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    Skylark Lounge

    4.1 (65 reviews)
    InexpensiveLounges, Comfort Food, Pubs
    Open Closed

    Skylark Lounge Photos

    Business Info

    SKYLARK LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Juke Box
    Hipster
    Casual

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    Recommended Reviews - Skylark Lounge

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    a bar with a lot of bottles of alcohol
    Kristen H.

    Skylark is a great little bar on the edge of downtown. Nice little venue for live music. Decent selection of beer. Fun little small bites menu of meatballs! Vegetarian as well as meat lover!

    Pearsecco!
    Kenya M.

    The Anomaly Film Festival hosted an after party at Skylark. Fast service, pear cider on tap. Dance floor. 80 and 90s jams. DONE! The meatballs had a weird texture. meh.

    Greg Townson of the High Risers @ Skylark
    Stanley M.

    The Skylark is a long overdue and welcome extension to the Rochester bar scene. Herman Gatto is a genius. I've enjoyed every trip to this hip joint. I'd love to see more music here... it's a great room. Will the Skylark become a future Jazz Fest venue? It's not too far off the beaten path... will see. I'm going to add som e pics from shows I've attended there. And *YES* get the meatballs...

    Noanya S.

    Yeah this place is so not my cup of tea - let's start with the music, I felt like I was in the 60's literally in the 60's - like hoop skirt and cat eye glasses - I typically can get down with most music but that was too much for me My friends and I decided that since we were there, we should try the balls my traditional had a decent flavor but then I started crunching on something that had a sound of glass, let's just say I was too afraid to look and see what it was...we also had the dessert balls, which are PB, cornflakes, chocolate and powdered sugar- I was afraid to try but my friends said they were not the business - maybe we weren't intoxicated enough to enjoy this place but I'm not interested in a 2nd chance If you're looking for a bar with decent music, and a cool vibe, look elsewhere

    Rob G.

    Funky 50s/60s vibe to this place. We went there for drinks and food after going to bowl at Radio Social. Had a group of 7 - we played darts , had some brews and ate the balls. Meatballs that is. Everyone else ordered the 3 balls and a side. I ordered 2 ball sliders and a side. Between all of us- we sampled the traditional (beef) , spicy chicken, veggie (eggplant), spicy tequila pork (me!) and spicy black bean balls. You have your choice of toppings. Marinara, Parmesan cream and garlic lime remoulade were our faves. The side we all got- recommended by the bartender- was the deep fried mash potato balls. Excellent inexpensive food that we all loved! Thanks Will Cleveland for the suggestion!

    Mashed potato balls with Parmesan cream sauce
    Justyna G.

    OH MY. I've had meatballs before, but none like these. The meat was fall-apart good but firm enough to hold its shape. The sauces tasted great with the ground meat and complemented them well. I tried out the beef ball with the traditional sauce. The red sauce was one of the best marinaras I have ever had. I also tried out the chicken ball with the buffalo sauce. I preferred the beef, but that's usually the case with ground meat. The buffalo sauce for it had pieces of celery and had a great amount of kick. I had the mashed potato balls as my side with the Parmesan cream sauce. This was my favorite part of my meal. I don't think there is anything better. I'm not sure what they coat their mashed potato balls with, but they're perfectly crispety-crunchy. The sauce was also my favorite of the bunch. It was thick and cheesy, usually exactly how I would prefer my sauce to be. Will be back, soon- maybe tomorrow.

    Storefront
    Breanna B.

    Skylark, I'm into you. The meatball slider is a win. Toasted and buttered ciabatta rolls. Ohhh yeahhh. I loved the roasted red pepper sauce on the pork sausage meatball. Great combo with a subtle kick of heat. Then, there's the fried mashed potatoes. Come on! How do you perform such magic? Perfect crispy crusting on the outside and fluffy mashed potatoes on the inside. I also popped in here for some music and dancing so I can vouch that it's a pretty fun music venue spinning records. When we were there the DJ was rocking a 1950s theme and we had fun with it. Although, we were the only peeps on the dance floor for the time being. Grab yourself a PBR or a Genesee brew and have some fun. P.S. Happy Hour deal alert! $3 for a meatball slider & can of Schmidt's beer.

    Serena T.

    skylark was ..... Well Skylark was interesting. For some reason it looked unfinished to me, like there were some final touches needed before this place could be considered "done". I couldn't necessarily point out to anything, but that is the vibe I was getting as I stepped in. It seems like they have their own clientele base and are doing just fine. It must have been a 19-something night because everyone who walked in had this "retro" look and I didn't know what to make of it, i felt kinda left out in the middle of these people who were nothing like me. We sat at one of the booths and had some beer and meatballs. Their balls rock though, inexpensive but really delectable. The winner would be the sauce. I went in with Breanna's advice and got the pork with red roasted pepper which was definitely the best of 'em all. That being said, the meatball with marinara sauce didn't fall short of the expectations either. We were almost done when the band started playing, now either I am getting disappointingly old or they were really loud, we couldn't take it for more than 5 minutes and stepped out, but everyone else seemed to be having the time of their lives. Let's just say it was not my kind of place. But the "balls" are definitely worth trying.

    Meatball sliders
    Jess N.

    Wow! How has Skylark been hiding these delicious meatballs from me? Seriously, these need to be advertised better. While at Roc Brewing a few doors down disappointed by the lack of (promised) food trucks, I walked over to Skylark with a friend to get some food to go. A meatball menu was placed in front of us. This place knows what they do well. 1. Choose the sandwich type: sub, sandwich(?), or slider 2. Choose your meatball: traditional, spicy chicken, pork, or veggie (they also have a special, which was black bean that day) 3. Choose your sauce: Marinara, parmesan cream, roasted red pepper, or pesto(?) 4. Not actually a step, but pick a side. And pick the fried mashed potato balls. I ordered the traditional meatball slider with parmesan cream sauce and a side of the potato balls with roasted red pepper sauce. Brought these back to Roc City (they don't mind outside food) and *devoured* them. Juicy, flavorful, and a little bit of a kick (not sure which dish the kick came from). The bread was soft and chewy, and toasted to perfection. Also approve of the meat to bun ratio. A perfect (light) meal for two (my friend got a slider and we split the side) for $7 and change. Not sure what else Skylark has to offer, but I'll at least be back for the tasty balls. Meat and potato, that is.

    Chicken Meatballs in Pesto, Beef Meatball sliders with red pepper sauce and Mash potato balls.
    Tara M.

    After a show at Geva Theater we were driving around trying to find some place to eat on a Tuesday night at 9 PM. When you walk in it just looks like a typical bar, where you can go get a drink. The meat balls were amazing though. You get to decided the type of balls you want, the sauce and how you want them (sliders, hoggie/sub or by themselves). It is also great that the kitchen is open late on a week night. Also the walking dead pin ball is fun to play while waiting for your food.

    Outside.
    J C.

    This is a biased review. I lived down the street, so this was my after work calm me down for years. Staff is phenomenal and the meatballs and pretzels are always good. The great beer selection and a shot of Philadelphia whiskey is a nice pairing.

    Chorizo and Meatball sliders at Skylark!
    Kartik S.

    Very cool bar food menu consisting of almost only meatballs (classic, spicy chicken, chorizo, and veggy) with a number of delectable sauces and cheese on a ciabatta slider, hero, or by themselves. I didn't get a chance to experience the bar side of things (it was a Monday night around 6pm) but for a quick bite, it's one of the better ones.

    Balls of every shape and flavor.

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    2 years ago

    The Skylark is awesome. The bartenders are very cool. It's always a great vibe there.

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    Vanni's Jazz Lounge

    Vanni's Jazz Lounge

    4.8
    (12 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    First visit here and was quite impressed. Tastefully appointed and the staff were all friendly and…read morehelpful. You need to know the secret to getting past the gatekeeper as this is a speakeasy setting. (Figure it out on your own, that's half the fun)!!! Once inside there was a smooth jazz group performing. The music was a lovely backdrop to the setting and not overwhelmingly loud that I would be screaming to be heard. You can have a normal level conversation and still enjoy the music. There were comfortable cushioned chairs with pub sized tables for seating. We sat at the bar as all table s were taken. The energetic bartenders filled up in on all the idiosyncrasies of the place and happily answered all of our many questions. They told us that it was quiet for a Thursday night and that the weekends were much larger crowds which would not appeal to me as I'm not looking for a club scene atmosphere. I was happily comfortable. The drinks are creative and include interesting combinations of ingredients. We shared three appetizers, the sliders (my favorite), spring rolls (the side sauce was great), and the tacos with a tasty crema drizzled over them. The staff let us tour the dining room, basically a Ramon Santiago gallery. (The angel was my favorite). We went to see the ballroom as well as I had attended a wedding there 37 years ago while it was still the University Club!!! It was the same lovely room I remember and brought back wonderful memories. My friend was staying there while she is having some work done at her home so got to see the guest room she was in. As expected from a historic building large windows overlooking downtown Rochester, a gas fireplace, and soaker tub. Beautiful space. Some logistic issues with heat and fan not working so this was her second room that hopefully the new owner will address. We ran into their new executive chef and they have done a great job in hiring him. He told us about future ideas they have for putting their thumb print on things and they sound quite exciting. I thanked him for the time he spent speaking with us and appreciated his enthusiasm and forward thinking. All in all a most enjoyable time at the Inn and would recommend a visit by anyone of any age. So glad we have a community that cares for its historic buildings and their importance to our identity

    Love this intimate space. Perfect respite from the busy-ness of Jazz Fest. Enjoyed the friendly…read moreservice from Josh, the bartender the two nights we stopped in. And I must say, a much better Manhattan than I got at Max's.

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    Vanni's Jazz Lounge
    Vanni's Jazz Lounge
    Vanni's Jazz Lounge

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    Avvino

    Avvino

    4.5
    (422 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$$

    Our family was visiting Rochester from out of town to celebrate our son's college graduation. We…read morebooked the private room at Avvino (Meyer's Den), which turned out to be a great choice. While planning our dinner party months in advance, the communication from Janine was excellent. She helped us develop a 4-course menu that was sure to have something for everyone, including vegan and allergy friendly options. Amy was our server for the evening, and she ensured we had everything we needed to enjoy our evening. The chairs in the Meyer's Den are wide and comfortable, the decor is dark and classy, and being in the basement away from the dining room made it very quiet and easy to converse with family. The room is rather spacious for 12 guests, but could also accommodate a few more people without feeling cramped. Out of the appetizers we selected, the Charred Octopus was very popular and everyone enjoyed it...even those that had never previously eaten octopus. The baby cauliflower dish was also a beautiful presentation, and quite large and enjoyable. The salads, particularly the Charred Hurricane salad, were nice light courses before the entree was served. As for the entrees, the filet mignon was a little on the dry side, but we really enjoyed the light and crispy spinach fritters that accompanied the beef. The salmon was a generous portion of medium rare fish, and there was lot going on with that dish - spicy cauliflower and za'atar potatoes that had some mixed reviews. Folks who ordered the duck breast seemed to enjoy the complex preparation, which had asparagus, green beans, and two pureed sauces - cauliflower ginger and cherry-rhubarb. The doughnut bread pudding with apple pieces and vanilla ice cream was a delicious, decadent way to end the meal. We left rather stuffed, and delighted with the overall experience that allowed our family to celebrate together.

    I'd say I had a good experience dining here. It was my birthday and I went in with a few friends…read more We were promptly attended to. I ordered a mocktail to start off and it was pretty good. For appetizers, we got the roasted beets and the bone marrow. Both were good. I got the duck breast for entree and my friends got the carrot cavatelli and lobster bucatini. We all enjoyed our dishes. The duck was succulent and roasted just enough. The Brussel sprouts that came on the side were a disappointment though. For dessert, I ordered ricotta pine nut tart with lemon sorbet. The tart was very subtle in flavor but good. My friends ordered the bread pudding which was great as well. Overall, very satisfied with the food and service. Can be back!

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    Avvino
    Filet mignon and spinach fritters.
    Filet mignon and spinach fritters.
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    Skylark Lounge - lounges - Updated July 2026

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