As someone in the industry, I really appreciate great service. Our server Kat H. was friendly, attentive, and made the whole night enjoyable. Great service, the food was delicious, great atmosphere, we'll definitely be back! Thank you Kat! read more

Great as always, but hit another level of great this time. Drinks were unique and tasted great. Duck Confit and Gnocchi was one of the best dishes I have had in a long time. 10/10 read more

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Ohhh she's fancy, maybe a little too fancy for Rochester, but it seems to be doing well so far. We went in around 10:30 on a Friday night, there was one table full and a handful of people at the bar. We were greeted by the owner, which was nice, he's a very nice gentleman. Drink prices are on par with other restaurants/bars in town. We also had the chicken maple bacon flatbread which was phenomenal! The decor is pretty fancy, the bathroom is all gold, the walls, the floors, the fixtures. All in all, I liked it here, but I don't think I'd feel as comfortable there during the earlier business hours. A little too fancy for me in the day time. read more

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Our first time. Great selection. Great staff. Thank you Ali for taking Great care of us. Recommend making reservations. This building was a theater once upon a time. read more

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The food was excellent all 3 times I have been there in the past 2 months. The service was attentive and quick but didn't hover. The ambiance was so much fun. The 1920's theme was so refreshing from the brew pubs that absolutely everywhere. The unique cozy tables in the window were while watching the snow fall and having cocktails. This is a win-win experience read more

Had dinner here tonight. Right off the bat, we were made to feel welcome. Had a reservation and were given a choice between a table or bar seating. Our server, Ali was attentive and engaging without hovering or fake friendliness. Appetizers were good. They felt the pork belly for the lettuce wraps wasn't up to their standards and offered to sub in grilled shrimp. When I mentioned that "fatty" pork belly wasn't an issue - they put it on as well. (courtesy of the wonderful manager, Jan) The tuna stack was delicious and perfectly spiced. The short ribs and the cassoulet were excellent. The staff seemed to work very well as a team - observed servers and bartenders helping each other several times through the night. And, last but certainly not least - my bf said the martini was one of the best he's ever had!! Will definitely be back! read more

The Scenic Lounge - Cassoulet - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New Hampshire

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WOW! I had been wanting to try this place since it opened; I had only heard great things about it, and boy did it deliver. The personalized experience starts with the reservation. I tried to book for Valentine's Day online about a month in advance. Nothing was showing available online, so I texted (as they had requested for contact) and they were happy to make the reservation for us. There is no dedicated parking lot, so parking is on the street or at public lots around town. The moment you walk in the door and are greeted warmly, you know this is going to be a special place. The decor is upscale but not snobby. It's small (reservations are recommended) and not noisy, so you can have an easy conversation. Even the paper hand towels in the bathroom are high quality. Everything was decked out for Valentine's Day, with the Leonardo DiCaprio movie "Romeo & Juliet" showing on a loop on a screen. They took my coat and sat us in a cozy, romantic corner with comfy pillows. Every table had a personalized notecard thanking you for coming. Next came the complimentary glasses of champagne. My husband likes Old Fashioneds and enjoyed the "Let's Smash" drink. My pink sangria tasted a little like a watermelon Jolly Ranger, but was good. Now let me tell you about the food. We have eaten out in a lot of expensive places, and the quality ranks with the best of them. My husband devoured the smothered chicken. I had the harvest cavatappi with shrimp added, and it was incredible (even with more black pepper than I usually prefer). The bowl was so huge I was able to make two more meals out of the leftovers. We weren't really hungry enough for dessert, but that didn't stop us from inhaling the salted caramel crunch cake. I have favorite desserts, but it was honestly one of the best things I've ever had (complete with gold leaf)! The service was absolutely perfect: completely attentive without being overbearing. The owner does events and puts his talents to work with the decorations that change with the holidays. He went around to several tables to make sure everything was satisfactory. The perfect night was rounded out with the Hershey's kisses that came with the bill. So many thoughtful touches! I'm telling everyone how great this place is, and counting the days until we return with friends. (Side note: we went to an exclusive speakeasy in Philadelphia last year that was unbelievably pretentious and we had an appalling experience. In comparison, I never thought there would be a place this nice right here close to home in Rochester, NH!) read more

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I came here after an outstanding performance of " Joseph . . . " at the Rochester Opera House because it was nearby and had a five star review. I was the first one there at opening and sat at the bar. I was not greeted by the bartender who actually seemed like he'd rather be somewhere else doing something else during my entire stay. I had a nice glass of wine and then ordered the Smothered Chicken. The thin slice of ham and thin slice of chicken did not taste very fresh, and I'm sure the mashed potatoes were from a box. They all tasted very bland and pretty flavorless. The brussels sprouts and gravy were good. I will definitely be returning to the Opera House and will definitely dine elsewhere. This is the only one Star review I have ever left in all my very many years on this platform. read more

What a great new restaurant in Rochester! Finally a nice spot. Great vibe, superb attention to detail. Owner and staff all very professional but warm and friendly. Food was awesome! Well presented and very tasty. Can't wait to see this place flourish. read more

The Scenic Lounge - Smothered Chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New Hampshire

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I have had pretty much the whole menu here.I sometimes want just an appetizer and a drink or just a salad..Other times a full meal and have never been disappointed.. the atmosphere is like no other place I've been in the state of NH. Easy going, great ambience, wonderful always happy service and NH greatest bartender! You will not be sorry you went here! read more

Where did this come from? Small place in downtown Rochester that has a roaring 20's decor. It is classy and yet chill at the same time. It is not big so reservations would not hurt. Impressive craft cocktail bar, smallish wine list and a small menu but packing quite a variety. We sat at the bar and I had the Duck Cassoulet (I know in Rochester!?!) and my wife had the short rib. Both were outstanding. Prices were reasonable for the quality served. Everything coming out of the kitchen looked delicious. They advertised a Sunday brunch that we both are looking forward to trying. Bottom line, if you are looking for something a little more upscale without being pretentious or real pricey, you have to give The Scenic Lounge a try. read more

This swanky new lounge in Rochester is a must-visit! The vibes are immaculate and drinks are delicious. It's giving speak easy vibes and will definitely return. read more

Rochester really could use an upscale place to go for dinner. It's either here or the Governors Inn, which is okay but not great. Mimsy and I went for dinner earlier this week. The service was very good. The dry martinis were probably 25% vermouth. Not dry. We split the Korean lettuce wraps, which were very good. I spent a year in Korea and these are legit. I got the braised short rib, she got the chicken. I thought hers was pretty good. The short ribs were good but honestly Mimsy's are better, and if I'm going to spend $33 on an entree, it should be better than hers. I was pumped to see cassoulet on the menu, nobody does that around here. The atmosphere was nice and loungy but the music was not really congruous with a nice dinner out. The wine list should be expanded a little. $22 for a 8 oz. Glass of Black Stallion Cabernet is a bit steep for Rochester. It's not a bad cab but this retails for $34.99/bottle. That's about a 350% markup over retail. Overall it was pretty good though. The clientele seem to be young professionals. Encouraging. Next time, I gotta get that cassoulet. read more

Enjoyed a crisp & refreshing Royal Empress cocktail at this beautiful posh & hip lounge in the heart of downtown Rochester. This place is a hidden gem for beautiful well executed craft cocktails. . Don't pass up a chance to enjoy all it has to offer. read more

The Scenic Lounge - The Royal Empress - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New Hampshire

Nice place in downtown Rochester. Friendly staff and good food. Great drinks. Nice atmosphere.

Pleasantly surprised with nice atmosphere, great drinks and good food. Can't go wrong here! Give it a try and you will definitely be back. Keep up the good work and thank you for a great evening. read more

We had the pleasure of visiting the Scenic Lounge last night. From our initial greeting through the delicious dinner, everything was very well done. The house itself is tastefully reminiscent of a supper club. Service was spot on, friendly, and the food was delicious! We enjoyed a perfect pretzel, duck flatbread and huge pork shanks. It was a pleasure to find this restaurant, highly recommended! read more

Simply amazing! Exactly what the town needed! The food was amazing, service was fantastic & the personalized note cards when you make a reservation is such a nice touch! It's our new favorite restaurant & we will definitely be back! read more

Food, drink and atmosphere were wonderful. Nice to see a higher end restaurant in Rochester. Will definitely come back. read more

The Scenic Lounge - Butternut and pumpkin ravioli. Absolutely delicious. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Rochester, New Hampshire

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Have been there twice this summer. First time with friends before a concert on the common and the second time with family and friends to celebrate birthdays. Both times our experiences were great. Food, service and atmosphere was top notch. I hope they survive over the winter because Rochester needs this. read more

Needed a Tuesday night reservation for 7 and a baby. Found The Scenic Lounge and took a chance. It is fabulous! The decor is so beautiful, the care they took in personalizing our experience as we celebrated a daughter home from CA, and 2 birthdays with a 4 mo. Old along for the experience was memorable. Complimentary champagne, and great food made it perfect We will be back! read more

Our first time at the Scenic Lounge. We went early as we had heard they get busy quickly. My husband ordered a martini. He is very particular and is often disappointed. This was not the case! He enjoyed it so much he had another. We ordered the hummus board for an appetizer. It was fabulous! The hummus was delicious and plentiful! There were pickles, olives, tomatoes, feta, and more! I ordered a salad and the lobster ravioli for my dinner. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed both. My husband ordered the short ribs that came with mashed potatoes and broccolini with a demi glaze! This was also fabulous! For dessert we had a slice of salted caramel cake. It was soooo good! Can't wait to go back and try other menu options! read more

Went here a couple of weeks ago and had some dinner, our second time coming. The Duck Casoulet was incredible, i couldn't stop eating the beans. The drinks are great, and the service is top notch. We love this spot. read more

Innovative cocktails and interesting menu. Super friendly waitstaff. Beautiful establishment in Rochester NH.

We've been twice already and the experience, the service and the food are amazing!! The employees know what they are doing, they WANT to be there and they were so lovely and helpful. The food is delicious with extra points for presentation. The drink menu has fun unique concoctions, (and in the right price range). This is a super gem. read more

Oh my goodness! We just happened to find The Scenic Lounge and couldn't be happier! What a completely unexpected gem in downtown Rochester! The ambience is entirely a cool art deco/speakeasy vibe, down to the gold pen they leave with the bill. The food and cocktails were creative and absolutely delicious. The service was stellar. We can't wait to return! read more

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Had our first visit to celebrate my daughter's birthday. The restaurant has a very nice vibe, beautiful decorations, and generally nice ambience. They wrote personal notes to each of us thanking us for celebrating my daughter's birthday with them, which was a lovely touch. The service was attentive but not hovering. Our waitress was a very sweet young woman who helped us decide what to order. The cocktails were excellent. The Mocktail was excellent. We ordered the meat and cheese, charcuterie, board the meatballs, and the duck confit flatbread and all were amazing and delicious as was the espresso tiramisu for dessert. We will certainly be back ! Happy to have a place of this caliber in Rochester. read more

I haven't written a review any many years. This restaurant was so awesome I couldn't not write a review. EVERYTHING was top notch. Clean and classy environment. Excellent service from all staff who worked together as a team. One mocktail and two bartender/mixologist choice cocktails were unique and paired great with our meal. Tuna appetizer, salmon, and duck were deeeeelicious. Food was so good we couldn't skip dessert so took home a very good deep dish chocolate chip cookie. We will definitely be back. Can't wait to try the braised short ribs and smothered chicken. read more

One of our new favorite spots as locals to the area, both of us enjoy a well crafted cocktail wherever we go for apps or a meal and this place never ceases to impress. Highly recommend! read more

We went for our anniversary and were treated like royalty. The food was wonderful, and the atmosphere is beautiful.

A great new swanky place in Rochester! Drinks were creative and delicious. Food was very good . Had a flatbread with duck confit which was delicious. Atmosphere is classy without being too pretentious. Not too many tables so make a reservation. Owners were very present and working all aspects of the restaurant. Even received a personal greeting with card on our reserved table. The personal touches really shine. Hope to become a regular here. Welcome to Rochester, Scenic Lounge!! read more