It's been quite some years since I've been back to Velvet Belly and boy am I glad to be back! It wasn't even on my radar to try again until I was invited to go to a networking event in their private area upstairs. I had some delicious tapas during the event, but then wanted an actual meal afterwards. I sat at the bar and my bartender was hilarious and patient helping me figure out which drink to order. I ended up having the Healthy Kick which was absolutely delicious and refreshing. I love ginger and it was full of that spicy flavor that I like. For my meal, I had the almond crusted scallops, the halibut and the olive oil cake. If my stomach allowed me, I would've had the entire three course over again. Lots of excellent flavor with everything balancing each other as well as as a beautiful presentation. I will absolutely put this back in my rotation! read more

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Came here for happy hour around 6pm Wednesday. Bartender super nice and attentive. I had the shark bite drink. Wow so good and love the spice level. I normally don't drink sugary drinks like this. Sad they didn't have wine or couldn't just get a vodka soda for happy hour price. My man had a medelo. We ordered charred edemame and spicy tuna roll. Both were really good. Most spicy tuna they don't add a lot of spice. This one hit just right and the rolls were cut perfect size. Charred edemame was excellent texture. Will come back when hungrier especially for happy hour. Plenty of parking and very cute atmosphere. Large bar that didn't filled crammed like you would at most places on park Ave read more

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I miss the bakery, maybe I am too biased? This place was just pretentious and ridiculous. Portions are just so so miniscule. Thinnest sushi rolls I have ever seen. Normally they are $15, $10 at happy hour. Sushi nachos were worse than Nosh and again pretty small but not bad. Sushi tacos weren't tacos, they were just a few slices of fish and rice in a nori wrapper. Nothing was bad, but it was also not good. If I got that meal at Wegmans that would be about what I expect. I will say the the oysters were very large and probably a good spot for $1.. Nothing about this place was impressive to me, especially sitting at the bar for 30 minutes with my card sitting on the bill waiting for the bartender to cash us out. Tldr: pretentious, insanely overpriced, small portions, bland food, go to Wegmans. read more

Velvet Belly - $65 overpriced bland happy hour - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

Perfectly prepared, contemporary fusion menu, absolutely top quality ingredients & execution with a unique vision. Swishy decor and service add to the high-end dining experience. Special occasion-level venue; highly recommend. read more

Was here for early Valentine's Day dinner with my significant other. We had a reservation which I would say helps on the waiting time. The ambiance was nice but a bit loud, and the tables are seated a bit close to each other so you can definitely hear other people's conversations. The food... oh my goodness. It was excellent!!!! Then the drinks... love the creativity they put in their drinks and they are delicious. Overall great place, I would recommend read more

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The Service is not only Good the food was great The My Family and Friends enjoyed every thing.. Every thing was nice including the fun things the the kids to do read more

Velvet Belly - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

Good vibe, good variety on the menu. The chirashi bowl hit right. The warm shokupan bread rolls were next level. read more

Velvet Belly - Chirashi Bowl - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

Ambiance is great--the place is spacious and well-decorated. We did have to wait about 20 mins or so for our table even though we had a reservation. When it was time to be seated, the hostess pointed in the direction of our table and said "the last one over there" instead of walking us to the table, so that was a bit off putting. Our actual waitress was excellent. We had the oysters which were served with a yummy champagne mignonette. The oysters themselves were fresh--nothing extraordinary. The roc city roll was packed with flavor and a nice kick of wasabi. The monkfish special was flaky and tender, although I did not really taste the spice or flavor of the sambal butter that we were told it was served with. It was still pretty good. The tataki was excellent--steak was tender and flavorful and served with what seemed like risotto. Overall it was a yummy surf and turf dinner! read more

Velvet Belly - ROC city roll, tataki, monkfish special with sambal butter - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

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missed happy hour oysters and drinks so i will definitely be back . but food was amazing if you or anyone you know likes seafood this is the place to bring them . tried the livorno fish + shellfish stew and pan roasted scallops , both delicious . oysters were phenomenal as well . nice ambiance inside good for date nights and friendly service :) read more

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10/10 across the board -- food, service, and ambience. We were late for our reservation and the host was gracious and accommodating. The restaurant was bustling and festive -- the kind of energy that pulls you in. We ended up chatting with our neighbors, and our server was great throughout. But the real star was the food. My snapper was fantastic -- full of flavor and beautifully done. And the soft serve dessert was something else entirely. Magnificent and nostalgic -- it brought me right back to childhood. read more

Everything we ate was delicious! We got the salty bread appetizer (yum), three sushi rolls and an order of fries and my husband and I left full but not stuffed. The ambiance was very trendy, but there was a good mix of people here. Our server was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant is more on the expensive side, so we definitely enjoyed it for our anniversary. A good spot for a special occasion. read more

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The food was amazing! I love the calamari and the octopus. The soup is good. They also had a great dessert. The ambiance is so classy and the service was swift. read more

Velvet Belly - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

Velvet Belly has Great food, environment, service! Highly recommend, good date night spot. read more

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The vibe is energetic and NYC'ish. The food is great and the bartenders are fantastic. We will be going back soon.

This was my first visit to Velvet, and it won't be my last. Located in the Rochester public market grounds, the atmosphere is modern, bright and airy. While their specialty is fresh fish, sushi, and rolls, you'll also find a 16oz prime strip and a 1/2 pound burger. We started with some yellow tail and tuna sashimi. Served with the standard soy wasabi ginger combo. Extremely fresh with excellent texture. The jumbo scallops entree was outstanding. Huge plump scallops seared to perfection with braised bacon, sweet corn succotash, fingerling potatoes, and a miso beurre blanc. The seared yellow fin tuna entree also impressed. Paired with sesame miso rice, charred asparagus, and sweet soy garlic ponzu. Didn't find a dessert that I was interested in, so an after dinner drink was in order. They have some great whiskey on menu , but unfortunately they were out of many. Service was friendly and attentive. Ambiance was warm and inviting. The daily fish specials sound excellent and something I'll come back for. Tonight they had an arctic char and whole roasted Bronzino that sounded amazing. Highly recommend. read more

Love the look of the place right when you walk in. Kind of unexpected but in a nice way. The lighting was perfect and seating was comfortable, cute pictures on the walls and I wonder if they are family members of the owners. The waiters are nice informative and attentive. You know it's a fancy place when they offer three different kinds of waters. Ended up getting the grilled oysters for appetizers to split and wish we had more than 6 to share. The cocktail I had was refreshing just forget the name of it. The entree i got was the sfg sushi roll and come to find out it was one of the popular items on the menu. I could see why with all the flavor. I love like lobster so I'll probably get the lobster roll next time. We got desert and since it was my birthday they offering a scoop of free hazelnut ice cream! read more

Velvet Belly - Free birthday ice cream- hazelnut - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

We had a lovely dinner tonight on the patio at Velvet Belly. Everything that we tried was interesting and fantastic. One item stood out as the best -- the Oxnard Roll (salmon, pickled strawberries, shiso, scallions, strawberry gastrique). This was so unique and "out there" but the combination just works. It was seriously crave-able. Everyone should try it. The SFG roll was fantastic as always. Not pictured but also yummy was the VB Burger with a nice blend of meat cuts and addictive fries. As always, service at Velvet Belly was outstanding. We never wanted for anything. Our server was very friendly and helpful to guide us. We'll definitely be back again! read more

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Velvet Belly is our go-to spot for celebrating anything and everything. Best happy hour in Rochester, amazing food every time, and the staff are always so friendly and welcoming. It's one of those places that never disappoints. read more

Disappointed . I went here on Valentine's Day with my significant other. We waited a while for drinks to come out. They told us that they were out of rice and that they couldn't make enough sushi which is fine. We understand because it was a busy day however, my waiter didn't offer anything to make up for it. There was a table next to us that had the same issue with the kitchen not having enough rice but their waiter offered them a free round of drinks to make up for it. When our food came I was missing a seaweed salad. I kindly asked the waiter about it and he brought it out. Within the first few bites, I bit into something hard and it caused me a lot of pain in my tooth. I seriously thought I chipped my back tooth. I stopped eating the seaweed salad. The special I ordered also included a certain number of sashimi but we were short a piece. read more

Fantastic meal and excellent service. Portions are small but delicious- which works for me. Nice wine pours and yummy cocktails

EXCELLENT 10 out of 10! From the second we walked in the door til the second we left. The Servers, Managers, every single person who came by our table was excellent! The foot, a step above, the drinks, incredible, the wine was amazing. I cannot say much more except go to Velvet Belly and enjoy every moment. 10 out of 10!!!! read more

SUSHI NACHOS?! BOMB drinks?! Say no more. First off, the ambiance is top notch. They have bar + dining room seating. The food was incredible. Drinks were delicious as well. We came in on a Friday night (reservations required!!), first time here. The sushi nachos are a MUST. first time ever trying sushi nachos. They have a kick to them which I appreciated. Spicy and delicious. My friend got the lobster roll and the other got sushi. The drinks were good. I tried the "little fishes" and a margarita. They make a good marg here. Staff was attentive. I would definitely come back here when I come back to Rochester!! They also have outdoor seating in the summer months which is a huge plus!! read more

Velvet Belly - Sushi nachos ! - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Tasty seafood with GF options. Located at the Public Market, such a fun place to visit with friends. Service was friendly and knowledgeable. One person in our party had to leave early and ordered a burger to go, which took soooo long to come out. I can't remember everything we ordered, but there was a lot: a few starters, a few rolls of sushi, and the beef tartare! Plenty of parking in front of or near the restaurant. read more

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Food is great! Great sushi. I recommend the sushi nachos. I got the monk fish and it was great

Came here on a busy Friday night to celebrate an anniversary (had a reservation, which is a must). This place is really about the ambience (and "vibes"). Swanky well decorated place with a large bar in the middle. We had booth seating. Tried several dishes including the wood grilled calamari, lobster butternut squash soup, a sushi omakase, and prime beef tartare. The food itself was decent. I enjoyed the lobster butternut soup, but felt that it tasted a bit thin (expected a creamier/richer flavor, but it tasted more like mostly blended squash without that extra level of richness). The wood grilled calamari was a generous portion; I personally felt that the smoky flavor was a bit overpowering for my taste. Prime beef tartare was tasty but I felt like it was basically sitting on top of a hashbrown which overpowered the taste. The omakase is actually NOT an omakase, but a sushi/sashimi platter. The fish was very fresh but again, it is NOT an omakase as it is several slices of sashimi with a sushi roll on the side. I really really did enjoy the miso soup that came with it; one of the best I had and probably the highlight of the meal for me strangely enough. Presentation here is beautiful and again, a nice ambience. Service is excellent. Maybe would come here for a date night or girls night out, but everything is pretty pricey and the food is just alright. read more

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Velvet Belly is the new addition to Rochester dining scene, specifically located in the Rochester Public Market (next to Fiorella). I believe VB is the brainchild of the same people involved in Revelry and Branca (Midtown). So it's not surprising that I found the restaurant extremely well-polished for an opening week experience. The outside of the restaurant is understated and belies its opulent interior. I asked my wife upon arrival, "is this place really open?" The tinted glass hid the restaurant's interiorly nicely and I was a bit taken back to see a packed restaurant. The restaurant is quite visually appealing. The wood flooring, high skylit ceilings, unique pendant lighting and the dark turquoise bar panels really give Velvet Belly a luxurious and nautical feel. The service was friendly and attentive. The menu was pretty varied, but there's definitely a predilection for seafood. Our server also mentioned that a lot of dishes are meant to be shared tapas style, so I imagine it would be good for group. Highlights for me included the drinks, the roasted east coast oysters and the burger. I got the Bell Bottom, which consisted of vodka, yuzu, St. Germain, lemon, cranberry and rosé. It had a good combination of acidity and sweetness. It was quite refreshing without tasting too alcoholic. The favorite dish of the night for both my wife and I was oyster dish. It's the VB version of Oysters Casino consisting of oysters topped with dashi butter, parmesan, smoked bacon and breadcrumbs. There's also a charred fresno chile hidden, which gives it a bit of kick (so beware to those that don't like heat). For a seafood joint, the burger was surprisingly good. One of the best burgers i've had in Rochester to be honest. It was cooked to order and was very juicy, which I attribute to the short rib and brisket blend. I also loved the pillowy brioche bun it was served on. Now for the negatives. I thought the sushi was mediocre. The portions were small and quite overpriced at $19 for our California King Crab Roll. I liked the fancy chopsticks and dish-ware, but I probably wouldn't order the sushi again (although the yellowfin tuna crudo was quite edible). The fries and kale sides were also undercooked and bit difficult to eat. I am an old man now, but I also thought the music (aka noise) level was a bit too high. Overall, there were far more positives than negatives at Velvet Belly, especially for an opening week. The physical space is very pretty, especially the large rectangular bar that serves as the restaurant's centerpiece. Velvet Belly definitely seemed like the happening place to be at last Friday. I'm sure i'll be back soon. read more

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Made a dinner res about a month ago since they are new. Parking is at the farmers market which is easy enough after hours. The vibe inside is industrial loft apt meets NYC night club. The bar is large with comfortable seating and you likely can get a walk in easy enough with full menu at the bar. The music is loud so this isn't a spot for quiet conversation. The menu is a sharing menu with a selection of drinks, sushi, small plates and large plates. Unfortunately, they were out of the salt bread when we ordered and offer no other bread to go with the seafood dishes. We ended up sharing the chorizo stuffed calamari, sword fish, burger, and the cauliflower gratin. Plus a few drinks. Contrary to other reviews, my drink (sharkbait) was zingy and strong enough. The cauliflower gratin was cooked well but not seasoned. The burger came with hot sauce which I used on the gratin and that was helpful. Both of us left full and satisfied. This would be a great spot to bring a group so you can try multiple small plates. read more

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Everything is excellent! Good service, ambience, the food is outstanding. great place!!

Beautiful restaurant, bright and in a fun location. The food was delicious and cocktails phenomenal. We had a friendly and tentative server. I gave a four star review because the portion size was a bit small for the price, however I would definitely go back and recommend to others. read more

Velvet Belly - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

The ambiance was so great. There was an industrial vibe but they made sure to put sound dampening panels up so it didn't echo like crazy in there. The Brussels sprouts were so delicious and flavorful. The servers were very attentive and the oysters were so fresh and delicious. I will absolutely be coming back again and trying out the sushi. read more

Velvet Belly - Half a dozen of east coast (bottom) and west coast (top) oysters, and a loaf of salt bread. - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Our go to spot amazing seafood, wonderful cocktails. An all around great vibe! Unique

Best sushi in Rochester. Salt bread's crust is crunchy and the inside is pillow soft. Always a great meal. The drinks complimented the menu perfectly read more

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Fantastic food and friendly and knowledgeable service. Decor was inviting. The restaurant was fairly full but with the high backed booths, you can enjoy your own space. Will definitely be back! read more

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amazing restaurant. The sushi and the bouillon base and lobster roll were absolutely incredible.Ask for Cynthia she is an incredible waitress. read more

Absolutely wonderful. Exciting menu. Great wait staff (shout out to "Tony" who served our table of 5 efficiently and gave great advice). Ambience: check. Tableware/flatware: check. But what stands out here is the cuisine. Simply perfect. Scallops perfectly prepared. Short ribs exquisitely seasoned and textured. The sushi was fresh and ingredients compiled in perfect proportion. The Brussels Sprouts scrumptious. Eggplant spicy and tender. The burger was amazing. The mixed drinks spot on. This is a rare instance in which I award 5 stars on a first visit. We will be back. read more

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Omggggg .... Omgggggg ... this was one spectacular dinner!!!! My friend and I both have birthdays in December, so we decided to double-date and splurge with a Birthday Dinner with our husbands at Velvet Belly! Everything was DELICIOUS!!!! We decided to get a Seafood Platter for the table as our main meal to share among the four of us, and then tried several appetizers to supplement: the chorizo stuffed calamari; the salt cod croquettes; smoked Hudson Valley steelhead trout rillete; and the omfg sushi roll. Wow .... just wow! What a lovely spread, and our velvet bellies were FULL! The night got away from me before snapping too many pictures, unfortunately. Love this capture of the super cool cocktails! Hope you get to clink glasses and sup on seafood at Velvet Belly! read more

Velvet Belly - Smoked Hudson Valley Steelhead Trout Rillete with house-made crackers - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

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One of Rochester's pretty, and most "happening" rooms. A fish forward restaurant with unusual and imaginative preparation and presentation. A vibrant bar with many craft cocktails, and a strong wine list. There are so many appetizers, and sides, and small plates, all shareable, that it is possible to taste many of the dishes, when sharing with an agreeable foursome. Terrific service too. read more

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The food was flavorful and delicious, it all came out room temperature though. Our wait staff, or I should say all the waitstaff cause people come out of nowhere with food and to clean up were attentive and friendly. The peach creme bruele, Cauliflower gratin and I thought the grilled calamari stole the show. I wouldn't call their version of sharing plates a sharing size. read more

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Went to dinner with friends here. Then sushi is okay. The apps we got were a little underwhelming. I like the ambience but don't understand the buzz around this place or why it's so busy. read more

Had the best time here on a Saturday night! My friend and I came in at 7:00 and parked ourselves at the bar until close! When I first walked in, I could not believe how beautiful this space was. It's perfectly curated, with beautiful decor and a great casual but upscale atmosphere. Starting with drinks - y'aaaaaaaaaaaall. I tried the Shark's Bait, Bell Bottom, and Palomar. Every single one was fantastic, but the Shark's Bait is just next level. The bar manager Becca is amazing, and knows exactly what she's doing. Honestly, my favorite cocktail in Rochester. And then the FOOD. I was super duper happy with everything I got. Started off with the salty bread (super yummy) and then had the Tanuki and A-mei-zing rolls. As a self proclaimed sushi connoisseur, I was very very happy with both of the rolls. They were extremely balanced, and the flavors really got to shine. I would definitely order both again! We rounded out the night with creme brûlée, matcha cake, and a chocolate dessert that I can't remember the name of But all three were lovely! The creme brûlée was my personal favorite. The staff here is kind, attentive, and fun. I never felt rushed or like we were stressing them out, even when they were very busy! I really loved my night here and will definitely be coming back! read more

Velvet Belly - Tankuki & A-mei-zing rolls - Seafood Near Me - Rochester, New York

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