The Yard of Ale

The Yard of Ale is a historic restaurant in tiny Piffard, New York, minutes from Geneseo. I’ve visited several times and have always been pleased with the quality of the food. Most recently I visited with a group of 7. We were seated promptly and our waitress stopped by almost immediately to check on drinks. After giving us a few minutes to decide, she returned to take our orders. We ordered a variety of entrees. I opted for the Veal Olivia, which is similar to Veal Osso Bucco I believe, the sauce including tomatoes, vegetables, and pancetta. It was flavorful and delicious. Accompaniments were rice pilaf and sauteed vegetables. The dinner included a garden or Caesar salad. The Yard always includes some sort of vegetable combination with their dinners, which is a nice touch, as this is not the case everywhere. Everyone seemed pleased with their dishes on this night. I will visit again and continue working my way through the delicious menu!

The yard of ale from the outside looks like a house. The inside is an intimate setting with old fashioned décor. My bf and I actually sat next to a creepy looking picture. The seating areas for two people desperately need some re thinking. The tables are bistro sized tables, very small and cramped. We were near the door at first, where our neighbor diners spoiled the star wars movie for my bf and I got cold. They happily moved us, but this table was tucked in between two walls. So in addition to the already small table, there was barely enough space to squeeze myself into my seat. And i am not big.
The food itself is fine. We had the scallop risotto and ahi tuna to start. The scallop risotto was flavorful thanks to the sauce. Appatently there were sweet potatoes in the risotto, i failed to taste any. The ahi tuna was dry and dissapointing.
For entrees we both had the prime rib. This definitely saved the evening. The rib was juicy and flavorful, definitely a must have. The rice pilaf I got as a side was delicious! I left less unsatisfied than I thought. Though for the drive from Rochester and the other reviews here I was hoping for more.

This place falls into a category similar to that of the Big Tree Inn. The restaurant itself is beautiful, and I have had a few meals here that were better than average. However, I don’t agree with the higher reviews given in the least. Service here is a mess. I can understand that Friday/​Saturday dinner rushes can exhaust a staff, but after a couple 3+ hour experiences here, I’m thinking something needs fixing. Don’t look to the bar for a reprieve from said chaos, either; it quickly becomes cluttered with Saturday night rubes and retirees. The one bartender panics, frantically trying to make drinks, serve food and close out tabs as a meager trickle of guests are seated for dinner.
The food here just isn’t what you expect it to be. Chef Brian’s menu tries desperately to be as elegant as it is straightforward. Instead, it’s a jumbled assortment of similar option-​styled course entrees. More could be said of this place if the menu was more concise and honest. Cook me something the way YOU want me to experience it. Judging by a few of the photos posted here, this might not have always been the case. One is left to wonder whether or not Chef Brian and ownership is phoning it in, relying on ambiance and décor to sell food that has otherwise become cliché.
My gut tells me that this place can do infinitely better. Instead, all I’m left with is a stomach full of haphazardly spiced, or even flavorless, food and a $ 100 dinner tab. It feels like I’m reading the end of a Bukowski short story.

Maybe the best restaurant in the world. (Not the fanciest, but a beautifully restored canal house, in Upper Western New York, in the little town of Piffard. The floor slanted a bit but what could be better?)
Not the stuffiest (the server, Laurie was sweet and provided us with lots of laughs.)
But maybe the best food ever. French onion soup to die for. Great cheese on top. A rich broth that was not salty (the fail of most onion soups.)
The salads: a spinach salad with honey bacon dressing and the cranberry, blue cheese, and walnut salad with a subtle berry dressing.
Finally, the prices: a really good Chardonnay $ 4.75
The salads (half salads more than you could eat $ 5.00.)
The scallop risotto $ 10.
Everything else priced like this.
Make this a stop in your life. You won’t be disappointed!

Great food as usual. If you haven’t visited the Yard of Ale for dinner, you should. Proof you don’t need to visit Rochester for a great meal. Key lime Crème brûlée for dessert was great.

Fantabulous! Chef Brian is a superstar. Thursday fish special will blow your mind. NYC style experience@ Western New York prices. Charming Old Canal House on southern spur of Barge Canal that runs from Rochester to Olean. Over 150 years old with modern menu and outstanding service. Treat yourself to a «Yard of Ale»…you will not be disappointed. I’m proud to go there frequently.

I was in Geneseo with some friends who had eaten in the Yard of Ale on past trips there. One friend was raving about their scallops the other loved their prime rib. I decided to start with a beer while deciding on what to order. I went into the bar area of the restaurant to see what they had on tap. I asked the bartender what types of ale they served. Well to my surprise The Yard of Ale DOES NOT SERVE ALE!
Come on now this is Genesee NY, home of Genesee Cream Ale and they didn’t even have that, shame on them. NO ALE AT ALL!
While walking back from the bar I took in the décor which is dated and could use an update. It looks like a place where nice little old ladies would go for lunch. The night we were there I saw an older clientele.
I ordered a beer (can’t remember what I ordered) from the waitress and looked at the menu. I had had a late lunch and did not want a big dinner. One of the specials was «beef on Weck». It’s comprised of bread, meat, and horseradish. The Weck roll should be flecked with enough caraway seeds and salt that you do not need to season the beef because every bite gets it’s flavor from the bread. Well, theirs had no horseradish but they did serve it with a cup of au jus to dip the sandwich in. It was an OK sandwich at best. I had seen «beef on Weck» on the food channel and had always wanted to try one. I’ll try it again elsewhere. They served homemade potato chips with the sandwich that were really good.
I did try my friends prime rib it was good and flavorful and I’m not a big red meat eater. My other friend coveted his scallops and did not give out tastes.
We went back two nights later for drinks at the bar, I had a Makers Mark, before going to a local Italian restaurant.
I would come back the next time I’m in the area and try their cooking again. But come on now what’s the deal with NO ALE!

We continue to be amazed that such an outstanding restaurant exists in tiny Piffard, NY. Each time we visit, we are delighted by the freshness of the cuisine and the inventiveness of the chef. Our most recent visit featured pumpkin ravioli (divine), exceeded by the potato-​crusted sole in a lemon, caper mayonnaise over spaghetti squash. Wow! The dinner salads are always fresh and tasty. Would give five stars if they made their own desserts, but they opt for the «bought from a supplier» route. Maybe that will change. Reasonably-​priced wine list, too. A definite favorite.

We ate here for the first time on 6÷5÷13. Food & service was first class. Seasonings were unique & excellent. I’m on a very low fat vegetarian diet & they easily accommodated.

A great place just outside Geneseo that we visited with friends on Friday night!
The restaurant is broken up into several rooms and could accommodate large or small groups. It is very clean and the wait staff is very attentive. The atmosphere allowed for casual conversation without having to talk over anyone.
The prices were extremely reasonable for the outstanding quality and service you received. The menu had enough choices to satisfy everyone. Within our group the Salmon, pan-​seared scallops, and veal parmesan were ordered. Everyone was very satisfied with their choice. I had ordered the veal, it was fresh, and very tender. It had just the right amount of sauce and pasta to accompany it.
It’s a 45 minute drive from Rochester, but very close to Geneseo but well worth the trip.

If you’re looking for a good steak in Geneseo, come to the Yard of Ale. Their fish and pasta dishes are also delicious. I haven’t tried their chicken yet, but I’m sure it’s great, too.
The waiters are friendly and the atmosphere is nice and cozy. It’s even better when you actually see someone order a «yard of ale.»

A nice FUN dining experience. We seem to go here at least once or twice a year, and there’s always a race to see who can finish their «Yard of Ale» (a glass of beer 36″ high, with a bulb at the bottom and a bell shape at the top) first. The food is always superb, though not anything out of this world, and not worth a long drive, and it’s not a must try. But for the price, it is first rate and the type of place where you can take a largish group and everyone will be happy. I’ve never even heard of anyone being disappointed with anything about this place.

A great place right outside Geneseo that I used to bring my family to every time they visited. Even though I haven’t been in 4 years, the place still stands out in my head as being the go-​to for a great meal.
The prices were extremely reasonable for the outstanding quality and service you received. Each time I went, I would get the prime rib. They cooked it to perfection. I also remember the sides being top-​notch, especially once having bleu-​cheese mashed potatoes. This place is a short drive, and worth the trip.

If you are in the Geneseo area, this place is DEFINITELY worth the drive. Us 3 girls sat at the bar on Saturday night, and loved the warm, friendly service. The wine? Is super-​cheap. Yay!
I had the shrimp and artichoke pasta, since I love anything with lemon and garlic. It was delish.
My friend ordered shrimp cocktail. Those little shrimpies were HUGE.

We started with the duck rolls, they were flavorful and tasty. Then we had the French Onion soup. The sweetness of the caramelized onion was balanced by the right amount of salt.
My wife had the Statler Chicken. She loved the light, crisp skin that thw pan-​fried chicken had. My veal was a bit less tender than I’d like, but had a good sauce.
The wine list was great. The best part about it was that there was almost no markup! We got a 2005 Stag’s Leap Cab for $ 42. Our only rational conclusion is that the owner is providing a public service. Cheers to him!
The service was great and the atmosphere nice.