My husband and I were in town for a BabyMoon. We had a massage scheduled for the afternoon and decided to get a small lunch prior to make sure we had something in our systems beforehand. We were walking around Ithaca Commons and saw the Ithaca Ale House. It was not very busy so we thought this would be a great option. We were seated almost immediately so we were in hopes it would be a quick lunch. We only had about 90 minutes so we needed to eat quick and get going to the appointment. The server came to our table about ten minutes after we were seated. We already knew what we wanted to drink and eat, so we put everything in. We just got a couple different options to share. A runner brought us our food once it was ready. Everything was nice but nothing stood out as overly yummy. Just simple dishes. We ate and sat there for over an hour and never saw our server again. We kept checking the clock and noticed we were getting closer and closer to the time we had to leave. Still no server. At one point, I got up and found another staff person and asked if our server could come to the table because we had to leave. It took another 10 minutes for him to come to our table. We had the credit card ready and just handed it to him. We almost had to go find boxes ourselves also because he forgot to bring them with him when he came back with the bill to sign. He never apologized for being so absent or anything. Just had us pay and then left us alone. It was not the best service I've seen... read more

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This was a great find during our visit to Ithaca! It was fairly busy so we had a seat at the bar and I'm happy we did. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable and quick to serve. I was impressed with the available beers and the seasonal southern tier pumking beer was served with brown sugar on the rim as a special treat. Our burgers were cooked to perfection and the onion rings even tasted fresh! My boyfriend also had the french onion soup and was raving about it. Yum yum x10000 read more

Ithaca Ale House - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The beer selection was very good. The burgers ('Bacon Jam' and 'Bis Sexy') was superior. The hostess cleaned (sanitized) our table before we sat down which we appreciated. Nice wait staff, good vibe. Glad we came here on our weekend trip! read more

Great service and food was good. However, ordered a salad for 18.00 and added tuna for an additional 6. That's a 24 salad and when I asked for an additional serving of salad dressing I was told that it would be an additional charge! For the 24 salad, and the tiny little "to go " cup of dressing, you're going to upcharge for a splash more dressing?? So tacky and cheap. That is enough to keep me from going back. Charging for dressing that doesn't go with the meal is one thing, charging for the salad it goes with is ridiculous. We come from a tourist area as well but apparently a dash more upscale. Bad look read more

Great burgers. Was there in March 2023. It is very very very drafty. Service was just okay. It was so cold in there it was difficult to make it through the meal but we had guests who wanted to stay. One wall was all glass windows, with lots of leaks around the perimeter i did not see any evidence of insulation anywhere in the premises. We moved to a "warmer";table. The draft was still fully there just coming at us from a slightly different angle. Other guests were sitting in their winter coats eating. Not going back, except possibly for takeout. Between lousy service, and poor regulation of temperatures it was not a pleasant special night out we planned for our guests. The only reason I gave it a 3 was because the burgers were very good. Otherwise I would have given it a much lower rating. read more

Hands down one of the best lunches I've had in awhile! We started with the Guacamole Brie Melt and were closing our eyes with each bite because it was so creamy and delicious. Definitely order one for the table as it is sure to be a crowd pleaser! We followed this up with the homemade veggie burger and the NYS Orchard burger. Both came heaping with toppings! I added avocados on mine for $1 and fresh jalapeños which were complimentary. There were at least 10 more extras to chose from should you be looking to add more. A gorgeous side salad accompanied my burger without an upgrade charge. (Such a rarity these days). You could also have chosen fries or macaroni salad. In addition to the fantastic food, this bar pairs each dish with a local craft brew right on the menu making it easy to put together a meal to remember. read more

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The food at the Ale House is amazing! I have gone a few times over the years and I never was disappointed! The food is so fresh and delicious! read more

Great food and great service. Their burgers are one of the best I've ever had before. Definitely recommended!

My family went to the Ale House during a power outage just hoping to get something to eat. They were swamped because they were one of the few businesses with power. We sat at the bar and watched how hectic and crazy busy it was for the bartender and others working. The bartender took it all in stride and even made special watermelon mock tails for our kids. She never slowed down the entire time but was so lovely to us. Our food was delicious. I ordered grilled squash with feta whip. It was different from anything I've had and so delicious! I ate every bite. It's just not the type of dish I expect at a pub. The food quality and service were awesome! read more

Great location. I ordered a smash burger and it was average. Our waiter was very attentive. We really liked the restaurant setup. Good bar selection as well. read more

The food at Ithaca Ale House is extremely average. I ended up sitting outside which made our nachos extremely cold and the cheese hard. Even while it was hot/fresh out of the kitchen, the bottom few chunks of the nachos were hardened together and the chicken was very dry cubes. The "appetizer" is massive and could definitely serve as an entree for whoever orders it. I found that the flatbread lacked flavors the tomato tasted like it was plopped on top at the last minute and didn't really blend with the cheese or bread. The cheese did not have much flavor and neither did the bread. The food wasn't terrible or amazing but I associate bad things with this place because of a personal experience so I would not come back again. read more

Ithaca Ale House - Margarita Flatbread - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Fairly good college pub food... some creative burgers, good hand-crafted pizzas and some signature cocktails. Excellent fries. Service was good enough-- the real downfall of this restaurant is their hostess Sylvia/Silvia. Rude, unwelcoming--not the type of person you want to be greeting your guests as they enter. This is the second time I've eaten with a group here in four months, both times Sylvia was the hostess and both times she was cold and rude. Ithaca has a lot of choices on Restaurant Row, so many good options that I don't see the reason to go back to Ithaca Ale House. Unless, of course, Silvia changes her attitude. read more

***Based on the vegan burgers*** I love that their burgers can be made vegan and theres so many options too. Plus the portions are great too and they all come with a side. The only problem I have is the burger itself. The buns are nicely toasted, the sauces that make each burger different was good, the salad and dressings are good(good as in it makes you want to eat salad) but the burger is a bit stiff and lacking in many areas of what I consider to be a good veggie burger. read more

Ithaca Ale House - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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My favorite burger joint in Ithaca as an undergrad. They cooked it to perfection, the fries were amazing, and the suggested beers they paired were just...too good of a combination. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. Make sure to make reservations as this place gets quite busy! read more

Great food and service, the place have a nice bar and TV for sports. Social distances definitely in place and they have outside sitting. read more

Ithaca Ale House - Veggie burger - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Burger was cold and raw in center. Server forgot to ask how I wanted it cooked. I forgot to tell him. very pricy.

Not a great experience. Staff was very rude and pushy/unfriendly. The food was just okay, nothing super great or special. They are more of a churn and burn spot just trying to move people quickly through eating and then leaving. I don't recommend. read more

I always love to visit the Ithaca Ale House when I'm in town and the food is some of the best on the area

The new space is beautiful but the food is just okay. Loved the appetizers, liked the burgers, and hated the wings. The waitress was unpleasant and assumed one of my friends wanted a diet soda which really hurt her feelings. I've recommended this restaurant to tourists but won't do it anymore after this visit. read more

Stopped in for lunch on our way out of Ithaca. We ordered a few beers, which they had a nice selection of. Started with the buffalo chicken egg rolls which were excellent! I ordered the chicken club, which was good but not great. My wife got a burger which she liked as well, but wasn't blown away. The service was fine, though we were forgotten about for quite a bit. Was also a little discouraging being charged for a side of barbecue sauce. Overall its a good spot, but I'd say that Red's place next door takes the cake for pubs in Ithaca. read more

You can't go wrong if you choose to eat here. George is the best bar manager in town, the burger is one of the best in NY State, and the beer on tap is tremendous. read more

We loved our little visit here. French onion soup was ymmy and my fish and chips!...Oh my! Hugest portion I've ever had and it was delicious! This place is worth the wait and the service was lovely. read more

Ithaca Ale House - Fish and chips - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Great tasting burgers and the ambiance is pretty trendy! The service was very good and fast. Didn't disappoint.

Amazing bartender Alyssa went above and beyond to make her patrons happy. She was very attentive, friendly and made drinks we requested. Thank you Alyssa for making us feel at home. Would highly recommend this place! read more

Great specialty burgers! Pretty reasonably priced for the quality of the burgers. Drinks we good as well.

The beer selection is nothing special. It's like any other pub in any part of US. The beers available are the ones you find in any Walmart. The lemon grass chicken with Thai noodles is a cold dish. I expected it to be hot. The taste was just fine. May be 3/5. The el ferno burger was good. I don't have any negative remarks on it but I don't understand why they claim to be one of the best in the country. It's like any normal burger in any restaurant or pub. read more

Stopped after a long day of traveling. The service was just a little slow. The drinks were good. The French dip however..... the best French dip I have every had, and I grew up eating them! The staff was nice just a little slow. We didn't have any beer but the firefly lemonade was DELISH! read more

Ithaca Ale House - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Wasn't going to leave a review but after reading others complain about the hostess I figured I had to add my own. Went in around 7 with a family of 5. We were "greeted" by a hostess who clearly didn't want to be there. We were told the wait was about an hour. We figured we'd wait as downtown seemed to be busy that night & we're from out of town. We watched a party bounce from one 6 top to another in the bar area. No offer for us to cut our wait & sit there though. It was odd because a lot of tables were open so we figured maybe they were short staffed. I watched several groups leave after the hostess "greets" them aka unwavering stone face with a "hi." Not a "how can I help you," "welcome in," etc. Whatever we were already waiting so we'd wait a little more. I ask how much longer at one point & the hostess does not look around, does not have any idea of what is happening in any sections, just looks at her list with the time we got there & what time it was now & says "30 minutes." So we're waiting an hour now just because that's the time she quoted us, not because of anything in the restaurant. We decide to walk around & check out other places in the rest of the 30 minutes. We find a place with a short wait but the time for the first place should be up by now so we call & someone else answers. Not even knowing it was us with our names already on the list she tells us it's about 5 minutes. We get back to the restaurant expecting to basically be seated. I then notice 2 tables have been seated (just that I can see) that could have fit our family that's been waiting an hour. My husband walks up to the original host & asks how much longer & she tells us 15 minutes (bc that's how much time is left on her arbitrary list). At that point I go find someone to talk to because I'm beyond annoyed. I explain to this other woman the situation- rude host, arbitrary times, calling 5 minute wait but we still had 15+, seating others before us, etc. I explain that my children are super hungry now that we're at 8pm+. She tells me she's sorry & then says that a cook walked out so even if she got us seated right now the food would take at least an hour to get to our table. WHY couldn't the hostess tell us that ever at any point? She was so incredibly incompetent & completely uncaring for her job. And this wasn't a college student, she was a lifer for sure. So I wish I could tell you anything else about this place but we didn't make it past the lobby. read more

We arrived just after they opened on a Saturday so we were seated quickly. Our server was great and stayed attentive even as the place filled up. They have a great selection of craft beer and lots of different options for food. Everyone enjoyed their food. read more

Ithaca Ale House - The NYS Orchard burger - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Their menu claims "the best grilled cheese you'll ever have," and it's no exaggeration. Made with four types of cheese and served with tomato soup, it's gooey, comforting perfection. One of few vegetarian options on the menu, but other choices aren't needed- I'd be perfectly fine ordering it every time. I like that they suggest beer pairings for each dish. A good spot for a late night bite or a casual dinner with friends. read more

Literally among tbe best in Ithaca. Great ambiance, superb drink, incredible food and the best people. 10/10 would recommend!!

Happened to be in town for an event - it ended up being a particularly cold night. The bartender, Justin, was friendly and corky. We enjoyed our beer and warmed up in this cute bar and restaurant! read more

Ithaca Ale House - Fall Flight - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Great food ..great service ..great atmosphere..one of my husband's favorite restaurants in ithaca ..he loves the burgers and I love the seafood options read more

It's hard to drop your daughter off at school. The Ale House made it a little easier. Because it was move-in weekend at Cornell, etc, the Commons was packed. We were lucky to get a table outside quickly. The local brews are great. I had an Ithaca Hazy IPA (or three). I got a big sexy burger (?) which was a bit much. But the onion rings were boom boom. Get those. It's perfect people watching. They up-charge for credit cards so bring cash. Service was great too - despite the crowds. read more

Awesome food, very nice looking restaurant! The service was very good as well. Can't wait to visit Ithaca, NY again!

Just an absolutely terrific place to grab delicious bar food. Excellent selection of beers and mouth-watering burgers. Personal favorites are the "fat boy" the "big sexy" and their veggie burger. They're also happy to use their veggie patty on any other burger if you don't eat meat. If you're looking for a casual (and decadent) meal near the Ithaca Commons, you must check it out. read more

Great food and service was excellent. Cool atmosphere downtown and quite a busy spot. Good spot when visiting Ithaca.

Great dining and drinks! We have been visiting this establishment for years and will continue to.

The ale is never stale, at the House. The burgers never fail and you'll nah find kale, at the House. Simon Says take a risk; spoon into your mouth some tasty bisque! Lobster style that is, at the House. read more

Stopped for lunch after hiking. Great food!! Highly recommend onion soup! Oh my! My husband the Perfect Burger which was also excellent.