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.
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....
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:
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:
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.
yep. orbs has the best brunch, it's true.
ReplyDelete