Booze and Burgers: The New Johnny Rockets

A few weeks ago Laura and I were invited to the opening of the new Johnny Rockets up on 62^nd and 1^st. Always excited for an event, we attended with her roommate in toe, but we weren’t sure what to expect. Don’t get me wrong, I like Johnny Rockets, but when I’m on the boardwalk or in the suburbs. It’s hardly my go-to place when I’m living in the city without countless diners and burgers to choose from, but I thought we should give it a shot.

This rebranded Johnny Rockets is the first of its kind in Manhattan (second in the country). With two floors, each is devoted to creating a different scene and attracting different clientele. The bottom floor is your traditional Johnny Rockets, the all-American 50s-style family diner, and upstairs is more of a sports bar with a few domestic beers on tap, a full liquor and wine bar and flat screen TVs that were strategically placed so that no matter where you are in the room, you have access to at least one television (this was pointed out to me by a board member, admittedly I wouldn’t have noticed).

Having been a former resident in that neighborhood, I thought it was a nice addition because there are a bunch of families in the area, but also young professionals looking to grab a drink. During the course of the night we were able to sample various appetizers and they were pretty standard in selection and taste.

• Sliders – good, but nothing special
• Empanadas – not my favorite – no matter where I go these always taste previously frozen and heated up
• Wings – tried one and it was fine but I’m not wings connoisseur
• Hot dog – Laura tried this and I think she liked it well enough…but then again it is a standard hot dog
• Mac and cheese – Laura complained that it was too cold and thus not good. I’m not sure what she was talking about, because although it wasn’t piping hot, I thought it was definitely warm enough and pretty tasty. She swears I ate out of a warm patch and that the rest was cold.
• Cheese fries – I loved them and cleared the plate…
• Onion rings – standard again

The highlight of the evening was definitely the specialty milkshakes made with alcohol. I can’t remember the specifics right now, but there was that tasted like an orange creamsicle, one that used Bailey’s Irish Cream and a third that may have been mint-flavored. They were passing around little shots of them and both Laura and Al ordered one which they seemed to enjoy thoroughly.

While this part-family restaurant, part-bar concept isn’t anything new, it is a smart move for Johnny Rockets to keep up with the Applebee’s, Chili’s and TGI Friday’s of the world. And as for the Manhattan restaurant/bar, it’s in a pretty good location near the movie theater and Dangerfield’s on 1^st, so it may fare pretty well from pre- and post- movie/show crowds. The only bars I can think of on 1^st in that area are Becky’s and Baker’s, with Blue Room close by on 2^nd, so I think another spot to grab drinks in the neighborhood may work out well. Now if only they could add some drink/appetizer specials to the menu…