RockSalt

A little too popular for its own good. Went on a Friday night, the place was packed, service was slow. The cocktails were well made but again, they took a while to get there. The seafood was nothing out of the ordinary and my fish didn’t seem like a six ounce portion. Overall the flavor profile of the dishes were good, but not for the prices.
That said, the place showed promise. Might go back in six months or so and try it again.

Went for Queen’s Feast, incredibly disappointed. Fish choices were low grade fish, Amberjack and Skate, a Stingray like“fish.” Also, Flat iron steak so tough we had hard time cutting, even with a steak knife. Restaurant noisy, poorly laid out and most importantly overpriced. Also, they charged $ 35 vs. $ 30 some other quality restaurants offered for event. Drinks incredibly overpriced also. If you are into trying new, trendy restaurants, and over paying for mediocre food this is the place for you. Oh, grits that were served with steak were cold…

Came for restaurant week on a whim around 6:45, no reservations. Immediately sat on the heated patio. Patio was still a little cold but not unreasonable, especially since we didn’t have reservations. The fish was GREAT. I had the tuna poke to start. Very generous size, extremely fresh and delightful. Next, I had the Skate with Sofrito. Ok, this was some of the best fresh fish I’ve had, and I’m a tough cookie who went to Upstream last week. The Skate was just seasoned and cooked to perfect. It was super light and flakey. It also came out PIPING hot, which is something I really really appreciate from a restaurant, especially on a busy Friday of Restaurant week.
My husband, bless his heart, ordered the steak which was overcooked, but we both agreed that ordering steak at a fish restaurant is an amateur move. I will definitely go back to RockSalt. I

This place was high on my list when exploring options for restaurant week and they did not disappoint! The food experience was absolutely incredible. The trout was fresh and was melt in your mouth good. The sautéed kale had great texture and flavor. The desserts were amazing. Great experience from start to finish.

Some friends and I came here for dinner. Service was good. The food was phenomenal! Most of us had the oysters Rockefeller app and the scallop entrée, both of which were amazing! Desserts were great too. The only negative thing was that our desserts took an unusually long time to come out, but the panna cotta was worth the wait!

Fresh oysters served! For a $ 1 a piece, I’d say belly up to the bar! (Although I saw in another review the $ 1 specials went to the end of the year… I ate here in December… not sure if it still is true for 2016). At the end of the night, I ordered the panna cotta — visually artistic and a delicious way to end the meal.
The service was great, friendly, and understanding to new patrons trying to figure out the menu.
Terrific space. Intimate, clean, rustic, yet modern. I think it would make for a great first date spot or your 1003^rd date spot. Either way, it seemed just right and just what the Queen City needs.

This place is hidden n looks as tho it’s in back of Michael’s. Parking is wide open. No line here. Sat right away. In fact the tables only had a few occupants. Weird stares from the workers as if they were relieved they were hving business. We had two burgers n a steak but b4 that ate the green platter which was the best of all. I vote stick to only eating the oysters n clams!!!

Went here with my parents and ordered ceviche, half dozen oysters (for $ 1 each through the end of the year), lamb bolognese, crab cake and Carolina shrimp with clams, turnips and citrus butter. Everything was delicious — except the ceviche was very vinegary (vs citrusy). Staff was very friendly and there’s a fish special every day that’s whole roasted that sounded delicious. Recommend for a casual night out with some seafood flair.

Really would like to wrap this review up with one word: meh — but I’m sure you would like to have some details.
First of all, it’s gorgeous. Very pretty. Someone put a lot of thought (and money) into the feel of the place. It makes you excited and hungry when you walk in.
Then…we ate.
We didn’t experience any service issues. We were prepared for that since there were so many reviews that stated this was an issue. Bar did seem a little slow, as it wasn’t busy and it took a smidge to get our drinks, but that’s overcome-​able. (What? It’s a word!) Server was friendly and nice. Order was speedy. Hostess was pleasant and not snotty (as Myers Park can sometimes be.)
The crux of the problem was the food. We started with oysters, which were quite yummy. Had a variety of the three different flavor notes. Cleaned perfectly and fresh, but this is where the ‘meh’ begins. Their horseradish was bland. I’m not sure how that’s even possible, but it had no kick at all. And the mignonette (vineger & shallots) was mostly just… vinegar. Very sour and no high-​point or flavor. I ended up just eating the oysters sans sauces.
We also ordered the tuna appetizer. The flavor of the tuna was wonderful. Marinated excellently, and again, very fresh. However every now and again, you’d bite into a huge chunk of ginger. I love ginger, but large chunks of it is too overwhelming for me. Literally had to stop eating it for fear of the ginger-​burning. (I’m referring to food, people! Not gingers! Although… my partner is a redhead… so nevermind, it works both ways!)
Our entrees were underwhelming. I ordered the scallops because I’d read so many reviews about their yumminess. I was terribly disappointed. They came to the table and the server poured broth on them. I wish they hadn’t. Made the entire meal just… soggy. And the greens and beans that complimented the scallops were absolutely tasteless.
I would’ve thought that perhaps my tongue was broken for the evening — like maybe my taste buds were dead, but then my partner’s dirty rice arrived. (He had to order an extra side because the crab cake «entrée» was simply one small crab cake on a piece of lettuce.) If you don’t like liver… don’t order this rice. There was nothing on the menu indicating that they made their dirty rice with chicken livers. Perhaps «true» dirty rice has chicken livers. I’ve never put it in mine, but I don’t know — I’m not an executive chef. But you bite into the rice expecting… uh…rice — and all ya’ taste is liver, liver and then… there’s some liver. Aaaand, as you’ve probably figured out, I hate liver. So does my partner.
They were absolutely cordial and courteous about removing it from our tab, but this was kinda’ the last straw. We are notoriously the «perfect table» — i.e. drinks, apps, two entrees, desserts, coffee — but we decided we didn’t want to risk dessert.
I will pay for a meal. But $ 27 for watery, tasteless scallops and $ 18 for A crab cake… and rice that makes you want to throw-​up — not worth the money.
I usually will give a place another run… every restaurant has it’s off night, but this one just isn’t worth the risk.
Sorry RockSalt. Super cool concept, but seriously missed the mark with the food. I’ll give ‘em two stars since the front-​of-​the-​house rocked it, but you really need to revamp your product — enough so that it hits the Charlotte restaurant gossip channels — before I’m going to risk $ 100 for mediocre food again.
But then again — you are in Myers Park — you’ll probably do just fine.

I have had nothing but a great experience every time I’ve been here.
$ 1 oysters until the end of the year. I’m sure this isn’t a secret by now, but they’ve been doing this special for a few months now.
These aren’t crap oysters either… all from the Chesapeake Bay area, the three available options (right now anyway) range in personal beauty from sweet to brinier in flavor… served with minionette, fresh horseradish, a wedge of lemon, housemade cocktail and hot sauce. Phenomenally cleaned every time. I recommend asking for a side of the grilled bread.
Service has always been on point as well. Go and see for yourself.

First time visit today. Sat outside to enjoy the 70 degree Dec weather. Downhill from there.
Very poor service all around. Extremely SLOW despite there only being a few people dining outside.
Oysters and charcuterie good, clam chowder not so good. Burger ordered medium, came out rare and had to be sent back.
Bar/​drink service very slow…~20 min for drinks…~10 min to see drink menu again mid lunch.
Do not recommend!

WOW! Absolutely delish! What a fun date night out. The oyster selection was perfect. I really enjoyed trying all the different kinds. And only a DOLLAR?! Say what?!
Our server, Kala, was adorable! Great PERFECT service. We will certainly be back again, and plan on requesting her :)
PS order the «Who Shot J.R.» cocktail. SoOoOoOo yummy!

I went to Rocksalt on Sunday for a birthday wind down and went through two dozen oysters and a couple oyster stouts with a bestie. Delish! They were plump, full of liquor and arranged from mild to saltiest, and the closest to fresh you can probably get in Charlotte. Then we got the pan-​seared rainbow trout, perfectly crispy skin with a mild sauce.
The service was friendly and nice ambience too, with a ton of parking. I’ll definitely be back!

Finally, after months of stammering and reading reviews, we visited Rock Salt for lunch. We had a wonderful time. Until the end of 2015 their raw oysters are $ 1.00 each; therefore, a dozen Old Salts were shucked and whisked to our table. OMG, yeah they are that good. Love, love, love ‘em!
I ordered the cobia salad with anchovy salsa verde dressing and it was perfect. My wife requested the market salad and, while it was good, she thought the veggies muddled the flavor – not a do-​over for her. She kept picking at my cobia, however.
My only pullback on my review is the price. While I think they should charge a fair price, the portions didn’t match my expectations. Two glasses of wine each, two somewhat small salads, and a dozen oysters we shucked out a c-​note including tip for lunch. Our server, BTW, was great (thanks, Kala V)!
All that being said, we’ll be back. Thanks for a great lunch!

I had wanted to try the dinner menu here since the Unilocal event and finally finding a friend who wanted to try it too made for the perfect excuse.
The man and I went on a double date and the other couple was already seated (with a round of oysters!) by the time we arrived. Before we ventured out I had already reviewed the menu and knew what I wanted to get. To start I tried the roasted oysters, 2 of each variety. The best by far was the Bienville. I freely admit I am still an oyster novice and I appreciated smothering them with cheese. The boyfriend sampled a bunch of their oysters (on special for $ 1 until the end of 2015). My favorite of the raw oysters was the sting ray.
For my main I went with the scallops which were expertly seasoned and seared. So delicious! Unfortunately the beans were very undercooked, but the collards and broth were delicate and delicious. The boyfriend’s amberjack and the side of spinach greens he got were tasty.
The dinner itself, though a little pricy, was worthy of a 4 star review. However I have to knock a star off because of the slow service and the way the bill was split. When the waitress asked if we wanted one check we asked for separate checks (one check for each couple) and when she returned she had split the bill total down the middle. Efficient for them I suppose but we weren’t a large party and it made everyone uncomfortable. However since we had been there for 2 hours and had a movie to catch we didn’t push the issue.

After hearing mixed reviews for some time now, I finally made my way over to Rocksalt. We sat on the patio, which was nice, other than the fact it’s basically in the middle of a parking lot.
Service was solid throughout the night. No issues here unlike what others have experienced.
Food was average. We ordered a cheese and charcuterie plate which was pretty good, not incredible though. For entrees, we got the crab cakes, ribeye and a lamb bolognese pasta special. Out of the three the pasta was the best no doubt. The ribeye was below average, meat wasn’t top quality and it was way over cooked. The crab cakes were just average.
I honestly expected more out of this place. Given the average nature of everything, I don’t think we’ll be returning anytime soon.

Food: outstanding ceviche, fresh raw oysters (half off on sat 11 – 4), the oyster chowder tastes like it was cooked over a camp fire, very unique and amazing.
Décor: Rustic, original, tasteful and simple
Service: welcoming, professional, attentive, informative, genuine, knowledgeable. (Stephen or Steven was our server)
Location: Park Rd Shopping Center in the «backlot». The building used to be an old dry cleaner believe it not.
Go here, eat, drink and enjoy.
We ate for lunch on Saturday at 2:00pm.

The RockSalt folks have transformed a dumpy dry cleaner building into a cool restaurant. The building reminds me of a beach dive except it’s clean! The walls are exposed block and the ceiling is bare. It has a minimalist feel with interesting art and light fixtures. The space is small inside but their marble bar is spacious and includes a small raw bar. They offer a great selection of liquor and a number of specialty cocktails. The patio doubles the seating area (if not more.). The kitchen is out in the open which I always like. Unfortunately, with not one scrap of fabric anywhere, inside is very loud. If you want to hear your companions, sit outside.
We started off with the Greenway which is a selection of oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp. One of our party did not care for raw shellfish so we asked that they lightly steam the oysters, mussels and clams. They happily did so for us. The shrimp however was somewhat overcooked. We ordered the special whole fish with some extra sides and enjoyed it. For the price, I’ll have to say the portions were not especially adequate.
Service was great at the bar and good at the table.

As GOOD as IF not BETTER Than Upstream!
Paul’s Unilocal Elite Review Rating: 4.75 Stars
So I debated (inside my own noggin) what my 300^th Unilocal Elite Review should be. Commander’s Palace? 4 stars. Nope. I really wanted something that spoke to the masses… an «undiscovered» find that needs to be communicated to the masses. Well let me tell you that my 300^th review was given to Rock Salt! Why? 5 STARS!
I was somewhat hesitant because I did read all the somewhat negative reviews on Unilocal.I said, WHAT can cause an upscale Seafood place to be so bad? I mean, I DO trust (but verify) my fellow Unilocal Brothers/​Sisters so I just had to check this place out for myself. And I am SOOOOOOOOOOO glad I did!
This USED to be a Laundry Mat! Yup. The ventilation is there and all. However, I think they’ve done a phenomenal job in renovating this place and adding a modern kitchen to make it into what it is today: a casual yet chic seafood restaurant.
Came with a friend to experience what this was all about. I mean, I pass it all the time when visiting other Park Road establishments. Started out with their Raw Bar. Got 4 of the Rappahannock Oysters from Virginia. They claim that ALL their seafood is brought in fresh daily. Added a couple of Jumbo Carolina Shrimp just to see if that claim was true. Well? IT IS! The Oysters were VERY fresh and DELICIOUS! But what truly shocked the $hit out of me was what they call a «Boo Ya» sauce. This is the Chef’s version of a «cocktail sauce.» But my friends, this is NO ordinary «cocktail sauce» that you can get at Teeters. Nooooooooooooo, this is a FRIGGEN AMAZING sauce made from fresh chilis, and it had a PERFECT balance of Sweet, Heat, Sour, Bitter and Salt… The Oysters added the Umami for the last sense. I ate the remnants of that sauce right out of the cup. YUP, THAT good!
Collectively we got the Crab Cake and Sea Scallops. My GOD were the Crab Cakes ever delicious! Why? They used VERY little filler. It seemed to be ALL CRAB! And they provided that «Boo Ya» Sauce. Folks, I’m telling ya, that Boo Ya sauce would taste good on your Cat’s Turd! That’s my story and I’m sticking too it! I told the waiter that the Chef really needs to bottle it and sell it. I’m good for a CASE of it!
The Sea Scallops were perfectly seasoned and that brown butter sauce was divine!
I read the reviews about the food being «no spiced enough.» Well folks, this is SEAFOOD! Seafood is DELICATE. Look, I’m a BOLD SPICE kind of guy. I get it. But Seafood needs to be treated with kid gloves and respect. The flavors of the sea need to come out, and I feel that Rock Salt did s FABULOUS job in respecting that boundary!
The service that was provided by Mickey was great! I asked him if I could speak with the General Manager, and he sent over Jessica. She was cordial as I pitched a potential Unilocal Elite or Unofficial Unilocal Event. She said ABSOLUTELY!
Look this place isn’t «cheap» as GOOD QUALITY Seafood rarely is. Their wine list is limited and somewhat pricey. I think they can improve on that (hire me!). But overall I’d HIGHLY recommend Rock Salt! It appears that they’ve worked out whatever «kinks» they had in their food and/​or service.
So Nikki and/​or Tonya, let’s hit up Rock Salt for a GREAT evening of great food and fun.
Oh, their Patio is HUGE! GREAT place to bring a group to enjoy a warm Carolina night and their great food. Just tell them that the big bald guy sent you!

We went to RockSalt Saturday night for the first time (and last). The outside of the restaurant looks very cool and modern.
Upon arrival, I informed the hostess that we had a reservation (booked through OpenTable). She regretfully said that the only seating they had indoors was the one that was closer to the front door than the hostess stand was. So, we asked to sit outside on their huge patio area, even though it was a bit chilly that night without a jacket. (By the way, OpenTable contacted me afterwards and said I was a «no show» for my reservation… sigh…)
Another reason we preferred sitting outside is that immediately upon entering, we realized there was zero atmosphere about the dining room, it was too brightly lit, and it looked and sounded like a cafeteria. The acoustics were so awful that had we sat inside, we never would have been able to have a conversation. The outside patio area is very nice and spacious underneath a pergola, although I don’t understand why they didn’t have outdoor heaters for guests. We shivered a little bit, but were thankful not to have to deal with the extremely loud din from the interior of the restaurant (although you could still hear it muffled from outside, sounding exactly like a cafeteria).
The menu seemed quite limited (and they were apparently out of mussels). Nothing jumped out as me as «wow!» At same restaurants, I have to narrow down my choice. At RockSalt, I had some trouble picking one.
I ordered the sea scallops. I must say that the scallops were absolutely delicious. They were so flavorful, and I savored each bite. The scallops also came with «crushed potatoes,» which weren’t hot from the start, but also tasted like they had reheated from a previous night. There was also a kale & cabbage slaw.
My partner ordered the steak because the fish options seemed too limited, unless you like bones in your fish. It looked quite fatty, but he said it tasted good.
Anyway, because the restaurant has zero atmosphere inside, the menu limited, and the prices are way too high for what customers get in return, we won’t be back to RockSalt.
p. s. A note to RockSalt — the sidewalk out front is an accident waiting to happen. When you leave the restaurant and head toward the parking lot, there’s a curb where there shouldn’t be one (it should just be all flat), and someone is bound to trip and fall. Just sayin’ — get your lawyers ready.