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

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

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.

Great experience! We came early and they were kind enough to accommodate us. Seated outside in a very nice day, Joe was our server. He went over the specials and started us with drinks. Two of us shared a salad (beats & spinach) and an entree (moussaka). The kitchen was very kind to split the salad a in separate dishes. One of us had pork osso buco. Everything was great. Prices were reasonable. Great service, great food and good prices. Nice! read more

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

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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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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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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

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

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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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

We had an amazing dinner! We were actually supposed to dine elsewhere however had a problem with the reservations and went to Polizzi's as it was close. The hostess worked extremely hard to seat us as quickly as possible. Her first impression showed a great representation of the restaurant. Our server, Kristy was amazing! Pleasant, knowledgeable and just an overall excellent server. She is also a critical thinker. We ordered the expresso martini and it wasnt the best I've ever had but she figure out what to do to fix it! Ask for Joe if that's a dessert drink you want!! Anyway the food was delish and I give it a 10 out of 10! Can't wait to come back to Rochester and dine there again! Nancy :) read more

We had dinner here on a summer evening, and ate out on the patio. Didn't have high expectations, as it wasn't particularly crowded on a Thursday at 8pm. BUT, the food was awesome. Everyone loved their entrees. The calamari was, no kidding, THE BEST I HAVE EVER EATEN! I had the lamb chops, requested rare, and they were cooked perfectly and were delicious. We also ordered the roasted shrimp, pasta ragu, a vegetarian entree and 3 varieties of salads. The complementary bread was delicious as well. I am purchasing a gift card as a thank you to my cousins for hosting us for a week's visit. I can't think of anything they would enjoy more than to return to Polizzi's. We all loved it. Oh, and the chef and server were such nice people. All around excellent experience!!! read more

My friend suggested this place as we love to try new restaurants that we've both never been to so we came here on a Saturday night with our significant others with high expectations after what looked like a pretty nice menu. We were promptly seated right by the door and our server was attentive right away. We all ordered sparkling water and a bottle of Prosecco which I don't recall was ever presented to us, just poured... but whatever. We heard the specials- a little rusty in the rendition but we might have been an early table with a 6:45 reservation so it's possible they weren't all completely memorized yet. I get it. The appetizers were nice; tender calamari, the ajillo shrimp was delish. And we enjoyed the flaming cheese and warm bread with dipping oil. I ordered the snapper special although when brought to me the food runner called it perch. My friend had lamb, his fiancée had shrimp and my fiancé had the veal which seemed to be a bit overdone and lacked presentation. My friend enjoyed his lamb although the mashed potatoes were bland and the green beans so-so. His fiancée seemed to enjoy her shrimp. I thought the fish was good... squash well seasoned and it had a nice vanilla sauce. The Brussels sprouts were a bit soggy. I like mine crispier. The fish had some slivered almonds that I would've preferred halved instead of quartered but it still had a nice flavor. The desserts were pretty disappointing though- the crème brûlée had an odd cheese flavor and texture and the butterscotch budino was pretty bad. It was watery and lacked flavor. I've eaten a lot of Rocco butterscotch budino in my life and this was definitely not that!!! The pot de crème was ok but the whipped cream seemed to have been left in the Kitchen Aid too long. I also wish restaurants would stop serving espresso with lemon. It shows they don't understand espresso. I always like to check out the bathroom and this was pretty nice and very clean which is super important. Overall we had a good time but it didn't really blow any of us away... for Rochester though, not bad and they have a great location with a cute patio area. read more

We ended up at Polizzi's last night because our first choice was on a bit of a wait. The atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. Our waiter was outstanding. Very knowledgeable about the menu and continued to be very attentive during our meal. The complimentary bread with dipping oil was delicious. Next came out appetizer, Greek style calamari. Very tasty. The calamari was tender and the olives, feta, banana peppers, and roasted red peppers were the perfect blend. I only wished the calamari was crispier. Finally, for our entrees we got the Moussaka and the Shrimp Menelaus. The Moussaka was just ok. Just kind of bland. The shrimp was overwhelmed with garlic with hints of feta. All in all, it's a great space and very friendly staff. The food didn't knock our socks off. read more

This is the only place left in Rochester that serves flaming cheese, saganaki. We go for that and other appetizers. I've had steak frites and tournedos of beef multiple times and they're cooked to my liking because there is talent in the kitchen. We often skip dinner and just order desserts. Creme Brulee is good, baklava is textbook, the kids love the fried ice cream, and the sampler actually does serve two. read more

Four of us were going to go to GreekFest and decided it was too hot and gross outside to sit at picnic tables so we searched for Greek food on Yelp and Polizzi's popped up so we decided to give it a try. So glad we did! We had salads (beet and caesar) and for entrees veal marsala, two lamb kabobs, and the salmon. Dessert was Italian cookies. Shared a bottle of wine, had some other cocktails and beer as well. Since we were there I have heard others say they went and thought it was pricey but good...I would agree that it's not cheap, however, the portions are very large and everything is fresh and delicious. One member of our party is gluten free and the menu is clearly marked - bravo! The owner came out and talked with us at length - what a gem! He is committed to making the experience great for all of his customers. We will be back as there were many other menu items we wanted to try. read more

We went here on a whim with the in-laws because The Gate House was sooo busy! There were 2 people at the bar in Polizzi's, and it was otherwise empty. It was a Wednesday night around 6:30-7pm. That was kind of alarming, but the reviews for this place were great so we went with it. Throughout the evening, it got more and more busy - so we must have just been early for a weekday! I was very surprised when reviewing the menu because I thought this place was strictly Mediterranean. But there were also Italian and French items on the menu, as well. So there is something for everyone! It was also Italian night when we went, and they had a separate menu with only Italian entrees. Everyone that I was with really appreciated their dish! I got the mushroom & crab risotto. It could have been cooked very, very slightly longer, but it was still delicious with just a hint of truffle (which is SO overpowering sometimes!). The amount of crab was very generous! Others in the party got veal and lamb dishes - they were cooked perfectly. For dessert, we shared a couple orders of baklava which were super delicious! I must add that I first tried Polizzi's at a Village Gate brunch event. They brought spanakopita and tiropita for us to try. I had never had tiropita before, but it was literally one of the best things I've ever eaten! I did not see these things on their regular menu - but, I didn't ask. I would love to get more tiropita next time! I could have just missed it, but I really didn't see any advertising that this place was opening (and is open!). And I'm an avid City Newspaper reader! People need to know about this place for delicious Greek food! Spread the word! read more