I really loved the overall vibe of this place. Their happy hour for drinks was awesome - 50% off beer, house wine and rails. The bartender Gem was a super cool guy who we enjoyed chatting with. Their food was okay. The menu was a bit limited. We ordered a falafel burger, a bbq chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries. The prices were reasonable, but the falafel burger desperately needed more sauce and flavor - it was a bit dry and bland. When you go in, be prepared to order food at the counter and drinks at the bar - no table service. read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Cabernet - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Other than this place having a bit of an identity crisis, I think it's great. Some of the time it's labeled "Bar and Grill", sometimes "Eatery" and sometimes "Beer Garden". The way I'd describe it is this: Think of one of those places that you go to because it's got great drinks and lots of places to sit (especially outdoor on a nice day). Now that place also happens to have some tasty snack - not a lot, but they are good. That's Rockwood - except they've got more food than normal. I wouldn't call it a "restaurant" as its primary focus, but there is plenty to eat and you would do just fine going there for just a bite. Our food was, as noted, quite tasty. The divine swine sandwich had some great and tender pulled pork. The smokedburger was a standard burger, the patty looks machined formed - that's not to say it's bought in bulk or something (I don't know) - just not an "OMG AMAZING" burger. The sweet potatoe fries were fantastic, well seasoned and some nice use of larger salt flakes. The Cucumber Salad was interesting, basically cucumber and onion in a quick pickle - probably wouldn't order it again, but it wasn't bad. The menu isn't huge, but its perfect ok to focus on what you do best. While we were there primarily for the food, we did get the Ely-ade drinks. They were quite tasty and would certainly enjoy again. Rockwood has a full bar, so you can get just about any drink you want. The prices for their signature cocktails are also quite reasonable. This is probably a great place to bring kids. They can get hot dogs, hamburgers, mac and cheese... all the staples. And the adults can partake in the finer fixings from the bar. Everyone was very nice, the kept the place well bussed. No complaints. read more

See all

I'm knocking this review down a star for a negative experience, which I will recount later. My wife and I dined here on a Sunday night, about an hour before closing. The restaurant is inside an old Hardee's and the work they have done on the interior is amazing. Food is ordered at a counter and brought out to you. Because of the time of day they were running out of a lot of menu items (some entrees and about 2/3s of their sides choices). My wife ordered a mildly spiced sausage sandwich, and I ordered their smoked gyros. My gyros had a nice smoke flavor but lacked salt and some of the Greek seasonings that gives gyro meat that distinctive taste. In short, it was kind of bland. The sausage sandwich was not a whole link, but rather sliced sausage on a bun. Because it was sliced it was a bit dry. But the real turn off for us was the guy bussing tables near the end of meal mocking us for wearing face masks. It was rude, and given that we were not complaining about people NOT wearing masks, rather uncalled for. I would also point out that the menu shown on their Facebook page had hardly any resemblance to the menu in the restaurant on 6/12/2022. read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Sausage sandwich. - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Although their menu was limited to COVID, and they are a little understaffed, this restaurant wasn't unpleasant by any means. They have a limited selection of items, but what they do have is decent food. It's an al a carte type menu, and is decently priced. It wasn't a five star experience, but it was good for what it was. If you read that one star review talking about how they turned for the worse after COVID, and are scared off, don't shy away. Especially if it's past 4 on a Sunday. If you don't like what they have to offer on their menu, Boathouse Brewpub is a great alternative, but they close early, so Rockwood, might provide what you're looking for. Overall, good food, great atmosphere, and nice staff. read more

Welp, been sitting here for over 75 minutes waiting for food. Waiter has not been communicative at all creating a frustrating environment... *food came out in the middle of typing this* No apology for wait of food so I assume hour plus waits for foods is just customary at this establishment. Restaurant is not busy but service still very slow. Food was okay, satisfying but not spectacular, about what you would expect. Overpriced too, in my opinion. $5 to add bacon and cheese to a build-your-own burger, and $2 to add fries on top of the average $13 burger. Overall I guess the takeaway is not to come here hungry. The long wait will leave you chewing on your eco-friendly straw as if it was a crunchy fry when in actuality, it's just a straw and you probably still have a good 50 minutes before a small serving of mediocre fries comes out. read more

I was here last weekend and the food was terrible!....I ordered the hot dog...It was gray and the bite I took was Oscar Meyer all the way.....So very disappointing......When it was the Rockwood the food was wonderful.....Now I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that was looking for somewhere to eat in Ely.....Stay away!!! read more

Such a great spot with delicious food and drinks. Their beer can chicken sandwich is soooo good! Highly recommend!

Oh ya finally got to check this place out, it's closed in the winter. Bummer! Nice summer day we sat in the patio near the little babbling brook,very soothing. Our waitress was a sweetie, so friendly and prompt. Happy hour 2 for 1, but you have to go inside to get them. I had a blueberry beer, very good! We started with fried pickle, huge!!!! Real yummy and a season sour cream for dipping. We all had the walleye sliders with chimichuri sauce and fries! I'm salivating thinking of them, I could eat those little guys a few times a week!! SO dang good!! Can't wait to go back !!! read more

See all

Love it! Everything from the baked walleye, to the wild rice soup,tasty local microbrews...all left with full bellies and smiles on our faces. read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Fabulous! - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

They have really upped their game. Food and service are both much much better than when they first opened. They have defined themselves as a hub of Ely's food and music culture. Go - you will have a good time. read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Walleye sandwich - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

I really love the atmosphere and the staff. The food is, quite frankly, below par. A basket of flaccid French Fries, a sandwich with onions that still had the skins, and a pulled pork sandwich that was bland was disappointing. However, we'll be back for drinks and relaxation. read more

Worst experience ever. Covid-19 has severely limited their menu. They're only open Friday and Saturday. Our family stopped in on a Saturday night and ate on the patio as the dining room wasn't open. We ordered two open faced beef and cheddar sandwiches. Imagine our surprise to be served fat and cheddar sandwiches, for there was far more fat than beef on all four slices of bread. It was disgusting. To top it off the prices were high end. We paid a fair amount for our slices of fat. We will not be returning to Rockwood. read more

Visited recently... Not pleased with the service! It was incredibly slow and the drinks were almost completely flat when received?! Staff was nice enough but me and the husband did not enjoy our experience. read more

Sign says Walleye and Burgers, plural. There was no Walleye on the menu and only 1 burger option. Very disappointed in the extremely limited menu options. read more

Excellent GF options! Their beer can chicken was phenomenal as well as their whitefish. The pulled pork was slightly dry but tasted fine with some BBQ. read more

Fabulous blueberry salad! Definitely would come again and order this perfect summer meal! Great service by our server Shelby! read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Blueberry salad is to die for! - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Somewhat pricy for what you get. They have it set up well to deal with staff shortages- like fast food but not a fast food atmosphere. My husband had the gyro- this is not at all like a Greek one both in flavor of size. There are a lot of food choices in Ely- this was average at best. read more

Sunday in Ely MN in Sept means only a few restaurants to choose from for dinner. We weren't sure if we should go here given the reviews, but we were very glad we did. Yes, you order drinks from an outside window and food from an inside window, but the food, drinks and place are fantastic given what they are and the prices seemed very reasonable. They have a lovely, large outdoor patio with shade, a fountain and both shaded and unshaded seating. We were lucky enough to be there when they also had live music, which was quite good for a bar in Ely MN. We started with beer and enjoyed sitting on the patio without worrying about waitstaff coming by and asking when we were ready to order food. I thought the menu was not limited: they have brats, burgers, pulled pork (pizza a couple nights a week), beer can chicken, hummus, smoked chicken thighs, whitefish dip. The only thing I wished they had were salads. They had a side salad, coleslaw and the cucumber salad. For vegetarians there was falafel, hummus, French fries, sweet potato fries and the salads. Maybe this is an area they might add to. When we were ready, we ordered our food: the special brat (made with MN wild rice), the whitefish dip, the meatball sub, French fries and cucumber salad. All were VERY good. We ate far more than we should have. The cucumber salad was a flavorful mix of cucumbers, onion and cherry tomatoes in a vinegar dressing. The meatball sub was outstanding because the meatballs were spicy and moist. I normally want extra sauce, but didn't need it with these. The French fries are thick cut and a plentiful serving. The brat was juicy and the whitefish dip was served with naan. It was tasty and creamy. They offer primarily local beers (MN or WI) but also have wine and mixed drinks. Water is self-serve from an outside container which is perfect. When we finished our meal, we bussed our table to the nearby plastic containers and garbage cans. We would go back! read more

Jacki is a super server! The food is really great. The blueberries are so flavorful! The walleye has tons of flavor and the smoked Wing's are not only cooked just right but huge! Asparagus tasted fresh picked! We wish we lived closer cuz this would be a regular place for dinner! read more

Good was decent. A little pricey for what it is. Asked the girl at the food counter if I could sit at the bar. I took a seat in the corner of the bar. As the bar was full. He didn't at all acknowledge me. Never Asked if he could get me anything. My food came. I sat there to eat. He asked if I'd move to table cause apparently that corner of the bar was his prep area. I kindly moved to a corner table to finish my dinner. Listened to him talk crap about his customers to a couple sitting at the bar. Then I over heard him talking shit about me. Before he realized I was still sitting in the corner. Apparently his single mother from Kansas didn't raise him all that well. read more

Our family went in Rockwood for dinner. There were eight adults and a baby. Mind you we arrived at 5:05 and wanted to be seated for dinner. We were turned away by what I am assuming was the manager because he said they had a reservation for 7:30. This is the first time I have ever been turned away from a restaurant. All was not lost. We went to another restaurant, ate our food and then went out for custard and made it back home way before 7:30. Rockwood we will never, ever return to your establishment again. You lost out on cash paying, great tipping customers. Poor business practice. read more

So slow... Went on a Tuesday night fairly busy due to the live music but the service was slow even for that. 15 minutes to get beers after we ordered them then close to 45 minutes to get food...my #1 pet peeve is when your salad come out 2 minutes before your food and that happened here. I had to flag her down for a second drink and the check and finally walked up to the bar to pay. My pork chop was great as well as the sweet potato fries but the seasonal vegetable was a bag of frozen mixed from wal mart and I would have expected more from a $20 dinner. The beer selection however was amazing so that helped. read more

Great place to eat and always such good live entertainment! These people are very kind and honest. Unlike their competitors only a half a block away, I would recommend this place EVERY time! read more

A great menu that gave me a hard time deciding what to eat. The chicken pretzel sandwich was very good. The sweet potato fries were the best I've had. Their drink menu was also good. We ordered some cocktails that were tasty and refreshing. The downside was the service. We didn't get our waters until about 30 minutes after we sat down. Then they didn't get refilled. We also didn't put in our order for awhile because the server didn't come to our table. read more

This was our first time trying Rockwood under the new management. My husband and I always make a point of supporting local businesses, but, unfortunately, we won't be back. First, they have a very limited menu. All smoked meats. Everything is al a carte. Counter service and you are asked to bus your own table. I'm not bothered at all by that, however, the prices are high for that type of service. Two sandwiches and one side of sweet potatoes was $25, served in paper bowls with cheap plastic silverware. Add on the two beers and a tip and we paid around $46 for our meal. read more

Rockwood reflects what living on the Northland is all about, from the warm cabin feel to the decor of old memorabilia of fishing, skiing, mining, and hunting to menu items that gives the taste of Northern Minnesota with walleye and wild rice. They offer other items on their menu as well: pasta dishes, burgers, hand cut steaks, sandwiches, soups, salads, and some Mexican dishes. With a wide variety of dishes, you are sure to find your taste at Rockwood. As a tip, they do offer gluten free options as well. You would just need to ask their knowledgable staff. Rockwood offers a Daily Drink Special from 3:00pm to 5:00pm every day: 2 for 1s on all beer/wine/drinks in the lounge only. They have a full bar with a TV to sit back and enjoy a cold one. Also, they have the Rockwood Birthday Special. It must be on your actual birthday. You will get your age as a percentage off your meal. So, if you are 21 on that day you get 21% off or if you are 75 you get 75% off. And, if you turn 100, you deserve a free meal. On Thursday nights, they have live music on the patio starting at 6:00pm. They will place a sign stating that there is live music. You start out having a basket of bread and breadsticks that is served with hummus, maple butter, and garlic butter, which were all very tasty, and will make you want more. Rockwood offers a kids menu with choices of a cheeseburger, noodles, chicken strips, quesadilla, and even a walleye sandwich. The portions were good for what they charge for $3.95 to $7.95, but the kid's drink is not free. It's $1.50 more. That is disappointing. Either add it in the price or have it free; it's more of a visual thing. Jodi had the Prime Rib with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Sauteed Vegetables. She thought it was ok. It was fattier than she is used to, and parts of it were raw even though she ordered medium well. She really liked the garlic mashed potatoes. She thought they were delicious with just the right amount of garlic to make it stand out. The vegetables were good as well, a nice little variety. With the entree, it had the choice of salad or soup, and Jodi chose her favorite: Wild Rice Soup. Jodi used to order the Slider Sampler. It had pulled pork, chicken, and beef. They do not offer this item on their menu any longer, and Jodi was disappointed to see it go. KayMarie had the Rockwood Burger, that has a thick slice of prime rib, Swiss cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, and garlic mayo. She thought it was done well, but was really messy. Even though it was seasoned fairly well, it just wasn't her taste, but others may like and enjoy it more. It also came with fries, that were too overdone. She could not eat them all. Brian had the Rockwood End of the Road Flat Iron Steak, made Black and Blue. I ordered the garlic mashed potatoes as well, and the sautéed vegetables. I like my steak medium rare, and it was done to my liking. My meal was very good. Also, with the meal came the choice of salad or soup. I chose the Wild Rice Soup. This soup is my favorite and is the best I have eaten. I always look forward to having a bowl every visit. Christopher ordered the Stuffed Meatloaf which has ground beef and Italian sausage stuffed with mozzarella, ham, basil and sun dried tomatoes served with garlic mashed potatoes and topped with bechamel sauce, a white sauce made with milk and herbs. The entree had a choice of a salad or soup, Christopher ordered the Tomato Basil Soup, we all had a taste of his soup and it was very tasty. The soup tasted like a melted pizza. We will have this soup again. Christopher liked his meal. Jonathan ordered the Cajun Pasta. It had zucchini and fresh tomato, then was sauteed in a Cajun bechamel sauce tossed with penne pasta. You can choose either shrimp or smoked chicken. Jonathan chose the chicken, and he really liked this dish. It was spicy, but not overpowering. As for handicapped accessibility, a standard 32" chair will fit fine. One thing I liked the most was the handicapped bars in the bathroom. They weren't ones I am used to: they were all one piece that curve at the beginning, and they were on each side. If you are looking for a local favorite experience, then Rockwood would be the place to go. As for our family, we may try Rockwood another time to try to find that taste that keeps us coming back. So, we suggest to Stop In, enjoy the Northern decor, and find what you like to order. Please check out our family's other adventures, leave us a comment and please follow us http://familyfriendlyoutings.blogspot.com/ read more

Not bad. Nice patio-good staff-OK bar food. We had the walleye tacos and chicken quesadillas-it was fine-but pretty close to Applebee's. read more

Great food! We had the Ginny Hen and Stuffed Meatloaf We sat in the bar area and had a fun conversation with the bar staff while we enjoyed our dinner and drinks. Got seated immediately even on a Saturday night in the summer! read more

Really disappointed in this place. Nothing was good, it was only edible. Salad and entrees underwhelming and low on any real flavor. Service was friendly but not what I would consider good. Sweltering inside the building, air never kicked on. read more

I've been here twice now. I like the layout and that they have a bar and patio but the food was slightly lacking and could be better. I believe this place will get better over time. read more

Absolutely delicious! Great cocktails on the patio with live music. It is self service and a limited menu, but definitely a great way to wrap up a day of paddling! read more

What a beautiful place, with great food, and quick service! It was busy in town, so parking with a boat was a little tricky. read more

See all

Service was good, but the waitress could have pre bussed are table to make less clutter. my wife ordered her rib eye steak medium and it came to us rare. Had to send it back. Did bring it back cooked right the second time and it was delicious. I ordered the rock wood flat iron steak and it was awesome. Would of liked it a little bigger than 8 oz but it was very scrumptious. House wine was good for a local blend. Kids cheese burger on the kids menu was bigger than most adults would be able to eat. Overall food tasted great and I would come back again. read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Do you want a little wine with your steak? - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Honestly, not a variety on the menu but mostly the staff is terribly rude. Previously came here and steak sandwich was tough, could barely chew it. Staff did nothing to compensate. Then, came for lunch and ordered two kids meals with one adult cheeseburger. First off, was told not all additions to burgers were available, second had to wait 30 minutes for kids meals. Not really a great experience. When I asked the male seating people why it's taking so long, he gave me a snobby response on how the entire restaurant is full so that's why it's taking so long. Once we received our food, order wasn't even correct. Never was offered refills on soft drinks either. I've been to plenty of full restaurants, especially in this town and it never takes that long for children to receive their meals. Terrible customer service. At least have the common decency to apologize when service is slow. Overheard waitress say they're busy on Mondays because other restaurants are closed... simple, add an extra waitress to schedule if you know you're going to be busy. Of note, they weren't terribly busy. Don't waste your time here, better restaurants in town elsewhere that aren't overpriced too. read more

GREAT restaurant!! Very fun to go to on vacation in Ely. Well rounded menu, helpful service, and delicious food! Their turkey sandwich was the best sandwich I've ever had. I'll be going back to the Rockwood for sure. read more

When making the trip up to Ely, this is a nice place to stop with a big or small group if you are looking for easy parking, big menu selection and something truly fitting of the cabin-feel that you would expect in this awesome town. I am giving 4 out of 5 because their bathrooms were pretty grimey, and I ordered a "build your own" burger, and all of my customization was missed when my order came out (e.g. wrong type of fries, included mayo when I asked for it to be kept off etc.). This is frustrating when the point is to customize your meal. Still worth stopping in. read more

The food was very good with great portion sizes and prices for most of the items. I got a chicken sandwich with fries, which was very tasty as well. read more

Huge portions. Great flavor and unique twist on foods. My only complaint was our server. He really didn't seem like he wanted to be there, but the server for the tables around us: she was great! If it's raining you may have to wait if it's at a busy time, but it was worth the wait. The service was slow but after being out in the BWCA I didn't mind sitting and relaxing and enjoying the food when it came. Surprised me (but this was not the only place in town that didn't know what I was talking about). When asking me what I wanted to drink, "a Caesar" he responded with, "a salad" - I'm just guessing this is not a drink made in this area? But he didn't even offer to check just said, "nope, I never heard of it." I'm also just use to being asked if we wanted a water or refill. Would I eat there again? Most likely based on the food and if it is not raining so we could enjoy their beautiful patio. It was raining so the only seating was inside (they have a very nice patio area) and even at 1:30 in the afternoon there was a 30 minute wait...but we probably didn't wait quite that long.Oh, and the food. The Poutine had pork belly bites - to die for. I was expecting, "deep fried cheese curds" with the poutine. The way it was made was perfect, I think the little bites of cheese were great. I had read reviews about the steak being amazing but there are only two steak choices on the menu and one is only available after 5 PM. Since I love steak I gave the sandwich a try and SO VERY glad I did. It was the BEST steak I've had in forever! I really wanted to try quite a few things on the menu. My husband had the chicken sandwich and cleaned his plate. He said it was amazing, but I wouldn't know because he didn't share :) Because we were only in town for a short stay it was hard to choose which place to eat at - Ely's dining establishments have a lot to offer (variety, unique, competitive prices). read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - The bacon cheese bread and poutine - AMAZING, HUGE portion. - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Ely is usually a competitive town for restaurants. Many have come and many have failed. Rockwood is new and is doing well-and well deserved. Very busy on a Sunday evening. Just out of the boundary waters. First meal back in civilization. Because we were two, the wait was short but for others it was only 20 minutes average. Excellent indoor seating as well as outdoor. Great boundary waters Decour. Complete bar. Very busy with many servers. Good variety in the menu with multiple appetizers. We had the cheese curds: they were great. We usually don't find good cheese curds unless we travel to Wisconsin. We had burgers and they were both very good. That is their specialty. The rest of the menu must be good given the clear enjoyment of the surrounding patrons. The only thing that kept him from the five was that the food, though very good, standard fare. But this can be a good thing because you know what you're getting. read more

Rockwood Bar & Grill - Cheese curds. Yum! - American Near Me - Ely, Minnesota

Rockwood seems to be stepping their game up! With a more refined menu selection, plus an awesome daily cocktail specials (2 for 1 from 3-5), this place is a gem in Ely. Live music on Thursdays too! read more