Me Thinks Not. Â Enough Said.
Ok, I'll elaborate...
It was ADVERTISED - FREE COVER BEFORE 10PM on Saturday March 16th on their website, on their facebook invite, and on their facebook page. Â We showed up at 9:30pm to see the band, NOT the UFC fight which they were charging for...and sure enough, they were charging a $10 cover at the door. Â FALSE ADVERTISEMENT, PEOPLE!!!
I can see if it was like...9:57pm, cool, I'd let it slide but charging a half hour early? Â No.
Here is the best part...someone in the band told me that they were told from the guys at the door that they started charging early because the place was getting busy. Â Way to falsely advertise and to rip people off. Unreal.
In addition, domestic bottles are $4 - this is Prospect Heights, not downtown Chicago...this might be right up some people's alley - DJ, glow sticks, lazer lights...high end prices for the damn SUBURBS but not me...Yes, I do live in the SW burbs and I came out to see the band (which didn't go on till after the fight and played from 12-2am) Â The rest of this place is NOT for me, and that is based on personal opinion. Â If you're looking for a club-type place and looking to pay club prices...this is your place!
Lucky for me I got comped at the door from someone in the band that I know after the fact and after I refused to pay based on what was advertised and what they were doing. Â Boo-Yah.
I hear they are no longer having bands at this dump...good, because either way I had NO plans to return.
Been here many times and never had have a problem with this establishment. They have good food and decent service. However charging $10 for a cover charge at 1 am when the band stops playing soon after is complete BS. Â Not only do they contract unknown local bands to up the entrance fee, Â but it is total BS when the party of 3 that came in right before you is been charge $5 for entrance.
Rocky Vanders a little advice, charge everyone the same price! Bring decent local bands and maybe you will see my business again. Â I don't come here to listen to garbage unknown musicians, I come here to drink. If I wanted to dance or listen to music, Â I would have gone to the City. You are a RESTAURANT and a LOCAL BAR not a NIGHTCLUB!
A 3 star for good BAR food,
1 star for the CUSTOMER service.
And a 1 star for the overcharging at the door for poor musicians who are barely getting up on their feet. We the people should be paid to listen to your poor practice inside an establishment and the damage you have cause many ears.
One word summarizes this "joint"
Ridiculous. For the location and confused identity. One last piece of advice from a well establish yelper, please tell the new GO GO dancers that chicken legs and kangaroo bellies isn't the popular look for the 2013's.
Meet me at Gatsby's...
My review is based off of Friday/Saturday nights.
I came here for the first time in a while and it is completely different. Â Let me rephrase that, the decor inside the bar is completely different. Â The people that come here are exactly the same. Â
Rocky's used to be a sports bar with a lot of high boy table seating with wood finish. Â Now when you walk in it has been turned into a mini night club. Â With thousands of dollars spent on lights, lasers,and strobes you would think this was a twenty something club. Â
Unfortunately, the crowd is very much the same as always. Â Older crowd maybe in their 30's and 40's. Â There is nothing wrong with this but it may be a turn off for some. Â
I personally enjoy coming here as the DJ's are very good. Â They play top 40 and even the older crowd can appreciate it by getting down on the dance floor. Â I'd rather come here with an older crowd and music that I like than go to a place with people my age and lousy music. Â
They have yelp check in deals so make sure to check them out. Â When I was there it was 10% off your entire tab.
A real dumpy nightclub with atrocious bathrooms. This is type of place where pool cues and other things are beaten down because of the young clintel. It is located in one of the uglier strip malls in suburbia and this place does seem pretty gettho inside. Things are broken and stuff doesn't get fixed. Need less to say there are not many night spots in this stretch of Milwaukee Avenue so this place does have its full nights. it is packed often, however, I still say it is one of the worse bars I have come across,
Review Source:Had a great meal here prior to checking out a live band somewhere else.
Had the saganaki to start.
Cobb salad for me - it was PERFECT in all ways. Presentation, freshness, ratio of ingredients... all made me feel like I was having it in a more upscale establishment and not a local bar/grill. Portion was large, too.
Chicken melt for my companion - disappeared quickly so I assume it was good as hell. Forgot to ask but the empty plate was a great sign.
Would definitely return if I was in the area. Very pleased with taking the chance here.
I was a long way from home and kind of far from Chicago as well. Especially if you don't have a car. Rocky's was a short walking distance from my hotel, which I have reviewed as well. The place is nice and big, but you still feel pretty cozy. Friendly service, good prices and decent food.
I noticed Chicken Kiev on their menu and since I am originally from Kiev, UA, I simply had to try it. Yes, it was very evident that the chef had probably never been there, or might not have ever had the authentic dish either, but the twist and execution was quite good. I guess I am just saying if it was called something else, the meal it self was nice; and what a meal it was! Salad, rice, vegetables, rolls and the local interpretation of Chicken Kiev with melted cheese on top. I was stuffed.
Still got a beer and most certainly did not break the bank.
Check it out; you won't be disappointed.
Plus points on the style, and decorum of the place. Â It holds a lot of promise and potential, but it remains nothing more than an empty promise. Â Though any club/bar has its typical bar food, it offers full meals and appetizers which is rather bland and subpar. Â Service, nothing memorable. Â A place like Rocky Vanders would never survive in thriving restaurant/bars in Schaumburg, Niles, Vernon Hills, and the surrounding suburbs. Â Much like Prospect Heights, a bland, unmemorable, lifeless town, Rocky Vanders fits right in.
Review Source:Pretty cool location for a catered party. Â There are a couple of nice tucked away areas where you can host a medium or larger party. Â The food was good and served in courses - apps, main, and some desert.
It did take a minute to get a drink on our party's tab, but we may have been a bit early for the expected start and once the drinks were flowing there wasn't a problem.
There is a nice outside eating area that you can enjoy if the weather is warm enough or have a smoke if there is a polite way to do so.
Show up on the right night and Leopold the magician might be able to entertain your party (tip him well, especially if he misses the other patrons to do a private show).
If you are looking for a decent bar to hang out on the weekends, Rocky Vander's is one of the better ones up in the northern suburbs. They are one of the very few bars in the suburbs that opens till 4 AM on the weekends. Â I've been here quite a few times(before and after the remodel) and the atmospheres varies. There is no cover charge even with events going on. The usual age range of your typical crowd ranges from 25-40ish. Â Some weekends are quiet, other times its super packed during special events (bands, sporting events, etc). Â
There is a total of 3 bars (2 inside, 1 outside), a main dining room, and a medium size dance floor. There is also a pool table in the back and at least 6 dart boards. The place does get pumping like a club  late at night which is a plus.  As far as food goes, it's not the greatest. I've tried many things on the menu but they are rather bland and tasteless. It is after all bar food. The prices for alcohol and food are reasonable.  If you are looking for a fun night, I would recommend this place.
Rocky Vander's is my favorite place to go for one thing in the area -- wings. Â They're really quite good.
Outside of that, I like that they're open late (including their kitchen), so if you get hungry late, you can stop in. Â Their beer prices are more than fair.
However, in my experience, the wait staff can range from quite good to indifferent. Â Also - this place gets LOUD -- the recent renovation did this no favors by putting ceramic tile on all the walls. Â Also, at times, there are some sketchy-ish people hanging out here.
I still go there for wings, but for a place to catch the game, it's not one of my favorites, or least favorites out there. Â Just ok.
For starters, I used to be a regular at Rocky Vander's years ago ( I don't know if that is a good thing to admit or not!) but I had purchased a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> certificate and decided to give it a try but not before reading reviews on various sites. Some of them were not very good so I was a little skeptical. I went there yesterday with a friend for lunch and although the bar and restaurant were not busy ( which I prefer ), we had the best service and some of the best food that I have had in a long time. Our waitress was very attentive and although they mixed up my order initially, they were happy to remake it and it came out exactly the way that I wanted it and it was delicious. The food was so good that we even brought home food for our husbands! So if you are looking for a casual bar experience, without all the noise and with great food, Rocky Vander's is the place to go! Check it out, you won't be disappointed. Believe me, I am hard to please and if I am encouraging you to go there, that speaks volumes!
Review Source:Went to Rocky Vander's last night for some Bears MNF action. Â If memory serves, I'd only been there once before, and it was about 3am on a Saturday... so, anyway...
The bar was full, and there are plenty of TV's to watch sports. Â We sat at a table away from the bar, and our server was sweet and attentive, while still letting us do what we came to do, watch football. Â She let us take our time, watching the game, drinking our beers, and ordering food (which we didn't even do until after halftime.)
The crowd is a little eclectic, but I like I good people watch. Â I didn't eat, but my guest assured me that the burger and fries were good. Â The fries looked like they were fresh cut (think Gene & Jude's, for those of you who know what I'm talking about.)
All in all, a pleasant experience... $4.50 for 24 oz Miller lite bottles, $3.50 burger and fries (Monday night specials.)
I'd return to watch sports, for sure.
I spent a week about a mile from this bar a couple of months ago. Finding a decent bar during a weekday is a very hard thing to do. I won't say that this one blew me away, but I made it through the week without dying of complete boredom.
Usually once I got off work, I would head over to this place for a couple of drinks and ended up staying until close a couple of times. The bartender that I saw the most was friendly, attentive, and chatty when she could be. The overall atmosphere of this place was kind of weird. On one hand, you have a sports bar, then a club, and finally an outdoor entertainment area. The crowd was always friendly, and I never had a problem finding someone to chat with.
The only thing I can say I wasn't a fan of is that the waitresses and bartenders weren't very forthcoming with the specials of the night. I always had to ask. Other than that, the food that I had was always tasty and fresh and my beer was never empty.
Attend the Fundraiser for Wounded Heroes in September of 2011 and this place was rocking! The owner had smoked 2 pigs and served plates with deals on Miller drinks too! There was a classic car show and motorcycle show, bands, great raffles, and good times!
Will definately go back here!
I've been going to Rocky Vander's for longer than I can remember. I've seen it change from a mid-range dive bar (it was never what I would call a full out "dive bar"), to a respectable sports bar, to trying too hard to be something it's not, to eventually finding a happy medium... and we still continue to go back.
I'll be honest though, ever since the original cook/owner passed away a few years ago the food has never been the same. I think that's a testament to the passion he had for the place. The two sons have always ran the place, but there was always something about the food that made me keep coming back. The food was better than most "bar food", but that all changed with the cook. I can't recall ever getting sick or having a bad meal before, but ever since the kitchen has been going through new cooks I've had multiple bad burgers, decrepit chicken fingers, hit-or-miss chicken pesto and terrible grilled cheese w/ bacon (seriously, how do you mess that up). The pizza is still decent, but each cook seems to have tweaked the original recipe slightly and I wish they would just go back to the original...
The service is usually pretty good, but it's hard for me to compare these days as it seems like a revolving door of waitresses with only a couple remaining from years prior. If you want a veteran and attentive waitress I would suggest asking for either Teddy or Jennifer, they always take good care of us. The drinks seem reasonably priced although I was a little disappointed when the price of a captain and coke jumped from $5 all the way up to like $6.25.
As for the changes the bar has made over the years, they added a back bar/lounge area as they tried to appeal to the "city bar in the suburbs" type crowd and, while it's nice for private parties, I don't know that I would spend the money on a bottle to hang out back there (it's still open to the public if there's no party). They also turned what used to be more of the "restaurant" area, into a dance area at night, which is fine, but the music is mostly "dance" type music and not really good... There are people that seem to enjoy it though as the dance floor fills up quickly in the later hours. The best change they made in the last few years though was adding the outdoor patio. It's a great place to hang out at night and have a few drinks.
The crowd varies... a lot. The age range runs the whole spectrum at pretty much all hours of the night. There are a lot of softball teams in there during the weeknights as they are very generous with sponsoring teams in the area, which we always appreciate. So there's plenty of room to move about and find a place to post up, dance or just hang at a table if that's your thing. Plenty of bars to grab a drink at if you don't want to worry about a waitress and while the food isn't up to par with what it used to be, I wouldn't let that deter you from at least giving it a shot.
Rocky's has always been good to us and we'll continue to go until we get too old to play softball or they shut their doors for good.
Drinks were a little over priced (no specials and they didn't know any of the cocktails/shots I asked for) but it was good fun a great atmosphere. Â
We arrived around 11pm and danced the night away on the dance floor until closing as the music was pretty hot! I'd definitely go back if I was in the area!
I came here for midweek lunch and I was pleasantly surprised. The space is nice and they had a huge food menu. I ordered one of the wraps and it was small, but tasty. My only complaint was that they gave us chips as an appetizer prior to our meal and the chips were stale. That didn't stop me from taking down a whole basket, but it would have been nice to get fresh chips.
I have no idea what this place gets like at night, but it wasn't a bad spot for lunchtime.
I don't know why I decided to go to a pub for a breakfast buffet (okay, yes I do. It was 8.99 and I was hungover) but unfortunately I can only rate this place a 2.
I'll start off with the good.
1) Nice and dark. I was actually able to take my sunglasses off for my post-friday-night Saturday morning breakfast
2) No one else was there so Girlfriend and I were able to eat everything the buffet offered.
Now, the bad.
1) Their selection was..hmm...lacking. Scrambled eggs, three kinds of breakfast meat (sausage, bacon, ham) and a bin of assorted microwavable french toast sticks and mini pancakes. It's not that the food was bad, but no toast? no fruit?
2) According to the waitress, their credit card machine has "intermittent problems" so we had to wait around for awhile before finally just deciding use the ATM to get cash to pay for our meal.
If you're on a low carb diet and don't want to be tempted by endless trays of pastries, assorted bread products and fruit trays - this is the place for you. I personally like a little more variety in my breakfast - though combining my two favorite things (breakfast buffets and bars) is pretty genius.
I've seen Rocky Vander's morph from neighborhood bar into bar with an over inflated ego. Yes, the food is pretty good, that I will give to this place, but other than that, I'd rather drink swill in the parking lot behind the Denny's next door.
How can a suburban hole in the wall velvet rope off the entire seating area around the dance floor and charge $100 for a place to park your a$$ with mandatory bottle service?
I used to come in this place and study after classes while getting a bite many years ago. I remember when they were installing the dance floor and when the bartenders were nice.
Now the bartenders are snotty and full of themselves (um, why). I get it, it's a suburban destination, and there aren't many of them. But George, seriously, get over it. It's still just a suburban bar no matter how much you charge someone to park their butt behind a velvet rope.
I've lived in the Heights my whole life and have always noticed Rocky Vander's. I have always been a little skeptical, yet intrigued. I haven't been to many bars in the area, but I was getting ready to go out with friends one night and suggested we check out the local bars instead of trekking downtown. We started off at Dick's and came here next. I'm pretty pleased with Rocky Vander's! It's bigger than I thought; they even have a dance floor! Another plus: Denny's is just a drunken stumble away.
The only things I didn't like was the crowd and the size of it...we got there around 11pm on a Friday night and stayed until around 2. Also, no drink specials. Whaaat???
What can I say, I"m easy to please. The fact that this place is in the burbs already deserves 4 stars on my scale. The place is enormous, and has several sections: a pool table/games/dart board section, a main bar with a dining section, a dance floor, a bar by the dance floor (with a nice lounge attached to it), and a large patio. The beauty of it is that you don't have to get a feel of a mosh pit that you get in Chicago bars, and there are no awkward "where do I place myself" moments, since there are PLENTY of seating and standing areas. Â I am nto a drinker, so can't really vouch for the drink prices/quality. Food: your generic bar food, I suppose, although the cheese quesadillas are really great. Â The occupancy depends on the day, and whether or not there are any games on. There are large TVs all over the place, on which one can watch their favorite team lose over and over (Cubs reference here). At 10 pm, they start the DJing on the dance floor.
One of the things I love about this place is that is hosts all types of people from all different walks: black and white, young and old, rich and poor. There are even some elderly and mentally handicaps shakin it on a dance floor with everyone. Love it!
Ofcourse alot of snobby people get turned off by the fact that it is in the burbs, but I am one of those that would like to have all bones in tact after going to a bar, without people trying to suffocate each other. Plus, a huge parking lot is a BIG bonus for those that know whats it like to park in Chicago, in winter I must add. Most of the bouncers are great, and so is most of the wait staff. Overall, a great place to relax and people watch.
Reasonable priced drinks. A dance-floor with alright tunes.
When I was there, the crowd was definitely diverse. It started out youngish and hipsterish around 9p-12 but then went a bit older thereafter.
Whatever, I had a fun time dancing. OKAY for the suburbs I say.
Better than John Barley Corn, which continues to be the scumiest/bro-iest bar in my experience.
It's also next to an airport which I find intriguing.
Been going here almost every Thursday night with my graduate classmates after class for drinks and late-night food. Â The crowd is pretty low-key (more people show up during the warmer months, though) which is nice because we don't have to wait to play darts and get pretty good service. The various foods we've purchased over the months during our weekly gatherings have not failed to please us, although it IS bar food. The mixed drinks do need a bit more alcohol in them, sometimes.
I've been here once when the dance floor was open (and it was way too damn crowded) but I don't remember enough to comment on it. I can tell you, though, if you are looking for a quiet place (but not TOO quiet) to go out with a group during the weekday, and watch a couple games on TV while doing so, Rocky's is a good place to go if you're in the area!
(I'm writing this after a night out there -- I'm exhausted!)
Food: Haven't tried it yet.
Atmosphere: Â Everything you want, whether you're a mature adult or a partyin' college kid - I like to think I'm a little of both. Â With a sit-down restaurant area, a full bar with entertainment options (sports on tv, pool tables, darts, etc.), and a seperate nightclub dance floor, you can bring the whole family for a group meal, a small group for watching the game, or arrange a night out of drinking and dancing. Â They definitely cater to a diverse demographic.
Parking: Â Plenty of parking as it's located near a strip mall - with a Denny's that's open 24 hours, I might add. Â Note - if someone had to much to drink and you're leaving their car overnight, make sure their car is parked in Vander's lot, not the strip mall's, or it will get towed.
Pricing: Â I would say drinks are about average for the area, but it's worth checking out any party specials they run - I got in a deal that was $30 all you can drink from 9 to midnight. That was all I needed, especially since I had to drive home.
Service: Â Bartenders were okay, not spectacularly friendly, but it was a Friday night and they were busy. Â LOVED the bouncers - especially Carwell - very personable and upbeat.
Every once in a while, I get the urge to stay out until the sun comes up, and this will be my destination when I feel that pull.
Ok. So if you are out in the 'burbs then Rocky Vander's is a good place to be late, late at night. It's just a regular bar, but does have a dance floor which is ok. Not great and I wonder where the DJ learned his craft..
Nothing spectacular about the place and one of the times I went they had a 5 dollar cover which I thought was ludicrous. Oh well. For what it is Rocky Vander's isn't too shabby.
My sister used to waitress here and introduced me and my friends here. This is a fun place to go to in the burbs for some drinks and foods. They actually have really really good bar food. I personally love their wings and ranch sauce, to die for. The service has never been bad there and it has a bunch of tvs so the sports fans are satisfied and probably not even aware that they need another beer lol. Its close to my house too, so I like to come here with my girlfriends to catch a NBA game if we don't want to got to B-Dubz. Usually there is alot more guys here than girls in my experience, I'm guessing cuz of the sporting events maybe?
Review Source:Typical bar food. Â Not too bad for a burger and a beer. Â Lots of TV's around the bar, semi cute waitresses.
It looks like they kick things up a bit at night as I saw a pretty good sized dance floor and evidently they have DJ's on weekends.
I wouldn't say the food was great, but it was ok and I will go back to try something other than a burger sometime.
Decent place to hit for some drinks and food - two bars to await your order, lots of tables and stools, and a dance floor to shake your booty. Â Actually, the dance floor and the rear bar can be used for private parties, so something to keep in mind.
Decent beer selection, and mixed drinks aren't too shabby, though I haven't eaten here yet.
Three electronic dart machines are available for some competition, or you can sit and enjoy the sports on the many TVs.
At this large restaurant and bar on Milwaukee Avenue just south of Willow Road/Palatine Express, you can enjoy a great meal or crisp thin-crust pizza or yummy nibbles, while you hang out shooting darts or playing pool or watching the latest sports event. There's a big projection screen and several smaller TVs scattered about so you won't miss anything. Food-loving and sports-addicted clientele ages range from 21 to 81. Service is quick and friendly, and despite the size of this place, there's a comfy neighborhood feel about it.
Review Source:
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