The Thirsty Turtle

After a long hospital shift on February 14, my coworkers and I decided to unwind at Thirsty Turtle, and it was exactly what we needed. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt warm and welcoming, the kind of place where you can finally exhale after a busy day. The energy was lively but still comfortable enough for us to sit, talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company. The food was outstanding. Everything came out fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. You can tell care goes into what they serve. Every bite hit the spot. The service truly made the night special. Even though it was Valentine’s Day and clearly busy, the staff was attentive, friendly, and patient with our group. We never felt rushed, and they made sure we were taken care of. It turned an ordinary after-shift hangout into a memorable night. We’ll definitely be back.

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ The service and atmosphere were truly over the top — in the best way. The staff was attentive without being intrusive, and the overall vibe made for a very comfortable dining experience. It wasn’t too loud, which made it easy to actually enjoy conversation with the person across from you. The food was good, though not quite exceptional. I’d say it’s fairly priced for what you receive — solid quality and well prepared, just not something that completely blows you away. If you’re looking for a dependable spot to bring your family, with plenty of menu options to satisfy everyone and an atmosphere that makes the evening enjoyable, this is a great choice. The fifth star is just waiting for that extra “wow” factor — but overall, a very solid experience.

Some unique things on the menu. Nothing clearly marked vegetarian. I had the squash soup. It was ok once I added salt & pepper. Perhaps it needs nutmeg? My entree was a spinach salad with feta and pecans. It was good but way too big. Not necessary. Others had French onion soup. My sister had crab cakes. Ok. Turkey meatloaf seemed good. Lobster bisque was sent back due to an unusual taste. And watery. The guys had steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus. They said it was good. But the mashed potatoes were a bit dry and needed salt & pepper. I had 2 lychee martini’s. They were great. For dessert we had a bread pudding (no raisins - 👍🏼) which was huge and I shared this. It had ice cream. It could use a bit of flavor. Perhaps cinnamon?? The pear apple dessert seemed ok. With a little extra care in flavor I’d give it 5 stars. **Vegetarian options would be great and I don’t mean pasta primavera. —- Our server was very patient and accomplished. Al is his name

Amazing food! The Staff is very friendly, you can’t go wrong with this restaurant! The taco salad, the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and the aperol, are wonderful! Portions and prices are very fair, and it’s very intimate and clean! Great Desserts and good coffee!

Relatively empty at 3ish. Filled up by 6 o'clock. Food was very good. Mahi tacos always a great choice. Friends had the grilled chicken sandwich and a burger with sweet potato fries that were really good. No one rushed us in spite of steady flow of patrons. We left at 6 and there was no one waiting but most tables seemed to be filled. Quick food service and attentive wait staff.

As a family navigating a new celiac diagnoses this place is a breath of fresh air with their extensive gluten free menu. This is the closest to normal we have yet to experience. EVERYTHING was good; the food, the drinks and the service from Emily B. They have all the gluten free drinks listed on the GF menu (including a GF beer from Departed soles) which takes out all the guess work. This place is 10/10.

Best burger I’ve had in a while. Food was professional. The pretzel burger was cooked perfectly medium rare as requested. Nice pretzel bun and Beef was top grade and juicy and bacon was cooked perfectly. Onion rings were large and crispy. French dip was also really professional fresh ingredients. Everything was very filling. Lots of beers on top and plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. Service was fast and professional. Menu is not too crazy and everything sounded delicious. It was a Friday night and was packed, that’s how you know it’s good food and drinks. Will be back to try other items.

The filet mignon spring rolls, sliced filet mignon sandwich, and skirt steak fajitas were all excellent (that was all I tried, so 3 for 3). Nice bar and grill atmosphere with friendly service. In summary, excellent food and no complaints.

A pretty ok neighborhood kind of place. Slightly hard to find so that's probably what gives it a nice local feel. Very lively atmosphere especially on a weekend night. Food is standard. What you would expect. Wings were good but small.

I am in love with The Thirsty Turtle! I love it when I check out a local spot that has great prices, a wide variety of menu items, delicious food/drinks and excellent service. I enjoyed a delectable dinner last night that was wonderful from start to finish. The figtastic martini was addictive! It was the perfect combination of fig flavored vodka, pomegranate juice, elderflower liqueur and fresh lemon. For starters, I tried the spinach and artichoke dip that was topped with crispy bacon that wasn't greasy. Also, I tried garlic parmesan pretzel sticks with a really tasty cheese sauce. For my entree, I had a delicious burger that was cooked perfectly and was accompanied by fries that weren't greasy. The burger and fries was a sizable portion, but I still managed to make room for dessert. The brownie with ice cream that I had was fantastic, but I absolutely will order the house-made bread budding that my friend said was to die for! Our server, Erick, was attentive, knowledgeable and very pleasant. I will absolutely be back, particularly for that bread pudding!

Stopped in after a basketball game in the area. Wanted to find somewhere to eat that would have a variety and have games on. The food was great, loved the vibes and atmosphere and service was good.

We figured we'd give this place a try since we were in Florham Park. The food was good. My grilled chicken sandwich was a little bland, but once I added their chipotle mayo it was perfect. My mocktail was amazing! I believe it was peach puree, mint and club soda (so refreshing). Service was good. Out waiter came by to check on us quite often. We sat inside but I love that they have outdoor seating.

Visiting a friend, this is her favorite local spot. Very cute and friendly feel. We had some drinks and the tv on the bar was nice and not annoying like some bars.

A pretty ok neighborhood kind of place. Slightly hard to find so that's probably what gives it a nice local feel. Very lively atmosphere especially on a weekend night. Food is standard. What you would expect. Wings were good but small. Steak sandwich was ok - very small piece of meat on a stale roll. Great fries and a nice selection of draft beers. Service was ok. We were at a high top in the bar and I never felt like we had a dedicated server. But those we interacted with were friendly. Perfect for families.

Food: dependable, delicious, and fresh Service: helpful, gracious, accommodating! Ambiance: big parking lot, nice tvs, comfortable seating

I have to say I really enjoy The Thirsty Turtle. Although it's a sports bar and you think it might just be cool to watch a game, the food and staff are excellent and professional. We went the other night and met friends for dinner and it was a fantastic experience! The waiter, (I don't remember his name), but he memorized our order and everything came out perfect! We had appetizers, burgers, beer & drinks, and enjoyed everything we ate and drank. I also have to call out Manny who went above and beyond in helping me. He is smart and knows how to treat customers. Any establishment should be lucky to have him!

Hey Thirsty Turtle Please season your chicken fingers because they are so bland omg!!! The breading is perfect not too much and not too little

The Thirsty Turtle has a nice, friendly vibe to it. The host and servers were all very kind and polite. The food was pretty good my Penne Vodka with chicken could've used a little more sauce. Other than that everything else w

Sad food with little to no taste. Service was good however. I ordered the short rib tacos and the whole thing was refrigerator level cold with two little strips of meat per taco. Kids mac and cheese was flour and water without evidence of cheese in it. Other kids Grilled cheese was toasted bread with some type of cheese substance on it, bread wasn't even buttered first. Told the waiter the food was terrible, paid the bill, and we left. Wife liked her burger but it was overcooked so gave a star for that.

The name may not inspire confidence but the food is good and it's a good looking place. The service was competent. The prices are what you pay now. What can you do about it! I went for a Sunday lunch. I think it's great that they have a lunch on Sunday rather than brunch which I generally dislike and consider a rip off. I had a chicken panini and my wife had an encrusted tilapia- not something I'd order but it was pretty good. They have a good beer list. We had dessert. I'd go back.

Extremely disappointing. Onion soup stock taste bitter and burnt. Filet Spring Rolls had too much fried breading on them, big and clunky. Cabbage inside didn't work for me. I like the idea of dipping sauce but the gravy and that particular horseradish I did not like.

The thirsty turtle is a pretty run of the mill sports bar. The food is alright, the drinks are alright, the people that work there are pretty nice. Sometimes the food is better than other days, pretty inconsistent. The wings and onion rings are pretty good, Irish nachos are weird. Stick to beer and wine because the cocktails are mediocre. A good spot for a work event or lunch.

Jensen Beach Location. Great Service, Layed back vibe. Friendly. Jason and Lisa Great. Love the food and drink specials!

Amazing food - great selection - top notch service! Our family loves going to Thirsty Turtle or ordering for delivery. Highly recommend

Found this place while in the area for lunch. I called in my order and got the turkey burger. When I arrived I parked in the lot. I walked in and was greeted. I paid and left. When I dug in the sandwich was pretty good! I really liked the caramelized onions and the mustard sauce that it came with. The sandwich was very scrumptious and good. The only thing they forgot was my fries. I had a good experience all in all.

We came here for dinner last night, it was our very first visit, and everything was way jacked up and overpriced, with very small portions, the food was not the least bit hot (or even luke-warm), and no drink refills offered. Absolutely horrible dining experience, to where I felt compelled to reach out to the Manager via email, and I went into every single detail possible, and included all of the info from our check... and he didn't even have the common decency, courtesy, respect or professionalism to reply to me, with an apology or anything. Not the least bit recommended to anyone.

My toddler loves it here for the kids meal. He gets a hot dog and it comes with GRAPES and a gogurt. My goodness! If only they cut the grapes ahead of time then it would be PERFECT. More restaurants should serve kids meals like that. The food is usually great. Though the one item I just don't recommend was fajitas. Though I had them last summer, the flavor profile was so strange. Maybe it was an off night. But anyway the food is usually very solid - cheesesteak and sandwiches all great. Pot stickers are good and the pretzel app. Beer menu is pretty vast and there's usually a sour/ cider too which is great. So many places have IPAs only these days. Service is always consistently good. When we are in the area it's a solid spot

In the area for a medical appointment, looking for a good lunch nearby. Went on faith in the YELP reviews and ended up here. As others indicate, lots of parking, walk in the front door, and there's the reception desk. Warmly greeted, taken directly to a table on the right side (casual dining to the right - large bar area to the left). Waitstaff and bus staff extremely friendly and efficient. Small but decent selection of draft beers. Irish Nachos were "quaint" but tasty. Ms. I enjoyed the Mahi Tacos, I had the Sliced Filet Mignon Sandwich with good fries. Dining area is pleasant, not overly noisy even though pretty much full. A great find, thanks for the YELP reviews.

We came in for football Sunday and we were accommodated immediately. The bar was full so they sat us at a table but we're still accessible to see some of the games. The server was nice and greeted us quickly. We weren't sure what to order but he was very patient and gave us some recommendations. We ordered the nachos but instead of chips we got it with fries, mozzarella sticks and the boneless chicken with Buffalo and bbq sauce on the side. Right after we ordered we saw a better table that was in the center of the bar and they were lovely enough to let us move! Then our food came! The mozzarella sticks weren't my favorite but the nachos and boneless chicken were super delicious! The buffalo sauce that came with the chicken was phenomenal. Overall I had an amazing time!

God selection of beers and food. Food was spot on delicious. Waitress was pleasant and attentive. Will return.

FAVORITE RESTAURANT. They have great takeout and a great place to eat in. They don't take reservations but I usually do takeout. the service is pretty average but the food is AMAZING! you will never leave hungry!! Great family restaurant

Good but nothing special. My boyfriend and I came here on a Friday because the original place we were going was booked. I've never heard of it before so didn't know what to expect. The inside is MASSIVE! It is so unassuming from the outside, wow! For drinks we got a Mediterranean Mule (figenza vodka, ginger beer, and lime) which was a 12/10 and my boyfriend ordered one beer and thinks they gave him a different one, but still enjoyed it. We got the Cuba Libra wings (sweet cola rum glaze, lightly jerk seasoned, toasted coconut, and peppercorn dipping sauce), the burger special (a boar burger), and a Cuban with onion rings. The wings were so interesting! A completely different flavor than I've ever had. The toasted coconut was so awesome, I loved it. And the dipping sauce? Perfection. The burger was delicious and cooked really well. The Cuban was good but buttery? And it's 100% my fault for not noticing this on the menu but to substitute fries for onion rings is $5. So my Cuban came out to be $20 and, dang. It was good, but not worth $20 in my opinion. All in all, the service was good and the food was decent. I would go back but order something different.

Love the food, had the chicken bruscetta and was soo good. I also and decent selection of beer.

I'm a fan of Thirsty Turtle. Have been on many occasions. They have a great menu, service is quick and friendly, and food is always solid. It's kids friendly too. On my last visit I ordered the mahi mahi tacos. Unfortunately this was a miss. I often order fish tacos when they're on the menu and these were not good. The flavoring wasn't great and fish tasted very fishy. I hope they improve this recipe. When it comes to food, I'll stick to the burgers, salads and stir fry ...

I'm not usually in the Florham Park area, but my husband and I went to the Shakespeare Theater of Madison's warehouse costume sale and needed a nearby place for lunch. We decided upon the Thisty Turtle. I ordered the panko crusted tilapia with citrus butter sauce, garlic mashed potatoes, and spinach, an order my husband was dubious about. I proved him wrong. My dish came out the perfect temperature and consistency because it was brought from the kitchen immediately after cooking and was perfect, as was his balsamic chicken sandwich. My husband sampled a few beers from the 22 beer tap, and I nursed my old-fashioned cocktail with my one drink limit. Coffee and bread pudding dessert were also top notch. Service was friendly and efficient. The decor is beautiful with a desert palette of colors unfolding in a chic, modern decor. It is in the space of the old Trader Joe's but unlike the crazed energy of Trader Joe's, this restaurant is calm and relaxing and was a good choice.

I recently met up with a friend at The Thirsty Turtle for lunch. It was a quiet day for the restaurant, and we had not seen each other in a while, and had a nice visit. The food was average, and the server pleasant but not very attentive. After a while, the place emptied a bit, and one of the managers stood about ten feet from me, and stared at me, making strange faces---then went over to the lights and dimmed them. It was clearly an attempt to get us to leave, though the place was nearly empty and it was early afternoon. I called to inquire about what I felt was unprofessional behavior, and was told they were checking the table and often dimmed the lights....in other words, I was given a song and dance after being made to feel very unwelcome. The site says it is a place "to gather," but I gather they would prefer you eat and leave quickly. It will be a long time before I would consider going there again.

The service here was pretty good! We were a large party (7 adults, 6 kids), and though we were seated at two different tables, they did their best to keep our party together, which we appreciated. Our waitress was friendly, and helpful. We asked for suggestions and whatnot and she was happy to help. The food was put together well, very nicely presented. I'd go back, it was a good experience.

On this particular October night, it was our grandson's Thirteenth birthday. Unfortunately, we chose the THIRSTY TURTLE in FLORHAM PARK, NJ to celebrate. Due to the fact that there were eight of us, we traveled in two separate vehicles. On the first day of his teenage years, the young man received several gifts, one of which was a gift certificate to MacDonald's. His younger sister had expressed a desire for a Happy Meal with french fries from Macdonald's. Our now 13-year-old grandson had us stop at MacDonald's for his sister, unbeknownst to his younger sister and immediate family. He did not use his gift certificate on himself but chose to spend it on his younger sister. Upon entering the THIRSTY TURTLE, we were IMMEDIATELY set upon by the management and dark haired middle age waitress who rudely, belligerently and surly with knowing the situation nor condition that he could not bring the food in. The fact of the matter was that he could not leave it in his parent's car due to the fact that they were already seated and awaiting his arrival. There are NOT too many children running around with the family car's keys in their possession. Needless to say, the balding older manager AND the dark haired middle age waitress never gave the young man the benefit of the doubt and continued to berate him in front of the ENTIRE THIRSTY TURTLE establishment. Never in our lives have we ever met nor dealt with such low class, demeaning, vulgar, abrasive and arrogant people. A generous young man's act of kindness to his sister along on a very noteworthy occasion was blasted to oblivion by the actions of a very surly staff. There is a saying: It is not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it. If the THIRSTY TURTLE closed tomorrow, they will not be missed.

I went in with low expectations, but left delighted! We had the filet mignon spring rolls, bruschetta chicken, and kobe black truffle burger. The spring rolls were delicious, and my burger was excellent! The black truffle burger review: the burger patty was SO thick and juicy! It had a hint of truffle, and needed a smidgen of more salt for seasoning, but there was some on the table to take care of that. There were two small slivers of brie that melted and danced with the kobe in your mouth. The bun was perfectly fresh (you know how some buns seem kinda stale... yeah. No, this one was absolutely good)! The pickle and fries paired well with the burger to make it a wholesome, complete meal. The mister liked his chicken, but picked out all of the tomatoes (which there were a LOT because it's bruschetta). If I ever came back to the area, I'd love to return to try different items! TIP: happy hour is only served at the bar.

We had a great experience here even dining with 3 kids and a baby. Had a daft Guinness. Delicious. They gave us free onion rings appetizer bc of a mix up but delicious and bonus! Kids tried nuggets and burgers. They had fries or grapes and yogurt which was perfect for my non fry loving ones and fry loving ones alike. It also came with ice cream. Also kid fav. I had French dip and it was delicious. Husband had a great burger.

The service is great. The environment is friendly, and the food is delicious. I highly recommend it.

Great service. Food was pretty good for bar food. The service was fabulous. I went at 5pm with a child and they were so kind and accommodating.

So I came here with my sister after work because I promised I'd get dinner with her on Friday. She found this place on her phone and figured why not and try this place out. It's only 10 minutes from our house and they were closing at 11pm and we got there at 10:30pm but they were willing to seat us and take our order. Ample amount of parking so you don't have to worry. I wasn't that hungry but seeing the chipotle burger on the menu made me want to get it ( i didn't realize that you get veggie coleslaw instead of fries but they were very accommodating and gave us a side of fries on the house). The burger was pretty good, not the best I have ever ate but still not bad. The fries were extra crispy and delicious which made my night. For dessert, I really wanted to try the keylime pie but man I was disappointed. It was pretty small and not good at all. Definitely not worth the $$. The creme brulee was good though so if you want a dessert, definitely go for that instead. Overall, not too shabby. Decent food, decent atmosphere, great service!

Average and definitely not worth $17 for a salad. Realize halfway through that I didn't even get the cilantro lime dressing that is what makes the flavor of this particular salad. One in cranford is way better. Would not return to this location

Great service, quick and clean! Perfect spot after the annual Polar Express ride!!!!!

Came here with a friend after a doctors appointment, they were fairly busy but we were seated immediately. The jerk Jamaican wings were really good. The pretzel burger was good. The penne vodka was watery (not my preference). My friend enjoyed their carrot cake and the brownie was sundae was really good. The drinks were less desirable. They put A LOT of ice so if not consumed timely it's watered down. Got the cucumber melon, the garnished cucumber tasted terrible. But I would return based on the experience with the food.

LOVE IT HERE! On top of amazing food quality, so many menu choices (different and not just same old), and fun atmosphere. There COVID pick-up is great. So fast, so efficient, and the best part is the way they package. Everything packed so nicely and with holes so nothing is soggy. Can't say enough, love it love it. The food is just so good, "normal" foods with fun spins and not boring

Fun bar in downtown F.P. with super friendly staff. Great selection of draft beers and I appreciate the custom flights for trying new things. Will definitely be back for the onion ring stack!!

Good food Good service Nice vibe Certainly a hometown favorite for us Great burgers

Every dish I have tried is good. Great place to go with little kids, outdoor seating and they provide crayons and a coloring sheet.

My friend and I visited the Thirsty Turtle around 6 pm on a Thursday night. The restaurant is pretty spacious and a lot of tables were taken even for a weeknight. We were seated in a cozy spot and began to browse the menus. Their (food) menu online marked items as gluten-free, while the menu in the restaurant did not have any clear indicators. Their drink menu is seriously impressive, especially since they have a whole section dedicated to mules. I opted for a PB J mule, which is probably the most unique mule I've had-- it was absolutely delicious and well-crafted. My friend ordered a Caesar salad with salmon while I went for the candied pecan & apple salad since it is marked GF online. My salad arrived with bread on top of the lettuce, which I then had to discard and separate the untouched salad from. Unfortunately, the salad wasn't very robust or impressive, nor was my friend's ultra-dry salmon. I would definitely return, but probably just for the bar.

Went out with friends. I chose the buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing. The wings were very good and messy. And had a kick. No complaints here. One friend ordered potstickers and the other ahi tuna. They polished off their apps. I ordered St. Louis Ribs. When I eat ribs in a restaurant I expect the meat to fall off the bones. These did not. And they put a slice between each rib. I like no cuts. Let me do it. It came with fries and Cole slaw. I ate only the fries. Another friend also got the ribs and had the same result. Won't get ribs here again. My other friend got the bruschetta chicken over Angel hair. That's always a good choice. I first got a white peach sangria. Than with my meal the red sangria. The white tasted so much better. No dessert for any of us. They have 22 beers on tap. I will be back but will get a different entree. I recommend.

Food is quite good and we are pretty much regulars mostly sitting g at bar for dinner. Despite being regulars and tipping very good the barstaff ladies are not friendly at all. They do their job and nothing else. Sad to see this in an otherwise good restaurant.

Food was delicious had the pretzel burger multiple times and never disappoints! Service is typically pretty good food comes out quick and server is almost always attentive. Atmosphere is a sports bar. Not really much else to it. Multiple tvs to watch the game with a smaller dining area on either side of the doors that is secluded from the bar area. But if looking for a place to watch the big game in Florham Park area, this is the place!

The Thirsty Turtle is the 'Real Deal' for Great food and Great times. This place is fast becoming a local landmark and is an unparalleled restaurant for Brunch, Lunch, Dinner or Just Drinks. For my initial visit I went with the Chicken Jenna which consists of breaded chicken stuffed with asparagus, roasted peppers, mozzarella cheese, prosciutto, and served with carbonara sauce, broccoli, carrots, & garlic mashed potatoes so Delicious. This meal would make Any Turtle come out of its shell, lol. The bartenders here are Really prompt and pleasant plus the food came out pretty quickly which is nice when you have a limited time for lunch. Parking is fair in the undersized lot and they do get Busy at peak times. I look forward to visiting the Turtle in the very near future.

A great spot my boyfriend took me to because we weren't sure where to eat! Didn't have high expectations but I was happy with this choice. The atmosphere was vibrant and lively so it seemed like a popular spot for a town bar. The hostess told us it would take fifteen minutes for us to get a table but we at least were able to grab a drink at the bar, but we were seated in less than ten. We ordered their Irish nachos which were really good and I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich. With French fries. Highly recommend! My boyfriend got the short rib tacos and they packed it with a lot of meat so it seemed filling to me. The service was on point too. Very friendly and patient with us since we were indecisive. I would love to return! Especially during happy hour and maybe dessert if I don't feel full!

Very good American food & great lively bar action. Always busy in evening. Go early for dinner.