Since remodeling what once was the Elmwood Barn, this place has gotten 1000X better. Â It is not a skeevy divey bar- it is a hip gastro pub with awesome food and craft beers. Â I came here with a living social deal and continue to go back. Â There is something there for everyone- seafood pizza, brick oven pizza, healthy chicken under a brick, lobster mac and cheese, etc. Â Definitely a good place to try.
Review Source:Went here to see my friend place an acoustic set. Â As we try to get a table, the host tells us that the kitchen is closed. It was 9:45pm!. Â So that kind of killed the experience immediately. Â Then, as the host brings us over to a tall table in the back, he says, "There is no waitress service". Â Fine. Â Ok. Two strikes and we just walked in 2 minutes ago. Â Then we tried to get drinks at the bar. Â Clearly they were understaffed. Â The bar isnt even that big, but the female bartender could not handle it. Â It took at least 15 minutes just to get two beers. Â
So, I was starving and it took forever to get drinks. Â I actually wanted to try some of the food, but unfortunately could not. Â
Based on this first impression, I would skip this place. Â But, I still do want to try the food. Â Maybe they were having a bad night? Â Who knows? Â I guess if I ever get back here, I will try the food and then update the review. Â But for now, skip it!
Good food and a hit/miss service
I asked the lady if there was a beer menu and she looked at me if i were from a diff world. im assuming she didn't speak english. Â our waiter started out as a prick (he took the beer list that were on tap out of my cousins hands without saying "excuse me" Rude don't u think?). Â Other than that he seemed pretty cool. Â Ribs were good, spicy shrimp & chorizo were great, duck fat fries were great and the kobe beef sliders with wusabi sauce was amazing. Â i will go back for sure
I have been here a few times for drinks. I always end up having food. My personal favorite is the east meets west ribs. I think you should eat them. The staff is always helpful and attentive. I usually have a beer here that I haven't had before, that makes me happy. This is the perfect place to come with a buddy or a lady and have a couple drinks and something delicious to eat, however if you're looking for a place to watch a game you're in the wrong place. They will have the game on, but on a small TV without sound. NOT a sports bar. I came here to watch hockey and I was a little disappointed at first, but I soon forgot about the game and proceeded to eat myself into a temporary coma. Everything I have ordered here has come out promptly, and has been cooked perfectly. Great food, drinks, and people here. Go.
Review Source:Extremely underwhelming.
I was excited when I heard that this place served duck fat fries along with their craft beer, albeit their pricey craft beer list. $8 a pint is pretty high, even compared New York City standards.
But once I received my meal. I must have to say, I don't think I'd want to come back for the meals. Maybe for the drinks, because I don't know any other place nearby that sells craft beer. I ended up getting the jersey disco duck fat fries and the chorizo hot pan meal (forget what it's called). I even purposely didn't have duck fat fries in Chicago the week prior to have it here. I know Chicago duck fat fries are a lot better, but I thought I shouldn't spoil my tastebuds with that before having them here. But still, awfully disappointed.
I am sad.
Great food, warm atmosphere, and pleasant music.
We were a large group last night and had a great time. There was a long table to comfortably fit everyone. We had a mix of apps, mostly steak salad mains, and two amazing desserts: cheese cake and chocolate cake (which tasted like an awesome brownie).
I would definitely go back, especially on a Tuesday to hear the live music (nice band).
Points for variety, friendly staff, and well made cuisine.
One point off for limited parking.
I wish I could give 2.5 stars. Â The ambiance and decor is lacking - the main dining area is one large room. Â No music to be heard. Â There is also a front dining area that is bright and confusingly diner-like.
We started with the almond-crusted brie, which was obviously off the store shelf, along with an assortment of what were clearly Keebler crackers and Wheat Thins. Â The "chutney" it was served with had the consistency and taste of the dipping sauce you get with fried frozen shrimp at the grocery store. Â I could've done this at home.
The pork ossobucco was impressive. Â The meat fell off the bone and it was quite tasty. Â However, the off-the-shelf sauce had a sweet, barbecue sauce taste that dragged the dish down. Â The "twisted potatoes" I asked for as a side were off-the-shelf fried potato skins dusted in parmesan cheese.
It was ok, at best. Â Service was attentive. Â Cocktails were good, nice beer selection. Â If they paid as much attention to the appetizers and sauces as they did to the pork, this would be a winner.
I HATE PUB food!! Â
Well this ain't "pub" food that's for sure! Â Food was FRESH and made to order... Â not pre-made and manufactured like other pubs in the area. Â Initially, I refused to go to this place to eat simply because the word "pub" was associated with it; but after reading so many positive reviews and checking out their menu, I figured I'd give it a go... Â so glad I did! Â
You can tell there's a chef behind the menu and food, and not a "cook"! Â I cannot wait to go back! Â
PS. Â If you go... Â just be sure you get the meatball sliders! Â OMG!
Twisted Elm is a warm, cozy gastro-pub that serves great food with an excellent and ever-evolving beer/wine selection. I've eaten there a bunch and I can tell you that I've never had a bad experience nor have ever eaten something that didn't make my taste-buds dance.
For starters, they give you fresh bread with garlic herb butter that really gets your appetite going. I always get the almond crusted brie appetizer, which is essentially a giant brie mozzarella stick that comes with crackers and an orange marmalade that I could eat off a shoe and still enjoy.
In terms of entrees, they have great chicken and fish dishes. I've never had their pizza, but others have told me it's great. Their bacon burger is excellent. The bacon is thick and the meat-to-bun ratio is perfect. Their lobster grilled cheese has massive chunks of lobster tail. It isn't a lobster spread, it's actual lobster in there.
And if they have a pork shank special, please for the love of all that is holy order it immediately. I had it once and it was unforgettable. If I was on Death Row, that pork shank would be my last meal.
As for the beer/wine selection, it'd be wise to "like" them on Facebook because they frequently update their page with new beers that are on tap. Their servers give great recommendations as well.
great food at fair prices......the grilled cheese with lobster is simply the best sandwhich I've ever had.......soups are always top drawer. last night I had a cream of mushroom soup. it was a toss up between that and the onion soup, which I ve had many times and woudl go back just for that.. my wife had the BLT salad. I wanted to ask them where do they get such great tomatoes in march. Her entree was the scod. she gave it a rave review as well.
could there be an improvement?. the deserts could be a bit more varied; something like an apple tartin or an apple crisp with vanilla ice cream would be welcomed ....the second improvement- their diet coke doesnt' taste right. Â so I don't order the diet coke.
Great food, great beer selection, great service. Â We moved out to NJ from Brooklyn about a year ago and while it's been nice to slow down a little we've really missed the great little restaurants and pubs in our old neighborhood. Â Twisted elm saves the day.
Bartenders are great...very friendly...very knowledgeable. Â
Only downside and it's not much of one...Not really a sports place but we weren't looking for that kind of place anyway (they just have a couple of small TVs).
I usually sat at the bar when I went to this place, and unfortunately, its a shit show!!! The guy who runs the place creeps me out! He seems reptilian not only in appearance, but also in his mannerisms. He didn't move as much as he slithered across the room. He was always, hitting on his female bartenders, which made me pretty nauseous most of the time. It reminded me of a velociraptor teasing its prey. Yikes!!! He makes this place suck!!! BAD ENERGY!!! Do everyone a favor my scaly friend, and stay home! BTW, The food is good, nice selection of beer, the parking is adequate, and the seating isn't half bad.
Review Source:Forgot to review Twisted Elm and have to go back soon. I really enjoyed the place and has a well made steak and tried the clam pizza. I try it again to make sure I like it but the wait staff was attentive, ambiance was refreshing and it had a laid back atmosphere. Seems like a place to drink and the bar seems the place to be. If your in the area its worth checking out.
Review Source:Twisted Elm is a decently-sized establishment, smaller than others and from what I have had here, with a good atmosphere and some unique choices of food
As for the appetizers, the fried calamari is crispy and flavorful with the sauce. Â The "Duck Fat Disco Fries" come with a similar gravy-like sauce, which was yummy as well. Â My personal favorite was the Almond Crusted Fried Brie. Â Brie is one of my personal favorite cheeses, so this particular platter was a winner for me.
As for the entrees, the pizzas come in a good size for the amount you pay and taste good. Â The crust and dough is made thin, but it is not as crispy as you would think. Â The Mac & Cheese is average, though I have not tried the one with lobster, so I would not know how much more flavor the lobster would add. Â I've also had a taste of the House Chilli Crock and Beer Battered Corn Beef sandwich, which were both well-made and flavorful. Â I personally like how they present and decorate the food on your plate as well. Â I've seen a bunch of the burgers look nice and the gravy meatball sliders looked a lot larger for a "slider".
They also have a nice variety of deserts to choose from, Â I've only had the bread pudding, but it is a solid choice and would definitely have it again.
Another plus, in particular during my last visit, they had a "Dogfish Head" dinner going on and had a lot of different Dogfish Head brews available on tap for everyone at the place, which was a nice addition to my dinner.
The decor is interesting, as when you first come in the bar is near the entrance at a corner and there are seating areas located in front and to the right of the bar. Â One seating area has longer tables, which the other has small circular tables for seating 2 people, but can be combined together to sit larger parties.
There are other things on this menu that I look to try in the future, so I would definitely come back.
Meh, I've experienced better really sums it up. Â
Appetizers:
Margharita pizza:  Nicely flavored marinara but the crust was a soggy  mess.
Garlic shrimp:  Nice size shimp, but again soggy  and swimming in a greasy, flavorless marinade.
Entrees:
Hanger steak: Â My husband ordered this medium rare. Â Perfectly cooked, steak was like butter.......but the demi glace sauce was flavorless.
Lobster mac & cheese: Â Every table was ordering this and I was so excited to try it. Â I was just so disappointed. Â Again, underseasoned, flavorless with some greasy cheddar. Â Something was just "off" with the taste. Â It was a very generous portion and I took home the leftovers, but even the next day, it just didn't taste right. Â I had my husband take a bite and he said "It tastes weird." The lobster meat was just ok, and be warned, it was all claw meat. Â I love claw meat, my husband hates it and always feels short changed when he orders lobster and doesn't any get tail meat. Â I suggest you try the appetizer portion of this dish that they have on the menu if you want to give it a try so you don't spend $19 to be bummed.
The Twisted Elm burger, which the table next to us ordered, looked fantastic. Â Huge, charred. Â I should have ordered that. Â bummer.
Dessert: Â I went to Baskin Robbins and got Jamocha Almond Fudge ice cream which was great.
The Twisted Elm offers an ever changing variety of award winning Micro-Brews that would tantalize even the most refined beer connoisseur's palate, and pairs this surprising beer menu with a unique artisan fare that is not expected in the suburban town of Elmwood Park. Â In addition to the great beer and food they also offer a lovely selection of wine and spirits that round out the menu nicely.
Much to my surprise, I found that The Twisted Elm Tavern was in fact the area's first Gastro Pub. Â If you are not from around this area, the idea of a Gastro Pub in a town like Elmwood Park is much like the idea of a hot girl that likes science fiction novels, you know they could exist but you never thought you would actually run into one. The thought of a Gastro Pub in my neighborhood sent chills down my back, but before this bar became my own, I had to do some further investigation.
Every time I have entered this establishment the beer choices have varied and I can always find something new and exciting to imbibe. The best part of their beer selection, is that not one of their taps has ever housed Coors Light or Budweiser, not that I mind these beers for a barbecue, but since I graduated college I have become quite a little beer snob, and the Twisted Elm is not helping cure this ailment.
The menu is somewhat limited but what they do serve has never disappointed me. Another nice element to the Twisted Elm is that you can order all the food from the regular menu at the bar or on the Restaurant side. Â This comes in handy when you arrive at the bar hankering for the munchies but still want to hang out with your friends and watch the game.
Overall, the Twisted Elm has done nothing but impress me since it has opened. Â The Owner of this establishment is a regular and can be seen nightly conversing with the patrons. Â The Beer list is always amazing featuring the likes of Stone Brewery, Dogfish Head, and Oskar Blues to name a few. On top of this the Foodie inspired menu has yet to leave me unfulfilled.
With that said, I would be remiss to not mention the pricing at the Twisted Elm Tavern which tends to scare off more than a few of the clientele that walk into this establishment. What must be understood, when dealing with craft beer, is that unlike the domestic watered down swill that is served at dive bars across the land, these beers are created in small batches by beer aficionados. These one of a-kind ales not only taste great but some of them pack the punch of 2 or 3 regular beers. Â The same basic principal must be afforded to the finely crafted food that the Twisted Elm serves on a daily basis. Â Bar food that included local fresh ingredients combined with great taste which is Chef prepared does not come along every day, so paying few extra bucks is not that terrible.
If you are looking for a domestic draught beer with a side of Mozzarella Sticks for $4.99 the Twisted Elm Tavern might not be for you, but if you are a foodie with a side of the beer crazies like me this should be your new bar, I know it is mine!
My friend invited me for a b-day party (drinks only) we ordered a ceaser salad and the grill lobster cheese $20. The salad was bitter and the sandwich was not all that great it was cold and it had a runny cheese sauce the lobster was abundent they gave us 3 half sandwiches weird, it came with home made chips that were somewhat cooked.
I ordered a glass of pinot noir and they were all out the waitress suggested a california red $10 for a glass of wine in Elm Wood Park ???
Went there on a Friday night using their Living Social coupon.
-While they are called a "gastropub," they do not have their own list of special cocktails. They have a full bar like any other pub, and a decent list of wine, stouts, IPA, cider, etc.
-The bread (fresh baguette) was toasty, full of holes, soft, and crusty. Their funky artisanal butter was delicious, and I HATE butter.
-We were all really excited about the menu, but were underwhelmed with the entrees we ordered. The appetizers were awesome (Mussels in red sauce, the Carolina Crab Dip), while our entrees were a bit lackluster.
-Despite this, I still think they have an awesome menu. While they're known for adding small twists to traditional pub staples, take a chance and stick to the more interesting-sounding dishes. We all wanted to order the more "adventurous" dishes (as adventurous as gourmet pub food in general can get), like the Lobster/Gruyere/Bacon Griddle Mac n' Cheese, Goat Cheese/Caramalized Onion pizza/ Lamb Ragu w Cavatelli, etc. but we ended up ordering safe choices like the fish and chips, steak, and salmon - which were good, but not interesting.
-The mussels were fresh, in a delicious tomato sauce with lots of basil. The Carolina Crab dip is crack in a bowl. Different kinds of melted gooey cheese, a bit of cream, a plenty of crab meat. Dipping the thin slices of toasted, buttery garlic bread in both the mussel's tomato sauce and cheesy crab dip = adult grilled cheese.
-For dessert, we had the Nutella Creme Brulee and Pumpkin chiffon pie. I'm not a dessert person, but these were tasty.
-Service was excellent. The waiter was very friendly, and we were given plenty of time to enjoy our appetizers and drinks.
-Atmosphere is like a cozy, modern pub. Would be cool if they added whiskey barrels and taxidermy, but that's just me.
We will definitely return, but order less on the "safe" side.
Friends of my wife recommended this place and after looking at the menu i said sure...looked good.
Was Blah at best.
4 of us go to check it out....the place is nice. But overall i would not go back
so we sit down and the waitress comes over asks if we'd like to order drinks...i ask what kind of beer they have and she says they have a list.....ok can i see it????
she comes back shortly with the list....mostly stouts and IPA's  not really a fan of those but she asks if we'd like to try a few (that was good) we do and order drinks and apps
Apps:
Duck Fat Jersey Disco Fries....not even good, definitely not cooked in duck fat
Crispy Calamari - what a joke looked like someone took a hand full and dropped it on a plate..smallest order I've ever seen anywhere. $9 too i was pissed
Mussels - were OK but there were like 4 unopened
Gravy Meatball Sliders - 2 for $7 Â were OK
Entrees:
friend had a special Mushroom pizza...she said it was OK
friend had Fish & Chips said it was OK
wife had White Clam Pizza....i had some and it was less than good, was like a clam puree on it, weird
i had the Lobster Grilled Cheese , no real flavor , very bland and most bizarre thing to me was that there were 3 pieces...3 half sandwiches?????
so we had desert , chocolate layer cake and cheesecake , they were actually good
Highs: we were seated fast
Lows: everything else...service , food, taste....
the menu looks good but the food does not deliver
Been here a few times, they seem to be putting finding their groove now. The food was exceptional and the bartender was great
This time we had a mushroom, onion pizza, awesome crust, great caramelized flavors; Ribs, sriracha honey sauce, sweet and smokey, falling off the bone; Lobster Grilled Cheese!! glutonous, rich, perfectly cooked real lobster. awesome
*I would like to see them expand their cocktail menu or just create a small official menu with 4-7 unique cocktails that actually utilize their extensive spirit list. Also a running list of all of their spirits & wines, maybe with some tasting notes, would be helpful, it's hard to tell what they have if you can't even see it.
What a great place....and it's in BERGEN COUNTY!
The food is mostly bar food with some irish touches. It was pretty good.
The food  came out very quick.
The bar area is very small and gets filled up. There seem to be many small rooms
all around.
Tough to track down wait staff since they are servicing multiple areas of the restaurant. Â The drink took a long time to arrive.
What can I say, I love this place. The twisted burger is excellent as is the twisted potatoes. The Jersey disco duck fat fries rule and the selection of beers, IPA's and stoudts are perfection(and always changing). The atmosphere could use a little work but overall it's one of my favorite places in the area. They also make an excellent pizza and the fish and chips are damn good. Go here and enjoy it!
Review Source:Visited twisted elm for the third time and I once again was not impressed. Â Tonight was my 6 year anniversary and we made a very bad decision going to Twisted Elm. Â The drinks are terrible. Â They have no clue how to make a vodka tonic or pour a glass of scotch. See my picture. It's like a glass of scotch with water and a pound ice. For $10 a glass I expect them to know how to pour scotch.
After attempting the Vodka Tonic and then the scotch I decided to stick with the water. Until the owner came to the table to ask what was wrong with our drinks.
The owner came over to the table and asked is everything ok. When I told him about the two poorly made drinks he said "what do you want me to do now". Â This is the owner and I was taken back. I would never visit this establishment again just because of his attitude. Â Who speaks to customers like that. I could imagine how he treats his employees?
The guys hair was a mess and he was very disheveled. Â Pretty embarrassing and unprofessional. Â
This guy thinks he's Gordon Ramsey with his attitude and someone needs to take him down a notch and remind him he's in Elmwood park and not NY City. Â
The food was very good. Mussels were amazing, penne al forno was very good and the salads were generous and filling. The bread was stale and hard as a rock.
The waiter was very nice but totally embarrassed by the way his boss handled our drink debacle. Â His tip was not effected by the way his boss acted.
I would not recommend this establishment based on my three visits that were all par experiences.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FNorthJersey.com&s=69abb6d2476ee82216f2f8e74dd6e65aec14b1c2bb4fcc30b58764305b909f37" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://NorthJersey.com</a> gave them 2 1/2 stars And I agree.
The staff is really good and attentive. The restaurant itself has been completely renovated from when it was "The Barn". We went on a Tuesday and the place was not to crowded.
I loved the Crispy Calamari- Fried perfectly and seasoned very well.
My daughter's chicken under a brick was so /so it was a little overcooked and not enough seasoning. Â She actually just ate the white meat because she did not like the skin. The veggies that came with the chicken were pretty good. There was too much sour cream on the baked potato. Â
I had the Fish & Chips -2 large pieces of crispy batter fried fish with fresh cut fries. Took two bites and brought the rest home. Â The fries were good though.
My son had the margherita pizza and he basically said it was just ok.
I think the staff was so so nice that I did not have the heart to tell them the food was just not up to par. Â
Even through they are within walking distances of my home, I think I will pass on this place.
Ambiance/Decor/Atmosphere: Â The atmosphere of Twisted Elm is unfinished, the bar area is a very trendy NYC style setting with comfortable seating to lounge on along with plenty of tables to enjoy a drink at. Â But, once you get into the main dining room the majority of what was left of The Barn is still visible, hay lofts, horseshoes, barn and ranch style wood work. Â This is nothing to be really concerned over, just wish the owners completed the decorating before opening.
Noise/sound level: Â It is easy to hold a conversation with your date or group but still it's your typical gastropub sound level. Â Nothing really to worry about.
Menu: Â The menu is concise but has quite a few pub favorites that is sure to catch anyone's eye.
Service: Â The serving staff is on point to handle your every need, but you better make sure you don't turn your head or put your fork down, someone is bound to swoop up your plates immediately thereafter. Â In my opinion the servers try to rush you out in order to turn tables faster. Â Ok, I get the point, the restaurant wants to make money but they can tone it down a notch a little.
Food: Â The food quality is very good and it's easy to tell the dishes are made from scratch. Â My wife and I had meatball sliders, baked bacon macaroni and cheese, and fish and chips. Â The meatball sliders were very delicious, nice garlic flavor with a tangy tomato sauce. Â The sauce may be over bearing to those who dislike garlic but it was great to me. Â This was considered an appetizer and you get two sliders as a portion but they are nicely sized. Â The baked mac and cheese was also delicious, home made cheese sauce, not dried out or greasy while the crumbs added a nice texture difference. Â The only down side was the fish and chips, the batter was soggy on the inside, could have been fried a bit longer to make them a bit crispier. Â The home made malt vinegar was yummy, even went good on the fries. Â
Price: Â The price range is typical, without drinks the bill won't be so scary but if you spend time with friends enjoying cocktails I imagine price tag would be steep.
Overall Twisted Elm is a very nice establishment with delicious food and very appealing bar area decor. Â I'd definitely return for another meal. Â I'd also give this a 3.5 not a solid 3 because the food is very good.
Returned tonight  to the twisted elm with my boy Adam M. To enjoy a couple of pints and some good bar grub.
I had a pint of the allegash white which is like a blue moon but superbly better and no gimmicky orange on the glass. Point
Adam had a Breckinridge vanilla porter which happens to be one of my favorite porters and actually fav beers to enjoy on the regular. It is extremely light for a porter and the flavor profile is truly amazing and smooth.
Super clean fresh taps!!!!
For starters we shared a bowl of mussels in a medium spice white wine sauce.
Not really spicy at all but the mussels were really fresh and delish and the white wine sauce totally kicked ass. I mean the flavors worked really well. Hints of the white wine, garlic a bit of butter and onion. My crispy bread of course had to take a bath in these superb juices.
All in all a great app to share with someone or eat as a meal by urself.
Once again I went with the twisted elm burger. Cooked to my specification of medium perfectly.
Pink and super juicy. Amazing flavor and the perfect char. Only complaint if u can call it one. It's to big to fit in my mouth. Lol
I ordered it with a side of the twisted potatoes which is a baked potato that is first baked. Then cut up in to sorta wedges and fried to a crip perfection sprinkled with some Romano cheese. Really great unique side dish that worked perfectly with the burger.
This is def going on my list of top burgers in the area. By far one of the best if not the best in the Garfield/ EP area.
Keep up the great worked twisted.
You will be seeing my face here again soon!
Mr grandparents used to bring me here as a kid, and man its changed, lol
When you walk in, its a quick left to the bar. Â Went w Roger B, seated immediately at a table by the bar.
Started off w a calamari w marinara and Thai sweet chilli sauce. Â The calamari was good, nice and tender, not too big a size. Perfect for 2. Â The marinara was good for a non-Italian restaurant. Â The Thai chilli sauce was good. Â Sweet w a nice kick.
We moved on to a pair of bistro burgers, ordered medium. Â The burgers were tasty, next time we will order medium rare though. Â The buns were nice (brioche). Â The fries were nice. Â It was a good change from normal bistro fries getting steak fries w the burger.
Service is a little all over the place. Â We asked multiple times for ketchup n mustard, till I went to the bar and asked for it, we got an empty ketchup bottle :-/ Â lol. Â Service was very friendly tho, and quick w the beers.
We went with the Sam Addams chocolate Bock (we kicked the keg! Lol) and Yards Washington porter (one of our faves!!!). Â Both were fresh n good and had a good pour.
Overall, I don't know why we haven't come here sooner before. Â Its so close by for weekends. Â We'll definitely be back, ESP if they keep having the good craft ale.
3.5 stars.
Great place to go for drinks, but I'm not sure whether I'll be back for a whole dinner. Just about everything was underseasoned.
Sadly, the one thing I'm remembering above all else is the bread basket that came with a kick-ass butter that was seasoned with garlic and other stuff that I can't quite identify.
My chicken under a brick was overcooked and lacked seasoning. It was paired with absolutely delicious and perfectly prepared veggies (snap peas, broccoli, squash), and mashed potatoes that were a bit bland (salt and pepper were completely necessary) and seemed to have come at least partially from a box.
My friend's scrod was good, but again, underseasoned. The other friend's burger was cooked precisely as she had ordered, but also just lacked flavor. The fries it came with were quite good though.
Our server and the other servers were fairly wonderful - our server even steered one of my friends away from a menu item he believed was not up to par. Beautiful, clean and comfortable restaurant. Our wait was a bit long considering how many empty tables there were open and the fact that we had a reservation, but there were tables open by the bar where we were served wine while we waited. The staff overall made the wait forgivable. Â
I may actually go back for the mac and cheese or the pizza - both looked fairly fabulous.
Warning - don't over order! Dishes are HUGE!
When we first arrived we were nervous it did not look like what we expected from the outside. Don't let that fool you everything was great from the second we walked in the door.
Hostess was very nice sat us within 5 minutes of ur reservation.
Gave us a table in an area where we can fit a stroller.
Pizza was ok.
Brie appetizer was great.
Burger was cooked perfect.
My friend had the lobster grilled cheese and said it was amazing.
This place has a great menu.
Craft beers on tap.
I wil be going back very soon thanks for a great dinner.
Good Food  Rotating Craft Beer Menu  Top Shelf Cocktails Â
Menu items I have tried
(Inquire about the specials before ordering)
Apps
Wings (Buffalo) - Crisp and meaty, good sauce.
Gravy Meatball Sliders - Tender well seasoned, nice roll.
Crispy Calamari - Served with 2 sauces, cooked well.
Duck Fat Jersey Disco Fries - No explanation needed.
Soups
French Onion - Quite good.
Wood Fired Pizza
Margherita - Thin crispy crust, a classic.
White Clam - White clam sauce on a pie.
Sausage & Peperoni - Just the right amount of quality toppings.
Pasta
Tagliatelle Bolongnase - Hearty well dressed home made pasta and most importantly, not greasy.
Sandwiches
Lobster Grilled Cheese - Pricey but good.
Cuban Panino - Chef Al's spin on the Cuban Sandwich, nice.
Beer Brewed Corned Beef - On marble rye bread, just ok.
Pub Grub
Shepherds Pie - Done the right way, with lamb.
House Made Fish & Chips - Not that great.
Skillet Mac & Cheese - Large portion, decent.
Tavern Custom Blend Burger - A custom blend of beef for a very distinct flavor, I like this burger.
Overall pretty good if Chef Al is at the helm.
I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Â This place is like 1 mile from my parents house. Â I remember it used to be the Elmwood Barn which wasn't that great. Â Well, they renovated, but also kept the wood burning stove which is a good thing. Â I had low expectations for this place but saw it had good yelp reviews so I figured I would give it a shot. Â
Here's the deal:
- Impressive beer selection...did not expect this. Â I've tasted tons of different beers and they still had a bunch I've never heard of so I got a sampler platter. Â I'd definitely recommend that.
- Burgers were awesome. Â Seriously, if you're in the area and want a good burger or pub style type of meal, this place is a good bet.
- All extras (Sides, bread, appeteizers) were very tasty and added to the overall meal.
This place is located in a very unassuming area and if you drive too fast on river drive you may pass it. Came here with a few girlfriends on a windy, rainy day and the warmth of the "barn" was perfect to call our own for a few hours.
First stop was the bar. The bartender was great and gave us a few samples of beer. There was a chalkboard of microbrews so it was difficult to make a decision. But with his help we were able to find the perfect match for each person. I went with the River Horse Oatmeal Ale Stout. Wow the blend of chocolate, coffee with a little hop was great.
For dinner we were seated in the main dining at a horseshoe booth. Perfect for a group! I love how the foundation of the barn was preserved. Dark wood everywhere but you get the warm, homey feel not dreary at all.
Our server was great and had topnotch recommendations. So here comes the best part:
Appetizers:
Gravy Meatball Sliders- Comes in 2 but we split them in half and they were just enough for 4 to share. Good quality of meat served on a ciabatta roll and not covered in cheese so you could really enjoy the meat.
Crispy Calamari- Fried perfectly and seasoned very well. We got both sauces they were good but not enough to rave about.
Duck Fat Jersey Disco Fries- The gravy was unique. It was more of a thicker au jus. Not the creamy type of gravy which was perfect since duck fat and mozzarella cheese are already so rich so it gave it a good balance.
Entrees:
Sliced Hanger Steak with Twisted Potatoes- I hate to say it but the twisted potatoes were the star here. Yummy and crunchy. Best combination. Steak was cooked a perfect medium rare like it should be.
Lamb Shepherd's Pie- Served piping hot in a mini cast iron skillet. The blend of lamb with the cheddar potato crust was good. Seasoned very well too. Not salty at all for those afraid of the cheddar potato topping.
Tavern Custom Blend Burger- Served with fries. Personally, I wasn't able to try this one but my friend enjoyed it.
We had no room for dessert but I did overhear bread pudding, chocolate cake, creme brulee and lots more.
I wish I lived closer. I would definitely be a regular. There are also semi-private areas that would be perfect for small gatherings.
I will be back...
My bf and I were very excited to try this new 'gastro pub' as soon as we found out about it because it's about a mile from our apartment.
We had been in at least 3 or 4 times for beers and cocktails. Â My bf loves specialty-good beers and they always have good selection, I am a fan of the Allagash.
But they also have great bartenders that make really delicious cocktails. I have tried their mai tai, peach martinis and side car, my favorite was the peach martini but they were all very good. Â If you 'like' them on FB sometimes they post what specialty cocktail they have for the day and also they post a link to the beers they have on tap.
On Saturday night we finally made it over to try the food and were extremely pleased by what we had. Â We wanted to try a few things so we shared plates. Â We started with the teriyaki wings and blusabi dipping sauce. The wings were delicious but the blusabi dipping sauce was AMAZING! I want to go back and get a bottle to go!
We next tried the white clam pizza and it was also very tasty, a good size for $9 and definitely enough for one person but plenty for sharing. The taste was excellent! Our final dish that we tried was the macaroni and cheese it had a great crust on the top of it and the flavors were also on point.  I agree with a previous reviewer that an option should be given to add some crab or lobster to it.  Right now it's more of a side dish then a meal, but it was still very tasty and I love mac and cheese.  The décor is relaxed, you can dress up if you want to but it's not necessary.  My only issue was that we sat in the room with the oven for the pizza's and it got to be a bit hot. There are actually tables right around the oven and I'm not quite sure how people sit there comfortably, but there were people there that seemed to be enjoying it!! We tried the 3 dishes I listed above and I had a beer and cocktail and my bf had two beers and our bill was less than $55.  The quality of food here is really amazing, especially for the area. There aren't any places that I know of making the cocktails they have, with the specialty beer selection and also an amazing chef in the kitchen. I am really happy this is soo close to home and I hope they get busier as word of mouth spreads and stay open for a long time.  We'll certainly be back many times. I will be back for more BLUSABI!!!!
4/12/12 I took one star away today cause I feel they are slightly overpriced with their cocktails for the area. But the cocktails are delicious and they like to come up with new ones all the time. Â Also, they need to start having a happy hour. I mean what kind of bar doesn't have a happy hour?? Please. Then i'll give back a star. They've also been talking about a brunch, but that hasn't happened either.
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