By: | May 4, 2024 | Dining | Colts Neck
By Bill Clark
There’s no nonsense to the Colts Neck Pub. They’ll pour you a beer and a shot, maybe mix up a cocktail. The bartenders are capable and liquor selection is extensive, but most patrons here are looking for the straightforward. Afterall, there’s beauty in simplicity.
In the eyes of Katie Barasky, who owns the pub with her father Bruce and brother Brian, the Colts Neck Pub is meant to be that place you go when you want a burger, a beer and to root on your favorite team. The desire for a neighborhood joint is still strong with folks no matter where you go, and when people are looking for a place to grab a bite, for most, it doesn’t need to be fancy.
Even the tagline on their sign speaks to the no-frills simplicity of their philosophy: “A Good Place to Drink & Eat.”
“We are a beer and shot joint,” Barasky said. “We have a great selection of beers on tap with the newest most advanced draft system, and we have a great selection of whiskey, scotch and bourbons too.”
Pumped through the taps are classics like Bud Light, Miller Lite and Coors, along with local craft flavors from Kane and Twin Lights Brewery.
The Concept
The family purchased the business in 2022 and opened its doors just before the new year.
Other establishments in the area were more definable as restaurants. Their menus had steaks and entree lists more fitting for a traditional sit-down experience. Perfectly fine in Barasky’s eyes, but she and her family knew that a pub was what Colts Neck was lacking. Their brand of food and bar service proved successful in other spots they owned in North Brunswick and New York City, so it seemed logical that the same formula could work in Monmouth County.
When the Baraskys first purchased the site, they overturned the entire concept from the previous owners. The small bar had to be expanded if they wanted a proper pub feel. Now, Barasky believes that those that walk in can grab a spot any day of the week. There’s live music, plentiful sports on the televisions and a menu that fits the majority of people.
“It’s not a dive bar, but this is where you're going to go if you want to just be casual and comfortable,” she said.
The quick pitch might make it seem like a dive, but the inside is bright and welcoming, the bartop is marble, and the equipment is modern and efficient. College students and grandparents would be equally at home with an affordable draft, house wine or higher end liquor.
The menu
Looking over the options on the menu, most diners can put away their utensils.
“It's nothing crazy or out of the ordinary,” she said. “It's what you would expect to see on that kind of menu.”
Most of the menu is classic bar fare. Burgers are served in a few varieties, with the most extravagant options including sauteed mushrooms or blue cheese. Pizzas, wraps and sandwiches are plentiful in addition to buffalo wings, calamari and other highly dippable selections. Expect the pint glasses at the table to be covered in smudges of sauce and drippings by the time the second round comes.
But the menu isn’t rigid. Barasky said that the kitchen likes to bring in a little flair now and again.
“We do run daily specials, but they are constantly changing,” she said.
Hospitality runs in the family
The family has a record of approachable hospitality ventures. Their pub in North Brunswick just celebrated its 45th anniversary. The Baraskys operated Reade Street Pub in Manhattan from 1997 until 2021. Now the family has firmly planted themselves in their home state.
Colts Neck Pub is continuing the family tradition. Quite literally.
Barasky and her brother each met their spouses through their time in hospitality. Barasky during her time in North Brunswick, her brother during his time in New York City.
That familial feeling extends to the people that tend bar and serve their customers.
“I have one employee in North Brunswick that's been with us for 40 years,” she said. “We're a good family to work for, and we have consistency where you always feel welcome,” she said.
That love of people is what helps Barasky and her family continue to work in the industry. “Number one thing is you have to love people. If you don't love people, this is not for you,” she said. “Thankfully, we really like people.”
The Baraskys have experience in making their business a pillar of the community in times of celebration and support. Their former Manhattan establishment was located several blocks from the World Trade Center. In the delicate time that followed the September 11th attacks, Reade Street became the first bar to reopen in the vicinity, Barasky said.
“That was very, very important to us,” Barasky said of giving a place to those that needed comfort, support, and a return to normalcy.
Barasky hopes the Colts Neck Pub can become a place that is woven into the fabric of the community in Colts Neck. Several of Barasky’s nephews are students at the township schools. The business donates what it can to the district in support of its goals.
Each night, the Colts Neck Pub will cater to all. Their sartorial choice is merely a suggestion. Those in finance can pull up to the bar next and feel just as comfortable as the nurse or teacher that just clocked out. A comfortable place to drink your favorite beverage may be the great equalizer among professions. The Baraskys want to be there for each. It may not be yoga or rec league basketball, but to Katie Barasky and her family, the local pub may be the exact place for what “ales” you.
