Vic and Irv's Refreshments

After a full day at Seabreeze, we were full of fresh air, sunshine, fried dough and skeeball and ready to hit the legendary Vic and Irv's Refreshments.  The restaurant is part of the so-called "hot dog row" next to the amusement park, which is now dominated by the more chain-like and upscale Bill Gray's.  If you're from Rochester, the fact that I've just described Bill Gray's as "more upscale" than Vic and Irv's should give you a sense of the ambience it offers.  Here's the story ... who cares!

If you're eating after a day at Seabreeze, ambience is not a top priority--lots of yummy fried foods are.  And, Vic and Irv's delivers.  Their fries are fresh cut, crispy, salty potato planks; their burgers fill the bun and come with huge pickle slices and grilled onions.  My husband's all the way burger was topped with their vaunted meat sauce; he added one of their homemade onion rings and some of my Beef on Weck au jus and loved it.  My sandwich was on a deliciously salty, caraway-y roll stacked with beef and smothered in grilled peppers and onions (my add)--so good!  The kids all had cheeseburgers and fries--and though the my son's stomach was a bit queasy from one too many turns on the Sea Dragon, the girls (daughter and friend) left no burger bit uneaten.  My daughter ate most of my husband's onion rings, and I dug the delicious mushrooms out of their fried hulls (it's a thing).

We'd say Vic and Irv's is an institution for good reason: a fantastic old school menu (fried bologna & onions, anyone? clam boat? egg & olive sandwich?), super friendly and efficient counter service, and wonderful cheap eats.  Get there, people!