Manos Diner and Ichabod's Lounge offer Ithaca comfort food 24/7

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This week we visit Manos Diner and the Ichabod Lounge, on Route 13 south of downtown Ithaca. Look for the big friendly yellow Manos sign on the left and you've found both Manos and Ichabod's.

Manos Diner has a typical diner menu, featuring lots of breakfast foods served 24 hours a day, as well as hot and cold sandwiches, entrees, and salads, but there are also lunch specials such as a chicken parmigiana sandwich on a roll, and daily dinner specials.

If you're in a breakfast mood, it's nice to know you can have breakfast no matter what time it is... cheap, hot, and made to order. Sometimes you just need a stack of pancakes, or corned beef hash and eggs with home fries and coffee. It's diner coffee, certainly nothing fancy, but as with most diners, there's such high traffic that the coffee's always fresh.

And of course, there's nothing quite like a Tullyburger at 3 in the morning. A Tullyburger is a regional specialty, with lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayo on a cheeseburger, and Manos does a particularly good job. I always get gravy on the side to go with my fries, and if I'm really feeling decadent, a fresh chocolate malt. The milkshakes and malts are served in old-fashioned metal cups.

The turkey club, served on toast, is one of my favorite Manos sandwiches, and if you're in the mood for a big meal, the turkey dinner can't be beat. Owner Bill Manos says the diner goes through an enormous number of fresh whole turkeys every week.

Ichabod's Lounge, on the lefthand side of the Manos building with a separate entrance, has the same menu as the diner... but they have two key advantages. First is a full bar, which means you can have a beer, a glass of wine, or a mixed drink with your meal. Second is the Ichabod salad bar, with salad fixings, fresh bread, soup, and more. At dinnertime, the salad bar alone makes Ichabod's worth the visit. I don't always manage to save room for dessert after the salad bar and my entree, but the freshly baked pies at Manos and Ichabod's deserve a look.

If there's anything to complain about (now that state law keeps people from smoking in eateries, so the diner is now smoke-free), it's that both Manos and Ichabods have cramped rest rooms, and Manos especially is starting to feel threadbare. It all works, and the food's good, so we'll keep coming.

Plan on spending $3-10 for breakfast, or $5-12 for lunch or dinner, more if you add alcohol to your meal. Give Manos a call at 607-273-1173 and tell them you heard about them here.