Happy Apple Inn — Restaurant in Upper Freehold Township

On the corner of where Imlaystown Rd tee intersects (on a hard carve) with Davis Station Rd., sits the Happy Apple Inn in the center of old Imlaystown.The Happy Apple Inn, sits right on Imlaystown Lake. It's just off the road with little frontage and the intersection is interesting, so Slow Down! There is space for several cars in front and just past the Inn there are two parking lots at the Happy Apple Inn wood sign, on both sides of the road. Paking lots are both dirt, not striped and no designated handicap slots. Unknown condition with rain and/or frozen. Depending on time of day and season, be careful cars can be moving fast, it's a tight road and people tend to park without a care for the next person. From the outside you are looking at a old house with the sign Happy Apple Inn letting you know you found it. Inside is waiting an awesome Restaurant in a fantastic well maintained historic building! A welcoming old school dining house atmosphere, with back in the day decor and a bar. This is the way it was back when a Inn had a dining room for guests and the general public when space allowed. This type of dining is often in books and movies but not often found. So now the food. First be aware there is a salad bar and bread station tucked away where you can not see it. It is unlimited and offers a nice selection (see photos), so plan your meal accordingly to accommodate for this! The table is set formal but the attire is casual. Keep in mind, this is a very nice place for a dining experiences from just a meal to a romantic date, so dress appropriately, yes. The menu is slightly limited but loaded with first class meals for this price range. Our meals were absolutely marvelous, cooked and seasoned just right and good portion size. Wait staff was friendly, professional and attentive. Did not order alcoholic beverages and no space for dessert, which is a separate menu. The bar and outside (when weather allows) seating has a separate menu. There is a handicap accessible universal bathroom available on first floor and additional male and female bathrooms on the second floor. On the second floor is also space for private events with it's own bar area. Enjoyed all. Not 5 star because of parking. And Also note men's room located 2nd floor top of stairs, does have a lock, not the door or the stall. I advised hostess. Apparently owner is renovating or repairing and will get to it. Maybe there will be a lock soon? We all have different experiences and this one...

Where to begin? I guess my first question is, why would anyone rate this place over 1 star? The only redeeming quality of this place is that it was close to where my father lives (our family took him there for his birthday).

The ambiance……looks like my grandmother’s house with old chachkies lying around except my grandmother had pride and kept her home dust free, this place does not. The view? Eh….a small pond you can barely see through dirty windows.

There was a salad bar, well hidden, with limited options that appear to have been left out since the Roosevelt administration (Teddy not Franklin) with loaves of bread exposed for any set of grubby hands to handle….yum!

Alcohol makes everything better right? WRONG!! The bartender/mixologist must have had the day off because every drink was watered down and devoid of flavor.

Speaking of lack of flavor…….the food! I’ve read reviews where people rave about the food and I don’t understand why. Sparse use of salt is not seasoning or flavor!!! I ordered the mango-pineapple salmon and got a dry hunk of salmon, very lightly salted with hunks of most likely canned fruit on top resting on a bed of the blandest rice I’ve ever had. My nephew’s chicken tenders were the bright spot on the menu.

I highly recommend you avoid this place even if you’re dying of starvation and plopped at their front door (which is dusty...

I do not quite understand how there are so many high reviews for this place. Went there recently, with my family of 7, and walking in there are too many dusty "vintage" items cluttering the entire space. Layout is awkward but we made our way to our table (you have to go up a flight of stairs to use the restroom. If you have difficulty walking then I suggest use the restroom before you leave your house). While what was written on the menu looked to be appetizing the food itself was anything but. Bland barely describes it. One would think a pineapple/mango salmon dinner special would be flavorful and seasoned. What you get is a bland piece of dry salmon with diced pieces of dried out pineapple and mango chunks on top of bland rice. Soft shell crab was another order we regretted ordering. Oh, and if you are germophobic, do NOT grab bread near the salad bar. Just long loaves that ANYONE can touch, grab, cut and put back for the next person. Also, if you like the taste of sucking on a copper pipe then you will love the glass of water you are served. We definitely went in with high expectations (we went based off a recommendation) and left with an overly priced bill that left everyone still hungry. We definitely will not be returning. I wish I could say this was an exaggeration but, unfortunately, every...