Stone Balloon Ale House
| Address: | 115 E Main St, Newark, DE 19711, USA |
| Phone: | +1 302-266-8111 |
| Site: | stoneballoon.com |
| Rating: | 4.2 |
| Working: | Closed 4–10PM 4–10PM 11AM–11PM 11AM–1AM 11AM–1AM 10:30AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
A
A Private User
I really want to love this place, but after my last meal there I dont know if Id go back for anything more than drinks. My first visit here was during the first few weeks of opening. I love duck and ordered the Duck Confit. It was like eating pure salt. The seasoning was way off and just not a very enjoyable meal. I should have sent it back but I very rarely send food back so I suffered through it, chalking it up to the restaurant just opening and they were still getting there rhythm down. Ive been to this restaurant a number of other times since and the Scallops have always been perfectly cooked and I had an amazing veal chop there as well that was memorable. On my last visit however, I ordered Halibut (one of my favorite fish) poached in grapeseed oil. Halibut is supposed to be a delicate, buttery fish that is moist when you cut into it. On GOOD Halibut, the flesh is translucent. The filet that was placed in front of me looked like it was "chalky" halibut, a condition that is a sign of low quality. Sure enough I took my first bite and it had the texture of canned tuna. I sent it back and when the waiter returned he informed me that it was supposed to be "flaky" like that from poaching in grapeseed oil and tried to reason that it had the texture of canned tuna because tuna is also packed in oil. This is the biggest load of B.S. I have ever heard. After hearing that, I didnt need to order anything else off the menu. If youre going to charge $28 for a small filet of Halibut, you better make sure its high quality and not try to tell your customer that there is nothing wrong with it. If you think ANY fish that comes out of your kitchen is supposed to be like canned tuna, you have no business charging those kind of prices. Stick to cheese and wine if you go here... and maybe the scallops.
KR
Kristin Marks
Went for happy hour on my lunch break with a friend. We walked in and were stared at rudely. So, we turned to the server and told him we were coming for happy hour. He was very aloof. We were asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside. We chose outside. He went back to get us utensils. The whole time his demeanor was very rude. When coming back he explained that they did not open yet. Note: the front door was unlocked and we went right in. There was staff in the main room. My friend explained we looked online and it said happy hour started at 3:30. I looked at my phone it was 3:55. The server told us they dont open until 4:00 and that business had slowed so they changed their hours a few months ago and hadnt changed it online. At this point you would think he would realize there was a misunderstanding. Nope. He was still rude. I mean its 5 minutes! We hadnt even decided what we wanted yet! We were outside! By the time we were ready to order they would be "open." We left and I dont intend to go back. Bad first experience. I dont need to be treated like that.
A
A Private User
Terrible food, minuscule portions, and badly overpriced. The service was outstanding and the dessert was pretty good. My three cheese appetizer had five minuscule pieces, all so badly dried out as to be tasteless. They were out of lamb (at 6pm on Saturday?) so I chose petite steak, medium rare. It came 3/8" thick, brutally overcooked past well done, completely tasteless, and with large veins of unchewable gristle throughout all three small pieces. The cauliflower and ? was so badly overcooked it tasted like mildly cauliflower flavored mush. The table location was so noisy that reasonable conversation was not possible. I have a lasting impression of this restaurant, from the miserly 6oz overpriced glass of ordinary wine to easily the worst meal I have had in an actual restaurant in 20 years. Had it not been for the embarrassment of our good friends who chose this to try it also for the "first time", I would have rejected the meal and left.
GA
Gaurav Mehta
Do drinks at the bar, stay away from the food. I went with my girlfriend and we shared a cheese platter, quail, and rib eye. The cheese was flavorless (the crackers were more memorable) and the quail was very small-portioned. The server forgot to ask (and we forgot to say) how we wanted the rib eye done, so it came out somewhere between medium and well done. It was dry, unseasoned, actually tasted BAD (hard to screw up rib eye) and made us wish wed gone to cosi next doors. BUT, the drinks and the bartenders here are superb. Joseph especially is worth the visit alone.
SA
Sarah LaFave
Stone Balloon recently catered an off-site event for us. We have never heard so many compliments about the service at our annual event. The staff was polite, energetic and beyond helpful. The catering team went above beyond to ensure our event was a success. The food was fresh, delicious and nicely presented -- many guests commented that it was beyond their expectations at a large buffet-style event. Chef Robbie, Luke, Erica and team are awesome to work with. I highly recommend them for catering or events!
AL
Alison MacKenzie
This space has been three different restaurants since the original Stone Balloon closed in 2005. I was wondering if anyone was ever going to get it right! Then along came Stone Balloon Ale House in January 2015. Im happy to say its now one of my favorite places to go for great food and a great atmosphere. The beer dinners are especially awesome. And if you love bacon, try the candied bacon appetizer. To die for! Im looking forward to going back when the new menu options come out next month.
A
A Private User
I really like this restaurant and I want to love it, but this isnt NYC or LA! Ive never had a bad meal, but I have had service that ranged from outstanding to flat out horrible. Most of the time its great all around, but the only thing that keeps me from being able to say I love it is the fact that they charge A LOT of money for their dishes and its simply not worth the amount theyre charging. Theres comparable food elsewhere for cheaper.
DA
David Roseman
Great beers on tap, great menu, amazing staff. The beer list changes frequently, and they also now have a 32(?) can "crowler" filler, for when you just want a big giant can of beer!!! Menu items are to die for. Their pub fries, and bacon in a cup are amazing, but the real star is the bread pudding. Ive had many others, and this is by FAR the best ever. I wish I had the recipe!
ZA
Zachery Bear
Nice atmosphere. Good beer selection and cocktails and wine too! The food was good, and I am not a huge dessert person but the cheesecake and the red velvet waffle thing was AMAZING! They also have some good specials and our bartender, Aaron rocked! We will definitely be making the long drive to come back again.
A
A Private User
Great food which is always prepared properly, at least from my experiences. This restaurant offers an extensive wine list coupled with an knowledgeable pleasant staff. The prices are slightly above average for Newark, however, the quality of food and ambiance make the cost worth it.
