Craft Beer, Fire Pit & More: Echo Tap & Grille in Mountainside

Echo Tap & Grille
Mountainside
1079 Route 22 East
908-264-7100

Open: Lunch, Mon-Fri; dinner and late night, daily; brunch, Sat-Sun

Price: $$

Style: Boisterous, upscale sports bar with floor-to-ceiling windows, indoor fire pit, and a sculpture of wooden clock gears over the huge bar. Ample seating for tavern-style American fare.

The Scoop: Opened two years ago as a post-retirement project by brothers Nick and Peter Dedes, Greek emigres who sold the nearby Union Plaza Diner after a 40-year run. They operate Echo Tap with Nick’s son Nico, and Francisco Meija.

The Menu: Potato skins with cheddar, Gruyère and bacon make a good starter. Five varieties of mac and cheese are offered; the ’Shroom combines roasted mushrooms, fontina and truffle oil in a cast-iron skillet. Salads, like the baby kale (pictured), are generous and can be topped with chicken, steak, salmon, tuna or shrimp. Specialties include snow crab legs with linguini in garlic lemon-butter sauce, and baby-back ribs. There are flatbreads, pizzas, and a dozen sandwiches, including a Philly cheesesteak and beef gyro. Burgers are good and come in turkey or tuna versions, or bunless. Cocktails are served in trendy Mason jars; there are 24 beers on tap.

Heads Up: Don’t be surprised if there’s a wait on weekends, but at least there’s plenty of free parking.—Deborah P. Carter