50 Best American Restaurants in Rochester

“Excellent food quality and so flavorful!“

“Loved, loved, loved this grill! They have booths and tables. The food was exceptional-even the decaf coffee was rich and flavorful!! Everyone there working had a smile on there face which tells you they are happy working there. When I called there to ask questions the man who I talked to was so friendly. And... I must give A shout out to Courtney, our waitress, who was friendly and so helpful. Loved her too! We will be back😊 FOR SURE“

“What an absolute gem! 💎 the best food (tapas) and wine selections in the area. They offer local to international wines, and the food is made to order and cooked to perfection! We’ve been twice and are going back with friends to share the experience. Our first time was taking our daughter there before she moved to Spain 🇪🇸 and again for our anniversary 🍾🥂. The shaved asparagus salad, grilled octopus, duck, corn dog and chicken shawarma were all excellent! I can’t wait to go back to try more!“

“Absolutely blown away with everything. We could not go wrong with anything on the menu, and the only thing that upset us was that we could not stomach more. Marisa was an amazing server and was absolutely lovely. Kudos to all of the chefs who prepared the food to perfection! We will definitely be coming back, and cannot wait to see what is on the next menu.“

“Rooney’s hosted my colleagues and I today for an amazing dinner. It was mine, and many others first time at Rooney’s and all said the same thing- WE WILL BE BACK. The food was delicious, service amazing, and ambiance was quiet, chic, and moody.“

“A++ all around, staff knows what they are doing“

“Came here for New Years Eve! The atmosphere was great, the seating was cozy. Our waitress was wonderful. I loved the French onion soup!!!! Our main courses were amazing and had tons left over for the next night. Definitely a place I would recommend to check out, not because of just the food is fantastic but the history behind.“

“Outstanding dinner, the salmon and filet were both perfect! The spinach fritters should be an appetizer if they were so delicious!“

“The food is amazing. The service is great, and the eggnog latte is to die for.“

“Food was good and had great atmosphere. The customers looked happy , there wings look amazing and they put carrots , celery and Mac salad in bowl with it ! Old school vibes with old school prices we had a wonderful evening supporting local“

“Ate here while visiting family in the area. Service was excellent and the food was great. I ordered the Cajun catfish with Harlem potato salad and coleslaw as my choice of sides. A server brought us a plate of BBQ samples to try. Everything was good. On-street parking available plus a nearby parking ramp (for a fee). The place was noisy but had a great vibe.“

“Service was phenomenal! Everything is homemade including drinks and is so delicious!“

“Great breakfast and fantastic service.“

“Grew up in Rochester and this is was a really good, classic garbage plate. Add a bit more seasoning the mac salad and it would be 10/10“

“so good!!! have ordered from here twice and the food has been amazing. the b.o.b burger is by far the best burger ive ever had and the salad is fresh and topped with a lot! so excited to try new things.“

“The atmosphere and food is so good. Excellent service and wonderful dining experience all around.“

“Great food, great service. Very nice atmosphere. The owner came to our table 3 times just to check on us.“

“Too expensive in the food's not as good as it used to be“

“We recently had a surprise 40th birthday celebration for my daughter. There were 14 guests. We had brunch on a Sunday. Everything was wonderful. The General Manager, Webster was great to work with. He was very professional as well as personable. The staff was amazing. Very polite & we had exceptional service. The food was delicious. Everyone was very pleased with what they had. We would highly recommend the Brown Hound.“

“Food, atmosphere, server very good! Bruce picture of mimosas is where it's at. My only reason it's not 5 stars is that we had a weird miscommunication with he server. 2 people at the table asked for a side of churros and the other had chicken and churro entree. The server came over and said that they can't do the churros and so the person with the chicken and churros ordered side of fries instead and they 2 others with the sides of churros asked for sides of bacon instead. Fast forward, all of us got our entress instead of 1 person. They waited 15 minutes longer than everyone else. Then all of a sudden 3 sides of churros came out. The server said ok the kitchen is trying these. So now at this point everyone had their replacement sides and now 3 sides of churros. We assumed they "were testing them" since that's what the server said and they would be on the house since now that's too much food. But when we got the bill we were charged for the curros and the other sides. It was just confusing overall with the communication on that and then also we got charged for sides and the cjurros when we wanted 1 or the other not both. The manager, which I think is the owner was very nice and they comped the churros. It sounded like the server told them that we didn't like the churros, but it was more of the principle of being charged. Would definitely go back, I would never hold a miscommunication against a restaurant, but just wanted to voice a few things. Overall cool new spot“

“Went in with my family for the first time since the new owners opened in December 2024, amazing food & drinks! had an amazing experience with our waitress Nicole! she was so friendly and helpful! she recommended the artichoke & broccoli french appetizer & the brussel sprouts, she was spot on wen she said “it’s the best french sauce you will have” , the brussel sprouts, OMG! absolutely amazing! they were cooked and seasoned perfectly! We also ordered wings & she recommended the Sweet Heat BBQ for the sauce , & it is the perfect mix of heat & sweet ! Cocktails & Mocktails were delicious! Nicole gave us an amazing dining experience! We cannot wait to go back & try the smash burgers & fish fry’s! We will definitely be asking for Nicole as our waitress!!“

“My server Christine was absolutely amazing and attentive throughout my experience, I was impressed with her professionalism and good energy, so much so that it enraged me when I overheard the bartender, Mischa yelled across the bar at Christine to “pay attention to the door” where she looked away for a millisecond. As someone who has worked in restaurants for over 10 years I felt the tension in the employees interactions the moment I walked in and didn’t understand why until I heard Mischa being disrespectful to Christine. I took the time to ask him to come over and I expressed my concerns and he claimed he would apologize however I highly doubt that he will“

“While this is the original Garbage Plate, I wouldn’t say it’s the best in Rochester. There are several local places that offer superior burgers, hot dogs, and meat sauce. However, I still enjoy returning to Nick Tahou’s for the classic experience, especially when hosting out-of-town guests. It’s a must-try for anyone looking to get a taste of Rochester's culinary history. Eat up!“

“Great place to eat. Friendly Always have the best meals here.“

“Just love this place in the summer!! It’s always like a HS reunion !“

“These people are family, every Saturday morning. They food is delicious, rotating and seasonal specials. It wouldn’t be a Saturday morning without Gina and Stephanie!!“

“My boyfriend and I had decided to do a lunch date here today. It was our first time. It was a great experience, the food was great, with good prices. The atmosphere was nice and calm, and the restaurant clean. The server was friendly and made us feel welcome (I do not remember her name but it was a blonde woman) We will definitely be back!“

“Hands down the wings are amazing... the owner is very personable and all about his establishment!“

“Attended food truck Tuesday in Larkin Square…got the caprese Mac and cheese…..phenomenal! Fast friendly service!“

“The food is AMAZING! First things first, they are open on Mondays when nearly everything else is closed. Second: I had the fried chicken sandwich with side salad. The chicken had a light batter, perfectly cooked-tender and juicy. The salad was made with kale, shaved brussels, red peppers and the dressing was so delish! My partner had the chicken pot pie that had large pieces of chicken and lots of veggies with a tasty pie crust. He said it was the perfect hot dish for a freezing cold January night. Third…the old fashioned cocktails were perfectly crafted. Bonus: Happy hour drinks 4p-7p. Thanks for a great meal on a night when we didn’t want to cook but wanted delicious food.“

“Burgers are great. Meat hot sauce is my favorite in Rochester! Dining area needs a DEEP cleaning, especially floors.“

“Burgers are great. Meat hot sauce is my favorite in Rochester! Dining area needs a DEEP cleaning, especially floors.“

“Roc City Sammich brought a food truck to the port beach for my rehearsal lunch/welcome party before my wedding. I booked them because the manager Joe was sooo friendly, responsive, and helpful right from the first communication. The food was awesome and we got nothing but compliments the entire time. Their staff was quick and organized and everything ran smoothly. They weren’t expecting tips from any of our guests which was unexpectedly generous but they absolutely deserved them. Highly recommend working with Joe and his team if you want a delicious and easy crowd-pleasing event!“

“Excellent service Friendly staff“

“All you can eat, allergy accommodating dining hall that puts it's students first. The staff is really welcoming and always says hello. You can get everything including pasta, the wok station, salad, fruit, soup, burgers and fries, sandwiches, desserts, ice cream, fresh bagels and English muffins, and whatever the hot entree's of the day are. Lackmann is always trying to find new and exciting things for students and loves getting feedback. Overall, a fantastic dining hall on campus!“

“I’ve never had oxtails until coming here today, and the meat and gravy had my 15 month old and I licking our fingers. They know what they’re doing 👍🏽
The jerk chicken was 1 of the best flavored chicken I’ve ever had in my life, and the beef patty was so comforting. Delicious and outstanding food! Thank you for feeding us 🤎“

“its the best, great way to meet people and talk about your pursuits“

“Super friendly staff with amazing food. I appreciated the diverse menu and had the smash burger. It was PERFECT. I wish I lived closer because I’d eat my way through the menu and The Old Stone Tavern would be a regular spot. If you’re a local that hasn’t discovered this gem, run, don’t walk. If you’re just passing through Rochester and want to try a local place with amazing eats, find the nearest exit.“

“When my family is in Rochester we always make a trip to drifters!“

“Visited from out of state and was told I needed to try a plate. Quite the culinary experience! I’ll definitely be back again when I’m in the area.“

“Delicious vegan food Can’t wait to go back“

“We were a party of 5 and everyone had a fabulous meal! Cooked to perfection and as ordered! Service was friendly and efficient we lovers it! Thank you“

“Absolutely delicious breakfast - beautiful, fresh and so so tasty! Service was fantastic - will definitely return!!“

“Every time I get food. It’s delicious. Fresh food. You can tell they care about quality. Great portions at great prices. The staff are kind. The owner is amazing. If you want awesome food. Go to Chili Hots!!“

“We ate at the restaurant last night for the first time and it certainly won’t be the last. Very Very pleased with our dinner. The Caesars salad and artichoke appetizers were great. For dinner we had the crab fried rice and the salmon. They were both absolutely delightful. I would strongly recommend making a reservation and exploring this restaurant.“

“An amazing experience. My Grandfather passed and we needed a place for over 100 people. They were accommodating and kind, the food was AMAZING, we were worried about not having enough, they made MORE than enough. Room for kids, a bar area, a place to gather for any occasion. What a beautiful experience.“

“A hidden gem! The food was delicious and friendly staff. Check them out.“

“The food is great as always. The lady taking orders could’ve been less rude, she seemed annoyed, no kind of greeting just “What do you want”, no “you’re welcome” when I thanked her after she took my order, thanked again when she handed me my order and met with silence. The next time I go there and if she’s taking orders I’m going somewhere else, there are plenty of other places to get a plate.“

“Catina & Grille is one of the best restaurants on the RIT campus for students to have breakfast and lunch. I visit the restaurant twice a week, and my favorite dish is the burrito Rice Bowl. This dish is a perfect mixture of all the healthy ingredients, and they add a variety of protein, like chicken, beef, pork, etc. The restaurant's ambiance is excellent; people can work on their laptops while enjoying the food. The restaurant service is up to the mark from 12:30 to 2:30 PM. There is a huge crowd of customers at the restaurant, so your order can be delayed due to the same, but apart from that, the overall experience at Catina & Grille is excellent. I highly recommend people living in Rochester and nearby areas visit Catina and Grille and especially try my favorite dish, "Burrito Rice Bowl."“

“Amazing food I was starving and right when I started eating I felt smooch better I have been going there for so long and I love it.
It is a great place for family dinner, dates, and also going there solo.
I WOULD RECOMMEND A MILLION TIMES!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️“