Charming for cocktails on the banks of the Saranac River.. the food was astonishingly lukewarm. At…read morethe price points here...that's really a flub. The staff seemed a bit overwhelmed that evening...maybe cause for the food. I love the eatery setting though... will come back for a drink.

I've been coming up to the Adirondacks for how long and I'm only just hearing about this place? I…read moreclearly need to get out more. The only reason this isn't a five-star review is that we had something unfortunate happen with one of my drinks that did not sit well with any of us, but otherwise it was a fabulous experience. Creative fare, unexpectedly varied and interesting drink options, some whimsy in the decor and menu design. Absolutely would come back. . We came here as a party of four at 8pm on a Saturday night. It was good we made a reservation because all the tables were full when we arrived. Food-wise, Fiddlehead Bistro has a diverse menu with eclectic influence. If the preparations seem ambitious for a little Saranac restaurant, the presentation presentation was equally impressive. I've been coming up to the Adirondacks for decades and while I've only been a self-proclaimed foodie for one of those decades, sophisticated presentation is not the first, second, or tenth thing I expect at restaurants up here. Don't believe me? Ask the dishes (Disney kids and their parents get it). Grilled Spanish octopus w/ fingerling potatoes, wild garlic, piquillo pepper, nduja mayo: A A solid octopus dish with sauces that elevated it to a high rating for me. The mayo plus romesco is a divine combo, great with both the octopus and the slightly crispy potatoes. Grilled asparagus w/ crispy poached egg, truffle dressing: A- The only reason this is an A- and not an A is because for $15 I'd expect more than four asparagus spears. The egg in part made up for it and the dish as a whole was delicious and thoughtfully conceived of, but given that I was splitting this with my partner it didn't really feel like enough. Miso black cod w/ shiitake, spring veggies, yuzu beurre blanc, crispy sushi rice, shaved radish: A+ My favorite dish of the night. Beautifully cooked, perfectly savory black cod prepared in the way it's meant to be prepared. The yuzu beurre blanc was heavenly, somehow both light and decadent. Tour de lamb w/ herb crusted loin, yogurt braised lamb dumpling, braised shank, creamy polenta, broccolini, red wine jus: A This was a fun mix of lamb preparations (a "tour" of lamb, if you will) with a lot of solid accompaniments. There's a restaurant on my block in NYC that makes yogurt braised lamb dumplings so I was excited to see them here. There was only a small amount of each type of lamb preparation so you can try it all without getting stuffed. All very tasty in the red wine jus, a natural pairing. Though I didn't think I was coming here for an exciting cocktail menu, I was surprised to see a lot of creative options in additional to some unique flights. For my first drink, I got the weirdest one on the menu as I like to do, but also because it seemed like a really tricked out dirty martini. It's not on the current online menu but I remember it had sake and umami brine so as expected it was salty and savory. The issue arose with the second drink. I ordered what clearly looked like an Old Fashioned variation. The only three ingredients listed were bourbon, smoked maple syrup, and black walnut bitters. I even asked the server if it was indeed an Old Fashioned variation and he said yes. What came was in no way the correct drink. The flavor profile described and what I received were completely different. It tasted like a whiskey sour and not even a good whiskey sour. My partner and my dad tried it and they agreed that it was bad and a mistake had been made. Now I really hate sending stuff back and feeling like a Karen but my dad has no issue being direct so he told the server what happened and the server looked very uncomfortable and I said I'd just get wine instead which was, as it turns out, a great decision because I had a delicious rose. When the bill came, my undrinkable cocktail was still on there and that didn't seem right. My dad asked the server about it and he said there was nothing he could do about it which is the first time I've ever experienced that at a restaurant

Sunset Bistro at Ampersand Bay Resort completely changed my outlook on resort dining -- this is a…read moretrue hidden gem in the Adirondacks, and an absolute must if you're in the area. Normally, I steer away from restaurants inside resorts. I've had better luck with local spots in town. But Sunset Bistro? It flipped that narrative for me, in the best possible way. We were staying at Ampersand Bay Resort (another review entirely -- and also excellent), prepping for our summit hike of Mt. Marcy. After 11 hours and 40 minutes of rain, wind, mud, and scrambling to the top of New York's highest peak, we were cold, wet, tired... and starving. Our group of five included some serious food lovers, and we had reserved Sunset Bistro for our post-hike celebratory dinner -- seeking something upscale, convenient, and worthy of the occasion. Let's set the scene: We rolled out of bed at 4:45 AM, hit the trail by 6:30, and finished just in time to rush back to the resort and change before our 7:45 PM reservation. Thankfully, we were staying in the Saranac Suite -- right above the restaurant -- so all we had to do was (carefully!) hobble down the stairs. The vibe? Perfect. Casual and inviting, but still refined -- ideal for winding down after a massive day. There's a warmth to the space: cozy yet trendy, laid-back yet worthy of a special night out. The view of Lower Saranac Lake at sunset is breathtaking. Watching the water, the boats, and the golden light dancing on the lake made the night feel magical. The open kitchen added a nice sense of energy, and the deck looked like a dream for warmer evenings. Service? Flawless. Attentive, genuine, and elevated without being stuffy. A wine expert on staff helped guide our selections -- which we appreciated even more since one of our hikers makes wine and we know a thing or two ourselves. We started with a Brunello, and later, a Châteauneuf-du-Pape -- both excellent. They've earned a 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, and it's clear why. A huge shoutout to Brian, the resort GM, who welcomed us like old friends. It was a quiet Monday night, and we invited him to share a glass of wine with us -- he was the perfect host, rounding out what already felt like a perfect night. Now for the food -- truly outstanding. Several in our group had the Duck Breast, pastrami dry-rubbed and perfectly seared, served with sweet potato mash, asparagus, and a cherry-balsamic reduction. It was elegant, flavorful, and beautifully presented. I had the evening special -- Trout with Beurre Noisette, served with fingerling potatoes and asparagus. The fish was tender and moist, and the brown butter sauce tied everything together masterfully. This isn't just a "resort restaurant" -- this is a destination in its own right. The view is stunning, yes. But unlike so many places with a great view and mediocre food, Sunset Bistro delivers across the board: thoughtful cuisine, an exceptional wine list, and warm, memorable service. If you're anywhere near Saranac Lake, make a reservation. Whether you're celebrating something big or just want to enjoy a beautiful lakeside evening, this place is something special.

We dined here over Columbus Day weekend when it was fairly quiet…read more The experience was a mixed bag. The location is very hard to find in the dark, which was frustrating. However, the service was good. Unfortunately, two of the appetizers missed the mark--the beet carpaccio was sliced too thin and had an unpleasant leathery texture, and the charcuterie board was quite minimal. On the bright side, the carrot ginger soup and the "gem" salad were both excellent. The total cost for two people, including drinks and tips, came to $165.

Interesting menu, Delicious entrees, creative desserts , polite competent informative staff,…read morepleasant seating and ambiance.

We had the most wonderful meal here tonight. Tyler was outstanding - he paid attention to each…read moredetail, explained the menu beautifully, and guided us in the right direction. This place is the best of Saranac Lake hands down.

Pricey but good food. Very bad service. We were seated on time but it took 30…read moreminutes before our drinks arrived. Another 45 minutes or more before dinner finally arrives. I had to go and find the waiter to order dessert and then another search later to get the check. After another 15 minutes I had to go inside and stand visibly at the bar so I could get the transaction completed. This was for a dinner over $125. Ridiculous.

Overall, this was a fine place to get dinner. We came in about 40 minutes before the stated closing…read moretime with 3 people, and asked if they had time to serve us. They said they did, and we pretty quickly ordered. We started with the cheese plate and two of us happened to get the special of rabbit meatballs with pasta. The cheese plate was pretty good with a really nice Bri cheese. I felt the rabbit meatball and pasta dish was peppered to a pretty extreme level. My boyfriend got the chicken with pastry and said it was also fine. The ambiance was really nice, and I think if we weren't showing up at the last possible moment it would have been a slightly nicer dining experience.

Bustling on a summer Saturday, Blue Moon Cafe was everything it should be: comfortable, welcoming,…read moreand delicious. The self-service coffee start my visit right: tasty and no wait. The eggs Florentine (called two moons) were top knotch, poached perfectly, on top of spinach, mushrooms, and a homemade muffin. I'll be back tomorrow Edit: day two Yes the pancakes are as delicious as the look. Yes order the local syrup. And yes if they have the carb Benedict you should definitely order it.

I loved this café! We stoppwd here before heading to Lake Placid, and it was a 20min wait at 930am…read more No problem, theres a small River walk behind it where you can kill time. When we sat I was surprised that codfee is self service, which is cool, but my only complaint is its not in a good location, but, its not like I didnt get my cup, so, theres that I got the avocado toast with egg & bacon, this was the heartiest breakfast I've had in a while. So good! Seems like the locals come in, and they can get a drink, an alcoholic one, at any time, bcuz in the back where we sat theres a bar. Rock on, im not hating! Everyone at my table ate and enjoyed their meal. Very laid back, no one catering to you but youre certainly not ignored. I like it!

Great Italian comfort food! The servers were super attentive on checking in on all the tables, our…read moreorder was promptly taken, and our food arrived at a reasonable time. For food we ordered the steak, sole franc and linguine and clams! Would definitely recommend to try this gem in Saranac lake!

We were looking for a good steak. La Bella's rib eye was cooked to perfection and had a nice aged…read moreprofile. We enjoyed it very much. The French Onion Soup was a bit underwhelming, needed a deeper flavor and more onions. The sole was good flavor-wise, but it was a bit messy with broken pieces instead of a filet. Service was nice and friendly. The decor was cool with the Adirondack look and feel. I'd recommend the rib eye of you're looking for a good steak!

When we walked in we realized we had been here before. The decor is dated or you could say…read moretimeless. The theme is around bobsledding from the past. A bit dark inside, low lights. We got in quickly which can be a challenge in the summer. The waiter was young guy, a little forgetful (remembering checking on us for filling up our water kind of thing) but he got the food to us hot. The menu is a mix of sandwiches, burgers and Mexican dishes. They gave us a very generous serving of Salsa with the salsa and chips we ordered! We got the chicken fajitas-instead of taco size flour tortilla we got two burrito size tortillas. Good flavors, we enjoyed our time.

Ordered a grilled sandwich (TBC) and a coffee. The coffee was adequate,however the sandwich left…read morelittle to be desired. Simply turkey deli meat with a thin slice of cheese grilled on sourdough. Turkey tasted bland. Could not detect a sauce of any sort. Served with potato chips and 2 slices of pickle. All the sandwiches are 15-16 dollars. Super expensive for what you get. My bill came to 21 dollars and some change. Will not return. Waitress was very nice. She was the best part of the experience.