Dinner at Rockafellas! Came here for dinner after a walk around downtown. Menu is simple but has staples. I got a clam chowder and margarita pizza. I liked both but neither were super hot, warm at best. My mom got the half roasted chicken she liked that, but it was small. Her soup was kinda cold too. Overall nice spot in Salem and in a historic building, conveniently located downtown. read more

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I used to like the menu, but they changed it and their prices are not worth it. I spent $25 on a squash dish- it was a single half small squash on a large plate with quinoa filling.... that's it. Boston restaurants are more reasonable with better options both for people with celiac and for vegetarians. I hope they bring back some of their delicious dishes- like the eggplant tower- our group used to go because we loved that dish. Staff is still nice- that's stable. They're pretty good about gf, too read more

While exploring Salem, I decided to try Rockafella based on its decent reviews. I ordered the lobster roll and fried calamari. The lobster roll was okay--fresh but nothing special. Honestly, I've had better, like the one at Union Oyster House in Boston. The fried calamari was a bit disappointing. It was crispy, but served lukewarm, and the pieces were on the smaller side. Personally, I prefer larger rings sliced thinner for better texture. Overall, it was an average dining experience--not bad, but not memorable. read more

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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. read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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. read more

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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. read more

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Had a tough time getting seated in the dining room. Hostess sat another table and then wandered around for a bit. So we sat at the bar. The service at the bar was great. No issues there. Very friendly. The food was fine. We had burgers. They were cooked as we'd requested. The flavor wasn't great but also not bad. The interior design is fun at the bar. Big open windows out on to the street. Overall, it was decent. read more

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! read more

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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 read more

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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!! read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Roasted Pear & Walnut Salad - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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. read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Roasted half chicken with smashed Yukon potatoes and Side of Asparagus - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Ordered takeout from here, food was fine no concerns. Hostess used extremely rude and inappropriate language towards my partner while she was simply asking for help to retrieve our order. And then refused to take ownership and apologize when confronted. Must be proud of yourself taking joy in ruining someone's day. read more

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. read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Crab cake BLT with FF - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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This place was really good a couple of years ago, but sadly this time around it was pretty bad. I came here a couple of days ago for dinner and was not impressed by the service or the food. The server we had had a bit of an attitude and was not very pleasant towards us. We ordered the pulled pork sliders for an appetizer, and they were absolutely terrible. Barry sloppily prepared, wet sandwiches with the buns, dissolving flavorless meat plopping out of it with blend coleslaw. Very gross and this either needs to be improved or taken off the menu completely. My friend really enjoyed the Portobello tower years ago, but that was not on the menu anymore so instead we both had the baked macaroni and cheese. This was my favorite dish and what I would be so eager to try every time I came here the years I would visit Salem. This dish came out in less than three minutes, and it was bland had no flavor whatsoever and truthfully, no love was put into it at all. I don't know what is going on with this place but management really needs to either get another chef or change menu items. No effort or care was put into these dishes whatsoever and it will be a while before I decide to come back here. read more

My daughter and I both love going to this place. The food is excellent. The people are very friendly and they have a lot of different funny name drinks we always sit by the window so we can people watch while we're there, but I do like sitting outside in the hot summertime read more

This place was absolutely amazing! We loved the flatbread and activities on the menu. For our seats we got to sit inside the old bank vault. The garlic bread they had was amazing too! It was so much fun sitting in the vault and eating delicious food! WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE COMING BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Written by my kid :) ] read more

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 read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Lister roll and steak tips - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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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! read more

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It had been raining and we wanted to get in out of the rain so we stopped by to grab a beverage. This location has an extensive history dating all the way back to the 1600's. In fact - it is said that there are two ghosts that have made their presence known throughout this property. My husband opted for the not so old old fashion that was made with rye whiskey. He said it was really good. I got one of the ciders on top that I haven't had yet in the area and thought that it was very light little dryer but still very good. Overall, this location has a very large bar menu as well as plenty of different beer and wine options as well. read more

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! read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Grilled Cheese Sandwich - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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. read more

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Sat at the bar here and drank a few drinks with my hubby. I didn't eat any food here but every thing did smell amazing here. The Bartender was nice and recommended a drink or two to us as well. Next time I visit I will have to stay to enjoy their food . read more

I was quickly seated at a comfortable table in the bar area. The waitress immediately brought me water and was ready to take my drink order. After learning of the blue lady in my morning walking tour I chose to get one. It was very good reminiscent of a blue Hawaiian. She took my food order kindly. I order the Mediterranean linguini, a very nice portion with fresh vegetables, not over cooked. I added a little salt it was very good, but the brine from the olives really calls for a little more acidity to balance those few bites with the olives. I am glad I stopped for my meal and was able to even take a large portion back to the hotel for later in the evening. read more

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Very spacious and classy inside. I enjoyed my grilled cheese, it had almost a pizza-y taste because of the bread, cheese and tomato blend so it was unique and a fun take on a classic sandwich. I also liked the mocktail, very yummy. The service was great, we were in there for what seemed like a while, wavered on the dessert menu and they never made us feel rushed nor did they kick us out lol. Overall a good experience! read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - rosemary and pear spritz mocktail - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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I came here in the summer before the big crowds and was very happy with my service and food. Very fun atmosphere and the staff are friendly. Food and drinks came out quickly. Most of the cocktails are on theme with the history of Salem and the restaurant itself which also makes things even more fun. I came again recently during Halloween just for a drink and was also pleasantly surprised by the quick service and attention we got even on the busiest time of the year. read more

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Margarita Flatbread, Spinach Dip and Mac and Cheese were all delicious. Service was quick and kind. The ambiance was put together. Decorating for the Halloween seasons was great. It was a busy weekend to say the least and we still had an enjoyable time. We will be back. read more

We ate here our last night in Salem, and it was so wonderful. The server we had was so kind and we loved chatting with her. The outdoor seating was wonderful as well as you can see everyone walking downtown at night. The food was yum! read more

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Food was exceptional and service was awesome! My girlfriend and I came here for lunch before walking around Downtown Salem, and had a great experience here. We first sat outside, but then requested to be moved inside as there were some bees flying around and the waiters were more than accommodating to do so. To start off, we ordered the Curried Chicken eggs rolls, which were such a unique twist to your classic curry dish, they were amazing and chock-full of chicken. I also really liked the yellow curry topping and mango chutney sauce they came with for dipping. For my main I ordered my favorite buffalo chicken wrap, which was honestly one of the best ones I've ever had! The buffalo chicken tenders were cooked perfectly and the ratio of lettuce to bleu cheese to chicken was perfect. I really liked the spinach tortilla and the French fries they served with it. My girlfriend ordered the BBQ chicken salad which came with lettuce, black beans, corn, plenty of bacon bits, cheese, and tortilla wontons. It also came with a lot of ranch that was fantastic. Overall the food was by far a 10/10! read more

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Really wanted this to be a five star review, but the service was super disappointing. We were immediately seated which is great. Not too long later someone gave us our water & was told our server would be with us soon. That waitress came & took our order & only check one us once after us having the food for a few minutes. I had the mussels as an appetizer which were amazing. I had to sit there with the empty shells in front of me for the remainder of our meal, because like I said no one checked on us. I would have liked another beverage, but didn't feel like chasing down our waitress. The fish tacos were really good too. The atmosphere is pleasant with plenty of seating. The prices are reasonable. Just wish there was better service. I'd like to add that they didn't seem understaffed at all & it was far from busy. If you don't mind half assed service I'd recommend this place, because the food is good. read more

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What an amazing Restauraunt! The food was superb as well as the service. I was recommended this restaurant by a local co-worker who said it is THE place to try! I was going to be in Salem for a ghost tour, which was also right around the corner from this eatery. I ordered fish and chips, French onion soup and the poison apple - fish and chips: a large chunk of fish with ample fries, this plate is definitely big enough to share. Delicious. - onion soup - perfectly seasoned with lots of cheese and bread, a treat on a cold day. - poison apple - loved this mix! The bartender made it without alcohol and I had two glasses. I was surprised at the price $10 / glass because usually I get charged a lot less for virgin drinks! Great place! If I come back to Salem I will be back here, they were also open late - until 11pm on a Thursday night. read more

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We stopped in and during the month of October, which is always hectic and crowded in Salem. We were able to get seated within 10 minutes which we were pleasantly surprised, a table back in the back corner, which was fine, but our poor server was attending to way too many tables. Water refills took forever, our food arrived warm because I think she was unable to run from kitchen to tables in reasonable time. Would I go there again? Probably to the bar for a cocktail but not for dinner. Food was OK and like I said, our server did her best, but management needs to hire a couple more people. read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Loved this place! Ate dinner here while in Salem this weekend and really enjoyed it. I got the mussels and crab cakes. Loved sitting outside on the patio and service was quick! read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Crab cakes, mussels - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We paid $50 extra to reserve The Vault private seating. This was our engagement celebration and we could not have been more disappointed in the overall experience and lack of value. We had a 930pm reservation that was available online for the vault (that again, you must pay in advance to reserve and it does NOT come off your check, it is an extra fee) with no notice informing you that the kitchen closes at 10pm. We were totally okay with the fee but not knowing we could not get food after 10pm and having a server with a nasty attitude ruined everything. Joshua F. was our server and he did not greet us until at least 10 minutes after being seated. Normally, we have no issues with things like this, especially during a busy time, but it was obvious he just did not care. We watched him receive our paper stub and talk with the hostess, who informed him we were his table. We watched him get drinks and take food orders for a table in his section that was not seated until after us. He walked passed our table, made eye contact numerous times and still did not come in to even greet us and take the opportunity to say "I will be right back with you". When he did finally appear, he was not apologetic and immediately told us we only had 20 minutes to get in our food order. Leaving us to wonder why a reservation that we had to pay $50 for would not disclose this to you, and if he knew this why he took as long as possible to come greet our table. We had hoped for drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert. Which isn't enjoyable at all in a 20 minute time frame. Even just dinner, would be rushed in 20 minutes for most people much less people celebrating a special occasion. Overall, this was a terrible experience and not worth their high price tag. $210 including the reservation fee, pre tip. read more

Dropped in for a quick bite before a tour. Great cocktails and a surprising appetizer. Worth the drop by. read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - Polenta fries. - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Spent a week in Salem for Halloween and this is one of three places we visited more than once. Food was good not great hence the four-star rating and the service was quick. The ambiance of Halloween is all over the place here and there is some lore of hauntings at this establishment, but no ghost bothered me while I was eating. While the service was quick, we never felt rushed even though they were very busy. This is probably one of the higher end places in Salem, at least that we could find and I feel was reasonably priced considering the time of year and the grade/quality of the food. If your looking for a nice place to sit and enjoy a decent meal, you have found it. read more

Super good! I know its in a touristy area but you do not get that vibe at all once inside. I love their interior design, outdoor seating is available as well. I loved their fall sangria and Halloween decorations! We appreciated the hostess who allowed us to get seated to a table after getting out of line when told there were bar seats available, which there were not. OCTOBER - be aware most places do not take reservations during this month. When visiting on weekdays you should be fine for meals. read more

The best staff and food! My friend and I was in town for work and dined here every single night because of the amazing staff and food, we were treated so well, and they made us feel right at home! I definitely recommend, you will not be disappointed. read more

PERFECT spot ! Drinks and food were delicious and presentation was beautiful! Staff were all friendly and attentive. Service was quick but you don't feel rushed at all. Decor was so fun inside and out - I enjoyed sitting outside this time so we could people watch since it was a busy Saturday in October. If you haven't been here yet and plan to visit Salem, definitely add this place to your list! read more

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Food was delicious and very good service. I enjoyed the decor and atmosphere. I will be coming back to try more food and drinks. read more

Rockafella's Restaurant - American Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Came here for lunch after a tour. I ordered the Parmesan crusted haddock with risotto and green beans and it was DELICIOUS! My husband ordered a southwest burger, also good. The service was friendly and fast. The decor was still all Halloween so fun to be there. read more