Black Rock Bar and Grill

After hearing rave reviews from my co-​worker, I decided to give this place a try. My friend did the call ahead seating, but there was still a wait when we got there. Got some drinks at the bar, and was seated about 15 mins later (granted, this was a busy Saturday night, so the place was packed). The first thing I noticed was how smoky it was in there. You would think it would have better ventilation considering the type of restaurant it is, but nope. Also, the floors were VERY slippery. I had to make sure to walk a little slower so I wouldn’t fall on my face! I intended to order the 10 oz. sirloin, but decided to get the calamari appetizer and side salad for my meal instead. We also ordered the special cajun alligator appetizer to share, which was served on a lava rock and side of garlic bread. It wasn’t bad, but a little on the salty side. The calamari was not great at all. I’ve had MUCH better than this, and the sauce that comes with it is rather gross to me. My friend got some chicken dish with pesto sauce, and it was awful. I know this place is mainly known for cooking your own steaks, but they seem to be lacking in their other dishes. Plus when we left there, we reeked of food (if you have ever been to the melting pot smelling like the food, this is 10x worse). The staff is super nice and it’s a cool concept, but I will not be coming back for a while.

We went as a group on a Sunday afternoon. The appetizers and main dishes are really good. I was really interested in the black rock volcano. it looks better than it tastes though. I would recommend this place and I’d definitely go back.

I liked the décor and ambiance. The drinks were good if a little weak. The French onion soup was delicious.
My main complaint is that the steak really wasn’t that good. We ordered the regular 10 oz steaks for the whole party. The steak was very lean. A much lower quality of cut than I would expect for $ 18. Perhaps this is to keep the smoke down, but it also means the steak has little flavor.
All in all, this is more gimmick than good food. A fun experience, but not worth the return trip.

My husband and I had dinner here mainly out of curiosity and we also happened to have a 10% off coupon so we figured, hey what the heck. I discovered I do not like the concept of this restaurant at all. The «steak on a stone» bit is a great gimmick and all, but personally if I’m paying $ 20 for a steak, I’d rather pay someone to cook it for me properly all at the same time. The whole idea of giving you a raw chunk of meat and a lava rock is so that «every bite is as hot and juicy as the first»…what they should really say is «every bite might be as hot and juicy as the first, but most bites will probably be burnt as f#!*» Not to mention, the rock cools down so the temperature is inconsistent as your meal progresses. One positive was that we went when the weather was still warm so we could sit outside — that lingering grease cloud of steak smoke in the main dining room is less than appealing. We also ordered a lobster dip appetizer that was about 5000% salt. It was basically a melted cheese brick with 3 pieces of lobster mixed in, a fine layer of grease, topped with tomatoes, served with SALTED pita chips. Nope. Our waitress was great, she handled our table and a table of about 20 semi drunk sweaty old businessmen like a pro. Snaps to her for that one! Left completely underwhelmed and definitely will not be back for a loooooooooooong time.

Service was excellent! Food was great also. I had the steak and ribs and a cheesecake to go! This was my second time eating it and I enjoyed both times.

Should be listed as $$$.
Ambience: zero. Lighting/​other effects are like a Dennys. If u want ur date to see every zit, go here! Our booth for 4 was small, we had to try to eat our side dishes a plate away. Tipped our drinks a couple times.
Waiter: zero. We had a waiter with a big dirty beard that had our food directly under it while figuring out where to serve. The dolt gave my friend my food, and when my friend had STARTED EATING IT (steaks look alike), he actually took from my friend and gave it to me… saying…oh that was yours. OMG: at this price??? Not professional at all. Didn’t come by much and yet we spent about $ 50/​ea. Water was never refilled, and I don’t think he ever asked if we needed a new drink. Didn’t smile. This was service at a rotten diner.
Food: 4 star! the steaks, salad were great. Even the cod was so thick, I don’t think Ive seen better– ever. Drinks very average– don’t look for cool/​swanky.

We went there in a party of 19
And they did a great job from the server to the Manager to the busboys
Thank you for a great evening

I picked this place out for its location and unique food preparation. I knew it would be busy the day after Christmas so I made a preferred seating time for 7pm. I arrived early in case the line was insane. I sat at the bar and had a drink and they had my table ready at 7:10. Rebecca was our server and she did an excellent job handling us drinkers and tending to our requirements.
The Ribeye was fantastic, friends filet was excellent, steak /​rib combo was loved by my wife and friends wife had the salmon which she enjoyed. We were all in agreement, the food and service were excellent.
Prices aren’t cheap but so what. If you demand quality service and excellent prime meats, this is what you should expect.
I’ll return next time I’m visiting family. I live in San Diego so I’m not a local but now I’m a fan.

In the process of losing my phone, I still managed to review this place. That should say a lot. I read some reviews and had doubts.
I truly must say Black Rock super seeded my expectations. I ordered the steak and ribs combo. Now with this combo, you get two sides. I choose to upgrade my mashed potatoes and get the chili soup. The mashed potatoes were plentiful and the chili was amazing. The chili was fresh and sweet. It was so good.
The ribs were very tender and the bbq sauce was on point. The steak was phenomenal. However, it really depends on how you season it yourself. Cut your steak in smaller pieces and put it to the side. Cook each pierce separate and season as you desire. Mines was nothing short of a blessing. «She did that». Very tender and moist great.
You are getting high end steak for Friday’s prices (sorry Friday’s). Most steakhouses I have been to has been 40 – 60 so I tend to just get chicken unless I’m feeling fancy. This place range from 20 – 30. I mean what’s not to love. You have to try it. I will take picture when I get a new phone.

I’ve given this place two chances. The first time was a 3 star, and the second was a 0 star (hence the generous 2 star review). The first time I was there I went with a colleague for lunch. I ordered a salad, and it was pretty decent. The service was average as well.
My most recent visit was appalling. My husband and I went there for dinner on a Saturday night. He ordered a traditional steak, and I ordered a tuna steak. Both of our dishes were bland, with little seasoning/​sauce options. The options we did have were pretty underwhelming. Our waitress was completely rude, and gave us some of the worst service we have ever experienced (and my husband and I dine out frequently). She was inattentive, rude, and seemed more involved in fraternizing with her coworkers. In addition, both of our martinis were completely disgusting. I ordered my typical dirty martini, and it was disgusting. I can’t even describe the taste, as it was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. We will most definitely not be returning.

We just went here to eat dinner. I brightly greeted the hostess and she couldnt mumble a word. Then when we are seated in a corner outside right to the propane, we asked to be reseated. Then we were put in the farthest corner literally in the walkway to the bathroom.
After ranting to my boyfriend about how amazing this place is and then being treated so poorly, I’ll never go to this location again.
Rude staff.

Terrible beyond terrible food. I got the island chicken lettuce wraps, which was cubes of super salty chicken (probably out of a can) and very sweet/​syrupy mango salsa. My husband got a burger, which he said was pretty tasteless.
The beer selection is large and they offer tasting flights, which brings this up to 2 stars.

I was totally pumped up about trying this place and was incredibly disappointed. The food and service was just ok. Cooking the meat on the black stone was supposed to be the highlight, but the waitresses did little to instruct you or give you any recommendations. I also had to use the stone to heat my sides and veggies because everything was cold. Lastly, there were flies EVERYWHERE. We spent our whole time swatting flies away from our food. The waitress even killed a fly on the table across from us and didn’t wipe the table down afterwards. Yikes! I could only imagine how many other places has fly juices on it. Anyway, I’m not saying I would never go back. I can just think of a thousand other dining places I rather take my $ 30.

A very interesting concept! Those that love steaks will very much enjoy the cuts of meat they offer and the ability to cook your own steak, to your own taste, at the table. The steaks come on a plate that has the hot rock (755 degrees) and an area to put your meat when it’s ready to be cooked and when you want to put it aside to eat. The steaks come with a flavorful steak «butter» sauce that does compliment the meat. The steaks are good! The nice thing, also, is that you can cook your steak as you eat your meal and every bite can be hot, so you don’t have to have cold steak. The steak meals come with two sides with lots of good choices. Would recommend the loaded potato and the asparagus. Honestly, their sirloin fillet cuts were just as good as their more expensive ribeyes and the price is not bad for the sirloin meal.
Now for the reason for three stars: The service, although friendly, seems to take a while and it feels understaffed. Our waiter, who was nice, had two large 8 – 9 person tables without any help. This meal is a little «high-​maintenance» and it was a lot for one waiter. We had to wait for drink refills and other requests.
Another downside, it that the place is all about meat! The place smells like it, you get almost drenched in meat, to the point of having to shower after you leave because you will smell like a fried, smoky butcher shop. It is also not well-​ventilated at all. It would be nice if there were some exhaust fans, such as they have in Japanese steakhouses.
Lastly, if you don’t order a steak, they have a lot to choose from. But, the food is not all that good or prepared well. Burgers would probably be your best bet for non-​steak people. Pass on the appetizers too, not worth the big price tag!

A unique experience.
At 5:30 PM on a Sunday, this place gets pretty crowded. We didn’t have reservations but we only had to wait five minutes for a table.
Since it was our first time, we opted for the signature black rock center cut sirloin, which comes with two sides. When they bring out the meat, it comes out on a hot rock with the raw meat. You have to cook your own steak on the rock and depending on how you like your steak cooked, you have to pay attention to your meat. I sliced my steak in a couple of pieces and cooked them on each side for a couple of seconds. Sometimes I would be eating my sweet potato and forget that I was still cooking a piece of meat on the rock.
Overall, great meat. The salad was just alright but the asparagus was ok. The potatoes were cooked nicely. While I enjoyed my steak, I think I personally enjoy having it cooked for me already when it gets to my plate. A tip I have for people who cook their meat is to remove it from the rock so you don’t accidentally over cooked it. If you want the experience of cooking your own meat, this is a great place to do it!

Loved the place! While crossing the road and passing the patio, we got a strong raw fish smell from the restaurant. Going here for the fist time, my wife was a little hesitant because of the smell. But once inside there was no smell. Great crowd. We went with friends and had a great time. Our server, Jim, provided us with the perfect service.
Highly recommend ordering the following:
Appetizer: — 1. The triple cheese bread was delicious! But fills a lot of your belly so less room for entrée.
2. Chopstick chicken was our favorite though!!! Ask them to make it a little spicy (if you like spicy food). They would make it spicy to level of 6 – 7. We ordered a second one just because we loved it so much. You get like 8 pretty good size pieces of chicken.
Enteee: —
1. HEADS UP! KIELBASA CHICAGO STYLE IS ALMOST 16 inch LONG!!! But tastes really good.
2. Chipotle burger — i subbed meat with black bean patty!
Fresh Jalopeños on it are damn spicy so…
3. Bourbon chicken skillet — is very delicious! Just the right amount. Filling but not too much!
Dessert: — Black Rock Volcano is hhhuuuggeee!!! Loved it! But way too filling! We shared it among 5 of us and still couldnt finish! But ITS DELICIOUS!
If you are drinking watch what you order in food because the portions are pretty big and the drinks won’t give you any buzz!

After hearing all of the radio advertisements for Block Rock, and seeing the awards they had won, we decided we had to make trip from Rochester to Novi to check it out… and we are so glad we did!
I cannot say enough positive things about this place. I have always been a fan of hot rock restaurants, but I have never been to one that will serve you a whole steak and let you cook it yourself.
When you first walk in you will notice the amazing smell from all of the steaks cooking tableside. The décor is modern, with tons of TVs for sports. Booths are high backed and comfortable. We were immediately seated and greeted by our waitress.
The drink menu is extensive with an impressive list of beers. We both had the Perrin Grapefruit IPA which was excellent. For our entrée we decided to go with the 12 oz sirloin with french onion soup and a loaded baked potato. The food came out promptly and our waitress proceeded to explain how everything worked since it was our first time there.
The plate consists of a square stone that is around 750 degrees, placed in a melt-​proof plastic holder with compartments on the side and a zip sauce. The steak is initially presented raw and placed on the hot stone for you where it immediately begins cooking. You are then instructed to cook it however you like. We tend to like our steak very very rare (blue) so we removed the steak from the stone and set it aside and grilled up each individual bite as we ate it. The steak was perfectly seasoned and absolutely phenomenal high quality cut of meat… also cooked perfectly because we did it ourselves. It is the freshest steak you will ever have. The stone remains hot throughout the meal, still sizzling and the time they took it away when we were done eating (40 minutes later)
The baked potato and french onion were also excellent. Very flavorful and fresh with generous portions.
I rarely give 5 stars but this place was so awesome I have to. Well worth the drive from Rochester, we will definitely be back soon.

I came here last week on a date. Had an awesome experience. I’ll start off with their drinks selection. Lots of variety. Something for everyone.
We had the pretzel bites appetizer and they were phenomenal. Honestly couldn’t have been better. The pretzels were perfect and so was the cheese dip.
We both ordered steaks and they were also great. Sides were also delicious. I really couldn’t complain about the food itself at all. The presentation is great, and the whole «cook it yourself» thing is fun and really adds to the experience. However, along those lines, I think there are a couple of warnings everyone should get before they come here:
1. The rock is hot, and I mean HOT. It was almost uncomfortable being near two of them. I was close to breaking a sweat.
2. The grease from the steaks can spatter onto your clothes. I wouldn’t wear anything that would leave you devastated if you end up getting a stain on it.
Also, there’s almost always a wait here. We went on a Tuesday and waited about 15 minutes for a table for two. Definitely wasn’t expecting that at all in the middle of the week.

So, I believe I had a very routine experience at Black Rock last night. Nothing bad happened and I think I experienced what Black Rock is all about.
I give it 4 stars. If I could give it 3.5 I think that is more appropriate. We arrived at about 8:30pm on a Friday. They were packed inside and out on the patio. However, our 30 minute wait was only about 10 minutes.
The inside did smell a lot like cooking meat but there was no haze or cloud of smoke hanging.
We got the bruschetta and the fried asparagus appetizers. The bruschetta was good but I wish the tomato was diced instead of a half slice. If you didn’t bite all the way through the tomato it pulled very thing off the bread and made a mess. Eat these with a knife and fork. The fried asparagus was outstanding. It was perfectly cooked for the asparagus meaning it was still firm and the batter was brown and crisp. They got this down. The chipotle mayo dipping sauce was ok but needs something sweet or tangy to go in it. I dipped it in the balsamic from the bruschetta and it was really good. We made the suggestion to the waiter.
The wait, bar, and host staff were very nice and attentive even though they were extremely busy. Kudos to them all. They seemed like they enjoyed being there.
My wife got the shrimp/​scallop/​ahi tuna and liked it all. I got the ribeye. It was a good cut and was aged pretty good. It was tender. Fortunately I had read the Unilocal reviews before going and prepared for the seasoning and cooking. First, I asked for real butter to come with the steak. When the steak came, I salt and peppered one side and put some butter on the stone and cooked the first side in the butter. I seasoned the second side and flipped the steak into more butter and cooked it. I then cut strips off the steak and placed them in the tray beside the stone. I took a little more butter and finished cooking each strip to eat. Steak basted in butter is the only way to cook steak. Watch Ramsey’s tutorial on YouTube to see.
But herein lies the rub. It was not at all relaxing. I felt like I was sprinting through the meal. Hurry, season the meat. Hurry, cut it up. Hurry, eat the piece. Hurry, don’t over cook it. Hurry, the stone is cooling.
Finally, and this is a major issue to me. I think you can tell the level of caring a manager has for his restaurant by the orderliness and cleanliness of their bathroom. This was a huge fail for Black Rock. Where the tiles meet the wall the tiles were clearly dirty. Filthy really. There was something gross on the wall above the toilet. The sink counter had 2 partial rolls of paper towels sitting in pools of water that collect on the counter while there was still paper towels in the dispenser. If the bathroom looks like this, what does the kitchen or bar look like?

Before even going here for mother’s day I checked Unilocal (obviously) to see what other people had to say. I also assumed the price point was about 15 – 20 per person. The service was reasonable and our waitress played along with our antics. Unfortunately they don’t take reservations but rather they have «priority seating» — whatever that means. We ended up having to wait about 45 minutes for a table of 5.
We were able to put our app order in pretty fast. The spinach and artichoke dip was good (very rich), the coconut shrimp was okay, and following suit with Unilocal recommendations we also got the bubbling shrimp. The bubbling shrimp had a few issues so we couldn’t fully enjoy it.
Overall the experience was okay, but anything you didn’t use the hot stone to cook was room temperature. This includes my french onion soup, which had a mass of unmelted swiss cheese on top. Other reviews mention the smokiness, but it didn’t really bother me. However, the floors are VERY SLIPPERY and the trolleys they use to deliver the food is a death sentence.
The place is a novelty, and is fun to go once but not more than that. I wouldn’t recommend anything here aside from the grill your own section. Be warned it comes out unseasoned, and the only choices for seasoning are sea salt, black pepper, and Montréal steak seasoning [yes the 3 dollar stuff from the store].