Reviews of Stone Balloon Ale House (Restaurant)

Jay T

The stone balloon is no longer in concert menu it is definitely a gastropub. The food is good they're seating outdoors if you get there when it's not crowded. It's one of the better restaurants on main Street in Newark at present the appetizers they have are delicious and I suggest brussel sprouts. A good place to go with your friends or a nice dinner. If you like my reviews click like

Michaela Boykin

This is my favorite place to eat on Main St. The food is the perfect mix of comforting and innovative that keeps you coming back. Brunch is just as good as dinner and is definitely worth a try. There is a nice outdoor seating area and the service is always good. Ignore the flashier places and "trendy" eateries and give this tried and true establishment a try!

Kenya Chesney

Our waitresses was Very Hospitable. Food was delicious. Mood/Atmosphere has a laid back ambiance !

Brandon Williams

Good prices, and fanastic food

Chaipav

Fresh food. Delicious New recipes every day. Personable chef. Good beers. Good music. Does not get better than this.

Michael Fritz

Good food. Good service

Sarah LaFave

Stone Balloon recently catered an off-site event for us. We have never heard so many compliments about the service at our annual event. The staff was polite, energetic and beyond helpful. The catering team went above beyond to ensure our event was a success. The food was fresh, delicious and nicely presented -- many guests commented that it was beyond their expectations at a large buffet-style event. Chef Robbie, Luke, Erica and team are awesome to work with. I highly recommend them for catering or events!

Scott West

Food was amazing and the atmosphere was incredible. Highly recommend.

Emily D

Overpriced. Slow service. Food has no freshness or flavor. Maybe the drinks are good but not going back or recommending.

Blanch Wesson

My boyfriend and I went there to have dinner and it was amazing. The hostess was very attentive and wonderful you are awesome Cassidy! The manager came to our table and ask how was everything was it cooked to our liking and laughed and talked a little bit about football which was very nice. The Cook obviously love what he do because it show in the preparation of the food.The food was very well seasoned and every bite was amazing . I will definitely be recommending Stone Balloon to all my guest at the hotel I work at. STONE BALLOON YOU HAVE A AMAZING TEAM!

Von Shroeder

Our waiter Ken made the night magical.

Ryan Klopf

History history history!!! Food was great! A little expensive. But some of the biggest names have played at this place. Worth a visit in my opinion.

Zachery Bear

Nice atmosphere. Good beer selection and cocktails and wine too! The food was good, and I am not a huge dessert person but the cheesecake and the red velvet waffle thing was AMAZING! They also have some good specials and our bartender, Aaron rocked! We will definitely be making the long drive to come back again.

Brent Roberts

Good beers.

Danielle Blackwell

Great atmosphere, quick service. The crab cake sandwich was a little salty for my taste but my partner got the black bean burger and it was delicious.

Frank Nicely

Great food, great selection of beer and awesome service.

Anastasia Hecker

Good, not great. We paid $50 for a couple of beers, a burger, and a cheesesteak. The menu is not very big at brunch time. The place was cool and the staff was helpful, but I'm sure I can find food and beer that's just as good, if not better, somewhere cheaper.

Stephen Mangat

Good food, good beer selection, bartenders make great drinks, nice tributes inside to the old Balloon too

John Schirling

Great price

Nikki Self

Excellent food, nice atmosphere, top notch service!

Kristin M

Went for happy hour on my lunch break with a friend. We walked in and were stared at rudely. So, we turned to the server and told him we were coming for happy hour. He was very aloof. We were asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside. We chose outside. He went back to get us utensils. The whole time his demeanor was very rude. When coming back he explained that they did not open yet. Note: the front door was unlocked and we went right in. There was staff in the main room. My friend explained we looked online and it said happy hour started at 3:30. I looked at my phone it was 3:55. The server told us they don't open until 4:00 and that business had slowed so they changed their hours a few months ago and hadn't changed it online. At this point you would think he would realize there was a misunderstanding. Nope. He was still rude. I mean it's 5 minutes! We hadn't even decided what we wanted yet! We were outside! By the time we were ready to order they would be "open." We left and I don't intend to go back. Bad first experience. I don't need to be treated like that.

Anonymouss S.

Great atmosphere. Their menu is very unique.

Lisa Cawley

I ate here for the first time last summer and the Stone Balloon had quickly become one of my favorite area restaurants. Unfortunately, incompetent management makes getting a good meal near impossible. Last fall, we booked a rehearsal dinner for our wedding next summer (more than EIGHTEEN MONTHS in advance). Even though we have two email confirmations for our event, we received an email a few days ago from Curt who said he didn't "know where along the line we had you reserved for June 1st of 2019, but at some point the reservation date was changed in our system." He did very kindly offer to host our rehearsal dinner the same night as our wedding as that date is available. Hopefully the group that now have our reservation won't arrive that evening to discover that their reservation was also "changed in our system."

jeff marsh

Metallica played here 30 years ago, Lars just mentioned the show on instagram. Good enough for me.

unkwn2man

Very good selections of food

Andrew Mayberry

I used to go see concerts at the original Stone Balloon as a teenager and just recently visited the new iteration. The do a decent job of paying homage to the original and have good food and beer.

Jeff Lippert

Great place in college town. Parking is a pain (as in most college towns), but place is on the main drag and usually crowded. I had shrimp tacos with brussel sprouts that were fantastic.

chumslam

The chicken tenders were better than the house specialty that "beat Bobby Flay".

Jason DiVirgilio

Sunday brunch was disappointing, with an "open-faced" omelette that was tasteless, and french toast that was good but small. Atmosphere was nice and relaxed, and outdoor seating is ample. Sevice was very good.

Brian Keelan

Loved the food. Service was great! Cool vibe.

paul macek

Great food. I had shrimp tacos. Old Fashion w High West double rye was perfect. Love the wall of past bands that performed there too. Sit in the back - cozy. And service was excellent...Sunday 3/10 ...didn't get his name.

Buzz May

Shrimp scampi really is good.

Daniel Despins

I want to bring attention to a particular quality of Stone Balloon that makes them stand out from all the other bars on Main Street. It's not their wide selection of beers or delicious mac and cheese, and it's not even because of their amazing bartenders (particularly Dustin and Juliana ❤). It's the fact that they serve an amazing side of freshly baked bread, which you can order any time at the bar with your drink for only $1! This bread is so soft, so warm, so incredibly fresh and delicious, that with one bite you instantly enter a paradise in which the only sensations that exist are the feeling of delicious warm bread in your mouth, and the bliss that you feel after consuming it. I have consumed, nay, DEVOURED many loaves of bread at Stone Balloon, and I will gladly come back for more!

Benjamin Diehl

Great bartenders, they are always cool with me

Adam Seely

The Ham and Cheese Egg rolls were delicious, though I don't think they are on the menu any longer. The Venison burger I had was very tasty.

Nicholas Fowler

Slow service mixed with an over cooked burger that was greasy. Plus they ran out of what I really wanted at 8pm.

Heather Townsend

Great food and service!

Ron Sutton

Nice staff, beer selection was good. Food was a bit of a letdown.

Trina Biederman

Great food and service.

Maria W

Good service good food . A little loud hard to hear conversation at own table. A lot of background noise

Todd Shives

Always great food and great atmosphere

Katy Dempsey

Very good food. I had the chicken burger and we shared loaded fries

eli g

Great food, amazing service. Loved this place! The date night deal is something you must try!!

Tabatha Ambrose

The food was amazing! The service was good. It's quite loud in there though. Would eat again

Abigail Drescher

I have been coming to Stone Balloon since they opened. I seem to never be able to have a consistent experience. My food always seems to be either good or horrible. I was in tonight 8/31 and when my food was delivered, by a food runner, it was dropped off without any utensils. My sister got ice cream which then started to melt. The manager dropped off our second round of snacks and didnt even notice the lack of napkins, utensils and that we were out of water. He did apologize for the delay on the doughnuts I had ordered. (We were snacking with drinks, apps and desserts) The manager finally brought the doughnuts, the delay was honestly fine, but still didn't notice the lack of water or ask how things were or if he could get us anything. Our server was in the weeds, he got triple sat, and the manager did nothing to assist him. I highly doubt I will come back due to the poor management. Also dont get the side of mac n cheese, it tasted similar to cardboard.

Erin Fisher

Always excellent! Food is great Robbie Jester is the head chef and always creating new experiences and dishes! We've had group events here and run in just for a quick bite.

Ariel Thompson

Service was a little slow, but the taste of the ribs made up for it. The ribs are absolutely phenomenal. I don't even really like ribs but they're so good it's all I think about every time someone asks me what I want to eat.

Vincent Kozuba

Good service and food. The food didn't agree with me, but I would go back again. Very busy and loud.

Scott Brockett

Food was great, awesome space.

Keith E

There brunch is exceptional. I had the Hot mess and my wife had the Pretezel French Toast. A little dark inside. Make sure they give you their monkey bread with cream cheese icing. It is awesome. Highly recommended for brunch. We definitely will be back.

Elaine Morgan

Salad was awesome! Not a martini bar

Fabio M

Love their bunch. Short rib fries are very tasty and the bloody Marys are great. The hot mess is my favorite.

Brad Durandetta

Tasty appetizers and entrees, but short of being special. Good beer selection, but also short of special.

Chris Carnelli

BBQ meatball lollipops are fantastic. The Maine Burger when available (it's a special) is awesome.

Aletia Morgan

Always great, creative food, and friendly service.

Paul Hunter

First time eating here since the conversion to a restaurant. The food was excellent. From the appetizers to the main course. The dessert was fantastic. The selection of beers is very good. I'm more of a bourbon drinker and I wasn't disappointed with the variety that was available. The atmosphere is pleasing, with a mixture of the old bar/night club/concert venue and modern yet rustic ambiance. I will be going back to dine again in the near future.

Alex Irazabal

Verizon friendly and good cheer

Gordon Everts

Cheap Date night is worth visiting on Wednesday nights

Jeni Ezykowich

The food and drinks were delicious. The server we had was very pleasant and tentative

Brian McCauley

Very good dinner excellent service. The cook Aaron McCauley personally made sure our dinners were perfect.

Brian Elston

Great ambiance and atmosphere. Love the history. Staff was fantastic and great food.

Matt Gilson

It took 30 minutes to seat us for a reservation we had scheduled a week in advance. It then took like 2 hours to make it through dinner and dessert. The food was ok, but not worth the price or the terrible service we got.

Ave Maria

Cool ambiance. Good food and server. Music was too loud

Nick Piser

Received delivery. The salmon salad is at least $10 too expensive, and the salmon cut I received was chewy and undercooked. I had to finish it in my oven before I felt comfortable eating it. Sweet potato fries were pretty good.

Michael Kessler

Boring, just living off the old Stone Balloon.

Zach B

Best bar on main st. Food is also on point, can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Not only that, but its great on a budget, $2 pints of National Bohemian on draft! That paired with their nachos is what's up.

Anthony Mai

Good atmosphere. The drink for wine and dine was fine but they didn't stock what was listed in the ad.

Janice Powers

Great atmosphere, wait staff, and food. It's always an unexpected pleasure when the manager personally checks on you. I look forward to my next visit!

Adam Wunder

Food was excellent! Great selection of craft beer including many locals. Little pricey but would definitely recommend.

Jon DeLucia

The waitress did a good job and the food was good. The wait time for the table was very long which I thought was out of their control until we ordered food. It took a very long time to get our food. That was why it was such a slow turn over of tables.

Miranda Riddle

Great food and great prices.

Joseph Moore

Good drink menu and the food was delicious, including the scampi that beat Bobby flay!

Brian Holt

I’ve only been here once but first impressions mean a lot. Went during their Cheap Date Night special and it was much better than I was expecting. A few friends suggested it and I assumed it’d be a locked-in meal choice, but there were actually a good number of entrees to choose from. The two dishes we had were delicious and for the price were well worth it. Nice selection of beers to choose from. Definitely going back as soon as possible.

Abby Johansen

Normally very good! Food is awesome, cheap date night is always fantastic (you get a bottle of wine or growler of beer, 2 entrees, and a dessert for only $35!). My only disappointment is coming for Food & Brew. They charge you $4 for a 4oz with your little plastic mug but their regular menu has some of those beers for $3.75 for a 10oz! Cheating customers is never cool so I won't ever come back for that event. Otherwise, I like it.

Raadiya Williams

This was the perfect place to take my gf after axe throwing. It was out first time here & Adam our waiter was nothing short of amazing, sweet, and attentive. He made some pretty great recommendations, we ordered the keg fries, chicken fried deviled eggs and a salmon blt salad all of which were to die for. The atmosphere was very comfortable and relaxing, we had a great time and we'll be returning.

Ian Harrington

Definitely not the old Stone Balloon, but I like what they've put together. Good food and beer selection.

Edward Courtney

Great place to eat and drink. High quality, chef created dishes in a cool vibe atmosphere.....EC

Jill Mccampbell

Always great food and lots of on tap beers.

Matthew Colson

First dinner had beef wellington ravioli, excellent. and second night had perfect and huge portion sunday prime rib at a nice price. GF liked her vegetarian meals of mushroom ravioli (kindof heavy on the sauce) and the cauliflower fritters, and burger. Only thing would be with the menu description of 'bed of arugula' or similar I expected a larger portion of greens. Good dinners though.

Jack Tupp

Nice place, great burger

N S

Good stuff

Lola Heffernan

Good food & 5 dollar cocktails. Not too loud for conversation. Split the mushroom ravioli and it came in two skillets with plenty for each of us.

Kris Smith

Interesting American cuisine, a pleasing environment, and a solid bar. Odd musical decorations compared to the aesthetic of the tables and seating. A pleasant experience nonetheless.

TopBanana Bill

Great food! Nice atmosphere, friendly staff!

Atilano Rodriguez

Wednesday's cheap date night is worth it. Good selections and great taste

Ryan Alton

Some of the best bartender's in Newark work right here. Good food, good drinks, good service. I don't have anything bad to say.

John Gangone

Nice restaurant in Newark Delaware. Only stopped in for lunch. Friendly staff and good burgers. John G. Lewes Delaware

Gary Wallizer

Good food. Good friends. Good time.

Lucy Genesis

Awesome menu--if a bit pricey. I've brought lots of people here and not once has anyone not loved their meal! The scampi is understandably awesome but so are the ribs, the pastas, and the beef and bacon lollipops ! Cheap date night is always a great deal and even the desserts will leave you hungry for more! The cocktail and wine list is also extensive with lots of options which one wouldn't expect from a place primarily known for beer

Jay Bhatt

We had a private party here for my scholars program and the food was terrible. I understand that there is this famous chef who works there and was on a TV show where he actually won but clearly he did not make my food. Everyone in my program was disappointed!

Steve Isaacs

Good Service and Good Food. Just over priced. Expensive.

WAYNE BALDWIN

One of my favorite places to eat in Newark. Thanks for the Gluten-free options

Bar P

Nice place with a big variety of food and drinks. Expensive

Weston - Gizmo- Hodgson

Is a five star restaurant that serves 6 course meals at one time. They have just recently done a renovation and the place looks pretty nice.

Zac Chamberlain

Best cheese fries I ever had

Reginald Hawkins

Food was good ...our waiter Dustin was awesome. Drinks were on point...definitely recommend @least trying it.

Rob Pasell

Great beer selection. Whiskey selection was decent but not spectacular. Very nice menu, with plenty of variety for most pallets.

Nicole Wilson-Gonsalves

Not bad, could definitely be better...the Brussalos were absolutely amazing, so definitely order those if you visit Stone Balloon. Didn't get a chance to try any brew, but would recommend you take a look on their menu.

Joshua Olney Zide

Great happy hour and good food. Nice beer selection.

Drew Joseph

Where do I even start? Well we went tonight out of curiousness and it was a beautiful day/night so we order the calamari which was tasteless ordered 2 entrees the cheesesteak and the chicken sandwich which I’m sorry was HEAVILY SALTED and like not even steak more like pot roast the chicken sandwich was raw to top it off your MOD appeared to be drunk and even your hostess was drinking wine while working. Lastly the waitress knew we were upset and didn’t even care to check on us and see how the food was. $38 dollars later we will never step food in your establishment again! Where’s Gordon Ramsey when you need him?!

Greg des Groseilliers

Overall an excellent restaurant. Food is always good and atmosphere is great. Very knowledgeable staff on wines. Great wine selection.

Veritas et Aequitas

Excellent! Interesting variety of menu options and drinks.

Marianne Carter

Very good service

mike fischer

Totally different than the old stone balloon

Phoenix Williams

It's a little pricey but it's delicious.

John Miller

This is my goto on a night out with my wife. Food is amazing and I'm going there this weekend for my birthday to try the new grilled cheese! Fries are hand cut and superb! Great job guys and gals!

Kristi Lyall

Awesome food and atmosphere..l love every aspect of the place.

Mike Cavazzini

Appetizers and entrees were absolutely delicious! Fresh and creative food ideas made for a great experience.

T G

Great food, quick service, awesome "dill-y" Bloody Mary's.

Jeff Bemis

Great food and beer selection, cool location.

Gustavo Villar

It was great, i loooooooved the strawberry mojito. PERIODTTT

Angelika Ramos

Cocktails were meh but food was amazing. Our server Mike was absolutely fantastic. Everyone was lovely.

Jamie Bachman

Great New foodie spot. The awesome selection of beer & wine, long, enviting bar, cute lounge section, open kitchen, friendly & knowledgeable staff... The brunch menu has both normal comfort food items and a few unique items. All of which are very well executed and tasty.

Cindy Klemencic

Fresh menu & great beer selection.

Michael Lobb

Good food, just watch out for that Hep A!

Chris Hartman

It was nice to sit outside in Newark and enjoy a good meal. There are plenty of options on the menu, and the crabcake is a nice choice. Kitchen is pretty consistent with food prep, and the wait-staff is friendly. It always a good experience.

Joe Jacobs

Great food and fantastic beer selection!

John Brereton

Great food with an very good beer selection. One of my favorites in Newark if not THE favorite

Valerie Staab

Awesome pomegranate martini

Jodi Vander Veer

They were amazing with our huge party. Great food !

Delano Wilson

One of the best place to eat if you have a date you can take them for the cheap date

Sam Hawl

Great place. I'm always impressed everytime I go.

Dakota Kelly

Food is excellent, service was quick and extremely well-mannered!

David Roseman

Great beers on tap, great menu, amazing staff. The beer list changes frequently, and they also now have a 32(?) can "crowler" filler, for when you just want a big giant can of beer!!! Menu items are to die for. Their pub fries, and bacon in a cup are amazing, but the real star is the bread pudding. I've had many others, and this is by FAR the best ever. I wish I had the recipe!

Cheryl Swingle

Great atmosphere, service and food/drinks. We dropped in without a reservation on a Sunday for late brunch and were greeted and seated very promptly. All 4 of us loved our food. My shrimp tacos were fantastic and worth the trip alone. I also had a Pomegranate Martini off the $5 anytime/every day menu and it was delicious!! My only disappointment was that when I reviewed the bill later, those drinks were charged at $7.95 each. I had been asked if there was a favorite vodka I might have in it and I noted Titos ... but no menu note or comment from the server claimed there would be an upcharge. A bit frustrating for sure, but it was an excellent visit otherwise.

Lucas Grant

Wait staff was great, atmosphere was great, food was great. Not much more you could ask for.

Bill H

I had the root beer chipolte ribs, and for dessert, I had the bread pudding. Both were fantastic...bread pudding might have been the best restaurant dessert I ever had. Our server, Adam, kept up with our dinner party and none of us went long without needing service. Great job all around. Will definitely be back!

Jay Kuch

Awesome food, great staff. Huge selection of booze.

Johnny McCartin

If you are looking for a for an awesome dining experience in a really great atmosphere, the Stone Balloon Ale House is your place. The food is amazing and the beer selection rocks! Be sure to start your meal with the Meatloaf Lollipops!

Anne Cawley

I’m sad to report that the Stone Balloon CANCELED MY SISTER’S WEDDING REHEARSAL DINNER, despite her having scheduled the dinner more than 18 months in advance, having put down money, and having received a written confirmation. A few weeks ago, management contacted my sister, claiming there’d been some sort of “change in the reservation system,” and they wouldn’t be able to honor her booking. Hopefully no one else has their reservation pulled out from under them, especially if they’re booking for a special occasion. My sister’s eaten here before, fell in love with the food, and had told me months ago she was more excited about the rehearsal dinner here than her actual wedding reception. But it’s not to be. Wedding dreams are dashed. For a business, there’s simply no excuse for something like this. It’s the ultimate faux pas. Please do not honor this restaurant with your business.

Lars Hindsley

Upscale casual. Prices are higher than what you expect but you're paying for atmosphere. It's in a college town so it's a youthful experience. Parking in the area is Handy but an acceptable close walk. No real signiture go-to items on the menu or comfort foods, but the menu is still good. It's a far cry from the original Stone Balloon. That was a time for bands and beer. This is a true restaurant and bar of the modern age.

Gaurav Mehta

Do drinks at the bar, stay away from the food. I went with my girlfriend and we shared a cheese platter, quail, and rib eye. The cheese was flavorless (the crackers were more memorable) and the quail was very small-portioned. The server forgot to ask (and we forgot to say) how we wanted the rib eye done, so it came out somewhere between medium and well done. It was dry, unseasoned, actually tasted BAD (hard to screw up rib eye) and made us wish we'd gone to cosi next doors. BUT, the drinks and the bartenders here are superb. Joseph especially is worth the visit alone.

Samantha Baranowski

Excellent brunch. Drinks are phenomenal and the food was even better. My server was great, I'm sad I forget her name. The host staff was a little slow, I wanted to sit outside and requested a table to be cleaned off but after 10 minutes of waiting I just had to ask to be sat inside. Other than that, I would go back there every day if I could.

Shaina Woo

The food here is always delicious! They have an excellent selection of local beers and ciders.

Diego Andres Roa Perdomo

Even though it is expensive, food is delicious and th heyhave a nice selection of beers

Chris Stilson

Great food, great beer. Meat lollipops, 'nuff said

Charles Reeve

Excellent service and food

Zandra Shmel

Nice atmosphere, did the cheap date nite, very nice menu. I had the chicken with bacon, and my husband had the meatballs both were excellent. Service was great. Will definitely go back.

Lucy Uke

awesome staff and amazing food! had the shrimp dish that beat bobby flay. It was so yummy and can't wait to go back! the donuts for dessert were so good that i ordered another helping.

Jerry Kreischer

Went here for dinner and 8 people said their meals were delicious! Dessert sharing - no problems! Prices were very reasonable.

William Strupp

Favorite restaurant in Newark. Appetizers are to die for.

Ali Al-Ghafri

Very slow service We have been waiting almost one hour to get only one pizza. The people who came before us they already got their order, and some of them are done having their lunch. When we received the order ,we had to eat quickly to catch up with the class.They gave us two free pizza to apologize but I am not going to come back again.

Mike Decker

Excellent food and drinks. Waiters and bartenders are very nice.

P Downey

Great college Bar

Jeff Corradetti

Food is good but servers were not as prompt on drink refills. Overall excellent food and drink but can work on service

David V

They have great food. Ordered the bucket of bones and the ahi tuna appetizer/salad. It was great! Cool spot in a small college town. We were visiting from out of town. We'll definitely be going back to this bar/restaurant.

Kurt Randazzo

They have a weird rule where you aren't allowed more than one drink at a time. So you may not have a shot if you have a beer.

Jan Williams

The food was amazing!