We have had family events there for last several years. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a casual indoor atmosphere with music as well as outdoor seating and fire pits.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Their menu has many choices and staff are accommodating and engaging with the guests. My meal resulted in a second one of leftovers.I would definitely recommend if you are in the area. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]While the ambiance was nice and the band was very good (The Bernadette's), we had a terrible meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Both of us ordered the scallops. The fries were soggy and under cooked and the scallops were cool and nearly raw inside. After eating 2 of them we had to send them back to be re-cooked. They came back with the outside hard and crusty but the inside was still nearly raw. Sent them back again and told them to forget it. The raw scallops didn't sit well and had to make a run to the bathroom. They did take off the charge for the scallops but I'll never eat here again. read more

Went here on Saturday for an early dinner with my cousin. We didn't have reservations but they do recommend them. We were seated immediately and we had the best waitress. She was so good about explaining some of the questions we had. And her recommendations were spot on . We tried the mushroom Swiss burger on a ciabatta roll so fresh . Juicy. And my cousin had a braised short ribs with a red wine reduction and mashed potatoes and asparagus. Amazing how tender . Then she suggested the beignet with butter pecan ice cream delicious very light and airy . [[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful inside[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . [[HIGHLIGHT]]It started getting busy when we were leaving.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Our waitress said the menu will change to a spring summer and they will have outdoor seating as well[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . Can't wait to go back again and try other menu items ..Handicraft ramp lover level seating as well.. Highly recommend!!! Enjoy Chris read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - The mushroom Swiss burger . Not a great picture . I actually forgot to take a picture when it arrived. - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

Went Saturday night 8/1 for a last minute dinner. Reservations highly recommended. The service from the hostess, our server Victoria was very professional, friendly & personable Started with naked chicken wings w/garlic Parmesan sauce in the side was hot & fresh. Our main course one outstanding tavern hamburger cooked perfectly. And the Frites steak with garlic butter. Off the charts. Can't wait to go back read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Spacious bar and grill located at the edge of Essex.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Stopped in for a business lunch. Sandwiches were creative, fresh and of a good size / value for the price. Our server was attentive and friendly, great job. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I did noticed they had an excellent beer menu, drink selection, upstairs game room, and ads for live music - will have come back for dinner at another time to checkout the evening vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Good, but with limited choices. It's really two restaurants. Downstairs is more restaurant vibe and upstairs is tavern. [[HIGHLIGHT]]For one visit we were seated upstairs not far from where the band was setting up. We left before it started, which was good or we would be deaf.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Burgers and handhelds are good. The regular meals are not- they're expensive, not creative, and borderline (all have the same veg, no sauce on some things.) The downstairs servers were much nicer, upstairs was faster, no bread, no discussion about your choice, just trying to get you food. For the area it's good- but go for a certain type of food and don't plan on too much more. read more

Anca Great server, pleasant, efficient and personable. My wife and I stopped infor lunch, enjoyed the patty melt and crispy chicken sandwich. read more

I ordered the Asian chicken potstickers. They were a little overcooked and so therefore were dried out. The dipping sauce was really good. I also ordered their hamburger now. This was really good. It was cooked to my liking. read more

We stopped by Scotch Plains Tavern yesterday for lunch as we were looking for a new Essex area lunch spot. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is huge! Tons of seating outside, lower level dining room, and the second floor bar area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We opted for the second floor. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was modern rustic, with the latest generation of wood and tavern/industrial vibe, which I dig. It was cozy, yet spacious and bright.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Plenty of TV's in the bar area with lots of seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was expedient, friendly, and inviting. The menu is where this place shines though, lots of different and interesting items. The drink menu had many different cocktails and craft beers that could keep me entertained for awhile. We started the with large pretzel as a sharable appetizer. Pretty good, about what you'd expect. The cheese sauce was nothing thrilling though, but overall not a bad snack. I tried the East Rock brewing Pilsner, which was crisp and refreshing, and had a delightful toasted flavor to it. My girlfriend said the iced tea was pretty lackluster. For a lunch meal, I had the "SPT Stilton Port & Short Rib Burger," and it came with fries. The fries were really good. Shame on me for not knowing what Stilton was, I thought it was a type of port the way it was worded on the menu. But no, Stilton is a kind of bleu cheese (and yeah, I'm not a fan of bleu cheese). Luckily there wasn't a lot of it on the burger, and I just flung it off. The burger patty itself with the wine sauce was delicious and perfectly cooked to order. The brioche bun was fresh too. She had the Burrata Brioche which she said was awesome. Overall, we had a great time and would return again. Parking is ample. The food and the service were excellent. read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - The Warm Pretzel, with cheese. - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

Unfortunately Scotch Plains Tavern has gone down hill. We visited last weekend for the first time in about 3 years. We were excited to re-visit one of our favorite places, but were disappointed by the quality of the food. Our server, who I think was new, was very pleasant. She really was lovely, and I hope she appreciated the tip, because it was for her and not the food. The more experienced staff floating about were not very kind and were dressed very shabby. I have always thought that poorly kept staff means the kitchen and quality of the food will be similar. Our burgers were not tasty, and the grilled chicken was terrible. We wont be back. read more

Have dined here twice in two years and impression is the same: just OK but doesn't live up to the menu prices. Food is competently prepared and served, but that's it. Nothing original or signature about it, zero wow factor. Lacking is a level of professionalism that would elevate the entire experience and eliminate the half-hearted phoned-in feel. Just a little extra effort and training on the part of management could achieve this. read more

Very nice and welcoming staff. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Beautiful setting, nice decor.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The wings were tasty, Spicy Mango Habanero were delicious!Cheesy pizza flatbread hit the spot. They offer a large variety of beers and drinks. read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - Spicy Habanero wing and BBQ wings - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

My only regret is that we didn't take pictures of our meals! We stopped here after a steam train/river boat tour and were not disappointed. Our group was 3 adults and 3 kids and evoke walked away happy. Service was great, there was an impressive menu and the meals were delicious and well portioned. I highly recommend the short rib burger. We will go back again when we are in the area. read more

We won't be back. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I called for a reservation for a quiet table/booth for 4. We were seated at the noisiest fourtop right by the door.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]All through our meal we were assaulted by cold blasts of 31 degrees air from the entance doors.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My kale salad was an expensive dissapointment. The salad consisted of 2 handfuls of raw kale straight from the bag, a few oranges and some walnuts. The dressing was watery. Flatbreads were flavorful. The tastiest side were the waffle fries. The fish and chips were over battered and bland. Overall, not enjoyable. read more

The food was all excellent and reasonably priced. I would definitely recommend the French Onion Patty Melt. Service was excellent. Atmosphere is casual. Great place, would definitely recommend. read more

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Waited an hour for our food! Food came and crab cakes were burned! Waitress smelled of marijuana. Gave us free meal to take home but crab cakes to go were also burned read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - Burned crab cakes! - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]For a place with such a cool atmosphere and history, it's sad that I will never dine here again.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There are many issues, starting with the food. While it may be tasty eating it, prepare to have the worst dry mouth of your life. (I believe they coat everything in MSG, but you can draw your own conclusion.) Next, for a hospitality business, their main bartender hides her face behind a massive 3D mask. I try not to judge, because maybe she has some health issue, but it feels super unfriendly. And finally, I wholeheartedly agree with the reviewer commenting how the kitchen staff look terrible. They actually serve food looking like they just rolled out of bed, with pajama pants, old T-shirts, and "bed-head" hair. read more

This is a FANTASTIC dynamic restaurant & Bar in Essex. It is large & has 3 distinct areas: a quiet more intimate space on the main level, a larger fun convivial Bar & Restaurant on the 2nd floor, & a large outdoor patio area with individual fire pits. I went upstairs and sat at the bar & ordered a beer & a few appetizers. There was a great little classic rock band playing that added to the fun atmosphere. They have strong local bands playing weekly there which is fantastic. The bartender was super responsive, friendly, pleasant, helpful & efficient. I couldn't decide on a beer so she quickly provided a taste test which was very kind. The menus has a great varied selection of items: appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, entrees & desserts. The beer was excellent & the 2 appetizers were very tasty. I LOVED this place! It has a dynamic fun atmosphere with fabulous service & food! I will definitely be returning & will recommend this place to anybody looking for a GREAT local casual restaurant! ENJOY! read more

This place is gigantic. Late on Sunday afternoon we could have sat inside or outside, downstairs or upstairs, at a table, booth, or bar. We opted for a booth upstairs: there was a jazz trio providing nice background music. Our food was very good. Pub fair. I envisioned something difference when I ordered the "prime rib sandwich," so just be aware that it's very similar to a Philly cheesesteak. Extensive beer menu. My cosmo was good. read more

I really think the French Onion Soup had chicken broth instead of beef broth It was too clear to be beef and did taste like chicken broth. Ugh! and the onions were not caramelized, they were clear and mushy. Then, when someone asks for crispy bacon on a pizza, don't use pancetta! AND NEVER put bacon (or pancetta) under the cheese...it turns it stringy and slimy...always put bacon on top of cheese...can definitely do better... after taking leftovers home...found a nasty chunk of fat they slipped under the cheese...come on!! read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - chunk of fat - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

I visited again recently and have some additional thoughts. The menu is diverse and there's something for everyone, even vegetarians or gf folks. This can come with an up charge, however, i.e. a gf bun is $3. The seasonal beer list was nice, the wine selection solid, but the mixed drinks/speciality cocktails? Pass. We tried two and they were both pretty weak for the price. We all enjoyed our meals (sandwiches, a burger, flat bread) except for the person who had the prime rib sandwich. He was disappointed in the meat and said it felt like presliced deli meat and was bummed au jus was extra. The fries were great-hot and plentiful. Overall we really liked the food but felt it was an expensive night out for what was essentially elevated bar food. read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - Burger with sweet potato fries- enormous portion and tasty - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

The Food I had was not that great. I had the Ahi Tuna poke salad and the tuna was horrible. Either the tuna wasn't cut correctly or the tuna was bad. The rest of the salad was fine but you pay money for the tuna. My other guests said the BLT on a wrap was good but the tomato mozzarella flatbread wasn't the best. Service and staff were good read more

Scotch plains is a great place to hang out and grab some American style food. Downstairs is a more sit down space for dinner/lunch. Upstairs is a fun bar with tables and high tops. Occasionally you can catch a live band. Games are always on the TVs. We went and caught an amazing live band and stayed well after dinner to have drinks! Get the potato chips to start, the dipping sauce is great. I had the burrata BLT, with balsamic and was not disappointed. Chicken Cesar salad was great with a giant crouton. Fun spot! read more

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I've been twice. Both times the quality of food was awesome. The staff was attentive and kind. Facilities were clean as well. read more

Loved the atmosphere at this restaurant bar. Second floor is fun, lively area for sports viewing, games, and live music. The menu had good bar food classics. I loved the mango habanero chicken wings. The craft cocktails were excellent prepared with top shelf liquors. Good craft beer menu. There is large outside dining and party space. Service was exceptional. We had multiple service staff waiting our table. They were very good about making us feel welcome and never rushed. We will return read more

I have been traveling to visit family in this area for 45 years, and this was my first time eating here. I always thought it was too big and noisy for my preference, but my brother and his wife said they liked it, so I went along for the ride. The front staff was very friendly when we entered, and our waiter was personable. However, no place settings, napkins, or flatware were ever provided until we asked AFTER our food finely arrived...even though our drinks arrived with very wet and sticky glasses. My brother had to get up and ask the hosts for napkins. I ordered the Reuben which was mediocre: mushy, and barely lukewarm, and the sweet potato fries were cold. A waiter did bring a hot basket of the fries when we asked. My sister in law had the shrimp flatbread which looked very monochromatic and blah, with no garnish on the plate to offer eye appeal, and my brother said his burger was also not hot when it arrived. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Overall, this place to me may be too big and too busy to offer great food and service...and I worked in fine restaurants & then an airline most of my life, so I have a solid reference.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Waiters were friendly but need to learn about table setups and picking up food orders and getting them out quickly. 2 stars for the food and chaotic scene, but the service staff seems to be trying, just needing more training to pull it all together. I won't be going back. read more

Really cool spot - loved the atmosphere we ate upstairs where the bar area is and there were exposed wooden beams, lots of TVs, and live music playing. There was also a room with a pool table and shuffle board table. The wings were really good - the SPT special sauce on the wings is similar to a Buffalo - highly recommend that. The French onion soup was good though not the best I've had - the broth was excellent but there was a lot of breading in it. The French onion patty melt was excellent though. Our waiter was attentive and friendly. Bathrooms were also very clean. Would definitely visit again! read more

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The atmosphere is great especially if you want to hang out for a few hours in the bar upstairs to play pool, watch the game...etc. Great beer selection but disappointing cocktails. The menu is interesting but we were just there for a burger and wing type day. The burgers were way over cooked even after being ordered medium rare...twice. The waitress did notice right away without saying anything and brought a second one - but that one was overdone also. The service was great and you could tell they were hustling and likely short staffed. I was kind of grossed out that we were the first ones in there on a Sunday and the majority of the tables in the bar were still dirty from the night before. The wings were good and the pretzel with cheese was awesome if you are looking for that kind of food. I wasn't overly impressed but it was fine and would maybe go back for a beer and wings if we were in the area as there is not much else around that area that offers that vibe. One last thing - pay the $0.79 and buy a latch for the stall in the women's bathroom. No one should have to find a buddy to hold the door shut for them or risk having an unwanted visitor pop in. read more

Rustic and charming, gorgeously decorated tavern with a foodie friendly menu of fresh, local, and expertly prepared dishes. Had the harvest salad with grilled salmon which was a perfect balance of sweet and savory. The prices are reasonable considering the impressive level of talent they have in the kitchen. Service is always friendly, inviting and attentive. We go back whenever we are in the area and can't wait to spoil mom with a Mother's Day brunch so read more

My wife and I are locals who have been patrons of Scotch Plains since they opened, and they were typically consistent in providing very good food quality. However, our food last evening was a definite drop in quality. My wife had her usual 1/2 rack of ribs, which were dry and over-cooked. I had my usual corned beef Reuben, which was unfortunately tough, chewy and also over-cooked. We're hoping that this is not a new trend with the kitchen, as our son had a steak and fries from here on New Year's, and he said the steak was like a hockey puck and the fries were soggy. As is always the case, the overall service was excellent. We're up to giving them another try but if the food quality repeats at this level, we'll be on hiatus from here for a while. read more

In place of the old Oliver's, of which I've been going to since I was a little kid. The place is definitely updated and I can say the food was great and the beer list was extensive. My date and I ended up both getting burgers and hers was a little more well done than medium but they were both juicy and full of flavor. Will be stopping in again next summer! read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - Menu - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

I assisted a friend in planning a surprise birthday party. Hope was assigned to us and we could not have been happier. She knew all of the guests names-and drinks-within moments of meeting us. Hope was an amazing server and person and we will definitely be back because this kind of service is top tier. read more

Food was great with a nice selection. Beer menu was good several choices. Service was great and very attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was great very nicely designed restaurant ideal for small groups or larger parties and groups.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Scotch Plains is a very fun place in Essex. I've gone here several times. Their menu has a nice variety of options. There are flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, salads, soups, everything is here. About a month ago I met a friend there for some live music. We just had some drinks, and enjoyed the great band. We had such a fun time. They seem to have live music pretty regularly. Any time I've had food at Scotch Plains, I was very pleased. Their food is fresh and the service is always excellent. Last week I was there in the afternoon, and they had a live band outside, people were dancing and having a great time. We weren't hungry since we just ate. We got drinks, chips and desert to snack on outside. I had their iced latte and that was delicious, the chips were plentiful and crispy with blue cheese onion dip for dipping. We also had wine and other tasty drinks. Their Chocolate Torte was a rich piece of chocolate cake, drizzled with strawberry. Perfection! This was gone in an instant. Their patio is a lot of fun, it has a very beachy vibe, with beach chairs and pebbles under your feet. You're sure to receive great service,enjoy good music, tasty drinks and food, inside or outside at Scotch Plains. read more

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Always an amazing meal and service. Not a perfect 5 but an amazing spot. Great venue, great service, good menu options, and great food. Will be coming back! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Service and atmosphere were great.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Beer selection good but a bit pricey. I ordered the fish and chips...$22. not a big piece of fish. " Our Tavern fries" as they were described on the menu were few and lame you could buy better "frozen fries" at the local market. I cannot recommend this place read more

We were in a hurry for lunch. We sat at the bar upstairs. We ordered 2 tavern burgers and they were excellent. Went to the mens room while waiting for my burger and they were out of soap (a strange powder soap) and washed with water only. The exhaust fan in the mens room was completely blocked with dust and dirt and was not exhausting because of this. Makes me wonder if anyone washes there hand and if soap is available for the workers to use? Sweet potato fries were excellent as were the onion rings. read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - Nice looking pub - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

We came for happy hour and the drinks were tasty and strong, especially the specialty martini. We also got the spring rolls and blue cheese onion dip. We did not have to wait for a seat and our waitress was friendly and nice read more

A hearty recommendation here. Our party of four tried a variety of selections and appetizers. Steak. Fish tacos. Prime rib sandwich. Cod. Wings. Housemade chips. All was fantastic. Service was great. Decor was great. High marks all the way around. There's something for everyone, too. In food and atmosphere. The upstairs is where you can watch sports and sit at the bar. The downstairs dining is more quiet and intimate. read more

Scotch Plains Tavern - NY Strip Streak with mashed potatoes and chef's vegetable of the day - New American Near Me - Essex, Connecticut

Food was horrible, we had chicken with panko that even my dog wouldn't eat, corned beef sandwich which had skimpy portion of meat and fillet mignon ($36) which wasn't good enough and my nephew took home. The broccoli had some garlic with it but wasn't great. Roast potatoes equally mediocre. Don't expect to go there again. Waiter took for ever to take order too but food arrived quickly Even as bar food it doesn't make it!!!!. read more