Dina's — Restaurant in Town of Ellicottville

After decades of whisking down the pristine slopes of Ellicottville, a tradition as rich and enduring as the snow-laden peaks themselves, I’ve dined at nearly every establishment this winter haven has to offer. Yet, there's one place that perennially captures my discerning palate and penchant for the exquisite—Dina's. It’s not just a restaurant; it's an institution, a culinary gem nestled in the heart of Ellicottville that I, along with my family, have frequented for generations.

Walking into Dina's, one is immediately enveloped by an ambiance that harkens back to the glamorous 1970s après ski scene, yet with a contemporary flair that speaks to the sophisticated diner. The decor—elegant, understated, and impeccably tasteful—sets the perfect stage for what is consistently an extraordinary dining experience. Here, the art of cuisine is celebrated with a zeal that matches my own for the slopes.

The menu, a testament to culinary innovation, marries traditional favorites with a modern, health-conscious twist, meticulously prepared with locally sourced, organic ingredients. Each dish, from the pear gorgonzola salad to the Thai chicken chopped salad, the shrimp pizza, and beyond, is a masterpiece of flavor, meticulously crafted to cater to the most opulent of tastes. The commitment to freshness is palpable, with each bite reaffirming Dina's stature as a bastion of fine dining.

What sets Dina's apart, however, is not just the excellence of its cuisine but the warmth and professionalism of its service. In an era where the genuine feels increasingly rare, the staff at Dina's exude a sincerity and expertise that enhance the dining experience, making each visit memorable.

As someone with a taste for the finer things in life, who has experienced the luxury dining scenes from the Alps to Aspen, I assert that Dina's stands on par with the world's most elite establishments. It’s a place where memories are made, where the food is not just consumed but celebrated—a rare find in today's ephemeral dining landscape. For those who, like myself, demand nothing but the pinnacle of culinary excellence, Dina's in Ellicottville is an...

Came for Valentines.

Food flavor and presentation was 8/10, but there was pieces of a napkin mixed in and stuck to the potatoes. Can only imagine the various ways that could have got there. We stopped eating once we found that, unfortunately it was near the end of the meal so that was a bit unnerving.

For wine, we selected what seemed like a simple and straightforward $40 bottle of Pinot Grigio, we were told “sounds good,” a different bottle was brought to the table and we were told “we’re switching out the bottle you selected with this equal bottle” …we are not snobby about our wine, but we know a bit, and what we were given was a $14 bottle of wine and we knew it, though we were given the impression that we were expected to pay the same for this new bottle. Not sure if staff expected us not to know the value, or what the deal was. We asked for a different bottle after trying to be polite and give the first one a chance. We asked for a sauv blanc as a replacement, hoping to save our experience, we were suggested to have a bottle of the by glass SB that was “pretty good.” An odd suggestion when we thought it was clear what we had in mind in terms of quality and making it a somewhat special Valentines Dinner. No we weren’t going all out, but it was clear the mark we were trying to get to and it seemed like asking for a decent bottle of wine was like pulling teeth from the waiter.

No apologies, no discussion, we had to ask for everything - except water refills - generally it was very awkward. Just one example: we asked for a dessert menu when finished, waiter said sure, left, came back, and orally told us the two options which left much to desire for a Valentines Dinner anyway. We would like to note that we only leave reviews when it is good enough or bad enough to warrant one. This is our first one on Google as well. We felt the need to speak up here because we expected a lot more from our first time at Dina’s. Not sure yet if we’re willing to give it another chance, probably not, given the napkin trauma alone. Sounds like from everyone else’s review we didn’t have Tyler. Maybe that was a part of...

I didn't want to do this but since I haven't heard back from the restaurant. I wanted to leave my review. Me and my boyfriend were looking forward to a nice meal after skiing all day , I was starving. We started off our meal with ordering an app which was good. You waitress then took our order for our entrees I ordered the 45 dollar half duck meal the most expensive thing on the menu and my boyfriend ordered a large pizza for him self hoping he would have left overs for when we went home. We waited about 20 min for the pizza to come out. After my boyfriend finished to slices of pizza we had to ask about my entree because it hadn't come out yet and I was still very hungry. The waitress looked at us with a blank stare and said let me check. She then comes back and says she forgot to put it in. She then asks if we would like it taken off of our bill. Of course we did we never got it ??? Nothing was compensated for this I was disappointed I came there for the duck and left starving. I couldn't have much of the pizza either because I'm not suppose to have dairy. Needless to say I've never been to a restaurant where they forget your whole entree. I left a review with the restaurant and never heard back from anyone very...