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    Garlic Rose Bistro

    4.2 (332 reviews)
    ModerateAmerican, Italian
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Garlic Rose Bistro Photos

    GARLIC ROSE BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Garlic Rose Bistro

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    Shrimp and garlic sauce
    Ricardo F.

    Not the first time here and definitely not the last either. Close to home this place always hits the spot when me and wifey want something cozy and casual. Staff always so welcoming, nice and polite. Food is always great, nothing can be bad here. Love it

    Pork Chop Giambotta - truly the best pork chop I've ever had!!
    Brittany M.

    Garlic is most definitely on the menu here!! If you love garlic and Italian food, you will likely be at home at Garlic Rose Bistro. Everything is made with the love of garlic. They start you off with some bread and an absolutely delicious perfectly-roasted bulb of garlic, as well as a herby dipping oil. While looking at the menu I couldn't resist ordering the "garlic chowder" which tasted like a garlic-focused potato soup. I also read on the menu that the pork chop options would be "the best you've ever had" and I always love a challenge. Well, I'm happy to report, the pork chop giambatta was truly the best pork chop I've ever had! It had me with the description- cherry peppers and onions, YUM sign me up, but the really amazing part is how tender and juicy the chop was. I'm usually disappointed by pork chops because they tend to be dry and/or tough, but that wasn't the case here. You may think, ok, but surely there is no garlic on the dessert menu? Well, you'd be wrong. You can polish off your night with a scoop of garlic ice cream! We got it because we had to try it. The consistency was divine, and at first it tasted like a high quality vanilla ice cream, but, the after taste was pure garlic! It wasn't terrible, it kind of tasted like we were eating ice cream off of a savory plate. Would I get it again? Probably NOT! But fun to try all the same! The staff was attentive and friendly, with multiple servers making sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant is clean and even with our group of 8 we felt we had plenty of room.

    Seafood combo
    Todd C.

    We visited Garlic Rose for a birthday, and it was a very good experience overall. The Seafood Combo was packed with seafood and was a big portion. Our server, Dana, was very helpful and got everything to us in a timely manner.

    Lee C.

    I haven't been here in about 15 years. I asked around & a lot of people said this was still a good spot, so I figured I'd try it again. I have to say that I was really impressed with the service, the food & the very welcoming staff throughout the restaurant. Loved the olive oil spread for the complimentary bread! Our server was "Dana" and she exemplified what that role should be. She was very attentive, offered us reasonable entrees when we asked her, and was never pushy. She was gracious in allowing us time to chat & you could tell that she was invested in making our dining experience first class. Everything she suggested was amazing and we will most definitely be back. Even though we like to rotate area restaurants and sometimes not revisit one for over a year, we can make an exception for Garlic Rose. My only suggestion would be to make some small updates to the aesthetics as the decor could use some sprucing up, in comparison to other establishments in the area. A restaurant this good should also look a little nicer & brighter inside.

    Garlic bulb, garlic and oil, perfect bread.
    Marge M.

    The food is prepared to order and anything can be changed to your taste. Our food was very fresh and you could taste the quality. You could have as little or as much garlic you want. Ben our server was a delight. He very patient with my indecisiveness. He was genuinely kind and knowledgeable about the restaurant, menu, and gave us great recommendations. The restaurant is on a main street but once you step inside it is quiet and charming.

    Mussels
    Althea A.

    Garlic Rose is becoming a frequent go to for us. Im obsessed with their mussels and french onion pork chops.

    Menu
    Kevin H.

    Garlic Rose Bistro is a local township fav diner/bistro. Very well known in the area for good home cooked flavors. The interior has the rustic look of the town's history. Restaurant is very nice for quiet dining experience. They offer drinks as well as BYOB. Service is solid and staff is experienced. Food is also very solid and well priced and the flavors are spot on. I had the special prime rib dinner. Almost everything has a garlic touch on it. So if you don't like garlic then you have a hard time here.

    Penne and sausage
    Amy M.

    My husband lives for garlic. Last time we were in the area we wanted to try this place and finally got the opportunity. The service was amazing. From the first person we encountered to the last, everyone was friendly, helpful and attentive. We started with the garlic shrimp appetizer and it was delicious. The sauce was so incredibly scrumptious and the shrimp was fresh and cooked perfectly. An awesome starter! Then for our main course I had the Penne with Sausage and hubby had Chicken Francese. It's a favorite dish of his and he said it was the best he's ever had. My entree was terrific, and had it not been so filling, I would have eaten it all and licked my plate (hahaha!)... it was excellent. I look forward to the leftovers!! We often save coffee and dessert for a different venue, but were so thoroughly enjoying our time that we decided to stay and have coffee... and even that was great. We visit this area often and I think this will become a favorite. It was so incredibly good. Definitely if you like garlic -- and good Italian food -- go here!

    Garlicious Chicken Rigatoni
    Cherry P.

    Everyone raves about the French onion pork chop and it's good BuT the Garlicious Chicken Rigatoni Marsala cream sauce with mushrooms, sundried tomatoes & garlic was BOMB!!! Great atmosphere and servers were awesome ! Highly recommend trying this place!

    Saltimbocca
    Em K.

    5 stars! Love the touch of garlic in all the dishes, never overpowering and always just the right amount. They start you off with some warm bread, roasted garlic, and a garlicky/herby green dipping sauce. It's kind of like a pesto but it doesn't have any nuts in it (great news for me, as I'm allergic). It's a super yummy way to begin the meal. The French onion pork chop is life-changing. My friend also ordered it, and he's adamant that this was the best pork chop he's ever had, and he doesn't even usually like Swiss cheese. If you like French onion soup, you definitely need to try it. The Gilroy potatoes that come with this dish are outstanding and taste even better in the demi Glace. Service is friendly and fast. They were excellent with my food allergies. They took them very seriously and even had the manager come over to speak with me. They have a full bar, which I found a little confusing because I didn't see that information anywhere on their website.

    Cheese Ravioli w/ Vodka Sauce.
    Emma G.

    ***4 1/2 stars*** I didn't realize I'd brought my Dentyne Ice with me into the restaurant, but it was nice to have on my way out. Garlic Rose has been on my radar for literally years; they had a location in Madison that a few of my friends really liked back in the day, and while I don't have a strong opinion about garlic one way or the other, it seemed like a unique option. The Millennial Chum and I came here for dinner last night; Cranford is a "meet in the middle" area for us, so the timing was finally right for this one. Despite having to rely on the Parkway on a Friday night, both of us showed up uneventfully and were able to secure parking nearby. I parked on the street about a block away and had to pay $0.25 for half an hour of parking before the paid parking situation in Cranford expired - in this inflationary environment, I'll take it. We made a reservation for 5:45pm. It was pretty empty when we showed up but considerably more crowded by the end, so it probably wasn't necessary but I never see a downside if that's an option. It's a pleasant interior; there ARE white tablecloths, but it still maintained a pretty casual vibe. I was in nicer jeans and didn't feel like I was being naughty. I loved the way they handled the free bread situation here. The waiter placed a basket with two small rolls, along with roasted garlic to spread (that's a new one for me) and what seemed to be a well seasoned pesto-type dipping sauce. Initially the Millennial Chum was ruffled that we only had two small rolls to share, but it was clear that the basket would be immediately refilled, and the smaller portions prevented us from going nuts and filling up too much before the entrees showed up. Genius if you can keep a close eye on the bread inventory. The garlic and pesto-like sauce were delicious; each was excellent in their own right but I started combining them with my bread and really went to town. I'd accidentally had some dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets earlier in the day, so pasta seemed like the way to go. I opted for the Cheese Ravioli w/ Vodka Sauce (the website says $23 but I think this was around $25 or $26). Generous serving, and very good. As you'd expect, there was garlic involved but honestly the flavor itself was so subtle that I wouldn't have even known except for the visible garlic chunks in the sauce. That might be my big takeaway for the masses considering stopping by here - there IS a lot of garlic but it's not overpowering in any way, shape or form. The Millennial Chum had the Harvest Chicken and was very content with that, sending it viral almost immediately via her vast social media talents. The only slight ding I can give this place is that the one dessert I was genuinely interested in sampling, the garlic ice cream, was unavailable. Early on a Friday night, that seemed like a bit of an unforced error but obviously I don't know the background on why that particular item wasn't on the premises. The upside is that because i wasn't feeling the other desserts, I saved a few calories in the long run. I nibbled on the Millennial Chum's Rocky Road (the manager, I believe, stopped by right after she ordered it to tell her it had nuts, which makes me think a ton of people have ignorantly requested it not knowing what makes it Rocky, but I digress). The service was excellent. Our waiter was friendly, engaging and attentive. I can't speak for all females, but I'll take Miss over Ma'am any day, so hopefully he keeps up the excellent work in that capacity. Everyone was very pleasant and I'd have no issues going back; I'd be pretty devastated though if I missed out on the Garlic Ice Cream for a second time.

    Chicken Francaise

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    6 months ago

    Good, service and portions are very good. The garlic bulb is my favorite. Will definitely be back!

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    3 months ago

    Italian with some French influence! The food is always delicious. Great service and atmosphere!

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    7 months ago

    Excellent sangria and apps. The place is small but cozy and the food we tried was delicious, can't wait to go back!

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    1 year ago

    Food is always great here! We have tried many different menu items. I do think the inside needs to be update so we always take out.

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    Page 1 of 9

    Ask the Community - Garlic Rose Bistro

    Do they do take out?

    Yes just did take out last night. Have done it several times in past. Never any issues with the orders. Always great food

    Is this restaurant byob?

    I don't think so. They have a full bar in the back. The brought a menu with wines and various beers

    View All 3 Questions

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    Liberty Tavern

    Liberty Tavern

    3.9(40 reviews)
    4.1 mi
    $$

    My manbun chum and I have been trying to find a home to watch our one March Madness game every…read moreyear, and I think we found it for the foreseeable future. In fact, this time it looks to be a literal home. We stopped by last night to watch my beloved Gonzaga Bulldogs end their tournament run against Purdue. I could go into quite a bit of detail about some very shady calls in the paint and what I think should have been a taunting foul on Purdue's future proctologist Fletcher Loyer, but I digress. As soon as I walked in, I could tell I was going to like it. Prior years have been marred by loud sports bar atmospheres where you have to battle tooth and nail to convince someone to change the channel to something that isn't a mediocre NYC-area sports team (I say this as a Mets fan as well). Liberty was significantly quieter, definitely had an older crowd but also had numerous TVs throughout. The best of all worlds. I walked maybe 10 feet from the entrance, asked the bartender if she could switch the TV to the Zags on TBS, and that was that. Aside from a weird moment in the second half when the TV mysteriously changed to ESPN for a few minutes (we never confirmed the culprit), we had primo viewing of the game. Somehow we also managed to sit down next to a couple whose son was currently at Purdue. What a world. Vibe is everything with a place like this. I did a mild double-take when I realized the bar was located in a literal residential neighborhood in what may be someone's actual house (or at least upstairs). There's a parking lot on the side that had plenty of spots, and overall this was one of the most conveniently located establishments I've ever been to - it's about 30 seconds from Route 78 both ways. Initially I felt bad for the neighbors, but as bars go this is not exactly one that's going to be hosting raucous throwdowns outside or anything. You may actually be able to go to bed at 9pm living next door, which is my personal dream. The interior has a lot of tchotchkes behind the bar, and is surprisingly comfortable/spacious. The game started a little after 7:30pm on a Friday, but there were seats available right in front of the TVs and most of the patrons seemed to be in the back area playing pool. It did get a little more crowded throughout the game, but never to a point where it felt claustrophobic. The clientele demo skewed all over the place - several older codgers looked like they'd been rejected from Rock of Love Charm School (I thought one in particular was a dead ringer for Poison's CC DeVille), but there was also a few young men roaming around and middle-aged couples/singles throughout the establishment as well. Pretty much anyone who would theoretically come into a bar, did. We had a good bartender, who not only accommodated my TV request, but was friendly and accessible throughout our stay. I was in a sweet palate mood, and she offered to make a Hawaiian Volcano, apparently a drink pilfered from her days at TGI Friday's years ago. It's not something I'd necessarily get on a regular basis, but it definitely brought me back to my early legal drinking years for sure. I could taste some Malibu and juice, and sipped them throughout the game. We also got mozzy sticks and a pepperoni bar pie. Both were really decent for what they were, especially the mozzy sticks, which were fried perfectly. I thought the pizza tasted like a giant Bagel Bite, which is not an insult. But let's be clear - this is a dive bar, so it's not like you're wandering into the kitchen and stumbling across Jeremy Allen White from The Bear. You want something fairly tasty to munch on, and we got it. Strong recommend. I think expectations for a dive bar should be pretty simple - comfortable and pleasant. This was certainly that, minus the March Madness heartbreak.

    Great dive bar. Food is just meh, but I mange my expectations. I was not expect anything great…read more Either way what I got was just what I wanted and expected.

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    Liberty Tavern
    Liberty Tavern
    Liberty Tavern

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    Publick House - Honey Honey Chicken Sandwich

    Publick House

    4.0(310 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    Came here for a birthday lunch with my husband, the ambiance is beautiful especially this time of…read moreyear. My old phone was taking blurry pics from far away so I wasn't able to capture it, but think very cozy, fireplace with candles glowing from within, and little alcoves in the wall for candle clusters. It was perfectly elevated while still being casual and approachable. When we came there was a Mac and cheese special with pulled bbq pork on top. I knew we had to get that because it is right up my husbands alley. It did not disappoint, my husband was tempted to order some to take home! The pasta was super creamy and cheesy, mixed with the roasted pulled smoky bbq pork on top, it was the ultimate comfort food for the cold rainy day we were having. For my meal I got the Grilled Cheese which is more of an elevated "grown up" grilled cheese. It had cheese, thin apple slices, fig jam and bacon. The flavors were great, I only wish there was a little more cheese or a little less jam to balance the sweet and savory a little more, because for me it was a touch too sweet. The sourdough it was made with was delicious and fresh, I also appreciate that they don't seem to soak their grilled cheese in oil like a lot of places do (butter or nothing, please!!) My husband ordered the burger which he really enjoyed but nothing was going to top the pulled pork Mac and cheese for him. They should consider adding it to the regular menu! He originally wanted the duck sandwich but it was unavailable on this day. All in all it was a cozy afternoon together. Our waitress was very friendly and made sure to check on us without ever being too overbearing.

    Great happy hour- the burger was delicious with crispy truffle fries. Can choose loaded which comes…read morewith bacon, caramelized onions or plain. Drink specials included some discounted whiskey so enjoyed a couple cocktails which were perfectly crafted! Happy hour is 3-6.

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    Publick House - New Years Eve

    New Years Eve

    Publick House - Hot Honey Chicken & Waffles

    Hot Honey Chicken & Waffles

    Publick House - Weller 12 year bourbon

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    Millburn Standard - Chicken Wings

    Millburn Standard

    4.3(404 reviews)
    4.7 mi
    $$$

    Absolutely loved it!! The first time I visited, I ordered the steak tacos, which were super…read moreflavorful. A tad greasy but I still enjoyed them. On my second visit, I tried the blackened shrimp and corn cakes, and that dish alone inspired me to finally leave a review. Every ingredient was so vibrant and delightful, with flavors that complimented each other beautifully. The sweet corn cakes combined with the heat of the shrimp and the creamy avocado were perfect. The various textures made each bite even better. My friend also loved the american waygu burger. The place was pretty packed around 4:30 pm on a Saturday, but service was still pretty quick. Our waitress was also super sweet and attentive. Definitely one of the best dinners I've had in the area. Amazing spot!!

    Lovely neighborhood restaurant with an inventive menu and cool riffs on classics and specialty…read morecocktails and mocktails. My nephew who lives nearby treated us to an al fresco meal recently while visiting for a family event. My pulled pork smashed burger was everything you want in a packed meat sandwich, with an onion ring and tangy sauce on the brioche bun. The sweet potato fries and a refreshing mocktail to drink made for a perfect meal. Sweetie ate a pasta bolognese (I think) which looked and ate good, and drowned it with a nice glass of red wine. It was packed on the Friday night we visited, with folks lined up for seating, or to hang at the bar and enjoy the bar scene. No reservations. Our late dinner worked fine as the mostly millennial and Gen-Z crowd started thinning shortly after we arrived. Millburn has always been a draw for neighboring townsfolk in search of a meal out. I remember this foodie town from 25 years ago, when its pizza, kosher and diner offerings were top notch. It seems to have upgraded its food scene several notches since my last visit so many years ago. Pure nostalgia for me which made for a very flavorful evening. TOP TIP: Street parking in this part of town is a hassle and the local cops keep a sharp eye for illegally parked cars and inebriated drivers. So park further away from the center of town where you are more likely to snag a legal spot on a busy night.

    Photos
    Millburn Standard - Interior angle

    Interior angle

    Millburn Standard - Truffle fries, Philly, cheesesteak, sliders, loaded baked potato

    Truffle fries, Philly, cheesesteak, sliders, loaded baked potato

    Millburn Standard - Blood Orange Paloma

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    Blood Orange Paloma

    Vine and Oak Tavern - Crispy Chicken Sandwich

    Vine and Oak Tavern

    4.1(188 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Beautiful and upscale restaurant with modern, sophisticated touches. My husband and I have been…read morehere several times for brunch, and most recently we hosted a private event in the main dining area. Everything was fantastic - from the early stages of planning to the day of the party, our event coordinator Isabel helped make the entire experience seamless and stress-free. On the day of the event, everything went smoothly. The food was absolutely delicious and our guests commented how friendly and attentive the service was. We have no complaints and are very grateful to the entire team for making our event so special. We look forward to returning again soon!

    This is a lovely, upscale restaurant that's great for special occasions. It's spacious, with high…read moreceilings and cloth upholstered seats. To start, our table shared the burrata. It was light and fresh. For my main, I had the avocado toast. This was a unique preparation with hummus and almonds. The bread was quite soft. It was tasty and filling. The accompanying crispy breakfast potatoes were excellent. Perfect texture with a nice crisp bite. The portion sizes of all of the dishes were very generous. Our table also ordered the tres leches french toast, chicken waffle, and pappardelle, and everyone was satisfied. A couple of people ordered sides of eggs and bacon and they were able to accommodate that as well. To drink, I had a couple of the non-alcoholic cocktails. They were both quite good. For dessert, I loved the creme brûlée, which was smooth and creamy, with a crunchy caramelized top layer. Our waiter was patient and prompt with requests. We really enjoyed the meal!

    Photos
    Vine and Oak Tavern - Bar area

    Bar area

    Vine and Oak Tavern - Arugula salad with steak

    Arugula salad with steak

    Vine and Oak Tavern - Banana Bread Pudding

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    Banana Bread Pudding

    Garlic Rose Bistro - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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