Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Rockafella's Restaurant

    3.3 (730 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Bars, Seafood
    Closed 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

    Rockafella's Restaurant Photos

    ROCKAFELLA'S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Rockafella's Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Pickled Chicken Sandwich (usually comes with fries but i wasn't feeling it. imagine fries too)
    Amelia K.

    didn't see any ghosts but i did see some really kind and funny service! My group of Nine was seated promptly and our waitress was a hoot. Drinks are pretty expensive but it could be worse. Got truffle fries which were alright, and my main meal was the pickle chicken sandwich. Kind of moist in a way i wasn't super into, but honestly upon trying everyone else's food, still a very good meal. Bathroom situation isn't ideal and is at bottom of a long staircase. Keep in mind if you have elderly or disabled party members. Very good night in a beautiful piece of historical property.

    Michelle M.

    Dinner at Rockafellas! Came here for dinner after a walk around downtown. Menu is simple but has staples. I got a clam chowder and margarita pizza. I liked both but neither were super hot, warm at best. My mom got the half roasted chicken she liked that, but it was small. Her soup was kinda cold too. Overall nice spot in Salem and in a historic building, conveniently located downtown.

    Truffle Fries
    Andrew E.

    We decided to stop in for a quick lunch and to get out of the rain. We got there right as they opened. The clam chowder is great and the truffle fries are delicious. Service was great. Very nicely decorated!

    Outside patio with Everett the executive chef
    Pam P.

    Great location. Super service. Beverly and Mia were so friendly. Best crab cakes ever! Kudos to the executive chef Everett!

    Menu
    Ron D.

    While exploring Salem, I decided to try Rockafella based on its decent reviews. I ordered the lobster roll and fried calamari. The lobster roll was okay--fresh but nothing special. Honestly, I've had better, like the one at Union Oyster House in Boston. The fried calamari was a bit disappointing. It was crispy, but served lukewarm, and the pieces were on the smaller side. Personally, I prefer larger rings sliced thinner for better texture. Overall, it was an average dining experience--not bad, but not memorable.

    Street view
    Courtney O.

    We decided on Rockafella's Restaurant for dinner on our last night in Salem. We stood in line for about 10-15 minutes before we were seated inside. The place is huge with tons of seating and it was decorated for Halloween which we all really enjoyed. The interior definitely gave off an old spooky tavern vibe. Lots of history here for sure! We ordered the Parmesan Polenta Fries to share as an appetizer and then we ordered the Bleu Burger, Crab Cake BLT with Caesar Salad and the Pickled Chicken Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes for our entrees. We enjoyed the Polenta Fries - the marinara sauce tied it all together nicely. I liked the Chicken on the Pickled Chicken Sandwich - you could really taste the 48 hour pickle brine, but the Mashed Potatoes were very bland. I don't think my friend or husband were in love their meals either. Also, their bathrooms were also really disgusting - there were piles of toilet paper in the trash in each stall and I'm pretty sure I even saw poop on the floor. I left immediately and went to the other bathroom which is downstairs - to say it was sketchy is an understatement. It felt like a makeshift bathroom on a pirate ship and I thought I would be kidnapped if I didn't hurry up and get out. I was really grossed out afterwards and didn't even finish my meal. They also don't have heaters for their outdoor seating and it was really cold the night we were there - they should definitely invest in those! Our server was super friendly and sweet though - she made the whole experience worth it, but I definitely wouldn't come back.

    Jagruti L.

    We were visiting Salem for the day and came across this restaurant. Ordered Crab Cake BLT with Fries Lobster Roll with Fries Steak Tips with Mash and Asparagus Both the seafood and the Steak were super delicious. My family really enjoyed our dishes. Ambiance is nice, clean and big dining spaces outside and inside. Friendly Service. Service was good. Highly recommended.

    Francine G.

    One of the more popular spots on Essex for food and drinks but ended up stopping for just a couple of drinks which were delicious! A bit on the pricey side but probably standard for the area. They don't take reservations for October so it's walk in only but if you hang around long enough, you can usually snag a spot at the bar.

    Botanist

    Relaxing with good food and drinks. Perfect for allergy sensitivities. Salem MA. Positive customer service at 241 Essex St.

    Grilled Cheese with fries
    Tara S.

    I loved the festive Halloween vibe at Rockafella's! Sitting outside on the patio taking in Salem in October was awesome. Unfortunately the food was just so-so. I had the Grilled Cheese which was okay but the bread took up so much of the taste! It definitely needed more cheese! My children had the Baked Mac and Cheese which they both agreed was very good! You can choose things like bacon, pulled pork, etc to go in your Mac and Cheese. I did enjoy my Butter Beer which was a great complement to the spooky atmosphere. The service was also great, very friendly! I would most likely visit again and try some other menu items!

    Veronica R.

    We had a really enjoyable experience here in Salem! The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and the staff was attentive and friendly throughout our visit. They are hard workers here in the month of October. The food was delicious with hearty portions, and you can tell everything was made fresh. Cedar salad with crusty chicken was not as good as the waitress recommended. A couple of small details kept it from being a full 5-star experience -- the wait time was a little longer than expected, and one dish Cesar salad, used over cooked chicken nuggets rather than fresh chicken. That was my only complaint. Other than that everyone enjoyed their meal. . Still, the overall quality and service more than made up for it. This spot is definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. Very very busy with wait lines. Great food, good value, and a comfortable place to enjoy a meal in Salem

    Roasted Pear & Walnut Salad
    Kimberly C.

    Overall very good experience. Our server seemed inexperienced or just not very attentive but others on staff were fine. Drinks and food were good. We did see a mouse run across the dining room floor - the manager seemed appropriately horrified and did explain about construction and tunnels under the restaurant. Hopefully not a regular occurrence!!

    Roasted half chicken with smashed Yukon potatoes and Side of Asparagus
    Jeremy C.

    Started off with the clam chowder really runny I expected more from an East Coast restaurant close to the water. The half chicken was old. I had a funny taste to it, as well as an aftertaste. The mashed potatoes had absolutely no seasoning. The asparagus was cold. My wife's tri-tip was supposed to be savory and it tasted like there was something candied on it. Manager took care of our bill and couldn't believe we didn't like it. I'm sorry I'm a big foodie and I'm a big believer in seasoning.

    Crab cake BLT with FF

    See all

    26 days ago

    The people, atmosphere and food were amazing!! Loved our server and the exec chef checked in. Get the steak tips!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Crista K.
    58
    18
    11

    26 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J. B.
    9
    114
    8

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 14
    Thanks 4
    Love this 10
    Oh no 9

    10 months ago

    Helpful 12
    Thanks 7
    Love this 12
    Oh no 2

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    10 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kait
    0
    5
    0

    29 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ernest S.
    3
    256
    29

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aly B.
    17
    21
    10

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Everything was great . Food / service . Fast service and didn't have to wait long for the food .

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Madeline E.
    10
    183
    726

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Carol P.
    67
    78
    168

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 19

    Rockafella's Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Rockafella's Restaurant

    You might also consider

    The Tavern

    The Tavern

    4.0
    (216 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    We were in the area for the Salem Witch trials tours. We spotted this place to eat. The inside is…read moresuper cool and a great place to come have drinks and relax with an amazing meal. My wife ordered their award winning espresso martini. She said it was perfect! One of the best, so give it another award lol! The clam chowder is probably one of the best things on the menu!! The warm fresh bread is delicious!! The hamburgers are pretty good. And they have variety of fries (sweet potato as well). I recommend coming here. Chowder is a must!!

    The Tavern is located inside of the haunted Hawthorne Hotel. We stopped in for lunch during a break…read morefrom some sightseeing. We ordered an Espresso Martini, a Pumpkin-tini and a beer. For food, we shared the Nachos, Clam Chowder and Whipped Feta. Everything was really good including the drinks. I wish we would have either ordered more food to try or came back for another meal. I loved the vibe and interior of The Tavern - it was spooky and old timey. You could see and feel the history of this hotel and it was awesome to experience. The dining room had a bunch of tables, but did not feel overcrowded. The Tavern is a great place to grab a drink and relax. It would also make great for a romantic date night. I also loved that the lobby was decorated with a bunch of pumpkins. Staff were also very friendly and attentive! I would absolutely come back here the next time we are in town! Check them out - you won't be disappointed!

    Photos
    The Tavern
    Nachos
    Nachos
    1925 burger

    See all

    1925 burger
    The Roof

    The Roof

    3.2
    (142 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Really liked the ambiance of this place. It's a fun rooftop overlooking Salem. Prices are expensive…read morebut you're in the middle of everything in town. Drinks and food were nothing spectacular but not bad either. I would still recommend if you're looking to hang out with friends on a nice day/evening.

    This review is specifically for the rooftop bar at The Hotel Salem. It's a cool spot that gave us…read moresomething fun to do while we waited for our EV to charge down the street, but it definitely feels a bit like a tourist trap. The food is nothing spectacular, though it's not bad either--just kinda mid. We had the ceviche, which was decent for $16. The drink menu itself is really cool, but it is very overpriced. Because we had already had a couple of drinks elsewhere and were mostly just buying time, we opted to stick with water. The ambiance is easily the best part of the experience. It's a fun, lively rooftop bar that sits right in the middle of everything in town. It offers some nice views directly over the main pedestrian street in Salem, though honestly, beyond that, you can't see much else. The staff was friendly and welcoming. We didn't have a reservation and weren't thrilled with the seats we were given, but that's fair game for walking in. It's a neat place to stop in for a quick view if you're passing through, but be prepared for typical tourist-heavy prices for drinks.

    Photos
    The Roof
    Drink menu is not the best
    Drink menu is not the best
    Prickly Pear Rita

    See all

    Prickly Pear Rita

    Rockafella's Restaurant - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...