Cork Bar and Restaurant

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Review

444 reviews

#1 of 264 Restaurants in Wilkes-Barre$$ - $$$, Contemporary, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options

+1 570-270-3818+ Add website

Hours

Sun

3:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Tue

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Wed

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thu

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Fri

3:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Sat

3:00 PM - 10:00 PM

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Ratings and reviews

4.5

444 reviews

#1 of 264 Restaurants in Wilkes-Barre

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

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CUISINES

Contemporary

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Dinner, Drinks

features

Location and contact

463 Madison St, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18705-1713

+1 570-270-3818

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Can a vegan person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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About

Cork Restaurant opened in Wilkes-Barre in 2007, bringing an innovative, hospitality-focused concept with a unique array of dining, cocktail and wine menus. Cork is located in a quaint neighborhood in the north end of Wilkes-Barre and is a place where customers become friends. Our spacious, multi-level floor plan features a classy, yet contemporary decor and a relaxed cosmopolitan ambiance perfect for dining or entertaining. Cork’s second floor dining area provides the ideal setting for a romantic dinner for two or a larger dinner group of friends or family. Visit Cork Bar & Restaurant in Wilkes-Barre today for hospitality at its finest!

CUISINES

Contemporary

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.5

444 reviews

Excellent

325

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Susan L

2 contributions

Valentine's Dinner

Feb 2020 • none

We picked a great spot for our Valentine's Dinner. Although we were unable to dine on Valentine's day we were thrilled to see the Valentines menu was still available on Saturday. We started with the Seafood Strudel which was filled with shrimp, scallops and cheese...to die for!!! We then had the filet with the crab, it was so tender I didn't need a knife and my partner had the crab and shrimp in homemade noodles.. also great!! We followed with a piece of homemade coconut cake, save room for dessert here it is very fulfilling!! Can't wait to return, top notch service food and drinks

Written February 17, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jennifer9525

4 contributions

Great Place for Gluten Free Options

Jul 2021 • friends

I was hesitant to have dinner at Cork because the online menu didn’t have specific labels explaining which food was gluten free. When I arrived at the restaurant, I explained that I have Celiac disease so not only can I not have gluten, I need my food to be free of cross contamination. The waiter kindly marked every option that would be safe for me to eat, then explained that they can also modify certain options to accommodate me. I was incredibly appreciative of this, and my food and drinks were outstanding. I can now add this restaurant to my list of GF friendly places that I won’t have anxiety over the food preparation. I definitely recommend this restaurant because of the lovely outdoor atmosphere, delicious food and drink, and of course, the accommodations to food allergens. 😊

Written July 29, 2021

Joeyj1

1 contribution

So So Good

Feb 2020 • friends

We had the pleasure of dining this past weekend. Upon arrival we knew we choose the right place. The owner greeted us and we felt like we were regulars feeling like Cheers. The eggplant appetizer was probably the best food I ever had. Filet special was to die for crab meat like real crab meat. Great conversation great food fantastic cocktails found our new go to in Wilkes Barre

Written February 24, 2020

gigiants

Camp Hill193 contributions

Disappointing, Unorganized

Sep 2020 • none

I will preface my comments but stating that I know all restaurants have had to make changes to accommodate the pandemic. Some restaurants have adapted to social distancing, mask wearing, one-time use menu's and outdoor dining better than others. These issues may have contributed to the poorly organized and LENGTHY meal that we experienced at this establishment. We made our reservation on OpenTable and they were ready for us at the time of our reservation( 6:45 pm). We were seated under a tent that served in usual circumstances as their parking lot. They did their best to make tables nice and there was music with outdoor lighting. We were brought bread within a few minutes but after 15 minutes no one approached us for a drink order. I needed to grab the hostess who apologized and took our order for drinks. A few minutes later a waiter, Chris, approached and took our drink order again. Within 5 minutes Chris came over and introduced us to Bill who would now be our server. He took appetizer orders. We did not get our drinks for 15-20 minutes and our appetizers for 30 minutes. They had a nice selection of unique drinks and martini's and our's cost $10 and $13 each. The french onion soup was very good. The Eggplant appetizer was average and basically a piece of breaded eggplant surrounding lots of rice. The Ahi Tuna dinner was better than average and cooked perfectly. The bacon wrapped pork was also better than average. They were, if I recall, around $28 and $24 each. The presentation of the appetizers and entrees were fantastic and spot on. It took a long time to get our entrees so we actually asked for to go containers when we received our meals because we were tired of waiting so long. Plus, when we did get the check it took another 10-15 minutes to get my credit card back. Overall, the servers were walking around with drinks and meals all night trying to figure out which tables they should go to and just in general were very unorganized and slow. The hostess came over and apologized again and the waiter also said he was sorry for the wait. I give them credit for their awareness of the problem. Total bill was $101 without tip.

Written September 26, 2020

GiveHellfromAvenel

8 contributions

Dinner item

Jul 2020 • couples

Visited this place on Saturday. Don't let the neighborhood deter you. Lovely setting for outdoor dining. I had the Seafood Salmon which was very good. My boyfriend had the NY Strip Steak with Blue Cheese and Seafood Special. The Steak served was not a NY Steak. It was more of a London Broil. For the money we paid for this cheaper cut of meat, I would have to say, it just wasn't worth the money. I have to give it a average score because while one meal was very good the second just didn't "cut the beef" I would consider going back but not if I order one thing and pay a handsome price for it then receive less then a mediocre quality cut of meat.

Written July 20, 2020

GoPlaces06145488766

2 contributions

Avoid this place at all cost

Nov 2023 • family

My wife an I made a reservation here for our anniversary dinner. It was November 11, the temperature 42 degrees outside and they put us in an event tent outside at a table with metal chairs. There were a number of outside patio heaters in the tent but about half of the were low on fuel and were casting little heat. Many patrons were complaining but the stock answer from the staff was they are set on high heat. It took 25 minutes to have a waitress show put at our table. She apologized, said she was dealing with a drink catastrophe, and took our order. Our drinks showed up at the table 20 minutes later, followed by my wife's soup 15 minute after that (French Onion soup, wife said it was very good) and our salads 20 minutes later. It was now an hour 30 minutes of sitting in the cold, and we were praying the meal would soon arrive. 20 minutes later it did. I had ordered the Balsamic Cherry Salmon. It was delicious. Would highly recommend. My wife ordered the Peach Whiskey Pork Filet. It was terrible. Way overcooked! Part of it was so hard, you could barely put a fork in it. We complained to the waitress. Her answer, "sorry, its been a bad evening." I said just bring us our bill so we can somewhere and get warm. 15 minutes later, I get the full bill, which I give her my credit card for payment. 20 minutes later, she returns and asks if we want anything else. I said yes, my credit card back. She looks confused, goes through her apron, finds my bill and says, "sorry, I forgot to run it, I'll be right back" I am totally confused how this restaurant has the rating it has. Sure doesn't deserve it.

Written November 12, 2023

Shamrock C

6 contributions

Great food but patience needed

Jul 2022 • none

This was a first time visit and seems like a hidden gem. We were greeted by hostess Molly, who was friendly and welcoming. She asked about seating preference and found us a lovely table on the second floor. Our server Phil was good, informed us of the beer offerings and took our drink and appetizer order. The restaurant seemed very busy and it did take a while for our drinks to be delivered. In fact, there was plenty of time (too much) in between delivery of courses (appetizer, salad which comes with the entrees) and entrees. We would have loved to try desert, but after 2.5 hours sitting in the chairs, couldn't sit any longer. The pineapple tuna on the crispy shells was fabulous! I could have eaten them all night. Salad and the chicken and corn soup very good. I selected the bacon wrapped pork filet with peach whiskey sauce, which was excellent. Moist, large portion, served with delicious mashed potatoes, veggies. My guest had the pulled short rib pappardelle, which was fabulous. Short ribs meat was tender, pappardelle nicely cooked. Just enough sauce. We each had plenty leftover to enjoy another time. Phil checked back on us regularly. He had quite a few tables to tend to but kept guests informed of the status of the food. He stated the restaurant was quite busy and based on the length of time between courses, we sensed that, but also observed the outdoor seating under the tent which looked almost full when we arrived. Our drinks were great. I selected their Knob Hill maple bourbon old fashioned drink which tasted very good. My guest had the house cabernet sauvignon, good size wine glass, good pour. We did find the upstairs area extremely cold and asked if we could move to another empty section. Phil offered to turn off the a/c and all the other guests in the same area, applauded and were happy to have him turn it off. It was just way too cold and we normally aren't cold. We would go back again and would certainly recommend it to others. We were in Wilkes-Barre and after reading reviews decided to give this place a try. We are glad we did. It is a 45 minute drive from our home, but we would go again. We just know now to allow plenty of time for the dinner, it is worth the wait. Our compliments to Phil, our server, and to the chef for preparing such a delicious meal (appetizer, salad, soup, entrees). And the bartender of course for the drink we each enjoyed.

Written July 30, 2022

Madyk

1 contribution

Simply Amazing

Feb 2020 • couples

The short ribs was awesome. The seafood strudel with lobster sauce was so so tasty. Great wine list and the peanut butter cake was over the top. Great service everyone was so friendly. We will definitely return.

Written February 16, 2020

Jane Hamilton

1 contribution

Everything was great!

Sep 2020 • friends

We dined there this past Saturday and we thoroughly enjoyed everything about this quaint place on a side street in Wilkes Barre- pronunciation different if you’re from here or elsewhere. My friends and i dined inside because weather was unpredictable. The restaurant and staff followed all social distancing requirement . That added to our enjoyable experience. The appetizers were great, the dinner was delectable and the dessert to die for. The service was also top notch drinks too! Can’t wait to return when we are in the area

Written September 29, 2020

Trudy22

1 contribution

Truly Amazing

Dec 2020 • family

We had a great experience at Cork. We began with the crab cake appetizer followed by seafood salmon and short rib risotto everything was mouthwatering. Dessert was creme brûlée(best I ever had) and the traditional coconut cake just like my grandmothers fantastic. Definitely following all Covid guidelines can’t wait to visit again. Great service Cork thank you

Written January 15, 2021

nogcens

Laurel315 contributions

Try the blackberry Paloma!

May 2021 • couples

Great night out with a group of 6. Get reservations bc it was busy!! Saturday night and wait staff hustled! Drinks came quick and staff was super friendly!!! The portions are HUGE so you really get your money’s worth and you leave feeling like a fat pig. The blackberry Paloma was so good if you like the tequila and the short ribs with risotto was unbelievably tender and flavorful! For my friends birthday they brought him the cheesecake and it look amazing. He said it was delicious. Only criticism is all the appetizers were bland. Crab cake, lobster dip and calamari all lacked seasoning and flavor. Otherwise this place has it figured out!

Written May 4, 2021

ttimonte

Shavertown31 contributions

Very disappointed 😢

Jan 2023 • family

Very disappointing … you were amazing at one time. Now an overwhelmed kitchen with to many patrons.. food cold, not seasoned and the pasta “tasted like mashed potatoes.” Only 1 out of 5 people in our party liked our food… sad ending… 😢 We planned for a nice dinner with our family… ended with apologies for the food. The apology was not from your staff, they just packed up the cold food and threw the rest away… it was my husband and myself apologizing to our children for picking the restaurant. 😢

Written January 29, 2023

SKSPisces

Paris1 contribution

Not a Restaurant

Feb 2024 • couples

We had eaten here many years ago when it was under different management and had a great experience. Tonight, was not even close to what it was like before. First red flag was that we were sat outside, in the parking lot, under a tent. They attempted to decorate for Valentine’s Day, but it did help much. They had heaters, but that didn’t help with our legs and feet. It was below 30 degrees and we were freezing. My husband got his appetizer but they brought me the wrong one. It was 15 minutes later, if not longer, before I got the right appetizer. Our soup and salads were alright. Nothing fancy. For the main course my husband had the shrimp and scallop scampi and I had the shrimp and scallop Alfredo. Both dishes were bland and had no flavor. My Alfredo was swimming in so much sauce it was inedible. The shrimp and scallops tasted like they were sitting in hot water. Everything was in desperate need of seasoning. Service was good. They can’t be faulted for the environment that the owns have put them in. This was not a restaurant setting nor was it a romantic experience. We were extremely cold, the food was awful, and that effected the experience. We will not be returning to this so called restaurant ever again.

Written February 15, 2024

Carl D

Newark24 contributions

Not worth the wait

Feb 2020 • couples

Went on Saturday after Valentine’s Day. Waited for an hour even though had a reservation. They had a large group but seemed totally unprepared for it. Our servers were friendly and apologetic. Food was just ok. Pappardelle pasta was good with generous amount of shrimp but too much bolognese. Thick and gloopy. The pasta with vodka sauce was just ordinary. Wine list is fun and very good. Overall, for the prices I expected the food to be very good and it was not. Certainly not worth the wait.

Written February 16, 2020

Melissaannmeade

35 contributions

Can't Get Enough of This Restaurant!

Mar 2022 • none

Cork is one of my favorite restaurants in the entire U.S. The food and drink menus are both well-thought and sophisticated. I left room for dessert for the first time and tried the Peanut Butter Cake, which was exquisite. I highly recommend the Chicken Francaise with fresh vegetables and one of their Martinis! The staff is exceptional, as well, very detail-oriented and customer-focused. Thank you for a fabulous dining experience.

Written March 18, 2022

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