We found The Half Barrel by chance after trying the "top rated" places in Rochester. Once we found THB we never went anywhere else (yes, we were there 5 nights in a row). The menu is diverse and everything we tried was top notch. The innovative drink menu has something for everyone and if you do not see what you want these guys are creative! The crowd was diverse. Early evening saw families while late evening drew a younger crowd. There is truly something for everyone and the staff along with Chris and Josh are amazing. The decor is welcoming and modern. I highly recommend you stop in for a drink or a meal!
Each time I've gone there I always have a great experience. We had our staff Christmas party Saturday night and Ray was our server. He was attentive ,pleasant and just all around good and knew the menu for either food or drink and helped making suggestions. Definitely worth it �
We have stopped in frequently for the BEST bourbon selection in the area. But our service and exceptional experience on Sunday night, December 10th, while seated at the bar was EXCELLENT.
Our bartender was David, who was so welcoming that we decided to stay for a meal as well. He was continually making sure that our drink and food selections were satisfactory, made excellent menu and drink recommendations, and was one of the BEST bartenders we have ever observed in his attentiveness to perfection in each of the specialty cocktails he prepared for others in the restaurant as well as our own.
THANK YOU for an exceptional experience, and for employing one of the finest mixologists and highly trained bartenders in service to your customers!
We stopped in around the middle of the afternoon. Service was very friendly. We ordered our drinks which were pretty good. I tried one of the local beers which did not disappoint. The food came quickly and boy was that good. None of us left a drop on our plates. Definitely will be back on the next trip.
Nicole Kwetinski Miller
+5
Fun atmosphere, great drinks, good food and the largest whiskey/ bourbon selection I’ve ever seen!
Awesome food, the best Rueben I've had. Excellent service and the music was great
It is so great very nice workers and awesome food 👍😎👍
Smoked old-fashioned is awesome!!! Our flatbread pizza was really good, loved the combination of toppings...truly unique. Highly recommended, can't wait to come back to try a whiskey flight.
Good sounding music. Good tasting food. Good looking waitress. Reviews must be 140 characters. Words words words I like words countdown 3 2 1
Joseph Wes Rutelonis
+3.5
This place is a nice hangout for friends and drinks. The food is just okay. Nothing spectacular. The drinks definitely have a downtown tax (which is surprising) and are a little overpriced. Their mac and cheese, however, is worthy of note. If trying this place for the first time, I would definitely get the mac.
Half barrel not only has a choice location but a staff that can make you feel at home there. Their whiskey selection is second to none and ask any of their knowledgeable staff for a direction if you are overwhelmed. The food is incredible and has quickly become my weekend crave. Both Chris' and both chads are cute and are amazing. Come here once if you dare because it will become an addiction.
Friendly service, classic American food, and always an open seat at the bar. Perfect for just drinks, or a full dinner. The creme brulee was amazing and not overly sweet. They happily customized their cocktail menu to make virgin drinks on request.
Great restaurant downtown Rochester especially if you like whiskey. The smoked old fashioned was excellent. Cheese curds were great and the French dip was delicious. Excellent service! Can't wait to go back.
This a MUST VISIT if you are in Rochester. Omg the spinach dip and fried flat bread, you MUST try it. The fries were ahhhhmazing and the salmon was perfectly cooked with the glaze that added a hint of sweet that was just enough to balance the salmon. The Effn A is the perfect fruity drink with an epic balance that sings and the old fashioned was VERY well done. Service was spot on, friendly, attentive, and the prices were very reasonable for the quality of the food.
Everything tastes so natural. Not budget friendly, but love that they gave me stuff to make my own cocktail. We made a mess mixing our drinks because they portion the stuff that they give us. The Penne Pasta is very greasy, so not for someone with illness. It did compliment the red wine.
I ate here with some family while traveling. They had an excellent menu for whiskey and multiple people in my party were very satisfied with their drink choices. The food is mostly burgers and other fried selections. It wasn't bad, but it felt more like the drinks were their specialty and why people choose to go here. If that's what you are looking for, there are a lot of good choices.
Incredible whiskey selection, was able to try Japanese whiskey that I cannot find anywhere. They pretty much have everything. Great food and plenty of outdoor seating. Fantastic old fashioned. Cheesecake was awesome.
Safety protocols seemed great for covid such as QR menus and clean tables. However, it is worth noting that my glass had lipstick on it, which is very sketchy considering the pandemic. But I’ll still give 5 stars because s*** happens, I just hope someone sees this and makes a note to improve cleaning procedures.
Great food, Very kind and generous waitress. Agreeable prices. Took about 25-30mikes to get our orders, but if your out with someone the wait is not a problem. They even made up a tiny mac'n'cheese for my 18mo. old daughter.
We went here for lunch on a week day and the service is friendly and the staff is knowledgeable about a lot of the entrees. The price is very reasonable in accordance to the food quantity and quality.
The atmosphere is very comfortable and laid back. Outdoor seating is great especially for a small group.
My complaint is that my order, a medium-rare BLT, the bun was very soggy due to absorbing all the juices and it was hard to eat it because my burger collapsed.
My other complaint is that my friend ordered the ravioli dish (last photo) and didn't like it because it was mainly sauce and no actual ravioli.
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