contributor to her new community. All of the syrups used in the carefully crafted drink menu were homemade. We were so appreciative of the hospitality we received, I was eager to share this experience with my friend. We did not have reservations but since the restaurant was empty when we arrived, we were quickly seated at the bar. Our bartender was a very young girl who was being trained. Not long afterwards, a young man who was the head bartender took over. We had a lovely conversation where he shared that he had changed careers this year after spending 8 years in construction. As we slowly drank a glass of wine, and it had been 40 minutes since we placed our food order, the bartender asked my friend (who's glass was now empty) if she wanted another glass of wine, and she said yes. The food arrived and the bartender returned with a bottle of the wine she was drinking. As he poured her 2nd glass, he said "after this you're cut off". He laughed as he made the comment so at first we thought he was joking. After all, he was just laughing and joking with us. But, he was actually serious. My friend and I were shocked. I will admit, my friend and I have been compared to a couple of laughing hyenas since we were 13 years old. We're naturally loud. We were not inebriated. We had just spent our day taking back roads to Penn Yan and admittedly went to 2 wineries in a 5 hour period. We were walking from our hotel to dinner. If we appeared to be intoxicated, we shouldn't have been served in the first place. The more my friend thought about what was said, the more upset she became. She asked to speak to the manager. When the manager/owner finally came out, she was rude and indignant. My friend walked outside, leaving me inside to pay. I was told by the owner that she has a very strict policy about over-serving a customer. Whereas I respect a policy about over-serving, the delivery of the message can be handled differently. If the bartender who felt comfortable sharing details about his personal life in conversation thought either of us appeared intoxicated, YOU DON'T OFFER THAT PERSON ANOTHER DRINK! And to the owner, your demeanor was so off-putting. If you have CCTV cameras, maybe you should review the footage and see for yourself if a person appears to be enjoying an evening with their friend of 30+ years or demonstrating signs of intoxication. Your 26 year old head bartender, who has only worked in the industry for less than a year, may need more time and training in order to demonstrate mastery of the DRAM Shop guidelines that you would like your staff to adhere to. read more

LOVE, LOVE THE FOOD AND COCKTAILS HERE!! I enjoyed the Mixed grill w/ scallops everything was very delicious! My husband had the pork dish and enjoyed it very much. The cocktails are a specialty and were fun and flavorful!! We have reservations again next week I would definitely add to to your rotation of Penn Yan restaurants!! And stop over before or after to Burnt Rose for a glass of wine to start or end the evening...... read more

Save your money and go somewhere else. A 1 hour wait for our food. There were only 3 tables occupied. Shrimp scampi was totally tasteless. Offered free drink for long wait, but drink never came. read more

Visiting Penn Yan for the 4th of July weekend and stumbled upon this place near our hotel. So happy we did!!! The drinks were TERRIFIC and the staff is so warm and welcoming!! I had the amaretto sour cocktail and my fiancé had the negroni- both could not have been happier! A MUST visit! read more

18th Amendment - Amaretto Sour and Negroni - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Penn Yan, New York

First and foremost, the service was amazing. We were greeted immediately and the waitress was really pleasant and helpful. I ordered the Shrimp Po' Boy and wasn't disappointed. Manhattan tasted great with quality cherries. Owner checked in with us on the way out to ask us about our meal; a good sign that he cares about his customers and their experience in his restaurant. We will be back. read more

We were in the area visiting our son in college and ate here twice. We live in Florida and have been to some wonderful restaurants here and abroad and I can tell you the food and service here are amazing. The chef is creative and the duck he prepared was the best I have had. The cocktails and the staff are top notch as well. This place could compete with any 5 star restaurant in the country and the people working there are warm friendly and inviting. If you are in the area a must stop. read more

Loved everything about this place ! Nick at the bar made two amazing cocktails and was very entertaining to watch and made us feel very much at home! Rose brought out our wonderful fried green tomatoes appetizer a short time later. My husband got the mixed grill special and I ordered the crab deviled eggs (on appetizer menu) and snuck a few bites from my husband's plate!! We enjoyed interesting conversation with a couple eating at the bar with us and Nick. It was a fun place with nice decor and great people ! read more

Visiting Penn Yan to attend a wedding this weekend and stopped into this lovely establishment for a solo dinner at the bar. From the hostess to the two gentlemen mixologists behind the bar, the service was gracious and very friendly. I had the amazing cheeseburger, sauce on the side. I only indulge in red meat rarely, but this burger was truly worthy. Caramelized onions...be still my heart! Piping hot hand cut fries...yeah! This is a high end/foodie/mixology destination, but it can deliver a burger too! Be kind to the staff! They are doing their best to manage demand with the kitchen. I appreciate you all, 18th Amendment!! read more

Our fave restaurant in the Finger Lakes and frankly it's as good as most restaurants we have been to in wine regions throughout the US. The effort and creativity here is highly differentiated from most everywhere else. In addition, all done at a small-mid price upgrade from the other well known Penn Yan and Geneva hot spots. The staff is well trained and the Chef is approachable and very gifted for our taste. The building is done up perfectly to create a great experience right in the Village of Penn Yan. Just perfect! read more

Wow! great cocktails, local wine, beer and spirits, great atmosphere, great service and great food! this place has it all. You will not be disappointed here! read more

Blown away! Visiting from out of state (NJ right outside of Manhattan) and was not expecting the food to be this good. The wild boar sausage was out of control, so lean and delicious and I love sausage! The grilled salad was so tasty and a beautiful accompaniment to the rich dishes. The crab cakes were so fresh with not much filler and the best part of the evening was the chocolate hazelnut pannacotta (special desert). Everything is farm to table fresh and the cocktails were great as well. Do yourself a favor and check this place out, you won't be disappointed! read more

We were visiting Penn Yan tonight and decided to go to 18th Amendment. The staff were all so friendly and welcoming. The restaurant offers a solid menu of new America fare: burgers, flatbreads, etc and the drink menu features great wines, beers, and the cocktails looked delicious. The vibe is fun and there was fantastic live music. Definitely the place to be in PY if you're a local or visiting, all are welcomed! 10 out of 10! read more

Great service and cocktails, eager to please, awesome ambience. All local liquor, wine, and beer is a cool touch, and the food menu is really creative. read more

18th Amendment - Cocktail Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Penn Yan, New York

We had an excellent meal at 18th Amendment! We started with a round of delicious cocktails. Some of them were riffs on classic cocktails, but were unique enough to feel fresh and new. We loved our entrees. We had the pork chop, the lamb meat loaf, and crab cakes. Each of the dishes was amazing, and the sides really complimented the main courses. The desert was also fantastic! It amazed us that the restaurant wasn't packed. We were lucky it was a rainy night and we were able to get a table. We wish them much, well earned, success! read more

Had an amazing experience tonight. Wonderful food, nice ambiance in historic building, fabulous wine & cocktail menu and the most personable and attentive staff ever. (And yes, we took the time to make a reservation and not just show up & get snarky when we got turned away) read more

We arrived at 6:30 on a Saturday to a visibly half full restaurant and asked for a table for 2. We were told that they were unable to accommodate us and they didn't even provide a wait time. We gladly spent our money elsewhere on some delicious Italian food. read more

Really great food and drinks. The Cremini mushrooms were probably the surprise hit, and the lamb "meatloaf" (in quotes because it was much more like a fancy kofta) was fantastic. They also had some healthy options for the kids, which can sometimes be a challenge when on vacation (which we were). Service was good, but they're still working some kinks out (isn't everyone) and I'd probably skip desert and order another drink next time! read more

Awesome ! Best place for dinner in Penn Yan. Professional chef and bartender. Great facility, great service and food. Custom cocktails and great wine list. Top notch !!! Fresh menu that changes but something for everyone. If you are in or visiting PY this is a must for dinner read more

Really good food, nice atmosphere and friendly, helpful staff. Penn Yan is quickly becoming a food destination. Will be back to 18th Amendment again! read more

A really great little find in Penn Yan. Creative food, fresh and locally sourced. Super drink menu with New York wines as well as many others. Owners were friendly and interesting. The lamb meatloaf was super. read more