Ok, so there are two ways that one hears people describe Kathy's. Â One one hand, it is a bar with great location, it is busy and fun on a consistent basis, the drinks are relatively cheap compared to neighboring bars, the rooftop bar is awesome when the weather is nice, you can play pool here, it has multiple stories which allows for more people, etc. Â On the other hand, the place looks run-down and old in comparison to neighboring bars, you're probably more likely to step in a puddle of spilled drinks or worse. Â That being said, Kathy's has sort of a reputation of being the downtown dive bar. Â My friends and I usually start the night at Kathy's - that way, we can take advantage of the reasonably priced drinks and avoid the overly drunk late night crowd. Â The demographic is probably 70% 21-30 year olds, 10% 21 and under, and 20% 30+. Â It is also in the center of Rochester's rising bar scene - Dooley's, The Loop, The Tap House, Top Shots, and Legend's are all within a 1 minute walk.
Review Source:Um, really? A rooftop bar overlooking both downtown Rochester and the corn water tower? Where booze is cheap, and people complain about this?! Where I come from (Canada), we embrace the sun whenever we can, so rooftop bar real estate is especially competitive. I find Kathy's a treat, especially the sketchy alleyway that leads to the bar, and the stairs, which I imagine is difficult to walk up if you're slightly tipsy.
On a nice sunny day we enjoyed some nice cheap beers on the roof. The first floor was actually half-full. Must have been the people who hate brightness. The bar staff are whatever, but can you blame them? It was beautiful out. I'm sure everyone was in a crappy mood inside.
I suppose like all dive bars I didn't have any expectations. Know your place. Don't order food, don't expect good service, just enjoy the grunginess for what it is. If I ever show out-of-towners around Rochester, I'd definitely stop off here.
Yes the roof is amazing, but you always have to walk thru the bottom floor to get up to the top. Maybe take out the bar stools in the lower floor so people can actually walk. Â I think a redsign of the lower floor is about 5 years overdue. Â Push the bar back a bit and I will stay for a few rather than just one drink then leave unsatisfied.
Review Source:Coming from a place like Minneapolis, to a place like Rochester was initially a shock. Â My original impression of Kathy's was not all that favorable compared with what I was used to. Â But after a few months, I got over my snobbery and became suffienctly local to enjoy the experience.
Rochester is a small town, and you'll realize the same crowd hanging out most weekends at any given bar in town. Â I like Cathy's because it is more the 20-ish mix of "Young Professional" and "Still Daring to Be Great" crowd. Â The drinks are varied and affordable. Â The waitresses are friendly, fair and mostly attractive. Â The live music is a plus on the weekends, although it can border on too much stoner type rock.
I love the rooftop patio. Â In my opinion, this instantly separates Kathy's from every other bar in town. Â The ability to choose from three different levels in the summer time really adds to the fun of the bar. Â It's also interesting to see which groups tend to go where.
I've been living in Chicago for the past two years after spending a few in the Roch, but I imagine this is still the best bar in town.
Oh, Kathy's.
Such memories we've had.
Having been a long time patron of your beer soaked establishment,
I have gotten away with much.
Only here have I ever been able to leave my game of Risk going
on one of your booth tables
so that I may drive down the street to get stoned
and pick up a pizza from Little Caesers on the way back.
Only here have I been able to drop countless bottles
and have them break all over and create a mess,
or spill my beer all over your baristas and customers
without fear of ever being cut off or thrown out.
You're bouncers, they know me,
as do your adorable waitresses,
even if I have moved away from Rochester
and haven't set foot in your bar for months to a year at a time.
Only here am I able to coax the DJ into letting me plug my ipod in
and take over the music selecting for a bit.
Yes, Kathy's.
You are a giver of the good times.
You put up with my drunken shit.
You let me talk smack,
write on your walls,
puke on your floors,
and be as loud and crazy as I wanna be.
You've never judged me.
You offer me peanuts to sober me up,
but you don't fogive me when I'm beyond
the point of sobering for the night.
You let me make fun of the band Saliva
for still being around when no one loves them
and for having to play in Rochester because Minneapolis
won't take them.
So much stuff you allow me to do.
And I love you for it.
I love you for accepting me in my deviant ways.
I've grown up a bit in the 7 years we've shared,
but I hope that we never grow apart.
Oh, Kathy's.
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