Ho Ho Kus Inn & Tavern |
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The Ho Ho Kus Inn and Tavern is an historic restaurant listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It dates back to 1796 when it was the stone-walled manor home for the Zabriskie family and later on served as a tavern with a few rooms to accommodate overnight travelers.
In recent years, the Inn has been taken over by new ownership who invested in a $1.5 million renovation and acquired its current Executive Chef Bryan Gregg, and Pastry Chef Patrick Muller who have teamed up to offer a innovative new American menu.
The renovation includes the addition of a casual 34 seat Tavern, a bluestone patio for outdoor dining, as well as the Inn's five original dining rooms.
The Ho Ho Kus Inn consists of five attractive restored dining rooms and a stylish Library bar. The downstairs has two connected dining rooms with vermilion walls adorned with artwork, plush carpeting, and fireplaces.
Each of the dining areas has a style of its own. The main bar and tavern area are more casual. The Library Bar is a more elegant open seating area where you can relax with a cocktail, lunch, or dinner.
The upstairs dining rooms are more formal with hanging wrong-iron and flickering candles creating a more elegant, luxurious ambiance in each room.
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 tavern area and bar is a more vibrant, noisy, casual bar scene with less expensive, moderately priced pub fare. Flat screen TVs, a fireplace, and wooden floors are highlight the tavern decor.
The more formal dining rooms are popular with dinners celebrating special occasions including birthdays, anniversaries, romantic dates, and business entertaining.
The restaurant has a year-round 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
Executive Chef Bryan Gregg comes with with excellent credentials having attended culinary school in Pittsburgh and later honed his skills as sous chef at Luke's in Maplewood; executive chef at the Embankment in Jersey City; The Papillon 25 in South Orange; and prior to coming here, no longer in existence Domaine Laurino in Berkeley Heights.
In his preparation of food, he places an emphasis on locally sourced, farm fresh produce, naturally raised meats, grain-fed beef, and sustainable ingredients. Even the salt is house-smoked.
The Ho H Kus Inn offers an excellent, unique bread basket accompanying the meal, with home made Apple Cider Sour Dough rolls; Parmesan Flatbread; and Rustic Cherry Rolls prepared by Pastry Chef, Patrick Muller.
There's a supervised playroom where your kids can play video games or make crafts while you linger over a beer or coffee.
The service is enthusiastic, friendly, and though a bit immature and not in-line with the quality of the food and ambiance.
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N/A= A casual dining eatery, not rated as a fine dining restaurant |