The Playhouse Swillburger

We’ve heard the hype so we stopped in for after-​dinner drinks while in the Wedge. It was a pretty crowded scene on this Saturday night. We checked out the menu which looked like it could be something we would see at any one of the many local burger joints except for the vegan and kale choices on the board. Did not eat so cannot judge the food quality.
The beer selection was interesting but I decided to try one of their «on tap» cocktails — the rum and gin concoction was tasty and if I had not seen it come from a tap I would not have known a shortcut was taken. We checked out the wide array of video games and pinball machines — we only played a few given the crowd. They could use a few games upstairs since that eating area seems stark (perhaps some art work at least?). As other have mentioned 5 or 6 games were out of order. I suppose it will be a challenge keeping these old machines functioning. We were hoping for even more of the older games like at the Strong but then again this isn’t a museum.

Finally decided to check out what all the hype was about on a Saturday night. Had a good time but came to the conclusion that this joint is a little over-​hyped.
Saturday night? Maybe not the best idea to come here for actual food. The line at the burger station took about 40 minutes. The burger itself, pretty good! The portions are huge and prices were fair. That being said, definitely not worth a 40 minute wait. There aren’t many options when it comes to burgers. I highly suggest grabbing dinner elsewhere and coming here for drinks and a little arcade fun.
The concept behind this place is very cool (burgers, drinks, and games) but needs a bit of improvement. Being from the NYC area, I’ve had my fair share of barcade nights. Not to compare the two cities at all, but this joint definitely needs more space if they wanna run three different services. The balcony area is perfect for eating so props on that. The arcade area, however, very cramped! The bar was cool but also cramped being that it’s directly in front of the arcade.
All in all, a fun place to grab a drink and maybe hit the arcade area if there is space to navigate around it. Staff is friendly and the place is well kept.

I’ve been waiting anxiously to go to Swillburger/​the playhouse, but I was very disappointed. I saw on the menu that there’s two types of burgers: beef or veggie. I opted for the veggie burger. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very good. I’ve made beet burgers from scratch and they taste better than the ones that they sell here. This is so disappointing because I expected an amazing veggie burger from a burger joint. The burgers fell apart, had the consistency of mashed potatoes, had a harsh beet flavor, and had an unidentifiable ingredient in them (which turned out to be grapes). They said this was for sweetness but something about the texture was completely off.
Also disappointing was that they only had American cheese. From a place who prides themselves on quality ingredients, I couldn’t believe that they only had American. I think cheddar/​swiss/​anything would have been much more satisfying than a processed cheese.
Fries: really good, though I wish they had vampire fries on the menu
Milkshakes: really really tasty but expensive for the size. I realize that they’re local but I wouldn’t buy a milkshake for this price again when I can buy a pint of «eat me» ice cream and make my own.
The arcade: super cool! Very trendy setting, cool games, good environment.
Overall: the arcade was very fun, but the food was disappointing. Counter service was strange because only one register was open and I felt like a nuisance to staff/​other customers for asking questions about what certain items are. (ex. hot jam; swill sauce). A simple description on the menu would help a lot with this process. This seems like a popular spot for people in their late 20s/​early 30s.

I’ve been looking forward to this place for SO LONG. Decided to host my birthday dinner/​party there without trying it first, but I was not disappointed nor were my friends!
The bar is super cool, they had a pretty solid draft list and the cocktails looked cool, although I didn’t have one.
The food is good, I had the veggie burger and curry tots. I wasn’t looking for a gourmet meal, and the dinner totally met my expectations. Other in my party with the beer burgers and fries also enjoyed.
The real winner at this place is the game section. There are tons of vintage video games and pinball machines. I had to pull my fiances and friends out at the end of the night! We were also there on a thursday and there was not really any kind of waiting for games or food.
If you are looking for a ‘sit down’ dinner, this spot is tough. They don;t ahvea ton of seating, although we made it work for our party of 10 and there are no coat racks (The upstairs dining room/​back wall area is perfect for some hooks or something!). Oh– And I think some ski-​ball machines would be awesome upstairs with the shuffleboard!
Long story short, we had a great time and will definitely be back for fun and food! I’m glad this spot is here :)

I think I waited for this place to open for around a year since I first heard about it. A classic arcade serving great beer, burgs, and milk shakes in Rochester? Needless to say I was excited. Now that I have visited I will say it was well worth the wait, but there is still room for improvement.
Here’s the lowdown:
The Food– Excellent. I had a double Cheeseburger with bacon and all the toppings, and shared a side of fries and curry tots which were the special for the evening. The burger was easy to eat, it stayed intact while eating and the bun stood up to the test of containing all the toppings. You could tell the meat was of a higher quality than a normal burger. I personally think they should make more of a deal out of this, especially since it raises the price compared to other local burger places. The fries were crispy and so were the tots (seems like they improved on this based on other reviews). I wanted to try the vampire fries because they were so highly touted in the months leading up to the opening but they were not on the menu on this day. I wish this was a mainstay on the menu, but I will be back to try them soon. I’d love to taste their version of a Rochester hot sauce, I’m sure it will be fantastic.
The Beer– Nice selection. You get 4 free tokens for games with the purchase of a draft beer during happy hour. The bartenders were friendly. I wouldn’t mind seeing some more local beer on the list like 3HB’s The Kind or Caged Alpha Monkey from CB Craft Brewers.
The Games– Very fun, especially the pinball games. I got 10 bucks worth of tokens and it was actually pretty difficult to spend that much on games due to some broken machines and lack of availability due to it being busy. I admit, I took some coins home because of this (sorry).
The Verdict– I will be back to drink more beer, eat more burgs, and spend the rest of my coins!

Like others have alluded to, I don’t think I can give the Playhouse Swillburger more than 3 stars right now. While it’s a novel idea and in an awesome location for people in the Wedge (like myself, praise.), there are far too many flaws and errors in its early stages to really say, «yes, this place is bomb!»
First and foremost, you probably shouldn’t go to Swillburger to eat. While the prices are comparative to any semi-​fast food burger joint around town, when you consider a burger and fries are going to run you over $ 10 after tax, the idea of having a greasy burger with jarred ingredients or basic, cheap, unappealing, and poorly chopped ingredients takes a nosedive immediately. Yes, it’s fun to have burgers and play arcade games, but if they want to do it right, they either need to step up their food posh-​ness or lower the prices for the quality of food they’re providing. While some people have commented on the fries being revised for the better, on the night I happened to go, my fries were still soggy, and the amount of uncooked chopped garlic mounded on top was enough to probably kill an army of vampires let alone one.
As for the rest of the Playhouse? No other major complaints besides that if you pick a busy night you’re likely not going to be able to play a game for too long because there simply aren’t enough for the crowds right now! They may have underestimated the influx of people coming in from their advertising and as a result, several machines already need to be repaired, so on most nights you’re likely going to be stuck watching other people playing or waiting some time before the game you want to play becomes available. Not only that, I can also confirm that when I did get to play some of the non-​pinball machines, several of my tokens were eaten by the machines as well — curse you Magneto.
So I think it goes without saying that the Playhouse Swillburger really needs some work. They need better food choices or to lower the prices, they need more, working machines, and most importantly, they need to make sure their customers aren’t getting ripped off from money-​eating arcade games. They really couldn’t be in a better location and the concept is great, but until some of these problems are fixed I’m hesitant to return on the regular.

We didn’t eat, but had a couple drinks that were pretty tasty. I has a great time beating the guys in tekkan but there were a lot of games that are in for repairs :(all the shooting style games were either out of order or just one player. Will give this place some time to become awesome.

Swillburger is a classic arcade, bar, and burger joint.
Bar: Good beer selection. There’s a somewhat unusually high number of porters on tap, which could be a pro if you’re into darker beers.
Food: A bit expensive but very tasty. Know that it’s not a full restaurant, you’re getting a burger or you’re getting nothing :) (or chicken sandwich or veggie burger or salad). Burgers reminded me of 5-​guys: juicy. Fries come is pretty large portions. The garlic fries don’t skimp on the garlic so be prepared (we’re talking vampires here after all.)
Arcade: 50c for most games, found the pinball and a few of the retro games like Tekken, Space Invaders enjoyable. There is a pretty nice shuffleboard as well. Some of the games are broken so be careful of dumping too many coins in if nothing happens. Missing a good shooter like House of the Dead.
Large open space which is nice but it gets LOUD and packed during primetime.
Difficult to find parking, try to carpool as a group or taxi if you can.

My first visit. This looks like a very cool place, arcade games a plenty, they have a bar and yes they do have specials on things. Alas we did not get a beer or whatever. I went with a few friends. This place even on a Wednesday fills up fast. Seating not a lot of it as it gets busier. The person who takes your order is pleasant and they call out your name when ready. I got a double cheeseburger, my friend got a single and we shared the fries and other friend got the Vampire Fries. Ok, the burgers were tasty and fresh, all the stuff you can put on this burger will make it a hot mess so be warned but it makes a great burger. You can get the swill sauce on the side. It’s like a much better version of McDonalds «special sauce» it’s a mayo based sauce. Wished they gave you a slightly larger container for it. The Vampire Fries… Ok you walk in to this place and it’s smells of garlic. I love it others who knows. Now everyone has said on here it’s ok. It is. But I would not eat this alone share it. I almost wish it was a version of BG Fries (BG-​Butter Garlic sauced fries) but if you want them share them. Some of my friends found the single good but too much bread. I’m thinking it all depends on what you get or don’t get on your burger. Games. I wished they had a few more but no matter lots of old school stuff, you get change for tokens and enjoy playing. It’s all hipster all the time.seriously. It’s ironic is a funny way. Parking is on the street but read the website for info or if you don’t make sure you look at the parking signs. Price wise it’s ok at best… But they do have a bar and specials. Cheers

Disclaimer: This was my first visit to Swillburger, and they just opened. I Try not to judge a place too strongly on my first visit, and especially if they’re new. That being said, this is a pretty fun place. You walk in and are immediately greeted by dozens of arcade cabinets and pinball machines. I love looking around and seeing the old Ninja Turtles and X-​Men arcade games and a cabinet for Space Invaders. The bar area is to the left of the arcade games. They currently have a very small selection of beverages as they just got their liquor license 3 days before I visited.
The food menu is pretty small. They have a ham/​cheeseburger, a veggie burger, 2 types of french fries. Beware, the Vampire Fries (garlic) come with what looks like a spoonful of minced garlic dropped on top of them. It’s not very pleasant getting a mouthful of that.
The business also seems to be struggling to decide what it is. Is it a bar with an arcade area, or is it an arcade with a bar? I’m fine with either distinction, but it makes a difference in how late they stay open if they’re going to serve alcohol until 2AM like a regular bar.
I am giving this review 3-​stars for now because they are still learning and growing as a new business. I look forward to coming back again and seeing what it has transformed into since my first visit.

The Playhouse Swillburger is a very necessary edition to Rochester, funded by Rochestarians on KickStarter.
Due to the fact that they are so new, I am hoping that they can get the kinks worked out. They will be improving soon for sure.
The Food:
I got a burger with the fixings, and some vampire fries. The burger was awesome. The meat was cooked perfectly, and it was very delicious/​flavorful. The vampire fries are a great concept, but I personally just like fries to be cut a little larger. The garlic flavor was great.
I am not a fan of the milkshakes. I like milkshakes to be thick and creamy, with a monster straw to suck that sweet deliciousness up. They were lacking, just get a beer instead.
You go to a counter, order your food, and wait to the side. They will call you when it is done. They also offer take out.
The Bar:
When I arrived they had just gotten their liquor license, and the products that they were currently serving only came from the vendor who could get them their stuff the quickest. With that being said, they will be carrying more varieties soon. The bartender said they will be switching taps frequently, and already have a large schedule of beers that will be added and swapped around that goes into March. The beers that they had were all heavier, darker, or IPAS. If you are pilsner/​pale ale person, you will have to wait. Hard ciders will be added soon as well.
The Games:
There is a change machine right by the door, and an ATM by the restrooms. Some of the games will eat your quarters. Gotta be authentic, right?
There is a pinball room, and then the rest of the games are scattered about. I was most excited about Ninja Turtles and Street Fighter II, both nostalgic pieces from my childhood on Super Nintendo. I am hoping that they have more variety in the future, such as Pac Man, or some of the other games that they house at the Strong Museum of Play.
Parking: Side streets, and hopefully lots after business hours are done are where you will have to go. The parking situation kind of sucks, but if you are going to be a fatty and order a burger and fries, the walking a few blocks won’t kill you, just make sure you are not in a place that will give you a ticket.

The trouble with writing a review for Playhouse is I am not sure to review them for what they are or what they could/​might be.
They are the only barcade in Rochester. As such, I will be back. That model is wonderfully fun – I loved arcades as a child and an arcade with beer is pretty much paradise as an adult. The space (an old church) is cool and unique. The beers on tap are craft, and the bartenders are attentive and knowledgeable.
However, there are still so many kinks. I tried to list them and provide solutions when I could.
1, The tokens are too light: You exchange your cash for tokens at the change machine like an old arcade – $ 1 equaling 4 tokens. The tokens are custom made for Playhouse which is a great aesthetic, but the tokens are lighter than quarters. As a result, I lost at least $ 3 worth of tokens because the machines failed to trigger when I deposited.
Possible solutions: Change over to quarters, change over to heavier tokens.
2. The bar/​games are overpriced when taken as a whole: The craft beers are all Rochester standard craft beer prices, $ 5 to $ 8 depending on what you get. The tokens are $ 0.25 as I mentioned above. The games all cost 2 tokens. Individually, these are not large issues. However, the bar lacks other things to do. The only sitting areas are at the bar or in the balconies away from everything. You really are meant to play games. In that case, two tokens a game and minimum $ 5 a beer is too much. Edit: According to the bar’s response below, most games are 1 token. Xmen and pinball are two tokens. I started with those, and just kept putting in two tokens into every machine without realizing I didn’t need to do that. So fair enough. My fault.
Possible solutions: Make each game one token rather than two, provide two tokens with a drink order, have a $ 1 be worth 6 tokens (Strong Museum does this).
3. Not all the games worked: I understand getting a bunch of old games running is cumbersome, but you can’t have two machines not working properly a week into opening. That doesn’t bode well.
4. There is no place to set your drinks while playing the video games. The pinball machines all have nice little tables for your drink which works great. I would invest in similar little tables for the video games. I pulled up a bar stool for my beer while I played, and that worked too.
5. The token receiving process is cumbersome. The only way to do it is a change machine. However, the change machine doesn’t give actual change. If you put in a $ 20, you get back 80 tokens. The bartenders were happy to break my cash into smaller increments, but I can imagine that being bothersome and awkward on a day where the bar is fuller.
Possible solutions: Allow tokens to be added to the tab, switch over to quarters rather than tokens (I’d probably spend all my $ 20 of quarters but I’d be more apt to break a twenty if I knew I was getting actual currency back).
If you notice, the review is a list of problems. However, the rating is 3 stars. I am glad this exists, and I would give it 3.5 stars if Unilocal allowed it. This is a good place worth attending. I salute the guys who had the courage to open it and the patience to stick through an arduous opening process. The problems I have are all fixable.
.

Hold the phone… Someone put a restaurant and a bar AND an arcade together? You’re kidding me! That’s like my dream restaurant! I could eat sleep and live here!
When I first came here I got a bacon cheeseburger and some vampire fries. The burgers are amazing, they seem like they’re freshly ground and cooked to perfection for me. Then again I’m easy to please!
The vampire fries were OK. They were good but I think they would benefit from being the garlic and fries being tossed together instead of the garlic being on top. But that’s personal preference.
I have yet to try the bar but I think this’ll be a hang out place for me in the future with some nerdy friends of mine! They have pinball machine and the cabinet arcades that are classics. I think they’re adding more upstairs so I hope they have more driving games and other fighter games.
This place is really cool and I’m always excited to visit for lunch!

Pros: good garlic fries, line moved fast, service was friendly, decent selection of games
Cons: lack of parking, somewhat overpriced burger, limited menu, token machine was out of tokens when I went, packed so limited seating (had to stand)

Beer, videos games, burgers. Who could ask for anything more?
As you walk in you’re greeted with a room full of 90s arcade games as well as your childhood nostalgia. Games are usually 25 cents and a perfect way to kill time while your food is being made. I can’t even beat Boba Fett before my burger is done

Super exciting atmosphere. The bar was packed when I was there on a Saturday, but they had enough staff so they were able to get my order in a decent amount of time. And I wish I knew what kind of red wine they were serving, because I have been dreaming about it ever since. The food lines happen in waves, and as long as you plan accordingly, you won’t have to wait in line. I got food twice when I was there, and both times I walked right up to the counter.
The food was great. Burgz are yum. The bun really is amazing, stands up to the burger and toppings. The Vampire fries were good, I tossed mine all in the garlic before eating. The espresso chocolate milkshake was wonderful, and when I spilled my milkshake they made me a brand new one no charge. I really like the way they label the burgers 1, 2, 3 .that’s a neat way to differentiate. Also the menu board is awesome. I love the vintage feel.
I am not a big gamer, but it was so fun to play the games that I did get to. People wait in line for the games, it’s fun to roam the room, lurking behind competitive gamers ready to jump when someone gets discouraged and walks away. And there were so many games! I feel like I could go five times and not play all the games, there is such an assortment.
Also really cool that Ugly Duck Coffee had a little set up for those who need extra caffeine in order to get their initials on the board.
I like the token idea, and is a good technique to bring you back. Because I have four tokens that I found in one of my pockets and it’s only worth something at the Playhouse.
Overall super excited about this spot and can’t wait to return. I wish other places came up with unique ideas to set them apart like Swillburger did. Real creative.

Pros: Vegan options, vintage arcade games, good selection of beers, the green hot sauce was good, the chocolate vegan milkshake was excellent.
Cons: Very loud (you have to scream to have a conversation), not enough parking or seating, burger fell apart and was messy to eat, no plates for your food, vampire fries had too much garlic, ketchup was weird and bad, no place to hang your coat, jukebox ate my dollar.
I like the idea of Swillburger, but the execution could use some work.
I had the double Big Veggie burger, made with beets. It was… interesting. But it was served on a bun that was tall and thick (instead of wide and flat) — which made the burger hard to eat. It fell apart and made a big mess (and it wasn’t served on a plate, which made for an even bigger mess). I would make the burger patties thinner and wider, and use a flatter bun, in order to make the thing more «user-​friendly» so you can eat it more easily.
The vampire fries had way too much garlic for my taste. On the other hand, the chocolate milkshake (vegan) was outstanding. I think it was made with coconut milk, and it had a really great flavor and consistency.
The biggest single problem with the meal was the ketchup. It was just plain bad. The ketchup was unlike any other ketchup I’ve ever tried. I think it was less salty and less sweet than normal, and it just didn’t taste right. And the little plastic cups that they provide for ketchup are way too small. You need to use about ten of them for an order of fries and a burger.

I went there for the first time the other night and my initial impression was mostly positive.
First, the food:
— I went with the cheeseburger with grilled mushrooms, tomato, and hot jam. I also ordered a tray of the vampire fries.
— The burger:
The meat was fresh and was cooked between a medium and medium rare, which I thought was perfect. The bread was nice and soft and was presented in uncrushed in a foil wrapper. All and all, I would put it on par with Five Guys. The had a couple of in-​house made sauces which were very tasty. One was a green hot sauce, which was very mild in heat (similar to a tomatillo salsa), but had a great flavor. The other, a BBQ, was a thinner consistency (similar to Sticky Lips), twist on the classic. From a price point, the burger was just under the cost of the local Five Guys equivalent (their «Junior» single patty sandwich).
— The fries:
The vampire fries lived up to their name… picture a large order if shoe string style french fries covered in a slightly sauteed BULB of minced garlic and then topped with coarsely chopped parsley. ***BE WARNED*** You will be breathing dragons after eating these. They will ward off vampires as well as any chance of you hooking up with anything other than Listerine and a tooth brush. If you are susceptible even slightly to acid re-​flux, slow your roll on these babies. As far as taste, I did enjoy them, but i would like to see the garlic sauteed a bit longer and maybe an option for a cheese curd, poutine style variant.
— The drinks:
There were 20+ taps and everything I had tasted fresh. It was an impressive offering, with plenty to offer the connoisseur or the casual drinker. As far as liquor, it was interesting to see that none of the mainstream staples were available. The had a lot of smaller named product offerings on hand. It was nice respite, as I could see it forcing people off of the beaten trail when ordering.
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Okay, game time!
— There was a good initial selection to choose from. They have some nice classics, such as Tapper, Asteroids Deluxe, and the original Playboy Pinball table. They also had a decent modern classic selection, including X-​Men, Simpsons, NBA Jam, and House of the Dead.
— My only real gripe was the functionality of the machines. There were at least 5 devices completely down, including a vintage Star Wars game that I was really looking forward to playing. Several of the working games had quirks. For example, some of the coin slots would just eat your tokens and most of the pinball tables could use some TLC (unresponsive bumpers, multiple bulbs out, improper scoring, etc).
In fairness, the staff was very friendly and happily refunded my lost tokens. They attentively listened to the errors I was having with the machines and said they will alert their repairman to service them. I will update my rating if they have been corrected when I go back in the next week or so.
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Conclusion:
This place has a lot of potential. There really aren’t any other arcades left in the area, less The Strong Museum of Play. I love the concept and can’t wait to see how they expand and hone it over the next several months. I want to give it 3.5 stars, but no halves are allowed with Unilocal.It will be great to update this with a higher ranking as things progress.

Okay, they aren’t really a 4-​star place yet. But they are on their way and I’m writing this with an open mind because they have so much going for them, and I am confident that the imperfections we experienced will dissolve in time, as they are brand spanking new.
First off, the food was excellent. Hubby had a burger with bacon and fixings. I had a veggie burger with pickles, cole slaw, jalapeño jam, their house sauce (an upscale Thousand Island) and onions. Their veggie burger was Kick. Ass. They make it with beats and black beans and it was a huge step above the traditional boring veggie burgers at most places. We also shared the «vampire fires» covered in garlic, which left my breath wonderfully stinky for quite a while. They had some tasty BBQ sauce and green hot sauce (house made?) at our disposal which was fully utilized. And I was too full to try it, but they have a very tempting vegan milkshake I’ll have to save room for next time. The edibles were a win-​win.
All the employees were friendly and awesome and anxious to help.
The ambiance is solid. They are still awaiting their liquor license.
There are a few tweaks that they still need to work out, and I’m sure they will as they are open longer. The shuffle board didn’t have enough sand to play, there was no place to hang our coats, there was no recycle bin for our soda cans, they didn’t have some of the typical games I was looking forward to… you know, the staples… (Pac Man, Gallaga, Centipede, etc.), and many of the games they did have were broken. But I’m sure they will work all that out, and I am really hopeful for their success. Neat new place.

I’m 100% in sync with Emily’s review. this place has potential, but was definitely underwhelming.
Don’t come here expecting a shake shack or even 5 guys type of burger, sorry it just wasn’t that good. Main issue was temperature; it was just too lukewarm bordering on cold and we really didn’t wait that long for the burgers. Same goes for fries, they really needed to be served hotter. Also the ketchup has an odd pickled/​relish kind of flavor which I guess is kinda trendy but not what I was expecting.
Didn’t see a parking lot so finding a place to park might be challenging at peak hours, but maybe I missed it. The cashier who took our order was nice enough.
Remains to be seen how well this place will do. Its certainly «creative» to be an arcade that serves food, but I left here wondering if this is just a gimmick that will get old and go the path of other establishments that try to do too much at the same time. At the very least, I think this may mature into a popular retro arcade for those of us who grew up playing pinball machines and pacman, and can grab some food and beers in between games

This is going to be a popular hangout for burgers, drinks, and games in the South Wedge!
Located in a converted church, the remodeled building is hip and beautiful. When you walk in you are greeted by a floor of classic arcade games. Signs point you the way to order food, which is limited to burgers, fries, and shakes. Veggie burgers and kale salads are also available.
The soon-​to-​be-​bar (awaiting liquor license) is backed by a beautiful and dramatic soaring sculpture of a Tetris game. Can’t wait to drink a brew from one of the 20 taps behind the bar. Additional seating upstairs looks perfect for people watching the gamers below.
Plenty of stool seating around the room, though my friend and I both suggested that some old-​school formica pizza parlour booths would be a perfect fit for this place, too. We liked the coat hooks under the bar AND electric outlets, too!
Our burger came out in less than 10 minutes. Alongside my double cheeseburger wrapped in foil was a cup overflowing with fresh cut and cooked shoestring french fries. I took a bite into my juicy burger and was surprised at how salty the patties were. I took another bite and got the same. I turned to my friend and he looked at me and was like, «Holy salt.» They need to dial back the salt on what was otherwise a juicy and flavorful beef patty. The fries were pre-​salted, too, but not as much as the burger.
My friend got «vampire» fries, which are fries served with roasted garlic on top. Not my thing, but my friend enjoyed them.
After we finished our burgers we hit the floor to punish some old school arcade games. I forgot how hard some of these games could be. Nice selection of games and pinball, but no Pac Man?
I’m sure that this place will be packed on weekends once word gets around about this fun new hangout in the South Wedge. I’ll be looking forward to my next visits, especially as they bring the beer taps on-​line.
But, the salt.

I see so much potential in this place! I had a good time, but was underwhelmed. After all the hype of #eatburgz and seeing so many amaz burger pics on Instagram, my expectations were HIGH. And they were disappointed. The burger was much smaller than I expected. If you’re hungry, I would definitely recommend ordering a double. The burger itself was not memorable. Not particularly meaty, flavorful, or filling. I hate to say it, but I would compare it to a Bill Gray’s burger. Bill Gray’s might be better. The vampire fries were good but a little too garlicky. There were legit, straight-​up clumps of garlic left in our little fry boat at the end. It was excessive.
The arcade games were definitely fun, but they need to improve signage. It was unclear that you needed to get tokens and plain old quarters wouldn’t work. Also, a few games were malfunctioning and others ate our tokens. Definitely room for improvement there.
That all being said, the milkshakes were outstanding and the place looks super cool. Very aesthetically pleasing! Good music too.
Excited to see how this place develops.

This place is exactly what Rochester needs. They clearly care more about putting out a quality product than making money.
Small menu = good food. They have burgers, veggie burgers, fries & onion rings. Everything is locally sourced from New York. You’ll never see a Sysco truck parked out back. The burgers are bursting with flavor. I was hoping mine would be cooked more medium, it was more cooked through, but it still was incredibly juicy and flavorful. The fries are thin, crispy, and delicious. The Vampire fries have a caramelized onion/​garlic topping with parsley (I think?); it tastes great, but can be a little overpowering if you eat a whole order to yourself. They truly care about their food and it shows.
The interior is spacious, clean and simple. They have a lot of arcade games, including about 6 pinball machines. It’s a really cool, fresh take on the idea of an arcade. Here it’s part of the overall aura of the establishment, not just a money-​grab off to the side.
Overall this is a great addition to the Rochester food scene that you will be hearing a lot about. It’s food is akin to In-​n-​Out and Shake Shack when it comes to style and quality, and the atmosphere is incredibly unique and fun.

Amazing atmosphere. Flooded with natural light and a bar modeled after Tetris, this restaurant is truly one of a kind.
My mom and I ordered a burger with the works (all included), an «eat me» vanilla milkshake, and vampire fries to share. It was plenty for the two of us. Literally salivating just thinking about it! Probably will go back tomorrow.
Ugly Duck coffee was also there doing a pop-​up, so we got amazing hot chocolates on our way out to keep us warm while we explored the rest of the South Wedge.
Definitely check out Swillburger if you feel like being hipster for a day, devouring delicious greasy food, or playing arcade games with a beer!

I stumbled into the playhouse last night and it was exactly what I needed. A solid burger and great beer selection. The food service was exceptionally quick and the girl working the register was very personable. I don’t know if they already have a solution in the works for this, but the kitchen staff were yelling patrons names to alert them of their food being ready.
The establishment’s proprietors paid attention to detail, which is always something that sticks with me. Tables next to the games to set my beer on, Tetris themed bar back, Even the beer menu font was pixelated like an old Nintendo game. Neat. The hot jam was some next level stuff, too.
I will certainly be back, and I’m excited to see how it develops. The regular french fries were pricey though.