Big fan of The Revelry... Let me tell you why. 1) The drinks are fantastic, they are imaginative, tasty, and unique. Yeah you can get a vodka tonic, but wouldn't you rather have the Bacon Old Fashioned that I had? The whiskey was smooth and the piece of thick cut piece of bacon that was in it was delicious. 2) I had the duck tacos for an appetizer, had some kick to them w/ real corn tortillas. It was the tiny detail about using real tortillas that is something that I noticed and enjoyed. They would have been good w/ normal store-bought flour ones, but real ones made it great 3) For my main course I had the scallops. There have been soooo many times where I have ordered scallops only to have them over-cooked and be all rubbery. I can happily state that all of them were cooked correctly and with a good sear. Again another detail that stuck out to me. All in all it was a really nice dining experience. The people were friendly, I enjoyed my drinks and meal, and the little details were hit. That is what I enjoyed most, the fine details were not overlooked, I think they are on to something here. Finally, this place could be considered pricey for Rochester standards, go to NYC and this place becomes cheap for the quality of food. But it is what it is. I would definitely recommend this place to my friends. read more

Please note: review was written 7/18/13. Going back this weekend so I will update then! Drinks: 4/5 - They have some tasty drinks. They taste like there is nothing in them and half way through you realize you are slurring your speech. Good selection of scotch and bourbon. The only problem is the drink complexity. It takes 2-3 minutes to make a couple of drinks. Thus the 3 bartenders were swamped on a Thursday night. The three bartenders each had their own station except ours was handling table orders as well. It took easily a half hour to get our first drink. The bartender was very professional and gave of a couple beers on the house while we waited. A bartender specifically there for table orders would have lightened the load tremendously. Apps: 3/5 - We ordered a 1/2 dozen oysters and a mixed greens salad to split. The oysters were good, tasty, fresh. Although, at $4 apiece, perhaps a little overpriced. The mixed greens were fair. The dressing was good. The salad was supposed to have blue cheese. Meghan's had 2 pieces the size of an ant, and mine had none. It was just a boring salad. Entrées: 2/5 - I ordered the steak frites and Meghan had the scallops. Meghan's scallops were tasty and cooked to perfection. However, they were the small scallops and she only got 4 on a plate with 3 pieces of cold sautéed carrot and a few leaves of mixed greens. For the price, it was ridiculously small. She was hungry after she was done. Most nice restaurants will give you either 5 of the small or 3 or the large scallops. My steak frites were disappointing. It arrived luke warm at best and overcooked. It was dry and obviously cut into strips before the meat had had time rest and soak up the goodness. It had a drizzling of a wine reduction sauce which added very little flavor. The accompaniment was a small bowl of seasoned, soggy fries. Most likely these had been sitting in container for some time before they reached my table. Again, disappointing for the cost. I was still starving at the conclusion of the entrée. Dessert: 2.5/5 - Not going to go into much detail. I don't remember much about it other than it was very forgettable. Atmosphere: 4/5 - Great job with the renovation. Very classy and NYC inside. Nice layout and decoration. I was mostly happy with the atmosphere. It lost a point for the level of noise. The place was busy but not crazy. Sitting at our table upstairs I could barely hear my fiancé without screaming. She had to repeat things 3-4 times. Conversation was difficult. I find this a problem at some other establishments as well (Trata). Find a way to add some materials in there that will soak up the sound a bit. It's important. On a side note, on the main floor, as you walk in the front doors, is a clear plastic floor revealing the basement wine tasting/party room. Very cool but a bit disturbing to the many ladies in that area with skirts and dresses on. Service: 4.5/5 - Great service. All staff from bar to wait staff incredibly friendly and classy. They treated us like royalty. Kudos to the owner for finding experienced personnel. As stated before, everything was tediously slow, but the staff made up for it a bit. The manager came out to the table and apologized for the wait and was very gracious. The waiter was experienced and on top of the table as he should have been. Overall: 3/5 - This place has promise. I can assume that they are still working out some of the bugs that every new restaurant faces with procedure and best practices. The food was so-so but everything else is in place for fine establishment. I hope they can either increase the portion sizes or make the smaller portion sizes a little more deserving. We will go back in a few months and reevaluate after the dust has had time to settle. Cheers! read more

Wonderful dinner, wine and service. Wonderful ambiance. Make a reservation for after 7 and you'll avoid a good deal of the noise, get a great table, and a relaxing and wonderful meal. Get the duck! It is trendy and a bit pricey but everything is creative and wonderful. The menu changes every 90 days and everything is fresh and creative. It only gets better every time I come. It was recently written up by thrillist as the out of NYC Rochester restaurant to visit. Couldn't agree more. read more

I ate here recently with my son. I was very surprised to be able to get a reservation spur of the moment on a Friday evening. The restaurant has a very open floor plan and nice decor and atmosphere. It was easy to carry on a conversation (due, I believe, mainly to the addition of the sound absorbing tiles on the ceiling). I ordered the sea bass and my son ordered steak. Both entrees were delicious! I also loved the combination of flavors on the plate! I will definitely be coming back. read more

I need to remember if you go out to brunch noon is the magic time for brunch cocktails! I'm a transplant from Chicago. We came here for brunch not dinner (that is next on our list) the Brunch is in the southern style due to the fact the chef is from Charleston, SC. We tried the Chicken Fried Oysters w/ homemade tarter sauce. Wow.. Although a bit too salty but fabulous . We also got the biscuits w/ the smoked salt & Edna's Pimento Cheese that was unreal! My husband got the Chicken and Waffles. Crispy fried chicken and a lovely yeasty waffle and local maple syrup! I had the special quiche. It was lovely but I should have gotten what my husband had. Got a cocktail the Czech's & Balances. A lovely rum & pineapple and bitters punch and other things in it as well. They are ALL ABOUT THE COCKTAILS! Have one or two sure it's $10 but they could charge more. They have been in Rochester for two years. The servers are lovely and helpful. Ted our server was helper, fun and unobtrusive. Why not 5 stars, I need to try dinner. It's a place to take out of town friends and foodies will be impressed. The setting is lovely and they luckily are not trying too hard. Bravo! read more

It was good but I wouldn't say great. The ambiance is amazing - it's a great place to be seen, especially the bar. Although when we went, with some friends, it was like Cougar Town! The drink menu is really great - you can see why they are known for their craft cocktails and old school vibe. The meal was good but I do think they are overpriced for what they are trying to do. My husband had a burger with a sunny side egg on top - looked amazing. I had the duck and our two friends had the southern fried chicken, the night we were there. Food was really good and the drinks were amazing. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and the owner came up to our table to see how we liked the menu. What I do like about this place is that the menu changes often - and it's mostly a theme. The time we went was a southern theme - it was probably last Fall when we went to the weather was crisp and a heavier meal was exactly what we wanted. I would love to see what they do for the summer months. Not sure if we would go back - there was a consensus at the table that the meal was good but the prices for the drinks/food did not mix. read more

The trendy decor and great vibe met us the minute we walked through the door. Loved walking on the glass floor with a great view of the wine cellar below. Thrilled they were able to accommodate our group on such a short notice. The wine was delightful and the food delicious. The entire menu read more like a sampling of "evening specials" but very delicious. read more

Really great place. Great ambiance, better food. Very San Fran vibe in Rochester! I'm going back when I visit next.

Celebrated hubby's birthday. We were seated right away. Started with the fried green tomatoes and crab app per waiter's suggestion - delish! Then moved on to the lettuces with a basket of biscuits. Warm biscuits served with bacon pimento cheese spread - yum! For entrees, I had the scallops - a tad salty but cooked perfectly and very tasty. Hubby had the duck with smoked cheddar grits - again cooked perfectly and so good. Topped fantastic meal with pecan Sandies with bourbon glaze. Want to also call out the great service. Definitely will return and recommend. read more

This place is awesome. Great atmosphere, really cool set up, and the glass floors are sweet. The upstairs is nice for a quiet scene too. I got the deviled eggs which were absolutely fantastic - though you only get 4 of them for $10 which is a little crazy. The prices as a whole are very high, though the quality of the food and drinks are high as well. This place is a must if you live in rochester! read more

Dinner with friends last night. Nice decor and atmosphere, staff very nice. Bar tenders need to lose the 'man Buns'. Service was excellent but food was slow to come out. Marginal value on higher priced entrée's, stick to the burgers. Tab was high for what we got. Nothing remarkable about Revelry one way or another. Need to define themselves. read more

Yep, it's loud in there, so I asked about that and we were seated upstairs. That worked well - I didn't have to shout at my friend once. Yep, the drinks are a draw, so I tried one. When in Rome, right? I had the Silver Bullet - the server helped me pick it out and I'd order it again. And... the food was delicious. We're smorgasbord girls, so we wanted to try a few things and stuck with appetizers, soup, and sides. We had the pumpkin soup - great presentation and taste. We also tried the Pork Belly and the Seasonal Legume Salad and both were delicious. We tried the pumpkin whoopie pie for dessert and loved it. [We also tried the 'basket of biscuits' - they were good, but came with two spreads - flavored butter that didn't seem it because the pimento spread was kinda spicy]. The service? Couldn't have asked for anything better, from being seated at a quieter table, to our water glasses constantly being refilled by the most friendly guy ever, to the food and drink recommendations from our very personable waiter, to getting our food when it was hot, and our plates and bowls cleared when we were done. And, because my friend mentioned we were going to share everything, the soup was served in separate bowls, and the salad was split onto separate plates without us asking. Awesome service! We were never rushed, and felt really comfy at this restaurant. I'll be returning soon. read more

I've been coming here since their opening. I love this place. Great cocktails, personable staff, wonderful food.

Some of the best cocktails in town! The bartenders know what they're doing and they put on a show in the process! I would definitely suggest this as one of the top 3 craft cocktail bars in Rochester. read more

I keep trying to love this place, but I've been there on nights when both bartenders will get lost in conversation with one customer for 10 or 15 minutes while ignoring all the other patrons. That's not the definition of great service. Real bartenders need to have their radar going constantly. That's what makes me spend more money, and last I heard, that's the goal of most businesses. read more

Great food! Great atmosphere! I love to see something of this quality in my hometown. The duck was amazing!!!

Nails all of the things I look for in a restaurant: great food, cool ambiance, attentive waitstaff and excellent drink options. The menu changes seasonally and they have specials on certain days of the week. The duck breast I had here was superb. Their cocktail list is creative. The waiter really knew his wines and steered me in the right direction. read more

Came here on a weekday and it was still a lil busy so make reservations. Regardless, the ambiance and food was fantastic. Definitely one of my favorite spots here in Rochester and i'll recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to eat read more

I've been to the Revelry several times since we first visited during their opening week and I wanted to update my review. What's excellent about the place is food, the drinks, and the friendly and knowledgeable servers (we've been served by the same waiter now three times). What's not good is the time it takes for food to come out of the kitchen (read the reviews, it's a very common complaint) and the noise. This is not a place you go for a romantic dinner. Almost any night of the week you'll find large tables upstairs and the combination of those large groups, poor acoustics, and a noisy bar downstairs makes the restaurant a place of controlled chaos. I'd go back much more frequently if it wasn't for the din. We returned to the Revelry for dinner the other evening and were impressed by all but the service. And that's why they only get 4 stars. If you look at the other 5 star reviews, you'll note that almost all were given by individuals in large groups. Our first experience at The Revelry was also with a large group and when you're in that type of setting, you don't tend to notice the delays in service or be more forgiving when the service is slow. We were here for a nice evening out on Thursday and had not our waiter apologized several times for the slowness in plates coming out of the kitchen I don't think I would have noticed. The conversation was excellent! But at the end of the evening when I looked at the check to see how long we had been at the table I was surprised to see almost 2 hrs. So now with that complaint out of my way and with my ears no longer ringing, let me say what I liked and continue to like about The Revelry. We opened the dinner with some of their homemade biscuits. Very light, nice and salty. And while I've traveled extensively in the South and believe that the Pimento cheese spread you'll find down there in certain regions of the lowlands and coast is a pox on humanity, I actually liked the version they serve with the biscuits here. It's worth giving it a try. My wife started with a half dozen of the oysters (presented very elegantly) from Duxbury Bay in MA. Surprisingly sweet and not as briny as described. More like those I favor on the west coast. I had a wonderful she crab soup that was on special that evening with a tablespoon of the roe perched on top. You could certainly taste the sea in this rich soup. Frankly, I could have made a meal out of just the soup and biscuits. And I may yet again. For salads, my wife opted for the beet salad and I had the winter salad with apples, carmelized pecans, and fresh, very tart, cranberries. It was actually one of the better salads of its type I've had because of the combination of the tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the balsamic based dressing. My wife's beet salad was beautiful to look at with a combination of pickled, fresh, and candied beets. Her salad was appropriately sized as an appetizer. Mine was quite large and I had to leave a bit though I'm always reluctant to do so. For dinner, my wife had the salmon. They cooked it rare just as asked and it's a pleasure to have someone ask how to cook your fish rather than overcooking it. I had that evening's special of stuff quail - stuffed with a foie gras seasoned rice. Both were extremely tasty. My wife thought mine a bit dry but I didn't notice, possibly because of the cocktail I had ordered at the bar before we sat. A French old fashioned I believe it was. I must complement the bartender on his mixes and his unusual bitters. It's no wonder the bar is always crowded here. For dessert, my wife had a single scoop of one of their homemade ice creams (they offer several flavors of both ice cream and sorbets) and I had the Pain Perdu which was somewhat akin to a wonderfully thick pancake with maple syrup and homemade vanilla ice cream. I was reluctant to share. Accompanied by a glass (very good sized) of their LBV port, it was an excellent meal. Total bill for drinks, food, and tip, was around $188. Now the night before, we had eaten at Biaggi's in EastView mall. The dinner there was about $95 with tax and tips. No oysters and appetizers as we did here but when I asked my wife, was the meal at The Revelry twice as good, or even 1 1/2 times as good as Biaggi's, her response was no. Had the atmosphere been quieter and less raucous and the service a bit quicker, I'm sure her response would have been different. It's pretty price to pay for the party-like atmosphere you receive. Maybe I'm getting cynical in my old age, but I don't think they've found their proper style here just yet. read more

Perhaps the most over rated restaurant in town Nice setting but the service was mediocre and so was the food I wouldn't go back if it was free- all you need to know read more

Eclectic, southern-with-a-modern-twist cuisine, delicious Sunday brunch with a more upscale atmosphere than the rest, incredible craft cocktails, and impeccable service. GM personally greets us every visit, waitstaff and bar staff always friendly and pleasant. The food is delicious. read more

Brunch on Sundays is to die for you only need to know one thing... shrimp and grits. Great service and great food.

I'm giving them 3 based on the inclusion of atmosphere which I like outside, although there isn't much to look at on university. Had some really subpar oysters and the food was good, but not great. I want to like this place but after 2 visits I think there are much better options nearby. read more

I come here often and it's a great time every time. Outside looks like a haunted house but inside is quaint and classy. bartenders are friendly and will take free shots with you no matter the time of day you go. The food is great, the lamb shank was probably the best I've had. Burger is good. Cocktails are awesome. beer selection is limited but getting better. crowd is always friendly and interesting. a diverse group. music is good. The only thing is that it can get very crowded and somewhat loud on popular late nights. read more

Simply... UNBELIEVABLE! Came from the south to find this gem in the north! Great Job!

This is a trendy spot in the city of that has great starters. The main entrees are pretty expensive so the group I was with decided to get starters to share for the table. Everything ordered was great. French fries were really good and came with 3 dipping options . The drink menu was fun and different and the drink was good but we wanted to order jack Daniels and coke and this place doesn't have jack at the bar. For that reason And the very expensive menu give it a 3 star. It's great to be trendy but come on - no jack? read more

Service was fantastic. All servers and workers were so nice and respectful. The right-of-way was always to the customer and they were very apologetic and kind if they had to cross your path. My boyfriend ordered the Iron Smoke Cocktail and it was a mix of coffee and whiskey with a little cream on top. He said every sip tasted like a different ingredient and it was very boring/overpowering at the same time. Underwhelming at most. He also ordered the duck for his meal and it was extremely fatty and cold. The table next to us ordered the same dish and their duck had 1/4 of the fat on it as his. I ordered coffee to drink during my meal and it tasted like such bland, "diner" coffee. I also ordered the fried chicken dish that came with brussel sprouts and rosemary gravy. The rosemary gravy almost had a numbing sensation as I ate it and the brussels were unevenly cooked. I hate to give this place such a poor review because it was so beautiful and everyone was so friendly but overall, I expected more from The Revelry. read more

This place has SUCH potential, but we really shouldn't be jamming out to old Weezer and late 90's emo! Great wine and liquor selections for any drinks. Prices, ambiance, and bar tenders are very good. For such a classy place in a city with a reputation for its excellent music, it's no wonder the bar was almost clear at 12:45. read more

Amazing cocktails! Service at the bar can be a tad slow, but when you see how much work is put into each cocktail it's easy to understand why that is. read more

Food was excellent, really. Nice Flavor combinations, much better than the sister restaurant Branca... But omg the music was ridiculously loud and the waiter so inattentive. For the price we are paying, the milk for the coffee arriving half way through my cup, or plates for the appetizer arriving well after we were done with sharing in the middle. Service is a D! Noise is a D! We were shouting over the crazy eclectic jazz music. The waiter could not even hear what we were ordering. read more

Best drink menu in town. Their bar program is amazing and the menu has incredible items. Thank you for opening up in Rochester. The Exec Chef really upholds a high quality and the bar program is amazing. Thank you. read more

Excellent Burger and rum drinks....I went there on tiki night. Great personable bartenders, strong hipster vibe. I would strongly recommend this place read more

Our server was phenomenal! She even gave us an after dinner shot (kind of minty). My wife and I ordered all across the menu (beet deviled eggs, a fish dish, pork rinds), including the unique cocktails. Was a very nice trendy place to go out on a date before jazz festival concert (went to see Erykah Badu). I'd return! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the rochester area. They have a wide variety of food, as well as a raw bar: complete with king crab legs, lobster tails, clams n oysters. There are always 3-4 varieties of oysters, a mix of east and west cost. Varieties change every 2 days. If your looking for a grand environment for a special occasion, they have a chefs table down in their wine cellar with a clear top ceiling. The servers are wonderful ppl, especially the warm hearted ladies working out doors. As a chef myself i tend to find it hard to find placed that meets my standards for food. This place is worth a try for anyone looking to have a memorable night with their special someone. read more

Very good food for the Rochester area. The service was great especially for a slower lunch time reservation. The menu just needs to get more innovative but this restaurant has only been open a few months so it's understandable. read more

Went there for an anniversary dinner and it was absolutely the right choice. Incredible food, great service. The venison and duck were both cooked to perfection. It is fairly expensive, though the quality absolutely matches the price. read more

My wife had eaten here shortly after it opened last year, and said she was sure I would like it. She was right on. My first time experience was great. Greeted by warm, friendly people, seated promptly, in very cool atmosphere. Interesting decor, and plenty of people having an obvious good time. They had great music playing from an edgy play list that made the experience that much better. The staff made us feel right at home, were knowledgeable, and professional. They had an impressive cocktail list and menu. I had an Old Fashioned, Oysters on the half shell, and the Halibut entree. My wife had the Lamb Shank, which was very tender and tasty. It was all outstanding. Excellent piece of fish cooked perfectly, great drinks, great music, great experience! Nicely done at The Revelry. read more

Cocktails and atmosphere was great. Perfect place for date night. Wednesday night fried chicken special was delicious. Lots of leftovers even with 2 people! read more

Have been going here on Wednesday evenings as a last stop, for most of the summer. We always look forward to our favorite mixologist Sarah, she is an artist behind the bar, always a great show with her fabulous style for preparing the perfect drink. Love the bar set up and it's a very nice vibe. Have dined here several times and it's always been a pleasure, food is prepared with love, great flavors with simple clean presentation, wait staff has always done an excellent service. Duck, scallops, fried chicken and the biscuits, fabulous, a menu that will please anyone. read more

Start to finish everything was solid! The food was delish, the atmosphere fun, a little loud but it was Friday night and we were seated near the bar, the service was impeccable, drinks were outstanding no cant say enough good things. Am looking forward to my next visit...hopefully on the patio. Their menu was a little limited, likely changes frequently. Overall and solid addition to the Rochester dining scene. And GREAT music in the bar area even if it was loud. read more