Visited the bar on a Wednesday afternoon at 4:30. Counting myself, there were three customers. My server took care of me pretty quick. I had 6 hot garlic and 6 aztec wings. A great bargain at .49 cents each from 4-6pm. I preferred the "wet" wings but it was all good. I am downgrading the place because of service. After the server brought my food, she didn't check on me for at least 20 minutes. My beer was long empty! She was sitting at the end of the bar on her phone. Keep in mind there were only THREE patrons in the whole place and TWO servers. I can understand waiting when the place is busy but this was not the case. Food was good, but they need to put down their damn phone and take care of the customers. read more

The best wings in Burlington, also great deals on all food and drinks too! They have half priced burgers on Thursday's, and 50 cent wings every day (to my knowledge). A staple of being a college Student in Burlington, but is a good place for all ages read more

No cloth napkins here. Definitely your typical bar but with not so typical specials. Thursday night burgers/chicken sandwiches/veggie burgers HALF OFF! Not to mention $.59 wings and $5 fiddleheads. The staff is great! They deal with a lot with a smile on their face. Fair warning- go early (5-6pm) to avoid the crowds. This is a college bar! read more

I've been coming here as a Burlington resident for 4 years now and have yet to have stellar service. Usually it is adequate, supplemented by decent food. But recently, I have been neglected by at least half an hour after seating. Most recently I was seated for 45 m before speaking to anyone that worked here. I'd really love to support this local business but they make it hard when there are other businesses so close that do a good job. I'm honestly just disappointed. read more

Great little hole in the wall with great specials. Love the Cajun chicken sandwich and the wings. Great beer selection.

F-CK YOU RUBEN JAMES. I HATE YOU and here is why: Friday night, I ordered some food to go for me and the hubby. His food was fine, whatever. My salad was SHIT. The greens were slimy and spoiled. SPOILED slippery squishy mess you get at the bottom of the bag of mesclun greens. What kind of idiot grabs a hand full of SLIME and doesn't notice and just plops it into the container and is like "yeah this is a great $8 salad! send it on through! w00t!" So I call you up Ruben James to say, hey what up with the shitty salad and the guy says "bring it back" and I say, no I don't want to put my coat and hat and shoes on and warm up my car and drive down there and find parking and return your slimy shitty salad. Send me a coupon or some cash in the mail. AND HE F-CKING HUNG UP ON ME. HUNG UP ON ME! I called back, he picked the phone up and HUNG UP ON ME AGAIN. I called AGAIN and the same thing!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????? I know it's busy, it's a Friday night, no kidding it's busy. So busy apparently that the salad-server couldn't be bothered to look at what he was doing. So why didn't you just say, "I'm sorry for your shitty salad but right now we're hella busy so if you won't want to bring it back then give me your number and I promise to call you tomorrow and make it up to you. Sorry we suck at salads." No. He just hangs up on me. F-CK YOU, GUY. read more

Good god. I loved RJ's in colllege... for about 4 weeks at a clip. Then, I would revert to loathing the place. Later on, I would decide that it was the best place to go to get some free wings/cheap beer when my friends and I were broke again. Yes, it's a piss-pot. It's only really enjoyable after 10 PM if you are loaded...and I mean..LOADED. And the happy hour is pretty decent, despite the shitty service and the lack-luster ambiance. If you are anti-Red Sox or anti-Patriots, you and your friends will most likely receive the side-eye from the staff, or possibly even get kicked out if you get carried away. On the same note, please be forewarned!\ The f**king bouncers tend to be steak-necked pricks, the guy:girl ratio is terribly out of whack, and you might leave crawling out of the place is worse shape than when you started...but hey, it's a college bar, and while I have some fond memories of RJ's (I'm typing this with a cynical cringe)...I stay far, far away post-graduation. read more

RJ's has been a favorite of our unit at Fletcher Allen since long before I got here. But the burger one of my friends ordered a few weeks ago was ordered rare and arrived so over cooked that it couldn't even be cut - hockey puck, anyone? After multiple complaint calls, RJ's agreed to a credit against a future order. This last weekend the unit ordered again and I decided to take a chance on a California Burger, cooked rare. RJ's refused to give us the credit, saying it was only for a plain burger. And when my burger arrived, it was cooked rare, but was not a California burger - it had carmelized onions and a dash of cheese sauce - no guacamole in sight. So that's it for us and RJ's - a burger joint that can't get it's burgers right. It's OK, we won't starve - there's plenty of competition out there! read more

Great place for wings. I know they are known for their wings but it is true. Stopped in at at little before 4 and took advantage of their "pint and a pound " deal. What a deal! Hot tasty wings and a cold beer. read more

I have no problems with this bar but I do have an issue with their so called fill in dj for karaoke. The usual dj here for karaoke is awesome but the guy they got to fill in for her was nothing but a complete joke. He had no clue on how to run karaoke and when I proceeded to ask him why he had skipped my bf and myself he called me a bitch and then had the audacity to bring the sign up sheet over to us to show him where our names were. When we pointed to our names he realized he was in the wrong but instead of sincerely apologizing for his short comings he then goes "oh yeah, I guess I did skip you, but you are still acting like a bitch." I won't be returning to karaoke here until the usual dj is back, and I don't think this guy should be allowed to work with the public. read more

RJs is the tightest bar around. The security force is top notch I've never felt safer, even in a police station. Also order bahama mamas, they bang. read more

It was a cold Friday night in Burlington. I was waiting for my ride to pick me up and decided to head over to RJs. Sat at the bar and was politely greeted by Helena. Ordered a good ole cider and ended up chatting with her. The staff have always been amazing and very attentive. When it's busy it's busy, just like ay restaurant you obviously have a longer wait time. Been coming here for years and I've only have ever had the best service in town. The waitresses are amazing, foods great, cold beer and they make coming down to Burlington so much better! We always leave with our bellies full and smiles on our faces! read more

I felt old and had never been so amused. This is what I witnessed in Ruben James nightlife - An older woman dropping it like its hot -Someone leaving a #2 in the guy's restroom sink -People replicating the Jersey Shore read more

What a great place! I was so happy to be able to watch the olympics, Red Sox vs New York Yankees. Then to be able to also watch the Patriots on the other screen. Then I found out the Burgers and Chicken Sandwich are 1/2 price in Thursday's. Ohhhhh, and Kirsten then told me chicken wings are .49 cents each till 9:00pm. and probably the best service from any wait staff I have had in along time ..................Love this place! read more

Came into town late to visit my son and went here for dinner. Service was friendly and quick and the meal was good. It's a sports bar in a college town so that is the atmosphere you should expect. Everything we had tasted fresh and was exactly what we were looking for. read more

RJs is a local favorite - especially on Sundays now that football season has begun! A group of fellow Packers fans and I showed up yesterday and the staff was super accommodating. With their assistance, we were able to set up a Packer corner near the front door, hang a Packer banner, and cheer as loudly as we wanted. The waitress was great, the french fries and wings were hot and delicious, and all in all it was a great place to spend a Sunday. Their beer battered fries with parmesan and truffle salt and a side of aioli is where it's at. It's a bar that's not trying to be anything other than it is. We'll be back next week! read more

Ruben James - Rum punch for the win! - New American Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

I had not been to RJs in a while. I used to come here with friends to get 30 cent wings on Fridays! I was surprised when I friend invited me and they had the specials on Wednesdays, too. The space is quite comfortable, lots of TVs to watch whatever game is on and they even have a pool table. Check them out as they are always running a special. Little tip: try their beer batter fries! You will not regret it. read more

Good food, lots of TVs, great daily deals. Cons, mens room didn't lock nor had a door for the stall for privacy.

Would not visit again. While my food was fine, the service was terrible. Went in to watch a hockey game. Bartender was rude and on her phone the whole time. read more

I go to this place nearly every weekend as I live in the area. I would not say it's the complete place for everyone but I certainly enjoy it during the more normal hours. Service: I personally think it could do a bit better. The staff is really congenial but at times I find myself having to patiently wait a little longer than I want, or I feel uncomfortable asking for service due to attitude. That being said, it could potentially be from being constantly understaffed by management as it seems they typically have 2 waiters and 1 bartender at the most. On a more positive note, any request I do make usually gets fulfilled hastily. Food/Drinks: Constant lineup of beer specials and great bar food. As all the other reviews go, wings are the best choice. Great selection of sauces combined with the cheap price, it is a much better deal than Buffalo Wild Wings. I have tried other items and have never been too upset; everything tasted as expected. Atmosphere: Sports bar by day into early evening. Club-ish by night. A lot of televisions including a large projector, generally filled with people watching the same game which is always fun. If you are there on a weekend, as soon as it gets to be around 10:30p or 11:00, you will notice a dramatic shift in the environment. Lots of college students, shots, loud dance music, and yelling. Not my cup of tea but if that is what you are seeking, this would be a decent option in downtown Burlington. Overall: I rated the place a 3/5 because of the times I do enjoy the place. Great spot to watch sports, eat and drink for about 3 hours but if I were to remain for another 2 hours I would be miserable surrounded by obnoxious drunks. read more

Best wings in town, especially for the price. From 5-9 every day the wings are $.40 each, and you can get them in whatever denominations you like. 2 bbq, 3 hot, 9 cajun...sure. I recommend 6 cajun and 6 hot bbq accompanied by switchbacks and football during the winter. You won't be disappointed. Granted in college the wings were $.10 each....damn you inflation. All of that being said....at the advanced age of anything over 21, I would suggest never staying after 10pm. First because there are no more wings, and second, it turns into exactly what it should be...a dive college bar with primarily shitty music and girls looking to make mistakes. read more

Come to Burlington for work quarterly and always stop at RJ's for drinks and wings. They have great specials and the atmosphere is laid back. I prefer dive bars and bar food over some over priced trendy restaurant anyway. If you're like me and you just want to chill, get your drank on, and end up with a Fair and reasonable tab, RJs is for you. read more

Stopped in here for wing night. Had probably the worst service I've ever experienced. First, then"waitress" wouldn't even walk all the way over to our table, but talked to us from a distance. Her greeting consisted of, the kitchen closes at 1030" even though we were not even close to that time, and then proceeded To tell us we'd need to close out with her promptly at 1030 as that's when her shift was over. Ummm. Have hear people never worked in a restaurant before? When she returned, she brought wings to a filthy table with no napkins and no plates, again stating more rules. This was laughable. Will not return. read more

Definitely some of the worst service I've ever had in 10 years of living in Burlington. The server was very inattentive and disappeared frequently. When she did show up, she was incredibly cold and unfriendly and basically just threw our food and drinks down on the table and walked away before disappearing again. If you hate your job so much, find another one. Or if you were having a bad day, I truly hope things get better for you but try not to let it affect your job. read more

Great food and great environment and the staff was friendly! Going back tonight for round two and see what the night life is like bt im sure it'll be great read more

Horrible story- I would give 0 stars if I could. I used to go here from time to time because it was super easy to get into before turning 21, however, when I was finally legal I was treated so horribly I vowed to never return. I took a selfie of my friend and I in there and the bartender said "don't do that", I couldn't for the life of me figure out why nor could I remember having ever been told not to previously, so I didn't take it seriously and we took a selfie again anyways. My fault, yes I know, I shouldn't have, but what happened next was uncalled for. The bartender came all the way around the bar visibly pissed off, grabbed my arm hard and aggressively, and pulled me all the way to the door. I was tripping over my feet in order to keep up, it was legitimately like a scene in a movie. He yells loudly to the entire bar- "Don't ever let this ugly b*tch back in this bar again!". Then he lightly pushed me out the door. I'm a really jovial drunk and a kind and non-confrontational person. I didn't put up so much as a verbal fight. Never in my life have I been treated like that. I sat on the curb and cried, and when I wrote a letter to the owner the next day detailing my experience I never heard a word back. It's not the best crowd or food either- I ordered crab cakes once and it was made out of mostly stove top stuffing. Please avoid this place. Nectar's up the street is a much more fun and friendly place with live music every night of the week. read more

Def a great place for wings! $0.50 wings are an awesome deal and free chips! when they come out fresh for you they are the perfect thing to go along with a $5 pitcher of PBR. As for the bar here, they have a full one and I have been a number of times, but Nectar's was my spot. I really loved RJs for the wings and beer deals after a long day riding on the hill! Like most places up there they have a great selection of VT brews, which are superior to most! read more

WINGS!!! Love the honey BBQ & The medium wing sauce is perfect. 35 cent wings EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! read more

Went on a Thursday evening. Cheap very tasty wings and great beer. Atmosphere was very relaxing and nice. Open windows to a great bar. There was also a pool table. Only reason why it doesn't get 5 stars is because of the restrooms... Kinda nasty. Other than that this is a great spot! I will be going back. read more

Great brunch menu... also free wings on Friday can't beat that..dollar beers on Thursdays and kinda turns into a night club after 10pm

Walking by this place or even waking in, you wouldn't expect them to have the menu they had. Definitely bar type comfort foods.. Burgers, fries, many apps, seafood options, nachos etc. The food actually was pretty good. It was the service that sucked. Our waitress didn't speak, walked away when we tried speaking to her, I got everything on my burger that I OPTED OUT OF, asked for mayo, she brought me ketchup packets and seemed out of this world. Took many attempts to get her attention. Never checked on us. We sat in a spot that had a clear view of the kitchen however and the cooks presented the plates nicely for a little sports bar. read more

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This is pretty much your typical sport bar, loud, and complete with plenty of TV's, food and drink specials, and plenty of patrons donning the jerseys of their favorite team. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and it's a good thing we arrived when we did, as it was quickly filling up. Definitely a popular place in Burlington! Our server was friendly and I ordered a $5 mimosa and we shared some tator tots and cheddar cheese sauce. I was impressed with the large amount of tots & sauce and we enjoyed this high calorie treat. We had to sit close to others and everyone was friendly and accommodating. They have a pretty extensive menu here so I'm sure just about anyone would be able to find something to eat. Their full bar also allows for a wide variety of drinks offered. My only complaint would be that my mimosa had a lot of ice in it, watering it down. All in all, a solid place to watch a game,eat and drink. read more

Don't think they have this so-called happy hour anymore, definitely not free wings. Someone please let me know otherwise. The Food here is surprisingly good, flame broiled monster burgers at half price blow scuffer and rira's food away in taste and portions. Atmosphere is great to watch a sports game. read more

This place was terrible from the moment we walked in the door. Our server, Phyllis was extremely rude. She didn't know how to make a mind eraser shot so instead of asking us or the other bartenders she got mad when we said it wasn't correct. Needless to say we never got the shot. We asked for a manager and there was no manager on duty. Phyllis said I'm sorry but night shift works differently and probably makes different shots. She then sat there on her laptop at the bar. Later she dropped off our bill and said "I'm leaving so you need to cash out." Nothing was comped. A few minutes later the bouncer arrived and came over to our table, carded us then said we needed to leave. Would've been a good idea to card us before we got served. We caused no scene and paid our bill. It's a shame because my friend goes there all the time and is friends with some of the workers. Also asked to pay music and we were told no. Do not recommend-there are plenty of other bars along church street. read more

Good sports bar for watching the big game on Sundays. The service is mostly good, however, the last time I was here I ordered a Bud Light, but the bartender poured me a Coors Light. I drank the Coors Light, but know that I actually ordered a Bud Light. read more

Classic local sports bar / hole in the wall. Plenty of tv, booze, and friendly wait staff. The most important thing about this review is to tell you that Ruben James has the big ten network (BTN). When you are a mid westerners in New England and you need to see that big 10 match, game, special. This is where to come. I spent an hour calling around the greater Burlington area looking for someone that had the BTN. The only other place I found was BW3s (yuck). I wanted to watch the big 10 wrestling tournament finals and the friendly staff set me up with a tv and kept me hydrated with there +15 draft beers on tap. I had the wings and they were really good. And check out the specials this place always has some sort of food and drink special going on. Last time I was there they had a pitcher(yes a full pitcher) of mimosa for 5$ and they served it with a straw. Thanks Ruben James, I'll be back. read more

This is one of my least favorite places to go in the city of Burlington. It reminds me of those lame parties I went to during my freshman year at UVM. It's crowded, it's loud, and I feel like I need a shower every time I use the restroom. I've never had the food here, but I'm sure it sucks as much as the people and music. I'm giving it two stars rather than one because this is where I had my first Jager-bomb. mmmmm read more

The crowd at this bar exhibits everything I hate about college bars, but RJ's was my regular hangout every Friday night when I lived in Burlington. The reason: $5 pitchers of Labatt Blue, and unlimited free wings from 5-9pm. While you can argue with a wasted fratboy about who was in line for the bathroom first, you can't argue with that deal. read more

I have eaten here a few times before and the food was awesome ordered some chicken wings today and they were the flattest tasting wing I have had probably hit it on a off day. Or the grease needs changing but on the flip side the poutine special they had was outstanding a big portion with just the right amount of gravy and cheese wanted to give you guys a higher rating than two stars but the wings killed it sorry RJ's hopefully the next time is better read more

Daytime food and whatnot is decent. As for nighttime is the worst place you can go. They regularly let in underage people and I have multiple friends who have been roofied there. They never have enough staff on Saturday nights and they will reuse dirty glasses without washing them. They will also make people wait in line outside when it's not full inside yet. You wait 20 minutes then go inside and there's maybe 15 people in there. They need to clean up their act and get new bouncers. read more