Went today, Father's day. They have very reasonable prices on their specials. As low as $8.99. I had the peach chutney chicken with sweet potatoes and asparagus. Yum! Even on a rainy day it's a great location right on the lake inlet. read more

This used to be a great and popular restaurant. It remains popular, but is not even good, much less great. We have gone many times but will never go back. We called at 6:30pm to "get on the list" and they said to come at 7:15. Great! We arrived at 7:15 to a huge crowded line inside in the middle of a pandemic. It's like nobody had heard of social distancing (at least most were wearing masks). They then told us it was a 30 minute longer wait and our 45 minute call ahead was to merely get a slightly shorter waiting time when we arrived, which they didn't tell us over the phone and is objectively absurd. Then, we didn't get the text telling us our table was ready until 8:30pm - 2.25 hours after we called and 1.25 hours after we were told it would be 30 minutes. What a joke, we will never return. read more

The BoatYard Grill is a cute little seafood place in Ithaca, which has always desperately needed a joint like this. I've eaten here multiple times, and I've always enjoyed the experience. The ambiance is a bit too casual for my tastes (a bit more of a higher-end feel would have been preferable), but it suffices for what it tries to do. The food is also pretty good, at least for the area. The crab cakes are tasty, but rely a bit too much on filler. Their chicken dishes aren't exactly mind-blowing by any stretch of the imagination - this being a seafood place, you begin to wonder why they have so many of them. All the same, I can't complain too much - good seafood is a bit rare in Ithaca. read more

Don't order the steak, it will be well done no mater how you request it. Also they don't honor reservations.

Got here at 5:30 on a Friday evening. They won't take reservations but they told us we would have a 45 minute wait. We decided to wait because we haven't been in a while and it's where my son wanted to come for his family birthday dinner. Fast forward almost TWO HOURS. We still haven't been seated although many other groups who came in after us have been seated. Some have finished dinner and are leaving. So very awful!!! I'm ready to leave but my son and daughter are willing to wait a little while longer. I am STARVING and they are still unwilling to seat us. I live in Ithaca, but I won't be back. read more

I came here on the last day of classes with some friends for a nice dinner, and had a really stellar meal. Now there seem to be oddly polarizing opinions of this place, so maybe consistency is an issue, maybe service and experience dip when the restaurant is particularly busy, maybe they just aren't that great at making steak (but it's a seafood place so meh) but my last experience here on a weekday night was pretty great. The ambiance is really nice, at night eating lakeside is just a really nice feeling even if you're indoors, it feels like a bit of an adventure nonetheless. Being actually located next to a boatyard, hence the appropriate name, means the restaurant is located a bit of a trek away from the commons and Collegetown, but worth the trip imo Anyways, we were seated promptly, and served this really nice warm bread with dill butter, which was rather unique I think. Especially since dill pairs so well with seafood it was a good primer. I ordered a small plate of crab cakes. I like this menu offering style of having smaller portions, because lately my appetites been shrinking and I'm having trouble eating as much as I want to eat (but you know what, it's okay, I'm fine, it's fine...) they really surprisingly tasty, it was paired with this succotash like salad, that had these really tasty sweety drop peppers, and nice aioli, just very memorable and nicely sized. My friends ordered a lobster mornay and a seafood fra diavolo. My fish and the mornay were both specials, but suuuper tasty. The mornay was like this casserole of cheese and lobster, that was kinda heavy, but really guilty and yummy. I don't think I can eat a whole serving of it though. I would recommend my friends pasta dish, it was a really tasty and well-balanced dish. Really tasty tomato and seafood sauce. For dinner, omg, we had such a tasty chocolate cake with ice cream. It was definitely really thoughtfully made, and not too sweet and warm and chilly at the same time, just so luxurious, we shared it but I could have pretty easily downed it all on my own. It's also shaped like a snowman!! Wow! But yeah, I'd really recommend. :) read more

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Buffalo chicken egg rolls were great. Filet mignon was great. Don't order any seafood, the sea bass made my wife sick. I think the clam chowder made me sick as well. Won't be back. read more

A nice venue with decent food and great view. Food: Pretty good. My swordfish steak was cooked well and my wife enjoyed her shrimp and grits, which had chunks of meat in addition to the shrimp. Portions are really small and prices are high though. The two items and a soda cost us about $40. Not unreasonable, but we both left hungry. Decor: Really nice inside. Nautical themed, lots of wood. Restaurant is next to the water, but you can't really see it from some of the tables because they keep a huge party tent up on the patio. Service: Prompt, polite and professional. Table next to us was demanding a comp on his $50+ meal because their entrees came out before they finished the last bite of his appetizer. Both the waitress and manager were calm and cheerful as he complained about his entire day being ruined because he felt rushed to eat his last egg roll. This is while simultaneously dealing with huge a bridal shower on the patio. They get an extra star for this. read more

The BoatYard Grill - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Had a lovely dinner at the crowded and popular boat yard. Staff was friendly and accommodating Prices were reasonable and portions nice read more

Food was fresh, tasty, and creative. Server was super friendly and attentive. Only a couple vegan options on the menu, but they were happy to substitute/change up meals to make them more vegetarian and vegan friendly (like evoo for baked potato instead of butter) which was really appreciated. COVID-wise they have an outdoor-ish covered porch area which is likely fully open to the air in nice weather. We sat out there safely; well socially-distanced. I'd return! read more

Been here several more times since our initial visit and the hubs and I have loved it every single time! Food is great, service is great. Get the shellfish Cobb salad, super filling, great tasting and a very fair price! Will definitely be recommending! read more

Best service I have received in a long time! Gabby was an amazingly attentive waitress, and the food came out prompt with great quality, cooked to perfection! Will be back! read more

The BoatYard Grill - Scallop Stuffed Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

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Great view of the water, which I can see would be a draw, and most likely why it was a bit pricier than other bars in Ithaca. The clam chowder was chunky and quite good. The Buffalo Chicken egg rolls lived up to the hype and I would get again. read more

The BoatYard Grill - Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

I have really hard time eating out, because I have a garlic allergy. Yesterday when I ordered my food our waiter Gina was really helpful checking with a kitchen , which food will work for me. Thanks to Gina I had very good birthday dinner. I would recommend The BoatYard Grill for everyone. Thank you Gina! read more

Excellent dood and service. Chris did an excellent job as our waiter. The food was also excellent. We had a seafood splashdown tower, filet mignon and seafood fra diavolo and all was excellent. We also got the mushrooms which were soooo good. read more

Food was good and definitely one of the better restaurants in Ithaca it seems. Spinach artichoke dip was bomb!!

Very good dinner tonight. Food was excellent. There were a couple hiccups but management made it all right! Thank you so much. I truly do appreciate it. read more

I really liked this restaurant in 2016-18 or so, but my recent experience was disappointing. I called ahead to reserve a spot in line, like their website recommends, and was told you have to appear in person to reserve a spot. The time was 45 minutes. We drive over to put our name down and the host asks if we called ahead to reserve a spot...and the wait was now 65 minutes. We initially put our names down but changed our minds when we saw the "outdoor seating" wasn't really outdoor, it was under tarps that obstruct the view. I don't know why they wouldn't take advantage of all their naturally beautiful outdoor space. Their food is fine, but half the experience is the ambience. Ah well. read more

In town for the weekend, so glad we chose this one. We arrived just as they opened and we're seated right away, but it filled up quickly. Ambiance was perfect, as was the service and food. Steaks cooked perfectly and sides were delicious! read more

We were staying in Ithaca and looking for a place off of the Commons and with a waterfront view. Enter: The Boatyard Grill. This was exactly what we were looking for. I called earlier in the day to try to make a reservation but was told that they instead accept "Same day call ahead", where we would only have to wait half of the time. This actually ended up working out because it was a beautiful Saturday and we were able to enjoy a glass of wine on the waiting area along the lake which had an amazing view. For those who have never been, you should know that this place gets PACKED. We went on a Saturday night around 6:30 and there was over an hour wait. You could barely get through to the bar to get a drink, too. I would recommend coming early or later to beat the crowd, or calling ahead. The food was good, but slightly pricey. I had the salmon prepared with the pesto sauce. The piece of salmon was really generous and the sauce was delish. They also had a lot of specials for the night. The waitress was great, but the service was a little slow because of how crowded it was. Overall, I would definitely come back for that amazing lake view and yummy food, but may try to avoid the crowded hours. read more

This restaurant is located at the foot of Cayuga lake. Getting dinner. At sunset is recommended. The service is very friendly and does an impeccable job. I was very pleased with every service person I encountered from the moment I walked into the door to the ordering service. Even the bussers looked happy as they buzzed all over the place. The food is always impeccable every time I come here. This is real gourmet stuff. Definitely definitely worth checking out! read more

This place has it all! Great atmosphere, service and food. We're picky and loved it. Would recommend to anyone in the area. read more

The BoatYard Grill - Sitting on the dock basically! - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

Let me start by stating my family is in the hospitality industry so I think long and hard before placing a negative review. Our experience at BoatYard Grill was underwhelming at best. While the restaurant doesn't take reservations, the website clearly states that you can call ahead after 3pm the same day to place your name on the waitlist. This process is a farce. I called at 3:20 and was asked when we wanted to dine. I was able to give a specific time. I had thought that meant we would be seated at approximately that time. The person I spoke with said we might even be able to sit earlier. That said, we arrived a half an hour earlier than the agreed upon time and were told it would be a 50 or so min wait. It was then that I received a text confirmation that I was placed on a waitlist. I don't believe calling ahead had done a thing. If indeed the list was already that long when I called, I would have appreciated honesty. An experienced hostess should have been able to give me an accurate wait/seating time. Seventy minutes later, we were among the last of the waiting crowd to be seated outside as requested; however, there was a large unused tent blocking the beautiful view. Had the food been worth the wait, I might have been ok with the situation, but my mahi mahi (served with mushy rice and plain steamed bok choy) was an over-sauced mess and pretty exemplary of the other meals at the table. read more

Wonderful dinner. 1 1/2 pound stuff led lobster excellent, as was the garlic steak. Great outdoor seating and the lava cake for desert is amazing. Waterfront view and perfect weather made the night special. Pet friendly, too. read more

The BoatYard Grill - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

This place was a gorgeous spot to eat at. I had a gigantic Mac N Cheese Bacon Cheeseburger which was OUTSTANDING! I did get massive stomach aches from all the oil, but it was definitely worth it. Just to add, the view was amazing and even though the wait was an hour and a half the seating outside while waiting was peaceful and beautiful! Good job Boatyard Grill! read more

I had really high expectations for this place. The fried calamari was really good, but downhill from there. The tuna pan Asian was very disappointing and the scallops stuffed shrimp was mediocre at best. It was horribly overpriced and my drink was disgusting. The scallop entree was so salty and the tuna tasted fishy. Maybe it was our mistake ordering seafood at a city away from the coast. The service and atmosphere was great, but don't go there for the food. read more

Just returned from dining at The Boatyard Grill. First time at this restaurant. They do not take reservations, but they do " call ahead" seating. When I called at 6pm on Thursday the @call ahead" was full. They told me that the walk up wait is an hour, but after 8pm that wait time drops dramatically. Arrived around 8:15, told them we are walk ups and asked for an outside table. We were seated immediately. We were greeted by our server, Marisa, who was amazing. The meal was superb. Had soup, split a starter, and stuffed shrimp. My wife had the Georgia peach grilled chicken...WOW! I wish everyone to give this establishment a try. So worth it. read more

This restaurant provides a great atmosphere with phenomenal views as it sits right on the lake with the perfect view of the sun set and rising moon. Inside dinning, bar seating, outside dining and even outside lounging is available. Drinks for starters include decent tap and drink options. We started with the spicy tuna and salmon teriyaki sushi rolls, as well as the buffalo chicken egg rolls for appetizers. Our entrees included the Mac and cheese burger, from boxed kraft Mac and cheese, the Salmon and a prime rib with an added lobster tail. Over all food was great. Room for improvement on table bussing but our service was wonderful otherwise. read more

The boatyard might be my favorite restaurant in Ithaca. Our server Nick was awesome and forced me in to taking the last fry... I was not opposed to this. Anyway to start had the tuna appetizer which was ok I didn't care for the wasabi. I loved the Cayuga crunch salad which had so many great ingredients. My favorite appetizer was the sweet potato fries which were so good because they were warm. The boatyard used to have potato chips just like this dish but they weren't warm... I miss them a little but the sweet potato fries were a nice upgrade. For the main course, I had the Georgia peach chicken which was so good with a sweet potato hash. Then for dessert we had the chocolate chip cookie skillet. I was surprised I hoped it would be a giant cookie in a skillet , but it was only a large slice in each with banana ice cream. Granted, we only finished 1 and a half for 6 people because it was so dense and filling. Always a great meal at the boatyard! Don't forget to check out my profile! read more

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We just had dinner at the boat yard. Was one of the best meals we have had in quite a while. Calamari was perfect. I had a fillet and it was mouthwatering delicious and perfectly seasoned. I recommend the beat salad as well as the strip steak. Excellent service read more

Let me start by saying I certainly understand that wait staff shortages are an issue, and I'm guessing that's the case here. If you are going to go, patience is needed. Even with the call ahead feature to be put on a list with a desired arrival, you may be eating 30-45 minutes. It's very popular so the lines and wait can be long as well as the time it takes to place your order, drinks to arrive, food to arrive, and finally the check. So if you are in a rush or have limited time you might want to consider other options. Drinks were good, coconut shrimp appetizer of four good sized shrimp was fine. The tacos were a bit bland and I was disappointed with the chicken with grilled Georgia Peaches. It arrived with peaches that were more like canned pie filling and not grilled peaches as described on the menu. Key lime pie for dessert was good. Would we go again when we are in the area? Most likely. And we would try something else, and know it could be a long night. read more

Well ...First off, let me say that we were about an hour south of this Restaurant and some locals there recommended this place. When we got near by and ask some more locals, they too recommended this place. So we figured wow this is a winner. We called in advance to get seating outside or near a window and we spoke to Susan. Susan was very professional not only on the phone but when we arrived. We were greeted the way you should be. After we were seated I thought let me see what Yelp has to say about this place. I normally check first but with everyone raving about the place I didn't bother. To my surprise, the ratings were pretty bad, the comments were worse, almost to the point I was thinking maybe we should leave. However, we decided to stay. We had the Lobster Flat bread Pizza, very good. We had the Tuna Tataki and it was very good. We had the Clam Chowder and it was also good. Lastly we had a Crab cake, we both had split opinion on it. It was good but not that lump crab cake that we normally get. All in all, the place did not live up to its bad reputation. I would definitely return if back in the area. Thank you Ariel for the Great service! Btw. It was the lunch menu and the prices were very reasonable. This just in ... While leaving I told Ariel that I had noticed the place had some pretty bad write ups. She acknowledged there had been problems in the past and they have gone through a transition period. I think they're on the rise. read more

Had to wait a really long time but it was worth it. we had the very, very best server Billie Jo, she was amazing. The calamari was the best i ever had. everything good. Even in covid times. read more

Love this restaurant! Service is fast and friendly, views and atmosphere were great, and food was incredible. My server, Billie Jo, was so sweet and beyond attentive/accommodating. The owner, Mark, was very personable, making all feel so welcome. 10/10 would recommend the sea bass and the Cabernet Sauvignon freakshow is fantastic. read more

The BoatYard Grill - Seafood Near Me - Ithaca, New York

It has been almost 8 years since I was last at the boatyard. I told my boyfriend that it is like a really good chain restaurant. I mean that as a compliment. Everything was well seasoned, consistent and very good. It started off a little questionably. The hostess seemed like she was having a bad day. She seemed a bit irritated that I didn't want to sit in the sun. But people have bad days. We had a really great waitress- Kelsey. She was very nice and helpful. One of those waitresses that are pretty authentic, where you don't feel like they are being nice for a god tip- just genuinely nice. The clam chowder was excellent. Smokey from the bacon, not too heavy, but very creamy. I would come back for just the chowder! The bread seemed freshly baked, with an herbed butter. I had the fried calamari. Came just how I like it- well seasoned and very crispy. With banana peppers, aioli and marinara sauce. Just right. I also had a Caesar salad. It was okay- a little over dressed. Dressing was god, however and the croutons seemed homemade. My partner had the mac and cheese burger. He seemed satisfied, although you better come hungry! Seasoned fries were delicious. And with the view, you can't go wrong! Glad to see this restaurant is still doing well and serving good food. read more

The service was great and the food was too, but I'm pretty sure I got an allergic reaction from this place. I had a taste of lobster lollipop, coconut shrimp and some clam chowder. Each dish was pretty tasty but the portion sizes were pretty small for the price! The service was admirable too, our waitress was were attentive and a pleasure to interact with. We sat outside to catch a breath of fresh air, but despite the fact that it's pretty dim inside, the decor indoors was so homey and welcoming. However, I had a pretty bad allergic reaction from this seafood despite the fact that I've eaten lobster and shrimp before. I've been told it might be because the food wasn't cooked well or seafood wasn't fresh. Can't blame this on the restaurant since it is not definite but it's something to keep in mind! read more

I've been here a few times and I always enjoy the food. The shrimp and grits is SOOO delicious and filling. The black been burger is meh, but this isn't exactly a vegan/vegetarian focused menu so that is expected. Warning: they got rid of the horseshoe string fries, they were some of my favorites. What's always been crappy is the service. The first time my server completely ignored our table and we were more than 10! The second time I went with two friends and when I showed my ID the waitress said it wasn't accepted, despite the fact that it expires in FOUR years. And when I asked my my ID needed to be presented to the manager I got no answers. Plus, when we asked to eat on the outdoor patio they requested that we pay for our food and carry it out ourselves.... I felt so disrespected. WHY have an outdoor patio if you refuse to serve people there? It's a shame they can't deliver better customer service because I do love the food. read more

The attitude from the server is just nauseating. We drove 6hrs to get to Ithaca and love the food in this place. However, the extra attitude is not necessary. If you're having a bad day, keep it to yourself. We all have those days but you're a freaking server. I don't know if you know that, but you're not suppose to share your bad day to everyone that you serve. read more

Very happy with the service!!the food was excellent!!came for the 1st time w/ the Family, everyone enjoy the food!! Very nice place by the water!!love it!!! read more

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Great food. The service could have been better, and I hate their set up for reservations/call ahead policy. It doesn't make sense. I called ahead and was told that the earliest they had was 7:30, yet when i got there i was told it would still be a 30 min wait..... Wouldn't it just be easier to have people set up for reservations? read more