Loading ...After having spent years looking for a rock pub in Bangalore that has great food, drinks and ambience i must say the Hard Rock Cafe has grabbed the top spot in my list of favorites. When it first opened up i remembered thinking that they were rather expensive, however over time as I’ve gotten used to the massive price hike in a number of the pubs and lounges I’ve realized they offer the best value for money.
This review is rather wordy as I’ve literally tried to list out almost everything on their menu, and if you’ve ever been there you know its quite a bit !
The Experience:
This is after all the quintessential rock pub and I’m very glad they found a home in what was once the very famous 1912 pub located at the intersection of St.Marks Road and M.G Road.
Searching for great American fare in a rock ‘n’ roll atmosphere? Hard Rock Cafe Bengaluru is the place for you! A premier dining and entertainment destination, the 9000 square foot cafe consists of three distinct sections, including a 100-seat restaurant, a bar area with more than 120 seats and an open courtyard, as well as Hard Rock’s signature retail Rock Shop.
You’ll find the cafe in the heart of the thriving metropolitan city of Bengaluru at the intersection of M.G. Road and St. Marks Road. The state-of-the-art cafe is adorned with pieces from Hard Rock’s world-famous memorabilia collection, including items representing both contemporary stars and rock legends.
For a world renowned menu in an atmosphere that rocks, make the Hard Rock Cafe Bengaluru your next stop.
Their definition says it all!
The Decor is brilliant and the cold stone walls really set the stage for what should be a very nice night out. The bar is nice and big so if you prefer sitting at there you are always welcome. Every Saturday night the bar tenders get on the bar and do a wicked rendition of YMCA ( minus the crazy outfits of course ) and there is even a bit of fire juggling and spitting ( did i get that right? )
To Drink:
They have, without a doubt, the best frozen margarita’s in town. And yes, as one would expect they have an extremely wide range of “beverages” to choose from. Ranging from your hard liquor to beer and the some very fancy cocktails.
With the exception of a few drinks ( like the Hawaiian Margarita below ) most of their cocktails are brilliant.
Their party pitchers are definitely something you should order if you go out in a group, or alone ( i’m not judging ).
To Eat:
The food here is really, really good, and yes this might be a reaction after the spectacular cocktails ( I think i’m running out of flamboyant terms here ). The portions guarantee that you will never leave hungry and the wide range of choices should satisfy the most diverse group of friends you can put together ( well i might be exaggerating slightly ).
As with most pubs the first taste of the food beings with the starters.
I would definitely recommend trying the Jumbo Combo which is a rather large assortment of some of the best starters they have to offer, Santa Fe Spring Rolls ( not very good ) , Hickory Smoked Chicken Wings ( ask them for extra BBQ sauce, trust me its worth it ! ), Onion Rings ( the best in town ) and Potato Skins ( try these with some bacon bits ) and finally Tupelo Chicken Tenders.
The Hard Rock Nachos are great if you are a Mexican food fan, I must warn you however this is a LOT of food.
The Entrees are great as well, one look at the menu and you already feel full.
You have a choice of:
- New York Strip Steak – This is a 21 day aged center cut 12 oz. Strip steak grilled and served with Merlot garlic butter and side order of mashed potatoes, gravy ( yum!! ) and veggies.
- Famous Fajitas -As I mentioned earlier, if you are a fan of Mexican food you could order this, its quite filling and the options of grilled chicken and beef does make this a rather appetizing meal.
- Grilled Sirloin Steak – As with the strip this is a great dish, the quality of their meat is top notch and the “smashed” potatoes in gravy brilliant!! It’s so good infact that i almost forgot about the meat ( scandalous i know! )
- Twisted Mac, Chicken & Cheese – When i first read this i thought it would be a regular mac and cheese, boy was i wrong! This dish is served with grilled chicken breast and pasta tossed with a very heavy cheese sauce and flavored with red peppers and parsely.
- Grilled hawaiian chicken – The way they define this “A semi-boneless half-chicken marinated for 12 hours in a fresh ginger soy marinade, then slowly oven roasted. The chicken is then finished on the fire grill, basted & topped with diced grilledpineapple and green onions. Served with WhiteCheddar smashed potatoes and fresh vegetables.” – I think i started drooling right now.
- Grilled Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon -This is for those fish eaters out there, nice and well put together. Served with garlic butter sauce with a side of mashed potatoes and veggies.
The Burgers are truly spectacular and once you’ve eaten here you will swear off KFC and MacDonald’s ( for good! )
- Legendary 10 oz. Burger – Served with seasoned bacon, two slices of Cheddar cheese, a crisp fried onion ring, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
- S.O.B. Burger – Spicy Chipotle Pepper puree and topped with Jack cheese. Served on a buttered-toasted bun with Hard Rock Guacamole & grilled onions.
- Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger – Hickory Bar-B-Que- sauce and smothered with caramelized onions. Topped with crisp seasoned bacon and melted Cheddar cheese. The BBQ sauce is to die for!
- The Big Cheese – Topped with three thick slices of your choice of cheeses. My God!!
- Red, White & Blue Burger – Laced and grilled with our spicy Buffalo sauce and Cajun Seasoning then topped with crumbled blue cheese and a crisp fried onion ring.
- Caramelized Onion,Mushroom & Swiss Burger – Smothered with sweet caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms. Topped with two slices of Swiss cheese. Served with seasoned fries.
- HRC Burger – A 6 oz. beef hamburger, lightly seasoned and- cooked to order.
- HRC Cheeseburger – A standard burger with lotsa cheese !
- HRC Bacon Cheeseburger – A 6 oz. beef hamburger, topped with crisp seasoned bacon and melted cheese.
- HRC Veggie Burger - For those veggies out there a vegetable pattie topped with jack cheese, zucchini and salsa, and in case you are wondering it is served with lots of mayo. .
If you are in the mood for something less messy I would suggest the Sandwiches.
- Hickory Smoked Pulled-Pork Sandwich – Hickory smoked pork served with a choice of vinegar-based or Hickory Bar-B-Que sauces and topped with marinated slaw.
- California Chicken Club Sandwich – Grilled chicken served with crisp seasoned bacon, fresh avocado slices, tomato, lemon may on toasted bread.
- Grilled chicken sandwich -A grilled boneless chicken breast served on abutter toasted bun with honey-mustard, bacon,lettuce, tomato and Jack cheese.
- Open faced sirloin sandwich -Sirloin steak, with onions and all the goodness it brings, a must try if you are a beef eater.
Most of these come with a side of fries, if not ask for some. You can never have too many fries 
And for those health freaks out there you can always dig into the salads
- Honey Citrus Grilled Chicken Salad – Green with sweet red onions, grilled Cajun chicken and tossed with our Honey-Citrus dressing.
- Haystack Chicken Salad – Mixed greens, carrots, corn, diced tomatoes, pico de galloand shredded cheese. Topped with Tupelo fried chicken or a grilled chicken breast. Tossed with Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.
- Cobb Salad – Mixed green swith grilled chicken breast, avocado, tomato,red onion, seasoned bacon, Cheddar and hard-boiled egg.
Finishing Up:
No meal is complete without a sinful desert to dig into, and the Hard Rock Cafe doesn’t disappoint here either.
- Fresh Apple Cobbler – This is served warm with a side of Vanilla ice cream, topped with walnuts and caramel sauce.
- Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae – Vanilla ice cream and hot fudge on a freshbrownie, topped with chopped walnuts, chocolate sprinkles, fresh whipped cream
- Sinful Hot Fudge Sundae – Three large scoops of Vanilla ice cream,topped with hot fudge sauce, chopped walnuts, fresh whipped cream.. yikes!
There are a number of other options as well however these are the ones that i generally tend to gravitate towards.
The Fine Print:
Type : Restaurant, Lounge and Pub.
Cuisine: Continental
Meal Details: Lunch and Dinner
Alcohol? : Oh Yeah!
Meal for 2: A “meal” for 2 would set you back around Rs 2000
Cards? : Yes
Gripes:
I’m sure there are a few if you look closely, but given the fun I always seem to have when I’m there its difficult to find fault. I know they are expensive but over time I’m sure we’ve all gotten used to the pricing.
Ratings:
Price: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Contact Info:
41242222
Getting there:
40 St. Marks Road – At the junction of M.G Road and St.Marks road.
[...] A big shock when the classic margarita came was that it was served in a beer mug, I was scandalized to say the least. Though I must say the drink was rather nice but still light years away from those that I enjoy at TGI Friday’s and the Hard Rock Cafe. [...]