This Restaurant Has the ‘Best Food in Upstate’ New York, Per Joel McHale

Which restaurant can say they have the best food in Upstate New York? According to comedian and actor Joel McHale, that accolade belongs to a a gastro-lounge and cocktail bar in downtown Rochester.

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As documented by New York Upstate, McHale performed stand-up comedy at the University of Rochester on Saturday, September 28th. McHale's performance was part of the institution's Meliora Weekend, the annual four-day celebration filled with over 150 events, lectures, and performances.

After the show, which concluded around 10PM, McHale was in the mood for a late-night snack. He did what anyone else would do in this situation: he opened his phone, and searched for restaurants near him.

He was not in pursuit of fast food, but rather, he wanted real, good food, which can be hard to find at that hour of the night.

READ MORE: Can You Still Buy This Netflix Star’s Beautiful Upstate New York Home?

The search engine delivered, however, and McHale was led to The Daily Refresher on Alexander Street in Rochester. The Daily Refresher advertises itself as a cocktail bar featuring Rochester, New York's largest whiskey portfolio.

The employees at The Daily Refresher shared these photos on their Facebook page:

McHale's late-night food order was impressive: a modern burger and a charcuterie board, paired with a bottle of Robert Mondavi rum barrel-aged merlot. He was clearly impressed by the restaurant's offerings, as he followed up his visit with the following Instagram direct message:

“Very good to meet y’all! Just glad we got by the barricades to get the best food in Upstate." - Joel McHale via Instagram DM

The Daily Refresher's kitchen is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm-10pm. Their bar is open Tuesday-Thursday from 4pm-12am, and Friday-Saturday from 4pm-2am. The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday.

McHale is known for playing Jeff Winger in the sitcom series Community and Chef David Fields in The Bear. He currently stars as Frank Shaw in Animal Control on Fox.