We came here for drinks first and they have a cute cozy seating area. Dinner took forever - they have a short staff and we finished in 3 hours. The duck breast we asked for well done and it came raw. The server took it back for us and gave us complimentary dessert. Would love to be back when they're properly staffed. The foie gras toast was to die for! read more

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Absolutely top notch from the moment you step onto the surreal grounds to the atmosphere walking back to reality. Wow x 100000000000!!!!

Service and ambiance was nice. The food was disappointing. The French Dip sandwich had so much mayonnaise on it the meat slid out and made a sloppy mess. Terrible quality meat. The mushroom side ($14) was way over salted and lacked any depth of favor. Not the experience we used to have here. Disappointing food options on limited menu. Would expect more seasonal salads and they were out of shrimp at 12:30. Really? read more

2.5 rounded up Haven't been in quite awhile. Used to be an excellent restaurant in every way. Atmosphere and vibe are always great. Service was good not great. Food was just ok. This is a problem. Menu was limited. They need to up their game asap. This is a place that you have to make a conscious effort to go to unless you're at the Grounds or at an event taking place there. So everything you order must be superb or why go back? Step it up Rats we want to come back and not be disappointed. read more

My last visit to Rats( a few months ago) highlighted the problem other reviewers have mentioned- namely the food just isn't very good anymore.To have average food in a beautiful setting like this is criminal.I don't know why the food is average since the prices certainly aren't.Only hope that bad reviews lead to a positive change. read more

Rat's Restaurant has been our go-to place for celebrating so many special moments over the years. Birthdays, anniversaries, and everything in between have been made more memorable here. The food is always excellent, beautifully prepared, and full of flavor. We truly love the atmosphere. It is charming, unique, and feels like a little escape every time we visit. The only downside is that it can be hard to get a table outside when the weather is nice, which is completely understandable given how beautiful the outdoor space is. Still, whether dining inside or out, it is always a wonderful experience. We are already looking forward to our next visit. read more

The food here was just OK, $30 for a plate with cucumber, pita chips and some dips seems an astronomical price to ask. Menu was small and nothing that stood out as a must have or unique to the restaurant. The service was slow and impersonal. 20 mins for cocktails from the bar, another 30 mins entrees. The only thing I enjoyed were the Blood Orange Smash cocktail and the beautiful garden. While it is convenient to eat here when visiting Grounds for Sculpture, I would recommend trying somewhere local. This place has potential but fell short. read more

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Had a lovely experience at Rat's. I had been to grounded for sculpture but this was my first time eating at Rat's. We had initially made a reservation to eat outside but due to our dinner being later in the evening and the seating being by the pond, there were a lot of bugs so we opted to sit inside. I had a watermelon frozé and scallops for my main course. The scallops were served with radishes and bacon over a corn purée. I ate every last bite of my meal so you can say it was delicious! My husband had the short rib and gave it a 5 star rating! We definitely hope to be back to check it out for lunch! read more

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Offering the perfect exploration of art & delicacies for a date night or just to enjoy a romantic getaway. Plopped upon and surrounded by the stunning views of the Grounds for Sculpture, Rat's Restaurant brings farm-fresh, seasonal recipes to your table with a cozy French countryside décor, in a romantic chateau-like setting with a staff that is pleasing and on point with all your needs and is just perfect place for a special date night! I was lucky enough to visit during Hamilton's Restaurant Week, and the three-course menu for only $45 was an amazing deal. Any of their dishes are sure to impress and we opted for the specials on their Restaurant Week menu, going for the Tuna Carpaccio and Soup Du Jour (Chicken & Potato) as our appetizers. Our entrees were the Braised Short Rib and the Coq au Vin Roasted Chicken. Finish up with their Spiced Chocolate Tarte Tation and washed down with their Old Fashion. The food was fantastic and I really appreciated the quiet and intimate space. I could have certainly enjoyed more of the short rib, but the chicken was so filling atop the mashed potatoes that I was able to snag a thigh from my date's plate to fill me up. We strolled around the Grounds for Sculptures Night Farms exhibit from roughly 6 pm - 7:45 pm then made our way over to the restaurant. This offered a unique experience for the two of us and certainly could have gone longer on the tour if you came in early for the grounds' daytime exhibits as well. I would highly recommend at least doing both as you'll enjoy both experiences and can easily burn 4-6 hours of the day on a date night. read more

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This is the worst dining experience I have ever had. This was the last birthday I would experience with my dad in the United States. Possibly the last I would ever have with him, and the family together. When we arrived they had said they would not be seating us outside, where I booked my reservation. I assumed later due to a mix of our large party, and them having gave away all the outdoor seating to walk-ins. The service felt slow and rushed simultaneously we were seated 15 mins early. Likely not helping the kitchen that is overwhelmed, but as a family with French roots, dining in a restaurant that considers its cuisine to be French. You expect the quality of the food to meet the philosophy of life the culture emphasizes. When you dine in an expensive restaurant you expect everything from the dinner, to service to be sophisticated. Why should we have to wait an eternity and constantly ask our nice waitress if we can have another bottle of water, or if we'd like to have more bread please. As nice as our waitress was I can't tell if she is new or overwhelmed by the service. Due to the small menu everyone quickly knew their orders. All 8 of us ordered appetizers, my French onion soup was ok, but I've made better. They arrived in 15-20 mins, which gave me the impression dinner is not far behind. We sat there waiting for more than +50 mins until we were assured it's on the way. By then the restaurant almost empty. When dinner arrived everyone's plate was cold, the béarnaise aioli I feared would be overly complicated for no reason. Aioli and béarnaise just doesn't work, I'd rather just have the sauce without ruining it with garlic. I had to physically wrestle with my food that I can still hear mooing I said medium rare I did not say rare, my sister in law asked for medium well but she had gotten the dish I had asked for which she barely ate. I was starving so I ate what was edible and left my cold French fries largely intact. The desert was good. I left in shock, I never leave bad reviews. This is the only bad review I have ever given a restaurant, because of how abysmal and truly depressing this dinner was for our family. You gave some of us food poisoning, disgraceful. read more

UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE 5 CUISINE 5 SERVICE 5 AMBIANCE 5 LANDSCAPING/GOUNDS 5 SCULPTURES Grab a cocktail and walk the grounds and be prepared to stroll around for an hour or two. You will feel like you are in Europe and want to take photos! The sculptures, landscaping and setting are all very different from what you might find in a museum. Cuisine is pricey but top notch with impressive presentations. Happy hour is always a great way to enjoy the views and try a light bite menu for a quick snack or lunch. read more

Service was good, ambiance great, but the food... I was completely unimpressed and will not go back. Especially for these prices. Unacceptable. Grilled octopus, potatoes, black ink sauce The octopus texture was wrong. Maybe it was previously frozen? Congealed black "sauce" was an unnecessary addition. This is such a simple dish, screwing it's up like this is an insult to the life of the octopus. We couldn't eat it. Mushroom tartare As the only dish that didn't suck, it still wasn't anything I'd order again. Beef Stroganoff pappardelle Looks beautiful, but the pasta was thick and gummy. This ruined the dish. Meat tasted like liquid smoke. Whole branzino, butternut squash purée, white bean cassoulet Cooked after it was filleted, the fish was, unfortunately, firm. While butternut squash purée is delicious, neither it nor the mushy cassoulet belong with a piece of fish. Strange pairings. Drinks: spiced pear martini, pomegranate cosmopolitan The pear martini was a thick concoction with no balance of flavors. The cosmo was dark and heavy on the juice. read more

Beautiful ambiance, nice portions and presentation, however painfully slow service. 2 hours for lunch when not crowded. Seems this is an age old problemThey can't correct. read more

I came here for my birthday and was not impressed. Given that this restaurant shows up as $50-$100 per person I expected a higher quality of service. We had an 11:15am reservation. For starters, we had one host who walked us halfway to our table, only to turn around and tell us to wait. We stood there for 2 minutes and then another hostess walked us directly to our table (?!). Not a crime, but definitely felt like they were not ready at opening. My boyfriend has a gluten allergy and they sort of accommodated. Our waitress offered him bread, which he declined as obviously he cannot eat gluten and told the waitress that beforehand. There was no alternative for him, so he just watched me eat my bread. He ordered a chicken salad with baby potatoes as an entree, but they left the potatoes out. Quite the oversight. He eventually got his potatoes, although he had to ask twice. The lack of staff training took away from the experience, but the food was alright. A reviewer said that if you want French cuisine with good service, you should go to Kristine's in Princeton, and I agree. Plus, if you are gluten free, they provide you with crackers so you don't feel left out. read more

This place is fantastic for a special occasion or fancy evening out! Absolutely gorgeous view out in the back where you can take a nice stroll. We were promptly seated and served at 6pm outdoors under a nice heater. The free bread was paired nicely with herb butter, and the rest of our food came out shortly after. My medium rare steak came out closer to being well-done, but the sweet sauce, vegetables, and potato wedges complimented the plate perfectly. Definitely consider spending the $$ here and there to treat yourself! read more

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What a great place & great time. We were able to see the light show prior to our reservations here which was awsome. We then were welcomed into the cozy restaurant and seated near the fireplace. We love the vibes and decor of the place. Makes you feel like your in another country. We started with some cocktails, which were tasty and quite strong may we add. My husband got the fall sangria which was so good, and I got a pomegranate cosmo, good but his was a bit better. Next we got the octopus to start, it was a touch chewy on the thickest part but after that it was good, and the potatoes it came over were unbelievable. We also got the Mezze platter and it was wonderful. The hummus was amazing. The pita was fresh and soft as it should be. The tabouli was yum. The bread they served us as well was so so good. For our dinners we got the pappardelle with braised beef, wow it was excellent!!! So full of flavor and the portion was perfect and not over baring. My husband got the braised beef with veggies. Wow, it fell apart and was so tasty and flavorful. We skipped on dessert but we will come back for sure to try more! read more

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5 stars for outside seating view/ambiance, but service and food quality is so bad as to drive this rating down to a 1 overall. They should be embarrassed to charge what they did for what they served us last night. $18 for a stale piece of bread with a small smear of cheese and a few pieces of raw veggies on it. But it did have a pollen sprinkle... whatever that is. $21 for 4 escargot in hard/stale micro biscuits they have the nerve to call puff pastry. $59 for what was one of the worst ribeye steaks I've ever eaten. I think it had been cooked properly, but server left it sit and get cold, letting the too abundant fat to congeal. The cold and rubbery 1"x2" mushroom piece was inedible, the potatoes cold and mostly over boiled, and a flavorless romesco sauce were other lowlights. $41 for a halibut meal that was mostly flavorless and lacking any reason to recommend. It also came out cold from being left sitting too long before the server got around to bringing it out. The desserts were equally disappointing. A tasteless carrot cake and a deconstructed lemon pie. Deconstructed meaning a cup of lemon pudding, some whipped cream and a sprinkle of Graham crackers. Needless to say, we won't be back. read more

Awesome location near the Grounds for Sculpture. We sat outside and had an awesome view of the water. They start you off with bread and scallion butter. We both ordered the watermelon kiwi punch. Definitely fresh. Also both had the French onion soup. Soup itself was ok, but the cheese was fantastic. Husband got the burger. Asked for medium rare, but was more of a medium well. I tried one of his potato wedges, and they were crispy and well seasoned. I had the Prime Rib sandwich. Usually served with wedges, but I asked for the salad. Also very well seasoned. For dessert, we had the chocolate cremeux and creme brulee, and I also ordered the English Breakfast tea. Really good all around. Service was attentive and friendly, but a little slow. We were there for about two hours. I would highly recommend this location if you're in the area or visiting the Grounds for Sculpture. read more

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This is my second time coming to this restaurant, today I celebrated my birthday here with my family . It's very accommodating with our extra member that came and they were very nice about it. Our server was very nice and made me and my sister feel special on our day. The ambiance of the place is definitely unique since it's a little ludicrous to have rats in a restaurant. I quite thoroughly enjoyed my burger that I ate it pretty quickly, the alcoholic beverages are pretty refreshing too as well. If you're ever in the grounds for sculptures, I recommend stopping by to get a nice cool drink and a very delicious lunch. read more

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Rat's Restaurant is located at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. Grounds for Sculpture is a gem hidden in an industrial area. The restaurant is beautiful, and was conceptually designed by John Seward Johnson, Jr. with a Claude Monet-styled ambiance. It's named after the character "Ratty" from The Wind in the Willows. My wife and I are members of Grounds of Sculpture, and as such, receive a 10% off discount at Rat's. In 2020 we visited Rat's a half dozen times. During the warmer months Rat's is the perfect outdoor eating destination. From the covered patio you have an amazing view of the pond, statues, and landscaping. Since Grounds for Sculpture is currently requiring reservations even for members to limit capacity due to COVID-19, you cannot enter the grounds from Rat's or enter Rat's from Grounds from Sculpture. I do miss the days of being able to go for a stroll through Grounds from Sculpture after dinner without having to get in the car and drive to the other parking lot. The food and drinks are usually top notch. The menu is French-inspired and typically changes a bit each season. They added a Cheese and Charcuterie appetizer this year which is great because it was always so hard to decide between the cheese or the charcuterie. The servers are always very attentive. Rat's has recently added an in-house pastry chef so the desserts have improved. Expect to pay approximately $150 for dinner for two with drinks. read more

Rat's Restaurant - French Near Me - Hamilton, New Jersey

It is our 2nd visit and each time is Wonderful service. The food is prepared with highest quality and atmosphere is warm, comfortable. Our server Rob never rushed us. He offered more coffee while we are waiting to take Holiday Photo upstairs. Such a nice experience. We will definitely be back during the summer time to walk around Grounds for Sculptures. read more

Rat's Restaurant - a plate of food on a table - French Near Me - Hamilton, New Jersey

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disgusting steak and horrible service and way overprice, 27.00 for 3 shrimp awful place to eat! Save your money! read more

Came here today for a bridal shower luncheon. I remember years ago being at Rats and considering it a special, albeit pricey, treat as the setting is inventive and the food was good. Not today! Portions were almost microscopic, and the salmon was not fresh. Service was pleasant, but food was disgraceful. I felt embarrassed for my hosts. read more

It's so amazing restaurant in New Jersey. I recommend everyone has to come here! It's Very nice view nice service. I order onions soup so delicious and Waffle is so good . we'll be right back! read more

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We've been here many times over the years and it seems to have highs and lows. Unfortunately It's currently at a low, as always the setting and ambiance are stunning and the main draw. So on this visit the place just looked really worn and tired. The landscaping at the front door was gone, there were empty garden beds etc. Inside it seemed dirty and worn. The service was attentive although a little clumsy, we were served our entrees but had no silverware. There were many empty and still dirty tables that never were cleared while we were there, they were clearly understaffed. I hate to say this but the food was just not good, it was really disappointing. I had the mussels and they were really bland, the clam pasta as well was flavorless. We had ordered a cheese plate to start and for the price, it was lacking. The menu said 3 soft cheeses and we were served 3 hard ordinary cheeses. The popovers were good though, always a plus. I hope they can turn it around, it's a really cool spot. read more

We were treated like crap by the hostess. She looked at us like were beneath her and she was barely civil. Awful hostess, we didn't bother to stay and she didn't bother to care. I'm glad we didn't spend the money there because three stars is definitely worth it. read more

Really scenic restaurant on the Grounds of Sculpture. I would recommend making a reservation. They are on the pricey side but it's worth it. I really enjoyed the crab cake and seafood salad. They also serve alcohol. Outdoor seating only right now due to COVID. read more

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Delicious food, friendly staff, all in a beautiful setting. Had lunch while visiting the Grounds for Sculpture. Sat outside near the water and took it all in. Look forward to eating there again. Best to make a reservation!!! read more

Came here for a bridal shower and the service was absolutely awful. The waiter cut the bride off mid-sentence when she asked to keep the drinks coming, didn't present or taste test the $100+ bottle we ordered, and forgot silverware for the appetizers. I felt like I had to serve the table myself just to keep things moving. For a restaurant that charges luxury prices and claims to offer a fine dining experience, the bare minimum should be decent service. I ended up telling the front how bad it was -- because someone needed to. read more

Today, (01/21/24), we had my daughter's bridal shower in the Rat's banquet area. The banquet room was perfect, the food was absolutely amazing and the staff were top notch! We had chosen three different entrees that the guests could choose from - grilled chicken over mashed potatoes with a brown mushroom gravy, grilled salmon over a layer of grilled Brussel sprout halves and last choice was a vegetable risotto. I personally had the salmon and it was done perfectly and the Brussel sprouts were delicious! I also had opportunity to try some of the vegetable risotto - it was rich and cream with the vegetables a perfect al dente'! The entree was preceded by an appetizer plate assortment followed by a mixed green salad with a wedge of Burrata cheese with a light Balsamic vinaigrette. Dessert was an offering of assorted confections paired with really good coffee! Everything was really exceptional and again the facility and the staff were stellar! Thanks again for making my daughter's special day truly memorable! read more

Warm and welcoming staff. The traffic flow upon entering the restaurant could be improved. Nevertheless, pleasant dining experience here. A few vegan friendly options. The server was very conscious of our dietary restrictions and offered alternatives proactively. Much appreciated! The ambiance was lovely. Looking forward to returning here next time I visit Grounds for Sculpture. read more

Good place for the amazing ambiance, but don't focus on the food. The building is very interesting. Waiters were very attentive, with decent service. My burger was so-so, the chicken was very good but pricey at $34. The kicker was asking for sparkling water and receiving an entire bottle of Perroni which cost $10. read more

Service, view, IPA on tap, cheesecake dessert--all excellent. Unfortunately, the bouillabaisse entree on July 4th at $42 [!] was a puny disgraceful travesty of the real thing--and ruined the experience. Better luck next time! read more

Very slow service. Enjoyed the French dip but the octopus and cauliflower was not worth the price. Very small and taste wise will pass.

This was such an incredibly cool experience. My husband and I were visiting family in NJ and took a little day trip to grounds for sculpture for some adventure and then met my cousin here for dinner. The park was obviously amazing, I'm sure there is a separate place to review that, but the restaurant was so cute and unique! I found out that it's called Rats because it is named after the character from The Wind and The Willows, which is a book that I love. The staff were really great, they let me charge my phone there after it died from taking way too many selfies in the sculpture garden. I ordered the broccoli Cesar salad and the Cod and my husband got the smoked mushroom meal- we were so excited that they had a vegan option! We also got the chocolate cake and carrot cake desert to share. The food was very good, maybe a little over priced, but the ambience was worth it. Definitely worth a visit, especially if you are spending some time in the gardens! read more

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Beautiful atmosphere and great service. The menu did not offer a good white fish option so I had the clams linguine which was just ok. For the price and caliber of the venue I expected better. Creativity is lacking. read more

Made reservations here because it looked like a cute lunch spot. We came on a Saturday at around 2pm. It was really busy and there were several hosts in the front. I believe we were greeted but it was free of eye contact or a smile. Arrived about 10min early and was told I would be seated at our reservation time. We were seated right on time and sat outside by the little pond. The view was very pretty but it was a little crowded. Our server Angel was very friendly and enthusiastic. My husband and I shared the mezze platter and Ratz burger. Everything tasted great. After lunch we walked around the restaurant. There are a couple sculptures beside the restaurant that are outside of the Grounds for Sculpture. The main sculpture area requires you to purchase tickets. Overall a cute lunch spot. I do wish the chairs outside had a cushion to make it a little more comfortable but overall an enjoyable time. read more

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This place is magical!! The architecture, statues, portraits and fish-pond are unique. Food was tasty and pretty big portions. The staff is friendly and attentive. Beautiful place for all occasions. read more

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So disappointing. Met friends for lunch, and then an afternoon in the magnificent sculpture gardens. The ambiance is that of an elegant upscale restaurant; it is beautifully appointed. The waitstaff we encountered were all personable and efficient. However... From the surroundings, the menu descriptions, and the prices, we expected a high quality meal. What we got was far from that, sadly. Two of us were lured in by the chicken salad sandwich on sourdough bread with a side salad. This was quantity over quality - a huge amount of chicken salad, obviously all white meat chicken, but flavorless. It was very nearly puréed, so kind of mushy, and no detectable seasonings. It was bland as could be. We both would have been happier with a smaller serving of chicken salad that looked like chicken salad and was more than chicken and mayo. One had the turkey croissant, and he didn't comment one way or the other, so I guess he was satisfied with it. The fourth person in our party is vegetarian and there were a couple of options. He chose the roasted eggplant. It was one small splayed cooked eggplant with some tahini and some chickpeas on top. Not much to look at, not much to eat. Would not come here again. read more

Quality has fallen since the last time we were there over 4 years ago. My wife and I went on a Saturday night and had made reservations over a month in advance. For some reason, they had a water/utensil station and the dirty dish discard tray right next to our table. So we had the constant clattering and din of dishes and utensils being picked up or placed down right next to us. Outside of that, they had some sort of large party taking place in a room directly adjacent to our room with terrible music thumping most of the dinner, completely ruining the ambiance. Service was adequate but for some reason, the server for the table next to us (which was set up very close) decided to stand directly between our table and their table so his rear end was in our face every time he took an order or delivered food. There were no tablecloths. And they mixed up which one of us ordered what. Which is not that big of a deal but there were only two of us and this is supposed to be a high end restaurant. As to the food, my bone-in strip steak was way too tough - major disappointment. I also ordered the chanterelle mushrooms and they were undercooked and terrible. My wife's scallops were good but she only received 4 and no sides at a price of $46. Finally, though it's not the restaurant's fault, some lady was yelling about sh!tting her pants a few tables over. Probably won't go there again. read more