Delicious freshly made sandwiches. Beautiful views. Wonderful service. Very down to earth restaurant!!

Ok so saw the great reviews and had to try it out. It was good. Maybe really good, but not great. Outside seating is not covered btw. Got the Robb salad and it was pretty good - again not great but really good. I'd say decent amount of chicken but way too much garlic on the salad. Wife had the chickpea salad as a wrap and again unique Mediterranean spice (nutmeg/cinnamon?) in the wrap. Again - it was good - just not great. Side were some store bought chips. I'd say it's a cute unique place with pretty good food - Yelpers had me hoping hall of fame and we found hall of really good... read more

The Elf In The Oak - Outside view of Seneca and uncovered outside seating - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

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While staying in the finger lakes for a girls trip we had lunch at this cute cafe. Order at the window from their selection of sandwiches and sides. One of us is vegetarian and there were sandwiches that fit that dietary requirement. Everyone was friendly and our sandwiches came out hot and delicious! The waffle fries were great as was all of our food and of course you can also order a glass of local Finger Lakes wine. read more

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Beautiful view with a great meal! This is a casual place to pick up lunch or breakfast. I I had the smoked turkey panini and it was delicious! It had sharp cheddar, apples, caramelized onions and garlic mayo. My first bite was just perfect! I was able to find a seat near the window and it had a view of the lake. While I sat I chatted with the owner & had the most welcoming personality. Highly recommended read more

What a cute little spot. We were not sure where we wanted to go for lunch. I gave my friend a few ideas from Yelp and we came over. It's not a big place. It's got a bar inside and indoor seating. I'm sure this place rocks the outside seating during the warmer months. When you come in find a menu, go to the counter and order what you want. They take both cash or card so don't worry. Than give them your name and they will call it out when its ready. You can have all kinds of drinks including, beer, cider and a Bloody Mary and soft drinks and the like. My friend got the Chicken Schitznel and I got the Roasted Pork Sandwiches. Both were delicious and I got a side of curly fries. The portions are generous. What I would suggest is find a seat and have the other person order the food. Everyone wants to sit by the window for the view. Considering the area the prices are fair. The have a small parking lot and I assume certain hours they are slammed. It's worth a visit. read more

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Nice little place that where we stopped one cold afternoon. Our sandwiches were great. No frills otherwise. Staff were friendly and service was quick. You go up to a window and order and they have plenty of choices. Drinks come in the can. Great view of the lake. There is a bar and a wood stove in the corner. As for prices, we paid about $15 each for sandwiches, but they were fairly big and hearty. If you aren't doing anything looking for a place that is actually open in the winter, go here. We'll be back. read more

Visit date: Aug. 15, 2024 TL:DR: 10/10 Highly recommend! As I continued my solo roadtrip adventure throughout the New England area and into upper New York, I stumbled upon this hidden gem. Luckily I expanded my search when I was looking for local eats in the Watkins Glen area because this cute little spot was tucked further north east from the downtown area. A little ways up the lake. Many have found this from their hiking adventures. Seeing many other's high ratings of this place and being one-of-a-kind local joint, I decided to give it a try - and my was I excited and pleased from start to end! Staff were all super friendly the moment you walk through the door. They were helpful in helping choose food items and even catered for my request to heat up a cold sandwich from their menu. I got the Italian sub, warmed / pressed on their panini maker, and a side of sweet potato fries. I was forewarned that they were busy and backed up so the wait was a little longer than usual. No problem since they were being transparent with me, Once I got my order, it was still steaming hot and freshly made! Flavors and textures were spot on if you love an Italian sub. The fries were crispy, not too oily, and seasoned well. (Writing this review a couple months later is now making me crave for this place by the way!) Overall, you could tell this was definitely a local hole-in-the-wall and it's for the best! I would not hesitate recommending this to friends and family that's in the Watkins Glen area - I'd even come back without a doubt! - John read more

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Really nice sandwich place with a good variety of sandwiches. I'm a vegetarian and had three sandwich options here, which doesn't happen very often! Very laid back atmosphere. You seat yourself on a nice big deck with an awesome view! You order at a counter and then they call your number and you go get your food. It was packed when we were here and the food still came out pretty fast. Would definitely recommend! read more

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What a cute breakfast spot! This was only 3 mins from our airbnb, and multiple folks had recommended it to us. We visited before hitting some wineries, and we enjoyed some excellent sandwiches that fueled us for the day. The restaurant is on a main drag on Seneca Lake, but it's fairly small so you would miss it if you didn't know it existed. The restaurant itself is decently large with lots of seating in the back area as well as ample outdoor space for nicer days (inclement weather, so we stayed inside). The decor is pretty no frills, but it still worked. Their menu is pretty extensive as well, which made our decisions tougher. I knew I wanted a biscuit, so I ultimately went for their breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, and bacon. The homemade biscuit was incredible - so buttery and flaky, making for a great vehicle for the contents. My husband got one of the specials - a brisket biscuit - which he really enjoyed too. It was chockfull of meat and goodies! We washed our food down with some basic coffee, which completed the meal. At ~$9-10 for each sandwich and considering how filling they were, the Elf in the Oak is a great deal! I would highly recommend this spot for a filling and delicious breakfast before exploring the Finger Lakes. I would love to try more of their sandwiches, including more of their lunch menu - more reason to revisit! read more

The Elf In The Oak - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

Service was chaotic and disorganized with significant wait times Don't come close to 11 as they will close the kitchen for breakfast from about 20 minutes before until serving their first lunch about 20 minutes after At least the aesthetic was good with nice views read more

Beautiful location, friendly staff. Shared a huge fried clam poboy and curly fries. Hearty fare. The cinnamon buns are terrific. I had the chicken schnitzel last time. Fantastic. read more

What a great find! After hiking in the area and getting soaked, it was so nice to find this gem. It's a low key casual place. You order at a window and the. Get your food. Great variety of food. The sandwich and salads were great. Generous portions and so reasonably priced. It's a quaint setting with lake views. read more

Sandwiches and Salads are consistently good. Breakfast was delicious as well. Order the cinnamon rolls! You won't regret it!! read more

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We were given a tip on this place, and they weren't wrong. Everything ordered was over the top, and the views are stunning. Don't hesitate to swing through and give them a little love, as they will give it back. read more

Nice find. A little out of the way but worth going to. Staff and s super friendly and helpful. I couldn't decide on hat to have so I left it to my server. She brought me a chicken pesto panini. So satisfying. read more

First. It's the cutest little shack right off the 414. Then it's outdoor patio seating so if it's cooler or rainy, bring a jacket. The music is fun and plenty of seating. You seat yourself and then order at the window. Service is pretty straightforward. Nothing fancy. The food. I ordered a tuna melt on sourdough with curly fries and a blood orange flavored local soda. Every bite and sip were TOP TIER. Like I didn't want it to end. The tuna salad was perfect. It had capers and red onions and the sauce wasn't too overpowering. The cheese kind of melted into the crust of the bread and was lovely. The curly fries were just right, soft with some crunch. They also gave you some house made pickles on the side and it was like not fully pickled but soft and vinegary. Very delicious. The sourdough was soft and scrumptious. A very good experience. read more

The Elf In The Oak - Blood orange soda - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

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Such a great little place for lunch! The people were so nice and all of our sandwiches were delicious. Plus they had great wine and beer options and a small bar inside. Loved it! read more

Such wonderful sandwiches and breakfast items here, I think we went 3 times on a recent trip. The bagels were great and for lunch the chicken schnitzel is a win! read more

The Elf In The Oak - An amazing breakfast sandwich. - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

A perfect day at lake seneca includes Elf in the Oak! We started with a hike a Watkins Glen, then went to this restaurant to get a quick bite. I did not expect much from this place other than a decent sandwich to hold us over for the wineries. I was pleasantly surprised by just how good these sandwiches were! My partner and I are vegetarian and my parents who were visiting us for the weekend are not. Every person in the party loved the food they got! The vegetarian options were as well thought out and delicious as the meat options. Which is rare! As a person who tries to eat veggie there are a lot of restaurants that throw something on the menu that is technically vegetarian but does not have flavor or any effort in quality. That is not the case here! The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. It felt like going to a friends house for food. Beautiful view of the lake. In a house like setting. Definitely check this spot out! read more

All the food was amazing, absolutely delicious. I had the lobster roll ~ fell in love with the buttered and grilled brioche hotdog roll combined with the lobster roll. I'm not a chip person, but the chips were really good, kettle cooked I'd guess, crispy. The side dishes were definitely made to share, we could not come close to finishing our food. read more

The Elf In The Oak - Clockwise from top left: chicken cordon bleu sandwich, cheese curds, breaded cauliflower & lobster roll. - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

A local friend suggested this sandwich shop to us when we were on a trip and we're SO GLAD we checked it out! We were a little hesitant at first when we couldn't find the menu online but it was delicious. I got a caprese sandwich with mozzarella, tomato and basil and my friend got the lobster roll which we both thoroughly enjoyed! The sweet potato fries with a honey dip were light and fried to perfection. The ingredients were so fresh! It was quite busy at lunch time so there was a little bit of a wait for your food after ordering but it was so worth the wait! There is plenty of seating down on the hillside and the gorgeous view of Seneca lake is the trademark of the area! read more

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I ordered the sausage gravy on a biscuit, the gravy was watery and greasy, the biscuit had an odd taste (I suspect it was frozen at some point). At any rate better can be had for half the price at Oak Hill and better for the same price almost anywhere in FLX. There actually is no service, order at a window, pick up at another window, but that does not stop them from asking for a tip (typical these days I know). Outside seating is in the full sun. Not my cup of tea! read more

Great food and service! We came back two days in a row for the best paninis and the staff was great :)

Great hangover cure breakfast and if not looking for a cure try one of their famous bloody Mary's . Great egg dishes, French toast and sandwiches. Nice elevated deck with a great view of the lake. read more

The Elf In The Oak - Bagel, lox, cream cheese - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

This place never disappoints! Casual eatery with amazing food. Been here several times and it's one of my favorite local spots to eat.

My wife and I stopped by on our way through the area. We both enjoyed the sandwiches and shared a slice of pie. Great food and a wonderful day to eat outside! (10/22) read more

The Elf In The Oak - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

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Compared to the amount of wineries in the area, the amount of restaurants was lacking a little - stumbled across this place when looking for somewhere to eat and we're so glad we did!! Fresh, perfectly cooked sandwiches, and a beautiful patio/outdoor space to enjoy your meal. So friendly, so fulfilling, bookmarking this for the next time we're in the area for sure! read more

The Elf In The Oak - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

Food was incredible for breakfast, so flavorful. Wish we hadn't stopped on our last day out of town! Highly recommend! Super kind service.

The food is always great here. Lovely space to eat off the back deck and down on the grass. The staff is quick to fill the orders and the place is always clean. We always bring our visitors there to show off the area. read more

Fun stop on the Seneca wine trail. Busy, but great outdoor seating, dog friendly. Would recommend

This is the perfect lunch spot on Seneca! We stopped by mid-afternoon after tasting at Boundary Breaks. Very casual atmosphere - seat yourself on the deck, grab a paper menu, and order at the window. I ordered the Italian salad, which was stocked with Italian meats, provolone, pepperoncini, and delicious olives. Seriously this was one of the best salads I've ever had. My husband enjoyed his sandwich and we both agreed the fries were delicious and very crispy (and worth the $3 up charge). We will definitely return on future trips to the Finger Lakes! read more

The Elf In The Oak - Italian salad - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

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Fabulous sandwiches, we got the PMT and the Jerk chicken (great jalapeño relish!) - highly recommend! Great staff. And such a beautiful view read more

The Elf In The Oak - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York

What a gem in the Seneca Lake area. We stopped by here for lunch during a Seneca lake trip and Elf really showed me why it's so highly rated. The indoor space was closed but they have an awesome deck looking out onto the great view. They also had a huge yard space next to the deck with picnic tables. You order at a window and grab your own seat. There's no indoor bathroom though and it's all porta potties as far as I can tell. The person who took our order was super friendly. I got the jerk chicken sandwich and replaced the cheddar with goats cheese. The sandwich was soooooo yummies! The bread was nice and hearty, and the onion spread was sweet. The jalapenos and jerk chicken spice gave the sandwich a very nice kick and interesting flavor combo. The sandwich came with chips which were also very yummy. I also got to try my bf's scallop po boy. This sandwich was soooooo delicious. The scallops were perfected fried, and still moist and sweet inside. The flavor was just amazing. We also got curly fries. The portion is big!!! It's definitely a shareable dish. I will definitely be back when I'm in the area!! read more

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We live nearby and grab lunch here maybe once a month. I've never been disappointed with their food, it's always delicious! I do think the prices are a little high but it's never stopped us from going. read more

We were exploring the Gorge Trail, and after the hike decided to venture a little further out for food, because we wanted to kayak afterwards. After seeing the amazing ratings, we decided that sandwiches sounded like a good idea. The restaurant itself is mainly on the back patio, with the house serving at the kitchen. There is a gorgeous view of the green hills sloping down into the lake. I ordered the Italian while my boyfriend ordered the sandwich with the fried clams. Both sandwich portions came with a hefty side of curly fries. I don't know if it was because we were hungry after our hike and hadn't eaten anything all day, but everything tasted fabulous!!! The fries had a crispy exterior but were soft on the inside, and the sandwiches tasted refreshing and artfully balanced. We ended up being too full to go kayaking, but if I ever come back I will probably return to The Elf in the Oak. read more

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I've been meaning to try this restaurant out for a while, and I finally opted to order takeout (because covid) not long ago. So while I can't really evaluate the full experience of eating inside this delightful little location, I can at least make note of my limited service experience + review the food. I'll definitely keep this restaurant on my list for post-covid life (once we're more into a new normal), and I plan to write an updated/more thorough review at that time. Anyway... I've been following the Facebook page for The Elf In The Oak (https://www.facebook.com/The-Elf-in-the-Oak-1868004736756525/) for a bit because they post their daily specials on that page. One of my mother's friends had mentioned to us a couple weeks before that they had lobster roll specials once in a while, and so I was waiting to catch that on their Facebook. Once I saw a day with a lobster roll special, I asked my mother if she was interested in takeout... we ended up ordering a lobster roll special, a fish sandwich special, and a ham & cheese panini. I ordered over the phone, and was told my order would be ready in 25 minutes. So 25 minutes later, I pull into the parking lot for the restaurant. Since there's was no inside dining available, there was a little host stand right at the front of the restaurant. The woman tending to orders came out to the stand and waved me up from the parking lot. Super welcoming and very sweet, she confirmed my name and brought out my order quickly. I've been trying to be as generous as possible with local restaurants these days (unless their service or food is just horrible), so I went back to my car and found some cash for the tip container outside the restaurant as well (equal to about a 25% tip). I definitely appreciate the restaurants that have made a point to be flexible, friendly, and service-minded during this pandemic... and The Elf In The Oak certainly has. When it comes to the food in our takeout order, things were mostly positive. I will say that the panini was a bit soggy in certain spots (it's expected that panini bread is firm and toasted). I'm unsure if this is because of how the sandwich was wrapped (in tin foil, perhaps keeping the heat inside and/or oils from the cheese in the sandwich being absorbed into the bread itself). That said, the servings are quite sizable... so you're getting your money's worth by coming here. The lobster roll was an enjoyable and a refreshing mix of lobster, red onion, celery, and so on... nice texture, with nice chunks of lobster meat. My mother's fish sandwich was well done as well... though I would recommend it being served perhaps with even a small side of coleslaw or something along those lines. TL;DR An overall enjoyable takeout experience from a restaurant that has worked to be flexible and high quality during the covid pandemic. I'll be back! read more

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We came here after a day of hiking back in September! We got the most delicious sandwiches and we loved the view from our table! read more

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I hate writing bad reviews. I really do and normally don't. But, I feel like sometimes honesty is important. We went here for breakfast because of all the great reviews and I'm just very confused as to why??? Pros: food was good. Nothing life changing or 5 star worthy but decent, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. Otherwise, it would be less. The young lady who took our order at the window was friendly. Cons: the restaurant had a very off putting odor. We almost didn't stay simply because of this. But, we were hungry and drove a bit to get here - so stuck it out. The ambiance/atmosphere was very lackluster. Just an empty room with very basic tables and chairs(think Chinese take out style). No effort to make it feel welcoming and comfortable. The table was a little sticky. You had to order everything at a window and go pick everything up at a window. All of this would sort of be okay, but then you get the bill!! . We hardly ever pay attention to pricing at restaurants when we eat out- especially when on vacation but this was sticker shock for sure!!! I ordered the bean, egg and cheese burrito with a side of bacon and my husband ordered the bagel with lox and cream cheese. I got coffee and he got a can of Diet Coke. $47 was the bill!!!! Sorry, with no service, very very basic and lackluster atmosphere this just felt very overpriced. Not sure we get the appeal. read more

Strange tasting breakfast wrap, bizarre. View is almost totally blocked by tree's. No table service (no tip then) top myself. Lol. Sticky tables are tasty. read more

Great place and food was amazing!!! Enjoyed the view outside while eating our dinner! read more

The Elf In The Oak - Smoked Turkey Panini - Salad Near Me - Burdett, New York