Upriver Cafe

Great find, wonderful menu and more than charming and artsy setting. Super good. We’ll be back

Been there today with my service dog. They first give us a table and accept the dog and than they refuse to serve us lunch. The boss was rude and incompetent. He doesn’t know anything about service dog regulation. SHAME ON YOU.

First visit. Stopped in for a light supper outside on the porch with river view. Companion announced that it was the best burger ever. Panini was really good too. We will be back for a full dinner soon! PS Service was great too.

This aptly named small restaurant atop the beautiful Lake George river. The porch oversees the shimmering view of the passing waters over rocks. The early evening breeze was soothing and the sunlit tables created a wonderful scenery for a relaxed Sunday supper with friends.
The service was great, and the waiters were speedy and courteous. One of our friends is vegetarian, and the chef came out to inquire about her preferences and made specific modifications for her order.
I got the mushroom ravioli with chicken. It was definitely quite pricey for serving size and order (mine was the most expensive out of everyone’s, and I think everyone else other than our vegetarian friend ordered an abundance of meats!), but it was quite good. I had thought they would put chicken inside the ravioli, but the grilled chicken was well-​paired with the ravioli. The sauce was a little too thick for my tastes, and it was little too overwhelming to finish at the end. However, the creamy, cheesy sauce did make a great dip for my tablemates’ french fries.
One of my friends ordered the beef chili, and it was quite delicious! They provided tortilla chips to go with the chili that was aptly savory and not too thick. I wish it could be a little spicier, though!
Ribs were also ordered, and they were definitely very delicious! The ribs were appropriately marinated, and the portion size was excellent. The burgers were very delicious appealing as well! I didn’t get to try these, but they were all enjoyed and recommended by my friends.

Amazing! Great view and wonderfully friendly staff. This place is run by people who love what they do, and it shows through their delicious selection and fantastic vibe.

Spending the week in Lake Luzerne. Stopped in the UpRiver Café for both Lunch and Dinner. I had a sandwich called the «Rachel» which is essentially a turkey with Swiss on rye. It was excellent. For dinner I ordered the NY Strip with mashed potatoes that were infused with some smokey cheese. It was cooked to perfection and no problems. Someone in our party ordered the St. Louis Ribs which she didn’t love, but that was mainly because you can’t always guarantee the ribs will be soft. In any event she mentioned to the wait staff that she didn’t love it and the chef came to the table to find out the reasons. You could tell he truly wants everyone to have the best experience there and was genuine about wanting to make it right. He removed the item from the bill.
Customer service is top notch. Wait staff was excellent and knowledgeable about all the dishes and drinks.
Now for the view! Wow!
I will definitely be back and highly recommend this place to others. Nice job to all of the staff and owners.

Stopped there for a late lunch. Hamburger special was great, as was my wife’s tuna wrap, followed by an ice cream sundae. Great view from the outside terrace of the adjacent Hudson River Rapids. Service was also good. Will return soon.

Gorgeous outdoor seating! The view was outstanding. Food was delicious. Really enjoyed the scenic drive out to Luzerne.

Stumbled upon this place and glad we did. It was crowded on an August Sunday night. We didn’t have reservations which you need if you want the beautiful outdoor patio, but we enjoyed the river view well enough from our indoor table. Friendly staff although our waitress kept forgetting us, the hostess, though, helped us out. We enjoyed the mushroom ravioli with cream sauce, sesame tuna, and the best part — cheesecake with blueberries and other berries/​sauce-​it was the chef’s special and it was very very yummy! A wonderful gem, will definitely return.

Had lunch there one day this week and stopped for ice cream another day. Both experiences were great! Even when they were busy at lunch time the staff was great to our table of 7 adults and 2 children. Food came out exactly as orderer! Can’t wait to go again!

Delicious food, amazing service and a beautiful setting. Overlooks the Hudson River (looks more like rapids but it’s the river for sure). The service was great. Really attentive and the chef came out to serve some of the dishes. We had the smoked trout appetizer which was delicious. Three of us ordered the duck because it sounded so good and it was amazing. Great desserts too! Highly recommend this place.

We stopped here after a hike in the Hadley Mountain. New to the area and exploring new spots. We started searching for lunch places on Unilocal and Upriver Café came up with great reviews! So glad that we made the decision to stop there! First, the award wining chilly was the best!!! Just amazing and then mahi mahi tacos and lobster sandwich is to die for. They also have delicious deserts! You should try the toasted coconut chocolate ice cream! Secondly, has a great ambiance. Sitting on the porch looking at the Hudson River is very relaxing. Thirdly, they have a great service. Our server Joshua was very friendly and awesome. I would definitely recommend this place! I will be back for sure!

Server was new and a bit slow, but once ordered the food was well worth the wait. The location is also beautiful.

Wonderful location. Excellent food. Clam chowder was good. Burger was a bit dry, but I did ask for it medium well.
So glad we went there. Would go back.

This is one of the best restaurants in the area. The award-​winning chili was excellent. Fried oysters were some of the best I have ever had. Prime rib dinner also terrific. Come hungry because you will leave very full! I recommend making reservations so you can sit on the outdoor porch that overlooks the river.

Fantastic location right on the Hudson River. We were able to sit outside on the porch on a beautiful day and look directly onto the water. Even though they weather was great, the servers still offered us blankets if we wanted to keep warm in the Adirondack breeze.
The chili was excellent, as was the quinoa salad. They let my wife order off of the children’s menu, which was nice. I had the Upriver burger which was good, though it could have used more bacon. Then again… what couldn’t.

Views are nice. Food was just ok. We had a salad and we didn’t like the homemade dressings that came with it. I had the Cobb salad and my wife had the Caeser salad. The blue cheese dressing tasted like mayo and the honey mustard that I had had a weird texture. The garlic wings were garlicky but bland otherwise and the homemade ranch dressing was off. Desert was excellent though they have great deserts and many flavors of ice cream. Service was great. To be honest the chef asked us if we liked everything and we didn’t draw his attention. I tried to appreciate the meal but I think that we ordered the wrong items. Pricing is a bit on the high side to me.

As someone who’s been coming to Lake Luzerne pretty much since birth, it was initially disheartening to hear about the loss of Papa’s Ice Cream Parlor. It would take sheer dumb luck for a place to come along good enough to replace an institution such as that, and yet somehow Upriver Café did just that.
I still have no idea what possessed chef Andrew Van Bourgondien to go from working somewhere like The Sagamore, to buying a small joint in a town of just over 3,000 people, but I sure am happy he did. Though I can’t seem to find the menu online for details, I can say that the Lobster Roll and Rachel (it’s a sandwich) are both fantastic. The also carry a decent wine and beer list that includes local wineries and breweries.
Thankfully the ice cream parlor and nostalgia remain firmly intact, as does the incredible view of a rather rapid Hudson River (who knew it had waterfalls?). Only now it’s been joined by a surprisingly eclectic, and higher end, though still well priced, menu. While it may not be in a well-​traveled location, if you happen to be within 10 miles of it, or need to eat after some intense rafting, check it out.

After hiking Hadley Mountain, we needed sustenance with a view. We got it at Upriver Café. This place is a gem! Located along the Hudson River in Lake Luzerne, this place is serving up some fine food. Started with the Pea Soup (I know right, probably not anyone’s favorite) but it smelled delicious, so I ordered a cup. Not your typical pea soup, more hardy with cut up potatoes and carrots. Very tasty. Also had the best salad here. Yes, a salad is a salad you may say… but not so. This was an arugula salad with candied toasted slivered almonds, blueberries, pickled beet strings, and a panko crusted goat cheese. Cut into that cheese and it was nothing but smooth perfection. I absolutely will try to re-​create this at home. Split a turkey club, nothing special, but nice. The French fries served were hot, crisp, and fine by us. Go for the view… stay for the food. A treasure in Lake Luzerene!

A good time to dine here (though if you ask me, I’d say there is no bad time) is during nice weather. The early birds get seated on the outside of the porch where you can watch the rapids and smell the burgers and bacon grilling from the kitchen. Upriver offers many traditional meals with slight twists to make them more interesting. Be sure to check the daily specials too. I got today’s special burger, which was served with smoked bacon and avocado. Their fries aren’t my favorites, so I always opt for a salad, which is quite satisfying. It’s a generous portion of greens with cucumbers and wedges of deep red ripe tomatoes, just like the thick slice of tomato — and red onions and lettuce — which were on my burger.
It feels to me like their sodas and ice creams are slightly above average in cost. There is a decent beer and wine list. You may want to try a milkshake with your meal, or one of their decadent desserts. I have a lot of friends who would jump at the chance to have their Nutella bread pudding.