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Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: TriBeCaChambers St-W Broadway (1, 2, 3)
Chambers-St-Park Pl (2, 3, A, C, E)
City Hall-Broadway (R, W)
My experience at Roc was kind of like falling into the rabbit hole. Exciting and interesting but confusing at the same time.
After being spit out by the taxi onto a tiny street corner (who even knew there was a duane st.?), mother and I arrived at Roc. From the street the restaurant looks inviting and warm, especially after the fun ride on the FDR.
For every normal experience one has at a restaurant, Roc's was accompanied by a strange one (in a good way?). For example, being seated at a nice 2 person table-arm to arm with your neighbor--but your neighbor sounds like a dude except is definitely a lady (I think you know what I mean) and s/he can't stop talking about how painful it is to be fabulous. Following me here?
Mom and I shared the grilled octopus which was outstanding. Perfectly tender and deliciously seasoned. Definite thumbs up!
I was torn on entree choices. I questioned my waiter whether the black squid ink taglierini was better than the fedelini ai fruiti di mare. All he could do was repeat "black squid" at me in an accent I couldn't place. So, I ordered it. Delicious. Watch out for the crawfish.
Overall enjoyable experience. Service was a little slow but the joint was packed so slightly forgivable. Perhaps the tables shouldn't be so tight. I'd prefer not to hear about my neighbor's chihuahua's eating disorder.
This is a lovely little gem. It wasn't crowded on a Wednesday night and the service was spectacular. Thankfully I was on the company dime because it was rather expensive. However, the food was well worth it. My colleague recommended it and I trust her.
I had the halibut with roasted cherry tomatoes and it was delicious. I started with a lovely little salad. Great big wine list--many high price selections, but other affordable choices as well.
All in all a nice place. Come here willing to spend some bucks, but you will be well taken care of for the price.
I've been to a lot of italian restaurants, this one stood out - why?
The good service measured up to the semi-formal dining experience, the food was very good (went with a big group, everything I tried was excellent), and desserts spectacular. One will find more than just tartufos and tiramisus in the dessert section, but even the tiramisu exceeded well beyond expectations. I recall having a cheesecake where the pineapple fruit sauce was deliciously cooked to the point of semi-caramelization. Fresh ingredients coupled with good technique. I have dreams of going back there just for dessert.
A solid 3 plus (...although I can't exactly articulate why I hesitated to give that 4th star). The food was good, very good actually: I had an excellent stratiatella soup which was delicious (sometimes this can be done too salty) and for my entree I had the,...the, um, wait, I'll remember in a second. See? whatever else I had was perfectly forgettable, or was perfectly acceptable, just not a stand-out.
Roc is in a nice corner location on a cool block in Tribeca: great people-watching spot and the waitstaff is nicely attentive, not annoying. I've been here a couple of times and would definitely go back and next time, I will write down what I had so my review can be more specific...
5 - for the beautiful place settings
1 - for the less than par service
2 or 3 - for the mediocre food
I tasted 3 dishes: grilled octopus salad (octopus was rubbery), carpaccio (too much arugula), and the veal (great). The wine was good too. Maybe because we dressed casually, I felt this bias from our waiter.
I typically don't complain about service unless it is terrible. In this case, our waiter had a negative disposition.
Love their outdoor seating. Don't particularly like the service. It took them forever to acknowledge our existence.
Thankfully they brought out some bread after a while, which saved me from eating the small poodle tethered to the tree nearby.
We both ordered the grilled salmon, which was pretty good. If they sorted their service out, I'd slap on another star. I may try them for breakfast some time soon .
I wasn't exactly thrilled to be having Italian again just two days after another large Italian dinner, but I really loved my meal at Roc. Handling a table of 10 is never a particularly easy task, but our waiter was friendly, helpful and efficient and had no problem taking good care of us. On top of that, the food was quite good!
While I wasn't especially wowed by the fried calamari and crispy zucchini appetizer, the beef carpaccio with arugula was very nice and my grilled fennel and radicchio salad was terrific. I completely embarrassed myself by finishing my entire serving of cavatelli with sausage, garlic and broccoli rabe, but good god, it was too tasty to leave any behind! Justin devoured his bucatini amatriciana and when my sister-in-law got up to use the restroom, the remaining 9 of us quickly and not-so-covertly took samples from her plate of the risotto special made with champagne, shrimp and julienned vegetables--absolutely delicious. Desserts were good--the lemon tart is a real standout, especially if lemon bars hold a special place in your heart--and we rolled ourselves out of Roc a little tipsy and quite full.
If I lived nearby, I'd put Roc on my list for date nights with Justin, girls' night out or just a nice place for dinner with good friends. If they could handle our somewhat unruly and loud-as-hell-with-each-additional-sip-of-wine group, they can probably handle anything. And for my second Italian meal in 3 days, I have to say I enjoyed Roc's service, environment and food more than Insieme. 4.5 stars.
Decor is nice and in the summer, a really pleasant place to sit with your dog and have either lunch or dinner. High ceilings, airy feel and a great place to people watch.
The food here is okay. The calamari & zuchinni app is delish. All the entrees were good but nothing was spectacular or really jumped out at me.
If you're more into people watching than food and very into the "scene" this might be the BEST place to eat in the summer. Those craving a bit more than eye-candy need look elsewhere.
This was my second visit to ROC the first time was many years ago, even back then it was one of the few places that offered affordable seafood in a classy setting.
Appetizer:
House Salad - large and tasty
Entree: pasta - fruit de mer (ample portions of salmon, mussels, shrimp)
Entree: pasta- short rib (good not great)
Desert: Tiramisu (it said with Lady fingers- but this is Italian style)
Latte - very good
It is expensive for me, but I know in this neighborhood you could do a lot worse and eat much less.
I would recommend, for seafood lovers.
I am definitely "a fan" as they say of ROC. An affordable, cute Italian place in Tribeca? Yes, and they carry some good wines on the list. I had a few (too many, apparently) glasses of Masciarelli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, a crisp Italian white. One of my favorite things about dining out is trying new wine varietals and I was pleasantly surprised by the Trebbiano. It was really delicious! I actually lapped my colleagues before we even sat down to dinner because this wine was so delish (which of course came back to haunt me on the PATH ride home, but whatever). The food was also quite good. I had two appetizers as I was trying to maintain my girlish figure. The fresh burrata (mozzarella) came with grilled asparagus and a balsamic reduction. The burrata was so damn creamy ahhhh. I then had the scallops with asparagus. Now, I didn't realize I was going to get asparagus twice so don't start thinking I was a weirdo who really loves asparagus. Although I am.
We had the Jordan cab with our main course, which you really can't go wrong ordering.
For dessert I believe we shared the coconut pannacota, although that's when things start getting hazy. I'm pretty sure it was good though...
Good food - I tried their grilled salmon with spinach and potatoes. The fish was grilled just right. The potatoes could be less dry though. The complimentary herbed bread and pistachio cookies were delicious.
I was staying at a hotel in Battery Park and asked the concierge for some rec's about places to eat. He gave me Roc. I walked from the hotel down to TriBeCa and forgot where he said it was. Wandering and kinda lost - found Roc! Cool - I was in there about 2:30 pm - so this European fancy family was in (I think someone was negotiating a modeling contract) and just me at the bar. The 2 guys who were standing at the end of the bar - that looked like they could be managers there - did nothing to greet me. And what made that weird and memorable was that one of them had eye contact with me from the moment I entered the door (he left shortly thereafter. Was it something I said?). So, I order a glass of wine and decide on the scallops to start. The scallops were delicious - but I will tell you that they took about 30 minutes to reach me. Maybe longer! I also had the burrata with the grilled veggies - again yummy.
The other mgr looking person (reading the newspaper when I arrived and then continued to read the paper at the farthest table in the rest) - was not friendly and not talkative. I think I now know why - as the hubbie met me down at Roc and he was able to strike up a conversation with him. What this mgr shared with us I think explained why he was a bit of an ahole when I was there by myself. I won't share what he said for fear of offending those that live there...
Service stinks here so for that I wouldn't go back. But I would say the food seems good (for the 2 dishes I had). Nice restaurant inside, though. Clean and classic.
I'll be brief with this one. The food was really, really ,good and the atmosphere was also nice. Good date place. Although it is winter now and outdoor space was closed, I can see how it must be a great spot in the summer.
Now on to why only 3 stars. Service!! Nothing horrible, but forgetting the wine list, dropping the specials printout in front of my colleague and not saying a word, having to ask 3 times for the bill...not something I'm too forgiving of in NY :)
We chanced upon Roc today while looking for a nice Sunday brunch.
The outdoor seating area was home to sunworshippers who hid behind sunglasses and sunblock, while generation procreation (aka young families) choose to hide kiddy wailing indoors - of course that realization only happened after we sat down and waited for our mimosas, which by then was too late for us to escape.
Decor is modern, clean and "feels" spacious; even though we could practically hear the entire conversations of the tables we were seated next to.
Service is okay; they get the orders taken and the food served. But nothing to shout about.
Food :
I had the Fettucine Bolognaise. Freshest pasta I've tasted in a long time; done to al dente perfection. I heart the texture!
Bf had the spinach & mozzerella cheese omelette (served with a side of with neapolitan fries aka sauteed potatoes w sundried tomatoes, red pepper & onion). Tasty.
Overall, it does a wonderful job of averageness - no disrespect meant. It's got potential for some other type of occasion.. weekday lunch maybe? Despite a good selection of eggs on its menu and pancakes it just doesn't feel enough like a Sunday brunch type place.
I came here for lunch one day to "test-drive" it for a potential team dinner party. We were promptly seated outdoors and had a wonderful view of Tribeca on a sunny day. The weather was beautiful, bread basket diverse, waiter knowledgeable and the company humorous... the only thing missing were my sunglasses.
I ordered a pasta dish paired with an old fashioned glass-bottled coke. I wasn't expecting too much, but my!-- the pasta was absolutely delicious! It was cooked al dente and the freshest pasta I've ever tasted. The lunch lasted 1.5 hours as I slowly teased my pasta with my fork and ate one string of it at a time... hoping it'd last!
Lunch here is also not expensive, but on the "upper end" compared to average lunch specials ~$10 and subsidized cafeteria lunches ~$5; most dishes were priced in the teens, not including appetizers or drinks.
Unfortunately, we did not end up having our team dinner here since it was "outside of budget", but I was happy to have discovered such a great lunch spot.
New York city has its fair share of great restaurants. And, let's face it most of the great ones are the "standard". I am not sure of what restaurant I would measure Roc by but on our first visit they delivered a very good experience.
We started out as most trying to decide on the mood of the night. Should we dine or eat? Should we order a flight of foods or just pick some of our favorites? There is plenty to choose from including traditional items like prosciutto, calamari and beef carpaccio. But hold on, there is a venison carpaccio, boar bolognese, oxtail ravioli and elk ossobucco. This is a menu with some range of flavors from Italian cuisine. Our choices, garlic shrimp, grilled octopus, prosciutto and calamari were fresh, plated nicely, seasoned and cooked tender. We were very happy with appetizers and paused to enjoy our wine from Sicily (a blend, medium to full bodied, capable of pairing well with a range of food intensities). As each entree was served, pasta with clam sauce, fettuccine bolognese, oxtail ravioli and gnocchi, we each stopped, tasted and shared very well prepared foods and just the right portion. Table service was good and was what I expected from this more casual than formal eatery.
A good value for your dollar, Roc delivered some very good food, creative enough to offer something new and conservative enough for the "fussy" eater. It looks like they serve outside in the warmer weather and they do have a bar for the locals looking for that after work spot unwinding from a long day.
Very tasty pastas, and a very comfortable atmosphere with good service.
Solid pick.
On the night we dined, the chairman of AOL Dick Parsons was seated at the table next to us.
I loved this place when I lived in the neighbourhood years ago, and it's nice to know that good things haven't changed. The service is on par with the higher end establishments in the city at a much lower price tag. The food is quite delicious, especially the pasta (prepared to a perfect al dente), and the menu leans a bit toward seafood. They have a surprisingly expansive wine offering given that it's not their specialty per se. This is a great option for a nice dinner with friends or a date.
I went here for brunch with a group of 8 people and almost from the moment we sat down it was problem after problem. I ordered a cup of coffee only to find out they have nothing but whole milk. No other creamer of any kind was available. Since I can't drink whole milk (which the waiter found inconceivable) I said I would just have water. He came back with water, but left the coffee.
After we ordered, I politely suggested he take the coffee away since I wasn't going to be drinking it. He joked with me about how I was breaking his heart. He tried to clear up the milk issue and I told him I just don't want the coffee. Again, he left it.
Our meals arrived and while the menu clearly states all egg dishes are served with neopolitan potatoes, 2 members in our party did not get potatoes with their meals. When they asked a waiter (not ours since ours never came back though he was still in the restaurant) they were told rather condescendingly that their dishes didn't come with potatoes. Finally a menu was brought over to clear up the matter and, in order to make amends, the manager offered the 2 potato-less members of our party a free coffee and tea.
It was odd our waiter never returned to our table after taking our order. A different waiter brought us dessert menus (which we didn't order) and the manager brought us our bill (which was incorrect and had to be taken back). They seemed very disorganized to say the least.
As for my meal, I was unimpressed. I ordered the spinach mozzarella omelette. While I did get the neopolitan potatoes (which were actually very good), the omelette left a lot to be desired. The cheese in the center had not melted. It looked as if they'd cooked the omelette in a pan and put a slice of mozzarella in the center at the last second before folding the omelette in half and serving it. It had way too much butter and was practically swimming on my plate.
For what we got I thought it was overpriced. I was happy to get out of there for only $13. I will always consider giving a restaurant a second chance if either the food or the service was incredibly good. However, this place had neither. At the end of our meal we took bets on whether or not the coffee would be on the bill. Much to our disappointment, it wasn't. We were looking forward to some more drama.
I really loved our experience at ROC from the complimentary (and addicting) foccacia bread and cheese straws, to the fried bocconcini appetizer special, to whatever entre that I got but can't remember. There is limited outdoor seating, but it's worth trying for on a nice evening. Definitely on the pricey side, but it's very well-done Italian.
BUGS - our food at Roc was overall mediocre and overpriced, but the experience was fully ruined by the amount of bugs in the restaurant. We were seated at a window against which a handful of flies were buzzing and trying to escape. Then, in the middle of the meal, a live moth fell into the middle of our table. It was HUGE. Finally, towards the end of the meal, I noticed a giant dead cockroach on the floor next to my chair. Enough said.
Overpriced and overrated in my opinion. I was not impressed- I came for lunch on a nice afternoon, I did enjoy the outdoor seating but that's pretty much where it ended. I had the linguini frutti di mare- the mussels did not taste very fresh and the sauce didn't have much flavor at all. The two small glasses of pinot grigio were overpriced and not very good either. My friend had the calamari salad, which was ok but nothing special. They didn't give us any bread plates, and I felt a bit rushed to finish my glass of wine once we were done with our meal. This place charges way too much for mediocre food. Next time I know to stick w/ Il Mattone when I'm in the area
My actual vote would be somewhere around 3.75. Definitely above average, but still left something to be desired. The buffalo mozzarella and roasted peppers appetizer was delicious as was the assorted seafood pasta. Also worth calling out -- the penne with mussels, capers and olives. The linguine with clams was bland; the pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe wasn't that great either. Desserts were decent, but coffee was terrible. Go for a cappuccino if anything. The ambiance of the place is great, though...and the outdoor seating is fantastic. Good service, attentive wait staff. Stacy London (What Not To Wear) was at the table next to us.
I came to Roc last week for a special event during lunch time. The ambiance was clean and reasonably quiet, or at least a calm reprieve from the hectic traffic outside. I ordered the fried calamari salad, which came in a haystack-sized pile along with battered zucchini. Building on some other opinions below, I would say that shellfish is not their forte. The calamari wasn't very flavorful and was chewy in texture. The zucchini was light and crisp. The grilled salmon was cooked to a perfect consistency but the cream sauce was a little bit on the heavier side. Dessert was by far the highlight. The lemon tart is a cross between a lemon meringue pie and a creme brulee. The portions of all courses were massive. Worth trying once.
Tasty and basic italian food. Great choice for a pre-movie meal or to linger with a loved one over wine and pasta. Clean, simple decor and great, attentive service add to the dining experience. It's one of my favorite places in the neighborhood.
The food, the wine, the Roc, everyone and everything was wonderful.....
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
Category: Southern
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: TriBeCa
Category: American (New)
This Second City girl loves to wander NYC... but…
Been There, Done That. Places range from mildly…
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