Critic’s on the Mall

I met my girlfriend this morning for an early trampoline aerobics class (yeah, I’ll be feeling that tomorrow!), and naturally we needed to negate some of those calories that were lost. Makes sense, right?
Despite living Rochester for practically forever, I’m usually quite lost on the west side. My friend suggested Critic’s on the Mall as a good nearby option for diner food. It’s right inside the Greece Ridge Mall, and was pretty busy when we arrived a few minutes past ten AM.
We were seated right away, and a waitress appeared to offer us a drink. I went with coffee, which never went empty (she was always around with the coffee pot!). The food is standard diner fare: I went with the two eggs with came with either home fries or applesauce, choice of toast and an option for bacon or sausage for an extra dollar. I opted for scrambled egg whites for an extra .50 cents. The food came quickly and was delicious. The rye bread was seeded (the ONLY kind, in IMHO). The bacon was salty, not too fatty and cooked perfectly. I could have eaten a pound of it. :)
The service is quick and friendly. Our waitress checked in on us often and checks were brought in a timely fashion. My meal was $ 9. A great value for delicious diner food! If I find myself in Greece and craving good old classic breakfast food, I know where I’ll head!

Love this place. They revamped their menu to have gluten free options and have a new app as well. That sets them apart from other diners. Good food, good service. Coffee is never empty and the portions are perfect.

After a few months of wanting to try this place out, I finally decided to take the plunge with a good friend of mine to see what’s really good about this establishment.
Getting a seat was not really a problem at all even though from the outside, the restaurant appeared to be packed full but we were able to get a nice booth in the back of the restaurant so it didn’t feel like we were eating in a mall to begin with. From what I saw, it was very clean all around and looked to be in tip shape for a place that gets plenty of people on a daily basis. What’s unusual though was that the menus were already at the table to begin with so you don’t have to wait to get menus or return them at all when you are finished with them, a nice little perk to be honest.
It was really hard to decide what to order because their were so many options that sounded appealing lime the soup and sandwich special, the wraps, and even a classic hamburger. However, after some deliberation I settled on a hot turkey sandwich which I thought would just be topped in gravy but was instead «smothered» in it as the menu described. I regret ordering French fries with them seeing the result of the sandwich but I didn’t mind the fries at all, they were your typical diner style fries but they are nice and crispy, easy for dipping or munching on without worry.
The sandwich itself was a bit of a mixed bag. I did enjoy the turkey portion of it but having to eat a sandwich with a fork and a knife did not appeal to me at all. I wanted to pick it up and enjoy it but my hands would have been coated in gravy which would have left a mess on anything else I touched. If I would’ve known that the entire sandwich would have been like that I would have ordered just the turkey club sandwich instead. They did use white bread on the sandwich which really didn’t add any flavor to the sandwich but the turkey was good enough on its own to make me feel like I left satisfied. I highly recommend trying the wraps or the cold cut sandwiches for a more clean and less messy experience.
Service wise, it was nothing short of excellent. We were seated immediately by a rather friendly hostess despite it being busy and our waitress was quick on her feet, refilled our drinks without asking, and overall made sure our needs were taken care of. I didn’t feel rushed by her at all and the kindness of the staff makes me want to return again.
On the other hand, this is probably the priciest diner I have been too in a while. My simple fries and sandwich cost me about $ 10 and for the portion I got, I expected it to be larger than what it was even though it did take up the whole plate which wasn’t really a big plate to begin with. I wouldn’t order a soft drink since it costs about $ 2.29 so getting a water will save you some money if you are a frugal person.
A solid experience overall but I will probably order something more clean next time to get a more worthwhile experience. The prices I think should be a bit lower based on portions sizes but all and all, I recommend this nice little eatery for anyone looking to get together for a quick lunch or breakfast.

This is the best kept secret. Great tasting food and good service. Atmosphere is pleasant.
Clean, too. Something for everyone. The desserts are as good as an upscale restaurant without the high price.

It was a while since I went here a few months ago. I can’t remember details precisely and I’m not sure if mood or personal preference came into play that day.
I didn’t like the soup that came, didn’t see any drinks I was interested in, couldn’t pick between things on the menu and the thing I ended up picking came to the table as a wrong order. What came was a type of food I’m disgusted by, so overall, I’ve been hesitant to come back when anybody suggests it.
Maybe there was an item or two on the menu that sound interesting enough, but I just didn’t have a very pleasant experience, but then again, maybe I wasn’t as peppy as I usually am.
Panera down the road is open very early, the staff are cheerful and willing to go the extra mile and greet me, the menu is expansive and the food is just so darn good. I’m not sure if it’s proper to make comparisons on Unilocal and I suppose I’m a bit biased. If I return to Critics, maybe I’ll go with a more open mind, but it really caught me off guard and I’m not excited to return to what ended up being a bland and unsatisfactory experience. Again, this is based off of one brief visit, but I can’t afford to do that again.
The best case scenario I’d find to be a reasonable prediction would be finding an item I like at a cheap price, maybe fall in love with some side dish and find a drink I like, not have my awaited order have something that disgusts me (I can understand little mistakes and they fixed it, but the food was bland to begin with), and leaving with a smile. Each time I visit Panera is something that makes me leave feeling full and completely satisfied with reliability. Panera has had mistakes, but the food that came by mistake was amazing and a very special treat to keep my original food while someone personally brought me the replacement. Maybe it’s a preference, like I said, of atmosphere and flavor, which wasn’t my style at this place. After writing this, I do feel as if I should give it a second try and I hope you understand what I’m trying to write. Though if I make it back there, I’d find it unlikely to expect anything over mildly satisfactory.

I’ve come regularly and brought friends that lived in the area for many years and didn’t know about this place.
I like their rib eye steak dinner.
One of my friends had the French chicken, the other tried a burger. We were happy.
Recently, i tried the burger. Angus beef, enough for two meals.
Another good choice is the Jack Daniels pork chops.
Once i ordered the Raspberry tea. Didn’t like it, tasted like cough syrup. Stick to Ginger Ale or Pink lemonade.

Just ate here yesterday after never even knowing about this place. Ordered the Buffalo chicken sandwich and LOVED it. Very tasteful and will have me coming back. Worth a stop versus the other choices at the Greece mall.

Food is great, although they nickel and dime you at any chance possible, so it’s expensive. I’m not one to write reviews but I’m VERY disappointed in my last two visits. I have two kids, one that needs a high chair. What 18 month old doesn’t make a mess? I always clean up the floor when he’s done however the 40 something bus ‘boy’ made continuous comments and looks as he walked by each time. Finally at the end of our meal as I was cleaning the floor (which is his job I might add) he YELLED at me across the restaurant to ‘have fun cleaning that mess’, loud enough to get the attention of multiple guests and employees. Chances are if you don’t want to clean up after people you shouldn’t be a bus boy. The waitress assured me he’s a jerk and the manager continuously apologized and compensated us with a $ 10 gift card (after spending $ 85 with tip but that’s besides the point). Two days later I returned to use the gift card and the waitress was beyond rude, rudely asked my 6 year old to ‘speak up’ and brought my food out wrong, yet never returned to ask how everything was so I was left to eat my food that was prepared wrong. I’ll be back bc I love Jen the waitress, but I’ve had enough of these people that are in the food service industry that don’t want to be bothered.

I really hate to post reviews like this but sometimes the truth hurts. My wife and I went to Critics for breakfast and the food was OK. I thought a little light on the portions but overall the food was well prepared. The main thing that motivated me to write a review was not related specifically to our dining experience. I went to the restroom. After I left the restroom I paid our bill and we headed home. I commented to my wife that they had a sanitary door handle on the inside of the bathroom that allows you to open the door with your forearm and I commented that I was glad that was there because some one came in and did not wash their hands after they did their business. She asked me if I saw who it was but I didn’t because I was in a stall. She said I saw who that was. It was the cook. She watched him as he left the bathroom in all his cook’s clothing.
Sorry that’s pretty gross.

Haven’t been since I was a little girl, and what a shame that is!
Fast, efficient, and friendly service. Waitress refilled coffee without asking, which is a big plus in my book. I appreciate having a carafe of creamer right on the tables too lol. Had lunch food, salad, chicken… all good for diner fare standards. Prices are a little steep for a diner, but the quality of the food goes hand in hand. Will definitely be back!

Another awesome diner! I love this place during christmas time! The food is good, ranch dressing is AMAZING! LIKE NO OTHER, and you can bring it home! OMGOSH I LOVE IT! The service is typically fast, good, and people are usually quiet. Some of the servers are a little more quiet than others, but I think this is because they recently hired some new people who might not be sure of themselves… BUT. they are doing a good job! Love this place and enjoy going back! MUST GO…

After moving recently to Greece, this was the first breakfast I’ve been able to get out to. I ordered two scrambled eggs, home fries, and rye toast. The food was pretty good — I thought the home fries were amazing. The service was decent, but our waitress was a bit awkward. Seemed very uninterested in making small talk or even smiling. However, she was very diligent about refilling our coffees, and the order came out quickly, as did the check. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and would go back again.

Good food. Good price. There aren’t that many diners in Greece, so not much competition. At least they don’t take it for granted. It seems the mall area is stepping up its game with the new restaurants, and while Critcs isn’t new, still definitely worth a morning weekend visit.

We have never had a bad meal at critics and today was no exception. The problem today was the service. We had to ask twice for our drinks and had a long wait for our food. This was unusual and it wasn’t particulars busy. We will definitely go again and hope service is better.

Food is always delicious! Never had a bad meal! The staff is always kind friendly and there when you need them. I highly recommend coming here. Try it out you’ll fall in love with the place! Breakfast lunch and dinner rock or just going for dessert.

I come here all the time for family and with my girlfriend. I love this place. The staff is amazing and attentive. The food is wonderful I highly recommend coming here especially for the seasonal specials. I recommend the shepherd’s pie in the fall and the quiche is amazing and the perfect size. Best coffee hands down.

So I never liked Critics until recently. Their portions used to be small and the food was never anything out of the ordinary. The service was decent at best. So this review is for my more recent experiences. I have probably been here more times in the past 4 months than my whole life.
Located at the entrance adjacent to and between Barnes and Nobles and Macys. There is an auto sliding door there now.
The hostesses are young, probably high school/​college age. Friendly, although efficiency could use some tweaking. Servers are fairly attentive, although I’ve had some mixups and slow service here. But overall, not too bad. The food has greatly improved from prior. Portions are decent and the quality is pretty good. Don’t expect 5 star hotel styles here. This is like your typical family restaurant food. Soups, sandwiches, hot entrees, lunch specials, desserts, etc. jack of all trades type of thing. I’m a fan of the Reuben, although the corned beef is a bit scant compared to some Reuben’s I’ve had from other places. The French onion soup is really salty though. The BBQ pulled pork wrap is tasty. I especially like that they have the waffle fries/​chips/​whatever you call them.
Overall, much improved from prior. Still needs some tweaking here and there but I don’t mind coming here. 3 stars.

This is a hidden jem! I had a julian salad, great portion but the BlueCheese dressing was unbelievable! Homemade! My Dad had the Buffalo Mac & Cheese. Scratch, youu have to try it! Sevice fantastic and portion Great! Great bang for the buck!

This place has more of a New Jersey Diner feel to it as opposed to a typical mall restaurant. The food was good, the service was great! Nothing special here, typical diner food, but the prices were reasonable. And you can get frequent flier miles from
.

Great food with large servings. Neighborhood restaurant feel. They work on getting your food like you want it.