Felicia's is a hoot! Â My friend and I were in town for a wedding and ended up at Felicia's on a Friday night and had such a good time that we went back Saturday night and Sunday morning for brunch. Â We felt like it was the sister bar of our neighborhood bar back in Manhattan, the Cubbyhole. Â Woody, the bartender on Fri and Sat, definitely made us feel like we'd walked into our own neighborhood bar with a warm welcome and really friendly conversation. Â The vibe was eclectic and accepting, no matter your orientation, style, or shtick.
Out of our three visits I have to say my favorite was brunch. Â Now, as every good gay boy, brunch is the highlight of my week so I may be biased, but taking such a good evening/night vibe and crowd and slapping some sun and good food on it is enough to make me giddy. We were served in a delightfully familial style by Amelia and her team of Felicias ("We are all Felicia"). I had a delicious fritatta of horicort verts, onions, and dill creme fraiche and my friend had a great blend of fruit and granola. Â We finished with a strawberry and rhubarb cupcake with goat cheese frosting... GOAT CHEESE FROSTING! Â If that wasn't the most clever frosting I've ever had, I'm a goat myself. Â Alright, I'm getting rowdy. Â Time to wrap up:
Pros:
50's decor
Very welcoming staff
An obvious passion for good (local) food and mixology (tons of infused liquors)
Great crowd
Did I mention the goat cheese frosting?
Cons:
I didn't get laid
Felecia's is a must-try for anyone who loves creative cocktails.
We were back in town for reunion (Go Big Red!), and since some of our favorite old bars have closed, we were looking for a new place to try. Â Yelp was singing the praises of this place, so we stopped in and found out why.
The cocktail list is full of things you won't find at other places - tweaks on classics that take them up a notch or two, as well as true originals. Â Like Manhattans? Â Well, once you have their Manhattan with fig-infused bourbon, you won't want it any other way. Â If you favor gin and tonics, try the Seneca Slam - the elderflower syrup (a nod to the flavors of locally-grown Riesling grapes) and grapefruit add complexity, and make it a perfect summertime drink.
The staff know how to mix good cocktails, and are not only friendly but courteous (gotta be the first time I've ever used that word in connection with a bar). Â On the night we were there, Felecia's was full but not over-crowded, and had a relaxed vibe, with good indie music on in the background. Â As you might guess from the cocktails, it's a sophisticated (but not stuffy) place.
If I still lived in Ithaca, Felecia's would be a regular stop, but since I don't, I'll make it a must-visit for any return trip.
Felicia's has been regaling us with delicious cocktails crafted from local ingredients - sage, mint, tomatoes, even beets. After all these years, they've finally decided to use some of those ingredients in food!
The ladies at Felicia's put together a simple menu that showcases locally-grown products - from the eggs in the frittata to the veggies in the brunch bowl. Speaking of the the brunch bowl - it's now my favorite item on the menu. It's literally a bowl of black beans, butternut squash, tender diced potatoes, topped with a gently fried egg that melts an orange-golden yolk over the beans, potatoes, and squash. mmmm. You also can't go wrong with the frittata of the day - featuring seasonal veggies, local eggs, and cheese, it's served with greens and homefried potatoes. They get the potatoes right, too - diced small and gently sauteed, they taste potato-y without being burned or greasy.
It wouldn't be Felicia's without a cocktail, and they have a special brunch cocktail menu to choose from, starting at noon. I tried the Breakfast Cocktail and their basic mimosa, and both were quite tasty. I hear good things about the Pisco Sour, so I plan to try that sometime.
Service is good and very accommodating. I arrived once with some friends with various allergies/intolerances, including a life-threatening nut allergy. The staff came out and spoke to her about the extent of her allergy and what needed to be done in the kitchen to prevent a reaction. They more than happy to wash utensils, cookware, surfaces, etc in order to accommodate her allergy. They also were well-aware of which menu items were gluten-free and how to adjust those that weren't.
LIke the bar, Felicia's brunch is just the place to go for a relaxing meal, made with care with fresh local ingredients. I will be going back!
Today (Sunday), my lady and I tried Felicia's brunch.
I have to say, it easily surpassed my expectations. I ordered the State Street Sandwich, which included local ham, cheese, bacon, and arugula, dressed with chipotle aioli, on a bun. It was absolutely delicious. I had breakfast potatoes added to the plate for a couple dollars extra, which were also good. Easily eclipsed by the sandwich, but a nice accompaniment, and was actually suggested by my waitress.
Speaking of which, the wait staff was very kind and attentive. They seemed slightly nervous and unsure when providing the service, but made sure we had full cups and glasses as much as possible. I imply multiple staff because it seemed there was some crossover due to one waitress having a large table and making a deal with her coworker, which worked just fine for us.
I'll definitely be back to try more breakfast dishes, and possibly check out the "adult beverages" menu, which is available after noon.
Now, a fresh and fun Sunday brunch is available in Ithaca! Â And not only that, it boasts, for me at least, the tastiest Bloody Mary I have ever consumed at Felicia's Atomic Lounge.
Okay, so let's start at the beginning as I was getting a bit too excited. Sundays at Felicia's Atomic Lounge takes the artisanal cocktail bar that we love for music, drunken dogs, evenings under the stars --with lights on and sun streaming though  the windows, transforming into a homey, relaxed room where you can share brunch with friends, family and enjoy the great playlist in the background.
What to eat? More like, what not to eat! I am partial to the Brunch Bowl, a layered bowl of black beans, eggs, cheese, potatoes, salsa, guar and the surprise ingredient, butternut squash to fuse it all together. The breakfast meatloaf is delicious and is always ordered by someone we are dining with. There is always a Frittata offering, always fresh and always with an original, seasonal vegetable and herb.
There are homemade baked good. Seriously delicious baked goods with the right ingredients---no cut corners. Gerry's Sticky Buns are sublime...more about nuts and just enough sweet to be sensational...and less about the bread. They are addictive. One Sunday I was evesdropping  and overheard a table of Cornell students raving over the sticky buns. They loved them so much that they wanted (at the end of brunch) to buy out all the rest of them to take home and savor. I was right there with them.  However, there are freshly baked cupcakes ( a new offering from Felicia) that feature flavors like Guinness Cupcake with Irish Cream Whiskey Frosting,  Mojito Cupcake,  Cappuccino Cupcake with Cinnamon Buttercream or French Toast Cupcake with Maple-Bacon Buttercream--to name a few. There is always a vegan cupcake to embrace all of us!
Oh, and Cocktails!! As I mentioned, I love the Zen Mary, an almost chewable Bloody Mary made with Felicia's house infused cucumber vodka, with house made worcester, lemon juice, chipoltle sauce and local, fresh horseradish.  There are  3 Mimosas offered for choice. We love the Buttered Bourbon--delicious and not what you would expect...a rich, toned drink. And the frothy, elegant Pisco Sour to celebrate a perfect morning  awaits.
If you are an Ithacan (or an honorary Ithacan), Felicia's is the place to start your Sunday with Brunch. Matter of fact, you can cruise in for lunch, have a cupcake and a coffee around three---and string it out so that around 5 you can have an evening drink and settle in for live music, spiced nuts and a full day of Felicia's hospitality! Or come for brunch and have it kick off sight seeing or Sunday chores with a celebration. Any reason is good enough for me to want to have brunch regularly with Felicia's Atomic Lounge.
Everyone had a friendly vibe and had interesting conversation with such a variety of fun cocktail-sipping intellects. The bartenders were busy but attentive and their mixology was fabulous. After checking the place out a few times I noticed something pretty cool: all types of people, yet no "types".
Review Source:A wonderful experience.
Between two people, we got four drinks:
The beet down (tequila, beat juice and some others) - verdict: amazing if you love tequila (which I do)
The one with ginger infused whisky - verdict: very gingery, would not order again... if you are CRAZY about ginger, this is for you
Carrot cake - verdict: brilliant!
Fig Manhattan - verdict: brilliant!
It gets crowded later, but as I was there around nine we got quick, excellent, personal service.
Oh, and as per the advice of my fellow yelpers, don't get anything but a cocktail, as they do them really, really well.
By far, my favorite bar in Ithaca. The cocktails are unique, many using clever infusions and fruits, herbs, etc from the owner's garden. Drunk dogs are delicious with housemade condiments and I love that fig & goat cheese pizza. The staff have always been good to me and any friends I bring along.
Review Source:Came from out of town to see this joint. Â Expectations were slightly disappointed when I went on a Saturday night, and this joint was a little empty. Â But maybe that's just ithaca which is small to begin with. Westy down the street seemed more packed though. Â Also, for straight ladies, don't expect loads of men because they might be into each other. Â But Felicia's was a friendly joint open to everyone and good for a drink and convo with a friend. Â Bartenders are great and super friendly and lots of unique cocktails are available for good prices (most if not all under 10 (average $6-7). Â Decor is small dive bar style, but still clean. Â It is also slightly out of the way from the main downtown area.
Review Source:The absolute tops for bars I visited in Ithaca! Friendly atmosphere; Â fun, edgy bartenders; Â home-grown brews and liquors; Â live music on Friday; Â a sassy kept boy who showed me his ass but insisted he wasn't flirting with me.
Felicia's is a little quieter on Saturdays, but still worth a stop and chat/flirt with the bartenders, and the folks who are there with others will gladly strike up a short (or long!), pleasant conversation.
When you go here, don't stick with your regular libation. Â Some crazy lesbian has dreamed up stuff that will blow your socks off, so try one of their specialty cocktails, or you will, I promise, regret it. Â I had some crazy-good drink with homemade beet syrup.
Double ginger cocktail is a must- this funkadelic spacey berkeley living room like place has won me over, only spot I mustest return and I want to try most of the cocktails: lychee martini and so many uniques; super comfy bartender makes u feel well-hosted; may come here before my flight tomorrow to spaceout n try the country politican
Review Source:i lurve this place and miss it now that i'm on the west coast! next time i'm in I-town it will be on my itinerary to come say hi to the super awesome owners who ensure this place is always bursting with new and unique specialty drinks, friendly atmosphere, great food and sometimes great live music.
run, don't walk! or, you know, drive. ;) just get there!
Felicia's makes me fantasize about owning a bar! Â The gals who own the place obviously love what they do and it shows. Â What I love most about Felicia's is their amazing array of specialty cocktails. Â There are some standards like the lychee martini and horny ninjarita but they also have seasonal drinks that are equally delicious and sometimes include surprising ingredients (cherry tomatoes?!) The space is fun and hip but small so I only tend to come here early or on a weeknight. Â A few years ago they transformed their alley into a courtyard seating area which is a great place to hang out in the summer. Â Felicia's just rocks, pure & simple!
Review Source:I was totally fixated on going out for drinks and snacks on Christmas Eve - and somehow just didn't realize how many places would be closed. Â A coworker had suggested I go to Felicia's because he knew they would be open. Â I had never been there, though I am sorry for that now because I could have been going there for years! Â When we first drove up it looked closed, but someone was outside setting some things up. Â The person ran in just as we were about to call across the street to ask if they were open - but just then we saw the "Open" light turn on. Â We headed in, and the awesome bartender told us that even though they didn't techinically open up for a little while, that she saw us pull up so she opened up shop a little early. Â THEN, she gave us a plate of homemade Christmas cookies that she had baked herself, and they were DIVINE. Â
I actually didn't even know that Felicia's served food - probably why I had never gone there earlier! Â We ordered a couple of pizzas that were delicious - I had one with apples and feta and walnuts, and my husband had one with potatoes and garlic and cheddar. Â Just the kind of nosh that I was looking for - yum!
And how fun and awesome are the drinks? Â I had their special "Festivus" cocktail - which honestly I have no specific memory of what it was - all I know was that is was a house-infused not-too-sweet extremely friendly and delicious drink. Â Luckily the bartender warned me that while it would go down easy that it was highly alcoholic! Â Without the warning I easily could have downed three of these before realizing I was trashed. Â Instead, I had just one and had a perfectly happy buzz to help get me through Christmas Eve mass!
I actually lived closeby to Felicia's not too long ago - and I am so kicking myself now for not making Felicia's my neighborhood haunt. Â The food, drinks, and the People (!) are all awesome.
Oh, and before we left - the bartender gave us some of the cookies that she could tell were our favorites to go. Â Yeah!!
The gals who own Felicia's are really great. Â It's very hip but comfortable, and the specialty drinks are to die for. Â Basil martini? Â Gingerita? Â My only complaint is it's so small that once you get a band of any kind in there, forget the conversation. Â It's keeping me and my pals away some nights.
Review Source:If I'm going to go out for drinks with friends, this is my most likely destination. Â Felicia's is fun, and frequently packed. Â The staff and service is fantastic. Â The drinks are strong. Â Sometimes there's live music. Â The bar is dominated by graduate students and professionals, not by the local college kid scene.
Review Source:So, I think Felicia's at least started out as a lesbian bar, but it is more of a lounge, so I picked lounge. Â Just go, they love everyone.
The bartenders make great drinks and the whole crowd is always friendly. Â It's fun - people of all ages, a mix of students (seems like more grad students) and townies.
They seem to have a lot of events, which I always meant to  go to but never made it.  I think that the group Drinking Liberally has their Ithaca meetup here.
So go out and have a great martini.
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