This is a nice cozy place to enjoy a cocktail and dinner while taking in the lively Glenwood South crowd from the Rockford's 2nd floor dining room. My wife and I met another couple and really enjoyed this place. We went on a Thursday evening when they had live entertainment. The single musician was entertaining and played many familiar songs.
We shared the bread and tomato salad appetizers and each got our own large plate. I had the scallops, my friend and wife had the tofu dish while his wife had the salmon. All were delicious and filling. We were so full from our entrees we didn't have room for dessert.
I highly recommend this restaurant but make sure to have reservations since the dining area isn't huge and fills up quickly.
The Rockford was a pretty great place to come for brunch! I had a friend in town so I brought them here. The restaurant itself is really aesthetically pleasing, and the servers are really friendly. I got the shrimp and grits and my friend got the breakfast burrito and we both enjoyed our meals. We also split a couple of the donuts and those were also really good. I don't know if I would come for dinner, but I really enjoyed my brunch experience and think it was a lovely place to bring my friend. I heard about this place from Offline Raleigh.
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OUTSTANDING. I truly may have found a new favorite spot. I cannot wait to go back, i thought about this meal for days! Love the vibe of this place! Squeeze through a narrow doorway and up a staircase like you’re going to a secret escape! Perfect ambiance and absolutely fantastic dishes! We had the Brussels and bread to start, the blackened salmon and filets for mains. The bread was on the edge of too crunchy, prob a bit past it’s date, but the butter, jam, and olive oil were perfectly balanced. Don’t don’t don’t underestimate the salmon when you get it. It seems underwhelming in serving based on price, but it’s incredibly rich - bold, buttery, spiced fish on a smooth, creamy and mild puddle of perfectly-cooked grits. I could not stop eating it. The greens add a great brightness to the dish and help the “I’m pretending this is healthy” feelings 😅
The filets were beautifully prepared, and the tomato based sauce was a great acidic touch. The bok choy is presented in such an appealing way, was delicious, and a perfect balance with the potatoes. Just wonderful. Don’t miss the chance to go here! A window seat would be especially fun, make your reservation!
****Update: went back, and it’s still amazing! Public service announcement- ask for a custom dish, mixing the ingredients they have on menu: I highly hiiiiighly suggest getting the hot chicken + honey on top of the grits and kale (of the salmon dish) = everything you’ve ever wanted! Pics included below
Celebrating and the Rockford was chosen for the celebration. We began with cocktails of course. Our appetizer that we shared was Brussels. The Brussels was crisp and the added sauce accommodated it perfectly. I decided on the pork chops with collards and mashed potatoes while my colleague ordered the Salmon with risotto. The meals were absolutely delicious. We ended with the Southern Style Bread Pudding. This evening couldn't have been any better and the waiter was very helpful in explaining the menu choices. And we sat on the terrace which created an almost rooftop experience. I will bring all my friends and colleagues here for this grand experience in great food.
Great brunch spot. Word on the street is they have great $3 mimosas on Sunday???
The food was delicious and flavorful. The staff was great and helpful in making a selection. The bloody Mary tasted more like shrimp cocktail sauce, not a fan. But everything else was spot on!
Every dish was exquisite yet perfectly filling. Each menu item was a pleasant surprise. The brussels, stir fry, and french silk mousse is one delicious full course meal. Ambience and service was top notch, Chef Camilo was the best.
Loved the brunch here! Was a neat place. Everything was delicious and service exceptional. They have different specials every day which is awesome.
This is by far our absolute favorite restaurant! The food is amazing, the cocktails are so fun and put together so well & the atmosphere up here(it’s an upstairs restaurant) is a mix between modern & old-fashioned as some of the brick wall is from the original building, yet the inside has funky new light fixtures & other up to date accessories! There’s also a cute little outdoor patio. It’s slowly becoming our weekend brunch spot for sure, and also our date night spot...so pretty much just our go to spot for any occasion (:
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Visited this place last week with some coworkers, all of us from out of town. This is a DESTINATION spot to go.
The food was creative, flavorful, beautiful, cooked to perfection, high end, well priced, more than sufficiently portioned. Our table tasted around everyone's plates and would have no reservations about recommending the pork chop, risotto, duck breast, and steak frites. The bread pudding for dessert was large enough to share around and delicious without being overly sweet. For appetizers, the fried oysters were a unique take and the brussel sprouts, although a staple, were also great.
The service was speedy, attentive (not overbearing though), and very well educated and thoughtful! Our server walked us through recommendations on cocktails and dishes by asking us about our moods and likes and dislikes and he was spot on with each one.
A lot of restaurants have live music just to say they have live music. The Rockford had FANTASTIC music. A single guitarist/singer who was talented and a relatable nostalgic selection. Would pay to see him at other venues too. (Wish I had gotten his name.)
Summary: This place was amazing from top to bottom. Environment, service, food, and budget were all phenomenal.
Carla Freund - Ask Realtor Carla - Carolina Life Real Estate and Relocation
+5
We had brunch at The Rockford for Father's Day. It was our first time dining here. The omelette with mushrooms and black truffle goat cheese was excellent. It had a lot of flavor and just a light kick of spice. The side salad that came with the omelette was perfect. My husband had the breakfast burritos and he thought they were very good as well. The prices were reasonable. Our servers were very pleasant and timely. The atmosphere was a bit hip which was perfect for Downtown Raleigh. It seems like a place locals go to on a regular basis. It is a great place if you want something out of the ordinary. We'll definitely go back.
Located in the middle of Glenwood South, the Rockford is an excellent choice for a Wednesday wine night, date night or live music. We have been here twice, and have had excellent food both times. The new chef Kevin Ruiz has brought new delicious menu items with him.
The burrata. Wow. It's a must have staple for Ruiz's urban bistro. We also enjoyed the charred Caesar romaine (pleasantly spicy), Brussel sprouts & a perfectly cooked cast iron steak. Everything we have had from here has been worth going back for.
Cons? The bar below can get quite loud and throw off some of the ambiance. Otherwise not much to offer for complaints.
Jermaine was amazing! He made our experience so great tonight- super attentive and so friendly. The fried oysters were delish, the lamb was great, (pretty spicy too) and the charred romaine Caesar was yummmm! The ambiance and vibes were awesome too. Such a cute little spot, we will be back for sure!!
Very good food! Service was awesome. Everything we had was excellent for a reasonable price.
The waitress was really awesome and the drinks were good. The fish was okay, but would go back again and try a different dish.
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Located across from Hibernian Irish Pub off Glennwood, Rockford is prime location for a girls brunch date! When you get there, you are immediately greeted with a flight of stairs so this is not a very handicap friendly place. If you have a stroller or baby seat, it may be a challenge to get upstairs. The tables are nicely spread out with a quant ambiance. The views of downtown through the windows is great especially those new to the area. I enjoyed my experience here, I wish I had mimosas! But will be back nonetheless. I ordered the Rockford burger medium accompanied with steak fries, large ones, giving me sweet potato and southern vibes. I did not drink on this visit as I was driving but my friend had a mimosa that she enjoyed and I believe a breakfast dish but I can’t recall the name. We finished our experience with bread pudding and boy was that good! For someone who is Jamaican, I have had my fair share of bread pudding and I was not interested at first just from bad experiences. This is amazing bread pudding, even for the folks like me that think they might hate it- I took a chance after some convincing and happy I did! This is light with a smooth sweet texture and not over done. This dish is my recommendation when you visit!
Wife and I had a lovely meal with well prepared food and a very nice staff. The food is made for sharing, which is what we did. Pictured is the burrata salad, which had creamy burrata and a tasty blueberry dressing. We also got the roasted cauliflower which included sprouts on top of a jalapeño and herb puree. And then we had the salmon, which was cooked very well. If you're looking for a nice restaurant with American style cuisine, I would definitely consider Rockford over somewhere like Wye Hill. It was also a nice space, above Glenwood Ave. We will be going back.
After a slow start, food was delivered promptly. Service is friendly and courteous. The back terrace is great if you want to be away from crowds. Recommend empanadas for appetizers and the pork chop as main dish. Parking nearby. Reservations advised
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