This place is a total dive, and I say that with nothing but love. This is the only place in Rochester that you can get a "garbage plate." other places in town, sell them, but Nick's has the name trademarked, so they can't call it a "garbage plate." It's a big plate of food. You get your two proteins, macaroni salad, Home fries their chili sauce, diced onions, and if you want it, mustard. As weird as it sounds, it's amazing. My two proteins., I chose two "white hots." it is an unsmoked, uncured sausage, made with pork, beef, and veal. The three combination of the meats, give it a rich creamy, meaty texture. It also comes with French bread on the side. And of course, I had a diet Pepsi. Lol I was First here some 10 years ago. , This visit was just as good as the first. The chili sauce definitely has a kick to it, but it was well within what I like for spicy. The macaroni salad was a good quality, and it was not overdressed, the Home fries were tender, I normally don't care for yellow mustard, but it was perfect in this plate, and as I mentioned, I liked the white hots, , and the onions gave it a nice little "pop" as well. (I can't believe I'm describing the garbage plate like it's a gourmet dish or something... :). They say it's the perfect hangover cure, because the grease sops up the alcohol. Hey, it's not diet food, but as they say, "fat is flavor!" I had enough to take with me for a second meal. I also got one of their T-shirts for a souvenir. This was just a great plate of food, and I will be back the next time. I'm in town. Thanks read more

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This was the first time visiting this place. Not being from Rochester we don't have garbage plates in Syracuse. We were told to try out this place. The building itself is so cool it's like entering a step back in time. It isn't fancy. There's an immediate friendliness about it. I ordered a cheeseburger garbage plate with everything on it. It was so good! Yes, the name might not be appealing, but the food definitely was. I'm sure there's people out there would nitpick everything, but I enjoyed the whole experience. The gentleman taking my order was so kind and friendly. Sodas are free refills. Food came out quite quick. The tables were clean. I will be back when in town again! read more

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This place had been on my list for a long time, but Rochester was never really nearby. That changed with a trip to the Finger Lakes. Stopped here on a Saturday for lunch. Not the most glamorous of places but that's where the charm is. Parking around the back, backdoor leading you in and a friendly and attentive staff that walked us thru it. Lots of one-liners too. I went with the cheeseburger plate. It was very good - but I probably could have eaten a second one. Maybe a third. Anyway. Sauce was good, Mac salad was standard as were the home fries. Mr Tahou thanked us and made some small talk asking where we were from. Appreciated that. Their AC was out but the ambiance is much like a lunch counter in a condemned building - and that's not a negative. read more

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Amazing as always! The plate is big enough to share (or split into two meals!) Every time my family craves a garbage plate, we make the drive here! The staff is always super friendly, and it's really cool that I can sit and watch them build the plate! Highly recommend!! read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Cheeseburger Garbage Plate Chicken Tenders (2) French Fries - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

The original is always the best Hot sauce still holds Perfect in every way Alex is the best read more

I was going to go there, but saw the sign welcoming gun carriers. I don't want to get shot while eating a garbage plate because someone got cut in line. read more

The inventor of the original trademarked "garbage plate", Nick Tahoe's stands as an historic icon in Rochester food. Good food. Fun food. Famous food. A tradition and right of passage for visitors and residents of our City. And judging by the number of imitators, the most sincere form of flattery, a success. read more

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What an experience! I am from the other side of the country originally but for some reason the garbage plate came out somewhere a million years ago. I was told it was a thing of upstate New York. Now that I live on the other side of the country, I was able to narrow it down to Rochester. Someone said if Rochester had a food, it would be this. So lo and behold when my friend and I are taking a hiking trip up to upstate New York, I mentioned to this to him. He said let's go try it out! So we did and so glad I got to experience it. They have parking in the back and you can walk into the back door. This place is completely no frills. Pretty bare bones and I can tell they are hurting for labor as there were signs indicating that orders would take a bit longer because of lack of staff. There were plenty of people in there from all walks of life and it felt like a good place to try something new. I just ordered a standard garbage plate with hamburger meat and got it about 8 minutes later. It was pretty good! Very interesting that's for sure. Hard to explain except it's just regional and a thing of Rochester and glad I got to try it. Definitely a mixture of flavors. It's just really hard to explain. But would definitely try it again! Good prices as well. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Menu 10/23 - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

So, an iconic Place to Rochester, New York. I can see the draw to this casual diner dive. They're known for their garbage plates, which is kind of a plate with a bunch of stuff on it. This is not a negative review. I went against the grain and just ordered a burger and some onion rings and the food was good. Had I tried the iconic plate. I might've been more impressed. My observation is; faded glory, a building that was falling apart and desperately needs help since it is a historic building. They were out of to go containers, and it really seemed like the place was running on fumes. I hope that you do stop and try the garbage plate and try to keep this business going. If I go back to Rochester, I promise I'll eat a garbage plate. read more

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What can I say about that place. It was around before I was born and I'm 70. My fave was the cheese burger garbage plate with onions hot sauce, home fries , mac salad and Italian bread and butter. For a while they even had a steak plate with rib eye steak. That place was busier when the bars closed than lunch time. read more

FANTASTIC FOOD, got the combo plate with red hots and hamburger over fries and Macaroni salad... it's the best macaroni salad I've ever had. the soda selection is great, the food is delicious, filling, inexpensive and unique. a must-eat whenever I'm in Rochester the service is also great, i got a great soda recommendation from the guy behind the counter, and the space is clean and nice to eat in, very classic vibes this place is worth an extra stop! read more

This is seriously one of the worst piles of dog food I have ever consumed in my life. Didn't even come close to finishing it. Nothing had any taste whatsoever. It was pretty terrible all around. Plus, the other customers in the store, leave quite a bit to be desired. One of them got in an argument with the person at the counter and proceeded to throw a cup of soda on them. The narcan dispenser by the front door is also a nice touch. Avoid at all costs. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Cheeseburger plate - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

OMG. continuing our quest for vocal each this one is the top on our list so far we heard the garbage plate is famous in Rochester New York and we went out of our way to find this place. It's the bomb.com. I don't know what kind of spices they use for this mountain of delight, but I enjoyed everybody read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Famous Garbage Plate - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

When you want a garbage plate in Rochester Nick Tahou is the OG! Don't be afraid of the building that looks like it's ready to fall down. The inside is not anything fancy just a very basic old school diner. They close early at 7 on Saturday so we got there right before closing. Very quick service. The plate was very good. I ordered the cheeseburger plate. The meat sauce wasn't super spicy like other places which was a good thing. My only complaint was it was somewhat cold. The home fries were cold which was kind of a bummer. Other than that very enjoyable plate! read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Cheeseburger plate with everything on it - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

I was tempted to get a garbage plate but I figured I have to crawl before I could walk. A real tasty quality hotdog. The casing was a little tough, some of it was hard to chew. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

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The garbage plates are what makes this place amazing, especially if you are looking for a filling (and greasy) meal. The guy was very friendly, and chatted with us throughout our whole time there, making the experience even better. I hope you check this place out and recommend it others in the Rochester area. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great service on the telephone and in person at the counter from a gregarious well-spoken informative young gentleman who has found his niche in life working for Alex at Tahou's Interacting with him made me even more anxious to dive into my first plate I've had in almost 6 months! read more

People come down hard on this place because of the owner but thus far it has the most flavorful meatsauce I've tried yet without being too much of one spice like other places that taste like all curry or something. Really it depends on the time of day and the day on how well the plate will be piled but the meat sauce is always good and the meat is not rancid and old like some places it's fresh ALWAYS. I don't even know why I try other places I am always let down. Hands down my favorite and I don't see that changing anytime soon. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

Food was awesome and tasty not only that, The Owner and everyone was friendly. You've never had a garbage plate until you get one from here read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Chicken Tender garbage plate - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

Our last stop in our drive through to Buffalo! What a place! Just shows you don't need fancy signs, neon, gimmicky things to get people in the door! Like a step back in time, a slow down of the moments! Real conversation with the owner and staff of the place. Jo and I split an Italian sausage garbage plate which comes with macaroni salad, home fries (next time I'd sub for French fries), 2 Italian sausage links and mustard, onions and sauce along with a side white hot dog. My dad got a cheeseburger with grilled onions. Drinks are $1.25 and free refills! Everything is priced as if it's not 2023 and i respect that a lot. For all our food and 3 sodas it was $25 plus we tipped to the kids Xmas fund. That's a steal if i say so myself. The owner who may or may not be named Alex provided great conversation about the establishment and the staff behind the counter was quick to get out food out and ask if we wanted refills on our drinks. The hospitality of this place is immeasurable! If i lived here this would be my go to lunch or dinner spot. The building is old and the inside is a through back to simpler times. No frills just tummy filling food and i really appreciate a place that stands the test of time. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Italian sausage plate with a white hot hanging on the side - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Great place for lunch. I usually order a Cheeseburger with everything, Home Fries with sauce and a cup of water for $9.50. I eat there about once a week, so Alex and crew know my order without me even having to ask! Very friendly staff. read more

Definitely a fun experience and the food is very tasty and the people that work there were very friendly. We'll definitely go back. It was delicious. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - We were greeted immediately and our order was ready within a few minutes . Delicious! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

The Best Trash Plate to be had !!!!! every thing fresh and original Every time I get one I get flashbacks from years ago all the good times having gone to Nick's after being out at nite read more

It's hard to believe but I've lived here for over 30 years and this is only my second trip to Nick Tahou's for a Garbage plate! But it is quite the experience. A bunch of us from work decided to go over today and there was a short line to get your order placed. I ordered - what else - the garbage plate with a cheeseburger, a white hot and the home fries, beans, Mac salad and hot sauce. What a delight! And of course they give you a few slices of white bread with butter to complete the healthy meal. You can order the Garbage Plate with your choice of 2 of either a hamburger, cheeseburger, red or white hot dog- with any or all of mac salad, beans and home fries- which are really like crispy tatie tot cubes. Top with meat "hot" sauce and mustard and onions and you are in grease hog heaven! I'll be back! read more

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Went and tried the famous "garbage plate", which consist of a mix of meat (I had the cheeseburger option), potatoes, onions (raw), and a couple other things. It's served with a couple pieces of bread and that's it! Simple and delicious. I was a bit underwhelmed with the restaurant itself. The atmosphere did not feel very fun and exciting, but since this is more about the food itself, I can't knock that too much. read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Cheeseburger garbage plate - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

The food is a staple here in Rochester it's amazing I love the plates always have always will.

While I was a student at Rochester Institute of Technology, I remember going to "The Commons" and hearing people order a 'CBGB', i.e., a cheeseburger garbage bowl. After I saw one, I instantly ordered one for myself and fell in love. This was my first garbage plate and it certainly wasn't the last, but surprisingly, I never went off-campus to try this Rochester delicacy. I remember hearing that Nick Tahou's was the home of the original garbage plate and was a place I always wanted to go. So nearly ten years later I FINALLY got to have an original cheeseburger garbage plate and I was not disappointed! A friend and I arrived around 1:30pm on a Saturday and easily found a parking spot in the rear parking lot. At first, we walked to the front and were greeted with a sign saying to enter and exit from their rear entrance, so we walked back and eventually found it. Upon walking in, we saw a pretty good-sized line of people. At first, we were a bit confused as they split the line into an "Order Here" line and a "Pick Up Here" line, but people were spilling into both lines. Of course we figured it out after seeing everyone holding an order receipt, so we were next in line. The kitchen seemed a little backed up though and there were a total of four people working, so waited a little over 10 minutes before the owner of Nick Tahou's took our order. He was a pretty friendly guy, although he seemed a little flustered and tired. We decided to eat-in so he told us to grab any table and to come back up to the counter when the number on our receipt was called. The inside definitely has old-school bar/diner vibes and I just made me wish I could've come here back when I was at RIT to see everyone sitting at the tables and along their bar. The inside definitely could use a "spruce up" but it was clean, overall, and all the staff were masked and safety protocols were in place. After about 15 minutes or so, our number was finally called and as soon as we brought the tray back, we dove right in! Oh man, was this delicious! It's been nearly ten years since I had a garbage plate prior to this and both of us agreed, it lived up to the hype. The cheeseburger was cooked perfectly. The meat sauce was dense with a little "heat" and the mac salad perfectly complements this by cooling it down just enough to really accentuate the meat sauce. The home fries were awesome though - they were fried perfectly and I really liked how the laid them on the flat-top to crisp them up without drying them out. Of course, I had mustard and onions on top and those flavors blended in so nicely. The portion of the regular cheeseburger garbage plate was perfect, albeit I skipped breakfast so I had a healthy appetite going in. I appreciated they served fresh, thick-sliced bread on the side which was effectively used to collect any of the remnants of my garbage plate. All-in-all, a good first time experience with Nick Tahou's! As of 04/11/2021, I know the owner is looking to sell Nick Tahou's, and so far, it hasn't been reported if someone is going to buy it. I hope someone does end up buying it and continuing this Rochester tradition. I know there are other spots in Rochester that serve up garbage plates but it'd be so sad to see this place disappear. If someone does buy it though, this place does need a little sprucing up but needs to somehow keep the local "charm" it has. I hope I can come back and try a chicken finger garbage plate but I'd be just as happy getting another cheeseburger garbage plate! :) read more

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Really underwhelming food. Everything about the cheeseburger plate except the mustard was bland... potatoes, mac salad, burger, cheese, meat sauce, onions all bland. You can douse that with Frank's Red Hot and it's still disappointing. It's a self-own for ROC area people to prop this up as must try food read more

Rochester's contribution to the culinary canon. You're not going here because it's best thing somebody can do with the idea, you're going because they did it first. I got a plate with burgers, cold beans, homefries, and the meat hot sauce/onion/mustard combo.I wouldn't say the meat hot sauce was hot, but it added enough to the dish. Overall, I was satisfied with the meal. In terms of service though, I went with a colleague and the staff was friendly. They served us even though it was 15 minutes to close. The place is old, and definitely feels that way. I like that because it adds a sense of gravity to the establishment, but if you want modern restrooms, you may be disappointed. Having grown up in upstate NY, it resonated with me on a spiritual level though. Overall, it's a novel configuration of staple food ideas. On that level, seek it out for the novelty. It's a singular dining experience, and definitely worth taking the plunge on. read more

Very disappointing. When did everything start getting watered down? Mac salad and beans tasteless. And what happened to meat sauce ? Weak and watery. I can name 5 places in Rochester for a better plate. All for $15 dollars. Last time here. Things never stay the same, but I thought this was to easy to screw up . Plus I ordered fries and got beans. Can't trade on the name only forever read more

The home of the garbage plate. Not sure why this place popularized a region-wide dish because it was absolutely disgusting. My friend and I shared one and it was so inedible that we couldn't finish it between the two of us. The meat was like dirt. The potatoes were flavorless and soggy. There were absolutely no redeeming qualities. My only guess is this place was actually good 100 years ago and is only in business thanks to people like me who didn't know better. read more

Iconic home of the garbage plate. This is the best it gets. Don't expect a fancy dining room. This place is about as classy as a food truck, and probably hasn't been updated since it was fist opened. Came here for lunch the owner greeted us quickly. We placed our order garbage plates and onion rings. The place was extremely busy, but they had one person taking orders and 2 people on the grills so food was prepared fresh and fast. The size of the garbage plate is enormous. The onion rings were a usual portion. The onion rings were fried the way I like, crispy on the outside and tasty on the inside. The rings were real onions and a nice size. The cheeseburger garbage plate was so freaking delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection. The mac salad is some of the best tasting mac salad I've ever had ( not as good as my grandma's, but close). The ingredients on my plate all complemented each other so well. I always try each ingredient first before I mix it all together. I'm still wondering what exactly is in the special sauce he tops it with. This special topping is what makes it the best of the best. If you want the best garbage plate in Rochester try this place. There are others, but this is hands down some good eating. Side note. While waiting for my order one of the customers over paid and sat down to wait for their order. The owner came out and gave them the money. Honestly is always the best policy!! read more

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The meat sauce is the most unique individual element, but this wouldn't be as successful without the perfect handling of more commonplace ingredients like the potatoes. A combo cheeseburger-hot dog option is available, which makes you wonder why anyone would opt for a single-meat version. The service was great; magically, the woman at the counter knew I misspoke when I said "hamburger." I meant cheeseburger. read more

I highly recommend this place. The garbage plate is really really good. I hope that you guys will try and leave very satisfied at afterwards. I travel all the way from Oregon in order to get the garbage plate. You are not going to be disappointed. You will be very satisfied. Thank you for your time. read more

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What used to be a Rochester relic has truly become one of the weaker restaurants around. From quality to prices, nick Tahou has made sure to screw over its patrons. The employees are probably the only good quality this place has. It's sad to see a staple of our city become so lackluster. read more

Back in my SUNY Oswego days, we had a University Hots right by the bars. I was made out of sterner stuff in those days, and enjoyed a lot more "college plates" after 2:00 AM than I'll ever remember. I've only ever lived in Oswego and Onondaga counties, so other than my college days, traditional Garbage Plates and the many other brands of food heaps famous in the 585 were out of range for me. Feeling nostalgic from Oswego, we were passing through Rochester and decided it was time to try the real thing. We Googled "Garbage Plate" and were referred here for the original. We already knew what we were going for: diner quality ingredients slapped into the finest piles $12.00 can buy. Still, we stumbled through the ordering process. The website menu lists the ingredients, but doesn't provide much in terms of guidelines. The guy on the phone seemed annoyed and we labored through what could have been a simple order. At first, we ended the call wishing we had gone in to place the order. That feeling lasted right up to the moment I entered the building. I spent just enough time inside to pick up the food and check out the bathroom from the Saw movies. I have full trust in Rochester's code enforcement, but I think the buildings in Chernobyl are in better condition. Pictured here are the two garbage plates we ordered. Mac Salad, fries, red hot and cheeseburger, seemed like a safe classic. Second order was beans, fries, red hot and fried haddock. (Fried haddock does not combine with other ingredients it's listed with on the menu, and was sold separately at a full upcharge. They told us at the time of our order but we still went for it.) The beans and mac salad were completely void of flavor. The meat sauce was pretty weak as well. We had ordered them with ketchup and mustard and diced onions, but our food came without it. We had to add them ourselves when we got home, which restored some of the garbage plate feeling they'd been lacking. I happen to be on an Indian food kick, but adding a bunch of Garam Masala to mine was a home run. We'll be back in the area a few more times over the coming weeks, and we're looking forward to trying the various heaps Rochester has to offer. You guys can have this place though. read more

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Made a special trip driving East-bound to stop by here and try a garbage plate. On the good side, the portion size was large and the food was prepared quickly. Parking was alright, but in the back of the building, decor is minimal, and the price isn't super high, but not exactly a cheap eat either. I tried the most popular item, which was the cheeseburger garbage plate. Pretty much every component of this dish was already prepared and just scooped into a single plate. Flavor and texture-wise, it was a bit underwhelming. No single flavor really stood out from everything else (the closest would be the onion), the texture was pretty much soft-throughout. As for individual components - the potatoes were soft and didn't stand out (not crispy, seared, or really even seasoned), the cheese did little to add any flavor or body to the dish, the macaroni salad was creamy but also didn't add much to the dish, the burgers lacked flavor, juiciness, searing, and seasoning. I guess the appeal is probably getting a big plate, which kind of resembles comfort food, with a bunch of filling components (cheese, meat, potatoes) -- but it was not worth a special trip to try this dish. read more

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Welp... I came eager to try their garbage plate. Later that night... I felt like garbage . This is a hole in the wall, the bathrooms are disgusting and not much to see. The service was friendly and quick! I ordered the garbage plate that consist of: *Macaroni salad *Fried hash browns *Burger patty *Spicy meat sauce The flavor wasn't bad but it wasn't anything I would come back for. Xoxo - Stay hungry & safe And if you come here... buy Pepto. Carolina G read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Garbage plate - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

It's easy to find and they have plenty of parking spaces in the back. I walked in and waited in line, noticed the first batch of lunch crowd was leaving... being my first time, was overwhelmed, didn't know what do get, but I knew I wanted to get the plate... after a while, I decided on cheeseburger garbage plate... as I waited I listened how others were placing their order... the father and son in front of me ordered the same thing I was getting, so I just copied what they said - cheeseburger plate with everything. This is how they build the plate, half of the plate is filled with their home fries and the other half is filled with macaroni salad, topped with chopped onions, mustard, two patties with cheese and they pour meat sauce on top, you are served with two slices of bread, some butter and drink (I went with bottled water, as they only had Pepsi products). To sum it up, it's basically bun-less hamburger on a plate and as the name says, it looks like garbage (food piled on top of each other). First of all, I knocked a star because there was a piece of hair on the bread they gave me, they ended up in the trash bin. Second, when it came to the taste, it needed some major seasoning. The home fries were good, the macaroni salad was bland, the patties were not seasoned, same with the meat sauce - bland. I was hoping the mixture of foods would compliment each other when it came to seasoning, but it did not and was disappointed. I know this was my first experience and was hoping to walk away as a fan, but just didn't happen. Not sure if I'll revisit when back in Rochester in a year or so, maybe I'll give it another try from other restaurants, only time will tell! read more

Nick Tahou Hots - Bread with hair on top - Hot Dogs Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Do I really need to review Nick Tahous? I have eaten here since I was 15. As a teenager growing up in Rochester going to Tahous was a right of passage. The day you ate your first plate you became a man. There is simply nothing like it. I remember my first. I remember who I was with. The place was packed. People were waiting in the parking lot. Inebriation and loud conversation filled the air. The pile of home fries was nearly one foot off the flat top grill. The employees were gruff and looked like prison escapees. I can still see the scary dude at the Lyle Ave. location sitting in the corner waiting to clear our mess at the end of our meal. Western New Yorkers are blue collar, lunch pail kinds of folks. A backyard BBQ with Cheesburgers, Red and White Hots, Macaroni Salad and Baked Beans was commonplace. Simple food for simple folks. The hot sauce is actually a Greek invention. Tahou was Greek and his hot sauce is now Rochester's mandatory condiment. Others have tried to replicate it. I say the original is still the best. So how do I eat my plate? The one that 90 percent of the population orders. Two cheeseburgers, Mac Salad, Home Fries and Everything (Raw Onions, Brown Mustard, Chopped Raw Onions and Sauce) Cover the burgers and fries with ketchup and douse the whole plate with Frank's Red Hot. What results is culinary bliss. Sweet, salty, fatty, vinegary, spicy deliciousness. A wonderful hangover cure appropriate for all three meals of the day (yes I have eaten this for breakfast). I can't fathom how anyone can give this food mecca two stars or less. If you are a Yelp Elite looking for a gourmet experience at Tahous you have seriously missed the point. I have read some of these reviews and rolled my eyes repeatedly. Truthfully I am conflicted about writing a review of a place that is just perfection for me. An incredible (and unhealthy) piece of nostalgia I have shared with friends and family for years. I knew I married the right woman when I saw her eat a garbage plate and say "this is delicious!" Rochester was built around Kodak and Xerox. Genny Beer and George Eastman. Floating somewhere in the middle is a garbage plate beckoning to you. It is saying "I shouldn't be this good and you just can't stop thinking about me no matter how embarrassing that is." I go to Rochester to visit my family and old friends. Tahous and my next garbage is not far behind. read more

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