the owl house

vegan options and more. absolutely adore the owl house !! my husband and i are both vegan and the owl house is hands down the best place in rochester. we've been going every week for a few months now and have never been disappointed by anything on the menu. the desserts are fantastic! and don't miss the cheese sticks. the bartender is great, the staff is really nice, the service is always excellent. you definately should make a reservation if you plan to go on the weekend.

the owl house has decent enough food that more often than not rises to the level of its ambitions, but is seriously marred by a discriminatory seating policy reminiscent of the darkest days of the deep south. prepare to pay a premium for good enough food, first-rate cocktails & wine--and to be unfairly judged. a singularly ugly blotch on a seemingly otherwise enlightened little place.

so happy !!. i went to the owl house for the first time this afternoon on a friend's recommendation .. i was so happy i did. this used to be "the city grill" back in the day for those of you who remember it. i loved the entire experience, from the moment i walked in i was greeted by a friendly staff member, was seated right away then was taken great care of during the meal .. staff = a+!! on to the food .. i ordered the chicken salad sandwich and a plate of fries as a starter .. the chicken salad was inspired .. one of the best i have had in a while and the fries .. omg .. thick hand cut .. real hand cut … not manufactured to appear hand cut .. these were awesome. my friend had the nachos and loved them; she took what was left home! they have a full bar .. so will definitely be back for dinner, make a resi though, the place is charming and i heard fills up fast! as we left some members of the staff said good-bye .. bottom line .. the place is comfortable and casual, portions are great, ingredients are fresh and the staff was wonderful! will be back soon with other friends!

the seemingly residential area belies the greatness that awaits you behind the portico entrance.

avant-garde artwork lines the walls and a funky waitstaff gets things started quite quickly, delivering the necessary quaff in moments.

vegans and carnivores alike will all find delights aplenty and with a deep libations selection this can (and should) become a part of ones gastronomic retinue!

and in western new york, one simply must experience the cauli buffalo 'wings'...

it's a hoot. one of the best restaurants in the roc. the menus are always exciting and the service staff is always friendly and accommodating to my dietary needs. the bartenders almost always let me try the beer before ordering it. i definitely love taking guests here!

to start with the place, its a cute house, turned into a restaurant. finding a parking is a bit challenging especially during the snow period.
we picked the second floor for dinner.
since we werent sure which type of wine we want, the waiter offered us to taste 4 different types and then pick our favorite. and we really appreciated this.
we got the fall guy salar which is super tasty. its was so rich with feta cheese and walnuts. and the dressing was very nice.
the market steak was an 8 oz sirloin, one of the best i have had in rochester. it felt very light, non greasy, healthy and with tons of flavors.
whereas the fetruccine alfredo i really do not recommend. there was a lot of mushroom in it that was so thick and hard to eat. an average pasta!

it’s a small cozy place on marshall st.. we tried small plates of crostini and meatballs, both spot on ! you have to try their cocktails pretty mean, strong and delicious (i had a rye based one). felt the service was very warm and friendly.

non-hipsters beware! this place is way overpriced for the quality (and quantity) of food served. i had the beef ravioli special for $21, which came with three raviolis, over a small pile of sautéed greens. the pasta was hard, perhaps undercooked. the "beef" inside tasted like ground beef. my fiancé's burger was mediocre, a little dry and not very flavorful. the "house-made ketchup" tasted like tomato ketchup and grape jelly mixed together. overall a big let-down on our last night of vacation.

owl house has come a long way. i definitely had a few less than awesome experiences when they first opened, but they've really turned things around and now it's one of my go to restaurants. b.v.e. burger is one of my favorite standard menu items, and the buffalo cauliflower is a great starter with plenty to share. the food is consistently good- great flavor and good portions. lots of interesting specials and always veg/vegan friendly options. it's also a great place to go when you're dining with a mixed group who wouldn't be thrilled with only veg/vegan fare. they also have a wonderful selection of beers, wines, liquors, and specialty mixed drinks. great brunch as well. the bar area is small, but it's a great place to dine and the bartenders are usually very engaging. in general, the staff are very accommodating and friendly. definitely worth checking out. again, if you had a bad experience in past years (as i definitely did) it's worth giving the place another try.

the bar was nice this is the plus and the reason for my rating, located inside what feels like someone's house. the low rating has to do with the fact that the food was one of those "go to have fun and hang out, not necessarily to have a great tasting meal" the food was overly processed, fried and oily and under flavored with too much salt added. because of this, i won't be going back unless it is for drinks. parking was a nightmare since the street has limited spots in the city and you may have to park far and walk. there are better restaurants in the city if you are looking for quality if the food.

quick info: opened in 2010, the owl house is located in rochester. it’s right around the corner from the bug jar, making it a great stop for anyone going to catch a show. a lot of the menu caters to various dietary choices/restrictions (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free). they serve local beer and also try to source local ingredients whenever possible. the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, tuesday through sunday (a special brunch menu is available during the weekend). reservations can be made online.

no reason not to like this place. the food is creative and so delicious. the buffalo cauli wings are incredible. the cauliflower has a crisp crust, smothered in tasty buffalo wing sauce. the cauliflower cooked perfectly inside, with just the right bite to it. could eat this all day. the tempe chorizo soft tacos are some of the best tacos i have ever had. the chorizo rivals the very best pork chorizo. vegan or no, the food here is fantastic and the servers are knowledgeable and friendly.

if you find this review... eat here!. absolutely amazing food set in the middle of a residential neighborhood. every single dish that came out was a culinary masterpiece. flavor profiles were spot on. don't miss your chance to eat here, you'll be full and happy. vegans and meat eaters alike can thrive here. what are you waiting for?


-----24 apr, 2015-----

buffalo cauli wings. amazing. not crispy beside vegetable crispy, but amazing.

call ahead: hours not right. showed up 27 minutes before closing, were told they weren't serving dinner, kitchen was closed. at a restaurant. the person said sorry three times. i showed them their own posted hours online, didn't matter.

call at least an hour before closing to get the actual closing hours for that day, disregard whatever's listed online.

wow!. it was a pleasure to be served by such a sweet young lady (laura), who had no trouble describing the selections of food and drinks. being knowledgable is a very good sign. i had the b.v.e. burger.......omg.....amazingingly delish! the roll alone was superb, now picture the tastiest burger with the coolest choices of condiments added, picture strawberry jam mayo. oh man it was awesome! the drinks were right on, and the atmosphere outdoors......fireflies in the garden....i haven't seen fireflies since i was ten! so lovely! my son zach was visiting from san francisco, he chose the owl house and i am sold on it! next time we go i am having the shanghai chicken, i sampled my sons' meal, yummy!