I have taken three different classes through the Brainery and each of them was a delight. Knowledgeable instructors, friendly attendees, appropriate venues. I know I'm always going to get my money's worth. read more

This venue is very spacious and modern. They have two classrooms in this area. There is a reception desk in the front. I was able to take the cookie decorating class. The class was set up very nicely. The teacher had a projector to show and instruct the entire class. It was nice to see her instructions on a big screen. There were about four table in one class. The set was very organized and supplies were nicely arranged. Small on site parking lot. Definitely recommend taking a class at this site! read more

Rochester Brainery - Cookie decorating from st Patrick's day class! - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

Took a Gnocchi making class with my husband, and our instructor was Christina! She was very personable, and very informative! We made ricotta gnocchi and potato gnocchi! Both were great, and Christina had us take a recipe, we've made them at home as well! Highly recommend taking a class here! Affordable, and a fun date night! read more

Rochester Brainery - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Took an awesome class through Roc Brainery at Katboocha. Was sad earlier this year when their business model changed and they gave up the brick and mortar but the class offerings are still awesome and it spread the love a little bit more to local businesses. Definitely check them out as they have tons of cool unusual things to do. As we approach, Rochester winter, it can be a good way to pass the gray days. read more

I decided that 2022 was going to be my year to try new things and what better way to start it off than with a Rochester Brainery class! I've heard great things about the Rochester brainery and so I was excited to finally get to go myself. I love baking and so I thought that this would be a fun beginning workshop. The location is easy to find and there is a decent amount of parking in the small adjacent lot. The class it's was very informative and easy to follow along. The women from Scratch bakery were very nice and helpful which made the class a lot of fun. This was definitely a class for all ages! Can't wait to stop in for another class, now the only question is what to try next since they off so many different things! read more

Rochester Brainery - Cake decorating with scratch bakery! - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

A stunning space and place that seems to outdo itself year after year! Always evolving and growing, the Brainery is an amazing addition to the Rochester recreational/educational landscape. I've attended classes and events here on a fairly regular basis for the last few years, and have always always had only the best experiences. As for classes - I've taken knife skills, sushi making, improv, and a class on goal setting. In any given month they'll have a fun and interactive class covering pretty much ANY topic you're looking for. If you don't see the topic - suggest it to the team! They really do have everything - and their beautiful email newsletter is a great way to stay up to date on what's coming. I ALSO love brainery swag. I wear my "networking &" sweater like..every day in the winter? I'm dying to attend cake decorating and look forward to hosting parties and events there in the future. A brainery gift card is a 100% winning gift as there's bound to be something our giftee is interested in. read more

The Brainery is an excellent place in Rochester where local experts teach hands on classes in almost anything. I did an adult pumpkin carving class there that was paired with a pumpkin- themed meal over at Lento. I signed up for a watercolor class that ended up being cancelled. I'm excited about signing up for a few more things on the schedule. I recommend this place to people all the time for quick opportunities to try something new with little commitment. read more

The Rochester Brainey is a great collaboration of instructors for a wide variety of educational avenues, including glass working (flame work, blowing, among others). Food, carving, and more than I can think of are on offer thru the Brainery. Today was their holiday open house and craft fair to help fund the instructors and the Brainery. It was also the pick up location for Yelp Elite to get their "Yelpies Awards '21" bag - and awards, if you won one. I thoroughly enjoyed the flame work course I took at Studio 34 through the Brainery pre-Covid. I'm looking forward to being able to explore more. read more

See all

We didn't go in but they have amazing artwork from talented street artists on the free wall. read more

See all

I am a card-carrying super fan of the Brainery. Since they opened I have taken dozens of classes, in topics ranging from essential oils to holiday wreath making to jewelry making to watercolor calligraphy to quick pickles to chocolate truffle making, etc, and I have enjoyed every one of them. Great instructors, a great variety of interesting learning opportunities, and a space that has a great energy, beautiful light and just inspires me to be creative. I also love the free parking, the assortment of items for sale in the entry, the windows full of plants, and the fact that they host Brainery Bazaars all the time, so you can support local artists and crafters. AND they have a 'punch card' so that every time you take a class you can get credit for it....eventually leading to something good, though I just changed purses and don't have my card with me, so I'm not sure exactly what. Doesn't matter....I am SURE it will be good!! I highly recommend you check this place out - it's great for individuals looking to learn something new, groups wishing to be creative, girls-nights-outs, company team building, holiday shopping, gift shopping, and just general inspiration to learn or make or do. They are always adding new topics as well, and many of their classes (like their holiday wreath-making classes, which sell out almost immediately after they are listed) fill up quickly, so sign up for their newsletter, stop in and get a monthly class sheet and check their website. read more

See all

Wife and I took a gnocchi making class here. It was a Tuesday and the class filled up pretty quick. Awesome to see! Our teacher Christina was a very good teacher and very helpful. She made a sauce for our gnocchi as she explained in detail how to make everything. In this class we made potato gnocchi mixing the potatoes and flour together. That's it It's that simple. She made a big batch of ricotta gnocchi that we then rolled out and cut. Everything was very tasty and broken down in easy instructions. We had a good time and would come back for more classes! Highly recommend taking a class here. read more

Great location, easy access and parking. Glad I finally attended an event here- going to look into other upcoming events! The Brainery also offers unique gifts and ROC items as well. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Rochester Brainery - Love the unique ROC gifts available here! - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

Great spot to host a local class or diy party if you do t have the room at your own place. I was lucky enough to attend and sushi making class here and loved my experience. Also, you can find lots of fun and unique handmade items for sale form local artists and vendors. Check it out! read more

So happy to have a place like the brainery! They have quite a variety of fun class offerings. Pre covid I took a soap making class which was tons of fun and very informative. Recently I took a virtual bagel making class. Also lots of fun and informative. Both classes the instructor was knowledgeable and had good teaching techniques like checking for understanding, answering questions, responding to the needs of students. The virtual class was a bit more difficult to ask questions mainly because the class size was big! 70+ people! Part of me wish they capped the class a little smaller but also it's nice to see so many people interested and participating. If you haven't taken a class and like learning new things I strongly recommend. read more

You would never expect such good service from a place who you can only contact via web page. Amazing response time and so incredibly helpful! read more

My wife and I took the Pasta Making class this evening. So fun! Very down to earth teacher, Christin, such a fun happy time! She taught us to make the pasta, then we had with marinara she had cooked up. So delicious! Definitely inspired me to make it at home! read more

Rochester Brainery - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

Took a candle making class here. What a great location with a friendly staff. We had a hard time finding the place at first but now we know. Lot of places to park. Someone needs to water the plants. read more

Had a glorious time at the Rochester Brainery for a one night class. I went on Monday to learn Modern Brush Calligraphy with Anna V. Anna was a great instructor and gave us plenty of tips to help us along. She knew that getting the hang of lettering is all about practice, so she gave us plenty of time to focus on our new craft. She ended the class letting us keep our new brush pens and emailing us the templates she created to help us practice more! So sweet! The location of the Rochester Brainery is nice too. The parking lot was a bit small since they were having our class and a knife using class all at the same time. Lots of people and a few parking spots, so the lot filled quickly. There's plenty of parking around the area so it's not too bad. Would still advise getting there early though if you don't want to walk far. For the room we were in, it was full of ROC Girl Gang art and it was beautiful. Very cool that they celebrate women's art like that and help local artists. The overall experience was fun and laid back, and I definitely want to come back for another class soon! read more

Rochester Brainery - Anna V's class is amazing! - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

Affordable learning opportunities, FTW. Co-owners Stephanie and Danielle have brought a very cool concept to Rochester and I'm glad to see the place grow. Beyond the nightly classes taught by local experts in their fields, the Brainery partners with a lot of great organizations like Geva and Slow Food Rochester to connect the community to the best of Rochester. I've attended several events and recently attended my first class. Here's my take: - Slow Food Rochester Pot Luck: Sunday night event aimed at making or buying a dish that features local goods. Since I didn't have time to make anything beforehand, I purchased First Light Creamery chevre and a loaf of bread from Village Bakery. The event was wonderful, I met some great ladies who sat at the table with me and my friend. I was super full too since everyone brought such an interested array of dishes from cheese to Indian-inspired sides and homemade pies. That evening they featured Happy Earth Tea, who offered samples and spoke about his business. SFR also showed a few YouTube videos about revamping empty lots in downtown Rochester. Overall, the concept was fun, educational, and delicious. They're holding these events on the 2nd Sunday of each month. I highly recommend stopping by for the next one. - Brainery Bazaars: This local shopping event takes place on the 2nd Saturday of each month. I try to make my way there as often as I can. It's hard not to miss it since it's 10am-6pm -- you can pop in after brunch or before dinner. It's one of my fave places to find local gifts because almost every month I have to buy someone something and I can find something new and unique. I've purchased countless items from the Rochester-based artisans who vend here. Some of my faves include jewelry from Emerson & Oliver and Clair Flair, goat's milk soap from Chicory Farm, adorable clutches and toiletry bags from Lucends, teas from Hawthorne & Poppy... the list goes on! - My first class: Energetic Wellness Workshop taught by Hilarie Dahl. Since practicing yoga and regular acupuncture treatments, I've always been curious about chakras. When I saw this class being offered, it seemed like the perfect intro, rather than reading about it online or in a book. And for $15, it was money well spent. Hilarie was a wonderful teacher, calm, but with a sense of humor to lighten up the room of semi-hesitant people. (It's a little strange to experience something personal with a group of people). I really enjoyed the class and hope Hilarie and Heather come back to teach more. The only downside with this type of class is that the place isn't 100% soundproof so you'll hear some faint chatter from the lobby. Don't let it distract you. Overall, I'm impressed with the stellar work Danielle and Stephanie have done in just about a year. I can't wait to attend more classes and see what other possibilities there are to host events there as well. P.S. I haven't done this yet, but you can rent the space for events (for the day or hourly). There have been some super cute bridal showers and birthday parties hosted there (saw pics on Instagram). I'm itching to find a reason to rent the space. Perhaps my friend's future bridal shower... read more

Rochester Brainery - August Brainery Bazaar - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

See all

I LOVE the Rochester Brainery! I've gone to events, classes, and craft fairs here and they're all amazing! I love the fact that there's a place to go to learn all kinds of different things in one place with local professionals. Most recently, I took a class with Stephanie from Wholistic Herbals and learned how to make an oil infusion and the steps to take to turn it into a balm. She was very educational, very patient and very thorough when it came to the different types of instruction. I highly recommend anything and everything related to the Rochester Brainery! read more

I attended the Rochester Brainery Open House last night after hearing about it earlier in the day. I'm so glad I did! Founders Stephanie and Danielle really have a great idea here. Sign up to take or teach a class on various topics. You're basically learning from local experts. The space has two large rooms, one with tables and chairs, and the other with just chairs. Floors are cement which is not ideal if they want to have active classes, but fine for now. Very modern and minimalistic. During the open house I participated in a free comedy improv class. To be honest, I did not plan on taking it because the idea scares me to death. But I did it! And you know what? It was fun. The instructor was enthusiastic and the class was well-run. Very open and inviting environment. I'll be back on Thursday for the homemade kombucha class! read more

Rochester Brainery - Founders Stephanie Rankin and Danielle Raymo - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

The Brainery is a place of genius. I have taken three different classes there and all have been wonderful. The concept of the Brainery is great and is being executed very well by the staff and teachers. 1. How to Add Protein to Your Diet without Protein Powder: I went to this class with my mom as a gift. We were taught by a nutritionist how to add protein naturally into our diets without the use of powder. Being active I wanted to be able to use the knowledge to help me in my workouts and every day activities. We learned so much and got to try different smoothies. To this day (class was in May 2015) we still use the methods and it has helped me lose weight and stay full! 2. Meal Planning: Living a busy life it is hard for me to get everything I need in my diet. It was great to go to this class and learn a little more about how to bring all aspects of the food pyramid/triangle into meals and cover all bases. 3. Cake Decorating: This class was taught by Scratch Bakery. These girls are amazing. They brought their delicious cakes and frosting and taught us how to decorate like a boss! I have always aspired to open my own bakery so taking this class was a ton of fun. I decorate cookies for parties, but not cakes so this was the perfect start. I was able to design a cake with roses and leaves and more all in the 2 hour class. I continue to use the skills to decorate cakes and cupcakes. I look at the schedule all the time and I cannot wait to go to more classes! Also they moved to a new space in June 2016, and I cannot wait to see it! read more

I came here for a class not really knowing what to expect. For context: Towards the end of last year I attended a social media conference in Rochester and received a free Freelance Friday session from the Brainery. I decided to use it on a Blogging and SEO class after looking through the Friday classes for months to choose one that interested me. (There is an entire list of other classes on the website that I would LOVE to try.) The space is really cool, and has multiple rooms for different purposes. The room where my class was was of modest size and every chair was filled. The two ladies giving the presentation were well informed and had I actually paid for the class, I would've felt I'd had gotten my money's worth. The staff/owner were phenomenal! Kind, helpful, and they took a personal interest in whether you felt comfortable as well as welcome. Very clean. modern, and an excellent resource to use to learn a new skill or brush up on an old one. I highly recommend at least checking the website to see if a class interests you, because I can guarantee one will. Looking forward to my next time at the Brainery! read more

Love the new space. This is an excellent resource to unleash your creativity. Highly recommend signing up for classes and checking out their new digs read more

An amazing place with amazing business heads. As someone who has the opportunity to teach there as well as someone who has taken classes, I can honestly say it's been a pleasure doing both. The owners: Bright young women who are professional, creative and trendsetters in entertainment. They create a welcoming atmosphere when entering the Brainery. The classes and teachers: Everyday something is different and all are taught by people just like you and me. The teachers truly care and WANT you to know what they know. The variety of classes are just as varied as the teachers themselves. It's a hodge podge of options. Great for a date night, mother daughter bonding, etc etc. As for myself, I've taken everything from educational lectures, hair drying classes, belly dancing and more, with full plans to continue being a student in future classes. Easy to sign up for and refunds (in case not enough sign ups) were easy and flawless. All in all, a welcome business instead of the drollery of bars and Netflix. Finally, something cheap and fun for adults to do almost any night of the week. read more

See all

The Rochester Brainery is a rustic styled space where anybody can come and learn about something new...too cool. It's situated in the Neighborhood of Arts, within The Village Gate. The parking at Village Gate is a royal butt pain to figure out if you get here anytime after 9am...but with a little extra attention to signage you'll find it just fine. Arrive about 15 minutes before your class time just to be safe... I went here a few months ago for a...ok laugh if you want..."Cats 101" seminar and I loved it! The speaker was a knowledgeable woman who was head of the behavioral unit at Lollypop Farm. The prices for classes are surprisingly cheap for the seminars and renting space they provide! I check the website every month for the new classes they have going on. It NEVER hurts to learn something new! I commend the two girls who own and run the Brainery...what a fun and fantastic thing you are doing! read more

The Brainery is an awesome concept that I am so happy exists in Rochester. The Rochester Brainery is located in the Village Gate and the space has a really cool, warehousey feel to it. The classes are all very affordable and there is an extremely wide range- anywhere from knitting, to pierogi making, to painting classes. Think of any strange and obscure skill that someone might have and there is probably a class. That's what I really love about the brainery, you have the opportunity to try/learn something that you never even thought to learn about. It is so important to try new things and to never stop learning. The brainery has classes for all ages and interests. I find myself checking the schedule of classes many times a month. So far I have taken the "Lilac Bouquet" painting class and the "Succulent Garden- Terrarium workshop." . Once a month they have a Brainery Bazaar where local artisans bring their goods. It is such a positive thing for all those creative people in Rochester trying to make a living off of their passions and interests and I commend the Brainery for this. Rochester has lots of really creative people making awesome stuff!! The Rochester Brainery girls are super active on Instagram and Twitter and run in a circle of other great Rochester entrepreneurs, Go learn something there!! read more

Great space. I've done a few classes here and am always looking at the schedule! Love the village gate!

I have taken several classes at the Brainery since my last review and I must say things are run way better! I have taken classes in birding, photography, cocktail mixing, flower arrangement, and recently, an air plant terrarium one. They were all taught by extremely qualified (and passionate!) people. Each class was $30 or less. Where else can you learn something cool for $30 or less for a class? I recommend you look at their class schedule (available on their site) right now. The variety of skills/topics covered is massive and you are bound to find something you want to check out Nitpick: Do write down where the class is being held in your calendar as when the class sells out, you can no longer view the details. Classes do sell out regularly! read more

Yes, the ROC Brainery is awesome: the classes on just about anything, the beautiful location, and most importantly, the most awesome-underrated event ever: monthly story slam! What exactly is story slam? Its basically a story telling night with fun topics and is BYOB. I first heard about it from a friend who heard about it from another friend who was cruising the Village Gate on a Friday night. I went to my first story slam two months ago and was hooked. I'm typically very shy and wary of telling a story in front of people, better yet strangers for all of little ol' ROC to know. After 4 rounds of hearing others share, I knew I had to go up and give it a try. I didn't die of embarrassment, had fun, and after the show, everyone heads to the Daily Refresher for drinks. Chances are you can relate to one story or another and have been fidgeting in your seat impatiently to say: "Hi, I loved your story. I also volunteered in the Peace Corps/love surf rock/got out of a shitty relationship and doing so much better now." read more

I came to Brainery for a class by the two-woman ice cream team "Eat Me." I found the ice cream making class to be a lot of fun and fairly easy. I've made ice cream several times after the class. I plan to return to Brainery again soon. read more

I went to the grant writing class. It was very good. I love this concept. Go now to their website and check out their classes. Something for everyone. I would recommend Rochester Brainery. Good job ladies! read more

I just attended a vegan appetizer making class at the brainery last evening. Let me just say I appreciated the mid century modern aesthetic the building and decor embody. The class itself was enjoyable but I will leave some constructive criticism below. I enjoyed the instructor, owner of the red fern. She was down to earth and stopped frequently to answer questions. I wish the class was more hands on. The template was more instruction / demo and less of a "cooking class", which I was expecting the latter hence my slight disappointment. Overall, I was pleased with the recipes and samples provided. I am signed up for the vegan cheese making class in March which I am excited for. I would recommend the class with the caveat that again, it's more demonstration and not hands on. read more

I'm all about Naz's 5 stars for concept, and I'll stay there. I don't think I'd like a meditation class in that space but the classes that YELP has hosted there have been great, the Rochester Print Club event was also well suited to the space. One suggestion I would give was a rolling door between the two rooms similar to the one closing the storage space. Two events or a more intimate space could be obtained and I think some of the the experiences I had could have been improved in this way. read more

Neat idea..... A variety of classes available to the public. They have only 2 rooms though. I look forward to seeing what is on the calendar each month to try something new! It's a great date night or ladies night out! Now if I can only find a date :-( read more

AWESOME. Hubby and I took a class there last year (on raising backyard chickens) and it was extremely valuable and affordable. Since then, we have seen/spoken with Danielle and Stephanie at various community events (a Yelp Event, and TEDxRochester) where they are always informative and helpful. And this past weekend we rented out their space for our parent's 50th Anniversary party. The space itself was perfect - personable and attractive. The price was exceptional - the best we found when looking for a place to host, and they let us bring in our own food, etc. at no extra cost. It was a huge success. And above all, they were very accommodating. I must have called or emailed them 10 times over the last month with random questions and ideas, and they were always patient and helpful. We could not have had a better experience. read more

Roc Brainery offers very interesting, unique classes and great monthly craft sales. The people are so friendly and the space is very cool. read more

Rochester Brainery - Mimosas as the screen printing class - Specialty Schools Near Me - Rochester, New York

I attended a sushi rolling class here recently that was super fun. The space is really incredible. Very modern with white walls, industrial vibe and cool art displayed (also for sale). What's interesting is not only do they offer a ton of classes here but you can also rent the space to teach your own class or for a baby/wedding shower or even rehearsal dinner-- which I think would be super cute! read more

I went to my first class here recently, which was an intro knitting class, and I absolutely loved it. The teacher (Kayla) was amazing and the size of the class was perfect. I love that I got to walk away with something (yarn and knitting needles), which I think is common for most of their classes. Their new space is great too. I'm definitely going back for another class soon. read more

I've been here at the new location a few times as well as the old one also for a Yelp Event as well. Why did I not check in?! Odd!! I decided last year and this year to take more classes. What is cool about this new location is more space for bigger classes, Freelance Friday's and pretty good parking. Lots of different classes to be had like Knife Skills, Learning to Read Tarot and Making your own candles to name just a few. For about $30 you can take a class and learn some cool stuff also when I started taking classes at the new location they also gave you a punch card and for all the classes you take and they punch it and when it's full you get a Free Class! That's pretty cool. They are still doing their Second Saturday Brainery Bazaar which is a great way to not just check out the space but check out organizations and new artisans and etc and it's a quick drive after you check out the public market down the street. The only drawback is you basically gotta sign up for a class ASAP because sometimes they don't repeat a class I had to wait until the next year for a class. They honestly are getting better about having another class if you miss the one you want but you best jump on a class because that second class will probably fill up too! Recently I had to be put on a waiting list. That lets you know people are interested and people here are interested in the classes and interested in learning new and different things and even going outta there comfort zone. Find a class, check it out, go to a bazaar Saturday and enjoy the eclecticness of Rochester. Cheers! read more