Stopped in for a quick bite while watching Sunday football. $6 tailgate time and happy hour specials were a great surprise. burger, prosciutto and pear flatbread, chicken wings and bacon cheeseburger mac and cheese were all tasty. Burger had a great sauce on it, very juicy, no extra condiments needed. Food came out quickly once ordered. We waited a while after seating to order but waitress gave us one appetizer complimentary and made up for it. Didn't order any drinks but would come back again if we are in the area. read more

can show up at 11am and have a quiet intimate time, show up at 5pm and have a happy (2) hour or late night for some dancing and friendship. the staff are friendly and the chefs food is delicious and fresh. Great place, great atmosphere. The Brown Derby also takes care of their community and does fundraisers such as trivia for a local organization such as Domestic Violence services of dutchess county or sponsors 5k's like the Wa Wa Wally Waddle, just this past mothers day. Located on Main St of the city poughkeepsie, easy to get to from the train station and Historic District. read more

The Derby - summer summer summer time - New American Near Me - Poughkeepsie, New York

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Good atmosphere. Friendly staff. Tuesday night jazz is great. They have a special additional menu too for jazz night where everything is 12$. Great group of musicians. Lots of talent and good times. The wings are my favorite. Super big and crispy Jus right. The honey bbq is so sticky sweet! And the hot wings have the right amount of heat. Try the wings. You won't be let down. read more

Was up from LI for a wedding this past weekend which was catered by The Derby. Amazing. For the cocktail hour food we had the pulled pork topped w pickled cabbage, it was perfect. Also, the steak skewers couldn't have been better. Very rarely do you see them prepared so well when so much of it is being made. The service was very pleasant and professional. Also, the food was brought out intermittently, not altogether in waves. This allowed us to take time to enjoy the food and get some of everything. As for the dinner, that too was excellent. Smoked trout, ribs, and steak. A nice helping of each, but not overwhelming. The most impressive thing is how everything was cooked correctly, something you rarely see. At most weddings, the sit-down dinner portion is overcooked due to the conveyer belt nature of service. I greatly look forward to actually visiting The Derby the next time I am in the area. read more

Very nice neighborhood bar and restaurant. They carry a decent line of vodkas tequila rum and whiskeys. The food is amazing. Authentic home cooked meals. From lasagna to seafood linguine. The burgers there are very very good. From great flavor and juiciness even the burgers buns are toasted pretty much to perfection. Bar tenders are great and attentive. Thursday's and Saturday nights are a time to check out the nightlife portion where They have a DJ that plays the latest and greatest hits. English and some Spanish. Check it out you won't be disappointed. read more

NOTE: my review is solely based on the restaurant portion of The Derby (as in most of my reviews- I do not drink, so I cannot fairly rate the bar, but I'm sure it's fine). Anyway...... This is another place that I've driven past for quite a while now, and only recently tried out due to a sandwich board outside advertising "Derby Burger, $5, 11-7". Well, a $5 burger? The price is right, lemme try it out. I have to say this is one of the best burgers I've ever had!!! It was the right size, cooked just as ordered, light, juicy, with a soft and tasty bun, crispy bacon and cheese melted to the perfect consistency. The accompanying fries were near-perfect, too(and I know my fries, take my word for it). I would've gladly paid TWICE AS MUCH for this burger!! They also make some delicious wings that have a nice crunchy outside, yet still allow the chicken to be juicy inside. I recommend the Chipotle BBQ sauce on them. The rest of the lunch and dinner menus looked great, and I definitely plan on going back to try out some more options, but the Derby Burger is always very tempting. Service here is great, very friendly and quick. The restaurant is spotlessly clean, and very comfortable. They also get some thumbs up for their music choices, a good mix of classic rock. The Derby is a new favorite that I'll be dining in again and again. read more

After getting two hungry little kids out of the car to eat at this place following a day at the Children's Museum, we walked in well after its posted 11:00 AM opening time. We were greeted by some bleary-eyed scraggly-lookin dude who seemed perplexed by our arrival and "wasn't sure" if they were going to open. He disappeared into the kitchen and came back to say that some other unknown kitchen denizen "is on the phone" and hasn't decided yet. We left. The Brown Dirty should get its act together or change its hours. read more

I've been here several times for drinks on the weekends. It's ok and the crowd is usually laid back. It seems to be a magnet for people I went to high school with. I've haven't been there for a while but it was always ok. read more

Great place to eat. Good atmosphere, tv's everywhere, located right on main street in Poughkeepsie. I had a fantastic burger. Server/bartender was very nice. read more

Great service, loved the French onion soup & caprese salad. We used the free appetizer check in from Yelp. Delicious lobster mac n cheese & it was a large portion. Quiet & low key for a Saturday night which I prefer. The manager & waitress both duel served our table and didn't have to because it wasn't busy. They both were very accommodating. Interesting history on the building also. Ask when you visit! The dining was worth it! read more

I have to say that I like the Brown Derby a lot. It was my first time here and it was different than I expected- more like a nice old worn-in bar/pub and less like a nice sit down restaurant. But I think that's what I liked about it- we had really good bar food- burgers and wraps-and good beer- and everyone was happy. The service wasn't great but since we weren't in a hurry that didn't matter and the waiter was very gracious. I would definitely stop in again- if I was in Poughkeepsie looking for a good beer and diner. read more

Another example of why I wish yelp allowed for half stars... a 3.5er in my book, but just shy of 4 stars. Thanks to notorious NYC traffic, we missed our reservation at the CIA... So we found this place after a desperate Yelp search for restaurants in Poughkeepsie open after 9:15pm on a Friday evening... opened by a CIA graduate! Perfect substitution in my book. Our house salad was kind of bland and very standard tasting. Fresh veggies and some regular tasting dressing... The salad had me worried, but the main courses were the real stars of the show. The fish my partner in crime ordered was cooked and flavored perfectly! What a great blend of spices, cooking technique and presentation. My chicken was roasted to perfection with YUMMY mashed potatoes. Tender and flavorful. Would repeat again. I bet I'd bump up the Brown Derby to 4-stars if I came back more frequently because the service was great and it seemed like the type of place I'd to go for after work meet ups. We were just too tired and hungry to appreciate the friendly neighborhood-y atmosphere... good thing the food saved us! read more

I really enjoy the food here. Keep in mind, it's bar food, so when I hear people complain about the food I tend to remind them of that. I would give at least four stars but the service is so inconsistent. I work in Midtown Manhattan and take the train so once in a while (it used to be once a week), I will call in an order from Beacon and pick it up on my walk home. The last few times I have tried calling, the phone is either not answered or I am told "one minute" and I hang up after 5 minutes of silence. The (bar) food is very good and the drinks are pretty solid as well. I recommend at least trying this place out. read more

Love the wings!!!!! 24k are the best, and the fries were good too.. I myself haven't tried the burgers or drinks yet, but in the future I might. So... I just tried the bacon burger, and I must say it was delicious! And the service was very quick!! read more

Stopped in for lunch while in POK. Small menu but ok for a quick bite. Seated right away. Very clean. Original dining room is darker. Perimeter dining room is brighter. Ordered the Buffalo chicken wrap. Came with fries. THE PICKLE WAS BAD. ..MUSHY. wished I'd never took a bite. Wrap was good. Pretty spicy. $9.00 I'D go back. Oh and it's a an old bar. Very intricate and nostalgic. read more

During my four years in Poughkeepsie, attending one of the esteemed higher educational campuses that are in the area, I have found that 96 Main is the only good dinner in town. Everyone suggests the Brass Anchor or some other lame place that is run by diner owners but this place is far superior. Before discovering this place, when my folks would visit, we would drive up to Rhinebeck. Once these guys took over, no more. I have eaten here probably 10 times and every meal is fantastic. I really loved the Pepper Crusted Hanger Steak. read more

They have a GF Menu which is AWESOME!!!! But sadly We looked online and knew what we wanted...but when we got there they had "just changed the menu 2 days ago" but they never updated the website. I was so bummed! Both items I wanted were taken off the menu. Apparently they have a new chef? All in all it was still a decent meal I had the jerk chicken (dry), and my fiancée had the jalapeño lobster bisque which he loved and the stuffed pork I think it was with risotto, there wasn't much stuffing and it was dry but he said the risotto was amazing, but sadly I couldn't try it because the sauce on top was make with flour, which is fine. read more

came here specifically because they are the only ones i saw who had scallop risotto which i was craving. it was advertised under their gluten free menu on their website. sadly, they said theyre not serving it anymore. bummer. but why advertise it online? anyways, got the beef tip risotto which is pretty much one big gloober. forgettable and tastes monotonous. husband got the country fried chicken. chicken was crispy and ok. not the best. but the mashed potato tastes purely like butter. might as well just eat up straight butter. mozzarella sticks were crispy and gooey but wayyy to big. id rather have several tiny ones. the best part of the meal were the crab cakes. didnt taste mushy. just ok but no complaints. probably wont come back here. tons of bar regulars here though read more

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I'm currently sitting at my table sipping my cocktail and getting ready to eat down the street because we were told it would be a very long wait for food. This was after we were told the waitress hates when people are given the cocktail menu because they run out of ingredients--then why are they touted as a cocktail bar?! We asked for water we never got, the waitress ran away from us when the phone rang because she had to answer it and then she took 10 minutes to return. Perhaps we are here on a particularly busy night, but there is literally one other table and a busy bar--not really a reason to be told to expect bad service. read more

Love the Derb, yummy food and the only place in PK who plays actual good music to dance to. And the bartenders are dope

Great place! Comfy bar with friendly staff. Good bar food. Wonderful happy hour prices and awesome $5.00 gourmet personal pizzas! They have a cool little loft room that my extended family and I really enjoy meeting up there to eat, drink and relax. I've also had steaks here that were wonderful and cooked to perfection,a really good Chicken Satay appy served with sauteed spinach - yummy!! Delish burgers and exc. wings. I had The Derby cater my daughter's last baby shower. They have a lovely room for smallish events - we had 60 people and it felt just right. The room has a separate entrance and they were very nice about allowing us to decorate and rearrange the room. The food that they served was raved over for months and months by all of my daughters friends and co-workers. A fabulous mix of eclectic sandwiches, wraps and panini's served family style with sides of piping hot crispy french fries and huge bowls of delicious harvest salad. Lot's of choices and the prices were THE BEST in the area. We had an open bar table service and our servers were always there to bring more food and beverages. The owner, John that handled our event was there for the whole entire time we were. Never rushed us along and asked me when I wanted what served and cleared. I would definitely use there room in the future again. The only bad thing that I can say about The Derby is that the bathrooms are downstairs, which is kinda far from dining room and catering room and it saddens me to say this but the ladies room is really quite nasty. I think that they clean it daily but it is just old, shabby and torn up looking. I believe this to be because they are in a college town and get a heavy bar trade from the local colleges, so I try to overlook it but I wish they would renovate it! read more

This establishment is closed for business. Most likely due to the owners not adhering to NYS Liquor Authority laws. The place attracted a very loud crowd that was not respectful of the neighborhood and there were acts of violence, public urination, arguing; fights, drug use and people vomiting in front of my building. People were also driving away while intoxicated. If there comes a time when a new owner decides to reopen, I hope they are aware of these issues and see to it that they are not experienced by the community. read more

What a great Bar and restaurant. What else is there to say? I go out often and prefer to spend my hard earned money in a locally owned place with great people and not a faceless chain. If you are looking for a great bar and eatery try the derby. read more

- the food is well prepared and tastes good - menu offers a variety of options that can accommodate various dietary restrictions - service is prompt, friendly and professional - it wasn't crowded! a huge plus in my book. A couple of negatives that didn't bother me too much - the ceiling fans were on (in March!), so it was a little chilly, and it took a solid 25 minutes for our food to come out. it ended up being worth it. (we got the salmon w/ spinach & roasted potatoes and a chicken burrito) We are from out of town but it seems like The Brown Derby is a solid choice for drinks and food in Poughkeepsie. read more

The clams were fabulous, the fish n chips were perfect, the porcini and button mushroom risotto with sirloin tips made my night and the peanut butter cake with homemade ganache made me eyes roll. This was my first time here and it definitely won't be my last. The ambience was beautiful too. I love old buildings, and the architecture was breathtaking. The service was fast, courteous and punctual. Love this place. read more

The first time I came here I was less than impressed but I recently found out that the staff responsible for that situation has move on and so I came back to give the derby another shot. So glad I did. The burgers here are incredible. My wife loves the watermelon martini and the fried burrito is also amazing the brown derby earned 5 stars and then some. And live jazz?!! Life can't get any better! We will most definitely be back. read more

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good beer selection, better food. trivia on Wednesday nights is the best! read more

I had my wedding rehearsal dinner at this joint and it was handled amazingly. The food was great (especially the wings), and we were well attended to. Also a great spot to have a drink whether you feel like socializing at the bar or hanging out with a group at one of the tables away from the crowd. read more

Good service and excellent food. My mom got the steak tip mushroom risotto which I tried and really liked. I got the double pork chop with bourbon maple glaze and caramelized apple and onions with mashed potatoes and it was incredible. Excellent beer selection (at least on tap) I had joe mamas stout by Keegan. Highly recommend this place. read more

There for quick beer, soup & watching basketball. Great experience on all 3 accounts ! Great back bar, great bar, period !!!

The service was great the waitress tried her best to accommodate me. The place is clean and has a decent crowd. But when it comes to food it is completely grotesque. My bf and i took one bite and we just threw it all away. The fried mushrooms were bland. And the orzo balls weren't even arborio rice!! Really dissapointing.. Oh did i mention over priced. Go to bull and buddah or cafe Bocca instead. read more

We have been giving this place the benefit of the doubt over the last few visits. The burgers are cheap and they do know how to cook them to order (medium rare seems hard to come by in the Hudson Valley). The beer selection is only OK. However, the last time we went we vowed to never go back. The waitress could not be bothered. She swung by our table to say I'll be right with you and then disappeared. She never came back to drop off menus, water, etc. She helped the table next to us and then disappeared again. After 15 minutes with no menus, water or idea what was going on - we left. WILL NEVER GO BACK. read more

Nice atmosphere, excellent food and right off route 9. Monday nights are Poker nights.

The chicken wings are great, we had the 24 carat flavor. It was out of this world. Best around.

This is a good place for a few drinks and a quick bite. It works for friends or for a date. Service is good and waitstaff is friendly and knowledgeable. NFL Sunday Ticket doesn't hurt either. Located ten seconds from the Poughkeepsie train station, so it's pretty safe and convenient. read more

Wanted to add to my previous review that the back room has been remodeled. It is beautiful. New paint job, floors, lights etc... I like the room when we go on the weekend because it is not as noisy as the other areas to eat. The menu just changed. We had red snapper, prime rib and stuffed pork at our table. We all had a great time and the food was awesome. We also had a champagne fondue which was out of this world. read more

Good food, especially their 24Kt Wings are to die for. Reasonably priced. Friendly service.

My wife and I came up to see Jon and Tony for a wedding tasting, and wound up signing a contract with them on the spot. They did an awesome job catering our wedding at nearby Locust Grove. The food was all fresh, hot and damn tasty... and the price was definitely right. They were also terrific leading up to the wedding, and the day of, and went above and beyond with us altering head counts, menu requests etc. From our wedding menu I can tell you that the chicken satay, crab cakes and risotto were all on point, and our guests loved the steak and salmon entrees. We also ate dinner at the Derby a few days before the wedding. Everything from a simple burger to a fresh turkey club were excellent, and I'd definitely recommend the crab and jalapeno chowder if its still on the menu. Also, good beer selection and drinks, and good atmosphere at the bar and in dining room.. read more

What is not to like about this place! Nostalgic setting, best happy hour in Po'town, great food (steak tacos are the bomb) and friendly accommodating staff. One of the few good restaurants open Christmas Eve, had a great relaxing dinner, will be making it a holiday tradition! read more

The service was great & our waitress was more than accommodating! Also, the wine was fresh and they had a decent selection of beer on tap. That being said, the food was just awful. One of the worst meals I have eaten in long time. We had the lobster mac & cheese, which was basically 1$ Lipton pasta & cheese packet with some funky tasking crab meat mixed in. The risotto and beef was similar in that it was a giant plate of overcooked white rice with a $1 packet of gravy and some overcooked beef cubes mixed it. If you choose to go, go for the friendly staff and drinks, not the food! read more