Arthur’s Tavern Serves Delmonico Steaks with Old Hoboken Charm

by Sally Deering

 In a town where almost every doorway on Washington Street leads to an eatery, Arthur’s Tavern on the corner of 3^rd Street stands out as a Hoboken treasure – a throwback to the way the town looked back in the day with prices that are more than reasonable (a Delmonico hamburger for $5.95) and steaks and sides as yummy and comforting as your favorite dish on grandma’s table.
 
The tables decked out in red-checkered tablecloths first catch your attention as soon as you walk in the door. Then you notice the stained-glass lamps hanging from the hammered-tin ceiling. Add to that the mouth-watering aroma of sizzling Delmonico steaks and you immediately relax a little, ready to settle in for some hearty and delicious fare.

“We only serve Delmonico steaks,” General Manager Sami Nacer says. “The meat is good quality and always fresh.”
 
The Delmonico’s come in three sizes:  24-ounce ($23.95) 48-ounce ($40.95) and for the light eater, the Junior Sirloin ($17.95.)The menu has BBQ Ribs ($17.95) a Petit Sirloin & Shrimp dish ($18.95) and for sandwiches, there’s the hot pastrami ($6.95) and, of course, the burger ($5.95) made from the same Delmonico beef with a choice of cheeses (a few cents extra.) A standout on the menu, a sandwich that’s a throwback to when Hoboken drew more sailors than yuppies, is the Liverwurst & Onion ($6.50.) Where else can you order a liverwurst and onion sandwich? That in itself is worth a trip to this rustic Hoboken landmark.

All these wonderful ingredients – the atmosphere, the food, even the red-checkered tablecloths are the handiwork of Arthur McGreevy, a restaurateur  who opened his first Arthur’s Tavern in  Morris Plains in 1957.  (McGreevy also owns the St. Moritz in Sparta, New Jersey.) A regular of old-time establishments – the Tavern Restaurant in Newark and Ma Flynn’s in Whippany – McGreevy combined his memories of those neighborhood eateries and brought it all home to Hoboken to open Arthur’s Tavern in1985, where customers travel from as far as California to savor one of the house steaks.
 
The restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside. There are three main dining rooms and two bars, including a sports bar in the back with three TVs on the wall. The two upstairs dining rooms are ideal for parties. The larger room decked out like the first floor dining room with rows of tables with red-checkered tablecloths and hanging stained glass lamps is ideal for corporate holiday parties and birthday celebrations; the smaller, elegant room is perfect for gatherings like baby showers and anniversaries. No matter what room you decide to book your party, the atmosphere will have that old Hoboken charm and those delicious Delmonico’s to satisfy the guests.
 
But what if you’re looking for something a little lighter than sirloin?

The local Hoboken community has changed since Arthur’s Tavern first opened its doors in 1985. Back then, the kitchen served 1,000 steaks on a Saturday night. But these days, although the restaurant’s family clientele has not changed, there have been more requests for lighter fare and Arthur’s Tavern co-owner, Arthur’s daughter Alyce plans to make some additions to the menu in an effort to reach those lighter-eaters who may want more options than a tuna sandwich.

“We’re going to add some great salads and seafood dishes,” Alyce McGreevy says. “Watch for those new additions before the holidays begin.”
 
But don’t worry, the steaks will always be on the menu, Alyce says. That’s one tradition she will never change.
 
“Arthur’s Tavern offers the best value for the best steaks,” Alyce says. “That was very important to my father and it’s important to me. My daughter Alyse-Marie and I are carrying out my father’s legacy. This was his dream.”
 
Arthur’s Tavern

237 Washington Street & 3rd

Hoboken, NJ

201-656-5009

Open for lunch & dinner 7 days a week

Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas

The post Restaurant VIEWS-The Best Steaks in Town -Hoboken first appeared on River View Observer.