We will be back! I was told about this place by a waitress in a diner in Union. Ribs were delicious! We brought friends visiting us from Wales and they were impressed with the food and the casual atmosphere. You can eat the ribs with a fork. read more

Obal's Inn - We will be back! - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

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Great local bar / restaurant. The staff is super friendly and the food was very good. We ordered a burger, chicken cutlet sandwich, baby back ribs, and a grilled cheese with tomato - all on point. If you're looking for some good food and good drinks at a reasonable price - Obals should be on your list of places to check out. read more

Obal's Inn - Ribs! - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

Great corned beef and cabbage on saint paddy's day! Also good burgers the rest of the year :) Try the Ribs on ... Wednesday? i think. read more

Obal's Inn - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

If you like dive bars you will like Obals.. cheap drinks a jukebox and diverse locals.. They have a pool table and shuffle board in the back room which is enough for me to enjoy going.. They have a rib special that I dint find very special but most seem to enjoy.. Ill stick to the drinks and games... read more

When I was a young guido living in Bloomfield, I loved loitering on Broad st. There was so much ish to do...liftin mad weights at World of Fitness (while droolin from the smell of McDonalds next to it), chowin down on Gencarelli's "gahnolis" across the street, chillin with mah asian peeps at Brookside Thai, eatin pizza at Parkside and Vinnie's with mah guidette gfs...and gettin ripped at Obal's Inn. The deelish, inexpensive ribs are the draw but hangin and bullshittin with the elderly Bloomfield residents...that was just gold. Every time I came here, I heard this line from the born-n-raised-old-ass-patrons, "kid, when I grew up here, there were no blacks, hispanics and none-a-you gooks"....WTF, I'm Asitalian! I love those vietnam vets. read more

SHUFFLE. BOARD. Ribs are good... but what's really good about Obal's?! After Montclair closes shop on Sundays, at midnight, head down to Bloomfield - the bars stay open til 2 AM. That's right bitches. Clifton stays open til three.. but I honestly hate driving to Clifton late night, it's a total pork fest.. (not like Bloomfield is any better, and I certainly do NOT condone drinking and driving)... so yeah, I just prefer to go down the hill - it's a 3 minute drive, as opposed to 10 minutes.. whatever. Anyway!! Obal's is the shiizz to my izzz, the food is decent to good, depending on the night of the week.. but really, the bartenders are the best. Best, best, best. They are good ladies/guys. Travis is the man. Draft selection isn't bad - there are maybe 12 selections, 5 of which rotate seasonally. Plus drink specials are pretty decent... usually PBR or Bud or something is discounted, depending on the night of the week. Back area, back parking lot? You smoke cigs there. Yeah, don't do anything else, like bring your beer.. you will get spanked. McDonald's is next door.... it's one of the worst in the world, so be prepared. You can bring your filthy fast food in and sit at the bar with it if their kitchen closes early / it's mad late and you're piss drunk. Yeah. Go here. read more

Obal's Inn - named after Lord Obal, the once great ruler of the pigmy cannibal army from Mesopotamia. This bar lives up to the Obal legacy. Ever have a hankering for fried cat? Look no further. Their burgers are all made with grade-A neighborhood pet making this one of the most neighborhood friendly establishments in town. Thirsty? Try a shot of, well it doesnt even matter, its all just different dyed rubbing alcohol with hints of cleaning chemicals. Wanna watch the game? Well youre in luck because at Obals you can always watch your favorite team get annihilated. I also think theres some water polo sport thing in the back. I havent really messed around with it because im not a loser and i just go home with the solid 4's and 5's that by now look like 10's because ive been blinded by moonshine consumption. Seriously, dont pass this place up, bring your kids. read more

Went here on a Wed night around 7 for ribs. Not too busy for a rib night. Bar was a little busier than the tables. Had a few brews ahead of the food which were decently priced. We were also able to sit outside whiich was nice. We started with the buffalo and teriyaki wings. Both were delicious. We all got the ribs most of us with sweet potato frys. REALLLLLY good. The ribs were generous and really meaty. The meat fell off the bone. Really good. The frys were also delicious. They were the crispy kind of sweet potato frys, not the floppy ones. The service was great and very personable. The place is a little divey, but it gives it some charm. I would definitely go again and will bring others with me. read more

One of the best bars in Essex county. Awesome mixed drinks. Great beers on tap. Awesome bartenders. The regulars make you feel welcomed. Best bar food I've ever had. The weekly specials will never disappoint you and Wednesday rib night is what the bar is best known for. read more

Great bar, I just wish there was more space! I frequent this establishment often, and I always have a great time with friends and meet new and interesting people. I love playing shuffleboard and pool in the backroom or putting on some tunes on the modern jukebox. Bar food is incredible and the drinks are cheap but made well. Not the kind of bar that you dance in, but that's not my scene anyway. This is a great place to relax, talk to friends, and meet new people in the area. read more

Stopped in here on Thanksgiving afternoon after the big Montclair/Bloomfield football game(Montclair won 14-7 but they could be meeting again in three weeks for the championship) this bit of football info is relevant because we are Montclair peeps walking into the only bar open and it's in Bloomfield... Very much a neighborhood. "joint" - everyone turns to see who is coming thru the door but we did feel very welcome.... Pool table, darts and tabletop bowling in the back, Internet jukebox.....there is a decent selection of beers on tap and bottles, the kitchen wasn't open for obvious reasons, but it usually serves the typical pub grub, except on Wednesday and Thursday when it's RIB night....YOU MUST NOT MISS THIS... The meat falls off the bone before its barely off the plate read more

Obal's Inn - It's a real neighborhood joint - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

Great local place. I just moved to the area and have been here 5 or 6 times already. Good bartenders and ownership, great cheap eats and service. read more

Obal's Inn - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

When you enter a local watering hole you would expect them to have Yuengling on tap and that they do. What I didn't expect them to have was Yuengling Oktoberfest which is phenomenal! And I'm not even a huge Yuengling fan, but this definitely wins me over more than Sam Adam's Oktoberfest. The fact that this place has is on tap is such a WIN. The bartender says that they are one of the few places that you'll find in NJ that will carry this on tap. I believe her for the most part. Overall this is a no frills bar. The crowd is diverse (more dudes than chicks though), the atmosphere is casual and the prices are awesome. There's a pool table and a shuffleboard table in the back. YEP i said it! SHUFFLEBOARD! Never played this game before until coming here and the group I was with wanted to play and so I learned...AND I'M HOOKED! When I'm old and addicted to playing shuffleboard, I will thank my friends and Obal's for it! read more

Remarkably delicious ribs, prompt gracious service, friendly atmosphere, low low prices. I love Obal's Inn! I've had some other items off the menu as well, and everything's good. But the ribs really really stand out!! Decent beer selections (but, Obal's, if you're reading this - please please please get Smithwick's on tap! It's the only thing that's keeping me from giving you that fifth star!!) Definitely recommended. read more

This is more PSA than review...I've only lived in Bloomfield for 7 months and had never tried Obal's Inn before but heard about it through a recommendation on the town's FB page so Saturday our family ordered take out and I got the nacho's (with chili). They were just ok (going down). Sadly, around 3 am things took a terrible turn and I woke feeling awful. Let's just say that I needed BOTH a toilet AND a bucket simultaneously. To make matters worse, I'm 27 weeks pregnant and food poisoning is the last thing I want to deal with right now. I was able to get it out of my system quickly at least and spent all of yesterday resting and not eating much to recover and am now feeling fine. However, I don't think I will be eating from Obal's again...maybe drinking would be ok assuming the alcohol is strong enough. After the baby comes of course... From the Mayo Clinic (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-poisoning/symptoms-causes/syc-20356230): Contaminent: clostridium perfringens Onset: 8 to 16 hours Foods affected and means of transmission: meats, stews and gravies. Commonly spread when serving dishes don't keep food hot enough or food is chilled too slowly read more

I've been living in Bloomfield for a number of years and have always had a great time here. The atmosphere is one-of-a-kind from the bartenders to the people. Comfortable booth seats and great food! The price is great too, and there is alwys someone to talk to. If you want a real New Jersey bar experience look no further, this place is a standout in comparison to the generic 'guido' bars blasting top 40 music. It get a bit rowdy on the weekends but hey, it's New Jersey... This place has history and should be respected for that reason alone. Cheers! read more

Overall a decent local hangout with friendly service, a couple craft brews on tap and good ribs. You can't have an Obal's Inn review without mentioning rib night! Upon entering, you're immediately greeted by a Ms Pac Man machine and Mega Touch. Bar and 3 flat screens on one side - showing Jeopardy when possible. These guys sure love their Jeopardy. Booths on the opposite wall. The decor is your typical outdated local bar. I haven't been here since rib night was all you can eat. Back then they boiled the ribs. At least it tasted like it. Things have certainly changed since. The baby back ribs were prepared nicely. Falling off the bone after the slightest pull. Ketchup based sauce had a sweet tang to it and was nicely charred at various points. Some smoke would have been perfect. The shoe string fries were overcooked and the coleslaw was a bit too sweet. The waitress was real nice. It was actually her first night. She did well. My friend George is actually in love with her already. That means more visits - most likely on rib night. read more

Inexpensive meal with a below average beer selection and attentive service. The ribs are not real deal BBQ. They are obviously parboiled prior to whatever cooking technique they use to finish them. While they lack that true flavor they are well seasoned and fall off the bone tender. The bar food is pretty good, especially their onion rings. It's a nice local establishment where many an off duty cop or fireman hang out, where you can get some inexpensive eats that are just about good enough. read more

Went in on a Tuesday because they had good reviews on yelp. Often times I have been disappointed by yelp recommendations, this was definitely not one of them. The wings were well prepared, and flavorful. The staff was pleasant and friendly. The ribs seem to come well recommended so I will have to go back and try them. read more

Give it one star, went for the ribs but being I wasn't friends with the bartender Had to wait 45 min for half rack of cold ribs and slimy fries, won't get me again read more

So I tried this place twice. First time I walked in and immediately thought this is where the "Make America Great Again" fan club comes to dine. Then I felt like I was being unfair, so I came back. Annnddd it's dark, but not dark enough to hide the dirt. Then the food came out and it was as I remembered, it was horrible. Horrible, like when your friend's grandma (because my g-ma would never do this) use stale food to make burned metallic greasy tasting meal. The upside, if you are looking for a beer, preferably bottled, specifically of the Bud Light variety, this place will do. read more

One of my favorite bars in the area. I've been going here for years and the local crowd is nice. Food is great - especially the ribs, burgers and wings. The cooks do a solid job of coming up with different items all the time! Beer is cold and the bartenders are friendly. Good prices too. They have a bunch of TVs, a jukebox, shuffleboard so there's plenty of entertainment. Give it a shot! read more

So me and the GF were looking for someplace different, the place we did like to go was closed so she suggested Obals, when we got there I found a parking spot right in front of the place, well that was a good start, when we got in it was pretty packed but we got some seats at the bar, we liked the place it has a charm too it, we didn't get to see the back room at all, we ordered the wings and some empanadas and they were both good, they have a few good flavors for the wing and the empanadas were very full and tasty, we will be back to try some of the other food on the menu. read more

Love this place. The first time I remember walking in and seeing how it was an older place with a lot of locals. I wasn't sure how I felt about staying but we did and thank goodness because it has become one of our go to spots! The have THE BEST ribs on Wednesdays and Thursdays and the price and portions are awesome. They always have lots of specials and I've never gotten anything that I didn't like. My fav is there Cajun chicken sandwich. It's always cooked to perfection and of course there wings and Mac and cheese bites are great bar food options. The bartenders are always so great and they always make you feel welcomed :) read more

After doing a search for some quality rib joints in the northern nj region I kept coming across the baby back ribs at Obal Inn. Obal is a neighborhood bar, think Cheers, with a large local following. They have about two craft beers on tap, with mostly your typical big brew offerings. Not really my kind of place to grab a beer, but that is because I usually go for micro brews. Obal is known for their rib night, offered only two nights a week. Wednesday and Thursdys. I have been looking to try Obal's fo close to six months now and finnally made the trek with two amigos, Adam M. And our friend Jay. Adam and me specifically made the trek to try these renowned ribs Jay decided to go with their bacon cheeseburger. We started our adventure with some wings and decided to go with the teriyaki honey garlic wings which were really really good, kinda reminded me of a saucier version of KFC, Koren Fried chicken wings. They had a really balanced flavor of savoy and sweet. A bit saucey yet the wings were really crispy and meaty. Adam and me both ordered a rack as I Mentioned earlier, which is priced really well at $9.95 a plate. Each rack is a bit bigger then a half rack, yet very meaty. The ribs were pretty tender, yet I found the ribs on the end and ESP on one side being extremely dry. To dry for my taste. I did not find the sauce to be anything special either, but then again I have been spoiled by the sauces from Baileys smoke house, Houton's in Hackensck, Bistro 55 in Rochelle Park, RUB in the city and Dinosaur BBQ. The fact the ribs were pretty dry and over cooked throughout half the ribs and the sauce tasting more of ketchup then anything I give the ribs a two out of 5. I will probably get heat for the low rating on the ribs, but there is no reason why the bid should have been so dry. The reason why I believe is as I read in other reviews is BC they prepare the ribs on Wed, and finish off selling the ribs on thursdy from what they cooked from the day before. My second criteria is the sauce, it's ok, kind of reminded me of the sauce from Jim dandys, very ketchup centric. If that's your thing you will like this somewhat tangy sauce. The ribs lack any form of smokiness, as I believe the ribs are first boiled or braised. They are then finished over a grill. Perhaps they are less dry on Wednesday. They were not bad, but def not the greatest I have had and did not blow me away. My fav nj ribs still have to be Houton's although its not the biggest rack, they are super tender and just amazingly fall off the bone goodness, but they are horribly expensive over $30 for rack. My next stop for ribs is the wood pit down the street on Bloomfield ave in Montclair where they smoke their ribs in applewood and said to have amazing homemade sauce. Jay's burger looked pretty good had what looked like a nice char and would be something I would opt to try next time I stopped by here again. I opted for onion rings for my side, the beer battered variety, not bad, run of the mill o rings, Adam went with the sweet potatoe fries, which looked to be hand cut. Fried to a nice crisp and served with horseradish sauce. I liked. Service was very friendly nd reliable. Would I recommend Obal? Yes, def check them out, they have better quality bar eats. As Pete Genovesse from the Star Ledger states, "it's like Cheers with good food". If you want to go to try the ribs I suggest trying it on a Wednesday night, likely they are more fresh and less dry. Otherwise depend on great wings, burgers and great pour of Guinness any night of the week. read more

Moving around the corner from Obal's was one of the best things to ever happen to me. It has everything you want from a neighborhood bar: it's cozy, the drinks are tall and cheap, the food is great, the staff is super friendly, there are old photos of boxers and Yankees and the Three Stooges, and they have pool, darts and free shuffle board. If there are any other requirements I've not heard them. read more

Obal's Inn is a 5 star dive bar. The food is delicious, the drinks are very well made, the bartenders are friendly, the crowd is local, great draft selection, their whiskey choices are on point, and the prices kick ass! Why would you not want to come here if you're local? And if you're not local and in the area, stop on in and you won't be disappointed. read more

Love Obal's Inn. Went there on Wednesday night. My husband had the ribs which they only serve on Wednesdays and Thursdays. He said that they were pretty good. A big portion of ribs served with a big pile of crinkle fries for $9.95. Awesome deal. I had the cajun chicken sandwich which was really good, The waitress was so super friendly. Miller lite on tap was $3. Can't beat that. read more

Cheap, convenient, and food is actually completely scrumptious--- this place is your go-to if you don't mind people who regret their life decisions sitting nearby. read more

Really enjoy Obals. At first when you come in you think this is definitely a place where people will pay you no Mind if you're not a local. I was wrong. I interacted with the bartender Chris? I hope I'm remembering his name correctly and he was really kind and really funny!!! Had the wings and disco fries because what's better than that? Enjoyed myself and was pleasantly surprised by the selection of beers :) . Thanks Obals! read more

i only go for the ribs on wed and thurs thats the only days they make them. it's a secret recipe, and the best ribs in jersey, which isn't sayin much. get the " sun sticks" instead of fries if you like sweet potatoes. it a classic dive, with picnic benches in the back room for crowds on rib nights. now has Guinness on tap!!! read more

Obal's Inn - best ribs in Jersey?? - Barbeque Near Me - Bloomfield, New Jersey

Kim and I have been looking for a great bar in the area for a couple years and we've found it. Obal's is an unassuming little place that is very easy to pass by if you haven't heard of it. The bartenders are great and will take excellent care of you. Also, I need above average food with my bars and Obal's more than satiates my needs. Can't say enough about the ribs here(Wednesdays/Thursdays only). We walked in right after lunch service one day and everyone in here was eating ribs. We waited like 3 hours until the kitchen opened back up to get them, and it was worth it. They taste like ribs you would make in your backyard. All in all, a great spot that we plan to spend plenty of time at. read more

Food was excellent and the bartender was extremely knowledgeable about the history of drinks...my friends and I will be back to try there famous baby back ribs! read more

This place is a typical dive pub....but it is one of my favorite places on earth. I love it! The food is awesome....of course the ribs, but friday night specials are awesome! I have literally never eaten a bad thing there...ever! Everyone who works there is nice. Do not expect frills or ambience....but do expect a good meal. I will always go back to this place! read more

Love Obals! We tried the restaurant week menu and it was amazing. First course I had the Thanksgiving soup which tasted like Turkey dinner in a bowl, so yummy! I had the garlic shrimp 2nd and the Ribs for my entree. The shrimp was delicious and seasoned perfectly. The ribs were amazing! Perfectly cooked and tender so the meat fall right off the bone! Keith is a genius with those ribs! As always the staff is very friendly and welcoming! Will be back every Thursday for those ribs! read more

Menu is perfect if you want CHEAP bar food. Every time I have gone I have been pleased and the food comes out hot. Best prices in town! Also...ribs are really good (served wednesday and thursday)but be prepared to wait a bit for your food/drinks. Mixed crowd but that is what I like about it :) read more

Two stars for the cheap drink prices and wide range of the hours their open. Very good ribbs on Wed/Thurs only. Old man bar, AWEFUL bartenders, the absolute WORST and cult like crowd. Go to the Town Pub down the street!!!! read more

It's not the spot for me. My friend had a burger and I had the ribs. We didn't like it. It was overlooked and dry. I had high expectation for it hearing a lot of locals talk about it but I was disappointed. It seems to be a local's weeknight joint with a nice atmosphere. I can see why Bloomfield people would like it. It's not a foodies destination. read more

It's a dive bar, so it's got the usual norms and lowlife any dive has. The usual stares you get when you're not a regular at any dive for the first couple of times is expected. Now this place is probably my favorite bar in the area. All of the bartenders are great and most of the regulars are pretty cool. First place I've felt welcome in Bloomfield since I moved here. Well price beers and decent food. I couldn't ask for more from a dive! read more

The wings and cole slaw were delicious. Atmosphere a little tired. Staff friendly. The special marinated steak sandwich had a lot of fat and the fries were mediocre. read more