Mixed Reviews on Food, But Great Service Signature of The Office

Smartly dressed in what resembles a pin-striped suit, the exterior of The Office Beer Bar & Grill pairs in synchrony with its name. 

Directly off Route 22 with an ample parking lot, the restaurant is a convenient stop to relax after work.  Inside, dark wood panels and carpeting evoke a blended ambiance of an executive's office, gentlemen's fraternizing quarters and the sanctuary of home. 

The Bridgewater location, opened in 1986, is one of seven establishments, all currently under the management of Charlie Brown's. The original started in 1966, in Westfield, and was called The Jolly Trolley until August 2009, when its name was changed to The Office Beer Bar & Grill. 

Other bar and grill locations can be found in Ridgewood, Morristown, Montclair, Summit and Cranford. Free Wi-Fi is available in all.

Boasting 60 beers from around the world on tap, The Office builds its reputation as a neighborhood restaurant and sports bar where good friends, family and colleagues can enjoy casual dining and drinks while watching games. Affordable drink specials change daily to keep the energy varied and spiced.

Monday's "Happy Hour All Day" special led my visiting friend from Arizona, Angela Rae Anger-Vergara, and I to try, during the lunch hour for only $6.99, their "Office Flights," a selection of five of their most popular beers. From the dark smooth Keegens Milk Stout, the bitter and acidic Brooklyn IPA and the light Victory Prima Pilsner, to Dales Pale Ale and Arrogant Bastard—which Angela, a non-beer drinker, found akin to "drinking an Aspirin"—we had plenty of beer to keep us buzzed for the rest of the afternoon.

A variety of "Office Flights" are offered that are meant to be matched with specific types of food ordered, for specific moods.  

The menu covers the standard range of burgers, soups, salads, pizza, pasta, sandwiches, ribs and steaks, then creatively tangents to include southwestern flavors such as fajitas, burritos and tacos. 

We sampled the Southwestern Spring Rolls [only $5 with the Happy Hour special], and, perhaps since she had just arrived from the southwest, Angela thought it tasted like gas station food and not of restaurant quality, whereas I rather liked the fleshy crispiness of the flour tortilla rolls that bit into marinated grilled chicken, corn salsa, cheese and cilantro accompanied by sour cream and salsa. 

My entree, The Office's signature specialty Fish & Chips, arrived in a cute presentation with a checkered picnic layout. The haddock filets were battered in Coors Light and had a slightly greasy full texture that went well with cole slaw and french fries.

The balsamic dressing was Angela's favorite part of her entree, the Steak Salad that had peppercorn crusted Flat Iron steak with baby spinach, seasoned potato wedges, red peppers, chopped eggs, bacon, artichokes and crumbled bleu cheese. 

But the potatoes she found "unnecessary, out of place, and don't add flavor."

"I enjoyed the décor," said Angela of the dining experience. "The photographs were nostalgic. The fish was good, not dry, and the breading was tasty."

The service could not have been friendlier or more helpful. Food was promptly brought out while we and our waitress lightly conversed, and each of our questions was addressed in detail.

I decided to return to The Office a week later, during early evening hours, to observe the bar scene, and the atmosphere was decidedly more lively, compared with when we sedately lunched on a Monday. 

This time, I tried another popular draft, the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, and relished it while chatting with Dave Bohanan, a regular for the past twenty years. 

Working in financial services nearby, Bohanan said he stops in at The Office on his way home for what he reverently referred to as "a one or two-hour vacation." 

A Vietnam veteran who was a captain in the field artillery division of the Army and now part of the VFW, Bohanan sees himself as the welcoming mayor of the sports bar he nicknamed "Xanadu," to emphasize the special private meaning it has for him, where he is on a first-name basis with the bartenders and other regulars.

Bohanan said he appreciates the irregular shape of the bar that facilitates conversations across and around. And the convenience of the Bridgewater location he cited as the "main draw for people who come." 

In the years of his dedicated patronage, Bohanan said he has met people he doesn't see elsewhere. 

"I love this place because I meet many different people," he said.

That night alone we sat near an attorney, a chemist and a plumber. Bohanan said teachers and nurses usually frequent as well, describing the crowd as "a good mix."

"Mike, [the bartender that evening], is the best in the world," Bohanan praised. "He makes the best dirty martini."  

Meanwhile, Mike informed me that Villa Enterprises bought out The Office at the end of January, and, after licenses are issued, the restaurant will separate from Charlie Brown's.

Aside from the in-house dining, themed events, party platters and gift cards are available upon request. For Mother's Day, Father's Day and Easter, a brunch special of $18.99 for adults and $8.99 for children is being offered. 

At the brunch, a carving station will have turkey, ham and roast beef; the omelette station will have onions, mushrooms and other toppings; the pasta station will have a choice of sauces, chicken, shrimp and other meats; the fresh waffles station will have M&Ms and cream; around the bar will be french toast, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, salmon, shrimp scampi and caesar's salad; and the dessert bar will include carrot cake, fresh cookies and jello.      

To encourage fidelity from customers, The Office has a Pub Club Loyalty Program, through which points can be earned for dining. Events and promotions are announced to subscribers in e-mails. 

Customers may also visit the restaurant's Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and blog pages to stay connected, in addition to the website that features photo and video albums of patrons. Beginning June 3, Trivia Night will be held from 8 until 10:30 p.m. every Wednesday evening.

Level of involvement with community service is determined through corporate headquarters, and, recently, donations of gift cards to schools and auctions have been given.