Newt's South — Restaurant in Rochester

We recently enjoyed dinner at Newt’s South in Rochester’s south side, and it offered a solid, family-friendly dining experience. Tucked into a cozy building with warm wood accents and local memorabilia, the atmosphere felt like a casual neighborhood gathering spot. We arrived early to avoid the early evening crowd, and the friendly staff guided us through seating and menu suggestions quickly.

We kicked off with their famous popcorn appetizer—warm, lightly salted, and a surprisingly fun starter to share. The cheese curds were another hit: plump, fresh, and served with creamy ranch, perfect for dipping. Our table also sampled boneless wings and fried pickles, both well-seasoned and generously portioned.

The real stars were the burgers. My children opted for the Basic Burger and Bacon Cheeseburger, both cooked accurately to order, juicy, and satisfying. I treated myself to the Marvin Burger, a standout featuring house-seasoned beef, cheddar, smoked bacon, and chipotle mayo—it delivered a pleasant kick and bold flavor. My spouse chose a smashburger variant (the Onion Smashburger), which boasted crisped patties with caramelized onions and melted cheese—rich and indulgent.

For non-beef eaters, the menu offers a variety of chicken sandwiches, wraps, fish & chips, and Reuben or pulled pork options. Sides like onion rings, tots & gouda, and sweet potato fries are perfect for sharing, though we found the standard fries occasionally a bit limp.

We have a preschooler and toddler, and they appreciated the kids’ mac & cheese and chicken strips. Our server checked in often, refilling drinks and clearing plates without us asking, maintaining a comfortable dining pace.

Noise levels rose slightly as the place filled, especially with a game on the TVs, but the energy felt friendly rather than chaotic. Busy times might challenge families with infants or noise-sensitive members. Parking is plentiful and restrooms clean, which always scores big for us on family nights out.

A few practical tips: try to visit before peak hours, especially early evening. If burgers are your goal, consider ordering the Marvin or an Onion Smashburger—those come with memorable flavor. Share an appetizer or two rather than ordering full individual sides—they’re generous. And clear communication about burger doneness helps avoid the occasional overcooked patty.

Overall, Newt’s South delivered enjoyable food, reliable service, and a relaxed, welcoming vibe. It’s not downtown fine dining, but for comforting burgers, shareable sides, and a family-friendly setting, it hits all the marks. We left full, content, and planning...

Went for dinner last night. The food was good, and the service was good for the most part. The problem came at the end. We received the bill and I noticed that we were charged for my daughter's drink - she had a kids meal and it says drinks are included. Not a huge deal, I pointed this out to the server and expected it would be taken off no big deal. He claimed it was correct because she was served an adult size, rather than a kid size. I pointed out that she ordered a kids meal. He said yeah but you didn't say you wanted a kids drink. I pointed out that she had the kids menu in front of her, but he said, "Well, I didn't see that." This is a fountain soda we're talking about mind you, not a bottle of something. Even if he had brought it out in a kids cup, she could get as many refills as she wanted. So apparently I needed to specify that my kid who had the kids menu was intending to order the kids soda which is included in her meal, rather than an adult soda. This may sound like a small deal but $3.59 for a fountain drink - yikes, plus just the principal of the matter. I've never once gone anywhere that made me specify that my kid ordering off of the kids menu should have the kids sized soda. This went back and forth a bit and eventually the server agreed to remove the charge. Unfortunately by then, it had already ruined the experience. To be made to feel stupid because you didn't specify your kids wanted the kids soda with her kids meal was completely ridiculous. I'm giving 2 stars, because the food was good, but there are many good burger places in this town, and I don't need to go back and deal...

We haven't had the best experience at this location so thought we'd give it another try. We wanted to relax, sit at the bar, order some appetizers and beverages. Food was excellent. Boneless wings with Italian cheese bites. When bartender took our plates, he asked if we wanted our tab. We said no, we wanted to sit and relax. Later my husband asked if the TV could be switched to a different channel. He said to give him about 10 minutes and he'd do it. We were ok with that. Well pretty soon it got to be about 20 minutes later and still the channel had not been changed. Bartender 'seemed' to be busy serving. Don't know why cause they had plenty of servers and it wasn't that busy. A few minutes later to our surprise, he brings us our tab! Meanwhile my husband orders another beverage. If you recall, we told him earlier we wanted to sit and relax plus we're still waiting for the TV channel to be changed. We both decide at this point it's time to leave. Obviously he forgot about the TV. Why do servers bring you the tab before you're ready to leave? Don't they realize that they are signaling that you should go? Like I said, the place was not busy, plenty of seating available. And why are there always issues with the TVs at this location?? After this experience it will be a long time before we go back. Too many disappointments. There's other relaxing places we can go where we can stay as...