Tony Stella’s ENCORE

excellent choice for lunch, the crab cakes sandwich and Monte Cristo was great. Service and environment was excellent

Outstanding restaurant. Nice décor and atmosphere. The owner personally served us and seated us completely away from other people which was a pleasant change. We feel like we are always seated right next to other tables and frankly it pisses me off. But not here.
They start you off with some long hot peppers and fresh focaccia bread with a Parmesan cream sauce to dip which was really good and different from everyone else who serves just plain bread and oil. The house salad is complimentary and was a balsamic base which was a perfect size and balance of taste, fresh cracked pepper was a perfect touch. They has a ton of specials and I ended up getting the short braised ribs on pappardelle pasta with a jack Daniels sauce with mushrooms and fresh Parmesan cheese which was to die for! HUGE portions, as I took more than half home. My husband, who is extremely picky about his filet mignon and the temperature being correct was pleasantly surprised. Perfectly cooked. Vegetables and fingerling potatoes were served complimentary as well. Nice selection of wine, we only had a glass but was given a very healthy serving which was appreciated! We didn’t have time for dessert and we didn’t get to visit the bar which I heard is great too but I’m so glad we went. It’s on the pricey side but it’s a great meal with impeccable service. Our bill came to $ 108 before tip, that was with only one glass of wine, no apps, which wasn’t really needed with the bread and peppers and no dessert. Entrees were $ 40 & $ 44 but worth it. We were nervous that we were under dressed as it was hot and we were wearing shorts and capris but were told by staff they are completely casual which was cool. If you’re looking for a fine dining experience in Jim Thorpe this is the place!

Nice ambience. Good quality of food. We stopped there for lunch after our scenic train ride. We went there with our 2 boys and parents. Service was good. We ordered tomato basil soup, Bloody Mary (grilled cheese), beef pot roast, Cajun chicken and burger. Decently priced. Would recommend this place.

This was my second time visiting this restaurant. The first time was during the snow storm in February my cousins and I just checked out the bar. This time my husband and I had dinner. The music by Melissa VanFleet was beautiful we enjoyed it. We both had the lamb which was very good. We were surprised to hear as a table next to us being told a VIP special menu I guess since the duck special they were offered we weren’t offered nor were any other patrons ordering free us. This was a shame since we love duck. Other than that it is a nice experience with great ambiance. As another review noted though certain people get more attention than others.

Awesome specials… didn’t even need to see the menu. Food and service was beyond excellent. A definite repeat destination!

My first time here and I am beyond pleased.
When we walked in, a beautiful voice instantly brought a calm feeling over me. As I looked around, I noticed that voice was a woman singing and playing the piano.
We started with drinks… the refreshing Van Gogh’s Garden cocktail was delicious.
The food was cooked to perfection. I ordered the rack of lamb and my date had the duck.
We chose to share a cheesecake for dessert and it was the perfectly light and fluffy sweet ending to our meal.
The staff were really friendly and didn’t rush us like most restaurants do. We receive food in a timely manner and there was constantly someone refilling our water.

Tony is great! I was traveling to Jim Thorpe with my dog, and I called to see if the outside eating area was open so early in the season. It was not, BUT he made a special ‘exemption’ and set up a table for us! It was chilly, but the food was excellent! Tony’s is forever on my ‘go-​to list’.
Thanks you for all you did to help us out!

After reading such great reviews about the food and service, we unfortunately left Encore with a lot of disappointment. This was not due to the food — we were happy with everything we ordered.
The service was the problem. We were — by far — the youngest patrons in the restaurant and genuinely were made to feel lesser. When you are paying over $ 100 for a meal for two, you expect to at least feel like your money is wanted. The management fawned over numerous tables, but we did not receive any specialized attention.
That would have been fine, but at the end of the night, we asked for the check. It took over 25 minutes to get there and we had to ask 3 times. At one point, the owner stopped by to refill our glasses, which we declined. He should have known from that that we were waiting on our check. It took 20 minutes more to get there.
Overall, if you are under 35, take your money elsewhere.

My husband and I have eaten here twice. The food is excellent and beautifully presented. However, in my opinion it is over-​priced, although there seem to be plenty of people who are willing pay for a dinner at Encore. If you want to eat here on Valentine’s Day, you will probably need to make a reservation in December.

We went 2 years ago & was shocked on how pleasant the atmosphere & staff were. We still talk about this place & highly recommend it to everyone headed to the area. The food was amazing. We stopped at Molly’s the night before & couldn’t even finish our food. It was horrible. If you want great food. Expect to pay a little extra & you will be thrilled with Tony’s food. If you have small children & want a bargain for them. Go to McDonalds. Hi end places demand above average prices. Seriously I wouldn’t go anywhere else in town

Out of all of the restaurants/​bars in Jim Thorpe this place has the best service by far. I Was able to get a seat, have a couple drinks and settle up within a very short period. I went with a dogfish head 90min IPA and my wife tried a raspberry absinthe. Good drinks and Cool experience.
(That same dogfish head is 3 $ cheaper a ½ block down @ molly maguires –though I must say the mark up is worth it for the atmosphere and fast Service)

Fantastic set up. Gorgeous atmosphere. Appetizers waiting on the table for us! Delicious! And they have absinthe!!! Can’t wait to try it. I’ve heard great things and I’m super excited to try the food! So far so good! The pianist is fantastic. She toured with Eric Clapton. This is top notch and it shows.

Tony Stella’s Encore is a must when visiting Jim Thorpe. The Atmosphere, Food and Service is Definitely 5 Stars if not more. My boyfriend and I had the most magnificent meal… Rack of Lamb and the Veal Milanese. Also, a garlic sauce and peppers were accompanied with fresh Focaccia Bread. Tony actually came over and personally took care of us several times. We were celebrating 2 Birthdays and an Anniversary and he was soooo sweet. The Sambuca and Tiramisu was the best I have ever had and my boyfriend is Italian!
As we watched the wait staff it was clear to see that excellent service is a given all the time. I have worked in the restaurant industry and I am forgiving yet very appreciative and critical when I go out and at Encore you leave feeling Satisfied. The entertainment was amazing as well if you go on a weekend. The Piano Player, Melissa Van Fleet had the most amazing voice and was not intrusive on your conversation. In fact, we bought her CD… She’s the Next Big Star!
Everyone hustles at this restaurant to accommodate your every need but yet it was the most relaxing evening. I didn’t want to leave! Bring your restaurant to Hoboken please! Or better yet New York!
Thank you Tony and Melissa for a lovely unforgettable evening.

With specials priced so gallingly high, one would expect the bill to hit the table with a deafening thud. Overall the prices are exorbitant and the food mediocre at best.
I ate here with my fiancé as the last meal of our stay in the lovely Jim Thorpe, and for most of the night, I would not have expected to end up posting such a harsh review. (Or any review at all, because despite a sign outside the restaurant boasting of a high Tripadvisor rating, the owner, Tony, shrugged off «amateur» raters like us on Unilocal as meaningless nonsense, good or bad review.)
Then we got the bill. I had ordered one of the specials of the evening: pappardelle pasta with shrimp cooked scampi style. The prices were not given when the specials were listed, and wow, do I wish I had asked. Turns out my basic entrée was $ 47.
That would make it the most expensive dish on the menu — far ahead of the filet mignon, lamb chops and veal. No reasonable diner would think a seafood pasta dish would cost $ 12 more than a 9-​ounce filet mignon. Never would the dish have appeared on the menu for $ 47. It would be ridiculous. Offering it as pricey special was price gouging.
I’m from NYC, an outrageously expensive city, so I’m used to having to shell out serious cash for a nice meal. Still, I was shocked at the cost of my entrée. NYC is home of some of the most famous restaurants in the world that people come from all over to experience, and you’d be hard pressed to find a place in Manhattan that charged what Tony did.
For comparison, at Del Posto, a Michelin starred restaurant by world renowned chef Mario Batali, the pasta dishes, including those with seafood or meat, are generally $ 10 cheaper. Tony’s Encore rivals even Carbone, perhaps Manhattan’s most beloved Italian restaurant of late and one of the more expensive places in the city, which is also Michelin starred and run by chefs with famous names. The seafood pasta dish there? $ 30. In fairness, a Carbone dish offers much less food on the plate than Tony’s, whose portions are quite generous (neither of us finished our entrees, though for me it was more its mediocrity than its size. Like other reviewers on this site I found it bland and watery). Larger portions, though, don’t make up for the price.
It’s a shame I left so discontented, because until the bill we had found Tony himself and the restaurant fairly charming — even the throwback Sade tunes playing all night (though maybe not the huffy, unsmiling hostess). It’s a nice touch that Tony comes by everyone’s table and says hello. Given such warm feelings about the atmosphere, we otherwise would have happily overlooked the fact that the food was in general way overpriced and only good, not great.
We were celebrating our recent engagement and the staff was sweet about it. Tony gave us an after-​dinner drink on the house, a gesture we greatly appreciated. We drank them while devouring a most excellent tiramisu and a nice pistachio cream and chocolate cake. (The tiramisu is Tony’s mom’s recipe and his girlfriend does the cake, adding even more to the charm of the place.)
Had the night ended there we would have been mostly happy campers, but the cost of the special just ruined the good vibes. Even the $ 23 three-​scallop appetizer, also a special and $ 8 more expensive than any other appetizer on the menu, would have been OK.
But a simple pasta dish for $ 47? No way.
UPDATE: Restaurant responded to my review on TripAdvisor, saying that I «exaggerated» the price of the appetizer. If it wasn’t supposed to be $ 23 than I was overcharged. That’s what it was on my bill. Diner beware.

I was a little worried about going to this restaurant because it wasn’t listed as child friendly. It was my birthday weekend and we picked Jim Thorpe for a day trip and we decided to chance the restaurant because I knew (from the online menu) that the choices were going to provide some tough decisions (tons of interesting menu choices).
We dressed our kids up nice and reminded them of restaurant behaviors (yes, very necessary for us!) and it was great! While there is no children’s menu, our waitress went above and beyond to express that any ingredients could be put together for our children, including chicken fingers, grilled cheese (any normal kids menu items)
Favorite menu items:
crab cake
tomato soup
Bloody Mary Grilled Cheese

If you’re hungry and in Jim Thorpe, PA… Don’t pass this place up. Tony greets you at the door, and trust me… When he recommends a dish, order it.
My group was there for lunch… I had the tomato cream soup with shrimp. Big enough for two, so it was a perfect appetizer to share.
Then Tony recommended the Bloody Mary grilled cheese sandwich and unbreaded crab cakes. We could barely finish them, but so good we powered through it.
Not enough room for dessert but we will be back next time in town.

Tony Stella’s ENCORE was one of the best overall dining experiences I’ve ever had! We were just passing through Jim Thorpe for a quick overnight stay on a Thursday night, and looking for a nice dinner… and did we ever find it! The wine and beer selection is wonderful, and the food… we never even looked at the menus. The proprietor, Tony, explained the specials with such color and passion that we had to try them! I had crab cakes, and my husband had Chilean sea bass. The meals came with wonderful salads, risotto, and baby asparagus. The service was excellent, and the food was even better. We will be back in town for sure, to explore the menu further!

Absolutely amazing food, service and atmosphere. We enjoyed a drink at the bar before taking our table. The beer selection is good, and the cocktail special was well thought up.
For dinner I had the gazpacho which was the best I have ever had. Salad included, then the Chilean sea bass which was equally as good as my app. My wife had blackened filet mignon in a Parmesan bowl. Amazing. For dinner she had a medley of seafood (including a lobster tail) in a delicious sauce served over an angel hair pancake. It was amazing!
Hot longs and focaccia with a yummy garlic sauce served when we say down and a great bottle of chianti.
Service was perfect, live music, and bananas foster cooked to order in the dining room.
Tony and staff, you do it right. We will be back.

My wife I and were in Jim Thorpe and went for dinner on a Wednesday night. The night started with an absinthe drink made right at our table. There is an underlying essence of black licorice to absinthe drinks and they are very potent (and good), so be forewarned.
The dinner was nothing short of awesome. From the appetizer special of seared filet mignon with gorgonzola in an edible cheese bowl to my veal stuffed with prosciutto and cheese with a zesty tomato sauce (the sauce or gravy is outstanding by the way)
My wife started with salmon appetizer and had a sea bass filet which was equally as delicious as my entrée.
Dining at Encore is best not to be rushed, the courses are best enjoyed while taking in the atmosphere, good company etc. It’s a small room of 10 tables or so which only enhances it’s charm. There is a piano for light music which I would have enjoyed had it been the weekend.
Many times throughout the evening, we were checked on by Tony himself as well as the wait staff.
If you find yourself in Jim Thorpe, Encore is a must. I recommend making reservations, especially on weekends.

I couldn’t find the Absinthe House on Unilocal,so I suppose I’ll leave the review here?
It’s a bar in the back of this particular restaurant/​house. The décor is ghastly — like your grandmother’s house — but the service and portions were spot on.
They bring the absinthe to your table and let you drip the water (from a glass container with a spout) onto the cube yourself. It was pretty neat! The only complaint would be the temperature of the water. It was cool, which ended up making the drink room temperature after you wait for the dripping to finish. It honestly needs to be super cold in order to fully enjoy the flavours of the absinthe.
The pour of pinot noir was hefty, which was awesome.