Service - Ended up here after every other restaurant in the Commons was a 90 minute wait and they got us seated in 20 minutes without reservations. Service was exceptional. The four guys at the front of the house worked together seamlessly. Sounds silly, but I rarely see this level of coordination at this level of dining. Huge fan of the the one page menu. Although I would have liked a few more beverage options (craft beer...hint, hint) this place demonstrates that simpler can be better... Ambience - Upscale pub/American bistro vibe. Busy, but well managed (see above). Tables are close, but we didn't feel cramped. Surprisingly not loud given the amount of activity, we were able to carry on normal conversation throughout the meal. Food - We started with the hush puppies. Flavor-wise not what I would call a traditional southern hush puppy, but well fried (could have used some post fryer seasoning) and the addition of the pimento cheese on the side made for a nice inexpensive, well-portioned app. I had the pork schnitzel and spaetzle. Schnitzel had a nice cornflake crust and was well fried. A touch on the dry side (I might suggest brining the pork cutlets) and lacking a little post fryer seasoning. The spaetzle was amazing and the addition of mushrooms and mixed greens made for a very craveable bite. The wife had the cheeseburger and it was quite good. No crazy ingredients, just a really well executed cheeseburger. The beef had excellent flavor and was a perfectly cooked medium rare. This is a simple, but solid cheeseburger...the kind you always envision when you order, but rarely get. The real star of the meal however was the frites. Hand cut, fried in duck fat(?) and perfectly seasoned...I couldn't stop eating them. I've eaten fries all over the world (including a recent tour of the UK) and these are hands down the best fries I've ever eaten. If you're putting "frites" on the menu you better be able to nail it and these are the real deal. Bravo, will return the next time we're in the area... read more

Was in Ithaca visiting and stopped here. Small dining area but the service and food were great. Started with an excellent Mezcal cocktail and bacon wrapped dates for appetizer and seasonal pasta. All very good. Highly recommend this restaurant read more

Pasta was delicious! Caesar salad was a little over-dressed and soggy. This place serves "gourmet-style" fast- food on paper takeout plates, prices are a bit high with the 15% gratuity added and it seems to be outdoor dining only (we saw 1-2 tables inside as well). You have to order food online or at the counter and seat yourselves. Interesting concept and we enjoyed a quick evening dinner here. The staff was friendly, tables clean, and overall this place was good. read more

The Rook - Pasta - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We went out with another couple to try this place. The fried chicken was GREAT along with the ribs. If you like to try new things get the bacon wrapped dates.. way better than I would have imagined. Servers were attentive and friendly. Only downfall is it's a small menu so if you're not into chicken or ribs there's not much else! read more

Nice dine-in restaurant in Ithaca. Menu does not have a lot of options to choose from. My husband and I chose to do a small plates style and picked one of each from the app section. Most of the food is fried, so if you're going for healthy, this place isn't it. The service was just okay, nothing to speak of. read more

The Rook - Winter salad, salmon rilletes, hush puppies, pierogies - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

In Ithaca for the delayed 2020 commencement - why not try something new? Grab a table outside, enjoy the picnic vibe, and order the Echo Parking Lot if you love grapefruit! read more

The Rook - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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My food was tasty, beer was cold and crisp, and the service was super friendly. The place was packed, but I luckily snagged a seat at the bar. I ate the duck fat fried chicken, yes! The amount of food was perfect for me. A nice bed of braised collards topped with the juicy fried chicken. read more

The Rook - Jai Alai IPA was hoppy, smooth, and crushable! - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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This restaurant is a gem in the city of Ithaca. If I lived there and all of the menu options were even remotely as good as what we had ordered, I would be frequenting this place weekly. We started with the snackboard. They didn't have the salmon rillettes available, and it was subbed with a ham salad. Everything was delicious on the board. The pickled shrimp was unlike anything I've ever tasted - smokey and very flavorful. The pickles were great, the crackers and chips were homemade and amazing, the cheese was the perfect kind to accompany the rest of the items, and the deviled eggs were lemony and wonderful. We ordered the zeppole without knowing what it was due to having a hard time saying no to anything with capers. They were crispy, fried balls of a fluffy dough that were out of this world and went phenomenally with the ricotta underneath. Finally, we order the black pepper gnocchi. These were perfect, and I was instantly addicted. I wanted a bowl of the sauce by itself to just eat with a spoon. This is a must order. Creative menu options with perfect execution with the addition of sidewalk seating (and interesting characters coming in and out of the tattoo shop next store). I would recommend this place to absolutely anyone in are going through Ithaca. An amazing dining experience. read more

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Great food and drinks in an upscale restaurant that still maintains a chill atmosphere. I came here after a few days of binging on comfort food in NYC, so I was craving something on the healthier side. I ordered the Herbivore Plate and honestly I can't say many places make a lentils and quinoa salad that's appetizing, but it was SO GOOD! I'm not the biggest health nut so it was a surprise when I even ordered it, but the dish was warm, comforting, and I loved every bite of it. Mad props to The Rook for making great duck fat fries and other tasty bites, but also knocking it out of the park with their Herbivore Plate. The snackboard was also delicious. It had a lot of variety of items and was a great way to start off the meal. Our server was really friendly and great at giving us suggestions. Overall, The Rook has great food and is definitely a place you should check out if you're looking for a good food or drinks spot. read more

Great atmosphere with cozy dining. Very friendly and prompt service. Good variety of local beers. Excellent food. Still thinking about those hush puppies. read more

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The food was very good and service was excellent. They were so helpful to seat our large party. Cocktails were great. Salmon was cooked perfectly. read more

This contemporary American dining establishment is one of Ithaca's hidden gems! I came here as a student at Cornell and am surprised that more of my classmates don't know about The Rook - they're missing out! If you're looking to try ANYTHING at The Rook, start with the Snack Plate!!! Its a plate with housemade chips with a caramelized flavor that you don't get from chips in a bag, deviled eggs, bread, upstate NY cheese, and pickles. Star of the show was definitely the BACON JAM in the center. Paired with The Rook's fall sangria, I could have had just this (hefty/generous) starter and would have left more than satisfied! Then, we ordered the fried chicken and steak, which are both some of The Rook's most popular dishes. Steak - I am really not a horseradish person, so I was delightfully surprised by how lightly bitter and spicy the horseradish cream was. If you're similar to me in that regard, do not fret! This is a great dish. Chicken - I'm giving 4 stars because the chicken was cooked perfectly, I just wish the batter had been spiced more and less salted. The skin itself was well salted, but the chef sprinkled the chicken skin again with more salt (I think sea salt), so it was distracting from the chicken itself. read more

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Loved our experience until a cockroach ran across our table. Which is too bad because the food and drink were great.

Love this place. Visiting Ithaca area from Long Island and was pleasantly surprised about this spot. Trendy, cozy and most importantly delicious. Polite and fast service all around. Grilled dates and burrata to start, pork chops and gnocchi as mains. My partner said the pork chops were great. I had the gnocchi dish which was an insanely unique spin on the traditional Italian version. Totally worth visiting! read more

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Wanted to try a new place and saw lots of good reviews so we checked out the Rook. Started with drinks. My Manhattan was excellent & my SO's margarita was really good. The fried chicken was very underwhelming. Heavily breaded and there was no skin on the chicken. I've been searching for a good fried chicken since moving to Ithaca 6 years ago & it remains elusive. Got the BBQ ribs, which my SO liked, I was not a fan. They were cooked well but tasted like pure allspice. Arugula salad was decent. Collard greens were off the hook and the best I've had in years. We finished with the chocolate mouse for dessert, which was pretty good. You order inside & they bring your food/drinks to the table and that's the extent of the service & they automatically add on 15%. I feel for restaurants having less business due to Covid restrictions but they could definitely take the service up a few notches. read more

i came to this restaurant with my friends. for an appetizer we shared some hush puppies . it was so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. it was so yummy! we all got the citrus mocktail which was so refreshing. the cavatelli was okay. the pasta was a bit over cooked and it was nothing special. the fried chicken was cooked well but barely seasoned. the cheesecake was yummy but too sweet and heavy for me. read more

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Enjoyed sharing plates with our party. Food was good and service very attentive. Pork was a bit dry but salmon was delicious. Beet salad had very few beets which was surprising. Out of cake for dessert but mousse was yummy. read more

Fried chicken was the most flavorless fried chicken I have ever tasted. I had to dump a bunch of salt on it and even then it was so bland. Maybe they forgot to add something? The burger was mediocre at best. Disappointing dinner. read more

My hubby and I went here on a Friday night around 5 pm. There were only a few other patrons, but it quickly picked up business and seemed like a happening place. I would describe this as upscale southern food. The duck-fat fried chicken was crunchy and delicious. It actually inspired us to cook with duck fat in the coming weeks. The best part was probably the mashed potatoes (but that might be my personal bias to this side dish), and the sandwich was probably the least exciting but still delicious. My only (minor) complaint is that the drinks are a little pricey for their size, but they were very well made. I would definitely recommend this place to people for a yummy night out on the town. read more

The Rook - Duck-Fat Fried Chicken, pork sandwich, mashed potatoes, and greens. - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We only came for cocktails and they were amazing! Fair prices and the menu, both for food and drinks, look amazing. I would definitely come again!! read more

We loved The Rook! Starting with the special appetizer fries set us off to a great start. They're spicy, salty, crunchy and delicious. Then we had two delicious entrees: the gnocchi and the salmon. My gnocchi was very autumnal- herbal and earthy with the root vegetables, yet fresh greens on top and complex flavors. And the salmon had a lovely crispy exterior with a soft center and nice farrow base to the dish. Then the dessert! We had the pecan pie- delicious. I'd definitely recommend. It was a nice warm atmosphere. Trendy vibe, cozy, nice staff. Note that you can call half an hour ahead on a busy night and get on a list so you don't have to wait for a table long when you arrive. Enjoy! read more

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Fried chicken was crispy, juicy, and utterly flavorless. What's the point of using duck fat if you're going to skip the salt and pepper? Drinks tasted fine but were a bit overpriced. read more

Was blown away by our meal here--the reviews were good, so I had high expectations and was not disappointed. Salmon entree was wonderful, bacon wrapped dates and hush puppies were delicious. Kids loved their burgers. read more

Absolutely amazing!!! I'd give it 6 stars if I could! The service was outstanding, the food let me tell you! Best fries hands down I've ever had, well, all three of us have ever had. No dipping sauces needed. I had the burger medium well and it was perfect! Juicy and delicious!!! husband and daughter had the chicken and loved it. Our drinks were delicious! Every single thing about this experience was on point. Definitely, would go back 100%. Highly recommend. read more

Amazing food, atmosphere and drinks. Perfect for a cocktail and a snack, or for a leisurely, delicious dinner. Great service.

Really excellent service, food and cocktails. I hope I'm able to come back soon! Everything we had was really great, very special. We had the dates, pierogies, hush puppies in the restaurant. We took the cavatelli and donuts to go - all really lovely. I live in MS and those hush puppies are the best I've ever had!! Then the cocktails were the best I've had in so long. I will dream of this place for a long time! Thank you! read more

From outside you might pass this up, but the kitchen makes the most of a short menu served by a friendly, capable staff. Delicious meal in a comfortably casual atmosphere. read more

Not vegetarian or vegan friendly at all. I went here for a date and there was not a single thing on the menu I could eat. Even the fries, a common standby for vegetarians, vegans, when there is nothing else to eat on a menu wasn't an option as they are cooked in lard. read more

If you're looking for comfort food in Ithaca, The Rook is for you. I came here with a sizable group on a Saturday night and the staff was really accommodating. I got their signature four piece duck fat fried chicken and it was really delicious, crispy and moist since they used dark meat. It does not come with a side but I was plenty full from just having the chicken. It did come boneless (bonus points in my book) and served with a sauce that reminded me of a sweet and spicy chili sauce. It's been over a week and I'm still thinking about this meal, would so recommend if you're in the area! read more

The fried chicken 2.0 is remarkable. The dining experience feels very intimate too. Their collection of drinks may be improved read more

Really a gem. So glad they have their entrees back even though the fried chicken is delicious. Fantastic service.

Interesting menu, great tasting food and friendly service. Really enjoined it, sat outside on a beautiful evening

Excellent ribs & sausage. Nice salad, too. Chill place, great service, great food! 5 star! read more

The Rook - Port ribs & sausage, fried chicken & salad. - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We came here for dinner. We loved the cocktails. I would definitely be back for drinks. It's a small menu and the food tasted fresh and local. The collared greens on the fried chicken were overwhelming. The kale and arugula were overpowering on the cavatelli. For how small the menu is, I hope it rotates and I would come back and try something new. Nearly nothing for vegetarian entrees. read more

I had the time of my life in this place. The food was super good. Great ambiance and the service fantastic..

Visited Ithaca and our airbnb is close to the Rook so we wanted to give it a try. Did not disappoint! The veggie pasta was very flavorful, bacon wrapped dates was a little too sweet for our liking but the collard greens was really good! Will come back if we visit Ithaca again! read more

this was very delicious. we loved the fried chicken. the collard greens were fantastic. the bacon wrapped dates were a huge hit with the whole family. amazing cocktails too! read more

Ordered takeout. Service was perfect, order was ready almost immediately. Food was mixed. The dates were amazing; would order out or go back just for these. Schnitzel was pretty good, and the salad it came with was really good. Buttermilk salad was okay, greens with ranch and a few pepitas and thin radishes; but not as good as the salad that came with schnitzel. Wouldn't order that again. Cavatelli looked like store bought orecchiette or similar and didn't taste like it had any salt. It might have been good if the pasta were seasoned and there was more sauce added. Would give 3.5 stars if that were an option, but giving 4 because the service and dates were so good, and it was good for takeout. read more

The food at the Rook has always been top notch amazing and their switch to curbside pickup and delivery service during Covid has not changed this. In fact, they have some fun pickup "events" such as the casserole club that brings back some community connection I'm missing this year. These people are working incredibly hard to continue reaching their customers--and I'm grateful because their food -- and service -- but especially the food is so freakin good. Not cheap but SO worth it. Also, they deliver cocktails. Yes. read more

Ithaca has multiple restaurants in the downtown area, and yelp helped us find this wonderful restaurant. I ordered the Forea Island Salmon, and it was the most delicious plate i had in a while from a restaurant. The chef cooked it so perfectly that i wanted to order another plate. My other friends ordered other items from the menu and they enjoyed their plate. I would highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you are in need of something good to eat. read more

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