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    The Rook

    4.2 (181 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    The Rook Photos

    Business Info

    THE ROOK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Trendy
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - The Rook

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    DeAnna T.

    Knowledgeable staff, pleasant atmosphere, good food and great drinks! My family took me here for my birthday and it didn't disappoint. I would definitely go again. Unfortunately they don't take reservations so get there early as it has limited seating.

    Alexis K.

    This place is so delicious! We were looking for a place to celebrate my mom's birthday and this was the perfect spot. It's located on a corner street that has street parking available all around. It's a cute little restaurant in Ithaca that has limited seating and doesn't take reservations but their bar is perfect for a place to grab a drink while you wait. I got the catch a cannonball cocktail and it was so refreshing. My sister in law has a gluten allergy and they were more than accommodating. Our waiter went down the menu item by item to let her know about what was safe to eat or of any shared fryer concerns. Wait staff was definitely top tier and so attentive. The pictures don't do the food justice! Portion sizes were pretty big and everything was packed with great flavor. I got the cheeseburger with fries and I could eat those fries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Everyone at the table was trying to grab a few. I'm just bummed I was too full to try any dessert. Then when we were ready for our check they gave us the cutest post card with it. I will definitely be back soon!

    Menu

    A nice option in the area for a menu with some good twists. The specials were especially good. Some things were hit or miss but our server was our kind of guy and that added to the experience. Highlight was the sauce that came with the aracini.

    Salmon
    Billy T.

    Came here on a weekday evening and the restaurant was about half full. It's a pretty dimly lit restaurant that feels homey like a southern restaurant but also has elements of a more boujee place. Overall, I had a good time here. I was really looking forward to ordering the pork roast, but they told me they had run out. That kinda sucked because the menu is already small enough, and many items on the menu I already can't eat because I am lactose intolerant. I pivoted to the salmon, which was cooked well and the seasonings were good. However, it was definitely on the pricier side ($26). Service was quick and efficient.

    Is this piece of chicken cooked?

    went to dinner the other night and ordered the fried chicken. When I received my meal I opened up the chicken to make sure it was cooked to the bone. One piece appeared to be pink and bloody near the bone. I brought this to the attention of the waiter and he proceeded to tell me it's Fully cooked and that's the way they make it so it's safe to eat. Am I wrong to think the chicken i was served was not cooked All the way? Am I wrong to think that he should have taken it back to the kitchen to let the cook decide. The other piece was cooked to the bone. I was given one glass of water because he never came back to my table, so I never received or was asked if I wanted a refill.

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    7 years ago

    Everything from the drinks to dessert was delicious. The staff was friendly, helpful, and very attentive. We will definitely return

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    9 years ago

    Excellent experience. Food was delicious and inventive. Prices reasonable. Trout and pork shoulder where top notch.

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    Gentry M.

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    8 years ago

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    Gentry M.

    Thanks Matt! We are so happy you enjoy The Rook!

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    Page 5 of 5

    Ask the Community - The Rook

    How fancy is this place? Would it be considered casual dining?

    It's very casual with the fancy feel! Me and my boyfriend go in jeans and T-shirt's and blend right in. The food and experience are upscale but with a very mellow atmosphere.

    Is this place good?

    Yes

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    Mercato Bar & Kitchen - Ricotta Cheesecake with candied orange peel

    Mercato Bar & Kitchen

    4.1(196 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$

    Super cozy restaurant with phenomenal food and service!…read more We ordered a few starters: the chicken liver crostini, beet salad, and mixed green salad--all of which were fantastic. The chicken saltimbocca and bucatini were delicious, but the star of the meal was the hanger steak. Not only juicy and tender, but so so flavorful! I don't order steak often, but I wouldn't hesitate to get it again. They also have a solid selection of cocktails and wine to pair with your meal. The staff are really friendly and helpful with menu suggestions and wine pairings. I believe it's run by a family, and it certainly provides the comfort and care of one. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner and will be back!

    I suggested this not so casual spot for a casual catch-up with my girlfriend and a friend, mostly…read morebecause I'd tried their sister restaurant next door. We were seated right away. The layout and vibe were nearly identical to the other location: cozy, softly lit, and upscale. Deciding what to eat was the hardest part. I went with my gut and got their Lamb Ragu Pasta - rich, herby, and the pasta had this firm bite. My girlfriend had the Porchetta, which she found a bit too fatty, though she polished off the potatoes with zero hesitation. My friend ordered the Chicken Piccata. I tried it, nodded, and moved on - good, but not groundbreaking. We ended with an affogato (fancy words for vanilla ice cream drowned in espresso). Simple, classy, and somehow the star of the night. If nothing else, I'd come back just for that.

    Photos
    Mercato Bar & Kitchen - View from my seat

    View from my seat

    Mercato Bar & Kitchen - Bread

    Bread

    Mercato Bar & Kitchen - Fresh fish in parchment (cod)

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    Fresh fish in parchment (cod)

    Graft Wine Cider Bar - Coffee Almond Cake

    Graft Wine Cider Bar

    4.4(151 reviews)
    19.5 mi
    $$

    We'd received so many recommendations for graft during our long weekend in Watkins Glen. We came in…read moreright at opening (4pm) because we knew it fills up fast and they don't accept reservations. We loved from their website that Graft sources local and keeps their menu seasonal. Everything was VERY good, but I'm not sure that it matches the immense hype. Maybe we didn't order the right things. I was only able to snap a photo of the squash which was actually my favorite part of the meal. I got the half chicken with beans and rice, and my partner got the flank steak. The chicken was quite salty but very good. The steak was cooked well and very flavorful, though the portion was small and there was nothing about it that particularly stood out. Again, a solid meal and a super cute atmosphere and we will always support restaurants which feature local/seasonal menus, but this one fell a bit flat.

    We visited Graft on a recent trip and oh man, it was some incredible dining. I can honestly say the…read moreduck entree I had with cherries was one of the top five things I've ever eaten. Just excellent. Plenty of the local great wines to choose from (though I have to wonder if they might have a deal with one of the wineries because I did feel like we were being pitched to multiple times to try one of the fancier expensive reds and found that kind of unusual). It's not a cheap dinner, but it is worth it. This really is far and away the best spot in Watkins Glen and they're raising the bar for everyone! Next time we're back in the area, we'll be happy to visit again.

    Photos
    Graft Wine Cider Bar - Wine selection | #intenselypassionatephotography

    Wine selection | #intenselypassionatephotography

    Graft Wine Cider Bar - Flank steak | #intenselypassionatephotography

    Flank steak | #intenselypassionatephotography

    Graft Wine Cider Bar - Unofficial cider tasting @tiffhuangry

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    Unofficial cider tasting @tiffhuangry

    Finger Lakes House - View from the terrace

    Finger Lakes House

    4.5(26 reviews)
    29.4 mi
    $$

    So we came here on a Friday night about 6 o'clock and they were supposed to be an open mic…read morehappening which we were excited about because we love performing an open mic. Since we've been out all day we were really hungry so we decided to eat something before we performed. At the moment there couldn't have been more than eight people in the whole place inside and out on the deck total. We were handed menus that had no prices on them. I ordered the buddah bowl with chicken strips and my husband got a quesadilla with steak. It took about 40 minutes for the food to come and the boot bowl was mostly a big bowl of greens with what couldn't have been more than a tablespoon of chicken chopped up on it. It was very tasty. My husband's quesadilla was the size you would expect loaded with cheese but literally one little tiny cube of steak in each of the six wedges. His quesadilla was tasty We only ordered water to drink because we were going to be singing later and it took about 15 minutes for the water to get to us. She "forgot". The whole time we were there nobody checked on us and place never got very busy no more than maybe eight people the whole time. We decided not to stay to sing because there was practically nobody there and the people who were there were outside on the deck while the place for the performers was inside in the bar. And as far as we knew we were the only people there who were planning to perform. The Buddha bowl which would've made a nice side salad to any other meal was $14, while the quesadilla was $13. In my opinion overpriced for what we got. We also bussed our own table.

    Can we just start with the Pickle Flatbread? Oh and the fact that there are 30 different brew ON…read moreTAP!!! (My honey managed to try 28 of them. The last two were ciders, so he took a pass and just left it at 28...or SEVEN BEER FLIGHTS!!!) We also had the Mexican Street Corn dip and then couldn't leave without trying the GIANT pretzel (could probably feed four!!) Our hosts and wait staff were as nice as could be. It was a truly lovely way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon! Can't wait to go back.

    Photos
    Finger Lakes House - Buddah bowl

    Buddah bowl

    Finger Lakes House
    Finger Lakes House - BBQ sampler, Maryland crab cakes with scallops, butternut squash soup, apple cider sangria, and  Sweet Walter Blackberry wine.

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    BBQ sampler, Maryland crab cakes with scallops, butternut squash soup, apple cider sangria, and Sweet Walter Blackberry wine.

    The Rook - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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