We booked here because of the view of the lake. That was a misnomer, as there is a road and a railway line between the restaurant and the lake. However- the food was AMAZING!! I'll remember this experience for a long time. read more

Came by for our anniversary dinner, overall had an OK experience but we'd had huge expectations for the place - which fell a bit flat somewhat. Let me start off with the positives: 1. The staff are excellent, we had a server who was super charming and checked in on us all evening. Easy process to book a table, helpful people all around. 2.The place itself is snazzy and upscale, but not excessively so; we enjoyed dressing up a bit for a nice dinner there, but didn't feel like the vibe was overly stuffy or anything. 3. The appetizer we split (mussels in a slightly spicy broth with focaccia on the side) was excellent. Easily the highlight of our meal, would order it again in a heartbeat. The downside, unfortunately, is that the main part of our meal was nothing to write home about. I'd found this spot online and booked a table for two specifically to really "wow" my wife and enjoy an excellent meal together, and was really looking forward to some good food after reading all the stellar reviews here on Yelp. It certainly has high-end prices for the FLX (spent over $250 for dinner for two, without a dessert or more than a glass of wine each), which in general I'm happy to pay - if the quality is there, that is. But our entrees were just unimpressive, and actually slow to arrive. Took them a solid 40-45 minutes to bring out our mains afterwe finished the appetizers, but worse was the fact that both dishes (rack of lamb for myself, and short rib gnocchi for her) were simply bland. Best part of my dish were the mashed potatoes honestly - the lamb itself was unseasoned, and the sauce was watery. My wife's gnocchi weren't terrible, but the sauce had an odd, almost burnt aftertaste that neither of us cared for. For a regular restaurant, with more regular prices and reviews, we wouldn't have minded honestly - but because this place is kinda marketed as one of the better restaurants in Geneva, and priced as such, having a bit of a mediocre meal left us fairly disappointed. Again, great service and fun spot just to be in, and _some_ of the items like the appetizers are pretty tasty (I'd happily come back for another taste of their mussels and focaccia). But we likely won't be coming back anytime soon, particularly as we live out of town. Hope it was just a fluke and that they bounce back. read more

Ports Cafe - Rack of Lamb, Short Rib Gnocchi - New American Near Me - Geneva, New York

7:30 reservation, seated at 7:40. First told no tuna, then picked something else. Then told they "found" 3 more tuna. At 8:40 was told the medium well steak one of us ordered was causing the delay. It's 9:15 pm and we are still waiting on our meals. Wait staff just shared that manager would offer free soup, salad, or desert. We finally got up and walked out after expressing this review with the manager who simply said "I'm sorry!" Cannot image recommending this place. Oh yeah, the bread was good! The server Danielle tried really hard. read more

We came here for dinner on our first night in Geneva and it did not disappoint! We honestly only ordered off of the specials menu though the short ribs looked delicious. We started with burrata and each got a fish, which we both enjoyed. They had a fun cocktail menu and wine prices were reasonable. We luckily saved room for dessert! They had great views of the lake. read more

We visit the finger lakes yearly and ports cafe is hands down the best meal on the lake. The service, the food, you will walk away happy!

The worst service ever waited over an hour for meal to be served and server had a bad attitude. Wanted an app before i ordered dinner she said chef wont take app orders with dinner order what a joke! We ended up just leaving so 1.45 hours and no meal all we hears were excuses read more

From start to finish, our visit to Ports Cafe left something to be desired. We arrived for our reservation promptly at 7pm and were seated quickly. From there, things went down hill. Our meal took over an hour and twenty minutes to arrive. When it did, all three plates were rough. One was cold, the protein on another was raw, and the third--the shark special--was so poorly cooked you couldn't cut through half of it. We made do with two of the three dishes but sent the shark dish back because the majority was inedible. We didn't ask for a replacement because we weren't willing to wait any additional time for a new dish. We were super excited to visit this place, but after this experience, especially for the price, we definitely will not be coming back. read more

Food was excellent service outstanding. Ambiance would be good without a VERY loud woman at a nearby table. Ceilings are high and no soft walls or surfaces to absorb sound. Otherwise an outstanding experience. Our meals were excellent and my wife was a huge fan of the ragout her braised short ribs came in. Very very good cocktails and a strong wine list with several quality finger lakes wines. read more

Cocktails were amazing. Food was good. Our waiter wasn't the best. Just not worth the cost.

Amazing food. The winter salad was amazing and nicely flavored with the raspberry vinegarette. I got the mushroom papadelle with the steak. The steak was medium rare and perfect. The focaccia bread was okay. Not my favorite thing. The least favorite thing was the vegetables that came with the steak. The Napoleon was good with it's layered cream and strawberries and chocolate. Would recommend reservations here if you're in the area. read more

See all

A good friend recommended The Ports Cafe. So glad we made reservations and went there. Greeted and seated promptly at 5. Hubs had the gnocchi roasted tomato-cabernet braised Short rib ragout that he said was delicious! I had a special entree of hanger steak and vegetables that was very good. Rasha delivered our desserts with candles for our anniversary. If you go do yourself a favor and get the peanut butter pie for dessert. Very pleased with entire experience. Next time we're visiting Finger Lakes area this is on the schedule. read more

Host staff were welcoming and helpful as were the servers. We really enjoyed our meals and certainty would return. Its a busy place and can get noisy but dont let that keep you away. Reservations are a must. read more

We visited this restaurant during the first week of June for my birthday celebration. Since it wasn't peak tourist season in the Finger Lakes, we were surprised by the long wait times. We had a reservation for 6:30 p.m. but still waited about 45 minutes to be seated. Once at our table, we waited another 45 minutes for our food. Our meals were fairly simple--a grilled chicken salad for me and gnocchi with sauce for my husband--so the extended wait was disappointing. During that time, we weren't offered bread or any other complimentary item while waiting for our meals. I did speak with the manager, who apologized and graciously comped our food, which we appreciated. However, the overall experience put a damper on what was supposed to be a special birthday dinner. I hope the restaurant can improve its reservation management and service timing so future guests don't have a similar experience. read more

Delicious food and great service! We went twice on our recent visit to Seneca Lake. Make a reservation!

What a gem! Very unassuming and casual looking from the outside belying the sophistication inside. Top notch and very friendly service throughout. We started with cocktails at the bar, perfection after the drive in from Rochester on a hot summer day. Despite the place being packed, they were generous and quick (two great qualities in a drink!) Once seated, our server, Andrew (fantastic), pointed out the specials menu which is what they are known for. It changes daily and is seasonal. So many fantastic options it was difficult to choose. Again, exceptional service and every dish a winner. Make a reservation in the summer. Luckily my sister did because even as a repeat customer, she was surprised how busy it was - on a Tuesday! We were told it's like that every day in the summer! I'll also note that even tho the parking lot was overflowing and it was full inside, we were seated immediately, drinks and food served promptly and we were served with warmth and grace. PS great view of Seneca Lake across the street! read more

Food was vey good as was the service. Atmosphere was pleasant, not crowded in. Mussels were amazing. Highly recommended.

We were there for 2 and a half hours ordered an app, a side salad and 2.5 entrees for a family of 4. The manager "Jennifer" said that was too much food which is why it took over 2 hours. This lady needs to go work for McDonalds not a nice restaurant. Food was good when we finally got it. read more

Love this place so much! It is the absolute only place I made a reservation for to be certain we visited on our long weekend. The staff is great, knowledgeable on their options and attentive. The setting is beautiful, we were seated indoors with a view of the lake. We set the reservation online several days ahead & the earliest time slot was 8PM, but we adjusted for it and knew it would be worth it. The day of, there were several time slots showing (that had not been there before), but could've been due to cancellations or opening outdoor seating due to perfect weather. We had already timed our meals out and kept our spot. The food.... That gnocchi dish is soooo delicious that we couldn't help ourselves and ordered it again. It was just sheer perfection and although other dishes were described so temptingly ... IYKYN & our mouths were watering in anticipation of that dish. No regrets! Wait, yes... I regret not taking their amazing chocolate torte to go! Last year I did and it was heaven! read more

See all

Ports Cafe came up in my search from restaurants in the Geneva area... and I am so glad it did! We were blown away by everything we ate and the service was impeccable. To start, we each ordered a glass of wine. We shared the sourdough bread with garlic butter (specials menu) and I can confidently say it was the best bread I have ever had! We even asked if we could buy a loaf to take home with us, but it was so popular they were not able to at the time and suggested ordering ahead of time in the future. We also each had the soup of the day - roasted red pepper which was delicious and paired well with the bread. For my meal I ordered the salmon which was crispy and grilled to perfection. It came with saffron rice but we were very tempted by the garlic mashed potatoes so shared it as a side and we are so glad we did. They were creamy and flavorful. My husband had the prosciutto wrapped monk fish which also came with mashed potatoes. Our server was lovely and attentive. The whole atmosphere of the restaurant was welcoming and warm. We cannot wait to come back on our next visit to the Finger Lakes! read more

A group of 4 of us came to Ports Cafe on a Saturday night after a day of exploring Geneva, NY. Though we didn't have a reservation, the host was very welcoming and told us to wait and see what he can do. After waiting about 10 minutes, we were seated. Ports Cafe is very modern looking and cozy. We weren't too hungry so we ordered a few items to share. We ordered the sourdough bread, calamari-shrimp fry, burnt ends, and bread pudding. All the food was delicious. The flavors were on point and just melted in your mouth. Service was amazing from the start to the end. The restaurant has a parking lot too. read more

See all

Unfortunately we hit this on a BAD night (highly recommended by a friend that lives in the area). From being seated 20 minutes late to no waitress showing up for 15 minutes to drinks 10 minutes later to sitting in part of the restaurant with carpeting that needs replacing.. G&T was absent gin. Mussels and pear salad were good; their signature short rib gnocchi was not up to par, and the veal came out medium rare. We skipped dessert.. The manager was super sorry (staffing and kitchen issues) and comped about 1/3 of our bill. I expect it is a swell place most nights or it wouldn't be this popular. read more

We had a great dinner on Date Night. There was a large table of guys talking, nothing crazy but 8 guys talking, the volume is loud. Our waitress, Liz, moved us over by the fireplace, great spot. Dinner was great, we shared a salad and the pear dessert along with our 2 entrees. Great food and great waitress. Thanks Liz for wonderful dinner. read more

My wife and I had dined at Ports a few years back and it was pretty good. I was recently there again on June 30th with my wife and my in-laws and it was a complete disappointment. The food was just okay but the portions were small and the prices were ridiculous. I ordered the Scallops and Flank Steak for around fifty dollars and got two medium size Scallops and a tiny Flank Steak. The vegetables were so undercooked you couldn't even chew them. My wife and brother in-law had the same dinner. My sister-in-law had the Gnocchi for around thirty five dollars and received a tiny bowl of Gnocchi. She was originally going to order a Chicken dish but the server advised against it warning that dish had some type of red dye in that dish. We thought the server was joking but apparently not so my sister-in-law changed her selection. I felt bad because I had talked this place up to them. After spending a lot of money between the dinners and the drinks we felt like we were robbed. read more

We came here last night for the first time. It's hard to get into so make sure to have a reservation! We ended up snagging a 6pm reservation the day before we went, assuming someone canceled. We were greeted right away and seated right away. All staff was kind. We enjoyed our cocktails from their menu. We ordered ribs for an appetizer. They were tasty and had a good flavor but were tough to chew, definitely not fall off the bone. Our entrees were wonderful though, recommended by our server, Jennifer. I got the flank steak and scallops which was cooked perfectly. The sautéd veggies were tasty and the smashed potatoes so yummy! My boyfriend got the market code stuffed with seafood which was also cooked perfectly and delicious. We ended the night with the churro cheesecake which was also very good. Overall, great restaurant and we'd come back! read more

See all

This place is highly recommended and has great reviews so we had high expectations and were sadly disappointed. The staff was very friendly to start off. We ordered the Calamari Shrimp Fry for an appetizer. There were 2 shrimp in it. It was just ok, nothing exciting by any means. We both ordered the special Flank Steak and Scallops. The steak was about 4 oz of meat, MAYBE 5 oz. While very tender, it was a ridiculously small portion for the price. There were 2 small scallops with it and they were so mushy, I had to spit it out when I tried it. I was excited to try an espresso martini (my favorite) for "dessert" but the waitress confirmed they do not have an espresso machine so there is no actual espresso in it. (because the machine is too expensive). With the outrageous prices they are charging for miniscule servings of food, they should be able to by 10 espresso machines. I have no idea why everyone loves this restaurant. It was not good, ESPECIALLY not for the price. We have no problem paying a higher price for a good meal. This was not it. read more

THE BEST dining experience in the Finger Lakes. Service is outstanding, food is high quality, unique, fresh and delicious. Always go with one of the specials-it's what they pride themselves on and are known for. The ambiance is always pleasant, not overly loud so you can have a conversation with your dining partners. I've been here many times over the years and have never been disappointed. read more

Sat outside on the patio under an umbrella and had a terrific dinner and terrific service. Terrific cocktails, yummy crab and corn bisque and a nice warm loaf of sourdough bread with homemade butter. Entrees were delicious and filling - though everyone had room for desserts. A blueberry crumble a la mode and a coconut crème brûlée. Everything added up to a lovely evening. read more

Had reservation. Promptly seated. Service good. Lots of specials. Really good farm to table food expertly prepared!

Everything was great Service was excellent Food super drinks great Ambiance great Views read more

The Delmonico Steak and Lamb Chops were done to perfection. Our Server Jade S. was great , we went with her recommendations, and honestly she was spot on!!! The area we were seated in was very nice, almost private. I ordered an Old Fashioned with Jameson's Irish Whiskey "muddled" it reminded me of the Drink I had at the Distillery in Dublin. We will definitely be back. FYI make sure you make reservations, well in advance. read more

See all

Been going to Ports for years always loved! Not tonight everything was wrong! Terrible service we were forgotten beet& orange salad was dry not enough of anything in it 3 slivers of beet/ no orange .Entrees were very bad my pork chop dry barely warm , dry, tough, tasteless My wife's swordfish was cold was tasteless,and very skimpy portion, read more

We always visit Ports when we are in this region; it has always been our favorite dinner spot. This time the food was awesome as usual, but the service left a lot to be desired. We sat at the bar where one server was great (friendly and attentive) while the other was the opposite - put a big damper on our otherwise superb dining experience. read more

Not pub food! Much finer dining, with an upbeat dress-casual atmosphere. Our waitress, Alyssa, brought refreshing energy and a "can-do" smile. The chef/chefs really know how to take food up a notch from good to VERY VERY GOOD! read more

Past experiences were wonderful. This one was not. Food took way too long to arrive and it was extremely salty.

This place was absolutely amazing. Wonderful food. Fresh ingredients. We all tried the mussels which were so tender and had a wonderful broth. I had the mushroom pasta dish, the parents had rack of lamb, and my husband had the fish. Everyone was very happy and our waitress was fantastic. Highly recommend. Two days later and I am still thinking of the mushroom pasta dinner. Yummmmmm! read more

We chose this place as our last dinner spot in the finger lakes area and we were pleased with our flank steak and scallops, bolognese, and short rib gnocchi. While the food was cooked well and the atmosphere is just shy of fancy, the bolognese left room for more to desire and the serving size among all of the meals were much smaller than expected. For the cost of the meals, we had expected about 15%-20% more on the plate, but other than that the service was also really great minus the longer wait for food. We went on a Tuesday night with reservations for four at 5:30pm. It got really busy after that and the food wait was long like I mentioned. I'd recommend making you eat something before unless you want to pay a lot for a little amount of food, but you'll be pleased by the taste and service! read more

Ports Cafe - Baked Brie - New American Near Me - Geneva, New York

See all

Definitely one of the very best places in the area. Cocktails. A+. Good selection, cozy bar while you wait. Food. Really good, definitely take their advice and go with specials menu, this is where they shine. Wine. Great local wines. Our server knowledgeable and put us on good stuff we might have missed otherwise. Host stand was a little scattered but apparently they take seating seriously and with care, but wait was a bit much, especially if you not looking to have multiple cocktails while you wait. Make a reservation. read more

This place was amazing! We were given a recommendation to come here by a friend and are so happy that we did! The food was incredible. Service was good. Ambiance is classy but casual. Would love to come back again. read more

See all

This is the best food in Geneva! Food is always consistent. Farm to table cooking. Everything is so fresh and delicious. Nice environment with friendly attentive staff. Reservations recommended if you want to get in read more

We had an 8:30 reservation. We arrived early hoping that we can get seated early and they did accommodate us. The white sangria looked beautiful and tasty too. The short rib of the gnocchi was tender, the gnocchi was different, doughy, I wasn't sure if I like it. The peen with meatballs was good. Buffalo cauliflower was different and delicious. The beet salad was ordinary, can use a little bit more dressing. The midnight mocha cheesecake was great but taste more like a mocha chocolate cake than a cheesecake. read more

See all