Excellent burger here. Their salad though was extremely salty. Like they poured salt on it. I think the dressing was not calibrated right and way over salted. Fried chicken appetizer was decent. Could have had more flavor. Loved the desserts here with the brownie and ice cream. Overall, the staff here are young but nice. Very attentive. The salad needs to be evaluated. read more

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Food: Tasty burrata with the tomato compote; delicious crispy halibut with whipped potatoes; flavorful braised short rib au vin; ample amount of broccolini; no extra fee for subbing sides Service: Very accommodating, friendly, attentive Ambiance: clean, good vibes; tiny hole in the wall bathrooms; spacious parking read more

We chose Nicholas Barrel & Roost based on the menu and an almost 4 star rating on Yelp with over 500 reviews. The halibut caught my eye immediately; I'm a sucker for a perfectly prepared piece of halibut or a great pork chop, and since my partner doesn't eat meat it made for an easy share. Earlier in the day, a couple of women at our hotel bar mentioned the chef had trained at Jean-Georges in Manhattan, which only added to our anticipation. It wasn't until we got back to the hotel after dinner and did a little reading that we learned just how decorated Harary really is; his Restaurant Nicholas held Zagat's top spot in New Jersey for 15 consecutive years and earned a 4-star New York Times review. That context made our middling meal sting just a little more. We started with the bread service and the beet salad. The bread itself was baked beautifully, but the butter and ricotta accompanying it were completely flavorless. My partner and I are not salt-at-the-table people; we trust that seasoning happened in the kitchen. This was the first time in recent memory that we actually reached for the salt shaker. Not a great sign. The beet salad should have been a showstopper. Beets, when done right, can carry an entire dish on their own. Instead, they were buried under an avalanche of arugula. Don't get me wrong, arugula is one of my favorite greens; that peppery bite and beautiful texture are hard to beat, but here it was doing all the heavy lifting while the beets sat underneath doing nothing. We'd eaten most of the salad before we even noticed the sunflower seeds and a smear of mascarpone hiding on the bottom of the bowl. That mascarpone, gently flaked on top with the seeds scattered over it to catch in the folds, could have made this dish genuinely memorable. The gorgeous candy-striped radishes were a lovely visual touch, but they were raw, undressed slices with no seasoning, no acid, no pickling. Beautiful to look at; an afterthought to eat. The whole salad felt that way, honestly. For our main, we shared the Panko Crusted Halibut with bok choy and smoked shallot velouté. The sauce was the star; the smoke level was dialed in perfectly, present in all the right ways without overpowering everything else. The wild mushrooms were lovely, but the dish needed something to break up the texture. The bok choy brought good flavor, but it mirrored the mushrooms so closely that each bite started to blur together. Something crispy, something sharp, would have elevated the whole thing considerably. The fish itself was cooked well; firm, flakey, and not dried out. The panko crust was gorgeous to look at but could have been crispier. Based on its beautiful golden color, it looked like it had more crunch than it actually delivered. The cocktails were a genuine highlight. An old fashioned made with 1792 and a Black Manhattan, both well-crafted and the clearest bright spots of the evening. The three people behind the bar were another highlight. Expedient, attentive, never rushing anyone, and willing to make easy conversation without being intrusive. That is exactly what you want from people working a good bar. The ambiance, though, was confusing. The space seemed to pull in two directions at once; it wanted to feel upscale but also like a sports bar, and it never fully committed to either. Three small TVs tucked into the corners would have been fine. The oversized screen mounted prominently on the wall was intrusive and clashed hard with any sense of elevated dining. The music was classic rock, which I enjoy, but it read as wrong for the room and was a tad too loud. The music for this type of setting should be something to just add some ambiance, not for people to shout-sing too like you've had too many beers at a dive karaoke bar, which I love by the way, this was just not that kind of place. Those same women from the hotel bar had also warned us it could get loud and obnoxious in there. We figured we'd take our chances. We probably should have listened. With the legacy behind this place, the potential is clearly there. The bar staff gets it. Now the kitchen and the room just need to catch up. read more

Nicholas Barrel & Roost - House Baked Bread and the Marinated Heirloom Beet Salad - Bars Near Me - Red Bank, New Jersey

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Upscale and casual restaurant offering a selection of the usual staples but each done with flair. Accompanied by creative cocktails and mocktails, great place for lunch if you are willing to pay the price. read more

Our best Red Bank find! Amazing food, excellent service and all around good vibes. The place is huge and gets quite busy during lunch. From the burrata to the fried pickles and huge salads, you will not go wrong. Great menu selections for sure. read more

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Comfortable Contemporary Decor, subdued Lighting elevates the vibe in this warm and welcoming restaurant. Attentive Service who know the menu and ingredients as well as the drink specials and beers. The wine list is well rounded and concentrated to a carefully selected list. The beer offerings however are limited and they only offered one IPA Craft option. Could use more attention here. Servers could have a little more enthusiasm as some of ours were a bit sedate. Dinners were a tad delayed coming out, but nothing horrible. The Menu was assembled well and had some interesting options for starters which we did not partake in; the Raw Bar oysters are very fresh and cleaned well. Our salad we shared was good and could have been shared by 3-4 people as it was plentiful and $23, which was on par for most of the starter menu. The Strip Steak is prepared with a minimalist approach allowing the natural flavor of the beef to shine. Perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned and with a beautiful aged nuttiness. A simple Rosemary sprig on top and you have a delicious meal. The Crispy Halibut was another dish that was well worth it. Delicately cooked fish in a beautiful sauce accompanied by some Bok Choy and Mushroom sauté. Impressive. Ending with Dessert, the S'mores Skillet rounded everything out. Overall easily could be 5 stars but subtle things subtracted just enough to land at a 4. Nonetheless; highly recommended! read more

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An another absolute banger of a meal!!! This place is just amazing. Every server is well adverse to working there. The drinks are delicious and the food is even better. The vibe is so cute and now that it's decorated for Christmas it's even better! read more

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Nice ambience, nice service, and nice meal! This is a lively spot with a rustic feel. A variety of menu items to choose from. Fresh, moist seafood. Great for an occasion or nice night out. Would be nice if complimentary bread was given as the portions weren't huge. Parking lot available - location away from direct downtown Red Bank, but still close by. read more

Nicholas Barrel & Roost - S'mores skillet - huge for sharing, hot and gooey - Bars Near Me - Red Bank, New Jersey

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Excellent, I had come in before seeing a show at Count Basie, and stopped in. Right away you walk in it's very elegant while still feeling cozy, love the decor and colors. The food was great. Service was very good and food came out fast. I had started with the Warm Homemade fresh bread, that was very good, comes with butter and somewhat of a cream cheese swirl, bread was crunchy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. Nicholas Burger was incredible. While sitting there I saw a lot of people getting burgers so I had to try it. Got mine medium rare and it was cooked perfectly, the onions cut thin and the sauce that comes on it is out of this world, they don't drown the burger in that sauce either so the meat carries the flavor of the dish. read more

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Based on Brunch -Host and Hostess very cold and rude. Atmosphere is just ok. Menu is just overpriced regular fare. Food quality is just passable. Service was awful . Don't know what all the hype is with this place. Not worth it. Won't be back. Enjoy. read more

My wife and I are new residents in the neighborhood. Driving by this spot several times a week and seeing the action and pretty lights outside, we really wanted to try it out. So here's V-Day. What a regret. Our table was ready 15 minutes early, yay. We should have ordered our cocktails at that point since a Manhattan took 15 minutes to come out. Let's start here, don't order the oysters. You're better off taking $40 and flushing down the toilet. The east coast oysters are the size of a penny and thickness of a dime LITERALLY. They must have been laughing in the kitchen at whoever ordered this garbage (me). - - whatever, our loss. Then the burrata plate as well as the lobster bisque came out. Wow! Thought we were on to something, they were both absolutely delicious. We took our time while ordering the entrees. I overheard the kid at the table next to me say how much he loved the mac, so I put that in, as well as the miso cod and short rib pasta. Each plate was a dud. Each plate lacked something. FLAVOR!! I hear the owner is the Chef? I highly doubt he was on the line last night. Salt has left the building. Finally, whomever calls a plate of burnt marshmallows a dessert?? You're sick in the head. Best part of the night, which threw my wife over the top was the sweeping all around our table as we're eating. Were we no longer invited? No longer welcome? The server goes directly from the broom, to her hair, to her nose and then to our food. My god. Shits crazy. Just moving down here from Jersey City to explore, Nicolas ain't it. read more

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We had a 845pm reservation for a large table. My friends stated they had a hard time finding parking. I found a spot right in front....timing. First off this place is beautiful and the Christmas decor is very inviting. The staff was so friendly our server was Olivia. She gave us recommendations and she did not disappoint. Everything from start to finish was perfect. For the good, no leftovers so what does that say!! read more

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Gotta try the burger! Interior is cute, especially around Christmas time. The place is huge including the bar area. read more

Many a visits here including three consecutive New Year"s Eve. We had a great evening due to the graciousness of Nicholas and his staff. Food was on point along with the wines. Always a good stop. read more

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Had brunch here yesterday. Great menu for brunch, mid day, and dinner with great choices. The restaurant is decorated so beautifully for the holiday season with Christmas trees, garland, and lots of ornaments. Lots of different spaces to sit. Very busy on a Sunday for brunch, but all the staff handled it with ease and were very friendly. Our server Alexandra was so helpful, so sweet, and hard working! We had a delicious sugar cookie martini, and loved the crudite, pizza, and shovel salad. Lobster roll, slider, Mac and cheese, and fish sandwich were also a hit! We loved it here. We traveled about an hour here and it was well worth the trip! read more

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Had the same sandwich today and a completely different experience. I don't know if it's a different chef... but this was terrible. The sandwich was drenched with Buffalo sauce, overflowing onto the plate. Probably 3-4 times more than needed for flavor. Every bite was a sloppy mess. Not enjoyable at all. Sorry to say... read more

Hot dog party!! We enjoyed the hot dogs,pickles,chicken bites, fries (not our favorite Nicholas fries but still good) We like that Nicholas changes up the menu and cocktails. I had the Kiwi margarita, different but tasted good! We enjoy sitting at the bar,the staff are great and attentive. Our feedback for hot dog party, wish it had 2 hotdogs each, we cut in half so both of us could try the 3 hotdogs. All the dogs were good but The rodeo hotdog was killer delicious! We actually asked if we could just order a hot dog but only available for hot dog party. Bummer! Always highly recommend for delicious food and service. read more

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Really good meal and great service. Very popular restaurant that is upscale casual. Not Your Grandma's Crudité was a large enough for four mix of grilled and raw vegetables with a hummus did, wish there was more of the dip. Salads are definitely large enough to share and a couple of choice salads. Mains were fresh fish Halibut, Cod and pasta dishes. Prices are inline with other restaurants in the area. Save room for desserts read more

Great place. Very relaxing atmosphere, service is very good and friendly and the food is very good. Nice menu with a good selection.

I had really high hopes for Nicholas Barrel & Roost, but those hopes fell a little flat. I went to brunch on Sunday as part of a group of 6. We sat at a table in the bar area, but the ambiance was nice. I ordered the Nicholas' Cold Black Heart drink. It's a seasonal drink for Valentine's Day. It was basically like a cherry limeade with whiskey/bourbon. They also used activated charcoal in the drink which gave it the black color. I loved this drink. Also, we shared a Rome Vacation pizza as an appetizer. I enjoyed the pizza. It was topped with a cream sauce, potatoes, caramelized onions, and bacon. I enjoyed the pizza as well. After that, everything either went downhill or was just okay. I got the Surf and Turf, which consisted of a lobster roll and a beef burger slider. It is served with chips. I asked to substitute fries for the chips, but they wouldn't let us make the substitute. Instead, those of us who would've preferred fries over chips had to pay for an order of fries while still receiving the chips we didn't want. To top it off, neither the fries or chips had any salt. Although my food was edible, I didn't find anything special about it. The slider was just a beef patty topped with cheese and onion. The lobster roll could've used a little extra touch of seasoning as well. There were several other people at our table who weren't the most pleased with their food either. Again, it was edible but nothing to rave about. This is one of those places that I've been wanting to try for a while. Their food looks good on social media, but it just fell flat for me. I think the consensus is that this is definitely a good place to grab a drink, but I probably wouldn't get much else. I'll stick to their ice cream shop down the highway instead! read more

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We went to see James Taylor at the PNC Art Center and looked for a place to eat before the concert. I took a chance and went to this nice restaurant. We were seated quickly and our drink order came out fast. The server was great suggesting apps. My husband enjoyed the grilled oysters and I the chicken bites. We shared the Hot honey pepperoni pizza and it was delish! The restaurant's setting was friendly and chic at the same time. We really enjoyed our experience there. Lovely place! read more

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The six of us decided to pick this brunch spot for its location, because it had a full bar, because they took reservations, and because TRULY, food looked amazing online. Was greeted with warm smiles so I was optimistic. The restaurant had an upscale farmhouse vibe and was beautiful. I requested the most gorgeous nook in the entire place so I was thrilled when they sat us. Our server took our drink orders instantly which I was also thrilled about. I ordered an Espresso Martini which was excellent...strong and rich and very potent. But that's where my joy ended. The menu was extensive but not overwhelming. A few of us did our research and we ordered a couple of their more popular, highly recommended, signature dishes: The Rome Vacation, the Surf and Turf, the Nicholas Burger among other things. Sadly, even though the food looked great, the taste was unremarkable...all style, no substance. An upcharge wasn't available when we wanted fries instead of the chips. Instead, we had to purchase the fries separately. So many misses on the food unfortunately and really, that's what we came for. read more

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We had brunch at Nicholas Barrel & Roost in Red Bank on a Sunday. The place is beautiful and we're seated right in front of the bar. The service was great and the server has been attentive with all our needs. One of our friends ordered the Rome Vacation Pizza as appetizer. It was okay though but not as good as the pizza I'm having with in some restaurants. I tried the Nicholas Burger which is wood grilled sirloin short rib blend served with house pickled and seasoned chips. The burger was good but the house picked wasn't what I expected and the seasoned chips are tasteless and not good at all. Some of my friends have complaints on their orders as well, my friend's eggs benedict were served cold and my other friend's side dish salad was salty. The food didn't at all live up to our expectations. I hope we can still go back here again and try the other list on their menu to at least give this restaurant a chance to gain the remaining two (2) stars. read more

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We were a group of six who met up for brunch. Beautiful interior, very crowded space for 11 AM. The menu is quite large but eccentric. There's brunch items and pizza and salad and also oysters? We split the Roma Vacation pizza and I started off with an espresso martini, both items were quite good. Everything else - borderline mediocre to subpar. I ordered the blackened swordfish sandwich - dry, average bread - with chips that tasted like nothing. They come complimentary with some sandwiches and I wish they didn't. I also shared some of my friends' fries, again unsalted. My friend ordered the Cajun Eggs Benedict and it was cold. The burger was average and the side salad was tangy and salty(!). Around the table, none of my friends were particularly impressed with any of their dishes, save perhaps the Not My Grandma's Crudite, an odd item to stand out on a menu packed with solid dishes. A 50+ buck per person brunch should come with good fries, at the very least. read more

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Brunch with friends. The place is beautiful, our spot was cool, in front of the bar by the liquors. The service was good, attentive and fast. About the food, my expectations were greater than the actual experience . Great presentation , but lack on taste or combinations. The eggs Benedict were not hot, the potatoes tasteless and the salad of one of my friend was very salty. We also tried the Roma vacation pizza as appetizers, that one was well cooked , I enjoyed it! I am open to give it another try sometime, hopefully I will have a better experience! read more

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Service at the bar is terrible, sat for five + minutes and none of the three people that were behind the bar working said hello or made eye contact. And they came right in front of where we sat and nothing, no smile, no hello, nothing. Once we finally got a hello and a menu the service continued to lack. Empty glasses and no offer to get another drink or anything. Food was okay but with bad service no amount of flavour a can fix that. read more

Delicious food and cheery atmosphere on a Fall evening. Will return and enjoy again. Recommended to our personal friends read more

First time here. Great atmosphere. Simple basic 1 page menu, good wine and bourbon options. Food was fantastic, Host and bartender were excellent as well. read more

Nicholas Barrel & Roost - Coconut margarita - Bars Near Me - Red Bank, New Jersey

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This place is awesome. very nice and attentive staff. wine was cold and excellent. Did the dozen oysters. great sauces followed by the grill cheese and lobster bisque. Food was too notch and super delicious read more

Went for an early dinner on a Friday at 6pm. Didn't make a reservation and the place was busy but we were seated right away. We were seated in enclosed porch like setting with plantings around the outside to block the view of the road and parking lot. Server was quick to come over and got our drinks and water. We ordered beet salad ribs for appetizers and the burger and short ribs for our mains. To full for dessert. Overall a great experience highly recommended and will be back. read more

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I had a great lunch at Barrel & Roost. The restaurant itself is beautiful and tastefully decorated. It's definitely on the fancier side of casual, but still no need to fully dress up. I ordered the surf and turf on the lunch menu, which included a lobster roll and a (small) slider. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even the chips on the side were delicious. My husband's "Buffalo Bleu" chicken sandwich was good, but nothing special. My daughter had the Mac n Cheese from the children's menu, which might as well have been an adult entree! The portion was huge and we ended up taking most of it home (not complaining!). Overall, lunch was great but a bit on the pricier side. Service was very good. read more

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I m back again. It's my daughter's birthday and all she wants is Nicholas. Mashed potatoes! I have to say Nicholas redeemed themselves . I still have the same opinion about the bread BUT OMG the chicken dish on the menu, yes chicken dish was THE BEST CHICKEN I have ever had! We went TJ France last summer and they are known for roast chicken, well NIcholas you out did them. Everyone enjoyed their meal. The shovel salad and brussel sprouts did not disappoint. read more

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The service was great and the food was even better. The mid lunch menu was limited, but the burger was delicious!

This is a beautiful inside..got the whole Christmas thing going and great energy. Food is okay, waiting 30 minutes for a burger and salad is wild after finishing appetizers...but hey, it's a winter wonderland so enjoy it. read more

Everything is always consistent in both quality and service - each visit is better than the last The decorations for Christmas were beautiful read more

This past Saturday I celebrated a birthday lunch with a friend. We decided on Barrel & Roost having had a great meal there in October of 2024. Our experience was disappointing both in the quality of the food, an undercooked burger along with a very sad looking lobster roll complete with an oversized dill pickle. We will not be going back. read more

Great food and service. Friendly atmosphere! My date really enjoyed it too. Definitely plan to come back.

First of all let me say our waitress was very nice . My dear friend and I were VERY rushed. We were told we HAD to order our entire meal together, couldn't order app first and the dinner . Fine Appetizer and dinner came out together. Then every time we put our forks down the busboys wanted to take our plates. The worst was we were having our coffee and the owner came and shoved the bill from the end of the table to the middle. He was basically saying "get the hell out." We tipped the waitress well as it was not her fault. I will never go back there again. read more

Had dinner here and met the owner Nicholas who told us a bit about the transformation the place went through during COVID. It was a time to reboot the interior and menu to be more casual (forget about the dress code tips you see from its former self). With that said, the food here is still outstanding and even though it is nowhere in my backyard I know I will be back at some point. The Pistachio Dusted Mahi Mahi, Sticky Rice, Coconut Broth, Green Curry Oil, Scallions was perfect. The Bluefin Tuna Tartare, Avocado, Mango Puree, Seaweed Salad, Fried Wonton Chips was a great way to start the meal. I did also taste the Braised Octopus, Confit Potatoes, Romesco Sauce, Parsely Oil, which was done perfectly. Also, though I rarely have dessert I did manage some of the Warm Berry Crumble, Oat Crumble, Blueberries, Strawberries, Nicholas Creamery Vanilla Ice Cream! Which reminds me. Nicholas being the "serial entrepreneur" that he also has a bottle shop with an online presence, a creamery not too far away, and something to do with a winery or some such as well. Bonus: if you love bourbon, you will love the selection available here! read more

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I have been here a few times and would definitely recommend! My last girls night out I had the cacio de Pepe as my entree and I was very happy with my choice! It was very good! They also make an amazing espresso Martini. So if you're looking for good drinks and good food, check out this restaurant read more