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    The Owl House

    4.2 (931 reviews)
    Closed Closed

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    THE OWL HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Owl House

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    Lauren C.

    We've been hearing different people recommend The Owl House for great vegan food for years, but it took us awhile (and it took The Red Fern being on summer break) for us to give it a try. We were hooked as soon as we entered the adorable space. We were impressed with the specials including vegan corn mac and cheese but ultimately wanted to order something a little healthier so went with the Thai basil chopped salad and the spring pasta. The salad was excellent although we couldn't seem to find the basil. We added the house chickpea patty and loved it. The spring pasta was good but somewhat disappointing. Based on the name, I was expecting more vegetables than the scant sprinkling of tiny florets of rapini and a few bites of asparagus that were hidden among the noodles. We added smoked tofu and enjoyed the flavor and the generous portion. The tempeh bacon was also great and non-greasy. Overall, The Owl House felt a little overhyped, but we enjoyed the food and really enjoyed the draft local kombucha (from Katboocha) and the lovely service, and we are looking forward to returning.

    Watermelon mint mimosa
    Amy G.

    We found this restaurant while looking for Sunday brunch. We greeted when walked in and had a short wait as we did not have a reservation. Got a delicious watermelon and mint mimosa while we waited. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Hannah was a terrific server and food was delicious. We had the owl house breakfast and chicken and waffles. Lots of vegan/gf options also available,

    Local Craft Beer from Other Half
    Michael R.

    Great food and service in an upscale, yet cozy neighborhood place. We had the chick pea burger with goat cheese, the kimchi tofu, and the fried oyster mushrooms. Everything was top notch. Our server, Jenna, was fantastic.

    Henry H.

    We picked out the Owl House after arriving in town for its selection of gluten free and vegan options. My wife picked out a chick pea burger on a bar of greens and a side of chips (look at the photo - see any chips?). And I selected a tofu scramble with potatoes. Both meals were tasty and filling, at fairly reasonable prices. On the downside I didn't realize until back at the hotel that the chips and utensils were missing. Deducting a star for that. Otherwise a good experience.

    Chicken and Waffles with seasonal fruit compote and coffee.
    MJ K.

    The Owl House has become one of my go-to brunch spots in Rochester... I just went for the second Saturday in a row! The staff are friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable about their menu--this morning, Camille had wonderful recommendations about cocktails! We didn't end up going for the hot mulled cider (with spiced rum), but the fall flavors were far from lacking. I got the Chicken and Waffles (the non-vegan twin of their Tofu and Waffles), and it was stellar. The chicken was battered with warm spices and sage, and positively delicious! As a celebration, we finished off brunch with the seasonal pumpkin chai coffee cake, which was moist, flavorful, and generously portioned. We dined upstairs in an anteroom with beautiful pictures of fence murals on the walls, and it was a blissful fall reprieve from lots of hard work. It was my friend's first time here, and she said brunch today "healed something" inside her... so count that as a second rave review!

    Melissa P.

    The food is amazing. I had the tofu scramble sandwich with potatoes and it was filling with rich flavor. The service was good. Wish they had more espresso/latte selections for coffee. The ambiance is very lively and busy.

    Katelyn L.

    Two of my friends and I made a reservation for 7:30 for Saturday night (6/22). The food & drinks were good as usual. The only reason I'm updating my review to 4 stars from 5 is because of the very rude service. The bartender greeted us the minute we walked in and let us know someone would be with us soon. A few minutes later, another customer walked in and some guy who was working at the register by the bar gave the person their to-go order and didn't say a word to us. I figured oh he works here! Maybe he can help. So I politely said "hi! we have a reservation for 7:30" and he gives me a very rude look as if i'm bothering him and says "ok. and the host will be with you soon" and walks off with an entire attitude. Next, the host comes up and offers us a table outside and I ask if there are bugs and then SHE gets an attitude! I let her know I'm allergic to bug bites and would rather sit inside and then she changed her tone. The server was super nice and we had no issues there. I'm just wondering what we did to that guy and to the host to receive such attitude? It wasn't a busy night, we had a reservation, and I don't know them personally so I did not appreciate the energy. I've been a server and worked in several restaurants. That's not the right way to go about treating paying customers, and maybe they need to be reminded of that.

    Coffee cake
    Chris S.

    Went here for brunch with some friends while visiting from out of town. Service was quick and friendly, and we had a great time sitting out on a the lovely patio! Bloody Mary was delicious, as was the breakfast sandwich. Coffee cake was amazing if a bit too big on top of our entrees! Would recommend.

    Sebastiao M.

    Food was amazing and well done, no idea why people are complaining about it. The waitress (Katie) was very helpful and checked in constantly and kept all our glasses filled. The place is so cute and is one of my new favorite places around here

    Allister M.

    I absolutely love The Owl House! I haven't been since 2012 when I visited Rochester. I moved here recently, so my friend and I came for brunch. He's vegan, and they have so many awesome vegan options! He had vegan stuffed French Toast that was awesome! The vegan cinnamon struessel tasted so good too! I had The Cat's Pajamas cocktail but with pomegranate because I'm allergic to strawberries and it was delightful! And the Owl House Breakfast was WOW! Those potatoes were FANTASTIC! Everything was fantastic. I can't wait to come back for more. I'm so glad I live close now! The staff is amazing too! So positive and helpful and lovely. Such a fantastic spot!

    Delicious burger!
    Jon B.

    Met my friend for dinner here Tuesday night at 5:00 when they opened, had a reservation, which I highly recommend, seated right away by pleasant host. Server was kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. Place is small, easy to find, parking on street which is plentiful. Menu is mostly vegan which made me nervous as I'm not, lol. Had the beef Cheeseburger with Rosemary Fries which was delicious. Also had a Caesar salad, scrumptious. My friend had the chickpea burger with Rosemary Fries and loved her meal. Bill was $61.00 for 2 so a little high, but worth it for the food, great service, and neat place. Definitely going to be back, thank you for the good meal.

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    2 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Great Sunday breakfast & brunch! They are gluten free chicken and waffles for people who require GF! (And they taste awesome!)

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    10 months ago

    We went with a party of six and had a great time. The food was delicious, and the service was excellent. I look forward to going back soon.

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    11 months ago

    Service was good, food was meh. Had high hopes from all the reviews but was disappointed.

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    Page 1 of 24

    Ask the Community - The Owl House

    Is the entrance accessible?

    The entrance has a few steps to get into the front door. The doorway is also narrow. I would say this place is not accessible, but they may be able to get someone in through a back door. I would call them and ask.

    What is your dress code?

    There isn't one.

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    Crisp Rochester

    Crisp Rochester

    4.1
    (266 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Gluten-free friendly

    Went to CRISP today for the first time with a few friends. We purposely went early to have a…read morecocktail or two before our reservation. Chase and Kate behind the bar were fantastic. So fun and they made excellent drinks! Can't wait to go back.

    We made reservations for Friday night, we arrived on time and were seated immediately. We chose the…read more"back room" which is a little quieter than the front. It was very nice; we were able to have a decent conversation with dinner and that made for a wonderful experience. The service was prompt but unobtrusive. Portions are sized well but not huge. I did see some people taking home some white boxes. We shared our starter, entrée and dessert and finished it all. We started with Smoked Trout Dip served with house made potato chips. The ratio of chips to dip looked off but it was perfect. Personally, I thought the dip was under seasoned and light on the trout. The Chef came to our table to discuss his cuisine and we both left with our own opinions intact. The Featured - Friday Fish was the best Bouillabaisse I have tasted in years. It was the Friday Special and it was indeed special. The Bourbon Apple Crisp was to die for. If I had known, it was so good we would have ordered two portions instead of splitting one. The parking lot on the property is very small, but street parking is available.

    Photos
    CRISP Chicken & Churros
    CRISP Chicken & Churros
    Pimento Cheese, Billionaire Bacon, Martini
    Pimento Cheese, Billionaire Bacon, Martini
    Caesar Salad

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    Caesar Salad
    The Red Fern

    The Red Fern

    4.3
    (495 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    The Red Fern was such a pleasant surprise for our mixed‑diet household. None of us are vegan,…read morethough we do have a vegetarian and one omnivore who's always happy to go along for the ride. We all found something to love here. We started with the pickled things, served in the cutest mismatched china. Everything was delicious, but the carrots were the standout -- so good we joked about drinking the pickling liquid. We also tried the Pink Lemonade and the Strawberry Alarm Clock juices, both incredibly fresh and vibrant. You could taste every ingredient. Since we couldn't decide on just one entrée, we split the Thai Kale Salad and the Buddha Bowl (with added mushrooms and avocado). The Thai Kale Salad was everything you want it to be -- bright, flavorful, and impossible to stop eating. We were sure it would be the star of the meal. Then the Buddha Bowl arrived. The smoky tofu, creamy coconut rice, perfectly dressed kale, and all the veggies worked together beautifully. But the real showstopper was the added mushrooms -- so rich and full of depth that we nearly fought over them. We enjoyed everything out on their patio and left already planning our next visit. A wonderful meal all around.

    Been meaning to try this place and finally did, I heard a bunch of good stuff about it, love seeing…read morean all vegan place that I don't have to worry about if this or that is vegan or not. I got the steak and potatoes and it was great, the grilled cheese was good too, the kale was yummy and so was the salad, the chocolate mint Oreo cake on the other hand was either a week old or just not made with love cuz it was as dry as the Arizona desert, very gross. I'll be back tho for more try's.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Cake of the Cake Slice - Cookie Butter Cake (Cake-of-the-Month)
    Cake of the Cake Slice - Cookie Butter Cake (Cake-of-the-Month)
    Dessert case and merch

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    Dessert case and merch
    The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails

    The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails

    4.2
    (50 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    My daughter has celiac and is a super picky eater. We ate her and everything we got was gluten…read morefree. 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!!!

    I was delighted to see that the Rochester cocktail revival week featured a bourbon pairing dinner…read morewith 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 :)

    Photos
    The Classic Kitchen & Cocktails
    Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
    Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
    Pot Roast

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    Pot Roast
    Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery

    Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery

    5.0
    (18 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    Excellent gluten free bakery with friendly staff. Many options, including frozen selections. My…read morepersonal favorites are the oatmeal raisin cookies and chocolate raspberry cupcakes (5 stars); both excellent! Snickerdoodle cookies were pretty good (4 stars). Carrot cake cupcakes were a little plain for my preference. Same with the chocolate chip cookies were good, but not great. Prices are very reasonable for a gluten-free bakery. Absolutely looking forward to trying a few more treats from here

    A colleague of mine (who has celiac disease) recently attended a wedding, and there were cupcakes…read morefrom Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery available at the event. She raved about them when she was back in the office. I mentioned recently that I would be in the area where this store is located, and also just casually offered to stop by the bakery if she wanted anything. She was GIDDY. Not only that, but she quickly logged onto their website to check their menu so that she could send me with a list of a couple cupcake flavors she was craving (as well as cookie types). Hahaha. The bakery itself is fairly easy to find - and the inside is charming, while also easily displaying cookies, cupcakes, cake-types, and a variety of bread-related options. I stocked up on the 4 cupcake flavors (vanilla, chocolate, lemon, and marble), as well as 6 of the cutout cookies, for my colleague (big 'ol check next to everything on her list), and then picked out a couple of cookie flavors for myself (chocolate crinkle, snickerdoodle, and butter cookie), as well as an almond cupcake and banana nut mini loaf. The total cost was perfectly reasonable (especially for these being gluten free). I was able to enjoy my almond cupcake a short time later and OOOOOOOHHHH my goodness. Sometimes you can tell that items are gluten free... they're crumbly, or sometimes just dry and lacking in flavor... but this cupcake was NONE of those things. Had I not purchased it from the bakery myself, I never would have known or suspected that it was gluten free. The cupcake was the perfect texture, and the frosting was just the right amount of sweetness. TL;DR Delightful selection of baked goods. I don't need to eat gluten free for any reason, but I would absolutely stop here again any time - and stock up again, for sure!

    Photos
    Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery
    Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery
    Donna Marie's Gluten Free Bakery

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    The Owl House - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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