Rok: Brgr - Burger Bar + Gastropub recently opened in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale.  It's located in the Himmarshee district near the Museum of Science and Industry and right in the middle of the 'bar/nightclub' district.  They've been saying this place is 'comfort food..with a twist' and they are catering to the lunch/dinner crowd along with late night eaters (after bar hopping). 


(Rok: Brgr - burger bar + gastropub, Ft. Lauderdale FL)

The place itself isn't that large...but they do have inside and outside seating.  The inside consists of exposed brick walls, leather seats with booths and tables.  There is also a full bar to keep you hydrated along with 50 craft beers.  They also serve a special drink with their own bacon infused bourbon. 


(Rok: Brgr drink and beer menu)

Looking over the menu there were lots of options.  Appetizers ranged from 'Lobster Corn Dogs' to fresh fry samplers (complete with truffle fries).  The burger selection was HUGE.  They ground their own meat for all burgers in house daily and have Black Angus, Lamb, Turkey and Chicken proteins (turkey and chicken is 'free range - hormone free).  They have 'specialty burgers' along with a 'build your own' section.  The specialty burgers come with fries...the build you own, do not.  They also have some other 'off beat' selections such as braised short rib grilled cheese, skirt steak and meatloaf.  I also saw some salads on the menu too.

We went all out to be sure we got a full sampling.    We chose the Lobster Corn Dogs and the Fried Pickle appetizers.


(Rok: Brgr - Lobster Corn Dogs and Fried Pickle appetizers)

The Lobster Corn Dogs were pretty good.  They did have a unique taste that combined lobster and other items which I couldn't identify.  My only complaint is that the inside is a little too 'fine'.  I would have enjoyed bigger lumps of ingredients through the 'dog'.  The mustard based dipping sauce went well.  The fried pickles were actually really good.  The batter was kind of thick, but the dipping sauce was AWESOME.  It was a smokey/ranch type sauce I believe.  The pickles also didn't pull out of the batter when you took a bite (you know...like some onion rings do). 

Now on to the burgers.  I went for the Free Bird Turkey Burger (Ground Turkey, baby swiss, arugula and a avocado sauce).  Jeff chose the D Wade Burger (Angus Beef, chili, jalapeno, cheese and sour cream cilantro sauce).  Each was served with the hand cut fries.


(Rok: Brgr - Free Bird Turkey Burger and fries)


(Rok: Brgr - D Wade Burger with fries)

As you can see from the pic...the D Wade Burger is HUGE!  Jeff loved it and just about ate the whole thing (he left some of the bun).  The patty was thick and done to a medium temperature.  He even liked the chili on the burger.  The Free Bird Turkey Burger was pretty good.  It was full of flavor and not dry (I was told they blend white and dark meat to ensure a moist end product).  The fries were also really good and they give you just the right amount.  With the burgers being so big...you probably won't finish them anyway.

Overall, we really liked Rok: Brgr.  The staff was friendly and on point.  They really seemed like they wanted you to have the best experience possible.  While there always can be improvements when a new restaurant opens...Rok: Brgr is way ahead of the curve.  If they keep up the quality and service...they will do very well here in Ft. Lauderdale.

Total for all the food, 1 beer and a soda (free refills) was $50. 





Rok: Brgr burger bar + gastropub location:
208 SW 2nd Street
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

FTLToday Score: B