Good, if fairly generically American food. A bit expensive. Reasonably good atmosphere, and the bar has a pretty good supply of drinkable stuff. If you're staying at the Madison, it's worth a look.
To find it; take Route 510 from Morristown. It rises to the top of a small hill, then descends the other side. At the major junction (just before Route 24) turn right towards Madison. Take the first turn on the right (at the second stretch of traffic lights.) This wooded road winds up a hill, then down; turn left imemdiately after passing under the bridge. You will come to Convent railway station on your left, and the Madison Hotel on the right; the entrance to the restaurant is at the far end of the hotel, clearly marked.
This place nestles in downtown Hoboken, near the river. It's mainly a bar, with a reasonably kicking atmosphere and some halfway decent beer. The food served is on the upper range on bar fare, with reasonably interesting and tasty dishes. Fairly good value for money, and a nice place to spend the evening. Well worth a look.
To find it, locate someone who knows south Hoboken (around 1st-5th Streets) and get them to take you, as I've forgotten its exact address.
This place promises "eclectic dining", and its menu is certainly that; the menu is generally "nouvelle cuisine", but with good quantities of food. The food itself is superb, very well cooked with some really good sauce. The restaurant itself is a cross between Japanese and posh English style, but a very nice atmosphere. Prices are the high end of reasonable, but not objectionally expensive. Worth a try if you've feeling flush.
To find it: take Route 510 (Columbia Turnpike) out of Morristown towards Florham Park. As you enter Florham Park, take the turning left at the second set of traffic lights (between Kings and McDonalds). Follow the road around, turn right at the next set of lights, and right again to bring you back onto Route 510 heading towards Morristown. Fantastico should be immediately on your right.
If you like steak, you must to go Arthur's. The menu is very limited (24oz steak or 48oz steak) but the steak is excellent, and there's plenty of beer to wash it down. Payment is cash only, so it's a restaurant stripped to its very essentials, but there's almost always a line outside waiting to get it. A New Jersey experience. Vegetarians advised to stay at home.
To find it, turn off Route 10 at the intersection with 202 (by Wendy's) and head south towards Morris Plains. Eventually the road dips under a railway bridge and comes up into Morris Plains; Arthur's is straight ahead, opposite the station.
This place does a wider range of steak and similar food than Arthur's, but is similar in terms of decor. It's been reasonably quiet the two times that I've been there, but the service is OK and the steaks are good; the filet mignon is definitely worth a try. Somewhat out-of-the-way for most people, though handy for those of us in East Hanover.
To find: turn north from Route 10 onto the Eisenhower Parkway. Pass two sets of traffic lights, then ascend and descend a small hill to reach the main set of lights (two gas stations to the right.) Go over the lights; Jim Johnson's is the next emporium on the right, with a large car park.
The concept of fast BBQ food is a little strange, but these guys do seem to make it work. You pick your main meat and a couple of sides, and it's available pretty much instantly. The prices are very reasonable indeed, and surprisingly the food quality is quite high. Definitely one to try out.
To find: head east on Route 10 from Ridgedale Avenue. Pass CompUSA and the Golden Touch diner on your right. Cobb's is just after the McDonald's.
This eatery is divided into a bar and a restaurant area; the bar is the more lively of the two. The decor is a bit basic and shabby in places, but reasonably functional. Big gripe: the restaurant area is not non-smoking. The dishes are reasonably priced, and reasonably edible, but basic. The service was pretty slow the night I was there. Not much to recommend it in terms of an eatery, but the bar area might be worth a look.
To find it: turn off 280 onto Eisenhower southbound. Go over the traffic lights by the two gas stations and follow the road up the small hill. Merrigan's is on the right near the crest of the hill, with parking around the back.
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