The atmosphere is cozy and has a homey vibe. The staff is always pleasant. Get classic drinks are…read moregreat. Not a huge fan of there signature drinks.

I really enjoyed Bar Argos. My girlfriend and I wandered in right at 4 pm - opening time lol - and…read morewere immediately greeted by a woman who checked our IDs and handed us menus with quiet efficiency. The place was totally empty, which is to expected at that time. Bar Argos is definitely a vibe. Think: antique chic with a touch of eccentric elegance. Ornate chairs, old-school lamps, and fancy mismatched furniture are scattered throughout, making you feel like you've wandered into a vintage movie set where cocktails play a leading role. There are multiple rooms, including one with a long table and huge windows that let the light spill in dramatically. I was lowkey stunned by how pretty it all was. Girlfriend and I shared the Clarified Lassi ($13), which is under the "Delightfully Unusual" section of their cocktail spectrum - right in between "Colloquial" and "What?!" It was fruity, creamy, and weird in a cool, sophisticated way. My Hotelie friend later explained in the car (upon mention of the drink) that clarified cocktails use a process where milk is added to a mixed drink and then curdled on purpose. The curds trap impurities, and when you strain them out, you're left with a crystal-clear drink that still has the creamy mouthfeel. Definitely checks out with the Clarified Lassi that we drank... Overall, the experience felt like stepping into a fancy secret. 10/10 would come back, undoubtedly!!

I've had brunch, lunch, and dinner at MIX, and all with varying levels of enjoyment. My recent…read morebrunch experience included ordering a Where the West Begins omelette, which includes "Braised short rib, butternut squash, red onion jam, spinach, smoked gouda". I wasn't sure how to feel about butternut squash with everything else (I'm not necessarily a huge squash fan - but I'm trying to learn to enjoy it), but the omelette was decent... it's the other side on my plate that looked less than appetizing. The biscuit was still covered in flour (and who wants to bite down on a clump of flour?), the cheddar hashbrown casserole lacked in flavor, and the brown sugar cinnamon oatmeal just... wasn't doin' it for me. Other recent experiences have been similar... there's usually one item on the plate that's flavorful or imventive (sometimes a main dish, sometimes a side), and the other parts of the plate are lacking. In reality, I think MIX is suffering a bit from rising food costs and inconsistency in their service and offerings. They've also changed the style of their menu from the original tapas-style to now being more typical entree options. Again... they've lost some of their innovative, experimental approach. In terms of ambiance, it really depends. I've been here for a work event and, because of the number of people, it was SO LOUD... they had also done a buffet offering for the event. As you can imagine, the food from the buffet was lacking, but that's often what happens when you're more mass producing your food (and it's left in a chafing dish, trying to be kept warm). On the other hand, I've been here for a dinner on a random night and was able to enjoy one of their Thai noodle bowls (and split some other apps with friends). The reality is that experiences at MIX are... well... a mix. Whether service, menu offerings, etc., I've found MIX's recent inconsistencies to be a disappointment. Will probably only visit in the future if it's suggested by others.

we made a resy for 5 for a wednesday night dinner, not crowded at all and our server was the most…read moredarling lady. she checked on us many times and would call us "love" after she would take our orders or give us more water. it was very nice and homey. we came here initially because in the past it's been a tapas place and we were looking forward to sharing small plates. unfortunately they changed their menu so they mostly do individual entrees now with a plethora of options from spaghetti to steak to burgers to thai noodles (lots of options) thai mussel bowl - 3/5 mussels a little ocean-y fishy tasting and the thai sauce a little liquidy brazilian cheesy bread gluten free 4/5 - yum appetizers delicious crunchy with cheese inside. the red dipping sauce was just tomato sauce a little strange but not bad osco bucco 3/5 - a little salty but a solid pork shoulder. the gnocci was also fried which was interesting italian sub with house salad 4/5 - good solid sub, i could only finish half and ate my entire side salad which had nice breaded croutons (not the dense thick ones) red clam linguine 4/5 - not bad, only about 4 clams but some more inside the pasta penne alla vodka 3.5/5 - a solid pasta nothing special

One of the only places in the Commons with breakfast service, Monks doesn't coast on how they own…read morethe market. My confit mushroom omelet was just one of plenty of egg dishes on offer. You've got your eggs Benedict, your sausage, your usual American-style proteins. My omelet was just browned - very nice color - and not overcooked, which I was thankful for. That said I could've done with more seasoning. The home fries were pretty crisp; some too much so to eat. Totally worth a try!

Took forever to get food. Ordered seabass. Over 40 minutes with no one in the restaurant except me…read more Also ordered the garlic rolls and it was just reheated and didn't taste fresh

Must visit! Five stars! I visited years ago and somehow never got around to leaving a review, but I…read moreremember having a wonderful experience. The atmosphere was great, the service was friendly, and everything came together for an enjoyable visit. Even after all this time, it's one of those places I look back on positively. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

We discovered a good Mexican restaurant by passing by the Bickering Twins. We liked how the…read morerestaurant offered happy hour. The food tasted pretty good. I ordered the fish tacos. The tacos came with sliced avocados, turnips, and lettuce. The plantains tasted a bit over cooked. We did not have to wait for our food long. We ate downstairs and we wanted to enjoy the ambiance.

What a quaint spot! So much greenery! I sat in a gorgeous corner by the window. It felt so luxe…read more The lavender mocktail was delicious. I ordered a vegetable flatbread and it was so good and healthy. The staff were upbeat and friendly.

A decent place for a cocktail. I enjoy the fact that they are part coffeeshop part cocktail bar…read more The atmosphere is quite eclectic with all of the plants and dim lighting in the evening. We went for a smaller bite and a drink. The BBQ chicken sliders were pretty good, though nothing particularly special. The dark and stormy was the drink special of the night at $7, so we opted for that. The dark and stormy was also nothing to write home about, but was a good dark and stormy nonetheless. We also got a bottle of the Ithaca Apricot Wheat Ale. There weren't many tap options which I feel is something that could be improved. They do have a couple of unique drinks on the menu that I would like to try (the chai cocktail and the blackberry mojito). Overall, I would be back to try the other drinks and enjoyed my time at The Greenhouse.

This little bistro is my favorite dining spot in downtown. It has an inviting feel as soon as you…read morearrive. Thursdays special are mussels. They are the sweetest little morsels swimming in a bowl of the most delicious wine shallot and fennel sauce. Thankfully we were t left with a spoon, yum. My dining companion had them as well. We split the fennel salad and I begrudgingly shared the olives. I asked our server for more olives and we all had a good laugh. She thought I was kidding. We each had an N/A cocktail. Mine with cucumber and my friend had the one with ginger. They were very good. They have a wonderful wine list. Additionally, they have their house wines on draft. Wonderful idea. I just love this place. So, when in Ithaca It's a must. You will love the food, service and comfort of the restaurant.

One of the better restaurants in Ithaca!…read more I enjoyed the coursing- they did a very good job with timing. Service in general was very good. I also like the flowers on the dishes. I came with a friend and we tried the pear appetizer, mussels, leek and gruyere tart, and the ricotta gnocchi. Honestly, everything was really good. The gnocchi was pillowy and the tart did not have a soggy bottom. For dessert we tried the Pear frangipane which was also good. Quite a strong almond flavor and a little on the sweet side. Overall very good, I would recommend!

I've been back twice already. The carnitas in salsa verde were excellent. Nice accoutrements that…read morecome with entrees. The chili relleno was also great, the best I've gotten in Ithaca. I am hesitant to leave a review because I want to be able to get in when I go, but the secret seems like it's already out, it was packed last time I went.

Decent Mexican food is hard to find in this area (I discovered this quickly after moving from…read moreFlorida 10 years ago), but Fridas helped my faith be redeemed. The chips are delicious, the salsa is not as chunky as pictured but a little darker and smokier than most, and it pays off. Both my husband and I ordered their house margaritas which taste-wise were average, but good for the price. I ordered the pork burrito and my husband ordered a combo plate with Chile relleno. They were both authentic tasting and delicious. The Poblano peppers were fresh and my pork was slow cooked and juicy. The rice seemed buttery and the black beans had little chunks of pepper (Chile) in them and it was delicious. We like some other local places, but love this one!

Good and creative dishes. I had the shrimp roll with fingerling potatoes that came with a delicious…read moregarlic aioli.

Kylee was terrific!! And you should definitely order the Hot Lips drink. It was AWESOME.read more

Ok this place is stunning inside. I could've never imagined that a place in collegetown could look…read morelike this. Service was excellent. The food however, was beyond lacking. I ordered a spinach and mushroom crepe that claimed to come with gruyere cheese. The portion was small for $14 and when I tell you it was bland, it was blanddddd. There was absolutely no cheese in it at all and I thought, ok this will be healthy, but it was cooked with plenty of butter. I wanted to like this place, but the menu is too large for anything to be stellar. My friend got the nutella crepe, and again, it was small for the price. But it was good. I guess a nutella crepe is hard to mess up though. My cappuccino milk was between a latte and a cappuccino. It wasn't bad!

I was pretty surprised by the poor reviews for The Embassy. I popped in with some friends for…read morecocktails, and they were actually pretty good. The inside is super pretty, almost fancy, which is weird because we're in Collegetown, not Downtown. You mean to say that this place existed all along here? It's got two floors of style, but be warned - it DOES definitely get crowded in the evening (especially on Mondays when they host a trivia night). I haven't tried their food or brunch yet, so no opinions there. But for drinks and a cool vibe, The Embassy is definitely worth a visit. Just grab your friends and get ready to hunt for a table!

I'm a coffee snob from Houston and this is the best coffee shop in Ithaca, period. (Followed by a…read morereal period.) The aesthetic feels like an escape into a quiet city coffee shop with plants and natural light everywhere. Staff was friendly. Iced and hot lattes are both great. I'd never had a Tasty pistachio latte...until I came here. Ithaca is an incredible place, truly. But if you ever want a little escape or find comfort in city-level coffee shops, check out Botanist.

Lots of coffee choices - my latte was great. Just a few pastry choices for food but my cinnamon…read moreroll was really good! One in our group had a scone which she loved too. Large enough place to have tables, window stool seating & a comfy couch. Nice atmosphere with plants everywhere. Early on a Saturday morning during college break it was very quiet so we took our time. Would recommend & return if in the area again.