Good food, nice people, and a great atmosphere! I will go again whenever I am in town.

We came in this afternoon as a large group of 11. We were seated and given menus, but waited for 15 minutes with no one even acknowledging us or taking our drink order. There was a bartender and a waitress working, along with two customers at the bar who were there together. Besides those people, our group were the only customers there. The bartender and the waitress only focused on those two people at the bar and were doing shots with them. We were definitely made to feel like we were an intrusion and not welcomed. It was a very uncomfortable, awkward situation. With that being said, we all got up and left and went down the street to the Rockton Inn, where we were seated and taken care of right away. This could have been a "one off" situation, but if this is how they run their establishment, I would not recommend going here. read more

Ordered the steak salad. The steak was almost inedible. One end was rubbery. My husband and I ordered medium. Mine came medium rare and his was medium well. He had the surf n turf. Won't be back. Service was just ok. read more

Went to Rookies last night to watch the Badgers, Happy family happy life. We will be back

We had been camping near Rockton and went into town looking for some air conditioning, food & drinks. We found ourselves on Main St- it is super cute- with several bar & grilles and shops. Ended up choosing Rookies. Menu has your normal pub food- burgers- pizza and wings, but also some unexpected surprises like several pasta dishes which the waitress recommended. Ordered the Alfredo with blackened chicken - it was amazing! You could tell the sauce was homemade. Several other tables had ordered the soup which looked great and also homemade. Also had the nachos, beef sandwich and grilled chicken sandwich baked with spinach & artichoke dip on top- all of it was really good! Highly recommend if you are looking for cold drinks- great food and a friendly atmosphere! We will def back! read more

Great place for some great food! The service was excellent. I wasn't sure what to have a went with the recommendation of our server and was very pleased. I had a chicken, spinach and artichoke flatbread topped with bacon... delish!! My partner had a burger with tots... he loved it!! The ambiance was great. Looked like a typical bar with a restaurant/pub and some slots. The place place looked and get clean. read more

Great place and the food was phenomenal. Very cute bar to sit and have a good lunch! Would also be great for a night out with friends. Server was personable and awesome read more

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Rookies provided a great bar atmosphere that I surely won't forget. I had found them with a search of "Wings nearby" here on Yelp. Their food looked great, so I decided to give it a try. Although it was busy, the bartender took care of the bar and the dining room like a champion. She was very attentive to the entire building and did her job with absolute perfection. Unfortunately, I can't give a 5-star because of the lack of ability to prepare popular mixed drinks. Bars should receive an exceptional rating when they provide an above-and-beyond experience that you cannot receive elsewhere. They didn't have a drink menu with exclusive or non-exclusive drink recipes, sadly, and turned down two basic mixed drink requests before I had just ordered a glass of wine. Furthermore, the bar seats were very uncomfortable and were not inviting of a long stay. This is just my opinion. That said, their food menu really excelled. They provided a menu that made it hard for me to choose. So rather than spending time choosing, we just had decided to get a few different appetizers. Let me tell you, this route did not disappoint. We ordered nachos, tacos, and wings. The offerings were delivered with a very "homey" preparation. We didn't experience the typical greasy mess that you experience at most bars, and we didn't experience the over-elevated offerings that you find at some bars. The food was some of the most comforting food I've had, and it was reminiscent of what I'd make for myself at home. I loved this. It was a unique dining experience for me! Rookies is definitely worth giving a try. read more

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We stopped in for a quick weekend lunch during pelican fest. I got a grilled cheese and my friend got a beer and a quesadilla. It was crowded but very clean and a good value for money. In my opinion they were understaffed but that said our waitress was super fast and attentive. read more

The food here is delicious! Service is ok most staff are nice have had a couple not so friendly.

Came here on a Friday night while my husband and I were in town. Looking for a place with good drinks and burgers. It wasn't so busy at 6 that the place was packed, but it was busy enough which is a good sign. Our waitress was really fast, friendly, and attentive. The inside has a family friendly neighborhood bar feel. Outside patio looks nice. Our food was good, the drinks were great. As my husband put it, 'that hit the spot'. read more

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Love the food hate the service. We will stick to carry out going forward. Not enough staff. One server/bartender for the whole place. I shouldn't have to wait an hour at my table to order food in a bar. read more

I have always loved the food cocktails and atmosphere at this little pub and grill. The wood fire oven adds a touch smoke to every dish and creates a genuinely great meal and atmosphere. read more

Our favorite place for lunch when we out in the area for girl shopping days. Free popcorn. Service is always great & correct, also. Love the high, private booths. Tv's everywhere! read more

Great waitstaff and good fish fry. Pizza was bar food quality. Seems like a good place to watch a game and have some drinks.

The food is good and you can count on the food being made the same way each time. The service it great. There is a new owner...ambiance has changed drastically...it is a very small pub with 5 ding ding ding slot machines going off next to you while you're trying to enjoy the food and friends. They have moved the slot machines to front and center...it feels so crowded now even though it doesn't seat many people. The noise congestion has killed the ambiance as a restaurant. We decided to go elsewhere to eat and have a few drinks...But if you're a slot machine enthusiast go to Rockton for a Main Street that's full of slot machines. read more

I have long awaited a gem like Rookies to settle into Rockton! Awesome craft beer selection and the food was fantastic. I was visiting my parents for a couple of days, and normally we venture to Rockford for going out to eat. The Rockton/Roscoe area has some gems, but normally not enough to keep us satisfied. On this particular night my parents insisted we go to Rookies. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised! Our waitress was friendly and knew my parents, because they have become regulars giving the restaurant the perfect small town touch. I got a grilled shrimp wrap, which was delicious. The beers were good, and the ambiance was casual and friendly. Nothing more that you could ask for! This is definitely a new favorite of mine. Well done, Rookies! read more

High quality bar food with great drink selection. I had bacon and blue cheese burger which was nicely cooked and a well executed, no frills burger. Tater tots are very crispy and come coated in a savory seasoning. Service was pleasant but very slow even for lunch on a non busy day. Don't expect to get in and out quickly or to have fast refills on drinks. Biggest complaint was that my meal was overpriced in my opinion. Iced tea and burger came out to $17 and while it was good... It wasn't $17 good. Beer menu was also in the 4-7$ range which makes sense in a city but not a little town like rockton read more

Great addition to downtown Rockton. Rookies has a great craft beer selection and everything form the burgers to the wood fire pizza is phenomenal. Great place to hang out and watch any sports event with plenty of TV's throughout (it's not a huge place keep in mind). There's a few gaming machines in the corner if you're into that but otherwise the outdoor patio was nice (before the construction) and hopefully that will be back in the spring/summer. read more

Just passing through town and checked this place bc of Yelp. Excellent decision! It is a cool little neighborhood pub, extremely family friendly and convenient. Wonderful service, excellent food and ridiculously low prices. All set in a really cool little downtown. I had one of their wood fired burgers and tater tots that were delicious, but they had an impressive list of sandwiches that looked awesome as well. If I have the opportunity to return I definitely would. read more

Tonight was my first time at Rookies. I had been searching around the area for a place where I could go to that had good vibes and that I could feel comfortable going to alone. I had had a horrible day at work and really needed a drink and some artery clogging food. This place was fantastic. The ladies that work here have great attitudes and warm personalities. I got a hot buffalo chicken wrap with fries and all of it was outstanding. They make their own buffalo sauce and I could cover it in everything I eat forever (I'm passionate about a good buffalo sauce..). The fries were nice and crispy. They have a great craft beer selection. I could definitely see myself making this a regular place for me. (As many people already have). 10 out of 10 would do again ;D read more

I have drank at Rookies many times and eaten there four times. This review is mainly about the Pizza. The pizza is thin and crispy, but to get that effect they are burning the crap out of the crusts edges. Now the important part. You sauce isn't great. Pizza sauce should be delicious on it's own. It should be so delicious that if you tasted it out of he pot, someone should have to pry you away from the stove to stop you eating it all right there. Rookies' isn't. It is dull, a bit of tomatoey liquid that at least gives the sour counterpoint to the rich toppings. A $12, 8 inch, pizza deserves way better, and so do I. Do some more experiments. I think the appetizers are way too small and overpriced. A poutine consisting of a handful of fries and some sausage gravy on the top for $10? A pile of burnt tortilla chips on half a plate of spinach artichoke dip for about the same? The good news? The burgers are fairly good. A half pound burger should be thicker than what they are serving, though. It probably weighs half a pound, but is too thin to really do rare and medium rare effectively. These are fairly priced and come with delicious tater-tots. Keep working on it, Rookies. I'll be back to check it out. You haven't lost me, yet! read more

we recently stopped by for quick drink and lunch. I was surprised at the variety on the menu. We enjoyed a thin crust chicken ranch pizza and cup of tomato basil soup. The food and service was outstanding. It was so good that we returned a week later for the same meals..and brought friends. read more

I've never heard of a Russian Muse. But, I really liked it. I had the mixed berry one. I love the cold, cold mug! We ordered nachos, I was a tad disappointed in the size, however they were very good. I do think the menu looks phenomenal and I look forward to trying something else. Great atmosphere, friendly server and food came out fresh. Not much more to say other than, I highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed. Great website too, I like when I can see pictures of the food. That burger though!!!! read more

Pretty decent bar food! We ordered 10 wings (69 cents apiece on Wednesdays), half of them with a Honey BBQ Jack Daniels flavoring and the other half with Teriyaki flavoring. Unfortunately the wings weren't as good as at other places in the area (The Firehouse Pub) since the sauce was just poured on top liberally, causing large puddles to be made without evenly coating the wings. However, the wings were pretty big and came out hot, which was nice! The beer selection was also fairly diverse. Lots on tap to choose from, and the tap handles on the ceiling was a nice piece of decoration that also served the purpose of displaying previous beer options! Now onto my main dish. I ordered a South of the Border Burger, which featured a number of spicy components. Sliced jalapeños and onion rings on top of a burger with chipotle cheese was delicious, with a satisfying crunch in every bite. The spice was present without being overpowering. The burger came with a side of tater tots and all in all, I was quite happy with the meal. Unfortunately, our meals came out about a minute after the wings were delivered, and our waitress apologized for our entrees coming out faster than intended. This prompted us to wolf down the wings in order to make room on the table for the burgers. Apart from that though, the service was great! Our drinks were filled and our waitress frequently checked in to make sure everything was satisfactory. I would go back to Rookies again, but not before I tried other places in the area. Nothing about the experience was particularly outstanding, leading me to want to be a little adventurous and try other places first. I would however recommend Rookies to a friend looking for a bar in the area! read more

Oh Rookies, I wanted so desperately to love you. When I come into Rockford to visit my parents, we always end up driving long distances to go out to eat since there aren't a lot of good local options in Rockton.With a massive craft beer list (LOVE!) and wood fire pizzas, I thought Rookies was going to be our new local go to, but the food was very lackluster. We tried: - shrimp tacos, which were okay but served with a small portion of tater tots -spinach and artichoke pizza, also just okay -chicken bacon ranch pizza, served cold -bacon wrapped shrimp Overall, the pizzas we ordered had plentiful, high-quality toppings, but a poor tomato sauce base and pitiful pre-packaged crust made them flavorless and boring, even after being cooked in a wood pizza oven. The crusts are clearly not made on site and taste like a stale old cracker. Rookies has spent so much time creating a number of interesting toppings combinations for their signature pizzas, that I'm not sure why they would waste their time with such a poor quality pre-packaged crust. I wouldn't order one again until they've upped their game. The service was great - our server was very attentive, especially when we took a while to decide on our beers and had a guest join after the initial round of drinks was ordered. She was apologetic about the cold pizza delivered to our table and quickly took care of it. Overall, I didn't find my new local dining spot, but I did find a low key local sports bar to catch the game with friends or meet up for a great brew. The beer list was extensive for a local bar and the prices weren't bad either. I'll be back for a drink! read more

Wow, I can't believe this place was so close to where I live and I haven't visited in the last 4 years. To start with it a local bar in downtown Rockton and the service is excellent. Our waitress was so attentive I felt like we were the most important people there. Not only that, but the refills on beer were fast and she was even knowledgeable about all the beers on the menu. The food and drink variety is huge. Every type of beer you can imagine with helpful descriptions and well organized. The food menu has everything from burgers to pizza to even sushi. I had a straight cheese burger with fries and I was blown away. The burger was perfectly cooked with good seasoning on a soft bun with jalapeños and cheese. It was so simple, yet so perfectly prepared I was taken aback. The fries were also perfectly seasoned, crispy and a good quantity that I felt completely satisfied. Overall this place is a diamond in the rough. Friendly knowledgeable staff with excellent food in a small town atmosphere. I would highly recommend this bar/pub to anyone who loves good burgers and beer read more

The food here is great, but each time we've gone the service has been terrible. One person managing the bar and entire restaurant and they were out of a lot of food. We won't be going back. read more

We have become regulars at Rookies. The southwest burger is a must try! The tater tots are amazing. Great service always! They are also good with my kids. read more

We ordered so.much.food. And loved all of it! Poutine was good (nice touch with the Italian sausage), buffalo chicken wrap was pretty standard (tasted fresh though and tots were awesome crispy), but the bacon mac n cheese pizza, ladies and gentlemen, is where it's at. I could have died happy eating that alone. Definitely worth the shortened life span for all that cheesy goodness. A littleee extra bacon wouldn't hurt, but that's just me. :) Great spot for a quick bite to eat and some craft beers too! read more

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What I like most about this place is the feeling when you go in. It is a tight little spot that is going to make you friends fast. Most of downtown Rockton is pretty divey but this place raises the bar with the remodel and the TVs. The bar staff is fun and their craft beer selection is solid and they know a little bit about what they are pouring and can make recommendations. It also seems like they actually keep their draft lines clean. I haven't had the food but the menu is pretty standard bar fare, maybe a touch more creatuve. I can't speak to food quality but they have a wood fired oven so hopefully they won't screw it up. read more

Stopped into Rookies after having read their menu online. Their menu had some awesome items on it for a very decent price. It is a small bar/restaurant, but there were people of all ages dining there. My husband ordered the jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon (appetizer) and he received 5 JUMBO ones! I order the shrimp tacos and there were 3 of them, with 3 jumbo shrimp in each one. The French fries that came with my tacos were AWESOME! So were the tacos! I can hardly wait to go back again!! read more

Tried rookies on a Sunday for lunch. Beer: great selection of craft beers especially for a small bar. Food: had the pretzel bites which were advertised as having sea salt, but I'm pretty sure they were just frozen Super Pretzels with the salt that comes with them; they were overpriced. We both had pizzas, one by accident. This is thin crust which isn't my favorite. I had one with black olives (canned), prosciutto, pepperoni, and fresh mozzarella. It was ok, not sure I'd get it again. My bf ordered Mac and cheese w bacon, but he got a pizza with Mac and cheese with no bacon. It was a gut bomb, to say the least. He felt bad bc it wasn't what he ordered but did not send it back. I read here that the pizza was gourmet but it didn't impress me. I didn't try this place before the kitchen fire but it appears their menu is different. I didn't see tots or a beef sandwich :/ Atmosphere: loud bar Service: decent but the ordering mistake wasn't great. Overall I'd drink beer there, food not so sure... read more

Good food! My boyfriend had the monster Bloody Mary meal and he really liked it and I had the caprese burger, the only thing is I would add another slice of cheese and put it on ciabatta. read more

Rookies Pub & Grill - Monster Bloody Mary meals! I didn't have this but my boyfriend did and he really liked it! - Pizza Near Me - Rockton, Illinois

I finally made it into Rookies and wish I had sooner. I have been looking for the hidden gem in this area for months, and after one visit, I think I may have found it. This is small, yet not dumpy. I went on a Saturday afternoon to watch college football. Different games on every tv. They did not have a huge selection on tap, but every one was quality. They did not have Miller, Coors, and But Lights all on tap like many other places. I was able to get beers I have never tried before! I was skeptical about their beef sandwich because of the luck I have had in this area. I finally got one that had some substance and flavor! Not fatty, toasted with mozzarella, side of giardiniera. The tots were hot and crispy, not starchy and soft. The bartender Ryan was personable and helpful. I will be back sooner than later! read more

Rookies Pub & Grill - Beef sandwich with tots. Very good! - Pizza Near Me - Rockton, Illinois

Nice clean friendly stop in a cute little downtown. Food was tasty and service what great. Definitely recommend for traditional pub food.

Was in town visiting my brother & sister-in-law, and they recommended Rookies for dinner. Upon first glance I wasn't sure how good the food would be, as this place was quite small & seemed to be more sports & slots oriented. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that the food is amazing, way beyond what you would normally find at a typical sports bar, and better than most restaurants. We came in on a Monday, when pizzas are 50% off. We ordered a veggie pizza w/ onions, mushrooms, artichokes @ garlic, and a meat lovers pizza. Both were delicious, especially the veggie one. They use a thin crust & season everything perfectly. We had shrimp de jhonge which was beyond scrumptious. The 6 shrimp were baked in a delicious garlic butter sauce, topped w/ crispy crumbs. I shared the Blackened salad w/ chicken which had sautéed onions & mushrooms on a bed of romaine, along with bacon bits and tasty blackened chicken pieces, along with an order of freshly baked pretzel sticks, which were served with a cheese dip. We had more than we could eat, and enjoyed everything tremendously. Highly recommend this lil gem!!! read more

Place is hyped up big woodfired food great pictures online. The pictures have drawn me into try and try again. Looks like a place for a foodie. But, the food isn't really all that great. I've had pizza the edges were all black. Burger was a better option but not really impressive. The biggest issue is just the ambiance dated interior, dark bar, loud music, loud patrons. I've taken guests here and after sitting down they requested to go across the street to Fibs. It's just loud dark and dingy. Not as comforting as their imagery provides. read more

Food was okay but service was not good. Went here on a Thursday not real busy but steady. Waitress was not attentive to our table able at all. Plate was dirty and asked for another one but never received it or drink refills. She then argued with us when we questioned the wings that my daughter didn't like. Kept telling us what do you want me to do that is what she ordered. Never checked on us on her own we had to keep calling her over. Friendly to other tables but ours. Didn't leave a tip due to poor service and she followed us out into the parking lot screaming at us. Not okay. Will never return back. read more

Great atmosphere​, great food, Phenomenal owners!!! Check out the Tuesday special 1/2 price burgers!!