Empire Hots

I have really wanted to like this place– it is right around the corner from me and wanted to find a good local place to find a plate.
It was fine– the food was nothing great, it took around 15 mins to get food (which isn’t horrible for normal standard restaurant hours but for a plate place it is a little long), standard quality of plates. Nothing that made me say ‘wow!’ and to differentiate it from other plate restaurants. No frills restaurant.
I think there are better places out there for plates; but if you are in the area and want a quick plate, I would go back.

I have had my share of «Garbage plates» from the real deal to every imposter out there. Since living in Webster this has become the best in my mind. Always fresh, and the hot sauce is second to none.
Keep it up

Recently moved to Webster and had to find a go-​to place for a Garbage Plate. The first few times, my experience was poor — food was cold, burgers not cooked, hot sauce tasted like someone dumped too many spices in it. I figured to try it one last time before looking elsewhere — and sure enough, same experience. It’s not that hard to please someone looking for a plate, but I will now look elseware for a better experience. Cold food, undercooked burgers — not cutting it.

Went here for a «trash plate» and that’s where most of it ended up. A very weak version of a «garbage plate». They used low quality frozen potatoes and the most tasteless macaroni salad that I have ever not tasted. Even the 13 year old child that came with us was pretty disgusted. Just awful.

Good burgers especially when I get out of work and nothing is open! Homefries are tasty too! Best spot for a late night plate or burger or what have you!

Great food! I bought a garbage plate and it was outstanding!!! The service was great! I can’t think of one complaint!

Fish Fry on a Friday has become a tradition in our household since we had the Fish Fry from Empire. Just nicely done with no overpowering batter. Mac salad is just tasty. Perfect!!!

their mac salad is so bland, their macaroni is way overcooked and they refused to put more fries than mac salad on my plate. why? lol.

I’ve grown up in Webster and e hots used to be good 6 years ago, last time I went in here, the service was sub par and the plates were not as good as they used to be.

everyone has their favorite plate in the roc. after bay hots closed, empire became mine. i go cheeseburger with everything and drench it in ketchup. i’ve eaten at a lot of amazing restaurants and food trucks all over the states, but this remains my second favorite meal in the world. if i don’t have at least one a year, i completely lose my mind (seriously, ask my boyfriend). i mean come on! fried potatoes, creamy mac salad, meaty hot sauce… it’s a carb and fat fiesta! ‘merca!

Ehhhhhh, maybe I am over the whole late night «Garbage Plate» thing… Because I was not that impressed with Empire Hots as of late. Could it be because I have not been in a drunken stupor when I have gotten a plate from here lately? I remembered them being A-​M-​A-​Z-​I-​N-​G!!! Today was just «eh.» Kind if disappointing considering we are moving to NC in a week and won’t be able to grab one when we want. (Tho, I am not going to lie, I make a mean meat hot sauce myself and can make plates on my own but sometimes it’s nice to not have to cook yourself.)
Toppings on BOTH plates were wrong. How is that possible? Luckily I had an onion at home that I was able to chop up and put on it. Hot sauce was soooooo weak and bland. Mac salad had no taste. As I was eating this tasteless calorie bomb, I was thinking how it wasn’t even that enjoyable.
…And I do remember going here in the past, I may or may not have had a few cocktails in me, and I got YELLED AT for leaning on a table while waiting in line. Yes, yelled at. I have never forgotten that. I know they probably have their share of drunken idiot customers but I also feel that you should treat your customers with a little respect too. A nice «Can you PLEASE not lean on the table» would have been nice.
Ah well, farewell Empire Hots. I don’t know if we will meet again.

My wife and I have been going to Empire Hots for almost 4 years. I lived in East Irondequoit when we first met and I took her here on one of our first dates. I had 2 other great hots places near my townhouse, but always chose to drive the extra few miles to go here.
The service has never been anything short of great whenever we go. Some of the guys behind the counter are short on conversation at times but they’re not there to convince me to be their friend. They’re there to make great food and send us out the door full and satisfied. My wife is a picker eater and they have always accommodated her requests when it comes to how her food is prepared.
We now live in Greece and have a more expensive hots place down the street from us and we still prefer to drive to Webster whenever we want our «plates». There’s no better hots place in the area, in my opinion. The food is always fresh and made exactly how we ordered it. A great family place and our kids love eating here as well.

Recommended as great place for late eats by friend, first time here, great food but wow showed up about 30m before closing and dude was a total dick wouldn’t let us even eat there and shut off the Open sign 10m before they even closed. Horrible service.

Your typical «hots» place with some Webster elegance to it.
Location: On Empire Boulevard near my favorite AMC theater. Plenty of parking available. The place is very clean and has a reasonable seating area. Unlike other Hots places I’ve been to Empire Hots feels much more cleaner and «in good shape», something attractive for the more germ sensitive people especially *cough* ladies.
Timings: Open late almost every night which is something I love about any place. I crave junk food mostly at absurd times of the night and this fits right in.
Menu: Everything you want from a junk food place is available. Trash plates, cheese burgers, chicken fingers, hot dogs. They do offer half trash plates which are a good option if you aren’t super hungry.
Food: Trash plate with cheeseburgers tasted really good. The mac was a bit on the cold side which felt a bit out of place in a plate that was otherwise filled with hot food. Like it came out of the fridge. I enjoyed it regardless; Trash plate with shaved steak was also good however I noticed my plate was filled with mac and home fries and the quantity of steak was very limited. I need more steak! Much less than what other places serve. It supposedly had cheese on it but I really didn’t taste/​see any. The total amount of food on my full trash plate was also less than what you get at Wimpy’s or Salvatore’s etc. I enjoyed my plate still. Put some hot sauce on top and you’re golden; Chicken fingers were your typical chicken fingers. Can’t go wrong with them. Overall everything tasted well spiced and well done. A nice treat for my taste buds.
Service: Operated by a family and looks like it has been for years. They seem quite friendly and accommodating. Service is fast. You feel welcomed.
Note: I noticed the entire facility including their grill is very clean. Very. A friend who used to work in the restaurant business told me these guys are well known for their cleanliness and the health department uses them as an example for other restaurants/​fast food places. I like it!
Conclusion: Will come again. Definitely one of the places I have bookmarked for garbage/​trash plates. Wimpy’s reigns supreme as my favorite still however. They need to work on the amount of meat on their plates. Otherwise 4 stars.

Very disappointed!!! No one got what they ordered on their garbage plates! Bland tasting! Next time we will try Cordellos next door.

I am far, far, far from an expert on garbage plates… but I do really like what Empire puts out there. If I lived in the greater Rochester area, I could see me coming here not just to eat, but to check out the late night patrons and subsequent floor show.
Empire has now added ½ sized plates to the menu… score.
It seems like the same dudes have been working behind the counter since forever… if I don’t see them, my visit to Rochester just is not complete. Now that’s respect. Thanks, fellas…

Ok junk food. Above average late night atmosphere.

The «garbage plate» of garbage plates! Will not be disappointed!

This place rocks;trash plates delicious and huge !!
Today I ordered two plates; the cook got them wrong because he was talking on his cell phone. GEE !! The food was still great but stay off the phone when your cooking !! LOL

If you have ever even heard of a garbage plate, rubbish plate, trash plate, etc., and you have not been to Empire Hots YOU NEED TO GO HERE! By far the best trash plate around! Great food, great service, great setting! The mac salad is amazing… you will not be disappointed!