Wonderful bar for drinks. I've been here a couple times and have sat both inside (darker, moodier,…read moremore intimate) and outside (livelier, great when the weather is nice, more relaxed). Very unique cocktails! My first visit, I tried the ruby slipper, braulio sour, and the mango lassi. The mango lassi is incredible! It is my favorite drink at Argos! The ruby slipper and braulio sour were also quite tasty but I preferred the ruby slipper a tad more. My second visit, I tried the grapefruit soda (not artificial tasting at all), the Shark Juice (tasted a bit too much like cologne, wasn't a fan), and the Gigi (couldn't taste the hojicha, liked the concept more than the execution). I would get the Gigi again, but would pass on the Shark Juice. Sitting inside, I enjoyed the quieter and calmer atmosphere as well as the soft lighting. The interior decor is very cosy and slightly eclectic. I came with a friend on a weekday evening and it was pretty empty which was nice. The outdoor patio space is very nice- I like the lanterns on the walls and the whole space is quite charming. I left with a few mosquito bites though. Overall, I would recommend Argos Inn!

As the weather warms up make your way to Bar Argos! They have a quaint outdoor patio with tables…read morelarge enough to accommodate larger parties. While sitting under their string lights enjoy a craft cocktail (or a couple) while catching up with old friends. Of the multiple cocktails we had there wasn't a single one we didn't like. If you find yourself having a hard time deciding, ask a friendly server for a recommendation!

Our meal at Gala Osteria was delicious -- authentic Italian dishes. I loved the tagliatelle and the…read moredessert with maple syrup grown locally. Our waiter Steve was very attentive and gave great suggestions. Don't let the somewhat odd location discourage you from a fabulous meal.

Delicious pasta! Better than Thompson and Bleecker and perhaps my favorite restaurant in Ithaca!…read more We tried the eggplant roll appetizer which was warm and very cheesy. The anchovy salad was also good (I prefer the white anchovies which they used). The salad was also quite generous with the cheese. I enjoyed dipping the warm bread in the leftover eggplant cheese/sauce. For mains we tried the chicken, black spaghetti, and the pappardelle. I love mushrooms, so the pappardelle was my favorite. A rather simple buttery sauce which allowed the flavor of the mushrooms to really come through. Delicious! I don't usually like to re-order the same dish when returning to restaurants, but this was so good when I come back I will definitely be getting this again! Black spaghetti and chicken were also good- no complaints here. For dessert we tried the panna cotta which was a tiny bit on the runny side though I am just being picky. It was very tasty and not too sweet. The tiramisu was also good (on the boozier side). The desserts were rather small but the mains were all quite hefty portion sizes. Reservations were rather inconvenient to snag though definitely not too hard. Overall, I really enjoyed Gola Osteria and will have to return to try more of their pastas!

29 Neat is our favorite cocktail/bourbon bar period!  This…read morewas the second year in a row we were fortunate to have our trip to the finger lakes fall on their opening weekend!  29 Neat is the type of bourbon/Cocktail bar where anyone can stop in, feel welcomed and relax. There is good music playing and the bartenders are amazing. Very friendly, good humored, and very knowledgeable not only about the drinks/booze, but about the surrounding area.  The menu is a leather bound book containing pages of bourbons from hard to find to every day favorites. In addition to the bourbons they also have a nice selection of Tequila, vodka, scotch and wines.  They also have an amazing craft cocktail list. Every drink we've sampled from the list has been amazing and reflects positively on the talent of the bartenders.  These are truly craft cocktails that are perfectly balanced and flavorful.  If you are looking for a place to relax and have amazing drinks, 29 Neat is the best place around.

Best service in town. Beautiful building with indoor, outdoor, and rooftop seating. Very…read moreprofessional and well-done establishment. Bartenders are knowledgeable and not grumpy. The place has an extensive menu and even beer on tap. We did not order food because we had just eaten a large dinner. They have a wide variety of bourbons at different price ranges and their menu cocktails are reasonably priced. Go there now if you want a great experience in Watkins Glen.

This place is a gem. If you like sports, this will be your home away from home!!! I have been…read moreenjoying the food soooo much that I may have gained a few pounds, lol. But the cheese curds are EPIC!!! I have yet to have a bad meal; the cooks are absolutely amazing and incredibly talented. And the service is absolutely perfect. They manage to find the perfect balance of personable and friendly yet not annoying or too much. They have a lot of people who play pool there regularly which is interesting to watch, and can be quite funny and entertaining. Drinks are reasonably priced and delicious and it has a definite hole in the wall-dive bar feel but a top tier staff who clearly know what they are doing. I heard there's been a change in management or ownership and all I can say is HALLELUJAH!!! Because they are my favorite spot and I cant say enough good things about my new home away from home. Don't try it unless you are ready to find your new fave spot---Ithacas best kept secret!!!!

Just took a chance on this place. The food was wonderful. I had a burger and salad. Salad was so…read morefresh. Burger was cooked perfect. Service great. Extremely clean and comfortable. Definitely give it a try.

Delicious and creative menu. Lots to love. Had the shrimp roll with a great roasted red pepper…read moreand smoked Gouda soup.

When the app decided to add a 6 star option, I will come back and update my review…read more What a GREAT place to eat! The menu had classic food with a fun flair to each dish. Waitstaff was friendly, knowledgeable and wonderful. Every dish, every drink, even the items I saw go to other tables looked incredible. Clean place, outdoor and indoor dining, fun view to people watch. Cannot stop raving about this spot!

Solid Great friendly ambiance…read moreWe had: Bacon wrapped cheese filled dates Fried chicken - skin layer under batter isn't the best but chicken was tender Pork Schnitzel - on a buttermilk sauce with two fingerling potatoes. Duck fat fries - nice crunch. Overall a no frills restaurant- good solid choice for a weeknight out.

The Rook is located a couple blocks north of the Commons. The staff were very pleasant and…read moreexplained everything on the menu. The menu itself is short and focused, while the interior of the restaurant features wallpaper with anthropomorphic animals, and large windows. I opted for the Burger, and my wife the Salmon. We also ordered the grilled dates and collard greens. I also decided on a Ginger Beer. They serve Goslings (since 1806), with all 47 grams of sugar, over ice and a lime. Highly recommended on the ginger beer flavor scale. The Burger came with a massive amount of their duck-fat fried fries, certainly more potato than burger. I also liked the burger with the added bacon. But my wife's Salmon was even tastier. It featured a nice hunk of fish, skin-on, crispy, and not some half-or-quarter fillet that other places might serve. Plus, it comes over a bed of green peas and canneli beans and green asparagus sauce on the bottom, and a small bed of frisée on top. The combination with the lemon cream leads to very satisfying bites. The grilled dates wrapped in bacon, with goat cheese, Marcona almonds, and honey were presented as a drumstick. The collard greens were nice, though on the saltier side. Seating here can be had inside or out. The bathrooms are located in the hallway next to the restaurant.

We stopped by this cute wine bar on a recent trip to Watkins Glen. It has indoor seating and…read moreoutdoor seating, and a bar. I have not tried any of their wines, but the cocktails are great. Some popular standards and more unique drinks like the lavender vodka based cocktail I tried. Service is excellent. Definitely worth a stop whether you're in town or elsewhere in the Finger Lakes.

Our airbnb host graciously gifted us coupons for a tasting at J.R. Dill, and while exploring…read moreWatkins Glen before our boat tour, we noticed they had an outpost in the area. We stumbled in and learned they had just opened like a week prior - amazing timing for us! While it would have been cool to see the actual winery, this location was so convenient for us, and it was great to be able to cash in our coupons here. The space, as mentioned, was brand new and beautiful. I loved the exposed brick near and around the bar, and the quasi stained glass lighting was a unique touch. The wine bar is accompanied by a small shop where you can not only purchase wine but also buy locally made goods and a "make your own bouquet" area! A wonderful touch. We sat at the bar to enjoy a few tastings, and we were served by the owner (love when owners actually interact with customers and play the role of servers!). We enjoyed learning his story (originally from near Philly, so an automatic connection), hearing about this new location (they are planning to have a few hotel rooms above the wine bar), and sampling a variety of their wines. We also struck up conversations with some other guests at the bar, learning about their stories and getting their recommendations on places in the area. The wine was solid, too - a great variety to choose from, although the actually winery likely has more options to select. We particularly liked the cab sav / cab franc blend and the chardonnay (usually not a chard fan, but theirs was a great take on it with like 0% butter flavor). As most places in the FLX region, the wine was great but it was truly the hospitality and conversations that made this a memorable experience. We would love to visit the actual winery and try other varietals on our next visit, and we would also love to stay at the soon-to-be hotel rooms at this wine bar! Thanks for a great pre-boat drink and conversation, JR Dill!

I have been going to Cent-Dix for 10 years and let me tell you this restaurant doesn't disappoint,…read moreand is probably my favorite in Ithaca. We are talking about great execution on basic french dishes here with excellent service on the commons. It's also the most elegant of the restaurants in the commons in my opinion. None are particularly elegant, but Cent-Dix feels the nicest. A must get is the beef tartare. It's so good, it's better than many tartare's I've had in france. Just hands down an easy winner. To cut it's richness I think you should get the Frisee aux Lardons. No matter the table size this is a perfect salad. You can always get more salads or greens, but if the table size is 2 or 6, everyone will like this. The fat, acid, bitterness is perfect. Steak frites are amazing, but even better is the cote de bouef on Saturdays. Either way you won't go wrong, but this restaurant does steak so well, and has good wines to pair with the steak. I've personally never had room for dessert, but everyone always orders it and I have some. It's good, but my favorite is that the espresso machine is always running after dinner for a nice pick me up before my walk on the commons!

One of the better restaurants in Ithaca!…read more I enjoyed the coursing- they did a very good job with timing. Service in general was very good. I also like the flowers on the dishes. I came with a friend and we tried the pear appetizer, mussels, leek and gruyere tart, and the ricotta gnocchi. Honestly, everything was really good. The gnocchi was pillowy and the tart did not have a soggy bottom. For dessert we tried the Pear frangipane which was also good. Quite a strong almond flavor and a little on the sweet side. Overall very good, I would recommend!