Trackside Restaurant — Restaurant in City of Utica

I'm reviewing this establishment as a former employee & you could say customer since I also enjoyed a meal almost every shift courtesy of Rich & Cheryl; The Owners. I spent alot of late nites in this kitchen contributing to what came to be successful bridal showers, weddings, occasional live music acts as well as some holidays like ringing in the New Year. So I can honestly say I've never came across a Chef like Richard and I've worked in numerous restaurants all over CNY including The Capital Region. Keep in mind he, his wife Cheryl & their two grown children not only own the "what is?" that makes up Trackside Restaurant & Banquets, they devote their days to running the establishment along with a handful of dedicated employees. But what I'm trying to get at is, most places I've encountered, you wouldn't dare catch the owner getting their hands dirty & definitely not taking the garbage out. If it was a really busy weekend for regular business, then add a wedding reception for 120 ppl, naturally all sides "Of the House" would be slammed obviously. Well this guy would jump rite in the "Dish Pit" so to speak & just do what needed to be done without the whining/crying, if a skillet Seared Salmon or Bacon Wrapped Filet somehow came out wrong or the customer was dissatisfied, he would rather throw it away, make a whole new entree just to make sure it was proper & the customer pleased with their selection. Now I can tell you something, many restaurants would not toss a $30.00 entree in the trash to just make another, matter of fact I've witnessed meals hit the floor, be picked up & repositioned on the platter with a garnish, then "Ring, Ring Order Up", I sh** you not. Well you won't find that disgusting business practice at The Trackside Restaurant, not with the amount of energy & heart they pour into it. So support local business as well as your stomach with a guaranteed to impress experience all around!

Dinner; Thurs - Sat Lunch; Mon -...

Check-out my full VIDEO, review on YouTube, under the channel-name of Copper Vision. Excellent food. Had the New Zealand rack-of-lamb. Slightly cooked above medium-rare. Very moist, tender, not over-spiced. The plum sauce was outstanding, with the meat. Slice of acorn squash, and the lamb, was seton a bed of mashed potato, complete with a edible flower garnish. Spent five minutes taking pictures of the entree. The Trackside Restaurant, atmosphere was a delight. Very quiet for being in a train station. And yes, you can go from the restaurant, directly to the trains. Daily specials, are not to be missed. The server, was very good at pointing-out the specials and she was not invasive, giving us plenty of privacy. The noise-level was better than most restaurants with similar menu pricing. No need to shout at your own-table. And the buffet party near our table was barely noticeable. Just a very pleasant atmosphere. Casual-dress requirement. This is another fine-dinging restaurant, that should do away with, "Casual." Nothing wrong requiring guys to wear a dress-jac, and tie, with no sandals. Seriously. Men with sandals at a restaurant, is just being a Snowflake. Lastly. The lighting. Tires of restaurants having a way-to-dark theme. It's not like we're going to have sex on-the-table, after dinner. Like eating in a cave. You won't feel like you're reading a novel, when browsing the menu items. Any questions, just ask your server. We all left the Trackside restaurant, very gratified. Well worth a second visit. Another elegant Utica, New York restaurant, that deserves five stars. And Five stars, to the kitchen staff, for a...

I was visiting Utica from Virginia with my grandparents and when it came time for dinner, I looked up the highest rated restaurant as they are somewhat picky eaters. We showed up to Trackside and were slightly hesitant as it wasn't busy and the ambiance was a bit strange.

I am beyond glad we decided that we were too hungry to try some place else. I frequently think about our dinner experience there and will be back to Utica if not to just have their side salad again. It is definitely an entire experience. The waitress was absolutely lovely and knowledgeable about each dish and what wines would pair well. The food was incredibly fresh and the portions were large enough to take some home to enjoy again the next day (and maybe the day after that). I can not give Trackside more praise. This is a hidden...