40 Best Cocktail Bars in Rochester

“I have been to La Bola a few times for lunch and love their sandwiches on foccacia. Recently I went to a holiday party there and it was out of this world! What a cool place to have an event! They put out several different spreads to graze on, one was an eggplant and fig foccacia- fantastic. I also really enjoyed the craft cocktail options they had for the event which were winter themed. I will most definitely be back for lunch (or dinner) and I hope to get to go for an event there again.“

“Marge’s Lakeside Inn is a magical place that has the vibes of a tropical paradise and a bar named Cheers! Francine, Fran, Ron & Marge, together built this fun, relaxing & memorable haven that has become engrained in our hearts and memories. ❤️“

“Great food and great service with Jordan. Thank you!!“

“I’ve lived in Rochester, my whole life and came here for the first time about a month ago. It is absolutely a beautiful bar. The inside is very classy and elegant, but the outside balcony that overlooks the city on one side and then on the other side of the bar is another outside area, where there is an outside fireplace. Both so very nice. Pricey, but when you walk in, you can tell it’s pricey. So that was not a surprise. Definitely worth it.“

“I am a musician that recently played a gig at Bad Ending. I was very happy with my experience. The staff was awesome, especially the manager Fred. The show went great, and everyone had a great time. The bartender was super friendly, and the drinks were reasonably priced. All around wonderful experience! I definitely planning on going back soon.“

“We had lunch here for the first time. Everything was delicious. it was nice to find sit down dining!“

“The food is amazing I have had most of the menu and it is spectacular. Charon Rameriz is the manager she is the 💣“

“Had a few rounds of drinks with the owner and bartender on our visit and loved this place. Really appreciated the attention to detail with great ingredients in all the drinks and the welcoming vibe. Absolutely a gem in this neighborhood and worth a visit for anyone looking for a nice place to start or end the night with great drinks.“

“My kids loved it!!! Awesome place!“

“Whoever is behind the menu is a shaolin master. This food hits like Inspectah Deck dropping that iconic verse in Triumph. Like Kung Fu classics, I would stand in the rain for a hundred days straight to learn from the Master. The drinks are bomb as well. This has quickly become my favorite watering hole.“

“Our first time here and we will be back. This was one of the best restaurant experiences we have ever had. Thank you for the delicious meal, hospitality and the lovely environment. 🤍“

“Great atmosphere, friendly and attentive staff, and delicious drinks! You can’t go wrong with any of their cocktails!“

“Every single person working here was so kind, so accommodating, and really made the atmosphere warm and welcoming. Already told my husband we will be going back here! Their espresso martini 🤌🏻 superb“

“Affogato is very good and very good atmosphere“

“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“

“If you want the best craft cocktail in the city, in a place where you feel like like you just walked into a 1920’s speakeasy, Cheshire is your vibe. Evvy is a traveled, experienced, and seasoned cocktail craftswomen. I promise you will not be disappointed with anything she makes for you!“

“I need to make you aware of a wonderful diamond in the rough on Rochester’s west side. My wife and I visited this quaint Lower Manhattan style eatery with my brother-in-law and his wife. This unassuming place from the outside pleasantly surprises once you enter with its quaint bar area, blacked out ceiling and twin open kitchen stations. First litmus test is the quality of bread with a full complement of spices to prep your own dipping oil. Check! Special of the day, Seared Halibut on a bed of risotto, didn’t disappoint, nor did my samples of homemade Rigatoni à la Bolognese (just like Mom’s Sunday sauce) or the Chicken Milanese! Completed the meal with an ample slice of homemade Ricotta Cheesecake with Berry Compote. The owner checked in with us several times. The table service was perfect. The glass enclosed wine cellar in the middle of the dining area completed an impressive ambience and dining experience. Run don’t walk to this most pleasant gastro treat!“

“The food was top notch! And customer service was wonderful!“

“Late night arrival into Rochester on a Tuesday evening and I chanced upon Branca Midtown via Resy. We took a chance and I am so so glad we did. This place was divine. The host and the servers were impeccable. Sassy, funny, and attentive to a T, we were incredibly impressed and immediately relaxed with the atmosphere and the people. The ricotta appetizer was incredibly and reminded me of a favorite dish in Florence Italy, and the swordfish was perfection. Drinks were delicious, so thank you to the obviously talented bartender, as those were very much needed after our long drive. We will definitely make a point of stopping back then next time we are in town.“

“Tried pot roast, fried mozz, chicken tenders & crab cakes. All amazing. Highly recommend.“

“First time there - the food is AMAZING! Some of the best food I’ve ever had. So reminiscent of El Ricon, but yet different. Huge and intriguing menu. The quesadillas are so delicious as are the sopes, & chile rellenos..the flan is creamy & caramel and the chocolate dulce de leche is sinful. If you haven’t been - GO… does not disappoint! I’ll be back for sure.“

“Amazing drinks, food, and service!“

“We just had the best experience! From booking a reservation, parking right out front, AWESOME wait staff. The food... every single bite of every single thing we ordered was FANTASTIC. We will absolutely be back!“

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

“OMG the food was amazing. Worth every dollar. The environment is perfect. Great place to take a date or just relax. oh yea try the Lemon Drop tree too“

“Great food, great service, awesome flavor, fresh!“

“Good atmosphere, delicious food and good service. My one complaint was how loud the music was. I got the impression someone working really liked the music so they turned it up, which made it difficult to carry on a conversation with my date. Our waitress even asked someone to turn it down, stating customers were requesting it, but no one turned the volume down. I like music to add to the ambiance of the restaurant, but last night it detracted.“

“Fantastic food as always!! Duck was cooked perfectly!“

“I came here on a recommendation from a friend. It was very good but not great. I ordered a rum cocktail that was delightful along with a papaya winter salad and duck ragout special. I sat at the bar. The place was jam packed with people. The salad took almost 40 minutes to arrive and the meal took an hour. That was understandable given the crowd. The salad had amazing flavors but was just a bit too spicy for me. I like spicy too but this was more than I like. The duck ragout special was delicious but way too salty. I am also a salt lover so this was surprising. The waitress comped my drink which was nice because of the wait. I really want to go again because there were lots of things I want to try. I just need to plan a much more leisurely dinner and go with a friend. It was too dark to read a book.“

“The staff and the bar were top notch. Cocktails and food were excellent. We will be back.“

“Exceptional! Great food and service!“

“it’s called the goner… so light and airy!“

“We recently celebrated our anniversary at Pane Vino. They provided us a very quaint seat overlooking the river. They have done a nice job masking the noise level of their beautiful interior that is full of character. We interacted with 4 staff that were all very personable, professional, and efficient. The food was all exceptional and the wine list very nice. We were impressed that the owner checked on us several times, he definitely cares and pays attention to detail. We plan to return here on our next visit to the area.“

“Always good food and big portions. The best jalapeno margarita around! Highly recommend!“

“this is absolutely the best place for tacos. Dave absolutely pours the best drinks. if you haven't been go! you are literally missing out!“

“Clean bar rest and food was straight fire. highly recommend.“

“Best tequila bar north of Mexico. Great service to boot.“

“Always packed with a trendy customer base because the food and atmosphere are A+.“

“Great service great staff great food“