Portside Bar & Liquors — Restaurant in Middletown Township

One of the more pleasant surprises of the year so far. The Millennial Chum and I took advantage of an unseasonably warm and pleasant Saturday to get some saunter training in on the Henry Hudson Trail. At our other chum's suggestion, we stopped here for a much-needed carb break almost at the halfway mark, which was definitely a good idea on multiple levels. My expectations were pretty low for what sounded like a generic dive bar, but I'd be doing Portside a disservice to label them that way - it's a solid cut above most of the options in this genre.

To be honest, this area to me is usually a gastro wasteland - it's a lot of strip malls and mediocre restaurants. Even the locals I know have to take a few minutes to really think about a legit recommendation around here. It's just not that kind of place. And at least from the outside, this was on brand - it's a VERY run of the mill liquor storefront next to a Walgreen's, and I initially thought the Millennial Chum went into the wrong place until I saw that there was an actual bar in the back. You can access it from the back of the building as well, but the entrance from that vantagepoint is even less obvious if you can believe it. Regardless, we quickly made ourselves at home at a high-top to the left of the bar; unless I'm mistaken, it's also pretty small, just one room with the bar/TV area that most of the customers were at, as well as a handful of tables. The liquor store in the front might literally be 2 or 3 times the size, though I didn't do too much recon in that regard.

We knew heading in that tater skins were officially on the agenda, so that was a no-brainer (the Millennial Chum was really thinking about the $2 additional pulled pork option but didn't ultimately pull the trigger - next time). Delicious and honestly the best taters I've had in a few years. Perfectly fried and exactly what a tater should be. Could not recommend more effusively.

I also got the Chicken Parm entree, which came with a side of Penne. The only miss here was the Penne; not only was it not necessary based on the insane serving size of the Chicken Parm (that ended up being my lunch the following day as well), but it just looked and tasted reheated. This is not the kind of place I'd go to for pasta anyway, so I'd probably just get it off the menu and focus on what works. The Chicken Parm was actually really good. I had my doubts based on the optics of the cheese, which looked a bit greasy/rubbery, but the texture and taste won the day out. I was also a big fan of the tomato sauce they were using, which was on the sweeter side and also fairly thick without being chunky or crunchy, my big sauce pet peeve.

The service was excellent as well. Most of the seats around the bar were occupied during our visit and I don't recall seeing another employee in that area assisting, so I'm pretty confident the bartender was handling all of that along with our table (and a few others). Given the weather and our perilous journey down the Henry Hudson Trail, hydration was important and our waters were consistently filled - I downed two and a half glasses, which was probably twice the amount I would have with subpar service. Really top-notch stuff.

My dive bar heyday (punctuated by outings literally sitting in lawn furniture next to burned out VW vans) has passed, but this a nice reminder that you can still go home again....

I recently visited this sport bar and had a wonderful experience. The atmosphere was lively and inviting, with great music playing in the background. The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure that my friends I had everything we needed. The menu offered a wide variety of delicious food options, from tasty appetizers to mouthwatering main courses. The drinks were also top-notch, with a diverse selection of cocktails and craft beers. Also so convinced they had a licor store inside. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant pub bar for a great night out with friends or a casual...

If you're looking for a fancy dining experience with a fancy atmosphere this is not the place. But if you're looking for a delicious meal that's also reasonably priced this is the place. Food is very good. The eating area is shared by a bar so that it could get a little loud. But these are all good. Hard-working local people. No woke here. All good hard-working red blooded Americans. Service is fast and friendly. Definitely recommend this place. Don't be fooled by the outside appearance cuz it's just in a little shopping mall. I'll definitely be...