Next Door by Wegmans

The sushi here is do DIE for! Tastes fresh every time. Very trendy atmosphere and very cool place to go have drinks.

WOW, from the beginning it was great. Started off having drinks in the bar, we then got seated. The pricing for the food was what I expected. I ordered sushi and it didn’t disappoint. She ordered the filet and it was cooked perfectly. Dessert and coffee were spectacular also. Kyle was great and so was Matt. From service to food to the bill, nothing was below excellent.
We will be returning once a month for date night!

I was disappointed with our meal here. While the service was excellent and the ambience is great, the food was below average. We started with the «crazy roll» which we did both enjoy. After that we got the poached pear salad, which while the dressing was good, it was essentially a pile of arugula with ½ a pear and barely-​there goat cheese and almonds. We were both disappointed with our meals: short ribs wth gnocchi were very salty, and braised organic roasted chicken was low on flavor. Definitely left feeling like everything was overpriced for what you get! And it’s a shame because we love Wegmans!

I went to Next Door when it first opened up in Rochester with so much hype that Wegmans is running it. Atmosphere is trendy yet quite upscale as well when it comes to interior decorations. I was not disappointed of the food menu they offer either. I had nothing but a good dining experience here although I do not have a picture to prove it!

I came here yesterday for a work holiday lunch. When I first walked into the vestibule, I saw shelves against the wall that were full of green apples and gave the room a nice apple smell. Inside the restaurant, as you walk toward the dining area, the walls are covered in wood logs hanging from chains. It gives a weird, never seen before, interesting look to the interior décor.
For lunch, I had the Next Door Bolognese (which was very good), and the Butterscotch Crème Brulee for desert (Which was amazing). Being that Next Door is a Wegmans owned restaurant, I have heard that all of the ingredients used in their meals are made with Wegmans products. I think that is really cool because it shows people that they can make the same delicious meals at home with items from their local grocery store.

This is a lunch review. I make a point of trying to get to Next Door for lunch as often as possible. It can be expensive but the food is amazing, you get what you pay for. We have our favorite meals and cant bring ourselves to switch it up, I go for the Bento Box (with Salmon and Spicy Tuna), my wife the Blue Crab and Avocado salad. The Bento Box is amazing, big chunks of fluffy light tofu floating in the miso soup, the salmon is cooked to perfection, shiny and pink in the center. Just a great experience, and never busy (may be those prices). Service is always impeccable, with the right level of attention. When taking lunch meetings here I have been asked ‘are you working to a schedule today or would you like to take your time over lunch’, that is a GREAT question for lunch service. Highly Recommend.

Perfect evening with 5 stars in every area.
The décor was stunning, especially the apple foyer, chandeliers, and large wood doors. The ambience was delightful, not too loud with great lighting. I loved the open kitchen and being able to thank the kitchen staff personally. Our server was exceptionally friendly, as well as the manager. Our food arrived with perfect timing and cooked to perfection. It was not inexpensive, but definitely a high quality meal for the price.
Feeling like we had finally found a nice place to eat, we were then amazed at the quality of food. The ahi appetizer and sushi were some of the best we have ever had. My filet was cooked to perfection with the best brussel sprouts. My husband expressed great delight with his sea bass whole fish, a pleasant surprise considering we were in Rochester (and not Tarpon Springs). The near-​perfect meal was finished with the most amazing butterscotch crème-​brulee.
I highly recommend Next Door and would definitely go back the next time we are in town..

Went here on a double date as i would probably not have attended otherwise. It has been on my mind to go but i knew it was expensive. Entering the restaurant i notice the unique decorations which i liked. the bar is to the left and straight through is the sit down restaurant. We sat in a booth which was pretty comfortable and they had pillows which i got a kick out of. the seats weren’t too low and the table wasn’t too high which is usually the case at most fancy restaurants i’ve been to. lightening was good and i noticed awesome private seating areas if needed for bigger parties.
The menu was extensive enough with much to choose from and quite unique which i liked. the people we were with had been there before and mentioned most of the unique stuff is really good. they have a whole list of sushi to choose which i like, but unfortunately wasn’t in the mood for. however i did try one roll from my friends and it was really good. I got the next door burger which included Lacquer bacon, spicy mayo, bibb lettuce, pickled cucumber, tomato, and a poached egg on toasted brioche. choice of: swiss, cheddar or blue cheese.
my boyfriend got the Next Door Bolognese: Blend of beef, veal, pork in a creamy tomato sauce with orecchiette which was delicious so i will be getting that next time. so hard to choose from actually as i liked many things on the list. i just wasn’t adventurous enough the first time!

Great meal, terrific ambiance, wonderful service. We started with a cheese plate that was amazing. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her beet salad. I had the yellow snapper, served whole, which had been expertly seasoned and cooked to the perfect amount of doneness. All in all a fantastic meal.

Nice but strange inter-​design, not sure what they were going for, unless marketing chose to brand establish themselves to be different from the mother company. Being by Wegman’s it definitely didn’t feel or look like a Wegman’s.
Went for a friend’s birthday get together and had a small private room in the back. That side was split for the restaurant and had more or a night club bar look/​feel to it.
Sushi itself was small, the portions are typical sushi portions, but the rolls were terribly small.

I’m gonna skip the interior description because honestly, who cares when the food is this good? We started off with the Truffle Mac n cheese and the beet salad. I am not a fan of beets so this wasn’t my choice. I tried it and they weren’t that good but again, not a fan. However the truffle Mac n cheese was sooooo good! It was very filling and def made from real, gourmet cheeses. I had to stop about halfway through or there was no way I would still be hungry for my meal. I wouldn’t have had the willpower to stop though if my husband hadn’t literally taken the plate away and had it boxed up for leftovers. Oh and we also binged on the sourdough miche bread – which you can buy at Wegman’s btw.
Now I have to stop and tell you our server, John, was EXCELLENT. He was extremely knowledgeable and honest about all of the menu items, recommending his favorites, and he verified my choice of the short ribs. My husband opted for the salmon.
While we were waiting for our entrees, the server brought us small plates of an egg dish with chorizo and puréed potatoes with cheese. John knew in great detail how the dish was prepared so if your into cooking like my husband, then make sure to sit in Johns section and he can entertain you with the Wegman recipes. :) But back to the dish. The egg was a bit weird for me just as a personal thing because of the slightly liquid texture but the rest was delicious, especially the chorizo, so well worth it.
My short rib dish had gnocchi and the whole thing was hearty and absolutely perfect for a cold, rainy night. A real comfort food if you’re in need of one. My husband’s salmon was a little undercooked but John quickly noticed this without us even mentioning it and asked if we wanted to send it back. My husband decided not to since the fish was fresh. I personally prefer my fish less «fishy» but I also don’t eat sashimi. To each his own.
We were much too full for dessert but upon receiving our check, we got two little salted caramel macaroons which were juuust right. I love salty sweets and this was the perfect ending. I thought I saw our neighbors get little chocolate chip cookies so maybe there are a variety of goodies?
We asked our server what the Taste room was and since it was the end of the night, he actually gave us a tour! He was really proud of the entire restaurant, pointing out the different private spaces –which totally gives me an idea for our next company dinner as there are quite a few to choose from – and the taste room seems like a really cool option. John provided rich commentary about each space and the history behind the details. It was all very entertaining.
All in all, I felt like we had dined at a very high end restaurant with the type of customer service you could expect there, even though the prices are not high end. I can’t say enough about my experience. Just go.

Sitting and eating here is still not something I’m interested in. Drinking, yes, if you get the one friendly bartender or a server in the bar that isn’t completely overwhelmed– a rarity.
The bar menu and drinks are generally good, but they need to focus less on a vast array of food for dining and hone in on maybe a page or so of food. After all, the Cheesecake Factory is across the street, so if I need to order eight totally different entrées, I can do it there and save a lot of money.

No matter where I try sushi in Rochester, I always come back to the conclusion that Next Door serves the best. Each piece is so deliciously fresh, and the rolls are so unique.
On my most recent visit I had the Spicy Tuna and the New York Rolls. Both very good, the Spicy Tuna had the perfect amount of heat, and the Plum Sauce/​Spicy Mayo combined with the smoked salmon and cream cheese almost gave a barbecue flavor to the New York roll — perfect for a summer night!
My friend got the Lava Roll which was both light from the cucumber and wasabi sauce, but had a great crunch from the almonds, and the Tsunami Roll which had a strong taste of caramelized onion (that I really enjoyed) despite that ingredient not being listed.
I also had the Truffle Mac and Cheese to start and I can’t even begin to say enough good things about the rich and flavorful cheese sauce.
I’ll definitely be back again!

Well hello there my «last night in Rochester» the night when my mind was already back home. The generous school took our group to a private event in a closed door room to enjoy dinner with other students, faculty members and staff members. What a night, nothing beats our last night in Rochester like nobody beats the wiz *:) I’m not a Wegmans’ customer, I’m a FreshDirect woman but ok Wegmans, you got me! First we were served with beautifully made colorful sushi, which I forgot to shoot picture due to being way too busy trying them. The best part is looking at the Chef preparing our meals right in front of our eyes. He worked hard, go Chef! While having sushi, I noticed that our next entrees would be some flavorful risotto, light green in color with something else that looked just like «I can’t wait to dig-​in!» I was very happy chatting and trying the Hors d’œuvre and happier to be served more good food after. We were pampered at dinner time with some plates of risotto, chicken and salmon. All of them were delicious and I’d definitely come back if I get a chance to travel back to Rochester. It was a great place for a large group. I’m not sure about the menu but I’m sure all of them are very good. The restaurant has a high-​level of service, the 5-​star goes (first) to the service. Bonus goes to the interior decoration. I enjoyed my meal, that’s for sure. Who says I’m not allowed to judge everything I see, hear, taste, touch and smell? It looks great, it sounds good, it tastes delicious, it feels great and it smells perfect. Fifth sense = 5-​star! Cheers all!

All in all not a bad experience. Not stellar but not bad…
Appetizer:
Pork belly roll!!! I mean pork belly = bacon delicious! But the best thing we had was a truffle Mac and cheese… this was insanely good.
Entrée
Had a Thai sandwich totally forgetting the name right now but it had… you guessed it pork belly!!! Could afford more seasoning and with enough siracha (spelling?) it was good. My French fries were so soggy that I was disappointed
For dessert the coupe… eh it tasted like it had ovaltine so eh…
The check came with mini peanut butter chocolate cookie… wish it was not a mini one… soo good.
I’ll give this place one more shot when o get back to Rochester

This restaurant is owned by wegmans, which I am a huge fan of ! I was visiting from out of state and a coworker recommended this place.
We went for lunch and ordered the truffled Mac and cheese for the table to share. Wow… may have been the best I have ever had ! I had the chicken sandwich for lunch which was good.
The ambiance is good and its very trendy inside. On your way out, you can apparently grab an apple on the wall for the road. I would definitely recommend the mac and cheese. it’s a must try !

Ok, I go places to eat chicken wings. But once and a while I go places to eat amazing food, and this is that place. The food and the setting were so amazing. Go for lunch a get your money’s worth.

A friend of mine and I really wanted to try this place for happy hour, and so we did. It’s a very cool bar area; trendy booths with curtains that you can close for privacy, different colored lights giving the room a cooler-​temperature vibe, sleek bar top.
We were all about the décor.
As the first patrons at the bar we received a free glass of Prosecco. PRETTY snazzy, we thought.
The food, though, was a bit underwhelming for the price points.
Truffle mac n’ cheese, $ 12 — it was good! But I’ve had better mac n’ cheese in the immediate area for less money.
Rainbow Roll, $ 14 — the fish was really fresh, and delicious, but it was sliced SO thin, there was hardly any on top :-/​which is kind of a bummer.
Sashimi Salad, $ 12 — again, it was good, but I’ve had better sashimi with a better portion size nearby.
Bread Pudding, $ 12 — I get that this is finer dining, but this dessert was actually 3 bites of food. We were pretty sad about that one, being bread pudding people.
We also ordered some fries because we were still hungry, and they were kind of just «meh» as well.
I really wish they’d beef up their dessert menu — I’m tired of seeing chocolate lava/​motlen cake, ice cream sundaes, and bread pudding (even though I love it!) at ‘finer dining’ establishments. As a pastry chef, this lack of creativity makes me sad.
The service was a little spotty. Our first bartender was great, but the woman who came in after him sort of made us feel like we were an inconvenience. Which then makes us feel very awkward. We were the only two people at the bar but still struggled to get her attention to place food orders, get drinks, and get another round of drinks.
In the end, we spent roughly $ 120 before tip, and felt like we could’ve better spent the money elsewhere. The food was GOOD — just — not as good as I’d hoped. I never mind spending the extra cash for a memorable dining experience, but Next Door didn’t really hit it out of the park for me.
It’s definitely a cool environment, and so we’re going to go back soon and see what it’s like for lunch or dinner in the dining room! Maybe we just went on an off-​day or something.

I’m torn between three and four stars, but I’ll give it 4… strictly for happy hour/​the bar area.
My friends and I were in desperate need of a get together, and we decided on «the Wegmans restaurant» due to their comfy sofas and lounge area. Sadly, there was a private event going on in the larger lounge area, but we were able to be seated in one of the alcove-​type areas in the bar so we could catch up in a more secluded space.
I actually really like the bar at Next Door — it’s visually pleasing with dimmer lighting and super comfortable bar stools and the aforementioned sofas. They have a pretty good happy hour special going: half price specialty cocktails, and discounted house wine and beer daily from 4−7p. I was impressed with my cocktail of choice: the Saint with was gin, elderflower liquor topped with sparkling wine. Very light and refreshing! My friends had the margarita and the Rising Sun, which was a martini with bright hits of citrus. Delicious! We each stuck to those, and the bartender was really nice and prompt with her service, even as the bar became busier.
We ordered the fries (yummy, but not very memorable), and the truffle mac and cheese. As Breanna B. mentioned in her review, this stuff was DIVINE. I could have easily eaten that whole crock by myself. We pondered over getting dessert, but we chose to walk across the street to the big W for cookies and donuts (don’t judge).
The crowd is a little older and more mellow, which I like. I do wish the music wasn’t so loud: it’s like they can’t decide what type of mood that want for the bar — it was pop music, but it didn’t seem to jive with the overall ambience of the restaurant. I’ve had dinner here before, and it’s too pricey for the quality in my opinion. However, a solid option for a few drinks and light eats with friends or a date!

Next Door used to be my go-​to place when family and friends from out of town were visiting. I always liked to brag to others from out of town that we have restaurants by Wegmans. After experiencing so many other great restaurants in Rochester, it’s definitely not my go-​to spot anymore, but it’s still a good restaurant!
The menu here kind of bores me and I feel like it hasn’t changed much over the years I’ve been here. Despite that, everything I have had here has been really good. During my most recent visit, I started with the strawberry arugula salad. I’m pretty sure I get this to start each time I’m here. My friend and I decided to share some stuff and tried their sushi and burger for the first time. I was pretty disappointed with their sushi (we shared the crazy roll). Don’t get me wrong, Wegmans has some great quality sushi for a grocery store, but the rolls here at Next Door tasted identical to the packaged ones I pick up from time to time at their stores. Not worth the up charge for me! The burger was nice and juicy, while the fries were pretty standard. I longed for something more than just plain ketchup with them.
I love the look and ambiance of this place from the open kitchen, to the communal dinning rooms, to the separate bar area surrounded by cozy private lounges.