im from out of town and came here with two of my friends (one who was born and raised in Rochester.) he had suggested we go to this place and what can i say? i ordered the garbage plate- and i literally couldn't put my fork down. the portion was massive but i still made it a purpose to finish my entire meal- which essentially gave me a food coma. but absolutely no regrets over here. i definitely recommend this place for anyone that is from out of town and wants some good ol' rochester grub. hopefully i'll be back again soon. in addition, the service was wonderful. read more

I haven't been there in years but when I lived in Rochester while attending RIT I ate at Mark's almost once each weekend...or got take out from there. I've never eaten anything else here but a Cheeseburger "Plate" (garbage plate). Mark's has the best "Plate" in Rochester! So, I have to admit these were my college years and I've never eaten a "Plate" completely sober or before 2am... There are variations around Rochester restaurants with garbage plates (different potatoes, etc.) but what makes Marks the best is the crinkle-cut french fries, heavily mayonaised macaroni salad and their Texas hot sauce. Something about that combo after a night of drinking... It can get very crowded there on the weekends, they even have a door man and set up a rope & stanchions on Friday & Saturday nights. The door man also acts as security because the clientele can be a little seedy... makes for good people watching though. The biggest down side about this eatery is there unwillingness to offer "Frank's" hot sauce (they only have Tabasco). Frank's is much better on a "plate"... read more

Service was very nice and accommodating. Restaurant interior was very "dive-y", so just be aware of that before walking in. I ordered the "Mark's Sloppy Plate" and it was OK; definitely not the best in the Rochester area. The plate was a little bland and the bread that was served with it was about as stale and hard as it can get. The onions were cut into large chunks (really?) and the meat sauce had very little flavor to it. The next time I choose a place to get a garbage plate in Rochester, Mark's Texas Hots would be towards the bottom of my list. read more

Good food & service. They are fairly cheap & the food is always fresh. I love the chocolate chip pancakes & eggs. I enjoy it & I'm always extra full when I go there. read more

As far as the garbage plates are concerned, this place is just fantastic. Definitely the best garbage plate in Rochester. and the fact that it's near every freakin' bar?! added perfection. I can honestly say that I've never tried anything else on their menu, because there's really no need to. read more

The food isn't the worst part about this place. It's the owners attitude and all the sketchy clientele they consistently get. I've seen the owner yelling at good customers who weren't doing a thing wrong. He seems very high strung and doesn't have much composure. I'd go back, if I was starving and no one else was open. read more

For some reason they have a "bouncer" that looks like a fat Steven Segal if he never learned martial arts or got into acting. He has fingerless gloves which helps when he's pointing at you and letting you know you can join your party when you already have food waiting on the table. Thanks for letting me know. He has every weapon that all the ninja turtles have, but never gets to use them. Try the turkey club. I tried to use the bathroom but a girl was in there crying so I had to hold it. 1 star. I'm allergic to all the plants they cram in the window to try and make you forget you're in the cesspool that is Monroe ave. read more

Great joint day or night! Before I get into why it's so great, here's a little background: So the night before my wedding, my then fiance(e?) had her special night starting at the City Grill, but my lads and I wanted to class it up, so we came here. Being in the middle of winter, we knew we needed proper attire; I was dressed as superman, my best man as spiderman, and the other groomsman as captain america. Two things of note happened here: first, the waitress, who I would assume was used to being surrounded by drunks, treated us as if were were just regular customers (awesome!). Second, this is the only place where I have been both propositioned and insulted in the same sentence. Oh! and the people watching; we certainly can't forget about that. Ever since Gitsis closed, Mark's has become the go-to place to spot some of Monroe Avenue's finest. While most of the customers are fine people, others are reminders that no matter bad off you are, things could always be a lot worse. One time I saw a guy who had a shirt with just two buttons and they were barely hanging on, but he wasn't fazed. He was just enjoying his egg salad sandwich. Even though I was in the middle of a rough patch, I said "you know what? I still have most of the buttons on shirt; things are going to be O.K!" One of the cheapest steak and eggs in town! read more

I'm very upset and not satisfied As a value customer I always has been ... I'm no longer coming back to marks on Monroe ave ... my boyfriend and I order French toast alone with other items which wasn't even cook all the way all we stated was can you please put it back on the grill to have it cook longer ... the manger stated to us that he wasn't going to do it and told us to order something else as a customer I felt as if ,if I was to order and pay for something I would like it made the way it should .. or at least try to satisfied your customer... but the customer service was very unprofessional... I really come here because the great employees that work the morning shift are great people and they know exactly what I like to order ... but as if now I wouldn't recommend going there at night you get better customer service in the morning ... read more

A great spot to grab a late night snack. I stop in at least once a week. The food is always ready within minutes.

I think I wasted the hours between 2-4am of my life for several years at Mark's. Sometimes I'd remember what I actually got, sometimes I didn't. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit (uh maybe not), but there ARE some seriously fond and hilarious memories of this place. The staff are hopelessly patient and tolerant of complete nonsense, and the food is good. It's actually GOOD! And yes, I've eaten there sober before. No, not good in the organic-lovingly prepared-wholesome kind of way. Good in the I-need-something-delicious-and-greasy-to-soak-up-the-alcohol-and-ebb-my-future-hangover kind of way. A Rochester institution full of character (and characterS) not to be missed. read more

This was the worst experience I've ever had as a paying customer. I wanted a snack, something to take home, and a milkshake. So we got that. Blond female server, pony tail, never even talked to her until she copped an attitude, after my boyfriend and I sat there for 25 minutes waiting for one box and the check, no drink refills. He went to the counter to ask for it, was ignored by the other server, older female dark hair, then when my boyfriend huffed and went to talk away she said "sorry honey I can't get your check for you" and wouldn't give him a box which takes one second and no effort, just kept pitter pattering around acting busy, then he came back to the table and server #2 asked our server to give us the check because " she thinks we are waiting" and our server says with such a tone "there gonna have to wait like everybody else" at this point I'm done and I say "we're gonna have to wait like everyone else??? We have been waiting and never even got checked on or acknowledged by you" she then denies saying that tries to sugar coat it and I said "stop I repeated exactly when you said" I told my boyfriend "please just put cash on the table before I deck this bitch. " the other customers (4 tables total, 2 bar guest) were honestly being taken care of in a timely fashion. I'm a server/bartender, my boyfriend is too. I am white, he is half white half African American. What kind of place allows the standards of how guests are treated to be equal is a nuisance. He handed much more than we owed to the server #2 and we left. Couldn't even take my half eaten meal home. read more

Mark's does not pretend to be anything that it's not. That's a big part of the charm of this place. Standard Greek diner (John Belushi's "Cheeseburger" sketch may or may not have been filmed here). Food is cheap and tasty. Portions are big. Wait staff lovingly looks after legions of drunk patrons on weekend nights. Somehow, they manage to get the orders right no matter how slurred the speech of the person ordering might be. The kitchen is lightning-fast. This is not a place to go if you want a fancy, quiet dinner. It is definitely the place to go if you NEED some home fries and/or a milkshake at 3 AM. The family that runs this place is the reason for it's success. Their efforts have made Mark's the standard-bearer among Rochester's late-night eateries. read more

Mark's is my favorite spot to eat in Rochester. I've had plates from all over the city and mark's is above and beyond the best. Their other food is great as well and the service is always prompt and polite. I no longer live in Rochester but every time I'm back it's a must to go to mark's at least once if not more. read more

Garbage plate was awesome. The sloppy special. I got hot dog (white...it's more like sausage) and cheeseburger - next time I would get steak (only $1 extra). Full of people, lots of orders going out. Will call for pick up next time! read more

I'd go here over Tahou's any day of the week(end), without hesitation. The wait staff are no-bullshit, but understanding if you customize your plate. This place is where the party goes when the bars close, it's great, don't let anyone tell you otherwise! read more

I did not realize you can give a zero stars review then I said to myself just to be open after 2am gets them a star. In short man this place is dirty and loud. We need safe clean food to eat in this town after 2am. To bad city makes it so tough to stay open late. It's killing us from the inside out. read more

This greasy spoon is a city gem. The service is top notch. The decor is that of an old fashioned diner. I recommend the daily specials. Mark's Texas Hots has it all, great food, great prices, and great people. read more

Ok, so here we are craving some junk, diner food. But it's Friday evening and we had no idea where to go.... when we stumbled upon Marks. Wait staff, excellent. Food comes to you quick and the waitress knew the menu by heart. I love these little "hole in the wall diners" but I haven't found a good one in Rochester..... until now. The food was so good. It's like your grandmomma is in the kitchen cooking while you wait. I recommend ordering your fries extra crispy, YUM. The garbage plate was so good, I have been craving it since we left. The grilled cheese is to die for. I can't say enough about this place, it's a great little diner for good CHEAP food. And we know we all want good CHEAP food. My only complaint is the bathroom, ugh. Pee before you go:) read more

I loved this place as a teenager for their fabulous diner food. Incredible vanilla milkshakes, french fries, sandwiches - all at completely reasonable prices. I have been living far away from Rochester for the past 15 years but every time I'm in town, I make it a point to come here. Tonight, a friend and I went in for late night breakfast. The place wasn't packed but our server did have other tables. Even so, she had water for us before we sat down, soda before I could wash my hands, our side of fries appetizer before my friend could do the same and we only got 4 delicious french fries in our mouths before our meals arrived. Our server checked back to make sure everything was okay and more or less let us be. This is quite possibly my favorite diner in the entire world and I'm thrilled that they keep continuing to do everything that made them great when I was a kid. read more

This place is great, even when sober. Went on a Saturday for early dinner, staff and patrons are so great and nice - liked the menu and food better than Avenue down the street, and then menu has so many great sandwiches. Another great place that makes me love Monroe Ave. read more

In the words of venerable Nate, "what makes the food here taste better than in any other restaurant in Rochester is the prospect of being mugged." Which brings me to the night of November 5, 1992. We had just left the main Applebees, you know, the ones with the non-limp non-steamed fries. We were looking for some action. Some Platinum-Murman-Card Gold Membership action. We went to Mark's because its cup runneth over with Holy Grail Points because their sloppy plates are the glutton's equivalent to a Utica Chinstrap (hey, don't judge). They're getting their class on these days -- even got a parking lot out back now if you want to meet a high class Wendy Nametag or just shoot the shit with some fonzies after hightailing out of the Bug Jar. Just beware the Uncomebackable Realm of Colonel Hellstache that can occur when the salsa compels you to use your buddy's shirt as a trash compactor. read more

Best garbage plates + milkshakes in Rochester. Friendly wait staff. Able to accommodate large crowds.

Oh Marks, how I love thee! This is the best place for plates in Rochester. They aren't as greasy as other places and it can order take out or sit down. They even have a bouncer to help avoid shootings and crowd control. If that doesn't say ambience I don't k know what does. In reality it's a great place to get late night grub or a daytime plates. read more

I ordered 1 garbage plate and 2 BLTs through Postmates, and when the food arrived, we were missing a sandwich. Very annoying.

One of the best plates in the city, and tons of other great late night grub. Cheap. Tasty. Maybe a little dangerous. Win. Win. Win.

It's 3am, and you're drunk. Why are you reading a Yelp review? Just wait in line, order your garbage plate, and enjoy the best plate in the city! Just be careful, the crowd can get pretty rowdy in the early morning hours. Hope you parked close by!! read more

This is a place you go between 1am & 3am. Great sloppy plate. CHEAP. Its either the crowd or security guard with a bullet proof vest that is intimidating, I cant tell. Either way after a few drinks you wont even notice. Highly recommend for drunk food read more

Best place for garbage plates and the service is so quick! Love this place and you can tell all the employees are working hard at their job!

This is my 2nd choice for the post-bar food, but also the place I end up going to most often since it's closer than Steve T's. "Half cheeseburger plate, homefries, and everything" is my typical order, but the turkey plate is AMAZING - if you haven't had it, you REALLY need to try it. It's not a typical plate in the Rochester meat-sauce-covered garbage plate sense, but it is so good. I never knew a turkey sandwich covered in gravy could taste so good. When you order a cheesburger plate, cover it in ketchup and franks red hot and mix it all together. That way you get the real experience. Someone gets taken away by the police almost every time I visit Mark's. Last time I was there a fight broke out in the line ending in two guys knocked out cold on the pavement. There's a porn store across the street and hookers on the corner - everything a man needs in one convenient location. I say that just to set the scene. The security/bouncer is a good guy, so there's nothing to worry about as long as you're not a belligerent asshole (but being belligerent is encouraged). Also, Mark's a really great, funny guy - so say hi when you see him. read more

Overnight customer service sucks here when you dine in the young lady with the tattoo and blonde and brown hair is super rude! Food is great employees sucks! read more

A rochester staple. What would we do without you marks Texas hots! Rochester is seriously lacking in 24 hour places, so this is a godsend. The waitresses always have too much on their plates and sometimes I feel bad for them having to deal with the annoying drunk costumers. The food here is ok, I always get the omelets or the turkey sandwich au jus. Made the mistake of getting the baklava one time, I recommend sticking to the diner basics. All in all a great late night eatery read more

I guess it depends what you're looking for. The menu here is really no different from Gitsi's, whose flame they stole as Rochester's Punk-Rock Grubspot some years ago, except that it's a little cheaper. The waitresses here are prone to have blue or green hair and more piercings per square inch than Jane's Addiction...boy, I just dated myself there, didn't I? Anyway, this place was fun for ultra-late-night chow of the cheap, greasy variety back when I was in my mid-20s and used to rehearse late and sleep in late, but I can't say I personally have much desire to eat here anymore. I think I can safely hand on the "cheeseburger, fries, and shake at 3am" torch to the next generation of young rock loonies now. Like I say, it depends entirely on what you have in mind... read more

The staff was very nice but the place was dirty and the food was very bland. The prices were too high for the low quality of the food. The owner tends to sit in there a lot but is not friendly at all. read more

While driving through NY stopped here to eat from a friend's recommendation; he went to college nearby. I was not disappointed. It was my first time eating a garbage plate. Very good! I could see why a college student would love the place. Cheap diner that is open late. read more

My favorite diner in the world in my youth after partying the sky burger was perfect. After visiting a decade later it still is. That is consistency that you don't find anywhere. Just keep in mind this is a diner and not a gourmet restaurant. They do what they do flawlessly and don't try to over reach. read more

The only place that can rival Nick's for a plate. But this place obviously has what Nick's doesn't - somewhere to sit without getting crabs. Been a long time since I was in the neighborhood, but having lived up the street, this was my go to place. read more

I was told by a credible source, that a bunch of rats live in the basement here. The food tastes good, but since being told about the rats, I get a bit weary about the food here. read more

This "thin fork" restaurant is as good as garbage (sloppy) plates come. I put my hot sauce on the side as it makes me feel like I won't have a clogged arteries any sooner than those that smother it on. Haha. The only complaint is that there was some plastic remnants in my macaroni, which was strange, but it didn't turn me off from continuing to eat. read more

Went here late Thursday night. It is open all the time which is really great of your looking for something to eat late night. I ordered a red and a white hot. Both were good. If I was put at the bars late and needed some grub late night I definitely would love this place. read more