I have been here several times. The best time to go is definitely during their seafood season. They have amazing oyster and shrimp. The prices are decent. Kathleen has been our server numerous times and she is fabulous. I'd definitely request her if it's your first time. She is extremely knowledgeable about the menu. Cocktails are also amazing and the view is unbeatable. read more

See all

Ate dinner here tonight primarily for the view with high hopes for an equally great dinner....and we were happily satisfied! We actually stopped up yesterday to check the place out, erroneously thinking this was a hotel with a small restaurant attached. (It's actually a restaurant with banquet facilities.) When we arrived, there were no people sitting inside, and we couldn't see the outside dining area, so we, again, erroneously, though they were closed. (Everyone was dining outside enjoying the view!) We asked about making a reservation for tonight at 7, and the hostess told us they should be able to accommodate us no matter what, but we made one just in case. Then earlier today we decided to try to eat dinner around 6 pm, and figured we would go up and take our chances an hour before our reservation. The restaurant was pretty full, but there were still some outside tables, and we were happy they could accommodate us. We had a great table overlooking the Chemung Valley. Friday nights there is live music, and our table was nicely situated to enjoy it. We ordered a glass of wine and a prosecco, the brussels sprouts and salmon cakes starters, a Caesar dinner salad, and I got a dessert. Our favorite was the brussels sprouts which were perfectly seared, and were dressed with bacon, onions and slices of parmesan. The salmon cakes were ok - they tasted fine but texture-wise they were very soft/mushy, and fell apart when we tried to move them to our small plates. The Caesar salad we had mixed reviews - I thought the light house-made dressing over fresh romain with slivers of parmesan was a great palate-cleansing final course, but my friend felt that the dressing did not taste like Caesar at all, and said she would not order it again. Despite the mixed reviews (sorry no picture) we ate the whole thing. For dessert, I still had room, so I got their 'summer dessert' of lemon meringue parfait - basically lemon curd over vanilla ice cream topped with toasted meringue. The curd and ice cream were exactly what I wanted, but the granulated sugar in the meringue was not fully dissolved, so the meringue was gritty and very very sweet. Still, I ate it all. Service was fantastic with a team of young ladies taking care of us. And, despite the restaurant being really busy, our food came out fairly quickly. A few additional notes - we were there roughly 2 hours, enjoying our meal and drinks, and in that time the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. We were ready for it with sweaters and scarves, but many outside diners were not. There are some big fire pits which they turned on just as it was getting dark - these were great and if we had more energy we might have stayed longer and enjoyed the ambiance. Also, reservations are definitely recommended if you want to sit outside. The place is quite large so there's lots of inside seating, but outside is pretty special. Finally, like other spots in Elmira, almost all the wines on their list are fingerlakes wines - there are a couple from outside of NY, but for such a nice place with nice food the limited wine choice was a bit disappointing. Still, giving this place a solid 4 stars because we really enjoyed the whole experience. We will definitely be back! read more

See all

This place is the best dining experience every single time. Food is great. Friendly service. And the ambiance is chill. read more

See all

If I want to go to a restaurant where you are treated well and the food is amazing with spectacular views, then you need to go to the Hilltop Inn... The steaks and seafood are expertly executed, and a must dessert is the mudslide, which is a coffee ice cream cake with an Oreo crust, and you are given 4 ounces of chocolate syrup to create your "mudslide"! read more

Let me say we were 10 minutes late for our reservation on 9/15/23 but the two female hostesses were kind and understanding as I took the wrong exit (Hubby's fault on this one!). My wife and I were seated at a window with a beautiful picturesque sunset//hills/lake view. Our waitress was Brianne and she had a great personality and checked on us to ensure our dinning experience went well. We had the bread (like Irish Soda bread) spicy beer shrimp, the king crab legs (that butter just put's it over the top!) and the herb crusted pork tenderloin(tender and that rosemary cream sauce is amazing!). All of it was delicious! I will be making my mashed potatoes with garlic and leeks going forward! Lol! They have several Moscow Mule variations and the three we had did not disappoint along w/my Cadillac Margarita. Let me say the majority if not all of the servers were females and they came to our table to remove plates and even to ensure we were not in need of anything and we weren't assigned to their tables. I was thoroughly impressed that every patron was their patron regardless of table. It speak volumes about the staff covering one another and the culture. For all my Cali folks please swing by. The stunning views and service is worth every penny! read more

Very nice coat and tie tablecloth restaurant food is very good. I had a pasta dish, everyone else was very happy with their selections. Overall, everyone was very pleased with the experience. Service was very good as well. read more

We miscommunicated and showed up on the fly without a reservation. The staff still accommodated a party of 12 and everyone in our party raved about how great the food was. The staff were gracious and entertaining and we had an excellent experience for our annual Christmas Party. I strongly suspect Hill Top will be our venue of choice for many years to come! read more

Food was great. My family each got different things and we all liked them. Desserts are great too. The view is gorgeous and is definitely a place for date night. Staff was excellent and very attentive even though they were a bit busy. One of our new favorite local spots. read more

See all

What can one say. The ambience and the view are spectacular. The weight staff is efficient and pleasant. The food was delicious. It's definitely a comeback to often. read more

The restaurant has great views of Elmira and Great food I had the Chicken Salad and Mom had the Chicken sandwich. The service was excelent. Be prepared to spend a lot of time talking. read more

See all

Run. If your going here, turn around and save your money! The service here was horrible! If you don't know the server good luck leaving there under an hour. The ambiance was okay, it would be the only reason you'd go here. The food was so much money and it's literally trash. You'll pay 40 dollars for 4 scallops. It was a horrible experience. read more

The view is wonderful! We had the best seat on the patio with an unobstructed view. The food is 3-4/5 but the view makes up for it. The bruschetta was fresh and tasty, easy to share. The stuffed mushroom is served as 2 so not so easy to share but was delish. Caesar salad had Italian vinaigrette dressing? We all got steak - filet mignon and strip sirloin, all cooked to our liking. I would have liked my sirloin to be a little more seasoned with more marbeling. The potatoes au gratin are good but I think the colcannon are just as good! Hilltop Mud Pie and Jeremie's mint ice cream pie were perfect to top off the night! read more

Hill Top Inn - New American Near Me - Elmira, New York

See all

Probably the best restaurant in Elmira. Is it fantastic? No, but for the area it's the best you'll get. Anywhere else and this review would be 3-stars but in an area with limited dining options, this one holds first place. The service is great and the staff is super friendly. The grounds are stunning, I understand why there are so many weddings there. My husband and I shared a bunch of dishes. We had the baked brie (he hated it, said it tasted like fish. I thought it was decent), the French onion soup was good, the Greek salad was really big and the shrimp we added to it were nice, big pieces, and my favorite dish was the burger. It was cooked perfectly and the fries were delicious. I made a Saturday night reservation for 7:30pm. It wasn't busy, but I suggest calling to make sure there aren't any special events happening. Please note they close super early (like 8:30/9pm), so we felt a little bit rushed. Check out the balcony area outside, the views are gorgeous! read more

See all

Love the place, love the location, love the food. Waitstaff is always attentive. Mike - the owner - is very often seen interacting with customers, appreciative of comments and suggestions. Menu is creative, food is inspiring without being pretentious, and staff is happy to make dietary accommodations (Burger in a lettuce wrap? Sure!). We've dined there about twenty times, and will definitely return. And yes, the view *IS* spectacular. read more

Dinner was delicious. 8 ounce filet was tasty, my husband had the NY strip was nice too. The potatoes were also very good. We'll definitely visit again when we're back in town. read more

See all

Great atmosphere. Food was good but expensive for the quality. Prime rib not much flavor.

Visited for the first time while in Elmira on business. A colleague recommended Hill Top Inn and it was a FANTASTIC CHOICE! The Ambiance and Food were Great, but it was the OUSTANDING and WARM SERVICE that made for an AMAZING EXPERIENCE!! EVERYONE was INCREDIBLY NICE! I literally asked several of the staff if thaey had taken some Customer Service Course or gone through some related training. A HUGE SHOUT OUT to our server Laura who was AWESOME!! Also to the Owner/ GM (?) who took the time to visit our table to inquire about us and our enjoyment. We'll be back in Elmira shortly and definitely plan to vist Hill Top again! TWO THUMBS UP and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! read more

Beautiful location and surroundings friendly waitstaff and great food and service. Look forward to spending another special occasion at this lovely restaurant read more

The positive (BECAUSE PEOPLE USUALLY DO NOT SAY THE " good stuff") first. The food is good. The restaurant is on a hill and it has beautiful scenery. It would be great for a wedding. The service is usually very good. We are 2 hours away and come for special events, like Easter. Tip is usually included in the pre-price. We usually tip over, even up to 20 dollars, because of the service and the pleasantness of the staff. THIS EASTER WAS DIFFERENT. We had to stand in a line backed up to the bar for the buffet. A lot of the food was not adequately stocked. A certain food would be restocked but only after you had passed the station and then you would have to stand in line again to get the food. TOO MANY PEOPLE AT ONCE WANTING TO BE SERVICED AT ONCE. The food seemed to be mediocre especially the meat. Our waitress was not friendly and seemed almost on edge as if we were intruding on her to wait on us. Never offered refills. Rarely came to the table. When I asked for extra napkins, she returned with torn off paper towels as if from a Bounty roll. We had to ask again for more cloth napkins. I GUESS THE WAITRESS' ATTITUDE SUMMED UP THE EXPERIENCE. NO ONE REALLY SEEMED TO GIVE A DAMN. WE PAID OVER A 100 DOLLARS FOR ROTTEN SERVICE AND MEDIOCRE FOOD WHICH YOU HAD TO STAND IN LINE FOR AN OVEREXTENDED PERIOD. There were even issues in the bathroom where the toilet paper was on a circular dispenser but it would not move after the roll was used. So, you had a few other rolls, but they were blocked on the device from moving into place. I was in the bathroom when women said they had to ask staff for paper towels to use the bathroom. read more

Yes, if you stick with any of the meat entrees - beef, pork, fish. The view is magnificent.

Food is always great a Hill Top. Pricey but you get what you pay for. Fresh ingredients, great food and great staff.

A great view with beautiful ambiance. Loved the drive up to the hill. Huge venue with mini bar, indoor and outdoor seating as well. I was there for an event and had a choice between steak, salmon, and 2 different types of chicken. All the dishes were huge portions! And all looked amazingly good. I personally got the chicken with a lemon la blanc sauce over wild rice and asparagus. It was under seasoned but still filled my stomach nicely. I finished with an underwhelming strawberry cheesecake. Overall, the servers were nice, friendly, and quick. Well organized, and a great venue. I would come back for the views, for a drink, and try some other dishes. I did not get to see the prices since the meal was paid for, but I would think a bit more pricey. read more

Hill Top Inn - View from the top. - New American Near Me - Elmira, New York

As good as it gets! This is a truly unique venue. Worth going out of your way to experience! Food was excellent. Well prepared and presented. Do not miss the Au gratin potatoes. Incredible ! Service is exemplary. The views are spectacular. Wonderful entertainment the night we were there. Salmon was excellent. I had chicken, also excellent. Steaks great. Nice bar, great selection of craft beers in bottles. Full bar and skilled barten read more

Hill Top Inn - The view from our table. Spectacular. - New American Near Me - Elmira, New York

See all

I'm a Horseheads native who came back to town to celebrate my mothers 81st birthday. Picked the hill top in based on reviews, location, and vague memories of it when I was a kid. First the positives. The ambiance is incredible. We were able to be seated outside under a tent and had an unobstructed view over the hill. Very nice. The staff was pleasant, though harried. The wings appetizer was delicious. Crispy and smokey, i recommend them to everyone. The rolls are good. Soft, warm, with a slight dusting of sugar on top. More like. Yeast roll than a typical dinner roll. So now the negatives. It was busy, with several different events going on besides the Friday night crowd. So one can expect service might be slow. We were seated about 6:20, dinner order placed about 6:40. 2 appetizers, 5 meals. First appetizer, the wings, came about 45 minutes after that. For some reason it took another 30 minutes after that for the spinach and artichoke dip to arrive. Finally, after just breaking the 2 hour mark, our meals arrived. Everyone said their meal was fine, except me. I had ordered the shrimp scampi and what I got was some boiled shrimp on top of pasta with no scampi sauce at all. Just completely flavorless. Not wanting to spend the night there waiting for the food again, I did not send it back. Our server did acknowledge our wait many times, and apologized. They also offered us deserts as comp several times, which I declined every time. I just had no faith they would be out anytime soon. The manager also offered a gift card for next time. Which again, being from out of town, I declined. They finally took the value of the gift card off the bill, $25 off of $175. 14%. I did not want to wait anymore so I said thank you and paid. Yes they were busy. But I was able to watch multiple parties be seated, order food, eat and leave before ours ever came out. What happened exactly will be a part of lost hill lore I suppose, I just know I won't be back. . read more

Good food, friendly staff and great atmosphere! The patio is awesome when the weathers nice!

Truely unique! Spectacular views! Staff is excellent. Food incredible. I had Irish Fish fry which would be called Fish & Chips in Ireland! I ave had fish and chips In Ireland. Hilltop is just as good or better-less expensive than a plane trip to Dublin! We were there to see Pat Kane performance. Great Irish band! I highly recommend. Worth going out of your way for. We went there from the Buffalo area! read more

This is the most fancy restaurant in the area: Mark Twain actually sat here and looked out at the view before writing his novels. We loved the food here, it was delicious and we look forward to going back this Tuesday after my husbands surgery:-). He's looking forward to the Liver and Onions special: ). read more

Pricy; however, best restaurant in the Elmira area. Outside dining with a beautiful view of the area. Staff are responsive and attentive. Food is excellent. Drinks are generous. Good handicapped access to both inside and outside dinning. read more

Stopped by Hill Top Inn for dinner while visiting from out of town. The food was all super fresh and delicious. We started with the spinach artichoke dip and then had the chicken bruschetta pasta and salmon for entrees. Dessert is a must! The mint ice cream pie was out of this world and so was the hot brownie! Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

What a great restaurant- fantastic service, food and atmosphere. Gorgeous renovations and was surprised at how different it was from 10 years ago! I highly recommend Hilltoo Inn for dinner, drinks, and great evening out. read more

Pricey, but great food. Never been disappointed. Special event dinners and buffets are always very well done. Great food at their stand in Wisnor park on Thursdays. Full service bar, always a satisfying meal. Great view and beautiful facility. Away from downtown and plenary of parking. read more

Hilltop is not only the BEST restaurant in Elmira New York...it is the place to go if you want delicious, mouthwatering food, exquisite scenery, professional and caring service, a historical landmark, a bar that encompasses a knowledgeable sommelier, and cocktails par excellence, (Jeremy Narosky). The owner, (Mike Sullivan), who visits your table, and makes you feel like you just came home to dinner. A tradition that Mike carries on from Grandfather to Father. The wait staff from answering the phone to reservations check, to table and bar service, is above reproach, and such a joy to encounter. Food....Let's break it down for each person. My two friends and I ... I had my usual ..... 1. Cocktails- I had a Manhattan with Makers Mark....wanted STRONG...I like to taste the bourbon.....Jeremy mixed it to perfection. My friends cocktails were the same. 2. Dinner arrived...as stated before...the food was fabulous. a. I had the Irish Fish Fry. I love getting a Fish Fry, any day of the week..and just not on Friday b. My friends had Filet and beef prepared to perfection....they loved it. The chef "put his foot" in the food, ( an old southern saying...that shouts the wonderful preparation and taste of the food. My recommendation is to run not walk to Hilltop. It is truly the best. "You can't go wrong with the stuff they use"...A must do. Venitra Clark Elmira New York read more

Fantastic Food, atmosphere and service! Highly recommend! Our server Kathleen was wonderful!!

The pictures say it all honestly. Wanted to take my family for a nice dinner with a nice view. Came specifically for the spinach and artichoke chicken. Chicken came out pink and undercooked so we were offered another piece. Specifically asked for a thinner piece to avoid this issue and the replacement came out pinker than the original piece. Both of our chicken dishes were comped but this is a major health issue, especially on dirty plastic plates in a "higher end" restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic. read more

Hill Top Inn - Undercooked chicken - New American Near Me - Elmira, New York

See all

Great spot amazing view, attentive staff and good fresh food make this a must try if you are in the area. The firepit was a nice touch.

For the lack of better places this is passable though I can't define it as good. Service is great but I think they need to stick to American classics such as fries and steaks then try to experiment. We ordere Potatos au gratin and got more of a Potato chowder under the melted cheese then Au Gratin. The views were spectacular but I think that a periodic change of decorations (like a huge wreath) might be in order. But again I am not the one to judge as I don't live around there. read more

Had dinner at Hill Top for the 1st time in a handful of years. *Venue: located on top of Jerusalem Hill in Elmira with amazing views of the valley. They have indoor seating and outdoor patio seating, even a large fire pit which is pretty neat. Plenty of room for banquets or large gatherings. *Menu: plenty of offerings from appetizers to desserts. Everyone at your table should be able to find something that tickles your ribs. I thought the prices seemed somewhat fair for the offerings. Not cheap by any means, but not in large excess. *Service: very young staff, not sure if that's on purpose or what. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and our water glasses were always full which is a plus for me. *Food: general consensus from everyone: average. Spicy beer shrimp appetizer was the top rated dish of the night (spicy with good flavor); Spinach artichoke dip wasn't bad, but the toasted bread slices it was served with were stale. Eggplant Parmesan was bland and sauce was watery and had little flavor, the whole dish seemed under seasoned to me. Scallop dish was served in a cheese sauce of some kind and rates a 3.5 out of 5. Shrimp & scallop pescatore was bland and under seasoned. Even the shaved Parmesan cheese we asked for was bland. Side salads are extra, Caesar salad is $3.99 with any meal - did not care for the dressing (was bland and more of an oil/vinegar based dressing and not creamy like traditional Caesar dressing. *Experience: Things that were disappointing: Server forgot on person's Caesar salad, one person ordered a beef tenderloin sandwich and was served a pork tenderloin dinner. Server apologized and offered to take it back and have the correct dish prepared, but he didn't want to wait another 15+ minutes for the right meal to arrive while everyone else at the table would be finishing up or done with their meal, and I can't fault him for that. He doesn't even care for pork so that was not a great experience. We also noticed we were overcharged for our Caesar salads due to a "computer glitch," so we had to have our bills re-done with the correct prices. Note: to build good customer relations a nice gesture would have been to offer to comp the mistaken order, or at the very least offer a free dessert or drink - just something to make amends for receiving the wrong meal (and one that was much more expensive to boot), but nothing was extended on behalf of the restaurant. Things we liked: outside dining area, friendly and attentive service, waiting time for food and drinks was all very reasonable. Adult beverages were good and fairly priced. *Summary: a neat and unique venue with a beautiful view, attentive and friendly service, and average food. Would be willing to try again and order something other than a dish with the red sauce. read more

Hill Top Inn - Raw bar menu! - New American Near Me - Elmira, New York

A terrific night at Hill Top Inn. This is a fantastic place to celebrate a special occasion or just enjoy time with friends. The views are amazing, and you can choose a regular table or sit by one of the fire pits or a high top table. The service is so friendly and accommodating. The menu is varied and has something for everyone - the scallops and traditional au gratin potatoes were especially good, and of course you have to have the traditional mud pie for dessert. All in all, a spectacular evening. Thank you, Mike Sullivan and the entire staff! read more

See all

Fantastic meal tonight! The staff was outstanding, pleasant, respectful, courteous! We mostly appreciate that when we go out. The food portions were generous & our meal was delicious! Always a pleasure to dine here. Highly recommend! read more

A great view. Excellent food. (It's not Michelin Star restaurant) Very very friendly servers, great music. What more to ask? I went there a couple times in a month (because my family liked it so much). Once I had fish (halibut I think). Done very well. Second time, I had scallops. Best scallops I've ever had. Both times the other members of my family had various steaks. They said they were the best they've had so far. Level of seasoning is up for very personal taste so I won't judge. My family usually eat less salty and the level of seasoning here was alright with our family. In case you're visiting for the view, reserve as early as possible so you can get the seats you want. I learned good seats are sold fast even on weekdays. We booked at least more than one day ahead. read more