The Frog Pond on Park

Exterior,7-2011

The Frog Pond on Park, formerly known as Charlie's Frog Pond and The Frog Pond, is a pint-sized bistro on Park Ave. They feature daily blackboard specials in addition to an already extensive menu. The menu also has vegan options and a Pond Plate.

Open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. They offer outdoor seating when weather permits.

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2009-03-28 12:49:33   I love Charlies. I go there every saturday and get their spinach, tomato and feta omelette. It is amazing! And for those that like things spices they have Melinda's hot sauce to put on your eggs. Never been to another restaurant that carries it (normally you only get tabasco or frank's) —JakeBurgholzer

2009-08-05 15:26:16   i looooooooove the frittata! order it and enjoy :) —limeylimer

2010-03-04 12:09:04   Favorite breakfast place in the city. Have tried lots of the specials off of the blackboard and have always been happy.But my favorite is the Frittata(sausage,onion,peppers,and potatoes),a fessers delight. My wife usually gets a waffle that comes with fruit and enough whipped cream to shave with.While the food is always excellent, I must echo that the coffee leaves much to be desired. —almorinelli

2010-04-16 14:56:24   All of the omelettes I've had here have been excellent- but I would stay away from dinners there. I've had very bad luck with poorly made sauces, poorly cooked meats, and still-frozen pie. Enjoy the omelettes though! —AnneL

2010-05-11 15:47:34   I had the most fantastic Shrimp Alexander (huge shrimp stuffed with feta cheese-wrapped in bacon) for dinner the other night... don't usually go to the Frog Pond for dinner, but I'm going to start now! It was awesome!! Service was friendly..I met the new owners too. They really seem to really want to do a good job. —EllePapa

2010-07-01 14:30:36   Read in the D&C today that this place is now simply known as the "Frog Pond" and not "Charlie's Frog Pond" due to a change in ownership. Can anyone confirm that this change has already transpired? —TippingPoint

2011-01-21 16:11:35   I have been a regular at Frog Pond for years. I’ve always enjoyed the atmosphere, service, and most importantly, the food. Unfortunately, I can no longer say that. The new owners (Sam Taylor and Kevin Crego) have ruined the restaurant. What has happened is a travesty. It is so sad because what was once a Rochester treasure is now an embarrassment.

They are consistently out of menu items: varieties of toast, English muffins, JELLY, hot sauce, sausage, bananas, champagne for mimosa, wine (red and white), and orange juice, some of which are important to complete any breakfast meal! The service is now abysmal. It should not be a surprise that one would like jelly with toast at breakfast! The help seems to think that’s a specialty item. What’s most frustrating is that the servers don’t seem to care; or they can see the handwriting on the wall and have given up the fight. At this point, I am sad to say there is probably no way to turn this around and I fear the worst is around the corner.

—TheTruth

2011-06-02 16:58:20   Thank you all for your comments both positive and negative. We certainly appreciate the constructive criticism as it helps us to better serve you. As of a few months ago, The Frog Pond has undergone many positive changes, including a shift in management and sole ownership (of Kevin Crego). To "The Truth," we apologize for your incident at The Frog Pond earlier this year with missing product and an overall unfavorable experience for which there is truly no excuse. However, we are optimistic about the future of The Frog Pond, and we hope you'll allow us the opportunity to change your mind. The things you've always loved are still around, especially our famous breakfast favorites! We have an abundance of product and a re-energized staff, too, to make sure your dining experience is a fantastic one! The Frog Pond has made a leap... we hope you'll join us again soon and see if for yourself! Kindest Regards, Kevin Crego —KevinC

2011-11-05 11:20:50   I’ve been to the Frog Pond twice and my two experiences could not have been more different. The first time I went (a Friday night in mid-October) was very positive. I was wowed by the huge menu. I had one of the best omelets of my life, and others in our group enjoyed some delicious fish specials for very reasonable prices. My only complaint about that visit was that our English muffins and toast came pre-buttered (or margarine-d, who knows, but not desirable for lactose-intolerant folks). But the service was excellent. In fact, I enjoyed the Frog Pond so much that my husband and I returned two weeks later (another Friday night). We were promptly seated, but it took 10 minutes for a waitress to come to our table. She asked if anyone had helped us yet, and was apologetic that we’d been made to wait. No big deal so far. We proceeded to order; I asked what the house salad dressing was and the waitress didn’t know – weird. (I later learned it is a basil vinaigrette.) I wanted a beer, but they were all out of the only decent one (Sam Adams). I could see the kitchen from where I sat, and noticed a certain entrée sitting on the counter for at least 5 minutes. Of course, that dish was mine, and of course, when I received it, it wasn’t warm. I asked the waitress to reheat it and she seemed surprised that it wasn’t hot, but she obliged. After that my food was fine, but my husband’s “reuben” was pretty pathetic. It consisted of two slices of raw, uncooked, un-toasted bread , between which was heaped a pile of lukewarm corned beef and sauerkraut. But the absolute worst part of the visit was what happened next. As we were eating, two different waitresses came to our table a total of 3 times and actually REACHED ACROSS OUR PLATES to remove other items from the table! And one of the items they took was a CANDLE! Entirely unnecessary - what, did another table NEED the candle?!? Not to mention that it is tremendously rude for a server to reach across a patron who is EATING to remove dishes, glassware, candles, etc. (As a former waitress, I was trained to wait until patrons are finished eating to clear the table.) And it’s not like the restaurant was trying to close or something – it was only 8:30 p.m., and there were still at least 3 other full tables. Because of this, I don’t think I’ll be returning …… —AJH

2011-11-08 08:44:00   I have been a regular at Charlie's Frog Pond for years. Before me, my father and his telco buddies were regulars as well. I too "have always enjoyed the atmosphere, service, and most importantly" the staff. Unfortunately, I can no longer say that. To my dismay all has changed! I was taken back by the cheezy whiteboard sign in when entering. Part of the appeal was the ability to seat yourself once a table opened up. The bright colors of purple and red have vanished. The ceiling has been painted a dingy brown, the colorful iron work on the booths were spray painted to match. All that came to mind is feeling of being in a darkened bar. When I inquired what was up on my visit this past Sunday I was informed that the iconic yellow booths will be removed and replaced with a harvest table. The signature wallpaper is also to be replaced. These changes were spoken of as a good thing. Moving beyond they decor I can say that now money is more important to the owner than the Customer Experience as we are now nickle and dimed. I was charged for a second tea bag! What restaurant does that? $.35 was added to our bill for cinnamon swirl toast which arrived cold and hard. I concur, the new owner Kevin Crego has ruined the restaurant! To quote another, "What has happened is a travesty. It is so sad because what was once a Rochester treasure is now an embarrassment." I will NOT be returning to what was once my favorite haunt.

—KTA

2011-12-26 12:59:15   It seems as though the owners have taken the previous comments to heart... I hadn't gone since it was Charlie's Frog Pond but I went with my son this morning and we had one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in Rochester. Bananas Foster pancakes were fantastic, and so were the sausage links. Scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly and not in the least bit runny and the toast came out still hot. They were packed but the waitress still managed to bring me two extra cups of coffee as soon as it ran out without even having to ask. We will definitely be going back. —GaryAR

2011-12-26 14:09:59   I had breakfast at the Frog Pond a couple of weeks ago, and I have to agree that the new owners have ruined what used to be a good restaurant. Twenty five years ago it was something special, but today service is haphazard at best, and the food was, to be blunt, crap. As it stands right now, I would rate the quality of the food at about the same level as Jay's Diner. Although I haven't been fond of Jines since they expanded and became undeservedly pretentious, I would have to reluctantly say that I should have waited for a table there rather than eat at the Frog Pond. I won't be making the same mistake again.

Sorry, but I'm betting that the 'new' Frog Pond will be a crashing failure in only a few months. Just like the dopes who ruined the Big Apple Cafe a few years back. How long did they last? Nine months? —Alex-C

2012-05-25 13:49:59   I'm sad to see the quirkiness fade away. I always preferred FP to Jines next door, but now it seems FP is trying to capture some of Jines business with a similar (bland) atmosphere. But, I'm still happy with the food and service of FP and will continue to visit! —CrockAlley

2012-12-10 22:21:26   Had breakfast there recently after roughly a 7 year hiatus. omelette was runny. Very disappointed. Servers were great however. Companions food looked pretty good. Hope it was a fluke. I will be back for another try. —Tysonjohnson

2013-10-29 16:51:19   We were just about to go into Jines for a reluctant Saturday morning breakfast (I haven't been a fan of them for some time, but we were in the area..), only to see an actual busload of women's softball players entering, at which point we knew that we were going to have to wait an hour, so we reluctantly went back to the Frog Pond. Well, the re-decorating they were in the middle of at last visit is done, and the place is absolutely hideous! They painted the wall a shade of 'avacado' like the type you used to see on refrigerators and 1973 Ford LTD's. As if THAT wasn't bad enough, they placed 6 of the most HIDEOUS Ramon Santiago prints on the walls. Good, god, I can't stand his 'hack art', and of all the places in town where douche owners display these hideous atrocities of art, in this establishment there is NOWHERE that you can't see at least one of them!

Bad art aside, the food was also very disappointing. I don't know what crappy coffee vendor they use, but it STINKS! The food is, at best, mediocre diner food, and they pack you in like sardines. I loved the fat @$$ of the lady they placed next to us knocking over my water glass as she tried to shimmy her way into the table. I would postulate that the fire marshall would cite them for overcrowding, if he wished to.

As it sits now, the only reason for the Frog Pond to still exist is that they can handle the overflow that Jines can't. The quirky, decent old Frog Pond is long gone. It's too bad that nobody has noticed yet.

—alex-c

2015-01-27 11:45:12   I took my girl out for her birthday dinner at the Frog Pond. We each had tasty burgers, garlic pesto mashed potatoes, a nice house salad, and some excellent pie and creme brulee for dessert. Service was good, though our waitress was a little excessive on the water refills. That's a pretty minor gripe in my book. Overall it was a good experience. —EBrent

2022-08-14 20:43:10   Owner is looking to sell to someone who will run the restaurant mostly as-is: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2022/08/08/frog-pond-restaurant-park-avenue-rochester-ny-goes-on-the-market/65389843007/ —markjackson