What can I say about Burger Kraze? Hands down the best addition to the local area in a while…read more Absolutely desimates ShakeShack which has lost its quality/value and has never been run well from a staff/management standpoint. Meanwhile, owner (Isaac) delivers a personal touch and pride of ownership that is unparalleled. Place is spotless and staff offers phenomenal customer service with a smile. Isaac gives his patrons numerous options. There's the classics done well with high quality ingredients and the phenomenal cultural twists to burgers, chicken sandwiches and even corn dogs. I haven't had a corn dog in forever. This was some kind of tempura-ish fried coating (with a little sweetness to the batter) that I've never seen coupled with a hot dog. I can't wait to go back for the Doritos version. Burger Kraze has already done one promotion for my son's elementary that was a huge hit. The change away from using peanut oil helps broaden the options for those that couldn't enjoy before. Just shows that Isaac has a pulse on the community and that's the touch that you can only find from a local small business owner. Cheers to the success as it's well-deserved for the Rutgers alumni!

The corn dogs taste just like the ones you'd get at the state fair. The potato dog is the standout…read moreand makes ordering fries unnecessary (even though the steak fries are good too). The Klassic Dog with Japanese mayo comes in a close second (and if you skip the mayo, I don't trust you). The Dorito dog had great flavor but was definitely too salty; would love to see them offer a mini half-size option for that one. The Rainbow Dog was a miss. The cereal topping doesn't stick well, and the sweetness feels off balance. The burger was fine, but with Hey Burger right nearby and clearly the better burger spot, it's not something I'd order here again. On the bright side, the milkshakes were good; they've got a homemade taste that Shake Shack can't match. I'd 100% come back just for the corn dogs and shakes.

Best burgers around! Love the food here, especially the burgers, and the wings, and the hotdog, and…read moreeverything else... There's usually a crowd of locals there who either ignore you or let you jump in on the conversation. A couple of times I've been there I've had different bartenders and they've all been really nice and friendly Good service and quiet place to hang out have a drink and get some food... Sounds great to me!

Once again, we used Yelp to find a place for lunch, and were not disappointed. Our…read morebartender/server, James was personable and delivered our food quickly. It was a slow, rainy Thursday at 12;30PM so the place was almost empty. There was a lunch special ($2 off all burgers) and we went with the Black and Bleu Smash Burger as well as the BBQ Bacon Smash Burger. Both were excellent and came with fries that were hot and crispy. The beer selection is fairly good and I went with a 007XX from Carton Brewing (just up the road). The place is basically a road house (Nic's Hometown Tavern) with very little ambiance, but was welcoming. Hey Burger seems to be an additional tag. One step up from a dive bar and I can imagine that it gets pretty busy later in the day. If in the area, I will stop in again!

Their bowls are SO good. Mix of fresh and diverse ingredients, flavorful sauces, and a heaping…read moreportion of chicken. I've also had their burgers and chicken fingers - everything tastes so fresh and real. Amazing prices too. I'm surprised to see so little reviews! This place is a hidden gem for sure.

I tried the buffalo burger twice... absolutely terrible!!!!!! Over cooked, tasteless…read moremeat......never again!!!!

We've been coming to BB for over 25 years, and it's always been a favorite. The last few years we…read morehaven't been able to grab seats at the bar, so we've missed out on that experience. Last night we finally snagged the last two seats -- and we didn't realize just how much we missed the burger! It was cooked to perfection, incredibly flavorful, and everything we remembered (and more). Service was on point as always -- friendly, attentive, and seamless. We were so happy to get those seats and enjoy one of our longtime favorites again. Highly recommend -- especially the burger with cheese on the side. Yum!

Reminds me of many of my old haunts growing up in New England. Warm, bustling bar and grill well…read moredecorated with nautical themed items. Spotless and inviting. Service was outstanding, attentive and friendly and fast. Appetizers for our group included the fried zucchini - tender, well seasoned, crisp exterior - highly recommend. Entrees for our group included burgers (all were excellent). Myself I had the fried flounder sandwich - crispy fried, fresh and well seasoned. Cocktails all were good - personally I had the Long Island Ice Tea was perfect. Plenty of parking upfront or down the street. Perfect place for meeting old, or your newest friends.

One of, if not the top, of my favorite new discoveries in my area. Definitely made me wish I'd been…read morelooking around a lot sooner. Everything I've ordered at this place: burgers, sandwiches, sides, pretzel... all the food here is great. So are the bartenders who are extremely attentive and treat everyone really well. Only complaint I have is the draft beers that they have on top are odd and leaves me with very few choices. I do love the vibe here. Reminds of my old drinking hole from back home.

Friends of ours, turned us in to this place. A Tiny place, you would never find it, if someone…read moredidn't point it out. It's a liquor store in the front, and bar, grill in the back. I say this nicely, it's your typical hole in the wall joint that is totally awesome!! A HIDDEN GEM! We've gone twice, and both times food was excellent. Also a nice selection of beers. Service is great, staff friendly. The photo attached is your basic bacon cheeseburger, I asked for it rare...and lo and behold, it was perfect, along with perfectly cooked well done fries. Their french onion soup also rocks. I'll be going back.....soon. Hell, I am going to become a regular.

First time trying this new location and it was great! The staff was friendly and helpful with the…read moreorders. I placed the order at the counter and sat at our table. They give you a number and you sit at your table. The food was brought to us when ready. The staff also comes around and offers refills on empty drinks. it was nice to have our empty cup filled right before we left. My husband, son and I all got burgers and shared fries. The burgers were cooked well and toppings were a good combination. The plain cheeseburger was big but still good for my 5 year old son to have.

This was my first time ever trying Shake Shack, and it's a lot better than I expected it to be!…read more The Mushroom Truffle Burger was DELICIOUS!!!! I made it a double, and it was very filling! I tasted the black truffles with every bite in my burger! Yummy! It was so flavorful! I would of rated Shake Shack 5 stars, but I felt their crinkled fries could of been better. They were good, but not amazing like their Mushroom Truffle Burger. I loved their cheese sauce they put on top of their fries. Next time I'll try their shake. I recommend Shake Shack in Middletown!

Freddy's in Holmdel has been open 4 months or so & I finally tried it (been only once to one in…read moreKansas). Ordered the bacon double, added L&T - no onion, plus added 1000 island. No extra cost which is nice. Also added Tater Tots in lieu of their fries & a beverage. It was very filling overall, tots were nice & crispy as they should be. Burger itself was a bit over seasoned / perhaps too salty. I did try the burger patties to confirm it wasn't just the bacon. Perhaps it was just a few extra shakes of their seasoning (I'll have to try that burger again to confirm). I also do want to try the chicken sandy's next time & reg fries. Plus their fry sauce (forgot to ask for it). And the frozen custard. Whew so much work to do ;) Inside it was bright & clean, I do see how it may be a bit loud when it's busy though (I went midweek at 2 pm). Will add that to the review when I go at a busier time. Service was fine given it was no where near full. Note that it doesn't have a drive thru. But if you order online they have a "frequent purchase" program & if you order anything frozen they'll keep it in the freezer until pickup.

I'm partial to any spot that offers tater tots! Pretty good burgers for a chain, pleasantly salty…read moresnd flavorful. Ample parking, clean and spacious. Kids loves the shakes.

Here's a refined, "elite" Yelp review that also subtly reflects the photo:…read more If you're looking for a spot that nails both presentation and flavor, Atlantic House is absolutely worth the trip. We ordered the fish tacos, birria tacos, and kettle-style potato chips--and every plate came out looking as good as it tasted. The fish tacos were beautifully assembled, piled high with crisp, fresh slaw that added the perfect crunch to the tender, flaky fish underneath. Light, clean, and balanced. The birria tacos were the star of the table. Rich, deeply seasoned meat tucked into perfectly griddled shells, served with a savory dipping broth that takes each bite to another level. Messy in the best way possible--and completely worth it. Even the kettle-style potato chips stood out. Thick-cut, golden, and topped with just the right amount of flavor to make them more than just a side--they held their own next to the tacos. The overall experience ties everything together: polished yet relaxed atmosphere, attentive service, and dishes that clearly have intention behind them. It's the kind of place where you can tell care is put into both the food and the experience. Atlantic House isn't just a good meal--it's a spot you'll want to come back to, and one I'd recommend without hesitation.

The Atlantic House is always so tasty! The Chicken Vodka Parm was a special, but I wish it was on…read morethe menu year round! It is my favorite foods, so I was so excited to see it on the menu. The vodka sauce was so tasty. The chicken was cooked perfectly and I was given a good portion, which I then had leftovers for two days! The service here is always amazing and everyone is so accommodating and friendly. I am always looking forward to the next time I go here!

Food: Tasty burrata with the tomato compote; delicious crispy halibut with whipped potatoes;…read moreflavorful braised short rib au vin; ample amount of broccolini; no extra fee for subbing sides Service: Very accommodating, friendly, attentive Ambiance: clean, good vibes; tiny hole in the wall bathrooms; spacious parking

We chose Nicholas Barrel & Roost based on the menu and an almost 4 star rating on Yelp with over…read more500 reviews. The halibut caught my eye immediately; I'm a sucker for a perfectly prepared piece of halibut or a great pork chop, and since my partner doesn't eat meat it made for an easy share. Earlier in the day, a couple of women at our hotel bar mentioned the chef had trained at Jean-Georges in Manhattan, which only added to our anticipation. It wasn't until we got back to the hotel after dinner and did a little reading that we learned just how decorated Harary really is; his Restaurant Nicholas held Zagat's top spot in New Jersey for 15 consecutive years and earned a 4-star New York Times review. That context made our middling meal sting just a little more. We started with the bread service and the beet salad. The bread itself was baked beautifully, but the butter and ricotta accompanying it were completely flavorless. My partner and I are not salt-at-the-table people; we trust that seasoning happened in the kitchen. This was the first time in recent memory that we actually reached for the salt shaker. Not a great sign. The beet salad should have been a showstopper. Beets, when done right, can carry an entire dish on their own. Instead, they were buried under an avalanche of arugula. Don't get me wrong, arugula is one of my favorite greens; that peppery bite and beautiful texture are hard to beat, but here it was doing all the heavy lifting while the beets sat underneath doing nothing. We'd eaten most of the salad before we even noticed the sunflower seeds and a smear of mascarpone hiding on the bottom of the bowl. That mascarpone, gently flaked on top with the seeds scattered over it to catch in the folds, could have made this dish genuinely memorable. The gorgeous candy-striped radishes were a lovely visual touch, but they were raw, undressed slices with no seasoning, no acid, no pickling. Beautiful to look at; an afterthought to eat. The whole salad felt that way, honestly. For our main, we shared the Panko Crusted Halibut with bok choy and smoked shallot velouté. The sauce was the star; the smoke level was dialed in perfectly, present in all the right ways without overpowering everything else. The wild mushrooms were lovely, but the dish needed something to break up the texture. The bok choy brought good flavor, but it mirrored the mushrooms so closely that each bite started to blur together. Something crispy, something sharp, would have elevated the whole thing considerably. The fish itself was cooked well; firm, flakey, and not dried out. The panko crust was gorgeous to look at but could have been crispier. Based on its beautiful golden color, it looked like it had more crunch than it actually delivered. The cocktails were a genuine highlight. An old fashioned made with 1792 and a Black Manhattan, both well-crafted and the clearest bright spots of the evening. The three people behind the bar were another highlight. Expedient, attentive, never rushing anyone, and willing to make easy conversation without being intrusive. That is exactly what you want from people working a good bar. The ambiance, though, was confusing. The space seemed to pull in two directions at once; it wanted to feel upscale but also like a sports bar, and it never fully committed to either. Three small TVs tucked into the corners would have been fine. The oversized screen mounted prominently on the wall was intrusive and clashed hard with any sense of elevated dining. The music was classic rock, which I enjoy, but it read as wrong for the room and was a tad too loud. The music for this type of setting should be something to just add some ambiance, not for people to shout-sing too like you've had too many beers at a dive karaoke bar, which I love by the way, this was just not that kind of place. Those same women from the hotel bar had also warned us it could get loud and obnoxious in there. We figured we'd take our chances. We probably should have listened. With the legacy behind this place, the potential is clearly there. The bar staff gets it. Now the kitchen and the room just need to catch up.

SHREWSBURY: Hearthly Burger is a delicious and casual spot serving up better burgers made from the…read morebest ingredients, and their Shrewsbury location welcomes leashed and friendly pups on the outdoor patio! In addition to burgers, their menu features chicken, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan options, so there is something for everyone. The Beyond Burger, vegan chocolate shake, and classic fries are all excellent! The outdoor seating area is cute, comfortable, and surrounded by greenery, perfect for relaxing with your pup and enjoying a great meal.

My girlfriend and I chose to try Hearthly Burger, located at 520 Broad Street, Shrewsbury, NJ,…read morebecause we eat 100% organic and rarely eat meat, so we thought this would be a good place to try a burger. While our food was being prepared, the cook -- wearing the same gloves used for food handling -- began spraying a chemical degreaser approximately six inches below the food prep table. We could clearly see the mist drifting near the food. Because of the visible chemical spray near active food preparation, and due to my serious gluten allergy, we politely asked that the food be remade. The response from staff made us feel as though we were the problem for raising the concern. The employee appeared upset and threw the food into the garbage, and no explanation, apology, or reassurance was offered. From our perspective, chemical degreasers and food preparation should never occur at the same time. After I clarified that this was a food safety issue, a second employee stepped in and properly remade the food, which I appreciated. The food itself was poor to fair. Despite this being a to-go order, we still tipped 18%, yet the overall experience reflected very poor customer service. If a food safety officer had been present, this would likely have been a very bad day for the restaurant. Am I overreacting..Zero Would I return? Never. Will I share this experience with friends? Yes.