Beautiful small cafe, great music, great staff. Love it
Jen P.
This review is for Arbor Midtown, the newest venue in the Arbor events spaces 'family'. We attended a corporate event there last night. We had contracted for a full bar attended by 3 bartenders, a buffet dinner using their recommended caterers, a DJ, using a recommended service, and charcuterie and desserts before and after dinner.Overall food was average (typical wedding buffet with carved prime rub (overdone), roasted chicken (bland), roasted potatoes (decent), green beans (almost raw they were so crunchy), vodka penne pasta (average) and a served dinner salad with a smear of dressing on the side); Bartenders (Tom, Adrian and 'Badger' (?)) were great - friendly, efficient; Venue itself is beautiful, but there are still some kinks:1. There are 4 bathrooms in the space - 2 in the bar and 2 in the back 'vault area' - they are heated (bonus!) but there were no hooks for purses/coats in any of the ones I used, and the door locks were flimsy - they either didn't lock, or you could unlock them by jiggling the handles, so all night people were walking in on each other2. The cavernous interior space was very cold and many of our guests were wearing winter coats over their dresses and complaining they needed to go sit in the bathrooms to warm up3. There were Christmas trees up throughout the space which was weird since we are 3 weeks into the new year...I will say however that the table settings were great and the fact that Arbor Midtown has all the tables, chairs, place settings, cutlery, centerpieces, etc. makes it easy to plan and the dining room was great.DJ was ok; we had provided a list of 'must have' songs prior, and although most were played, she kept mixing them so right as you'd get into a song it changed. Anyway, it's just hard to find a good DJ these days. All of the staff of Arbor Midtown were great during planning and helpful, but on the day of the event it was very challenging to get ahold of folks for questions, such as regarding the valet parking. (Note about that - guests could pull up in front of the venue and do the valet, but there was a confusing sign out front pointing folks to turn down Stone street for complimentary parking...this could be better...)I know Arbor Midtown has already had a bunch of weddings and events in the space, and winter time may be a slow time and tough time for events because heating that space must be exorbitant, but I'm sure they will get better over time.
Oren Kessler
Amazing live music almost every
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vini Falciano
Nice to have a good place to grab something before or after a movie -- or during a cafe performance ... once one finds parking nearby on a Friday or Saturday night!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Rick Rodgers
First time here. The black bean burger was tasty and the love bossa nova was lovely. I will be back for more food and music!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Yen P.
The Arbor Loft was hands down the best decision we made in terms of vendors for our wedding. From the beginning at the inquiry stage, they responded quickly and gave us all the information in a digestible manner. The loft itself is a beautiful space. It's a venue where you can decorate as much or as little as you'd like. The exposed white brick, the huge industrial windows, the perfectly appointed greenery that's already there and the adorable trendy modern furniture all make a great setting for whatever the event. The bridal and groomsman suites are amazing!! There's a photo opportunity at every corner. I loved how all my photos turned out! The Arbor Loft staff are just wonderful. We worked with Maddy first who got us to the contracts stage. She was super helpful and responded to all of our lengthy contract review comments. Then we worked with Carly all the way up until the wedding day. I cannot express how thankful we were to Carly. She responded to every email we had in less than 48 hours (I cannot say that for any of my other vendors). No matter how small or big the list of questions were, we got an answer. As a stressed out and type A bride, I can't even begin to stress the importance of receiving an answer in a reasonable timeframe. Unless you do one of their planner packages, it's important to note the Arbor Loft is not your wedding planner. They are very good however at asking the questions that make sure you are on track and have the minimum you need for a wedding day. On the day itself we worked with Autumn. She was so calming and even helped me with a fussy bustle that none of my bridesmaids can figure out. I would not have been able to do my first dance without her!For catering we used the Loft's Folk catering. They had such an interesting menu and we received such good feedback on the food. One of my picky friends event complimented on the dinner. They presented the buffet beautifully. For late night we picked a couple pizzas from swan dive, which delivered straight to the venue. This was the best food item for me on the day. The vegan pizza was soooooo delicious and I was grateful for the extra food since I didn't eat much during the day. Since Folk and Swan Dive were associated with the loft, everything was on one invoice and it was so easy when it came to settling the bill. Carly also kept us on track with payments which we were so grateful for. At the end of the wedding, the staff packed up all of our decorations for us based on an inventory list which was so helpful!! Especially when you're exhausted at the end of the night! Some tips for anyone engaged and getting married at the Loft. Attend one of their open houses. It's super helpful to see the types of furniture, linens, and rentals they offer. Don't buy anything that the loft can provide either for free or a reasonable price. The open house also gives you the vibe of when there are people there. You can also sample food from one of their caterers. And it's free! Take advantage of the furniture that's in the loft already. They have really cute lounge pieces that you can use for a photo op. Use the greenery they have in the space. All of these items can be moved to wherever you want if you just ask. The bridal suite is huge and a lovely space to get ready, use it.One suggestion I have for the loft is to have a bar sampling night. We did not get to taste test any of the drinks they offered for signature cocktails or any of their other alcohols. I'm sure they did a great job with the open bar but I think a drinks night will be super fun for everyone. I absolutely will recommend working with the Arbor Loft team at any of their locations. We had full faith in the team, this is what they do every day! Thank you Arbor Loft :)**All photos are from the amazingly talented Abigail Lynn Photography
Dave “Doodles” Newman
Nice quaint place. Didn't eat here, didn't look like much in dinner food. Great atmosphere hippie like, real cool. The band was Woody Dodge gotta check em out. There really isn't service, it's walk up service, no complaints.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Lboogie 0711
It was my first time going to the little theater and I kinda want to go there again. I also really loved the cafe, the Nanaimo bars are delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A T.
I don't even know where to begin. From the second we stepped into The Arbor Loft we were in love! Every member of the team was helpful, knowledgeable, caring, and genuine. Over the course of the year they were attentive and made you feel like you were the only priority they had. I can't thank Erika and her team (Maddy, Carly and more!) enough for making our wedding day perfect and seamless. Any brides out there- hire Erika for your day of coordination, you will not regret it!!!! We looked at A TON of wedding venues. And we are not from Rochester! Brides if you aren't seeing any venues you love, check out The Arbor Loft. It was the perfect vibe for our cocktail style reception. I highly highly highly recommend The Arbor Loft for your wedding day!
Kenneth Clark
Amazing performance by Folkfaces during the 4th residency if Tyler Westcott. Great staff. Delicious food. Diverse drink / beverage selection. Clean bathroom. Sit down cafe environment. Popcorn smell. Nice neighborhood. On street and parking nearby
It is ideal to dine at the Little Theater Cafe from 5 pm on before the concerts there! I love their soup, quiche, sandwiches and salads, plus desserts and beverages. It is reasonably priced and perfect food and drink before the show.
Julian Hill
I would give zero start to this garbage place! It’s not your business to ask for medical information and vaccination status. You should be ashamed of yourself for medical discrimination. You won’t get my business anymore! Go with Brandon.
Good Guy
Horrible place. Only place in Rochester asking for a vaccine card. Will never go there and will tell everyone what a horrible place this is.
Michael Zink
Nice cafe adjoining the Little Theater. Limited but fun menu. Awesome deserts and Java’s coffee. Also live music (which will return someday. Part of “The Little”experience!
Beautiful small cafe, great music, great staff. Love it
This review is for Arbor Midtown, the newest venue in the Arbor events spaces 'family'. We attended a corporate event there last night. We had contracted for a full bar attended by 3 bartenders, a buffet dinner using their recommended caterers, a DJ, using a recommended service, and charcuterie and desserts before and after dinner.Overall food was average (typical wedding buffet with carved prime rub (overdone), roasted chicken (bland), roasted potatoes (decent), green beans (almost raw they were so crunchy), vodka penne pasta (average) and a served dinner salad with a smear of dressing on the side); Bartenders (Tom, Adrian and 'Badger' (?)) were great - friendly, efficient; Venue itself is beautiful, but there are still some kinks:1. There are 4 bathrooms in the space - 2 in the bar and 2 in the back 'vault area' - they are heated (bonus!) but there were no hooks for purses/coats in any of the ones I used, and the door locks were flimsy - they either didn't lock, or you could unlock them by jiggling the handles, so all night people were walking in on each other2. The cavernous interior space was very cold and many of our guests were wearing winter coats over their dresses and complaining they needed to go sit in the bathrooms to warm up3. There were Christmas trees up throughout the space which was weird since we are 3 weeks into the new year...I will say however that the table settings were great and the fact that Arbor Midtown has all the tables, chairs, place settings, cutlery, centerpieces, etc. makes it easy to plan and the dining room was great.DJ was ok; we had provided a list of 'must have' songs prior, and although most were played, she kept mixing them so right as you'd get into a song it changed. Anyway, it's just hard to find a good DJ these days. All of the staff of Arbor Midtown were great during planning and helpful, but on the day of the event it was very challenging to get ahold of folks for questions, such as regarding the valet parking. (Note about that - guests could pull up in front of the venue and do the valet, but there was a confusing sign out front pointing folks to turn down Stone street for complimentary parking...this could be better...)I know Arbor Midtown has already had a bunch of weddings and events in the space, and winter time may be a slow time and tough time for events because heating that space must be exorbitant, but I'm sure they will get better over time.
Amazing live music almost every
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice to have a good place to grab something before or after a movie -- or during a cafe performance ... once one finds parking nearby on a Friday or Saturday night!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
First time here. The black bean burger was tasty and the love bossa nova was lovely. I will be back for more food and music!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
The Arbor Loft was hands down the best decision we made in terms of vendors for our wedding. From the beginning at the inquiry stage, they responded quickly and gave us all the information in a digestible manner. The loft itself is a beautiful space. It's a venue where you can decorate as much or as little as you'd like. The exposed white brick, the huge industrial windows, the perfectly appointed greenery that's already there and the adorable trendy modern furniture all make a great setting for whatever the event. The bridal and groomsman suites are amazing!! There's a photo opportunity at every corner. I loved how all my photos turned out! The Arbor Loft staff are just wonderful. We worked with Maddy first who got us to the contracts stage. She was super helpful and responded to all of our lengthy contract review comments. Then we worked with Carly all the way up until the wedding day. I cannot express how thankful we were to Carly. She responded to every email we had in less than 48 hours (I cannot say that for any of my other vendors). No matter how small or big the list of questions were, we got an answer. As a stressed out and type A bride, I can't even begin to stress the importance of receiving an answer in a reasonable timeframe. Unless you do one of their planner packages, it's important to note the Arbor Loft is not your wedding planner. They are very good however at asking the questions that make sure you are on track and have the minimum you need for a wedding day. On the day itself we worked with Autumn. She was so calming and even helped me with a fussy bustle that none of my bridesmaids can figure out. I would not have been able to do my first dance without her!For catering we used the Loft's Folk catering. They had such an interesting menu and we received such good feedback on the food. One of my picky friends event complimented on the dinner. They presented the buffet beautifully. For late night we picked a couple pizzas from swan dive, which delivered straight to the venue. This was the best food item for me on the day. The vegan pizza was soooooo delicious and I was grateful for the extra food since I didn't eat much during the day. Since Folk and Swan Dive were associated with the loft, everything was on one invoice and it was so easy when it came to settling the bill. Carly also kept us on track with payments which we were so grateful for. At the end of the wedding, the staff packed up all of our decorations for us based on an inventory list which was so helpful!! Especially when you're exhausted at the end of the night! Some tips for anyone engaged and getting married at the Loft. Attend one of their open houses. It's super helpful to see the types of furniture, linens, and rentals they offer. Don't buy anything that the loft can provide either for free or a reasonable price. The open house also gives you the vibe of when there are people there. You can also sample food from one of their caterers. And it's free! Take advantage of the furniture that's in the loft already. They have really cute lounge pieces that you can use for a photo op. Use the greenery they have in the space. All of these items can be moved to wherever you want if you just ask. The bridal suite is huge and a lovely space to get ready, use it.One suggestion I have for the loft is to have a bar sampling night. We did not get to taste test any of the drinks they offered for signature cocktails or any of their other alcohols. I'm sure they did a great job with the open bar but I think a drinks night will be super fun for everyone. I absolutely will recommend working with the Arbor Loft team at any of their locations. We had full faith in the team, this is what they do every day! Thank you Arbor Loft :)**All photos are from the amazingly talented Abigail Lynn Photography
Nice quaint place. Didn't eat here, didn't look like much in dinner food. Great atmosphere hippie like, real cool. The band was Woody Dodge gotta check em out. There really isn't service, it's walk up service, no complaints.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
It was my first time going to the little theater and I kinda want to go there again. I also really loved the cafe, the Nanaimo bars are delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I don't even know where to begin. From the second we stepped into The Arbor Loft we were in love! Every member of the team was helpful, knowledgeable, caring, and genuine. Over the course of the year they were attentive and made you feel like you were the only priority they had. I can't thank Erika and her team (Maddy, Carly and more!) enough for making our wedding day perfect and seamless. Any brides out there- hire Erika for your day of coordination, you will not regret it!!!! We looked at A TON of wedding venues. And we are not from Rochester! Brides if you aren't seeing any venues you love, check out The Arbor Loft. It was the perfect vibe for our cocktail style reception. I highly highly highly recommend The Arbor Loft for your wedding day!
Amazing performance by Folkfaces during the 4th residency if Tyler Westcott. Great staff. Delicious food. Diverse drink / beverage selection. Clean bathroom. Sit down cafe environment. Popcorn smell. Nice neighborhood. On street and parking nearby
Restaurantji Recommends
It is ideal to dine at the Little Theater Cafe from 5 pm on before the concerts there! I love their soup, quiche, sandwiches and salads, plus desserts and beverages. It is reasonably priced and perfect food and drink before the show.
I would give zero start to this garbage place! It’s not your business to ask for medical information and vaccination status. You should be ashamed of yourself for medical discrimination. You won’t get my business anymore! Go with Brandon.
Horrible place. Only place in Rochester asking for a vaccine card. Will never go there and will tell everyone what a horrible place this is.
Nice cafe adjoining the Little Theater. Limited but fun menu. Awesome deserts and Java’s coffee. Also live music (which will return someday. Part of “The Little”experience!
Great Greek salad