The Elf In The Oak

Bill M

2023-11

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Raymond Calcagno

2023-10

Once you park, walk to back that's where you place your order and pick your spot.Had the Cuban, which was fantastic.Bread was especially good.Has sweet potato fries they give you honey to go with it.FYI, try the fries with hot sauce.Also, I had a Turkey sandwich with added bacon.Excellent food.Nice Winery a bit further up..Parking: Parking tight rocky lot.

Amy Witkowski (Savino)

2023-10

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Ethan Sinica

2023-11

Walk in, order, get delicious food! Service is exceptionally quick (given you walk in and order at a window). The breakfast sandwich I got here was as perfect as I could have asked. My one note is if you're looking for somewhere entirely indoors and warm year round this is not that place (yet) as their main seating is not entirely sealed off from the outdoors but it's got some heating! "Atmosphere" of being right on the lake makes up for it (for me at least, to each their own)

Kate J

2023-10

What a find! We were looking for a lunch spot that wasn't at a vineyard because we find that food to be subpar and overpriced. My boyfriend found this place on google and I am so glad we gave it a go, even after we accidentally passed it on the road. These sandwiches were ridiculously good and the back porch looking out at the lake was such a nice touch. We had the Roasted Pork Loin and the Jerk Chicken. The Jerk Chicken was my favorite, though my boyfriend thought it was a little spicy. Don't worry, it wasn't. Definitely add this as a stop along your way to a wine tasting.

Danielle

2023-09

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Holly Wilson

2023-05

I loved sitting outside on the covered deck eating our lunch. Very nice atmosphere with gorgeous views of Seneca lake. Theirs is a strictly outside restaurant, no inside seating. You order at a window then then they call your name when your order is ready. Everyone was super nice and answered any questions. Lots of variety to choose from. It was a bit pricey for sandwiches, two sandwiches and 2 colas were $40. I would be back to try their breakfast menu. Dog friendly. No bathroom, just a port-a-potty.

Swati Patel

2023-05

Very cute and beautiful place to grab food near Seneca Lake. The view is amazing but i think it’s a bit pricey. Also, they have very limited menu, only regular hot or iced coffee. Also no fresh juice available, only from the pack. 9$ for just plain croissant is bit pricey I guess but this place has good view and vibe. Parking is free.

Michele Gargiulo

2023-05

What a great little find! Fantastic views. The food was delicious. The Italian soda was a game changer. Would highly recommend the Italian sodas! The biscuit sandwich was really delicious but it fell apart when eating (possibly my own fault holding it too hard) tehe but still really yummy!

Juliana M

2023-05

Heard about this place in an article about Watkins Glen, cute little sandwich shop you would not even know it’s there. Slightly passed hector falls. Simple sandwich menu, able to accommodate. Able to upgrade from kettle chips to fries for $4: Sandwiches reasonable priced and sized. Locally sourced “Fizz” soda. No wait service. Order at the window, then pick up. Able to sit on deck or grass overlooking the lake. It’s a must try, especially after a day at the wineries near byVegetarian options: 2 sandwich options + salad optionsParking: Small gravel parking lotKid-friendliness: Able to sit at the table, or in the grass

Crystal Gaffney

2023-07

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Jason Kanisloupus

2023-06

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Alisha Morgan

2023-05

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Jeannie Hill

2023-05

When visiting Watkins Glenn and asking around for the locals’ favorite place for lunch, it seemed unanimous the folks love The Elf in the Oak. Just the name invokes curiosity and humor. We learned firsthand that it is a unique gem that overlooks Seneca Lake with its lush and expansive lawns. Dining is outside either under their covered back deck or out on the lawn.The service is top notch. Staff are super upbeat and generate “happiness” with their big smiles and eagerness to make customers’ day great. Maybe it was just the day we were there, but the lady who brought our food to our table made it extra fun and pleasant. The music in the background is super and ideal for the setting.The bread was fresh, flavorful, and bursting with heartiness. What makes their sandwiches exceptional is that both sides of the bread are generously buttered and grilled. The freshly made garlic mayonnaise sauce made the wrap.For breakfast, I recommend the bacon, egg, and cheese on a biscuit sandwich; the biscuit if baked to perfection and comes served nice and hot. The coffee is great good; they have a nice serve-yourself station. Also, they have Italian Seltzers – I love mine with mint and basil.It’s nice that they are open till 9 PM on Friday and Saturdays. We did fine with parking – but then we arrived just after a rain. Within a short time, the place was packed. Advice: come prepared as there are only outdoor porta potties. Prices are a little more than we expected but the ambiance and scenery are worth it! This is a dining out in the Finger Lakes environment you don’t want to miss.

Emma Peabody

2023-05

What a great little find! Totally forgot to take pictures of our sandwiches before we demolished them, but you can see we were (mostly) members of the clean plate club! The Brie bird was just an OUTSTANDING sandwich- it was really a great surprise. The staff were incredible, the vibe relaxed and sunny, and the view is beautiful. Thank you elf in the oak crew!

Anne Dewanto

2023-05

Another hidden gem pitstop!! We're on our way to Ithaca then passing by Watkins Glen surroundings and found this cute lunch spot with a view of Seneca lake. The front door was for staff only, so we got to walk into the backside of the house which is the porch. It has several tables on the sheltered porch and a few on the lower level with umbrellas – the best view would be seen by the porch because it is on the higher level. We ordered through the small window and there is also another window for your orders to be picked up as we would be called by our names. The menu was written on board and the printed one was placed near the order window. I guess there were only 2-3 printed ones, so when it's getting crowded you either want to wait for a while or take a look at their menu online (I mean on Google Review). However, they don't provide restrooms for customers as they only have two porta-potties beside the house. So better be more prepared!We ordered Lemonade and Italian Soda with Vanilla for the drinks and PMT with grilled chicken (for an additional $2) and Chicken Schnitzel for the meals. The lemonade tasted unique, not that sour but there was a little hint of sweetness. The Italian soda was a game changer for me because it was refreshing and the fizziness of the carbonated soda was thick which I'd prefer that way. The food was great as they came with chips and the schnitzel had a few slices of tofu which was surprisingly good. The pesto was the champion for us! The schnitzel actually tasted amazing with very tender buns but the sourness came from the red sauerkrauts and a few seeds which I wasn't sure what those were. When we tried the chicken schnitzel solely, it tasted soooo good. Maybe considering offering chicken schnitzel as a single menu would be a good idea?Overall, it was so nice spending our lunch here with a beautiful view of the lake. Such a great experience and recommended when you're around Watkins Glen and its surroundings!

Ty Nie

2023-05

It's a sandwich place and the sandwiches are very good.Breakfast is only served sometimes and only until 11, and they sometimes open at 11 and do not serve breakfast (which was a sad realization for me because I was hoping to have some of the breakfast food as sandwiches aren't really my thing). With that said, let me reiterate that the sandwiches are very good and if you go with the mindset of looking forward to having sandwiches, you will not be disappointed!The view is also lovely and sitting on the patio is great. I enjoyed the record player adding to the ambiance.I'm not sure if the window setup made it hard to hear but two items we ordered were missed (not added to the order) and I was really disappointed about it but the huge line of people that had appeared since we had ordered made it a big deterrent to go to the window and order anything more.Was also slightly concerned that the bathroom was a port-a-pottie. And although it did have the foot pump water, I guess I'm not well versed enough to know about whether the hand washing water is recycled but it makes me nervous considering that sandwiches are all eaten using hands, but maybe I'm paranoid.The staff was super nice (if hard of hearing) and deserves bonus kudos.

Ka Ren

2022-05

This sandwich shop at the front it will hard to tell. Once you walk back of their building, that the sandwich. So many unique choice. We got the Reuben and Chicken Schnitzel with upgraded to onion ring and sweet potato fries. It did take some time to get your order and worth the wait. The sandwiches are tasty and you get to enjoy the lake view. Feel so relaxing.. the only thing I would mention is the chicken Schnitzel, the bun, doesn't tastepretzel enough. I had it in the city the pretzel bun, the pretzel taste is very strong. Otherwise both sandwiches are awesome good ad worth the upgrade as well.

Kristi Kuhns

2022-05

If I could give this place 100 stars, I would! Ate breakfast there Sunday with a Mimosa and lunch there Monday with coffee before leaving the Finger Lakes. Nikki is a gem! She was welcoming, enthusiastic and a perfect hostess! We knew we were someplace special the moment we met her! Then we got the food and it blew our minds. Carl is a genius in the kitchen! Chicken and Waffles is to die for and the raspberry scones were amazing! Thank you both for making our stay an extremely memorable one!

Melissa S.

2023-05

I've been here a couple of times before, so I decided to bring my friends. I really talked the food up, but it didn't backfire because my friends also loved it! Two of us had the chickpea shawarma salad, but as a wrap: highly recommended if you like exotic flavors. One of us had the vegan Greek salad, but she added Feta. My friend had the PMT with grilled chicken, and he was very impressed because both sides of the bread were buttered and toasted. This local kombucha was delicious. The view is gorgeous.

Megan A

2023-05

The food was great, with a nice view of the lake and vineyard. The clam poboy sandwich had garlic mayo and fresh locally grown veggies.. so good ! And Nikki was so friendly and nice. Would highly recommend !

Isaiah Gilmore

2023-05

Best food with a laid back atmosphere. Their sandwiches are phenomenal! Plus, they have beer, cocktails and allow dogs. Wish we lived near by. Highly recommend. The open air covered patio is great, or you can sit at the tables in the grass. If you are in the area /, don't miss a great sandwich. We had the smoked Turkey panini and the roasted pork loin sandwich.

Geff G

2023-12

Food was AMAZING. Me and my girl were visiting from long Island and wanted to try this spot. Went there on a Sunday around 9am and I tried the sugar waffle eggs bacon and cheese. It was delicious. Didn't need any hot sauce it was that good. She got the crosiants eggs and cheese and she loved hers as well. The back was a little cold but other then that, the people were really friendly and they even gave us a free cinnamon roll. Will definitely come back when I'm back in the area.

Nicole Navarrete

2023-09

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Genevieve Tabios

2023-05

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Jeffrey Denson

2020-05

This place is so worth the drive. You can totally tell someone who loves to eat runs this place. Honestly with the views they could sell hot dogs but the food and coffee is out of this world! Also the owner gave is a great recommendation for a quick trip to a place we're really glad we didn't miss. Highly recommend this place. Too bad they don't stay open for dinner!

Jacqueline Kelly

2023-05

My favorite place on my trip so far💜💜💜 sandwiches were amazing, the girl taking our order was so sweet and personable. The woman handing us our food had a great sense of humor and I just felt at home from the second I walked around the corner. Do not skip this place if you're in the area. I wish I could give it 6 stars.

Lance Thomas

2023-11

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Stacy Purcaro

2023-05

Our best meal of our three day weekend in the Finger Lakes was at The Elf in the Oak. My lobster roll was fantastic, and combined with the picnic tables and views out back, I felt like I was in Maine. Everyone’s else in my family had great meals as well - very fresh, and you could tell it was made more from scratch than other places we experienced there. Loved shopping in the Vintage Shop out back as I waited for my food!

Angela Marie

2022-05

The Reuben was AMAZING! My mom loved her bloody Mary and I had a margarita. It was outdoor seating which had a nice view of the lake. And they also had outdoor heaters for those chilly days. Service was great!