Apache Pass Icehouse

Showed up at 11pm on a Friday night. Sign say open till 12 pm. And they were locked. There was 7 vehicles in the parking lot and clearly people are inside. Knocked on the door and nothing. So that’s a big negative !!! We travel for work and after hours it nice to relax and have a few drinks. Hard t do that if places don’t stay open till they say they do!!!

This was a very good experience wonderful meal. The staff was efficient and very welcoming. The atmosphere was great .We highly recommended and we will be returning.

Myself and 2 of my good friends were here on Saturday night for the group «Crash Landing»…they were awesome! They played outside on the stage at the bottom of a huge 5 – 8 tiered patio. The location is beautiful, right on the San Gabriel river, there is a bridge, large rocks and tons of trees at the location. The ambiance with lights in the trees above the patio is incredible and inviting.
We had already eaten dinner earlier so we weren’t hungry although we saw tons of food being brought out that looked amazing and since I am super outgoing, I know patrons were impressed with their food because I asked lol. Later in the evening we ordered nachos and they we’re the best we’ve all tasted.
Other reviewers have said that the waitresses were bad, well I don’t think whoever that was is still working there because there were approximately 6 – 8 waitresses/​bartenders working and I met and interacted with every single one of them and they were all very social, outgoing, nice and on top of they’re game anytime we needed anything. I have nothing but praise for Lenny (the owner) and his staff!
This is a beer only establishment, however, here in Texas they allow you to bring your own bottle of alcohol with you, which still blows my mind! But it’s a nice alternative if you prefer mixed drinks and/​or shots, wine etc instead. Beer prices are $ 2.50 for a bottle and i dont know for sure, but I’m sure drafts/​pitchers are less expensive.
I am a first year resident of Rockdale Texas, (I don’t want to hear it from my Cali friends lol) and this is the only venue with anywhere close to this caliber of location, space, large stage/​entertainment, ambiance, excellent food and great help that I know of in a 10 mile radius of Rockdale. It’s 9miles from here and worth the «country drive» to get there… everyone says it’s in the middle of no where, but it’s 10mins from town… not too far for an exceptional time.
In closing, my friends and I have all been around to some amazing venues, concerts, restaurants etc since we are originally from the Los Angeles, California area; so you can trust me when I say «this was an excellent time!»
Call ahead and find out what’s going on!
Lenny, missed you back at the table! :)x

Very nice set up here! Superb food and unique environment teleporting you back to the days of the Apaches! God bless Texas! They also have events/​festivals here, so check out the website for event details

We come here from San Antonio every chance we get! The atmosphere is chill & laid back, everything we have had to eat from the burgers (wife’s favorite) to the steaks (my favorite) are excellent. Most everything is made from scratch — Ranch dressing, salsa, chicken tenders — I appreciate when restaurants don’t just order everything on a truck from sysco.
Inside is a long bar, several long tables for larger groups, and tables that seat up to 4. Music on the jukebox varies from country to southern rock. The outside patio is large with a lot of room for large parties or groups if you need it. The patio overlooks «Dreamcatcher Lake» which is a large tank with a walking bridge that spans the width of it. Very peaceful on quiet nights!
Some nights there is live music out on the patio — last time we were there, the band was great! Played Stevie Ray Vaughan like a beast. I think they post on the Facebook page if there is going to be a band.
As far as service, ours has always been very good. However, we are there to relax and enjoy ourselves, not rush through dinner. So, if things move a little slower, we don’t really notice. They have a manager, and he always comes out to greet us.
They are only open Thursday-​Sunday, so head out there for a day trip! Hang out at the river by the event center, and then check out the Icehouse for dinner & drinks.

Great atmosphere. Love the deck overlooking the San Gabriel.

If I could give the food 5 stars and the service 1, I would. The sirloin sandwich, onion straws, sirloin steak dinner, whatever it is in the food department, it’s beyond good. BUT THEIR SERVICE IS TERRIBLE!!! My god, hire a manager, please!!! I have to hold back on my reviews concerning the wait staff. They are horrible but the food is so good you are willing to provide service to yourself.

This place really is in the middle of nowhere… but the parking lot was full on Friday night.
The food is top-​notch Texas comfort food. I had probably the best chicken fried steak I’ve ever had. Others at the table had burgers, ribeyes, and fish. All excellent.
The wait staff is definitely untrained, which detracts a bit from the experience, but not much. Someone in that kitchen cares about the food and it shows.
We’ll be back!

Hahaha!
I went to a charitable event for a family member who lives in these here parts. The event address was listed on FB as «Thorndale» and mapquest lists it in «Rockdale «.
When we called the place the man said it was «both-​sort of-​, closer to Thorndale from where you are but closer to Rockdale from where you were». I assumed him nuts and we just kept following the GPS.
Eventually we arrived. You can’t miss the Teepee in front. It is LITERALLY in the middle of nowhere! I was kind of creeped out because there were 3 cars there and zero human beings. The door was open (although it was technically closed), and I called out «Yoo Hoo!!» like my Grandma used to because it seemed fitting it being a cross between a rustic/​country & Native American place.
Where were all the people? We weren’t early, so wth? Two little kittens showed up and calmed me down. When my phone finally got a signal we were told the event was at the Pavillion. about two shakes of a lambs tail, (or a cow patty throw), down the road.
OMG! So that’s where all the people were! and fun games/​auctions! and horses! It was a fantastic event. The people of Thorndale/​Rockdale are a generous and kind hearted group of people :)
After the event we went back to Apache Pass proper and had a drink to wet our whistles. Just wine & beer, but they had more than one wine choice which made me happy. Everybody knows everybody here-​it felt like a country/​Indian «Cheers» of sorts. Nice, BIG outdoor seating, and an amphitheatre was made into the river bank on the San Gabriel River for entertainment. They also have what they claim is the longest «Indiana Jones type» suspension bridge in the Continental United States. Wish I’d had time to walk it!
The man we talked to on the phone was there at the bar and apologized for the confusion but there really was no need — his directions were right on!.. It’s not his fault we’re city folk.
If I can ever find it again, I’ll be back! :)

Food’s pretty good, but the service leaves a little to be desired.
One in our party of 4 ordered a salad with Bleu cheese dressing. The order was taken & the salad came with ranch dressing & the announcement that they don’t have Bleu cheese dressing. No other choices offered. .. ever.
One ordered his baked potato with sour cream & chives & it came with sour cream, chives, butter, cheese, & bacon bits.
Are you getting the picture? I’m thinking it’s a combination of undertrained waitstaff & the kitchen who only knows one way to do anything.
As I said — food’s pretty good — if you want it their way…
Worth a return trip? Still deciding.

Stopped in for a couple of beers and a bite early on a Friday evening. The tiered decks out back are a great place to relax when the weather is mild. I ordered the fried shrimp basket and my companion had fried catfish. The shrimp was tasty and the sides of house made circle cut potatoes, string onion rings, coleslaw and hush puppies were really good. The coleslaw was fresh cut with a not too sweet dressing with a nice black pepper bite. The tartar sauce tasted like it was made in the kitchen and not out of a jar. I like it that the owners care] enough about their sourcing that the catfish was USA farm raised. Watch some of those YouTube videos on cheap catfish raised outside the USA and you’ll know why… The beer was cold, service good and food even better. We’ll be back!

This bar was by itself pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We had a team dinner here with about 20 or so in our group. Someone heard from our client that the Big Chief Nachos ($ 8) was good. They had burgers and sandwiches as well as others. Burgers would be a safe choice but I had burgers for lunch. I ordered the Big Chief Nachos with beef.
The interior was dim but looked alright to me. They had a billiards table, a tv, and a bunch of tables inside and outside to eat. Our waitresses were both very nice to us.
My food came and it was lookin’ good. I quickly took pictures and began to eat. The Chief Nachos were flavorful and were tasty. I was just about full when I finished everything so the portion was enough for one person.
Overall, good place to go and grab some food and drinks.