Ellacoya Barn and Grille 2019
 

They’re not off to a good start. Tried texting people with info to meet up. Multiple fails within their facility. I have never experienced a failed text on my Verizon account anywhere else in the lakes region. WiFi also wouldn’t work. Service was fine, but kitchen was slow, even though it wasn’t busy. They had run out of two of my wine options. A good chunk of the menu was unavailable because they’re transitioning to a new menu. So I can’t get a basic steak cause you’re transitioning? Lame. Won’t return. Too many other stable options in this area to choose from.


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Can't lay blame for everything
 

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the establishment for the lousy Verizon service. It's been noted quite often lately that Verizon has cell issues in the lake region, it's not the restaurants fault your cell wouldn't work exactly as you want, when you want it!.
As to the lack of options on the menu, that is probably on them but don't be too quick to write them off, Many or most of the local "stable" businesses are having trouble getting help this year and service or quality are destine to suffer no matter where you go.

I have never had cell service there at all and their Wi-Fi is terrible. However I do love their food and the bar.


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Exact same here....

Dan

There never has been useful cell service there; it is at the base of ridge line (Gunstock Acres). The food has always been very good.

I wrote them off long ago! Don’t know what people see in this place.
3 strikes you’re out, I’ve given them plenty of opportunity to right the ship and they have failed each time...service, food, all terrible. I line this place up in comparison with Patrick’s.

Plus their parking needs attention, almost killed a guy who decided it would be a great idea to park his SUV on the white line across the street and open the door as I was driving by... not a good situation.

I take it for what it is. Good pub type food. There burgers and steak sandwiches are really good and their fries are awesome. I also love the bar and they make a good drink.

Service can be slow at times but that as we know has been an ongoing issues in the area with having enough staff. Conversely I do not like Patrick’s. Too each his own. [emoji4]


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Ellacoya
 

Cell service can be spotty (Verizons fault as noted) but generally can text and rarely (if ever in the past year) have a problem with wifi.
Food is very good and the atmosphere friendly. If parking is a problem its because they are so busy and attract more customers. Happy to have you not go there so more parking and seats for us

I've always liked it there but it's not at the top of my list of places to eat. And like Canoe, the parking situation suxs. Many times I've driven in and driven right back out at both those places because of the lack of parking.

Love both places but definitely not in the same class for sure. I would never compare them.


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I was only comparing the parking situation although Canoe does have someone there directing parking when it's busy. The barn is kind of a free for all.
I saw the owner of the barn one night at Lago's. I've been to the barn a half a dozen times and have never seen him in his own resturant.

Yes parking terrible at both I absolutely agree. Honestly at Canoe when I drive there I really do not want to take a shuttle.


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If Canoe's parking lot is full I just keep on going to the Bob House. They always have plenty of parking.

:laugh::laugh::laugh: Very true

At least you know what you're getting at Canoe, though--The Bob House can have what appears to be only a few cars in the lot and then be jammed inside.

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ellicoya
 

Probably one of the best kept secrets in the lakes area, very consistant, great food and in the past several years, have never had a parking problem.

I don't think it's a secret. It's always packed when I go.

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Maybe I don't understand...
 

You don't want to return to this restaurant because the cell service is terrible?

Right now, I can't tell you where my phone is. And if I was in a restaurant, it would be in my car.

Ellacoya
 

Cell service in that area is terrible (from Ellacoya to Mt Major) and Wi Fi in a restaurant should be irrelevant in an area known for it s aesthetic beauty and relaxing surrounds. It's not Manhattan, and that's why we are there. Drinks are good, bar friendly, reliable pub food. What do you want in casual dining-- put down your phone, have a drink, eat your nachos, talk to your friends, and enjoy!

And yeah, parking is crappy in season.

Ate here last week as the wife and I have not had good luck with this restaurant in the past but thought we’d try again as route 11 was closed because of an accident and had to waste time for the road to open.

There was about a 15 minute wait as we did not call ahead. Other parties coming in right behind is called ahead and were not happy to be told there would be an additional wait for them as well ( they were not happy )

We were seated and a waitress came right over and took our order.
There was quite the wait on the spinach and artichoke dip then a good wait for food. She did put in our 4 y/o order with the app so that was a bonus.
And that was it, Pretty much never saw her again until we were done with dinner!
A teenage kid brought our app and dinner plates, she never checked back, drinks were empty and we waited to ask for left over containers.

This was my 4th time eating here and all 4 times there was some sort of issue.

I really don’t get how this place is so busy all the time??!!! How do they stay in business?

Oh yah, her poor service greatly affected her tip! The bill was $90.00

I love the atmosphere and food is good. If I do go there it’s either really early or really late on weekends. During the week I avoid pizza night and burger night. Those deals are excellent so it is packed those nights.

It’s all about timing there.


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Cell Service
 

I am amazed that people are rating a restauraunt based on the available cell service.
We have been here numerous times and have always enjoyed our visit.

P.S. I go to a restauraunt to enjoy the food and company, not based on how well my cell/smart phone works.

My opinion only,
Bill

Personally I'm fine with no cell service. It gets everyone off their phone for a more personal dinner environment for a few hours al least.
We went to O's about a month ago and the couple sitting next to us never put their phones down through out their whole meal. They looked to be in their 30's and completely ignored each other.
They slobbered over their food while holding their cell phones in one hand and fork in the other.

That’s funny...conjures up quite a vision with them “slobbering over their food” :D
Unfortunately, that’s where we are as a society these days...

Maybe there should be no cell phone sections like "No Smoking" sections?

We're always muttering about our grandkids with their noses in the phone, sometimes all 5 at once, together and not saying a word.
So the other day we were at lunch and I was responding to a text....looking across the table my wife was doing the same thing. We realized it and started laughing. After all our complaints, here we are doing the same thing.
Times they are a-changing

Not necessarily a change for better
 

Use of cell phones [U]everywhere [U] is not necessarily a good thing, especially in restaurants.

Case in point. We went out for dinner at a then new restaurant in Rochester. My wife and I were seated at a 4 place table pretty much in the center of the restaurant. Shortly after, a family of 4 were seated next to us; mom, dad, boy, and girl. Immediately, 4 cellphones appeared before the very prompt waitress could welcome them. The phones were not put down while she spoke, and the boy when asked what wanted to drink, he ignored her and the mother finally made him order.
The phones were never put away, and essentially the only conversation was about what they were looking at on their phones. Even during the meal, the phones were in use, sitting on the table, and as someone earlier said, probably be slobbered upon. They finished and left before we were done.
What a wonderful opportunity became a missed opportunity to talk to the kids... how was your day? How was school? Etc.

I personally like knowing there is no cell coverage at a restaurant as I'm not tempted to look at mine. :rolleye2:

Dave

Fine dining, or casual restaurant, I leave my phone in the car...…...Unless there is some kind of emergency going on, and I'm waiting to get news. The world can wait for the hour or so it takes for me to eat my meal. The person I'm with deserves my attention.

I agree with people having cell phone addiction!

If you look around you at a red light many people have their phone in their hand. Quite often you have to honk when the light turns green because the driver of the car in front of you has their face in the phone.

It would be great (and safer) if something in a running car rendered a phone inoperable. Maybe a GPS linked device that shut the phone down if the car was moving. It would probably result in a significant decline in accidents.

I agree, it could be tied to the speedometer or maybe the gear selector being in any gear but park. If the car is moving then no cell service. But you would still have people looking at their phone at a stop light. :(

It's here "I'm not driving"
 

My four yo iPhone doesn't work when the car is in motion. As a passenger, I hit the button that says "I'm not driving", and I'm back in business. My wife's android has no such feature. Or it has been disabled.

What's to prevent the driver from hitting that button? Is there a lie detector on that phone too? :confused:

100% the parents fault in this instance... The parents have obviously tolerated and allowed this and actually partake in it! Not surprising in this day and age however...

Dan

What is the actual point of dining out if you are going to be on your phone? Take the time to be present and eat with whomever you’ve gone with.

And FYI- the cell service has nothing to do with the restaurant. Blaming an establishment for that is about as smart as blaming a library for not having a good choice in food variety.

The point of eating out is first and foremost to eat at a place other than your own home.

I often eat out alone, e.g. for lunch, and when I do I read a book or a magazine.

If I owned a i-phone I'd have no qualms about accessing the 'net while eating; why shouldn't I?

In this case the family probably has little to say to one another: it's all been said before, so let them each revel in their own chosen activity.

"Live free or die," ya know?

...or to eat something you can't/don't wanna make, or not do dishes, or to fill in space between other activities instead of going home, or for a different view...

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I find this a very sad vision of our children's future. :(

Wow, second post and you’re throwing insults.


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This is very short-sighted. I have a job (medical field) that requires me to be available 24/7. The access and use of a phone is what allows me to "be present" with my family and friends rather than being tied to a landline. When as issue occurs when I am at a restaurant, I will take any calls outside but I can handle most via email from the table. In addition, at least having wifi is part of the service that a restaurant offers. No different than having TVs to watch the game .

You're ONE in a MILLION...

I am in the same boat. I run a factory that operates 24/7. A missed 8 hour shift can be millions in product literally, because of this my phone is with me 24/7. I however have strict rules that when I am certain places ie Dinner, date night, in bed, on the boat etc that I don't care if the president is calling I am not answering it because it is "my time."

I think I effectively balance the need to be "on call" as it pays my bills and allows me to live the life I do. But at the end of the day it is a job and I am on this earth to live first and foremost so rules needed to be established for sanity. Would I hold it against a restaurant for not having cell service? No, especially not ellacoya, they have never had cell service.

I don't think anyone is complaining about "having" a phone with you while dining. However, texting, tweeting, snap chatting, taking phone calls and surfing the internet while dining with friends and or family is what I would consider to be very rude and most here take issue with.

As to your other points, I don't know of any restaurants, at least none that I will frequent, that have televisions...bars yes and I have no problem with text and quiet minimal phone usage in a bar especially if your are by yourself. If your one of those idiots (general term) that needs to let everyone around you hear all about your important "look at me" conversation, then please take it outside as I and everyone else could give two sh**'s about what you have to say.

I also don't believe that wifi adds any value to a restaurant whatsoever. I go to a restaurant for good food and conversation with family and or friends. Wifi has nothing to do or adds anything to either of those. A bar is a different story...

Just my feelings;

Dan

Who cares?! As long as the person isn't affecting my experience negatively--as Dan, above, pointed out about people talking loudly on their phones, etc.--why should I care what they do?

In fact, I'm on my way to grab a slice of pizza right now and am gonna spend the whole time on my phone looking up jetski stuff!

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By the time you get through with your extensive research about jetskis, dealers, brands, uses, storage and accessories you may be able to just build your own.

Right?! But you know what I won't have? Buyer's remorse!

In all seriousness, I love really getting into new things in all ways--research, purchase, and setup. I can't wait to get it to camp and come up with my "system." I'm still in the process of "setting up" my 4Runner--the right wheels, safety and recovery gear, racks, etc. Fun! Fun! Fun!

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To get back on track, can someone tell me if the seating system is "find your own" or if they seat based on arrival? I ask because the two times we've tried to go we were told that we should be finding our own seats--after waiting patiently and watching new arrivals take the last remaining tables.

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There is always a hostess at the desk when you walk in the door from the left parking lot. If you come in from the right parking lot by the bar you need to walk past the bar and make a left to the hostess desk and waiting area.


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Weird, because both times the waitress told us to find a seat. Maybe just bad timing.

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