It's a decent burger place. I got a BLT, which maybe was a mistake, because they made it with 'thick cut bacon' which really means Canadian bacon, which is a thick fatty ham, which wasn't really my thing. I suppose it's my fault for not saying anything or asking about it beforehand. The buffalo chicken dip was great, and the onion rings are really good as well, very crispy.
Review Source:Great place. We went on a nice day and sat outside and took in the street scene.
Great selection of beer, I really liked the local apricot wheat. Nice and crisp and you could actually taste the apricot.
I had the black and blu sandwich which was amazing. Really tender and melt in your mouth good. The bread was perfectly toasted. The only complaint I have is that the fries were average and a place like this I would expect them to be great. Regardless, I will go back next time I'm in the mood for some good food and a causal atmosphere.
Back in town for Reunion weekend, and since my favorite Ithaca bar has sadly closed (sigh - a moment of silence for The Palms), we ended up here instead. Â Decent selection of beers on tap with plenty of local & regional choices, and a lively, good-looking crowd of students and locals. Â The bartenders were attentive, and the atmosphere overall was good. Â They've got a bunch of flat screens up on the walls, so it's kind of got one foot in sports-bar territory. Â Worth a stop if you're in the area, but not unique or characterful.
Review Source:They have excellent burgers here. The bartenders are awesome, and the outside seating is great when its warm outside. If you don't want a burger their flat breads taste great and their salads are decent (but nothing special). They also have a weekly karaoke night where the singers are really good ... kind of makes it intimidating if you just want to let loose and sing something god awful...but also makes it more entertaining if your just watching.
Review Source:So I am on a personal hunt for the best burger. I've had a lot of burgers and this ranks up there! But alas, my hunt continues as it was not the best I have ever had.
So let's start with the bun. I got the honey roll as I like a lighter, sweeter bun. It was warm and definitely fluffy, not too much bread for the burger. The burger was cooked perfectly the two times I went which lately at other places has been an issue with consistency. Anyways the burgers have good flavor, you can tell it's not just beef their serving you but beef with seasoning cause let me tell you, a burger with no seasoning is just grandmas meatloaf again. I had the Kobe burger once and I wasn't impressed by the quality, honestly I preferred their regular burger. The toppings, they give you a good amount, 2 slices of tomatoes, fair amount of lettuce and good size onion pieces, not just the inner small pieces like some places. You can tell that they care about consistency and their burgers. The fries are pretty good as well which every burger connoisseur knows, is a big deal. You need good fries for a good burger. Their chipotle aioli for the burger is pretty fantastic as well and doesn't just taste like mayo, but has great flavor.
The service here is always pretty fantastic, energetic staff with a smile who generally seem to care that you are there.
Overall this might be my favorite go-to burger place in Ithaca, but like I said, not the best!
IAH has a good draft selection and a lot of unique local beers. Food-wise, the place is best know for their burgers, so I decided on the "Fat Kid", a delectable delight of a burger with two grilled cheese sandwiches as buns!... Sounds better (to me at least) than it was. Not a bad burger by any means though. The grilled cheese was less than steller... the burger had so much potential. The service wasn't great either, though it was busy. Every time I needed the waiter, I had to flag him down, and he didn't seem too enthused to be working. Overall, a good burger and beer spot.
Review Source:Benchwarmer's was always my favorite place in Ithaca when I went to college there. Now that it's closed down, the Ale House has assumed that mantle. Their burgers are very good, the beer selection is huge, and the atmosphere is solid. It's not as cheap as other place in the Commons, but it's also not a "grab and go" kind of place, and I'd argue that you get what you pay for.
Review Source:I dig this place.
I like being able to find two seats at the bar.
I like the draft selection, the whiskey selection and the menu offerings.
Yesterday the young man tending bar was excellent. He was capable of handling a full bar and the service station.
We shared the 3 bite burgers and a pizza and both were well prepared and tasty. Â
If the commons is crazy busy, like it was this Sunday you can usually find seating at IAH and that makes me happy.
Ate here tonight for the second time. We were visiting my son who is a student at Ithaca. There were six of us.
When we arrived at 6:15 we were told to expect a 45-60 minute wait. We were also told to expect it to be closer to 45 min.
We were sat.....an hour and a half after we arrived.
45 minutes past the originally quoted time
While not what I was looking for, my expectation was that the restaurant would make some kind of adjustments.
We started with the nachos, very good. Each of us had a burger and they were all enjoyed. They seemed to be cooked as ordered. The waitress did a good job.
When we were sat, she apologized, as she knew we were waiting an exceptionally long time. She actually commented, " you will enjoy desert" Â being with 4 college students I thought that would be a nice gesture to acknowledge the terrible job in seating us.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
As I left I noticed a manager expediting the food items. I went up, asked if he was a manager and told him I wanted to share my experience.
Upon telling him what happened I was surprised by 2 interesting facts.
1) he had absolutely NO idea what had happened. How is this possible?
2) he didn't offer as much as an apology. NOTHING
He simply said, "okay"
I know that quoting a wait is often difficult. But the way this went down was really unacceptable.
The manager should have come to us during our extended wait.
The food is good and the service was good. The wait and the manager....not a clue!
It's important that this part is handled the correct way. Tonight it clearly was handled terribly. I only hope they get it figured out, only time will tell. It could be a real good burger and beer place.....
The food here is pretty hit or miss. I've been disappointed the last two times (ordered the veggie flatbread, BYOB burger). But I've also had some other pretty decent sandwiches in the past.
The beer selection is definitely the best on the commons, so that's a plus. It's a pretty chill place to hang out if you don't have super high expectations, and if you're willing to shell out $12 or more for mediocre food. Also, wait staff doesn't impress me much... not sure if the bar tenders are any better.
Well, the appetizers were great. Â The nachos piled high with "stuff" (the best part) and the buffalo chicken spring rolls were delicious.
HOWEVER, I ordered a burger (who doesn't when you eat here?) and I definitely pulled more than one hair out of it. Â GROSS! Â A major turn off. Â I am hesitant to go back for that reason.
Decent food, but I always leave feeling like it is overpriced for what it is. This is upstate NY, and a burger should not cost $11-15. If you do find yourself here though (as I do once every few months, since this seems to be a popular place for groups), the Big Sexy burger is plenty tasty, as are most of the sandwiches. The flatbreads are disappointing, so I make a point to steer clear of that section of the menu, even though they sound good on paper.
Review Source:Solid burger, and a reasonable beer list. Not beer snob worthy, but definitely better than your average bar. Step one in expanding one's beer horizons. I was especially amused by the "beginner's" beer tasting sampler ("Did you know their were different styles of beer??").
I'd come back, but wouldn't go out of the way for it.
It's the Chapter House, if the Chapter House cleaned the place more than once a year and served food. Â Actually, I guess it's nothing like the Chapter House, except for the wide selection of beers. Â Dozens of beers are on tap for a price that is at least comparable to that dank grad bar up the hill. Â The crowd is decent here too with a good mix of townies, grads, and well behaved undergrads.
The food is decent, if not unspectacular. Â It's bar food, prepared as well as bar food can.
This is a great place to sit on the patio and people watch. Good food, good beer, goo people watching... what else can you ask for? Seasoned fries with curry sauce were amazing and Tuscan chicken grinder!! Yumm. Pyramid apricot on draft! You can tell that this place takes care of their lines because the beer was so fresh and crisp.
Review Source:So happy Ithaca Ale House exists!
This place has food and beer selections you can't anywhere else in the city. Their flatbread pizzas are delicious and very reasonably priced. I LOVE that I can get Framboise here! It makes the Popeye Pizza that much better.
Service can be hit or miss, it generally depends on on how busy the restaurant is which on weeekends can be *very* busy. Lunch is usually the best time to go for superior service. Outdoor seating is great in warm months and the big booths in the middle are super spacious although not too comfortable. The bartenders here are usually very knowledgable about the wide range of beers available on draught.
Food service seems to cut off around 9pm or 10pm which is too bad. I really wish they would offer some type of Late Night menu served until 1am even if options were limited. This would definitely make Ithaca Ale House more competitve with Bandwagon Brewpub for late night drinks, food and fun!
Food is good enough. However, the service is really terrible. When we entered the place, we were not asked where we'd like to be seated- outside or in the restaurant. Since we didn't mind that much, we were tucked in the back.
It took maybe half-an-hour or more to get our food ready. It wasn't as if the place is busy either. We didn't get a heads up about the wait.
We got different kinds of burger on our table. I found out I still like the classic burger the best. The burger with brie and apple is good though. Onion rings is really good.
It is also nice that you are allowed to split the tab.
What's not to love? The Faux Nachos. Reaching into a plate of shared nachos, pulling out a large clump of nachos stuck together by toppings and using your other hand to separate them and put back part of the clumped together nachos. Â The pretentious Bottle Beer Menu, "Chimay Blue" come on, it is 2012 we are not living in the era of "Stilyagi".
Now for the bad news, I tried to use the concept of feng shui, I relocated the Faux Nachos to the east, to banish the unwanted flies at our table, however it was useless.
How can anyone screw up grill cheese, ask my fifteen year old daughter; IAH really where was the Rosemary Focaccia Bread?  (Recipe: 2 slices of Wonder Bread White and 2 slice of Land O Lake white American grilled with a little butter,). The Knife and Fork Steak Sandwich  steak and bread tough. Ithaca Ale where is Clemenza Caserta Jr, when you need him.
I wanted to like this place, the service was good, hip ambiance, maybe next time lunch and have a burger at the bar.
A friend and I hit this up for a Saturday lunch. I was turned off by the comments on here about their crap service, so I was glad we sat at the bar -- our bartender was on her game. The atmosphere isn't terrible and they have a nice bunch of HDTVs for bar sitting.
The beer list had a great variety-- the usual suspects (Dogfish, Southern Tier) but also some others I haven't tried, like Founders. I also appreciated the pairing suggestion on the menu.
But the real home run is the "Perfect Burger," which I had with onions rings. I thought I found Ithaca's burger at NorthStar (which still kills this place in terms of atmosphere), but this one has it beat. The meat was perfectly cooked -- pink and juicy in the middle -- and served with BLT, cheese, onions, and mayo. I think $11 is a lot of money for a burger, but for this quality I am counting the days until I head back.
After a decently challenging hike at Lucifer Falls, we were hot, tired, hungry, and thirsty. Â Enter Ithaca Ale House...
We ordered:
Guacamole Brie Melt - pretty dang good
Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls - OMG delicious!
The special burger of the day - The 5 Cheese Burger - nothing special and ALOT of cheese (obvi!)
The "Jerk" Burger - pretty good
Spicy Thai & Lemongrass Chicken - overly spicy, under tasty
Philly Cheese Steak - good, solid
Maryland Crab Cake Salad - good, HUGE, nice combo of flavors with avocado, crab, citrus-y dressing
Ancho Chicken Salad - very similar to the crab cake salad - good, HUGE, nice flavor combo
Onion rings were crispy and nicely fried, but not too greasy and the fries looked amazing! Â We didn't get any, but I watched enviously as they traveled to other tables. Â Overall, a solid meal. Â I think going just for apps and drinks would be great - there is a hefty app menu and they were definitely the best part of the meal.
Very good...worth the wait we experienced when we first sat down. Turkey Reuben was very tasty and not dry. Burger done perfectly. Onion rings were crispy and just a bit greasy (in a good way) to let you know they were fresh fried.
One thing that kept this from 5 stars was that they only have two single-service bathrooms one male,one female and only one at a time....seems unusual and inconvenient for an Ale House.
We all know that the bun makes the burger. Here, the bun indeed makes the burger but you can get the same elsewhere. All in all, the burger is good too.
Great? Sure.
Spectacular? Sorry, it fails to make a lasting impression.
My friend raved about this place for the past 3-4 years I have known him. He went to Cornell and I finally managed to visit him as he was being wedded there. So I had to get a burger.
The thing that I appreciate about this burger joint was that it does NOT overcook the patties. +1 in addition, the fries are very crispy +1 again. size? It's decent size. Don't worry, you will get full here.
I think that's the general consensus amongst my friends who had dinner with me. If you are curious as to what I got, I got the Big Sexy. It was alright.
***Based on the vegan burgers***
I love that their burgers can be made vegan and theres so many options too. Plus the portions are great too and they all come with a side. The only problem I have is the burger itself. The buns are nicely toasted, the sauces that make each burger different was good, the salad and dressings are good(good as in it makes you want to eat salad) but the burger is a bit stiff and lacking in many areas of what I consider to be a good veggie burger.
The Ale House has great local beers and wines, sidewalk seating, and really, honestly, great food. I've never tried anything other than the ginormous burgers and onion rings, but since I haven't had a burger or ring better elsewhere in Ithaca, there's been no incentive for me to try anything new.
Also, most restaurants will provide three or four selections of burgers -- the Ale House gives you eleven. With so many choices and fun, enticing names, such as "The Bastard Burger," "The Big Sexy Burger" and "The Fat Kid Burger," it's difficult to order anything but a burger when you go -- gotta try them all!
Came here for dinner while in town for the Lindsey Buckingham concert 6/8/12. Â We were seated promptly & our waitress was attentive. Â We were able to sample a beer before we ordered which was appreciated. Â I had the Founder's Dirty Bastard Porter - absolutely delicious. Â Friend had the double IPA on draft - not my taste, but she loved it.
Special was the NYS Orchard Burger - big, fat & juicy with 3 varieties of apples both chopped up & mixed into the beef AND thinly sliced on top. Â Add sharp cheddar cheese & apricot/tomato salsa & you get a scrumptious burger. Â I LOVED it. Â And everything the servers carried past our table for other parties looked awesome - crab cakes, basket of fries, pizza with big juicy shrimp on it - YUM! I will come back here any time I am in Ithaca
The Ithaca Ale House is one of the most consistently-good casual restaurants in Ithaca, whether you are with your parents when they come to visit (mine loved it!) or a group of friends. And considering that Ithaca is completely lacking in sports bars, it's also a place you could easily come catch a game on one of the TVs hanging over the bar. True to its name, it offers a wide selection of local and imported ales, and even make suggestions on the menu for which kinds of beer will go best with each dish.
Ale House covers all the bases when it comes to American grub, including an impressive variety of juicy burgers that satisfy the cravings of even my it's-not-good-unless-I-grill-it-myself husband. There is a decent amount of (undoubtedly delicious) fried food on the menu, but if you cherish your arteries, there are plenty of other less-heart-attack-inducing selections as well. Opt for one of the fully-loaded salads (the Maryland Crab Cake Salad and the Ancho Chicken Salad are my top picks) or my personal favorite, the flatbread pizzas. Ithaca is seriously lacking when it comes to pizza that isn't totally smothered in cheese and grease--ditch that soggy cardboard for one of Ale House's 'zas instead. I highly recommend the Grilled Veggie and the BBQ Chicken, but be prepared to fight off your tablemates who will definitely try to steal a piece.
A lot of people love this place for their huge selections of solid American cuisine and their broad selection of delicious burgers. I'll break down this review in terms of four criterions.
Starting with the most important part, the food. Food is probably definitely impressive especially in Ithaca where there are a gluttony of different types of American restaurants. I'd say skip the appetizers, even though I end up fried calamari every time I go there. As far as entrees go, order a burger. They're the most well-known part of Ale House's menu for a reason. I usually get a "Big Sexy" or when I'm REALLY hungry the "Fat Kid" burger. *Be warned, the Fat Kid is only for the extremely hungry. Just think 2 grilled sandwiches for the buns.*
Restaurant atmosphere is also awesome. It's a pretty chill bar environment, but it's definitely a bit more high end. I love being able to watch some football while enjoying some burgers. Too bad I'm not 21 yet... wish I could have some beer with my bar food.
Service has been solid every time even with groups of 6+ people. It amazes me when waiters are really able to give so much attention for large parties. I know we definitely make it pretty hard on them.
I think the price is the worst part, but really, what is not overpriced in Ithaca. Compared to some crappier places like in collegetown or the commons, I'd definitely say Ale House is reasonable.
Make sure you check this place out when you're craving some solid burgers. An alum told me that this is one of those restaurants that you'll always end up craving once you leave.
Amazing burgers and good beers. Occasionally they even have some from Oregon on tap :)
Try the crab cake burger for the most delicious coronary trauma you can buy on the commons.
It can be hard to get a good seat sometimes but if you are looking for a burger and beer you can't go wrong.
Went in here, hoping to have some decent pub food and we were impressed! This is more than just a pub- the food was great! I had "the Perfect Burger" and it was perfect!
The kids ordered from a standard-looking kids' menu, but we requested that the grilled cheese be made with brie (a cheese my son loves and had appeared several times elsewhere in the menu) and they did it with no problems. My daughter's "kids nachos" order was huge and featured a dish or sour cream and a delicious fresh-made salsa.
Because it was a pub, we went early (5pm). Wouldn't want to interfere with the vibe later in the evening. If only we had a sitter, we would totally come here for date night!
Big hearty burgers with lots of fresh toppings filled our bellies on a cold drizzly day.
I ordered the Bastard, burger with a crisp onion ring and Bastard Ale Mustard because I like them bad boys. Yes, yes, I do. The burger was huge! The meat was so juicy that my brioche bun eventually disintegrated. I love having a crispy onion in my burger because it gave some texture and contrast to the burger. The lettuce and tomatoes were very fresh. I couldn't taste the mustard because it got drowned out my everything else in the burger (and by the gallon of ketchup that I poured on my burger -- that's how I like my burgers, with lots and lots of ketchup).
I love the fries. So crispy because they lightly batter the fries in starch first.
My friend ordered the Guinness soaked burger and she loved it. Said that she could definitely taste the Guinness.
This is a great place to eat. Â It's a small, but well-used space. Â Modern, and industrial, yet cozy and inviting. Â They also keep it very clean which is a big plus. Â There is a really clever tap system the for their multitude of beers. Â They have 4 half-kegs sticking out of the wall with like 5 taps each. Â It's an attrractive, and eye-catching set-up. Â Almost makes me want to get into craft beer...almost.
The name ale house suggest another run of the mill pub-style place. Â It is however, anything but run of the mill. Â They take the food just as seriously as they take the beer, and it shows. Â Everything I've ever eaten here has been very high quality, and well executed including the most perfectly seared piece of salmon I've ever enjoyed. Â They also make great chicken wings, and flatbread pizzas.The service is fairly middle of the road. Â I've never had amazing service here, but I've also never had awful service here either. Â This is a place that consistently delivers the goods.
Had a random craving for a French dip sandwich today for no particular reason and found it here after reading a Yelp review. Hey, it's actually pretty good! Quite the surprised after being disappointed for the longest time with food in Ithaca. Tender meat and a soft bun with solid dip made for a great sandwich. Fries included were also just the right amount of crispiness to bring out their flavor.
Also shared a $10 nacho platter appetizer which was way over sized and more then enough for 3 people. Add a few beers from their decent sized draft selection and you have a winner experience.
Service was quite slow since we sat outside, more like neglected.
I like going here for lunch since it's a quick shuttle ride from Cornell. The food is consistently good and the menu does get refreshed from time to time.
The single item that sticks out for me is the homemade potato chips. Always warm and malt vinegar is available to make them shine. I've had their burgers, flatbread pizza, caesar salads, and a bunch of specials. The regular fare is good, but I prefer to grab the special most of the time. From my experience the special ends up being the best out of the entire menu.
The waitstaff are consistently friendly and are very attentive. I have never needed to get their attention for a refill or to get a plate removed.
It can get noisy at times during the lunch rush, but even when all the seats are taken there's room to move. All in all a good place to eat.
Another option on restaurant/bar row in Ithaca. We stopped for lunch on the 4th of July. I got the "Zaaa" flatbread pizza, which was decent. Wifey's order of Fish and Chips was a "I dare you to eat the entire thing" plate of not one, but two fishes, battered and fried. She felt bad being responsible for killing two fish when only one would have done the trick. But hey, with it being the 4th of july and everything, why not do it up the American way?
Their beer selection was impressive and once again, we lamented the fact that Binghamton lacks serious brewpub style eateries.
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