Draught House - Washington
Don't look now.....but there is activity at this site AGAIN!!!! The have done a bunch of exterior work including landscaping and hardscaping so far. I saw that they were working on the inside this morning.
At this point, I can't even remember all the names it has been in the past. Fingers crossed that whatever is "coming soon" will last. Anyone have any inside info?
Calico696 
Old Gent I hear it's going to be a sports bar and restaurant. The folks who own Mountain Valley Liquors in Oxford are behind it. If do half as good of job as they have with the remodel and operation of the liquor store it's sure to be a hit
HillCountry The restaurant has changed hands so many times and yet the parking lot has been in disrepair for a long time. I am glad they are working on the outside of the restaurant as well as the inside and I wish them luck!
Babs HillCountry - Thanks, I hope what you say is true. That would be great. Many times I have been duped by a "sports bar coming soon." LOL It would be great to have somewhere close to Oxford to watch football.
I love Mountain Valley Liquors and go there often. I will try to get more info the next time I stop in.
Calico696,
The information came directly from the owner's son Chris and it 'll be awesome to be able to catch the games on Sunday right down the street. He tells me they will have 40 taps, yumm :~) They're shooting for opening in September was the last I heard
OMG!!!!!! This is awesome news!!!! I can't wait to tell my husband. We normally head down to Riley and Jake's, since they have the NFL ticket, the ride is a little long though. We have tried doing Sports Scene at the bowling alley in the past, but it just wasn't the right vibe for us. Too much restaurant, not enough sports bar. ;-)
Thanks HillCountry!!!
I've been thinking more about this and am getting more and more happy about it.
We were really happy when Skoogy's in Harmony opened because it's closer than R&J's, but we tried it and it was not very good for watching the games at all. Plus the game day specials were not that cheap and the food borderline. Not that many football fans hanging out and when seated at the bar, the majority of the tvs were behind us. Strange.
This Washington location would be perfect if they run it correctly. I wish them luck.
Calico, That's how we feel around here. Not a good place to watch a game. I seriously think that you and I should open the perfect "Sports Bar"! Only one thing needed, MONEY!!
Christine Christine - Nah, owning a restaurant is a 24/7 life. Horatio has definitely had enough of that business after spending many years in it. We'd rather just sit back, relax and enjoy the game.
A temp sign is up today, it's called the "Draught House" advertising 40 different taps beers coming soon
Heidi I'm happy for you Calico..much nicer to have some place local for you than having to travel. Hope it works out. I do know Mountain Valley Liquors is a very nice store, went there to get Clyde a gift card for a growler at Christmas. Do you know if they got the license approved to fill them yet?
Bessie Heidi it is located on rt31 past the Oakwood lanes bowling building, if you are traveling north on rt31.
mansfield mama Bessie,
From what they told me, they weren't able to obtain a license. Now for the good news, in addition to opening the Draught House, they are also opening a second liquor store in the Shoprite plaza in Washington (the new strip across from Shoprite) and they will have the Growler station there since they were able to obtain that type of license there.
mm:
Different kinds of licenses involved I imagine: on-premises consumption for the sports bar (which was likely transferred from the prior owner) and a license to sell for the store near Shoprite. The old Rokmex likely weas not licensed for retail sales.
There are (I think) at least three different types of liquor licenses in NJ depending on what you plan to do.
JerryG Sorry, I meant to say the Oxford liquor store was not able to locate and purchase an available license in Oxford to dispense from their growler station. Since then, I believe they purchased additional licenses in Washington that were available to support the Sports bar and new liquor store across from Shoprite
Great to hear that some existing empty store fronts may soon be filled.
Thanks all for the updates!
Vic It is going to be a sports bar - 23 total TVs, 40 taps, full menu, pool table, 37-seat bar, the whole 9 yards. Will be similar to a Buffalo Wild Wings. Inside is going to be completely remodeled. The owners are definitely putting a lot of money into the joint and it will surely be different than past businesses there. Opening mid-late September.
Debra Check out their Facebook page for updates and photos at www.facebook.com/draughthousebar
BrownEyesGuy The latest I've heard is that the opening will be in early October. I'm hoping that's the case. We are so anxious for it to open.
I really hope this place is nice and doesn't shutdown quick...
I expect good deals and good promotios to make people around the area aware of this.
BEG - Let's hope they are open by October 12th so you and I can meet up for the Beagles/Midgets game.
Oh man!! Don't know how I missed this one!!! Between this and the place that took over Bensi, should be an interesting coupla new places...
Giants are already out of a playoff spot.... 0-2 record has only 12% chance of making the playoffs.... maybe if you believe in miracles....
JeffersonRepub I don't know, JR... if I had a 12% chance of getting hit by a bus today, I'd probably stay home (-;
ianimal We will definitely have to do a HL NFL hook up at this place!
On their FB page the other day, they were looking for people to comment with what beers they would want to see on tap. :-)
maja The have a website up. No menu yet. They say on FB that they are getting very close. I'm so excited!
www.draughthousebar.com
Sneak peek at the menu will be on Saturday per their Facebook posting. They are still hiring for their bus staff and kitchen staff per Facebook postings.
ignatz 
Summer Some of the prices are reasonable, but $12 for a dozen steamers isn't gonna fly.
positive Is that right.... I'm hearing they hired one of the former chefs from Bea McNalley's??? Sheesh say it ain't so!!!
Agreed on the steamers! I think Pub 517 and some other local places it's like $8.
The hillbillies in the area aren't going to pay those prices once the newness of the place wares off.
timmyy 
Challah If the clams are fresh and a good size that price is reasonable. If you want quality expect to pay for it. Market price for steamers can approach $1.50 each in some restaurants so I don't think $1 each is outlandish. (actually, at 13 per serving it's 92 cents each.)
I'll give them a try and see.
It appears that the menu might be more upscale than people are used to in this area, and I for one am glad to see a place opening that isn't the same menu as everyone else.
It looks good to me, but most of the people in the area want to pay $5 for stuff. So........
SIGH...life is not all Bud and fifty-cent wings.
I like the menu and I think the prices are reasonable for quality food. I hope they don't end up "dumbing down" the menu just to appeal to the people whose idea of good food is greasy cheeseburgers made from frozen patties.
I know they've solicited opinions on what beers they should be carrying; I'm eagerly awaiting the publishing of that menu.
A nice beer (or two) and a couple of appetizers makes for a nice night out.
"It looks good to me, but most of the people in the area want to pay $5 for stuff. So........"
Totally. SO sick of the forum complaining about the the restaurant prices. IDK how most people here can even afford to go out anyplace besides fast food, to hear them talk....
As long as the food is GOOD, the prices are MARKET VALUE.
I can't wait until the Tap House Grille opens and people start complaining....again....about the "smell", and blame the restaurant for it... AGAIN.....
Remind me to never open a restaurant or bar around here, lol
Finally a place trying to cater to a crowd that has tastes for more then a single with cheese. Bring it on. I for one look forward to this.
CraftBeerBob I'm sure Draught House will run some specials on Sundays for football. I don't mind paying more for good food at all.
I remember when Enzo opened his steakhouse in Oxford. People kept complaining because entrees were $12-$17 and way too expensive. This obviously led to an empty restaurant that closed in 6 months. These are the people that pack themselves into Luigi's Rancho and the Belvidere Diner for a $9 piece of shoe leather er uh....steak. I hope that doesn't happen to this place.
Is there a different menu everyone is looking at? I see fried calamari, fried shrimp, French fries, steamed clams and Buffalo wings. Where is this sophisticated menu everyone is talking about? The tuna martini that was trendy five years ago? Pulled pork tacos? Throwing lump crab meat on top of stuff?
comparing the Draught House to the former restaurant in Oxford is like comparing a Mercedes to a Honda...(not against Honda's!)
If the quality of food is good, people will pay the price. The Bistro in Washington does a great business for the same reason.
I have no doubt the Draught House will be clean, great service and excellent food quality!
Summer - Who was comparing this place to a place in Oxford? All I said was the local's (not just Oxford, I'm including White Twp. and Washington too) thought that the former Enzo's in Oxford was overpriced and it wasn't. So, they will think this place is overpriced as well and continue to patronize the diners.
Mediterranean Bistro was good years ago. It's been crap for awhile. After a few bad meals there, I wouldn't spend my money in that place ever again. Additionally, Bistro's liquor prices are ridiculous.
I'm not sure how you can possibly know for a fact that the service will be great at the new place. How about we wait until it opens and we see?
All that said, I am looking forward to this place opening and wish them much success. I just hope it isn't another Bea McNally's with average food and bad bar service.
Thinking the same thng Calico. It has a decent menu. As long as the food is good and it is clean, the only hurdle is the location.
3wbdwnj 
Maminj82 Yes, the people who own Mountain Valley Liquors and Glen Gardner Liquors are the owners.
Another menu page posted to FB today. I'm happy to see that they will have pizza.
Too bad they aren't reprising Ocino's white clam pizza... that would have been worth a drive to Washington.
FujiIf you want cheap crappy uninspired pizza there's always Domino's or Pizza Hut. If the ingredients are fresh and not out of a freezer or a can then these prices are not out of line.
The same for the salads, and you can't make an informed judgement until you see the portion size. Seven dollars for their House Salad is acceptable if it's a dinner portion; if it's a side salad than that's expensive. Again, fresh quality ingredients make all the difference.
McDonalds has a nice cheap salad; they make them in a central warehouse, seal them in plastic, and keep them in a refrigerator for days and days. They have nice dressing packets that have a two-year shelf life And, they're cheap.
You get what you pay for.
Mrs. Pipes JerryG, notice how I wrote "uninspired" first. Nothing so far on their menu has any uniqueness. It's just the same standard bar fare served nowadays, at prices that will only be worthwhile if the execution is exceptional. Fourteen bucks better buy me one hell of a personal pizza. The only unique item I've seen so far is the cherry cola sauce for the wings. And even that isn't necessarily appetizing as much as it is a novelty.
Fuji - what would be "inspiring"? The Chicken Franchaise pizza, the Land and Sea Pizza, the blackend tuna martini - those are all unique. A sports bar menu has to have staples as well, like wings, fries, and regular pizzas. I would love to see a menu designed by you...
John44 Well, since you asked...
If I had a bar menu, I'd try to put new spins on classic items. I'd do chicken fingers crusted with salt-and-vinegar chips and served with a fiery honey mustard. Maybe some white chili and jalapeno cheddar cheese fries. Pulled buffalo chicken mac 'n cheese with a fried blue cheese wedge. Brocolli rabe and sausage quesadilla with roasted tomato basil salsa. Spinach dip fritters crusted with tortilla chips. Cayenne-dusted Granny Smith apple and arugula salad with bacon, goat cheese, and crushed sesame candy in a pepper jam vinaigrette. Classic wings served extra crispy tossed in one sauce or served plain with your choice of sauces served in ramekins so you can mix-and-match flavors. I could keep going but I'll stop there.
Also, I've talked about this with friends, but if I had a bar I'd probably go with the Wing Night concept every night and just offer wings at $.50 a piece with a minimum order of a half dozen. I'd love a place that offered that deal. I'd be at JP Kelly's three nights a week if their wing night special was a regular menu item.
The only thing that would make me go to Fiji's restaurant is the buffalo mac and cheese. Otherwise, the rest of the "inspired" creations are not interesting to me.
btownguy Me either. Just goes to show, one person's dream is another person's nightmare.
Fried blue cheese wedge? Pepper jam? I think I just threw up in my mouth.
fuji, I'm curious - have you ever been to Morris Tap and Grille? They have quite the "foodie" menu... Chef Eric makes some great and unique stuff. And also some stuff I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole. The stuff I have gotten there has been great.
Fifty-cent wings?? Can't get more "unique" than that...unless you want a DOUBLE with cheese!
JeffersonRepub, we used to go to MTG when we lived in the area, and I loved their food. Was it more expensive than other restaurants? It was, but you got quality, inspired food, and it was (and likely still is) packed. Guiseppe hands down was one of the best waiters I've ever dealt with.
Fifty-cent wings??? Good God.
botheredbyuu2 I'm hoping they will offer a soup of the day, since they only have French onion on the menu. I love a bowl or cup of soup with football and the place I currently go doesn't offer a a soup of the day. They have French onion and some sausage gumbo type soup on the menu. I can't eat either because I don't eat beef of pork. I really miss being able to have a some chicken noodle or even a vegetarian soup like tomato or potato leak with my beer.
jr wrote - "IDK how most people here can even afford to go out anyplace besides fast food, to hear them talk"
this is because most folks cannot afford to go out to eat these days, that's why
now don't go by me as i rarely eat out anywheres, at any price,
for those who have the discretionary bucks to go out and have a good time i wish them all the best and cheers
i can't judge whether the prices will keep people away or not, but i wonder what would be the issue with having a couple of items to choose from that were at different price points? 5 dollar menu, 10 dollar menu, like that? maybe split the difference and have a 7.50 item or two?
the owners are good people who are well regarded in the area so i do wish them the best successes that life has to offer.
also agree with you JR, some items on the menu that i would really enjoy may not be the next persons cup of tea, and conversely, some menu choices are just not for me, ( i can't eat mushrooms although most everyone else i know loves them)
when is the opening scheduled for? would like to stop by and check them out.
BrotherDog There's no such thing as Chicken Franchaise. Since it's referred to as an "Italian classic", it should be spelled "Francese". The French variant of the same dish is Francaise... but there should never be an "h" in it.
Perhaps I'm being a d-bag about it (wouldn't be the first time, lol)... but I will never order anything that's misspelled on a menu. I figure if you can't take the time to spell it properly, I'm not going to risk whether or not you can prepare it properly.
Has anyone ever gone to a restaurant that had shirmpS on the menu? LOL I see that from time to time. Many times at Spanish or Portuguese restaurants. It makes me chuckle every time I see it.
mistergoogle Haha MG, I see "steamed dumpings" there all the time.
I really do hope this place does well.
There is a large sign as you walk into the oxford liquor store advertising the new Draught House restaurant. Confirmed with the owners that they will be opening later this month.
I hope they can find success and in turn find help for the many vacant storefronts in the downtown area of Oxford.
townie1 BEG - We are running out of time for this place to open in time for Sunday night's game. :-(
Yeap... Oh well....I will be at home, raelly tired after a Mud run that I'll be doing that morning...
Latest update is that it's opening at the end of October. Typical push back of opening dates when it comes to stuff like this.
Well, end of October is almost here. Maybe we can have a Halloween HH. The kids will all be out trick or treating :)
maja - Knowing the way parents are and how trick or treating is done these days, kids will probable be going from table to table and bar stool to bar stool with their goodie bags inside Draught House. ;-)
ugh They were working on the parking lot when I passed there yesterday on my way home. I would think that means that they are getting pretty close to opening. :-)
They will be opening within a week and a half. I responded to their FB picture snd that was their answer to me. Will be there to try it out.
They will be opening on Monday 11/3. I got this from someone who will be working there.
Maybe on opening night everyone will go the the new Draught House, and I'l be able to get a seat at Tap House Grille LOL
av111ks So, it's definitely opening Monday. Will anyone dare go there on the first day for dinner? Not me. LOL
My other half and I were discussing it, and were thinking that we might try stopping in a little after 8 to have a drink and watch MNF. If it's too packed, we probably won't even go in.
I might be interested in the MNF thing myself.... but yeah- I can only imagine it will be packed to the gills, and I don't enjoy that AT ALL.
Do you know if they will be open for lunch immediately, or will they wait for that like THG is doing? Wouldn't mind trying to go there for lunch on a weekend, avoid the opening weeks crowds...
Hi JR,
I was speaking with one of the owners last night and they will open for lunch once they "work all the kinks out". I wish them all the best.
Easy to pack the parking lot. It has been packed with contractors, and, ostensibly, new employees in training.
We are going to try and stop in for MNF tomorrow. Go Colts! Hoping to meet up with BEG there. :)
They're open. I was at the soft opening yesterday. Wasn't employees in training or contractors. It was family and friends. Food was excellent and the taps have such a variety that you spend a good 5 minutes (or more) deciding what brew you want. Beautiful and modern inside. This place has success written all over it. Go and enjoy!
Yes, we did see BEG and his lovely wife there last night. We only stopped in for a couple drinks around 8:00. We didn't stay very long as it was quite crowded. The place looks fantastic and the bartenders were doing a great job considering how packed it was. We didn't have anything to eat, so I can't really comment on the food. We did see a couple pizzas and they looked tasty. They have a good beer selection and the prices seem to be on par with the Taphouse Grill in Mansfield. We will probably go back this Sunday for football since the setup is great for watching games.
I have to say I was disappointed with the draft selection here. A lot of IPA's but only one stout. They also claimed to have 40 taps but I counted 30 options on the menu. Tried one of their desserts, some chocolate/peanut butter thing. It was fine but nothing to write home about.
The over-popularity of IPAs is really annoying.... same thing at Morris Tap & Grill: wonderful food, but bitter/hoppy/IPA-heavy beer selection. I'm lucky if there's 1-2 beers on the menu I actually like. I hope the Draught House isn't like that.
Honestly I think the most interesting craft beers on tap are the few at Applebee's in Mansfield. Last time I went they had Sierra Nevada Narwhal and Brooklyn Sorachi Ace, both of which you'll be hard-pressed to find on draft at most craft beer bars.
I've been lucky enough to go to the Draught House twice now. I must say it is impressive. Not only was the food I ordered phenomenal (pulled pork tacos and buffalo chicken fries) but the beer I had to go with it was even better (Shock Top Banana). As for the other beer on tap there was a great variety, as promised, and I know there was a large bottle selection as well. They also had a seasonal martini that I didn't get to try but it looked amazing. Overall, there seems to be a little something for everybody. I also really enjoyed the option of a quieter section of the restaurant in case the bar scene is not what you're interested in. The owners and employees were running around like crazy ensuring all were pleased and I'd say they succeeded!
Sully W Friends that I was with last night had the Shock Top Banana and loved it. Not my thing, so I didn't try it. It really is a nice place and I can see it stealing business from Med. Bistro as a place to get a martini or glass of wine. For sure one of the classiest sports bars I have been too.
I'm trying to find out what type of specials they will be having during football on Sundays.
Thank you guys! Finally a sports bar really comes to Washington!!! Cant wait.
The best comparison I have seen, is Shorebreak in VA Beach. Hope some of the best parts of that can be incorporated into this place.
Im sure others have favorite places too. That was mine.
Danny60 I liked the place a lot...It takes me 5 minutes to get there....
Looks great, I had the potato wedges, were really good, they had a lot of garlic.
the parking was full but there were empty tables and booths inside.
Yes, I'm not sure the parking lot is large enough for the capacity that the place can hold. The way the spaces are cut in is a little dicey as well. I can see a few fender benders happening there for sure.
My husband is now balking at the idea of going there for Sunday football. He says it's too open and fancy for a sports bar and just wants to add it to our dinner rotation. I guess I'll have to work on this issue. ;-)
So we went there for dinner last night. I had the French onion soup and shredded pork tacos, both were delicious. My husband had the char broiled hamburger and my friends had the tuna and skirt steak; all said everything was delicious. I also had a Smutty Nose which was quite good as well! Now I have to say my friend got a salad with her meal and that came right out but after quite a while I had to ask where my soup was. They then brought it out. Then it took quite a while longer for the meals to come out. The only other negative thing is that it is quite loud inside, I had a hard time having a conversation at our table. The manager came over as well as the owner to say hello and to see how everything was, which was very nice. I will definitely go back for try other items!
Iris I'm in my 40's and have been to a LOT of bars in my life, in many different states.
The Draught House has has a VERY nicer interior setup. One of the best I've ever been to. It is obvious they put effort and money into this. Great bar, from the brass rail to the pressed tin top under glass. The Tap room has a boring painted black top for comparison. Great lighting, Edison bulbs galore. Multiple bathrooms, freshly repaved parking lot.
I live 5 minuted from it, and 10 minutes from the tap House in Mansfield.
I've been to the one in Mansfield twice, and went to the DH tonight. No comparison.
At the Tap House, they were very busy, we waited just under an hour after ordering for the burgers we ordered to arrive. We mentioned it twice to the wait staff..(and we were sitting at the bar so they shouldn't / couldn't have forgotten us)... they said they told the manager, but at no point did anyone other than the wait staff approach us.
At the DH tonight, they were also busy. I went by myself..and they had no idea who I am.. but I was not only asked several times by 4 (yes I kept count) wait staff if everything was OK, but I was also asked by the manager (son) and 3 of the owners themselves who spent several minutes talking to me about anything I had to talk about.
We spoke about the food. We spoke about the beer selection. (they even stated they were going to have beer classes for the wait staff very soon so they will be able to better serve the customers) We spoke about the interior. We spoke about parking lot and how they are going to expand it. They own several acres, and will do what needs to be done to make everything as it should be.
Bottom line- everybody in management from the very top on down was in the middle of the action making sure they did whatever they could to make the experience the best they could. I can't say anywhere near the same about the Tap house. I sat at the Tap House with my in laws for an hour waiting on a couple burgers, and heard from NOBODY. We had to flag down the staff..and they just blamed the kitchen. I know where I will be going from now on.
Josh Good prices, good service and delicious food. Interior very comfortable. Better than the Taphouse by far.
Jenn Thanks for the detailed review, Josh. We had the same experience at the TH, but assume it'll get better with a little time. After reading your review, looking VERY much forward to trying the DH. Probably try to go tomorrow night, if we can get a seat....
I remember waiting for a seat at Ruby Tuesdays way back when. I remember when Applebee's was new, you couldn't get a parking spot, let alone a seat. Ditto with Bea's. ....no problem getting seats at those 3 places anymore, hopefully after the grand opening newness wears off of TH and DH, it won't be a big deal just showing up and getting a seat at those places either. I'm not waiting an hour for a seat anywhere. If a restaurant routinely has waits that long, they need to take reservations- and not just for parties of 6 or more.
I had a much different opinion of the food. Seemed like everything was frozen. It wasn't very crowded at all. And beer prices were slightly askew based on what they were pouring (some much too high, some lower than usual). Maybe it was opening night jitters...
I have been to both new restaurants/bars in the area. Both are very nice and both are great additions to the area. While both of the establishments offer large selections of craft beers that is where the similarities end.
The Draught House on Rt 31 in Washington is a bar 1st, restaurant 2nd. The bar is huge! Much larger than the bar at the Tap House Grill. The majority of the action centers around the bar too. The entire bar has cocktail tables surrounding it and the customers were standing around the bar 2 and 3 deep. The TVs were easily visible from just about every seat in the restaurant.
The Tap House Grill is a restaurant 1st and a bar 2nd. The bar is smaller and has a lot less tables surrounding it. The Tap House is much darker and the TV's are hard to see from the bar because they are so close to the ceiling which is very high.
I found the service at the Draught House to be very slow. It took a long time for you to get the bartenders attention and an even longer time for them to return with your beer. The food took a very long time to get to the table and not all of the food our party ordered came out together. The food was good but far from great. I am sure the timing issue will improve once they have been open for a while and the kinks are worked out. The burgers looked nice but not one person at our table had there burger cooked the way they ordered it. The wait was so long it was they didn't send them back.
The Tap House had much better food but again the wait was long there too. I expect them to get the wait time down as they work out the kinks too. When you sit down for dinner at the Tap House you feel like your at a restaurant not a bar and the staff reflects that.
The Draught House had the staff in T Shirts and collared shirts and ladies wore yoga pants and the men wore jeans. The staff at the Tap House is dressed much more upscale and had a more finished appearance.
If I wanted to watch a game with my friends I would go to the Draught House. The night before Thanksgiving the Draught house is the place to go. If I wanted better food and have a relaxing dinner with my family I would go to The Tap House.
Both are good. Both will make it. Both have room for improvement. Both will get my business.
Yeah! That was great! I haven't been to the DH yet, but I concur 100% with your review of the TH.
We were going to try to go to the TH last night.... glad we didn't if the bar was 2-3 deep... I HATE that.
Marley's will, so far, remain our "place to go where we can always get a seat, with good beer, and the best burger in town." (and my wife says, the best salad in town)
To be fair, if I want- " better food and have a relaxing dinner with my family" I would go to any number of places before either of this. Off the top of my head, I suggest the wonderful little Italian place in Gladstone.
Neither of these places are fine dining and aren't meant to be.
I just drove by the place at 4:15pm and the parking lot was full. Amazing. Glad they are doing a good business.
Long time lurker first time poster....
I'm sure what I post will be taken the wrong way, however after going to taphouse on a week night a few days after it opened, it was great service, good drinks, quality food for the price...folks, if you go to smashburger, moes or any other place your going to spend a few bucks for your meal...get over it, times have changed, economy has changed..
Draught house, meal was....okay..tried the following : burger, pizza, French onion soup, pork tacos. As I said good was okay...place is still working out the kinks, will deff try again. Service for a packed house was as good as you can expect. My biggest draw back of the night and reason that cleared most of where I was sitting was due to your typical pardon my language "white trash"...self entitled id say late 30's to mid 40's group that thought they owned the place..."we are in the f@&$in atrium" was the line that won us over...
I get it, it's washington/ oxford, it's okay to be a hillbilly, well...not everyone is a hillbilly...Get some manners, understand what things cost outside of warren county, learn to understand your opinion means jack to the tables around you, everyone waited a long time for a table so quit be so self righteous..
Rant over...thank you all, I hope you all have a great weekend. Thank you and God bless to all the Vets
Bonchenco Ate dinner at Draught House tonight and will never go back. The hostess sat us quickly but then we were promptly forgotten about! We were sat in a side room due to volume. A nearby table complained for their lack of service and an elderly gentleman came by and took our beer order. He said that his staff was late and then asked if we wanted to order beer from him. This was an awkward question so we shyly said yes. We ordered our appetizers and the menu got taken away immediately. Good thing we already knew the entree we wanted...When we finally got our waitress he ended up scolding her in front of us for not having added the two beers to the receipt. He asked me with my mouth full of food, what beer I ordered. I said headwaters. He went back and came back after another minute to ask the Full name of my beer. My mouth still full of food I said Victory. How awkward and rude! Our food came out without sauces and I kept seeing the elderly man (presumably the owner or manager) scolding multiple members of his staff. We didn't even get a small discount for the rudeness, inconveniences and delays. I saw many people order drinks and then leave without eating due to long wait. The staff was nice and the beer/food good but the place was badly managed. I wish them the best of luck and hope they get some higher quality management.
I called there today to see what beer and food specials they were having during NFL games. I got this as an answer, "Uh, we just opened this week there are no specials." Well, then there will be no Calico for football. How long does it take a manager to make up a few specials? 10 minutes? You reduce the price of a couple domestic drafts, knock a buck off the wings and pick a couple apps and make them 1/2 price. Just seems odd that a "sports bar" wouldn't make NFL specials a priority.
Hopefully we will get to try it for dinner once all the lunacy dies down.
Calico,
I'm sure they will. The wait staff still seems a bit frazzled.... start-up pains. We went for the 1st half of the Giants game tonight, service was a bit slow, but the pizza was good and I think they had a good beer menu- as good as Bea's. The room around the bar is a bit roomier than Bea's, which is welcome... Bea's bar room can get crowded fast when people start standing around.
It's definitely a SPORTS bar, with bar food. Like a nicer Applebee's. Nothing wrong with bar food, but you'll find the menu at Tap House more chef-y, and the Draught House is more along the lines of Bea's in food and atmosphere (altho hoping the food is better, as Bea's food has never been great, even for bar food)
I've been lucky enough to go to the DH three times. Twice I went for dinner and once to hang out at the bar. Everything I ordered was great. I got the goat cheese salad, balsamic portobello sandwich, and bruschetta potato skins. I also got to try the pizza. All of the food was excellent and I would definitely order them all again. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I am looking forward to going to the DH for Thanksgiving eve with my friends! There is no place around here like it and I am looking forward to trying the wings I have heard great things about them!
"I've been lucky enough to go to the DH three times."
Why? Do you have to pick the name of a restaurant out of a hat in order to decide where you are going? Just not sure where "luck" falls into this (-;
"I've been lucky enough to go to the Draught House twice now. I must say it is impressive. Not only was the food I ordered phenomenal (pulled pork tacos and buffalo chicken fries) but the beer I had to go with it was even better (Shock Top Banana). As for the other beer on tap there was a great variety, as promised, and I know there was a large bottle selection as well. They also had a seasonal martini that I didn't get to try but it looked amazing. Overall, there seems to be a little something for everybody. I also really enjoyed the option of a quieter section of the restaurant in case the bar scene is not what you're interested in. The owners and employees were running around like crazy ensuring all were pleased and I'd say they succeeded!" - Sully W
Hmmmm....looks like Sully W was as "lucky" 6 days ago as AW was 20 minutes ago. LOL
Coincidence? I think not. ;-)
They annouced Wing Special on Facebook.
"Our first official "Wing Wednesday" is here! Come to Draught House for half price wings all day and night! #WingWednesday"
Super! Does anyone how many wings they serve per order? The regular menu just says that "Buffalo wings" are $10. I've been to places where that means a dozen and some where it means ten.
If they're charging $1 for a clam, I would guess it's at least $1 per wing as well.
I didn't count but it was between 10-12. The are good size and done really well, I've had them twice now, both times the Thai/Chili
I was lucky enough to go once since it opened. Party of tree went on the Friday after it opened. Parking lot was packed, but we found a spot to sneak in. Was told 20 minute wait but it was closer to 10. Sat at a table in the bar area - not too loud but it is close quarters. Two people have to do a side twist to pass by either other between bar and table.
Food wise, apps were the Tuna cocktail and Buffalo Chicken Fries. Cocktail wasn't bad - very spicy almost Cajun - and buffalo chicken fries were one of the best things I've ever had. Just they way they were done... not too buffaloey, not under done, just right. Dinner was a burger, a Brie chicken apple sandwich thing and a Caesar salad with steak and all of it was great. Steak on the Caesar was cooked perfectly but it was cool but perfect. Burger was to the liking and thr Brie chicken thing is something I would have never considered to eat prior and will on my next trip. Only complaint was Caesar salad was light on the dressing but a quick request provided more dressing.
Would've liked to see a little more attention from our server, but with how slammed it was that's understandable.
Oh no... A good review and I have a W in my name!!!!
I'm going to go over there for the Eagles game today and check out how it is for football. We'll see whether I stay all game or only the first half. ;-)
Will review later.
Philliesman Will do. I called there yesterday. They said they were going to have some food specials, but weren't sure what yet. No drink specials yet. :-(
There were not any specials at all at Draught House yesterday. Obviously, the girl I spoke to gave me the wrong information.
I'll keep my review short as to not get bashed for bashing. I don't think we will be going back to this place. They were out of so many beers and food items. The wings were good, but the rest of our food was so bad we couldn't even eat it. Both of our dinners came out cold and did not taste good at all. We both only ate only 1/4 of them before throwing in the towel. To their credit, they did take both dinners off the bill. It was still over $50 with tip for the wings and beers we had. It's too bad, I really wanted to like this place as it's very convenient for us. Will be going back to our usual football location next week.
So sad. Don't know why a sports bar would not have Sunday football specials. I won't waste my time or money going there.
They were out of the 2 beers we wanted as well, when we went last weekend. Again- I'm chalking it up to being OVERLY busy during their opening weeks. We haven't passed judgement on the place yet, but our 1st experience was ok enough for us to go back and try it a couple more times, after things calm down.
We can say the exact same thing about the Tap House.
And, I remember when Bea's first opened - yup- it was the exact same thing. Now Bea's has calmed down and is fine (well, the food was never good there, lol) and we do go there for beers, apps, and games.
Actually, we drove by Bea's the other evening, around dinner time, and was shocked to see parking available on a friday night- looks like TH and DH might be making a dent there.
ignatz - My comments about the game are on the NFL thread.
BEG - I ordered the chicken apple brie sandwich and my husband the cottage pie. The chicken was cold and really dry. Could not taste any of the other things on it. The apple was very dry and tasteless. Hardly any cheese on it at all. For $12 I expected better. I didn't try my husband's, as I don't eat beef, but he said that the potatoes on top tasted like they were out of a box. The meat was ice cold and the whole meal tasteless. For $17 he expected better as well.
Philliesman - I agree. Too many other places with NFL specials to go to a place without them for the game. I spoke with the manager to try and find out why a "sports" bar would not be having any specials at all. He said they have 1/2 price wings on Wednesdays. I told him that was great, but there is no football on Wednesdays. LOL Maybe down the road, when business slows down, they will add sports specials. The bar was very crowded when we arrived, but there were not that many dining tables occupied. When we left there were less than half the amount of people there than there was when we arrived.
On top of everything else, I must have heard "we just opened" and "I'm new here" spoken about 100 times over the hour and a half we were there. It was like a broken record. I would think the majority of diners/drinkers are aware of when they opened because they are local.
For those who liked it, I hope you continue to enjoy. We'll spend our money elsewhere though.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Calico. I'm sorry it wasn't better, since I know you were looking forward to this place opening. Too bad.
Aquarius shoot, that sucks.
I want this place to be a good one.
I need to have a full meal there.
My boyfriend and I went there last week. He had wings and a burger and I had the tuna martini. My boyfriend stated that the wings were good in terms of size and meat quality. His burger was alright but was charred for being medium so he brought half home and it ended up getting thrown out. My tuna martini appetizer was good, but for over 10 dollars, there wasn't much to it and was completely consumed in under two minutes. Definitely a bar first and a restaurant second like someone had stated. I'll give it another shot just for beer because we did not get any with our first trip.
helpthekitty Calico sorry to hear that.
We haven't been there yet.
Just curious, does anyone know if the owner(s) have restaurant experience?
Vic - From what I have heard, no. IMO if you open a restaurant without experience, you need a really good chef and a really good manager to make it work.
I have not been there yet and I will try the place out in the near future but I am baffled why they named the place a sports bar.
There is a Sports bar right down the road at the bowling ally and every bar on the planet has a TV with sports on..........
Why not focus on the beer? "craft" beer is the hot and trendy thing now they should take advantage of that and be offering beer specials, beer tastings and sampling, etc....
Had lunch there yesterday.
Good burger with house salad.
Beer Selection is good and prices are fair.
Beer offerings do change frequently which is what is expected of Craft Beers.
I saw on FB that Draught House had $3 Yuengling and Coors Light drafts for football last night. Hmmmm, they could do it for MNF but not for Sunday.
Went for the 1st time...maybe the last. We get growing pains. But when your order comes out wrong and they scrape the toppings off and bring it out a minute later with the drippings left of the old toppings..well frankly I am turned off. Burgers seemed to be frozen. Appetizer of potato skins with bruchetta were horrible and tasteless. We were with our kids and instead of sitting us in the main dining room where there were plenty of clear tables...they sat us at a high top in the bar. It was very loud. I was not very impressed with the service either. And they had plenty of servers on staff.
hey draught house... how about a pint night?..... forget the lousy "discount" on cheap beer during Monday night football. $2.00 pints on a weeknight for all of taps would really bring people in for the BEER.
This goes back to my previous post.....This place has 40 TAPS!!! and they are giving specials off fricking Coors light??
LOL $2 pints for all taps is never going to happen at this place, or any place for that matter. They get $9 for some of the pints at DH, they are not going to sell them for $2. Maybe $1 off all taps could work for them along with the $3 swill beer specials.
Taphouse Grill offers $2 off all drafts, $2 off wine and 1/2 price martinis and apps during happy hour and NFL.
There was a bar in Brooklyn that I used to frequent that offered all of their draft beers for $3 during happy hour. That kind of special would be great for a place like Draught House. Gives you a chance to try the pricier stuff without the sticker shock.
Something like that would justify the trek out there. Otherwise I'll stick with the better options available in town.
I was saying to my husband last night that if we ever go again it would probably be just to have specific type of beer and then split. But I'm not sure how we would even find out what they were having on tap because they stated that they will not put their beer list online since it's constantly changing. I definitely wouldn't eat there again.
Also if forgot to mention this in my review, it seemed way too "open" to be a sports bar. Some may like that but not us, we like a more compact place where we can joke back and forth with other fans etc. It just seemed too impersonal there in that sense. We had tried watching NFL at the Sports Scene at the bowling alley years ago and it was the same type of "too wide open" atmosphere. It didn't work for us.
On another note the new liquor store across the parking lot at the Washington ShopRite is due to open by the first week of December.
I stopped here Friday night- it is quite the change from the prior business' that used to be in this location- for the positive I will say.
The bar is a very large rectangle- which is almost "too big" to give it the intimacy that I would like in a bar- but that is personal preference- it is very beautifully done inside the building.
The atmosphere was what you would expect for a Friday night- crowded and people having a good time. In time, I am sure the crowd will thin out a little bit- and I do expect that they will have success at this location, based on where it is and what they are offering- beer and food (I didn't eat, so I cannot offer any opinion on the quality or lack thereof).
I am an admittedly "thrifty" person. I was not into being creative in my beer choice on Friday night- and stuck with Yuengling draft- which was priced at $4 on the beer menu.
When I got my change back for my first beer, expecting $6 change from my $10 bill for a $4 pint of Yuengling, I realized that I got back $5.60. Okay, maybe a mistake was made, I let it go.
Had a second pint, now my $5.60 was down to $1.25- I paid $4.40 for one pint and $4.35 on the second pint-
Are they taking tax out? 7% tax of $4 is .28. Either way, I am overcharged.
Really, not to get down to pennies, which is silly- when a bar says $4 for a pint, and you pay up front with money at the bar, isn't tax usually all ready figured into that $4 that they charge?
It just was something I thought was different than most bars I go to and the way the beer cost was charged at the bar. You charge me $4 for a beer, I usually get back $6.
I guess they don't include tax- it is something that is not consistent with other bars I frequent.
The Rhyme Animal While out yesterday, I encountered several people who had tried Draught House. Not one of them thought the food was good. Among all of the bad food comments, the most consistent one was that their food was brought to them cold. This was the same experience we had. I'm not sure why a large majority of the food is coming out cold. Not sure whether it's the kitchen's fault or the server's fault. Hopefully they will be able to straighten out the food issue otherwise they could be in big trouble. People are not going to continue paying high prices for cold and mediocre food.
Their new liquor store across the parking lot from Shoprite looks to be huuuge. It appears that it will take up easily 3-4 storefronts. Best of luck to them if they plan on opening next week. Still lots of work to be done inside.
I have yet to visit the Draught House, however, I am weary based on the negative experiences of those here, as well as the not so favorable reviews on their Facebook page. I don't know about anyone else, but seeing 'reviews' posted to their page by their own employees doesn't exactly sit well with me. I understand they want a positive rating starting out, but having your employees post 'reviews' isn't exactly legitimate. The owners obviously know they're there because the page 'liked' them. Not sure about this place, guess we might have to find out for ourselves but it doesn't look promising.
Kris Just left the Draught House and I enjoyed their half priced wings. I got 2 flavors, Honey Barbeque and an Asian flavored sauce. Both were very good and the wings were cooked perfectly. You got 10 wings each. I saved some for dinner. Glad I stopped by on Wing Wednesday.
I have been to the Draught House on several different occasions and I have had a great experience every time. I had the blackened tuna, flat iron steak and the salmon and all were cooked to perfection. This restaurant has just opened so they are still trying to get their "groove". Though some may think prices are too expensive, they must keep in mind that this isn't Felixs,Scotty's or Philberts. Yes, the prices at these local bars may be cheep..but think of the crowd those places bring in (a bunch of drunks who look like they haven't showered or young kids who are either underage or completely out of control). DH has a friendlier crowd and is even family oriented. There is nothing wrong with the Draught House. You people just like to pick and nag and the stupid things. I have gone to Sport scene or even Applebee's and my food has been cold! It happens!!! They just opened give them a break!
My opinion...Draught House is excellent And I will definitely be back in the future.
The constant mentioning of Scotty's, Felix's and Philbert's in this thread cracks me up. Those places are DIVE BARS for HARDCORE DRINKERS. What kind of people would you expect to be in there?
It's like mentioning Taco Bell in a thread about Casa Maya.
I'll put the pork roll and cheese sandwich at Felix's up against anything at Draught House... and I think it was $3.75, lol.
So true ianimal. Felix's and Scotty's have been there forever and they are never lacking customers, they know the client base of that area and cater to it. The will be there for a long time and I'm sure Philbert's will be too. Heck the St. Cloud would still be hopping if it hadn't burned down.
Went there on Monday- the food was average at best- the beer price I think is a bit high, but it is nice in there- has a decent atmosphere- so I will make it an occasional stop- Good to have them as an option- I hope they do well.
Is Philberts the pub? on 57?
Scottys have Coors light specials..
I went to the Draught House yesterday for wings too. They were good. I had the Thai Chili (very sweet, little spicy) I tried the BBQ, Honey BBQ and Mild Buffalo, they we all good. I prefere the ones from Sal's Pizza because they come out very crispy.
My wife, has braces, prefers them not so crispy.
I'm surprised someone said the potato skins were tasteless, I had the garlic taste for more than 24hrs...
Yes, Philbert's is the pub on 57. Believe it or not, it's actually pretty nice in there. Not a filthy dump like Scotty's.
Wow Ricki, you don't seem biased toward DH or anything... Wouldn't be surprised if you worked there based on that review.
I went last week with people from work.....I thought it was good but I'm also not a food snob.
We shared some Cherry Cola Wings and I thought they were pretty good. I also had the house burger which I thought was cooked perfectly and the fries were good too.
Nosila Has this place gotten any better now that all the hype and excitement has seemed to have worn off? I'm wondering how their business is doing now without all the curious consumers.
Went Sunday but not in any hurry to return. Too many other new places to try and oldies that are goodies.
Very limited menu and the prices are average. The portions IMO are very small and merely decent enough taste wise. They didn't have the first two beers I ordered so settled for #3 pick.
overall the only thing that was sueperb was my dining companion
CBGB We went on Saturday and it was okay. Hubby thought the beer selection was great. Menu is limited and the food was okay. The waitress we had was pretty scatterbrained. She put in the wrong order for me which they did fix and charged me the price difference for my troubles. Not sure if it's worth the drive very often.
Smilingbecs Anyone know for sure what they are building behind and off to the side of Draught House? It's just framing right now, but it appears to be a band shell/stage and a pavilion.
Was there last night. Overheard the owner say it should be done in about 3 weeks.
omega1401 The sign outside Draught House says the grand opening for the outside bar etc. will be 9/25. They are calling it The Boat Bar.
The Boat Bar? Washington Borough doesn't have a body of water big enough to launch anything bigger than my son's bath tugboat, lol. What's their primary waterway, the Pohatcong Creek, right?
If it takes 40 minutes to get wings at the bar when its not busy how long will it take to get them at the SS Minnow? I guess I should be ready for a 3 hour tour.
Have been there multiple times and never took more than 10 minutes to get my wings
If they "weren't busy", maybe they turned the fryers off and had to reheat the oil the time 'hot under the collar" was talking about. I've run into that situation other places.
I had an interesting visit, 3 people at the bar, 5 total seats in building, the time it took for the bartender to greet me and take my drink order was longer than the amount of time my order of wings took to arrive.
Wings tasted great though. Still think prices are a bit much. Wonder if they can have live music outside.
Stay away from the Purple Haze beer, its more like dirty water.
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