I gave up on Fridays when they rolled out that Jack Daniels menu. That sauce was to die from.
OT: TGI Fridays closings in CNJ
- Thread starter Ronnie_B
- Start date
With liquor?
TGIF was a pick up establishment in my day.
Food quality was irrelevant.
Burger and fries was fine
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I miss my Ground Round and Bennigans! Not really, but I do miss what TGIF's was - used to go to the Woodbridge location since the early 80s, when they were still somewhat innovative and I'll never forget my older brother coming home from college around 1975 (he was at Montclair St) and describing TGIF's and things like potato skins (which they supposedly invented) and mozzarella sticks to us. It sounded like such a cool place, so about 6 months later we all went up to visit him and went to a TGIFs somewhere in North Jersey (I was 14 and had never been north of Trenton to that point, lol) and we all thought it was the coolest place ever. But yeah, our last couple of trips there pre-COVID were underwhelming. Innovate or die - plenty of restaurants taking their place.
https://www.delish.com/restaurants/a60166888/tgi-fridays-history/
https://www.delish.com/restaurants/a60166888/tgi-fridays-history/
You are confusing Yard House and Brick House. The one on the South Plainfield/Piscataway border is Brick House, which is pretty good.
However, Yard House is absolutely great. There are only three locations in NJ. I just ate at the one in downtown LA on Saturday. I've also eaten at the one on The Linq Promenade in Las Vegas.
Man you aren’t kidding! But nothing topped those old school Wendy’s salad bars! Chocolate pudding wound up in the lettuce 100% of the time🤣
Chimney Rock is in a different location off Rte 31. Fridays was off 202. Red Crab place took over that space but they went under quickly. Applebees was near The Home Depot across from CVS. No Pizza Hut
Tigers Tale is fine. Not that much of a scene unless you like old people drinking.
Ahh that’s right re Applebees
Always thought that was an a strange location, as it was kind of difficult to see from the highway, and nobody would really be going in that direction unless you were going to the DMV, Hone depot, cvs or movie theater
No, Fridays was on the Northbound side of 202/31 heading into the circle and now is a (never having opened) seafood place just sitting there. Applebees is sitting empty over by the Home Depot entrance (across from CVS) and the Pizza Hut turned into 25 Burgers (gone and sitting empty) which opened before Whataburger (gone) and 5 Guys (like they needed 3 burger spots ).
Fridays >>>Seafood Place closed after 1 week. (gone -empty)
Applebees (gone - empty)
P Hut (gone)>>>>25 Burgers (gone)
Boston market (gone now that Mexican place)
KFC (gone)
Jake's (gone - empty)
Great American restaurant (gone turned into Walk-in Clinic)
The Rock (doing well)
Chilis (doing well)
Chick Fil-A (doing well)
Hooters (new and wont last long as nobody is ever there already)
what exactly is "the scene" you are looking for? I go to the TT often enough and just wondering what I am missing?
JayDog asked what the scene is there. I was responding to that. I go to the Tale a few times a year and always good for me.
We are the old people drinking. We ARE the scene.
its a bizarre area. Ton's of Italian options though. Some really nice higher end locations like Matts red Rooster and the Harvest Moon down near me.... we often head across the river to New Hope and beyond.
I've just found it more than us old farts drinking. Games on TV, Bartenders grill behind the bar, mixed crowd (IMO)..only down side is you get folks wearing PSU stuff there :(
Hopefully the Main Street restaurants with David Burke at the helm are good. Think there will be big interest in them as long as the product is worth it. Sergeantsville Inn is pretty good and the Stockton Inn just re-opened as well.
I like to compare the area to what happened with Hudson Valley as I think it's slowly becoming more popular. Big difference is no train to the city but it is still kind of equidistant between NYC and Philly.
I always found the food at Tiger's Tale just okay, nothing to write home about. I've always viewed it as a family restaurant more than a bar. But perhaps that's just because every time I go there, it's with family when in that area.
Ironically, when the Friday's in Woodbridge was in it's prime, which was a long time ago, I liked their food a bit more than I now like Tiger's Tale. And the place was definitely a "scene" and pickup joint. You'd often see multiple Woodbridge police cars parked just outside.
We were there one night with another couple. Lawrence Taylor and some other larger guy I didn't recognize plus two women were sitting not far from us at a table just outside the bar area. This was right around when LT was going through issues with failing drug tests. Anyway, a pretty intense fight broke out between a half dozen guys at the elevated bar area. LT immediately threw cash onto the table and they hurried out. Guess he didn't want to wind up in the news again.
Ironically, when the Friday's in Woodbridge was in it's prime, which was a long time ago, I liked their food a bit more than I now like Tiger's Tale. And the place was definitely a "scene" and pickup joint. You'd often see multiple Woodbridge police cars parked just outside.
We were there one night with another couple. Lawrence Taylor and some other larger guy I didn't recognize plus two women were sitting not far from us at a table just outside the bar area. This was right around when LT was going through issues with failing drug tests. Anyway, a pretty intense fight broke out between a half dozen guys at the elevated bar area. LT immediately threw cash onto the table and they hurried out. Guess he didn't want to wind up in the news again.
Aren’t you supposed to base the quality of an establishment by the access to blow and good looking women?
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I always wonder about burke’s places .
He was involved with the wrong people. Probably still is.
Think David Scatino’s sporting goods store in the Sorpranos !
Davey, you’re doing a good job !
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Both Friday's (in Woodbridge) and Tiger's Tale were/are BYOH&B, unfortunately.
When I'm elected President, my first day priority will be to mandate that that such necessities are provided at all dining establishments across our nation, and at fair prices. This would certainly solve the age old question about a given establishment being a good "scene" or not. The answer would become yes everywhere 100% of the time.
So remember, on November 5th, vote "mildone" for president. Because I care about you having fun!
My name is mildone and I approve this message.
I thought bennigans had better food than Applebees - but Applebees survived.
I thought macaroni grill had better food than Olive Garden - but OG survived. But hey who doesn’t love the salad and breadsticks !
I thought macaroni grill had better food than Olive Garden - but OG survived. But hey who doesn’t love the salad and breadsticks !
Need to combine dispensaries with ice cream places.
He didn't order enough red coolers.
totally forgot about that! short lived i believe. rt 1 south in woodbridge had the salad bar.
i think you can still get the unlimited salad, breadsticks and soup for like $10 bucks at OG for lunch, these days a good deal.
I had dinner at the reopened Stockton Inn last week. The atmosphere is fantastic and the food was very good. They currently only have one menu (Dog & Deer Tavern), but they plan on having a second dining brand called Finch with a different menu. Finch is not yet open. I hope when it is, they downshift a bit on the Dog & Deer menu to a good lunch/burger & beer option. Not sure having two higher end menus makes sense, but that is the trend in the area.
Haven’t been to Sergeantsville Inn, but have heard a few people raving about it lately. Plan to check it out soon.
Believe The Finch menu will be Italian and the dining area won't be that big from what I read. More of an intimate space.
You have to think Uber/lyft has helped kill off the late night diner business . In the “old” days you hit the diner after the bar . There was always a “designated” or “least drunk driver”. It also gave the single folk one last chance before going home !
Now, I doubt people Uber from the party to the diner and then Uber again
Great to hear. We were waiting to confirm the new opening. Sounds like they may do that Main and Tavern Menu thing (which I personally like). Haven't been to Sergeantsville since the fire. Need to go back. Anyone been to Pittstown Inn lately?
Morristown Bennigan’s was a cool place to hit on a Friday/Saturday night back in the day ( early 90s). Used to meet my GF there. It was more nightclub after 10p on weekends
Gotta agree with this. One of the iconic things about NJ was always being able to find a place to grab a bite or a cup of coffee at any time in the middle of the night. Sadly that appears to be gone now.
once its gone its never coming bac but sometimes things will come bac because they need to
Park Ave. Diner in South Plainfield is open 24/7 I believe. But some of the stuff you guys lament isn’t a big deal. When was the last time either you or DJ was inconvenienced by a diner not being open 24 hours? I think I went a couple of times after partying in HS and college and that’s it. Not one of life’s great losses.
time to eat i believe is close by 11pm,,,that is just horrible..i get if you want to close at 2 and maybe reopen at 6
Is it that prevalent?
Had an easy time finding one at 3 a.m. (Green Brook) last time I was out in Jersey, maybe just got lucky. Place was surprisingly crowded, too.
