
The Olympic Tavern
2327 N Main St, Rockford, IL 61103
About The Olympic Tavern - steak house in Rockford, Illinois
Longtime American taproom with 25+ drafts & creative bar bites, pasta, sandwiches, steak & seafood.
Customer Review Summary
The Olympic Tavern offers a lively atmosphere with a strong bar scene and memorable food options. Signature dishes like the bison burger and pig candy appetizer receive high praise for their flavors and presentation. However, some reviews highlight inconsistent food quality and service issues, particularly with greasy or overcooked dishes. Certain diners had disappointing experiences due to wait time and incorrect orders, impacting overall satisfaction. Despite these mixed reviews, many appreciate the friendly service and inviting space, suggesting it remains a solid choice in Rockford.
Key Features
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- Curbside pickup
- No-contact delivery
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Fireplace
- Great beer selection
- Great cocktails
- Great coffee
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
- Sports
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Food
- Happy hour drinks
- Happy hour food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Late-night food
- Private dining room
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Catering
- Dessert
- Seating
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Restroom
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Historic
- Romantic
- Trendy
Crowd
- College students
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Tourists
- Transgender safespace
Planning
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
- Kids' menu
Parking
- Free parking lot
- Free street parking
Pets
- Dogs allowed
- Dogs allowed outside
Customer Reviews
Rating Distribution
D'Artagnon Beaver
If you’re searching for a standout dining experience in Rockford that seamlessly blends a lively bar scene, unforgettable entrées, and a burger that raises the bar, look no further than the Olympic Tavern. Nestled on the west side of Rockford, this iconic spot exudes a warm, welcoming atmosphere that’s truly unmatched. On my visit, I indulged in the bison burger, and let me tell you—it was phenomenal. The burger was cooked to perfection and packed with bold flavors, complemented by the tangy richness of blue cheese. If blue cheese isn’t your thing, don’t worry—they’re happy to serve it on the side or go light on it. But the real star of the night? The pig candy appetizer. This sweet, smoky, and downright addictive treat had us hooked from the first bite. It was the perfect blend of crispy, savory goodness, and it’s a must-try for anyone stepping through their doors. Whether you’re a foodie, a burger enthusiast, or someone just looking for an inviting spot to unwind, the Olympic Tavern delivers on all fronts. Don’t miss out!
Dan Concannon
Seated right in a hallway/corridor area where all the waitresses, customers, managers, and bartender kept walking back and forth all the time. Not a great first-time dining experience! I thought the mexican soup was great. They bumbled the appetizer by bringing out a similar entree, but didn’t charge us…noticed the “sometimes we screw up” on the bar’s chalkboard. Well, fine, but I don’t think screwing up should be a virtue. The pulled pork was greasy and not edible. Was soggy too. Looked great, but don’t care how it looks all that much. My sister had the scallops. Expensive IMO $$$$ 36 for that.
Daniel Bargiel
It was our first visit to the Olympic Tavern, and we had high hopes. The restaurant was nice inside and out. Our server was friendly and attentive. The food fell flat in our opinion.The pretzel appetizer was ok, the mustard was more sweet than we expected. The pig candy was good, and the maple whiskey glaze was tatsy. The ribs were good, and so were the fries. The quattro mac n cheese was dry and lacked that cheesey flavor. The fish and chips were greasy and not crisp. The cod wasn't bad it was the batter and lack of salt. I feel that for the prices the food should be better. The atmosphere and service met the pricing, and the food did not.
Jennifer Hockema
It’s our anniversary and we wanted to try a new-to-us restaurant, so we chose The Olympic Tavern. We both ordered rib eye steak with shrimp. It was delicious! 💜 The garlic mashed potatoes did not taste very garlicky, but the potatoes were still very good. As were the seasonal veggies.😊 Dessert was a flourless chocolate torte - fabulous! Everyone we met was very friendly and the service was good. My only regret is that I did not request a nicer table. We spent our anniversary dinner sitting at a cafe table that was lined-up along a bench shared with multiple people. Not my favorite part of the evening.🫤
Kari Cihlar
The Olympic is a classic that doesn't disappoint. I don't know if my taste buds were just off, but the prime rib was lacking in flavor while the green beans were dripping from an oily/buttery bath, that was just too much for me. My husbands rainbow trout was fabulous, though! Service was top-notch from accommodating seating requests to actual table service! One thing I can not recommend and will never return there for is their espresso martini. I love an espresso martini, but not this version! I will order something different next time!
Joshua Bieber
Came here for lunch. Was an early bird today being the first one to walk through the doors for the day. Had the pig candy appetizer with the whiskey honey glaze on the side. The fried pork belly was great I didn't care for the glaze. The entree I had was the bison burger. It was really good. My main complaint is the blue cheese over powered the taste of everything else. Once I removed most of the cheese I could taste the meat and veggies. And they were great. Served a large amount of fries for my side and they were tasty and crunchy.
Jose Antonio Fernandez
We had a very good experience and the food was nice. It took too long to get our water and menus and the gravy was too salty. But, overall, great experience.
Lacey Sinclair
Usually love this place. I’ve ordered so many nachos over the last 5 years that the people in the back knew me. I always pick up in the back. This last Saturday…I called in, placed my order and went to pick it up. Order is the same ALL THE TIME. Chicken AND chili, no onions and an extra cup of cheese sauce. $22 and some change. Went home, started working and cracked the nachos open. There were onions, no cheese on the nachos and the extra cheese in the cup was hard as a brick. I called and was told to bring the nachos back. It was such an inconvenience but I went back on my break. MORGAN finally came out and asks what the problem is. I tell her and she proceeds to tell me that I ordered cheese on the side. Ummm…what nachos do you know come with no cheese on them? Then I asked her if she took my order and she said no. So how would she know what I ordered?? I told her I ordered EXTRA cheese ON SIDE and how it was hard as a brick. She took the bag, walked back into the building and slammed the door. Rude AF. Someone else brought the new nachos out to me, and they still had onions on it. I just took them because I was over it. MORGAN needs to learn some customer service skills. Don’t send her back out until she gets some home training.
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