Ended up here after the disaster at the other place. Been a couple of times just for beer and I have to say the dishes are quite good. I had a Burrata with Italian tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic and this was really creamy goodness. My daughter had a Caesar with grilled chicken, looked really well made, and she liked it. My wife had a burger, good patty, cooked correctly and service is polite. A good place for a casual meal. read more

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They gave our reservation away a few hours before we arrived. This is after I had called twice to confirm it. Was told "there's nothing they can do". Mediocre service combined with mediocre food is not a good combination in a town filled with competing restaurants. We had dined at this restaurant once prior to this experience and don't plan on returning. read more

If you need lunch fast, stop in here for something to go quick! Can't go wrong with a choice from the sandwich board! Every time I come and get lunch here with my girlfriend I enjoy lunch, plus they have an outdoor eating area for when the weathers warm. They also know her by name and take care of her on the reg. Only been there for lunch and haven't been disappointed yet! AND LOOK AT THE CAKES! CAKES! read more

Old Man Rafferty's - CAKE CAKE CAKE CAKE - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

This review is solely based on their Sunday brunch. Food 4.75/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 4/5 Food: The quality of the food is great, especially for the price--just under $30. They offer $2 mimosas and $4 bloody Mary's. There is a cold salad station with pasta salads and veggies. A hot food section with eggs, bacon, chicken, potatoes etc. Bagels, rolls & French toast. A waffle station with toppings. A carving station with ham, steak and turkey with stuffing and gravy. A made to order omelette station. UNLIMITED CRAB LEGS and peel & eat shrimp. And a massive dessert section. There's no way you will leave here hungry! I am deducting a little bit because I thought there were too many cold pasta salads, I wish they had a warm pasta offered. Not sure if they rotate their dishes though as this was my first brunch here. Service: We made a 12pm reservation, which I highly recommend for brunch. We were quickly seated, but we sat at our table without a word for 15 minutes--the restaurant wasn't nearly busy at this point. We didn't want to just get up and go to the buffet without ordering drinks so we waited. After our server came she was very nice and made sure to clear plates as we finished. Ambiance: The restaurant is very cute inside, but it gets very cramped after about 12:30 for brunch. There were people standing on the stairs to the bar and you kind of have to shuffle around people when walking in the aisles. The bathrooms are clean but a little dated, not bad though. Overall we had a great time at Old Man Rafferty's for Sunday brunch. I've been to the Hillsborough location for lunch and the food is great at both places. Definitely try this spot out for your next brunch! read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Bucket of crab legs. Need I say more? - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

What happened to the nachos!??? Used to be amazing. Now they scatter a few crappy chips on a sheet-pan. Sux

OMR is better than others in the neighborhood. I stopped in with some time to kill before my city-bound train. Service was great, efficient and the interior is very nice. Worth stopping in if you're in the neighborhood. read more

This is my favorite "American" restaurant in New Brunswick. It gets packed, especially during weekends. I suggest making a reservation or be prepared to wait, especially if you have a large party. The menu has a large variety of food that caters to everyone. Even the pickiest of eaters can find something that they'd like. The seating area sometimes feels cramped; you may need to play musical chairs when you're seated with lots of people. On Sundays, they serve a buffet brunch and the food is yummy! This is definitely a great place to bring parents, friends, or loved ones. During the warmer months, there's outdoor seating. I can't wait to order a glass of vino and enjoy a meal out on the patio! And don't forget about desserts! Next door, there's a little gourmet shop and they have their decadent cheesecakes, cakes, and other sweets and treats. They also sell candies, seasonings, and other gourmet goodies! read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Cakes, cheesecakes, and pies, oh my! - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Extremely poor service and ridiculous prices for disappointingly mediocre food. My boyfriend and I are pescatarian - we don't eat meat except for seafood. He asked our server about the vegan Impossible boneless wings, which she proudly said are extremely popular among vegans and non-vegans alike. He ordered them, only to be brought chicken wings with bones in them. If not for the bones, we might not have caught the error, having never tried the vegan wings before. We had them correct the mistake and were even more disappointed when the correct dish came out, only for us to realize their "amazing vegan wings" were nothing more than bland Morningstar Farms vegan chicken nuggets. For their price, we could've bought our own bag and made twice the amount. As for me, I ordered fish and chips which had an impressive portion size at the dire cost of any flavor. The accompanying fries were similarly lacking in flavor. I wanted to ask our server for ketchup, but after our entrées we didn't see her until the check. We also never received utensils or napkins, and again we didn't see our server in time to ask for them. We sat there for about 25 minutes, dissatisfied with our food and just waiting for the check. Please keep in mind, they were NOT BUSY at this time. It was about 2 hours before closing and there were maybe 3 or 4 other tables occupied when we got there. I eventually gave up and went back inside from the outdoor dining area to ask for the check only to be unable to find an employee in sight. One of the cooks was leaving and asked if I needed help; he said he would go let my server know I was waiting. He came back and said she was outside at my table. I go back and see the check on my table with a QR code to pay online - their website didn't load so I couldn't pay until she came back with a box for my food, which took almost 10 minutes for her to get. When she came back I gave her my card and said the website didn't work, to which she responded "The system is new and might not be working, just be patient." Ironic words and a slap in the face to a customer who waited almost a half hour just to be able to pay and leave the restaurant. As soon as she ran my card we were gone, and certainly never to return. Our bill wasn't horrendous, but it was no way in hell worth the food or service we received there. Go ahead and try this place out if you like, but in my mind you'd save yourself a decent amount of money and a bad experience by simply looking elsewhere for food. read more

I love their salads and the salmon is always cooked and seasoned well. Not too salty and not overcooked. The customer service is great and if you have an issue, they address and resolve quickly. read more

Literally went to Old Man Rafferty's 4 times in 5 days. We had a family member at RWJ so this was our daily stop for a late lunch/early dinner. The food was PHENOMENAL. Service was mostly excellent, we had a few stand out bartenders that we really enjoyed chatting with. As you can imagine, between 5 people who at one restaurant 4 times, we got to taste a good amount of the menu. The standouts were definitely: French Dip sandwich.. the beef is so tender you don't even need the au jus, but, since you have the au jus, you will use the au jus. Fries were always perfectly cooked and a really unique shape/texture. Giant pretzel app w. coarse mustard and warm cheese sauce to dip. Grilled chicken sandwich w. bacon and cheese added. Cobb salad (cousin ordered three times) Avocado egg roll app (dad ordered 50 times) Filet mignon sliders (super tender and cooked perfect mid rare) Since everything can't be amazingly fabulous, I will say that I found the wagyu burger to be underwhelming. First, for the positives: The burger was very juicy but lacked seasoning. The ciabatta roll was a nice change but needed a little toasting or warming up. The fries were different than those that come w. all of the other sandwiches... "hand cut apple cider brined double dunked french fries", yeah, no, the fancy fries weren't good. Their regular fries are so much better. Bacon mayo was pretty epic. Gin and tonics were on point and I really enjoyed their Sauvignon blanc called 'The Crossing.' Bon appetit! read more

We did the Mothers Day Brunch take out on Sunday. Called earlier in the week ordered it and picked it up. We pulled up Called in and loaded it all in the truck. Simple and eas. Got home unpacked heated it up and everyone loved it. Food was very good can't wait to go there when all this Covid comes too an end. GREAT JOB GUYS and GIRLS. read more

I have been coming here for years and I have to say that this last visit really impressed me. I took my family and all 5 of us loved every dish. The vegan options are amazing so thank you for the vegan wings and California burger. Very very awesome experience. read more

Old Man Rafferty's - When my wife and 3 daughters are happy, I'm happy too!!!! Great experience over all. - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Great option for food and drinks in New Brunswick. The mixed drink I had was wonderful and fruity, I wish I remembered what it was called but it actually tasted like skittles candy, delicious. We ordered a bunch of appetizers for the table and they were all delicious. Pierogis were great, hot pretzel was soft and yummy, and the mozzarella sticks were very good too. I will come back when on a night out in NB. read more

Great restaurant! Tasty and delicious food. Prices are good and manageable. They have a huge outdoor area, specially now during COVID. Will deff come back read more

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We came here for Sunday brunch and we sat in the back of the restaurant. Our server was awesome, attentive and very friendly. He provided excellent service. The Sunday brunch buffet is awesome, but $31. A bunch of us ordered burgers, which were really delicious. Great spot! read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Been coming here for years as I am an RU grad '98. Hate to give Rafferty's two stars but it seems like every time I've come here my entree is lukewarm at best. The food tastes good but I don't understand what type of quality control they have in the kitchen. To serve consistently lukewarm food is unacceptable. I recently went on 2/28/20 and ordered a steak. When it arrived at my table I could already tell it was sitting on the counter in the kitchen pass for while. I took one bite of the vegetables that it came with and they were actually almost cold. Didn't even bother cutting into the steak or the baked potato because neither had any kind of sizzle or steam coming off of them. I immediately sent the dish back. They reheated it somewhat but by that point the entire entree would be ruined unless they made a new fresh one. To caveat, the restaurant wasn't even slammed that night. So there was no excuse. Not coming back here again unless someone else wants to go and they want company. read more

Place is fraudulent watch out. Last time I'll ever eat here. My server charged my card for the entire bill which was $80 even though it was supposed to be split 50% with my friend. He claimed he refunded me but then I saw a charge for $169 and immediately contacted the manager. It's been 5 days and nothing has been done about it. I had to report this place for fraud. I went out of my way to go speak to the manager & get a receipt. He had an attitude and claimed it's not his fault. I will NEVER eat here again. it's a shame because I used to eat here all the time specially when I was a student here at Rutgers. Clearly they don't value their customers and only care about money. read more

Perfect go to place for dessert on the go! Vast selection and service is quick and easy! This location by far beats the one in hillsborough as that one doesn't have nearly as many options and the ones they do are mediocre. Their "mini" cupcakes are normal sized and quite filling for dessert! Perfect for a treat to enjoy at nearby Johnson park! read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

After attending the college football game, we had time to hang before our train, so we decided to stop by this establishment for food and drinks. This place was packed with some fun vibes. Was able to spark up conversations with fellow customers and enjoyed the overall experience. More of a restaurant with a bar, this place has a pretty large food menu with some interesting food presentation. Expecting more of a bar scene but it is definitely more a restaurant. We opted for the bar seating since we did not expect to be there too long. Overall, I would definitely come back if in the area. Service was good and super attentive... just an fyi : ) read more

The customer service and attention to customer satisfaction are awful. I'm a fan of tomato soup, and usually, their soup is good. This evening, I ordered three large soups. When we arrived home and shared the soup, at the first taste, you could taste how sweet it was. I presumed someone had gotten the sugar measurement wrong. I called the restaurant and spoke with a manager, and I asked if he would taste the soup to confirm how sweet it was. He disregarded my request and said he would ask the chef. I explained the soup wasn't edible, and I Three large ones. He offered nothing, and I asked how we would handle the issue again nothing. He said, ok, bye and hung up. It isn't very reassuring because he should care enough about satisfying the customer. I'm not going to support this restaurant anymore. read more

Great food and service! This restaurant has a very cute vintage vibe. The boom boom shrimp is amazing!

For a two hour meal that could easily have been done in one, look no further than Old Man Hafferty's on this fine Tuesday night. I only enjoy doing happy reviews on Yelp, and leave the borderline reviews to myself. But tonight was just a bad show. From our check taking 4 tries to get right (and still being incorrect in the end) to as small as leaving out the water when we were seated. Tonight our crew ate wings (which came out great from all accounts), an assortment of sandwiches and burgers, as well as an order of fried calamari for myself. The calamari itself was decent, although I personally enjoy a stronger marinara. I then ate a Naked burger, which comes with a side of their double dunked fries, which were by far the best thing I ate all night. They were genuinely excellent crispy and flavorful fries. Although the burger itself lacked flavor, mainly because my bun was stale. The biggest part of why our night turned out poorly, was because our bill was incorrect 4 times, and in the end was still incorrect. Although, we had split the check, this still does not make this many mistakes acceptable. All it did was allow for everyone that drank to fully sober up, and myself to end the experience hungry a second time. I'll give the place a second chance, but as it stands, this is my review. read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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This restaurant is the type of place where the atmosphere is amazing and the menu looks delicious. However, my family and I were very disappointed with our experience here. To start, the house salads were good - no complaints there. However, we had to ASK for a bread basket, which was supposed to come with our entrees. Our waiter told us that it was either the salad OR the bread, but that he would get us some anyway. I was a little confused about that. Either way, the bread itself was tasty - there was a mix of two kinds of bread - one that tasted like cheesy jalapeno and the other which was cranberry walnut. My mom really enjoyed the latter. We got the Boom Boom Shrimp as an appetizer, which was decent. It would have been better off WITHOUT the wonton noodles that the shrimp sat on, which were definitely stale and chewy, rather than crispy. I ordered the Monkfish with Lobster Risotto and couldn't believe what I saw when it came out - it was tasteless fish on top of a bed of regular, yellow rice with vegetables that were unseasoned. THERE WAS NO RISOTTO - there was no creamy element whatsoever, and the rice was actually dry. Again, all I can say is that the meal was beyond a salt-and-pepper fix. Luckily, my mom let me steal some of her fettuccine in a rosa sauce, which was handmade. The pasta was good and filled me up. To top it off, the extensive dessert menu isn't actually a menu, apparently. When we asked to see it again, our waiter told us that there were only a few items from that menu that are actually available. We had to look in the bakery section of the store ourselves to see what we could order. It was all very confusing. Overall - this place was a huge disappointment. Given the large menu and the expensive pricing of meals, we were expecting a lot better. read more

I've been going here for years, the food has always been great as well as the deserts. However, it's been a while since I've been back due to Covid, and life, I guess and wow what a bummer. The menu was cut down by more then half, the prices skyrocketed ( majority of things by 10$ or more) and the quality of the food was just not there. I got chicken park, and it tasted days old, with no spices or anything. We won't be going back, 200$ for a mediocre dinner at best. Much better places out there. read more

Was so excited for there outdoor seating and arrived at 8:55! We arrived inside to await a table and were not greeted until 9:01. We asked for the table outside still excited and were then told they weren't sitting outside anymore. We asked when it stopped and she said 9. The lady was very rude and could care less about her customers. We were there waiting excited for 6 mins and then turned away. Will never try to go there again. read more

Had a great lunch today at Old Man Rafferty's. The Seafood sliders were delicious, I would definitely try them again! Our server, Alphonso was very attentive and our drinks and food came quickly. I'm not a dessert lover but my husband is and he was amazed at the selection and loved that he could browse the bakery to make his choice. He said the tiramisu was excellent! read more

We came to Old Man Rafferty's after a Rutgers Basketball game. We were seated immediately and the server was quick with the drink orders. The drinks came out great -one was a Moscow Mule Drink special and the other was an old fashioned. We also had an apple martini that was very good. Appetizers came - the spinach artichoke dip with pita chips was very good. We also had fried calamari with a spicy aioli and boom boom shrimp that had a nice kick of spice. For dinner I had the RubenSandwich came out perfect. My wife had the chicken Florentine which was delicious. Also ordered at the table was a steak and another version of a Reuben . Our waitress was excellent and was able to adjust the menu to meet dietary needs. All in all a very nice experience. read more

Really, I come here for the cookies and other desserts. Old Man Rafferty has an amazing selection of desserts, and they have an attached gourmet shop where you can just go in and get dessert, if you're just interested in treats. read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Desserts - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

I decided to check out this place today with my husband. The restaurant wasn't particularly busy. We decided to sit outside since it was a nice day. Unfortunately, it look a LONG time for any server to come by even just for drinks. I tried the Grapefruit Mint Mojito which was pretty good! For an appetizer, I got the Tomato Basil Soup and my husband ordered the Pirogies. Both of these dishes were delicious. For lunch, I ordered the Bruatta Cheese Ravioli with Garlic Bread. This was pretty good. The portion was a decent size too. My husband ordered the BBQ Rib sandwich. When I think of a BBQ Rib sandwich, I honestly think of the McRib but x10 the quality. Unfortunately, the McRib is better. This BBQ Rib Sandwich has SO much bread and the rib part was so super thin that it was almost not even there with almost no sauce whatsoever. Very disappointing! I wouldn't come back or recommend this place. There's so much better options! read more

Love this place! Food is amazing I love the Boom Boom Shrimp and Nachos appetizer so much, the wagyu burger is to die for and there's so many different things I haven't seen on any other menu like that short rib Mac and cheese too! Yum. Great service and I will surely be back read more

The food here is pretty good and the portions are huge. Great place for sandwiches and salads... and the burgers are legit... the real deal. Everything we had hit the spot. Came here after doing a tour of Rutgers... Go Knights! The only gripe was that the service was slooooow. Our server was good, but I think he was getting slammed between his inside and outside tables. As such, getting all the food out together and timely was a challenge, as was Iced Tea and water refills, and that final bill. We were being somewhat leisurely, but that added a lot of extra time. read more

Would typically give this place 4-5 stars but showed up at 10:20 on a Saturday night when it says they close at 11:00. Host says the kitchen is closed and turns us away How do you not serve people at 10:20 on a Saturday night in New Brunswick?! Fortunately Heartland Brewery across the street happily took us and it was delicious. Shame on Rafferty's. read more

While traveling for work in NJ, a colleague recommended Old Man Rafferty's. We dined on a lovely patio during the week, the restaurant was moderately busy. We were seated quickly and moments later were asked if we were ready to order. Apparently we should have when first asked, as the waitress did not return for a good 10 minutes following. Nevertheless, our party of 2 ordered the Shrimp Soba Noodle Bowl and the Sea Bass entree. The former had large and tender shrimp atop a bed of very salty soba noodles with broccoli and some other veggies. It was tasty but heavy/handed on the soy sauce. The sea bass looked very unappealing when delivered - a blandly colored plate of off-white fish dressed with tan mushrooms and pale corn kernels alongside sticky white rice. Although it was good, it was not inviting. Our waitress seemed preoccupied, and not with our table. We had to ask for drink refills when our glasses were empty. The best part about Old Man Rafferty's was enjoying a beautiful evening on the patio. The food could have easily been better elsewhere. read more

Attended a bridal shower here this past weekend. Our menu consisted of either salad or tomato basil soup , along with an entree of either filet mignon tips, chicken parm, or grilled salmon. I chose the salad - really great dressing! And the portion was HUGE. Along with the salmon. Wow the salmon was perfect. Crunchy and flakey outside with a soft, light fluffy inside. Exactly how fish should be ! I thoroughly enjoyed my salmon. I looked around and other guests seemed to enjoy their filet tips and chicken parm as well! I heard a lot of yummmms regarding the tomato basil soup. We had our own private area in the back which was nice! If I lived closer I would come back for a nice Sunday lunch. read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Grilled salmon vegetable medley - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Oh em eff gee the Sunday brunch buffet here is lovely. If you want the keys to my heart, just bring me here and don't get alarmed by the amount of smoked salmon I stuff my face with. :D!!! ...Aside from the smoked salmon, there's a rather extensive collection of breakfast bagels and pastries...and eggs, omelettes (made to order), potatoes, waffles, sausage, pasta, tilapia, assorted salads, French toast, a carving station with turkey, roast beef, ham (stuffing and gravy available), fruit... And let's not forget the dessert! I went to town on the cannolis (they have plain, chocolate chip, and chocolate!), and they also have cupcakes, cookies, rice pudding... I can't eat seafood other than fish, but they also have shrimp and crab legs here if that's your thing! Bottom line is, if you happen to be starving and want a delicious place to go to for brunch, definitely come here! There's so much deliciousness to be had! (And now I'm hungry again. Greatttt.) read more

The food here is forgettable and not worth the price. It's got a good vibe and it's casual place to dine. Honestly would describe it as a nicer, tad more expensive Applebee's. read more

Had lunch with my wife here yesterday because we were in New Brunswick. I've eaten here before, not in a while but I don't think Yelp was a thing then. Service was very good, not too crowded for Monday lunch. I had the filet Mignon sandwich which was a special. Nothing special about the roll, the meat however was a little disappointing as it was not very tender as you expect filet to be. The flavor was good and it was cooked to order. The French fries however were some of the best I've ever had. The crispiness, the taste, the cut, just perfection. My wife had the BLT which she said was excellent. It certainly looked good. I have to remember to start taking photos. Her sandwich came with chips. They were pretty good. Overall a good dining experience, I will come back to try other menu items. read more

Service was fine , our waitress was also the bartender so she was running back and forth . My roast beef au juis sandwich was ok but my wife's steak sandwich was mostly fat and very tough , tasted like old man Rafferty's shoe read more

Delivery order was absolutely disgusting and inedible - ordered a simple club sandwich - I couldn't even figure out what type of meat was in it - just some sort of disgusting, fatty, soggy, grey-ish meat-like substance. So disgusting, I could even get myself to eat the chips or pickle that had been in the same box. Apparently they could even be bothered to warm the grilled cheese I also ordered - literally just cold American cheese on wonder bread. My entire order went straight into the trash. read more

Normally I do like this place but tonight I have to say I'm very disappointed. Not pleasant to find two main ingredients listed for the salad you order not to be there, but life goes on. I ask our nice waiter and he says he will check. Which he does. Bill the Manager comes out, has me explain my discontent though my issue has already been explained to him. So I politely repeat that the dish was supposed to have cukes and bell peppers in it and doesn't. He actually argues the point - "well, I can bring you some cucumbers but I don't think there are supposed to be any peppers in that dish." I was dumbfounded. You're gonna challenge your customer over a few slices of bell pepper? And it's clearly listed for all to see - in the five spice shrimp salad entree. Again, life goes on. But Bill never came back to admit he was wrong even though the waiter swore he set him straight. We are regulars here and it takes a lot for me to go negative like this - but it's this kind of crap that makes you look elsewhere next time. It really upset me that Bill cared so little for his customers. I have customers in my business too, and I just don't understand how people like this get jobs like that. Treat people right and they come back. It's really that simple. read more

Old Man Rafferty's - Oh and now I'm realizing there was no cilantro either. Lol no wonder it was so bland! - Bars Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey