Red Rock Bistro & Bar

Red ROck Bistro is overpriced for the amount of food you get. For example i got the bistro salad which was good but had way to much dressing, about 6 walnuts, and about 4 pieces of lettuce. This is not exceptable for the price you pay. For me and my family which is 4 of us we pay like 175dollars of a app and main dish for each of us. Please dont waste your money eating here!!! Cons: OVERPRICED more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Boston area. I eat here quite regularly and have never been dissappointed with the food. It is a great place to take a date, go for a relaxing dinner, or just hang out at the bar with one of their great martinis. The only reason that I couldn't give five stars is the wait staff seems a bit taxed when it gets really busy. Other than that i would recommend anyone try Red Rock. Pros: Great Seafood, Excellent Views Cons: When busy waitstaff could use some help more

On a lazy Labor Day afternoon we decided to stop by at the Red Rock since the location is so perfect right next to the ocean, plus the place had a cool vibe to it from the outside. We got a table right away, but that is where the good service stopped. We placed a very basic order for two salads and 1 chicken blt and it took forever for the food to come. No drink refills unless asked for. The food was good but it didn't make up for the lack of service. If you have the time and the patience to wait, then stop here, since the view is incredible. Pros: Incredible views of Boston Cons: Service more

I had gone to Red Rock a few years back with a group of people and we hung out at the bar and had apps and drinks which was great. The other night I decided I would try it for dinner.....WHAT A LET DOWN. First off, we were seated on the ramp that connects the bar and the dining area with the high traffic of patrons and waitstaff bombing by us and bumping my elbows...not a smart location for a table. We ordered the Yum Yum Ribs for an appetizer and apparently they must have thought I said hold the Yum Yum, because they were bland and had no flavor. We ordered out meals which were the Filet Mignon, mine wasn't bad althought the mushroom risotto had very little flavor, but the person I was with didn't get it the way they asked and the woman said she would take it back and have it cooked a lil more while they eat their sides??? Why would you want to eat your sides without your $36 Filet?? When we asked for a refill on our drinks, we didn't get them until after we were done eating. None the less, I WILL NOT BE RETURNING unless there are some MAJOR service changes and some taste to the food. Red Rock is given FAR TOO MUCH recognition than it really deserves, average food, average interior design, and below average service. Pros: nothing comes to mind except the view Cons: where should i start? more

I'm going to keep this short- DON'T BOTHER. The food is terrible and a man with big coke bottle, black rimmed glasses who might be the owner is beyond rude! I will never eat there again and I hope you won't either. Lets stick together and teach this guy a lesson. Whatever happened to ""the customer is always right""? I don't think this guy ever heard the saying. Cons: Let me make a list....... more

Bad attitudes, overpriced food. I went there with my family for Mothers Day brunch(think 4 adults and 2 children). We had reservations for 11:30 in the morning. We sit down and order some drinks, we open our menus to find out that brunch isn't being served but overpriced dinner entrees , the LOWEST being $28 and $6 for each side dish. I don't know about you , but filet mignon or salmon doesn't appeal to me at 11:30 in the morning. We ask the waiter for the bruch menu and he replies that dinner is all that is being served today. We look over the menu and decide that nothing is really appealing to us this early and decide we'll take our brunch elswhere. I get up from the table to inform the host and hostess that we understood that the restaurant would be serving brunch not dinner and that we would be leaving(just to be polite). Lets just say that being polite was a one way street. We get the check from the waiter for the drinks and were about to leave when a very rude ""manager"" came over to our table with the sole reason of embarrassing us. We were told in a condescending attitude that ""yes"", we were told that only dinner was going to be served today, EVERYONE was told"" he said. Not sure how he knew that seeing that he wasn't the person whom we spoke to on the phone when we made the reservation. He then said, ""could you please take your drinks over to the bar"" in a very rude manner. Not sure if he knows that you can't have a six year old and ten year old sit at a bar that serves alcohol! Its against the law. Needless to say we left feeling very uncomfortable. Don't we have the right as patrons to go to a restaurant and if we don't like the menu we can get up and leave? This restaurant is in America, isn't it? Its safe to say that I will never go back there again! In my review the lowest star rating I could give was one star but it deserved no stars!\r Also, NO PARKING! And good luck trying to find a spot. Cons: Extremely rude! Overpriced entrees more

Wow,\r \r I have been to Red Rock many times during the past four years, and I was shocked to read the extremely negative reviews listed below. This section could use some balance (and some substance).\r \r My wife enjoy living close to Boston, and take frequent advantage of this. We eat our once, or twice, a week, and enjoy experiementing with new places and new menus. We learned about Red Rock after watching a review by Billy Costa (Billy highly recommended it). We acknowledge that not all restaurants appeal to all customers, so let me try to illuminate.\r \r Red Rock is a Boston-style restaurant located on the water in Swampscott. The restaurant has a couple of patios (one waterside, one not), a couple of dining rooms, and a modest size bar. The restaurant has live entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday brunch.\r \r The menu has a nice variety of raw shell fish, other appetizers, main courses and gourmet pizzas. They serve generous cocktails (we like the martinis) and they have a rather extensive wine list. The raw bar selections and the gourmet pizzas are outstanding. The other appetizers are good enough to offer a tapas-style dining experience. The main courses are very good, but not as great as the raw bar, appetizers, and pizza selections.\r \r The restaurant is pricey for a suburban location, but not more expensive than a city-located location, or an on-the-water location. The bar area is jumping, busy, crowded, but all of that can mean fun (if you're in the mood for it). The greenhouse dining room is better than the back room, and the waterside patio is better than the back patio.\r \r The bathrooms can use some work, but not (in our opinion) the basis for choosing/not choosing the restaurant. The owners are frequently present, intimately involved in the restaurant operation, and have always been helpful, friendly and caring.\r \r The Red Rock is solid choice for a high-end dining experience. Try it, you'll like it. Pros: Overall Experience, Great raw bar, appetizer menu, gourmet pizzas Cons: Bathrooms more

Went for Sunday Brunch with reservations. We arrived and were seated in the back where there was a distinct smell of urine coming from under a utility door. The hostess noted it too and said they'd send someone over to clean it up right away. I guess she was just BSing us as noone ever came to clean it. We then ordered our meals, service was decent but busy. Then our meals came burnt. The eggs were all over cooked and burnt, the bacon was a hodgepodge of sorts (2 pieces on my plate, one was dry as if it had been cooked hours ago, the other rubbery and recently undercooked). The toast, which was just one piece (who serves just one piece of toast?!) was literally charcoaled and burnt on all three of our plates. No butter or jam was served to spread on the charred shingle, we had to ask for it. Everything was quite horrible in taste. Oh and being February you expect it to be a little cold I suppose, but the room was freezing, all three of us had to eat with our jackets on to keep from shiverring to death. You'd think they could spare a few dimes on a cold wet day and turn the heat up a little. I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant with so many negatives in a single visit! The view is not worth the pain believe me. Pros: The view is pretty good, decor is nice Cons: Food was ridiculously burnt/overcooked. Cold. Loud. A lovely smell of urine. No parking. more

I have been to the Red Rock on more than one occasion. My first experience in March was pleasant, but I will not return after my second visit. I feel it is important to tell you what you may not know. \r \r What you may not of been told.........\r 1) It is often crowded and noisy making it hard to talk with others.\r 2) There is no parking.\r 3) On my second visit the restaurant ran out of bread. Not a big deal if our entrees didn't take so long. I think we waited about 40 minutes. Then our deserts took another 20 mintues. I have heard since that this happens frequently.\r 4) The only have one men's room and a ladies's room with 2 stalls. From what I have heard from others the ladies room overflows all the time leaving only 1 stall.\r 5) Servers are always pleasant, but I observe them to be TOO busy and not giving great service for the prices.\r 6) The view isn't that great. Yow can see water, but faces the edge by the street.\r 7) I have also observed the owner behaving in such a way that proves he is unworthy of customer patronage. He is unprofessional and arrogant.\r \r You are better of trying Antonia's at the Beach in Revere. They have GREAT food, parking, a beautiful atmosphere, and a better view of the ocean. Plus, a owner that deserves your hard earned dollars.\r Pros: Nice atmosphere Cons: Crowded, everything takes too long, etc more

After reading most of the previous reviews, i was skeptical, but was looking for a waterfront dining experience for a special occasion and decided to venture over to Red Rock Bistro nonetheless. \r The appetizers were great. The entrees are mediocre at best. I would suggest going for drinks and filling up on a few appetizers and enjoying the view. \r The service was great, our waitress was helpful and friendly. I think the owner was working that night and he was nothing but friendly. I was pleasantly surprised, especially after reading all the nasty reviews. \r Don't shy away from this place, it has many great qualities to offer! \r \r PS, try the king crab cake, it's de-lish. \r Pros: Gorgeous views.. Cons: Window seating can get very steamy in the summer! more

I was thrilled to bring my friend to Red Rock Bistro last Monday. I should have been given a heads up when I phoned to make sure they were open for lunch and the rude owner said, ""We're open every day!"" and hung up. No thank you, good bye, just click. But we went anyway . . . \r \r At the entry they have a large sign that says Jumbo Shrimp 2 for $1.00 All Day, along with a few other specials. So, we got our table and ordered three orders of the 2 for $1.00 shrimp, as well as lunch entrees, drinks, etc.. SURPRISE SURPISE when we got the bill and the shrimp cost $21.00!!!! The waiter spoke with the owner who basically said too bad, the 2 for $1 are only at the bar and are grilled skewered shrimp - even though their BIG sign in the entryway says NEITHER. He didn't even take off a penny. Shame on him, we will never go back and will be sure to tell everyone to STAY AWAY. Pros: nothing makes their dishonesty and rudeness worth it more

Had a great B-day dinner there. I love that they offer live music on Fri and Sat nights. Ocean view is beautiful, food is fantastic. Next time I go I'd like to sit in the outdoor patio. Hostess and waitstaff are very sweet and accomodating. I'll be back. Pros: Live music, great food Cons: mediocre wine list more

On 4/1/06 we had a res. for 4 by the window Red Rock Bistro. The couple meeting us were not able to make it. We told the owner (who seats guests) we have a res. they sat us by the window, we explained it would only be 2 instead of 4. The owner raised his voice.""Oh this is great"" in front of other patrons. He took us to a table for 4 seated by the kitchen door.We asked if there were any other tables and told ""no"". Feeling upset viewing tables by the window vacant, as well as, our original table, we decided to leave. We told the owner we were leaving. He said, ""that's fine.""We were shocked. Went next door and without any res. immediately seated by the window. ""Customers are the backbone of any business"".NOT RECOMMENDED! Cons: NO PARKING, PLAN TO WAIT, VERY NOISY more

the best mohito ever. Food and the view are great. more

my wife and i were driving down the shore with our toddler and stopped for the beach and park located across the street from red rock. looking for a quick bite, we stopped at the red rock. we were noticeably underdressed. the place was packed, so they offered us at a shelf/table located behind the bar immediatlely. i think that someone else alludes to this ""table"" in another review. contrary to their experience, our waiter was pleasant and polite (he may have been anomalous). nobody asked us to move. when i bent over to pick up some food that my toddler threw on the floor, a waiter said, ""don't bother, we will take care of it"". luckily that night, our toddler was well-behaved. the food was excellent and pricey. overall, we were impressed by the food and service. Pros: food, service, views Cons: price, crowded more

This place has great views and am unbelieveably rude owner. In between the kitchen and dining room is a busy bar that's jammed on weekends. I recently was standing with my back to the bar, talking with friends who were seated. Each time a waited passed, I would have to move. Over came the owner, who ordered me to move. I pointed out that the people I was talking to were at this end of the bar. He yelled that he didn't have to put up with my attitude and that if I didn't clear the aisle, I could leave. By this time, some people near us had left, so I sat. Some women down the bar received a quieter version of the same treatment. A few minutes later, one of them said, ""This isn't worth it,"" and left. Bartenders are slow and overworked. Drinks are expensive. Pros: The view Cons: Owner attitude, Slow service, Expensive more

Oh, the memories of going in and sitting at the quaint bar, getting served your usual drink (without even having to ask) by the bartender who knew everyone's name and story. WOW, how times have changed. Now you walk in to the place knowing THREE things: 1. The person who was taking care of you last week might not be there the next time you go in. The service staff has changed over more in the past few months than ever before. 2. The consisency of the food and drinks has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. WHAT HAPPENED??? and 3. Make sure you bring a charge card with a high limit. Do the owners of the place actually thing their clientele is STUPID enough not to notice the price goudging going on? The steak was once $27 but once it hit 75 degrees, up to $31 it went. Pros: None come to mind Cons: OVER CROWDED, LOUSY MUSIC, EXTREMELY LOUD more

Aftre protesting to go to another fine restaurant on the North Shore, I decided to give into friends and eat at the Red Rock. After cutting through the air of pretentiousness and arrogance, we ordered a bottle of wine...$55 abottle. And it was not to be our last. Until we found much sediment and a slight foul smell. The owner came over, not to back us up and take the stance of ""the customer comes first"", but to tell us that it was okay and to drink it! If we had ordered a less expensive wine, would he bring us a new bottle? Maybe if he didn't spend so much of his time consuming at the bar, his judgement would have been better. Go next door to the Hawthorne, better view, friendly staff. Pros: alcohol pours freely, uninhibited crowd, pick up joint Cons: , uninhibited crowd, pick up joint more