After seeing other reviews, I was thinking there would be too much food temptation, but they actually aren't doing meals now, focusing on drinks and live music. My maple cinnamon sour was delicious and worth the slightly high price. Staff were very helpful about the confusing parking situation in this area too. I was there for the music anyhow. It's a small narrow room, so the acoustics were not great for my rather basic phone to record, but it was fine for my ears. All 4 acts were good, especially FenixDion- this was my first time seeing them as a duo instead of the full band, so it was a bit mellower but still rocked. The $5 cover was definitely a bargain, but I think that deal may have been special because this was also a birthday party. I hope they bring back some eats. I might have considered a 2nd drink if I had some food to soak up the alcohol. read more

ROK - FenixDion-duo - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Amazing, cozy joint in one of the old Schmidt buildings. Very expensive, but in this case you definitely get what you pay for. They've got a really good 2-for-1 sake on happy hour. We'll probably go back for another special occasion but it's a bit pricey for more than every once in a while. The entire staff seemed to be in a good mood and the service was all around excellent. Seasonal menu that changes fairly often but the burger sticks around. We got a couple things to split: - Grilled celery root was really good. Perfect texture and lots of flavor while not being "earthy". That cashew miso cauliflower puree is one of the best, smoothest dips I've ever had. - Bread & Beets: Basically a really good beet panzanella. Beets were nicely marinated to get rid of any "dirt" flavor. My wife hates beets and liked this one. I'd probably skip it next time just because there is so much other good stuff. - Karaage: Some of the best karaage I've ever had. Super tender chicken, light breading, and really good glaze. Slaw was really good, too. read more

ROK - Bread and beets - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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So, so good. It's a pretty small space right next to keg and case. They have a small parking lot in front which is nice. We came on a Thursday at 7 and it wasn't too busy. We got a bunch of stuff. Started with the beet salad, Nordic flatbread and local mushrooms. For our mains, we tried the tuna, katsu sandwich, nordic burger, hanger steak and the grilled broccolini with pork belly. Favorite app bands down was the mushroom. It was just the right amount of creaminess and the mushrooms were plentiful and added a heartiness to the dish. The puffed rice put it over the top. It was toasted and added a nice crunch and flavor. Everyone loved their main dishes. I think they really excel at their sauces as well. I ate every little bit of the sauce underneath my grilled broccolini. It was a sesame and miso base. They did not skimp on the amount of pork belly either. Service was really friendly. They accidentally brought out a wrong app and they quickly corrected it and gave us the incorrect dish on the house. read more

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New favorite! Nordic + Japanese fusion. By far, the food blew us away. Local + sustainable, the menu offers dishes that will capture & delight your tastebuds. Beets are my favorite and the combo of pistachio & goat cheese was incredible. The Japanese Fried Chicken was light and airy, with the perfect balance of sweet and sour leaving you satisfied but not heavy. Located near Keg & Case, ROK has dedicated parking and patio seating. We took advantage of the reservations available online. Service was prompt, friendly and available throughout dinner. Highly recommend and can't wait to tell others, looking for a fresh experience within the Twin Cities. The location also seems perfect for happy hours on the patio and the menu is just right for numerous shared plates! read more

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Surprisingly pleasant small-plate dinner here! They have a very unexpected mishmash of tastes, combining culinary delights from Nordic and Japanese cuisine. The venue is unassuming, tucked away near the former Schmidt brewing behemoth. The space is quaint, with a large open kitchen greeting you. We were treated to some gentle Friday night EDM from an eccentric musician, keeping us entertained throughout the meal. The menu is simple and divided into firsts and second, but diverse, with a wide variety of cocktails, beers, wine, and sake. I had the smoked salmon smørrebrød and reverse katsu. These dishes were simply delectable. My favorite was the smoked salmon- I could eat a vat of this. The katsu was super unique in its presentation and was very tasty. The meals were perfectly proportioned and the right size for a not too filling meal. I definitely recommend a visit to Rok! read more

ROK - Smoked salmon - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I wasn't sure what to expect at a Japanese Nordic restaurant but we were thoroughly surprised and impressed each step of the way. My husband and I swung in here on our way to curling and had about 50 minutes to work with. We were able to try several small plates, a few delicious craft cocktail, and very much appreciated the unpretentious (we were very underdressed!) and welcoming service! We will be back for sure, if nothing else than to try the beet dish and that amazing broccolini sauce again! read more

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Rök eatery was a delightful way to spend a Saturday morning! We went for brunch, and the Nordic-Japanese inspired food was spot-on with many options for drinks and cocktails. FOOD: delicious, with perfect portion sizes and new items we were excited to try. The savory herb dutch baby was particularly tasty. SERVICE: welcoming and prompt wait staff, very friendly AMBIANCE: cool vibes, lots of plants and greenery, little stage for live music, fun music playing during brunch. Not too crowded even during prime brunch time on a Saturday. PARKING: easy off-street parking read more

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I have to say that this has been an absolutely highlight of 2022 thus far. I really enjoyed the food, experience, and overall vibe of this wonderful eatery in Saint Paul, MN. They are located in the Rathskeller building of the former Schmidt Brewery. Rok is a Japanese/Nordic restaurant w/ ingredients sourced locally from the Midwest. I loved the excitement & passion from everyone working here! The experience was simply beautiful. It's good to know that Rok also has open Mic Night on Wednesday/Thursday & Live music - Friday/Saturday during dinner Service. Smoked Trout Potato Salad - t was so flavorful & creamy. Heirloom Tomato Salad- These are absolutely the best tomatoes I've ever had in a dish. I'm obsessed w/ this salad. Local Mushrooms - The sauce was amazing. I really just want to say how flavorful everything was. It just was! Tuna Tataki - Get this! It is a flavor journey in your mouth! It was amazing. I absolutely loved this dish Nordic Burger- simple and seasoned well! Katsu sandwhich- this was so yummy and flavorful. I loved how soft the bread was. Toronto - Rye Whiskey, Fernet, Maple Syrup, Aromatic Bitters Kladdkaka is a Swedish chocolate cake. This one is Gooey Chocolate Cake with Maple Whipped Goat Cheese. It's was the perfect amount of dessert & absolutely delicious. read more

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Rok Eatery (pronounced "Rohk") just became one of my top 3 favorite spots yesterday. Rök is a new Nordic/Japanese restaurant that focuses on using almost all local, high-quality ingredients, and letting the natural flavors in each ingredient speak for themselves. With every bite, my boyfriend and and I were speechless. During our entire meal, we uttered many phrases along the lines of "Holy crap" and "how did they even...." I could literally write a novel about why the experience at this place was so perfect, but I'll keep it brief for you. The atmosphere was intimate, yet bright and airy with an open kitchen. The employees were all super cool, personable, and knowledgeable. And every single thing tasted was magnificent and told its own story of flavors. Here are all the dishes/drinks we tried: KARAAGE, which is Japanese fried chicken tossed in Kurozu vinegar glaze. Somehow they made it super crunchy and light without it being greasy? I'm drooling just writing this. It was one of our favorites. TUNA TATAKI, which included hibachi grilled tuna and nectarines, roe, black sesame, and tataki sauce. The smokiness from the grill was the cherry on top of this fantastically refreshing dish. NORDIC BURGER, which seemed like a basic burger at first... But that dry aged beef patty, those homemade caraway pickles, a grilled bun, pink peppercorn aioli. HEAVEN. KLADDKAKA, a sort of gooey chocolate cake topped with whipped maple goat cheese. Better than sex. read more

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Tiny cute spot. You would miss it if you're not familiar with downtown Saint paul area. Not many tables. We sat at the bar. I ordered a burger and he had a noodle dish. Mu hunger was like all burgers. Yum. His noodles were salter than the norm for us. The staff was informed and they were very accommodating but we decided to pay for it anyways. That's just what I do to support my local city. On the weekends they have entertainment. FUN FUN! Please stop by and try them out! read more

We tried half the menu when we went and everything was a BANGER 10/10 place to eat! The food is delicious read more

ROK - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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I went to Keg and Case and discovered this place on a Friday afternoon. They are currently in soft opening mode (liquor license coming in a few weeks!). Our party of three split five plates: - flatbread (5/5) - very delicious and nice char. Peaches were a must! - mushrooms (5/5) - very creamy, delicious mushrooms - tuna tataki (4/5) - great vinaigrette, fresh peaches. Was missing a crunchy element, but great portion size - pork belly (3/5) - too salty and the salad was not pickled enough. Good portion size - Katsu sandwich (3/5) - good portion size, too dry. read more

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Amazing cocktails tonight at the RoK eatery. Vodka, lemon, Lavender & Citrus Basil Bitter, Flowers, and Orange Creme Liquor Wash, made another burger so brilliant, I couldn't change a thing. Consider RoK for your next ultimate craving read more

ROK - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Delicious Japanese Nordic fare, cozy atmosphere, craft cocktails and welcoming staff. Small stage in corner for live music or "dance parties". Will definitely be back! read more

ROK - Salmon tataki salad - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Excellent food--loved the cauliflower Staff was really welcoming and friendly. I almost hesitate to write a review to keep it a secret. read more

This place is so cute! I've never heard of a Japanese Nordic fusion restaurant before, but I'll definitely return. Tucked adorably in the Schmidt brewery buildings, next to Keg and Case. As soon as I walked in the door, the staff greeted me enthusiastically. They were so friendly and clearly prideful of the products they were serving, ready answer any questions we had. I tried the tuna tataki, which was fantastic! I used to work at Fuji Ya and while the tuna was a different style and cute, it was just as flavorful and took me right back. The Nordic burger is a fancy burger, which both rock salt and grill marks on the bun. The patty was cooked perfectly. I could've used less sauce, although it was delicious, created a bit of a soggy mess towards the end. I don't usually care for a spring mix, but the dressing on this one knocked my socks off. A vinaigrette but very well done. I can't wait to try this place again. All locally sourced, except perhaps the sake lol. I will return to try the marsh Sammy, as well as the flank steak. read more

ROK - Tuna tataki - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Definitely one of the coolest setups in St.Paul. They have a menu that is constantly changing and everything we had was phenomenal. It's a small location with limited seating so you want to get there early. Everyone was super nice and it gave it a home like feel. Our waitress was super nice and very helpful in explaining the menu. read more

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Such an incredible place. Super chill vibes, with awesome food. It's a unique blend of Scandinavian and Japanese cuisine that just makes sense, and the dishes are always served with fresh ingredients. The menu changes up quite a bit depending on what ingredients are available, but it leads to pleasant surprises as there is always some new delicious dish or cocktail to try. read more

ROK - Tuna tatake - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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Little gem restaurant on famous Hwy 7 in St Paul, in the Schmidt Brewery beautifully renovated complex, serving tapas-type food, seasonal and bicultural. The basil sauce that came with one of the dishes was simply heavenly. Build your bites as recommended. Walk after dinner to the nearby Keg and Case or White Squirrel for live music, to complete the night. read more

We came upon this place randomly on a Saturday night and absolutely loved it! They are currently still on a soft opening but they're already doing an amazing job. The food was wonderful, thoughtfully and beautifully prepared. Service was great; everyone was knowledgeable and friendly. We are very excited to try their next menu and see how they grow! read more

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THE BEST FOOD/DRINKS/VIBES/AMBIANCE! We bumped into this place while traveling. Totally floored by the flavors and inventive pairings. Roasted broccoli was heavenly, skewer sampler were delicious, the peach kombucha and creamy barley tea drinks were super interesting, but the real star is the flat bread. It's perfect. Order it. Impossible to describe, but it all makes sense when you eat it. This place is a gem, you should feel lucky you found it! read more

ROK - Flat bread - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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A must go if you are in the cities. Friendly knowledgeable staff. The food is fresh, upscale, and unique. They have a large outdoor seating area or indoor seating. read more

ROK - Beet Salad - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

My dear friend came across this during his errands. He called and beckoned me to go to dinner with him at ROK Eatery located in the renovated Schmidt Brewery complex, easterly building over from the more busy Keg and Case. But don't let the busy make you less interested, as you'll be SOOOOO glad you took this choice. With parking adjacent to the restaurant for 90 min stints, eating and getting here are a joy. But even more so, when the plates arrive and are gorgeously plated; with tastes that don't seem like the every day norm- your taste buds will be smiling right along with your eyes. Enjoyed 4 items that evening, and all were incredibly tasty. read more

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Creative and delicious! Drinks, food and service were all excellent and there was even live music to add to the ambiance. Will be back for sure. read more

RÖK has an ever-changing menu and provides amazing service ! Nordic Burger , Karaage , and The Katsu Sandwich are consistently available and to d** for. read more

ROK - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Wow! These guys are amazing! Food, drinks, cleanliness, ambience, conversations. What are you waiting for? Stop reading this and go! You will be very happy you did. read more

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We were blown away by the food. Delicious, creative, locally sourced! Food, service, cocktails were all amazing! What a lovely St. Paul surprise! read more

A unique menu with plenty of variety of Japanese and Nordic items. We loved the Karaage and their dessert was a perfect size and balance of salty sweet (it was an ooey goey chocolate cake with whipped maple goat cheese on top). Our waiter at the bar did say the menu changes often since it's a seasonal menu but my husband and I can't wait to come back again. read more

Tucked away in the Schmidt Brewery complex is this sweet little restaurant with a delicious menu. The food is Japanese- Scandinavian fusion, which doesn't sound like it would work but it does. The server was knowledgeable about the menu and excellent sake selections. We shared some small plates and a sake flight and it was just right! read more

WOW! If you haven't been here or are thinking about it. Do it!!!! This place was amazing. It's a small spot with an intimate vibe and eclectic decor. Perfect for date night. We took advantage of the happy hour menu and started with the pork belly bites and the maple balsamic roasted beet bites. Both were out of this world. The sauce combinations were amazing. Next we started with the Katsu Roll. The flavor combo of the pork, wasabi aioli, and ground mustard was fire! We shared our two entrees. We got the Nordic burger. Perfectly toasted bun with a delicious juicy light pink burger in the middle loaded with raclette cheese and pickles. This is a must! Our second entree was the karaage (Japanese fried chicken) was lightly breaded with an amazing sauce and was paired with cabbage and pickled onion. The perfect pairing. At this point we were so full we couldn't do dessert, but we will be back! Don't let me forget the crazy good craft cocktails. The Shochu Blossom was by far my favorite! We also tried the Vitamin A which seemed like a crazy mix, but it was killer. The Autumn Stinger and Ovrevann Sour were a good combination of strong and sweet. Happy tasting and can't wait to go back and try all the other menu items! read more

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Such a great little restaurant! Travis was our server and he was exceptional! We loved all the food and can't wait to go back! read more

ROK - Tuna, Flatbread, Cauliflower and Japanese chicken - Music Venues Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

The atmosphere and food here is fantastic! We had lunch on the patio and the outdoor space was great. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and had excellent recommendations. Our group enjoyed everything we got (highly recommend buying plates to share) and there was a wide variety to accommodate both the meat-eaters and the vegetarians. We'll definitely be back! read more

Upscale for Everyone! Got takeout for dinner. Braised Lamb was the best lamb dish I have ever had. Seriously. The owner has been an executive chef at WA Frost, and it shows. Thank you, ROK, for creating an amazing culinary experience at a reasonable price point. read more

Delicious- unique, interesting and well presented. Strongly recommend. The mushroom appetizer with 5 or 6 different local mushrooms was amazing! My husband had a katsu sandwich that he loved and I had the Japanese fried chicken which was delicious, but not what you think of when you think of fried chicken. Strongly recommend! Service was great too! read more

We were looking for a new restaurant to try, and visited ROK (which we were told was pronounced similar to "smoke") based on the reviews here and elsewhere. Wow! Great experience. We'd been hoping for an outside table, but felt comfortable enough at the bar in their airy space. The bartender was extremely knowledgable about the menu, and was friendly and charming, as was the server who first greeted us. My husband and I always like to try specialty cocktails, and these didn't disappoint. I had the Ostervam (I have that wrong) Sour, which was gin-based and complex, but I was so blown away by my husband's "Toronto" I followed with one of those. Be warned -- they're strong! The "blueberry punch," which my husband had next, was subtle and refreshing -- not cloying as the name might suggest. The food, though, was the star, of course! We split three small plates -- the local mushrooms, Udon noodles, and beet salad -- plus a half of the Karage (Japanese Fried) chicken. The chicken was very light, moist, and crispy, but the standout was the local mushrooms, simply because it was not only delicious but was a flavor combination I'd never had before, whereas most of the other dishes were simply excellent renditions of flavors I'd had elsewhere at one time or another (the beet salad -- with a airy whip of pistachios and goat cheese -- was also inventive as well as being delicious). Plus, every dish was simply stunning to look at (especially the mushrooms, which were served over a bright green basil oil). Finally, we ended by splitting the lingonberry mousse -- a similar airy whip as what was used with the beet salad. I thought it was good but not as interesting as the other dishes; my husband didn't care for the flavor, which was fairly subtle. We were so satisfied from the rest of the meal, though, that we thought nothing of it. We'd debated whether we should shout about ROK from the rooftops or keep it to ourselves, but this place really deserves to have the world know about it, and we want to do our best to make sure it stays around! read more

Very exceptional food! The plating is very nicely done and the food itself fantastic. The mixing of Nordic and Japanese is not something you have every day and this is unlike anything I have tasted in the beat of ways. The staff is very friendly and informative of the menu. I recommend anything chicken, as every chicken based dish I have tried has been unique and delicious! I would strongly recommend you give this place a try. read more

I was a little hesitant about going as menu was a little unusual so didn't. Know if I would find something... there were 5 in our party and everyone had something different from chicken; then hamburger.. down to cauliflower and mushroom and everyone was raving and loving what they had.. the server was great and everyone super friendly and helpful... please try this restaurant .. they deserve to be in business as they definitely know their food!! read more

This place perfectly reaches the intersection of great food and decent price. I had the best appetizer of my life here. So good. Definitely a new favorite spot. read more

The presentation was beautiful and the waitress was so nice and knowledgeable about the food and restaurant. The food was very tasty, fresh and flavorful. I loved the local mushrooms fish. You can really see the effort the chef puts into designing the food and making sure the food is fresh. However my 3 stars was due to the food in my opinion being overly salty. I just felt each dish had too much salt, ehich made it difficult to finish. With a little cut back on the salt I would have given a higher review. read more

I tend to be highly critical, and often times somewhat negative. But ROK has done something amazing; stopped me dead in my tracks. Sincerely speaking, if you're looking for an illuminating dining experience, one that will transform and delight you, dine at ROK. I could go on about the sauces, or the meat, or the unforgettable starters, but never mind all that. They've discovered the means, through cuisine, to transcend guests to the next level of dining experiences. It's my first time here, but as a Saint Paul resident I say now with a full stomach and full confidence, this is the greatest food in this city. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. read more