My daughter has celiac and is a super picky eater. We ate her and everything we got was gluten free. The GF hush puppies were amazingly, GF arancini with their homemade sauce was so good, the bacon Brie GF mac and cheese (we did gf gnocchi as the pasta) was beyond words. My daughter tried the GF crab cakes (I'm allergic so I could not try them) and she said the taste was really good but they were too spicy for her. Then we finished our meal with GF raspberries crème brûlée and gf cheesecake. Everything was amazing. The owner (I believe he was the owner) was so nice and brought a hush puppy for my daughter and I to try without us even asking. He knew she was picky and thought she would like it so he just brought it out. My daughter LOVED them. We will 1000% be back. This might now be our new favorite gluten free restaurant in Rochester, NY. So many more things to try on the menu!!! read more

I was delighted to see that the Rochester cocktail revival week featured a bourbon pairing dinner with the classic kitchen. I've always loved the food at the classic, not only because the food is fantastic, but also because owner Drew is very personable and friendly. We decided to do the classics "Sippin' South" themed dinner. We had already done a beer pairing dinner at the classics several years ago, when they collaborated with one of our favorite local breweries, iron tug, to create an amazing multicourse experience. Firstly, the ambience was excellent and the atmosphere excited. we choose to sit at a table with two other couples we had never met before, but were glad to have interacted with as we shared in our common love of food in the great city of Rochester. We truly loved the pairing of each cocktail with the food. I think everybody loved the appetizer which featured a toasted bread with savory pimento cheese on top with a fresh salad with crunchy ham that functioned almost like a crouton! I personally loved the combination of onions and olives as well. The first cocktail was one of my favorites as it was a take on a whiskey sour with corn liquor with a tajin topping that was a stark savory contrast to the sweetness of the drink, but worked well. Next couple of cocktails included a take on a highball, a sweeter, coconut, flavored cocktail featuring a rum caste bourbon, and finally ending with a toasted bourbon drink that reminded me of an after dinner port. As far as the food, the chicken slider was delicious, and the chicken itself was well seasoned, my only nitpick was perhaps some sort of a aïoli spread to make it a little bit more moist, but this was made up by a delicious coleslaw with fresh vegetables! The lamb was excellent and served with perfectly cooked polenta. We finally ended with one of my favorite dishes, the caramel pecan bread pudding, which was a great end to this lovely dinner. Lastly, I thought the service was excellent and the dishes were well timed, I wish there were one or two more courses because the price was a bit steep in my opinion for the amount of food, although the drinks were plentiful and let's just say I was glad to have a designated driver!! All in all, we will return again to the classic kitchen :) read more

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Wonderful place with fantastic service. Great knowledgeable bartender. Cozy place. Exceptional food. One of my favorites!

Great for everyone, especially anyone with a food allergy! Lots of gluten free and vegan options. This was by far one of the best meals I have ever gotten. The food was incredible and our waitress was so nice! The overall experience was amazing and we will definitely make this a regular visit Appetizer: seasonal salad, petite Meal: burgers with bacon jam Dessert: chocolate torte read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Bacon jam burger (with extra pickles-they are homemade sweet pickles) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Didn't try the food here but the drinks were delicious. We sat at a high top in the bar area & didn't see anyone who offered to seat us. A woman that worked there when she can over did not seem happy with us that we sat down without asking. It wasn't overly busy or anyone waiting in front of us. The gentleman who took are drink order was so kind & attentive & made up for the unhappy woman that slammed our water glasses down when she got them for us (the same one from earlier). Prices are reasonable & they do have parking in the back plus street parking. Will be back to try the food! read more

We had reservations with friends for Valentine's Day. One of our friends has celiac disease, and they love this spot because the menu is totally safe for her. We had shrimp cocktail and a corn and crab dip appetizer with GF bread. Then all four of us ordered the same entrée - 6 oz. filet with scallops, garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. Finally, we chose various desserts including carrot cake, crustless cheesecake and crème brûlée. Everything was spectacular and perfect portions. None of us had leftovers because we loved every bite! The owner was checking in with the patrons and serving water. We were very impressed with the whole experience, and we can't wait to go there again! read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Entrée special on Valentine's Day! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Went to dinner here with my husband for a date night. The food was amazing and the staff were exceptional. We got the ricotta appetizer which was delicious. The bolognese and chicken primavera were also beyond expectations. Definitely will be back! read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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Had a great experience Sunday night- the servers were kind and funny and very attentive. The cocktails are very tasty, unique and priced very well. The apps are also so good, we had trouble choosing which to try, and so many gluten free options! We had the ricotta, the poutine, chicken tenders and arancini. The poutine was incredible and a huge portion, the arancini was well seasoned with great sauce, the ricotta and chicken tenders were also good, just less unique. All of the prices were great, and we also had cheesecake and crème brulee for dessert- some of their desserts are cheesy eddies which is really nice. We will definitely return, this place is great, especially if you're GF. read more

Food was delicious and ambiance was nice. Only problem that I had was they needed another server bc the waitress was too busy for the amount of people she was servicing (the whole restaurant). I'd definitely come back and eat here again though. I highly recommend coming here. read more

My wife and I were strolling down Park Avenue on a nice warm March evening and were looking for a good restaurant to eat outside. We thought about Roam, but then noticed across the street there was a nice restaurant called The Classic Kitchen and Cocktails . We stopped to look at the menu that was posted outside and there was a group sitting at a table right there and they said you can't go wrong with this place -the food's great. We sat down outside at a table on their patio. It has a nice fence to keep you separated from people walking by. That could make a difference, especially on the more crowded areas of Park Avenue with people filing by the whole time you're eating. The owner Drew came by and dropped off the menu and gave us water and told us that the waitress should be over shortly. The service was great. They were very attentive and friendly. They had great items on the menu. See my picture. My wife got the Rice noodle stir fry with shrimp and I decided to get the special which was a fish fry because it was a Friday night. My fish fry was very tasty- lightly battered and not too huge like you see sometimes. And I loved the coleslaw believe it or not! Crunchy and tasty and not drowning. My wife's dish was also great. I tried some of it. We chatted with the owner Drew for a while also. He's gotta be the most chill and nicest owner of two restaurants we've ever met. ( he also owns Roam across the street) I didn't venture inside, but my wife did and she said it was nice. We definitely will be back and I highly recommend trying out this restaurant. read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Fish fry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

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An amazing experience. So many great things about this little place. We loved the hush puppies, Mac & cheese made with butternut squash and crab cake- all were delicious. The mushroom risotto was creamy and amazing. The pot roast was so good. Incredible cocktails. read more

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I have found that this place gives people rather decisive feelings. Now I understand why... It's owned by the owner(s) of Roam, right across the street. I figured they got it right at the spot across the street, so I figured it would be great too..I guess I was slightly incorrect. I called in for a reservation on a Friday, they alerted me that it would have to be after 7 pm due to a private party. We were fine with that. When we arrived they were still there. If you remember the old place that was here Bacco it's kind of the same set up and I had hoped they would have fixed up the door situation and that annoying table they try to pawn off on you to sit at right by the door. Luckily we were able to get a table in the back. Thing is as others has said when you walk in no one greets you or acknowledge you. This I don't understand? I got the eye of someone and told them we had a reservation. Also as others have said they don't really have a waiting area it's basically the bar. So when they got us the first thing they tried to do was pawn off the table by the door.. no, it's always a pain and it's winter and cold. Personally I'm not a fan and luckily she told us they had a table in the back. Sorry sitting by the door is just no bueno. Now since they still had that "private party" (it was in the restaurant proper as I don't believe they have a private space) group they were loud and it's a party so I get it, but when you are out with friends and trying to have a conversation it's kind of difficult to hear your dining companions. The server was pleasant enough and luckily she told us in a slightly louder voice about the specials. The inside is painted a mid color cream and the tables/chairs are black. They have a large long bar at the front. We figured we'd get a bottle of wine rather than cocktails. Now I'm sure you are saying why not cocktails we were in the mood for wine. I now wonder if that was really the right choice. Why you say, read on..we ordered a specific bottle of Chianti that my friend found on the menu. So we figured we were set, we than orders our meals (salads for us all and a main) Well they came back to let us know the wine we wanted they were out of, than said they would bring us something similar at the same price point ok things happen. In the end we got neither wine but a third by Ruffino and it was basically like a Miratage (a blend) it was good but and I tried it I have no clue why the (owner I assumed) had me try it, granted I know about wine but my friend chose the original wine..whatever. It was a smooth red and not too smoky it worked out. The thing is the being out of one than the other wine and bringing this up as a third option. Granted he told me if we did not like it he'd drink it himself. Ok bro party on.. that situation was just odd. We all started with salad, to be frank you could just do a meal with any of them and maybe a side or app and you would be set. I got the beet salad it was a whole lotta salad it was tasty, I liked how it was composed but it seemed I had to look for the red beets they were cut small but the rest of the salad was tasty but the greens were a little awkward to deal with. My two other companions got the Cesar and the Caprese they both liked them but my friend felt the mozzarella was a little too wet. Just an FYI if there are a lot of people in this place it gets loud so be aware. We than got our mains, I got the pot roast, this was actually quite tasty, sitting on silky smooth mashed potatoes. It had a nice amount of different vegetables that were cooked with the pot roast and the post posts was fork tender. My other friends got the gnocchi which was ok and my other friend got another pasta dish. She said it was good not great. Now I'm gonna say this, I'd like to know what the actual focus is of this spot is? The menu is kind of all over the place, I hope they might change it for the spring/summer. For dessert they had some NY Cheesecake from Cheesy Eddie's and a Chocolate Torte. The cheesecake was excellent and my friends got the chocolate torte which was like a flourless cake or even more like a thick frosting as my friend noted and she enjoyed it. (All deserts I'm guessing are brought in) I know it's not been open for a long time but considering Roam does well this spot just needs something to give it a little panache. I don't know? It just seemed when we left later they bar area seemed the place to be. Now if you need to go to the restroom it's downstairs and has no sign. If you have had a few cocktails you could have a little tumble just an FYI so be careful. It was a great visit with my friends but the food was good but could be great. I may give them another shot considering it's an easy place to walk to in the neighborhood. I give it 3.5/5 Street parking (it's Park Ave kids) or Uber/Lyft or walk over. read more

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Go on a Friday night and get their fish fry. Lord in heaven it's delicious! And gluten free for the gluten free people out there. I got the seasonal salad to start and I've found myself thinking about it a few times today... so delicious! Cute spot to try on Park Ave for a date night or just dinner with friends. read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Friday fish fry - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Fantastic night! Food is delicious, service was excellent and wine pairings done right! I arranged for a larger group of us to enjoy some of the menu items paired with wine and everything was smooth. The owners are so easy to work with, the chef prepared everything perfectly and every single person in our group was impressed! 12 guests were pleased. Many GF options! read more

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The Classic is phenomenal in every way. I have been several times. The bartenders are great and also fun. I also like that it's a smaller restaurant. It has a cozy feeling to it. The owners and the staff are so welcoming. I am in love with the food! First of all, if you are gluten free, everything on their menu is gluten free except for 2 items! They're done well because the owner is gluten free. For the record, NO, nothing actually tastes gluten free! After eating there last night, I can't stop thinking about trying more of their menu items. I had the burger and fries and it was chef's kiss. This is a must do! read more

Went with a group of 8. Cocktails were refreshing (on the light side in terms of alcohol) and food was delicious, but service was incredibly slow. Friendly servers but just a really really long wait - like over 15 minutes for our drinks, much longer for food. Ricotta app was fabulous, but not enough bread. We asked for more bread four times and it arrived at the end of the meal when we were full already. We would have brought it home but it was cleared off the table without asking us! We were so sad!! read more

Had a great birthday dinner for a friend at The Classic. This was our first time dining here and it won't be the last. The menu was very gluten friendly and offered a wide array of foods. We ordered the GF Fresh Ricotta and GF Arancini and were not disappointed. Fresh Sea Scallops and Risotto were for the main course and both were full of flavors. We sipped on a few cocktails throughout dinner and enjoyed the versatile menu. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for as it offered a relaxing yet sophisticated vibe. Service was great and our waitress came over at just the right times. I will definitely be returning with out of town guests who are GF and those who are not. read more

Excellent cocktails and food, seemed a little understaffed, but could be the time we went (Sunday evening)

We came here after a show at The Little Theater - this spot was perfect for drinks after the show. Nice vibe, cute location. Service was friendly and quick. Really liked it - perfect little local spot, good ambiance, not pretentious or commercial. Would definitely go again. read more

Another somewhat overpriced basic New American restaurant addition to the Rochester food scene, the food and drink is solid, but it is a safe menu and follows the same recipe for success as the other family of restaurants in the Park Ave area. It was fun to check out, but I can't say for sure I'll be back. read more

My boyfriend and I recently came to The Classic for our anniversary dinner. It's a cute location and within walking distance of many other restaurants and bars. We each got a few cocktails which were good, especially the margarita. They have a large drink menu but we did notice that some of the prices on the drink menu were lower than what we were actually charged on the bill FYI. For our food, we started with the octopus which was amazing. Had such a good char on it with a grapefruit accompaniment. I had the shrimp and grits as my entree, which was delicious. We got the coffee ice cream for dessert and oh my goodness - it was the star of the show. I would go back specifically for this ice cream! I'm not even a huge ice cream fan typically, but it was everything. GET THE COFFEE ICE CREAM! Overall, I would go back. It's pretty noisy inside and not as romantic as I would have thought, but overall a great new Rochester restaurant. read more

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Food deliscious ! Crab cakes amazing . Gnocchi portion way big and so good l Struggled to finish! Delicious with Pinot Grigio served wonderfully chilled! Scallops and fettuccini also so good.Smiling as l write this remembering dinner . Only drawback is the torturous parking!! read more

We picked this restaurant because of the large selection of gluten free, and it certainly has that. It's a fairly small place with only a few tables, so definitely get a reservation if you want to sit down for dinner. All of the food that we got looked amazing...it was prepared and plated perfectly and beautifully. It was a little disappointing though because almost all of the dishes did not have a lot of flavor to them. Started with the arancini appetizer - looked great, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside...basically perfect, but didn't really taste like anything. Same goes for the fried cauliflower - perfect light fried crunch on the outside, but just didn't taste like anything. Even the dip that it came with was pretty mild. For main entrée we got the filet special...not something I would typically splurge for, but it just sounded really good and I couldn't resist. I like it medium, and the meat was cooked just exactly perfectly, and it was nice and tender, but even that didn't have much flavor to it. It's kind of hard to believe that food cooked that well doesn't taste like much. For desert we shared a chocolate torte and a chocolate crème brule. Both were delicious, but hey...it's desert. We also got a variety of cocktails during the evening, everything from the bar was good and as you would expect. This was the most expensive dinner our group has had in a long time. It was by no means bad, just...not amazing, and not as good as it seems like it should be for the price, or not even as good as it looks on the plate. read more

I went to dinner at The Classic with some friends and was looking forward to it based on the menu. I liked how there was both indoor and outdoor seating and everyone we interacted with was friendly. The drinks were very good, but the food was a little disappointing. Everything was plated very nicely, but lacked some flavor. The arancini were deliciously crispy, but were pretty bland inside. The same happened with the risotto. Both could have used more cheese and seasoning. The pesto gnocchi was good, but again could have used a little bit more salt. I'm undecided whether I would go back to try something else food wise. read more

I'm so impressed with The Classic, I can't believe I've never visited before! The food is delicious- great portions, AND so nice to not worry about getting sick because the menu is almost entirely gluten free! The ambiance is really nice and cozy and had a great vibe, also really nice service from everyone there. Will definitely be back soon! read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Hugo Spritz - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

We needed a last minute dinner spot on a Friday and were able to get a table at The Classic with zero wait! It was my first time there and I was more than impressed. A member of my party is allergic to gluten and was astounded by the fact that the ENTIRE menu is gluten-free! We ended up ordering extra food and sharing plates because everything looked so good and there were so many gluten-free options. The drinks were also incredible! read more

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Met a friend an had a delicious Old Fashioned while I waited. I could kind of hear the bartender telling people at the bar why his were different... I didn't catch it all but the result was delicious. We shared a bunch of the appetizers, Ahi, Tempura veggies, grilled romaine salad. All we're on point. The fried chicken was delicious but less shareable. But worth it. And the service was excellent too. Oh, and the Cote d'Rhone was also very good. read more

So many gluten free options that you don't normally see gluten free at other restaurants. It also has nice outdoor seating

Been here twice in the 10 days since they've opened. Drinks, Service and atmosphere are excellent. The only thing that overshadows them is the food. The food is out of this world. Our first time there we shared the Crispy Polenta Fries, Buttermilk Fried Chicken and the Three Beat Salad and it was incredible. The Polenta Fries and Chicken were perfectly cooked, the breading on the chicken was perfect. The Three Beat Salad was incredible, especially with their addition of the molten Brie crouton. The second time my fiancee had the Homemade Butternut Gnocchi and I had Mam's Lasagna Bolognese. The portions were enormous, enough for lunch today. The flavor was exquisite. I highly recommend going to dinner here ASAP. read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

The food was delicious and so beautifully prepared. Grace, Drew, and Mike really made us feel welcome and we so enjoyed our meal! Can't wait to come back! read more

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Hands down the best presentation and taste we've had in a LONG time! Cute quaint little place! We will deinitely be back!! read more

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The food here was quite good - I recommend the polenta fries. The service was friendly but much less refined than I expected. The ambiance was definitely disappointing. I was expecting an upscale, romantic restaurant based on the website. On the Saturday night we dined there, there were 0 other people in the dining room. The bar, however, was packed with super loud, obnoxious people. My husband and I could barely hear each other across the small table. I was also grossed out by the bathroom, which was down a steep flight of stairs with water pooling in the hallway. Only one stall was in service and it was dirty. read more

Stopped by for a late dinner with a friend. Food and drinks were good. Get the arancini app!

If there was a half star I would give it that rating. The service is deplorable. Took two whole hours for us to get our food. Ridiculous! My steak was not cooked even close to what I ordered. The veggies were not grilled, they were half raw and half burned. I felt totally ill after I took a few bites. I would NEVER recommend this place. The cocktails were good except the limes were so old they were yellowed. Extremely unacceptable. Will never return! read more

This was first time here. It's in an old house on Park Ave with assumedly a fun vibe. We showed up and stood around in the bar area and no one greeted us. The bar tender could have said, "someone will be right work you," but completely ignored us. The place is poorly decorated and loud. Can hardly hear yourself think. The ware was place in the table right away but we waited for a server. The waitress never introduced herself nor did the manager. The service was slow and the appetizers came out one at a time. The Tuna tartar was really over cooked. The entrees came out one at a time. Burger was over cooked and tasted like a charred hockey puck. The gnocchi was too sweet and the zucchini tasted bitter. The chicken was edible--barely. I would not recommend this place. There are so many good restaurants on Park Ave. Its amazing they're still in business. Blech... read more

Made reservations for 6:30pm for 2 but when we arrived the only other customers were sitting at the bar. It's a quiet little restaurant with a funky entrance, you enter the building walking into an apartment type hallway and then the entrance to this place is in that hallway with an office type door and it brings you to the bar. There is no signage for seating, like a host stand or see bartender but fortunately it was dead so they noticed us immediately. Staff was friendly and attentive. We ordered the side car & French 75 cocktails, both were delicious. For dinner we ordered the steak frites, butternut squash gnocchi and a side of the flatbread. The serving size of the fries was very very generous as was the flatbread. The gnocchi dish was really the only letdown for me, it lacked much flavor and parts tasted burnt however the remainder of the food was great. I finished the flatbread at home the next day with some garlic hummus. I would definitely come back for the cocktails but order a different entree. read more

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Cool little place with a nice vibe. We went around 630 on a Friday and were able to sit right away. Service was fast and friendly. The steak and frites were delicious and the fries were an unexpected treat. They were fantastic fries and the meal was really good and filling. Drink menu was good but the cocktail list felt a tad small, but both of our cocktails were very good. Prices were cheaper than I expected for a park ave restaurant too. Good little spot read more

The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New York

Delicious food. Excellent, friendly bartenders and servers. Warm, welcoming and cozy atmosphere. And, has off street parking, which is extremely rare on Park Ave! Quietly one of the best restaurants in Rochester. read more

Amazing new restaurant in Rochester! The staff here is incredible - as is the food! If you are lucky enough to have the roast, it may be the best you have ever eaten! The bartender, Michael made me a delicious Sidecar. Our charcuterie platter certainly exceeded expectations! Give this new gem a try! read more

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My fiancé and I had high hopes for this place due to the reviews, but we were so let down. The chicken cutlet came fried and had NO seasoning. Not even salt or pepper. The green beans it came with were also unseasoned, clearly just raw beans thrown in oil. The special appetizer we ordered was crostini with pepper jelly. The crostini wasn't my even crostini: it just tasted like stale bread. The "pepper jelly" was just cut up peppers sitting in a super sweet sauce. It was inedible. I would give this place a 1 for the food, but bumped up to a 2 because the server was lovely! read more