The extra star is for the service Ryan was fabulous. If you love oysters get yourself a reservation or get yourself to the bar by 4pm and get your oyster fix on. We got oysters a glass of sparkling wine, the duck moose with pickled red onions always tasty. The calamari which was perfectly cooked the only misstep was the Warm Broiled Brie why it should have had a sweet or savory chutney or preserve on it rather than a herbed olive oil it was a bit rich. Other than that.. you can park in the lot or Uber/Lyft. I still go by my statement to just come here for the Oysters read more

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Lento is a favorite spot of ours for special occasions. We celebrated a birthday here on their beautiful patio. We started a lovely and thoughtful cheese plate. Each of the accompaniments were interesting and tasty. We moved on to Beet and Goat Cheese Salad and Caesar Salad with Spanish Anchovies -- both very good. The true star was the Vegan Paella, which was indescribably delicious. It was unlike anything we'd tasted before -- and that was a good thing. We also had Scallops with Summer Succotash and a Fish Fry. The scallops were well prepared and the succotash enjoyable. The only slight miss was the very delayed fish fry which came out a little more done than we would have preferred. It was still good, but if cooked just a few moments fewer would have been perfect. Deserts were also creative with the Sweet Corn Crème Brûlée being the unique star and the profiteroles with ice cream being tasty as well. The service is always top notch here. The interior and patio are always lovely. It was especially nice on the patio tonight with the string lights and a breeze. We will continue coming back. They also have amazing oysters, though we didn't have any tonight. We like that the menu changes and spotlights local foods. Yes, it is on the pricier side, but this is a top notch place that was a James Beard Award contender. You get what you pay for, and it is delicious and worth it. read more

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Very nice place. The food was great, and the service was nice, even with our server being busy. We had a reservation for 7p on a Tuesday, showed up a few minutes early and got our seats right away. The wait for food was not very long at all, including the oysters. We waited longer on the dessert than anything. It was nice to see mocktails on the menu for those not drinking. Overall a very nice experience and we will likely be back. read more

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Great spot for a nice dinner celebration. Waiters were excellent! Food was delicious. Octopus salad was spicy bit u loved. This night i could not drink alcohol but non alcoholic optiins very unique and delicious. I didnt feelol like i was missing out! Service was efficient for a my large party of 10. Will be back again. read more

Lento Restaurant - Virgin spritzer - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Do not go on Tuesday, which is oyster night. You will save two dollars per oyster. However, the restaurant appears to be in capable of dealing with diners The service was erratic, poorly timed, And the food mediocre. I have never had a dying experience that was so poorly executed. I spoke with a manager who uttered the usual platitudes but drd nothing for us to compensate for a very unpleasant evening. read more

We really enjoyed this spot. Lured in by $1 oysters on Tuesdays we had a quick bite before a nearby show. This is a significant amount of seating- including outdoors. We chose to sit at the bar to watch the staff work their magic- they said on a busy Tuesday night they can go through up to 1,600 oysters. We got 2 oysters of 5 varieties-10 total, champagne, rose on happy hour, the cheese tray with added duck moose and the foie gras. Everything was very good except the foie which was just ok. The menu looked interesting and there were a lot of items I would have tried. Worth mentioning- they were James Beard nominated. I would gladly visit again. read more

Ok ...so we've returned several times for the oysters and other courses, including last night. We started with craft cocktails, the Darth Vader which we both loved. Imagine a Manhattan with very good bourbon and hints of chocolate. Not too sweet, nicely balanced. And one of those lovely huge cubes. So good. We shared a cheese platter and the duck liver mousse (pate). The platter had a good selection, and very nice accompaniments. The mousse was especially tasty. Then came our two dozen oysters, First Kiss and Beavertail. Both were nicely briney. The First Kiss were less flavorful, and some were physically very barely there. But the Beavertail were big and tasty and made us so happy. Our server was very attentive and friendly. Yes, we will be back! read more

Hostess said it would be an hr wait before we could be seated bc it was busy. That's fine. So we waited. After an hr we asked the hostess if our table was ready and she said no. So now, it's 30mins pass an hr. That's cool we were calm, we could see the place was in fact really busy. --Not an issue as we waited at the bar and ordered drinks at the bar. Fast forward after waiting about 2hrs to be seated, the waitress was incredibly rude. She may have had an off night but TBH it was throughout the entire service. This experience is enough to give us all a sour taste and not coming back. Not worth it. read more

It was our first visit, but it will certainly not be our last. Our waiter was very patient and gave great recommendations. The staff, in general, was very attentive to our needs. Due to my personal preference, I did not like the pork that was used in the handmade agnolotti. It seemed to lack seasoning. The sauce was tasty; I just felt the sausage is what lacked flavor. The waiter was extremely understanding; he took it off the final bill without being asked to, so I did appreciate the gesture. The cheese board was delicious! Locally harvested, the mix of accompaniments complimented each one very well. The vegan dish my wife ordered, in her opinion, was worth the try. A bed of wild rice and roasted pair with portobello mushrooms as the main "protein". The crispy parsnip garnishment brought it all together for a nice mix of textures. They offer a variety of raw oysters and cocktails. The ambiance was elegant; tealight candles casting across the tables while soft music played in the background. Lastly, the chocolate creme brulee was the best I've had in a long time. Try it. All of it. read more

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We went on a Tuesday but not for the oyster special. We were celebrating our anniversary and we felt very rushed. I would have given them a lower rating but they customized a salad for me so three it is. read more

Love the space in the Village Gate. Nice rustic, comfortable space. Our server was not in the same dimension as us. We were first table. She stated that she ate here last night. The busser/server assistance were absolutely on point. We had to ask to order drinks: Heat Wave & Cremsicle. Both were great. We asked our server for appetizer recommendations...it was painful, and she literally couldn't recommend anything. That is not a great experience. We chose Duck Fat fries. They were burnt and small portion of aioli. Still good. We went with the beef tacos. Nice spice level and over stuffed, good. For entree we went with the Venison Gnocchi and Halibut. Halibut was outstanding - highly recommended. The Venison was chewy beef stewish. The gnocchi was Lento's interruption and good. I would pass on that one. At no time did our server ask us if anything was ok or if we wanted another round of drinks. We ended with French press coffee, lemon creme brulee, and chocolate de le pot. Both were good. Would we return? Weak yes. Having a knowledgeable server is key. Some seriously tasty bites were enjoyed. I feel like given the length of time Lento has been open, the food show be show piece quality. read more

Lento Restaurant - Heat Wave and Creamsicle - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

Came in for dinner for the first time and I was not disappointed. The duck liver mouse with pickled onions were delicious. I could of done without the mussels as an appetizer just because the brandy flavor was strong, but I enjoyed the shiitake in it. I ordered the salmon as my main meal and wow. Buttery and melted in my mouth. The vegetable medley was a great pairing with the fish. The haddock with risotto was also amazing. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. A little warm, but bearable. Overall, I would definitely come back to try other meals! read more

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I came to Lento for their Thursday drink special night and I really enjoyed it! Every Thursday, they have one draft beer for $3 and two cocktails for $5 each. The cocktails and beer are rotated each week, which is a great idea! I'll definitely come back to try another $5 cocktail. I also ordered the calamari which was good, but I wish it had more sauce or banana peppers for more flavor. The portion was huge though! I'll be back to Lento to try more things on their menu! read more

Lento Restaurant - Sweet tea cocktail - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Whenever I am in town, Lento is always on my list to go to. They have an excellent menu featuring locally sourced ingredients. Some of the menu is seasonal and gets changed up every so often. Everything is always prepared well. Some favorites... Grilled Spanish Octopus Salad Roasted Red & Gold Beet Salad Lento Classic Fried Calamari Grilled Hand Carved Leg of Lamb Lavender Honey Glazed Duck Breast Grilled Steelhead Trout The wine selection and drink menu here is excellent. It's located in Village Gate, and a great date night spot! read more

I and my dining companion got terribly sick from eating shellfish there last year never went back . I think it might have been the crab cake . I always ask where fish is sourced and when it arrived. I hope they're doing better. I called them with the news , but was not compensated for the inconvenience. read more

I came here on a Tuesday for their $1 Oyster Tuesday Specials and was pretty impressed with my experience. The wait time was not long at all and was able to sit at the Oyster bar while we waited for our table to be ready (which was a pretty cool bar with some tasty drinks)! The restaurant is farm to table with everything they serve being local and they change their menu weekly - including their drink and oyster menu too. My friend and I were not overall impressed with the normal menu and thought the prices were pretty steep. A great place to come on a Tuesday if you like Oysters! I would suggest coming here early on a Tuesday and sitting at their Oyster bar for the dollar Oysters and delicious drinks :) They had 5 different oyster options when we went and all were pretty good except one. read more

Lento Restaurant - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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My husband and I had a wonderful dinner tonight. Oysters, grilled octopus salad and duck liver mousse. We couldn't decide which we liked best. The service was great. Would definitely recommend. read more

I've been here many times with my boyfriend. There are so many wonderful things to say about this place. The food is always good, the service is great, and they have $1 oyster nights that you simply cannot find anywhere else in Rochester! The ONLY downside is that the portions do tend to be small for the price you pay. However I do not have an issue paying more if I'm getting quality food and service. read more

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I've tried Lento three times now. The service is consistently friendly and the ambiance is fine. The food, in my personal opinion is just okay. I had a burger the first time I went a couple years ago and the bun was hard and my burger was way over cooked. The fries saved the meal, but that burger kept me away for years, until a couple months ago a friend wanted to go. I figured I'd give it another chance. I met up for a drink. Again, friendly service but I just had wine, no food. This past time, a friend with gluten allergies asked to go here because they have a GF menu. I had the carrot ginger soup- it tasted fresh, but there was a lot of ginger and not a lot of taste other than that. I also had the salmon maki roll- that again, was just okay because the fish was pretty tasteless. I wish my food experience was better because I really want to like this place. That being said, there was a 5-star worthy part of our meal, dessert. The chocolate pot du creme was amazing. It was a chocolate mousse cup with salted caramel on top. It was super rich and incredibly delicious. I would actually go back just for this tasty sweet cup of awesome. Overall-I know they change their menu quite often, so I'm open to going again and updating this review in the future if I have a better food experience. read more

Stopped in Saturday morning for their market. Got there fairly late so some of the fare was sold out. I bought a Savory Fruit & Nut Bread - they recommended grilled with cheese. Yes. Very tasty. Frozen Heirloom Asshole Pie with a Lattice Crust Top. $15. Fresh $25 (It's in the freezer for Christmas) Bolognese sauce, Auntumn's Harvest Grass-fed beef, Lento Guanciale - $20/qt was very tasty. Smoked ham, cheese, & leeks quiche - $30/whole pie (House smoked, River Ridge Farm) Good. Leeks add moisture so crust bottom was a little soggy. We're Reheating today on 425 to start to see if that does the excess moisture, recrisps the crust Squash/Ginger soup - $12/quart (Vegan) Haven't heated it up yet. Looks great. Doz. Butternut Squash Ravioli, serves 2 - $16 in the freezer. Had the Bolognese last night. They had breakfast sandwiches and hand pies earlier in the morning. Living Roots Winery has a table so you can get your favorite wine to go with you meal - be it brunch, lunch, or dinner. Also had a Caramel Corn Stand in the Courtyard on the way in/out. A fun trip the Saturdays leading up to Christmas and a way for them to maintain some business during "Orange" Covid. read more

We came here after 8pm for a light dinner because we nibbled here and there during First Friday gallery visits. Didn't have to wait for tables! My friend ordered the winter salad and I had the roasted beet salad. I enjoyed mine because I like the combination: red and gold beets, some greens, nuts and goat cheese. The dressing is said to be carrot ginger on the menu but I did not detect the actual flavor. Well I'm not sensitive to both anyway. But the taste is on the tangy side that highlights the fresh ingredients and not overpowering. My friend had the witch cocktail and FYI the absinthe flavor was strong. She felt Okay about it. Later we shared two desserts: chocolate pot du creme and profiteroles. PDC came in an espresso side cup and we actually spotted it when one of the waiters was bringing a few to another table. It is basically a dollop of white fluffy marshmallow-ish cream on top of a chocolate pudding garnished with sea salt flakes that complements the texture and accentuates the sweetness of the pudding. Profiteroles are puffy pastry filled with ice cream and topped with some chocolate syrup. Both were delicious and had just the right amount. read more

My foodie friend recommended Lento and it did not disappoint! We made reservations in advance early on Tuesday night for their dollar oyster night. They allow you to order up to 2 dozen at a time and may take a while to reach the table. The oyster selection was very good, six different varieties. We got a mixture the first two dozen and then went back for our favorites the second round. Having not had oysters in well over a year thanks to Covid, this was a real treat. My husband had a smile on his face the whole evening. We leisurely ate four dozen oysters and then had our entrees. I got duck confit and my husband got the beef cheek. The duck was probably the third best duck I have had in my life (the first being at a Michelin star restaurant in Beijing, China). I love their version of farm to table and we will be back! read more

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So this place is wonderful! Tremendous food, incredible service (thank you Deja!), and great wine/craft cocktail list ( lovely rosso do Montalcino). We now make reservations before we pick up our U of R student/child. Phenomenal place and a great find! Highly recommend! read more

Amazing food, wonderful service. We went on 2 dollar oysters and no corkage fee night. Will be going back!

My husband and I recently had dinner at Lento Restaurant in Rochester, NY. Our experience was most unfortunate. We ordered two appetizers. I took one bite of mine and knew I couldn't eat it. We called the wait staff person over and politely asked to return the dish and order something different. This led to a prolonged interrogation from the wait and managerial staff about what I didn't like about the food. We were aghast. Our typical interactions with service people are courteous and solicitous. They are unappreciated and underpaid. They eventually comped us for the dish; however, the wait person felt the need to reprimand us. She even said that she knew they were losing a customer and that she didn't care. read more

The oysters were very good. The Caesar salad was ok. It was small and very fishy tasting. It had lots of anchovy flavor so you must like anchovies to enjoy this. The service was not all that great. Our server did not get our drink order right and we never received the 2nd order of bread. The first Caesar salad I received was one with anchovies on it, which I did not order. . I ordered it with grilled chicken. The waitress was not very attentive to us. She did not come back to see how anything was and when we received our bill, it took her about 20 minutes to come back to collect our payment. The ambiance was nice. Not too stuffy and not too casual. read more

Our server made us feel rushed from the moment we sat down; he was only attentive when he expected us to order more. The loin of lamb was a poor choice, it was very flavorful, but exceptionally fatty and the hair in the kale/lentil side dish ruined my appetite. The beet salad was the best part of the meal. Too bad, Lento is one of my favorite Rochester restaurants, but it'll be a long while before I want to return. read more

I guess farm-to-table equals more expensive thus making this a difficult review to write. While in general the food was very tasty the portions for the price were very small. For example: We ordered their poutine which was quite good, though it could have used a bit more gravy. The price for it was reasonable for gourmet poutine... BUT I ordered the bacon option for another $4 and I needed a microscope to find the bacon - it was a total rip-off. Even if the bacon was handcrafted and artisanal it was not worth it! Similarly the burger was nicely done but for $14 it was slightly bigger than a slider. We've had plenty of gourmet burgers around town priced from $14-$20 but this was really disappointingly expensive for what you got. And the quarter of a chicken had a fabulous rhubarb sauce but that was the smallest chicken quarter I have ever seen (I'm sure it was free range, organic and named Fred - reminds me of an episode of Portlandia). So while the food is very good you have to pay a lot more for the "better quality". Perhaps we just don't find the value in the farm-to-table concept... Finally, the service was rather slow and inattentive from the main server (the back servers did a great job on the water, etc.) which seemed out of place for the class of restaurant. read more

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'My friend and I came here for a girls night and it was amazing from beginning to end. Our waiter was the sweetest and super attentive the entire meal as for the food, we ordered the brussels, butternut squash soup, and octopus salad to start and for the mains we had the fish fry and the duck breast. Each meal was cooked to perfection. Their wine selection was also nice! Will definitely be going back! read more

I've been here twice, and both times have been great. The atmosphere is tantalizing and enjoyable without being too pretentious. It's definitely suitable for a more conservative type of meal, or for something more low-key and relaxed. The outdoor seating in the Village Gate courtyard is a great area to relax and just enjoy the vibe of the neighborhood. As far as food goes, it's a bit pricey, but you get serious value for your money. When my partner and I had dinner here recently, we split an appetizer of vegetarian poutine (sweet potato fries, mushroom gravy, and some cheese that my partner said was seriously good), and we each had an entree - mine was roasted spicy cauliflower served with lentils, sliced shiitakes and bok choi, as well as pickled carrots, which was delicious, and hers was a pasta dish which she also loved - all for between $50 and $60. Not the biggest portions, but really creative and delicious food. Hard to beat this spot for a classy yet playful and fun date night! If you're on that Hudson Valley, Good Luck, farm-to-table type of vibe, Lento's probably one of the best places you could check out in Rochester. Our servers were generally really accommodating and communicative, particularly regarding dietary requirements and preferences. I recommend checking it out! read more

Such an amazing dining experience. Was in town last week, and my boyfriend and I wanted to celebrate our graduations early. We had a reservation and we were immediately seated in a cute corner seat. For starters we had the freshly made bread with 3 speciality toppings including a mango tomato one, garlic butter, and a honey Dijon. Each were delicious! And the bread was incredibly fresh. We also had the oysters and calamari. The oysters were so fresh and savory, and the calamari was topped with a garlic aioli sauce. The entrees were to die for. We ordered the scallops and swordfish, everything was so incredibly delicious! So fresh you can really tell everything is farm to table! This eatery totally understand exceeded my expectations and would recommend this spot to all! read more

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Way over rated : Suppose to be high end dinning but the waiter was an inexperienced kid, nice enough but no training, no knowledge(labor shortage??) for this level of dinning. My Duck confit in the past was a beautiful sliced breast, this time was a scrawny leg, Caesar salad was limp and flavorless, My Manhattan was with out a cherry/juice and half full, two ice cubes --over 200$ with tip, did not leave satisfied. wont be back read more

Excellent meal and service! Couldn't have asked for better for my birthday! Highly recommend getting the charcuterie board, did not disappoint! read more

Stepped in for cocktails and small plates last night with a girlfriend... we wanted to come for Happy Hour but it only goes til six (sigh) so we knew we would miss it. I walked in around 6:30-the place was BOOMIN and to my surprise I found the last and only two spots at the bar. A few bartenders working, one acknowledged me almost immediately. He placed the seafood bar menu and drink/food menu in front of me without asking and I always appreciate this type of gesture. Que my friend coming in... we slithered down a few spots once the bar started clearing up (a little past 7) but the dining was still practically at capacity. Tuesday's are Lento's $1 oyster special! There were I believe 5-6 choices and you could mix and match. I ordered a dozen oysters and my friend and I split their traditional poutine to start. The poutine came out in a timely manner. The oysters (no exaggeration) took 40 minutes. I wasn't mad because I did see the chef bringing out order after order and I went in knowing how popular the oyster special is. I was just salivating dreaming of the salty, delicate, heavenly substance. Our cocktails were beautiful... I ordered the Roc ???? Something I forgot the second part of the name lol and then I had the Dilly Dilly. Both drinks were AWESOME, however I think I enjoyed the flavor of the Dilly Dilly better. My friend ordered a strawberry salad for dinner and then we split a cheese board. 3 cheeses for $12 (not bad at all). The only downside is that we didn't have enough bread so we ended up just eating the cheese straight up *don't judge* and it was just fine. The whole staff: bartenders, servers, and chef were all very friendly and not overbearing. They all presented themselves in a professional manner. Great experience 10/10 would recommend and will be back! read more

Lento Restaurant - New American Near Me - Rochester, New York

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We were ignored by our server throughout our meal and the food came out cold. The place had a weird pretentious vibe and felt like the menu was made by somebody trying too hard. Food was mediocre and we felt positIvely unwelcome. Never coming back there are too many other restaurants in town to waste time here!! read more

I don't think I've had a bad dish here! First time I tried Lento, I came on a Thursday night when their happy hour specials were $5 drinks all night. The drinks are amazing, and never diluted which I always worry about with a happy hour drinks. Since then, I've gone back to Lento a number of times for dinner and always get the best meals! I order the charcuterie board. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I love the foie gras and the mousses (which they have some different versions of each time). Each option is highly flavorful and seasoned to perfection. Also, ALWAYS eat the picked red onions with the baguette and meats! In terms of their dinners, they will definitely be filling, and depending on how much you can eat, you might even be able to take some home! What I love best is that this is a farm to table restaurant. The menu is different each time but they have the same general concepts for appetizers/charcuterie board items. Trust that no matter what you venture to get, it will be delicious! Today, I went for the $1 oysters on Tuesday. Such great, flavorful oysters, and you can sit right at the oyster bar watching them shuck! The atmosphere is very chill, but fun! All of the servers are always friendly and accommodating if you need anything. Highly suggest this place for a good time! read more

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The Tuesday $1 oyster special is the main reason I came here. My friend and I came a few minutes early but while we waited for our table to clear, they kindly sat us at the oyster bar. We then ordered some drinks which were very impressed with. Although steep in price, I think they were worth it. The tequila mixed drink I had was divine. We were literally right in front of all the oysters that night. I believe they had a selection of five different oysters from all over the North Atlantic region. Oysters were fresh and we took our time critiquing every single oyster and the different tastes each one has. It was definitely a fun experience. We we're contemplating eating dinner there as well but since everything is farm to table with a menu that changes every single week, prices are a little steep. We decided oysters were enough and we were having a good time. The atmosphere here is very lively but also dimly lit. When we were seated, there was bearly enough room for me to take a seat since everything was so packed together in a small space. I managed to squeeze in my seat without disturbing the fellow guests. All in all, this place is very promising and I will definitely come back on a Tuesday to try more oysters and maybe even try something off the menu next time. P.s. if you haven't taken a stroll through the village gate plaza, do it! It's amazing what is tucked away and all the hidden gems you find in this place! read more

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I have not been to Lento's in quite awhile although it is one of my favorite restaurants. However, feeling like returning to the dinning sense after a long absence I picked Lento's for Oyster Night on Thursday, July 6. I was greeted by a most welcoming staff and took a seat at the bar. All of what Lento's was and is reminds there. After placing my order for 8 mixed raw oysters I had, being single and being old, had the chance to chat a little with the bar staff. They were great and helpful. When my oysters arrived they were perfect, needing nothing but a squeeze of lemon and a touch of sauce. Lento's does this right. A beet salad and Pot de'creme were the perfect ending with a double espresso. After a long absence I will be back again from time to time to enjoy their other offerings. I give them five stars for everything, service, helping, food and presentation. read more

An excellent restaurant. They have an oyster bar and specialize in fish, lamb, and so much more. I was there on a Thursday at 6:30 with a party of 6 adults. Jenna, our waitress was wonderful. We are in our late 70's. I needed a padded chair which she graciously provided. Then she patiently awaited our drink orders and they arrived in a timely basis. She took our meal orders and met special requests, providing guidance and answers to our questions. I was the only vegetarian and I was able to order the octopus salad without the octopus. Everyone one was happy with their salads and entrées and the others all ordered desserts. They have big appetites and were very satisfied. I was happy with my salad and we enjoyed a lovely evening. read more

Great food, amazing service and ambiance don't miss their oysters are the best in town