I've been sitting on this review for a while because I totally thought I had written it already. My bad! This is from a meal we had back in March, so take from it what you will. I wanted to take The Man out somewhere nice for his birthday. He's Irish and digs pubs, so I thought Publick House would be a good choice being so close to home. We went in on a Tuesday night with no reservation. The restaurant was full, but not packed so they were able to seat us right away. I noticed immediately that it was really dark. A bit darker than I like, even for romantic meals. We were seated at a table along the wall. The tables were really close together, so it was a tight squeeze for my chubby man. They had quite a large variety of beers on tap, and I let the birthday boy have whatever he wanted (something I couldn't pronounce, let alone spell) while I stuck to water. Our server brought our drinks over after a few minutes and took our dinner order. He ordered a caesar salad and the Publick burger while I opted for the house salad and an order of fish & chips. We chit-chatted a bit with the couple next to us while we waited for our food. Since it was so busy that night, we figured we'd have to wait a long time, but it was really only a few minutes for our salads and maybe another 10ish minutes for our entrees. Our server checked in with us a few times to refresh our drinks, but was very unobtrusive. The salads were good. I mean, they're standard salads. Not easy to mess up, but also not easy to elevate into something spectacular. The Man thoroughly enjoyed his burger. The carmelized onions gave just the right amount of sweetness, playing off the smokiness of the bacon and the saltiness of the cheese. The roll held up to such a hearty burger, and it was a nice touch to bring it out on a wooden board. My fish & chips were quite lovely as well. The batter was crisp and golden while the fish was moist and succulent. My only complaint would be that the fish didn't taste seasoned. Nothing a little malt vinegar couldn't fix, thankfully, but I had expected better from them. We didn't bother sticking around for dessert, but it was no fault of the restaurant (we're TV junkies, what can I say). Overall, we had a positive experience at Publick House. Definitely above average service and food, but it didn't quite wow me. We'll be back for sure, though! read more

The Public House is a great place to enjoy a pleasant meal alone, or with friends. This place has it all. The atmosphere is relaxed and cozy. The bar staff is fantastic. They pour wonderful current and fantastic classic mixed drinks. There's a good selection of on-tap IPA as well as high end bottled beers, and an amazing wine list. The professional and excellent wait staff knows the menu well and can recommend good pairing wines for any entree. With Chef DeRosa at the helm, the kitchen produces wonderfully unique top quality food for a menu that changes weekly. On the appetizer listing you'll find seasonal charcuterie trays, Tuna toasts, and more to whet your appetite. I recommend the Bibb leaf lettuce salad with Champagne dressing, toasted walnuts, and seasonal fruit. What a way to start, or end your meal. Their dessert menu includes homemade gelato, cakes, tortes and other delicious items well worth saving room for. With cozy ambience, fantastic food, and a professional friendly staff, what are you waiting for? Try it, you'll like!!! read more

I've eaten here quite a bit and always have a good meal. Sometimes better than others but never bad. I was there last night and I had the veal chop. The veal was very tasty and came with mushroom and mashed potatoes which were both very good. I could have used something green though; spinach, kale, asparagus, etc. Some sort of green veggie as the meal was essentially just meat and potatoes - tasty but lacking. Anyway, I very much appreciate that they have a number of gluten free options. I've got an allergy and it's nice to be able to order with ease. Curiously though, none of the desert options were GF. I was going to order a desert but no avail. Just a suggestion, I know making GF is time consuming and may not be economical but there are a number of gluten free bakeries in the area (like Chez in Cranford). Perhaps publick house could sell his products (for a cost, of course) as a GF option. Just a thought. Regardless, I do recommend this place if you're looking for a good meal. read more

I really wanted to like this place since I always pass by it and it always seems lively. I'll give the benefit of the doubt that maybe the day I went, may have been a bad day? To start, the prices are pretty high for how underwhelming the food is. For food, I ordered the grilled octopus appetizer, New York Strip steak cooked medium rare, and grilled scallops and it pains me to say I was not impressed. The steak was bland and burnt to a crisp on the outside and the rest of the components seemed lazy and underwhelming to me, a few slivered tomatoes and cubes of croutons was far too bland for the price. Grilled scallops were okay but the sauce that layer under it was corn in a cream sauce that tasted like canned corn. The octopus appetizer had a similar corn component under it. Last, the watermelon mezcal cocktail drink, was undrinkable. Overall spent close to $200 and I was extremely disappointed and underwhelmed with it all. There was a complete lack of flavor. Again, I hate to give such a negative review but it was memorable for me and not in a good way. Again, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it may have been a bad day, but I don't think I would try it again. The staff was overall really friendly otherwise and had great customer service. read more

Very misleading entrees. On a 6" plate!!? Lamb pasta had appetizer portion. Literally 10 pieces of pasta and very little lamb. Rabbit cacciatore wasn't. Shrimp bisque lukewarm. We were the first try lemon ricotta cake. Don't. Dense. Dry. Not much lemon taste. Service good. Wine good. Very disappointed. read more

This was my first trip to Publick House. We were so excited to give this place a try and our expectations fell flat. The only reason I recommend going here is for the ambience. Super relaxed, chic, trendy vibe with TV's at the bar. Great setting for a birthday or an anniversary dinner. The food was pretty solid. I had the fish and chips and my wife the panzzz..(don't remember the name) salad. Both were cooked and plated very well. However the service could use just a little work. It took multiple attempts to find my waiter. I hate having to be that guy that has to raise his hand to get someone's attention in a restaurant. Lastly, in my experience working in restaurants (I was an actor in grad school, I worked in more than a few restaurants in NYC) common practice when you know it's a guests birthday you serve them a complimentary dessert. That was not the case for Publick House. Sure enough when the check came they had charged us for the dessert. It's not a huge red flag just felt super odd to me and bad manners. All in all I would give this place a 7/10 and would come back for drinks sometime. read more

My meal I felt was spectacular. My spouse less so. First I had the Tuna Crisp appetizer. Lovely soft tuna atop a deep fried crispy rice triangle. The spicy sauce was perfect. I could have eaten 20. I had the Veal Strip Steak which are really veal tenderloins atop mashed potatoes with a layer of spectacularly salted wild mushrooms. The sauce and the mushrooms provided the salt flavor for the veal. It was wonderfully seared. I ordered medium veal and it melted in my mouth. My wine was the Ramsey Pinot Noir. My husband was underwhelmed by his $22 hamburger. It was just ok and served with ok fries. He said his Ceasar salad was overdressed. The service was very good. There was a bit of jackassery when I asked the waiter what was on the mushrooms as they tasted like heaven. He came back to tell me hot pan oil salt. I had said to him as he tried off at my question was this just salt or a bit of soy sauce or what. He delivered the answer with the flippancy of a chef and the added that the market they go to in PA sells them for a farm that grows NOTHING BUT mushrooms. Mushroom farms grow nothing but mushrooms. Most are located in upper Delaware. I acted enlightened. Jackassery aside, the mushrooms were so wonderful in my mouth, I forgive all. I recommend. read more

So close to my house...so unfrequently visited. Here's why. The decor and the bar/fireplace area are great - feels cozy and like you're in an old timey inn from the colonial era. So far, so good. But the food was just not wonderful, and prices were high for what it was. At a family dinner, my sister in law, who is vegetarian, ordered her pasta without meat...and they hedged, saying that the sauce was made with meat. They offered a primavera as a substitution, which she accepted. When it came back, it looked (and tasted) like frozen vegetables, canned marinara sauce (very tinny with no real flavor), and pasta. On a "neighborhood moms night out" I ordered an appetizer that was more edible, but light on flavor and finesse. I reserve the right to increase the star rating after trying it again, but haven't made my way back to Publick House. (P.S. We can walk there.) read more

My boyfriend I came here on a date night. It was super cold and snowy. The place was still packed. The food is excellent. I got the salmon, it was perfectly cooked. It was not at all over cooked. My boyfriend got the short ribs (I believe). It was super tender he was able to cut it with a butter knife. We skipped dessert, so I won't be able to tell how if it was good or not. Overall, it was a pretty good experience. read more

This is an upscale sort of Pub slash fine dining. It's kind of a weird setting that you can't quite pinpoint what they're going for. I lean more towards Pub vibe here. Food was pricey and wasn't super enjoyable, don't feel like it was a good value. I wouldn't have mind the prices it's the food we're really delicious, but it was mediocre at best. Not really sure why there's so much talk around this place sometimes. I think those who talk it up like The Vibes atmosphere and maybe aren't coming here for just the food. read more

Tried a few different apps. Octopus was the least favorite and we love octopus. Oysters were nice and fresh. The wings were excellent and crispy! Tuna crisps were nice and different. The Heath bar sundae is amazing!! read more

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We visited for dinner in a Friday night a few weeks ago. My husband were seated at a table for 2. We were then moved to a table for 4 as we learned a friend wanted to join us. The restaurant kindly accommodated us to a larger table where we ordered appetizers and drinks while waiting for our friend who took a little while as he was stuck in commuting traffic. It started getting annoying as the staff kept coming over and asking if our friend was showing up. Then the Manager/Owner came over and rudely and angrily inquired where our friend was and that we had been sitting there an hour -- not true ! We were stunned as we have been dining at this establishment for years and supported them during Covid. As mentioned we had ordered apps and drinks which are not cheap. We will not dine there again -- going to go to the new Black Sheep restaurant-- where the Publick House chef moved to. Still amazed we experienced such horrible customer service. read more

Had an amazing dinner here. My husband had the burger. He loved it. Said the fresh ground meat was grilled and had a smokeish flavor. He is a big d Fan! The burger looked huge! I had the scallops with risotto on the gluten free menu and it was Devine! Perfect texture, perfect portion. We both had the bibb salad and it was perfectly seasoned. Can't wait to go back and try again. read more

Great local spot with great food. Have been here a few times as my girlfriend and I have turned it into our go to spot. Let's start with appetizers: THE BURRATA! This is the best dish on the menu, typically it comes with a homemade diced tomato sauce which is absolutely amazing with the burrata. That said, last time we went they replaced the tomato sauce was replaced with field greens - So Disappointed!! Burrata was just as good but the diced tomato sauce made the dish and I hope they put it back on the menu. Tuna Crisp - these are also delicious and a perfect dish to share. Shrimp - comes in a garlic sauce, nothing great and you'll get better at any restaurant that serves food from Spain. Pork Belly - these little sliders are delicious and another great sharing plate. Entrees: Scallops - these are great, and a perfect portion size. The scallops sit on a bed of carrot & thyme risotto which is also delicious. Fried Rice or Fried Chicken - I thought both of these were a little underwhelming, they didn't taste bad but were a bit bland and didn't give you anything to rave about. The place: The vibe and ambiance is dark/romantic yet inviting, the place always seems to be packed and the service is always great - no complaints there. In a nutshell, some plates are hit or miss. And by that I mean you won't get anything that tastes bad, but some dishes may be a little bland where others completely blow you away. Most definitely worth a try - just check the reviews first for recommendations on dishes! read more

The drinks didn't taste good, too strong or overpowering. I had the scallops which at the time I thought was good until I came home at night from having dinner. I got terribly sick, vomiting, face with a rash and stomach with a rash. Found out that this was an allergic reaction due to the scallops not being fresh. I never had this problem with seafood at all. The scallops weren't fresh, it caused an allergic reaction on me. Later on that month I had scallops from elsewhere and I was perfectly fine. So I will not return to publicly house. read more

Very good service ,ambiance and food was delicious . The waiter also had knowledge of wine pairing

We have been there several times and have enjoyed it. The staff are consistently professional, welcoming and attentive. I sat at the bar last night and had roast oysters (really enjoyable, though oddly served on top of small non-edible stones of some kind) and a burger with fries. The fries were overcooked. I should have sent them back but I was too hungry. Sorry to report the burger was disappointing. $22 for what to me seemed quite like a Costco burger: unnatural uniform pre-formed edge to the patty and remarkably tasteless. I've liked this place and would love for them to continue to succeed and deliver excellent food but this was a disappointment. I am concerned they are cutting corners which will not serve them well in the long term. I'm curious if there has been a change in ownership? read more

Great food and staff! Never had a bad meal there. Always make a reservation as they are always busy.

Have been in Publick House twice and both times the experience was very pleasing. Cozy space, fireplace, and candles on the tables. I especially liked Draft Beer Flight - selection of small glasses with beers on tap of your choice. Drinks are very well complimented by delicious food. read more

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Very good food and service with nice decor. Busy corner so best park round back. Prices are generally fair, very good for kids menu. Update on 2/28/20 - dishonest bartender is unacceptable. She conveniently "forgot" happy hour discount on the check and then, after I pointed it out, only gave $1 off drafts despite happy hour being $2 off for drafts. read more

I read a lot of good reviews about this place and I was unpleasantly surprised for it to miss the mark. I ordered French Onion Soup and Ribs for Entree. It is cold outside and there is nothing better to warm up than a hot soup. Alas, the soup was served lukewarm. Finally after waiting for awhile the main dish came, ribs, veggies and potatoes. The ribs were lukewarm too, the potatoes and the vegetables were just cold. I ended up not enjoying the dinner and still spending $100. Not coming back again. read more

Food was amazing!! We took the waitresses suggestions and had the monkfish and the local steak dish. Not only were the main event delicious but all of the sides were delectable as well. The restaurant is in an unassuming location but there is plenty of parking. I'd eat here again in a heartbeat! read more

We went in a big group yesterday to celebrate my wife's PhD. Called ahead for reservation no problem, everything ready and waiting when we got there. Sweet. This place was smaller than I expected, no real separation from the bar to the dining area. Nice fire place and cushion section- would be very romantic for 2. Lots of drink options. I'm a scotch fan, but they had a whole menu of american burbons and ryes... the actual scotch was also nice, found something I'd never tried and like it, but some of the spirits were overpriced- I'm lookin at you Balvenie Caribbean cask. We did a lot of appetizers, and everything was a winner. The burrata, tuna, wings (even though they were breaded, these were good)... all super tasty. The pork belly though, wow. That was something special. For dinner I had a burger. It was good, not great, but not bad. I liked the bun, meat was a little overcooked and small. Fries were shoestring and well done. Not bad, but not my favorite. Wife's filet mignon tasted great. Didn't pay so I can't tell you the price, but no way it was cheap. I liked it a lot. read more

Service and food were good. Even though I liked the food, for a $30 entree, I received four scallops that were the size of quarters. It was more like an appetizer. All in all, it was a pleasant experience. read more

Awesome food and service!! Quality of food was stunning and I'm so happy we found this little gem locally. We will be back soon.

My boyfriend & I, literally love this place! The food is delicious & the cocktails are too die for. Service could be a little more attentive but non the less not a reason to stop coming here; this is our go to spot for great quality at a reasonable price. read more

I've been conflicted on what to give Publick House. On one end, I love the cosy decor and dim lighting. A bit of a nicer atmosphere than most pubs. On the other end, I couldn't really decide what I wanted from the menu (it seemed a bit lackluster for a place like this, but again, maybe that's just me.) According to my boyfriend, this place changes menu often so I will give it the benefit of a doubt. My boyfriend and I came on a Friday night and we grabbed one of the last remaining tables so no wait for us. The place was packed but spread sparsely so it didn't feel like you were intruding on anyone's space. However the wait staff was completely floored and overwhelmed with the amount of business. Our waitress was there immediately to hand us the menus and give us our water but afterwards it was quite hard to track her down. For the appetizer, we had the burrata. It was delicious with the balsamic glaze and was probably the best burrata I had (yes, perhaps beating the one I had in Italy). My boyfriend and I both ordered the burger and it was good, flavorful and juicy. Overall I did enjoy my dinner. The wait for the bill was agonizingly long and the waitress was nowhere to be found for 30 minutes. I would say the meal itself would be 4 star and atmosphere 5 star. I would have to round down to a 3 star because of the lack of service. read more

Burgers good, wings are pretty good as well. Their "truffle fries" suck. If you're gonna advertise them as "truffle fries", get your act together. read more

I like this place! Cutie and cozy. It's a relaxed nature vibe. They have a good food and drink menu.my fiance got a burger and me salmon. I enjoyed my meal both times I have been and plan to return. It's a smaller place but there is seating at the bar or a little lounge area by a fireplace in the back. They keep the place dimly lit which adds to the vibe. I say go see for yourself. read more

Had dinner here on a Friday night with four friends. At 6:00 PM, we only had to wait about 15 min. for a table, and sitting by the gas fireplace while enjoying a drink was pleasant. By 6:30 PM, there was already an overflow of patrons waiting for tables, so the place can get very crowded and noisy. The lighting is soft, and and the ambiance comfortable. Three flat-screen TV's, two over the bar, and one over the fireplace, are more of a distraction than an enhancement. I had a blue cheese iceberg salad and a filet mignon. My companions had a grilled pork chop, mussels, beet & goat cheese salads, a burger, and Shepherd's Pie. Everyone enjoyed their food. Portions are modest, but sufficient. My friend is a wine connoisseur, and was not impressed with the wine menu, commenting that it is uninteresting and overpriced, but he is a snob. They have a good beer menu, and I had Duvel Belgian beer, one of my favorites, which at $9 was a buck cheaper than at nearby Grillestone on the highway. The service was polite and flawless. Our tab for three beers, three glasses of wine, plus one bottle of the lowest-priced Argentinian wine, four apps/salads, and five entrées, was $280, plus tip. Not bad. I liked the place and would return, but probably avoid at peak weekend mealtimes due to the crowds and volume level. read more

*3.5 Stars* This was on my list of places to try for a while. Walking in you will realize a few things. It looks very modern and new. The bar area is not very big and the place itself is quaint. In the back there is a fireplace and some comfy chairs to have a nice conversation and a drink. This is not your typical "Irish Pub" menu...it's with an added flair! The beers on tap are eclectic. They have an Elf beer that is 12% vol...delicious but potent. The bartender I had knew how to pour a Guinness which was very impressive. Time and time again you will not see that... Onto the meal. The menu is not overwhelming and has various choices. Not too much to choose from which is a good thing. I went with Dillon Burger (grilled red onion, apple wood smoked bacon, Tipperary cheddar on a brioche roll)...This is where I think they need improvement. The bun didn't taste fresh BUT the burger was cooked exactly like I wanted. The toppings went well together but the bun wasn't pulling it's weight. The fries were so/so...but edible (especially when you're hungry). Their prices are a bit high (the Elf beer was 7.50 but it does kick your butt) but I will take that with great service (which they provided) and a cool atmosphere. I will be returning soon...ENJOY! read more

I love the food, drinks and atmosphere. Unfortunately they have horrible service. The tuna crisp appetizer is my favorite! I go for the food and the spicy dirty martini ... Just make sure you are ready to be ignored by the people that work there.. You pretty much have to beg to spend money read more

3.5 stars for Publick House's good beer selection and food. Publick House is a hybrid bar / restaurant. In terms of layout, it feels more like a bar: the main dining room is casually appointed, and opens up to a large, well-stocked bar, with ~15 microbrews on tap. I went on a Thursday evening, and it was hopping, both earlier in the evening as a restaurant, and later as it morphed into a bar. Beer selection is good - on this visit I enjoyed the Founders Nitro Pale Ale - and the house cocktails sound intriguing. Will have to wait until next time to sample those. For dinner I started with the beet, spinach and goat cheese salad (good), and then moved on to the scallops, which were very good. Five perfectly-cooked scallops, served on a yummy bed of roasted corn, bacon and red peppers. Perfect portion size, very tasty, and a dish I would definitely order again. Dessert wasn't quite up to that standard. The dessert menu plays it safe: brownie sundae, cheesecake, gelatos & sorbets. I selected the cheesecake, which was OK, but a bit coarse-grained, not as creamy as the best ones I've had. Service was fine, in a casual way. The kind of service you'd get at a nice pub, but maybe not quite up to the level of what you'd expect at a place where entrees run $25 - $30. read more

Always amazing food and drinks. Service is amazing. They are very cautious with COVID19

While the servers were very friendly & nice, we were a bit disappointed with our recent dinner at Publick house. It took a long time to get served and the restaurant didn't seem too busy. The meal was just ok - and prices were high. read more

After reading the Yelp reviews we decided to give The Publick House a try. It has a comfortable friendly pub atmosphere. There is a common parking lot around back and large windows open to the outdoors when the weather is comfortable. We had a good waiter who brought us a couple of pints. I had some very nice fish & chips but my wife ordered scallops which tasted old with a tired flavor. The manager was nice enough to comp her dinner. He told us that a different chef was returning and a new menu would be in place the next day. I've read about the chef changes and all I can say is every day you serve food you have to sell a fresh product. If you don't have a chef who knows better than to use a product that is not fresh, you should keep your doors closed. Because the management of the Publick House cares about their business I will certainly give them another try. read more

Went to dinner 12/5/15 nice decor, good service but not worth the money in all honesty. I felt the portions were small, $30 for a Skirt Steak special was exorbitant for some risotto, 3 plantains and two pieces of steak. I could have went to Kilkenny House, Pairings, or 100 Steps. The last two may have cost a little more but not much and I would have come away feeling like it was worth it. I don't mind spending the money but hate when I go away feeling like it wasn't worth it. read more

Ate there last night around 8pm. It was crowded (good sign) with only a few places open. We were seated right away. I had an app of shrimp and grits -- small but yummy and then an app of baby back ribs. The ribs were tender but overcooked and the BBQ sauce was too sweet. I won't order them again. They have a really nice draft beer list that a little on the pricier side. The worst thing about my meal was our server. Christine.. yup, I called you out. She was very inattentive and barely checked on us. My friend and I were going to order another beer, however we couldn't because our server never came back. .When it was time for the check, she dropped it and disappeared. Another member of my party had to track her down and give her our credit cards so she could run them. That was a bummer. Would I come back? Maybe.. but if I do then I'll be sure to sit in a different section. read more

Shrimp Bao Buns are truly the best. Light pillowy bun with crispy delicious shrimp was the perfect starter

Absolutely awesome food and cocktails. We had wings,braised octopus and both were delicious!This was the first time we loved an octopus dish so much.We had pan seared blackened salmon,duck breast and herb marinated chicken and all of them were top notch!Strawberry mule was very well done too. read more