rkfd bar + bistro

Fried pickles are better than i’ve ever had! The menu has a great selection no matter the mood I’m in. My favorite restaurant in rockford right now. Who doesn’t love s’mores…

Excellent in every way. Service with a smile everytime I’ve been here. So many delicious choices. I absolutely love the Smoked Salmon BLT. I was quite skeptical as it has an egg on it, but oh my goodness the flavors just came together and melted in my mouth. The drinks were perfect… and you absolutely have to try the Espresso Martinis. Yum

I really liked the vibe of this place and everyone working there was great!
Tuna poke was absolutely delicious, highly recommended!
I also had the quinoa shrimp lettuce wraps which were just okay. I thought they could have used more flair, the corn that was mixed in didn’t really mesh well with the Asian-​ponzu dipping by sauce. Also wanted whole pieces of shrimp but it was just chopped up pieces.

My first experience here since it was changed from Pearl, underwhelming to say the least. Its never a good sign walking into a restaurant and there is more staff than there is customers at the peak of the lunch hour. I keep an open mind because I was a fan of pearl and love trying new places. Our Waitress was nice, she took our order, refilled our drinks and got us our check, which i suppose is her job. Just didn’t appear to care one way or another of our business. The menu reads really well, a fair variety with very appetizing descriptions. My friend and i both chose Items off the «Lunch Menu» which were both available on the regular menu for a $ 1.00 more. He selected the Meatloaf Grilled cheese with Sriracha Ketchup and parmesan fries that he was very fond of (the reason this is a 3 star review instead of less) I order the Cuban Sandwich and unfortunately did NOT have the share the same sentiment for my meal. The fries were good but lacked something. The sandwich was an awful depiction of a Cubano. The biggest flaw in my eyes was the Ciabatta Bread used. In my opinion that is the worst possible bread to use for this particular type of sandwich, not to mention my top bun had rock hard spots from either being so old or over cooked… and the bottom bun was a paper thin, saugy mess. I will most certainly be returning to try something else. But i do not recommend anyone try their Cuban.

Came in for lunch on a Sunday and ordered the meatloaf grilled cheese. I was intrigued by it before even coming in. It was gruyère cheese on the bottom, meatloaf in the middle, and cheddar on top on toast. It all blended perfectly into a very enjoyable sandwich. The meat was a great barrier between the two cheeses for both of their unique flavors to stand out. This sandwich will definitely be something I’ll crave and I’ll be back for it many times

We went there for lunch based off of the Unilocal reviews and were not let down. The atmosphere is very inviting. The cheese cubes were delicious! We had pizza and Asian tacos which were also good. The smores dessert was great but rich– definitely worth ordering! Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. We will definitely return in the future!

Loved the atmosphere very nice spot for Rockford service was excellent server was very attentive and food came out quick the food was very good.

Originally from the Rockford area, we were meeting family for dinner and they suggested RKFD Bar + Bistro. I have to say, it was very good and we will be returning.
We had the Ahi Poke to start — DELICIOUS. Our server was also very nice and attentive — we didn’t go long before empty plates were cleared or our drinks were replenished. Our entrees were also good, but the Ahi Poke really stood out — we may come back just for that!

Great new (er) place in town. We already love Lucha and new we would enjoy this spot too! The atmosphere was perfect a few (much needed) updates were done and the menu was fantastic. We ordered the Ahi tuna and baked brie appetizers and then the southwest pizza that we split between a few girls. Everything was perfect. Our service and drinks were great too. We will be back for sure!

Just recently visited for the first time. The food is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the drink selection is good, as well. Compared to some other locally owned restaurants, the pricing is slightly higher, but the location, atmosphere, and menu make it worthwhile to return again.

Visited this place for the first time around the holidays with my family and I am glad to welcome it to Rockford! I already love Lucha Cantina (definitely go if you haven’t been already), so I was excited that the owner also took over the former Pearl Bistro.
The good:
–Cheese cubes appetizer was DELICIOUS. Big chunks of cheese with a side of ranch for dipping. When near Wisconsin… order the cheese!
–Blackened chicken alfredo pasta was AMAZING. Good portion of chicken on top, and fresh, al dente noodles. It wasn’t your typical white alfredo with red peppers added, which was what I expected from the menu description. Instead, the peppers were blended into the creamy sauce. YUM! Highly recommend! Definitely enough for dinner + lunch the next day.
–Love the fresh, modern décor. The restaurant feels trendy in a way that I don’t always expect in a Rockford restaurant
–Great craft beer selection
The meh:
–Apple Cider Cocktail. I was super excited to try this, since it uses locally sourced Edwards Orchard cider. Unfortunately, I would have rather had a glass of Edwards cider straight up. The mixologist didn’t do the cider justice! Bland drink, wouldn’t get it again.
Can’t wait to go back and try some of the other menu items!

Was a bit disappointed. Appetizers were wonderful but main dishes not so much. I had scallops and husband had chicken cordon bleu– both were just okay. Our server was effective but not very nice. I think we may try again for lunch, many of the sandwiches looked interesting.

Three of us went for an early dinner on a Sunday evening. We chose our own table and were promptly greeted by a lovely server. We couldn’t decide on a beer choice and she offered samples. We ordered the Brussel sprouts appetizer. Yum! Crispy, sweet and flavorful. Loved the fat slices of Parmesan. We ordered a chicken club and onion rings, meatloaf grilled cheese with grapes, and caprese salad (a real salad with caprese topping. Very generous size). Everything was delicious. Our server was so good! I’m sorry I didn’t get her name:). We were offered dessert but too full!
We’ll be back.

This restaurant was a big disappointment. We were seated promptly on a Saturday night but no server came to our table for at least 15 minutes. Finally the hostess noticed that no one had helped us and sent someone over. I asked to see a wine list and was told they do not have one… really a bar with no wine list or drink menu? We were offered a free appetizer for the long initial wait so that was nice. But the food was really poor quality. Everything tasted like it was pre-​made and previously frozen. The burger patties are preformed skinny little patties like you’d get at McDonald’s. In spite of having a brick pizza oven, the pizza was not very good. The crust was totally unimpressive and the toppings were no better. Overall, the service was lacking and the food was pretty bad. We will never go back here again

We had lunch here yesterday… and I am happy to say that this is such a great addition to the area!
The menu selection was great! I had the chicken club… delicious! My husband had the burger and my kids had the meatball pasta. Everything came out well cooked and tasted great!
The hostess met us with a smile as soon as we walked in the door. The waitress was fantastic and attentive. She answered all of our questions and checked on us frequently. The manager also checked in with us while we were there which was great!
I appreciate the addition of a restaurant that welcomes families and has an atmosphere that cares for its customers and wants to make sure the experience is great. We will be back again soon!

I went here based on a recommendation from a friend, that this was a new place we should checkout. It was pretty good, in that the food was good, and the service was OK. But, I have to give it only an OK review because they seemed to still be working through some problems after starting up. They did not have a drink menu printed yet and the waitress didn’t know if they had the drinks we were interested in, and they were out of the food we had ordered and had to sub it for something similar, which was not quite what we ordered. I would probably go here again, as their location is convenient, and hopefully next time things go more smoothly and I can update my review to give them a better rating.

Fabulous bistro providing an entertaining, creative menu offering wood fired pizza, an array of apps and pastas. A classy yet unpretentious atmosphere. Service was amazing and attentive. Would absolutely recommend this restaurant to friends, family and coworkers!

Excellent food
The staff was great attentive and fun to talk with. Really enjoyed me evening and will be back many times. This is a great place.

Really enjoyed my date night with my best friend and her wife here tonight. Our service was fantastic! Josh, the owner, really hosted the party… he was visiting tables and talking to all of the Guests to get feedback. That is very refreshing. Drake, the manager stopped by our table a few times to check on us, also. Everyone in the restaurant was treated like a VIP.
The food was great. We opted to do a little tasting… ordered a few things that we all shared. The favorite of the table was the Bahn Mi pizza with pork belly! Amazing! The flavors were excellent!
The drinks were strong and well made, the atmosphere was chill… great changes to the building. I loved all of the fixtures and finishes. It was a little loud at times, but we were right by the front door.
The clientele was very diverse, which I love. At one point, during the blizzard, an older gal walked in the front door with her walker and several of the employees shifted gears to get to the front door area to assist her. I loved seeing that.
I am very excited for this new exciting restaurant in Rockford! A HUGE improvement from years of previous owners. Obviously Mr. Binning knows what he is doing and I am excited to be able to support a locally owned merchant. Exciting stuff!!!

Awesome restaurant! We came to the soft opening, and 2 days later, we had to come back to try it again! In the two meals, we’ve had the seafood spinach dip, white bean dip, Asian wings, cheese cubes, meat pizza, veggie pizza, Asian style (I forgot the name) pizza, baked mac and cheese, and meatball sandwich. Everything was fantastic. We are already planning our next visit to try the wings, cheese cubes, mac and cheese and pizza again! The meatloaf grilled cheese is also on my «to try list».