General Saloon

Phenomenal meal. From the char-grilled octopus to the cavatappi with short rib, to the coffee after…read morethe meal, DAYENU! Dining companion had the beet salad with shrimp which she found "lip-smacking." Not much by way of atmosphere, but great service. We'll be back.

Every dish I've ever had at Gusto Grill has been lovely - their pasta dishes are great, the burgers…read moreare juicy and flavorful, and they have an interesting mix of delicious apps/small plates. On our most recent visit, we sat at the outdoor patio seating area during happy hour - the happy hour sliders were super soft & flavorful, and the dirty Gusto chips were great. We also enjoyed a few ffordable drinks ($8-10 each) from the happy hour menu. I loved the fried goat cheese app from the regular menu - two decent sized pucks of goat cheese, fried with a light/crispy outer crust, served with a honey-fig reduction. For the entrees - the truffle Gouda smash burger had a unique blend of flavors, and the loaded mac & cheese is one of our usual favorites - soft cavatappi pasta spirals, super cheesey, and delicious salt bacon sprinkled throughout. The ambiance is casual and calm, but still more elevated than your run-of-the-mill chain restaurants, and the service was attentive & friendly.

Interiors

Fries here are delicious!

See all

Red Sangria

Panini Bistro

4.3(79 reviews)

1.8 mi

I have heard that they have great food and in particular, the sandwiches. We decided to order and…read morewe're glad we did! I opted for the Pastrami Cuban and it was perfect - The perfect balance of meat and cheese on the sandwich. Toasty and Crunchy, yet soft bread. Meat that was fresh and "clean" (nothing weird) IYKYK.... We also got the zucchini sticks and it's a deterrent that apps are about the same price as the sandwiches BUT it was worth it. It was a full box of sticks freshly made and plenty to eat the next day. We will definitely order again!

I ordered take out from this restaurant. The food was well prepared, delicious and packaged very…read morewell. The fresh bread options are a huge plus and the menu has many different options to choose from. The staff interact well with delivery services, they're knowledgeable about the menu choices and very polite.

Veggie Platter

Salmon with avocado and goat cheese

See all

Fish and Chips

MJ's Restaurant Bar & Grill

3.4(139 reviews)

1.4 mi

I have been to the Matawan location a million times so my expectations were super high. I was…read morereally disappointed in comparison. This location does not have outdoor seating, they did not have some of the items to make the drinks on the menu and the food just wasn't the same as the matawan location. That being said, the service was incredible. Everyone was so nice and friendly and attentive. I would definitely give them another shot though

MJ's in Spotswood had the 'Dowden Brothers Band' for last night (5/29) on their website, but in…read morereality only one person was singing and playing an acoustic guitar in the bar area. Is it a false advertisement or an "one man band"? Very disappointed to say the least since we went there so we could dance to a full live band. Having one person playing in the bar area just adds more noise. A full live band is loud and energetic which drowns the noise and gets people on the dance floor and sit there tapping and/or nodding their head. Before 2026, MJ's in Spotswood had full bands playing almost every weekend. Now it is just the other way around with one or two musicians. You really need a drummer to get people on the dance floor. The Cabin restaurant in Freehold on the other hand always has full bands playing every weekend and the dance floor is always packed as well as the rest of the restaurant. We like MJ's in Spotswood since it is close by us and our friends. We hope it will bring back full bands on the weekends regularly. Also, We went to MJ's in Spotswood last Tuesday night (5/26) for their prime rib dinner special. It didn't come with a salad. Asked for an end cut but they said they don't serve them. The prime rib on both plates had globs of un-rendered fat and gristle but no crust. We spent half of our time trimming the fat and gristle away. The cheese on the baked potato was not even melt. The bacon bits on the baked potato were so dry and hard. No butter or sour cream. The only thing good on the plate was the green beans. So not sure their prime rib dinner is worth the price.

Chicken wings and fried calamari

See all

Garlic Parm and Honey Thai wings 12 Piece On The Bone with Sauce

The Doughfather

4.1(49 reviews)

2.3 mi

The Doughfather had a smaller spot, but it has since moved to a larger place with a sit-down…read morerestaurant that's truly romantic, classic and special. The inside has the typical takeout pizza counter for quick, casual dining. The sit down experience you need to be or should dress up. Perfect for a family gathering, or a date with your special one. The owner and the staff know are profesional, they're funny and engaging. *The food quality: they only put the best ingredients- and you can rate it *alfredi pasta is incredible.. just amazing *the calzone is ridiculously huge -- My favorite experience was when i ordered a calzone with a ridiculous amount of pineapple and i love pineapple on pizza too

A friend and I grabbed some lunch at The Doughfather and overall, it was good. They offer indoor…read moredining near their pizza counter if you are just there to grab a couple of slices, but also have a separate dining room for the full restaurant service. I had a Stillwell slice and buffalo chicken slice, both of which were fresh and tasty. The buffalo chicken slice however was not spicy at all, so I'd consider getting a side of buffalo to dip/drizzle to add a kick. I also had their in house orange soda which was very good! My friend had a Sicilian slice, grandma slice, and root beer, all of which he enjoyed. We also grabbed 3 plain slices to go and the total was a little over $40, which was a little higher than expected. They have a large variety of slices which is enough to draw me in for another try. See you soon!

Calzone

See all

Sándwich

Arooga's

3.0(448 reviews)

1.2 mi

My husband and I decided to stop here for dinner as we always see everyone raving about Arooga's…read moreand we constantly pass it on 18. I can see this place being packed on game days as there are TV's everywhere even in the bathrooms which I thought was funny haha. Unfortunately, we couldn't sit on the patio since it was rainy when we came here. I got the chicken fajitas and them came out on a sizzling plate which was a nice touch. The chicken wasn't anything to write home about. It had a nice grill flavor but other than that not much depth. The cheese was just shredded cheese from a bag and it seemed like the salsa was from a jar. My husband got old bay wings which he loves. He said they had the perfect amount of old bay on them as many places usually skimp on the seasoning. I would come back again if we were meeting up with friends to watch a game but probably not just for dinner.

Buffalo boli and chopped salad are both delicious, but the menu is full of delicious options to…read moretry. Service is always fast and ambiance is great to watch for a night with friends or watching a sports game!

Crab dip

Lava flow

See all

Amish pierogis

Al's Grill Spanish Food and Fried Chicken

I stop here for breakfast from time to time and the breakfast sandwiches are always on point. If…read moreyou're in the area, I highly recommend.

Had a bacon egg and cheese sandwich and it is one of the best fresh sandwiches I've had in a very…read morelong time.

Belgian Waffle with Syrup

Pancakes with Syrup

See all

Mexican Crispy Chicken Tacos with Pixo De gallo, Sour cream and Salsa

IHOP

2.8(109 reviews)

2.0 mi

Went to IHOP with my fiancé, and unfortunately, it was a miss. Ambiance was a typical ihop. The…read moreservice was mid, but the food was the real disappointment. I ordered the sirloin steak tips & eggs with crepes. The crepes were weirdly thick, rubbery, and just not good. As for the "sirloin steak tips"... let's just call it mushrooms with a sprinkle of steak.The whole dish was greasy and underwhelming. My fiancé got the waffle combo, and even that was just... meh. Maybe they were having an off day, who knows. If you want to try your luck, I won't stop you but personally, I won't be going back.

On the day of the huge blizzard we decided to check out the nearest IHOP for a great breakfast…read morebefore the storm. The place was packed especially given location to a Hotel. Service was good although a hint for the hostesses to leave extra napkins and serve a hot pot of decaf coffee in the morning. As seniors e had the rise and shine and it was cooked well (reminder offer jam with the toast). The Manager greeted us when we arrived and left.

IHOP

See all

IHOP

Denny's

The food is always good here. This time we came to Denny's, our waitress Arielle S. was on top of…read morethings and got our orders all right! Even good with details. I love the ambience too, gives off an old fashioned vibe.

Was running errands one day and stopped by Dennys in East Brunswick to scratch an itch. I used to…read morecome here all the time when I was a kid and the food is still more or less the same with some different specials. Loved that they currently have a value menu with smaller portions. I used to be able to crush a two piece country fried steak dinner but my appetite has gone doen since I've gotten older lol. They now have a one piece meal with two sides and garlic bread for $9. Cheaper and arguably better food than fast food! The nachos were always a favorite of mine and they do half portions too. I came for lunch and it wasn't too busy so service was perfectly fine. I actually came here again and ordered the same meal a week later. Dennys is nostalgic to me and food remains decent for the price.

See all

Stewart's Root Beer

3.2(72 reviews)

2.8 mi

Good service and PLENTY of veg and vegan friendly options. They are even identified on their own…read moremenu page. Had the vegan coney island dog, fries and some chkn tenders. Originally asked for nuggets but they were out. Tenders seemed a LOT like the gardein variety but were crispy and came with a honey mustard sauce. The coney island dog was ok- the veg dog was a bit rubbery - probably the light life brand? Chili had beans in it and the portion sizes were good. Fries were okay- they were hot and crisp but I am not a huge fan of the fries that have little kernels of batter on them to make them "extra crispy". Overall- a solid option for a quick bite if you are vegetarian and want a LOT of options to choos from. Note: My buddy had the fat wraps with tenders, fries and mozz sticks INSIDE a hollowed out sub roll and was a huge fan!

If you like eating your sandwich with a fork, this is your place…read more Shocking, really. I've been ordering fat sandwiches here for years without issue. So, the fellow on the phone explaining the reason for the floppy sandwich is due to the amount of condiments requested on the sandwich just doesn't add up. Chock it up as a bad night? Or maybe something changed within their operation.

Chicken cheese steak

See all

Vegan Coney Island Dog

The Brass Monkey

4.0(47 reviews)

2.3 mi

Each bartender appears to make their own rules…read more One night I paid for a beer with a card. Days later I had the same beer served by a different bartender. This bartender told me I did not meet the card minimum. I'm okay with playing by their rules. I just want to know what the rules are

Made a quick stop before Starland ballroom concert. Cheese fries and pierogies were good. Didn't…read morelove the pizza. Good beer selection

Pierogies

Pool leagues

See all

21 oz ribeye

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

6 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Larry B.

13 years ago

Disrespectful establishment, accusing patrons of actions they did not make. My friend was accused n he n I n friends will never patronize this establishment ever again. We will spend our considerable income elsewhere! Very cold n aloof staff, overpriced neighborhood dive. We are 50 something's n we were treated shabby n a dear friend a respectable professional was confused with someone else whomgave the bartender 'tude. it,was not my friend, this I know for sure. Never will we spend our money there again. The bar is there for the owners friends, I hope the business fails n they will for treating honest patrons so shabby. The only reason I left a star is because the Yelp rating system made me leave a rating, so that's for the band! read more

Holly M.

9 years ago

This place has changed names and had many owners over the last couple of years. The place has cleaned up a lot and is getting better. But the pizza toppings are skimpy you get a bar pie with say bacon and they only put like 2 pieces of bacon on the whole pie. Also the service isn't all that good the waitress sometimes act like you are bothering them. But they do make a good burger and the beer is cold! read more

Rich S.

13 years ago

I wrote a review and it was removed, when it was Vitales I took my kids for the pizza and wings. Now the kids are afraid of the place because the buddies of the owner have a we can do what we want attitude. The place use to be blue color working people, now its a bunch of trouble makers. stay away the cops are there all the time. read more

Michelle W.

5 years ago

Absolutely dreadful food that is extremely over priced. Service was utterly horrible and the waitresses were rude as possible with every question asked. This has to be the most confusing menu ever. read more

Paul S.

12 years ago

Bands are to loud, waitress staff are inattentive, and the mixed drinks are weak.

Robert M.

6 years ago

Decent eats, pleasant service, cold beer.

General Saloon - bars - Updated September 2026

People who viewed General Saloon also viewed

Mainbrook Tavern Patio Bar

4.2

(57 reviews)

So, I have been here many times. We like to go on a Fri or Sat night to see a band. A lot of…read morefun. The food is decent. Think average diner. Is it great, no. Is it bad, no. My thought is the food is better than some of the other places in the area that have bands. Very excited to see the Ruckus us coming there. I also want to mention that all the servers and bartenders are awesome.

fun spot! the outdoor patio was huge, looks like they have a lot of activities especially during…read morethe warmer months like live music. the bar menu was spot on, all the staple bar dishes. service was quick and attentive. they also have an auction house next door which makes for a great day trip and lunch break after

Brass Rail Bar & Grill

3.2

(208 reviews)

We were a party of 6 and even though the restaurant was crowded, our table was ready for us when we…read morearrived. Very rustic inside and they had a 3 piece band there for entertainment. A bit noisy, but we were able to enjoy the company Our waitress was very obliging and she understood we wanted time to review the menu. We haven't been there in about 40 years. We started out with top shelf drinks and 2 appetizers: fried zucchini sticks and calamari. Both were served hot and very tasty. Being they are known for their prime rib, 5 of us had the rib and one had a succulent burger with all the trimmings. We all shared 2 desserts, Tartuffo. Perfect ending to a perfect dinner. We would definitely go back.

Pretty slow service (which someone warned me about and it turned out to be true). Food nothing to…read morewrite home about. I would give it a just OK.

Ryan's Pub & Sports Bar

3.5

(66 reviews)

Forgot to take pictures of the food. Went to Ryan's Pub & Sports Bar to get a bite while watching…read morebasketball. We ordered the nachos, wings, pizza & several sandwiches. The nachos were a no from me. The cheese on the nachos was like stadium nachos - straight from the can. The wings were pretty good. Very crispy with a nice sauce. We ordered vodka pizza which was also pretty good. The fries that came with the sandwiches were similar to frozen crinkle cut fries. I expected better knowing that the place was pretty popular, and sports bars typically have really good food. Stick to pizza & wings when you visit. You can't go wrong there!

My co-workers and I decided to stop here for happy hour as it was close to our office building. The…read morehappy hour is mostly focused on food discounts rather than drinks as it is only $3 beers. There isn't a cocktail menu, just basic vodka cranberry/rum & coke which I was a little dissapointed in. But hey, what can I expect from a local pub. With that being said, the happy hour food was totally worth it! I highly suggest the boom boom wings. They were packed with flavor, not to mention the wings are huge. I did feel like this place was understaffed though. We came on a Wednesday night around 6 PM and the place was getting busy with locals. It was only the bartender and one waiter out on the floor. Sometimes it was impossible to get their attention since they were so busy, plus the food took a bit of time to come out. My co-workers and I will most likely return since it was quite affordable and tasty.

Olde Silver Tavern

3.5

(148 reviews)

Great Food Good Service…read more Ambiance, great atmosphere to enjoy a meal or drinks! My husband and I love this place!

We had a lovely HH and dinner at Olde Silver! This was my first time returning since the early…read more2000s - I was impressed with the new & improved ambiance! My parents and grandmother are regulars (and I can see why)! Sophia was an excellent server with friendly hospitality. We LOVED the lemon ricotta stuffed squash blossom seasonal appetizers & the turkey club is out of this world. Thank you, Olde Silver team for offering accessible seating so my 89-year old grandmother could join us in enjoying our sangria pitcher. We'll be back!

Cafe Luna

3.7

(294 reviews)

Have been going here for years. Night was absolutely exceptional Can't wait to return. Food…read more Beverage and bar staff excellent

Our favorite go to spot in Old Bridge. The service is always consistently great. Our server Anthony…read morewas wonderful and he was very knowledgeable. We have eaten here plenty of times and always know we will get a great meal. They recently renovated and added the back room which is a great addition. The food is always delicious we enjoy the meatballs, calamari and baked clams. The risotto is one of my goto with the seafood it's been a menu staple for at least a decade.

Portside Bar And Liquor

4.7

(61 reviews)

Finally got here! Love the sports bar vibe with separate seating and another smaller bar for…read moreoverflow. Food was excellent i had fish & chips we shared Bavarian Pretzel and my friend had french dip - we each had a beer & i brought my hubby fish & chips he loved it. Prices were very competitive service was excellent. I'm back next week for more! I mean we live around the corner what's not to like!

Great food and service! Happy to see they expanded. True neighborhood gem. If you like a good…read morecheeseburger put this place on your bucket list.

Dock's Corner Tavern

4.3

(53 reviews)