Reviews written by Robert DellaFave

I was surprised by Maggie's because it looks like a complete dive on the outside. Once you're inside you are greeted by an authentic Irishman serving traditional beers from very clean taps. That's all you can really expect, but with so many places gussying up their exterior only...

It's hard to get a liquor license in Montclair for whatever reason, and if there were more bars in town there would probably not be much of a reason to go to South Park. As it stands, it's a very average bar. The drinks are extremely cheap, but...

Everything about Tierney's is simple and that's just fine. The menu consists of one to two word entries and the beer is basic, but what they do they do adequately.

Another gastro pub with a lot of selection but mixed results. They have a good selection of beer including homemade crafts, but the service is hit or miss. The menu looks great and some of it is, but because they are trying to do so much some of...

Reviewing Just Jakes is kind of a double edged sword. On one hand it has a lot of variety and events. The Happy Hour is like 5 hours long and sports a lot of good deals. On the other hand, everything about Jakes is sub-par. The...

I suppose that I can't fully blame The Shannon Rose for turning into a hot spot for Jersey Shore types on the weekends, because there's money in that. Still, don't tout yourself as a traditional Irish Bar when you're really not. It's just another sports bar/night club/bar on...

Go to Defiant if you're more interested in great beer than meeting new friends. It's an awesome place to experience at least once, and the bartenders are courteous, funny and passionate. The prices are surprisingly reasonable but be warned that Defiant does smell like a brewery. Considering...

The food at The Porter House is nothing special, but serviceable. The real draw of this place is the ability to buy cigars and smoke at the bar. A few years ago it would be no big deal, but you can't smoke anywhere in New Jersey these days....

Davey's is a good place to have a pint and hang out in an otherwise very quiet area. What's surprising is that there is a crowd every day of the week. Prices are fair but not stellar and the menu is par for the course. The bartenders are...

Don't go here, the prices are more expensive than a lot of places in Manhattan and the DJ's are nothing special. The drinks are watered down significantly and the service tends to be abrupt and rude. They often don't stick to what is advertised on their website. ...

I'm not really a dance club person, but this place does it right. The drinks are reasonably prices and far cheaper than the prices in the average Manhattan dance club. The scene is good and the music is somewhat varied, although still rather generic.

I recommend the Nag's Head only because it's a nice place to drink a few beers. The environment is suitable, the prices are decent (there are better in the area) and the selection is fair. It's an average pub for the average pub goer, but they really should...

Going here on the weekends is pretty rough since it gets extremely crowded. Don't be surprised to wait up to an hour to get in, and very few bars in Hoboken are worth that. If you can dodge the big crowds this is a good place to drink...

Madison's is suited for a bit of an older crowd, namely those in their 30s. The ambiance is refreshing and the selection of beers is well above average and not too pricey. There's a lot of good choices on the menu, some of which you don't see everyday...

This is a cool, casual place but there wasn't that much on the menu. Granted, what was on it was good but I expected a little bit more. The Turtle Club is definitely more a pub than a restaurant. The mixed drinks are watered down so stick...

Willie's has a lot of room to explore and plenty of things to do. There's entertainment on the weekends, three distinctly different areas and a enough TVs to find whatever sporting event you're looking for. The menu and tap is somewhat diverse but the drinks are a little...

Well, I guess this is a sports bar, but at least on the weekends it's a drunken frat boy dance party. I'd be scared for the ladies; it seems as soon as they step out on the floor they get enveloped by fat, sweaty dudes. Such is life....

Nothing special about WW except that I like the name. The food, beer and prices are all just ok. The service ranges from average to terrible and the wait to get a pint can be ridiculous. I can go to a 100 places like this and get...

This is a good place to go to if you're looking for a cheap place to drink during the game. They have $10 pitchers of Sangria on Sundays. The menu is pretty extensive and features various seafood dishes as well as a large variety of wraps in addition...

There's nothing particularly good or bad about Farside's. The beer and food are par for the course, as is the overall atmosphere. It doesn't usually get that crowded, but at least its Guido free - most of the time.

I don't know exactly what this place is trying to be, but it comes across as an Irish bar on steroids. It's certainly not traditional, but that's not to say it's bad. The prices on lower end beers are pretty good, as is the food. It's one...

The service is hit or miss and the place is really loud but otherwise Pilsener Haus & Biergarten is a fine establishment meant for the serious beer drinker. The prices are pretty good for what you get and some of the food (like the pretzel) is simply amazing. ...

Maxwell's has a lot of history and some really good bands have passed through there. On any given night your odds of seeing something you might enjoy are about 50/50 but at least there's more to the place than just bands. The food and drink are nothing special,...

Probably a bit more of a restaurant than a bar, Zack's is still a serviceable place to get a pint or nice glass of scotch. It's low key and closes pretty early, but it makes for a good meal and a relaxing time.

The food, especially the hamburgers are a pleasant surprise. Crowds are reasonable and the place never gets too crowded. The scene kids tend to stay away, opting for the louder clubs instead. Bartenders and staff are relatively attentive and friendly.

This is another hidden gem in Hoboken - I'm bewildered by how many there are. The meatheads that usually infest the town are found elsewhere, and the locals here are average people just looking to play darts or pool and enjoy a few pints. The prices are good...

DJ's is a nice little bar and is very unassuming. Go here if you don't feel like dressing up and going to one of the 'scene' clubs in town. The beer is served in mason jars and is real cheap. The jukebox is great, designed for people...

Wilton House is a good place to get a draft of Budweiser on the cheap. The crowd is typically a bunch of old timers with a few younger people sprinkled in. Still, you can't beat the prices and the environment is overall very friendly.

Hoboken gets a bad rap for being ultra trendy, but there are a few gems and this is one of them. The Irish pub pare is exceptional, and they pour a mean glass of Guinness. It's the best place in the area for watching the Premier League. ...

This is a great place for bar-goers looking to avoid the Top 40 club scene that dominates Hoboken's nightlife. It's a very chill place to have a drink and the jukebox plays a great mix of 70s and 80s punk roll. The crowd is pleasant and friendly. ...

Bliss is simply miserable. The decor is tacky and does nothing to entice the senses. Drinks are more expensive than a lot of places in Manhattan. Oh, let's not forget that they put a $75 hold on your credit card. Don't forget about the expensive cover charge for...

Finally, a unique pub in Bergen County. If you're into drinking all different kinds of beer, this is the place for you. They put out platters of free food for patrons, let you sample the beer before you buy it and the prices are very reasonable for generally...

The problem with the Clash Bar is that no one is going to want to pay a cover to see a band they don't know when there are 20 bars on the same block where admittance is free. That's the problem with being in a location that is littered...

Ok, Pub 46 is really good if you're on a budget. The problem is that you're going to have to deal with pushy shot girls, a lot of male knuckleheads and loud girls. If you avoid weekend nights and just go to watch the game, it's actually not...

Harp & Bard is a nice little Irish pub. The food portions are really generous, even if it consists of mostly average fare. The TVs could use some updating.

This place looks very nice, and it appears like it's going to be great, but at the end of the day it's just another bloated commercial restaurant with average food at exceptional prices. There's nothing wrong with the food and drink, but I need more than that to frequent...

The consensus is this place is a haven for cougars looking to pick up younger men. Other than that, there is no reason why I would ever pay $10 to get into this place, especially considering that what some cool nightclubs in the city charge for admission. It...

MacMurphy's is a cool, low keyed place. They have a huge wrap around bar, but I remember being bothered by it because it took up so much of the place in the main area. You're better off sitting in the little dining room off to the side. ...

The Office is a well known haven for former frat boys reliving their glory days of binge drinking. They do offer a nice selection of tap beers, but they're pricey and a bit watered down. The food and service are just ok. It's still not a bad...

It says it's a gothic nightclub but they play a lot of 80s, industrial and heavy metal music. That's not necessarily bad, but perhaps not what you would expect. The place is very dark, and reeks of sweat at the end of the night. The clientele is...