Rochester Oyster Special Review

This is the summary of the 5 Oyster Specials we've reviewed in Rochester.  For more details on each location, please see the review dedicated to that location.  This is just a quick run-down.

Our summary is that there are really two tiers of oyster specials in town.

Our top 1-3 are all very close to each other and we would recommend them all with the same gumption.  Where they landed within our 1-3 really came down to tiny details and personal preference.  So, use our notes and read the full reviews to decide if you might shuffle them around a bit.

Our bottom selections (4-5) are clearly below our top 3.  Similarly, one could shuffle them between each other, but they are clearly on a level below our top 3.  We would equally caution anyone before attending these locations for an oyster special, and one can move them between 4 and 5 depending on personal preference.

Starting with our favorite at the top.

1) 2 Vine - 
     Turn Ons: Best tasting oysters, great presentation, inviting and elegant atmosphere, best bar area, oysters served with both mignonette and cocktail sauce, great (other) food, great staff, parking lot near East Ave.
     Turn Offs: Cramped Seating area, Oyster Special only available at the bar, only one oyster option, we want the Seafood Platter back.

2) Erie Grill -
     Turn Ons: Best Mignonette Sauce, decent oyster selection, great view of the Canal and atmosphere, very relaxed and intimate, quick service, great happy hour specials and prices for two hours, great $1 salt chips.
     Turn Offs: Worst fries, small space

3) Lento - 
     Turn Ons: Best oyster selection and variance, great cocktails, great service, amazing duck fat frites.
     Turn Offs: Feminine atmosphere, long wait for oysters, pricey entrees

4) Roux - 
     Turn Ons: Romantic and intimate upstairs atmosphere, great staff and few tables per server, fun and unique drinks (absinthe), Very good frites, good food presentation.
     Turn Offs: Atrocious bathroom, bad oysters, only 1 oyster option, hit-or-miss food, small space, no happy hour.

5) The Vesper - 
     Turn Ons: Very good frites, craft beer available,  walking distance to Geva, hip atmosphere, good plate presentation, incredible corn fritters.
     Turn Offs: Unacceptable sauces, no malt vinegar, sketchy neighborhood, bad oysters, only one oyster option, no mignonette sauce with oysters, no ice with oysters, unreliable food quality, no happy hour, servers don't really seem to care.

Check out the full reviews, below!

Orbs (Brunch)

MMMMMMMMMm

Turn Ons:
French Toast
Bloody Mary
Immaculate Food
Top-notch Servers
Fun and Elegant Atmosphere
Fun with the Meatball Puns
Great drinks

Turn Offs: 
The Secret is Out! This place gets packed!
Evening Atmosphere is less inviting
Yeah, nothing bad to say, other than it gets really packed....

Summary: 
Another gem in the South Wedge!  Orbs is located on the corner of South Ave and Caroline St.  It is kind of tucked away from the main South Wedge area, but it's worth the walk!  Or drive, since the majority of people do not live in the South Wedge.  They have their own parking lot and there is pretty easy parking on Caroline St.

This review will focus mainly on brunch since it has been a while since we have been to Orbs for anything else.  We will update the review once we've been back for dinner again.

We arrived at 11:58 for their noon brunch.  They were even kind enough to open the doors at 11:59.  (We have since been made aware that they do open the doors at 11:00, even though brunch doesn't begin until noon, so less freezing in the winter!)  There were probably already 3 other parties there waiting for the doors to open, in addition to us.  It took no time for the place to start filling up.  Our server came right over to see to us.  The staff really seems to enjoy working there, and they have a positive high-energy about them.  They're always smiling.  They're also seasoned servers and know what they're doing.  We've been there with large crowds before and they know to split up the check as they take the orders so it doesn't get crazy when it's time to pay.  We've been there with a few large groups, and every time we're amazed how smooth things always go.

As one would do for brunch, we started with mimosas and bloody marys.  We particularly enjoy their bloody marys with a meatball garnish.  We're kind of Bloody Mary snobs, so you can take that to the bank.  It's hard to get mimosas wrong, and Orbs even dresses them up a bit.

Now would be a good time to point out that meatballs is kind of their specialty.  (Orbs? Get it?)  But, they do others things very well, too.  They're just known for their balls.... and their 12-year old boy level of maturity related to puns having to do with balls.  In our circle of friends, that's a home run every time.  Get the sausage, and now you've got all the material you need!

...getting back on track....

Here is the Bloody Mary, and the $1 9oz beer that came with it for some sort of special.  You're really twisting my arm, here.  A small selection of craft beers is available.  They have a lengthy selection of cocktails, and they were very good.  I did have one awful cocktail around the time they first opened, but I think they've done away with that one.

I ordered the Poutine with the drinks to get some food started.  Poutine is our benchmark for small plates.  Well Orbs, you nailed it.  Some of the best fries in the area, with really good gravy, cheese, spices, and an egg on top.  See here:

Yeah, go ahead and order that one.  You know what, go ahead and order everything.  Seriously, we had ~15 people at our table and we covered most of the menu.  We were there for a while enjoying ourselves.  We shared food.  Not one person was unhappy.  We loved everything we had.

I want to take a second to point out their French Toast with pecans and delicious sauce.  This is the best French Toast you'll ever have.  Unless you're allergic to pecans, then maybe not.  But otherwise, Best French Toast Ever.  I really don't care how your grandma made it.  She's a newbie compared to Orbs.  This is fried bread-turned french toast.  Then covered with the perfect sauce for french toast, and given a little crunch with the pecans.  Have a look.

Other menu items worth mentioning are their Balls Bennie, Breakfast Burger, Balls & Biscuits, and Morning Wood.  I told you about the 12-year old boy puns.  I think half of our group ordered the Morning Wood just so they could say that to the server with a straight face and not be arrested.  "Ummm, yes.  I'd like Morning Wood, please."

OK, I want to touch on the atmosphere.  Here are Betty and Berlin enjoying their Bloody Mary and Mimosa:

The lighting is great.  Even at 12:15, it is already starting to get some traffic.  It is a nice upscale, casual place.  During the warm months, they have a patio where you can observe the happenings of South Ave.  And you never really know what you'll see or hear, out there.

When Orbs first opened, Melisa knew we had something special.  Mike thought it was a terrible location and they'd have an uphill struggle.  The outside of the building doesn't really draw you in.  So we loved Orbs right away.  Melisa more at first, but Orbs grew on Mike.  We would tell everyone looking for a new, unique place about it.  We wanted to see Orbs succeed.  You know; pulling for the little guy!  In the short time that Orbs has been open, no one cares if the outside isn't inviting.  Their reputation more than makes up for it.  Everyone loves Orbs.  Now, our only gripe is that it's too freaking busy all the time!  Now we wish less people knew about it!  Around dinner time it can be tough to get in with any kind of reasonable wait.

Mike's other small gripe is that the atmosphere changes a bit on Thursday-Saturday evenings.  It feels more like East & Alexander than the South Wedge.  So many little black skirts and Ed hardy button-ups; ugh puke.  It is also crazy packed, and you're lucky if you can see the bar, let alone push and shove your way to it.  One can only assume that the guests are stopping here on their way to the club.  That's just not really what the Wedge is about, so we tend to stay away during these times.  With that said, we'll be back to give the night-life version of Orbs another try to see if they can sway us back.  They still have the same great food and drinks, after-all.

So, what do we think?  Orbs probably has the hands-down best brunch in Rochester.  They handle large parties very well.  Their staff is among the best we've seen.  Their food is unique, fun, and so flavorful.  They have a wide range of drinks (including coffee cocktails), and they're all amazing.  If you're going for brunch, get there at noon.  If you're going for dinner, call ahead.  We recommend passing when the partiers are out. But, you'll love Orbs.  They've created their own culture, and it is a big hit with everyone.  Well, unless you hate fun.  Then it might not be a hit.  But, that's the only case.  Orbs is worth a visit, for sure.

2 Vine (Oyster Special)

MMMMMMMMmm

Turn Ons:
Best Oysters
Great Cocktails
Great Food
Great Staff
Good Atmosphere
Huge Bar
Parking Lot near East Ave

Turn Offs:
Oyster Special only available at the Bar
Only 1 Oyster Option
Missing the Seafood Platter
Strange Bar -vs- Seating Areas

Summary: 
This review will focus on 2 Vine's Oyster special, as we are taking the week to go to an Oyster Special every day and compare them. But we are also touching on other items, as well.

2 Vine sits just off of East Ave, on Winthrop St.  It essentially shares a parking lot with Hearts Grocery.  With parking at a prime in the East & Alexander area, a nice restaurant with its own parking lot is a real find. Combine that with the class and quality of 2 Vine, and you've got a real winner.

Walking into 2 Vine, you're greeted with a HUGE rectangular bar. It feels upscale, and you'll fit right in with a suit and tie.  Don't worry, you don't have to dress to the 9's if you don't want to.  But you can do that if you're looking to impress.  The $1 oyster special is every weekday from 5:30-7:00.  That's good, so you can go any day.  And, the day you go; it won't be swamped with everyone else trying to get there for the oyster special because they can go any day, too.  You do have to go to the bar for the oysters, so that's a bummer if you wanted a table.  Especially, if you have a large party.  With how large their bar is, it is apparent that they're trying to drive traffic there.  Really.  That bar looks empty with 20 occupants. So, go ahead and put your oyster order in with your drink order.  Hang at the bar a bit.  You can always grab it and take it to your table, or just stay at the bar.

Here, you can see our oysters on a nice tray, on ice, with both cocktail and mignonette sauce.  Their Tuscan Calamari is very good. It isn't breaded, and it does have quite a bite, but it is very good.  My favorite un-breaded calamari, easily.  And among my favorite calamari.   The cocktails are delicious, as well.  $10 a piece isn't bad.  They have a few craft beers, too.  If you want the oyster special, you get what you get.  There is only one type of oyster available for the special.  It sounded like we could get other oysters if we were willing to pay full price for them, but that isn't in the menu, so I don't know what was going on there.
I'm not a big fan of cocktail sauce on oysters so I can't help you there.  But it certainly looked and tasted like it was house-made.  I'd place their mignonette sauce just a hair below Lento's.  Still good, but not really special.  But their oysters were by far my favorite.  Just so so good.  So flavorful without tasting like the bottom of the ocean, and they had the right texture.  There weren't pieces of shell breaking off.  The presentation was immaculate.  We couldn't get enough!
A few people ordered their burger, and it was a huge hit.  I got to try some and it melts in your mouth.  I didn't even need cheese on mine!  Certainly one of the best burgers in town.  You wouldn't expect that coming from a place so well-known for seafood, but there you have it!
If you want good seafood, come here.  There is a great selection and it is done very very well.
We do wish they'd bring back the seafood platter.  We loved that!  Which brings me to the discussion about their availability on Grubhub.  Yes, you can order 2 Vine on Grubhub.  So, let's start with "YAY!"  You can't beat getting this kind of food being delivered to your house.  However, we think that 2 Vine REALLY isn't meant to be eaten delivered.  They have an amazing staff in the kitchen and great servers.  This food is meant to be consumed asap, in their dining room.  So, you're going to lose some of the quality when it is packed, driven, and delivered.  That being said, I can't imagine any better delivery!  We also have noticed a little tweaking to their menu.  We suspect that was done in order to create a menu that is more delivery friendly.   We were worried that would cheapen the food and the brand.  But we have to say; 2 Vine is still so delicious.  The food hasn't suffered.  We can argue over the brand being cheapened as a result of being able to order it on Grubhub, but until I see glaring evidence to the contrary, I'm going to guess that the owners know what they're doing.
The atmosphere at 2 Vine is kind of the opposite from most places.  Well, with respect to one item.  I actually felt like we had more elbow room at the bar.  When we moved to a table, everyone was stacked on top of each other and brushing against people's back to scoot by.  Generally, not being a fan of, well, people... I found it to impact our ability to remain in a relaxed state.  Constantly turing around to check someone passing behind me, or feeling bad for bumping people when I had to pass by.  I actually felt more comfortable at the bar, where we could sit at the bar, stand behind our chair, or even walk up and down the bar to talk to friends.  They're really trying to sell the bar area.  I say "Take them up on it".
I think when we go back, we'll just stay at the bar.  Of course, that doesn't really work for groups larger than 4, so there is that issue.   But if you're on a date and your date isn't lame, just go to the bar.  You'll get right in, get to take advantage of the oyster special, and probably be more comfortable.  There's always the chance that you meet someone new, too.
All-in-all, 2 vine is our favorite oyster special in Rochester and its hard to beat their food.  Even if you're not a big seafood fan, they have something for you that will make your mouth water.  We nit-picked a few minor items, but it's hard to go wrong with 2 Vine.

The Vesper (Oyster Special)

MMMMMmmmmm

Turn Ons:
Hip Atmosphere
Plate Presentation
Corn Fritters
Great Frites
Good Cocktails

Turn Offs:
Bad Oysters
Only One Oyster Type Available
No Mignonette Sauce
No Malt Vinegar (or anything, really) for Fries
Unreliable Food Quality
Bad Location
No Happy Hour

Summary: 
This review will focus on The Vesper's Oyster special, as we are taking the week to go to an Oyster Special every day and compare them. But we are also touching on other items, as well.

Vesper: Meaning Evening in classic Latin.  Well, it is a bar and restaurant.  So, everything happens in the evening.  Makes sense....

Let us begin with The Vesper's location. Go to downtown Rochester and look for the most random, out-of-the-way, sketchy corner.  Now, you're at The Vesper.  OK, it isn't THAT bad, but it is down a one-way street, basically underneath the South Ave 490 Ramp. 
Vesper Map
It is walking distance from Geva; about 2-3 blocks.  So it is a good choice before a Geva show as long as the weather is agreeable.  Parking is metered, but in Rochester it is free on weekends and after 6PM on week days.  So, don't pay after 6:00!  There is no reason to get there before 6:00 since they don't have a happy hour.  The lack of happy hour is a bummer if you just want a quick drink and app, but good if you don't like the Happy Hour crowd.  And the Happy Hour crowd, you do not get at The Vesper.  The Vesper is so tucked away that no one knows about it yet.  So, you don't see the usual crowd of people in their khakis and button down shirt, straight from work.  The Vesper's patrons made a conscious effort to be there.  They didn't want to go to just some bar.  If you're inviting someone from out-of-town, carpool or have them follow you.  With the weird streets over there, it can be difficult to locate it.  It looks like The Vesper is in an old building that was once used for manufacturing.... something.  Recently, it has been turned into an apartment building with stores, restaurants, and a club.  On the outside, the building still looks like the old, crumbly brick.  No doubt, the owners claim that this is to retain it's charm and history.  I see "save money on renovations".  We can't speak to the apartments, which we are sure are very nice, but The Vesper is very elegant and charming on the inside.  That doesn't mean it isn't in a shady part of the city, though.

Enough time on that.  We were seated straight away because at around 5:45, no one was at a table yet.  There were a few people at the bar, but we seemed to be the first diners.  I ordered their signature drink (The Vesper), which is touted as "James Bond's drink".  It is basically a martini without any fancy sweet flavors added to it.  I really enjoyed how there was just a little bit of very fine crushed ice on the top, but not much.  I got that "iced" feel, without feeling like I was drinking a snow-cone.  This drink can be enjoyed by sweet and dry cocktail drinkers, alike.  Very good.  My only gripe is that it is advertised as a drink for James Bond.  So what do you think?  I think I'm about to get a "manly" drink.  Right?  James Bond.  Come on.  It was served in a rather feminine glass.  What's up with that?  See the picture, below.

We will take the time to comment on their cocktail menu.  Their drink descriptions are very unique.  Some of them tell you what's in the drink.  Some of them make a snarky comment like "If you don’t like this, we probably can’t be friends."  This is all very entertaining, but if I don't already know what the drink is... I have no idea what the drink is!  So, we enjoyed the silly comments since we could work most of them out.  But someone with less experience ordering cocktails might not know what 90% of the drinks actually are.

Let's get started.  We started off with oysters and corn fritters.

They only had one type of oyster available, so we got that one.  We decided to start with 5 and order more if we liked them.  We're glad we went with 5.  Our first impression: this is the only place to NOT serve the oysters over ice.  We didn't like that.  This is the only place to not serve mignonette sauce with the oysters.  Didn't like that.  We were given cocktail sauce that must have just been dumped out of a bottle that you could buy from Wegmans.  Actually, that's not fair to Wegmans.  You could get far better at Wegmans.
Putting the cheap cocktail sauce in a fancy metal bowl doesn't make the cocktail sauce any better.  We appreciated the presentation of the oysters, but we'd rather have them served on a rock, if that meant they'd come with mignonette sauce and over ice.  We also questioned how freshly they were shucked.  Stay away.

The Corn Fritters: Yeah, get those every time.  Melisa is the one who picked those out.  So two thumbs up for her.  Reading the menu, I just glanced over them and moved on.  But I bowed to her wisdom and said "sure, I guess I'll try them." Oh dear, how can corn possibly be so good?  Let's deep fry it and bathe it in a delicious garlic chili sauce. For the Win! They are crunchy and saucy and we devoured them.

We had been here before, and they do have fried oysters on the appetizer menu.  We tried them because we thought "maybe this could be the gateway oyster for someone who doesn't like oysters."  Logical, right?  Deep fry anything, and it is pretty good.  Well, not The Vesper's oysters, apparently.  They made oyster balls out of ~4-5 oyster's meats, then deep fried them.  The problem is that the middle remained very chewy and way too moist.  And they didn't get crunchy on the outside.  I'm not going to go into more detail because it is not pleasant.  Just stay away.

OK, please let the entrees rescue us!  Melisa went with Pan Seared Scallops and the Daily Sausage.  She really is the best at picking the best menu items.

The scallops were quite good.  The outside was just crispy enough and the inside was not chewy at all.  Everything was done just right.  They didn't dress them up very much.  They were just served over some vegetables.  I wanted a bit more flavor, like maybe a light sauce or glaze to go with them. But, they were done so well I can't hate on them too much.  Sometimes just doing something simple and doing it right is more important than smothering it in sauce.

The Daily Sausage was another good choice.  Once again, they weren't dressed up too much, but it didn't really need it.  The sausage had a lot of flavor.  I wouldn't have minded if they had crisped it up just a little bit more.  It came with crostinis, 2 different mustards (including my favorite, with the tiny balls in the mustard!), and seared onions.  Every bite was very good.  A solid choice for the carnivore in your house.

I (Mike) was having trouble deciding.  I had their Shrimp Po-Boy the last and only other time we were here.  I really liked it, so I was tempted to get it again.  I will take a sentence to reinforce, that the Shrimp Po-Boy is a very good option, here.  Very good and appealing to a wide audience... well, unless you don't like shrimp, of course.

But, in the interest of academics, I went with their daily special of fish cakes.  I love love love crab cakes, so this is probably a more affordable version, right? Well, chalk up another loss for Mike.  This was the feeling I got in my first bite. "Hey, do you like crab cakes?  Why don't you eat that, but with the most fish-y taste we can manage!"  Don't get me wrong, I like fish; which is why I thought this was a safe bet.  But, this was like anchovy fish.  Just so over-powering, bottom of the ocean, cheap fish.  Even with the (some version of) aioli sauce that came with this, I couldn't cover up the fish taste.  It was brutal.  I could only choke down 1 1/4 of my two cakes.  It was like punishment, trying to eat those.  I think the aioli sauce might even be serviceable, but I couldn't get through the fish taste, to let you know. 

At least I thought to order the fries! These fries are good.  They are absolutely PERFECT fries for your malt vinegar.  Nice and thick, but cooked so that they just barely start to shrivel a tiny bit.  This dries them out a bit, which is why you need the malt vinegar.  They still have the potato skin on some of them.  Looking at the plate, all we were given was ketchup that I swear came out of a squeeze-bottle from the grocery store (not going to insult Wegmans, here).  Once again, they put it in a little metal dish, like that would transform it into magically delicious ketchup.  We asked our server for malt vinegar because these fries are perfect for it.  Given the atmosphere of The Vesper, they must be classy enough to have malt vinegar available.  The Vesper has an European feel, and malt vinegar is a British thing.  Plus, the last time we ate here, we asked for malt vinegar to go with our fries.... nope, no malt vinegar.  OK, here comes a rant.  Please read it as if I'm very angry and trying to get it all out in one breath.

No place in Rochester that makes 1/2 way decent fries serves them with boring ketchup.  You don't have to serve them with malt vinegar.  I get it.  Depending on the part of the world you're from, you like different sauces with your fries.  If you're not going to serve fries that were born for malt vinegar with malt vinegar, than for the love of Pete, make your own sauce!  Good Luck has one of the best sauces in town that is tomato-based.   Serve it with Sriracha-aioli.  Serve it with some kind of BBQ sauce.  I don't care.  Take two sauces from the store, mix them together, and call it double-trouble sauce!  But do not insult me again by serving your fries with nothing but the ketchup that I can squirt on a crappy hotdog from the Blue-Cross Arena.  Especially if you're trying to market yourself as a trendy, upscale place to dine!  Honestly, with your oyster "sauce" and ketchup, you should be embarrassed.

OK, back to the review.  I did try to save my fries with the aioli sauce from my fish cakes.  That didn't really do much for me.  So, I guess we'll call the sauce mediocre.

We had their chips and dip the last time we were at The Vesper, too.  Once again, the chips were really good.  Nice and thin and crispy and crunchy.  Mmmm.  And the sauce was another let-down.  The chips are served with an onion and white bean dip.  Heavy on the onion.  The first bite or two is quite good.  Then, you start to get sick of the onion flavor and you can't escape it.  It's just too much.

They've gotten exactly ONE sauce correct at The Vesper.  The garlic Chili Sauce that comes with their corn fritters.  Everything else is crap. Sorry-not-sorry.

The Vesper does have a good beer selection, including some craft beers.  They have a very good wine selection.  Their cocktails are also very good.  Pair that with some good appetizers, and you have a good bar to sip on a drink and munch on some snacks while you socialize.

There has never been a wait for dining, but we've seen the bar stools get filled up.  The servers are good enough.  Attentive since it is such a small place and they don't have much else to do.  Other than that, just ho-hum.

So, we peg The Vesper as yet another good place to go for a drink and an appetizer.  Maybe go before your Geva show, since you can walk there in good weather.  Other than that, we probably won't go out of our way to get to The Vesper.  We don't like being served sub-par food and sauces as if they are something special.  It's like they're trying to make us believe it, but only halfheartedly.  Like when you were asked if you brushed your teeth or cleaned your room as a kid.  Sure.... ~smile & shifty-eyes~ uh huh....

With that said, they do have some unique flavors and if you know what to order, you can survive a sit-down dinner, and truly enjoy your food.  Just make sure you lock your car... but honestly, The Vesper isn't far from Dinosaur.  If I want a sit down dinner, I'll go there.  Of course, the counter argument is that The Vesper is more refined, quiet, and elegant.  So, it depends on your mood.

Roux (Oyster Special)

MMMMMMmmmm

Turn Ons:
Romantic, Intimate Atmosphere
Great Staff and Few Tables per Server
Food Presentation
Frites
Good Cocktails
Absinthe

Turn Offs:
Only 1 Oyster Selection
Hit-or-Miss Food
Small Space
Awful Restroom Accommodations
No Happy Hour

Summary:
This review will focus on Roux's Oyster special, as we are taking the week to go to an Oyster Special every day and compare them. But we are also touching on other items, as well.

Roux: A mixture of fat (especially butter) and flour used in making sauces.
Interesting.  We didn't notice anything in the menu that resembled this at all.  Maybe they should change the name to Absinthe...

Roux is an up-scale, romantic, and intimate French-inspired restaurant on Park Ave.  You wouldn't know that by going to their website.  I stared at their homepage for minutes, waiting for the rest of it to load, only to realize "Nope.  That's all there is." And you might pass by it walking down Park Ave, as it really blends in to the nearby shops.  Nothing really grabs your attention.  However, that adds to the feeling that you're walking into a speak-easy that no one else can see from the street.  Almost like walking onto Platform 9 3/4. (Mike takes a bow for his ingenious simile)  The last item is that you'll have to fight with the usual Park Ave parking situation as they don't have their own lot.

Sorry for the out-of-focus picture, but this is all we have to help you see the mood set by Roux.  I didn't want to get any patrons in the picture:

It is dark, and has 1920's music quietly playing in the background.  It is upscale, with the tin ceiling and old architecture.  Just don't use their restroom, or you'll totally lose the feeling of grandeur.  It's like leaving a palace and entering a dungeon... where guys in aprons loudly wash dishes.  They don't even try to continue the atmosphere.  And it is one single-occupant bathroom for all genders. (It's 2016, so it's "all" genders, not "both") I guess that will help them to avoid having to re-model if any new legislation comes out regarding bathroom rights for different gender identifications, but I digress...  The point is, if you stay away from the bathroom, the atmosphere is quite enjoyable, and I'd wear something nicer than jeans and a t-shirt.

We've had a few different cocktails, and everyone has enjoyed them all, so you can't go wrong.  We don't think they have a Happy Hour, so that's a bummer.  Their cocktails are $10, so the lack of Happy Hour isn't show-stopper.  Here is our Soften The Blow:

It tasted just like licorice.  You can tell they really know their hard liquor due to the single large ice cube.  It keeps your drink cold, while minimizing the total surface area of the ice; thus reducing the amount of "watering down" of your drink due to melted ice.  Strangely, their cocktail menu seems to be centered around Absinthe.  I find that odd, yet kind of refreshing and unique.  I thought absinthe was illegal in the US, but maybe just in certain alcohol contents or only in certain forms... we're not experts on that.  Anyway, illegal or not; you can find it here in abundance!

As expected, we started with the oysters.  Unfortunately, we only had one kind of oyster to choose from.  So, I guess you get what you get.  We better like it:

Interestingly enough, we were in the act of discussing how disappointed we were with Lento's oyster serving tray when our oysters came out.  Roux, for the win! Our picture doesn't do them justice.  These trays are gorgeous.  Easily the best oyster presentation of the week.  However, that was where our enthusiasm came to a screeching halt.  The mignonette sauce wasn't bad.  I just thought it was weak.  I put it below Lento's, which is below Erie Grill's.  These oysters had a lot of meat in them, which is good.... but they had a very powerful flavor that wasn't very good.  And the mignonette wasn't strong enough to cover it up.  When I say a powerful flavor, I don't  mean like salty or brine-y.  Because those are good oyster flavors.  I mean, I wonder if these oysters are very fresh.  It was a powerful sea-floor and bad meat flavor.  So, while they had the best presentation, they also had the worst flavor.

We did get a few more things.  Their frites were very good.  I can always sit down and munch on good frites all night.  The seared duck breast was very good.  Go ahead and order that every time.  It's kind of pricey, but hey; it's duck.  They cook it medium.  I'd rather medium-rare for just a bit more juiciness and flavor, but Melisa says that duck is always cooked medium.  Something about not wanting to get people sick or some garbage like that....  ~Rolls eyes~

I was surprised by how disappointed I was with their Onion Soup Gratinee.  Read: French Onion Soup.  Something was off.  I couldn't place it.  It had all the right stuff.  Once again, an impeccable presentation.  That melted cheese had me all revved up and ready to dive in.  But I was so underwhelmed when I took a spoon-full.  How does something smothered in melted cheese underwhelm me?  We both tried it over and over and tossed ideas back and forth, trying to figure out what was missing, and this is what we came up with.  It was missing something or had some kind of different ingredient.  Melisa proposed an idea that we're going with.  We're not sure if it is true or not, but we're going with it.  We're used to French Onion Soup.  Roux is very traditionalist French.  Melisa suggested that maybe when we eat French Onion Soup, we're really eating an Americanized version of Onion Soup Gratinee.  It seemed like where I wanted a meat bouillon flavor, I was greeted with a sherry flavor.  That was a bummer.  So, this might just be us being used to a different kind of flavor.  But, if we're used to that flavor, you probably are too.  Feel free to take the risk and try it for yourself.  I don't want to scare you away, but I do want to warn you.

So, they do have good items on their menu.  The oysters are not one of them.  Everything is presented very well.  The servers are great and they pay close attention to your needs because they don't have many tables to serve.  The counter-argument is, of course, that they don't have many tables and you could find yourself waiting on a busy night.  The drinks are very good, and they even have an entire menu dedicated to absinthe.  So maybe just come to try some absinthe, if anything.  They do have at least a couple misses on the menu, so beware.  And if you bring a date, make sure your date uses the bathroom before coming here.  Honestly, their bathroom (and the trek to find it) totally ruins any atmosphere that the restaurant built, which is a shame.

Would we go again?  Sure, if someone else wants to try it.  Or maybe if we're doing a fancy date night on Park Ave.  But then again, there are other fancy restaurants on Park Ave that we can go to.

Lento (Oyster Special)

MMMMMMMmmm

Turn Ons:
Best Oyster Selection and Variance in Town
Great Service
Good Cocktails
Duck Fat Frites

Turn Offs:
Short Happy Hour (5-6)
Long Wait Time for Oysters
Pricey Entrees

Summary:
This review will focus on Lento's Oyster special, as we are taking the week to go to an Oyster Special every day and compare them. But we are also touching on other items, as well.

When we walked through all of the Village Gate to get to Leno, we were promptly greeted by the hostess in a dark, upscale restaurant.  We've been here quite a few times.  Melisa really likes it here, but I (Mike) have never really looked forward to trips to Lento... until I had their oysters.  I couldn't put my finger on it until recently, and others may disagree with me.  This is just my opinion and I mean no offense by it.  When I walk into Lento, it seems to have a feminine atmosphere to me.  As a guy, I have no problem with feminine atmospheres, of course; but they're not exactly where I'm most comfortable.  Maybe because Lento makes me think of lentil, which makes me think of no-meat.  Or the vine-y decal on the door when one walks in.  The dark lighting and modern table-settings.  It just feels... feminine to me.  Feel free to disagree.  Here's a picture:

I will concede that there is a thin line between elegant/up-scale and feminine.  So, this could just be my personal taste.  But, you don't see very many Carhartt jackets or football jerseys in there.

Outside of oysters, Lento is a great place for cocktails.  They are very good.  During their very short happy hour, you can get a good price.  I was disappointed that they only have ONE cocktail you can order for the happy hour price.  There was also one beer and three wines available for happy hour.  Count us as disappointed in the minuscule selection.  So, as long as you would like your only option, it's a good deal and very tasty.

On to the oysters.  They always seem to have 4-5 oysters available for $1 and two to select from for $2.  The flavors of the oysters is nice and diverse and the staff is very knowledgeable about where they come from, flavor profiles, etc.  You can only order a maximum of 30 oysters for the table at a time.  With a large group, you just have to keep re-ordering them and keep 'em coming!  Their mignonette sauce is very good.  2nd only to Erie Grill.  But just barely.  I did have to keep asking for more of it, however.  They don't bring enough for 30 oysters.  Actually, they don't bring enough for 15-20 oysters if you really like your mignonette.  I will take a second to gripe about how long it takes the oysters to come out.  To their credit, they do warn you, but... If you order 30 of them, be prepared to wait.  They shuck them behind the bar.  I don't know if they have dedicated shuckers or not, but it looks like a bar tender has to come off of bar duty.  This becomes a problem with 4 or more people at the table.  We got through 30 oysters well before our next round came out.  So, we had about 10-15 minutes of waiting after we had already been there for 30-45 minutes.  Now we appreciate the shucking for the freshness, but there has to be a better system.  Maybe have someone in the back shucking to keep 20-30 ready to go.  Then, when an order comes in, it isn't so much of a catastrophe.

The oysters are served on a big metal plate.  This isn't very appealing, and seems like a dish that should be kept in the back to prepare food.  Especially at a more upscale place with high prices. We do like the little flags that they put on the plate so you can identify which oyster is which.  They're all quite good, so enjoy that.  Also enjoy instructing your uncultured friends how to eat oysters.  For an oyster night with a group, this is where we would go.

Lento's duck fat frites are very good, and go well with oysters.  They have a seafood bar, so you can grab any of the following seafood you'd like at any time: oysters, lobster tail, shrimp, clams, and crab claws. So if you're swinging by for just a quick drink, why not add a small seafood taste?

Lento has an average selection of entrees and they're all pretty good.  We've never been floored by anything, but also never disappointed.  We do always seem to be there for a long time, no matter if it is oyster night or not.  This is both because the relaxed atmosphere doesn't make you feel in a rush and because it takes longer between visits from our server than most other places.

The drinks are good and reasonably priced.  But if you're getting real entrees to go along with the drinks, it gets expensive.

We peg Lento as a great place to go for a cocktail during happy hour.  Maybe get some oysters, frites, and/or an appetizer to go along with it, if you want.  But, if we want to have a sit down dinner at a real dinner time with a real entree, we usually choose to go elsewhere.

For us, the price tag and wait time are usually enough where we can come up with another place to go. (see Gate House or Selena's, just a 15 second walk down the Village Gate)  We do come back, but it is usually when a friend asks to go or if we're here for the oysters.   Don't get me wrong; they're right at the top of the list for Oysters, and also for cocktails.

We'll swing by for cocktails before going to see a show at the Auditorium Theater.  Park at the Village Gate, have a cocktail or two and an appetizer or two.  Walk to the show.  Then walk back to the car after the show to avoid all of the traffic and paying for parking.  Nailed it!

Lento is worth checking out.  Maybe you'll like the atmosphere more than Mike.  They should certainly be on your radar for oysters and cocktails.  We recommend giving it a try for a quick drink and snack.  Then, decide if you'll want to come back for the full experience.

Erie Grill (Oyster Special)

MMMMMMMmmm

Turn Ons:
Atmosphere/Canal View 
Intimacy
Quick Service
Great Happy Hour Specials and Prices (5-7)
Great Mignonette sauce
Salt Chips

Turn Offs:
Small Space
Boring Fries

Summary:
This review will focus on Erie Grill's Oyster special, as we are taking the week to go to an Oyster Special every day and compare them. But we are also touching on other items, as well.

Pulling into the Del Monte parking lot in Pittsford already has a certain kind of elegance about it and you know its going to attract the well-to-do crowd.  The Erie Grill is just as (if not, more) elegant as the Del Monte.  So, dress nicely.

We arrived right at the beginning of their two-hour long happy hour.  There were already a few guests at the bar.  I suspect most are hotel guests, so I would peg this as a good place to meet someone who might be out on their own.  As we people-watched, we sure spotted a few singles getting to know each other at the bar.

They have a very nice cocktail selection and use top-quality liqueur.  I ordered two of the Carmel Vanillas, as soon as I saw that they were made with Black Button Bourbon Cream.  So good!  It is a dessert in a glass.  So, that's healthier than normal dessert, right?

We ordered 5 of each $1 oyster right away for a total of 15 oysters.  They came out very quickly, which I appreciated.  I suspect that they pre-shuck some of the oysters and put them on ice.  Because, let's be honest: on Oyster Special Night, you can expect to go through a certain amount of oysters.  So, I really appreciated the quick turn-around.  We didn't notice any degradation in quality due to any suspected pre-shucking, so we really like the idea.

I will say that they only had 3 types of oysters to select from, and I'm not sure that someone wants to order "Little Bitches" while eating at a fancy restaurant.  Yes, that was the name of one of the oysters.  Also, all three of the oysters tasted similar to each other.  They were good, but there wasn't very much variance in flavor. As far as oyster selection, Erie Grill comes in above most oyster specials, but behind Lento.  I will say that their mignonette sauce that is served with the oysters is my favorite that I've had so far.

They have a nice 2 for $20 Happy Hour Special where you can order any two of four available entrees for $20.  The Bison Sliders were dry, but the avocado helped to hide that.  I'll take a second to state that if I'm going to make sliders, I'm going to make them out of a fattier meat to keep them moist.  The small sliders cook the middle too quickly for something as lean as bison meat.  That's probably why they added the avocado.  I say if you're going to make a bison burger, make a bison burger instead of multiple small sliders.  The pretzel bun was probably my favorite pretzel bun I've ever had.  It was very lightly toasted just enough to help bring out the sugars but not so much as to blacken it.  It was also moist and springy enough where I didn't feel like I was biting into concrete, which can happen with pretzel buns.  The fries were boring.  They tried to dress them up with a sauce, but it wasn't working.  Now, their salt chips are delicious!  Get those.  And they're only $1 during happy hour!  The flatbread is a nice healthier and non-meat option, but there wasn't much flavor to it and that was also a bit boring.  The goat cheese was too strong of a flavor, since there really weren't any other strong flavors on the pallet.  But, Melisa doesn't mind goat cheese as much as I do.

We will definitely be back to Erie Grill.  We decided that we'll probably arrive during happy hour on a Monday.  We'll each order a cocktail and order ~15 oysters.  We'll order the salt chips, and split the 2 for $20.

We hope you get the chance to enjoy this very elegant restaurant, the beautiful view of the canal, and the many flavors available to you.  There are a few short-comings, but it is sure to be a wonderful experience.

The Gate House

MMMMMMMmmm

Turn Ons:
Burgers
Pizza
Cocktails
Bloody Marys

Turn Offs:
Variable Service
Variable Food Presentation
Slightly Pricey
Poor Beer Selection

Summary:
The Gate House is considered the center of the Village Gate in Rochester.  Some can argue that Selena's and Lento might also be in that discussion, but c'mon; it's the Gate House.
We've been to the Gate House quite a few times.  They have recently changed locations within the Village Gate.  So now, they have more room; which should help to improve their famous long wait times.
They serve brunch and it is very good.  We both highly recommend their Bloody Marys.  They are so flavorful without being too spicy or salty.  With a slice of bacon in your glass, you can't go wrong.
The Gate House uses very fresh, local ingredients, and you can really taste it.  Each dish is just so good.
They have sections of their menu devoted to both burgers and pizzas.  They make specialty burgers and pizzas and they are named after famous Rochester people and landmarks, so that is fun.
The burgers are very high quality and you can specify how you want it cooked.
The pizzas are Neapolitan style and we're pretty sure we saw a wood-fire oven.
We are yet to find a burger or pizza we didn't like.  In fact, we are yet to find anything we didn't like at all.  Even the salads and appetizers are also very good.

Now most people at our table are visibly irritated when we realize they don't have a physical beer menu.  The server must list the beers off at hyper-speed and it is up to the customer to try to pick one out and remember the name by the time they're done.  Why not print out a menu like every other restaurant on the planet?  Perhaps the reasoning is to hide that fact that they don't have a very good beer selection.  Especially in a city as progressive W.R.T. beer as Rochester, the beer selection is quite limited.  Bordering on bad.

This last topic, we probably wouldn't have brought up if we hadn't been there since the move, but we feel like we need to mention it.  Without it, they would certainly have received one or two more "M"s from us.  Maybe they've had to hire a bunch of new staff to handle the larger crowds that they are sure to see with the expanded seating available.  So, maybe that's what's going on here... but we were less than impressed by a few things.  Now, I've been ordering the Gate Plate (their take on the Rochester iconic Garbage Plate) 90% of the time we go to The Gate House.  Instead of macaroni salad, they serve it with pasta salad, which I wrinkled my nose at.  Melisa to the rescue.  She knows that their macaroni & cheese is delicious, so she recommended I substitute the mac & cheese for the pasta salad.  Brilliant!  So, that is how I've been ordering my Gate Plate, ever since! (Medium Rare on the burgers) In their last location, it came out like one would expect.  Fries and mac & cheese on the bottom.  Two burger patties on top.  Delicious meat sauce poured over everything.  ~drooling~ so good! So.... now we've been there since the move, and three of us made that exact same order.  And THIS time, they brought out the plate with fries and two patties on top, with barely any meat sauce on one of the patties.  Then, the mac & cheese on the side! What the?! Why would you do that?! I didn't order "make-your-own-garbage-plate".   And it was seriously lacking Meat Sauce.
We also had another order of a salad with a grilled chicken topper for $5 extra.  The grilled chicken topper consisted of half of one chicken breast.  Not enough to be considered a topper, and certainly not enough to warrant the $5 price tag.  When this was brought up to another server passing-by, we received the ole "you get what you get" response.  When we relayed that to our server, we got the correct "I'm sorry.  Would you like some more chicken?  Or anything else I can do?" response.  So, someone eventually got it right.
So, the point is that we're wondering if the quality of service and food preparation is going to suffer as a result of the move to the new location with the larger seating capacity.  Or, is this more like a temporary growing pain?  We'll check back the next time we visit!

In summary, the food is very very good.  You can get your comfort food or your healthy rabbit food and be quite happy with it.  We recommend the Sunday Brunch and you have to get a Bloody Mary.  If you like garbage plates, try our spin on their Gate Plate.  Be prepared for long waits during typical dining hours.  Be prepared for a staff that might not be totally trained up.  We hope they grow into their new space.  We'll be back to try them out again.  This is a great place to take friends and family from out of town.

Tap and Mallet

MMMMMMMMmm

Turn Ons:
AMAZING Beer selection
Poutine
Buffalo Tofu Bites
Fish 'n Chips
Social/relaxed Atmosphere

Turn Offs:
Getting served at the crowded bar
Variance in Food quality
Occasionally irritating guests

Summary:
Tap and Mallet is in the heart of the South Wedge of Rochester.  In fact, for some people it is the landmark of the South Wedge.  We frequent this bar often, so we have quite a few visits to base our review on.  Let's begin with our first impression.

The outside of the bar is not very inviting at all.  Very plain and bland.  If not for their name, you wouldn't know what's behind the door.  Once you walk in, you're greeted with a rather dark atmosphere, huge bar, and tons of taps.  With a name like Tap and Mallet, they make sure to have loads of taps.  And they DO!  I also appreciate them using the actual taps of the beers they have on tap.  So, if I don't want to look at a menu, a quick glance down the bar will show me most options. We can usually find something we like at first glance.  But, if we want something new, we'll grab their 500 page menu. (Not actually 500 pages)

Here is where we have had varying experiences.  Getting the bar tender's attention.  During non-peak hours, it isn't too difficult.  But, we've noticed that during peak hours, if the bar tender doesn't recognize you, you're going to have a tough time placing an order.  "Hello?  I see that you see me. Why are you still at the other end of this bar?" They don't move with any sense of urgency, and they seem to like to socialize with their friends at the bar, rather than serve us.  This is a very social area and everyone knows everyone.  It is good in some ways, but irritating in others.  We've had conversations butted into by others who just felt the need to impart their extensive beer knowledge upon us, and been irritated by the "whoo" girls on the weekends.  Can you blame the bars for their customers?  Not totally.  But a bar attracts a certain crowd.  This is a younger, more hipster crowd.  That's not necessarily good or bad, but you can't deny it.  And this has to be the greatest concentration of IPA connoisseurs on the face of the planet.  It seems like everyone knows everything about IPAs, and if you aren't drinking one, then you know nothing.  Fortunately, they do allow you to order other beers, and they have a lot of them.

Lets get back to the review.

If you're looking for a table, it seems like the servers double as the host(ess).  So, someone walking by usually asks if you want a table.  You don't have to wait long, because the first server to grab you can seat you in their section.   It can just be a bit confusing, because one server will tell you "just a sec" as they're hustling to the bar to grab something.  Then, another server will ask if you need to be seated, and you're just like "I'm not sure.  I think that other person was going to seat me, but I can't find him/her."

The beer list is daunting, even for an avid beer drinker.  You have to use your context clues to figure anything out.  Be aware.  These beers are for beer drinkers.  In addition to your more "drinkable" Belgians and wheats, you're going to come across some very dark, hoppy, and IPA-y beers.  So, while they have something for everyone; that includes people with very refined and extreme tastes.  Meaning, you run the risk of coming across something that you really don't like.  Fortunately, they're very knowledgeable of all of their beers, which is impressive, given the extensive selection.  They even know all of the correct pronunciations, which is not easy.  They'll let you get a few free small samples to make up your mind, if you want.   You'll find something.  If you can't find 5 beers that you like at Tap and Mallet; we've got news for you: you don't like beer.

Now, you pick your beer.  Order the Poutine and the Hot Buffalo Tofu Bites.  They're both to die for.  You can't beat them.  We know, we said the curse word "tofu".  Trust us, friends.  DO IT! mm so good.  Then, pick out your entree if you want.  You can't go wrong with the Fish 'n Chips.  With the other entrees, we've had mixed results.  We're usually very pleased.  However, there have been a few times when we thought they must be joking when they brought our food out.  Shrimp skewers, shrimp tacos, and we think buffalo chicken tacos.  We won't go into details, but we were utterly disappointed in the small effort and amount of food for what we paid.   But, their more "usual" dishes were very good.  So, it can be hit-or-miss.  If you get more traditional "pub" food, you should be safer.  It's too bad, because the food that they're good at, they're REALLY good at.  But the "bad" is quite disappointing.

Again, this is the south wedge, so be prepared for a more eccentric server.  If you faint at the sight of tattoos and piercings, you might stay away.  We will say, that they're not so extreme at Tap and Mallet as they are at other places.  They're also very knowledgeable and helpful.  You can't serve at Tap and Mallet and be a dummy; especially W.R.T. beer.

In conclusion, we definitely recommend getting to Tap and Mallet, if just for the experience.  You will be impressed with the bar and beer selection.  Try to go during off hours, if you can, but it isn't as bad as it used to be.  Mostly because it seems like traffic is beginning to slow a bit, compared to when we could barely move through the bar area.  Get the apps we recommended.  If you want a sit down meal, get their more traditional British food.

Tap and Mallet hangs its hat on its huge and diverse beer selection and the staff's knowledge.  But, the rest of Rochester is catching up, so they'll need to improve other aspects of their experience if they want to remain a go-to place in Rochester.  Their specials need to get better and they need to either improve their bar tenders' performance or put more bar tenders back there.  But, when all is said and done, Tap and Mallet is definitely a place in Rochester that you need to go to at least once.

Golden Port Dim Sum/House of Sushi

MMmmmmmmmm

Turn Ons:
Scallion Pancake
Atmosphere

Turn Offs:
Steep Price
Seeming lack of sushi serving knowledge

Summary:
So, we're not actually sure if we were eating at Golden Port Dim Sum or House of Sushi because they use the same entrance.  I believe they have the same owner(s)?  So maybe it doesn't matter.  Our intention was to eat at House of Sushi, but I'm not sure if that is what ultimately happened.  It was quite confusing.

The ambiance wasn't bad.  We were seated quickly and given one paper menu for the two of us.  We had to ask for the sushi menu (and received one), which was irritating and didn't make much sense to us.  We shouldn't have to ask for a sushi menu at a sushi place.  We should also get two of each menu, so we can both look at the same time.  We received our water and our server took our drink order. They had a decent beer that we both ordered.  Nothing to write home about, but they have it if you only drink beer.

Everything came in a timely manner.  The apps were good, especially the scallion pancakes.  I could eat those all day.  The sushi was OK.  We had to ask for a dish for the soy sauce.  Once again; if you're a sushi place, you ought to know better.  The traditional sushi was "meh".  The Spider Roles were pretty darn good, but they were HUGE!  It wasn't really practical to try to cram one of those in your mouth.  Unless I'm mistaken, that's how sushi is supposed to work...  Plus the Spider Rolls were more apt to fall apart while being picked up with chop sticks.  And we're no rookies with chop sticks. But they were good.  I'd say they were in the top half of the spider roll tasty scale.  But again; nothing to write home about.

Almost everything about Golden Port Dim Sum/House of Sushi was mediocre.  For everything that was above average, there were two things below average.  Unfortunately, one of the things that was above average was the bill. Geesh.

We were kind of feeling like we could take-it-or-leave-it.  We could come back, but we wouldn't go out of our way.  But once we received our bloated bill, we took them off of our "Coming back again" list.  If we go on a double-date in the future and the other couple insists on coming here, we'll act like we're happy to go, and we'll probably have a lovely time due to our company.  But, I know I'll be ordering the cheapest items on the menu.  It just isn't worth it.  I'll take a green tea, scallion pancakes, and a few California rolls.

If you want mediocre sushi and Asian food, there are far less-expensive places to go in Rochester.  If you want to spend more money, there is far better quality and service in Rochester.

The Swillburger Playhouse

MMMMMMMMmm

Turn Ons:
Burger
BBQ Sauce
Beer
Games
Social Atmosphere

Turn Offs:
Game down-time
Poor utilization of Shuffleboard

I've always known it as The Swillburger, due to the large "The Swillburger" painted on the side of the building.  But the website calls it The Playhouse.  So, I'm calling it The Swillburger Playhouse.

The Swillburger name comes from the Swillburg Neighborhood in Rochester, that The Swillburger resides within.  Also, probably the fact that their food focuses on burger pattys.  Looking at a map:
Swillburg Map
The Swillburger Playhouse sits on the border of the Swillburg Neighborhood and the South Wedge.  There is a new building on the same street called The Edge of the Wedge.  There is a long seated friendly rivalry between Swillburg and the South Wedge, but I digress.  Let's share S Clinton.

The Swillburger Playhouse used to be a church (see link below).  It was purchased and converted into a burger joint, bar, and arcade.  There used to be artwork on the building, but Rochester weather took care of that.  Rumors are that the artist will try again this summer using a different technology that is less susceptible to wind, rain, and cold.  (In Rochester?! WHAAAAT?!)

It is fun to see the old architecture and to try to picture how the building was previously used.  When you enter from the corner of S Clinton and Meigs, you instantly walk into the arcade.  It can be a bit noisy and in-your face, so most people have to stop to take it in.  The large bar is straight ahead and food is to the left.  There is usually a short line for food.  So, lets talk about that.

We went to Swillburger when it first opened, before they could even sell alcohol.  (I know, I can't believe Melisa went before they could serve alcohol).  We were absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how good the burgers were.  They don't do much with the food.  They have a few burger options and some potato options, and that's it.  But the sauces are so good and the burgers are even better.  The potatoes are crunchy.  Try the BBQ sauce.  Their shakes were amazing, but I haven't ordered them since the bar opened.  BUT.... it seems to us that they've changed their burgers a bit.  They're still legit burgers with good meat and everything.  But we get the feeling that the patties get squished down and flattened, now. NOOOO! That squishes out all of the moisture and cooks the middle too much!  Whereas before, we thought these were top-tier burgers, now our opinion is that the burgers are "pretty good".  We hope they change them back. We've been getting the crispy chicken "sammich" ever since.  Their BBQ sause is epic.  They were kind enough to supply their BBQ sauce for our Pig Roast for our Engagement party and everyone was raving about it!

I recommend coming in and getting some food in your belly right away.  Take it upstairs and eat on the  top floor where you can look down upon the other patrons at the barcade.  Enjoy the food, view, and plan out which games you want to play while secretly judging the puny peons, below.

Clean up after yourself and go grab a beer.  They have a good selection of craft beers.  I wasn't a huge fan of the cocktails.  I ordered the same cocktail from two different bar tenders and got two totally different drinks.  I think this may just be a fluke.  But still; this is a beer bar.  Get the beer. They seem to try to also be a cocktail bar for the ladies, but in our opinion, they're not very good at it yet.  The bar is huge and even with all the traffic, you should be able to get a menu and your order in.  The beer taps do not have the individual taps for which beer they are serving, so you unfortunately have to get your hands on a paper menu, which are distributed all over the bar.  So, it's not too bad.  Plus everyone is friendly, and happy to hand you a menu.  I hope they put up a chalk board or something later, so customers can see the beer listed on the wall behind the bar.  Order your beer.  Enjoy the throwback games displayed on the wall behind the bar that resembles a Tetris game.  Take your beer with you to get your tokens by the entrance door, if you're here to play games.  (They could probably place this is a more convenient location, away from everyone entering and leaving the bar.)

This isn't Dave and Busters.  These are the old school throwback arcade games from the Original Nintendo and Sega Genesis.  There are a ton of pinball games, there is a shuffleboard which is near the bar.  I love that they have shuffleboard! Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be perfectly level, and being so near the bar, there can be spills on it which makes the friction of the board unpredictable.  I would hope they could maintain it a little better.  I like it near the bar, because as a bar patron it is easy to just turn around, watch a game, and even socialize.  The trouble is that it can be difficult and distracting to play with so many people crowded around.  I wonder if it would do better upstairs.  The balcony may not support the weight, and it might be physically impossible to move that monstrosity upstairs.  When the bar is full, it can be difficult to move through the arcade with everyone milling around or waiting for a game.  But, you get to play the games for $0.50 each.  That's tough to beat these days.  I find that it is actually easier to strike up conversations among the games.  If you're Wolverine, and you jump in to help Storm tackle Magneto, you're bound to start chatting with Storm.  "Use your Mutant Power!"  That's a winning line every time.  Seriously, the patrons here just seem to be in a better mood and more open to conversation with a complete stranger than any place I can think of.

I do want to take this time to point out that they do get some breakdowns of games, and they're going to have to improve their repair time if they want their customers to remain loyal.  Some games go down for months.  I can't imagine that in this tech-savvy neighborhood, they can't find a couple reliable repair people.  Keep an inventory of things that break often like buttons and joysticks, and someone who can work on them when the place is closed.  Create a relationship with a place that specializes in the old arcade games replacement parts. (I will point out that, since this was originally written, they have improved upon this, greatly.  I like to think that this was our doing.)

Hanging at the bar is also still a solid choice.  Enjoy the nerdy T-shirts you're bound to see.  The occasional handle-bar mustache.  But, some patrons still are dressed to impress.  It's a quite diverse scene and it works well.

The owners knew what they were doing.  This is a young, hip neighborhood.  They like simple food, have a very mature beer palette, and love video games.  Enter a barcade.  This is a winning combination for this neighborhood.

Melisa and I have discussed what this will mean for the other local bars.  I think everyone will swarm The Swillburger Playhouse and the other bars will lose some business.  Melisa thinks that the other nearby bars will benefit due to more people coming to do bar crawls in the area.  So, once people come to Swillburger, they might walk across or down the street to visit other bars as well.  Only time will tell.  (since time has gone by, the Rochester Pedal Tours has included the Swillburger on their tour, increasing traffic in the area.  1 point to Melisa)

This is where I want to mention that they do not have their own parking lot.  It isn't too hard to find parking on Meigs St within a block, but I get a little anxious at night on the weekends.  Melisa and I can walk, so we don't care :-p I'm sure others walk and ride bicycles, too.

In conclusion, the Swillburger Playhouse knows its customers well.  They have a great business model.  I have a few minor gripes about the burgers, lack of menu behind the bar, game brake downs, shuffleboard shortcomings, and the token machine location.  But, the fact is that we keep going.  It is incredibly social, and lots of fun.  I don't like hanging out at just "bars"; I like something to do while I sip my drink and talk to old friends or new ones.  Here, there is so much to keep you occupied, and it is easy to meet new friends.  The Swillburger Playhouse will surely become a staple and landmark in the Swillburg/South Wedge neighborhoods.

The Playhouse

Buta Pub

MMMMMMMmmm

Turn Ons:
Sexy Ginger Chicken Wings 
Comfortable, social seating is available. 

Turn Offs:
Slow Reception
Rare to get to sit in the highly-coveted comfy social area.

Is it "Butta Pub"? Or "Boota Pub"?  No one seems to know.  Their website does state that its "Nothing but a pub."  So, maybe it's "Butt".  I have heard a server pronounce it differently, though.  My guess is that no one really cares, and as long as everyone agrees on what we're talking about....

Buta Pub is located in the Historic German House in the South Wedge.  If you remember where The Keg used to be? Don't worry, it doesn't resemble the Keg one bit.  The Keg changed to Zeppa Bistro not long ago, where it got a major face lift and, lets be honest; manners, charm, grace, cleanliness, and an education.  Not long after Zeppa, the owners moved on to focus their efforts elsewhere, and Buta Pub came in.  They kept the higher-class restaurant feel and put their own spin of flavors on the place.

From the outside, it looks like you're going into a bit of a dive bar.  The black and white sign with a plump pig sitting on its rear end doesn't really give the feeling of sophistication.  The outside brick patio is nice, however.  When you enter, you're going down into a basement.  OK, this isn't helping.  They do seem to have an elevator for wheelchairs, so thumbs up.  Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, the host(ess) podium greets you.  But, in my experience, there is usually a short wait until a host(ess) actually greets you.  It is understandable if they're seating someone else, but they're usually just in the back.  I don't get it.

While you're waiting for the hostess to appear, enjoy viewing the lovely area just inside the dining area, where people can sit and socialize on comfy chairs and couches around elegant coffee tables.  You are free to eat your meal here, but the seats are so deep and soft, this area isn't really conducive to eating a full meal.  It is very comfortable and elegant.  If you just want cocktails and maybe an appetizer or two, try parking it here.  It is usually filled up however, and patrons aren't exactly rushing to leave the area.  To the other side is their nice bar.  You'll see most or all of the seats taken up, but there usually aren't layers of people standing behind them vying for the bar tender's attention. So a quick drink is easy enough to get.

There hasn't been a wait since we've been going, so you should promptly be seated.  Sometimes they do special events.  So, there might be trivia, a Rochester Young Professionals Happy Hour, an art event, or something of the sort. 

When being seated, you are instantly given water glasses and a water carafe is left so you're not reliant on your server for refills.  Thumbs up.  Nothing irks us more than running out of water.  They will refill the carafe if need-be.  You're instantly presented with your drink and food menu.  They have a nice, diverse beer selection and the cocktails are quite good too.  I thought the $9 cocktails were priced quite well.  They're also unique and fun to try out.  You can also get a flight if you want to try different beers.

Listen to me: Order the wings.  They come in two different flavors.  One is hotter than the other, but just barely and the "heat" won't slow you down.  We get these every time we go.  Large, meaty wings, that are crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.  The sauces are both delicious, and it is obvious that they are created by a trained chef.  These aren't some mass-produced wings tossed in the cheapest buffalo sauce.  They may even let you have half the wings in one sauce and half in the other, so you can decide which you like best.  Just get them!

You don't really expect it, with the pig on the sign, but Buta Pub is actually an Asian-inspired American Cuisine.  This isn't your corner Chineese take-out store.  From what I've seen, most (if not, all) of the dishes are made on site with really fresh ingredients, and the meat is so good on every dish.  This is high-class food we're talking about.  They do a lot of pork, which one would expect with the sign.  Being in the South Wedge, they're conscious of the non-meat eaters, too.  Not just conscious, but good at it.  Their Ramen is quite good, which surprised me.  That's just because I'm thinking of the instant Ramen from my college days.  I will say that I thought mine was a bit salty.  But, I'm a bit sensitive to salt, and I'm pretty sure salt is expected in Ramen.  You can go as casual as a burger, to as fancy as a 1/2 Roasted Pig Head.  No, We haven't spent the $79 on that just yet. It is advertised to serve 4-6 people. They have some unique dishes here.  I bet you'll be able to try something you've never had before.

Their selection is great without being overwhelming.  You'll be able to find something.  I thought the food was priced quite well; especially for the quality that they serve.

I guess I'll warn my more traditional audience that you should be prepared to have a server with visible tattoos and piercings.  It doesn't bother me a bit, and I actually prefer an eccentric server: It creates good conversation if you feel like socializing.  But I know everyone has different hang-ups, so I thought I'd put it out there.  Buta Pub seems to celebrate individuality.  Let's be honest.  You can't afford to run a business in the Wedge and expect your employees to adhere to a strict and out-dated code of appearance.  This group is quite a bit more eccentric.  If you didn't allow tattoos or face piercings, you'd cut your available workforce in the South Wedge by 60%.  (That's my opinion, 60% is not based on actual research. Just observation.) Furthermore, the servers are very knowledgeable and have great manners.  They'll chat shortly with you if you want, and they'll leave you alone if you're immersed in conversation.  Gone are the days where a tattoo automatically means you're a drunk biker-gang member.

The atmosphere is casual, but you also wouldn't feel out of place in a suit, which is a tough feeling to pull off.  They have a side room with a pool table and bar for private parties.  It is very comfortable and charming.  We always feel relaxed.

I recommend getting out to see Buta Pub before everyone else catches on to what a great place it is.  Once word gets out, I can see the waits getting longer due to volume and people just not wanting to leave.  When I show up, I'm always instantly irritated because I can't figure out why they can't have a host(ess) stand at the podium to greet patrons.  But, the place is so charming, intimate, and well-done; that feeling melts away (especially by the time we've received our wings and flights).

Swiftwater Brewing Co.

MMMMMMMMMm

Turn Ons:
Beer Flight
Extremely impressive service and staff
High quality and unique... everything

Turn Offs:
Out of the way for walking (I'm really reaching to find something I don't like, here)

Swiftwater has been in the South Wedge for a while now, and we've been hearing rave reviews from our friends.  It took us far too long to get there, but Swiftwater Brewing did not disappoint.

At first glance, it sort of looks like an industrial building.  If I had never heard of Swiftwater before, I might not have stopped (not knowing what was inside the building).  Being located on Mt. Hope instead of a place like South Ave hurts their potential pedestrian traffic, but you sort of get the feeling that they like a more intimate atmosphere, anyway.  Across the street is the Ford St. Bridge, so the foot traffic isn't non-existent.  We still walked a few blocks to get there.  The large (looks like stainless steel?) pots/fermenters/or other beer-making containers dominate your vision when you walk in, pleasantly.  Then, you bring your sight down to the gorgeous wood bar that clearly was made with love and skill.  It was too cold when we were there, but they have outdoor seating and a big garage-style door that opens to the high ceiling in warmer weather.  This gets packed in the summer! Unique artwork hangs on the walls, and seems to also be for sale.  It has a very nice micro-brewery feel with just a twinge of hipster.

We had our choice of sitting at the bar, a tall table, or a typical dining table.  We didn't want to take up bar space since we would be eating, so we found a tall table near the bar.  Thankfully, it had a menu already on the table, just like the other empty tables had.  It was nice to not have to wait or require interaction with the staff to see a menu.  We also could clearly see the beer and specials on the portrait-style chalk board behind the bar.  Although, it was a little low, which made it difficult to see the lower beers on the list through patrons' heads.  They keep two "guest" beers on tap, so we could try other local breweries.  Cool.  Later, we found out that they really just cycle in-and-out their beer as the kegs kick it.  So, you're getting really fresh beer; and you can taste it.

We settled on selecting a food item, each; and we selected 4 different beers each for two flights.  I saw at the bottom of the menu to please order at the bar.  The bar was at about 75% capacity, so I could find an empty seat to catch the bar-tender's eye.  (Mike speaking, here) My biggest gripe about bars is that I always feel like the bar tender(s) couldn't care less if I got my drink, and I hate fighting for their attention.  So, what happened next, really struck a chord with me: The bar tender nearest me, who was already helping a couple, saw me waiting as soon as I arrived at the bar from our nearby table.  He turned to call his colleague, and asked his colleague to make sure I was seen to.  This was the FIRST time this has ever happened to me.  Wait.... he CARES about me?!  This goes against my every bar experience.  Anyway.... the colleague dropped what he was doing and came to see what we needed and he promptly took our orders.  We headed back to our table with our flights and two glasses of water to enjoy ourselves until our food came. Don't forget a glass of water, friends.  In addition to keeping you hydrated, it slows your rate of alcohol consumption (This saves you money and potentially embarrassing Youtube hits).  AND, if you're doing a flight, it cleanses your pallet in-between tastes, so your last beer doesn't impact the flavor of your next beer.

The atmosphere was relaxing, with vinyl playing at an appropriate level.  We found out later that on Thursdays, you can bring your own vinyl to play from behind the bar.

So, we're tasting our flights.  Reading the menu, most of their beers lean toward the IPA and hoppy end of the spectrum.  Just to be clear; that was how the menu read.  But, when drinking the beer, there was a beer for every pallet on the menu.  We tried to get some tastes from all around the menu, but we just don't like strong IPAs.  So, no; we didn't get their Double IPA.  Save your complaints.  The beer that we did try was good.  The selection was diverse.  Something for everyone.  And they did a great job with each style of beer.  I know I really enjoyed my lighter beers, I did get an IPA and enjoyed it, the Amber Ale was flavorful, and not being a "Porter Guy", I thought there was a lot of flavor in the porters without them being too strong, if that even makes any sense.  I enjoyed the Grapefruit and the Sour.  Even the beers that were styles that I wouldn't choose for myself: if someone bought me a pint, I would still happily drink it.  I can't say that about every IPA or Porter I've had.  Bottom line is... the beer is good.  Try a flight and pick out what you like the most.  Maybe you won't love one of the four, but I bet you'll find one that you do thoroughly enjoy, and you probably won't turn many of them down.

Then, our food came.  Wow... delish!  The meat was sourced from just around the corner.  Yes, literally; in the South Wedge, too.  And the medium-rare burger kept that moist-but-not-soggy flavor.  The pickles were crunchy and scrumptious.  I can't speak to the tomato, because I asked to go without.  Sorry if you love tomatoes. Melisa added bacon to her grilled cheese and that was another party in the mouth.  The pan fried potatoes reminded us of really well-prepared home fries.  YUM!  The portions were just right, too.

Then, the first bar tender swung by to make sure we were enjoying everything.  He took the time to tell us a little history and facts about the place.  It is easy to see that the staff is really tight-knit, and they really love what they do.  They truly want their customers to enjoy themselves.  And they make darn great beer and food!

The price is good for the area, right where you'd expect it to be. Not cheap, but not going to break the bank, either.

Swiftwater gives you the feeling that a bunch of friends came together with many different skills, and put them all together to create a poetic brewery and bar.  Everywhere, are signs of thoughtfulness, care, skill, originality, and love.

If you want to try new beer, especially local beer; get to Swiftwater.  You'll be glad you did.  The quality of the food and drink is incredible, and the employees are even better.  You'll leave with a smile, and you get the feeling that's what they're truly aiming for.