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.
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.
Courtney Bower
I spent two years coming here to work and can say there is no better place in Ithaca for an Americano.
Caroline Bolton
Food is delicious and so reasonably priced!
Dan
Service was just "OK"... We had a table for 5 people, and the wait time for food to come out was much too long. This also happened last time we ate at this restaurant too, and while the food, prices, and convenience is good, service is lacking. After ordering beverages, we waited a long time for drinks to come out. Eventually, one mixed drink was served, but none of the others, including one that was just a soda, and one that was a can of hard cider. Drinks should all be served at the same time. After the first drink, we waited another 10-15 minutes for the rest of them, and then another long wait before food was served. I realize you may not have full kitchen staff, but you need to communicate this, if that's the case. Just letting people sit for almost an hour with no communication, and only one beverage served out of five, is not good service.
Kayla Rowan
I used to get the most delicious gluten free pepperoni hot honey pizza from here, however recently crust and pepperoni changed. I picked it up and it was cold. Staff is nice, but definitely won’t be back again for gluten free food.
Courtney Nicole
Genuinely the worst service I’ve ever experienced in a restaurant, bar none. We had reservations, were seated, proceeded to wait 45 minutes for our drinks, 1 hour to order. No meal pacing at all, both appetizer and meals placed down at the same time, which our inattentive waiter did not leave napkins or silverware for us or notice us repeatedly trying to call him over while he attended the other two tables next to us very readily. Food was cold, salmon was bad - fish was turnt, should not have been served. Awful, awful, awful.
Joseph Waltz
A very mediocre experience at best. The service was pretty slow and the waitress seemed shocked for a simple change in dressing on a Caesar salad. The IPA I ordered came in a can that was 2.5 months expired…zero carbonation when I poured it. We couldn’t find the waitress so I took it up to the bar to ask for a different beer. The bartender looked at another can of the same beer in the fridge, found the expired date, and just shrugged his shoulders. He then poured me a different beer on tap and it was ok. We asked to split a Caesar salad and they didn’t bring plates to split it. The bruschetta was overtopping with bland tapenade, pate, and cold tomatoes. I asked for a burger medium… it came well done and had some sort of sweet sauce which was not appetizing.
I would not come back to this place or recommend it to anyone.
Corina Tulevech
Waitress and atmosphere were phenomenal but i got food poisoning about 10 hours after eating there. It was the only thing i ate that day so it had to be their food.
Delicious food, beautiful presentation. Excellent service tonight. We have been there a number of times and will return.
E Mitchell
4 customers, 50 minutes for a salad
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 2
Christopher Rico
Terrible experience. Literally the worst restaurant experience I’ve had in years. This was one of the only later evening choices, we were told we could sit in the lounge and order from the bar, then they asked my daughter to move because the lounge was for people ordering food. Host moved my jacket to the lost and found, generally rude and inexplicably stressed out staff (not that busy). Food took a long time even though the restaurant appeared well below capacity. Really no excuse for our experience after a long emotional day of dropping my son off at college. I cannot recommend this place as there are many better alternatives (if you can get seated prior to 8:30 pm). Do better!
Atmosphere: 2
Service: 1
Rich S.
Delicious. Great portions. Good prices, nice and chilled place to sit and eat. Spot on
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ravi Walsh
A group of friends and I visited The Strand Cafe this week. One of our guests complained that his chicken wasn’t cooked right. After listening attentively and very politely, super politely, the waiter asked what our friend disliked about the meal. He couldn’t say, he just didn’t like it. So the waiter sent for the Chef. The Chef asked how he could improve it. My friend couldn’t say, he just repeated that it wasn’t good. Never did either the waiter or chef roll their eyes or show any disrespect toward my friend. Finally, they both suggested that they would make him another dish on the house. My friend waved them away and said no. When the waiter delivered the bill, they told my friend that his meal was on the house. Now THAT is supreme service! Thank you Strand Cafe staff, you went way above and beyond.
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.
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.
I spent two years coming here to work and can say there is no better place in Ithaca for an Americano.
Food is delicious and so reasonably priced!
Service was just "OK"... We had a table for 5 people, and the wait time for food to come out was much too long. This also happened last time we ate at this restaurant too, and while the food, prices, and convenience is good, service is lacking. After ordering beverages, we waited a long time for drinks to come out. Eventually, one mixed drink was served, but none of the others, including one that was just a soda, and one that was a can of hard cider. Drinks should all be served at the same time. After the first drink, we waited another 10-15 minutes for the rest of them, and then another long wait before food was served. I realize you may not have full kitchen staff, but you need to communicate this, if that's the case. Just letting people sit for almost an hour with no communication, and only one beverage served out of five, is not good service.
I used to get the most delicious gluten free pepperoni hot honey pizza from here, however recently crust and pepperoni changed. I picked it up and it was cold. Staff is nice, but definitely won’t be back again for gluten free food.
Genuinely the worst service I’ve ever experienced in a restaurant, bar none. We had reservations, were seated, proceeded to wait 45 minutes for our drinks, 1 hour to order. No meal pacing at all, both appetizer and meals placed down at the same time, which our inattentive waiter did not leave napkins or silverware for us or notice us repeatedly trying to call him over while he attended the other two tables next to us very readily. Food was cold, salmon was bad - fish was turnt, should not have been served. Awful, awful, awful.
A very mediocre experience at best. The service was pretty slow and the waitress seemed shocked for a simple change in dressing on a Caesar salad. The IPA I ordered came in a can that was 2.5 months expired…zero carbonation when I poured it. We couldn’t find the waitress so I took it up to the bar to ask for a different beer. The bartender looked at another can of the same beer in the fridge, found the expired date, and just shrugged his shoulders. He then poured me a different beer on tap and it was ok. We asked to split a Caesar salad and they didn’t bring plates to split it. The bruschetta was overtopping with bland tapenade, pate, and cold tomatoes. I asked for a burger medium… it came well done and had some sort of sweet sauce which was not appetizing.
I would not come back to this place or recommend it to anyone.
Waitress and atmosphere were phenomenal but i got food poisoning about 10 hours after eating there. It was the only thing i ate that day so it had to be their food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious food, beautiful presentation. Excellent service tonight. We have been there a number of times and will return.
4 customers, 50 minutes for a salad
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 2
Terrible experience. Literally the worst restaurant experience I’ve had in years. This was one of the only later evening choices, we were told we could sit in the lounge and order from the bar, then they asked my daughter to move because the lounge was for people ordering food. Host moved my jacket to the lost and found, generally rude and inexplicably stressed out staff (not that busy). Food took a long time even though the restaurant appeared well below capacity. Really no excuse for our experience after a long emotional day of dropping my son off at college. I cannot recommend this place as there are many better alternatives (if you can get seated prior to 8:30 pm). Do better!
Atmosphere: 2
Service: 1
Delicious. Great portions. Good prices, nice and chilled place to sit and eat.
Spot on
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A group of friends and I visited The Strand Cafe this week. One of our guests complained that his chicken wasn’t cooked right. After listening attentively and very politely, super politely, the waiter asked what our friend disliked about the meal. He couldn’t say, he just didn’t like it. So the waiter sent for the Chef. The Chef asked how he could improve it. My friend couldn’t say, he just repeated that it wasn’t good.
Never did either the waiter or chef roll their eyes or show any disrespect toward my friend.
Finally, they both suggested that they would make him another dish on the house. My friend waved them away and said no.
When the waiter delivered the bill, they told my friend that his meal was on the house.
Now THAT is supreme service!
Thank you Strand Cafe staff, you went way above and beyond.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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