Love this place! It takes me back to poodle skirts and sock hops and having a malt at the soda shoppe... or you know, the movie I saw like that. Red Knapp's is a classic diner, with burgers and fries and cokes and malts. They have your regular milkshakes, but the malts are creamier and worth the splurge. They have flavors ranging from chocolate to raspberry to lime and I haven't had a bad one yet. The fries are thinly cut and perfectly salty. The burgers are basic, but ask for the deluxe and get the chopped onions and a slice of cheese. They also have diner fare such as chicken fingers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and surprisingly good chili. Very kid friendly place, but not great for groups (the tables are stationary). If you can, sit at the "dairy bar" and get the true experience. read more

Have been here dozens of times and have always enjoyed their burgers. The burgers are nothing fancy - but they differentiate themselves in how they spice their meat. It is very tasty. Their shakes are great too! read more

Picked this place because I thought it looked like a cute place to eat lunch for my birthday. Walked in to a bunch of employees who looked at us like we were the devil....no hello...no just a few minutes...no nothing. We stood there looking like idiots until my sister asked if we could sit....was told they had to clean off tables...instead they stood there taking drinks...we just left...very rude and awful. read more

Atmosphere: A nostalgic divey kind of place that holds lovely memories of mine and hubby's youth. But that isn't enough to overcome the general malaise seen now in this place. And yes, the flies are problematic and it just gives an off-putting feel. The condiment containers and menus were all GROSS and I was afraid to touch them. The black & white checkered floor and cute wall signs evoke a 50's feel. Service: URGH. Couldn't hear the waiter and he couldn't hear us. He acted like he wanted to be anywhere but helping us. For the menu prices, one expects better service -- at least minimal service, please. Didn't take away dirty plates, and these tables aren't that big folks. We ordered grilled onions and he didn't explain there would be an extra charge for this. Guess that's a standard restaurant trick? Food: Again, not as remembered. Ordered a standard Knapps burger (w/soup and salad), and a mushroom & swiss burger (no sides). The buns are bakery fresh and the meat fresh. BUT cheap meat!! Kept biting into grissle, eeeew. The salad was NOT fresh. Would have preferred cole slaw, but waiter couldn't answer if vinegar based or cream based and didn't offer to find out or a spoon of it to try. With 2 waters to drink, this bill came to $18.50 (sept 2015) with none of these so-called fantastic milkshakes or malts. Perhaps my expectations were too high. We won't be going back. Just EH. read more

Red Knapp's - Front walk-in area - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

A classic burger joint in Rochester Hills! I've been going here since I was a kid. Always waited on by amazing staff. One staff member I would like to point out is Brit. She handled me, and my boyfriend with respect. Catering to our food allergies. She took a strong, passionate, and careful order. Who ever is grilling these burgers are class. It was a Saturday night. You know how busy those nights are. We were in, and we were out in no time. Yet, we did not feel rushed. I will look forward to coming back, with more years to come. read more

I started going to Knapps as a kid. That was way back. I was back in town on business. I thought I would go back for lunch. I was completely disappointed. It was completely empty at almost 5pm. The waitress was extremely rude and snotty. My chocolate malt witch they were famous for when I was a kid was terrible. It was gritty from the excess malt dumped in to it. And it was very runny. The chilli fries were also bad. The chilli was paste basically. I was not served silverware and my waitress spent her time texting and giggling and didn't come back to the counter until she brought the check. The Burger was very good but couldn't carry the rest of the meal. read more

Red Knapp's - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

Great service overpriced Burgers very clean establishment overall it is really good food and the location is great

The traditional Knapp burger is gone. The meat patty is different, as it is dryer and less flavorful. The bun looks similar to the original bun, but is flavorless and dry. A new patron will not know there is a difference, but the long-time patrons are in for a disappointment. Please bring the original patty, bun and cooking method back. read more

Other than my malt, which was above average, this place was a disappointment. My girlfriend and I took a booth seat, and there was a serious shortage of leg room for us. The seats were too low for the table, and the whole place smelled funky. Reminded me of the distant smell of vomit from carnivals. I ordered a deluxe burger and fries, which weren't that bad, but nothing special. When I asked for onions, I was brought a large sealed tupperware container full of minced up onions. What gives, was I just passed the community onion bowl? How many other customers have dished their onions out of this same container? The service was fine, and the decoration wasn't too bad, but again nothing too special. So, unless all you want is a quick stop for dessert, I would suggest heading elsewhere. read more

Absolutely loved the turkey chorizo burger and as always the burgers and fries were delicious! We will definitely be ordering again and visiting in person when we can! read more

I wasn't alive in the 50s, so take this with a grain of salt: If you want a truly 50's experience, this gets ... well ... as close as you can get with current food safety laws. I've been eating at Red Knapp's since I was about ten years old, so understand that this place has a lot of nostalgia for me, and I've seen them grow as the times (and food codes) have required them to. The burgers are unique. They're very clearly not from frozen, previously formed, patties. Someone is smashing the meat in the back into a wide, round burger then cooking it (on what, or using what, I have no idea). Said burger is then placed pleasantly on a bun with a diameter that is much larger than a typical bun. They're either making these buns or they've found some secret "weird bun making place" to purchase them. They're really not anything all that special on their own (no sesame seeds, appears to be white bread in composition). It's just one of those things: the ratio of bread to burger is somehow exactly right and despite the bun being made of white bread and the burger likely having been fried, the bun is never soaked through with grease. Get the burger deluxe. Get the Chili fries (if you like Coney style chili fries). Get a malt. I recommend a Banana/Mocha. The banana comes from a bottle (or it did the last time I was there), however, that's a plus in this case: the flavor is within that one hour period of time that a banana can be put in a malt without tasting too ripe or too green. Give it a try. Ignore the interior and the look ... It's not fancy on purpose. read more

Chocolate milkshakes are delicious. Raspberry is my second favorite! You can't go wrong with their onion rings either.

This place took a turn for the worst about 5 years ago. I not real sure what changed (I think the cooks changed - food was never the same) but at that time everything changed. We ate there enough to know! The fries changed to these big fat fries that no matter how you order them just don't make the cut as the skinnier fries and if you get them seasoned they are super soggy. As for the burgers they are on the drier side, I almost think they also changed butchers. The ice cream is about the same I think but i'm not huge on sweets but as far as I know no change there. The service here has always been very shoty but we always just turned the other cheek. it's not fine dining and you are being waited on by teenagers so keep that in mine. The cleanliness can most definitely be better - especially all the hand washing of dishes...not sure that meets the health codes but i'm sure they have made there rounds through this place. Well that's what has kept us away but I guess all good thing come to an end at some point. read more

Hello yum fatty food best onion rings... Great malts and hell yeah a cheese burger with the works... We'll worth the calories

My cousin and I went tonight for the first time. I heard tell of how great the place was for burgers/fries/shakes, and finally had cause to get over here in downtown Rochester for once. Wow...I can honestly say that I never need to go back here again. It wasn't terrible as things can sometimes be, but there was categorically *nothing* about it that stood out as "good". What it was, was functional...at quite a high price point. While I understand that the real estate in downtown Rochester needs to be paid for, if you're going to hang your hat on being able to produce good burgers, fries, and shakes, for $15 (out the door, including tax and a bit meager of a tip considering the service level, which wasn't great), you'd better be at least better than simply average, and average would be the absolute best description I could give the food and experience here tonight. The burger ($6.00) did come out correctly put-together (proper ingredients), though mine was clearly overcooked for being asked for medium. The meat seems like it was frozen, but the shape of it was odd...kind of like they're trying to make it look hand-pressed, but obviously it wasn't. The bun it comes on is nothing shy of terrible. You'd think that a place directly down the street from Give Thanks Bakery would step up their bread game...and you'd be greatly mistaken. The grilled onions I asked to be well done, weren't, and were basically a mess. This was a burger that was eaten, and didn't make me sick, but it brings up the rear in terms of taste and quality. It was served hot, I'll give them that, and like I said: it came with the proper ingredients. Having said that, I've been far, far more satisfied with a Double at Wendy's, which is sad to say to begin with, but the double is also noticably lower in price *and* has more meat on it. This is a substandard burger by just about any measure. The fries were fine, but they're fries. They were served hot, again, which is good for anything fried, but they didn't take me to another world. Nothing wrong here, at all, but nothing extraordinary, either. Solid. The shake was $5, and for $5, it's really, really small. It's okay, but I've had far, far better, for much less money, even these days. Yes, you get more than one (small) glass worth, but there really isn't much at the bottom of the tin cup they include with your serving. It seems like it's more for the aesthetic value of the Olde Tyme Soda Fountain Shop experience than to actually give you much extra. I felt pretty ripped off on this item: the quality of the ice cream was definitely questionable (but passable) for a place that calls itself a "dairy bar" and the portion size was pretty wanting. I'd much, much rather get a $3 shake at stinking Potbelly Sandwich Works, as it'd be better quality, and probably an equal or greater serving size. Service was middling, at best. My cousin had to schlep several times for refills in a restaurant that wasn't anywhere close to half full. It's a small place, so there really isn't any excuse for a server to not be making the rounds often and checking such things out. I realize that they're pretty young, but that's not an excuse for not getting the job done well. "Meh. I've experienced better." is absolutely correct. Shoot...I've had full meals at Wendy's that were at least a letter grade above this in terms of quality at 1/3 of the price I paid tonight. There are just too many places that can do what they do so much better, for less money. If you absolutely *must* have that unique, countertop experience that they offer, well...there aren't that many places that will still offer the type of setting that will fulfill your nostalgic fix for you. This one might, but the price you pay won't just be in dollars...it's also in rather below-average food. Keep that in mind before you go. Wish I could say it was better...but it just plain isn't. read more

Went in tonight for a burger (great, as usual and one of their fantastic mocha malts. Nice young woman serving did not know they sold mocha malts. Then she found out & I assumed all was K. But then she came back and asked if I wanted it made with "vanilla or chocolate ice cream". Dumb me had never been asked this before, got confused & ordered the wrong one. So I had a nice vanilla shake when I'd been lusting for a mocha malt. I will be back, just won't ever again assume the nice young lady knows what she is selling. I think it woudl be a great idea for "Mr.Knapp" to teach his new, and not-so-new, employees just what it is they are selling. read more

A decent downtown burger shop with awesome shakes. Despite the negative comments from others, the restaurant was clean and the waitress was friendly. However, it's very noisy so it's difficult to hear someone sitting right in front of you. Enjoy the deluxe cheeseburger. It's quite big!!! read more

The ambiance of the old style diner is more than enough reason to go here. But I mean it when I tell you that you will never look at milkshakes the same way once you've tried a Knapp's Malt! Seriously, I don't care how lactose intolerant you are (I am too) it worth it! I also love their season fries and cheese burger. It's not the kind of place you can eat everyday but it's worth the splurge once in a while! read more

Red Knapp's - Vanilla and Chocolate Malts in all their glory! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

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Pretty good if you are looking for a quick fix of fried or unhealthy stuff and good shake. Don't over order as the portions are large. It is very cramped( not much they can do about that) and there was a lot of flies. Overall I'd recommend as a classic diner. read more

Love knapps! My daughter thinks footling hotdogs and a chocolate shake at the counter is a treat. Burgers, seasoned fries and coleslaw are good too! read more

Red Knapp's - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

Does anybody know (owner are you reading this) what is the working number to Knapps. We have tried calling business number 248.651.4545 and it is still not working after two months of trying to call to place a carry out order. Owner - please provide a cell number or new number so we can call your restaurant to order. read more

My husband and I got a few different options to try since the menu has changed. We got the everything platter to start... so good! The onion rings were incredible! We also tried the chicken finger pita and a burger on a brioche bun. So many topping to add!! I got a banana shake my husband got a chocolate malt. Very impressed. read more

This restaurant is better then I remember!! Loved the food! Great service! Highly recommend! Will be back!

Restaurant has been updated (looks the same but new ceiling, some paint, a little cleaner). On a Saturday afternoon, all teenagers working- some who didn't quite seem confident yet, probably new. Food was good except the fries which have changed. Worst change is not taking credit cards anymore. This seems strange and suspicious in 2017. Otherwise, glad Red Knapps is still around, even under new management. read more

Was first drawn to the red ("Red") and blue ("Knapps") neon light display from the street, then walked inside and immediately took a step back in time as you are surrounded by vintage signs and decor from the 1950's period. You can sit at a counter which wraps around the bar and is complete with original stools from the 1950's as well as booths along the window front to your left and right. The friendly servers greet you right away and take care of you during your stay, making sure your orders are taken in a timely manner. A very family friendly place. The food itself is great and for a reasonable price, the highlights are the malts and shakes (blended with fresh fruits and ingredients -- be sure to try the Strawberry or Boston Creme = Vernors with vanilla ice cream mix!), and their onion rings are the largest you will ever see. The burgers are delicious, served on bread that is baked fresh from the bakery next door every day. Not to my surprise, this place has been either ranked first or second as Best of Detroit in the Detroit Free Press for many years. I'll definitely be back for another trip down memory lane! read more

This definitely not what I expected. The atmosphere takes you back to the 50's which is awesome. The Chocolate shake was great and that is where my positive review ends. This place is totally over priced and the food is very bland. The service is slow and I was the only one in the place on Sunday around 1 pm. I agree with some of the reviews that Steak n Shake has better burgers and I can not stand Steak and Shake. I walked out the door paying 16.00 for a Shake, a bland Cheeseburger and fries. I guess I should have expected to pay this much since I was in Rochester. I will never go back again not even the shake could bring me back. read more

The prices are very high. The food is not deserving of the prices. We were the only people in the building one weekday morning and it took what seemed like a long time for our burgers to be ready. They didn't try to get our chili cheese fries out early. The service was strange. There were people in the kitchen and 2 women out front. Someone greeted us and turned around. We made eye contact with the other person who seemed to look through us. Maybe the restaurant feels different when it's full but it felt a little uncomfortable empty. Details of the food.. They say the hamburger buns are homemade. They tasted really good. The buns were much larger than the burger. The burger meat was of good quality. The lettuce was shredded. Hard to eat. My BLT left much to be desired. With so many dining options in downtown Rochester, I'd seek out a different restaurant. read more

Totally filthy. Floor was dirty with food everywhere. I actually picked up a half eaten hamburger off of the floor and set it on the counter. Dirty pair of boots on a shelf behind the counter. Counters looked dirty, kitchen looked dirty. Two employees standing around talking and seemed like they could care less about the filth. We walked out disgusted and will never go back. Total shame that management has let this classic place go down the toilet! read more

I've had a lot of burgers in my life and I can confidently say this was the Worst one I've ever had in my life. I mean it was so bad I could barely take a few bites before I just left and went to smash burger instead so I could eat a dinner in peace. Floppy wonder bread for a bun, dry tasteless meat, for God's sake even the fries sucked and I'm almost Certain they were Ore Ida's. Not worth a single penny. read more

It's filthy. There's gunk and trash on the floors. Dirty shoes on a shelf behind the counter with a fly swatter and napkins. Un-wiped counters. Flies. A child dropped her milkshake- it was covered with napkins and left in the floor. I don't think I saw anyone washing their hands after taking out the trash. And expensive. I don't know what happened to this place but it has fallen pretty hard. It read more

We played in nearby Auburn Hills and found our way to Red's for malts. Fine and dandy. read more

Red Knapp's - While in Rochester, a few folks from the Neil Diamond band found their way to Red's for malts. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Rochester, Michigan

Ordered 2 hours before so I could pickup before the dinner rush. When I walked in I was ignored for 10 minutes. When they finally asked what my name was they said it would be ready soon. I waited another 10 minutues and then someone came back into the store with my order (another customer was given it, so it had to be thrown out). I then heard the manger asking the cook to begin remaking my order. At that point with no apology or explanation I just told them to cancel the order. Again no apology and I can hear the staff excited that they don't need to remake the order. So glad I drove 20 minutes out my way to visit this place, planned it out to see the Rochester Christmas lights with the kids and get dinner and then this nonsense happens. Understand that mistakes happen, but train your employees to be decent and apologize and work with customers rather than cheering when you don't have to remake it, especially when it's your staff that messed up the orders in the first place. read more

In all honesty I cannot comment on the food because the waitstaff was so rude I left without ordering. This was the first time I ever entered the establishment and I sat right at the bar. I sat at the bar for over 20 minutes; the waitress walked by me three times, brought drinks to other people, asked other patrons how their food was, but pointedly ignored me. She did not even say "Hello" or "I'll be with you as soon as can." She pointedly ignored me. I will never be back. I'll spend my money at finer establishments downtown where I've been treated much better. read more

Onion rings are massive, Shakes are Classic. Its a small diner, its not the best but its pretty dang close. I ordered a BLT and I should have gone with a burger. (Its a burger and shake place!) If you want a burger you will be pleased, but the BLT wasn't that great. Price is pretty dang reasonable for downtown Rochester read more

I'm not sure what happened to this place! I have stopped going here because it just hasn't been on par the last few times I've stopped in. The waitresses are so cold I feel like I'm inconveniencing them just by walking in the door. Our waitress was a heavier set lady in her 40s. She didn't even make eye contact with us when she was taking our order. The food was just OK really bland and the burger was really dry. The season fries were good but it sad when the fried foods is the best thing you order. The last time I honestly had I good experience here was about two years ago. I'm not sure if there was a change in ownership but we will not be returning. There are way to many places downtown rochester to get a good burger and spend less for better quality. read more

I have never really enjoyed Knapp's overcooked burgers in the 37 years I've lived here, but my husband grew up in the Rochester area so it's been a tradition. Today we went there for the first time in a while and ordered burgers. We discovered that Knapp's new owner now charges extra for onions and pickles! Really?? Knapp's used to give us unlimited onions and pickles, a practice which I understand is no longer feasible, but 25 cents apiece for a couple of pickles and a spoonful of onions that every other burger place includes for free? We ate our tasteless burgers with (still free) mustard and ketchup. Mine was a cheeseburger and still had the paper in it from separating the cheese slices. Beyond disappointing and off my list of places to eat. read more

Oh no, just no. Stopped in last week for a quick lunch. While I was waiting to be greeted, my boyfriend stopped off to use the restroom. On his way back, he let me know the kid cooking on the grill was digging the burger meat out with his bare hands and slapping it on the grill.....and there was no soap in the bathroom-- which only means the employees (like the cook) have dirty hands. We couldn't possibly agree to eating in an establishment with such low regard for health and sanitation. Sorry Red Knapps-- clean it up. read more

Nothing to like except the milkshake. The restaurant was filthy, service pathetic, burgers dry and the onion rings were greasy. Our lackluster waitress failed on all counts. Failed to bring the waters, failed to bring the salad first as she offered, failed to bring silverware except for one fork and knife for the four of us which she instructed were for the onion rings. Two of the burgers were ordered without mayo, of course, they came with mayo. We told our waitress about the mayo on the burgers. She took the burgers back and returned the burgers with a new top buns, but the mayo was still in the lettuce. We have been to Red Knapps previously but will never return again. The Oakland County Health Department needs to pay a visit to this restaurant and make them clean it up. read more

Red Knapp's is '50's-style or '60's-style diner, serving classic diner food to patrons in booths or on counter stools. Old ads, such as for Nehi soda and Borax, adorn the walls. I had my very first malt there recently--malt, as the waitress explained, is the same substance in Whoppers. Blended to perfection with butterscotch syrup and milk, it was definitely quite the treat. read more

Wish I read the reviews before eating here. My husband grew up in Rochester Hills, and this was a favorite when they were kids. We just flew into Detroit, for our weekend getaway trip and this was our stop for lunch. I was starving, so we got the milk shakes and 2 burgers with an order of chili cheese fries. The milk shakes were delicious. The burgers and fries were not great. Our meal was about $40 bucks. There were alot of flies, which was annoying. Nonetheless - I ate what i could of the burger and fries - i wish i wouldn't have. I got so sick that afternoon. I was sick all night. It was awful. It totally ruined our little getaway. read more