Follow WNC 380 High St.(503)362-8667

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Rock-n-Rogers @ Eola Inn

Posted by KandN
I'll admit it, I was slightly intrigued when I heard the new owners of Salem's Rock-n-Rogers were going to open a new location in the old Eola Inn building. Weren't you? When they revealed they would open in a few weeks, I knew little would be changed as far as interior decor goes. Fresh paint and carpet was about all there would be time to do. So when my friend and I were making plans on where to eat breakfast for our annual winter break get together, I suggested Rock-n-Rogers, but made a mental note to go strictly for the food.

When we pulled into the parking lot, I was pleased to see more than 10 cars. Once the waitress ringing another customer out at the cash register was finished, the two of us were seated . (I was so glad the musty smell from my last visit to the Eola Inn was gone.) She took us to one of the tables on the west side of the building, situated right in front of the large picture windows, with 4 well padded chairs.


Our coffee cups were filled and we began to try and keep our focus on the menus instead of our usual non-stop catching up. I decided to go with an item off of the "Breakfast Favorites" segment of the menu. I ordered the Mama's Mess Omelette, made with "4 eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, tomatoes, onions, green pepper and double cheese served open faced", and chose home style potatoes and a baked biscuit as my side. Friend Shirley, picked their Mushroom & Swiss Omelette, also with a biscuit and homestyle potatoes.

Our food arrived in just the right amount of time. Our omelettes were tender and fluffy, the nicely seasoned potatoes had just right amount of browned bits and the biscuits were oh so delicate, flaky and golden brown. Equally important, our coffee cups were kept full of fresh coffee by our sweet waitress.

I hope they decide to jazz up the interior with a Rockin' Rogers 50's theme. A few posters on the wall just isn't enough. In spite of that wee detail--go for their reliable comfort food menu, the service and that beautiful view.
Click here for coupon
503 585-0860
4250 Salem Dallas Highway
Salem, OR
Monday - Thursday 6:00 am - 9:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 6:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday: 6:30 am - 8:00 pm
at 9:43 AM
Labels: , , , , , ,

20 comments:

  1. I've never eaten in that building and was kind of disappointed it became a Rock-n-Rogers and not something different. I hope the new owners can make this work, it really is a great location.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I actually Know the owner quite well he knows what he's doing

      Delete

    2. Has he read all the comments here? Doesn't sound to me like he knows what he's doing.

      Delete

  2. I wish I'd had the chance to see the building when it was new. It looks like it was sectioned out to provide 3 separate dining areas--quiet, family and a bar.

    I hear people say it's the access that scares people away, but is it any worse than Cafe 22 or getting out of the road to the Pentacle Theatre?

    ReplyDelete

  3. I've eaten in that building each time it changes owners it seems. I keep hoping, as we really have no riverside restaurants in Salem. We'll give it another try now that it's Rock-n-Rogers. But, we really were hoping for some interior work. Last time I was in there (several years ago, it was looking pretty dated and run down.

    It does have terrible access - being on the curve makes it worse to get out of than say Cafe 22. As a one-time daily commuter turning left onto Doaks at that intersection, I've seen my share of scary accidents and near misses.

    ReplyDelete

  4. Okay, I understand now. I can see how the corner creates a hazard. Especially if the drivers are looking at the river.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. For anyone turning West from there, it can be dangerous when traffic is busy.

      Delete

  5. Or looking at the turn lane for Doaks Ferry. Plus the lighting is terrible there.

    ReplyDelete

  6. Rock-n-Rogers is tasty (although I've never asked where their beef comes from, hopefully it's local). However it always stuck me as a caricature of the 50's rather than an homage. How many diners in the 50's plastered their tables with magazine adverts? I guess I'm looking for more a recreation rather of the classic rather than a parody of it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. YES!!! I have been saying the same thing for years! Why plaster all that stuff on the windows? Just because you write the words, "poodle skirt" on the window, doesn't make me feel like I'm in an old diner! I like their hamburgers, but have to say, I only have about one a year. Not wild on their service in the past. It used to run hot and cold. I will try the West Salem one, as I live out here. We need a good burger joint over here. Hope this will do the job!

      Delete

  7. My husband I arrived on a Saturday at 12:10 pm for lunch while the majority of the customers were finishing up what looked like a delicious breakfast. We ordered traditional burgers. We waited until 1:40 pm (90 min.)and never received our food. At that point, we informed our waitress we were leaving although she said our food was coming up. People at two different tables that had come in after us had received their food. I wrote the business office that afternoon about our experience. No reply from management as of ten days later. Is this the norm since I received no response from management and the staff did not seem concerned?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looking for good foodJanuary 23, 2012 12:01 AM

    I will not be going back for dinner. It sounds like they can handle breakfast, maybe I'll try that.

    ReplyDelete

  9. I had been at Eola about a year ago and the food was cold and some of the worst I had in a long while (roast beef was cold ond just bad tasking)and said I would never return.

    When I saw Rogers coming I had high hopes. I travel that way everyday and wanted soemwhere to go once and a while.

    The location sounds great but the gravel pit on the other side of the river is not the best. Getting in and out is indead a problem but now to the food

    My friend and I wnet there wanting a light dinner and looking for a place to take our wives. His dinner was meat and pototos & veg's. The meat was tough and again not hot. My hamburger was not the best and that would be kind of okay but the price was for a great meal and we got a d or d- food. I ordered a Malt and got a shake even this was not done right and took forever. Rogers has always been on the high end but the room and food was just within the dollar outlay.

    Lasly the room had NOT changed in one year and that was bad 1970's at best. Come on guys ad at least a Juke box or turn the music up on the speakers SOMETHING!

    ReplyDelete

  10. Rock-n-Rogers on Highway 22 is #1!! Yeah! It's there I had the single worst dining experience of my life. Last night, my husband and I showed up about 4:40pm, and met my sister and her husband and two boys, already seated. I understand sometimes when new people join a table, there might be confusion about asking the new party for their drink order. (Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt here.) However, I believe we sat there for more than 20 minutes before we were even asked. I started drinking my sister's water. Finally, the server came and took our drink order of one water and one milkshake each. We had already been sitting there so long that we gave our food order at the same time. It was around this time we discovered they were short-handed, it appeared to be a cook. So we waited. No water, no milkshakes. We sat there for almost an hour. That is not even remotely an exaggeration. That might be understating it. We would have given up except we had two young boys with us, and it's not that convenient to up and leave when you're sure those boys' dinner will be out any minute. Keep in mind - my husband and I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED SO MUCH AS A GLASS OF WATER. When we were finally able to stop the server (who would never look toward our table as she zoomed by) we asked after our drinks, and were told someone was making the milkshakes and she'd bring us water. I think it took about another 5 minutes before she brought a pitcher of water to the table, no new glasses. So my husband and I used water glasses that had been my sister's and her husband's. (By some stroke of luck, they'd managed to get a couple beers each brought to the table so that "worked out".) As I mentioned, we waited about an hour for our food. About 5 minutes after our dinner came, our milkshakes showed up. My husband's fish 'n' chips was so greasy as to be almost inedible, but luckily he'd ordered soup which had come earlier so he wasn't starving and forced to eat the greasy stuff. The server comped us one of our milkshakes for the ridiculous wait. The only reason we went to that restaurant was to see the view of the river. I realize stuff happens, and they were short-handed, but honestly, it was SO bad that they should have started turning people away at the door until they could get caught up on the people already seated. So many people were looking around like, "What did I get myself into?" Ugh, short-handed or not, I will NEVER go back.

    ReplyDelete

  11. I eat at the one on Market a couple times a year - I live on the coast - and usually get a chicken sandwich and a shake. I've never had a bad meal or bad service and look forward to eating there when in town.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I think it's changed ownership in the last year... Good luck, and let us know how it goes on your next visit.

      Delete

  12. My husband and I went to try out this location, after we placed our order it was quite a wait before our order arrived, but when it did, it was delivered to the wrong table (by a different server), the elderly man ate a couple of fries before the waitress understood it was supposed to be ours, it was then served to us! Granted my husband, the nice guy, said it was fine, I refused to eat it. I could not believe they would actually serve food to us that had been handled by other customers. The original server checked on us, I requested to speak to him privately, told him what had happened, he did offer to replace it and then said I would not be charged, he then went to the table discussed it more with my husband, and of course the elderly couple heard all and were embarrassed by the situation. I had eaten at other Rockin Rogers Restaurants and was looking forward to another good burger, this was a huge disappointment, AND, I didn't get to use the coupon so had to pay the full price for my husband's burger.

    ReplyDelete

  13. My mother and I went there for lunch, food was great, BUT, they nickel and dime you for everything. I wanted a little ranch for my frys, they charged me for it. We wanted frys instead of potato chips with our burger, they charged us over 2.00 each for an upgrade. Probably wont go back. paying for Lunch at a Dinner price was a bit much for me. Good luck to you guys though.

    ReplyDelete

  14. We went there and it took forever to be served, there were other customers getting angry and leaving, and our milkshakes were like chocolate milk even though the people next to us had great looking ones. The food was ok, but Denny's on a road trip level of ok....plus the place is pretty drab. I was pretty disappointed.

    ReplyDelete

  15. Welcome to Rock-N-Roger's Jenny! Why anyone would return to any of their locations is beyond my comprehension. On another review site that I frequent the west location has a 7% approval rating. I spend considerable time on that site and I have never seen a rating this low on any other restaurant in the world! Vast improvement will be required for this place to even aspire to mediocrity! Unless you're into appalling service, sub-par food and horrendous waits, pass on these raunchy joints.

    ReplyDelete

What do you think? Please keep your comments civil. Personal attacks are not welcome and do not lead to constructive or even interesting discussion. If you believe a restaurant is in violation of county ordinances please bring that matter to the county health department at (503) 588-5346

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Other Reviews