Rocco

I had oysters, strip loin with bone marrow, a blood orange martini, and a salted caramel budino with almonds. I was in heaven. Highly recommended. Plus, the atmosphere was so homey.

We were really disappointed with our visit. The food didn’t match our expectations in either taste or presentation, especially considering the high price point. The menu lacked clear descriptions, so we were surprised by what we received — and not in a good way. The garlic bread was burnt and bitter. Almost every dish came overloaded with salad, including the grilled octopus (a very tiny portion) and the white fish, which was unexpectedly deep-fried in mostly batter and tasted off. If we had known that every main came with so much salad, we wouldn’t have ordered a separate salad appetizer. The pasta was overly salty and lacked flavor. While the service was friendly, the overall dining experience just didn’t justify the price. Unfortunately, we won’t be returning.

The appetizer was the standout at this restaurant, truly the only highlight. The pizza was average, and the lasagna was disappointing with no meat. The service was exceptional, and the table setup was charming, with a nice brick wall as a backdrop. However, the atmosphere was overwhelming—tables were packed too tightly, so you could hear every conversation around you. The loud, chaotic vibe made it unbearable. This isn’t a place I’d return to for a date. We ended up getting a much tastier pizza elsewhere, and the high prices here didn’t match the food or ambiance.

This is a real hidden gem in Rochester. A must for all fans of high-quality traditional Italian food. My favorite starter is the charred bread with ricotta. Today I had the pmb ... pasta with meatballs. Rich tomato sauce with fresh leaves of basil, al dente penne and soft, tender meatballs. Really good! Service is attentive but unobtrusive and the food came out quickly.

I visited Rocco for the first time last Friday and loved it! Amazing food, cocktails and service. I ordered lasagna pizzaola and asked for meatballs on the side. All star dish and the sauce was perfect. My friends let me taste their dishes-- smoked pork chops with sauerkraut and cod with creamy horseradish sauce. They were outstanding!

Nice atmosphere with friendly staff and owner and welcoming regulars at the bar as you walk in. Good specials and knowledgeable waiter who was their chef before. Food was solid but toast was overcooked and burnt. Serves until 10 so good for a late night dinner.

Rocco gave me E-VER-Y-THING that I needed! The service was absolutely fantastic, the food was incredible and we all enjoyed the intimate atmosphere! The squid was my favorite dish and it was cooked to perfection! We definitely found a new place to dine!!! Ooo wee! 😍😍😍😍😍 I will say, the facility is smaller, so if you are a plus sized with a disability or even a group make sure to asked to be seated at tables.

This is nice cosy fancy italian restaurant and we did like the menu. We did like the selection of plates in the menu and the atmosphere of this place and more to count the very friendle service of their associates. I could said the place is small cozy and romantic but the food and service was big and great. We did love it!

Last night my wife and son and I went to Roccos for the first time in many years. I see that other reviews give five starts and I can see why. The food was very, very good. But, the service not so much. Shortly after we arrived I asked that the fan above us be turned off, or slowed down. The paper menus were flying to the edge of the table and I was cold. There were many empty tables. The waitress said she wasn't sure what she could do. I suggested moving us. She said she couldn't do that. So, I was left in what felt like a wind tunnel. The waitress could have moved us, but it was too much trouble. I also was unhappy with the menus. We had three menus and not one listed the prices. It's not unusual to have menus without prices, but the host most times gets a menu with the prices. So, I'd say there's not enough attention to details. I won't be going back in spite of the good food. I'm giving three stars. Wear a coat.

I haven't been to Rocco in a few years and it is still the best Italian in Monroe County. The Ricotta with charred bread was as amazing as usual. Every time I order it the food just melts in your mouth. The service is fantastic. I brought my parents for my Mother's birthday and she had a wonderful time. My father ordered the Sea Bass and loved his meal. My mother ordered the buccatini puttanesca baked in a phyllo dough. The pasta was great. The phyllo dough was chewy and tasteless. The definitely did not butter the dough before putting ii tin the oven. I have to admit the buddino was disappointing. It used to be there signature desert and I was looking forward to it all week. I can honestly saw I doubt I'll ever order it again.

It's been a long time since I've written a review like this. Maybe we ordered the wrong items but I was super disappointed overall. You have to order everything at the same time. Apps, salads and dinners etc. for someone like me who needs time to look over the menu but wants an app in early, this didn't really jive with me- but okay. There are no descriptions on the menu of the food. I had no idea what most of it was or what it came with so I had to annoy my super busy waitress for a description of a bunch of items. Wish I had a picture of the menu because it looks like a hot mess and is not easy to read. I ended up ordering the gnocchi and a Caesar salad because I thought it was the safe route not knowing what these dishes were. Boy was I wrong. The salad could have been bigger and the lettuce wasn't cut. The gnocchi was not the traditional gnocchi one would expect. I got 3 logs of who knows what and barely any sauce. When compared to the other dishes with sauce, mine looked pathetic. The scallop dish only had 3 scallops over coleslaw. Not filling at all for a main dish. We ordered the bread pudding for dessert and it was a cold slab of tastelessness. Dishes were so small so no leftovers. Other Italian restaurants we go to we have a large Togo box to bring home. No pre-dining bread was offered. The good parts were The ricotta bread app was delicious and the person who got the pork chop enjoyed his meal. We spent 400 for 4 people. I had high hopes for this place and was excited to quench my pasta thirst. Sadly it was the opposite and we won't be returning.

This was a delightful Yelp find at the end of a long day of driving between New Hampshire and Indianapolis. We were seated immediately on the charming patio, even on a Saturday evening around 8 p.m. Our waiter was friendly and offered some great recommendations. The charred bread with ricotta was our favorite thing... so tasty with a glass of wine. I also enjoyed tomato/mozzarella salad - very fresh and much bigger than I was expecting. We also shared a Paulie G pizza, an interesting combination of pepperoni, tomato sauce and hot honey. All in all, a great dinner. Would go back again if I'm ever in the area.

The location is great and easy to find. Parking space you can find is a small parking lot next to one restaurant before Rocco or can find a parallel parking lot as well. The space in the restaurant is pretty tight but the service was excellent which is I would have given 5 stars for their service. But I gave 3 stars instead because of the food. The appetizer - bread was overtoasted like the whole slice was too black for my preference. The crab stuffing pepper has some crabs but it's more stuffing with panko and some veggies. I can taste very salty which is too much for me. The pepper itself is overcooked. I am not sure why food was not great as it is very popular spot that people go, but it could be very busy that chefs didn't pay attention carefully on food. I do hope that they'll do better next time with food if I ever come to have a meal there.

5 stars for service and the food The reason one had to be taken away is that the tables were so jammed together and there was a huge like dining room table in the middle of one of the sides of the dining room taking up so much space for nothing. The menu was also terribly hard to navigate with random emojis and no headers or sections... literally looked like my 5 year old nephew typed it up on an ipad It was our first time here and our waitress, Diana was so helpful and knowledgeable with the wines that they had and helped us understand the menu. She was so kind and really led to us having a great experience. We were a little confused and asked her if there was bread coming and she said that they don't offer bread for the tables but if we did want some that the ricotta and charred bread is phenomenal. She didn't steer us wrong as it was absolutely divine worth every penny! We shared the ricotta and charred bread 10/10 ceasar salad 10/10 best i've had in ROC grilled octopus 10/10 must have!!!! margarita pizza 9/10 very good but nothing crazy lasagne pizzaiola 7/10 tasty, but it was just cheese and sauce no meat overall, one of the top italian restaurants in the city, really great food really great service

Nice place. Small bar, friendly people and a nice Italian red with dinner. I got rigatoni and meatballs. The past was cooked perfectly, meatballs were great. Deal breaker..... no bread. What Italian restaurant doesn't serve nice fresh bread and butter or oil?? I'm sure there's some fine bakeries in Rochester.. they offered some kind of grilled bread or something, but no.. Real Italian bread....all I needed.

Food was great. Generous portions. small, cozy dining rI'm. Friendly staff and the owner made time to welcome us to the city and make us feel at home.

My daughter raved about this place so we invited her to join us for dinner on a Thursday night. Why is Thursday so significant in my review-well, unbeknownst to us, Thursday Rocco's decided to reduce their menu, put in a special that included 3 course meal that each entree had asparagus as its highlight-the other unwelcome surprise is that at $49, each , everyone at the table had to order it. So back to the extremely limited and reduced menu-no meat entree's, one pasta entree and some salads. Great if you are a vegan, not so great if you are not. The service was very good as was the bar service. But the bottom line is do not , without fair warning to potential customers decide to make radical changes-my daughter was shocked because all her favorites from previous visits were not on the menu. One last thing-the ricotta appetizer with brunt bread is a must try-really good.

Service 6 stars / 5 Food 4/5 Ambiance 3 Chef visit to table 6/5 thank you Budino 3/5 Cannoli 3/5 Fruit crisp 5/5

The chef//owner is quite inhospitable. Food is good and servers are good but the owner has some quirky "rules' that can ruin the dining experience. For example, we were told that if a fish dish was served with the head on, the head could not be removed from the table regardless of the diner's request.

We haven't been to Rocco's in over a year , the service was excellent, our waitress was very friendly, and of course the food was just as I remembered it , EXCEPTIONAL! My husband I ordered two different pizzas which were both AMAZING! The only sad part is I didn't get a photo opportunity!!! We devoured it too fast! The one thing that was my absolute favorite and the only restaurant that has been consistent with this delicious appetizer was the octopus!! So SO DELICIOUS! I was excited to order it and Rocco's did not disappoint! The dining room is very quaint and cozy , just as I remembered. If you are looking for something delicious, or just want to impress on a first date , Rocco's is the place !

Great food & service, what else can you ask for? I have told my friends about this gem. We will definitely be back.

Rocco is very good for a maximum party of four, but probably ideal for two. Things are tight but convivial, with great service and a pleasant decor. The food is what shines, and the core menu is old school. Often there are fabulous special entrees, and often I like to get these because they complement a not-so-large menu. Do save room for dessert if you can. Definitely reserve in advance, and plan to park on the street in case the small parking lot is full.

Everything we had was tasty and fresh. The appetizers and pizzas were pricey but not overly expensive for this kind of higher-end restaurant. Not "knock you on your butt" quality (thus the 4 stars) but a very good, solid restaurant. The portions are small, but most of these higher-end places are like that - forewarned is forearmed. Don't expect breadbasket and oil when you sit down; there are thin prepackaged bread sticks - maybe a reaction to complaints from people expecting the standard Italian family restaurant. The waitress was friendly and helpful and our menus were in English (maybe a reaction to some of the complaints about their unreadable menu). If you get there early, there is parking in the rear. We ate outdoors and it was comfortable and not noisy.

Good and drinks were good! Very good dim ambience and people! We loved where we sat! Menu could use some work lol

The food was amazing! The service was excellent. The waiter was attentive and prompt efficient and very kind. The place is small and intimate but we had reservations and were seated right away. Highly recommend this authentic Italian restaurant.

Food- We ordered the ricotta and charred bread as an appetizer, it was good but not something I would rave about like I seen it other reviews. We then had a Margarita pizza, which we were very pleased with!! Service- Waiter was nice and described the menu well, but my husband waited a long time with an empty glass, and when he finally asked for a refill- he still waited a while before getting one. Ambiance- Small but intimate, and very nicely decorated,

Excellent service Excellent menu choices Atmosphere very appropriate for fine dining

It's a nice place, ambiance, etc. I had a soft shell crab sandwich. Was the most disgusting thing I ever tasted. Didn't know what it was and that it was deep fried and greasy with all the shells and legs etc. I realized I had made a poor choice and voiced my disgust . didn't eat it, paid my bill with a 25% tip. I'm not the type to make a scene or complain but in reflection I would think the server knowing that I hated it could have offered me something else that I might have enjoyed or even a slice of bread! I don't think I'll go back.

Garlic bread with ricotta 5/10 2 pieces blackened beyond saving. Pork sandwich 10/10 Butterscotch Buddino 10/10

To preface this: I gave 1 star but I would do 1.5 if half stars were allowed because I did find the staff to be nice and courteous. The low rating is in large part based on the food itself. My friend and I came here on a weeknight- it had high reviews so we decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, our experience did not align with the high reviews we read. We were able to get in right away, but we sat for quite some time before a waitress came over to take our drink orders. We had waited so long at one point my friend was like, "do you think maybe we should just get up and try somewhere else?" We inevitably stayed and a waitress finally came to take our order. Note: The dining room is incredibly small, the tables are tiny and close together so if you are weary of COVID you may want to rethink this option. First disappointment: The wine selection is very limited if you're not interested in purchasing an entire bottle. Second disappointment: The menu is also very limited as far as meals go if you're not interested in having pizza. Unless things have changed since we went a few weeks ago they had 3 pasta dishes available and 4 other meal options- a veal, a pork, duck, and lamb. They do not even offer a chicken option nor do they offer just a traditional pasta without meat, or an pasta with just with a red sauce or a white sauce on the menu. For an Italian place, this is pretty surprising. The pasta dishes do not come with any side at all and some of the meat dishes only seemed to only have one small side they come with. Also important to note, no soup or salad is offered as a part of the meal, no bread either but they do have some of those super skinny, pre-packaged breadstick type things on the table. We ordered Arancini as an appetizer and each ordered a pasta dish for our entrees. I had rigatoni and red sauce, which is not offered on its own on the menu but they were able to accommodate this. My friend ordered the pasta and meatballs option. Biggest disappointment: The food. Unfortunately neither of us liked any of the items we ordered and the main issue is definitely the sauce. The red sauce is hands down the worst I've ever had, and nothing I would even consider comparable to an authentic Italian sauce. I hate to sound so harsh, but I would've rather eaten bargain brand jar sauce. Neither of us finished the app or our meals. We opted for dessert in an effort to give this place full consideration and it was also pretty horrible. We ordered a ricotta cheesecake to share and it was the the worst cheesecake I've had, ricotta or otherwise. We did not finish this either. (Pictured is the arancini and the cheesecake). The pace of the meal was insanely slow. We sat for 2+ hours and a large portion of that was wait time. I would expect this if we were at a place that offered several courses but for an app + meals we didn't even attempt to finish and dessert things moved at a glacial pace. I don't typically mind slow meals, I enjoy the time to talk and visit with my dining companion(s), but I know most people would not have wanted to sit that long so I feel this is important to mention as part of the review process. Overall, I would strongly advise patrons to seek out an alternative if you're looking for an Italian meal. The quality absolutely does not match the price point and there are far better options in ROC as far as depth of the menu and taste of the food.

What a great little place. The food the service all excellent. If you love Italian food you need to visit it'll bring you home to grandmas.

Outstanding meal. Superb grilled octopus. Garlic broccoli. Charred sourdough bread. Friendly service. Highly recommend.

The best meatballs I ever had. Their salads are over the top. And generous too. Their pizzas are divine. And so are their pastas. Ive never been disappointed in any of their meals. In the summer it's lovely to sit outside on the porch. I LOVE ROCCO's!!!!

They have a small parking lot that you enter from the side street, not Monroe Ave. It allows 7~8 cars tops. We arrived around 7 pm on a Saturday and was able to score a spot out of the last 2. The back entrance looked nondescript (nice garden though) but open the door and I saw the bar. The size of the main dining area is similar to the bar FYI. I called several days ahead to make a reservation and we were promptly seated. We two people shared the ricotta and the octopus, as recommended by many Yelpers. We also got the lasagna. The ricotta looked crumbly and covered in a generous amount of grounded black peppers and minced green herbs (chives? too dim; can't look closely). It had a milky scent and tasted creamy. The bread had an excellent texture and was charred just right. The octopus came on two sticks and had a small salad in lemon-y green dressing underneath. The acidity was bright and appetizing. We finished the two dishes right away. The portion of the lasagna was not too big, perfect for sharing between two people. The pasta must be freshly made because it did not taste like the dried sheet pasta (al dente/chewy). It was soft and airy. The red sauce was most likely made from fresh cherry tomatoes and did not simmer for too long: light, some barely-there sweetness, and not thick or chunky.

Old school Italian that does everything right. Meatballs. Grilled octopus. Arancini. Pizzas. The small bar can be a fun scene but this place is small and always busy. You want a primo table? Be like me, the original Nish, and call for a reservation.

Very disappointing. I hadn't been to Rocco since before the pandemic, and was really looking forward to it, as I had good memories of its food. Service at Rocco has always been a bit unpredictable. This time our server was fine, if a bit aloof, probably because he also had a table of ten to cater to right next to us. The place is noisy! Hard to have a conversation. Then, the food... The octopus appetizer I remembered as a highlight, but it now consists of two skewers with four tiny pieces of meat. Way too little food for the price. My main was the chicken and sausage saltimbocca. I understand the concept of light-charring, but this was downright burned food. Also, I can take salty food, but this dish was so salty I simply couldn't eat it. The special pulled pork-like dish ($25!) my friend had was also exceedingly salty. My wife had a very soupy, probably made-in-advanced risotto that was also disappointing and, you guessed, too salty. The only dish everyone seemed to agree was very good was a pepperoni pizza. Maybe Rocco should just be a very good pizzeria, instead of pretending to be a fine-dining establishment? We did have a perfectly nice bottle of Luisa Cabernet Franc. This wine is $20 at a store, and we paid $50. Wine markups at US restaurants are simply unreasonable. In sum, if we ever go back to Rocco, we'll simply stick to pizza.

I'm sad writing this- after our fourth visit, Rocco has never lived up to our first 5 star experience. In fact, it has consistently gotten worse and let us down. We've had multiple negative experiences with the staff (i.e. showing up for a reservation and not being seated for an hour, waters not being filled regularly, being overcharged on the check). I get sometimes we have a bad day, but now we're seeing a pattern. We always get the ricotta toast app- it's delicious. But tonight it was over-charred, like eating charcoal. I was surprised they served it. And we ordered fried mozzarella (which we've loved before) and I swear it was fried goat cheese. It was not mozzarella. Or at least it wasn't the same dish we've gotten before. Weird! And our crispy fish dish was overly slathered in cream sauce. Just not a 5 star experience. I couldn't in good faith leave my review 5 stars because its not statistically reflective of our experience. I think Rocco is a potential hidden gem and I believe in them, but at some point we have to cut our losses. There are too many other good restaurants in Rochester!!

I wish I could give zero stars! The worst customer service I have ever experienced. Our waiter was very rude and wasn't attentive at all. I will never come back to this establishment. The food was so subpar and lacked flavor. Disgusting! Will never recommend this place to anyone. A Italian restaurant with no bread????

Food was amazing. Service was great. Super nice server. Pizza was outstanding. Loved visiting this restaurant. Parking next door was easy to access. Great Italian family run vibe.

I'd give zero stars if could. It's been on the list for a bit, and we were all set to go. Reading their hours and recommendations of reservations, I called on a Monday at 5p (opening) and was told by the hostess that I would have to call back tomorrow, before 5p. I mentioned they were closed on Tuesday. She was insistent that would be what I needed to do if I wanted reservations. NOPE, lost our business.

I went here a long time ago now, so maybe things have changed, but I thought this one of the best meals I have ever had in Rochester when I went. I can still remember the amazing pork chop from that meal, which was huge and perfectly cooked and came with fried mozzarella (if I remember correctly). Amazing. The rest of my group had gnocchi, which was different from what you typically find at Italian restaurants, but still good. Definitely think I will be making a return visit in the near future.

4 stars for the food, 2 for the service= meeting in the middle at 3. I came here on a Monday, figuring that it would be a little less cramped and crazy than a weekend. This assumption was wrong! Rocco was popping. It is a small place, and I was glad we had reservations weeks in advance. Even the bar space was reserved. Some patrons without reservations were trying diligently to vulture spots before people left and had their spots cleared, but the bartender informed them they still needed to wait. Again, make a reservation. Ours was for 6:30 p.m. We were seated promptly. There was a nice little old school checkered table cloth and a vase with packaged Abruzzi bread sticks. A candle would have been nice, but I understand with trying to bus tables quickly, or ensuring they stay lit might have served as an issue. I ordered a glass of Cabernet-Syrah ($10) and was pleased with it. It took awhile to get put into the bar and poured. We ordered the meatballs as an appetizer. They come in a trio over a grilled piece of Italian bread and sauce. The sauce was very good, thick and not too acidic. As an entrée my partner ordered the pork loin with the fried mozzarella. He ordered better. It was presented well, had a lot of flavor, was juicy and tender. It came with a small bed of lettuce. I had the white clam pizza. The texture and taste was great, but it was too heavy handed on the garlic (even for me, a person that puts triple what the recipe calls sometimes). All of the food came out piping hot by a polite runner. They clearly serve dishes as soon as they are ready and I really appreciate that. The service, however, was lacking. I will put a disclaimer: restaurants are very understaffed right now with the pandemic/unemployment debacle. I love and support local businesses and wanted to go somewhere that was romantic for my birthday. I hope they can get on their feet soon. The seasoned server we had had too many things to keep track of , and didn't seem like he could move quickly enough. We didn't have an introduction, no specials were listed, and putting in drink/food orders took an eternity. The couple sitting next to us had a reservation and it took them 45+ minutes to put an order in, and set a timer. If it hit an hour they were going to leave. They finally got the order in under the wire before the timer went off. After finishing one glass, we ordered another and it never came. He had 5-6 tables with some larger parties, whereas his younger female counterpart had only 3 and seemed to have more time to stand up against the wall; she could have helped him. The hostess tried to help with bussing tables and pouring water but it wasn't enough to keep things afloat. Hopefully, they will find the staff to properly schedule in the future. I was disappointed to spend $80 on dinner and not have the wonderful, intimate experience that former diners have outlined in their reviews. I left frustrated.

I really want to like this restaurant. It has a small, classy atmosphere, and the service is always terrific. However, there are a few inexcusable things for an Italian restaurant. First, for the prices being charged, a plate of fresh bread and butter should be brought to the table, and this is important for those needing to mop up sauce left on the plate (of which there was much). What is pathetic is the paper-wrapped bread sticks, dry ones in a cup on the table. Tacky!! In addition, fresh Parmesan cheese should be offered to the table and left there. Finally, lasagna, without a salad or anything else on the plate, should not cost $20, especially if the portion is nothing special. Keep your prices reasonable, don't follow the trends, and serve hearty portions with extras, and customers will be loyal forever. There are better, less expensive, more flavorful Italian restaurants in Rochester and its suburbs, so it would behoove this establishment to do more for their customers and lower the prices.

We were walking up and down Rochester and fell into this sweet little slice of Italy. We were taken to the patio in the back, quiet and intimate. We started with a lovely bottle of Pinot as well as the house made Ricotta ball. The ricotta was so creamy with slices of grilled flatbread. The bread was a bit charred but it was still edible. The wood fired (i think) Tomato Basil Pizza was so delicious; they gave you scissors to cut your slices with was so cool. I ordered off the specials list, Caprese pasta, so incredibly creamy, they should honestly make it a staple in their normal restaurant menu. We also enjoyed the Chicken Parm, for obvious reasons you must order this at any Italian restaurant, naturally they did not disappoint. I don't find myself in Rochester often, but i would make it a point to venture back to this amazing spot.

This place was amazing. Went here before a early morning fishing trips. Got the grilled octopus and the rigatoni and meatballs which is something I never ever order out because I'm too Italian to be ordering red sauce anywhere. I'm amazed I even ordered it but was so happy I did. It was delicious. Also had a glass of wine recommended by the waitress and it was so good. Red with a lot of depth I wish I remembered the name. I will be back. This place is incredible.

Rocco is up there on my list of all-time favorite Rochester restaurants. My boyfriend and I tend to go for celebratory dinners and have always had wonderful service and food unlike anything else available in the city. I also always need to be essentially rolled out of there so, order with caution. We always always always start with the ricotta appetizer. Skipping it would be shameful and if you go to Rocco and don't order the ricotta...did you really go to Rocco? No. You need to order it and eat it and weep. It is doused in olive oil and served with a charred bread that will have you full before dinner. Again, caution. For mains, we'll usually do a pizza and a pasta. The gnocchi is not the same kind of ricotta or potato gnocchi you'd get at say a Pasta Villa or Papa Joe's - it is larger and triangular and still completely delicious. If you're a fan of mushrooms the funghi e fontina is a must as well. But then you'll also need to contend with the fact that their pizza specials usually all sound amazing, too. I don't know, friends. Order it all. Don't turn back. Roll away happily.

Strong first impression. Came in for dinner two weeks ago with family for a great meal in a small space...Rocco nails the "local Italian joint" feel right when you walk in. I tried the house-made ricotta and the veal; both were great and there was so much veal on that plate (along with the pasta that comes on the side!!) that I immediately tapped out to get half of this thrown into a doggy bag. $10 cocktails never hurt either and our server moved quickly to get us food...even though the service was moving a bit too quickly for me (nothing screams "get out of the large booth" like a meal for five where we get in and out in just over an hour). When I'm back in town craving Italian I will check this out!

I was disappointed by this place to be honest. I liked the ricotta cheese appetizer but I thought the charred bread paired terribly with it. Even my pizza was alright, and didn't feel too filling or flavorful. I felt as if the prices were expensive as well for what the food is. The service was good and I do think I potentially ordered wrong. I would try one of the pasta dishes next time.

I finally had dinner at Rocco! It's only been open for a million years, but it's actually a little challenging getting a reservation since they are beloved and their regulars seem to swarm the place every night they are open! But on my lucky occasion, I booked weeks in advance for a Friday night, and then arrived a few minutes early with my party, and, as expected, it was a packed house with only our table open and every other table and every seat at the bar full. We sat in the section served by the 'singing waiter', aka Mark Daniels, local opera tenor, which we requested, and we ordered the arancini, their special mushroom vegetable soup, and their special lamb shank dinner, a fish dinner and the amazing caprese torte for dessert. Food was delicious, atmosphere was very cozy, and I would say 'old school', and Mark was amazing! He treated us to a live performance of a song he is working on for his upcoming performance at the Lyric Theatre in June - it silenced and transfixed the entire room, and when he finished, we struck up a fun conversation with other diners, an experience that really topped the night. Almost everything was perfect - there were only 2 things we didn't like or couldn't appreciate: 1) hard, plastic-wrapped, manufactured bread sticks on the table. WHY?? All the food and the entire experience is so good - I think these are cheap and tasteless and really made me question what that was all about; and there was no 'real' bread option, and no butter or dipping sauce for the hard bread sticks (my husband wanted to try them...) and 2) it was REALLY dark in there, too dark to get any food pics, and that always makes me question 'what could they be hiding?' No matter, we loved it and hope to go back again soon!

It's not bad, but it is not as good as it could be. The main thing to recommend it is the homemade pasta. Other than that it is OK but not spectacular. The service was rushed but adequate and the ambience is OK but uninspired. Overall, I was disappointed because I was expecting excellence and it isn't.

My favorite Italian place in Rochester. I always fall for Italian home-cooking style restaurants, the kind of place that reminds you of your grandma, even when you are not Italian yourself. Cozily tight seating, no fancy fonts on the menu, straight forward dish names, breadsticks on the table. You know you are at the right place. I don't fully understand the three dollar sign rating. It is not the cheapest thing in Rochester but the entree dishes come in larger portion with heart-warming taste. Try their lamb if it's offered as a special. If not, don't miss out on their slow-cooked pork. To finish, don't forget to try their butterscotch budino. One oftentimes needs to wait to be seated. Check out the bar if you have to wait. They have one of the best collection of Italian liqueurs in town.

I truly enjoyed the atmosphere and all the food ! I was slightly delayed for the reservation and with a quick call they took care of it. For dinner, the lights were nice and dim with lit candles at every table. There was an authentic Italian feel to the restaurant, except for pre packaged bread sticks that threw me off a little. The meals were really good! We got the Arancini and Polpo for the appetizers ! The arancini was phenomenal, however the grilled polpo was slightly chewy. We also got the pasta with meatballs and bucatini. The meatballs were very nice and light. We were disappointed with the bucatini as it was very cold when first arrived to the table, then had a slightly burnt taste after we asked to have it warmed up. Overall, good food but would like to come back and taste the pizza.

First and foremost why did it take me/us almost four years to visit this little gem! I'm slightly dumbfounded by this... We are transplants and it seems when we go out sometimes things can be underwhelming this time just wow! Read the other reviews on the food, it's no joke and it's worth the trip. Ok on with the review. As others have said this is a small place, it's intimate and can be loud. It's an Italian place seriously just deal. I've got Italian relatives so. This place is bathed in warm hues and soft lighting. When you walk in you see the long bar walk up a bit and someone will greet you. We were seated right away. The menu is compact and they also do specials and some seasonal dishes. I like to order things that I don't normally make or can't get on the regular. Our server was lovely (a tip they want you to order everything but they will stagger your service this was perfect. The guy who sat us was wonderful as well. We got the House-made Ricotta and Charred Bread. YOU MUST GET IT.. it's just what you need to order. It was creamy and luscious and... just get it. We than did the special antipasti plate with house made smoked duck, salami and mortadella and Parmesan crisps and pickled vegetables. That was worth it too. I had a glass of procecco it was perfect with our food. The wine list is compact as well but has some really lovely things on it. The husband had the Pasta and Meatballs or Pasta Con Polpette I tried it and liked it, the marinara was good but for me a little sweet? But know it was good as the husband finished it all! I got the Slow Roasted Pork with Sautéed Greens and Polenta or Maiale Cotto a Fuoco Lento I could not finish it I brought it home. Also be aware the main dishes come out HOT, steaming hot be prepared before you dig in. We than shared the Butterscotch Buddino this was so lovely except for me I'm not a fan of almonds but holy crap that Buddino was so smooth and luscious. Before the bill came our server brought out some house made lemonchello for us and said "Happy Anniversary this is from us! " What a lovely touch. Over the years it's always been a let down after a restaurant asks if it's a special occasion and it was so kind to actually be acknowledged. This is really a hidden gem you should visit. If your not one for small restaurants and loud talking this is not a place for you. For me and others it was lovely and a fabulous meal! A great date night place for sure! They have a small parking lot, but you can park on the street or we Ubered. I'm coming back you need to visit! Cheers

First time eating here- why did I wait so long?! On a beautiful Friday night in June - we wanted to eat Italian on a patio somewhere. We were in Penfield, so going to the new Mario's on the bay seems like a good choice. Until they told us about the 90 minute wait for a table outside. Oh well -good restaurants will have a wait! So we decided to head into the city to Rocco. We called ahead and they said they would have a table in 15 minutes. When we got there they said that that table hadn't left yet, but would we mind sitting on the patio out back? But of course!! I think this is one of the biggest secrets in Rochester - I never heard they had a patio here! They have about a half a dozen tables out back. We started off with garlic knots with a side of marinara - soft and chewy and very tasty. I ordered the special pizza for the night - it had porcetta (pork) on it -it was awesome. The other members of my party had lasagna and gnocchi. The service was great and the prices aren't bad! There seem to be a lot of regulars around the bar and in the restaurant - I can see why! I just may become one as well. Check out Rocco - it's worth it!

Try the charred bread with ricotta. So good!!!! Food is delicious and waitstaff is very helpful and work hard to make sure you have a great experience!

didnt even get to try food, loud and crowded constantly had chair bumped into. left 10 minutes in.

We walked in last night and were able to get a table without a reservation which was nice. We ordered the charred bread and house made ricotta appetizer with was a wonderful start to the meal. I ordered the mushroom pizza and my spouse ordered the short cut pasta with meatballs. The pizza was amazing, however I only ended up ordering it due to the lack of information the server was able to give me about the other main course meals. The menu was vague only listing the protein and the server was unable to give any other details about what came with the dish. The pasta dish my spouse ordered was tasty but nothing spectacular that couldn't have been made at home. The atmosphere was cozy and intimate, the server was subpar, and the food left something to the imagination.