Rocky & Carlo's Restaurant & Bar

The hype over the mac and cheese is way overboard. It’s not that special. It’s not a creamy mac and cheese but more on the dry side needing gravy on it. I ordered the hamburger steak with the aforementioned. As others mentioned, the ground meat lacks flavor. It needs plenty help in the seasoning department. Though I did very much enjoy the grilled onion topping and the brown gravy that covered both. The portions are enough for more than one person. Portion size doesn’t take the place to flavor. .

Rocky & Carlo's never disappoints. We never leave hungry as their portions are huge. We eat there every time we are down there.

This is the best place to eat. The food is so delicious and amazing. It’s cooked fresh and hot. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended. I got the Wednesday special, brucioloni. It was so delicious with the Mac and cheese and eggplant dressing. You leave hungry, something is wrong with you.

The food is great but the portion is even greater! Had to take some to-go. Will come back to try their other items. *Thank you for working with the local Kiwanis Club!

First time here....WOW!! Bring your appetite for the large portions they give.

What a great place!! This place has been a well-known local gem since 1965. Huge potions of some of the best local tasting fare. The motto: “Be nice or leave” & “Ladies invited”. You will not, simply will not, be disappointed with a visit to Rocky & Carlo’s!

The Baked Macaroni & cheese with red gravy rules!! This is a St. Bernard Parish institution!! When you grow up in Chalmette like I did you take pride in Rocky's and talk about it far and wide!! Everything is delicious here. It's the vibe that IS Chalmette!! This is the place!! Don't sleep on that oyster / shrimp mixed poboy, y'all!! The one and only Rocky & Carlo's is legendary and a historic icon of St. Bernard Parish!! After Hurricane Katrina Rockys became the northern star, the compass that guided us and brought all of us "home" no matter where we landed after the storm. They're always welcoming and always have monstrous portions just like they had when we grew up there!! Rocky & Carlo's Rules!!

We have driven by Rocky & Carlo’s Restaurant & Bar dozens of times and never really noticed it. Friends told me it was great so we made a trip there. The place is very casual with really good food and service. Most of the other clients I spoke with were regulars, a good sign. The portions are huge! One order could have easily fed us both. Definitely on my list of regular places to go from now on.

I wish the stuffed artichoke was more of a hole and stuffed with a mixture of artichoke heart. It was more of an artichoke with stuffing in between the leafs. A lot of history here and huge portions. The crab/corn was my favorite.

We lived in Chalmette for 13 years and used to come here a lot but moved away a year ago. Today we came back for a visit and my daughter wanted red beans and Mac n cheese so we came here and unfortunately it was a huge disappointment..very bland on both Not sure what happened to this place but please taste your food while cooking it!!

While visiting New Orleans and the surrounding areas, Rocky and Carlo's was recommended as a "must dine at" by the locals. Fried chicken, string onions, macaroni and cheese, and the meatballs were lauded as being the best. We arrived for an early dinner/late lunch and ordered the above mentiond items. The items wére delivered.to out table by a friendly staff member and we got to work on the food. Portions are HUGE! The string onions came out first. The pilewas so big, that after eating enough to fill us up, it looked like we hadn't made a dent in the pile. My wife's fried chicken came with the Mac and cheese side (on a huge separate plate) with a huge lump of baked cheese on the top. The macaroni is more like very large spaghetti noodles, which I had never seen before. I had the spaghetti and meatballs. The two meatballs were very large, almost looked like two meatloaves next to the bed of spaghetti and sauce. The fried chicken was absolutely awesome! There was so much, we took several pieces back to our RV as second meals in itself. The macaroni and cheese was also good and there was enough for four people to feast on. This too was taken back to our RV for another second meal. Now for the downer of the day. The spaghetti and meatballs, although large, lacked flavor. The sauce tastes like a watered down "ragu" can sauce with no flavor other than a hint of sweetness. If you look at the photo, you can see the clearish water under the spaghetti. Not tasty at all. My wife and I spent several days in the area and found that New Orleans food does lack flavor for some reason. Maybe it's a lack of spice, maybe it's a regional thing. We are fans of Italian food and we always look for it or Mexican wherever we go. I like spice and seasonings, especially in spaghetti sauce. This was a huge disappointment. Didn't finish it and left it on the table when we left. This restaurant has a full bar with bottle beer and a decent selection of spirits. We didn't drink any adult beverages on this visit, but the bar looked pretty good. Looking around the restaurant and seeing what other people were eating, I saw several people having "po boys" sandwichs. Those sandwiches looked awesome and if I ever return, I'd most likely get one. This place is worth a try, I'd skip the spaghetti and meatballs, unless you like bland water down Ragu sauce. As one of my rules, I do not read other reviews before going to a restaurant so I can approach it with an open mind. I'll now read the other reviews and see others experience.

It was alright. Me and my father-in-law both got a meatball poboy and a side of fries. It was a LOT of food. They were good, not great but good and the fries were just ok. If I went back I would try something else.

Delicious Italian cuisine and even greater service with a Smile. They make you feel right at home at Rocky and Carlos. I highly recommend this place. AAAA+++

My coworker recommended we try this place, I forgot my phone so no pics. Let me tell you though.. massive portions for decent price. We waited in line at least 20-25 folks deep. I had the veal parm with Mac and cheese. Very good. I'm not a huge fan of the noodle style but it didn't take away from the taste. It took up nearly half the plate and there were 3 decent portions of veal. Presentation is not what they are going for. It pretty much gets slapped on the plate. Was kinda sad as I didn't get much cheese on the veal but all tasted very good. I did get a slice of salted caramel cheesecake.. yes do it!! It was amazing!

Wow the main thing that can be said for this place is HUGE portions. People rave about the mac & cheese here but it isn't my favorite (although it is probably the largest serving anywhere and could feed an entire family). They have multiple selections and rotating daily specials (keep in mind they typically only have the seafood gumbo on Fridays). It isn't the best food you will ever taste but it might very well be the largest amount of food you ever attempt to eat. A good solid place to eat with interesting local characters so certainly a great unique place to visit!!! Just remember Ladies Are Invited! My video review of Rocky & Carlo's Restaurant and Bar is here: https://youtu.be/9xu_ASQ3FH8

Slow service at the bar, was not even acknowledged. Bar keeper was rude, food however is really good

WOW!! The local folks took me here for lunch today and to my surprise it was fantastic!! A lot of places that you order at the counter and then they bring it to you aren't very good, we'll guess what? Rocky and Carlo's changed my mind about that. I had beans and ham with sausage and it was dynamite!! I can't wait to come back here next time I'm in town!!

Awesome food and plenty of it. Great Italian dishes. The service was perfect. Rocky and Carlos is my go to stop when in Chalmette.

Delectable Sicilian comfort food in a cozy and no-frills setting. I ordered the veal cutlet and the mac and cheese but no one told me how big the sides were going to be! Rocky's definitely does not hold back when dishing out hefty portions of their famous cheesy "side-dish". We left feeling full and satisfied with this budget-friendly Chalmette treasure.

If you like good food and great portion size this is definitleythe place for you. Family owned and operated, this Italian spot is a must try. I'm a creature of habit so I always get the veal parmesan and mac and cheese, it is the best! The red sauce is done to perfection and this is the best Mac and cheese ever. The food is great but I love that the portion sizes are so big. You can seriously eat off the plate at least three times. The service is always fast and they have great customer service. It's an old school ambiance but don't let that deter you, this place is a must try. Next time you're in Chalmette make sure to stop by.

Used to come here when I lived here but must say it is not as good as back in the day. Servings very generous but quality down. Jambalaya very bland, 90% rice with just small amount shrimp and sausage. No peppers, celery, onion in sight. Eggplant dressing contained a minimum of eggplant. The most disappointing was the Italian salad. It used to come already dressed and containing olives, peppers, string beans, and other stuff. Now it's just lettuce and a few scattered olives and little containers of dressing. Veal parm was quite good and the Mac and cheese for which they are famous is tasty as ever. The decor has been updated. Staff friendly.

This place feels like going to grandma's. It's been a local favorite since 1965! I feel like every time I come here, I have delicious food for days. Many of the people working here have been here since the beginning or at least since they were very young, so familiar friendly faces all around. It is a family place with a small separate space with a bar where I've had many yummy drinks. Old and young have a great dinner each time they visit.

Just a standard. No hesitation. Fantastic food at a reasonable price, and you most definitely will be walking out with a to go box. Lovely family spot that has a huge menu.

I'm somewhat of a regular so have a 'biased' opinion. Expect a line but it moves rather quickly. This is not a fancy restaurant but a place locals enjoy regularly. Ordering a po-boy; they can be inconsistent depending on who is making it but it is always good. I especially like the roast beef but the shrimp and oyster poboys are also high on my list. The best onion rings anywhere, are made with fresh onion cut into thin strips when you order them but you have to eat them there otherwise, packed to go, they steam in the packaging and get soggy. The plate dishes are generally served with their mac and cheese which is excellent. A little family humor; we used to tell our nephew when he was little that the ladies there kept the French bread warm by holding it under their arms! Needless to say, he never wanted to go there! ;)

What can I say?? You know about this place.... I haven't been here since before Katrina. It's EXACTLY like I remember. I had the Veal Parmesan with Macaroni and cheese. I'm a BIG eater but I was no match for this plate. 4 BIG prices of masterfully prepared veal next to what appeared to be a 3 pound mountain of their renowned Mac n cheese. I took at least 2# of it to go and blessed someone in need with the plate. I GUARANTEE that even if that's all he ate that day, he was full! The folks split a hamburger steak plate and they couldn't finish it. One of us got the gumbo. I could not believe how many GIANT shrimp were in this bowl. I'm talking 30 at least!! A side order of eggplant dressing came out for enough to serve 8. On top of the monstrous portions , the food was all top-notch. Just like your Grandmother cooked it. Go to this place hungry!!

This was my first time at Rocky and Carlo's and the food was amazing. It reminded me of being at home with family. Just hanging out eating good food and having a great time. The service was fast so you didn't have to wait that long for your food. Also the portions size is so big that you will definitely take some home. Loved it and can't wait to go back.

Absolute BEST Muffuletta I have ever had! I grew up in "Tha Parish" and although there may be some bias, I challenge you to beat it!

This place was GREAT! It's different than what I have ever experienced. Sicilian and Creole? Alright. Pleasantly surprising lunch spot. You have to stand in line to order and pay, then they bring you the food. Don't let this deter you. They give you HUGE portions. Try the mac and cheese with red gravy (a lovely marinara) - it's brilliant! The gumbo was PACKED with shrimp, have never seen anything like it gumbo-wise. Ate leftovers from lunch twice! YUM!

Love this place The best roast beef poboy and that mac and cheese was so good as well . The service was awesome and the atmosphere was laid back .

If you're ever in this area, this is the spot to be. I came in mid lunch rush, but the food was worth the wait. Get here before you're hungry! So many great things to try here, I ordered the shrimp and fries- was made to order! If you don't like what they have on the menu, they have a great hot bar too!

I love this restaurant. I'm honest enough to admit that nostalgia might be part of the charm as I've eaten here since childhood, but I think the food is pretty darn good. First things first: if you're on a diet, this ain't the place for you. I think the salad is the only healthy thing they have. Almost everything else is fried - [fried] spicy green beans - or comes in gravy or cheese. Also, the portion sizes are very big. Trust me when I say that your table doesn't need more than one order of onion rings! Ordering can be confusing for newbies. You up to the food counter and order, then pay at the register. If you want baked macaroni as the side dish with your dinner, then that is the only side you can get; otherwise you can pick 2 sides. Fried chicken is cooked to order, so expect a ~30 minute wait. And if you order extra gravy on your roast beef po-boy, you may need a spoon. As for the famous baked mac? By itself it's pretty straightforward: noodles, butter, cheese, and that's about it. It's simple and good on it's own, but for me it really shines when I get them to put red gravy on it. And oh that red gravy; I'd swim in it if I could (I'm a gravy fiend). I've heard some grumblings about the "Ladies Invited" part of their slogan, so as an FYI that's a callback to the days when respectable ladies didn't go to bars. Because they were more restaurant than bar, Rocky and Carlo's put a little "ladies invited" sign in their window when they opened (in 1965), and there it stayed until it was ruined by the hurricane.

We found this diner based off of Yelp reviews. There is nothing open after Ida. Walked into old town USA with a big buffet full of Italian food and local options. I had veal Parmesan and Mac and cheese for the win. Portions were HUGE! She asked if I'd like a child's plate LOL. It's not far from our house so I will be back for lunch again.

We came here based on numerous recommendations seen online. A supposed local favorite. Unfortunately it was very disappointing. I ordered the chicken parm dish & my husband ordered roast beef poboy. We waited a long time. They were busy, more with take out orders. But considering the chicken parm was already made as part of their hot menu buffet style behind the counter, waiting a 1/2 hour seemed to be a bit much. The worst part of my dish was getting "mac & cheese next to chicken parm. I did not know it came with that. I know this is a local place. For me, Mac & cheese do not go with chicken parm. Chicken was overdone and heavily weighed down with an ok sauce. The pasta, I couldn't even try. My husband said his poboy was ok, but lacked meat.

I have had this bookmarked for a long time. It's a drive from Uptown New Orleans so it took me some time to get there. I was really looking forward to this place after looking at the reviews and the menu. The place is very cool. I like the menu and the staff is a bit harried but friendly and helpful. I ordered an oyster dinner with a side salad and some red beans and rice. My wife ordered the stuffed peppers with mashed potatoes and gravy and a side salad. We both chose Italian dressing. There is very little that is homemade from scratch about their food. They use highly processed ingredients and cut lots of corners. I don't mind splurging on food that isn't necessarily healthy but you have to make it from scratch and you can't serve me this level of bad food choices. The mashed potatoes were instant. The salad dressing, cocktail sauce and breading for my oysters were bought in from their jobber. Fake butter with our bread is unacceptable. Margarine was introduced after WWII in a time of need. It's since been clearly shown to be 3x as likely to give you a heart attack. We all know that highly processed food is a bad choice. I can buy this at the supermarket. I don't want to go out for dinner and be served this. Do some cooking! The oysters were fried perfectly and the portion was great but the cornmeal breading was terrible. The red beans were probably a can of blue runner with a few pieces of sausage thrown in. They were bland and the worst example of this dish I have had in my many years here. There was nothing redeeming about this dinner. I guess people come here for the portion sizes and the vibe but for me I care more about the quality of the food and the care that goes into it. There's no food knowledge here or care about what they are serving to their customers. I can't recommend you try this place at all.

I haven't been to this restaurant since before, Katrina. We were worried but food was better than we remembered. Portioned were massive! The eggplant sticks and red sauce were great and neither bitter. The macaroni was huge for a side item and was the best. Service was quick. Great experience!

Service was rude waitress set then food down and walked away while I was trying to ask her something and the food was not good!!!!!! I got a slice of tomato cut in half that was hard as a rock and wasn't even red for a whole po-boy. Had to go ask for some more and received some that was even worse. My husbands food was not even good he did not even eat it. Dried out Macaroni and Cheese and a over cooked and dry stuffed bell pepper. Never again and I do mean never!!!!! What a waste of $50.00

How the mighty have fallen. We used to love coming here-the food was great-macaroni and cheese, and the "WOP" salad. The Mac and Cheese is still huge, but bland, The salad here used to be the stuff of dreams, it came dressed with green beans, olives, peppers, onions and creole tomatoes. Now it's just lettuce and a few afterthought olives. It's not worth a return visit. Rocky & Carlos is still in the same location, but it really ain't dere no more.

So I was born and raised not too far from Rocky and Carlos this was my first time eating her. I k ow I should be embarrassed. My sister and I had been talking about Mac and cheese and she said when you come home you have to stop to Rocky and Carlos to get the Mac and cheese. Went home and my husband and I stopped there to place an order. They were pretty busy on a Sat. They had plenty ppl eating in and in line for take out. Most ppl had masks on which was good and all the employees had on mask. I ordered fish and Mac and cheese. Chicken was a 20 min wait which is great because you get hot food I was too hungry to wait and fish was an 8 min wait. When I tell you , you get enough Mac and cheese to feed 3 adults. They seriously give the biggest portions I have ever seen given in a restaurant. They were clean a lot of hand washing while preparing food. The fish was huge too but it was pretty bland and so were the Mac and cheese. I shared it with my dad and he enjoyed them. It was just ok. I saw someone order a roast beef poor boy and it looked good. I may try that

Huge portions but bland food. Heard so many good things about this place but they don't seem like they season their food! The macaroni was dry too. I don't understand why everyone raves about this place. WAY to overpriced for mediocre/overhyped food

This place is a staple in my family! It's so consistently good. My favorite things to get are the stuffed artichoke, fried chicken, baked Mac and cheese, and the roast beef! They also have amazing red sauce (I always ask for a little side of it for fun). 10/10 must try.

As a lifelong New Orleanian, this is one of my all-time, go to, favorites. Whatever you order from here is made fresh daily and will more than satisfy, and fill, even the heartiest of appetites. If you've never tried this generational powerhouse in a small building in da Parsi, you're truly missing out. And may I always suggests the Veal Parm and Mac n Cheese.

Food is wonderful, overwhelming, you will not leave hungry. In fact you will eat for days. Service is friendly, attentive always goes over and beyond to serve their customers. Ambiance is traditional Rocky & Carlos, family atmosphere, the best restaurant for many years in the parish.

Whoever is taking mobile orders is very disrespectful and yelled at me when I simply asked to repeat the order. definitely wont be coming back to this place. It has happened several times!

There are good reasons R&C's has been around since 4/65. I haven't been there for about 10yrs. only because it's to far from home. The food is still great. Go there hungry & expect to leave with a to go plate of leftovers. The service is just the same as it was in the 1960's. Order @ the counter, pay, get your drink & have a seat. They will bring it to you. They are very good about busing/cleaning tables. R&C's is famous for their baked macaroni & cheese among other dishes. It's close to the St. Bernard/Westbank ferry. If you go once, you'll want to go back again.

This is one of the best little hole in the wall south Louisiana cuisine restaurant you will find anywhere. Everything you order here will be great. They do specialize in macaroni and cheese with gravy on top and this is the first place that created debris to go on top of your sandwich. I'll stop at Rocky and Carlo's is in Chalmette is a must you will not regret it.

So damn good. Worth the drive if you want to go to Chalmette. Everything is home cooked and amazing. No frills, order at the counter and pickup at the counter. Must get their baked Mac and cheese, meatballs, red sauce, poboys.. everything. This place is amazing!

Love this place. The service is very friendly. I love that give you reusable cups to take home as well. The food is good and it's cafeteria style which is a nice twist. Baked Macaroni is absolutely amazing. They use long noodles which I hadn't had before but it's honestly good and is very good paired with the roast beef because the gravy can be added to it. Veal Parmigiana is also very good and keep in mind they give you massive portions so you'll be eating on this forever!! I also had the baked chicken and that was delicious. It's so tender it's fallen all off the bone so be cautious of the bones hiding in it.

Listen, if y'all don't come right at 11AM they open you'll be waiting! BUT DONT let that weigh your opinion about this place down, when I tell you my soul left my body after I had a bite of their Mac n cheese it did not retuned until I HAD to go back to work. Kitchen style dining so you go up to the counter and tell the lovely cooks what choices you'll be blissfully filling your stomachs with. The atmosphere is so quaint and homey you'd think that your sitting down at York auntys kitchen. Service was quick and fast and they are some nice people in there! After settling down we had the most delectable stuffed bell pepper that in pretty sure an angel prepared, it was nice and juicy and it just fell apart in your mouth while trying to savor the flavor, the sweet potatoes fries just felt like the picked the best ones to fully my stomach with and the MAC N CHEESE, JEEZUMS. Those Noods just do something for ya.

Gregory's portions = ginormous portions! Apparently I was so excited when I wrote the review .... :-D

I had the veal parm with baked macaroni. It was just as good as I remember growing up in St Bernard! I got the red gravy on the side, always "on-the-side" otherwise the whole meal is swimming in gravy and it ends up being a hot mess. There is always plenty of food! So I always have enough for 2 meals!

This place is a national treasure. Come hungry because the portions are HUGE! Two coworkers from Biloxi told me about this place and how great it is, so I had to try it. I had the veal parm and the Mac and cheese dinner and for 12.75$ it was a meal and then some. Love the atmosphere too...not classy but down to earth. It was busy but still went by quickly, they are a well oiled machine. Cannot wait to come back! The pictures don't do it justice

This place is amazing. I already want to go back! I love the neighborhood feel of it. There are so many good options for food and everything is a large portion. The Mac and cheese alone fed me for 3 meals and it's made with fresh bucatini. That's a must. The meatballs and spaghetti was wonderful as well. The meatballs are perfect and large. I was really happy that they had 14 hands wine on sale for $9 a bottle. The food comes out really fast too even though it's busy. There's a lot of options for fried seafood. Next time, I will be trying the green beans and/or stuffed artichoke.

Amazing food. Plenty of Cajun, creole, Italian, soul, and local choices with portions that are too generous! I rated them a 4/5 only because I think their hours should be extended past 8pm!

This is exactly everything I expexted in a family diner. Diner atmosphere, large portions, service with da parish flair, homestyle cooking menu. Located on St Bernard Hwy, this establishment blends in well with the rest of the neighborhood so its easy to pass it up. Parking in the front seems slim but the have parking in the back. This place is famous for their mac and cheese so there was no doubt I was going to have some of that. Drinks are nonrefillable except unsweet tea and water (unless its bottled). So we came as a group. The staff was kind enough to set tables up for all of us to sit together. Once we were seated we were given paper menus and placed our drink orders. From what I heard, you can also just order at the counter and get your food much faster. Waiting on it did take a min. I ordered fried chicken, eggplant dressing, and mac and cheese. My fiancee ordered a cheese burger. Other members of our party had hamburger steak with mac n cheese and gravy over it. The food: Let me start by saying tjeir portions are large. My food was good. Not great. Friend chicken was a tad over cooked. Skin was super crispy but the meat was juicy and tender. Eggplant dressing was also decent. I barely noticed the taste of eggplant. I could see that it was pulverized in the dressing. So it mostly tasted like just ground beef. My fiancee's cheese burger was great. It too was huge in size. He only ate half. You could taste it's freshness. It came with fries..meh. So lets talk about that mac n cheese. I think these people might have been related to my gramma bc its exactly how she used to make it. It brought me back to memories of her I damn neared cried. Its GOOD. It is also served in a large portion. It has egg in it so it may not be for everyone. But the pasta is tender and cheesy. Ya just wanna keep slurpin on it. Ask for gravy on the side and taste the mac with it...even better. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed their meals. Everyone had food to bring home. Nobody came to check on us for anything. We pretty much had to get up and pay or get up and get our own to go boxes. If we had waited on a server, it would be a while. This place is like visiting ya mama's house. You family, you know where everything is. Go get it yourself. Overall, I enjoyed this place. Is it all the hype I have heard about...yeah kind of. I would come back. If you havent been, you should check it out. Even if its just to say "I bin dare!" Expect family diner food..bc that's what youre going to get.

2nd time here with local friends and a very good experience. Sit at a table & order or stand in line. Way to go is let waitress take order. Listen closely when I say the portions are enormous. Everything is enormous! Better to go early and just avoid going close to closing time, which was 7:00 pm this time. We arrived at 5:00 pm and had a good time. Our party decided the ftied oyster & shrimp platter was too much heavy fried food but the veal parm was tender and the sauce tasty. The chopped steak was 2 big burgers covered in a pile, a huge pile , of onions and gravy. Everyone had leftovers. One entree with 2 sides could easily satisfy 2 people. This is not gourmet but go early & be happily fed.

I went here because I was in the area. I won't go here again. The food was bland although it looked to be tasty. But my biggest issue was the treatment I received. I'm an African American female and I was treated as if I didn't exist. People who came in after me were helped while I was overlooked. It was humiliating but then I thought the food would make it ok. BOY WAS I WRONG!!! So if you like bland food and subpar service then this would be your place. If you're looking for tasty food and awesome service, RUN!! FAR AND FAST!!!!

Rocky and Carlo's was great as usual. The WOP salad and their specialty, Baked Macaroni, were fabulous as usual. Today they had gumbo as well as the best crab cakes in the New Orleans area. Da parish charm is just an added benefit