RockHouse Live

What RockHouse Live does

RockHouse Live is a privately held, founder-operated entertainment-themed restaurant chain founded in 2006 by Zach Bair. The company operates five-plus physical venues across Florida (Key West, Largo/IRB) and Tennessee (Memphis, Midtown Memphis, Collierville), with additional presence via the 2023 acquisition of Club 201 @ the Detroit in St. Pete, FL. Each location combines a full-service American menu — anchored by the "Legendary RockHouse Burger," Memphis-style BBQ, and proprietary founder-developed recipes — with live music, karaoke, sports viewing (up to 45 TVs at the Largo venue), and late-night service, targeting both local residents and tourists.

The underlying technology stack is unusual for an independent restaurant operator: RockHouse Live leverages livestreaming, instant live recording, and music recognition capabilities from sister company VNUE, Inc. (OTC: VNUE), also controlled by Bair, integrating products such as DiscLive, Soundstr, set.fm, and StageIt. This positions the venues to capture recorded performances, manage music licensing exposure, and produce content for fan distribution — features not typical of comparable entertainment-dining concepts.

RockHouse Live generates revenue primarily through on-premise food and beverage sales at unit-economics-friendly price points (e.g., weekday lunch specials at $10.95), with secondary streams from a Shopify-powered e-commerce store selling branded merchandise (apparel, hats, mugs, signature burger seasoning) and a RockRoom VIP membership program administered by an independent third party. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and local, relying on foot traffic, social media, email, and earned media in regional publications. The company remains small (11–50 employees), has no disclosed external institutional capital, and operates with a mixed ownership structure in which several Tennessee and St. Pete venues are independently owned by the founder rather than centrally operated.

Name

RockHouse Live

Legal name

RockHouse Live

Website

https://rockhouselive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RockHouse Live is a privately held, founder-operated entertainment-themed restaurant chain operating five-plus venues across Florida and Tennessee, combining full-service dining and signature burgers with live music, karaoke, sports viewing, and late-night service, supplemented by branded merchandise e-commerce and VNUE-powered livestreaming technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment-themed restaurant and bar

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB), Live Music Bars & Venues (CRANACAH)

Keywords

• Live music venue
• Entertainment restaurant
• Sports bar dining
• Branded merchandise store
• Karaoke nightlife

Headquarters

HQ city

Clearwater Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from restaurant dining, featuring full menu of reasonably priced food including lunch, dinner, and late-night service. Many menu items are founder Zach Bair's own recipes nurtured over 10+ years.
2. Merchandise Sales: E-commerce sales of branded merchandise including t-shirts, hats, tank tops, mugs, and burger seasoning through the online store.
3. VIP Membership Program: RockRoom VIP program offering exclusive benefits, administered by independent third party. Currently offered at Jensen Beach, FL location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RockHouse Live is a multi-location entertainment-themed restaurant and bar chain offering American cuisine including signature Legendary RockHouse Burgers, Memphis-style BBQ, and full bar service combined with nightly live music, karaoke, and sports viewing. The company operates restaurants in Florida and Tennessee and supplements revenue with an e-commerce merchandise store selling branded apparel and food products.

Product overview

RockHouse Live is an entertainment-themed restaurant chain operating as Grille & Venue locations across Florida and Tennessee. The core offering consists of the RockHouse Live Grille & Venue restaurant concept serving American cuisine including signature Legendary RockHouse Burgers and Memphis-style BBQ, combined with live music, karaoke, and nightlife entertainment. The product portfolio includes multiple restaurant locations (Key West, Largo, Memphis, Midtown Memphis, Collierville), a RockRoom VIP membership program (administered by independent third party), and an official merchandise e-commerce store powered by Shopify featuring branded apparel, hats, accessories, and food products like signature burger seasoning. The company operates with a technology partnership with VNUE, Inc. for livestreaming and content development capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RockHouse Live Grille & Venue Entertainment-themed restaurant and bar chain offering American cuisine, live music, karaoke, and nightlife across multiple Florida and Tennessee locations for individual diners and nightlife patrons.
• RockRoom VIP Program VIP membership program offering exclusive benefits and access for frequent patrons at the Jensen Beach, FL location. Administered by independent third party.
• RockHouse Live Official Merchandise Store E-commerce storefront selling branded apparel, hats, accessories, mugs, and food products such as RockHouse Live Genuine Burger Seasoning for fans and customers worldwide.
• RockHouse Live Food Menu Full dining menu featuring appetizers, gourmet burgers, sandwiches, tacos, salads, and desserts with signature items such as the Legendary RockHouse Burger, Memphis-style BBQ, gator bites, and Zach's Smooth-n-Spicy Queso for dine-in customers across all locations.
• Key West Drinks Menu Beverage menu featuring cocktails, spirits, and drinks available at the RockHouse Live Key West location.
• RockHouse Live Genuine Burger Seasoning Signature 5-ounce bottle of custom blended burger seasoning used in RockHouse locations, available for home purchase.
• RockHouse Blues Jammer Hat 100% cotton twill 6-panel unstructured cap with low profile and metal snap buckle closure sold through the e-commerce store.
• RockHouse Live Twill Cap Athletic fit cap with elastic stretch band, curved visor, 63% polyester/34% cotton/3% spandex twill construction sold through the e-commerce store.
• Rockhouse Live Trucker Hat Breathable trucker hat with mesh backing, herringbone cotton front, pre-curved visor, and adjustable Velcro closure sold through the e-commerce store.
• RockHouse Live Black Mug 15oz 15-ounce black ceramic mug with sublimation printing and C-handle sold through the e-commerce store.
• RockHouse Live Clearwater Twill Cap 100% cotton twill 6-panel structured cap with buckram lining for shape retention and embroidery support sold through the e-commerce store.
• Women's RockHouse 2019 Anniversary T-Shirt Slim fit commemorative women's t-shirt celebrating RockHouse Live's 2019 anniversary, sold through the e-commerce store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Burger recipes distributed internationally (served as far as Australia)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VNUE, Inc. (OTC: VNUE)coreTechnology or IntegrationRockHouse Live leverages state-of-the-art livestreaming and content development capabilities from sister company VNUE, Inc., founded by Zach Bair. This partnership creates new revenue streams and exciting content for fans through music technology integration.
• DiscLive Network / RockHouse Live Media Productions, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic technology company acquired by Zach Bair, pioneering the 'instant media' business model and live recording space. DiscLive is now exclusive partners with VNUE and provides live music recording capabilities.
• Hard Rock Café International (former president)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRockHouse Live briefly teamed up with a former president of Hard Rock Café International to assist with rollout of Florida locations.
• EMI Music / Universal Music GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZach Bair aligned RockHouse Live Media Productions with EMI Music under the Abbey Road Live name. Upon Universal's acquisition of EMI, rebranded to DiscLive Network.
• RockRoom VIP (Independent Third Party)minorOthersVIP membership program administered and controlled by independent third party business, not affiliated with RockHouse Live. Currently offered at Jensen Beach, FL location.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hard Rock Cafe: Iconic rock-and-roll themed restaurant chain with branded merchandise, memorabilia, and live music — conceptually the closest large incumbent to RockHouse Live's "Eat. Drink. Rock.™" positioning, including global merchandise and licensing.
• Dave & Buster's: Entertainment-anchored restaurant chain combining full dining and bars with arcade, sports viewing, and event programming. Comparable as a full-F&B-plus-entertainment concept, though focused on games rather than live music.
• Twin Peaks Restaurant: Sports-bar chain with rustic lodge theme, large TV walls, full bar, and full menu operating late-night. Comparable to RockHouse Live as a themed casual-dining-plus-sports-entertainment venue with multiple locations.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: National sports-bar-and-grill chain with extensive TV walls, late-night hours, and full bar service. Comparable to RockHouse Live's IRB Largo concept (45 TVs, big stage, full kitchen, late-night) at the casual sports-bar segment.
• House of Blues: National chain of live-music-anchored restaurants and music halls, owned by Live Nation. Directly comparable to RockHouse Live as a live music + full food + full bar venue, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill: Country-music-themed restaurant chain combining full American menu, live music, and large bars. Closest direct peer to RockHouse Live's concept of a named, music-themed dine-and-drink venue with multiple locations.
• B.B. King's Blues Club: Blues-themed restaurant and live music venue chain with Memphis and Nashville heritage, combining Southern food and live music nightly. Closely mirrors RockHouse Live's Memphis base and blues-jam programming.

Regional players

• The Listening Room Cafe: Nashville-based songwriter-focused live music venue with full food and bar service. Comparable as a music-first restaurant venue, though primarily songwriter showcases rather than full-band rock programming.
• Memphis Blues Bar & Grill: Casual BBQ-and-blues themed restaurant with live music nightly in tourist markets. Comparable to RockHouse Live's Memphis-style BBQ offering and Key West location mix, though operates at smaller scale.

Others

• Topgolf: Entertainment-anchored food-and-beverage venue combining activity-based entertainment with full kitchens and bars. Adjacent comparable showing how entertainment+F&B can scale to a national multi-venue platform — a strategic analog rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RockHouseLive1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RockHouse Live