Irish Rose Saloon
519 E State St, Rockford, IL, 61104
Irish Rose Saloon Menu
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Address :
519 E State St
Rockford, IL, 61104 - Phone (815) 964-0480
- Website https://www.irishrosesaloon.net/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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D M.
No Amex. Food was good, wait staff too. Go, enjoy, leave happy.
(4)Rhonda G.
I would come here every time I make a trip to Rockford. It was after the lunch rush. What lured me in, besides the gorgeous building, was the special listed was copper river salmon. Once I got in and saw the price, I ordered the shephards pie. Even on the most boiling of days, I'm up for it, same with the beer cheese soup. I enjoyed both. A great local pub, even for tourists.
(4)Jeannette M.
Ordered the blue cheese mushroom appetizer and 1. It was bland and had no flavor and 2. Each mushroom was full of liquid....moisture from the mushroom? I don't know. Either way it was so unappetizing to look at and even worse to eat. That turned us off for the rest of our dinner so we just left and went somewhere else! Yuck.
(1)Natasha M.
Friday night we stopped to eat before a show at the Coronado. We only had an hour and did tell the server. He made sure to place our orders right away. Did a great job helping us get to the show on time. We had the cream of onion soup as a starter. We enjoyed warm bread as a side. The two men had the filet and potatoes. They were surprised it was sliced and served with a red wine reduction. Both enjoyed it a lot. I had mussels and pasta. A lot of mussels - well cooked and flavorful. My dirty martini was perfect. Many options of beers to select. Overall, we will return but with time to linger and enjoy.
(4)Jason K.
Stopped by the Irish Rose Saloon for a Wednesday night dinner with a group of 7 at around 6pm. The place was pretty empty, except for a group of folks at the bar and a couple of tables with customers. Was pleased to be greeted and seated almost immediately by a friendly waiter. For appetizers, we decided to try: 1. Olive oil, Parmesan, basil pesto & sun dried tomato pesto -- pretty much exactly as described. Only disappointment was that the dish wasn't served with additional bread for dipping...only the standard table bread that is put out when customers first are seated 2. Sweet corn pesto -- served "on the cob", this was the hit of the trio of appetizers. As there were 7 of us, and only 4 cobs served, we used a knife to take the corn off the cob, then enjoyed it as a group. As I said, this was definitely the highlight of the apps. 3. Calamari -- standard calamari, with nothing really unique/special with the preparation. The consensus from the group that I was with, was that they were under seasoned and overly fried (almost greasy). Along with our dinners, we had the choice of soups (chicken vegetable or an onion soup) or salads (house salad with a variety of unique dressings to choose from). Several of us went with the onion soup, and were left a bit disappointed. It was a cream based soup...and that's pretty much all you tasted, was the cream. We almost used up an entire shaker of pepper trying to bring some additional dimension of flavor to the soup. For those that got the salads, it sounds like the house salad with the French Vinaigrette was the clear winner. For our entrees, we had a good variety. Personally, I had the mussels and pasta, and was pleased with the selection. I will say that the portion was HUGE...and I know have lunch and/or dinner for tomorrow! From what I could gather from the rest of the group, the steaks were the other big hit. Would I come back to Irish Rose Saloon? Probably. They do have a good looking selection for their menu...and I appreciate that they take some risks with their cuisine.
(3)Paul K.
Not sure what happened but the bloody Mary's were a complete disappointment. The hamburgers were a greasy awful mess and were horrible. My parents had the steak which was tough and their excuse for a salad was a piece of lettuce with some bad dressing. Maybe we caught them on a bad day but I do not plant to be back. An amazingly bad turn around in a years time.
(1)Michael S.
Many local restaurants in downtown Rockford have came and went. There's a reason why the Irish Rose is still around. Reasonably priced food, and gracious servers we've come to appreciate. We love how all the employees seem to love and take ownership in the Rose. I'd recommend the stuffed chicken with goat cheese and prosciutto. A great place, a great space, with delicious food. We would be regulars if we did not live so far away.
(4)Cindy K.
I have been eating at the Irish Rose since Mike had the restaurant located on Madison just off of State Street. I like eating there, I like drinking there, I like going to hear music, have parties, ArtScene, First Friday's. Very good beer and wine selections, market fresh food. The staff can be hit or miss, but since I used to be one of the staff, I cannot complain if a server is occasionally off their game. Check the specials in the RRTimes, on Facebook, or the large slate board. Softshell crab, octopus salad, dry aged steak, fresh fish. The ceviche is wonderful. Went today for corned beef and cabbage. My Yorkshire friend was very pleased with his lunch. I had the Guiness-braised pork sandwich. Both were delicious. Good solid food. Local atmosphere. Recommended.
(4)Bryn G.
The restaurant itself is very nice and has a very nice ambiance.....but it seems like many things about my dining experience were very hit and miss. I went with some friends and one of my friends had a baby with her....a major con is this restaurant is not baby friendly. The appetizers were good but our main dishes were all very small (with the exception of my bangers and mash). The restaurant didn't have birthday candles....and then we asked a waiter to take a picture of our table when he had a second, he sighed and waited 30 seconds before he said "Um, yeah." Last but not least it was really cold outside on the night in question and every time the door was opened an icy blast came tumbling in. By the end of the night I had given up restaurant etiquette and and was wearing my jacket!
(2)Peter D.
The food is VERY good, great specials every night. The mussels and pasta, excellent. I love the menu board and the countdown of the items left.
(4)Julia H.
I already sent an email to the owner, but I have to echo the statement of woman below. We waited nearly 20 minutes before we were given even menus to look at. A table that sat down after us (that was right next to us) was given menus and taken drink orders before us. Absolutely disappointing service. While the food was delicious (hey chefs of Irish Rose- you should really consider trying to get someone to fund your work elsewhere- once you learn to cook a steak medium rare and not well), the wait and service was horrible. The complete complacency was also extremely disappointing. No one seemed to care.
(1)Roger G.
Bad food and bad service. 4 for drinks and apps on Saturday night. Had zucchini app which was slimy and undercooked. Couldn't even convince ourselves to stay and get something else. What was really bad was - the staff all sat in the corner of the bar devouring food while we waited for our app. They looked like homeless people getting their fist meal. Huge turnoff. Ive worked in restaurants and know that one of biggest things you dont allow is staff to eat in front of guests. Not to mention they were dressed like hobos. Would not recommend. Too bad.
(1)Caitlin L.
Irish Rose has absolutely amazing food. The basil salad dressing is out of this world. The bruschetta is extremely fresh and also delicious. I have yet to have a bad meal here. The food is always delicious and the fresh board always has interesting items on it. They change out their menu frequently which is great but they did take away my favorite dish, which I miss! Lately, I've been enjoying the stuffed chicken. The chicken is juicy and the flavors are wonderful. Irish Rose also has some of the city's best Cosmos! Great atmosphere, great food. One of my absolute favorites.
(5)Mark W.
No. I won't be back. I'm here now. Took over half an hour to place an order because they had ran out of everything by 7pm. The place is dirty, tablecloths are stained and filthy and they rely on a single window AC unit to keep the place cool. I can say I tried it but I just wanted to be out of there. It just keeps getting worse. There will be an email sent to address this.
(1)Jack K.
We have always come for lunch and get the turkey sandwich. Today for some reason they decided to change the bread and reduce the amount of turkey. It was not good. The soup always came with bread. None today. We looking for a new place for lunch.
(2)D. N.
Got the grilled chicken from here, it was kind of dry. I like the area/location and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere. I like how they write how much of particular items them have on a chalkboard; very creative.
(4)Stephen H.
The Rose is a gastropub that doesn't know that it is nor does it pretend to be. Been 4 times now and have always had great service, reasonably-priced and well-mixed cocktails, and good food. Last week I was there and had prime rib, ceviche, and a poblano stuffed with duck sausage. Good times. It's also a great place to grab a laid-back late night drink. Great outdoor seating.
(4)Brian C.
Slots in the restaurant!?!? Facebook page says it makes it more like a saloon?!? Huh!? Ugh. Sorry but it totally changes how I feel about the place. I am going to make one more trip here- and I may change this to 2 stars. Just... Slots!?!?!!
(3)Debbie L.
Took my son and girlfriend to dinner here to see if this could be a choice for homecoming. Service was terrible. Had to ask for water 3 times and bread twice. Waitress rarely showed back to the table. I had the sirloin which was tasteless absolutely no seasoning or flavor. My son had a burger with a bun that was stale. My husbands pesto with asparagus pasta was ok but when he asked for cheese for his pasta he was brought a small plate of grated cheese that we were charged for. Got charged for cheese for pasta??? No where else we have eaten does that. We will not be back.
(1)EatingOutWithAGirl ..
The more I visit Rockford, the more I like it. :) One of the main reasons is: The Irish Rose. Upon walking through the door, one might think, "Aw shit, it's an Irish Pub so, I'll get some chips..." Then BOOM, you take a look at the menu and the specials and you're like, "Mmmmhhhmmm, I'm good here. Really, good." I like to sit at the bar because the staff at The Rose, is beyond, Fabu and CAN make a GREAT cocktail too. (Yes, I know, it rhymes) #Haha Let's get down and dig on the nom, nom, Bread Plate which is FULL of Veggie Love. Olive oil, Parmesan, Basil Pesto & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and of course, the bread. #NomNom Other things to munch on while awaiting the many Veggie Love entrees offered are: Wood Grilled Zucchini, Mozzarella with Tomato & Basil on Bruschetta, Peruvian Mountain Asparagus, and a few salads, of course. You're not full yet are ya? Check out these yummies: A bunch of different Veggie Pastas with FRESH ingredients. A HOMEMADE Veggie Burger AND let's not forget the HUGE FRESH BOARD! Serving up fresh Guac, Saganaki and my FAVE, Pesto Sweet Corn. #MouthWateringNow I can't say enough positive things about this downtown Rockford pub. Do yourself the favor and just go there now. :) PS: Was it mentioned yet that Thursdays at The Irish Rose are: Vegetarian Thursdays? #MostExcellent PPS: Daily Drink Specials, Uh Huh! Side Note: There IS, a parking lot AND it's FREE. LAST but NOT LEAST, don't forget to ask about the delectable desserts. #omg The Irish Rose Saloon - 519 E State St, Rockford, IL 61104 - (815) 964-0480 *Eating Out With A Girl* #EOWAG EatingOutWithAGirl.com #EOWAG *Eating Out With A Girl* - Veggie Love in Unexpected Places. :)
(5)Chris S.
holy crap!!! absolutely the worst service I have ever had in 20 years of dining out. such a shame, the food was up to par but our server was beyond worthless. took 10 minutes for our first visit from him, another 10 to come back and take our drink order. after we finally ordered our entrees another waiter had to bring us our food. our server never once checled on us, Mary sat with an empty drink, my water wss long gone and our table was a mess. after 20 minutes I finally waived down someone who appeared to work here and asked for our check. she swore at us and then screamed at the waiter. never got a chance to order desert or another drink. do yourself a favor amd avoid this place...such a shame, used to be our favorite place to eat in Rockford.
(1)Elaheh S.
Great food and service. There were 4 of us, we ordered different foods and we all loved what we got. However, the restroom was not clean.
(4)Jonathan S.
Stopped by for lunch. Great wine and beer selection. Had their soup, salad and bread. Their basil salad dressing is amazing. Chicken and vegetable soup didn't have a whole lot of flavor. This place is sort of our go-to restaurant in Rockford. Plan on continuing to come back when were in town.
(4)Heather D.
Husband and I stopped in here for dinner on Friday night. I had the Scratch Ravioli and it means just that. Completely made from scratch and delicious. My husband had the Garlic Scallops. He said they were among the best scallops he has ever had. Prices were reasonable, service was friendly and good, and the building was a quaint old building with work by local artists. We will definitely be back.
(4)Sara L.
I have always been a huge fan of this place. The food is always great and prices are on point!. Me and my family have been going here for years. However, you come here for the food and not for the service. You will get what I am saying ...just read further. The calamari w/ rosemary olive oil and lemon is just delicious! Yes, I know why would you want something fried hanging out in oil at your plat...that is just crazy. Just try it and you will be like oh damn this is good. I am a huge fan of their pastas and fish plates. The pastas are flavorful and light, never drenched in sauces like other places. If you are like me, a huge soup fan, then you will love their soups. Sometimes I wonder if they could have the soup on the menu in a giant bowl. So why not the four stars or five? Easy..the service. It can be hit or miss sometimes. Some days we go there and we get great service. Other times you are trying to flag down a waiter even though the place is empty. If they had more consistent service then it will be a 4 star. Even thought the service is hit or miss..I still like coming here every time I am in town visiting the folks.
(3)John G.
Excellent healthy fresh food. I've tried 4 items and every one great in its own way. Service has always been great.
(5)Matt D.
The burger was greasy and flavorless. It was overcooked. I ordered it medium-rare. It came out well done. It took forever to get another drink. After she dropped off the check. After I filled it out and took out the plastic. She came over pretty quickly. Figures. The entrance is not easy for me to get in. I use a walker for mobility. The bathroom stall was just as cramped. If somebody has a wheelchair, forget it.
(1)Carolyn W.
My husband and I LOVE this restaurant. We've probably been there 4-5 times, last night being the most recent to celebrate his birthday. We've always loved the meals we chose, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The prices for both food and drink are right on the money, and we've always had great service. Will be going back again very soon!
(5)Gary C.
Excellent spot for great lunch! Had the corned beef and cabbage. It was delicious. Loved the carmalized peach with crem fresh
(5)Stephanie I.
i have had 5 consistently amazing meals from the Rose in the last couple of months. 2 dining in, 3 carried out. The food has been exceptional and the service has been much better than the reputation they have been working against for some time. I recommend the wild mushroom linguini with added grilled vegetables- YUM. The grilled chicken sandwich with house fries, or the Irish hot pork (braised in guinness) on a cold winters day. If you get the pleasure of dining in on a day they have their pineapple cheesecake, i highly recommend! Man, you guys are making me a happy girl. Ive been meaning to write a review since the last visit. Keep up the great work!
(4)Mark L.
Been to Irish Rose more than a dozen times and have always had a good dining experience. Sometimes service is a bit slow, but nonetheless good food in a city with few choices for its size.
(4)Daniella D.
I gave this place three tries. The commercial says fresh, with a distinct emphasis on fresh. Each time I was there my food was greasy, definitely not fresh. I will never return & wouldn't recommend it. Our friends have had similar experiences on different visits.
(1)Joshua N.
Really good food! Great service. The menu has a very good variety. Their food goes very well with beer.
(4)Nikki S.
Irish Rose?? How about Irish Blows!! I have been to the Irish a couple times prior to this evening for app's, cocktails, and dinner. However, after tonight's experience, I will not be back. My boyfriend and I went there for a cocktail and dinner, We chose Irish Rose because it was one of the only places for dinner downtown Rockford on a Sunday night. The weather was perfect, so we had planned on eating outside. When we arrived, I was immediately disappointed with their "outdoor seating". Their outdoor seating is a a few plastic chairs and a couple tables- Crap! We waited a few minutes until our heavily tattooed server "greeted" us... or, should I say her greeting was "uhmm, we are out of bread and all seafood except for the scallops"... When we asked her what the special was, her response was "uhmm, bloody mary's and burgers??".. all while twirling her hair and telling a friend of hers that she loved him as he was leaving the restaurant- not professional. So, needless to say, we paid for my pathetic pour of what she considered a glass of wine and left. I will not be back.
(1)Roman R.
I don't come here enough to be recognized by the staff, but close. Drinks are tops. Not craft cocktails, but good, solid drinks. Everything is high quality, and I have never had bad service here, although I have heard reports outside of yelp that this can be the case. The highest compliment that I can pay a midwest eatery is that the pasta that I have ordered is cooked properly. It sounds simple, but most places in rockford don't get it right.
(4)John H.
Gin Bloody Mary with Bacon. It was a normal Sunday afternoon, sipping on a red drink with green onions and a slice of bacon peeking out the top. This concoction was first created last Sunday with love and care. Only $3.50 on Sundays. We showed our server that you can use the green onion as a straw. She seemed to like that. Surprisingly the bacon didn't get soggy. It looked like they had pretty good drink specials every day of the week. Their website has all of the specials. I was told they have delicious ceviche but they can't seem to keep it around very long so I wasn't able to try it. I'm basing the four star review on the friendly server and experience at the Irish Rose.
(4)Ami T.
Seriously the best veggie burger I have ever had! They make the patties in their kitchen so no Boca burgers here. Everyone in my party enjoyed their food as well. My only complaint was that the waitstaff was so horribly rude and unfriendly. Both the hostess and the waitress were terrible.
(4)James R.
I took my wife her for lunch last Friday. It wasn't busy at all when we walked in. In fact we were the only patrons there. Despite a sign that advises you to "Wait to be Seated" we were told to sit anywhere we wanted. The waitress came over and took our drink orders and explained the specials to us. She also took the time to explain the menu board. I've seen their commercials in town where they talk about how fresh their food is. It's interesting to see that on the board they actually list the quantity of each item. I will say that you don't necessarily want to trust the board. The waitress had told us one of the specials was the Atlantic Salmon. Both my wife and I latched onto that, but the board said they where out... It was 11:00 AM, I wasn't sure how they where out of the daily special already. After inquiring with the waitress she double checked and advised that the number on the board was incorrect and that they did have the salmon. The salmon came with a choice of soup or salad, linguine and asparagus with a dill sauce. I had the salad with their home made bleu cheese dressing. I love bleu cheese, this creamy bleu cheese was so mild it almost tasted like a ranch dressing with a bleu cheese flavoring. It wasn't impressive. My wife had one of their soups, she thought it was good. When the salmon arrive, it was a pretty small piece but for the price, it wasn't surprising. There where six small asparagus stalks and a generous helping of linguine. So I guess my meal was linguine with a side of salmon and asparagus. The salmon was good, it wasn't anything that would make me go out of the way for, but I did enjoy it. The dill sauce was fine for the asparagus, I prefer mine plain with just a little salt. The linguine was good. It had fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Overall the value of the meal vs the quantity and quality wasn't bad. It wasn't a great deal, but I don't feel like I was taken for a ride either. The nicest thing about The Irish Rose is the atmosphere. It's a beautiful old building with a large wonderful bar. I was able to see into one of the other rooms that they have an old tin ceiling, and I think those are very cool. The service was okay, it wasn't great and during our entire visit there where only two other tables there. The waitress seemed to be a little snotty about things, like the restaurant was doing us a privilege of letting us eat there. That may have just been me, because my wife said she didn't get that impression.
(3)Meg N.
Salad was very bland and not good at all but the burger and fries were delicious. Waitress was, however, not very attentive even though the place was not at all crowded. She was more interested in socializing with what was either coworkers or friend that were sitting at the bar
(3)Will R.
Great old building and vintage bar. Staff was friendly and helpful. Amazingly I didn't see a single television. Love that. We had the trout and scallops from the "fresh menu" and were very pleased. Great all around place and about the only thing we could find open in Rockford on a Sunday afternoon.
(4)Alice T.
Got this restaurant off yelp. Food was surprisingly good. Atmosphere was nice with a local pub feel.
(4)PA S.
Went here for New Year's Eve. I was pleasantly surprised by this little nook. The building is over 100 years old, and the owners have taken great care in reclaiming the classic look of the interior. Nothing looks out of place or too modern, nor does it become campy with a faux-retro look. The waitstaff was a bit over-enthusiastic to start, but adjusted to our personality very well. They know the specials, the cooking processes, and are not afraid to give an honest recommendation. We started with a calamari appetizer that came out too close to our soup for us to savor. Unfortunately, the calamari did not set the bar high for the rest of the evening. The dish was woefully under-seasoned and too greasy. The accompanying sauce did little to compensate. Our second course was a complete 180 from the appetizer. We both had the pulled pork potato soup, which was outstanding. Here, we got our taste of Irish Rose's reputation as having fresh food. The pork was freshly smoked, and not the least bit salty. The potatoes and broth complimented beautifully. This was an incredibly hearty bowl of soup. I could eat a bowl for lunch and be satisfied. I had the filet mignon special, with came with a red wine and butter sauce, asparagus, and a side of mash. I ordered the filet medium rare, and was told that the chef refused to serve it any other way. I almost walked into the kitchen and shook his hand. The meat was cooked perfectly. Usually, I have trouble with my medium rare orders coming out black and blue, but the meat was masterfully cooked. The sauce was a bit buttery, but complimented the meat well, which was seasoned with fresh peppercorns. The mash was good, but I was too impressed by the filet to take notice. My partner ordered the lamb chops, and commented that they were cooked properly, but that the cut was a bit fatty for her tastes. I did not try it, so I cannot comment extensively. For dessert, we split a chocolate mousse. This is not really a chocolate mousse, it is very thick with less air whipped into it. It is served with whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Rubbing the mint leaf on the spoon cuts the sweetness of the mousse just enough to make it perfect. The mousse was not too sweet, but not bland either. I will definitely return to sample more of the menu.
(4)Jamie H.
Came here on NYE for dinner at 7pm. We had reservations for four and were seated right away. The place wasn't too busy, which I was surprised by. Took quite a while for the food to come out, but it was pretty darn good, it was also at an incredible price. I got a salmon pasta with onions, mushrooms and a cream sauce. It was very good, but just a little bland. Could have used some sort of spice with it. The pesto balsamic dressing was AMAZING. I could have just eaten that by the spoonful! The jerk pork ribeye (something like that), that two of my friends got was also very tasty...and HUGE. Excellent place, and I'd frequent it again!
(4)D M.
No Amex. Food was good, wait staff too. Go, enjoy, leave happy.
(4)Elizabeth E.
What to say about The Rose? I've been going here on and off for the better part of 15 years. When I was single and wanted to meet a boy or an ex for a drink, I would go to the Rose. When I need to escape my family during the holidays, I go to the Rose. When I want to have a nice dinner with my siblings - but not pay the "nice dinner" price at Brio - I go to the Rose. I love The Rose's bread and spread plate, the pork chops with colcannon, and anything they do with mushrooms or asparagus. I've had more stiff drinks and glasses of wine at The Rose than I'd like to recall. I miss The Rose a great deal, and hope it never changes.
(5)Jarrod H.
I have been eating at Irish rose for about 6 Years. I must say i avoid eating here anymore. The service has gone way down hill. Since I live downtown i love to support all the local businesses, but Its impossible to enjoy my experience here. Food is always great but customer service is horrible. Drink Prices are extremely high for Rockford, no free refills on Fountain pop, and horrible customer service. Im sorry to say this is the only place i dont suggest to visitors to eat at. Step it up Irish Rose!
(1)Todd T.
FRESH, VERY FRESH is right!!! My wife and I really enjoy to eat at the Irish Rose. Their food is not pretentious, it's very flavourful and fresh. I particularlly love the Fresh board items. I tried the Cowboy steak the last time we dined, juicy and cooked to perfection. Never had a bad meal, always great. Only one negitive, is that they do not have a highchair available, we tried eating here a couple of months ago with our 1 yr old and needed a highchair. We ended up going to the Hope and Anchor instead.
(5)Jeff B.
Ate here recently for the first time in a while and the food was great. We had an app and I had a steak and thought they were both really fresh tasting and carefully prepared. Server was Dane and I also had him again when I went back a few days later for just drinks. He was fantastic both times. I do wish that they had a better selection of draft beers....they could do a lot better than the brews they had when I was there anyway. Besides that, overall these visits were a much improved experience than what I have had in previous years.
(4)Laura B.
I've been here twice now--once to eat and the second time just for drinks--and I would definitely come back. The beer menu is commendable (local, international, traditional favorites--you name it), and there were several I'd never heard of before. It's got a great night-time atmosphere for a drink with friends. It's somewhere between nightclub and coffeehouse. Nobody's getting wild in there, but if you want a good drink, a good meal, and engage in conversation that you can actually hear while music (sometimes live) plays in the background, then the Irish Rose is the spot. They have a set nightly menu and it's not exactly Michelin star gourmet, but it's much, much classier than your standard chain restaurant. The decor is homey and "old-timey" with roomy wooden booths and coat hooks--very pub-like in that regard. When we came for dinner, I had the best fillet mignon of my life; it was served in this incredible red wine sauce. My boyfriend ordered a different steak, and my friend ordered a pasta dish. However, both steaks were served cold. The waiter was happy to reheat them for us, but it took a bit of the bloom off the rose (sorry, no pun intended). After tasting all the dishes, we agreed that all three dishes (once reheated) were good, but the fillet mignon really was the best choice of the night. Considering that we ordered 6-7 drinks between us and had three entrees, the bill (after tax and tip) of $95 for three people seemed reasonable to me. This is a good local restaurant struggling to make it in a city that appears to be economically collapsing. I am happy to support this restaurant with my business in the future.
(4)Jazmin M.
the only thing i can really say i dislike about this place, is how small the menus are and the veggie burgers. the veggie burgers taste like capers, and thats all, a caper burger, not good. every other thing i've ordered there has blown my mind. their pasta is just incredible. and i'm honestly impressed by their soups. cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, i've also had a vegetable soup there, they know what they're doing. not salty or mixed with too many flavors, it's simple, and natural tasting.
(4)Maureen T.
If I could give this place no stars, I would. I avoid this place like the plague. The service is horrible, the food is not good enough for the amount of time it takes for it to get to the table and the waitstaff is rude. If you are going with multiple people and need to split a check, make sure that you all bring cash because check splitting is a task too difficult for these servers to handle. If you pay with a credit card, you have to tell the waiter what the tip should be before they run your card. This just makes me uncomfortable because there have been a few times where I've had to tip less than I normally due because of poor service. The restaurant could be totally empty and you will still have to wait... and wait... and wait. I stopped going to this place entirely for a while because the service is so terrible. I gave it a few years and though to myself that I should really give it another try because the service must have improved since my list visit. I could not have been more wrong. We waited 10 minutes just to get seated (I think we would have waited longer had I not been pregnant at the time) and then we waited another 15 minutes at our table waiting for someone to bring us menus. No one ever did. We left and passed multiple servers on the way out. No one said a word. There are too many other wonderful restaurants down town- don't waste your time here.
(1)Jon A.
love this place !!! feels like home. Fresh everything, home made food, strong drinks - what could be betterm ???
(5)Xaxa H.
Found this place while in Rockford for lunch. The veggie burger (made in-house) is fantastic! Great service! I love the decor...
(4)Martha F.
One of my favorite places. Nice atmosphere and the salmon linguine is simply awsome
(4)Royce E.
Irish Rose is one of my favorite restaurants, not only in Rockford, but anywhere. The restaurant itself is located in a very old building with creaky wooden floors, tin ceilings, and all around cool ambiance. I've been there many times and never had a bad meal or bad service. I'd like to add that I've seen some complaints that Irish Rose doesn't have high chairs for children. This may be a legitimate complaint, I'm torn on this. I see Irish Rose as more of a bar and as such I would never take my children there. That's just me, though. As for the person that complained about The Irish Rose not having birthday candles for a cake they brought in...why would they? Typically, restaurants don't have candles especially for a cake brought from outside the restaurant. Some people just expect too much of a place.
(5)Tinyee H.
The chicken cilantro soup is awesome!!!! It's so good for the cold weather AND curing the cold. The medallions of filet mignon were also very fork tender and buttery delicious. I couldn't stop myself, I just kept shoving them into my mouth, like it was a drug. I'll be back!
(4)David B.
If you like your food, that's great. If you don't like it, don't say anything. You'll receive a crass response from the server. If you complain about the server, you'll receive an arrogant and pompous reply from the chef (owner?) about how everything is authentic recipe and if you didn't enjoy it well you're just uneducated. I think this is the worst restaurant experience I have ever had in my entire life. I'm still stunned by it. Have you ever heard of Fawlty Towers? Basil Fawlty has opened a restaurant in Rockford.
(1)Claire H.
Food is ok. I've been there several times and had great food once (from the daily special menu). I hear the daily special menu is the only way to get good food there. The standard menu items are not good. The service at the bar is usually ok, but the wait staff is never on top of anything and I've had a few rude ones. I want to like this place because of the idea and location, but I've never been "wowed" and I never think I'm getting any sort of value or deal for the money I spend.
(2)Jon W.
Unlike Melissa W.'s review, I've eaten here frequently for over a decade and have only had one non-great meal in the entire time and typically have an attentive (at the least) server. Melissa has the look of the place correct with the big dark wood bar, but did not mention the large windows, the al fresco dining when weather permits, the other (non-bar) room where it is a bit quieter, or the "semi-private" booths near the kitchen. The atmosphere here is wonderful! Re: Inconsistency, I have yet to experience this, except for the ever-changing chalkboard menu, where the menu changes as ingredient availability permits (e.g. it is rare to have certain items be freshly available at certain times of the year). The food has always been consistently full of flavor, and many items are prepared in a wood-burning oven. I cannot personally vouch for the soup (I am very picky/finicky about soups and have yet to try it here), but the salads are usually mixed greens, the bread is freshly made that day, and the appetizers are more-than-appetizing. The entrees I have had are decently-sized and have usually exceeded my expectations. Be sure to save a bit of room for dessert, as the chocolate mousse, crepes, and creme brulee are _not_ to be missed (although some customers would disagree with me and instead recommend the cheesecake). Although I am not super-excited by the small number of wines from which to choose to compliment the great food, I have yet to have a bad-tasting glass of it here, and (being a "saloon") the selection of beers from which to choose is quite large if wines are not your thing (including _many_ great craft/regional brews and multiple imported brews--some of which also are on tap--in addition to cider. They also have the usual macrobrew "beer" selections that one finds practically everywhere else in the event that you only drink "water"/light "beer"/wimpy brews, but why have a crappy "macrobrew" when you can look at the beer list and get a better one to enjoy with your food?). If the Irish Rose was in a bigger city, you'd likely have to wait hours for a table to eat somewhere with food like this, and would pay a lot more to do so.
(5)Patrick H.
Not as good since the old chef left. Still decent food. Drinks are overpriced for the area and always have been.
(3)Erica D.
I really enjoy the food at Irish Rose. The food is always fresh; I was told by the server that they don't even have a freezer to store the food. It's defininitely one of my favorite places to eat in Rockford! And, they probably have best Calimari I've ever tried! People are serioulsy complaining about $5 beers? Really? If you enjoy "good" beer and look forward to trying a variety of craft-brews, then $5 a drink shouldn't surprise you.
(4)Mathew K.
The food is excellent but the service is terrible. The drink prices are a little too high and it just seems the place tries to be of a higher class when it has not done anything to deserve the rank. I do not plan to ever go back and it is a shame because I gave this place more than a fair share of chances.
(2)Wendy M.
Great food!!! Had a delicious lunch. Busy place & still good Service
(5)Andrew P.
Very overpriced. $5 for a beer in Rockford? No thanks. Cool space however, with great people watching in the front window seats. If you want a fancy place, go next store to Bacchus (I mean brio).
(2)Bradley W.
I had a very amazing meal on Tues for Irish Roses Veg. meal. it was cooked very well and had amazing flavor. this is by far my favorite place in rockford to eat
(5)Ashley L.
I love The Irish Rose. The food is great and the atmosphere is wonderful. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because I feel that the service is inconsistent. At times we have gotten really great service, and others we have hardly had any service. This can be frustrating, but the food is so good we keep going back. The chicken en croute is fabulous (a special they don't always have) and their creme brulee is totally worth saving room for.
(4)Damon P.
Good is as much as i can say about this place. The outdoor seating is nice, but not anything to write home about. The food is marginal but the price is really good so you have to merit your complaints against that. I've been here a few times but every time the service has been great, food has always been good but not great. All in all a great place to meet people for a drink but there are better places for a really good meal in the area.
(3)Nikki S.
Irish Rose?? How about Irish Blows!! I have been to the Irish a couple times prior to this evening for app's, cocktails, and dinner. However, after tonight's experience, I will not be back. My boyfriend and I went there for a cocktail and dinner, We chose Irish Rose because it was one of the only places for dinner downtown Rockford on a Sunday night. The weather was perfect, so we had planned on eating outside. When we arrived, I was immediately disappointed with their "outdoor seating". Their outdoor seating is a a few plastic chairs and a couple tables- Crap! We waited a few minutes until our heavily tattooed server "greeted" us... or, should I say her greeting was "uhmm, we are out of bread and all seafood except for the scallops"... When we asked her what the special was, her response was "uhmm, bloody mary's and burgers??".. all while twirling her hair and telling a friend of hers that she loved him as he was leaving the restaurant- not professional. So, needless to say, we paid for my pathetic pour of what she considered a glass of wine and left. I will not be back.
(1)Roman R.
I don't come here enough to be recognized by the staff, but close. Drinks are tops. Not craft cocktails, but good, solid drinks. Everything is high quality, and I have never had bad service here, although I have heard reports outside of yelp that this can be the case. The highest compliment that I can pay a midwest eatery is that the pasta that I have ordered is cooked properly. It sounds simple, but most places in rockford don't get it right.
(4)John H.
Gin Bloody Mary with Bacon. It was a normal Sunday afternoon, sipping on a red drink with green onions and a slice of bacon peeking out the top. This concoction was first created last Sunday with love and care. Only $3.50 on Sundays. We showed our server that you can use the green onion as a straw. She seemed to like that. Surprisingly the bacon didn't get soggy. It looked like they had pretty good drink specials every day of the week. Their website has all of the specials. I was told they have delicious ceviche but they can't seem to keep it around very long so I wasn't able to try it. I'm basing the four star review on the friendly server and experience at the Irish Rose.
(4)Ami T.
Seriously the best veggie burger I have ever had! They make the patties in their kitchen so no Boca burgers here. Everyone in my party enjoyed their food as well. My only complaint was that the waitstaff was so horribly rude and unfriendly. Both the hostess and the waitress were terrible.
(4)Mark W.
No. I won't be back. I'm here now. Took over half an hour to place an order because they had ran out of everything by 7pm. The place is dirty, tablecloths are stained and filthy and they rely on a single window AC unit to keep the place cool. I can say I tried it but I just wanted to be out of there. It just keeps getting worse. There will be an email sent to address this.
(1)Carolyn W.
My husband and I LOVE this restaurant. We've probably been there 4-5 times, last night being the most recent to celebrate his birthday. We've always loved the meals we chose, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The prices for both food and drink are right on the money, and we've always had great service. Will be going back again very soon!
(5)Stephen H.
The Rose is a gastropub that doesn't know that it is nor does it pretend to be. Been 4 times now and have always had great service, reasonably-priced and well-mixed cocktails, and good food. Last week I was there and had prime rib, ceviche, and a poblano stuffed with duck sausage. Good times. It's also a great place to grab a laid-back late night drink. Great outdoor seating.
(4)James R.
I took my wife her for lunch last Friday. It wasn't busy at all when we walked in. In fact we were the only patrons there. Despite a sign that advises you to "Wait to be Seated" we were told to sit anywhere we wanted. The waitress came over and took our drink orders and explained the specials to us. She also took the time to explain the menu board. I've seen their commercials in town where they talk about how fresh their food is. It's interesting to see that on the board they actually list the quantity of each item. I will say that you don't necessarily want to trust the board. The waitress had told us one of the specials was the Atlantic Salmon. Both my wife and I latched onto that, but the board said they where out... It was 11:00 AM, I wasn't sure how they where out of the daily special already. After inquiring with the waitress she double checked and advised that the number on the board was incorrect and that they did have the salmon. The salmon came with a choice of soup or salad, linguine and asparagus with a dill sauce. I had the salad with their home made bleu cheese dressing. I love bleu cheese, this creamy bleu cheese was so mild it almost tasted like a ranch dressing with a bleu cheese flavoring. It wasn't impressive. My wife had one of their soups, she thought it was good. When the salmon arrive, it was a pretty small piece but for the price, it wasn't surprising. There where six small asparagus stalks and a generous helping of linguine. So I guess my meal was linguine with a side of salmon and asparagus. The salmon was good, it wasn't anything that would make me go out of the way for, but I did enjoy it. The dill sauce was fine for the asparagus, I prefer mine plain with just a little salt. The linguine was good. It had fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Overall the value of the meal vs the quantity and quality wasn't bad. It wasn't a great deal, but I don't feel like I was taken for a ride either. The nicest thing about The Irish Rose is the atmosphere. It's a beautiful old building with a large wonderful bar. I was able to see into one of the other rooms that they have an old tin ceiling, and I think those are very cool. The service was okay, it wasn't great and during our entire visit there where only two other tables there. The waitress seemed to be a little snotty about things, like the restaurant was doing us a privilege of letting us eat there. That may have just been me, because my wife said she didn't get that impression.
(3)Roger G.
Bad food and bad service. 4 for drinks and apps on Saturday night. Had zucchini app which was slimy and undercooked. Couldn't even convince ourselves to stay and get something else. What was really bad was - the staff all sat in the corner of the bar devouring food while we waited for our app. They looked like homeless people getting their fist meal. Huge turnoff. Ive worked in restaurants and know that one of biggest things you dont allow is staff to eat in front of guests. Not to mention they were dressed like hobos. Would not recommend. Too bad.
(1)Jeannette M.
Ordered the blue cheese mushroom appetizer and 1. It was bland and had no flavor and 2. Each mushroom was full of liquid....moisture from the mushroom? I don't know. Either way it was so unappetizing to look at and even worse to eat. That turned us off for the rest of our dinner so we just left and went somewhere else! Yuck.
(1)Natasha M.
Friday night we stopped to eat before a show at the Coronado. We only had an hour and did tell the server. He made sure to place our orders right away. Did a great job helping us get to the show on time. We had the cream of onion soup as a starter. We enjoyed warm bread as a side. The two men had the filet and potatoes. They were surprised it was sliced and served with a red wine reduction. Both enjoyed it a lot. I had mussels and pasta. A lot of mussels - well cooked and flavorful. My dirty martini was perfect. Many options of beers to select. Overall, we will return but with time to linger and enjoy.
(4)Jason K.
Stopped by the Irish Rose Saloon for a Wednesday night dinner with a group of 7 at around 6pm. The place was pretty empty, except for a group of folks at the bar and a couple of tables with customers. Was pleased to be greeted and seated almost immediately by a friendly waiter. For appetizers, we decided to try: 1. Olive oil, Parmesan, basil pesto & sun dried tomato pesto -- pretty much exactly as described. Only disappointment was that the dish wasn't served with additional bread for dipping...only the standard table bread that is put out when customers first are seated 2. Sweet corn pesto -- served "on the cob", this was the hit of the trio of appetizers. As there were 7 of us, and only 4 cobs served, we used a knife to take the corn off the cob, then enjoyed it as a group. As I said, this was definitely the highlight of the apps. 3. Calamari -- standard calamari, with nothing really unique/special with the preparation. The consensus from the group that I was with, was that they were under seasoned and overly fried (almost greasy). Along with our dinners, we had the choice of soups (chicken vegetable or an onion soup) or salads (house salad with a variety of unique dressings to choose from). Several of us went with the onion soup, and were left a bit disappointed. It was a cream based soup...and that's pretty much all you tasted, was the cream. We almost used up an entire shaker of pepper trying to bring some additional dimension of flavor to the soup. For those that got the salads, it sounds like the house salad with the French Vinaigrette was the clear winner. For our entrees, we had a good variety. Personally, I had the mussels and pasta, and was pleased with the selection. I will say that the portion was HUGE...and I know have lunch and/or dinner for tomorrow! From what I could gather from the rest of the group, the steaks were the other big hit. Would I come back to Irish Rose Saloon? Probably. They do have a good looking selection for their menu...and I appreciate that they take some risks with their cuisine.
(3)Paul K.
Not sure what happened but the bloody Mary's were a complete disappointment. The hamburgers were a greasy awful mess and were horrible. My parents had the steak which was tough and their excuse for a salad was a piece of lettuce with some bad dressing. Maybe we caught them on a bad day but I do not plant to be back. An amazingly bad turn around in a years time.
(1)John G.
Excellent healthy fresh food. I've tried 4 items and every one great in its own way. Service has always been great.
(5)Matt D.
The burger was greasy and flavorless. It was overcooked. I ordered it medium-rare. It came out well done. It took forever to get another drink. After she dropped off the check. After I filled it out and took out the plastic. She came over pretty quickly. Figures. The entrance is not easy for me to get in. I use a walker for mobility. The bathroom stall was just as cramped. If somebody has a wheelchair, forget it.
(1)Carolyn W.
My husband and I LOVE this restaurant. We've probably been there 4-5 times, last night being the most recent to celebrate his birthday. We've always loved the meals we chose, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. The prices for both food and drink are right on the money, and we've always had great service. Will be going back again very soon!
(5)Gary C.
Excellent spot for great lunch! Had the corned beef and cabbage. It was delicious. Loved the carmalized peach with crem fresh
(5)Stephanie I.
i have had 5 consistently amazing meals from the Rose in the last couple of months. 2 dining in, 3 carried out. The food has been exceptional and the service has been much better than the reputation they have been working against for some time. I recommend the wild mushroom linguini with added grilled vegetables- YUM. The grilled chicken sandwich with house fries, or the Irish hot pork (braised in guinness) on a cold winters day. If you get the pleasure of dining in on a day they have their pineapple cheesecake, i highly recommend! Man, you guys are making me a happy girl. Ive been meaning to write a review since the last visit. Keep up the great work!
(4)Mark L.
Been to Irish Rose more than a dozen times and have always had a good dining experience. Sometimes service is a bit slow, but nonetheless good food in a city with few choices for its size.
(4)Jonathan S.
Stopped by for lunch. Great wine and beer selection. Had their soup, salad and bread. Their basil salad dressing is amazing. Chicken and vegetable soup didn't have a whole lot of flavor. This place is sort of our go-to restaurant in Rockford. Plan on continuing to come back when were in town.
(4)Heather D.
Husband and I stopped in here for dinner on Friday night. I had the Scratch Ravioli and it means just that. Completely made from scratch and delicious. My husband had the Garlic Scallops. He said they were among the best scallops he has ever had. Prices were reasonable, service was friendly and good, and the building was a quaint old building with work by local artists. We will definitely be back.
(4)Brian C.
Slots in the restaurant!?!? Facebook page says it makes it more like a saloon?!? Huh!? Ugh. Sorry but it totally changes how I feel about the place. I am going to make one more trip here- and I may change this to 2 stars. Just... Slots!?!?!!
(3)Debbie L.
Took my son and girlfriend to dinner here to see if this could be a choice for homecoming. Service was terrible. Had to ask for water 3 times and bread twice. Waitress rarely showed back to the table. I had the sirloin which was tasteless absolutely no seasoning or flavor. My son had a burger with a bun that was stale. My husbands pesto with asparagus pasta was ok but when he asked for cheese for his pasta he was brought a small plate of grated cheese that we were charged for. Got charged for cheese for pasta??? No where else we have eaten does that. We will not be back.
(1)Joshua N.
Really good food! Great service. The menu has a very good variety. Their food goes very well with beer.
(4)Nikki S.
Irish Rose?? How about Irish Blows!! I have been to the Irish a couple times prior to this evening for app's, cocktails, and dinner. However, after tonight's experience, I will not be back. My boyfriend and I went there for a cocktail and dinner, We chose Irish Rose because it was one of the only places for dinner downtown Rockford on a Sunday night. The weather was perfect, so we had planned on eating outside. When we arrived, I was immediately disappointed with their "outdoor seating". Their outdoor seating is a a few plastic chairs and a couple tables- Crap! We waited a few minutes until our heavily tattooed server "greeted" us... or, should I say her greeting was "uhmm, we are out of bread and all seafood except for the scallops"... When we asked her what the special was, her response was "uhmm, bloody mary's and burgers??".. all while twirling her hair and telling a friend of hers that she loved him as he was leaving the restaurant- not professional. So, needless to say, we paid for my pathetic pour of what she considered a glass of wine and left. I will not be back.
(1)D. N.
Got the grilled chicken from here, it was kind of dry. I like the area/location and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere. I like how they write how much of particular items them have on a chalkboard; very creative.
(4)Roman R.
I don't come here enough to be recognized by the staff, but close. Drinks are tops. Not craft cocktails, but good, solid drinks. Everything is high quality, and I have never had bad service here, although I have heard reports outside of yelp that this can be the case. The highest compliment that I can pay a midwest eatery is that the pasta that I have ordered is cooked properly. It sounds simple, but most places in rockford don't get it right.
(4)Caitlin L.
Irish Rose has absolutely amazing food. The basil salad dressing is out of this world. The bruschetta is extremely fresh and also delicious. I have yet to have a bad meal here. The food is always delicious and the fresh board always has interesting items on it. They change out their menu frequently which is great but they did take away my favorite dish, which I miss! Lately, I've been enjoying the stuffed chicken. The chicken is juicy and the flavors are wonderful. Irish Rose also has some of the city's best Cosmos! Great atmosphere, great food. One of my absolute favorites.
(5)John H.
Gin Bloody Mary with Bacon. It was a normal Sunday afternoon, sipping on a red drink with green onions and a slice of bacon peeking out the top. This concoction was first created last Sunday with love and care. Only $3.50 on Sundays. We showed our server that you can use the green onion as a straw. She seemed to like that. Surprisingly the bacon didn't get soggy. It looked like they had pretty good drink specials every day of the week. Their website has all of the specials. I was told they have delicious ceviche but they can't seem to keep it around very long so I wasn't able to try it. I'm basing the four star review on the friendly server and experience at the Irish Rose.
(4)Ami T.
Seriously the best veggie burger I have ever had! They make the patties in their kitchen so no Boca burgers here. Everyone in my party enjoyed their food as well. My only complaint was that the waitstaff was so horribly rude and unfriendly. Both the hostess and the waitress were terrible.
(4)Mark W.
No. I won't be back. I'm here now. Took over half an hour to place an order because they had ran out of everything by 7pm. The place is dirty, tablecloths are stained and filthy and they rely on a single window AC unit to keep the place cool. I can say I tried it but I just wanted to be out of there. It just keeps getting worse. There will be an email sent to address this.
(1)Jack K.
We have always come for lunch and get the turkey sandwich. Today for some reason they decided to change the bread and reduce the amount of turkey. It was not good. The soup always came with bread. None today. We looking for a new place for lunch.
(2)Rhonda G.
I would come here every time I make a trip to Rockford. It was after the lunch rush. What lured me in, besides the gorgeous building, was the special listed was copper river salmon. Once I got in and saw the price, I ordered the shephards pie. Even on the most boiling of days, I'm up for it, same with the beer cheese soup. I enjoyed both. A great local pub, even for tourists.
(4)Jamie H.
Came here on NYE for dinner at 7pm. We had reservations for four and were seated right away. The place wasn't too busy, which I was surprised by. Took quite a while for the food to come out, but it was pretty darn good, it was also at an incredible price. I got a salmon pasta with onions, mushrooms and a cream sauce. It was very good, but just a little bland. Could have used some sort of spice with it. The pesto balsamic dressing was AMAZING. I could have just eaten that by the spoonful! The jerk pork ribeye (something like that), that two of my friends got was also very tasty...and HUGE. Excellent place, and I'd frequent it again!
(4)D M.
No Amex. Food was good, wait staff too. Go, enjoy, leave happy.
(4)Todd T.
FRESH, VERY FRESH is right!!! My wife and I really enjoy to eat at the Irish Rose. Their food is not pretentious, it's very flavourful and fresh. I particularlly love the Fresh board items. I tried the Cowboy steak the last time we dined, juicy and cooked to perfection. Never had a bad meal, always great. Only one negitive, is that they do not have a highchair available, we tried eating here a couple of months ago with our 1 yr old and needed a highchair. We ended up going to the Hope and Anchor instead.
(5)Jeff B.
Ate here recently for the first time in a while and the food was great. We had an app and I had a steak and thought they were both really fresh tasting and carefully prepared. Server was Dane and I also had him again when I went back a few days later for just drinks. He was fantastic both times. I do wish that they had a better selection of draft beers....they could do a lot better than the brews they had when I was there anyway. Besides that, overall these visits were a much improved experience than what I have had in previous years.
(4)Cindy K.
I have been eating at the Irish Rose since Mike had the restaurant located on Madison just off of State Street. I like eating there, I like drinking there, I like going to hear music, have parties, ArtScene, First Friday's. Very good beer and wine selections, market fresh food. The staff can be hit or miss, but since I used to be one of the staff, I cannot complain if a server is occasionally off their game. Check the specials in the RRTimes, on Facebook, or the large slate board. Softshell crab, octopus salad, dry aged steak, fresh fish. The ceviche is wonderful. Went today for corned beef and cabbage. My Yorkshire friend was very pleased with his lunch. I had the Guiness-braised pork sandwich. Both were delicious. Good solid food. Local atmosphere. Recommended.
(4)Michael S.
Many local restaurants in downtown Rockford have came and went. There's a reason why the Irish Rose is still around. Reasonably priced food, and gracious servers we've come to appreciate. We love how all the employees seem to love and take ownership in the Rose. I'd recommend the stuffed chicken with goat cheese and prosciutto. A great place, a great space, with delicious food. We would be regulars if we did not live so far away.
(4)Elizabeth E.
What to say about The Rose? I've been going here on and off for the better part of 15 years. When I was single and wanted to meet a boy or an ex for a drink, I would go to the Rose. When I need to escape my family during the holidays, I go to the Rose. When I want to have a nice dinner with my siblings - but not pay the "nice dinner" price at Brio - I go to the Rose. I love The Rose's bread and spread plate, the pork chops with colcannon, and anything they do with mushrooms or asparagus. I've had more stiff drinks and glasses of wine at The Rose than I'd like to recall. I miss The Rose a great deal, and hope it never changes.
(5)Jarrod H.
I have been eating at Irish rose for about 6 Years. I must say i avoid eating here anymore. The service has gone way down hill. Since I live downtown i love to support all the local businesses, but Its impossible to enjoy my experience here. Food is always great but customer service is horrible. Drink Prices are extremely high for Rockford, no free refills on Fountain pop, and horrible customer service. Im sorry to say this is the only place i dont suggest to visitors to eat at. Step it up Irish Rose!
(1)PA S.
Went here for New Year's Eve. I was pleasantly surprised by this little nook. The building is over 100 years old, and the owners have taken great care in reclaiming the classic look of the interior. Nothing looks out of place or too modern, nor does it become campy with a faux-retro look. The waitstaff was a bit over-enthusiastic to start, but adjusted to our personality very well. They know the specials, the cooking processes, and are not afraid to give an honest recommendation. We started with a calamari appetizer that came out too close to our soup for us to savor. Unfortunately, the calamari did not set the bar high for the rest of the evening. The dish was woefully under-seasoned and too greasy. The accompanying sauce did little to compensate. Our second course was a complete 180 from the appetizer. We both had the pulled pork potato soup, which was outstanding. Here, we got our taste of Irish Rose's reputation as having fresh food. The pork was freshly smoked, and not the least bit salty. The potatoes and broth complimented beautifully. This was an incredibly hearty bowl of soup. I could eat a bowl for lunch and be satisfied. I had the filet mignon special, with came with a red wine and butter sauce, asparagus, and a side of mash. I ordered the filet medium rare, and was told that the chef refused to serve it any other way. I almost walked into the kitchen and shook his hand. The meat was cooked perfectly. Usually, I have trouble with my medium rare orders coming out black and blue, but the meat was masterfully cooked. The sauce was a bit buttery, but complimented the meat well, which was seasoned with fresh peppercorns. The mash was good, but I was too impressed by the filet to take notice. My partner ordered the lamb chops, and commented that they were cooked properly, but that the cut was a bit fatty for her tastes. I did not try it, so I cannot comment extensively. For dessert, we split a chocolate mousse. This is not really a chocolate mousse, it is very thick with less air whipped into it. It is served with whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Rubbing the mint leaf on the spoon cuts the sweetness of the mousse just enough to make it perfect. The mousse was not too sweet, but not bland either. I will definitely return to sample more of the menu.
(4)Meg N.
Salad was very bland and not good at all but the burger and fries were delicious. Waitress was, however, not very attentive even though the place was not at all crowded. She was more interested in socializing with what was either coworkers or friend that were sitting at the bar
(3)Will R.
Great old building and vintage bar. Staff was friendly and helpful. Amazingly I didn't see a single television. Love that. We had the trout and scallops from the "fresh menu" and were very pleased. Great all around place and about the only thing we could find open in Rockford on a Sunday afternoon.
(4)Alice T.
Got this restaurant off yelp. Food was surprisingly good. Atmosphere was nice with a local pub feel.
(4)Bryn G.
The restaurant itself is very nice and has a very nice ambiance.....but it seems like many things about my dining experience were very hit and miss. I went with some friends and one of my friends had a baby with her....a major con is this restaurant is not baby friendly. The appetizers were good but our main dishes were all very small (with the exception of my bangers and mash). The restaurant didn't have birthday candles....and then we asked a waiter to take a picture of our table when he had a second, he sighed and waited 30 seconds before he said "Um, yeah." Last but not least it was really cold outside on the night in question and every time the door was opened an icy blast came tumbling in. By the end of the night I had given up restaurant etiquette and and was wearing my jacket!
(2)Peter D.
The food is VERY good, great specials every night. The mussels and pasta, excellent. I love the menu board and the countdown of the items left.
(4)Julia H.
I already sent an email to the owner, but I have to echo the statement of woman below. We waited nearly 20 minutes before we were given even menus to look at. A table that sat down after us (that was right next to us) was given menus and taken drink orders before us. Absolutely disappointing service. While the food was delicious (hey chefs of Irish Rose- you should really consider trying to get someone to fund your work elsewhere- once you learn to cook a steak medium rare and not well), the wait and service was horrible. The complete complacency was also extremely disappointing. No one seemed to care.
(1)Royce E.
Irish Rose is one of my favorite restaurants, not only in Rockford, but anywhere. The restaurant itself is located in a very old building with creaky wooden floors, tin ceilings, and all around cool ambiance. I've been there many times and never had a bad meal or bad service. I'd like to add that I've seen some complaints that Irish Rose doesn't have high chairs for children. This may be a legitimate complaint, I'm torn on this. I see Irish Rose as more of a bar and as such I would never take my children there. That's just me, though. As for the person that complained about The Irish Rose not having birthday candles for a cake they brought in...why would they? Typically, restaurants don't have candles especially for a cake brought from outside the restaurant. Some people just expect too much of a place.
(5)Tinyee H.
The chicken cilantro soup is awesome!!!! It's so good for the cold weather AND curing the cold. The medallions of filet mignon were also very fork tender and buttery delicious. I couldn't stop myself, I just kept shoving them into my mouth, like it was a drug. I'll be back!
(4)Claire H.
Food is ok. I've been there several times and had great food once (from the daily special menu). I hear the daily special menu is the only way to get good food there. The standard menu items are not good. The service at the bar is usually ok, but the wait staff is never on top of anything and I've had a few rude ones. I want to like this place because of the idea and location, but I've never been "wowed" and I never think I'm getting any sort of value or deal for the money I spend.
(2)Jon W.
Unlike Melissa W.'s review, I've eaten here frequently for over a decade and have only had one non-great meal in the entire time and typically have an attentive (at the least) server. Melissa has the look of the place correct with the big dark wood bar, but did not mention the large windows, the al fresco dining when weather permits, the other (non-bar) room where it is a bit quieter, or the "semi-private" booths near the kitchen. The atmosphere here is wonderful! Re: Inconsistency, I have yet to experience this, except for the ever-changing chalkboard menu, where the menu changes as ingredient availability permits (e.g. it is rare to have certain items be freshly available at certain times of the year). The food has always been consistently full of flavor, and many items are prepared in a wood-burning oven. I cannot personally vouch for the soup (I am very picky/finicky about soups and have yet to try it here), but the salads are usually mixed greens, the bread is freshly made that day, and the appetizers are more-than-appetizing. The entrees I have had are decently-sized and have usually exceeded my expectations. Be sure to save a bit of room for dessert, as the chocolate mousse, crepes, and creme brulee are _not_ to be missed (although some customers would disagree with me and instead recommend the cheesecake). Although I am not super-excited by the small number of wines from which to choose to compliment the great food, I have yet to have a bad-tasting glass of it here, and (being a "saloon") the selection of beers from which to choose is quite large if wines are not your thing (including _many_ great craft/regional brews and multiple imported brews--some of which also are on tap--in addition to cider. They also have the usual macrobrew "beer" selections that one finds practically everywhere else in the event that you only drink "water"/light "beer"/wimpy brews, but why have a crappy "macrobrew" when you can look at the beer list and get a better one to enjoy with your food?). If the Irish Rose was in a bigger city, you'd likely have to wait hours for a table to eat somewhere with food like this, and would pay a lot more to do so.
(5)Patrick H.
Not as good since the old chef left. Still decent food. Drinks are overpriced for the area and always have been.
(3)Laura B.
I've been here twice now--once to eat and the second time just for drinks--and I would definitely come back. The beer menu is commendable (local, international, traditional favorites--you name it), and there were several I'd never heard of before. It's got a great night-time atmosphere for a drink with friends. It's somewhere between nightclub and coffeehouse. Nobody's getting wild in there, but if you want a good drink, a good meal, and engage in conversation that you can actually hear while music (sometimes live) plays in the background, then the Irish Rose is the spot. They have a set nightly menu and it's not exactly Michelin star gourmet, but it's much, much classier than your standard chain restaurant. The decor is homey and "old-timey" with roomy wooden booths and coat hooks--very pub-like in that regard. When we came for dinner, I had the best fillet mignon of my life; it was served in this incredible red wine sauce. My boyfriend ordered a different steak, and my friend ordered a pasta dish. However, both steaks were served cold. The waiter was happy to reheat them for us, but it took a bit of the bloom off the rose (sorry, no pun intended). After tasting all the dishes, we agreed that all three dishes (once reheated) were good, but the fillet mignon really was the best choice of the night. Considering that we ordered 6-7 drinks between us and had three entrees, the bill (after tax and tip) of $95 for three people seemed reasonable to me. This is a good local restaurant struggling to make it in a city that appears to be economically collapsing. I am happy to support this restaurant with my business in the future.
(4)Jazmin M.
the only thing i can really say i dislike about this place, is how small the menus are and the veggie burgers. the veggie burgers taste like capers, and thats all, a caper burger, not good. every other thing i've ordered there has blown my mind. their pasta is just incredible. and i'm honestly impressed by their soups. cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, i've also had a vegetable soup there, they know what they're doing. not salty or mixed with too many flavors, it's simple, and natural tasting.
(4)David B.
If you like your food, that's great. If you don't like it, don't say anything. You'll receive a crass response from the server. If you complain about the server, you'll receive an arrogant and pompous reply from the chef (owner?) about how everything is authentic recipe and if you didn't enjoy it well you're just uneducated. I think this is the worst restaurant experience I have ever had in my entire life. I'm still stunned by it. Have you ever heard of Fawlty Towers? Basil Fawlty has opened a restaurant in Rockford.
(1)Maureen T.
If I could give this place no stars, I would. I avoid this place like the plague. The service is horrible, the food is not good enough for the amount of time it takes for it to get to the table and the waitstaff is rude. If you are going with multiple people and need to split a check, make sure that you all bring cash because check splitting is a task too difficult for these servers to handle. If you pay with a credit card, you have to tell the waiter what the tip should be before they run your card. This just makes me uncomfortable because there have been a few times where I've had to tip less than I normally due because of poor service. The restaurant could be totally empty and you will still have to wait... and wait... and wait. I stopped going to this place entirely for a while because the service is so terrible. I gave it a few years and though to myself that I should really give it another try because the service must have improved since my list visit. I could not have been more wrong. We waited 10 minutes just to get seated (I think we would have waited longer had I not been pregnant at the time) and then we waited another 15 minutes at our table waiting for someone to bring us menus. No one ever did. We left and passed multiple servers on the way out. No one said a word. There are too many other wonderful restaurants down town- don't waste your time here.
(1)Jon A.
love this place !!! feels like home. Fresh everything, home made food, strong drinks - what could be betterm ???
(5)Xaxa H.
Found this place while in Rockford for lunch. The veggie burger (made in-house) is fantastic! Great service! I love the decor...
(4)Martha F.
One of my favorite places. Nice atmosphere and the salmon linguine is simply awsome
(4)Erica D.
I really enjoy the food at Irish Rose. The food is always fresh; I was told by the server that they don't even have a freezer to store the food. It's defininitely one of my favorite places to eat in Rockford! And, they probably have best Calimari I've ever tried! People are serioulsy complaining about $5 beers? Really? If you enjoy "good" beer and look forward to trying a variety of craft-brews, then $5 a drink shouldn't surprise you.
(4)Mathew K.
The food is excellent but the service is terrible. The drink prices are a little too high and it just seems the place tries to be of a higher class when it has not done anything to deserve the rank. I do not plan to ever go back and it is a shame because I gave this place more than a fair share of chances.
(2)Wendy M.
Great food!!! Had a delicious lunch. Busy place & still good Service
(5)Andrew P.
Very overpriced. $5 for a beer in Rockford? No thanks. Cool space however, with great people watching in the front window seats. If you want a fancy place, go next store to Bacchus (I mean brio).
(2)Bradley W.
I had a very amazing meal on Tues for Irish Roses Veg. meal. it was cooked very well and had amazing flavor. this is by far my favorite place in rockford to eat
(5)Ashley L.
I love The Irish Rose. The food is great and the atmosphere is wonderful. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because I feel that the service is inconsistent. At times we have gotten really great service, and others we have hardly had any service. This can be frustrating, but the food is so good we keep going back. The chicken en croute is fabulous (a special they don't always have) and their creme brulee is totally worth saving room for.
(4)Damon P.
Good is as much as i can say about this place. The outdoor seating is nice, but not anything to write home about. The food is marginal but the price is really good so you have to merit your complaints against that. I've been here a few times but every time the service has been great, food has always been good but not great. All in all a great place to meet people for a drink but there are better places for a really good meal in the area.
(3)Jarrod H.
I have been eating at Irish rose for about 6 Years. I must say i avoid eating here anymore. The service has gone way down hill. Since I live downtown i love to support all the local businesses, but Its impossible to enjoy my experience here. Food is always great but customer service is horrible. Drink Prices are extremely high for Rockford, no free refills on Fountain pop, and horrible customer service. Im sorry to say this is the only place i dont suggest to visitors to eat at. Step it up Irish Rose!
(1)Todd T.
FRESH, VERY FRESH is right!!! My wife and I really enjoy to eat at the Irish Rose. Their food is not pretentious, it's very flavourful and fresh. I particularlly love the Fresh board items. I tried the Cowboy steak the last time we dined, juicy and cooked to perfection. Never had a bad meal, always great. Only one negitive, is that they do not have a highchair available, we tried eating here a couple of months ago with our 1 yr old and needed a highchair. We ended up going to the Hope and Anchor instead.
(5)Cindy K.
I have been eating at the Irish Rose since Mike had the restaurant located on Madison just off of State Street. I like eating there, I like drinking there, I like going to hear music, have parties, ArtScene, First Friday's. Very good beer and wine selections, market fresh food. The staff can be hit or miss, but since I used to be one of the staff, I cannot complain if a server is occasionally off their game. Check the specials in the RRTimes, on Facebook, or the large slate board. Softshell crab, octopus salad, dry aged steak, fresh fish. The ceviche is wonderful. Went today for corned beef and cabbage. My Yorkshire friend was very pleased with his lunch. I had the Guiness-braised pork sandwich. Both were delicious. Good solid food. Local atmosphere. Recommended.
(4)Bryn G.
The restaurant itself is very nice and has a very nice ambiance.....but it seems like many things about my dining experience were very hit and miss. I went with some friends and one of my friends had a baby with her....a major con is this restaurant is not baby friendly. The appetizers were good but our main dishes were all very small (with the exception of my bangers and mash). The restaurant didn't have birthday candles....and then we asked a waiter to take a picture of our table when he had a second, he sighed and waited 30 seconds before he said "Um, yeah." Last but not least it was really cold outside on the night in question and every time the door was opened an icy blast came tumbling in. By the end of the night I had given up restaurant etiquette and and was wearing my jacket!
(2)Peter D.
The food is VERY good, great specials every night. The mussels and pasta, excellent. I love the menu board and the countdown of the items left.
(4)Julia H.
I already sent an email to the owner, but I have to echo the statement of woman below. We waited nearly 20 minutes before we were given even menus to look at. A table that sat down after us (that was right next to us) was given menus and taken drink orders before us. Absolutely disappointing service. While the food was delicious (hey chefs of Irish Rose- you should really consider trying to get someone to fund your work elsewhere- once you learn to cook a steak medium rare and not well), the wait and service was horrible. The complete complacency was also extremely disappointing. No one seemed to care.
(1)Laura B.
I've been here twice now--once to eat and the second time just for drinks--and I would definitely come back. The beer menu is commendable (local, international, traditional favorites--you name it), and there were several I'd never heard of before. It's got a great night-time atmosphere for a drink with friends. It's somewhere between nightclub and coffeehouse. Nobody's getting wild in there, but if you want a good drink, a good meal, and engage in conversation that you can actually hear while music (sometimes live) plays in the background, then the Irish Rose is the spot. They have a set nightly menu and it's not exactly Michelin star gourmet, but it's much, much classier than your standard chain restaurant. The decor is homey and "old-timey" with roomy wooden booths and coat hooks--very pub-like in that regard. When we came for dinner, I had the best fillet mignon of my life; it was served in this incredible red wine sauce. My boyfriend ordered a different steak, and my friend ordered a pasta dish. However, both steaks were served cold. The waiter was happy to reheat them for us, but it took a bit of the bloom off the rose (sorry, no pun intended). After tasting all the dishes, we agreed that all three dishes (once reheated) were good, but the fillet mignon really was the best choice of the night. Considering that we ordered 6-7 drinks between us and had three entrees, the bill (after tax and tip) of $95 for three people seemed reasonable to me. This is a good local restaurant struggling to make it in a city that appears to be economically collapsing. I am happy to support this restaurant with my business in the future.
(4)Jazmin M.
the only thing i can really say i dislike about this place, is how small the menus are and the veggie burgers. the veggie burgers taste like capers, and thats all, a caper burger, not good. every other thing i've ordered there has blown my mind. their pasta is just incredible. and i'm honestly impressed by their soups. cream of mushroom, cream of broccoli, i've also had a vegetable soup there, they know what they're doing. not salty or mixed with too many flavors, it's simple, and natural tasting.
(4)Jeff B.
Ate here recently for the first time in a while and the food was great. We had an app and I had a steak and thought they were both really fresh tasting and carefully prepared. Server was Dane and I also had him again when I went back a few days later for just drinks. He was fantastic both times. I do wish that they had a better selection of draft beers....they could do a lot better than the brews they had when I was there anyway. Besides that, overall these visits were a much improved experience than what I have had in previous years.
(4)Gary C.
Excellent spot for great lunch! Had the corned beef and cabbage. It was delicious. Loved the carmalized peach with crem fresh
(5)Stephanie I.
i have had 5 consistently amazing meals from the Rose in the last couple of months. 2 dining in, 3 carried out. The food has been exceptional and the service has been much better than the reputation they have been working against for some time. I recommend the wild mushroom linguini with added grilled vegetables- YUM. The grilled chicken sandwich with house fries, or the Irish hot pork (braised in guinness) on a cold winters day. If you get the pleasure of dining in on a day they have their pineapple cheesecake, i highly recommend! Man, you guys are making me a happy girl. Ive been meaning to write a review since the last visit. Keep up the great work!
(4)Mark L.
Been to Irish Rose more than a dozen times and have always had a good dining experience. Sometimes service is a bit slow, but nonetheless good food in a city with few choices for its size.
(4)Joshua N.
Really good food! Great service. The menu has a very good variety. Their food goes very well with beer.
(4)Andrew P.
Very overpriced. $5 for a beer in Rockford? No thanks. Cool space however, with great people watching in the front window seats. If you want a fancy place, go next store to Bacchus (I mean brio).
(2)Bradley W.
I had a very amazing meal on Tues for Irish Roses Veg. meal. it was cooked very well and had amazing flavor. this is by far my favorite place in rockford to eat
(5)Ashley L.
I love The Irish Rose. The food is great and the atmosphere is wonderful. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because I feel that the service is inconsistent. At times we have gotten really great service, and others we have hardly had any service. This can be frustrating, but the food is so good we keep going back. The chicken en croute is fabulous (a special they don't always have) and their creme brulee is totally worth saving room for.
(4)Damon P.
Good is as much as i can say about this place. The outdoor seating is nice, but not anything to write home about. The food is marginal but the price is really good so you have to merit your complaints against that. I've been here a few times but every time the service has been great, food has always been good but not great. All in all a great place to meet people for a drink but there are better places for a really good meal in the area.
(3)Brian C.
Slots in the restaurant!?!? Facebook page says it makes it more like a saloon?!? Huh!? Ugh. Sorry but it totally changes how I feel about the place. I am going to make one more trip here- and I may change this to 2 stars. Just... Slots!?!?!!
(3)Debbie L.
Took my son and girlfriend to dinner here to see if this could be a choice for homecoming. Service was terrible. Had to ask for water 3 times and bread twice. Waitress rarely showed back to the table. I had the sirloin which was tasteless absolutely no seasoning or flavor. My son had a burger with a bun that was stale. My husbands pesto with asparagus pasta was ok but when he asked for cheese for his pasta he was brought a small plate of grated cheese that we were charged for. Got charged for cheese for pasta??? No where else we have eaten does that. We will not be back.
(1)Daniella D.
I gave this place three tries. The commercial says fresh, with a distinct emphasis on fresh. Each time I was there my food was greasy, definitely not fresh. I will never return & wouldn't recommend it. Our friends have had similar experiences on different visits.
(1)Matt D.
The burger was greasy and flavorless. It was overcooked. I ordered it medium-rare. It came out well done. It took forever to get another drink. After she dropped off the check. After I filled it out and took out the plastic. She came over pretty quickly. Figures. The entrance is not easy for me to get in. I use a walker for mobility. The bathroom stall was just as cramped. If somebody has a wheelchair, forget it.
(1)Chris S.
holy crap!!! absolutely the worst service I have ever had in 20 years of dining out. such a shame, the food was up to par but our server was beyond worthless. took 10 minutes for our first visit from him, another 10 to come back and take our drink order. after we finally ordered our entrees another waiter had to bring us our food. our server never once checled on us, Mary sat with an empty drink, my water wss long gone and our table was a mess. after 20 minutes I finally waived down someone who appeared to work here and asked for our check. she swore at us and then screamed at the waiter. never got a chance to order desert or another drink. do yourself a favor amd avoid this place...such a shame, used to be our favorite place to eat in Rockford.
(1)Elaheh S.
Great food and service. There were 4 of us, we ordered different foods and we all loved what we got. However, the restroom was not clean.
(4)Jonathan S.
Stopped by for lunch. Great wine and beer selection. Had their soup, salad and bread. Their basil salad dressing is amazing. Chicken and vegetable soup didn't have a whole lot of flavor. This place is sort of our go-to restaurant in Rockford. Plan on continuing to come back when were in town.
(4)Heather D.
Husband and I stopped in here for dinner on Friday night. I had the Scratch Ravioli and it means just that. Completely made from scratch and delicious. My husband had the Garlic Scallops. He said they were among the best scallops he has ever had. Prices were reasonable, service was friendly and good, and the building was a quaint old building with work by local artists. We will definitely be back.
(4)Sara L.
I have always been a huge fan of this place. The food is always great and prices are on point!. Me and my family have been going here for years. However, you come here for the food and not for the service. You will get what I am saying ...just read further. The calamari w/ rosemary olive oil and lemon is just delicious! Yes, I know why would you want something fried hanging out in oil at your plat...that is just crazy. Just try it and you will be like oh damn this is good. I am a huge fan of their pastas and fish plates. The pastas are flavorful and light, never drenched in sauces like other places. If you are like me, a huge soup fan, then you will love their soups. Sometimes I wonder if they could have the soup on the menu in a giant bowl. So why not the four stars or five? Easy..the service. It can be hit or miss sometimes. Some days we go there and we get great service. Other times you are trying to flag down a waiter even though the place is empty. If they had more consistent service then it will be a 4 star. Even thought the service is hit or miss..I still like coming here every time I am in town visiting the folks.
(3)John G.
Excellent healthy fresh food. I've tried 4 items and every one great in its own way. Service has always been great.
(5)Maureen T.
If I could give this place no stars, I would. I avoid this place like the plague. The service is horrible, the food is not good enough for the amount of time it takes for it to get to the table and the waitstaff is rude. If you are going with multiple people and need to split a check, make sure that you all bring cash because check splitting is a task too difficult for these servers to handle. If you pay with a credit card, you have to tell the waiter what the tip should be before they run your card. This just makes me uncomfortable because there have been a few times where I've had to tip less than I normally due because of poor service. The restaurant could be totally empty and you will still have to wait... and wait... and wait. I stopped going to this place entirely for a while because the service is so terrible. I gave it a few years and though to myself that I should really give it another try because the service must have improved since my list visit. I could not have been more wrong. We waited 10 minutes just to get seated (I think we would have waited longer had I not been pregnant at the time) and then we waited another 15 minutes at our table waiting for someone to bring us menus. No one ever did. We left and passed multiple servers on the way out. No one said a word. There are too many other wonderful restaurants down town- don't waste your time here.
(1)Jon A.
love this place !!! feels like home. Fresh everything, home made food, strong drinks - what could be betterm ???
(5)Xaxa H.
Found this place while in Rockford for lunch. The veggie burger (made in-house) is fantastic! Great service! I love the decor...
(4)Martha F.
One of my favorite places. Nice atmosphere and the salmon linguine is simply awsome
(4)Royce E.
Irish Rose is one of my favorite restaurants, not only in Rockford, but anywhere. The restaurant itself is located in a very old building with creaky wooden floors, tin ceilings, and all around cool ambiance. I've been there many times and never had a bad meal or bad service. I'd like to add that I've seen some complaints that Irish Rose doesn't have high chairs for children. This may be a legitimate complaint, I'm torn on this. I see Irish Rose as more of a bar and as such I would never take my children there. That's just me, though. As for the person that complained about The Irish Rose not having birthday candles for a cake they brought in...why would they? Typically, restaurants don't have candles especially for a cake brought from outside the restaurant. Some people just expect too much of a place.
(5)Tinyee H.
The chicken cilantro soup is awesome!!!! It's so good for the cold weather AND curing the cold. The medallions of filet mignon were also very fork tender and buttery delicious. I couldn't stop myself, I just kept shoving them into my mouth, like it was a drug. I'll be back!
(4)Claire H.
Food is ok. I've been there several times and had great food once (from the daily special menu). I hear the daily special menu is the only way to get good food there. The standard menu items are not good. The service at the bar is usually ok, but the wait staff is never on top of anything and I've had a few rude ones. I want to like this place because of the idea and location, but I've never been "wowed" and I never think I'm getting any sort of value or deal for the money I spend.
(2)David B.
If you like your food, that's great. If you don't like it, don't say anything. You'll receive a crass response from the server. If you complain about the server, you'll receive an arrogant and pompous reply from the chef (owner?) about how everything is authentic recipe and if you didn't enjoy it well you're just uneducated. I think this is the worst restaurant experience I have ever had in my entire life. I'm still stunned by it. Have you ever heard of Fawlty Towers? Basil Fawlty has opened a restaurant in Rockford.
(1)Jon W.
Unlike Melissa W.'s review, I've eaten here frequently for over a decade and have only had one non-great meal in the entire time and typically have an attentive (at the least) server. Melissa has the look of the place correct with the big dark wood bar, but did not mention the large windows, the al fresco dining when weather permits, the other (non-bar) room where it is a bit quieter, or the "semi-private" booths near the kitchen. The atmosphere here is wonderful! Re: Inconsistency, I have yet to experience this, except for the ever-changing chalkboard menu, where the menu changes as ingredient availability permits (e.g. it is rare to have certain items be freshly available at certain times of the year). The food has always been consistently full of flavor, and many items are prepared in a wood-burning oven. I cannot personally vouch for the soup (I am very picky/finicky about soups and have yet to try it here), but the salads are usually mixed greens, the bread is freshly made that day, and the appetizers are more-than-appetizing. The entrees I have had are decently-sized and have usually exceeded my expectations. Be sure to save a bit of room for dessert, as the chocolate mousse, crepes, and creme brulee are _not_ to be missed (although some customers would disagree with me and instead recommend the cheesecake). Although I am not super-excited by the small number of wines from which to choose to compliment the great food, I have yet to have a bad-tasting glass of it here, and (being a "saloon") the selection of beers from which to choose is quite large if wines are not your thing (including _many_ great craft/regional brews and multiple imported brews--some of which also are on tap--in addition to cider. They also have the usual macrobrew "beer" selections that one finds practically everywhere else in the event that you only drink "water"/light "beer"/wimpy brews, but why have a crappy "macrobrew" when you can look at the beer list and get a better one to enjoy with your food?). If the Irish Rose was in a bigger city, you'd likely have to wait hours for a table to eat somewhere with food like this, and would pay a lot more to do so.
(5)Patrick H.
Not as good since the old chef left. Still decent food. Drinks are overpriced for the area and always have been.
(3)Erica D.
I really enjoy the food at Irish Rose. The food is always fresh; I was told by the server that they don't even have a freezer to store the food. It's defininitely one of my favorite places to eat in Rockford! And, they probably have best Calimari I've ever tried! People are serioulsy complaining about $5 beers? Really? If you enjoy "good" beer and look forward to trying a variety of craft-brews, then $5 a drink shouldn't surprise you.
(4)Mathew K.
The food is excellent but the service is terrible. The drink prices are a little too high and it just seems the place tries to be of a higher class when it has not done anything to deserve the rank. I do not plan to ever go back and it is a shame because I gave this place more than a fair share of chances.
(2)Wendy M.
Great food!!! Had a delicious lunch. Busy place & still good Service
(5)EatingOutWithAGirl ..
The more I visit Rockford, the more I like it. :) One of the main reasons is: The Irish Rose. Upon walking through the door, one might think, "Aw shit, it's an Irish Pub so, I'll get some chips..." Then BOOM, you take a look at the menu and the specials and you're like, "Mmmmhhhmmm, I'm good here. Really, good." I like to sit at the bar because the staff at The Rose, is beyond, Fabu and CAN make a GREAT cocktail too. (Yes, I know, it rhymes) #Haha Let's get down and dig on the nom, nom, Bread Plate which is FULL of Veggie Love. Olive oil, Parmesan, Basil Pesto & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and of course, the bread. #NomNom Other things to munch on while awaiting the many Veggie Love entrees offered are: Wood Grilled Zucchini, Mozzarella with Tomato & Basil on Bruschetta, Peruvian Mountain Asparagus, and a few salads, of course. You're not full yet are ya? Check out these yummies: A bunch of different Veggie Pastas with FRESH ingredients. A HOMEMADE Veggie Burger AND let's not forget the HUGE FRESH BOARD! Serving up fresh Guac, Saganaki and my FAVE, Pesto Sweet Corn. #MouthWateringNow I can't say enough positive things about this downtown Rockford pub. Do yourself the favor and just go there now. :) PS: Was it mentioned yet that Thursdays at The Irish Rose are: Vegetarian Thursdays? #MostExcellent PPS: Daily Drink Specials, Uh Huh! Side Note: There IS, a parking lot AND it's FREE. LAST but NOT LEAST, don't forget to ask about the delectable desserts. #omg The Irish Rose Saloon - 519 E State St, Rockford, IL 61104 - (815) 964-0480 *Eating Out With A Girl* #EOWAG EatingOutWithAGirl.com #EOWAG *Eating Out With A Girl* - Veggie Love in Unexpected Places. :)
(5)Caitlin L.
Irish Rose has absolutely amazing food. The basil salad dressing is out of this world. The bruschetta is extremely fresh and also delicious. I have yet to have a bad meal here. The food is always delicious and the fresh board always has interesting items on it. They change out their menu frequently which is great but they did take away my favorite dish, which I miss! Lately, I've been enjoying the stuffed chicken. The chicken is juicy and the flavors are wonderful. Irish Rose also has some of the city's best Cosmos! Great atmosphere, great food. One of my absolute favorites.
(5)Jack K.
We have always come for lunch and get the turkey sandwich. Today for some reason they decided to change the bread and reduce the amount of turkey. It was not good. The soup always came with bread. None today. We looking for a new place for lunch.
(2)D. N.
Got the grilled chicken from here, it was kind of dry. I like the area/location and the restaurant has a nice atmosphere. I like how they write how much of particular items them have on a chalkboard; very creative.
(4)Stephen H.
The Rose is a gastropub that doesn't know that it is nor does it pretend to be. Been 4 times now and have always had great service, reasonably-priced and well-mixed cocktails, and good food. Last week I was there and had prime rib, ceviche, and a poblano stuffed with duck sausage. Good times. It's also a great place to grab a laid-back late night drink. Great outdoor seating.
(4)James R.
I took my wife her for lunch last Friday. It wasn't busy at all when we walked in. In fact we were the only patrons there. Despite a sign that advises you to "Wait to be Seated" we were told to sit anywhere we wanted. The waitress came over and took our drink orders and explained the specials to us. She also took the time to explain the menu board. I've seen their commercials in town where they talk about how fresh their food is. It's interesting to see that on the board they actually list the quantity of each item. I will say that you don't necessarily want to trust the board. The waitress had told us one of the specials was the Atlantic Salmon. Both my wife and I latched onto that, but the board said they where out... It was 11:00 AM, I wasn't sure how they where out of the daily special already. After inquiring with the waitress she double checked and advised that the number on the board was incorrect and that they did have the salmon. The salmon came with a choice of soup or salad, linguine and asparagus with a dill sauce. I had the salad with their home made bleu cheese dressing. I love bleu cheese, this creamy bleu cheese was so mild it almost tasted like a ranch dressing with a bleu cheese flavoring. It wasn't impressive. My wife had one of their soups, she thought it was good. When the salmon arrive, it was a pretty small piece but for the price, it wasn't surprising. There where six small asparagus stalks and a generous helping of linguine. So I guess my meal was linguine with a side of salmon and asparagus. The salmon was good, it wasn't anything that would make me go out of the way for, but I did enjoy it. The dill sauce was fine for the asparagus, I prefer mine plain with just a little salt. The linguine was good. It had fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Overall the value of the meal vs the quantity and quality wasn't bad. It wasn't a great deal, but I don't feel like I was taken for a ride either. The nicest thing about The Irish Rose is the atmosphere. It's a beautiful old building with a large wonderful bar. I was able to see into one of the other rooms that they have an old tin ceiling, and I think those are very cool. The service was okay, it wasn't great and during our entire visit there where only two other tables there. The waitress seemed to be a little snotty about things, like the restaurant was doing us a privilege of letting us eat there. That may have just been me, because my wife said she didn't get that impression.
(3)Roger G.
Bad food and bad service. 4 for drinks and apps on Saturday night. Had zucchini app which was slimy and undercooked. Couldn't even convince ourselves to stay and get something else. What was really bad was - the staff all sat in the corner of the bar devouring food while we waited for our app. They looked like homeless people getting their fist meal. Huge turnoff. Ive worked in restaurants and know that one of biggest things you dont allow is staff to eat in front of guests. Not to mention they were dressed like hobos. Would not recommend. Too bad.
(1)Rhonda G.
I would come here every time I make a trip to Rockford. It was after the lunch rush. What lured me in, besides the gorgeous building, was the special listed was copper river salmon. Once I got in and saw the price, I ordered the shephards pie. Even on the most boiling of days, I'm up for it, same with the beer cheese soup. I enjoyed both. A great local pub, even for tourists.
(4)Will R.
Great old building and vintage bar. Staff was friendly and helpful. Amazingly I didn't see a single television. Love that. We had the trout and scallops from the "fresh menu" and were very pleased. Great all around place and about the only thing we could find open in Rockford on a Sunday afternoon.
(4)Alice T.
Got this restaurant off yelp. Food was surprisingly good. Atmosphere was nice with a local pub feel.
(4)Jason K.
Stopped by the Irish Rose Saloon for a Wednesday night dinner with a group of 7 at around 6pm. The place was pretty empty, except for a group of folks at the bar and a couple of tables with customers. Was pleased to be greeted and seated almost immediately by a friendly waiter. For appetizers, we decided to try: 1. Olive oil, Parmesan, basil pesto & sun dried tomato pesto -- pretty much exactly as described. Only disappointment was that the dish wasn't served with additional bread for dipping...only the standard table bread that is put out when customers first are seated 2. Sweet corn pesto -- served "on the cob", this was the hit of the trio of appetizers. As there were 7 of us, and only 4 cobs served, we used a knife to take the corn off the cob, then enjoyed it as a group. As I said, this was definitely the highlight of the apps. 3. Calamari -- standard calamari, with nothing really unique/special with the preparation. The consensus from the group that I was with, was that they were under seasoned and overly fried (almost greasy). Along with our dinners, we had the choice of soups (chicken vegetable or an onion soup) or salads (house salad with a variety of unique dressings to choose from). Several of us went with the onion soup, and were left a bit disappointed. It was a cream based soup...and that's pretty much all you tasted, was the cream. We almost used up an entire shaker of pepper trying to bring some additional dimension of flavor to the soup. For those that got the salads, it sounds like the house salad with the French Vinaigrette was the clear winner. For our entrees, we had a good variety. Personally, I had the mussels and pasta, and was pleased with the selection. I will say that the portion was HUGE...and I know have lunch and/or dinner for tomorrow! From what I could gather from the rest of the group, the steaks were the other big hit. Would I come back to Irish Rose Saloon? Probably. They do have a good looking selection for their menu...and I appreciate that they take some risks with their cuisine.
(3)Paul K.
Not sure what happened but the bloody Mary's were a complete disappointment. The hamburgers were a greasy awful mess and were horrible. My parents had the steak which was tough and their excuse for a salad was a piece of lettuce with some bad dressing. Maybe we caught them on a bad day but I do not plant to be back. An amazingly bad turn around in a years time.
(1)Jeannette M.
Ordered the blue cheese mushroom appetizer and 1. It was bland and had no flavor and 2. Each mushroom was full of liquid....moisture from the mushroom? I don't know. Either way it was so unappetizing to look at and even worse to eat. That turned us off for the rest of our dinner so we just left and went somewhere else! Yuck.
(1)Natasha M.
Friday night we stopped to eat before a show at the Coronado. We only had an hour and did tell the server. He made sure to place our orders right away. Did a great job helping us get to the show on time. We had the cream of onion soup as a starter. We enjoyed warm bread as a side. The two men had the filet and potatoes. They were surprised it was sliced and served with a red wine reduction. Both enjoyed it a lot. I had mussels and pasta. A lot of mussels - well cooked and flavorful. My dirty martini was perfect. Many options of beers to select. Overall, we will return but with time to linger and enjoy.
(4)Michael S.
Many local restaurants in downtown Rockford have came and went. There's a reason why the Irish Rose is still around. Reasonably priced food, and gracious servers we've come to appreciate. We love how all the employees seem to love and take ownership in the Rose. I'd recommend the stuffed chicken with goat cheese and prosciutto. A great place, a great space, with delicious food. We would be regulars if we did not live so far away.
(4)Meg N.
Salad was very bland and not good at all but the burger and fries were delicious. Waitress was, however, not very attentive even though the place was not at all crowded. She was more interested in socializing with what was either coworkers or friend that were sitting at the bar
(3)PA S.
Went here for New Year's Eve. I was pleasantly surprised by this little nook. The building is over 100 years old, and the owners have taken great care in reclaiming the classic look of the interior. Nothing looks out of place or too modern, nor does it become campy with a faux-retro look. The waitstaff was a bit over-enthusiastic to start, but adjusted to our personality very well. They know the specials, the cooking processes, and are not afraid to give an honest recommendation. We started with a calamari appetizer that came out too close to our soup for us to savor. Unfortunately, the calamari did not set the bar high for the rest of the evening. The dish was woefully under-seasoned and too greasy. The accompanying sauce did little to compensate. Our second course was a complete 180 from the appetizer. We both had the pulled pork potato soup, which was outstanding. Here, we got our taste of Irish Rose's reputation as having fresh food. The pork was freshly smoked, and not the least bit salty. The potatoes and broth complimented beautifully. This was an incredibly hearty bowl of soup. I could eat a bowl for lunch and be satisfied. I had the filet mignon special, with came with a red wine and butter sauce, asparagus, and a side of mash. I ordered the filet medium rare, and was told that the chef refused to serve it any other way. I almost walked into the kitchen and shook his hand. The meat was cooked perfectly. Usually, I have trouble with my medium rare orders coming out black and blue, but the meat was masterfully cooked. The sauce was a bit buttery, but complimented the meat well, which was seasoned with fresh peppercorns. The mash was good, but I was too impressed by the filet to take notice. My partner ordered the lamb chops, and commented that they were cooked properly, but that the cut was a bit fatty for her tastes. I did not try it, so I cannot comment extensively. For dessert, we split a chocolate mousse. This is not really a chocolate mousse, it is very thick with less air whipped into it. It is served with whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Rubbing the mint leaf on the spoon cuts the sweetness of the mousse just enough to make it perfect. The mousse was not too sweet, but not bland either. I will definitely return to sample more of the menu.
(4)Jamie H.
Came here on NYE for dinner at 7pm. We had reservations for four and were seated right away. The place wasn't too busy, which I was surprised by. Took quite a while for the food to come out, but it was pretty darn good, it was also at an incredible price. I got a salmon pasta with onions, mushrooms and a cream sauce. It was very good, but just a little bland. Could have used some sort of spice with it. The pesto balsamic dressing was AMAZING. I could have just eaten that by the spoonful! The jerk pork ribeye (something like that), that two of my friends got was also very tasty...and HUGE. Excellent place, and I'd frequent it again!
(4)Elizabeth E.
What to say about The Rose? I've been going here on and off for the better part of 15 years. When I was single and wanted to meet a boy or an ex for a drink, I would go to the Rose. When I need to escape my family during the holidays, I go to the Rose. When I want to have a nice dinner with my siblings - but not pay the "nice dinner" price at Brio - I go to the Rose. I love The Rose's bread and spread plate, the pork chops with colcannon, and anything they do with mushrooms or asparagus. I've had more stiff drinks and glasses of wine at The Rose than I'd like to recall. I miss The Rose a great deal, and hope it never changes.
(5)Daniella D.
I gave this place three tries. The commercial says fresh, with a distinct emphasis on fresh. Each time I was there my food was greasy, definitely not fresh. I will never return & wouldn't recommend it. Our friends have had similar experiences on different visits.
(1)EatingOutWithAGirl ..
The more I visit Rockford, the more I like it. :) One of the main reasons is: The Irish Rose. Upon walking through the door, one might think, "Aw shit, it's an Irish Pub so, I'll get some chips..." Then BOOM, you take a look at the menu and the specials and you're like, "Mmmmhhhmmm, I'm good here. Really, good." I like to sit at the bar because the staff at The Rose, is beyond, Fabu and CAN make a GREAT cocktail too. (Yes, I know, it rhymes) #Haha Let's get down and dig on the nom, nom, Bread Plate which is FULL of Veggie Love. Olive oil, Parmesan, Basil Pesto & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and of course, the bread. #NomNom Other things to munch on while awaiting the many Veggie Love entrees offered are: Wood Grilled Zucchini, Mozzarella with Tomato & Basil on Bruschetta, Peruvian Mountain Asparagus, and a few salads, of course. You're not full yet are ya? Check out these yummies: A bunch of different Veggie Pastas with FRESH ingredients. A HOMEMADE Veggie Burger AND let's not forget the HUGE FRESH BOARD! Serving up fresh Guac, Saganaki and my FAVE, Pesto Sweet Corn. #MouthWateringNow I can't say enough positive things about this downtown Rockford pub. Do yourself the favor and just go there now. :) PS: Was it mentioned yet that Thursdays at The Irish Rose are: Vegetarian Thursdays? #MostExcellent PPS: Daily Drink Specials, Uh Huh! Side Note: There IS, a parking lot AND it's FREE. LAST but NOT LEAST, don't forget to ask about the delectable desserts. #omg The Irish Rose Saloon - 519 E State St, Rockford, IL 61104 - (815) 964-0480 *Eating Out With A Girl* #EOWAG EatingOutWithAGirl.com #EOWAG *Eating Out With A Girl* - Veggie Love in Unexpected Places. :)
(5)Chris S.
holy crap!!! absolutely the worst service I have ever had in 20 years of dining out. such a shame, the food was up to par but our server was beyond worthless. took 10 minutes for our first visit from him, another 10 to come back and take our drink order. after we finally ordered our entrees another waiter had to bring us our food. our server never once checled on us, Mary sat with an empty drink, my water wss long gone and our table was a mess. after 20 minutes I finally waived down someone who appeared to work here and asked for our check. she swore at us and then screamed at the waiter. never got a chance to order desert or another drink. do yourself a favor amd avoid this place...such a shame, used to be our favorite place to eat in Rockford.
(1)Elaheh S.
Great food and service. There were 4 of us, we ordered different foods and we all loved what we got. However, the restroom was not clean.
(4)Sara L.
I have always been a huge fan of this place. The food is always great and prices are on point!. Me and my family have been going here for years. However, you come here for the food and not for the service. You will get what I am saying ...just read further. The calamari w/ rosemary olive oil and lemon is just delicious! Yes, I know why would you want something fried hanging out in oil at your plat...that is just crazy. Just try it and you will be like oh damn this is good. I am a huge fan of their pastas and fish plates. The pastas are flavorful and light, never drenched in sauces like other places. If you are like me, a huge soup fan, then you will love their soups. Sometimes I wonder if they could have the soup on the menu in a giant bowl. So why not the four stars or five? Easy..the service. It can be hit or miss sometimes. Some days we go there and we get great service. Other times you are trying to flag down a waiter even though the place is empty. If they had more consistent service then it will be a 4 star. Even thought the service is hit or miss..I still like coming here every time I am in town visiting the folks.
(3)