Nassau Club

Conveniently located near the center of town, they have some parking on site, which is fantastic. I was lucky enough to snag the very last parking spot when I dined here with a few friends. The two cars directly behind me were out of luck.

Although the guy I spoke with on the phone a couple of days earlier about the menu had been quite snooty and condescending, the waiters in person were a lovely and helpful lot. Service was excellent throughout.

The food was traditional American fare (steak, roasted purple potatoes, sautéed veggies, etc.). Although tasty, the meal lacked creativity, imagination, or flair. You can request a vegan entree. It consists of a very large, uninspired plate of zucchini, eggplant, and asparagus swimming in oil, which while not terribly interesting or inventive, was surprisingly filling. Hopefully that was oil, not butter! Neither would have been even better, quite frankly. I don't understand why some chefs are afraid to let the natural flavors of the foods they prepare shine through. Somehow they mistake dowsing food in grease and having it drown in fat as cooking...

For dessert, we had the chocolate cake and cheesecake. Both were rich, although there was nothing interesting or unique about the Club's pedestrian interpretations. It was quite clear they don't have a pastry chef.

Ambiance was OK. It's quiet in the dining room, but not particularly intimate or private. They do have separate dining spaces/rooms for group functions.

All-in-all, meh. I would give them 2.5 stars, but that's not an option. Three is overly generous. There are certainly better dinner venues around town.

For members and their guests only, but because my father-in-law is a member, we were lucky enough to have him secure a table on our behalf.

It was buffet-style, and everything was very good.  The dessert station was a little disappointing, but I don't blame them, because if you're in Princeton, you should go to Halo Pub for after-dinner ice cream anyway.

I also got a sidecar, and it was excellent.

Be sure to check out the room with the fireplace, and be sure to read the captions of the portraits of Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson: the captions proudly recount their affiliations with the club as if they were their most important accomplishment.