Rockwell & Sons

I’m completely aware that not eating the meat at a meat focused restaurant is a little ridiculous but hear me out. Melbourne and especially the hipster-​hoods of Fitzroy and Collingwood are well known to be a favorite of vegans and vegetarians alike. If you are a venue that serves food you will definitely have a vegetarian option. Rockwell does and it’s a bean burger which in fairness tastes quite good. It could have much more substance though for a whopping $ 13. The trick is not to just take out the meat but add something it’s place. I enjoyed the burger but had to add chilli sauce to make it have more flavour. The crispy tempura style broccoli was everyone’s favorite. Between six of us we ate every combination of plant and animal and for broccoli to be a highlight is a little worrying.
We also got tater tots and fries, both of which were straight out of a supermarket packet. The sauces were not amazing so both sides were disappointing.
Beer selection is great but very overpriced. Our waitress was excellent and casual as were the dimly lit vibes and 90’s hiphop playing that night. I won’t be racing back here with so many other exceptional places nearby and think my meat eating companions feel the same way.

Get the smash burger. Thank me later.
With so many new eating options popping up on Smith St, Rockwell and Sons still hold their own with their scrumptious offerings and relaxed vibe. I’ve been here a handful of times and I’m always leaving so damn satisfied! The staff are friendly, and do well to manage the constant stream of hungry patrons looking to stuff their faces with delicious, wholesome food. The chicken burger is excellent, and the ribs really tasty.
But seriously. Get the smash.

Literally the worst service I’ve had in several months in this city. Completely unreasonable attitude. I guess you could just say it’s not my kind of place. Price point is fine and the place looks nice, but not worth it to me to go back.

I have been to Rockwell & Sons three times — twice for regular meals and once for their not-​so-​secret Wednesday fried chicken & as a result this review is tough because their à la carte menu was excellent (⁵⁄₅) and the fried chicken was good but not amazing (3.5÷5). So I’ll try to deal with them separately here:
Regular menu
The menu is heavy American style with a very unique twist — think chicken skin crackling, crispy pork hock with buffalo sauce — familiar dishes but slightly left of centre. As a general rule everything I’ve had has been exceptional to very good.
My favourite is easily the double smash patty burger — it’s rich but it’s also everything a burger should be & I can see why it was on a list of Melbourne’s best burgers. The fried tiger prawn roll & buffalo pork were both excellent & the fried chicken burger was very good.
The portions aren’t too big so you don’t get too overwhelmed but the food is all quite naughty!
Fried chicken
Ahh the fried chicken was kind of disappointing. I was so very excited to get some US style friiiii chicken into me but it just wasn’t amazing. I think my own expectations were potentially too high but the hype surrounding this chicken was intense.
For $ 60 you get a whole organic fried chicken (8 pieces), biscuit (ie plain scones), deviled eggs & 3 sides (we had Carolina coleslaw, potato salad and pickled vegetables). The sides were all blah & I needed a green salad or something for freshness (not very American I know) — I think the pickled veggies were supposed to be for this purpose but it just didn’t work. The chicken itself was cooked perfectly– crispy and golden on the outside and moist & succulent on the inside. It was very good but didn’t quite live up to the hype.
Other
Rockwell itself isn’t huge so I recommend making a booking. They have beers on tap and a good range of drinks including some delicious non-​alch options. The staff are fabulous & really lovely. Turnover is quick so even if you have to wait for a table you won’t wait long & they have a cute central bar for you to have a drink at. Fitout is streamlined a basic cool.
All in all I recommend Rockwell!

Pretty unique mix of foods here. Pickled vegetables & a heirloom carrot salad on one hand, burger and fries on the other.
The burger was pretty impressive. Excellent quality meat, cooked, texture, juiciness, sauce, bacon just candied and crispy but not stringy; pretty much spot on. Next to Captain Melville in town this is one of the best, juicy american cheeseburger-​style burgers I had last year. It’s not a two-​hander, thick patties with the lot affair if thats your burger style.
Table service was good the night we went in. Burgers took about 25 minutes to come out, drinks got replaced quickly. Noise levels can be a touch harsh with the sheer brick/​concrete finish but the settings moody and fairly cool otherwise.
I’ll head back for sure. Good for groups or late-​ish in the night when you’re somewhere between respectable and staggering to the closest tram/​cab seedy.

The double patty smash is awesome… In the same style as recent joints that have done well in the past few years. eg Huxtaburger. IMHO Rockwell’s is better. As it is not all about the sauce. But like Hux. the burger is tiny for what you pay. and the brioche bun is. although not as heavy as Hux’s is enough to give u that full feeling afterwards. I wasnt able to try the fried chicken as it was not on the night I visited. Burgerwise I think its good but not worth a repeat visit.

We stumbled in for a late evening feast after a few beverages! A friend knows the owner and staff well so we were treated to a mini banquet of sorts. All the food was superb. There wasn’t room to try the fabled smashed burger so I’ll be back!

After checking in at the accommodation I started scoping the neighbourhood and my eyes caught the outline of a pig, which from a distance looked like it had the usual meat-​cuts outlined on it. Curious I came closer to discover it was actually a burger joint called Rockwell & Sons. Now I wasn’t all that hungry but noticing the beer on tap I decided it was as good a place as any, not to mention it looked pretty cool, with all the wood and high ceilings and bricked walls.
It’s a burger joint. So I had the Hotdog. Work that one out. But that dog sounded irresistible, with chilli beef and fried shallots and peppered cream cheese with a grilled Frankfurt on a toasted bun. Serious taste! After the first bite I fell upon it like a 1 ton anvil on the coyote, barely stopping to snap a photo. I may try to recreate this one at the next BBQ.

Okay. . so me and a few friends went here of the back of another Unilocaler’s review of the fried chicken.
When seated I asked about the fried chicken and there was just one order left so we jumped on it. Let it be known the fried chicken has five sides and eight pieces of chicken! ! ! ! ! ! ! Great size main meal for three.
Chicken was great with good spices and well.. .. its was fried what more is there to say. Good sides too with the mac and cheese my favorite and pickled veg runner up.
At close to 9pm it was still busy inside and our with friendly service that was spot on for the night.
From looking over the menu I can see myself back here to try a few more things in the future.

Finally made it here after a few false starts, and was as good as all the word-​of-​mouth reviews made it out to be.
With great pains I chose not to go the Smash Burger that everyone raves about, as if I’m gonna eat American inspired grub it’s gotta have ‘ribs’ somewhere in the name (and I was seduced by the wait-staff’s elaborate description of the cooking process for the meat in the Press Rib Sandwich/Burger…I wish I had taped it to transcribe here as truthfully I glazed over at some point in the tale, my mind unable to focus on anything but wanting it in front of me ASAP!).
It was excellent. My partner got the Fried Chicken Sandwich, which was also nice, but didn’t hold a candle to the Press Rib. French fries had a bit of skin on, which is how I like them too (a bit odd they pour the sauce in the corner of the fries container though instead of a separate container, but that’s nitpicking, and it’s less waste environmentally I guess).
The people sitting behind us had the Smoked Lamb Ribs which looked and smelt amazing. We’ll be back ASAP to try them and the Smash Burger methinks.

Is Kraft cheese the secret recipe for a great burger? I don’t think so.
I like Rockwell & Sons, there’s this hipster, city-​like feel when you walk inside, blistering crowds enjoying picturesque meals under low lights. It set the perfect scene to try their famous Double Patty Smash Burger.
I was overstrung by probing the menu for the fried chicken, I couldn’t find it. Alas, it’s only on Wednesday nights. After I put my disappointment to the side, we decided on the Crispy Confit Duck Wings. Probably the best decision of my life, that Red Dragon Sauce was divine. The duck wings were tender and didn’t resist my fork and knife poking at it.
The two bearded chiefs worked their magic all night furiously serving dishes out at an impressive pace, but I think they put our order behind two others who ordered much later than us. I wasn’t entirely impressed with that having to wait quite a long time for the Double Patty. It came in the end after asking where it was.
We ordered French Fries with Aioli and Mac & Cheese on the side. The Double Patty Smash Burger is nice, but there’s something odd about it. I figured out it was the melted Kraft cheese that left this ‘plastic’ taste in my mouth. I didn’t get that wow factor I was expecting when I bit into it, but the Special Sauce in this burger is wonderful! It looks a lot better than it tastes and I would recommend it as it could tickle your fancy if you don’t mind Kraft cheese. The Beer and Burger Bar and The Merrywell, to name a few, make better burgers. The French Fries are a-​OK, it could be the Malt Vinegar causing my issues, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I usually do. Mac & Cheese was fantastic, so that hit the spot.
The waitresses were attentive and friendly, minus the long wait for the food; I would come back again to taste the Smoked Lamb Ribs, Fried Chicken and Pressed Rib Sandwiches. Maybe go on a Wednesday night and get the fried chicken as well, decisions, decisions.

Great beer – a small but quality selection. This place reminds me of home (Brooklyn). Highly recommended.

The double patty smash is very cheesy.

Rockwell and Sons rocks!
Every Wednesday night fried chicken is on the menu and it is easily the best fried chicken in Melbourne. It’s prepared in a special way which makes it crunchy and spicy on the outside and succulent on the inside. It melts in your mouth! The fried chicken deal also comes with a range of sides including pickled vegetables. Let’s face it, who doesn’t like pickles?
The staff are super friendly and there are always some funky tunes playing. The regular menu is fantastic and they change it up quite often. One thing that doesn’t change, much to my housemate’s glee, is the Smash Burger. It’s basically a cheeseburger on steroids with Kraft cheese slices in between two yummy beef patties topped off with pickles and sauce. You’ll want to have another one as soon as you’ve eaten it but it will destroy you! If you go with a friend however you could probably handle a half. See you there.

Get smashed on the Smash!!!
Sydney’s burger game leaves a lot to be desired t so I decided to check out Melbourne’s burger game… and sweet mother of mercy I’ve been missing out!
Already kind of full from a meal at Bowery to Williamsburg earlier, I didn’t care and split a Smash with my gf along with a side of Mac & Cheese. The Mac & Cheese was good at first but didn’t taste as good as time went on… but who cares! We came for the burger…
This burger is more on the gourmet burger side than greasy diner burger but with greasy diner burger prices. The meat was tender and juicy, the bun not too sweet and that sauce… DAT SAUCE. Oh man I wish this place could open in Sydney… the burger kind of reminded me of Mary’s burger without the veggies.
Hnnnggghhhh I want another one

Classiest burger joint I’ve ever dined in!
I did a couple of laps past Rockwell & Sons when I was in Melbourne a couple of months ago, but it wasn’t until the last night of my trip that I found myself in Collingwood after a few drinks down the road at the Grace Darling. It seemed like fate led me and my beer belly to these delicious burgers.
I was super hyped to order a double smash burger after reading the reviews full of praise, but once I’d finally settled down with a menu the pressed rib sandwich lulled me with its siren song of ingredients. I made a server help me with the tough decision between the hype and the siren, and he nudged me toward the pressed rib. My decision was made.
AND WHAT A RAD DECISION. The pressed rib sandwich is like a gourmet version of the lauded and short-​lived McRib, one of the best nasty chain burgers I’ve eaten. With BBQ sauce, dill, fennel, and onion, this guy is a true winner. Paired with exceptional chips (the malted vinegar aioli has a bit to do with it) you’re on course for a happy belly. Just don’t add mac & cheese to the collection, because I was sorely disappointed by it. But DO add some excellent drinks to your order, because hooray excellent drinks!

Rockwell & Sons is another one of those places that has long been on my to-​go-​to list so of course I said that it was a great idea to have our work Christmas lunch here this year.
The service was fantastic and we seemed to always have a drink in front of us and a mountain of food being passed around the table. From deviled eggs and lovely fresh salads to probably the best fried chicken I’ve eaten since New Orleans and a bowl of mac & cheese that kept ending up in front of me far too often, everything was perfect. Add to this the house pickles, rib sandwich and amazing biscuits and I was in heaven. Just when we thought that we couldn’t fit any more in, dessert was offered, and even those of us who looked like they just wanted to curl up in a corner for a nice little nap had to say yes. Freshly baked cookies and donut holes in a delicious butterscotch sauce were being passed around in no time and we had finally had our fill.
I’m sorry that it took me so long to get here and I’ll definitely be making a return trip before too long. After eyeing off the menu there are countless things that I need to get back and try, and hopefully soon before it changes!

Rockwell is a super cool burger/​American fare bar in the heart of collingwood. Fun place for a first date or good for a feed with friends before heading out. Good tunes and nice booze list. Their strength is their burgers and whilst most would probably recommend the double patty smash my favorite, hands down, is the pulled lamb sandwich with smokey, moorish eggplant dip. The aioli they serve with their hand cut looking chips and their broccoli side (yum) is pretty bloody good too. Their desserts are great to share and they usually have a pretty tasty dessert special. The fried buttermilk chicken and slaw (which you sometimes need to order ahead of time if you book as it runs out) is a bit too much for me but if you’re in to fried chicken apparently it’s one of the best around town. Closed on Tuesday!

Rockwell and Sons, Collingwood.
November 21, 2012
Rockwell and Sons brings an interesting juxtaposition to the Smith Street strip, with the food balancing between comforting American soul food and dishes that lean towards fine dining. On the first visit it’ll be hard to get past the alluring meats in buns (let’s all agree to retire «dude food»), but the rest of the menu is worth exploring, especially as it’s designed to share with the whole table.
Chef and owner Casey Wall, from North Virginia, by way of some top restaurants in New York (Spotted Pig included) and Cutler & Co, brings an experience and passion of American classics to Melbourne, and it delivers on all fronts. The room goes for the sparse industrial feel with concrete floors, plain wood and open ceilings, which fits perfectly into Collingwood and the homely food. The service is led by Manu Potoi, from Wellington and ex-​Attica, and brings a casual polish to the experience. Drinks have a strong beer focus, including some great local brews like the Mountain Goat Triple Hightail, which suits the food, but does feature a short, well-​selected list of wines as well (and spirits too).
The highlight for me is the Wednesday night fried chicken, which is not to discredit the rest of the menu (which I’ll cover another time), but this offers something unique to Melbourne dining. This week’s review in The Age’s Epicure details the lengthy 3-​day process of delivering the perfect fried chicken, and perfection it is. This is the kind of fried chicken that you lie awake at night thinking about– crispy batter, that doesn’t ooze grease, which melts into tender, juicy meat. As well as offering a whole fried chicken, the $ 60 meal comes with all the Southern-​style trimmings, which would feed three people easily, or four to five if you want to explore some of the other temptations on the menu as well.
Accompanying the chicken are the best biscuits (if you don’t know about biscuits, think lighter, fluffier scones and you’re almost there) you’ve ever eaten; soft and delicate inside with a flaky, buttery crust. Made with Myrtleford buttermilk (which I love, and is gracing menus Melbourne-​wide) these biscuits are magnificent towers and beg to be torn into. The «mac and cheese» is rich and moreish without being overpowering, and the coleslaw is lively, with a light creaminess. On this occasion the other sides, which change week to week, were grilled asparagus with that sweet char, and pickled vegetables which brought the palate alive amongst the rich dishes.
We also had the «hush puppies» as well– crisp, yet fluffy, deep fried nuggets of cornmeal batter served with maple syrup butter. The hush puppies themselves did not blow me away, but with the maple syrup butter it had a captivating balance of salt and sugar.
After only being open a few months, Rockwell and Sons is hitting its stride, with fantastic word-​of-​mouth and great reviews, and it’s going to get busy– make sure you call up and book your Wednesday night fried chicken now

Dropped in for a beer and burger.
Great range of beers, and a tight simple menu.
Got the double patty burger and a side of fries. Both were excellent. The burger bread was light and in the end you don’t notice it. You will need to be prepared to eat it, with the lean forward over the plate. This is one juicy burger.
The fries are cut with skin on, and really crispy without being dry.
And onto the Hedgehogs, I didn’t appreciate the heaviness and sweetness of deep fried corn bread. You get a plate of 8 or so, but unless you are into this you only really need 2 of these. Order to share.
Service was smart and efficient. Good work.