Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
7900 Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD, 20814
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery Menu
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Starters
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Fresh Greens
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Butcher Shop
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Mains
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Mac N' Cheese
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Lighter Choices
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Between the Buns
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Sandwiches & Pizza
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Premium Sides
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Sides
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Desserts
Diabetics at Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets serves burgers which are generally high in sodium and fat. Ensure that you pick the burgers which are light and doesn't contain too much sodium. Try ordering salads if you're concerned about your sugar intake and looking for healthy choices.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for Diabetics:
Johnny Rockets is a fine dining place for burgers, but you must be selective if you're a diabetic. Skip all kinds of dressing when you order a burger at Johnny Rockets as it will only spike the sodium content on your meal. Salads are often considered diabetic-friendly but not the ones at Johnny Rockets. Avoid Crispy Chicken Club Salad and Grilled Chicken Club Salad as they are too high in sodium and fat.
Make sure you opt for water instead of the drinks available on the Johnny Rockets menu. Besides Diet Coke and Coffee, most of the drinks served at Johnny Rockets are high in sugar. Skip the shakes at Johnny Rockets to avoid high sugar intake. Breakfast is always preferred heavy for diabetics but most of the breakfast items on the Johnny Rockets menu are high in sodium and must be avoided.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Johnny Rockets:
Rocket Single Burger (1 Serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 350mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Bacon Cheddar Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 330 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 650mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Route 66 Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 330 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 280mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Route 66 Double Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 410 calories, 40g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 320mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
The Original Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 590mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Hot Tea (8 fluid ounces)
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 10mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Sweet Potato Fries, Side (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 220 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 370mg sodium, 30g carbs, 10g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Side of Fries (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 460mg sodium, 30g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Healthy Meal suggestions for Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
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Starters
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Fresh Greens
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Butcher Shop
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Mains
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Mac N' Cheese
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Lighter Choices
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Between the Buns
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Sandwiches & Pizza
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Premium Sides
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Sides
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Desserts
High Blood Pressure at Johnny Rockets
Fast-food restaurants are your last resort if you are suffering from high BP. Most fast food restaurants including Johnny Rockets offer foods rich in sodium. High sodium intake can be even lethal for people concerned with high blood pressure. However, you can always try the salads or choose food without any extra dressing or side dishes to limit your sodium intake.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for High Blood Pressure
It is extremely important to avoid any kind of burgers with extra dressing at Johnny Rockets. You must also skip any kind of breakfast items except Pancakes at Johnny Rockets. Also, avoid Breakfast Belt Sandwich and Rocket Breakfast Burger at Johnny Rockets as both these items are too high in sodium. Also, avoid Crispy Chicken Salad and Grilled Chicken Club Salad as well as any kind of dressing on other low-sodium salads available at Johnny Rockets. Skip shakes containing Oreo on the Johnny Rockets menu as Oreo shakes served at Johnny Rockets are high in sodium.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at Johnny Rockets
Strawberry Chocolate Swirl Milkshake (1 shake)
Nutritional Facts: 810 calories, 40g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 30g), 300mg sodium, 90g carbs, 90g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Rocket Single Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 350mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Route 66 Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 350mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Garden Salad (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 150 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 260mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Side Salad (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 70 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 110mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Apple Juice (10 fluid ounces)
Nutritional Facts: 140 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 30mg sodium, 30g carbs, 30g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Bethesda for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at Johnny Rockets
Burgers fall into the fast-food category and most fast-food items are high in cholesterol. If you're suffering from high cholesterol, then it is advised that you skip any meal with excessive fat and sugar.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for High Cholesterol
You must skip all types of dressing on your burger. Also, avoid burgers like Smoke House Burger at all costs from Johnny Rockets menu. Skip all the drinks except coffee, iced tea, and diet coke as they are completely unhealthy for people with high cholesterol. Breakfast items on Johnny Rockets are very high in cholesterol and it is strictly recommended to avoid all the breakfast items on their menu including the sandwiches.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Johnny Rockets
Kids Cappuccino Crunch Milkshake (1 shake)
Nutritional Facts: 740 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 20g), 310mg sodium, 100g carbs, 80g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Garden Black Bean Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 330 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 650mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
The Spicy Houston Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 700mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Kids Banana Shake (1 shake)
Nutritional Facts: 560 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat20g), 190mg sodium, 60g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Johnny's Breakfast Sandwich (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 230mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Bethesda for healthy meals suggestion.
Q & A on Johnny Rockets
Who owns Johnny Rockets?
Johnny Rockets is founded by Ronn Teitelbaum. Today, the restaurant chain is owned by Sun Capital Partners.
Does Johnny Rockets serve breakfast?
Yes, Johnny Rockets has a separate breakfast section, especially for breakfast meal. Johnny Rockets serves breakfast all day and night.
Where is Johnny Rockets located near me?
There are over 320 Johnny Rockets outlets across the United States. You can find a Johnny Rockets restaurant nearby using our Restaurant Listings directory.
What time does Johnny Rockets open and close?
All Johnny Rockets restaurants in the United States opens at 8 AM and stays open till 9 PM. Some Johnny Rockets restaurants stay open till midnight at some locations.
Does Johnny Rockets have gluten-free?
Johnny Rockets offers a wide range of gluten-free items. You can opt for the gluten-free bun to turn your burger into a gluten-free burger. For assurance, you can check out Johnny Rockets gluten-free menu.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is a restaurant franchise headquartered in the United States. The American restaurant chain features 1950s diner-style restaurant format with individual jukebox stations, red vinyl seats, chrome accents, etc. There are around 320 Johnny Rockets restaurants in the United States.
Ron Teitelbaum from Los Angeles, California founded Johnny Rockets as a recreation of the 1940s vintage themed malt shops of his childhood. The first Johnny Rockets began its operations on June 6, 1986. Johnny Rockets specializes in American burgers and sandwiches as well as offers salads, starters, and shakes to enrich your dining experience at Johnny Rockets.
Healthy Food Options at Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is a fast-food restaurant and finding healthy food at Johnny Rockets can be a bit tricky. While you can always opt for the salads and healthy shakes at Johnny Rockets for healthy options, there are also some healthy burgers and sandwiches which you can bet on. Ensure that the sugar, sodium, and cholesterol is in check when you order food at Johnny Rockets.
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Address :
7900 Norfolk Ave
Bethesda, MD, 20814 - Phone (301) 652-1311
- Website https://www.rockbottom.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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L S.
We tried to find a bar to watch the college game for a colleague who wanted to see it. They had sports on but not that particular game but the front desk was more than helpful in trying to look up the channel. Unfortunately, they didn't subscribe to it but we decided to stay anyways. We tried the beer flights, good tasting beers. Wish our server was more on her game but maybe it was an off night for her. Food was ok, average. Burgers pretty good but the ribs little dry, chef was accommodating to substitute sauces on chicken wings and half chicken. Bathrooms clean. Decor dark but nicely done. Excellent customer service skills on the front desk staff. Not bad for a chain restaurant
(3)Eddie K.
They recently "refreshed" this location. They have new taps located front of the bar (instead of the back), got new floors and carpet and totally renovated the disgusting restrooms. They also have a new menu. Sure, the menu is looking more like Gordon Biersch, but that's a good thing since the food was passable before.
(4)Helen S.
I came on a day when I wasn't feeling well so I may be biased. All I wanted was something soothing, so I ordered the clam chowder since it was the soup of the day. The food took awhile and mine arrived at our table last, even though they're only ladling it from a large pot. Also, it was lukewarm, so I think they just forgot about it. Taste-wise, it was way too salty. And while it was thick, it wasn't thick in a rich 'n creamy way, but more of a starchy from too much cornstarch kind of way. The two friends whom I dined with were happy as a clam with their food, so mine may just be a fluke. It put a damper on my already gloomy day. If someone drags me here again, I would rereview, but i wouldn't voluntarily visit anytime soon.
(2)Sky O.
The food lives up to the restaurant's name. Let me just put it this way. Everything is bad, chicken wings were over fried, the nachos were microwaved. The fish and chips were hard to chew and not crunchy. The burger was made of frozen patty, it was dry. The most anticipated warm donut holes recommended by our waitress is very small in size, and again, were hard and microwaved. The only reason for 2 stars was the decor wasn't bad, waitress was very friendly and attentive. Otherwise, I would have given one star only. Not a place for good food.
(2)Mark R.
Beers here are excellent... but.... Food needs work. Had lunch today with my company: - Ribs were completely overdone. Terrible waste of money. Do not order. - Fries were all cold - Cold coffee - Burgers are pretty good - Service was pretty slow
(3)Christy L.
Food was great. Servicer was rude! Service was slow! Always had to ask for refills on water!!
(1)Trevor T.
Every time I come to Bethesda, I love going to this restaurant. It has a real nice atmosphere and pleasant decor. The food is good and the service is on point. It's a great sports bar and its large enough to accommodate a large number of people and you don't feel crowded. I wish we had one in Memphis.
(5)Matt G.
It pains me to write this, because we've come here for years and love beer and the (family-friendly) food. But the service here has gotten steadily worse to the point that we can't stand it any longer. On our last visit we waited over 45 minutes for our food, and they got one of our orders wrong. Getting the waitress to come to our booth after we placed our orders was impossible. It got so bad that two managers had to come out to assuage us. I implore them to fix their service, please - we don't want to give up Rock Bottom but we've nearly had it.
(2)William B.
Okay food. Decent brews. Would come here on a Tuesday night. Save your Friday nights for something better.
(2)Ken R.
Prompt service and very courteous. The food was great and the atmosphere was fantastic
(4)Ruth C.
Two and a half stars. So this is what it's like to hit rock bottom in Bethesda. I half-jest, but this is definitely one of the busier venues away from the Row. Street and garage parking in the area. Upstairs bar is prioritized for banquets, and the lower level is more restaurant seating than bar seating. The bathrooms upstairs are roomy and acceptably clean. Seat yourself and be prepared to aggressively compensate for spotty service. Pours are heavier after happy hour specials are over. Pretzels are dense and fresh from the oven, but the garlic wasn't detectable and I preferred them without the jalapeno spinach cheese dip. The housemade chips are more memorable than the guacamole and salsa they come with. Calamari was alright, with marinara and sweet/spicy saucing options. Overall this location seems like less of a hot mess than their Arlington location, but that's not saying much.
(2)Nicholas V.
You pay for the ambiance and the fact it's in downtown Bethesda. Service is reasonably friendly. Menu is league average bar food, with prices that are way out of whack. 10.95 for a regular burger? Appetizers are overpriced as well. I was hoping that the burger would be good, at best it was passable. Big check snafu at the end, at least they were friendly about it. I won't be back on my own volition.
(2)Loves ..
We had supper here on a Monday night and the place was pretty busy. We asked for a booth and was seated in just a few minutes. Our waitress was quick, attentive, and friendly. The food and drinks were generous and good. This is a solid choice for a casual dinner and drinks.
(4)Ashley P.
We had a group of 3 friends that wanted a relaxing, conversational NYE dinner. We sought after Rock Bottom and we were happy. This place was nothing outstanding, but it was also nothing bad. They had great micro-brewed (I think) beer! The server was under training, but she was great. The veggie burger was tiny. The Nachos were basic...nothing to call home about. The pizza was good.
(4)Will P.
I've been to Rock Bottom a few times with friends and family, almost always for beers and drinks. This last time we went we had dinner there and the result was disappointing; made worse by the service. We started with Spicy Spinach Cheese Dip, which should have just been called queso fundido with a little spinach thrown in. Completely not what anyone at the table expected. At least it tasted ok but they served us too few tortilla chips and our server never offered to bring us more. I ordered the Hickory Bacon BBQ Burger, which is a little difficult to mess up. It was just ok, nothing spectacular. Instead of chips or fries I decided to order mac 'n cheese and a side of slaw. Both were awful. So bad, in fact, that I felt compelled to tell the waiter about it (more on that later). The mac sauce had very little cheese to it. The slaw had so little dressing that it might as well been straw. I had my friends taste both to make sure it wasn't just me, and the consensus was that they were bad. This is where the waiter comes in. When I told him about the food his response was, "That's funny, no one else ever complains." I don't think he was aiming for snark but it's not what a patron wants to hear. He as defending food that sucked. And I won't be eating dinner there again because of it. So, why give them two stars instead of one or none? The beer. The homemade brews there are exceptional. I had a hand-pulled ale, Rocky Creek Pale Ale and the Lumpy Dog Lager. They were fantastic. To wrap up: Go to Rock Bottom and try their craft beers. Avoid having dinner there though.
(2)Abhi K.
Went here for happy hour a couple nights ago. AMAZING deals. Before 7, you have pints for $1.60 and appetizers are discounted too, although I don't know exactly by how much. Their spinach and cheese dip is great. I also tried their Gorgonzola burger which you can get as a turkey burger. The onion rings also look good, although I didn't try them. The wings were puny and came out sort of cold and unjuicy. I'd stay away from them but the rest are fair game.
(4)mac h.
Went on Monday night. They are currently running a "buy-a-burger" "get-a-1-cent-pint" deal on Mondays. This is good, but it's not like you can buy a more expensive menu item and get the cheap beer. Plus it's only good for the regular beer, not the rotating seasonal beer/cask. Our waitress was pretty inattentive, and the place was pretty empty ... we even got the wrong check (though I suppose we could have paid less ... it was a much cheaper check ... and just left). But it's the inattentive service and the absurd incentive to only buy a burger that logically kills me. The beer is good, of course, though I do not find it as inspiring as other area bars/microbreweries.
(2)Braden S.
This place has good food and I have heard it has good beer. One night I went in with a friend to meet up with a group. My friend was suspected of having a fake ID (it wasn't) and questioned further. The bouncer was beyond rude to my friend and started screaming at him to leave. We were extremely upset and as we were walking out, the man (I believe he was a manager) said "We should have killed them all in 'nam" (my friend is asian). I will NEVER go back there and suggest none of you reading this do either.
(1)Lilibeth C.
If you love beer, this is a great spot! Went here for brunch on a weekend trip with my boyfriend and our hotel was in Bethesda so we took a walk around to find a local spot to eat. Our waiter Allen was very friendly, helpful and funny. He told us about the beers they brew, showed us the room where they ferment the beer and all the machines (really cool thing is they have a huge clear side to the wall that you can sit literally right next to it and see everything) and suggested an IPA and a burger that were so delicious and very well paired I must say (since I am a beer and burger type of girl)!! My boyfriend had one with bacon, yum!! Prices are very reasonable. They have a full bar on both levels, the top also has pool tables too! Definately one to check out!
(4)Sam R.
Me: "What special drafts do you have?" Server: "We've got sk*)#)b beer" Me: "Huh, what beer? Server: "Sc(&#ry beer" Me: "I'm sorry - WHAT?" Server: "SCARY beer" Me: "Ohh, SCARY beer. What kind of beer is that? Server: "It's scary beer. It's beer" Me (about to choke server): " I know it's beer. What KIND of beer is it?" Server: "Scary beer. I don't know, it's beer. I don't drink beer" Me: "Ahh, makes sense for you to work in a brewery restaurant then ..." Please, if you're a brewery restaurant at least give the staff a fighting chance to push your suds. Doesn't drink beer? Fine (questionable, but fine). Doesn't know if it's a pilsner, wheat, pale ale, stout, etc - unacceptable. I did end up trying several of the other beers on tap - the Red Racoon, Bear Brown and the Pale Ale ... all perfectly drinkable, but nothing amazing. Maybe I missed out on the scary beer, but I highly doubt it. Also tried the appetizer sampler platter, which was good bar food. The pint sundae was delicious, the chocolate stout cheesecake not so much.
(3)Andrew K.
We came here for drinks and some dessert. The place is huge and pretty cool in that you can see how beer is brewed. We tried the sangria and some lemonade drink which was not very strong and didn't taste that good. There are alot of beers that they brew and the food on the menu looks like typical bar food but I can't comment on that since I didn't try any of it. They run specials for happy hour and after 11pm but we got there around 8pm so there was no specials. We didn't really stay that long but I guess I would give it another try during happy hour.
(3)Varun V.
CHEAP wednesday is pint night - select from their own-brewed beers and get the first for $5 and re-fills for $2. what's more?! you get to take home a authentic Rock Bottom pint glass home at the end of the night. DONT FORGET UPSTAIRS you might not see the pool tables and smaller bar if you're just seated downstairs OK FOOD as far as food goes- this place joins the clone wars with ruby tuesdays/applebees/fridays i could go on until tomorrow.
(4)Hampton C.
It is what it is. I can't say how many times I've been here. The food is consistently mediocre and mass produced. The beers are quite good... though I always seem to get a headache the following day (even if only having 2 beers). I've found that the cask brews are usually very good and worth traveling to Bethesda to sample. ...but of course, the options within DC far exceed my old, faithful, RB.
(3)A F.
The absolute worse dining and customer service experience. Don't go to Rock Bottom!! We were treated poorly, the manager didn't listen to our complaint, and they sent our family out the door. No joke! My family was looking for a kid-friendly St. Patty's Day place where we could grab drinks and the kids could enjoy a meal. Rock Bottom was crowded. We asked how long the wait was and the hostess replied, "30 minutes." We didn't mind waiting. I headed to the bar to grab us two beers. The bartender asked me three times to repeat my order. No problem. I understood how busy she was. 30 minutes had passed. Meanwhile, we enjoyed two beers as we patiently waited with young kids to be seated. Another 5 minutes passed till we sent out 8 year old to the hostess to ask, "How much longer?" She replied, "Another 10 minutes." Again, we understood. 10 minutes longer had passed. We were now the only ones standing in the waiting area. My wife asked the same hostess, how much longer. Pointing over to a table, the frustrated hostess said they were clearing it for our family. We waited another 15 minutes of which 2-3 tables were left unoccupied. We assumed one was ours. A total of 55 minutes had passed till we asked again. By now the hostess was upset with our asking. She abruptly said again, they were clearing a table. My wife explained she said that 15 minutes ago and the table she said was ours was given to another party. Since our children we're now all hungry and impatient by now, my wife asked me if we should just leave. I approached the hostess complaining of our wait and her misinformation. I wanted to know why we hadn't been seated yet, especially with 2-3 empty tables. Flipping back to our name on the first page, she said, "You will be soon like I've already told you!" I complained, "Well, I want to be seated now. We're tired of waiting." Walking away from me, she rolled her eyes and stated, "Sorry, you are not going to be!" I spoke with the other hostess who said she couldn't help me. I told her, "It was kind of b*tchy for your co-worker to just walk away, roll her eyes, and tell me were not going to be seated. How can we get seated?" I asked to speak with a manager who could help. The manager approached me on the defensive, immediately getting in my face. I explained the situation and said I felt that the hostess had been a little "b*tchy" on top of waiting for so long. He said, "This is a family place. You need to not use that language again." He didn't even hear my complaint, but was concerned with my language. I didn't think anything of it since we were in a bar and not Churck E. Cheese. He went on to reprimand me for saying that word in front of my children. Probably not the best word to say in front of kids, but I didn't need his parental advice. We just needed food. By this point, we were exhausted and getting no where. My wife was right. We should have just left. I bluntly but more quietly said, "I can use whatever language I f**kin' choose. I just want to be seated and enjoy a meal with my family." The manager grabbed my buzzer from my hand sending all of us out the door. His response, "Well then, we don't have to seat you. Goodbye." My language was inappropriate. I was two beers in; my children were starving and frustrated. I just felt that the hostess nor manager cared about the situation even though we had been gracious for an hour. He did nothing to calm me, except to get literally in my face, reprimand me, then 86 our entire family. Shame on me, but what a shame for Rock Bottom as well. A truly Rock Bottom experience for us all! I've never been 86'd; and never with my family in toe. LOL.
(2)U.S. A.
The food was decent, not sure why they don't use soft corn tortillas. The lobster and shrimp tacos where good. Kids food was great, especially the make your own pizza. Beer was excellent, had the IPA.
(4)Cy K.
A rock bottom like any other except for great music! I was really shocked to come into this chain and hear at least 3 really great local indie bands (shocking for the humdrum environment). This place may be just a chain, but some manager there really has his or her stuff together in booking live music.
(4)matt L.
The place has good beer, ill givee them that. The food is way overpriced for your standard fair (which they serve). I also came with a group of friends that bought a large amount of food/drink, and the waitriss couldnt have been ruder. I thought restaruants wanted you to spend money?? The bouncer has also given me some hassle for my id (im 23 and have a full grown beard)
(2)John B.
My corn beef seemed tough. My wife did not enjoy her pretzel. Home brews where ok but they did not offer many name brands. crowded, needed reservations.
(2)Jose A.
This Rock Bottom has the best Weekend Night scene out of all the ones i've been too, pretty sweet, service is not the best, beer is overall pretty good. Not bad, worth stopping for a pint or two if your in the area and like brewpubs...
(4)Geoff L.
great beers, average food. Say you are in the mug club so you can get larger drinks
(4)Lissa -.
Good choice for happy hour or getting together w/ some friends. It really has a friendly atmosphere and is a good singles place for checking out eye candy (especially hot guys). Food is typical bar food - burgers, fries, etc.
(4)Merida F.
I have been here a few times with different groups of people sometimes for happy hour or dinner. I went last night for the Wednesday night happy hour. We had just ordered our fried calamari and all of a sudden the table next to us spotted a cockroach crawling in the crevasse in the wall. The waiter came over and tried to get it out-finally grabbing it 5 minutes later. As far as I know nothing was comped for that table nor did management even make an appearance to apologize. I am disappointed by the lack of service in that particular regard. On teh bright side, the bartenders were very attentive and quick. Calamari was decent-the marinara was HOT!(spicy) and literally made my throat burn-but some people like that so over all it was decent.
(3)Rosers M.
Decidedly blah. Main star for this place is that it serves food late (only place that seemed to be open on Sunday at 10:30p), but that's cancelled out by the fact the food isn't very good AND uses up my limited amount of late night calories - boo to that. We split an order of firecracker shrimp (pretty good), bruchetta (ok), and pizza (gross) and left most of the food for the birds. The draft beer is OK but nothing special. Service was the second star, the servers were very attentive and nice, but in general I don't plan on returning unless I take another late night flight to Bethesda...
(2)andres l.
If you are a beer drinker, this is the place. Rock Bottom, specially the Bethesda restaurant, has receive many awards for its great beer. The food is a hit and miss with me, some of the food is ordinary but others are very well above of what you would expect. But the best part is the two bars in the place, great happy hour ambient and if you are in the second floor bar area, order food and wait to hear the extra funny way of announcing of the names. PS: ask the waiter to call out "candy", I do not know if it is the beer or the hanging with friends, but that name in that voice cracks me up.
(5)Nicole L.
I guess my experience at a brewery is always better than just a bar. I love brewery beer because it is stronger! Been to this rock bottom many times from a quick drink to after dinner drinks to all day sunday watching football. It's never too crowded so it rather relaxing to hang out at the bar. The seared tuna was not a good idea!! but I didnt order it! The platter is great for those sunday football - wings, taquitas, nachos etc. I got toasted between beer and scotch cos I was so relaxed. Once the waitress was cool to leave the table for us while we ran over to Bethesda cigar shop for a cigar break!
(3)Sam H.
I solely go here for their happy hour (PERIOD). Good beer, good people. :) Good Happy Hour food. Regular Food... well read other people's reviews.
(4)John K.
One of my favorites. The food is good - nothing remarkable. I recommend the pretzels, chili, pasta dishes, and the texas fire steak. All good options. The beer is what makes this stand out. The raccoon red in particular is my favorite, but all the brews are great, including the often interesting specials. Interesting music on the weekends, and generally friendly, fun atmosphere. Nice decor and high-ceilings also increase general pleasantness. -John
(4)John K.
This is one of my favorite places to go to. Great beer, decent food, but I'm never disappointed when I come here. Try their Racoon Red or Brown Bear if you like a fuller darker beer. Their Stillwater Stout ain't half bad either. One of my favorite things to order are their Titan's Toothpicks which are tacquitos on steroids. These things are MASSIVE. Filled with chicken and vegetables and fried to goodness. Oh and BTW I like Bennigans and I'm in my mid twenties.
(4)Christine A.
The space is good for happy hours with a big group. Food is acceptable - nothing to write home about. Service for sit-down is pretty good, but the service around the bar is a bit lacking. Standard beer selection for a microbrewery.
(3)Maria L.
This place is just, well, ordinary. The food's okay, the beer's, well, beer- everything's just kinda- meh-. They used to have good happy hours, which gave me a reason to frequent, but not anymore! Don't think I'll be going back soon.
(3)Dave S.
I always enjoy the happy hours here. The best beer selection in Bethesda.
(4)Mr. H.
Trivia and $3 microbrews? Rock Bottom, you had me at trivia. Every Wednesday is District Trivia at Rock Bottom (conveniently located a couple of blocks from the Bethesda Metro for those trying to have a good time and not get a DUI). As a closet geek, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire trivia contest. The trivia guy is a bit obnoxious and there were too many people googling up their answers on their cellular telephones. But it was a good time nonetheless! I am not a fan of microbrews but I was digging the Liquid Sun. It's kind of like a Blue Moon but more complex and citrus-y...They also had a Belgian Ale that was lip smacking. I can't vouche for the food but my friends ordered a nacho platter and the few bites I grabbed were very cromulent! The best part of all is, between the three of us, and a gallon of beer + food, we spent about $60 (tip and tax not included) ME LIKEY ROCK BOTTOM!!!11
(5)M D.
They serve the kind of food here where you know you just consumed 2,000 empty calories in one sitting. I had the queso and chips, and I swear it was so gummy, they must use that sorbum stuff to make all-weather tires. I'm not sure about the beer, but I wouldn't come here for the food!
(1)Shaun O.
I just started going here for Happy Hour on Thursday with the NIH crowd. They have a fair selection of home brews on tap, and great rock bottom prices for happy hour ($1.60). Alas, as I am a lab rat I never make it in time for Happy Hour. I tried dinner last night with my new NIH friends. Food wasn't too bad, although it seemed a little on the high end for prices. $10 for a burger and fries? hmm....$14 for pasta? I dunno a little on the high end for me, but then again I am probably a cheapskate too. Nice ambience and crowd for happy hour. They also have a fair amount of TV screens for watching ball games. Also located in a great spot as there are other pubs in the area too.
(4)jea y.
This place has improved since the old days, food wise. I do miss the thai chicken pizza, but I don't miss the fruit flies, so it's a wash. It's nice to get a stair climb cardio workout going to the bathrooms, helps to burn off some of the wings, which are still pretty damn good. The bar can get pretty crowded on weekends, when the windows start to fog up, that's the time to head over to Caddies.
(3)Brendan D.
Not a bad spot. Rock Bottom seems to have gotten a bad rep with many beer lovers, and I think in this case that rep is undeserved. Geoff Lively is the head brewer at the Bethesda location, and his concoctions are always adventurous, tasty, and also rather potent. Sure the pale ale, the lumpy dog, etc are fairly bland; but he is really just brewing them for corporate. I actually like the Raccoon Red quite a bit. When Geoff is allowed to do his own thing, the results are always quite good. His "Liquid Sun", beligian wheat was one of the best hefeweizens I have ever had in my life. His most recent Belgian Dubbel is also very tasty. Geoff is a guy who likes his beer, and you can tell. He is always willing to talk Beer, and his some good stories. Dave is a good bartender, and does a nice job. There is also a younger guy who wears glasses who tends a good bar during Sunday night NFL games. The food here kind of blows though. Their chicken quesadilla sucks (how hard is it to make a decent chicken quesdailla?), and they somehow manage to screw up simple things like burgers and fries. Oh, and it takes a long time too... 5 stars on the beer/service, 2 for the food.
(3)Erin R.
Rock Bottom is a great place to meet a group a friends for happy hour. Get there early, get your free glass (you have to join thier little RB club), and enjoy the cheap-o food and drink specials. The seasonal beers are hit or miss, but the main-stays are damn good. I suggest getting the beer sampler and having a taste of all the brews.
(4)Sydney W.
I ate here on Saturday night (9/15) and was extremely disappointed. We arrived at about 7:40 and the wait was only about 10-15 minutes which I was supper happy about. The host and who I assumed were the manager sat us within our wait time and were very friendly. Then the problems started. It took our server almost 8 minutes to come greet us and never introduced herself or welcomed us to the restaurant. I work in the industry and a general rule of thumb is within two minutes. My boyfriend and I were starving so we decided to just order everything at once. I asked her a few questions about the beer and she could barely say two words aout describing the beers. We decided to order a small salad to start with and I pointed to the 3.95 greenhouse salad, and she wrote it down. We also got the classic burger and the Laredo burger. The beers were delivered promptly, but she just dropped them off and didn't smile or say a word. She then dropped off our salad without saying a thing or asked us about how our beers were. Our burgers took awhile, but I assume on a Saturday night things take awhile. Our server again never asked us how are food was or if we needed water refills or anything. The tables near us were all cleaned off so it didn't appear that she had a busy section. She was rude when she removed our plates and again never asked us how the food was. When I was presented with my check, there was a charge for a 6.95 salad instead of the 3.95 salad I pointed to on the menu. Normally I would just pay for it, but because she was so rude I just couldn't bear paying 4 more dollars. She tried to fight me about it but I know I was in the right. The problem was fixed and I ended up not being charged for the salad at all but it was still an awful night. I came in hungry and left upset because our server was so rude. I love good cold beer and burgers but I will not be back just because of this service.
(1)Zach S.
Rock Bottom the Bar: 4 stars As far as bars in Bethesda go, Rock Bottom is one of the best. There's plenty of seating at and around the bar area, there's pool tables, actual tables (and another bar) upstairs, and if you're interested in a private booth, you're in luck, too. I have to hand it to any place that brews its own beers on site and doesn't feel pressure to -- for some reason -- serve Miller Lite and Corona alongside these creations. Each of the craft beers are tasty, and there's a style for everyone. There's a light beer, a lager, an amber, a brown ale, and a stout (I think I got that right). That said, there are no earth-shattering recipes you'd pray to find in your local grocery, but it sure is better than the bland selection offered by most late night joints. The pints are about the same price that you'd expect to pay for a Bud Light in Bethesda, so if you're a bit of a beer snob, this isn't a bad stop. One of the best aspects of Rock Bottom (the bar) is that you can pick your 'scene'. You've got the sports bar area downstairs, the pool area upstairs, and the private table area. No matter what kind of group you're runnin' with, you should be able to find an agreeable location. Rock Bottom is never a bad choice to spend happy hour or a late evening. Rock Bottom the Restaurant: 3 stars The food situation is actually the opposite of what I'd expect from a place that brews its own beer. The hamburgers are sloppy and pretty terrible, while the 'classier' food tends to be spot on. I think part of Rock Bottom's image problem stems from this issue. You'd expect a bar to be able to make a quality hamburger, but wouldn't trust it to make a quality salad or fish dish. I tend not to recommend Rock Bottom as a restaurant, but if you're there for dinner, try venturing outside the normal scope of "bar food."
(3)J S.
I went to Rock Bottom for a friend's birthday celebration a little while ago. Rock Bottom's customer service was excellent! They had multiple servers helping us, the servers seemed to care that we had a good experience, food and drinks arrived in a decent amount of time, and tasted great. A server named Rita was especially thoughtful and friendly. Overall, a very worthwhile experience.
(5)Kristy P.
Good Beer, good american bar food, and beer
(4)Henry L.
Solid microbrewery. I liked the Brown Bear Brown and the Rock Creek Pale Ale, but none of their beers are all that incredible. Barstaff was friendly and the environment is nice.
(3)Ina C.
Rock Bottom is the Bennigans for 20- to 30-somethings. If you don't mind the super salty, microwaved-quality food and "chainy" atmosphere of Bennigans, you won't mind it here. Some good things about Rock Bottom is their beer and live music on the weekends. But if you're looking to eat dinner, go further down on Woodmont and you'll find plenty of better restaurants.
(2)Faye B.
Been here several times at other pples' requests and really can't remember anything distinguishing about it other than they sell beer. You can look at their name and see that. I've been for brunch and saw regular brunch fare. My cousin and his son enjoyed their pancakes and they looked tasty enough. I used to get a chicken sandwich then settled on this pretty tasty dish- Southwestern Shrimp & Chicken Spice that I've gotten a few times. The red pepper cream sauce is actually really good and yes, it is spicy and surprisingly flavorful. I just drink water there now as I tried a few non alcoholic mixed drinks there and they weren't very good so I wouldn't even bother letting them mix me a real drink. With all the great stuff in Bethesda I don't see why people would go there that often. They do have a large selection of beer but I don't drink beer so I can't help you there. Good place to watch a game if you can get a decent table. If I'm ever there it's because I'm in Bethesda and there's a game on. I don't recall too many drink specials though so don't go for that. Service is slow if you sit at one of the tables in the bar area. Either plop yourself at the bar or get a regular table for good service. Oh, they have a pretty decent kids' menu.
(2)B T.
I have been there many times, staff is always friendly, service is fast. Our favorite is nachos, beer and carrot cake, they make it ally nice. Also has steak and burgers there, which was also good.
(4)Thugnificent M.
Never really liked this place. It's a semi micro brewery, they're all over the country. I see more Rock Bottoms than TGI Fridays. Food is very similar just more expensive. The bar is bigger than the normal restaurant bar, but don't go there expecting a "bar". A restaurant bar is far from a real bar.
(3)Kevin O.
I am writing this review solely as a warning to others. NEVER EVER eat any food from this place. I have had food poisoning from Rock Bottom on two seperate occasions (actually the only 2 times I ate there over the last 5 years), the most recent being last night. The must have some sort of food storage problem with their late night fare as both items (the chicken quesidilla and the pretzels with cheese sauce were order after 10:30 pm). I am 100 % sure it was food poisoning as I was drinking only water last night, and am familiar with the syptoms since I had a much more severe case the first time from there (and coincidentily, those are the only 2 times in my life that I have been food poisoned, I have a strong stomach). So if you read this review, spread the word, and save your friends and yourself from a wasted day confined to the bathroom... On the plus side their Brown Bear beer is good, but really, how does a place that can't properly store their food exist for that long??? I know I can't be the only one with this experience there
(1)Mariko F.
2.5 stars because the food was ok. The service might have been the worst ever... I ventured into Rock Bottom for lunch one day. I was tired of sandwiches and the like, but still had a lot of work to do and thus needed to give up my lunch hour for a date with my computer. I walked down to Rock Bottom and asked them if I could get an order for take-out. (I really shouldn't have done this. Apparently you can call in your order and they will have it waiting for you when you get there. If you want something to go, do that. Otherwise, you will run into something similar to that which you will now read.) Sure, no problem, said a friendly girl. She then walked off. I didn't know what she meant and so I just stood there. Another person walked up to me and asked me if I needed some help. I repeated myself to find that this person was a little more helpful. He handed me a menu and waited for me to order. At this point, the girl walked back towards me, put her hand on the man who was helping me's shoulder and in the most condescending manner said "this girl would like to make a to-go order, Omar." For a second I thought that she must think that Omar was slow or something. I was a little taken aback. But Omar was very helpful. He took my order, tried to swipe my credit card. Something was wrong with the system and so the manager had to be called. It took me 7min to pay for my food. I was thinking how nice it would have been of them if, during all this, someone could take my order back to the kitchen so that they could start making my food. But they didn't. Fine. Anyway, that finally over, they told me that my order would be 20min. 20min??? The place was empty!!! I had to get back to work! Fine, I thought. I went back to work, for a few minutes and then went back to Rock Bottom to pick up my order, 15min later. I'm glad that it was actually already sitting there for me to pick it up. It wasn't hot anymore. At this point, I was so fed up at the service, that I didn't care anymore and went back to my office. There, I noticed that they hadn't given me a fork. I'm glad that we have forks in our kitchen and so it wasn't a problem but still! AH! Nothing, and I mean NOTHING went right. At least they got my order right. I had the Mac and Chicken with the House salad. It was actually pretty good. Not the best I have ever had but not bad. I would have loved some Cayenne or Tabasco or something like that, but once again, not bad. Final verdict: decent food, horrible service that they aren't even apologetic for. It bothers me when mediocrity is acceptable.
(3)EdWord E.
Fun atmosphere, younger crowd. FANTASTIC house brewed beer including my favorite Red Raccon. Typical bar food but the appetizer sampler is impressive and make sure to get the beer sampler. Went on a wednesday afternoon and our table got free mugs!
(3)Henry L.
Decent food but overall not economical...
(3)K B.
This is more of a yuppie bar. It is cute inside and ppl are friendly & helpful. The food selection is weak and not all that memorable and appetizing. If you are into beer and so-so bar food, then this may work for. But with so many really great options in the area, I would say this is a 5th or 7th choice.
(2)Kelsey V.
Rock Bottom can be an easy choice for a casual lunch or happy hour. Don't do it. It's not worth the ridiculous prices for crappy food. And the beer they brew on site isn't much better. I'd rather head up to Gaithersburg and hit up Growlers for a better "brew pub" experience.
(2)Kurt B.
Chicken Mac & Cheese is pretty solid for dinner. I also like their Ballpark Pretzels with spicy cheese sauce. If you don't mind sitting in the bar area, you can enjoy half price appitizers until 7, I think only on weeknights.
(4)Brownie B.
Had some nachos. Nothing fancy. Bartender was good, atmosphere was good, though a bit crowded for game 7 of the NBA finals.
(3)Victoria S.
Rock Bottom is only good for pool upstairs. The beer and food are nothing special and the crowd is weak sauce. What can I say it's a chain...snooze alert.
(2)Art P.
I didn't come to appreciate this place until I got a little bit older and tired of the regular Bethesda bar scene. Union Jacks and Blackfinn's are just too young and immature and you have to be wasted in order to tolerate those places. At Rockbottom, there are an abundance of TVs which makes it a perfect place to come and watch a sporting event. I was there recently for St. Patrick's day and the service was great and there are always tables available at the bar which is great for group seating.
(5)Marc H.
I really want to give this place 2.5 stars but since I can't, I'll go with 3. Look, you just gotta realize you're not gonna have a culinary experience here.... it is what it is. I will give you some advice, stick with the apps because theyre not that bad. The spinach cheese jumpoff, the titan toothpicks, and the nacho's are decent. Also, the onion soup is pretty good. I've never had good luck with any of the entrees and to be honest the beer isn't that great either. I suppose the racoon red is the best bet here and sometimes youll get lucky with the seasonal brews. It's a solid place to go to if you want to watch some college football or something and there's usually a decent crowd but overall, if you're looking for good food, this isn't the place you want to be.
(3)N S.
LOL @ the beer being ungood at the place called Rock Bottom Brewery. Change the name to "Titan Toothpicks and we also serve beer and shit" and I'm game. Also, even for watching sports...the TVs aren't that tight...or at least there aren't enough of them. Well..something in the TV department is lacking.
(2)robert k.
one star because 0 star is not an option. i am seriously considering having the IPA analyzed for fermentation off-products. the IPA tasted fine, but a serious headache began shortly after consuming several. the effects lasted for at least 24 hrs. warning - don't drink the IPA batch available mid-Feb 2012.
(1)Nick S.
Prices are decent, beer is very tasty, with several great brewery choices. Spinach dip was delectatable. Happy hour prices can't be beat.
(5)Mim B.
Why are there 2 stars? They are there because they have good cask-aged beer. That is all. The food here is absolute crap; it may not be rock bottom, but it's frighteningly close. No matter what you get, your order will be drenched in grease for no reason. The grease does not add to anything. In fact, it collects under whatever you had the misfortune to order in tepid pools of tasteless oil slick. And it's sad, because if the food was NOT drenched in greasy sludge, it might be quite nice. I recall an order of nachos I had, and there were pretty much no beans. They were scattered, a few here, a few there, they were definitely not refried as advertised, and if you actually price them per pound, I'm willing to bet they cost less than the cheese that was liberally covering the whole thing. Then I got onion rings once, because I was actually craving, well, greasy onion rings. But it was totally ridiculous! Based on the amount of grease clinging to them, I would hazard a guess that they were fried in cold oil. (You know, like if the oil isn't hot enough, whatever you're frying will soak it all up instead of immediately acquiring a crisp golden crust?) My other gripe is I was en route to a New Yr's eve party with my bf and his bro. We stopped by Rock Bottom to watch the Gerogetown game. My bf and his bro are both Gtown fans, and because they were sucking so much, the bartender gave my bf's bro some Jack on the rocks making it very, very clear that it was on the house. Afterward, they tried to charge us for it. Every time I go here, I love the beer (esp. the cask aged stuff), and despise the food. Assuming they have what I even want. One night they actually ran out of fries. And it was totally empty. I mean, how hard is it to cut up some potatoes and dump them in some hot grease???
(2)Robin S.
Rock Bottom is good for beers and nachos. I came here for a Sunday brunch and was surprised. The food was good and the portions were big. It was a little pricey for brunch at a pub, but not by the standards of the area I suppose. I had the brunch sampler and left completely satisfied and full. (They did, however, serve my mimosa with ice, which was a bit odd. They gave me the rest of the little bottle of Korbel though so I can't complain!)
(4)Michael S.
Better than Gordon Biersch. Burger is better than Clyde's. Fries are also better. Will probably be my go-to pub fare joint when I'm in the area.
(4)Raymond W.
Everything you'd expect it to be- casual American food and beer. I got the sonoma chicken wrap and my sister had the santa fe chicken salad which was pretty much one of those salads made tasty by having fried jalapenos and chicken on top of it. nom nom nom.
(3)Coimhin B.
I like the Rock Bottom. Even though there are many better dining options in Bethesda, the beer here sets this place apart. What usually happens is that I go here for a beer, get an appetizer, want another beer then get comfortable in a booth and order some food since I'm there. Not that the food is bad, it's just nothing special. Anyways, best beer around ... and cozy for the winter too ...
(4)Alycia E.
We hit Rock Bottom for happy hour on a Monday night, while not crowded, the place was busy. The Raccoon Red was tasty and at $1.50 a pint, I'd even bring dear old dad here. My co-workers enjoyed the chicken quesadilla, but I thought it was ordinary. However, when our bill came to $13 for six beers and the (so-so) appetizer, I knew we'd be back.
(4)David W.
All the negative reviews seem to be about the food. The place is a brewery, you don't go there for food. They brew many awesome beers and make flights easily available so you can try them all. We went during happy hour and got specialty pint glasses to take home each time we ordered a beer. They are sticklers about taking advantage of this outside of the happy hour hours, but every bar is like that. The service was also solid, and my friends who live in this area all rave about the place. So maybe avoid the food, but if you come here you'll get good beer and good service and you'll have a good time.
(5)Vinny M.
I have to say the food was really great here. The beer was excellent. Try the Kobi beef steak burgers (amazing). Also- try their fries and nachos with dinner. Amazing!
(4)Chris B.
best beer around, tastee food, great atmosphere 5 stars for the beer, 3 for the food
(4)Holly C.
Just your normal beer and food establishment. Packed when it's happy hour and there's a deal going.
(3)Aaron C.
Great spot to watch football or grab a quick bite to eat. The food is fairly standard bar fare but good stuff nonetheless. And, of course, great beers.
(4)Chris E.
Good place to go if you are not in a hurry. The food is a little expensive for what you get. I would recomend it to someone that wants a bar like experience without the hastle of most bars. I would recomend this place as a regular stop. I know on Friday nights they have live music. The band that played the last time I was there was a second or third rate cover band.
(3)Craig A.
My sons and I like to go here when my wife is out of town for a guys night out. I enjoy the beer a lot, especially the Raccoon Red. We have eaten decent pizza, wings, and hamburgers there several times. I would not try any exotic food there, but stick with the decent basics.
(4)choong l.
If you don't want to test the zero tolerance DUI law in D.C., yet hang out at a casual brewery-restaurant with lively atmosphere, Rock Bottom in downtown Bethesda is a pretty good bet. On the weekends, it is absolutely crawling with 20's and 30's suburbanites -- mostly the just-out-of-school 20's and the frat-boys-at-heart 30's and 40's -- but you'll find the place doing brisk business on weekday nights, too. Whether it's a good or bad thing is up to you, really -- listening to Fergie's "London Bridge" blasting in the speakers while brushing up against a crowd dressed 5-10 years younger than their age in a predictably safe and comfortable atmosphere... how you feel about it is really up to you. Well, a few pints in, and you probably could care less. Rock Bottom is probably a good middle-of-the-road choice for any night out; sometimes predictability is a good thing. The beer choices run the usual gamut typical of large-scale brewery-restaurants -- you get decent stout, pale ale, brown/red ale, lager, hefe-weisen and pilsener plus a few seasonals, but nothing extraordinary. I've also been to Rock Bottom in Chicago (where I live) and other states, and it seems that while the beers come from the same recipe, they use different labels for local markets. The beers are good representations of their respective types, but they seem to be aiming to please a broad palate. The seasonal or location-specific specialties by the local Rock Bottom brewmaster are more intresting. (For much more interesting craft brews, however, you should head up I-270 to try out Dogfish Head in Gaithersburg.) Food portions are large, but as previous reviewer noted, uninteresting. The menu is that of a typical T.G.I.Fridays. I'd come for the beer and to hang out, not for the food. (There are much better dining options within a couple of blocks.) Kudos to the bartenders (especially on the busy weekends) for providing a great level of service across the board. Even when I have to elbow my way through the crowd to reach the bar, I never had to wait more than a minute before the bartender will serve me. The table services tend to be a mixed bag, however. Some okay, some dismal, but never great. If you find youself wanting to go out to grab a beer with some friends, but not willing to venture into D.C., Rock Bottom is a safe bet.
(3)Terry T.
I have two words for you; bourbonzola burger. Not every item on their menu is a hit, but just the thought of that gorgonzola cheese sprinkled, crispy onion bedazzled, jack daniels sauce drenched all beef patty on a fresh bun induces a petite mal siezure that leaves me momentarily abscent as I type this. The warm garlic pretzels with the cheese dip w/salsa are a favorite with coworkers. I am partial to the red ale (raccoon red?) that is a staple on the house beer menu. But as most micro ale houses, there are good days and bad days for the pull. Service is good. Better in the dining area, but the bar area seems to have the most traffic and so service is a bit slower. The clientel during happy hour is what you would expect from downtown Bethesda, many people just out of work still in their office attire. Towards the evening it switches over to more families taking over the dining area, and the bar area becoming more sports-bar. I like the fact that you can swap a side of fries for a side salad or veggies for an extra $1. A lot of places won't let you substitute without a hassle. I can walk out of there by myself after a couple of pints and well fed or with left-overs for under $25 including tip, which I consider pretty good deal for a delicious sit-down meal with drinks.
(4)Ryan M.
The food is surprisingly good here (try the Titan Toothpics), and the beer is great like you'd expect from a brewpub. The staff generally rocks (but I'm a bit biased because I know most of them by now), but sometimes the table service can be a bit slow. On the weekends it gets a bit Bethesda for my taste, but a little older and with less of a meat-market feel than Black Finn or Union Jacks. If it's too crowded check out the upstairs bar-there's pool up there and it tends to have a much more laid-back feel than the packed first-floor bar. A great place for happy hour or to grab a few before heading out to DC, and a good spot for Sunday brunch to cure that hangover with another brew, but I don't make it a habit of making this an all-night weekend destination.
(4)Jeff F.
I used to hit Rock Bottom weekly for Happy Hour. If you're a beer lover, join the mug club. Dave downstairs is an excellent bartender and an all around nice guy. He'll take care of you all night. Back in the day they used to have $1 pints at happy hour from M-Thurs, but i think its $1.50 now (i know i know, a big bad 50 cents). Food on the other hand was always middle of the pack. Not crappy bar food, not amazing. Titan fingers aren't bad and their burgers probably won't disappoint, but not a place to go if I'm craving food, just a good bar. Crowd is usually decent, not uptight, especially for Bethesda. Location is great. There are plenty of nice little restaurants close for good food OR other bars to hop to, like Caddies on Cordell or Union Jacks if you want something more trendy.
(4)Tom K.
Menu is a little limited and the service was just alright but there are alot of good looking restaurants around and I feel better can be found around there.
(2)Bella A.
Great beer..order the nachos; they're unusually good "bar food"!! Not gourmet, but never disappointing!
(4)Kim D.
I've been going to Rock Bottom the last few weekends, and I think it's a decent enough place. Not too loud or trendy or college bar atmosphere, but rather a good place to have some dinner and venture over to the bar and watch some games. Nice employees as well - our waiter joked around with us as my friend shamelessly flirted with the poor guy, and he ended up giving us a free dessert on top of it.
(3)Melissa M.
This is usually my friends and I goto spot before we dance. We recently went last weekend for a friends birthday party. The bartenders attention to us was great. He was fast, happy, and attentive. Prices are reasonable here. We ordered chicken fingers, calamari, and quesadilla. All of the food arrived fast, hot, and fresh. There are pool tables upstairs, as well as bathrooms with plenty of stalls. Toilet paper seems to run out fast at this place.
(4)Laura V.
I was first introduced to thie Rock Bottom location by the BF who lives 3 blocks away and is a regular there. Now, the stars I am giving are entirely for the bartenders and the fact that they treat the BF and me very well when we go and sit at the bar. But that's all I can give. 1. The beer sucks. UGH. It's just not good. 2. The food is ok at best. I'll give props for the spicy spinach and cheese dippy whatever thing. The rest, eh... 3. The service outside of sitting at the bar is dismal. For example, the one time the BF and I wanted to sit and have a conversation (still sitting in bar area about 7 feet from the bar, just not AT the bar) it took the waitress 12 minutes (yes, I timed her the 2nd time around) to bring us our beers. Finally, the BF went and got them himself from the bar. Sadly, this is not an isolated situation. 4. The billiards area upstairs is pathetic. The cues are way old and warped and half of them have no tips on them. The one table is listing and had sugar packets holding it up. 5. The bathrooms in there are gross. I'd expect bathrooms of this quality at something like a Dave Matthews concert at Nissan after 3 hours of drinking. Toilet paper all over the floor, at least two stalls clogged or flooded, water everywhere... So basically, 5 stars for the nice bartenders, but only if we're sitting at the bar (oh and that spicy spinach cheese dip). 0 stars for the rest of this place.
(3)Mark D.
Not a bad place to step out of work and relax with friends. Service was fantastic and food was typical of the TGI Friday's, etc. out there. The beer was okay, I had their Brown Ale I had high hopes for their ahi steak, and was surprised to see that it was served sandwich style. I guess that's what happens when you order it from their sandwich and burgers section, but something this great doesn't need to be smooshed between two pieces of carbohydrates and held by hand. I'm sure it would've been better if I ate it with a fork and knife.
(3)Steve G.
Take your ugly mug to Rock Bottom and join the Mug Club! For wino's with definite goals and ambition, you, too, can swill your way to savings. The standard beer offerings (why else come to a brew pub?) are all decent, some good, none spectacular. But it's always fun to try local beer flavor, even if this place is a chain (each branch does have creative control to a degree and beer is made on-premise). This is Metro accessible--about 10 minutes walk from Bethesda metro stop. Good not to tempt fate with DC cops. Better a growler than a police prowler.
(3)Danny C.
-service extremely slow -waiter not at all attentive to his section, tables or customers - looked for help...manager no where to be found - drinks never refilled - took 45 minutes to get check AFTER we had finished our meals Very disappointed. This place
(2)Kitti T.
My fiancée and I were exploring Bethesda when we saw this brewery. Even though we weren't familiar with this restaurant, it's not hard to tell that it's a chain from its boring interior design. Bartender was friendly. We loved their honey summer ale. I had a 22oz and my fiancée had 2. Crab dip was very tasty and filled us both very quickly. I'd say it's a economical place to eat and watch a game.
(4)Alicia C.
Recently went back here with my lab crew as it is their watering hold of choice... but for me this place is definitely falling in the ranks. I'll still give them 3 stars because I still love their nachos and I enjoyed my beer. However it's a very low 3 (and slipping), the service on our last visit was a bit spotty... granted we probably annoyed the server right off the bat with our indecisiveness on which appetizers to get for the table, but it's not like they were too busy with other things to wait a few minutes while we decided! The main dining floor of the place where we were sitting was dead save for one other party of 2... so unless the bar area was particularly hopping (doubtful) then we were sorely neglected. No one else seemed to notice as they were caught up in discussions of lab drama, upcoming holiday party planning, and the best way to preserve deceased pets (another story entirely)... hmm... maybe that's why the server stayed away for so long... Either way, I left entirely underwhelmed. But seeing as how the location of said work group outings is not really up to me, I will most likely be back... let's just hope the service is a bit better next time around.
(3)Jung-Ah P.
Jen and I had happy hour at Rock Bottom Brewery in Bethesda last week, and the deal was so good that we went back again last night, with our friend Schumaine. On Wednesdays, they do a $6 23oz beer with $3 refills and at the end of the night you get to keep the gigantic beer glass. It's awesome!! Not to mention $5 appetizers and pizzas from 5:30 til 7:00pm. They have a fantastic fried calamari appetizer - calamari, green beans, pickle slices, tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, baby corn, and whatever random veggie I may have left out are tempura fried then sprinkled with parmesan cheese and to be dipped in ranch dressing. It's delicious and goes so well with their light lager! We also got their buffalo wings, it seems only right that you have wings at happy hour with beer, right? I like their wings, they're not greasy and they don't have mushy skin hanging out all over the place like a lot of wings I've had at happy hour. They're not crispy either, but not too fatty or gross. The sauce is pretty good, it's spicy but not enough to make you cry. We have yet to get more than those two apps - with gigantic beers, we get way too full to eat any more. I'm lame and got too happy at happy hour to take pictures. But you should definitely check it out for happy hour with your friends!! Tasty tasty!!
(3)Timothy C.
I went here to watch a few Wizards playoff games with the locals. The beers were decent, but not amazing (red ale and red lager), but the fish and chips I ordered were very fresh and delicious. I sat at the bar and the service was spotty, the bartender was more interested in just about everything else. The servers kept gathering around the bar and complaining about their customers, super unproffesional-like, and kind of ruined any lack-of-atmosphere that was going on during the game.
(3)Vivian K.
so you wanna place to meet up that's close by in MD without having to feel like you're atta bar? go to rock bottom in bethesda where the bartenders are friendly and it's just another place to get wasted. so you wonder, what do i do in bethesda?? well, apparently a lot of the MD'ers love rock bottom; a chain that i've been introduced to after movin up north.. this isn't the place to get all glammed up for, and it's not the place you want to yell obscenities across the room, but if you're starting the nite or waiting for something to happen that nite, rock bottom is cheap, friendly, and there's food.. THE GOOD: bottomline = it's cheap.. they have a decent selection and it's cheap.. there's food and it's cheap... and the place is located near the metro (prolli about 3 blocks) so you can park there or just take the metro there, and it's cheap... THE BARTENDERS: i normally frequent the bar downstairs because i dont' like to carry cash on me so it's best to starta tab.. but the fact of the matter is is that the bartender that works downstairs is just the coolest guy.. always knows your face or your name and when you ask for something one way.. he never forgets to make it the same way for you.. so you picky drinkers or drunks like me ("i said a DROP OF TONIC... just a DROP") i think bob is his name, is the best.. remember tip well... THE SERVICE: everytime i've been there it's been packed since lots families also go there with their screaming 5 year old.. so the service is a lil' slower.. but it's never without a smile.. also, i remember askin' for a place to go out to after the happy hour there, and the hostesses seriously went above and beyond to ask around for somewhere for the group to go.. maybe bethesda is just a happy place to work?? THE FOOD: well, i'm not for chain restaurants so i think i'm biased.. but i don't really think the food here is that great.. you know when a chicken sandwich tastes just like the pulled pork sandwich? it doesn't really matter what you order, since i dont think it makes a difference.. however, the portions are huge so if you get nachos.. you really do get nachos. THE BAD and THE UGLY: the bathrooms are a bit small, for a restaurant this size.. but since it's not just a bar, i guess there's never a line.. also, it's not a place for you to get down and dirty and with the amount of families that go there, you should at least try to watch your language.. also, since 50 year olds go there too.. you might find that the bar area is not the regular bar scene you are accustomed to in DC
(3)Cosimo O.
I stop in here about once a week when I can get off work a little early and make happy hour. The beer is fantastic and if you join the mug club you get a nice upgrade from a pint to a larger mug. I usually only get an appetizer, but they're all pretty good. I heard that they'll be bringing back their southwest rolls, which used to be my favorite! The atmosphere is nice, location good and the wait staff excellent.
(5)Nicole G.
Wow so clearly it's time for an update. I work super close by to this Rock Bottom and come at least once a month for work lunches. Since 2012 they've updated their menu at least once and I love all the different options. I still wish there were an actual lunch menu or some lunch deals but there is a good variety. I have taken advantage of the burger and beer $10 lunches in the past but maybe not always the best idea on a work day. The pretzels are always great to share, as well as the wings. Both burgers and the chicken sandwiches are solid choices. I haven't yet tried the pizza or larger entrees. The absolutely best deal is the greenhouse salad. Lettuce, tomato, carrot, cucumber hard boiled egg, sunflower seeds, raisins, and croutons all for under $4. Often times I'll just get this and a 2 of the mini fish tacos for lunch and be full. I wish the fountain drinks were a little cheaper and that there were bathrooms on the main level, but can't complain too much. I'll definitely keep coming back!
(4)Dani P.
I like this Rock Bottom better than the Arlington location; it has two floors, and seems very polished. My coworkers and I went for Happy Hour, and had a great attentive server. We chose to come here because another option we considered didn't start happy hour until 5; Rock Bottom started at 3pm and we were ready to leave work! I ordered chicken mac n cheese, and it was certainly satisfying. The happy hour specials weren't particularly remarkable, but prices were standard for an establishment located in the Bethesda area.
(4)Caroline K.
They brew their own beer and have a good variety. Decent food. Good bartenders and servers.
(4)GT W.
Solid 3-star venue with a corporate looking, uninspiring menu, outdated decor, and decent at best beer. About half or more of the beer is corporate recipe stuff, the other half being creations of this location specifically. I've never had anything though that was in the good range, only "okay" tasting. Pours were often flat. Wait at the bars often was excessive. Food was upgraded Applebee's style. I kept coming back, however, because it is fun inside and there is usually a good weekday happy hour crowd. Upstairs has billiards and a tiny tap system so you don't have to keep going downstairs.
(3)Shira S.
Went in with a couple friends to grab a quick drink. Our server (didn't catch her name) was great. I ordered the Centennial Stout as I normally love stouts and porters. However, this stout tasted was hoppy (not typical for a stout) and not the smooth finish I enjoy in a stout. It also had a different mouth feel as it didn't have the creaminess that expect from a stout. My friends ordered and also enjoyed their Kolsch. Lesson learned - always ask for a quick taste before ordering.
(3)Casey T.
Rock bottom is a solid happy hour choice but leaves something to be desired if you are trying to make a night out of it... The atmosphere and décor are pretty standard for a chain style restaurant and they have a ton of seating (somehow it still manages to get crowded on weekends). They do have quite a few TVs in the bar area and during peak sports seasons they'll label each TV with the upcoming game so you can make an educated decision where you post up. Super helpful. Their happy hour specials are AWESOME and include a mix of $2-7 appetizers and a couple bucks off their beers. I went there with 3 friends recently and we all had 2 beers each and probably shared 4/5 apps with a $45 tab, that's hard to beat - especially in Bethesda. I will say the times I have eaten dinner there I've found most of the food to be "just OK" and definitely overpriced. If you are trying to have a nice night out your money and time are better spent elsewhere, that being said this place is perfect to catch the game or grab a beer after work.
(3)Mike J.
My family and I went last night. We got the pretzel bites for an appetizer. While they were tasty, the portion size was really small. My wife's burger didn't come with the toppings listed on the menu. The worst part was the server. After she brought our food, we didn't see her for about half an hour. When she did come back, she only asked if I wanted a refill, but didn't ask anyone else at the table if they needed anything even though both my kids glasses were empty. And then she didn't come back until about 15 minutes later when she saw me impatiently holding my credit card. Needless to say, we were not impressed.
(2)Ling W.
I was at the upstairs patio for a happy hour event. There's a small bar up there with a nice view of the restaurant. The staff are friendly and attentive, and there are a good variety of their own brews on tap.
(4)Dirk R.
The beer is great, we keep coming back! Burgers are excellent, as are the ribs. Friendly service, you wait a few minutes at the bar, but never too long. Good for families, couples, singles, just a good place to chill on weekdays or weekends!
(4)Jean Ann F.
Stopped in here after finishing up a VERY tough summer semester of school! Ordered the mac n cheese which was fabulous, and a well drink-also good stuff. Only giving out three stars because it was just a mediocre experience. It was noone's fault per se but the folks who worked seemed to be part of the big box-chain too. Just no creativity or outgoing folks working here. It's just like the rest of the rock bottom's I have been to.
(3)Chad P.
I've eaten here many times and have yet to have a negative experience. The food is great but the calories are off the charts! I'm not a fan of their desserts. They are way too sweet and I feel sick afterwards. Servers are always excellent and they have great beer! The atmosphere is awesome.
(4)Grace G.
I'd say this play was an above average large American pub fare restaurant. I ordered the chicken fingers with french fries and grilled broccoli. The chicken fingers were breaded differently than usual (cornmeal?) and had actual seasoning on them which was nice. They came with bbq sauce and honey mustard which appeared to be house made with a twist. The fries were nothing to write home about. The broccoli was nicely cooked and I appreciated them having a largely unadulterated green vegetable on the menu. I couldn't decide on a dessert (they have a bunch of yummy options that come in small ball jars...nice to not be served a huge portion, but for $6.95 each they were rather overpriced), so I ordered the bourbon pecan to eat there and the chocolate mousse and key lime pie to go. The pecan was good, but not out of this world. The key lime pie was actually nice and tart. The only complaint is there was way too much graham cracker crust to custard ratio. The chocolate mousse was by far my favorite. Decadent chocolate mousse with brownie bits and raspberry coulis. Overall, it was a good meal. Main food was reasonably priced, whereas the desserts overpriced. I wouldn't search this out again but if I'm in the area I'd go again.
(4)Camille D.
I've tried a few excellent and terrible Jalapeño ales at some California breweries (for a point if reference), and the RB 3 Pepper Ale offers a solid take on this flavor fad. What is a crowd pleaser about this version is that it has all the flavor but none of the pepper bite. As for the brewery itself, splitting a few flights, pretzel sticks, and catching the game was the perfect way to spend this Sunday with a friend.
(4)Caiti S.
Oh dear. The problem here seems to be with the management/training, or lack thereof. An order was taken incorrectly, and as a result the wrong item was brought to the table. This is no big deal, easy to correct, happens to everyone. Our server opted to look dubiously at the woman who placed the order, and state that she was wrong. That was surprising. The correct item, a simple cheeseburger ordered medium well, was delivered thereafter. Unfortunately, it was burnt on the outside and red/rare on the inside. The woman in our party sent it back and the server again seemed dubious and stated they would show the manager. The server returned and advised that both burgers (including the one that wasn't ordered!) were "comped" by management. The point of this story is that when a manager alters a bill due to quality, it is very odd indeed if they don't come speak to the table. The restaurant had a few other tables but was by no means busy. The rest of our food and drinks were average and adequate. Our server made a belated effort to be friendly and was efficient. There was a decent bar scene happening. These items warrant 2 stars. If this establishment doesn't take heed and start valuing its customers, Rock Bottom may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
(2)Nathalie K.
Have been here plenty of times in the past, usually only for the beer because while their on-tap is not the most expansive, I find their prices (especially their happy hour) to be acceptable and the beer quality I find satisfies my rare cravings. Their beers on the whole are decent and strong enough to get a buzz. Especially good at this time of year is their Rocktoberfest beer. It's a mid-body ale that is absolutely kicking. This time however, outside of the scrumptious Rocktoberfest beer, I am writing on the actual dining experience. In truth, Rock Bottom serves as a dressed up diner. There is no shame in this of course, but do not expect top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art cuisine here. Because I am a notoriously picking and particular customer with plenty of questions and specificities (the variety that servers love so much), the burger that I ordered came out wrong the first time around. However, undaunted, the server was patient and kind enough to promptly resolve the issue to turn it around. She was stellar with our shenanigans and attentative to our needs. The burger I orderded was a modified take on their BOURBONZOLA BURGER, although disappointingly it neither comes with lettuce nor tomato as-is. Not to be deterred, they can readily accomodate you. (Although as a side note: WHO in their right minds likes shredded lettuce? It detracts from the enjoyment of a burger,, and also speak to the lack of fresh vegetables readily availbe, since shredded means frozen in a bag) The burger comes piled with onion rings - and here my biggest complaint was that they were not fried and consequently not crispy enough. Although they did carry enough crunch to change it up a little with burger feel in the mouth. I would also like to see them marinate the meat on the burger instead of leaving the sauce on the side to further imbibe the gale - which was delicious - into the center of the meat instead of a half-thought. Additional sauce too should be served, but I do think that the meat could have been elevated should it have been marinated. I am not sure that they make the meat fresh on the premises, because the burger looked like it came from the freezer, although the meat quality was good enough that I won't complain too loudly about this. Still, I will always advocate for frshly made on the premises burgers as they always will trump thawed meat. I would also reccomend adding a spicy brown mustard to the burger to give it a real south-western kick to the burger and further elevate the sauce. I cannot speak to the gorgonzola - I substituted it out for a cheddar (which was on the hairy edge with it's sharpness, but acceptable) - and the cheddar was complimentary. The meat was cooked for the first time to a rare-ness that I was actually happy with, and so I will give them a big thumbs up for that. The bun unfortunately gets soggy when you put so much side sauces to be put on top of the burger instead of within the burger meat itself, but intially the burger was piled high and good looking. Price is about what you would expect in Bethesda for a waiter-service burger, hovering around the $10-$15 mark but I like to think that as a once-in-a-while going to grab a drink and dinner with friends, the food quality is justified. Is it spectacular? No. Is it a local haunt fo watch football and spend an evening with friends and beer? Yes
(3)Tina T.
Great little casual bar and restaurant if you're looking for drinks and a bite to eat. My friend and I came here and went straight upstairs where they had more first come first serve seating. Even though there was only one server on the upper level, he still tried to provide prompt and efficient service. He was also really friendly and patient with us. The food here is pretty good as well. We ordered the guacamole, calamari, chicken quesdilla, southwest egg rolls, and the avocado grilled chicken sandwich. The only thing I didn't like was the avocado grilled chicken sandwich. The chicken was a bit bland, but everything else was delicious! Also we were really indecisive in what beer to get so our server was nice enough to give us a mini flight of beers to choose from :)
(4)Colleen H.
Ok, reluctantly went the other day with some friends and this place has improved. They removed the Koelsch from their beer menu, which is a shame, but their Honey Ale is pretty good. The food is still mediocre. Overall, 2.5 stars.
(3)T K.
I do love this place-- been coming here since they had the old racoon red. It's a little chainy-feeling but it does the trick. Great beer options (I prefer their white or red ales)-- always have a seasonal option that has never left me disappointed. The menu has pretty much anything you could want from a bar/american grill: burgers, chicken sandwiches, mac & cheese, steaks, quesadillas, enchiladas--- all of which are pretty good-- plus they have a really good rewards card. They have happy hour M-F until 6pm and then a second, late-night one after 10pm every night. They do trivia once a week---I've only attended once but it can be fun if you're into that. I find the waiting staff to be very personable and fun. I love the ambiance--particularly the volume because they never blast music like some of the other Bethesda bars around the block. It always seems to have a decent sized crowd of people varying in age--- 20s and 30s. They also have an upstairs area and a separate bar w billiards which is always a fun option. Really big fan of this chill restaurant bar.
(4)Adam K.
Have been going consistently since 2009. The beers are good and the happy hour special used to be better - but hey, the times change. Trivia during the week is fun. Above average bar food - haven't disliked anything I've ordered (and I've been all over the menu). The upstairs pool hall is a nice touch and the rewards program is great -- join the mug club for sure if you're coming back.
(4)Laura P.
This place is awesome! Yelper Ben Y. and I had our graduation dinner here with our families and Rock Bottom successfully accommodated over a dozen people at a nice, large and spacious table. The drink menu is awesome. If you're into beer, this place is for you. If you're into mixed drinks, they've got an amazing and delicious selection. The food is amazing and the portions are spot on. I loved the enchiladas that I got and would definitely recommend them. Rock Bottom is so awesome! LOVE it!
(5)Thus L.
We just momentarily stopped by here and had the six-beer sampler. It was pretty good for just a quick night out. The warm donut holes were really good- I highly recommend this for dessert
(4)Russ A.
With 7 or 8 open tables, the manager and hostess are turning away customers on a Friday night. They have no idea what's going on. Tweedledum and tweedledumber. If I were the owner and or general manager, I'd fire these two.
(1)T A.
Their kids menu advertises delicious baked mac n cheese, however they brought my son instant Kraft while the regular menu sides were baked mac. Way to cut corners on the kids, glad this place thinks kids can just eat instant crap!
(1)Tom R.
Okay updated 4.5 stars now! I've been coming here often the past 6 months due to work travel for the food and draft beer. The service has really improved IMO. They have a few gems here now and some of my previous severs seem nicer too. I hope they keep it up and I'll keep coming back!
(5)Eric H.
Pretty decent restaurant and brew pub. This seems like the most buzzing place in the Woodmont Triangle area. It can be a little tricky to get a seat at the bar during happy hour. The beers, all brewed on site, are pretty good but maybe a little restrained for a microbrewery. Not sure if they're targeting craft beer geeks though. Staff are friendly and food is your typical tasty pub grub.
(3)Ryan S.
Service was very slow. Our waitress was not very attentive to us. Drinks never refilled. I only enjoyed the appetizer- chorizo bites. The rest of it was just decent. If you're here just for the bar I'm sure it's great, but it came in below par as a full service restaurant for us. I've worked in restaurants, and I have a feeling the management in this place isn't that great.
(2)Brittany M.
BBQ burger. Seriously. Mmmmm. Great service, great atmosphere. Hubby really liked his beer. And whoah huge slice of carrot cake for dessert. My husband, daughter, and me shared it. Glad we stopped by!
(4)Tyler C.
Amazing food, fast service, and personable waiter and waitresses, this is the best place for food in Bethesda, never been disappointed
(5)Ulas B.
Beers are nice, foods are above average.. nice to visit from time to time, particularly in happy hours.. burgers are really good...certified angus beef..
(4)Fred K.
When Craftworks bought Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch, and uniform its beers, I was very skeptical and was very sad to see my favorite RB beers which went away (especially their Rock Creek Pale Ale). I came back here many times afterwards and still miss their old beers (Lumpy Dog, Rock Creek) and trying really hard to to like their new beers. Their Red Ale reminds me of the old brews. Also, it seems that their staff turnover is more frequent than the past or it could be I just don't go there often as in the past. Past bartenders, who were so friendly and made me feel at home were included: Dave, Dawn, Andrew, Olaji, and Graham. Their food is standard pub bar food and with good happy hour and late night happy hour with discounts on beers, appetizers. Food highlights include their baby back ribs and for starters, their ball park pretzels and their southwest egg rolls (which can also be found at your Gordon Biercsh restaurants.
(3)Mina C.
I wish I could do half stars, because this place is more of a 3.5, but I rounded up. My sister and I came here before we had a dinner at a close by restaurant. The bar wasn't too full, but there were a lot of small children in the restaurant, which for me was a little weird. At the table next to us (AT THE BAR) a small child had his head down and was complaining about being tired. That turned me off a bit, but overall my experience was good. They had some good beers on tap, and okay wine. Service was really good, our server was nice and attentive. Why do the bathrooms have to be UP the stairs!?!? I wouldn't mind coming back for pre-dinner drinks again, or for HH.
(4)Séamus C.
Not a first choice, but an acceptable drop-in if other options are exhausted. Not far from where we live, a short 5 minute drive or a non-strenuous stroll (~1.7 miles), particularly if the weather's nice. Beer choices seem more limited than before, and the food is decent albeit not really exciting. The Chicken Tortilla Soup is surprisingly good and worth a try; coupling the soup with an appetizer was just fine with me for a not-so-heavy dinner. So, nothing to write home about, but an acceptable beer & bite option...
(3)Allison W.
I think the description of a 4-star rating fits my feelings towards Rock Bottom perfectly: "Yay! I'm a fan." This will be quick since I was only there for a beer and nachos, but RB left a memorable impression on me and I'll be back soon! Our server recommended three beers according to my taste (having first asked me what I usually like to drink) and I really enjoyed their Red Ale, but ended up going with their newest Brewmaster's choice. Nachos were humongous and the chips were hearty. Will definitely be back for more than a quick drink and appetizer! Can't wait!
(4)Heather K.
Decent food, good beer ... But the service was so slow! In defense of our waitress, Lexi, she kept all of the orders straight for our large group (16 adults). However, she also had another large group - about 25+ tween girls and some adults. That's too much for a couple of waiters. Whether the place overbooked or under-planned the number of waitstaff is immaterial ... The results were that it unpleasantly dragged out the experience. Again, I don't put this on Lexi, she did a good job balancing the ridiculous workload. Think it's a management issue. I won't hurry back.
(2)Tina R.
Service is awful. Didn't get greeted for 15 minutes (no exaggeration), with servers and managers just walking past us, including the server who took care of us. Not even a "Sorry for the wait, we'll be with you as soon as possible." Food didn't taste good enough to make up for it. Baaaad.
(1)Mike B.
Good neighborhood bar and restaurant. The brew master is very good, and routinely puts out seasonal beers that are worth coming in for. Also, great Buffalo wings!
(4)Kevin N.
I do enjoy the beer selection of Rock Bottom Brewery, but this location's atmosphere had much to be desired. The way the location is designed, it feels like hibernation (little light because of being a floor below ground). Also when visiting the location, I was told the Happy Hour was 5pm-7pm,. This is too late for a happy hour.
(3)Luis D.
Perhaps it was the holiday spirit, but the ambience yesterday at Rock Bottom was great. Since we are nearing the end of the college football season some of the games now have big implications and with a lot of nice flat screen LCD TVs at the bar this was a great place to watch the game. I was with a couple who had just moved to the area a couple of months ago and they already built up a good relationship with some of the servers. This is always a good sign. The servers were friendly and knowledgable and water and drinks came out quick. If you are looking for Bud Light or Coors this is not the place to find them as this restaurant is its own brewery. They were out of the first beer I asked for, but I tried one of the dark beers that tasted deliciously like chocolate and expresso. That was a good sign. I ordered a medium 10 oz steak with mashed potatoes and vegetables and everything came out quickly and the way I asked. All in all the meal was great. If you are health conscious this location lists the calories for all the meals and drinks. I will say that they do not have a good selection of low calorie meals for those who don't want to eat too much, but you can definitely have a healthy meal if you so choose.
(4)Martin T.
Service: Server threw coasters out like she was dealing cards. Even worse, she missed 2/3 of them. Food: I had the Baja Chicken Sandwich. The order of my party consisted of a sandwich, burger, and chicken fingers. Felt like days before it came by. Not only did it come in late, my chicken was burnt and dry. Thirteen dollars for a burnt sandwich. If I wanted that, I would've gotten myself drunk and made me a sandwich. Best to come here drunk when you don't care about food or service.
(2)Seth N.
Handicapped accessible. One of the few ADA compliant establishments in downtown Bethesda. Food is great. Servers are very professional and friendly.
(5)FoodChick F.
RB exists for me solely for the carrot cake, it is pretty phenomenal. However on this visit they were out of carrot cake. I ordered the Roasted Vegetable pizza. So very disappointing. The pizza was cold, well, room temperature. The crust was completely stale like it had been sitting around on the counter all day and they sauteed some veggies in a pan and threw them on top. The veggies were tasty. I ate the veggies not the disgusting crust. The service was really bad from the time I arrived. Another waitress came to apologize for the wait and said my waitress would be over. That still took a while to happen. My waitress had a constant fake smile whenever I hunted her down to get service. My food took a really long time to come even though the place was not crowded 9:00 on a Sunday night. I had to hunt down waitress for refill on tea, for a plate to eat once my food arrived (it was dirty as was the silverware), the bill, and to collect the bill once I put down my credit card. I was there 30 minutes longer than I needed to be.
(1)Kim A.
My first experience was not good. I ordered a drink there was a fly in my drink! I told the waitress theres a fly in my drink so she took it and then i order the same drink again but realized I lost my appetite . I orderd appetizers but the food wasnt that great either. Pros: Special happy hour menus, and pool tables. But get there early or you will have to wait Cons: They need more waiters or waitresses. There was only 1 waitress there on a Saturday. There music wasnt that great when I was there they was playing all girly music for the first hour. Nobody trying to hear love songs on a weekend. We want to hear turn up music Food- Tasted rubberish a little Tables were unsanitary. Customers beside us had to get the waitress to clean the tables for them.
(2)Dancetolead V.
went on thursday for lunch. Service was OK. Got the buffalo burger medium to well done. i was warned by a friend that buffalo is very lean and well done would not be tender. Had just a tiny bit of pink. Perfect for me as I do only well done. Incredibly tast. Friend got the buffalo burger without the veggies. he was happy too. Fries were great.
(5)Alyssa A.
This spot is located right in downtown Bethesda. I wanted to.come out for a few drinks with friends saturday night and after hitting Union Jacks we decides to come here. They have a sweet late night happy where all there drafts are only $3.25. They also have a few cheap eats on their late night menu. We got the nachos and cheese. The cheese sauce was pretty tasty and it came out very quick. They said that their happy hour also runs all day on Sundays. This is a steal!
(4)Ryan P.
Some nice home brews. Hop beer was nice. Red ale bland. 3 pepper was interesting. Hamburgers were ok. Nothing special. Waitress was helpful and nice.
(3)Chris J.
I really wanted to give these guys a better review, but I don't like the beer....not one bit. It's not good. The staff is very friendly, the food is good. Great place to come with a lot of people, share a laugh, and enjoy a game. Bartenders were nice even if it was super crowded, they didn't get stressed out. I just would rather get a cold draft from Hard Times, Brickside, or Olazzo.
(3)Kathryn A.
I have to give this place an A. First off, I'm partial to Belgian beer, but like the good American I am, I thought I'd give them a shot. Their brewed beers are pretty good...even if they'll never be Belgian. The service is top notch and I found the food to be surprisingly fresh. For example, the mashed potatoes are real and the nachos are light, allowing the flavors of the fresh guacamole and cheese to really come through. Overall, a great Saturday night experience.
(5)Stewart W.
Doubell beer way too cold and lifeless. Corpse-like. Seems friendly enough. Had to eat elsewhere. Not tempted. Cold hearted me. Beer too.
(2)Catherine M.
Eh, this place is not terrible for a chain. It kinda smells funky, and all the servers look miserable, but they have pretty decent food, especially their burgers. A few months ago I was excited to hear that they keg tapping to benefit The Yellow Ribbon Fund (one of my favorite charities), but it was a bit disappointing. I can't believe all the losers who shamelessly drank all the free beer without donating a single dollar. It was a little shorter than I expected, given all the free loaders. I would have liked to see them require a donation, or at the very least, suggest a $5 donation, and then offer to donate a $1 or 2 from each beer sale during happy hour. It kinda felt like they were using the charity to advertise and drive business for them. I think they could have done a little bit more.
(3)Wesley Y.
Ashton is an awesome server/bartender always very nice and friendly! ALL DAY HAPPY HOUR SUNDAYS! thats just an awesome deal all around! The pretzels are awesome, the shrimp toast is pretty good, the calamari is soso. The pretzels are where the money's at dip in the cheese sauce and its amazing. I came here for brunch the omelet wasn't bad, the steak taco's aren't that great. P.S Will be back sunday nights seeee me here!
(4)Dana M.
Happy hour is great here, as well as late night happy hour. Trivia is fun on Wednesdays. Dishes/drinks I've had: best I've had - chicken/spinach/andouille burger. with a side of green beans instead of fries. YUM. great flavors! Brewer's cobb salad is your standard cobb, but the chicken is cold. the Paloma (grapefruit-tequila drink) Sangria is pretty good, but nothing special. Wine spritzer is "meh". I've also had a acai-berry cocktail which was strong and yummy! From others who I've gone with... Special chipotle raspberry salmon is really good. Blackened shrimp mac n cheese is really good. From word of mouth (one of the waitresses!) don't get the jambalaya.
(3)Natasha S.
My girlfriend and I were in the area after a long day of work and decided to just pick the most random place that had the most people. We saw this, and decided to go in because it was packed. We thought it was a fairly good sign. Now after have coming here... I would only return for the happy hour. So... we were seated immediately. It is a brewery and has your typical steak/bar food kind of menu. I typically would have ordered a steak, but wasn't hungry enough and decided to go with appetizers. I ordered the fried calamari as our appetizer, and the grilled tilapia street mini tacos as my entree. My girlfriend had the lobster & shrimp enchiladas. For drinks, we had an angry orchard cider and the strawberry lemonade. Again, any other day I would have ordered a beer on tap, but this night I was just not feeling it. And didn't want to make the feeling worse. The food was decent. I thought the mini street tacos were pretty good. The calamari was gummy and not well made. Had a funny aftertaste. The enchiladas were okay. Wouldn't order them again. We didn't realize that happy hour was still going on and were able to get happy hour prices on our food - which made it more worth it. In addition, our server hooked us up with a $10 discount for signing up with some rewards card thinga-ma-jig. Our meal ended up being pretty cheap. I don't really see us coming back to eat, just to grab a beer and chat. They had a pretty good selection on tap and brews. But.... food was okay. Portions are pretty generous. Service was good.
(3)Savannah G.
Amazing service the minute you walk in the door! Always seated promptly, and food is DELICIOUS. The drinks rock too! Love this place. When we leave Bethesda, RockBottom will be missed.
(5)Cathryn L.
I came here last night for dinner around 5:30. Parking was a little difficult to find, but after looping the block once we found a spot. The restaurant was very clean and there weren't many people there yet. I had their IPA which wasn't bad. It wasn't as hoppy as most usually are but still smooth. We got the calamari for a starter with the jalapeño ranch. I was a little surprised by how they put jalapeños in almost everything down to their ranch dressing. The calamari was fresh and lightly breaded. Very good. I had the whiskey glazed salmon with rice and veggies. The salmon was on point! The glaze was sweet and tangy at the same time which made it oh so yummy. The rice and veggies quite honestly sucked. The veggies were very oily and the lemon rice may have well been a straight up lemon. Dessert made up for the sides. I got the stout brownie which is served warm with ice cream. Mmm.
(3)Janet L.
Restaurant - I've only been here for the food. I can say that I loved their Chicken Fried Chicken (see photo). The mashed potatoes and gravy were delicious and the chicken was warm and tender. My friend got their tacos with lobster and shrimp. The food was okay. The waiter we had was nice... nothing to spectacular about this place and the prices just seemed like a moderate place. A place to go if you're nearby but not a place to go out of your way for.
(3)T R.
I go here usually for drinking a beer on a lazy weekend afternoon before the dinner rush. I like sitting at the bar and have never opted for table service. The bartenders are usually friendly an attentive. Their managers seem to be sort of anal though and get in the way (some of these small things can wait when customers aren't around). The beer is good and off the beaten, boring path followed by almost every other Bethesda bar. I usually try a couple since it is pretty cheap considering the freshness and quality. Some are better than others but that is the fun of it. Never have eaten here and probably never will. But I will be back for some the beer.
(4)Jay B.
Meh. Standard American-style offerings. Avoid the donut hole dessert or whatever they were--they tasted terrible and one was burnt through -- I wouldn't feed them to a dog.
(3)Jake F.
A monument to mediocrity. The food here is forgettable, and the beer is uniformly disappointing, pure run-of-the-mill microbrew stuff without much character or flavor. Service is spotty although the servers are pleasant enough, when you can get their attention. The night we were there, the lights were out in the men's room -- pitch black. That was the only moment of excitement. Order takeout from your local deli or pizza place, and crack open a cold one. You'll be way ahead of the game.
(2)Eric J.
The bourbon burger wasn't very good and the jalapeno spinach dip was all cheese. The foods lacked flavor and didn't taste very good.
(2)Mark A.
It smells in here the minute you walk in the door. Mold/mildew smell is over powering. I walked in and then walked out. No room for this type of business in 2014. Smell ya later!!!!
(1)Mattie C.
I have been to this Rock Bottom even before I went to the one in Arlington. I frequent the one in Arlington, and that is only because of the fantastic trivia night with Jay on Tuesdays. In general, the food at Rock Bottom is not very good and we first noticed this when eating in the Bethesda location. In particular, the chili that they served up was pretty gross, nor did anyone like their nachos. Rio Grande is right down the street, so Rock Bottom should work on at least making their nachos edible to compete. The menu needs work - not many choices for picky eaters. A lot of their stuff seems to be pre-made so if you ask for their shrimp tower without mayonnaise for instance, they can't accomodate you because apparently the dish has already been made and frozen or something. Too bad, because without the mayonnaise, the shrimp tower is something I would order. I DO like Rock Bottom's beers. But that doesn't make up for its lack of good food, and there are tons of other places in Bethesda where one can get great food and beer. Rock Bottom Bethesda, and frankly, Rock Bottom in general is a big "skip it," despite my complex relationship with the Arlington location.
(2)Devin L.
Food was awesome and our waitress was very attentive. Anyone that comes to visit from out of town I take them here.
(5)Daniel A.
For a weekday lunch, this place could be just about any American chain restaurant. Pretty standard fare of burgers, sandwiches, and continental entrees. We ordered the appetizer sampler platter - Southwest egg rolls, wings, and chips and queso, all of which was just fine. I also got their house IPA which was nothing special, but still nice for a mid day beer. I ordered the Laredo burger which has guac and pico de gallo. None of it was particularly flavorful; I would have preferred some guacamole with some spice or strong flavor in SOME direction. The fries were also okay. If you haven't gotten the picture, Rock Bottom is a perfectly adequate restaurant. However, Bethesda is filled with above average places to eat, so why limit yourself.
(3)Weiwen N.
Rock Bottom Brewery was good but not great. The good: I had the Bourbonzilla burger, which was good. It was topped with a bit of gorgonzola, fried breaded onions and bourbon sauce. The latter was a bit sweet, but good. Overall, excellent balance. I do like that you get to swap out the sides, and I would like to see a small salad offered as a side. My friend said the pulled pork sandwich was good. The prices were also very good for Bethesda/DC. The average: the beer. I had the Rocktoberfest, which was a bit thin. My wife liked the White ale. I had a few sips of the IPA, which was not great but plenty good enough. 3 stars because I am a pretty strict reviewer.
(3)Obi M.
Pricey and small portions. The waitress that served me was extremely hospitable and gracious. The dessert was amazing. Food was delicious, my main regret was that the portions were very small. The Margaritas and Sangria were all on point.
(3)Bill H.
Dropped in for a quick beverage. I sat at the bar and enjoyed the beer sampler. Bartender was friendly and helpful. I'll be back.
(3)Virtual M.
I did actually go back. And still did not get beer but the waitress was much much nicer this time. Maybe it was because it was lunch and it wasn't so busy? but either way, the fish and chips were excellent, the service was excellent and I look forward to stopping by again.
(4)Chris S.
Rule Of Thumb: If after you're seated at 5:00 PM on a Wednesday, with only two other parties in the dining room, and you're not familiar with the place but have time to read the entire menu, the specials menu, the beer menu, and decide on everything you're going to order...and nobody has so much as come by with a glass of water and said they're going to wait on you, and there is no staff visible anywhere...and you can fire up a laptop, activate a hotspot, and write a YELP review...the place probably doesn't excel at service. So of course I packed up, put my coat back on, and left. Luckily, there are a zillion restaurants here so I only had to walk a few feet to find one that is actually serving food this evening.
(1)Margaret L.
Beers were ok and the prices were good. If you're from out of state don't try going because they won't serve you after 11pm if your license is vertical.
(2)A S.
Excellent bar, great drink menu, great food!! Will definitely be going back here!!!!!
(5)Sarah C.
Why was this Bethesda brewery busily brimming with bodies? Be it their bold blackish stillwater? By chance the brown bear? One of the above beverage had a nutty blend... A becoming dessert beer. Begging brain to bethink... blank....boo... I'm barely a beerer, but I'll be back, bartender! Boon on brunch but remaining bites are bar-basics. Buddies bought bunch of grub and bellies were about to burst. Bottom line - better ambiance with a table of bodies.
(3)Frank S.
decent brew, good food. I only gave 3 stars because the staff didn't know crap about the beer or operation; very important to a brewery. you can't put some part time help at the helm (bar) without ensuring they know how to chew bubblegum and walk at the same time.
(3)Aire G.
i've been to rock bottom on and off for many years now, and i recently had my best experience yet. We made reservations for a birthday party of 28 and many more than that showed up. They handled everything with grace and patience and we really appreciated it. Everything came in a timely fashion, the waiters were nice. They blocked off a whole section for us. The beer is great, we had a great time i only wish i could remember my servers name. the only reason i can't bare to give them 5 stars is that 1. the seem to open up the patio in the winter for no reason and don't staff appropriately, which is stupid 2. one of my favorite waitresses seems to be missing i haven't been able to catch her on her normal days and 3 management seems hit or miss. sometimes when i want to talk to a manger to compliment the staff they re awesome, sometimes they are just unresponsive weirdos they should get wi-fi!
(3)Gary M.
Okay, I've only been to this location twice, so they get one star for the first time I was there and one star for last evening. I sat at the bar with my girlfriend on the very end. Needless to say, the 3 bartenders hardly ever made it down to our end because they were too busy chatting it up with people on the other end of the bar. My girlfriend waved her arm high in the air for about a minute to get their attention.....didn't work. I wanted to film this with my phone. They place was not busy at all. So after I finally got a refill on my beer, they disappeared to the other side again. We needed to get out of there because we were parked at a meter. Luckily, one of them spotted my gf waving again and came over. The beer was okay, the pretzel was pretty good, but the service at the bar was far less than desirable. I have no need to come to this place again because luckily, the town I just moved to, Bethesda, has plenty of other establishments to frequent.
(2)Don H.
3.5 stars. Standard fare with their own good microbrews.
(3)Lauren R.
Worst ahi tuna, first of all it was a brownish black color, precooked and refrigerated and then brought to table. Fried chicken was also very disappointing, read a bunch of reviews that said it was great, but you can literally get better fried chicken at Safeway! Service is mixed, been here several times and experienced everything from great service to servers that made us feel quite uncomfortable (asking where I was and if I was ok when I used the restroom for a second time that evening). That being said I will return for the beer and the environment. Bar only from here on, for the happy hour beer specials, hard to complain about those. (2 dollars off rock bottom taps, making them less than 4 dollars)
(2)Susie S.
not going back ...... my husband and I went here - trying to discover and try new restaurants in the area - - and wow, what a disappointment. We had driven past this restaurant several times - went to their website - it looked good - - but when we went there - we asked the waiter "what do YOU like" and he couldn't suggest ANYTHING that he liked..... (nothing). We should have left at that point - but we were determined to give it a try. My husband ordered the Nachos - and I got a hamburger . . they were both disappointing. I couldn't even get refills on my diet soda. Maybe we ordered the wrong things - or maybe the waiter was just having a bad night - but we were really hoping to be adventurous and enjoy discovering a new fun place.... Oh well...... the food, the service, the whole experience was not a "win" for us.
(2)Jill M.
I come in here more often than I'd like, simply because it's really large, good for a group, conveniently located, and has a cheap happy hour. I like that they have lots of TV's for sports watching, and a few pool tables (minus the sketchy pool hall crowd). The problem with Rock Bottom is that their beer and food are really not very good... but they should be. I mean: they call themselves a "restaurant & brewery", not "bar with TV's and pool tables". All of this considered, the last time I came in I shared nachos with a friend, and they were a pretty good deal and loaded with toppings. So, if you decide to eat here, get the nachos.
(2)Seth S.
I've been coming here for years. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Bethesda. Even after they got bought out by Gordon Biersch (which I really don't like) and lost a little bit of their local flair by losing the beer names (Raccoon Red became just Red), they have managed to stay at the top of my list. They have 5 beers that are always on tap plus an additional two or three that rotate throughout the year. All of the beers are brewed in house, which, as a homebrewer, I can appreciate. Unfortunately they got rid of a couple of beers that I used to like when the ownership switched but they kept my favorite (the IPA). The food is usually good. A few items that I enjoy are the Texas Fire Steak, the Ahi Tuna Salad, and the Mac and Chicken. Recently they have been overcooking fish a little bit so be wary of that. All of the portions are pretty big, especially the nachos, so bring your appetite. Service is generally fair. I try to sit at the bar whenever possible, otherwise I go to the bar area and ignore the waitress and go straight for the bartender. You get service much faster that way. The waitresses seem to have too many tables usually so they can be hard to track down.
(4)Yellow Ribbon Fund S.
Yellow Ribbon Fund is grateful to Rock Bottom Brewery in Bethesda (and brewmaster Geoff Lively) for outstanding support for our mission. To date RBB has raised more than $2,300 at tapping parties - all to benefit wounded service members and their families/caregivers. While we wish everyone who enjoys a complimentary tasting would donate to the cause, we certainly do not hold RBB responsible for their choice to give or not give. In fact, we greatly appreciate the visibility that RBB gives to military families, and we are proud to partner with our friends in the community. We are all about supporting local businesses, and Rock Bottom is tops! P.S. the ahi tuna salad is killer. :)
(5)R H.
The food is ok but the beers and atmosphere is very nice. I recommend the beer sampler. We had I think 9 different small beers to taste and shared! The nachos are very good too...
(3)A. J.
Catastrophically bad experience with Liz behind the bar. Guess we won't be coming back!
(1)Juliana C.
My co-workers generally have a lunch rotation of Subway-Chipotle-Brown Bag, so when they suggested Rock Bottom this afternoon my eyebrows shot up. Sit-down service on the other side of Bethesda? Hrmmm. Turns out they wanted to buy me lunch before I leave next week (awww). We were seated in a mostly empty section with a very attentive waiter. RB offers several lunch options (half sandwich with side soups/salads and smaller versions of their dinner salads) for $7.95, which I felt was a pretty good deal. When our food came, my salad was enormous. I joked about what the dinner portion must look like, only to find out they accidentally *had* given me the dinner portion. I got to keep it, and was only charged for what I had ordered. Bank error in your favor! One of the women I was eating with is notoriously picky about food, and she was raving about how lean and delicious her ruben was to our server. I was allowed to swap grilled chicken slices for breaded and fried, so I felt pretty good about my giant meal (and no, I didn't finish it). So, great service, tasty food -- why only 3 stars? I started getting stomach cramps several hours after we returned to the office. I don't want to assume it was the food, but I'm too chicken to try the leftovers in case I start feeling awful all over again. I guess I'm calling this one a draw.
(3)Courtney H.
I'm a huge fan of fantastic customer service. When the kitchen got our order wrong, the server offered a sincere apology and offered to throw in a free beer or dessert. We declined at first, but after the server insisted, we decided to take a slice of Carrot Cake to go. EXCELLENT CHOICE. The cake was moist, complex and flavorful. The cream cheese frosting is among the best I've had. My Wedge Salad was average-to-good, Rocktoberfest beer was excellent. My husband liked his Mac and Chicken. Pretzel with cheese dip app was great.
(4)Chaz C.
I came with my fiance for an MS meeting and we were very happy, we are coming back again once we can. She had the 2 A.M. burger with the mac and cheese, she really enjoyed the meal. They will also mix your soda if you desire. Right now they have Rocktoberfest special for a bout six weeks, I had the traditional german sausage platter and it was fantastic, the sauerkraut-mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage went very well with the meal. For desert we shared the Sour Cream Apple Pie from the Rocktoberfest menu, here is what is says on the menu "Apple and sour cream custard pie, topped with cinnamon and pecans. Served with vanilla ice cream." We were not sure about having it but we were very happy, if you don't care for this place and been here already, just getting this desert is scrumptious. The staff was so nice and did everything they were able to accommodate my fiancee, as it also happens today is also our five year anniversary and the manger chatted with us for a bit after the meeting and during our meal they made it extra special. I understand the uppity foodies that have their complaints but if your a average kind of hard working person, where the two $$ price range is what you can manage as one of the few nice outings a month, consider Rock Bottom, they will make sure you had a good time and are very disabled friendly.
(5)Amanda B.
I guess I'm totally indebted to this place because it's where my boyfriend shamelessly hit on me the first night we met. That being said, I don't know that I would come here as often as I do if it weren't for the fact that it is my boyfriend's favorite place to hang out and we know a few of the bartenders and regulars... it kind of feels like home now, and it's a good spot to have a group get together on Friday or Saturday night because the bar area is so large. District trivia on Wednesday nights is also a favorite, and it gets crowded so get there early. The restaurant is also a brewery, and I do like several of the regular beers (the red and the stout), and also the fact that they have rotating selections (love the Fire Chief Ale, Highland Courage, and Brown Bear Brown). The bar staff is friendly and on top of their game. The food is basic bar food and is only so-so... service at the tables is fine, but not great. The meals are kind of over-priced in my opinion, especially considering they have a tendency to leave off items that are indicated in the menu (from salads, sandwiches, nachos, etc.). The portions are huge...definitely easy to share. It would be nice if they had half-portioned, cheaper menu items. Crowd is usually older; less 20-somethings and more 30, 40-somethings. Overall, an alright place with personal value.
(3)Jessica H.
I got the Southwest Salad, and loved every bite. The beer is always good and cold (unlike some breweries I have been to). The waitress was also nice, and very attentive, but not overly so. She was cracking jokes and making us feel right at home. A big minus to this place is the fact the the bathroom is UPSTAIRS. SO, be prepared to take a hike to use the pissah. Either way, go here for beers if you have some time. I know you will like it...
(4)Jess L.
This place is a great bar to hang out with friends and catch up. Pretty much everyone the day after Christmas seemed to be here catching up with high school or college friends, in fact. The DC-area lacks in microbreweries, so Rock Bottom quickly fills the hole with a chain yet trying-to-feel-unique brewery. They have some rotating beverages, including the 14th Anniversary Ale, which was my favorite. I think the stout and light lager are a little weak. Omsata, our waitress who was [wo]manning the bar area, was really funny and sweet. She did a great job with our table of four.
(4)Ben Y.
This Rock Bottom has been a mainstay in my Bethesda palate since I was too short to reach the cookie jar. I always get the macaroni and cheese here, if not that AND a burger. It's consistently good mac, definitely share-able if you prefer to consider it a side dish. It's doused with a delicious layer of bread crumbs on top and the cheese is delicious. As my spoon dunks in and out, I truly get lost in the bowl of creamy macaroni. It's only hours later when I realize my friends have all left and I've been eating mac & cheese for the entire afternoon. As I often come with large groups here, I've also gotten to try their pizza which I can say is legitimately delicious (coming from a pizza enthusiast from NY). They also whip up a fine caesar salad! This place is great for watching sports as well, I've watched countless baseball games here and they always have plenty of teams on their many screens. If you are a fan of a team no one cares about, perhaps it will be playing upstairs where you'll find a nice bunch of billiards tables and another bar. There is also a projector on the main floor which is a nice touch. They usually show the biggest game on there. This is great during football season if you're a local fan. However I am a fan of the Denver Broncos so I've been allocated to the lonely upstairs on game day. The "Mug Club" here is for all you beer drinkers out there. The Lumpy Dog has always been the talk of the town at our family dinners here. That large mug plops on the table and that swishing Lumpy Dog begs for your thirsty mouth. Parking can be tricky here because of the time limits of street parking on Norfolk Ave. Always be aware of how long you've been parked outside because you might need to send someone how to move the car. Not too big of a deal, though! Overall this place has never failed me. I'll keep coming here until the day it closes, but hopefully that is after I die! In which case my ghost will enjoy a pint.
(5)Whitney R.
Sat at the bar. Took the bartenders awhile to get to us. Finally arrived and got our drink order. 5 minutes later we were flagging them down for food menus. We ordered our app. Then he never came back to get the rest of our order until we were done with our app. We had to flag them down for a lot of things. Then I got there BBQ chicken salad. I think I had about 2 oz of chicken on my salad and it was literally drizzled with the smallest amount of BBQ possible. They also forgot the avocado. I wanted a new one but by the time they came around I wasn't really hungry anymore. I don't like giving bad reviews off of one experience. I know that sometimes things go wrong. But my first exp there was not the best. On a good note the wings were good!
(3)Ann L.
Womp womp. Came in here while killing time during a one-hour wait we were given to the asian place across the street. Went to the bar area. Service: Ok, nothing fantastic or mind-blowing, yet nothing bad. Food: Pretty good! Ordered the southwestern egg rolls which were delicious, spicy, and filled with chicken. Also ordered the nachos which were spread out across a platter. Typical nacho goodness. Yet, it was lacking sour cream which seemed odd. Beer: Wow, this beer sucks. Like, really bad. Like "I wish they had Miller Lite and Bud Lite available and I would pay double the price for it" bad. I had the Lumpy Dog Light Lager which tasted like what I imagine water that a dog flings off its body tastes like. I also had the Rock Creek Pale Ale that was also pretty lame. The only good beer any of us had was the Raccoon Red served from the cask. Other than that, we were all really disappointed in the beverages.
(2)Kathy M.
The service was terrible (thus the 4 stars instead of 5), and the temperature in the restaurant was turned to COLD. We asked our waitress to please turn off the ceiling fans (isn't it still winter??). Once we got over the cold atmosphere, the food was really delicious. I had the Hickory Bacon Chicken Sandwich. It's a basic chicken dish, and pretty filling, along with the mac-n-cheese was is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend it! For an appetizer, I tried a bit of their Asiago Artichoke and Crab Dip on crostinis, which was really good ( really fattening, but really good ). For dessert I had the triple chocolate brownie - actually, everyone at the table ordered it and we all practically licked our plates - it was that good! This is a neighborhood brewery that doesn't disappoint. In fact, it's worth the drive. Rock Bottom, I know you're reading this - please consider turning on the heat for your customers.
(4)Tara L.
This is definitely more of a happy hour spot. The food is so-so, but there are some pretty good brews here in a relaxed setting that is never too noisy. Although I will caution that you may be surrounded by yuppies. It's okay though. They don't bite.
(3)Cameron B.
For all we science nerds and gov'ment workers who are under paid and over worked, Rock Bottom represents a great way to get happy and full for under $10. Yes, you heard me, dinner and a stumble to the metro for $10 WITH TIP. On 4 occasions now I've strolled into RBRB with several friends, had several pints (Raccoon Red 4 life) and each ordered a half-off appe to split. The appez are huge, greasy and hit the spot after several pints. The bar staff are usually slammed with the 6:59pm power push, and can have several pints of each HH beer pre poured and ready to go. If you go on a Thur, orFri, get there early. They cover the pool tables so you can sit your food and drinks (but NOT your bumm) on them, and they'll put your favorite game on one of the screens. You'll be guaranteed to see gov'ment badges hanging from blue cords, and lots of unhappy interns talking about failed experiments over a$1.50 pint or 3!! If they could only put in a retractable roof, I might move in for the summer! At this point I'll never have a flat stomach...ooohhh well!!!!
(4)Linda N.
My husband and I, and a group of friends have been coming to RB for years, typically twice a month. Love the beer selection, and the price per pint is very reasonable. The food is pretty decent, chicken fried chicken being my particular favorite! With usually 4-5 of us coming in, we typically order a nacho (or two). A few years ago, they changed and I feel cheapened the nachos, the old style was so much better!! Would love to see them go back to their original nacho recipe. CUSTOMER SERVICE: 5 stars period!!! As soon as we walk in and sit down, our waitress Helen is there, with a smile, EVERYTIME! We usually try to sit in the same area because of her. She is kind, warm and very attentive, great people person for sure. Two weeks ago, we were there and found out she was fired! We are so shocked and very saddened by this. A big mistake on Rock Bottoms part in my opinion.
(4)Jason C.
I have to give this place 4 stars for happy hour which is on mon, tues, and thursdays. At $1.5 for a pint of red racoon, there is no place in DC where you can get this kinda of beer at these prices. Hell even if you go to the liquor store the only thing you can find in montgomery county that is comparable in price and quality is dogfish and yes...that's at a liquor store. The appetizers are 1/2 off during happy hour. The appetizers and pizza are about $5 each and they give huge servings with the exception of the ahi tuna (for obvious reasons). I once got into an argument with the server b/c she was adamant about the appetizers being 1/2 off instead of it being $5 but whatever lol. The happy hour rules are simple..but there are two that you must observe. 1) Happy hour ends at 7PM. U better get in like 5-10 min till 7 if you want your order in. You'll notice a huge line forming just minutes before happy hour ends and you won't get your order in. You can flirt with the bartender and get away with an order though even if it's a lil past 7. I've seen it happen :) 2) You can eat on top of the pool tables, but if you sit on top of it instead of leaning on it, the pool table nazis will come away to haul ur azz off the table. Believe me they are GOOD at spotting whether ur leaning or 1/2 leaning 1/2 sitting on the table. U gotta be 100% leaning on the table lol.
(4)K J.
Stop in on a Thursday night and was seated right away. Our server Katie was very nice and attentive. We split jalapeño pretzel sticks with a cheese dipping sauce that was very good. My husband ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken with cheesy mashed and I the Brew House Chicken that was served with the potatoes and seasonal veggie. We both really enjoyed our meals. We would definitely stop in again!!!!!!!!
(4)Jon R.
The beer is cheap--oh so cheap. Rock Bottom is a chain, and it's not the best craft beer in the world, but it's far better than any of the macro-lager fizzy yellow stuff. It's fun to go to during happy hour and try a bunch of their brews. Food is just ok.
(3)Ricky M.
Ive only come to the bar at Rock Bottom, so my review is a little biased. They have a nice and friendly bar tending group. It can get quite busy in there especially during the recent power outage across the DC Metro region in June/July 2012. Alot of the bars/resturaunts in Bethesda were without power that day we went. Luckily Rock Bottom saved the day. They offer many unique brews and seasonals. They even sell them for home in bottles known as Growlers which are about $20 or less. They are 64 fl oz and are a good way to save bucks when you come back also because they refill them for only $10! There were about 5-6 glasses worth of beer in a Growler so it was a great deal.
(5)Monique M.
This place is always packed with the crowds i usually avoid, but I keep crawling back on bended knee.... Why? 1835 calories of pretzel and queso goodness. Yes, I have a problem. And his name is Pretzel. I have now taken to lurking on the second floor and sharking on the pool tables to pay for my habit. I sadly can't comment on any thing else on the menu. Since I'm always stuffed with Pretzel. And not being a beer drinker or a sports fan, I really have no business being in here. And yet, here I am. Every week. See u there.
(3)Mike M.
Rock Bottom is averaging three stars from reviewers, and that seems about right to me. On the other hand, the Yelp guidance that two stars means 'meh. I've experienced better' pretty much sums up my take on the place. If you're going there to drink, it's probably good enough for that. The beer is fine, nothing special. Not sure why you'd go there to eat, though, when you can randomly go to any other restaurant on this or surrounding blocks and get better food. Service is friendly and competent enough, but the menu is just kinda blah. I always want to like a place that brews its own beer, but this place is always a bit of a letdown.
(2)Mehdi K.
Had an appointment at Naval hospital and heard this was talk of the town. Was very impressed with food quality and service.
(4)Veronica J.
You get what you pay for here. In terms of food they sacrifice quality for quantity. Stay away from the calamari. They have a great late night menu and its one of the few places in bethesda that serves food late.
(2)Emmy M.
Wanted to write an update to this. We've been back twice since the 5 star review, and both times it has failed. The second trip, my tacos were weird, like one of the shell layers was stale or something. The third trip, the service was just 'eh'. I'm no longer head over heels with this place. It's still okay food, but not really worth the drive for me to get to Bethesda.
(3)Amani A.
Oh I hit rockbottom! The white ale was seriously gross it tasted like cigarettes don't ask! I asked the bartender if I can have my beer served in a glass but she said no after 10 they only give plastic cups ahhh come on I'm not 21 & crazy give me a real cup so I can enjoy my drink lady! Anyways I ended up getting a cocktail I didn't like the beers at all.. I didn't have to wait in line bc I came early but this place always has long lines not sure why so come early to avoid lines
(2)Dee F.
Great beer, great nachos, great place to watch football. What more could you want?
(5)Frank G.
I don't like the new beer. It's not that it's bad (it's not great either), it's just that I *really* liked the old stuff. I can appreciate them trying new things, but isn't that what the rotating seasonal/special beer is for? Why get rid of my Raccoon Red entirely? Do not like. The food, however, is still good. At least they haven't managed to screw that up. Yet.
(3)Vonetta Y.
Are Rock Bottom and Union Jack's owned by the same people? Is that the reason why they're *always* together? Just wondering. Although this Rock Bottom is virtually the same as the one in Ballston, it's not a part of a mall, and therefore is the slightest bit less shitty. The food's the same (I had the quesadilla rolls as it was the closest thing on the menu to proper quesadillas, though the rolls are made with sausage when I really wanted chicken); it's digestable. Friday night, they were showing NBA playoff games to a background of top 40 music. Not bad, though the music was lost on the unreactive crowd. And this Rock Bottom has a poolhall like bit upstairs, so you can look at those people on the way to the bathrooms. Overall, not bad. Not my first choice, but not awful. At the very least, it's not in Virginia, which works a-ok swell for me.
(3)Ann K.
Arranged for a fairly large group of us to meet up here on a snowy Monday night. The Brits in our group picked a dark beer that they said was quite tasty - I picked the Racoon Red which was ok but left me with a nasty headache! Food was "meh" but I'll give them 3 stars and service and beer was pretty good. I don't know if it was just an off night for them due to the weather or if the food is always "meh" but I probably wouldn't venture back again.
(3)Craig M.
The steak with Texas fire seasoning (I think that's what it's called) was incredible. Not too hot, but lots of flavor. Its like a party in my mou... well you get the idea.
(4)Tomás G.
The service is great but the food is just not too impressive. There are far better places in the area to spend time here.
(3)Bob M.
Sorry, Meh (Yelp's word not mine) this time. Got there at 10:05 PM and they were on Late Night Menu, no more wings b/c the wings are not on the Late Night Menu. Whaaa?? I've had late night wings here for years. Now I get that things change and that's the way of the world, but if the fryer is on for Fried Calamari, why can't they make Wings? Makes no sense. Where I will give them props is that the item that I then ordered was 86'd, the manager came to me personally to apologize and then took the replacement off my check. Completely unnecessary but very nice, and I'll remember that. Still, I now need to get there before 10:00 PM now. Very disappointed.
(2)Opie M.
Now filling ANYONES Growler, You can bring anyones growler here for a refill, The Ipa and Firechief are my favorites on tap now. Bring in your DC Brau, Whole foods.... or Mad Fox jug and they will fill it.
(4)Ryan B.
Never been a fan of this place after the first visit. The food is marginal, and I'd rather go other places for happy hour. Not much here sets it apart from a normal every day bar.
(2)Helen C.
I have only had their Pint Glass sundae, and I really loved it! I like the atmosphere, and I would really like to have dinner at the bar one night. I will definitely try their burgers.
(5)Kevin A.
It's a Rock Bottom - there are one or two in every big city. Met some friends who live nearby for beers and appetizers. Okay beer, decent nachos, very friendly server. Pretty good for Bethesda. There are some better places in the neighborhood, but I've been in plenty of bars & grills that are much worse, too.
(3)Sabeen A.
Its's a disturbing thing when you call for take-out and the guy on the phone says 'Hello, you've reached Rock Bottom.' The food however is delish. Huge salads and great portions. I've ordered take-out and sat-in. In all cases, the servers and staff are attentive and nice, the ambiance is very chill. Though, at Rock Bottom, the prices are kinda high, I still head back because they've got some tasty stuff.
(4)Nick C.
It has taken me 7 times visiting this place to write this review, however the simple fact that I have been her 7 times bodes well for it. I have never eaten anything but dessert here, but the rotating and cask beer selection can be beat at these prices ANYwhere. All the staff is super nice and even though it is a chain, it still feels like a part of the neighborhood. Maybe one day I'll drink enough beer to warrant a looksy at the menu.
(4)Paul M.
Came here for an extremely pleasant Sunday lunch a few weeks ago. $3 bloody marys? check $5 for an imperial pinot of cask conditioned ale? check decent variety of menu options to satisfy everyone in the group? check great service, great beer, decent food, not at all bad for a soul-less corporate behemoth,
(4)Lexie D.
I would like to give Rock Bottom a high five for being a solid drinkery in a neighborhood I'd rather avoid, but end up in anyway. Their house brews are palatable without being overwhelming. They're the perfect backdrop to casual drinking, sports, and lighthearted conversation. They know they're not supposed to be the conversation piece of the evening, and they shine in that capacity. Bartenders are quick and non-hovery. Sports, if you're in to that, are plentiful, and there are always a couple of games on (I saw hockey and baseball without even trying the last time I was there). If you enjoy catching the game with a beer and a burger, this is an excellent place for that. If you just enjoy reasonably priced beer and burgers, and don't want a rowdy sports bar, oho! This is ALSO that place.
(3)Vanessa S.
Went here last night and had awful service. The waitress pretty much ignored all the females in the group and only attended to the men. When we walked in we were told it was happy hour and later found out it was only late night food "happy hour" and that drink happy hour didn't start until later at night and even then the discounts weren't much. I won't be returning here- the awful service left a bad taste in my mouth and it just wasn't worth the price or time.
(1)Sharon W.
Hadn't been to Rock Bottom Restaurant in years. We don't eat out in Bethesda often but we were at a street festival and looking for a place to have lunch. We arrived with a plant and a helium balloon, among other things, from the festival. Our waitress came to take our drink orders and appeared genuinely interested in the festival, asked questions about the plant and was overall very personable. We ordered a pretzel appetizer, granddaughter wanted pizza, and husband and I agreed to share a salad and the chicken fried chicken, which I remembered as a huge portion. When I gave our waitress our order and told her we were sharing she said she would have the chicken entree divided on two plates. Nice! The pretzel appetizer was huge and delicious. Two soft, warm pretzels with a creamy, cheesy spinach dip with just a little kick to it. The chicken was as good as I remembered and they split the chicken up but gave husband and I both what seemed a full size serving of mashed potato and cole slaw. Husband isn't crazy about cole slaw, odd because he's not a picky eater, but I told him to try it because it was fresh and crispy and had sliced apples which gave it a nice crunch. He liked it. Husband ordered a growler of beer to go and the waitress was knowledgeable and offered helpful suggestions as to what would meet his preference but also stay fresh longest. Very pleasant lunch and, needless to say, waitress got a very nice tip.
(4)Ray H.
I hadn't been to Rock Bottom in a couple of years, which by all accounts was the last time it was cleaned. What a filthy place. Had lunch there late yesterday and in addition to the overwhelming beer-on-the-floor stank, the tables were sticky with beer ick and the windows were, well, I wish my wife were that dirty. Food was no treat either; both the fish and pork tacos were served lukewarm to cool and the tortillas were not so much as warmed over. oh yeah, the men's room was nass-tay! The beer was good. Didn't save a bad lunch though. Rock Bottom needs a Bottom Up cleaning. If you go, take a little packet of those bleach wipes--you'll need 'em.
(1)Bunny S.
We went to watch the World Cup game on Saturday 06/14/2014 at 6 PM. The atmosphere was okay, almost all the tables were full. We ordered beer and started watching the game. The first thing we ordered from the appetizer menu was the asiago artichoke and crab dip very very good!! really enjoyed it. The second item we ordered from the menu was chicken wings. they were not that great, meat was still a bit raw on the inside and the blue cheese and ranch dressings were watered down..very watered down...the dressing was so liquid it didn't stick on the carrots or the celery and both of the veggies looked bad with brownish colors and hard, like it was a part of the outer shell of the celery bunch, the very green hard part...all of that was okay, the part that bothered me the most was one of the servers who was hanging out with 2 older men at their table chatting really loud while on the clock then when she was of the clock she went back there again chatting really loud. It was very annoying and very unprofessional. Probably wont go there again anytime soon or only on very rare occasions.
(2)Nicole R.
wouldnt recommend it. server definitely tried his hardest. we were there with 5 adults and 2 kids. i dont understand why they serve basically Kraft mac and cheese from a box to the kids and then a "fancy" version of mac-and-cheese to the adults. veggie burger was ok. not great. i heard regular burger was fine. trio of guacamoles was not worth it. couldnt taste the difference between the guacamoles. beers were good - prob the only good thing about the place. wish it were better all around.
(1)Lindsey W.
New menu since Rock Bottom was bought out by Craft Works in Feb/March. '11. Still serving their great burgers and appetizers but the main Entree menu has been cut in half. Yet still have their signature Mac an cheese, great pizzas and filet Mignon plus seasonal sea food. Check out the new menu on the website. It's still our favorite neighborhood bar just now with new management. Check it out!!
(4)Clare M.
I've been here 3 times and had good service and a good experience every time. The food is in nice, big portions but doesn't really have any "healthier" options so if you're looking for that... look somewhere else. I highly recommend the veggie burger. it's not a compact, dense patty like I thought it'd be-- in fact it actually kind of falls apart when you're eating it. But it's really good.
(4)Chuck O.
We usually come down here for happy hour then grab some food on the process. Until the lay visit, I didn't hesitate to recommend this place to anyone. Aster our service on a Sunday afternoon with my parents in town, I hesitate greatly about telling people to confer here. Do not get seated out of view our in a hidden area on a dull afternoon. I had to request our waitress and the food was not prepared as requested. This is not normal, as our previous visits have been fun and food enjoyable. They made up by taking off the cost of the burger & gave a complimentary dessert.
(3)Amanda B.
2.5 stars, really. I've enjoyed the atmosphere of Rock Bottom, as well as the beer, but I've always been pretty disappointed by their food. I would have given Rock Bottom three stars, had it not been for the latest disappointment. While visiting my family for the holiday, my father brought home a turkey burger from Rock Bottom for me to eat after we had gone through all of our holiday leftovers. I immediately noticed that it was a very distinctive turkey burger, as the burger contained many chunks of ingredients I don't normally find inside the patty of a turkey burger: onions, avocado, and pepper (according to what I've subsequently read on the restaurant's website). I'm fairly certain there is a good amount of what tasted like raw garlic inside the burger, as well, because it was simply inedible. Whether I imagined the garlicy taste due to the large amount of raw onions inside the patty or not, I found that flavour to be extremely overwhelming and off-putting (and I do like onion and garlic, but there are limits). Perhaps raw onion-lovers adore this burger, and it's just not for me, but I find raw onions to be extremely potent and, honestly, I think that unless you're a person who likes to eat raw onions like one would an apple, this turkey burger would overpower due to its raw onion/garlic. Rock Bottom can be a fun sports bar to go to, but I just feel like the restaurant falls below the standard sports bar in terms of the quality of the food. I don't expect sports bars to have fantastic food, but I expect the food to be at least "OK" if not borderline good. Other than the giant pretzels, I can't think of a single thing I have eaten at Rock Bottom that I would want to eat again. As for the service, they sometimes get overwhelmed but considering that it's a sports bar and it can get really crowded during game times, I can't complain. I don't recall having particularly negative experiences here regarding the service, and tonight's meal was a takeout order, so I can't really give much comment on that aspect.
(2)OIivia H.
WHY oh why did I come back here? Fool me once... I visited another location in California with family and it was such a great experience I had to give this location another try. Bad idea. I ordered the Little Italy on a veggie burger, same thing I had in Long Beach and devoured. They brought me a sandwich with stale bread and a tiny smear of pesto. The waitress was super nice and when I sent the sandwich back with a request for my pesto she admitted that "*Sigh* they do this a lot lately!" I mean, really? It came back quickly, thanks to the waitress, with a tiny drop more of pesto. I tried to eat it out of hunger and it was so dry it CUT THE ROOF OF MY MOUTH. The waitress finally brought me a little cup of the pesto and I gulped down a few bites before giving up in defeat. BOOOOOO!
(1)Kate A.
I have only been to this location twice. The first was in the summertime for their trivia, which was very fun. However, I just went recently, and my experience was beyond mediocre. The service was so slow, the waitress was inattentive, and their "steak tacos" each have ONE teeny piece of steak in them. Perhaps all of this was due to the fact that I went around midnight on a Sunday night, but I believe customers should have a good experience no matter what day or time they go to a restaurant. I would never eat here again.
(2)Todd R.
Beer and food were marginal. Fish and chips were unremarkable; the fish was a bit too crusty and not succulent. Fries were thin and a bit stale in flavor. I got a seasonal beer (pumpkin), and surprisingly it had sugar and cinnamon around the rim. Ugh.
(2)Mary D.
Came here to meet some friend for Happy Hour when they got off work - a little out of my way, but the place was great company was too so I'll be back. RANTS --- "food delivery system" is a bit flawed, the poor waiters have to walk around the whole bar and call out people's names until someone claims the food - maybe get numbers and stands so it's easier to find someone and so it is not as easy to snag someone elses food (plus it gives the poor wait staff a break from yelling) RAVES --- "beer" I tried a few of their micro-brews when I was there and have to say I liked both quite a bit, I'm not usually a fan of bitter beers but I can see my opinion changing soon_"space" the place is split up into three sections, downstairs bar, restaurant, and upstairs bar which leaves plenty of room for small groups are groups that take up a whole room like we did. I would say the space factor huge in deciding if I go back to a bar for happy hour; after a long day I don't really want to be touched and bumping into a lot of people I don't know._"pizza" when you come don't even look at the other sections of the menu just look for Rustic Pizza, they are so good and surprisingly fresh. The pizzas are a good size; enough for one if they are really hungry or if you are with a large group I suggest ordering a variety and sharing. beer+space+pizza = the will have my service again
(4)Izzat A.
Meh. Went here for lunch today to watch some of the NCAA games. Heard a lot about it so I wanted to try it. Service was okay, sat at the bar, bartender was nice and friendly and took the time to explain some food items out. I ordered the mac and cheese with chicken that comes with a caeser salad. I was skeptical about trying this because honestly, how good can mac n cheese at a bar be? It was just average and definitely not worth the $14 I spent. Definitely would not get it again. My friend got a rouben and it looked very good. I'll prolly try this place again but will think harder about what to try next time. Come here for a game, lunch break, or for happy hour, not for a dinner.
(3)Miriam W.
The strong scent of stale beer greeted me at the door but still I remained optimistic about the lunch that lay ahead of me. Though, looking back, I'm not sure why. The Ball Park pretzels were unoffensive and I forged ahead ordering the chili and a Caesar salad. The chili was decent but the salad was pretty much inedible. Stick to beer and bar food at Rock Bottom and you'll be okay. Or better yet, try Union Jack's down the street.
(2)Melissa S.
Went out last night for a birthday dinner with a big group and I think Rock Bottom was the perfect place for it. Something for everyone on the menu, moderately priced, and decent food and beer. Nothing blew me away. I was excited about the beer, but I have to agree with some previous reviewers that found it a bit thin or watery tasting. I like that you can get a side of mac n cheese in place of fries for just another $1. Also, the server was awesome about splitting up the check for us in a somewhat complicated manner. All of the staff was nice, but didn't seem super excited or knowledgeable about the beer. All in all, this is probably a place where I'll go to check out beer tastings, and maybe to take advantage of the happy hour or late night specials.
(3)Steven B.
I have been here a couple of times. Honestly, its pretty run of the mill. Crowded at times, parking is a pain because its Bethesda. It has your basic fare of bar food, nothing that jumped out at me as horrible spectacular (although I hear good things about the macaroni and cheese which I have yet to try). I have never been there and found the place too crowded (except right up at the first floor bar). Honestly, I would strongly recommend checking out the bar upstairs. Its far less crowded, there are pool tables, and you can still order food and drinks. Thats all you really need right. After all, you don't go to a bar for the bar, you go there for the people you are with. You can actually maintain a conversation without shouting and enjoy the company of your friends. So skip downstairs, hang a left when you come in and head towards the staircase towards the back and take over the area I tend to drink in when I am there. For all this place is just decent to me, its also right next to where I work, affordable, and not bad. So I will see you up there.
(3)Brennan S.
Rock Bottom is aptly named. Quite frankly, it is the worst food I have had the misfortune of eating at any "Restaurant", more akin to bar food than restaurant food. The house brews are slightly better than the mega-beer piddle. Watered down, flavorless tap water. My nachos had a distinctly strong mold taste in them, and the worst guacamole I can recollect tasting. By far, the most inattentive service I have ever received in the DC area. 30 minutes waiting for the waitress. If you want to visit a bar in Bethesda, Union Jack's around the corner has much better food and superior staffing. Do not visit the rock bottom worst bar in Bethesda!
(1)Oscar S.
Rock Bottom is the Bombomb! Well, only when you go w/ your friends and you friends are bartending and you go out afterwards..puff puff. But seriously, I've never had a bad experience at Rock Bottom. If you ever make it on a Thursday night make sure to go to the upstairs bar and say hello to Doug! He'll take good care of you, plus they have pool tables as well. Also, I would recommend the nachos, can't go wrong w/ a tray full of nachos and cheese and other likings!
(3)David W.
Nice place to relax with some friends and play pool or just hang out. Brandy is the best waitress here, ask for her for the best service. The food is good and reasonably priced American. Also, the other people there aren't as bad as the other people on the near by bars.
(5)Trevor M.
AA called me and asked me to write an introduction for the place and I was hesitant, but here's the quick replay of my conversation. AA: So, how have long have you been coming here? Me: A couple of years now...It's a chained owned Mico-brewery. AA: No, to the meetings, you dolt! Me: A couple of years now, under different names. AA: (groaning noise) AA: So, why do you come here? Me: Well, they do make their own beers that have won some awards at the Denver Beer Fest and they have real cask pulled ales on site...which is pretty cool. AA: As your sponsor, I have to tell you that prolonged exposure to this much beer is bad for you. Me: Yeah, well, I haven't gotten a beer gut yet and they do change the name of their beers to suit each local area. But, they have lagers, IPAs, Ambers, Dark, and seasonal beers. AA: (imploringly) You need to complete your 12 steps. Me: But, i've completed 12 flights of beer, does that count? AA Co-sponsor, Al C. Holic: Trevor, I have to say that really you have a major problem and we want to see you again at the meetings. AA: Al, is right, please come back. Me: But, you guys only serve water and force us to bring our own snacks...come on...at least have some food. AA: Tell me, that you're just going for the food, right? Me: Well, food is your standard elevated bar food. Nothing exceptional, but nothing really bad either. The burgers are decent, but the crispy peppers and pickles are neat and the pub chips literally takes an army to eat. It takes the Marines to drink the beer. AA: Really...there you go again about the beer. You know that you have a serious problem. Me: Yeah, but overall, it's not so bad I give it a 3.5 AA co-sponsor: The brewery or your addiction? Me: Brewery: 3.5 Addiction: Really, can we put attach a numerical value to this? AA: Come on, how can you continually afford all of this? Me: Well, the brewery is actually pretty cheap. It's beer, cocktails, and pub food. And you guys just charge me a deductible. AA: (shocked): That's not funny! AA & AL: Please tell us you'll be back. Me: To the meetings or Rock Bottom or until I hit Rock Bottom? AA: (Screaming): To the meetings!!! Me: Unsuscribe. Sent from Iphone. (Disclaimer: This is not to depict AA or meetings in a bad light or bad humor...this is a review, a review with bad jokes. Get over it, I'm sure that there's a meeting somewhere you can join.) Final Note: I'm going back to meetings and breweries...just under a different alias.
(3)Lenny C.
Good ole American food, excellent beer, noisy crowd, good looking people, nice portions... in summary a cool hang out spot in downtownish Bethesda.... did I mention excellent beer? So here's the thing... most people come here for the beer and for the good American food... nothing that will wow your culinary senses, but good, well prepared tasty food, great beer and noisy girls and boys looking good... Here's the secret: the food is good, OK... better than most, but take it from a guy on a quest for the best carrot cake on this planet.... this place has one of the best carrot cakes on planet Earth! Food gets three stars... carrot cake gets an infinite number of stars! If you eat at the bar area, you are taking your life into your own hands, as it is usually so packed that the waitress may get attacked on the way over... a lot of hungry Bethesdians hang around here drinking beer and ordering bar food. Carrot cake!!!
(3)Sebastian P.
This used to be my favorite hang-out spot in Bethesda but has declined drastically in recent months. One experience is pretty exemplary of the new Rock Bottom: I take all of my employees out every quarter and last quarter we decided to go to Rock Bottom. We had booked a table for a dozen people for lunch a few days in advance but when we arrived, there was no table for us. The GM's response was that he didn't have a table for us and that we could either wait for an hour (the restaurant was pretty empty) or get three four-tops apart from each other. We decided not to deal with it and told him we're just going to put some high tops from the bar together. Not even looking at us, he stormed towards the bar and told the only waitress that the tables needed to be put together. In the meantime, we already started putting the tables together, to which he told we couldn't do that (after we were almost done and only needed two more chairs). There was no apology, no comped beers, nothing aside from a nasty look. Needless to say, there are enough other restaurants in the area where I'll take my employees instead. Athmosphere: In the past few months, a lot of the regular staff and even new people have been fired on the whim of the GM, so a lot of people are scared they are next and looking for other jobs, which makes for a tense mood at times. Nonetheless, the regulars bartenders that are still left and some of the new ones always try to do an excellent job to lighten the mood and stay positive. Drinks: It's a brewery and brewmaster Geoff does an excellent job. Why they started selling "guest beers" such as Miller Lite is beyond me, however. Food: It's essentially a pub, so the food is accordingly - it's not bad, but not spectacular either. Just like the wait staff, a lot of the kitchen staff has been fired in recent months by the GM, so special requests that didn't use to be a problem are all of a sudden an issue and food service has slowed down overall. Executive Summary: The problem here is clearly the GM who doesn't know how to manage people and doesn't know how to treat customers. The direction he has been trying to push the bar-restaurant has not been well-received and a lot of the former regular now hang out at Brickside or Harp and Fiddle. If it wasn't for the beer and some of the people, I wouldn't go there anymore because the food is better in most other places in the area.
(3)David M.
All three stars go to the beer. Everything else was just eh. The burger, actually, was kind of a wretched experiment. I bet this place is awesome for sports watching and happy hour-ing. The beer is really good. REALLY good. And I bet just going to eat some bar food and enjoy the beer would work out nicely. For lunch or dinner, though? There are too many other options around the area for you to jump on that are way better than this. If you're looking for a place to catch some NFL games and throw down a few brews, this is the ideal place in the neighborhood!
(3)Sue H.
I've always liked this place, been going for years. Went last night. Had this Mama ___ Shrimp Bowl. Picture on the menu made it look like nice-sized shrimp with heaps of asian-ish veggies. Looked terrific, and based on other food at RB, I figured it would be great. Very, very disappointing. Shrimp were miniscule lake-type shrimp, overcooked. There were almost no veggies in the dish. About a pound of noodles, and clear broth, so also very low on flavor. The disconnect between the marketing and the reality was awful. Spoke to the manager. He graciously took it back and I ordered the very good salmon dish instead. He said he had the same problem the night before with the same dish, and he said he would speak to the chef. Seriously, he could not have been kinder or more professional. Huge points for that. But here's my take on RBB. I think they must be reacting to the economy by holding prices stable and reducing food costs. These shrimp should not have been served at any decent restaurant. So, RBB is off my list for a while. Not sure what will bring me back, maybe just a trip for beer only. Food for now is out.
(2)Scarlette T.
ok i was happy this time, went in with my girlfriend for drinks to chat and catch up. the bartenders were WITHIT this time. personable, entertaining, service was great! doubling my star rating. i will now more likely be back!
(2)Valarie G.
The brews made here do not impress and neither does the food. The service makes up for some of it as I've always enjoyed the wait staff here, but I've done better elsewhere for brews and a burger.
(2)Kara L.
Rock bottom is right. Waited over 10 minutes for them to bus a table before leaving for another place. Terrible customer service. Hostess kept saying it would "just be another two minutes" instead of just bussing it herself. When we said we were leaving, she didn't even have the courtesy to apologize. Happy to take our business elsewhere and I'd encourage others to do the same.
(1)Devon S.
I always enjoyed going to RBB. The food is quite tasty , but lets be honest im there mostly for the beer. They have a special tap of belgium ale called saison. All i can say is it was one of my favorites. Its too bad they only have it for a limited time.
(4)Matt B.
Rock bottom used to be a solid spot to grab a burger and decent beer until it was bought out a few months ago. Now it is Gordon Biersch except the food isn't as good. To sum it up the service is terrible the food is okay at best, they got rid of their beer that people liked. Oh and the Internet doesn't work. I have given the place a few chances now because friends try to sway my opinion. Its sad the place continues to get worse, the bar tenders will say the same thing.
(1)l g.
well, they sure know how to make a salad in Bethesda. I had the seafood chopped salad with tangy dressing and this big, beautiful salad came before my eyes. Lots of shrimp, fresh crabmeat, avocado, mandarin oranges, eggs, tomato, cukes over a large bed of greens. Delish!!!!! Their IPA was average, but it was $3!!! Happy Happy Hour!! yeah! The bartender was hot, it was a nice view. All around good time but loud in there, hard to have a conversation, it was hopping for a Wednesday night!!! Hey wait a minute, this was the second night in a row that I got gypped out of hearts of palm on my salad in Maryland!! is there a shortage of this stuff?
(3)Dominic L.
I've been here a bunch of times with friends and it's never great. The food is okay, the service is okay. Happy hour specials are good though. Most of the time it's super crowded. Just okay.
(3)Ali S.
Best happy hour period. 1.50 pints of great beer (raccoon red personal favorite), cheap eats. The nachos here are awesome. MOOD: Looks like a brewery restaurant, you see all the stills when you look up as you walk in. There is a very large bar area that is packed for happy hours (especially thursdays in the summer with all the NIH-folk). SERVICE: They have plenty of waitresses servicing the bar, so it does not take time to find one and get yourself a cold mug and a snack. One of the bartenders is really sharp, has a good eye for new patrons and will catch you as you are making yourself comfortable assuming a waitress hasn't gotten you a beer already. FOOD: Mostly I stick to the happy hour menu, the nachos are incredible. The onion rings are decent, as are the quesadillas. I don't like the wings here, but nothing is bad if you are craving that particular item. You have to drink the main brews, if you want the brew of the month get yourself a membership and watch the keg tapping e-mails to get 2 dollar refills on the beer of the month. The restaurant menu is not that impressive on its own, I ordered one of the greek pizzas once and it was pretty good, but the burgers, salads, and sandwiches were not that tasty. I'd give the bar 5 stars for the happy hour, but the restaurant half reduced the enthusiasm to 4.
(4)Phi N.
I've never ate here, however I have come here for drinks. The bartender was more than generous with the amount of alcohol in the mixed drinks and he did hook us up with a round of shots (I guess because we were ordering so much). It was a good time but I find this to be more of an area to relax with friends rather than celebrate or party like some of the other bars in Bethesda.
(3)Jen L.
This is one of the better and more frequented bars in Bethesda. It's pretty spacious and has plenty of seating on both the dining side and also the bar side. The crowd on Friday and Saturday nights is 20's to 30's and White. I've only been here a few times just to hang out with friends. I can't rate the food because I didn't eat here, but the bar service was pretty good.
(4)J S.
good happy hour spot!
(4)S S.
We enjoy going here when people are in town visiting, although it is also a good place to meet up with friends. It's not really a place we go just to go. The food is pretty good - though their "cajun" seasoning on the fish tacos really isn't very cajun-y. All of the burgers are delicious (and huuuuuge) - go out on a branch and try the 2AM. Service is decent - not over the top but not terrible. The lighter brews are a bit underwhelming, and I'm generally a light brew fan. The irish red ale is great, though. The upstairs area with billiards is neat, and there is a room to the side downstairs where a large party could sit or a meeting could be held. It's a loud enough place that children shouldn't bother the people at surrounding tables.
(3)Svetlana G.
Hazelnut chicken was really good! Ask Dennis for matching beer!
(5)Gina P.
really good guacamole! lucky light beer was good, too.
(4)Jonathan B.
always a sure bet for me. food is good, not great, but very consistent and reliable. its the modern day pub where you can go and know the beer and food selection will always be good. it's also great for kids.
(4)I See Y.
Go for the beer/appetizers and sit at the bar. Skip the sit down dinners...zzzzzzzzzzz
(4)Jay K.
My experience at this place was very mixed. The service started out great and the appetizer we ordered was delicious and the beer was ok. I am not sure what happened though, but our waitress did not show for like 30 minutes and apologized that out food would be arriving shortly. When the food did arrive my dish was very cold and tasted like it had been left out for a while. The meat was also very tough and hard to eat. This may only have been a one time thing, but I probably will not go back to see if this happens again.
(2)Mary Ann R.
I do not intend to return to this place. Went here recently to celebrate a friend's birthday. Phoned in advance, and were told we did not need a reservation for Saturday at 6:30 pm. When we arrived we were given a table, which was fine. Ten minutes later a group of middle-school boys who had just won a softball game arrived. They were screaming--not celebrating, but screaming. There were seated across the room for us, which was unbearable. The "adults" with them apparently wanted everyone to sit at one table, so the group was moved to a table within two feet of where we were sitting. Screaming became louder. Waitstaff said there was no other table; offered to try to quiet the adolescents (having already demonstrated they could not). Eventually staff, making a big deal out of the trouble involved, said they had adjusted another reservation (they would not give us a reservation!) and said we could have a booth. We were then seated next to some NICE young children. Food was slow in arriving, and OK at best. A review of the sodium content of the food on the website was SCARY. So I see no reason to return.
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