New menu at Bea McNally's
Extremely excited to hear that the new chef at Bea McNally's worked previously at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Blue Hill at Stone Barns is where we had our absolute best meal ever...amazing food and atmosphere. Hoping that the food is elevated to the next level at Bea's and that the quality and attention to detail is consistent. Can't wait to try out the new menu! Best of luck to them!
Jules I love Bea's through the thick and the thin. It has become a great part of town and I will continue to support it through the changing times. I understand the complaints but the atmosphere is what keeps me coming back. My favorite bar in the area! Looking forward to the changes! Best of luck Bea's!
Greener PasturesIs that the new menu that is presently on their website?
The roasted endive entree sounds interesting.
We had the Valentine's special dinner there. It was extremely good! The menu is really interesting. We'll be back there in the next week and looking forward to it.
EVV Had drunken mussels and truffle fries for happy hour AMAZING big upgrade from the previous food lots more interesting choices! Can't wait to try more and try for dinner
htowny Any place that has Thursday Dollar Beer Night is not focused on food.
imo
How many new menu's are they going to have - the only guy making money is the printer...
RU Looking forward to trying the new menu. I wish the new chef every success in his new home.
Bessie 
maja2 
Mansfield mama I was thinking about giving the place another try. We haven't been there in awhile. We were underwhelmed all three times we went. Hopefully the new chef brings some better quality.
Metsman 
RAS 
iRun 
Strangerdanger We were there last week and we both liked what what we ordered. But I miss the pear salad. That was a go to choice for me.
hktownie I liked the pear salad, too! But that won't stop me from coming back. It has great ambiance and entertainment.
I look forward to the new menu. There's only so many "chances" I'm willing to give, atmosphere or not. There are only so many times I'm willing to drop $100 bucks or so to take the family out, and wind up with bad food, or even to drop $40 bucks to take my dad out for lunch and a beer, and have the food suck.
I'll give them another chance, but frankly, they are running out of chances FAST.
GetOverYerself We went today for lunch. Not good. Chicken was dry, bacon was dry. Onion rings were overdone. Manager asked how everything was, told him of the shortcoming in our meals. He said he appreciates feedback good or bad.... but offered nothing to make things right. A positive: Waitress was very nice.
Bottom line: We won't be going back.
hector --- that wasn't good business practice of Bea McNally. He should have offered to remake the food --- or given you a voucher for a future free meal.
I think Robert Irvine should drop in....restaurant make-over guy from Food Network.
ss2cats I went there on Wed night, for a birthday dinner- got a reuben and some fries with blu cheese dressing on them- I was not at all impressed with what I ate- it was just plain not that good.
Last time I had a reuben there a year ago, it was much better- what they served me on Wed was very disappointing.
I went there because it was convenient, but will look for another convenient place next time.
The Rhyme Animal As soon as I saw how massive the menu is, I became very worried for them. It would be difficult for any restaurant to serve so much and do it well.
Cut it in half or more.
I wish them luck. It would be terrible to see them go under for the owners but also the town.
The only thing I can say is no. Just no. Don't waste your time or money. The service is atrocious. And it was freezing in the dining room. From the moment we walked in, to the moment we walked out. 2 hours later. No bread. No drink refills. And after waiting an hour and a half for food, we left.
Lulu The new food is amazing... when it gets to you. Service has always been bad at Bea's but now it really stands out with a nicer menu. The servers are all very friendly and seem to know the menu but the actual service is really terrible. The wait to be greeted...the wait for your drinks...never getting a refill or check back...ignoring order changes...the wait for the check...and then to pay the check. Honestly, I hate to say it but they have some of the worst trained servers I have ever seen. And don't even get me started on the manager who wanders the dining room texting, not even looking up at the tables. He's probably the highest paid person there. Please please please fix these problems! We love Beas!
Former server here A Couple times I've witnessed the manager(s) just standing around a busy night just joking around. And the time I questioned an item on the bill he told the bar tender to "just tell him the check is fixed" in front of me not knowing it was my check. My last visit is over a year ago now.
Roywhite Just left there disappointed. We only got appetizers because that's my favorite and you can't mess it up. We got the truffle fries and the pulled pork nachos. The truffle fries were OK a little too much blue cheese. The nachos were OK. The chips didn't have enough flavor and the stuff in the middle wasn't melted. I'm not a picky person and never have issues with apps. Also, apparently they were out of potatoes so no shepherds pie, mashed potatoes, or anything else that needs potatoes.
We did wait a half hour to get our food and not a lot of people were there which isnt horrible.
We waited a while to get our check and I finally had to ask for it.
I won't go back for a dinner. However, it's fine for a couple of beers. The place is really nice and has a cozy feel but I'm not spending money on a full meal there.
They should have simplified the menu.
Nosila No taters? Shop Rites got em, bout .50 a pound, they could have mashed taters cooked n ready in about an hour.
I was just thinking about trying Bea McNallys again as we also have been very disappointed when dining there recently.. Nosila said that they still have not mastered one of the appetizers that my daughter always gets there and has been so disappointed in how they served them lately (the truffle fries). that kind of did it for me... They had prime rib specials on Tuesdays and we have tried that also and it was not very good and meat very fatty....so guess this might be it for us too for a while..
Joyful 
4catmom Tried the NY strip steak dinner on special last Tuesday for $16. The steaks and sides were good as well as the service. Great deal.
MTSO 
CraftBeerBob Ah, I am still furious about wasting our time and money last night. However we waited over 75 minutes and the food did eventually come out. Funny you mention about the potatoes, as they told us last night we were "lucky" to get they last two dishes with them cause they ran out. LUCKY. REALLY.
Several servers came into the dining room multiple times with soup/appps but each time to the wrong table. One poor girl just bounced table to table, "French onion soup?", "French onion soup?"
Dear Nosila
I am deeply upset and personal sorry for your poor experience at bea mcnallys. As the new chef I apologize for not meeting your expectations recently. I am not one to make exscuses or ignore a complaint such as yours. Besides the point of the restaurant being incredibly busy this pass Saturday night, I realize that there are going to be hiccups some where during the course of the evening, however from my standpoint that doesn't cut it. We have been reopen for a few weeks now and have really gotten the chance to pinpoint where we still need to make improvements and they will be made. There is no reason for concerns like yours to happen. Yes we get busy and yes people will have to be patient on a Saturday night, but wait times and issues like what you and others have had this weekend have got to be handled and it is my number one priority first and fore most to take care of them. My goal is make the food, staff and atmosphere thrive as the neighborhood hot spot and i will do whatever it takes to make that happen. From me to you ,I'm asking you to come try us again soon and announce yourself to a manger or host so I can come out and meet you in person if you don't mind, if you want remain anonymous I understand. I want to make this wrong right and it is my goal to do so, these are the reasons I was brought in and wanted the position as I grew up and graduated from here. Again I hear all your concerns and am avidly going over things today to make the switch. I will do all I can to make things right and when we do we also need support from the community when they are made. I hope to see you soon and have you leaving a satisfied fellow community member. Thanks again for the feedback and criticism as that is one of the best ways for us as a business and I to continue down the community right road forward.
Best regards
Anthony Trabold
That's too bad. Even with those interesting vegetarian entrees, it sounds like a place I don't want to be.
To be fair... restaurants run out of things... and when you are doing everything entirely from scratch it's not as simple as "running to shoprite and buying potatoes". Who is going to be cooking your lunches while the chefs prep hundreds of potatoes? There's a reason food prep is done in the morning before the restaurant opens. There is simply not space or time for prep once service starts.
Next weekend is the St. Pat's parade. Better be ready with a ton of potatoes :) Too many is a better idea than not enough! You can always have a potato pancake bar special the rest of the week. Who doesn't love potato pancakes?!
Anthony trabold- I was actually there today (Sunday) around noon and there were 4/5 tables max. I didn't see an email listed for you or I would have emailed you the below. Feel free to message me and I will give a couple other suggestions.
I want this business to succeed because it could be a great asset to Hackettstown. The place looks beautiful. The servers were also all very nice. However, some additional training may help them. I'm not sure they know when to check in and they need to be more observant. When customers plates are pushed to the end of table with napkins on them that means they are done.
My recommendation is to scale the menu down. Also, a special request to bring the old loaded fries back. Just kidding on that one. Many other people may prefer the new ones over the other as its a person preference.
See all feedback as valuable. While this is all still new maybe even give customers a quick little survey card when giving them their check.
We went last night. Disaster. (well, ok- not a disaster, but our opinion of Bea's has not improved.)
Server obviously didn't know what she was doing.. maybe she was a rookie, ok.
Waited 15min for a WATER, 15min for a wine, then had a 2nd (unordered) wine delivered 15 min later.
"grilled garlic bread": grilled bread, yes. No garlic. HARD butter on the side. This is NOT "grilled garlic bread".
I had the pasta bolognese. It was ok, but I can make better myself.
All-in-all, our opinion of Bea's food has not changed: we go there for football, beers/drinks, burgers, and apps. NOT for DINNER. If we want dinner entrees, we will go to Tap House (FAR better), Panther Pub, Mattar's, or Pandan Room.
Still have to get to James on Main and the Churrascarria.
JeffersonRepub Please know the Chef is not responsible for the "front of the house" employees. That is the front of the house managers job. To train those employees and remind them how the guests are to be treated. This apparently is a new menu, I would suggest to give them a little time to find out what works and what doesn't. Granted that can be annoying when you have spent your hard earned money to enjoy a meal out. You should expect a hot well cooked meal and proper service and if you don't get it go to the manager, that is what they are there for. Anthony is a talented, hard working Chef.
Vicinity I have not been there in 3 years because my order was screwed up big time! Nothing changes but the time. Sorry to hear that they are not doing well and I blame it on Management
LittleRascal Long in the wait! Its about time.... Finally we don't have to drive over an hour out of town to get something great to eat. Not one decent place to eat around Hackettstown for years, and finally something worth going to. Irish food with a personal touch.. Something different and new. Had the Brunch to start and I ended up taking home and getting two full meals out of it. TOOOO much food~! Been back for the meals and the food was just amazing.. ALSO had a personal visit from the Chef Anthony and everyone was great. Best thing, if you have a comment or question, they bend over backwards to please you. . Nice to see this.. means they WANT YOU BACK and are listening.... So you cant complain there. Its not blah or plain... the new Head Chef and his team put a little extra into every dish.. You may get something and say, hmmmm, this is different.. well YES! Something different but YUMMMM! I say its about time.. and anyone complaining about this place, you really need to travel out of your 5 mile radios and eat at REAL restaurants and have REAL prepared, thought out foods before complaining.. that just means everyone has gotten to used to the fast food ally, and the crap food in this area and close by. KUDOS and best of luck to the New Crew... BTW, in reading the reviews, its always nice to give CONSTRUCTIVE criticism so people can work on things. I for one would like to have a good place to eat which is close by. So, with that being said, I would say, Yes, the wait staff needs to step it up, be more attentive and on it, SMILE and be pleasant and welcoming... Make sure you know what is available and what you have run out of so you can offer a replacement. BAR - Work your area.. pick a corner and stay there. Especially when you are packed.. SUGGESTION,,, when the bar is packed and more than 2 rows back, maybe on a Friday and Saturday night get a couple Bar Maids out on the other side taking orders from people who can't get close enough to the bar so they aren't waiting... Its better to pay a few more people a couple of bucks an hour than lose hundreds or thousands $ from people walking out the door :o) Other than that, everyone needs a grace period to adjust.. Everyone needs to pitch in and step in where they think they can help,,, and suggestions are the only way anyone knows what is going on.. Good Luck! See you next week for lunch!
Annastasia I would never ever eat there again, waste of money and a waste of a beautiful building. Service and food suck, always have. A shame that place can't be built into a nice restaurant / cigar bar. Something a little more upscale and attractive for people in neighboring towns to want to come to.
Mickey My posts have been misconstrued, please note that I am not a former server at Beas so I do not speak from any personal experience there. I was a server for fifteen years at various restaurants and speak only from general restaurant experience. As I've said I love Beas and I look forward to my next visit, I just hope the service improves!
Hello Hackettstown life!
Listen close. Here's my shpeel!
I have lived in Hackettstown for 15 years. I do not go out to eat much due to working in restaurants my whole life, but when an Irish pub opened around the block from my house I was ecstatic!
Although the management and chefs have changed more times than I care to count, the staff has always been good to my wife and I.
As reading these comments about the new menu and the new chef, I am baffled! This is the best food McNally's has EVER put out, in the (however many years) they've been open. Anyone who complains that they had to "wait" at the door obviously has never been to a decent restaurant before.
Of course there's going to be hiccups when a brand new menu comes out. There has to be 20+ NEW dishes on this menu that the entire staff: preps, cooks, chefs, food runners, servers, and management need to learn and execute.
It's not as easy as it looks here people. If you've never worked in a restaurant before, I suggest you watch how you criticize and critique your dining experience. Because some of these comments are making you sound ignorant and down right petty. It's extremely tough and stressful work. And quite frankly, I couldn't be happier with what's going on at McNally's! They are doing a great job!
As for the "front of house," meaning the servers and bartenders, I have noticed some changes. New faces. And some not so familiar ones as well. I do think they could step and do a better job with their customer service and overall friendliness.
I understand that our favorite bartender has moved to Florida, and our favorite waitress has started working at another restaurant, which is very unfortunate for the establishment.
But I just hope that the new staff understands that the reason these 2 were our favorites, and the reason we came back in time and time again, is NOT for the food. But it was for the amazing service, friendliness, and overall dining experience, whether what was on our plate tasted like crap or not.
Now that the food is not just thrown-together-fried mumbo jumbo, and is actually quality eats, I really hope the "front of house" can step their game up and increase the quality of the restaurant as a whole.
I stand behind Bea McNally's. And I have seen the positive steps they have been making. And I hope you people will give them a chance and stop beating the hell out of our neighborhood grille!
After all.. do we really want Marley's to be the face of our town? ...didn't think so!
Til next time Hackettstown life!
Jaco&Maureen Was in Bea's over the weekend to check out the new menu so I thought I'd pop on here to see if everyone else had a similar experience as me. Honestly surprised to see some of the negative comments. I live in the area and have been in and out of Beas since they first opened. Hasn't always been the best food, service, etc but I left there on Saturday very satisfied. The new menu looks great and obviously the chef is capable of delivering what he promises. Congrats to the new chef and keep it going. Consider me one of your new regulars! Always nice to see change for the better around town
"Not one decent place to eat around Hackettstown for years, and finally something worth going to."
No offense to Bea's, but you can climb up on their roof and throw a rock and hit a dozen places with better food...
ianimal Panther Pub is really good, James on Main as well, just not in the hot summer months because it gets too hot in there to enjoy for that price. Mattars has gone downhill in my opinion from what my experiences have been over the last several times visiting.
Beas just needs to close, it's like they're dying a slow death but just need to be put out of their misery.
"After all.. do we really want Marley's to be the face of our town? ...didn't think so!"
What's wrong with Marley's? I haven't been recently, but have gone in the past and never had a bad meal.
MB I was there on Wednesday, Feb 22- mid week- at the bar, 6:45p to around 9p. It wasn't that crowded, the bar was maybe half full, then got closer to full by 9p.
My service before it got half full at the bar was, ah, average. I am patient, have been to plenty of bars where they serve food- I prefer to eat at the bar- but maybe the bartender was new to the field, it just wasn't service that I would expect from a bar that wasn't exactly teeming with customers. It took just longer, much longer than it would be expected for service. She tried, I just was surprised at the wait just for drink refills. Actually the busier it got, the more frequently the bartender got to us, just the opposite of what I would expect. So, again, a mixed experience.
The food, my reuben that me and my son each had, was just plain awful. I can't sugar coat it - it was thick dried out bread, a dryed out cut of corned beef and little dressing. Maybe that is some special way to make it back in the homeland, but it was a real bad sandwich.
The fries we had with some sort of blue cheese dressing were also rather bland and I would not take a chance on ever again.
I don't expect Bea's to remedy the situation, they are a business- they gave me product, and I paid their fee. But, I am very hesitant to "give them another chance" or "be patient", when they are accepting my money and not delivering on food products that suit my taste.
How many times do I need to have a bad experience before I decide they aren't getting another chance? That is a personal decision, but I know already I will go there when I am not hungry, and just partake in beverages. Those beverages they cannot not mis cook or prepare in a way that doesn't agree with my tastebuds, and hopefully they can serve me in a timely fashion.
The bar is beautiful. The atmosphere is good. There are plenty of people willing to give them a chance again on food. I want them to succeed.
They won't miss my money.
My experience at Bea's was exceptional. It was very busy, yet I was very impressed that the Chef took the time to visit us at our table. His magnetic personality and great energy are a sure sign that he is intent on making this business a success! I am also very impressed to see that he is monitoring the feedback from this site. That should encourage even the most critical patron to give Bea's another opportunity to serve them. Best of luck to this great establishment!
Judy Capista I have been to Beas over the years, the new menu & chef are an amazing change, a much needed one for Beas and the Hackettstown restaurant scene. Although I do agree, the servers and management need to step up their game to meet the high quality dishes the kitchen is preparing and complete the experience patrons deserve.
I have been there for lunch and dinners since the reopening and the food has been always artfully prepared with rich bold flavors. Scotch Croquettes - AMAZING!
Double 8oz Burger - BLISSFULL! New York Strip - FLAVORFUL! had a few other dishes that were equally phenomenal, robust flavors and plated with class!
Hats off to Chef Anthony for addressing the concerns here in the manner of a true professional with a passion for excellent food and success! On my next visit, I sure will be asking to meet Chef Anthony! Best to Bea McNally!
Roy My husband worked in the kitchen for a few weeks when Beas opened the first time. He made many suggestions that were not taken because of some sort of superiority complex. The suggestions he was giving come from many many years of restaurant cooking experience in high end restaurants and cafe's in NYC. He's also worked at the panther valley country club but also had a similar experience with the head chef. If the head chef of Beas could accept suggestions from a very seasoned junior chef/sous chef and constructive criticism from him there will be a lot less coming from the public. PM if interested in meeting with him to see what he can offer.
H-town Mama H-Town Mama: There is a talented sous chef (my hubby) working with Anthony already and I'm sure he'd like to keep his job ;)
The Chef Wives Club Annastasia, if you think Bea McNally's food is so amazing, it's YOU that needs to get out past a 5 mile radius and stop eating fast food. ONLY a fast food eater could think Bea's food (at least the old menu) was "gourmet" or "amazing".
I've gotten burned over and over. I've given it a LOT of chances, b/c it's a great place to go, it's local, and I WANT it to succeed. I'll give it one more chance b/c of the new menu and because chef Anthony was gracious enough to come on here and weigh in.
My personal thought is that, at least with the OLD menu, it was too big...too many items to do anything really well. Second, offering asian potstickers, appetizers and other types of ethic food makes no sense. It's a IRISH PUB. Do you see the local Asian or Swedish restaurant making shepherd's pie? Of course not. These two types of food make no sense together, and a chef who can make amazing shepherd's pie is probably going to do asian as food well, and vice versa.
Next, corned beef either needs to be overhauled or stricken from the menu. It's the toughest meat I've EVER eaten.
The wait staff is friendly as hell, the decor is great, it's got a great vibe...but none of that means a thing if the food isn't good. Maybe simple is the key. People would rather go out for a damned good burger than a bad asian potsticker appetizer made with corned beef.
I just peeked at the new menu and there are some really interesting sounding items. I'll give it another chance. :)
Chef wives club.. I def don't want your hubby losing his job.. mine doesn't want to work for Beas anymore I don't think , but he would like to see it succeed as he told the previous chef but he didn't really care to hear what anyone had to say that was different from what he was envisioning. We both love Beas and with my mom emigrating here from Ireland she loves going there and wants some good Irish grub! Lol
I have eaten at Bea McNallys a decent amount of times to put my two cents into this conversation. I was sceptical of the new menu due to my past experiences with the old menu and the way they prepared the food there. I was often not satisfied with the meal or did not find anything that stuck out to me on the menu worth ordering. The last time i ate there before the transformation of the new kitchen I actually got sick from a simple appetizer. As a result I only stuck to drinks at the bar rather than searching for a meal there. I had heard about the new menu and did a little research on the new head chef, in which i was very impressed my his resume. All in all i decided to give the new menu a try and in all honesty im glad i did. At first glance i was very intrigued by the new menu and it was refreshing to see such unique courses. I got an order of the drunken muscles and they were divine. The broth alone was was amazing. So much so i found myself soaking every last bit of it in what little bread i had left on the table. I also ordered the kabobs over cous cous and the portions were incredible and the meat was cooked to perfection, it contained great flavor all around. My friend ordered the Shepherd's Pie and again the portions were generous and the ingredients were good. I liked how they added lamb into it as traditional Shepherd's Pie usually contains. So overall i was very pleased with my experience and definitely plan on going back. I wish the new chef and kitchen good luck as compared to my past experiences there I was very pleased.
Mark. W Had scrambled eggs with corned beef hash during Sunday brunch. The corned beef in the hash was extremely dry/hard and there were no potatoes in the hash. Disappointing brunch.
I wish it was still a Charlie Brown. That was the Best. Miss it. Love the salad bar Driving to denville stinks. Good luck with the new menu. I personally like to go to blackstones if I'm gonna spend that kind of money. And Cece is the best as a server. Forgot to mention. Bea is a great bar for the singles. A nice atmosphere to meet. Just be careful leaving. The cops are waiting. Best luck to the chef
synfann GM Mom, ,the corned beef at Bea McNally's is the WORST I've ever had. I couldn't even bite through the meat once when I got a corned beef sandwich. I'm not joking.
Similar experience on Saint Patrick's day when they first opened. Corn beef sandwich presented in the most horrible way and very tough. In an "Irish" pub. On Saint Patrick's day.
Getoveryerself - based on the last time I was there I agree. It's a shame. When they first opened we went a few times and then stopped going because we weren't happy with Bea's. After not going for a few years we decided to give them another try about a year or two ago. It seemed like it was getting better and we had been back a few times. Now with this new change and overly dried out food I don't see us going back again. I would rather drive out to the Poconos to Siamsa. We've gotten much better Irish food there.
4catmom - Isn't Quiet Man in Dover on Route 46? Been there a couple of times, and know someone who is a really big fan. To me that's more about a drinking place than food. But others do regularly talk about the food there too.
There was another pub style place on Route 53 some years back Quiet Man might remind you of. It under went a couple of changes but The Second Half was one name that was there for probably the longest time. I used to live right around the corner from that place. That's location is gone entirely, but the people behind it opened up around Broadway & Main where Main/Cajun/etc had been. As far as I know, the moved location is still alive.
GC Why did they have to change the truffle fries? Must we add bacon to EVERYTHING?! As a vegetarian, I'm disappointed to see my favorite and only thing I would get to eat there now contains bacon. Yeah they seem to have added vegetarian choices but $14.00 for what I read to be "eh here's our vegetable scraps from what we have lying around back here". No thanks.
Veggggg Had dinner and lunch at Bea's several times this week with family. I had items off of the Brunch Menu which could have fed 3 people. It was the best omelet I've had.. Normally they are dry, but figured Id give it a shot. It was overloaded with fillings. The potatoes were also great. Had the Shepherd's pie, and it was also great..had a little extra touch, different stuff added, but that made it great too. As for the Corned beef and cabbage, really?? I had it with Mashed potatoes and it was amazing. I was not disappointed, and will be going back often.
The new menu is great.. finally some different things to choose from. I know its an Irish restaurant, but nice to see variety as well. I hate fish, so when I go to a restaurant with friends or family who like fish, I like to see there is something for me too... so great thinking guys! Point is after reading all comments, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE ALL OF THE TIME... and that's ok. Just PLEASE MOST of US most of the time :o))) Best Wishes... Nice to have something close... Oh, by the way, while being there, so many people were complimenting the food on their way out.... so Im adding that in.. you won't see a lot of GREAT compliments because not all people who are happy go on something like this and comment.. Food for Thought! I say Try it out... give it a chance.. I remember when it very first opened and I sat for over an hour waiting for a table. Everyone and their mothers came out to the opening.. Im sorry I didn't wait at least a few weeks for the crowds to slow and the gang to get it together... same here. Glad I waited a few weeks, and now good to go! Fridays and Saturdays wait staff needs to get on their game.. check in, make sure you SPEAK and are welcoming.. some looked a little lost, but hopefully once everyone starts getting used to working together you get with it and nail it. Bar on Weekend, work your areas... it was plain to see everyone running all over the place. stay in one area and work it... Get extra help on the outside if people can't work their way in to order... Better to pay someone an extra 50 a night + tips, than lose $$ walking out the door. LOVE YOU GUYS! Hang in there and Good luck Everyone!!!
Statsianna If an Irish pub can't do corned beef right, but they have tacos and bolognese on their menu, something's not right. You don't have to have EVERY kind of food. Keep it simple, as others have mentioned. If you're an Irish pub, be an Irish pub. You don't need to be a trendy "fusion" restaurant.
Tracy GC
You're absolutely correct. The Quiet Man is in Dover, one block East of the intersection of Mt. Hope Ave. and Rt. 46. I used to live barely a block away from there.
Phil D. Just bring back Charlie Browns! Or better yet put in PF Changs in there so we can finally have some good American Chinese food around here! Been to Bea's 3-4 times before and it has always SUCKED! Oh and they never took care of any of the food or even offer to re make it! Just said sorry to hear that! really I just spent $150 dollars on crap food.
Sergio Qureshi Sergio -
Charlie Browns? PF Changs? Really? You need to get out more my friend...
Who catered your wedding - Golden Corral?
Grizzly Adams, the way Bea McNally's food has been going, if you thought that was good food, YOU might as well have Golden Corral cater YOU wedding. roflmao
I still say they should be put out of their misery. Total waste of a great building. Charlie Browns was so much better, even if it was a chain. I'm not sure how they manage to pay the rent, but I suppose they do it in liquor.
Greg Bea's aside, you can't take anyone seriously about food when their go to gourmet dinner comparison is Charlie Browns...
Now excuse me while I feast on my Quik Chek breakfast burrito.
You are right. However, he never said it was gourmet. It's about as gourmet as Bea's - or golden corral - or your quik Chek burrito! Very little around here can qualify as "gourmet".
What is "American Chinese food" LOL
Every single Chinese restaurant around is American Chinese. No self-respecting Chinese person would call it authentic Chinese food.
With that said, I'd rather eat at PF Changs (despite it only being so-so) than at any of the so called Chinese restaurants around town. Ming II in Headquarters Plaza is also much better albeit very expensive.
What we need is an Indian restaurant that offers Indian-Chinese food. You will never ever want standard American-Chinese again.
If you have Netflix, check out "Searching for General Tso." It's a great documentary on the evolution of the Chinese restaurant industry in America. I thought it was only about the dish so I was curious...ended up learning something. Go figure.
emaxxman Last year we went to Minebrook Golf Course. It wasn't over crowded, they gave away free trinkets and the food was MUCH better then Beas! I saw the banner they are doing it again this year! After the parade that's where we are headed. Prices are pretty good also!
Having had authentic Chinese food, I can confidently say I prefer the American version.
Rebecka emaxxman - I know the difference between real Chinese, American Chinese, Indian Chinese and even Norwegian or German Chinese. (particularly be ware the German kind) But I have to disagree with the Indian version. I do understand it's very popular in India today to the point of pervasiveness. It may have found its way here to Edison and their associated restaurants. But having been to the original Ming multiple times, I can't say I prefer sauces where the primary ingredient is ketchup. Not tomato paste, not tomato sauce or raw tomato. Out of the bottle Hunt's. I'll stick with some boring old Americanized mediocre egg rolls compared to that. ;-)
weebiekins GC - I'm not a vegetarian but I had a Manchurian vegetable stir fry in Mumbai last December and it was amazing...and it sure wasn't ketchup-based (or they did a very good job of hiding it.) Gotta order something other than the chili chicken. :-)
As for Ming, I'm not sure if I would call that Indian Chinese; more like Asian fusion if I had to give a description. I think the quality of Ming 2 has gone down a bit but the crispy duck I had last weekend was very good.
emaxxman - Ming is what Indian's call Indian Chinese so I tend to go with that. As for other dishes than the infamous chili chicken, ginger chicken, or chicken Manchurian (which does call for ketchup mixed in the chili sauce). You know me better than that. To me the big issue is that the recipes literally call for the ketchup like that. And there's a number of them that do. We know, we asked, some of the guys know the chef there. I'd be sure with the size of a Mumbai that you can get good food no matter what you're looking for.
So what can we expect in good Irish food at Bea McNally's on Saint Patrick's Day, 2017, or before, during the Hackettstown parade?
DannyC what people call "American chinese" isn't necessarily what is eaten in China. In some cases, though, it IS. Like sweet and sour pork (in China, is guobarou), pork in garlic sauce and Peking Duck - all dishes eaten in China. As for not being really Chinese, it's unfair to say that. Remember that all of the dishes you eat at your local Chinese restaurant WERE created by Chinese chefs. Chinese people who came to this country in the 19th century to work on the railroad wanted to recreate their dishes from back home, but had to work with the ingredients that were available. So while beef was rarely eaten in China, pork wasn't as plentiful in San Francisco in the 1800s as beef was. They worked with whatever vegetables were plentiful here, too, as they couldn't get most of the vegetables they'd known back home. Remember; they created these dishes for each other; Chinese restaurants (or eating houses) were for the Chinese diaspora population of the time. White people were generally NOT eating this food back in the 19th century. In fact, it didn't become popular with white people until the mid 1940s. (That's not to say no white people ate it, just not in significant numbers). Over the past few decades, to cater to American tastes, yes, the food got more heavy and sweet.
Now, if you want to experience the type of food Chinese people consider "feast" food, go to Chinatown if you are brave. Chinese wedding feasts, birthday parties, and other special occasions are often celebrated by starting off with a suckling pig in the middle of the table (whose eyes are often removed and replaced with glowing red lights). Its very crispy skin is sliced off tableside (with a nice layer of fat) and served between the halves of a steamed rice bun. Then the pig is carved and the pork eaten. Next comes an entire chicken, fried whole - beak, head, comb and all. After that, a large tureen of ginseng soup (extremely bitter flavor) with a surprise at the bottom: another whole chicken (beak, head, comb, etc.) lying at the bottom, which is then eaten. Then there is a sea cucumber platter (a very slimy sea creature). Beef is next (this is probably the only course that resembles something Americans are used to seeing). Then a rice dish, and so on and so on until dessert, which consists of almond cookies, steamed rice buns with red bean paste in the middle. Many Americans leave the table hungry and head for McDonald's afterwards. :)
I see the unusual food connoisseur's are out, PF Chang's, Charlie Brown's just what this and every town needs more of the same chain restaurants serving the same crap. Bea's has invested heavily into this town, and saved the old Clarendon. They are clearly trying hard to get the food right. Just like any other bar / restaurant I've been to I've had some really good meals, and some misses, but more good. It's a fun place to hang out on the weekends, and if you have to be afraid of the cops, you should be taking a cab. At least the people who work there are here legally, unlike the previous establishment.
Denis synfann i so agree just bring back Charlie Browns,totally loved the place. I have drive to Denville now. for my prime rib. I have not found a place around here to make it
SAAK I was at Bea's on Super Bowl Sunday and the new Chef was there. I tried most of the foods in the buffet, and they were all excellent!! I don't know what customers above are talking about saying the food isn't good.
I don't know about the current service from the new waiters and waitresses, but if that is a problem, I think the owner/boss should put his foot down and train them on how to serve and in what timeframe. It's not good to wait more than 30 minutes for an ordered meal. Let's hope some pep talk from the owners will awaken these new servers etc.
Hacklifer The service was great at Bea's today. The app I had was very good. Some mashed potato ball. Sorry, I forget the name. Served very hot. No complaints.
@jaco&maureen: McNally's regularly over serves customers, bar fights all the time, they have been caught serving underage... Marley's takes care of their customers and at least tries to serve responsibly. And the food is generally delicious. So yeah, I would not be ashamed to have it as the face of Hackettstown. Just because you had one bad meal one night and a bartender that you clearly said seemed new to the business doesn't mean you should be insulting the whole establishment on a public forum. Next time you are dissatisfied with a meal, try politely explaining why and perhaps they will be able to fix it for you.
KayS A pal gave me a copy of their menu back in 2014...hope to one day see this new menu...memory serves me right....they had lots of options...you guys should check this place out and give them a fair shake...
This is my public letter of resignation as head chef of bea mcnallys in hackettstown. As of April 29 I have no longer been acting chef at that establishment, due to poor ownership, and disrespect for employees and numerous other reasons, I could not go on working there for the owner. I wish everyone of the employees the best of luck and I thank them all for all the hard work and effort they put in to try and make that historic building the hub it should and could be. I had very high hopes and aspirations to turn that into the center of conversation and recreation for all the people of hackettstown, however I refuse to work for some one who degrades their employees and speaks to them like they own them and know more than anyone else which in fact we know is far from true. Good luck everyone and thank you so much for your support hackettstown
Yours truly
Anthony trabold
Sorry to hear. I was remiss in not getting in sooner to sample your menu. Another time (and place) i guess!
Best of luck.
What a shame. The next thing we will be hearing is they are closing and we are going to have a big, empty building sitting there. I really hope they step up their game.
Heidi Anthony Trabold - Wow! There must be something very wrong with the owners of Bea McNally's. Thanks for your efforts as head chef there. You did a good job, and the best to you in pursuit of your professional culinary career. No joke: why not compete on one of the Food Chanel's game shows like "Chopped" or "Beat Bobby Flay"? You seem to be skilled and creative enough to be a good competitor.
Called it!!!
Exactly the reason my husband left when Beas opened the very first time... see my post from march 6th...
it all starts from the top... they need to get over themselves....
H-town Mama, I remember your post, and you did call it..Anthony, sorry that you and fellow employees were treated in a horrible way..Your food is awesome, and you shall carry on and be rewarded for your culinary wisdom in another place!
abigail Wow. Not surprised. Since the re-opening, I've had 2 mediocre (well, 1 bad and 1 ok) meal there (I'm not talking about just the food, but also the service.) I realize not to blame the chef... a restaurant is only as good as it's TEAM is, and apparently the team isn't being run very well.....
I wonder how Anthony's now-former staff will feel when they see how little faith he has in them to carry on his work. Although, as he never actually quit and this is the first anyone has heard from him since he walked out in the middle of a dinner shift last week, its probably nice for them all to get some closure.
I'm a little surprised at all of you. One of the jobs of an executive chef is to put together a kitchen team that can run smoothly in his absence. To imply that they won't do so is not only an insult to the people he just spent months working with and training, but is also an insult to his own skills.
Bea's has been the hotspot in town for years, whether or not the food coming out of the kitchen is any good. That place makes so much money and it's laughable to think that losing a chef - even one so pompous that he posts his resignation on a public forum - will cause them to close.
I've never seen a group of people so gleefully condemn a local business on the word of one individual, just because he worked at a fancy restaurant once.
This is a small town where lots of people know each other. That said, my understanding is that the chef threw a tantrum and walked out during Saturday night dinner shift. That's right, the chef who waxed poetic about customer experience didn't think twice about the patrons at the restaurant that night. Pinnacle of professionalism? Ha!
My understanding is that there were hiccups after he left, but all in all the kitchen was able to get through dinner service very well, despite the dramatic show of their head chef walking out on them.
If you had such an issue with the owners of the restaurant, please, fill us in on the measures you took on addressing your concerns with the owner? Did you think of talking with him and coming to a set of steps and solutions to improve the overall quality of the restaurant? Based on your input on this site, I'd bet absolutely not.
It sounds like someone in this thread does have inside information.
And it sounds like you need to grow up and find a sense of professionalism. Until then, no one should take you seriously.
As for everyone who jumps in to defend him or applaud him for his morals, all I can say is: LOL.
HeardAroundTown If I owned a restaurant and was looking to hire a chef and Anthony Trabold was up for the position and I happened to google his name and wound up on this page... I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that I hire him. A true professional doesn't make public comments like that, irrespective of how things ended. Who wants to hire a guy who has demonstrated that he will trash you online in a public forum? I don't think there are many.
Then add in Chef Wives' Club's statement that he walked out in the middle of a dinner service and this was the ONLY letter of resignation that he submitted? Yikes...
I don't think anyone is gleeful but it certainly makes some sense if true as to why after several years they are yet to put a team together to hit there stride. Anytime we ever went it was bad to subpar and always thought what a shame for all the work and money put into the building.
Jdem We went to Bea McNally's for lunch yesterday, both of us had the Ruben Sandwiches , they were outstanding , best corned beef I have ever had, sliced thick, TRY THEM ,,, at lunch you take $2 off of the menu price for a lot of dishes, including the Ruben , We will be back ,,,And the place was very very busy ,, great choice,
BLUEFISHED They keep losing chefs, some good some not so good. There are always new wait staff - very high turnover, even for the food industry. The question is why?
Even if he did walk out on Sat during dinner hours - granted, that may not be the best way to quit your job, but if the management is as bad as I have heard from a few people that have worked (ever so briefly) for them, I can see how it would happen. I heard they also had a waitress storm out a while back as well.
Just seems to me that something is not right there. The food is meh, the staff is super high turnover, they let some people at the bar get plastered and the staff that is there don't seem happy...?
Was there one day and they ran out of potatoes. What Irish joint runs out of potatoes????
Quiet man chef has been there for 36 years... Its the reason the restaurant has found the success it has as being one of the best in NJ.
I went there a 5:30. We had had a new waitress they were training. She was very friendly. We got truffle fries for an appetizer served their old style way, very tasty. I had a Reuben and a salad. They Reuben was very good with thick slices of corned beef. Service was very attentive, the food came quick, and was good. I gave out new waitress a nice tip, and some encouragement. I can't imagine not tipping a server at all unless they were rude, which I've never experienced there. I'll continue to go back.
As someone who grew up in New York City and frequented Carngie's, Katz and few others, I didn't expect to find the same food in Hackettstown. Happy for a unique local restaurant, that's not another chain.
skippy I had the corn beef once there with think uniform slices, that along with the taste lead me to believe it was pre-fab, like shrink wrapped servings previously frozen. Didn't like it.
I have to say folks, I don't think this place will be around much longer. I was a huge fan of Bea's through the years and enjoyed their beer selection and decent pub grub. However, I took the family for mother's day dinner tonight and 1. Food was crap. 2. Service was crap. 3. The place was a ghost town. 4. They were out of pasta, steak, and honey mustard...what?!? The wife and I agree that we probably won't be going back.
LJRubi "I've never seen a group of people so gleefully condemn a local business on the word of one individual, just because he worked at a fancy restaurant once."
Bullcrap. The chef didn't even weigh in until there were a good number of people already discussing their bad experiences (which they have a RIGHT to do). If you are the owner, then instead of bitching at customers, FIX THE PROBLEMS. If you are having constant staffing problems, the trouble is usually with management. Treat the staff well and they will stay, and you won't have to continually apologize to customers because your staff is "training". Next, fix up the menu -- sorry, but an IRISH PUB should concentrate on IRISH food, not serving corned beef wontons, Swedish meatballs, thai skewers (which I gave a second chance, and both times they were overcooked - dry and hard), etc. Concentrate on Irish food, and general bar food like burgers, wings, onion rings, etc. Pare down the menu so your staff can learn to cook fewer things really well, rather than many things poorly. As for the corned beef, several of my family members have given it at least two chances each. It's NEVER been good. In fact, as I said above, it's the WORST I have ever have. I believe in second and even third chances, but at this point, my family has given it at least half a dozen chances and, frankly, we'd rather spend the money at James on Main and KNOW we are going to leave satisfied rather than waste well over $100 dollars and leave miserable. Hell, even Ruby Tuesday - a chain restaurant - does a better job.
I think the place is very impersonal. Been in the business for 20 years doing it all. Think the servers are horribly trained as well as bartenders. Same experience twice the server giving me a dish that wasn't mine and tried to auction it off through the dining room. Food a complete waste of money. Maybe owners she be taught how to train employees. CLEAN HOUSE. Start with new competent workers. Have a feeling they wont b around much longer.
restaurant junky I agree with everyone that spoke about the quiet man, great place. Would take black stones over beas any day. Someone had mentioned Minebrook went to a wedding there and the food was a total disappointment chicken undercooked or everything overcooked and dry. The bride & groom sent apologies to all the guest for the food. Servers tried there best but they weren't cooking it. I would also agree James on main awesome place.
As a foodie, I can agree that Bea's consistency has never been great. Had wings there once and loved them; went back again and ordered them and they were different and not in a good way. My last trip was a month or so ago for the Tuesday Steak Special; it was fantastic and came with A LOT of food. However we got the nachos for an appetizer and they consisted of unseasoned over cooked/ dry chicken over chips with melted cheese - no flavor.
I have loved Bea's since they opened; not for the food. Although I always seem to order something to eat, Bea's is an awesome neighborhood watering hole. Beer menu is great and the atmosphere, I have always enjoyed. The staff prior to the last take over was great and really gave the hometown feel.
I cant agree more that in order to survive; offer the main irish dishes and leave the thai food to the Pandan Room and the mexican dishes to any local mexican joint. I have always wished this place the best and will continue to hope it gets the menu straightened out so this gem doesn't fade away. Find your niche and make it work!!
Wow, I hope the best for the place. Sounds like it has been very inconsistent at best since it opened. Think I will stick to places you like better. Sorry Bea.
Owner: Hire a restaurant consultant - the turnover and losses will continue until you recognize that the problem starts at the top.
Sounds like the owners are stubborn and set in their ways. They’d probably piss John Taffer off enough that he’d walk away.
Our family just returned from Bea McNally's celebrating the birthday of our daughter. We had a party of 11 tonight and everything was absolutely perfect. A complete new menu...great service and the food was prepared to perfection. Kudos to the new chef or management. This was the best experience that we have had there since Bea's Grand opening. Thank you..we will be back..
Yeah happy birthday - the rest of what you said remains to be seen. We've all heard this story before.
I'm sure this will end badly again...
ThaiMaster Went to Bea McNallys for dinner this evening.
The food was good, just what we ordered, and was served hot.
We were very pleased.
Glad they are around.
Bernie 
Scottso Just don't get the inconsistent reviews. Seems strange that it runs so hot and cold in terms of what people expect.
"The food was good, just what we ordered, and was served hot. "
I would say your expectations were rather low.
I disagree. Most places do not serve really hot food. I always give points for a warm plate to boot. And they said it was good, met ordering expectations, doesn't seem like a low bar to me.
Thanks SD for the compliment. I have heard so many opinions on this place thru this site.
All I said was we were pleased with the order.
Sometimes some of you people are so "negative" all the time!!!.
Yeah, I would love to see this place succeed because God only knows who would be next to try that white elephant of a building. Takes a brave businessperson to go historic.
I want this place to succeed. In 6 years it hasn't even sniffed its potential. What a beautiful place inside.
The look has never matched the food. I'll just say it... THE FOOD SUCKS and the menu tries to be everything to everyone. Cut your menu in half and do it right and at a high quality.
Last time we were there they ran outta potatoes. What Irish place runs out of potatoes?
That's like McDonald's running out of burgers. I'm not negative, i'm right.
#dropsmic
Again, Still wish it was Charlie Browns.....this town has no good places..
Just Quick checks and. Gas.....borring..
Every time going out costs to much here for what you get.
My choice for the high price and good is the diamond in the rough....Blackstones......80 dollars for dinner in these local stops,.....Blackstones.
Cece is the best server...
But still wish Charlie Brown's was here. Salad bar the best....hate Denville location......
Friend and I went there after Czig's event last Saturday. Everything was excellent!
Had the roasted chicken wings appetizer ~ well done fresh approach to a classic ~ slightly sweetened red onion a nice touch.
Spinach and artichoke "dumplings" were really thin empanadas, crispy, delicious, with a seriously spicy chili dipping sauce.
Shrimp with pasta ~ eight huge broiled shrimp, nice chunky tomato sauce, well balanced flavor. Chicken pot pie ~ loaded with chunks of sweet chicken and veggies, hint of cognac? in the sauce, three inch high puff pastry top ~ Yum to all.
MAN Abigail stone, this town has a so many great places to eat for such a small town. Have you been to James on Main, Topo, Pandan Room, Churrascaria Paladar, Marley's for wings. You need to get out more, Cece is awesome but she hasn't been at Blackstones in quite some time.
Went to Mcnallys last nite had steak dinner it was good.But usually a salad comes with the dinner we had to pay for one.Usually you would get a choice of veggie they had mixed and you would get dinner rolls with your dinner.Im just saying.I hear Marleys is a good place to eat and have a good time.I like to try there next.
patrici Ate at TOPO last evening and it was terrific! Cost $40 with tip, that is fair enough. Had plenty to eat and brought leftovers home!
Bea McNally's has the worst possible service of any place I have EVER been. I would never ever go there again.
Bob Long time resident. So wanted them to succeed. Wanted to sit outdoors. Tables gross and everything around the table cigarette buttes dust gross. Went there tonight early. Had the steak special they advertise for Tuesdays. More than terrible. No silverware on table. Steak knife would not cut through anything. My date ordered wings. Terrible dry. Service slow. When we did bring it to managers attention he did take the steak off the bill. Ty. Please Bea Mcnallys do better. Everyone in town wants you to succeed. Stop worrying about the late nite young crowd who cause such a disturbance that the police are there every night and do better. That is not what Hackettstown needs.
Jd Well said Jd and I feel the same way. It would be so great to be able to bring friends to Bea's and sit outside and have a great meal. I have tried many times and am ready to give up. The building is beautiful, the location is great, the parking is ample...it should be THE place for the locals to go...but the food and service is lacking. I wish they would have an intervention and get a new chef and someone to properly train the staff.
I still have hope.
Jd and Heidi - I am with you. But punks in their 20's making trouble are a problem. I witnessed a young man threatening to kill his ex-girlfriend with his car. Tried to talk him out of it, and almost got into a fight myself. How is "a new chef and someone to properly train the staff" going to fix this? Need cops.
Hackettstown has the distinction of being the 10th drunkest town in NJ according to The Patch...If I were the Mayor I would not be happy with that title. Just saying.
Pampurr I agree. So much want to see them succeed.
To get my business, the inconsistencies that seem to flourish need to be totally eradicated.
I spent a lifetime living out of restaurants, I had no patience for bad service and food that is sometimes good, sometimes not so much whether the manager covered the issue or not.
As much as I want them to succeed, like the new Mexican/Bar at Klee's, won't find me going there until I feel there's an intervention. As a very young teen, had friends who immigrated from CA to the East Coast. They brought taco night with them. Huge god fearing Catholic family, six kids came with them (a few stayed behind) so taco night with everyone participating was a strange and wonderful thing to me, an only child by this point. Since then, I have lived on Mexican, always have, well before most could spell the word Taco.
I can even make my own taco seasoning although I wouldn't recommend it. When all is said and done, tastes like taco, costs more (must be those Ole El Paso chemicals), and takes a bit of time.
So good luck Bea McNally's, I hope you give us reason to see you soon. But remember, for things to change, something has to change. Best wishes.
@JD "the police are there every night" That is total BS!. It is a bar also, and the only one in town that always has entertainment on the weekends. Maybe not what you need, but you don't speak for the town.
pampurr that was one of the dumbest list by a no name site. Here was the criteria used:
"has compiled a list of the ”drunkest” towns based on the number of available places to buy booze, and by how often people are talking about drinking"
how often people are talking about drinking? really whose listening to all these conversations of people talking about drinking?
https://patch.com/new-jersey/hackettstown/hackettstown-10th-drunkest-town-nj-report-says-0
Jim L. Bea's is super inconsistent foodwise but 100% consistent on poor service! They need to stick to a regular irish pub menu also.
HLamusesme I went for the first time last weekend, ordered a burger medium rare, sent it back because it came out well done and 20 minutes later got a cheese burger. Since I can't have dairy products I sent that back. About 20 minutes later another one came out super well done and cold. Paid for my beer and walked out.
John C Why do people keep going back there???? Obviously the owner's don't care, they are probably up to their eyeballs in debt and will vacate the building leaving a mess, debt and back taxes. Maybe we can put in another check cashing or cash for gold place, hell I don't think we have enough places on main street to get an empanada. So sad that our Main Street sucks.
> Why do people keep going back there?
Well, I went back there yesterday because I was in the mood for a good craft beer, and they have a pretty solid selection. They've been focusing a lot harder on NJ beers, which is something of course I want to support. I had a glass of Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA (one of my personal favorites) and Rammstein's blonde ale.
While I was there, I had a few apps off the new menu: the poutine with duck confit was actually out of this world. The Jersey Tomato salad was fresh and light, and the only complaint I had about the artichoke dip was the pita chips were too small.
I feel like they have been making an effort to change. The menu is all new and much smaller (which is a good thing), and they're working on interior improvements. Changing the public opinion, however, is the hardest thing of all. It's gonna take time.
Honestly, I feel like having many choices of restaurants where I can get an empanada is a really good thing. I eat at both Ashley's and Milena's frequently, as I like different things off each of their menus.
> So sad that our Main Street sucks.
Well, what would improve it?
In my opinion, it's the small, ethnic restaurants that make Main St. interesting and alive. We've got Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Honduran, American, Irish. We've got high-end dining, casual dining, great burgers and wings at Marley's, great draft selections at Bea's, subs at C&L, seasonal and local breakfast and lunch at Stella G's, two breweries, and places I'm sure I've forgotten...I mean, how much less sucky can it get? I spend a lot of time and money in Hackettstown because of it; I could just as easily hang out elsewhere.
So I guess what I'm saying is it's okay to be critical, but let's be a little constructive here. Speculating on business' debt and back taxes doesn't help make our town better, you know?
Joseph Fisher There are quite alot of restaurants in Hackettstown. Wish Washington had the different types of restaurants that Hackettstown has.
We have a great little downtown for the area! Go check out the Belvidere "downtown" area and let me know how you feel about our town after that.
I haven't been to Bea's since the most recent menu change,and I don't think they are terrible, but definitely not my favorite. Ok for beer and apps, but not impressed with their dinners.
somechik 
Mfive Bea McNally's has the WORST service I have EVER encountered. The funny thing is.. is that they don't care ! I would never EVER go there again.
Just got back from Bea McNally's. We went for the Summer Birthday Bash - Free Entree and Dessert - One per table - on Fridays if your birthday fell between Monday through Sunday this week - basically any meal on the menu was free. If you go to the Bea McNally website you will see several other coupons posted there.
My husband had Fish & Chips and I had the Cast Iron Chicken - Roast chicken breast, blistered peppers and onions, whipped potatoes and gremolata. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! I haven't had anything that good in a long time! For dessert we had the Peanut Butter Supreme Cheesecake. The desserts come from Buttercups Bake Shoppe located in Stewartsville. The serving portion was huge and that was also fantastic!
Our server was Jeremy who was very nice and even explained how to play Quick Draw - lol. Our service was perfect - we will be going back - free meal or not.
Attached a picture of the Cast Iron Chicken.
Mrs. Resident Went last night with a party of 7. Service was excellent. Wife had a ribeye and myself a burger. Both were cooked perfectly and were delicious. Dessert was very good as well.
Will be returning!
NJSkyWatcher We ate there last week. The server had an attitude and a nose jewel. My reuben was tough as nails, and half had to be left uneaten. My wife's shrimp and avocado salad left her with a stomach ache and a night of taking tum's.
Better to go there on a Saturday night for a drink when there's a band, than for food.
Reggie Voter 
gm mom Had lunch there friday Cubano and corned beef were fine, service good. beer cold, what more do you want?
eapos 
thaimaster18 Wife and I took Mom there for brunch today. Food was quite decent this time. Mimosa was considerably smaller than pictured on their menu.
Ambiance was nice, service good. They do that well.
Been there quite a few times in large groups, small groups and couples... They really did a nice job with the place compared to the old Clarendon and Charlie Browns. My family always seemed to have a mélange of gastronomic experiences. Some were nice, some were not so. Some claimed they got a little sick (and a few years back, after smelling a pasta dish my nephew ate which didn't taste quite right to him...and became a bit ill after doing so...I might see why.)
This place is a solid "meh" with my family. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not.
Having a draft beer there is always a "meh", since sometimes they taste "off" and the pour/price ratio seems low for what you pay.
It's a gastronomic crapshoot with nice décor.
Still, I like having them around.
jjmonth4 Last few times we've been there, it's been very good. Much improved. Service was fine, as well.
Their new menu is not any better than their old menu. Still mediocre. I ordered a turkey club sandwich and it was very disappointing! A few meager slices of regular deli turkey on untoasted bread. Unimpressed. Won't be back for dinner unless we get outvoted by our friends. :-P
I do like having the place around and it has great service and a nice atmosphere. It is a good place to have a beer or two. Just not someplace we'd go for a full dinner.
We went there 3 times the first year it was open. Didn't care for the food each time. If they still don't have it together after this long then it won't be long before they close.
Food (or whatever they call it that they serve you) is TERRIBLE! The bartenders are beyond unorganized, to the point of losing credit cards. It's a shame that this place is so bad. All the BYOB places in town blow this place out of the water.
In my opinion, their kitchen deserves to featured on Gordon Ramsey's "Kitchen Nightmares"
just the truth We haven't been there in so long because it was so disappointing when we did go. But I will say when they first opened... The food was really outstanding. They had these mozzarella triangles (I know.. Something so simple) that were SO delicious and fresh and we got them every time. They also had a grilled romaine salad that was unique (you don't see grilled romaine salads on menus often) with bacon and tomatoes and the most delicious dressing... They got rid of that as well. We miss the food they had when they first opened!
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