Rock Steady - Atlanta — Restaurant in Atlanta

I visited Rock Steady - Atlanta Sunday Evening with a group for a birthday celebration and the experience had its high points, but also came with some letdowns, especially when it came to the food unfortunately.

I’ll start with the highs:

The atmosphere was absolutely a vibe, it was intimate, soulfully chic, and warm. The space felt curated for both comfort and style, and it seemed perfect for a celebratory evening. The music at the time of our visit was a standout: it was a smooth, tasteful blend of old-school classics and reggae and in direct opposition to other reviews, it wasn’t as loud as I thought it might be or overly explicit, which made it enjoyable for everyone in my party which ranged from seniors to younger adults.

Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and accommodating, which we really appreciated. Also, having valet service was convenient given the limited street parking in the area.

Now for the lows…

Valet cost of $25 per car felt excessive, especially since it’s not exactly a fine-dining destination with white-glove service.

The lack of clear signage made getting into the restaurant more complicated than it should’ve been. After being misdirected by the valet attendant toward what seemed like a nightclub entrance, we thankfully asked the guard at the door out of concern because my mom was coming! who then pointed us toward a side door—barely marked. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll definitely miss it.

The hostess was kind of cold and unwelcoming, which dampened the tone right from the beginning. No smile, no warmth, which was a sharp contrast to the vibe the space gives off.

Seating became a small issue because as a party, we were placed at high-top tables with backless stools; fine for some, but not ideal for the older guests in our party with back issues. By the time they arrived it was too late to ask to be switched.

And here’s where things really fell short, THE FOOD. For a bill totaling close to $500, the expectation was high and Rock Steady - Atlanta just didn’t deliver. The general consensus was that everything was just… meh. • The catfish looked great and was fried perfectly, but lacked flavor. The tartar sauce was overpowered by lemon. • I had the oxtail rigatoni, which was one of the better dishes at the table but still under-seasoned, it needed salt and lacked the flavor I was expecting. • My sister had the jerk chicken with the sauce on the side. The chicken itself was flavorful and decent, but the rest of the plate didn’t impress. • We also had the Brussels sprouts, which were forgettable. • Appetizers included the janga dip, which was pretty good, but the lamb egg rolls and calamari were just okay—nothing we’d rush back for.

Anyone who knows me knows I love food and don’t mind spending for a great meal, but I truly walked out feeling underwhelmed, it was disappointing.

The atmosphere and music make Rock Steady -Atlanta a place I want to love, and I’d even consider returning just for drinks and the vibe, but the food needs serious improvement to make it worth the cost.

If you go, go for the ambiance and energy, but manage your expectations...

I anticipated an awesome experience with great food and service. Here's what I received:

We had a 9:15pm reservation for a party of 7. We were seated at 9:40pm and told we needed to order by 10pm. Our waiter came thru with fresh water and to take our order.

I ordered from the Sunday menu. I was made aware that they were out of several items, including the jerk wings and jerk chicken sandwich I wanted. Iaaked for just a few more moments to regroup and choose another entrée. Our waiter returned, a bit more rushed (time).

Heres what we ordered:

Guest one: Red Snapper with black rice An order of crawfish eggrols

Guest two: Steak (medium) and eggs

Guest three: Haitian shrimp n grits

Guest four: vegan platter

Guest five: Haitian shrimp n grits

Me: Steak (medium well) and eggs and fritters

Guest seven: ackee platter

3 orders of crawfish egg rolls arrive. We share amongst the table.

Here's where it it goes downhill... Guest 1 and 4 received their meal first.

Then, guest 3 received her meal about 10 minutes later.

Guest 5 received his meal about 5 minutes later.

Me, guest 2 and 7 still had not received our entrées. We asked our waiter who simply responded, its coming.

About 10 minutes later, guest #2's entrée arrived. The waiter arrived with the entrée and asked who ordered steak. We were trying to determine whose steak it was. The waiter was hurried and rude. As it turns out, her steak was closer to well done than medium.

Still no food for me and guest 7. Called the manager (Salmon) over again to express my disappointment. He apologized and went to check. We waited.

Finally my food arrived! My steak was tasty, seasoned very well but overcooked. The toastados were crunchy and didnt pair well with the steak.

I again called Salmon (the manager) over. Guest 7 still had not received his food. This was my son's food. As a mother, how could i possibly eat in front of him, knowing he had not received his food?

Finally at 10:53pm, my son received his food! The ackee wasn't fully cooked and lacked any seasoning or flavor. In fact, my son said it was just awful. On top of that, everyone was completely finished their food.

I expressed my displeasure to Salmon who apologized profusely. The one thing he NEVER did was to offer to compensate me for my experience. My sister had to finally say their meals need to be free or something. He replied, I'll see what i can do. Meanwhile, our server bought out my receipt with everything fully priced. He even added the 3rd crawfish eggrolls that I didnt order. I sent the bill back for correction. A percentage was deducted. My bill was significantly reduced.

Pros The ambiance was perfect. Grown and sexy! The music was delightful! The food although late every well seasoned.

Cons A table meant for 6 is a very tight squeeze for 7 people. The drinks (Green Tea) were disappointing. The service was absolute trash!!

DO BETTER!

I might come to sit and relax and listen to music but I WILL NOT bring a...

Rock Steady...Great Food With An Undignified Dining Experience.

Let me first say that the food was amazing and certainly enjoyable, but rating a restaurant in full extends much further than the skills of the chef and their team.

Our reservation was on a Fri night, at 8:00 pm. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a fee of $20 to "valet" our car in their semi gravel lot. Lets be clear, there are multiple & comparable restaurants within a stones throw of Rock Steady (Bastone, The Optimist, Eight Sushi, Yalda, etc.) that too offer valet service, but just not to what I label as "blackification" pricing. They literally ask if you're dining at Rock Steady, then tell you it's $20. As a recommendation, there is a ton of street parking on Marietta that's $4 for 2 hrs roughly.

Upon arrival, we checked in and we're quickly seated, even with the restaurant being really busy. Upon being welcomed by our server, she then informed us that there was a 90 minute maximum for our seating, as well as the 20% automatic gratuity- blackification. As the server stared at us, waiting for acknowledgement of the rules I suppose, we both stated "okayyyyy" confusingly, wondering if she was waiting for us to refuse the terms, then simply leave.

After ordering, our food came out extremely quick. For appetizers we ordered the egg rolls and wings, which were brought out no less than 3-5 minutes after ordering. For our entrees we ordered the chicken, lamb, and fish, which also came out fairly quick.

As we felt the "semi pressure" of not engaging it too many drinks and small talk due to the 90 minute mandate, we quickly finished our meals and drinks within 60 minutes. We then inquired about the upstairs bar, and the server pointed us to the entrance door in the far corner of the restaurant.

After we closed out our tab ($195) we wanted to go and get another drink upstairs. As we approached the door, the security guard asked for our ID, then gestured to raise our hands so he could "pat us down". At that moment I said it's okay, and we decided to leave.

From what I gather, it seems as if the upstairs bar is treated as a different restaurant. I say this because not once was our ID checked (40+) when ordering drinks for dinner by our server, but we needed our IDs checked to go upstairs? Secondly, I'm at the stage of my life of unless it's in a government building, sports arena, or an airport, if I have to be wanded or patted down by security, then I probably don't need to be there- especially for a restaurant.

In closing, it's wonderful to have a black owned and very popular restaurant so close to home. However, I wish that the sense of customer dignity (validated parking, at least 2 hrs for dining, gratuity based on service, consistent actions by staff) is prioritized by the management team as it relates to a complete and enjoyable...