I've been told this place was a cult by some friends but never heard about what they did. I decided to try it, I went in and it was extremely unsettling. Our waiter seemed extremely creepy as well. All around bad vibes, don't go here! read more

Located in college town, this place is a gem! Atmosphere- clean, warm earthy and welcoming. The rustic wood decor and roaring fireplace are the perfect fix for the cold winter weather. Service was amazing. From greeting us as we came in to bringing us samples of their different teas, we were delighted by the friendliness of the staff. Menu- offering a variety of hot and cold options. All healthy and homemade. We got the beef chili, Deli Pesto and Deli Rose sandwiches along with an order of waffles. Portions were generous and unfortunately too filling that we didn't have room for dessert ( though they sounded delicious) Interesting history to the concept and pleased to learn they had multiple locations around the US and world. We will definitely visit again read more

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Came across this gem of a restaurant while touring Ithaca College. The food was delicious & very reasonably priced, the staff were very friendly (we were given many tourists tips) and the ambiance is so unique we felt like we were at a themed restaurant at Disneyland..in a good way. Everything is handmade from the food to the decor! Overall, this is a special place. We will be back. read more

The Yellow Deli - Entrance - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We stopped here passing through on a trip, and we loved the atmosphere! The interior details and connection with nature were lovely and unique. We had a wonderful lunch experience and friendly service. Would stop here again! read more

Wow what an experience! Have you ever eaten at 70s religious cult gnome village? Well the John Kouka team was not in for this Disney-hell experience. To be fair several of our team players noticed that it was cult like when all the men had little pony tails. Nobody was mean us, probably because we were white and looked normal to them. But we aren't and we find them very creepy. The menu says "i love you" all over it. Nobody I know wrote the menu. There have a lot of literature if you want to be converted. online it says that their cult the 12 tribes, beats children with bamboo sticks. I didn't see that happen though, just a strange place that doesn't pay their workers as everyone is working for god. It's really close to an amazing anarchist bookstore, Autumn Leaves--go eat some books. The food is okay, as the menu said it was grown by their brothers in Brazil! They gave us 6 kinds of matte tea to sample when we entered, which was good, but did not lessen the John Kouka team's guilt about supporting a religious cult. Just know what you are supporting. Disclaimer: Part of the John Kouka team's mission is to not get into politics, or religion. We hope that food can unite us, not divide us but we just had to say something. p.s. You don't know the identity of the John Kouka team. You can't tell anyone we ever went here! read more

We decided to spend the long weekend (Labor Day) at Finger Lakes. Of course, in addition to interesting places and routes, I prepared a list of restaurants for breakfasts and lunches. For a late breakfast we chose this cafe. We were initially attracted by the interior, the choice of food and, of course, the excellent reviews. From the first minute, we felt the wonderful atmosphere of this cafe and the friendly, polite staff. Everything we ordered was very tasty and fresh, prepared from local products. The prices pleasantly surprised us. I would really like to come back here again. read more

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Stumbled in at 1 AM, slightly buzzed, fully hungry, and honestly? This place felt like a fever dream in the best way. The ambiance was straight out of a storybook -- cozy, warm, and the kind of place where you half expect someone to hand you a quest instead of a menu. Ordered the New Yorker burger, and it was good but salty -- like it had some personal beef with my sodium levels. 4/5, would still demolish again. The chips? Simple, crunchy, and exactly what my tipsy soul needed. The server was super nice, didn't judge my late-night life choices, and just let me enjoy my food in peace. Respect. read more

The Yellow Deli - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

We went twice while on vacation. The ambiance food and service was amazing. They are a bit slow so be prepared to wait but, know the food makes the wait well worth it. read more

Inside takes you to a gnome village where you can sit inside these little home displayed within the restaurant. Upstairs you can seat as well & get a good top down view. The wait staff was odd & kept to themselves oddly enough. Still good service though but had to deal with things yourself almost. Food was okay but nothing special. My buffalo chicken sandwich although good didn't take anything remotely like buffalo. The bread was very good which I'm guessing they make. The tomato soup was great with chunks of tomatoes at the bottom. The bread they gave was very thick but still light to dip into the soup. read more

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Stumbled onto this place while walking through the commons. Not what we expected but was definitely happy with the 'warm steamed' sandwiches. My daughter enjoyed her Rueben, while I had the Deli Rose. My son had the waffle and my wife did a create your own turkey sandwich! read more

How apt that Yelp asks what the vibes are because, frankly, the vibes are off, especially if you are anything but light skinned and straight appearing. This isn't mentioned in many reviews, which is how I found myself in this situation in the first place, but this chain is run by a fundamentalist organization that has been classified as a cult. I, a very gay person with a very non-conforming gender, needed a quick lunch. I did a quick search, found a place with veggie sandwiches, and headed on my way. So, was I served? Yes. Barely. I could get into details and write it all out but it's truly a pretty boring story in which all the staff seem hesitant and unsure of how to interact with me and showed no pleasantries. As I waited for my order, I did some light googling and realized why the vibes were off: they really do not like queer people. (Or people of color or women) I ate the fastest I have ever eaten, paid, and left ASAP. I do not want them in my life as much as they do not want me in theirs. I told my partner this story and she said that some of her extended family went to a Yellow Deli (unknowingly) after a pride event (and thus decked out in rainbows) and no one would serve them or talk to them at all. That being said: the veggie burger was pretty good, but not even close to worth the treatment. Plus, I felt very badly for supporting a business that does not seem to pay their workers. read more

First the positives: charming interior with eclectic decoration. A very welcoming experience. Great drink, decent food. It was a little odd to have warm salmon on a bun but I got over that. Now the not so positive: when I asked about the drinks, I was told the first one is energizing. The second one I questioned, not so much. I reiterated that it's tea and she assured me--yes. I said I was in a hurry and would need it in a to go cup. I know she heard me because she asked if the food was to go as well. Ok. Drink delivered iced. I just looked at the guy and he realized his mistake and remade it. But not in a to go cup. And I still have no idea what's in the dandy blend but it sure didn't taste like tea. After I ate I was waiting and waiting for the check (as I had told her I was in a hurry) and finally had to interrupt her conversation to get my check. Then ask for my drink IN a TO GO CUP as I had maybe had a sip and really wanted it for the last 40 minutes of my drive. So...if I came back I'd leave myself time, not order the salmon sandwich, and just be happy with what was delivered to my table, I guess. read more

It was amazing. We had the wild Alaska Salmon Sandwich and Banana Milk, both fantastic. The interior decor was awesome, like another time/place transportation event! The service with Alisa was really cool, she was from old Eastern Germany, great conversation. I guess there are 12 of these around the world, one opening in New Hampshire soon, can't wait to visit it there. read more

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The wild Alaskan Salmon sandwich was excellent! The service was great. We sat by the fireplace and the atmosphere was wonderful.

Reuben sandwich had more sauerkraut than corned beef in it disappointingly for eleven dollars. Carrot cake had no visible pieces or flavor of carrot and frosting was some unknown flavor of whipped cream not the traditional delicious flavor of cream cheese frosting. Beef chili soup was excellent and delicious! Cole slaw side for the Reuben was spectacular and tasty. Loved it. Chai latte was on target. Service was great and friendly. Coffee was good. Decor and surroundings are charming and comfortable. read more

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Service was fine, but I was kind of in a hurry. I just wanted a sandwich. I did not read anything on the menu that stated sandwiches were served HOT. Not what I had planned on & I really couldn't get passed it. Nothing to write home about. Not sure why their ratings are as high as they are. read more

We had the nicest waiter. The sandwiches are amazingly fresh and tasty. Atmosphere is laid back! I'll be back!!

Tucked in the inner commercial center of the town, this cute deli has so many things to offer. It is has this inviting feels from outside and a warm vibes feel on the inside. The friendly staff welcomed us so dearly and seated us on a cute little spot by the window. Their menu has plenty of breakfast choices down to lunch and to dinner meals. They serve your favorites no matter what time you walk in. One thing we noticed on our visit, the bar is open at noon. It must be a hit spot for college students. The indoor decors and set-up pleasantly motivate a good appetite. You got to experience the ambiance so check out the place if you are around the area. read more

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It was okay. The outside decor is killer awesome but the inside, though fun ambiance has a bit too much banjo for my liking. The staff was slightly friendly but negligent on filling glasses or returning to check on tables after dropping an item. There wasn't much personality from staff other than, what do you want to order.. no extra detail on specials or menu items.. could be such a better experience. The food was just okay.. the bread is the reason to come here but maybe we just missed the point of the whole experience? read more

The Yellow Deli - Outside - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Yummy food, particularly for vegetarians -- veggie burger is delicious as is the spinwhich. Loved the coffee and mate combo. Only wished they opened earlier to get that coffee. The restaurant is also beautiful--even the bathroom read more

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They are nice and very friendly people. Tomato and basil soup was a real hit and I strongly recommend it. Ambiance is also spectacular. read more

The Yellow Deli - Tomato and basil soup turned real yummy. I strongly recommend it. - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

My wife and I were visiting the area for the weekend and just got into town on a Friday at lunchtime. We were walking around Ithaca Commons and decided to stop in. We loved the wooden decor and the charm of the place. We were greatly warmly both outside and inside and sat at a table where we could people watch. It was moderately busy considering school was out for the Summer. My wife ordered the vegetable burger which came with chips and I had the turkey and cheddar on Rye which also came with chips. The food came out fast, warm, and fresh. The chips were tasty and fresh. Portions were normal size. The service was very good and friendly and the prices were more than reasonable. The Yellow Deli is located in the middle of the pedestrian mall. The bathrooms were spotless which tells me about their kitchen. read more

Really nice comfy and quaint rustic place with comfortable and intimate seating. The food is outstanding! So far we tried their fish sandwich, creamy cauliflower soup which comes w a nice portion of bread. My niece had an egg and cheese sandwich and we all thoroughly enjoyed the food! The restaurant is clean, has nice soft lighting, and the service is excellent! Top of our list in Ithaca! read more

This is a weird restaurant and hard to review. It is run by a religious organization with an allegedly controversial but hard to follow past. If you are okay with that, as I am in this case, this restaurant is great. The prices are good and the food is top notch. Apparently one of their religious tenants involves organic food (that is not a joke) so it all tastes very fresh. The servers are nice and the ambiance is relaxing. Innocent until proven guilty, and their sandwiches are certainly innocent of any wrongdoing. read more

Everything at Yellow Deli is amazing. I used to frequent the Yellow Deli in Oneonta during my college days and when I went on a trip to Ithaca I was so excited to see one located in Ithaca Commons. As always we were greeted by a very friendly staff. The inside aesthetic is always one to admire with mostly handmade items and calming music. I ordered a lemon mint cooler to drink and it was so refreshing. They also have a lot of options cold and hot with mate. To eat, I got the tomato bisque soup which came with bread and a sandwich which comes with chips and a pickle. As always, it was delicious and I would highly recommend eating there. read more

The Yellow Deli - "Make your own sandwich" with chips and pickle - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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We are out of towners and decided to stop in at the adorable restaurant. My husband and I both got the Buffalo Rancher sandwich which we both inhaled because it was so good. I got the chai latte which was a little heavy on the chai spice but still delicious and he got the smoothie which was comparable to a Jamba Juice. The atmosphere can't be beat (they had the wood burning fireplace going) and the service was great. Would definitely recommend. read more

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This restaurant is amazing. It is one of my favorites and I will travel to come here. I went to school in Oneonta and we had one there too. I could eat here every single day. Everything on the menu is so good. Their rolls are home grown. The deli rose is my fav sandwich. It melts in your mouth. The spicy red sauce is the perfect touch. Not sure where they get their meat from, but it's the only place I ever get roast and corned beef on my sandwich. Smoothies are also amazing, loved my pina colada. It was too hot today for soup or chili, but that's usually my go to. If you want breakfast, the parfait or waffle is *chefs kiss*. Definitely an interesting vibe, the Amish staff are very nice and hospitable. I think the atmosphere is really unique. read more

Super cool decorations inside, you feel like you're in a quaint Bavarian village. Food is pretty good for the price and the menus are cute. I liked the Yerba Mate, especially the mango mate. They make their own bread but to be honest I don't think it tastes that good, pretty dry. Service is okay. They waiters are a little standoffish. read more

The staff is so friendly from the minute you walk in. The decor is outstanding and beautiful. The food is so delicious! Their cold apple cider and banana bread is what I had and I'm definitely coming back to try more soon. The owner is so nice he is very pleasant to talk with. If you ever want a nice little cozy place to sit down in and have a bit to eat I suggest this place 100%! read more

The Yellow Deli - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The decor is pleasant, staff are kind and welcoming, and the food is good enough and as described. I would advise looking up this organization before visiting, if just to put the experience in context. I am very glad to have visited, but would prefer to have known the background beforehand. It's one of a dozen or more similar restaurants worldwide, and the staff members all adhere to a specific lifestyle practice and philosophy. read more

We were cold, starving and unfamiliar with places to eat in the Commons. A nice gentleman outside of what appeared to be a coffee shop invited us in. We only intended to take a peak but when we got inside we knew we had to stay. It is beautiful on the inside. There was natural wood tables, a fire burning, and cozy seating arrangements. The food was hot, fresh, delicious, and nourishing. We will definitely be back! read more

The Yellow Deli - Tomatoe bisque, homemade sourdough bread, artisan bread, chai tea, chicken sandwich on a homemade roll - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York

The food was delicious. My wife had the beef barely soup. My daughter had the Buffalo Chicken sandwich. I had the Rose sandwich. We had the Mango Mate and ice chai tea as drinks. The vibe is quite cool with craftsman woodwork and paintings throughout. Everyone raved about their food. Highly recommended!! read more

Happened to be looking for a quick sandwich on my way to a show at the State Theater. Staff was friendly and quick. The ambiance of the fire and interior was really really nice on a crisp spring evening. Veggie burger was fantastic! Staff informed me they all live together nearby and grow and mill the grains for the bread themselves! This led to also learning it's a sorta faith based, commune thing. How that works at multiple locations around the world I have no idea. Anyways. I loved it. I'd go back again. The tea menu looked great! But I didn't have time to partake. read more

Great service, great food,beautiful architecture all hand done. Prices are very reasonable.

Walked by this place the other day and was intrigued. Everyone was friendly, good food and great atmosphere. read more

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Great lunch spot! We loved the unique atmosphere and the warm hearty menu. It hit the spot. Servers were very friendly as well.

one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. I stumbled on this place and the ambiance was fantastic and the food was even better. Very quick service and friendly people. The sandwich was hot and fresh, the cheese was melted and the ice tea I had with it was delicious. I can't recommend this place enough. read more

Food was good and prices were reasonable but it had a creepy vibe. Didn't realize til after we left the origins of this place. It all makes sense now. Won't be back. read more

Great food, fun people watching on Ithaca Commons, ambience and music...like comfort food for the soul.

Really great and delicious food, pretty good service, we got free drinks because it was our first time, amazing people. The place was so decorated and beautiful. I love the style!!! read more

The Yellow Deli - Honey bun - Desserts Near Me - Ithaca, New York