Lovely outdoor space, great food and service! Don't look further, check them out you won't regret it.

Bartender vinny made me a drink after my favorite late rapper xxxtentacion...xxx vitamin water, hennesy, and sprite. Very amazing drink. Thanks, vinny. 10/10 would reccomend this spot. Best in rockaway. Deb rules too. read more

We are accustomed to dining in numerous restaurants frequently. No more! Because of the best Bar Maid/Waitress in NJ we now only frequent The Exchange. Her name is JoAnn! Oh yeah, the food is excellent also! read more

In the area and found this great place on Yelp! The outdoor deck is great, with a cool view of town! We couldn't have asked for better weather! Food was great! Ordered the scallops from the appetizer menu, and the hot turkey was delicious and a portion to share! Will revisit when in the area! read more

The Exchange - American Near Me - Rockaway, New Jersey

Went here for Mother's Day brunch. It was pretty decent, although not wonderful. The buffet set up was a bit awkward, with it not being clear which way you were to proceed through the buffet, leading to some awkwardness when a line formed at one end. It was a bit crowded too, but not unbearably so. The food on the buffet was pretty good. Fresh salad and fruit, a variety of lunch and breakfast items that were actually still hot or at least warm (one benefit of a busy buffet), some cold items, and dessert stuff. They didn't seem to have enough wait staff bringing out drinks though... it took awhile to get coffee and such at some points. Decent atmosphere... never had their food off the menu on a regular night, but I have come in here in the evening for drinks and music. It's usually pretty fun, bar crowd is OK. If nothing else, the bar area can get a bit cramped, which can be a little annoying. An all around A-OK place without anything special to say about it. read more

We have eaten both in the restaurant and had takeout many times from The Exchange before. We decided to order takeout from here after having not done so for a while. We were excited by the new menu overhaul, but clearly much work to be done. The potato skins have always been a staple here and noticed the menu read differently with the change: Buffalo Potato Skins - crispy buffalo Chicken, cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon and scallions. This is direct from the menu online and in restaurant. My wife is not a huge fan of buffalo chicken and being the description was the same as previous, I asked the person on the phone too hold the buffalo chicken. At no point was I informed the menu description is far from accurate. What we received for the potato skins was a burnt mess, topped with a mixture of blue cheese and lettuce. Neither my wife nor I care for blue cheese so these went right to the trash. There is no mention at all of any menu of blue cheese or lettuce being included on this dish. It's unfortunate a local establishment takes so little care in what is provided. Clearly staff does not know the menu, nor management since menus are incorrect. First and last attempt at trying the new menu, have no idea if the descriptions are right and I doubt staff will know either. Won't be back. After 35 years, perhaps change is not such a good thing for The Exchange. read more

The beer is bad. I wonder if they ever clean the lines. The food is OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. The bar is pretty crowded. People seem to like the place, but it's not for me. read more

Went the the Exchange for Thanksgiving dinner this year, so I'm not sure how the food is at other times. You can consider this a "holiday" review. We were there for the final 5pm seating, and all the food was still hot and very tasty. They had a carving station with fresh turkey and ham, and pretty much every other thanksgiving staple you could imagine - stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes - they even had salmon if you wanted fish instead of turkey. The only downside was that the mac n' cheese (which looked good) was all gone by the time I got to it, and since we were the final seating, it was not replenished. Desserts were so-so, but by the time I got to them, I was stuffed anyhow. The Exchange is not a bad option for a holiday meal - we paid $24.95 per adult, $4.95 for our toddler. read more

It's ok. Went here for lunch with some friends one afternoon in the fall, so it was still nice enough to sit outside. I'm glad we did, because the inside it looked pretty dank and in need of an overhaul. The items on the menu looked good and I ended up ordering the Roasted Veggie Sandwich and it was pretty tasty and the rest of the food my friends ordered looked really good too. Portions were fair and I was full by the end of the meal. I'd give it a B+ on the veggie sandwich, because the bread was very good, but you could tell the peppers weren't freshly grilled (out of a can or jar) like the eggplant. Also, don't order the green tea drink on their drink menu because I remember it being pretty intolerable. Service is OK. We were the only customers for a while and it seemed like there was a lag with having water and other things refilled. Overall, I think the place is good if you're looking for a decent sandwich to hold you over for dinner, but I wouldn't bring my parents here for a nice brunch place. Definitely wouldn't call it a nice brunch place. I'd give the place a solid B though. read more

Dont go, so disappointed in the food. Fajitas were cold and when we asked for the side toppings they were confused, its on the menu! Large group next to us waited almost two hours to find out the food order was never made. read more

Was our favorite restaurant but no more. New menu was disappointing with one selection per category. Our request for "well-done" came very rare. To top it off the service was slow, but 2 servers were trying their best. Won't be back again after so many years. read more

They did a major overhaul of the menu. Love a lot of the new items. Try any on the sandwich on the focaccia bread, they make it fresh daily. The salads are also delicious. Everything is very fresh. I have only been here for lunch so far but I am looking forward to trying the dinners soon! read more

I have now been to the Exchange three times. The prices are reasonable, the service is extraordinarily friendly, and the atmosphere is nice in that it's rustic and low-key. I am not a huge drinker, but I did notice they have a nice selection of beverages. The food is good, it's not pretentious but rather true comfort food. Portions are generous without forcing one to leave feeling bloated. I would recommend dining here. read more

A great eater!! Staff & manager are professionals, friendly, attentive and informative. The food, oh the food! Had the calamari It was very good. I had the French Dip. Great!! My sister ordered the wings appetizer. Sooooo good!! She had the ravioli w/ vodka sauce. It was amazing!!! Don't forget the drinks! They make the most magnificent drinks!!! Try the Christmas Martini and The Grinch! Both are excellent!! I'm living in Ohio, but I will be back. read more

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Always a good choice food is great went for St Pats great soup Split Pea was very tasty and corn beef and cabbage was great as well .

Great friendly service. Nice size bar with a lot of table to eat at. Band that played was awesome. A fun Saturday night out with a good crowd. read more

We used to go here a lot and liked it. Stopped by recently and the whole vibe of the place has changed including the staff and customers. We asked and were told the people we knew as bartenders and wait staff no longer worked there - the music was different too - had to keep asking for them to raise the volume so we could hear it after we paid for it. Not the same place we knew before. Unsure if we will return. read more

My fiancée and I just left The Exchange after a great meal. We shared 2 apps- wings and the shrimp bruschetta, and both were delicious. Then we split the Bacon and Brie burger which is the best burgers I've had in a long time. Our server ( I wish I had asked his name) was excellent as usual. Each time we come in he is always pleasant and attentive. A great local place!! read more

I had the mozzarella sticks and was sick all night. I'm not even sure how that's possible. Maybe it was old oil? Maybe the cook didn't wash his hands. I don't know but I'll never go back read more

Stopped by the Exchange on Main Street, early Saturday afternoon. Ordered a "Borough Burger!" w/fries. Was absolutely amazingly delicious!!! Enjoyed it with a draft citrus raspberry beer which the name slips my mind. Would highly recommend! GO!!! read more

Our favorite place to go for a "pint on the porch!!!" Once summer hits, we know were heading here.... Super friendly staff, great bartenders, delicious food!!!! Weekends are really fun, too!!! Really fun bands!!! read more

My husband is from Buffalo and has been in search of the best wings in NJ for years. The Exchange "hot and extra crispy" have been his number 1 recently! Relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff, photo hunt... we have enjoy going here every time. read more

Nice friendly local bar. Female Bartender was sweet and generous. Would go back if we lived in the area.

Server, Laura had no interest in me, or my dry as rock pork chops. I told her, and she responded with "Oh...really." The dressing "homemade" on my boyfriends salad was nothing more than mayo and chives. For $13, I expect more than rock hard pork chops, mayo with chives, and a bad attitude. That said, it is a lovely environment...but if you have a bad experience, don't call...because the bartender doesn't care either...and won't help you find a manager. read more

We've been there close to a hundred times in twenty years, almost always 5 stars. Once in a while something could be little better, the same as anywhere else. Sometimes we go to eat, or listen to entertainment or just hang out. It is a great restaurant and a nice local bar (it can be both). The staff is mostly pleasant, and the crowd is over legal age, which is nice. Their specials are usually good; our favorites are the prime rib and fillet mignon. Most sandwiches are plentiful and tasty. They make a good mexican pizza, and many other ethnic dishes. We have never left there hungry. They do catering, and have a party room downstairs. Prices are reasonable, and the food is very good. For Dee, "it's the exchange" - you must be a regular. As for the toothless and the drunks, does that include you? You know what the thieves did with that money because all you did was "witness" it - I guess you don't realize what you tell about yourself. Most anyone who can speak would have stopped them, or at least reported them. You don't drink anything cuz they don't meet your high standards, yet you go there for 'people watching'? Next time put a little more thought into what you are saying; a review like that says more about you than the business. read more

The food is excellent if you like steaks, burgers, and similar fare. I must agree that the beer is alittle rough at times. The Exchange has a unique cult following but continues to pack a house for private events, weekends, and holidays. The place is a landmark and must be tried by all who visit the Borough. read more

The service and food are quite good. Love to see middle aged servers instead of a bunch of kids. Both fish dishes cooked correctly. Only ding would be the decor. We hate tablecloths. We'll be back! read more

My boyfriend & I were looking for something outside our normal rotation of regular dining spots so he recommended The Exchange, remembering it from years ago. On our way there, I looked up their menu online and had a feeling this wasn't going to be a great experience. Upon entering, my fears were confirmed. The restaurant is outdated on the inside with a huge bar area to right as soon as you enter. The decor reminded me of walking into a college roommate's first real apartment where everything is a hand me down but it's "nice enough" for starting out. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich on multigrain bread with a side salad and my boyfriend order a cheese-steak or, as he later called it, a crap-steak. The food came out quickly. While the restaurant itself wasn't all that busy, this still worried me being an avid viewer of Kitchen Nightmares. Flashes of microwaved food and salad coming from ziploc bags were all I could picture as our server approached our table. One bite of my sandwich confirmed my fears. My chicken was most definitely reheated with phony grill marks on it in an attempt to fool me into thinking it was freshly made. The cherry tomatoes in my salad tasted dirty so they were probably never washed. My boyfriend could only stomach the bread and cheese from his plate. I subsequently asked our server for an order of sweet potato fries, which also came out very quickly (even those had a funky taste like they were fried in oil used for everything else or maybe that hasn't been changed recently). When she noticed the chicken untouched and stacked on the side of my plate she asked if I was done. I told her I didn't like it very much. She took it back to the kitchen and shortly after came back to tell us she took it off our check. At least it was handled well. The bar area was hopping and when we were leaving a live band was setting up. I'd recommend sticking to bar food and the bar area in this place. read more

I hate to say, but food was not very good for the price. Service extremely slow. When breakfast finally arrived it was cold. No utensils or place settings so we sat another 3 mins waiting for that. We were one of two tables occupied. Food was bland and cold. read more

The Exchange is an institution here in town. Good place for a reasonably priced good meal. In good weather eating on the big covered porch is really wonderful. There are also lots of neat historic photos on the walls of local landmarks that are fun to look at. Occasionally noisy on weekends but when that's the case, opt for eating outside. read more

Simply okay. Came for Mother's Day brunch after our first choice was completely booked. Price was extremely reasonable and the food was okay. Nothing spectacular but I wasn't really expecting a five star experience based on location and the price it was. I will try again with their regular menu. read more

Good place to sit at the bar have a few drinks and listen to bands on the weekend

They have standard bar food and a varied beer menu, but the service is in much need for improvement. We ordered nachos and asked our waitress if the meatless nachos came with everything on them except the meat and she said, "yes". After our order, we discovered that a nacho bar was out and complimentary during happy hour. Only the regulars knew about the free nachos, they were hidden in a corner of the bar and our waitress never mentioned them during our order. To top it all off, she then tried to charge us for the nacho toppings because we got beans on them, even though we asked her what came on the meatless nachos and she said beans were included. This is our second negative experience at The Exchange. It is clear that regulars are favored and you are treated differently if you don't go there often. If you are looking for a casual night out with standard bar food, do yourself a favor and find a different establishment to go to. read more

I am a little disappointed in the brunch today.. Goodness great and delicious but service was not great. You charge for coffee for brunch... Shouldn't that be included as a courtesy? Mimosas charged per drink.. No mention of perhaps unlimited. Would have been a nice touch folks.. Everywhere else offers unlimited mimosas for brunch for a charge of $10-15... But $10! Each? Service was way understaffed. ... A charge for coffee during brunch? No unlimited mimosas.. Very disappointing at everything but the food which was great.. Can someone explain this to me please? Pretty sad read more

Was there for Easter Buffet 3/27/16 Disappointed food was cold even craving station lamb was over done and dry. It seems the server was give burnt ends and thick slice of meats. Staff was nice but a 21% tip was added just pick the dishes up come on We had a party of 6 including child were charge full price for the child There a few customers not happy at all But get what you pay for at a cheap buffet I would not recommend the food or place. To me more a place to have a beer etc... read more

Environment nice, service was fine. Food, eh. Bad bits of spinich in an othwise tasty salad. Soggy chip in my nice tasting mashed potatoes, but prime rib overcooked to shredding. I believe burger and beer John. That's the way to go here. read more

Pretty decent place to go out for a few drinks and live music. The place could use some updating but it has it's charm. I especially like dining on the porch when the weather is nice. They have a few good beers on tap, the mixed drinks I have ordered have usually been made pretty poorly. The staff has been friendly every time and the food is average at best. read more

This place has a little bit of an identity crisis (as well as the canal house it opened down in Wharton) is it an old fashioned dining room for the blue-hairs, or is it a pub? The decor is old, old, old; and not in a charming way but in a they haven't changed anything in decades way. They have a great beer selection, that is always growing- but the atmosphere doesn't scream "get your good beer here!" The food is generic, nothing wrong with it, but nothing great either. They have your basics, but not worth going out of your way for. If my husband and I don't want to cook and just want a good beer, we'll go here....and I just always end up feeling "eh" afterwards. read more

A cool little bar with a great craft beer selection on tap. I've only had the potato skins at the bar, but they were HUGE and really good!

It's a funny thing, our first two experiences here were great, especially at the bar. However, things took a turn for the worse when we recevied tastless, gray burgers that were clearly thawed out and steamed. The staff, for the most part is quite friendly and competent. The bar staff is funny. Stick to the bar and the bar food. I doubt I'll ever go back, however, unless I start seeing amazing reviews on Yelp, perhaps indicating they stepped up their dining menu. read more