I'm not sure what this place is like during the school year--I was here for the summer, and I imagine that gives me a somewhat skewed view of how busy it gets. That having been said, I love Chapter House. From the beat-up wood to the great beer selection to the free popcorn to the music, it's all exactly what I want from a "Let's get some beers after work" bar.
Honestly, I find myself having difficulty writing a review of the bar because it's so ideal. If you close your eyes and imagine a dark, well-loved scholars' bar, The Chapter House is what you'll conjure. I've heard some complaints about the staff, but with me they've been nothing but professional and reasonably speedy, even when somewhat overwhelmed. I like the big tables; I like the split space, which lends an air of intimacy. The only complaint my friends and I had, I think, is that we end up going so frequently that it seems like the only game in town.
Alright, I'm sure my review will get filtered bc I don't review often, but it's still worth sharing.
The Pros: I love Chapter House's grad school/more mature environment, mellow atmosphere, popcorn!, and amazing beer selection at good prices.
The Cons: Customer service. Â This could be a non-issue for you, but for me it was an issue because I'm a klutz. Â I had half a beer and accidentally knocked it over. Â I went right over to the bar and told them- also letting them know I'm happy to clean it up if they'd give me a few washcloths (I was a waitress for years in college, including at a brewhouse), and they obliged -- although somewhat oddly, the bartender sternly told me to PLEASE RETURN the washcloths. Â Ok, I wasn't on a mission to steal bar rags... so I cleaned up the offending scene and returned them right back. Â I then asked the bartender if I could get a replacement for my half a beer that I spilled, thinking no harm no foul if he said no. Â He said no -- they couldn't replace spilled beers because of the unique "chemicals" in beers (wtf?) and "adult nature" of alcoholic beverages, and he was noticeably condescending about it. Â I understand this policy, it's not insane reasoning or anything, but I've also been to plenty of bars that would replace spilt drinks. Â He called the manager (or who I presume was the manager) over, and that manager, who was not even remotely present in my conversation with the first bartender, claimed to have overhead everything and backed up the bartender. Â Myself and the two other people I was with were shocked. Â I, personally, was shocked because of my time waitressing and bartending -- customers can suck, but you always know that making peace is optimal. Â These guys clearly were more concerned with backing each other up than calming the situation. Â In this case, I felt like I was a sober client being reasonable, and they were ganging up against me as if I was some drunk girl complaining. Â The whole experience completely ruined my night so I promptly left the bar in an awful mood.
Needless to say, I personally won't be going back. Â Bottom line is - go for the drinks, ignore any lapse you may experience in customer service (if it happens to you), and do NOT spill a drink.
A nice place to have a conversation and a beer in a laid back atmosphere (except Friday or Saturday nights which is more of a rowdier bar like scene). During weekday evenings this is a great place to grade papers with a beer in hand, I don't particularly like coffee. It takes the edge off of the grading process - but don't get carried away with this recommendation and grade drunk kids.
The beer selection is quite good, but the taps are often dirty. I'm not sure if they are switching up beers as they run out and swapping them with each other or what, but its not tasty. I love it when the carry Bellwether hard cider though. Unfortunately it seems like most of the time they have that cruddy Strongbow or original sin stuff.
Saturday has a cover, which is usually just annoying, but I do understand that it is partially to support local live music (quality is very patchy at best).
What's not to love about the bar 'round the corner from your house that has ample beer on tap for a good price, free popcorn, pool tables, and foosball?
I love the open space with plenty of seating. Â Tables, benches, and occasionally taking over the small stage to sit and play a board game. Â It tends to get crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, but that's expected. Â Usually it's a crowd of professional and grad students. Â But since the closing of other Collegetown staples, the undergrads have been flowing in. Â Friendly staff, and plenty of regulars. Â Growlers are available for those who want to take something home, or to poker night across the street. Â Definitely a favorite with the locals in the neighborhood, with a picture of fellow house-mates framed on the wall.
I used to like this bar a lot. Â However, numerous visits have made me a bit jaded to this place. Â
Pros: Â Free popcorn is great and this is probably the biggest bar in the collegetown area. Â
Tavern-like atmosphere feels very homey
Cons: Â Beer selections don't change much and some beers taste a bit off (taps might be dirty). Â
The only place you can order your drinks is right at the entrance. Â A major bottleneck always forms and it takes forever to get a drink. Â
The bands they have on weekends are hit and miss, and they generally charge a cover.
This isn't a bad bar, especially for a big group of people. Â However, its easy to get tired of a place like this.
What a great campus watering hole! Â I was in Ithaca for a week-long class, and the Chapter House was where I ended up most nights. Â The last night I was in town, no joke, my friend Larry got the place to start chanting my name. Â "Blado! Â Blado! Blado!"
Anyway, it was a great experience, and I'm glad Ithaca has a classy college bar like this, even for out-of-towners like myself.
I will admit that I used to be a big fan of this establishment. The first time I went I was amazed at their number of taps and impressed with the cool atmosphere and free popcorn. In Collegetown, Chapter House has become the last remaining grad student friendly bar.
I think it was during my second year in Ithaca that I realized that despite more than 50 taps, none of them seem to rotate. After 4.5 years in Ithaca, I think I can count on one hand the number of new beers they've brought into their bar. I get that they want to keep what sells, but as someone who enjoys beer this is highly disappointing. It was this same year that I started getting beer here that always tasted funny compared to the same beer at different bars/restaurants. I suspect that they don't clean their tap lines often enough, which is understandable considering that the same beer stays on the same line for years. I also had some bad luck in getting a number of glasses in a row that were still covered in soap. I have to assume this is a regular occurrence for other people as well, unless I am just the least lucky individual.
The free popcorn is a nice touch, they get in some decent musical acts, and they can't be beat for beer and conversation if you want to stay in Collegetown. Just don't expect anything new or exciting on draft, and don't judge the beer you do try based on what they are pouring.
We enjoy going to the Chapter House. Â The live music it hosts is great and the sound is always well-balanced. Â It has a long list of beer on tap and even has a few decent wines by the glass. Â You can munch on free popcorn while you play pool. Â The seating in one of the large rooms is at large picnic style tables which can accommodate large groups of friends. Â
It's a fun pub-style bar with a laid-back atmosphere.
Chapter House begins as a bar where you just come for a drink with friends, but you quickly fall in love with it, and in the end, everyone leaves a bit of themselves there.
The ambiance of Chapter House is entirely unlike any other place I've ever been. Even in the dead of winter, you walk into Chapter House and you're immediately hit with the smell of beer and popcorn and...heat (because somehow it's always 85 degrees inside). While that may sound totally disgusting, it isn't. It feels like home. It's dark inside, because the lattice windows haven't been cleaned in years and only half of the light fixtures work. Beer steins and pennants and a rowing scull hang from the ceiling above the bar. The dark wood walls are covered in ancient photos of Cornellians posing for team pictures, fraternity and sorority composites, and candid snapshots often taken at Chapter House itself. The varnish has long since worn off the benches and tables, which are completely carved up with the initials of students who haven't sat there for decades. Chapter House is usually loud inside, because everyone you know is already there. There is a stage in the back room, near the pool and foosball tables, where local bands play on Saturday nights--but be sure to stop by on Tuesday evenings as well, when a small group of elderly gents sit in the corner and play Irish folk music while their wives sit patiently at the next table and just listen and smile.
You don't come to Chapter House for the rum and cokes, you come to Chapter House for the beer. They have something like 40 or 50 beers available, and while I'm not typically a beer drinker, I am always able (usually with the helpful recommendations of the bartenders) to find something I really enjoy. If you're a hipster, yeah they have your PBR, but they more importantly have an impressive variety of craft beers that would make any beer-drinker hanker for a cold one...and all for under $5.
I probably would have fallen in love with Chapter House for the free popcorn alone, but the character of the place and the people there are what end up stealing your heart.
good times.
It was the best beer bar! and free popcorn! :D
they also had cool bands playing on weekends.
But what made it special is the amount of time we spent here! This is an incredibly homely place, with all the name carvings, photographs, you just know you belong here and you can just stay here for as long as you want.
my best friend is a chapter house fan and we found ourselves in this place pretty often.
It was a very stimulating experience, with people drunk and talking about science, starting companies, cracking a world-class problem. I'm sure there's no similar place in the entire world.
cornell rocks! :D
Awesome selection of beers, and a great place to relax with a couple of friends and just grab a drink or two. Not a place to get sloppy. The only real drawbacks: it's far compared to other Collegetown bars (I know, I know, it's really not, but that downhill on Williams is brutal in the winter), and there is never enough seating. Speaks to its popularity, though. It's a good pub to have an Ithaca Beer brew, a Guinness, or anything else they offer.
Review Source:Cornell may be my academic Alma Mater, but The Chapter House is where I really learned a lot about beer and spent plenty of time. It is one of the best beer bars anywhere!
I have waited a long time to write this review because Chappy has a special place in my heart. When I first started getting in to craft brewing and sampling beers besides the big three, Chapter House was my lab for experimenting. It was here where I discovered what beer could be and has lead to my life's obsession and foremost hobby. I love the massive stainless steel bank of 50 rotating taps that serves some really good beer. The only knock on the beer here is that you won't see anything from elite breweries like Lost Abbey, Mikkeller, or Jolly Pumpkin. Then again, you do find a lot of great beers from Ithaca, Southern Tier, Troegs, and Dogfish Head that can satisfy the pickiest beer drinkers. I wish happy hour as a bit cheaper, but then again, the average $4-5 is very reasonable for these beers.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of The Chapter House is the Chapter House itself. It knows what it is and doesn't try to be anything else or deceive you. Its a bar. Not a brewhouse, lounge, drink space or any other pretentious designation. You cannot recreate this environment anywhere. This doesn't sort of just happen and pop up over night. Its has the kind of character that makes it one of the most unusual bars in the world. I love places like this. The carvings in the walls and tables are a testament to the enduring quality of this place as class after class puts it stamp on this place. The witty graffiti in the men's room could be made into a book. I love how the music here is loud enough to be heard, but not to drown out a conversation. I love drinking a beer over the din of conversations that range from any number of topics you can expect from an educated graduate student and mature adult crowd. They sometimes have live music or people having informal jam sessions that add another level of authenticity to one of the best bars in the world.
I will always have fond memories of The Chapter House. Whether it was helping me get into craft brews or celebrating my Ph.D., I will always look forward to spending time in the hallowed Halls of The Chapter House.
Chapter House ("chappy") is a beer-lovers haven located between Collegetown and downtown Ithaca. Â It's a perfect balance between grungy college bar and grown-up lounge, so appeals to grad students like myself. Â The help is freindly and make an effort to greet you by name after only a few visits. The very affordable drinks make it my "go-to" place.
Review Source:Loved this bar. If I lived in the area I would be here all the time! At least 40 different kinds of beer on tap and 4 distinctly different rooms. I hung out at the sports bar room and watched a football game. The bartender that night (Matt) was excellent at recommending beer. The prices are pretty good.
There's another room meant for hanging out in (that night they were having trivia night), a room for a band to play, and lastly - a room to shoot pool or play a game of foozeball.
My favorite beer of the night was the Lake Placid Ubu - a little lighter than your average amber beer. The Republic Raper 4 was a little too bitter/hoppy for me while the Original Sin Cidar was way too light and fruity. The other good beer on tap was Paulaner Heffeweizen.
Classic Ithaca.
My friends were on a quest to give me an authentic Ithacan experience. Mission accomplished!
The Chapter House, or Chappy as everyone calls it, is Cheers, where everyone knows your name. As soon as we walked in, the bartender yelled out a friendly greeting to my friend. People at the bar were more than happy to give you their two cents on which beer you should order.
The timber wood exterior evokes images of the alpine Bavarian or Swiss mountain lodges. It's a little ramshackled, but full of character and spirit. It's where the town and gown are able to mingle and co-exist peacefully with the myriad of choices of beer on tap.
Behemoth wooden tables are heavily tattooed with people's initials or short messages. Random photos of various Cornellian clubs decorate the walls. It's fun to look at the pictures and read the messages they wrote.
Lots of different kinds of beer. Free popcorn (it's fantastic when you're drunk). And sometimes they have bands playing in the back room.
I've come here two or three times with various people, and I have always had a pleasant time. I've never come during late night-time, so it's never been crowded when I came here. We've been regularly able to get seats here.
One time, a waitress/bartender brought us some popcorn, which was nice. Â I've drank the blueberry beer on occasion, and it really does taste like blueberry! Besides that, I usually just stick with the Yuengling or Amstel.
People seem pretty laidback and friendly here. Once, this table of boys next to us were road-tripping (from Canada I believe) and decided to stop by Chapter House to chill and drink and meet people.
I've had a pleasant time each time I've been here and would definitely recommend the place if you're up for the downhill/uphill trek if you're coming from Collegetown.
This is kind of a grad school hangout (especially us law school kids) and, given the nature of the place, I happily give this a solid 3 stars.
Pros: friendly bar service, although it can be a wait for drinks sometimes; nice service that goes through and picks up glasses from your table (note: I guess it doesn't really make a difference but they use awesome shot glasses...heavy, quality glass); good selection of beer; good place to shoot some pool; and a good place to sip your liquor/whiskey (sadly, they never seem to have any kettle one???).
Cons: gets super crowded, tons of college kids gather there so it can be noisy, tiny/small bathroom that sometimes runs out of toilet paper (funny graffiti on the walls though)
Neutral note: pick your nights accordingly (not that into country music, thanks).
I wish I went here more often went I was in college. Â Whenever I go back to visit, we always go here, but I think the reason we didn't go here more often when I was a student was because it was in Collegtown and we were Ithaca students and often felt out of place.
Now that we've graduated, we really enjoy this bar! Â There's a good selection of beers (and for typical prices) but it just has a much nicer atmosphere than most other bars in the area. Â Pool and foosball are always great, and hey, you can't complain with free popcorn!
I've come here a few times and there's a live band, which I'm always a fan of! Â And if there isn't then the music is pretty good too.
Yay!!
I love this place. The C, A, P, T, E, and R don't light up so at night it says, "H House," haha.
It's a really relaxed, casual place with long tables and benches. The furniture and walls are all wooden so you see lots of carvings of names and couples' initials inscribed in hearts all over.
The beers are delicious; this was the first place I ever tried a fruity beer on tap (blueberry) and I have to say, it makes me nostalgic every time I have any fruity beer.
There's free popcorn to soak up some of the alcohol in your tummy if you've had one too many.
Downside is that the bathrooms are single occupancy so sometimes you have to wait quite a while; sucks so much more for girls because for some reason, chicks have to spend 4 hours in front of the mirror before they leave a bathroom. My philosophy is get in, get out, why linger in a place where people make those types of "deposits?" But that's just me.
There's a back room where live bands perform sometimes and there's enough space that the crowd could dance if they wanted to, but I think this is more of a place to sit, relax, listen, and drink.
If you want to get away from the busy, fratty crowd that usually occupy the Collegetown bars, this is the place to go!
I was just back in Ithaca for my reunion and I'm pleased to see that at least one thing hasn't changed at all. Chappy is still as run-down and worn as ever, just the way I like it. This is the quintessential American college pub, with authentic old fraternity and team photos from the last century all over the walls, a collection of beer steins on the shelf over the bar, and as many beers on tap as you can imagine. Top it off with the help-yourself free popcorn that you can pile into bowls that have been in service for decades. How can you go wrong?
Located too far down the hill for the screeching sorority girls to walk to, The Chapter House is much quieter and 'chill'er than the other Collegetown bars, which I admittedly frequented. Chapter tends to draw a more laid-back crowd of undergrads, grads, and professors as well as some colorful locals. There is live music occasionally but if you don't want to hear it there are three or four big rooms where you can sit.
This is a bar where one is meant to enjoy one (or several, preferably) of the ample on-tap selections, not a rum and diet coke. A shot of Jameson's on one's birthday is certainly acceptable. Everything in here is old. The carvings on the tables are prolific and the poetry scrawled on the bathroom walls is divine.
Spilled beers seem to have soaked into the well-worn wooden tables at the Chapter House, giving the bar a distinct aroma and atmosphere. Â It almost feels like an old, European pub. Â
The free popcorn is wonderful. Â Dumping a bowlful into your purse for a snack on the walk home is not a good idea. Â It leads to a buttery mess come morning.
I learned a little bit about Norse mythology playing pinball at the Chappy. Â True story! Â The machine they had was something like 'release the fire gods,' with references to Odin and Wotan (which we always drunkenly and knowingly mispronounced as WOE-TAN). Â I guess Wotan is German, not norse, but who cares? Â That was back in 1995 for crissakes. Â We drank a lot of tasty beer, ate a lot of free popcorn, and peed in the basement many, many times. Â Sweet...
Update! Â The machine was called 'Fireball.' Â I hope it's still there.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipdb.org%2Fmachine.cgi%3Fid%3D852&s=3711454b5b453b1238b9860b1d56513914a81f641859d1d0c2826b61889df15d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.ipdb.org/mach…</a>
This is where the decent folk go to drink. Mind-boggling selection of draft beer (try the "Racer #5"!) and super cool bartenders to help you pick your next pint.
If you're in the mood for a few delicious beers and lively conversation, this is your place. If you're in the mood to get drunk and sloppy on the cheap (and everybody is sometimes!) climb a few blocks up the hill.
I'm a huge fan of this place. As a senior in college at Cornell, I went here as much as I could. It's reminiscent of the pubs I frequented while living in England, except for the fact that the ceilings are tremendously higher here. They have tons of beers on tap, most of it local, and the clientele usually are amusing and mature people (as it's more of a graduate bar). Definitely a preferred and staple place in Ithaca!
It's also a good place to write, whether it's your next essay or a colloborative Amish romance novel dealing with plowing and barndoors (as my last experience included).
I'm a fan of the Chapter House. It's a much cooler vibe than other bars in C-town where most of the girls are throw up drunk in short skirts and heels-- this is because it's a grad student/laid back kind of bar. They have tons of beers on tap, including local brands, an awesome foosball table, and FREE popcorn by the bowl-full.
They also have a cigarette machine where you have to pull a lever to get the pack... which reminds me of my bad ass middle school days when that was the only way to get cigarettes. Another added bonus!
I want to go back to Cornell as a grad student just so I can be a regular at Chapter House.
This is a very laid back dive bar in lower Collegetown that is generally home-base for many, many grad students. I've been there quite a few times because they have an amazing selection of tap beer. Plus, this prices are a-okay.
Going to the Chapter House on a weekday is very casual... I've even watched Family Guy at the bar (people are silent during the show and only talk during commercials).
I really like this place and wish I got to know it better!
This more specifically a review of watching the 2008 UEFA final at the Chappy. That's my only experience with this establishment (I'm not from Ithaca).
Staggeringly great selection of beers; just about all top quality stuff. The TV's and their placement were adequate for the sporting event. There was a large crowd where Geraman and Spannish accents could be overheard, appropriately adding to the match-watching ambience.
The thing that sucked was there was nothing to eat except for popcorn. I guess I should've eaten lunch prior to the 2 'o clock match, but I incorrectly assumed there would be some foods here.
Anyway, excellent beer selection and good place to watch international football. Just get your meal in beforehand!
If you know a teacher who graduated from Cornell, chances are he or she has been here! This is a regular gathering place from the Education Dept grad students right after our evening classes. We love coming here to get our favorite Saranac or Ithaca Beers, as well as playing pool and darts at the back of the bar. Yelp bathroom review: Like other Collegetown bathroom, this one is no better...you might want to loosen your bodily fluids before going!
Review Source:Definitely on the short list of places I miss in Ithaca, I miss the Chapter House for the large selection of beer and complimentary popcorn. Having never been a fan of excessive noise, I especially liked the fact that you could have a group discussion at a table without having to raise your voice. It's a cool place precisely because it doesn't try to be cool.
In my estimation it's the only bar in Collegetown worth my time. But that may say more about myself than the Chapter House.
P.S. Always bring your ID especially if you look young. They're pretty strict about that sort of thing.
How many great beers can one bar have on tap? Â For a beer lover like myself, this place is dangerous. Â It's hard to stop drinking when all you want to do it keep trying their mind-boggling assortment of local microbrews. Â
And for guys it's even more dangerous if you have to go to the bathroom. Â The stairway heading down there is, at best, scary and I did it while relatively sober. Â I can't imagine what would have happened had I gone after my last Double Chocolate Stout. Â
Even the fact that we had to go elsewhere when the bouncer wouldn't let one of the guys in our post-wedding party in because he thought his ID was fake even though he genuinely was 33 years old doesn't hurt my opinion of this place. Â I was pissed off at first but then I met the guy who got denied and he looked 15. Â The bouncer was probably right for not letting him in.
Unlike the cheap and easy college bars and college girls in Ithaca, this spot is a little bit classy, and a little bit divey. It's got some great microbrews from all around the region - more beers than you can shake a stick at.
They have live music many nights, but unless you're a board-certified Ithaca hippie, you might want to bring earplugs. If you're looking for real college fun in a college town, this is not the place to go.
This place reeks. Â Of spilled beer, stale popcorn, but mostly of history. Â Really, after a while, most dive bars are pretty much the same. Â Some of them resort to cheap prices, others to kitschy themes. Â What I like about this bar is that it can sit squarely on its ancient laurels.
The beer selection is good, and you definitely can tell this is a place that regulars revere. Â It's also huge, with four separate rooms! Â There's a pool table and a juke box, as well as a cigarette machine (pull rods and all!). Â But the best part for me are all of the carvings embedded in every inch of the wooden tables, benches, and walls. Â You'll learn that "Canada is Real!" and that Steve/Brad/Clara/etc were Here. Â There are also weird and seemingly random photos of Cornell/Ithaca history lining the walls. Â Overall, it's definitely a place to check out while in Ithaca.
By FAR my favorite bar in Ithaca. It's mostly a grad spot, but I've ran into a few professors there too. The beer selection (the best/biggest draft selection in town) is the main attraction for me, but the general "dive" quality of carved tables and popcorn everywhere is awesome. You can also usually hold down a conversation at the 'h House" (seriously - look at the sign at night) unlike any other bar in Collegetown. I have heard that it isn't nearly as old as it looks, but that doesn't bother me one bit. The Chapter House is just awesome.
Review Source:The chappy has tons and tons (40?) of beer on tap, and is a great place to play some bar trivia to help pass the time while drinking. I haven't been there in a few years, but there was not a thing wrong with this place last time I checked. I'm pretty sure that the last 50 or so graduating classes from Cornell would also agree.
Review Source:
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