The only negative is the side door and people walking through the restaurant to get to the hotel some with their full luggage. Otherwise the food was tasty and reasonable
David
We didn't know it was homecoming weekend when we booked, but I am glad that we did. It was nice to avoid the insane crowds on the Commons and have a lovely. 'Grown up' meal in an elegant setting. The food was very good; a bit more upscale, but not outrageously priced. The service was attentive, but not intrusive. We would definitely dine there again.
Matthew
The service was pretty good We had a pizza for an appetizer and it it was the hi light of the meal. I had the steak and it was slightly overcooked but still enjoyed it. This place is in a lobby of a hotel so expect people walking by. However on homecoming weekend this place had very few diners. I appreciate being able to get a table and the prices seemed reasonable.
Fanqi Liu
Horrible experience, I ordered dine in and one yogurt for to go. They made it all to go and we have to wait for almost 1 HOUR! They did NOT even bring in any water!!n DO NOT come for any reason
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
sharifa sharifi
Terrible service! The staff were unfriendly and rude. The food came late, and the Margherita pizza was the worst I’ve ever had. Our server disappeared before bringing the rest of our order, there were no forks, knives, or napkins on the table, and she even dropped the check while we were still eating. Completely unprofessional — I will never come back to this restaurant.
Maryann
Our server, Caroline was the absolute best. What a great worker. Super friendly, outgoing and knowledgeable about the community and colleges. She was on point with service and made a great cocktail for me. The menu is small but has everything you'll need after a long ride to town.
Jennifer k Thibodeaux
Great place for a quiet night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yunong Shi
Beautiful and cozy space inside the Canopy Hotel, with friendly service and clear effort from the kitchen to deliver quality dishes. That said, the overall dining experience was mixed. Most of the food was just average—the flavors leaned too salty, and portion sizes were noticeably small. The coffee was inconsistent; one of the cappuccinos I had was unfortunately among the worst I’ve tasted. The pizza was fine, but nothing memorable. The serving time is quite long, most tables wait for 20-30mins to get their food.
On the positive side, the black bean burger and the pan-roasted shrimp stood out as well-executed and flavorful. There’s potential here, especially given the stylish setting, but it still feels like they’re working out some inconsistencies in both the kitchen and barista station.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Zachary Estefan
The food was fantastic but let me tell you, the service was out of this world. Caroline was a fantastic server and gave me the best experience I could have gotten. Thanks a million Caroline!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lake Kubilius
Has some pretty solid vegan options on offer, including a vegan pizza. Very good ambiance. Worth trying!
Consistently Excellent – A Highlight of Our Annual Stay
We’ve been staying at the Hilton Canopy in Ithaca annually, and The Strand Café has become a beloved part of each visit. After long drives and early mornings, it’s the warm, inviting atmosphere and reliably delicious meals that make this café a true haven for our family.
Breakfasts are especially outstanding. The cappuccinos are top-tier—smooth, rich, and perfectly crafted (we’re quite particular about our coffee!). The Roasted Tomato Omelette is a standout, and we appreciate the thoughtful variety of both meat and vegetarian options on the menu.
On this trip, we were especially grateful for Blythe, whose warmth, attention to detail, and genuine care elevated the experience even more. Her bright smile and attentive service didn’t go unnoticed—thank you, Blythe!
Looking forward to many more meals here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Harry DeVoe
Solid hotel bar/restaurant
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Karen and Scott
If you’re in the mood to waste time, this place is perfect. Think Zootopia’s DMV, but slower and with less charm (and honestly, the DMV isn't that bad these days!). Bonus: they’ll even forget your order!
When we arrived for breakfast, there were only a few groups seated. 4 or 5 staff were working the floor, but no one seemed to know what they were doing. It took 5 minutes just to get seated. Not a huge deal, we weren’t in a rush. But 30 minutes later, most tables were still waiting on food. After 50 minutes, we had to follow up on our order... and guess what? The manager cheerfully informed us (instead of the server who took it) that our order was never placed. Brilliant and thank you!
Melissa Grey
Great little place. Friendly staff. Good food. We ordered salmon, black bean burger, Mac and cheese, and some appetizers between the 3 of us. All very good. Highly recommend. The service was a bit slow but it was midweek so maybe that is why. Nice cocktail menu and wine list.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Melynda Wissar
Update to this review: Within minutes of posting this review, the hotel manager was tableside and apologized. We were a table of former restaurant workers so we know the staffing challenges for a Tuesday lunch shift. The food and portions are worth giving them the benefit of the doubt and another try.
The only negative is the side door and people walking through the restaurant to get to the hotel some with their full luggage. Otherwise the food was tasty and reasonable
We didn't know it was homecoming weekend when we booked, but I am glad that we did. It was nice to avoid the insane crowds on the Commons and have a lovely. 'Grown up' meal in an elegant setting. The food was very good; a bit more upscale, but not outrageously priced. The service was attentive, but not intrusive. We would definitely dine there again.
The service was pretty good We had a pizza for an appetizer and it it was the hi light of the meal. I had the steak and it was slightly overcooked but still enjoyed it. This place is in a lobby of a hotel so expect people walking by. However on homecoming weekend this place had very few diners. I appreciate being able to get a table and the prices seemed reasonable.
Horrible experience, I ordered dine in and one yogurt for to go. They made it all to go and we have to wait for almost 1 HOUR! They did NOT even bring in any water!!n DO NOT come for any reason
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Terrible service! The staff were unfriendly and rude. The food came late, and the Margherita pizza was the worst I’ve ever had. Our server disappeared before bringing the rest of our order, there were no forks, knives, or napkins on the table, and she even dropped the check while we were still eating. Completely unprofessional — I will never come back to this restaurant.
Our server, Caroline was the absolute best. What a great worker. Super friendly, outgoing and knowledgeable about the community and colleges. She was on point with service and made a great cocktail for me. The menu is small but has everything you'll need after a long ride to town.
Great place for a quiet night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beautiful and cozy space inside the Canopy Hotel, with friendly service and clear effort from the kitchen to deliver quality dishes. That said, the overall dining experience was mixed. Most of the food was just average—the flavors leaned too salty, and portion sizes were noticeably small. The coffee was inconsistent; one of the cappuccinos I had was unfortunately among the worst I’ve tasted. The pizza was fine, but nothing memorable. The serving time is quite long, most tables wait for 20-30mins to get their food.
On the positive side, the black bean burger and the pan-roasted shrimp stood out as well-executed and flavorful. There’s potential here, especially given the stylish setting, but it still feels like they’re working out some inconsistencies in both the kitchen and barista station.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
The food was fantastic but let me tell you, the service was out of this world. Caroline was a fantastic server and gave me the best experience I could have gotten. Thanks a million Caroline!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Has some pretty solid vegan options on offer, including a vegan pizza. Very good ambiance. Worth trying!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Consistently Excellent – A Highlight of Our Annual Stay
We’ve been staying at the Hilton Canopy in Ithaca annually, and The Strand Café has become a beloved part of each visit. After long drives and early mornings, it’s the warm, inviting atmosphere and reliably delicious meals that make this café a true haven for our family.
Breakfasts are especially outstanding. The cappuccinos are top-tier—smooth, rich, and perfectly crafted (we’re quite particular about our coffee!). The Roasted Tomato Omelette is a standout, and we appreciate the thoughtful variety of both meat and vegetarian options on the menu.
On this trip, we were especially grateful for Blythe, whose warmth, attention to detail, and genuine care elevated the experience even more. Her bright smile and attentive service didn’t go unnoticed—thank you, Blythe!
Looking forward to many more meals here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Solid hotel bar/restaurant
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
If you’re in the mood to waste time, this place is perfect. Think Zootopia’s DMV, but slower and with less charm (and honestly, the DMV isn't that bad these days!). Bonus: they’ll even forget your order!
When we arrived for breakfast, there were only a few groups seated. 4 or 5 staff were working the floor, but no one seemed to know what they were doing. It took 5 minutes just to get seated. Not a huge deal, we weren’t in a rush. But 30 minutes later, most tables were still waiting on food. After 50 minutes, we had to follow up on our order... and guess what? The manager cheerfully informed us (instead of the server who took it) that our order was never placed. Brilliant and thank you!
Great little place. Friendly staff. Good food. We ordered salmon, black bean burger, Mac and cheese, and some appetizers between the 3 of us. All very good. Highly recommend. The service was a bit slow but it was midweek so maybe that is why. Nice cocktail menu and wine list.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Update to this review: Within minutes of posting this review, the hotel manager was tableside and apologized. We were a table of former restaurant workers so we know the staffing challenges for a Tuesday lunch shift. The food and portions are worth giving them the benefit of the doubt and another try.
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