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    Riley's

    4.2 (125 reviews)
    ModerateBars, American
    Closed Closed

    Riley's Photos

    Business Info

    RILEY'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Riley's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Turkey dinner
    Joanne R.

    It's been awhile since I've eaten here and I always liked it so I was anxious to go again. They don't take reservations for parties under 5 but the 2 of us got there at 4:30 and were promptly seated. The kitchen opens at 5:00 so we ordered a drink (old fashioned for me, wine for my friend) and just before 5:00 waitress came over and took our order. The menu is fun to read and all hand written. I choose the turkey dinner and my friend the chicken breast. Mine was delicious and she loved hers. The turkey breast was so moist with dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, and grilled vegetables. For desert I got the apple blueberry pie and my friend the carrot cake. The pie was the star of the show!!! Great crust and cooked to perfection. It was a great dinner and I will be back. The inside is small but cozy and the service is excellent!!

    Pork dinner
    Blair F.

    Mid-week dinner, and Riley's was hopping at 6:15pm. We had thought to sit at the bar, but all the seats were taken. Instead we were seated in the dining room in a booth built back in 1933. Not so comfortable, but it had a great atmosphere. Most of the tables were full, and there were all ages there (no kids though). We had a few Guinness/Harp pints with our fresh made bread and butter pats. When our server returned, we ordered the roast pork dinner and the fish fry with an upgrade to fried zucchini instead of fries. Our orders came out in about 15 minutes, and all told, our entire time there was only 75 minutes. We had enough to take home for leftovers. A great neighborhood bar with upscale food. Don't be too shocked by the prices, the food is exceptional.

    bison balls
    Jessica G.

    Great service and a nice cozy ambiance. Everything is homemade and the menu changes daily with some staples sticking around. I was able to visit and try the bison balls which was a new experience for me and they didn't taste bad. They were able to accommodate a special request as well. Definitely a great spot in the Syracuse area. It fills up fast and there is mostly just street parking.

    Pre-dinner drinks
    janice c.

    We went for return visit. Food is outstanding, I had the rib-eye and husband had lamb. Our food was meticulously prepared. Delicious. Arrived at 4 so we wouldn't have to deal with crowds. They start serving meals at 4:30 so had an excellent drink prior to dinner at the really nostalgic bar. I use to live on Oak Street so really takes me back to days gone by. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, perfect for dinner on a cold winter night

    Stuffed poblano
    Erika A.

    This place is literally a neighborhood bar, you're driving in a neighborhood and bam! Here's a restaurant/bar. We went on Friday night and the place was slammin', the vibe is like going to Cheers you can tell this place is a family. The food was so fresh and delicious. I couldn't get over how good the prices are, let alone the portion sizes. The fish was the size of my arm. The sweet potato fries were thick and the perfect fried texture, I can never achieve this at home and rarely do I eat them cooked this perfectly. I'm guessing the Caesar dressing is made fresh too it was intense but great! The rice pilaf and asparagus also perfect in the texture department. We ordered way too much but was so happy to try so many things. The Parmesan they use on the Caesar was so good I wanted to just pour it In my mouth too ha. The poblano with queso and veggies was a yummy cheesy start to our meal. Regret not coming more often over the years this place is very special!!

    Rileys booth
    Thomas C.

    More than three decades old, Terry Riley's restaurant is well-known by both the older and younger crowds. Riley's plays the part of the neighborhood bar exceedingly well, with a crowded front room, free munchies and servers who can make anyone feel welcome. The ever-changing menu, hand-written each day, is a testament to a kitchen that prizes fresh ideas and fresh ingredients. One side of Riley's menu features standing items such as burgers, sandwiches and omelettes. The other, which is posted on the restaurant's Facebook page each day, details the dishes unique to that day. You'll find soup, salad and appetizer choices along with about 10 main dishes. I'd heard of Riley's for a long time. Lots of good reviews. Just kept waiting to go. This past weekend, I was going to a movie with some friends and we all wanted lunch beforehand. Seeing as Rileys was close to the mall, I figured this was the time. Walking in, it's a sight to see. Dark, rich wood everywhere, low light. A bar on one side, with tables and an open kitchen on the other. You can tell Rileys has its quirky side, with cowboy doors in the entrance of the men's room. We were sat immediately. Our server was nice, answering any questions we had. We looked over the daily menu options. Lots of seafood options. We all got something different. I chose a daily special of sliced flank steak with mashed potatoes and veggies. My wife went for a haddock sandwich, and our three friends got a turkey reuben, a burger, and an open face steak sandwich, respectively. Everyone agreed that everything was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. We all went for a slice of their raspberry pie afterwards and all loved it. You can tell every little part of it is freshly made there. Light, flaky crust, homemade whipped cream, and real raspberries inside, not canned fruit full of gel. Everything was decently priced and comparable to other places. It's a place we'll definitely go again and I'd recommend it to anyone.

    Turkey on rye!
    Debbie P.

    Check out this turkey sandwich on rye! Great place, excellent staff. Parking can bee a challenge but so worth it. Try the white chocolate mousse if available.

    Matthew R.

    The food and atmosphere was great! I had a very hard time deciding what to get, as everything sounded amazing! My only issue was that it was my lunch break, and my burger took an exceptionally long time to come out. Though the bartender made it right without my having to even mention it. I would say that the great customer service negated any hard feelings I had about the speed of my food coming out.

    Live music!

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    9 years ago

    Awesome food. Very fresh, and delicious. Very antique and cool atmosphere. Great date place!

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    Page 2 of 4

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    Oh My Darling - Salmon Benedict

    Oh My Darling

    3.8(399 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    This is one of our go to places whenever I visit my daughter in Syracuse... never disappoints!…read moreThe menu has unique plays on some standards... always delicious and the cocktails are inspired & interesting... you'll probably need a rezzy ENJOY!

    I stopped by with a group of 6 on a Friday afternoon. When me and my friend stopped by there was no…read moreone at front so we stood around awkwardly for a bit before someone came over to bring us to our table. Walking through the restaurant was nice as the space was very large and the decor indoor was cozy and whimsical. Our server was nice throughout the meal. However, I did get a water glass that had marks on it that looked like someone just drank out of it and a crumb on the rim. I asked them if they could get me a clean cup and they ended up bringing the same one as the same mark and crumb were still there. For food, our table ordered a few items to share. We got: -CAULIFLOWER WINGS: The chutney/salsa on top of the fried cauliflower was nice and gave the item a little sour kick. However, the cauliflower itself was not cooked fully so not as soft as I wanted it to be. -SYRACUSE POUTINE: The appearance of the poutine was not the best. However, the gravy it came with was very flavorful and tasty. The potatoes themselves were not fried and were in wedge form but went well with the gravy. The small globs of melted cheese on top were a nice complement. -CAJUN SLIDERS: The slider compliments/sauce went well together but the sliders themselves had grill marks on it which gave a bitter bite to those parts of the slider. Additionally, the fried shrimp inside of the slider still had the tail on and so it was a bit of a surprise to bite into a full tail while eating a slider. All in all, a cute spot to see people but food had some hit or miss components.

    Photos
    Oh My Darling - Inside.

    Inside.

    Oh My Darling - Rosemary Hot Honey Dipped Crispy Chicken Full Housemade Mac Cheese Honey Dijon Roasted Brussel Sprouts - GF DF

    Rosemary Hot Honey Dipped Crispy Chicken Full Housemade Mac Cheese Honey Dijon Roasted Brussel Sprouts - GF DF

    Oh My Darling - Strawberry limeade

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    Strawberry limeade

    The Evergreen - Brussels sprouts

    The Evergreen

    4.1(202 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    It's so nice to go to a bar where they love on vegetarians as much a meat eaters, and it makes it…read moreeasy to find something satisfying to go with your beer here. For drinks they have a good selection of beers on tap, usually 10-20, from local and national breweries. The server offered me a sample before I fully committed on a beer I had a question about and I appreciated being able to try it before committing to a full glass. The Evergreen's menu itself is accessed through a QR code where their full list of options and specials are listed. My group opted to share the beer fries and they were taaaasty, pillowy soft, crunchy, and amazingly well seasoned. The vegetarian options are a regular part of the restaurant and the fried tofu I had was genuinely satisfying and well done. My cajun pasta was maybe a touch over but I was okay with it since it had my condiment obsession of chili crisp in it. The menu is well marked for dietary needs. A great thing of note is that they have women's, men's, AND an all-gender bathroom. I appreciate the inclusion in the food and restaurant itself. Car parking is street parking, it's accessible via the Centro bus system, and there is an artistic broken-chain shaoed bike rack just across the street from the restaurant. My group was happy with the prices and service for an early Wednesday dinner in a wintry March.

    Sat at the bar, it took awhile to get served and to get our bill, but ig the bartenders were busy…read moremaking drinks for the tabled patrons. The mac in cheese was probably one of the best I've had in town. The fries were really good and I dipped them in some spicy aioli. The burger on the other hand was simply not good and lacked any sort of flavor, I'd probably try a regular burger over the smash next time. The restaurant is nice. The location isn't bad and has decent parking.

    Photos
    The Evergreen
    The Evergreen - Burrata

    Burrata

    The Evergreen - Beer board

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    Beer board

    The Whiskey Coop - Pork Rinds

    The Whiskey Coop

    4.1(53 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    First, I have to say that the renovation/ redecorating that has been done (to the old Empire…read moreBrewing), is really first class. They have kept the beautiful details of a historic building while making it warm, classy and comfortable. Service was very good. Our server was also the bartender and he was friendly and helpful....it was our first time visiting. The menu is very eclectic but highlights their house brined, battered and fried chicken. We looked over the menu before going and were excited about the Chicken and Biscuits. It wasn't on the menu, but our server was positive it was available. Three of us ordered the Chicken and Biscuits and one ordered the Hot Mess Chicken sandwich, which she declared delicious. The chicken and biscuits was excellent with a nice amount of chicken and vegetables, creamy and flavorful and homemade biscuits served on the side. I actually prefer the biscuits on the side because I seldom finish my meal so when I take it home, the biscuits are Not soggy. My only disappointment was that while the dish came over looking like a hearty portion, the chicken and biscuits was served over mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes tasted homemade, creamy and seasoned nicely seasoned.....but the actual amount of chicken and biscuits was pretty small. (We didn't know it came with potatoes because we it wasn't on the menu so we didn't get a description) I am looking forward to many more visits and trying some of their signature house brined chicken. We also had a very nice discussion with the bartender about their extensive selection of liquor.

    Honey and I are on vacay and were missing home a smidge. We found this place and were blown away…read more It was in the middle of the street where there is street parking so be advised. Moving on, the entrance gives off a speakeasy vibe.. as we had to go downstairs to the entrance! We love a great speak easy! We went to the bar as we prefer to eat and chat up the bartenders anyway. The menus are leather bound and we loved it! We are Old Fashioned snobs and wanted to check out the selection. Not only are there 3 pages of different whiskeys you can choose from, there are flights available too if you can't decide. Honey ordered the "Cluck Norris", and I had chicken and biscuits! Oh My Southern Loving Heart... Syracuse... wooooo bay baaayyyy! The chicken and biscuits was my dream of a chicken of a chicken pot pie without the crust, on top of mashed potato's, and rimmed with biscuits! Honey said.. "Damn that was good. It was better than the chicken in Nola!" The flavor and temp were unmatched!! When you come, ask for Ryan the bartender! (Picture included!!) 5 stars all day...

    Photos
    The Whiskey Coop - Downstairs entrance

    Downstairs entrance

    The Whiskey Coop
    The Whiskey Coop - Bar area

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    Bar area

    Over The Cuse Deli And Grill - BLUE CHEESE CRUMBLE SMASH BURGER

    Over The Cuse Deli And Grill

    4.4(73 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    We are Back for another Take out thursday this time hitting the new syracuse sensation: Over the…read moreCuse Deli To back up for a minute, I'm an NYC native being born there and spending at least 4 adult years eating and experiencing food there. My favorite dish was always gyros over rice with cut up pita and salad from the streetcarts. Fastforward to now. In Upstate NY it is hard to find Gyros or meat over rice as good as the city...until today. I took one bite and had flashbacks. The chicken is seasoned with a blend of the middle east and Mediterranean. The steak was coated with white sauce, garlic sauce, and hummus. And the salad was panopley of options. Even a little toasted pita to remind of the gyros. Very filling. I will get multiple meals out of this and I will be back to try more!

    Ordered food and the delivery guy took my first order than decided not to deliver it. I was told…read moreI'd get a refund than to place the order again. I placed the order again and this time my dinner came without the cheesecake. I call back again and ask to speak to the manager and he tells me I have to email their HR department to get it all sorted out. He treated it like it was all a joke. I email them and they said I was Refunded for the first meal completely which I'm Still waiting for all these to process and that they're going to refund me for the second cheesecake. So I get hit with delivery fees and processing fees. I used to eat out here weekly but after this I'm sorry but I can't support someone who is going to mess my Order up twice I got hit with all these fees and there isn't anything they did to make the situation right and I've never had to email an HR department for a company I didn't work for. Also the second time I had to call the manager told me that I had to send an email about the missing desert and when I asked him to take care of it himself he couldn't comprehend the fact that I shouldn't have to contact them when they messed my order up twice it's disappointing that a place that I enjoyed eating at could care less that they made these mistakes.

    Photos
    Over The Cuse Deli And Grill - Full selection of meats

    Full selection of meats

    Over The Cuse Deli And Grill - Diverse mix of food from cuse back at hotel

    Diverse mix of food from cuse back at hotel

    Over The Cuse Deli And Grill - Steak & Rice bowl.

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    Steak & Rice bowl.

    Riley's - bars - Updated May 2026

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