The Oar House

We opted to have lunch at The Oar House with a business lunch in mind on a Friday and wanted a place that would not be loud and intrusive. It had been years since I had visited, but I was still hopeful for a good lunch, excellent service, and an atmosphere to be relaxed. We were not disappointed. Before we selected a place to eat, we all looked at online menus to get an idea of what sounded good to everyone. The pricing is not what made our decisions, but it should be noted that the menu you are handed in the restaurant has a few items with higher pricing than the online menu. I would recommend they correct that for transparency's sake. This meal alone was $19, more expensive than the online menu. I am not complaining, but that's an extra lunch entrée at additional costs. Now, I got lost in conversation and did not get nearly enough photos, but did grab a few here and there. When we arrived at 11:45 am, the parking lot had only a few cars. Lunch service runs from 11 am to 2 pm, and they close again until dinner. When we walked in, two of my business partners and one of their wives and I were greeted warmly and guided to our table. The place was clean and well-lit but not bright, which is always a plus. The decorations seemed well maintained, the ones we noticed. I was reminded of all the many trips here in the past as the rustic interior welcomed us in. The little touches like stained glass windows and old world style feel made the place feel like we were no longer in little ol Rockwall. Our server took our orders for drinks promptly, and we opted for a few appetizers to share. We ordered the Funghetti Ripieni, bruschetta, and Cozze al Vino Bianco. Bread and butter were served at the table as well. We ordered Spezzatino di Manzo, Suprema Al Ferro, Caeser con Pollo, Ravioli Di Formaggio, and lobster bisque for lunch. Overall the meal and the experience was amazing. The food was great, and the atmosphere was very inviting. I love the old, cozy feel of the place. It feels like you are in a comfortable, warm place with an appealing atmosphere. The server, Ryan, was terrific. We felt like the only people in the place the entire meal. Even though there were a few other people there, the service was top-notch. The Oar House will stay in my rotation of places for a while. They continue to impress and provide great food and service; with a few tweaks, they will be just that much better. We over stayed our welcome and got lost in conversation. We looked up and it was well past 2pm, and they had already shut down. They were patiently waiting on us and never interrupted our conversation one time. We apologized for keeping them past 2pm, and they were very kind. They kindly said, not a problem at all. Happy you enjoyed your time. Come see us again. I can say that I will continue to go and will keep them in the rotation for sure.

Every now and again you eat at a place that feels like you have been going there forever. You know what I mean, where they know your name, always happy you came, atmosphere is outstanding, and the food and service feels like home. I found that here at The Oar House. Whether you eat at the bar with Chris (she is amazing), or at a table, this place serves you like family. The food is consistent, and I waited till my 4th visit to review because anyone can get lucky once. All 4 times I kept my order the same and every time it was dead on. I would like more land options for appetizers, but other than that it is amazing. The patio is a romantic seating option or sit inside where the ambiance is quaint and quiet. I cannot say enough about this place. If you wanna romantic experience or a first date option, this is your place. Enjoy it, I always do!

First time here- My wife and I came for a 1yr anniversary dinner. The service from all the staff was lovely- Friendly & attentive. Food was amazing. Gorgonzola salads, chicken Parmesan & pecan pie were delicious. It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited about a restaurant. I’ve never been able to give a review about one, with top marks across the board. Will definitely be back.

We came to Oar House Dec 23 for a date night, it was our first time and certainly will not be our last! The staff was accommodating and friendly, the food was excellent, the ambiance was lovely and we left full and happy! Our table was a little on the small side, but it didn’t detract from the meal. We had: Shrimp cocktail: delicious Maialetto arrosto: the star of the show! Incredible dish, it’s rare I like a pork chop better than a steak! Bistecchino Di Manzo: delicious Chocolate cake with coffee: *perfect* end to the meal Definitely get reservations well in advance- they book up fast for a reason!

This is one of the few restaurants in Rockwall that are genuinely original and independent. The food is of excellent quality and no expense is spared. I enjoy going there on a routine basis and the service and atmosphere always make me feel exceptional. Highly recommended!

Food: Soooooo good. Crab claws, salad, lasagna, pork chop. All very tasty! Service: Slow at 1st when busy, better when it slowed. I'm gluten free, made that clear. Server acted like she was educated on that and would care for any sauce that was not gf. When they brought my pork Chop she did put sauce on the side "in case" and said " I think it's okay". I told her I can't eat something you " think" is okay. I need to know what's in it. She got the manager and he confirmed it was not and took it away. I still thoroughly enjoyed my meal with no issues. Atmosphere: really nice, laid back but still upscale. However it was very hot! Price: 4 drinks, appetizer, salad 2 entrees about $150. Not bad! I will definitely be going back.

This is a great spot! The food was incredible, wine was reasonably priced, and service was fantastic. Our server was Robert and he was friendly and attentive. Despite being extremely busy, their food quality and service were not negatively affected. I highly recommend making a reservation if you go. We will definitely return for our next special occasion! Heads up for fellow vegetarians - there are not many meatless options on their menu, but they were happy to modify my entree for me. Also, avoid looking around the walls too much, because there are many heads of dead animals ☠️

Beyond disappointing. Been here before, and it was excellent. What happened to this place? Brought my mother for her birthday today. Server was kind, but when people don’t eat what the order do the math. The salads looked like something from a package and a can. I can make better at home. Zero flavor. No regular ice tea. The bread, not fresh and cold. The pasta, no words. Olive Garden serves better. The shrimp and angel hair was soupy. The chicken Alfredo looked a step above a frozen dinner.

Go to Olive Garden, because this place is not it. Came here to take my mother out to dinner for her birthday, ended up driving to Dallas for something more proper. I have been here before, and it was marvelous. Something has definitely changed. We were not even greeted by anyone when we first sat down. No regular iced tea. Salad seemed like something opened from a package and can, and thrown on a plate. Bread was something made for lunch time, and half warmed up for dinner. Dinner plates were odd. The plate ware used was not appropriate, looked cheap. The food was just thrown together, absolutely no flavor whatsoever. Do better, it's too good of a location to serve crap.

First time here. My wife and I celebrated or 43rd anniversary here. We had exceptional service and the food was great. Even had some escargot for the first time, wow. And that was a good wow.

I HATE to be the one to do this because this has been a long time favorite over the many years my family has lived in Rockwall. 20+ years. We haven't been here in a really long time because it is quite pricy but last night was my sister's birthday and we were excited to splurge. The food used to be top quality. This is no longer the case at all. Dish by dish... the calamari was actually really good. Nice fat pieces and flavorful. The Caesar salad... decent but is not an option as a soup or salad that comes with your meal. They charge you extra for it. Why? It's a damn plain ass Caesar salad. Nothing special about it. The crab claws were quite pitiful. So small and barely any meat hanging on to the claw. They give you a lot of them but they are sad. The sauce with the crab claws was really good though. Great for dipping your bread in. I had the veil with sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. If that wasn't the most pathetic piece of veil I have ever seen in my life. Almost as thin as paper and cooked to death. The white wine sauce belonged on a plate in a hospital cafeteria. The bruschetta was also pitiful. Just look at the photo. It tastes about how it looks. I give two stars because the service was very good. We enjoyed our server as he was polite and prompt. We spent a lot of money for food that was just not complimentary to the prices. I hate to be so disappointed because I talked this place up to my fiancé just for the food to be crap. Needless to say, I will not return which breaks my little food loving heart.

Had dinner here last night. It was about our sixth time coming here. The food, service and ambiance were all excellent. We had the Filetto al Cognac and Vitello Carciofini. Both were cooked perfectly and accompanied by nicely cooked potatoes and veggies. Prior to our entrees, we were served warm, tasty garlic bread and nice house salads. Our server, Brandon was excellent. Drinks were delivered shortly after we ordered them. Someone filled our water glasses whenever needed without us having to ask. Whenever our plates were emptied, someone noticed and removed them quickly. And the service is a team effort. Overall a wonderful experience. We will be back!

Food was fantastic but the service and atmosphere were a let down. We sat at a booth for 10 min without anyone coming by to see what we wanted to drink. The manager that day was mingling and sitting down at tables with customers that I am assuming were "regulars". So they got much more attention than we did. We eventually moved to the bar and were able to order drinks and food then. The only thing that made up for our visit was how great the food was. We had the chicken parm and a Caesar salad that was fantastic! We will likely be back but hoping for better service next time.

Really nice restaurant. Food was amazing! Service was great! Great wine selection and the drinks were yummy. Definitely a spot to try.

The service was great, prompt and accommodating. The calamari, salads, entrees and desserts were just as good. It was nice and semi private being in the corner and there was no pressure by the staff to leave.

Great ambiance, food, and service. The drink selection could be better, but overall, it's a great restuarant!

Overall experience// Food-2 stars Service-2 stars Ambiance-3 stars Drinks-1 star Dined here for our anniversary. We liked the atmosphere, but the service was lacking. The food was subpar, and the drinks were basic and OVERPRICED! This restaurant has so much potential to be great, simply because it's a Rockwall staple and the location. However they are missing some key marks, especially for a $$$ level restaurant. With that comes expectations, and they missed big time. They need to raise the bar or sadly I think they will be left in the dust like other restaurants in the area that have not been able to keep up. Hands down best things about our experience. The GARLIC BREAD!! Saved me from the terrible beef tenderloin appetizer! Definitely recommend the 'Tiramisu' here! I think the added chocolate sauce did it for me, but I was so happy with this dessert.

Always excellent service - especially Mary - and chef created lovely dishes never disappoint us. The ambiance is always quality but relaxing for such a nice meal.

Simply amazing. Great atmosphere, amazing staff. Would highly recommend..!! The steaks were so delicious and perfect

This place is still excellent. Service was top notch. Ambiance is old school vintage cool. Everything we ordered (bisque, snapper, carpaccio , stuffed mushrooms) was very good. Great place to go.

Being transplanted from California this is my first time at the Oarhouse, Rockwall, TX. Must admit I had a very good experience. Comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Hostess was pleasant and our server Lacey was welcoming, friendly and very knowledgeable regarding the menu. Food was very, very tasty and prepared with care! The serving size of the dishes was a lot more than I expected, nice! Presentation of the appetizers to the entrees were pleasing and absolutely delicious! The accommodating staff a plus plus! The 'thank you' from the bartender was a nice touch on our way out! Will definitely be back to try the rest of the menu!

Went with friend Ma for dinner and had good service and great food. Also recommend getting the Lobster Bisque

Substandard experience on Xmas eve dinner- we made reservations on Xmas eve and were promptly seated at 7:30 restaurant was about 75% full. We ordered fried calamari we were offered soup or salad with our entrees . Here is what happened- calamari came out barely warm,breading was soft not crispy as it should and many pieces were stuck together- my soup came out smallish and my wife ordered the Caesar salad underwhelming but supposedly comes with dinner guess that's ok - entrees came out in the middle of eating our soup and salad- waitress apologized but did nothing about it- our entrees were just ok - that's not a compliment- bill comes out and there is an up charge for the underwhelming Caesar $11 Waitress told us she usually tells her customers about the up charge but forgot because she was very busy - we just moved to the area and are starting to figure out that standards in this area are different than Dallas or Plano When you spend $150-$200 we expect better won't be back- we will travel out of rockwall for a nice dinner

the service was excellent. the food id give a 3/5. it definitely feels like american versions of italian dishes and nothing authentic. Also, they don't serve ranch dressing which I found extremely odd given they had blue cheese dressing and no one uses that around here. I opted for caesar dressing and they uncharged just for caesar dressing? There was nothing additionally added to the salad for them to upcharge for dressing choice. The manager came around and made sure we were enjoying ourselves and we loved that. Also the wait staff was incredibly on top of our bread and drinks, which was lovely and appreciated and makes such a difference in experience

Love the old- world ambiance, fabulous food and impeccable service. Our foodie friends from Dallas love it too. Worth the drive across the bridge which is saying a lot!

Ate here several times before and was very pleased with both the service and food. However, this time was not the same. Both service and food quality diminished immensely. Not sure I'm ever coming back

Best Rockwall restaurant to take someone special out on the weekend. Excellent food with great variety . Higher price is worth it.

Our recent visit to The Oar House was a little disappointing. I love this place, but they need to be more consistent. My meal was tasty, but not very well presented and my grilled chicken breast was overcooked and dry. Gave me the feeling that the kitchen just didn't care. This was my 2nd bad experience.

This place has so much character, the decor itself is really warming, calming, and comforting to me. I love all of the stained glass everywhere in the place. And the mixed matched plates are really cute to me. I know a few other places that do that and they always seem to be the best places. The service was just perfect and our waitress was super sweet and was happy to explain more about the dishes to my husband and I. I personally got the Vitello Carciofino and it was Amazing! All of the flavors were so rich and the food is filling too. I've never had anything like it before and we will definitely be coming back to try out more of the dishes. I personally didn't want to leave the place cause of how welcoming it is. Keep up the good work there you all

The food was very disappointing. It's like a fake gourmet Italian restaurant. I suggest the chefs and owners take a field trip To St. Rocco's in Trinity Groves in Dallas. Soo much better and in the same price range. Although the service was ok, not as good as Rocco's. The veal was tough and the potatoes and garlic bread were cold. Trashy Italian. Go elsewhere.

This restaurant has such a warm ambiance. I was excited to see the escargot on the menu. I also had the fresh spinach salad with corn , red peppers and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. My Mother enjoyed her steak too. Every time we visit the Oar House we enjoy the food. The service is excellent too

I ate here with my son and daughter in law. The food was not good and our bill for just three of us was over $250.00! We have eaten at Ruth's Chris for that amount and the food is good there. I do not recommend this place at all.

Brandon (our server) was great and on top of it. He was friendly also. Food was wonderful and the special Flounder was truly great tasting. Our friend received a piece of pecan pie for her birthday as well. Whole evening was great.

The atmosphere and service is top notch. We had wine, crab claws app, red snapper and scallops. The ambiance is romantic. They adjusted a menu item to make it with spinach instead of pasta (carbs) for me. The pricing is probably the only reason I won't go back as often as I'd like. *Get a reservation ahead of time- recommendation

Great service, attentive and helpful. The food perfect, and lovely room. Will be back next time in Rockwall.

Been a regular customer now for 27+ years. But, after being treated by the manager tonight, it will be my last. Tables are open, but his excuses for not seating us was that we had bar seats. After the 4th time of asking with STILL open tables and given we had a reservation, his answer was.... Well you had seats at the bar, so we seat people that walk in that don't have seats at the bar.

The filet mignon is excellent. The salad was alright. Restaurant itself is charming and I know it's a Rockwall institution. But the service is just bad. Defensive, rude, slooooow servers and why do the bussers keep trying to pick up everyone's food before they're done? Repeatedly. Need some training on the front of house staff. I'd come back for the steak though!

The calamari was not cooked. It has caused me to not want to eat it again. The drinks were tangy. The set up is cute. But I kid u not I went home showered and projectile vomited the whole meal. Which all was within an 1 hr period. Never again for me.

Upon arriving at the Oar House (1st time) we were greeted kindly enough by the wait staff. The room was empty and we told him we had reservations. He took us to a table by the bathrooms and facing the entrance to the kitchen. We noticed immediately there were pieces of food strewn all over the floor of the kitchen. It was pretty gross. It was my birthday. And we told them that. My husband knew that I wanted to try it because we lived in the area and people spoke high regards of this establishment. The waitress had the personality of our napkins. We asked for recommendations and she said she like everything. We ordered the mushroom appetizer, which she did say was her favorite and it was lukewarm at best. With cold garlic bread. The salads were fine, but due to the complaint about the cold bread, we were served soggy mushy bread. Hot. But mushy. I ordered the halibut and husband ordered lasagna. Halibut was well cooked and had a nice flavor and sauce. However, the lasagna was worse than stouffers. Noodles over cooked, meat was flavorless and an overall disappointment. We asked for the manager to tell her of our experience and she said she'd talk to the chef and let him know. She offered to bring us dessert to make up for our bad experience. By then, we were ready to get the heck out. And shouldn't I get a piece of cake or something for my birthday?? The prices don't reflect the quality of the meal. Save your money and head to zanada or literally any other restaurant in rockwall. Better yet...go to terrillis in Dallas and experience a true culinary dream.

The Italian Margarita was the star of the show. The environment didn't feel very Italian. The theme of the restaurant is Oar with a boat hanging from the ceiling and various animal heads. The food was decent nothing memorable to mention.

Food was very good to outstanding. The Lobster Bisque has a unique taste with dill and seasonings. Very good though. The crab claws were yummy and the salad was to good to very good.

We always enjoy eating dinner at Oar House. It's one of the few restaurants in Rockwall that we can actually talk and hear each other. It's a smaller restaurant and more intimate than most. The decor is nice and wait staff is always attentive and knowledgeable about the menu items. We usually get whatever special "off menu dishes" they have for the day and have never been disappointed. These specials are usually steak or seafood with a delicious sauce, paired with a vegetable and or rice/potatoes. We also order a salad, garlic bread and dessert. I forgot to take a picture but most certainly will the next visit.

We had a 7:30 reservation - arrived a few minutes early and were seated pretty close to on time. At 9pm we finally received our entrees. The food was good but we had not anticipated 2 hrs for dinner.

Staff was not pleasant so we left. This was place was recommended to us but our experience was not pleasant and staff not friendly at all.

My husband and I ate there last night for our anniversary. We were a little concerned after reading some negative review but I have to say we had a wonderful time. The service was prompt and Ryan, our server, was very courteous. I had the peppered filet 8 oz and it was cooked perfectly. John had the Sea Bass that was also excellent. What was also very cool is you get a salad, potatoes and vegetables with the order at no extra charge. That's a rarity at the higher end restaurants. Calamari appetizer was also good. We plan to go back for our next special celebration.

We gave this restaurant a second chance since the first time was bad & they did not redeem themselves. Save yourself & go to Bin, Perry's, Trulucks, Etc. The interior is interesting & nothing seems to mesh. Random paintings and mirrors mixed with animal heads & an oar & boat on the ceiling. Bar & restaurant are just very dated. Bathrooms were really dirty, to the point that the guys mentioned it too. Service/food took forever. This is an extremely small place, so soup, salad & entree should not take 2.5 hours. Most of it was crammed in at the end. Lobster bisque was good, salads were okay & our fish & steak weren't anything special. They need an overhaul bc there are too many other great restaurants in town. It's surprising bc we enjoyed the food at their other restaurant fatted calf.

I've been dining here for years so I'm very familiar with The Oar House. Unfortunately, over the last year the food quality is just not the same. On a recent visit the service was good but the food was sorely disappointing. If you have high standards for Italian food, save your money and spend it elsewhere.

Take out tonight was below average. Subpar service for a somewhat upscale restaurant in Rockwall. You should do better.

The flounder was the best I have ever eaten Fantastic service, very nice place to eat.

Delicious food and drinks. The rowing scull and oars are on the ceiling. Handsome bar. Good acoustics.

Let me start by saying the food is AMAZING!!! Love the ambiance, the patio and did I mention how good the food is? But they are completely incompetent when it comes to their POS (cash register system). We had a group of 4 couples. We asked for separate checks - which should be super easy in this day and age. They would not accommodate this request - maybe because they wanted to make sure they could automatically add a 20% gratuity. Since we all wanted to pay by credit card - we were asked by the server to tell her how much to charge each credit card. Well, this was pure hell - because we had to figure out what she charged us for her guaranteed 20% tip. The numbers just didn't add up. Everyone was willing to pay the 20% gratuity, but we couldn't match up our numbers with her math. It took almost a full hour after we received our check before we were able to finally leave. There was absolutely no reason for this disaster. We would have complained to a manager, but we couldn't find him/her. Bottom line, don't go to this restaurant with a group of people unless one person is going to pay the entire bill.

We went to The Oar House for a birthday celebration, and the meal we were served was underwhelming at best. Our server was very pleasant, and prompt. But our meal was not worth the $155 it cost. I ordered the halibut, and it had a strong fishy odor, and was far from fresh. It had a rubbery texture to it. My friends ordered the chicken parmigiana, and angel hair pasta with the white sauce, clams and mussels. They too said their entrees weren't fresh. We ordered the chocolate mousse cake and the cake itself was very dry. When we mentioned our disappointment to the manager we were encouraged to come back & they would comp our meal. We will not be returning to The Oar House. Good customer service and quality ingredients don't seem to be part of the patronage here.

Four of us went there last week, Sunday 5/22 around 7:00, it was dead. Only two tables had people sitting at them and no one sitting at the bar. This is usually not a good sign. Was seated by a guy, not our waiter. He handed us menus, a specials menu and a wine list. He said they had a wine special where bottles that were $60 or less were half price and bottles over $60 were $30 off. Great we thought, we can try a wine we normally would not buy due to the markup they have at these places. Tried to order one at $55 to start out, a nice Champagne. Waiter came back and said they did not have that one and he recommended a different one that was slightly higher in price. I didn't like it so we skipped that one. I ordered a beer while we tried to decide on a wine. Ended up ordering a bottle of Pinot Noir priced at $65, which they did have this time and my wife got a glass of Moscato, since she prefers white wine. We ordered the Escargot app and a few of their classic dishes, two noodle dishes and two veal dishes. The noodle dishes were nicely sized for the price, however the veal dishes were under sized for the $24.00 price tag. Small little portions of broiled potatoes and veges and a small veal cutlet. Throughout the whole dinner, the place never got any busier so it's hard to judge how the service would be or what the noise level might get to. The waiter did ok for really only having one table, but we did have to flag him down several times, which I thought was annoying. The waiter did stop by near the end of the meal and asked about dessert. We ordered one creme brule and 4 spoons. It arrived very fast, but was very small. It also had a citrus sugar on top which ruined it. Avoid the creme brule. As we finished up we flagged down the waiter and asked for to go boxes and the check. Imagine my surprise when the bill was $206.00. I looked at the bill and sure enough they charged me full price for the bottle of wine, $65.00. It took a bit to get the waiter back to the table, but once we did, we asked about the wine. He told us there was not a $30 off on the wine. I immediately asked for a manager. When the manager arrived he asked if there was something wrong with the bill. We explained the wine situation and what the original person who seated us told us. He then said that was wrong and we would have to pay full price. To which I said I was only paying the $35.00 that we were told the wine would cost. He then told us that he would have to call another manager to ask if that was going to be possible. Really? Are you a manager or what? You don't need to call someone else, you need to just adjust the bill. Needless to say, our waiter returned with an adjusted bill of $171. We probably won't be going back for some time because the whole place and the experience was just weird. There are far better places to go for a $200.00 meal.

My husband took me to the Oar House for our anniversary dinner. I wish he had picked someplace else. The waiters and waitresses were very pompous or aloof, and the decor was outdated and strange. For all that show, you get lukewarm food drowning in a pool of mayonnaise-flavored sauce. I really disliked the flavor combinations in what I ordered. The prices were also very high considering the quality of food we received. You should save your money for a nicer place that actually lives up to the hype, like Bin 303 on the other side of town.

This place has good high quality food and fairly good service. It's fairly popular on the weekends. It has a romantic type atmosphere EXCEPT......... They sit a table for TWO RIGHT next to the other tables for two. Meaning, you are SO close to the other tables that you might as well be eating WITH THEM! Terrible, terrible seating for TWO! TERRIBLE! Adequate service, good food (a bit salty for me), nice atmosphere for a party LARGER THAN TWO! I will NOT return to this restaurant because of their seating for TWO is literally like eating at the same table with others. Terribly disappointed. I would suggest that YOU try this restaurant if you a 4+ people, but NOT dinner for TWO!

Love the atmosphere! A one piece band on the weekends, martini night on Tuesdays I think and excellent food & service. I like the escargot & sea bass especially. The other night, I had the Best Oysters and they offered 1/2 price Oregon Pinot Noir by the bottle. It was wonderful! They were broiled, so fresh & delicate. Not the biggest, but these were the most delicious oysters ever.

Great place to go if you want to have long conversations. Food ok but nothing special. Waitress could be friendly. Acted like a bouncer more than a friendly waitress

Great local restaurant. Went over the weekend with a group of friends and had a wonderful time. Loved the crab claw appetizer and the Osso Bucco that was on special that night. Would have preferred Gnocci with the Osso Bucco but the pasta was tasty all the same. My friends enjoyed their Chicken Parm. Good wine list and friendly, thoughtful service. My 2 cents. Greg T.