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

Excellent Potato salad, good fried chicken and terrific drinks! The Bees Knees was exactly that - lived up to its name!

Any bad Rook reviews are bogus...this place is the best. During the pandemic, they created a spacious outside patio, family style meals, and friendly service that isn't much contact but still feels professional. This place is now a go-to and always a craving. read more

The Rook - Featured $5 donut - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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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

Nothing to write home about. My partner and I are from the South so we have high standards for fried chicken and The Rook just didn't measure up. My pasta dish and the mashed potatoes were decent. Way overpriced, and clearly gentrifying the neighborhood its in. 3 stars for friendly staff and being dog friendly, but wouldn't recommend for actual food and drinks. read more

The food and cocktails are absolutely fantastic. The staff go above and beyond to explain the menu options and cater to our needs. Our first time here, we had steak skewers, collared greens, burger and fries. The second time we tried the burrata appetizer which was creamy and well balanced. For dinner we had the shrimp and grits. My husband loved the paper plane cocktail both times. I had the sangria the first time and the frozen slush fund the second time. This is definitely our favorite spot! Highly recommend it. read more

Food and service were excellent. Small amount of selections, but everything was quite tasty.

In the running for my favorite restaurant in Ithaca, they serve up southern food just as it should be: fatty, salty, and full of flavor. Cocktails are also great. read more

This will be a first for me. I prefer to wait to review a place after visiting at least twice. But with The Rook being almost as new to the area as me, and with only a handful of other reviews I feel like they deserve more attention. Like I said, I'm new to the area and my wife and I had dinner at another spot down the street a couple nights ago. On the way back to our car we walked by The Rook and immediately bookmarked it as a place to try. Tonight we already had dinner but needed a place to chill for a bit before catching a show at the State Theatre. It was a perfect experience. We split the Fried Chicken course with smoked honey, collards, and ham hock. One of the best meals I've had. And that's coming from someone born and raised in the South. Again, some of the best greens I've tasted and the ham is the cherry on top. Afterwards we even ordered the Duck Nuggets. Don't pass these up! Delicious, served with a "Special Sauce" that pairs very well. I also ordered the Lion & Lamb (rye) and Paradox (tequila) house cocktails. Both were hand crafted and tasted amazingly composed. And just when we thought it was all over our server dropped the proverbial mic a la the desert menu. Had to split the maple glazed donuts and coffee. Our server, along with the hostess, food runner, and bartender where all equal parts friendly, knowledgable, and fast even for a busy Saturday night. From the front window to the bar in the back, through the views into the open kitchen and from inside the bathrooms, this restaurant is clean and showcases some nice conceptual artwork that all promotes the comforting ambiance. We noticed a couple that seemed to be perusing the menus posted to the outside window before we got our check. As we left they were still standing outside and asked us how our meal was. Thirty seconds later they were being seated inside. read more

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I came here recently to try their chicken sandwich. Not a huge fan of it, but it wasn't bad. I thought it would taste more like the Popeyes chicken sandwich. Couldn't really taste the spicy mayo sauce. Their ribs are definitely still my favorite thing on the menu. I was not a huge fan of their cole slaw. They have even made ordering a lot easier now, where you just order at your table from your phone. read more

So glad they are still open! Best fried chicken in the area! Excited for when they can be fully open and have a larger menu with some of their other fabulous options! read more

Pretty sure my grandma is in the kitchen making their collard greens! No, but the greens taste so homemade that it does feel like I'm in my grandma's kitchen. The chicken made with duck fat is crispy and delicious. Very well seasoned and juicy, so good! The bartender is amazing. The drink and cocktail menu is so good you really can just go for drinks. They have a late night menu from 10-midnight that seems to be good to enjoy drinks with. Looking forward to going back! read more

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

I love the Rook. Whenever I order I can't decide what to get so I get a little of everything and have leftovers for a couple days. I've had the fried chicken, the ribs , most of the sides and the DONUTS! Original flavors and always something new to try. Their cocktails are fresh and fun and as delicious as the food. Bonus-the staff is fab. Your dinner will be ready in like 15 mins and delivery has been quick too. I own an Inn in town and The Rook is at the top of the list of places we recommend to our guests. read more

I have to give 3 again... the food was ok, but the portion size for everything was just so small for how much we paid... I must say their cocktails are pretty good. However, once again, none of the waiters mentioned anything about the 18% gratuity. I was expecting it, but I was also expecting them to bring it up before running the transaction. Overall it was a lot of overspending on a very small portion of food... read more

Amazing cocktails and delicious food! The Rook is one of our go-to date night spots in Ithaca where we can enjoy a creative cocktail with a decadent, hipster-esque meal. The black pepper gnocchi is amazing! It is a smaller, more intimate restaurant so be sure to put your name on the 3-minute call ahead list! read more

Small menu filled with geniusness. Our cocktails were deliciously inspired and oddly named, like the strongly worded email. I very much enjoyed the rum punch. Love that they make their own bitters. The bacon wrapped dates were good, but a bit too sweet for us. We loved the fried chicken. Sauce and greens were amazing! The cider brined pork chops were probably our favorite. Catfish and gnocchi were also very good. Portions were not large, but enough for an entree. read more

10/10 would recommend. I'm from NYC and this was the best food I found in ithaca. But even if it wasn't in ithaca, I would still go! Got the steak kabobs, the salad and the summer veggie pasta read more

We were looking forward to this place but wound up pretty disappointed with the food. The staff was great and friendly, and the outdoor ambiance was nice. We got: Collard Greens 3/5 - under-salted collards but they were tender and not bitter. Decent sized portion. Cavatelli pasta dish 3.5/5 - very good pasta, nice overall dish with zucchini, tomatoes, and pecorino. My only issue was the portion was pretty small for this being a $16 dish with pretty standard vegetarian ingredients. Fried chicken 2.5/5 - I was really looking forward to the chicken. It was heavily promoted and some reviews on here said "best fried chicken in Ithaca." I left wondering if anyone else even serves fried chicken in Ithaca? 4 chicken legs that were very under seasoned and tasted bland. I would never know that these were made with duck fat as it seemed to make little difference. As far as fried chicken goes, it was fine, but it was very disappointing as it was the main draw and selling point of the place. Honestly, Popeyes is better than this. Wait, do they have Popeyes in Ithaca? read more

We visited Ithaca for a show at the State Theatre and decided to come down a little early to have dinner first. They don't take reservations, but have 30min call ahead to put your name on a list. It was a Tuesday, but we called ahead just in case. It worked out great! When we arrived, we opted for the outside seating. The server brought us waters and took our drink orders - I had a Laya Granacha and my boyfriend had an Embark old marauder hard cider. The menu features great variety for vegetarians and meat eaters, featuring local items. The dishes are all made in house. We started with the duck fat fries - you must order these! One of the best versions I've had yet - crispy exterior, fluffy inside, a spectacular pepper ground fresh on top. So rich! We couldn't stop eating them. For our entrees, I had the ricotta gnocchi dish, he had the steak. The steak was perfectly cooked and tender, served with onions and Yukon potatoes. He had enough to make a steak sandwich for lunch the next day. The gnocchi was an ideal single portion, just enough to feel satisfied. The flavors melded so well together with a light broth mixing with the fresh herbed chèvre and soft veggies. Then, the gnocchi! Oh boy, so good. Light and fluffy. I would have love a fresh slice of bread with it to sop of some of that sauce and the chèvre. The service overall was great and it was an awesome place to dine before the show. We'll definitely be back to try more creative dishes from the seasonal themed and well concepted menu. read more

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Ithaca has a lot of bad fried chicken but this place has by far the worst (while also being the most expensive). Huge disappointment. On the bright side, the mixed drinks are on point. read more

I was looking forward to trying the Rook for a long time with high expectations for the fried chicken. The fried chicken entree was very underwhelming- the breading was thin and not crispy and the seasoning was bland. The collard greens was also too salty. The other dishes were also mediocre- the hush puppies were quite hard in texture (not sure if that's normal?) and the fries were just fries. The salad was probably the best part of the meal. I gave it some points for nice wait staff and service, but otherwise, I will be looking for fried chicken somewhere else. read more

Got the 8pc chicken and Veggie Ragu Cavatelli. Chicken was soggy and tasted/looked like it had just been reheated, perhaps in the microwave. Yuck. I threw half of it away, and gave some to my dog. Pasta was doughy. On top of the bad food, they automatically added a 15% tip without my say, when I was just getting takeout. There were no napkins, no utensils, I paid online as well, and they have the nerve to charge a tip when they literally provided no service. FOR BAD FOOD. Overall left a very bad taste in my mouth, both literally and figuratively. Why is this place rated so high? read more

Nice quiet restaurant. Menu is simple with a few items but we tried three and all are delicious!

Try this place for the food and drinks. You will be so glad that you did!! We were. We stopped in here for the first time after a play at the Hangar Theatre, based on reviews in Yelp. The atmosphere is homey and comfortable. Our waitress was very friendly and customer focused. Since it was after 10 pm, we were given the late night menu, which is an abbreviated version of their regular one. I had a house salad and the farmhouse fries, while my husband had their fried chicken. All were just fabulous!! Salad was nice and fresh with a wide variety of greens in it. It was served with a very creamy buttermilk dressing that I believe was house made. The fries and chicken are fried in duck fat that lends a wonderful depth of flavor missing in most fried foods. The fries were super crispy, but not overly browned. The farmhouse toppings blend perfectly together with the fries. The chicken was hands down a tie with fried chicken at Mrs Wilkes' boarding house in Savannah, GA. The crust was tasty and crisp, lightly brown. The chicken inside was cooked to perfection. I'm drooling about the food as I write this! They have many Vegan, Vegetarian and gluten free selections, all of which are well labeled on the menu. Be aware that fried foods are cooked in the same fryer, so there is some cross contamination potential with the French fries. (I thought they were worth the risk, but I'm just intolerant. Someone with Celiac disease probably would stay away from the fried foods. ) They have a full bar and freshly brew their iced tea. Coffee is from a local roaster, and a variety of Stash hot teas is available. Toilets are unisex. This place is on my hit list!! We will definitely be coming back here. read more

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Wanted to try this place for a long time and finally got here. The service was good, albeit the water was warm without ice. Yes they asked if ice was wanted later. What was underwhelming was the food. We ordered their signature dishes - fried chicken and duck fat fries. We were told that it is half-a-chicken. What showed up was a flat piece of chicken resting on collard greens. First there was no wing. So at least some of the 1/2 chicken was gone. Then the chicken was on top of wet vegetables and thus not crispy at least on the bottom and tasted somewhat ore cooked. And the chicken was brought out in under 10 minutes which makes me believe the chicken was precooked. The fries were also soggy and didn't taste like anything special. Perhaps other dishes here are much better. The worst thing is that they added additional $ to the tip I left. read more

Went to Ithaca for a show and came into "The Rook". It's a smaller more rectangular shaped establishment, has a fun and unique menu and a great drink menu (a few phishy drinks ----) I had the fried chicken, it is fried in duck fat...ah-fucking-mazing (pardon the language) absolutely fantastic my girlfriend had the Savory Tart,again, amazing. Cheese, caramelized onion and mushrooms. To end dinner we got the "Buttermilk Doughnuts"...I really don't think in need to explain this item. If you come to Ithaca and want a off the beaten path type of place with great food and drink, this is your spot. Melody (bartender) is awesome!! read more

This was a great spot for a date. Our server was friendly, funny, knowledgeable, and never left us hanging. The bacon dates were are great app. The Spaezle was good -- you will love it if you love mac and cheese (not my fave but I can appreciate those who go for that). My husband had the flank steak. This had to be some of the best bites of food I've had in awhile. He would have licked his plate if he wasn't trying to be a gentleman. I had the fried chicken, which came with greens dressed in an amazing sauce. My chicken piece seemed to have lots of skin, fat, and bone, and not enough meat - I would assume I just got a bad luck piece. We had the brownie with candied corn flakes for desert, which could have went from a 8 to a 10 if the brownie was warm. Overall the service and ambiance made for a perfect night with some great bites to compliment. We will be back. read more

I'm rarely compelled to write a review on places as I'm never really blown away. In the Ithaca area for a conference and stubbled upon this place by chance. Have to say, it absolutely exceeded my expectations. Getting back and looking at the reviews I realized I ordered exactly what Mr. Felix did. I however had a great dish! Heirloom tomato and cucumber salad to start. typically I'd order something a little more illustrious, this was a smart option as I knew I was going for the fried chicken entree. Tomatoes were room temp (key) as you can actually taste the quality of the tomato, crisp cucumber and some incredible goat cheese! Slightly sharp vinaigrette, balanced by some of the freshest bitter baby greens. The fried chicken. Let me start by saying it was very crispy, lightly enhanced by the smoked honey and the bartender was very kind to offer (what I presume) house made hot sauce which helped cut the richness of the dish. The Chicken it's self was really moist, almost impossible to accomplish when frying half a chicken whole. The collards were beautiful, slightly smokey from the ham hock, and still had bite (as they are usually way over cooked), and had a great hint of acidity. The fries were great. Hand cut and fried in clean duck fat, it's evident when they fries have a slight golden hue and are not super dark. The difference is astoundingly noticeable.The duck fat imparts a great nuttiness to the fires. Over all it was simple food, executed exceptionally well! Amazing cocktails and attentive staff! I'd come back read more

Oh man. My meal at The Rook was, hands-down, the BEST meal I have ever had in Ithaca. Period. No questions asked. My fiancé and I have been planning on checking out this place for months, but being frugal millenials, we don't have a ton of occasions for "special" (re: expensive) dinners together. This Valentine's Day, we finally booked a reservation. Three words: Bacon. Wrapped. Dates. Goat cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates. If that was all that we ordered, my review would be the same. Best effing food I've ever had in Ithaca. It was the most delicious, decadent appetizer I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Omg. Omfg. Extraordinary. Pork shoulder that I ordered was amazing, tender, delicious. "Surf n' Turf" dish that my fiancé ordered was perfect. Drinks were delicious. Service was second to none. Really, everything was great- but have I mentioned the bacon-wrapped dates? Gawd. I WILL eat there again. I will find cause to have a "special" dinner much more often. The Rook is a welcome addition to Ithaca's West End, and I am proud to have them in our community. If you're wondering if this place is worth it, the answer is YES. A resounding YES. Go. Order bacon wrapped dates. And I dare you to prove me wrong. read more

Recently; I have had some amazing takeout experiences with The Rook. The food is so consistent with amazing flavors prepared in so many creative ways! Honestly, you just have to order everything on the menu and enjoy the ride!!!! These guys won't steer you wrong! read more

Had a really lovely, laid back dinner with some friends...nice atmosphere..great service

AMAZING food here; one of our favorite date night places. It's a small & cozy restaurant - really pretty decor but not too stuffy. I love that instead of being divided into a "front" & "back" where the kitchen is, the Rook is divided left & right. The kitchen is beside you as you eat - it just feels less hierarchical and less like what happens in the kitchen is "hidden." There is also a huge window outside that looks into the kitchen. I love being able to wave thank you to the chefs as we walk back to our car. Food-wise you probably can't go wrong here! We always order the machiavelli fries and the bacon-wrapped dates - both are incredible. I dream about those dates. All our entrees have always been wonderful too. If you're into cocktails, I love their house manhattan - the cherries aren't your average overly-sweet maraschinos, and they really make the drink! Just on a food allergy note, they are also very gluten-free friendly. My husband has Celiac disease and they mark what is GF on the menu and their servers are all super knowledgable and helpful too. The fries are prepared in a shared frier, but are fried in duck fat which must be changed very frequently (I assume) - he's eaten these fries multiple times and has never gotten sick. :) Just FYI! read more

The Rook - Manhattan, fries, & bacon-wrapped dates! - New American Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Excellent food and experience! I throughly enjoyed everything from start to finish. Best meal I've had in years. Had the snack board- goat cheese, butternut squash with bacon jam, deviled eggs,etc. For dinner was their pork option which was made with fennel and fingerling potatoes. For dessert I had the donuts. The flavors of everything was so well put together. Not overpowering. New combinations of flavor. Just all around excellent! read more

Very cute and intimate local eatery. My son wanted the pork chop but they were sold out so we both got the fried chicken which was really good. super moist and perfectly crunchy skin- slight sweet taste from honey- served with collard greens - My son also ordered the crazy fries with bacon, bbq sauce etc .... they were sinful and good. Desserts looked good but they also ran out of the chocolate dessert that we would have ordered read more

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

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As enjoyable as just a taste. Best mushroom tart I've ever had. Black pepper gnocchi was soul satisfying. Donuts were good, but should be served right out of the fryer. That would have been amazing. Awesome service to boot. I hope this place succeeds. read more

My wife and I were passing through Ithaca and popped in here for an early dinner. The food was excellent. I had a gnocchi and vegetable dish that was perfection. So nice to get fresh vegetables that are nice and crisp. My wife had the salmon and she loved it. Theres great value at this restaurant too. I really wanted to try everything on the menu especially the fried chicken. My only complaint is that this place isn't in Brooklyn where we live. read more

Nice surprise. Menu has few choices all done very well. Real food, real ingredients. Great service. Will come again!

I'm writing this during the isolation order due to COVID19. They have a good pickup system. I ordered the fried chicken, a salad, dessert and a drink called Bodega Man. The chicken smelled so good it was all I could do not to pull the car over and start eating it before I got home. The chicken was delicious, the coating was perfectly crisp and the meat moist. The mixed greens were fresh and the buttermilk dressing tasty. The donuts were smaller than I envisioned but were heavenly. The drink was a wonderful mix of bourbon, bitters and pineapple. Tasty and strong. I'm looking forward to being able to drink at the bar and eat at a table again in the future but in the meantime I'm truly grateful that they are still available to us. read more