The best Italian food I have had since studying abroad in Florence for a semester 5 years ago. Will definitely be coming back!

New place on park. Walking past it every day without ever stopping by because it seems to be really crowded all the time. I went to the promotional event before it opened. I was not that impressed and also confused by the sampler menu offered during that event. I thought it was supposed to represent Italian home cooking but the menu looked somewhat Italian but not much what expect as italian home cooking (I was expecting things like wild boar or rabbit ragu but maybe that's just me...). So when I finally went there I was actually pleasantly surprised. The menu is still not much what expect as italian home cooking (maybe I misrepresent their market positioning) but the taste was not bad and even fairly good. For starter, we had their "fried castelvetrano olives stuffed with mozzarella", crispy outside, rich flavors from the olive, finished with the tiny warm bit of mozzarella stuffed inside. After finding out that the "local mushrooms, balsamic, dates, toasted hazelnuts" dish is a hot dish, we ordered it out of curiosity and really enjoyed it. Layers of umani from the mushrooms, sourness from the balsamic, sweetness from the dates, mixed with the crunchiness of hazelnuts. Really great combo. We got their pink pizza (with vodka sauce). It was not thin crust but also not offensively cheesy so still to my taste (although it can be dry to some people's taste). For the meat dish we had "braised & seared pork belly, agrodolce, shaved fennel & apple salad". The pork belly was cooked long enough that it melts readily in your mouth, balanced by the fruity, tart apple salad. I had their Toronto cocktail, which is a play on Mahattan, composed of "toronto rye, fernet, maple". I think it was pleasant but I didn't really taste any fernet. They use hand-chiseled ice, don't think I see that often in Rochester. They also have a good collection of digestif and other liquor. I didn't get any drink but chatted with the waitress about my recent obsession with amaro. We got offered a small shot of Braulio, again with hand-chiseled ice. Nice treat to a cold night. Nice food, really good service, nice environment, slightly pricey. I think I will very likely go there again sometime. read more

See all

Nice place but oh the service was awful. our server (neal) could care less about our experience. he basically started by telling my wife that he was not ready for us because his 10 other tables were more important. he wanted us to order everything at once so that we don't overwhelm the kitchen. and also, plan on eating the food in the order that the kitchen decides. finally, should we want more of something good luck because doesn't typically take additional food order. in our case, we wanted more of the burrata, bread, and another pasta but passed so as to not make a stink. first time experience. won't be coming back. fortunately, food and drink was delicious; they serve a perfect paper plane cocktail. read more

Cool place. Good cocktail bartenders. Lost meatball pasta was great and good sharing portions as suggested. Eggplant dumpling app was ++. Knowledgeable/professional server which seems to be not so common these days, unfortunately. read more

Reading the menu gives me a brain aneurysm. It's in like a cursive fancy comic sans and for a restaurant that has like 10 items of food..... it was hard to get through reading them and you aren't . Food was good, but small and pricey. I got a really small pizza, a small piece of fried haddock and 2 glasses of wine that felt like light pours. 60 bucks later and my date and I left hungry. It's a nice location and the food is tasty, but it's going to be a no from me dawg. read more

Great atmosphere! Price were on the high end for what you get. Happy we went. I would recommend them using larger glasses when they provide me water read more

Delicious vegetarian options, great drinks! Can't wait to go back! I forgot to take a picture of the roasted carrots but these were so good, I can't stop thinking about them! read more

See all

What a gem! As soon as we walked in we were greeted by a bartender mid-drink making with nothing but smiles and assurance. They were very busy on a Thursday night, but Casey, Jordan, and everyone we came into contact with provided impeccable service with such a personable touch. The atmosphere is stellar, the cocktails and wine list were wonderful, and the food (we had the tomato pie, purple pizza, and lemon cacio e pepe) was of course the showstopper of our experience. Need a night out? Go to Vern's. read more

Checking out Vern's for the first time with a group of friends. There is indoor and outdoor seating but we opted for indoor. The entrance is a bit crowded with a small vestibule to stand while we waited for the rest of our party. I got a drink (fluffy greyhound) which was delicious!!! We got seated after the rest of party showed up. Of note, they don't take reservation and indoor seating is limited, so I would advise to come early. The menu is a family style to share and we enjoyed all the items we got but the osso bucco with saffron risotto and the calamari in a pesto sauce were my favorite. The pizza was good, with a fluffy dough. Probably won't be an issue with the weather getting cooler but the second floor corner seat we had got a bit toasty. read more

See all

All food was excellent! no matter what you ordered was excellent! Was a fun place and we we would definitely come again and bring friends

Woww Vern's blew me away. Delicious food and drinks and the vibe and aesthetic is great. The food scene in Rochester is really picking up! I wasn't a fan of the tomato pie but worth a try if you've never had it. I'd recommend getting the pizza instead. :) read more

See all

Looks lively as soon as you walk up to the restaurant so your already in great spirits, had a 45 min waitlist, but we received a text our table was ready and we still had to wait and we're offer drinks while waiting but did not receive them until we sat down. But as soon as we ordered Braised & Seared Pork Belly,Green Pizza,Tomato Pie,Broken Buratta Salad,Grilled Broccolini, our food came out within 10 minutes of us placing it, How fantastic! The food was 10/10, the unique flavors of the lamb and the tomato pie, like wow. Sorry I am still eating and you'll have to come try it yourself lol. read more

See all

I had such an incredible dining experience. I went soon after they opened and mentally prepared for a long wait. On a Friday, I waited about 30 minutes but enjoyed a delicious drink while I waited. The staff was fantastic, everyone from the host, bartenders, and wait staff. It's super cute on the inside and they've maximized their footprint by having backyard seating, patio seating, as well as seating within the restaurant. I ate outside and enjoyed a small intimate dinner with a few friends. We ordered pretty much the entire menu. The stand outs for me were the lost meatball ragu, the bread plate, cacio e pepe, and the corn chowder with the half game hen. They also made a vegan pasta dinner for my sister who enjoyed it thoroughly! Vern's is a phenomenal and thoughtful dining experience that I would highly recommend! read more

See all

Everything was good, steak took the longest to come out (and was the priciest, $70) by the time it came out we were already full! Wish food came out all at the same time. Good eats overall. read more

See all

If only I could eat here every night! Portions are actually big and truly meant for sharing. While the main menu is always delicious, I have never had a special that I didn't love and recommend getting at least one of the specials. This place is always busy, which is not surprising as it never disappoints! read more

Vern's gets better every single time we come. Truly the best place to eat in Rochester if you want to treat yourself. We are obsessed and it is one of our favorite spots for a date night, a night with friends or family. I love their small, rotating menu. Everything is so delicious that you never miss the things they remove. They always have a nice balance of meat and vegetarian options and are accommodating if they can make changes. The staff is fantastic, friendly and fast service. Plus the restaurant is comfortable and cozy. read more

See all

Our experience here might've been a dream, it was that good. Sensational. We got the roasted garlic toast appetizer, a leek white pizza, and the Lost Meatball pasta. Specifically the pasta was a memorable experience. We may tell our grandkids one day about the first time we had it. Even with the no reservations situation, which meant we waited an hour, we're not one bit peeved. Its kind of nice that you could go any night as long as you plan ahead to fill the wait time with something. Its a cozy environment so it could be a downside that other groups are loud, but, again, our food made up for it. And its super fun you can let the bartender craft something custom. I love that! The waitstaff was awesome and I loved being able to watch the kitchen work from my seat at our table. It was an awesome culinary experience. Needless to say, we're planning our next visit. We're big fans. read more

My new Rochester favorite. Excellent preparation from the bar through dessert. Starts with a warm and welcoming greeting, prime bar seats sipping a Negroni (expert preparation) and a short wait show to a comfortable table in the enclosed porch. Tried the chopped salad, missing meatball pasta and a chicken dish. All perfectly seasoned and presented. Finally , an excellent red sauce- bravo! read more

I love the concept of the sharing dishes here. Super nice and cozy on the inside and the food is a 10/10 read more

Vern's - the lost meatball Ragu - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

I've sat at the bar for food every time I've gone here. The bartenders are always friendly and make great recommendations on food and drinks. It's a comfy cozy vibe inside. read more

This spot is awesome! The interior is trendy and the food is exceptional. It is cozy modern Italian and it is delicious. We got drinks, the lost meatball pasta and the spicy lettuce salad. It was excellent! read more

Vern's - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Vern's, you freaking gem. From the moment I sat down you exceeded expectations and surprised and delighted me at every turn. The food, spectacular. Your thoughtful surprising wine list, really impressive. And the service was generous, and full of heart. Special shout-outs to Jordan and Daniel. My goodness I can't wait to see you again. Do order the roasted garlic. Do order the spicy lettuces and do let the good folks of Vern's guide you on a fabulous evening. read more

Vern's - Bar - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great food and drinks! I love the ambiance and decorations. Even the glassware was fancy! Only downside is they don't take reservations.

Words can not describe the evening tonight. This restaurant is normally fantastic with amazing mixologists and savory food from a tiny kitchen. The past experiences have been top notch. Tonight was an experience in unprofessional management, customer service and a debacle of behavior in a normally good food service group. L this place is normally good, no great, but the swan management needs to read the gold standard written by the ritz Carlton company. The moral is your customers are your bread and butter in this time of recession. When you treat them poorly they will choose to spend their money in other restaurants read more

The atmosphere, the drinks, the food, and the service are all 5 star. Amazing time even on a Tuesday night.

The food was excellent- my friends and I shared 4 or 5 dishes at the recommendation of the waiter, who was so helpful. My favorite were the Japanese sweet potatoes, they were fantastic. It was such a cute place, perfect for a girls night! read more

I've been here a couple of times and I've always enjoyed the food, but I feel like they tried to scam me during my visit today. They had a steak special, a 20oz bone-in ribeye for $69, that I was very excited for. Our waitress said we ordered the last one. When the steak came out, it obviously was not a bone-in 20oz steak. It wasn't until I brought this to the attention of the waitress that they admitted it was a marinated steak for $49. I was brought a dish I did not want under the guise that it was a different dish. I'm sure they would have gladly charged me the extra $20 in hopes that I didn't notice. I also ordered 2 drinks that just never showed up. Good food, poor service. read more

The food was amazing, we ordered the specials and two espresso martini's. The service and the people are so polite and amazing, loved their energy. The ambiance is cozy and well kept. Loved the place! read more

Vern's is a nice little addition to the Swan Family of bars and restaurants. I enjoyed the atmosphere, although the place is a bit small and clustered. The cocktails are exquisite and very original. As a craft cocktail bartender I can appreciate a nice drink. We ordered their version of Garlic Bread and it tasted great. We were taken care of Alex at the bar, John Swan himself at the bar, and Jensen was our server once we grabbed a table. The place is aesthetically pleasing and having the option to sit outside on nice days definitely helps with decor and the overall mood of the visit. I would recommend Vern's to anyone who is on Park Ave and is looking for a great cocktail and some tasty appetizers. P.S. I couldn't help but notice that I was the only POC in the establishment. Employee, customer or otherwise. As this place creates a name for itself and grows I'd like to see that change. read more

See all

Sat upstairs for dinner. The seats were absolutely squeezed into the table and they were really uncomfortable (They are some kind of park bench). But the real down side of this place is how incredibly loud it is. My friend and I were literally screaming at each other to hear each other talk. The acoustics are some of the worst I've ever experienced. They need to install sound panels around the entire upstairs. I will never eat there again because of this, it was truly a terrible experience. read more

Apathetic waitress, though nice bartenderesses, small servings labeled "shared plates" code for "not a whole lot", dry, overcooked pork, very minimal seafood on the special, with tough undercooked pasta, all at much higher prices than the service or food quality warranted. Never ever going back. read more

Great spot for food and drinks. The pizza is my favorite along with the gnocchi dish. There can be a lengthy wait at times but that allows you to get a cocktail at the bar or wonder down park ave. Love this spot! read more

**They don't offer reservations** We waited 1.5+ hours for a table this past Saturday evening, checking in around 7:00 pm and finally sitting around 8:45 pm. We had to check back in with the hostess after the 75 minutes they told us bc we still had not received a text from them about our table. They offered us an outdoor table that we specifically said we weren't interested in but indicated that this was the only table available. We 'allowed' to go inside to have a cocktail while we waited (again) for a table inside. We waited a solid 10 minutes before a server came over to take our drink order...another 10 minutes before the cocktails arrived which is when our table was finally available. Our server was nice, but was not attentive. As for our meals, my wife orders the 'shellbows' it was very good...simple but well done. I ordered the steak special which was supposed to a wagu steak....but was told much later that it was sold out and elected to stay with a steak and orders their 'house' ribeye. My wife's dish came out quickly and probably 12-15 minutes later my steak came out...brought to us by another server. Our waitress was no where to be found...so in addition to our meals coming out so far apart we were overdue do for round of cocktails. My steaks prep was barely edible. For starters it was well done (I ordered medium) but it was finished with this chopped garlic + herb...the garlic was so over powering and the sauce was gushing with oil. It was terribly prepared. When we addressed the wait between my wife's dish and mine...she said 'oh yea...that's just how we do things...it's family style...so stuff just comes out when it comes out'. I'll note that I didn't find the dishes to present as 'family style'...servings were normal in my opinion. We were comp's our drinks which was nice bc it demonstrated a level of concern and empathy for our experience. This might have just been one of those nights, where it just wasn't meant to be for us but this was a wedding anniversary night out (kid free for the night too) for us and we're really looking forward to a night out. We had reservations at The Cub Room but elected to cancel this and try Vern's...in large part bc of the great reviews but also bc our kids were with their grandparents so we didn't have to rush home to relieve a sitter. Very disappointed...maybe the restaurant will call me and offer us a chance to come back on the house. read more

A GREAT SPOT. We were searching for somewhere new for our Friday night takeout, and found Vern's through Yelp. We didn't see anything on the menu we didn't want to try, so easily placed an online order. Although I just went in for pick up, the place seems super cool and has really great atmosphere - I made a mental note to come back for drinks or dinner post covid. My dinner wasn't quite ready when I arrived, but the staff was so nice and I had no issues waiting. The food was all really, really good. We had the chicken cutlet, winter pesto pasta, lost meatball pasta, Arancini, prosciutto toast, grilled carrots, and panna cotta. It was all exceptional but our favorites were the arancini, pasta and chicken dishes, and the panna cotta. We will definitely be back for more takeout and hopefully for an in person experience soon! read more

Such an eclectic little spot on park Ave. the creative cocktails and food menus are always the best.

Sooo good. Everything is so fresh and so delicious. Their cocktails are amazing, a little small but worth the price because very good. read more

Vern's - Orange pizza. Sooo good. - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

What can I say, I've been wanting to come here since I found out they were opening on Park. I waited way too long to come (I live down the street) shame on me, I know. I absolutely loved everything about this place. The atmosphere, the interior design, the bar the vibe. Really a place I can see myself at frequently. My friend and I sat outside on a beautiful day, we enjoyed multiple cocktails and they were so refreshing! Nothing better than a handcrafted cocktail on a hot summer day. I had one that I wasn't really crazy about, and they offered to make me a new one (I didn't even ask) I really appreciated that they went out of their way to make sure my first experience there was up to par. We ordered the Caesar salad and 2 pizzas to split. We devoured everything, it was unbelievable. I can not wait to go back and try everything on the menu and introduce more people to this place. You guys know What you're doing and it shows! read more

Vern's - spicy lettuces, radicchio, tahini caesar, toasted sesame, shaved pecorino $13 delicious and enough for 2 people - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Went to Vern's for our anniversary. Started with the tomato pie which is delectable. Wish we ordered two. Then split the bee sting pizza and the lost meatball. Both were good, not great. I think the main attraction here is the ambiance and unique dining setting. It's very hip. read more

Went here with the wife for date night and will definitely be going back! The family plates are so good! Each bite I had was so good and the special they had with the shrimp . Also if you choose to sit anywhere, choose the patio! read more

Vern's - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

We were in town for a family wedding. We heard from our Rochester friends that Vern's was one of the best Resturants in Rochester. We tried to book reservations but found out that Vern's doesn't take reservations. We decided to just show up and see what happens. When we arrived we met KC - whom I assumed is the Maitre D. He was cordial, but told us that we would have to wait 45 minutes for a table outside, even though there were several tables set but empty. There was also a table inside, also set and empty. We told KC that we would also be happy to sit inside. KC told us that the inside table was a 10 minute wait. KC ushered us to an alcove to wait. We waited for over 15 minutes, no one came to take drink orders, I went to use the bathroom and while I was upstairs, I asked a waitress if it was expected to tip KC I order to get a table? She told me, "no you need to be on the list". I asked her, if Vern's doesn't take reservations, how is there a list? She said that they have to know you in order to get on the list. Separately, my wife asked KC if there was a minimum spend? KC said no. We got tired of standing in the corner and left. Looks like a kool Resturant. But it majorly sucks to be treated like that. 1 Star! read more