Bandwagon Pub

Address:	114 N Cayuga St, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
Phone:	+1 607-319-0699
Site:	bandwagonbeer.com
Rating:	4.4
Working:	5–10PM 5–10PM 5PM–1AM 5–10PM 4PM–1AM 4PM–1AM 11AM–10PM

Location

Photos 23

Reviews 13

A Private User

Bandwagon is a great addition to Ithacas restaurant and bar scene. The food is excellent and for those people mourning the loss of Lost Dog Cafe, some of Bandwagons food options are right in the same vein. I had a delicious shrimp with tomatoes and spinach in a creamy tomato chili sauce served over crispy cornmeal waffles. The other entrees that my group had were all well received, including a blackened catfish that was cooked impressively well and a seared ahi tuna steak that was also properly cooked to order, despite the busyness. The service was prompt and organized for a new restaurant. Our server was both knowledgeable about the food and the beer, which is nice for a brewpub. The beer has some problems. I think that they are having issues with keeping up with the demand for it. Most of the beers were not carbonated enough for their styles, which could be caused by a rush to restock. The common ale is delicious, but the scotch ale needs a lot of work. All in all, definitely a good restaurant with a brewery that needs to work out the kinks.

Carl Diaz

Went there for a late night meal. According to the hotel, our only options were D.P. Dough (Im not in college anymore so I found this to be less than desirable) or the local deli. We found Bandwagon and they had almost a full menu to choose from. They had German sauerkraut and kielbasa soup which sounded strange but ended up being incredible. Portion sizes were huge. I had the aloha burger which had pineapple and thick slab bacon and was out of this world. My girlfriend had their traditional fish and chips and they were super flaky and delicious. The portions were so big that we had to take half of our meals back to the hotel where they were still great the next day! Their drinks were what I would expect to pay and their whiskey amaretto sour was great. Their craft beer selection was also fantastic. I dont know if she was the owner or just an employee but we were served by this wonderful woman, Amy, who was super sweet and attentive. If youre in Ithaca, I highly recommend this pub!!!

Alex Mellnik

Catering Review Bandwagon did the drinks and appetizer catering at our wedding in the summer of 2014 and really nailed it. Nick was very helpful in figuring out how much of everything we needed, and also with securing the liquor license (which involved dealing with both the state and Cornell). At the event, Nick, Alex and the rest of the crew had everything up and running before we arrived and did a great job throughout the evening. They went above and beyond the call of duty, and helped one guest get their car unstuck from a muddy parking spot! The amount of beer we had was spot on for the number of guests, and while we ended up with some leftovers from the appetizers, its probably because the main mean was Dinosaur. Overall, I would strongly recommend.

A Private User

The Fettuccini with clam sauce tasted like cardboard. I was not sure if it sat in the box too long on the shelf or if the water it was boiled in came from a swamp. The Beef tenderloin was dry and over cooked, very hard to eat. Since I was with my family on vacation, I did not want to cause a scene. I quietly talked to the manager, and while he was friendly, he did not offer to correct this issue in any way. I paid full price for 5 meals that two of us could not eat. $141.00 plus tip. The waiter was god, so I did not feel right not tipping. And, the acoustics are horrible. We had to listen to a loud-talker know-it-all professor talk about dopamine experiments all night.

Roman Scott

The Bandwagon is a basement level bar/restaurant catering more to the 20 something crowd. To be sure, it is hot down there in the summer. But dont let that deter you if youre over thirty(or in my case, over 45). I was about to walk out after deciding this wasnt my crowd, but a random question about their food to the hostess convinced me to stay. What I discovered was an incredibly attentive staff and some of the best food in Ithaca. Of note - bacon ice cream! Simply amazing. Also try anything else with their (best I ever tasted) house made bacon. Thick ham like slabs of meat so rich tasting, one slice may be enough.

Devon Haley

I used to live right around the corner from this pub when it first opened and loved that they served tavern style eats into the late hours. It was the first year that they opened so it was kind of my roommates and mines secret pub. Now, whenever I go back to Ithaca to visit friends I love stopping in to try out their new beers (over the weekend I had the Watermelon Wheat and loved it) and to fill up some of the most delicious fries in Ithaca. The pub has a great lounge-like atmosphere but is still Ithaca-causal. Glad to see its still around and popular! Restaurants come and go so easily in Ithaca.

Tony Potts

I have been here twice. Once to eat dinner and once to just hang out. Both times were enjoyable but definitely more fun later at night. The food is an eclectic mix with some nice local ingredients. The wontons were surprisingly good. The curry with chicken was very tasty as well. Really good selection of beers on tap as well. Ambience isnt anything great, tables are pretty banged up, but overall a decent vibe, and like I said, most of their business is later in the evening with the college crowd so it works.

JJ Guaragno

This place is a local gem! An otherwise inconspicuous stairwell takes you down to sandwich and beer heaven. All local craft beer means youre sure to try something new. Wash it down with big sandwiches where you choose the "style" AND the main element inside (beef, buttermilk fried chicken, etc.) Also kinda randomly they have a killer mustard. Goes great with the fries.

Katie Moring

Fries are really good! Fun place to go for drinks or dinner. Unfortunately, no outdoor seating. Food is pretty good, fries are great. Brunch is relatively new and that is very good too. They make their own beer (not on site) and also sell beers from other breweries. Decent options for vegetarians, you can substitute veggie patties in for any of their burgers.

afreen moonda

This is a cute little restaurant. The server was excellent and very knowledgeable. Their beef is locally sourced and organic. They even know the name of the farm from which it came. How cool is that? The food was amazing quality. It was a short walk from Hotel Ithaca and Ithaca Commons. Nothing but good things to say about this place!

Candice Kobrynich

Disgusting. I cannot fathom why on earth people are rating this anything besides that. I suppose with a bunch of college kids running the place on the weekend- what can you expect? The place smells like puke and its hard to get past that. Get yourself a slice of pizza elsewhere and call it a night. I wish I had.

David Huber

I have been frequenting and have been over 6 times. The place is pretty cool since its downstairs and feels cozy and the lighting is nice. Their drink selection is standard and fine. Their food is of a decent price and of very high quality. I recommend trying their burger and especially their fries.

Nick Tubbs

Good bar and restaurant hidden down a level below the sidewalk. Brew their own beers. Some are interesting, some are good and some are both. Fries and sauces are always killer! Can get toasty down there with larger crowds.