Old Toad, Rochester, New York Restaurant Details

Food:

Love their vegetarian options!

Food:

My favorite pub. Good food, awesome variety in beer, and actually serves cask ale. The only problem I have with this place is the outside seating. I've been drinking here for 6 years and every damn time I'm outside having a drink with my friends some bum hits us up for money. It never fails.

Food:

Awesome British pub with an extensive beer and whiskey selection and traditional pub food. Servers are generally exchange students from the UK getting experience in the restaurant business, so it does feel like you're in an actual British pub. Food is good, cheese garlic bread is awesome. Traditional roast beef dinner and fish and chips are also excellent. They also feature curries and vegetarian options. They also do monthly beer pairing dinners, usually featuring beers from a single brewery. Was the first bar in the US to feature cask beers as well. Great for dinner or just a drink.

Food:

If you have refined taste in craft beer and scotch, if you are captivated by bartenders with British accents, if you call yourself an Anglophile, if you prefer a charmingly intimate atmosphere, reminiscent of an authentic English pub, to the deafening madhouse of sloppy drunks packed into a dim, insipid flea trap....then The Old Toad is your new home.

I spent a lot of time hanging out with last summer's crew of British exchange students, so I have quite a fondness for the place, but even before I knew anyone by name, it enchanted me as soon as I walked in the door. The walls are covered with every imaginable homage to British culture, all authentic of course, as the co-owner is actually a native of England. There are nooks and crannies everywhere to nestle in with your companions and enjoy good conversation over an aged scotch or a cask ale. The single dartboard is made of real fibers, is encased in wood with a chalkboard for keeping score, and uses steel-tipped darts. The enclosed sitting room complete with a decorative fireplace is aptly named the "Victorian Snug". The weekly trivia nights are so popular that they require a reservation. And I'm proud to say that for my first alcoholic beverage on my 21st birthday, I braved the Toad's legendary "Gas Chamber"--inquire about it if you dare--followed by a soothing, yet deceivingly strong OT20 IPA, which is exclusively made for the pub by Custom Brewcrafters.

The delightful intricacies of the place are infinite. It's unquestionably a must-see attraction in Rochester, and the unique character of the establishment is what clearly draws people in. But the people who really fall in love with the Old Toad are the ones who become a part of it themselves. Those who don't sometimes feel disillusioned by inconsistent service, apathetic attitudes, or mediocre food and drink presentations. The young bartenders change yearly, so to feel truly welcomed as a patron you must spend enough time there to befriend the long-term staff and customers, who at times may seem disinterested in the ebbing and flowing crowds. But those on the inner circle (to which even I cannot claim membership) will be treated like family for life.

Food:

I love the Old Toad. I have been there to eat about 3 times and to drink about 5 and I've never had a bad experience. The food is excellent with generous portions and a reasonable(though not cheap) price. They always have a good selection of beer and ale with extensive documentation(the "Beer Bible") to assist those who want to branch out from their comfort zone. Would recommend to any anglophile or human.