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    Rockafella's Restaurant

    3.3 (718 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Bars, Seafood
    Open 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

    Rockafella's Restaurant Photos

    ROCKAFELLA'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Rockafella's Restaurant

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    Francine G.

    One of the more popular spots on Essex for food and drinks but ended up stopping for just a couple of drinks which were delicious! A bit on the pricey side but probably standard for the area. They don't take reservations for October so it's walk in only but if you hang around long enough, you can usually snag a spot at the bar.

    Street view
    Courtney O.

    We decided on Rockafella's Restaurant for dinner on our last night in Salem. We stood in line for about 10-15 minutes before we were seated inside. The place is huge with tons of seating and it was decorated for Halloween which we all really enjoyed. The interior definitely gave off an old spooky tavern vibe. Lots of history here for sure! We ordered the Parmesan Polenta Fries to share as an appetizer and then we ordered the Bleu Burger, Crab Cake BLT with Caesar Salad and the Pickled Chicken Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes for our entrees. We enjoyed the Polenta Fries - the marinara sauce tied it all together nicely. I liked the Chicken on the Pickled Chicken Sandwich - you could really taste the 48 hour pickle brine, but the Mashed Potatoes were very bland. I don't think my friend or husband were in love their meals either. Also, their bathrooms were also really disgusting - there were piles of toilet paper in the trash in each stall and I'm pretty sure I even saw poop on the floor. I left immediately and went to the other bathroom which is downstairs - to say it was sketchy is an understatement. It felt like a makeshift bathroom on a pirate ship and I thought I would be kidnapped if I didn't hurry up and get out. I was really grossed out afterwards and didn't even finish my meal. They also don't have heaters for their outdoor seating and it was really cold the night we were there - they should definitely invest in those! Our server was super friendly and sweet though - she made the whole experience worth it, but I definitely wouldn't come back.

    Jagruti L.

    We were visiting Salem for the day and came across this restaurant. Ordered Crab Cake BLT with Fries Lobster Roll with Fries Steak Tips with Mash and Asparagus Both the seafood and the Steak were super delicious. My family really enjoyed our dishes. Ambiance is nice, clean and big dining spaces outside and inside. Friendly Service. Service was good. Highly recommended.

    Grilled Cheese with fries
    Tara S.

    I loved the festive Halloween vibe at Rockafella's! Sitting outside on the patio taking in Salem in October was awesome. Unfortunately the food was just so-so. I had the Grilled Cheese which was okay but the bread took up so much of the taste! It definitely needed more cheese! My children had the Baked Mac and Cheese which they both agreed was very good! You can choose things like bacon, pulled pork, etc to go in your Mac and Cheese. I did enjoy my Butter Beer which was a great complement to the spooky atmosphere. The service was also great, very friendly! I would most likely visit again and try some other menu items!

    Veronica R.

    We had a really enjoyable experience here in Salem! The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and the staff was attentive and friendly throughout our visit. They are hard workers here in the month of October. The food was delicious with hearty portions, and you can tell everything was made fresh. Cedar salad with crusty chicken was not as good as the waitress recommended. A couple of small details kept it from being a full 5-star experience -- the wait time was a little longer than expected, and one dish Cesar salad, used over cooked chicken nuggets rather than fresh chicken. That was my only complaint. Other than that everyone enjoyed their meal. . Still, the overall quality and service more than made up for it. This spot is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. Very very busy with wait lines. Great food, good value, and a comfortable place to enjoy a meal in Salem

    Roasted Pear & Walnut Salad
    Kimberly C.

    Overall very good experience. Our server seemed inexperienced or just not very attentive but others on staff were fine. Drinks and food were good. We did see a mouse run across the dining room floor - the manager seemed appropriately horrified and did explain about construction and tunnels under the restaurant. Hopefully not a regular occurrence!!

    Roasted half chicken with smashed Yukon potatoes and Side of Asparagus
    Jeremy C.

    Started off with the clam chowder really runny I expected more from an East Coast restaurant close to the water. The half chicken was old. I had a funny taste to it, as well as an aftertaste. The mashed potatoes had absolutely no seasoning. The asparagus was cold. My wife's tri-tip was supposed to be savory and it tasted like there was something candied on it. Manager took care of our bill and couldn't believe we didn't like it. I'm sorry I'm a big foodie and I'm a big believer in seasoning.

    Crab cake BLT with FF
    Denise B.

    We were seated quickly at an inside table. The waiter was prompt and took our drink order. A few more minutes until he took our food order. I had the crab cake BLT with FF. The first were great. The bacon on the sandwich was nice and crispy but the crab cake was not crispy at all. My daughter had the Mac n cheese with pulled pork and she rated it a 3.8 on a 5 scale. Ambiance was a bar style and they were decorated for Halloween.

    Lister roll and steak tips
    Audrey M.

    The food was great and the people there were even better. Wonderful food and great location. My daughter lost a gift card from a nearby store and they were kind enough to hold onto it until we came back to retrieve it. The staff was very friendly. Highly recommend the lobster roll and butter beer cheers! Enjoy Salem

    baked mac & cheese!
    Sheridan C.

    we came here on a sunny, beautiful afternoon. chose to sit outside on their patio looking out at gorgeous buildings nearby. service was amazing and menu was full of options. my mac and cheese came out hot and fresh and was very delicious. sister said her sandwich was delightful and well cooked. mom said that her clam chowder was hot and tasty! great for bigger parties and nice days!

    Grilled Cheese Sandwich
    Kimberly C.

    After watching one of Darling Desi's YouTube videos, I knew I wanted to eat here. you're not able to make a reservation during the summer and fall, so be prepared to wait. We got lucky and were able to get two seats at the bar After just walking in. This was probably my favorite grilled cheese sandwich (after my dad's) that I've ever had. It was not overly cheesy and the little container of tomato bisque to dip in the sandwich was chef's kiss! I also ordered the apple cider Mocktail. It was not too sweet and a perfect balance to the savory dish I had. If you want to eat here, I recommend getting here as soon as they open or during a time when there won't be too much of a wait. They have tons of options and drinks on the menu. And the service was great!

    Priscilla S.

    I'll start by saying the customer service here is phenomenal! However, I do think this restaurant is overrated. For starters, we ordered fried calamari and the artichoke spinach dip. I love calamari, but these just didn't do it for me. They were bland, and since I didn't order this appetizer, I didn't realize jalapenos were mixed in. I don't eat or like spicy food, so this was a complete no for me and the entire table. The spinach artichoke was okay. Next, I ordered the steak bites with asparagus and mashed potatoes. The asparagus was delicious! Seasoned to perfection, loved it. The garlic mashed was also really good but the steak bites were a no for me. The menu says marinated steak bites. Marinated in what? To me, it tasted like it was marinated in teriyaki sauce. No, thank you. If you know me then you know I love a good steak. I didn't finish my food and I was so hungry. Honestly, I was so disappointed and felt I should have gone to a fast food restaurant, especially given the amount of money we spent.

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    Little Harbor Lobster - The view

    Little Harbor Lobster

    4.8(96 reviews)
    2.7 mi
    $$$

    The biggest challenge is getting here. If you're not local the Marblehead streets can seem maze…read morelike but plug in your app and follow along. You think you are at the end and there it is! The interior is very small so if you are a group, I recommend sending a designated person to order. We went standard Lobster Rolls with butter on the side. There was a little confusion about line order but they were very apologetic. There are very limited chairs in the lot to eat at and I think maybe 1 picnic table? We decided to bring it home to eat. The result was a slightly less than warm roll, but the FLAVAH! Delicious and the chips were good too. Anything Lobster is a bit of a splurge but very worth it!

    Amazing place with fresh seafood! We ordered lobster rolls to eat there (what a view of Little…read moreHarbor) in arondack chairs! We also ordered clam chowder (cold) to enjoy later for dinner. Everything there is fresh - boat to table! Cooking and prepping on all on site! We were told the lobsters were cooked at 3am this morning! That's fresh. We had our lobster rolls with butter but they also offer with mayo. The buns were nicely toasted setved with homade chips! The lobster meat, just stop there, tail, claws, all parts, and so much of it! Well worth every dollar we paid! There were lobsters in the tank and when one of the staff members pulled out one for photos ops! It was so fun! Very nice and friendly staff. It shows they are family (two families) owned and runned! Our meals came out faster than expected and we're brought out to our chairs. They have a good selection of wines and beers! Great place for lunch or picking up items for dinner at home! If you are any where near Marblehead, make sure yo stop of for lobster rolls at The Little Harbor Lobster Company.

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    Little Harbor Lobster - Wine Selection

    Wine Selection

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    The Lobster Shanty - Connecticut Style Lobster roll

    The Lobster Shanty

    3.5(726 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Comfortable place to stop for lunch on a sunny day in later April (2026). We had the grilled, herby…read morechicken sandwich (large, moist and tender) which came on a toasted brioche roll accompanied by a mound of fries. Everything was fresh and hot. A bowl of clam chowder was based on a flavorful (without being fishy) creamy broth. Much better than the kind that can be like a bowl of wallpaper paste. The clam was minced so finely that it was hard to discern that there was any in the bowl. Very filling and tasty just the same. Staff were very attentive and friendly. We asked how much the market price for a lobster roll would be: $40. Music was in the style of hipster cocktail hour, so very enjoyable. Art work was kitschy lobster and bar- based. We enjoyed our lunch here while exploring the lovely town of Salem.

    Place loons nice from outside. It's a tourist trap that pretends to look like a local bar. Food…read morequality is poor. Staff is very rude (esp the big old dude at the door). They have a "rule" that you should walk outside the building to get to the restrooms, and the dude is policing this rule since he has nothing to do. Need an extra bowl to split the soup? No worries, the dude will lecture your elderly parents his unsolicited opinions on how the soup will spill everywhere, so you shouldn't do it. Funny enough, the same dude spilled the soup all over the place when he was bringing them to us. Aside from the rude dude, prices are insane. We are not even in peak season, so they are serving the locals but their prices have a 50% or so markup from industry average. ($40 for a small and $60 for a large lobster roll). They have an automatic 20% gratuity on parties of 3 or more, so they get rewarded on their bad service no matter what. I highly recommend avoiding this dump.

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    The Lobster Shanty - Outdoor seating area

    Outdoor seating area

    The Lobster Shanty - The most expensive lobster roll or any sandwich  I have ever had in my entire life $67!

    The most expensive lobster roll or any sandwich I have ever had in my entire life $67!

    The Lobster Shanty - Patio

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    Patio

    Rockafella's Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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