We visit Utica a few times a year - was really happy to find Craylee's for breakfast. Never heard…read moreof or had the Giambotta before - it was incredible. What else do you need? Staff were very helpful and sweet. Will be back every time we visit!

One of our favorite pastimes on road trips is picking local businesses to stop at wherever we're…read moregoing to be around lunchtime (this Yelp thing helps a lot). It helps us avoid eating awful (and surprisingly expensive) fast food, and we can usually find a gem or two. Lately, we've been passing through Utica, and Craylee's is a GEM. The folks running this place are so darn nice. I never say darn, but I feel like they might say darn, so I'm saying it here. They are fast, and friendly, and brought our little girls actual, nice coloring books, and their very own crayon case with like 200 crayons instead of the stumpy red and blue crayon and one sheet of paper you might get at a chain place. The space is nothing crazy, but it's thoughtfully decorated with some small homey touches like string lights that make it feel lived in. Infinitely better than a Thruway McDonald's. Best of all, the food is excellent. It's just a local, tasty diner menu, but they're putting care and love into the food. My kids rolled with chicken fingers and fries (huge surprise there), but my Hannah's Special (a two egg breakfast with a piece of french toast) was everything I wanted it to be. I did have to make a lot of decisions (overeasy, hash browns, rye, sausage links), but I aced them all, and so did the kitchen. The biggest surprise was my wife's turkey club melt, which was legitimately amazing. We talked about it for an embarrassingly long time in the car afterward. I'm going to want this again. Craylee's is doing it right, and we'll be back when we roll through Utica again.

While in Utica getting the truck serviced I consulted my trusty Yelp App looking for a brewery,…read morewhat pops up but Nail Creek Pub and Brewery. We sat at the bar which is typical and had the absolute best experience with Emma, the bartender, who was big as a barn pregnant, but looking very cute. Emma was personable, knowledgeable and very engaging. We really enjoy the conversation, food/beer experience. I had the tacos and hubby had the grilled cheese with a cup of the soup of the day, all was very tasty!! Beer was very yummy! Should you happen upon Utica, NY, stop by Nail Creek Pub and Brewery, it's a great place to take a load off and have a local brew, great service and conversation. Say hey to Emma, unless she is giving birth to her baby.

This is a great place to go to on St. Patrick's Day parade day morning in Utica. Service is great…read morethat day, the bartenders are attentive and friendly (especially if Linda is there). Any other time, if you are not a regular, this place might not be for you. I've been here several times with mixed experiences. The last time I was there was a Thursday in the summer of 2024. My husband, brother and I were excited to find seats at the bar and order dinner. The bartender was a short blonde woman and there was a male bar back. The bartender did not acknowledge us for over 15 minutes. We were actively looking at the menu on our phones and talking about what we wanted to try and attempted to make eye contact with her as she walked by us with no luck. She didn't even say "I will be right with you", literally no interaction. She was very friendly with everyone else around us seeming to know exactly what they were drinking and happy to get it for them. We left as we felt very unwelcome there and ended up having excellent service down the street at Lukin's.

Great place n good food ! Always something different…read more Excellent coffee! Always a good atmosphere n welcoming !

Chipped branded mugs await at each table in this seat yourself casual breakfast focused spot…read more Window skirts and framed kitten photos vibes. We had a fun cheery waitress. The menu was fairly standard with typical scrambled/omelette/Benedict egg creations; two giambottes stood out as unique. The omelettes look like they are pressed in an omelette maker. The veggie omelette was pretty bland. Not sure if the coffee is free refill but we never got a refill. Ultimately, food was nothing to speak of.

A fantastic no-frills little breakfast/ lunch diner in downtown Utica. Delicious food at…read morereasonable prices and friendly service. Its a one man operation as the owner is the chef and waiter so if it fills up, you may have to wait a bit but its worth it. We were fortunate to have the place to ourselves at the time we went and the owner/chef, Jeff, was a great host with many personal stories about the history of Utica and his personal colorful past. We had his stuffed French toast which was awesome and some eggs. The coffee and tea are self serve and there are seats at the counter and a couple tables. The place only seats around 16 people but he assured us that he occasionally gets many more in there at a time. If you're looking for a great breakfast or lunch during the week (its closed on weekends) and don't need any frills, this is the place to go. We'll definitely be back!

What a great experience!…read more Cool old building, friendly chef and amazing food. The price was very reasonable and a refreshing take on a lunch counter of the past.

Always a great time whether it's me and the folks or hanging with the girlfriends When with the…read moregirls we do have a tendency to do brunch where we order one of everything and sit and enjoy for a few hours Highly Recommend

Arrived right on time for our dinner reservation. The hostess departed to seat a group of 6. It…read morewas several minutes before someone else came to greet us. During that delay, the table we'd reserved was given to another party. The wait staff was attentive and personable. We were impressed that our waitress thoughtfully asked whether there were any food allergies or intolerances, but disappointed that a dish including gluten was served us. Overall, the food was only okay, well short of what we expect of a restaurant with its reputation and price point

Initially discovered Knead to Eat Bakery & Cafe, located at 53 Franklin St in Utica, while ordering…read moreon DoorDash, and later visited in person because of the great food. The café is located right next to Nancy Ford Photography. It can be a bit difficult to spot due to limited visibility, but parking itself is not an issue. There are shared slanted parking spots in front with neighboring businesses, as well as additional parking available behind the restaurant, which is convenient once you know it is there. The interior is hip, bright, and welcoming. Seating is somewhat limited, but despite that, we were always able to find a place to sit without having to wait. The space feels modern and casual, suitable for a relaxed breakfast or brunch. The food was good overall and service was fast. We ordered the Pancake Board, Spin Art, and a veggie omelette. The Spin Art was my favorite. It was soft, flavorful, and melted in the mouth. The Pancake Board was extremely well executed and fun to share, and the veggie omelette was solid. Coffee, however, was not their strongest item. One nice touch is that water is free and self-serve, which is always appreciated. It can get crowded inside on Saturdays, and since there is no outdoor seating, the moderate ambient noise from other customers makes it less ideal for long conversations or quiet chats. Doug, the owner, was friendly and genuinely eager to help when I had an issue using my $5 off "cupcake points." Although he was not able to resolve it immediately, he did eventually figure it out, so I will be using the coupon on my next visit. Overall, this is a solid local spot with good food, efficient service, and a welcoming vibe. Recommended, especially if you plan ahead for peak weekend hours. Keep up the good work, Knead to Eat Bakery & Cafe.

Very cute and spacious , great for groups. Breakfast was good but nothing to die for, lots of…read moreoptions to choose from. Service is very nice, it took longer than expected to get our food but everyone was sweet. Would like to come back to try their pancakes.

Don't like giving poor reviews but went in to buy a bunch of bagels and cream cheese for out of…read moretown company. Staff were rude, short, and abrasive to customers. There was no reason for the behavior and our guests who came in were shocked by the behavior. I get customer service and having position that requires interfacing with customers is not easy or may not be your cup of tea but this was just awful. Definitely won't be back

I feel good writing this because this was my first time here (based on a recommendation) and they…read morehit the ball out of the park... It is a small shop but extremely comfortable place to be. I was really happy with this shop.. It's not far from where I was staying and the team member was very enthusiastic about this place. Easy in and out off the main road and they had a reasonable parking lot. We walked into a very busy shop with many people working together behind the counter to make the line move very quickly. Place your order, pay and they put your food together. They had a great selection of everything with plenty of bagel choices. They were all moving extremely quickly here. The bagels were extremely fresh and tasty. I always remark that I like these "plump" bagels. I would not feel the same if they were not as soft and fresh and tasty as there were. I had cream cheese on an onion-egg (not toasted) and my wife had a toasted everything with butter. All good. They put a fair amount of cream cheese on and the butter bagel was not dripping. I will definitely return on my next trip back to Utica. Kudos to the team at Willie's Bagel Cafe

Second time staying here multiple nights. This beautiful (interior) hotel is conveniently located…read moredowntown within easy walking distance from the sports complex (professional and collegiate), the historic Stanley Theater / concert hall, and many great restaurants and bars. The area felt safe even at night. The king room we had was spacious, clean and well appointed. Our only issues with the room was the bed was a bit lumpy and unsupportive and the toilet paper was the thinnest and hardest paper available. Service at the front desk was friendly and efficient. We'll certainly consider staying here again next time we visit Utica.

First thing I have to point out is the amazing interior upon stepping into the lobby. This used to…read morebe Hotel Utica, which hosted one of the presidents and then got the Hilton flag in more present day. A lot of graduates at the time we staying were getting their photos taken in the lobby and there was a wedding party being hosted in their event space. We stayed for one night for another wedding not hosted in this hotel, but was in a convenient spot to get to our destination. The complementary parking was a nice perk to have and concierge is very friendly. No issues with our room and the entire stay was smooth sailing.

went at 7:3. only one other table and took over 20min to take our order. Her friend came in and…read morethey talked for 20min. we hen my food came out it was cold. my benedict eggs were hard boiled. my hash browns were white. Groos! we paid almost 55$ for slow, bad breakfast(slow). it was dirty too. I stuck to my menu. never again. NASTY

Haven't been in a while since we moved but with the Holiday we were looking for a place that was…read moreopened over the Holiday weekend. This had been a diner staple for us given how close it was to our house. Creekside fit the bill and we were able to get in and get a table. Ownership changed and while menu had the same items, items were prepared differently. We opted for lunch given our favorite breakfast item was slightly different. Sandwiches were OK but were mainly bread and lettuce with very little bacon. Restaurant was not busy but we waited a long time for our food and had to ask about our food. Wait staff were friendly and attentive and came over several times to refill our drinks and make sure we had what was needed. This is a diner but one thing we liked in the past was the outdoor seating and holiday decor. Deck was closed as it was in need of repairs and no holiday decor. Would go back but would try something different.

Very cozy and welcoming, and a good selection for breakfast. Waitress was lovely and prices were…read morefine. This seems to be a place that elders like, always a good sign. Only drawback was the strong cleaning aid /febreeze? scent when you first get there. We enjoyed the seasoned potatoes and the eggs and bacon were cooked just right.

Been coming here for years and was shocked when I noticed I have never done a review. We used to…read morecome every weekend for brunch when we lived up the street. Now we don't come as much but the food is always good and the staff are warm and friendly. Debbie used to be one of our regular waitress when she worked at Creekside but we are happy she opened her own place several years ago. Restaurant has a homey feel to it with some diner vibes. They are opened for lunch and breakfast only. Be sure to save room for desserts as her homemade pies are delicious.