Driving around trying to find parking we came across this cool tiled outdoor bar. We decided to…read morestop in and asked to eat outside. The food was great. Ordered the lobster rolls and the flaming cheese. I prefer the Connecticut style with no mayo and just butter, which is what I thought from the description on the menu, but it definitely was loaded with mayo. Not bad but not expected. Waitress was very nice and attentive. Music was a little loud outside at times. Overall, great experience. Will be back.

Christina our waitress was very good. Little menu and food was good. Cesar dressing was very fresh.read more

The Eastman is a cool, basement level speakeasy. The door is located in the back, but otherwise not…read morehard to find. This cocktail bar is small, low ceiling with low lighting, and simple decor. Their menu is a small book of interesting, and priced as such, cocktails. Each has a fun name. They do offer a small list of beer and wine, and obviously you can order a standard drink as well. They have a few snack offerings, but there is no full menu. A friend and I went at the right time, the late end of happy hour on a Friday, but before any crowd. We did not have a reservation, but they were quiet when we arrived and we were seated immediately. They do have a 90 minute table limit for busy nights. The service was fantastic all around. We both enjoyed our drinks and the atmosphere. This may be the best place in Rochester for a drink.

I found out about this place on Instagram and we stopped by last week when we were out to dinner to…read morecheck it out, and were able to visit for a drink this weekend. I love the little speak easy bars popping up all over the city, it is a fun way to use the space. During the day, this is a hallway that leads to a barber shop, then turns into a bar during the evening. I loved the dark aesthetic, with the black lace draped tiny lamps at each table and the slightly spooky Halloween vibe. The people working here were incredibly nice and helpful and very eager to serve drinks and make this a fun evening. We came as a pre-dinner cocktail, since I am trying to eat around the city and visit as many establishments as I can. I liked their very themed menu, and their additional Halloween drinks. They had a lot of very creative types of infused liquors to try, ranging from candy infused to meat infused alcohols. But we went for the very standard espresso martini (since we are trying them at as many places as possible) and a very tropical martini. The espresso one was good, not quite at the top of my list, but I am a very big fan of Dessert Oasis, which is right above this bar and I am told shares owners. The tropical one, called For My Fans, was excellent. I would get that one again. This seems like a fun place to go, especially with friends, for quick a drink and to try new flavors.

This is one of my most favorite places for cocktails & appetizers. My girls & I go every week for…read moretheir espresso martinis, sliders, fries, and Caesar salads. Saint 1881 is so consistent, has a great staff, and incredible atmosphere. I will never not recommend this place!

This is a beautiful, newer, restaurant located in a renovated church across the street from their…read moresister restaurant, Rochester Brunch House. The front is well maintained and welcomes you through the door to a gorgeously decorated dining room and bar. Seating is somewhat limited (it's a small space) but we got there during a slower period so we were sat right away. The brunch menu has a good variety and I opted for the Avocado Croast (the "toast" was a croissant) and a drip coffee. Beware that the drip coffee gets only one free refill. I asked during ordering because there are some places that don't give any free refills. Hubby ordered the Huevos Rancheros served in a bowl. The food came out beautifully and was very fresh. If I wanted to nitpick, I'd say they are keeping the roasted potatoes in a steamer which is making their crispy outer layer somewhat soggy but they still tasted good. They should revisit how they are keeping them warm or crisp them quickly before serving. The avocado toast didn't have a lot of avocado but it was still good. They should consider adding some sea salt to top it off - it would enhance the overall flavor. The service was good - I think our server wasn't comfortable in this job. That was okay for us as she warmed up to us after a while. All in all, a nice experience for our first time there. I'd like to return to try other menu items in the future.

We saw this place after leaving Too-Ra-Loo and decided to make a trip back to Rochester to check it…read moreout. What we learned is that The Hemmingway Room host 6-8 week pop ups. Right now it's Hanana Nights and the menu is Cuban. We ordered cocktails while we decided on dinner. My wife ordered Hotel Nacional and I got Call Your Mother. The drinks were served in fun cups and were absolutely delicious. We started out with an order of empanadas. They were crispy and full of tender meat. For dinner I ordered the pork shank and my wife the pineapple burger. She liked the burger, but stole most of my plantains and rice! The pork was delicious. Cooked to a perfect tenderness that fell off the bone. It was super flavorful and, while I didn't get much of the rice or plantains due to my wife, they were excellent. I would love for Havana Nights become a permanent restaurant, but look forward to whatever Hemmingway does next!

My wife and I went to Hemmingways for a date night. She'd been there twice before for events and…read morekept wanting me to experience the place too. We had a nice table which started quiet and proceeded to get louder and more vibrant as the night went on. Service was fine and fast throughout. She had the Smoky Maintain which was strong enough for her to ask for an extra splash of pineapple juice. I had an Amaretto Sour which was nicely presented and tested good enough. It wasn't as strong as hers though. She ordered their Salmon Bowl which had both teriyaki and boom boom sauce; tasted good and was an ample size. My steak and frites came. The steak itself needed a little more seasoning and could have been larger but the truffle fries were top shelf. The chimichuri sauce was good too. The key lime pie for dessert presented well, but it packed the tartness one wants. There was too much whipped cream and not enough lime. That was the only real disappointment. Everything else was pretty great. A 4.6 rounds to 5.

Happy Hour Tuesday was a Bargin and the food was well above average. 6 tacos, Trio appetizer, and a…read moremixed drink for $46. Service was great, drink was well balanced. Guacamole and cheese dip are highly recommended. The Freah Start was strong and balanced. Felt like we stumbled on a spot only locals know. Great experience!

The food is always good here! Would recommend the tacos. Especially the beef and shrimp!…read moreThe drinks are strong and the vibes are very chill. Very intimate space with only a couple tables, mostly bar top seats. Each of the employees is friendly, and we have never had to wait for table or food

Selection is good. Half the cigars are stale or moldy though. Humidor is too dry and cold. Drinks…read moreare probably its saving grace. Sucks because the one off 23 mile is much better, though not as big a selection. Needs some love and attention. I'm young but I know my cigars.

Have the waitress/bartender check on ALL customers throughout the lounge frequently NOT just the…read moreregulars at the bar which I was subjected to

Was looking forward to a Tuesday night dinner with my daughter and son in law The Jackson. Service…read morestaff of slow and inattentive which meant for a long dinner with mediocre food other than the truffle fries. Burger did not provide much taste, salmon over sweet potatoes was bland to go along with under seasoned brussel sprouts. Food was VERY underwhelming and VERY overpriced. Would not visit again, nor would I recommend.

DO NOT BOTHER The…read morebrand exploits a dead artist's identity to promise "artistic" food but delivers a subpar, overpriced experience. We honestly felt like we were being punked. Save your time and money Despite having a reservation, it took 45 minutes to place a drink order and nearly two hours to receive entrees. We weren't served our main courses until after the restaurant had officially closed, and the checkout process took an additional hour. Sat at 7 - could not leave until 11:30 As servers ourselves, we were appalled by the lack of basic hospitality. The meal was a series of failures: Appetizers were old fries served without sauce; we were told we'd be charged when we requested dipping sauce. Salads tasted like cheap, bulk-store dressing with stale, rock-hard croutons. Entrees "Remade" dishes arrived both burnt and cold simultaneously. The quality mirrored low-end buffet food rather than the "art" the brand claims to represent. Should have listened to the first red flag...not surprised by a restaurant that would feel comfortable creating an identity off the back of a dead artist...your brand identity is saying your food is art...it is everything but.

Excellent service. Food does not disappoint. We have been here several times. A go to for…read morerestaurants in Rochester. They have expanded the restaurant and patio. We sat outside. Very pleasant evening. The eggplant Parmesan is served with crispy spinach. So delicious. We ordered mussels and fresh figs with prosciutto and burrata. We split lobster pasta. Came in the shell and then she served it to us and took the shell away. I had the special veal Milanese. Wish that was a regular item!

Quaint little spot hidden in the corner of a strip mall. It is a little pricey but the service by…read moreKristi was spot on and the food excellent. We had the Sausage & Peppers, Linguine Nero alla Scoglio, Pollo Pugliese and Eggplant Parmegian - all were delicious and generous portions. For dessert we opted for the Vodka Espresso Martini - excellent!

This place was FANTASTIC! The food was delicious, the service was excellent and we'll definitely…read morego back again. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. Our drinks were great. I also noticed what looked like the managers/owners (maybe) walking all over to clear dishes greet customers and all around help out their staff that's fantastic. Little loud but great crowd.

This used to be a smashburger restaurant but every time we went there, it was empty. I was sorry to…read moresee it go but now - this place is crazy busy! A family-friendly place as well, which is perfect for this area. There is a variety of seating types, including a large bar with stools. The menu has a lot of choices. This can make it difficult to decide but is nice if you like your meal and want to return to try other dishes. We ended up ordering the Whipped Feta and the Old Detroit Slider Sampler. The Whipped Feta was excellent - the pita that came with it was piping hot and crispy from being fried. That crunch was so satisfying with the sweet taste of the cheese. The slider sampler was perfect for us to share - pick 3 different slider offerings and you get 2 of each. It also comes with a choice of side and we went with tator tots. I loved the way its served - on a large Ploughman's-like metal tray. The sliders were good just not unique, although, I wasn't expecting anything unique at this place. The food was as expected, which is good! We'll definitely return as we have other dishes we need to try!

High tea has a limited selection of teas to choose from. I like that Royal Park Hotel has this…read moreevery weekend.

Disappointing Experience -- "Pet Friendly" Comes With Major Fine Print…read more As a Rochester resident, this experience was especially disappointing. My husband and I are currently renovating our home and booked the Royal Park Hotel while in town for business and personal reasons. We planned to bring our small, well-behaved, 10-year-old dog. After booking online, I called because there was no option to add a pet. Cynthia confirmed they allow dogs and explained the policy. Most rules were reasonable, but two immediately stood out: a strict no-barking policy and dogs MUST be crated whenever the owner leaves the room. We have traveled extensively with our dog and stayed at upscale hotels including the Amway Grand Plaza, The Drake, Hilton properties, and others without issue. Our dog has never been crate trained. I completely understand requiring a dog to be secured when housekeeping enters, but requiring us to cage our 10-year-old dog simply to leave for dinner seems excessive. The no-barking rule also lacks reasonable nuance. Obviously, no guest should be allowed to leave a dog barking continuously and disturbing others. But an occasional bark? Do we also have a no-child-crying policy? There's a difference between normal occasional noise and an actual disturbance. Our dog isn't even a barker, and we travel with a dog camera to monitor her. Then there's the $150 pet fee, which is one of the highest we've encountered. For $150, I'd expect a genuinely pet-friendly experience--not simply permission to have a dog while imposing unusually restrictive rules. I went to the hotel in person hoping common sense and reasonable discretion might prevail. Deanna at the front desk reiterated that it was policy, while a manager beside her confirmed the same. There was seemingly no willingness to discuss an alternative. So we cancelled our reservation and booked The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham instead. What a difference. The Townsend charges a $50 pet fee, provides dog beds and bowls, and does NOT require our dog to be crated when we leave the room. That's what I consider pet friendly. Something else happened while I was at Royal Park that further illustrated my concerns. An older gentleman was attempting to check in early. He was told that even if his room was already ready, he would be charged a $75 early check-in fee. Ironically, I made our same-day Townsend reservation around noon. They had a room available, welcomed us immediately, and charged no early check-in fee. That's hospitality. If a room isn't ready, obviously a guest should wait until check-in. But if it's cleaned, available, and ready, charging $75 just to hand someone the key a few hours early feels like nickel-and-diming rather than luxury hospitality. Perhaps Royal Park should reassess its $150 pet fee, mandatory crating policy, barking policy, and $75 early check-in fee against comparable luxury hotels and current industry standards. This is particularly disappointing because my husband and I got married at the Royal Park last year and spent tens of thousands of dollars there. Unfortunately, even during our wedding experience, we often felt policies took precedence over hospitality. At times, it felt like constantly being reminded of what we could and couldn't do rather than being treated like valued guests. After this experience, I genuinely regret choosing Royal Park for our wedding. It's also surprising for a hotel in Rochester, an incredibly dog-friendly community. Leader Dogs for the Blind is headquartered right here in Rochester Hills. Nobody is asking the hotel to tolerate destructive animals, aggressive behavior, incessant barking, or irresponsible owners. Address an actual problem when one occurs. Charge for damage. Address legitimate noise complaints. That's completely reasonable. But don't treat every well-behaved dog as a problem before one exists and then charge guests $150 for the privilege. Royal Park has unfortunately lost our business. I will no longer recommend it to friends, neighbors, or visitors--particularly those traveling with pets. The Royal Park markets itself as a luxury hotel. Luxury hospitality should involve discretion, common sense, flexibility, and making guests feel welcomed--not simply repeating, "It's policy." Policies are important. Hospitality is knowing how to apply them with common sense.