Elmira, New York Restaurant Reviews - Food Critics' Choice on Good Food and Local Restaurants

Evergreen Express

2012-01-21T08:30:00.001-05:00

Evergreen Express, CHINESE, 505 North Main Street - see map on right for directions, the best Cantonese, Hunan, Szechuan food in Elmira. Family owned, friendly staff. Very nice family! $. Last visit 1/20/2012 - 2 guests. Mongolian Beef was ok. Take-out please - not the best ambience for sitting.

Food 6 out of 10

Service 9 out of 10

Cleanliness 7 out of 10

Ambience 5 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 34 out of 50 points

Garcia's Mexican Restaurant

2011-12-29T08:24:00.001-05:00

La Bandera

Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, MEXICAN, 2446 Corning Road - see map on right for directions. Last visit 12/28/2011 with 3 guests - dinner. Tonight was an off night. Two of our dinners were good. One was "terrible." "How hard is it to make a soft taco?" $-$$ Usually much better.

Food 6 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 7 out of 10

Ambience 7 out of 10

Value 9 out of 10

Total score 37 out of 50 points

Horigan's

2011-12-28T08:20:00.001-05:00

Horigan's, 365 Davis Street - see map on right for directions. AMERICAN-IRISH, great food - which is great for Elmira, all kinds of daily specials, hey, you never know what it will be - but it will be good. Our last visit was 12/27/2011 with 4 guests - dinner. Although, not our favorite Lehigh Valley cheesesteak - this is definitely the BEST cheesesteak in Elmira and the Ruebens were A-ok, too. Katie deserves a lot of credit - she could have taken over the restaurant and coasted, but for 10 years she has maintained high standards and good food. $ - $$.

Food 9 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 8 out of 10

Ambience 9 out of 10

Value 8 out of 10

Total score 42 out of 50 points

Tuna II, Tuna 2, Tuna Two

2011-12-07T08:48:00.000-05:00

Spicy Girl and Spicy Tuna Rolls

Tuna II, Tuna 2, Tuna Two, JAPANESE, 1900 Grand Central Avenue - see map on right for directions. As close to perfection as one gets in Elmira, New York. EXCELLENT and probably the healthiest choices in Chemung County. Beautiful presentation, attentive service, delicious food, reasonable prices. Don't be scared from the outside - it is not at all what you think - we promise. Be brave and walk right in. Interior ambience is wonderful. $ - $$$. Last visit 11/30/2011, 2 guests - dinner. Perfect. "Order your sushi and when it comes to the table, put it in your mouth and close your eyes. Spectacular. This food could not be more perfect." Shogun, Spicy Girl, Spicy Tuna Rolls, Summer Rolls, and Tuna sushi!!! Thank the chef on the way out.

3 and a half STARS. Easily, the best restaurant in Elmira.

**Food 10 out of 10**

**Service 10 out of 10**

**Cleanliness 9 out of 10**

**Ambience 9 out of 10**

**Value 9 out of 10**

Total score 47 out of 50 points

our HIGHEST score EVER!

Classic Café

2011-12-07T08:19:00.000-05:00

Cheeseburger and patty melt -
with homemade potato chips

Classic Café, very AMERICAN, 805 Pennsylvania Avenue - see map on right for directions, 1950s theme - good hamburgers, onion rings, comfort food. $ -$. Last visit 12/7/2011 - 3 guests - lunch. Diner-style but with a nice twist of "great burger attitude" and the staff really hustles. A professional diner -- and their homemade potato chips are a treat. Ambience lost a point because it was too cold in there.

Food 7 out of 10
Service 8 out of 10
Cleanliness 8 out of 10
Ambience 6 out of 10
Value 7 out of 10
Total score 36 out of 50 points

Fat Cats Brooklyn Deli

2011-11-10T12:06:00.000-05:00

This is their "Bensonhurst."

Fat Cats Brooklyn Deli, 1002 Walnut Street, 607-368-3790. We have a winner. The food is delicious. Top quality. There is something to be said for merchants who take great pride in their products and service. Thank you for moving to Elmira. Huge sandwiches. It took two of us to eat a "Bensonhurst." "Boro Park" is great, too. Like the "Vickster" also. 2 guests, 11/10/2011. Lunch only.

Food 9 out of 10

Service 9 out of 10

Cleanliness 9 out of 10

Ambience 7 out of 10

Value 9 out of 10

Total score 43 out of 50 points

M & M Red Hots

2011-11-04T12:59:00.000-04:00

Two with everything (meat sauce and onions)

M&M Red Hots, 212 Baldwin Street, Elmira - see map on right for directions. Hot dogs. Old Elmira kind of place. The meat sauce recipe dates from 1919. Last visit 11/4/2011 - 2 guests - lunch. No offense, but the food gets 1 more taste point if you don't eat it there. It is hard to concentrate on the flavor while you are there. Not much privacy between the customers and the waitstaff and the food really needs to be savored. $

Food 7 out of 10
Service 8 out of 10
Cleanliness 6.5 out of 10
Ambience 4.5 out of 10
Value 6.5 out of 10
Total score 32.5 out of 50 points

Good Restaurants within 100 Miles - Alphabetical order

2011-10-12T07:26:00.000-04:00

Angel's Diner, Owego, NY on Main Street - good $
Bento, Corning, NY - Market Street - lunch only - Japanese $
Blue Collar Cafe, Owego, NY - on 17C - really good cheeseburgers! $ - see right bar for photo
Brooks Barbecue, Oneonta, NY - exit 16 off I-88 then turn left at bottom of hill $-$$
Cosmo's, Scranton, PA on Moosic Street, CHEESESTEAKS! - $-$$
Curly's 2780 State Route 14, Montour Falls/Watkins Glen, NY $ Black Russian sandwich! - see right bar for photo
Garcia's Mexican Restaurant, Ithaca, NY on Route 13 - $
Ithaca Bakery, Meadow Street in Ithaca, NY $-$$
Nocchi's Hoagie Stand, Keystone Ave. Sayre, PA - home of the Double Cheese Whammy - $ - see right bar for photo
Neptune Diner, Oneonta, NY Exit 15 off I-88 $-$$
Ramblers' Rest, Painted Post, NY- charbroiled hotdogs, Friday fish fry, pulled pork sandwich! $
Simeon's on the Commons, Ithaca, NY $-$$
Sorge's, Corning, NY - Market Street - new & improved! - Italian $-$$
State Diner, Ithaca, NY on State Street - best Reuben within 100 miles $
Texas Hot Restaurant, downtown Wellsville on Main Street, best Texas Hots! $ - see right bar for photo
Tom Wahl's Avon, NY (west at exit 10 off I-390) - everything's good! $-$$
Tony R's Corning, NY on Market Street - excellent $-$$
Wellsboro Diner, Wellsboro, PA on Main Street $-$$

Pudgies - new northside location

2011-10-11T07:39:00.000-04:00

Pudgie's Northside, PIZZA/ITALIAN, College Avenue, Elmira. Yesterday was our first visit but we can't give a score. We brought the stromboli home and it needed to be reheated. The crust got too dried out and it would be unfair to give a critique. We can say that Pudgie's is a local franchise. A real Elmiran will have eaten thousands of slices of Pudgie's pizza in his/her life time. No exaggeration. This is a new Pudgie's revamped from the original restaurant in a new location. We can say that although the original recipe/formula may be the same, the supplier of the vegetables, meat, and cheese is definitely different. Not bad different, just different. If you are not from here you won't notice. If you are from here, you'll see what we mean.

We will go back and give it a proper critique in the future.

Curly's Chicken House

2011-09-13T08:14:00.000-04:00

1/4 Chicken dinner with dark meat

Curly's Chicken House, very AMERICAN, 2100 Lake Road - see map on right for directions. Chicken, chicken, and more chicken. Broiled chicken, chicken sandwiches, etc. Curly's is an old Elmira kind of place. Stuck in the 1950s. Our last visit was 9/13/2011 with 3 guests - dinner. A true Elmira experience. Elmirans at their most "Elmiran." Sort of a diner. Sometimes good, sometimes not. Today we were disappointed - with the biggest problem of flies - flies everywhere. Cabbage salad tends to be soupy. Ask for dressing on the side. For you out-of-towners do not expect standard "barbecue-style" recipe - this is Curly's style barbecue chicken (no barbecue sauce). Welcome to Elmira. This is us. $

Food 4 out of 10

Service 6 out of 10

Cleanliness 3 out of 10

Ambience 5 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 25 out of 50 points

Maple Lawn Restaurant

2011-08-19T08:22:00.000-04:00

Broiled fish. Presentation was not very exciting.
Yes, the food comes stacked on itself.

Maple Lawn Restaurant, AMERICAN, 3162 Lower Maple Avenue - see map on right for directions. All kinds of food - breakfast, lunch, dinner. Diner-style. Potato could have been hotter. Salad out of a bag and tasted like it, but the broiled fish was good. Last visit - 8/19/2011, 2 guests - dinner. It was a Friday night - packed with customers. $ - $$

Food 7 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 7.5 out of 10

Ambience 6 out of 10

Value 6 out of 10

Total score 34.5 out of 50 points

Hill Top Inn

2011-08-07T17:14:00.000-04:00

Hill Top Inn, 171 Jerusalem Hill - see map on right for directions, AMERICAN - sometimes IRISH. Although the view is spectacular the chairs are hard plastic and the number of flies do not help the dinner experience. Bring sunglasses. Last visit 8/7/2011 with 6 guests - dinner. $$-$$$

Food 7.5 out of 10

Service 6.5 out of 10

Ambience 7.5 out of 10

Cleanliness 7.5 out of 10

Value 5.5 out of 10

Total 34.5 out of 50 points

Sweet -n- Saucy

2011-08-05T08:25:00.000-04:00

Sweet -n- Saucy, 412 West Washington Avenue, see map on right for directions. Excellent food. Entrance is dangerous for elders (most of customers are elders) Decor: non-existent. We like the auto seats and other clutter in the entrance area. 3 for lunch on 8/5/2011. $

Food 8 out of 10

Service 6 out of 10

Cleanliness 6.5 out of 10

Ambience 3 out of 10

Value 7.5 out of 10

Total score 31 out of 50 points

Southside Sub Shop

2011-08-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

Ham and Swiss - whole sub

Southside Sub Shop is another Elmira tradition. 374 South Main Street, see map on right for directions. What you see is what you get. No seating. Take out only. But they make a decent sub fast. Very bread-y. 2 for lunch on 8/1/2011. $

Food 7.5 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 6 out of 10

Ambience 4 out of 10

Value 7.5 out of 10

Total score 33 out of 50 points

Central Hots

2011-07-29T08:31:00.000-04:00

4 dogs and fries + water was nearly $17

Central Hots, HOT DOGS, NEW location 2001 College Avenue - see map on right for directions. If you want hotdogs with hotdog ambience - this is it. Last visit 7/28/2011, 2 guests - lunch. Very good Elmira-style Texas hots. Tasty and succulent. This place loses value points for serving generic Sysco side dishes. How about some real french fries, homemade potato salad, or cole slaw, and pickles included as sides? $

Food 8 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 8 out of 10

Ambience 6 out of 10

Value 3 out of 10

Total score 33 out of 50 points

Charlie's Cafe

2011-07-19T09:17:00.000-04:00

Charlie's Cafe, diverse menu, in the WOHO district- west of Hoffman Street, 205 Hoffman - see map on right for directions. Visited on 7/19/2011, 2 guests - dinner. Excellent personal service. Delicious meal. $ - $$

Food 8 out of 10

Service 8.5 out of 10

Cleanliness 9 out of 10

Ambience 9 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 41.5 out of 50 points

Picnic Pizza at Village Plaza

2011-07-19T08:27:00.000-04:00

Picnic Pizza, ITALIAN, Village Plaza Horseheads. By far, the best pizza in Elmira and Chemung County. They have many other things but we always get the Lunch Special - it is PERFECT. The pizza alone would score a perfect 50. Calzones, pizza, stromboli. Probably good, too. Last visit 7/19/2011 lunch with 2 guests. $.

Food 9 out of 10

Service 9 out of 10

Cleanliness 8 out of 10

Ambience 4 out of 10

Value 8 out of 10

Total score 40 out of 50

Palms Restaurant

2011-07-14T08:26:00.000-04:00

Sorry to say that the Palms closed in June 2011.

Tanino's Ristorante

2011-06-29T08:26:00.000-04:00

Tanino's Ristorante, ITALIAN, just off Hanover Square in Horseheads. Upscale Italian, trendy, lots of choices, good service. Last visit - 6/29/2011 - 3 guests - dinner. $$.

Food 6.5 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 9 out of 10

Ambience 9 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 39.5 out of 50 points

Los Panchos

2011-06-18T08:02:00.000-04:00

Los Panchos, MEXICAN, 250 West Water Street - see map on right for directions. Last visit was 6/16/2011 with 2 guests - dinner. Meals were big and beautiful. $ - $$.

Food 8.5 out of 10

Service 9 out of 10

Cleanliness 8.5 out of 10

Ambience 8.5 out of 10

Value 8 out of 10

Total score 42.5 out of 50 points

Moretti's Restaurant

2011-04-19T08:25:00.000-04:00

Moretti's, ITALIAN, 800 Hatch Street - see map on right for directions - Steaks, chops, ravioli, spaghetti, etc. Improvements have been made. We had a nice time and the food was good! Manicotti with meat sauce was excellent. An old Elmira kind of place. $ - $. Last visit 4/19/2011 with 5 guests - dinner.

Food 8 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 7 out of 10

Ambience 7 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 37 out of 50 points

Vincenzo's Pizza

2011-03-17T08:28:00.000-04:00

Vincenzo's Pizza, ITALIAN and subs (submarine sandwiches), Langdon Plaza, 303 North Main Street - see map on right for directions. New York style pizza, perfect. Last visit 3/17/2011 - 2 guests- dinner - takeout. $.

This photo is actually the next morning.
Nothing better than breakfast pizza.

Food 8 out of 10,

Service 6 out of 10

Cleanliness 6 out of 10

Ambience 5 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 32 out of 50 points

DC2 at the ELM airport

2011-02-12T15:49:00.000-05:00

DC2 at the ELM airport on Sing Sing Road in Big Flats - see map on right for directions. Ok, we took a chance on this one...but, you know what -- it was pretty good - not only as airport food but as restaurant food. The chicken salad pita was very good and very big. And with a nice view of the runways. It did need some ambience, a nice airplane motif could help. 2 guests for lunch, last visit 2/12/2011. $. Oh, and free parking with a validated receipt.

Food 8 out of 10

Service 7 out of 10

Cleanliness 7 out of 10

Ambience 6 out of 10

Value 8 out of 10

36 out of 50 points

Pudgie's Pizza

2010-12-25T08:29:00.000-05:00

Pudgie's Pizza, ITALIAN and subs (submarine sandwiches), 2 locations in Elmira - new College Avenue location and South Main Street, Deep dish (Chicago) style pizza, excellent. Also try their "Italian Sausage Special," and their meatball sub, calzones and strombolis!!!!! Some menu items are better than others - cheese steaks not too authentic. But still, an Elmira institution. $. Last visit Southside location 12/24/2010 - takeout sheet pizza with extra cheese. Very good (and better than usual) considering it was a very busy day.

Food 7 out of 10,

Service 7 out of 10

Cleanliness 4 out of 10

Ambience 3 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 28 out of 50

Green Pastures

2010-05-19T08:09:00.000-04:00

Green Pastures - Chicken and JAZZ, 723 Madison Avenue - see map on right for directions.

Well, sorry to say that this place is CLOSED, but it is looking for a new owner, supposedly. If or when it reopens we will let you know.

Barb's Soup's On

2009-12-07T08:23:00.000-05:00

Barb's Soup's On, Soup and Sandwiches, College Avenue. Soup of the day, and all kinds of sandwiches and desserts. $. Our last visit was 12/7/2009 - lunch - 3 guests. Nothing wrong, but......the soup was too bland - add some spice. The ambience looks and feels nice, but........ there are 2 unprotected doors and a lot of cold air comes in with each guest. Also, the floor joists need to be strengthened - the tables jump up and down.

Food 6 out of 10

Service 8 out of 10

Cleanliness 8 out of 10

Ambience 6 out of 10

Value 7.5 out of 10

Total score 35.5 out of 50 points

Lights Coffee Shop Bakery

2008-10-26T08:21:00.000-04:00

Lights Coffee Shop, very AMERICAN-COFFEE SHOP-DINER, 211 West Second Street - see map for directions, Excellent burgers, diner type foods, and they have a bakery too. Half-moon cookies - yes. $. Last visit 10/26/2008, 2 guests - this was a Sunday at after-church time - it was very busy.

Food 5 out of 10,

Service 5 out of 10

Cleanliness 7 out of 10

Ambience 7 out of 10

Value 7 out of 10

Total score 31 out of 50 points

Bernie' Murray's

2007-12-29T08:15:00.000-05:00

Bernie Murray's, AMERICAN-IRISH, 500 Pennsylvania Avenue - see map on right for directions - all kinds of good stuff - including some good healthier choices, many different sandwiches, meats, chicken wings. $.

Food 6.5 out of 10,

Service 6 out of 10

Cleanliness 6 out of 10

Ambience 7 out of 10

Total score 25.5 out of 40 points