We had an amazing dinner! We were actually supposed to dine elsewhere however had a problem with the reservations and went to Polizzi's as it was close. The hostess worked extremely hard to seat us as quickly as possible. Her first impression showed a great representation of the restaurant. Our server, Kristy was amazing! Pleasant, knowledgeable and just an overall excellent server. She is also a critical thinker. We ordered the expresso martini and it wasnt the best I've ever had but she figure out what to do to fix it! Ask for Joe if that's a dessert drink you want!! Anyway the food was delish and I give it a 10 out of 10! Can't wait to come back to Rochester and dine there again! Nancy :) read more

We had dinner here on a summer evening, and ate out on the patio. Didn't have high expectations, as it wasn't particularly crowded on a Thursday at 8pm. BUT, the food was awesome. Everyone loved their entrees. The calamari was, no kidding, THE BEST I HAVE EVER EATEN! I had the lamb chops, requested rare, and they were cooked perfectly and were delicious. We also ordered the roasted shrimp, pasta ragu, a vegetarian entree and 3 varieties of salads. The complementary bread was delicious as well. I am purchasing a gift card as a thank you to my cousins for hosting us for a week's visit. I can't think of anything they would enjoy more than to return to Polizzi's. We all loved it. Oh, and the chef and server were such nice people. All around excellent experience!!! read more

We ended up at Polizzi's last night because our first choice was on a bit of a wait. The atmosphere felt warm and welcoming. Our waiter was outstanding. Very knowledgeable about the menu and continued to be very attentive during our meal. The complimentary bread with dipping oil was delicious. Next came out appetizer, Greek style calamari. Very tasty. The calamari was tender and the olives, feta, banana peppers, and roasted red peppers were the perfect blend. I only wished the calamari was crispier. Finally, for our entrees we got the Moussaka and the Shrimp Menelaus. The Moussaka was just ok. Just kind of bland. The shrimp was overwhelmed with garlic with hints of feta. All in all, it's a great space and very friendly staff. The food didn't knock our socks off. read more

This is the only place left in Rochester that serves flaming cheese, saganaki. We go for that and other appetizers. I've had steak frites and tournedos of beef multiple times and they're cooked to my liking because there is talent in the kitchen. We often skip dinner and just order desserts. Creme Brulee is good, baklava is textbook, the kids love the fried ice cream, and the sampler actually does serve two. read more

Four of us were going to go to GreekFest and decided it was too hot and gross outside to sit at picnic tables so we searched for Greek food on Yelp and Polizzi's popped up so we decided to give it a try. So glad we did! We had salads (beet and caesar) and for entrees veal marsala, two lamb kabobs, and the salmon. Dessert was Italian cookies. Shared a bottle of wine, had some other cocktails and beer as well. Since we were there I have heard others say they went and thought it was pricey but good...I would agree that it's not cheap, however, the portions are very large and everything is fresh and delicious. One member of our party is gluten free and the menu is clearly marked - bravo! The owner came out and talked with us at length - what a gem! He is committed to making the experience great for all of his customers. We will be back as there were many other menu items we wanted to try. read more

We went here on a whim with the in-laws because The Gate House was sooo busy! There were 2 people at the bar in Polizzi's, and it was otherwise empty. It was a Wednesday night around 6:30-7pm. That was kind of alarming, but the reviews for this place were great so we went with it. Throughout the evening, it got more and more busy - so we must have just been early for a weekday! I was very surprised when reviewing the menu because I thought this place was strictly Mediterranean. But there were also Italian and French items on the menu, as well. So there is something for everyone! It was also Italian night when we went, and they had a separate menu with only Italian entrees. Everyone that I was with really appreciated their dish! I got the mushroom & crab risotto. It could have been cooked very, very slightly longer, but it was still delicious with just a hint of truffle (which is SO overpowering sometimes!). The amount of crab was very generous! Others in the party got veal and lamb dishes - they were cooked perfectly. For dessert, we shared a couple orders of baklava which were super delicious! I must add that I first tried Polizzi's at a Village Gate brunch event. They brought spanakopita and tiropita for us to try. I had never had tiropita before, but it was literally one of the best things I've ever eaten! I did not see these things on their regular menu - but, I didn't ask. I would love to get more tiropita next time! I could have just missed it, but I really didn't see any advertising that this place was opening (and is open!). And I'm an avid City Newspaper reader! People need to know about this place for delicious Greek food! Spread the word! read more

There was a great variety of cocktails. Our server was professional, prompt and personable. We were seated with no wait on a Friday night without a reservation and were so happy we tried this place! The flaming cheese appetizer was amazing and something new for us. The veal was delicious. Will definitely be back. read more

Delicious food and nice ambiance! Fresh in house made cuisine. Just an overall great place for dinner. read more

Polizzi is our most favorite restaurant in Rochester!! Amazing food, very friendly service. Mushroom risotto, Neapolitan, vegetarian meat balls are superb!!! I wonder sometimes why people don't coke to this hidden gem more often considering food and ambience and service is sooo good. read more

My friend suggested this place as we love to try new restaurants that we've both never been to so we came here on a Saturday night with our significant others with high expectations after what looked like a pretty nice menu. We were promptly seated right by the door and our server was attentive right away. We all ordered sparkling water and a bottle of Prosecco which I don't recall was ever presented to us, just poured... but whatever. We heard the specials- a little rusty in the rendition but we might have been an early table with a 6:45 reservation so it's possible they weren't all completely memorized yet. I get it. The appetizers were nice; tender calamari, the ajillo shrimp was delish. And we enjoyed the flaming cheese and warm bread with dipping oil. I ordered the snapper special although when brought to me the food runner called it perch. My friend had lamb, his fiancée had shrimp and my fiancé had the veal which seemed to be a bit overdone and lacked presentation. My friend enjoyed his lamb although the mashed potatoes were bland and the green beans so-so. His fiancée seemed to enjoy her shrimp. I thought the fish was good... squash well seasoned and it had a nice vanilla sauce. The Brussels sprouts were a bit soggy. I like mine crispier. The fish had some slivered almonds that I would've preferred halved instead of quartered but it still had a nice flavor. The desserts were pretty disappointing though- the crème brûlée had an odd cheese flavor and texture and the butterscotch budino was pretty bad. It was watery and lacked flavor. I've eaten a lot of Rocco butterscotch budino in my life and this was definitely not that!!! The pot de crème was ok but the whipped cream seemed to have been left in the Kitchen Aid too long. I also wish restaurants would stop serving espresso with lemon. It shows they don't understand espresso. I always like to check out the bathroom and this was pretty nice and very clean which is super important. Overall we had a good time but it didn't really blow any of us away... for Rochester though, not bad and they have a great location with a cute patio area. read more

Was looking for a nice place to take a friend from out of town for dinner and she suggested Polizzi's. What an experience!!! The food is excellent everything is fresh and plentiful. The atmosphere is really nice and the owner and chef came around to make sure everything was good. Brian was our waiter and could not be more accommodating. In these times it's nice to find a good and clean place to eat. Would highly recommend this place. You don't find this quality of food in two many restaurants in Rochester. Please visit them and support local read more

Went here for a monthly girls night with 8 of my friends. The restaurant has only been open a week so it was a little slow in the dining area but had some decent traffic at the bar. Service was quick and the wait staff was personable. Meals were kind of on the pricey side but I was happy with what I got. I ordered the pork osso bucco, it was cooked to perfection and fell right off the bone. Two friends got the risotto - the first thought it was too garlicky but the other really enjoyed the flavor. Another friend got pasta carbonara and felt the sauce was too thin and it could have been more flavorful... she did say the creme brûlée made up for it though. I don't remember what everyone else got but the general consensus was that everyone enjoyed their meals and the ambiance of the restaurant. I'm hoping this place does well and will return! read more

Polizzi's - Pork Osso Bucco - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

We arrived in Rochester really late tonight (around when they closed actually) but the servers were still in their happiest attitudes and were the most welcoming. The food was excellent and the whole atmosphere was very comforting. Must visit! read more

Polizzi's - Short Ribs - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

This is a great restaurant. I enjoyed the Spanish's Baked Cod. It reminded me of my time in Germany. I was a fisherman in the Baltic Sea. For dinner our chef would cook this dish. It reminded me of my first love, a sailor named Peggy. She was a strapping young woman, she suffered from a shrimp bite which claimed his left leg. We spent our nights staring at the norther lights. This dish was quite spectabulous. My soul companion enjoyed the Chicken and Basil Pesto Alfredo. She raved on how it made her tingle all over. It reminded her of frolicking in the hills when they were alive with the sound of music! Before our scrumptious meal, we were served with Polenta Fries and Grandma Carmellas Minulotti. The Polenta Fries have a gorgeous crunch reminding me of my time in Southern Los Angels. As an app designer, I was forced to survive on grasshoppers and beatles. This was before I created the apps Instagram, Twitter, and reddit. The crunch reminded me of biting into these creatures for the first time. The Minulotti, was stuffed beautifully. It reminded my honey bunny of her time as a secretary to President Nixon. Her eyes enlightened with thrill as she said the taste reminded her of the Watergate Hotel and the adrenaline she felt hiding documents. She felt so ALIVE! overall this place was just extravagant, I can not wait to sink my teeth into something else delicious here soon! Farewell for now, The extravagent Dr. Anton Ego read more

I'm giving this place 5 stars for the overall experience tonight! We stumbled upon this cute little restaurant looking for something to eat on a Monday night when a lot of restaurants are closed in the city. I didn't even know it was here but so glad we came. The service was amazing first of all. Joe, was amazing. So friendly and knowledgeable. Good drink menu with a variety of wines and beer. The food was excellent. We had the ravioli on special as an app and I had the braised short ribs which were outstanding. Melted in your mouth and bursting with flavor. The outdoor patio is small but so cute and comfy. I just really loved this place and glad I found it. Will definitely be visiting again. read more

The best in Rochester. Went there Saturday and the Swordfish was the best I've ever had. Great atmosphere and top notch service.

We came to Polizzi's for the first time the other night, it was our first restaurant stop on our trip to Rochester. We were excited and hungry, and were unfortunately disappointed. It started with our server fumbling through the specials for the day which took about 3 minutes, you could tell that she didn't really know what she was doing, which is fine, it could've been her first day which we totally understood, but then the food came out. We got the "hot" burrata that came out very cold and we also got the grandma carmella's minulotti that was extremely basic, the cheese was barely melted on there, and the sauce tasted like jarred sauce. The drinks were actually pretty good, which was definitely the best part of the meal, but when the entrees came out (the tuscan chicken pasta and the osso buco style short ribs) her pasta was an enormous portion that would've been enough for a family, the chicken wasn't appetizing, and some of the vegetables didn't taste fresh, the short rib in my dish was also enormous and was overcooked, the meat was fatty was just very unappetizing. By the end of the meal the waitress could tell we weren't enjoying the food and began to give us an attitude, the worst part is that we were one of the only tables in the whole place, so it's not like this happened while they were busy! I hate to give a review like this because we both work in the restaurant industry and we hate negative yelp reviews, but it had to be said, definitely not the start of our vacation we were hoping for! read more

First time there very enjoyable, 2nd time, not so nice. Was seated in the main dining area, cold A/C blowing on us. When we asked to be moved in 3/4 empty restaurant we were told only the bar booths are available. The blonde at the front check in would NOT let us sit in one of the unoccupied booths in the dining room saying they were saved for other reservations. Not true. When we left, still unoccupied and empty. The owner was less helpful saying he would " talk to his staff". What a joke. For $100.00 your not even asking how we would like to correct the issue? Never again. Expensive mediocre food. They think they can charge Toronto restaurant pricing at Village Gate. read more

Went there for dinner last night with friends. Nice setting with friendly and competent waiter. The appetizers were excellent. I ordered the osso bucco - absolutely delicious!! My wife ordered the special - sea bass - also excellent! Definitely will be returning. read more

We'd never been to Polizzi's before, but we've passed by, and it looked like a cool space. And it is! We stopped in on Friday night without a reservation, and got a table right away, that normally would put a scare into us, but we played along. Our server, Joe, was great! He went through the menu and specials, and helped direct my wife to a great dish, as she's a vegetarian. Both of our meals were top notch! Joe continued to impress us throughout the meal, he was attentive, but didn't hover. He'd swing by to top off our wine & water and make sure all was well. We had a great meal, and an overall excellent time. We highly recommend Polizzi's if you're looking for a great dining experience in a cool, romantic setting. If you can get Joe as a server, it will be a home run. read more

We stopped in to Polizzi's a few weeks ago for drinks and snacks and it was a great experience! The service is very friendly and attentive. We had GREEK STYLE CALAMARI FRITO and vegetarian meatballs - both very tasty. The portions were large and filling enough that we did not need entrees. They are also dog friendly, which we really appreciate! We would definitely be open to eating there again. read more

Went here with a group this weekend and had a great time! Server was wonderful, food was so so good. I got the prosciutto wrapped salmon and my husband got the steak, mine was amazing and his was AMAZING in all caps lol. Drinks were strong and bathroom was clean lol, what more can you ask for. Thanks for a great night!! read more

This is the first time I've been back there since Covid. This restaurant never disappoints! As a former chef, I take a good look around at how restaurants are managed, the cleanliness, and how well the staff handles the customers. This place deserves an A+ on all counts. It was Italian night at Polizzi's and I had the Shrimp Scampi with the Italian wedding soup as a starter. The soup rivaled the soup that I grew up with in my own Italian family! The shrimp was plump and fresh and cooked to perfection on top of beautifully cooked al dente spaghetti. Even the bread served with seasoned olive oil tasted like it was fresh baked out of the oven. My dinner partner and I finished off our meals with the panna cotta which was light and delicious and homemade. Not only was the food superb, the owner Tom and his staff always make their guests feel welcome. This place is a gem! read more

Ordered take out from Polizzi's and was extremely impressed with the customer service and the food! The chicken French is delicious- great portions for the price. We can't wait to come back here for more! read more

I'd return just for the Caesar salad and dessert. Entrees were great too but house made desserts are rare and many places don't know how to make a proper Caesar salad. They taste like they use a cheap bagged mix dressing. This was from scratch, old school. I'm not a fan of croutons but even those were delicious. Prices were also fair meaning we will put this in our regular rotation. You could pay more for a pizza or burger in some restaurants. This place knows how to prepare a meal and the care they put into it shows. read more

My wife and I were visiting our daughter in Rochester area and wanted to have a nice meal. We wanted place we could enjoy our entrees in a comfortable environment . Polizzi's was just that and more. I do not remember the names of those who served us, but everyone was so friendly and accommodating. Brought a smile to our faces immediately. We were seated and looked at the menu. We started off with the sausage sampler - a departure from the normal, but I figured it would be a good conversation piece. The samples were a blueberry-chipotle and port wine sausage. garnishes of red pepper, mustard and olives were presented with it. Both were fantastic, but we all agreed the blueberry-chipotle was our favorite (especially with the red pepper) . Presentation was nice and quantity was an appropriate appetizer size (not a small meal) Our entrees were also well presented and delicious. My wife ordered the Osso Buco "style" braised short ribs, I had the prosciutto wrapped salmon and our daughter had the shrimp Menelaus. All were simply outstanding. read more

Awesome steak Diane at https://www.polizzis.com. Best steak in town. Why dine at expensive steakhouse and pay extra for sides? Check out my photo above as proof. read more

Polizzi's - Awesome steak Diane at https://www.polizzis.com. Best steak in town. Why dine at expensive steakhouse and pay extra for sides? - Italian Near Me - Rochester, New York

Ate at Polizzi's's last night before seeing a play at RBTL and it was excellent! Great selection on the menu, our meals were delicious, generous portions, and a nice wine to go with it, thanks to recommendations from our waiter. Will definitely return! read more

Honestly this place should be packed every night. Amazing food, space, service...everything! Definitely go if you're in the area you won't be disappointed. read more

Love this place! I always start with a raspberry beret drink. Delicious! Great menu, delicious food and friendly service. One of my favorite restaurants. read more

Incredible food and service! Went last night for dinner and was not disappointed. Everything from the appetizer to the desserts were outstanding. We will definitely be back and looking forward to another delicious meal! Tom and his team are the best! read more

This was an accidental find and was really, really enjoyable!! We only happened on it because other dinner plans fell through. Have to say I wasn't so sure at first because the menu felt smaller, but this food was seriously so delicious! I had the Vegetable Napoleon (which apparently is GF) and was seriously surprised with how flavorful and delicious it was. It also was perfectly portioned. My boyfriend got the spaghetti carbonara which he said was also really good and ate every last piece (I was too happy with mine I didn't try his). I also am allergic to nuts and really appreciated how the chef modified mine slightly and found an excellent replacement. We also decided to #treatourselves and got desserts. We had the vanilla creme brûlée and their special limoncello tiramisu. Both were extremely good - we were a little full from dinner but ate both anyways! All of this said, our two plates, drinks, and desserts was only $65 which I feel was very reasonable. Even though this wasn't our original plan today, we will be back because really enjoyed ourselves. read more

See all

A weirdly ambitious menu featuring Spanish, Italian, French and Greek food. So it's like the least distinguished countries of World War II all represented in one place. I chose carbonara. The pasta was middling, the sauce and meat very good. I don't drink normally but i had a couple of the craft cocktails and they were excellent. Two old couples came in, sat next to me at the bar, and the bartender shot the shit while we watched a Yankees game. It was like old times at the local joint. It made me happy. I can't say the food is great yet, but I'm going back to try the Spanish and Greek. That's saying something. read more

Welcoming and cozy place. Nice and friendly stuff. Delicious and tasty food:-) Definitely will come back there again:-)

We had an outstanding first experience at Polizzi's yesterday. I'd describe as "Fine coastal Mediterranean" - with creative versions of salads, many delicious seafood options, and shareable plates. The scallop special was outstanding, beet salad was photo-worthy, calamari was perfectly prepared, steak and veal dishes pleased members of our party. At first we were confused by the exterior sign which might give appearance of a Greek diner and claims of cuisine from "Spain, France, Greece, Italy.."- however the menu was exceptional and more refined than expected. The location within village gate is ideal, large wine list, our large party was accommodated quickly . Looking forward to our next visit! read more

Very good. Best bread I ever had. Steak with Pom frittes very good. Moussaka was average but good. Prices a little high got charges 1.00 for a side of rice with the moussaka thought the 23 price should have covered a side but all in all very pleasant experience read more

Ok I'll start with my cocktail. It was amazing. After that, we waited almost 45 minutes just for appetizers. We finally had to get the attention of our server (who hadn't come over once in this time) and ask how much longer because we had a show to get to. The food was good. Only complaint was from my boyfriend, whom disliked his calamari and didn't eat any of it. The server still charged us and just said oh sorry most people like it. Overall not very pleased with the service. read more

OMG we have found a diamond in the village gate mall. Polizzi's restaurant is just unbelievable! The food absolutely delicious price is more than reasonable atmosphere is fantastic I can't say enough about Polizzi's! Fantastic food and menu read more

I've been a fan of Polizzi's for years but they outdid themselves last week serving dinner to my family of 20 on a busy Friday night. The food was delicious as always and everyone's meal was hot. Our servers were friendly, helpful and efficient and Chef/proprietor Tom Polizzi checked on us to ensure we were satisfied. I can't say enough good things about this place, if you haven't been you're missing out. read more

Jeanne G. You walked in hammered drunk sitting at the bar and almost fell off the bar stool. You were complaining about Olive oil being oily on the salad and wouldn't shut up. They did everything they could to make you happy and you just chose to complain. We have been to Polizzi's numerous times and have had great food and service. The only bad experience we had there was listening to you. Don't go back, everyone else loves the place, especially when you're not there. read more