Lynette Y.'s Profile

I can't believe I am lucky enough to live 10 minutes from this amazing Irish pub.  Be prepared for a crowd & a few minutes wait, every single time we drive by there is a full parking lot (they have overflow parking) but don't let that discourage you at all.  The place is incredible, the staff attentive, friendly and helpful, and the owner Mike is a genius.  My husband and I had a question about one of the pieces of art on the wall (most came from Ireland & have a personal history to the owners) and he came over and told us the story.  Super friendly, and really seemed to know what it takes to develop a good following of loyal customers.  Peeking over my husband's shoulder I spotted a bartender setting up a Jenga tower for two women at the bar to play with while they drank their beers and chatted, and later on I spotted a Connect Four game being played at a table.  There is an outdoor patio (the smokers were out there and seemed to be enjoying the nice night) & a good mix of bar seats, high tops, and tables/booths.

It is a pub, and they do serve beer, and lots of it, as well as a good amount of Irish Whiskey, and most other standard bar staples.  The FOOD!!!! You have to go and eat here even if you don't drink and just want an honest-to-goodness taste of traveling over to Ireland and eating at a local pub.

Appetizer : Curry Chips - Steak cut fries with a large side of their own curry dipping sauce, a bit sweet & a bit spicy but not at all bland.  My husband and I were dipping every last tiny bit of fries we could find on our plate to sop up the rest of the curry.  After the very first bite I *knew* I'd be here leaving a review!

Dinner : Corned Beef Boxty - This was my dinner and I honestly wasn't sure what I was going to get but there was no way I wasn't ordering something "Irish".  A boxty (according to their menu) is basically a stuffed potato pancake.  Potato pancakes to me are thick and fried in oil and served with sour cream, so I thought it might look like a stuffed knish.  I was very wrong!  The dish that was put in front of me looked more like a potato quesadilla, crepe, or omelette.  It was topped with a 1/4 of a head of cabbage that I am pretty sure was cooked in beer.  There was a horseradish sauce and tons of melted cheddar cheese inside with the corned beef.  I would up taking half home because I knew I needed to eat that meal again the next day!

Dinner : Shepard's Pie - Ground beef and lamb made this dish taste amazing.  This was my husband's dinner, and I only got one bite!  He had intended to bring half home as well (the portions are generous) but he said it was so good he had to eat the whole thing.  This is next on my list to try when we go back (next week...)

As for the other foods on the menu, they range from obvious traditional Irish comfort foods, sandwiches & wraps, soups & salads, burgers, and steaks/chops/chicken ... but I guarantee Dublin Square put their own unique flair on the food and doesn't just churn out typical bar grub.

Dublin Square is absolutely a place my husband and I (and our family) will be returning to very frequently, and we plan on spreading the word to as many friends that we can.  It's not everyday someplace like this comes along & in my opinion kicks the snot out of any chain restaurant or "me-too" Italian/American fare around.

EDIT : A year later and we still LOVE Dublin Square.  We are there a few times a month, and bring friends whenever we can.  They have added Taco Tuesdays (pretty good, but kind of strange for an Irish pub!) and trivia on Wednesday's that always has the entire pub joining in.  Our favorite spot hands down!  The owner Mike & his staff are amazing!

I've been here twice now - once for a local ladies get-together dinner (about 40 of us, restaurant closed for this private event), and again for a Sunday brunch with my family (grade school girl and toddler boy, plus a husband).

My first visit for dinner was wonderful - we had a pre fixe menu, and I had picked tilapia.  All the usual courses were good, but I especially enjoyed the two pastas we had as part of our appetizers - fresh linguine with basil and garlic and penne with dried tomato sauce.  Fish was good, very fresh and well prepared.  Dessert was an assortment of cakes, but the regular menu desserts looked great (I know they are looking to carry a local cheesecake that is out of this world).  My husband and I are planning on going for dinner sometime soon to give Giangela's a try from their regular menu.  I'll add to my review then as well.

As for the Sunday brunch, it could have been a *lot* better.  I think my family of four followed a private brunch crowd (baby Christening or something) and even for $9 a head it could have been MUCH better.  The food was cold and overcooked to start with, the pancakes were a bit colder than room-temperature, the bacon was cold and dry (and all wadded up in a ball so it was impossible to take just a piece), the pastries were a bit dry, the scrambled eggs were sitting in a lot of water/liquid, and the potatoes were cold and greasy.  I'm writing this off to us having followed a large private party and seemed that we got the 'leftovers'.  All of the buffet trays were full, and it seems it would have been better to put out smaller quantities of food at a time to keep it a bit fresher.  I think I may try the brunch again - earlier than the 12 noon we went, and hopefully not after a private affair.  We live a few minutes down the road and I'd like to give the brunch another fair try.

The service is what I'm concerned with.  We came in just as the last table or two of the private party was leaving, and the owner greeted us and sat us at a table, and let us know how the brunch buffet worked.  Made to order omelettes were a choice included in the brunch, but NO ONE ever approached us to make any.  I couldn't even catch eye contact with the waitstaff to get their attention - they would enter the dining area quickly, look over the buffet, tinker with a spoon or two and retreat to the kitchen again.  The two women that were the waitstaff walked by our table (and there were only two active tables in the place at the time) and never cleared our plates, filled our water glasses, or even made eye contact.  We had to ask for our check (after sitting for 10 minutes obviously done with brunch) and then ask again for someone to take it to process our credit card.  Neither time did the waitstaff even SAY anything to us.  From what I understand, the owner's (adult) daughters are the waitstaff, but they honestly seemed intimidated to interact with the customers.  Part of the charm of frequenting local restaurants (over the chains) is the personal service you get.  Well, today's visit we had NO service.  Fingers crossed the owner will try to get his girls to like people more and talk to us.  Customers around us had also made the same comments about the food and service, and said they would give it another try in the future.  I am sure if they do not bring their service and brunch menu up to par they will have a severe drop in customers.  There are dozens (if not hundreds) of restaurants in the area and being tucked away in sleepy Crosswicks, Giangela's really needs to be head and shoulders above the rest to make it.  I sure hope they do!

Having to balance out what would be 1 star for the brunch and 5 stars for the dinner, I gave it a 3.  This location seems to flip restaurants every few years, and we really need a nice local place to eat.  We have lived here for 11 years and this place by far is the best and has the most potential.  Here's hoping they can learn to make a better brunch and treat customers - all customers - like friends.  Times are tough for everyone now, and I choose to spend my money at places that make me feel valued and welcome.

With all that said, I am really looking forward to dinner here again, the food was very good and I'm hopeful the service will be better.

Visa/MC/AmEx/Discover accepted, BYOB, and decor is amazing, comfortable and warm.

THIS is the place I've been waiting for!  Finally a Japanese restaurant less than 25 miles from my house.  I know there are one or two others (Route 130) but they are snobbish and overpriced.

The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the size of the menu.  Not many items to choose from, but the place is new and the size is small.  For those that feel the decor adds (or sometimes takes away) from the meal may be disappointed in the *lack* of decoration.  The chairs don't all match and the walls are sparse - but it is all very clean.  Parking is always difficult in Bordentown, you are competing with the other eating establishments and the homeowners for street parking, but I think there is parking behind the building.

As far as the food, FRESH.  I had a large bowl of buckwheat noodles & broth topped tempura shrimp and veggies and it was excellent, and a bargain at barely $9.  I added a few maki rolls at $3.50 each (6 pieces) and they were very large and well made.  My husband ordered chirashi and not only was it filled to the top, it was only $12!  A pot of loose leaf green tea was our beverage of choice.  

Our 6 year old came with us (as well as our 3 week old) and although her normal soup of choice is won-ton, it wasn't on the menu (no tears there from me!)  Miso is her second favorite and she wanted two bowls.  Our neighbors/friends stopped in a few minutes after we sat down quite by accident and ate with us.  It was their second trip to Tsukasa in two days, and I know they've been back since.

We plan on making Tsukasa a regular stop out when we dine out - Bordentown is a tough little sleepy town to survive in as it's a bit off the beaten path.  If you are anywhere near, I know it's worth a trip.  We will be regular patrons here and hope a lot of others are as well - help get Tsukasa on it's feet and in Bordentown to stay!

(They take Visa/MC but not AmEx)

This is our "local" sushi bar, and we live in the Yardville NJ area.  About a 25 minute drive without traffic, but still the only place we like to go.  The family and staff that run Edo is wonderful and always attentive and helpful.  Portions and prices are reasonable, and the chef is always open to be creative if given the chance - and it's not too busy.  Nice selection of American/traditional Chinese food as well, and the specials board always looks interesting.  I think it's BYOB too.

Only complaint, I wish they had some booths and not just tables/chairs.

SHORT REVIEW : YOU MUST EAT HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Long Review : My husband just stopped here this morning to grab a bagel before we headed out for the morning.  Now, I pass this place every day and have never stopped in.  Always see cars outside though, it just looks like a local hole-in-the-wall.  I still can't vouch for the interior, as I stayed in the car when he ran in - but at 9am he said every table was full and there was a line.  One bite of that bagel and I know why.  He got an egg bagel that had a slice of tomato baked in, with provolone cheese and minced garlic (baked in as well).  Cream cheese was his choice of spread.  Now, I've never considered my husband a foodie in any way, but I suppose it took the right food.

This was the best bagel either of us had ever, ever had.  He was willing to let me take 1/2, but I just let him have his moment and devour the whole thing.  I pass here every day and will not let one more slip by without a visit.

I saw a review for KC Prime and decided to jump in with a quick one from me.  I *rarely* eat red meat, but when I crave it, this is really the only place that will work.  I've been here for dinners, weekdays and weekends, with my family (including a 2.5 year old at the time!), friends, and business.  Always good.  Service is attentive, but not overbearing.  Good portion of veggies on the side with my steaks.  I don't think I've ever made it to dessert - that will have to be a goal next time I go.  Our table was always ready within 5 minutes of the reservation time, and if we decided to stop at the bar for drinks first, they held the table for us.

We've been here a few times now for lunch (always in the dining room).  Each time the food was great, and so was the service.  Our daughter gets a slice of pizza - which is nice because not all the local places let you get pizza by the slice (for the kiddies) in the dining room area.  Water and drink refills come on time and the portions are huge.

My husband judges a place by the lasagna, and this one passes with flying colors.

I like this place!  First walk in it looks like an upscale Asian restaurant, til you look at the menu and prices.  Looks a bit like any other Chinese restaurant, complete with good prices.  But WOW when the food shows up at the table, the presentation can rival any NYC or LA top of the line cuisine!  The portions were not family style, but plated for one person.  The portion size was just a smidgen smaller than if you got it in a white to-go container, but you didn't miss the extra few bites.

I'm thinking dress is a bit more than casual, although my husband and I walked in wearing jeans - they did not kick us out!  I also think the prices are reasonable, with more simple dishes falling under $12 and the chef specials a bit more.

Not really impressed.  Went there for lunch, they have about 6 things on the menu if you are not eating sushi.  Meatloaf (my choice, good but not worth $12), hamburgers (decent, but no better than Red Robins), French dip sandwich, and then a few 'dinner-ish' type selections.  Strange selection to say the least.  Food was average, service average, prices - not in line with a restaurant that is located in Yardville.

I don't care how much you gussy the place up, I don't think that charging upwards of 25% more for the same food and service as surrounding places will get them very far.

The bartenders  have much to be desired on how to make some more common 'fancy' drinks.  Since I'm a vodka martini drinker, it really wasn't  a problem.  Prices for that were about $3 more than any other bar or club in the area, but I guess someone has to pay for the large, out of place, flat screen TV's with sports on them.

Decor is nice, I'm not personally a fan of gold, black, and turquoise, but no doubt it was professionally done.