Apogee is a fantastic gem of a place in a quiet spot on Park Ave, far from the crowds and traffic…read moreand heavily perfumed masses. It feels like a hidden locals-only joint where you can grab a glass of your fave from a thoughtfully curated list of delicious options, and settle in with your better half, besties or a group of friends and just chill. We've been to Apogee a number of times before and 'after' covid, in colder months when we've been lucky to snag a window table, and in warmer times, like tonight, when we can sit outside and enjoy the flickering fireflies along with our sparkling rosè. Besides the pleasant atmosphere, Apogee has a beautifully appointed interior space, clean bathrooms, and a menu with cheese plates, cake, and more wines than you could taste in a summer. All of that plus super knowledgable 'bar tenders' (more like wine sommeliers) who can take your possibly clumsy description of what you think you want and offer up several perfect options, and you have the makings of a very pleasant evening. Book mark this place and plan to spend at least an hour enjoying an outside table!

Apogee was our baby shower venue. While people don't normally associate wine bar with baby shower,…read morewe made it work and Apogee was the perfect venue that met all of our needs. As a special events venue, Apogee was flexible with outside food and also with decorations. There was no additional venue rental/site fee, just a minimum spend amount (which we were confident that we would exceed). The venue is cozy and intimate, but has high ceilings so it did not feel claustrophobic at all, even with 30+ guests at one point. I'm a wine snob myself, so I was a bit skeptical initially when I saw their wine list. Most of the wines they serve retail for $10-20. They do have some bottles that are more expensive (retail ~$30). However, after tasting some of their entry level wines (Ancient Peaks Zinfandel & Gouguenheim Malbec), my worries vanished. Everything I tasted was excellent and drank better than their actual price point. Steve was a great host. He was laid back, but still friendly and attentive to all of our guests. He made sure everybody's drink needs were satisfied. He was also flexible with letting us in the venue early to set up and also staying late to clean up. I also liked the fact that they allowed us to bring our own wine, for a $15 per bottle corkage fee, which is fair. Anyways, Apogee is a great venue for a small party. They are flexible and reasonable. I would definitely recommend them as a wine bar and for hosting a private event (especially on a Sunday).

I enjoy going to self-pour wine bars, and I was excited to discover Rochester had one. I…read moreanticipated finding many Finger Lakes wines available, and I was not disappointed. I appreciated how casual it was here and overview and assistance if needed by the staff. I was wondering, though, if the wine inventory could be better organized such that white wines could be together in cases and chilled? It felt like the white wines I sampled were at most a few degrees lower than room temperature. I was very pleased with a red that I tasted, specifically a malbec. I didn't order food here, though I did see some delivered to other customers. The olives option was very generous and would easily be satisfying for two people, possibly 3.

We went to Unwined to have a few drinks before dinner next-door, and it was just what we needed…read more The atmosphere is really relaxed--not too noisy or uncomfortable--so it's easy to have conversation and everyone was extremely friendly.

It's super cute and trendy-looking inside! We had a cozy spot for two people. Came for the St…read more Patty's Day drink specials which were good. Meatballs were filling and tasty. Burrata was also good with tons of tomatoes. Perfect spot to get a drink after a day on the canal! Service was good and they have coat check.

Such a great local wine bar! Went for our first time over the weekend and it was so cozy and warm…read moreand the wine selection was plentiful. The staff was also very friendly and attentive. Our evening consisted of ordering Prosecco, old fashioned's, tuna tartare and burrata. The food had a stunning presentation and tasted delicious. I thought it went very well with my Prosecco! We had such a wonderful time that I cannot wait to return.

I went here for trivia and didn't expect to have the most AMAZING charcuterie board I've ever…read morehad... this was absolutely delicious. My bff and I could not stop thinking about it afterward. Also the bread for the board was separate from it which was amazing as a gluten free girlie! The wine went great with it too, and the place is extremely cute and welcoming. Not too busy or crowded. Really great spot if you like wine and cheese!

Love having a tasting room here in Rochester! I do recommend reservations as we didn't have any and…read moreordered at the bar but stood by their community table. Bar spots are also open seating. There are several wine flights to choose from. We chose the red and white. Our favorite however was the welcome pour white spritz. The prices per bottle are also reasonable and there are food options available. Parking can be hit or miss at times too.

We've been meaning to try out Carnegie Cellars for a long time and 3 of us finally went in…read moretonight. The experience was amazing! The menu is different than other places, it goes from small to large plates and you order what you want and if you want more- keep ordering. My daughter got a flight of white wines and I got one of their beers, which was an interesting hazy IPA called Baby Kittens. Our waiter Philip was very knowledgeable on the wine selection and helped with the food order. We started out with the Flour City bread, which was toasted and had a dip of whipped ricotta with butternut squash - excellent! Next, we had the salt and pepper squid - their version of a fried calamari appetizer - also excellent with a nice little spice that snuck up on you a little bit. We followed that with the farm salad, which had a great cranberry vinaigrette. Then we had mussels which were over a jasmine rice that had a great sauce with it. The last dinner item we had was the butternut squash ravioli - so tasty! The table next to us got the fries, which was a huge mound of french fries with Parmesan cheese and I think something else on it. It was a lot of food. The waiter suggested their desserts, which was a choice of a huge slice of carrot cake or a skillet baked chocolate chip cookie or brownie topped with vanilla ice cream. We got the latter and it was excellent. The atmosphere was very subdued and great for a date or just a fun night out. I highly recommend visiting Carnegie Cellars!

We liked this place a lot. The food was mostly well portioned. The preparation, flavor, texture,…read moretemperature were on point. The service was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the wine selection. Parking could be a challenge, seating is varied at tables, bar and all along the full length windows.

Came here for a girls night during the New Orleans celebration. Wasn't that crowded, hope this…read moreplace gains some traction because it is nice inside. Bar to the left more seating to the right. They had a band playing so we went to sit at the bar area tables. Got a spread of things to share. Deviled eggs were my favorite. Pretty good menu to choose from. I'd like to go back. Wine selection is also good

An update to previous post - WONDERFUL Friday night Jazz! We…read morereally enjoyed the Jim Nugent Trio and some lovely Finger Lakes wines tonight.

Went for happy hour last night. The caramelized brussel sprouts are to die for! The service and…read moreatmosphere were great.

This is a great place to meet up with a friend or to while away the time when waiting for your…read moreChinese order to be ready! They have an extensive craft beer menu as well as some good wines. Liquor options can be had too. They welcome your eating in the several tables within the bar or just outside the bar area. Weather permitting, you can take your drink to the rooftop. Pricing is fair. I paid $6.00 for my snifter of Blood Orange beer. Nice atmosphere , a few TVs and a nice long bar make for a great spot. We will stop by again.

Avvino is so beautiful inside and such a hidden gem. The bartender is great and the food is always…read morerotating so I never get bored of their menu. Never had better bread in my life. Also the shrimp app is so good and the chocolate cake for dessert. Plus the plates are unique and collected by the owner, you can really tell everyone who works here cares about their restaurant. LOVE LOVE LOVE

I'd say I had a good experience dining here. It was my birthday and I went in with a few friends…read more We were promptly attended to. I ordered a mocktail to start off and it was pretty good. For appetizers, we got the roasted beets and the bone marrow. Both were good. I got the duck breast for entree and my friends got the carrot cavatelli and lobster bucatini. We all enjoyed our dishes. The duck was succulent and roasted just enough. The Brussel sprouts that came on the side were a disappointment though. For dessert, I ordered ricotta pine nut tart with lemon sorbet. The tart was very subtle in flavor but good. My friends ordered the bread pudding which was great as well. Overall, very satisfied with the food and service. Can be back!

Awesome spot in the South Wedge. Great food. Excellent and relaxed service. The cocktails being…read moreback on the menu are awesome. Sit at the bar, get a table, go for brunch. Just go. You won't be disappointed.

The food was absolutely delicious. I would recommend this place to anyone. The service was…read morefantastic we had Noah as our server he was very attentive. The setting was superb very romantic. Very classy restaurant in downtown ROC!

Missing Lux at 8:42am on a Tuesday morning, and writing this review to ease the pain! I haven't…read morebeen to Lux since the pandemic started, and honestly don't think I had been at all this year prior to that either. Which is a SHAME, because Lux is a special place. Where else can you eat midnight bagels to accompany your vodka soda? Where else can you get overly frustrated at the "get the circle onto the post" game outside? The answer is NOWHERE. Lux has a special vibe about it that is welcoming, inclusive, divey and strange all at the same time. The South Wedge location is perfect and there's usually ample street parking if you're DD-ing or planning to leave your car. I can't wait to get back here post-pandemic and enjoy a game with friends and a seat out on the patio.

Lux is a different experience every night depending on what is going and who is DJ. Some things…read morestay the same regardless of when you go: great vibes, quick bar service, cheap drinks, and a long bathroom line. Definitely more a hole in the wall in terms of charm, but you'll have a good night there regardless.