Brunch at Rockit Bar & Grill

The scene: It’s easy to get distracted when discussing Trump International Hotel & Tower. After all, The Donald is more fun to talk about than all that glass and steel. Same goes for the new Rockit outpost in Wrigleyville. Co-owner Billy Dec—He blogs! He does fashion shoots! He’s helping Chicago get the Olympics!—is infinitely more fascinating than burgers and beers.

However, all that gossip isn’t going to help you make a decision about your weekend morning. We’ll focus on brunch.

Rockit has been a runaway hit in River North, so it makes sense for the upscale sports bar to try its hand in the city’s sportiest neighborhood. Open since the end of April, the new spot has added a kid’s menu and tweaked its design to fit the smaller space (former occupant: Tuscany). Its attitude about everything else, from the menu (genuinely upscale pub grub) to the interior (sporty lodge that has a passing interest in rock ’n’ roll), seems to be, "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

Dec and his partners at Rockit Ranch Productions know how to handle a crowd, which should prove invaluable when managing a spot that’s a stone’s throw from Wrigley Field. Sidewalk seating is tucked alongside the building on Waveland Avenue, a safe distance from game-day crowds swarming on Clark Street.

The cuisine: Rockit is better known for solidly executing familiar favorites than blazing new paths, and that’s certainly the case on its brunch menu. There’s a short stack of buttermilk pancakes ($9), corned beef hash ($11) and steak and eggs ($12) served with a veal skirt steak. For the lunch-minded, there’s turkey chili ($4-$6), a couple of meal-sized salads ($14-$15) and Rockit’s famous kobe beef burger ($19).

The King ($12), which takes inspiration from Elvis’ love of fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, is the menu’s sweet standout. The thick-cut French toast (perfectly fluffy) is drizzled with peanut butter, topped with whipped cream and toasted peanuts, and served with sliced bananas. It’s an over-the-top dish that would seem right at home on the Bongo Room’s menu, and like its namesake, it deserves its own cultish following.

The otherwise-solid California omelet ($12) would do well to replace its warmed avocado puree with a guacamole garnish, and the seasoning on the oven-roasted potatoes (announced as hash browns on the menu) could use a bit more kick.

***

Loved it: $5 mimosas and bloody marys

Hated it: The coffee. A little weak and our cup sat empty for most of our stay. Brunch time: 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Cost: About $20 per person, with cocktail

Wait: On a non-game day, none.

Matt McGuire is the Metromix editor. mmcguire@tribune.com

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