I've been to the Cellar numerous times and absolutely love it. As a customer, you feel welcome from the moment you open the door. The hostesses always welcome you with a smile and are very friendly and helpful. I've sat at the bar a few times and have had very friendly conversations with the bartenders there (and by now they recognize me which is a nice personal touch). The restaurant itself is family-owned and they are extremely friendly. Members of the family are often around and thank you for coming. Personally, I prefer family-owned restaurants to chain restaurants as the food quality and overall restaurant experience is much better. Plus, it's great to support a local business. Anyway, the food is really excellent. I've had the steak there, and it's on par with the best steak houses in D.C. and Boston without the inflated price. The menu is diverse and imaginative and the wine list is the best in the city. Oftentimes the restaurant will have live music available and that's always a nice touch. They also offer wine, beer and (I believe) cocktail classes monthly. I've attended two wine classes and have been very impressed with the casualness of the classes, the professionalism of the teachers, and the ""bang for your buck"" so to speak. I've learned a lot more about wine because of these classes and always buy a couple of bottles. I'll always choose the Cellar over any of the chain restaurants in IF.
Pros: Excellent food, friendly staff, family-owned, live music
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