Elite Event: Hats Off To Summer At Hat Tavern

Late to the game on this review.
Hats off to Hat Tavern for putting on a fantastic Unilocal event! The food and service were outstanding.
Patron, with their cool, free swag, was a nice added touch.
Steph, as usual, was the life of the party! We are so lucky to have her as part of NJ!
What stood out the most:
Crab cake — ridiculous! Top 2 of food served.
Pulled Pork — superb. Number one item served.
Shrimp crostini (not what it was called) — banging… should have been called banging shrimp!
It was also a pleasure seeing some Unilocalers in person. Great time had by all.
Hat Tavern has really come a long way. I do need to update my review…:-) ENJOY (ed)!

This was my second time at Grand Summit Hotel The Hat Tavern for an Elite Event. I really think The Hat Tavern went above and beyond for our group. The service was tremendous. All of the waiters and waitresses couldn’t have been nicer or more attentive especially our waiter Doug (or as he calls himself in his country of Costa Rica Doog– las.)
From the moment I arrived and stepped outside on The Hat Tavern patio you could see how much planning and love went into this event. The theme of course was Mexican because of the Patron bar. There were Mexican hats, shot glasses, sun glasses, colored necklaces, Patron scented hand lotion, and of course samples of fruit punch Patron in mini replica bottles. The Patron Ice sculpture was amazing along with The Patron girls, Jessica and her friend.
Besides Patron, there was a bar set up for wine, beer and Patron Mojitos and strawberry margaritas. It flowed all night.
Kat B. did a great job going around and capturing all the fun moments. I even managed to get several shots of her.
Steph, did a great job putting this event together and letting us get a real feel for The Hat Tavern and what it has to offer.
After my check-​in, I was able to walk around and reconnect with many of my Elite Unilocalers. It’s so nice to put a face to a name online.
Once seated, the waiters and waitresses started coming around with salads. Mind you, not just any salad but Tuscan Kale salad. it was loaded with edamame, Red peppers, cilantro, snow peas, carrots, and avocado. The dressing was a tamari-​ginger vinagrette. This was my favorite salad. The cilantro completed the dish. We were then served a shrimp scampi style bruschetta on toast. Lots and lots of garlic. Right up my ally.
The second salad to make the rounds was a Greek salad with Pepperoncini, feta, kalamata olives, tomatoes and cucumbers. The dressing was oil and vinegar, fresh lemon juice. We also had an arugula salad, loaded and simply dressed. It was delicious.
Next came the crab and vermicelli crab cakes with a red tomato relish and on top there was a roasted garlic aioli sauce. The crab cakes were very light and had very little breading in them. It was a true crab cake, I really enjoyed these.
Douglas then brought out a mini sirloin burger topped with the fixins. These were also very tasty. The food just kept coming, tray after tray.
What i enjoyed the most was the BBQ pulled pork slider. It was served with cole slaw and placed on a potato roll. The pork was very rich and tender. The cole slaw gave it a nice tang.
If that wasn’t enough Rob made an announcement along with Stephanie that the final course would be dessert. Not just any desserts. The first was the Key Lime parfait with a crispy graham cracker crumble between the layers. This took me back to Key West. It really hit the spot.
The final dessert was Banana pudding. It was banana pudding layered with vanilla wafers, and a salted caramel sauce! Can u say southern to the max.
Everyone had a real nice time. It turned out to be another great event. I look forward to returning to The Hat Tavern so i can partake in some of their other yummy dishes.

This was my first event out in the burbs and it was great to see a new crowd of NJ Elites.
Patron was our sponsor and did not diaspoint — form the mini bottles drinks to tons of swag.
The food was coming faster than I could eat it. Luckily, we had a table with plenty of room so we loaded up.
— Tuscan Kale Salad
— Arugula Salad with Avocado and Pineapple
— Greek Salad
— Shrimp Scampi on Toasted Bread
— an awesome slider
— Crabcake
— and my favorite was the pulled work with coleslaw sandwich — AMAZING
And of course there was desert which was a banana pudding and a key lime pudding (Florida native approved) — both had layers of graham cracker/​cookie goodness.
One of my highlights was that we got to meet the chef. I don’t think I have ever met a chef at an Elite event, and I have to say it was really great. He was super nice and welcoming and was genuinely happy we were enjoying ourselves.
You could tell the rest of the Hat Tavern staff were too. To the manager (Roger?) to the folks serving us food — it was top notch service.
Awesome awesome event. Thanks Steph!

My first Unilocal event ever was at Hat Tavern last summer, so this was a perfect bookend to a year of Unilocal events. Their side patio is a wonderful event space and I found myself fantasizing about throwing a party there. The structure over the area is great for hanging decorations and creating an atmosphere. Tuesday night we had a Mexican theme since Patron was also sponsoring. There were straw hats and other little toys to play with. I loved the ice sculpture.
Last year was a lot of people just talking with their plus ones, and this year was more interactive. I met a few new people and caught up with some old Unilocal friends as well. We had tons of food too– black label burgers, pulled pork sliders, a tomato salad with olives, arugula salad, shrimp with butter sauce, crabcakes, and for dessert a key lime pudding as well as a banana pudding. For drinks I enjoyed the mojitos and the little mini patron bottles.
My favorite item was the crab cakes. They have a lot of crab, unlike other crab cakes which have mostly filling. These are their award winning dish. I want to go back for some more. Another thing I love about Hat Tavern is that it’s at the Summit Grand Hotel, a beautiful stone building just a block off Morris Ave, on Springfield. The hotel is an old building but it also has modern art sculptures in the front. I really need to remember to stop by occasionally to check them out.
Thanks for this party. I recommend this secret spot in Summit!

As soon as I saw the papel picado (Mexican papercut banners) above, I knew it was going to be a good night. Stephanie Y. was in good form as a hostess as always, literally also in a white dress that showed off her summer tan. The patio was a great setting for a wonderful evening.
Standout dishes were the crab cakes– very crabby, meaty, and held together well in a cushy cushion shape. Patron punch was served in mini festive tequila bottles and they surely do punch. I couldn’t stop eating the pulled pork burger. It had the right amount of sweet and sour on a petite potato roll.
This place is a hidden gem or a precious secret. Last night really showed that it’s a very viable spot for a great time.

A tip of my hat goes to my first Jersey Unilocal event at the Hat Tavern. Being a Philly Unilocal transplant, I had gone months without attending an official Garden State event. Finally, I got my opportunity Wednesday night and it was a blast!
Little did I know that the Hat Tavern was located inside the luxurious Grand Summit Hotel, as I actually walked through the hotel and down some steps and that’s where I started seeing red, the good red that is.
I quickly felt right at home by conversing with some fellow Unilocalers as we munched on various salads, sliders, burgers, and desserts. We didn’t go thirsty as beverages were being served up nearby. I was both happy and refreshed to enjoy Yards IPA as well as Sly Fox Pikeland Pils. Let’s also not forget about the delicious Patron cocktails that were being served up.
As always I walked away with some complimentary swag, a full stomach, and some new friends. I will be eyeing up the Unilocal calendar for the next event like a hawk! A shout out to Steph and crew for putting together a fantastic night and making me feel right at home. Like I said before, this was my first Jersey event but it certainly won’t be my last!

What a fun and festive event at the Hat in the historic Grand Summit Hotel! From the colorful flags and sombreros to the great food and drinks, Steph and the Hat tavern put on a great event for us Elites. The patio looked beautiful and featured a giant Patron ice sculpture. The servers were excellent as they brought around trays of the salads and apps. My favorite salad was the arugula, avocado and grapefruit salad. It was refreshing on a warm summer night. The Yards IPA on the side was good.
Everyone was having a great time enjoying the pulled pork sliders and beef sliders and great crab cakes. The friendly servers from Hat were constantly bringing around apps and the food was flowing. My fav had to be the pulled pork sliders with BBQ sauce, slaw on a sweet roll. I could see ordering this on a return visit to Hat.
Hats off to the servers and the staff manning the drink area.
Before I forget, thanks to the Patron girls as well for the yummy mini cocktail bottles and the swag bags at the end of the night. The little bumblebee logo on their gear is so cute. The librarian in me had to research the logo. Turns out the agave plant used for tequila needs the bees to fertilize them. I digress!
Got to meet a few new Unilocalers and say hello to some I hadn’t seen in a while.
Will definitely come back to the Hat Tavern in the fall and winter to try some of their burgers and brews on tap. The Hat is a class place and thanks to Steph for organizing this event!

This event is a total reminder of why Unilocaling is so awesome!
I am new to NJ, but Steph and the crew alway make me feel at home. Always a good time and totally well coordinated. Love the ambiance and energy. I didn’t know about this place until last night.
What I loved:
Walked into the hotel through the lobby and I was totally digging the romantic/​rustic deco. A wedding or bridal shower party could get some good pictures from just the place it’s self. Staff was was nice and helpful, the presentation of everything was top notch. Every detail was to perfection from the decorations to the utensils.
What I enjoyed:
Patron in the house! Oh it was so hot and humid I wanted to totally hug the Patron ice sculpture the whole night, but like Steph said lets keep it classy… So I skipped out on that. Drinks were delish, the cute little samples of patron kept me nice and chill. I forgot about the heat as soon as my thirst was quenched. You know patron is a good mixer for cocktails and that’s not up for a debate.
What you should know:
This is a cool spot to come and have some cocktails after work with friends also. Great place to come watch a game because it is low key. Nice fully stocked bar with flat screens inside the bar and in the patio area. Yummy appetizers are on the menu. What is totally important to try when u visit is their CRAB CAKES and sliders. They also brought out an avocado kale salad and grapefruit with arugula salad, everything was tasty and fresh.
What is my point?
I’m all about Unilocal!This was a great find. I will be coming back and I highly recommend this place.

Another wonderful Unilocal event. This is the second official Unilocal event I’ve attended sbd it’s another home run! It’s located in the lovely Summit neighborhood. The event was held at the patio and even though it was hot and muggy that night… there were drinks aplenty and paper fans all around.
There was a giant patron ice sculpture and next to that there were lovely patron ladies ready to give you goodies like patron chapsticks, glow sticks, shot glasses etc…
There was plenty of seating and my friend and I instantly grabbed a table as the food was wandering it’s way around the guests. The stand outs for me were the crab cakes, pulled pork sliders, shrimp sautéed with lemon butter sauce and the banana pudding. All the food probably went around 3 times each so there was a lot of food! I was definitely stuffed and it was so crazy because the food kept coming and you had to be the one to say no thank you.
I left that place well stuffed and heavy with patron give aways. Another successful event thanks to Stephanie! I will definitely visit this place again with some friends :-)

I have to admit, I am a little torn on this review.
It is tough to choose which was better, meeting fellow Elite friends (you know who you all are) or, the actual event itself at Hat Tavern. Both exceeded my expectations.
We were greeted with a small taste of a Patron punch in a tiny Patron bottle. I thought it was appropriate and helped open up the palate for all the delicious food and drink to follow.
After mingling for a few minutes and getting to know the people that I have been friends with awhile I grabbed a table with the Mrs. while enjoying a SlyFox Pikeland Pilsner on a warm evening sitting on the patio.
There was so much food you definitely had to skip over a couple of things so you had room of course for dessert.
For the salad course, my favorite was the Tomato, Kalamata Olive and Feta Greek Salad which had a bit of kick from the pepperoncini.
Next up came the Tapas (small bites). Of the many options we sampled 3. Shrimp sauté with Chipotle peppers, garlic, cilantro and lemon butter sauce. Black Label Slider with grilled Roma tomato, caramelized shallots. But, the topper for me had to be the Pan Fired Jumbo Lump with Vermicelli Cake served with a tomato relish and roasted garlic aioli.
Of course dessert couldn’t be passed up. And the Key Lime parfait was my dessert of choice. It was served in a miniature parfait glass and just a perfect bite to finish the delicious meal.
The staff was very accommodating and friendly, from the bartenders, to the wait staff and especially the owners who made everyone feel at home and well-​fed.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our Community Manager, Stephanie Y for yet another great event. So glad that Unilocal is allowing Elites to bring a plus one to these events.
Looking forward to coming to Hat Tavern in the near future. Whether it is lunch or dinner.

The Hat and Steph pull off another AWESOME, Summer suaree! My wife and I had a blast mingling with other Unilocalers, enjoying those fantastic Patron bottles with a nice punch inside, and getting our drink on with Margarita’s and Sly Fox’s!
Robert from the HAT was an absolutely fantastic manager and guy last night — catering to the needs of everyone there, being extremely outgoing and friendly, and ensuring that every Unilocaler was happy with their evening.
My favorites: crab cakes, kale salad, and that BLASPHEMOUS Banana pudding — killer. Absolute killer.
Kudos to everyone who made last night an awesome time! I’m very appreciative!

Well this event was fun!!!
First off I love how it was outdoors on such a gorg night. The entire staff was great, especially the drink guys! They were serving up some deliciously sweet mini patron bottles, filled with what tasted like a strawberry margarita. They had some amazing wines which I only taste tested. I ended up mostly drinking the IPA on draft, delicious.
The salads that came out were all yummy, but I think I enjoyed the kale salad the most. I really liked the bbq pork slider, but didn’t care for the beef one. The shrimp plate was amazing — I loved the sauce on top. I thought the crab cake was super delicious too. I feel like I’m forgetting something… oh well! It was great as always!!!
Thanks Steph for yet another amazing event! XOXO

What a great place!
My husband and I just moved to Summit a month ago and live right around the corner which is such a plus.
Andrew G (my husband) had raved about how good last year’s Hat Tavern event was and he was spot on. The fact that this place is tucked away and a part of the Summit Hotel just adds to it’s charm.
The food was plentiful and my favorites were the crab cakes, pork sliders, and Greek salad. Presentation was aesthetically pleasing which added to my enjoyment.
My margarita was tasty and when it came out warm and I asked for ice the bar tender was more than willing to accommodate. The tequila station was great and the girls were giving away a lot of fun trinkets. Just wish we could have ice luged on a Tuesday!
Special thanks to Rob M. who is the manager. He was soooo generous with the giveaways. He was attentive which is always a great sign.
Just a special comment on the Tanteo Jalapeño «Matador» margarita that this bar serves on the regular menu. It’s so good and not too spicy.
Can’t wait to return for the missing lobster sliders!

Great job to Steph, the owner of Hat Tavern, Patron, the countless workers who made this night fun and memorable and fellow Unilocalers. This is why being an Elite is such a privilege. I miss these moments of getting together with other people who are as passionate about the same things as me! The food was fantastic: the slider, pulled pork, shrimp, and crab cake were awesome! Heck I even thought the kale salad hit the spot. Then the two desserts in shooter glasses (key lime and banana) finished it strongly. Would have to say the crab cake was the best! I could actually see the crab in the cake… awesome! Thanks for a fun time Unilocal!It was legen… wait for it… oh you know the rest!

Yet another 5 start Unilocal Elite event!
I went to the event at Hat Tavern last year, so I was very excited to see yet another one pop up. And hey, nothing like a free meal to celebrate my one month wedding anniversary, right? The outdoor patio is the perfect place to gather on a warm summer night for booze and bites at this lovely establishment. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a Tuesday night.
The food. Oh, the food! 3 different salads started us off right. The kale salad had lots of texture — the julienne vegetables, snow peas, and edamame we visually stunning against the dark green kale while the avocado gave a lovely textural contrast. The Greek salad had all the familiar flavors one would expect. My favorite, though, was the arugula salad with grapefruit — so refreshing with the peppery goodness of the greens juxtaposed nicely again the tartness of the citrus.
The shrimp sauté was gorgeous — jumbo and perfectly cooked resting atop a crisp piece of toasted bread. Pulled pork sliders brought us back to what I remembered most about last year’s event — the burgers. The pork was tender and flavorful, playing nicely against the crisp cole slaw and soft bun. The black label slider, a perennial favorite, is everything a slider should be — simple composition but amazing bursts of flavor. The dish of the night, though, was the crab cake. Hands down, my favorite dish of the evening. There was so much crab meat crammed into such a small dish. A lot of other places cut the meat with a lot of fillers, but not Hat Tavern. The crab really shines here, with the tomato relish adding a lovely contrast.
Dessert isn’t my thing but I chose the key lime pie parfait over the banana pudding. I definitely wasn’t disappointed, though I could only enjoy a few bites since dairy and I are not on friendly terms. It was worth it, though. The creamy lime custard and graham cracker crumbles were a wonderful way to end the evening.
Drink-​wise, I had to play it safe since I drove, but I couldn’t resist a little tipple of margarita since Patron so kindly provided beverages and gifts. The Man also enjoyed the Slyfox Pikeland Pilsner and the little bottle of Patron we were gifted when we walked in (mine will have to wait until tomorrow).
We had a really great time and met a lot of Unilocalers we’d seen previously but never had a chance to talk to. Thanks to Steph, Hat Tavern, Patron, and all the Elites and their +1s for making this one of the best events to date!

I think, more than anything, my night was defined by the crab cake. I will probably talk about it every other sentence in this review. First off, I love these outdoor summer events. Perfect weather and a nice event space set aside. Plenty of chilled drinks to go around, and even water for the responsible drivers. I appreciate the thought! Props to Hat for bringing out some interesting brews (Sly Fox and Yards). Props to Patron for getting everyone else happy while I stuck to the beer.
Now, on to the non-​crab cake food. It’s hard to remember back beyond the crab, but there were three salads that passed by. The first was a light arugula-​grapefruit cup. I think it was too constrained by the small portion — one grapefruit wedge sat awkwardly within. It would definitely be great on a full-​size plate! There was a Mediterranean salad that was my favorite — a lot of fresh tomatoes, some banana peppers, olives, feta, and a pita wedge. I would ask for more olives and less tomato, but others around me felt the opposite. Delicious, of course. Then there was a kale-​something salad. I forget the details because crab cake.
Two kinds of sliders. The BBQ pulled pork was mouth-​wateringly scrumptious. I could eat a few trays of that easily. The steakburger was done to medium rare, topped with caramelized onion and a tomato slice. The chef was on point with the umami for this one. Not a lot of salt, just that good caramelized and browned flavor oozing out of every bite. I’ll admit that I grabbed a second one later on. That second one had the perfect bun — crisp outside, soft inside, and a slightly sweet flavor. I think I was too obsessed with the burger the first time around to taste the bun.
And finally, a shrimp on a bread slice with a creamy-​spicy sauce. I liked it, except the tail — this goes for just about every restaurant out there, please pull your tails off before serving! If I can’t eat it, it shouldn’t be on the plate. (Gordon Ramsay agrees.)
But the star, by far, was the crab cake. Hold the mayo, drop the breadcrumbs on the floor. This is all crab, all the way through, barely held together by magic and probably more crab. I told my sister about it, and she’ll drive 40 minutes to try it. That’s what these events are all about, spreading the word about great food! No need to go to Maryland for your crab fix, it’s here at the Hat.
The usual, of course — Steph and her minions, I mean interns, found a great place that put on a great event for all of us. It ran perfectly within 2 hours, there was nice Unilocal and Patron swag to give away, and I got to meet a new friend while reacquainting with old ones from events past. Very glad I kicked my other obligations to the side for this special outing!

Wow – HUGE thank you to the Hat and Steph and the Patron Chiquitas for putting on an amazing event!
I think I managed to sample most of the food, and while everything was delicious, my favorites were definitely the shrimp and the banana pudding dessert. The pulled pork sliders were a close third, though! There was no shortage of food – in fact, there may have been TOO MUCH food! By the end of the night we were turning away servers, even though the food was incredible.
The patio area was fantastic; there were plenty of seats and still enough room to stand if you wanted. The servers were all really helpful and friendly and there was a nice balance of servers to bussers, so garbage and dirty tableware didn’t pile up any of the tables.
Our hosts at the party were great, too. Roy? The manager? Hilarious. So charming.
I’ve never been to the Hat, but I’ll definitely be back for a little dinner and drinks on that lovely patio!
P. S. First review! It’s a new PR! ;-)

Another fantastic event put on by lovely Stephanie Y and dutiful professional photographer Kat B, the staff of HAT Tavern and the Patron girls!
This was my first Unilocal event as an Elite member and it was great seeing everyone that I usually only see online. To me, that’s the best part about these events. These are great, fun, smart and friendly people that you ought to know.
The drinks were pretty good, the Margherita had just the right amount of kick, the mojito maybe could have maybe used a little more kick, but I’m quite the alcoholic. They had Yards IPA and Slyfox Pikeland Pils craft beers on tap, which were decent.
The food just kept coming out, kale salad, sliders, grapefruit arugula salad, shrimp crostini thing, key lime and banana desserts, but my favorite was the crab cake, that just had a ton of crab meat.
The décor and atmosphere was cute, with the Mexican banners above, and Patron ice sculpture (oh I wish we could have taken shots from that hole that went through the ice, but I digress), the sombreros, glow in the dark bracelets, mini patron bottles, christmas/​bistro lights, and the people!
All in all, a great event. Thanks for the great time, and I hope to see everyone again!

Another Unilocal Event = Another 5 Stars. (2^nd Elite/​4^th General)
I was greeted by Stephanie and John prior to checking in. As much as they were happy to see me, I was happy to be there. Why was I happy? Just read on.
They had a drink area that was complimentary to us. They served beer, wine, and mixed drinks that contained tequila in it. I picked a margarita-​type drink (didn’t remember the exact name of it), and it was fruity and tasty. Because of the tequila, I felt the KICK inside of me. I’ve never had tequila at all before (not even on a cruise ship or at Señor Frog’s, where they over-​hype tequila), and thanks to this event, I can finally say that I did and enjoyed it.
Following that, the food came out. I had the pulled pork slider, and another slider that I didn’t remember the name of. The pulled pork was my favorite because the sauce that they used in that was very tasty. The other slider was just okay. Later on, the desserts came out. We had the key lime and banana pudding «shooters». The Key Lime flavor was my favorite because as I consumed it, I was able to picture a key lime pie inside my head. It was THAT good! The banana pudding was good too, and I think there was some caramel swirled in there, which made it quite sweet. After all that, we all received some «tequila» swag for us to take home. That included a t-​shirt, chapstick, a cocktail recipe book, and a whistle/​flashlight combo for the keychain. We also received a «sample» bottle of tequila to take home as well. Sure I could have drank that sample here as a straw was included and the bottle was chilled, but hey, the mixed drink I had was enough for the evening. :) Speaking of drinks, they also gave out bottles of water too, which was perfect.
I had fun running into the people that I met before in the previous Elite and CMYE events (you all know who you are). I also had fun meeting new people too (as always). The restaurant itself looked really nice, and the fact that this was located inside a historical hotel really made the place quite unique. The patio area looked really good, and was a perfect place for everyone to hang out during nice, mild weather. The staff people were friendly too.
Thank you Stephanie for this event. I look forward to attending more events in the future. :)
Also thanks to the staff for making this event possible.
To those who I’ve met before, it was a pleasure seeing you all again. To those who I’ve met for the first time, it was a pleasure meeting you. Don’t hesitate to keep in touch.
Cheers!

Outdoor space. Endless flow of food. Patron Swag?!
Props to Hat Tavern for great service (genuinely good people) and amazing food. Even when I thought I had missed out on the first two courses due to chillin’ at the bar w/​the bartender and wine distributor, they surprise me by sending out more servers with more food than Unilocalers could handle!
The crab cake stole the show by far. 99% crab. 100% delicious. The burger slider was perfectly cooked. So good. The banana (bread?) pudding w/​salted caramel was just a great combination of salty and sweet.
As for the libations, Patron and Hat tavern delivered. The bartender mixed a strong, yet tasty margarita made with the provided Patron Cintronge. The wine distributor put together an exceptional selection of wines. Yards IPA and Sly Fox Pils were on tap. I guess this is the reason I spent most of my time at the bar.
Patron had some nice giveaways. Sunscreen and chapstick (Patron Café scented) were my favorites, but the sombreros, sunglasses, shot glasses, etc. was enough to make sure everyone left with something they could use. Not to mention the beautiful ice sculpture they had put out.
And of course, thanks to YoSteph! for putting together another great event. I can’t wait to try Hat Tavern on its own!