Review Roc Restaurant - Louisville

Outstanding upscale Italian food in an old house with private rooms upstairs where it is less noisy. Food was excellent and our waiter JP, originally from Italy puts on a great show and watching him make one of their signature dishes was the hit of the night. Take your time, relax and spend time with friends for dinner here with their many authentic dishes. Parking is the only challenge as you will need to park on the street.

ROC definitely is in the top 3 of Louisville's fine Italian dining options. The food was impeccable, from their wonderful specials (both apps and mains) to their menu items. Flavors were amazing, pasta was fresh and perfect. We started off with two special apps, stuffed dates and fried mozzarella. The dates were some of the best the table had ever tried. The moz was good, but the fried zucchini strips that accompanied it were even better, especially in the spicy (almost like an arrabiata) dipping sauce. For mains, I had to try the Tuesday special, Cacio e Pepe prepared tabelside. Not only was the show and presentation top notch, but the meal was extremely creamy and perfectly seasoned. Others at our table had the butternut and sausage rigatoni and the bolognese pasta. Both of those were excellent in flavor, portion, and the right amount of pasta to non-pasta components. The pairing of butternut squash to sausage just worked, and the bolognese was wonderfuly rich and meaty, as it should be. Service was very good throughout the meal. Deserts and cocktails were also good, with the restaurant having many, many options, including an extensive bourbon menu. Highly recommend it for dinner date or just when you're craving some amazing Italian food. We will definitely be going back.

The staff was amazing and graciously accommodated us after we were unhappy with our original table. The food was amazing and the ambiance was really nice. Skippy was one of the best waiters I've had. Will definitely return!

Years ago I had written a negative review, but recently I decided to take a date there and have decided to delete it. Both myself and my date enjoyed our experience very much. The server was very friendly and attentive without overdoing it. The salads and entrées were outstanding. The atmosphere is really nice, very modern and clean. That's one thing that hasn't changed since they opened. Overall it made for a very nice evening for both of us (it was a first date so having this experience was so important) and I will definitely return.

One of the best meals I have had since we were in Venice. Everything was absolutely delicious. The owner has a big and great personality and is very friendly. Do yourself a favor and check it out, also definitely listen to the daily specials.

Really cute homey joint with perfect mood lighting. Drinks are made perfectly with the perfect mix of flavor and alcohol. The food is absolutely amazing and fantastic portion sizes. The salmon was flakey and juice and the skin was perfectly crispy. We came here for mother's day and I would have to say it was a great pick made by my boyfriend.

I have been to ROC on several occasions. I have brought my wife for a romantic dinner and recently I brought a group of friends for their first time to experience this wonderful place. The food and service are both excellent an unparalleled. There are several Italian restaurants in Louisville but none can't hold a candle to this place. The bar is very well-stocked and the bartenders are well-versed in making the best drinks that you can find. The owner is usually on hand to greet you and it is obvious from the moment you walk into the door that the staff really wants to give you the best dining experience that they possibly can. I highly recommend ROC restaurant and I'm sure you won't be disappointed if you try it out.

I love ROC! We have never had a bad experience here. Tonight we brought some friends who were visiting from Nashville. We started the evening with some delicious cocktails, both the Paper Plane and the Old Fashioned. For starters we had the Buratta and the Beef Carpaccio. They had a special that added freshly shaved black truffles to the carpaccio. The truffles we presented in a wonderful glass jar and shaved tableside. Great presentation that I forgot to take a picture of! For mains we had the Gnocchi, Pappardelle shrimp with a pistachio sauce and a special Pappardelle with a mushroom sauce topped with Buratta. Incredible house made pastas. The meals were portioned perfectly, everything was hot and fresh and the service was impeccable.

Oh my gosh, this is the best Italian food and the coolest vibe. Attended a private Derby party there and enjoyed a delicious meal. The salad was light and crisp, the cacio de Pepe was to die for. The owner lights the huge Parmesan wheel on fire and tosses the hot, homemade noodles in the cheese. With plenty of fresh cracked pepper…it’s perfection. I had the Osso Buco for dinner and it was rich and full of flavor. Can’t wait to go back!!!

This is based on our first visit on a Saturday night. We compared the food and value here to similar dishes we have tried in other cities and restaurants. We noticed Italians in the restaurant so thought it must be legit. Food: 4/5 Our waiter informed us all sauces and pasta are made in house to order, so it's preferred to order starters and the meal at once so the chefs can get the sauce started. I can appreciate in house pasta and sauces! We got the salmon carpaccio, yellowtail special, veal scaloppine with spinach, fettuccine bolognese/ meat sauce, clams and linguine. Salmon carpaccio was tasty! We both liked it, pretty fresh. Yellowtail special- tasty as well. Good starters so far. Veal scaloppine- veal was delicious. Spinach is just spinach. Fettuccine bolognese- pasta was al dente, could definitely taste the difference. Sauce was meaty. I felt it was still pricey for $20. Linguine and clams- our biggest disappointment. Almost wish we didn't order it since the other dishes were pretty good. It was bland, and we basically ate the clams and tomato. Maybe I just don't understand a fine olive oil dish. But this is my review/opinion. Price/ Value: 3/5 We expected more for the price. Portions are fine, depending on your appetite, you may take home leftovers. Higher prices can be justified by the in house labor and overall quality of food and experience. Service: 5/5 Our server Patrick was helpful and attentive. Our glasses were always filled. Everyone helps each other. You may even get to speak with the manager/owner (funny and charming, definitely Italian) Ambiance: 3.5/5 Pretty casual. There's a bar area, indoor and outdoor seating. It is a tight space. You may unwittingly eavesdrop on the tables around you or bump something. Overall: 3.75/5 (will round up to a 4) Pretty good experience overall, though we won't be in a hurry to return. Worth a try or for a date night.

Authentic, Italian food. ROC delivers an all-around delightful evening. Fanatic wine list to pair with exquisite food experience. We started with the burrata and it was delicious. For my entree I ordered the lasagna, which possibly is the best I’ve ever eaten. It was their special as they don’t always have it on the menu. But when they do it’s worth making a reservation!

Highlights: bolognese was an incredible traditional dish and kale tagliatelle was the winner for most different and flavorful (+ the bourbon makes it very Louisville) We went to ROC for my birthday. Atmosphere was amazing, service was great. The waiter gave great tips about the menu and the food was incredible.

Great Italian food. The best Tiramisu I've ever had - moist and custard-like. Amazing Old Fashioneds as well with pronounced cherry flavor.

Simply the best wine list in the city, Old world wines that anyone will truly love with a great steak to go with it and amazing service. The cocktails are very generous portions and served with perfect flair. Every floor and corner is a unique experience . I also enjoyed the owner conversation and time he gave us at our table thanks again and we will be back soon.

Anniversary Date - Great experience My fiancé and I came here last night for our anniversary and we were not disappointed! We’d come before once on our first date two years ago on whim because another restaurant was too busy, so we decided to come back again for the sentiment value. The server was great, he was friendly and had great recommendations along the way. It seemed like our water glasses never reached empty before a refill had already happened. Atmosphere was also good, a little small but I loved the lighting and the restaurant wasn’t crowded on a Sunday night so it wasn’t a problem at all. Finally, the food was fantastic! We both ordered salads - she ordered the quinoa salad and I order the balsamic & arugula, they were both great and timely. For entree she ordered the pasta with vodka sauce and vegetables (her favorite) and I decided order one of the specials which was a venison puff pastry with mashed potatoes in red-wine sauce with cranberries. She enjoyed her pasta for sure, but my special was easily the best tasting meal I’ve had all year! The venison was as tender as filet mignon and the sauce with the cranberries was delicious and complimented the mashed potatoes somehow perfectly. Lastly we both ordered desserts and I got a coffee as well; she ordered the Italian pudding with stracciatella ice cream and I ordered a piece of chocolate cake. The cake was pretty good, and the coffee was amazing, and the pudding/ice cream dessert was our favorite.