The Black Horse Tavern & Pub — Restaurant in Mendham

Our recent visit to the Black Horse Pub, which has undergone significant renovations, left us feeling quite disappointed. Unfortunately, the historic charm that once drew us to the venue has been replaced by a modern and quite noisy atmosphere that lacks the inviting ambiance we remembered. Although our waitress was undeniably attentive and friendly throughout our meal, her service alone could not compensate for the overall unsatisfactory dining experience.

The menu options were limited, with a noticeable absence of vegan and gluten-free selections. This was particularly disappointing given the increasing demand for diverse dietary choices. Additionally, the prices were remarkably high considering the mediocre quality of the food and portion size we received. We started with the Smashed Avocado specifically requesting it without jalapeños, but to our dismay, it arrived with them included. We were informed that it could not be prepared without jalapeños.

For my appetizer, I ordered shrimp, which was served at an unappetizing room temperature. It was accompanied by burnt chips that were poorly seasoned and had an awful flavor. This was a letdown, especially for a restaurant that positions itself as a quality dining establishment.

When it came time for the main course, I ordered an "Entree" salad topped with grilled salmon, but to my surprise, it was merely the size of a side salad. The salmon was tiny and disappointing; it tasted more like it had been frozen than freshly prepared, and the skin was left on. My husband ordered a burger but could not specify his preferred level of doneness; we were told the chef would decide for him. Yes, that is correct; he could not order the burger to his liking; instead of the medium-rare burger he desired, it was served more on the well-done side since that is what the chef felt would be best. To make matters worse, the burger arrived without a roll, leaving my husband confused about what he had ordered.

Given that we used to be regular patrons of the Black Horse, it is disheartening to say that our experience this time fell so short. After this visit, we have decided not to return anytime soon, as we had hoped for much more from a place...

I am a local and was looking forward to the re-opening of the Black Horse Tavern and was hoping it would be comparable to their other restaurants, especially Towne. Walking in the renovations did not blow anyone away. It really seemed like they just refreshed the place. They had such an opportunity to make the space feel more modern while keeping with the tradition. We were first seated at one of the stalls (booths) and we had to move as the lights above those tables are glaring and harsh. The wine menu was minimal and for the most part only offered California wines, although it was hard to tell as they gave no information about each of the wines. We all felt the menu was uninspiring and lacked creativity. There were no specials. Our party started with the Tuna Tartare. The flavors were good, presentation was good, the tuna itself was subpar. My main dish, salmon, was awful. It tasted like overcooked frozen fish. I didn’t even eat half of it. My companions short rib dish was equally unimpressive. I did taste their cornbread and it had no flavor and extremely dry. A grocery store mix comes out better. The salad we had was mediocre. The service was good, especially for a new restaurant. The food came out on time, although should have been much hotter. The restaurant should have aimed much higher. Morris County has so many delicious choices with great atmosphere as well. Black Horse Tavern missed the mark in every way, especially when they are charging such high prices. Maybe I would go back to try a hamburger at the bar, but even that is unlikely. I prefer to spend my money on fresh, inspired, creative, mouth watering food. I’m so disappointed as I know we were all hoping for much more from this establishment. Don’t...

So planning Father Day dinner I Googled, oldest restaurant in NJ and The Black Horse popped up. I love good food and history :). Its an hour from where we live but we decided to go and we are so happy we did. We went to The Tavern side (Pub side is separate) and was welcomed by Jennifer. She asked how did we here about it and I told her about my Google search. She happily offered a tour and history lesson of the Tavern and Pub. She showed us all of the beautiful rooms on both floors and how George Washington and his troops stayed there as well as GW giving the owners a Black Horse and that's how they got they name. After the tour we got a booth by the windows in a gorgeous room. Drinks and appetizers were great, Prime mac and cheese and crab tatter, soooooo good. I had the 16 ounce Prime steak, my Wife had the apple pork chop, my Sun had the Prime burger and my daughter had the ribs, everything was spot on and delicious. Since it was our first time, we came from an hour long drive and it was Father day, Jennifer upgraded my Prime from 16 to 24 ounces, free of charge and gave us a box set of 2 beer glasses and 2 wine glasses! FOR FREE! So kind and thoughtful! Really made our night from beginning to end. After our meal we walked across to the Pub side and had coffee and dessert. The Pub was the original barn and has also been there for over 200 years! Kate our server was a sweet lady and again made everything a fantastic experience. If you enjoy history, beauty, friendly staff, great drinks and delicious food, then The Black Horse Tavern & Pub is the...