Egan & Sons — Restaurant in Montclair

Egan & Sons was an impulse decision yesterday. I had an early dismissal from work due to the New Year's weekend, so I didn't get to explore a new NYC spot for lunch. On the way home on the train, I texted my recently sick top-tier Montclair chum who's been cooped up inside for most of the holidays, and boom - instant plans, instant meal. I hopped off at Walnut Street and wandered down the street. Who says NJ Transit isn't convenient?

I came here once years ago and was a little thrown when I walked in from Walnut; I had no idea the official entrance was actually in the back, which features a personal parking lot. (My chum used it and it was one of the most chaotic situations I've ever seen, with several valet-esque spots and a lot of drivers looking agitated and confused. Everyone got through it in one piece from what I could tell, but that is a fender bender waiting to happen.) As a result, I had to awkwardly walk all the way through the restaurant to get to the host in the back, who then...walked me back close to the door I came in at. There was enough signage for me to figure out what to do, but the logistics could and should definitely be tinkered with - I'm sure they get tons of foot traffic like me. It was pretty crowded for mid-afternoon, but I'm sure the holidays threw off a lot of peoples' eating schedules, including my own.

I secured a high-top near the bar, and was promptly attended to by the waitress, who took my drink order while I waited for my chum. The obvious cocktail choice was the Maple Old Fashioned ($15) from their specials menu. It took a little long to show up, but was definitely decent for what it was. Because it relied quite a bit on a type of maple syrup, it was sweeter than I would have preferred (I think it's easy to forget that bourbon itself is one of the sweeter spirits so if you're going to double down on that you have to be careful). They could have emphasized the maple through some type of garnish or flavored rim, which would have had the flavor without being overpowering.

Since I was eating almost two hours later than I normally would (see above reference to holiday schedule), I was pretty famished. We split the Truffle Mac & Cheese app ($16ish), and I got a plain hamburger medium-rare ($12ish). The Mac & Cheese was divisive at our table. My chum didn't like it at all because of the inclusion of the chives. I also wasn't a fan (they're completely unnecessary based on the flavor, etc.), but they were also easy to pick out if it was a problem. Beyond that though, I thought it was excellent and was perfectly happy to gobble down the lion's share.

The burger was the highlight for me. The cattle was slightly undercooked (definitely rare), but I actually prefer rare and just play it safe when I'm ordering them from a place I'm not too familiar with so I don't end up with something mooing on my plate. My favorite bovine in the area is the Cloverleaf, and I'll happily order rare from them without thinking. It was juicy without being greasy, and the bun had a nice density to it - not too thick though and easy to munch.

The service was good. It wasn't a situation where we were on the clock (again, holiday schedules), so even if it was on the slower side it wasn't an issue at all. Our waitress was pleasant and stopped by throughout the meal consistently, even though I think she had quite a few tables to navigate. And the price point was definitely reasonable for the area, maybe even on the cheaper side honestly. I don't hit the bovine as often as I used to, but this was one of the better ones in...

Everything was absolutely amazing. Every single thing. The first time we came.

This place is gorgeous. Inside is modernly vintage, and somehow you just know you’re going to have a good meal here. The inside and outdoor eating areas are a great atmosphere and a perfect setting for meals of any sort- date, family, business meetings. Outdoor in the summer is definitely where you want to be. Right in the parking lot they have seats under umbrellas and roofs. Seats on the back porch too. They have an RV with frozen drinks and menu cocktails that you pay separately for at the van. Not worth it and just order with your server unless you’re only here for drinks. Which is perfect for with the setting as well. Also, fairly priced as a whole.

The cocktails are made so well. Fresh and delicious - not over poured (unlike the RV). We wish they had more cocktail varieties.

Our server, Dakota, was awesome. We were his only table during our stay and he made sure to keep attentive and personable. Dakota really heightened our experience and is the type of server you remember by name for next time. A job well done.

The food was mouth watering and left us yearning for more.

We ordered the shrimp tacos to start and one taco for two is a perfect appetizer. Refreshing on a hot day. The chunks of avocado in the salsa was a surprise and perhaps wasn’t needed on top of an already extremely filled taco. Nonetheless, yummy!

We ordered the Moules Frites and Fish and Chips. The Mussels were stacked over the broth which made it hard to get that flavor. And to make things even more difficult they topped the dish with fries. I needed an extra plate to move the fries over to thoroughly enjoy the dish in its entirety. So much flavor in the broth and the mussels were huge! The bread on the side was fresh and perfectly toasted and delicious dipped in the broth. The fish and chips were crispy and light and a well done steak fry.

Dessert was the blueberry cheesecake and we were struggling to finish yet attempting to manage finishing every single bite on a stuffed stomach. The whip cream was homemade and freshly whipped. I do NOT like whipped cream and yet I had to include it in every bite here. Absolutely astonishing. The graham cracker crust was a bit too thick but added a great balance in between the thick cheese and rich blueberries.

Definitely make some time for a night out at Egan and Sons. We went on a weeknight and still had such a wonderful time. Amazing food, and a delightful time!

We came a second time to celebrate my birthday on a Monday night. It was extremely crowded and we had to wait. They originally told us 45 min but it took 15 min to wait.

Our server was forgetful and hard to find. The boy running food and bussing seemed to be high on something because of the way he was acting. It took 5 times to tell him where to place someone’s food and kept taking the fries on and off the plate. Weird. Everyone thought the food was just okay this time around and wasn’t blown away. The pizza wasn’t that good yet we saw it on everyone’s table. The rice bowl with salmon is delicious but expensive to add...

Just walked in AND OUT of this place in less than 5 mins. My wife and I pull up and catch a park right in front, so we think it’s a sign of good luck. NOT!! Walk in and ask where we can sit, and the waiter says anywhere. So we walk towards the back because the front bar and seating area is completely packed. We wanted to have drinks at a table, shocking as that may sound. So when we get to the back, we see the back bar is empty and ask if we can sit there. “Oh no sorry, that bar isn’t open.” Ok so we go a few feet over to an empty corner section and ask if we can sit there. “Oh sorry, we’re expecting a party of 17 soon and that’s a part of it.” Now getting annoyed we go over a few more feet and sit down. The waiter brings us menus and we say that we’re not eating we would just like to see drink menus. “Oh this area is for people who are dining, you can go to the front if you want drinks.” Now I’m ready to lose it. We get up from the table and walk back to the front where the same crowded bar is still packed. He then says we can get our drinks at the bar and sit in the front section with them. I ask if someone can bring our drinks to us there. Call me crazy, but in a restaurant full of waiters I don’t feel like I should have to get my own drink. Are they going to pay me an hourly wage? Then he says “oh there’s no service in this area, we have to get it and bring it up front.” I say “forget it, we’re leaving”. There are far too many places in Montclair to deal with this RIDICULOUS display of service. Deuces, and we WILL NOT be back!! I’ll be sharing this review on yelp and Facebook as...