Bacco’s Ristorante

We had been here once before last year and went again Saturday night. As before, the food was excellent! Everyone loved their appetizers and entrees! Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. We had to wait for our table but the place is tiny and I guess this is to be expected. Overall, we had a wonderful time! Definitely recommend Bacco’s!!!

Food and service were excellent. Both the pasta, fish and milanesa dishes we shared were really good. The waitress and owner were very attentive and cordial. I did not give them a 5-​star review because the desserts were quite underwhelming (we sampled 4) and some items were slightly overpriced given the quantity.

Bacco’s food was phenomenal. Owner is so kind and friendly-​was present the night we went and made sure to check on each table. Very authentic Italian. I got the penne vodka and still can’t stop thinking about it two days later. Very different than any other vodka sauce I’ve had before. This is definitely a place to check out. Will certainly be coming back here.

This was the absolute best restaurant experience I have ever had in my life. Not an exaggeration. From the moment you walk through the door, you’re treated as if you have come to a relative/friend’s house. The owner met us, shook our hands, and set our table himself. He told us how glad he was to have us and thanked us for being there.
Our waitress was fabulous, I think her name was Julie. Her suggestions were the best and she was attentive but not hovering. And we were impressed with all of the specials she was able to memorize! They had a lot!
The food itself was beyond spectacular. The grouper fish melted in your mouth like butter, the veggies and potatoes were cooked to perfection, and even the blue cheese crumbles in the salad were fabulous!
Between the service, the food, and the hospitality of the owner, this restaurant should be rated FIVE stars. I have never been so impressed with a local restaurant, and it’s not even a very expensive menu either.
You can tell by the details the owner attended to, that he is VERY proud of his restaurant. And he should be. Very impressed with the owner’s hospitality towards every customer that walks through his door, wait staff was fabulous, and food was spectacular. They claim to have the «best Italian food in Rochester» and they’re not lying!

Very, very good food! From the appetizers, entrée and dessert, the food was excellent. The owner (very Italian gentleman) came over to the table, inquiring how everything was and that was a very nice touch. The prices are fair for the great food and their wine selection is very good as well. If I were to make just one comment, there was just one waitress and she made sure you knew she was hurried and had other tables to attend to. She started off by literally singing the daily specials (about 8 of them) and when asked to repeat because she sang so fast, she stated that we had to wait as she had to go to another table. And wait we did. At the end of the meal, we asked for separate checks and once again were told she was too busy to do that. My suggestion, maybe get more help to relieve the waitress. That aside, the food, atmosphere and wine was great and I definitely recommend it!

Great food and atmosphere. We will definitely go back when visiting the area.

This is my favorite date night spot! The owner/​manager is always really welcoming. From the staff to the homey atmosphere to the delicious Italian, its just a nice cozy spot to have dinner!

First time dining here. I went with two people who have been here multiple times and we had a reservation at 7, but the table wasn’t quite ready. However, Giovanni was extremely welcoming and apologetic and got us seated as soon as he could. Our waitress was very pleasant and knowledgable of the menu and specials. I was hoping to see chicken Parmesan on the menu, but I did not. I simply asked the waitress if the chefs could make it, and without a problem they said yes. I was very pleased. Chicken was perfectly crispy while moist on the inside and the red sauce was better than my Italian grandmothers secret sauce! Washed it all down with two bottles of wine. Great authentic Italian cuisine with that welcome-​home vibe.

A friend and I enjoyed a weekday dinner before a theater production. The house salads were crisp. Crusty bread was delicious, though olive open for dipping would have been nice. I had a delicious but pricey gnocchi special. My friend liked her Veal Milanese but thought it was a bit dry. Our server was attentive. The owner came by our table to see if we were happy. We skipped dessert due to time constraints. Coffee was freshly made. I will be back to try some other menu items.

I’ve gone to Bacco’s a couple of times over the years when I’ve been on Park Ave and have always had a really nice experience. Sometimes it can be loud on the busy nights out (weekends, Fridays), but when you catch it on a slow night during the week, it can be really private and intimate which on occasion can be just what you’re looking for!
In all of the times I’ve gone, service has been impeccable. They’re sweet, prompt, and I’m pretty sure on every visit I’ve always had the owner come to the table. I swear — it’s like he lives there! They really, really take care of you well and want you to have a good experience. I’d happily come back, if only for the staff.
As for the food, I’ve always thought it was pretty decent for Italian food in Rochester. Definitely levels above a lot of the disastrously bad competitive Italian joints around town. Only once did I ever have chicken that was slightly underdone and even then, it actually finished cooking in the sauce by the end of the meal! They definitely understand real Italian flavor, and really bring you back to what I feel would be an Italian mother’s kitchen.
Even though it’s not my first choice of places to go out to eat in town, it’s always nice to stop in once in awhile and say hello to an old friend!

Great food great people
Daily specials are something to try
Tiramisu is one of the best I had

The Good: I thought the food here was the closest to the kinds of meals I’ve actually had in Italy since being there several years ago.
The Bad: The air conditioning? It didn’t feel like Italy inside; it felt like Siberia.
Times I’ve Gone: Once (will be back soon)
I Ordered: Vitello Balsamico

Ended up here for an early Friday dinner after being denied at Lucano’s and Rocco’s (both places are reservation-​only).
We both got the special entrée, eggplant lasagna– not too heavy but still very filling (had leftovers), tasty tasty sauce (asked for extra to box up), and it was piping hot temperature-​wise. Washed it down with a decent house Chianti and yummy house-​made bread. Would’ve been perfect if we had olive oil instead of butter, but oh well.
Our waitress was very attentive and the owner made himself visible as he walked around the place checking in with the customers.
To sum it up, Bacco’s is humble and reliable. Would definitely return.

Oh, this place is good. Tucked away in an old house on a trendy street, we were sat quickly and ordered quickly!
We sat in the front windy and I felt like we were in a quaint little bistro. The waitress was very sweet, on her toes, and a pleasure to speak to. She was very knowledgable and engaged us just the right amount.
We ordered a spinach, cheese, mushroom mixture in a puff pastry that was fantastic. The owner even came out to see how we liked it, as it was something he’d thought of that morning.
I ordered the stuffed chicken special, and they quickly accomodated my request to have it over gnocchi instead of fettuccine. It was perfection. Capers, a creamy sauce, chicken stuffed with all kinds of fantasticness.
it was the perfect meal. I’m rubbing my tummy at the memory alone.

We visited on a Friday evening for a spur of the moment date night. The place was pretty empty at 8 pm but we couldn’t have been happier with the quiet atmosphere. Our server was wonderful, and as the other reviewers have mentioned, the special attention we received from the owner was unlike anything we’ve experienced elsewhere.
The menu was amazing with so many items that are unique to this restaurant. With this and a LONG list of specials for the night, it was difficult to choose, but both of our meals arrived fresh and hot.
We are already planning our next visit, and our money will no longer be wasted at mediocre Italian restaurants!

Best italian restaurant in Rochester. Great atmosphere and excellent food. Great date night place, too!

Overall, I enjoyed it here and will likely be back to try a few other dishes. Although, there were a few things with the execution of the dishes that didn’t totally win me over. The service was top notch and Giovanni, the owner was super gracious and sweet. Very old school Italian. Smiles all around.
As for our dinner, my boyfriend and I decided to share two entrees — the penne vodka and the NY strip steak. The vodka sauce was smokey at the forefront as it was prepared with bacon — a unique prep and I enjoyed it. But, the sauce to pasta ratio was off balance. I don’t enjoy my pasta being overwhelmed by too much sauce (or having to sift through to sauce to find the penne). The steak was cooked perfectly to order, but lacked basic seasoning — it was missing the salt and pepper sear. Although the Gorgonzola cream sauce added great flavor to each bite of the steak. The veggies were bland, but the potato wedges were crispy and well-​seasoned. We finished our meal with a cappuccino and chocolate cake. I always prefer the coffee vs. the sweets, but had a few bites of the cake. Oh yeah, the wine list was pretty affordable with most bottles in the $ 30 – 40 range. We settled on the Coppola for $ 36.
As far as ambiance, the restaurant is built into a house on Park Ave so it does give that homey feel to the dining experience. Although, it’s a little dated décor-​wise. It is small so I recommend making a reservation. It was strange when we noticed Christmas music was still playing and after a few requests from us and other guests the staff attempted to put on Italian background music, but the Christmas music came back on after one song. Secondly, the Christmas decorations were still up too. While subtle (sparkly snowflakes and faux cranberry garland) it wasn’t timely (it’s Feb!).
It’s not on the top of my list for Italian in Rochester, but a solid contender. I’m curious to visit again for another date night.

Overall our experience was average. It is very small inside so make a reservation. Salad was only oil soaked lettuce. For meals we had the chicken al bacco– pretty good but no pasta with it, and the lemon thyme chicken with cream sauce– which my boyfriend really enjoyed. Also had the cannoli– nothing special for $ 7 (I thinks wegs are better for $ 3.50…)
So it was good to check out, but I wouldn’t make it my go to for Italian.

Great service, attentive staff. Owner came to meet us and showed great interest in our satisfaction. Food is also quite good– freshly baked bread made on-​premises. Reservations recommended generally since it’s a very popular place.

What’s really nice about this place is that the owner goes out of his way to introduce himself, make sure everything is ok and then he even ran after us on the way out to thank us for our business. There are so many local restaurants in Rochester that just don’t care and I really thought this was nice.
As for the food, it is very good. In my opinion, it’s fresh and very authentic. The bread is phenomenal and Giovanni said that he makes it everyday– we had 2 baskets of it. We skipped dessert because we ate every drop of food on our dinner plates and we were stuffed to the gills. The desserts looked really good, but we just had to pass.
The restaurant is very small, so if you have a large group, it’s best to call ahead for reservations. The front dining area is pretty tight as it’s in the same room as the bar. Overall, the experience was good. We got in early and got out just as it was getting crowded. I highly recommend trying this place.
One more thing… there is a small parking lot in the back, otherwise, you have to park on the street. We easily found a spot in the lot.