Irises Cafe was delightful. We had read the many favorable reviews and were hoping for a dinner that would be a highlight of our road trip. Irises did not disappoint.
I should say that my only apprehension going in was that I was not sure how our 7-year-old son would be accommodated, as the foods described in the reviews were quite "gourmet." When we entered and the host offered a kids' menu to us, I was relieved. Our son could choose from an upscale macaroni and cheese (three-cheese sauce on penne), and other kid-friendly choices. He opted for grilled jumbo shrimp (also a kids' option) with french fries, which came with a choice of two sides, grilled asparagus, which he devoured, and an ice cream sundae.
The house salads were very fresh; we had two different vinaigrette dressings and both were quite tasty. My Mediterranean pasta with fresh spinach, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and feta cheese was marvelous. My husband enjoyed moules et frites (mussels and fries) in buerre blanc (the chefs removed the "special" pineapple from the buerre blanc). We each ordered a wine sampler: three very generous 4-ounce glasses for $10.50 (a single glass of wine was $8). My only complaint is that sometimes our food and drink did not come quite when they should have. The wine samplers arrived at the *end* of the salad course, our son's main dish came well before mine and my husband's. One of my son's side dishes was forgotten and, come to think of it, our server nearly skipped our son (forgetting one person at a party of three)? When taking orders. We heard a couple at another table remark to their servers that it was "busy for a Monday night," so I would forgive the shortcomings of the service and visit again if Irises' Yelp ratings stay consistently stellar.
*** This just in: Hungry couple arrive at Irises Cafe and Wine Bar and leave incredibly satisfied ***
No joke.
Yes, I reviewed this restaurant earlier this year, but given some of the reviews, I wanted to make sure our first experience wasn't a fluke.
Spoiler: It wasn't!
So that was a bonus, right? We also had Jennifer for our server again, which made the whole experience that much better. It was like a family reunion. Only we're not family. So, in hindsight, the hugs were probably over the top.
Unlike the food, which was per-fect.
Again, I had the Cajun blackened shrimp because, even though I wanted to try something else, I just couldn't. I mean, these things are fantastic, and if you've had them once you want to have them a thousand times. Just not in one sitting. My wife had the nachos. Now, I'm pretty picky about nachos, and have been sorely disappointed in the past by establishments who call their nachos "loaded". Mostly because they obviously have no idea what the word loaded means. Irises on the other hand DO, and it's not just loaded with sour cream as a cheapo way of making nachos look cool. In fact, they serve the sour cream on the side, in a dish.
Damn, why y'all gotta be so fancy?
My wife had the margherita pizza for lunch, and I had the salmon special which was to die for. In fact, oddly enough - the salmon did. Sorry salmon... but thanks. The pizza was super delicious. How super? Well, let's just say my tastebuds were flying around the inside of my mouth with capes on. Up, up, and tastyyy.
(sorry)
When it comes to dessert, I always end up with the trio. Only because it's the best value way of eating three different desserts without actually purchasing three different desserts.
Now, if your dining experience was based on the food alone, you'd be nodding your head in approval. But it's not. Many a time, a fantastic meal has been ruined by terrible service. But not here. Again, Jennifer proved that personality is the magic ingredient, and even Colonel Sanders would be hard pressed with his seven secret herbs and spices to even come close to matching the personal touch she provides. Here's a tip Colonel... you can't.
So, there you have it. Fantastic food + fantastic staff = fantastically fantastic meal.
This is supposed to be the fanciest place in Plattsburgh, and I supposed it is. Â I mean, they have a wine bar, decent decor, and the waiters/waitresses are dressed nicely, so if that's your criteria then yea. Â It took awhile to get seated for no apparent reason, as there were numerous tables set and available, but that was just the beginning. Â The service was an absolute joke. Â Our waiter took forever to bring basic things out, and more or less ignored us after taking our order. Â We even saw him being attentive to other tables, just not ours. Â We were dressed fine and weren't rude to him, so I don't know what his problem was. Â At the end of the meal we wanted dessert, but he just brought us the check instead without even saying a word. Â He acted surprised for some reason when flagged him back down and asked him what he was doing. Â I don't know if he had some problem with us, was absolutely clueless, or some permutation thereof. Â In the end there is no excuse for poor service. Â Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing wrong here. Â
For a starter, I got the french onion soup; this was a very good version with the flavors being pretty on point. Â My father and brother got a pizza special that had a variety of different toppings that I do not recall now but didn't sound like they'd work well together. Â The bigger issue was the crust, which was of the thin, unsubstantial and flavorless variety. Â I got a moules frites special which had the mussels come in a tomato-red pepper sauce. Â The mussels were overcooked and were not fresh. Â The sauce they were in was muted with an unpleasant sour note to it. Â I was stupid not to send it back, but I was starving. Â The french fries were alright. Â My brother got a pasta dish with shrimp that had few shrimp, and my father got a lamb dish; my family wasn't as disappointed with their entrees as I was, but they weren't anything to write home about either. Â When we finally got the apple crumb and espresso we ordered, the crumb was alright but a tiny portion, and the espresso was weak. Â The meal wasn't worth the price nor the aggravation.
If the above wasn't clear enough, let me reiterate: this place sucks. Â The reason it exists is because it is the only upscale restaurant in town. Â So if you want to go on a nice date, or parents want to take their kids to a good place, they come here. Â And thus Irises can charge as much as it does for at best uneven food--and at worst, inedible. Â Next time in town, I'll be eating anywhere but here.
Take this comment for whatever it means to you, but Irises is the one spot that I can walk into and completely forget I'm in Plattsburgh. As a transplant from Boston, it's easy for me to think I'm still home if I don't look out the window. Love the wine, the fabulous menu (interesting/eclectic and tasty - big fan of the warm goat cheese salad with walnuts, apples and olives, amazing dressing), and the jazz music playing overhead. The service has been great every time I've been there, and hands down it's my favorite spot in this town to have either drinks and apps or a nice dinner.
Review Source:Attentive service, great food and sensitivity to special dining needs make this my favorite restaurant in Plattsburgh. My boyfriend took me there for my birthday, we got a great table by the window, a wonderful meal. The seafood is always cooked perfectly ( Scallops are a good test of the kitchen, they are so easy to overcook.
Review Source:We were looking for a decent restaurant after camp visiting day, and found this gem in downtown Plattsburgh. Â We had a special salad of watermelon, tomato, and feta which was outstanding and rivaled anything we've had at top restaurants in NYC or Napa. Â We also had the Baked Brie with a fruit chutney which is a staple of the menu and similarly outstanding. Â For the main course, we both had a special pasta with clams which was very good (although the portions were a little small). Â Dessert was a delicious apple and raspberry crisp a la mode.
One of the best features of Irises is the wine list, with a great selection and some very reasonably priced wine (we had a $30 French Bordeaux which was great for the summer). Â We sat outside which, while facing the street, was very pleasant given how quaint the town is. Â All in all, while an expensive night out for Plattsburgh, the same meal in Manhattan would be at least 50% more.
Got a fancy date and want to impress her?
That's the only reason I would advocate going to Irises.
The food is really expensive and not worth the investment. They do have a very nice interior, live music and wonderful wait staff however.
They also do a martini special which is a good reason to go, for a couple of drinks and music. But I'd recommend eating elsewhere or padding your wallet.
Irises USED to be between 4-5 stars. Â Sadly, it's just mediocre lately. Â The decor is starting to look shoddy (in the bar area, the ceiling is water-spotted and falling apart in spots) and the latest paint job looks less than professional.
The food was once amazing -- homemade bread before the meal with tasty olive oil is now replaced with sometimes great, sometimes stale bread with just so-so olive oil. Â The little touches that make an experience great are no more.
I used to crave their lobster ravioli (it was, in their defense, almost ten years ago) but presently, their menu hasn't been able to keep my attention. Â My hubby and I keep going back hoping for something to spark what it used to be, but sadly, we just keep getting disappointed. Â Better off going to Anthony's. Â
Cocktails and wine list are still good, though. Â Visit the bar for martini night, skip dinner.
When you are tired of Chains and want something a little nicer, try them. Â The food was really great, the filet special was great and the key lime martinis were some of the best I have had. Â The decor is a bit dated, but this is Plattsburgh. Â The dessert sampler was awesome and not too big, I shared it with my mom and had to stop myself from licking the caramel off the plate. Â I am not a local, but I would return when I'm in town. Â Overall a very pleasant experience!
Review Source:My husband and I wanted to take his mother out to dinner. We were visiting from California. We went online and read about Irises. It was lovely, with a varied menu and an interesting wine list. You can choose a flight of red or white wines. I chose a small Caesar salad and the risotto. The salad was quite generous and tasty. The risotto was rich and delicious. I was thrilled to find this gem in Plattsburgh.
Review Source:As much as I would like to laud Irises the truth is, it's nothing special. I realize this is *the nicest* place the town of Plattsburgh has to offer, and so gave it an extra star with that in mind, however, my experience was none too pleasing when I visited. The food and menu were sub-par and unnecessarily complicated- (ofttimes a clean, simplistic approach to fine dining trumps pretentiousness... esp. if you're situated in a smaller town)- and the service wasn't that great. More disturbing, the owner/manager was rude, after later being confronted by an acquaintance, about making a third party privy to said friend's personal credit card information and purchases at the establishment.  Not  professional and not a good look for the restaurant when its patrons can't trust employees to keep that info confidential. Hopefully Plattsburgh will gain a place that's comparable and far more enjoyable to patronize.
Review Source:I was visiting my brother in  Plattsburgh and wanted to take him somewhere nice, as a break from dining hall grub. And well, there aren't really a lot of nicer restaurants in P'burgh. It's mainly just a lot of chains and diners. (Although I do like the Thai and Indian places!)
Anyways, someone recommended Irises. And as it turns out, they have a gluten-free menu. I was sold.
We shared a scallops appetizer and I had a delicious wild mushroom risotto with a veal demi glace and truffle oil for $15.95. Very tasty! Â A little gummy but I've sort of come to expect that in most restaurants when it comes to risotto. Good wine recommendations too. I cannot remember exactly how much the bill came too, but I remember thinking it was pretty reasonable.
To be honest, I really can't remember which dish my brother had. I was just way too thrilled to find a nice restaurant with a gluten-free menu in P'burgh.
If you need to impress a date or are just craving a good glass of wine, you can't go wrong with Irises. The food is good, the martinis better and the jazz band the best.
Food:
I've been going to Irises since I was a toddler, so it holds a special place in my heart, sure. But over Thanksgiving this year, the fam and I stopped in. First, I have to say this about Irises: they really try, they do. This is the North Country, so not everything is on par (if at all) with New York City, but this if fine dining the P-burgh area.... even if there are paper sheets over the white linen table cloths.
But Irises falls victim to the trying-too-hard plight. Everything from their specials to their salads sound so complex and delicious, but it tends to come out on the wrong of complicated. When you read if off the menu or hear your waiter tell you the specials, it all sounds good, if a bit much. To the untrained ear it sounds like a sweet serenade, but Irises often attempts to be overly elaborate in their flavor palates. While sometimes they pull it off, they can fall flat.
That is not to say their food is bad by any stretch though. Veal demi glace may seem to be on every one of your dishes, they make it well. The meats are always cooked to perfection and they make a damn good mirepoix (that seems to be better than the escargot, honestly). One thing that really shines is the wine list. It's on the smaller side (not for the North Country though), but it has some very good wines. Particularly the Marquis de Riscal 2004, a rioja which I love.
Most recently, I had the linguini alfredo with chicken which was very cheesy and thick, but good. There was also a crab cake dinner ordered, which was very hefty. It was crispy, and not very crabby, but needed spice. The filet bordelaise was also on our table, and the steak was very good. Even the sauce wasn't so bad, although I would have preferred a drier red wine.
Venue:
Irises has been open as long as I can remember, originally just as a simple cafe. But in 2005 they expanded, opening up the Burgundy Room a banquet for catering and events. They revamped their image a bit and made a separate formal dining area and a more casual, lounge-like wine bar area.
Without taking the ferry over to Burlington, Irises is one of the fanciest restaurant you can go to in Plattsburgh. The walls and carpeting need some updating, and the tables would seem more elegant without the white paper sheet on top, but it's nice. If a little stuffy, but the exposed brick walls really add a nice touch. During the summer they have an outdoor patio and will get local bands and singers to come entertain.
Often they do drink and dinner specials for reduced prices, and they get live jazz in there pretty often (the band was better than the singer that night though). The crowd is often pretty mellow (assuming the NYC gays don't sit next to you--it was a ball though), and of an older age set than most. Carol, the owner, has really tried to make Irises a classy joint, and if you need to impress a date or celebrate a birthday, this is where you should go.
One of the two nice restaurants in Plattsburgh (the other being Anthony's) that offer a nice atmosphere and a good place for a special evening. Â Professional crowd by local standards. Â The food selection is nice and the portions are usually just right to allow for desert. Â The bar is know for it's martini's. Â Jazz bands and guitarists are usually on the menue starting Thrusday nights. Â There is normally some lively and interesting couples or groups in the bar area. Â
A good place to start a night out, or end up if not too late and you don't want to hang out with the college crowd
I visited here last Friday with my bf who was in town because my co-worker highly recommended it. To start it was a nice space, we arrived around 9 o'clock and a live band was setting up in the bar area. I decided to try a martini since that is what they were known for, I think I got a pomegranate one based on the recommendation of the waitress, she came out with the martini glass and the tumbler filled with another drink so that was a pretty good deal for the price of the drink.
We decided to try the foie gras/duck confit appetizer and were extremely disappointed. The portion size was huge and normally that is a good thing but for something as rich as foie gras it was a bit overwhelming, and I am not sure about the shredded pieces of duck confit randomly found inside the dish, it was on some kind of a polenta cake which was a strange mix. I would not recommend getting this appetizer.
On to dinner, my bf got the halibut special and I got the vegetarian dinner sampler. His halibut was cooked perfectly, it was extremely moist and seasoned perfectly. My dish was not as great as his but that was in part because I found a hair in the brie puff pastry. I let the waitress know and she apologized profusely and took the dish off the bill and offered us free dessert which is where the 4th star came in, that was great service. The chef even saw us out and asked if we were ok because he felt terrible about it, that's a pretty classy move and shows how much he takes pride in his food.
All in all it was a pricey evening out for Plattsburgh the halibut dish was $27 which I feel could have been a bit cheaper because its halibut after all but I would definitely recommend Irises and would visit again to sample a few other items off their interesting menu.
KEEP THIS PLACE OPEN!
The eclectic menu and fantastic wine list is enough to keep me coming back every time I'm home. Â An open, bright and spacious dining room make for a light setting in this "fancy" Plattsburgh restaurant.
I have been to Irises several times since they opened a few years ago. Â Sometimes I find myself just meeting friends for drinks at the bar because it's such a fantastic place to be. Â You can frequently find live performers on the weekends. Â In my opinion, any place with live entertainment automatically boosts its rating.
The food is fantastic, the prices are reasonable, service is very good and occasionally you will have a celebrity sighting. Â (On my last visit, I ate across from former governor Pataki!)
Keep Plattsburgh classy! Â GO TO IRISES!!!
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