Always great service and a cozy environment. Locals bar for the most part. It can be pricey

We stayed overnight in our RV as the great people here are Harvest Host supporters- and we had dinner after we settled in - and it was amazing - the eggplant poutine!! Highly recommended! A really great take on the classic, the mussels fri-Diablo had a rich, deep broth that was really nice, and we finished off with a flatbread pizza with artichoke hearts - Sandy the waitress was so kind to us, as they had a big party waiting to go in an and we were a little before opening - she seated us and got us our drinks. The place itself is totally old school and has been "the Belvedere" since 1933, and it dates back to the 1880's or so as an establishment - can you imagine what Saranac Lake was like back then? Unreal! Do yourself a favor and stop in on your trip to the high peaks for some great food and atmosphere - you won't regret your choice. read more

The Belvedere Restaurant - Entry to the dining room - Italian Near Me - Saranac Lake, New York

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We visited the Belvedere for an early dinner, and enjoyed our experience. The restaurant was quiet, clean, and quaint. The food was tasty, and reasonably priced. Service was very friendly and quick. The little bar, separate from the dining room, was cute too. read more

Wow what a find the outside looks like a local hang out but inside is a very quaint space it has a throw back retro restaurant feel. A typical old time Adirondack feel. The fried eggplant poutine app was soooooo good. I probably would not have it but our waitress Sandy recommended it. The tomato sauce was fantastic. My wife and I shared the chicken parm which was lightly breaded and bone perfectly came with spaghetti on the side. You must try this place. read more

I've been here a few times- once about 25 years ago and the rest since the new ownership. Tonight was excellent. A lot of choices on the menu in addition to a German Special of Schnitzel which I almost went for. Good tasting unsweetened Iced Tea. Top notch pork dish over spinach polenta. The portion was perfect and the preparation was obviously done by someone who cares. (Oh, and the Brazilian soup with Chicken was really good.) The waitress (Sandra) was pleasant and visited the table just often enough. It seemed that everyone working there was smiling. The background music was also at a volume level that was just right and the music selection made for a relaxing environment. All in all, a great meal to wrap up another great day in the Adirondacks. read more

Great service from our waiter, Bazzi. Delicious food, reasonable prices. The owner, John, is very nice. Highly recommend! read more

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We were staying across the street from the Belvedere, and to say if we didn't, we would not have given it a thought is an understatement. But I'm so glad we did! After a long day of siteseeing, we were all hungry. We walked over to The Belvedere, and it was on the late side of the evening. Our waiter (who also happened to be the owner) gave us a choice of anywhere to sit, and we chose outside. Outside was a bit rustic with instruments of the area up on the walls. Indoor was more modern but very comfortable. We ordered an app (Eggplant Poutine) and my wife and I got some cocktails from their cocktail menu. Fresh bread came out, and shortly after our apps and drinks, all great. Chicken Parm, Veal Parm, Lasagna, and a Delmanaco steak were our orders. All came with a choice of salad or soup. All but the lasagna came with sides, and we all chose pasta. All the entries were fantastic. The marinara was definitely homemade, and the costs on the chicken and veal were just right. The steak was done beautifully, and the lasagna was like grandma would make! Dessert was a lemon cake, some canolis, and a salted caramel cheesecake. Nothing topped off a meal better! If you're looking for a great Italian meal at a great price, even if your not close make the trip to the Belvedere! read more

The Belvedere Restaurant - Menu - Italian Near Me - Saranac Lake, New York

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I'd passed by the Belvedere Restaurant a number of times while going through Saranac Lake and wondered about it. To say it's unprepossessing is probably a bit of an understatement; not much of their revenue is going into either interior or exterior decor. But on a Sunday night of Presidents Week - a busy holiday week in the nearby town of Lake Placid, so a difficult period to get a table in Lake Placid - we decided to give the Belvedere a try. We arrived about 8:30 - normally their closing time on a Sunday - but they kept the kitchen open for us, which we appreciated. The glasses at our table were filthy, which we didn't appreciate quite so much. Service was lightning fast (perhaps because we arrived essentially at closing) - I don't think I have been served as quickly at any restaurant - and pretty friendly. We ordered two dishes, each of which came with a small salad, and a glass of wine, the house zinfandel (which exceeded our expectations). One was spaghetti and meatballs. I don't order spaghetti and meatballs at restaurants very often, largely because I cook a great meatball myself, and I prefer to order foods that I think will be better than the food I cook. All that to say: the meatballs and spaghetti were pretty good. Not great, not transcendant, but good. The accompanying Caesar salad was okay. The other order was a ribeye steak. It was a bit less successful: thin, a bit over-salted, and accompanied by a pretty indifferent mushroom sauce. The prices at the Belvedere are reasonable for the area. It was about $40pp before tip - less than we usually pay for dinner in the area. I'm giving it 4 stars. It was really more of a 3.5 star restaurant - I rounded up rather than down for the speed of the service, their willingness to serve us at closing time, and the reasonable prices. read more

Shhhhh ...don't tell anyone, it will just be our little secret; this is one of those cool, hole in wall places all the locals go to ( since the 1930's). Don't tell the out of town tourists! If you are expecting Applebee's go somewhere else , this is not that. It's a little rough around the edges (ok ,more than a little rough ). But if you dare to look beyond the flaws and step inside , you might just have a great meal and great experience like we did . There was just one hostess and one waiter the Saturday night we were there . The service can be slow, but they were both so friendly and personable it didn't matter . We received our wine very quickly ( which honestly might have influenced this review ... just saying ...). The warm toasty bread arrived about ten minutes later . ( one waiter , remember ? Chill out ). I had the pork schnitzel ($19) special which was served with a very tasty house salad and roasted baby potatoes. My partner had the veal parm ($24) with salad and a side of spaghetti . P.S. the sauce on the spaghetti was the slightly sugary sweet sauce your grandmother might have made ( light with sugar to cut the acid of the tomatoes). We left stuffed with left overs , no room for dessert. If you are up for an experience and not a neat freak , check out this place . You will have a good story to tell no matter what ( that can be good or bad but a story none the less ). read more

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Go somewhere else. Cheap wine. Food might be better at a soup kitchen. Thought it was a bit more upscale than it was but hubby chose it

Great place for a relaxing family dinner. Th setting is comfortable, the food delicious and service friendly. Lots of classic dishes each with a little twist. Looking forward to returning soon! read more

We had a 5:15 reservation because we wanted to catch the fireworks at the ice castle at 7:00. 7:20 and still no food. Almost got up and left, but they kept saying our food was coming. We finally got the food and it was mediocre Italian. Sorry, but skip this place! read more

A lovely evening of fine, fresh, dining on fascinating recipes by an obviously caring chef. Service is not to be mistaken as poor but what a traditional dining experience should be: un-rushed, uninterrupted evenings with friends infused by light, occasional inquiries as well as presentation of each dish. The setting is tasteful, a small mix of art and interior design with most comfortable and intimate seating which does not scream out "dress code please" but is most certainly enhanced by harkening your dress code back to a time when meals out were occasions to dress and "show" up. Do not be intimidated by a French menu or the seemingly inaccessible. The wait staff and even the chef himself are likely to make you feel sincerely appreciated and help you find menu items which will allow you to taste something so great and so unexpected that no worry should keep you away. Make this your special occasion and you can certain it will be unforgettable. read more

The menu at Belvedere always surpasses my expectations. Everything prepared is packed full of flavor and highlights fresh, local produce every week. The attention to detail with their ingredients is something the owner/chef is very underrated for. I only make a trip out here every few months but it's always the first place I stop the second I get into town. It's well worth your money & time to pop in and savor a great dining experience! read more

Came in late March. Food is still good, but the service just wasn't. The place was not busy at all, and the waiter didn't take care of our table. We were one of the only tables in the restaurant and the waiter didn't do simple things like fill water or ask if we would like another beer. Pretty disappointing. Food was fine. Hope this is a constructive review, other than the poor service would have been close to 4 stars. read more

Why have I not eaten here before? Incredible food and service!!!! Loved every second from bar to dining!

I am very impressed with the quality of the food. I have particularly enjoyed the chicken cacciatore. Their sauce is very good. Comfortable atmosphere. read more

The Bel is a favorite of locals and visitors. This low key Italian-American pumps out great food including Steaks, Chicken Parm, Linguini & Clams, and Burgers. With your entrée you receive a salad with homemade dressing (ranch is my favorite, but many people love their Blue Cheese). If you're hungry I would also recommend the French Onion Soup or the Shrimp Cocktail for an appetizer. The prices are reasonable and very comparable to other restaurants in the area. You may wait a little for your food, but it's well worth it. They do take reservations (recommended for a group, especially Fridays & Saturdays), great for kids, and carry out is available. Personal Favorite = Chicken Parm or Joey's Special (when available). NOTE: Cash only (ATM on site) read more

Very good Italian food located close to the main street of Saranac Lake. Will pay between 13-30 dollars but they offer a good selection of wine and authentic dishes. I have the Veal Parmiagiano with a side of the house made spaghetti and it was delicious and very fresh, paired excellently with a house-chosen cabernet. read more

Living walking distance from this place for 3 years I was really hoping this would be a great place to eat! But no it was: -over-priced - our waiter was joking a lot but it came off wrong, kind of weird - the salad was very bare, like cheap iceberg with canned olive slices All and all, we were left wondering why the locals like this place.... read more

Save your money, it's a slight upgrade from Chef BoyArDee. Little Italy is soooo much better!

Well this local joint is worth passing by.every item we had be it fish fowl or sausage was dry.service was attentive but no chef resides here. Keep on driving read more

Good food, fresh ingredients, warm bread, homemade salad dressings. I had chicken parm which was freshly pounded and tasty while my wife had the meatball platter which she loved. Only reason is ambience was not that great but not bad either. Definitely worth checking out. read more

Two stars because the staff were friendly and attentive to all of our needs. The bread and salad were good, but the main courses just didn't live up to any Italian food expectations. Most of the food was dry and just overcooked (parm/sausage). I would come here for perhaps the bar, but for the food, dine somewhere else. read more

A village establishment since the 1930s. It's decor is old and dated. The food is really very average at best. I would try the bar if we were to return.one plus is it is very kid friendly. read more

Best Italian restaurant in the area. The food is authentic and delicious. Very friendly and efficient service. I eat at the Bel whenever I am in town. I gave it only 4 stars because of their cash only policy. Wish they took credit cards. read more

One of our favorite restaurants in town. Always hot, fresh and delicious. Classic Italian style restaurant where your meal starts with hot bread and salads come with every meal. The Salmon and the Chicken cacciatore are two of our favorites, but they also have a delicious steak and the Chicken Parmesan is terrific. read more

Four of us, my wife ,myself and daughter and her friend just had dinner at the Belvedere. Dinner was great and then time stopped. Waited over 15 minutes before telling waitress to just bring our check. Our bill was already $148.00 and would have been $25 or $30 dollars more but they disappeared. Had to ask three times for the check and was ignored and finally told if I needed change to go to the bar. I'm not cheap and still gave her $170.00 for a $148.00 bill but she could have had more. 15% of $148.00 is 22.20 and that was with tax. This is the second time this has happened in the last two visits. Used to be our favorite restaurant but sorry to say we won't ever be going back. It was only a couple of miles up the road from us but sorry I can't deal with poor service at the end of a good dinner. Two stars only because the food was great. Service left a lot to be desired at the end of the meal. read more

We had a wonderful dinner at the Belvedere on the charming screened porch dining room. The service could not have been friendlier or better. The food was exceptionally good all around. The place has certainly been around a long time (since the 1930's!), but that only added to the charm. read more

This place was absolutely amazing, the food was absolutely delicious and reasonably priced! The servings were also very large and still at the good price! The staff was so nice and funny making the entire experience great. This place is must go. read more