Dowling's Irish Pub & Restaurant

Really nice layout and beautifully decorated! The wings were amazing and I would definitely go back for those, but not anything else.

Such a great place to come with friends and have some fun. I love that everyone is socializing and the food is pretty good. I recommend the wings.

This review is based on my experience trying to book a birthday party for my husband’s 50th birthday with Russ. I inquired online and was impressed by the quick response and how they had party options ready to present. I actually liked the options but wanted to make a few changes, add more time and food options. I did not ask for a discount , I asked for a quote but the owner handles it as if I was asking for a deal saying “ the best I can do is”. I did not ask for the best he could do, I said “ name your price”. Instead of the owner letting me know what he could or not do he completely shut me down and told me he can’t meet my needs. Here is the thing, I am very flexible, for example if he would have said minors have to pay the full price even if they don’t drink I would have paid it. I told him there where minors not looking to cut cost but making sure minors could attend. If he said there is a surcharge for having 30 minutes to decorate I would have paid it! Instead he decided that he didn’t to even have a dialogue. As someone who owned a bar in New York City I completely understand that when request are difficult to meet or someone is trying to get a deal sometimes you should walk away from it. I was not trying to get a deal or demand anything special. I just wanted to have extend my event 1 hour longer and have with time to decorate even if I had to pay for that decoration time. The reason I am writing this review is because to me this type of rigidity is a sign ego and lack of emotional intelligence which is something every business owner should have. This to me signals that my event would have not been a success and I am glad the owner showed his true colors before I booked it. I am sure this is a wonderful place, but I don’t support businesses that are so inflexible, specially in the food and service industry where every client has a different vision for their event. This tells me a lot about the values of this restaurant. I can’t help but wonder if I had an Irish last name instead of a Spanish one if this would have made a difference?

So disappointed. The draft beer was flat. The burger was so bad. The bun was cold like it had just been taken out of the freezer. The meat had a weird smell, it had no flavor whatsoever but I couldn’t get past the smell, almost rancid smelling. Sorry to say I will not be returning. $80 for flat beer and bad meat no thanks.

Me and my boyfriend went yesterday. We got potato poppers that were delicious! I got corned beef and cabbage and he got a Ruben! Both were super great! We had an amazing server! Best place to eat

They just re-opened a week ago and it’s much bigger and better!!! We were greeted by the owner Marc with a big smile and a handshake…Our server was Alex who was also as friendly!!! I had a burger and the fresh chips…it was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had!!! We also ordered the corned beef spring rolls which were delicious!!! I’m so mad at myself for not taking any pictures 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ This place is great!!! We back again and everything was great!!! Remembered to take a pic of the burger😊😊😊 We came back again tonight, July 5 and the place was very busy for a holiday weekend…I had to try the Shepherds Pie…it did not disappoint…very tasty and just the right ratio of meat and potatoe…I can’t wait until they start serving the martinis…I’ve added a pic of the pie😋😋😋

Unfortunately, my expectations were not met during this visit. The French onion soup had good flavor, but the onions weren’t cooked down enough, so the texture was off. We also ordered the Reuben rolls as an appetizer, which were actually very good — light and not overwhelming in flavor. The chicken pot pie was a huge disappointment. It came in a bowl with a puff pastry on top that felt stale and wasn’t really edible in my opinion. The main reason we came was for the fish and chips, but the fish wasn’t seasoned at all, like not even salt Overall, we were pretty disappointed and unfortunately won’t be coming back.

as a roselle park native i’ve been coming to dowlings forever, even before the reno! we came for the USA Canada gold medal game and didn’t have a table but Russ was so accommodating, especially in such a hectic setting. they were so busy and swamped and took the time to make sure everyone was comfortable and taken care of. their prices are significantly more fair than other places around here as well, such a good spot!

This place is exactly what you want and expect from a good Irish pub. Perfectly poured Guinness on draft. Lots of TVs to watch live sports. It can be a little loud near the main bar area, but they also have a quieter back room. They had live music on a Saturday night. Friendly and accommodating staff. Solid, filling food.

I haven't been to Downing's in a few years, and had a great experience yesterday evening! Inside hosted a modern pub atmosphere. Service was friendly and attentive for a party of six. We came to see acoustic live music on Friday night and the performer was awesome! Food did not disappoint. I enjoyed my burger, but the stand out was the brie and artichoke dip that came with garlic bread

Met a friend here for lunch. Was a sunny but chilly afternoon. Upon walking in I was immediately drawn to their beautiful bar. U-shaped with shamrocks with a Trinity design inside, embedded on top of beautiful live wood, covered in resin to protect its integrity. We sat at the bar and immediately greeted by a lovely lass. The other patrons were super friendly. We actually changed positions because the door was open and it was a wee bit cold for my liking. I had a Guinness & my friend some other drink, I ordered the fish n chips & she a French onion soup with a side of chips. We chatted with the people next to us, regulars, who had got up and closed the door I realized that I had been to their sister restaurant in Union Beach, also Dowling's. We were approached by a lovely Irish gentleman asking if everything was to our satisfaction? On his way back through I stopped to ask if he was the owner, he was Barry O'Donovan an investor, who owned Kilkenny House in Cranford. He told me they open at 8:30 am for the European football games (soccer, I'm from Scotland, so it'll always be football to me ). As we chatted, it turns out he knew a friend of mine's dad, who owned a pub, The Fox & The Goose in Kilkenny, where he grew up, years ago. Small world . Our food came, I was expecting British "chips" probably should have read the menu? Their chips were hand cut potato chips, but man were they good, as was the fish (May have been the best I've had in the US, I've been on the hunt for 40 yrs to find fish like that of a fish shop in Scotland to no avail) dowsed in malt vinegar & salt, I had to push them away, or I would have eaten them all!! We had an enjoyable few hours, although not close to where I live, would definitely make the trek to go back. Get there, you won't be disappointed, especially with St. Paddy's day coming up. oh and one of the owners is the Grand Marshal in the towns parade this year, they had a banner hanging

Get off your lazy arse and come here to drink! This is one of those bars that just feels like home and there is not much more to say. They fix their mistakes and treat everyone with respect and have all the sports you need. Please support, it's 3 blocks from my house and I really enjoy having a great spot so close to home, I don't care how far you live. The food is good the drinks are cheap, don't think about yourself, think of others that have to struggle for a crisp pint!

Oh my GOODNESS the food here was INCREDIBLE! The lamb burger was cooked to perfection, and the Ruben rolls - I am still talking about with people days later. Beautifully clean restaurant, found it with a friend before they had to get to the airport, it was a great spot. Staff was so nice, service was perfectly timed. Absolutely suggest going there!

Came here for dinner good Irish food. The homemade egg rolls were very good. Shepherds pie was good fish and chips. Very fresh service was on point.

I live nearby, so I've been here maybe 5 times since they reopened and unfortunately, each time I've been at Dowling's, I've had the same issues. As others have commented, the bar is extremely loud and has terrible and weird acoustics-- I think it's probably the design of the space and the big expanse of Sheetrock? I can see they tried putting pads on the ceiling but they do not help-- it's just super loud and echoey, makes it about impossible to talk to anyone you're with and if you're unfortunate enough to be there on a bingo night, like I was tonight, sound wise, it's trully painful-- the volume on the speakers was so loud, that on top of the awful acoustics, it was like being sonically tortured at Guantanamo Bay....& I hate to complain but also the burger I had ordered to be rare was pretty much all brown, not quite well done, maybe, to be kind, I'll call it medium well done, though the onion rings and beers were ok.

I miss the old Dowling's. The new version feels more like a chain restaurant instead of a neighborhood pub. I ordered a corn beef Ruben and the corn beef was sliced super thick n and was dried out. A little upsetting for an Irish pub. The service was excellent though. The bartender was a good conversationalist and entertaining.

Sadly the quality of both the food and service leave a great deal to be desired. Slow service can be overlooked if the food is good, not if it's mediocre at best. On our last visit, one person in our party pronounced the Chicken Pot Pie "inedible ", and no one had a favorable thing to say about the at all. I really want to like this place but they'll have to step up their game. The former Kilkenny House in Cranford which probably didn't change their menu in 15 years had a similar menu but the quality of the food was head and shoulders above Dowling's. Maybe they need to hire a real chef.

my experience was similar to another 3 star reviewer. New, well appointed, large restaurant: certainly not "a pub". excellent service. the drinks are fairly priced. Nearby parking. However, I ordered a corn beef sandwich. When I bit down all of the meat slid out of the bread. I separated the beef from the bread but i could not cut the tough beef into bite size pieces. So disappointing given the ethnicity of the establishment

Unreal how truly amazing this place is! Dowlings hosted my dad's surprise birthday party and from the moment we got there the owners and servers were so helpful, welcoming and on point with the entire event. Russ (one of the owners) timed out our delicious family style meal, which made it seem like a six course meal! Kim, our server, made sure no one had an empty glass, that the kids had something to watch on the TV and timed bringing out the birthday cake perfectly! Lastly, the other owner Marc, took some time away from the bar to walk around and greet everyone individually. We definitely felt like family that night. After our party ended, we then trickled into the bar to listen to a band, where our bartender Chris provided us with some great drink recommendations and a ton of laughs! We cannot wait to celebrate more events there in the future!

The French onion soup was delicious!!! So were the other dishes (shepherds pie and fish & chips). Everything was made fresh. The service was friendly, fast and superb. It was our first time and we were made to feel at home. Learned that the place was remodeled. I liked the touches of memorabilia on the walls. The ambiance was welcoming and we want to return!

This has become my "adjunct dining room" ! The place itself is really nice. The pub-grub is ALWAYS good. A really good Irish menu. The freshest Guinness I have had outside of in Dublin! The clientele is from families, all the way to seniors, with everyone else in between. The service is friendly and welcoming. My hat is off to Russ and Marc who make this a great place!

Very crowded on a summer - place was hopping! Sunday at 4pm. Great vibe with friendly people. Excellent burgers and homemade potato chips

I just had one of the best braised short ribs I have ever had; including my own recipe!

Let me start by saying we all had great hopes for this place but unfortunately we were disappointed. Went there on a week day, pretty early but we still had to wait a while for one round of beers, menu is super limited. There was no one to greet you when you come in, no greeter, no one to clean tables. Would we visit again? We will and hoping some the these details are corrected. Barry was a no show :(

Prices and sizes. First time I went my husband paid nearly $20 for two tenders and a few fries/chips. Second time we went back the special was a fat sandwich for $13...okay whole sandwich on trivia special for that price...but they don't tell ya it's actually just half the amount of a normal plate. I'm fine with smaller portions but don't charge me for full portions if you're serving the amount of a half serving. I shouldn't leave your restaurant hungry.

Try the potato soup, shrimp app, any salad and burger. Love the portion size and the staff is very friendly! One of the few places in the county with a happy hour too!! Definitely worth a try!

They serve harp. It's probably one of the nicer places in the area to go grab a beer and maybe some fun pub food it's pretty sad that there aren't many cool places in this area of Jersey. This one seems new and they're trying to be a great neighborhood, Irish pub.. Well worth checking out.

The food is traditional pub food done well. Sit at the bar and have one of the great bartenders take care of you, and maybe Diffley will make you laugh. The rebuild resulted in a traditional Irish Pub with 2024 in the air. Belly up and let Mark, one of the owners, pour you a pint.

A group of us retired Roselle Park friends meet for lunch every month and today we went to Dowling's. We had the best time, the food was delicious and the staff couldn't be better. We had fish and chips, reuben sandwiches to name a few dishes. We're going back next month!! Beautiful addition to our downtown!!

Food and ambiance was great! The service was good as well. Will definitely be returning.

Great place to hang with friends, have some cocktails and listen to music, play bingo or trivia.. and the food is excellent. All house made! So good!

First time here & everything was great! Servers are very attentive and Patrick & Mark went beyond expectation! All the food was great! Best French Onion soup! Everyone is super friendly!!! Look forward to coming here again! Exactly what we needed! Did I mention the Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake?!?!

Been open 2.5 weeks. Placed was packed. Service was on point. Managers and owners era came over several times to introduce themselves and check on us. We ordered 2 burgers MR and the Mac-n-Cheese w/chicken. Everything was on point. Burgers were cooked perfectly. Mac n Cheese was outstanding. Service was super good. Definitely coming back !!!

Everything was spot on. The egg rolls were fire!!! Probably the best shepards pie I've ever had a restaurant. Service was great. Great chill atmosphere.

Place has been reopened for 2 weeks. Good food, clean place, friendly staff. Spoke with Mark, one of the owners, friendly and appreciative of our visit. Ask for Kelley as she was tremendous! Highly recommend this place. Give it a try!

Where do I begin...found this pub surfing on Yelp again. I was out and about on a Sunday afternoon. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted right away. We were invited to sit anywhere we wanted. We decided to sit at the bar. The vibe was friendly, casual, cool, laid back. Just how I like it. It was $.50 wing Sunday. And the wings were very good. We then proceeded to order the cheeseburger and prime rib sandwich. Seasoned, tender and just great bar food. The drinks were good and the bartender was super friendly. Excellent customer service. The added bonus was that the other patrons were also interactive and engaging. A definite gem to come visit. Cool/laid back. And they have a theme each day. Martini Wednesday, sangria Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays they have live music.

Stopped in for a quick bite and got a Guinness perfectly poured and the Reuben Egg Rolls. Loved the ambience of this place just cool. Food and drink were perfect. I will definitely be back.

Great Food. Great and Friendly service. Reasonably priced! Great local pub!! Definitely recommend.

Awesome, awesome vibe. Couldn't have chosen a better place for St. Patrick's Day. This place has such an amazing atmosphere. We came here late, around 9:45 at night, and luckily it wasn't insanely crowded. Ordered a couple of beers and chicken wings with garlic butter, onion rings, fish and chips, and sweet potato fries. Some options on the menu were blacked out, would've liked to try out the salmon. I'm not a huge wings person, so it's something when I finished more than half of the wings. They were perfect. I'd love to come back here just for the wings. Onion rings were okay, a little too deep fried but then what else can you expect. The fish and chips were outstanding, loved the crispiness along with the tartar sauce. The house potato fries are a perfect compliment to this. Sweet potato fries were nice too, we were too full (and also too many fried items to handle at once) to enjoy it fully. This is the kind of place you want to go to on a bustling night to enjoy the vibe, the life and the people. Loud but in a fun, inclusive way. Also, there was an appearance of someone playing the bagpipe, which made the visit here totally worth it!

My coworker and I dined here on a recent business trip. We found this place based on its positive reviews and am so glad we journeyed here! We arrived late on a Tuesday night. The area around the restaurant is a bit dark and creepy, but we were able to find free parking in an adjacent lot. When we arrived, we sat at a table and the server immediately asked if we were there for trivia. We responded we were actually there for a late dinner and then noticed although the place was packed, we were one of the only few people there to eat. We ordered our food and because it was late and I was starving, I ordered way too much food. I enjoyed an Angry Orchard, a cup of their Loaded Baked Potato soup, a side of their homemade potato chips, and the Salmon Killybegs. The soup arrived very quickly and it was very unique -- instead of chunks of potato, the soup was fine but creamy... I loved it! The scallions were fresh and the bacon bits were crisp. I could probably eat a pot of this for my meal! Their chips were also fresh and delicious. I dipped these in ranch and almost finished the whole serving alone -- and they give you a large serving for $5! By the time my salmon came, I was not hungry at all but still managed to eat most of it. The salmon was fresh and in a delicious sauce, the side of mashed potatoes and broccoli were buttery and delicious. What's unique about this place is the service. After sitting down, a co-owner greeted us, introduced himself, and shook our hands. Shortly thereafter our server came by and gave us impeccable service throughout our experience. We also came during Trivia night and the host made an extra effort to include us in the shenanigans, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Towards the end of our meal, we noticed a note on the wall decor above us -- it was a handwritten note from one of the owners saying he had carried the poster all throughout his time in the military, listing all the different cities the poster traveled with him. What an awesome homage to his service to our country! This place knows the secret sauce to a successful business: great management and staff, delicious food, and a welcoming feel. Love this place, would highly recommend coming here. Will be back!!

The food at this place is absolutely awesome. My wife and I have gone twice, and both times we got juicy hamburgers that were made fresh. I haven't had a bad thing on the menu yet. French onion soup is fantastic, the mozzarella sticks are tasty, the homemade chips or onion rings are both outstanding. The atmosphere in this place is also great. It is a small pub, but they run a few different events throughout the week, including bingo and trivia. The bartenders are all friendly, ours even took our mozz sticks off the bill just because they came out a little late. This is a hidden gem. If you like burgers and a small pub feel, you NEED to try Dowling's.

This is the first time I have came here and it was a really good experience, nice bartender, the owner Mike was a delight. They made good drinks and the wings.. THE BEST , I have had in years. Would visit here more often if we lived nearby, highly recommend this place.

This bar was recommended by several friends for having really great wings. I placed an order for 2 Mild wings, and sweet potato fries for pickup. Everything went smooth with the friendly staff. I wish I could tell you the wings were good but both orders had so much bbq sauce all over the wings we couldn't even enjoy them. Our hands were a complete mess and we ended up wiping so much sauce off that it was ridiculous and not enjoyable. The sweet potato fries had a bad after taste, probably from old oil used to make them. I would not recommend this bar in the future.

Love this place, the bartenders are AWESOME, the food is AMAZING, beer selection is just ok not much to choose from but that doesn't really matter when everything else is perfect... trust me you will have a blast here.

This place is a great place to get a few beers and a bite to eat with friends. Service is good and bartenders are cool.

Great place for a happy hour/appetizer on a Friday ! Excellent wings- Dowlings is a neighborhood gathering place for all ages. Live music, specials and great service and staff.

Very friendly owner/bartender (Mark) as well as the waitress (Katie), who is very efficient, accommodating & accurate. They have a good selection of drafts & some good food choices. I'm curious to try one of their burgers. I like the Tuesday night trivia which is quite lively & engages the crowd. Parking is available on the streets around Dowlings as well as a municipal lot behind the bar. Been here a couple of times now. This is the first bar I've ever been to where the bartender comes out, welcomes people and introduces himself to new patrons- nice touch. I can see this place being wildly successful if this hospitality continues.

Fun time at a great local pub. Nice daily specials and good entertainment. I like the atmosphere, relaxing place to kick back at the bar and watch a game. Staff are friendly, quick to get orders and some decent food. Cool spot to hang out with some friends for the night. Place I know I'll have an enjoyable evening and not break the bank. Bar tenders are knowledgeable and provide good service. A bit crowded at times, might be a positive or negative depending who you are, but it tells me they're popular. I prefer when it dies down a little, but that's just me

Been to this bar twice now and love the atmosphere. It's not too big, first time I went was pre covid and it was busier yet didn't feel like I couldn't move. Second time it wasn't as busy so def enjoyed it more having all the space available. The tables are well spaced out now for social distancing. I would say you must try the Irish nachos, but then again I'm normally a sucker for any nachos we had the wings and normally I'm not a fan of wings, but these were pretty good! Wish they had a little more beer on tap, but can't complain it's enough. And of course most importantly I feel the staff was friendly and welcoming.

So glad that Dowling's reopened with outdoor seating. My husband and I stopped by for a couple of drinks on the 4th of July. We arrived just as the sun was about to set so it felt comfortable sitting outdoors. I had a couple Malibu Bay Breezes and they were delicious (not weak/watered down). Hubby had a couple of Coronas. By the time that we were done, the tables were all taken. The music is a little bit of everything. We had a good time. :D

Great atmosphere delicious burgers, mouth watering!!!! Good tasting wings. Wish they had naked wings though. Oh and great tasting beers lol

Great in town Pub with delicious burgers and lots of crowd pleaser weekly specials. Friendly & attentive staff. Had fun time at Burgers & Bingo night.

In from out of town. Took a chance on this place looking for a low key place with good food. Was pleasantly surprised by this place. I was greeted by Mark as he came out from behind the bar and shook our hands and introduced himself (you don't get that anywhere anymore). Great atmosphere. Friendly people. The guys working the joint make it a point to make you feel welcome. Sports were on the 8+ tv's. Felt like we belonged. I shall return when I'm in town. Highly recommended...and the wings and shepherds pie were phenomenal.

Came here for a few drinks and appetizers. The onion rings are really great here. The buffalo wings are alright (huge though). The staff however is overly friendly and nice, which was very nice of them. The prices are also decent here. A little loud inside so it's tough to talk sometimes. Would definitely return.

Brand new, and these guys look like they're amping up for a great time! Located where Mulligan's Pub used to be, Dowling's is another new Roselle Park venture the locals are embracing with open arms. I went on the second night they were open, and the place was packed! I'm sure the excitement will die down and regulars will settle in to their routine, but I have hope for this place. A little bit on the more expensive side - it was ten bucks for a Blue Moon draught and Budweiser bottle. I do look forward to trying their food, though. I am a sucker for Irish fare. 5 stars for the excitement! We'll see if that changes in the future, once they settle in.

New neighborhood bar, super friendly owners, clean, inviting and comfortable. Very diverse pub menu and the food is plentiful and delicious. Sampled the potato soup which was piping hot and so flavorful. Burgers are hand made and huge! Hand cut freshly made chips. Give them a try,,,,, you won't be disappointed. Can't wait to watch some football there with friends......

Food, beer, wine, hard liquor, live music, trivia and bingo nights, touch tunes to choose your own music, friendly bar tenders and waitresses: Dowling's has it all! This is my hometown bar and I try to go at least once a month to bingo (Mondays - 1/2 priced build your own burger!!) and once during the weekend - Fridays and Saturdays are usually packed! Filled with smiley locals and the smell of tasty wings and REUBEN ROLLS. Let me just dedicate an entire paragraph to Ye Old Reuben Rolls: My boyfriend and I get them every time we go, without question. We've had them small, we've had them large, and now Dowling's has made them JUST RIGHT (a medium size). It's exactly like an egg roll, the shell is crisp and oily and amazing. And the inside is heaven. The Russian dressing they give you on the side is also somehow the best Russian dressing I've ever had. Dowling's WILL cater my wedding, I swear to you. Reuben rolls for everyone. If you don't like it, I don't care. Also, a shout out to Marc! Marc is awesome! He knows me and my boyfriend now and goes out of his way to greet us every time we come in. The live music is always good, they have a guy on retainer who does Irish folk songs (I always JUST miss Galway Girl!!!) Once Dowling's closes, most of the crowd heads over to the Riverside Inn in Cranford - another great place (also reviewed!)