A throwback bar that makes no apologies - it's not gastro, micro or small plated and probably would serve up a mean mimosa if anyone ever had the nerve to order one. I suspect this is what serious drinking looked like before it evolved from a hard core leisure activity into a chemistry class and a call brand circus. Drop a few bucks in the jukebox and listen as Elvis, Hendrix and Morrison still perform at your command. Grab a Bud, a pool cue and that stale pack of Winston's you found buried in your closet and tell the Surgeon General where he can stick it. A much needed change of pace and a vintage five stars. Move over Rover and let Jimi take over... read more

I haven't been here in years. Moved out of the area in 1992. But oh the fun we had at the Corner Tavern. Many beers, games of quarters, shot terrible games of pool and drank way too many Mind Erasers! It was a wonderful place with a great mix of locals and Rutgers folks. We would eat at Stuff Yet Face or Cluck U Chicken and then just hang out. read more

I agree with all past reviews. Great location within stumbling distance to the train, downhill to boot! The place was empty and drinks we ordered were WEAK but $5 each. This had potential with a better crowd, better juke box and stiffer drinks. read more

Corner Tavern - the interior of a diner - Music Venues Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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Fun place to hang out, pool tables in the back, prices are great. Take note that the bathroom isn't in best shape and is cash only if you are planning on coming make sure you do have cash. Overall a great experience. read more

Draft beer includes Heineken, Yuengling, Bud, Bud Light, Blue Moon, Sam Adams, Murphy's stout, Yuengling Black and Tan, Killians. I had a Killians which was a bit flat. The booze selection - I have a better back bar at home. Bartender was nice enough. Place was dead at 6 PM on a Tuesday. No Happy Hour specials but they do cheap drink promos after 9 PM. Cash only. Two flat-screens playing different news channels with the sound up. Two pool tables. read more

I'm giving it one star because it's the absolute best divey dive in the whole of NB. Friendly bartenders, huge pours. Not sure how this place stays in business. Cash only. read more

Corner Tavern - Big selection, big poors - Music Venues Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

A place with great potential, but little execution. I walked into the Corner Tavern waiting for friends who were coming off the New Brunswick train. I've never been in there, so I decided to give it shot. There's lots of room, plenty of booths, and tons of bar space. Only problem: no one is in there! Usually, it's a much welcomed sight to have some semblance of a non-Rutgers bar scene experience. But damn, it felt lonely to be in there. I like variety of beer choices, which are limited. I don't mind domestics, but I found the Miller and Rolling Rock to lack taste, in addition to already lacking taste. It's going to take some serious re-planning to get Corner Tavern to a competitive watering hole. With such a great location in New Brunswick, it's sad to see it go to waste. read more

I give this place 1 star, not because it is a dive, but because it has SO MUCH POTENTIAL and it's terribly mismanaged by a group of people who seem hell bent on running this place into the ground. Ale & Wich is a dive, and it's one of my favorite spots. Even on Halloween, where bars have lines all the way down the street, this place wasn't even close to full. 1) This place smells TERRIBLE 2) There is an area where they have a DJ booth and presumably a dance floor, but instead, it has two pool tables that are rarely used by anybody. 3) It has booths that remind me of a pizza place out of 1980 4) the bar is stocked with goofy stuff nobody orders, on buckling shelves the owners clearly made from the cheapest stuff they could find at home depot. 5) The "Game day" tv is a single old school tube style TV propped up in the corner 6) It's dirty inside 7) The iquor storage room is literally a cage, it looks like a prison cell. This is a primo spot, located 1 block from the train station, 2 blocks from George street, and a 2 minute walk of SYF & Rail. They could in many different directions and be very successful here. High end, Club-esque, Hipster, Sports Bar, etc etc, but instead, they seem to be going for the 1983 Nebraska truck stop feel. I literally can not wait for this place to fold so people can make something out of this bar instead of sucking it dry like the current arrogant owners. read more

I LOVE this bar, perfect any time of the year. Never busy-great service, especially when Anne is bartending!

AWFUL! Definitely a dive bar (why isit not listed that way) but not in the way you want a bar to be divey. Its gross. Its always empty and they play some of the worst music. Like Nsync and old Britney Spears and stuff that it was cool to bring back in 2006, but is now out again. My friend and I got a pitcher of Bud Light and it tasted TERRIBLE. I don't want to know the last time they cleaned their lines. read more

This place is just as the other yeplers said.....Dirty, Cheap, & Diveish. It is normally stop 1 on any NB bar crawl. Its just something you gotta do somethimes. It does need a make over and the location is the best but lets face it, that just aint gonna happen. Corner tavern is what it is. read more

I want to buy this place one day. It was a ton of potential. There is a ton of space in this bar. There are booths, stools are the bar, a mini stage and two pool tables and a shuffleboard. It's like the ultimate hang out spot (or can potentially be). Anyway, I digress. The bar isn't THAT bad. First, I didn't get the horrible smell everyone mentioned below. It's definitely not the cleanest place, and it seems like their shuffleboard hasn't been used in 10 years. It has a lot of dust on it. Their pool tables function perfectly. They do cost $1 per game. Quarters only! Their drink sizes are decent. Not the biggest cups I've seen at a bar, but definitely better than some places. It's a good place to chill and talk with someone. Not really a dance/club kind of a scene. I know a lot of girls avoid this place because of what they hear (ie bar is full of creepy guys, sketchy, etc). Overall, not a bad place, but can be so much better. read more

Um, ahh. This place is gross and the gnats that swarm you and any food you bring in (they don't serve food so you can bring in) makes your skin crawl. All of their tvs didn't work except one, which was being occupied by some random old dude that wouldn't let you change it from Wheel of Fortune. .....um, hello, the Yankees game is on? I've passed the bar at night and it's been busy with people having a grand ole time, so maybe it's just when I went. Don't expect much except some cheap beer. read more

Pros -greet for cheap drinks -vodka shots for $3 -juke box Cons -cash only -dull ambience -never much crowd -don't serve any food read more

Went here with some friends and we had a decent time. Pretty great location, right in the middle of everything. Right across the street from the train and down the street from the rest of the Rutgers bars. It looks like a dive bar from the outside and on the inside. If you are looking for a real dive bar, and I mean a real one not one that is actually a nice bar that looks like a dive bar, but a real dive bar then this is your place. The drinks are cheap and it makes you feel a little dirty. It probably didn't help that there was a guy and girl that I hope were just pretending to be brother and sister making out the whole time. And let me mention the bathrooms. Oh the bathrooms. There was no lock on the door and a toilet and urinal right next to each other. The service was a bit slow but they were nice enough. Overall, it is a cheap place to drink with some pool tables, dart boards and jukebox. Worth a stop on a bar crawl but definitely not a destination read more

I can't really say much which hasn't already been said by other reviewers. Definitely a dive bar, and not in a "good" way. The atmosphere is lousy and the drinks and beer are usually even worse. The sleazy, dingy atmosphere and the quality of the drinks and choice of beer just make me feel depressed. I saw a guy get beat to a bloody pulp here by an employee on my 21st birthday, so sometimes (all the time?) the "crowd" can be a little rough, again, to put it mildly. Between the location and size of this place, it could be a fabulous bar...perhaps even a gastropub, which is something that would probably do excellent in this area. read more

So I'm not ashamed to say I like this place. I like it for what it is and it's a bar located on Easton Ave, that doesn't have a crowd even on the weekends. Like other reviewers said, its a bar for those who want to grab a drink on the weekdays and keep the budget on a down low. For starters this place is located on the corner of Easton Ave near Noodle Gourmet. I like this place because of how cheap the beer and drinks are. Mind you, this place is as old as Jesus, but if you can get passed that fact, it's not really that bad. Some things I've noticed is that this place smells like a basement, like an old wet basement, and half the place looks like its as old as some bomb shelter in the 40's, but if you can get passed that, it quite good for what it is. The beers are 7.50 for a pitcher of Yuengling, and that's what draws me. That's a killer deal! I go here because it's a great way to start the night and get some drinks without spending a ton of cash before you head out to George St, or even Easton Ave. This is a place strictly for the cheap drinks, and not a date spot or even a place to catch a drink with friends. More to start your night or if you want to play a couple games of billiards, but that's all. So if your on a budget and want to get the most out of your money, this place is great, but that's it. Only real turn off is the smell of the basement, and sometime there are some oldies there. But HEY, who can turn down cheap drinks. Give it a chance to start your night, and your wallet will thank me! read more

So one of my first times out with my friends in New Brunswick we went to the Corner Tavern. They place was pretty empty and the a little dark. They did have shuffle board and pool and the beer prices were good. On the bad side they did lose my friends ID he gave to hold the shuffle board table so that was kind of annoying. I don't think I would come here again, might be your cup of tea but it isn't mine. read more

I hit it up as part of an alum get-together. Still dirty, divey, cheap, chill, fun and dirty...did I mention dirty? Cheap pitchers of pedestrian beer options...hey, I said its cheap. The back room has pool tables and that table where you slide those metal things on sawdust...whatthefuckdoyoucallit...ugh Looks like a lot of homeless-looking people getting drunk here...not the typical RU bar...well, as far as I can remember. I love the dirty booths...and they are aplenty. read more

I love this place. First of all, you can play quarters (they will supply the shot glasses) at the booths. It is a perfect chill bar. No lines to get in. Perfect for a relaxing night with a group of friends. One review said they play NSYNC and Britney - um that is a positive! They never played that when I was there, but I wish they did... If they played Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise, I would automatically throw that 5th star on there. read more

Good location and is pretty cheap. It's a walk uphill from the train station, which isn't bad. Place is basically a dive bar...with a lot of specials. Free Wifi too! However, I ordered to beers and the second one was warm. Bartender didn't seem to notice (how? I don't know) and I tried for 5 minutes to get her attention, but she was too busy playing with the jukebox....which is on the other side of the bar. Meh, I will still end up going there just because of the location. read more

If you love dive bars that are quiet and private (like I do) this is the place for you. I'm not a fan of big bars that are bustling and have a lot going on. I don't like noise and I don't like a lot of people. Which is why I love this place. Very few people are ever here making it an astounding place to just grab a beer and have a conversation with someone. This is my go-to bar. read more

You can be a dive bar but you can't be a dive bar and charge me $4 for seltzer out of an unclean soda gun. Really disappointing, management needs a wake up call. read more

The Corner Tavern doesn't really fit in with its Eastern Ave location. The prices are a little too high to attract the college crowd(or much of any crowd), so it's usually pretty empty. The staff is friendly enough, but there's just nobody there. There's no real atmosphere. Sometimes it's nice though just for that reason. It's a bar to have a conversation and relax in. They also have pool and shuffleboard in the back, which can be a lot of fun, and costs nothing. It might be a good place to let the evening wind down, but I wouldn't recommend starting off here. read more

I feel like I have to stick up for my bar here. We love coming to the Tavern because it's never too crowded, the bartenders are always nice and the prices are pretty competitive. We graduated a few years ago, so we're not really into the college bar scene anymore, but the Tavern lets us go back "home" and still feel comfortable. The juke box has just about any song we've ever wanted available. Whenever I'm in there, the people tend to be mid-late 20 somethings like myself with a sprinkling of older people. This probably isn't the place for you if you're still in school. If you like a good **gasp** dive bar, then this might be the one for you. That being said, it could use some major renovations, but then again, that would probably kill the vibe we've come so accustomed to. At the very least, it needs a new dart board, desperately. All they need to do is get rid of the lousy DJ's that show up on Saturday night-- seriously those dudes have to go, not only are they rude, they play crappy music and don't take requests from anyone. read more

This place hasn't changed in 25 years, which is to say it still sucks. Truth be told though, a night out in Upper New Brunswick is not complete without a quick pit stop here so you can check it off the list. This is the kind of bar you can take your curmudgeonly old grandfather to and he'll feel right at home. read more

Had such a great Friday night at the Corner Tavern. $5 bud pitchers, sweet bartender, and great music. Played some pool and shuffle board with friends. Also met some awesome people. Can't wait to go back there again. read more

lite like a back room bar in a Scorsese movie, the Corner Tavern is the bar for people who like bars for the sake of the grim, sleaze, and cheap swill. In the college years and a few lost years after wards, I could be found in the back corner on a regular basis. The blaring TV, the horrid jukebox, and the sound of pool balls crashing gives the place a real "Hub City" feel. If you go, be prepared for a college scene. That's what it's all about. read more

Upon entering this establishment you can see why it is so empty during a lunch hour on a weekday. The upkeep of this place is terrible and when you are competing with 6-7 other bars within a 5 minute radius of each other, i'm sorry but appearance does matter. My short-lived experience at this dump began last week after I decided to give this place a shot, (I usually frequent Stuff Yer Face, a minute walk away and 5x better than this place) Once I got to the bar area where there was only a middle aged man and an older man there around 2pm along with the blonde haired waitress. Older gentleman gives me an evil eye while waitress doesn't introduce herself when I took at seat at the bar and when I gave her my ID she did not even say a word to me. For about 5-6 minutes while I was looking at their already limited draft and bottled beer options, the blonde waitress proceeded to converse with the older gentleman while trying to figure out if my ID is fake. A fake ID can be told right off the bat and if not it doesn't take 5 minutes to figure it out. She gave me back my state issued NJ driver's license and said she could not accept my ID because it was fake. But she gave it back to me (which if it was a fake ID she shouldn't do in the first place) and went on about how she could lose her job and get a felony arrest. My response to her was why would I use a fake ID to get into a bar during the day for ONE beer. I felt discriminated by her and the older gentleman due to my age and ethnic background. Needless to say if you don't want my business, there's 7 other bars on the same street. All with more food and drink options and with good management that can afford to upkeep an establishment. Out of all the bars I have been to in NB this one hits rock bottom. College students stay away. Honestly, anyone that values their time and money should just STAY AWAY. read more

Oh mommy dearest, it's true! What a waste of potential... a place rich in history and to think that at one point (1944 to be exact) this was a boomin bar. As one of the largest and oldest bars in New Brunswick the Corner Tavern is a classic Cheers-joint where everybody knows your name, or at least can get to know your name, that caters well (or perhaps exclusively) to its regulars--none of which seem to be under the age of 45. Cmon guys show us what the Tavern can REALLY be... *sigh* read more

Isn't the most popular bar but I'm not one to like a place that's too packed and takes forever to get a drink. Only been here once but that new bartender is....nice. There was enough places to sit and getting a drink was fast and easy. I guess the only downfall is the scene...doesn't seem like my students go here read more

This place is definitely a hole in the wall, but it's good for certain things. Its never crowded. There are pool tables and an arcade game. This would be good for casual drinking and pool playing on a day where you don't want to be bothered with crowds of people. My friends and I have affectionately coined it the "old man bar." read more

GREAT BAR WITH VERY FRIENDLY STAFF AND REGULARS, Great DJ's on Saturday Nights, friendly, take requests and only play Alternative Music in every form. NO hip hop, top forty, classic rock, OVER PLAYED WANNABE MUSIC here. NOT a meathead or frat bar . A VERY NICE SAFE BAR WITH A EDGE read more

hey, this place sucks. came here after a rutgers football game. had to wait quite a while to get served. just one bartender but she was showing no hustle in helping people out, and i was wearing the shirt for the away team which probably didn't help. when she finally got to me, she only brought 2 of the 3 pitchers i ordered. she let them sit under the tap forever while she did other stuff, and when she brought them over they were about half foam. i've ordered a lot of beers in a lot of places and have never done this before, but asked if she wouldn't mind topping them off because they were nowhere even close to full after the foam settled. she said "uh, no, you're being picky" and walked off. and then this is the really cute part--she refused to bring me glasses for the pitchers or serve me for the rest of the afternoon because i asked her to fill up those pitchers. i do have to say that everyone that didn't work there was great. some women next to me at the bar apologized for the bartender and told me they didn't want me to think all jersey girls are jerks. one guy came into the bar and saw we were all from out of town and stopped to apologize for how shitty the bar is and to promise us that new brunswick has way better places so not to judge it by this place. i'll definitely be back if i'm ever in new brunswick again, just to see if my friend is working and can serve me a pitcher of foam. read more