By Angelo Drago
Looking for a new place to eat? Looking for a local restaurant with food you can’t get anywhere else? A fan of rock and roll music? Then Rony’s Rockin’ Grill may be the right place.
Located at 83 N. Washington Ave, Bergenfield, N.J., Rony’s Rockin’ Grill is a rock and roll themed restaurant that specializes in burgers and other grilled foods such as hot dogs and chicken. The restaurant is owned by Rony Alvarado, who is also the chef. He once had a location in Glenn Rock, N.J. called Rony’s Rock Burger which opened in 2010 and was in business for 2-and-a-half years.
After Rock Burger closed down, Rony took a year off and opened the current Bergenfield location in May 2014. Since then, Rony’s Rockin’ Grill has gained some acclaim, as it has been said to have “the best burgers in Bergen County from 201 Magazine two times in 2015,” according to its website.
First walking into the restaurant, the whole rock and roll aesthetic becomes very noticeable. There are posters and albums of many rock and roll artists plastered all over the wall. Rock music is always playing from the speakers. Even the bathrooms contain bulletin boards with tickets to rock concerts posted on them. The floor has a slick black carpet and the ceiling is just as black as the carpet. There are several booths and tables to sit at, with four seats at the fine wood contain. From these seats, you can get a good glimpse at Rony cooking the customer’s meals behind the counter and smell the fine cooked meat. The restaurant has a very appealing atmosphere where the customers can eat comfortably at, especially if they’re fans of Rock and Roll.
Upon walking into the restaurant, customers will be immediately greeted by Rony or the waitress, and be asked to take a seat. The restaurant’s owner and chef, Rony, immediately make the customer feel welcome. Both him and the waitresses of them are very friendly, and customers at the counter can even have a conversation with Rony as he prepares their meal. Anyone who decides to eat here can be assured that they will have good service and be treated kindly.
The menu offers a wide choice of burgers, named after various rock artists and song, which appeal to different tastes. Those looking for a plain burger with nothing special added will find it at the top of the menu, those looking for something sweet can enjoy a “Stevie” which is topped with a pineapple and a sweet teriyaki sauce, or those looking for something spicy can enjoy a “Red Hot Chili Pepper” with jalapenos, hot sauce, and a Cajun seasoning.
If beef isn’t one’s fancy, Rony’s offers a decent selection of chicken and turkey burgers and a selection between two veggie burgers for vegetarian customers. Aside from burgers they offer chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and salads. As sides, Rony’s Rockin’ Grill offers fries, sweet potato fries, beer battered onion rings.
All the ingredients used are 100 percent fresh, and nothing is ever frozen. Their beef is special as it is made from brisket, chuck steak, porterhouse tips and loins, and the bread is gotten straight from the Bergenfield Farmer’s Market.
If there is one criticism to give to the food, it’s that the shakes, floats, and deserts are expensive. The shakes and floats cost $5.25 each and the deserts can cost up to $5.95. So if one goes there to eat, they may want to pass on the desert.
While Rony’s Rockin’ Grill is not walking distance from campus, if one has a car or a friend who can drive them there, they will not be disappointed.
This October, Rony’s will be having an event called Rocktober where there’s live music every Friday and Saturday during that month. For more information, check out the restaurant’s official website at http://www.ronysrockingrill.com/ or contact them at (201) 665-4755.
