My Favorite Rochester Restaurant ! Bar: Staff is friendly and make great drinks [[HIGHLIGHT]]Atmosphere: cozy classic old school fine dining, fireplace in main dining room.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food: out of this would. Fine dining at its best! Service : well attentive, professional and knowledgeable of drink and food menu items. read more

The best gastronomical experience in Rochester. The food is the epitome of fine dining. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is that of a French bistro with the service of a 5 star upscale restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I look foward to dining there frequently. I highly recommend Rooneys to anyone who has the refined pallet for fine good & Wine. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]As we entered I was pleased to see they reserved our table right near the fireplace so we had plenty of room for the stroller to sit near the wall.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Once seated we were offered drinks while we waited for the rest to arrive. I had Pelligrino sparkling water. Our waiter, Matthew was quite accommodating as we browsed through the menu. Our orders included salmon, scallops, beef tenderloin and steak. We also ordered the jumbo shrimp appetizer and Caesar salad. Everything was absolutely delicious!! One person mentioned there was no bread. Apparently bread isn't served. We had desserts. We ordered crème brûlée , coffee ice cream and mango sorbet. No complaints from anyone. Yes the food is special. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Wednesday evening we arrived 5:45 and left at 8:00. We were not rushed at all. It was a very special and relaxing evening[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . We like to support city establishments and although we lived once in the neighborhood we'd never eaten at Rooneys. read more

See all

Rooney's Update - January 2025 Visited Rooney's for my boyfriend's birthday with a party of six. We booked about two weeks in advance with no issues. The place was busy when we arrived, so we grabbed drinks at the bar while waiting about 20 minutes for our table. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Rooney's has a cozy, charming atmosphere inside a house in Swillburg.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were seated near the fireplace, which was warm and inviting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered 2 bottles of the pinot noir reasonably priced around $50 a bottle. We shared Parmesan Arancini (ordered 3 plates since 2 balls per plating) to start--delicious! For mains, I had the Sea Scallops Grenobloise (I'm a scallop girly), and my boyfriend had the Wood-Grilled Beef Tenderloin --both were fantastic. Our table also enjoyed the Vegan Casserole, Teres Major Steak, and Beet Salad, all of which were well-executed. Service was a bit slow since it was a busy Saturday night, but nothing unreasonable. We ended with a flourless cake for dessert (extra charge), and the entire restaurant joined in singing for the birthday celebration. Rooney's remains a hidden gem in Rochester--intimate, cozy, and consistently delicious! read more

Rooney's Restaurant - Sea Scallops Grenobloise - leeks, jalapeno and capers over beluga lentils $36* - American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Do yourself a favor and save your $$$....1.) The menu that's posted on their website does not match the menu currently 2.) Don't come hungry. Anything ordered will be of a small proportion. Six bites of lamb ordered? That'll be $50 please because every bite is a "delicacy", right? 3.) [[HIGHLIGHT]]Don't expect much room for your dinning experience. Small tables stacked next to each other, with others conversations all around.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 4.) As the husband and I were finishing up our after-dinner glass of wine, they were a bit pushy trying to get us out the door. We didn't order any desert since the place was already $$$. The service wasn't much to write home about either. That's our first and last time there. Yes the place is expensive, but definitely didn't get what we paid for. read more

A Rochester staple for quality food. Beef tenderloin with whipped potatoes was excellent. Teres major steak was also nice and tender. Scallops were sweet and juicy. The shrimp appetizer was okay. It did not stand out in particular. I also did not care for the cheesecake as it tasted store bought. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance is nice and it is pretty dark inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Good service. read more

See all

The best thing I have ever put in mouth are the Lamb Chops. Oh my goodness. I don't think I'll be able to eat anything else. This is the peak of my life. Everything is downhill from here. read more

EVERYTHING was as it should be! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Excellent bar service and ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was fabulous: wife's scallops were delicious, my teres major tender & tasty, homemade coffee/vanilla ice cream scrumptious. Superb waiter... You can always depend on Rooney's! read more

Food is excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is a bit stuffy, but hey, it's French- and that's not an insult- they expect the best in cuisine.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]White tablecloths, and a quiet atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The location could be better, but definitely a great staple in Rochester.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Do yourself a favor and save your $$$....1.) The menu that's posted on their website does not match the menu currently 2.) Don't come hungry. Anything ordered will be of a small proportion. Six bites of lamb ordered? That'll be $50 please because every bite is a "delicacy", right? 3.) [[HIGHLIGHT]]Don't expect much room for your dinning experience. Small tables stacked next to each other, with others conversations all around.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] 4.) As the husband and I were finishing up our after-dinner glass of wine, they were a bit pushy trying to get us out the door. We didn't order any desert since the place was already $$$. The service wasn't much to write home about either. That's our first and last time there. Yes the place is expensive, but definitely didn't get what we paid for. read more

So I'm looking for a new place for fine dining. Heard from a friend about this place so here is my review. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Located in an odd place in a residential neighborhood but hey that's okay.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Stepped inside and it felt like I was stepping in a speakeasy. Very old fashion look .. lots of wood , dark but cozy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Bar and several booths on one side and in another room was the restaurant which I headed for.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]About 10 tables, Linen tablecloths, cozy fireplace yet the room has a very nice atmosphere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Servers were lined up along the wall ready to serve. Started off with a Cocktail which was nicely made. Picked steak for my meal and although the portion size wasn't that great the food was superb. Compliments to the Chef! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere was right up my alley for fine dining.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Will visit again read more

Rooney's Restaurant - Wood Grilled Strip Steak - American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Made a late decision to treat my wife to a Valentine's weekend dinner at a nice restaurant; unfortunately, due to my own tardiness, available seating at most places was non-existent. Fortunately, Rooney's had a 9 pm opening on the 13th, I took it despite the time being later than I would have preferred. I was pleasantly surprised when I received a call on the afternoon of the 13th that, because of a cancelation, an 8 pm opening was available - I gladly accepted that! We were immediately seated upon arrival, and service was courteous and prompt. My wife enjoyed a clam/shrimp chowder and raved over her main course of Duck with a cherry based sauce. My beet salad was just right and the scallops over an apple/turnip mash was delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere was just right, a quiet buzz with subtle jazz in the background, a nice way to celebrate with my wife.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Service Cleanliness [[HIGHLIGHT]]Repairs to unstable brass railing[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]New carpet or flooring[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Extended menu Food ok but overpriced for portion received for price point read more

Rooney's always offers a warn=m setting and an outstanding meal. It is at the top of the best restaurants in Rochester. The service is outstanding without being overbearing. read more

Service is impeccable. We were left alone for a romantic dinner while still being attentive to our needs. Food was outstanding. Treated like royalty- attentive to details! read more

My wife and I finally made it to the restaurant for the first time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Expecting great ambience and service, we unfortunately got only the former.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had to wait to be seated for almost 20 minutes with no apologies, despite having a reservation, but that was only a small part of it. We then had to sit and wait 50 minutes for our food with a cold shoulder attitude from the server. At one point, we were told the kitchen was backed up and they had two tables ahead of us. No apologetic tone, no effort to make us feel any better about this. Then the alcohol wasn't that great either. The Prosecco was spoiled (from one of those freshly opened split bottles). I asked for an old-fashioned served up and I got ice. My wife got a rosé with a very stingy pour. The food was good, but after all the other stuff, it didn't actually matter much at that point. We pay the premium price for the experience first and foremost. I don't think I want to go back there again. In full disclosure, we did have another server come by and help us out here and there, and he was gracious and courteous actually. Rooney's management, you gotta do something about your approach towards customers. read more

I recall visiting this restaurant several years ago and I was blown away. Returning to celebrate my birthday a few days ago, it was just okay. We started with a couple of the appetizers. The plantain-crusted shrimp were great. I loved the presentaion, and the flavours were spot on. I found the price of $15 for three shrimp is a bit steep but it was a good tasting and good-looking appetizer. Also placed an order in for the crab cake. The crab cake was absolutely delicious, but I wasn't too fond of the white sauce it came with. It tasted like a mayonnaise-based sauce and I'm not sure if it went well with the crab cake. This also ran about $15 for one single crab cake which I also found a bit steep. For mains, I ordered the rack of lamb. This is one of the most tender lamb dishes I've had anywhere. I found the accompanying sauteed spinach overly salty and the potato gratin a bit underdone. The lamb which I requested medium-rare, was more towards the rare side (which was fine). At $45 for this entree, I expected everything to be spot on, but some aspects missed the mark for me. The girlfriend opted in for the duck breast. I sampled a bit and this was absolutely delicious. A absolutely stunning dish. The flavors were spot on and the puree with the duck were perfect. We both agreed the brussel sprouts were a bit underdone (still crunchy) and some bits had a hard kick of spicy. I want to make clear this is no fault of the restaurant, but the restaurant got quite loud. The dining room is on the smaller side but it was beyond my tolerance. It was rather difficult to hear my girlfriend or ignore the level of noise. I'm on the fence on whether I would return. Even taking the noise level out from my decision, one bottle of still water, two glasses of wine, two appetizers, two entrees and a dessert came to slightly under $200 including tax. I expect things to be near perfect for that price-point which I've found at other restaurants. read more

See all

Was looking for a fancier place to go for dinner on Saturday night and enjoy a date with my boyfriend. Came across Rooney on TripAdvisor and Yelp and the reviews sold me and I'm so glad they did. Quaint little building in a neighbourhood takes you into a classy, antique feeling restaurant in the best way possible. We were greeted and seated immediately (was able to make same day resos!) and taken care of right away. We split a bottle of red wine, I had the Beef Tenderloin and my boyfriend had the Angus Beef. Both were absolutely to die for. Mine came with whipped potatoes and seared beans, and his came with sweet potato mash and sautéed spinach. The meat was SO delicious, tender, and well seasoned. I devoured every last bite of my plate as did my boyfriend. We polished off our bottle of wine - "cashed" as one of the waiters called it lol - and ordered dessert. We split the flourless chocolate cake (rich, dense yumminess) and each got some of their homemade vanilla ice cream. I 100% recommend getting the ice cream with the cake as it balances the density of the chocolate really nicely with the creamy ice cream! Was on the pricier side, but with the experience we had it was well worth it. We both dressed up a little nicer and didn't feel out of place at all. read more

Food was small in portions, 4 loin lamb chops! 6 scallops were ample and good. Food was ok, but would expect more gourmet for the price. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Old decor but comfortable and quiet.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The waiter did his job, but was less than friendly. I'm not looking for a best friend in a waiter, but a few smiles and banter makes the paying guest feel more comfortable. read more

Vibes are great there!! Very old fashioned. It's good to see these days. I enjoyed my meal portions could be bigger but still enjoyable. I would recommend read more

The food was top notch. Huge portions too much had to take some home. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Comfortable seating in a cozy old building[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and our server was very attentive and helpful. We were a party of 5 and had the duck, pork tenderloin, scallops, and 2 different steaks. Beet salad and house garden salad. I highly recommend the shrimp appetizer. Which could also be sized up to an entree. Delicious. Dessert was flourless chocolate cake, crème brûlée, and a blueberry tart. Could not find fault with anything. 5 stars +++ read more

A greta classic of Rochester. Perhaps the only place with a true European flair and service. It is a well kept secret of polite and fun crowd. The food is usually excellent. I have never had a complaint. read more

The food was good. The neighborhood was ok but the waiter was prickly. The bartender was friendly but the waiter had an attitude.

Excellent scallops, escargot, flourless chocolate cake, salad and fish stew. No complaints. Just took a little while because of a large party. read more

Came here on a Monday! Got the November Menu. Went with the pumpkin soup, Caesar salad, and the faroe island salmon. All very good. Finished off with the apple and raisin dessert. Highly recommend. Would come back again! read more

The food at Rooney's is constant, tasty and surprises one unusual epicurean delights. The service is beyond entertaining, full of knowledge, great suggestions and kindness. Then there's the ambiance...you want time and space to stand still so you can enjoy just a few more moments in this place. You actually want this to be one of your all time favorite memories and to last forever. read more

2.5 stars. Wish they had half stars, rounded down this time. Atmosphere and history of the restaurant I love Nice quiet place that you can talk and not have to yell to hear each other. Food not so much. The best part was the soup and also shrimp app. The meals we did not enjoy. Steak was very blah and my wife did not like her duck ether. Wanted to come here for years finally checked it out and won't come back again. Tournedos Steakhouse is by far better. read more

We were looking for last minute dinner reservations for Valentine's Day, and after calling around found Rooney's with one table left available for the night. We jumped in it with no idea what to expect. When we arrived we found that the parking situation looked very dicey, but there turned out to be plenty of room in their parking lot. As several cars were parked along the side of the building a large truck had a difficult time getting out of its spot but the cars were ok. Once inside we found that the atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for. The room was dimly lit, candle on the table, classy old-school slow jazz playing, and nicely spaced tables. We happened to get a table in the corner and the whole atmosphere and ambiance was very romantic. The staff was very attentive and friendly, our glasses were kept full and the wait times for the food were just right. I ordered the butternut squash soup and after tasting that I was sold. The main courses themselves were delicious and elegantly prepared. As soon as we had finished and sipped some more wine dessert was on its way. Again, as with the other courses, the dessert was just right. We even ordered a slice of cake to go. We hit the jackpot with Rooney's. We will definitely be going back. read more

Had great drinks at the bar with a super friendly bartender, had attentive dinner service, two yummy appetizers and two delicious dinners. Prices were better than expected. You should try it out! read more

Rooney's Restaurant - Plantain wrapped shrimp. - American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Good food, excellent service, pleasant, relaxing atmosphere. Will definitely go again

Talk about a wonderful meal. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the food was here! The staff was attentive and the atmosphere was really lovely. I high recommend a dinner here. read more

Rooney's Restaurant - Salmon - American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

I have not been to Rooney's for at least 6 years. I was looking forward to finally returning to one of the best restaurants in Rochester. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Rooney's has always had an amazing reputation for the highest quality food and a superb ambiance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] With that said, there has been a dramatic change since I was last there and unfortunately not for the better. I am not going into detail regarding issues that occurred except for one. During our dining experience, my daughter ordered the Yellow Fin Tuna appetizer. It did not taste quite right so she did not finish the plate. Right or wrong when something doesn't meet expectations, we do not complain, and we do not send the dish back to the kitchen. I decided to write this review because my daughter was violently ill similar to food poisoning symptoms the day after. I can not confirm 100 percent that the Yellow Fin Tuna made her sick but it is a strong possibility because it had a very fishy taste. She had to go to Urgent Care for evaluation and the doctor's opinion was food poisoning. Fortunately, the symptoms resolved within 24 hours. The restaurant was notified; as of this writing I did not receive a response from management. read more

Considering it's in Rochester, best known for its horrid Garbage Plate as well as other less than average food, Rooney's is about as good as it gets for fine dinning. Their secret is to be found in the sauces. They are unique and always perfectly blending with whatever entrée is ordered to enhance but never overwhelm the flavor of the dish. The menu changes frequently but is always unique. Their duck foie gras is outstanding considering it is duck, but again it is the embellishment of the sauce that makes it so. The orange glazed duck breast, the French cut lamb chops and the seared scallops are among my standard favorites. Also adding to the dinning experience is the top quality of the unpretentious service as well as the casual atmosphere. read more

Originally reviewed February 2019 Rooney's showed up as one of the highest rated fine dining restaurants in Rochester. I hadn't heard of it before so we decided to try it. We had to wait about 15 minutes even with a reservation. I ordered a bourbon Manhattan up. The liqour tasted a little watered down. I probably wouldn't order that again. Stick to the wine. The food is not that expensive for being fine dining. It's maybe 25 to 35 for most entrees and they are not a la carte. I had the braised short ribs which were flavorful. I also had a cheesecake for desert. I had a wedge salad to start. It was deconstructed and presented very well. Everything was good and worth the price. The decor is a little dated. The silverware is mismatched. The service is great though. it's definitely a fine dining experience but not necessarily fine dining prices. The food was pretty good. Not as good as tournedos, maxs, etc but for the price it's definitely worth it. I think the reason this place is rated so highly is because it's the best fine dining in Rochester...for the price. read more

Rooney's Restaurant - American Near Me - Rochester, New York

I had arugula salad, pan seared scallops and vanilla bean cream brûlée. Not flashy just perfectly prepared foods. Best scallops! They melt in my mouth. We will definitely be back to this place. read more

Such a cute hidden gem. Old fashioned in a good way. Drinks weee good. Crab cake and leek soup were very enjoyable for all. I had the seafood pasta and thought the chef did a great job. Clean and delicious flavors. Desserts are totally worth it and servers are very friendly. read more

See all

Excellent service and great atmosphere. Disappointed in the seafood dish. The shrimp, mussels and monk fish was overcooked and a bit dry.

A true classic. Classic does not mean outdated in this case, it means that they take a concept (fine dining) and they do it the way it's done, classically. And classy! The service is great, not too little, and not too much. The drinks are strong and the food is cooked beautifully. I go here when I want to impress someone with a local restaurant that a lot of locals don't even know about. They also have plenty of parking which I like very much. read more

Took our children to Rooney's last week for a special treat, This was the third time that I have been and always consistent. A great atmosphere, with rooms that aren't overly loud. Cocktails delicious. The service is top notch. And the food is very good. This is my go-to in Rochester. read more

We booked three weeks in advance and were hoping for a special meal with my husband's parents who were visiting for the last time before our son graduated college. We were seated in a heavily trafficked walkway after requesting one of the two open available tables and were told no. So we stayed and ordered, not wanting to cause a fuss. We were then severed tough steak with dull steak knives, a flavorless Root vegetable cassoulet and a 10 year tawny port served as a 20 year. We were bumped into twice during our meal and had a table of obnoxious loud talkers to the right of us and slightly elevated to enhance their conversation regarding cats. Brutal dinner experience and disappointing evening. read more