Food was just okay. Restaurant is literally on the water, so it's a peaceful experience read more

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Creative food, especially the apps. Everything we ordered was delicious. Nice setting right on the water. Worth the trip even though it's a bit hard to find! read more

Great food. Awesome service and atmosphere plus a fun gift shop We had clam chowder and the best burgers with arugula and feta cheese. read more

The Blue Mingo is one of our favorite places to go, both for special occasions or just for a casual drink or meal. We went last week to celebrate our anniversary and had a wonderful time. We sat at an umbrella table on the dock. The weather was perfect and the lake was calm and beautiful. I ordered a lobster roll with sweet potato fries. The lobster was abundant and the fries were delicious. My husband has the steak frites with sweet potato fries. Also perfectly cooked and yummy. We both agreed that their sweet potato fries are the best in town, skinny and nicely crunchy. You can also order them as a side with aioli. I had a huge slice of carrot cake for dessert (I took half home and had it for breakfast the next morning. Hubby had a slice of their flourless chocolate tart, which he loved. Service was, as always, attentive and excellent. A memorable evening! read more

Had lunch at this amazing little gem. Sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful lake weather. Service was excellent and food was not only amazing but HUGE value! My wife had the count shrimp and I went with the beet salad and added lobster... it was much more than a lobster....healthy portion of the sweet and mild ocean creature! read more

Blue Mingo Grill - Coconut Shrimp and Beet Salad add lobster - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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A great location, overlooking Ostego Lake. The food is very good bar & grill type offerings. We enjoyed crab cakes, fish tacos, burgers and the tuna nachos. The nachos were particularly good. Everyone enjoyed their meal, some cocktails and the cool breeze off the lake. Can't really go wrong with any seat outside or on the back porch. Solid service, they checked in regularly and were happy to take a few photos of us. Slightly on the louder side (bar and grill vibe), but it fit with what we were looking for as a family meal as opposed to a date night. read more

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Traveling around the area we were planning next stop to see the Cardiff Giant, rather hangry we chose Blue Mingo for the view after Googling local restaurants. View is wonderful! Service was extremely slow despite plenty of wait staff. Our waiter in particular disappeared for long periods at a time. (Perhaps a girlfriend in the kitchen?) Simple menu, many drink choices, everything was good. After eating our food and waving down the waiter and handing him our cards when he returned with our checks, we were able to leave just in time for the short drive and a quick view of the giant but no time for the museum which was closing. We had not anticipated almost 2 hours for dinner. Go for the view, food is ok, expect to spend some time there. read more

Blue Mingo Grill - Dining by the water - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Entrees are less than average quality Rude and pompous waiting staff Long wait for food and service Entrees served at table several minutes apart You will be scolded for requesting check split Water overlook ambiance is boat docks Locals welcomed, others are not Many, many better options in & around town read more

When I found out we were going up to Cooperstown I checked into dinner spots for Wifey and I and this was my first choice. I liked the reviews, I liked the menu, and I liked the pix on Yelp. Blue Mingo did NOT let us down. We made reservations for 6:30 and when we finally found the place (it's hidden from the road and actually behind some buildings right on the lake) we were seated immediately. We ordered a couple of our old standby drinks - I had a Perfect Makers Mark Manhattan and Wifey ordered a Tanqueray and Tonic. We listened to the dinner specials and decided to try the appetizer special which was a local cheese plate with bread and pieces of rabbit sausage and quail sausage. All of the cheese on the plate was sourced locally, within ten miles of the restaurant, and the whole plate was amazing. For dinner I had the Chilean Sea Bass with a soy glaze with coconut rice and cooked fresh spinach drizzled with a sesame oil and soy combo. Wifey ordered Grilled Salmon with coconut rice and a soy ginger glaze and asparagus. Our meals were both very good, in fact Wifey LOVED hers. Salmon was exactly how she wanted it barely to medium. My sea bass was a huge portion and tasted GREAT, but it was a little under done for me. Don't get me wrong, there was NOTHING wrong with it, but I should have asked for it to me cooked for about a minute longer-my fault. The only thing about my meal I didn't love was the spinach (and I normally love spinach) as there was a little too much sesame oil for my liking. Again, this is a personal thing with me and not an issue for the rest of the spinach eating world. For dessert we had a couple of decaf coffees and a slab of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting to share. OMG the carrot cake was amazing-fresh, moist, and the frosting was perfect. I know I read some negative reviews about service, but I didn't see it at all. In fact, our waitress was not only a great server, but she knew the menu very well and even gave some info on the lake and the Craft Castle across the lake. Totally recommend Blue Mingo...I'd eat here again in a heartbeat! read more

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After your tour of the baseball Hall of Fame, slake your hunger outdoors by the lake. The spot is just up the road 3 miles from Cooperstown. What a wonderful find. Patio by Otsego Lake with some seating next to the docks. Food 4 stars seating. comfort and service 5 stars read more

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This is by far our very favorite local restaurant. We love to sit right on the water, enjoying the view of the lake and Kingfisher Tower, The service is usually good and the food is consistently outstanding. They will add lobster (and a lot of it!) to any dish for 9-15 dollars. The cocktails are exceptional! The brussels sprouts are so delicious they should be on the dessert menu. My husband loves the lobster pasta, my kids love the lobster roll, and I, who usually go for healthier options, opt for the salmon or a salad substituting the chicken for lobster. OMG. They are so good. I try to resist their desserts, but they do not make it easy. The Keylime pie in a cup is just incredible. We have a business in town and we recommend this place to ALL our customers. Counting the days until opening day in May! read more

Nice atmosphere, wonderful service, and great food. Try their Cosmos! Waterfront restaurant on beautiful Lame Otsego. read more

Can't beat the setting, outdoor quiet on the lake. I had clam chowder which was fine, lots of clams. Also had a brussel sprout dish with a chimichurri type sauce. Enjoyed it, but the sauce was just a tad sweet for my liking. Reasonably priced for what you get. read more

Excellent experience and I was, quite frankly, beyond pleasantly surprised. Dined there during a fantastic thunderstorm with my little boy and I'd give high marks all around: food, ambiance and the service. We will be back when we visit the lake again. read more

We called the Blue Mingo Grill before driving the 35 miles one way to enjoy a late lunch / early dinner on 5/12/22 I called first to check the hours and the voice message said they will open at noon. Upon arrival a couple of hours later - the place looked closed. While starting to walk in, a guy who acted like he was the owner was walking out. He said, "not much going on in there" .. I asked is it open .. he said .. no .. I told him the voice message said they open at noon. He told me they are closed and not open for the summer yet. What really sucked is that he laughed and found it all funny ... saying it's last years message. What a crappy businessman. We drove 35 miles (one way) to get there only to be laughed at my someone who appeared to be the owner - to at least he was the person in charge. What a disappointment. 4 Web sites give 4 different days and hours of operation and the voice message stating the hours is 100% wrong - then customers get laughed at. That's crap. read more

The shrimp wrap and service was great! This was the perfect place to kick start our trip to Cooperstown. The lake view was beautiful! Bring a sweater. read more

We are locals. Have been dining here since the get go. The 2021 season was WONDERFUL. The food, the servers the Bartenders - Everything was excellent. And we are here a lot. A lot. You can't beat the location- in the boatyard, overlooking Otsego Lake and the boats coming and going. What's better than that? Thanks everyone! read more

Drinks were great, the location and view of Otsego Lake was beautiful. Our server was friendly and attentive, and our food came out quickly. However, for two drinks, one appetizer and two entrees our bill came to just under $100. The food was good but nothing spectacular, definitely overpriced. read more

Blue Mingo Grill - View from our table - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Views of the lake was spectacular even if we went on a rainy day. Cocktails are delicious, staff is kind and friendly. Appetizers: beef stew - salty ; Brussel sprouts- delicious; vegetable potstickers- meh. Entrees : grits with shrimp and chorizo - too decadent ; lobster pasta - fresh and good; baby ribs - ok ; fish tacos - light and delicious. read more

Service was ok , food was ok , the view was pleasant looking over the lake . You can also rent pontoon boats read more

Food was just ok but pricey. The view is beautiful. However, the service is horrible. The manager was rude and condescending to our group. There are a lot of better places in Cooperstown to go that welcome your business. Skip this place. read more

Good food, fantastic waiter Tanner. Loved the carrot cake. Thank you. Really nice atmosphere on the lake. Enjoyed the outdoor seating area.

Not much choice for food in the Cooperstown area. Several places closed so we tried to phone to make sure they were open. Message only said "no reservations" & we waited for someone to pick up the phone. She said hello then immediately hung up (or was disconnected) but at least we could assume it was open so we went. Lovely view sitting by the water. I ordered steak frites & it was cooked to perfection (the steak) but the fries were overly salty. My companion ordered a special that came with salad. He specified "no onions" & it appeared that they heard it as "extra onions" as he picked off dozens of onion pieces! Other than that, the service was fine & food was delicious. read more

Got the upgrade salad with the sandwiches..just spring lettuce and dressing...no other vegys. That's not a salad..that's lettuce. Just a heads up. read more

Terrible management. They don't like large groups or those dinning with children. We did have a larger group that was diverse so I hope other motivations were not in play but this was worst dining experience I have had in my life. read more

Went often this summer with Ian C. Why? Because really tasty regular menu & super-tasty specials created by Ilario. what made it work as well, was fully-staffed during these v-days, so even when packed, service was smooth. will be back next Summer. (i hope). ps. the view is amazing. read more

What great view of the lake! This place is located where you would never expect to find a restaurant. Tucked back down off the road, you wonder if you are driving in the correct location. Once inside, they have a gift shop to walk through to get to restaurant. Most seating is outside right on the lake. Menu is plentiful enough in choice, and will appeal to lots of tastes. Food wise, the clam chowder was very good. Lobster pasta was outstanding with lots left over to eat. Very filling. The Chilean sea bass was good, but the portion was very small for the price point. Chicken pot pie crust was prepared well and the fillings were plentiful. Service was somewhat slow, but our waitress was helpful when we needed something. The prices and the slow service made me mark down to 4 stars. Thought about 3 stars at first, but overall felt that wouldn't be fair. Just expect to pay extra and know you will need extra time. read more

I don't know why so many people rave about this place. The service was so so. $19 for a 3/4 filled lobster roll. Don't bother getting a side salad for an extra two dollars because all they do is throw a bunch of lettuce leaves on your plate with a side of dressing. I don't know when a"salad" became a bunch of dry greens but......,$35 on lunch & left hungry. Plastic cups, yuk. read more

What an awesome place! I just moved to Cooperstown and a family member recommended the Blue Mingo to me for lunch. I was not disappointed in the least bit. The dining area is outside and they have a spectacular view of Lake Otsego (you can rent all sorts of boats from them too, which is great). The service was very good and our meal was delicious. We got siracha fries for an appetizer and they were soooo good. I got a blue cheese burger for my meal and it was one of the best burgers I've ever had. They have Ommegang on tap and that always warrants an extra star in my mind. Bottom line: great food, great service, a great location make this a perfect place to grab lunch!! read more

Worst service experience ever! We had a 6p reservation and were seated right away. By 630p, nobody had ever come to our table. I went to check with the hostess, and still nobody showed up until 645p. We placed our drink, appetizer, and dinner order ... and then again - nothing. At around 730p, our appetizer come out and then still no drinks. We sat there watching other waitresses attending to other tables or bringing second rounds of drinks. We could see our waitress from across the restaurant attending to other tables but then ... still nothing. Finally, we waived down another waitress and she brought over the manager. Then our food came out and they came back to check on us, but we again had to ask for our drinks ... while we waited for another 5-10 min as our food got cold waiting for our drinks to come out. Worst service ever! Do not come here if they seem busy - their staff and management cannot handle it and you won't be able to enjoy the view. Although the view is gorgeous, the horrendous service does not make up for it. Skip this place and head to Hawkeye ..: way better service !!!! read more

Blue Mingo Grill - That's the inattentive manager who made our experience horrible! - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

We were staying at the Otesaga hotel and our masseuses and a local couple we met at the Hawkeye recommended Blue Mingo over almost all the down town restaurants for dinner. Completely lived up to expectations. Wife's lobster role was perfect. My salmon was prepared just right. Because of a restricted diet I got broccolini but was actually happy it wound up being cauliflower which I love and is hard to find. Our server Allison was very helpful - knew the menu and checked on us regularly. Having dinner by the water with a breeze was very relaxing. This is worth coming to when you visit Cooperstown. read more

What a gem! All was delicious! The lobster rolls were huge, the steamers were perfectly cooked and the sea bass was the best sea bass I've ever had. It's right on the water so there is a perfect view the whole time. The service was phenomenal as well. Server was very helpful with my dairy allergy as well as choosing a wine. read more

Blue Mingo Grill - Delicious wine! - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

Great atmosphere and food. We went at a busy time and tried to sit outside but it took so long for someone to come to the table that we went inside, sat at the bar and had a great meal regardless. I'd say it's a "must" when visiting Cooperstown. read more

My first impression of Blue Mingo wasn't great. I pulled in a narrow gravel parking lot and the outside of the restaurant looked like a dingy warehouse. The inside looks kind of cool though, like some weathered bar and grill on the water where Jimmy Buffett would hang out with preppy friends. I ordered Larry's Death Dog for $11 (1/4 pound kosher hot dog stuffed with cheddar cheese, wrapped in bacon and served with french fries). It was okay. The menu said it was fried so I was expecting a breading on it, but it tasted like any other hot dog. The service was terrific. Our server was quick and kind (and cute :)). Blue Mingo has a nice gift shop with a large selection for a small restaurant. read more

Nice local restaurant with a great view of Otsego lake near Cooperstown NY. It is located at a marina, so you get to see boats come and go, and boaters on the lake like to stop and eat here also. The menu has a nice variety of burgers, tacos, wraps, salads, and appetizers. They also have beer and mixed drinks. read more

Blue Mingo Grill - The Sleeping Lion. Burger with goat cheese, maple bacon chutney, and arugula. - American Near Me - Cooperstown, New York

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This is to place to come for lunch while in Cooperstown if you are here for the Dreams Park! Great service, food is all LOCAL, and the atmosphere is outstanding! Off the path, a few miles out of town. Super place! read more

The place has a beautiful view. The area has a appetizing scent. Has 2 items to share. Shrimp wrap and lobster roll. The Wrap is barely passable, and the lobster roll was great. read more

Location and service is great. My wife asked Elijah, or server, his recommendation and he suggested the Country Salad. She took his suggestion and raved about the salad all afternoon. We brought the leftovers home with us and she had the rest for dinner the next night. She continued to rave. Nice menu, nice atmosphere and great service. read more

We had planned to eat lunch at Otesaga but were told we needed to reserve at least a week in advance. Searched Yelp and found the Blue Mingo. We were very pleased with our lunches. Atmosphere was great and the outside seating is very nice. read more

Decent food. Great atmosphere. Dog friendly. Waiter brought our dog water along with ours, which was much appreciated. Definitely a bit of a hidden gem! read more