Old Man Rafferty’s

Only place I’ve found where to get good pastrami in the area. The brunch on the weekend is ridiculous. No alcohol included however it’s a fancy brunch buffet with crab legs, shrimp cocktail, waffle and omelet bar. I’m getting hungry right now thinking about it.

I’m a local so decided to come here with some family. It wasn’t event 5pm and they ran out of the steak on the ‘specials’ menu, and the French dip, on the regular menu. Really, ran out of the French dip? Also, they claim to be family friendly but they DONT have a changing table!

I went to this place on ¹⁄₉ with my friends after a Rutgers basketball game and I had to say it was a great choice! There was no wait, we were greeted and seated right away and the waitress was delightful. Everything we ordered here was Great! We ordered a Chili, chicken Elizabeth and Short Rib mac&cheese which are all Amazing! I will be going back here and trying more things. This place is great and I highly recommend it!

New Brunswick has so much potential to be a nicer city, but it’s somehow not. So when you want to take someone out for a nice business lunch, or just a nice meal, you have limited options. Luckily, there’s always Old Man Rafferty’s. The prices are affordable, and the portions are large, but the food is still quite tasty. What I really like are their coffee drinks. Be sure to end your meal with a bit of caffeine! Also, they have an extensive dessert menu, that you have to check our for yourself (they don’t always serve the same things, so you literally have to check it out yourself at the dessert counter!).
P. S. Not a place to go when you’re on a diet.

I’ve been looking for good sit-​down type eats in New Brunswick so I tried Old Man Rafferty’s last month. When we were seated, I figured that service would be a bit delayed due to the fact that we were sitting in the corner of the restaurant. I was catching up with my friend after a long time so I didn’t mind the fact that the waitress was taking forever to take our order, bring out the food, check up on us, etc. I ordered a pasta dish, and it was decent– nothing special; however, many of my coworkers raved about how good their food was so I suggested to another group of friends that we should come here for dinner on NYE.
The server was attentive and got all of our orders perfect (alterations and all) without even writing anything down, which is always impressive! This time I ordered the veggie burger, which I’d give a ⁶⁄₁₀. Sweet potato fries were delicious though! I’d go back just for those.
One thing I did not like was that their dessert menu did not match what they had in their bakery. At the end of the meal, if you wanted dessert you had to go over into their bakery and pick out what you wanted– which I did not like. I was looking forward to having a dessert that I had previously saw on their menu, but they did not have it :(Both times I got dessert, the dessert was tasty and enough to serve 2 – 3 people.
The ambiance of the restaurant looked peaceful and welcoming as I was walking through it to our table, especially since their Christmas lights and wreaths were hung up; however, both times I went I got seats that didn’t allow me to admire the décor.

Being a New Jersey native, many of my friends from high school attend Rutgers University. The boyf and I decided to visit some friends and made reservations here for NYE dinner.
We started off with calamari as our appetizer. It came with two sauces; a chipotle and a marinara. Of the two, my favorite was the chipotle. I’m usually marinara fanatic, however I was fairly disappointed with the consistency of the marinara. It was more on the side of chunky salsa. I will say, the calamari was delicious. It was very well cooked. If my review was based solely on the calamari, it would definitely be a ⁵⁄₅.
For my main entrée, I decided to go with the half chicken chipotle. This was an utter disappointment. Visually, I was very excited. The set up looked like something I would see on Chopped. However, more important than presentation, is taste. I wouldn’t say it tasted bad but definitely not worth 20 bucks. It resembled a deconstructed burrito. They gave me a tortilla folded up, some guac, rice and beans, and chipotle chicken which honestly tasted like barbecue. Where they really messed up was giving me boned chicken. Conceptually very flawed. In my 18 years of dining experiences, I have never once received a burrito with bones. What made it even worse was the butter knife they expected me to cut my boned chicken with. Overall, a decent but flawed entrée.
With the entrée came a side of tomato soup. The first few sips were okay. However the more I drank the soup, the more I realized it tasted as a warm ketchup soup. It was overly sweetened and tangy. I wish I could have suggested a touch of basil to really add more flavor considering the waiter mentioned how this was their «house soup.»
Because it was New Year’s Eve, we weren’t expecting great service. Totally understand the rush and pressure on the waiters. That being said, the waiter was very nice however when we asked for separate checks, he made a snarky remark of how we should have let him known earlier.
My three friends seemed very pleased with their food. I wish I would have chosen a better entrée because I tasted a bit of my boyfs food and it was very tasty. On my plate, all I tasted was regret.

I went to old man raffertys in New Brunswick last night (11.27.15) with my boyfriend around 9:15pm. I absolutely love this place. The décor and ambiance is classier and overall more romantic than the Hillsborough location. The service is soo good and so is the food. According to my receipt my waitress was Theodora and she did a phenomenal job. I had the BBQ chicken sandwich and the taste of it blew my mind. It was so delicious I regret not taking another order of it to go.

If you need lunch fast, stop in here for something to go quick! Can’t go wrong with a choice from the sandwich board! Every time I come and get lunch here with my girlfriend I enjoy lunch, plus they have an outdoor eating area for when the weathers warm. They also know her by name and take care of her on the reg. Only been there for lunch and haven’t been disappointed yet!
AND LOOK AT THE CAKES! CAKES!

Came here for lunch with a few co-Worker’s. Parking sucked but that’s to be expected. They had a very nice sized menu. I ordered the fish & chips it was delicious! I will say that it was a large portion. Definitely too big for a Lunch sized portion. It was a little pricey, too. $ 16.50 for lunch. If they offered a half-​sized portion and charged about $ 8-​$ 10 that would be better. None the less, great food, nice ambience, good servers-I’d definitely go again whenever I’m in the area again.

It was a nice day out so they had their outdoor seating open. Sit out there if you can. The indoor seating didn’t seem as nice. As for the food, its pretty darn good. The meat on my sandwich was delicious. They have homemade chips too!

Where do I begin? A Central Jersey native and Rutgers graduate who now lives in Philadelphia, I have many fond memories of my time in the Hub City throughout my childhood and early adulthood. Old Man Rafferty’s was actually where I had my high school graduation dinner! How times have changed. After an extremely negative experience with a waitress with an attitude problem a few years back, my family and I decided to go to celebrate my mother’s birthday at Old Man Rafferty’s to give the restaurant, which used to be one of our favorites, another try. My mom, my dad and I came out for a night of great food and drink. (Or so we hoped.)
This turned out to be a mistake. Upon arriving, we requested a booth and learned we would need to wait a few minutes as there were no available booths at the time. (The cordial reception at the hostess station was probably the highlight of the evening. They were very welcoming and pleasant. Well done!) We said that was fine, and we chose to grab a drink at the bar. The poor bartender had no clue how to make a gin gimlet or a rusty nail and needed step-​by-​step instructions from my parents and myself.
As our drinks were being made, we were seated at a booth, earlier than expected. When I brought my family’s drinks to the table, and the waiter came over, he didn’t introduce himself. Rather, he questioned if we were there for drinks because he «was wondering why we got out drinks from the bar» and not from him. We politely explained the wait for a booth was not as long as we thought and that we wanted a cocktail while we waited.
He left in a huff and eventually sauntered back and introduced himself. His name was Joe. We placed our orders promptly, although he interrupted me as I was explaining how I wanted my salad. («You want that as is?») No, actually, I would like the dressing on the side, but since you interrupted, I didn’t have a chance to say that.
Eventually, my mother’s soup, a bowl of the tomato basil, came out as a cup. He blamed someone in the kitchen and replaced it with the proper bowl. We waited a hefty amount of time between the soups arriving and our entrees, including the awkward arrival of our bread after our soups were finished and long before our meals arrived.
Aside from only asking how our meals were after our plates were barely empty (which I assume is due to animosity harbored because we did not order our drinks at the table and therefore add to his tip), he also had both a cup and bowl of soup on the check.
As if that was enough, he kept trying to force dessert on us after we politely said we were full and requested the check. («We get them from 16 different bakeries!» Juniors, blah blah…). Sorry, but had we wanted dessert, we would have said so. Thanks, but no thanks.
Admittedly, the food was very good. I had the balsamic chicken salad, my mother had a veggie burger and my father had the BLT. But was it something I couldn’t get at another dining establishment close by? No.
To add insult to injury, two bar attendants were in the restroom while I was. One at the sink joked to another at the urinal that he had better wash his hands. Really? In front of patrons? You’re joking about sanitation?
And, enjoy the photo of crusty food left over from previous diners on the seat of my booth. The photo uploaded with the review is what was awaiting me when I sat down.
Long story short? New Brunswick is no Philadelphia when it comes to restaurants, but it also doesn’t try to be. With that said, there are many high-​quality restaurants in the Hub City that are worth your time and money, especially when it comes to a special celebration. Old Man Rafferty’s, however, is definitely not one of them. No wonder there was no wait, nor was it crowded. I will definitely be taking my mother to a make-​up birthday dinner elsewhere.
Brother Jimmy’s, Harvest Moon, Sahara, George St. Ale House… plenty of options that are better. Think twice before you spend your time — and money — at Rafferty’s.

Mediocrity. As a Rutgers student, I decided to give most of the restaurants in the area a try and came here with my friend to check out the food. I would say the ambiance is quite decent. The lighting was dimly lit with a quaint yet romantic feeling, which I really enjoy.
However, the food was okay. I wanted to order an entrée, but as I saw plates of entrees being delivered to the table next to us, I realized that the portions are wayyyyyy to big for me. Looking at the portion to the price, I would say that it’s just right. The entrees were about ~$ 12 – 16, but the portions were HUGE. My friend and I couldn’t find a dish to share, so instead, we each ordered an appetizer. I got the fried calamaris while my friend ordered mozzarella sticks. Neither of these can really judge the actual quality of the food here since they’re most probably frozen and deep fried upon ordered. The calamaris were calamari rings, and the batter was okay — it could be more crispy.
We went around 4pm, and surprisingly, the service was quite awful. There were indeed a few tables, but we did not get enough attention. We never got water refills until we had to ask the waiter twice, and we never got a «how’s everything going?»

Met friends here last night and we were very happy to find this place. The food was very good. Stuffed portabella mushroom appetizer was outstanding. I highly recommend it. Everyone at the table had something different. Our salads were fresh and tasty. The soups, Spanish Black Bean and French Onion were excellent. I had the Chicken Elizabeth and it was very good — too much food for me — had enough to take home for lunch. The potato croquettes were delicious. My wife had the ribs and she was a little disappointed.
The service was very good.
The casual atmosphere was comfortable and inviting.

I’ve been here. Multiple times and my experience is always good. To be honest, theres nothing ‘AMAZING’ ABOUT this place. The menu is extensive, the prices are decent, the atmosphere is what you’d expect. For some reason, being on Albany street, and near alot of fantastic high end places, I somewhat expected this place to be too. Nevertheless, the service is always great. I tried fish and steak entrees to burgers and chicken sandwiches. I’ve probably tried all the apps and the occasional dessert. It’s a standard spot if you’re in new Brunswick and have no clue what you’re in the mood for, because there is definitely something you’ll crave on this menu. This spot is great for catching up with friends, meeting coworkers after work or for Friday night dates.
Overall, its a staple in brunswick. It’s a nicer scaled place if you’re a rutgers student

Dependable like a rock! From brunch to late night munchies, I can always count on Old Man Rafferty’s. I started dining here about 10 years ago with my girlfriends. We’d first get loaded at Clydz then walk a couple of blocks to come here for a dependable meal of pizza, pasta, or a burger.
Nowadays, I usually come here for their brunch. Just a note– on Sundays their bar doesn’t open until noon. Whether I’m in the mood to carb-​load with buttery croissants, bagels (they didn’t have lox last time), danishes, custom Belgian waffles, and pesto-​sauce pasta; labor for flavor with juicy crab legs and shrimp; delight in savory salmon, chafed ham, beef, or turkey; or devour lemony light cheesecake, I’m in brunch heaven!

Old Man Rafferty’s is a staple of the New Brunswick dinning scene and for good reason. The food here is of great quality and excellently prepared. Hands down, their Tomato Basil Soup is my favorite soup of all time. Just make sure that you order the bowl and not the cup, as both come with grilled cheese cubes but only the bowl has gnocchi. Another favorite is the Chicken Salad Pita, which is made of large, freshly cooked bits of chicken. Simple, but delicious.
You are able to make reservations, but not same-​day. Important to know, especially during the ever-​precious lunch hour, when the wait can be interminable.
But back to the food. You really can never go wrong with anything on the menu… but understand that if you don’t get the soup, you are missing out!

This place is always good. I’ve been here a few times. They have only have a few vegetarian options though.
My friends got the country fried steak, potato soup and Cobb salad. They were very satisfied with their choices! Portions were also huge. I got the the veggie burger. It was pretty solid for a veggie burger. It was soy based, and came with sweet potato fries! Finally, THE CAKES. I was contemplating weather I should eat 3 pieces of cake instead of dinner. I ended up getting the snickers chocolate mousse cake. They just put it out the other day and it was to die for!!! Ahhh!

I really like Rafferty’s. The food is always good, and they were patient with us when we had an unofficial Unilocal Event there last year, so I’m looking to give them the support they deserve.
The menu is ginormous. You could spend half the night trying to get through it. I try to order from the specials menu when I can, and had a short rib ravioli the last time I was there. It was terrific. I’ve had the Buffalo Spring Rolls and the Broccoli Bacon Bites, and I can assure you there was a fight at the table over them. They’re really good.
I’ve been here for dinner and lunch, had their platters and their sandwiches. I’ve bellied up to the bar, and nestled myself into a seat at a quiet table where I was served by polite Rutgers students. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad time here. I can’t say that anything really blows me away in terms of taste, but it’s all consistent and reliable which is an important achievement by itself.

My turn to throw my hat on the OMR hook. Decent product a lil above average priced, but lacks a certain character that draws you back again & again.
Having been apart of NB culture for what seems forever OMR sits in a easy access area just off George street. Kinda an old fashion look and feel almost a modern Irish pub without the pub emphasis. This is more of a middle of the road eatery. Featuring most of your typical american cuisine with a salad variety to choose and average to higher prices. I’ve dined here on multiple occasions and never left disappointed, but I’ve never been wowed either. I can’t think of anything on the menu that’s remarkable or worth going out of my way for or coming back for regularly.
The bar has limited seating and is never overly packed. For good reason as I’ve already stated there’s nothing overly compelling about the bar either. Yes the service is good and they make drinks well, but not really a hang type of a destination. Perhaps it’s typically the older kinda tame crowd or the lack of something anything that engages your sense of belonging. No nothing cool to speak of if you get my drift.
If you asked my opinion I’d say it’s OK and that’s OK if your into OK.

I wouldn’t know Old Man Rafferty if I fell over him, but the dude (most respectfully) knows how to let people have a good time.
New Brunswick is not my home turf, but I know my way around a little bit. I figured out there was no street parking without divine intervention of parking angels, so headed back to Church Street for the G-​raage. Nice to know the elevator was not working last night after parking on the roof. At least I had the ticket in my pocket. By the time I walked around to OMR’s front door I was ready to knock one back.
I was here for the millennial event — Central Jersey Unilocal’s first UYE of our own. Yeah, we love New York and Philly, and even Jersey City, but over time we began to yearn for a social moment just for us. AND THIS WAS IT! The hostess did not know of «Yelp,» and invited me to look around the bar to see if I recognized anyone. So I stepped up into the bar zone and took a long sweeping gaze. Nice size. Angled. Dark. When I looked toward the far right, I simultaneously saw and heard a lion’s roar and laughter coming from the tallest guy in the room as he entertained a knot of people around him. I suspected I knew who he was though I had not met him before. I moved toward them. There was no way around him. He glanced at me, and his mirthful eyes returned a knowing look. Next thing I knew we were embracing each other like brothers.
And so it went all night. So many new old friends. It must have something to do with sharing a love of not just food, but the adventure of it, and the writing about it. Reading someone’s personal journal of experience and respecting their ability tells you most of what you need to know about them. Lack of pretense. Clarity. Creativity. Joy. Honesty. Isn’t that what we look for in good friends?
So, last night we drank, we ate, we caroused, we bonded, and we drank a round of Picklebacks to toast ourselves — so much better in union, than individually as words on a page.
I hope to meet Old Man Rafferty some day and thank him for providing the accommodating space for this to happen. I suspect he has heard it before and never tires of the compliment.