The Cove

It's been years since I've been to the cove. I love what they have done here with the outside dining. Wonderful atmosphere with the water running near by and the wooded area. We ordered appetizers steamed shrimp and mussels and our entrees filet and crabcake combo, and a crab cake. Unfortunately our server brought everything at the same time. I did say i thought that when we said we wanted the shrimp and mussels as our appetizer they would come out as an appetizer and not with the entrees. The waiter said so did i. Our only disapointment of the night. Well that and my crabcake looking smashed. That being said all colossal jumbo lump in the cake and the filet tasted wonderful. We were unable to go to the whiskey bar as it was closed when we went there. The selection of bourbon look extensive.

We had never been here before and were unaware that most nights you need a reservation. The hostess directed us to the bar area or the whiskey and cigar bar as these areas were not already reserved. She then came and found us as a reservation decided they didn't want to sit in the heated outside dining area. The ambiance of the deck seating was fantastic and the heaters keep it cozy. The food and service was absolutely stellar. Our waiter Paul was very thorough and helpful explaining the menus. After our experience here it makes perfect sense why you need a reservation. 5 star experience all the way!

The cove was a hidden gem I just discovered by accident that has quickly became my go to stop when I'm in York. The creek out back weather permitting is the perfect romantic atmosphere and during these colder months they heat and close.off the outdoor seating area which is also very nice. The inside is always welcoming but I will say is a little in the cold side. Which is nice for a bigger guy like myself.

My favorite local salad place. Their espresso martinis are great as well. Owned and staffed by amazing humans. Thank you!

I recently visited The Cove, and I’m still thinking about the experience! Let me start with the drink that completely stole the show: their Fresh Margarita. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s the best margarita I have ever had. I only drink margaritas, so I’ve tried them at hundreds of restaurants over the years, and nothing—absolutely nothing—comes close to this one. Perfectly balanced, fresh, bright, and simply unforgettable! The food was just as impressive. The beef brisket was tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection—easily one of the standout briskets I’ve had anywhere. And then came the fried cheesecake, which was the perfect combination of sweet, creamy, and indulgent without being overwhelming. It was the ideal ending to an already wonderful meal. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy the food as much as I did, but I was completely blown away. I’m already looking forward to going back. The Cove has officially earned a spot on my favorite restaurants list!

I haven’t been to the cove in years. It was below average before, nothing special and not very good drinks or food. This time was the complete opposite!! My husband and I went for a spontaneous date last night and the atmosphere was wonderful. It was warm and inviting. I had the best margarita I’ve ever had (and I was a margarita only bartender in New Mexico), the food was excellent and the service was even better. Paul was a wonderful server. This experience caught me by surprise! So glad we gave this place another chance. Whatever you guys did differently- well done! Keep it up! We will definitely be back. I don’t normally write reviews but this was well worth it!

Our daughter was home from college for break, so we decided to go out for dinner and we really enjoyed our dining experience at The Cove. What made it even more enjoyable was the great service. Thank you Aaron for your sense of humor, we really appreciated it. Now take care of those turtles! Lol

This place is great. Our waiter was phenomenal and the food was absolutely exquisite, some of the best in York if not the best. The only gripe I have is that I was fully expecting to be able to order from their INSANE whiskey menu, but the room is completely closed out. I understand the person who generally tends to the whiskey bar is out right now, which I completely get. But their website boasts heavily of this feature, and this was a huge reason I wanted to go. A little more transparency or information would be awesome on this on the website, just so I can keep an eye out if it's going to be open or not. To clarify - I have no real problem with this place, the food was absolutely amazing and our waiter was great. But I'm just a little confused with the whiskey bar being very advertised, but only being able to be ordered from if certain people are there. Especially with so few places like this locally, their list is incredible and I'd love to go enjoy it.

Random find during a road trip, stopped by because we saw reviews for crabcakes. $45 for two cakes was definitely worth it because they were all crab, no fillers. The star of the show is actually their cream linguine because it came out piping hot while al dente. The host and servers were extremely accommodating too. They have the indoor and outdoor area so you can pick and choose your vibe.

The Cove is a gem in York, PA. Off the beaten path but always provides good food in a quaint setting. Staff is friendly, nice bar and also has a cigar lounge. Offers outdoor dining even in the winter with covered and headed areas! The creek that runs through the back makes it a unique dining experience. The Cove is a good place to visit while in York.

They were busy with graduations but I still had great service at the bar! The salad was delicious. I liked the river area on the way in but it was closed off and not used when I was there.

Had a good bar sit Wednesday night. Quiet. Haley, I think, was our tender. Nice girl, very attentive. Food was excellent. The steamed mussels were a nice surprise. Love those! Meatloaf and salad meals were excellent. Plenty of drink choices. We haven't been here in ages but will be back!

I could bring a lot of business here from work related outings, but today was a strong reason why I won't. Cigar bar was not open for a reason that doesn't make sense to me. The cigar bar was the main reason for visiting. Old fashioned drink - great service btw. $20 a drink. It's not worth $20 a drink. I enjoyed the time here, but I will not recommend this as a place to go for future visitors. $170 (tip included) for 7 drinks. No thanks. You will have to do better to win my business.

Me and my husband come here every year on our anniversary. Food is always so good. Servers are always so friendly. Their employees are all worth a good tip by the end of the meal. I love the decision of dishes. The outdoor and indoor setting is absolutely gorgeous.

I have lived in York for 10 years and somehow never made it here before. We sat outside on their gorgeous patio next to the creek and enjoyed a great meal. I had the steamed clams to start. My husband had the combo of cream of crab soup and Maryland crab soup. Both were extremely tasty. My clams were clean, with no grit, which is always nice. For my entree I had the grilled shrimp salad sandwich and the crispy brussels sprouts. I also ordered a side of fries but they didn't come out until after I'd finished the rest of my meal, which wasn't a big issue for me. When they came, they were hot and crispy. My husband had the Chesapeake burger with a bison burger and fries. The bison is a very beefy tasting meat that was really great as a burger. I had a creme brulee for dessert that wasa pretty standard. Usually there's a berry garnish or a mint leaf when I get it. This had neither. My husband's dessert-- the Turtle Pie-- was amazing. It was an ice cream pie with huge pecans in an oreo crust. He definitely picked better than I did this time. Service was good, not great. We'll be back because the food was good and the atmosphere was great.

We're from out of town and decided to give The Cove a try after looking over its very interesting menu online. We were so glad to have discovered this place!! But first, the parking. The lot in the front is small and right against the busy street. Thanks to a friendly customer, we learned that there is another much bigger lot in the back. It's not well advertised, however, so you'll have to be intentional about going around the side into the back. "Back lot" may sound sketchy, but it's not. There are tables and a creek so it has a secluded, secure feel. Everything on the menu is a creative twist on familiar gastropub fare like tacos, hamburgers, short ribs and seafood. We started with a soft pretzel that was served with a delicious clam and cheese dip. For entrees my wife ordered the Prime Meatloaf Sandwich and I ordered the Prime Rib and Blue Cheese Quesadillas. Who else makes meatloaf and quesadillas out of prime rib??? All of it was extraordinarily delicious and unique. We intend to return many times so that we can try other items on the menu.

We visited for lunch. The place wasn't crowded and there was plenty of parking. Our server, Jimmy, was excellent: always there with a refill, friendly, cleaned up our plates when we were finished, asked about dessert or coffee after our meals, and brought our checks promptly. Our food was okay. We both had burgers. Nothing bad at all about them: they were prepared as requested, served with a small side of seasoned fries, and were attractively plated. My burger was $18; I feel like a reasonable price would have been $15 or $16 at the most. Although nothing was wrong with our food, there also wasn't anything remarkable about it either. The service provided by Jimmy was the best part of our visit.

I went for the first time to The Cove and the atmosphere felt so warm and inviting. The staff are very friendly welcoming. The food menu was so appetizing. The brisket sandwich was amazing. I went with a friend, with the plan of just going for the cigar lounge area. My experience so pleasant that I will definitely go back with the wife next time. I'm going to spread the word about this place. The manage/owners are amazing people. Thank you for a wonderful experience. H. Watson

Our server, Paul, was super-friendly. He was informative about the menu and local sights to see. He made us feel like regulars. The seafood was fresh and deliciously prepared. Brussel sprouts are a must-have. Entire space was clean and well laid-out.

Great food, great service and I love the outdoor seating! Perfect for groups and privacy. Highly recommend

Great service. Delicious food, Ambiance and their Fish (Haddock) & Chips is so, so delicious. I want to try other items but I'm really stuck on the Haddock. We've been there 3 times so some time I'll get their Crab Cakes.

What a huge disappointment. Ordered Mozzarella sticks for app. Overcooked and skimpy portion for price. Ordered Soft Shell Crab tacos. The only crab was deep fried soft crab legs.... Never again.

Food was ok. Service was slow. We were seated at a high top in the bar area which was kind of depressing. Couldn't hear the music that was piping into the main dining area. I'd maybe go back but it won't be my first choice.

Food was 2/10 - I usually will finish my food even if it's not that great but I couldn't even stomach the Nashville hot sandwich. the sauce is a weird gelatin nastyness. the cheese burger egg roll tasted like hamburger helper in a deep fried wanton. My husbands bacon wasn't cooked through, he took it off completely. The fried were the only thing worth raving about. Service was 9/10 - she just didn't seem overly happy to be there. Ambiance 5/10 -- rated low because our highchair was too short for the table & the decor is dated. So much potential though. Price per value 3/10 - we got a lot of food, it was $73 with the bacon discounted but I would have rather spent that money on groceries to make better food. York continues to disappoint in their restaurant scene.

terrible food and service, extremely rude staff and the food is bland and dry. It taste like its been sitting out for days. Not fresh food at all.

Came in from out of town and the hostess was incredibly rude and refused to seat us. She said they staff based on reservations. There were plenty of empty tables. Also it smelled like cigarettes.

My wife and I came here with 5 others. My wife had the scallops and risotto, and I had the crabcake entrées. They also had their lobster bisque soup. The best part of this experience was the gentleman that served us. He was very attentive, to go orders without any notes, and remember them all, and was very good. I would have given a 2 star rating if it wasn't for the server. Regarding the food, my crabcake was extremely small and was $30. My wife's scallops and risotto was $40 and she only got three scallops. For the price, we felt the portions were very small. The bisque did not have any chunks of lobster; it was just puréed- the taste was just ok but not what I expected (plus it was tomato based and that overpowered the lobster taste. Just another note (not an issue just so you know), for our group the added 20% profit right on the check......which I don't mind at all. Bottom line, the food was a 2 and the service a 4 - making my overall review a 3.

The ambiance is great. I loved sitting outside by the creek. Somethings to mention are they don't use straws (that could be a good or bad thing depending on who you are) There food was okay. I got the BBQ burger though it's not pictured and the truffle fries. The fries where a little light on the "truffle" and the burger was standard. Overall it's a okay place to eat. I honestly might go their again maybe but it's a big maybe. Try it and see for yourself :)

Friends and I enjoyed dinner at THE COVE Friday evening. The food was exceptional. I personally can recommend the Filet French Dip. SOOOOO TENDER AND GOOD!!! We had reservations, which I advise for a Friday evening. The dinning room was "typical". I liked that the tables weee not too close to each other. In addition to that we had an awesome server. His name is TJ. He made the evening even better with great service and a fun personality. He played along with all my stupid jokes. I recommend giving THE COVE a try.

Food and drinks were excellent Ambiance very nice Service was great too! Will definitely be back!

It's been a while since I've visited The Cove but I was in the area this week and stopped in for lunch. They still got it! I had the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich and it was so so good. I've never been to Nashville for authentic Hot chicken so I can't comment on that part but it was a damn good sandwich. And they also have a great craft draft beer selection as always. I'm gonna try not to take so long between visits this time

Parking was a hassle pulling in but what can you expect on a Friday evening. I recommend making a reservation to avoid the wait. When we arrived at roughly 7pm all the tables was taken and we had to wait 15 minutes due to not calling ahead. Was sat outside in a heated tent. Food was great drinks was good as well w

great food. Drinks are decent at reasonable price. Friendly. Nice in the summer you can sit outback and there's a stream near by.

We made reservations for 7pm. Needless to say, we couldn't even get a parking spot. People were double parked. Why make reservations when you can't get a parking spot. So, we never got to try anything from there. We will not be back.

We had made a reservation for a party of 20. When I walked in and went to the hostess stand, I stated that I was with a large party and the guy who was there pointed to two sets of large tables that had been pushed together making it seem like I should have assumed that I should have saw them when I walked in and that it was for us. He said no words and just pointed. The server then had introduced himself and the other server that was helping him, but we barely saw them. It was 45 minutes until we had put in for entrees and we had asked for them to bring everything out as dishes were being finished. The first table received their food all at once and finished their food before the second table got their food which was brought out all at once as well. Not as they were being finished. There were multiple people in our party who had attempted to put in drink orders at multiple times, but the waiter could only manage getting a few at a time. Which wasn't his fault because his helper was nowhere to be found. I maybe saw his helper 3 times the entire night. It's an automatic 20% for large groups so why wouldn't you want to charge us for more drinks that we wanted and make more money? It took us 45 minutes to get our tabs processed and closed out. We had to ask the bartender to find out waiter after waiting 15 minutes for him to come get our tabs. Again, this waiter was all by himself. We were there for a total of 3 hours and missed our plans that we had afterwards. The helper also got upset when someone said they were missing a drink on their tab. She said, "I don't know where it went!" and stormed off. Again, there was already 20% gratuity per check. Why wouldn't you want to give excellent service and make more on top of that? Long story short, they were not very attentive and assumed we would all entertain each other while they were nowhere to be found. They did the bare minimum for a guaranteed tip and lost money because of it.

We were just there last night. The menu has changed. Food was terrible and our waiter was not very personable. No frozen drinks and no straws. Crossed it off my list of places to go!

I like how this place is kind of tucked away. I've been here a few times but never really ordered food . Service was good but my only complaint is the smoke smell from the other room. Even though it's a different area, it carries so you can smell it throughout the restaurant. We ordered their wings and crab soup in a bread bowl. The wings were cooked very well! Crispy ! I really like the crap soup too. I was impressed with the beer menu as well . Next time I am in the area I plan to go back and try a few more food items .

The whole ambiance is beautiful. Very peaceful! The food and drinks were excellent. The service was masterful! A little pricy but worth it!

The owner was very disrespectful to my sister and I when we went there on Saturday for lunch. He ask us if we had reservation. We did not. He proceeded to take us to a table while growling at us that we didn't have a reservation. He only had a table for 6 . He threw the menus on the table while once again growling at us about not having a reservation. I said he did not seem like he wanted us to sit at that table. He once again said about not having a reservation. My sister and I proceeded to walk out without sitting down. I will never go there again. I would think that they would want customers.

We had a group of ten; all very happy with their selections. We ran the gamut from Hamburgers to Grouper Stuffed with Crabmeat. All very good. Fish & Chips a little disappointing in the portion size with a scoop of smashed potatoes & a delicious but minuscule portion of Coleslaw. Our waiter Tim was so attentive and put up with us.

Waited a while to get seated. Waited longer to get a server. There was 9 of us and we could not sit together but at tables directly next to one another, not sure why we couldn't put them together. Food and service were just ok. We got the smoked fish dip since the sever recommended it for the 5 people at our table. There's was like 2 carrots and 2 celery sticks to dip in it with a similar ration of bread crisps.

It had been a while since our last visit, and we were quickly reminded of how great the atmosphere is not to mention the food. Our service was very quick for a Saturday evening and out food was out of this world good.

I can only leave one star because I was told I can't make a reservation for more then 8 people. I was going to bring 11 but guess that would be to much money for them to make I guess. I had planned on leaving an extraordinary tip, but the waitress or waiter will never know how much. I wanted to have my party enjoy the outside deck but was also told they only have tables that fit six on the deck. Guess putting two tables together to accommodate is just to much. I was also told that inside the largest table seats ten. But if we want to get cozy we could fit more. I'm sure some other local establishment will be more then happy to celebrate in my step-sons 19 birthday and make money from us. Will update at a later time to let you know who wanted our business............Update, every resteraunt in York can take more then 8 people!

Besides our waiter having a fantastic personality, the owner or chef recognized that I am vegan with what I ordered and- without asking- came to talk to me and offered to make me something special. It was delicious and we all had a nice dinner!

I went out with a girlfriend, we checked in as we had made reservations ahead of time. The hostess sat us in a tented area, very nice definitely recommend! We got our menus and as we were getting our drinks another hostess came to tell us that they sat us at the wrong table, they had a prom couple that reserved the tent. Whatever, we move to the patio area, just as nice. It then took around 10-15 minutes till a waiter acknowledged us and asked what drinks we wanted. Which I explained we already ordered drinks and they were sitting somewhere as we saw them before we moved. They did find out drinks and got us food. Not much of an apology- but it's fine. I'd go back, as the food and atmosphere are nice. Just had a rough first time visit.

We visit York PA. every January for the York Vintage motorcycle swap meet and now thanks to a local pointing us the way to The cove we have a new favorite place to eat. The food and service are second to none. The Management is more than friendly and made us feel right at home. Try the forbidden rice because it is unbelievably delicious.

We had a reservation and waited for 25 minutes at our outside table and no one came out to take our order. To make it worse, when we went inside to let them know we were leaving the employee said, " Oh okay. Sorry about that." And then we left. What a terrible experience!

CJ is the dude. Great service, good jokes too. Food was great and so was the music. I'm definitely coming back.

I came into town to visit my parents and couldn't wait to have the incredible chicken street tacos. To my surprise they changed the recipe. The tacos went from AMAZING to just good. I will no longer crave their tacos. I'm so disappointed about that.

We were out to celebrate a new job with a party of 6. Told the host that another person would be joining later and was told it was fine. Then when they arrived they were told they couldn't pull up a chair. Throughout the entire experience the waitress was rolling her eyes and was short with us. We would have stayed longer and racked up more drinks and food -- thereby giving them more business. We left early because of the servers attitude. Was going to leave without incident (I served tables for 10 years and I very rarely complain) but I saw a 20% tip was automatically added since we had a party of 6 (plus 1 who did not join be ause of their "policy"), so we spoke with the manager. She did fine and was professional but did both Ng but apologize and hide behind the policy. Was severely disappointed with the servers attitude and having to pay 20% to someone who didn't deserve it. Probably will never visit this place again.

This place has always been a favorite of mine. I tend to go there because I went to school with the owner and I've always taken pride in supporting those that I know. The best thing here that I have gotten for the last 10 years has been the cream of crab soup. It is by far the best in town. The rest of the food is pretty good but a little pricey. If you don't mind paying for slightly over priced food with a nice atmosphere and friendly staff then this is the place to go. Even though I have known the owner most of my life, I'm still giving it an honest review. I'd be more inclined to give it five stars if it was a little more affordable.

Pleasantly surprised. Food was excellent, and service was very good. Highly recommended!

Never been treated so terribly and unfairly. Absolutely disgusted with the actions of one staff member and the owners. Would never return or recommend to others. I would think, especially during these difficult times, customers would be appreciated and respected.

Spotted this place while driving by and decided that check it out. The parking is a little tight, but not a big deal. The atmosphere is great. Large seating area with both high top and regular tables. We ordered wing to start off which were pretty good. I had the cheeseburger quesadilla and it was really good. My wife had a steak burrito which she enjoyed. My son ordered the steak and shrimp wrap which was really good. The staff were friendly and good. The only down complaint I had was the Bloody Mary I ordered was extremely too hot for me. If your in the area give this place a shot.

I love how creative they've gotten during Covid ! The heated igloos are warm in the winter and gazebos are cool in the summer; and it's just a nice place with the creek running by. It's a little unexpected surprise in the area! Solid burgers & fries, but the many variations of crab are why I keep going back!! They have some of the best cream of crab soup in the area! The Cove is one of my favorite places to go out in York county.

The owner was very accommodating, service was great, & this location was truly a diamond in the rough of York, PA

Came here for date night and we sat in the little bubble. It was a little hot at times but loved the atmosphere. Food was good and our server was really friendly! I wish I remembered his name.