Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant

Gaslight Brewery & RestaurantGaslight Brewery & Restaurant
Gaslight Brewery & RestaurantGaslight Brewery & Restaurant
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Homebrew, Beer-to-go

15 South Orange Ave.
South Orange, New Jersey, 07079
United States

(973) 762-7077 | map
gaslightbrewery.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.71
Beers:
21
Ratings:
38
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.45
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
48
pDev:
16.52%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by unbalancedbuds:
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Reviewed by unbalancedbuds from New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +24.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
only recently have i started going to gaslight. dj and tony are great guys, and the bartender brian with the pony tails a funny dood.
the beer here is pretty good. they make an oatmeal stout that i like and their santa claws was enjoyable too.
really enjoy the food here. if your into corned beef and pastrami its a reason to go here alone. they brine their own here and the pastrami, they smoke in hickory. great stuff. also while we're on the subject of brining they make their own pickles here too.
the atmosphere is cool with they tanks, the giant fish tanks, the shuffle board table then theres the old bar when u walk right in.
also there they always have 4 guest beers and a nice bottle selection.
good spot
Apr 05, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.26 by chiefz1 from New York

Apr 08, 2018
 
Rated: 3.61 by Urk1127 from New Jersey

Apr 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by mikerems from New Jersey

Nov 02, 2014
 
Rated: 2.98 by RexBanner from New York

Aug 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by mk_ultra from New Jersey

Jun 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Smiles72 from New Jersey

Jan 12, 2014
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Reviewed by NYRfan4ever from New Jersey

2.88/5  rDev -16.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.25 | service: 3 | selection: 2.25
I definitely think this place needs significant improvement.

I went here for a long time and lost respect for them bc of the freshness of beers i.e. ipa and stagnant selection.

After going there last night and it was more of the same. I asked to see a bottle of Stone Ruination to check the date. He had no clue as to why I would do that, he was kinda put off by it. The date was best by 10/27/13, which means it was put in the bottle in July. I told the bartender that its not fresh anymore and I don't want it. He was upset. I think this is because his craft beer knowledge is minimal. Then I asked if the Stone IRS was from this year and he had no clue. He gave it to me and sarcastically asked if this was ok. I was like yeah, and then thought ok I'm done with this place and I'm never going back unless the rest of the people I'm with insist on it, and even then I would try to deter them from going there.

In conclusion, I am not going back there ever.
Nov 03, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by djrn2 from New Jersey

Oct 18, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by claspada from New Jersey

Oct 18, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Varkias41 from New Jersey

Oct 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Paul68 from New Jersey

Oct 12, 2013
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Reviewed by metter98 from New York

3.51/5  rDev +1.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.25 | food: 3.5
Vibe: The front of this place is set up like a bar with pub-style seating and a bunch of TVs; the back room is quite large and quieter and is more like a sit-down restaurant. They have chalkboards posted in multiple locations that list the beers currently available on-tap from the brewery. It's located a block away from the NJ Transit train station.

Quality: Beers were served at the proper temperature in a variety of glassware. I was impressed to receive their dubbel served in a Westmalle chalice.

Service: Service was relatively quick, and the waiter demonstrated some knowledge about charestics of the beers currently available on-tap.

Food: The restaurant offers a large menu with lots of selection. I chose their short ribs of beef special for a dinner entree and it was an absolutely huge portion size. The food was good, and served as a nice accompaniment to the beer.

Selection: A total of seven beers were available on-tap when I went, including 1920s Lager, Abbey Normal, Bulldog Blonde, FX Stout, IPA, MyGarden Wit, and Pirate Pale Ale.
Sep 02, 2013
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Reviewed by muskiesman from New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +13%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
The home beers were worth the trip but nothing to go way out of your way for, I cant say much about them that has not already being posted and reviewed. The highlight here at the Gaslight is the guest taps almost any day of the week. The line up some good regional beers as well as national craft beers.

Great atmosphere around the bar and plenty of tvs for watching the game. Football day every game is on and it a good place for that and some cold drafts. Service was okay but could be more attentive.

They do fill growlers and this is my biggest bone to pick with them. They do not fill growlers that were not purchased from them. The ones they offer are the cheap clear glass screw tops.

Food, we stuck with appetizers and pub fare which was perfect for late lunch.
Feb 04, 2012
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Reviewed by SMBSLT32 from New York

3.2/5  rDev -7.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
I go to this brewpub once every few months when I'm in NJ visiting family. Each time I go there I have a mixed experience. The beers they brew themselves are mediocre at best. As an experienced homebrewer I sometimes wish the the brewer was there when I am so I can give him some advice on improving his beers. Their bottle selection is decent, since they don't have the best turnover the hoppier styles and at times other styles are left in their fridge too long and don't taste fresh when you order them.

On the positive side they usually have a few good guest taps which are fresh and tasty. On my most recent trip I had Keegan Ales Joe Mama's Stout and SN Celebration. Both were great! Also, if you do get a good bottle then you'll have a good time there.
Nov 27, 2011
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Reviewed by brew4health from Ohio

2.17/5  rDev -37.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2 | service: 1.5 | selection: 3 | food: 1.5
We visited on a Friday night and it wasn’t very crowded. That should have been our tip-off as to the quality of the beer and food.

The atmosphere is good, with a large oval-shaped wood bar and plenty of seating. The brew system is on display up front. There are also tables in the bar area. The dining area is in the back and also has plenty of tables. It smelled a bit musty back there.

The menu is more than adequate with appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and dinner selections. I had a burger (dry, ordered medium to rare), my wife ordered a pastrami sandwich (good, lean, but a bit over spiced), and my daughter ordered ravioli (too much garlic and little other flavor). The pastrami and ravioli were made fresh in-house. The only standout were the waffle fries which were great. All in all, we didn’t enjoy our meals. Service was poor, with an impatient waiter who was rarely present.

The beer was pretty ordinary. My wife and I ordered the IPA which we both considered under-hopped. My daughter ordered the porter which tasted a little like dishwater.

The price was okay, but we won’t be back.
Sep 17, 2011
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Reviewed by BeerdedEric from New Jersey

2.63/5  rDev -23.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 1 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2.5
This was my first brew pub experience and I must say it was a very pleasant one. As soon as you walk in, you can literally smell the hops in the air! My buddy and I decided to sit at the bar rather than at a table. I'm glad we did.

They must have had 22 or more beers on draft; a bunch of Microbreweries such as, Arrogant Bastard and Double Bastard by the Stone Brewing Company in California, among many others. They had quite a few of their own brewed beers. My buddy and I tried the sampler of eight beers by the Gaslight Brewery. All the brews were delicious! Here are the name of the ones the both of us tried:
Bison Brown Ale, Enkel Biter, Jack-o-Lanter, Bulldog Blonde, Pin Head Pilsner, Perfect Stout, Prince of Darkness and Bam Bam Bitter.

My favorite was the Bison Brown Ale and Bam Bam Bitter.

The bartender really had alot of beer knowledge. He wasn't there just to pour the
Beer, I could tell he liked it and enjoyed different types of beer. He was very polite and I didn't feel rushed by him in anyway.

As for the food, one word, excellent. I had a chicken burger that was very delicious and satisfying. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have my first choice, Ostrich Burger but it was quite okay since my second choice made up for it.

The prices are reasonable. I didn't feel like I was paying too much for anything. I would definitely check this place out again and I look forward to.

...
Update:

Let me start off by saying I'm never going to the Gaslight Brewery ever again. I really enjoyed the times I have gone prior.

My girlfriend and I called the Gaslight Brewery to order food and to ensure we would be able to eat there before the kitchen closed. Somehow the order was confused by the bartender who took our order. He never double checked the order over the phone; oh well, shit happens, I guess.

When we arrived, the food was ready but there was too much food; there was one more item than what we had ordered. I can see where things got confusing and went wrong but the bartender made no effort to fix things. My girlfriend asked if we could get the item we didn't intend to have, removed. The bartender went back and "asked" the manager; when he came back he basically said it was our fault we have to pay for it. We asked to speak to the manager directly. He came out, we explained the situation, with a attitude the manger just grabbed the food and said something along the lines, okay you don't want it I'll take it off then. But there were no apologies, nothing. Then the manager decided to yell and ridicule his bartender, making a scene in front of every customer at the bar saying he had to pay for his screw up.

After this mishap, I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I brought my growler, looking forward to getting some tasty brews but I didn't even order a beer. We just ate the mediocre food and left. What a shame, they made a scene over a nine dollar plate of food and completely lost me as a frequent customer. If that's how management treats customers and their own employees, thanks but no thanks; I'd will just go to another brewpub.
Jun 05, 2011
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Reviewed by LucienDeRubempre from New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +14.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Decided to stop in while doing a gig at Seton Hall and was pleasantly surprised that this place was much better than many of the reviews led me to believe. Classic dive bar vibe, brick walls and beer signs abound, along with the brewkettles proudly displayed in the front window. We stuck with the bar food which turned out to be quite decent and reasonable. The house beers are also very solid, I had the Oud Bruin and my wife had a double maibock. The servers were amusing, a sloppy college kid with a ponytail muttered something and threw some menus at us, but the guy who took our orders and generally looked after us was attentive and acceptably knowledgeable about the beer. Don't know how it stacks up to the other bars/restaraunts in the area but I assume they have the best selection when it comes to beer between the nice variety of styles in the house brews and the 6 or 7 guest taps (Left Hand, Lindemans, Brooklyn), they also offer mead (!) by the glass. Nice place, give it a go.
May 07, 2011
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Reviewed by arghbowl from New York

4/5  rDev +15.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Overall, this is a pretty decent place to grab a pint or two and a bit of grub. That being said, keep in mind that they use the term "Restaurant" rather loosely; the pub fare is far better than the actual "restaurant" fare, and you're much more likely to have a good time sitting at the bar than you will sitting at a booth.

That being said, your experience at the bar will completely depend on who's bartending. The younger guy doesn't have the most polished customer service skills (has a perpetual bad attitude), but he still knows his beer. If you're lucky enough to get either of the older gentlemen, I can guarantee you'll have an enjoyable time. Very knowledgeable, don't rush you, but still have quick service.

As mentioned in other reviews, to see the selection of beers you'll need to look at the chalkboards. If you ask what they have, be prepared for a terse response along the lines of "look at the boards." That being said, they also have a pretty good selection of guest bottles, including some West Coast brews you wouldn't expect to see.

All in all, nice place, friendly customers, and you'll also avoid the Seton Hall crowd. For the most part they tend to stick to Cryan's down the street.
Feb 28, 2011
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Reviewed by mgbickel from Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Weekday lunch destination while driving through the Garden State.

The first room you enter into has a large horseshoe shaped bar. The main seating area is off to the left. The whole place has a sports bar feel...lots of TVs on the walls as well as memorabilia (including in the bathroom).

The in house beer selection is noted on a chalk board...probably about 7 different beers at the time of my visit. The food was tasty...the overall menu has a slight German flair...

Our waiter was also the bartender...he knew his stuff, but was pretty much absent throughout our meal...

Worth a stop for sure, but I would go with a different look/feel for the place...especially since it is situated in the middle of a quaint, gaslight district.
Feb 08, 2011
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Reviewed by 86sportster883 from Maryland

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I was staying up in Fairfield, NJ and looking for a good brewpub or beer bar in the surrounding area to go to for dinner and decided to visit the Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant. After snaking my way through various North Jersey towns I eventually found the place and didn't have a problem parking as it was a Tuesday evening. As I walked in, past the copper kettle and mash tun in the front window, my senses were immediately assaulted by a foul fishy smell. Also, the place was freezing cold (despite being late August) and, for the most part empty. Yankee's and Mets' games split the TV real estate around the bar where, despite the smell, I chose to sit.

I started with the house IPA, which had an oddly sour smell and slightly funky taste. I thought I'd ask the barkeep about the IPA, but he seemed mostly aloof and disinterested, and the slight sourness somehow seemed to work for this IPA, although it was an IPA like no other I had ever had. I decided to pair it w/ the Rheinischer Sauerbraten and wasn't disappointed. The food came out quickly and seemed pretty good, but I'm no connoisseur of German fare.

Since I was driving, and limited as to how much I wanted to drink, I opted for the Harpoon Land Bier as my second draft. I'm a big fan of this beer out of the bottle, and was interested in how it would taste on tap. It was very good but once again, I detected some off aromas and flavors that led me to think that maybe the place either needed to clean its lines or do a better job washing its glassware. I guess I'll find out for sure tomorrow if I wind up spending half the day on the crapper.

In bottles: Corsendonk Brown, Belhaven Wee Heavy, Westmalles, Duvel, Orval, Celebrator Dopplebock, a few popular Schneiders, a collection of Sam Smiths, the Bayerischer Berliner Weiss, Chimay's Red, White and Blue, an extensive offering from Stone, a few Sierra Nevadas, Rogue XS Imperial Stout, Lagunitas, Founders Breakfast Stout and Flying Fish's Exits 1 and 16.

House Beers on tap: Perfect Stout, Pirate Pale, Bison Brown, IPA, Enkel Biter, Bulldog Blond, My Garden Wit and Abbey Normal.

Guest Beers on tap: Ramstein Blond, Harpoon's Potts Land bier, Boulder's Hazed and Infused, Sierra Nevada's Summer Fest, Steven's Point Cascade Pale Ale, Longtrail's Coffee Stout and Lindeman's Peche.

One hand pump pouring Blue Point's Pale Ale.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed. Thank God for the Yankee game, or I would have been bored to death. Not sure that I'd go out of my way to go back.
Aug 25, 2010
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Reviewed by glennl from New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
I stopped in here for a business lunch and got a pleasant surprise when i realized it was a brewpub! Since it was work hours, I explained to the (knowledgeable and friendly) waiter that as much as I'd like to have a beer, I was working. He was quick to provide multiple samples without ever pushing that I buy a pint. He seemed enthused that I was knowledgeable about beer. I sampled "Satans Claws" which was very good and "Warrior ESB" which was good enough that I left with a growler of it. I would definitely go back and try their other varieties. As a BA, I felt like i was with friends here.

I can only comment on the food i had, the "hobgobbler" turkey sandwich, but it was really good.
Jan 16, 2010
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Reviewed by fyrespritetryst from New Jersey

2.73/5  rDev -20.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 1.5
The first time I went to Gaslight I had high expectations of the place. It's not often that you find a brewery so close to home, with what seemed like a large range of different beer styles. Needless to say, I was sorely disappointed in the quality of their beer. The bottle selection is pretty decent, though instead of keeping the breweries diverse, they usually have two to five different beers made by the same breweries. Which could also be regarded as a good thing, encouraging people to try different beers by the same companies. I've been here 5 times to eat, and each time the food just leaves me feeling "eh." Tough meat in the steak sandwiches, bland burgers that are cooked dry, even my fries were burnt twice. But who are we kidding, I didn't come to Gaslight for the food, I came to try their beer. And as I said earlier, it's completely undrinkable. Each one is flavorless, overly carbonated, and finishes like club soda. Just awful. Easily the worst beer I've had in NJ, and I've been to every brewery here aside from Tun Tavern. From what I've heard from the grapevine, DJ doesn't take a lot of effort to sanitize his equipment, killing any potential goodness in fermentation. The service has been hit or miss. Sometimes I'll get a waiter that is just as passionate about beer as I am, and sometimes I'll be heckled by the old lady sitting by the fish tank counting receipts. One time when nobody seated me for a good ten minutes, I took the liberty of seating myself in a completely empty area. The woman actually had the nerve to ask me to leave the table and wait to be seated! Incredibly rude. One of the redeeming factors of this place is U-Brew. I've gotten my homebrew kit from there, along with ingredients. Even though the supply room is a little on the small side, it has everything you need to start your journey in homebrewing. South Orange is far closer to me than Corrado's in Clifton, and the U-Brew staff is pretty helpful and very encouraging. Overall I'd say don't waste your time, but U-Brew is one of the few homebrewing options we have in North Jersey, so it's worth a visit.
Sep 16, 2009
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Reviewed by donniecuffs from New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +12.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Everyone's friendly in this place, evoking memories of the 'Cheers' tv show, and while the food menu is huge and eclectic, every single meal that I have had there, from the wurst platter to the cornbeef to the buffalo chicken, has been very tasty, and borderline excellent. For a diverse menu, that's not an easy task. Their in-house brews are mostly average (although the Pirate Pale Ale is certainly a standout), but they do a good job of experimenting and rotating in certain styles. Furthermore, they add to the pleasant experience by having great guest taps, e.g. Ramstein, et al. A down-to-earth, diverse crowd is the perfect complement. In summary, their proprietary brews are not the best in NJ, but the crowd, the service, and the food quality more than make up for it, and once in while you'll be pleasantly surprised by a new addition to their rotation.
Jul 27, 2009
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Reviewed by stingrayvr6 from New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +24.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Very good selection of beers, including Orval and Duvel, and Celebrator. Their in-house brews were quite good, I would avoid the Bulldog Blonde but their Porter was very good. Good old fashioned bar feel, with a decent amount of beer geeks frequenting. Knowledgable bartenders on what they are serving and some of them are experienced home brewers themselves. Great place, definitely worth a trip, Prices are reasonable, $4 for most of their own stuff, the Celebrator was $6. Great atmosphere, killer beer list, and great people, whats not to like?
Mar 29, 2009
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Reviewed by bonbini26 from New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +21.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Has that warm old wooden bar feeling to it. Sometimes you get a younger crowd because of the university close by. There are darts and a shuffleboard table in the back. Full u-shaped bar along with a dining area and more bar tables in the back by the darts/shuffleboard. The tanks where they brew are all on display to see which is always cool. They usually have about 8 of their own beers on tap and another 6 guest taps, which vary. The bottle selection is pretty solid about 40 or so, everything from Treogs, to Stone, to Belgians, and Sierra Nevada. The food is great here, at least the 2 sandwiches i got the 2 times i've been here. The turkey jalepano melt and the portabello mushroom sandwich are great. I've gotten the same bartender both times i've been here and he is always quick with beer and knows his beer. Overall a solid place to get a decent beer in an area that doesn't have much to offer as far as bar beers.
Feb 20, 2009
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Reviewed by Augustiner719 from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
I've been to the Gaslight on several occaisions over the years. Its located nearby Seton Hall Univeristy which is in a beautiful part of South Orange NJ.

The Gaslight has both a nice selection of home crafted brews as well as an extensive list of rare and foreign beers not seen usually in a bar. There seems to be more focus on the beers that they don't make rather than the ones they do. The home beers range from about 3.50 to 5 bucks a pop i believe. They rotate their on premise brews frequently.

Food is pretty decent. Comparable to most brewpups with moderately upscale pub grub. They do have a nice addition of german dishes that are pretty authentic. Not a bad place to stumble into, their beer isn't all to hoot about but its local beer and its worth the stop in if your in town.
Dec 24, 2008
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Reviewed by Weissenheimer from New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -7.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I live a few miles from this place. It took me years to get to it because of the uninspiring reviews on BA. I finally decided to go there with a beer geek friend. We both wished we'd given it a miss.

I had a positive reaction when we first walked in. They didn't have the TVs on too loud and I found the dining area with the exposed brick quite attractive. The young man who waited on us was polite, attentive and helpful. We ordered two samplers so that we'd get to try everything on tap. We first tried the blonde, which we both liked. Unfortunately it was all downhill from there.

With each brew we tried our estimation of the beer sunk. Some were very nice up front but then collapsed into a ghastly flat finish. Some of them didn't even have anything up front at all. I hate wasting beer, but even I couldn't finish off one or two of the 4 oz. glasses. I hate to be unkind, but overall it seems clear that the brewer lacks the knowledge of how to craft a good beer. Even the blonde only seemed mediocre once I'd gotten halfway through the pint I ordered after we were done with the samplers.

My pulled pork sandwich had the highest price tag of any I've ever seen. Unfortunately the portions were the smallest I've ever seen and the taste was mediocre at best.

I won't be going back to this place. It's a shame, because the atmosphere is nice enough.
Dec 03, 2008
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Reviewed by indiapaleale from Maine

3.88/5  rDev +12.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 4
Stopped into the Gaslight on the way to the airport. I wanted to get to one brewpub in Jersey before heading back north. South Orange has a nice little strip and Gaslight fits in nicely. Walked in around 2:30pm on a Wednesday and quickly realized I was the ONLY customer. I took a seat at the bar and started up a great conversation with the bartender. He was great from the start (young kid, didn't get his name). He gave me a sample of all the house beers but suggested I try the Red Sky at Night they had on tap. I told him I was interested in something brewed on site and settled on the stout. It was a good stout and probably the best of those I sampled. They were busy bottling an "anniversary" beer that they had brewed which was a dIPA. I didn't get to try it unfortunately. I had the sauerbraten which was excellent. Despite being a very empty place I had a great experience. Good conversation, decent beer and great food. Its definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. They have a lot more than just their house beers available (both on tap and in the bottle). One last note was they apparently they brew 25+ different beers throughout the year which means you might be able to find some hidden gems.
Sep 21, 2008
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Reviewed by Nickls from District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 4
I recently moved from South Orange, and the Gaslight used to be a frequent hangout before my recent location switch.

I never really fell in love with their brews, but was always glad to give them a shot. They do have a few other nice things on hand in terms of bottles, but they tend to get pretty pricey for the area...being suburban New Jersey. I was always happy during the winter months when they carry bottled Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.

The food is pretty good, and would recommend sticking to the 'pub grub' stuff, which is solid and not nearly as pricey as some of the entrees they offer. Also, would recommend hanging out in the area that surrounds the bar. It's an actual bar, versus the dining room area that looks like it came out of the countryside.

Overall a solid place, especially with the location. Plus, the crowd was always pretty chill, and few college students from Seton Hall tended to crash it.
Mar 25, 2008
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Reviewed by Ego from New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +11.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
You might drive right by the place... If you take the parkway and get off in the oranges you might think you are driving through cracktown (you are).

It is like what New Brunswick used to be. Rutgers (when I went there) was just blocks from urban squalor. Gaslight is the same way. You are trucking along through pretty bad areas (liquor stores and fried chicken joints every 2 blocks and stores with metal doors down by 8pm, that is just a fact) and then you pass the Seton Hall sign, BAMM it is like you are in downtown Westfield.. well, close enough.

The place really sneaks up on you, it is unassuming on your right side. So we found parking and..

Unassuming "local" bar type of feel, not a heavy college crowd but they do serve pitchers. Nice selection of brews via spectrum (IPA to Imp Stout and a cask ESB). The food we had was very good and the beers were all solid to average (the stout was great if not sweet for an Impy)

A nice place, not worth a long drive but a great local hangout for someone close by. I would drive to JJ Bittings sooner than Gaslight.. but the occasional trip to Gaslight from Edison is not so bad.

They offer growler fills (in your nice rubber stopper growler, not just their crappy screw top growler)
Feb 29, 2008
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Reviewed by dsa7783 from New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +18.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Having a friend who goes to school at Seton Hall University in the South Orange area, we decided to venture out one night and give this place a try... was definitely worth it and i wasn't dissapointed at all... the atmosphere was great... very modern, clean and upbeat... The quality of the products was great... had their representation of a belgian wit , which I really enjoyed and sampled their IPA which was decent, even though I've had better... the server was very friendly, eager to please, and knowledgeable about the products at-hand and was quick to give his recommendations... the food was really good, had a burger and fries I enjoyed while downing my brews... definitely recommended if you're in the area...
Dec 26, 2007
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Reviewed by jjboesen from Maryland

3.58/5  rDev +3.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Having a friend in the area allows me the opportunity to visit this small capacity brewpub. Having made about 10 visits, including last night, I find the food and service to be very good, although the restaurant section could use an update of decor, but BAs seldom venture into an establishment for aesthetical reasons. On my last stop, I had their American Pale Ale and IPA, neither one being particularly hoppy. My friends had the Cream Ale - not my favorite style thus no objective reveiw - and the Belgian Wit, which was seemed to be more of a lager. I was very dissapointed in the generic quality of house beers, especially considering the well-crafted beers offered past, such as Prince of Darkness, a malty scotch ale, their seasonal Satan Claws, which weighs in at a potent 8% (kids, don't try this at home), and several guest beers (i.e Flying Fish). GLB does offer a decent bottle selection and several tapping events throughout the year. I do agree with the previous reviewer who commented that one should make several visits before being critical. Based on last night, it just seems that this place has begun the slide into mediocrity. Too bad. I hope I'm wrong.

To anyone visiting NYC, and not familiar with the area, Gaslight is accessible by NJ Transit, the South Orange station being located a 5 minute walk. FYI: they do an excellent, if pricey, german menu (iff you vant zuch tings.) Auf Wiedersehen
Jul 02, 2007
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Reviewed by StoutHearted from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +14.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
First thing I noticed was how the lights were dim, but enough large TV's were on to keep it bright inside. The bar looky comfy enough, a big wraparoud with a nice restaurant tucked behind it. From my seat I got a nice view of a turtle swimming away in a large aquarium.

Service was quick to jump on us and take our order, and they were very friendly. However, the beer list was not as friendly. I ordered the most interesting thing on the menu: the pumpkin ale. Wasn't too bad, but not my favorite pumpkin ale. But my regard for it may have been influenced by my compatriots' brews, which were duds. The Damien, their Belgian-style, was nothing impressive, and an IPA so tame that a malthead like me could chug it without making a face. Guest brews were provided, but nothing to do backflips over.

Food was "meh." Waffle fries served to fill an empty belly but I wouldn't crave them in the future. Also tried the chicken quesadilla, which was again nothing to salivate over. Excellent salsa on the side, though, with fresh tomatoes and cilantro. I hate the texture of tomatoes but really dug this salsa. That's pretty bad though, to have your dip upstage your appetizer.

The crowd seemed like ordinary folks trying to dress up for a night out. A lot of wine drinkers, and not many seemed interested in the homebrews. (Eh, locals knowing something we don't?) Since the beer let us down, a buddy and I entertained ourselves crowd-watching and tried to guess whether a certain couple were on a date or having an affair. Unless Gaslight wants their big secret revealed - that they are a den for adulterers, they best be gettin' better beer!
Nov 08, 2006
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Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -20.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 4 | selection: 2 | food: 3
***When bottle selection is the highlight of a brewpub?***

Easy to find located near Seton Hall U. with a few parking lots turning over spots that made parking easy on a Saturday night. Atmosphere is just a "seen one, seen 'em all" comfy local bar with brass adorning dark wood. The bar is a rectanguar high bar to the left decorated with beer odds 'n ends and mugs. A few tv's showing college ball, and a full house occupying the tables and the bar.

Beer selection was sparse. Pumpkin, belgian, IPA, ale and even Sly Fox's ESB on cask. Here's the rub: The beers were about the lamest beers I'v tried this side of Buffalo Brewpub. The Belgian had a nasty plastic funk to it, the IPA was not even a pale ale, let alone just trying to be ale. Their pumpkin was at least spicy drinkable pumkin.

Waffle fries were well...standard waffle fries and the buffalo BBQ quesadilla was ok. Really smoky BBQ but nothing special.

Could you bring your Mother here? Yes. There is a restaurant with the bar area. But this wouldn't be my first choice to treat ma. Our bartender guy was quick and friendly. I'll give him props.

Last call: Very disapointed with the quality and selection of the beers on tap. The highlight was their bottle list of interesting beers. Overall I will never go back again.
Nov 07, 2006
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Reviewed by PopeDX from Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -18%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2
...so we get off the GSP and drive through downtown Orange heading to the Gaslight. It made a convenient stop between Defiant and our later stops (Trap Rock, Somerville SuperSaver and the Porterhouse). Man, that's not a nice town. Then all of a sudden there's a sign..."Welcome to South Orange". I've never seen a faster change between a lower-class area and a much more affluent one. Right in the middle of this trendy rich suburb is the Gaslight, right across from the train station. We go inside and find seats around the back of the bar. There's an empty aquarium just as the restaurant part starts...no wait, there's turtles in there. An older man and what seemed to be his mistress sit in front of the tank.

We look at the taplist...5 of their own brews and 4 guest brews, including Ramstein. I'm all for guest brews in brewpubs, but I was here to try their beer. Oh and look at that, a cask of Sly Fox Jake's ESB on handpump. Quite a surprise to see that so far from home. I order the Belgian Golden, Ev gets the IPA and Karen gets the Organic Pumpkin. She won. My beer and the IPA both had an odd, plastic-y off-flavor, and the hop balance in the IPA was all screwy. Too much frontend, not enough backend. The Organic Pumpkin wasn't as bad, a bit spice-dominated, but a solid seasonal offering.

Looked at the bottle list...about 6 Stone brews and both Traquair beers were the standouts. Overall, a solid list. Not many people here getting the house beers. A lot of wine and liquor as well as Lite bottles, etc.

We ordered the BBQ chicken dang quesadilla and the waffle fries. The fries were good...the quesadilla not so much. The tortilla was much bigger than the fillings inside. The chicken was clumped in the middle. The cheese mixture inside didn't compliment the BBQ at all and wasn't a melty cheese. Overall a good idea not pulled off well.

One beer and we were gone...there was a lot more road ahead of us.
Nov 06, 2006
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Reviewed by BillyB from New Jersey

3.86/5  rDev +11.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
I liked this place. It's just a straight-up good bar. They have a better than average selection of guest taps and a good selection of bottled beer as well. The atmosphere has been desribed as "seedy/divey" but that's the kind of place I like to drink at. I don't think seedy is the right description anyway. It's not like it's in a bad neighborhood or there's gonna be knife fights in the bar. It's just without pretension. No bartenders in tuxedo's or piano players here. Lot's of breweriana on the walls including an interesting selection of towels.
The beer was very good. I tried the Bison Brown and the Bulldog Blonde. When I was their the first time they only had 2 of their beers on tap. They also had Stone IPA on tap. Great place to hang out and have a beer.
Aug 12, 2006
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Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

3.68/5  rDev +6.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
As my friends and I entered, there was a mob of people around a very loud, noisy bar. We waited for quite some time, even though it was around dinner time, before noticing someone towards the back who sat us. The back room had a much different atmosphere, it seemed to try to be more classy, but it was a small, crowded (not by people - but the tables and decor) atmostphere and the loud area of the bar interfered with the dining experience. I was impressed, however, with the beer decorations - though it was a bit too much in one small area.
The menu offered a wide, and somewhat exotic line of choices. The food was very fresh - I ordered the blueberry bbq chicken - it was moist. The spices helped the beer, well, as much as it could given that the beer was terrible.
The young waitress, who seemed to be the only friendly worker in the place, excitedly asked us if we wanted a sample, as we showed interest in their beers. Oddly, you could only select up to five of the seven beers that they had, though all were available.
By the way, their beer selection was quite extensive, including other craft/regional beers and imports, including all three Chimays. I was surprised that a brewpub offered so many other choices. When I sampled the beers, it dawned on me why that was so.
Bottom line - the beers were not good at all. Most of them had a strong medicinal taste, and none of them seemed to fit the style. Now, I understand that there are interpretations. But, making unbalanced, medicinal beers that tasted like cologne or perfume is not interpretation, it's just bad beer. The porter was very sweet, the stout woody and smoky, and the others, especially the wit and, worse, the brown, were too far off the style to be considered those styles.
I asked the hostess (I presumed) where the bathroom was, and she was not polite. She seemed bothered by the question. I also asked if the brewmaster was there, and again, she seemed like it was trouble to respond, but she did answer me.
The growlers were inexpensive, so I bought one, just to add to my collection.
Overall, it seemed like they didn't know where they were going. It was a beer bar that brewed terrible beer, but had a decent selection of other beers. Outside of the waitress they did not seem friendly. The bar area ruined the atmosphere. This place could be improved in so many ways. It's not worth another trip there though.

Edit on 5/10/07: I have been back a couple of times, and have been more impressed. Both times the beer was much better. I did notice a nice variety of their own beers. Some of the beers were quite good - the others decent or better. Maybe I caught it on an "off" time the first time I went. On the last visit, the person working the bar was very friendly and knowledgeable about the brewpub scene here in NJ and about beer in general. I was able to have a few samples - some without asking. It is unusual, I still think, for a brewpub to have other beers - but, hey, the guest beers are very good, so no complaints! I've changed my opinion substantially since the first visit, and now recommend the place - especially on "non-peek" hours!
Jul 15, 2006
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Reviewed by ism from New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -0.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Yet Another Update:
I adjusted my ratings since the other establishments in the area have changed what's "average". My biggest problem is the consistency, or lack thereof. The German sausage plate is awesome, but you can't mess up what's already been made. I make better spätzle at home. The ostrich burger remains my favorite, and the fries are killer, especially with their hot sauce (ask for it). The waitstaff is either overly attentive or completely aloof. I still appreciate how they enforce parental responsibility. The house beers are still disappointing, and I always go for the cask and guests. Homebrew supplies are okay, but it's the closest to where I live. Atmosphere is kind of rustic but that's fine, and they have a shuffleboard table.

Update:
The Gaslight recently started stocking some Stone Brewery bottles, which is scant in these parts, so I find myself visiting more often. I have given up on their own brews. They are simply terrible. I do not know if it is lack of skill on the master brewer's part, bad ingredients, or bad process. They often have off-flavors, are often weak (flavor-wise) and are simply uninspired. Go for the guest brews, or the cask if it's not theirs.

I'm a foodie, so I appreciate the food, though it's on the expensive side. It's definitely not that family friendly if your concept of "family friendly" has no consideration of other patrons. One child had a portable DVD player and the waitstaff told them it was not allowed. You know what? I appreciate that they enforce those rules. I'm there to dine and DVD players and mobile phones are distracting to that experience.

Original review:
The older reviews make me wonder what this place used to be like. In any event, I have to side with the more recent reviews.

It's a few blocks down from Seton Hall University and has a definite college-crowd feel. An expansive bar is at the entrance, leading to a side room with fermenters and where a band performs on certain nights. Towards the back is a larger dining area. There's a shuffleboard on the way to the men's room. Four televisions, with a good mix of sports, are viewable from the bar.

Miller is the only macro available for the poor, ignorant souls. 14+ guest craft bottles are available. 4-6 of their brews are on tap, along with 3-4 guest brews. On Thursdays they tap a new cask-conditioned brew, guest or theirs, usually alternating every other week.

Jeff, the bartender, is amicable and knowledgeable, with homebrewing experience. Try tossing some trivia questions at him. Daniel is the manager and runs a homebrewing store on premises, and welcomes homebrew talk. Don't bother asking the waiters about the beer, since they pretty much remember the name and the beer style, but not much else. They know the food well, though.

Food is excellent, drawing from many styles, with specialties seeming to focus on German fare. Only downside is it tends to be on the expensive side.

Their brews range from ho-hum to good. I like their Perfect Stout and ESB. The Porter is average, and the 80 Shilling was kind of a disappointment. Still, a good adventure every time.
Apr 06, 2006
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Reviewed by TheDeuce from New York

4.2/5  rDev +21.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Can't imagine what this place was like a few years ago, I just went with a few friends of mine because I'd tried a few of their beers from my friends out of the jugs you can buy and they were pretty decent.

The decor was comfortable, not perfect but not dirty at all. Cozy would be a good word. The beer was good, Bulldog Blonde is a nice American Light Ale that was a good starter and the Pirate Pale Ale is a fantastic English Dark Ale. The stout was ok, not as good as the ale. Bartender was friendly and very knowledgable about the beers, they bring something new out the Thursday of every week. The food was good, a bit expensive but huge portions. I had Chicken Parmesian and Pirate Fries, it was great.

Overall, a decent brewery with good food. Nice craft brews, I'd go with the ales over the stout. Also they have a craft called "The Eliminator" which is a whopping 18% Alcohol, definitely one to get inebriated on. Have fun with that, and definitely give the Gaslight a visit.
Oct 18, 2004
Gaslight Brewery & Restaurant in South Orange, NJ
Brewery rating: 3.71 out of 5 with 38 ratings