Owner Patrick Mitchell has worked in kitchens across the country, including the south, and brings both a northern perspective and respect for the heritage of the cuisine. The restaurant on the corner of Bridge and West First Streets in the center of Oswego is probably not something you'd expect to find in the area, somewhere that adds an entirely different dimension to dining in the city - a showcase of cuisine inspired by the American south. We recently tried out Southern Fare with some friends and we were all extremely impressed with the restaurant. My wife and I got there a bit earlier than our friends, so we sat at the bar for a bit. As someone who doesn't drink, I'm always excited to see mocktails on the menu. My wife got a cocktail, I got a mocktail, we both loved the drinks and the bartender was extremely nice and personable. We made a reservation for 6PM on a Saturday, although it seemed we probably didn't need one this day, so when our friends showed up, we were sat right away. Our friends ordered cocktails, while we ordered another round for ourselves, and again, loved everything we got. We ordered some friend green tomatoes for an appetizer, which were a little bland, but the sauce was good and made up for it. We all ordered a different main dish and everyone was very happy with their food. I ordered a pork chop special - I love pork chops, but don't eat them often, as my wife isn't a fan, and pork chops can be difficult to cook properly. The dish was a lemon marinated pork chop, grilled, topped with a strawberry compote, crispy fried potatoes and roasted broccoli. The pork chop was huge, cooked perfectly, juicy, bursting with flavor. The broccoli and potatoes were also delicious and needed nothing added to them. It's probably one of the best meals I've had in CNY, period. It was a little bit higher priced, but it's what we expected, and the food was absolutely worth it. We will absolutely be back again. read more

Southern Fare - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

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We were staying in town on the way to a motorcycle rally in Canada and Southern Fare was suggested by a local. It did not disappoint, the food and service (Hi Gabby!) were on point. It's nice being at ground level and do some people watching while having dinner. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and service. Highly recommend. read more

Service was quite pleasant and efficient even though we were seated outside. The drinks were delightful and the waiter guided us proficiently through the offerings so we could select appropriate cocktails. Lunch was their chicken sandwhich and fries. Chicken was well seasoned, crispy with a moist interior. Fries were also crispy (not soggy or oil laden). I requested hot sauce for my sandwich and their house made sauce delivered! Good food, good drinks and good prices. read more

Great atmosphere, great food, and great drinks. The chicken sandwich was delicious, but the Parmesan fries were even better. They had a special for $3 sloppy joe sliders that were good also. The stuffed pepper appetizer was delicious, especially if you like pickled things. Highly recommend. read more

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We decided to get together for a nice place to go and eat dinner. We tried Southern Fare located on 1st St in Oswego. We started out by ordering some drinks. We ordered a drink called the Pear Necessities along with another drink called Yes You Cran. The drinks were nothing short of amazing & incredibly refreshing. Our server, Gabrielle G also was fantastic. She gave great insight as to the items on the menu along with the drink, as well as, desserts. We ordered the pan fried cod along with the fried chicken & chicken sandwiches respectively. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate strawberry ice cream with fresh strawberries on top. Last but not least, the ambiance was also just right. Our table was just off the main bar but adequate enough to carry on a nice conversation as well as take in the surrounding area visible through the large windows. If you get the chance, please check out Southern Fare (see pictures). Fantastic place for a night out to eat in Oswego, NY. Enjoy!! read more

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We went on a Sunday afternoon, when they offer a limited menu. I got a smash burger and swapped out the chips and got fries instead. There was a white spread on the burger that was delish! service was friendly and attentive. Will try it another time when they have a full menu available. read more

Southern Fare - Smash burger and fries. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

Good food, although the menu is limited. Their service is very professional, especially the bar staff. Good selection of whiskeys and bourbons and the bartenders are very knowledgeable on the selection. They'll gladly recommend a good pour. read more

We were warmly greeted the moment we cleared the door and given our choice of the sprinkling of vacant tables. The area was brightly lit by the afternoon sun and the clean white interior, modernly adorned in what could be described as a comfortable industrial setting. We were provided menus, although we had checked them out online prior to coming. It didn't take us long to settle on going direct for entrees: Shrimp and Grits and an order of the Denver Steak and Fries, medium rare. We found the hosts, Seth and Emily to be fun, smart, and very welcoming. They were excited to recommend dishes and talk about their offerings. Both were very comfortable in their roles, and quick with suggestions of where to visit in Oswego. The Denver steak was good; just what I had wanted. The arugula salad that came with it was simple but awesome with a light Italian style dressing that just exploded with fresh herb flavor. The seasoned fries were excellent and generously sprinkled with grated parmesan. Across the table from me was the Shrimp and Grits. My memory of grits was blown away by this wonderfully cheesy concoction that stood as an island in the most amazing creamy roasted fennel sauce surrounding the plump pink shrimp. I mean this sauce was awesome! This place was a great change of pace and we will surely be back! It was well worth the ninety minute drive to get there. And then we followed Emily's advice to catch the sunset at Breitbeck Park! Just an excellent trip and excellent meal. Thanks to Steph and Emily!! read more

Southern Fare - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

Planned on a movie date with the wife for Mother's Day but a long line changed our minds quickly. Southern Fare sounded good so we stopped in and got a spot at the bar on a very busy day - didn't stop the servers from getting us taken care of quickly though! Food was delicious and service never left us waiting for a second. read more

Stopped in at about 7:00 on a Saturday. The restaurant wasn't busy but had a few tables occupied. Service was good, we were promptly greeted and sat. Our waitress came to take our order quickly. My partner and I ordered the beer cheese pretzel bread and frickles to start. Both were good but the pretzel bread was outstanding. So so so so good. Best thing I've eaten in a while. Our mains were the BLTA which my partner liked. I had the smash burger which was cooked well and flavorful but I wouldn't order again because the flavors were really my thing, but it was good. Spicy so watch out for that. Total came to 88 for two with two apps, two mains, a mock tail, and an unsweetened tea. About what you would expect. I will note that while the restaurant was clean- we were besieged by a spider which repeatedly dropped down over our table and I did notice a couple flies buzzing around. I would go back read more

Hmmmmm- Some of these highly rated reviews are perplexing. We were invited to this establishment for cocktails and ended up having a bite- well several bites. Let's start by saying I am a southern boy- raised in the south- southern mama, southern grandmothers- all are amazing cooks. So up north when I visit a place called Southern Fare the expectations are high. Sadly what was delivered was low. Started with beer pretzels. Which weren't really pretzels at all and not sure how it made it into the Southern moniker but ok. One of our friends with us LOVES soft pretzels and when these arrived one bite and you could tell that these were a no go- not an ounce of flavor and the accompanying green chile queso left a lot to be desired. The crispy Brussels were def better and more flavorful. The drinks on the other hand definitely hit the mark, but we really wanted the food to be the winner. My entree was as you may expect- the fried chicken- and here is where I thought I would lose my mind and not in a good way. It truly was the most tasteless fried chicken I have ever eaten. I was told by the server that the sweet jalapeño glazed was the way to go (nothing southern about that at all) and I opted for the glaze on the side. Truth be told it was like they had grabbed a bottle of sweet Thai chili and poured it in a small cup. I set it to the side. I was just beside myself at how weakly seasoned the chicken was. Almost bland- I even had my friends try it and they all agreed- tasteless. What a let down. I really wanted to like this place because we had been discussing going for a while. When you are raised eating the best fried chicken in the world- cooked in a cast iron skillet by your Mama and grandmothers - it's hard to beat. That said the service was great and our server was lovely. We may give it a chance again- but not the fried chicken! Reading many of the other reviews- flavors seem to be the most critiqued issue and clearly I am not the only one that doesn't think the chicken hits the mark - a good business owner will take note and make changes! read more

We just had drinks the bar so we didn't experience the 'southern' or the 'fare' but we really enjoyed the atmosphere. The bartender was very helpful and the street scene out in front was entertaining. I will definitely go back when I return to Oswego. read more

Wow. All I can say is the food and service was amazing. Stopped in as we were in the area and had no idea what we were in for. We had a few apps/snacks. Frickles, stuffed peppers, and blue point oysters. Moved to the main course. Fried chicken with the sweet jalapeño sauce, strawberry salad with chicken, BLTA, and Brunswick stew. The food was just simply amazing. The server was awesome. I can't recall his name but knew the menu well and the drinks. Asked for what to do in the area and gave us many things to consider. He has an awesome personality. If I ever get back to Oswego this for sure will be a stop at the top of my list. Didn't get all photos of our food. read more

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Drink selection is good and service is awesome. But for a southern/cajun restaurant the flavors and spice levels are more..... tame than I would want. read more

Visiting for the weekend and came for a nice/quick dinner out and this did just the trick. Service was great, drinks were good and food was awesome. We got the cauliflower dip appetizer and it was so yummy, and got the chicken sandwich with fries and mac and cheese. All really really good and served hot. Would recommend and come back. read more

great drinks great food the fried chicken was outstanding not bad on the prices staff was great way better then the people upstairs at the roof top lounge read more

Went in and placed a Togo order of mac n cheese and fried chicken. I waited at the bar for over an hour for my food. The fried chicken was not breaded properly, very mealy, and had no seasoning. Not even a little hint of salt. The Mac and cheese was very lackluster and also had no type of seasoning. The cheese also tasted like it was just thrown in a pot of hot noodle and mixed together. Atmosphere was nice and bartender comp'd me a drink for the wait. read more

Southern Fare - Fried chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

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We ordered several dishes to share at our table and everything was delicious. Our awesome waitress, Bella, talked us through the menu and we had an amazing dinner!!! One side in particular will have me returning even for a quick takeout and that was the crispy smashed potatoes. Everyone thought they reminded them of home fries- but cooked perfectly. We all had to try the pork (and also the shrimp!) tacos, as it was $2 taco Thursday. Bella was able to tell us all of the ingredients and accommodated special requests perfectly. For dessert she recommended the homemade ice cream, (the flavor tonight was Funfetti) and once again was on par for the perfect way to end the evening. The ambiance was excellent, and as it became darker in the evening, glowing candles were placed on every table, giving intimacy in an airy open room. We will be returning patrons for sure. read more

Horrible bartenders tonight. So unbelievably rude and slow.. Friday May 23, 2025. Will never be back or ever spend any money at this location in the future ever. Too bad because I do appreciate some of the bartenders at this facility. read more

Unfortunately I was way more excited than the food was interesting. I may be biased here as I grew up down south and frequent the area often as most of my family is spread across VA and SC. There were not a lot of truly southern food items like fried green tomatoes or pimento cheese. The fried chicken was pretty bland and not a lot of coating, although it was juicy and tender, just not what I thought it would be. The place was mostly empty when I went with a couple of friends which I only say because the service was slow as well. I will however make another trip because of the rooftop part of the restaurant has a different menu, and an amazing view of Oswego! read more

Great cocktail bar- imaginative drinks and relaxing atmosphere. The location is terrific!

The smash burger served here is probably one of my favorite burgers north of SYR. Coupled with their homemade chips, it's a meal so delicious. Can't speak on anything else on their menu, looks to be mixed reviews read more

Visiting our most favorite third son for parents weekend. Had a great dinner here. Sat outside. Had made reservations which was helpful. Very efficient, cheerful waitstaff. Varied menu. I enjoyed my n/a beer. There's a plethora of alcoholic choices. The Cajun wings were really good. My lettuce wedge salad was a little deconstructed but tasty. Third favorite son said thus was his second best rib eye out. (First went to Dominic's in NYC). Fried chicken sandwich was ok. There was a down vote because the bun was lack luster. A little pricey but worth it. read more

Love the space -- it feels really modern and it's beautifully decorated! Love the hanging light fixtures over the bar and the table and chair look. The drinks were small but affordably priced and pretty tasty! HOWEVER, our entire party struggled with their meal due to the saltiness of all of the seasonings. The shrimp po boy was inedible due to how salty it was, the French fries were absolutely coated in salt, and the catfish breading was pretty salty too. The fried chicken wasn't salty, but it was pretty dry. The macaroni and cheese and the fried pickles were pretty good. There's definitely a difference between food being well seasoned and food being too salty and unfortunately they don't know the difference. read more

A review is long over due, as I've dined at Southern Fare over a dozen times. Simply put, they live up to their name with a delicious, southern inspired- yet elevated menu. While the ambiance feels like more of an upscale bar, it retains a certain elegance. Aside from the menu, their drinks draw from the same inspiration- boasting an impressive selection and creative cocktails, each providing a different experience. Service still weighs more on the bar side, however that hasn't negatively impacted my experiences. It doesn't take much of a crowd to feel "busy", which reflects in the service, but not the wait times. I would recommend this as a must-try if traveling to Oswego. read more

Well in August, for my birthday, we had efficiently set up my freshman granddaughter at SUNY Oswego & my daughter suggested we go up to the rooftop dining area! Initially was advised for reservations, but, was efficiently escorted out to rooftop & inquired what I wished for my birthday bevy! Prosecco & cake as the sun was setting! Perfect end to a special day! read more

Welcoming hospitality, delicious food , great beer , wine and a well stocked bar ; we were truly delighted by our first spontaneous visit . We walked in without a reservation . We prefer eating at the bar. Emily made us feel right at home. The menu of Southern Fare is unique and varied from the usual In Oswego. The whole place has a vibe that almost makes you feel like your on vacation. The attention to detail is consistent in food and service. We enjoyed the jambalaya and the pulled pork with Mac and cheese. The beer selection and the wine variety will tempt us back just to be out and about to enjoy an adult beverage. We enjoyed dessert, coffee and a brandy and the patrons at the friendly bar. The staff was friendly and very efficient. This is a great place to bring visiting friends to show off the new and improved Oswego . A wonderful place to enjoy a date night read more

Southern Fare - Jambalaya and a double IPA!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

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Good and beer was awesome. Had a stout called Gunner's Daughter. Was probably the best I have ever had. It is on tap there now. Good service as well. read more

The most delicious dinner in Oswego! We have a few Gluten Free family members and they were so thrilled that almost the entire menu is Gluten Free. And really lovely atmosphere. read more

Not really what I was expecting. The snacks (small appetizers) consisting of beer cheese with chips and pimento cheese with toasted bread were really good. However, the best overall meal of the 5 ordered was the smash burger with cheese and bacon. The fried chicken had almost no taste, which was so unusual that it was rather difficult to eat it. My "jambalaya" did not have shrimp in it, but instead had 3 jumbo fried shrimp with the same bland batter as the chicken, placed on top of everything. The remaining portion of rice, sausage, etc., was really small but what was there tasty. Both po' boys were made of the same battered shrimp as what was placed atop the "jambalaya" and both who ordered it found that the sauce was overly spicy making it inedible. I just can't imagine southern cooking that lacks flavor in fried chicken, that ain't southern. read more

Southern Fare - Dining room and logo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

New restaurant. Waitress forgot to submit our order but the atmosphere was nice to wait in. The drinks are ok; weak and too sweet. Food is as described on the menu. Nothing really POPS about this place. I'd maybe go again. read more

Southern Fare - Chicken fried sandwich. Not sure why there are boiled green beans as a garnish. Was tasty though! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oswego, New York

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Food was excellent! Pretzels for an appetizer, yummy!! I ordered the 1/2 fried chicken, substituted the pasta salad for Mac & cheese, delicious! Hubby had a steak with fries, also delicious! Highly recommend!! Great food and service!! read more

Was looking forward to eating here, unfortunately caught kitchen between lunch/dinner so limited menu. The wings were delicious and the spirits right on point- will definitely time our arrival better next time. read more

Excellent service and food! Went on farmers market night and enjoyed $5.00 margaritas and $2.00 pulled pork tacos. Everything was delicious. Our server was very attentive and suggested the Deep Fried pretzel bread, oh my gosh! AMAZING! read more

Beautiful restaurant. Great beer and cocktail offer. Excellent service. Steak was delicious. Hush puppies were a bit overdone but tasty with the butter. Sausage gravy over waffle fries was not good in that there wasn't any gravy, the sausage not optimum for the dish, and awkward to share/eat as an appetizer. Should have ordered the flounder:( Oh well...lessened learned. read more

Cool spot, big on drinks, very small food menu, but the food we had was tasty. Nice crew working that afternoon.

I was so hopeful about this one...alas... As a lover of southern food with regular trips around the low country and lots of time eating in Charleston; from country BBQ's, Seafood shacks & diners all the way to the haute internationally known places, we were really looking forward to this one. We had a family party of 6 adults, and were there fairly early on a weekend dinner service. Traffic was light (a few at the bar, only a handful of tables seated). The menu is less akin to the southern fine dining experience and more allied to diner & pub style food (sandwiches, fried chicken, etc), though we've never seen shrimp & grits on a menu as an appetizer rather than a main down south. The hits: -Drinks were decent. They have a solid beer & wine selection and we tried several off the cocktail menu. Bar staff were friendly and quick. -The snap pea salad was enjoyed by all at our table. -Hush puppies were also good, probably about as good as you'll get up north and better than most any in the region. The maple butter was a nice northern twist on the southern honey-butter standard that everyone enjoyed. -The Trout entree was the best looking main on the table, and the eater of it thoroughly enjoyed it. -Other good notes: fries (on the pulled pork plate) were excellent, as was the pickled vegetable snack/starter; presentation was kind of a mess though. I'm sure that something that's more exciting than 'a pile' could be executed. The frogs legs were also good. The not good: -Fried Chicken (Half, special of the night, supposedly with a beer. None of the 3 beers was forthcoming): We had 3 orders for this, yet only 2 showed up as planned and the third plate I'll address in a moment. The two that seemed to be representative of the dish came with about a half a plate of chicken, and a skillet pan of mac & cheese. Alas, the chicken was really dry, the batter on the outside lacked much flavor or punch, except for the slightly sour taste that both diners noticed as being burnt. The mac & cheese on all three plates seemed to lack cheese & be more of a pasta in bechamel sauce, it just wasn't good. -The third plate of fried chicken was not the same dish. While also dry, the batter was different and they'd obviously run out of chicken. What was served was about 1/3rd the size of the other chicken plates and consisted of a single small wing, a single small drumstick (think wing night leftovers) and two chunks cut off of a boneless chicken breast. EVERYONE at the table noticed that it was a very different plate & commented on it. Guys, you can't serve 3 of the same dish to a table and have one be radically different and obviously lesser than the others in appearance and ingredients. Even my very laid back wife called this 'unforgivable.' If you can't make the dish as it was intended to be made...don't serve it. -Pimento Cheese(starter/snack): Oddly dissimilar to any pimento cheese in the south. Rather than the sharp cheddar meets peppery & sometimes surprisingly spicy dip (made with mayo), this appeared to be a cream cheese & pimento variant, mild & not very flavorful none of our eaters were fans. Also, oddly, given the plate which had a load of bread, prosciutto & a good sized bowl of mustard...the tiny teaspoon schmear of cheese was the smallest component on the plate. Maybe rename the dish? Really good pimento cheese is addicting and doesn't need all the rest of the stuff. Service: -One of our starters didn't arrive with the rest...it took about 20 minutes to flag down wait staff from across the room (a long time, given the room wasn't very full). They apologized and said she'd go and take care of it. 10 minutes later she came back to explain how she'd given them to another table and would take care of it (maybe it was 10 minutes of them trying to figure out what happened?)...and then another 10 or so minutes before the plate arrived at our table. In the meantime, our mains had arrived, so one of our table had their starter as a side. Bummer. -The beer to accompany our 3 fried chicken plates (special of the night) was never offered and never arrived. After it was mentioned by the server at the top of the night...it was like it never happened. -My wife commented after the meal that our server cost the bar a good amount of money. Since they were scarce, we had a round of drinks at the top of the night but while we would have had more during the meal, we didn't have anyone ask. When I was asked after the meal if we should 'give it a second chance' I said, "I guess we can, but with so many other good independent restaurants in CNY, I don't know that I want to waste the money unless I know they've gotten their act together. Just a whole lot of unforced errors read more

Southern Fare has a good menu, small but that's good because what they have is really delicious. Nice sized appetizers and good portions for suppers with a well stocked bar read more

Great atmosphere. Food was ok. The presentation was good and it does have potential. I would like a little more seasoning. Perhaps a marinade for the pork chop. I will go back to try other items on the menu. read more

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I've been meaning to correct and update my previous review of Southern Fare. Since living upstairs in the Litatro Building I've been visiting the restaurant on a regular basis. The staff is friendly and courteous and it's a joy to hang out for a beverage and a meal. The food and drinks are top notch. My hat's off to the owner Pat and bartenders Emily & Seth whom I visit frequently. Keep up the GREAT Job and I'll see you all in the spring. Jimbo read more