Riley's

First visit and loved it. 4 stars only because of the noise. We were right by the piano which made conversation tough. I had roasted pork shoulder with gravy and mashed potatoes and it was delicious. My wife had the knickerbocker sandwich and she loved it. Chocolate caramel torte and raspberry pie were worthy desserts.

My favorite lunch place with friends. The food is excellent, the service is great, and the menu is always changing which keeps it interesting. The bar that you enter from the street, is pure Irish pub, but the adjacent dining room serves outstanding American and international cuisine with an emphasis on seafood. If you go on a Friday in the summer, try the lobster roll with a slice of raspberry pie for dessert. UPDATE-1: After being closed for some time during the pandemic, Riley's is now open for dinner starting at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Update-2: My wife and I went to the restaurant for their St Joseph's Day menu. We started by sharing an appetizer of fried clam strips with two dipping sauces, tartar and a spicy tomato. The clam strip coating was crispy and the clams were tender and delicious. To my surprise, I liked the spicy tomato dip as much as the tartar sauce. This was followed by a fresh side salad that paired well with a creamy balsamic dressing. For an entree, I had shrimp scampi over fettuccine. The dish included six jumbo shrimp cooked to perfection, and the pasta was prepared al dente as I prefer. There was a problem with the dish in that the sauce didn't stick to the pasta. I added some butter which helped. UPDATE-3: Returned for their St Patrick's Day breakfast. Wonderful food, wonderful service.

It had been years since I'd been to Riley's, but tonight I went again with a party of three. We had an absolutely phenomenal dinner - I had a strip steak served with mashed sweet potatoes and a delicious veggie medley. Another in our party has the haddock basket and our third had the knickerbocker. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals and finished off the evening with some incredible desserts. We enjoyed a chocolate torte, a flan, and a slice of coconut cream pie. We had a fantastic server and loved having some love piano music as we enjoyed our dinner. We will absolutely be returning again - and much sooner this time!!

Great food, fresh fish, great wine list superb service pricey but worth it!

Food was amazing!! The hot pastrami sandwich was on point!! So yum! 😋

Best restaurant in Syracuse hands down. Consistently excellent quality food, friendly and accommodating staff, and welcoming atmosphere. A bit pricy and the wait can sometimes be very long, but worth it. I enjoy that the menu changes daily, always something new to look forward to. Wish there was more parking, but I don't mind the short walk.

We met friends for a Friday night dinner at Riley's. The atmosphere was friendly and inviting. Our server was amazing and handled the packed crowd efficiently. The food was the biggest highlight, with home-cooked dishes and desserts. The menu changes daily but includes comfort food favorites to depend on. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner and will certainly be back. Highly recommend.

We have lived walking distance to this restaurant for almost a year. Honestly for the first few months I didn't know it was a restaurant. Since we have been here people have recommended giving them a try. Tonight while looking into something new we decided to give them a shot. We were a bit lost walking in the door (6-7pm) they were pretty busy so that was understandable. We were directed to the back for seating and we were seated immediately. We found the setting to be intimate but comfortable. Our menus were hand written (which I love because that means the menus can change) we finished an appetizer (calamari) our opinion was that it was just slightly under cooked (not enough to not eat it, I wouldn't take anything away from that). Just as we finished up a pianist started playing and this experience went from good to outstanding. Music was the perfect addition to the atmosphere drowning out some of the other patrons who were a bit loud ( again not the restaurants fault) our main course came out and they were outstanding! I was skeptical because there are so many positive reviews. Sometimes it's hard for a company to live up to their own reviews. This was not the case. I am absolutely a believer of everybody that posted before me. This food was outstanding. The mashed potatoes were loaded with flavor but not overpowering. Texture wise they had chunks and skins which we appreciate. All of the meat was perfectly cooked to request even the pork chop which was 100% bigger than I expected. We look forward to coming back many times over the summer. Hoping that maybe there's some outdoor seating as well . Should you find yourself wondering if your expectations will meet what they can do... They will.

I could talk about Riley's for days! We started coming here shortly after moving nearby and we have never had a bad meal. Great quality and variety of food. A pianist playing music if you're there the right time of night, and as a person who says they "don't usually get dessert or like sweet stuff", I often break that rule, as their desserts are amazing. I love that I can have a "hometown spot" that is reliable, while also feeling like they mix up the food and options to make things interesting and slightly elevated considered the "chill" environment.

Cozy, warm, always changing seasonal menu, excellent flavors and choice ingredients, wonderful service that extends beyond the person taking the order makes us feel like we are at a family dinner with everyone helping serve the meal. The Canadian poutine was beyond anything expected, the chicken dish with blistered tomatoes turned a tomato hater who loved the flavor and the balsamic drizzle accentuated all. The specialty salad had the most delicious pickled beets which added to the red buttered lettuce added chicken, roasted peppers, honey poppyseed dressing oh my!! What's not to enjoy? Sorry it has been so long since I have been here. The only drawback is the struggle to park. Back lot would fit more with considerate parking by others.

Riley's embodiments the cozy dining experience. Every time we've gone it's felt like going over to your aunt and uncles house for a meal (maybe that's because it's nestled in a cool older house in a bustling Syracuse neighborhood). The menu is seasonal and changes regularly depending on what the chef has on hand. You can always expect a good selection of sandwiches, burgers, pasta, salads, and fresh seafood. It's delicious elevated American fare. The servers are very kind and attentive, they're patient every time I inform them of my gluten sensitivity and ask questions. I like this spot because you really can't go wrong with one of their interesting salads! I loved the grilled romaine, zucchini, and fennel salad with chicken. I also really enjoyed the roast chicken from a different dinner. My partner likes their classic burger enough to get it both times we visited. Their chocolate torte is a great gluten free dessert. Rileys is a Syracuse staple worth enjoying with family and friends.

It's been awhile since I've eaten here and I always liked it so I was anxious to go again. They don't take reservations for parties under 5 but the 2 of us got there at 4:30 and were promptly seated. The kitchen opens at 5:00 so we ordered a drink (old fashioned for me, wine for my friend) and just before 5:00 waitress came over and took our order. The menu is fun to read and all hand written. I choose the turkey dinner and my friend the chicken breast. Mine was delicious and she loved hers. The turkey breast was so moist with dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, and grilled vegetables. For desert I got the apple blueberry pie and my friend the carrot cake. The pie was the star of the show!!! Great crust and cooked to perfection. It was a great dinner and I will be back. The inside is small but cozy and the service is excellent!!

Great service and a nice cozy ambiance. Everything is homemade and the menu changes daily with some staples sticking around. I was able to visit and try the bison balls which was a new experience for me and they didn't taste bad. They were able to accommodate a special request as well. Definitely a great spot in the Syracuse area. It fills up fast and there is mostly just street parking.

Mid-week dinner, and Riley's was hopping at 6:15pm. We had thought to sit at the bar, but all the seats were taken. Instead we were seated in the dining room in a booth built back in 1933. Not so comfortable, but it had a great atmosphere. Most of the tables were full, and there were all ages there (no kids though). We had a few Guinness/Harp pints with our fresh made bread and butter pats. When our server returned, we ordered the roast pork dinner and the fish fry with an upgrade to fried zucchini instead of fries. Our orders came out in about 15 minutes, and all told, our entire time there was only 75 minutes. We had enough to take home for leftovers. A great neighborhood bar with upscale food. Don't be too shocked by the prices, the food is exceptional.

This place is literally a neighborhood bar, you're driving in a neighborhood and bam! Here's a restaurant/bar. We went on Friday night and the place was slammin', the vibe is like going to Cheers you can tell this place is a family. The food was so fresh and delicious. I couldn't get over how good the prices are, let alone the portion sizes. The fish was the size of my arm. The sweet potato fries were thick and the perfect fried texture, I can never achieve this at home and rarely do I eat them cooked this perfectly. I'm guessing the Caesar dressing is made fresh too it was intense but great! The rice pilaf and asparagus also perfect in the texture department. We ordered way too much but was so happy to try so many things. The Parmesan they use on the Caesar was so good I wanted to just pour it In my mouth too ha. The poblano with queso and veggies was a yummy cheesy start to our meal. Regret not coming more often over the years this place is very special!!

The food was so salty! I ordered a lobster roll, and I'm not even sure it was lobster, it was all so soggy and the food just wasn't good. The server was very kind and funny, and was quick for everything. This is just a little dive place and the interior reflects that.

Told me they don't let my "people" in by the way I'm black and when me and my friend try to go in they calls us colored people and say the n word and they all shouted at us and called us n words and kicked us out and throw things at us and we got badly hurt I had to go to the hospital and they called my sister a whore my friend that white bring me some food from Riley's and it was mold in it needs to be SHUT DOWN NOW

Food and service truly earn a five (5) star review. Special about Riley's, they have a new menu everyday.

Food was spot on. Service spot on. Ambiance was awesome. Great food. Waitresses are very friendly and knowledgeable. Bar staff was very friendly. Would definitely recommend this to anybody.

We went for return visit. Food is outstanding, I had the rib-eye and husband had lamb. Our food was meticulously prepared. Delicious. Arrived at 4 so we wouldn't have to deal with crowds. They start serving meals at 4:30 so had an excellent drink prior to dinner at the really nostalgic bar. I use to live on Oak Street so really takes me back to days gone by. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, perfect for dinner on a cold winter night

Perfect. Everyone should go here. Fish and chips were great. Staff was amazing. There were several gentlemen who sat and played the piano and it was awesome. I want this to become a weekly staple in my life.

12/11/21 Dinner last night with family. The Lamb Chops weren't on the menu. 3 of of us decided to have the Lamb chops. My sides - mashed and green beans. The lamb was good but a little beyond medium rare but still good. 1 Grilled Romaine salad with chicken very good. 1 Wild sockeye salmon very good. 1 Grilled Atlantic Sword Fish very good. Starters - Bay scallops and Walleye fingers both were very good. other choices Italian seafood chowder Good selection of beer. Wine - the Norton 2017 Reserva Melbec was excellent! Dessert - The Cinnamon walnut pie was good. The Chocolate almond tort? or whatever it was called was excellent! Service was excellent as usual!

We arrived at Riley's after a boat tour of St. Lawrence River and Singer Castle. The food was excellent. I had the salmon with mashed potatoes, which was perfectly cooked. My husband had a rib eye steak and french fries & said the steak was excellent. We also shared an appetizer of fish nuggets- small portion for $12. It was good though. The service was great too. The restaurant was noisy, but not so we couldn't hold a conversation.

Fantastic food! Great service! The menu changes daily with dishes no other restaurants offer. I've been going there for years and never been disappointed.

Riley's is great. A little bit of a dodgy neighborhood, but immediately around the restaurant is fine. The food and ambiance is fantastic, and they probably do the best fish starch veg style meal in Syracuse (which is saying something). They rotate the menu which is great, always something new to try. Service is very good too, very friendly and attentive. It might be our favorite spot in town. Definitely recommend

There are only a few local places that stand the test of time here, and this is one of the best. Always friendly people, in staff and customers, great foods across the menu, and fair prices. Riley's is a must stop if you visiting Syracuse and looking for a local hang. You won't be disappointed.

I've been eating at Riley's for decades. My husband and I went for dinner tonight and thoroughly enjoyed the food (pork loin for me and steak for him), but what we remarked on most was the friendly staff and a dining room quiet enough for conversation. This is a neighborhood gem. And oh, the broiled tomato was my favorite part of the meal - fresh ingredients prepared well, that's the way to do it.

Check out this turkey sandwich on rye! Great place, excellent staff. Parking can bee a challenge but so worth it. Try the white chocolate mousse if available.

Bartender was too busy talking to friends to care to offer us menus. Not good service.

The food and atmosphere was great! I had a very hard time deciding what to get, as everything sounded amazing! My only issue was that it was my lunch break, and my burger took an exceptionally long time to come out. Though the bartender made it right without my having to even mention it. I would say that the great customer service negated any hard feelings I had about the speed of my food coming out.

Wonderful birthday dinner! Riley's never disappoints. Wonderful setting, great food, impeccable service. A Syracuse gem!

The food is delicious, the atmosphere is charming and the staff is outstanding always making you feel welcome.

There is something about Riley's that makes me super nostalgic. We have been coming here for years and every time we have never been disappointed. I absolutely love their changing menu. It really keeps things fresh. This is coming from a guy that is pretty darn picky and loves to have things the same at all of his favorite restaurants. It almost forces me out of my shell a bit and to be bold. I love that! If its not delicious food you are after, then you absolutely must give in to your desires and have some of their delicious desserts! The pies are some of the best I've had. From amazing service to their perfect atmosphere, I will be coming here for years to come. It can definitely get kind of busy, so make sure you prep yourself for a little bit of a wait if you coming during peak hours!

More than three decades old, Terry Riley's restaurant is well-known by both the older and younger crowds. Riley's plays the part of the neighborhood bar exceedingly well, with a crowded front room, free munchies and servers who can make anyone feel welcome. The ever-changing menu, hand-written each day, is a testament to a kitchen that prizes fresh ideas and fresh ingredients. One side of Riley's menu features standing items such as burgers, sandwiches and omelettes. The other, which is posted on the restaurant's Facebook page each day, details the dishes unique to that day. You'll find soup, salad and appetizer choices along with about 10 main dishes. I'd heard of Riley's for a long time. Lots of good reviews. Just kept waiting to go. This past weekend, I was going to a movie with some friends and we all wanted lunch beforehand. Seeing as Rileys was close to the mall, I figured this was the time. Walking in, it's a sight to see. Dark, rich wood everywhere, low light. A bar on one side, with tables and an open kitchen on the other. You can tell Rileys has its quirky side, with cowboy doors in the entrance of the men's room. We were sat immediately. Our server was nice, answering any questions we had. We looked over the daily menu options. Lots of seafood options. We all got something different. I chose a daily special of sliced flank steak with mashed potatoes and veggies. My wife went for a haddock sandwich, and our three friends got a turkey reuben, a burger, and an open face steak sandwich, respectively. Everyone agreed that everything was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. We all went for a slice of their raspberry pie afterwards and all loved it. You can tell every little part of it is freshly made there. Light, flaky crust, homemade whipped cream, and real raspberries inside, not canned fruit full of gel. Everything was decently priced and comparable to other places. It's a place we'll definitely go again and I'd recommend it to anyone.

A Syracuse classic and a local culinary leader! Stepping inside Riley's is like stepping into the 1920s. The low-lit bar and intimate dining room have the air of a speakeasy. The restaurant's interior trim is a lush, dark wood, adorned with vintage decor. The hush atmosphere only adds to the feeling that this is your's and your fellow-diner's little secret. Sometimes, you might just be lucky enough to see Mr. Riley himself playing old jazz standards on the upright piano. Riley's kitchen wields a culinary prowess with few local peers. Fresh, often locally-sourced, ingredients fuel a daily rotating menu of specialty items worthy of Michelin Star-acclaim (in my humble opinion). Their seafood purchaser deserves a star himself. Despite Syracuse's landlocked location, Riley's always seems to have pier-fresh fish and shellfish on hand. That's why it's an effort for me to try something new, besides their famously delicious fish and chips. If you're not into sea fare, their fixed menu offers up generous burgers, served on locally-baked buns, with a side of the meatiest, tastiest Irish fries you've ever had. The wait staff is attentive, and friendly. The prices offer a broad range. In conclusion: this is one of Syracuse's best date night spots, especially if you're looking to show your date that you're hip to the Salt City's hot secrets. The food commands a visit from any Syracusan, and the rotating menu makes a repeat visit a new experience. Pro-tip: mind your Fridays. They don't do fries or burgers, and focus on the fish... very delicious fish.

Cool neighborhood Irish pub in a neighborhood of Syracuse where it doesn't seem like much else is going on. This is a hoppin' Irish bar with a claim to fame of an ever-changing menu. Indeed, on Friday there was a print out with a very special focus on seafood. Everything from lobster rolls to fried fish to broiled fish and everything in between. I chose the "platter" of broiled haddock with a side of asparagus and roasted potatoes cutlets. The fish was served with a delicious housemade tartar sauce on the side and was quite delicious, if even a tad undercooked (but this is A-OK by me, as long as the fish is high quality). Flavor didn't come through much up until I started using the tartar sauce, which was lemony and delicious. Very reasonable with a bill under $40 for two people, although there are definitely pricier items on the menu. Service was great throughout and the darker ambiance is quite cool and has a "old Syracuse" feel.

We stopped here after dropping off our dog to get groomed next door (great place by the way). It was Saturday early in the afternoon and it was quiet. We were seated right away. Written menu is changed twice a day. I thought it was different but cool. The menu was huge and had great selections. I ordered the tomato soup with homemade croutons. My husband ordered the Humpty Landings which consisted of fried eggs, salami, red roasted peppers, etc. Bread was brought to table with butter. The bread was crusty and soft in the middle. Food came out quick and everything was excellent. We, of course love the Irish fries. We liked the decor and the atmosphere of the place, very nice and homey. We took home a slice of Raspberry pie with enough whipped cream. Yum! Service was outstanding. We will be back to try other things from the interesting menu.

The bar is so relaxing with a Great selection of Bourbon! Food was excellent, had the steak and it was cooked perfectly!! Everyone is so friendly!! Love this place!!

Do yourself a favor and go here. It's a hidden treasure on the Syracuse's Northside. Don't let the neighborhood be the deciding factor. Once you step inside prepare for homemade bread, terrific specials and sweet delectable desserts (seriously if you don't get a dessert you made a huge mistake). The prices are a little above average but it worth it 110%. Another reason I love to support is because Riley's has been around for a very long time. Very special to Syracuse and I love to support local businesses who deliver great service and meals to my hometown. I have had the baby back ribs with cauliflower and sweet potato fries, and the chicken sandwich with homemade Irish chips. Plate licked clean both visits.

I really despise having to write negative reviews because I want to see businesses thrive. I can only hope that my criticism is seen as constructive so the restaurant can improve. I'd heard so many great things about this place from family and friends. I was excited to be invited on a date to check it out for myself. Unfortunately, this was not a great experience as Id anticipated. I initially sat at the bar waiting for my date. It wasn't too busy and the bartender was available to take my order. Having been a bartender in my former life, I try to see for myself what's on tap and in the cooler/listed on the wall before I just ask, "what do you have for beer?" As I was looking around, I caught the bartender just looking at me. She had an annoyed look on her face and said with an irritated tone, "you ready?" I was taken aback by her attitude, especially because Id yet to initiate contact other than a friendly hello when I sat down. I wasn't keeping her from helping anyone else, nor had I taken more than a 2-minute pause to look around. I ordered one of the drafts, promptly received it and she walked away. I noticed she was much more friendly with her regulars, but that's not a big deal. The establishment itself has a kitsch decor and I really liked the dark wood. My friend arrived and we were seated in a nice booth near the kitchen. They have an open view so you can see the chefs at work. Our server was very friendly and helpful. We ordered the fried calamari as a starter, he ordered the lobster roll special and I ordered the fish and chips. I don't know if they just wanted to make sure our order came out quickly or not, but the calamari literally was out down in front of us in less than 5 minutes. Unfortunately, the crumb of the batter was barely golden/fried and it was bland. Even my date who raves about this place was disappointed. My haddock was also breaded in a bland seasoning, but was properly fried. His lobster roll was delicious and I regretted not also ordering it. He also remarked my fish was bland. We didn't order dessert, but I'd like to go back and try them as I've heard they're amazing. I'm always willing to give a place a second chance. I hope next time is better and I'll update my review either way.

Great little hole in the wall to stop and grab a bite to eat. It is in an unsuspecting neighborhood. Certainly an attest to the mantra "if you build it, they will come". Definitely wish I could have had a beer with lunch, but had to skip it due to work. Heard this place had a good beer selection as well.

Get the Knickerbocker. This is one incredible sandwich. It was big enough that two of us nibbled on it and were full. It comes with a generous portion of Irish fries too. The decor on this place is amazing. It has a tin ceiling, tin walls, and awesome wood bar. Its places with character like this that make me miss Syracuse so much. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in cookie cutter chain land in Sacramento. Next time I'm in town, I'll be back for the Knickerbocker and the yummy Irish fries!

Riley's. You know it's a great place when your parents would bring you here. You know it's a special place when you're grown up and it's still the same amazing experience. Tip #1: like them on Facebook. Instead of scrolling through crap posts from your barely friends, you get a rare post you're truly happy to see, the special lunch and dinner menu of the day. Don't get me wrong, there's a standard menu for all your favorites, but seriously the attention to fresh daily specials is very difficult to rival in Syracuse. This bar/ restaurant is one of the coziest, down to earth, old school places that we are lucky to still have in this area. I could go through the specifics but to save time everything is great. Come, put your phone away, be nice, tip well and you'll be back.

Not sure if it was an off day; we've come here year after year every August as part of the Madison- Bouckville antique shows. We usually have reservations for a bigger group (10-12) and sit on the back room all to ourselves, with fabulous service from a very interesting and delightful male server. This time we only had 4 in our group and we left standing at the entrance as both customers and employees just watched. Finally flagged down someone who seated us in a booth. We ordered 3 fish frys and 1 perch. The sliced potatoes were cool, soggy and stuck together with the oil used to fry them. My perch was ok only because I scraped off all the damp and sticky batter. The fish was declared tasty. Disappointed but always hopeful, we'll try again next year.

Best restaurant I've eaten at in Syracuse. Good service, good food, good atmosphere. The house red was great. We also ordered the baked trout, fried calamari, fried zucchini, and a salad which were all mouth-watering. Can't wait to come back!!

Mushroom ravioli w meatball, fried zooks, great hamburger with Irish fries! And to top it off it's October - so the annual Testicle Festival was on - Everyone was having a ball, or two.

Although it was extremely busy, the service was great. We waited about 30 mins to be seated, but the hostess had told us how long it would take. Once we were seated the waitress was right over took our order. The food came fast, hot and totally tasty. The fried calamari was one of the best ones we've ever had!

Came here hearing rave reviews of the place. Location- neighborhood pub/restaurant Decor- was confused as to how to get to hostess stand. It is past the bar in the middle of the two rooms. Cute dining area with old photos. Happened to snag a booth by the door. Food- shared a steak dish and a scallop dish with my friend. Both pretty tasty and colorful. Service-our waiter very friendly and attentive. Cons parking..... Arrived maybe about 30 minutes before 6 when the sides for street parking.... Menu - photocopies of someone's handwritten menu. It's cool that the menu changes but the writing could be a little bit more legible. But small price to pay for good food. All in all... Good food and great atmosphere to be had in the place. Cute little spot for a date for that someone special or if you're trying to impress....

Riley's was a delightful surprise for my wife and I. I came across this while perusing one of the weekly local entertainment papers at our hotel. The menu is very unique as one side is a list of various sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. The flip side is a listing of that nights specialties, we arrived a little before 5:30 and had to wait for that side to be printed. We're glad we waited as the specials were interesting to say the least. The crab cakes were full of fresh delicious crab meat and not a lot filler. Our entrees were also of top quality, my wife had the lobster stuffed manicotti topped with I think was a light vodka sauce accompanied by a side salad. My T-bone pork steak was thick cut and done to perfection it was glazed with flavorful BBQ sauce. Neither of us could finish our meals so leftovers went back to the hotel along with our desserts. I would recommend you inquire about desserts at the start of your meal and if something pique your interest order in advance to make sure you get it because it might be gone by the time you finish your meal. Desserts are made fresh every day and change frequently. I had the berry pie which was a huge slice with whipped cream, and my wife ordered the chocolate seduction cake topped with whipped cream also. Just writing about them makes my mouth water and wished I lived closer so that I could make this a regular dining spot. I guarantee your dining experience at Riley's will be a memorable one. I'm not sure if they take reservations but I would make this a top pick for Valentine's day day

Awesome food. Very fresh, and delicious. Very antique and cool atmosphere. Great date place!

Every Christmas my dad buys me a gift certificate to Riley's. I recently came home from studying abroad and this was the first restaurant we went to since I've been home. I have to say most every visit to Riley's is the same. We know exactly what to expect. The menu that changes daily. The fun chalkboard art depicting the month and dinner specials. The low lighting and bustling kitchen where you can practically see your meal being prepared. We always order crab cakes as an app and we gobble down the two patties (my parents and me) and the fluffy, tasty bread before our entrees. This time I got the monkfish casserole with olive oil and lemon. The monkfish was served in a mini casserole dish with some breadcrumbs and sauce. There was a lobster roll I ALMOST got and tbh I regret not getting that. The monkfish was little tough and it was one of those dishes that every bite I had to think if I really liked it or not. It was accompanied by fingerling potatoes and corn on the cob. I wish they had been a BIT more creative, but I can't hold much against them because June definitely screams potatoes and corn on the cob. Here's a tip: always get dessert. The serve homemade pies, cakes, and other sweets. If they have the white chocolate mousse with raspberry--get that. It's like a cloud of subtle white chocolate and a tangy layer of tart raspberry. I say that but in truth I got the chocolate grand mariner pie. Decadent and finished by 11:30 pm (I always take my desserts home, which is why I got that rather than the mousse, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to take mousse home). Riley's is an eccentric, intriguing, hip, and lively place. Go there for the always changing menu that offers Syracuse's most diverse and slightly daring specials (it makes me feel cool that I know about Riley's). Sorry for the long review; I have a long history with this restaurant. I'll post another one next time I come. Oh! Shout out to our incredible waitress for her contagious smile and sunshine energy. It's nice to come back from Europe where they hardly glance at you to having such attentive and genuine service at Riley's.

Have not been here in a while and I have always had a decent experience, but tonight was below average and I am being very generous with that rating. Ordered the special salad to split to start, which sounded amazing. It was advertised as beets, grapes, cucumber, heirloom tomatoes, yellow pepadews, green beans and burrata chese. We are both somewhat lactose intolerant these days, so we skipped the burrata. The salad we received was a bunch of iceberg lettuce in the middle with small portions (two bias cut cucumbers, 3 grapes cut in half, five to six green beans) of the salad ingredients surrounding the bland iceberg lettuce. Also the tomatoes were run of the mill grape tomatos, not heirlooms as advertised. Very sad presentation and very disappointing taste. Not what we expected at all. For main courses, we ordered the perch filets with chips and also the cod with artichoke hearts and olives with a white wine butter sauce. The perch was bland and lacked any hint of seasoning. Once properly salted, it was fine. The cod was a different story. It was tasteless and had zero white wine butter sauce and no seasoning. All you could taste were the flavor of the olives and artichokes. Zero mouthfeel to the dish. It might as well have been steamed. When we presented the waitress with questions, we were shocked to find out that the perch is simply dredged in flour and the fried. Zero seasoning in the dredge. What??? Also when presented with the blandness of the cod (which I should have mentioned was actually haddock because they ran out of cod) she was going to investigate if the chef did something different in the preparation and to her credit, did offer another meal. However, our server then promptly disappeared for 15 minutes and we never received an answer on the preparation of the cod dish. We were also never offered another drink. When the server returned and asked us about dessert, we were basically checked out and did not want to risk being disappointed again. No complimentary dessert, drink or deduction from the bill was offered. Bottom line, we paid 75 dollars with tip for a meal that could have been made much better at home. Unless they find their mojo (and salt shaker) again we won't be back. Stick to the burger if you go and don't be tempted by amazing sounding food that is very poorly executed.

My favorite stop of the Syracuse trip, bar none. Even better than Dinosaur BBQ, which I loved with only minor reservations. And to think that I wouldn't have made it here at all were it not for a sandwich place that I didn't even get to visit. Let me back up. The menu at Darwin looked delicious and it was second on my list to visit. They are, however, a lunch-only establishment, and all my lunches were being handled. So, no Darwin. I did some poking around the website and found that Darwin was run by the people from Riley's. So, figured I, next best thing. By the time I got to Riley's, though, the thought of a full-blown entree was too much. That and I noticed about three things on the dessert board that sounded delicious, so I was going to need to save room. That said, maddest of all props to the Riley's menu. On one side, you've got a standing selection of burgers, sandwiches, and sides. Everything I tried on that side (read: one thing (because it was so delicious that I didn't bother moving on)) was outstanding. It's the other side that's impressive, though. A hand-written menu of dishes that changes daily, complete with illustrations. We're not talking about a big place here. It's a small neighborhood tavern. I'd love to know who on the staff has time to create that thing daily, but I really do appreciate the time that goes into its creation, as well as the herculean task of creating new dishes every night to populate it with. My co-worker Todd got a scallop in pineapple curry dish the second night I was there and it was spot on, with the sear on the scallops being particularly impressive. As I scanned the sandwiches and burgers, the Knickerbocker was the only thing that wasn't easily sussed. When I asked the waitress, she let me know it was an open faced sandwich with turkey, ham, cole slaw, tomato, and Russian dressing on rye, served either hot or cold. I was hooked by the description alone and got it hot. I chose very well. It's a saucy, messy fork-only sandwich that comes out on the plate as a glorious mound of food. The sweet dressing combined with the rough-cut slaw and the salt of the ham was just about perfect. It's clear that they roast their own turkey in house, as it was Thanksgiving fresh but also featured in one of the entrees. I loved this sandwich enough to make it back the second night and order it again. It's served with Irish chips, a fried potato side that hits notes from crisp potato chip all the way to fluffy french fry depending on how thick each chip was cut. The overall effect is like some mad culinary instructor's lesson in the Maillard reaction. They are unsalted but served with malt vinegar, and they are highly addictive. There's a bit of joy in grabbing one after the other and waiting to see if you've gotten one of the thicker, softer chips or a dark, caramelized crispy one. Dinner was topped off with a slice of chocolate chip walnut rum pie. I'll let that combination wash over you for a moment. It's twice as good as it sounds. I took them back to the hotel to eat, and the second night the server gave me the tip that a few second in the microwave would turn things gooey and lovely. He was not wrong, though the unwarmed version was good on its own. For Wednesday and Thursday nights, it was plenty crowded. That said, I'm surprised that there aren't lines out the door for this place. It was pretty perfect both nights and I can't wait for my next trip back.

I live relatively nearby and have been here for drinks a few times. I love the local vibe and casual, laid-back ambiance and have always enjoyed coming here. So, I was really excited to finally check it out for a nice dinner and wanted so badly to love the food, especially after many friends raving about it. However, my recent dinner dining experience was very disappointing. It started off great with a shared pot stickers appetizer and a very fresh and creative salad that was delicious. However, after that the food was just awful. We ordered a steak medium-rare, more on the rare side, and seared scallops. Both meals were completely inedible. The steak came out well done and the scallops were room temperature, undercooked, with no sear or flavor. It also took forever to get our meal, so when our waiter offered to get us something remade or different, we just decided to go home and order pizza rather than wait anymore. We were sitting right next to the kitchen, so when the waiter brought our returned food back to the kitchen, we could hear the kitchen staff basically yelling at the waiter that the food was fine. Trust me, it wasn't. I love scallops and have never been served scallops so horrible before. I also know what medium-rare steak should look like. It really bothered me that the kitchen staff reacted like that to the waiter, and so loudly, which just made the night worse. The only reason I am giving 2 stars instead of 1 is because our waiter was fantastic, and I am still willing to come back to try dinner again. Maybe next time though I will steer clear of the scallops.

Started off with some excellent bloody marys on, what I'm told, was the sunniest day Syracuse has had in six months. This place has a pubbish atmosphere with an excellent menu and a full bar. With the door open to welcome a nice breeze, it created the perfect lazy lunch day vibe. We had blackened salmon with some sort of pilaf and snap peas. It was all really good, albeit a tad greasy. I just pretended it was fresh olive oil saturating the dish, although I'm sure it was just grease. Very tasty. I heard the pie was to die for and took two pieces home. The crust is very flakey, resembling a croissant almost. I like my crusts more dense all the way through, but this was good. The blueberry filling was lovely, and tasted like real blueberries, not anything manufactured, which is difficult to find in restaurants. They also had a chocolate cheesecake, and I've heard their specialty is raspberry. I also tried the fried clams, and they were pretty delicious. It's hard to mess up fried-anything. To boot, the staff was great, quick, friendly - the whole package. I bought lunch and an alcoholic beverage for three people, plus pie and only spent $60. This place is totally worth a visit.

Oh god, so good. They nailed it. I got the salmon with potatoes and squash. Delicious. I originally yelped "brewery" which brought me to the mall, when I arrived and saw the location I immediately yelped "American cuisine" which brought me to Riley's. best decision I made all day. Also, Everyone is sooo friendly

Excellent restaurant. Local ingredients and a rotating menu but unassuming and casual. Fresh, daily bread. How a restaurant should be run a model for many restaurants. This one TRIES and succeeds.