Restaurant in New York City, United States
Wood-fire value, zero reservation stress.
Rolo's is a Michelin Bib Gourmand wood-fire grill in Ridgewood, Queens, operating at $$ pricing with a 4.5 Google rating across 1,500-plus reviews. It's one of the most accessible credentialed restaurants in New York — book a few days out, order the polenta bread, and let the fire-grilled menu do the rest.
Yes, and you probably won't have to fight for a table to do it. Rolo's is one of the more accessible Michelin Bib Gourmand recipients in New York City — booking a few days ahead is typically enough, which puts it in rare company for a restaurant with this level of recognition. The journey to Ridgewood, Queens is the real barrier, not the reservation system. If you're willing to make the trip out to 8-53 Onderdonk Ave, you'll find a wood-fire grill restaurant that delivers far more than the neighbourhood setting might suggest.
Walk in and the first thing you notice is the bar — easy-going, competent with cocktails, and the kind of space where you can settle in without feeling like you're waiting for a table. Push further in and the dining room announces itself through the wood-fire grill that anchors the back of the space. The flickering amber light it throws across the room is not incidental atmosphere; it's the operational centre of Rolo's entire menu. Globe lights, wood floors, and servers who seem genuinely happy to be there complete a room that reads as warm without trying too hard. Chef Rafiq Salim has built something that feels like a neighbourhood restaurant that happens to be very good, rather than a destination restaurant dressed down to seem approachable.
That distinction matters for how you calibrate your expectations. Rolo's earned its Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 , the guide's marker for exceptional food at a moderate price , and a ranking of #557 on Opinionated About Dining's 2025 Casual list for North America. A 4.5 rating across 1,549 Google reviews suggests the consistency holds on ordinary nights, not just when critics are in the room. For a $$ restaurant in outer Queens, that's a meaningful combination of credentials.
The wood-fire polenta bread is the right place to start , fluffy, smoky, and served with accompaniments like Calabrian chili butter or sesame and wild oregano. It's the kind of opening move that signals the kitchen has its priorities in order. Potato croquettes and lasagna represent the mid-menu range, and for larger appetites, dry-aged steaks with green garlic butter are the fire-forward centrepiece the grill was built for. This is not a tasting menu format. Rolo's is an à la carte operation, which gives you control over pacing and spend. At $$ pricing, a full table spread with drinks is unlikely to break $100 per person, and probably won't get close.
The PEA-R-06 angle is worth taking seriously here: Rolo's is not a restaurant that happened to land in Ridgewood. It's a restaurant that has become part of what Ridgewood is becoming. The neighbourhood sits at the Queens-Brooklyn border, and its dining scene has developed quietly over the past several years without the marketing noise that accompanied similar shifts in Williamsburg or Bushwick. Rolo's functions as an anchor in that context , the kind of place that gives locals a reason to stay local and gives visitors a reason to come. If you're putting together a day in the outer boroughs, Ridgewood is now worth building an itinerary around, and Rolo's is the meal to anchor it to. For broader context on eating across the city, our full New York City restaurants guide covers the range from casual to formal.
Explorer profile fits Rolo's well. This is not a restaurant you book because it's convenient or because someone told you it was the safe choice. You book it because you want to understand what's happening in New York's outer boroughs, and because a Bib Gourmand with a serious wood-fire program at $$ pricing is exactly the kind of find that makes the subway ride feel like a good decision. For comparable neighbourhood-anchor energy elsewhere in the country, Hilda and Jesse in San Francisco and Selby's in Atherton occupy a similar role in their respective scenes , though neither shares Rolo's fire-forward format.
Booking at Rolo's is easy relative to its peer set. A few days out is usually sufficient, though weekend evenings in a neighbourhood with growing foot traffic may warrant a week's notice. The address , 8-53 Onderdonk Ave , is a walk from the M train at Forest Avenue or the L at Jefferson Street. Neither is a long walk, but check your routing before you go. Phone and website details are not listed publicly, so reservations likely run through a third-party platform; OpenTable and Resy are the standard channels for Bib Gourmand restaurants at this price tier. The bar area offers a natural walk-in option for solo diners or pairs willing to be flexible on timing. For where to stay if you're making a longer trip of it, our New York City hotels guide has the full picture, and our New York City bars guide is worth checking for before or after-dinner options.
If you're building a wider New York food itinerary, Archie's Tap and Table, Cafe Commerce, and Community Food and Juice offer complementary profiles at similar or adjacent price points. For something more formal in the same city, the Carlyle Restaurant and Family Meal at Blue Hill represent different registers of the New York dining experience. For fire-forward cooking elsewhere in the country, Lazy Bear in San Francisco and Smyth in Chicago are worth knowing about, though both operate in a significantly higher price bracket. Providence in Los Angeles, Emeril's in New Orleans, The French Laundry in Napa, and Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg complete the map of serious American restaurants worth benchmarking against, none of which operate at Rolo's price point.
Rolo's earns its Bib Gourmand. At $$ pricing with a wood-fire kitchen, genuine neighbourhood warmth, and credentials that hold up to scrutiny, it's one of the more convincing reasons to explore Ridgewood properly. Book a few days out, go for the full spread, and let the fire lead.
A few days out is usually sufficient for weeknight tables. For weekend evenings, aim for a week ahead. Rolo's is notably easier to book than most Michelin Bib Gourmand recipients in Manhattan, which is part of its appeal. The bar area can work as a walk-in option if you're flexible on timing.
No specific dietary accommodation policy is listed publicly. The menu has a strong vegetable component alongside its fire-grilled proteins, but guests with strict dietary requirements should contact the restaurant directly before booking. Phone details are not publicly listed, so reaching out via reservation platform message is the practical approach.
Yes. The bar at the front of the room is genuinely useful for solo diners , it's a bar with a real cocktail program, not just a holding area. At $$ pricing in a casual, friendly room, solo dining here is low-pressure and well-suited to the format. It compares favourably to solo dining at busier Manhattan spots where the bar is less comfortable and the noise level higher.
At $$ pricing with a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a 4.5 Google rating across over 1,500 reviews, the value case is clear. You're paying neighbourhood-restaurant prices for food that consistently punches above that tier. The main cost is transit time if you're coming from Manhattan , factor that in as part of the decision, not the bill.
Rolo's does not operate a tasting menu format. This is an à la carte restaurant, which gives you full control over your spend and pacing. That's actually an advantage at the $$ price point , you can build a full evening of polenta bread, croquettes, lasagna, and a dry-aged steak without committing to a fixed sequence or a fixed price.
Start with the wood-fire polenta bread , the Calabrian chili butter version is the one most referenced by the Michelin and OAD write-ups. Potato croquettes and lasagna are reliable mid-course options. If you have the appetite, the dry-aged steaks with green garlic butter are the kitchen's fire-forward centrepiece and worth ordering for the table. The cocktail program at the bar is also worth engaging with early.
Yes. The front bar is a legitimate dining option, not just a waiting zone. It's described as easy-going with a real cocktail program, and it functions well for walk-ins, solo diners, or pairs who want a more casual format than the dining room. It's one of the better bar-dining setups at this price tier in outer Queens.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolo's | Opinionated About Dining Casual in North America Ranked #557 (2025); Ridgewood has a real gem on its hands in this neighborhood grill that goes above and beyond. The first room holds an easygoing bar with a talent for cocktails. Further in, the adjoining dining area comes to life as a roaring wood-fire grill bathes tables in flickering amber hues. Fire here is the key to much goodness, starting with the fluffy, smoky polenta bread smeared with the likes of Calabrian chili butter or sesame and wild oregano. Other favorites include potato croquettes, lasagna, and, for especially big appetites, dry-aged steaks served with green garlic butter. Globe lights, handsome wood floors, and a friendly, casual cadre of servers add more warmth to an already welcoming space where everyone either is a regular or is about to become one.; Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) | $$ | — |
| Le Bernardin | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Atomix | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Per Se | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Masa | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Eleven Madison Park | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
A quick look at how Rolo's measures up.
A few days out is usually enough for weeknights. Weekend evenings in Ridgewood are busier than they used to be, so aim for 3-5 days ahead to be safe. This is one of the easier Michelin Bib Gourmand recipients in New York City to get into — no months-long waitlist required.
The menu is built around a wood-fire grill, so meat-forward dishes are central. The kitchen does offer vegetable-forward options including polenta bread and sides, but this is not the place to take someone who needs a highly accommodating dietary menu. check the venue's official channels before booking if restrictions are significant.
Yes. The bar up front is the obvious anchor for solo diners — easy-going, cocktail-capable, and not the kind of space where sitting alone feels awkward. Rolo's has a neighborhood-regular energy that makes solo visits comfortable rather than conspicuous.
At $$ pricing with a Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) and an OAD Casual North America ranking, Rolo's is one of the stronger value propositions in New York City's casual dining tier. You're getting a wood-fire kitchen and skilled cocktails at a price point well below comparable credentialed restaurants in Manhattan.
Rolo's does not appear to operate a tasting menu format — this is a neighborhood grill with a la carte ordering. If a structured tasting progression matters to you, this is not the right venue. The format suits groups who want to share plates and graze rather than commit to a set sequence.
Start with the wood-fire polenta bread — smoky, fluffy, and served with options like Calabrian chili butter or sesame and wild oregano. Potato croquettes and lasagna are cited as favorites. If you have the appetite, the dry-aged steaks with green garlic butter are the headline from the grill.
Yes, and it's a solid option. The front room operates as a standalone bar with a genuine cocktail program, separate from the main dining area where the wood-fire grill is the focal point. Sitting at the bar works well for solo diners or couples who want a lighter, more casual visit.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
