The ambiance became, while intimate at first, a bit noisy toward the end of dinner--probably due…read moreto the close proximity of tables and the overall restaurant set up. However, did love the elevated feel of a typical American bistro. We thought the service could've been more attentive, but improved as the evening progressed. Our waitress was super nice and was helpful in explaining the menu specials and answering any questions we had. Most notably on the menu, the NY strip was a perfect medium rare. We opted to get the 4 jumbo shrimp on the side, which we thought retained a nice snap when we bit into it. It was also well seasoned, while still displaying its freshness. The fries complemented the steak, but was too well done for our liking. Our other entree, the lobster mac and cheese, had a nice cheese pull. We liked the added roasted tomatoes in the baked mac and cheese, which gave it a necessary acidity that countered the creamy, cheesy roux. For our appetizer, we chose the meat and cheese board, which was really solid. Appreciated the waitress explaining the selection, as well as the addition of a sour cherry jam and pickles on the side. This gave us a lot of mix and match options (64 to be exact), and we also liked how it came with charred/toasted bread. Finally, we wrapped up with a chocolate peanut butter parfait and key lime pie. Both were really good (get both if possible, but we liked the latter more).

Food, service and ambiance ON POINT!!! With every visit to Ithaca I try my best to not leave…read morewithout having my favorite at Simeon's which is their magical Mussels with the tasty grilled bread to perfection. The thing that was different this time was I had to leave early so we visited for brunch and I quickly, was saddened that they do not serve mussels during brunch time but to my delightful surprise the chef made an exception an I was smiling so hard that the waiters were please and extremely happy for me. For that I am grateful and needed to recommend my favorite restaurant on the Ithaca commons.

I felt glad I stopped at Creola…read more The bartender was on fire. After his first old fashioned - Woodford Reserve, sweet and smooth - I had to go for a second. I let him pick the spirit, and he went with Michter's rye. Spicy, sweet forward, and he used a torch to express the orange oil. Really excellent. The food was not on the same level, unfortunately. My short rib sliders had delicious burnt ends for texture, but looked basic and not as much aioli as I hoped for. I went back for truffle fries, but they were a bit too crisp, and lacked the starchy fluffy goodness that I look forward to. But all in all, a great vibe and great drinks mean I'd be happy to return.

Second visit this week. A real NOLA bar and menu. Perfect…read moremix of seating and vibe. Deserves all the praise it gets.

What can I say? Ithaca Ale House remains a classic…read more As someone who can't eat gluten, I always appreciate the servers taking extra time to find out what I can actually eat from their kitchen. They always go the extra mile!!

Our first bar in the area for some brew, and it didnt disappoint. Drank a few porters from Great…read moreLakes Brewing(yum) started chatting up the bartender (Danielle) who gave us info on some other places to hit, she was super nice. She also recommended the wings with the "garbage" sauce, and im so glad she did!!! Fricking delish!!!! We did boneless, & it was worth it.

I joined Cornell CHAARG, an organization (rather scammy one but that's beyond the point) dedicated…read moreto showing college-aged women that fitness can be fun and fulfilling. Anyways... what did I get out of it? An awesome group of people and well... MIX. Updating my review because MIX deserves a proper shoutout and I haven't done it justice. This place is unequivocally my absolute FAVORITE brunch spot. The selection is vast, the portions are hearty, and the staff? They're the kindest, most accommodating folks you'll meet. It's like they've mastered the art of making you feel right at home. And the food? Oh, the food is ABSOLUTELY divine. Every bite is a delicious reminder of why I've converted to the church of brunch. Seriously, I went from a casual brunch-goer to a full-fledged brunch enthusiast, all thanks to CHAARG for leading me to this culinary gem. My brunch game has never been the same.

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.

I love my service Aiden was sick a great server I love it and the food was amazing I would come…read moreagain only when they are working though it was a wonderful way to have a Mother's Day meal

While traveling through Ithaca on a Thursday night, we were hungry for dinner and initially tried a…read morelocal spot without much luck. We decided to switch gears and go to a chain--something I don't typically do--and ended up at Texas Roadhouse for the very first time. From the moment we walked in, the manager, Samantha, greeted us with genuine warmth and conversation. We mentioned that we had never been to a Texas Roadhouse before, and she lit up, walking us through the experience--from picking your steak at the window to the famous fresh-baked rolls. She even brought a sampler of all their made-in-house side dishes right to our table so we could try them all. Her enthusiasm for the restaurant and the brand was contagious, and her hospitality set the tone for the whole meal. The food and service were both outstanding. The next night, after attending a wedding, we decided to go back for round two before leaving town. This time, Mikayla was the manager we interacted with, and she was equally kind, welcoming, and invested in making sure we had a great experience. My 10-year-old son, also new to Texas Roadhouse, had all sorts of questions--like the biggest steak she'd ever seen--and she took the time to answer him thoughtfully. Both Samantha and Mikayla, along with the other friendly servers we met, truly made this location shine. Their professionalism, warmth, and genuine care for guests perfectly embody Texas Roadhouse's "Legendary Service" promise. If we ever come through Ithaca again, we would be thrilled to return.

The food was good, but the service was very slow because there was one server working the whole…read morerestaurant. It was a late Saturday dinner for the 6 of us. We got our sodas 30 minutes later. Thankfully the food was good. The tater tots were crispy and the French onion soup was flavorful.

Cozy tavern. Fun server. Two of us at table for 5, they accommodated 5 last minute friends for a…read moretotal of 7. French Onion burger delicious. Tots crispy and warm, partner requested fryer fresh replacement - accommodated. Gratuity added, for less than 8? I wouldn't mind but I didn't look before I added regular tip to my share of bill, my bad.

Located on the Cornell university campus. Great ambiance with wonderful prepared cuisine. Attentive…read morestaff that pay close attention to detail. Love this place for brunch with friends and family.

This was an entirely student-run operation, which already made it feel special and shoutout to my…read morefriend who managed to snag us seats. I was genuinely excited to check it out. The theme for the night was Pojangmacha, inspired by Korean street food stalls, and the vibes were on point. Our table of six shared the Korean BBQ short ribs (LA Galbi) for $24. The ribs were tasty but leaned a bit salty -- not a dealbreaker, but definitely something we noticed. As for the rice, it was a bit divisive. A few people at our table found the texture odd, but I didn't mind it. Honestly, I was too focused on the meat to overthink the rice. The truffle fries were $12 and were pretty good too although I wish the truffle flavor was stronger. The true star for me was the Strawberries and Cream dessert. I think it was around $6, but I was too busy having an experience to confirm. It was so simple, but so good -- like, how did I not know strawberries and cream could slay this hard? Pure joy in a cup lol.

Best steak I have eaten in my LIFE! And I love steak! As a Celiac, they went over the top and…read moretoasted some GF bread to dip while everyone else had the good stuff. That really makes a difference in the experience to not have to sit there and watch everyone chowing on good bread! HAHAHA! The service was outstanding! Rose, our waitress was so friendly and professional. The ambiance is so cozy, date night or special occasion perfection! Cocktails were incredible too! Best dirty bruised vodka martini yet! You must go and see for yourself!

I booked this restaurant more than three months in advance for my graduation dinner with my family,…read morewho were visiting from another country, and the experience was honestly terrible from start to finish. When we arrived, I asked the staff if I could open a bottle that my dad had gifted me for graduation. I asked beforehand out of respect, and they told me it was fine as long as I paid a $25 corkage fee. I agreed immediately. We even asked for ice, and the staff poured drinks from the bottle for us. About 10 minutes later, one of the bartenders suddenly came to our table, took the bottle away without asking, and told us we now had to pay a $25 fee PER PERSON because they also sold that liquor at the restaurant and were "losing money." This was never explained beforehand. The staff was extremely rude and confrontational with my entire family, and they even said they would not return the bottle. What made it worse is that we spent well over $1,000 on food and drinks during the dinner, including multiple bottles of wine from the restaurant itself. Then when the check arrived, there was an additional hidden "family style fee" of almost $300 that had never been mentioned before. It honestly felt like they were trying to make up for the bottle situation by adding random charges. On top of all that, our table was not ready on time and we had to wait around 20 minutes despite the reservation being made months in advance. The food itself was average at best, but the service and overall professionalism were unacceptable. This was supposed to be my graduation dinner with my family and instead became a stressful and frustrating experience for everyone. I would never recommend this place to anyone.

This is hands down the best brunch place I have ever been to. Things to know: you NEED to call to…read moremake a reservation (seating is very limited inside). The owner is so kind. I accidentally missed my reservation because it was the day before and I hadn't realized but he still accommodated and we were able to be seated still in the barstool area. The food is amazing. I always order Eggs "Edinburgh." Best poached eggs I have ever eaten. I used to think poached eggs were mid and then this place opened my third eye. I don't even liked smoked salmon but they do something special here it is so good. I can't remember the dessert's name and its not on the menu but they have this orange/poppyseed/coconut cake that is the best cake I have ever had in my entire life. I feel like I'm glazing so hard it doesn't even sound genuine, but my truth is every single other brunch place is mid compared to here. It is a very cutely decorated place and the servers are so kind. I would go back to Ithaca just for Allechant's Eggs Edinburgh and cake. I think of their food often. I chase that high that those eggs gave me, but nothing ever compares unfortunately, and I am just left disappointed. One day I will be back for you, Allechant.

Great spot for dinner in Ithaca! I love the house-made desserts!…read more I tried the mussels for appetizer which were very good. Not too heavy or salty. For mains I tried the vodka gnocchi and the cod stew. Both were excellent! I think if I were to return I would get the cod stew though- it is much more unique. Only complaint about the gnocchi is I wish there was more cheese on top. Desserts were divine! I love how they display them all on the table by the fireplace! We tried the pumpkin cake and the poppyseed coconut almond cake. I truly don't think I could pick a favorite. I wish the whipped cream was also homemade though. I came for dinner on a weekend night (with reservations). Service was solid. Overall, I would return! I will definitely be coming back to try their brunch!

Had dinner at Taverna Banfi while visiting Cornell and we liked it so much that we had to come back…read moreagain the following night. To start, we had the Grilled Octopus and the Spinach and Stracciatella Salad - both excellent. For our entrees, we had the Duck Breast, Fried Chicken and the Ribeye - all very nicely prepared especially the Duck and the Ribeye. Great staff especially our server Freyja who was very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!

This was a great dinner after a long day at our conference. The seasonal menu had some great…read moreoptions and we enjoyed our meal with a great view of the gardens. The staff were friendly and helpful answering questions about the menu.