The East Bell Taphouse — Restaurant in Rockdale

The East Bell Taphouse is exactly what Rockdale needed. Friendly and engaged staff, owners who clearly care about their business, and the entire enterprise working to bring a great, friendly, well planned taphouse experience to the community. At this writing they’ve been open only a handful of weeks and already this start up is exceeding expectations at every turn.

First, the food. While the initial menu is currently limited, it feels like they are offering new specials every week. It is a taphouse, and their starting menu reflects the name. What they’ve done is to make sure every part of the food offering is the best. Wings, burgers, dipping sauces, fries and potato chips, and salads are all made by hand in house. No dry burgers and inferior wings, they’ve made sure to bring great taste to every part of the menu. Stable pub fare that is so well done I don’t need to drive to Bryan or Austin, because the East Bell Taphouse transplanted great food and a curated beer selection to Rockdale. Choose from six wing flavors, or choose two at once, it is literally make your own sauce combo on wings that are hot and juicy. The beer selection is great, with all the stable names plus a wide variety of specialty beers on tap, plus bottles and a wine selection. The owners are happy to talk the finer points of the beers on tap, if you ask about a beer you’ll get the full backstory and they appear to stay on the prowl looking for fresh tastes.

The partnerships in the community and specials are exciting. BBQ in partnership with Brett’s backyard, playing host to the Piano Bar menu, Cajun flavors on Marie Gras, live music, and a family friendly layout. Kids underfoot? Let them play cornhole!!

I’m so pleased, I’ve been 5 times in a couple of months, and every time I’ve enjoyed the food, beer, and atmosphere. I’m so thankful the owners brought this to Rockdale, looking forward to many visits...

I am always willing to give a place a second chance just in case it was just a bad day. It happens. I came in on a Friday night about 8 pm with my sister and friend. It was not a good experience. There was an hour wait for my food. Mine and my sister's food came first and we were finished with our meal before my friend got her food and she ordered ahead of us. Cost was far to high. $20 a person for 6 wings and some burnt potato chips. I imagine they would have been very good if not way overcooked. The wings were cold. Why was there an hour wait for cold food? My friend ordered a burger and onion rings. Again...cold. My sister also ordered a fry basket of cold almost burnt fries. It took forever to get the attention of a waiter. When we asked for refills they did not bring the beverage to the table. Instead they took our glasses back to the counter to refill and return to us. How did they know who got what glass when drinks were the same? They advertise live music...by 9 pm still no live music. The menu was very small. Hot dogs, burgers, wings or salad. All very over priced as well as over cooked. They are new...perhaps they will iron out the creases and improve their service and food. Better...

Not a great experience. When I went in the tables were dirty and I wasn’t acknowledged at the food kiosk for almost 10 minutes. A nice man came up eventually and helped me out, but he was running all over the place helping everyone else. I understand being low staffed, but I soon realized a couple of guys that I thought were customers ended up going behind the bar to help others; they work there! Before that they had just been hanging out, drinking. My wings came out within 5 minutes which sounds great, but they were stone cold! If they had been warm, they would’ve been great, but that just ruined it. My wife got the grilled cheese. Simple enough, right? The cheese was barely melted and the bread was hard as a rock. Don’t think I’ll...