CRISP Rochester

I initially considered giving CRISP a 3-star review for portions, pricing, food quality, and an unusual interaction with the owner/GM. However, after reading the responses from the owner, i feel my experience has been 2 stars.

CRISP's website states: "After all, what is remembered after any experience is how someone or something made you feel." Unfortunately, it left me feeling disappointed, undervalued, and hesitant to return.

Dining was OK. Our party was seated quickly with a reservation, and drink orders were taken promptly. However, one of our party members was skipped during the drink order and had to wait until the server returned to place theirs. Thankfully, their drink arrived quickly, and the cocktails overall were fantastic—one of the highlights of the evening. However, things began to unravel with the food. Service delays left us waiting long enough for the conversation at the table to shift from lively to awkward silence. Eventually, the owner, Wendi, approached to assure us the food was on its way. While her presence was appreciated, it felt a little too coincidental when she chimed in immediately after a comment about our hunger. It was an early indicator of a pattern that would later feel invasive rather than attentive. When our food arrived, appetizers came out alongside entrees. The experience of the guest of honor—our birthday celebrant—was disappointing. Their New York Strip steak was riddled with a large, inedible tendon, rendering a significant portion of their meal unsalvageable. The steak was comped, and another dish was offered, which was appreciated. My catfish was seasoned well but arrived cold. The collard greens, a side dish I was excited to try, were also cold and drowned in hot honey—a trend that appeared in several dishes, including the wedge salad. The churros were mushy, seemingly frozen before being served. Another member of our party ordered the vegan meatloaf, which came in a surprisingly small portion for its $27 price tag. A thin patty, a handful of green beans, and carrot mash (also cold) left them leaving the restaurant still hungry.

Our interactions with Co-Owner/GM were not OK Mistakes happen in any restaurant, and food issues can be mitigated with good service and hospitality. While Wendi tried to address our concerns at the table, it’s the pattern of responses to critical feedback—ours and others—that left the most lasting impression. The tone of these responses consistently includes passive-aggressive remarks and an undercurrent of defensiveness. While I understand that running a restaurant is deeply personal and customer criticism can sting, the way the feedback is handled often shifts blame or invalidates the concerns raised. For example, suggesting that “most people find the portions large” directly contradicts specific guest feedback and doesn’t help resolve the issue. Similarly, statements like “we tried our best” or “I’m not sure what to say” undermine what could be opportunities to rebuild trust with disappointed customers. In my case, the owner’s interactions felt more about defending the restaurant’s reputation than addressing the root of the problem. For example, when issues like slow service or cold food were raised, they were brushed off as anomalies or countered with generalizations about other guests’ experiences. As a result, I left feeling like our concerns weren’t fully heard or valued.

CRISP has potential—it shines in areas like creative cocktails and its modern ambiance. But the dining experience needs significant refinement & the owner’s(s'?) response to feedback are a major area for growth. People want to feel valued, heard, and understood. Acknowledging and owning mistakes without defensiveness would go a long way toward improving CRISP.

I cannot recommend CRISP for now. I hope this review is taken as an opportunity for introspection and improvement, not another review to defensively refute.

Update: Owner took 15 mins to respond and dismiss my experience. I wont return...

I'm not sure I'll have enough room here to share the experience I had at CRISP last night. Everything from the people that work there to the food was just fantastic!! All the people I saw that worked there always had a smile on their face, even though they were VERY busy. Our server was Sarah and she was friendly, helpful, warm, kind, and attentive. I started with the Island Delight craft cocktail--very unique and was just a hint of the uniqueness and creativity that was in store for us. We wanted to try everything on the menu but since that just wasn't possible, we decided to get a few things to share. We ended up with the popcorn chicken (hello, truffle honey drizzled on top!), the Dallas Elote (it has corn so it's good for us, right?), macaroni and cheese with fried pork belly (warm ooey gooey cheese, pork belly, need I say more?!), and the Caesar Salad (of course we needed our greens, the Parmesan CRISPs were spot on!) Everything was just a magical mixture of flavors, we enjoyed every single bite. The portions were just right for us, we had just enough left over for a little midnight snack later on. When Sarah asked us if we wanted dessert, hubby was too full but I was curious so asked what they had. I was totally intrigued by the words "Smoked Jalapeno Cheesecake" so had to try it. I took a bite and was absolutely awed by the flavors that exploded in my mouth. CHARLES: that cheesecake was absolutely BRILLIANT!!! It was light and airy, not dense like a typical cheesecake--perfect for my mostly full tummy. But hey, there's a dessert stomach so I hear! Loved the flecks of the smoked jalapeno inside the cheesecake and the sauce drizzled lightly on top was a magical alchemy of smoky, lime-y, sweet heaven. My taste buds were singing!! I'm glad hubby was too full to eat much of it but he agreed that it was amazing too. Can't wait to see what Charles might have on the menu next time we visit! I had a chance to chat with one of the owners, Valerie, and she was very warm, friendly, and gracious. All in all, such a great place--we'll be back!! Congratulations Valerie and Wendi, well done!! Happy to be a supporter of...

Went here for my partners' birthday last night with a small group. Atmosphere was nice, but everyone at the table had an issue with their meal. The "New York Strip Steak" my partner ordered had a huge tendon running through the meat. We suspect it was actually a flank steak. He initially wanted the braised beef sandwich, but it was sold out.... at 6pm on a Saturday. My burger was mid and I did not finish it. I could have gone across the street to Swillburger and had a more satisfying meal for half the price. The fries were cold, bland, and came at an upcharge. They slather everything in hot honey, including for some reason the Collard greens. Wedge salad was missing crumbly blue cheese. The vegan meatloaf was a tiny portion for a large price.

The waitress also neglected to take my drink order (everyone else had their drink order taken). I had to wait until everyone else got a drink to even order a lemonade.

Weirdest of all, the owner and staff kept listening in on our conversation and butting in, making comments when we werent complaining or seeking her help/attention. She seemed to appear out of nowhere, clearly having been listening to the table intently. (Ex: my mom made a comment about the music playing being "gen x" music and she popped up saying "well i'm the owner, so we listen to what i want") We never specifically sought out her attention. She seemed like a nice lady but it felt invasive and strange. I think she was a bit fixated on us for some reason. We joked throughout dinner that they had hidden microphones in the restaurant.

Service was alright but they automatically charged a 20% gratuity, which is fine other than the fact they did not mention this. If I had not seen the gratuity (already $40), I would have paid a compounding 20% tip for an already overpriced meal.

Unimpressed, will not return.

(Advice for the owner: stop being snarky and passive agressive in response to negative reviews. I would not have written this if not for your response to my partners review. Gaslighting everyone with a valid criticism is a really bad look for...