McLoone’s Boathouse

I’ve been to several McLoone’s restaurants and after last night’s meal at the Boathouse I can officially say Tim McLoone is fine with mediocrity. The food is less than or equal to Houlihan’s quality for twice the price (and that’s being generous). The appetizer plates and wine glasses were dirty with «water spots» as the waitress put it and the wine was such poor quality (for $ 10 a glass) that both my husband and I got headaches from just one glass. Fireplaces add to the ambience in the winter and the outdoor fire pits are nice in the summer but that is not enough to waste your money and calories.

I was skeptical on appearance. And after walking away 2x I finally gave it a try. I was happy. Service was friendly. Food was good. I enjoyed myself and would bring a company there. I had the oxtails and again was happy with my order. I will say that their uptown needs work real bad (yuk). And don’t be alarmed if you find your 1 of 2 (or 3) people in this joint– the food is good.

Not impressed. Prices are too high for the small amount of food you receive. One visit was enough for me and my family.

I met my friend here for drinks and dinner last night. We decided to sit at the bar. The service that we got at the bar was good. The bartenders were nice and pretty attentive. We each got wine, which was $ 6 a glass for happy hour (4pm – 7pm). I also really enjoyed the décor.
We ate dinner at the bar. I ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese and my friend ordered the Shrimp Risotto. I have to say I was underwhelmed with my meal. It came in a cast iron skillet, and you would think that it would be piping hot with bubbling cheese, however mine was just over room temperature and I honestly don’t think that there was any cheese in the dish. It was very lemony and in some sort of cream sauce, but no ooey gooey cheese that you would expect when ordering mac and cheese. There was a lot of lobster in the dish, but overall everything was sort of bland. It wasn’t bad, but for $ 28.95 it should have been a lot better! My friend seemed to like her risotto.
All in all I would probably come back for happy hour for drinks, but I think I would go somewhere else for food. It sort of seems like a rip off for bland food. I’ve had better seafood pasta and much cheaper establishments. It seems like this place is trying to draw a high class crowd with, at best, mediocre food.

It was our first time there and I should have known on of the only couples there all other bigger parties and they tried to seat us in the back part of the restaurant in the corner.
Service extremely extremely slow. Extremely over priced for a restaurant in West orange NJ. 2 appetizers, one main course and a glass of wine $ 85 with tip. Highly recommend that you do not go here for any reason what so ever.
I feel bad to write this review since I’ve never written a bad review before.
DO NOT GO TO MCLOONES BOAT HOUSE IN WEST ORANGE NJ

was worried committing to eating here because of the reviews. was an absolutely phenomenal evening. the food was almost perfect, all four in our party ordered one of the specials and we all loved it. service was excellent as well. very pricey, but when the experience is that good all around you don’t mind.
I would recommend this place easily and hope to get back soon myself.

I visited this restaurant for the first time the first week of December for dinner.
The atmosphere was inviting and the décor stunning. I felt like I was in someones mansion. Our waiter was vocal about what he recommended and how to properly pronounce certain dishes. very nice guy.
We were given bread and a roasted pepper-​ish type of dip while we waited for our entrees. Really good.
I had the Lobster Mac & Cheese. I have never had lobster before this andddd lets just say that I am not having it again. Nothing wrong with their preparation or the dish (my boyfriend tasted it and said I was nuts) the presentation was beautiful, I just learned lobster is not for me lol. Important note: For those lobster lovers, they serve a large amount of lobster in the dish.
My boyfriend had the Steak Frites. He loved it. Served with mashed potatoes and asparagus.
Something worth mentioning is that the portion amount served here is very good for the price.
Overall, service was great. a little pricey but the portions make up for that (Leftovers) and the location is beautiful.

First
I didn’t know what to expect.
The waitress was great. She was very opinionated about what was good and bad on the menu.
Her bosses and the chef must hate her.
I had the pork chop. It was good.
Nothing stand out from our group and very overpriced.
It has a cool atmosphere. Good drinks. But I like most drinks so who am I to say.

Mr. Mccloone, why can’t this location be as fabulous as your Long Branch one? With all these bad reviews, why have you not terminated your chef and GM? There is obviously something wrong here. You may be one of the few «nice» places to go to in town, but imagine what your business would be like if you served quality food and had outstanding service??? PLEASE fix this place.
Some items I have had here and comments:
Cheeseburger & Fries: BEST ITEM ON YOUR MENU. Think about this, your burger is better than your seafood!!!
Guacamole & Chips: If this is homemade, change your recipe as it tastes like it’s out of a jar. I added lime juice, salt & pepper. Wanted to ask for cilantro but though that might be too extreme. Also, if you are going to use bagged chips, at least keep them fresh. So for $ 12.95 I basically had jarred, flavorless guac and stale chips. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING.
Butter Roasted Brussel Sprouts: For $ 7.95 I received a small plated side of these undercooked flavorless sprouts. I took them home, cooked them with some butter, salt, pepper, chopped garlic & bacon. Now they were edible and delicious. Should I have to do this to make it taste good?
Seafood Tower: OK, I figured how could you screw this up. All cold seafood. How about melted ice and the seafood basically swimming like it was still alive? How about oysters/​clams still stuck to the shells? Come on guys… really? $ 30 and it was horrible.
I can go on & on here on other items I have tried. But I can tell you what everyone who has been there says. Great place for drinks, horrible food & service. Is that what you want to be known for? If you had any type of serious competition in the area, you would be out of business. I will say this again. Terminate your chef & GM and start all over. Your food hasn’t been good from Day 1…

Service was great! Food was awesome! Ambiance was great! Loved the fire place and lights! Definitely worth a visit. I don’t get the bad reviews… The restaurant and staff were great!
Lobster Mac and Cheese was awesome… Lots of lobster! The shrimp risotto was also amazing!
The only negative was the pricy cocktails. Wine was pretty average priced tho. My suggestion is to get beer or wine. Not a cocktail.

If I could give less than one star, I would… I went to McLoone’s for their Thanksgiving buffet, and it was absolutely terrible… First of all, most of the food was dry and cold. I would have had a better meal at a diner. The ham was so dry it crumbled… The pasta noodles were hard and crusty from sitting in the service pans… You could lay bricks with the cold mashed potatoes… The stuffing was so salty I could barely tell what I was even eating… Then for dessert? A few slices of pie on a table sitting next to a can of redi whip. After the buffet and a few drinks I had to shell out $ 60.00. All for a plate that was a half step above dog food.
What a shame… McLoone’s is a beautiful spot. The ambiance is great… If only they could improve on their food and prices!

Just a previous reviews, not too much new to say. We frequent here about one or 2 times a month, it’s convenient, the view is nice and the service is relatively friendly.
Drinks are good, but be ready to spend a bit on the high end of things. I do enjoy their margaritas quite much actually.
Food is … Descent. That’s about it. Guacamole is bar quality, which for the price, is a bit disappointing. Artichoke spinach dip came hot and everything was great until later that night when my stomach decided to throw a fit about it.
Service is always good — waiter are friendly and fast, the bartenders are fun to chat with and helpful.
Definitely recommended for drinks, but not sure if a good idea for dinner.

Nice restaurant, very cozy with fireplaces, friendly staff, price range 20 – 50 per meal, tasty food. I had clams with pasta, I got to taste the fried shrimp appetizer– it was delicious, and the sweet and spicy wings were delicious as well.

My girlfriend and I decided to visit this location to celebrate her birthday. I called a month in advance trying to make a reservation, but I was told that they don’t do that. A week in advance I called asking, and they took my reservation with no problem. However, they did not mention that reservations do not apply for the outdoor section.
When we arrived, the building looked like a upscale ski-​lodge. Inside, a young hostess greeted us but could not locate our reservation. This is when we walked outside to test our luck with the outdoor hostess who sat us immediately. I was set aback because she had noticeable hickeys on her left arm, which were not attempted to be covered up.
While waiting for the waitress, we heard two separate tables complaining about the alcoholic beverage and wait staff. One male attendant became very defensive and snippy toward one customer who was simply asking where his beer was.
About 15 minutes passed after being sat and a young female waitress greeted us. My girlfriend and I both ordered waters, and the waitress gave us a look. For the appetizer we got the Mussels. To eat, we ordered the Crab Cakes and Salmon.
Bread was offered by a male attendant, who gave us dirty plates with crumbs and dried food. It took two more attempts for him to finally bring «clean» plates.
When our Mussels were delivered by a disgruntled male attendant, our shell plate was also very dirty. I did not say anything about it because it was just a scrap plate. Mussels were small and didn’t taste fresh. Prepackaged ones from the store are better.
About 25 minutes passed and our food was served. My salmon was overcooked and flavorless. The crab cakes were good though. But again, another disgruntled attendant gave us dirty plates. It took another FOUR times for him to bring decent plates, which I had to wipe off anyway.
While eating, we heard one more table complain about the bar service. Also, we saw another attendant sweeping the garbage right off the patio!
Usually restaurants give free desserts for birthdays, but not this place. However they decorated a chocolate brownie with writing and a candle. My girlfriend was very happy with it, but that’s all that matters.
Pricing: Overpriced. For the food that we got, we could have gone elsewhere for better quality. I am not saying I would never come back, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to make the 45 minute trip just for that.

If you like sitting outside with the view of a lake/​swampy area this place is for you. You will also get to hear the sounds of the zoo trains horn every 10 minutes. The surrounding area smelled a bit like low tide muck.
I would say that I found nothing to crow about with regards to the food. Was it edible, yes, amazing, no. The service is slow, from beginning to end. They do not come back to refill water cups. This is a beautiful restaurant, yet they serve you in plastic cups. Cloth napkins, nice place mats and heavy utensils, but plastic cups.
The burgers were all ordered cooked to different degrees of wellness. Well done was correct, medium well was correct, but medium was more like medium rare. I was also expecting these burgers to be more house made gourmet burgers, but when you peeled back the bun, you could tell these were some kind of mass produced burger. They were strange looking and I almost thought mine was a turkey burger when I looked at it closely. The cheddar cheese and the bacon on the burger were good. Without those toppings, I am not sure if the burger could have been tolerable. You do get a choice of chips or fries with the burgers and sandwiches. The brioche bun was toasted and very good. M-​I-​L ordered the BLT with sweet potato fries and she seemed pleased with her sandwich. The do place a generous amount of bacon on the sandwiches.
This place is a bit pricey for the fare they offer. I would say there has to be better food close by, but this place was suggested today. The drink specials were average priced for most alcohol beverages. Because of the slow waitress we had no time to look at the dessert menu. Unless this is the crowds decision to come here, I would definitely not come here again.
Sit inside to avoid the swampy smell and the constant choo choo from the zoo train.

I was referred to McCloone’s by a friend… I am glad I gave it a shot! Upon arriving we were told it would be a 25 minute wait, so my bf and I decided to go for a walk around the lake while we waited… No less than 10 minutes we were called that a table was available. We were lucky to be seated at a beautiful outdoor seating, gorgeous views of the lake all around you. A+ for scenery
For a cocktail I ordered white sangria… Wasn’t crazy about it, seemed off like the bartender didn’t know how to make it properly. For my lunch I had the spicy pork sandwich with fries! Delicious and big … I had to bring half home. My bf ordered the crab sandwich which was just as tasty!
We will definitely return and opt to try out the brunch menu next time.

This is the type of place you go JUST FOR DRINKS and a nice view. Don’t bother with the food, it’s not worth it. Also, the service is horrendous. Even though we sat in the bar, we had to flag down the bartender for everything. I noticed everyone around us was also having the same issue. It’s unfortunate because this place has potential to be a great spot considering where it’s located and how nice it is inside.
Come for one drink with a lake view, then go somewhere else for better food + service!

Another really average experience here last night with a bit of a twist. We were sitting outside enjoying happy hour when a customer approached us and handed us a $ 10 off coupon. She explained that they had a bad experience and to make amends she was given it. We thanked her for her generosity but politely declined, suggesting she use it for a future visit. She replied that under no circumstance would she be returning so we accepted and thanked her.
I included it with my Amex card when I paid the check and a few minutes later a fairly flustered female manager approached us inquiring where we got the card, who gave it to us and the circumstances around us using it. She also asked for a description of the woman. She then went on to explain that the card was just issued and had to be used on another date. No big deal really. Her demeanor was accusatory if not curt and I was somewhat taken aback which has absolutely nothing to do with the $ 10 coupon that I will probably use in the future.
When an establishment screws up a meal they should probably consider taking care of the entire check or at least a portion of it rather than give a card in a halfhearted attempt to secure another visit.
They have spent literally millions of dollars to create a beautiful restaurant that really has a monopoly on outside dining spaces. Unfortunately it seems like they feel this is enough and for a time, it probably is. But offering the same tired dining choices and having a management staff that’s amateurish at best is not the way to secure loyal patrons. McLoone’s has the space to literally knock the dining experience out of the park but somehow feels that it’s okay to rest on it’s laurels. Read your reviews, people. They are getting worse. Your patrons are having issues and, believe me, when a meal goes awry, a $ 10 gift card to be used during a future visit ain’t going to cut it.

I’m not sure why this place only has 2.5 stars. I came here for mother’s day weekend and I really enjoyed myself. We didn’t have to wait for a table at all even though there were parties going on inside. The table was clean and overlooked the reservoir. I started off with their Jacky O drink (realllllyyy good!!) For food I split a medium rare hamburger (the one with bacon) and a chicken avocado sandwich. Both were cooked to perfection and came with chips and pickles.
Our waiter was very nice and prompt and always kept an eye on our table.
The inside is very large and had parties going on when we went there. There is also a lot of outdoor space to lounge or have events.

I really enjoyed lunch here. The inside is beautiful and seems like it can accommodate multiple large parties. You can also easy on the outside terrace which overlooks the reservoir. Also outside is a number of areas with firepits and comfy chairs. I had the black bean burger. As a meat-​eater, I must admit I really enjoyed it! Other members of my party had a salad, burger and chicken sandwich– all of which hit the spot. They have an eclectic menu for mixed drinks as well. For dessert, I had the brownie which was fabulous! Rob was our waiter who was so fabulous and welcoming.
After lunch, we took a walk around the reservoir where we saw fish and turtles! You also walk by the kid train in Turtle Back Zoo which is cute. I can’t wait to go back here on a nice day!