I'll be honest, it had been a while since the last time I'd been to Lento before tonight. I know it's my go-to if I want great seafood, particularly oysters. Those never disappoint. Tonight was a little different. We started with the beet cured salmon charcuterie. Served with whole grain mustard and pickled red onion, it was flavorful if not a bit fishy. For my entree, I ordered the spinach and Meyer lemon stuffed ravioli. It was served with peas, Smugtown mushrooms, and fiddlehead ferns in a San Marzano tomato sauce, all of which combined for some nice textures. My only complaint is that it was SUPER lemony. The acid/sour taste overpowered the mushrooms and tomato sauce. I wouldn't order this dish again. We did go for it and order dessert--the lavender creme brûlée. It hit all the right texture notes for a crime brûlée, but the lavender flavor was a little too intense for me. Still, Lento is home to some of my all-time favorite small plates, like the duck fat frites and their delicious variations on poutine. I also noticed tonight how friendly the staff is. The hostess, our server, and even the other waitstaff were exceptionally friendly. In this day and age, that's something to write home about. I really enjoy Lento and will continue coming back. read more

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So on Tuesdays, Lento's does $1 oysters. Before my experience on a Tuesday at Lento's, I had never had oysters before. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked them and on top of that the beer selection for Happy Hour and in general were super good. Wait staff was nice and outdoor seating was right in the Village Gate Square, best way to kick it on a Tuesday evening after work for oysters and happy hour. Lento's, I am here for you. read more

some of the best food I've ever had in my life, not kidding. Highly recommend checking out the fish fry on fridays

Loved this place. Excellent service and the restaurant itself is really nice. I liked how the menu was pretty unique and everything tasted so good- could definitely tell that everything was made fresh. Will definitely be coming back. read more

We discovered their dollar oyster night and took advantage this week. We were able to snag a table outside and proceeded to enjoy a pleasant dinner. The oysters were fresh and delicious, with six different types to choose from. We also split the octopus salad and the steelhead trout. The octopus was extremely chewy. I know it's more so than other foods, but I've had it cooked better. The trout was delicious but making the assumption patrons would know how to cut it properly is a bit risky. My partner ordered an Arnold Palmer and they returned with separate glasses of iced tea and lemon concentrate that was quite bitter. Otherwise a nice evening and would likely return for oysters. Decent wine list as well. read more

We had a special brunch at Lento today and they totally nailed it. Lento doesn't normally serve brunch but they had a guest chef in to do a pop-up brunch today and it was delicious. The menu had PERFECT choices - from lighter fare like yogurt & honey, to twists on heavy-hitting brunch classics like a steak & eggs dish with a perfectly paired horseradish salsa verde. The food was all awesome. I went with my husband, mom & brother and there was something for everyone to enjoy on the menu. The warm vegetable salad with 2 eggs was a huge highlight at our table. The winter vegetables were delicious, the greens were perfectly warmed (but not wilt-y, which we LOVED) and the eggs were a pretty sunny side up and nicely peppered. We also loved the aforementioned steak & eggs dish (served with wonderfully crisped potato chunks) and the open face biscuit with 2 eggs, delicious vegetables (kale, onion & maybe Brussels sprouts?), bacon, and an amazing cheddar gravy. I got a "bottomless" mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ for $11 and my husband got green tea (they have a great tea selection!). Mom & brother had coffee and loved the French press. Service was great, as usual. We hope they keep serving brunch here bc we will definitely keep coming back for it! read more

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One of my favorite dining establishments in town. Another awesome evening at Lento last weekend everybody was delighted with their respective creative dish. exceptional service. Great drinks. And of course tremendous seafood bar. read more

First timer, and I'm glad I came! Many a time have I been by here, and many time I'm in the vicinity, but tonight I got in on the Tuesday $1 oyster madness they host. This is something you won't regret, especially if you love oysters (which I now do)! The dining area opens up to an expanse of woods and metal and glass, with various seating options and formations. It has a warm and cozy feel to it, with tasteful decos and color playing off of the woods and dark metals. They also offer outdoor seating for the warmer months we have in Rochester. Their menu is an affair of modern and rustic farm to table and sea to table experiences. Expect to see a great range - from duck fat frites to fresh lump Maryland blue crab to grilled and hand carved leg of lamb, interspersed with some gastro pub delights as well. Their wine list takes you from NY to California, to Spain, Italy, France and New Zealand. They offer a decent mix of local and local craft beer faves as well. I had to try Sierra Nevada's Hazy Little Thing IPA. Hazy, with the bitterness I crave in an IPA, goes great with oysters! Their raw oysters, were succulent. Chesapeake, Martha's vineyard, wellfleet, blue point, spring fling and pink moon were offered, and oh yeah....$1 each! Side saddled with fresh lemon wedges, a garlic dip, horseradish and Tabasco, it was a delight! They served this delightfully soft bread with an evoo and cracked pepper to sponge into the bread nooks and crannies. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Lento Restaurant - Raw oysters! - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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In my experience, Lento is a bit uneven. I appreciate their farm to table approach and changing menu. The unevenness comes in with one dish being delicious (gnocchi) and another using salt (and too much of it) as the main flavoring (ribs). Also, for the prices they charge, they need to invest more in training servers. Ours couldn't recommend a dish and was completely unfamiliar with the wine list - for an average price of $50, servers should be able to make a recommendation or bring over someone who can. Each time I go, I enjoy about 75% of my experience and would really like to see Lento build on a good foundation to get it to 90%. read more

Wow!!!! I am so amazed. The poutine and charcuterie were a great way to start the meal. It was our first date night in a while so I was very excited! The waiter Ryan was super kind and helpful, he even let us know there was only one helping of a particular dish left in case we were interested so we could get our order in on time! Next we ordered the salmon with Spätzle and the Cod over Risotto and both were amazing. The cod was my favorite and it was so perfect, the sauce and everything, will be here again soon! read more

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Good food and nice artsy atmosphere. For the price I would have expected excellent food.

Call me crazy, but I'm not crazy about Lento. I find like I am always waiting, just waiting while I'm there. I understand that "fresh food" and shucking of the oysters take a while but when it gets to be an hour that is too much they need to put more staff on. Also the last two times I've been there I didn't even have a waitress to begin with. I waited 10 minutes to say something to the hostess and finally they got the ball moving. I usually only go there Tuesdays and they know they're really busy that night so why not staff better. The things I like about lento: 1.Tuesday dollar oyster night 2. no corkage fee on Wednesday nights The things I don't like about lento: 1. their "changing menu". They claim they change every week but most of the items are always the same with a couple different things. Plus if they have a couple really good things on their specials menu they shouldn't take them off like the squid ink pasta I had with scallops and shrimp etc. I would come back for that but it's never on the menu 2. Overpricing. Some of the dishes are way overpriced. For example, the grass-fed cheeseburger is $14 and it is smaller than my fist. We had an oyster that was just about as big as my burger. They basically Gave me a slider. Their entrees are usually between 30 and 40 dollars. Sorry, but for some of them, that's crazy. 3. Poor service like I said above 4. Their happy hour is only until 6 and I don't go to work until 5. If more bars put their happy hour until 7 I would go there way more often. 5. My bill is the biggest here when I go out, I don't know what I'm ordering but it never fails. read more

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Had horrific service here. We were profiled as low tipping college age diners, the host picked up the phone in the middle of seating us and talked for a good 30seconds. We should have just walked out then. Our server took forever between seating us, taking our order, bringing out the food, bringing a dessert menu, then coming back to give us the check. She literally put down the dessert menu before we could say a word she walked away. Unacceptable and disrespectful. My girlfriend and I have both worked in food service and respect when we get good service. This was awful. I got the scallops and they were nothing memorable, not to mention lukewarm due to the poor service. It was painfully obvious that the battered artichokes came out of a can. We also tried the pate board and the portion size was abysmal. Would avoid this place if you look younger than 30 because they'll basically give you a middle finger the whole time you're there read more

Made a reservation, showed up and told we couldn't sit outside. Those tables, we're told, are all reserved. Thought I had a reservation? Hm. The inside is almost empty, and they sit us at the worst table in the house. Right next to a server workstation (weird having a conversation with servers standing over your shoulder), and the only table in the whole place without a tablecloth and glass. We could have asked for a new table and didn't, so it's our fault we stayed there. But why did they put us there in the first place when there were so many other, better tables available? Our server was a really nice and helpful guy. His cocktail suggestion was one of the more expensive ones, but it was really nice. The one with whiskey and plum bitters, get it. We had heard that this place was good for vegetarians, to which I say, hmmm. 1) Beet salad: Bland. It was pretty, and it tasted kina OK, but it was just bland. Wouldn't get this again. 2) Chopped salad: This was bland, and the texture of the corn and lentils and beans with the dressing was weird, like mushy trail mix. The dressing didn't taste like much. 3) Risotto: This was tasty. The risotto was well seasoned and buttery. With the goat cheese in the middle, it was really good. The vegetables were not overcooked, which I appreciate. The portion was pretty dainty, but you expect that at these kinds of places. We started to talk about what we would order next time, but paying $70 and liking only one out of three dishes left us not needing to return. I talked with a friend just yesterday who was shocked I didn't like Lento more. He eats meat though, so maybe this place is great for carnivores. read more

I've been to Lento several times now, and each time I seem to pick up something new that enhances my experience (examples to follow). On a Saturday night, I had guests from NYC visiting, and after a day of wine tasting on Keuka Lake, I decided Lento would be the perfect place to dine. Unfortunately, they had no tables available for our eta, but we decided to head there and order a few apps from the bar area. I must say, that from the moment we walked in, the maitr'd and other staff members were incredibly accommodating... adding extra seats to the bar area, promptly providing us with drinks as we ordered a few apps: including the cheese plate, the duck pate, the calamari, and some oysters. Not long after we devoured the apps, was our table ready and available, a full hour before we we expecting to be seated. Of course, they transferred the bill from the bar area to our table (a practice that should be standard everywhere). I had the the grilled duck breast with a hash of sweet potatoes, pancetta, sweet onion, and brussel sprouts (~$30). When asked how I'd like the duck cooked(medium,rare...) I asked for the Chef's preference, not knowing how I like my duck, since I have it only a few times a year. It was an excellent choice, and came to me moist, flavorful, and perfectly tender... I didn't want it to end... I also asked for a glass of wine that would pair nicely with the duck, and again, they scored excellently with a nero'd avola. While there were a couple of people at my table that did not swoon over their food as much as I did, most were way beyond satisfied. The table-side service was impeccable. That said, I believe if you are a true foodie (as I aspire, with luck, to be;-), you take risks, and you should take your senses on journeys and various experiences (a lot like traveling and sleeping in remote village huts vs only 5 star beachside resorts). Therefore, I must say, Lento is not for everyone, but it is for those who are conscientious about their food and willing to push their palates a bit further and, who knows, perhaps delight in a moment of ecstasy. read more

Lento Restaurant - logo (from website) - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

I've been to Lento a handful of times and felt the need to review because of how consistent they are with the quality of food/drinks and their great customer service. We enjoy the fact that a lot of their menu is seasonal and changes often. It also cuts down on wasteful transportation costs of their ingredients that would otherwise have to be shipped from a distant location. We typically go on a night that offers a special like Tuesday for dollar Oyster night or Wednesday for no corkage night. They typically have good beer selections and the waiters are quick to offer something they personally enjoy. The wine selection is nice and efficient and most bottles are within price range I'm willing to pay. I would highly recommend those who have not been here to give it a go. read more

Been here a few times. Never disappointed. I've seen some reviews where people complain about the amount of food you get for the price. I'd much rather get an awesome, healthy, farm to table meal, all while supporting the local farms. Fresh seafood bar is amazing. I wish I could eat clams but I've had the shrimp and the crab and both are superb. Have to fight a little with the crab. Their cheese selection is great, being Italian cheese is a must for me and I never have a complaint with the choices. The staff is amazing. Very personable and they are knowledgeable. They have happy hour specials and on Wednesday, they have a no corkage fee so hey all you wine-o's bring those bottles. I love this place time and time again. Well worth the price. Great food and even better service? Yes please. read more

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This review is solely based on the Tuesday night Happy Hour $1 Oyster special. Always a good time when I visit. Which, again, is only on Tuesday nights. The oysters are very clean and fresh tasting. The mignonette sauce they are served with is very addicting! Still I switch back and forth from cocktail and horseradish as well. The blue point oysters are probably a crowd favorite and sell out fast...so get there early to enjoy these sweet puppies. Their beer and wine selection is ok with some good locals. Through I'd like to see more Rochester beers and FLX wines on the menu since they pride themselves in local ingredients. Everything is apparently cooked in duck fat. I do not mind it as much as I thought I would. I don't care too much for their calimari dish, though their poutine is yummy and packs a power punch of flavor. Do yourself a favor and get it with the bacon if you are thinking of trying it. MmmHmmM! I wonder if they would let me get a fried duck egg on top?... You can also make your own cheese plate based on the local varieties they have available. Which are also on special on Tuesday. I believe they are $3 per cheese. A good way to open up the appetite. I forget where they get their bread but I do have to mention the one with cranberry that seems to disappear. I am not a huge fan of fruit in bread, but if you are, make sure you get a slice before everyone at your table steals your opportunity. My overall experience makes me feel that I will be disappointed making a visit if there isn't an Oyster special happening. So I will continue to devour the oysters while I still can :) I hear that it is very nice in these warmer temperatures, with outside seating, when they offer oyster special during...MY WORK HOURS! HRM! Guess I will have to take a half day sometime! read more

Lento Restaurant - Poutine w/duck gravy, cheese curds from First Light (Brighton Farmer's market) and BACON! Calamari in back. - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

My fiance and I needed a date night after being stuck inside since March! We started with dinner at Lento! We each got a cocktail that we thought would be amazing. I have the Bourbon Delight and he had the Pickled Watermelon. My cocktail was very refreshing and sweet. I loved the aromatics of the basil. My fiance's cocktail was also good but seemed more of a watermelon margarita than anything pickled. For a starter we ordered the Duck Fat Frites. They were crisp and yummy. I wasn't a huge fan of the aioli so we got the Lento Ketchup as well. Yum! My fiance got oysters for a starter too and no complaints from him! For entrees we got the Vegetable Gnocchi and Monk Fish special. I won't try the fish by my fiance said it was yummy. The gnocchi were so soft they melted in your mouth! I also loved the roasted tomatoes in the sauce, it was a great flavor profile. We ordered second cocktails; I got the mule and I can't remember what my fiance ordered. Sadly the second server never told our server and we never got the other cocktail. No dessert today but enjoyed every bit of it! read more

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Good food and service - Leno is not an eatery for very hungry diners as they have a very limited menu. I went there because I read that Lento was seafood (oyster) $1 raw bar. Not the case they are a $3 per oyster raw bar. The address for Lento is posted on the restaurant across the street and we actually had to ask directions and I am now battling cancer for four (4) years and very happy to have to park in the lot across the street from the restaurant. Not having your proper address on your building is very cumbersome. Irregardless Happy New Year! Menu: Caesar Salad, Raw oysters, 24 oz Ribeye (great flavor) 2 craft cocktails $155.00 with tip read more

Good was amazing and service was excellent. Cannot recommend more the diver scallops in risotto. Wish the portion was a lot bigger but it was tasty for sure. read more

Went here for the first time as an early birthday dinner to myself - was absolutely delicious! The staff were so kind and the oysters were spectacular. I got rhubarb lemonade and it was some of the tastiest lemonade I've had in forever. Highly, highly recommend and I'm most definitely going to be a regular read more

Reviewing this restaurant is frustrating! Each individual portion of the appetizers and entrees were delicious as standalone ingredients (minus a few technical errors discussed below), the major issue was with their combination. Our meal started by splitting the steak tartare and the poutine (I requested duck fat fries instead of butternut squash fries, a request that the restaurant happily satisfied.) The tartare appetizer had four components, the tartare, sliced baguette, oil cured olive aioli, and a small watercress salad. By themselves, the ingredients were amazing the aioli was the best I have tasted, the bread met expectations, the watercress, with its vinegar dressing, helped to cleanse the palate, and the tartare was tender and flavorful. Having individually sampled each component I went for a combination, baguette smeared with aioli, topped with tartar and garnished with a leaf of watercress. Disappointing would be an understatement, the delicate flavors of the tartare were completely overpowered and the resulting favor can best be summed up as a olive-enriched marmite paste. The poutine had the most amazing cheese curds I have ever tasted (First Light Creamery), the pale duck gravy was a nice pairing with the curds. The issue related to the fries, as I said above I request duck fat fries in lieu of the butternut squash fries so that might have created the issue. The issue was that the fries were soggy, even the parts that were not covered in the gravy or curd. The resulting dish was a mushy mess that lacked the texture that I crave in a poutine. For the entrees, I ordered a medium rare duck with a red rice pilaf and radicchio. The radicchio was balsamic grilled and was truly delicious. I am not a rice person but I enjoyed the pilaf, and the duck was a tender piece of poultry and was served medium rare, as requested. The issues were that that the duck fat was not properly rendered and the result was an unappealing layer of fat residing where the crispy skin should have been. Also, the dish was visually unappealing. All the components were red (or at least dark enough to be confused for red in the restaurants dim lighting. Moreover, there were no flavor contrasts and very little textural contrast. I could have ignored the technical mistake on the duck if the rest of the dish was robust and exciting but the composed dish was monotonous on many levels. My friend's entrée was the pumpkin stuffed house-made raviolis, served with chard. The meal was a little too sweet for my taste, as I do not enjoy sweet entrees, but in fairness, it was entirely palatable. I enjoyed the treatment of the chard and the ravioli filling was very pleasant. A small technical error was that the raviolis needed to be cooked for another thirty seconds; they were tough and chewy where the dough was crimped. My friend ordered their white rabbit cocktail and really enjoyed it. The décor, ambiance, and service was an appropriate fit for a fine dining restaurant. As you can tell, there were a lot of ups and downs at this restaurant. I gave it three stars, although, I would have given it 3.5 if yelp would let me. I will give this restaurant a second chance and hope that this was just an off night. But to be safe, I recommend ordering a number of appetizers instead of ordering an entrée. read more

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A co-worker recommended this restaurant to my husband for their selection of vegetarian entrees and ambiance. I had high expectations for this restaurant for two reasons. First reason being, the awesome raving reviews given by my fellow yelpers. Secondly, for their vegetarian selection. APPETIZER: we had the Poutine which are balsamic portabella fries mixed with roasted red pepper sauce and cheese curds. This was surprisingly delicious and my husband, a carnivore, really loved this vegetarian dish. ENTREES: I hear that the menu changes fairly often at Lento. While dining there, on Valentine's Day, I had the vegetarian Lentil Cakes. The lentil cakes were pretty good, however, the sauce which accompanied them was extremely sweet and over powering. It was so sweet that, this entree tasted sweet like a dessert. This resulted in a mediocre dining experience for me. My husband had the duck, which is typically served as duck breast, but he requested the leg and thigh. He thoroughly enjoyed his dish and would gladly order it again in the future. The only down side for him was the serving size. He world have preferred more. THINGS THAT CREEPED ME OUT: Lento appears to have a few different dining sections. We were seated in the second section, which is on the side and up a few stairs. The walls were adorned with pictures of pigs, ducks, chickens and other random farm animals. I'm not certain if it was the pescetarian within, but something about seeing pictures of farm animals on the wall while people were eating pork, duck, and chicken, just felt wrong! I totally understand supporting, local farmers, but really? Do we need to stare at pictures of their cousins all night while we dine? Overall Lento is a good, solid 'A-Okay' restaurant in my book. The service was okay. The food was okay. read more

Fabulous experience with the food being really fresh, great service and attention to detail. The pork chop was my choice after we shared a series of appetizers. The concept of farm fresh really works well and the freshness of the ingredients and the carte of the chef in putting things together comes through clearly in the taste and the combinations. Liked it a lot - will be back. read more

Lento Restaurant - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Farm to Table! Duck fat fries or poutine to start. Some of my friends LOVE the oysters. Sometimes, there's a cheese plate that is local and so good. We've had the pasta, steak, seafood - all good. We often go just for dessert. Chocolate Pot De Creme is excellent. Other desserts change; we like the house made ice cream a lot. read more

Although I still think that Lento has great good, I'm disappointed that they seemed to have done away away with the $1 oysters from 4pm to 6pm during the week. I think $1 oyster night is limited to Tuesdays? Thursdays? I don't even know. I went on a Wednesday night recently and ordered my usual oysters and the bill was shockingly higher than I expected. I haven't been back since. read more

I love Lento, In my opinion they have the best handcrafted cocktails in Rochester. I am also a fan of their food philosophy, of seasonal, local food. Because of their approach to cooking, it's rather difficult to comment on a dish, since they change for the seasons, same thing with their drinks. The atmosphere have been pretty quiet and easy going every time I've been there. I enjoy that since it means I don't have to wait 40 mins for a bartender to ask me what I want to drink, and being able to have a conversation whilst there. We had a bad experience once with a meal in there when we try the burgers, they were not as good as other high end burgers that are offered in town However, their seafood bar is great, the best oysters in town, and the appetizers are most of the time a big hit. So if you go, try some of their seasonal food, their great drink selection, and their seafood. If you want burgers, there are better places for that read more

Lento Restaurant - Almost gone. Amazing crafted drink - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I've been to Lento many times since they opened a long time ago....and my experiences were hit and miss. Once I was there with a large party for a work event and ordered a main-course soup that was so salty I couldn't eat it. Another time a group of us went in summer and sat outside in the courtyard, ordered several of the frutti di mar platters and had an amazing experience. Yet another time I went for a special anniversary dinner with the hubs, and the service was really slow and the restaurant super loud (and thus overall un-enjoyable). And then other times I have gone with girlfriends and sat at the bar and had a perfect experience from cocktails to appetizers to mains to desserts. Despite all the inconsistencies, I really like the restaurant concept, and I like supporting this local non-chain eatery that basically started the farm-to-table, locavore movement in Rochester, with their aptly named restaurant 'Lento' (or slow or slowly). I also really appreciate all of the innovations chef Arthur attempts with the menu, the oyster bar, the 'around the world' menu they used to do once a week, the collaboration with Hearth and Cellar, etc. I feel they are constantly introducing something new and I find that exciting. My most recent experience was last night, and it was so good I had to add a review. I went with friends for oyster night, or 'buck-a-shuck' as my friends call it. We were there in time for happy hour, but not early enough to snag seats at the bar, so we ended up at a high table in the bar area. As a short person, this is not my preference because I feel like the table is at my chin and my feet just dangle....but the light was lovely and we had great service, so we opted not to move to a regular table when one was offered. We each ordered a dozen oysters ($1 each), which are served with a variety of condiments: chopped onions in vinegar, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and lemon. It was actually my first time ever eating oysters raw, and the ones I selected (piggy-backing on my friends order, since they are seasoned raw-oyster-eaters) were delicious - fresh, briny, perfectly chilled. And only $1 each! Of course, you aren't really full after eating a dozen raw oysters, so for $12 it is more about the experience of enjoying this delicate delicacy. But I loved it. After the oysters we decided to order more food - I got the crab cake 'sliders' (which are really just two thin crab cakes without a bun or bread for sandwiches) which were served with pea shoots and a delicious remoulade sauce, and the pickled fiddlehead ferns (a fleeting delight that I always order when I see it on the menu). For me, it was the perfect amount of food, and the quality of the ingredients really shined through. I am heading back there for brunch this Sunday to get in on more seasonal foraged edibles (ramps!). Can't wait! read more

We really enjoyed everything. The atmosphere is great. The timing was a little off. We received our appetizers pretty quickly and waited quite a bit of time for our entree. The food was cooked perfectly. Calamari was cooked well and was lightly fried and crispy. Would have liked if the sauce was on the side to dip for the calamari. Duck fat fries tasted great but a little greasy. The duck was cooked perfect just wish it came with a few more pieces...was left wishing there was a little more. My husband enjoyed the fish fry. He did say it was one of the best he has had. Overall we enjoyed our dinner and conversation. We also enjoyed the oysters. Definitely just felt like the food came out on the slow side...but it was a date night so we didn't mind to much since we didn't need to be anywhere. read more

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I have been here a handful of times and I'm never blown away nor am I ever disappointed. I do love to support local, sustainable and Roasted oyster with shitake mushroom, thyme butter, crispy shallots was a delicious little bite. Grilled flat bread with lobster mushrooms, roasted garlic, leeks, red meck cheese was so satisfying for hot cheesy goodness. You know the crisp, slightly browned caramelized-ish cheese mmmmmmm Pulled pork sandwich, ciabatta roll w red wine mustard aioli, pickled red onion, frites. The pork was moist and tender with a slight smoke to it, the red onion added a great acid. If you are looking for a slathered sandwich this is not it. Lemon rosemary swordfish, vegetable and shrimp kabobs, saffron rice with serrano ham. The seafood was nearly over cooked, but flavorful. The saffron rice was a jazzy spanish rice. The Jack Nance, chinaco Blanco tequilla, housemade grape shrug, cantelope shrug, ginger syrup. Delicious, went down way to easily. read more

While everyone in our party enjoyed their dinners, I did not hear too many oohs and ahhhhs indicating that this was one of the best meals they ever had. Actually, there were more raves about the appetizers than for the entrees. My duck liver pate was excellent and inventive, served with sliced baguette and sweet onion relish. The goat cheese beet salad was enjoyed by all. The calamari was excellent although not terribly unique. My wife's steak was excellent a cooked perfectly however it was accompanied by an over abundance of some sort of hash which no normal person could or would want to consume. My lamb chops were excellent but sparse, but the accompanying sides were complimentary and tasty. The pasta dishes seemed to be enjoyed, but not raved about. Same for the fish, but the dish was very rich. Deserts were shared and generally good but not exceptional. We we originally a party of 10, but reduced to 8 at the last minute and I detected a sour look from our waitress when she was informed. She was generally competent but a bit snooty, made a drink mistake and replaced it without apology, but the team did keep our service on par with what it should be for a high end restaurant. Did thoroughly enjoy the dinner and would return now knowing some of the menu pros and cons. read more

Farm to table, with innovative cuisine, a nice dining room, great staff, and impressive wine list, lots of beer, and craft cocktails. Always at the top of my list. read more

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Color me surprised. I thought I already wrote a review. Lento might be my favorite Rochester restaurant. They feature seasonal local food, creative dishes, great service, crafted cocktails, rotating menus, and a happy hour. Special note: Thursdays - all craft cocktails $5. My most recent visit was inspired by The Brainery. They had a special gnocchi making class and Lento dinner folded into the class. I skipped the gnocchi class, but made a reservation with Lento. We started with their fried cheese stuffed olive with hazelnut anchoiade and Last Word cocktail. The olives disappeared in an instant, but the taste lingered. The hazelnut anchoiade was particularly enjoyable. And the Last Word had great balance between herbs and lime. Sometimes the lime is too forward. We were feeling brave, so the crispy head cheese was next. Made from the muscles of the pig's head, this dish takes courage. However, it was fried which made it more palatable. This was with a wine poached egg perched atop as an otherworldly creature. Delicious. Then we had the curry coconut lentil soup striking balance between the coconut and lentils. I always delight when you can separate flavors in a dish and enjoy them as a whole. For our entree, we tried something similar to the curry. We wanted balance, but our waiter did add that this was a rare item - African groundnut stew with quinoa and sweet potato "meatballs". Note: technically, should be "ground nut". Their spelling made me think they were using a particular African nut, but it's ground nuts, namely peanuts and cashews. It was a delicious, flavorful soup. My first reaction was "tobacco? cigars?". Have you ever had tobacco simple syrup? It's similar to this flavor and delicious. You move to the other flavors soon after this first one. Cheers to the "meatballs" also. Tonight's desserts featured lavender and licorice cream brulee. There was much agonizing over this decision. Licorice won. I felt like a kid eating an adult dessert. So far, I've had immense food success every time at Lento. I look forward to more. read more

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Came again on a Tuesday night to finally try to $1 oysters. Definately recommend it because you can't beat the price and they have pretty good selection of oysters, my favourite was from Chesapeake. I also ordered a vegetarian lentil burger, but just tasted like a falafel on brioche bread (even though I ordered sesame.) not worth the$14 at all. Please do come for the oysters as that was past expectations, especially for $1. Clean, fresh, and plenty in stock. I like the variety and ability to experiment. 3/1/16 Came yet again for $1 Oyster night. My favourite sweeter oysters that they carry here are the Chesapeake, French Kiss, and Copps Island. Ask for any dipping sauce; horse radish paired with their garlic dip is 10/10. read more

Lento Restaurant - A selection of the oysters available on $1 oysters night. Got 4 of everything. - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I've put off writing a review simply because I'm not sure how to put my love of Lento into words, but here's my best shot. This is one of the best restaurants in Rochester for me because of their constantly rotating menu, use of local ingredients, creative dishes, and on top of that a great atmosphere and service. After a few visits I've finally learned the best way to enjoy their menu. Go with at least one other person for sharing purposes. Then make your own 4+ course meal by ordering a few small plates, an entree to share (these are quite pricey), a dessert, and a cocktail or two. Having them come out at separate times made for a wonderful 5-course experience for my dining partner and I. Let your server help guide your decisions. They know the menu better than you do. Also, be adventurous. Lastly, if you can go on a Thursday you can get any craft cocktail for $5. That's reason enough for me to plan another visit. read more

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My husband and I went to lento for the first time.. with a Reservation.. and waited over 30 minutes without any recognition from any staff member after being seated .. not even a glass of water despite the waitress passing by several times.. We were excited to try, but didn't even wait due to the neglectful service ended up leaving after the 30 minutes. read more

When we are in a jam and can't grab a table at Good Luck or Fiorella, Lento is always a really good option. They have dollar oysters in Tuesday's and I'm a total sucker for those. The farm to table aspect is great and the food is always fresh. There is always a narrative of the local farms that are supplying not only the delicious and organic food but also the local wines from the finger lakes region. Have never had a bad experience here, my only complaint is the smaller portion sizes. I guess it comes with the organic meats that aren't pumped with hormones like we are used to seeing from the Schwarzenegger sized chickens from Wegman's. read more

We had a wonderful take out meal for dinner tonight! Kudos to the chef and staff for accommodating the craziness that is Covid-19 by arranging for meals to go. We enjoyed the calamari and mussels appetizers and the vegan "steaks" and salmon entrees. In the face of unexpected life changes, it feels necessary and important to find ways to support one another. Thanks Lento! We will be back! read more

Food was great. Romantic atmosphere - not so much. Pretty loud. Casually dressed crowd. Laughter and shouts from the bar. Good food? Yes Quiet atmosphere? No If that's what you are looking for, go for it! read more

Lento Restaurant - Dinner at Lento - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York