So did I! Grabbed a beer while paying my rent a few times. My room was right over the front door. Despite living upstairs I spent way more time at the other Easton ave. bars.
OT: Will The Corner Tavern ever come back/will owners sell?
- Thread starter RUsojo
- Start date
Right now, the Kelly's site looks like someone is going to re-develop the spot into off-campus student apartments.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
Rutgers unequivocally has a top 10 tailgate scene in america fyi.
Really hope this place reopens. Whenever I’m in NB, I walk by and hope for signs of life. For folks who just want a stool, a beer and a drama free watering hole, this was it. As recently as 2019, I’m pretty sure they still didn’t even accept credit cards. Pretty sure the front door has been broken for most of the last decade.
I agree with kyk! As Joe Benigno would say, “How about that?!”
I was back for the first time earlier this year. New Brunswick looked great. Totally different vibe than the early 90’s. Also wait until the Helix goes in. That new medical campus with the plan to give the train station a major facelift, will only improve downtown and now truly connect RU to NB. The next decade is going to be a good one for Rutgers.
Back to the OP. I spent many a night at the Corner Tavern. Including the little downstairs which usually had some dude playing a guitar.
Believe it or not, there was a time when they made good cheeseburgers there. Chee-burger! Chee-burger! Just had to eat first before viewing the pee troughs.
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
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I went to RU 2009-2013 and I honestly couldn't even tell you where corner tavern is without googling it
1990-94
My friends went to the knight club mainly. But every once in awhile you wanted the Corner Tavern. It was a cool place. Hard to describe.
I think it was closed when you were at RU, but people seem to still rent on top of it.
Wasnt a CT "regular" in my college days, but always enjoyed our occasional visits there. Cool space, pool tables, beer and women - what wasn't to like? Since the 90s, every few years, I'll pop in when out with friends in town just for old time's sake.
And, IMO, NB has always had a great bar/restaurant scene, with the bars maybe not quite as good now as back then (especially with regard to live music - NB's music scene in the 80s was nationally recognized, but most of that was driven underground to basement shows by the pols in NB), but the restaurants being a major step up - and some of that is probably the natural evolution of just getting older, as we're not going to be those creepy 60 year old guys going to Perle, but we can enjoy any great restaurant.
And, IMO, NB has always had a great bar/restaurant scene, with the bars maybe not quite as good now as back then (especially with regard to live music - NB's music scene in the 80s was nationally recognized, but most of that was driven underground to basement shows by the pols in NB), but the restaurants being a major step up - and some of that is probably the natural evolution of just getting older, as we're not going to be those creepy 60 year old guys going to Perle, but we can enjoy any great restaurant.
2002-2006
Only went to Corner Tavern once.
We usually went to Golden Rail and Olive Branch.
Friends and I were at some irish pub (I think it was irish) down the street. I left to go "meet up" with a friend in the apartments coincidencently across from Corner Tavern. Afterwards called my friends to see where they were and they had made their way down to Corner Tavern - so I would be able to quickly meet up with them.
Great friends - very considerate.
Only went to Corner Tavern once.
We usually went to Golden Rail and Olive Branch.
Friends and I were at some irish pub (I think it was irish) down the street. I left to go "meet up" with a friend in the apartments coincidencently across from Corner Tavern. Afterwards called my friends to see where they were and they had made their way down to Corner Tavern - so I would be able to quickly meet up with them.
Great friends - very considerate.
I’ve been to most of the SEC B1G and a couple PAC schools. Rutgers holds up well.
Corner Tavern is THE best location for a signature college bar at Rutgers. I pray for the day somebody buys it and turns it into what it should be.
Went there only once during my undergrad years 2008-2012 and the people in there looked at us like we didn't belong there. It was the weirdest thing ever. It's literally right in the middle of a huge university and it seemed like they didn't want college students as patrons.
Went there only once during my undergrad years 2008-2012 and the people in there looked at us like we didn't belong there. It was the weirdest thing ever. It's literally right in the middle of a huge university and it seemed like they didn't want college students as patrons.
Okay, so here's a thought.
We put together a group of people and buy the building and the business. Just as a side hustle.
We put together a group of people and buy the building and the business. Just as a side hustle.
"Corner Tavern" is the oldest college bar at Rutgers. It started as a seafood restaurant and wine/beer months after Prohibition ended December 5, 1933 and it has never changed its name in its history. "Olde Queen's" is the second oldest but opened on November 2, 1934 as Strickland's (and later Sally's Tavern in the 50s).
Source - you are a wealth of information! You are the board's very own Cliff Claven - Lol!!! Of course just kidding, and no offense with the Cliff Claven comment - but really good, interesting stuff about the CT!
It appears a new owner bought it and turned Kelly's into a chique looking wine type place. Honestly seems like a nice upgrade.
The Easton Ave bar "look" is pretty weak. Knight Club is re-doing their facade. Wish some of the other spots would do the same. They're all dives that look like shit from the outside.
Places like BARCA and Tacoria look good. Have floor to ceiling windows that slide open in the summer time. THAT is the kind of stuff we need at places like Scarlet Pub, Old Queens etc. Not the metal siding from 1950 or the brick not even painted from 1920.
You guys need to visit other campuses and see what they have and you'll realize Easton Ave in general needs to step its game up immensely, but we have had this discussion years ago. Could probably dig up the old thread if I had the time.
Places like BARCA and Tacoria look good. Have floor to ceiling windows that slide open in the summer time. THAT is the kind of stuff we need at places like Scarlet Pub, Old Queens etc. Not the metal siding from 1950 or the brick not even painted from 1920.
You guys need to visit other campuses and see what they have and you'll realize Easton Ave in general needs to step its game up immensely, but we have had this discussion years ago. Could probably dig up the old thread if I had the time.
My dad, Class of 1940, had his first drink at CT. Didn't have a mug. Went to grad school for forestry after graduation before entering the service (Camp Hale, 10th Mtn). Ended up in the Philippines.
The addition to Queens is nice, more space inside and expanded the bar plus added bathrooms. I’m sure eventually they’ll add some looks to the outside.
LOL - best line ever from Cheers! In fact just showed my son that episode a few months ago as an introduction to Cheers - I don't think he fully grasped the genius of it all.......kids - SMH!!!!
No it was still open then. I used to pop in for a beer or two getting off the train in '12-'13
If you attended RU and didn't drunkenly discuss someday buying the CT with your buddies to turn it into what it should be, I question your entire college experience. Everyone I know had this conversation. And everyone told the same story, true or not. The family that owns it have been offered huge sums of money and always decline to sell. I absolutely love that this thread reappears here every so often. It's like my college days all over again.
I think undergrads don't own it. When I was in school we definitely could not have afforded most of the restaurants other than Qdoba and Chipotle (not sure either is even there any more) or a drink at Clydes. But the dynamic for grads and grad students is different.
That said it's still culturally RU over there just not as associated with the typical undergrad experience at the school.
McCormick's? They used to have a Smithwick's special...I forget which day. It was on Somerset IIRC.
You mean from the stadium to the bars? I mean it's possible to walk. Just not the fastest. The areas closest to the stadium on both sides of the river are owned by RU.
I have to say as an undergrad in the early to mid 90s I wouldn't have looked twice at Barca or Tacoria. The grease trucks, pizza city or maybe Wendy's if I was feeling fancy were my food Go-tos. They were cheap and perfect food for a college aged kid. You maybe go to Old Man Raffertys if it was someboyd's bday to order desert only - because who could afford a whole dinner there? A lot of kids I knew at Rutgers were not living high off the hog by any stretch and just eating junky food for the most part - it was cheap and tasted good. My friend tells me that times have changed and that's not what college kids want anymore - if true that would be a huge shift - also wonder where they are getting the money to go to get tapas at Barca.
No I mean there is a disconnect from the Geoge Street establishments to the College Ave/ Easton Ave portion of New Brunswick. I had high hopes when Brother Jimmys was built out that this would help make for an easy transition.
As someone else posted once the Helix and train station project is complete there is a chance that could make for a more cohesive "downtown".
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