The Auld Shebeen Gives Classic Irish Fare a Modern Twist

The Irish take a lot of ribbing for their culinary traditions (bangers and mash, oats and barley) but like New Jersey, there’s a lot more that’s interesting if you look below the surface.

The Auld Shebeen in the Marriott Hotel on Route 10 East is a spot that’s worth the time and effort whether you’re taking a break from work or looking for a place to have something hearty to eat with family and friends. If you’re counting calories, check out the many  salads on the menu, which include garden varieties and those enhanced with sliced filet mignon or grilled chicken breast.

We’ve visited the recently renovated Marriott and enjoyed a casual snack, but this time we were really able to sit back, think about what sounded like a tasty lunch and then relax while it was prepared.

The Auld Shebeen draws its name from an Irish speakeasy known as a Sibin where illegal high-proof potato moonshine known as poitin was made. The Sibin functioned as a Public House where locals could stop in for food, drink, singing and political talk. You had to have the right connections to be allowed inside.

Today, the Auld Shebeen has no such restrictions although it has many roots from the old country. Its various rooms display oak paneling and floors taken from old estates and a Catholic school in Northern Ireland. Deep sinks are originals gathered in Ireland; in fact, the entire restaurant was assembled in Northern Ireland, then shipped to the U.S. in pieces to be reassembled here.

The bar is an impressive one with many seats for visitors to stop and enjoy a cocktail, or better yet, a beer or ale. The tile floor was imported from Ireland as was the ancient oak that separates the tiles.

Like many pubs, the walls are filled with old black and white photographs from the other side, serious looking implements used to challenge invaders and various casks and flasks that add to the charm of such a place. Fireplaces can be enjoyed throughout the restaurant. The library is the newest room in the establishment and bears books on its shelves carrying such illustrious names as Shakespeare, Marcel Proust, Eugene O’Neill and Joseph Conrad. It brought us back to college days, when curling up with the great masters was both an obligation and a pleasure.

We perused an extensive menu that included such offerings as Irish Potato and Bacon Chowder for $7, Grilled Salmon and a salad for $6. We went for serious pub fare so we tried the perfectly prepared Kerrygold Cheddar Burger with maple bacon on a brioche bun for $12. The burger was just as we asked for it and the house made potato chips were crisp and just salty enough—so good that our waitress encouraged us to take home what we were not able to finish.

The Mile High Reuben was an amalgam of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing with a side of excellent fries for $14. There are so many other selections that it’s hard to know what to choose—the Shebeen BallyBrie Burger sounded great at $14. Fish and chips and the shepherd’s pie with its mashed potato crust for $17 is always tempting, but those choices will have to wait another day. The house quesadilla and the Auld Shebeen nachos also sounded good.

While the Auld Shebeen is not a neighborhood pub, it feels like one due to the lovingly recreated décor and, in our case, the warmth and friendliness of our server, Linda. She genuinely seemed to enjoy working there, knew plenty about the menu and the history of the space and its artifacts and was happy to share it.

On a summer afternoon when we needed a change of pace, the Auld Shebeen had just the right ingredients.

The Auld Shebeen 1401 Route 10 East  (973) 898-6487 Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Major credit cards accepted