This place quietly has some of the best food in the area. It's definitely not trying to be anything fancy, it is an unassuming bar with a kitchen and some seating, the type of establishment which you wouldn't normally expect to have this legitimately delicious and consistent menu, but they're doing everything right here. Don't be fooled by the curb appeal. I'm not saying it's hideous or anything, it's just not focused on aesthetics. Fortunately it IS focused on great service and food. The London broil omg so good, they've got a brisket garlic bread kind of sandwich which is a must-try, they've fish and chips as others have said is fantastic, I've had the Cordon Blue and it was very good, better than it had any right to be, and the Oreo fudge ice cream pie PRAISE THE LORD it's a 10/10 and if you're lucky enough to get the Baileys Oreo pie you're in for a real treat. All the food I've tried here is great, and I'm VERY local, so it makes coming back to try something new easy. That means I'll have tried everything on this menu eventually. I'll be updating this review as I make progress trying new things. Looking forward to it! read more

My wife and I decided to try Thirsty's since it's close to our house, we've driven past it a thousand times over the last 30 years, and we wanted to try someplace new. Something about the outside gives off the impression of a "dive bar". Inside, it's a standard gastropub. We both started off with the French onion soup, which was very good and personally in my top 3 (Dunellen Hotel and The Rail also are in my top 3). For dinner, my wife had the penne and sausage. She enjoyed it and it was enough food for her to bring home leftovers for dinner the following night. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with BBQ sauce, with onion rings on the side. Service was average/good. We didn't have to wait to be seated or get our drinks. There wasn't anything where they could've gone above and beyond. We wouldn't mind returning in the future. read more

Big portions, friendly staff, reasonable prices. Fish and chips are amazing! Plenty of options for all. It's not the prettiest place, and the booths are close to uncomfortable. but it's still worth a visit for the friendly neighborhood vibe. Also, the bartenders make a great cocktail! Great spot for a burger, steak or sandwich. They also have a pool table if you're into that. read more

Stopped at Thirsty's on our way from Philly to Newark airport and was quite surprised at the quality and taste of the food at this "dive bar" what is lacking in modernization is more than made up in personal attention and service. What is comprised of basically a three room joint. A pool area. Bar area and table area need much attention to maintenance and esthetics was still comfortable and clean. Dated ceilings, men's room bathroom door wouldn't lock and some of the baseboard heaters were missing their covers. Nothing a fresh coat of paint and a little elbow grease wouldn't cure. Everyone was eager to serve and wanted us to be satisfied. Friendly attentive staff here is 5 star. Food was much better than I expected and we left satisfied. read more

See all

Looking for a place close to my hotel and this was right across the street, and the reviews looked good so I tried it and am glad I did. Ordered a one pound New York Strip with a side salad and baked potato. Salad came out super fast with a basket of bread (cold, I didn't try it). Salad was fresh and plentiful. Steak followed shortly after I finished my salad and was perfect. Flavored nicely and at first I thought maybe was a bit undercooked (I asked for medium rare) but it ended up being just right. The potato and mixed veggies were also good. My server was very friendly and she checked on me often. Would definitely go back if I am here again. Kind of a hole in the wall place, like a dive bar, but was perfect for a quick and delicious meal. read more

Thirstys - One pound New York Strip, baked potato and mixed veggies - New American Near Me - Branchburg, New Jersey

Fantastic Food was excellent. Service was great. Ambiance was a very comfortable bar not fancy just right. Sorry that I live hundreds of miles away. Will be back next time we pass through. read more

Great neighborhood find! Lovely people, delicious bloody Mary's and yummy fish and chips!

This had a divey feel to it once walking in. The large wooden bar took up most of the inside space. There also appeared to be an outdoor area for the warmer months. The service was friendly and appreciated while the food came out in a timely manner. The menu had a little bit of everything ranging from traditional bar food to steaks to seafood options. I went with a London broil sandwich ($11.95). It was served on a garlic sub roll with Mozzarella cheese and a bordelaise sauce with a side of fries. The sandwich was packed with slices of London broil which was seasoned nicely. There were a few tough pieces, and some could have been cut a little thinner for easier eating since this was a sandwich. Other than that, the sandwich was tasty. The bordelaise sauce enhanced the overall sandwich. The fries were crispy and cooked ideally with just enough flavor. I also tried some BBQ wings, not enough sauce for my preference, but the BBQ flavor was solid. The chicken also appeared to be of good quality. Will I go back? Sure. read more

Thirstys - London Broil Sandwich - New American Near Me - Branchburg, New Jersey

So from outta town ,a home town flow n feel to well portions of great food menu. Mother s day steak and clams taste great. Best Tom from Pa. read more

Some of the bad reviews are not my experience. From Indiana in town for a few days and was looking for a great burger and beer spot. The bar tender is amazing, friendly, and attentive. Burger is great. Perfectly seasoned and the slaw...... Oh and the ambiance is perfect. Local bar / restaurant where everyone knows each other. read more

Thirstys - Burger made to order, fries, slaw and a cold draft beer. Just what I needed. - New American Near Me - Branchburg, New Jersey

It was our very first visit to Thirsty's, and for the most part I was very much impressed. Ambiance was neither pretentious nor "trendy." It was the epitome of neighborhood pub. It was clean, friendly with an understated simplicity and a real "down home" feel. The staff was friendly (and good looking), and very eager to please. I felt very comfortable there. The service was quick and attentive, and the food was outstanding! I had a chicken teriyaki wrap that was simply delicious. I did have to eat it with a knife and fork because it was leaking teriyaki sauce copiously. I ordered macaroni salad as a side, and it was among the best I've ever had. Significant Other had a Philly Cheesesteak and fries, and reported that it was very good. I stole a couple of his fries and concur that they were crispy and quite tasty. The bill was reasonable (by today's standards) and actually less than we paid for snacks at the movies yesterday! The only down side I can report was lack of ADA compliance. I saw no parking spots designated as Disability parking out front. The front door configuration was challenging for me and my walker. There was no ramp and the inner door and outer door were so close together, that it was hard to navigate. There was only one step up (or maybe two) which was not so difficult for me, but had I been in a wheel chair it would have been impossible. And then there was the restroom. It looked do-able until I tried to get my walker through the door. It wouldn't fit. My bladder was screaming at me, but my walker was stuck in the doorway. Finally I was able to get it unstuck enough to close one of the legs of the walker and get to the toilet just seconds before the water started to flow. There were no grab bars to get up from the john, but I succeeded in standing by using the walker. I washed my hands and remembered to close the walker before attempting to exit and then re-open it so I could get back to my table. I later asked the waiter if there is a restroom for the disabled somewhere. He said no, but was most apologetic about it. And while I appreciated his apology, I would have appreciated an accessible restroom even more. I do understand that becoming ADA compliant can be expensive and that local places like this operate on a thin profit margin. I liked Thirsty's a lot. The food was superb, and I intend to go back. Still the fact that they do little (or nothing) to make their restaurant accessible to people with disabilities sends a message that I'm not really welcome there. I sincerely hope they find the funds to become ADA compliant, and I wish them all the best. read more

Great staff Very social Very accepting of different views, jokes, personalities and opinions Best place to unwind Food also is amazing read more

I stopped I for happy hour and an appetizer. This is a no frills local bar with friendly bartenders. I ordered the wings which were good. Nothing made them amazing and nothing about them was bad. It was just an order of wings. read more

The food is always good. There's a variety of items to choose from. Atmosphere is friendly. One of my regular places to go.

Very close to home. Been there a good number of times. Went today. Middle of pretty good heat wave. Can you please fix the air conditioning. Won't be back till at least October. Dining room completely empty. People complaining at bar. I know you have pretty loyal clientele but please put some money back into business. Fix ac read more

Great dive bar and service is good. Food is decent from bar food to proper meals. Prices aren't too bad for the area...

Came here almost every night while in the area for a work trip. The service was great and the staff especially Dave, Dee, Jose, and Patty were super friendly. There's a wide variety of options and everything was hot and tasted good. Would come again!! read more

Wrong hours posted. Please fix the hours, you say you're open till 2am, came here at 9:30 pm and you were closed

My cousin's insisted that this was the best place around, even though the restaurant doesn't normally do takeout. The group of us got burgers and nachos to take home. I heard everyone loves it for a sit down meal, and that they have amazing steaks, but I was skeptical for typical lunchtime grub. My mom and I werent impressed, but everyone else was very happy with their meal. My burger was dry, and seemed a little overcooked. And from the looks of their online menu, we needed to pay for toppings such as lettuce/tomato/onion. Definitely would have been happier if we had gone to Shake Shack, or someone who does takeout on a refular basis. I didn't have any, but my family also said they were underwhelmed by the nachos. I do appreciate the precautions the restaurant made to keep the nachos from getting soggy (such as putting guac, sour cream and queso in seperate containers to pour/scoop as necessary) read more

The worst. Wedge salad was not a wedge but just a slice. Nachos were lukewarm with wilted lettuce and no celery with the soggy wings.. read more

Just ate in their Beer Garden, food & drinks were on top. Was served by a new waiter Justin who was attentive, cordial & friendly. I've been coming here for years, gotta say I kinda like the outside dining better. Linda as always was great. Was my plan to cook tonight but things out of my control got in the way & ended up there for an early dinner, not too many "bars" that can serve up a great steak & cook scallops to perfection! Drinks are always made perfectly read more

We are from out of town and looked at Yelp. Not much to look at from the outside but as the saying goes "Do not judge a book by it's cover." The atmosphere inside is warm and friendly. Staff was attentive. I had Italian wedding soup. It was excellent. I had a juicy burger and needed multiple napkins. You have several sides to pick from. I would give them a 5 star. read more

We ordered take out from here for the first time and it was so good! We ordered spicy calamari, cheesesteak & fries and grilled salmon that came with a side salad, sautéed veggies and a baked potato- everything was excellent, the food was ready quickly and the people working were very friendly. The spicy calamari had great flavor but the takeout version got a little soggy so will probably wait until the dining room reopens to order that again but we definitely will be ordering take out again! read more

Thirstys - Cheesesteak up close - New American Near Me - Branchburg, New Jersey

See all

Great place. A dumpy place you'd pass without GPS. Dumpy is not disparaging in this case. Its a good old local place that reminds me of old school bars and pubs. The food was great . I recommend the chicken cordenbleu sandwich. read more

Service was very poor it took over 1 hour for my party to get its food. Scenery was weak and unwelcoming. They also gave the wrong order multiple times. Although the people here were very kind. read more

No frills bar/restaurant. Old school joint. Always busy. Sat down for dinner and everything was very good. Chicken saltimbocca was delicious. My wife enjoyed her steak. The small thin bar pie was a pleasant surprise. If you're looking for good food at a casual place I recommend thirsty's. read more

Good food, but a little pricey for the portion size. Typical bar food. Service was slow, probably so they can sell more overpriced drinks. Saturday night is very crowded, decided not to wait 1 hour for a table. Unfortunately decided to return on Sunday. read more

Came here several times a week for dinner during a work trip. Food was all delicious and the staff was super friendly. The servers remembered our favorite drink orders, and Dave is excellent at recommending dishes to try. 10/10 would come back when I'm out of town again. read more

Went to this local pub for dinner to catch up with a friend. It is clearly popular and beloved by the locals as it was packed to the gills with customers. The menu is standard pub fare and the food, although adequate, could use some refinement. Nevertheless, the pub was filled with the warm holiday spirit and welcoming. read more

I came here on a whim from some friends. We were seated immediately. The waitress took our drink order. I ordered an Arnold Palmer . (half ice tea, half lemonade.)We were given a lunch special menu along with the regular menu. There were many interesting selections to choose from starting with for appetizer, buffalo style calamari that one of my friends asked to be specially made. The owner liked it so much it's on the regular menu .There were chicken franchise , chicken piccata hoagies . Fresh ahi tuna grade sliced over salad, burgers, fish sandwiches or steak sandwiches, salads and pasta too. I chose to try the ribeye steak sandwich with peppers and onions. My waitress asked how I would like it cooked. ( med- rare of course .)It was served with French fries. When my steak sandwich arrived it was cooked perfectly. The steak was very tender. The peppers and onions added to the flavor. The french fries were crispy. My Arnold Palmer drink was good too. I could taste the fresh lemonade along with the ice tea. My waitress Dee was very friendly. She even customized one of the burgers for my friend and subbed in fresh veggies for french fries, and left off the bun. This place is very casual nothing fancy. It seems like a lot of local people from the area come here. They all seem to be on a first name basis.There is free parking in their lot. It is centrally located on rt. 202 in Branchburg. They have a nice bar with flat screens . This place isn't big but definitely worth a try. read more

See all

Great place to grab a drink...regular stuff. Food is decent and a good sized portion. Wings are great. Love the steak sandwich! Fun times always! I can't wait to buy and own this place! read more

Thirstys - Plenty of glasses to fill.... - New American Near Me - Branchburg, New Jersey

Came for the first time on a Tuesday with some friends during our lunch break. Sat at the bar and the bar tender asked what we would like to drink. Asked her for a sex on the beach and she told me "i don't think I can make that for you" how are you a bartender and can't make a drink like that? So I asked for a blue moon and shots of Hennessy right after. She never cared to pay attention to any of us and would walk around the bar area. She was rude, and didn't seem to care about anything. My friends and i will not be returning back to this establishment again. read more

Was nervous coming here but after a while driving by the we decided to stop and give it a whirl! We started out off with wings and they were good. A bit small but delicious. Friendly staff as well! I had the steak sandwich with no bread and a side salad. It was good. A little peppery and fatty but still really good. I would order it again. My hubby had a great burger. Delicious. Will be coming back here! read more

See all

Place was recommended by our hotel which was nearby. In few simple words Bad food! I was so sick after I ate here their green salad and grilled salmon. I recovered only after 2 days and could not eat anything. Food seemed microwaved, not fresh. Beer selection was poor. read more

The bar staff is extremely attentive. The food is delicious and enough to share or take home for tomorrow's Iunch! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the decor is pretty out-dated and the parking lot is full of pot-holes looking for its next victim. read more

My husband and I came to Thirsty's for the first time and were very pleased. The service is friendly and the staff work together to make sure the patrons are taken care of. The food was very tasty and our entrees had good portions with potato and vegetables. The bathrooms are clean and the prices are reasonable. We would definitely come back again. read more

I've been driving past this place for years and finally came here tonight. It's one of those great bars with actual good food, real portions and great staff. The sandwiches are served on the most freshest wonderful rolls that even if they sucked (but they don't); you'd still be happy because it's delicious. Also, the wine pour was generous. Can't wait to come back. Annoyed I can only give 5 stars. read more

The food is good. The service is good. They can get busy with locals which is always a good sign. They charge a fee for take out

So this place struck me as a locals spot. Seemed like everyone knew everybody. But at the same time felt very at home and never got the feeling of being an outsider. Sat at the bar and had some Miller lights and turkey, and roast beef club sandwiches . The staff was very friendly and the Miller lights were cold. Here is we're it gets interesting. The club sandwich and fries were amazing. I am surprised how often a simple thing like a club sandwich could go south. But the ingredients were super fresh and fries were super crispy. So thumbs up to the man or women behind the curtain. read more

We were in town for a tournament and randomly chose Thirstys from a list after reviewing the menu on line. We had a reservation for 18 (1/2 adults and 1/2 teen boys) and were very pleased with our choice of venue. Thirst's has the old supper club vibe with a large menu selection which did not disappoint. From Clams in garlic/lemon over linguine, ribs, chicken parm, Salmon, and many more items ordered, everyone was happy with their choice. The amazing point to know is that all 18 dishes came out somewhat at the same time, were all appropriately heated which does not always occur with a large party. Patty rocked our party, thank you!!! read more