This is a great place that's tucked away in Nutley. Super cute and friendly staff! I had to stop here with some friends for the miracle/holiday pop-up this year! Good vibes, cute drinks, and overall fun place! And never have I ever seen Prosecco on tap so I had to capture a photo. Definitely recommend! read more

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

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Had the company holiday party here. The place gives a warm cozy tavern feel and was very well decorated for the holidays. The staff was accommodating and in the spirit. They offered beer, wine, appetizers, and a buffet. The food and drinks were quite good, and they hosted a nice party for us. read more

Came for a Friday night happy hour and it did not disappoint. Bar area was buzzing and the drinks were flowing. Attentive staff took our orders, brought them over to our table and were very accommodating. Will definitely be back for dinner as the whole place had a very cool vibe. read more

We recently grabbed brunch here with a group. From the exterior, I was unsure what to expect as it looked like an unassuming dive bar. Once inside, it was an open, bright, vinategy, and hipster spot. Service was good throughout. The focus is on beers and cocktails which are a plenty. They have fun drink names like the "walk of shame." The brunch menu is small and pricey but the dishes are fantastic. I split the plantains to start for $8 which were perfectly crispy and flavorful. I also got the Benedict minus the meat for $15 which was also delicious though fairly small and didn't come with any sides. Other things ordered in our party include the challah French toast and omelette - both got rave reviews. All in all - a great brunch and will definitely be back to try dinner. read more

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

Visited close to Christmas. It was understandably packed. Unfortunately I don't recall the drinks we got but we remember feeling pretty underwhelmed. The thing that makes this a two star is the cheese fondue that was prepared was completely cold. We were unable to flag down anyone ask about it because it was so busy. I'm willing to give this place a second chance. read more

We tried to go to Cowan's a few times in the past but it was always packed or super busy so we always left and ended up somewhere else. We finally came on a slower night and we were seated by the bar on a high top. We had decided that if we didn't like it we just wouldn't come back, and I have to be honest, we had low expectations. Boy was I wrong! The food and drinks were nothing less than exceptional. This place has a bit of a hipster vibe, felt like we should have had some skinny jeans and a fedora on, but that aside, the food made me completely forget about any other distraction. I ordered the oysters and the skirt steak. My husband had the pulled pork grilled cheese with fries. WOW! Just wow! Amazing. I totally understand the following to this place, and we have to try it once more to update you all. Worth the wait! read more

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Updating my review as I finally got around to trying the cuisine at Cowan's Public. I was able to discuss my previous experience with the manager and this time around the service was impeccable. For appetizers, our party ordered the pulled pork bao buns which were DELICIOUS. We also got the delived eggs and crispy cauliflower. Both were very good and I love how the cauliflower was seasoned. For my main entree, I tried the cauliflower tacos - they were yummy, light and refreshing. Definitely a generous portion. This time around, I tried the Violets are Blue cocktail and I highly recommend it. I will definitely be back and as always the ambiance and decor was on point and beautiful. read more

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Had to try this place. Drive past it all the time and took my wife out to celebrate International Women's Day, 2021! We were pleasantly surprised how nice the ambiance was. In addition, our temperatures were checked upon entry and the staff was super compliant with Covid precautions. Plenty of hand sanitizer for us, staff was wearing masks, and at appropriate times, gloves. The draft beers were awesome. I had the Victory Lager and my wife enjoyed their Hefeweizen. For the entree, I had the skirt steak and mac'n cheese. It was delish! My wife tried the fish and chips and was pleasantly surprised how crispy and tasty it was. The service was excellent! Our server never rushed us, she was attentive, and polite. I saw the bartenders inventing some future cocktails and made some small conversation with them. They had a Japanese whiskey I've never seen before and our server gave me a taste to sample. Overall, I highly recommend Cowan's and look forward to eating there again! read more

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Great spot for a date or a happy hour catch up session. Has been a couple months since I've been but now that this has come up I'm putting it on my schedule for this week. read more

Chef Bogdan produced absolute perfection complimenting this evening's Scoutch dinner. Imaginative and delicious. Serving staff efficiently navigated the tight spacing to deliver each course hot. Looking forward to future dinners when the chef can demonstrate his kitchen's prowess. read more

Place is not too big. Ambience is very chill. The bag buns were good and the chicken lollipops were decent. The ravioli was a little too oily for my taste. My friend enjoyed their pulled pork grilled cheese I think the menu isn't very robust, but maybe that is due to Covid. I would go back to try something else. The service was good. read more

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

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This place is somewhere you definitely need to go if you love that old world charm. It's giving 1920s aesthetic and is such a cool vibe. The food is delicious and so are the drinks! You just feel at home it's very comforting but also the detail never ends. Truly gorgeous place and unassuming from the outside even thou it does have curb appeal for sure. Very vintage old England --my favorite ! read more

Please go here before the end of the year. If you don't, Santa will likely our coal in your stocking. Filled with all of the charm that one would expect at the North Pole, your eyes will be dazzled upon walking in. Twinkling lights, rustic tin ceilings, Christmas trees, wrapped presents, and all of the decor that will make it feel like Christmas is around the corner. The menu will make you salivate! With drinks bearing amazingly clever names (Resting Grinch Face lol), a decent beer list and a holiday food menu that is unique and to die for, you will be a happy camper for sure. We had the bacon wrapped ribs (yum), gnocchi (quite honestly the most delicious gnocchi I've ever had), burger (cheese stuffed inside the beef? Yes, please!), and garlic fries. We had a reservation for four on Sunday night (reservations through Yelp are a breeze!) and there was plenty of seating available. Hopefully we will be able to return again before the holidays are over. read more

Went for brunch with friends on a Sunday morning. It was amazing! Got the eggs Benedict's with Taylor ham. It was sooooo delicious especially the home fries. We also got a pitcher of the pineapple mimosa was great! (Maybe a little too much juice for my liking but overall was good) our server was very sweet and could tell we were catching up so she would check up on us while giving us our space. Definitely recommend and will be back again. read more

Great food, service and ambience for groups and couples. We had the best time - can't wait to visit again!

I came here years ago, best cocktails and cute lil plates to go with the drinks but today just wasn't the Cowans I last visited. The food was okay. Not at all as good as I remembered. Anyways, the cocktails were great!!!! But service was soo dry and sucky!!! My waiter took like 6 mins to even acknowledge us, he only had 2 other two other two tops.... His attitude the entire time just sucked! I am a waitress myself and I can think of a few reasons why he was sucky but I won't even mention. Honestly, no matter how good the cocktails are, I honestly will never patronize again. We ordered 7 cocktails and a beer total with FOOD ! He wasn't enthusiastic at all because he apparently didn't drink, he also couldn't fully describe the drinks which is crazy if this place is known for cocktails! Not to mention the hot noodles, waiter said it was supposed to be ramen but it was spaghetti and lacked flavor. Serious lacking, we didn't eat it but we were charged for it, the waiter even removed it from our table, A FULL BOWL. But this is what happens to neighborhood spots that become commercially owned. read more

Cowan's Public - JUST GOT PAID! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

So my date and I came here on a Tuesday night around 7. Plenty of parkings, even if you park a little farther away, there's always something around this area. When we walked in it wasn't packed at all, we made reservations and snagged a nice corner table. Warning, the couch seating is much higher than the chairs for some reason. It started getting packed around 8, but the tables are spaced nicely and it was still private. Our server was really nice and he had great recommendations. I wanted to try the yuca fries cause I'm a huge yuca fan. They were great, nice sauce and there was a sweet tang to them. Oysters were nice too. We also shared the bbq chicken as a meal and it was perfect. Very easy to eat since it came on skewers. Potato salad was fantastic and it also came with a small side of broccoli and carrots. They've got some really fun cocktails and a large selection of beer. I definitely see myself coming back! read more

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I was so excited to try this place based on the reviews. I'm greatly disappointed and if I ever return, it will be for DRINKS ONLY! Let me tell you why *ahem, clears throat* The taco of the day was a chicken taco, that both bartenders stated was "excellent." The taco consisted of 3 nuggets of probably left over sautéed chicken, 1 jalapeño, and some kind of sauce. It was completely bland-I took one bite & debated on whether or not to swallow. The next taco, standard fish taco, was also bland. Although nice & crispy, it was bland & uneventful. I again debated on whether or not I should swallow. The buffalo chicken wings were extremely dry & contained very little buffalo sauce. I ate 1 and couldn't do anymore. Wings are $14 for 6 or 7. When the manager happened to stop by & ask how things were going, I immediately handed her both tacos and told her they were inedible. I also mentioned they dryness of the wings, her response, "Those are buffalo? I thought they were dry rub. But I guess they are buffalo cause I see a bit of sauce." The manager took the tacos off the bill-thanks! Because I couldn't eat here, (my friend ate because she was hungry‍) we went to one of my favorite places where the food is edible-The Whiskey Priest! In summation, if you enjoy bland food, Cowan's Public is the place. read more

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Nice first experience here. I called in advance to see how long the wait would be and they were able to seat us right away outdoors. The indoor wait would have been an hour and a half although I did see a lot of tables open when we arrived. My friend and I ordered cocktails; I got Peach's Castle which was really really good. Just the right amount sweet without being too overbearing. For food we started off splitting the mac and cheese as well as the bao buns. Mac and cheese was a little bland, could have used more seasoning, but the bao buns were absolutely delicious. For the entree we split the pulled pork grilled cheese. It was perfect- came out with the bread super crispy, the cheese melted, and the fries were crispy and hot as well. The only issue I had was after finishing our entree, no one came back to check on us for about 20 minutes. There weren't many other people sitting outdoors, so maybe the staff got really busy with their tables inside, but it took pretty long for us just to get the check and pay. Willing to come here and give it another shot though! read more

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Came here based on all the good reviews. Good atmosphere. Good service. However, the food was on the greasy side and over-fried. The sauce in one dish tasted like it was not the most fresh. Really did not enjoy any of the three dishes ordered :(. May revisit in future to try again, but deductions for the stars are only related to the food alone and not for the service. I ate here and received table service. Did not order any drinks. Parking is hard as it is street-parking in a residential area. EDIT: The owner reached out to my review and was very polite, offered a refund, and took the initiative to make sure I was satisfied. read more

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I had stopped by here to get a quick drink and bite to eat and to my surprise they were having Happy Hour which was 4-7pm. We decided to order the 3 appetizers that were on the Happy Hour menu. I had never tried fried pickles and it was really delicious. I usually never ask for deviled eggs as an appetizer but they were very good. The service was very good. The ambience of the place was so cute and rustic loved everything about it. I would definitely go back. read more

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Love the cocktail/ beer menu. I'm not sure that I'm liking the new( and seemingly ever changing) food menu. I guess there is a new chef flexing his culinary muscles, and that's a mostly good thing. The burger is a mainstay, which is nice. Tempura cauliflower as a taco filling instead of the long gone Shrimp tacos is a severe downgrade. The fried chicken and bacon wrapped ribs are excellent choices but a lot of items seem a little too upscale for pub grub even for this upscale pub. Just my humble opinion! read more

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

The fried pickles and bbq wings are on point! Mac and cheese lacked flavor. I really wanted to like the yuca chips too but the description said salt and vinegar and I think 1 chip tasted salt and vinegary and the rest were bland. I still gave this place 4 stars because drinks are really good here and the service is great! I would come back and try other options. read more

Cowan's Public - Mac and cheese, BBQ wings, and fried pickles - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

We came to Cowan's for dinner during the holiday season. The drinks were festive and definitely tasty. The menu selection isn't the largest - mainly burgers and sandwich types - but everything was tasty. Due to Covid we sat outside but it wasn't the best experience. The heaters were a bit too tall for the tables and our table was practically in a pile of snow. Aside from the seating, we enjoyed our meal. Service was a bit slow but it was a busy night and I'm sure with extra seating, things can get to be a handful read more

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Menu for drink said $10.00 was charged $12.00. When brought to the attention the manager adjusted the price but said the menu was "misprinted". Though the menu on the website also stated $10.00. Review your bill carefully with the drinks. Food was ok. read more

I swung by to check out the new food menu, and let me tell you, those marinated carrots were something else! You won't find anything like it around here, except maybe in Manhattan. That corn dog with the jalapeño cornbread was perfect. Had myself a juicy, flavorful pork sandwich, like one of those high-quality bodega specials, and my date went for the grain salad, fresh and clean-tasting. Can't wait to come back and try more of what they've got cooking up. read more

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

Just a fantastic local Nutley spot that I've been coming to first so many years and I have to say they have not hindered and quality. The cocktails are fantastic the beer list is great they actually have events often for beer so it's not just a great cocktail bar it's a great beer bar the vibe has always been great. I definitely say check it out grab a cocktail grab a nap and or just go for a really nice date night dinner it just fits so many different occasions with friends with us significant other definitely check it out. read more

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

You'll drive right by this place if you don't spot the Cowan's sign. The only negative really is the lack of a parking lot but it's good to walk off a drink or two while trying to remember where you parked. The selection of beers and cocktails frequently change which adds a bit of intrigue and excitement. Staff is always uber friendly but not in an obnoxious way. Food is consistently good, really good with a bit more standard (and preferably so)fare than their sister location, The Barrow House. I like this place, you will too. It's comfortable and cool, the double c. read more

Cowan's Public - Perfect for a hot summer night - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Chef Frank delivers a new concept that melts faces in a good way. This should be the spot for anyone in and around Nutley. The braised pork sandwich competes some of the best Tortas I've ever had. The corndog was also absolutely fantastic combining nostalgia and with artistry. The true highlight was actually the Grilled Marinated Carrots though with fresh pesto and labneh. read more

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

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Ate the pulled pork grilled cheese 4 weeks in a row... soon will be submitting my statistics to the Guinness World Records once my streak hits 76 weeks in a row. Staff is nice always. read more

Fantastic bar to hangout in. The tap list is refreshed often with top notch beers. There is also enough space to hangout at the bar without being on top of the people seated for dinner. Even on St. Patrick's Day it did not feel overly crowded either. I'll be back again for sure! read more

Too crowded and idk the food wasn't all that. The decor was ok I think it's more hype than it should be .

Cowan's is the SPOT. The crew there really knows what they are doing, and it's always a warm welcome when you walk in. It's my go to spot for a night out. Drinks are 10/10. Shout out to Chris and Dan - best bartenders around! read more

The brunch was fantastic! I had the Captain Crunch French Toast and it was amazing. Cheers to the chef! Overall, all the food was really flavorful and tasty. Highly recommend. read more

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

if your looking for a new place to try on date night or with friends this is a great spot! My husband and I are long time regulars so we're familiar with the staff & they're awesome!! They never fail to make us feel right at home. The manager Gabby used to be our favorite server and now runs the show. Congrats! For a Wednesday night it was pretty busy & our server was with another table so Gabby got us started . The food is phenomenal whatever this new chef is doing keep it up. I recommend the ambrosia & smoke & a pancake for drinks. The Mac an cheese is good too, very different. My hubby & I split the fried chicken sandwich its our fav! Cowan's never misses for sure Ps. Now that the pickles are back please keep them! See you guys soon!!!! read more

Been trying to go to this for the longest. Finally found some people to go with and was excited to try this place. I wanted to love it, but ended up leaving disappointed. Decor - The decor is definitely on point. A sort of New York City vibe. Walls and ceiling look run down with water damage. Partial exposed brick. Holes in portions of the wall, but I believe this is the decor they were going for. Food - Food was subpar and for the price they're charging I would've a little more. Portions were tiny to the point where we all didn't want to eat any more because we didn't want to look greedy eating everything. Leaving hungry and going somewhere else. Dishes should be plated with a side of something especially if it's brunch. Whether it's regular hash, side of toast just lacking something to just fill up the stomach. I did like the sausage hash, so there's that. Price - New York City decor, New York City prices. Eggs Benedict was $15 with no side and a cheap no flavored biscuit. $13 for 7 piece extra dry looking like it just came out of a year long tanning booth chicken. Also, idk why was I being charged fixed gratuity for 7 people wh2 of them are kids. Policy is for 6 or more, but come on. The waiter wasn't serving my kids so.... Service - Service was great. Attentive. Waiter kept coming around to check on the table. Had a table immediately, but that's because the place was dead and brunch was ending in less than an hour. Wait - no wait which is definitely a plus for a family with kids. read more

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Came here to experience their Christmas decor and specials. SERVICE: Great. We came as walk-ins on a Friday night and the hostess was able to rearrange some tables and reservations she was anticipating to come in soon to be able to accommodate us. So kudos to the great hostesses! I also appreciate the security guard telling me upfront that my purse would have to be searched upon exiting, rather than be offended/surprised later on if he didn't mention it. I guess people have been stealing some of the cute Christmas mugs? Our server was also prompt and friendly. FOOD: Decent. The buffalo wings were good, spicier than expected. The mac and cheese was just okay. I wish there were more options. DRINKS: The Christmas drinks were surprisingly strong! Would love to come back and try more of their cocktail specials for the season. read more

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

I'll start off with that the food and atmosphere were great. The decorations were great for Christmas. I gave it a 3 based on the first 2 points. Unfortunately, they failed on service and missed opportunity. Walked in and it took a while before were approached by inaudible hostess. Service was extremely slow and inattentive. The missed opportunity was we could have 2 more rounds easily. Also I'm a big dessert fan and when the waitress presented us with a small book, I thought it was a dessert menu but instead it was our bill. On the way out we thought we would get a drink while we waited for our Uber and the there were Four bartenders, 2 of which were talking. One bartender look right at me and didn't take my order. Bottom line management has to focus on the front of the house. read more

We visited Cowan's while in town for a wedding and were very happy with our experience. We ordered a few drinks, fried pickles and a burger with fries - all of which were great. The drinks although on the pricier side for us out of towners were really tasty. The fried pickles and burger/fries were surprisingly delicious - we didn't expect to get such great food while out for a drink or two. The pickles were crispy and not too greasy which is just the way we like them. The burger was juicy and flavorful and the fries were crispy yet soft inside - perfect! read more

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Just got back from their "Miracle on Centre st" event. Got an order of wings, and when they came out they were pink and bleeding, completely not cooked. When I told our server she seemed like she couldn't be bothered and said "ohh, OK, I'll get you new ones". When the new wings came out they were barely cooked all the way through. You'd think they'd say sorry and maybe even take it off the bill, they didn't. They're so worried about getting food and drinks out fast l, that they're serving raw chicken. Honestly, probably won't be back after this event. read more