Brooks Landing Diner

Brooks Landing Diner is an American diner with a Korean twist, located at 904 Genesee St in Rochester, NY's 19th Ward neighborhood. The restaurant opened in January 2012 under owner Jung Choi — known to regulars as Sue — who previously operated Mitch's on East Main Street. The diner occupies a strip-mall storefront in the Brooks Landing area, a mixed-use district along the Genesee River that sits across the water from the University of Rochester campus.

The menu bridges classic American diner fare and Korean home cooking. On the diner side, expect standard breakfast plates — eggs with bacon or sausage, home fries, pancakes, and corned beef hash — at affordable prices. The Korean portion of the menu includes:

• Bibimbap (mixed rice with a choice of chicken, pork, or beef)
• Chicken and pork bulgogi
• Beef bulgogi sandwich
• Korean beef hash, a fusion dish that blends Korean seasonings into a diner staple
• Kimchi pancakes, offered as an occasional off-menu special

Korean dishes see the most demand on weekends, while weekday service leans toward traditional breakfast and lunch items. Sue has been known to prepare informal Korean brunch spreads for student groups visiting on weekends. The diner is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Delivery, takeout, and reservations are all available.

Brooks Landing Diner is known for its unusual pairing of Korean dishes alongside standard diner comfort food — a format that reflects a broader pattern in Rochester, where immigrant-owned diners have added dishes from their home cuisines to the traditional American menu. The Korean beef hash, which reworks the classic diner staple with Korean seasonings, stands out as a signature item that bridges both halves of the menu.

The diner sits on Genesee Street in the Brooks Landing section of the 19th Ward, a historically significant area once called Castletown. The neighborhood borders the Genesee River directly across from the University of Rochester and the Staybridge Suites hotel. Brooks Landing serves as an access point for the Riverway Trail and includes student housing, university offices, and an amphitheater. Off-street parking is available at the strip mall where the diner is located.