Called for a reservation and the lady on the phone was so pleasant I could have struck up all sorts of conversation. She made me look forward to coming in to try the place out. I was disappointed that they didn't accept my %10 off coupon from a play bill saying that it was only good the week of that show. We ordered their signature flaming cheese which was good. The carbonara with chicken and broccoli had very little flavor, the chicken seemed poached or sous-vide. The pork chop special with caponata and roasted potatoes was fantastic. read more

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Polizzi's is a hidden gem inside of Village Gate that needs to be uncovered. The food is fantastic and the service is outstanding. The greeting was unusually personal and friendly and our entire experience was made even more special by the superb service of Joseph. We also had a list from owner Tom Polizzi who checked in to introduce himself and to make sure we were having the best expeierence and food possible. We were. Interesting menu. Great food. Sparkling clean. Wonderful service. This place we become a part of my regular rotation of good places to dine. read more

Very good! Nice atmosphere, delicious food; well trained and friendly waitstaff. Well worth the trip. Give it a try!

Ordered takeout food. Everything we ordered was really good and the chef even came out to explain one of our appetizers. I would definitely order from them again. Wish we lived closer. read more

Whoever guessed that a restaurant of this high caliber could be found in Rochester. The staff... and there were a lot of them... were attentive and friendly. The menu items are various and unique. Served to our table hot and steaming. Preparation of each dish was flawless. There's only one drawback: the noise. So intense, even with padded floors, that a conversation with someone sitting right next to you is challenging. Maybe it's the wall of windows facing the courtyard. In any event we hope some solution can make Polizzi's sound less like a sports bar and more like the casually elegant restaurant that it is. read more

Stopped in on a Thursday evening around 5:40 on a whim and was able to get seated for two. Shortly afterwards it got busy, as do most places at village gate, so plans accordingly! My first impressions walking in are it's clean, intimate and serves delicious food and it definitely lived up to that! The menu is semi small and we ended up trying the specials of penne in vodka sauce and chicken French. Both were delicious and not oversized! With the meal came delicious, hot bread and a salad. I was impressed with the salad as it wasn't just iceberg lettuce and carrots. It had spinach and cucumbers etc. We did get an appetizer with sausage in it (totally not my thing but it was so DANG GOOD)! I would recommend this place if in the area! read more

Polizzi's - Bread that comes with meal - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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This is a hidden gem! We came here for a lovely weeknight meal and experienced great service, a pleasant atmosphere, and solid, delicious food. I loved the family restaurant feel with bread to start, generously portioned entrees, and a plethora of options on the menu. It seems like the type of place you might need a weekend reservation, but we were comfortably seated with no wait on a weeknight. The bar looks great and it's an inviting interior, great for spending time with people you love! We will definitely be back again! read more

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This is our first time at Polizzi's. We were seated right away on a Saturday at 7:30. The menu had several interesting dishes. Vicky had a vegetarian Napoleon paired with a German Riesling. I tried to Pork Ossining buco with 3 Heads lager. We also shared mushroom risotto. Our dishes were amazing but we felt the risotto was a little flat. Bar service was a bit slow too. This a friendly, comfortable place with really good go. We came here again as the food was amazing. Interestingly had the same bartender who is friendly and knows his wines. He is not blazing fast like I would want in a high paced bar but he is perfect for a small place like Polizzi's. Service is on point. A great place read more

Went with friends on a Saturday nite. Great service all around. We all ordered a seafood entree.. delicious. Well poured cocktails. Wonderful atmosphere AND a visit to our table by the Chef/Owner! This restaurant is a must! read more

Great food! A top rochester restaurant; excellent service too. Gluten free options are fantastic!

The Caesar Salad was not Caesar Salad; it was oil and vinegar on romaine lettuce with a few bread croutons.

First time. Had a new server who was great. She knew the menu and answered questions after only two weeks. I had the special Grilled Pork Chop which may have the best I have ever had. My friends had shrimp and were happy. The margaritas were well made. I thought it was more noisy than I prefer. I will definitely return. read more

The husband and I had a fabulous early dinner a few weeks ago. Service was impeccable and patient as we looked over the menu. Each course was better than the next. The stuffed bread and the shrimp apps were exceptional as was the beet and goat cheese salad. The garlic shrimp entree' was great as well. We also shared a heavenly Budino for dessert . I recommend Polizzi's with 5 stars ! read more

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I finally was able to visit this restaurant since I keep hearing good things, and I love the Village Gate area. Starting off with the House Made Sausage Sampler, these were incredible. I'm huge when it comes to homemade sausage, and these were a couple of the best I've ever had. For mains I opted in for the Garlic - Rosemary Marinated Lamb Loin Chops. These were cooked to the perfect requested medium-rare. It was flavorful, and tender. The mashed potatoes and green beans were also wonderful accompanying sides. One thing I'd like to point out, is the great service from a young lady named Anna. She was professional, personable, and made the overall dinner even better. Another thing I absolutely love about the restaurant is the cozy atmosphere whether it's indoors or outdoors. This restaurant offers a unique fusion of Italian, Greek, Spanish, French and Mediterranean cuisine. I'm very glad to have finally gotten the chance to visit, and I'll definitely be back. read more

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Really enjoy Polizzi's! Service is always really good, food comes to your table "stove hot" and good sized portions as welll. The crab risotto dish is delicious and there calamari has to be the best in town. Been here a few times and our experience has been consistent each time, thank you! Can't say enough nice things about Polizzi's. read more

Nice Ambiance. Food was excellent. Service was spectacular. Will be coming back again.

We enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was great. The people were very nice and attentive. The food came out quickly and looked great. I really would give a 4.5 star not 4. We liked the food but it just needed a little bit more flavor. The dessert was fantastic! read more

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Outstanding service our waiter was great but the quality of the food did not match the price. If we do go back will have to try something else. Probably wont go back though. read more

Went there for the second time. The server was very helpful and timely without rushing us. I had a dish appetizer that was very good. Although the menu looked good, I had the porkchop again. Others in my party were equally pleased. The only downside was the noise level which was louder than I like. Overall, it was a fine experience. read more

Great staff, wonderful menu and food, nice space at Village Gate in the neighborhood of the Arts.

Best pork chop this side of the Mississippi! Service was excellent and ambience is much better now that there are ceiling baffles to quiet the room some. read more

1st time in downtown Rochester we discovered this restaurant. Place was very nice and eclectic. Service was good and food was delicious. A new stop for us when in downtown Rochester! Pros: Friendly staff, delicious entrees and deserts. Cons: none (just a little hard to find the entrance) read more

Polizzi's - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Ate there last night. Food and service was fantastic! I had steak and my wife had the short ribs. Both meals were delicious! I would DEFINITELY go back! read more

We had another great dinner here! My buddies and I stopped by on a cold November evening for dinner -- and it was great! The place was packed -- an ideal spot before a show. We had calamari and also duck sausages for appetizers -- delicious! Then we all chose steak. Mine was terrific, flavorful and juicy., My dessert was caramel budding, another opus had the excellent ice ream sandwich. Our server was excellent. We had a perfect meal! read more

We made a late decision to go to Polizzi's after visiting the MAG. So glad we did. Ignoring the blah ambience of Village Gate's passageway,once inside the ambience was most warm. We were served promptly and attentively and warmly (a tough combination for some places). We had a tough time choosing from the menu and specials (as in I wanted almost all of them). Both of us totally enjoyed our dinners. And thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with the Chef; not often you get an in-depth discussion on Moussaka having a layer of potatoes or not. I am so pleased to recommend this place. Oh - and they packaged our leftovers in eco-goodguys packaging. A smile when I opened the fridge today. (This from my TripAdvisor review) read more

Polizzi's is hands down my favorite restaurant in Rochester. I've eaten here many times and every time the food is incredible and staff is extremely professional and always friendly. read more

This has to be the best Mediterranean restaurant in Rochester. This food is more authentic and tastes better then places like Aladdin's and sinbads. For the longest time I have not been able to find a quality Greek restaurant in Rochester and now my prayers have been answered. It is on the pricier side but you are paying for the quality and taste. read more

Polizzi's - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

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I found Polizzi's when I was out with friends. It is a great meeting place or date night location! As soon as we walked in we were greeted with a nice hello. We had the option to sit right away however we choose to sit at the bar for a drink. The bartender was friendly, attentive and the wine list was just right. We sat down to eat our dinner and it was amazing. We started with the greek style calamari frito, it was wonderful. Our enttees of Lobster Ravioli special and the grilled pork chop were perfect. I can't wait to return to try the rest of the menu! Overall I would rate our experiance as 5 Stars! We were able to hold a conversation and the staff was friendly and professional. The Chef/Owner even came over to our table (and others) to ask how we were enjoying our meal. It made us feel like VIP's! read more

The atmosphere is cozy with a lovely very of the Village Gate courtyard. We had a table of 10, promptly seated, and wonderfully treated. Our server was pleasant with our many questions and specifications. We waited for nothing. The wine list satisfied our many palates. Wine prices were comparable to decent establishments in Roc. The food prices were good, portions larger, and the selection was massive; Italian, Mediterranean, and some comfort foods. All 10 of us thoroughly enjoyed our meal and our time spent there. Can't wait to get back. read more

I do have to say that my experience at Polizzi's last night was nothing short of outstanding. It's literally been over a year since I wrote my last Yelp review, but given how amazing the food and service was last night, I couldn't stop myself from giving them the utmost praise today. Between being promptly seated, to having our drinks constantly tapped off with water, to boxing up food in back and bagging them for us delicately, to replacing our silverware and putting them in their classically designated positions between courses, to just the delightful ambience of our waiter, everything was absolutely and unequivocally some of the best service I've experienced in Rochester to date. We felt the emotionally intelligent vigilance of the waiter, while also still having more than enough time to enjoy our conversation with each other at the table without feeling "overly waited upon" and I truly have not even an ounce of illness to even comment on. He was kind, smart, funny, and most of all caring to me and my three friends and we couldn't have asked for better. So you may be wondering given the enormously positive state of the service, how was the food? Just one word: Amazing. We all ordered distinctly different dishes (lamb kebab, crispy skin salmon, pork chop special, and chicken and broccoli carbonara) which we all like to share with each other, and having tasted a bit of everything, I can say without a doubt that everything was cooked to a degree of perfection that's incredibly hard to find especially when there's such a difference in cookery when it comes to pasta to meats to seafood. My lamb was pink and buttery-soft, the salmon was medium and melted away on the tongue, the pork chop which my friend ordered medium-well was cooked medium-well while still being juicy on the inside(!!), and the chicken carbonara had the flavor of an unctuous chicken ramen bone broth with shredded incredibly moist dark meat chicken scattered throughout. Honestly, it was probably the best food I've eaten in all of 2019 so far, and believe me - I'm an eater. The sides were nothing short of spectacular as well between creamy potato perfectly layered French-style potato gratin and crispy rösti to amazingly cooked ratatouille where you still had the texture and flavor of the vegetables without letting them turn to mush. Truly an A+, 10/10 experience. I will be coming back, and I'll be telling all of my friends. Polizzi's may look a little old school from their sign and from their website, but I can assure you from the quality of the food, service, and seasoning, they are nothing but. Give them a try, and you will experience true glory in Rochester. read more

Wonderful dinner but service was slow. The veal and pasta were perfect. My wife had shrimp over vegetables but there was way too much sauce making it almost like a soup; would not order that again. Just like I imagine a home-cooked Italian meal would be. read more

This is definitely one of our favorite places! Consistently good dinner with excellent service, highly recommend!

Came here on Sunday for Mothers day. Little hidden place in Village Gate. Greek/italian inspired menu but theres a little but of everything for everyone on the menu. Absolutely fantastic service with excellent food. I ordered the Pork Osso Bucco and may be the most tender Pork Osso Bucco I ever had. So good I forgot to even take pictures. The rest of my guest really enjoyed their meal as well. read more

Great food and service, nice outside atmosphere!! Great for special occasions or every night dining

Fabulous experience!!! Everything is perfect.....environment, service and food!! Polizzi's is a homerun! The menu is a refreshing variety of delicious choices. Prices are so reasonable. This should be a regular for everyone. read more

What a beautiful dinner out on the shaded patio. We felt like we were out in our garden. The food was so good! We had the asparagus appetizer and the flaming cheese appetizer, both were great. Entrees: veal and roasted potatoes, chicken Souvlaki with saffron rice were amazing. Joe our waiter was chill and had a great attitude and provided great service. Also had the chilled fruit soup! We highly recommend this place! read more

Polizzi's - Cold fruit soup! Yum! - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday night and there was a big party ahead of us so it took awhile for us to get seated. Luckily they had a decent size bar where we parked for about half an hour before finally getting seated.The restaurant is small but they utilize the space well. The decor is kind of rustic modern, with booths, dim lighting and dark wooden tables where there were no booths. There is a cute little garden patio but unfortunately it was so humid we opted for inside. The menu surprisingly had very little pasta dishes despite being a partially Italian restaurant but they may change it often so it probably was just the night we went. When we were seated, we ordered the greek sampler platter, the langostinos and penne pasta, and the osso bucco ravioli special for that night. You get free bread and oil dip (yay!!). The bread was so good! The outside was crisp and the inside was so soft. The oil dip was bland so we added some salt. The sampler was a great start to the meal. The pita bread so light but doughy which I love. I don't usually like tzatziki but this was the most flavorful one I've had. Instead of being super creamy this one was bright. The dolmas were delightful and tangy but salty. It was a little on the too salty side but I just dipped it in the tzatziki or wrapped it in the pita bread. The spanakopita was ok, there wasn't much filling or any cheesy flavors. The pastry however was delightfully cripsy. The tyropita was yummies and had such a nice buttery taste. Overall a great value for your money when you get the sampler. The langostinos pasta was good but nothing very exciting. The pasta was cooked nicely, but there was a lot of it. There was a moderate amount of langoustines but they were a little overcooked I think. They shrunk a lot and wasn't the sweet taste I expected. Maybe all the sweetness seeped into the broth because that was pretty sweet and nicely flavored. The squash was lost in the dish so I didn't notice them much. For $27, I was disappointed. Now, the downward turn of our meal, the pork osso bucco ravioli special. First off, the description the waitress gave us was misleading. She specifically said "osso bucco served WITH raviolis". And also, please know what the price is of the specials if you're going to tell us about it. I've taken the stance of not ordering a special blindly without knowing the price lately (saves you from making stupid decisions). The osso bucco was actually IN the ravioli instead of being on top of raviolis. That being said, there actually wasn't that much pork in the raviolis. They were big raviolis, but most of it was dough. The taste was just weird. The meat was strangely game-y tasting (bad meat??). The after taste of the dish was unpleasant, my bf thinks it may have been the type of wine used to braise the meat. The dish wasn't super awful, but after each bite it was so off putting with the over porky-ness and the strange sour taste I had 3/4 of a ravioli and my awesome boyfriend traded his entree for mine. Even then we had an entire ravioli that had to be taken away. The ravioli was supposed to come with a salad, but it never came and I was just too disappointed in my ravioli to care. Also, I didn't like how the bartender and waitress both offered different types of water when they asked if we wanted water. There was regular tap or sparkling and something else I forgot, except they don't tell you anything other than tap will be $3 each. If you're going to charge for different types of water, just put it on the menu. If I want to pay for sparkling water, I will order it, don't offer it like it's complementary please. read more

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New to Rochester and had the extreme good fortune to come across Polizzi's. Excellent food, good service and a great atmosphere. Rissotto with lump crab and Oso buco style braised short rib, outstanding! Calamari appetizer was cooked perfectly and was accompanied with delicious dipping sauces. Just go, you'll love it! read more

Great Service. Amazing Food. Delicious Drinks! Relaxed atmosphere. We can't wait to go back!

Had a great dinner with friends the other night. Everything about the place was very good. One of the best meals (pork chop 14oz) I have had in a long time. Can't wait to go back and try some other items on the menu. read more