MacGregor's Grill & Tap Room - Henrietta

MacGregor's Grill & Tap Room - HenriettaMacGregor's Grill & Tap Room - Henrietta
MacGregor's Grill & Tap Room - HenriettaMacGregor's Grill & Tap Room - Henrietta
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

300 Jefferson Rd
Rochester, New York, 14623-2427
United States

(585) 427-8410 | map
macgregorsgrillandtaproom.net
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.96
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
47
pDev:
16.41%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by indiapaleale:
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Reviewed by indiapaleale from Maine

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
It does indeed look like a biker bar from the outside, well, except for the huge sign that says it has "the world's finest draught selection" or something like that.

Walking in I noticed it was a pretty big place. The ambience I quickly discovered was that of a chain like TGIFs or Bennigan's.

Service at the bar was very good. Selection was very varied but only about 10 brews stood out as possibly difficult to find. It was the end of January and they had a couple pumpkin beers, a couple oktoberfest and a few other way out of season brews still on tap. WTF?

No heart and soul as far as beer loving goes, its purely a "Look at how many beers we have on tap" scenario.

Food is basic pub food, nothing special and again like many chain restaurants...mainly fried.

Worth going to for a few beers, not worth a meal and definitely not worth going to until you've already checked out Tap & Mallet.
Jan 28, 2011
More User Ratings:
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Reviewed by Bstr72 from New York

4.48/5  rDev +13.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.25
Over 130 beers on tap most of the time! Quick service, good food, lots of TV’s, and family friendly. We go here most Friday nights for family dinner. Very popular happy hour spot right next to RIT.
Aug 21, 2018
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Reviewed by goingbrokeonbeer from South Carolina

4.34/5  rDev +9.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4.5
Went here one afternoon on a business trip, it was recommended by another BA. The place is big & and also has an outdoor area(that I didn't look at). It was early, so not many patrons. They have 134 beers on tap, if you can't find something you like here, you've got problems. As far as food they have a very good variety for a bar, I got a pastrami wrap and it was awesome. If you are in the area I highly recommend stopping in for a brew or two & a bite to eat.
Aug 17, 2017
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Reviewed by XpL0d3r from New York

4.11/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 5 | food: 4.25
I used to frequent here when I attended college at RIT. I still go occasionally though it's been a few months since my last visit.

Draft beer selection is great! They offer around 100 on tap, and always have something different there as a special. Depending on when you go, the atmosphere can be bland, but on normal drinking nights and RIT hockey nights it can get pretty busy! Service is usually good, can be a wait if the bar is swamped busy.

They have darts, two pool tables, and a bunch of arcade style games like Big Buck Hunter and Golden Tee. Jukebox is one of those ones you can control from a phone, so you don't need to walk over to it.

I have experienced dirty tap lines there once. It's not the cleanest place (sticky floors occasionally), but certainly not dirty., but if you want a great selection of beers and a comfortable atmosphere with some pretty good food, I recommend it!
Apr 29, 2016
 
Rated: 4.94 by RUN-4-B33R from North Carolina

Dec 16, 2015
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Rated by RascalIPA from New York

4.39/5  rDev +10.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.75 | food: 4
Food was great but more selections would be nice.
Dec 16, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by TheBeerdedCharmer from Pennsylvania

Dec 08, 2015
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Reviewed by hoptheweasel from New York

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
I am a local regular at Macgregors in the Rochester NY area. (I have not been to 2 0ut of 5 in the area).

I read some of the reviews about Macgregors and wonder... who are these people talking about?? Where did these people visit? How much beer did they drink before they wrote their review?

Macgregors beer (and their beer lines) may not be perfect, but if ANY of you REALLY believe that only the places that thouroughly clean and sterilize every line every time they change beers deserve a decent rating, then you (my friends) are becoming BEER SNOBS. You should be drinking wine.

My experiences at Macgregors (ALL of them in the Rochester area) have invariably been reasonably good.

BEER: I am a hop head. I like most (very many? --- all? ) beer, but I keep coming back to IPA. As with all beer, some are definitely better than others. Macgregors provides choices and decision opportunities. Someone mentioned "Southerntier IPA". It is a good beer and a good go to. I often will choose something else, but STIPA is still good.

One of my favs has been Green Flash West Coast IPA. Hard to beat. Recently, it has been unavailable at Macgregors, but I have faith in the future. There are still many choices there, and I have a good time.

Some of these reviewers seem to walk away bummed. That is just very sad after you have a beer.

The food is just good bar food. What do you expect? It's a good bar and grill. Good menu. I have my favorites.

Visit. See of yourself. Don't believe all the negative bullish*t.
Sep 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by LutherBrau from Massachusetts

Sep 03, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by d_cook_roc from New York

Aug 16, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by km000 from New York

Jun 29, 2014
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Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.25
This place has the most taps of any place I've ever been. Not necessarily a good thing though- 140 taps means some stuff is gonna be old. I've had some issues with dirty lines.

Nonetheless, you can always find something good on tap. It's best to pick the more unusual, rare, special stuff- as the run of the mill (but still good ) stuff like Southern Tier IPA or Edmund Fitzgerald is likely going to be old. Seasonals are also a good option because they're less likely to be old or dirty.

The food is alright. Not particularly healthy. The menu is large, but has all the typical bar stuff, sandwiches, salads, wings, burgers, etc. Nothing you haven't seen before. Prices are all right.

The service is a bit lacking. Not always friendly or knowledgeable about beer.

Worth a stop simply for the volume of beer, but be wary of old beer and choose wisely.
Jan 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by meepmeep from New York

Dec 04, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Evarigan from New York

Nov 01, 2013
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Reviewed by Skulpinski from New York

4.58/5  rDev +15.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
MacGregors is my all time favorite place in Rochester. Their wings and boneless wings are not to miss! Especially their Chipotle BBQ sauce, that's definitely one of their most unique items and definitely the best sauce they offer.

Their outstanding selection of drafts and reasonable prices are a win too. Their specials are great, usually different selection than most places for an affordable $9.00/pitcher.

Whenever I leave Rochester and come back to visit, I always have to go here. This location is far better than all of the rest. I think I have only ever been
Disappointed with this place maybe one time out of the last 30 times I've been here.

Do not miss :) the food is delicious and the beer is outstanding!
Jul 27, 2013
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Reviewed by Reagan1984 from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.25 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
A decent spot if you are in Rochester. Settled in last night just prior to the Bruins game.. The beer selection is large.. Too large. The first sip of the first beer told the story. Dirty tap lines everywhere. It's one of these places from what I consider the last generation of craft beer bars. Ones where more tap lines were considered better. There is no way they can sell that selection of beer and keep their inventory fresh... a taste says it all. Don't get me wrong, the selection, itself, is pretty nice... But a disappointment that My Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA had that obvious dirty line taste...
Service was fine, but a little thin. Once you caught their eye, they were fine, but after sitting at the bar for 2+ hours, you'd think you'd get a "how are you doing" at least once...

Had wings and onions rings. The wings were actually pretty darn good. Nice to have a place make a VERY spicy wing when they call it one. The sweet/Chili was also very good.

Onion rings were sadly frozen versions.... (I had expected more)

Bottom line... If you are in the area, it's fine. Don't go out of your way.
Jun 04, 2013
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Reviewed by MJSJr from California

4.43/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Compared to other places I've been, this bar has an impressive variety of top-notch beers; based on pure volume of different beers, this is one of the best places to grab a drink.

Additionally, their food is tasty. They have a number of dishes worth trying--most of them being of the heart-attack-inducing variety! It's a really cool place!
Jun 04, 2013
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Reviewed by DonBar from New York

2.26/5  rDev -42.9%
vibe: 1.75 | quality: 1 | service: 1.75 | selection: 5 | food: 1
The place is filthy, the food made me sick. The glasses taste and smell like feet beer due to the rinse system. All around horrible place to be, have been here twice. I will never go back. Only good thing is variety of beer but much of which tastes old or flat. The owner and his counterpart seem to be very bad people according to the locals.
Apr 08, 2013
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Reviewed by Crashdown from Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Great atmosphere to hang out with friends. They have TVs with multiple games on, darts, pool, arcade games and the back patio is great during the summer.

The quality of the food isn't the best, it's best described as bar food. The appetizers are great to share.

Service is a bit lacking, they have a significant turnover on the waitresses and bartenders. Selection is top notch for Rochester, there's always new beers to try.

With over 125 beers to choose from at a given time, you'll never run out of things to try. They gladly provide samples before you buy and you can choose the 11oz or 20oz mugs.
Feb 26, 2013
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Reviewed by totti333 from New York

3.15/5  rDev -20.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.25
Beer selection is one of best in the RIT/Henrietta. They often have rarer or some hard to find beers as special for a week/month. Now they are offering "flights" of beers of certain style or from a certain brand. Each flight comes with 6 5.5 oz pours and its nice to be able to compare all of the different beers.

However, the service is not the best, even on Thursday nights when its not terribly busy.

The biggest problem I have with this is the glass cleanliness. All of the beers get a rubber/soapy taste that just kills the beers immediately. The glasses are also sticky at times which is just gross.

Good beer selection is ruined by below average service and unclean glassware.
Jan 21, 2013
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Reviewed by Stunmai from New York

2.2/5  rDev -44.4%
vibe: 2 | quality: 1.5 | service: 1 | selection: 4 | food: 3
Really over hyped. Sure the beer was good, and they have a great selection. But the food is at best mediocre compared to what they charge, especially the new chicken wings are just poor quality. The beer is over priced the wait is forever and especially the upper management is really unfriendly. Trying to get a drink at times is like pulling teeth. To be fair, its a little better at Henrietta, but only because the one in Gates is a disaster.

Not only is the food better but there is also a much better atmosphere at Lovin cup, or TC Rieliys or the Distillery, and the beer is just as cold. Go there.
Mar 09, 2012
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Reviewed by davemcr from New Hampshire

4.43/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
I come to RIT to work about once per quarter and have been hanging out at McGregors now for about 3 years. The staff is knowledgeable and the beer selection is very good. With so many taps it is really hard not find something that you like. Let's be honest, there may be some " atmosphere faults" at weekends (never been here on a weekend) but if all bars were as good as this we would have nothing to complain about. Keep on rocking those 140 odd taps... I know that some could be better than others but there IS something here for everyone. Cheers!!
Sep 21, 2011
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Reviewed by ZeroSignal from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Met some friends here while in Rochester on business

Large bar area with a ton of taps. Area where you can play darts and pool are located far enough from the bar as to not be distracting. Lots of TVs so you could see from almost anywhere in the place

Lots of taps, and the lines seemed to be clean. The pours were good and the beer tasted fresh. Had a Nugget Nectar and ST Phin and Matt's

Bartender was attentive and knowledgeable. Food took a little long to come out

Lots of beer to choose from with plenty of craft selection. Local and East Coast brews were clearly featured

Food was pretty standard pub fare, but also well prepared. Wings were excellent and a soup on the specials board was very yummy
Apr 21, 2010
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Reviewed by rcaramante from New York

4.58/5  rDev +15.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
I was a frequent patron of the original Macgregors prior to leaving the Rochester area in the early 90's. Back then it was a great neighborhood bar that also happened to offer a large variety of craft brewed beers. The original site is gone, but I recently visited another location near RIT in Henrietta.

Although it is much larger than the original, initial impressions were the same as before. The décor was welcoming with the sight of quality woodworking and a large variety of impressive tap handles that that decorate the bar area. I was greeted inside with a smiling face that offered me a menu and a place to sit. Opting for a seat at the bar where I was handed very comprehensive beer list.

The bartender was attentive and knowledgeable about the different beer styles and reminded me of the monthly specials. I chose a favorite Porter which was served in a familiar imperial pint sized mug and the first sip brought back many fond memories of my old haunt.

Samples are given on request and in addition to the notable regular line-up of beers; they commonly add new seasonal selections. Anyone looking for a friendly atmosphere, a well thought out bar menu, and an unmatched craft beer selection can do no wrong with Macgregors.
Jan 28, 2010
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Reviewed by TommyW from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
When living on the RIT campus, MacGregor's was a great place that was nearby to have a few good beers.

The place can get a little loud and congested on a busy night, but on slow nights the atmosphere is quite nice to chat with some friends over a few beers.

With so many taps it isn't hard to believe that maintaining the tap lines would become an issue, and I have noticed that this does happen here. Also, I had a few issues with glasses not being cleaned properly (smelling like bleach!).

I've had no issues with service; even on busy nights. The bartenders are pretty attentive and knowledgeable.

I really enjoy the selection here; they have a pretty solid regular line-up of beers. I really enjoy the seasonal rotations they have, makes each visit a little different.

The food is pretty much the standard pub grub; although i've never tried anything here, it always looks good, and the portions are very decent.

Definitely a place worth checking out; especially if you're near or on the RIT campus.
Dec 29, 2009
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Reviewed by reustyMMX from New York

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 4
MacGregor's, my old college hangout. A place where many fond memories were created, and many a dollar was spent.

The atmosphere is certainly that of a college bar, plenty of seating, pool table, darts, arcade games, and the centerpiece a full wrap-around bar area.

Quality is perhaps my biggest complaint about MacGregors, their beer line management is highly suspect and on more than one occasion I've had some bad beers due to the lines. Aside from the line problem proper glassware is usually utilized, and no other notable problems exist.

Service can be pretty bad if you are not a regular, luckily I achieved this status during college so I always had my favorite beer waiting for me by the time I greeted the bouncer. If you are there during peak hours and do not know the staff you should expect to wait for a bit before you get your beer.

Selection is pretty perplexing, for a place with 136 taps, they rarely have more than 10 beers I'd be interested in trying. That said those 10 beers are usually more than enough to keep me interested, but it really amazes me how many "repeats", or "clones" they have out of those 136 taps.

Food is typical bar-fare, their wings are OK (I'm from Buffalo so I am quite picky), I've never had a problem with food quality.

MacGregor's is worth checking out if you are near RIT, but if you are looking for the best Craft Beer experience and you are in Rochester check out Tap and Mallet.
Nov 24, 2009
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Reviewed by Avagadro from New Jersey

2.9/5  rDev -26.8%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 5 | food: 1
A: This place turns into frat-boy central on weekends. Music is way too loud and the bartop is typically sticky.

Q: It is not uncommon to get a brew that is spoiled by dirty lines. This is the downfall of their impressive selection.

S: A couple of the bartenders take pride in their work, but most don't. Expect long waits for brews, and limited service.

S: 130+ brews on tap. This place will always have something to please you.

F: Typically the food is decently tastey, but I've had a friend get food poisoning here, leaving him to pray to my toilet for 6 hours. In another incident, my girlfriend ordered a medium burger only to receive a raw one. Seared on the outside and raw in the middle. She sent it back only to get a burger that was burned on the outside and bone-dry on the inside. The food is not cheap either. I suggest eating before coming here.

V: Typically have good pricing on their brews, with amazing specials. That is, unless the special is spoiled, which does happen occasionally. Get a sample of anything before buying, or you may end up with a gross pint.

Overall, MacGregor's is worth visiting for their astounding selection. There are definitely better bars to hit up in Rochester, but this one is worth visiting occasionally if you live here.
Nov 22, 2009
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Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -24.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
I always come to this place when traveling through Rochester on business. Was turned on to them by the bartender at a hotel I was staying at!! The food, though not stellar, is typically decent, but the beer menu...that's really impressive. It can be a college hang out for the RIT crowd but it's no big deal, it's so big inside that I've never felt cramped for space. My only gripe is they way they clean their glasses. Out of ALL the places I go to, they always have some sort of funky taste in the glass because they do a terrible job of rinsing the cleaning solution out of the glass. If they didn't have such a huge beer selection, I'd probably stop coming here because the residue left in the glasses taint the beer THAT MUCH!!!! I get so annoyed by it but yet I keep coming back. The beer menu is second to none but the after taste left in the glasses is enough for me to ding the place, the bad taste is there EVERY time I visit. Good gawd people, do a BETTER job of cleaning the chemicals out of your glasses!!! I hate to give this place a low score when they have the best beer selection of any place I've ever visitied in the Mid-Atlantic, it's a shame the top shelf beer is destroyed by the checmicals left in the glass - it effects the smell and the taste. If you're a casual beer drinker, you're in hog heaven here and worthy of bragging rights, but if you're a seasoned beer lover who has a different goal, the experience is not very good. Next time, I just might bring a lastic cup, it'll taste better. Whoever owns or manages MacGregor's, I hope you check these reviews from time to time. You could be an A/A+ establishment. But, I'm a beer head who is an exception rather than the norm so I blame you to not change, you make your money off the college kids and others who are just learning the world of beer. Unfortunately, the residual chemicals in the glass really kill the experience, it's that noticeable. Next trip to town, I'm going somewhere else which kills me to do. Also, it's not atypical to wait 10 - 15 minutes for your next beer unless you know the bartender, are part of a big party, or ... (I'll save my comments on this one considering I'm a straight male and so are the bartenders...) Did I mention earlier, "RINSE THE CHEMICALS OUT OF YOUR GLASSES"????
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REVISION 9/16/11

I absolutely LOVE how they make it impossible to contact them via their website. They don't seem to give a rat's butt about their customers, it's unfortunate because the have some very good people working for them. I honestly think they're more worried about watching through the bar cameras to make sure the bartenders are pouring and charging for booze as opposed to welcoming customer feedback and making sure their lines are properly cleaned. I just visited their new location in Buffalo, NY, the beer list was nothing special and it's a matter of time before the lines start tasting like chemical waste like the other locations, especially in Henrietta. Caters to the R.I.T. students and a majority of people who keep coming back because they're not a discrimminating crowd. Unfortunately, I'm in the minority. They are thriving, just opened a location in Buffalo, NY which I'm sure will do well. However, when I'm in Rochester and Buffalo, I'll be going to other places like Cole's, Pizza Plant, Rohrbachs, the Old Toad, Tap & Mallet, The Owl House, and several others.
Oct 31, 2009
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Reviewed by wieserjd from New York

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
I went here a couple of months ago for lunch and a couple of pints. I have been to a couple of the other MacGregor's in the greater Rochester area but since its been a few years since I was there, I feel its best to confine my review to the Henrietta location.

Immediately upon walking in you notice the huge amount of taps that they have. Everything is grouped by brewery and they offer a pretty decent selection of micros with some macros mixed in. I had an Arrogant Bastard and River Horse Tripel Horse. Both were served in a large goblet. Service was kind of slow even though it was a weekday and the place was virtually empty.

I assume that this is some sort of sports bar but the atmosphere came off as more of a college feel, probably since RIT is right around the corner.

I ordered a chicken cordon bleu sandwhich that came with chips and a bowl of chili. Both were decent, good enough for bar food.

If I lived in town I could see myself coming here as the prices were not bad and its tough to go wrong with so many taps to choose from. Worth a try.
Mar 15, 2009
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Reviewed by tlinner from New York

3.88/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5
The sheer number of taps makes MacGregor's worthy of praise. There are over 100, and they're arranged by brewery, so if, for example, you're looking for a Dogfish Head brew, you'll easily find them all situated in one spot. As for everything else about this bar, it's pretty average. Without the taps, it's just another dive trying to pass itself off as a sports bar. The atmosphere is dark and gloomy, and the staff is often slow to give you service. Plus, it's one of those bars that suddenly remembers it's Irish conveniently around St. Patty's day. It's certainly not my overall favorite bar, but it's a great place to go for a fine beer on the back patio.
Feb 01, 2009
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Reviewed by DmanGTR from New York

3.8/5  rDev -4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I believe this one is for the MacGregors on Jefferson Rd.

On the outside, it looked like any blue collar pub and walking in, it reminded me like a bar from Chicago in the 70's or something like that. Various paraphernalia, vintage, and sports stuff adorn the walls. A dark brown wood trim adds a touch of class, although this place is far from elegant. There is decent room for dinner and the bar is a nearly enclosed rounded square. And taps. Oh there are so many taps. They boast over 100 beers on tap, a good number of them being BMC's but a great solid selection of local craft and some craft breweries from around the US. There were too many to remember but I remember having DFH 90, Ommegang Stout, and ST Unearthly. That in itself was awesome.

If you come on a busy night, be ready to wait up to 10 or 15 minutes before being noticed by the bartender. But if it's quiet, you'll surely strike a conversation with him and get some nice samples too :)

The food is better than typical bar food. The loaded fries are amazing. But when you are busy getting samples of about 7 different strong beers because you tipped the bartender well on the first pint, you might be a little distracted from eating :)

Prices are quite good. Average $4 a pint or sometimes they'll have specials for Blue Point IPA for cheaper.

A solid place to relax and have a few beers with a buddy or two. It can get a bit loud but if it's a slow night, you can always ask to turn down the music a little bit.

I'm glad Rochester has MacGregors.
Feb 01, 2009
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Reviewed by iceball585 from New York

3.1/5  rDev -21.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I've been going to this MacGregor's since I first turned 21 back in college. Not many things have changed there besides the employees.

For starters the biggest problem for any beer lover is finding a good beer selection at your local bar. Well MacGregor's has that part under control, they have probably over 100 different beers on tap at this location. Unfortinuatly there is one problem w/ this. There is a secret that I have found out about many of the MacGregor's locations around the Rochester area that not many people know (since I have known many people that have worked there). They almost never clean their beer lines when switching from one keg to another. In that sense everytime they put a new beer on tap it will taste tainted w/ the last beer that was on that same tap. It's really a shame because I have gone there time and time again and have tried a new beer on tap to find out that it didn't taste how it should. It's really a shame a place that prides themselves on having so many beers on tap. On the other hand if you're just up for drinking a beer that is always on the same tap then you shouldn't run into this problem.

Also another thing about their beer selection that not many people know is that they don't actually make their own MacGregor's beers. All the beers on tap that have the MacGregor's name attached to them are actually contract brewed by a local brewery that just sells them the beer and allows MacGregor's to put their name on it. This gives people the thought that their actually drinking something that was possibly brewed on site. In fact MacGregor's really has no oversight on what is brewed under their name, they just ok it if they approve of it.

The food at MacGregor's is slightly better than the typical food. Good burgers, good sandwichs, good wraps, and one great nacho platter. The service is something that any MacGregor's really needs to work on. If you're trying to get a beer during a busy time then it will take you at least 10-15min (unless you know the bartender).

Over all if you're looking for a bar and grill to go out and get food/drinks w/ your friends then this is a good place to check out. If you're looking to try some new seasonal beer that just came out... then I suggest buying it at the store or find a different bar that has it on tap.
Jan 06, 2008
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Reviewed by rarevos from New York

3.85/5  rDev -2.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
I'll admit that it bothers me slightly when I read reviews of MacGregor's that overanalyze what they DON'T have rather than concentrating on what they do. You want cask ale? Go someplace else. You want limited release oak-aged one-offs from California breweries? Ditto. But do you want a gajillion varieties of Brooklyn, including Antwerpen and Blanche? You want fresh Ithaca seasonals, like the Smoked Porter and the Partly Sunny? Southern Tier IPA ALL THE TIME? Then you come to MacGregor's...

...just maybe not this one. Sure, it's got a lot of taps. But it's also the loudest MacGregor's I've been to, mostly owing to the Rochester Institute of Technology across the street. OK, OK, I went there for grad school, "RIT Student" once described me, etc. But of all the MacGregor's locations, this is the one most likely to have frat guys guzzling pitchers of McBeer and being as loud as, well, drunken frat guys. I usually sit at the bar, or else in the smaller room to the left of the bar. Just stay away from the pool tables, especially when evening rolls around, unless college guys dropping f-bombs is your thing.

Food is pretty much the same as at all of their other locations. Pub fare. Decent stuff, not terribly pricey, but you're not here for the food.

They will pour an 11 oz glass if you ask for it, but if you just say "a (beer name), please," you'll get a pint (mug, usually). Getting samples sometimes depends on the bartender, but I've never had much trouble getting samples of something if I ask nicely, and they're all about giving samples of their own line of beers. Mostly staffed by area college students; if you want bar staff who also homebrew and read BA and want to talk your ear off about brewing scotch ales with real heather, I think you'll be let down.

It's no longer a craft beer mecca that causes you to gasp with delight, but what it is isn't so bad: a pretty comfortable place with a lot of good craft beer choices for about 4 bucks a pint, a solid lunch destination if you need a hop fix to help get you through a Friday afternoon of drudgery at the office, and a good place to try out the early seasonals before you hit Beers of the World or Southtown Beverage to stock up. If you lower your expectations a bit and accept that 40 of their 100 taps are beers you don't want, you'll be fine. But are we really so spoiled that a bar with around 50 solid-to-good craft offerings isn't good enough anymore? That many of those 50 offerings are also available in and around Rochester speaks more to the vibrancy of the craft beer community here than any failing on MacGregor's part.
Aug 19, 2007
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Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.8/5  rDev -4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
It was early evening, and a lot fo drinkers, some eaters. Little staff, wait a bit for a bartender but not too unhappily. Sixty taps I counted, but there could very well be the 130 plus as stated, mostly the local stuff, and also a handful of national interesting ones. Turnover looked good. Core aged crowd, music not too loud, tables but nothing in the way of privacey here.A fairly roomy place, not far from the entry shopping place going to Rochester from the I-90. Prices at all of the bars I have been in Rochester are reasonable.
Aug 03, 2007
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Reviewed by slander from New York

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I had heard the stories during the "First Annual Beer Advocate New York State Beer Fly Guide Dinner And Drinks Statewide Review Conference And Regional Beer Sampling" (FABANYSBFGDADSRCARBS), but wanted to see this for myself. I've got a lot of time on the road ahead of me, and distance in the distance. At least somewhat slightly in the right direction, this was 10 minutes closer to home than not. It's a start...

A large squarish bar in the center of the room seating upwards of two and a half dozen, with a massive beer island in the center. Mounted TV's above the bar and neat checkerboard floors. A recessed area on 1 side of the bar holds a pair of small pool tables and a few video games, seating on the other side. The walls adorned with brewery mirrors and macro pub signage, and TV's above spaced every 6 feet or so.

Beer mountain. Just an absurd pile of taps, I think 139 of them in all, in rows and groupings and the like. 39 taps in a single row below on 3 towers of 13 each, and then above it, a pair, then a tower of 6, a tower of 7, another tower of 6, then another pair, plus towers on the corners, and this is just the side of the bar I'm sitting on, they've got pretty much the same thing happening on the other side of the bar. Many of this is grouped by brewery (7 beers from Sierra Nevada and 6 from both Magic Hat & Southern Tier). Roughly half the taps here are American micros (house MacGrecor's beers made by Southern Tier, plus Southern Tier, Brooklyn/Post Road, Ithaca, Magic Hat, Ellicottville, Sam Adams, Ommegang, Saranac, Shipyard, Otter Creek/Wolavers, Harpoon, Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada, Sea Dog, Pete's, Red Hook, Blue Moon), and the other half are crappy macros and blah imports.

I was taking my sweet ass time trying to select a beer, so the bartender asked what I usually drink.
"Belgians".
"Well, we've got a beer called Stella Ar..."
"No, that doesn't really count", I interrupted.
He disappeared and returned with a small glass of some light offering, "Try this" (which I did).
"What is it?"
"It's Blanche De Brooklyn".
"No, this is not the Blanche De Brooklyn and I would know!!"
"It says it's the..."
"Dude (I "duded" him), I'm telling you this is not the Blanche De Brooklyn. That's my house and this ain't it".
Remembering how wonderful that cask was the night before at the Old Toad, I opted for the Brooklyn Brown Ale, and I'm telling you, it was off, and again, I would know.

I was sad (like the clown). Sustenance; I opted for the teriyaki wings, at least they were very good. Taps, taps & taps. 5 dozen plus micros and you know what? Nothing maddeningly great or must have. This is a case of quantity not quality. Where are the other New York State micros? Where are the other solid regional micros? I'd rather have half the taps and a tighter, more diverse selection. How well is the beer maintained here? I sat pondering as such and then sat trying not to (It burns me to have to give this place a 4.5 on selection).

I made a play for helping to grade some papers for the teacher sitting next to me. I thought, how funny to have a few and make decisions about student's futures. He was grading EE545 (4th year), and I was in over my head. It's time for me to go.
Dec 26, 2006
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Reviewed by Madmax99 from New York

4.75/5  rDev +19.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5
Now, I am really fond on a nice bar. I was extremely impressed with the amount of beers on tap they had. They had everything from local brew, to thier own homemade brew, to Brooklyn, Irish beers, and an ample amount of german beers. Nice crowd in there to relax with, some tv's playing different sporting events, and the price for beers was good considering the quality of beer you were getting. Fabulous place drink. I have gone back a few times since my first incounter and I have sat down and eaten dinner there. The food is typical of bar foods, nothing fancy. I would recommend purchasing the zesty nachos.
Dec 25, 2006
Photo of dlee
Reviewed by dlee from New York

2.66/5  rDev -32.8%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 2
Well...they have a lot of taps....

MacGregor's has a typical neighborhood bar feel to it, except that it has a huge selection of beer.

100 taps?...130? Does it matter?

I found myself noticing what they didn't have more than what they do.

OK, here is what they had:

- BMC covered several taps and I'd imagine are their best sellers
- The canadian version of BMC (Labatts, Molsen, etc.)
- Several Brooklyn
- Several Majic Hat
- Several Southern Tier
- Several Sierra Nevada
- Several Saranac
- Several Ithaca

Most of these are very good breweries and beers....but out of the 120 taps there was not a single "wow" selection.

I live in Syracuse and the 2 best beer bars regularly get offerings from Rogue, Stone, Avery, Great Divide, Oskar Blues, Boulder, Bear Republic, Acme, Victory, Dogfish Head, Weyerbacher, not to mention belgian beers. Why not here? Also, no Middle Ages....for shame!

Maybe I'm being too harsh....besides there are 100 BMC bars in Rochester...at least this one is trying to offer selection!

If you are going to be a beer bar, be a beer bar (see Mahars in Albany or Clarks in Syracuse)...If you are going to be a BMC bar, be a BMC bar...don't try to be both. Just my .02.

I didn't try the food.
Nov 22, 2006
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Reviewed by rodrot from North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I couldn't pass up the chance to head over to this joint after learning how many taps this place had. Besides, my hotel was just down the road. The beer selection was good, with a large variety of ales, stouts, hefeweizens and lagers on tap. Nothing really jumped out at me except for Sierra Nevada Celebration. In July?? Must have been a left over keg from back in November. I stuck with a couple of Ithaca DIPAs which were very tasty. The food was pretty good, with large portions that I had a hard time finishing. Service was average. Basically, the bartender ignored you unless you asked for something. We went on a Sunday evening and the place was nearly empty. Maybe the locals were resting for the upcoming work week. Overall, this is a good place for BAs to come and have a pint. With over 130 taps there are plenty of beers to choose from. If work brings me to Western NY again, I'll definitely head over to Macgregor's.
Jul 15, 2006
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Reviewed by LucaBrasi from New York

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Have visited this establishment…. quite a few times. Lunch crowed is mixed. Service is good. Came here on a few weeknights and there was a good crowed of dinner and bar patrons around. A mixed bag some business suits, some students some families. The Tap selection I thought was 120 but I heard the bartender tell someone its 134. Either way there is a shipload of beer on tap, which is cool. I always try to get something different when I head there for lunch or dinner. Food is good; this is a larger place than the one in Gates which is also situated near some train tracks. Not much else to say it’s a good place like the one in gates with a hell of a lot more beers. There is something for everyone beer wise that is. Good day.
Jan 12, 2006
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Reviewed by BlastTyrant from New York

4.85/5  rDev +22.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
This is my favorite MacGregor's. The tap list is gigantic (the most of any MacGregor's, about 120 or so), and while it is heavy on the lagers, there are more than enough others to choose from. The prices on the beer are good ($3-$4 for an imperial pint), but the food can be a bit expensive. However, the food is generally very good (try the Tremendous Fries or Buffalo Chicken Sandwich). There is a deck, a couple pool tables and dartboards, and some arcade machines. I've always had great service here as well.

The only downside for those picky about glassware is that virtually everything is served in a 20oz mug. That really doesn't bother me, though. During the school year, there are usually a bunch of RIT students in here, who usually come in and promptly order pitchers of Blue Light or Mich Ultra.
Sep 24, 2005
MacGregor's Grill & Tap Room - Henrietta in Rochester, NY
Place rating: 3.96 out of 5 with 47 ratings