The Rueben sandwich they had on special was okay, but not as good as the one at Arby's (let alone anywhere else I've had one). The baked beans were straight out of the can; they don't add anything to make them taste good. Boring food. read more

Roc's Blackfront Tavern and Grill - Rueben sandwich and baked beans. - Bars Near Me - Charleston, Illinois

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First time here and absolutely loved the food! Started with some wings, delicious and excellent sauce on them. The star though is the ribs. The best I've found in central Illinois. Reminds me exactly of Millers pub in Chicago. I'll definitely be back! read more

Roc's Blackfront Tavern and Grill - Wings - Bars Near Me - Charleston, Illinois

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From the atmosphere to the food and service it's a go to place for a tasty lunch with friends.

Service and food were wonderful. I also had a side salad with ranch and the ranch is very good. My son had the chicken strips and liked them. My boyfriend said the burger was delicious. Bloody Mary, was great, lemon drop martini was just okay. All around good experience and my family and I will be back. read more

Roc's Blackfront Tavern and Grill - Burger and lemon drop martini - Bars Near Me - Charleston, Illinois

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Unfortunately, they are having a hard time measuring portions. We added fries to 3 of our meals. 1 meal came with a big portion of fries. The other two meals had 4-5 fries with them. Hopefully, once they are fully staffed, things like this won't happen. The drinks were great, though! read more

Great atmosphere, fantastic friendly staff. Kitchen to open back up under the awesome new ownership soon. Can't wait to enjoy some Ribs and tasty appetizers again. read more

This place is a gem! Nestled in downtown Charleston, it's an episode of Cheers where everybody knows your name or if they don't, they soon will. Friendly and knowledgeable bar staff, happy to engage in conversation and give you suggestions on the menu. I had the half rack ribs. Perfectly prepared. Literally falling off the bone with just the right amount of sauce. Broccoli steamed with a slight crunch and a potato that hadn't been sitting in a warmer for 3 hours. It's the middle of the Midwest so reasonably priced. Great beer selection. The bar and cooler are prohibition era and a sight to see. Far enough from the college campus, you can relax and enjoy great food and drink in this welcoming atmosphere. Worth a side trip when traveling across the countr read more

This must be a local place..... Lots of people knowing people... I went with 4 others for dinner. Had to wait 30 min for a table next to the front door... on a night where it was going to be in the 30's... Did not enjoy being in a drafty place.. I had the walleye... I had better. What really pissed me off was another set of people waiting after us... the person must be a local... she whispered to one of the waiters to get the large table further away from the door... Though we were to next for that table... people in the other party were prepping the table for themselves... To the 'Locals'.... you can have your little eatery... Screw the out of towners.... read more

Sad, use to be one our favorites. Had to find our own silverware to eat, no drink refills , 5% service fee ( that no one said anything about) wouldn't you think that they would be rolling out the red carpet for those of us that are trying to keep the economy moving. Customer service is the main concern if no one has told you yet. read more

Stumbled upon this place since we were staying at a B&B down the street. Patio sitting since Covid-19 happened which wasn't bad at all. I cant remember the exact names of the things we had but the pretzels with the beer sauce, salmon with fries, and half rack of ribs were all great! I also used the sauce for the pretzels and placed in my cheese, the best ever! We had a total of 3 imported beers. We paid $40 for everything plus tip. This place is comfortable and very reasonably priced. Most definitely cheaper than Chicago where we are from. read more

Well, Top of Roc, is well, above Roc's Blackfront....and is a bar only, unlike downstairs which is a bar and restaurant. I don't know why my roommates and I didn't go to Top of the Roc more when we went out....the place is a blast. There is always a mixed crowd in there, which is a rarity at Greek-obsessed EIU. Like I said, always a good time, always good booze....no real complaints for this bar. read more

Cool building, bland food. Didn't grab a drink while I was here, but I can see it being a nice place for students who want to hang out and do so. Plenty of room to sit and chill, BUT... If you're hungry, stay away unless your fridge is empty and everything else in town is closed. Even the waiter looked apologetic when he saw we were there to eat. I had the BBQ sandwich, and so did my husband. It was a sad state of affairs. The meat wasn't marinated in the sauce, and my sauce tasted no better than what I could find at a grocery store. My husband had the "special secret homemade sauce" and it was so disgusting, he didn't finish his sandwich. I tasted it for comparison--it pretty much tasted like ketchup mixed with hickory BBQ. Probably kept a secret to hide the fact there was nothing "special" about it. Did I mention the food was Chicago pub prices? Har, har, very funny, guys. You got me. But not again. read more

I had lunch at Roc's recently and the service was fair with good food. I had a steak and it was the best steak I had in Charleston thus far. As long as you tell them how to cook it everything was good. I had a glass of Merlot to accompany my meal. After dinner I was able to hang around for a night cap on The Top of the Roc. read more

Roc's Blackfront Tavern and Grill - Roc's Blackfront Restaurant and Lounge: Visit Top of The Roc's - Bars Near Me - Charleston, Illinois

This was pleasant surprise! It is a hole in the wall and would be easy to pass by en route to another dinner destination but go ahead, stop! We met up with some family and at their recommendation, we stopped here! We had a party of 8, which they graciously accommodated. Our waitress was busy, but friendly, and kept our drinks full! Among our party, we had some burgers, a walleye sandwich, soup, and I cannot remember what else. Everyone was really pleased with their meal! Our family of 4 (pre-tip) ate for less than $10/ person! When the prices are good and the food is good, you can't beat that! read more

Solid craft selection and good scotch list. Best bar in Charleston for those with taste. Haven't eaten there yet but all the food that passed by me looked good. read more

Roc's Blackfront Tavern and Grill - a man behind the bar - Bars Near Me - Charleston, Illinois

Charged us $4 more than the website showed....Called back and the bartender was very obnoxious and told us they wouldn't refund our money and we had to pay the $4 more....Rip off joint....Won't be going there again. read more

I have mentioned this to Mike plenty of times, it hasn't soaked in yet: 1) shrink the menu down to one page (get rid of the old book) 2) fresh fries, onion rings and other openers 3) only fresh food ... no freezer stuff including fish, chicken and especially beef 4) make this place a landmark restaurant not the tired old place it has come read more

Excellent dinner! Was in from out of town visiting a friend. We sat at bar, and our bartender was friendly and attentive. I ordered the walleye and my friend had the pork loin sandwich. Both were delicious! read more

100+ years of business for a reason. Love the service and the regulars here. We recently moved to town, and a by chance stop for dinner here sold us on the town and introduced us to some amazing new friends. This is your neighborhood Cheers. Plus, the food and drinks are wonderful! The workers are modest about the food when you ask them how good particular items are on the menu, but the food always ends up tasting great. We've eaten several different items here now - from the mussels to the build-your-own burgers (fried eggs are an option!) to the ribs and teriyaki chicken - and we haven't been disappointed yet. Check it out read more

The night started off well... They took our order and drinks per usual. The refills were on point at first. Good conversation with good people. Then, everything changed... Our cups were filled with nothing but ice and the hope of a refill. We saw customers leaving and we knew it was going to be a long time waiting. I went to the bathroom in hopes of food coming out. No luck. I tried 3 more times after that and still the same result. Our hope of a getting back the the dorms for the team meeting was fading. After waiting for that long, the mood started to shift. People were getting unruly. Managers were being called to tables. People started fingerbanging or so that's what we heard from the table behind us. After waiting for an hour food appeared. The sight of an appetizer to our coaches table. This both brought hope and frustration knowing that the appetizer is meant to be eaten before the actual meal. Which meant that food was not actually near our mouths. Finally the saving grace of an actual meal came at the 70 minute mark to everyone at my table except for me. I tried the bathroom one last time and still nothing. This restaurant was the end of me. When I finally saw my meal it was a sight to behold. When the meal was placed down in front of me I had concerns of where the actual fish was that I ordered. I am also now just realizing how dumb ordering so called "fresh" fish is in Charleston, Illinois. Anyway, the fish that I order was not their. Instead just fried pieces of beer batter. I think somehow that they forgot to bread a piece of fish and just dumped some batter into the fryer for time purposes. So I just ate some fires and some greasy pieces of beer batter. To cap off the night, all of our meals were free so how can you complain about free food. Well let me tell you, I am currently writing this review on the toilet. Thank you for listening to my review on the Top of the Roc which is soon to go out of business or switch its name to something more appropriate Bottom of the Roc. -Trey read more

I can't speak to the quality of their food, but I will say they make damn fine Bloody Marys. This is the go to spot for Saturday morning Bloody Marys (and beer) when visiting friends in the Chuck-ston area. They make 'em spicy & hearty - just like I ask for them. The staff is friendly, and it is a nice place to start off a fun filled weekend with a cocktail. read more

Awful place to eat. Looks like a nice, quaint bar and would only go back to the bar side to have a drink with a friend. The food was just awful and the service was even worse. $9 for a Reuben with old, dry meat and funky plastic tasting 1000 island dressing, probably Sysco. My mom ordered the fish and chips aka fish nuggets. I don't understand where restaurants like this get off at charging a somewhat premium price for absolute crap food. Along with the food, the service was absolute crap. read more

Okay, here's the thing about Charleston. You have three choices if you want to eat "somewhere nice". Roc's is the only one of those three that isn't own by a bigot. Is the food amazing? Not really, but the drink selection is good and my beer is always cold. I feel like the staff is really split down the middle. Some of them are exceptional and some of them are pretty awful. If you have to eat there, maybe stick to the burgers which are always fine. Top of the Roc is the kind of secret upstairs bar that is AWESOME. Good drink specials and cute bartenders. Always kick ass bands. Just go to Top of the Roc when they are doing a Free Music Friday. You won't regret that. read more

We ordered a sirloin and a ribeye. The wait staff got the order wrong. Two.sirloins were brought out. They took one back and said the ribeye would be out shortly. Not true! It took a long time. It was disappointing necause we are used to Rocs being a better restaurant. read more

Not bad. Didn't quite live up to the hype. The food was a mix of OK and not so great. The Ribs were tasty and done. My wife had the Fettuccine with Shrimp and Scallops. The Scallops needed seasoning and were water logged. Had an old restaurant appeal with an interesting history. Could have classed the place up a bit and played in the history. Not disappointed but I wouldn't make the trip just for this restaurant. read more

Our first visit here. Everything was delicious. Great service. Will definitely return when we are in the Charleston area. Very interesting decor. read more

This place was great. Nice, laid-back atmosphere and a solid, very affordably-priced whisky selection, including some nicer scotches such as Laphroaig 10 yr ($7). The bartender was friendly and attentive to detail, asking us how we wanted our drinks made. Free popcorn included. read more

The people, scotch, craft beer and food. Do I really need go on, or are you just going to go? Sit at the bar if possible. This place is a hidden gem. The building has a really amazing prohibition era story. Mike the owner and his daughter Kylie are good people. Their scotch and beer selection are first and foremost unparalleled. You would have to go to a bar that specialises in scotch or craft beer to find something similar. One can tell they are not selected buy a beer/liquor reps but by people who like drinking craft beer and scotch. Come here a couple times and you will see how much they care about customers. The food is always good. Made by people who care. They aim to please and in my experience they have always hit the mark. Lastly, come when Mikey's working not the owner. Seriously, he's worth the trip. Damn good people. read more

its a college area bar and lounge, get over it, you are not getting Zagat rated food here. ate there twice, on a visit to see our daughter. Its fine. service quick. and they have a decent spirits selection. extra bonus-great people watching the weekend of Halloween! read more

It isn't my favorite place to go on the weekend, but it isn't awful. The drinks are expensive, and the food is just ok. Top of the Roc is pretty cool, when a good band is playing. read more

Went in for lunch very small crowd, service good, price okay, do not order anything deep fried. The in-house chips were burnt, the pork tenderloin was over cooked. Salad bar not bad lots of selections.definitely the place if you want to sample liquor. read more

Not a lot of choices in Charleston, but Roc's Blackfront is at the top of that short list. Best environment to grab a drink at in town, great selection of beers, always bringing in new and seasonal options. Food is good but not the best, this is a bar first, restaurant second in my view. read more

My top place I pick to eat on Friday nights in the Charleston area. Great salad bar in my opinion and great food!

Best restaurant in Charleston! Good prices, kid-friendly, awesome fried green beans!!

I love this place. Cool owners who are always there keeps the place clean and running smoothly. The menu skews a little older but it's good. The whiskey selection is amazing and I was surprised to find the bartender knowledgeable. I could go here every weekend. Good mix of townies and college kids. read more

Ok - it's not a 5 start restaurant, but I have been here twice in the past year and the hot Italian sub was great, good service and good selection of draft beers read more

I really enjoyed my pork tenderloin sandwich and slaw. My sis liked her fish and chips as well. Plenty of diet coke refills and a friendly, efficient waitress. read more

TERRIBLE!! This place just sucks!!! But so does every place else in this town. If you like greasy, poorly prepared food with no flavor... hit ROC's!! You'll love it. Garbage, pure garbage!! Other recent website reviews include: "Very pedestrian food. Uninspired and overpriced for the quality you get." "We went to Rocs for the second time on Friday night. My chicken was raw, red not just pink. The waiter took it back to the kitchen and I still paid for it. Half the chicken was on the plate. They did not offer anything off our bill. We will not go back, twice is enough." "The Only Thing worse than the food is the horrible service." "Rude Service and Mediocre Food: I have been to Roc's many times over the years (only when others insist we go there for lunch or dinner), and I can honestly say I have never gotten food that wasn't cold and bland. If you are one to order steaks, expect to get a bite or two of lean meat and a plateful of fat and gristle. The service is often rude, the food is generally prepared badly, and the cleanliness of the tables, dishes, etc. is questionable. The management seems to be very unprofessional and I would never recommend this restaurant to anyone (that I like)." read more

I don't understand the bad reviews... I have never had a bad experience at Roc's. Only place in Charleston where they know how to mix drinks. When I get food, granted, I only order one thing. Sirloin rare with loaded baked potator and Cab. Their coffee drinks are good too. Plus, wifi. Like I said, I don't understand the bad reviews- definitely a step above all the other bars in Charleston. read more

The food is decent but a bit pricey for Charleston. I dont know if the owners are just worn out or what but this used to be a very active place to go. The last few times I've went there to get a beer they were closed before 11pm. They have gotten pricey on beer and drinks. The nite bartenders leave a lot to be desired. If your looking for food its still a consideration but if your looking for a place to hang out for a beer you might as well move along. Five years ago this place was a 5 star now its barley a 3. read more