My first visit to Grappa was a great experience! I came with a somewhat large group. Despite the fact that we had reservations, we still had to wait. But the upside is that as a part of the hotel, there is plenty of room to wait with your group. The food was excellent - from the calamari to the salad to the main entrees, I was impressed. I went with Linguini and Clams in the traditional white sauce, and it was delicious. Probably the best L&C that I've had since I lived at home and my dad made it as part of our regular dinner lineup. Brought back memories. I'll admit that the place is a little pricey, but I think you're getting your money's worth. I think I had 10 large in-shell clams with a significant portion of pasta. The seafood dishes are a little more expensive in comparison to some of the others. Drinks were tasty. I indulged a little. Take a chance on "steady as she rose." It was simply delicious with the right mix of sweet and tart. Maybe it was a little too like candy...but that's kind of my thing. Location in College-town is nice. A definite benefit for hotel patrons I would say. And it's nice that there is plenty of off-street parking in the lot. It makes it much easier especially with winter snows. I'm definitely going to be back - probably for my birthday dinner! Can't wait. read more

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I had high hopes: beautiful restaurant, great ambiance, easy parking. But the drinks were weak and expensive, while the food was expensive and mediocre. I had their version of an old fashioned: the color was so yellow I could tell when it was brought to me that it would be weak (it was), and the sweet potato fries feature a surprising number of normal fries. At the happy hour price, this place was fine, even nice: and it was packed. When happy hour ended, so did the crowd. The service was great, so they have that going for them. All in all, the experience, the experience was fine, just wasn't commensurate with the price. read more

My wife and I went back to Grappa to see Sydney and Lindsey who previously made us feel so welcome. We were also introduced to Alex this time around and once again we had great time. We were happy to order the new menu items that Sydney suggested, which once again did not disappoint. For two people that dine out a lot, it is refreshing to be able to have a place to go like Grappa were the staff is extremely personable, fun, energetic, truly likes their jobs, and definitely knows how to provide exceptional customer service. Cannot wait to go back! Nick H. read more

I am a Rochester, NY native and was back in town for a wedding this weekend. I decided to dine solo for dinner at Grappa for a busy Friday night. I was greeted by two friendly hostesses upon arrival. The service and restaurant were impeccable. In particular, Kris, Sarah, and Lindsey were spot on with taking care of my every need. How they treat customers is WELL ABOVE the standard dining expectation. I will say this is the best experience as a solo diner I have experienced in years. I had the Fettuccine carbonara (absolutely incredible). If you want a delicious dinner with exceptional service I 100% recommend this restaurant. A SINCERE THANK YOU to each and every employee that who works here! The world needs more of you all! Happy holidays!! read more

It's been years since I reviewed this place. I have to say the service is great. However, the food is subpar. All of it is pre-made and warmed up, based on order. We received the calamari 5 minutes after ordering. Far from fresh. The white pizza wasn't any more impressive. I was disappointed in the food but the service was great. The server and bartender was kind and attentive. Would not recommend for the food but the service and ambiance is great. read more

Grappa - White Pizza - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

Caesar salad was awful. Dry lettuce with a side of emulsified dressing that was the texture of butter, and tasted nothing like Caesar dressing. Service was average at best. read more

Food is very very good. Friendly host. Cocktails were on point. Pretty inside and out. Weird chairs though... there was nowhere to put/hang our purses we had to ask for an extra chair. Menu is a little pricey. read more

Grappa - Tuna tartar. And pastas. Bread. Cider mule. - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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BruschettaBraised Short RibChicken CutletCrispy CalamariFettuccine CarbonaraFilet MignonGluten Free PizzaLobster MacOrecchiette BologneseLobster MacPork Osso BucoVeal ParmWhiteWhite Pizza read more

Honestly- I was so excited to go. I had seen pictures and the ambience looked wonderful! Which it was... but I was definitely disappointed with the service and food. I set the bar high for servers being a former waitress myself. Especially when it comes to higher end restaurants. 1. Our waitress forgot the lemons for the water, twice 2. Didn't automatically bring bread or water refills 3. Didn't offer Parmesan cheese for our pastas 4. Didn't check on our meals (if she did, we would have ordered another drink and side!) We had the buffalo cheese and stuffed artichoke appetizers and they were phenomenal but my spicy meatball was very dry and clearly overcooked. So it was overall and disappointing experience and not top on the list to visit again. read more

We arrived for lunch on a Saturday, the restaurant was empty for expect 2 tables. Which we loved the quiet. It was our first time there. We ordered a Miscato (wine) and a mule for drinks and a Bruschetta broad for our appetizer. They also bring bread and oil with seasonings. All was very good! For our lunch we had the white pizza and the chicken parmesan panini. All very good! The pizza had ricotta cheese in it, which made it very good. We definitely will be coming back for another try. read more

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Very beautiful restaurant and nice waitress. However, I wouldn't return. The prices were high and food wasn't that great. The calamari was so bland, it had no seasoning in the batter. The pesto pasta was disgusting! It was over cooked mushy noodles with a watery bland pesto. The salmon was also not flavorful at all. We enjoyed the veal Parmesan and white garlic pizza, but the menu seems too hit or miss. I don't want to return for a meal I may like. read more

Can't speak too much on the food, but the drinks are always good and it's a short walk from Strong Memorial.

Little behind on reviews here, but we tried Grappa out for Mother's Day. Service may have been a tad slow, but this place rocked a full menu on Mother's Day, any place that will attempt that gets 5 in my book. Food was fantastic, cooked perfectly, and if I were to suggest something, it would be the bruschetta board appetizer, was so good, that after we finished the bread, we split the remaining toppings! read more

We made reservations for our anniversary because we had heard how great the food was. Pros: We were seated immediately. Our server came right over with water and to take our drink order. Our water literally never ran dry- there were people constantly coming by with fresh bottles for the table. Loved that! We ordered the Orecchiette Bolognese and the Meatball and Sausage Pizza. Both were perfectly prepared the pizza was done to perfection and had lots of flavor. The pasta was also very tasty- I couldn't pinpoint the flavors in the sauce but they worked very well! Cons: We ordered the Tiramisu for dessert and weren't as impressed. It comes in bowl form with lady fingers surrounding the filling. This would be okay except the bottom of the lady fingers are overly soaked in the espresso which happened to be very, very bitter- so it kind of ruined the taste when we got to the end of the dessert. Also- we weren't fans of the close quarters seating. It's hard to hear your own conversation when both tables next to you are carrying on their own. Next time I'm going to request a separate table. But overall we really enjoyed our dinner here and will definitely be going back. read more

This is my favorite go-to spot for happy hour! Great promotions and both the appetizers and drinks. And we're just not talking about special on draft beers, there's actually a good selection of cocktails along with a pitcher of sangria! Did I mention that they don't skimp out on portion sizes for the appetizers, unlike most places. I would highly recommend Grappa for happy hour, There's also out door seating and an outdoor bar! But come early, happy hour ends at 6! I'll have a dinner review coming up soon! read more

Grappa - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Very delicious! Definitely try the sorbets! Only con: you might wait awhile! Beet Salad read more

My son and I were staying at the ( attached) hotel while my husband had surgery and recovered at a nearby hospital. We each ordered a flat bread pizza and a side house salad. He loved his spicy meatball pizza and I loved my Mediterranean pizza. The salads were awesome!! I love as only able to eat half because the bread and dipping oil and the salad were SO GOOD! We also had a great bottle of wine with our meal. Our bill was $138.00 for 2 people. We were highly pleased with the wine, meal and the service. We will definitely be eating here again, soon! read more

How have I not reviewed this place before? Ok. I just had the best gluten free pizza of my life! It was so good I woke up craving it again the next morning. I love the atmosphere here! It's so beautiful! They have a ton of GF options and their food is consistently great! The bar staff is usually warm, friendly and personable. I think it's such a great option! read more

My sister was visiting from California, so I wanted to take her out for lunch, however I have a pretty brand new two week old baby and was nervous. It was a great experience! I did not feel awkward having a baby with me, it wasn't too loud or crazy for her at lunch, and the high chair fit our car seat perfectly. moving on to the food: Started with the arancini which was yummy. My sister also ordered the fettuccine carbonara and was very pleased as well! I've tried the white pizza and the funghi and both are worth it. Will definitely come by again. read more

Terrific service! very friendly and high service levels. Nice venue with stylish bar and great bartenders. Drinks were very good. burgers rated "A" for quality, preparation and taste. Kale salad with perfectly cooked salmon exceeded my expectations read more

I wish I was hungry enough to try everything but I got the burger. Very juicy and tasted fresh. My sister got the veggie panini which I tried and was also very good. Also tried the maple Manhattan which was string but also very good. I don't know if they're usually busy but we really didn't need to make reservations. Maybe the weather kept people away. But from the looks of the patio, I'd love to come back and check out their happy hour. read more

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I've been here multiple times and have never been disappointed. Pizza and pasta are usually my go-tos and would definitely recommend. It's also conveniently located next to insomnia cookies so you can stop there for dessert after For those of us that are used to having trouble finding parking at restaurants in the city, it's not an issue here. They have a massive parking lot, plus a free parking garage if needed. read more

My husband and I (Celiac- GF) went to Grappa and had the most delicious experience... I ordered a fantastic Mule made with cider and it had the creamiest addition if walnut butter! I haven't had a cocktail this tasty in a while... Next was a gluten free mushroom pizza that was packed with flavor with no sign of the gritty stereotypical gluten free cardboard most gluten free pizzas remind me of. The crust had an amazing chew that's very difficult to achieve with gluten free pizzas. Last was dessert and I was actually able to partake. There were so many gluten free options I cannot wait to get back and try them all.... read more

For being a hotel restaurant, I was very pleasantly surprised by how great their food and ambiance was. I met a colleague here for dinner and drinks and we both thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I had the vegetable lasagna which comes with a side salad. The salad was the right size and very fresh tasting. The lasagna was a good portion and very filling. The vegetables actually had their own flavor instead of relying on cheese or the sauce! My colleague ordered the meatball appetizer and their Caesar salad with squid. They allow for you to choose from a variety of proteins to add to your Caesar salad instead of only chicken. It was a good portion size and looked delicious. They have a good selection of drinks as well, whether you are looking for wine, beer, or cocktails. I had one of the local beers on tap. read more

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I had wanting to try this place for a while, it's super close to my house and finally got around to going. We didn't sit at a table and instead sat at the bar and ordered 3 appetizers to split. The service was good and friendly. They had a fun drink menu as well! The only thing that I would complain about was the pricing. I would go back again but not anytime soon read more

Grappa - Purple haze martini - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Terrible establishment...very unaccommodating...manager Sara is extremely rude short and does not belong in customer service at all....we were 13 min late and they have a 15 min grace period per hostess who was also very rude and short. Manager Sara claimed the kitchen closes at 2:10 pm when our reservation was for 2:00 pm...all information given was conflicting and doesn't add up quite frankly...very disappointed as we are celebrating my younger brother's graduation...if you want an establishment to treat you like a person DO NOT patronize Grappa. read more

So many things to order on the menu, but, at least once, try the lentil soup and the entree, roasted lemon chicken. The homemade stock for the soup comes through in every bite and the lemon-garlic sauce is a tasty dipping reduction for in the roasted chicken and potatoes. Cozy atmosphere. Couldn't have asked for better attention and care from our server Younes S. read more

This was my second time in Grappa. Once with the girls and once with couples. Both times were enjoyable. I've gotten the pizza (fantastic) and Caesar salad with Salmon. Portions are hefty and we didn't have to wait long for our food even on a busy Saturday night. Appetizers of lamb meatballs and calamari were also yummy. Our waiter Eric was efficient and did a great job. Craft cocktails were welcomed and we ordered two rounds. Nice open space with distancing. Love the open feel and windows. Will be going again. read more

Coming in I wasn't expecting much since it is located in college town a student-centric area. No reservation for lunch but there was plenty of space, and they were quick to serve. Their staff is pretty young but friendly and willing to help. As for food and drinks, I ordered their classic Fiery Ginger. Although it was spicy and sweet and easy to drink, I don't think it was worth the price tag of $9. But if you were to order a drink I would recommend that one. Ginger infused with chipotle peppers make a perfect mix. We then ordered the funghi pizza, roasted portobello, button mushrooms and truffle oil. As a mushroom lover this was the dream, the oil really brought out all the flavours and the dough was so fresh. Would definitely order again. I would come again for convenience and food but there are much better bars in Rochester to go to. read more

Grappa - Funghi pizza, that truffle oil - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was here. I ordered the house salad with salmon. Ingredients were simple, fresh and delicious. A friend ordered the mushroom pizza and it was good! We came with a slightly large crowd of 7ish to celebrate a birthday and they accommodated us well. The server was very nice but she seemed to dissappear... I had to speak to the greeter in two separate instances, once to say we were ready to order and again to kindly ask for a birthday dessert for the birthday girl. (By the way, the apple crustada was sooooo good). It was really nice how we all got to chip into the dessert we shared with seperate checks. It seemed very simple and easy and I wish every resturant could go about doing separate checks so seamlessly. Overall experience was very pleasing. Super cute place with good food. read more

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Had the greatest time! Went on a Friday night, my server was Jenna and she was so attentive and personable and she had all of the recommendations. We went with the bartenders choice beverages and they were so good! We got the pepperoni pizza which was perfectly cooked, the chicken wings which were amaZing, and the bruschetta board. No complaints whatsoever. Will be coming back! read more

I love the interior, the vibe is very grown and sexy. Though the music could be a little bit lower. I ordered the lobster mac and cheese. The flavors were delicious but the severely overcooked lobster was a huge let down. It took a long time for us to get our food so I just finished it since I was starving. Our waiter seemed a bit "green," perhaps this was his first service job. read more

Came here for a dinner one night recently when in town for business and while staying here at the Hilton. Chill atmosphere, with dimmed lights, friendly staff, and reasonably quiet interior. We opted for some calamari to share, which was cooked very well - nice and crisp and not rubbery at all, with plenty of flavor. For dinner I went for the gnocchi, which was house-made and included bacon, brussels sprouts, parmesan, and a cream sauce. Really heavy/rich sauce, perhaps a bit too much so, and with a hint too much sweetness, though quite tasty overall. Service was spot on, with regular check-ins, helpful suggestions, and quick meals. read more

I'm from out of town, and recently brought back from the dead by Strong Hospital. I decided to offer myself a break and have a bit of light Italian. For those looking for a direct comparable; think Macaroni Grill. The staff was busy; yet service was still quick! Refreshing in this day in age. On THAT point alone I would have offered 5 stars. But I also got a tired and worn floor show from some inebriated patrons near me, that reminded me how much I hate working with people in the service industry when they've gone too far. Loud and boisterous? Check. Unaware of their askew attire was flashing the resturaunt? Check. (In fairness, they corrected right away.) Ordering one final round of doubles to go? Give a solid guess. And finally, bribing the server in a poor attempt to have the fellow go along? Check. In 20 years of food service I would have selectively shut off some of them earlier, but that's not my place. It was the after party where the manager got rung up by the patrons; threatening, begging, pleading and wheedling that entertained me. And I could never hold my composure like he did. Hats off to that manager! Your staff relies on you to back their play; and I was glad to see it come back into vogue. read more

First impressions walking in were great, the place was very modern, clean, and had a very comfortable ambiance. When asking for a table, the hostess seemed very flustered and told us we should have made a reservation as the seating was first come first serve... completely understandable despite the restaurant having many open seats. A server then came over, asked us if we have been taken care of, and seated us instantly. The food was great. I had the gnocchi which was perfectly flavored. Our server was very attentive and made sure our dinner was experience was up at par. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Grappa - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

The ambience was good but the service is not prompt. I would have to call for everything. Most of the food is very very salty. My lips were blistering after 30 mins. read more

Pretty enjoyable place and I would go back but some stuff that bugged me. We had reservations and were seated at a pretty uncomfortable high top table meanwhile several people had recently been seated in front of us after walking in. If ur taking reservations maybe consider holding the table for people that have committed to coming to ur place. The wings were pretty good but very strong Rosemary flavor and a bit greasy in the buttery sauce but some may really like them. Cooked well and beautifully presented. Meatball was excellent, fillet was a nice steak, Brussels sprouts were the best I ever had. I added steak tips to my Caesar salad, which had anchovies (optional). Too many cherry tomatoes for my taste but nice VERY garlicky creamy dressing that I liked. Steak tips were fair, not bad but I might try the chicken next time. The bread and oil dip before the meal was excellent. One other thing that bugged me was the signature cocktail we ordered (one of three) was a very light pour, maybe only 2/3 of the way filled, if even. I said something to the waiter who apologized and it's not his fault but at $11.50 per, I'd have expected it coming off the bill or maybe bringing another one, which we ordered anyways. It only happened on one drink but this place is obviously very into appearance and presentation. I worked at a nice bar before. If you don't properly make the drink, do it again. Don't make your wait staff deal with your error in measuring. Also VERY slow service but we were ok with it on this occasion because we were enjoying our time with friends. I Like this place but there are a few things to work on. Not much, just a few tweaks and this place is 4 or 5 stars. read more

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This place exceeded my expectations! I loved all parts of my experience. Our server was knowledgeable and had great recommendations it being our first time there. We got the meatball, calamari and wings as appetizers- My favorites were the meatball and calamari. Everything was fresh and the meatball was flavorful and moist. As for my entree I ordered the steak filet- amazing! Cooked just right, charred a bit on the outside with extraordinary flavor with each bite. We got a dessert also- a home made apple pie of sorts... Was the cherry on the top of a great meal! Will definitely be back read more

Grappa - Their spin on an Apple Pie ala mode! - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

The wife and I were looking for somewhere new to for our anniversary dinner and we came upon Grappa. Located near the U of R in College Town and in the Hilton Garden Inn, this place surprised us and amazed our taste buds. We started with the Bruschetta Board. The board came out with five pieces of toasted bread, heirloom cherry tomatoes and a homemade ricotta chive spread. There was plenty of the ricotta and tomatoes, we actually needed a few more slices of bread and to finish the board. The homemade ricotta combined with the fresh tomatoes and bread made this bite incredible. My wife had the Linguine & Clams which was a hearty bowl of Linguine in a delicious and delicate sauce. The steamed little necks that accompanied the dish were cooked perfectly. Paired with the Rosatello Moscato, it made the meal complete. I had the Fettuccine Carbonara, paired with the Wagner Unoaked Chardonnay. The combination of pancetta, bacon and egg parmesan cream sauce made was excellent. I would recommend the wine as it helped to break up the richness of the dish. The sauce was so thick and rich that it stayed on my pallette for about an hour after I completed the meal. Our server, Eddy was excellent. He took care of us very well and was attentive to our needs. The decor of the restaurant is modern but minimalist. Definitely a restaurant we would go ton again. read more

I was wanting to order an omelette & it was weird I asked the lady for the list to see what I wanted to put in it and she like I can tell you - I'm like give me the list so I could see long story short I just walked away read more