Richardson's Canal House

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#1 of 31 Restaurants in PittsfordAmerican, Seafood, $$$$

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Richardson's Canal House

Review

At a glance

Open until 2:00 PM

, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Website

+1 585-248-5000Improve this listing

About

Richardson's Canal House is a casual gourmet kitchen set on the scenic banks of the Erie Canal in Pittsford, NY.

Features

CUISINES

American, Seafood, Grill

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Full Bar

Outdoor Seating

Parking Available

Private Dining

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

1474 Marsh Rd, Pittsford, NY 14534-3454

Parking Available

Is this a seafood restaurant?

Yes

Unsure

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Open until 2:00 PM

Sunday

Closed

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Wednesday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thursday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Friday

11:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Saturday

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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4.4

369 reviews

Excellent

225

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Pat P

1 contribution

Exemplifies what a fine dining experience should be.

Aug 2020 • none

We were greeted warmly for our reservation and seated immediately on the patio overlooking the canal. Cocktail order was taken promptly, ice water and fresh, warm home made rolls arrived shortly. The cocktails were perfectly mixed and presented. Service was spot on the entire meal; prompt, professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. I choose the Sea bass which arrived perfectly grilled with crisp edges and moist interior, it's richness complemented nicely by the sweet and tangy mango salsa. My dining partner choose the special, teriyaki grilled beef tenderloin kebabs, which arrived sizzling hot, classically paired with pineapple, bell pepper and onion on the skewers; they were delicious. For dessert, I enjoyed one of the best creme' brulees I've ever had with a glass of tawny port which picked up the caramel notes. He had the peach galette which was also very good. Every meal I've had here has been exceptional. Highly recommend.

Written August 26, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

850lauriea

Thank you for your kind words, we like to make sure all our guests have a memorable experience and it sounds like we succeeded. thank you again. Laurie

Written August 27, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

dese2

Auburn3628 contributions

Great atmosphere

Jun 2021 • none

What a great experience! We walked to the restaurant from the public boat docks; easy walk. Seating was inside or out, under a giant tent. They also had lawn seating, at tables. We were near the canal so had a very pleasant view. Not much canal traffic on the day we were there. We ordered cocktails and a beer; they had some local products. I had the bouillabaisse. My table mates had a seasonal salad, seasonal soup and a shrimp salad and a beef tip sandwich. My bouillabaisse was full of seafood goodness. It was served in a soup bowl so cooled quickly but that was fine. The shrimp cocktail was good; nice large shrimp done well. The cocktail sauce was mostly tomato. The pea soup was very good as was the salad. The one disappointment was the beef tip sandwich. The beef was in big chunks and better eaten with a fork and knife. It was only a disappointment when compared to the other dishes. Our service was efficient and friendly. Since we walked over we didn't need parking but they did have a parking lot near the entry door. I can't speak to the indoor seating area because we were outside. They were careful about masks and had hand sanitizer available.

Written June 8, 2021

Julia W

2 contributions

Perfect Choice for Our Celebration!

May 2022 • none

We wanted someplace special to celebrate our son's college graduation last weekend. Richardson's Canal House definitely fit the bill. Laurie answered all my questions, making the decision to make our reservation easy. When we arrived we were greeted warmly and shown to a "private" room. We were a party of 8, so we had a room to ourselves, which was great! Our server, Meghan, was excellent - friendly and very attentive. She shared some fun stories about the history of the property, and Laurie joined in to provide more details. But what about the food, you ask? Well, we were lucky enough to be there during their Austrian Menu. The food was spectacular! Our group had several different dishes and everyone raved about the quantity, quality, and presentation. It was all delicious. Desserts were had by most and were of the same quality as the meals. We definitely made the right choice in booking Richardson's. It was a true celebration. My only regret is we live 6.5 hours away!

Written May 27, 2022

Laurie A

Thank you so much for your kind words, I'm so glad we could make your celebration a memorable one. Laurie

Written May 27, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Gabi Neumaier Felter

1 contribution

One of my favorite restaurants in Rochester

Jun 2020 • none

I am looking forward to tomorrow night for another great dinner at Richardson's There are so many memories here. This became my father's second home .They treated him like a king and when my mother was still alive ,her like a queen. I was living in Ohio for 44 years but I would visit often and the first thing my father would say is let's go to Richardson's for dinner I haven't been there in a while. Even though looking at his receipts he had been there the night before You see my father suffered from short-term memory loss and wait staff and owner and everybody knew how to treat him, always with a Heineken ready at the table. See everybody tomorrow night. I am the daughter of Hans Neumaier.

Written June 30, 2020

850lauriea

Both your parents were so great, we all loved them and I still think of them fondly to this day. there used to be a picture of them on the patio from way back in the day on our website, I'll look for it and let you know if I find it. Enjoy dinner tonight! Laurie

Written July 1, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

jrsane

Fairport69 contributions

Very good

May 2021 • none

Had dinner at Richardson's with friends last night. Atmosphere (outside near canal) and service were excellent! The Onion soup was very good. The "Pork Porterhouse" was good size and tasty but only a dab of sauce was provided. The potato and vegetable sides were the smallest side portions I ever remember getting at a restaurant. Not a very good selection of beer.

Written May 27, 2021

Michael B

9 contributions

Atmosphere and ambience was

Jul 2020 • none

Atmosphere and ambience was very good the food on the other hand I think the chef Was just going through the motions. We had the Caesar salad with chicken I expected the chicken to be freshly grilled but you could tell the chicken was cooked earlier in the day and just put on the salad . The Scallops were cooked OK the sauce was bland . The vegetable was zucchini which were OK but for contrast I would do a medley for color I would’ve done the yellow squash green squash and carrots at least a few different colors and their vegetables for flavor and contrast. The drinks were great , bartender definitely knows how to mix a drink.

Written July 5, 2020

Fairport Travelers

Fairport676 contributions

Best ambiance in town

Jul 2020 • none

Always a great place to have an outdoor meal or just a glass/bottle of wine in the summer right on the Erie Canal. Service is always top notch. Also a great place to get RCH burger to go which we did last weekend. Awesome burger!

Written July 18, 2020

850lauriea

thank you so much for your kind review, glad to hear you enjoyed everything.

Written July 19, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

RalphDailey

Williamsville130 contributions

Quiet Romantic stop in a rustic old style farm house

Jan 2020 • none

A real gem of a place that looks like an old farm house. I'm tall so had to duck many doorways. Service was very good and food incredibly tasty. Not a big menu but enough for anyones taste containing soup, salads, main courses and local cuisine. No issues at all and would happily visit again

Written January 13, 2020

Deb M

Rockville45 contributions

Best Dinner During Our Finger Lakes Stay

Aug 2021 • none

On a day trip to Rochester, my husband and I wanted to find a good restaurant by the water - and Richardson's Canal House seemed to fit the bill. It was by far the best dinner we had while visiting the FLX area (and celebrating our 47th Anniversary). Delicious food, a courteous staff and beautiful setting. What more could you want?

Written August 25, 2021

Linda B

5 contributions

Never again

Jul 2023 • friends

The older woman that appears to be the manager is extremely rude. She stated they had no room because we didn't have a reservation. When we were going to leave, suddenly she had a "corner table". We should have left then. The service was very good and the food was good. The place was not overly busy and never did the tables begin to fill up. This woman hovered near our table as we were finishing. She was not dressed professionally and that was appropriate for attitude. Her inflated sense of self worth ruined it for us. We will never return.

Written August 9, 2023

Laurie Austin

I am that older woman and I'm sorry if you thought I was rude. The tables were somewhat empty because there were later reservations on them. I was able to give you a table because I could move things round as for hovering I was most likely making sure you were enjoying your dinner. Not professionally dressed!!! It is casual patio dining and with the hot weather we dress to keep cool while running around finding tables for people with no reservations.

Written August 11, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Wayne S

2 contributions

Wonderful time, Hostess not so much

Jul 2021 • friends

Our group was there on July 20th. Dinner, drinks and service were excellent. Not rushed, knowledgeable server, varied menu. The only negative was the hostess who was short and abrasive. Due to the weather they were not seating outside. We understood that. We said we had a reservation. Instead of explaining they were not seating outside,see snapped "Not outside!" This was repeated to others who entered. Later she could be heard loudly arguing with a person on the phone. We have never had a complaint or concern any during any other visit. Her approach was not professional.

Written July 22, 2021

lkpm3

Albany171 contributions

Yummy but not cheap

Nov 2024 • family

We went with friends. Would recommend going in the summer when you can sit by the canal. Or at least that looks like it would be nice. We are inside. The food was excellent. Everyone enjoyed what they got. Steaks were delicious. The menu is quite eclectic

Written November 27, 2024

joe

Maine173 contributions

Fabulous

Dec 2023 • couples

This is a fabulous place, with great Early American decor, charm and warmth. The food is fabulous as was the service . We will definitely return when in the area .

Written December 19, 2023

JimM1146

Naples378 contributions

Outstanding

Aug 2023 • friends

A perfect evening outside having a terrific dinner. The chef’s special lamb kabob’s were perfect, heirloom tomatoes with barrita cheese, all our orders were outstanding. Have to mention your charged 3% for using credit card. I feel that’s tacky.

Written August 10, 2023