It’s east-side Janesville’s new home for the late-night burger.
A new owner of a former Dairy Queen property at 1532 E. Racine St. has renovated, revamped and re-launched the place as Rockin Rob’s.
It’s a smash-burger spot with the simple feel of a 1950s diner. That’s complete with two-tone leather-look booths, a lunch counter, and perpetual, old-time rock and roll floating out of the speakers.
Think carmelized cheeseburgers, fried onion rings, malts, and hand-seasoned fries. Owner Brian Johnson says the vibe at Rockin Rob’s is supposed to evokes the laid-back old days reminiscent of childhood, whether a patron was a child of the ’50s, the ’90s or the 2010s.
Johnson named Rockin Rob’s after his brother, who died. Johnson and his brother always wanted to bring Janesville a low-key, 1950s-style diner. He pictures an all day, all-night joint that could be a teen hangout on Friday evenings, a late stop for adults, or a Saturday brunch hub for families.
Johnson says he put in big refrigerated storage to keep only fresh hamburger. In fact, he says most of the stuff served at Rockin Rob’s is made fresh, not frozen. Soon, Rockin Rob’s will ramp up to include a Friday fish fry and fried chicken — and it will become a 24-hour eatery, maybe the only in town.
Johnson has lived on Janesville’s east side his whole life. He says he remembers walking around as a child and a teen, and he often wished the Racine Street strip by his alma mater, Janesville Craig High School, had a legitimate, late-nite burger-and-malt joint nearby.
Johnson says as an adult, he still reads Archie comic books because the nostalgia brings him comfort and reminds him of his brother.
Johnson says he thinks it would be special to see the former Dairy Queen re-cultivated as a spot that’s lively but low-key, for all ages.
He plans to re-launch the former Dairy Queen drive-up and launch outdoor seating, too, so neighborhood kids and Craig High students can hoof it over to Rockin Rob’s, and grab-and-go whenever they’d like.
