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Sprouts & Shutters: Rockhouse Sports Pub & Grill Livermore Under New Ownership

The Rockhouse is back with a Model T and a new menu starting March 22.

The Rockhouse Sports Pub & Grill will be reopening, albeit with a slightly new name, thanks to proud new owners Gerarda and Barney Stocking. The Stockings, who have been in Livermore for over 30 years, say the restaurant will reopen on March 22 at 11 a.m. to serve lunch and dinner.

Stocking's daughter, Veronica Everstein, is the head chef, making the new venture a family affair. Everstein is a graduate of the famous Cordon Bleu cooking school in Los Angeles. Everstein has created a new menu for the newly decorated restaurant.


Stocking wrote, via email:

Barney and I are very proud of our dedicated chefs and staff that are reopening the Rockhouse Sports Pub & Grill Livermore. Here's the initial menu while we're waiting for our Beer and Wine license.  Veronica, our daughter, and Felipe, both Cordon Bleu trained chefs, are ready to "wow" guests with their fantastic food! They'll be serving delicious lunches and dinners (and perhaps the best burgers in Livermore, using California Angus beef) and topping it off with a fine selection of teas or specialty coffee drinks using "Thanksgiving Coffee," a wonderful coffee roasting company located in Mendocino roasting coffee beans from the Free Trade Zone and promoting economic, social and environmental justice. Veronica and her staff will be making Lattes, espressos, mochas and many more. Andy is the manager and Maitre 'D and in charge of keeping the Sports channels tuned into the patrons wishes. He will be featuring the local school games as well as having special events for families and schools watching DVDs of their favorite sport... nothing like having a hearty breakfast or lunch after playing a good game of soccer and watching how great (or not so great) that you played that day!

According to Stocking, license plates adorn the walls, along with televisions for watching sports events and a Ford Model T car with wooden spokes is parked near the fireplace.

"There are touches of nostalgia throughout the restaurant from the old-time license plates beneath the televisions to the old Philco refrigerator, which houses the Rockhouse t-shirt selection," Stocking said.

Stocking says the the menu will grow and that they are still currently awaiting their alcohol license so they will not be serving any alcohol until they receive the license from the Alcohol Beverage Control officials.

The Rockhouse closed for financial reasons in Jan. 2013 after being purchased by Billy Jordan in Feb. of 2011.

Are you going to check out the newly reinvented Rockhouse? Tell us in the comments section below.

April Baby March 22, 2013 at 11:52 am
Sounds great and glad this Rockhouse is reopening! Are they hiring ?
Pogmahon March 22, 2013 at 01:12 pm
Glad to see it reopen. The Stocking family has always been a promoter of Livermore, and I wish them well. I do need a beer with my burger, so as soon as the license hits, I'll be in. Good luck.
Julia March 22, 2013 at 01:33 pm
Yeah! A real restaurant with a real trained chef!! The menu looks great; simple comfort food with a nice modern twist. Can't wait to check it out!
Wishing the new owners & staff 100% success!
Stephanie Anne March 22, 2013 at 02:23 pm
Thanksgiving Coffee roasts fair trade coffee, not free trade coffee! A big difference between the two and a common mistake. Learn about the difference here: http://bit.ly/Z8c3uk
Maria Dingoe March 22, 2013 at 02:33 pm
Wishing the Stocking's a huge success with the reopening....hope they have some really good seafood entrees on their new menu, Best of Luck !
Cherry March 22, 2013 at 02:56 pm
Congratulations to Gerarda and Barney, thank you for investing in Livermore! we will be going to Rockhouse Sports Pub & Grill soon!
April March 22, 2013 at 02:58 pm
So glad to hear they are reopening with new food. Sorry Billy but the food went downhill when you were there and that is why we stopped going.
Michael Delfino March 22, 2013 at 04:20 pm
I'm so happy this is reopening. It used to be one of my favorite places to eat here in Livermore, and then over the last few years of it's existence, it gradually went downhill to the point where the food was inedible. The new owners will definitely see me in there soon after it opens!
Analisa March 22, 2013 at 04:37 pm
Good luck in your new endeavour : )
Susan Diaz March 22, 2013 at 05:04 pm
Hope your going to have the "Nighttrain N
achos" they were my fav! I am happy to see this re open however I really loved Billy and his staff of gals, they were awesome! We had alot of fun at Rockhouse and when some here at work had a birthday we always celebrated at Rockhouse.
BILLY JORDAN March 23, 2013 at 02:21 am
I'll be Bartending at the new Patxis Pizza in Livermore. Opens April 15th. Come by and check it out. Located next to Sauced.
Big E March 23, 2013 at 03:22 pm
Give it a year. Place is dirty. They could of at least vacuumed the floor before opening. $9.00 burger with jalapenos out of a jar. Understand first day but not a good impression. Mac and cheese was warm not hot. Good luck.
Jim Chu March 24, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Hmmm...my jalapeños come out of a jar and they're home-made. Taste just like the store-bought ones in a jar. Where exactly are they supposed to get jalapeños from? Most people don't like 'em fresh and crunchy. The only place I know in town that serves them that way is the Saigon restaurant. $9 Angus burger and fries is on par with other restaurants. How would you compare them to the Alehouse or Chili's?
Dennis March 24, 2013 at 02:34 pm
Good luck to them! I have not been there for years. Last time I was in there the very good looking waitresses (all of them) were flirting with the manager, providing very poor service, standing around talking and eating,etc. That wasn't the worst of it. I had knats (sp) blowing down on me and my food from the supply air vents. When I told the little pixie what was happening she kind of shrugged her shoulders, offered cold apology and walked off. I paid my bill, left a .25 tip and left.
I said I would never go back but maybe I'll give it another shot...
Big E March 24, 2013 at 11:17 pm
Jimmy,
No fries with the $8.00+ burger. And I know what fresh pickled jalapenos taste like. Ale house offer fries or salad with there burgers and with either pickled or fresh jalapeños. Its about the cleanliness of the restaurant. It was dirty.
Jason March 28, 2013 at 05:51 pm
I got the cheeseburger, which lacked actual cheese. Instead, it had the same nasty cheese sauce that Mario's French Dips has. Gross. Almost as gross as the flavor given by branding their initials into the hamburger bun. Why would anyone think that is a good idea? Every bite tasted like burned bread. With $4.00 for french fries with a burger, I don't see this place doing any better than every owner who has closed there before.
Susan Diaz March 29, 2013 at 01:39 pm
I will be by to see you Billy! Love sauced so cool thing you are close! See you soon, Susan
Susan Diaz March 29, 2013 at 01:43 pm
Jason, you were there yesterday? I was thinking of trying it since I loved it when Billy owned it but I am not reading good things??
Jason Chadwick March 30, 2013 at 06:05 pm
Absolutely love the new Rockhouse! The welcoming atmosphere along with great food. I had the Alamo burger and thought it was super cool to have the Rockhouse branding on the bun (despite what some people think). My wife and daughter shared the cheeseburger and they also thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Keep up the great work guys, you have gained some loyal customers in us!
Elizabeth March 30, 2013 at 06:05 pm
I love the idea of branding RH onto the buns of the burgers! The buns didn't taste burnt at all. They were deliciously toasty! The melted cheese on my cheeseburger was MESSY however. Ya, I'm not used to the idea of having to buy a side of fries for my burger. But I look at it this way: I can share them and save a few hundred calories. There wasn't a kids' menu yet. But all in all food was perfectly portioned and delicious!
Jason April 11, 2013 at 12:55 pm
That's odd. Their cheeseburger doesn't have melted cheese. It has a cheese sauce. Maybe you went to a different place.
Jana April 28, 2013 at 03:38 pm
Not a fan at all. What is a burger without fries? There were 9 in our party & we all got our meals at different times. Still a long way to go till they're ready for business.

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