The smell brought us here. The smell of the burger was very enticing after walking around looking at ice sculptures. It is a VERY small place with horseshoe shapes bars and stools, a few 2 top booths, and off to one corner, hidden, a hallway with 3 booths to fit 4. Luckily we found the last table empty and stuffed our stuff in a corner. Had we been prepared to come here, we would have not brought the stroller, definitely no room for it. Table service was fast by what looked like a High school kid, just like old times. We ordered burgers, fries, and a kids meal. Burgers/sandwiches and fries are all Ala carte. 2 burgers, 1 set of fries,1 order fried pickles, a kids meal, 1 milkshake and 1 pop was just under $70. The burger was DELICIOUS, juicy, flavorful, good quality meat, cheese and bacon. Fries were just okay, but the pickles were good. My daughter enjoyed the hot dog. We weren't going to order a milkshake but my daughter overheard the table behind us order one, and so we had to get one too. The waitress said they were huge, and in fact all three of us split one milkshake. And it was a rich, flavorful milkshake too. read more

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The long awaited remodeled Red Knapps was a bummer. We always enjoyed our meals and experience at Red Knapps prior to the remodel. However, the service was very slow (granted, it was busy on a Friday night) and the food was less than mediocre. The chicken tenders, our go-to before the remodel, are no longer on the menu! The items are pricey, although you do get a good portion. The only thing worth getting again was the Oreo milkshake. The burgers were messy, soggy, and lacked any sort of specialness. Unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

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Service was friendly and attentive. Interior was run down, many ceiling tiles were missing. Menu was confusing compared to the board that was in the wall. I expected more of a smash burger based on the diner vibe and some online pictures so I ordered a double Pattie. That was a mistake as the patties were not smashed and were quite thick. I actually removed one of the patties to make the burger edible. Burger patties were extremely salty. Bacon was tasty but too thick to be on a burger as you couldn't easily bite through it. Burger besides being salty was over cooked and not a lot of flavor. Didn't have their traditional bun so had to get the brioche. Seasoned fries didn't have a lot of seasoning. Half order of onion rings was only three, very disappointing. Chocolate milkshake was very good. Burger Cook & flavor: 5 Burger presentation: 7 Bun quality: 8 Toppings: 5 Fries: 6 Price: 8 Ambiance/ service: 7 Total: 46 read more

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The waitress was so nice and the place is cute. But the burger is terrible. I think they rebranded because it looks nothing like the old pics you see on Google. It tastes like prison food. (Also you have to pay for every topping, lettuce or mayo not included lol) read more

We went to Red Knapps for lunch today, myself and my teenage son. We ordered two cheeseburgers, two orders of fries and he ordered a shake. These burgers were $14 and $15 each, no sides. Just a burger. Fries were $6.00 each. Both burgers were pretty dry, we did not finish either of them. The bill was $51.94. With a 20% tip that was over $60.00. The waitress was fantastic! I'm well aware she doesn't set pricing and she was awesome. $60 for two burgers, fries and a shake. That is crazy. Next time we'll go back to five guys. I get the location and atmosphere, but these prices are crazy. read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

This 50s-style diner/burger bar in lovely downtown Rochester is a good place to grab a burger or other traditional American fare. The website says it is celebrating 70 years of service, which means it has kept its same general presentation and form since its inception. That's quite remarkable and very interesting. We visited while in town on a Saturday night before Christmas to view the lights, and it was quite busy. The dining room is rather small with limited seating, much of which is counter space. We had about a 30-minute wait for a table. But we were able to roam around close by while waiting with a buzzer to notify us concerning when we could be seated. We actually were seated in a back wing of the restaurant not easily visible from the front where there were 3 or 4 booths. Our son, daughter-in-law and three-year-old grandson were with us, but the booth accommodated us without too much difficulty. Our server was reasonably prompt in waiting on us, although the fact that it was busy showed with slightly slower-than-expected delivery of the food. My son and I both got the Ang's BBQ Burger which offered bacon, cheese, onion, lettuce and avocado topped with BBQ sauce. It was quite good. My daughter-in-law had the Double Cheeseburger which she liked rather well. My wife had the Burger Deluxe with her favorite topping, teriyaki sauce. She was likewise quite happy with her choice. The fries deserve a mention as well as they were nicely done. My wife and daughter-in-law got the Boston Cooler (ginger ale float) and the Brown Cow (root beer float). Both were good though pricey ($8 each). The final cost for this meal with four burgers, fries to share, two shakes, two sodas, the floats and a grilled cheese kids meal was $110 (throwing in tax and tip). At $22 per person (probably more like $25 per adult), the value was OK. Overall, it was a fun place that offered decent service and good food. But the value was on the ragged edge. I would give it 3.5 stars if Yelp would let me, but I'll round up because it was fun and they pulled off the 50s/60s burger joint theme pretty well. read more

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My wife, I stopped in to get a T-shirt and a malt. Regretfully, the T-shirts are under lock and key and the staff did not have access. I must say, however, that the chocolate malt was absolutely delicious, thank you! read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Inside - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

Beyond awful. I went here yesterday as someone who remembers the OLD Knapp's. I hadn't been in about 20 years and went thinking it would be the same. Not at all. Whoever took over this place SERIOUSLY messed up. It's the opposite now. I couldn't believe they wanted $15 for a basic burger no sides. I ordered a plain cheeseburger and seasoned fries. My brother got a Patty Melt. The waitress was very pushy about taking our order. Our waters were not refilled once. We received someone else's order and when we mentioned it wasn't ours the other waitress huffed and rolled her eyes. When our food did arrive it was NOTHING like the way I remembered it. The burger was thin and dry, flavorless and slightly burnt. A Quarter Pounder at McDonald's is much better. The bun was like the original but smaller. The fries were terrible, lacked seasoning. The old ones were flavorful, these were awful. We wound up paying $35 with tip for this. If you come here listen to the other reviews- you really should only stop in for the malts which I believe are still decent. But the rest you should 100% avoid. read more

What an amazing nostalgic place to grab a bite and a shake. I stopped by here after dinner and got a classic chocolate malt and it was amazing! One of the best I've had. The service was amazing and the girl working was so cheerful. Truly an awesome spot to go to anytime of year. read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Chocolate Malt - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

I'll start by saying I'm not a long time Rochester resident who's downgrading this place because it's not the same as it used to be. That said, there have definitely been changes made here...and not for the better. My first visit here was about 2 years ago and they had an amazing build your own burger option with great toppings like burnt onions and zip sauce. At that time, I honestly felt like their burgers could Give Red Coat Tavern a run for its money. On my recent visits, they've removed that as an option and instead now I offer a very limited build your own option, and have in its place several over complicated preplanned burgers. I had the teriyaki Hawaiian burger today. It was OK. The grilled pineapple was nice, the bacon was very thick and the teriyaki sauce was delicious. The downside though, was the fact that the bun was not toasted and the burger was cooked well beyond medium. My wife had a grilled chicken sandwich that was nothing to write home about. We shared french fries and onion rings. Again both good neither were spectacular. I will agree with the other reviewer's who had complaints about the pricing here. Our bill for two sandwiches and one and a half sides came to $40 that's a lot of money for an average Burger counter experience This definitely seems like a situation where new owners came in and tried to mess with a good thing. At this point I'm afraid this restaurant will be out of our rotation going forward. read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Seasoned fries and onion rings - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

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I don't know if it's new people running the place but it was as good as ever. Great burger , fries and shake. Great service and as quaint as ever. read more

Family business for many years, great burgers & onion rings, malts & shakes. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu!! It's a must stop always on my list of Michigan places to visit for the family atmosphere & great food & service. Parking behind is CC & coin operated. read more

A Rochester staple for many years, this is a true gem if you are looking for a 1950's style soda and malt shop. The food is pretty simple, mostly burgers, grilled cheese and the like but it's worth coming here for the malts and the onion rings alone. You can get your malts to go, and the portions are awesome. Definitely worth trying if you like this kind of experience. read more

I loved it here! Saw this place on TikTok and wanted to give it a try! My boyfriend ordered a chili cheese dog, chili was great quality. The hot honey chicken sandwich was amazing, the honey was delicious, the chicken was cooked perfectly. I got a basic burger and fries, you can't go wrong with that. flavor was great and the fries were seasoned very well! The service was amazing, our waitress was so sweet and attentive to our needs, she refilled the waters constantly, and even gave me the extras from my milkshake! Would 100% come back! All these negative reviews are awful to see! They did an amazing job and the food came hot and fast! read more

Where to start? The service is awful, I had to take places and cups off my table and set them on the bar rail because the server wouldn't take them. The milkshakes are not blended very good at all. Huge chunks of candy still in them. The burger is alright, really nothing special same as anywhere honestly. The over priced seasoned fries are very bland and not good at all. The Mac and cheese is WEIRD. I don't even have a good description of it because I don't know it was just really weird and not good it Had a tiny bit of spice to it so maybe that's why it was edible? I'm not sure. Also they serve it with a plastic spoon which is weird and they do not give you any silverware unless you ask. Highly over priced for food that we could have gotten at a Coney Island for way less with better service and better sides. I would never come back and I suggest you save your money and find somewhere else to eat also read more

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Walking in this looks like an old diner with the retro look and signs. The service was pretty good for it being a younger staffed restaurant. The food was subpar for the price for 2 cheese burgers fries mac and cheese and a milkshake it was $50. I would not return not worth the hype read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

Cute place. Over price menus. Not sure how the food taste because we never got served. Came in on a Friday night. Place not to crowded. Waitress took our order and 30 minutes pass by and still haven't gotten our order. We asked her what happened to our food. We see other people around us were served ahead of us. I'm not sure what happened because I don't think she knew either with a blank stare on her face. Horrible service. With no apologies from her we finally gave up and left. Highly don't recomend this place! First time here and will never come back! read more

I'll keep it short and sweet: Burgers were bland and the buns were so soggy. Barely picked up the burger and fingers went through the buns...and a "half order" of onion rings was literally SIX DOLLARS for THREE small onion rings!! Seriously read more

This place was amazing I discovered them through YouTube and even made a video (CDFyoutube) food was great price and tasted amazing the service was fast cannot forget the 50's element 10/10 would definitely recommend read more

I'm not sure why the reviews of this place are lower I think this is a little gem. I was down here for the Rochester Festival of Lights and I walked by and looked in through the window and thought whoa this looks like a nifty lil place and I was right it is When you walk in it's like a step back in time to the American diner era. They've got the low cut round steel seats with red leather and low table settings as well as booths so there is something for everyone. The girl that waited on us was really pleasant and just what you'd want in a server. I was in the mood for a milkshake and saw that this place didn't just have the standard vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.... oh, no they had everything from creamsicle to peppermint to a Boston cooler. I was floored by the creative options available. I couldn't decide what to get and our server worked with me to give me different flavor options. In the end we came up with a strawberry lemonde milkshake with no malt for me and a banana malt for my friend. The milkshake was great it was sweet, tangy and tart and I'd definitely come back here for that. If you're looking for a cool diner experience on main st in downtown Rochester Hills this is the place read more

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A visit to this place is a must. I've been coming to red knapps since I was 10 good food and shakes. My father used to take us there as he used to work at park Davis pharmaceuticals. Now that we have reached that tender age of seniority or senility whichever you prefer. With the holiday street lights and small business Saturday , Rochester is still a fun place to shop and eat . When at Knapps say hello to Matt for me,we will always find the time to enjoy the atmosphere and food. read more

Malts were amazing... Burgers and patty melt can change your life they are so tasty Awesome service and great staff read more

I trusted reviews and didnt get food. However, the malts are SPLENDID! 100% recommend the milkshakes plus they have a variety of flavors!!! Also they brought my drink out immediately to-go!! read more

The food was average for a hamburger and fries with a chocolate shake. The chocolate shake was the best! The service was fantastic. The utensils were dirty and the cost was outrageous. More than likely we will not be coming back when we can go to the Rochester Chop House right next door for less price. read more

The sweeeeeeet nostalgia! I can't even imagine how many people could say that, too. We visited Red Knapps after dance recitals, after good days, after bad days, on birthdays and on dates. I love Red Knapps for the food, but what's more is that they haven't changed a single bit since I was a child - and wayyyyy before that, too. My dad and I would visit Red Knapps for a dad/daughter date often The burgers are as big as my entire head, and the fries are always perfectly crispy. You cannot go wrong with a chocolate milkshake from Red Knapps. I wonder if the onions are still just in a rubbermaid container and have to be scooped out with a spoon? I feel like thats prob not covid safe, lol. Maybe that practice stayed in the 90's, but I hope nothing changes about Knapps EVER. Most recently, we ordered out burgers to-go and they were just as great as ever. Love this place to the moon and beyond! read more

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HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!! drove 30 minutes to try their mystery milkshake for the second time only for the manager not to be there to do it again. Which is absolutely absurd since they're known solely off of these milkshakes on social media. This time we proceeded on ordering two horribly disgusting burgers, one fry that came straight out of a frozen bag and two milkshakes, for a grand total of $50!! for a tiny little diner with disgusting food, their prices are just flat out idiotic. we didn't even eat our burgers, and our server was sitting on the other side of the counter on a laptop and phone the entire time along with the rest of the employees. worst experience when we were so excited to have this "mystery milkshake" which to add only requires adding green dye to a shake and making us guess what it is, but somehow that requires the manager to be there‍ 0/10 experience. Gave us the worse stomach ache and barely ate any either. read more

Been coming here since I was a little kid. Sadly, I won't be coming back. Use to love their hamburgers and seasoned french fries. Everything was different. While the bun is similar to the original, it's now quite a bit smaller and not as tasty. The meat patty use to be handmade into a smashed, irregular, juicy and most times, sticking out of the bun. Now it's a round, dry, uniform thickness and tasteless. Asked for pickles and extra onions. (they no longer serve the tray with these that they use to serve and you could have as much as you wanted) They come on the side in a small plastic container. The pickles use to be thin and the onions cut into small pieces. These pickle were so thick you only got 4 in the tiny container and the onions were in large chunks. I was also charged an additional .50 cents for the "extra" onions. The seasoned fries were not seasoned. Tasted like they sprinkled pepper on them and called it seasoning. Not even close to the original owner's It's really a shame this is no longer the iconic Red knapps. read more

Stopped in here with my wife. We each ordered the turkey bacon avocado wrap from their menu board located in front of the restaurant for $10 each. We were sitting next to the cash register so when i asked for my bill, the waitress printed it as I was up to pay to leave. I was surprised to see how high my bill was. My bill was for $29 for the two wraps. My wife and I only had the wraps with water. They do not come with fries or a side. I asked the waitress about this charge and pointed out the price on the front menu board. She told me that the prices on the board were not correct and the prices were on the menu. First off, when I ordered the wrap, it wasnt on the menu and only on the front board. Secondly the waitress never told us that the board prices were not accurate. She told me the board was kept up because it was retro. However, the $10 price listed for a turkey wrap is pretty much a normal price every restaurant would charge so I am not sure how they would have you believe these prices are just retro and for show. I posted pictures of the menu board so judge for yourself. I do not recommend this restaurant. Their prices are extremely high for what you get and they were deceitful on their pricing. Go to one of the other restaurants in the area and get a lot more for what you pay. read more

Red Knapp's Dairy Bar - Front menu board - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

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Red Knapps Dairy Bar is not what it used to be. The new owner has made menu changes that just don't get it. You used to go in for a burger that was hand patted, grilled just right and delicious. Now, I think they come from GFS (nothing wrong with GFS), but not what you expect to eat at Red Knapps Dairy Bar. The shakes, malts and seasoned fries are still outstanding. But, come on, this is an established tradition, don't mess with the burgers! Thankfully, the waitstaff are better than ever and the decor still clean an fun (a la the swirling counter stools). Don't think we'll be back til the better burger returns. read more

This establishment in downtown Rochester used to be a "go to" place for quality hamburger and a classic malt. Since new ownership took over the helm three years ago I'm afraid the quality and hometown charm is gone. One example is when I presented a $5 gift certificate the manager-owner Matt told me he cannot honor it. His explanation was it was purchased during the previous owners and he would lose money by accepting it. Not a good way to maintain your loyal customer base in my opinion. I won't be returning. read more

Where to begin with the burger? I was instantly thrown off by the color of the bun. The burger lacked flavor, seasoning, and was very dry. I got a cheeseburger with grilled onions, but I couldn't even taste them. On a positive note, the milkshakes were good. We also got chili cheese fries, which were bland. The total for everything came out to $50, which is ridiculous for two burgers, two milkshakes, and fries at a diner. I would recommend going somewhere else for a quick burger. read more

I ordered the Chicken Tenders with Seasoned Fries. Chicken 4/5 Seasoned Fries 4/5 My girlfriend got a Beyond Burger but was unfortunately given real meat. The patty was switched with another member of our parties, Patty Melt. The waitress was understanding and offered a replacement, so 4/5 for the waitress but 0/5 for the cook for switching the patties. Saw the cook on his phone while cooking, so most likely attributed to the mix-up. Ambiance is that of a classic diner. Give it a 4/5. read more

Overpriced and under delicious $13 for a substandard burger on a nasty bun is ridiculous. $8.50 for chili fries with onion (50 cents for the onion). The shake was great but could've dealt without the rest. The fries came long after we were done with the burger bc waiter forgot to put order in and he apologized. I asked the waiter for a box when we checked out bc I told him we would've just cancelled the order if we knew they were going to get there so late. COMP the darn $6 fries that we didn't get to enjoy. Almost $38 for a burger, shake, late fries and coney fries. Sayonara! read more

A visit to this place is a must. I've been coming to red knapps since I was 10 good food and shakes. My father used to take us there as he used to work at park Davis pharmaceuticals Things have changed a lot since then but the food is still great just as I remember. Slow down this Holiday season and step back in time for a milkshake or malt, seasoned fries. read more

Kinda sad what happened to this place. Burger was ok, they changed it and is now nothing special same with the fries. Service was excellent though! read more

Knapp's is a staple in my boyfriends family and every time we go to Michigan we end up getting a malt from here. We stopped in on a Friday afternoon and surprisingly enough there were a lot of open seats. We were helped within the first couple of minutes and ordered a chocolate malt with onion rings. The malt was great and definitely hit the spot! The onion rings were just okay. They were really big but super oily still. I also had a couple pieces that didn't appear to be cooked all the way through. We didn't finish the order and I would say there was about 5/6 to start with. Overall we had a great time stepping back in time with the retro decor staff were friendly and the prices were even friendlier. I'd recommend stopping by if you haven't yet. It may be hard with a big group but you can always take your shake or malt to go. read more

went in for a quite large order, about 8 or 9 shakes. all normal except one. with a nut allergy so we asked for it to be nut and dairy free. we had choices between almond and oat milk but obviously with a nut allergy we specifically said oat milk. when i drank the shake immediately i started having an allergic reaction. lasted for hours and when we called they claimed it was "not them" "couldn't have been" we were "lying" and then rudely offered to put $10 in an envelope for me and then hung up in my face. the order was $62 dollars and their service is absolutely disgusting. i am still having a reaction to their shake that quote on quote "was for sure nut free" will never ever be back. horrible people. read more

Quality for the price just is not there... I took my daughter for a simple lunch and wowza couldn't believe the bill. The fries and shake were good, the burgers were not that great. Service was good. Restaurant was dirty. We sat by the window and the ledge was covered in grime. We got: Double Cheeseburger Cheeseburger 1 malt shake 1 order fries to share It was 50!!!! read more

Took our mother in law out here today as she grew up with her father owning a soda shop and she really enjoyed the malt! We also enjoyed our malt and burger and chicken strips and tater tots ! read more

Delicious food and reasonably priced. The staff is quick and nice, and always has a smile on their face. This has always been a favorite place of mine, especially for the atmosphere and milkshakes! read more