Egan's

Let the smokers have the place. Although I could use a pint of Guiness on tap!

Great fries, wings and a fabalous selection of beers.....The selection of employees could be better....

We were quoted an hour wait for a table of 5 this past Monday night??There was nobody in the place.. So we went to Jake's and had a great meal with a wonderful server named Kenneth.

Love their food...yum. Great burgers, great fish & chips. The drinks are strong and the beers are yummy. Love the ambiance. It's always super busy, so the wait is long. Go later at night, on a weeknight or Sunday.

Only complaint is that it's too loud...

Went on a Monday night. A nice meal and a good experience.

We just got back and I had to post this. My husband ordered a whiskey chaser neat along with a beer. The prices were posted on a drinks menu. The check came and they charged an extra dollar because he ordered it without ice. When he questioned the manager about this she claimed that the menu prices were for mixed drinks ie drinks with ice, and that because he requested no ice his pour was larger. Well, I'll tell you that pour was not very large by any standard and I highly doubt that they actually poured an extra fifth of a pour in the glass because there wasn't any ice.

We had ordered dinner and were not cheap about it. The bill came to over $80 for 2 without tip and I had no entree, just oysters, a salad and dessert.

It's hard to believe a place would charge an extra dollar for a drink, because the customer requested it without ice. Even harder to believe when the place has the prices printed on a drink menu and the drink menu includes fine single malt scotches which only an idiot would dilute with ice. What's even harder to believe is that the manager became snotty and defensive and claimed that my husband had gotten more liquor. If you are going to continue this sort of gouging you should at least notify the customer by some sort of explanation on the menu or by the waitress.

The manager ended up slapping a dollar on the bar in an insulting manner. So much for Irish hospitality!

I being Irish (or half anyway) and a former restaurant manager, warned my husband that because the place was packed between 5:30 and 7:00 pm on a Sunday they wouldn't care and predicted the $ insult. I said "wait until we get home so we can tell the Barista all about it"

If the owners can't see that this sort of practice will not win anyone's respect, well there's not much more that can be said.

And another thing, whoever picks the music has lousy taste. Awful and way too loud. I agree with Right of Center's wife. The salad dressing has no flavor.

On a positive note, the bread and dessert I had, chocolate bread pudding, was very good. Kudos to the pastry chef.

Amatures and immatures behind the bar.

The Eagen Brothers who runs this restaurant need to go back to Ireland because the way patrons are treated here by management is truly abhorrent. The food is one step above bar food. The staff is young, friendly and are what keeps this place running. The brass kegorators up top are just for show. This place is by no means a brewery that grows their own beer. This place is good for drinks but not for food, unless of course you are extremely wasted.

to amy, a few posts above...anyone knows that when you order a drink "neat", it's an upcharge. you're getting more. i highly doubt that they were trying to rip you off...AND, you spent that much time dwelling over ONE DOLLAR? puh'lease.

My husband and I have been a few times. Sometimes it can so incredibly loud that there is no point in talking. While I think the food is ok (lacking some zip especially the salad dressing options) my husband who is English enjoys the food. I slowly going through the menu to find something to like (coronation chicken, hamburger, steak -all seemed bland). I do love the lemon tart and sticky toffee pudding is good (whip cream is British and lacks flavor though).

I generally like this place, but have to agree that they have some major staff problems...have always had nice servers, but the "management" type last night was rude, snotty and enough to get me to stay away for a while!

again, it's not about a dollar, nick. it's about attitude and customer focus. this is a symptom of something wrong within this place (and this kind of thing trickles down from the top). and as far as everyone knowing about this so-called neat "upcharge," I've waited and dined at many nicer places and have never encountered this practice ("oh you want sugar in your coffee? that's another buck"). give me a break: am I supposed to order a laphroaig and coke?? and for what it's worth, the pour was miserly. does egan's have those automatic dispensers like at airport bars to prevent costly overpours?

I definately get a not so comfortable feeling from this place - my boyfriend absolutely HATES Egan's - he thinks it's too stuck-up. BUT, it's the only place that serves our favorite beer - Hoegaarden, so we do continue to go back. We have ordered oysters once and burgers another time. The particluar oysters they had that week didn't taste right but we'll give it another shot. The burgers were not that good, I enjoyed the fries that came with them more than the burger. I don't plan to eat there again except for maybe the oysters every now and then.

It would be nice if they had friendlier bartenders - so far, the ones we've encountered don't make us want to stick around - not a good business move. Personable and knowledgeable service is always a good thing.

Amy- I am with you, and Nick- I have been to many upscale restaurants and have been in the restaurant business as a server, bartender and manager, and NEVER was there a charge for a neat drink. IT also appears that Nick might be of the attiudinal school so rampant at Egan's. The attitude at Egan's is offensive as if they are doing their patrons a favor by offering any type of courtesy- in particular the greeter/host/hostess. The anticipation of Egan's opening was great, an adult place to have a drink, but the reality is a huge let down. The music is too loud, the design magnifies the noise and the food is just OK. MAnagement needs to reassess and change the attitude to get me back. And evidently alot of others.

What a frantic sight at Egans last night when a guest was choking and none of the staff or Mgt. knew what to do except to call the police. Being in the hospitality business for over 25 years I went and got training on my own just in case something like this happened on my shift.Thank God I never had to use it.Too bad I wasnt in the restaurant last night to help. I think all staff members need to be trained for a situation like this.

BTW. Eyewitness account of the "choking" was actually an 80 year old woman having a heart attack. The waitress was the one to point out to her friends that she looked "sick and gray". So you see, the staff is not as clueless as you think, and the call to the paramedics most likely saved the woman's life.

About the drink. Nick was right, you do get charged more because ice makes any drink "smaller" or fuller. Thats basic bartending, some places charge, some dont. And if its a top shelf drink, then you most always charge. As far as the attitude, its not needed from a manager, but it depends on how you were speaking to them as well. I have never gotten a "tone" with a costumer, unless they were being really hostile towards me first. Anyhow I wasnt there so I would never judge, but I would be careful to ask next time about "neat" drinks to see what the establishments rules are.

Interesting comments, all.

My thoughts: If you are going to charge extra for a neat drink fine but it should be posted on the drink menu. Period. None of this bait and switch crap.

And, in this case because Amy and her husband were not aware of the extra charge, the manager should have waived the fee graciously and without attitude!

I also agree about the loud music but it's not just Egan's that is guilty of this. It's almost every midscale restaurant you go to. Are they trying to make everyone deaf? Please turn it off! God forbid we have to hear each other's conversations. If I want to hear loud music, I'll go to a dance club.

I can't complain about the food. I think it's pretty good and the servers I've had were pleasant. That being said, I was very put off by the greeter/hostess. Very rude. And would it kill her to say "Good evening"?

Yes! I went there last weekend and the greeter was a total sourpuss. Almost seemed annoyed that we were there.

Service was decent and food was fine but overall something was just missing.

I was quite annoyed because we got seated (party of 4) and then were asked to move because a party of six came in and they wanted to put them at the table they put us in and move us to a smaller table. I have never had that happen before. At first I thought she was "offering" us a chance to move and when I declined she seemed very upset and I realized, she was asking us to move for her benefit.

We went to Eagen's last night. The greeter was very friendly, and honest about the wait. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. I loved the salad dressing, BTW. My Filet Mignon was delicious. My wife's ribeye steak was a little disappointing. But her veggies were fresh and delicious(not always so in local restaurants.)
And I have not tasted such delicious, creamy Guiness on tap, since we were in Ireland 8 years ago! I have had Guiness on tap in England and other bars in the USA, but nowhere is it as creamy as Eagen's. I was able to lift the piano at home with one hand, after just one pint of Guiness. So that's MY opinion. Oh yes, the music is quite loud, but that is probably more of a sign that I am getting old. Who needs conversation anyway? Is 11am too early to have another Guiness?

We love Egan's - we go frequently. I was there this past Monday night with some girlfriends- my salmon was delicious, the server was friendly, we didn't have a wait (though it was a Monday). We've gone many Saturdays and had a long but enjoyable wait at the bar.

Yes, it can be smokey (won't be a problem in 2 more months) and a bit loud - it's an Irish pub! If you want quiet and refined go to Epernay. This is a nice place to go with friends for a good dinner that doesn't cost an absolute fortune, but where you can relax and have a good time.

It is a fun but smokey place. The food is OK, not the best but not the worst and the menu is rather lacking. The wings are too expensive for what you get. It is a great place to go for drinks though. It will be even better when the smoking ban goes into effect.

the waitstaff continues to baffle. some of the bartenders are very nice, and some, well, one, is just the most unfriendly person i've ever met. you get the impression he really doesn't want to be behind a bar. it's a shame because bad and indifferent service like that tends to turn people off.

Egan's should be a great place. it's little things like indifferent bartenders that hold it back.

Just access this web page to find out the address of Egan's to give to some friends, but was amazed by the discourse from so many disgruntled customers. I actually like the place and it is my kids favorite place to grab a burger. Always have found the place pleasant enough and the food is fine - I don't think the owners think that they are running the next Union Sq Cafe.

I think some of you need to lighten up just a little - maybe order two scotches next time and the extra $2.00 won't bother you so much. Or better yet, you can enjoy your scotch at home and save a substantial sum.

"...anyone knows that when you order a drink "neat", it's an upcharge."

No, not really... I never even heard of that term before!

"The food is one step above bar food."

Isn't it a bar?!

stick to being a pub. food is overpriced and too fancy for what this place. I love going for a beer but wont eat there anymore.

Can't wait to go back in mid-April when the smoking ban goes into effect. I think nightlife in NJ will be much improved, for us non-smokers at least.

Not worth it at all.

My family of 4 agreet to meet another family of 3 there for dinner, since they thought this would be a good family venue. Sure, fine, whatever. So we go.

Well, the first big turn-off was their reservations policy. As in "no reservations". I realize they are not the only restaurant that does not accept reservations, but that does nothing to change the fact that it is a most off-putting practice.

Upon entering, the haughty hostess made us feel deliciously unwelcome and unappreciated, and refused to seat us until all had arrived. We could, of course, have ordered drinks and appetizers, but no, they'd evidently prefer not to have our money. I might otherwise have considered having a drink at the bar, but I will not stand and drink at a bar when I have children with me. Instead, we waited, punished because of our friends' tardiness, made to feel in the way. When our friends arrived, we did finally order from a waitress who was both pleasant and competent. The food, though, was atrocious for any price. My meal was a tragedy of oysters, drowning in some sort of flavorless cheesey epoxy, with other, unidentifiable elements. Good fish and chips is just not hard to make, yet my husband's was awful -- the batter bland and the fish overcooked. And if you can't order fish and chips in a pub...! Having sampled my children's meals, I can report two more such experiences. Their menu is obviously too ambitious an undertaking for the level of ability in the kitchen. They are in over their heads. If they could re-vamp their menu to offer simple dishes (including fish and chips!), properly executed, I might return. In the meantime, the arrogance of their no-reservations policy, the truly awful food, and the surly, deliberately ungracious hostess have left me with both a literal, as well as a figurative, bad taste in my mouth -- and are no way to lure me back!

Not a fan!!! I AM a fan. First of all, there is no such thing on the menu there resembling what you are describing as the oyster dish. They DO serve fresh oysters but nothing in a sauce. What is your goal here, lying and trying to destroy a very popular place?? Jealousy? And on St-Patsy's? Shame on you.

Hey Charles, GET SOME SLEEP!!!!

"...anyone knows that when you order a drink "neat", it's an upcharge."

For the record... I have worked as a waittress and restaurant manager in Manhattan at a four-star hotel, my husband has worked as a waiter in restaurants in Minneapolis as well as NJ. We are both well traveled having lived in Europe at separate times. I have friends who have waited at high-end tables in Los Angeles as well as Manhattan. None of us had ever heard of this upcharge!

Additionally, what Miss Marta says is correct. If you choose to run your business this way (very tacky in my opinion) it should be clearly posted on the menu, ESPECIALLY since they HAVE a printed drink menu OR the waittress could let the customer know the policy when they order, "neat". Had the prices not been printed on a menu, my husband would never have even questioned the waittress about the discrepancy. We would have been none the wiser.

Thirdly, do they actually measure EVERY pour and then ACTUALLY increase the pour by the EXACT same percentage as the upcharge? I highly doubt it!! I'll repeat myself since some of you don't seem to get it. The pour looked pretty skimpy to begin with. Maybe that's why we were so crabby about the whole situation.

Finally, it's not the $ folks! it's the tone of the place. Stingy, sneaky and rude to customers!

What would have been wrong with the manager saying, "I'm sorry, you're right, it should have been printed on the menu. We''ll have to fix that" ?

Can any of you defenders of hidden upcharge's and rude behavior answer that?

Amy,
don't worry the rest of us have voted with our feet and never go there.

Go n-ithe an cat thú, is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat Egans.

Charles - I do not think that "NOT A FAN" is lying when they say they don't like the food. Its' their taste, it's their right to dislike anything they choose. And you are wrong, the dish they ordered is certainy on the menu, it's called Shanagary Fry. I happen to love it - the ultimate comfort food. So be it. And in the bar's defense, when a "BAR" is crowded, it's not a kid-friendly night. You cannot control crowds. And seating a partial party can lead to tying up a table for hours. I also defer to the bar/restaurant's policy here. NOT A FAN should realize that perhaps this is NOT THEIR PLACE - but indeed fine for others. Let's be civilized and fair.

I love Egans. My friends and I go there at least once a weekend with a huge gang of people, and sometimes we will do 'girls nite' on a Tuesday when it's nice and empty. Are all of you people writing blogs old? You're so crabby! I'm right out of school, and although I don't have a ton of money, I can afford Egans, and the extra $1 for a drink. Gimme a break! Did you spend $10+ on a sitter for the night, so you were feeling cheap about the extra buck? Are you one of the grumpy looking 40+ women (that are dressing like they're 20) who sit at the bar on a Fri/Sat looking to meet other 40+ men (who btw are all creepy, ladies, so don't bother)? Cheer up people - you're supposed to be having fun!

And let me just say something about their staff - Chris Egan himself is great. Very welcoming, extremely generous (he has, more than once, bought a round for my friends and myself). On a few Tuesdays he's played whatever songs we requested. If you don't like the volume stay home - you're acting like old farts! Some of the bartenders I've met are the same way as Egan. Matt is at the door and is always kind to my friends and I, and Kenny is my favorite bartender - he's sweet as apple pie, and knows how to pour a sweet Hoegarden. (He even knows it's better with an orange - and I like that about him - every other place will give you a lemon.)

I was there for my birthday recently and all the staff was great about the 25+ people who were taking over the back room and bar. We also had a great time out back in the tent on St. Patty's Day! We didn't eat (smelled good though!)there but we certainly partied!

I am amazed at the comments I have read about Egan's on this website. Clearly, people very unfamiliar with pubs and gastrofood. Being English and Irish (not like most people who claim to be!) This is the only establishment that is any where near a REAL gastro pub. The staff are freindly, the atmosphere is unpretentious and mixed like a real pub (not a pseudo, liberal American bar). Well done, Egan's for being the only place that I am willing to bring myself and my freinds too, and ignore all the petty bullshit that is being written on this website. In fact don't even read it, We all know the 'type'.......

what is gastrofood? Or better yet, give me an example of non-gastro food- is this food that you don't eat?

Are you saying that we're all phoney Irish folks? Or that we don't know our heritage?

I should have said gastropub, but then you won't know what that means anyway. 20 million Americans claim Irish heritage, which is amusing considering the size of Ireland's population.

It would have been really easy, Lorna, to offer a quick explanation instead of just being snobby about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastropub

I understand you're proud to be Irish, but what does it matter if people say they have some Irish blood in them? Americans try to hold onto any shred of ethnic culture they can find, because mot people in this country don't have any real ethnic traditions to call their own.

Anyway, to get back on track, my girlfriend and I are heading to Egan's for a few drinks later tonight. Looking forward to meeting the rude bartenders everyone talks about. ;D

Just remember that not ALL of the bartenders are rude. Imo, there's just one in particular. Don't even know his name. Get Kenny if you can!

Lorna,

We, here in America like American bars. Pubs are fine, but Egans with it's pretensions is not one of my favorites.

Give me the camraderie of Tierneys any day! Now that's an Irish Bar!

I'm sure you're not fully Irish. There must be some French in the mix for you to pull that hoity toity attitude.

Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat!

Hey Pissant,
"Camraderie" is a French word that spells "camaraderie". Who's the one with the attitude, especially with a name like PISSANT? Staff is very friendly at Egan's and some of them actually work at Tierney's. If you can't get along, maybe you should go to a Bistro and shut up.

I'm so sorry I misspelled a word and that it offended you sooooooooooo much!

Staff is NOT friendly at EGAN's as we can all see from the posts above.

Saying it doesn't make it so. You can keep saying it over and over and over again. We'll all know that it isn't true.

Why do you think you should be allowed to have an opinion on my name? Any by the way, it's pissant. NOT PISSANT.

There is a difference you pretentious twit!

I don't really care if the staff are friendly or not.I don't go out for a drink or something to eat just to be friendly with the staff!I think Egan's has brought a breath of fresh air to this town.It has a wonderful atmosphere ,with a good mix of young and old patrons.
The bottom line is ,if you don't like it go elsewhere ,and if you do,keep going.

Hello, to all who take the time to talk about our place, good or bad. I'm happy to see people care enough to talk about us. I'm very sorry if any of the staff has been rude, I can't always be there and it's so great to have somewhere to check up on everyone. The matter of the up- charge was addressed way befor x-mas and the policy was changed. I think it may have first been posted in the fall. Someone even said it was in August when that happened, again I am sorry for any misunderstanding and once again it's great to have a place to see a problem and be able to fix it. I am at work almost all days 10 am til 3pm and would love to talk to any customer about any problem. I think our staff are very friendly and willing to help. We are very busy and not that big so we can't always seat as many people as quickly as we or you would like. We are really trying our best to please as many people as we can. The one thing you must remember this is a pub. It is not always the best place to bring big groups with kids because they have no place to wait. We're opening a new dinning room in the fall just for that reason. We really would like everyone to be happy. It really is all about having fun. Please don't get too angry with each other on this site. I appreciate all the comments, good or bad! I would love to talk to anyone personally or on line @ dublinfive@comcast.net Thanks for all your interest, Sharon Egan

Went to Egan's last night. Was really more of a restaurant than a bar, at least in terms of the layout; if I had brought more than just one other person with me, I would have had kind of a hard time standing around having some drinks.

However, that's just an observation, not a knock on the place. It was a bright, friendly sort of place, and it would probably be a nice place to go eat. Just, if you're a young person thinking this will be a bar to go to with your friends, a) it is not really a bar, and b) you will be the youngest one there. :)

I think it would be safe to say that the majority of the people posting on this are lifeless. I happened upon this site while looking for the Egans website and I read some of the comments. I think you are all jackasses. If a pub has caused this much strife in your pathetic lives that you feel you must berate each other to no end on some stupid local website, than all of you new to reevaluate your lives. All I have to say, and this is just common sense, are three things...
Firstly, if it’s a pub, that means a bar, so yes, there will be smoking, to complain about it is to piss into the wind, wait for April 15th and shut up.
Secondly, I repeat Egans is a pub which is a bar, bars tend to play loud music to drown out the innate conversations of the drunk. If you can't handle a loud atmosphere, then don't go to a bar, there are other "bars" like sushi "bars" those might be more your speed.
Common sense, simple common sense.
Thirdly, as far as attitudes go, did you ever think that if you could get attitude across to some faceless stranger on some ridiculous website that, that snobbery could carry over into real life interactions? well it does. Attitudes begat attitudes. Working in the restaurant business is hard, for all those who don't know. And for those who do, don’t lie and say that an asshole customer has never gotten your goat. Considering that most of the bad comments on here were made by seemingly quick witted, big word slinging, typically snobbish 'we used to live in manhattan so we know what good is' people who infest such(lucky to be culturally diverse)suburban towns. I would say that your attitude, which I know was used on a hardworking wait staff member, bartender, or hostess probably didn't go over well. If you have a problem with peoples attitudes, then trying losing yours as well, and see if that changes the situation.

Keith, What time did you go to the pub? We serve food till 10:30 and on Sat. night the dinner trade is very busy, but after 10:30 all the diners have gone and it is totally a bar. Last night we had a 50th birthday get together for one of Montclair Highs most loved allumni, Jerry Rubacky, Happy Birthday Jerry, Thanks for having your friends meet in our place it was great to see you all!!! Try us again I think you'll find we get a mixed range of ages. I like to think thats what makes our place fun. We have jazz tonight from 6pm til 9pm.

Sarah...

I like Egans (had my high school graduation party there, everyone loved it) and I think the bickering going on here is silly too, but...do you really think blasting the people posting is going to a: solve anything or b: make you sound intelligent?

Katie...
who said I was claiming intelligence or that I am intending to solve anything. I am simply joining in on the childish banter, just as you have with your comment. Noone can simply comment without a sharp retort from someone else. Attitude was the main focus of my comment, and it seemed to be confirmed by yours.

Ahhh so it's untrue that "NOBODY DOESN'T LIKE SARAH LEE".

Some of us can't stand her!

...example number two...
as entertaining as this is, in the hopes of returning this page back into its originally intended use, may I suggest the topic of Egan's as the focus, and not redundant immature comments?

I am sitting here reading all of this "arguing" about a pub and cannot believe how nasty it is.
It is sad that in our society, we cannot show respect to others.
If you had a bad experience, that is fine and you should be able to state that you didn't enjoy your time.
If you had a great experience, you should be allowed to do just the same.
People do have the right to their opinions, and we all have different likes and dislikes.
Foul language and name calling should not be part of what this website is about.
We all don't have to agree on our experiences at Egan's.
I have always had a great time there, I am a non-smoker, so I sit in the back, have a great meal and enjoy the service and drinks.
I have had bad experiences in other restaurants, and have given them a second chance. Sometimes the experience was better, other times not. So, I choose not to go back to places I didn't care for.
I do choose however, to not start name calling and get crude.
If you don't like it there, just state why and do so politely, and then don't go back there.
If you love it there, don't lash out at those who don't enjoy it.
It's REALLY is that simple.

I did NOT post the posting above. I do NOT talk like that.

The real pissant!

Why complain about a problem and then make it worse? Why criticize others and do the same thing yourself? AUGH!!!

Ok, here's my opinion on Egans, because this is a restaurant review thread. I've been to Egan's a couple times. I'm not old enough to drink, so I havn't really got an opinion on the bar. I like the food, especially the brown bread and soda bread they put out for free- I'd go just for that. I think it's nicely decorated, there's one host/waiter guy who's pretty good lookin' and it's just a nice restaurant/pub in town and a pleasant change from Asian and Italian food. Sure, it has it's flaws, and it's good to get them out there in an intelligent, respectful manner. But so far, I've had a good time at Egans.

I think you are all a little off your rockers to be taking such a thing as a comment post so seriously.

As for Egan's, I feel like the staff is always friendly and willing to help without hesitation.

I usually come in on Firdays and the two young hostesses are always pleasant, very friendly, and welcoming.

My waiter one night, I believe went by the name K.C. He was also very friendly and attentive.

The bartenders could be a little more light hearted and talkative, but they are always busy on Fridays.

The food is typical pub fare, but really good. May I suggest the Salmon over spinach...divine....

Went to Egan's Sunday night and it was a very nice experience. Food was fine and service was very friendly.We will return.

As Joan said, totally bonkers. I would much rather be in Egan's, than writing about it.
See you there.

I have always had a great time at egans. However, i know when to leave. I've been in on a saturday night at 7pm and the wait was long and the place was packed and i thought "i'll come back when its more my crowd" ... and i did. And, i had a pleasant experience. I think most people know what they like so why force yourself into an experience that is going to make you uncomfortable? there are so many restraunts in montclair. but I've heard great things about egans, I've been there for lunch which was totally relaxing and quiet, Ive been there on busy fridays and on slow mondays and i can tell you i've gotten what i expected. I have read all these comments and for one i dont know who brings children to a bar and then complains about the chicken nuggets, i dont know who goes to a bar and brings children period, nor can i understand who goes to a bar with a party of 7 who arent expecting to wait/have a drink at the bar. I dont know who goes on barista day after day to repost nasty things about eachother and the bar. say what you have to say tastefully and once only please its a lot of banter to read.
Lastly, i think its a shame if someone decides not to goto egans and experience it for themselves because 4 people had bad things to say.

Thanks Shella, I really appreciate your comments.

Yes -- food/drink comments are fine, please lighten up on the arguing back and forth or profanity (now deleted). And kudos to Sharon for posting.
Thanks -- from the management.

Liz,

Please delete my name from the post:

Comment deleted by Baristanet

Posted by: pissant | Mar 26, 2006 8:07:57 PM

I did not post this and said so- leaving my name makes it look like I did.

It's gone -- thanks.

this is all just mind blowing...
i have one thing to say to those who complain about the wait staff at egan's
i was there the other day for lunch and i realized how horrible the costomers can be to the staff - it was pretty busy and those who need constant attention should go back to wearing diapers and being spoon fed by thier mother (in other words....the waiter should just stand next to you and feed your food and even pour you your perfect helping of ketchup....you know who you are) the people that come in there are rude and if i was a waiter i would react the same way - you could tell just by looking at the waiter that they felt unappreciated and disrespected - if you have a good attitude when you go out to eat ... the waiter will usually respond with the same attitude - don't forget... this is their source of income...and to ruin a tip on purpose is highly unlikely - the costumers at egan's can be too snotty and they act like they are above anyone and everyone - they are the artsy-fartsy snobs that think they are the kings and queens of montclair - i enjoy egans - i am a regular and have witnessed the piss poor attitudes of other costumers first hand - and im assuming that those who post on this website with nothing but negative comments are those exact costumers that i am talking about - it is really just simple....give something a try and if you don't like it ... don't come back - trust me... im sure the waitstaff won't even notice you are gone. Plus, you will only benefit the regulars like myself to have an even better experience at my favorite friendly pub.

love the brews!! keep up the good work!!

amazed,

In the hospitality business, the customer is always right. If you are indicative of the people who frequent Egan's, I feel sorry for the owners.

Or do you really work there and need to vent?

So helltoupe,

Are you saying that people have the right to talk down to and belittle waiters/salespeople and show them no respect at all?
Yes, in business, the "customer is alwyas right", but Karma does exist, and it doesn't hurt to be nice to people who are there to assist you in having a pleasant experience.
Yes it is true, even waiters are people who have feelings.

I've worked at restaurants in the past and my goal was always to do whatever I could to make the customer happy and have them feel good about the experience. Also, having worked as a server, THAT IS OUR SOURCE OF INCOME. Thats how we pay our bills, our loans, our debts, our doctors, our expenses. Do you really think anyone would intentionally go out of their way to ruin your night and in turn affect the amount of money they would be making from your tip? I HIGHLY doubt it!

The next time you go to a restaurant realize and understand a few things first. You are not the only customer in the place. A server on a busy night has many tables, many people and many orders to deal with, drinks to pour/wait on bartenders to pour alcoholic beverages for them, food to run to the tables, make sure each table has what they need and if everything is satisfactory, and have them leave with a smile. Some can handle the pressure and thrive and that is why they choose to do that as their occupation, it's good money! If you're friendly, they will be as well. It's dinner time, relax and enjoy and put a smile on!!!! You chose to go out to that restaurant, so dont choose to be a hard time for that person to deal with just beacuse you are having a bad day. That is the employees "office" and workspace. Treat them with respect and I'm sure you'll be pleased with your experience.

Just to give you guys an example of what a customer said to me one night:

Upon greeting them on a very busy night, (I immediately apologized for the wait and had told them how busy I was). I asked how they were and if I could get them drinks and offer the specials. The customer then responded by saying, with a straight face even, " From now on you should IGNORE everyone else and give me full attention because I need the service. I'm dealing with a lot of issues and require your constant attention." My first thought was, Are you kidding me? But, I politely smiled and told the customer that I could not IGNORE my other tables, but that I would make sure the experience was above par and everything they needed would be available. I made sure everything was, and at the end of their meal the customer thanked me several times and told me it was their own fault for bringing attitude and their problems to the restaurant and to my workplace.

Being polite and pleasant and fun will certainly go a long way in having your time spent at a restaurant that much more enjoyable.

P.S. If your going out for dinner or drinks, throw a few extra dollars on the tip, a few extra bucks above a standard tip is making someones night!

Oh and one more thing, Dont mess with someone thats handling your food!!

The thing I love about Egans is that it is ALIVE. I am a nonsmoker and not much of a drinker, but every time I go there, I feel as if Montclair is the center of the world. The place radiates warmth and good fun. The food can be great in its way -- go to Nobu in the City if you want gourmet. Egans' corned beef is superb and so are several of the other items. Since it's well known that most chatmongers on town blogs are negative, cranky people, it's not surprising that Egans has caught their attention. Anything that successful must be bad. But it isn't! Lighten up and enjoy. Some of Montclair's other, very empty restaurants that have zero ambience and absolutely worthless waitstaff -- if you want quiet and no smoke and a boring time -- be my guest and go there. Leave Egans to those who want to be around people and be a part of something larger; a phenomenon, if you will. In the restaurant world, phenomenons can sometimes be chancy places to go, because everybody else is going at the same time. At those moments, the service might lag and the noise level might rise, but that's all part of what makes it different. Egans has my vote.

Hey LUNGSSTILLWORKING have you ever had that pint of Guinness? How do you like the non - smoking?

Hey Lungs Still Working? Are you speaking out of a hole in your throat yet? What do your lungs look like? Are they black and cancerous?

I am so glad I can now go to Egan's and not have to deal with the cancer sticks. YEAH!

Egan and Sons will be showing the World Cup on the big screen. All England and U.S.A.games. Stop by for the schedule.

Do you guys show on the tv the six nations rugby games?

I just have to say thanks to Egan's for being the only place to catch the World Cup Games with great atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious guinness....
Thanks for waking up early for the morning games and giving out free munchies. The bartenders and waitresses have been nothing but friendly. I go there so much for the games they even know my name!!!
The crowd has been fantastic. Everyone dresses in their favorite team colors and cheers as loud as they can.
I highly recommend coming down... fan or no fan.... its really a blast!!
Thanks again

Hey FIFA Fan Thanks so much you have just made it all worth it. Sometimes I worry because the kitchen really isn"t open and some new commers don't really get it. It's really all about the football! See you tomorrow at 11am not sure whats on the menu yet.

Every six months or so, I swing by to see if the food, service and ambience are as atrocious as the last time and I’m seldom disappointed (wait, or am I?)

Went last night, started with the maple wings which, b/c they’re served in the oh-so-cute funnel and overly breaded, become a sodden mess within minutes. Waited an eternity for our entrées (a burger and – here’s where I made my mistake – the rib eye.) The rib-eye was topped with something unidentifiable (and equally inedible) and downed (literally DROWNED!) in some reduction. For $30, this was an insult.

Another interminable wait (is the service at Egan’s the worst you’ve ever seen?) and we’re brought our dessert – the crisp (which had no “crisp” to it, which was smothered by melted (MELTED!) vanilla ice cream. I tried to stop our waitress (Paige) but she was long gone (ironically helping some kid get ketchup out of a jar!)

And another thing about Egan’s – I’m nothing to look at but man, someone’s been there with the ugly stick, huh? Sat next to what looked to be a bunch of Carnies.

Scary thing about Egan’s is I had such high hopes for the place prior to its opening (even visited before opening and was shown around by the very nice owner who I still see at the place.) I just wish he had a more discerning eye for food and service.

Simply awful.

Every six months or so, I swing by to see if the food, service and ambience are as atrocious as the last time and I’m seldom disappointed (wait, or am I?)

Went last night, started with the maple wings which, b/c they’re served in the oh-so-cute funnel and overly breaded, become a sodden mess within minutes. Waited an eternity for our entrées (a burger and – here’s where I made my mistake – the rib eye.) The rib-eye was topped with something unidentifiable (and equally inedible) and downed (literally DROWNED!) in some reduction. For $30, this was an insult.

Another interminable wait (is the service at Egan’s the worst you’ve ever seen?) and we’re brought our dessert – the crisp (which had no “crisp” to it, which was smothered by melted (MELTED!) vanilla ice cream. I tried to stop our waitress (Paige) but she was long gone (ironically helping some kid get ketchup out of a jar!)

And another thing about Egan’s – I’m nothing to look at but man, someone’s been there with the ugly stick, huh? Sat next to what looked to be a bunch of Carnies.

Scary thing about Egan’s is I had such high hopes for the place prior to its opening (even visited before opening and was shown around by the very nice owner who I still see at the place.) I just wish he had a more discerning eye for food and service.

Simply awful.

Yes Ninach,
We all know by now how great a food critic you are after failing in Long Island, as a "restaurateur", selling salmon "steaks" smothered with "red sauce" and other atrocities, served by Gino. Why are you on Egan's case on every food web site? Jealous of their business or horrible taste? There's plenty of red sauce places around here to satisfy your palate so get off their case.

Todd -- You're getting tedious. You're entitled to your reviews too (haven't seen any here though.) This is simply my humble opinion (and not quite sure why you're using quotes above? Oh well.) There's plenty of great places to eat in the area, Egan's just ain't one of them.

Ninach,
When I see opinions that are so totally biased bordering on insults, I have to react. First of all, you are insulting about a thousand people who are eating there every week, not only telling them they are ugly but also that they have no tastebuds.
Second, you are making so many mistakes in your so-called review. The wings are not breaded at all, nothing, zip... So how can you say they are over breaded. It just shows your ignorance. On your comment about the steak, there is nothing about the steak itself. Was it good, bad, overcooked, whatever. All you say is that it came with "some kind of reduction" (sorry about the use of "). That reduction, after I did my homework and talked with the Chef, is Veal stock (from D'Artagnan) simply reduced with herbs and Burgundy wine. It is laddled on the plate, under the steak, so you have the option of not even tasting it ... certainly not "smothered".
I agree with the slow service but considering how busy they are, it's a small price to pay.

My comments are for Ninach: Egan's is not the place for you, it's clear. There's nothing wrong with you so don't feel different. It's really simple. You dont' like it, it doesn't meet your standards and you hate everyone from the chefs to the waitstaff to the hideous patrons that belong in a circus.( I am paraphrasing) I moved to Montclair in 1964 and Mrs. Egan is one of my dearest friends, and yes, I even worked at the door for the first 6 months as their first hostess, so I warn you that this is a biased response and take full responsibility for my one-sided-ness. What a hard job it was trying to estimate how long a party would sit and linger over coffee, harder still to politely discourage incoming and eager families to wait it out 60 minutes or more for a table. It was a judgement call you see; imagine a husband and wife arriving with a baby in an infant seat and an elderly parent with a walker - the bar (back then) was filled with smokers and gaeity and was loud and packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Hmmm. What to do? My only option was to be honest and try not to please everyone. So I'm being honest with you. Move on and find out where all of the other self-entitled, whining, good looking food experts hang out and have a ball with yourselves. From my perspective Montclair has gone to the dogs. Thank God for blogs like Baristanet so all you whiners can have a 24 hour forum that never sleeps. In closing and as a personal aside, I stopped into the new Urban Outfitters when it opened recently only to find that the fashions simply did not fit my 47 year old body quite right. In fact, I looked really ridiculous! The only thing that struck my fancy was a trendy, 7oz martini glass. Do I post a comment about what a waste of real estate space this chain boutique is? No, I admit I am no longer a teenager. Not even close. And I leave it for the folks who like it and hope it succeeds. Reality bites, don't it Ninach?

How unfortunate that someone would go out to have a meal and spend so much time over-analyzing the consistency and presentation of their food (many people in this world don't have anything to eat), making harsh judgement calls of the strangers seated around them, and then call out a waitress by her name on this blog site. How unfortunate, as well, that you found a waitress helping a child with their ketchup either "ironic"(look it up), or as a personal assault on your dining experience. The negativity you exude, Ninach, will only come back to you and way your life down. I have the following suggestions for you: yoga, meditation, long walks on the beach, and lastly, home-cooked meals. No one wants to go through a night of waiting on someone like you. Stay home.

How unfortunate that someone would go out to have a meal and spend so much time over-analyzing the consistency and presentation of their food (many people in this world don't have anything to eat), making harsh judgement calls of the strangers seated around them, and then call out a waitress by her name on this blog site. How unfortunate, as well, that you found a waitress helping a child with their ketchup either "ironic"(look it up), or as a personal assault on your dining experience. The negativity you exude, Ninach, will only come back to you and way your life down. I have the following suggestions for you: yoga, meditation, long walks on the beach, and lastly, home-cooked meals. No one wants to go through a night of waiting on someone like you. Stay home.

I want to thank the management and staff at Egan's for coming in early on June and July mornings to give us a true pub in which to watch the World Cup.

I had been to Egans only a few times before the Cup, and had given it an unfair thumbs-down based on the poor performance of one waiter in the front room. However, after seeing just how much care goes into freezing the taps -- and its effect on the home brews like the hop-heavy ale -- and how gracious the establishment was in providing coffee and toasties during the USA games (granted, the Brits got full English breakfast for the Portugal game, but that's what happens when their fans fill the place), I started coming more often.

I disagree with Ninach's assessment of the maple wings, if only because the syrup really isn't enough to make them a "sodden mess." In fact, the glaze is actually helpful in separating the wings from each other within the funnel (which is a common presentation piece used to great effect elsewhere -- especially with pommes frites) and draining excess onto the plate below. Despite the sweetness, the wings still had kick and complemented the darker brews nicely.

As for the service, both my bartenders and the new wait staff were especially apt at keeping my beer full and my courses staggered. I didn't wait very long for the prep on my fish and chips, which were none too bready and reminded me of the fish and chips at both the Argyle and A Salt and Battery. The burgers are sizeable and well presented on the Nicolo's rolls, and the fire-rubbed pork serves as a nice continuation from the maple wings.

I don't know anything about ugly people at Egan's, as the clientele seems to be post collegians, older europeans and ex-pats and a diverse base of late-twenty and early-thirtysomethings. And the staff... well if we're going to be critiquing PEOPLE, I leave in love with the blonde server each time I'm there.

I once was strictly a Great Notch Inn and Tierney's guy for my Jersey-side watering holes. I've since made Egan's my home... and have no intentions of leaving just because some failed writer who couldn't buy his way into NJMonthly called me ugly.

I dined at Eagan's Sunday evening and found the experience to be extraordinary. The sticky toffee pudding is amazing as were the few alcholic beverages I enjoyed. The time spent was made much more enjoyable by the friendly atmoshphere created by the excellent waitress named Paige who talked to me as if I were great friends with her, but still managed to exhibit professionalism by checking on drinks and bringing the correct orders.

Ninach,

I'm sorry that your experience at Egan's was "simply awful" and that you felt my service was negligent.

As a member of the staff, I take pride in our menu and regret to hear that your opinion strayed.

Is slander really necessary to state a clear point?

Slander isn't "slander" when it's the truth. Poor food, poor service and poor ambience tend to speak for themselves.

Technically what you've committed is libel, not slander.

Furthermore, it is no secret that Egan & Sons has become a cornerstone of the Montclair community and perpetually pleases it's clientele with delicious gastronomy and a world class selection of wines and spirits... just scroll above.

"Delicious gastronomy?" "World class selection of wine and spirits?" What is this twaddle and who is this twit spewing out this rot?

Egan's is a bar, Not a great bar, as it happens, but one of very few in Montclair. (It lacks, among other things, the sense of hopelessless that really great bars usually convey, that Eugene O'Neill and Ian Rankin would both recognize.) But if it gets to the point where people come to this place for its "delicious gastronomy," then a bar it will certainly cease to be.

That would be terrible. But it would be even more terrible were it to attract more of the sort of people who are named "Paige" (with all that conveys in the sense that John O'Hara would recognize) and write gushing posts like the one above, which no genuine bar, even one so ersatz in its approach to "old timeyness" as Egan's, should have to endure.

No bar worth its world-weariness should ever become "a cornerstore" of any local business community, either. Good grief!

PS: I don't think Paige even really understands what it's like to work in a genuine bar. She (a gender guess) may think she knows what it takes to suck up to her employers, but I very much doubt she's on the mark even there. Not if they run, as it appears to be, a bar.

I'm glad cathar has the patience to comment on that post. I did not know where to begin.

Roger that Susie! Tell me about it... so much petty bs... I second cathar's sentiment.

I agree with Ninach and Cathar. Egan's as a bar is all pre-fab, plastic and precious. Egan's as a restaurant is overpriced, with terrible service (we walked out once after it was clear no staff member would bother to approach our table for drinks or a simple hello after 20 minutes), and mediocre food.

We tried it three times for food. We tried it a couple of times for drinks. We'll never try again.

I think its funny how you feel the need to fight about something on a blog sight. In my eyes... beautiful and intellegent Paige is winning this immature battle. I think your problem ninach cathar and susie b, is that you don't understand what Paige is saying because her vocabulary is far more advanced than your own. Once