Restaurant Review: PBR Rock Bar & Grill at Planet Hollywood

The Miracle Mile entrance (inside)

Yum!

Kickin' Coleslaw is a little too red for me...

The PBR Rock Bar & Grill is located both inside and outside the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino.  The main restaurant is situated just inside the entrance to the Miracle Mile Shops, and their patio is immediately outside the mall entrance and impossible to miss.  The indoor restaurant and outdoor patio areas have separate hostess stands, so be sure go to the correct one before you ask to be seated. 

When you are facing Planet Hollywood from the Strip, PBR Rock Bar & Grill is on the right-hand side of the building, not the left; trying to find it from the left-hand side would cause you to either A) walk through the casino (which could be confusing), or B) walk through the Miracle Mile Shops to the other entrance (which would be tiring and pointless, as it really is a mile long from beginning to end).

It was after 5 p.m. when we arrived, and we decided to sit out on the patio to enjoy the late March weather since the sun was already behind City Center and we wouldn’t be burning ourselves in it.  It was perfect weather, a little breeze blowing, and the eclectic mix of music being played was not loud at all.  

PBR sort of has a sports bar feel to it, but with a Country twist.  There were all sorts of people – young and old, country and punk – all through the place, so we fit right into the "un-mold", and we were able to people-watch from our seats, listen to the music and enjoy the big screen TV's as much as the people-watching opportunities available all around us.

My cousin ordered the Catfish Po-Boy and Kickin’ Coleslaw.  She said the hoagie bun was a little too hard for her (she has dentures), but all the inside parts were good, and she ended up eating everything with a fork.  Mom and I both ordered the half-pound Fried Dill Pickle Burgers cooked medium – mine with fries, hers with Kickin’ Coleslaw – and even though the massive amount of fried dill pickles were a little overcooked, it was a really good cheeseburger and I finished ¾ of it and most of my fries.  The fries were long and thin, crispy and salty on the outside and hot on the inside.  They are my preferred type of fries, so I was pleased.  They served a horseradish/ketchup dressing with them that gave a nice, tangy kick, too.  It was nice to get the burgers made just as we asked for them.

I wondered why the coleslaw was called “Kickin’” Coleslaw and figured it out immediately when the dishes were brought to the table: the little red bits on top were…Pop Rocks!  You could almost hear them popping from the next table.  I tasted my mom's coleslaw, but it was way too sweet for me, even without the Pop Rocks (which I avoided – that just seemed gross).  I am a tart and tangy coleslaw kind of gal, and I avoid sweet coleslaw at home, too.  

We were able to sit and enjoy ourselves, drinking several glasses of iced tea while we ate and talked, and we were not rushed by anyone even though almost every table was full.  The entire staff was very pleasant and engaging, and they were all very young, too (late teens or early twenties).  I'm guessing they are probably staffed by lots of college students, since UNLV is only a couple of miles away from the Strip.  But no bad experience with anyone, which is most 

enjoyable.

Mom paid for dinner, which included 3 iced teas, and the bill was $49.50 + tip.  I'd give this restaurant and dining experience a solid 8.  I would've preferred to have the dill pickles a little less well done, but they were certainly edible, as we made quite a dent in our baskets.  I'd love to try this restaurant again and try some of their other selections.

To view their complete menu or hours of operation, go to http://www.pbrrockbar.com/.