Rockafellas Restaurant — Restaurant in Salem

My girlfriend and I came to Salem from Connecticut to spend the day! We were super hungry and excited to go to Rockafellas for the second time, as we have been before about a year ago. The first time was an average experience, but nothing to ever complain about. This time around though, her and I both agree that we have never experienced such an insanely awful experience at a restaurant. We waited outside in line for about 15 minutes to get to the hostess stand. Once there, I can honestly say I have never experienced such bazaar hostess service. Very unprofessional and way too lax. When seating us, the girl says "I can put you in the wine cellar, it's a little weird in there" and just walks away as we follow her. We had no idea what she was talking about so we just followed- happy to be seated. Once in the wine cellar.... I mean like an actual wine cellar, we quickly realized this was insane. I'm sure some people would think this idea is super cool and intimate, but I can assure you it was quite the opposite. When the waiter came over, we truly were very pleasant and asked if we could move to another table. He replied with "was there a line outside?" We said yes. He replied "I'm sorry there aren't any other tables this is the only one" we complicated staying at the restaurant all together. We decided to stay, as we had come all the way anyway. My girlfriend got a burger and it had a hair in it. A long piece of hair. We told the waiter and there was never once an apology. Just took it away from us. No manager or higher up ever came to apologize either. 2 times throughout our meal, waitresses came in to the cellar to grab some wine bottles from behind us while we were eating. The whole thing was honestly so insane. Trust me, I know I sound like a "Karen" and I know that if I were reading this written by someone else , I'd probably roll my eyes. But I promise you when I tell you this entire experience was so crazy. We could not even believe it. Only thing good was the fries and Caesar salad. If you're planning on coming here, please think twice and make sure to not let them place you in the wine cellar/ storage room. . pictures...

We paid $50 extra to reserve The Vault private seating. This was our engagement celebration and we could not have been more disappointed in the overall experience and lack of value. We had a 930pm reservation that was available online for the vault (that again, you must pay in advance to reserve and it does NOT come off your check, it is an extra fee) with no notice informing you that the kitchen closes at 10pm. We were totally okay with the fee but not knowing we could not get food after 10pm and having a server with a nasty attitude ruined everything.

We had high hopes of a nice, and non-rushed meal to celebrate and instead got a very rushed and rude experience overall. Joshua F. was our server and he did not greet us until almost 10 minutes after being seated, despite seeing us and knowing it was his table. We had the pleasure of witnessing him receive our tables paper stub and talk with the hostess. We watched him get drinks and take food orders for a table in his section that was not even seated until after us. He walked passed our table, made eye contact numerous times and still did not come in to even greet us and take the opportunity to say "I will be right back with you".

When he did finally appear, he was not apologetic and immediately told us we only had 20 minutes to get in our food order. Leaving us to wonder why a reservation that we had to pay $50 for would not disclose this to you. We had hoped for drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert. Which isn't enjoyable at all in a 20 minute time frame. Overall, this was a terrible experience and not worth their high price tag. $210 including the reservation...

When you choose to dine at a restaurant known for its quality, you expect a certain standard of service and food. Unfortunately, my recent experience at Rockafellas Restaurant was a disappointment.

The evening began promisingly. The waiter who greeted us was attentive and friendly, setting the right tone for what we hoped would be a great meal. However, the situation quickly soured after we waited three hours for our food. While I understand it was a busy day, it’s still unacceptable for a restaurant of this caliber to serve cold food, especially after such a long wait.

To make matters worse, the manager, Joe, approached our table with a demeanor that felt more like a reprimand than a greeting. Instead of acknowledging the challenges of managing a large group, he seemed to blame us for the delay, treating us as if we were his subordinates. This lack of hospitality was shocking and disappointing.

In a restaurant like this, guests should feel welcomed and valued, not blamed for the kitchen’s shortcomings. It’s essential for management to understand how to handle difficult situations with grace and empathy. Joe's behavior did not reflect the standards expected at a quality establishment.

After this unfortunate encounter, we decided to pay for our drinks and leave. No guest should ever be treated this way, and I hope Joe learns how to better address his guests and manage his staff in the future.

While I had high hopes for Rockafellas, this experience left me questioning whether I would return. Good hospitality is key, and without it, even the best food can’t...