Absolutely love the vibe of this bar! We came here for the first time last night and it happened to be the anniversary of the opening and it was a masquerade party! We didn't know this, but everyone was so friendly and even had extra masks to hand out and share. The style and decor is awesome, the staff were lovely, and it was just a fun place to be. There was a dj playing live music as well. Will definitely go back! read more

I love this place! It definitely gives speakeasy vibes because I don't know how anyone would find it if they didn't know what they were looking for. There is live music sometimes. Excellent cocktail menu if you're into that. I wish there was a more extensive snack menu. But this would be a great spot for before dinner drinks. Or after dinner drinks. The bartenders were really great at making suggestions and helping us find something to suit our tastes. read more

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LOVED the vibe of Cheshire. Cozy and fully committed to the bit. We went on a weeknight, and while they were definitely busy, there were still several tables and some bar spots available. There was also a jazz trio which upped the vibe. I was excited to see a Pimm's Cup on the menu, as I don't often see it served at most bars. The caipirinha was the best caipirinha I've ever had in North America. It's a must try. There was a small lot on the side that I wasn't sure belonged to the building or not, but there is street parking nearby as well read more

It has moved location since we were there years back. The new location is wonderful. Ambiance and decor is really nice and comfortable. Bar staff is knowledgeable and talented. Cocktails were very tasty creative and well done! read more

A hidden gem in Rochester is this speak easy bar called Cheshire. We took my sister & her fiancé here after the holidays. We were all impressed with the customer service, ambiance like your stepping back into the 1920's and the specialty cocktails were the real star of the show. My future brother-in-law tried his first drink and said he was thinking of having that drink for his theme cocktail for their wedding this coming August. I tried two cocktails and were impressed with both. The bartenders were friendly yet knowledgeable. If you're looking for a unique experience for a fun night out in a classy relaxing atmosphere ~ Cheshire is your answer in Rochester (good area of the city and easy to find parking nearby). Cheers!! read more

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The new location is definitely different from the original! It is well lit inside and has a homey feel to it. Everyone was very friendly. Drinks are amazing. You can tell there are experienced mixologists behind the bar. We got there at 8 and there was plenty of room. My only complaint is that the signage outside isn't great; we had some trouble finding the main entrance. Def worth coming for their yummy drinks! read more

Cheshire - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Cute place. Quality drinks. Nicely decorated. Great date night place. Hope to return soon.

We were SO excited to see that Cheshire is back in the game! Loved them on South Ave and was very sad when they closed there. This location has similar cozy/upscale vibes and the cocktails are probably the best I've had in the city (and that's saying something!) if you are looking for classics or innovative amazingly well crafted drinks, this is your place. read more

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Still secretive, they don't have a sign outside that we could see. I didn't mind, found the door easily but my friends were confused. Ha. Cheshire is even more beautiful at this location, and the drinks are just as good. Such a special place to start or end the evening. We will be back for more! read more

Excellent service, bartenders were clear experts in their field and were very friendly. Will return!!

If you're looking for QUALITY drinks, then this is the place for you. Keep in mind, this space is good for PRE or POST dinner drinks. They do not serve food or meals. The only thing they offer is a meat or cheese board to comply with Covid regulations. It's a nice accompaniment, but if you're hungry, plan on somewhere else. My oh my, I ordered the Ninotchka and it was amazing. Each ingredient well balanced then shaken to provide a satisfying drink. The owner was working behind the bar that night and she came over to check on us. Very sweet and clearly cares about the quality of her business. I will be returning with some friends from work who have never been but enjoy good drinks! read more

Cheshire - Ninotchka = OMG yum! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Cheshire is my favorite bar in Rochester, and I would be there every single weekend if my pocketbook allowed! I love the small, intimate space, and the cocktail program has been (and always will be) the gold standard for flawless execution of the classics. For our visits, my partner and I tend to saddle up at the bar and watch the bartenders work their magic. Every member of their staff is a GEM and game to chat if it isn't peak hours. On yesterday's visit, Colin went with the Old Fashioned (sooooo good) and I didn't know what I wanted. I asked Katie for a tequila based cocktail with a hint of sweetness and she totaaallly delivered with a delicious creme de cassis/lime/tequila cocktail. I hadn't had creme de cassis in forever and it made my night! We enjoyed great conversation, got our buzz on, and left happier than when we arrived. This is always our experience at Cheshire and one of the things that makes it worth a special trip/date night. Cocktails come in at $11 and there is a host of NA, beer, and wine options as well. I have yet to try any of their sparkling cocktails but those always look tempting as well. We went last night from 7-8:30ish and the bar was not packed at all. I can't wait for my next visit to this amazing alcohol *oasis* and hope you all imbibe soon! read more

This place is one of the finest in Rochester, hands down. I have visited here for my birthday, and also for drinks with friends. When you step foot into the Cheshire space, you are transported back in time, no lie. Suddenly, the urge for an old fashioned hits you. I'm not even kidding, I rarely drink such libations, however, there's just something about the elan of this cozy space that just gets you an old fashioned hankering like no other. The drinks are made properly and with pleasure. Bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly. I will definitely be back! This place is such a gem!! Thanks John for running such a fine establishment. Cheshire is truly one of a kind. read more

The other reviews are spot on. Great place for a (first) date or small group. I got the gin fizz and really liked it! Pretty small place, so we got our drinks upstairs and then sat downstairs at the Solera. read more

Small space, hidden upstairs Solid drinks, nice bartenders Stormy morning is now my new fav Can get crowded depending on the day and time but all is fine :) read more

Out standing atmosphere and amazing bar tenders. Drinks are wonderful can't wait to go back

Speak easy, drink hard. Perfect cocktails, hidden away. I loved the classics. Yelp frowns on poetry so I'm extending this to trick their review robots. read more

This is definitely a more casual cocktail bar/speakeasy but man the drinks did not disappoint. I went with two friends and we tried a plethora of things that were all delicious. We had a female bartender who was SO friendly and knowledgeable and seriously made amazing drinks. I highly recommend you ask them if you're not sure what you want. read more

Highly recommend coming to Cheshire for a slightly classy night out. The space is located above Solera and there is no signage, so just go inside Solera and walk up the stairs. Great variety on their cocktail menu and the waitress we had was super friendly and helpful to select the right cocktails for our preferences. I can't think of another cocktail spot like this in Rochester and highly recommend for your next date night. read more

My friend and went here for some cocktails the ambience is so nice and cozy it's perfect for a first date I would 100% recommend this place to go if you wanna show somebody downtown Rochester definitely a place to go downstairs is a wine bar upstairs is Mixology they do offer charcuterie boards it's so cute and cozy. read more

Cheshire - Moscow mule in Manhattan - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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No advertising, no signs, no B.S. Cheshire is a speakeasy where I had to learn its existence purely from word of mouth (prior to my yelping days). Come here if you want a potent cocktail made with unrivaled precision and pride. The staff is very straightforward with their craft, so I don't expect much conversation with them; however they deliver my order with finesse and always offer to adjust my drink if its not to my liking. Of course, that is a moot point given my cocktails are always amazing. The atmosphere is upscale and dark, as well as small, but comfortable if you're able to grab a seat. Most weekend nights I've attended, it can be quite packed and really hot. If you find yourself in a tight situation, you can go downstairs to Solera Wine Bar with your cocktail to cool off, they won't mind. I really would like to try more of their cocktail variety, but I can never break more than two of them even though my tolerance is pretty high (I think). Cheshire is a great spot for a "formal" pregame before hitting the town! Oh, this is also my favorite spot for an excellent Vesper Martini. And like the Cheshire Cat, my drink gradually disappears... and all that is left is my smile :) read more

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Great drinks great atmosphere great service great bartenders. Love this place. Would come here everyday if my wife would let me.

CLOSED Sooooo sad this warm & lovely boozy establishment appears to be permanently closed. We loved it! read more

Been coming since I was in college. Still has the best drinks in the city and a fantastic ambiance.

Fabulous find! We loved bed the vibe, the selection and the company! Great place for a pre-dinner or post-dinner drink. read more

This is one of the coolest bars in the ROC! It is located above Solera Wine Bar. You enter Solera and go to the back of the bar where you will find a staircase that takes you up to Cheshire. It's all so secretive like a real speak-easy! That's the idea for this place. It looks very much like the 1920's in there and the bartenders dress the part too. You will see octagon tile floors and gum wood galore. The drinks are the best part though! They have a very cool drink menu complete with creations using different kinds of liquor. You'll definitely find the right drink for you. My favorite is the "Stormy Morning". Yes, their drinks are on the steep side (around $10), but they're sipping drinks! After 1 you're feeling very good, by 2 you may be dancing in the bar alone while everyone watches you!!!! read more

Loved! I'm such a sucker for a prohibition themed place. Candlelight, exposed brick and bartenders wearing ties is my jam. The place itself is above Solera wine bar. It is very tiny so finding a seat besides the bar took a minute. Lucky for us another couple was just getting up :) they have a few large tables and a few two person tables to choose from. The atmosphere is so romantic and perfect for date night. My husband ordered a dark beer but unfortunately they were out. Only two beer choices were light or dark. The bar tender was so apologetic and gave him the light variety on the house. Really nice gesture by her :) I had the French 75 and the Moscow mule. Both were really refreshing and tasted delicious. My only complaint was they were just a tad overly sweet. I would absolutely come here again on a date night or even with friends! Cheers! read more

Cheshire - French 75 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I was actually unaware that this place even existed before being invited out for a friends birthday. Wasn't even on my radar as I'm more of a dive bar type of girl, but the change of pace was pretty cool. The place has a speakeasy feel and doesn't even have a sign out front. To get in, you have to wander through Solera wine bar and upstairs. Once there, it's got a really classy, lounge feel to it. All hardwood, candles, chandeliers, and even dressy bartenders. Felt like I would've fit right in rocking my best great gatsby garb. It's good for groups, but it is small so might be hard to find seating during weekend nights. I could see this as more of a date night place. We went on a Friday and while it was pretty busy, it didn't take long at all to get a drink at the bar. Drink menu was total old school. Heck, I had to google some of the liquors included in the drinks before making my decision. I highly recommend the stormy morning, so good. Prices are pretty good for what you get too, with most drinks ranging from $8-$9. It was fun to step out of my normal Friday night "box", and I would def do it again. read more

Cheshire - Stormy Morning. Made me feel classy. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Can I give 11 stars? This place is legit as the kids say. It is located above Solera Wine bar and specializes in old time cocktails and each one is made with loving care even down to the fancy ice cubes! The place is beautiful and rustically elegant. The staff are all experts in their craft and you can tell they love what they do. My new favorite place. read more

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A one of a kind bar in Rochester. Cheshire's coziness and craft cocktail selection are unparalleled. Cheshire was the first bar in town to incorporate a speakeasy/Prohibition-era environment. Often imitated but never duplicated, I believe Cheshire still makes the best craft cocktails in town. By now, you've probably already heard about Cheshire's awesome Old Fashioned. They are definitely the best i've had in Rochester. Another favorite of mine is their Whiskey Over Easy. It consists of a whole egg added to whiskey, lemon juice and syrup. A deliciously frothy concoction results after some vigorous shaking. I know it sounds weird, but you have to try it. To be honest, i've yet to order a drink I didn't enjoy at Cheshire. The Cheshire bar staff is another huge attraction. They are polite, patient and engaging. They will take their time explaining the cocktails, ingredient by ingredient, if it's not too busy. They are also good at offering drink suggestions based on your tastes. The staff takes pride in what they do and as a result take their time in making drinks. Even with their expertise, they are extremely down to earth, without being too serious or overbearing. Cheshire is a great place to start off the night. The bar closes around midnight, so plan for a second venue or just take it easy and call it a night. There's limited physical space, so it's better suited for smaller parties. Overall, Cheshire is one of my favorite bars in town. It's a truly unique and close-knitted drinking experience. It reminds me of Angel's Share in East Village, NYC. Check it out for yourself! read more

Wow what a cool spot I found! It's like a secret meeting place since it's above another wine bar. It's bartenders are dressed amazingly and it's so fun to watch. There's not a ton of seating but we went late on a Saturday night and didn't have trouble finding a standing table. I forgot what the rest of my party had but I had a stormy morning and it was so good! I love how refreshing it was and the drink itself had a cool blue-ish tone to it. And it came with a legit glass stirring thing! It's actually pretty quiet despite being a bar. Super cool spot to check out for a quick/a lot of drinks, I'm totally coming back when I get the chance! read more

A cool upstairs hideaway above the Solera wine bar on South Ave. There is a nice selection of craft cocktails in this small dimly lit space. Typical $9-$10 price range for their specialty hand-crafted drinks. On our recent visit the place was the most hopping we have seen it with the Santa Rampage group invasion. Unfortunately three of the four of us didn't care for our cocktails, not that they were poorly made, but they contained more lime/lemon juice than expected and thus were very sour. Next time we will read the ingredient list more carefully and choose differently. We really like the vibe of both Cheshire and Solera so we will continue to frequent both. read more

Cheshire - Decorative wall art - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

If you are out and about in the South Avenue area, this is a delightful spot to stop in and have a cocktail. Yes, a cocktail!! A spot not so much for drinking, but for experiencing the elegance of another time, through the medium of liquor. Definitely has the speakeasy vibe going on. The cocktails are imaginative, and expertly prepared, by bartenders in period costumes, evoking dreams of the roaring twenties and of the speakeasy. Fun in a glass. Bottoms up. read more

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Cheshire is my type of bar. Where drinks and company are king, and there are no giant tv screens to distract you from your company and the drinks. They are tucked on the second floor of the Solera Wine bar (a great place for a relaxing glass of wine), and their hours are not normal hours. But they make great craft cocktails! The feel of the place is a speakeasy, with dim lighting and not a lot of space. This can cause two problems, it gets crowded easily, and it's hard to read their lovely drink menus! But for a pre-dinner drink, or just hanging out with friends, this place is perfect! Don't expect cheap drinks or frozen concoctions, there are plenty of places that offer that elsewhere! read more

Cheshire - Special menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

I have been to Cheshire over a dozen times - I love the location, the specialty drinks, the bartenders and the overall atmosphere. They have an impressive drink menu and they also have almost every liquor you can imagine! The bartenders are all excellent and they know their drinks, and they can also whip up delicious concoctions if you don't know what you want but can pick a flavor or liqueur to start with. The only thing I don't like is that they close at midnight - aarrrggghhh!! Just when you are full well settled in they brighten the lights and you have to find another bar to while away the rest of the night....But I guess that just means I should try to get there earlier. read more

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet, being a regular and all! We go every Thursday but have occasionally gone on a Friday or Saturday as well. Sometimes its a bit busy and other times its a bit dead but I always have a good time here. The cocktails are impeccably crafted! They follow a specific formula for all the cocktails on their menu so they are consistently amazing. They have cocktails with all kinds of alcohols, so there is something for everyone! They have the classics like old fashions and they have drinks I have never seen anywhere but there. Each one good in its own way. My personal favorite is definitely the Stormy Morning which I literally get every time I am there. The cocktails are around 9 dollars a piece, which isn't too bad for cocktails. I have seen much worse. The atmosphere is nice here as well. It's got the small dark prohibition style. Something about it is just so appealing to me, and I enjoy being inside. I've also always found the crowd there to be a good group. The people who hang out there tend to be the kind of people I enjoy hanging out with. Probably the best part of the whole experience for me is the bartenders! They are genuinely great people. Every time we have come they have been very helpful and friendly. And now that we come all the time and they know us, we usually end up sitting at the bar and chatting with them the whole time we are there. It's possible that I love this place wayyy too much! But this is exactly the kind of bar I have always wanted in Rochester and I love going there every week. Also another plus is if you end up craving wine you can always just run downstairs and grab some from Solera! read more

Cheshire - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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The setup Is quite unique here. You have to walk through a wine bar (Solera) to go to the cocktail bar, Cheshire. It has the speakeasy, hideaway vibe like you only know of the place because someone told you about it. There isn't a sign outside to say this is the place. Gives it that exclusive vibe as well. Exposed brick and bartenders in vests and tie make you feel like you're in another time. The drinks and atmosphere is not boring. I enjoyed the Stormy Morning which is an elderflower liqueur, crème de violette, cava, and lime juice. Not overly flowery but complex in flavor. Definitely a drink you sip and savor. The staff was friendly and very informative on what drinks they have to offer. read more

Cheshire - Stormy Morning and Capri (I think). They look like night and day - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Chesire had cool "speakeasy" vibes, you had to cut through another bar to go upstairs to get to it (so not very handicapped friendly) which added to the experience - the bar tenders were well dressed and I felt very "bougie" being here - I LOVED that they had non alcoholic drink options, and I got the raw egg lemonade, which was AMAZING - and didn't taste gross/weird at all, and I'm still alive to write this review so clearly it's fine ;) Good spot to have cozy, intimate conversation or to "escape" read more

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I really love this place. As someone who LOVES Great Gatsby, Boardwalk Empire And Chicago, this was right up my ally. A total speakeasy, minus needing a password to get in...and the fact that probation agents wouldn't be knocking the door down and arresting all of us for illegally drinking liquor. Located above Solera wine bar, there is no sign indicating that this is Cheshire. Everything is hard wood and very dark. Beautiful small chandeliers and small candles on the tables makes up the lighting. The bartenders wear traditional 1920-1930's bar clothing. Vests and slacks. The drinks are served in original cocktail glasses. The menu is mostly all old fashioned drinks. I didn't know what most of the liquor they had was but the bartenders are very knowledgable and willing to help make suggestions. The prices are on the expensive side, but they're hand crafted cocktails. There's no pre-made anything. This seems more of a date night place or small group gathering place as it's very small and intimate inside. We came with a group of about 10 people and it was a little too big of a group for all of us to fit together at a table comfortably. I ended up going with what I know, a dirty martini, vodka not gin, straight up, extra dirty. I'm not sure what kind of vodka the bartender used because I told him to make it with whatever is best. It was so good though and I didn't have to wait long at all to be served. I gave this place 5 stars. It was a bit on the expensive side but totally worth it. The bartenders know what they're doing and they're nice and helpful. The decor is amazing. This is for sure somewhere everyone has to go at least once if you're into the flapper and jazz era. Even if you're not, you should still go at least once for the experience! I will be back! read more

Cheshire - Love!!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I loved the experience here ! The decor and ambiance is awesome, eclectic, and cozy. The bartenders were very friendly and helpful, and crafted some excellent cocktails. I had a gin fizz which was super fluffy and delicious. It is the perfect spot for a date! read more

Cheshire - Gin Fizz !! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York