Great food and great atmosphere. One of my favorite places to eat and drink. Highly recommended

I considered two stars, but had to be honest to myself and other Irishmen that may read this. I'll save the most egregious error for last. We were seated within 5 minutes, dining at 6:45PM on a weekday. I note the time as it is germane to the review. We also observed there were only 4 occupied tables, three were finished with dinner, the fourth, a couple, were just served. Three waitstaff. Once seated, our waitress appeared within a minute, the wife ordered a Pinot Noir and I, of course, a Guinness. Both delivered in seconds. We immediately ordered dinner. Bangers and mash for her, cottage pie for me. The cottage pie was piping hot, but the bangers and mash were lukewarm. There were 5 sausages, but the size of little breakfast sausages. A first, but they tasted authentic, despite the tepidness. The cottage pie. Menu-described as "...stewed beef with peas, carrots and onions...". I found no carrots, but did find quite a bit of corn. While the corn threw me, it could not account for the odd flavor of the dish. It was, well, off-bland? I mean Irish food is notoriously bland, but this was just, well, off-flavor? I can't really describe it, but it did not at all taste like the ingredients portrayed or expected. I would be guessing, but I don't think it was fresh, evidenced by the lack of carrots, as they likely disintegrated. There was ample beef bits, but the absence of internal "rich brown gravy" made it curiously dry. I did poke around looking for carrots or onion bits, but found none. The peas and corn were all that I found. Along with a very peculiar woody stem that was about three inches long. I put the stem on a small, clean app plate which the waitress took away without mention. I expected a mention of it, but.... The mystery stem is what caused me to abandon all hope and share my wifes plate of bangers and mash. Dinner was over in 45 minutes. We honestly felt like we were getting the "bums' rush", as the waitresses were hurriedly cleaning tables for the close of the evening (I told you the dining time was pertinent). No one asked how was everything. Had they, I'd have told them instead of telling Yelp. Now the reason for the one-star and not two. As any Guinness purist knows, it takes two pours to properly present the perfect brew. The normal process involves a wait of 90 seconds for the second top-off, as the nitrogen cascade takes that long. Without exaggeration, my Guinness was before me well within a minute: It was still cascading fresh from pour one. I suppose this can be excused in an Applebees, but in an authentic Irish pub that boasts Guinness inside and outside (look at the bars pictures), it's a fail. I was so very disappointed. It would have been worth driving the extra hour to Colemans in Syracuse. The real deal. read more

First time in Cobleskill, and in town for the college, so felt I should check this place out because it has good reviews on here. It was pretty great. Amazing food, amazing atmosphere, and amazing service! Try the Irish Stew! read more

Went here with my parents today. They both got the fish and chips and I ordered mozz. sticks with a side salad. Can you tell we're Catholics, during Lent? Anyway, everything was really really good. The fish came as 2 big pieces(they both brought their 2nd piece home for dinner) and the mozz. sticks were crispy. We had a great waitress, Dominique. She seemed proud of the restaurant and bragged about how great it is and how much the ownership plans to put in it. I walked around and also noticed a cool back room with pool tables, darts and some lounging areas. I can picture coming here with my wife and friends for a beer and pool. read more

Don't miss this place! Looks feels and tastes like a trad Irish pub! Friendly and competent service. Food was excellent! Love the atmosphere! read more

It's a great place. We really enjoyed it. Loved the Irish beer. Cobleskill is quaint.

Hamburgers were excellent, the atmosphere and service were very good. The menu could be a little mor extensive.

To be fair, I'm not a person who usually goes to pubs as my first choice to a meal, but WOW I loved it! The staff was super sweet and the food came out super quick after ordered. I ordered the mozzarella burger (with marinara on the side) and it was delicious! I don't normally get cheese on my burgers but it was very tasty. Perfect spot for parties or just going on a date night with someone! Good music, the interior was nice and everything looked and tasted great! Will definitely be stopping by next time my parents are in town! read more

Chieftans Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Cobleskill, New York

Visited tonight on our last night of vacation. Was greeted immediately by a bubbly & beautiful woman who seated us right away. Drinks and food were inexpensive and delicious. We sat on the patio which was beautiful and the seats were so comfortable. The cottage pie was fantastic! So was the Turkey sandwich! read more

This is a great place. We met up with family here before heading to Howe Cavern. The fare is that an Irish pub and it is quite good. There is also a good beer selection. The bartender was the only person working front of house when we were there, but he took care of everything very well. It was a nice surprise to find this place. read more

Unless you like to play the hit or miss game I'll be avoiding Chieftans in the future. Since my first review I've been in a couple times and have gotten the Rueben sandwich both times and it was really good. Perfect chunks of meat, not too much dressing, not too much sauerkraut - easy to eat with flavor. So we have family visit a couple weekends ago and they want to go out to eat. So we head to chieftains. You would expect on a weekend night the kitchen would be well put together....... umm, nope. I got the Rueben, absolutely terrible. The meat was more shaved looking than how it's been put together before. Large parts of meat were sticking out of the side of the sandwich and were over broiled/heated up and were too tough to eat. When the kitchen put it on the plate you could see it wasn't going to be good. Oh well, out the kitchen it went anyway. One family member got one of the more expensive steak options. As soon as it was put in front of them I could see it was a crappy cut. They spent more time cutting it up to find edible meat than eating, it had almost no flavor, and the vegetables that came on the side were mushier than anything I've ever seen at a restaurant. Overall, everybody's meal was the same disaster. Very doubtful I'll go back again, hard to justify dropping ~$100 on a meal that had no redeeming qualities and was embarrassing to bring families members to. read more

If you are planning a trip to Cobleskill New York you must stop in Chieftains restaurant bar and grill I stop in for the first time the Reuben sandwiches were delicious I love the atmosphere of the place and the food is good the staff are friendly and I love the size of the bar they even have a bathroom with pool tables so if you are planning a trip to Cobleskill New York you must stop in read more

See all

First of all, the street is being worked on & the parking lot is a mess. I hope the parking lot is paved once all the street work is done. We ordered a rueban sandwich & cottage pie. I figured the rueban would be awesome. After all this is an Irish pub, right? It was dry (probably from being over cooked), had hardly any sauercraut, or dressing. I've had better ruebans from Arby's. My fiance said the cottage pie was good but he thought the brown gravy was just that, not Guinness gravy. Overall meh. read more

I was out in Cobleskill giving a lecture, and being hosted by a local: no way would I have found my way here unprompted. And that would have been a real shame. I confess that my first impression generated low expectations: almost completely empty (albeit at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday), generic fake-Irish pub decor, and an apparent typo even in the spelling of 'Chieftain.' That last is incorrect - it was forced by a conflict with another local business, apparently. So how did they convert me? Details. House-made complex, balanced balsamic vinaigrette. Coffee worth drinking. Mashed potatoes that were well-seasoned, buttery, and with perfect texture. A kitchen capable of sending out a steak perfectly-cooked to order and that uses high-quality steak. Onion rings made by hand and with care. So: not a single thing flashy, but simple goals perfectly executed and a strong sense of a pub that actually cares how their food tastes. Serious kudos, guys. read more

Excellent food. We were worried at first because of the "pub factor" but found that this place was surprisingly kid friendly. Four adults and two kids, every one of us raved about the food. Great place to eat. read more

Chieftans Restaurant & Bar - Fowl burger with side of fries. - New American Near Me - Cobleskill, New York

Wonderful takeout. Enjoyed the soup, steak and salad easy to order, prepared on time.

What a beautiful place! The woodwork, artwork, craftsmanship, glasswork, etc. it's all amazing. The bar is HUGE! The beer selection is great - they had Stella hard cider (don't remember the official name, my apologies) - but I've never seen it anywhere before and it was so good. The liquor selection is abundant and the variety is great. There is also wine, though I didn't get a good look at the choices, though I saw there were several. The food was crazy good and the presentation was fantastic. The portions were awesome! I ate half my burger and was more than stuffed. But of corse kept room for dessert! I had the apple tart...something, and it was heavenly good. The bathrooms were beautiful - I don't usually mention anything about that, because a bathroom is a bathroom. They smelled nice, they were well kept and different then any I've seen. read more

Stopped in for lunch. Nice place. Nice folks. Great fries, sammy, and fish & chips. Decent beer selection. read more

My family stopped here for a quick lunch that was anything but quick! The food was decent but the service lacked a lot of attention. We were here for about an hour and a half when it really should have taken about 45 minutes. We pretty much all ordered salads and she even forgot to put in our soup order. They also had not decided on their soup of the day yet so that was not even an option for me to order! If you are looking for a quick meal then pass on this place! read more

If you're here for Howes cavern s and you're looking for a good place to eat loom no further! Staff was warm and welcoming, menu was small enough not to be overwhelming but varied enough to offer something for everyone. Daily specials, good beer, awesome burgers. Definitely worth the $$ read more

Chieftans Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Cobleskill, New York

Food was great!! We ordered the onion rings for our appetizer and then had Chicken Caesar & Buffalo Chicken wraps with the fries for lunch. The restaurant appeared to be very clean and the atmosphere was very nice. Overall it is a Nice restaurant and we will definitely come back. read more

Food is pretty good and the location is very convenient with an additional parking lot around the side. Good selection of menu choices with plenty of variety. Everyone in our party found something satisfying, regardless of dietary restrictions. Either the wait staff was new or just didn't think to tell us about the splitting the check rule. Make sure you tell them before you order. Even with a large party, it wasn't an obvious question our waitress thought to ask us. They do have an atm in the back, but knowing what I know about small businesses- it would be a clever trick to pull the splitting check business just to get people to use the atm you own and then profit off the fees charged. But I'm sure that's not the case here. read more

We just had lunch here for the first time. We were greeted warmly and seated immediately. The place is beautiful! I had the soup special which was cabbage and bacon. Warning! The soup bowls are huge! For lunch I had the Bangers and Mash and my wife had the Fish and Chips. Both were very good. read more

Chieftans Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Cobleskill, New York

I had been craving a burger for a couple weeks and fast food wouldn't cut it. After reading a bunch of great reviews for Chieftains, I decided to give it a try. The place was empty at 3 on Thursday, but that didn't stop the owner from getting my food quickly. The Triple Bacon Cheese Burger was the ultimate. Perfectly cooked, nice and juicy, the cheddar was a nice medium-sharp and the Applewood bacon was nice and crispy. Accompanying the burger were two handfuls of fresh hand cut fries lightly fried and sprinkled with salt, the kind you don't need ketchup. And to top it off a nice big dill spear. Was the perfect meal, definitely satisfied my craving, and I will be back for another read more

Found this place on Yelp. Walked in and it was almost empty. But it was 7pm on a Sunday. The waitress was very personable. When our food arrived OMG!!!! The best Irish food I have had. I travel and eat at a lot of pubs when I can and this place has s by far the best. I had the Banngers and Mash and this place serves 5 instead of the traditional 3. My son had the Cottage pie and he was in pure heaven. My wife and daughter had the fish and chips both said some of the best. I talked with the waitress and the are expanding. When we come back up this way it will be the place we always will eat. read more

Great staff with a passion to make there customers extremely happy! Great cozy spot for lunch! read more

See all

Our family went to the Chieftans the night before my fathers memorial service. Food was great, service was good, ambience was nice. We had a discrepancy with our check that , once brought to the attention of management, was handled with kindness and class. Thank you for your swift reaction and professional attitude. Definitely a place to frequent. read more

For starters if you have small children they are not 100% child friendly. The high chairs are a good foot higher then the table tops. We had to strap our car seat to a regular chair. Second, there were no changing tables in any of the bathrooms. Third very small Childrens menu. As far as my meal. The onion rings I got were more batter then actual onion, and were cold. The crab cakes were sadly were not pleasant at all. The outside appeared to be fried and the inside was mushy. When they brought the main part of the meal out, my kids grilled cheese was room temperature. The cheese was once melted but sat long enough that it settled and was no longer melted. Her fries were also Luke warm at best. For my triple bacon cheeseburger I asked fir rare, I got medium well. I asked for lettuce and extra onion, I got lettuce, tomato, and no extra red onion. Since they came chopped together in a pile on the plate I had to pick out all the tomatoes. The bun, although good, was too larger for the burger. My bacon was cold and my fries were also Luke warm at best. The saddest part was I was told that this place had just opened, yet on our table was a bottle of A1 steak sauce that had expired in august 2014 (and was already half empty). Which makes me question were it cane from. Overall all, not kid friendly and cold food, I would not go there again. read more

Waited an hour for food despite being one of the three tables in the whole place. Every meat dish was dryer than the Sahara. Waitress was pleasant but nothing special on service. The Cesar salad was literally a plate of lettuce three croutons and overboard of dressing. Avoid chicken wings they seem to have been reheated several times before making it to your table, definitely pass on anything with buffalo sauce - vinegar overload. read more

Bartender Jon is definitely one of the reasons I come back to Chieftans on a regular basis. He always remembers my order and I look forward to the conversations we have together while I'm there. I can tell he actually enjoys talking with his guests and making them feel welcome. On top of that he's a great bartender and always mixes my drinks just right. Even when he's handling a busy bar! Aside from that I could argue Chieftans has the best setting in town and there specials are always great! read more

I had heard about this place thru FB & wanted to try it while I was home. The fisherman's pie was really good as was the French onion soup. Everything that I saw pass my table looked very good. I will definitely come back next time I'm home read more

Dinner was delicious and our server was amazing. 10/10 service, thank you Dom, you were amazing. Our food came fast and Dom went above & beyond to make sure our dinner was amazing, will definitely be visiting again!!! read more

Visiting Howe Caverns and needed a good family place to eat. We lucked out finding Chieftans because the food was delectable, staff was super friendly and offered great options for my vegetarian wife and a nice atmosphere. Come check out Chieftans! read more

After a visit to Howe Caverns I was looking for a place with good reviews. I found Chieftans to be the best and it sure was. We were greeted by a down to earth guy who was our waiter. He let us know in detail the specials and what was good on draft. My husband had the local beer off the recommendation of the waiter, he loved it. We ordered the Irish Nachos, Reuben sandwich, cheeseburger and the special which was a pot roast sandwich. Everything came out hot, fresh and wicked good!! I totally recommend this place. Great atmosphere, great staff and amazing food. And to boot the prices were reasonable. read more

Don't miss out on this place. Ask for Dee at the bar. She's sweet, smart, and full of personality. Had myself a few brews and a BLT without the B.. cause i'm a veggie. Chef was more than willing to cater to my request. Met the owners. So personable. So charming. Make sure you stop by when you're in town! read more

Chieftans Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Cobleskill, New York

Good food. Had the firehouse burger. Asked for grilled jalapeños and got pickled, ungrilled, mild jalapeños. Wife had the Ruben and it was good. Might have gone 4 stars but when we asked for our tea to go we were told there would be a charge. For day old iced tea? Still worth a stop when you are passing by. read more

It's my first time being here and the food is really good. I had the classic onion rings and a burger, accompanied by a beer and a water with lemon. The service was great. The atmosphere is really nice. read more

Went there for lunch. First time there. Was one of the best burgers I ever had. Cold beer friendly service, if you don't think this is one of the best burgers you ever had, there's something wrong with you, found another favorite place. My wife had fish an chips and gave it an a plus. And she's English and very fussy about her fish and chips. read more

I have been here twice during their opening week. The place was crawling with people who wanted to check out the new place in town. They still managed to keep wait times to a minimum and provide a friendly atmosphere and a helpful staff. I am not sure how some dude from Dunkirk (4 hours away) managed to pop in during opening week when a dinner table was Reservation Only. The bar offerings (on tap beer) were quite varied for a small town. Smithwicks and Guinness were both on tap. The first time I stopped in I ordered a BLT because I wasn't ready for a full meal. The second time I stopped in I ordered the BLT because I *DID* want a full meal and knew it would be. The sandwich was awesome. The fries (and such) come in a small metal basket which, if you leave them in it, will become cold quite fast due to the heat conductive properties of the basket. Dump the fries out on your plate and they stay warm longer. This town has needed another place to get a sandwich and a few beers and will fill that requirement very nicely. read more

I'm not entirely sure what establishment the reviewer prior to myself was dining at, because my experience at Chieftan's was nothing short of delightful. The facade of this place is just stunning and looks like it was plucked right out of Temple Bar in Dublin. The inside ambiance is warm and welcoming, the staff friendly, and the Guinness perfectly poured. Started with the beer battered shrimp as an appetizer, served with mixed leaves of lemon, dill, and tartar sauce. Crispy, fresh, and delicious. The homemade corned beef with red potatoes and parsley cream (which rivaled that of my own Irish family, a difficult feat) stole the show and was simply out of this world. The whole energy of this establishment exudes nothing but light, warmth, and hospitality (all the best Irish qualities). The love that the owners have put into every facet of the pub so clearly shows, and it's just the kind of place that Cobleskill has always needed. By far my new favorite haunt, you would be crazy not to give it a try!! Sláinte agus táinte! read more