Rock-Cola 50’s Café

You have to love it when you pull up to a place and the kids say, “Is THAT where we’re eating?” That was the impression the exterior of  Rock-Cola gave my kids. (The restaurant's motto after all is “Just like all the high class places…without all of the high class.”) Once they got inside, they instantly changed their mind though—they loved all the 50's kitsch. My daughter always wants to sit at the counter too, but we settled into a booth.

The service was a little strange, the lady who was cooking behind the bar on the flat top was really very friendly, but the lady who was waiting on tables said little to nothing the entire time she waited on us. She was kind of eyeing us suspiciously the first 10 minutes or so. I get the feeling maybe they don’t get a lot of kids or something. Anyhow, immediately my kids ordered a can of Choc-ola (which you can only get at Rock-Cola apparently). They were completely intrigued by a chocolate drink that comes in a can and isn’t fizzy. I am not sure if I have ever had Choc-ola before, but if I have, it was a long time ago.  I would say my daughter summed it up pretty accurately when she said “it tastes like hot cocoa that is cold.”  That is basically what it is according to the ingredients—cocoa, sugar and milk.  They thought it was cool because they liked the cans (what can I say, they are easily entertained).

We all ordered cheeseburgers ($4.99 or $8.99 as a combo which adds fries and a drink). We also got a side of onion rings ($2.99).  I totally should have gotten the kids one burger to share (they don’t have a kid’s menu apparently) because they are pretty big.  Big yes. Tasty? Eh, I wasn’t overly impressed.  The menu says they are made from hand pressed, fresh beef, but they seemed like maybe they were a little overworked or something—not very tender (and all cooked beyond the point I like to eat a burger). One side of all three of them was a little burnt from the griddle.  My daughter told me she kind of liked the slightly charcoal-ly flavor, but I don’t know if I buy it since she didn’t eat that much of it.  I also had grilled onions and bacon on my burger.  The bacon was pretty thick and meaty and had a good taste. I liked the thin little onion string type grilled onions they used because they were cooked evenly and were easy to eat.  It was just too bad the burger patty itself wasn’t very good.  The onion rings were fine, tasted like typical food service rings, the fries were crinkle cut food service type (I am not a fan of crinkle fries). 

All in all, we had fun and my kids decided they really like Choc-ola.  I can’t say there was anything for me that stood out about Rock-cola food-wise, although it is a place that makes you think they might possibly make a good breakfast.  Anyone a regular there? What’s good?

Rock-Cola 50’s Café

5730 Brookville Road

Indy   46219

317/357-2233

http://rockcolacafe.com/