The Boatyard Grill
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(12/20/23) Got there a bit early, just starting to get busy. Seated right away, after the manager realised the hostess was taking forever with several people($#@&!) getting last minute gift cards. Had a very friendly waitress, attentive. Our drinks came out fast and were delicious. The jalepino bussiness was almist as good as there jalepino margheritas. Food also came out fast. Very tasty, as usual. Prices are getting a bit high. Nice treat evertime we come though. (6/23/19) Stopped by on a Sunday at 6, very busy but got right in. Our server was quick and super friendly. Did a good job. We got a seafood tower, clams and calamari- good as usual, but the seafood sauce for the shrimp was just weird! I got the black co entree- pretty good , as well as the tuna roll sushi- very good! Nice change up fo tBY. Wife got the tuna steak and it was cooked perfectly and tasted amazing. Still need GF bread, not very fair to set a loaf of bread In front of somebody when they cant eat it, especially when you've already told them you are GF. Let's find an alternative please. There is 10 million gluten/wheat sensitive people estimated! All in all, cant wait to go back!!!(6/2/18) went to Boatyard for a nice summer evening dinner. After the chaos of finding a parking spot, I was pleased to get a nice table right away. Our waitress was prompt and helpful, but not friendly at all. The other folks that brought our food were super friendly. Our drinks, mojitos and jalapeno margarita, were the best drinks we ever got there. Excellent. I didn't get his name, sorry, but I did recognize the bartender from past visits. Pay him, keep him! Our food which was a prime rib and shrimp and grits were delicious. I wanted another to take home! We look forward to returning another evening. Ps, please get GF bread and pasta. [7/7/17] Let me start by saying that The Boatyard used to be our go-to place, for years. Our last few visits,1 to 2 years ago, we're so bad for several reasons we had to stop going. That being said, it seemed like time to give another chance. Service was friendly, but a little slow. Food was excellent! The seafood tower is overpriced, but tasty. And you can't beat the view for sure. The drinks, which used to be great, were very weak and flavorless. And, we did not enjoy watching a filthy, barefoot person change his childs poop diaper right outside the window. And then he came in and picked up a to-go order, touching doors and who knows what without washing his hands. Disgusting. While what people do can't be controlled, it was a busy night and several people saw this, as well as at least two servers. They should have mentioned the lack of shoes to the person and definitely wiped behind him. Please, get some gluten free pasta!!!! Looks like things are headed in the right direction, we will be back. Update [1/19/18] : Stopped after some Cornell wrestling for supper. Our server was very friendly. Our food was very good! The new menu items were a nice change. Loved the shrimp rissoto! Our drinks were very good. Still would love to see gluten free pasta option. And maybe some gluten free bread, it can be found right in town fresh. Please, GF options. Overall, a very pleasant winter evening dinner!! We will be back.
Neil WesterveltNeil Westervelt
00
Boatyard Grill ... If you haven't been, definitely GO! The food, the service, the vibe is IMMACULATE. Our server Daniel was so skilled and intuitive I asked how long he'd been working there and he said 18 years. I can tell, he literally anticipated our needs before we knew them. One of the signs of a fantastic restaurant are how skilled the workers are and how long they retain them. Boatyard Grill is a FANTASTIC restaurant and experience. Upon reception the staff is warm, friendly and communicative. They gently explained that our wait time would be about 20 minutes which was fine. Absolutely worth the wait! Everything was beyond delicious, like beyond and y'all know I COOK so I'm very mindful of flavors and how they should go together. The crab cakes: buttery, flavorful and scrumptious with hints of lemon and tarragon. I had to pause and say "did I make these? Lol đ€Ł The Ceaser Salad: Crispy lettuce with croutons and shredded parmesan cheese. You can tell the parmesan is aged well and not store bought. It tastes artisanal. The Ceaser dressing is top tier!!! I love Ceaser Salad but not everyone gets the dressing right. Boatyards dressing is amazing and I suspect made from scratch. The Lobster fra diavolo : Someone's Italian Nonna is in the kitchen making this food OMG!!! It's that good!!! It tastes homemade. The pasta is the exact texture I like, the scallops were perfection as was the lobster. The tomato sauce is definitely made from scratch, there's even a few tomato seeds in the sauce. Everything was sooooo good omg! My daughter ordered seafood Mac and cheese. I'm actually not a fan of seafood Mac but I tasted hers and OMG it was insane!!!! They use cellentani pasta which absorbs flavor and sauce beautifully. It had a delicious smoky flavor. Just amazing. The Bahama Mama: The best Bahama Mama I've had at a restaurant period. Definitely TREAT yourself and check them out. This was definitely a TREAT. 10 of 10!!!
Sulaiminah BurnsSulaiminah Burns
00
We went to the boatyard this past weekend while on a getaway overnight in Ithaca. The boatyard is where my husband and I went on one of our first dates so we have always made it a point to go there for anniversaries or whenever we get to go to ithaca however the last two times have finally turned us away. The last time we went was for our anniversary last August. We always tell them itâs our anniversary and itâs a special dinner and that we want outdoor seating if possible. We waited an hour and a half to almost two hours just to be seated right in the booth where the bar area was. We looked past it even though we were a little irritated. Skip to dinner. We both order pricier items on the menu. Both our meals were undercooked and my husbands, who was more expensive was very very low portioned. So we mentioned it to the waiter as well as about the seating arrangement and he brought the manager over after explaining it to him. He completely brushed it off, not caring about anything we were saying, just took the food off our bill. Which was the last thing we cared about. Just wanted to make it known how our important night kinda went to crap. Fast forward to this past weekend. We were going to go somewhere else but we figured weâd try one more time. We got in fairly quick and actually got a perfect table right outside on the dock. Upon getting the menu we were confused on what happened to half of it since the last time we came. Ordered our food and the appetizer was delicious! However getting our meal, my dinner again was undercooked and my husbands food had a long piece of hair right on top. Instantly threw his appetite. However we both waited patiently to have our food sent back to the kitchen. To take precautionary measures I told my husband to cut just one of the tomatoes in half to see if they just pull the hair out or toss the whole thing. To our surprise, the tomato was still in the dish so we knew it wasnât changed out. And my food now tasted rubbery. So we mention to the kitchen staff who came to check on us that it was never dumped and we apologized for being âthose peopleâ but that we knew what they did. We ended up getting my husband something simple and I barely touched my food and we let the server know and again, the food was taken off. I do not mind at all paying for expensive food. But when I do so and go to a nice restaurant, I dont expect it to taste rubbery or have hair in it. Especially since this had been our second bad experience in a row here. VERY disappointed with how much this place has gone downhill since itâs such a beautiful restaurant and scenery for dining. The staff is mediocre and the management is terrible and I wouldnât recommend anyone to come here unless itâs for casual drinking. Do better Boatyard! Itâs not about the free meals, itâs about bettering the experience youâre giving your customers and paying closer to attention to why people are coming here!
Victoria BaxterVictoria Baxter
00
When we arrived it was very busy and had an hour wait. Nice we could utilize "self serve" (no wait staff assistance) bar and appetizer area. Got a strawberry mojito that wasn't like ones I've had before. Bartender did adjust it added some sweetness and a hint of strawberry flavoring which made it good then. We were suggested toenjoy thr voew outsoxe while we waited which was our biggest disappointment cuz it would have been wonderful to have but it was too chilly out not their fault obviously but they did have a "fire pit which would been wonderful while we waited for our table but it was not lit sadly so we went back in to wait. I also noticed tables were available but couldn't be used cuz they weren't cleaned minor issue (could be why so many of us were waiting so long but I'm thankful they showed up and maybe this was intentional to help not overwhelm servers and staff if they were under staffed either way just an observation reasoning unknown and they did give am accurateseating time ) . I got the ribeye with the butter drizze. Steak was cooked perfectly and was great yum,sides were ok not what I'd want serverd with a $30 steak ... small boiled potatoes and some roasted tomatoes, I'd suggest some mashed garlic mascarpone yukons to complimentthe steak. My boyfriend whom is a vegetarian got the Impossible burger which he said was really good. Dinner bread was a bit hard to cut but did taste good. The artichoke dip was nice and hot when served and tasted very good. Would go back.
Janice Evans-HudzinskiJanice Evans-Hudzinski
00
This is a long overdue review for this restaurant so if there was a recent change in ownership, the review may not reflect current situation at this business. My mom was visiting me in Ithaca so I took her to Boatyard Grill believing it's one of the nicest in the area. We ordered seafood splash down tower as a starter and a couple of entrée items. When the starter came to the table, I immediately noticed that the metal "tower" that holds plates were completely covered in dust and spider web. I removed plated to see how bad it was then I called the waiter and showed it to him. He apologized and offered me to remake the starter. I was angry but didn't want to make a scene in front of mom so simply declined the offer. Mom and I both lost appetite so asked for a check after eating 1/3 of the entrée. The waiter explained that they did not charge for the starter we sent back and did not reorder. I've simply taken my business elsewhere since then. Giving them the benefit of doubt and say this was an accident, still tells me a lot about carelessness of the staff. Someone must have picked it up from the place it gather all that dust and spider web in the first place, then the person responsible for plating would have seen it's condition before placing dishes on it, then the waiter had to carry it out to the table. How could they collectively fail to notice this absolute abomination? To see pics, click my name and look for a review for this restaurant.
WS KangWS Kang
00
I am re-reviewing this place I had previously given five stars. We have been here many times and in my opinion the place is starting to slip. First the wait staff, previously it has been top notch, but on our last few visits not so much. They were less than knowledgeable in menu selection and much less attentive. Little things like making sure our drinks are topped off, or offering complimentary bread, which used to be standard. Or just asking if we would like straws for our drink. They did not even inquire if we wanted dessert post meal. Next was the food, it used to be excellent, now just okay. We used to travel about an hour for their Prime Rib on the WE. Now only when available. This time I had the very pricey Filet Super Cut ( no prime rib on menu). I asked for medium and came out very well and char broiled. Very disappointed after traveling all that way. We were comped half the price. But expected more from a restaurant that used to be five stars. Finally the prices, they have significantly increased but the food quality has not. You used to get a salad with your entree now it is an extra charge. Same with the bread I mentioned above. This is still a very good restaurant but we have been going there over 20 years. It just isn't top notch. Will we go back in the future? Undecided.
Mike WelchMike Welch
00
Nearby Attractions Of The Boatyard Grill
Ithaca Farmers Market
Sciencenter
ALDI
Cass Park
Ithaca Children's Garden
Finger Lakes Beverage Center
Island Health & Fitness
Ren's Mart
Ports of New York Winery
HIWay HIFi

Ithaca Farmers Market
4.7
(1.4K)Click for details

Sciencenter
4.7
(692)Click for details

ALDI
4.5
(483)Click for details

Cass Park
4.5
(282)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of The Boatyard Grill
Ithaca Bakery
The State Diner
Maxie's Supper Club & Oyster Bar
Maru Ramen
Milkstand Restaurant
Franco's Pizzeria
Taste of Thai Express
Gimme! Coffee - MLK St.
Saigon Kitchen
Kelly's Dockside Cafe

Ithaca Bakery
4.4
(1.2K)Click for details

The State Diner
4.2
(692)Click for details

Maxie's Supper Club & Oyster Bar
4.5
(527)$$
Click for details

Maru Ramen
4.6
(482)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
525 Old Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850, United States
Map
Phone
+1 607-256-2628
Call
Website
boatyardgrill.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.4
(983 reviews)
Ratings & Description
Description
American menu with Asian touches in a scenic lakeside setting with bands playing on an outdoor deck.
attractions: Ithaca Farmers Market, Sciencenter, ALDI, Cass Park, Ithaca Children's Garden, Finger Lakes Beverage Center, Island Health & Fitness, Ren's Mart, Ports of New York Winery, HIWay HIFi, restaurants: Ithaca Bakery, The State Diner, Maxie's Supper Club & Oyster Bar, Maru Ramen, Milkstand Restaurant, Franco's Pizzeria, Taste of Thai Express, Gimme! Coffee - MLK St., Saigon Kitchen, Kelly's Dockside Cafe
