I do NOT recommend Pub 517, we all had the lobster and it was not cleaned, I've been sick all night. Possible food poison! I had to give 1 star just to post this, but it's not deserved! read more

HORRIBLE. Clams were dried out, so clearly old, potatoes tasted like it was cooked the day prior and then over cooked. Medium rare hamburger was well-done and tasted re heated and the french fries were undercooked and cold. Not to mention that fact that the prices are equivalent to restaurants that are not dive bars. Basically you are paying a lot for reheated sub par food. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. read more

I'm going to start off by saying I am a server , and I know restaurants and servers are struggling during the pandemic which is why I'm giving 3 starts instead of 1 . We went out tonight to pub 517 for my husbands birthday because it's one of his favorite places . There were 6 adults 3 kids , the service was horrible . We had no silverware or napkins , my husband ate his steak with his hands and our server was nowhere to be found . When we asked for separate checks she said " too late it's already together" as a server I know we should have asked for this ahead of time , but i also know that means she didn't want to rewrite the checks . The biggest issue of all is nowhere in the restaurant or on the menu does it say automatic gratuity is included . She put the check down said " this includes tax and gratuity " and gave her self a nice tip . This didn't sit well with me so my husband called when he got home where he was told " it's up to the server if they charge automatic gratuity or not on parties of 6 or more and it's 18%" . If an establishment has an automatic gratuity rule it should be across the board not up to each individual server . So basically she can suck at her job , not do it correctly and then give herself 18% when she actually deserved less since she was barley around . Highly disappointed in a place we used to love . UPDATE : Apparently automatic gratuity is not their policy after speaking to a manager , hence why it's not posted anywhere , so the servers are just doing what they want when no supervisor is present ! Absolutely disgusting they should be ashamed of themselves read more

Great Pub, best price for Lobster, clams. Has all the other pickings at a reasonable price as well. Much better food and service and price than 199. read more

Less than impressed with the food (ok at best). Didn't accept credit cards & got charged a fee at their in house ATM. Who doesn't take credit cards ? If you end up here, bring a sock of pennies or something. Likely won't go back ever! Giving a two star rating because the wait staff was nice. read more

Pub 517 used to be somewhere my husband and I would go when we wanted seafood as it's less than 15 minutes from our home but last night was the last time we will go there. We both got king crab legs and my husband also ordered a steak. Both our crab legs were extremely dry to the point we couldn't finish them. I NEVER not finish crab legs. The steak was cooked correctly (medium) but was so chewy you couldn't eat it or even swallow. In addition to the bad food, the next thing just put the nail in the coffin. We meet friends for a birthday party, 6 adults & 3 kids. The service was horrible. Our waitress was no where to be found all night. We were grabbing anyone we could to help with things like silverware, napkins, drinks, sides, etc. The server did not come to serve our food or to see how our food was, since taking our order when we first got there we didn't see her again until we wanted the check. We did ask for a separate check but she told us it was to late, okay we understand that, no problem. She then threw a menu on the table and told us this was for us figure out how much we all owed. The check still didn't come for another 15-20 minutes. When it did, she made sure to tell us this includes tax and gratuity. No where did it say that there was an automatic gratuity for x number of guests on the menu or anywhere in the restaurant for that matter. Also, mind you, we have been here plenty of times with more people than last night and never had a server add their own 20% tip. Just as a side note, we are good tippers. We have a lot of family and friends in the field and respect good service but I cannot believe that we had no choice but to leave a $70 tip to someone who we saw twice the entire night. I would have rather given that money to the waitresses that needed to help us in addition to their own tables or the bus boy who cleaned up for us because our server was MIA. Overall, all around bad experience. read more

I was pleasantly surprised. The interior looks great the exterior looks great. The wait staff is wonderful and hard-working. We were both very pleased with our food and our drinks I had a cocktail and it was delicious. I will definitely be back. I live in Andover and I have been looking for local places to call my own. When I go back I will sit outside the view in the back is absolutely gorgeous. read more

This is definitely my favorite place to eat in town even though it's just about the only place in town. Steaks are good and you can't beat the price and quality of the seafood. The staff is always friendly, fast and efficient. The menu is not huge and it doesn't vary much but if you're looking for a decent steak or want to satisfy your shellfish craving, this is the best place to go. If you just want a sandwich, my favorite is the roast beef or turkey club. The atmosphere is very relaxed, high-energy and a little bit loud. The views are fantastic so get a seat near the window or near the big fireplace in the winter. read more

This Sparta girl is out of her mind.number1 Control you're kids dads too!i was trying to enjoy a nice quiet evening with good food and drink and had to deal with irresponsible parents not paying attention to there kids. read more

Absolutely the worst dining experience I have had. Went with a large party with kids. We all sat separately. Kids table and 2 seperate tables for moms and dads. Our kids know how to act in a restaurant. This was outside seating with a field and a horse. The employees were totally out of control. I cant even believe the way the spoke to us and more importantly the kids. They tried to move an unoccupied table in an unoccupied area 5 feet into the shade. The employees acted like we committed a felony. Servers running and yelling to stop them. We were told our large party was going to cut into their profits because we took too much space. There was at least 3 open tables the whole time. My wifes clams had black mud in them and the others were full of sand. My sons lobster was not great. Frozen and resteamed. My 5 year old ordered a childrens hot dog and it came out on a hoagie roll. Why put a skinny hot dog on a large bun like that. I ordered a salad. It was good. The manager or server, not sure of her postion there, told us they were hot and had to wear masks. We just came from a baseball tournament where the kids wore masks in the sun for 5 hours. I get it. It is difficult working like that. Dont take it out on us. My son asked me why while driving home why the server was so angry with them. The most egregious part of the dining experience was my Blue Moon draft. I had 3 they were warm and tasted like the lines hadnt been cleaned since last year. You're a pub. Get the beer right! If I knew the way we were going to be spoken to after spending close to a thousand dollars there i would have sent my beer back, made a sand castle with the clams and fed the lobster to the horse. read more

A great casual option off beaten path. Nice beer and drink menu. Indoor and patio seating. Lovely views. Big menus with something for everyone! No credo cards. Only cash. But they have an ATM if you forget. Wait staff is lovely and dedicated. We will be back. read more

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I'm not sure how to characterize this place. It is located outside of Hackettstown in little town known as Tranquility. It is right next door to a large Seventh Day Adventist compound and behind a corn field/ pumpkin field depending on the year. This place is quirky, there are more stuffed animals per square foot than are located in the NY Natural History Museum. The scent of beer is noticible. The menu is limited to lobster, steak, and sandwiches and the price is reasonable. The preparations are basic, nothing dressed up or fancy here but the food is first rate. You can't go wrong with the two dozen steamed clams and lobster. The steaks are better than I've had in some higher end steak houses. No sissy salads served. No credit cards are accepted. After your meal you might consider visitng a local tourist site. The Tranquility Cemetary. Instead of returning to 517 take the road, located close to the Pub, there is a old Presbyterian church on the corner. Less than a mile, on your left you will see the cemetary. Drive all the way to the back and you will see a large angel monument. This is the Rutherfurd family burial site dating back to the revolutionary war. Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, Franklin Roosevelt's mistress is buried here. The angel was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the sculpture of the Lincoln memorials. There is a small park down the road where the remains of the Rutherfurd mansions is located. The Tranquility Farms produce stand is located in the area. The area is suitable for a fall Sunday drive. read more

Food comes out quickly. Cheap for the portions. Some staff members aren't so friendly, but will always go back. I typically get the Taylor ham sandwich with is ridiculously big. Turkey club is also good. Burgers are excellent. If you like seafood (I don't) steamers and crab legs always get rave reviews. read more

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The food is great, the the prices are good. And the service is always good. The New York strip is my favorite.

I am planning to go out to eat locally and looking over reviews to make my decision for my birthday celebration.. I want to thank that lovely critic from Sparta who definitely made the decision for me. I can't wait to go to the pub to show how real "classy" patrons act, although I haven't been there in awhile everything was always delicious with a very "happy" environment! I guess misery loves company .. sounds like you tried to make these poor kids miserable , actually your comments made you look terrible And the restaurant look more appealing! Cheers happy birthday to me ! read more

All I can say is the best burgers in the world amazing friendly staff and just a great fun place to go love it

I followed my GPS to here. Big mistake. It led me off RT. 80 down some god awful dirt road rather than the the more obvious paved road (opposite Kennedy Rd.) that goes right in to their parking lot. The T-bone steak was okay at $19 - could have had a strip steak with clams for the same price, but someone who ordered that said the strip was rather small and fatty. As others have mentioned, they ran out of clams for our group anyway. Service was quick for appetizers, slow for the entrées. One drink medium for all (so you at least have to buy a bottle of water) and cash only. read more

We have been coming to this place for over 5 years once a week and spending well over $150 a night. The martinis are now awful and watered down and have become so overpriced at $14 each. We left starving and spent over $170 with a tip. The place is a ripoff. And the service is slow. read more

Always a good place. The staff are great, food is great and it's a kick back and relax place . Sometimes after a long week you just need this read more

Great place, friendly staff. If you like seafood this is the place for you. Great outdoor eating.

We stopped there on the wing no reservation no nothing. It was Saturday night walked inside, sat at bar had drinks had clams and lobster food was fabulous. Service was excellent and everyone was friendly and nice.I would give you a five star bought your air conditioning was not working very well it was hot. Yes I plan on going there again great food great prices great everything, except air conditioning. read more

I actually really enjoy this place. Yes, it is a dive. It's basically there for good, cheap food. I stop here after a day at Allamuchy and it's always a great place to wind down. Staff is nice, food is cheap, it comes out fast, and it tastes great. That's all you need to know. Downside? It's cash only. I hate that. The back room is a lil odd with the deer heads surrounding the place. Get the clams! So cheap for a dozen or two. Also, the chicken parm was great. Also, save room for dessert. They have this ice cream made by one of the local farms. It's amazing. read more

Hopped in the car and decided to take the hour drive to hit this place again. Glad we did. Clams were great and the meals beyond generous. Service was friendly and it was nice to see they were busy. read more

went here for the first time this evening ! wow for the prices being way to much and for the poor quality of the food, they only accept cash which should be stated on their website before hand , the steaks were very plain , no flavor & tough ! and they are supposed to be 20 oz steaks they were definitely more like 8 oz steak , no rolls , no salads included a tiny potato on both plates , and cold . the owner of the Mac machine has a 3.00 fee & then own bank charges a fee ! and &17.00 for a shrimp cocktail with 7 very small shrimp laying on a plate , not even presented properly ! we will not be returning , and give this place a great big fat zero !! read more

What a place. In the middle of a field. Awesome food. Cash only. There is an ATM by the bar. I always come for the crab legs. Fast service. read more

Awful just awful. Yes it's a bar, yes it's a dive!! A little pricey for the no frills dive that it is. Steak would be better served on the bottom of your shoe! Median was cooked over a blow torch charred to a inedible crisp. read more

Food is great, calamari is some of the best I've had. Service is always friendly and warm, however on this day slow. Not enough help on floor, as needed. Cash only! read more

We ordered take out last night. Very disappointed. Two Eggplant Parmigiana were mostly breading and very bland. Could not eat it. Two steaks at $30 each. Supposed to be medium rare . One was good the other was overcooked and very dry. Past meals have been so so. Will not use them again. $110 and only one meal was edible. read more

Best place in the area. Great food, cash only to keep the prices down, there is an ATM on location. Can not go wrong with $21steak & 2 dozen clam combo. Burgers thick and great with real bacon. Bartenders are friendly, owners are always around treating friends and guests. Plenty of room for groups and can order pitchers at tables. Late night on weekends there is usually a band by the bar, so come early if your not into live music. In the age of chain bars this is one of the last few survivors in the area where you feel at home. read more

Used to be a bargain, no more. 6:00 Sat night, ran out of lobster! 42 bucks for crab legs and clams. This pub is off the list!

Food: A+ Service: A Atmosphere: A- I've only been here once but I was shocked at how great the food and service was. The menu is huge, ranging from seafood to burgers, and all at a great price. The appetizers are delicious and come in s shareable portion size. The waitresses were all friendly and took our orders quickly. Food was delivered quickly, our multiple orders were correct, and they checked on us to make sure we had enough drinks etc. The atmosphere was ok, as long as you're ok with eating next to 20+ dead animal heads hanging on the wall. That would normally throw me off, but the rooms are so big that they don't overwhelm the space. It definitely has a down-home, hunting, country-bar feel to it. The bar itself is very large, can't vouch for the service or night scene since I went for dinner around 6pm. There are plenty of TVs to watch near the bar for game nights. THEY ONLY ACCEPT CASH. This was one downside, but if you know ahead of time you're fine. read more

Food is average. Service is great. Far too expensive for what you get and for the atmosphere. $15 for 2 dozen clams. It used to be $9.

This pub is known for their reasonably priced lobster, clams, crab legs, steak and ribs. Patio area was a recent add-on and is very nice. Nice amount of tables and umbrellas. The parking lot always looks packed but do not be fooled! It has a large bar and dining room. *Note* Pub517 accepts cash only but there is an ATM inside. read more

This place is the best. They serve the best food for example their Snow Crab Legs. Amazing. Their servers? Equally as great!

This bar/restaurant had a very country vibe, lots of locals and lots of open space. The portions were great, you can't beat the lobster and clams deal, though the burger was very good to. Prices reflect most jersey establishments in that it is more expensive than the rest of the world but still reasonable for the area. Beer selection was limited when it came to crafts and there was no ($1/$2) drafts either. Wait staff was friendly, we sat at the bar. If you live in the area and haven't been it's certainly worth a try. Wouldn't drive to far out of the way though. If you looking for a locals pub with stand up food and service in the area check them out. read more

Nice ride up 80 to Gods country..the bar maids are nice, - clams for me, lobster & crab legs for the hub, and don't forget the draft beer!. You can find some nice people to chat with. Like this one better than the one in Mt. Arlington for sure. Just a nice local bar with great food, we drop a ton of bucks up there but totally worth it. We just love the place, plain and simple. read more

Albeit one of the only places in town, they are also worth the drive. Full of locals and a good bar scene, but don't come here looking for fancy drinks or an extensive wine selection. You come here for beer, clams and snow crab legs (or lobster). I wouldn't bother with the steak but the burgers and chicken sandwiches are also good. Problem is the burgers are often over cooked for my taste (medium does not equal well done guys - needs a little red/juice!). They've added outdoor seating in summer 2017 and have only eaten out there once or twice but the views are nice is there aren't any mosquitoes! read more

Great spot for seafood and a steak, served fast and fresh in a cozy down- home feelin' place. Friendly staff and the food is plentiful. Parking is tight and the place gets a little loud but still highly enjoyable. read more

Pub 517 - Bar atmosphere in front - Pubs Near Me - Hackettstown, New Jersey

My Husband and I went to Pub 517 yesterday for lunch. We attempted another go at it after a dinner we had there some month's back that we weren't thrilled with. Let me first say that we have been regular customer's here for years and the Pub 199 in Mt. Arlington since it was first purchased by George at 199. He no longer owns 517, however, the new owner is very nice and keeps the place immaculate including the bathrooms (unlike Pub 199). We were surprised to see there was not a lot of people there, especially the motorcycle crowds. Granted it was a gorgeous day...but regardless, this place has always been packed on Sunday's. We had the only bike there and I knew for sure it wasn't a good sign. The prices have gone up very much on the food as we knew already from the dinner we had there, however, that said if I have to pay more I would expect it to be fresh. I ordered my typical 2 dozen clams (without the king crab legs at $86.00!!!) and they were obviously not just steamed they were sitting for awhile. The texture was dry and they tasted like the fridge. My Husband ordered the wings and they were no longer the big plump ones we were use to they were little and not fried enough...they were fleshy. His chicken tenders were over cooked and hard. Needless to say we did not send any of it back because the waitress was brand new and very sweet. We didn't want her to get upset over it. By the way her name was Addie and she's great. The soda is a smaller portion and the bartender doesn't fill the beer all the way in the pint glass (at $6.00 I'd like the glass at least filled). The only good thing about the food that I can say was the butter was fresh and hot as compared to the old oily cold butter I use to get when it was busy. I don't see the beautiful Horses out back anymore, unfortunately...was always nice to see them running around. Anyway, my review was for the food and what you are paying for at $50.00. Sure the food prices have soared out the roof everywhere, however, when you are buying in bulk quantities there should be no reason to raise them to the degree they have. It is a real shame because this place was always a great place to go for clams and crab legs. I wish him a lot of luck hanging in there at those prices. That will be our last visit there sadly... read more

The clams were dry and the fish sandwich was something I could have at Wendy's. Will not go there again. The waitress was great. But not the food. Maybe there are different cooks. But not today. I cook better. read more