Earlier this month, I enjoyed Sunday Brunch at McLoone's Boathouse. We were a party of five and celebrating a birthday. Taurus Season! :) While I'm from the area and also frequently visit the Waterfront that's part of the South Mountain Recreation Complex, this was my first time actually inside the restaurant. Brunch is buffet style with a variety of stations. Most of the stations are located in one area between dining rooms, but there are also stand alone stations. On our way out, I caught the "Waffle" station out of the corner of my eye and instantly regretted not doing a better scan of the entire layout lol. The food was very good and was presented elegantly on the tables and stations. Shiny chrome roll top chafers were replenished frequently with hot foods - breakfast eggs, sausages, bacon, potatoes, pasta, chicken, fish. There were also cheese and fruit platters, lox with capers, and oysters, clams, shrimp. You could also enjoy mimosas and bellinis if you like. McLoone's has a charm about it when you're in there. While waiting for the rest of my group, I looked around and saw the variety of seating areas and party rooms. It's nice. read more

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Today my girlfriend & I went to McLoone's Boathouse and we were very disappointed in our food experience. First off, we started with the calamari ($18) and it was so bad that we had to send it back and have them take it off of our bill. My girlfriend took the first bite and immediately looked at me and just paused, waiting for me to try it...because she already knew I wasn't going to think it was good. Sure enough, the bite was extremely chewy and rubbery. Absolutely NO crisp at all, just heavy and greasy like it had been sitting in a bowl of oil. It was honestly WAY below the quality you'd expect from a place like this. Secondly, we tried the Asian Ahi Tuna salad ($24), and that didn't really redeem anything. The tuna didn't taste fresh at all, nor was it seared properly, and it definitely wasn't blackened like the menu described. The salad had decently good ingredients, but the execution just wasn't there. It looked like everything was thrown into a bowl and the dressing was poured right in the middle without being mixed, so every bite was inconsistent. The craziest part is the contrast with the ambience. The space itself is beautiful. The fireplace, layout, bar, everything was easily a 5 out of 5. It's right on the water, so you can walk around before or after your meal, which is a great touch. We even played mini golf next door, which was a really fun little activity and honestly one of the highlights of the whole experience. But the food just doesn't match the setting at ALL. McLoones feels much more like a spot you go to for drinks and the vibe, not for the food itself. Unfortunately, we didn't even get to try the drinks, but based on everything else, that's probably the only reason I'd consider coming back. read more

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First timers, we wanted an experience not just a meal. We were greeted as walked in. Our first thoughts were to sit at the bar as we walked towards the bar we saw a high top table for two right in front of the huge fireplace. We decided to sit there. A friendly bartender came over introduced himself and we chatted. Loved his energy!! As we scoped the menu, our waters came out . We were so lucky as a great live band was playing great music. We enjoyed it. We ordered two great cocktails . They were delicious. Bartender came around the bar and took or food order. Our appetizer came out so fast, we were impressed. Looked and tasted Amazing! Our dinner came out shortly. My steak was perfectly executed. Great cut of meat and loved that it was already sliced. Brussels sprouts and red potatoes were perfect. As we enjoyed the band - And the fire, we asked for the dessert list and chose the cream brûlée cheesecake. That was the perfect end of a phenomenal dinner! We will definitely be back!! Highly recommend!! It's definitely an experience you will never forget. read more

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Its always a great time coming here. Food is great, friendly staff. Restaurant grounds are beautiful and after you eat you can walk around the restaurant and take the path towards the pond behind the establishment. Always a pleasant evening. read more

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Went here for a work event ! The place is beautiful right on the water, they have a big bar and some private rooms for bigger parties ! Food and drinks were delicious and servers were prompt and professional.I'm definitely coming back !! Good spot for brunch , dinner and drinks and can even have a large gathering here or a cool date spot too !! I'm going to be back :) read more

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I've now been here for two events and a dinner, and I have to say that both the food and the service are incredible. They really do go above and beyond. Of course, you can't beat the location and the view either. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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Came to celebrate a birthday. Place is quite cozy with fireplaces burning and great Christmas spirit. We all started with different appetizers which were all outstanding. Entrees were just a good. Service was great very attentive helped with menu questions. The staff even gave the birthday girl a signed birthday card, what a personalized touch! Will definitely be back! read more

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The most perfect holiday dinner! I love going with a group of people because then there is more options to try. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with Christmas decor. With all that said let's go On to the food. DELICIOUS!!!! Everything was mouth watering and cooked to perfection. The Firecracker shrimp were so good I drool Thinking about them. The desserts were the best Way to end the evening. My Only complaint would be the butternut squash ravioli they were drenched in to much butter or perhaps fat from the prosciutto but there was no real flavor either. Luck would have it that it was my meal hahahaha. Our waitress was a star, when picking appetizers she would excitedly agree or if it wasn't a fan favorite she'd give a little hmmm any other choice? It was funny and much appreciated. read more

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I've been to McLoone's before for brunch years ago (which I loved!) but never went for dinner as I had in mind that it was too fancy but it's the perfect blend of relaxed yet upscale atmosphere! The menu had a pleasant range of options for something lighter or a large meal. I had the shrimp tacos and was impressed by how flavorful they were with just a few simple ingredients. Will definitely be returning to try more of the menu and get one of the incredible looking desserts. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - Shrimp Tacos - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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Came for their brunch service to celebrate a family member's birthday. We had a reservation, so they checked us in quickly, and we only had to wait a couple of minutes before we were seated. The buffet experience was great. We especially loved the raw bar as part of the buffet, and the inclusion of the first round of brunch drinks in the per-person buffet price is a nice touch. The buffet seemed consistently tended to by staff and was promptly refreshed when things ran out. Unfortunately, it was so loud that we couldn't hear our waiter, although we barely needed him, having opted for the buffet. Additionally, while I will say everything seemed well maintained and perfectly clean, the floors in the lobby, dining room, and ESPECIALLY the bathrooms were SLIPPERY. Great service. Beautiful venue. We'll be back to celebrate more special occasions. read more

This is a lovely venue. Casual or special occasions, it's good all around. The service was very attentive. They have. DJ on weekends, nice touch. You also have the lake view. read more

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My family's visit here was fantastic, on several accounts. We were a fairly large group, including several children, coming off a hot and hungry walk around the nearby reservoir. We didn't have any reservations, but we were happily surprised to find they were willing to seat us. Once we entered the space, it was easy to see why. There's a TON of space, both indoors and on their spacious patio. The indoor space is separated into several dining rooms (each with its own name and theme), with an upscale lodge-like feel that somehow both felt casual and nice enough to imagine the restaurant as a potential event space. The menu reads like a fancier diner menu, with plenty of old favorites done well. I ordered the Betty salad, which was a beautifully composed mix of greens, apples, craisins, and candied walnuts. I find a lot of restaurant salads to be overdressed, but McLoone's got their proportions right. My husband's turkey panini was also eaten without complaint. The bread was crunchily toasted and the cheese melty enough to ooze all over the turkey. Around the table, there was common praise for the fries here, which are hot, well-fried, and super starchy. They were good enough that anyone who didn't get fries with their order promptly regretted it. There's been some grumbling about service in some of the reviews here, but I had no issues with the service we received. Our waiter checked in with us frequently to make sure we had everything we needed and silently swooped in to refill water glasses without our asking. Best of all, our bill at the end seemed pretty reasonable for the number of people we had in our party. We had a fantastic impromptu lunch and would definitely return the next time we come to the reservoir or Turtleback Zoo (also nearby). read more

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Went on a date with someone and we met here because we both lived far away so this was like a halfway point. It looks like it was once an old lodge right on this lake, which I guess is part of this beautiful park, the grounds of which were extraordinary. We both had burgers. I thought they were good, large, with excellent french fries. Maybe a little undercooked, even for a medium rare person like myself. if I was ever in the area again, I would definitely go back just for the park alone. The service was excellent as well. very attentive. We sat outside overlooking the lake. There was definitely an event going on inside and the place is just huge. Sorry, forgot to take a picture again, but I have another one of interest! read more

McLoone's Boathouse - Bullfrog in lake right below McLoone's - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

I went to McLoone's Boathouse with my daughter for a casual bite and Shirley Temples. The chicken wings were decent- no complaints there- but the service was really disappointing. There were multiple servers congregated by the bar, chatting with each other for the duration of our meal, instead of attending to customers- and our server was nowhere to be found for quite a while. I eventually had to walk up to the bar myself just to place our order. Overall, the food was fine, but the service felt unprofessional and inattentive. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - Chicken Wings - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

had a much better experience this time than my last visit. food was better and service was amazing! Hanifa did such an awesome job and definitely made everyone feel welcomed. She was professional but interacted with us in such a friendly and pleasant way. as for the food: the appetizers were a delicious start - calamari, general tso cauliflower, oysters, flatbread etc and the drinks were good too. For entrees i got their mahi mahi which was cooked flaky perfect and still juicy. Rice was great with coconut and green curry! even the dessert (chocolate cake and carrot cake) was a perfect sweet ending. Good job this time McLoone's! read more

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Took our grandson to Turtleback and had a 2pm reservation for lunch. Outdoor and inside it's a really great looking venue. We were seated immediately and from there it went downhill. This is the first time I have seen a restaurant with more negative reviews than positive. I read most of the 1-star reviews and it looks like we hit every bump. Bad food--not poor--BAD! Worst service I have experienced in 60 years of dining No rudeness just a lack of everything. If I owned this place, I would do 1 of 2 things. #1 Shut it down--restaff it on the service and chef level #2 Sell it, hopefully to an owner with a proven track record in quality food and service. Other than that, I really don't understand how it stays in business. It was so bad I wouldn't give it a 2nd chance. read more

Although a beautiful establishment, DO NOT GO HERE FOR DINING! Price - average | service - below average | management - below average | cleanliness - above average | interior - fancy, upscale, higher end cabin / lakehouse | parking - lot, plenty space Ordered Spring Cavatelli, Pork Chop and Short Rib entrees totaling around ~$110. Now, it pains me to write this because the visuals and ambience of this establishment is absolutely amazing sitting near a reservoir giving lakehouse vibes and situated in an upscale neighborhood showing off the beauty and charms of NJ as many are not aware of. HOWEVER, this rating is for a restaurant not a park...that said, Mcloone's Boathouse missed on many points. Part of any restaurant, the most important factor should be service. You can argue that it should be the taste of the food, but good service goes a long way and I haven't experienced any form of it from the front of house to the manager. Let me explain...I called twice prior to arrival in asking about reservations. I called back after the first time for a closer to arrival time about 30 minutes prior to arrival asking if making a reservation would be necessary compared to walk in to avoid wait times. The lady on the phone told me reservation would not be necessary and we would have no issue with a table upon arrival. I arrived with my party to find out nonetheless that we would have to wait whether for an outdoor or indoor dining. The expression of the lady at the front was distasteful as I kept asking how much longer given the fact I called prior to arrival about reservations. She should've sympathized that the incorrect information was given to me and done beyond efforts to make this right yet alone giving me an expression that was unnecessary. About 40-45 minutes later...we finally sit down. Then, I shared my experience with the manager for no other reason than for them to improve their processes for their benefits. This manager taps me on my arm like I'm a little kid and says "okay okay" while providing no offers of remediation or even sympathy. Again, I was not looking for remediation, but a restaurant with good service would've gone beyond their way to make this experience better, especially, for someone like a manager. This restaurant is lucky that I was in a very peaceful mood this day and accepted everything peacefully. In short, the food was below average for the price and type of place this was. Spring Cavatelli cream sauce was lackluster and dry for a cream sauce, pork chops was nothing better than an average homemade BBQ, and short ribs was far too salty for the reduced wine sauce with nothing more than a slab of short ribs on mashed potatoes. If you're charging over $30+ per meal in suburbs, the expectations should be more than what can be cooked at home. In hindsight, I am realizing the outrageousness of this situation. We were literally the only party waiting as others trickle in with no issues. Granted there was a large private party but all others seem to have sat down while we were the only ones waiting. I don't try to play the race card but now I'm thinking there may have been some sort of discrimination against being literally the only Asian American group yet alone ONLY group waiting at all. AVOID this beautiful establishment at all costs for the food and condescending service! Instead, skip the restaurant all together and go enjoy a walk near the reservoir and leave. read more

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Stopped by after a walk without a reservation on a Sunday for lunch/brunch and there was a bit of a wait but it went by quick. Loved sitting the the outdoor area at the high top tables with our dogs. The staff was so kind and accommodating, they brought out a water bowl for each and they even have a little dog menu. We ordered the lobster rolls and burgers which were both good. I loved the strawberry popping bubbles spritzer, it was so refreshing. I also got the truffle fries which were good. They also have a brunch buffet that looked really good if you were hungry. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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Food was good. I had the flatbread pizza and my daughter had a Cobb salad. Waiter was very nice and professional. Nice atmosphere read more

Family Friendly Spot With Good Options and Prices I'm shocked this place is rated so low. At the time of writing, this place is rated 2.5 stars. I read the low reviews and there is a lot of criticism around the food quality and service. Sounds like a lot of boomers and Karens honestly. Our experience was great. We came on the Memorial Day Weekend Saturday for lunch. We were promptly seated indoors after being given our choice of that or outdoors. It was a bit chilly. Prices were reasonable. Server told us the specials and I opted for the club sandwich special with truffle fries. We thought we were ending the meal with coffee when the server brought over a dessert tray and tempted us to stay a bit longer for a slice of cookie cake. Well... we are not in a rush to go anywhere. Would certainly come back again. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - club special - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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Its ok. Clearly trying to get one over on the calamari. There are more hot peppers than actual squid. Keep it simple and get a burger or something. Salad are ALL lettuce. Makes it look bigger than it actually is Nice ambience, but its all about the food. Service was slow and not attentive. read more

Came here to sample food for a special event. The shrimp was amazing! Although we didn't stay long, I would love to return and explore the rest of their menu. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

Ambiance gets extremely high scoring as this place is situation next to a lake and massive park/turtle back zoo. The service was good too as the staff were helpful serving the cake and with the brunch buffet. We were there for the brunch buffet and the offerings were plentiful and varied. The food quality was good however nothing particularly stood out. Our party of 9 had a good overall experience and I'd comeback again to try the regular menu & simply for the atmosphere alone. read more

Nice date place. I went there for my birthday. I loved it. Great ambiance and excellent food.

Birthday lunch on a Wednesday was very festive! The view was wonderful in the summer heat. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - Birthday ice cream! - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

Finally made it to Mcloone Boathouse on Mothers Day. Every Sunday they host a brunch buffet so Mothers Day brunch buffet was pretty much the same as their normal sunday brunch but of course a higher price and doesn't include the unlimited mimosa:-(. The brunch was pretty good. Lots of options from omelet station, crepe stations, waffle stations and tons of other hot items. My fav was the mini crab cakes, fresh oysters and shrimp. The downside it was pretty crowded so it was very hard to navigate from station to station and all the items and spread throughout the restaurant. It was a cold and rainy day so we couldnt take advantage of the patio or the lake views but it is quite stunning. I definitely was to return for lunch or a regular sunday brunch. Overall i enjoyed the experience!!! read more

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manager during Sunday brunch was incompetent. Gave our table away to a walk in. Told us reservations were not a guarantee when at the time time of reservation specifics were requested. Actually a reservation is a guarantee. That is what it is there for. They wouldn't like it if i just didn't show up for a reservation so why should they. read more

Gray bar space great food excellent brunch great ambience a good date spot and a great boon to the community.

I've been to McLoone's several times and have always had a great time. Sadly, yesterday was not one of those times. They were very busy last night, hosting a painting night & most of the dining rooms were full. We ordered the cheese board appetizer, modified to be gluten-free, & the chicken kebab and skirt steak entrée. At one point, a different server knocked over & broke at least 30 glasses by their station (more on that later). About 20 minutes after placing our order, our server offered to clear the unused small plates for our table. We told her that we were going to use them for our appetizer that we were still waiting for. About 10 minutes after that, our entrées came out. We told that server to cancel our appetizer. Not 5 minutes later, our server came out with a cheese board that was very wrong. To preface, I have celiac disease & need to eat gluten-free. Not only did our cheese board have crackers on it, but they did not look gluten-free, & were laying on top of all the cheeses. When I asked our server if it was gluten-free, she said she put it in that way. We sent it back, for both my concerns about gluten & that we already started our entrées. Part of me thinks that she forgot to put it in our original order & got one made last minute. Our server also took a very long time to refill our water glasses, walking past us with the pitcher after we had asked her before for a refill. I also placed an order for a burger to go with no veggies for my husband. When I brought it home, there were more veggies on it than anything. Tonight I had my leftover steak for dinner. As I was finishing the last few bites, I bit down on something very hard. I spit it out immediately, & saw it was a piece of glass! I'm lucky I didn't bite down harder, or I would've had a serious problem! I know it was not for my kitchen, as the steak went right from the box to my plate. Part of me thinks it had something to do with those glasses breaking earlier at the restaurant. Overall, I'm really disappointed that last night's meal wasn't like the great ones I've had in the past. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - Piece of glass from my Skirt Steak leftovers. - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

The restaurant is beautiful. When you walk in there's a fireplace and large bar. There are tables to the right and left of the bar and a large back room for larger groups and a fireplace. There's an outside patio overlooking the water. The parking lot is large with ample spaces. Overall it's very spacious. They have live music and various happy hour events. They also host private events. The waitress was extremely nice and attentive. She gets 5 stars!! The food is where they lose points. - the table bread and tomato oil was decent. The bread tasted like it had been reheated. - the cheesesteak egg rolls were ok. - the glaze on the baby back ribs was really good but the crab fried rice was so bland! - the ribeye was cooked to a lovely temperature but the white asparagus and potato were so plain. Ribeye could have been a tad more seasoned. The spiked iced tea lived up to its name. The fig-tini was uneventful. read more

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Been here a few times. Service is the worst. The management needs to assess the goal of this venue. For example, when a customer says keep tab open at bar then bartenders should not close it everytime. Another example, if they ask about food allergies you simply say let me check with chef . Don't gloss over and say I don't know I recommend don't order the item. Finally, when you are unsure it's okay to double check orders . Live is terrific but if the service is bad it drives customers away . There is also customers complaining about connect four . Management can pull the connect four away from live music instead you have frustrated customers. Again, why does this nice locational and place exist? read more

Went for Thanksgiving buffet. Tough turkey, the carving station only had 1 gravy choice, about 4-5 different potatoes, no rice, no corn, there's roll I took was hard, the only desserts were small pastry and falling apart apple pie and pumpkin pie, no other cakes, chocolate chip cookies and of course charged for 2 sodas at $4 a clip. Very disappointed. read more

Nice fireplace and ambiance at entry. Bad way to start any dinner is when your water glass has lipstick on it and it's from a prior customer - strike 1. Next problem was my menu was missing pages - the waitress apologized and she herself said "strike 2". Food was average. Server was sweet and the best part of our dining experience- I think her name was Amanda. Drinks were meh; an old fashioned without a cherrry??? Buffalo shrimp appetizer was ok. Skirt steak was average. We skipped dessert; didn't want there to be a strike 3. The reviews and overall rating of 2.5 stars here is accurate. Nice ambiance but much better restaurant s available nearby to spend your money on. 3 stars, only because nice waitress and nice spot / ambiance on reservoir. Everything else ain't worth it. Come with low expectations or go for cocktails and sit outside (or skip it altogether). read more

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Came here for lunch to celebrate a birthday and truly had an excellent experience! Ambiance is beautiful and refreshing. Extremely large restaurant with multiple areas to dine whether inside or out. Bar centrally located upon entering. Started with clam chowder to try and share and an order of fried calamari with fried cherry peppers. Chowder was filled with clams, but had a very strong smoked taste to it, perhaps from the bacon they used in it. Still good, but not my fave. Fried calamari was perfectly cooked and was accompanied with 2 different sauces and batter fried cherry pepper strips mixed in. Happy to see tentacles included as many restaurants leave them out. Would order it again. Main lunch was 2 orders of seafood rolls, one with homemade chips and one with salad. A Turkey club was ordered with salad as well. Rolls were fresh and toasted with a buttery touch. Tons of fresh lobster, shrimp and chopped scallops although I never really tasted the scallops or saw them. Mine did come out with chips, but instead of making me return it back they simply brought out a separate side salad of fresh mixed greens and light drizzle of a creamy Italian dressing. I appreciated I could start to eat instead of waiting while others dined. The Turkey club was loaded with fresh Turkey and greens with a cranberry dressing on it. Very tasty as well. We all shared a slice of banana foster cake. It was fresh and moist, but honestly no one could say this reminded them of the traditional dessert. It was more reminiscent of a luscious golden vanilla cake with walnuts and a light caramel frosting. My Mexican Mule was excellent though. It was concocted of jalapeño tequila, watermelon liqueur, pineapple, Cointreau, and lime. Would definitely order this again. Service was 8 out of 10. Didn't really feel we were ignored or waiting forever, but a few times we kind were looking for waitress for refill of water. Place is huge though and she was training a new server. Not an issue as it seemed to be for other reviewers in the past. However I could see if this was packed for dinner, it might annoy a patron. Will return and try other options. Next time I would like to eat outside and enjoy the beautiful view. read more

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Food was ok but the drinks sorry no good Watery drinks and didn't taste right and if I am getting a martini I want my glass filled all the way not 3/4 . The time before we came no problem that's why we came back Sorry read more

Yummy food and drinks!! Our server was a sweetheart!! Loved the cheese board definitely worth it 10/10 read more

McLoone's Boathouse - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

Service was very slow took a long time to get a non alcoholic drink Menu was very limited for people With special dietary needs Very loud Not a good experience read more

We just walked in on a Saturday night 830 it was dead. We sat at the bar after passing a nice table by the fireplace which had dirt dishes. We sat there 10 mins no bartender to be seen, then a women came behind the bar and ignored us. We said excuse me she looked at us then went to the bar sink. She then walked pass us and exited the bar. We got up and left. A couple said it really sux here and that the table by the fire place was prime however it had duty dishes on it 25 minutes. Tonight we went to give it another try. I'll never go back now. read more

the food here was amazing, especially the calamari the place looked beautiful inside, and even looking out the windows the view was beautiful too. the service was excellent, and all the staff were very polite and helpful. would definitely recommend read more

We had a reservation for opening (10:30) for the Sunday brunch. When we arrived around 10:20 and eventually entered at 10:30 it was very unorganized. No one to assist us or guide us to where we needed to go. When we eventually got to the front hostess desk, the hostess was very nice and we were able to sit outside. This is where the problems began. We were sat off the other side, unlike the rest of the guests being sat in a common area on the outside. We sat several tables down the opposite way. After sitting there for 10-15 minutes, and no staff acknowledging us, we went inside. We asked how things worked and they began to explain a buffet as is we we're stupid. What we really meant was, where was the staff? Despite there being more staff than guests, not a single person came to our table for the first half hour or more. Finally after our first plates and sitting there again for a while, we got up to ask if there were ways to get drinks. And again, the staff we spoke to with an attitude, said we ask our server for them. Which we finally proceeded to explain, we would IF we had a server. Finally after that conversation, 10 minutes later we finally had a lovely staff member come by to get a drink order and apologized because they weren't informed we were sat. However, that interaction along with the drinks served, and maybe once more, that was the only time we saw them. No refills, no other help. Just that. The food was good, but way overpriced and the staff gave off a "we don't want to be here vibe." I enjoyed what we ate but would probably not go again. All I wanted was a nice brunch, come coffee and a Sunday with no worries. read more

McLoone's Boathouse - New American Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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