Lemoncello Italian Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Town/Village of East Rochester

Lemoncello has always been my family’s go-to restaurant. For the most part the food has been delicious and the service excellent, until yesterday. We were seated promptly at 5:00 pm. The restaurant was busy, but there were several empty tables. We ordered our dinner shortly after we were seated. We got our salads - 1 cherry tomato, 1 slice of cucumber. The rest of the salad was filled with just greens - nothing else. We finished our salads, and asked for more bread. Waitress came back and said it was being warmed and would bring it to us when ready. That never happened. Also no one came to refill water or refill beverages. Everyone was flying around and it was difficult to find our own waitress or someone to help. Entrees came an hour later. Two were fine, the third, lasagna, was ice cold in the center. No one asked how dinner was, couldn’t find our waitress and ended up flagging down the owner. He took it and said they would put back in oven. We waited and waited for my special needs daughter’s lasagna to come back. I had to give her some of my meal while we were waiting. No one brought the lasagna back. Had to find someone else to flag down to go look for it. Another 10 minute wait. They finally brought it back out and it was still cold in the middle. I told the young girl who brought it back out that it was only luke warm and all she said was sorry and she was gone. We told the waitress it was cold and she said it’s bubbling on the outside. Really? We were halfway through dinner when our water and beverages were refilled, and the bread received that we asked for while eating our salads.

I understand it was Mother’s Day, and a few extra minutes is acceptable. However, we waited an hour for our food and we came in at 5:00. No one, especially the owner, ever apologized for my daughter’s food being cold or the long delay, or the terrible service. Maybe you should accept less reservations on a holiday, or make sure you have enough kitchen help when you know there will be a large crowd, along with more servers. Our waitress was going back and forth to two rooms. Why not worry more about the people that did choose your restaurant on Mother’s Day and who frequently dine at your restaurant. Not once in all the years I have been a patron of this restaurant has the owner ever come by the table and asked how the food was or even introduced himself. Very poor. It will be a while before I’m back...

I feel positive I've written about this restaurant within the last two weeks, but I keep getting asked... "So, how was it?"

First of all, I have been going to Lemoncello since 2010, but after about 2015, I stopped, just because I didn't live or go to work near there. I have always loved this place and it has always held a dear place in my heart, for the friends I've made, and the great food as they developed into a really good restaurant.

We went Christmas Eve. I was pensive. And maybe people just want to know about the food. It was great. But this time, it was with a family I was about to meet. Yes, we followed all precautions and so did the restaurant and I heartily applaud them. There were 12 of us. They were able to seat 4 of us each at 3 tables, in the general vicinity.

So we ordered, and got 4 appetizers; the clams and mussels in the best broth I have come across in a long time. This seriously is a meal unto itself, but we passed it around, I was fortunate to have a bit more since not too many liked mollusks, lol. There was also the house burratta wrapped in a crispy prosciutto with greens, then the traditional fried calamari with marinara and banana peppers, but, now two weeks later, I cannot remember the other app.

For dinner I ordered one of the specials; pan seared scallops over a bed of spinach goat cheese risotto with red pepper puree. The scallops were seared heavily, but there was a decent seasoning and it needed that to stand up against the red pepper puree. For me, I'm not sure that choice was a great combination with the rice and scallop. I think if there was just a little less of the pepper puree it would have been a triumph. Anyhow, I did enjoy most of it. And the company too.

We did split a dessert, a peanut butter, hazelnut ice cream with hardened chocolate, which reminded me of days as a child having ice cream bars.

So, aside from all this, after the fire they endured this year, and the C, they are strong. Their staff is amazing, their food wonderful, and the atmosphere is eclectic.

And meeting a new family for the first time, well, it was lovely, like a set, from a Frank Capra stage. You fans of his, and it being Christmas Eve, you know what I'm talking about.

So take your family and friends here, safely and...

As people know I go to a lot of restaurants! My first impression walking in, well now what? The entrance was in very close proximity to the bar that was looking somewhat busy. There is a narrow walk way tho the back dining area that was presumed the way into the dinning area.

Tables for persons wishing to dine in the bar area were on the opposite side of the bar/path to a small decorative area were we stood feeling out of place.

Our reservation was for 5:30pm we arrived about 5 minto early, we wa red for awhile uncomfortable 2 min before someone one came from the back to seat us. They said how many. We replied 2 with a reservation at 5:30. They replied that at that hour we were fine and on weekends we would need to reserve.

We were seated with our menus, we sat and sat and sat. My husband finally yelled out to the hostess person and asked if we could at least get at least get a drink!!! I

Then he came and apologized and the waitress came over with a server that was In Training and said there was a miscommunication! Then proceeded to ask if wehave would like a drink sense we said no to the water, followed by would you happen to know what you want to eat!?

Ok we were stunned. I so we ordered a drink and said we would like to start with a appetizer! She put that order In and before we received a drink someone else brought out our appetizer, still waited a and waited for our drink!!

When they came back to take our order I had to ask what the specials were, that I over heard the other patrons were being offered!

I chose a Tomato soup with spinach and artichokes! Oh my god to die for!!

It was a waiting and flagging down the help, the trainee came over, not even our waitresses!! So we were still not impressed with the waitresses, as she was more attentive to all the others that arrived after us, and made us feel like we just were not welcome!

This is why I give 4 stars!!

I will recommend you try this restaurant if you can sit though the wait you will not be disappointed in there food!! Fantastic fresh and perfectly Cooked.

There drinks could use some spicing up.. very blah and plain. But tasty.

Fresh bread,fresh parmesan! Salad was well put together, craps with cheese filling yummy! Chicken parmesan with...