Rockafella’s by the Sea Too

Family owned gem serves up great Italian food at reasonable prices. Owner’s present. Try to go on a weekday during summer and get there early or expect to wait. BYOB. They are happy to uncork your bottle for you so that you can start drinking while you wait.

We came for dinner on a Saturday night, got there right as they were opening and were seated right away. We had fried mozzarella for an appetizer. I had the flounder oregonata for an entrée which came with spaghetti with garlic and olive oil and my husband had the shrimp and scallop fra diavolo. All the seafood was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. The waitstaff was very tentative and frequently asked if we needed anything. The inside of the restaurant was decorated nicely and there’s also outdoor seating available. Definitely a place worth checking out in the area!

Visiting from Florida, we were driving along route #35 north in Ortley Beach at around 5:00 on a Friday, and came upon several employees getting ready to open Rockafellas for the evening. We decided to try it for dinner. WOW! were we totally thrilled and surprised. Without question, the finest Italian food we have ever had (and we are Italian) Not only was the food fantastic, but so was the décor, ambiance and service. Our server Logan was as perfect as a server can be. He introduced us to the owners, Terri, Meg and Jennifer, a mother and two daughters who were a team of perfect restaurant personalities. The evening was such a success in every way, particularly the food, we can’t wait to go back a few times, before our return to Florida. This place hit the mark in every way possible. Get there as soon as you can. It is now our «hurry up and get there» restaurant in New Jersey, from now on each time we visit, which is often

Been coming here for years. This restaurant makes some of the best Italian food you will ever have. And if you are an Italian-​American from Jersey or NY, they make it the way you grew up with… the right way. Like the Pasta Fagioli, it’s perfection. They make escarole, beans, and sausage and for the life of us, my family can’t make it as good. Their specials are always on point and definitely the way to go if you can stray from the «normal» Italian dishes.
And the best part is you go there and they treat you like you’re their own family. Terri is the owner, and together with her daughters, Jen and Meg, they literally light up the room. It’s an amazing experience and you should definitely make this a part of your Shore experience.

We came here for our first anniversary dinner and were so disappointed. We got there around 6 on a Saturday and were told there was a 30 – 45 minute wait. No biggie — we expected that based on other reviews. Almost 2 hours later we finally got a table. The waitress was obviously busy and just tried to rush us but we had waited so long and we wanted to enjoy ourselves especially since this was our first date night since having our baby 4 months ago. Everything we ordered was incredibly bland — it was like everything had just been cooked in water and thrown on our plates. The arancini ball was bland and greasy. My husbands salmon special and my clams with white sauce tasted like overcooked fish flavored with water — which is pretty much what it was. I took the lemons out of my water glass and tried to squeeze some juice onto my pasta just to help make it palatable. That was a new low. Even the couple next to us had the same issues. Flavorless food and disgusting wait times to get seated. The only good thing was that they took my meal off the bill because I couldn’t eat it. Waste of a babysitter. Definitely won’t be back.

Just finished another great meal here. I love this place. Great food and great service. I eat here all summer long, and they never disappoint me. They have great specials that change daily. Must try for the jersey shore.

After hurricane sandy I was so happy to see that Rockafellas reopened. It’s the best restaurant in the area! The food is fresh and made to order. You can request how spicy you would like a dish to be. They aim to please! We loved the stuffed artichoke and the cannoli and strawberry dessert! Be sure to get there before 5:30 on a weekend since they don’t take reservations.

Great service, great people, fantastic food! Highly recommend this place — went mid– week and the place was packed. Perfect BYOB restaurant at the shore.

Came here on a Sunday. A bit of a wait but we were seated at a great table outside. The service was very attentive. I enjoyed the crab cakes, clams casino, and artichoke for an appetizer. I spilt these with my family. A house salad was given which was really good! For dinner, I had the Clams and Shrimp Marichiara and my boyfriend had the pork special. Everything was very good & we would be back next time we are visiting the shore!

Lovely atmosphere ~ I love outdoor dining ~ Food and Service were good
Enjoyed the evening ~ Would Recommend :)

Excellent food! The flounder and shrimp special as well as the penne vodka was delicious. All of the service was great and our waiter was so helpful.

Amazing food and atmosphere! BYOB which is awesome! No corking fee either which surprised me. I had the Shrimp and clam Marichiara pasta which was amazing. My girlfriend had the shrimp and scallop devils marinara I think it was called and it was just as good if you like some spice.
Highly recommend this place, prices are great for good food and service. We were here during the off season and were seated quickly, even then it was packed so show up early during the season to get a seat.

The food was fantastic! The seafood was fresh and the pasta was al dente. We were there the week after Labor Day so the crowds were not an issue. The dessert was great (we certainly do not get cannolis like that in Vermont!). We will go back the next time we are in town!

After reading the reviews my boyfriend and I decided to try this place out and we were pleasantly surprised! Our waitress was a little busy at first and took a good 7 minutes before she came by for our drink order however after that it was excellent service. I had a chicken special and my boyfriend had the shrimp and scallops over pasta and we both have zero complaints! I would recommended this place but come early if it’s a weekend because by the time we left at 7pm there was a 45 – 60 minute wait.

There is not much choice for restaurants in Seaside unless you love burgers, pizza, and fries. So through Unilocal we came across this little Italian restaurant. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, it’s a little small so you may have to wait for a table.
The service was fine, the food was mixed. You get a basked of crusty bread with butter or olive oil and cheese.
The salads are house salads with their dressing which was so fresh & fabulous.
Next we had appetizers fried ravioli & shrimp cocktail. OK but not the greatest should have passed on these.
For entrees we had sea bass with shrimp over spinach, this was delish. We had the chicken francaise, it was good but a little too much sauce.
BYOB so many people brought their own bottle.
A bit expensive but the portions were large.

Have now been there twice, and I’ve had two really good experiences. For some reason, we’ve been coming to the Shore for years but we’ve never come to Rockafella’s. The food is really good, and I LOVE the atmosphere.
Be prepared to wait and don’t forget it’s BYOB!

If you’re looking for some good seafood in Seaside Heights, this is your place.
I found this place on Unilocal and read the reviews and thought why not. It’s an upscale place, and the food is priced to what it should be, on the higher end.
It’s a BYOB restaurant which I’ve never heard of, so if you don’t want a dry dinner bring a bottle of wine, however they serve soda.
The service was good except our waitress was kinda creepy, she kept looking at my boyfriends phone when he had it out and every time he made a noise that was obscure (like a yawn or a sigh) she’d question him. Other than that, they were on top of their game.
We got the calamari fried with long peppers, it was a big portion for the two of us but it was worth it. I got the clams linguini and it was probably the best clams I’ve ever had.
If you’re looking for something off the boardwalk and something relaxed, this is your place!

Nice little gem down the road from Seaside Heights.
I was down at the beach staying in one of those crappy beach motels. We had enough of the fried boardwalk food and wanted something decent. Based on Unilocal reviews, this seemed like the best bet and was walkable from our motel (that review to come later). I only struggled with the lack of photos but trusted the Unilocalers.
Rockafella’s is a classic Italian restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The décor was cute and the establishment looks like it’s been recently renovated. We arrived at 9pm on a Saturday and there was about a 10 minute wait, which we figured was a good sign.
We knew it was BYOB but we were hungry and didn’t bother to try and find a liquor store, since we were walking. It would have been great if there was a liquor store in the strip «mall» next door but there wasn’t.
Since we had no drinks, it was all about the food and we were starved.
Appetizers: Mozzarella Caprese– not bad but needed a little more basil
House salads were simple, delicious and the dressing was the perfect amount. The complimentary bread was not bad either (well, not bad tasting anyways).
Dinner: He had the spaghetti and meatballs which he described as good but not great.
I had the shrimp and clam marichiara (sp?) and it was awesome. It was basically a tomato cream type sauce. The clams were super fresh and I haven’t enjoyed a pasta dish that much in awhile.
The service was very attentive and the waitress recommended my dish so I was particularly pleased with her.
I will definitely return to Rockafella’s when in the Seaside or Tom’s River area. They are a great little gem compared to all the fair food down the way.

My family LOVES Rockafellas. They go pretty much every time they are down. When I had a chance to bring my honeypot up to the shore it was a must stop! The Sunday gravy was great, the clams casino on point, and the arancini fantastic! I really like the open air patio and the service was top notch. It’s everything you expect from an Italian restaurant. I will say we were there on their first night of the season so the kitchen was a little backed up. Hopefully they have gotten that sorted out. I have faith that they did. Also, if you want a drink, you will have to bring your own. It is BYOB and they will put your drink on ice, if necessary.

Quick Update after missing out on Rockafella’s last year we were able to get in on Monday Night for a quick Dinner. Still family owned after 17 years and the unbearable heat outside forced us to an inside table which was fine. Place still busy as ever even on Monday. Service was outstanding. Leslie was our main server but not a minute went by that another server was helping out cleaning plates or silverware etc.
Fried Shrimp with fra Diablo sauce still Killer! 5 large shrimp clean lightly battered great dipping sauce. Salads still the nice Vinergarette and bread same hot and crispy with both butter and olive oil dipping sauces to use.
Entrees: Special Veal chop on the bone grilled then covered with potatoes, peppers, onions in olive oil and garlic sauce with grilled vegetables on the side OMG should be a law against that dish. :) Special Chicken and shrimp with a delicate cream sauce with peas and sun dried tomatoes. Giant plate of food that was incredible start to finish.
Leslie was even nice enough to make us a mini of their special deserts Canoli filling parfait with strawberries. If I didn’t think I’d go into sugar shock I’d sampled but my dinner companion certainly enjoyed it.
STILL BYOB — and the best value on the NJ Shore in this area!!!