For 20 years I would have given it 5 stars . NOW ? 1 star is generous! Not wanting to rant on the waiter , I asked to see the owner who explained to me how his $50.00 Filet Mignon , in spite of the fact that it was grainy, chewy, dry and overcooked, was " the finest of meats" While I choked my down, my mother refused it and didn't want a replacement. ( why bother?) Our other dinner guest ordered ( basically ) open face roast beef. The owner additionally explained how the plate full of grizzle and fat was an " acceptable" amount of non-eatable, $24.00 , open face beef. Speaking to me as if I had no idea what " fine " meat might be like. How I was wrong by expecting anything better. By the way... no bread , no salad anymore. $7.00 for a side salad with my $50.00 chunk of chuck. The waitress was kind enough to sneak us some bread, too bad it was frozen in the middle. I morn the death of what was once a good restaurant. read more

We arrived to The Homestead Rest after a quick search of reviews and checking of hours of operation. It was 10 pm Friday evening and based upon information found on the web and the hours listed on the door they are open till 11pm. We walked in to an odd reception. The bar was full. Several tables were full. At least one looked like it had just received it's food. There were a couple of open tables available. 3 different ladies looked at us. I had to wonder if my makeup had smeared in the excitement of the tricky tray that we had just left. After a couple of minutes, one acknowledged us by saying she will be with us in a moment after a couple of minutes. 2 seconds later we were told by another young lady that the kitchen was closed. They had "shut everything off". We left hungry and frustrated. My boyfriends comment says it all: "If I wasn't so aggravated, I would have told them that this would have been our first time here but it will definitely be our last". When we got to the car, we all considered eating the seeds in the gardening basket we had won but finally decided upon a diner north on route 23 in Wantage. I have to say, they were much nicer and their food was yummy. read more

Very skeptical with the elite reveiws of this restaurant. A five star eating of this establishment really has me confused with your standards. A nice little food restaurant five minutes from home. Burgers are its best offering. They are decent for those used to nice juicy burgers. Service is not as fast as I would of liked. In three visits, the space in between apps and main course was longer each time. I had no problem eating at this restaurant until my daughter was taken into the kitchen by one of waitresses. I had no problem with that as I found it rather nice and a fun twist to the evening. However, this led to me going into the kitchen and after seeing the state of the kitchen I will not be returning. The cleanliness and amount of grease and muck was a state for sore eyes. Heaven knows how people do not get sick more often. I am a fan of the restaurant, it is a nice hangout..drink your drink fast before the flies do but unfortunately I will not eat there again. read more

I've never had a bad meal. My kids love coming here it's definitely home cooked style. Service great. Only complaint they ran out of country fried steak?! Whaaat? It's so delicious!!!!! read more

Hands down, the best place in Sussex County for comfort food! The homemade mozzarella sticks are to die for. The buffalo shrimp are gourmet. The handcrafted burgers are gargantuan. The steaks and prime rib are cooked to order over an open flame. And the homemade desserts are a throwback to Sunday dinner at grandma's. The rustic ambiance, down to earth staff, and reasonably priced food make this our family of six's go to spot on a weekly basis. read more

I'm an out of Towner and my other half who is a Sussex native brought me by the Homestead today (Christmas Eve) we were pleasantly greeted immediately and Caitlyn behind the bar was completely delightful! I saw the pear vodka and she made me a great pear martini off the cuff! Found out they have RC for their soda.. how fun. We grabbed a quick snack before heading to the family home. We ordered the craziest mozzarella sticks that were amazing! They are literally handmade logs of yummy cheese! Rolled in house which is totally rare! For an old school, relaxed gem of local enjoyment.... get off your high horse and appreciate the experience for what it is! Really enjoyable. read more

Had a great time here last week with the live band. That band was awesome with the guy and girl. Great music. Food was very tasty too. My son got the filet migon and my wife and I got the rib eye steak. Cooked just right and appetizer were outstanding. Love the potato skins and wings. It's a good local place that really makes you feel comfortable. Good management and staff is very friendly. Oh and the carrot cake was amazing. I will be back soon. read more

Haven't been in the area for years and returning wasn't the best. The homestead burger is advertised with onion rings but we received it with raw onions instead and no lettuce which we asked for. Apparently our waitress didn't know about the menu change? The last straw was the piece of my bun that was soggy and saturated in blood, I ordered a well done burger....no blood. No one could explain why it looked the way it did. Manager could only offer a sorry, not even suggest to get something else. The diner up the road is 100% better and I'm not even joking about that. I would've rather spend $50 there on better food than here. read more

Man I thought I was gonna walk out here feeling A1 like I used too. But the homemade mozzarella sticks are wayyyyy smaller than they used too. No more jersey burger from what I saw and there meats went up almost double when I was in there at the time filet mignon was about $64? Something in the 60's. Other than all that I mean you got a hit or miss there on some items. read more

Forget the whole restaurant thing, this is a rare place in America today. It is true to it's north Jersey roots, sincere in it's lack of pretention and authentic. Past two trips I got the bruschetta to start. I love this stuff and it is the one oddball stand out on the menu since the setting is so cowboy. In particular the sweetness of their take on it is unique. It isn't nearly as heavy as a lot of bruschetta can be. A tip, it comes pre-loaded on french bread. Ask to have these toasted well. Otherwise the bread will sog. Throws the texture. A burger is mandatory here. The Pale Rider has been my lock of late. Sauted onion and guerrier cheese with watercress. I put nothing on this, no ketchup, no steak sauce...nothing. The flavor is mellow, not heavy, but very grounded. Get the homemade chips. They come hot/warm. Hit with some salt, pepper or even A1 and they compliment this particular hamburger well. read more

Ate here for the first time in my 18+ years living in the area and I've been missing out! The hostess was friendly and there was no wait to be seated. They start you out with in house made potato chips. They were crunchy and fresh and very tasty. Their specialty is burgers. I don't eat burgers my self but my buddy had one and he said it was "a hell of a burger" and "a party in his mouth". He was pretty thrilled with it. I had the chicken quesadilla. Was the best quesadilla I have ever eaten. Lots of cheese, chicken, fresh diced tomato, black olives, fresh jalapeño and a nice serving of sour cream and salsa, which I didn't find nesecary but only because the meal it's self really needed no enhancements. Wait time for food was very short considering the amount of people in the restaurant. Dessert was amazing. I had chocolate walnut pie. Large chucks of walnut and chocolate. Pie crust was also very good. Our waitress suggested ice cream to go with it. She was right, with out the ice cream the chocolate would of been too rich and overwhelming. But with the ice cream a nice balance was struck. Our waitress was very tentative and friendly but not overwhelming. If you go ask to be seated in Jen's section and you won't be disappointed. The atmosphere is cozy and country. The noise level is loud but not over bearing. About what you'd expect from a place that is similar. The prices are also pretty fair. And their more expensive stuff is that way because things are made fresh. I would and will be eating here again and will tell my friends about it. It's a nice hidden gem! read more

This place used to be amazing. I came here last week for the first time in years and my chicken sandwich was burnt and took forever to come out. I thought it was a one time thing. I went again tonight and it took over an hour to get our meals. There were only 3 of us. I, unfortunately, don't think I'll be back. They need a serious change in the kitchen if they want to stay open. read more

My family and our neighbors have been coming here for years after we get our Christmas tree. The past 3 years have been nothing but disappointing. The food is delicious but this service has gotten worse and worse each year. This year, we went with a group of 12 people. We were imiditately given attitude about the size of our group and the seating situation. The server gave remarks and attitude the whole time. We notified her in the beginning that there were going to be two seperate checks and sighed extremely loud and rolled her eyes right at us. She was irratated we asked her for a side of honey mustard and napkins because there were none of the table. She would respond with attitude when we asked for a refill on drinks. She was irratated that another group of 10 had came in and stomped around about it. All we asked for was some kindness and in return she gave attitude and was nasty the whole time. Everyone in our group was shocked by this. It was pretty upsetting because we love the food but we won't be coming here again. read more

Me and my husband and young child went here since it was a local joint that had "the best burgers" around. The hostest/manager wasn't very friendly, but tolerable. Our server was nice and our food came out on time. However, the burgers were raw-yes raw and what made the entire experience uncomfortable is that another table got into an altercation with the server over the service and the food. Won't be back anytime soon. Better off going elsewhere. read more

Ok. The place looks like a barn but so what. The food is tasty, cheap and served with a smile. The wings are awesome and the beer is available in a wide variety. Burgers are delicious and the steaks cooked correctly. They also have an outdoor smoker for ribs. My friend had the french onion soup and he loved it. He also had the sliders, but he didn't seem to thrilled with that. My other friend had the "Outlaw Josey Wales" and loved how the burger tastes. I had the Buffalo Bill Chicken Sandwich, it was very good and so were the sweet potato fries. Have fun there and eat up. read more

Stopped by here with the NJSAR crew for dinner after training. Food Had the Pulled Pork Sandwich which tasted homemade and was quite good. The sandwich bun was small however and the pulled pork did not overflow the bun. This was served with a few pickle slices (why not a whole pickle?), small cup of coleslaw, and choice of house chips (included), regular fries (50 cents extra), or sweet potato fries (75 cents extra, they were out of them). Instead I got a baked potato w/o butter or sour cream as substitute with no extra charge, yay! The cost was 9.95$. Drinks They have a highly restricted beer menu catering to fake American swill (ie, Bud Light, Coors, etc all owned by foreign entities). Dont expect a nice IPA or Stout with your ribs or pulled pork, because you wont find it here. Had water instead and it was served in mason jars, which was pretty neat. I just wish they had been attentive at filling it up, which they were not. Location Definitely has that farmhouse feel and is quite homey inside. Plenty of parking out back. Summary If they had good beer, I would have given them 4 stars. read more

The chicken fried steak was delicious and enormous. Bartenders were very friendly. I'll definitely be going back.

The food is always amazing & fresh. Service is great. The homemade mozzarella sticks and martinis are to die for. We come Back every time we get a chance!! read more

Went on a busy Saturday night and treated ourselves to a few drinks and tasty entrees. We had an older server Kim and each time we wanted to order another drink it seemed as if we were a bother. It's a shame that the service wasn't as high as the standards the food holds- will return but make sure we don't get the same server. read more

Waitress was so attentive and accommodating! Food was very tasty. On paleo diet and we're able to swap out fries for broccoli

The owners of the Homestead are very friendly and accommodating. The homemade food and desserts are delicious. There's a great variety of amazing cocktails! The staff is always efficient, happy and polite. This fun and inviting atmosphere is a great place to take the family! Highly recommend! read more

Amazing drinks, food and service!! The Homestead never disappoints with innovative (and delicious) drink specials. The home cooked meals are second to none! The live entertainment and karaoke nights are always a blast!! A great place for a family meal or adult only night out!!! read more

Service was excellent, food was great. Awesome BBQ special that could've fed an army. Under $100 for a family of 4 (including 2 teenage boys!). Will definitely be going back. read more

Homestead Rest - American Near Me - Sparta, New Jersey

Good food. Reasonable prices. Outdoor dining is not available and they are not friendly. That aside this is a pretty decent place Really enjoy the "Great Cowboys in History" framed posters. One of those go-to places when you are not sure what you want to do for lunch or dinner. read more

This place was a staple in the area when I lived here a few years ago but the service is beyond awful, which ruined the meal. Our waitress was extremely rude, slammed water down on the table, literally threw the straw on my mom's plate, laughed when my sister ordered a certain drink, and then mocked her to her face then to 2 other people in the bar. The food was all very good, but that lady needs to go (to the management, she was the closer Sun night, 12/8). read more

Enjoyed an awesome evening here. Food was fantastic and service was excellant. It's always a pleasure coming here. read more

See all

I love the atmosphere of this place. I wish it hadn't fallen short on me. Our waitress was very friendly - Donna - and I probably would give less stars if it wasn't for her. We had a large crowd of 12 on Mother's Day. The food was meh. Looking at the prices, I thought the food would be pretty good, but it wasn't. At that point, I'd rather shell out a few extra bucks and go to a real steakhouse. A bunch of people ordered the prime rib on special, and they came in all different sizes and not one was cooked how they asked. It was also pretty tough for prime. I ordered the Homestead burger and it was overcooked for my liking, but it was juicy. I'm not crazy about their choice in bun. The bean got a Taylor ham grilled cheese, which was more like a stack of Taylor ham with a slice of cheese on top, on the bun I'm not so crazy about. Desserts were forgotten, coffee was missed. That would be by the support staff, not our waitress. Overall, way overpriced. Maybe they were overwhelmed, I dunno, but I'm not going to want go there for the simple fact that it'll not be worth the dent in my wallet. The food wasn't worth what it was priced. read more

Terrible bartender. I showed up one day at 1pm, there was only 1 chair available at the bar and there were 2 of us. There was NOBODY sitting at the tables, seriously not one soul. I asked the bartender if we could order a drink and sit on the table while another chair opened up. She told us we couldn't sit down unless we were ordering food. I explained that we wanted to have a few drinks just didn't want to stand, she again told us no. I'll never return. Went to Lafayette house instead and got a much better service, friendly staff and guess what? We didn't have to stand. read more

Terrific food. Always crowded. Good prices. Interesting atmosphere, tons of pictures of their award winning horses on every wall. No reservations, so be prepared for a bit of a wait, but well worth it!! The staff is very friendly but usually extremely busy! read more

My dad and I used to have dinner here once or twice a month, but we haven't been here in several years. Decided to give it a try tonight despite some pretty negative reviews on Yelp. It was okay, not as good as it used to be. We both ordered burgers, mine medium and his medium rare. Both burgers came out closer to well done. The sauteed mushrooms and onions on my burger were greasy, and the bacon a little gamey. The housemade chips were as good as ever, they might have been the best thing on my plate. Not sure I'll be going back but then again, I'm leaving the area. read more

Been coming here for over 15 years and there have been some ups and downs. However my last two visits have been way below the norm. Literally raw burger sent back and recooked in the microwave. Frozen fries and stale rolls from the supermarket. I really hope they get it together was good once. read more

The family and I wanted some good burgers and sides after a long day of snowboarding and skiing. We stopped at the Homestead Rest. We made a great choice! The decor is warm, open and comfortable. We sat a large round table in front of a very big fire place. The wait staff were friendly and helpful. Before we ate dinner were ordered some appetizers. We had chips, guacamole, and honey BBQ wings. The guacamole was delicious and so were the wings! The children ordered burgers with bacon, cheese, and the works. They were cooked to perfection! The fries were crunchy, tasty, and warm. We had large glasses of ice water with lemon. When we finished, a waitress brought a desert tray, but we were too full to eat another bite. This place is a must if your in the area. read more

Went here with gf. We enjoyed the Phil Harris salad as a starter, good choice. Wagon house and Alamo sandwiches were v good although recommend requesting Alamo come sliced in half (large sangy whole). Recommend sweet tater fries and the chips were also good. Cola as well. Staff was accommodating and also was able to purchase a 12er of farm grown 'Peggs eggs' for 4$ (CASH ONLY). Recommend eating here make sure u saddle up! read more

Homestead Rest - American Near Me - Sparta, New Jersey

Nice place but overpriced for the atmosphere and level of food. Star of the night was mozarella sticks. Ribs not good...barbaque sauce was lame. Wouldn't go back . Waitress was very nice though read more

I have eaten at the Homestead Rest several times, and the food is good. However, my family and I recently went on a Friday night. They were busy, and we were asked to wait approximately 15-20 minutes. As we're standing in front of the door, since there's no where else to go, a family of five (mom, dad and 3 children) came in. I was with three adults. The family was taken immediately to a table. We inquired and were told that they could not seat four adults at a table for five, even though we were the only ones waiting for a good five minutes. I promise that our bill for four adults would have been higher than two adults and 3 kids. We left and will not be returning. Service is a large part of the restaurant business, and they were downright insulting. read more

I have been to the homestead with a few friends a total of 6 times. 3 of of those times we enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere in the restaurant. Our waitress, Joyce , was incredibly friendly and made our experience even better. However the other 3 we had issues with our waitress, Nancy, she was incredibly rude and did not get our orders correct. I do not usually complain at restaurants but when Nancy was our waitress I speak for all my friends when I say we just wanted to pay and leave as soon as we could. read more

We used to love this place many years ago. At some point it seemed to go downhill for us and we stopped going. I am drawn here in part because of the movie "In & Out", which used the outside area for scenes as well as in my home town high school. Just a bit of trivia. Today was our second visit in the past 6 weeks or so. We stopped in at lunch time and sat at the bar. Donna introduced herself to us and seemed happy to help us. Very personable and very nice. I started with the split pea soup which was so good, I ordered some to go to have for lunch tomorrow. LOL On our previous visit I ordered the Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich. It was HUGE! And it was delicious. Today I had the slider trio which was cooked perfectly. It came with homemade chips which were yummy. I could only eat one of the sliders after that soup. But wait. Hubby had a lunch special of seafood pasta for $22. My only negative is it seemed to take a while for our food to come out, but Donna let us know that they cook to order. In our case, they were making hubby's pasta from scratch! Not something you find often. Well here comes this pasta dish with clams, calamari, shrimp, lobster and I don't even know what else. I had a bite and it was delicious. Hubby was very happy with it and he's not often impressed by restaurant food. I want to take our son and his family here when they visit. DIL loves mozzarella sticks and they make their own. Really? Who else does this? So food is yummy and service was good, getting our food took time. Will be back. read more

While I believe this is a charming venue, off the beaten path... their service is subpar, wines by the glass are horrible (and seem to change depending on what they were able to buy on the cheap that week). Food is tolerable at best. The fly problem is gross. Dust on everything but the tables. I hate to think what the kitchen looks like. Ugh. We have been here three times in the last year. Always hopeful it would improve. We have given up. Too many other options. read more

Unfortunately, we will not be returning to the Homestead Rest. For the past year or so, we've been regular customers and have eaten there at least once a month. Today was actually the first time we ever got up and left a restaurant because of terrible wait staff and food. Today, we went there for lunch and walked in around 1:15. The woman who seated us placed us in the section she was waiting on. After she sat another three tables in her section, she eventually got around to taking our order. Obviously she did not have the time for us as we had to call her back so we could order an appetizer. After we waited twenty-five minutes for food, she came back to check which appetizer we ordered. Another ten - fifteen minutes later she came back with the Frontier Onion we ordered and it wasn't cooked through. Her excuse was that it was a big onion. She took it back and ten minutes later returned with the same onion. The half we had cut off was missing and the rest of it was burnt to the point that you could not eat it. After waiting for forty-five minutes and still not having edible food, we got up to leave. On our way out, our waitress saw us and very irritably asked us "now what's wrong with it!?" We told her that it was burnt to the point that we couldn't eat it and we just were going to leave as we had been there forty-five minutes and had absolutely nothing to eat. She made zero effort to remedy the situation or to even be less than rude to us. Sadly, we have found that this waitress has no interest in waiting our table the few times we have sat in her section. Also, the last three times we were there, we ordered the onion and it came out with raw dough in the center. At least the second time it happened, we had a better waitress who didn't give us an attitude. read more

A neat, out-of-the-way spot with a barn-like feel and tons of horse/farm decor. The food portions are big and they are known for their homemade potato chips - but the meals are nothing fantastic. Stick to the basic bar foods and you'll be fine. Beer selection brings down the rating - very few options on tap, and no craft brews. read more