This is a review of my recent visit to the bar for a drink and a bite to eat. We stopped by The Happy Apple Inn and had a wonderful experience. It's a quaint, charming local spot with great atmosphere and very fair prices. The service was absolutely excellent from start to finish. For dinner, I had the burger and my wife ordered the grilled chicken--both were delicious and well-prepared. Around 5:00 PM, you could see the locals start pouring in, which gave the place a really warm, lively, and authentic neighborhood vibe. Highly recommend read more

Place was old and dirty. Food was mediocre and the salad bar needs a revamp. Service was ok, but the kitchen was backed up and the wait between ordering and being served was long. read more

Great place to come in. I love the old decor and atmosphere in this place. The service was really good waitress and bartenders are always nice. Food is delicious. Never had a bad experience. Great desserts as well. read more

Happy Apple Inn - Old Fashion - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

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The food is amazing here! My husband and I love to come here on date nights. Recently, we came for Father's Day & sat upstairs. It was so nice. We ate like pigs & ordered so many different dishes off the menu. The staff is so friendly & the whiskey options are endless. Definitely a must visit restaurant/bar. read more

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Go for the view in the main dining room, and the fact that it's an old building with a history. Other than that, I went with some friends (after having been there many years ago and liking it then), and found the decor decidedly dated, the food just okay (and the salad bar not very clean, cramped, and not sanitary). Also, the ladies room: very unique lounge area on the second floor but in one of the stalls there was a small hole in the floor and you could see down onto the first floor. Not a good thing, especially for a restaurant. The service was good; moderately attentive. read more

Victoria and Bobbie were so accommodating for our event. I could not be happier with the service and the food is outstanding.

My husband and I went to this restaurant last night. We have gone there many times before, but it's been a few years. It's always been so good. But not last night. We ordered an appetizer seafood sampler. It was so over cooked. I ordered filet mignon, medium rare. It was well done. This was $45. My husband ordered the Seafood dinner. It was $98. The lobster was way over cooked. The scallop came right out of the breading and was bite size. He ordered a twice baked potato and received a plain baked potago. The waitress brought him a twice baked and it was ice cold. We drove 45 minute, so we won't be going back. read more

this place is great. the ambiance and rustic look in this establishment is astounding. dinner was awesome. server was brittany. she was very pleasant. the preparedness of food. was extremely amazing. only flaw is slow service. my friends eggplant panini arrived burnt and extra crispy. my only complaint.i give this place a 5-stars. definitely recommend this place. read more

Happy Apple Inn - Hi, Had dinner with a good friend of mine - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

This place is a dump & the health department needs to investigate. The place is dilapidated and filthy. All the window sills were caked in dust & dirt. The lake view was choked with lilly pads and was a stagnant mosquito breeding ground. Food is bland and under seasoned. I had crab cakes and while there was actual crab .. there was no seasoning or flavor. My date had the duck & he said it was dry. The bathroom is upstairs.. the staircase feels rickety..and the carpet on the stairs is BLACK from dirt. The women's bathroom is outdated and creepy Victorian dolls are in there. How is this sanitary? Parking lot is a gravel pit without any outdoor lighting ; it was dark when we left. Save your money & go somewhere else. Food: 1/5 | Service: 2/5 | Atmosphere: 1/5 read more

We went out for dinner with friends, food was good, service bad, we had a balance on a gift certificate to use, however when the bill came and attached the certificate c the waitress came back loudly asking who has the gift certificate, embarrassing, we acknowledged it was ours, and her response was cannot use it as it's expired, one would think this certificate would be valid as it was paid for originally in full and with a tab of over than $200.00 one would expect, you may not have been aware of it , but will accept this time and that would keep the atmosphere pleasant . We have been there 3 times already and this was our last and will not be recommending it , service , attitude, professionalism is very important. read more

Fast. Seating great service and great menu food to die for really full salad bar also I give this restaurant highest grade review. I'm not from the restaurant. I'm just a person that was very happy. Never gave this type of review before. and don't forget the steaks they're great. read more

Happy Apple Inn - Eating at happy apple - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

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Finally made it back to the Happy Apple and we had a great time. I've been hearing people rave about the duck, so I decided to try it. Well it didn't disappoint, crispy, with a delicious glaze and a twice baked potato. The salad bar was perfect too! Our waitress was a doll and very funny. Would be nice if maybe they had some background music throughout the restaurant, but we all enjoyed our meals anyway. FYI the whisky bar is only open on Fridays and Saturdays and it looks cool. Prices are still on the higher side, so it's not a place I would go for a quick dinner. read more

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Bad service, obnoxious staff, and the food is almost guaranteed make you SICK. It don't taste too bad but wait till later. Also Overpriced too definitely not worth it and it's dirty in there, especially the restrooms. Everything is covered in dust and cobwebs. Avoid! I'd give us zero star if possible. read more

The parking lot is a mess with litter everywhere, including sharp objects and empty alcoholic beverages. When I went to throw something away instead of tossing it on the ground with the rest of the garbage I got accosted by the owner in a very rude manner, I apologized and mid sentence he walked away, even stepping over the litter in his lot. The owner illegally allows people to park wherever, even in the middle of the road and it's very dangerous at night. One time when passing through we saw a car ram into the back of another car because they are parked tightly packed in the middle of the road. It can be very dangerous, if you do come later in the night be careful. read more

The place is outdated, dirty, dead flies on windowsills, cobwebs in corners. Service was poor and extremely slow. Limited menu was very pricey, and food was not good, overed cooked shrimp and gritty scallops small stuffed mushrooms. Really wanted to give them a chance but this place is a hard pass. read more

Love this place!!! Great drinks and dining and the people are the nicest! Only down is the rest rooms are UPstairs. Tough for an old coot like me. Cheers! read more

Fresh Salad Bar, Two Brined Delicious Pork Chops!!! They're known for them!! Great service, Pleasant surroundings, Great prices! read more

I'm rounding up a half star for nostalgia mainly, food is about 3.5. My family has been coming here as long as I can remember. Years ago we had many holidays, special events and milestones at this quaint and cozy place. It's been about 10 years since I've been, but I'm happy to report that not much has changed. The old school salad bar is still there with all of the offerings I remember. They always had one of my fav versions of potato and macaroni salad, they are just as good as I remembered. Along with various pickled salads, beets,coleslaw, hot peppers, very good cottage cheese, iceberg salad with homemade croutons and salad dressings. If memory serves the bread is from Italian people's. The menu has changed a bit, my fav dish used to be the stuffed scallops, no longer listed. And their seafood stuffing that used to be loaded with crawfish is now likely just crab and filler. I tried the stuffed flounder thinking the old stuff would be there. It's still a good stuffing, but could be great with more crustacean abs less bread. The flounder was very good, nice size and fresh too. But a light sauce would have been nice, this was served completely dry. My dining companion chose the stuffed chicken, she liked it a lot. We both had the mashed potatoes, I would have preferred a baked or twice baked potato both of which are usually available. For some reason these were not ready when we ordered. The mashed appeared to be made from leftover baked taters, ok at best. I like that this business is kind to seniors, they offer a senior menu with same sized portions of their staple dishes for a few bucks less. If you are a senior you also used to get a veg side dish. Not sure if that's still a thing, honestly I used to be irked by this. But when I brought my dad I used to get some of his. One nice improvement is the addition of a patio overlooking the small pond or lake. It's not huge and does not take away from the view inside. I imagine it's a great place in the warmer months. Service was and always has been friendly and warm, just like the old timey decor. As long as I'm in this area and the Apple still exists I'll be returning from time to time, if I play my cards right I'll soon be eligible for those free veggie sides. read more

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Great country restaurant and bar. Food is great the salad bar is mt favorite. Shout out to our favorite bartenders. Local vegetables used on the salad bar and plates. Prime rib is the best in the area. read more

Incredibly rude owner, food so overpriced it's arguably a scam. Below average cuisine with Michelin star restaurant prices is insulting. Parking lot is gross and dangerous, someone almost hit my car because I'm parked in the middle of the road with everyone else. If the prices were cut in half it still wouldn't be worth it. If cut into a quarter, you could make an argument to eat here. read more

I always love the Happy Apple Inn. The salad bar is always fresh and their entrees offer something for everyone. Bar service is very good as well. read more

Was there for New Year's Eve for dinner. Had 6pm reservations. Got seated a little late but 10 minutes after reservation time is ok. Food was good as usual. However, customer service and accommodation were awful. One would expect with the jacked up prices for the holiday they would have enough staff to handle the volume since it was reservations only. With 3 couples at our table it was too much for them to even do separate checks for each couple. One of the men at the table is picky about the ipa bear he drinks so he asked for a little taste of the 3 they offered. The response is we are too busy to do that. My wife ordered a martini. Eventually the waitress to us the bar was to busy would she like something else. So she settled on some wine. I waited 15 minutes an finally flagged a bus person to refill my Diet Coke she went to fond my waitress 10 more minutes to order it finally got it 30 minutes from when I initially wanted it. I could go on. We have been going there for this holiday dinner for quite a few years. Only because my wife likes the place. However this was our last year. Btw it was so loud we couldn't even have a conversation at the table. The other couples that we brought were very unhappy as well.. read more

Way overrated and overpriced for dinner, bar food was a lot better and cheaper pound for pound,salad bar was no big deal, fountain soda $2.99 PER re-fill,Really ?? Place was cold temperature,bathroom upstairs only, don't think there will be a return. read more

We had the nicest afternoon at the Happy Apple! Stopped in for a drink and appetizers, and were NOT disappointed. Our bartender was amazing, with so much knowledge of the history of this restaurant. We sat upstairs at the new bar area. The drinks were top notch, and presented well. You need to ask about the crystal clear, large, round ice cubes! They make them while you watch, kind of cool... read more

Happy Apple Inn - Special bourbon drink - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

Nice atmosphere, love the salad bar, good service. Food is pretty good and lots of choices.

Have not been here in a few years - went last week with friends and had a very nice experience. All of us had different sandwiches with a few drinks and the bill was reasonable and the service was very good. I did see that the entree's many are over $30, so expect a hefty bill if you go that way. Now that the weather is getting better will try to sit outside in the back which i hear is very nice read more

The food and drinks are out of this world but I am sorry to say the upstairs bar should be open more then Thursday and Friday

I recently had such a disappointing experience there the other day. We went out to dinner as a family - a very rare occurrence. Wanted to try something new and a place that was well reviewed by friends and online. It was Sunday night, so I know probably not optimal time, but it was what we had. A couple of things on the menu were not available, the food was underwhelming. The service was kind of perfunctory, as though we were a bother. Someone in the parking lot thought I parked too close to them. I offered to move. They declined. While we were inside they kicked and keyed my car. I work so much that I hardly ever get to go out. I am really sorry this was such a bad experience, as I was really looking forward to it. It's such a disappointment. That's all I really wanted to say. read more

This was our first visit to Happy Apple Inn. Unfortunately we were not very impressed from our experience from the onset. The venue is located in no mans land and it was so dark on a cold wintry night. The parking lot was not easy to navigate with little light and the street being filled with snow. I felt it was treacherous. There was no ramp for handicapped people, only two sets of stairs but at least there were railings to hold on to. The management did respect Covid rules; the tables were very spaced and staff were wearing masks. The menu on line did not reflect the menu in person. The prices were higher and they didn't have the prime rib because it wasn't a packed house. The entrees all came with a salad and potato but it wasn't expressed on the menu either. We had drinks and cold bread at first. We did ask for the bread to be warmed up which they agreed to do. We ordered a cup of French onion soup which was good and chicken wings which were spicy but skimpy on meat. I had the family recipe of crab cakes. They were good. My friends had filet Mignon and sirloin steaks which were tasteless. They did not season them at all. The portions were adequate. We decided not to order dessert. The venue is in an old house which is in desperate need of a renovation. I doubt we will come back. Also there is a handicapped bathroom on first floor but be prepared to walk up a full creaky staircase to main bathroom. There is a new bar and other rooms upstairs to eat in as well. read more

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Ordered crab cake which supposedly they are known for. The crab cakes were 90% breading and maybe 10% crab! The manager was called over and she said crab is $50 per lb and that's the way it is. No apology. She was annoyed. They weren't so good last visit but we decided to give them another try. Will never go back. Not accommodating at all. The woman manager was annoyed. Terrible customer service. Didn't want her to take it off the bill which most places would have. Just apologize and be nice about it. We're done. Will never go back even tho we've eaten there for years. Dont waste your money. Food and service went way down hill. read more

Just got back from having dinner at the Happy Apple Inn. The dinner was GREAT!!!!!! We started with a whiskey sour. Which was delicious and very refreshing then we had the salad bar which was very good. Everything on the salad bar was fresh and delicious. The bread was delicious also. I had steak which was cooked perfectly, my wife had the shrimp ala Vodka. She said it was delicious. We saved room for dessert we had the warm apple crisp. Excellent!! We will definitely be back. read more

I love the water front, full lived Bar, Salad Bar, and Great Food. Old charm. Would ride in the buckboard and enjoy the Rustic charm! read more

Happy Apple Inn - Bar with charm! - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

not a fan of dinning there,bar food burger is good,to sit down for dinner is very expensive and on a scale of 1-10, i give it a 6 1/2,server we had was not the best either,we ordered 2 bourbon salmon entrees plus 4 other entrees,,$32 or $35 each,she brings it to the table and announces that there is no asparagus left with the two pieces of fish in her hand,on a plain plate??,,rather than telling us AHEAD of time that they were out so maybe we could have ordered something else and she didin't even adjust the bill or throw in a free coffee,soda($2.99 per re-fill too) desert,something,well we got nothing,we just spent alot of money,and NO alcohol either,6 of us dinning,$266 later and a $50 tip never took anything off the bill,are they kidding? eat in the bar,i would'nt go beyond a burger at the bar,,but thats no way to have people return after being treated like that,no more for us dinning there. read more

No change in stars but just wanted to document my recent visit. I just don't get this place. If you are local and have fond memories of family outings from the 1970s, sure, I can relate. But I grew up elsewhere so this place just seems like a massively overpriced assisted living facility's cafeteria to me, located in the literal middle of nowhere NJ. Food is fine, not mind-blowing, and the service is friendly and efficient. But you will pay at least 3 times that of any other restaurant, including upscale city hotspots. The front steps and porch recently underwent a much needed renovation, at least. read more

Went today for lunch, nice staff, great atmosphere awesome salad bar (fresh) had Salmon and Prime rib, the prime rib was huge and was the best I've ever had! Salmon was very good! Avg dish $30.00 very quaint part of NJ recommend giving this place a try... read more

Happy Apple Inn - Reataurant front - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

Quaint old farmhouse decor with thrift-store furniture. The prices were outrageous for the quality. Most entrees are in the $35 range, but you will get better quality at any chain for less than half the price. Dinners include the salad bar which was very basic. You could probably make a better salad with items in you fridge. They claim to be farm to table, but it definitely died twice. Once at the farm and again on the plate. Everything and I mean everything was dry, flavorless and tough. read more

Such a nice little restaurant! Only thing is I Miss the salad bar! Glad to see they're bringing prime rib back!

Ever watch National Lampoon's Vacation? Familiar with Chevy Chase and his character in the series? Well this is the exact restaurant he would bring his family to dine! This is also the type of restaurant where during the holidays people are filled with gaudy, fugly Christmas sweaters. This place screams history. Location is beautiful, with the parking lot right next to the lake. Separate bar area in the front for privacy. Decor is classic, a piano for the guests to admire (the keys don't play, what a jip), wallpaper that you would never see in anyone's home, paintings around the dining room with price tags on each one (maybe it goes to charity). The salad bar is complete with a bread station where each person has the option to get up and cut their own piece of bread, eat, and repeat. Food is very good. The wait just takes forever and the restaurant wasn't pretty empty. Although i didn't try the steak, most of the people around my table ordered the steak and it came in large portions. i enjoyed the seafood and the stuffed chicken - each entree comes with the salad bar and choice of potatoes, go for the twice baked potato MmmMm. Also, the women's bathroom is so bizarre you may want to sneak your honey in there to take a look. The bathrooms are both upstairs and the men's bathroom is just a simple room while the woman's room is filled with furniture, flowered everything, bold wallpaper, and stalls that don't close - I can't explain how that fits in... I'd definitely go back, even if it is just to have dessert and admire the antiques and the feel of being in a 300 year old farm town. read more

Happy Apple Inn - Happy Apple Inn - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

I used to live not far from the inn but have since moved. While visiting the area I decided stop in and have dinner. I had the seafood appetizer which I felt was well prepared and I enjoyed. I decided to order the lump crab cakes ($35) but after I ate my salad I was rather full so I decided to take my meal home with me. I heated them up the next night. I was incredibly upset and disappointed when I realized that they were 90% breading, onions, celery and just a little bit of shredded crab. I called to speak to a manager but was informed that they weren't there and to call back. I've now called 4 times and have left my phone number twice and no one has gotten back to me. I've done a fair amount of traveling and have eaten lump crab up and down the east coast. Lump crab cakes should be at least 90% crab. Not the other way around. read more

Happy Apple Inn - Crab cakes - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

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Second time to the apple but first time reviewing (first time was a liquid hops and barley dinner). The interior is gorgeous with all the antique furnishings and design. Was seated immediately but still made a reservation and ended up not needing. Chris the bartender who we've been served by before is always friendly, smiling, and prompt with drinks. Our waitress immediately followed taking our orders and directed us to the salad bar which had the basics (7 dressings, iceberg lettuce, etc). Our mains arrived and I have to say by far the greatest pork chops I've ever tasted hands down, the waitress stated there wasn't special ingredients in the chops but just where they come from (sorry to inform but will need to follow up where they get). The steak was incredible but my dumb self ordered it medium well (I know I know let the ribbing start) so would have been perfect if I had ordered it medium. Overall will be returning to the apple again soon. read more

Happy Apple Inn - Filet steak with twice baked potato - American Near Me - Cream Ridge, New Jersey

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