Thanksgiving Roll Returns To Roc City Bar & Grill: 'We Are Ruining Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner'

ROCKDALE, IL — Joliet's neighbor to the south, Rockdale, population 2,000, is the place to go during November as the enormously popular Roc City Bar and Grill at 508 Moen Avenue is dishing up its popular Thanksgiving turkey roll for a third consecutive year.

While Roc City is known for its motto, "Home Of The Legendary Beef Roll," owners "Tommy Z" Zoretic and Kevin Batus just brought back their once-a-year delicacy this week. Now through Black Wednesday, which is Nov. 26, customers can order Roc City's Thanksgiving roll.

"It's Thanksgiving on a plate," explained Kevin Batus, Tommy Z's co-owner. "You have the turkey, bread, cheese, stuffing, gravy and cranberry-mayo sauce."

Thanksgiving rolls are available in three different sizes: 8 inches, 12 inches and 16 inches. Batus said the 16-inch size can feed a family of four to six people.

"We are ruining the traditional Thanksgiving dinner," Tommy Z laughed during Wednesday's Joliet Patch interview.

For the next three weeks, people can order the Thanksgiving roll at Roc City, by phoning ahead or ordering online. Roc City's kitchen opens at 11 a.m. seven days a week and stays open until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 9 p.m. on Sundays.

And for people desiring to order the Thanksgiving Roll to serve as their meal on Thanksgiving Day, it's extremely cost-effective, the owners pointed out. Families often spend more than $100 at the grocery store for Thanksgiving fixings. The Thanksgiving roll at Roc City only costs them about $30, according to the bar owners.

"People wanted to have it for Thanksgiving," Tommy Z remarked. "We run it through Black Wednesday for the pre-orders, and then it's gone until next year."

Batus and Tommy Z said they first offered the Thanksgiving roll in November 2023.

"It was a pilot run," Tommy Z explained. "I don't think anyone did not like it. We had zero complaints, 100 percent approval ratings."

"It really took off last year," Batus agreed. "I think we were caught off-guard on the demand. It really put a strain on our kitchen. Our kitchen is only so big."

Tommy Z estimated they sold about 3,000 Thanksgiving rolls during the 2024 November blitz.

Last year, Roc City Bar and Grill's Thankgiving roll attracted customers from as far away as Bloomington, Kankakee, Schaumburg, Naperville and even parts of Indiana.

"It was nuts. It was controlled chaos," Tommy Z remarked.

"We finally got the right turkey," Batus explained. "It's not lunch meat. We add celery, onions, seasonings, even the gravy is a homemade gravy."

Each turkey roll comes with a side of homemade gravy and a cup of cranberry-mayo.

"The cran-mayo sauce is ours too," Batus said.

Tommy Z said Roc City's Thanksgiving roll is similar to the Shamrock Shake marketing strategy. While McDonald's probably could put the green shake on its regular menu, the international fast-food corporation only brings the Shamrock Shake out in March for St. Patrick's Day.

Batus said the Thanksgiving roll is great to eat for takeout orders.

"Leftovers are even fantastic. The good news is that it does reheat. I would suggest a toaster oven or an air fryer."

For people desiring to place take out or pre-orders for Thanksgiving Day pickup, the Roc City kitchen is reachable at 815-730-1330. Roc City will be open on Thanksgiving from around 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. but it's only to serve the pre-orders.

Roc City will mark its fourth anniversary of business on Dec. 13, after opening in 2021.

"We started with the beef rolls, and it was such a success that I wanted to incorporate the seasonal, so it's a featured roll," Batus explained. "Beef rolls and pizzas are our cornerstone."

The owners of Roc City are working up another kitchen creation for their anniversary in December.

"The gyros roll will be back in December," Tommy Z revealed. "That was popular in the summer. We had it around for the month of August."

Last month, Roc City Bar and Grill captured the first-place award in the professional category for its beef rolls at Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow's annual Men Who Cook Competition, a major fund-raiser for the Will County Children's Advocacy Center.

"Here, it's quality and hospitality," Batus pointed out. "Nothing on our menu do we cut corners. It's always quality first, whether it's our haddock fish sandwich or Angus burgers."

As for the Thanksgiving rolls, Batus explained that typical orders take the kitchen staff about 35 minutes for prep time, or 45 minutes to an hour when it gets busy.

According to Batus, "we sell out on the weekends, so get your orders in early."

To place an order or look over the menu, visit the website for the Roc City Bar and Grill.