Heading to Mayo for some medical tests. Any good restaurants or things to do, in or near Rochester?

The Clinic is great (better to work there than be a patient, though). My only fond restaurant memories from my years in Rochester are of the Redwood Room at 300 1st Avenue, only a few blocks from Methodist Hospital.
Chardonnay on 2nd Street was pretty good. Otherwise lots of chains. Rochester's a pretty dull place to visit. The Twin Cities have some gems, though.

It's been a couple of years since I lived in Rochester but here are my 2 cents. I second Redwood Room and Chardonnay. Also, on the ground floor of the Redwood Room (RR is in the basement) is Broadstreet Cafe. It is also good and close to the clinic. John Hardy's BBQ on Broadway is also pretty good (speaking as a Texas transplant in MN).

Mostly, as travleis stated, there are lots of chains- Red Lobster, etc. Not a lot of ethnic food either.

Bumping this to the top, as I just decided to accompany my mother on her trip to Mayo in a few weeks.

If you like Indian food, try "India Garden" My daughter lives in Rochester and we go there often. Good luck on the tests.

Just returned from Rochester, where we had a very nice, reasonably-priced Italian meal at Victoria's around the corner from the Kahler Grand Hotel.