The ambiance was pleasant. It was a Saturday night around 8pm and we were seated right away. The waitress was nice. We stated with a dozen of oysters. They were cleaned well and slid off the shells. The award winning clam chowder was ok. The steak was the highlight light ... juicy inside and perfectly charred outside. I wish I ordered that and not my salmon. The fish was cooked to perfection, but the portions was small and the rest of the plate was meh. I think it was sitting on some buttery mash potatoes, "blanched" fennel shavings, and decently cooked broccolini. For the price, I expected a better side dishes to compliment my salmon read more

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Very average and a disappointment after reading some of the great reviews. Oysters for the appetizer, and some were so small that I was surprised they added them to the dish. Mushroom risotto was over sauced, undercooked and the mushrooms were chewy. Way too much salt, but the overall flavor was good, even if the English peas were small in size and quantity. My date had the mussels, and the portion was generous and she had no complaints about it. The desserts in tiny cups were good, and the highlight of the meal. read more

The olive appetizer was fine. I got the salmon that was fine but over-cooked and my husband got the lobster which he said was probably frozen and over-cooked. It was fine... but not worth the money. read more

[I just want to add a disclaimer - the food was great] After a night of aggressive drinking, my lover and I wandered into the Commons at 2:00 p.m. to find a place to eat. Simeon's was certainly not on our radar, but it's prime location on the corner of South Aurora made it stand out. we didn't realize brunch was a good idea until we saw their menu. We walked back and forth across the cross walk a couple of times contemplating between going to the ale house or this oyster bar but determined the food at Simeon's seemed like the better choice. Upon entering, they had lovely high top seats at the bar, but we were taken through the relatively vacant bar area to the back room, congested with families in close quarters. We contemplated leaving once we were seated due to the awful placement of our table until our waitress POURED us an ice cold water - which we were craving - and left us one of those water bottles on the table for self-served indulgence. As she revealed the specials, a greeting that typically appeals to the customer through enticing charisma, the conversation quickly turned into a living hell by the way she spoke. It wasn't the way she talked, but the words she chose that made her robotic, as if she were an automated customer service machine. She offered an interesting selection of drinks, including a bacon flavored Bloody Mary and a pomegranate mimosa; we went with the latter and were pleased with the decision. I will add that we were skeptical of the amount of champagne in the drinks, but considering our hungover state, we may have misjudged. I had the eggs BENEDICT and my partner had the french omelette, both of which I would CONFIDENTLY say were excellent. However, we would recommend for the menu to specify what meat is in the "meat" omelette, since my lover spent the whole time trying to figure out what meat he was eating. For all we know, the meat could've been horse, frog, raccoon, a mix of them all, or simply pork. Nonetheless, the meat was good. She then asked if we were interested in Dessert and we were so inclined to see what the options were. Although we expected to be given a menu, SHE rather brought us a metal contraption holding six various desserts which she described to be "actual size." She dangled the contraption in front of us eagerly anticipating our selection. She then became the menu and raddled off the description of the flavors - an interaction typically avoided with a menu where customers can read about the options and come to a decision at their own convenience. We made our decision, got nothing. Paid, then left. We then walked home and were locked out of our house. Go to the PPM Homes Yelp page to read about our experience of getting back into the house. The food was great, everything else had room for improvement. The overall experience was good. Glad they've got the food down. read more

Had the vin mussels excellent and a burger cooked to perfection. My wife had the lobster macaroni and it was great! Highly recommend this place. read more

Comfortable space in a good location, great ambience, solid drinks, strong service, but the food is overpriced and oversalted. It's a decent place to go with a date or parents, checks the boxes, but if you're looking for a memorable meal, you can do better in Ithaca. If you're vegetarian, options are thin and prices are especially off-putting. read more

Oh this placed used to be good. Good sandwiches, good service, a great selection of stiff martinis and then it changed. And how bad it is, new management removed the best sandwiches, changed the menu and printed it with no graphic design help. I used to eat here weekly, and always ate here when I would come back to visit. After my trip back to Ithaca and a stop here, lets just say I will never again eat at Simeons or recommend until the menu changes drastically. Gross, oily, pathetic excuses for food at pricey dollars. read more

Food is mediocre No bread at the table to start Appetizers super small, looks nice, asparagus did not taste fresh. Got the chicken dish, it was ok. Flavor is so so.... nothing too special, dish was small again. Forgot the sparkling water Wine was good read more

I made a reservation here for six yesterday morning for 6:15 pm. We got there at 6:15 exactly and the rude hostess told me, I had to wait. I asked for how long? She said ten minutes, her face remaining passive. I looked around at all the tables. There were no tables empty that could have made room for six people, nor were there any groups who looked like they were finishing up. We waited ten minutes, and finally we decided to go across the street to Madeline's. It was raining and we started to head out. The hostess goes "Are you going to wait outside?" and I said "No, we're leaving for another restaurant." She goes "ok." No apology! No change in expression. It is such a turn off to have to deal with this place!!! The hostess is supposed to represent the restaurant as they're the first thing you encounter. This hostess was terrible! read more

I love the interior of Simeon's and their lively ambiance. It's a smaller space, good for smaller groups. The food is beautifully plated and rather innovative in choice of ingredient combinations, though they don't have that many options (drinks menu is extensive). The small plates are tapas-style and definitely small for the price. Entrees are perfectly sized: you won't be bursting nor hungry by the end, and satisfied with the taste and presentation. I had the pork tenderloin, cooked medium rare. It was tender and I loved the bed of spaetzle and raisins, an interesting and flavorful accompaniment. My boyfriend got the flat iron steak (medium rare) though ever so slightly on the rare side. I DO like rare steaks, and thought it had a good beefy flavor with juicy tenderness. They offer you a choice of little cups of dessert, which include chocolate cake, apple crumble, dulce de leche, etc and you can get as many or all if you want. Light and refreshing sweetness to the end of a meal! Overall I really enjoyed my experience and actually would be interested in trying their other entrees. On the pricier side for what they offer but still worth it! read more

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I love everything about this place! The old fashioned feeling, the herbs on the windowsills, the way the waitstaff stands outside to greet people, the tempo and of course the FOOD. I have been here twice and have had amazing service and wonderful food both times. The first time was 4th of July weekend a couple years ago, and my boyfriend and two friend and I ate and drank and laughed and drank and ate for more than 4 hours and we were NEVER rushed. (Don't worry, we made it worth their while with our bill!) Most recently I went for a leisurely lunch. My boyfriend and I ordered a version of cheese fries that was pretty much to die for, and then each ordered different but equally super yummy lunch sandwich special. I think that may be the key to Simeon's - the specials are pretty outstanding. For dessert we had teeny-tiny little parfait-style cakes in espresso cups. They were rich and delicious and just the right size, and super cheap! I heart Simeon's! read more

I can't speak to the new management (I only get up to Ithaca once or twice a year), but I was very disappointed in Simeon's. I'd heard good things about it, it always appeared busy, so I was excited to try it. I had a pear and spinach salad and the pears were canned. CANNED. I mean, if you are going to prepare a fresh salad, how about using actually fresh ingredients? And it was not particuarly cheap. Service was adequate, venue is attractive. read more

While standing in line for 10 minutes on a Tues eve, the host finally made it out only to ignore us for 10 minutes more . Initially stated it was a short wait for 2, then it was 15, then their computer system went down and they would call us. They did, 1 hour later. Food being brought to outside tables looked fine, not outstanding; and just not worth the lack of customer service. We will not return. read more

I went there once for a dinner and I loved their short ribs. The braised short ribs with mashed potatoes, and vegetable combination was on point. Their beef tartare was okay. I was not too impressed with it because I've had better in other places but for Ithaca, it was as good as you can get. Would definitely go back! read more

They're food is good quality, I haven't had a single bad dish or experience from here. Staff is friendly and welcoming, the food is made promptly. Everything tasted so fresh ! read more

Probably, one of the best restaurants in Ithaca. Simeon's American bistro cuisine is very delicious. I love their New England clam chowder! I've been there several times. So far, anything that I had at Simeon's was good. If you come to Ithaca, don't miss dining out here. It's conveniently located right at the entrance of Ithaca Commons. read more

First time in Ithaca, first time at the commons. Went there for my boyfriends 21st birthday. The menus were sort've stained but that didn't bother me after we started to receive our food. We got oysters that were delicious. Followed that with a meat and cheese board which got devoured pretty quickly. He got a Chilean sea bass as his entree and i got the "red mussels" both of our entrees were awesome. The mussels were ginormous, with a bit of grit but theres not much you can do for that. The broth was delicious, just wish the bread was cut a bit thicker. Service was also excellent. read more

On a busy summer night there were waits at most of the restaurants in the commons except for Simeon's which was perfect since we had a group of 8. The staff was friendly and helpful. The menu is decently varied. I don't eat meat (only fish and shellfish) and had less selection but ordered a special of asiago sea bass. The food was quite good and the wine selection was good as well. Though the food was good, it seemed a bit overpriced. The main area in which Simeon's lacks is timeliness. I realize we were a large party but the time frame for our meal was looooong. Looking around the restaurant, it was the same for all tables-no matter how small the party. The time between ordering, appetizers, meals, dessert, and check was a matter of hours. We also received our coffees after dessert was complete which was a bit of a bummer. In all, it was fine and likely one of the best choices we could have made for the what became a very long night. read more

Judging from the menu, I didn't expect unique flavors and I was right. There were no vegan options for dessert, which is quite common, and the entree was eh. I ordered the only option that was vegan which was the indian curry and it tasted like the "mix with water and it is ready to eat" curry. Besides the food, the service was good. read more

The pub dip was amazing... but nothing else was. The Ale House was closed for a private party, so my baby sister spontaneously selected Simeon for her bday dinner. We walked in to a really cute, upscale bistro/ pub restaurant where you would expect to find 30 somethings on a first date. Being a college town, however, we saw a few college kids dining with parents and other casually dressed people. We were immediately seated in a great corner table overlooking the streets. Our waitress, though seemingly bored and uninterested in serving her tables, was nonetheless efficient and polite. We opted for the tapas menu, ordering 5 dishes for the 3 of us. More than enough food was to arrive. As noted above, the pub dip, bubbling with chunks of artichokes, ribbons of spinach and mountains of cheese, was rockin. It was served with crostini and pretzel bread slices, which were perfect. My sister and her friend really enjoyed the wasabi shrimp as well, which was paired with a sauce that was spicier than the wasabi on the shrimp and rice and veggie shavings. It was too spicy for them, but they made do. It was a gorgeous plate, with stunning orange sauce surrounding the 3 gigantic shrimp, which were delicately balanced over the colorful veggie/rice combo. Nice. The chicken sausage with apple/cranberry compote was less successful, served over a tasteless, sort of mushy potato pancake. The compote was delish, but didn't make up for the dry, tasteless chicken sausage, which went just about untouched. Bruschetta was not what we expected, and was also not good. It was a large hunk of nearly stale bread topped with salad, which was just okay. I also wasn't a fan of the lettuce wraps, although my sister and her friend, less critical college students accustomed to loving free food, were happy with them. I found them to be dry and flavorless aside from the watery but spicy sauce. The lettuce was wrong too - ribs of lettuce rather than actual wrapping bib lettuce. With 2 glasses of wine and tip, our meal was under $80 for 3 people. Not bad! read more

I feel the need to update my review. My last review was for a prior menu. Their new menu has prices that border outrageous for Ithaca. They don't even give you bread with your entree, so you can order a $25 entree and simply receive that. It'll be good but not anything particularly amazing. Instead, I choose now to go to places like Agava or Ciao and for $25 I can have an appetizer, entree, and possibly even a drink or dessert. Additionally these places both serve chips or bread to start. It's become kind of a no brainer for a college student. However, the brunch is still good. read more

Wow. Surprise knock out. Great everything: service, food, beverages. Ambiance in the hot corner of downtown Ithaca. Oysters were some of the best and sauces were magnificent. So excited. Waiting on my mussels I am NYC food snob. Highly recommend. ( also the waffle frolic). read more

Great stop! Was walking by and saw how cute it looked. The host walked outside and immediately seated us. I had the filet which was amazing. Would definitely recommend while in Ithaca!! read more

Good job during covid they were slammed, so we made reservations. The food was amazing, we felt a bit rushed, as we had a few courses and the waiter was just okay, kept kind of pushing too hard. We did 4 courses in 45 minutes and would have liked to take our time. Again though way to work hard with all the craziness. read more

What a gem in downtown Ithaca. We loved the eclectic menu offerings. There is something for everyone here. We had the rabbit confit and potato pave. Delicious! The service was top notch! read more

Ithaca Ale House was our first choice, too crowded so we came here. The restaurant had plenty of room at 6 pm on a November Saturday. We were seated immediately, told the specials and our drink orders were taken. My dark and stormy (weak rum please) came out just the way I wanted it, with Ithaca ginger beer, and was perfect. We told the waitress we were in a hurry for a theater performance and she accommodated us. Order of pickles was fun-- bread and butter, not too sour. H had meatloaf and was a little put off by the crunchy/charred exterior but liked the rest of the meal including mashed potatoes, carrots and asparagus. I had the portobello sandwich which was terrific, topped with spinach, peppers, cheese and onions. House fries were crispy with skins, really good. A fine meal! read more

Food was decent (but overly priced) and the server was fantastic, but the overall experience at the restaurant was unpleasant as we overheard the owner mocking vaccines (COVID) with his buddies and the seats were WAY too close for comfort given the current health conditions in Ithaca. Overall, just an unexpectedly uncomfortable visit to what we thought would be a good local restaurant. read more

The food is quite average for the price they charge. Usually very bland. Wish there could be different flavors. Also hope there could be more vegetarian options and bigger dessert size. The best item is probably their homemade ginger ale/beer read more

I would have loved to have had the opportunity to rate Simeon's higher, however, we never made it to the restaurant. I made a reservation for our group for my birthday weeks in advance. The day of, we tried to call and confirm our reservation only to be met with radio silence. Turns out, the restaurant was actually closed, and we had to scramble to find another restaurant to accommodate us on short notice. I didn't hear anything from them the following day either, even though they must've checked their messages since their voicemail was updated the following day. Disappointed to say the very least--maybe don't book reservations on days you're actually closed. read more

I haven't been here in a while, so my review is based on an experience from about two years ago. The atmosphere was awesome, a really dimly lit dining room, good music, hard wood, it's really easy to feel like a king here. I used to come here a lot when I was traveling for business on Ithaca. The seafood risotto was amazing. read more

People who come here wear turtleneck sweaters and discuss the next greatest green energy project or a unique documentary idea they have. The riff-raff eat elsewhere, like across the street. The food here is fine. Nothing spectacular and good for the price. The architecture is very nice, and so is the staff. Customers are generally nice too, if not a bit self-important. That's all that stood out to me. Would likely prefer a more chill place. read more

The only reason this place is getting a star is because it has a curb appeal. The customer service is atrocious. The bartender is judgemental and the owners are snooty. In all the years I've been visited the area this is the only establishment that was not friendly. Horrible horrible experience. read more

I guess why it has only three stars is because many people might have picked a "wrong" dishes there. Their food quality may be not that consistent, because I have had a 3-star experience, but also have had a 6-star experience there. I think that may be because Ithaca is in a quite remote area that Simeon may not be able to get some really fresh ingredients sometimes. That's what I think. I think their Sea Bass special has been kept in a very consistent quality and so as their French Onion Soup. Their Sea Bass special is phenomenal! The texture is addictive that it is crispy outside yet very soft inside which expresses the taste of a sea bass in a very good and special way. That's a must-try. Their Mussels are great too! But the quality may vary, depending on whether they can get fresh mussels that day...I guess. Their desserts are so-so. I like their small room which is behind their main seating area. It's a wonderful place to have a private dinner with a large group of friends (about 20 people). read more

I've been to Ithaca 4 times and always find time to eat at Simeons. The place is amazing. Great beer selection to complement any dish you order. (Just ask for a recommendation, staff is very knowledgeable.) From appetizer to main course, there are so many choices and everything is great. They have many unique dishes as well as some standards. The place looks great and the service is excellent. Everyone goes out of their way to make it a great dining experience. You will not be disappointed. read more

The food was terrible- caesar salad tasted like rotten fish. The service was slow even though the restaurant wasn't even filled. The ice had something gross in every piece. I grew up here and this restaurant used to be amazing...after today I will never come back. So many better places in Ithaca. Such a disappointment. read more

Didn't love ambiance. Expensive. Cold food. Soggy tuna burger. They did make a nice effort to seat us but also rushed us out.

We called to make a reservation. They made us wait for 45 minutes then told us that they don't take reservations when over the phone they said they do. Horrible. read more

Fun and creative menu. Had a wonderful meal. We enjoyed a cheese plate and good cocktails. Our server was attentive and had good suggestions. Recommend this place for an impromptu meal! read more

I had brunch here with the bf and his family while in town for his sister's wedding. We had reservations and were promptly seated upon arriving. The establishment is clean, classy/swanky but casual as well. Our waitresses were patient with our large party and frequently brought much-needed coffee refills. As a surprise for my birthday, the bf's family ordered one of their famous cinnamon buns topped with a candle! I am not a huge pastry fan but let me tell you this cinnamon bun was mouthgasmic. It was fresh, warm, and gooey in the middle with a crisp outside, delightful cinnamon center and slathered with this amazing vanilla bean speckled 'frosting.' This wasn't your traditional cinn-a-bon sickening sweet, almost crunchy icing that makes your teeth jump out of your head. Oh no. It was a generous and thick, almost pudding-like texture of lightly sweet vanilla topping that held it's shape on the bun, not melt into a liquid puddle of sugar. It was simply divine- and huge! Luckily I had the newlyweds to share it with! They have a somewhat limited menu for brunch entrees- a few omelets and regular lunch-type items, but a very large list of 'hangover cures' aka the hair of the dog. I got their greek omelet with spinach and feta. They don't skimp on their portion sizes! A huge hot omelet arrived with fresh, melty feta and sauteed spinach in the middle and a side of yummy, crispy (not soggy) home fries and a side of ketchup. The omelet comes with a dill yogurt sauce that I got on the side and didn't end up trying as I despise dill, but the omelet was superb- fluffy, hot, and delicious! Docking a star for their somewhat limited brunch menu, but the service was great with coffee refills a plenty, great food, outstanding cinnamon buns, and fancy decor. If I am in the area again I will definitely come back! FYI they only make about 10 cinnamon buns for the entire day (say what??) so make sure you get there early and snag one before they're sold out! Also they can't serve alcohol until noon. Strange NY rule for this VA gal! read more

Chicken salad, walnuts, pineapple, cheddar - okay turkey, bacon on focaccia tomato, mozzarella, basil turkey burger veggie slaw - good chips - kettle fried; good spinach and artichoke dip - good antipasto - okay; prosciutto cut too thickly read more