Brick City Bar And Grill

Brick City Bar is pretty decent pre or post-game hangout spot directly across from the Prudential Center. I stopped in briefly before the last Devils/Pens game of the season to grab a drink and the place was completely packed, even within the small bar area. No surprise there.

I planned on grabbing a bite to eat too, but with so many people I knew I'd probably have to wait awhile and then be late for the puck drop. So, I ordered my pint (only $5.00, nice) and found a spot near the window and chatted with a fellow Pens fan, who were out in full force this night.

Next time I'll leave myself some more time to sit down and try their food.

The area surrounding the Prudential Center is undergoing a complete overhaul with new bars and restaurants.  The Brick City Bar and Grill is directly across the street from "The Rock" and offers a nice meeting place before and after the game, as well as a place to grab lunch for the Newark working crowd.  

The interior is pretty nice.  The entire restaurant is in red and black -- a nice touch for the home Devils crowd. The bar area is in the front of the restaurant.  It has ample seating and generally handles the crowds well.  There is a second bar in the back for overflow.  While the second bar is convenient, it is located in the dining area -- which can make it uncomfortable for those seated for dinner.  

The menu offers standard bar food with a few unique items that stand apart from the regular hodge podge.  However, none of these items stand out to me as noteworthy.  

The largest issue with Brick City is the service.  I have been going here since it opened and the kitchen is always slow.  If you are in a rush to get to a game, or only have an hour for lunch, you are probably better off going to Edison Ale House (which I prefer overall to Brick City) or Dinosaur BBQ.  

Since the Edison Ale House was built, I generally just go there.  I prefer the Edison menu and the service is faster and more attentive.  Brick City is not a bad choice by any stretch, but as competition has moved into the arena area, I have less of a desire to go here.

This place scored a few +1's, but then it shot itself in the foot right afterwards. Let me explain.

I wasn't TOO hungry, and I wasn't really in the mood for bar food either. I scoured the menu for something that would fulfill my (picky) requirements (I should also add that I'm a vegetarian, and yes, the options were scarce). Finally, I just gave up and asked the waitress if I could order the grilled cheese from the kids meal. That way, the portion size would be smaller, and so would the bill! She cheerfully responded, "Of course!" and asked me what I'd like for a side. I was thrilled to find out I could get a side of veggies instead of french fries. The veggies were definitely of the frozen variety, but I was so giddy to not be stuck with fries that I didn't really mind. However, when I got my bill, it read "Grilled Cheese - Adult," and it costed significantly more than the kids' version. Now, I'll admit that that's fair, but it would have been nice to know about the extra charge upfront.

Other than that, the service was great, timely, and upbeat. I enjoyed my food overall (I didn't have high expectations when ordering from the kid's menu, after all). The prices are decent, considering it's across the street from the Prudential Center.