I recently came for a friend's birthday and was severely disappointed on our experience. We had a reservation and were seated promptly but it was downhill from there. While yes, we had a large party, it was clear that the server could have used help. It took over 20 minutes for us to get our drink order (and my friend ordered a beer but she got it in a can), even more time to put in our food order and it took almost 2 hours for our food to arrive. When the food arrived, it was very clear that all the food was sitting for a long time under the heat lamps for a very long time. The kettle chips were hot! And they are not homemade. The burger my friend got was very dry and overcooked (ordered medium) and I ordered grilled chicken on my chicken Caesar salad and the chicken was not seasoned at all. I ordered a full and expected a full chicken breast with at least pepper on it! I got 5 slices... such a joke. The server tried to keep up and had to walk a lot of stairs but the whole experience was very lackluster and disappointing. I would have appreciated her explaining the wait time for food, coming back to see if we needed more water or drinks but nothing. I used to love coming here and I don't think I'll want to return.. it's past its prime and I think there are better places, with better food and better service. Especially for the cost. The other thing that made it difficult to enjoy was the noise - it was overwhelming how bad it was! read more

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My friend had the tenderloin tacos and loved it! I had the sticky chicken and even though it's considered an appetizer, it was filling for me. The chicken was seasoned with a sweet and tangy sauce served with rice and kimchi. The sweet potato fries were delicious! The only reason why I'm not giving them 5 stars is because we came at 11:30 on a weekday (they open at 11) and instead of taking our orders, the staff was occupied with cleaning and prepping to open, but I feel like this should've been done prior to opening.... Other than that food was great! read more

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This wasn't my first time at Rockwell, but it was my first time eating there! Don't worry, we made up for what we'd missed by ordering everything on the menu (not really but.... almost). I ordered the TNT roll and the miso shrimp rangoons- this was entirely too much food for one person, but I still enjoyed every single bite. The rangoons were something I'll dream about for the rest of my life. 10/10 I also had some of the poke wonton nachos, which I regret not saving enough space for, because it was also heavenly Other highlights: the fries are amazing, their sandwiches are both ginormous and delicious, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the sushi read more

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Service was so friendly and welcoming on a cold Sunday. I orders sticky chicken with a pomegranate mimosa. Very good. It was close to my hotel so I plan to eat here again. Kinda dark vibe with dark lighting but cool place. read more

Rockwell Republic - Pomegranate mimosa - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Service by Ben at the bar was great. Truly seemingly enjoys his craft. Very nice and inviting spot with a nice whiskey lineup; seems like it'd be great for happy hour. Ordered fried rice with sticky chicken which came to me not hot. I was hungry, so I just ate it. Probably not my choice next time, but the kimchi was good. The kicker: Then the bill comes.... I spent $30 on a not so great meal + a draft local beer to examine my bill further to see a bill surcharge "for fast-rising expenses". Huh? Arbitrary unannounced surcharges stink. Update your prices, but don't be sneaky. It is a nice spot. I'm likely to visit again. read more

Horrible hostess. Unfriendly, avoided customers to dodge wait-time questions, and ultimately provided a level of service equal to that of an entry level Golden Corral employee. The only savings grace, and hence the two stars, was the bartender who was very friendly and service oriented. Would not recommend on a busy weekend night. Brunch is still 10/10 read more

Rockwell Republic - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I used to frequent Rockwell on a weekly basis when I lived on this side of town. Their happy hour is now made up of $7 food options (instead of $5 back in the day), but it's still a great value and a fun spot for a quick dinner, happy hour drinks, birthday parties, ladies' night get togethers, and date nights. I've been here for all those events over the past decade and I can honestly say I've never had a bad experience. I wanted to update my review after a recent visit for an early dinner before a Broadway show. We were seated right away since it was pretty early (just after 5 pm on a Tuesday) and our server was great getting us orders in before happy hour ended. We had a deal for being Broadway GR season ticket holders - a free share plate with the purchase of two cocktails. Our server mentioned it would be 10% off the final bill instead, but we weren't too worried about it. We ordered a couple drinks, the poke wonton nachos, a spicy California roll, a Philly roll, and the kale power salad with chicken. The sushi was on the happy hour menu which was nice. It was my first time having the nachos and the salad - both were really good! I was happy with the amount of toppings on the wonton nachos, and the flavors were savory and delicious. The wonton chips were super crispy and fresh, and it was a large portion that was perfect for sharing. The salad was fresh, with a nice amount of avocado and pepitas. The chicken was nicely cooked and not dry, with good seasoning. The sushi was good as always - not the best sushi I've ever had but does the trick - and for $7 each you can't beat it. When we got our bill, the $15 wonton nachos were taken off just as we had hoped! Pretty great deal for Broadway GR season ticket holders, but we will be back again soon in the future for more food and happy hour fun. read more

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I think Rockwell Republic is a cool place to go for dinner downtown. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. I love the patio upstairs and that it's not right in the road so it's not as loud! They have a fun drink menu but the last time I was there, mine and my friend's cocktail was literally so strong! I should have asked for some more mixer. The food is always pretty good here too! I've had a blackened chicken ceaser wrap before which was tasty and a little spicy. Last time I had sushi which was also my first time having sushi here and I thought it was good! I would get it again and try other rolls :) This restaurant is in walking distance to a lot of downtown parking options and event venues so usually a pretty good choice before a show or game! read more

Rockwell Republic - a plate of sushi on a table - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ambience: like what you would expect from a pub like venue. Clean venue, and the bathroom was relatively clean. Service: good, the waiter gave us tablets as menus, which was helpful. If you click the name of the dish, it will show you a picture of the it, which I found really helpful. Food: we got the Sticky Chicken Fried Rice bowl, with the spicy California roll and tuna roll for happy hour. Sticky chicken was great, I loved the touch w the kimchi. I had heard about this dish. It definitely worth a try, though I didn't find it amazingly special. But still good! Rolls were fine, I've had better. Rice could have been softer. read more

Rockwell Republic - Sticky Chicken Spicy California Roll Spicy Tuna Roll (gf) - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ok so the menu at first is v confusing. But once you get going, there are some real gems in there. I'd say they are more of an Asian- American fusion restaurant. And their cocktails were banging. Got a cucumber peach mule and my friend got the pineapple mango mojito which were both delicious. Great portion sizes. I ordered 2 starters (and a side of fries) to share as my meal and brought home leftovers. Waiter was very sweet and helpful. We missed the happy hour but the deals sounded great (I think it's 4-6pm). read more

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Hello, bathrooms and parking right next door (their own lot!) which is nice downtown. I got sushi and some sweet potato fries. Amazing aioli! For the fries!!!! The sushi was delicious I love spicy tuna so that was my favorite but my friends' was the slamin roll. The poke bowl was top notch as well. So this place is like two restaurants that merge....like we went to the Rockwell side to put our name in for wait times then went next door to the republic bar (you can go up the stairs and around from the inside if you want to as well). The patio was closed but usually a great patio scene and a spacious upstairs, I think as many businesses, they are low staff so there seemed to be lots of room but obviously not even servers to fill the sections. But service was FAST! So don't be deceived! Also we went on a wine special night! So 1/2 off bottles of wine! read more

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Great food and wonderful happy hour deals! Sticky chicken is the best. Service is always good.

We stopped in on a muggy June afternoon. Took a seat at the bar and had a lovely time. The bartender was great and friendly. We learned this building used to be an old shoe factory. The staff agrees it's haunted!!! The old cubano was perfect as well as the Not your grandmas amorreto sour. Definitely coming back read more

Rockwell Republic - Old Cubano cocktail - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Rockwell has delivered every time I have visited! I've had their sushi, poke, drinks, apps, pre-Covid it was a great night cap spot! On that note(you'll like this pun later) we spontaneously decided to go Monday night after taking some pics in downtown. We entered and headed upstairs to the patio bar but heard a wonderful tune! Live jazz ! Live music yessss! We left our seats and headed down to the bar right where the band was set up. They played a few classics that even had people get out of their chairs and dance. Beautiful. Jazz night is Monday's 7-10 Our meal was delish, though we did have to wait quite a while until it was served. Maybe the kitchen was behind, not sure. We enjoyed our drinks and the music while we waited. It was a nice surprise ! read more

Rockwell Republic - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Saturday brunch before the musical festival near downtown. There is a small parking lot next door. As long as they are open, the parking isn't an issue, per the Host. Walk in to the host stand and you are met with a large dark wood main floor bar area with high top tables, or it looked like there was additional dining upstairs. The place has a lot of charm, though not a lot of space. The tables were PACKED in together. We were shown to a high top with a digital menu or option to scan the QR code. It was still brunch, therefore, the full menu online wasn't available, only what was shown on the tablet. We ordered sticky chicken, a dynamite roll and stuffed French toast. I also had a mimosa with pineapple. The food was okay. Not great but enjoyable enough. Portions were small. The roll was interesting though the shrimp salad in it was tasty enough, I wouldn't get it again. I had two mimosas. Your luck of waiter determines your pour and boy we didn't luck out. Watched full wine glasses of mimosas go out to tables. My first wasn't what I was seeing going out (pictures) and the second was even less in the typical champagne glass. That was disappointing. Bill was about $70 with tip for what was listed above. Like I said, it was just okay overall. Service was fine. Not good but not bad. Nothing to note. read more

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Food was decent. Appetizers were pretty good. Drinks were good. Place was super crowded on the weekend. Would probably just come here for happy hour read more

Great vibes, great service and great food! I went with the sushi. Really good stuff! Will go back for sure!

I've heard so many good things about this place but we've never been. We were looking for sushi on Mother's Day and found it here! The ambiance was beautiful and servers were helpful and courteous. We also loved the exposed brick and tall ceilings. Such a cool building. My wife and I ordered 4 different sushi's- TNT, dynamite, spicy tuna, and crispy salmon. All 4 were amazing. We'll be back to try other items for sure. Also excited to sit on the deck. read more

Rockwell Republic - Spicy Tuna Roll (gf) and TNT Roll - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

The sticky chicken is to die for and write home about. Amazing food! Love the outside seating!

Friend and I came for happy hour before going further downtown for art prize. Parking is always hit or miss in the lot next door. Very good Rockwell Mule. Happy hour pork tacos had tons of meat, not much flavor (but add some lime and hit the spot). The guac/corn pico and chips - guac had fresh ingredients, a very good amount, but didn't have much flavor (but if you mixed it with the corn pico it was very yummy). Service was excellent; food came out quickly! read more

Wow. Go here, take friends, and try a bunch of different things! If you're visiting for the weekend or just need one meal, go here! Cocktails, highly recommend. Pitcher of Sangria is fantastic- a big bang for your buck! Old Fashioneds, one of my favorites here. Get 1-2 shareable plates to split! Makes experience fun. Every entree is delicious. I got the sticky chicken fried rice, and the chicken was by far the best part. read more

Rockwell Republic - Sticky Chicken Fried Rice Bowl - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stopped by for an early supper, yesterday. Sat upstairs at the outside balcony. It was nice and quiet, Had a turkey sandwich and fries, which was on par with any pub food place. Service as ok. read more

Food is so good!! Portions were huge... Me and my mom had so many leftovers. I got the Standard, it was really good pretty big sandwich. Sweet potato fries are the best i've ever had. Price is pretty high. For 2 sandwiches with fries and an appetizer plus 25% tip was $75. Service was super fast. The overall buildings was old but has nice character and updated. read more

Rockwell Republic - The Standard - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Our waiter was super chill, nice guy with good recommendations. We started with the Social Strawberry and the S. Division Old Fashioned, both super tasty. For food we got the Sticky Cauliflower and the Veghead sushi roll. The roll didn't do much for me, it was a little bland. The cauliflower appetizer tho, holy moly, amazing. Do yourself a favor and order it. The app was a good amount of food to be a meal for an individual and I would probably just order that as my entree next time! Also they had a killer playlist for the rooftop - shoop, shoop ba-doop baby read more

Rockwell Republic - Social Strawberry and S. Division Old Fashioned - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Finally made it back here. This time the place was not packed and we were seated next door. There are two parts to the resturant. It's just the ambiance that is different. I found more things in thr starters that sounded good then the entrees. Sushi rolls are really good! I liked the Elote blueberry salad but it wasn't what I had thought it was going to be! I though more of a salad. The corn and blueberries were a fun mixture and paired well! I would like to see a gluten free bun and more labels if gluten free items. As there are a lot of items that could be labled GF with a small tweak. Such as no eel sauce. My husband ate it on the side. Sushi was soooo good. You can't go wrong with anything on the menue. We loved the drink list! So many great combinations to choose from. S'mores and the pineapple mojito not pictured were my favorites! **tables were wet when we came in and we had to ask for a towel to dry them off. The website wasn't working well and doesn't seem updated. We couldn't look at thr menue ahead of time. The menue tablets inside had everything on them. read more

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My boyfriend and I arrived close to 11am and we were sat immediately at a high top near the bar. Our server was over to us in no time to grab our drink orders. I had the cucumber peach Moscow mule which so far has been my favorite non-alcoholic drink I've had in a long time. My boyfriend ordered the classic mimosa and strawberry margarita. He did advise both drinks are strong. We both ordered the Pork Belly Skillet which was super delicious. It's definitely a savory meal but it hit the spot on a Sunday morning. I always enjoy the ambience of this restaurant as I've been here more than once before and every time I've loved the atmosphere. Never super loud but bustling. It's a great spot for brunch and dinner! read more

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love to go to rockwell for my birthday, new years, and random wednesday nights for happy hour! tried a ton of food options on new years ever and was happily surprised by how great everything was! i previously tried the curry (was waaaayy too hot to eat and enjoy) so i had low hopes. the salmon was delicious for my entre. brussels and rangoon's are must haves for appetizers, i promise!! the atmosphere is lively and you might get seated next door with live jazz music to set the ambiance perfectly. there is a parking lot next to the restaurant but be careful, it can be busy! how could i forget! rockwell is one of the best places to grab drinks in the city - must try read more

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This was my favorite restaurent while I visited Grand Rapids1 Can we start with their digital menus?? I love restaurants that cater to the visual learner. I knew they were a winner from the beginning! Yasss to everything on their menu and I have not even tried them all but this place is just that good. From start to finish I loved every bite. Beef short rib app with pimento cheese balls was devine! The rib was tender, juicy, and flavorful. The pimento cheese balls were just the right amount of flavor and had the right amount of kick! Beer cheese dip- hearty and rich Brussels sprouts- crunchy and flavored to perfection Patatas Baravas- a little too crisp for my taste but decent to munch on Sushi rolls: Charred salmon roll- fresh and so well balanced!! Tempora and Avocado eel roll- tasty but not my fave Tnt roll- The perfect combo of crunch and whatever else was in that roll..lol My Virgin Mojito was refreshing. Its hard or find a place that can do all these things well and I would glady return to indulge once again. read more

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Grand Rapids cool renovated area with trendy shops, bars, and such. This place fits right in. The bar is hip and fun, lots of specials for food and drinks. If ya want sushi, you can get it. American fare, you can get it. Nice entrees and apps, the menu was on an iPad and after a click you see the image and pricing with a nice description. It was cool. This was a place I had been to before but forgot the name. Then I looked on Yelp for a place to eat after about 6 months had passed. Funny that I ended up in same place. It was an excellent choice for just about anybody with a huge variety. I had pork Naan tacos and Thai lettuce wraps as my dinner. Both were tasty. The drink I had was an Irish whiskey called Bushmills. They served in a nice glass with a round ice cube. Nice touch for $7! My associate had a sangria and it was fruity and delicious she said. Her dinner was the salmon filet with a flavorful topping and on a bed of roasted vegetables. This is a winner of a place. Enjoy folks! read more

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Great happy hour, good selection of food! Staff very professional and friendly. Definitely plan on going back next time I'm in town! The Beer Cheese probably my favorite item I had read more

SERVICE: 5 FOOD QUALITY: 5 DRINK QUALITY: 5 ORDER TIME: 5 AESTHETICS: 5 NOISE LEVEL: 5 MENU SELECTION: 5 OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 5 This place is a masterpiece and hopefully people embrace great restaurants like this with proper reviews. The night started off at a table near the bar with no wait if we were willing to skip the patio. Then we were given iPad menus which is great. You get great quality photos and descriptions. Very easy to navigate. I started with a south sider and was pleasantly surprised. The cocktail was superbly made. The ice was perfect, the mix was perfect and the taste was perfect. It wasn't as good as 18th amendments in Muskegon but it was close. I then had the island old fashion and it was just as good. They candied and grilled the pineapple which says a lot in a bar tender and the restaurant. We then ordered dinner, and I got the wagyu udon which was extremely tasty. The flavor wasn't too overpowering and the steak was cooked just as I asked. A lot of restaurants tend to put too much salt in their ramens but they did well by letting the noodles and beef flavor the ramen. The service was superb. Our waitress was on top of it. She was continually checking on us and she had a wonderful personality. We will definitely be going back for the drinks, food and service in the near future. I love Asian food so this was perfect for me. This place is a little more upscale so dress up and enjoy yourself! read more

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Cutest little restaurant! We just moved from Arizona and the ambiance felt high end and like a little taste of home. We did the mimosa platter that came with waffles, fruit, French toast, three juices and a bottle of champagne ‍ our server was attentive but not over bearing, the menus are on tablets now and they're user friendly. It's not often we get to sneak out the house kid free but when we do, this is the place you can find us for brunch! read more

Rockwell Republic - The mimosa platter - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great venue service and food. Waitress was being trained but was knowledgeable and friendly. Love this little spot in Grand Rapids for its beer, food and festive atmosphere! read more

Traveling through on our way north we looked up some local spots and decided on this one...so glad we did! Not much street parking but we walked over which gave us a nice chance to enjoy the area. It is tucked into a line of similarly old buildings and once inside somewhat resembles an old European pub. We were seated immediately and our server was helpful and attentive. They had some sushi specials but nothing vegan, but when asked the server said he could make me something. Very much appreciated the effort! So we ordered an avocado roll as an appetizer which was fresh and quite big for an appetizer. The menu has a lot of options and we picked fried Brussels sprout tacos. They were very filling so two was plenty for both myself and my husband. The tacos were crunchy and a mixture of flavors but more subtle than expected with Brussels sprouts. I would not have know it was Brussels sprouts actually as the addition of almond slivers, corn and other veggies made it super tasty. Even though we didn't order drinks their menu was extensive and the waiter said he could even make up something as needed! The service was outstanding and food was great. On our next pass through we will for sure stop in here. read more

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Stopped in for happy hour this week. Always enjoy Rockwell, good food & atmosphere. But they got a little sloppy with our app- first issue I've ever really had here. They didn't take the plastic off the cucumber... like I said, I usually don't have issues when I come here but it was sloppy this time around. read more

Rockwell Republic - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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A few weeks ago my family and I visited the Rockwell Republic for their famous Saturday/Sunday Brunch! And it did not disappoint! The food was amazing! Everyone in our group got something a little different from their unique menu including Sushi, Nann Tacos, Breakfast Tostadas, Chicken and Waffles, Kale Salad, and of course the Mimosa Tray! The Mimosa Tray comes with a variety of fruits, juices, an entire bottle of champagne (:-)) and an assortment of mini waffles and french toast sticks. It was the perfect thing to share on a Sunday morning! read more

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wonderful lunch celebrating our daughters graduation from nursing school. Food and drinks were great and had outstanding service from our server Kaner Who made the Celebration even more fun. Highly recommend! read more

Rockwell was...eh. Not a *bad* experience, but I wouldn't go back. Our server was stretched thin, I think. He was very nice, but service was slow. I understand that he had tables to cover AND was bartending, but when I say slow, I mean it took 45 minutes to get our appetizers. It also took over two hours total to eat our meals and get our bills. The kitchen had to have been backed up or short staffed. Even our drinks took foreverrrrr. The Moscow mule was good. Just a typical mule. We had the miso shrimp rangoons. They were very good, but borderline cold. I ordered the special of the shrimp po boy and sweet potato fries. Same thing as the app, cold. The po boy was very good, but it was messy. The layout of Rockwell is odd and a bit confusing if you've never been before. I did like the vibe and the ambiance though. All in all, nothing would bring me back. There are much better options in Grand Rapids. read more

Rockwell Republic - Miso Shrimp Rangoons - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Used to love Rockwell's, but been disappointed too many times lately. This review is for the latest time. It was 530pm on a Thursday, a group of 5. They sat us upstairs where we were the only table. Ordered mocktails and rangoons - the rangoons are amazing and we order them every time and they never disappoint. An hour and a half later the waitress decides to swing by and take our dinner order. The food takes forever to come - a couple sushi rolls, california clubs, and a burger. They forgot the avocado in the california clubs. That's kinda the whole point. Didn't want to say something and have them remake it since it took so long to get it in the first place. The burger was small and the pretzel bun was too small for the patty. Sushi was okay. Pineapple and green onion do not belong in sushi. Had to ask for ranch 3 times before finally getting it, at which point the fries were cold and it had been half an hour. Our finished dinner plates and empty glasses were not cleared, they sat at our table until we left. What was supposed to be a quick dinner ended up being our whole night since it took THREE HOURS. I'm not sure if the waitress was new, didn't like us, or was just having a bad day, but they were not busy (empty tables downstairs) and several times she walked by us at a leisurely pace, carrying nothing, so I'm not inclined to think she was busy. Also... dude, $8 for a nonalcoholic Moscow mule? That's $8 for half a can of pop and some lime juice; they're out of their mind. I clearly mistakenly assumed it would be cheaper than the alcoholic one because there /was no alcohol/. Unless $8 actually was cheaper, in which case, wow. read more

Rockwell Republic - Spicy Salmon Roll - New American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

My family of 4 was in Rockwell on a Monday night, and the food quality of our entrées was sub-par. Our waiter was great, the appetizer was great. But our entrées took a long time and were either too bland (Wagu fried rice, shrimp fried rice, vegetarian bounty bowl) or too spicy (coconut red curry). The presentation was not very good on any of them. Then on our way to our car in the lot next door, I took a spill on their partially shoveled sidewalk, landing flat on my back. At that point, we were happy to go home. We have eaten at Rockwell in the past, and it was great. So we were surprised by the quality of our experience Monday night. $140 on a meal out is a lot, we expected more from this venue. I emailed the manager twice with the above Information and no one responded. read more