Victoria's Restaurant & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Rochester

Victoria’s Restaurant and Wine Bar – A Complete Disaster Walking into Victoria’s, I expected decent hospitality and edible food. Instead, I got a train wreck of poor execution, terrible service, and an unprofessional brand image that backfired spectacularly. The Food – A Culinary Nightmare The pepperoni pizza, while unimpressive, was somehow the best dish of the night. Then came the shrimp fettuccine Alfredo, reeking of something that should not be served in a restaurant. Shrimp that smells and tastes overwhelmingly fishy is either not fresh or not properly stored, both of which are unacceptable. Sending it back only made it worse—barely sautéed and even more foul. Then, my Mechi’s arrived—a soupy mess drowning in sauce with an unmistakable rotten taste. Within one bite, I knew something was seriously wrong. My ex-wife’s reaction was disgust, and my daughter had to excuse herself to vomit. That’s not just bad cooking, it’s a health risk. Service – A Masterclass in Arrogance Restaurants make mistakes, but how they handle them defines their reputation. Our waitress was visibly annoyed, and when I pretty bluntly explained the problem to the manager, I was met with indifference. Then came Ryan—a so-called leader whose cringeworthy, wildly inappropriate bio on the restaurant’s website hypes him up as some kind of saint. Rather than apologizing, Ryan smugly threw us out, saying: "I’ll comp your tab, but I need to turn this table for someone who wants to be here." Excuse me? Who treats customers like this? I had no issue paying for the drinks, bread, and pizza—but I refuse to pay for food that was inedible and possibly unsafe. The Ryan Bio – A Branding Disaster Let’s talk about the absurd employee bio they proudly display on their website. Calling a grown man a “stud muffin” and “Tator Tot Hot Dish”? Unprofessional. Advertising that he’s single? Completely inappropriate. Writing about his “moral principles” and “strong ethics” like a eulogy? Laughable. It reads less like a professional endorsement and more like an over-the-top tribute from an overbearing mother. Instead of quirky, it’s downright embarrassing and sets the tone for how unserious this restaurant is.

Final Verdict – Avoid This Place Between disgusting food, awful service, and one of the worst management interactions I’ve ever had, I can confidently say Victoria’s Restaurant and Wine Bar is one of the worst dining experiences imaginable. The only edible things that we had? The bread and Diet Coke. If you’re looking for a meal in the area? Go literally anywhere else. Final Rating: 0/10 –...

The bread is served warm, definitely tastes homemade and has a delicious crunchy crust. It is great with their dipping sauce of olive oil, balsamic, spices and parmesan or for getting the last of you gravy and soup broth.

The decor is unique to be like an Italian Villa; just outside the front door you’ll find the signature of the faux painting artist. It's softly lit if you are seated at an interior table. But, if you ask, there are several tables by the front windows if you want more light. For events or overflow when it’s busy, the corner room is fully lined with windows on both sides and has a fireplace. Our server was attentive and helpful. They know the daily specials, machine.

We’ve visited now three times; it is in a great location where it is so nice to talk a walk afterward.

The crab cakes are especially good. But what I have ordered every time is the Frutti Di Mare. The muscles and shrimp are large and prepared to perfection. They are wild caught, which I prefer. It has some noodles in it, but they don’t take over the dish; they complement it. Once they didn’t bring me a soup spoon with my asking for it. I catch every bit of the marinara sauce that hosts the Frutti Di Mare. It includes mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms.

We also like a simple and super fresh Caesar salad, which they do very well.

During the winter, you can get to the Victoria's threw the Mayo walkway and take the elevator up to the street level. Currently, they are completing a common area with a fountain, paths, and more gardens right out the front door. It’s a lovely dining experience.

I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to Natalie Victoria, Co-Owner, for her passion and hard work to keep this place open and welcoming during the pandemic. The staff are great to keep masks on and space...

We came for a birthday celebration from out of town. We started with Bruschetta and the fried calamari. Both were good and the calamari was cooked PERFECTLY. Our main meal was tasty but it seemed like the kitchen struggled with sauce to pasta ratios. I got the mushroom pasta and it was more like a soup than a pasta dish. The sauce was so good, but I actually wanted less of it (or double the noodles). It was tough to eat without getting it all over my shirt. Other plates had the same affliction. They were good, but had too much sauce. We ended with the classic chocolate cake and bread pudding. Both tasty.

Our server seemed uncomfortable with his role. Cocktails came without their garnishes and he told us outright he wasn't comfortable carrying them across the restaurant on a tray. I'm not a germaphobe but the less other people handle my drinks, the better in my world. Rookie perhaps? He also really missed the mark on getting that bill padded. Didn't ask us if we wanted a drink with our entree. Didn't ask if we wanted dessert. Didn't ask if we wanted an after dinner cocktail. Didn't ask if we wanted appetizers either! The worst that would happen is we would say "no thanks". Nobody ever refilled water glasses or checked back with us to ensure everything was correct and tasting good.

Also, please pay attention to your lighting. Mixed color temperature bulbs drive people nuts and it's super distracting.

All in all, our food was good, served piping hot, and we left full. The service left a bit to be desired. Nothing that a bit more...