Review - Rocks Lakeview
By Anthony Todd in Food on Sep 19, 2008 6:00PM
As a general rule, we avoid sports bars. We only like watching live sporting events, and the combination of yelling, beer, big screen TVs and generally mediocre food don’t draw us in. However, sometimes a sports bar manages to charm even us. Rocks, which opened in August, is a comfortable neighborhood bar with an interesting menu, a good location and an attractive space, and our visit last week was thoroughly enjoyable.
The menu, both for food and drink, sets Rocks apart from the average corner bar. They have quite a substantial list of premium liquors, including a large selection of scotch and whiskey. The menu is a combination of trendy bar food, hamburgers, sandwiches and some Mexican-infused tacos and wraps. Our appetizers included egg rolls with chicken, black beans, corn and a spicy sauce, deep fried macaroni and cheese wedges (surprisingly tasty) and a respectable salad. Everything we tried was tasty; our only complaint was portion size. For the price, some of appetizers don’t provide a ton of food, especially if you’re sharing.
Main courses, in welcome contrast, were huge. They included an excellent bison burger, cooked medium rare, and a set of three tacos. We were a bit wary of theses, which the menu described as including a habanero-based sauce, but they were excellent, filled with shrimp, lime and a spicy sauce and wrapped in tortilla shells. The best part (and the reason why we came in the first place) was dessert – Rocks serves a deep-fried Snickers bar with vanilla ice cream, a dessert we haven’t had since the State Fair visits of our youth. It lived up to our memories.
If your friends want to watch a game, suggest Rocks if you’re in Lakeview and want interesting food and a good view. One warning – it’s a fairly small restaurant, and when crowded it loses a lot of its charm, so if you’re going for a big game, be prepared.
Rocks is located at 3463 N. Broadway. Hours vary, but the kitchen is open late. Call if you have questions: (773)-472-0493.