The film stars Patrick Swayze as the bouncer at a newly refurbished roadside bar, who protects a small town in Missouri from a corrupt businessman.

Tilghman plans to invest substantial funds into the dilapidated club and needs Dalton's highly regarded skills to tackle the endemic violence and rough customers.

Dalton agrees in exchange for full authority over the club's operations, immediately firing several employees for poor behavior, theft, and drug dealing.

Receiving a knife wound in the process, Dalton visits a hospital and befriends Dr. Elizabeth Clay to whom Wesley is also attracted.

Garrett attempts to calm Dalton, trying to assuage his guilt about killing in self-defense and his frustration at being unable to end Wesley's campaign.

Elizabeth arrives and reconciles with Dalton, but Wesley recovers and attempts to shoot him before being shot dead by the locals, including Emmett and Red.

In the United States Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer first released the film on DVD on February 4, 2003, with a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and theatrical trailer as the sole extra feature.

New supplements include a 'Making of' documentary with new interviews by Herrington, actors Kelly Lynch, John Doe, Kevin Tighe, Julie Michaels and Red West, a separate conversation with the director and featurette for the film's music.

[17] The magnet clasp boxed limited edition 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack from Vinegar Syndrome was released on November 25, 2022.

[24] Upon its release Road House received mostly negative reviews from critics,[1] while audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B on an A+ to F scale.

[25] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and commented, "Road House exists right on the edge between the 'good-bad movie' and the merely bad.

"[26] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune was less complimentary, calling it "outrageous in terms of its cartoon-like plotting and dialogue" and lamenting "Swayze`s mindless posturing.

"[27] In the Washington Post, Hal Hinson's scathing review dismissed the film as "Full of gratuitous mayhem, head-bashing, gay-bashing and woman-bashing, Road House has a malicious, almost putrid tone.

"[28] Caryn James of the New York Times was similarly critical, saying "Road House is much funnier than most comedies, until it turns vile instead of just stupid."

The sequel confirmed that Dalton's first name was James, which could be seen momentarily on the medical chart in the original film's hospital scene, but which had been otherwise left unsaid.

[34] In 2003, an off-Broadway musical production of Road House was staged as a campy comedy by Timothy Haskell, as seen by its full title of Road House: The Stage Version Of The Cinema Classic That Starred Patrick Swayze, Except This One Stars Taimak From The 80's Cult Classic "The Last Dragon" Wearing A Blonde Mullet Wig.

[35] In the Family Guy season 8 episode "Brian's Got a Brand New Bag", Peter Griffin purchases a DVD copy of Road House for a dollar at a closing video store.

[36] Following the death of Eric Garner, the New York City Police Department began using a scene from Road House as part of a mandatory, three-day retraining course for 22,000 officers expected to "be nice" under pressure.

[37] In the Young Sheldon season 4, episode 2 titled "A Docent, A Little Lady And A Bouncer Named Dalton" (November 2020), it is discovered that Mary's secret pleasure is watching action movies like Road House, which creates an unexpected bond with her teenager son Georgie.

[40] In November 2021, it was reported that Jake Gyllenhaal was in talks to star in a remake of Road House by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with Doug Liman directing.