Chester's Kitchen & Bar

First time visit, I was blown away by the quality of the food. This was the first cornbread that I enjoyed. Madeline’s recommendation to add the bacon to the wild mushroom burger was great! Call ahead for reservations, chances are they will be busy. Our wait was we changed from six to four in our party. They rearrange the table to be the right size 🤗

1-21-2025. My wife and I came here for our 2nd pick of restaurant week. This place was pretty busy for it being so cold. It is a 3-course meal. For cocktails, I got the Bour Berry. It tasted strong of liquor, but overall, it was good, it got my blood rushing. For starters, my wife got the beet salad, while I got the cranberry salad. Both was a good a start as the salad was flavorful. For our entrees, my wife got the Parmesan Walleye while I got the Jambalaya. I was really surprised to see the walleye that big. Each dish was really good, full of flavors. We couldn't finish our entrees, so we packed it home. Last come desserts, I got the Pistachio Cheesecake, my wife got the Chocolate Cake. When it came to our table, the portion was sooo big we were both surprise. They were really generous with the portion, with it being this big, we weren't able to finish it. The cake was nice and soft. It came with a scoop of ice cream which complemented the cake . The cheesecake came with some whip cream which also complemented the cheesecake. Both desserts were good. Overall, great place to eat, great atmosphere. 2nd Restaurant of Restaurant week and it is getting better and better. Will be back to try different food. Also, we sat by the kitchen so we kind of saw how organized the kitchen was.

Marie was awesome, very kind and attentive. She made the dining experience even better! The food was spot on! Chester's made every aspect of an average meal like a burger and fries into something more unique and special. If your in town, this place is definitely worth a try!

Excellent! Well worth it! Even the bathrooms were clean and accommodating. Changing table in one of the stalls. Large enough for wheelchairs. The food was superb. Staff were polite, witty and classy! My husband got the prime rib french dip sandwich with fries. His fries were cooked to perfection. Just the right amount of crispness. His sandwich had outstanding flavor! I had the Healthy Shrimp bowl. Definitely had some kick with the right amount of flavor. Well worth it!!

Amazing food. Great service. Tucked away just off of the Skyway by Mayo and close to hotels and civic center. We are here 2 days in a row because it was so delicious. Sunday brunch is delicious - banana cream pie waffle, eggs Benedict. Minute chicken is a must try!!

Our service was fantastic, very knowledgeable about the menu. Offered good recommendations and was timely with drinks and refills. The food was excellent! The rotisserie half chicken was delicious not dry and the potatoes were Fabulous!! The ribeye was cooked perfectly medium rare. Aged well and easily cut with a fork. We also ordered the dessert flight and all was great but the bread pudding was hands down our favorite! Also the Phony Negroni - although not made in house is a delicious Mocktail option! Will eat there again very soon!

Gluten Free/Mayo Patient Review: We are in town for the week for Mayo Clinic appointments. Today was a disappointing day and we decided to take a break and go to Chesters. The staff was very nice, it was walking distance from Mayo Clinic, they had a great menu and lots of gluten free options (all labeled on the menu). My husband got the Cowboy burger and fries and I got the Gluten Free Big Mac with a Cesar salad. The prices are a bit on the high side for a quick lunch but being able to get away from Mayo, have a nice meal and relax was worth it. Would definitely go again.

The mocktails were every bit of divine as hoped! Wife's pasta was great and my pork chop even better. Would visit again

Phenomenal food! The blackberry jalapeno burger was delectable, the ribs amazing, and the walleye cakes among the best I've had. We were a group and shared bites of each dish, so I was able to try a few items. The deserts were divine. We got the carrot cake, banana cream pie, and chocolate cake, and all were phenomenal. The carrot cake was amazing, and after drizzling some of the praline sauce on it the cake got even better. The banana cream pie was hands down the best I've ever had the good fortune of tasting. The chocolate cake was sinfully good. Rich, moist, light and fluffy, and made with dark chocolate for a taste that was exquisite. The chocolate sauce just made it even better. The ice cream served with the carrot cake and chocolate cake could be a desert in and of itself. That scoop of vanilla is definitely up there with some of the most delicious ice creams I've had.

Congrats to Chester's for 15 years of providing amazing food to the Rochester area! Business owner Scott Foster, partner John Nermyr and Executive Chef Derek Jensen deserve applause! It is very fitting to be located within a short distance of Mayo Clinic and carry such a high dedication to healthy eating and living. To accommodate COVID-19 concerns, we enjoyed our lunch outside on the patio. With construction occurring on in the area to make outside dining even more pleasurable, we plan on returning. I am a huge fan of lettuce wraps and so had the chicken Lettuce Wraps as our starter to share. The serving was ample for two and surprised us with its tasty flavor with shitake mushrooms and water chestnuts included. They were perfectly complemented by the peanut sauce, plum sauce, are really fresh Bibb lettuce. I had heard how healthy and tasty the “Bowl Menu” is at Chesters and so I ordered the Poke Tuna. It is colorful and thriving with the fresh tastes od steamed vegetable, lemongrass sauce, baby kale, pea tendrils, edamame, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes served on a perfect bed of quinoa. We shared one wedge of Cornbread, and that sufficient for two along with our meal. Now I understand why it’s called their signature recipe. It tasted like it was just baked and we really like the maple butter that is served with it. The Bloody Mary had a generous skewer of two types of olives, cheese, sausage and cucumber. The Strawberry Mule with Basil was loaded with fresh berries and exceptional in every way. As well, the Grapefruit Margarita was a nice blend of flavors. We ordered and were served outside, everything seemed super clean and the accommodations and décor are very pleasing. Our server was a very pleasant and professional young lady. For individuals looking for lactose and gluten-free dishes or versions of an appetizer, you’ll find the best menu selections around. You can preorder, drive up to the front of the building, texted the details of your vehicle and they deliver your take-out food without your every having to leave your car. I highly recommend this restaurant. And find the prices are extremely reasonable for the quality of food and service that you gain.

In summary; very good food but also a little pricey. We ordered the fried calamari, a rack of ribs, a burger, and a bottle of rosé. In total it was about 100-130$ including tip. Its worth it, but definitely keep this in mind. Otherwise, it was nicely decorated and atmospheric, and they were staffed pretty well.

Wow, what a great restaurant experience, great service and delicious food! My wife had the Scallop & Bacon Wrapped Filet (mouth-watering) and I had the Ahi Tuna Salad (highly recommended). Most importantly, we topped it off by sharing a piece of Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cinnamon ice cream and caramel syrup drizzled over the top - which we both agreed was an Excellent choice (you absolutely need to try it)! If you find this review helpful, please click on 'Like'.

We went to Newt's right before coming here. The bad service at Newt's left such a horrible taste in my mouth, I was angry. That anger quickly vanished when we were seated right away at Chester's. Our waiter, Derrick was awesome! Great personality, fast service and he kept the drinks coming for my husband and daughter. The fries were hot and crunchy. We asked for another side of fries becausr my daughter and I wanted some. He said he'll have the chefs cooked it ASAP and indeed it was so! My daughter and I had the Minute chicken with angel hair, mushrooms and capers..YUMMMMY! My husband got the Cowboy Burger and fries and he really liked it. We ordered the chocolate cake with ice cream to go and that piece of cake was huge! The diversity of the wait staff and their great service attitude was so refreshing! My husband always tip well when his drink is always filled so he was happy to do so for Derrick. We will be back!

Great food! The calamari was fantastic. The server suggested a side of Chipotle ranch it complamented the dish very well. I shared the honey chicken and the rotisserie chicken sandwiches. Both were very well put together and full of flavor. I highly recommend both. If you are visiting the Mayo clinic this is just a short walk via the subway tunnels and sky walk.

I love this place. Whenever I come to Rochester I never miss to dine here. Good environment. Excellent staff services. They really care their customers. Love their grilled Salmon. Best Chicken Rasbury Lemonade drink is perfect. Inside decorations are good enough. Friendly environment. Good place for family and friends. Good for kids. Kids menus available.

Excellent Walleye Taco Bowl and Turkey Avocado Sandwich. And waitress, Alicia, was amazing. Epitome of a memorable friendly open hearted waitress.

I have been to Chester's Kitchen & Bar several times this year. We have been to the Mayo Clinic 5 times this year (2024) for many appointments & a major heart surgery. We had many meals at Chester's with family, it was our go to place! The service was always good, and the food was delicious! I have had the Minute Chicken, 60 South Grilled Salmon, Mediterranean Angel Hair, Oven Roasted Half Chicken & the Filet Mignon. I enjoyed every meal I had. The Minute Chicken and the Salmon are probably my top 2. Everyone in my family enjoyed their meals when we went. We also enjoyed their desserts. Their portions are bigger than most & I always had leftovers. Hopefully my husband won't need any more heart surgeries or treatment for a while, but if we return to Rochester, we will certainly make a stop at Chester's. I would recommend making reservations or showing up before the rush. I don't have any photos of the food, just one I took a week ago of their Christmas decorations.

I visited the wonderful establishment while at a conference at the Mayo Clinic. It was recommended by a few people. Oh man! They were absolutely correct about the food and drinks here. I ordered the Lobster Mac and cheese. Amazing! The service was great! I was very content. My only complaint is this restaurant is NOT located in Florida. Just means I have to make another trip to Minnesota in the future. Will definitely visit again.

We had an outstanding Birthday dinner of melt in your mouth Prime Rib and Parmesan Walleye. The most wonderful waiter who helped us celebrate my daughter's birthday. Great night, great waiter, great restaurant and great town!

The best place I ate the entire time I was in Rochester. I thought their menu take was very interesting and the fact that I'm a vegetarian and it was very easy build a wonderful vegetarian meal as a matter of fact, I could have built 20 was fabulous. However, all of those dishes have the same ability to be meat dishes as far as I can tell. My friends who are not vegetarians told me about this place and that I had to try the mushroom dishes. I had one of the and was blown away. I tried several other restaurants while I was in town and found myself comparing them to this one. Wishing I had gone back to eat another meal here.❤️ My review if it's helpful.

Atmosphere is cool, servers were to the point and great. Loved the burgers and dessert 🍨 Only thing that was disappointing was the small order of fries that came with the burgers. Had like 8 fries.

Do Not Miss This Fabulous Restaurant!!! This was the very best meal we have had in a long time. The service with Sarah was exceptional! The manager was graciously accommodating takeout orders, seating people, checking on tables and making sure the restaurant was running perfectly, clean as can be and people felt welcomed like long time customers. We ordered the Beef and Blu Fondue appetizer which was out of this world! It was such a generous serving of deliciously tender buttery filet, oven roasted Roma tomatoes and croutons served with the most delicious cheese combination. It could have easily fed all three of us for dinner, but we couldn't resist ordering more. The mushroom and thyme soup was delightfully flavorful and comforting. We shared bites of it and the soup was gone instantly. Then came the piece de resistance. Minute chicken is parmesan crusted chicken served with capers and mushrooms in a picatta style sauce over fresh angel hair pasta. I should have stopped eating then, but there had to be more. We ordered the bread pudding to go, which they carefully packed with the praline sauce and whipped cream separately so that it could be heated well and served perfectly. Delicious! Every single thing without exception was a knock out! 15/10! I do not typically leave reviews, but this place was just too great to not recognize their efforts and delicious food. The worst thing was that we were not told about this place until our last night in Rochester, but we will be back for sure, next time we have a Mayo trip.

Chester’s is my favorite restaurant to go to when visiting my sister and her family and Rochester, MN. The atmosphere is warm & welcoming and the owners & staff are always friendly,, attentive & willing to accommodate. Their menu is well curated and their dishes seem prepared & served with a high level of detail & care. They also have a a fantastic selection of cocktails, wine and beer, including mocktails & n/a beer., So far, my favorite dishes are The Beet Salad, The Chicken Lettuce Wraps, The Walleye Tacos, The Blackberry Jalapeño Burger & The All American or Tillamook Cheddar Omelet for Brunch. Also — You absolutely MUST order dessert regardless of how full you’ll be… just trust me on this, and then you can thank me later! I recommend The Dessert Flight! Overall….I highly recommend Chester’s Kitchen & Bar as a dependable, crowd-pleasing, upscale restaurant that consistently hits all the right notes — Delicious food, great ingredients, solid portions, friendly atmosphere, and attentive service that seems genuinely happy to have you. It’s a fantastic spot whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch downtown or hosting a nicer dinner for out-of-town visitors.

This place was great. First, to be able to get in at 1030am is great as we had Dr appointments around noon so enough time to get there. Food was fast and great. We tried the skillet cornbread. A lot larger than anticipated. If only 2 people, you only need the single slice per person st most (more likely could split one piece. I got the smoke gouda soup and some wings and she got the raspberry chicken salad. All was amazing. I wish they had buffalo sauce though but was still great. If we have to come back up here, will definitely return. 10 out of 10.

Chester's is a highpoint for us as a family for many reasons. We love doing Thanksgiving here every year because I love to spoil myself and have them cook... and their Thanksgiving meal is stellar, everything done to perfection. We also love just coming here for meals in general... the ingredients are excellent and we have a few favorites (meatloaf is one; hamburgers, another). I'm originally from Los Angeles; I love Chester's take on food, they have a specific vision and character for their cuisine and carry it off very well. They are very dependable... if you have a favorite dish here, it will be as you expect each time, in our experience. Our servers have been good as well.

Sat at the bar, New Years Eve. Had the Steak fondue app which was outstanding! Then the dessert flight. So ridiculously delicious!! Could be better with the carrot cake instead of the chocolate cake. Wish they would let us substitute that. Service was wonderful.

Absolutely a gem in the Mayo area accessible via skywalk or subway system. Excellent ambiance, plenty of seating, and high quality food prepared with a homemade/fresh taste seasoned to perfection. The rotisserie chicken is a must have! Highly recommend!!!

Chester’s is my favorite. ❤️ Last night I got out of a VERY long appointment/procedure and had been fasting since the night before. It was 9:30 p.m. and we hustled to Chester’s (the nurses were like “they are probably closed”). Chester’s is my thing when I have to travel for appointments. They happily seated us. We ordered a prime sandwich and a chicken sandwich - dessert to go and the food was delish. Our server was great to us asked if we needed anything else…they treated us like it was not the end of the night. Kindness and Amazing Food! Keep slaying it Chester’s. We will be back. Typically, I order prime rib or the filet with the smashed Potato (they aren't just any mashed potato, they are delicious). The meat will be cooked how you ask, so know if you ask for medium rare that is precisely what you will get. Service is great. I recommend a reservation during peak times. Banana Crean Pie is an absolute must. Carrot Cake is insanely delicious and the chocolate cake 🖤 Just get a dessert flight and you can’t go wrong.

We came in for dinner and drinks a few days ago and really enjoyed our visit after a long day at Mayo. Our server was knowledgeable about the wine list and helped my husband pick out a cocktail (the Nova old fashioned which he LOVED). We got the cheese curds as an app and being from Wisconsin we approve, while we’d rather have them with ranch the ketchup sauce that came with was interesting to try! For dinner I had the minute chicken..simple yet so mouth watering, I wish I could take a bowl of that sauce home with us! We couldn’t decide what we wanted for dessert so we shared the dessert flight and I got an espresso martini and let me tell you if those are half portions I can’t imagine how big the normal sized desserts are! I’ve never had bread pudding and this one being the first one set the bar pretty high also, whatever chocolate sauce they use for their ice cream is phenomenal. We’ll be back in a few weeks for a check up and we absolutely cannot wait to dine here again!(-:

Driving through Rochester on Labor Day, we decided to get something to eat. In the downtown area, close to Mayo, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, though options were a little more limited because of the holiday. We picked Chester’s because we liked the lunch menu selection. It was a little after noon, and there were several other small groups already there. The place is nicely laid out, with plenty of seating areas available, offering both tables and booths. We were greeted by a friendly host, seated, and then offered waters by our server. It didn’t take us long to decide on the Big Mac Burger with fries, and the Cranberry Walnut Salad with shrimp. The food came out quickly, and everything tasted very good. The burger was cooked to order (pink), and the fries were hot. The burger had been put together with care, and all the parts were well presented. The salad was fresh, and the shrimp were a nice addition (though it would have helped to have a couple more). The service was efficient and helpful, with plenty of refills on the water. Overall, a decent meal with good service. I would stop back for another meal.

The wide ranging menu had me a little nervous, but I thoroughly enjoyed my steak & potato salad! The "basil bubbles" should be rebalanced though. It was all vodka & leaves, no bubbles. The Paloma my friend had was very good!

What a cute place! I love the atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. The food was also good but not great like the reviews were suggesting. It may be a regional thing but the cornbread skillet was not at all what I was expecting, as someone from the south, nor the dirty rice. With that being said, the walleye tacos were amazing (you only get 2) and the seasonal sangria was refreshing. I would come back and try different menu items, the food does look quite tasty!

This is my go to place if I am down at Mayo for any medical stuff. Close walking distance from the Gonda building and great dark oak/ classy atmosphere. Recently I had the rotisserie chicken sandwich and it was a bit soupy I thought, too much sauce. The vegetarian chili was perfect and a cup size was the right amount. Great beers on tap and lots of bar seating.

Service and food were great. A bit on the expensive side for breakfast items but overall I believe it’s worth a try.

The food was solid. As a southerner, I was excited to taste the cornbread. It’s kind of a sweet cornbread/corn pudding hybrid. It was good! Service was excellent and fast, and it s very nice and clean restaurant.

Upscale American diner with a bar. She had eaten here on the last visit. I ordered the cowboy burger, which was well cooked and tasty. They could've given me one more handful of fries though. Her walleye fish n chips didn't taste pleasant to me. The fish was cooked well, but tasted muddy, like I was eating catfish instead. Given the area prices were on par, but were a little steep for what we received. Must be all that doctor money floating around.

Chester’s welcomed us with warm ambiance with dim its lighting and no-line on a Thursday night. Staff was very nice and helpful, but the wait for the food itself took too long. I waited almost an hour for our dishes to come out. I came on a Thursday night and the restaurant didn’t look too busy, so I was surprised by the wait time. Scotch Eggs (4/5): Well-made with a delicious sausage outer layer. Perfectly crispy and the sauce paired very well to cut the greasiness of the deep-fried egg! Parmesan-Crusted Walleye (3/5): Unfortunately, I felt this dish made the walleye seem very un-phenomenal. The lemon helped cut the heaviness of the dish, but the fish just tasted like plain cod to me. Nothing stood out. Roasted Prime Rib (4/5): The prime-rib was cooked to perfection! The mashed potatoes were perfectly seasoned as well and paired wonderfully with the prime rub. My issue was that the prime rib’s sauce (the beef au jus) was very bland. I know the au jus is just the cooked meat drippings, but I’ve had other prime ribs with more flavorful au jus before. Our beef slice also had a giant piece of fat cap that was inedible for us.

The food was just ok. The blackberry jalapeño burger had little flavor. Our bread arrived after our entrees, and the waiter completely forgot my husband’s drink. Once his drink came, it was 75% ice. This meal was not worth the price.

This will be a difficult review to write. We had a difficult meal, because of something I overheard from our server. I did not confront him because, emotionally, I did not wish to. And we still left a nice tip, I understand how hard people work, but my entire meal was ruined. I did not share the problem with my family either, because why ruin their meal in what was a celebration of my daughter being admitted as a chemist at the Mayo Clinic and starting her first day. We currently live in Asheville North Carolina which is a real “localvore” community. I write food and drink articles and have written for beer magazines and other lifestyle magazines. I have a large palate and I really like to explore local offerings. I’ve eaten a world Class cities, lived in Sydney, 10 years in San Francisco, 10 years in Boston, Argentina etc. etc. So it’s not my first Time at a restaurant. We chose Chesters because all the reviews said that the servers were so lovely, and it was within walking distance of my daughter’s new apartment near the mayo. So what happened? I value eating local foods. If I’m in Nicaragua, even though I normally don’t eat a lot of meat, if the specialty is meat, I will try the local cuisine. And in the Midwest, it certainly seems like cheese and beef are a Midwestern staple. So when I saw meatloaf on the menu, I thought perhaps this was a big specialty of their restaurant. I haven’t seen meatloaf on a menu in decades! Normally I would go for a fish dish, but I asked the server between the cioppino and the meatloaf and the jambalaya, which one he would prefer. I even told him that I’m a carnivore, and that normally I would go toward the fish but if their meatloaf was something special then I would try that. I asked because again, we are in the Midwest, and if he said “the meatloaf is Chester’s thing” then I would know. I understand I was asking for three very different things. But, When In Rome correct? He said that a lot of folks like the cioppino. Great. I love cioppino. Decision made! But when I went to the bathroom I heard him tell another server, “I can’t believe my guest asked me about choosing between the meatloaf and the cioppino and the jambalaya.” And the other server said, “oh my God.” And something along the lines of “customers can be idiots.“ wow. Making fun of your client behind her back? Not good form. Also, when we made the reservations they sat us at the bar in a booth, and I have really short legs. My feet did not reach the ground in this booth. This happens sometimes, and I have to move to a regular table or my chin is pretty much on the table. It’s not like I’m going to ask for a booster chair! So I asked to move someplace else, away from the bar area, which had not only a lot of noise, but no chairs I could sit at without feeling like I was seven-years-old! Plenty of other open tables in the restaurant. I am not a Karen. I’m not the type of person that asks to be moved and then moved again. The booth was just way too high for me. And I’m not the type of person that would send food back or cause problems. I’ve worked hard all of my life. I respect servers. I always leave a nice tip, and I even left a nice(ish) tip this time, even after the server insulted me. I just don’t understand why any server would go out of their way to complain about a client. I wasn’t being mean. I wasn’t sending drinks back. All I was doing was asking about three of the menu choices, and he was still making fun of me and being cruel. And again, we chose Chesters because we heard how nice their servers were. The food was good. My cioppino was good. The salad was good. The ‘basil bubbles’ drink had more vodka than bubbles and probably should be rebalanced; my daughter really enjoyed her Parmesan walleye, but we will not be back If the servers think of their clients this way. Maybe he thought that I was a Karen because I asked to be moved to a table where I could eat comfortably. That still didn’t invite him insulting me. This is not a good look for the restaurant.

Update- They do not correct their mistakes for bad food served. Don’t let the response make you think the customer service is good as it is not. I came here for lunch with friends and it was alright. I got the fish of the day which comes with two sides. On the menu you can substitute for various things. One was soup of the day for a $2.50 up charge so I asked for that and she said it may cost more. I didn’t like that as that is false advertisement. I decided to go with two sides of fruit instead and was only brought one. I had to ask for my other one. The strawberries tasted rotten so I didn’t get to finish my food. The fish of the day itself was great though so I am very disappointed about the fruit issue and the soup of the day issue. Our food took a long time to come out and our waters took a while as well. The server was trying to sell us on special drinks stating “ Would we like to start off with Diet Coke.” It was stated as a statement not a question and it’s odd because every place starts with water or other options. She gave us a dessert menu after we declined and we had to go out of our way to ask for our bill. Overall the customer service was not great. Which is very unfortunate considering I paid $20 for three fish strips, two bowls of fruit with rotten strawberries and I almost wasn’t given my second bowl… It’s also important to note that you get 6 tater tots when you substitute and are charged $2.50 extra…