I am going to start by saying I'm celiac. There are places I can eat but mostly I'm ending up with a sub par version of what's on the regular menu. I am ecstatic to say that this is not the case at Cowan's. I have had dinner, drinks and most recently brunch there and have not once been disappointed. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. To date I have fallen in love with their tacos, deviled eggs and pulled pork & sweet potato hash. The atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, the drinks are great and the food is worth every dime! If you are in the area stop in and if you're not make the trip. read more

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Living in Nutley, I've been to Cowan's quite a few times and it has a nice hipster/city/speakeasy aesthetic, super chill vibe if you just want a drink or two. However, I have to say one of the bartenders is extremely rude (tall guy), and has been to me on multiple occasions. The other bartenders though are super friendly and accommodating. Their weekend brunch is okay- pretty standard but my latest experience was the worst. Maybe it was because it was later, around 1pm, I'm not sure. But the food took a while to come out, and when it did, my friends' eggs benedicts were cold and the whites of the poached eggs were too runny. I ordered the flatbread, which was delicious- the homemade lemon ricotta was great. however, the menu stated it came with fig and arugula. When it came out, there was pear instead of fig, and a different small leafy green instead of arugula. Also there was a balsamic glaze, which tasted good, but was not listed as an ingredient on the menu. The waitress did not inform me of any of these substitutions. Also, the flatbread was made a lot more delicious, when I myself requested to have honey on the side for topping. Cowan's- consider adding that to the recipe. The Nashville Hot Chicken was good. read more

Cowan's Public - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

This place is so cute! When you pull up outside, you will feel like you are going to a dive bar, but once you walk up to the door and see the clean windows, you'll think there is no way this is a dive! Our first experience was so good. When we arrived, we saw the manager who we know from another restaurant and were so excited to see here at Cowan's! She was always very accommodating and respectful to my vegan lifestyle. We hung at the side bar top and had a drink then went to a table. I had one of the drink specials which was similar to an old fashion and was so good. My husband likes beer and was super happy with the options on tap. I ordered the spicy pickles and bean dip for an app. My husband had the cauliflower tacos (they are fried with other foods so I chose not to eat them). He said they were very light and really good. For dinner I had the vegetable soup and my husband had the shrimp sandwich. We were both happy with our meals and waay to fill to get dessert, which was a bummer because they make their own chocolate and have vegan options! We've been back for brunch and I had their new menu item - vegan risotto which was killer! read more

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I love cowans. The food never disappoints, great drinks, and cool atmosphere. Definitely a go to place in the area.

For what I could describe as a "hole in the wall" / bar joint, Cowan's Public is a good spot to eat. The atmosphere is nice and calm, while the style design is rustic and pleasant to look at. However the menu was kind of a hit and miss. I ordered the mushroom pâté and the wings from the "Snacks" section. For "Snacks" / appetizers / starters (whatever you call them) the portion of the food was quite large, which I throughly enjoyed. In my opinion the mushroom pâté was very mislabeled. As a pâté I expect a smooth consistency, but this was anything but. While the taste was enjoyable, I feel the gritty consistency from the nuts took away from the dish. I thought the nuts would be sprinkled on top or used in moderation, boy was I wrong. On a scale from one to five (one being: "where's the nuts?", and five being: "are you sure this isn't just a nut?") this pâté was a good 3.7 in the nut field. However, overall the pâté was a good dish. If they could change anything I would suggest them giving out more slices of bread than the four provided. The wings were very enjoyable. They were moist and juicy, yet not a speck of pink to be seen. The dry rub on the skin gave a nice kick (but no to much), and the skin itself was just the right amount of crunch. If they can change anything, then I suggest giving more honey on the side, but at this point I'm just nitpicking. In the end I will definitely be returning to this restaurant! Just not for the mushroom paté. read more

Cowan's is amazing. The atmosphere and spirits are amazing, even if you're going just for dinner, or drinks. They have some good music on the weekends (Friday and Saturday nights). The place is on the smaller side, and has no parking for patrons. Their craft beers are great overall and they're consistently changing. read more

This place has so much potential. Its location makes it a neighborhood joint, but when you walk inside, you feel like you're in a hipster bar. There's a warm fire, it's very spacious, and I and SOOO happy they expanded their menu to make it more vegetarian friendly. I have to admit--the only reason I hadn't checked it out before was because I was deterred by the menu. The beers are all craft, and the cocktails all sound interesting. It's dimly lit, industrial style, but very comfortable. I take one star off for the lack of waiters in the place and the lack of enough seating for dinner. I would come again. read more

This is still the best place around for pub fare. We made it into the second room this time, which was smaller than expected. The staff is knowledgeable about the menu and beer. The rotating brews are delicious. We tried the grilled cheese and it did not disappoint. There will be another visit in the near future. read more

Best bar in nutley by far... great bartenders great prices (hipster crowd but thats not bad or always the case)

What a pleasant surprise this restaurant was! The menu was small and eclectic. The food was delicious, the service excellent. They have a very nice selection of craft beers. We will definitely be back when we are in the area. read more

Loved this restaurant! First, the manager on site was beyond friendly, we had a small mix up with our reservation and had to wait an extra half hour-but she brought over glasses of wine while we waited on the House. A simple gesture that went a long way. Service was great and food/cocktails were phenomenal. Would defiantly come back! read more

Pretty cute place for brunch, but the service was a bit absent-minded and the food was pretty meh. I was not at all impressed with the soggy/excessively fatty Nashville hot chicken, which took forever to be made. Everything else seemed fine, but generally brunch was nothing to write home about. read more

We had the grilled cheese and veggie burger. The Side salads were very good. Over all happy. Will come back. The service could be better. Waitress was boring and not involved. read more

Cowan's Public - My hot date. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

This place is great!! The bartender Matthew is the best! My sister and friend and I had the best time here. GREAT drinks, GREAT food, and GREAT people watching. They're known for their fancy cocktails and the "It's vodka...we tried" is the best, in my opinion. They also have the most delicious poutine! I cannot wait to go back! read more

Cowan's Public - "It's vodka...we tried" - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

My favorite bar. Calm atmosphere. Good music always playing. Friendly bartenders and even better servers. Appetizers are usually the way to go. Always an impressive craft beer list and fun rotation. Cocktails are pricey but brilliant. read more

Terrible service. Bartender IGNORED us for a good 30mins and was annoyed when we wanted to order a $70 worth more of drinks. Definitely would go to Barrow House before coming here again. It's Wednesday and bar was empty. If u cannot handle a slow night then don't bartend at all.... Totally unfriendly. Never again. But the whiskey grapefruit drink was delicious. Wish I could've ordered another. read more

Our first visit and a pleasant surprise. A beautiful deco bar, a large space and an inviting fire place. The walls were exposed brick, as if demolition took place. It was a bit drafty with small tables not overly comfortable. The music was tasteful but modern and not overbearing but I would imagine it could get very noisy when packed. To go with the beautiful bar was a a great array of drinks and craft beers.Service was friendly but the kitchen was slow, however well worth the wait. Delicious burgers, fries and salads. I want to return to try other items. read more

When on a Saturday for late lunch. Had a cheese board that featured kielbasa, pretzels & pears, which was really good. The mulled wine was really delicious & their burgers are some of the best I've had. The only negative comment is that the prices are a little high. Very friendly staff took care of us! read more

I've been meaning to try Cowan's for awhile and was not disappointed. This place definitely has a Brooklyn/LES feel tucked away in Jersey. The Brussel Sprouts were awesome and the tuna sandwich is a must try. The craft beers are great and the drinks are creative. The ambience definitely has a speak-easy type feel and the staff was accordingly friendly and knowledgable. Awesome place; would definitely recommend and would come again. Could easily see this becoming a neighborly hangout. read more

Cowan's is way funky cool. The bartenders are top notch & were very helpful. So happy it was not loud & full of nice people

First impression: What a refreshing contrast to 99% of the bars & pubs in New Jersey. NO TV's at the bar!!! Right now I'm busy eating my Cowan's Burger. More info, to come! read more

This place was interesting. While it's a nice restaurant concept, I found the location to be a little strange. In the middle of a neighborhood, which attracts a neighborhood crowd, but the place seems to be going for an edgier clientele. In either case, it is a very nice space with a hipster beer collection. While I didn't eat, the food looked very good. $2 off drafts and well drinks for happy hour was definitely a draw. read more

A hipster bar is NJ. How else can one describe it? The bar service was quick. Their cocktails were interesting. Best was the food. It is bar food but a twist to it. Kudos to the menu and the execution of the food. read more

Update - food is really good and they do have a back dining room where it's not as loud and you can sit and talk while you enjoy your food and beer. Small menu, but interesting choices. So far have had the smoked trout sandwich and the pulled pork - both really good served on nice fresh rolls. Portions are not huge and if it's a busy night, the kitchen can be slow, but you can order another beer and some of the roasted beer nuts to tide you over. Only thing missing - you can't get dessert. Wait staff and bartenders are knowledgeable and very friendly. The beer selection is great. New choices every time from some of the best microbreweries. Good selection of whiskeys too. Not many places carry FEW, one of my favs. Recently spent a very nice Sunday morning here waiting out a baby shower my wife was attending nearby. Tommy behind the bar said he had to catch up on six new beers they had just tapped even though he worked last night. His dedication paid off - all his recommendations were spot on. So 4 stars overall, but 5 for beer. read more

our first time at Cowan's and I am already wondering when I could go back. You have to try the Ella fizz, delishhh. read more

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We've been here three times and will keep coming back. The star of this place are the beer list and the cocktails which are carefully selected/crafted and the food is pretty good too! It certainly has a Brooklyn feel to it. I hope they dont get overwhelmed by their young hipster crowd. On St Paddy's day weekend, we witnessed some abhorrent customer behavior (sloppy drinking, rudeness to other patrons, sitting at a table hours without ordering food, and eventually not even paying their bill), but it was handled beautifully by the waitstaff and the manager, which we made sure to point out. We need more places like this in the area! We feel it's our go-to bar now! read more

Food was good. Service was horrible. Took 45 minuets to get a burger and corned beef and hash. Waitress came over 10 minutes after we ordered and said our food will be right out. 35 minutes later no food, manager brought over some kind of nuts to tie my wife and I over until our food came. We never saw our waitress again read more

Absolute best cocktails around. Great, seasonal menu. Love Cowan's, it's my favorite spot in town!

I initially went to this spot when my sister was in town a few weeks ago. Great service/food. Last night, I highly recommended this place to my younger brother who was in town and my older brother who had been dying to check it out. So a group of us met there for some apps and drinks Food, five stars! Drinks, five stars! Service, ZERO!! I overheard my older brother complaining that when he first got there he had asked the bartender what was there best known drink? Bartender's response, EVERYTHING ON THE MENU! Later, the same brother had asked what is that other customer drinking, Bartender's response an IPA (duh! you have tons on tap) but my brother being the gentleman that he is did not inquire further. To which I asked, but which IPA you have several? Bartender still wouldn't specify. As though we are so dumb that we are not aware of diff IPAs? The worst is when we see the bartender making a cool drink called the "snow bird or snow day" cant recall. TO which my brother was like OH, that is the same drink I asked for when we first came in and you told me you only make it on Wednesdays! To which the bartender gave my brother a lame ass excuse as to why he didn't make the drink when he initially asked. But it was okay for another customer to ask for the same drink about 1/2 hour later and that bartender made it with no problem??? Now that is when I lost my appetite!!!! Here is suggestion....DO NOT treat your customers as though we are some illiterate customers. We have been to much higher end places (and not that this place is high end at all) and never treated this way. If your job is to serve drinks, know your drinks!! If a customer is asking for a suggestion, give the suggestion. If a client wants a drink from your menu, serve it!! DO NOT simply say it is only served on Wednesdays!! because you do not want to bother making it for that customer! I have a better suggestion, just quit your job!!! But guess what, we still enjoyed our night and tipped him his 20%!! So he can learn to treat your customers EQUALLY!! No matter what!!!! read more

Nice, hip place. Great drinks. Good food BUT the portions don't justify the prices. Turkey club was more like a turkey finger sandwich and it comes with nothing. Just sayin... read more

Best local bar, such a great atmosphere, great beers, great food! Owners are a pleasure! read more

Cowan's Public - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Not your typical Nutley bar but great nonetheless! Cowan's is an awesome recently opened bar that has a vintage, hipsteresque feel to it. It's a refreshing alternative to the other bars in the area and seems to be doing quite well. I prefer places that serve artisan drinks crafted by folks who consider themselved to be "mixologists" - thats Cowan's. Aside from the coctails, there is a full selection of craft beers that should allow most discerning beer drinkers to find something they like. Try Cowan's Public and stop going to the same bars for a change! read more

We gave Cowan's Public another try after a mediocre first experience. I can say that second time is a charm! We were there for dinner and can say that we had great service and the food was delish! We will definitely be back again! read more

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Had drinks at the bar, bartenders were very cool, drinks were amazing and apps were great! Definitely going back

Absolutely loved the atmosphere. Almost like someone tuned an abandoned house into Nutley's own little speakeasy. The drinks are phenomenal and the food was fantastic. Definitely my favorite place in town! read more

Nice bar with decent food and decent staff, lots of yelling and long wait times for less than average tasting food with and old aged wood feel. read more

They changed the menu a little too much :( most of my favorite things are gone. The French fries were one of the main things taken off the menu read more

If you like craft beer and a cozy atmosphere, Cowan's Public is the place for you! Formerly the Nutley Pub in Nutley, NJ, Cowan's is modeled after an old speakeasy/pub from the 20s/30s. The food is typical pub fare. But that's not a criticism. They have wings, seasoned fries, turkey burger, etc, all pretty good while you enjoy one of the many craft beers on tap. They offer flights so you can pick four beers to sample. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. Check it out if you get a chance!!! read more

Great atmosphere all year long. Delicious drinks, and unique menu. Christmas pop-up is fabulous, and an added bonus!

This is my favorite bar to stop at after work. I used to live in Jersey City and this is the closest thing to having that same experience. The scenery and the selection is top notch and is a huge contrast to every other typical sports bar in the area. The music they play is great as well. The amount of vegetarian options is exceptional and they are items that you wouldn't even find at specific vegetarian restaurants. My only complaints are that I order too many drinks when I come here and get too tipsy and also you should be located in Bloomfield instead of Nutley, or maybe you should just open another one in Bloomfield. I hear there's some empty storefronts on Broad st. read more