Just don't do it. Â Sounds like it would be great right? Â BBQ style, wood fire pizzas, tons of draft beer, what could go wrong? Â Try everything. Â First you need to go down a flight of stairs to get to the space which I think is cool. Â You feel like you're underground, it's definitely a different kind of feel. Â The bar is big, so big, too big to the point where we felt like we were literally in some abandoned saloon. Â It's set up is so poor. Â It's like two big circles with two sets of draft handles on each side, but only one bartender. Â The seats were covered with faux animal fur and we so big that you actually felt far away from the person you were sitting directly next to. Â Beer selection was just OK. Â Took a good ten minutes for the bartender to acknowledge us and there were only four people at the entire bar. Â Again, too big of a bar to be maintained by just one person. Â Rewinding back about twenty minutes we were told by the host that there would be a twenty minute wait. Â No problem, as we approached the bar we noticed there were at least FOUR, yes FOUR empty tables. Â We aren't complainers so we didn't say a word but we thought this was odd. Â About a half hour after being told there would be a 20 minute late we were seated. Â The booths are right on top of one another. Â You almost feel like you are in an airplane with a small aisle separating you from the people across the way. Â Very weird vibe. Â
The menus are two pieces of paper stapled to one another. Â Yes, I'm serious. Â No lamination no book, just stapled sheets of paper. Â I've seen more put together menus in fast food joints. Â I was trying to eat light on this particular night so I was that annoying customer and asked for potential modifications. Â I just wanted a salad with raw vegetables. Â I asked for spinach and the waitress told me they didn't have spinach. Â I pointed out on the menu that one of the entrees mentioned baby spinach and she said she would check with the kitchen for me to see what they had. Â She was clearly inexperienced and had no idea what was on the menu but she was also helpful and nice and good service might be what keeps this place open because I can't see the food being the reason people come back here.
We ordered the vegetable pizza for the table and it was set up on one of those pizza holder things that are so inconvenient because they are awkward and can be easily knocked over. Â The pizza tasted like, well, veggie pizza. Â Dough, sauce, cheese veggies. Â That's it. Â Not bad, not great. Â I took one bite and bam our entrees came out. Â Literally within seconds of our appetizer. Â So much for the typical appetizer entree style. Â Talk about feeling rushed. Â My Dad and sister got their entrees which consisted of the Pulled Pork Platter and Pulled Pork Sandwich. Â My garden house salad with vegetables which required zero cooking came out about ten minutes after they got their food. Â The "sides" that came with the platter were more like teeny itty bitty samples. Â I couldn't believe they considered them "sides" Â One bite and they were gone. Â My Dad who will clean his plate no matter what barely touched the pulled pork. Â There was mold in the corn bread which left him with a bite of sweet potato mashed potatoes and a bite of the baked beans. The quality of the food here was just awful. Â
This is not a place I would ever come to for happy hour or for a late night bar scene. Â Place is just creepy. Â Didn't see any sign of a manager throughout our entire meal. Â Seems unorganized, outdated and poorly run. Â Someone needs to get in here and see what's going on in the kitchen and with the presentation of the place overall. Â Will be skipping this one next time I'm in town.
This place is located in Downtown Binghamton. It looks small on the outside but the moment you walk in, there are stairs for you to walk downstairs into the basement where the building is located. The decor is nice and it was about a 15 minute wait. There is a nice ice cream booth located by the waiting area...talk about temptation island. My friends and I were hungry, so we resisted but it is definitely something I will try next time around.
We were seated in a booth and the waiter was quick to bring us a menu, our drinks, and food. I ordered a pizza  from the brick oven and boy was it delicious. The pizza was thin crust, with mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced tomato, and spinach. For Binghamton prices, I would say it was on the expensive end. It was called the Margarita pizza, a must try for those of you who want a decent pie.
My two friends got the gourmet cheese burger and they stated it was cooked exactly how they ordered it. On the other hand, the fries were a little cold that one of the girls ordered but garlic mayo made up for it. Bit pricy for the burger, then again we are talking about three college girls on a budget.
I would go back again, but they have limited vegetarian options. If you eat fish, it is fine they have a few selections but the majority of options all contain meat, even the salads.
The pizza is ok; not great or anything. I have been here twice in business trips so I have given it a fair chance. Maybe the rest of the menu is better. Â Also, it's a little weird but it always seems I am the only customer in there. It might have to do with the fact that you can't see the place unless you are right in front if it. My GPS couldn't find it and I almost gave up.
Review Source:I sit on a local community board that hosts monthly mixers, and Mad Moose was more than willing to have us. They donated their private back room AND a gift certificate that we raffled off, and the staff was more than attentive. It was a perfect evening, and it went off without a hitch because of their planning and help! We are beyond pleased! Thank you so much!
Review Source:The food is great. Â BBQ, wood fired pizza, great soups, great appetizers. Â Prices are a little high but the portions and variety make up for that.
The place is located in the basement of an office building, and has an obvious entrance on Henry Street. Â The decor is very high-end "hunting lodge", a unique combination of eclectic looks and decorations. Â A very long winding bar, lots of very large booths and tables, stained-glass panels in the ceiling, function and party rooms in the back, all-in-all very interesting. Â It can get a little chilly down there in the winter, however.
They have a fairly good (for Binghamton) draft craft beer selection. Â Always four or five interesting selections that seem to change regularly. Â Don't like the "mason jar" glasses they serve the beer in, though. Â
I've seen the place go from empty to crowded in 1/2 hour, hard to predict at any given time. Â The restaurant always seems to be adjusting/changing its hours of operation, and the owner doesn't seem to update things on Facebook very often.
All in all, a safe bet for a nice dinner.
UPDATE May 2013:
Food quality and quantity have gone down a bit, and the beer list seems to be more "common" than it used to be, so down-rating to Three Stars.
Yikes. We (party of 5) got here at 6:30 on a Friday night. Place was practically empty, but it took a few minutes for us to get a table. Waiting for things would be the theme of the evening. We ordered our drinks right away, even though the waitress didn't know the beers on tap (sorry if this was her first night, but if not, hmmmm).
When we got our drinks, the soda was flat and watery. Then we ordered our food...and the waitress didn't know the soup of the day. Or the salad dressings they had. So we ordered. The soup came out immediately, and then the salads  -approximately 15 minutes between the soup and salad courses. The salads were drowning in dressing.
Then we waited approximately 40 minutes for our entrees, and not one of them was worth the price we paid. The woodfire vodka pasta (at $15) tasted like Chef Boyardee, no offense to Chef Boyardee.
After finishing our meals, we waited a bit for the check. Our server apologized and told us she was busy with other tables. We totally get you can be busy, but typically you wouldn't make one table feel less important than another.
When we finally got our check, we wanted to pay with a card but our server was nowhere to be found. So we went and found her, and were told she'd be with us in a minute. So we waited again instead of having someone else help with the payment. As a former server for a long time, my biggest pet peeve is dropping a check and not coming back for 10 or 15 minutes. Â That's the last impression on a guest (and they'll remember when they write the tip!).
The highlight was that the server was actually really nice. And the space has a lot of potential. The rest (service, food, drinks) was either terrible or not memorable.
1 star for the nice server, and for not getting food poisoning.
There are a lot of bars in downtown Binghamton. Unfortunately, most do not appeal to me-I'm not a fan of watching drunk people grind all over each other, and I certainly don't want to look at ugly dudes sticking their tongues down girls' throats all night. And so I discovered Mad Moose-a place that is quiet on a Saturday night, and I can get an excellent drink. The bar is, in a word, amazing. I don't want to drink sugary girl drinks, I want something that is good. This also where I first discovered the magical drink that is the Toasted Almond. Ever since, I've been hooked-and let me tell you, they are addicting. I don't come here for the food, I come here for the excellent bar service and the thoughtful ambiance. So check it out for something different!
Review Source:The food was decent and wasn't terribly expensive. I had the ribs, sweet potato fries, and a salad, all of which was enjoyable. The salad and rib portions could have been a little bigger for the price but I was satisfied when leaving. The wait time for our food was about 20 minutes even with the rest of the restaurant being pretty busy. I felt the service was pretty good and would consider going back in the future.
Review Source:I've been there a few times and the wait staff makes you feel like you're bothering them. The pizza is good and they should focus on that.
The other food on the menu I am pretty sure is cooked by the dishwasher.
It has a great atmosphere potential  but the waitstaff ,bartenders & line cook need to work on their skills.
I walked in, err down, I looked around or rather I got checked out up & down, then I walked out, err up. One weird joint!? Empty as shit & not friendly AT ALL, polite I guess but no one seemed to give a shit about taking me as an order or even a person lost, just looked and went back about their business, which I thought was thenservice industry, highlight- SERVICE!
Food I wouldn't know about, saw a pizza supposedly wood fired, looked ok actually,
whatever.....next
Nuh uh.
I can't believe how bad this place was. If a place called "Mad Moose Saloon" can't cook a steak properly, it has no right to claim such an American name. Seasoning was way off and the meat was too tough to eat. There was no flavor, no texture, nothing. The only thing I really enjoyed was the alcohol I consumed after my entree because I needed to get something out of the experience.
The service was also bad with the waitress disappearing from SIGHT several minutes at a time. The dining area is a very open place with very little walls and so you can pretty much see anyone and everyone on the floor. It was hard to even get her attention, let alone spot her.
I don't think I'm going to be coming back here again.
I have dined at The Mad Moose twice in the last 6 weeks. On the first visit I dined with my husband and daughter. I ordered a pizza, my daughter ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and my husband ordered one of the more exotic dinner menu items (I can't remember which one). The pizza was very good, the pulled pork was "OK" according to my daughter. My pizza wasn't served until my husband and my daughter were finished eating their meals.
Tonight, my husband and I dined at the Mad Moose again. My husband ordered a pizza and I ordered the scallops from the dinner menu. My dinner was served about 10 minutes before my husband's pizza. The scallops were described on the menu as being served over spring mix; in reality this was about 5 leaves of fresh spinach. The scallops were also supposed to have a cranberry onion remoulade sauce....there were absolutely no cranberries on my plate. The onions were just chopped red onion and scallops swimming (yes, I really mean swimming) in a watery substance on the plate. I asked the server when she returned to the table if I actually gotten the entree that I had ordered. After complaining of the absence of cranberry, she brought me a small container of cran-raisins. After eating about 2 of the scallops (to their credit, there were about 8 sea scallops served) I realized that the scallops were undercooked. I pushed the plate away and shared the pizza with my husband. I was very disappointed in the $17 entree I was served.
In summary, IF you patronize this establishment, stick with the pizza!!!!!
I took friends here last year for my husband's birthday (suprise). I'm from the city and was more than happy with the prices but our friends who are obviously local thought it was a bit pricey.
However, the food was OK - we didn't get anything special, just lots of pizzas to share. We figured if you go somewhere with a huge pizza oven displayed in the corner like that you should really get the pizza :0)
I didn't like the glasses they served the guiness in. Sounds a bit petty perhaps but I am a guiness lover. The guiness wasn't the best I've had in the area and they served it in these weird little glasses that looked like old glass jars with a handle on the side.
That said, in general we had a good night. All the staff were pleasant and polite and the place looks great!
I'd recommend you give this place a try and see if you like it. It's not amazing but it's not bad either. Depends on what kind of a night you're after?
Directly across from Binghamton's brand new bus terminal is a distinctive restaurant and bar with an authentic concept, design and menu. The aroma of the delicious woodfire Pizza happens to advertise its' taste a block away. The spirits and beer marinades for the barbecue gIve a spiked punch to the meat dishes and sides. Mooseheads and deerheads are mounted on the walls, with a gestalt of warm bucolic cabin-like decor, Souvenirs like mugs and T-shirts are for sale.
The crowd eats and parties hearty here. They are a whole lot more well-rounded and fastidious than much of the lower State Street lot.
A favorite, very fine bartender, 'Q', is well-known around town. He, like the balance of the staff, are well approachable and interested in patrons.
Some will remember this location as The Carlton Disco at Park Plaza when, say, Michael Jackson's Off-The-Wall was tops. It's even more lively now.
Will check you downtown here:). Lawrence Weinzimer
Visited Mad Moose again last week and son-of-a-gun, same story. This time, the wait staff was perfect, the bartender came and took our drink order right away because the waitress was busy and he knew every beer they had on tap (which is an impressive list)... Holland, the waitress was over shortly, she's friendly, efficient, great... I was thinking, maybe, FINALLY they're on the ball...
Our salads were absolutely perfect, served a little out of order because then came our appetizer.... delicious... until my son found a hair in one. Eck.
I was going to tell her about that, but our meals came pretty quickly (a little too quickly even).. I ordered the ribs because I'm always jealous when my boyfriend gets them. However, this time they were slathered in a weird kind of sweet, uncooked bbq sauce, not super flavorful. The same sauce was all over my son's pulled pork and neither of us liked the sauce. His pulled pork was dry compared to other times we've had it and my ribs lacked the great seasonings that I was jealous of when my boyfriend got them.
Anyway, the waitress asked how everything was and really pushed for an answer, so I told her about the ribs, I said, I'm not 'really' complaining, just disappointed they're not as good as when we've had them in the past. She was very nice about it and offered to get me a new meal, but it wasn't like they were 'that bad', just disappointing.
Anyway, then I felt too guilty to tell them about the hair.
The sweet potato fries are still not crispy like they use
d to be there, so also, disappointing.
Boyfriend got the pork empenadas which were delicious and the best item on the table.
I wish they would get it together, they really could be great if they focussed on quality and consistency.
Mad Moose has probably been around for 5 years now and it's probably gone through about as many overhauls. When they first opened it was a swanky bar with couches, a dance floor, and projection screen TV's. It was definitely one of the nicer bars in the Binghamton area, with the ever-present beer selection problems that plague just about every Bing establishment. These days it's transformed into more of a restaurant that serves BBQ and pizza, kind of like a sports bar with dead animals on the wall instead of sports paraphernalia. Â I have not had the pleasure of trying the food but have heard it's pretty good. Â I will remedy that one of these days.
The bar has gotten a little better over time. The beer selection usually includes something from Great Lakes Brewing and Brooklyn, which I find to be good options. They don't have pitchers, so that's kind of a bummer, and they serve the beer in mason jars instead of actual glasses, which I, as a beer snob, do not appreciate. Bartenders are totally hit or miss. Some are pretty good, some have no clue what they're doing. My wife got an "amaretto sour" that was most certainly not an amaretto sour. They do make a nice White Russian with several different vodka options. This dude abides.
This is pretty much our default place for gathering with friends downtown. It's outside the fratty bar scene of State St. and it's a nice big space. For a Binghamton bar, Mad Moose isn't bad at all...
This place showed up around my junior year of college, after maximum exposure to the other ratty, gross bars in the area, which made me appreciate it more.
There are actual cushioned seats, large screen tvs and actual shot glasses (not.. plastic.. spit up.. mini cups. I don't even know what to make of them). Â It's a good time, a different and more laid back crowd and just plain cleaner. At least I hope it still is.
Absolutely the best wood-fired brick oven pizza in the area - second to none! i have had the red pizza and the BBQ pizza and they are both amazing. If you are a true connoisseur of pizza (not someone who goes for crappy bulk sheet pizza) then you owe it to yourself to try Mad Moose's pie!
Also had the pulled pork, ribs and sweet potato fries (with honey Tabasco sauce) and they are all incredible! The service was not outstanding the first time we went, but the food was so awesome that it is worth the wait. Everything is so flavorful that it is addictive. I need to have their food at least every few weeks or else I go into withdrawal!
I had the pleasure of grabbing some lunch at the Mad Moose today after the Parade Day festivities. Â We were not disappointed! Â I had the Pulled Pork sandwich which came with one side (I had the sweet potato fries and they were really good) a side of slaw and a piece of tasty cornbread - all this for $7.95! Â I guess Dave Dunster from the now defunct DC Dunster's is the chef and he did not disappoint. Â They also have homemade desserts and we chose to get the Banana Foster Bread Pudding and the Pecan Pie - both were excellent! Â
We had a chance to talk with the owner and they will be serving woodfire pizza in the next few weeks so that is definitely something to look forward to! Â The Moose has a great atmosphere with plenty of space, great beers on tap (16 to be exact) and very good service. Â I highly recommend it!
So much potential. But I have to say, I was really disappointed.
I liked the ambiance. Interestingly and thoughtfully themed place. But unfortunately this was lost on me.
First, we were told that the cover charge was $5 per person and that the band was "good." When our group of four turned to venture back to State St., the bouncer offered us a $10 group rate. See, I'm really not into a drinking-bartering combination situation. Makes me wonder what else you have to complain about.
Maybe the drinks. My fiance's mixed drink was all mixer and no liquor. This could have been a fluke, but definitely a bad first impression. The "good" band was in fact good, but even sitting near the entrance to the bar our group was unable to carry on a conversation.
Maybe we'll try again another night, maybe not.
WOW was I surprised when I walked into this place last Friday night...
Mad Moose Saloon is what joints on State Street can never and/or will never be - Mad Moose is BIG, CLEAN and full of CHARACTER. From the subtle signage on the building's exterior to the fantastic coat check desk, down the grand stairs to the left, it is HUGE and wonderful down there. Ample seating and a friendly get-together, not meat market atmospere, this place is for grown-ups who have given up on downtown Binghamton - call some friends and head to the Mad Moose.
Oh, hello Mad Moose Saloon. Nice to see you again. I spent many a drunken nights in you. Thank you for that.
Mad Moose is unlike anything else that is currently in Binghamton or has ever been to Binghamton. It's chic, it's cool, it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy as you walk down the grand staircase into pure mayhem.
FREE COAT CHECK. FREE COAT CHECK. This is the BEST THING EVER. Cover is meh. If you're a girl, it's easy to talk your way out of it or to sneak in behind a friend. Sometimes they make you wait outside in the line for NO REASON and when you get inside you see there are approximately 15 people in the bar, staff included. Cool, Mad Moose. Real cool.
GET TO KNOW A BARTENDER. Your bank account with thank you later for it. Drinks are expensive, so bat the eyelashes and turn on the charm. I myself, managed to snag 5 Irish Car Bombs for the total price of $10. Niiiice.
Plush couches -- great for a drunken cat nap. Layout is strange as far as restrooms go; the ladies room is kind of hidden. There is a supposed VIP room, which if you ask me, is totally creepy and the only people who go in there are douche bags.
Best time to go to Mad Moose? On a night when not many people are going because the owner gets on the microphone and holds contests. Â Fun!
If I were 21 again, I think I would dig this place. Not so much now. Â The drinks are pretty well priced. The layout/decor is okay. I don't play pool, foosball, nor do I watch TV at bars (unless I'm by myself), so all those elements are lost on me.
This place is really geared to the college crowd. College is far enough behind me that I felt a little out of place. And on a thursday night at 9:00, it was all dudes in the place (despite the fact that it was a ladies night with $2 well drinks).
So it wasn't for me. I could see it being good for the BU students.
Mad Moose is exactly what Binghamton New York needed. Â It's definitely unlike any other night spot in Binghamton, or the entire area for that matter. Â Mad Moose really does its best to offer 20-somethings a cool place to go. Â It's a very spacious below-street-level bar with modern, HDTVs, pool tables, couches and arm chairs and well-dressed young professionals.
The only complaint that I have is that it can be hit or miss. It could be awesome, or it could be all dudes, or it could be a bunch of older people. Â You never know, and you won't know since you can't just look in the windows. Â Some times you'll be glad you walked over there, some times you may just end up walking back out.
If I were to design a bar, this is what it would look like. Â There is a dramatic staircase entrance down to a huge, concrete space wardened off into different sections: huge projection tv, pool, foosball, clusters of velvety couches, and, of course, an enormous bar featuring flat screen Samsungs whose only purpose is to showcase their enormous and reasonably priced drink list. Â The space is decorated with huge (fake, I think) stuffed animal heads (ok, this part of the decor I might not choose, maybe huge stuffed cupcakes instead, but it works here). Â Too bad Mad Moose wasn't open when I was an undergrad here, because this would have definitely been our regular hangout.
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