Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern;
A Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ Restaurant Review
1 East Franklin Turnpike
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
Ho-Ho-Kus Inn; Restaurant Highlights
Fare: New American
Price: Moderate - Expensive
Food Quality: Well-Executed with an emphasis on locally sourced and seasonally sustainable ingredients, naturally raised meats, grain-fed beef, and sustainable ingredients.
Service: Friendly, attentive, without being intrusive
Ambiance/Decor: Cozy, warm, historic circa 1796. Dining room ambiance is "Old World" elegant
Overall Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
Note: Four-star Rating System from
1/2 Star = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate - High
Dress: Casual
Recommended For: Casual pub tavern dining, and special occasion, more formal dining in the upstairs dining rooms
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer a large menu in a trendy, casual family setting.
Recommended dishes: When available, The Braised Veal Osso Buco wth Wild Oyster Mushroom Risotto, Grana, Pecorino, Red Wine Demi; The Pan Seared Halibut with Butternut Squash Purée, Creamy Farro, Broccolini, Shallot Fondue, Roasted Fingerling Potatoe; and The Sunday Brunch.
Liquor: Full-service bar Extensive wine list with over 340 varieties, and beers from a variety of local breweries
The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Tavern is an historic restaurant listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It dates to 1796 when the stone-walled manor was home for the Zabriskie family and later served as a tavern with a few rooms to accommodate overnight travelers.
The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Tavern is currently owned by Laurie and Gordon Hamm.
Executive Chef Troy Piegaro runs the kitchen. Chef Piegaro received his formal culinary training at the Culinary Institute of America. He later honed his culinary skills at the Pig and Prince in Montclair, NJ and as Sous Chef at Ho-Ho-Kus Inn before being promoted to Executive Chef.
The modern American menu is well-Executed with an emphasis on locally sourced and seasonally sustainable ingredients, naturally raised meats, grain-fed beef, and sustainable ingredients. Even the salt is house smoked. Every appetizer, entree and dessert are made from scratch in house, from the breads to pastas, to the desserts.
Set in a restored mansion, the restaurant was renovated in 2009 with some modern infrastructure and amenities that were interwoven throughout the building to comply with historical regulations.
Today, the Ho-Ho-Kus-Inn consists of five attractive restored dining rooms and a stylish Library bar.
Each of the dining areas has a style of its own. The Ho Ho Kus Inn is really a coexistence of two independent restaurant arrangements under the same roof. The five formal dining rooms are operated as a fine dining experience with a more elaborate, expensive menu.
The upstairs dining rooms is the more formal with hanging wrong-iron and flickering candles, and white table linen, creating a more elegant, luxurious ambiance in each room.
The downstairs tavern area and bar are more vibrant, rustic, yet noisy. The casual bar scene is less expensive, and offers moderately priced pub fare, flat screen TVs, a fireplace, and wooden floors that highlight the tavern's rustic decor.
The more formal dining rooms are popular with dinners celebrating special occasions including birthdays, anniversaries, romantic dates, and business entertaining.
Weather permitting, there is outdoor dining on the tented blue stone patio with a fireplace adjacent to the bar and Tavern. With the patio, the Inn can accommodate up to 180 guests in six separate dining areas on two floors
The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern is open Five days/week for Lunch and Dinner, Wednesday - Sunday
They are also open Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve.
(Updated October 2024)
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