Food was very good and waitress was one of the best! Gracious, helpful and super accommodating.

Fun option on a Sunday afternoon in football season! Games on every tv and plenty of great food options. Much of the food is grilled right behind the bar in plain sight. I stop by every time I visit Neptune on my way back to Bucks County PA. read more

Dining area quiet enough for conversation and great friendly service Food was tasty with some inventive upgrades to the lunch menu.

Coming here 30 years. The service has gone steadily downhill. Food is mediocre. Service terrible. Don't go there.

it was pretty meh, the service was great probably the best's part of the trip. i got a cheeseburger, they forgot to put the cheese on it had to ask, and yes i did tell them cheeseburger. it was cooked good. idk why the Kaiser rolls though. the inside was nothing special. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

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Service was solid and plenty of TV's if you are interested in watching a game, but there is also a separate dining room if you want to avoid all the crying over how bad the Giants are...but I digress... Food was nothing spectacular but ok. Our orders ran the menu from wings, to the pork sandwich, chili, French onion soup and a burger. Reviews from the group voted the Chili and the Burger as the standouts. Perhaps the overall winner were the fries. Large, well done and crispy the whole table took turns snagging some. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

The Ivy League is a good place to grab a drink with friends and just chill for a bit. The bartenders are prompt and professional and I had an overall good time. I did not have anything to eat, so I cannot make a comment on that. All in all, I am giving it five stars for the bar part. read more

My husband and I love to go to the bar and have a nice dinner with drinks and great conversation. We love that they have the grill at the bar and they make awesome meals. Also the staff is very personable. We feel at home here. read more

Dave = the GOAT, Shannon = The Best... always have a great time! Always have great convo. Food is ok but service works their asses off. This is what you want from a local bar. read more

Awesome they have TouchTunes. Not awesome that the owner removes any music he doesn't care for. Great hardworking bartenders, good food, bad music. read more

I came here for lunch after church. I had the Wharfside Combo which was very tasty. The food was reasonably priced as well. I wish I had asked the waitress her name because she was wonderful. She was attentive and helpful. The atmosphere here was very laid back. We definitely enjoyed our meal and will be back. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - the sign for the season opener - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

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Relaxed vibe. Came in after moving all day. Had a great burger and awesome potato skins! Will be back!!

I arrived at 4:30 on a Wednesday and happy hour was going on. A nice crowd mostly locals from what I saw. The bartender was nice and made me feel welcome. The glass was chilled and the beer was cold. I ordered the Wisconsin cheddar burger cheese sauce (they also have sliced cheddar). I ordered it med rare, came out well done. That's why a star short. I would recommend that this is a return spot. read more

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For years we have been going there for the Wharfside Seafood Combo. When we asked why there was no longer scallops on it even though they are charging five dollars more, we got a lecture from the waitress on how expensive scallops are. Then when we got the food it was over cooked and there was a half a piece of crispy dried ,which look like tilapia instead of flounder. read more

Ivy League is a great spot to grab a beer and have a quick bar bite. So you're wondering why the 3 star review? I was craving a burger and beer on Mother's Day so we ordered food to pick up and bring to a local brewery and the food was inedible- literally threw it out. We ordered 2 burgers and they tasted like straight charcoal and were cooked well done instead of medium like we asked. I got the Ivy League burger that says "Smothered with our homemade mushroom and onion sauce"- jokes on me, it had 5 mushrooms and maybe 10 onions sautéed and flavorless with no sauce. It was dry and disgusting. The fries we asked for well done were barely cooked. Honestly wish I could get my money back for this horrible lunch. However, if you are going to STAY and eat/drink I would recommend. If you're going to pick it up- do yourself a favor and go elsewhere. read more

Have been back a number of times - just thought they deserved an update. We have been going here for almost 4 years and they have remained consistent. The bar is the place to be on any night/ WE had the Pork Roll sandwich and Louisiana Burger along with a bowl of Potato & Radish Soup. Everything was excellent. The popcorn "appetizer" was good as well. Food, a Long Trail IPA and House Merlot for $ 31.00 - all while watching the Yankees win. Can't beat that at all. read more

We stopped by this place with the kids thinking we could get a quick bite. There is next to nothing that would ever get me back into this place. Saturday night...there was about a 40 minute wait, which was understandable and okay. While in the waiting area, a guy comes over to us completely wasted and starts talking to our kids about baseball out of the blue. So that was a thing that happened. Okay, no worries. Whatever. I used it to teach my boys to always be on guard if a strange man approaches them because it is not normal. The service was bad. Not rude or anything but completely inattentive and careless. I won't dwell on this too much because we've all experienced poor service. This was poor service on multiple levels, leave it at that. The kitchen time was unacceptable. We ordered chicken fingers, hamburger, hot dog french fries, soup and house salad. It took 40 minutes for the food to come out. The salad came with shrimp for some reason and the shrimp was basically the size of boogers. I'm nauseous thinking about it as I type this. The French onion soup tasted like water, salt, onion powder and a chunk of cheese microwaved. The salad and soup were both served at close to room temperature. The burgers were severely over cooked. This place is cheap and probably has cheap booze. But people really need to have higher standards. 40 minute wait for *this place?* Never again. Two thumbs down. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

I enjoy the Ivy League very much. It's a local dive bar in the upper echelon of dive bars if that makes any sense. The food is ALWAYS good and consistent and I think everything is very reasonably priced including the drinks. I had an excellent prime rib there once, the wings are exceptional, and the burgers/sandwiches are great as well. I'd like to get around to trying their bar pie one of these days. There really isn't much more to say except that you won't be disappointed. read more

I haven't had acne in over thirty years but after a visit to the Ivy League in Howell, I may soon be in the market for a fresh tube of Clearasil. I had no idea a cheeseburger and a side of fries could actually absorb that much grease. Next time, I'll dispense with the menu and just bring my own vat of Crisco. For the life of me I don't know if I even remember how to pop a zit. read more

Can't get enough of this place. Service is awesome. My lady friend and I walk in the door and our beers are already being poured. Bartenders are friendly and think they are comedians. Great place to watch a game or the locals. They are equally entertaining. Juke box Playlist can be considered strong to quite strong. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - Avocado bacon burger, Swiss patty melt burger, ice cold beer - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

Bartender, Butch on Friday 5/13 @ 2pm Obnoxious & Actually Intimidating.. I will Never go back!! I Never saw meatloaf between 2 thick slices of Wonder-bread. Dry & tasteless!! read more

We ordered the fish and chips dinner. Not sure what frozen garbage they threw into some old, not changed the oil in a long time, fryer. No taste at all. The French fries looked and tasted like they were scraped off the bottom of that same fryer. Have you ever seen French fries in that color? Unbelievably bad. Never going there again. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

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We've past this place many times and thought about giving it a try since the parking lot is usually full. A friend recommended so we went. Sat at the bar and you can immediately see that there's just a good vibe. Lots of locals, servers were quick and friendly, multiple TVs to follow the sports games, and a lot of interaction. We ordered some food as they do have a fairly nice menu for this establishment. They do pretty much everything well while being treated as if you know them. Not overpriced and tasty food. We'll be back! read more

Came here with a group for drinks and ended up ordering a bunch of food. We munched on popcorn while we waited, which was appreciated. Sliders were juicy and the wings were nicely fried. I do wish the wing sauce was spicier though. We also had the cheesesteak, which were actually like egg rolls, which I found a little odd but they tasted fine. May come again just for the wings and drinks! read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

I do not understand a lot of the negative reviews for this place, as I have been coming to this restaurant for years and have had nothing but positive experiences. The Ivy league is definitely a pub/tavern style restaurant, so that is something you should know before stopping by. The lighting is low, the style is casual, and when it's game day, its certainly loud ! But that is the beauty of this place ! It has a lot of character, and many loyal customers which makes it so unique. It is very lively and the bartenders are wonderful people. This is the type of place to come to with family and friends and just enjoy yourself. The drinks are great and appetizers are amazing. I would say the best food to order are nachos, wings, any of their burgers, and seafood (calamari, clams, etc.). I enjoyed the black bean burger, which is an old menu item. It is not currently on the main menu, but they still have it if you ask your waiter ! It is a grilled, smokey black bean burger with monterey jack cheese, chipotle ranch, and fresh avocado. It is so delicious, and the blend of flavors are complex and work well together. Sweet, savory, and smokey, all on top of a kaiser roll. I also order Buffalo Wings which were cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside, and tender when you bite in, and taste great with the buffalo sauce. It is usually packed evenings and night times, and especially on the weekends, but the excitement is worth witnessing, as the staff and bartenders are a lot of fun. There are a ton of flat screens with different games on as well as a jukebox where you can pick a song you would like the restaurant to play. If you prefer the quiet, check this place out for lunch during daytime hours, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. read more

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Great place to have a beer and get good food after fishing at Manasquan Reservoir. We almost didn't come because the average review was only 3 stars. It is much better than that. Everything we ate was very good. Big selection! Give them a try! read more

Horrible place to just get service, it took me 20 mins to someone to ask what would I like. The guy bartender is a rude person. He's into the buddies seems like it's a selected place. I would never come again. I just wanted a burger and watch the football game. He definitely made me feel uncomfortable.... I'll never recommend or come here again.. read more

Great friendly place. They have the best Buffalo wings and their French onion soup and French dip are amazing! Prices are very reasonable! Sit in a booth or table by the bar for a fun lively atmosphere. read more

I recently relocated to NJ as a full time resident and I am loving it, so here is my first official review as a NJ Girl! Ivy League- 5 Stars this place has it all for game watching on TV in the bar to dinner with the kids to specials every night of the week and not just burger specials I am talking Prime Rib! Oh yes! indeed and tasty as well. I have had the pleasure of eating here about 4 times because its right down the street from my house and because it is priced just right. Last Saturday I brought a party of 8! all adults and Mini-Me. Everyone ate and we even had 3 beers in addition to the regular beverages total bill about $104.00. thats 8 people! Grouper sandwich- give it a try not your typical fish sammy. Fish and Chips- they practically give you a whole fish for portion size Philly Cheesesteak- its not Tony's but it sure is good and my mother inlaw is super picky Jersey Burger- I have come to really like this Taylor pork roll sandwich thing everyone here eats and it is damn tasty to have a slice on a burger with grilled onions. Pizza- the crust was crispy and the cheese gooey the sauce was flavorfull and really went well together, poor Mini-Me it was her dinner and she got two slices after she said how good it was everyone took a slice..she was like HEYYYYYY! get your own! Service for a large party- food came out at one time, it was hot, not dry and had not been left under heat lamps, you can tell this place is used to large groups so they have the service down. We sat in the back and it was a little chilly but they turned down the AC and it wasnt a big deal, our server was attentive and had a great attitude. I suggest you come early for dinner on weekends about 5 or so because this place gets packed and on game days even more so. The staff here is super friendly and we really enjoy coming here for wings, burgers and prime rib! I almost forgot we ordered this "Crab Meltaway" crabmeat, mayo, old bay seasoning, 3-cheeses, piled on a crispy french bread and baked OMG! seriously?! this is delish! it was only an appetizer but could easily been part of a meal if I ordered a crock of the french onion soup. I wouldnt have been able to move and been in a food coma, but it would have been so worth it! read more

We were seated at a table for over 20 minutes. There were 5 servers on, and they were not overly busy, there were empty tables. Not one server acknowledged us. They were busy folding napkins at the hostess station. They also did not acknowledge us as we walked out to go to another restaurant. Horrible service. I had to give one star in order to post this review, but it's really a zero for me. read more

It was alright, nothing special. My wife and I went on a Wednesday night to have a beer and a bite to eat. We were early enough that we were able to get a seat at their large oval bar and saw that it was a Mexican special night. I haven't been to the Ivy League in a few years so I expected (I guess I was hoping) them to improve their beer offerings. They haven't. That was disappointing. In keeping with the Mexican theme we ordered beef tacos and chicken nachos. I must say they were pretty good, not what you would get in a good Mex place, but decent. The bar staff were friendly and efficient and I know this place is mobbed on certain nights. For most people I guess their beer selection is adequate. Happy hour they pour Bud and that ilk for $2.00. You can't beat that if you can drink that swill. Speaking for me and my wife if they had some decent beer we certainly would show up more often. read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - Bar with the front windows in the rear - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

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The Ivy League is your normal local watering hole, with a couple of twists. I think the place has a lot of promise. I pretty much only stop by here on Thursday nights for their wing specials, so I don't have much experience with most of their other offerings. They have a decent selection of beers on tap, and their wings are awesome. I know some people swear by other restaurants in the area (and some of those places may even claim to have NJ's best wings) but I really think the wings from the Ivy League may offer the best bang for your buck. They also have a decent bar pies and other happy hour appetizers. (As a side note, the regular menu seems a little overpriced, but on reflection, descriptions of the food selections seem a cut above your normal "bar" food. I can't personally vouch for the quality of these dishes, but I will say that a couple of them have made me think twice about ordering the wings.) One slight drawback of the Thursday night wings is that you have to wait until 7PM for the deal to start. You guys gotta start this sooner!!! Maybe 6? The last time I went we ended up ordering full price wings because we didn't want to wait so long. Oh, and the bar is pretty damn crowded on Thursday nights, even when I get there straight after work (5:15ish?) - I couldn't even get a seat at the bar, so I had to get a table. It seems to me that a lot of the regulars are older folks that may not work regular hours (if at all); I guess that's just the demographic. The bartenders and other wait staff seem really helpful and friendly. The bar popcorn is also a plus. Overall, definitely a place that should be on your radar if you're local to the Freehold/Howell area. Just a solid place to get a drink and a bite to eat, if perhaps a little bit pricey. read more

No beer menu Barmaid ramble 15 beers off in 10 seconds Had to ask multiple times about particular beers Great shark bites had a margarita pie was good except for the canned tomatoes. Should be fresh They definitely need a craft beer menu to read before you order read more

I was looking for a place to eat and decided on this joint. When we walked inside, I knew I made a terrible decision. This place is awfully dated and needs to be revamped (The dining area specifically). The bar area isn't far behind. It's the type of place that older folks frequent for a bite to eat. The food reminds me of the older places that I used to eat as a kid (back in my hometown). It's nothing special. Everything is done in the most basic way. My burger was supposed to have Cajun spices, yet I tasted nothing at all. The jalapeños were diced so small and weren't enough of them. I would have prefered whole slices like the 90% of other places. I also asked for it to be cooked medium. I knew I should have said rare because it came out well freaking done. And I would have sent it back, but I was too hungry to care and didn't want to wait for another one while my company ate. My friend got the chicken parmigiana over pasta and we had to send it back. The chicken tasted "off". I tried a bite and she was right. There was something wrong with the taste of the chicken. I should also mention that there was not enough sauce. There was no extra for the noodles. So it was like eating them plain. We sent that back and she didn't get anything else because she was so put off by it. Her toddler ordered the kids chicken finger with fries. That was probably the best thing we ordered. For $2 more you are better off ordering the regular platter of them though. The kids platter isn't worth $7.99. Plus you can take the extra home for another meal. As for the customer service, our waitress was pleasant and attentive. She was nice enough to remove the chicken parmigiana from our bill. There was even crayons for myt friends toddler to draw on the place mats while we waited for our food to come out. All-in-all, I doubt we will be back because of the mediocre food. There are better places to eat with better food. read more

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Out of towners and stopped in for lunch after walking the loop trail at the nearby reservoir. Really didn't have high expectations, but we were starving and decided to chance it. Well let me say that our meals were delicious and especially the chicken portobello salad was above average. The lettuce was obviously fresh chopped by hand, not from a bag. And the burger was cooked perfectly with tasty fries. Minus one star for slow service but we weren't in a rush. Yankees theme throughout and an authentic late 70s vibe. Grill behind the bar was intriguing. read more

The Ivy League is our favorite local restaurant. Their service and food quality is always consistently good. We love feeling at home every time we visit. Sit in the bar area, if you can for the best service in the restaurant. read more

Ok. I have 3 stars being nice. Our service was prompted and very nice. Ok... where do I start... Old and Dated..The smell of moldy water and just not very clean. I just can't get over the smell of nasty stagnant water laying around somewhere. The place NEEDS to be cleaned and AIRED OUT! also a remodel is way over due .. I'm sorry :( read more

Ivy League Bar & Grill - American Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

I have been coming to The Ivy League on and off for the last 30 years. Several owners and its had its ups and downs. Last night was my last visit to this place. To start with Men's room was filthy. Come on Management, you don't smell the Piss when you walk in, and see the filth? The bartender's ( who I have known for years) act like they could care less you are there. Little to no interaction with the customer's. Except for one guy who I have never met before. Shame on the bartenders , maybe it's time for you guys to get, a civil service job where you don't need to be friendly to the customers and interact. Rich read more

It's a shame foods not that bad, but the apathetic, no personality, miserable, one word answer, bartender made my experience horrible. Then some weirdo tried to sit with me, then I left...never will return! read more

Worst Bloody Mary I have ever had. Portobello and chicken salad was great! I watched the waitress dip the head of the soda nozzle in the water cups and served them. I was over it! read more