I love this restaurant! Unique setting, eclectic and delightful service and one of the few places in town that caters specifically to my vegetarian wife's culinary preferences. She's so used to having only one or two options at most restaurants that I believe she gets a little overwhelmed with so much to choose from. We always go here for her birthday... and occasionally to get me out of trouble for whatever sort of buffoonery I might've gotten up to. Bonus that this largely vegan / vegetarian establishment has one of the best hamburgers in town! read more

See all

Hung out here with friends last night and had a great time. The service was excellent--they were super attentive to our group's dietary restrictions, which we really appreciated. I had the salmon with greens and it was delicious. Everything was delicious and the vibe was perfect for a night out with good company! read more

The Owl House - Salmon & greens - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

The outside of this restaurant seems like just another house. As an fyi, there are steps up only so beware for any who have mobility issues or strollers. Ordering was decently quick and easy, food is made to order and fresh. The crispy fried chicken was super crispy and crunchy. The sweet honey sauce was great and the side spicy mayo helped to balance the dish. The bread holds up well against the chicken and its sauce. The salad is pretty standard as was the salad dressing. 4/5. The grilled chicken with roasted red peppers and pesto was cooked well. The red pepper sauce was stronger than the pesto. Overall decent sandwich though enjoyed the other one more. 3.5/5. Price: On the pricier side for what you get but close to the Play Museum which is nice. read more

The Owl House - Chicken pesto sandwich - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Great Sunday breakfast & brunch! They are gluten free chicken and waffles for people who require GF! (And they taste awesome!)

We've been hearing different people recommend The Owl House for great vegan food for years, but it took us awhile (and it took The Red Fern being on summer break) for us to give it a try. We were hooked as soon as we entered the adorable space. We were impressed with the specials including vegan corn mac and cheese but ultimately wanted to order something a little healthier so went with the Thai basil chopped salad and the spring pasta. The salad was excellent although we couldn't seem to find the basil. We added the house chickpea patty and loved it. The spring pasta was good but somewhat disappointing. Based on the name, I was expecting more vegetables than the scant sprinkling of tiny florets of rapini and a few bites of asparagus that were hidden among the noodles. We added smoked tofu and enjoyed the flavor and the generous portion. The tempeh bacon was also great and non-greasy. Overall, The Owl House felt a little overhyped, but we enjoyed the food and really enjoyed the draft local kombucha (from Katboocha) and the lovely service, and we are looking forward to returning. read more

See all

We found this restaurant while looking for Sunday brunch. We greeted when walked in and had a short wait as we did not have a reservation. Got a delicious watermelon and mint mimosa while we waited. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Hannah was a terrific server and food was delicious. We had the owl house breakfast and chicken and waffles. Lots of vegan/gf options also available, read more

See all

Great food and service in an upscale, yet cozy neighborhood place. We had the chick pea burger with goat cheese, the kimchi tofu, and the fried oyster mushrooms. Everything was top notch. Our server, Jenna, was fantastic. read more

The Owl House - Local Craft Beer from Other Half - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

We picked out the Owl House after arriving in town for its selection of gluten free and vegan options. My wife picked out a chick pea burger on a bar of greens and a side of chips (look at the photo - see any chips?). And I selected a tofu scramble with potatoes. Both meals were tasty and filling, at fairly reasonable prices. On the downside I didn't realize until back at the hotel that the chips and utensils were missing. Deducting a star for that. Otherwise a good experience. read more

The Owl House - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Went there for Valentine's Day and had a great evening. Food was delicious and service was excellent. I wasn't expecting the restaurant to be in an actual house but the vibes were very cozy and welcoming. read more

The food is amazing. I had the tofu scramble sandwich with potatoes and it was filling with rich flavor. The service was good. Wish they had more espresso/latte selections for coffee. The ambiance is very lively and busy. read more

The Owl House - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

Went here for brunch with some friends while visiting from out of town. Service was quick and friendly, and we had a great time sitting out on a the lovely patio! Bloody Mary was delicious, as was the breakfast sandwich. Coffee cake was amazing if a bit too big on top of our entrees! Would recommend. read more

The Owl House - Coffee cake - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

I preface this with the knowledge that this has been one of our favorite restaurants. Also, our go to when we get gift certificates for gifts or awards in both our personal and professional lives. But no longer. We took a very dear friend and her son to brunch on Saturday. I made sure to make a reservation, and to make sure that we had enough time for a leisurely brunch. The website and email that they sent as a confirmation, auto populated calendar request, said that we had two hours to dine when you have parties of four or more. We had five people. We ordered an appetizer cocktails, bottle of wine, and entrées. The food was lovely. And our server, Willow, was delightful up until the point she decided that we were in her way. suffice to say, the staff decided that we were much too long, even though we were still under the timeframe that the has given as per their own policy. We were deep in conversation and enjoying ourselves and unfortunately, or then treated very poorly by staff. At which point we left gladly. Having a background in I understand what it is like when people stay too long. Which is why we made sure that we had stayed within the guidelines that they offered on both their website and their reservation service and their confirmation email. We will not be returning. Nor will we be utilizing this favorite spot as a place for celebration, in both person and utilizing gift cards. read more

Two of my friends and I made a reservation for 7:30 for Saturday night (6/22). The food & drinks were good as usual. The only reason I'm updating my review to 4 stars from 5 is because of the very rude service. The bartender greeted us the minute we walked in and let us know someone would be with us soon. A few minutes later, another customer walked in and some guy who was working at the register by the bar gave the person their to-go order and didn't say a word to us. I figured oh he works here! Maybe he can help. So I politely said "hi! we have a reservation for 7:30" and he gives me a very rude look as if i'm bothering him and says "ok. and the host will be with you soon" and walks off with an entire attitude. Next, the host comes up and offers us a table outside and I ask if there are bugs and then SHE gets an attitude! I let her know I'm allergic to bug bites and would rather sit inside and then she changed her tone. The server was super nice and we had no issues there. I'm just wondering what we did to that guy and to the host to receive such attitude? It wasn't a busy night, we had a reservation, and I don't know them personally so I did not appreciate the energy. I've been a server and worked in several restaurants. That's not the right way to go about treating paying customers, and maybe they need to be reminded of that. read more

See all

The Owl House has become one of my go-to brunch spots in Rochester... I just went for the second Saturday in a row! The staff are friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable about their menu--this morning, Camille had wonderful recommendations about cocktails! We didn't end up going for the hot mulled cider (with spiced rum), but the fall flavors were far from lacking. I got the Chicken and Waffles (the non-vegan twin of their Tofu and Waffles), and it was stellar. The chicken was battered with warm spices and sage, and positively delicious! As a celebration, we finished off brunch with the seasonal pumpkin chai coffee cake, which was moist, flavorful, and generously portioned. We dined upstairs in an anteroom with beautiful pictures of fence murals on the walls, and it was a blissful fall reprieve from lots of hard work. It was my friend's first time here, and she said brunch today "healed something" inside her... so count that as a second rave review! read more

The Owl House - Chicken and Waffles with seasonal fruit compote and coffee. - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Food was amazing and well done, no idea why people are complaining about it. The waitress (Katie) was very helpful and checked in constantly and kept all our glasses filled. The place is so cute and is one of my new favorite places around here read more

The Owl House - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

I love The Owl House but I think it's important to give you a heads-up during this extremely hot summer that their dining room does NOT have air-conditioning! My recent visit, the dining room was 81°! It was not an enjoyable experience. read more

I absolutely love The Owl House! I haven't been since 2012 when I visited Rochester. I moved here recently, so my friend and I came for brunch. He's vegan, and they have so many awesome vegan options! He had vegan stuffed French Toast that was awesome! The vegan cinnamon struessel tasted so good too! I had The Cat's Pajamas cocktail but with pomegranate because I'm allergic to strawberries and it was delightful! And the Owl House Breakfast was WOW! Those potatoes were FANTASTIC! Everything was fantastic. I can't wait to come back for more. I'm so glad I live close now! The staff is amazing too! So positive and helpful and lovely. Such a fantastic spot! read more

See all

Love that half the menu is vegetarian/vegan! Currently they have fried oyster mushrooms and a Chipotle bean burger and both are Amazing. We sat in the backyard our last visit and it is so peaceful. read more

I like that they offer vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. Everything I have had here has been delicious. I especially enjoy sitting on the back patio when it is warm outside. read more

Met my friend for dinner here Tuesday night at 5:00 when they opened, had a reservation, which I highly recommend, seated right away by pleasant host. Server was kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. Place is small, easy to find, parking on street which is plentiful. Menu is mostly vegan which made me nervous as I'm not, lol. Had the beef Cheeseburger with Rosemary Fries which was delicious. Also had a Caesar salad, scrumptious. My friend had the chickpea burger with Rosemary Fries and loved her meal. Bill was $61.00 for 2 so a little high, but worth it for the food, great service, and neat place. Definitely going to be back, thank you for the good meal. read more

The Owl House - Delicious burger! - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

Friendly and attentive staff? I'm looking at a review from September 2nd as I write mine. Apparently those staff members had the day off today Dec. 23rd. What was left were the lady at the bar who completely ignored me when I walked in to pick up my online, a server who couldn't be bothered to even say "hello" as she took the order from customers seated at the table adjacent to the spot where I was waiting--no sign of any other "staff" . After a two minute wait for some sign of intelligent life, I said boldly, I asked if someone could help me. A hostess then appeared and handed me my order, with a smile (sneer) that could have sunk the Titanic if it hadn't hit an iceberg. I had already included a 20% tip so I couldn't retract that, but even if the food had been superb (which it wasn't) that would not have made up for the abysmal lack of customer service. As the Owl (and a certain legendary rock song) goes: WHO are You? Who Who Who Who? I'd love to support another local business as they come and go so quickly, but sadly, the Owl House will not be one of them. read more

Great food and exceptional service. Our server was very knowledgeable of the menu. Eating outside under the lights was intimate, unique and fun. It felt like we were eating in someone's backyard. read more

We had dinner here while visiting our local college student and all three of us were so pleased with the food. We had the Tofu Kimchi Bites and Buffalo Cauliflower for appetizers - both were bursting with flavor and we loved the crunch on the tofu. All three of us ordered the fried oyster mushrooms, which I am not lying, really did taste like chicken! So good. Bar drinks were delicious - really flavorful and not too sweet or syrupy. Our server was incredibly friendly and helpful - she even brought a bottle up from the bar because my husband was asking about what type of liqueur was in his drink. The restaurant itself is really cute - only minor critique is that the second floor can be loud. A few plants placed around may help buffer some of the sound. This was our second trip here while visiting Rochester and we'll definitely be back! read more

Unique spot you should check out. Visiting from out of town and stuggled to find a place to eat on a Sunday night that wasn't a sports bar or pizza place. Came across Owl House and stopped with a co-worker for dinner. They have an outdoor patio that wasn't available when we arrived - so sat inside. Music was pretty loud at our table - so we struggled for awhile and we mentioned it to our waitress who got it turned down. My first IPA order off the menu - they were out. She suggested an alternative and it turned out to be a good option. We read about the Buffalo Cauliflower Wings and wanted to order them, but they had a slight variation to the app called Nashville Hot Buffalo Wings (it's not wings) and it was fantastic! Our highlight of the evening. My co-worker ordered the Cesar Salad with Chicken and said it was fine. I tried to order the Salmon (which is the main reason I came here) and they were out. That was really disappointing. She suggested the Tofu which had the same preparation/compliments - which I decided to order (I have never ordered Tofu as an entree) and it was fine.....but to be fair, I'm not sure how to evaluate a Tofu dinner since it's not my thing. Service from Alyx was excellent! read more

See all

We went with a party of six and had a great time. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. I look forward to going back soon.

Finally got to check out the Owl House for brunch. I've wanted to check this place out for awhile and recently saw a post about the amazing brunch- so had to check it out! We ordered the chicken & waffles - which were delicious. The chicken was crispy and perfectly seasoned and the waffle was light and fluffy. We also got the fancy toast with a side of crispy potatoes- which lived up to their name! I ordered the passionfruit lemonade- which was n/an and sooo refreshing! Overall food was good. Staff were nice and accommodating. I would recommend getting a reservation - there can be a wait for seating/food. There is a cute outdoor patio with seating. Many vegan and gluten free options! Restaurant is also very allergy friendly. I'll definitely be back to try the dinner menu! Enjoy! read more

See all

Food was decent, the restaurant has a good outdoor patio and the servers were kind. Overall, this seems like a place to go if you're into fried foods. read more

One of the best meals we've had in Rochester in years! Everything was delicious, everything. Things were fresh and well-cooked, which turned very simple and common ingredients into unique standout dishes. The cocktails were fantastic as well, not overly sweet as most places. We can't wait to come back to try more. The ambiance is very, very loud due to the structure of the restaurant, just to keep in mind. We had to leave quite quickly, it was so loud. read more

See all

Service was good, food was meh. Had high hopes from all the reviews but was disappointed.

We have eaten here many times, but apparently have never left a review. Another spectacular meal over the holiday weekend is inspiring me to finally make the time to do it. Owl House staff are always friendly and attentive, and this time was no exception. We had a large party and they were able to accommodate our request for an outdoor table. It was absolutely lovely. Their patio is delightful, one of my fave spots for outdoor dining in Rochester. Lots of super yummy cocktails, and appetizers that are so good it is challenging to leave room for dinner. We tried the hush puppies (so good), the kimchi tofu bites (my favorite), and the ever popular buffalo cauli bites, which are the best version of those that I have ever had in any restaurant, Manhattan included!!! We ordered a variety of entrees, and everyone loved what they had. You can pretty much never go wrong here - the tofu dinner is typically my favorite, but seriously, every entree is excellent - only speaking for the veg entrees, as everyone in our party was veg. And I've eaten here with meat-eaters as well, who have always been happy too. Service was timed well, even with the logistics of a larger party. Highly recommend! read more

Tip for summer: no air conditioning and no air flow not even fans or open windows so plan accordingly. We were drenched in sweat and drinking water nonstop. Otherwise, very creative menu and delightful staff. Kudos to the chefs!! read more

Oh wow! It had been years since I'd been to owl house and now I can't wait to go back Having recently switched to a plant forward diet I was excited to try out their menu The vegan Tina melt DID NOT DISAPPOINT!! heavenly!! Can not wait to go back! My friends loved their meals as well and the wine special was on point! read more

See all

Came in with the wife for their 4 course Valentines dinner. Food was ok for what it was. The service was sub par at best. Food choices and drink order were taken at the same time. We had our first course before our drinks arrived. I was lucky to get a second drink. Would have ordered a third, but never saw a waitress to put that order in. End of the meal, within 5 minutes of paying the check, we were asked to vacate the table by the hostess. I understand it's a busy night, and you're on a tight schedule making it happen. You delivered food, drinks, and even the check at your own pace. Don't rush me out the door within minutes of paying. For this, I won't be back. read more

This place was awesome...went last night to celebrate a birthday. Great vibe, warm and authentic staff, creative fusion menu, and killer playlist in background (bummed I forgot to ask our wait person what it was so I could add it to my phone haha). Highly recommend and we will be going back. read more

I always forget about this place and when I go again, I'm always pleasantly surprised. One of my favorite things about Owl House is their mixed menu (vegan and non vegan). I love that they cater to both so I can find something to eat that's not a boring salad, and so can whom ever I'm with if they don't want a vegan meal can have what they want too. I love that they also didn't forget about us vegans when it comes to dessert as well ! The atmosphere I feel is pretty typical for a downtown house converted into a restaurant.. very cozy and comfortable. We sat outside in the garden which has at least 7 tables. It was super relaxing and the wait staff was very pleasant. The only thing that can get frustrating is the parking .. which is street parking. But, both sides are available so if you're luckily enough you may get a spot right out front. I will always come back to Owl House time and time again. read more

A really cute spot with really friendly people! The menu is different from most places, with some interesting selections. It seems to be really awesome for vegan and vegetarian diets - lots of options! I had the MOST delicious spring pasta dish - I could have had 4 bowls of it. I do wish there was a bit more variety on their menu, but what they do have all seems really delicious! read more

The Owl House - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

Food and service was excellent! Small place so I definitely recommend a reservation. Very accommodating for allergies. We had a group of 8. We tried most of the stuff on the menu and enjoyed the flavors and options. Drink options, including the wine, were delicious too. Look forward to coming back next time we are in Rochester. read more

What a quaint little house with a delicious menu! The server was absolutely amazing, totally helpful but also gives you enough space to enjoy the meal. I got a whole heapful of a variety of small plates to share, the stuffed mushrooms, a fall salad, the Buffalo cauliflower vegan wings and the Brussel sprouts. The Cauliflower wings were incredible--super crispy and delicious and the vegan blue cheese was delicious! I'm not vegetarian, but the veggie-only meal was memorable and delicious. The stuffed mushrooms with the sweet potato puree was lovely as well and highly recommended. I loved the brussel sprouts - very crispy and the aioli was tasty. Unfortunately, they were out of scallops on this day, but I would definitely head back to The Owl House if I end up in Rochester again. read more

See all

Pros: Plenty of vegan options; rosemary fries were good; our waitress was friendly and efficient. Cons: Most of the food was mediocre at best; homemade ketchup was weird; some issues with the bathroom. My spouse and I met some friends at Owl House on a Sunday morning for brunch. I was impressed at the number of vegan options that were available to us. We split a plate of rosemary fries as an appetizer, and they were quite good. The housemade ketchup, on the other hand, was unusual -- and not in a good way. I had the waffles and tofu, with a side of the crispy potatoes. The waffles and tofu were OK but nothing special (also, there wasn't enough maple syrup provided). The crispy potatoes were not very good. They looked great but had very little flavor or salt. Adding the aforementioned weird ketchup didn't help much. My spouse had a tofu scramble sandwich, and I think she liked her entrée more than I enjoyed mine. We decided to split an order of the Concorde grape crumble for dessert. This was a mistake. The cake turned out to be dry and tasteless, and it basically disintegrated into little crumbs if you stuck a fork in it. Granted, it's called a "crumble", but this was ridiculous. And there were no grapes to be seen anywhere. Finally, the bathroom situation could be improved. I used the bathroom on the ground floor, further from the dining room. There was no indicator on the front of the door as to whether the bathroom was occupied. Management should consider getting one of those locks that has an "Occupied" or "Vacant" indicator on the outside of the door. Also, the paper towel dispenser was mounted to the wall right over the toilet. So if you reached over with wet hands to grab some paper towels, you could potentially drip water on the toilet seat (and, in fact, the toilet seat had multiple small drops of liquid on it). As it stands, the paper towel dispenser is in a very inappropriate spot and should be moved somewhere else. My previous visits to the Owl House happened several years ago and were for dinner (not brunch). Though I don't remember the details anymore, I do recall being unimpressed at the time. Overall, I'm underwhelmed by the Owl House. I don't hate it, but I think I'm being generous with three stars. read more

Found this amazing restaurant for dinner on Thursday. The environment is cozy and intimate. Perfect for date night. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. I had the soup of the day which was the minestrone and it had a lot of ingredients but to my surprise , it didn't taste like anything. It was missing flavor/salt. I jad the Rosemary fries with Rosemary/black peppers/ketchup and it was ok. I also had the Sirloin (medium well) it came with corn, tomatoes, zucchini salad, asparagus, crispy potatoes and chimichurry and it was amaxing. The steak was perfectly cooked and all the flavors play perfectly with each other. For dessert I had the chocolate/coconut mousse with nuts and OMG it was just delicious, I couldn't stop eating it! read more

See all