We had good service today, our meals were good and quick. I though the prices were extremely fair. I'm amazed at the amount of snobs on here complaining about it being cash only. Whatever. Good restaurant.

Friday night and we were looking for a dinner place in the Pittsford Village. We were pleasantly surprised that there wasn't a waiting line which is often the case during their weekend brunch. Both my husband and I ordered something on the specials menu. He had the broiled salmon, and I had the fish and popcorn shrimp combo. Side dishes were Cole slaw and French fries for me. They also gave me plenty of sauce: tartar and cocktail sauce. Our server was very attentive and we were also very pleasantly surprised with our dessert. We ordered a brumbee (I think). It is a warm brownie that came with 2 generous scoops of vanilla ice cream and topped with hot fudge. Yum! It was big enough for 2.

The waitress was very nice and attentive. The food was pretty good. The home fries were a little mushy, which was a shame because they did have good flavor. Everything else was excellent. The only con is that they are cash only, so make sure you bring cash.

Absolutely delightful place. We came around 9:30 Sunday morning and received immediate service. Food was timely, delicious, and hit the spot. Highly recommend, two thumbs and two big toes up. 👍🏼💜

Cute and cozy diner right on the Erie Canal Heritage Trail. Food is delicious and staff are friendly and courteous. I stopped for breakfast during an early morning trail ride and was promptly seated at a very nice outdoor table of my choosing. They are open and safely adhering to all social distancing protocols. Delicious and WELL done! I'm definitely stopping again! 👍😊

Amazing place! Food is good, service is better! I would only say they should allow credit cards. Cash is a dying currency. Took money out of the ATM, they charged me a few and so did my bank, and not a small percentage! I won't complain because I always forget to get cash before I go so that's on me!

Originally wanted to to to another place up the road but frankly did not want to wait 35 minutes for overprices crepes. Got seated immediately on a Friday morning on the 4th of July weekend. Coffee came quick and the refills were not lacking. We all ordered a little something special instead of what was exactly on the menu- everything came as ordered. and I even asked for a little something sweet with a candle for my daughter's birthday breakfast and they accommodated with a fudge loaded brownie and whipped cream and sprinkles- I have come in the past and though it was a long time ago- I wasn't disappointed then, and I certainly was not this time. I will keep this place in the forefront the next time I need a down-home place with straight-forward pricing. Thank you for making our Birthday breakfast a little more special!

I love the Coal Tower. Their food is great and the prices are really reasonable. Just what you want in a diner. Their fish fry is the best I've tried in Rochester. They are cash only, but have an ATM on site.

Superb food in an interesting historical location with great views of the towpath.

Cash only. FANTASTIC SERVICE, They worked with me because I did not have cash. Food was delicious and AFFORDABLE. Will definitely be back!

We went into the restaurant after 200p approximately 215p and were not sure if they were open. They normally close at 200p. The gentleman behind the register greet us and told us come in and have lunch. Staff was extremely cordial and brought us a excellent lunch. Big props to the Coal Tower!

My family and I love this place. The staff know us because we've been back so many times. We're ALWAYS treated very well. The food is great(Love the burgers) and quick. Staff is always friendly and the building itself is always cozy and welcoming.

The food was delicious and the service was great!

Very good diner food. Much preferred over the cookie cutter restaurants. The price was right too.

Showed up with 8 people on a busy Saturday night and staff immediately placed tables together for us. Food was great, atmosphere great and obviously service was amazing.

Service is always friendly, and the towering Coal Tower is a neat visual. Presently cash only, though they do have an ATM should you come unprepared.

I am so appreciative of the existence of this classic old school gem. Walking in feels like you're taking a step back to a simpler time, the aromas of home cooked meals fill the air and the interior is nostalgically warm and inviting. The staff are wonderful people, it's cash only and is the only place in town for a fully loaded breakfast for around 20 bucks.

Fish fry is the best. They only take cash or check..clean the food is great

A staple for my friends and family! Always amazing and quick service and great food

The prices are fair the seating is limited when busy but all in all a great experience and a great place for friends and family to get together and have a great meal and enjoy each other's company

I ate here for breakfast on the 8th and the 9th of April 2024. I was in the area staying at a family members home to watch the eclipse I’m from New Jersey and wanted to see the total darkness. The food was very good and the service was also relatively speedy. The staff is very nice and the prices are great. The atmosphere is cool and has lots of history to it. Would recommend!

Great service. The staff is very friendly. Great food. It's worth the price. Atmosphere is pleasant

Such a delicious breakfast. Don't forget cash only!! Home fries were flavorful and a little peppery. Greek omelet was fantastic and filling. Wife really enjoyed the Irish Benedict. The only wish was more blueberries in the pancakes. Other than that, they were light and fluffy.

My kids and I love going here for weekend/holiday brunch. Place is friendly, you may get a nice view of the canal and food is always so good! (For anyone going for the first time- they only accept cash/check, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way. I've seen remarks about not taking credit cards and I'll admit it would be helpful, but not a deal breaker. We love going there so it's worth it to take the cash. The place is always packed so I guess that speaks for itself!)

Wanted breakfast in a diner. Had a decent omelette with home fries. Excellent service. Parking is very convenient. Recommend!

We needed a place for an early breakfast and saw your site. We have returned twice since. Each time we were treated very well by your staff. Although twice there were many customers ahead of us, we received quick service. The food was good and tasty. Another added note is that if you are Gluten intolerant they will adjust the food to your needs. They have a special part of the grill reserved for cooking food especially for Gluten free customers. Just ask the server. Prices are very reasonable. There are plenty of menu choices to satisfy most of us. Although payment is in cash, there is an ATM machine in the restaurant. Parking may be a little limited during rush hours but we didn't have a problem. The clean restrooms are limited to one at a time but there are public ones outside. All in all, we enjoyed our experience and would recommend it to others.

Dennis Newberry

This is a very nice restaurant with a mom and pop atmosphere. Their breakfast menu is top notch and very reasonably priced. Be advised. This establishment is cash only. Enjoy!

david we

Great service and food. The Benedict’s are fantastic. We ordered the tradition and the Michelle(my favorite). We also ordered The Barge. Everything tasted great. Just FYI the restaurant is cash only which is kind of annoying.

Kevin Markman

My son said #bestchickenandwaffles #todiefor. I thought they were good. Nice spot for comfort food and good service.

+24

Michael Rumrill

Perfect breakfast spot. Servers are great. Cash only.

Will Sommer

Quiche was definitely a cut above your average quiche. The Omelette was a pretty standard Omelette. Great service, food came out quick. Cash only.

Mark Friga

Really good breakfast, like having breakfast on the grill if that was a thing. Service was great, delicious food. Cash only but they do have an ATM. Really nice quaint area too.

Kelly

The food was delicious. We had two toddlers with us and they were great with them. It is expensive but I'd pay it again for a good meal like that.

Jan Stankiewicz McCarthy

Very nice setting on the canal with their own parking lot. Quick seating for a group of 6. Good menu with options for breakfast combo or a la carte. Good prices. Very attentive service. My three cheese omelet and Texas Toast were yummy. The Placki ( potato pancakes were a hit). Pretty view of canal

Francis Cavalier

Great local diner , we were seated super quick and had our drinks almost instantly. Our food came hot and fresh . The corned beef omlette , but they have a breakfast item for everyone. The only gripe is that they charge for every drink refill , so be careful your bill cam add up quickly

Good place for breakfast with good coffee. I'd rate five stars if they took credit/debit cards. I find it hard to believe that any business serving the public thinks it's ok not to accept plastic (or cellphone payment solutions for that matter).

Good service Good food and good coffee. Parking not great. People park in the lot and aren't going to the restaurant. Parking lot was full. We had to park further away[not in the lot]. We went late morning. When we got into the restaurant, not many people in there. Something needs to be done about the Parking situation for patrons.

Location nice. service good and I liked my food which was a shrimp n lobster wrap special n it was big n great... My daughter ordered chicken sandwich special and she didn't like it..She Said it was very processed tasting and no flavor....Which it looked like it

Big portions at very reasonable prices. Fast friendly service. Food was good, though I wasn't a fan of the home fries. Doesn't take credit cards, so take cash (though they do have an ATM inside the restaurant).

Great food and good service, very friendly. Disappointed in a lack of any signage for cash only business. Instead, she surprised us with that after we were done eating and paying the bill. Good thing we have an account with Betterment that reimburses ATM fees :-)

One thing you'll want to remember, Cash only. The Coal Tower does really good breakfast and has some very nice servers. I only wish they did Bloody Mary's and Mimosas to make the Sunday brunch there even better.

I really enjoy making the drive to eat here. I love there corn beef. The service is A hit or miss. This last visit was a mystery. We were waited on by 2 different people. I think the cook,sat us and we had to wait for waitress who seemed more interested in chatting with the guy who sat us. We placed or order ans the lady brought us my drink. Yup only mine. Mike never received his coke till he asked for a 3rd time. She brings my split pea soup. Cold. I let her know. I fig she could just warm it up. We could here the cook talking to her. " Well what did they do to it!" " It was hot" " Why are you giving them a new one you could,of just microwaved it!". I was thinking I had better receive fresh hot soup after eating for her to have this chat with this guy and I am waiting for her to get a cup of soup. Maybe she had to get it from him. It was hot when I got it. Well we will most likely not return there for a,while. The traffic to go left is awful. But it is a,nice little area.

Great food. Awesome service. Excellent prices. But be forewarned, they don't take plastic, so carry cash. That's probably why their prices are so good.

Pancakes are very good here. In the fall, you have to try their yummy pumpkin soup. Great place for a sammich and a cup of coffee. Would love to see gluten free options in the future. Like gluten free toast. :)

Be Aware - NO CREDIT CARDS are taken here!! So, now that's out of the way (THEY should have that posted as you walk in - AND put it BOLDLY on the MENU), we came here for a late breakfast, around 1050am. We were able to put in a breakfast order - but was told they stopped making waffles at 1045 (so we missed that), and they were also out of something else that was a menu item. ugh. however, at 1100am, they changed the menu to lunchtime and swapped the daily specials on the board, reflecting that. Because they were out of a few items that we wanted, our server allowed us to sub our breakfast order for a lunch one, which was very nice of her. our server basically saved this review-hard working and very attentive to our needs, kept checking on us. I wish I remembered her name. loved the food- great portion, good quality, had enough to take home for 2nds. would definitely recommend - but if you want breakfast, get there before 10 so they don't run out of stuff!

Had an excellent breakfast here while in town. Nice atmosphere with good prices. Food took a long time to come out, but that was expected during a busy holiday weekend. Overall, check this place out!

Nice restaurant and setting. The food is very good. Eggs Benedict is great. Breakfast plates are tasty. Service is good and employees are nice. Recommended.

We beat the lunch time rush....arrived at 11:30 am, was immediately seated & was offered either breakfast or lunch. Fast service, beef & vegetable soup was delicious!! Lunch was very good! Love the menu, just is usually so busy we don't visit often. Only drawback for some is that it is "cash only".

Great price. Got a spinach and mushroom omelette for a little less than $10. Good portion, not super impressive. Friendly staff. Unfortunately you can not order lunch during breakfast hours.

Nice outdoor seating, good portions served. Our whole party enjoyed their breakfast, from bowls, to pancakes to eggs Benedict. Just be aware it is a cash only establishment.

Great breakfast spot! Nice omelette and the eggs and French toast were great. Cash only just FYI!

The food is 'good diner food' -- exactly what you'd expect. No complaints. The setting and architecture are very cool, with the diner being built under a massive old coal tower. The interior design is exactly the unplanned mismatched 'country home' mess you'd expect and hope to see in a joint like this. For some inexplicable reason they don't take credit cards, even though they have fully modern computer cash registers, etc. This appears to be some weird moral statement that certain places continue to hang on to.

Went on a Sunday morning and we're seated right away. Both indoor and outdoor seating was available. Our server was very friendly! The food was hot and tasty! Eggs were slightly oily. But overall, good breakfast. Prices are fair. CASH ONLY! They do have an ATM available. Nice place for family breakfast or lunch.

Great breakfast. Quick, quality service. Get the hash! Period.

Service was good; especially considering how very busy it was inside. Four of us went for breakfast on a Sunday morning. Our food was served within a reasonable amount of time, again considering how busy they were. Our server was very pleasant. The food was good and the walk along the canal was a perfect ending!

Good restaurant for breakfast. The food was really good. The waitress helped out a lot. It is in a great location because when you are done eating you can go outside and look at the water or even look at some geese and ducks (that’s what I did ). Would definitely recommend. Also strange smell in the restaurant smelled really weird but it was probably something just that morning.

J.C. Hong

Standard American diner food. Good prices but be warned it's cash only.

Carl

This is a pretty cool place on the inside. They have a diner counter area that most places don’t have though no one was seated there when we were there. We took the family here for lunch. The girls got burger plates, my wife got the cheeseburger club and I got the fish fry. The plates were good. The burgers you can tell are hand pressed and the home fries were well cooked. Not crispy but not under done like some places do. The macaroni salad was very good and my daughter ate hers and took half of my eldest daughters. It wasn’t just all mayo and noodles and it appears to have a tough of mustard in it. My wife liked the cheeseburger club the hand made patties were a good size and not overly greasy. My wife commented that she likes clubs after eating this sandwich so that says something. The fish fry was average. Nothing special but still good. I had it battered and it was a light crisp. The fries were crinkle cut. I don’t like coleslaw and I was able to substitute cottage cheese for that which I do like. This place was fairly busy when we were here but there was some open tables. It did take a long time to get food but we weren’t in any hurry. The staff was very nice. It’s a nice place to go and enjoy a meal. Just remember cash only…

Earl Anderson

Good food and quick service. But bring your cash or a check, as they don't take cards. We had a variety of items off the lunch menu and everyone in our party was satisfied. I'll be getting those delicious fried green beans again. Who knew fries green beans could create such a tasty snack.

Adam

We got the Friday fish dinner, burger, and shake. The fish dinner was decent but was more expensive and smaller than other Rochester fish fry's. The milkshake had a nice malt flavor. Service was great. It is a nice unfancy place to eat, with a great canalside location. Heads up, its cash only.

Tom Xiao

Lemonade was not sweet and the corn beef is too salty. Eggs were good though.

Kelsey C.

My boyfriend and I enjoy biking to dinner locations, and this was a fun one. We rode along the canal and stopped at the coal tower, we each had a fish fry. It was very good. It is your typical diner with diner food.

Best meal there is breakfast. Lunch is okay, though a bit over priced. Dinner entrees can be... meh. Not taking credit cards makes them a once in a while kind of place. Used to be known for their fish fries... once saw the entire WOKR (now WHAM) TV broadcast staff there one Friday night after the 6 PM broadcast.

Seems like a decent place for breakfast, but not a top choice. Menu has very limited options. Wanted to order one of their hot sandwiches, but that wasn’t even available. I ended up ordering an egg salad sandwich, which is unusual for me to order at a restaurant. I’d have to say it was quite good.

This restaurant does not take credit cards. However, there is no clear signage displaying CASH ONLY. On top of that, their money machine doesn't recognize all debit cards, e.g., those connected to Bank of America. So, I had to return from the west side of the city the following day to pay for my bill IN CASH; this made it very inconvenient and bothersome to dine at Village Coal Tower Restaurant.

The food wasn't that great, the staff wasn't much better. My appetizer came out with my meal (kinda defeating the purpose. I will say, the salad was quite refreshing, all the fruit and veggies in it seemed very fresh! Pretty much their only redeaming factor. I'm sticking with 3 because I keep hearing I should give it another go and I must have gone on an off day. I'll give it another shot, but this place better be really good next time.

Brought family for breakfast. Had the Eggs Benedict (very good) and the family had an array of pancakes and French toast options with home fries and side of ham. I would not recommend ordering the side of ham which resembled thin slice deli ham used for sandwiches that was warmed up on the flat top. We didn't eat it due to being so salty.

The food was fine. We got there after they stopped serving breakfast, which I was disappointed about. There wasn't anything on their website that I could find stating what times different meals were served. I had the Chicken and Waffles, the chicken was nice and crispy, the syrup was not good, she offered me another spicy sauce as well which was not good. Probably won't be going back.

Food was ok. Went for dinner. Had fish fry. Fish was ok, should be better for the price of the meal. Fish was a little over cooked. Fries were ok, a little under cooked; a little soggy. Burger was ok. Been there for breakfast, would recommend sticking with breakfast Place does not take card. Cash/check only. Had to use ATM and pay fees in order to pay for dinner.

I love the atmosphere and service here. The food used to be reliably good and affordable, but our last meal was disappointing. The fish fry and cole slaw had no flavor and some of the fries weren’t fully cooked. The kids Mac and cheese was $8 for a small bowl of Kraft. It just seems like the quality has gone downhill.

We ordered an American burger with lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles with fries. Soft roll, fresh toppings, crispy fries, decent burger. The onions were large chunks, not sliced, diced or in rings, chunks that fell all over rather than laying nicely on the burger. Also ordered a half a sandwich with the soup. The soup was sausage and lentils. Tasty broth, good amount of sausage, almost no lentils with a couple carrots. The turkey sandwich was on rye with lettuce, tomato, and light mayonnaise, all good quality, but it came with only one slice of turkey, literally one slice folded over. Average food, average atmosphere. The server was attentive and friendly.

Alexander Csorba

Decent place for food. Usually can be accommodated quickly. Nothing really stands out about this place. However, they are cash-only. They have someone working the register they affectionately refer to as “old timer” and they may either struggle with math or actively try to cut you out of your money, so beware.

William Schock

Food was wonderful, but the member of the wait staff didn't seem completely locked in. Forgot about us or something once or twice. But the location is great.

BJean Gammi

When I'm in the area I stop in to eat. I love the atmosphere, its unusual. But it's food has gone down hill since my first time. Everything that's fried tastes fishy. The service is great! My advice eat salad

+1

Food was decent but its really small and it only takes cash. Atm is on site (it conveniently charges $2 to take out money) and the staff is nice enough. Not really a place I'd go back to. I have a family of 4 (who won't fit anywhere in this tiny place) and don't appreciate being charged a fee because a restaurant can't accept credit cards.

Had the opportunity today to stop by the Coal Tower restaurant when back in town visiting family. The server was friendly and efficient, but the food was average at best and that is being generous. A real disappointment as this used to be a real favorite.

It's cash only, and you might not realize it until the check comes. You may have to get up to get your own water pitcher like I had to (twice). Waiting staff was temperamental, but the food did come quick and was delicious, so the chefs are the saving grace of this place. Bottom line, would I go back again? Probably not.

Literally the worst diner lunch I've ever had. The kids were happy with their kids meals (hot dog, grilled cheese) but our chicken gyro and Greek salad were awful. The vegetables were wilted, the chicken was overcooked, and the Greek dressing tasted like it was straight out of a plastic bottle. Our waitress was rude to boot. $60 for four less-than-mediocre meals is a crime. Definitely go elsewhere.

Matthew Siglin

The food was nice. However, the atmosphere was crowded and we needed to wait nearly a half hour just to order drinks. Food was quick to arrive after we ordered, but the overall urgency of the waiting staff was frustrating. When we were ready to pay, we waited at the counter for nearly 15 minutes before anyone came to assist us.

BEWARE! This restaurant does not take credit cards! Besides the fact that it doesn't take credit cards, we had a very bad experience at this restaurant on August 3, 2013. It started with the coffee cup that was not clean and had a large green leafy thing on the outside of it. The waitress did replace the cup with a clean one. After that, my husband received the wrong sandwich. The waitress did realize this after the fact; apparently his sandwich was mixed up with another customer's sandwich. Now, I realize mistakes happen. However, most restaurants try to make things right when an error is made on their part. That did not happen in this case. The server removed the wrong sandwich from the table with all of the accompaniments, and left hubby with nothing to eat while the rest of us ate our entire meal. We had all finished eating by the time the new sandwich had finally arrived. Now, I assumed that they would try to make up for their mistake by at least taking the sandwich off of the bill, or giving us a coupon/voucher for a future visit. Any such gesture would have given us a different feeling about the restaurant. Instead we were charged the full amount for the meal. We will not be returning to this restaurant. There are many great restaurants in the Rochester area, but this is not one of them. If you are visiting Schoen Place in Pittsford, I suggest you try one of our other favorites instead: Simply Crepes or Aladdin's.

I have to confess; I lied. I said the food was good when the server asked. Ketchup was ok Broken chipped plastic cup with red lipstick. Prices are very good, too good. ***CASH ONLY ***

Definitely won’t be back!! Food was subpar as well as the service. Didn’t get a refill for coffee until after breakfast was served. Had to keep asking for additional sugar and cream as if we were going to steal it. To top it off I had to pay a service fee to use their on site ATM because in 2021 they only accept cash or checks! Who pays with checks now a days! Annoyed is an understatement!

I really wanted to like this place as it looked really adorable. Prices are not as they are listed on Google maps or on the menu they have Linked. I was put on hold for 5 minutes while I heard ppl talking in the background all for someone to just hang up on me. Shouldn't have called back but I did. To top it off, go in knowing they don't take credit cards. You'll have to use their ATM and pay an extra fee for that too.

I went here on a friday morning not to busy got seated right away......my mom got the corned beef and hash wich looked like mushed dog food with pellets......our server didnt come to check if the food was good or if we needed anything else. The corned beef and hash was canned and tasted horrendas.

The sign that indicates that this restaurant only accepts cash was very small and not on the front door for us to see. The waitresses we’re very rude about us explaining this complaint. The only thing they said was “we just work here” . What they should have said was , “ so sorry for your inconvenience, we will let the owner know about it” and as we were trying to get our change together with out having to go to the ATM (which charges the customer an extra expense ) she suddenly said “ maybe if I give you your senior discounts you may have enough” So why didn’t she offer that to begin with ? Is that your last resort in this place? Why only cash ? Is it for tax reasons? We are spreading this information and we will definitely not return here. I was brought up in this town and came back here after many year . I know a lot of people!

Restaurant is dirty inside and the food was awful. We came around 2pm on a Sunday. We were seated at a dirty table, and when I asked the hosts to clean the table off she realized how dirty it was and moved our table. I ordered the chicken fajita salad and my husband ordered a burger. My salad had half a piece of chicken breast with mexican seasoning and the rest of the salad was lettuce and pickled peppers. My husbands burger only had a greasy burger patty, with no lettuce or tomato. We asked for a veggie on the side for my toddler and all they had was canned veggies. I will never come here again. The food is awful, and not worth the money when there are much better restaurants along the canal.

I have been going to this restaurant for 26 years! We were seated by a woman who had a bee in her bonnet. We asked to be seated in a different booth (the place was empty) and she was the biggest snark! Why would a person with a terrible personality be in a job that involved interacting with people? This place is going down the tubes. Will NEVER go there again!

I’m sorry but not sorry to post this review! We were expecting a dinner feel when we looked at their menu. Everything we had was TERRIBLE! To start our server was standoffish bc our whole party wasnt there when we came in . They were behind 5 mins because of parking. We traveled 2+ hours to take our students to RIT . The forks were dirty then , the burgers weren't cooked correctly and the rest of the food was sub-par ! It’s so sad that we spent $120 plus tip for 5 people and it was abouslouley discouraging because of the area they are located at .

How do I even start- I was extremely hungry and I thought I would give this restaurant a try. The food was average diner quality, and I thought that it was unprofessional shouting out the waitress’s names when the food is ready in the kitchen. My waitress if I recall named Tina, was extremely rude and disrespectful to her co-workers and i found that very off putting and made the experience uncomfortable. Overall, would not recommend and just go to a different restaurant.

Jeff Campbell

$50 for 2 people to eat breakfast?!? I wouldn't mind that if you served food that was hot and not warm. Also, do you know how much breakfast I can make for $50? I am feeling ripped off and when it comes to food, that's something that is not okay, especially for breakfast!