I enjoy going to self-pour wine bars, and I was excited to discover Rochester had one. I…read moreanticipated finding many Finger Lakes wines available, and I was not disappointed. I appreciated how casual it was here and overview and assistance if needed by the staff. I was wondering, though, if the wine inventory could be better organized such that white wines could be together in cases and chilled? It felt like the white wines I sampled were at most a few degrees lower than room temperature. I was very pleased with a red that I tasted, specifically a malbec. I didn't order food here, though I did see some delivered to other customers. The olives option was very generous and would easily be satisfying for two people, possibly 3.

We went to Unwined to have a few drinks before dinner next-door, and it was just what we needed…read more The atmosphere is really relaxed--not too noisy or uncomfortable--so it's easy to have conversation and everyone was extremely friendly.

Apogee is a fantastic gem of a place in a quiet spot on Park Ave, far from the crowds and traffic…read moreand heavily perfumed masses. It feels like a hidden locals-only joint where you can grab a glass of your fave from a thoughtfully curated list of delicious options, and settle in with your better half, besties or a group of friends and just chill. We've been to Apogee a number of times before and 'after' covid, in colder months when we've been lucky to snag a window table, and in warmer times, like tonight, when we can sit outside and enjoy the flickering fireflies along with our sparkling rosè. Besides the pleasant atmosphere, Apogee has a beautifully appointed interior space, clean bathrooms, and a menu with cheese plates, cake, and more wines than you could taste in a summer. All of that plus super knowledgable 'bar tenders' (more like wine sommeliers) who can take your possibly clumsy description of what you think you want and offer up several perfect options, and you have the makings of a very pleasant evening. Book mark this place and plan to spend at least an hour enjoying an outside table!

Apogee was our baby shower venue. While people don't normally associate wine bar with baby shower,…read morewe made it work and Apogee was the perfect venue that met all of our needs. As a special events venue, Apogee was flexible with outside food and also with decorations. There was no additional venue rental/site fee, just a minimum spend amount (which we were confident that we would exceed). The venue is cozy and intimate, but has high ceilings so it did not feel claustrophobic at all, even with 30+ guests at one point. I'm a wine snob myself, so I was a bit skeptical initially when I saw their wine list. Most of the wines they serve retail for $10-20. They do have some bottles that are more expensive (retail ~$30). However, after tasting some of their entry level wines (Ancient Peaks Zinfandel & Gouguenheim Malbec), my worries vanished. Everything I tasted was excellent and drank better than their actual price point. Steve was a great host. He was laid back, but still friendly and attentive to all of our guests. He made sure everybody's drink needs were satisfied. He was also flexible with letting us in the venue early to set up and also staying late to clean up. I also liked the fact that they allowed us to bring our own wine, for a $15 per bottle corkage fee, which is fair. Anyways, Apogee is a great venue for a small party. They are flexible and reasonable. I would definitely recommend them as a wine bar and for hosting a private event (especially on a Sunday).

We've been meaning to try out Carnegie Cellars for a long time and 3 of us finally went in…read moretonight. The experience was amazing! The menu is different than other places, it goes from small to large plates and you order what you want and if you want more- keep ordering. My daughter got a flight of white wines and I got one of their beers, which was an interesting hazy IPA called Baby Kittens. Our waiter Philip was very knowledgeable on the wine selection and helped with the food order. We started out with the Flour City bread, which was toasted and had a dip of whipped ricotta with butternut squash - excellent! Next, we had the salt and pepper squid - their version of a fried calamari appetizer - also excellent with a nice little spice that snuck up on you a little bit. We followed that with the farm salad, which had a great cranberry vinaigrette. Then we had mussels which were over a jasmine rice that had a great sauce with it. The last dinner item we had was the butternut squash ravioli - so tasty! The table next to us got the fries, which was a huge mound of french fries with Parmesan cheese and I think something else on it. It was a lot of food. The waiter suggested their desserts, which was a choice of a huge slice of carrot cake or a skillet baked chocolate chip cookie or brownie topped with vanilla ice cream. We got the latter and it was excellent. The atmosphere was very subdued and great for a date or just a fun night out. I highly recommend visiting Carnegie Cellars!

We liked this place a lot. The food was mostly well portioned. The preparation, flavor, texture,…read moretemperature were on point. The service was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the wine selection. Parking could be a challenge, seating is varied at tables, bar and all along the full length windows.

Flight Wine Bar in the Cornhill area of Rochester offers high quality wine flights and live music…read moreon certain evenings of the week. Dan and I shared some wine flights with red wines from France, Canada, and Italy. They were all delicious. Then our awesome attentive waiter Richard told us we could order some small bites. We chose the "choose" 3 and ordered the artichoke spinach dip with pita chips & veggies, a cheddar soaked wine cheese, and can't forget the awesome herbed olives (my favorite). They also gave us some high quality aged balsamic and baguette. There's a local chocolatier - so we had to get the few pieces to pair with the red wine (orange peal chocolate, sesame chocolate, and truffle) and all were a treat. The live music was the perfect touch to an enjoyable evening and the service was top notch. We will definitely visit Flight Wine Bar again when visiting family in Rochester!

Sue the owner is a breath of fresh air! Mocktails are on…read morethe menu. I had the Strawberry and Basil Kombucharita. I love their options for cheese and charcuterie boards. This was an enjoyable ladies night. Also, Wednesdays are half price bottles of wine. You can't beat that if you like wine. I'm so glad Flight was so accommodating. They also have fiber nights and make your own bonsai decorating as well. I'll definitely be frequenting as the weather warms up. Thank you for a memorable mid week boost.

It's super cute and trendy-looking inside! We had a cozy spot for two people. Came for the St…read more Patty's Day drink specials which were good. Meatballs were filling and tasty. Burrata was also good with tons of tomatoes. Perfect spot to get a drink after a day on the canal! Service was good and they have coat check.

Such a great local wine bar! Went for our first time over the weekend and it was so cozy and warm…read moreand the wine selection was plentiful. The staff was also very friendly and attentive. Our evening consisted of ordering Prosecco, old fashioned's, tuna tartare and burrata. The food had a stunning presentation and tasted delicious. I thought it went very well with my Prosecco! We had such a wonderful time that I cannot wait to return.

I can't say enough amazing things about this restaurant. Shell will not disappoint ! A perfect Date…read morenight place. Everything was 5 stars. - Service: 5 stars - Food: 5 stars exceptional ! quantity & quality were on point. Every dish was great but the stars were the Duck breast and Wagyu steak. - Drinks: 5 stars

***4 Stars*** Good food, attentive service and cozy…read moreatmosphere. I enjoyed my meal and drinks. I didn't like sitting in the back room too much. A little dark and claustrophobic, but the front back area looks and feels more inviting. For appetizers, we ordered the tiradito, shrimp empanadas, oysters and bread with miso butter. I got the pork chop and my got the bolognese The tiradito was my favorite appetizer and it was also the most beautifully plated dish of the night. The rest of the appetizers were just okay. Oysters were just oysters and for $

I went here for trivia and didn't expect to have the most AMAZING charcuterie board I've ever…read morehad... this was absolutely delicious. My bff and I could not stop thinking about it afterward. Also the bread for the board was separate from it which was amazing as a gluten free girlie! The wine went great with it too, and the place is extremely cute and welcoming. Not too busy or crowded. Really great spot if you like wine and cheese!

Love having a tasting room here in Rochester! I do recommend reservations as we didn't have any and…read moreordered at the bar but stood by their community table. Bar spots are also open seating. There are several wine flights to choose from. We chose the red and white. Our favorite however was the welcome pour white spritz. The prices per bottle are also reasonable and there are food options available. Parking can be hit or miss at times too.

Great local bar on East Ave with a low key cool interior. Fun, chill and playful vibe. Beers are…read morecheap and cold, specials everyday. Small outside patio area, great spot for people watching all along the busy sidewalk. Limited parking along the street but there is a garage nearby... walking distance to others restaurants and bars.

Stopped in here between bands at the Jazz Fest. I think I was there a long time ago... but this…read morelittle bar is great! They have a full bar: wine, beer, liquor. It was packed because of the Jazz Fest but man.. we did not have to wait more than 5 minutes for our drinks! We ordered at the bar and one of the gals came over to deliver. Now that's service! There's a bunch of stuff to do... some arcade games and darts. There's a dining section on the other side of the wall, as well as some outdoor seating. Note: ladies room is small and the stall on one side is in the dark lol... so ladies beware haha! Going to be back there for sure and this time we'll grab some food!

Friendly service, great drinks and the pizza logs are to die for! The owners were extremely…read morefriendly. Definitely going back for the pizza rolls!

Food. Service. Ambiance - Legacy Wine Bar has all of these. It is a very welcoming, warm, cozy new…read morespot in town. The owner is great - food delicious, and interesting wines. We really enjoy the live music. Can't wait to go back for a nice glass of wine and some live jazz!

Vern's is definitely one of those spots that's worth a visit! They don't take reservations, and…read morewhen we arrived around 7:30pm on a Sunday evening, it was packed. We were quoted about a 40-minute wait for a table, but told bar seating might open up sooner (around 30 minutes). They took my number and we stepped outside to take a walk around the block while we waited. We ended up getting a text about the bar seat availability in about 15 minutes. Once we got seated at the bar, things turned around quickly. The space has a really cozy, intimate vibe with dim lighting, warm atmosphere and overall it feels thoughtfully put together. We ordered hot toddies to drink, which were perfect for the weather, and for food we got the Japanese sweet potatoes and the cavolo nero pesto. Both dishes were incredibly delicious - flavorful and well-balanced. Just be prepared for a wait (and maybe stay nearby instead of wandering off), but once you're in, it's a great experience!

We tried out Vern's for the first time on a Thursday evening! We made it there by about 5:00 PM and…read moreit was easy enough to get a table for 2 with only indoor seating available. It's a small space inside but it's designed well enough to manage a flow of traffic for customers and staff. We sat in the back greenhouse area. I think the least enjoyable part of our experience was how loud it was in the restaurant. Definitely not a good spot if you're trying to catch up with someone and your voice doesn't carry. I couldn't actually hear the specials the server was telling us. I want to try out Vern's again, so I may wait until there's an outdoor table or ask to sit in the second level to see if that's quieter. We tried one of their spring menu appetizer items, the Japanese sweet potatoes with kimchi ranch and dill. One bite and I was addicted, these were so so good. We then moved on to the classics for entrees -- bee sting pizza and the ragu-- and we were amazed at how good everything was! The only note we had was about the pizza, it was very soggy in the middle but still edible if you rolled it over in itself. We also had a few cocktails, and while they were somewhat small, you could tell they weren't watered down in any way. Two drinks was more than enough for me. Overall it was a great experience and we want to try it again. If you're someone who struggles to enjoy a meal out where you can't hear much, maybe wait for outdoor tables.