Restaurant Review: Rocky River Cafe

There is a trick to having a restaurant with only a few tables. We've been to this restaurant before, Dec.  26th, 2013, and Dec. 6th, but not since it changed hands. It was The Masonry. We are frequent restaurant visitors!


It's small, and it is in a lovely old building. Brick walls, and such. The last time we were there, there was some broad on her cell phone doing business while we were trying to have our meal in peace and quiet. She had ear plugs and didn't have an awareness about people around her. She was disturbing. I took a selfie with her, after turning around and glaring at her several times.

The restaurant was for sale for a time, and then new owners took over. After our Tuesday volunteer day, hubby does Meals on Wheels in the morning, I provide respite for a nonagenarian in the afternoon, we often go out for dinner.

As we entered, there were five tables for twosies, and 4 tables for fours. Now, the two tables we were were offered were in the middle of the room, very near the people sitting eating, right in the traffic path. Yet, here was a woman our age, and her mom, two at a table for four. We were told that they needed to keep the tables for four freed up, just in case they get a crowd in. This diminishes my importance as a customer. Don't we deserve to have some space?

We've been turned away from this restaurant, when they were full. We understand the small restaurant concept. We understand that they need to fill tables. People can learn to make reservations. What about us?

We were sat right beside the brick chimney.

Hubby has a 30% hearing loss. I asked if we could sit beside the wall, at a table for 4, as it is hard to hear in the room with the brick walls echoing sound. They did slightly accommodate us, and move the table for 2 against the wall, and the table for 4 out into the middle of the room. It did help us hear one another.

Then, a young man entered. He was immediately set up at a table for four. He knew the people serving us. Chatting loudly across the room with them, where they were behind the bar. I was shocked. Then, a woman joined him. It was far too loud, for us. You know the kind of people who think everyone wants to know their business.

Otherwise, the service was good, although there is a small room, where a group of 6 filled the space, and they needed some attention. The food was served fairly quickly, yet that is never an issue for us. I do appreciate being asked, after a few bites, if the food was good, which our server did.

The food was good, although hubby was limited to the beet salad (he cannot have dairy, yeast or eggs), there was nothing else he could eat. I had mussels. That said, we didn't feel important and we won't be back.