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Stage House Tavern

Reviewed by Dervela O'Brien   
Posted July 10, 2011

Stage House Tavern
1719 Amwell Road, Somerset
732-873-3990; stagehousetavern.com

Hours: Mon–Thurs, 11:30 am–10 pm (bar until midnight); Fri and Sat, 11:30 am–11 pm (bar until 1 am); Sun, 11 am–9 pm (bar until midnight).

Price: $$

Style: Casual tavern with dark-stained wood walls, serving American fare. The large, open dining room is a bit noisy from the energetic bar crowd. There is a homey fireplace room and porch-side window booths for a quieter, more intimate meal. During the warmer months, take advantage of the outdoor patio with a bar and ample seating.

Don’t Miss: Start with the cheesy spinach-and-artichoke dip with garlic zest ($9) or the sweet-potato gnocchi appetizer ($12). Musts include slow-roasted prime rib ($20) served with natural jus, seasonal vegetables and whipped potatoes, and the wood fire-grilled rack of lamb ($20) in a cranberry demi-glaze accompanied by roast-garlic potato gratin. The raw bar offers oysters, shrimp and clams ($1.25 to $1.75 each), or try the sesame-glazed salmon salad served with ginger vinaigrette ($17.50). There are also several pastas, including small and large portions of the housemade ravioli in your choice of sauce ($7 or $14) or tri-color fettuccini with asparagus, roasted eggplant and sun-dried tomatoes in basil cream with locatelli cheese ($15.50).

Heads Up: On Tuesdays, local magician Will Fern entertains tableside. Live music ramps up the bar on Friday and Saturday beginning at 10 pm.

The Scoop: Stop by on Tuesdays for Tini-Tuesday’s, with $5 martinis all day. On Sundays, bring the family and enjoy an unlimited breakfast buffet with items like waffles and scrambled eggs and lunch choices of seafood, chicken and pasta. The buffet also features a cooked-to-order omelet station and a meat-carving station.