Top 12 Budget-Friendly Restaurants Near You in in Rochester, NY

Matt S The pork belly was fantastic, although I thought the grilled chicken was a little bland. I would recommend getting something else because everyone was talking about how good their dish was! However, everything tasted good overall and the service was great despite how busy it was. Great atmosphere too. Definitely recommend.

Sarah Snyder Sweet little place, super friendly staff. We had a Stone Steak Burger (I am told it was really good) and the Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos which were incredible! They had fish options, vegetarian burger, chicken, and fish options available. Street parking, large bar, selection of tables and hightop tables. Clean bathroom.

Sarah Bogdan Good food, good service. We got the 5 piece fried green tomatoes to start and probably should’ve gotten the 3 piece because the pieces were a bit bigger than expected (a good thing!) and pretty filling, but so so good especially with the ranch. Ribs, greens, and mac and cheese were good too.

brandon z Incredible food, atmosphere, and service. We can’t find a single thing we didn’t like and will be back again many times. You MUST try the octopus and lab shank. Every bite is just so flavorful and well crafted. This is the best restaurant I’ve been to in Rochester and the best restaurant I’ve been to anywhere in years. Our server Daniel was incredible and really added to the experience, he was extremely personable and knowledgeable. Can’t wait to come back here.

Cindy Madar La Bola on Main is located at the Mercentile on Main at Rochester NY. My husband and I went over to LA Bola for lunch. Lunch is ordered at the counter and server will bring food items out to the inside court where there is plenty of seating. I ordered the smokey tomatoe soup and grilled cheese. Both were excellent choices. The smokey tomatoe soup was delicious with a hint of smokey flavoring. The grilled cheese sandwich was the best one ever! What may have been home made bread was buttery good and grilled to perfection. The cheese was stretchy gooey and it was so good I could have ate a second. Service was friendly efficient and not a long wait. Thank you La Bola for a scrumptious lunch. Comfort food at its best!

Will Sommer Rocky’s transports you back in time and to Brooklyn. A must experience for Italian food. We had the Saturday pasta, homemade Ravioli. I had a meatball upgrade on mine that was also excellent. Cash only, but they have an ATM.

Loumelle Alicaya I celebrated my birthday here and it was a nice experience (they dont give out slices of cake btw lol) We ordered cocktails (too strong for my liking) and the ff: 1. crispy calamari 3/5 (not too crispy) 2 BURRATA SALAD 5/5 (my favorite that night!! I had to remake it at home coz it’s sooooo good!!!) 3. white pizza 3/5 (too oily. The cheeses they used are kinda bland) 4. ORECCHIETTE BOLOGNESE 3/5 (looks good on photo but lacks depth in flavor. Something u can cook at home with bottled sauces ) 5. Truffle fries 4/5 (it was alright) Overall, the night was awesome! The server we had was very attentive and accommodating!

Nate Rifkin Lento is consistently my fiancées and my favorite restaurant, and I dont think they get nearly enough recognition for how good they are compared to places in the area like Redd, Good Luck, Nosh, Cure, and others. This is one of few places in Rochester where it feels like the chef and team have been given creative license to experiment with new dishes consistently, and it works. Its not easy for a restaurant to have a menu that updates as much as Lentos to be as consistently good as they are. Both their kitchen and table staff are excellent. We have made it a habit to stop by every couple months to try their latest options. Some tips and notes from our visits over the last couple years: - If you like mixed drinks on the sweeter side, try the Lady Marmalade - Order the bread service. Its a few bucks for a square of decadent focaccia sized for two. The focaccia has a different blend of ingredients each time weve come (I think they switch it up daily?), so its fun to see what the nightly variation is. - Their fish dishes are usually spectacular. This latest time we went I ordered the miso black cod (as someone who usually does not go for cod) and it blew me away. The exception to this rule seems to be the fish fry; for some reason the couple times weve ordered it, its come out overcooked. - The "quartino" specials for wine are usually a good blend and come as a glass and a half with a small carafe (I didnt know what a "quartino" was, in case others are in the same boat)

Bridget We had the best service that weve experienced going out in quite a while. The servers greeted us immediately and attended to us throughout the night, which I personally found different seeing that there was no hostess but it ended up being so much more personal that the waiter is with you the whole time. The attentiveness was more than we could have expected, especially with such an intimate & small staff situation. The food was out of this world and it truly felt like a hidden gem of a restaurant! We were surprised at how fast, competent, & attentive the service was, they truly were impressive & friendly & they made our night. We absolutely loved the decor and of course the food was amazing as well, it was the cherry on top of the cake of a great experience.

Kelly MacCracken wow. what a fun, unique elevated dining experience unlike anything in Rochester. We were blown away with every bite, each dish was perfectly executed: flavor, concept, texture, presentation. We loved the open kitchen design. We sat at the bar watching the master chefs at work adding an element of entertainment to the night. We felt like we were treated as there special guests that they wanted to impress. Chef Cruz & Marko sent little surprise tastings, explanation of dishes, honest recommendations and cared about the occasion we were celebrating: a cancer free screening. It’s a pretty place, with some pretty cool, caring and talented people thats what made Shell so special. ...

Amanda El I seriously loved this hip and pretty little spot. We came in last minute with no reservation and were able to sit at the bar. Service from the bartender was excellent, as were the cocktails, the wine selection, and the truly excellent food. Would love to come back and definitely want to check out their sister restaurant thats opening across the way. Manager checked in on us a couple of times as well. Great service and overall experience

Jeramy Laureano This is by far one of my favorite places to eat in Rochester. The food is consistently amazing. Very intimate and cozy. I’m moving to Florida soon and I can’t stop thinking about how much I’m going to miss eating here lol