While it’s true that in the evening Uncle Tony’s Tavern seems like a rambunctious sports bar, by day, the restaurant is snug and homey, taking pride in its homemade food and recipes.
The establishment is participating in Restaurant Week this spring, offering a three-course lunch for $10, and a three-course dinner for $20. Uncle Tony’s graciously accommodated us in the back of the restaurant, and we began with appetizers: the chicken Romano soup for me and the tossed salad with Italian dressing for the accompanying photographer.
My date remarked that her Italian dressing was delicious, and I had the same sentiments about the chicken Romano. The soup, prepared in-house, contained spinach, carrots and mushrooms. We learned that the Italian dressing, referred to as “liquid gold” by the staff, is also prepared in-house. The recipe comes from a past head chef, who continues to makes it for the tavern and has yet to reveal the recipe.
For the second course, I ordered the marinated grilled shrimp taco, and my date ordered the house-made grilled chicken Italian sausage.
The shrimp taco, for one, was delectable, had a bit of spice and was served with lettuce, tomato and a sriracha ranch dressing. The Italian sandwich was aesthetically pleasing, featuring grilled red peppers and onions. The sausage was made up of mostly beef with a little pork and some paprika.
The options for the side dishes with the entrée included battered fries, coleslaw and onion rings. I got the battered fries and they were of typical diner quality. Altogether, the savory portion of the meal was terrific.
When it came time for the third and final course, we were disappointed to learn that cookies were the only option for dessert, though we had the choice between peanut butter and chocolate chip and naturally, we chose the latter.
As soon as I bit into one, I knew they were homemade like the rest of the meal. Our waitress confirmed my suspicions, and the head chef shared that the mother of the restaurant’s owners — Bryan Whiting, Brent Whiting, and Tracy Whiting — made them herself.
The chef also revealed that the recipe for the Italian sausage is that of the owners’ grandfather.
While the stellar quality of their food did not match the presentation of the dishes, the comfy feeling of home overrode the simple presentation.
If the food in the dining halls or your cooking is seeming more mundane than usual, and you’ve got an extra $10 lying around, now is the perfect time to try lunch at Uncle Tony’s Tavern. Our meals proved that this eatery is truly a hidden gem in Downtown Binghamton.