Wabi Sabi — Restaurant in Rochester

Great food, very fresh. A unique option in Rochester and true to the downtown classic. The staff are friendly and clearly take pride in the food they're serving. I regret not getting a photo of the jalapeno chicken wing appetizer to share, as it was a beautiful dish with a wonderful glaze and sweet & spicy flavor.

The Spicy Korean bowl is a go-to and must-try, preferably ordered in what MDM Grand coined "Old Style" at the downtown location (rice on bottom, greens in the middle).

The Fried Fish Bowl was on special tonight and the batter was spectacularly crunchy and remained so throughout the meal. No soggy breading here. I was told that the Chicken Katsu has the same crusty glory.

Haven't tried the ramen yet but we'll be back for it. The manner in which the chef was preparing the noodles was the same as we saw in several Tokyo restaurants a few weeks back. As far as Rochvegas is concerned, it's as legit as you're going to get.

This is a special Rochester treat as evidenced by the solid flow of college aged dine-in and take-out patrons. If you haven't tried it yet, and don't have the opportunity to hit up the original doesn't location during the limited Galleria Food Court hours, now's the time.

Also, it's located right next to El Carambas, not Cub as the map...

A Hidden Gem for Authentic Vietnamese Pho and More!

My friend and I decided to explore Rochester's dining scene last Friday and stumbled upon Wabi Sabi. Though it's been around for five years, it's surprisingly under-the-radar—very little buzz or advertising. Don't let that fool you; this place is a gem!

Upon arrival, we noticed the restaurant wasn't overly crowded, which made for a relaxed dining experience. The staff greeted us warmly, instantly making us feel at home.

The menu offered a diverse selection, but we were mainly there for the authentic Vietnamese pho. My friend opted for the pho beef noodles and was thoroughly pleased. I branched out a bit with fried calamari for starters, followed by a sushi bowl featuring spicy salmon and shrimp tempura. Each dish was a hit—flavorful, well-prepared, and reasonably priced.

And let's not forget the beverages! I tried their Toro Boba and was not disappointed. It was the perfect cap to an already outstanding meal.

Overall, if you're in Rochester and craving Asian cuisine—particularly Vietnamese—I can't recommend Wabi Sabi enough. It's...

Went to Wabi Sabi II and was super, super impressed the first time, so I came back!! The place is clean with decorative mats and napkins. The hostess is super friendly and the chef, Lincoln, is very personable and kind. He gave great suggestions. We had to wait about 5-10 minutes because he was out buying some ingredients. Which isn't so bad. And he apologized and gave us free ice cream!! Haha!! Mmm. This time I had a ramen soup bowl, which was light and delicious. We had sushi bowls last time that blew me away. We also had stir fry rice this time. And experienced the different types of boba. The only thing that was upsetting was this couple that came in that were strict vegetarians. They complained about too many meat dishes and said it took too long to get their food. (Which was not long, mind you.) And then they got their tofu appetizer and sat and picked at it like it was disgusting. Why get tofu if you don't like it, guys? 👍 Anyway, I officially love this place and hope you do, too. :) (Just don't be like those other people. It ruins the experience...