Great food choices for vegetarians and everyone else! Got to try their potato soup and their stuff mushroom appetizer. What is life without a good onion soup and a big burger? Crème brûlée to finish it all off... excellent service fresh food, even the manager came by our table to check on things and the only thing we didn't like he took off our bill read more

I really enjoy eating here and chilling in the bar area watching sports while grabbing an ice cold beer. Great restaurant with good food and nice atmosphere! read more

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A grade above Chili's/TGIF's in the area. The nachos are no joke, they are huge. I couldn't finish my meal because of these nachos. Although packed on weekends, the wait isn't too long usually for a duo. About 30 minutes. Friendly quick service, OK bar-food. read more

Out of all the fast food sit down chain restaurants in the area, I'd have to vote Houlihans the best. 1. The bloody mary's are A+! Salt and pepper rim and all the good munchies that should come with a bloody. 2. Service is always tops. 3. Restaurant is clean. 4. Portions are huge and they do encourage splitting dishes. yum! If you're looking for a quick fix at a reasonable price, this spot is a good one. read more

This was my first time at Houlihan's and I LOVED it! I was really surprised by how nice the atmosphere was, especially for a chain restaurant. It's very cozy and spacious, but gets extremely busy on Friday nights/weekends, so make sure you're ready for a wait. Our waiter was prompt and friendly, so no complaints about the service. I was a little disappointed that he wouldn't honor their Cinco de Mayo promotion of $4 margaritas - apparently it's only available if you sit at the bar. If you check in on Yelp, you get a free small plate (appetizer) of up to $7. We opted for the spinach dip, which came out a little watery - I wouldn't have been too pleased if we actually paid for it. For entrees, my boyfriend opted for the buffalo chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. I got the scallops with lemon/asparagus risotto. The buffalo chicken was HUGE!! It did get a little messy though because the bread fell apart. The scallops were cooked perfectly and I absolutely loved how flavorful the risotto was. I was definitely pleasantly surprised by the quality of this dish as well as the generous portion size. All in all, it was a very satisfying meal and I would be very happy to come back for a casual date night! read more

We both had the side salad as an appetizer. She had the Ranch and I the Thousand Island dressing. Both the salad and dressing was very good She had the Chipotle-Smoked Chicken Enchiladas which she said she would order the next time too I had the Chicken stir fry which was delicious and plentiful. The service was excellent. Overall a very nice dinner out. read more

I give the place a 3.5 out of 5. My friend and I did benefit from their fabulous happy hour appetizers. The price for the food was fitting! The itty bitty burgers were decent. The burger was not as juicy as I hoped it would be, but the buns were good. The chicken fingers had a great crunch and flavor to it, but it was too salty. (Better than bland chicken fingers though). The spinach dip was great and the chips were crispy and fresh. The baked potato soup is great! True, it's an appetizer, but I wish it was a little bigger! read more

I have eaten here many times through the years. Food is usally very consistent and drinks not stingy. My only dislike is their new, mostly Asian chef's menu. read more

Wasn't too crazy about this location. We sat at the bar and the service wasn't the friendliest however, it was a very busy crowd. Love the appetizers but the entree menu isnt as wide range as you would expect for a bar/restaurant. I got the scallops and they were nothing like the picture, in fact I was served arugula instead of spinach. I wasn't crazy about it and I dont think I would recommend that dish or try it again. I got one of their larger drinks I forget what they call them and mine was literally all ice so I was quite disappointed because even when I finished all of the liquid the ice was still full above the brim and I saw the same drink at other tables that wasn't so iced up. The place itself I will give another try and see how the service improves. read more

As chains go, Houlihan's is a cut above. As Houlihan's go, this particular location is a little below average, but I'll round up. Servers are all teens to college-age, so the service level is mid to low. Food is average. The parking lot is enormous, but the restaurant is smaller than average, so you might be tricked into thinking lots of available parking = no wait. Nope! Going on a weekend night is not an option because you wait 30 mins, just to be seated. It truly mystifies me why someone would wait that length of time, for a table, at a HOULIHAN'S. It's just not that wait-worthy, and there are too many other restaurants that are as good or better, close by. That said, Houlihan's does have a bar, which unfortunately, you can't say about a lot of local places, due to arcane NJ liquor laws. read more

Spinach dip, 'Shrooms and Bruschetta. You're welcome for changing your life. read more

Have been coming to the Holmdel location for many years and much more since the start of the pandemic. Place is clean and staff takes all the necessary Covid precautions....and the food is amazing! read more

This is a known fact - the Middletown area has practically no interesting restaurants. When it's time to decide where to go, most places are met with a collective "meh." Up & down 36 and 35 there are plenty of chain restaurants to make you sick. You would normally not find me even in a Houlihan's, but I find out that this place actually has something the other chain restaurants do not - decent vegetarian/vegan food! Check out this menu online, for those who don't believe me: http://houlihans.com/menus/VeggieMenu.pdf I was shocked to find this - truly shocked. Most times, its the standard: the *chance* that their may be a veggie burger (something most restaurants assume is totallyy~~~ what all vegetarians eat, 24/7) and pasta (though you would have to request it sans chicken). So to find a restaurant like this that offers so many great choices - I was shocked! I finally gave the place a chance & I was pleasantly surprised. They have an awesome happy hour with cheap appetizers. They have lots of healthy options (you can get half a sandwich, salad, with a side, and it isn't just fries but maybe rice & beans, or mashed potatoes). The bill ended up being reasonable for everything I got & the waitress was super nice (if a little hyperactive!). Anyway I am totally not endorsing a chain restaurant. If you're vegan/vegetarian in the area and are eating out - go to Good Karma Cafe. But if you are totally in a fix with a group of omni friends, this place is a decent choice. Yer alright, Houlihan's. read more

We ordered here all the time now and always get surf and turf and never had a problem Friday my lobster was literally rubber and the steak was so tough and inedible When we called to tell them, a girl told me to call back in a little bit because we are busy. So I think we are going to stop ordering here since they don't care about the satisfaction of their customers. We understand things can be hectic especially working in food industry but if someone isn't happy, after ordering multiple times you should correct that. I rated 3 stars because it was only one bad time vs the plenty of times we went and had a good meal. I'll pass from now on. read more

Food is good, typical for a chain restaurant. Either you like it or you don't. Just NEVER order food to go from here. Have down it three times, and every time there are multiple mistakes in the dinners. They will not take in line orders so you don't have anything to prove your order vs what they give you. Their to go pick up system is clumsy stupid and inefficient. They insist you sit in your car outside and wait to be noticed. Then they bring the food out. It messy and clumsy to review the packages in the car, it's slow and inefficient as the delivery person has no WiFi and needs to return to the restaurant to run a debit or credit card while you wait again. Overall it is really - and I mean really - annoying. Eat in or get to go at nearby chili's or Texas steakhouse. read more

Very nice place to eat. The price fix meal option was a good value.

I was very disappointed with our order. The stuffed mushrooms seemed like they were sitting there for hours and one of them was only half. the lettuce in the salad was brown. read more

I am always delighted to get a birthday gift from Houlihan's. Lately I do not eat out, so this is a great excuse to order. So many restaurants offer "deals" but restrict it to eating in. With the new uptick in covid, I only will order if I can do takeout, and Houlihan's seems to get it. The order is ready in a pretty short time, and it is packaged very well. Thank you for the unrestricted gift. read more

I love this Houlihan's!!! I've been coming here since I was a little girl. When we moved to Holmdel about ten years ago, Houlihan's was always our go-to restaurant. The bar drinks (I'm 18, so I've only gotten like iced tea and lemonade and stuff) have always been good. If you eat there on weekdays between 3:00-5:30, the early bird menu is always something to take advantage of. The appetizer, entree and small dessert combo is a great value. Since I've been going to this place for years, I've had all of these and was never disappointed with the taste and quality: Appetizers: Avocado toast, calamari, ultimate nachos, salsa bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms, potato skins, spinach dip, char-crusted ahi tuna, Soups and side salads: French onion soup, baked potato soup (literally the best potato soup... I get it without bacon tho), regular side salad or caesar Entree salads: Char-crusted ahi tuna salad, buffalo bleu salad, pecan chicken salad Burgers & sandwiches: Cheese burger, vegetarian burger, black and bleu burger, regular burger, fish tacos, French dip, cajun chicken grill, buffalo chicken sandwich Entrees: Korean chicken, stuffed chicken breast, rosemary chicken, chicken tender platter (original and buffalo style), chicken stir fry, vegetable stir fry, vegetarian fajitas, chicken fajitas Seafood and pasta: Fish and chips, fettuccini alfredo, Tuscany lemon chicken Desserts: Kamikaze brownie sundae, strawberry cheesecake, caramel nut crunch pie, creme brûlée, ice cream, sorbet Anyway this place is good. Lots of deals, coupons, and promos. Managers usually come out to check on how the food is and are friendly. Lights are a little too dim, but not bad enough to ruin our experience. We like going earlier because there tends to be a wait later in the evening. read more

I went with family. The food is substandard and previously frozen. I ordered crabcakes and the dish was pretty bad. The frozen veggies were soggy and it was served with half a plate of brown rice. My fault, never order an actual dinner entree at a chain restaurant. Always order a burger or something with fries if you want something edible. I also ordered a glass of wine that tasted like the bottle had been open for a month. The prices were way too high for a mediocre chain restaurant in the middle of nj. The service was ok. The waitress had very little training, or maybe she was new, but pleasant enough. She got 2 orders wrong and didn't know the difference between grigio and noir. read more

Went here for my birthday and everything went very well. My friends and I came super late but unlike other places the bar tender didn't give an attitude or try to rush us out. I ordered nachos, my friend got wings and my other friend got cheese fries. Everything came out delicious. Will definitely be returning. read more

Houlihan's - Bars Near Me - Holmdel, New Jersey

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Came to houlihans for lunch today & had the best service i've ever had at a restaurant. Caitlynn was our server & was so friendly and attentive she treated us like we were her best friends! We will surely be back simply for the service but the food was fresh and hot as well!! read more

Great service, delicious food and used the yelp option For free dessert with purchase of two entrees. read more

Went their for dinner last night. Ate at the early bird. I had the smaller portion of sea scallops. Last night I felt like I was going to die!!!! Food poisoning for sure. Threw up in the middle of the night. Today severe stomach cramps. All I can say the place is going downhill. Service was slow and inattentive. read more

Amazing food but the service wasn't great! I have a food allergy to a requested that the waiter made sure the cook cooked my food separate from shellfish! Let's just say they had to make my food twice! But maybe it was just that waiter. read more

Very nice. Also accepted the Yelp coupon with no questions asked. Generous portion of chicken fingers, steak was prepared well, cold beers. The only negative was that the service was a little slow, and there was a wrapper in my sons fry's. I informed the waitress and she advised the manager. He immediately took it the cost of the bill and gave a new order to go plus a desert. Great service. I recommended this place to all families read more

Family-style restaurant with a great menu full of delicious choices in smaller sizes and normal dinner sizes.The front of the house has incredible managers and very good servers. This is the type of restaurant you can get used to going to, my family and I like to visit almost every week! Excellent ribs that fall off the bone, buffalo wings are to die for, burgers are tasty and many other delicious choices. Fish, scallops, chicken, and top of the line steaks. If you go once you're bound to return again and again. Ask for the manager Al and tell him that Noel sent you. read more

I ordered the french dip, came out alittle too well done for me . The manager quickly bought me another one which was much better. My friend had a burger which she said was very good. It was good to get out and celebrate my birthday although it was alittle belated. The service was very good. Will be going again in the near future. read more

Beer was cold... Tea was hot. The hot pretzel app was legit. I'd order it again. Fish tacos specially requested to be baked and not fried was on point. Great burger read more

Typically self-describing as chains go but on the high end for quality, selection, and both a comfortable and fun atmosphere. For vegetarians, noteworthy for its small plates and especially for having the best, most unusual vegetarian burger I've ever had. Complete with BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, and both Provolone and Cheddar, it's somewhat more akin to a meatloaf than a burger (So I always sub mashed potatoes when ordering.), and there's nothing remotely bland nor cardboard tasting about it. read more

This place was horrific. Our waitress was 100% high on weed. She asked me if I wanted salt or sugar on my margarita. I said sugar and my drink was covered in salt and tasted like salt it was disgusting. Then we all ordered Caesar salads and she brought us SIDE salads and charged for regular salads. I will never go here. read more

This is legit the best chain restaurant out there, both Houlihan's in general and this location. The bartenders are friendly and top notch. The service is almost always exceptional. The quality of the food is consistently good. Curbside takeaway is aces. Great place to go out and have a good meal when you have a child and don't want to eat at Chuck E Cheese but also don't want to go to a higher end place where you're going to get sneered at (and rightfully so) by everyone else when your baby cries. read more

Great friendly service food was great especially the scallops will definitely return.

I was here today for lunch withe my family. What a pleasant experience. Our waiter Frank was excellent. Our drinks were attended to, appetizers and dinner timed perfectly. Everything Frank suggested was spot on. The appetizer sampler was Very good and salads served in cold plates. The fajitas, quiche, soups and of course chicken finger platter for the kiddo were excellent. I can't wait to come back again soon! read more

Food is great.... Customer service is not. Made an order online, put it as pickup by accident instead of delivery... Called up to be told I have to do it through the site... Ok fine check the site only to see a note all issues have to go through the local restaurant. I call back get put on hold (the guy at to go was at least polite and apologetic) then get put to a 'manager' who was nasty just basically saying it was too late and they already made the food... Yeah it was too late because the other guy mislead me! I called as soon as the order went through and I saw pickup instead of delivery! So I ask for her name she keeps going on how she will transfer me and never tells me her name. I get put on hold and wait for about 10 minutes before I had enough and call back, getting the girl in front who also has this attitude saying that I'm the one mistreating her and she doesn't like my attitude because I said I want the general manager to call me when she gets in. She refuses to give me her name when I ask. Seriously I'm done with this houlihans. Been going there for YEARS and lately the staff ha5d been nasty. Food isn't the only thing that should be good.... Your staff needs training and you guys need to know how to handle a situation if you are going to offer both pickup and delivery on your site. You just lost a customer. read more

We stopped in mid afternoon and sat for 15 minutes without being waited on, even though nearby tables who were seated after my party were waited on before our party. Very disappointing, particularly since they were not very busy. read more

The central location directs most of Holmdels traffic towards it. Has a wide variety of exquisite dishes. The buffalo chicken sandwich is the star of the show. The lighting could get better but the mood set by the music gets you in a jolly mood. It's a must go with friends. Their pick up menu for when you are in a hurry is fantabulous. A five star if their ever was one. I'm easily a regular there. read more

I have been going to this Houlhan's for many years and continue to love it. The restaurant business is called the Hospitality Industry and I can tell you that they are long on hospitality and great food. We love to see our friend Alfredo one of the managers when we visit, he is so warm and friendly that it makes our trip there even more enjoyable. I love their Navajo Chicken on pasta it is sublime and I always order extra chicken. I recently discovered how great the Fajitas are. I had the chicken and it was to die for. Tonight we dined there and I had the grilled skewered shrimp, baked potato and saved myself for dessert. They have a Crunch Nut Pie they call it that is a huge slice of their home made ice cream cake. The thick crust on the bottom is broken Oreo cookies. then the take and break up Snicker bars and blend it into creamy vanilla ice cream and freeze it. They make these every day. When they serve it, it comes out in a huge plate drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce, whipped cream and a huge fresh strawberry. For $6.95, I can tell you you can share this with 4 people, but me and my wife tend to finish it after our light dinners. Great place visit there and when you do, tell Al that Lenny and Gladys sent you. read more

The only reason I give it a 4 is because of the bartender on Friday nights! Wait staff is generally good and pleasant but I feel the food has gone downhill a bit. If you stick with burgers or fajitas you're fine, every time I try something different like meatloaf or pot roast it comes smothered in crap that makes it inedible. Steaks are ok, but I can get a better steak at a better price across the street. Wish they'd remodel that awful 1970's style bar, the overhang for liquor makes it dark and dingy, and blocks the view of televisions. read more

Had a great dinner last night. My husband and I sat at the bar. Bar was really nice, bartender super friendly and attentive and made a great cosmo. Dinner was the perfect portion and cooked just right. We very much enjoyed our meal. Clean including the rest room which is an important deal breaker for me. Will definitely come to this location again. read more