50 Best American Restaurants in Rochester

“Excellent food quality and so flavorful!“

“We had the most wonderful experience at Carnegie wine bar. We love the place. It was my 5th time there. We decided to try and get a seat at the bar on a very busy Sat night. When We walked in, there were 2 seats open. Couldn’t have gotten luckier. Meal was amazing! My favorite dish is the whipped ricotta with charred sour dough bread. I get it every time I’ve gone. The wine selections are immense. Service impeccable. But this time we had an over the top experience. Mike, the owner/host, asked us if we’re going to Mama Mia that night. We said no, but were thinking of getting last minute tickets because we were celebrating our 1st Anniversary. Mike gave us 2 tickets for that night’s show. We were so surprised by the act of kindness. Couldn’t have been more excited. When we got to the auditorium, our seats were in 6th row! What an awesome Anniversary we had. Thank you to Carnegie cellars wine bar and kitchen., we are definitely going to have to pay it forward!“

“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“

“My family took me off my birthday. And was some place cool and different to go to.
All the food was pretty good. But my burger, which I asked for medium was well done.
there was a piece of bacon on it, which leads me to believe, because I asked for no bacon, that they put it in and then took it off.
It was not busy at all and this particular Sunday evening, and it took an extremely long time to get our food.
The call ahead for a reservation and they will be able to see us all in a round table for a party of 8, which was nice.
I loved the atmosphere of the style and the nostalgia.“

“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!“

“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.“

“We went to Angelina’s for dinner on Halloween night. Impeccable is how I would describe the experience. The drink menu was incredible, food was truly shareable with portion sizes that reflect the price.

The carrots and the arancini are heavenly and not to be missed. I was so into the meal that I forgot to take photos, save one of the short rib!

Go the Angelina’s!“

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

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

“My workplace had a party this past Saturday evening at this restaurant and it was absolutely amazing! The food was spectacular! Liza took care of us all evening and she was absolutely amazing too! I highly recommend this place.“

“Great breakfast and fantastic service.“

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

“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!“

“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.“

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

“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“

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

“I tried the Winfield Grill for the first time yesterday. The atmosphere was pretty, I enjoyed the design details. The food and service was pretty good but not amazing. The Cajun dry rub wings were cooked perfectly and the blue cheese was really good but the excess rub on the wings was excessive. The Reuben was decent, but I wouldn't order it again.“

“My husband and I don’t make it into the city too often, but when we do, Roam on Park Ave is always a go-to. The food and drinks are always great, and I’m obsessed with their espresso martinis! We came in a few weeks ago and had Kylee as our server — she was fantastic and made the whole night even better. Thanks for another awesome visit!“

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

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

“Every time my fiance and I go to Rochester which is pretty far from us we try to stop at Nick Tahou's. They are always so friendly there. One of the workers was talking to my toddler and making him laugh. Love everything about this place. And the food is always a 10/10“

“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!!“

“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!!“

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

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

“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!“

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

“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!“

“Probably my favorite restaurant in Rochester. Love all the creative cocktails and the decor. Servers are always friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Dining as a vegetarian, with my husband who isn't, is a breeze. They always have a delicious, elegant menu item or two for me to try. I've never had the same thing twice.“

“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!“

“Excellent service Friendly staff“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“We love the Red Fern! The food is delicious and the baked goods are AMAZING. Our all-time-favorites are the hot chicken sandwich and every single cake they make, but everything else is great too. We also love their kombucha options.“

“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“

“Great space and good locally sourced food. beautiful rooftop views of the Falls.“

“Seriously the most Incredible chicken french sandwich I’ve ever had !!!!! I can’t even!!!!! Unbelievable fries , will be recommending 100% out of this world!!“

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

“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 🤎“

“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.“

“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."“

“Absolute gem of a restaurant. My wife and I have been here ~7 times since mid summer when we discovered it, and have only had great experiences. We typically share 3-4 appetizers and/or one of the specials, and every time leave so satisfied. The vibe at the bar is also lovely and the specialty drinks were great (Manhattan & espresso martini are the go to). Highly recommend this place“

“The food was excellent and the staff was friendly and courteous!“