Great food but now closed permanently after many years! Sad loss for Willsboro. Hopefully someone will open it back up again.

Love this place! Didn't know what to expect in this small town restaurant but we gave it a try and did not regret it. Service was great. Best fish & chips I've had. Wifey had the black bean burger and said it was fantastic. Bloody Mary was good too. Definitely recommend this one and the outdoor dining made it that much better. Almost forgot...salted caramel and pecan cheesecake was divine! read more

Turtle Island Cafe - Fish & chips - Cafes Near Me - Willsboro, New York

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Delicious meal and friendly service! The food was high quality in its ingredients and presentation. Hand-cut fries were crisp and not floppy. We had a wonderful time. Great atmosphere with comfortable seating. read more

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Eat here often. The service is fantastic, and I am a huge fan of the duck and the fabulous French onion soup. They also make a great Old Fashioned! read more

A gem in the wilderness of Willsboro. From a beautifully appointed interior, friendly and effecient staff and wonderful food this is a great place in a nice little town. The food is excellent from the fresh Rosemary bread, goat cheese and artichoke pizza, gnocci, salmon to delicous desserts and perfect espresso drinks. They have a nice selection on the menu and are aware of the importance of farm and restaurant working together to make a great meal and a better planet. Definately worth a visit. read more

One of the best meals we had on our trip! We came for dinner and sat outdoors in the patio area with a fireplace. Not too busy on a Saturday evening. My girlfriend ordered the french onion soup and crab cake BLT, while i went for the Korean BBQ sandwich and fries. Everything was cooked to perfection! Service was great and attentive, and our food came out quickly. They also have a full service bar for cocktails. My girlfriend liked the mojito she ordered. Ended our meal with a creme brulee, which was tasty - just wish there was more!! If you're coming to NY from the ferry or vacationing in the area, definitely give this spot a try! read more

Turtle Island Cafe - French onion soup - Cafes Near Me - Willsboro, New York

I'm genuinely shocked that this local treasure does not get more love. We've been here twice in the two years we've visited the area and the food and service have been fabulous both times. The ingredients are super fresh and not from the Sysco truck. I love their varied menu that goes far beyond burgers and fries. read more

A hidden gem in willsboro! Discovered this place last summer while out fro a ride- and went again today-excellent, probably the best ever-French onion soup. Everything is fresh, local and home made. Will keep coming back for sure. read more

Kind of rushed out to catch the ferry to Burlington. Wish I could have stayed longer. The restaurant has a lot of character with inlaid tin ceilings, a fire and original artifacts of the pharmacy such as a 2 piece phone with bells. Very cozy, like going to your friends house and having your friends grandma cook for you. read more

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Well-run restaurant with an ambitious menu that lives up to the descriptions and then some. Busy on a Monday night in October, which is a good sign. I dropped in after a cold day fishing for trout and salmon in the adjacent Bouquet River and the bean/pasta dish with sausage and shrimp hit the spot. Lovely sauce and right-size serving. And the gelato sundae: Dynamite salt caramel sauce. Bravo! Wait staff efficient and friendly and did a good job selling the restaurant and chef's bona fides. Bartender very skillfully handled a pushy downstate car dealer type whose wife tried to bully him into handing over carry-out. A hard rule to explain to rich boors and bartender did it with gracious backbone. (It made for good entertainment for those of us in earshot.) If in the area, make reservations and be ready to be surprised. read more

Turtle Island Cafe - Sundae - Cafes Near Me - Willsboro, New York

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This little restaurant serves incredible food, all homemade, and has great live music and a warm, friendly atmosphere. Definitely recommend it!! read more

Our Airbnb host in Willsboro Point recommended this restaurant, so we decided to try it. It's very quaint. We arrived on a Friday night and it wasn't busy - four other people were dining. The waitress was very friendly and answered all of our questions. Several items on the menu included the local bacon. My son and I both tried a chicken wrap with bacon and it was delicious - we both loved it! I also tried the Manhattan Clam Chowder which was very good. My wife had the French Onion soup which she liked very much with a touch of apples included. Overall, the food was very good - fresh and tasty. I would definitely come back. read more

Food was ok, maybe even good, but by the time we were served (only people there) we would have been happy with anything. Slow day, slow service. Good food. read more

Found this hidden gem randomly but no way is this a one and done dining experience! Our Server, Mackenzie set the tone for our visit, open friendly helpful and inviting, we began with the Cesar salad with Salmon and the PEI Mussels. My Husband has an uncanny habit of picking the best dishes on menu's all over the world and this was no exception. The Mussels are insanely delicious, served with a warm Ciabatta baguette to soak up that GLORIOUS broth, could eat that all day long. We will make the trip from Westport just for the Mussels but there are so many other right choices on this menu. Highly recommend the Smoked brisket and the Pork Osso Bucco. We didn't have room for dessert so Mackenzie wrapped up a chocolate bomb and a caramel lava cake which were both amazing and oh so good in our PJ's!! Highly recommend this wonderful Restaurant, almost didn't want to write this review for fear we'll never get a table again but we're into sharing so there you go. Again, if your a Mussel fan, you have to make a pilgrimage just for these!! read more

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Outstanding dinner! If you are in Westport on a Monday night head here- you will not be disappointed. My wife had the scallops and I got the lobster roll. Both dishes were outstanding! read more

Got the classic burgers and the black bean burger; combined with live music and local beers and we have a winner. Good service.

Excellent, excellent, excellent; what wonderful food and service, a Champlain Valley Jewel.

After a long day of climbing at Poke O Moondshine, my buddy and I staggered into this quaint restaurant, disheveled and likely quite gross looking. I expressed to the hostess that we were underdressed and unsure if it was appropriate to eat there, but she was very reassuring and made us feel right at home. Following, the waiter was very friendly and accommodating. I liked the restaurant's commitment to food that's good for your and good for the world. It felt right eating their meals because I could tell a lot of thought went into sourcing and creating the food. I had a delicious garden salad and the Mediterranean sampler. Both were kind to the vegetables, meaning the flavorings and spices were complimentary to the tastes of the vegetables, not over powering. The local draft beer was awesome, too. I guess my only gripe would be the price. A little too much money for a little bit to little food. But it was great food so I won't detract a star. Definitely check it out if your looking for excellent service and finely crafted food. read more

This is an excellent restaurant, the best wings I have had in Northern N Y and the burgers are the best. I'm going back to try the rest of the menu and their beer selection is great ( bottle ) the draft only two, also has very good wine selection. read more

Stopped by for lunch and was blown away by the delicious food and extensive beer selection. Very friendly and efficient staff. I had the Oriental Salad which included dumplings and coconut shrimp. The house dressing was perfect. We sat outside, but inside was very nice too with cloth table coverings. Don't be fooled by the exterior - this place is fabulous. read more

The food and service was amazing! The French onion soup was to die for and my husband loved the soft shell crab!

We used to love eating here, but this summer we found a couple of disturbing changes. First of all, a basket of bread/butter used to be complimentary with the meal. At our last visit, bread/butter was considered an extra at $4.00. I just checked their menu and bread/butter is now $3.00. We also ordered a "small plate" of bacon-wrapped scallops. 2 scallops (there were three of us in our party) cost $10.00 - five bucks apiece for scallops that were almost raw - plus two of us didn't get a whole scallop! Not cool. Willsboro has a lot of affluent summer visitors, so maybe this is the reasoning behind these changes, but the locals sure don't appreciate it! We'll be looking for fine dining elsewhere. read more

This place is amazing! Would give it 6 stars if I could. The food the absolutely the best in town. The French onion soup was the best I have ever had. Who even the chef is in back, they know what they are doing when it comes to food. Ever aspect of the Capri sand which was on point. All the layers meshed perfectly with each other. If you are anywhere around Willsboro, give this place a try. read more

Favorite place in the area! The food is ALWAYS good. We've spent 3 summers so far in Essex, NY and come back here so much. Burger is so good! Crab cake blt is my fave! Everything is so fresh and yummy! Their daily specials are always to die for too! Seriously you will not be disappointed! Service is great! 5 stars! read more

I ordered chicken wings, french onion soup and a cheeseburger--not a highly technical dish by any measure. My wings came out cold and the french onion was luke warm. The bad part was that I waited an hour to get my food. Our drinks were not refreshed once during that hour. My wife ordered salmon and it was raw, so they put the whole plate in the oven to bring the fish up to temp. The "chef david", is an uninspired , unimaginative hack "cook" with limited creativity and who can't season a burger to save his life. The wait staff was irritated that I sent my food back. Really a crappie service all around. I guess diners in the North Country are just happy to find a restaurant open. My advice? Watch a cooking show like restaurant disasters and have some pride in the food you are serving. Or quit the business. read more

What a great find. Food was fabulous service was even better!!! Fresh tuna on a salad always makes me happy and this was spectacular

Worst place I've ever been. Food and atmosphere is terrible. Food over cooked and drinks weak

After a day paddle-boarding we looked for a place to grab some food near Wilsboro. Unfortunately we ended up at the Turtle Cafe or as we renamed it the "TURDle Cafe." When we walked in we were the only customers there. The place was dead. We chose to sit outside at first, which was the wrong choice because the chairs were so uncomfortable! Also, the music....it was worse than Elevator music and louder than it needed to be. I can't even explain how bad it was, but I'll try... So picture a drunk Kenny G who is probably completely deaf. It was that horrible! Nothing about it was enjoyable. It would have been 86% better to have nothing so we could enjoy the sounds of cars passing. So, we moved to the back/side porch where the chairs were waaaay more comfy, but the music was still blaring out there!!!! After about 30 minutes the drinks we ordered came out (granted our waitress said the bartender was new and that's why it took so long) they were served in tiny plastic cups for the low price of 5.50. Totally not worth it at all. I can only imagine the bartender used a thimble to measure out the liquor in them. It was absurd! About 5 minutes after our drinks came out our food appeared. I ordered their "award winning burger" without a bun and a side salad. The burger was the color of the outside of the building (a grayish color) and tasted like it wasn't even cooked. I was really confused about the whole thing. It wasn't the worst burger I've ever had, but it reminded me of when I went to summer camp and it was burger night...not the happiest memory. Maddie ordered the ravioli appetizer and wasn't impressed. She also got the side salad, which was very basic, but the dressing was really yummy. Max ordered the veggie burger and said "it was pretty good, but it didn't have a pickle on the side". The French fries that were an additional charge to Max were homemade and looked tasty, but we're super greasy. The waitress was nice and seemed pleasant enough. When I got my bill I was shocked at how much it all came to...26.00. The burger was 12.00, the tiny drink 5.50, and the side salad 7.00....total rip off of quality and quantity (drink size). At the end of our dinner Max went to the bathroom and came out with a disgusted face and a story of a free range pube stuck the the toilet. Overall, we probably won't be revisiting this place. If I do my eardrums will probably bleed from the shitty music and my stomach would explode after another gray raw burger consumption. read more

If you have not dined here yet, I'll make you one promise. You will be scratching your head trying to figure out why these people are operating this place - this wonderful place - in Willsboro, New York. You can easily picture the Turtle Island Cafe in a vineyard in Napa, or Burgundy. The kitchen is as proficient, and creative, as you will find in these parts, or outside these parts for that matter. Do give it a try. On my list of Adirondack Favorites. read more

Our family went for a day trip and stopped by for dinner. There were 2 or 3 other tables occupied. The staff was friendly. The ambiance and decor were pleasing and the menu had a good variety of options. The server took the drink order promptly. I ordered a craft IPA and my spouse selected a bottled hard cider. It took a long time to get the drinks (roughly 15 mins). We ordered an Asian dumpling app (which was excellent), a lobster roll and a burger. The kids meals are $10, they wouldn't substitute a side salad for the steamed vegetables even though it was an option with other kids meals. They offered to sell us a house salad instead. $10 for seemingly boxed mac and cheese and our 47lb just turned 7yr old was still very hungry and was asking for food as we left. Everything was appealing and tasted good, but portion sizes were small. I don't plan to go back. read more

Went 2 days ago for a birthday dinner of 6 and was the worst experience I have ever had at a restaurant. The waitress was rude and vindictive. Took so long we ended up boxing our meals and leaving and at least hoping the food would be great but I have had better diner food. Bland and so little of it and so very over priced. When complaining to owner he didn't care one bit. read more

An anomaly for Willsboro, perhaps, Turtle Island is well-loved by a discerning group of New York, Montreal and Vermonters. Count me among them. I had the good fortune to find this place after biking through Willsboro recently. Having toured Southern France (Avignon) and California (wine country) by bike, Turtle Island appealed to my love for accessible European-style cafe/bistros with outdoor seating and a friendly wine list. A glass of wine and look at the menu informed me I needed to return. Two months later, I enjoyed two courses here and they were nothing less than spectacular. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone traveling through the Willsboro area, or Vermonters looking for an interesting alternative to the crowded and over-rated restaurants in Burlington. Located 10 minutes from the Charlotte/Essex ferry, Turtle Island is unique, delectable and atmospheric. Fresh local ingredients, an original and knowledgeable chef, and excellent service are highlights. I highly recommend the Asian salad, topped with tender coconut shrimp and pot stickers (best I've ever had), as well as the chicken piccata. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Always a great dinner, and a must-visit whenever we're in the area. My daughters swear by the Asian Duck and get it every time, but I like to try different items. Recently had a new chicken dish that was delicious, and another night butternut squash ravioli with vegetables in soup. Standards like fish and chips and the Friday night burger and beer special are always great. I like their selection of draft and bottled beers, but they also have a full bar and extensive wine list. And save room for the desserts! Family favorites are the chocolate lava cake, Turtle Island sundae, and butterscotch crème brûlée. read more

This is as good as it gets. We vacationed in Essex NY last week and had the good fortune to find this gem early in the week, it was so good, we went back on our last night. The salmon was about as fresh as you can get, was swimming in Alaska waters on Thursday, on our plate on Monday, and perfectly cooked. The lobster rositto excellent as was the thai style shrimp with pork dumplings, the duck the best my son ever had. The front of the house is run by Dyaln, the kitchen by Chef Dave. Both are personable, knowledgable and welcoming. They have an extensive wine and beer list. Talk to Dylan, tell him your preferences in beer and he will recommend something you probably never had before that would be spot on. Dave is fun to talk to about his food, sking, experiences with PBS and featured spot on Rachael Ray Vacation. If you are vacationing in Lake Placid, take the trip to this restaurant, it is worth the beautiful drive. read more

Unique lunch specials. Local place with a gourmet flair.

We were just passing through and tried it because of the yelp recs ; glad we did. Looked a little run down from the front so we weren't too sure. Owner and staff were lovely. Great reasonably priced wines. Killer onion soup. Local fresh veggies. My husband loved the scallops and I liked the mussels. Both entree and tapas size plates available. Steak looked great as well. read more

On a Thursday enjoyed live music on the patio. Had a nice happy hour and the Fuzzy Turtle was pretty and smooth. Lobster roll and hamburger were delicious! read more

This place is awesome. Duck dish was amazing and the service was outstanding. Everyone had our table enjoyed their entrees with the exception of the scallops. I saved room for dessert and wasn't disappointed. Will definitely return. read more

Turtle Island Cafe in Willsboro, NY, serves wonderful food for adults, but if you plan on bringing children, you'd be better off spending your dollars elsewhere. For a high honors graduate of the CIA, I expected more than boxed mac-n-cheese and processed chicken nuggets. Oh, and while you are over-charging me for this processed junk (I think it was $9.95 each for the children's food), go ahead and charge me an extra $2.50 for a glass of milk. Quite ridiculous if you ask me. Here's a tip for Chef Martin, once a month or so, cook up a large batch of home-cooked macaroni and cheese. You know, something worthy of your diploma and reputation. Then pre-divide it into small servings and freeze it. Likewise with REAL chunks of chicken. Then pull them out and microwave them for the children as needed. Parents do not like seeing their children treated as second-class citizens and that is how I felt when I left the Turtle Island Cafe. One last piece of advice for David, when you come out of the kitchen to talk with some of your guests, try to stop at EACH table to say 'Hi, I hope everything was to your liking' or something similar. Should take no more than 5-10 minutes to make the rounds. The night we were there, only about 5 parties were seated and the chef came out and spoke with two of them. On his way back to the kitchen, when I saw he wasn't coming to our table, I called him over since my children had gone swimming with his daughter earlier in the day. That's the kicker, he has a young eater himself and yet he serves a horrible children's menu...go figure... read more

Turtle Island Cafe - Turtle Island Cafe, Willsboro, NY - Cafes Near Me - Willsboro, New York

Literally the worst I've been to.i got a quesadilla and expected chicken and cheese like I specifically said,but they just put onions tomato's and cheese on it.their mashed potatoes were so hard I couldn't even chew.these waitresses are very slow and not very helpful either .and the 2 meals we got that weren't good ended up being 40 dollars.do not go here,I do not recommend this at all. read more