RedRocks Firebrick Pizzeria
- Nearest Transit:
Columbia Heights (Green, Yellow)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Mon, Thu, Sun
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
50 Reviews for RedRocks Firebrick Pizzeria
Red Rocks Pizza Rules! It's a funky neighborhood oasis that recently revamped its menu to include more toppings and specialty pizza pies -- all fantastic in my book. I live around the corner... so the convenience factor is certainly a selling point for me.
I do wish that they offered more sandwhich/sub options, though. If they did, I think lunch would be a bigger hit...
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I was here for a going away party for a friend of a friend last weekend. We sort of took over the whole upstairs room so I can't accurately tell what it would look like without a huge group upstairs. We went on a Friday night and it was packed outside. The service was prompt, which was nice because we got there late and everyone else had already ordered.
My friend and I shared the shaved fennel and grapefruit for an appetizer, which was really fresh and light. I had the chicken and broccolini pizza which was delicious. The pizzas have a thin, crispy crust and are sized to feed one hungry person with a little bit leftover. My friends had the veggie pizza, which was equally tasty. The wood fired taste is of course, a plus. Ingredients were fresh and flavorful.
My only complaint is this: I'm not sure what their actual credit card policy is, but we were told our huge party (20-25 people?) could only have our check seperated three times, and that we could only use two credit cards. I'm not sure why this was, but a few people had a go to the ATM a few blocks away and grab cash. It worked out in the end, but it was kind of an annoying hindsight.
Prices were pretty reasonable; Pizzas are between $10-$12 and appetizers start around $7. Definitely worth it, a good place to go with friends!
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Dear Red Rocks,
I heart you. Not only are you blocks away from my house, making it completely easy to get to your surprisingly residential location, but you're metro-accessible and one of the best places to go while in Columbia Heights/Petworth.
You have plenty of seating, although I do have to admit that you usually looked packed. Even with all of that, I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a wonderful spot inside, or better yet, at your fun picnic benches outside.
Your wait staff is not only fun and nice, but rather easy on the eyes. They were very attentive and checked up on us frequently. The food was prompt and delicious of course.
Your pizzas are heaven. I prefer your thinner crusts, homemade and filled with love. Your selection of pizzas is wide enough that I find anything to fill my tastes but has enough standards that I can always go with my fallback Margherita pizza. I've also had the Veg and the Tuscano, both of which are delicious. Their $8 bottomless mimosa brunches are also fantastic, especially if you go early enough to grab a seat.
Speaking of your fine spirits, you've got a great selection of beers (reasonably priced), and I am always a fan of any establishment that has Allagash on tap.
I will continue to frequent your pizzeria, and I look forward to more happy encounters.
Love,
Liz
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I love Redrocks, Love love love it. I live down the street and find myself eating there way too often. It did take me a few visits to develop these feelings, and I had to experiment a bit to find "my pizza" (which by the way is the Toscano). The sandwiches are not my favorite, but who needs them? The style of this pizza is such that you eat it somewhat with a knife and fork, and somewhat with your hands. Some people complain that this is "soggy." "Soggy" is what happens when you use real ingredients such as actual tomatoes in your sauce. If you don't like the kind of pizza you get in a good Italian cafe, you won't like this restaurant.
The green salad would be tough to call a "meal" (even if you ordered the "meal sized" portion, as it is just greens and balsamic, but my husband and I usually order the "meal" sized portion and split it as a starter.
When they first opened, we had a few bad experiences with the service, but lately all of our servers have been wonderful. This place is such an asset to the neighborhood.
Redrocks is a game of gastronomic roulette. My experiences here have been more varied than Oprah's waist line. With wood-fired pizzas, a decent beer list, outdoor patio, and a true neighborhood location , I really want to love this place, particularly since it's a refreshingly independent spot in the midst of the chain-ridden development of Columbia Heights. Yet, I've left this place with a furrowed brow on too many occasions to gush praise.
Like most of the reviews here point out, the quality of the pies can be as dependable as DC's bus system. Sometimes soggy, sometimes burnt to a crisp, sometimes immaculately perfect, you just might luck out! But you never know. Fortunately, I've enjoyed most pies that I've had here. I also recommend the warm olives app (who knew they could be so good served warm!) and the Ceasar salad with chicken. With a light yet flavorful olive dressing, it's a winner.
The beers on tap are well selected and offer the right range for a place of this size. I'm a fan of the Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale, a crisp and refreshing brew that goes down well paired with a pizza or just a rough day. The wines are also well chosen. With a good drink list, Redrocks makes for a nice late-night drink destination.
But then there's the service. Sometimes, it seems that Red Rocks is still trying to find its own ass, even after a year's time to correct past mistakes. Unknowledgeable servers, confused hosts, space-cadet bartenders and a rather aloof non-manager have often dealt a bad card to guests here. While things seem to have improved over time, I'm always surprised how amateur the place can be.
During my last visit, I witnessed the bartender making a long pour of Tanqueray followed long pour of Cointreau into a shaker. I looked at him really puzzled and asked what he was making, "martinis," he said, enthusiastically. "With Cointreau?" I asked. He looked at me like an idiot until the freakish concoctions were eventually whisked away from two rather perturbed guests who promptly demanded proper drinks. The server was equally pissed. What kind of bartender are you hiring when he can't remember the two essential ingredients of a damn martini? Anyway, I'll leave my diatribe at that.
Ultimately, Redrocks is worth a visit, but don't be shy about asking to have things corrected if you get burned (literally). On a good day, you're likely to enjoy a deliciously authentic pie paired with a reasonably priced craft ale or a delicious wine. On an off day, your cocktail might turn your face inside out.
I dearly hope this place gets a bit more consistent and leaves its adolescent days behind it. We desperately need more independent neighborhood joints like this in Columbia Heights.
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I live a block away from this place and I love it.
If you are a fan of thin-crust pizza with toppings ranging from capers and mussels to fresh arugula and broccolini all washed down with a delicious beer (or several) from their extensive and tasteful offerings, this is your place.
The Napoli and puttanesca pizzas are my two favourites; both have an amazing balance with the saltiness of the capers and the freshness of the herbs (basil and parsley). The funghi pizza is hot on their tails -- the halved cherry tomatoes that top it lend it a sweet finish.
The brunch menu that's offered is tasty, albeit a little unconventional (no bacon! yes prosciutto!). The house-baked bread that accompanies all (if not most?) dishes compliments the inherent heartiness of the meal. I've enjoyed the vegetable omelet but the potato and egg pizza might take the cake. The "eggs in hell" are great if you are looking for something light to eat and if you want to stick to their liquid diet brunch specials: $9 BOTTOMLESS mimosas and a delicious bloody mary for $5 (personally I have an affinity for this one).
To top it off the staff are super friendly, and the bartender/manager is a great guy and has good taste in music (the music you hear comes from an ipod typically).
Shit, now I'm hungry.
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I was helping my friend move out of Columbia Heights (or formerly known as Columbia Frights) last week and ended up at Red Rocks Pizzeria. My friend recommended the place and I was not disappointed. I ordered a personal pizza with a Allagash White beer. The pizza was superb with real mozzarella cheese on top. It was just the right amount for one person.
I sat at the bar and the bartender was very helpful and attentive. The prices were okay for the pizza and beer, but it was during happy hour. I don't think I wouldn't go here all the time because of the prices, even if I did live in the neighborhood. You pay for the quality and the cool decor.
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Delish and reasonably priced for neighborhood pizza; not so reasonably priced or delish for appetizers. Reheats pretty decently too, which is good since their personal pizzas are puh-lenty for one person. Service is always friendly and quick.
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This was my second time eating here. I would definitely recommend the pizza over the sandwiches. I got the meatball and fontina with a side salad. Salad = lettuce out of the bag with pepper and balsamic. Sandwich = blah meatballs with half melted cheese on soggy bread. The meatball sub at Subway is better than theirs. My friend got the funghi pizza and it was pretty good.
It was about 80-something degrees yesterday in the blazing sun and we wanted to sit outside. They have a great little patio, but only 2 umbrellas. There was also only one waitress serving about 8 tables outside...she was a little overwhelmed.
Let's just say they have a lot of potential!
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4 Stars
It was the first beautiful, warm day in months. I decided to take advantage of the weather by finding a restaurant with outdoor seating. I hadn't had pizza in a week, and I like the casual atmosphere of pizza restaurants. I like to read, talk, or people watch when I'm dining outside. I didn't call Redrocks for a reservation, but I wished that I did. When I arrived, the friendly hostesses informed me that several parties are ahead of us, and that the wait would be around 15 minutes. Well, the wait was much longer than that. I almost finished a third of a crossword puzzle (which isn't much, but it's my latest hobby) by the time Curtis and I were seated.
We already looked over the menu, and settled (after much deliberation) on a funghi pizza with extra mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce instead of cherry tomatoes. It didn't take too long for the pizza to arrive, but maybe we were just too busy reading our newspapers. Their pizzas are about 12 inches in diameter, which can feed two people or one glutton (no worries, no one is judging you here). Our pizza wasn't extraordinary. The crust was thin and crispy, but slightly soggy towards the middle of the pizza. The blend of mozzarella and fontina cheese was heavenly. I did wish there was more sauce. I'm crazy about tomato sauce (and not so much for plain tomatoes). Overall, a very good, but over-priced pizza for its size ($15).
Beer is obviously the best drink to go with pizza. I was impressed by Redrocks' selection of local/domestic beers. I don't drink beer, but I support microbreweries (by making Curtis order their beers). Curtis didn't care too much for the Smuttynose IPA. "Too hoppy and bitter", he says. That is coming from a stereotypical Pennsylvanian who believes that Yuengling is the Flying Spaghetti Monster's greatest gift to men.
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I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. Pretty good pizza, and lots of good beer. Pizza-wise I prefer Radius, but this has a good location. Looks nice inside too.
I have wanted to check this place out for a while ever since it seemed to pop up out of nowhere.
I was impressed by their food overall. The Pesto pizza was not incredible but I still enjoyed it better than any pizza I have had at Two Amy's (Shocker I know, but at least this place has tasty crust that isn't soggy.) The salsigia pizza was delicious. The bruschetta was really fresh tasting and the bread was really tasty and crusty.
Our server sucked, but I saw that the other server was great, so I wont kill their rating based on that.
The patio is pretty large and is a great place for outdoor seating. (not the best people watching, but very open and airy.) Their beer selection looked great. Their brunch menu also looked good and they offer $5 pint bloody mary's and $9 bottomless mimosas, which seems like a good deal to me.
Definitely recommend this place. I would put their pizzas at least on par with Matchbox. It was certainly not mindblowing, but for DC pizza, I was pleased.
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Great corner patio, and big portions.
I liked my "funghi" pizza, mostly for the fontina's rich savory kick (so much tastier than mozzarella). The crust was crispy at the edges, but droopy everywhere else.
My husband thought his pepperoni pizza "tasted good, but it was greasy." Indeed, there was so much oil dripping off it that he had to ask for more napkins (one-per-person simply isn't enough when you're trying to eat this much pizza with your hands).
The caesar salad was not exciting, with thin dressing and hard, stale croutons. (The menu said it had anchovies but we got ours without).
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I've only eaten here once, just a caveat.
I love the location. They have a nice patio. The inside atmosphere is warm with candles and nice wood tables and a bar. The service was attentive and friendly
The pizza? Eh. It was soggy, almost mushy. And given that it took 30-35 minutes to arrive, I thought it would actually be cooked. It tasted like it was made with fresh ingredients. I wanted it to be good. It just wasn't. .
I love this place. It's perfect for me in so many ways. 1) It's really close to my residence. 2) The afternoon/lunchtime ambiance is chill, laidback, and very relaxing. 3) The staff is warm, friendly, and really cool. 4) The pizza is yummy and satisfies my appetite without making me feel heavy. I've tried marinara with cheese (sooo good), pepperoni (tasty even though I'm not especially fond of red meat), and margherita (delicious!).
I haven't gone to happy hour yet. Tried 2 Amy's recently and significantly prefer RedRocks. Love it for the food and atmosphere. Oh yeah, and the lunchtime bartender is too cool. He created some random cocktail for me... it got me where I wanted to be, and it was really well-mixed.
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I ate in this quaint restaurant/bar with a friend tonight. The menu was very simple but quite delicious for what it was. We ordered the margarita pizza which was very light but seasoned perfectly. I see myself returning there very soon. By the way, if you talk to the hostess on Tuesdays, let her know you like John Cusack!
I have to say that as a Columbia Heights resident, I was so excited to have a pizza place moving in - so excited.
The first time we tried Red Rocks, I was impressed. The beer list was wonderful and the pizza was actually pretty decent. I even would have given it 4 stars a few months ago.
The next few times we've went back, Red Rocks' has made me less and less excited - the kitchen is slipping and putting out food that really shouldn't see the light of day and staff are (understandably) getting frustrated by having to comp drinks and explain away the poor quality of what they're serving.
If it weren't for the bottomless mimosas at brunch, Red Rocks would deserve only one star for taking my expectations and their wonderful opportunity and smashing it to bits. Fortunately for this pizza place, the availability of unlimited watered down cocktails within walking distance of home on a weekend afternoon puts me into a slightly more forgiving mood.
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Two Amy's, it's not. My fennel salad was a little meh, and the pizza was very good but not memorable. Still, I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a pizza place with a good beer list and a neighborhood feel. The server was super nice and the carrot cake was amazing. Definitely worth returning to.
Redrocks has some pretty tasty pizzas, especially since there's not too many good pizza places this side of Rock Creek. Pizza's weren't as great as Two Amy's...but then again you don't have to deal with a crazy wait and they have some good beers on tap and by the bottle. Very cozy environment.
Late-night happy hour anyone? Greatest invention of '07 in my humble opinion! In addition to their 5-7 PM happy hour, Red Rocks also has a late-night happy hour running from 10PM to midnight. This place is what it is. Few will say their pizza is AMAZING, but it's pretty delicious and is getting more consistent since they recently got their new head chef (the crust is particularly good). How can you complain about half-price pizza and house wine during their TWO daily happy hours?
Throw in super-friendly bartenders and a pretty casual environment and you have a really fun local hangout. People evaluating this place like it's supposed to be the best gourmet pizza in town are of below average intelligence. That's not what Red Rocks claims to be. But for what they do, they do very well, and that is provide a great local spot with good food, great drinks, and friendly staff. Huzzah!
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We finally made it to Red Rocks on Saturday night. We got there early enough (7:15ish) to avoid a wait - there was one within 15 mins. The waitstaff was helpful and service was good. We started with the antipasto - 2 pieces of bread with olive oil, fontina cheese, prosciutto, salami and olives - pretty tasty bites. Then we ordered two pizzas - pesto and the salsigia (sausage and red pepper). Both were tasty but the crusts did not hold up - it was knife and fork pizza, which is not really appealing to me. My dirty garlic martini was very good and flecked with something green - basil? oregano? I'm not sure.
So I give them 4 stars b/c the flavors and service were good, but I'd really like for them to lose the floppy crust.
Great addition to the neighborhood. Outstanding selection of draft and bottle brews, wide range of choices for individual pizzas, excellent service, subdued lighting. They do what they do quite well, and don't overreach. An easy walk from the Columbia Heights metro stop. Would I go from N. Virginia just for the pizza? No, but in the area it's hard to beat.
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Updated April 19th
Well its spring again and apparently Red Rocks is WAY more popular in the spring than it is in the winter. I wish to speak highly of the berry pie. It is "berry" good. I think you should try it. SOOO tasty.
Also the caesar Salad is really good. Its not that heavy which is what I usually associate with caesar 's but its def worth a try. One of the top caesar's I've had. Otherwise Red Rocks is pretty much the same as it was before. New Staff, Mojitos and well - the berry pie.
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As of late I eat here more often than I eat at home. Its a really fun place. When they first opened there were consistency issues with the crust. That got fixed a few months ago and now everything is good. They don't have almonds, which is a shame, because I would like to be able to order a salad with almonds on it.
Everybody is really friendly which is nice. Even the scary looking one with all the tattoos. I think her name is Eli or something like that. I hear she likes Animars.
The bar (actual bar part) is marble and its always clean which is nice because you can put your arms on the bar with out them sticking (wonderland).
I've never had the brunch actually, but I think they would do well to have a karaoke night upstairs.
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Best pizza in DeeCee, hands down. Seriously. Decent drinks, high-quality ingredients, great ambiance, and WOW is it cheap! As the summer months come, it might be wise to start calling ahead for reservations. The popularity of this place is likely to explode.
I am changing my rating from 3 stars to 4.
The food is pretty good (sandwiches and brunch). But the thing that bugged me was that I felt the pizza was way too small to cost $9-13!!! If you and three other guys are hungry, I don't recommend ordering 2 pizzas from Red Rocks. You will be angry for spending $25-ish for such little food.
I am surprised I am the only reviewer who was surprised at the size of their pizzas. But I have come to the realization that maybe their intent is to present their pizza as an entree! That makes more sense. Then the pizza, which is very tasty, suddenly becomes a good size for one hungry person!
Also, the happy hour special of a cheese pizza for half price is a great deal! Regular price....um....I'd rather get more pizza from a chain and make 2+ meals out of it! I think the happy hour food deal and great beer selection make this place a 4 star joint.
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RedRocks saved our Friday night. Five of us stayed a little too long at the Saloon (easy to do!) before heading to Colorado Kitchen for dinner. When we got to Colorado Kitchen, they were closing. Oops. So, we figured we'd hit up one of our default places--The Diner or KramerBooks. And then a few of us recalled a place up in Columbia Heights called RedRocks.
We found it, found parking, and got seated immediately. The converted townhouse was charming, and I loved the exposed brick on the inside. The music was good, and not too loud (unlike the two obnoxious girls at the bar who were *shrieking*, but that's not RedRocks' fault--ladies, ya'll were the only ones that thought you were cute. Learn to hold your liquor).
Our waitress was friendly, efficient, and knowledgeable about beers and the menu. The beer and wine list looked great, and they have happy hour at 10 pm on a Friday. (YAY!)
We split the meatball sliders, which were yummy. I had the fennel sausage and red pepper pizza. My friends ordered the olive pizza, a chicken sandwich, and another pizza that I forgot. One person ordered a salad that was underwhelming. I think everyone liked what they ordered. The fennel sausage and red pepper pizza was delicious--high quality sausage with just enough fennel in it, and the roasted peppers sweetened the pizza nicely. I found the pizza dough a little soggy towards the center, but the outer crust was nicely burnt in places, and not too bready.
All in all, we had a really good night. I liked the atmosphere and, while I don't live nearby, I'd come back for a night out at the bar or for the pizza. I'm not sure how late they serve food, but this city is lacking places that good food past 10 pm. And, I'll a fan of places that have good service and a welcoming vibe. Thank you RedRocks!
I also saw they have a take-out menu, although they don't offer delivery.
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I loved this place and the pizza is pretty damned good. I just discovered this place in my neighborhood and my partner and I felt like checking it out. Glad we did.
Their pizza is made on a fairly thin Italian crust with a lot of different pizza combinations to choice from. You can even add great additional items for a per item charge.
Oh, before I forget, since the alcohol from that very top secret Bloody Mary concoction is damages my brain cells, judging by this cocktail, I believe they really make great ones here. They also have a very extensive beer selection.
We will revisit RedRocks on a later date. We did ask if they delivered and they said no. The waiter said their pizza is best consumed pretty quickly after it has been cooked because the crust does not hold up well. So buy it and eat it quick because it is a great pizza. 4.5:-)!!
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Good pizza. Rank wise I would put it behind Paradiso and Matchbox, slighty ahead of Vace and Sorisso. Impressed with the beer list which included Allagash White, a personal favorite. Pizza is thin crust, slightly salty crust, and a tad greasy. Good stuff. We had an appitizer that was good, but was really just a mini pizza in hindsight.
Try it, be careful walking there though.
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I've been here 3 times now and they've improved every time to the point where they are my favorite pizza place in the District. It may not be the tastiest (2 Amys) or near enough to other nightspots (Paradise, Matchbox), but it's the most fun.
They're very generous with the toppings, especially the pepperoni, which has a smaller diameter than you usually find, but has a nice kick. Servers are friendly. Veggie toppings have always been fresh, and the crust gets better everytime I go.
Usually busy on weekend nights, but hit and miss crowdwise other times. I hope they can get enough daytime business to stay open for lunches.
This is based on one takeout experience. The pizza was way too salty, to the point that it was close to being inedible. The offender appeared to be the pepperoni. Not happy with the quality overall. The place itself seemed cute.
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3.5 stars, really...
We sat upstairs, and might as well have been sitting in Siberia. Downstairs people were rocking out to music, chatting and eating, and once a big party upstairs left, it was lonely for the few other tables up there. We had no music for some reason, and I think the TV was on TBN or something similarly weird? It didn't help that everyone else was complaining about their food, and that our waitress was all over the place. Hence the three stars.
But enough about atmosphere. The pizza was pretty tasty! I can't really remember it in detail, but I did enjoy it more than the other folks around me liked theirs, and my husband loved it. The extra half star is for having Abita Purple Haze on the menu. I think with some time this place will improve, and I'm definitely going back.
UPDATE: Red Rocks has a spacious patio... It had a crazy tarp or something over it, but now its all open.
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I just moved to Columbia Heights from upper NW, and I was interested to try RedRocks based off of the reviews I had seen.
The neighborhood doesn't bother me too much, although I'd probably want to be walking with a couple of people if I was going there at night. The restaurant is in a converted townhouse, and looks really nice from the outside.
As for the food, I was a little skeptical when my friends and I got the buffalo mozzarella appetizer, which was a piece of cheese and 2 slices of bread for about $7.00. It was tasty, but I was worried that I would end up paying a lot for very little food. I got the chicken and broccoli pizza, and not only was it delicious, but it was very filling, too. My friends also liked their pizzas, and agreed with me that it was more satisfying than a place like 2 Amy's (which I think is somewhat overrated).
The beer selection is also appealing. I had the Alagash on tap, but they have a pretty extensive list of bottled beers as well. I'll probably go back there for their happy hour sometime (they have an early and a late one).
We ate there around 8, and only had to wait a little bit. I could see the service being an issue during really busy times, though. The host and servers were all very nice, but they are understaffed, so it takes a little longer than you might like to get their attention.
All in all, the pizza was good enough to make me want to come back and try it again. It's definitely worth checking out if you are looking to enjoy some quality food and beer in a cozy setting.
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This place gets a multi-faceted four stars...
The Location: There just aren't too many options other than RedRocks in this particular area for fine dining, although if you're looking for a run down liquor store you're in luck.
The Restaurant: So Cute! It's a converted townhouse, stripped down to bare bricks on the inside. Nice chill decor inside very cozy feeling with tables close together, and a great patio outside. The acoustics were a bit noisy, but bearable. On a Wednesday night we had about a 10 minute wait which was perfect timing to grab a beer. I also understand they have a great room upstairs for private parties.
The Food: The pizza was really good but not amazing. It's the kind of pizza best eaten right when it's served to your table, and at that moment it tastes absolutely delicious. My favorite pizzas were the Veggie, the Pesto and the Sausage and Pepper- I would skip the Tuscano because it was ULTRA salty. It's not the all around crispy type of crust that you would imagine from wood fired pizza, the crust is thin, but soft and almost a little on the soggy side on the bottom- not necessarily in a bad way. Skip the appetizers, DEF skip the salads- after all it is a pizzeria so keep your eyes on the prize!
The Beer: A really great selection of micro-brews primarily from the Northeast. Being from the West, most all were new to me, which was great bc I really enjoyed tasting them all.
Overall a great new spot in Columbia Heights!
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On Saturday night my friend and I wondered to RedRocks in search of food and spirits. We wanted to sit outside so we anticipated a wait. Not to worry, though, as we went to the bar to grab a pre-dinner drink. It was at that moment I saw a martini placed in front of another patron and I asked the bartender, "what are those green things in that martini?" My suspicions were confirmed when he said they were non-pitted olives, meaning the pitts are still inside. Its crazy, but they reminded me somewhat of the olives served at Komi. Needless to say, all thoughts of enjoying one of their selections of draft beer flew out the window as I ordered my dirty martini....and the olives were worth it.
We were seated outside in about 15 minutes. My friend suggested the brushcetta, and damn it was amazing! The most fresh, sweet yellow tomatoes were seasoned perfectly atop the thin crusty bread.
I ordered the "putanesca" pizza....mussels, hot peppers, capers, etc. yum yum yum. My friend ordered the pesto pizza. They were both great, though the dough was a little chewier than I would like.
Our server was very attentive.
The pomegranate martinis are also delicious.
Then comes 10pm, when redrocks offers their second happy hour (until midnight) which means $1 off drafts, $4 rail drinks, half prices cheese pizza, etc.
So we moved ourselves into vodka and tonics and vodka and crans and enjoyed the entertainment provided by the neighborhood: 5 cop cars with flashing lights, cops running around with kanines and "wow did you see how big that shotgun was?", plus we had the enjoyment of a helicopter circling the apartment building a across the street for about 15 minutes, added to the "I think those sounds were firecrackers, or were they?" debate.
Man, I love this city! (seriously)
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I would actually give this place 3.5 stars because it has a really nice atmosphere. Think Matchbox but much smaller, without all the annoying drunks, and parking is easier too. The food was where they lost me.
The salad was awful, a Caesar salad consisted of romaine lettuce pulled right from the stalk (not chopped) some unidentifiable cheese, stale crotons, and some olive oil. And it was $7.50! We tried the Veg pizza and Margerita. Both were OK. Crust was good but the cheese seemed cheap and watery, it made the middle of the pizza really soggy. They do however have a great beer selection and the staff is super nice even if they are a little absentminded. We had to wait like fifteen minutes for the check and when we got our check back we got the wrong credit card returned to us.
Despite all this I think I would go back because there was no wait for an outside table (LOVE IT) and the staff and atmosphere was so pleasant. It was also pretty cheap (the pizza were about $10 each).
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This place is hyped up a lot -- maybe because it's really the only nice restaurant in this particular area, as Jess J. mentioned. We went on a Sunday night and it wasn't too crowded. I've driven by during the day and there are basically people everywhere, so we wanted to avoid that. I had the margarita pizza, and it was pretty good. It's thin crust, which always makes me feel less guilty after eating an entire pizza.
I would definitely come here again, however... I did not like it as much as I like Ella's, but that's no surprise because ELLA'S RULES. RedRocks is at least as good as Pizza Paradiso, in my opinion.
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Look, here's the deal with this place.... Columbia Heights is DIEING... I'm telling you, DIEING for places like these.
Just like pizza, it's hard to blow it in Columbia Heights. I liked it. I like their of course, granted bottom of the crust was soggy. I'm assuming by design, but I'm a crunchy crust kind of girl.
The location is still sketchy at night and I can only hope that as more places like these open, the better the area will get. I don't recommend walking there alone at night. But certainly with friends, its a great out of the way stop. Definitely a success story.
The got a great beer selection and the staff is friendly. I'll be back for sure.
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RedRocks is finally open after much anticipation. As it happened, they opened a day early, to the delight of many neighbors who were treated to a free meal on their "soft opening" day on July 11.
While it's not fair to review a restaurant on their not-even-first day, the food, atmosphere and beer list were all exceptional even under the circumstances. There is no question that this place is going to be a hit with the locals. It's slightly out-of-the-way location at 11th and Park makes it an immediate neighborhood joint for a lot of people living in this mostly residential corner of Columbia Heights/Petworth. Northeast of the 14th Street development, the only other option for American food was Temperance Hall. And Wonderland, of course. As special a place as Wonderland has in my heart, eating there on occasion is more out of necessity than by choice.
I tried a couple different pizzas, a Puttanesca and a Funghi. The crust is thin and chewy, with a little bit of yeastiness but not too salty. The toppings were fresh and well portioned, including excellent steamed mussels on the Puttanesca. Not everything was perfect -- but for an unofficial-opening-day, I'm not even going to go into it. It was damn good.
The beer list is outstanding. Chimay on tap, as well as a few others. But much more importantly, there are at least 40 beers in bottles across the board from Leinenkugel Lager, to Abita TurboDog from Louisiana, to Victory Golden Monkey, a 9.5% belgian style beer from Pennsylvania. Really, this is one of the most interesting beer lists in town.
Physically, RedRocks has a nice sized outdoor patio, and a beautifully renovated bar/dining room area with exposed brick, dark wood and warm, low lighting. There are vintage black & white photographs of Columbia Heights which add to the old timey atmosphere. Nothing bad to say about the space.
I'll definitely be back. Any restaurant opening around here is big news - but when it's NOT a chain, it's that much more so. RedRocks seems to have it right and is a great addition. I just hope I'll be able to get a seat in the future!
Update 8/14/2007: Red Rocks has now been open a month, and I've probably been back about a dozen times for dinner, drinks, or the $9 bottomless mimosa brunch on Sundays. They seem to have hit a stride and ironed out a lot of little glitches that they struggled with in the first couple weeks. The service, food preparation, and beer list availability has become much more consistent, even as they've been dealing with spillover dinner crowds. I'd even go so far as to say that they've done an admirable job of getting up to speed in such a short time - the place looks like it's been positively slammed every night for dinner for the last couple weeks, yet the service has been good even when I've eaten during peak dinner hours (around 7:30-8:30).
So one month in, I'm sticking by my five star rating. The food and atmosphere are both excellent, and the owner and staff couldn't be nicer. This is a true neighborhood restaurant and bar for Columbia Heights, and g