Unique mac and cheese and good gnocchi!…read more I am debating giving the rook 3 or 4 stars... I was not a fan of the salmon mousse... far too salty and I wish it was paired with crisped bread or at least something other than Ritz crackers. I did, however, enjoy the presentation and taste of the macaroni au gratin. The square shape is very unique and I liked the cheese sauce. The lamb w gnocchi was also quite good. Pillowy and soft. The lamb was cooked well. Overall, I would maybe return. I enjoyed the macaroni au gratin as well as the lamb w gnocchi!

Loved the Rook's design choices, filled with anthropomorphic art and light yet refined ambiance…read more It wasn't too crowded when we arrived and we were seated immediately. Staff was pleasant and quick. The menu is dominated by drink options (cocktails and wines), and happy hour is 4-5pm, which is perfect for an aperitif. The fried chicken is by far their speciality, with the macaroni coming in as a distant second. But while both were delicious, I'd say the best value and taste goes surprisingly to the simple summer salad, which was crisp, sweet, tangy, and refreshing. It's only $10 for a hefty portion of food and I'd order that again anytime (and that's coming from a guy who'd never normally order a salad). My only criticisms are that the Rook doesn't have many entree choices (which may be a good thing for indecisive diners), and that it's very slightly pricey. Otherwise, it's an easy recommend for me.

Party of 8. Server Olivia fun and helpful on choices. Old Fashions looked extra special, reports…read morebacked that assessment, shoulda got 2 or 1. French Mussels broth perfectly paired with truffle fries. Reports back on the Green Ramen, Ribeye and Bolognese dishes were very good. I think I out ordered them though.

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.

My family enjoyed a fun and great meal here. The waiter treated us like family and was…read morerespectfully, knowable, and humorous in all the right ways with the measure of taste that suited our family perfectly. Delicious food.

I stopped by Sunset Grill while venturing down to the southern tip of Ithaca for some clay…read morewheelthrowing. The location is a bit of a trek if you're without a car (especially in the winter), which probably explains why it wasn't too crowded when I got there. But the people who were there were super friendly and helpful, which made the experience that much better! I went for the Saturday Special Steak, which was around $20, and it did not disappoint. I chose the "petite" steak (because the King and Queen sizes sounded like a bit much for me), but even the petite was massive. I couldn't finish most of it, but I was definitely full. The portions are no joke. Overall, the food was great, the portions were generous, and the staff made it a really pleasant stop. If you're in the area or just looking for a hearty meal, definitely worth the visit!

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.

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.

I've been meaning to check out Milkstand for a while and finally got the opportunity. It has a…read morewonderfully warm and inviting ambiance with a relaxed, cozy diner vibe. The constant coffee refills were a huge plus. I had the Milkstand Omelette, which was great and tasty, though a little bit too cheesy for my personal preference. It's definitely worth a visit for a lazy morning. Just be sure to check their hours, as they close in the afternoon!

Ever since I could remember, I always enjoyed dining in local neighborhood diner. I find something…read morecomforting and fun while eating at a diner. We did not have to wait for long for our food. I ordered the vegetarian omelette. The omelette came with green peppers, spinach and green onions. The meal came with hash browns, a choice of rye bread, white, wheat, or English muffin. Delicious. Milkstand has a relaxed ambience. This relaxed ambiance attracted an array of people to Milkstand. Come and bring your friends, family, or even date.

A solid spot for brunch in Ithaca!…read more I wish it was located a tad closer to c-town, but when the weather is warm it is actually quite a nice walk (still definitely walkable even in the winter)! We tried the breakfast croissant, the breakfast burrito, and crepes. We also ordered a hot Razz Mocha and an iced matcha (both with oat milk). I wish they had more milk varieties (only had whole and oat). Everything except the matcha was super tasty! I really loved the razz mocha- I will definitely be ordering this again. The crepes were my favorite entree- slightly thicker than your typical crepe, more of a chew. Nonetheless, very yummy. I like the berry compote and whipped cream. I enjoyed the croissant sandwich- ours had lox and egg. Too much egg, but perhaps the right amount of egg if you just want an egg sandwich without meat... Burrito was fine, though a tad watery. There was a bit of a line when we came- Saturday around noon and not much seating. We took our food to-go. Better to come when the weather is warmer- there is more seating under the tend in the back. Have heard mixed things about their other dishes, but I will definitely be returning!

Food was delicious and very fairly priced. Service was friendly and professional…read more Ambiance was cozy with a little funky mix with a nod to its roots

From the friendly greeting when we came in, the great atmosphere/vibe and really delicious upscale…read morepub food... this place is a 10+!! 10/10 recommend!

It has been about 10 years since I last visited Ithaca Beer Company. The last time we came here we…read morecelebrated friendships and it was my first time of coming to Ithaca. We had a wonderful time. This time, I ordered the vegetarian chorizo burger. The burger It came with large cut potato fries. My only issue stemmed from our waiting for our orders for well over 30 minutes. We placed our orders the same time as our friends. Yes they received their orders within 10 minutes. Our server asked if we placed our burger orders. We said yes. The burger tasted decent but a little cold. The fries tasted cold. I felt we got overlooked and ignored. I do like the ambience. It felt relaxed and chill.

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.

We love stopping here for breakfast before getting our groceries. Their food is delicious and…read morereasonable. A great spot to check out.

Headed to Ithaca to have a burger my eye caught this "towny place" so I thought I would take a…read morechance. With a name like roadhouse I was ready for a fight but the toughest challenge was deciding what to order. So I just started at the top The Cubano. I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived. The flavors and textures were spot on. Just like the well laid out dining area and the employees I left with a full belly and a desire to return to try the next meal on the menu. Bravo !!