This one goes out to anyone who would genuinely enjoy a low-key meal with inexpensive prices at that! Think log cabin feel, comforting food and super nice service- sitting directly on Route 28 in Shandanken. JRocco's accommodated us in no time. And since it had just stopped raining buckets and the weather was crisp out, coming here about 15ish minutes from where we're at, seemed fine for dinner. Even calling ahead of time to find out what time their kitchen closes, was cordial. I had a feeling we'd be in good hands. Gravel parking lot is big and so is Rocco's. Sizable bar on right and dining room to the left. Just look at their large upright blackboard listing their menu items and order before sitting(?). Our server who tripled as that, bartender AND helping in the kitchen mentioned we can sit down and order from the table because it wasn't so busy. I honestly took a picture of another blackboard resting on the floor and dissected the menu from our seats comfortably. 'Steakhouse' is in their description- but the look is farm from it- lumberjack design is better off. The music in the background sounded like Bluegrass and didn't intrude. We started with the mozzarella triangles that had major melt factor. Not extravagant- but they were gooey alright. Hubs ordered a NY Strip in Medium and loved it more than a steak he had the night before! He'd mentioned the steak at Rocco's had tons of flavor and the char cinched everything. My Black Bean Burger was delicious with a wonderful heat kick in the end. The pepper jack cheese (as my selection) didn't melt- but that's alright- because the flavor was all there. And if that wasn't enough, tater tots sealed the deal in my dish. And their cocktails? Don't be fooled by Rocco's appearance- they were nicely done- especially the 2 Lemon Drops I had. They don't have a 'cocktail menu'- so come prepare and know what you want. A Lemon Drop is classic and our server knew it- just don't come in with an artisanal list of cocktails and expect a entire lab process. The reviews are 100% correct: the service is beyond incredible and so pleasant. The food? Wholesome and so tasty. This isn't high-end whatsoever- J Rocco's is about minimum fuss and maximum satisfaction. read more

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Walked in here around 4pm on a Saturday with the hubs as we were driving back to the city and man were we glad we did!! Greeted by the nicest lady behind the bar who took our orders and brought them out back to the deck for us. It was such a nice day we couldn't not sit outside and enjoy the smell of firewood burning next to us and the little creek behind the restaurant. The best part is they've got the best doggy named Bella!! Husband got the beef brisket and I got the beef back rib with beer and a gin and tonic glass. My god my rib is the best rib I've ever and and his brisket was equally as amazing!!! You can tell it's not a chain restaurants and has got such a small town family feel to it it's honestly amazing and reminds you of a home cooked meal. Exceptional service, exceptional food, exceptional prices. You have GOT to spot by here on your drive back after working up the appetite post hike!! read more

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Super friendly service! Delicious comfort food! We ordered the meat lasagna which came with garlic bread and salad and the fried chicken dinner which came with mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli, coleslaw, and a biscuit. Everything was hot and tasty. We split a piece of bread pudding for dessert. It was house-made and the perfect way to end a good, satisfying meal. Plenty of outside seating, indoor seating, and a bar area. And best of all, they're dog friendly!! read more

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I'll be honest.... I have driven past this place a million times and never stopped in. Not sure why, but just didn't. Don't judge me... We went to the Belleayre Mountain Fall Festival and wanted to grab a bite to eat near the mountain. It's only 10 minutes South of it and you can't miss it. Walked in and was greeted by a friendly staff with a menu up front to order near the bar. It was a perfect fall day out so we sat outside on the deck, overlooking the creek and fire pit. Nothing more upstate than taking in the fall sun on the Esopus creek, while smelling the fire pit and having a pint of beer. I had the local Pilsner with a beef brisket sandwich. The beef tasted like was straight out of Texas at a little hole in the wall bbq pit. It came on a ciabatta bread but I gotta say, it would be better on two slices of white bread or hard roll. Just my opinion. It was a healthy serving and I could even eat all of it. I did make sure not a single bite of beef went to waste. Either way, I absolutely loved the brisket and could eat a pile the size of a ten gallon hat. We also got the French soup and wings. The soup should be mandatory for everyone. It was so good and one of the best we have had in a long time. It might have been my first time but I promise you that I'll be back often to try the rest of the menu. read more

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Stopped in here for a quick bite to eat after a long hike. I sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly and welcoming Unfortunately, I forgot her name, but she was working Friday 10/11. The burger was very tasty, but the onion rings were fantastic as well. Cute little restaurant, worth a stop! read more

J Rocco's - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

Great burgers! Burgers were fresh and delicious. Onion rings are not to be missed. Service was friendly and attentive. Worth a stop if you're in the area. read more

Just looking for a place to grab a bite and found this gem. Quaint atmosphere, warm folks, great food and an excellent cocktail! Tip: The soup was homemade, and amazing ;-) read more

Great food and beer and perfect location Service was great too! We will be back for morel read more

Came here for dinner one night. The outside seating is brilliant. The outside is dog friendly and with the fire pit and a lot of seats. The food was delicious and fresh. I will def be back here to eat all summer long. read more

Excellent place to stop in and get some good food. Used to ski Belleayre on the weekends and would stop here every Friday night. We no longer ski in the Catskills but stopped in while on a day trip and I'm pleased to report that nothing has changed, except for the passing of the beloved dog Bella. Burgers, BBQ, you name it, everything was cooked right without any room for complaints. The atmosphere is great, and two wood stoves keep the place warm. The staff is very kind and helpful. Whether you're up on vacation or driving by it's worth a stop! read more

Great service - a little burned ribs - but nothing beats the fire place - I will come again

Loved the super warm pellet stove on a cold night. Cute bar. Reasonable prices given the huge portions! My Cuban sandwich was delicious and I saved half for lunch the next day. Service was very good. Definitely will return. read more

Thank God its for sale. Hoping whoever buys this place makes it better. Good service is only directed to the regulars. If they don't know you they will not make you feel very welcome. The food is mediocre and overpriced. The top shelf margarita was weak and just wrong. Yesterdays baked potato is also wrong when served today. The vegetable surprise(beets) while not horrible was not cooked enough. The extra napkins came in handy. But again if they know you, you've got it made and im sure you get more than extra napkins. I watched them rub their friends while they ignored me. I do not recommend this place to anyone and truthfully the only place I've ever left a crappy tip. I usually leave 20 to 25% but here I left 7 dollars. That's 2 dollars for every minute of service offered. Also 7 as to say: GOOD LUCK!!! read more

J Rocco's - Nothing - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

Second time in less than a month, (I live miles away from J. Rocco's). We had great time, great food and most importantly we were treated like family. Thank you Michelle. Yes, Erik is right, YOU ARE THE BEST! Table by the river, fire pit and steaks on the big grill outdoor, stayed for over 7 hours!!! BTW: Maxwell says "Hi" to Bella. read more

J Rocco's - July 4th at J Rocco's - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

Excellent food and great service. We arrived late just before closing however hostess has greeted us with smile and accommodated easily. Drinks are good and there are lot of food and drink options to choose from. We didn't find so many options in nearby restaurants. We are definitely going to return again. read more

Couldn't give this place enough stars. The dog and our waitress hold 5+ stars alone but the atmosphere, food and drinks were all fantastic as well. I would rate this place a definite "must try" restaurant if you are in the area. What's better than dogs, amazing friendly service, great food and atmosphere. I totally forgot our waitresses name but she was absolutely hands down fantastic! She skilled servicing an almost full house and full bar all by herself. And who could complain when you have a big fluffy handsome baby bear (dog) to look at. read more

J Rocco's - Baby bear (dog) - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

Thank goodness for good friends because we had long stretches of nothing to drink and nothing to eat to talk to each other! And, the place was only about a fourth of the way occupied. I had the "surf and turf"--a mistake. The shrimp were rubbery, and the steak wasn't a good quality. I ordered the steak medium, it came barely cooked. The waitress said that the kitchen has a "tendency to undercook" the orders! Why? How can you order if you need to guess what the kitchen's thinking? We wanted to get out of there, but it took forever to get the check, too. When I walked to the bathroom, the guy who seemed to be the manager or owner was very busy . . . watching one of the big-screen TVs. I won't be going back. read more

Great place ! Beautiful back porch , great vibe , clean , friendly staff , solid pub food , ice cold beer . Go get some ...

They need help... Stick with burgers, period. It's a place with a kitchen and a dude cooking - nothing in the way of recipes or skill. I ordered eggplant parmigiana - inedible, soaked through with oil when fried multiple times. Disgusting. read more

$2,800 later on dental work after a bone in burger splitting a molar.. Zero help from Rocco's or their vendor. Kobe burger in Bora Bora would have been cheaper! read more

Stopped in for dinner while staying in Big Indian to do some hiking. We had our dog with us and we're grateful to be able to let her join us outside. Service was pretty good, considering our waitress had to go pretty far to come find us on the furthest picnic table. While they are known for their ribs and steaks, my husband and I went for their pasta and chili. The chicken parm was great - really good tasting marinara. I had the chili - super traditional ground beef, tomato sauce with green peppers, onions, celery and not a lot of spice. Reminded me of what my mother used to make and call chili. Everything was really tasty and not too expensive. Only downside was our proximity to the fire pit and one of the employees tossing cardboard boxes on top of it which resulted in ash getting all over us and our food. Didn't slow us down, though, and wouldn't keep us from coming back... read more

Had the shrimp tacos, husband had the grilled chicken wrap and the kids had the chicken tenders. Everything tasted good, my tacos needed salt as did the pico de Gallo but everything was fresh and sometimes that's all it takes. Would come back here. Clean establishment and nice people. read more

We ate at J Rocco's twice during a short weekend stay in the area. What drew us here was the lovely view of the Esopus from the deck, where the atmosphere is very casual and comfortable. The drinks are generous and reasonably priced. The food is standard fare at decent prices. We had the prime rib sandwich our first night and the portion was quite large. I found it a bit heavy on the garlic and the meat was quite fatty. On the second visit, I had the surf and turf and it was okay. My dining companion had clams and coconut shrimp and said both were very good. She ordered a house salad, and it looked quite old and not fresh at all. She didn't eat it. The staff is attentive, but not overly so. We were never asked if we wanted coffee or dessert ... we don't even know if they serve it. Overall, we would probably go back to J. Rocco's for the convenience, view and drinks. The food was certainly adequate and we did not walk away hungry. read more

J Rocco's - Prime Rib Sandwich - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

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Had a great meal as usual. I had the French onion soup and Rocco salad. My husband had shrimp linguini and loved every bite. My sister had delicious broiled pork chops. We had a lovely time with good food and drinks, great atmosphere, and wonderful service. I recommend this to everyone! read more

I've been here a number of times and I haven't been disappointed. A great place to go for drinks or dinner after a hike or day on the slopes. I had only been for drinks previously, and recently had dinner with friends. The chicken sandwich was great (love the thick fries), and the ribs were awesome! Ive never experienced poor service; I've always staff (and the owner who is there most times I've been) are all really friendly! Winter doesn't give a lot of opportunity to enjoy the back deck, but I look forward to summer cocktails by the creek. read more

Ugh so disappointed because it's a cute place. Came here with my family and ended up waiting for an hour and a half before WE had to flag to a waitress. The table next to us was large and clearly local and they kept serving them and bringing whatever they wanted. The owners kept visibly ignoring us. I guess because we're not from here? So rude. We finally flagged a nice waitress inside and who was SUPER sweet (she deserves all the stars because she was the only one who helped us) but ridiculous that we spent over two hours here, had to run to the bar to get our own drinks, and then waited forever. We are STILL waiting for our food FYI read more

Great service, 20 minute wait but the waitress came and checked in constantly while we were waiting. Service is always kind and understanding! Even when the place is good packed. During the summer it is lovely to sit on the deck and enjoy the view of the river during dinner and enjoy the maintained fire pit during chilly nights. Inside, the homey and vintage decor gives a relaxed yet put together ambiance. The food was amazing! Although we have come her many times and enjoyed subpar meals. Today was different, their change in chef & menu truly set this meal apart and led us to write this review. We ordered chicken parm, a Dutch burger and country fried steak that truly set the meal apart from past meals. The only reason we didn't finish is due to the large portions. Otherwise, we left with smiles on our faces and full bellies. We will be returning and enjoyed the change in chef!! read more

Stopped by randomly and loved the place. Ribs were awesome, meatloaf was the best I ever had, and the people made the place awesome. Very friendly and good hearted people. Plan to go again! read more

J Rocco's - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

Our favorite place to unwind, relax and enjoy the food, brews and view. Love their huge peel and eat shrimp. Rare to see shrimps the size of these in most establishments. Had the BBQ platter which consisted of ribs, chicken and sausage. No complaints here. Ribs were cooked to perfection as Eric (owner) has the smoking of meats down to a science. Never over-smoked which is a huge plus for me and hubby. We've had smoked ribs and all we can taste was the flavor of the smoke. Not here. Service is great. Waitstaff great. We love sitting on the back deck. Mountain views never get old. We also love Bella, Eric's Newfoundland pooch. Highly, highly recommend! read more

Very dissatisfying meal. My prime rib came out cold and was just not a good cut of meat. The green beans were smothered in some kind of oil that left a terrible taste in my mouth. Never again... read more

This place is really bad. Flavorless soggy steak and tough ribs. Hugely disappointed as this place calls itself a steak house and boasts that it has the best barbecue in the Catskills. read more

Love this place, great beer selection and great scene out back. The tuna tacos were excellent and the staff is great. read more

J Rocco's - Awesome view! - Steakhouses Near Me - Shandaken, New York

ah.... I had notions of excitement when I saw there was a new steakhouse in town. this girl LOVES well prepared good red meat and has nostalgic memories of some fine country steak houses in her travels. I walked in, the place was EMPTY ... and it took 10 minutes for someone to acknowledge me ... they were busy yapping and watching something on TV. I asked to see a menu, it was handed to me. Standard boring, nothing special. I asked where the meat was from, the big gruff owner manager guy who looks like an aging Michael McDonald wanna be in his hawaiian shirt and grody beard responds, "it is aged for us." He's got a super unfriendly attitude. I mean, he's the face of the restaurant? Really? I scratch my head thinking, that doesn't say WHERE the meat is from, so I ask again, "where is the meat from." this back and forth happens a few times about how the meat is aged special for them and I ask again and ... "New Jersey." he replies finally.... "New Jersey? Why not New York State?" He basically explains that no farm in New York State can handle his volume and that New Jersey is the largest 'meat producer' in the country or some bullhonk. I can name five farms within three counties who could easily provide him with the quality meat he needs for this 300 plates he claims to serve nightly. He clearly is TOO CHEAP to want to get quality meat for his establishment. Yuck. So basically, they are serving factory farmed meat folks... just some grody side of the road factory farmed meat seller in the state that is the "largest meat producer in the country". With a nasty owner with an attitude to boot? Look dude, clearly YOU don't know who I am but I know I AM NEVER EATING YOUR E.COLI INFESTED FACTORY FARMED STEAKS.. and thanks to the other reviews... I feel validated. Much gratitude to you for being a jerk upfront. I will continue to take my wallet and good taste up the road to Peekamouse and get a local delicious steak prepared to perfection by LOVELY people for the same price and far better vibes, service, quality of food etc... read more

After waiting for over a year Rocco's finally opened. This was apparently slowed by the effect of Hurricane Irene. They have been open for about 3 weeks and we went there last Saturday night. Wow! The parking lot was packed at 7:30 pm. They are in the old Loretta Charles restaurant. Don't know what that was. This review is primarily about the hamburger as I am a hamburger aficionado with very specific ideas about how burgers should be. Overall, they did a noble effort with the following exceptions: The Bun: No. 1, it was a Kaiser roll which is not a Bun, the worst possible bun for a hamburger and many restaurants make the same mistake. Notice those little swirl lines in the top of the bun? Those are just screaming, "This is where I fall apart way before you are done eating me". Good perfectly textured BUNS are available out there if they would just check around. Many markets have great house made hamburger buns. But never the prepackaged factory buns. Bun: No. 2: I asked if they grilled the bun. The reply was, "Well, I'm sure they can do that". They did, but it was obviously not standard practice. Good well-grilled bun faces, top and bottom adds substantially to the overall performance of the bun making it thru the whole eating job and greatly enhances flavor and mouth feel. Meat: Advertised as black angus beef as almost everyone does now. Grind was slightly coarse and some of those chunks were pretty tough. I ordered it medium rare and that was accomplished masterfully. Amount was 10 oz I believe and that is just a little too large for the bun size. Makes the whole thing too tall. Accompaniments: Lettuce, Tomato, onion. I have them hold the onion because I just don't like raw onions in any form. Except for certain places I won't order grilled onions which I really love because I just get warm raw onions. Tomato was fine, Lettuce was not lettuce, it was romaine. Romaine has no more place on a hamburger than mud on a steak. Iceberg lettuce in properly hand plucked leaves is the only lettuce that should be on a hamburger. A pickle spear was included but it should have been burger-sliced dill pickle chips in the burger. No condiments seemed to be offered but I inquired if I could have Thousand Island Dressing and got it on the side. Thousand Island and/or Russian Dressing is the ultimate condiment for a proper Burger. As good, and sometimes better, is a "secret sauce" that a particular restaurant prides itself on. Just see how the Shake Shack in the City is doing. And finally, presentation. The burger is served open faced. Why? I didn't come for a science project or to finish a job someone else started, I want the burger, all put together and wrapped in waxed paper which will further hold it together whiist I eat it. That waxed paper bundle should further be slid into a waxed paper envelope which is made for that purpose. That last step is optional. The Burger came in a paper lined basket. Pretty normal? No. It was not one of those low plastic baskets that you frequently see in burger joints, it was a deep basket at least 3: deep and had even taller handles on the ends. Trying do dig down into this basket to assemble my open-faced science project was a real trial of skill and agility. Especially in the dark as we were sitting at the counter across from the bar because there were no tables available in the area that is lighted. There it is from someone who has way too much time on his hands to write about Burgers. Actually I couldn't sleep so I am doing this while I am waiting for an Ambien to kick in. We'll give it a 4 overall because Connie loved her steak and the prices are very fair. read more

The wait staff is very friendly. We didn't give up on the place even after experiencing the rocky beginnings. In fact, we've stopped here often trying many items on the menu. Everything we have ordered has been good. The specials menu varies which is great and food is served timely. read more

LOVE this place! We had some great burgers! The service is GREAT! The whole entire place is such a pleasure to be in. We have been a few times already and will continue to visit often! read more

I enjoyed the view of the Esopus from my table on the deck. The atmosphere cozy. The beer cold and good on draft. The service very good. The food decent, but a bit heavy on the onion in the chopped steak. mashed potatoes, meh. , french onion soup, ok. They did have specials to order, which we did. the chicken marsala was good. A good time out with our baby boy. he enjoyed it too. No room for dessert! Will go again. read more

If your looking for rustic, friendly atmosphere this is the place. The steaks were excellent: generous portions, tender, tasty, and cooked to perfection. Will go there again. read more

Could not be more disappointed. We sat down right away because the place was not busy and the server was nice and got us drinks pretty fast. We ordered and waited, and waited, and waited. We did ask if there was a problem and were told no. The manager/owner? Did not seem to be watching the customers or he would have seen how unhappy we were. The tv had his foucus. The bathroom needed a good cleaning. Finally, our food came and it was just 'fine' but not worth the crazy wait. Tried it, will not go back. Too bad. read more

holy crappy, this was a bad meal. I have been here 3 other times in the past year or so and it was good, but this was soooo bad that I cannot give them a pass for having missed the mark. my wife's ribs were complete junk. Tough as nails and cooked for 20 minutes at best. Watching her eat them was like watching someone eat a workboot. My burger was just plain horrible. meat quality was garbage, cooked brown, tasted like it was cooked in old dirty oil. Dare I say it was the dead worst burger I have ever been served. Even the staff that used to be smiling and jovial seemed soured. They are dead to us which is a shame since we liked it before and it has a nice menu and appeal. read more