Jonathan Cohen's photos with the keyword: neon

In the words of one local blogger: "The Chanticleer saloon has long reigned at the corner of West State and South Cayuga in downtown Ithaca. It’s one of those no-nonsense, down-and-dirty bars that, despite being situated in plain sight, seems clandestine and somewhat anonymous. Well, as anonymous as a bar with a big neon chicken outside it can be. There are chickens inside to: pictures, statuettes, wallpaper. There’s also a long bar, a red pool table, a jukebox and a wooden phone booth. They don’t serve food of any kind; just hard drink. According to some, the neon chicken is actually landmarked. Dates from 1947. Whoever founded this place must have loved him some roosters. The place is actually called the Chanticleer Lounge, for the record. But lounge seems pretty high-falutin’ for this dive."

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The Silver Dragon Cafe is the first thing you see when you enter Côte St. Paul. The neon sign has not worked for years. One blogger states that the food there actually is pretty good, and reasonably priced. "Strange little guy at the cash," he writes "and it is straight out of 1947, with toothless tattooed patrons at other tables...but if you can get past that, the egg rolls, chicken soo guy, fried race, coke … all for about $7… couldn’t beat it." (On the other hand, another blogger complains that the kitchen is filthy). A third blogger praises the "old-fashioned egg rolls. . .a hard to find treat" (but this review dates from 2005). At any rate, the restaurant is now for sale and the wonderful sign may soon be a thing of the past.

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