Frosty Brews Top the Menu at Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill Tavern & Restaurant in downtown Summit wants to be a throw-back to another time, when five-and-dime stores dominated small towns and people gathered together for simple, comfort foods or frosty mugs of beer at the local bar every day of the week. Unfortunately, the establishment falls short on both appeal and cuisine in a town full of restaurant and bar options.  

Initially I had high hopes for Beacon Hill and found the front dining room’s kitschy plate collection, assortment of beer posters, and neon specials boards somewhat interesting. But upon closer inspection of the once white ceiling panels that are now blackened with air conditioner residue and the restaurant’s dark carpeting obviously hiding layers and years worth of spilled food, I had a change of heart. While several of its neighbors have updated and modernized—or are entirely new tenants—Beacon Hill really could use a freshening up.

Equally lackluster is Beacon Hill’s kitchen, which serves up a selection of salads (Greek, Caesar, Asian chicken, sirloin steak, and more ranging from $3.50-$15.95), appetizers such as popcorn shrimp, potato skins, nachos ($3.95-$10.95), and entrees including Honey Dipped Fried Chicken, liver and onions, and penne vodka ($13.95-$18.95). The good news is that my meal wasn’t offense; the bad news is that it certainly wasn’t very good either.

During a recent visit, I sampled one of Beacon Hill’s specialty starters: three barbecue pulled pork sliders ($8.95), which had the potential to be truly delicious, but unfortunately turned out to be only so-so. The pork was extremely tender, however the meat was totally flavorless—seemingly absent of any dry rub or brine marinade. The chef did toss the pork in a barbecue sauce after cooking which saved the dish from being completely bland.

Beacon Hill also offers a variety of their “famous char-broiled Beacon burgers” ($7.95-$9.50) which are served with French fries and several a la carte add-ons: lettuce and tomato ($0.50), bacon ($1.00), onion rings or a tossed salad instead of fries ($1.00 and $1.50 respectively), and chicken instead of beef ($1.00). I upgraded to onion rings and ordered a medium-rare “Pirate Burger” ($8.95) which was topped with hot cherry peppers, sautéed onions, and mozzarella cheese. The burger was overcooked, the food prep person had not bothered to remove the blackened core of the tomato, and my server had forgotten to change out the fries.

Somewhat tastier was the fish and chips ($13.95) which came with French fries and a choice of soup or salad. While the side salad was nondescript, the three large pieces of cod were crispy, and I especially liked the faux newspaper-lined wire basket presentation.

The dessert menu is fairly extensive, and I concluded my Beacon Hill experience with a slice of “Greatful Cherry Cheesecake” ($5.75), which came with whipped cream, a chocolate sauce drizzle, and a chocolate crumb crust. It was one of the best parts of the meal.

Perhaps it is fitting that Beacon Hill lists “tavern” before “restaurant” in its name. The bar (which is located behind the front dining room) features several TVs, the same restaurant menu, and nine different beers on draught, including an unusual pick, Railbender Ale from Pennsylvania. Most brews hover around $5. There are wines by the glass ($6-$9), by the carafe ($11-$13), and by the bottle ($20-$32), as well as spirits and after-dinner drinks.

Diners certainly won’t break the bank by patronizing Beacon Hill Tavern & Restaurant; nor will they go hungry. The prices are affordable and the portion sizes are generous. However the old adage, “you get what you pay for” certainly rings true in this case. Across the board from ambiance to service to food taste and quality, the downtown eatery only rates from fair to middling.

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Beacon Hill Tavern & Restaurant

16 Beechwood Road, Summit
(908) 277-0096

Hours of Operation:

Dining Room

Lunch Monday through Saturday, 11:30 am-3 pm
Dinner Monday through Saturday, 5-10 pm
Sunday, 1-9 pm

Tavern

Sunday through Wednesday, 11:30 am-11 pm
Thursday through Saturday, 11:30-12:30 am
Kitchen open nightly until 10 pm.

All major credit cards accepted.

Take-out available.