Cortese Restaurant

Absolutely the best chicken sandwich ever. Bartender recommended I have the chicken Angelina as a sandwich. I will order this every time. The chicken was so moist and juicy. The roll was perfectly crisped. I got light sauce and it was perfect. We drive 45 minutes to come here and it’s worth every minute. Paul is our favorite bartender, always making great drinks with good conversation.

I had a half order of chef spaghetti. I am not a small person, however, a half order is plenty to eat. It comes with a garden salad. The chef spaghetti has restaurant made pasta fresh that day. The sauce is well balanced, they definitely do not add corn syrup in it however, I do not know if they add a pinch of sugar or just use vine ripened sweet tomatoes. There is a lot of meat in the sauce as well as a meatball one sausage, several mushroom shoulder, sliced up, however, I believe the mushrooms were canned not fresh. I could be wrong with that. The three people I were with one had a special order hamburger and a baked potato, drowning, and butter because they asked for it to be drowning in butter. The hamburger was cooked exactly the way they wanted. The second person had ribeye. I may be a little old-fashioned, but the ribeye look to be between six and 8 ounces. It was cooked the way a rib I should, on the rare side. They ate all of it. The third person had some type of fish. As I remember them saying the fish was delicious, not overcooked. We were seated at a table. Which means all of the sound from the other 15 or so tables interfered with our conversation. I have eaten there at least 20 times and we typically get a booth which keeps most of the noise out. We always eat on a Saturday and make reservations. Those people that don’t make reservations can usually wait 45 minutes or more to get seated. There is a zero step entrance so it is handicap accessible. There are two doors to get in through so someone will have to help you open the doors. It is mostly an Italian menu, so there are not very many vegetarian dishes available. I am not certain that the sauce is meat sauce so ask

Cortese always knows the assignment. I’ve had the crab cakes, French onion soup, mozzarella sticks, fettuccine alfredo, and the rigatoni bolognese, and everything has been excellent. Killer steaks too! The portion sizes are enormous and even the house salad is delicious. One thing I really appreciate is the pacing. The timing between the appetizer, salad, and entrée is impeccable, so you can actually relax and enjoy the meal instead of feeling rushed. The staff at the front door are always cheerful and welcoming, and the service has been fantastic every time. I recently brought my mom, who is an absolute doll, when she came down from north of Albany and she raved about it. After that drive she needed something delicious, and Cortese delivered. Also, shout out to the overflow parking because that makes busy times much easier. Honestly, just come hungry. Classic Italian done right. If you leave hungry, that’s a personal decision.

Great Italian meal with a wide range of choices. Excellent pork, chicken, fish and beef selection. We really enjoyed our meal. We also enjoyed sitting in the lounge section of the restaurant.

Got the chicken cutlet parmigiana dinner to go, with the soup of the day and the pasta side. All of it was fantastic - the sauce is the right side of tart for what I typically enjoy for tomato sauces. The tomato bisque was great as well.

Went here for moms 75th birthday. First time there. OMG so delicious. From the homemade French dressing to the awesome bread served at the table. Super yummy homemade mozzarella sticks. Everything is so delicious there. Server was awesome. Never had an empty drink or an empty bread basket.

Had a takeout pizza garlic with pepperoni was delicious ate in my car. Could not wait to devour the delicious pie. Grabbed a Stewart's black cherry soda to wash it down.

Although I did eat my entire Veal Marsala entree without much complaint, I do think they added too much sherry vinager? at the end of preparation. Please be adroit with that particular application chefs. Remember, it's vinager! and a fine line between elevating the dish and ruining it. But I ate it all without much complaint because I was very hungry.

I was in Binghamton last weekend and was feeling like pizza. Cortese was the immediate choice. Fresh dough, quality toppings and cheese. It's a no brainer. Cortese restaurant is a unique place to eat. The pizza isn't round but rectangular. The pepperoni is under the mozzarella cheese. Everything is fresh. The sauce is unique to the restaurant. A little tomatoey and a little garlicky. Definitely a place to try if you have never been. The vibe inside is friendly and welcoming. Visiting the Southern Tier of NY? definitely worth a visit.

Guy with the man bun, is so rude. Didn't even sit down for our meal yet and I was unimpressed. We had reservations for 8 for lunch time and were told they could accommodate us. Then we we arrived we were told we had to wait 25 mins to be seated. Watched him take a call and be nasty to a customer over the phone.

Toscano bread , is absolutely delicious ! My husband likes their pizza and we both love their salad with crumbly blue cheese, and Italian. There's really nothing that we don't love on their menu. But next time treat yourself to the Tuscano bread. It's absolutely perfect.

I had a really satisfying meal here after a lackluster one at another Italian restaurant in the area. I had the Chicken Angelina which is two chicken breasts lightly breaded and fried and served with garlic butter for dipping. The chicken was well cooked and super juicy. I loved the garlic butter on the side, but I did wish there had been a bit more seasoning, it was lacking salt specifically. I'm not sure if unsalted butter is used but if it is then that could explain it. The entree includes either a salad or soup and a side of your choice. I went with a salad with their homemade Italian dressing and was soooo glad I did. The dressing had great flavor and a nice zing from the vinegar. For my side I went with the homemade gnocchi and alfredo sauce. These were absolutely delicious and a great pairing with my entree. I had a sangria to drink and then ended the meal with a slice of their delicious tiramisu. Everything was very solid and I'd love to return and try some of their other offerings.

THIS MUST BE A JOKE!!! Yesterday, I stopped in for lunch, had the meatball sandwich...it was cold. I ordered a half cheese/tomato, half pepperoni pizza for takeout, and this is what they gave me (see the photo). I was told this restaurant is a Binghamton "institution" and a must-do while in town?!?! A few months ago I stopped in for dinner and was told they were out of: -Salmon -Oysters -Clams -A whole ton of other stuff. I ordered the pizza, it was cold and under-done. The ONLY thing saving this restaurant is the bartender GLENN. Probably the BEST bartender I've ever seen, and I'm old. Sorry Cortese Restaurant, you're terrible otherwise.

Have you ever been to a restaurant and try the best meal you've ever had, only to return at a later date and be utterly disappointed with the same meal? What a Bummer! This is not the case with Cortese Restaurant's Haddock Parmigiana. An item that is not regularly seen on menus. Fish Parmigiana you say? Yes! If you love fish and you love foods in the parmigiana category, you MUST try Cortese's Haddock Parmigiana. I came back three times to have this same meal through the years and guess what? It gets BETTER & BETTER each time! When anyone asks me what's the best meal I've ever eaten, I'll always tell them the Haddock Parmigiana at Cortese Restaurant! Good job Binghamton!

I went to this place when I was kid in Syracuse and would come here on way back to Syracuse from a road trip. Great food in late 80s and early 90s. I was just there again after 26yrs moving to Missouri. Still great food

Went there party of 20 for Lunch Overall food is just ok at best, not awful, but various people ordered a lot of variety Chicken teriyaki wrap 1.0 Broccoli 1.0 Ravioli 2.5 Calamari could be crispier. 1.8 Cheese sticks..1.9 Service by Scott 4.5 The pizza looked ok but I saw a person eat only one slice so - unknown rating but 3.0 for style :-) They have an outdoor section kinda in a lot but it's outside. Nice neighborhood bar area, and it looked cozy.

Extremely disappointed. Have been a customer for over 40 years. Never have problems until now. Forgot 3 salads and 2 sides on a to go order. Also made the order wrong. All for pick up. I contacted them and asked to speak to the manager and he told me the pasta was under the chicken parm which it was not. The manager then proceeded to hang up on me.

This place has been in business since 1947 and for good reason, it's fabulous. If you're trying to get in on the weekend, make a reservation, it's always slammed. Food is great and the menu is like an encyclopedia, they have everything. This is a great establishment with great food at a reasonable price and you won't leave hungry. The decor is attractive and inviting, I really like the outside patio in the summer. Everything they make is delicious. I judge any restaurant by their fried calamari and They are among the best. Light and crispy just as it should be. Their seafood and prime rib is exquisite, drinks are affordable and generous. Simply great food , great service and a great experience. I noticed that a lot of negative reviews were related to Covid so those snowflakes should just stay inside with their face diapers and shut up. All around excellence and highly recommended!

Unfortunately for us this was a big miss. The baked ziti was just noodles and sauce with melted cheese on top. No ricotta or anything in it. The manicotti was 3 shells for $20+. The shells were home made which I thought would be nice. Unfortunately it was way over cooked and mushy. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice. Nice bar area, well lit and well kept so no complaint there. The only down side was overhearing wait staff openly talking/complaining about customers. I felt that was very unprofessional especially out in the open. The best part was the service we received. I have to assume our waitress was new and training with someone but she was fantastic. Super friendly and very attentive. Very bubbly personality and always smiling.

I took my mom out to dinner here for her 70th birthday. I made a reservation for 5:30. The food was terrific, as always. However, I do have a small bone to pick. We arrived and checked in...lo and behold, we waited a good solid 15 minutes before we were sat! If I make a reservation, doesn't that mean a table should be ready for us when we arrive? Just a thought. Don't get me wrong, the food was wonderful, as was our server. Still, I just found myself very dismayed at the wait, which defeats the whole purpose of a reservation!

Yesterday we ate at Cortese's, our fav Binghamton restaurant. And we got my cozy favorite booth in the bar and once again, BOB, my favorite waiter on EARTH served us! Just perfect. The man is amazing. You order a martini and he brings it instantly and it's perfect (such a thing has become difficult lately where we live in Susquehanna county, PA)! He gives you just enough time, no annoying chitchat, takes your order, then brings it. Bob should be worshipped. The food was great too.

I was taken here for the pizza. It's so unique and you either love it or hate it. We discovered there were happy hour specials, so we went between 3-4 to sit at the bar and order off the bar menu (kitchen closes). Most of the happy hour beer specials were not available, very limited drink choices. The caprese salad on the bar menu was not available either due to supply issues. We found several other things to try, including pizza! I believe in upstate NY they call this sheet pizza. It was amazing. I loved the crust (slightly thick), the sauce (not sweet at all), and the way it was cooked made the cheese nice and brown. Homemade mozzarella sticks with marinara was my second favorite- the absolute best marinara sauce I've ever eaten. The toscana bread came with sauce too, which I'm sure had meat simmered in it although it wasn't meat sauce. Also delicious. The antipasto was actually a full salad- and their Italian dressing is some of the best I've ever had as well. By the time we left, the bar and dining room were packed, so I highly recommend doing the happy hour special at the bar - Wednesday and Thursday!

Their steaks "Milanese style" is utterly incredible, with steaming garlic wafting through the whole restaurant as it sizzles during delivery to your table. An experience I've never found in any other restaurant.

We always eat here when back home. We had the Chicken Angelica and Veal Angelica. Both were hot and delicious! The homemade gnocchi is the best you'll find anywhere. Service was great. We'll be back.

To 'rest on your laurels' means that you get lazy or complacent about what you could achieve because you're too busy basking in the memories of former glories. The pizza is the only thing that is reasonably priced, and I grew up here. The menu prices are for a 5-star restaurant, and it's simply not that by a long shot.

Great food! Been there for decades. Delicious pasta dishes. A reasonably priced excellent dining experience. We travel from Texas to eat in the Binghamton region. It's the finest old Italian dining experience This is one of the best!!!

I really looked forward to finally dining here! So many great reviews, almost legendary. First, great atmosphere. Nice cozy old Italian feeling. Our server was wonderful! Very attentive. One of our appetizers was calamari. Totally shocked when it arrived. It was soft and chewy. Did not expect that! We opted to just take it off the order. Which he did happily. Next course, lasagna with meatballs, gnocchi and shrimp scampi over linguini. All good except for the shrimp scampi! Maybe a 1/4 c of pasta swimming in a dish of oil/scampi sauce.

got the. Old Fashioned Hot Pie for take out and it was delicious. Staff was quick and efficient and had our food ready in 15min . Would recommend if you are looking for something new to try and a good pizza

An Italian restaurant that doesn't serve Espresso is unbelievable. Not even an espresso machine!

We tried chicken marsala, gnocchi, pasta with calamari & red sauce, and salads with house Italian dressing. The salads were overdressed. The main portions were HUGE but we didn't like a single dish. The service was friendly & prompt.

My husband has been talking about and craving this place for as long as I have known him! I was so excited to travel back to his home to enjoy some of his greatest memories first hand! Cortese is a long standing family owned, operated, business with tried and true recipes that my husband told me stories about as we enjoyed the evening. Scott, our waiter was genuine, gave great recommendations, and seemed to manage his section and time wisely. I loved hearing about the things have withstood the test of time, and the improvements and expansions they have made since he's been gone. The fresh bread to the table was divine. I would have loved to have some nice olive oil/Parmesan to dip it in, but just butter was good as is. Sangria was good and not overly sweet. Make sure you have the house vinegarette. Garlicky and delicious. Sizeable and fresh salad that comes with the entree. We shared the manicotti with amazingly light crepes surrounding a family recipe ricotta mixture topped with garlic, savory marinara. I tend to prefer sweeter red sauce with meat, but this was really good. We ordered a meatball and sausage, both made in house, to try. The sausage has my heart. You HAVE to try it!! We ordered a garlic/olive oil pizza and sausage pizza to go to take to our party. Again, I am drawn to white pizza, but am sure I will try to find ways to get back here to have more of that sausage pizza. Sooooo goooood. Rectangle, 8 pieces of cheesy pizza dreams come true.

Was the first time our meal was not good. I ordered the prime rib medium rare it was medium well. My husband ordered the delmonico medium it was medium rare. So we switched. We had capilini pasta it was over cooked and mushy. This is the first time the meal was not good. Waitress was ok and friendly. Will not go back for a while.

My partner and I had a fantastic experience at Cortese. He grew up in the area but this was my first time sitting down in the restaurant and not picking up a pizza to go. Our server (I believe her name is Abby or Gabby) was delightful! She made the experience very rememberable. The mozzarella sticks are beyond any I have tried before. They are homemade and as our server put it, they "melt in your mouth". If you are a blue cheese lover, you have to try their creamy blue dressing on their salads. I got the homemade lasagna which was delicious and my partner had a filet and baked potato that did not disappoint. Last but not least, shout out to the bartender for making our excellent cocktails! The cucumber and gin martini was just what I needed!

Nice Italian Resturant in the bunghamton great food great service I am a vegetarian now but when I wasn't their steak with garlic is amazing yummy soups great friendly place

We came here for our anniversary and although we had a reservation, we were seated at a high top in the loud bar area. We ordered clams oreganato for an appetizer which were basically tiny butter bombs. My husband ordered 2 draft beers and a veal parmigiana. The veal was tough and the beers were extremely overpriced. He buys the same beers at the golf course for $4.75- here they were $8.75!! For a draft beer?!? They also charged for the incorrect beer and wouldn't change the price. To top it all off, they had a half off pizza special tonight so we ordered one to take home. When the bill came, we were charged full price! When I questioned that, the waitress said the 1/2 off was not for "to-go" orders. I replied that we could have ordered it for an app and taken the rest home- she just shrugged. Wow! She said "well next time"... to which I replied "there won't be a next time. We will never come back!" When she gave us our bill she pretty much threw it at us- the same way she served our meals. We felt like we were in a diner- certainly not a fine dining establishment. What a disappointing anniversary dinner! :(

The worst pizza I ever ate. Was too tired to go to Brozetti's so I tried, one more time, Cortese. Last time, no doubt. Chicken pizza was sickly sweet, the cheese was not only burn but came off in a sheet, if you dropped this on the street, dogs would pass it by. And to top it off, the menu on-line shows the price as $12.50, got there and it was $18!! Cannot believe so many people think so much of this pizza it truly sucks out loud.

So good I ate there two nights in a row. Had the Linguini and mussels in red sauce the first night and stole a slice of pizza from my date, both fantastic! Second night was prime rib, cut thick medium rare, baked potato and side salad...oooo la la. Did not have room to share any of the chicken parm from my date's plate but was told it was wonderful. Will definitely be back to sample more from the huge selection offered here!

Have eaten here a few times, staff is very friendly and attentive. Food, never had a bad meal and the pricing is reasonable and a very comfortable atmosphere If your in the area give them a try, dont think you'll be disappointed

Sausage sandwich with red sauce. Antipasto salad. Wonderful old school charm. A Binghamton staple that will hopefully be around for years to come. Consistent quality.

My husband and I love eating here when ever we get a chance to dine out, and of course I just love their pizza as take out. The service is excellent and everyone is so welcoming. A very good dinning experience

I come to Binghamton once a year and I can't leave without Cortese cheese pizza and a fun night out with friends at Cortese.

In the mood for Some old school Italian American food and decided to venture to Cortese at a friends recommendation. Apparently this place has been around for quite some time, and it looks it. I mean that in the best way possible. Definitely an old school joint with fine dining touches you don't see too often. After being sat, they brought over some nice warm Italian bread with a garlic olive oil to dip. Outstanding! Started with the Louisiana style barbecued shrimp. A delicious albeit unusual dish. Spicy, piquant sauce over medium shrimp, very good. For my entree I had the chicken parmigiana. Two nice cutlets smothered in a wonderful rich marinara sauce with a golden, bubbly blanket of perfectly chewy melted mozzarella. So good! My server Scottie was attentive without being intrusive and was right there if I needed anything. Just a great dinner. Old school charm at its best

Amazing dinner on Saturday October 12, 2019. Shockingly good baked clams oreganata. The broiled sea scallops entree was fantastic. Excellent wait staff. I wholeheartedly recommend this classic Italian gem.

Visited Cortese for the restaurant week. Overall the food was below average compared to what you pay; I wouldn't say I want to visit again. The bread was barely warm and the butter was icy cold so we literally had to melt the butter under the soup bowl. The salad was actually good and I was very surprised with their fresh dressing sauce. I loved the italian sauce and the french sauce was little different from what you usually get from the store (it's not creamy) but it was sweet and very flavorful. For pasta, we ordered scallops with marinara sauce and alfredo. Alfredo just tasted like store bought sauce - nothing really interesting. Scallops were well cooked but it was the softest scallops I've ever had. Scallops are not my favorite but my friend said she really liked it. The marinara sauce was little too sweet. Prime rib was well cooked and I liked how they poured worchestershire sauce over it. Baked potato was really good too. Dessert was actually very depressing. We ordered tiramisu (their cannoli was out) and brownie. The portion was VERY small, and the tiramisu didn't even tasted like tiramisu. It was just chunk of cream and bread with some whipped cream on it. Brownie came with the ice cream but the brownie was very cold and it tasted weird with ice cream. I don't understand why anyone would serve cold cake with an ice cream. We had to let the server know that there was blue plastic in our garlic bread. At first she thought it was blue cheese. She said the manager said there's no way the plastic got into the bread so it probably came from the bakery they bought the bread but the plastic wasn't melted or anything so I don't know. Average food with not-so-good experience.

Always consistent food and friendly service whether eat in or takeout. Their pizza is the best in the Binghamton area.

This is our first time here and very disappointed. I'm usually not a type of person like to complain but today I will say something. Food is extremely salty and we never enjoyed our food. We are all starving and try their food but still cannot eat them. Very disappointed. All pictures are left over and barely not touch them. The only good thing is manager Paul they give us a discount. Never go back again.

Big menu. Known for Italian but I normally get Delmonico King Cut with Malanaise garlic. The staff isn't great, most of the bartenders take care of the locals. A younger gal with dark hair was there on a Monday and she was great. Loved the prime rib as well.

We traveled from the Syracuse area to meet my son for his birthday lunch. Salads to start with house made Italian dressing. The dressing was pretty strong with vinegar but I thought it was really good. Warm Italian bread and also Italian bread served with sesame seeds. It was soft and fresh. I had eggplant parmigiana which was absolutely delicious. They give you a good amount of sauce which is hard to come by in Italian restaurants. I also had a side of meatballs that were tender and flavorful. My son and his girlfriend had the spaghetti and my husband had ziti. All amazing! I'm Italian so it's hard to impress me with food at an Italian restaurant. Our server was attentive and very pleasant. I will definitely visit again!

Must say I'm sad to post this review. We live in NC, and we excited to be in town for a wedding, as my fiancé is from here. We made reservations to be sure we could get in...we had no problems as the virus is affecting businesses everywhere. We did have to wait a bit for service, but once she came she was on top of us. I ordered the Delmonico steak and he ordered the veal picatta. The salads were very fresh but a little heavy on the dressing for me, but that is just me. Bread was good. My steak was sadly 1/3 fat and the veal was overcooked. The owner must have seen our sad faces because he came over to talk with us. I explained our disappointment and he was very gracious to reduce my cost and take off the veal. He did agree to both of our concerns. This review would have been a 2, but the way it was handled shows true customer service. We will be sure to come back on our next visit. Thank you both to Chris Cortese and Damianne for providing excellent service! To me, that is a true sign of quality!

Mediocre at best. Went here for my son's graduation. I felt lucky to get a reservation. Everyplace else was booked. Service was great. Food not so much. Edible. But mediocre at best.

While visiting family we came to Cortese three times to enjoy their food! I really loved everything I sampled. Antipasto with anchovies was great, pizza magnificent, spaghetti terrific, steamed little neck clams were sweet snd delicious. Everything we ate was wonderful and reminded me of the influence of the Italian immigrants in the Binghamton area. Cortese is not gourmet-but it's still special. It's more like grandma's home cooking or grandma's recipes. So I wouldn't compare it to something it is not. This is a restaurant where you can dress up and celebrate a special occasion or come to casually dressed and enjoy the food. Either way, it's a gem.

Excellent pizza!! Their small, crammed takeout room is a testament to how good their food is. However, I will forever be disappointed in this restaurant's lack of societal responsibility in the early days of the Covid pandemic when some kitchen staff wore mask correctly, some wore it under their nose, some wore it under their chin, and a woman that looked like an owner (casually but authoritatively walking around kitchen in street clothes with her small child) wore no mask at all. Worse yet, restaurant actually went out of their way to post a sign in the small, cramped, very high-traffic takeout room stating that people have a right to not wear a mask. This was way before any vaccines were available. 5 star pizza! 4 star food 1 star disregard for public safety

Would leave zero stars if possible. Food was inedible, would not give to my dog. Service was equally horrible.

I have given this place a chance a few times. Every time the food I had here is underwhelming. And I mean the taste. The portions are huge, but the food is just so filled with butter and unhealthy stuff, it is like their notion of good food is the more butter we put the more customers will like it. I won't be coming back anytime soon.

Great Italian restaurant in Binghamton area. Always enjoy going there to get the chicken parm and gnocchi. My family members always enjoy ordering the lamb or filet Milanese as well. The bar truly knows how to make great martinis. They are quite strong Would also recommend the pizza, it's great for take out

Well, I was dragged back to Cortese, and if anything it was worse than last time. A salad so pedestrian it should have a sidewalk, bread with the texture of cotton, slow service, a petite filet so undercooked that it had to be sent back twice (and returned from the kitchen the last time sliced into smaller pieces), 'grandma's' veal special was not special at all, with a bitter garlic butter sauce-just awful. I'm done with Cortese.

Part of five with a reservation, we arrived a few minutes early and saw a tour bus of people with instruments in front of us. We didn't expect them to be marching through the restaurant playing bagpipes and drums for close to 30minutes. I'm not sure how Italian Restaurant = St Paddy's Day parade works. We were seated at a table too small and with multiple other tables at the same time in the same section. The single member staff waiting tables in our section didn't introduce herself and seemed rushed. When we asked what they had on draft she said she didn't know and told us to check menu before stopping herself and providing correct menu, the one she initially provided was out of date. One of our group had food restrictions and asked if she could check about the ingredients in the bread, she could not/did not. When we tried to order six chicken wings as part of an appetizer she said it would take about 25 minutes so we cancelled it and had calamari. Our food came out after most of the other tables, all of whom she appeared to know and didn't present to them as being inpatient or rushed. Most of us did not enjoy the meal. Veal, chicken, sausage... all were either bland or salty. Nobody at the table finished their meal, or wanted to. It was really disappointing. I would not advise anyone to come to this restaurant, it was our first and last visit.

Yum yum yum. I've been coming here since I was a little kid. I guess you could say this place is a staple with my family. Cortese is somewhere in between your run of the mill strip mall Italian place and a very high end restaurant. Maybe a little closer to the high end side. A vast menu offering includes all of the Italian staples that you would expect to find such as pasta, Marsala, and chicken parm. Pizza is another good option with what I believe is Detroit-style deep dish loaded with toppings. While I think all of their pastas used to be homemade, now it's just the spaghetti in terms of standard pastas- but the gnocchi and ravioli is made in house too. One thing that sets Cortese apart is their bar selection, especially craft beers of draft. A great selection including some unique ones that earned me kudos when I checked into them on my Beer social network. This place is in my list to visit every time I'm in the Southern Tier.