Trap Rock Restaurant & Brewery
| Address: | 279 Springfield Ave, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922, USA |
| Phone: | +1 908-665-1755 |
| Site: | traprockrestaurant.net |
| Rating: | 4.1 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–10PM 11:30AM–11PM 11:30AM–11PM 12–9PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 11
A
A Private User
Theres only one explanation I can think of as to why this place has been opened since 1997. People in NJ have no clue what constitutes a good food or a good value. The food lacks any kind of creativity and is outright bland not to mention way overpriced. When I received my $27 pork loin it was undercooked and consisted of 3 small pieces with some rice. My wifes tuna tartare was a mixture of raw tuna, mayo and a few other ingredients. Huh? I have never in my 30 years of ordering tartare ever seen it with anything but raw chopped up fish. They dont have a printed childrens menu but tell you their 4 choices. We didnt bother asking the prices because childrens items are always in the $6-$8 range. I got one of my kids the chicken fingers and french fries. It was $14.95! A childs order should NEVER be more than $8 or $9. The locally brewed beers were average at best and the wines when comparing the ratio of the price of a glass versus the store cost for a bottle was the highest Ive ever seen including NYC prices at 400% markup. The valet service is clearly an attempt at trying to sell a more upscale experience which falls flat given all I said above. Avoid this place like the plague unless you love atmosphere and dont care about being served overpriced bland food and wine.
K.
K. Wagenbach
Party of six for a birthday dinner. Nice atmosphere, great beer and appetizers (calamari, house pretzels and Cuban spring rolls). Two entrees (tuna) arrived on a bed of stone cold parsnip purée. When we asked for the purée to be heated, the entrees disappeared for at least 20 minutes and the rest of our party finished their meals. The tuna dishes finally came out with the explanation that they had gotten cold again and had to be redone a second time. The sushi/tuna was now seared to medium to well done. The manager comped the meals, but it was a very long wait to have some parsnip purée reheated, and that killed the experience, as we watched other patrons receiving their meals, and our waitress had gone missing. The other entrees (duck, salmon and smoked prime rib were excellent). Service was great in the beginning, and then almost non-existent. Agree with the other reviewers to enjoy the beer and appetizers.
A
A Private User
If you have money to burn, a small appetite and enjoy the ambiance of a high-end, cozy pub, then Trap Rock may be the place for you. My wife and I chose to celebrate our recent move from Atlanta with an evening at TRB; what a mistake. It was charming, romantic and EMPTY. Probably because the menu is too limited and pricey for such a casual environment. TRB is definitely not contributing to Americas obesity problem, as their portions are miniscule. The menu design forces you to order entrees AND sides in order to get a balanced meal. In this economy, there are too many alternatives competing for your hard earned dollar to waste it here. If you have to sample TRB, stop by for their delicious microbrew sampler, soak in the ambiance of a cozy New England tavern and then make your way to your actual dinner destination!
TY
Tyler Lund
Trap Rock, a brewpub in Berkley Heights, is an upscale imagining of the pub scene with items like filet mignon and tuna tartare, but more classic pub faire as well such as burgers. The beer is brewed on premises and covers the typical microbrew gamut from pilsner to stout. A sampler is available for tasting, but I went with the pilsner and stout to try the varieties. I found the pilsner a solid option without much standing out. It was a bit hoppy for a pilsner, but not at the IPA level. The stout was a bourbon barrel aged brew though I didn’t detect much oakiness or smoke. It was satisfying but had a slightly slick texture which was off. Service was quick, but noticeably un-personable. The valet only option for parking was also a bit strange, though it was pretty packed inside for dinner.
JO
Joe Voorhees
Part of the Harvest Restaurant Group, the Trap Rock is the first of their restaurants to open. My wife and I have dined there several times and the food is always excellent! They have a small parking lot but have a complementary valet service that is top notch. They have a brewery in house where they make several types of beer, my go to there is the Ghost Pony. The servers are attentive and they do a team waiter approach so there is always someone that you can call to if you need something. This is an upscale restaurant so pricing is not cheap but you are definitely getting what you pay for.
NI
Nikki Cibelli
Had my sisters bridal shower here. The service was amazing from the booking to the wait staff. All of the food was delicious. We went with the lunch option, my favorite selection was the burger. The cake was AMAZING! If you love red velvet, definitely go for it. Get a bigger cake than you think youll need because youll definitely want to take some home!! We were bummed there was none leftover. Pricing was reasonable. Would definitely book another event here. Amanda and Desiree (the event staff) were a great help throughout the process and I give them five stars as well!
PH
Phaedra Agius
Pretentious place, food wasnt great at all. This is the second, and last time I go there. My vegetarian dish had these bizarre Ricotta balls that were deep fried and barely had ricotta in them. The dish promised Brussels sprouts and I got maybe 5 leaves of that, no whole Brussels sprouts. My belly hurt from eating 6 or so deep fried balls of mostly bread, four cubes of squash and those Brussels sprout leaves .. And I paid 18 for that!! Now I remember why we never came back after visiting for the first time 2 years ago
RO
Robert Forst
This is a brew pub, an excellent brew pub. The beer is incredible, and the brew master is awesome. He is more than happy to take the time to talk and discuss anything beer with you. Then there is the food, also incredible. Most of the food is locally sourced, and everything I have had there has been great. The only downside is it is a little expensive. I would recommend going for lunch, and the Cuban is my go to. Lunch is reasonably priced, but dinner I feel is quite overpriced.
MA
Matthew Ross
I have eaten at this restaurant twice and while both times were good, the second time was better because I had the Duck Confit. There are no words that will properly express how good the Duck Confit was. Trap Rock is a unique restaurant in that they have a rotating menu that changes regularly. Additionally the servers at Trap Rock will accommodate your dietary needs, which in my case involved a simple substitution of mashed potatoes for vegetables.
RO
Robert Ringer
Fantastic staff, service, food and most importantly beer. The manager on shift was a very welcoming individual with a priority of offering a great experience and hospitality. The bartender was very knowledgeable on the local brews offered and quick to get your selection to you. If youre just passing through or looking for a nice establishment to take your loved one trap rock is highly recommended!!
ER
Eric G
Consistent good beer brewed right on the premises. Get the 23oz pour for max value, its quite a deal. Upscale food at upscale prices, but its always good. Bunch of locally sourced stuff on the constantly changing menu. Two waiters per table will annoy traditionalists but comes in handy when you need another beer or bottle of wine from their massive list. Outdoor seating when its warm enough.
