Rosebud American Kitchen and Bar

I came for dinner and drinks this past Friday night and while the restaurant was packed the wait was only 10 minutes for 2. My friend already ate dinner so he had a slice of their apple pie with a coffee. Both he said very very good. I ordered the seared salmon with roasted squash and root vegetable farrotto. The farrotto was excellent! I have never had it prior to that night but I am a big fan. It was full of flavor and spices. It had a tiny bit of crunch to it, it might of been whatever toppings they put on, but it worked out perfectly. The plate had 2 slices of grilled squash on it, most of it edible and tasty but there were some parts which were complete burnt to a harden crisp. The sauce on the salmon was tangy with a hint of sweetness. It was just right for fish since it was lightly gazed on however the salmon itself came out a bit raw. On presentation the salmon looked perfect but while taking my first bite I noticed the center of the salmon, about a quarter-​like sized diameter, from end to end of the salmon was raw. I love sushi in general and don’t mind eating raw fish at all but taking into account the salmon here was probably not sushi grade fish and the very center of the fish was slightly cool to the touch, I didn’t want to risk getting sick and sent the salmon back to be cooked throughly. I understand mistakes can happen but I was a bit surprised when the waiter mentioned that they tend to cook the salmon medium rare to rare there while taking my dish back. I’m not sure if it was just an excuse response to the issue but if it is true thats why I’m taking one star off since a restaurant should mention the rareness of any meat or fish they serve beforehand unless the customer requests it that way.
The wait staff was apologetic and very friendly. Even though there was a mishap on the salmon, I am still a big fan of this restaurant. This was the only issue I’ve had in several visits. Also their whiskey menu is great and that alone will keep me coming back!

After trying Chicken and Waffles for the very first time in Virginia, I was on a mission. I discovered that Rosebud had Chicken and Waffles. I convinced my mother to take me there and we had to wait 50 minutes since we didn’t have a reservation. The service is always great. The waiters are always nice. My mother and I got a Blood Orange Mimosa and Orange Juice. The orange juice tasted like it sat in a cart for so long that it developed the cardboard aftertaste. I finally got my Chicken and Waffles and boy was I disappointed. It lacked in flavor. I was very disappointed. I’ll be having Chicken and Waffles in the south and in the south only.

Delicious Bloody Mary bar, no question. Ordered the biscuits and gravy and man. I am Southern. Northerners need to quit the shit. They just don’t know how to do biscuits and gravy. This is a solid rendition, but the biscuits are giant, and they just cover the top of the biscuit with gravy. Shame on you, Rosebud. You should know better. Do your research! Also, if you ask for extra gravy, it’s a $ 2 charge for a RAMEKIN of extra gravy, making a biscuits and gravy brunch $ 12. That shit cray.

I really want to like this place a lot, but I kind of think it’s just OK. We just moved to Davis from Inman, and wanted this to be our regular spot, but the food is, just OK so far– with the exception of the brussel sprouts, and their bourbon milkshakes which are awesome. Mostly, I just don’t get the warm fuzzy’s when I walk in here. We’ve gone a few times, and like other places in Davis, the bartenders aren’t super friendly. We waited 10 minutes without so much as a smile, and had to wave them down to ask for menus, and drinks both times, and it wasn’t busy. I want to keep coming back here, but so far, doesn’t seem like anyone cares if we come back or not.

Just ate there last night and it was a great dining experience. The staff was welcoming and very well informed about the food. They showed endless patience to a party that was there at the same time as we were; high maintenance does not even begin to describe them (I needed an adult beverage just to listen to them). We ordered and were very happy with the meal. The winner of the night was the St. Louis Ribs. Look out Redbones, this is some serious BBQ.

I just have to update with another 5 stars now that I’ve been to rosebud for brunch. I’ve been dying to go, recommended it to three friends (all of whom managed to get there before me and loved it), and finally managed to find some time to go last Sunday. It definitely gets packed, but is worth the wait. I had made a reservation and was sat right on time at 12 PM.
I ordered the Classy Chicken Sandwich, a side pancake, and a side of sausage (a little excessive on my part.). everything was amazing. like so amazing that I was unknowingly looking up at my boyfriend after every bite and saying yum. I would highly recommend both the pancakes or the classy chicken sandwich. I have also heard really good things about the chicken and waffles, and I’m sure they’re great just based on how good the fried chicken was in my sandwich. my boyfriend got the western omelet and really enjoyed it. The only downside is how loud it can get in there, but you can’t really expect anything different since they always have a full house.
I’ll be back this sunday with all my girlfriends!

Love the interior and the ambience. The St. Louis ribs are very delicious. The country fried steak and smoked wings are okay. The mint chocolate cake is better than I thought. Will definitively come back for a date night or something.

Love this place. Tasty burgers. Calamari app was delicious. Fried Brussel sprouts are glorious. The fish and chips I wouldn’t order again. Sticky ribs were a savory treat. Milkshakes are godly. Drinks made well and strong. One of my favorite places in Davis!

Such a sexy little dinner. And it’s actually not little inside at all anymore. I love the Brussels sprouts appetizer and the grilled cheese, which is actually on the kid’s menu but they never give me a hard time when I order it and it’s not kid size at all! Yummy libations and great service both at the bar and in the dining room. Christmas Eve we had some cocktails and got to watch national lampoon’s Christmas. How perfect is that?

Rosebud is consistently average-​good. Casual down to earth dining.

I’ve tried to like Rosebud I really have. The website is awesome (for a tech guy that’s important), the ambience is great, the service is pretty good… But man this place has way too much of a corporate feel to me. The advertising doesn’t live up to the quality.
Desertwise: Pass on the fruit pies, really… The turtle one is delicious though.
Brunch: was ok, nothing unique or special. And really for the price I would expect a little more wow for my buck. The success of this restaurant seems to hinge on the location.
Dinner: I ordered a sandwich for dinner (I still want to get the the hog head). The sandwich was under average. The sound of rosebud is great, but when you get in you the slew of disappointing experiences cannot help but frame your feelings.

Ate at Rosebud this evening; the food was so yummy! Three of us split the glazed ribs, fried calamari, squash and brussel sprout flatbread with bacon, side of onion rings and fries, side of Mac n cheese. It was plenty of food for us and everything was delicious.
Highly recommend the squash and brussels flatbread with the bacon. Sweet and salty with a thin, crispy crust. Also, the ribs have a sweet and tangy glaze that will make you order seconds.
Looking forward to coming back soon!

I’m so happy this place reopened! My favorite part is the décor, it has a rustic chic thing going on that makes it seem classy, rustic, and homey. It’s also WAY bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.
Their food is also pretty darn good but they don’t have a ton of good vegetarian options (then again, it is a bbq place). Wasn’t a huge fan of their kimchi mayo for the fried pickles –it’s not really what I’m expecting with that dish. Their mac and cheese isn’t the ooey gooey kind that I like either. Their brunch is super good and I love their smoked salmon omelette (although their home fries are more crispy than potatoey). Their french toast also looks amazing and every time my friends have gotten it, they’ve loved it. I also hear they have alcoholic milkshakes! One of their best menu items is their pie though, so definitely get that. I’d also recommend their Texas Shirt Rachel and the BBQ Pork flatbread.

Rosebud: Not a greasy spoon (anymore). On the Dichotomous Key of Food Service Establishments (no, it doesn’t exist, but it should), the Rosebud in its current iteration is more closely related to nearby upscale-​casual Posto than it is a standard diner. Because while you can get a burger and fries here, you can also get squash and sprouts flatbread, grilled swordfish, or a baby kale salad. There’s also an extensive craft beer list and a plethora of specialty cocktails. And lots of pie. I’ve been meaning to try the pie.
The space itself is nice, if surprisingly un-​diner like: the seating area in the nicely restored car itself is quite small, while the dimly-​lit rear of the restaurant holds more folks in booths, tables, and at the generously-​sized bar.
Service is friendly, if a teensy bit slow when the restaurant is at capacity.
Stump! trivia takes place every Thursday at 8:30, though it’s worth arriving early to get a spot at the bar or the rear of the restaurant where you’ll want to be to play. Maybe I shouldn’t give away this secret– but this trivia has always seemed weirdly easy, making Rosebud Thursdays a worthy place to warm up for more challenging watering holes.

Rosebud is a solid Barbecue option in Somerville. Great vibe, solid food. Here’s the rundown:
— Atomic BT’s (A-​): get these
— Brussel Sprouts (A): Everybody is doing Sprouts on the menu these days. Rosebud nails it
— Pork Chop and the Ribs — both worth trying
I’d come back

Food: 4.5 stars
Drinks: 1 star
I’m so torn! Came here on 2 separate occasions — once for dinner only, once for drinks only (in that order so I really wanted to like their cocktails)
FOOD
NOLA BBQ Shrimp n Grits — good flavors, but skimps on the shrimps! wouldn’t really recommend it. Been to NOLA, would say it’s kinda close to NOLA status/​flavor flavs, but not quite there
St Louis Ribs — Best ribs in Boston (looking at you Red Bones AND Sweet Cheeks) yep, there may be some stiff competition, but these ribs totally melt in your mouth while they burst with flavor. You want to eat them all, but then get really sad about it disappearing. It’s one of the rare entres where you eat and you’re like omg, this was genuinely made with TLC
Chicken Fried Catfish Sandwich — simple ish dish made extremely well! Crunch to perfection and no complaints on the fluffy buns. A little on the heavy side tho
DRINK
Somerville Sling — brandy + gin + citrus … how could that go wrong!!! but it went wrong. so sad. For $ 12 bucks a pop, I’d expect at least one shot of hard liquor combined, but this drink was WEAK SAUCE. I think this really hit hard because their bar looks really nice and has so much potential for craft cocktails. Don’t be fooled!

Okay the Kale Gouda omelet here is life changing. The perfect amount of cheese, TONS of kale, eggs cooked perfectly and not too greasy, not too dry. HEAVEN. The breakfast potatoes were also so flavorful and cooked to perfection — and I typically pass on these! The dish even came with a nice side of greens with some amazing lite dressing. Oh and the biscuits. Homemade — order these instead of the donuts. HEAVEN with homemade preserves!
The only disappointment was that I have never met a donut I didn’t like. Until here. Maybe it was the flavors… They do not have standard choices like glazed. I got PB&J and it was awkward and not worth the calories.
Service both waiter and hostess were also SOOOO nice and great!

The toughest chicken fried steak I’ve ever had. An oil soaked bacon and spinach salad beside a deep fried slab of tire rubber makes me sad on the inside. The staff seemed friendly, though heavily over worked. I only got table service 2 times in over an hour, wherein I ordered and was asked if I wanted my check… They apologized for their rushed state, but that only goes so far.
Okay, so let me explain what was wrong with this steak. Chicken fried steak is made with round steak. A very tough poorly marbled slab of muscle that can have a lot of flavor, but if prepared like other steaks will turn into rubber before you even think it’s warm. So, unlike other steaks that you can leave medium rare and assume will remain tender, round steak needs to get itself beat down into a whimpering mass of tender deliciousness. This physical damage breaks apart the muscle fibers that when cooked contract and contribute to the tough rigid nature of the steak. The cooks here took the easy step (understandable for someone that had not made this dish before) of undercooking the meat, however this left me with a nearly inedible flap of beef for dinner.
The salad is a another sad tale of a missing touch of love. The oily, heavy dish needs a clean vibrant flavor to cut though it. Add a small splash of ranch and remove some of the excess oil (towel off the bacon/​onions) and this thing would be a clear cut winner.
All together this was a sloppy meal design that left me hungry and disappointed.

When I heard of the initial plans to revamp Davis’s iconic old-​style diner, I was skeptical. Classic diners in the area are a rarity, and I was nervous that the restaurant would lose its charm. Although Rosebud’s appeal is now different — it’s far from a bad coffee and greasy egg joint — it’s very appealing nonetheless.
In true Davis fashion, this restaurant could be considered a bit hipster. It’s comfort food with a twist. Creative cocktails, inventive food fusions (meatloaf eggs benedict? I can dig it), and sleek décor all come together to create an enjoyable experience. And they have a gorgeous pie case that’s so very tempting (you see it right as you enter, so you’re thinking about them throughout the meal — well played, RB).
We made a 2 PM reservation for brunch (yay for brunch places that take reservations!) which did not seem necessary, as there was ample seating available in the interior restaurant space (the outdoor patio was full). Sitting in the old diner definitely feels different than the old Rosebud. Less cramped, for starters, as they have added on a large back room. And less diner-​esque. But I appreciate that they kept the old space and that it looks the same from the outside, at least.
On the brunch menu, there are so many delectable options. Inventive omelets, eggs benny, and french toast call out, promising a satisfying meal. There are also drinks to be drunk! Want to really wake up? Kentucky iced coffee. This creamy iced concoction sweetened with maple syrup and strengethened with bourbon is the perfect way to start any day.
For my meal, I closed my eyes and landed on the Texas Brisket Hash. This is a fantastic mash-​up of potatoes, peppers, kale, and meat topped with two sunny-​side-​up eggs. Just yes. It’ll fill you up like a cowboy, and the sight of those yolks running over the hash brought a happy tear to my eye. Maybe I had drunk a good amount of bourbon at this point.
I definitely would like to watch a Rosebud rerun and experience the dinner menu (and did I mention those pies?). It’s not the old-​school Rosebud, but it’s a damn-​good Rosebud.

Came for (Easter) bunch and it wasn’t too packed but the food was great and the service was funny.
I had the blood orange mimosa which was delicious, as blood orange always is, and overflowing. No, really, the waiter said sorry because of how full it was.
We shared the biscuits and jam because it’s not often vegetarians get to have biscuits at restaurants. So good. Great jam too. They should sell it, assuming they make it…
I then had eggs Florentine which was perfect. I wanted more sauce, but that’s just me being fat. It didn’t need it. Perfect eggs, I think homemade english muffins (at least not a brand any of us knew) and PERFECT potatoes. I thought i might get sick from eating too much, but I kept going back for them.
Service was hungover and hilarious. The person filling up the water got mine everywhere and just said ‘oh’ and left though… Super awkward to the point where I didn’t even ask for another napkin after mine was soaked. Oh well. Our waiter brought us everything very timely, even though it seemed like he had the whole room to himself.
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