Oliver L.'s Profile

Good burgers and beers.  I drank the Winter Wonder and it kicked my ass... it really snuck up on me.  I describe their lunch menu as eclectic pub food - all very good.  Fine for families with kids during the day... at night, I imagine you see more of the corporate and hoity toity set.  There's also live music regularly.  The waitresses are attentive and friendly.  The space is large with a lot of exposed brick and artwork that can be purchased.

Mark is awesome - he's the friendliest barista ever.  They're open all the time, but like an earlier reviewer said, I only go when Mark is there.  The seasonal specials are always worth trying.  My favorite special is the honey maple green tea latte... good stuff.  I wish they'd add it to the menu permanently.  There's also plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.  I always stop here after lunch if I'm on Main Street.

I used to eat here all the time, but never again.  The food is fine, but still not as good as any of the Thai Kitchens.  Service is CRAP... plan on waiting forever even if there are only a few other parties.  Call me unreasonable, but I expect loyalty and good customer service from a place I dine at regularly.  The last time I was ever there, we waited for 20 minutes and no one even gave us water or menus or even made eye contact with us (and there were 2 waitresses).  We walked out and nobody cared.  The one waitress is nice enough, but the smaller one is a grouch - one time, she told us they didn't take credit, which is a lie.

Overlooking the Raritan River and the Red Mill, it's the best option in Clinton if you want to eat outdoors.  If the weather is nice, this is where we eat.  They have a nice selection of salads and sandwiches / wraps / burgers.  I usually start off every meal with a cup of the bisque (usually lobster).  My favorite sandwiches are the berry brie chicken, the salmon, and the veggie burger - their veggie burger is one of the best I've ever had.

The service can be very SLOW... not the kitchen's fault, though.  The servers can be very flaky and aloof and will disappear for long stretches of time.

Parking can also be hard to find around lunch time, but you'll eventually find a spot somewhere.  Between this and the Fine Diner, this place is better and more consistent.

This is my favorite store in the world.  I mostly purchase from them online because shopping there in person can be very stressful and hectic.  Even with standard shipping, my orders usually arrive the next day after shipping (shipping to NJ).

They have an excellent selection of digital and film gear and the best prices around.  If you're looking for camera gear, don't waste your time at any of those electronics superstores (e.g., Best Buy) that rip you off and offer only a limited selection of mediocre goods - B&H is the only store you'll ever need.

OK food, terrible service.  A group of 6 of us had dinner here on a Monday night - we were seated upstairs and the place was empty.  Our waitress only had 1 table to serve and it took her almost 30 minutes to get me my Guinness (I had to ask her 3 times).

For appetizers, we ordered the fried calamari and fried zucchini - decent, but nothing memorable.  I ordered their signature pizza (basically, a margarita pizza) and it was pretty good.

Parking is plentiful, but I imagine that's because nobody eats here (on weeknights, at least).

I don't so much consider this place a diner... you definitely don't get that vibe.  It's more upscale feeling and there's a salad bar.  I mainly only eat here because it's the closest restaurant to my job.  Unless you're ordering from the daily specials (which includes soup or the salad bar), you're getting ripped off.  Their fries are pretty disgusting.  I usually order the tuna melt or the spanakopita, which are fine.  Most everything else I've had tasted a little "off" from what diner food should taste like.  If you want real diner food, go to Towne Restaurant on Main Street.

It is a 24-hour place, though, and the service is usually attentive and friendly.

They do have a huge selection of baked goods, which look delicious.  I've only ever had the chocolate covered strawberries and the gigantic chocolate chip cookies... good stuff.  If you're coming here just for dessert, you won't be disappointed.

They now offer a 105 lb burger, which is ridiculous.  I just heard that they made a 256 pounder for an eating contest... disgusting.

Bistro dining with an excellent wine and beer list - located in Princeton Township.  It's more cozy and laid-back than dining at a similar type of restaurant on Nassau.  They usually have a great selection of micro-brews and imported beers on tap.  Last time I was there, I had the Victory HopDevil and Flying Fish Winter Reserve (both fairly local beers).  I usually order the comfort food standbys (e.g., meatloaf or chicken pot pie), but they also offer a wide range of seasonal specials.

Dishes are reasonably priced - almost every entree is priced under $20.  The restaurant draws a diverse clientle ranging from families with small children, young couples, and hoity toity old-school Princeton alum.  You must have dessert if you come here - everything comes from their own pastry shop.  The chocolate bread pudding is so rich and decadent.

I also appreciate the many black & white portraits they have hanging all over the place... very cool.  The outside of the restaurant also recently got a face lift, and is looking much better than it did before.

They have all the usual diner fare and serve it up exactly how it should be.  If you stick to the usual fried/greasy items (burgers, fries, etc.), you won't be disappointed.  I even prefer their gyros over the nearby Sahara Restaurant.  Their pancakes are also very respectable - if I'm in the mood to eat pancakes NOW (and don't want to wait), I prefer eating at the Red Oak rather than heading to downtown Princeton (i.e., PJ's).  Service is also friendly and generally attentive.

One half of the diner is set up old-school style, with booths and counter seating; the other half feels more restaurant-like with its tables and more fancy-schmancy booths separated by glass panels.  Their corner booths can accommodate large parties.

My only gripe with the diner is that they don't stay open that late.  The Red Oak Diner is located in Montgomery across from the Princeton Airport.

A little out of the way from downtown Princeton, but definitely worth the trip.  Set in a fairly residential area, this bistro-style restaurant and wine bar is as cool as anything near Nassau.  Huge selection of wine, but I was quite happy with their selection of bottled beers (including Guinness).

We had a 6:30 reservation and were promptly seated... the hostess even took our coats.  For an appetizer, we had one of the specials - wild mushroom and caramelized onion tart.  I ordered the strip steak for my entree and it was tender and juicy - slightly more cooked than I like, though (medium-rare).  My wife had the scallops & risotto which she also enjoyed.  For dessert, we had the chocolate bread pudding... super chocolaty and rich, but balanced well with a scoop of ice cream.

Their parking lot gets packed, but there's plenty of street parking and an additional lot a block away.  The crowd gave off a yuppie vibe, but not so overly pretentious - mostly middle aged folks.  The place gets very packed (and cramped) so it's definitely advisable to make a reservation - you can even do so on opentable.com.

We'll be dining here often.  So close to 5 stars, but not quite (more like 4.5).