This restaurant has an incredible vibe with amazing drinks, impeccable service, and a personable owner who makes you feel right at home. It’s the kind of spot that would be a favorite in my hometown of Pittsburgh or tucked into a Brooklyn neighborhood. I’d be a regular for sure and can’t wait to come back every time I’m in CHQ.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lindsey Young
We came in for dinner. Had a drink and ended up leaving and not eating . How in the world can you charge $90 for a steak when the place is absolutely filthy. dead bugs and cobwebs everywhere. gross
Atmosphere: 1
Maru Coke
This was the third time we dined at 2 Ames. The food this time was a true disappointment. We are a young healthy couple and became very ill within hours after the Night in Little Italy Dinner on August 2 2025. The dinner was $125 per person as disclosed but we were charged a mandatory fixed 25 percent service charge which was not disclosed anywhere, including on the menu and the flyers that promoted the dinner. We feel compelled to write this review because of the food safety issue. (We were in severe pain for hours after the meal. We had nothing to eat after our dinner. We do not have any food allergies or sensitivities. We have dined all over the world including France, Italy, Indonesia, Qatar, and of course many places in the U.S. We have never experienced food poisoning while abroad and very rarely in the U.S. Additionally, the lack of transparency with the service charge was upsetting. We don’t mind paying a reasonable tip but this occasion was a surprise due to the lack of transparency.) Every business that serves the public should be transparent and care about the safety and well-being of their patrons.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ani Ventocilla King
Delicious food clearly prepared with lots of heart and thought behind it. Lunch menu varies slightly from dinner and so does the vibe- definitely busier in the evening so reservations are highly recommended. Bar is STOCKED! Ask for a recommendation and you’ll leave with a new favorite drink of the summer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mr. Review guy
I’ve been to 2 Ames twice before making this review. The first time, I ordered the Wagyu Steak Frites. I was told they were out of the triple cooked fries, so they would substitute the whipped potatoes. The steak was served on top of the whipped potatoes. Not a very visually appealing way to serve a steak - maybe if it was already sliced - but that’s fine. The steak had not even a trace of salt, I had to ask for it. My wife ordered the Fish and Grits, which was quite good, but also under salted.
We decided to give 2 Ames another chance a few weeks later. I wanted to see if they ever season their steaks, and maybe if the triple-cooked fries were any good - I mean the plate is $50 after all. I ordered the same thing. Once again, I had to ask for salt because there was none on the steak. They did have fries this time, but these were absolutely not the fries described on the menu. These were Five Guys, Wingstop, single-cooked, limp, severe-lack-of-crispiness fries. Like someone in the kitchen threw a potato in the slicer, and the fries that came out went straight into the fryer. These fries weren’t salted either, of course. I also question the veracity of the “peppercorn sauce.” I could not find a hint of peppercorn this time or on my last visit. It was a decent, creamy (maybe slightly cheesy?) sauce. This time my wife ordered the pork chop which was served atop room temperature whipped potatoes. The pork chop was unsurprisingly not salted. But, the Chimichurri that came with the pork chop was very good.
Service was very good, ambience very good, location very good. But I paid $50 for a steak I had to salt myself, with a side of Five Guys’ fries….
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Gabrielle Hemlick
Love Taco Tuesday! We loved the homemade chips and queso - chips were warm and nicely salted. I loved that they were warm and soft, but my boyfriend would have liked them crispier. You could tell that the queso was made with good quality cheese. I had a carnitas taco for $5, and it was the best pork I have ever had in a taco. Very tender and flavorful. My boyfriend had the blacked lime fish taco, which he said was delicious, but he didn’t care for the eggplant taco. We split a side of rice and beans for $8, and it was delightfully seasoned with lime and fresh onions. It was enough for two people two each have a medium portion. Waiter was lovely!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Mrs. Stephen's 2020-21 PreK
Taco Tuesday night. The menu was very small with eclectic tacos We thought there would be somewhat normal tacos like chicken or beef. Nope. Also thought we could order off the regular menu but couldn’t. Our tacos were pork or beef. Both had fatty pieces which were inedible. The chips and queso were good. Ordered a glass of wine and should have asked the price which wasn’t on the menu. My fault for not asking , but $18 for a glass of wine is ridiculous even at Chautauqua. Very disappointed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Rob Toomey
A sterling gem well worth a visit. You can expect the very best of Brooklyn in the middle of nowhere - tasty food, excellent cocktails, and pleasant staff. 5 stars!
Danny the owner was very welcoming, made us a few phenomenal drinks, and we enjoyed our time there. I was blown away by the coffee. We will definitely be coming back next season!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
philip gottfried
Excellent food and imaginative preparations.Pricy wine list
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Deb Palmer George
We are longtime customers of 2 Ames. This is our first time dining with them this season. The service was quite slow but that is to be understood when new staff are being trained at the start of the season. What is not to be understood is that we were served an arugula salad with bad arugula, comprised of wilted and yellow leaves, and burned naan. More concerning was a dirty restroom at 5:30 pm with dirty sink, floor,, commode and overflowing trash can when the restaurant had just opened at 5pm. And, the light switch fell off the wall leaving exposed wiring. We hope they turn things around.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Nicholas Byers
The drinks are amazing! But the pesto chicken was on the dry side. The steak was better. The staff were welcoming and helpful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Jeff Mather
A truly incredible place and one-of-a-kind experience. 2 Ames brings such a unique vision into the food and drinks they offer. I’ve eaten here for years, whether it be dinner, lunch, or brunch, and it’s consistently exceeded my expectations. No joke, some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had.I’ve always recommended 2 Ames to anyone visiting Chautauqua and will continue to.
This restaurant has an incredible vibe with amazing drinks, impeccable service, and a personable owner who makes you feel right at home. It’s the kind of spot that would be a favorite in my hometown of Pittsburgh or tucked into a Brooklyn neighborhood. I’d be a regular for sure and can’t wait to come back every time I’m in CHQ.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We came in for dinner. Had a drink and ended up leaving and not eating . How in the world can you charge $90 for a steak when the place is absolutely filthy. dead bugs and cobwebs everywhere. gross
Atmosphere: 1
This was the third time we dined at 2 Ames. The food this time was a true disappointment. We are a young healthy couple and became very ill within hours after the Night in Little Italy Dinner on August 2 2025. The dinner was $125 per person as disclosed but we were charged a mandatory fixed 25 percent service charge which was not disclosed anywhere, including on the menu and the flyers that promoted the dinner. We feel compelled to write this review because of the food safety issue. (We were in severe pain for hours after the meal. We had nothing to eat after our dinner. We do not have any food allergies or sensitivities. We have dined all over the world including France, Italy, Indonesia, Qatar, and of course many places in the U.S. We have never experienced food poisoning while abroad and very rarely in the U.S. Additionally, the lack of transparency with the service charge was upsetting. We don’t mind paying a reasonable tip but this occasion was a surprise due to the lack of transparency.) Every business that serves the public should be transparent and care about the safety and well-being of their patrons.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Delicious food clearly prepared with lots of heart and thought behind it. Lunch menu varies slightly from dinner and so does the vibe- definitely busier in the evening so reservations are highly recommended. Bar is STOCKED! Ask for a recommendation and you’ll leave with a new favorite drink of the summer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been to 2 Ames twice before making this review. The first time, I ordered the Wagyu Steak Frites. I was told they were out of the triple cooked fries, so they would substitute the whipped potatoes. The steak was served on top of the whipped potatoes. Not a very visually appealing way to serve a steak - maybe if it was already sliced - but that’s fine. The steak had not even a trace of salt, I had to ask for it. My wife ordered the Fish and Grits, which was quite good, but also under salted.
We decided to give 2 Ames another chance a few weeks later. I wanted to see if they ever season their steaks, and maybe if the triple-cooked fries were any good - I mean the plate is $50 after all. I ordered the same thing. Once again, I had to ask for salt because there was none on the steak. They did have fries this time, but these were absolutely not the fries described on the menu. These were Five Guys, Wingstop, single-cooked, limp, severe-lack-of-crispiness fries. Like someone in the kitchen threw a potato in the slicer, and the fries that came out went straight into the fryer. These fries weren’t salted either, of course. I also question the veracity of the “peppercorn sauce.” I could not find a hint of peppercorn this time or on my last visit. It was a decent, creamy (maybe slightly cheesy?) sauce. This time my wife ordered the pork chop which was served atop room temperature whipped potatoes. The pork chop was unsurprisingly not salted. But, the Chimichurri that came with the pork chop was very good.
Service was very good, ambience very good, location very good. But I paid $50 for a steak I had to salt myself, with a side of Five Guys’ fries….
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
Love Taco Tuesday! We loved the homemade chips and queso - chips were warm and nicely salted. I loved that they were warm and soft, but my boyfriend would have liked them crispier. You could tell that the queso was made with good quality cheese.
I had a carnitas taco for $5, and it was the best pork I have ever had in a taco. Very tender and flavorful. My boyfriend had the blacked lime fish taco, which he said was delicious, but he didn’t care for the eggplant taco. We split a side of rice and beans for $8, and it was delightfully seasoned with lime and fresh onions. It was enough for two people two each have a medium portion.
Waiter was lovely!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Taco Tuesday night. The menu was very small with eclectic tacos We thought there would be somewhat normal tacos like chicken or beef. Nope. Also thought we could order off the regular menu but couldn’t. Our tacos were pork or beef. Both had fatty pieces which were inedible. The chips and queso were good. Ordered a glass of wine and should have asked the price which wasn’t on the menu. My fault for not asking , but $18 for a glass of wine is ridiculous even at Chautauqua. Very disappointed.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
A sterling gem well worth a visit. You can expect the very best of Brooklyn in the middle of nowhere - tasty food, excellent cocktails, and pleasant staff. 5 stars!
Amazing food and atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
overpriced for some not great food.
Restaurantji Recommends
Danny the owner was very welcoming, made us a few phenomenal drinks, and we enjoyed our time there. I was blown away by the coffee. We will definitely be coming back next season!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent food and imaginative preparations.Pricy wine list
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
We are longtime customers of 2 Ames. This is our first time dining with them this season. The service was quite slow but that is to be understood when new staff are being trained at the start of the season. What is not to be understood is that we were served an arugula salad with bad arugula, comprised of wilted and yellow leaves, and burned naan. More concerning was a dirty restroom at 5:30 pm with dirty sink, floor,, commode and overflowing trash can when the restaurant had just opened at 5pm. And, the light switch fell off the wall leaving exposed wiring. We hope they turn things around.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The drinks are amazing! But the pesto chicken was on the dry side. The steak was better. The staff were welcoming and helpful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 5
A truly incredible place and one-of-a-kind experience. 2 Ames brings such a unique vision into the food and drinks they offer. I’ve eaten here for years, whether it be dinner, lunch, or brunch, and it’s consistently exceeded my expectations. No joke, some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had.I’ve always recommended 2 Ames to anyone visiting Chautauqua and will continue to.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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