Johnny Rockets

Johnny Rockets on the Levee
1 Levee Way
Newport, KY
www.johnnyrockets.com

One of the highlights of my childhood was going with my parents to a restaurant - any restaurant - that had a jukebox. I was smitten with them. I loved the idea of putting a coin in, pushing some buttons, and instantly hearing my favorite songs. I can honestly say that jukeboxes helped me learn my A-B-C's.

There were times I embarrassed my older sister, whose job it was to read off the song titles to me. For a seven year old, I was very much in tune with the pop hits of the day, and if a song I really liked was on the jukebox, I'd play it again, and again, and again. I remember playing "Crocodile Rock" so many times that the restaurant manager was forced to unplug the machine. My sister was horrified.

Jukeboxes are everywhere these days and don?t elicit the same reaction they did when I was a kid, but the tabletop jukeboxes at Johnny Rockets certainly help keep the wonderment alive.

Johnny Rockets on the Levee
The staff in their retro finery
The soda counter
A nickel gets you three plays on the tabletop jukebox
This international restaurant chain trades heavily on nostalgia, from the checkerboard tiles on the floor to the soda fountain serving up malts, shakes and floats. It's a burgers'n'fries kind of joint that harkens back to the feel-good era of the 1950's, but the inclusion of veggie burgers on their menu plants them firmly into the new millennium.

Mmmm...a rootbeer float
The strawberry shakes are thick and creamy
Even the ketchup is happy

A Gardenburger patty can be substituted for any of the burger options. This is the #11
I really cannot fault Johnny Rockets except to say that their prices are a little higher than most burger joints, but it's not bad value. A big plus for vegetarians is that basically you can substitute a veggie patty for any burger on their menu (although probably not wise to do so with the bacon burger), and their shakes and malts are thick and delicious. Service is cheerful and quick, and the family-friendly dining room is tidy and clean.

Most tellingly, however, is the excitement on the faces of children when they learn that the shiny box at their table plays music. On the day we visited, we heard "Rockin' Robin" played a dozen times. And no, it wasn?t me this time.