John

The new menu, with the hot dog, will debut tomorrow, May 19th.

The Martini Bistro & Bar is a popular spot in the Millburn/Short Hills area. They are known for their excellent martinis and cocktails as well as their food. Over 50 varieties of martinis are offered. I don't drink Martinis, but my wife and friends swear by them. I stick with beer. There is a good selection of imports and micros. At least 10 beers on tap. Last time I had an Anchor Steam Beer. I've enjoyed a few beers and an outstanding Sirloin Burger while watching a game. But what has me excited is the news that the Martini Bar will be adding a quality hot dog to their menu. There is nothing I like to eat more. The dog will be the same frank that was served at the late, great Syd's in the Millburn Mall. Syd's was named the best hot dog in New Jersey the very first year that the Newark Star Ledger ran the Munchmobile series. In the summer of '06 a panel of hot dog lovers reviewed 87 different hot dog establishments, sampling well over 100 different dogs. Although hot dogs were rated in 5 categories, the panel was asked to name their favorite overall dog. Five out of 8 chose Syd's. Unfortunately, Syd's lease was not renewed. For a few months the owner sold his dogs at a small diner in Springfield before calling it quits to persue other interests. Fortunately there are still a few places scatterred around where you can enjoy what I consider the best hot dog. The Martini Bar will be the next one and the first that isn't a traditional hot dog joint or luncheonette. The frankfurter itself is a natural casing, 5 to a lb all beef dog made by Best Provisions. It is long and thin with a great snap and an excellent flavor resulting from a mixture of choice and lean beef and an excellent blend of spices. At Syd's you had a choice of getting it boiled or grilled. Grilled was actually boiled first and then charbroiled. Most ordered it grilled. I was lucky enough to sample one this past week. The Martini Bar's hot dog will be boiled, then chargrilled. You can order it just boiled if you wish. It will come on a plate with 3 smaller plates attatched that will have mustard, relish, and sauerkraut. Commonly referred to in Essex County as "sweet works". You may substitute a homemade red onion mix if you want. The dog will be put on a good sturdy toasted bun. With this comes an order of the best fries I've had yet. Hand cut, twice fried, and a little thicker than your normal fry prepared this way. And better tasting as well. The dog was prepared perfectly as were the fries. What a presentation! Although fancy looking, this is in reality a simple old school hot dog. Great tasting, with a minimum of basic toppings. No need to add a lot of esoteric junk that diminishes what a hot dog is supposed to be. I enjoyed mine with just mustard (an excellent deli mustard) and had the sauerkraut on the side. The fries were the perfect companion to the dog. It all goes for $6.00 which is a bargain for this type of establishment. If you want another dog, it will be $3.00, which is less than what Syd's sold their's for. Ted Stampoulos is an owner of the Martini Bar. His family owned a hot dog restaurant in the past called the James Inn. It was located on Springfield Ave. in the Vauxhall section of Union. Ted loves hot dogs and has been wanting to add one to the menu. Occasionally his customers will ask for one. I'll post again to let you know when the new menu comes out. It should be this week or next. I also sampled the Kobe Slider Trio from the appetizer section. Three small Kobe burgers with cheddar cheese and 3 dipping sauces. I had mine plain. It was the first time I sampled kobe beef burgers. They were simply the best burgers I've tasted. Medium rare, juicy, with an intense beef flavor. Like nothing else I've had. I'm glad to see a quality hot dog come to an establishment like the Martini Bar. Even if you're not a hot dog lover, the rest of the food is top notch. Worth checking out. http://www.martinibistro.com.

Congratulations, MJP. Introduce yourself. I'll be wearing a black S.W.A.T. Dog shirt if I can find it. If not, a New Jersey Hot Dog Tour shirt. There will be more info on this site, http://www.nj.com/munchmobile/index.ssf as to when these trips will be.

Has anyone from here been picked? If you applied, you would know by now. This year you had to send in a music video that contained Munchmobile, Big Dog, and some other words. You can view some of them here: http://videos.nj.com/cgi-bin/mte/mt-search...le&blog_id=3232 They're quite entertaining. As mentioned earlier this year you can view the outings live on your computer. I'll be going on an outing to be a guinea pig. It's sort of a test run to make sure all of the video equipment will be working. There will be a regular weekly outing that will review a different food or food type. Then there will be a special team that will just review pizza. Similar to the S.W.A.T. Team 2 years ago that reviewed 87 hot dog establishments. The Kickoff will be Thursday, May 15th. The munchers will be introduced, and there will be entertainment and of course hot dogs.

Yesterday I had a chance to visit a new hot dog restaurant. Dino's Italian Hot Dogs opened about 2 weeks ago on Rt 46W in the Franklin Plaza in Rockaway. http://dinositalianhotdogs.com/index.htm I called last week to ask a few questions about the place and it's product before deciding on whether to take the ride there. I wanted to know if they made what I consider an authentic "Newark Style" Italian Hot Dog. Meaning that it is made the traditional way with pizza bread rather than a sub or hoagie roll, beef hot dogs (preferably Best's) fried in oil (rather than grilled or boiled) along with potatoes, peppers, and onions. Yes on all counts. Not only that, but one of the owners I spoke with had experience working for years at a popular Italian Hot Dog restaurant. She knows the business and the history of the Italian Hot Dog. I figured it would be worth the somewhat long ride and I was right. The place looks like a small pizzeria on the inside. I didn't ask what it was previously, but it's located in a small strip mall. The store is clean and cozy. The owner I spoke with on the phone wasn't there yesterday, but I got to speak with the 2 guys who were working. One guy was named Danny, and for a young guy, he knew a lot about Italian Hot Dogs, including their history and the places in Jersey that serve them. The people here definitely know the business and how to prepare a first rate Italian Hot Dog. Though only open 2 weeks, there have been a lot of customers who have heard about Dino's and came to check it out and to see how it compares to the Italian Hot Dog they are used to eating. One thing I've noticed before and that Danny mentioned is that people are partial to what they grew up with. The new customers, most of which are hard core Italian Hot Dog fans, were not shy about declaring their loyalties and describing how Dino's compared to their favorite place. Although a traditional Italian Hot Dog is made with basically the same ingredients and prepared the same way, there are some differences from place to place. Some sandwiches have more oils in them. Think Jimmy Buffs in Scotch Plains. Those customers might consider Dino's sandwich to be dry in comparison. Those who frequent the East Hanover or West Orange Buffs like the drier sandwich at Dino's. Another big difference is how the potatoes are cut. Some are in chunks, like Dickie Dees. Some are sliced thinner. Tommy's is sliced real thin. There really is no right way. People have different tastes when it comes to the potatoes, the amount of oils in the sandwich, and the softness or crunchiness of the peppers. As I mentioned, Danny said (and I agree) that most of the time, people grew up with a certain style and prefer that. He's had customers so far who are regulars at Jimmy Buffs, Tommy's, Charlies, and Dickie Dees. Two other factors that makes a difference apart from the variations in potatoes, oils, etc. is the freshness and quality of the ingredients and consistency. For example, Charlies in Kenilworth for a long time made a great Italian Hot Dog. The last couple of years they have been inconsistent. Sometimes the bread they use is stale from being frozen, other times the potatoes are over or under cooked and don't seem fresh. What makes a great Italian Hot Dog is a combination of good fresh ingredients prepared consistenly well by people who care. Dino's fits the bill. As for comparison, I'd say that their take on an Italian Hot Dog is closest to Jimmy Buff's in East Hanover, which is high praise indeed. They use fresh pizza bread from JC's bakery in Parsippany. This is good, sturdy bread. The same was used at Attilio's Kitchen which is now gone. The dogs are 8 to a pound Best's which is ideal. The onions and peppers are prepared together. I hate onions, but I was told that they would separate them upon request. The green peppers were plentiful, tasty, and soft like I prefer. The potatoes are sliced fairly thin rather than in chunks. Similar in shape to Buffs. Dino's has a tilted steel pan specially made (no one place sells them) where everything is fried in soybean oil. The potatoes are fried in a deep fryer and put in the oil as needed. Danny mentioned that the bread is never frozen and that the ingredients are always fresh. Peppers, onions, and potatoes are cut every day , sometimes every few hours. Nothing is kept overnight. Stuff that's been sitting around awhile is discarded. The result is an excellent, authentic, Newark Style Italian Hot Dog. Everything blended together well. The sandwich was tasty and fresh. All of the ingredients were very good. I would describe it as dry rather than oily. Despite being new Dino's has their act together. The product is excellent, as is the service. The people working there are experienced, having worked at Italian Hot Dog restaurants before, and extremley knowledgeable about the sandwich, it's history, and the places that serve them. I would definitely put Dino's in the top tier of Italian Hot Dog restaurants along with Jimmy Buff's and Tommy's. It's that good. My wife had a cheesesteak served Italian style which she proclaimed excellent. I didn't sample it because of the onions. I wish Dino's success. They are located in an area where people for the most part aren't familiar with Italian Hot Dogs. But according to Danny, there are a lot of transplants from Essex and Union Counties as well as Italian Hot Dog lovers who are willing to travel for an exceptional one.

I live in Union, N.J. and remember enjoying an English ale called Bishop's Finger from Shepherd Neame about 10 years ago. I've been looking for it recently and can't find it. Is it still being imported into the U.S? If so, does anyone know where it is available in my neck of the woods? Any help would be appreciated.

The Philadelphia Grille is closed. No one knows why although there are a few rumors hitting local forums. I saw a sign saying closed for renovations. The place is completely empty. Too bad, it was my favorite place in the area for a cheesesteak.

Jerry's is at 906 Second Ave. a few doors down from Tommy's.

Papaya King has a new owner. The last time I spoke to the previous owner, he told me that business wasn't as good as he had hoped. I don't know why; they seem to be in a good location. Their dogs were overpriced, $1.99 for a small 10 to a lb dog. This is even more expensive than Manhattan. I hear that they are 99 cents after 4:30. I've also heard that under new ownership the dogs are inconsistent and sometimes the rolls are stale. Curlz, you may not be a hot dog fanatic, but you've been to a lot of places and speak from experience. I enjoy your posts.

Menton1, I love dogs prepared different ways; in water, deep fried, and grilled. But if I had to pick one method of cooking, it would be grilled. Jersey does have some good places. The three that serve the Syd's dog, Nathan's in Menlo Park, Papaya King, Boulevard Drinks, Father & Son, 5 Guys, etc. Not to mention those that grill a beef and pork dog. Many of the Plainfield area Texas Weiner joints (that grill rather than deep fry), Galloping Hill Inn, Max's, Windmill, Karl Ehmer's, WeeNee Wagon, and others.

Jimmy Buff's uses skinless Best's franks for their Italian Hot Dogs, natural casing 5 to a lb Best's franks (the Syd's dog) for their footlong, and a 4 to a lb Shickhaus for their quarter pounder.

It's worth a shot. I've been on a few times as have others.

Holly, Check this link: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=113208 for posts on Bubba's. I'm glad you are coming back to Jersey! Bubba's and Jimmy Buff's are 2 of the only 3 places I know of (Seymours in Livingston is the 3rd) that serves the Syd's dog. Bubba's prepares it on a charcoal grill, and it tastes like Syd's. Jimmy Buff's, in my opinion, is Jersey's premier hot dog joint. Their take on the Syd's dog is that it is sauteed in oil and then char grilled. Excellent! Even better than Syd's. Seynours splits and griddles their dogs. Good, but not as good as Bubba's or Jimmy Buff's. They also serve a top notch Italian Hot Dog. Remember Max's? Jimmy Buff's uses the same Schickhaus frank, but in addition to griddle frying it like Max's, they finish it off on the charcoal grill. Don't forget to sample their chili, which is best described as bolognese style. Unique, and very good. Their regular 8 to a pound dog is sauteed in oil (in their slanted steel pit) and is what I consider the best deep fried dog in the state. This particular location was recently featured on the Travel Channel's Hot Dog Paradise program. I would also recommend Pappy's Diner in Totowa. They serve a typical north Jersey "Hot" Texas Weiner featuring the Thumann's deep fryer (used at Rutt's Hutt) with a tangy, zesty chili that perfectly complements this dog. I also think that the Galloping Hill Inn would be worth a second trip. But I suggest having their dog with just their special Dusseldorf mustard and not their chili. It's a great German style dog. Enjoy your trip to Jersey! I'm already looking forward to your reviews.

No, but it will probably require writing in and telling why you want to be on the Munchmobile and why you think you would be a good choice. That's the usual procedure. I'll speak to him again soon and find out. I'm sure it will be in the paper shortly as the season is about to start and they have to pick people before the kickoff. We spoke about the new feature this year as well as the upcoming kickoff party. They will try to make this year special as it marks the Munchmobile's 10th Anniversary.

I spoke with Pete Genovese yesterday. He is getting ready for this summer's Munchmobile series which marks the 10th Anniversary of the Munchmobile. There will be some new things planned, one of which is live coverage! You will be able to watch each Munchmobile trip live on your computer. It will be especially fun to watch the reactions of people who don't know that they will be visited, and to hear comments and opinions of the places that are being reviewed. I'm looking forward to this season. The kickoff party will be in a few weeks.

Don't forget Tommy's Italian Hot Dogs and Jerry's Famous Frankfurters. Two of the very best hot dog stands anywhere.

I was looking at the newest issue of New York Magazine which came out in the mail today. It was their "best of" issue. For hot dog, they named a place called the Smoke Joint which is located at 87 South Elliot Pl. near Lafayette Ave. in the Fort Greene section. I forget if that is Brooklyn or somewhere else, as I don't have the magazine. The review said that the Smoke Joint is a barbecue restaurant, but the owner loves hot dogs and added one to the menu. It became very popular and people go for the dogs. It is a Hatfield angus beef dog. This particular dog is served at a few carts and hot dog restaurants in Jersey. It is made in Pennsylvania but not sold there. In Pennsylvania they are familiar with the Hatfield beef/pork dog, which is mediocre in my opinion. The angus dog was made to be sold in New Jersey and New York and to compete with Sabrett. It is a quality dog with a good spiciness and a pronounced smokey flavor. At the Smoke Joint it is prepared on a griddle, but you can request it deep fried if you wish. It comes with hacked chicken or pork. Or, like me, you can get it with just mustard.

Hot Dog Paradises will be shown this coming Wednesday, March 5th at 8 PM on the Travel Channel.

Curlz, The Syd's dog is definitely worth going for. As I mentioned, I like it so much that I just get it with mustard, as good as the homemade chili is. And it is grilled on a real charcoal grill. Syd's had a gas grill. By the way, how do you like the new dog at Amazing compared to the old one? I still prefer Best to what they're using now although the new dog is a quality dog that fries up well. And I'm glad that I can sample a dog that otherwise I would not have access to unless I order 10 pounds from the manufacturer. I can get them at Amazing to eat there, or buy them cold to prepare at home. Batard, I envy you living within walking distance of a great place like Bubba's. I didn't have the dirty water dog, but am glad to hear that they weren't sitting in the water long and still retained their snap. When sampling a dirty water dog I look for 1) a good snap which is a result of the dog having a natural casing and not being left in the water long enough to lose snap and flavor, 2) if it's hot enough. Warm, lukewarm, or cold doesn't do it for me. You would be surprised how many places serve dogs that aren't heated sufficiently. 3) I like a dirty water dog ideally 8 or 10 to a lb in size. Anything smaller than that is too small, although I'm not as strict on this last point as I used to be. I've found that the 8 to a lb Sabrett doesn't have as tight a casing as I'd like, so 10 is best. For a Best brand dirty water dog, 8 to a lb is ideal. You can get these at Jerry's in Elizabeth. The ripper was good. No place can compare to Rutt's because no one has their unique relish which perfectly complements a well done (weller) dog there. Out of all the places that serve this dog (Thumanns deep fryer or ripper) the ones I like the best are the ones that fry it longest. Now I just request it well done wherever I get it. I've found that almost every place that serves this dog does a decent job with it. At Bubba's, I would get the chili on the ripper. Bubba's fries the rippers in peanut oil, which is good. Rutt's fries theirs in beef tallow which is better. I don't care about the trans fats. Hot dogs aren't exactly health food anyway. I'd have to disagree with you about the roll. The Pecters bun held up well on not only the ripper, but the larger Syd's dog. I buy these from either Pechter's or Father & Son in Linden who uses them for their dogs. You can request that the roll be toasted if you want. I prefer these rolls to potato rolls, though a Martins potato roll is a good choice if you're serving a fat quarter pounder like Amazing Hot Dog. I'm not crazy about the longer roll used for the footlong. It is from Harvest Pride in Baltimore. Sharon is considering switching to another brand. Next time I'll try the burger.

Ghostrider, The rolls are Pechters/Rockland Bakery. Rockland Bakery bought out Pechters. Since Bakers Touch cheapened their rolls, many places that used them have switched. Pechters are very good, as are Sabrett. Both are food service rolls which are baked individually (not stuck together like supermarket buns) and more sturdy than what you get in stores. If you order the longer Syd's dog, Bubba's will put it on a longer roll from Harvest Pride, which is distributed by Pechter's. Good, but too much bread for the dog. I would go with this one if I was ordering the Syd's dog with chili or other toppings. Since this dog is so good that it tastes fine with just mustard, I specifically requested the regular (Pecter's) roll.

Curlz, I would suggest giving it another try. I think they may have made some changes since you've gone. Although I didn't have the fries, they are freshly made, hand cut and twice fried. They looked good when I saw them on other customers plates. I believe they may have changed the roll as well. Ours were fresh. So were the dogs. Sharon, who is there most of the time, was pleasant and had a great attitude. We met her husband when he came in later, but didn't really get a chance to speak with him. I agree with you about the decor. My friend described it in his post over on Roadfood.com. I always try to go back to a place if I've had a bad experience, especially if it's fairly new. Unless of course I know that the hot dogs were well prepared but I just didn't like the particular flavor, brand or method of cooking. One place I'm looking to go to is the recently opened New England Hot Dog Co. on Rt. 9 in Freehold. I spoke with the owner who said that they are still working out the kinks and making a few changes. It is for this reason that I will probably wait before going. If you return to Bubba's, definitely try the charbroiled (Syd's) dog. None better in my opinion.

This past Thursday a friend and I visited Bubba's Dog House on Valley Brook Ave. in Lyndhurst. It's a fairly new place that has been open about 6 months. We had heard that they serve a Thumann's ripper, Sabrett dirty water dog, and Italian Hot Dog with Best's franks. The restaurant itself is clean, spacious, and nice looking. Behind the counter is a grill, griddle, and a deep fryer. Also a small compartment with water for the dirty water dogs. Before ordering we asked some (actually many) questions about the hot dogs offered, brands used, how they decided upon the offerings, etc. Just as we were getting started, Sharon, the owner emerged from the back and introduced herself to us. She is a delightful woman who was very forthcoming regarding the brands of hot dog, mustard, how the chili was made, and other details about her business. Unlike others who prefer to keep what they serve a secret, Sharon prefers that customers know what they are getting. She also did a lot of research before deciding on what to offer. Some of that research was perusing forums like Egullet and Roadfood to get an idea of what New Jersey Hot Dog lovers like. I can tell you that Bubba's pays great attention to detail. They care about quality and offer top quality food at a good value. Before describing the hot dogs, let me mention that you can get a variety of burgers and chicken choices. The fries are hand cut and twice fried. Because we had 2 regular dogs and a double Italian Hot Dog, we didn't get a chance to sample the fries or burgers. Next time, maybe. We were told that the fresh ground beef that makes up the burgers is exceptionally good and that the burgers are the best that Sharon has had. She strongly recommended them. Bubba's toppings include sweet and hot onions, sauerkraut, potato, baked beans, cheese wiz, bacon bits, raw onions, mustard relish, sweet relish, hot peppers, sweet peppers, and of course, mustard. There are 2 mustards; a honey mustard for the chicken and Gold's Dusseldorf mustard for the hot dogs. As for the hot dogs, Bubba's offers: 1) The Dirty Dog. This is a natural casing 11 to a lb Sabrett dog heated in water (not boiled) that is set to 165 degrees. While we were at the counter speaking with Sharon, I noticed a few dogs that were sitting in the water. At home I have the luxury of putting my dogs in the water and taking them out at the right time. One disadvantage of having a restaurant is not knowing exactly when someone will order a dirty water dog. They lose their flavor and snap when left too long in the water. Sharon assured us that she only has a few in the water and throws them out before letting them sit there. We did not sample one of these dogs. 2)The Ripper. This is the Thumann's dog made for deep frying that is common in North Jersey and can be found at Rutt's Hut, Hiram's, Hot Dog Heaven, Libby's, Goffle Grill, and a slew of others. 3) The Charbroil Dog. We were unaware that this dog was on the menu. It is the 5 to a lb, natural casing Best's dog, more commonly known as the Syd's dog. Great to find another place that serves this Jersey Classic. So far we have Jimmy Buff's East Hanover, Seymours, and now Bubba's. 4) The Italian Hot Dog. An authentic Newark style Italian Hot dog made with pizza bread, 2 10 to a lb Best skinless franks, peppers (green and red), onions, and potatoes cut in chunks, like Dickiee Dees. 5) Mick Married Marie. 2 Best dogs stuffed into pizza bread with potatoes, cheese wiz, and ketchup. This is the other of the five offerings that we did not sample. I had the Ripper first. This is an easy dog to prepare and a hard one to screw up. Just heat it in oil for a sufficient amount of time. Many places that use this dog don't leave it in the oil long enough. At Rutt's, this is called an In n Outer. I prefer mine well done. Being that this was my first visit, I ordered mine well done and it came out as ordered. Customers are encouraged to watch the food being prepared and even to specify when they want the dogs plucked from the oil or to what degree they want them cooked to. Sharon has done her homework and visited many of the state's well known hot dog joints. As I mentioned, they pay great attention to detail. Sharon told me that the worse thing you can do to a hot dog is to not have it prepared hot enough. I agree. You will always get your dogs hot and fresh here. This was our experience. This (the Ripper) is one dog that I will have something other than mustard on. I had mustard on the dog and chili on half. The chili was homemade and very good. Not a Texas Weiner style chili, but a thick meaty one with a slightly spicy aftertaste. Ingredients include beef, sausage, bacon, and beer. It goes great on the Ripper. All in all an excellent dog. Next up was the Charbroiled, or Syd's dog. This one was prepared on a grill similar to Syd's. Sharon was familiar with how Syd's served their dogs (boiled first, then grilled) but here they are charbroiled without being placed in water. Or oil like Jimmy Buff's does it. They don't have a compartment big enough to fit these dogs in order to heat in water. I would suggest putting a pot on the griddle. My dog came out perfect. It was hot and juicy. I felt like I was back at Syd's. There is no finer dog, and I'm glad that there is now another place that serves this dog. Sharon was smart enough to realize how popular this dog was, and to offer it at her restaurant. It is her favorite as well. Also a very good value at $2.95. I had mine with just mustard. They usually put the dog on a longer roll. This is good if you are going to have chili or some other topping on your dog. I prefer the regular hot dog bun and requested this. It is a Pechters/Rockland Bakery dog. Last was the Italian Hot Dog. The bread used came from Calandra's Bakery in Newark. I was skeptical when I heard this because the 2 times I had this bread on an Italian Hot Dog it fell apart. Not this time. It was sturdy and sufficient. The dogs were Best skinless, which in my opinion is the only choice for an Italian Hot Dog. These dogs, as well as the Rippers are fried in peanut oil. The peppers and onions are heated on the griddle, while the potato chunks are heated in the oil with the dogs. The Italian Hot Dog here was a very big, substantial sandwich at a great value. It went for $5.50. It was a solid, well prepared, better than average example of this sandwich. Although I prefer the potatoes sliced thin (like Jimmy Buff's and Tommy's), these were very good. Hot and tasty. They are boiled first and then fried. Bubba's exceeded my expectations. Customer service is exemplary. I loved the owner's attitude and willingness to share information. I appreciate the research that she's done in an attempt to cater to the true hot dog lover. I like the attention to detail and the fact that every type of dog is prepared right, which is hard to do when you are doing more than one style. I also learned that some of their distributors allow them to have small quantities delivered frequently so that everything is fresh and doesn't stay long at the restaurant. They will visit the other manufacturer who will not ship a small quantity and buy what they need there. I wish Sharon and Bubba's success. They are good people serving a fine product and providing excellent service. I would love to include them on the next Hot Dog Tour.

Good luck, Guy! What is your address? I'm on vacation next week and I might make the trip to your place. Nothing I like better than hot dogs and beer. By the way, would the person 3rd from the left in the picture happen to be Dave Hoffman? I know him well; he taught me how to homebrew. What beers are on tap? And you sell 6 packs?

really? been there quite often for the past 5-6 yrs and never saw one....saw queen latifah once but ← I'll have to ask my daughter. I remember her mentioning some celebrities were in recently. I think they were actors that were visiting the Paper Mill Playhouse, which is nearby. Susan, Gaffers is a fun place. Haven't been there in awhile. Thanks for reminding me. Good atmosphere, good burgers (I love the cheddar spread), and good beer.

Martini Bistro would make a great choice. I've been there a few times as my daughter bartends there. Great atmosphere, great martinis, and great food. Currently there is no happy hour, but there will be one within a month or 2. One of the best, if not the best burgers I've ever had. Also a great place to watch a game. A lot of football players from the Jets and Giants stop in as well as other celebrities.