Nestled in the heart of Binghamton’s historic Washington Street is Stadium 138. The bar first opened its doors in the end of 2023 and has since become a staple of Binghamton’s downtown dining scene, winning SUNY Barstool’s 2024 Best Bar competition in its first year of eligibility.

Eager to sample Stadium 138’s Restaurant Week offerings for the first time, my photographer, Nadine, and I walked through the expansive outdoor patio and into the establishment, immediately noticing its collection of seven flat-screen TVs plastering the two-story walls.

After being seated by the hostess, we further explored the bottom floor of the bar, discovering a treasure trove of sports memorabilia adorning the eatery, along with neon signs for local teams, darts and a vintage Chexx hockey game.

For the first course, I opted for the roasted red pepper and tomato bisque, while Nadine chose the grilled peach burrata salad. The bisque was surprisingly complex and umami-packed, showcasing rich and earthy notes through splashes of garlic and roasted red pepper.

The salad, however, presented a lighter option for the first course, consisting of seasoned and grilled peaches plated alongside a hearty ball of burrata and leafy greens. It was covered in splashes of pesto, along with a row of in-house, rosemary-topped crostinis on the side.

For the second course, I picked the flank steak sandwich, which was beautifully simple and reminded me of a classic spiedie. With cubes of perfectly medium-rare flank steak, slathered along a garlic-seasoned sub roll, the sandwich was incredibly filling and was accompanied by a plate of fries. As self-proclaimed fry snobs, we felt the fries were well seasoned and deceptively crispy.

Nadine chose the mezzi rigatoni ala vodka, which came with a side of garlic bread. The rigatoni proved a superior vessel for the rich and thick vodka sauce, while the bowl came coated with a layer of shredded parmesan cheese that provided an additional layer of richness. The accompanying slice of garlic bread was perfectly crunchy and sufficiently buttered.

Finally, we both ordered the lone dessert on the menu for our third course — the churro-encrusted cheesecake. Thankfully, it did not disappoint. The filling hit all the boxes one looks for in a classic New York cheesecake, including a rich creaminess that filled the mouth. The churro topping was sprinkled atop, providing an extra degree of crunch, and the dust of cinnamon sugar added yet another layer to the experience.

The star of the course, however, was the crust. It was delightfully buttery, while balancing the tightrope between crunchy and gooey.

Nadine and I had a delightful experience at Stadium 138, from the welcoming experience fostered by the owner and staff, to the upscale bar food and the premier sports-watching experience. We strongly recommend its Restaurant Week menu, especially if you can make it to NFL Sunday or a showing of playoff baseball.