If you are looking for a cute spot to enjoy a great meal on the water this is it. My friend and I came here and got to sit outside and watch the geese swim by and even had a family dock there boat and walk right up to the restaurant to eat. They have plenty of seating inside as well with a bar area and dining area. Our waitress was very nice and helpful with the menu. We both ordered the peach on the beach cocktail and it was delicious. I got the calamari to start with and it hit the spot. Perfectly breaded and full of flavor. For entrees I got the Greek salad and added steak to it which was cooked perfectly and very filling. My friend got the captains platter and said it was some of the best seafood she's had in town and it was also a healthy serving. We will definitely be back to try more things on the menu and dessert of course. read more

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Big restaurant with a nice patio with view of the lake. We parked right out front. Service was prompt and friendly. The famous Bloody Mary was mediocre at best. The Buffalo shrimps are yummy. Whiskey flavour. The Reuben sandwich was just ok. My water glass and jug were not 100% clean. No big deal. I would come back for the patio. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Nice local spot! Its been here for years and is a staple in ithaca! Loved being seated out on the deck. We got to sit by the water and enjoy the ducks! Our waitress was beyond friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. She was very attentive as well. I felt very bad for her towards the end of our visit thought because she was the only server there and there were quite a few tables for her to handle all on her own. This isnt anything to with her. That is complete feedback for owners. Our server was amazing. The food was very good. I had the captains platter which was crab legs, fish, scallops, shrimp, and a side of salt potatoes with a side salad to start. Plenty of food but it was perfect! It was all boiled perfectly well which says a lot!!!! It was absolutrly delightful. I would recommend. The prices were extremely reasonable for the seafood and for anything else you are looking to get. Very laid back place. Family style, dinner date, etc. read more

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To Whom It May Concern: Three years ago, we really enjoy our lunch there arriving on boat. Two Years ago - we arrived via land, and was really disappointed since we were charged extra for our drinks since we were sitting outside on the patio. We arrived on Monday evening via boat again. Sad to see the dock looked unsafe, but we docked. Looking there was no way to enter the building except to climb a ladder and crawl under a rail. The waiter wondered how we got there. No AC in the building so we sat outside on the patio near the water. This time the waiter tried to charge me an extra $2.00 for my glass of wine. Are you trying to go out of business? Don't think we will be coming back since we like to come via a boat. Also - email address no longer good. read more

I normally try to be understanding, but this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had. From the moment we sat down, the service was off. Our server only asked, "Do you want water or not?"--no greeting, no intro, just that. When our food arrived (three simple sandwiches), none of the orders were correct. We stayed polite and didn't complain, but unfortunately, it got worse. The server never checked on us during the meal, and was rushing around the table in a way that felt chaotic and careless--she nearly spilled food on us while clearing plates. When the bill came, it was $12 more than expected. We brought it to her attention, and she seemed overwhelmed and visibly frustrated, walking off abruptly and speaking loudly behind the bar, within earshot. We asked to speak to a manager, and even then, we overheard more unprofessional comments being made near our table. Another employee tried to help correct the bill, but it still wasn't accurate. We ended up paying about $6 more than we should have--and honestly, after that experience, we didn't feel a tip was appropriate. Even the manager casually acknowledged issues with the server, which made us feel this kind of situation wasn't new. Unfortunately, I can't recommend this place. I hope they make some staffing and training changes soon, because it has potential, but the service we received left a lasting negative impression. read more

I won't return. Service was nonexistent and portions were similar. The location on the water is pretty swampy. Better value at McDonald's. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I opened my menu and there were bugs in it . We told the waitress and left. Was looking forward to dining there . i heard the food was good. read more

Came here on a weekday for lunch and overall had a pretty solid experience! Was seated fairly quickly and the vibes were great - we were right by the water on one of the rare sunny and warm days in Ithaca. The food itself was good. I got the steak burger, which was one of the more expensive items on the menu. The meat was cooked medium rare, like I asked and seasoned very well. However, I do wish the portions were a bit bigger. It also did take quite a while for the food to come out, despite there not being too many people at the restaurant. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Steak burger - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Aus and I stopped by on our way back to Indiana. We really enjoyed the atmosphere, outside by the water in the sun! (And umbrellas if you prefer) There are tables inside as well. Food was delicious, I had the French toast and he had the chicken club sandwich. A little cafe for breakfast/lunch 10/10. Relaxing little place! read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Lake side - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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I had the grilled salmon salad. Good for keto. 3oz salmon, parmesan cheese, mushrooms, onions, lettuce, and I had them hold the croutons. Mom had the fried haddock, it was a little dark for Mom's taste. For dessert we will try the strawberry short cake. Biscuits with strawberries, Vanilla Ice cream, and whipped topping. Strawberry short cake served over a biscuit rather than a cake reminds me of my childhood. Ambiance We sat on the deck. It has an amazing view and it was a great day. We will come back and ask for the haddock but not as dark. Service was very good. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Lovely waitstaff. Patio on the Cayuga inlet that made us welcome with our two dogs. Fabulous Reuben sandwich.

Cute location right on the water with a nice outdoor seating area. It was definitely a nice location for breakfast and lunch as it was pretty busy even at 8am on a Sunday. I got the crab eggs Benedict and it was a nice take on an old classic. One thing that I will say is that the store is currently very understaffed as only 2 waiters were on for the whole location and one was being newly trained. While I understand and I appreciate the service it did take 20+ min to get a bill after asking for it. Just something to keep in mind if on a time crunch. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Dockside seating - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Really excellent outdoor views with outdoor dining overlooking the water. When we were dining, there was only one waitresses busting her butt doing all the work, including clearing tables - my kudos to her... she was friendly and working her buns off. The food was so so... my corned beef hash was not corned beef but potatoes with bits of fried ham scattered through the potatoes, the over-easy eggs were overdone also. My wife's Greek salad was a mess, both in presentation and taste, and the order of scallops was supposed to have wedge potatoes and instead came with potato chips. Recommended for the view, but order carefully. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Cool killer whale sculpture at restaurant's entrance - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Good omelet and grilled muffin. Good service. Only minus is the up charge to use a debit card. That's a cost of business and should not be passed on to me as a customer. read more

Food was delicious! The service was so friendly and welcoming. It's a homely place so definitely not brand new but you can tell the history is there. Definitely recommend. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - The outside seating area - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I've never been upset when I want to get a omelette for dinner, friendly staff, service is good, plenty of room to eat

If you're reading this on a Sunday because you're desperate for a place to eat, KEEP LOOKING ELSEWHERE. If it's any other day of the week, ditto what I suggested previously. This place is disappointing. I ordered a Crab Benedict off of the Brunch menu, with a bowl of cantaloupe and a cup of tea. Let me go in order.. First, the chairs that were available on the lower patio weren't so great. The cushions were old and had lots of stains in them. I'm sure this is to be expected when the establishment has been around for a while, especially if it's placed near a dock. Second, when I asked the waitress about the herbal teas they offered, she immediately responded with "I have no idea." Which I can tolerate if they either have a wide selection and she can't remember them all; or she's new to the job; et cetera. She then adds "It's probably just going to be a teabag," without trying to find out for me what kind of tea it could be. Since I needed a hot drink, I just settled for a "dealer's choice." This is when I reached my tolerance threshold. A small portion of cantaloupe that doesn't justify the $3.50; and some assortment of soft, mushy crabmeat on a soggy English muffin that made me wonder if I was going to get sick from eating it. The texture of the food was so bad! It almost felt like imitation crab (the thing you might find in a California roll) because it didn't taste authentic - though at least with imitation crab the meat would resemble a little more the actual consistency of crabmeat compared to what I was served. I also ordered a side of home fries with my entrée, which was so mushy that I figured it was fried on a skillet too quickly without letting it crisp up. Usually, I would order another dish from the menu to give any restaurant a second chance. But I was visiting from out of town during this trip and this experience was a very low one, as the previous reviews have listed. I am not motivated to come back again. read more

Recommended "Crab Benedict", very very delicious!!! Brunch specials for a perfect weekend morning, thank you so much Jen! Everyone was super friendly, Nautical vibes inside, and they also have outside patio tables which is very cute! Great coffee which was the perfect pick me up! (Refills included!) Covid guidelines: masks inside till your seated (they have both indoor/outdoor dining) read more

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Okay, you've got x choices in June. This lil dive bar is awesome!! The food is absolutely a joy!! The service is friendly ( is this New York?) and unpretentious. Enjoyed sitting on their decks and experiencing a maritime atmosphere. The Haddock was killer!! ( and I am a maritimer) Enjoy! read more

The worst business establishment I have ever been too. The servers were rude and unhelpful to start. The place was dirty. Every single order was messed up. At a table of 12, 5 plates had hair in them. When addressed the owner said "he didn't play those games". He was extremely rude and unhelpful. We paid for every meal even the ones we didn't touch which was never the problem, we ordered them we planned to pay. I have never been treated worse by an establishment. The hair and the other problems caused me to call and report the place to the health department. Edit: business is fighting on Facebook review. Very very unprofessional. Just don't go. Also threatened to call to press charges for posting negative reviews. Update: Kelly's Dockside Cafe has deleted their Facebook comments on their page due to major negative feed back for their unprofessional comments and cyber bullying towards customers who left negative reviews. They also deleted the Facebook page so that out reviews were removed and reactivated an old Facebook page so our reviews would not be there. Some examples of the comments were calling customers "poor" in attempt to pick on customers financial resources, harassing those who left negative reviews by tagging their employers, threatening to call law enforcement, claiming that clients were abusing alcohol and "drinking and driving" when only 3/12 ordered ONE drink. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

It looked like a great place. We stood at the entrance as a gentleman who worked there just stared at a wall. We decided to pass on the outdoor seating because it was a little hot out. As we sat at the bar, we both ordered a Captain and Coke and as the drinks were poured , so were the fruit flies. If sitting among a swarm of fruit flies is your thing, go for it. We paid our tan and left our drinks behind. read more

This place is horrible!!! I took my family that came from out of town here to eat for lunch and the food tasted stale and bland. We ordered some cocktails to discover there were so many fruit flies in our drinks, which we returned right away! Food prices are steep and for the quality that is given. Very disappointing. This place is in an excellent location. It would be nice if it was more put together and clean. Needs a big transformation. Stay away!!! read more

DO NOT GO HERE. It was a nightmare. Came here on a Sunday evening because it was one of the only restaurants open. Ordered a marinated chicken sandwich and a club sandwich. The chicken sandwich looked super small and dingy, and was not worth the price AT ALL. The club sandwich was standard but the coleslaw that came with it tasted foul like it had gone bad. The WORST PART. She charged us extra on our check, and played it off as covid increase in price of goods (which I understand, but it was indicated with a tiny sticker on the front of the menu, and never verbally mentioned to us). HOWEVER, she charged us the wrong amount even with the increase. When we told the waiter, she tried to deny it, but we pulled out a calculator to calculate the total. She then admits her mistake and told us she'll cancel the previous credit card transaction and charge us the new price. We did not get a receipt of the cancellation Checked with our credit union and realized she NEVER canceled it...had to file a dispute to get our money back read more

great fresh food, fast service, excellent patio! No wait the ambiance was exactly what we were looking for!

The location of Kelly's Dockside Cafe is perfect; it's just out of the busy limelight that is downtown Ithaca, yet not too far away that you cannot see all the hustle of traffic and passerby. Along with that it sits just shy of a junction of two canals, so sitting on the back patio you can see kayakers and families walking along the path. The front is uninviting, but in a way gives off a southern tropical feel once you get inside. The patio/terrace feature is fantastic, with two levels to eat on. It would be nice to have music as ambience but for a Monday afternoon it wasn't an end all, be all. The staff was very nice, and attentive to get us what we wanted. They answered our questions and joked with us which helped to ease our worries. Along with that, the food came out very quickly. We ordered the Fish sandwich (a lot of food for a low price), the Greek Salad (portion size was great and a good mix of fresh ingredients) and the Cajun Catfish dinner. My only critique is that the Catfish was a little expensive for portion size (the Fish sandwich, nearly 10 dollars less, had the same if not more food on the platter). However, the taste really made up for it. In summary: Unappealing Entry, surprisingly charming atmosphere, quick and friendly service, and delicious food at a cost. read more

Love the location and easy parking. We asked for a sandwich as a lettuce wrap and were flatly denied with no apology. I understand that some kitchens just don't care to change anything on their menus. The total came to well over $60.00 and over half of that was for ice tea. I asked for a breakdown and the server charged us $4.00 per refill with no warning as to the fee attached to each one. The food was mediocre and not memorable so I would avoid this restaurant if you value your sanity and money. It's a shame as now more than ever I always strive to support local businesses. read more

Stopped by here in a starving state and walked out after 5 min. Place is unclean, had a hair in our water glass, busboy was unclean and talked to himself (in addition to staring at young girls uncomfortably). No gloves for food preparation and server lady was dripping in sweat (shirt soaked through and hair visibly soaked around the neck line). I would not recommend. Too bad, cute location though. Can't believe they are still in business. read more

Great stop after walking to Taughannock Falls. Lunch was a slow day so quick service and food prep. read more

Kelly's Dockside Cafe - Chicken club sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

So CUTEE and the crab eggs Benedict was lovely! The workers were all so nice and accommodating. I also got the blueberry muffin, which did not taste as fresh, but it was still lovely! The place had an overall lovely energy and gorgeous outdoor seating read more

The food was very mediocre. I could've made the same meal at home for way less money and way higher quality. Definitely overpriced for the portion and quality. The water tasted funny; maybe the pitcher wasn't cleaned properly. It was pretty empty besides a few customers at the bar, which should've been a red flag when we walked in. The place is pretty rundown and outdated. Wait staff was nice. Sitting outside on the water was nice. Seems like there is more of a bar crowd than a restaurant. There are better restaurants in the area. Take a pass on this one. read more

The cafe itself is very cute, but half the food we got was rancid. After back and forth with the wait staff and the owner, we eventually managed to take the inedible items off our bill. There was also another table there with spoiled food, who ordered something else entirely, so it seems to be a thing at Kelly's. read more

I've only been there for breakfast. It's a lovely spot on the water. The food is expertly cooked by the owner as he has done for decades. It's delicious. The staff is great. I just really enjoy the quiet mornings by the water there for breakfast. read more

Kelly's located along a beautiful spot along the water. Their outdoor seating right on the dock made for good ambience to a sunny Ithaca morning. I had the corned beef hash and eggs which I think is the best in Ithaca. The hash honestly beats out both state st and sunset grill. Staff was friendly. The indoor section of the restaurant is a little worse for wear, but it's still worth going for the food. read more

Absolute food winner! Looks unassuming from the outside but oh my the food! Hands down best burger I have ever had in my life and the french fries are crispy wedges. My son had the grilled cheese and he absolutely loved it. Sounds simple enough but it's amazing how they made simple foods so yummy. PS - for the person who posted a picture of bees I suggest you eat indoors. Bees live outside! read more

The owner was screaming at his employees while we were sitting outside because he is too old to be working at the place he owns. My group of 9 and I listened to him be demeaning to his servers over and over again. We got brunch and a show. We will never be back here because of the man who owns this restaurant. Please don't give him your business. - no stars because you don't know how to own a restaurant and you're running it into the ground. He is disgusting read more

Walked in an hour and a half before they close and asked if the kitchen was still open. It is Labor Day weekend and there are a lot of people in town looking for open spots. The grill guy was rude and asked "why did we have to push it to the end". Guess they don't need or want the business. Good luck to you Kelly! read more

Smelled a little fishy inside, and the decor and seating certainly wasn't the nicest, but for standard diner fair I can't complain, especially for the price. read more

Great meal ! we were looking for a little hole in the wall local eatery , on the water and this venue filled the bill perfectly , they were even able to serve my grilled fish on a gluten-free bagel !! Lindsey brought us our second beer before we even asked for it ! read more

Great location dining along the inlet, interior was ok. Basically this is more of a diner than cafe or restaurant. We ordered garlic breadsticks for $6. It was two toasted hotdog buns with butter and seasoning, presented on a coffee filter in a plastic basket. Not joking - real hot dog buns, real coffee filter. read more

Best breakfast I've had here during my visit to Ithaca. The potatoes were perfectly cooked and the omelette too. We sat outside in the backyard patio and relaxed. This place is right along the bicycle pathway. Now back on the bikes. read more