Unearth The Voyage
There is a pub in Mt Arlington, New Jersey, that has been quietly building a loyal following for years, and the secret weapon on its menu is a steak that keeps people coming back for more. It is not a fine dining establishment with white tablecloths or a celebrity chef behind the line.
What it does have is a no-nonsense approach to classic American food, a dining room covered wall to wall in taxidermy, and a porterhouse that somehow lands on the table at a price that makes you double-check the menu. The portions are generous, the atmosphere is unlike anything else in the area, and the combination of surf and turf options at budget-friendly prices has turned this spot into a reliable crowd-pleaser.
Read on to find out exactly what makes this place worth the trip and what to order when you get there.
Where to Find This Trophy-Filled Pub
Pub 199 sits at 199 Howard Blvd, Mt Arlington, NJ 07856, right in Morris County. The location is easy to reach by car, and there is plenty of parking out front, so arriving with a large group is never a logistical headache.
Mt Arlington is a small borough tucked between Lake Hopatcong and the surrounding hills, giving the area a relaxed, slightly outdoorsy character that fits the pub’s hunting-lodge personality perfectly. The building itself is roomy and modest from the outside, giving no real hint of the wild interior waiting beyond the front door.
Hours run from 11:30 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and Sundays, with extended hours until 10 PM on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The restaurant is open seven days a week, which makes planning a visit straightforward whether you are stopping in on a Tuesday lunch or a Saturday night dinner with the whole family.
The Steak That Started the Obsession
The porterhouse at Pub 199 is the dish that people talk about most, and the reason is simple: the cut is large, the price is low, and the combination creates a value that is hard to find anywhere else in New Jersey.
The steak is cooked simply, without heavy seasoning or elaborate sauces, which means the quality of the cut itself does the heavy lifting. A1 steak sauce is available at the table, and adding a little horseradish to the cocktail sauce on the side is a move that regulars swear by.
Some guests note that the steak benefits from extra seasoning, but the sheer size of the portion at its price point makes it a genuinely compelling order. Getting a porterhouse alongside a lobster tail for around forty dollars is the kind of deal that turns a first-time customer into a regular before the check even arrives.
A Dining Room Unlike Any Other
The interior of Pub 199 is one of the most distinctive dining rooms in the state. Animal heads line the walls, including giraffe, zebra, buffalo, and stuffed lions, alongside mounted fish of every size.
The owner’s passion for hunting and the outdoors is on full display throughout the space, and the collection has grown into something that feels more like a natural history exhibit than a typical pub decoration. Kids tend to find the whole thing fascinating, and adults who appreciate the unusual are equally entertained.
For anyone who prefers a slightly calmer visual environment, there is a section of the restaurant where the walls feature fish rather than land animals, offering a gentler alternative without leaving the building. The bar area at the entrance is large, lined with dozens of televisions, and flows into two separate dining areas behind and to the side, giving the whole space a surprisingly expansive feel for a neighborhood pub.
The Seafood That Steals the Show
While the steak gets a lot of attention, the seafood at Pub 199 is arguably the stronger half of the menu. King crab legs, fresh clams, lobster, snow crab, and mussels all appear regularly, and the portions are consistently described as generous.
The clams are a popular starting point, with many regulars treating two dozen as a warm-up before the main event arrives. The crab legs have developed a strong following, and the lobster, particularly the whole fresh lobster rather than the tail, earns high marks for freshness and quality.
Snow crab is another solid option, and the combination of seafood and steak on the same table is exactly what Pub 199 does best. The pricing across the seafood menu follows the same philosophy as the steak: keep the cost reasonable, keep the portions large, and let the food speak for itself rather than dressing it up with complicated preparations or elaborate presentations.
Appetizers Worth Ordering First
Starting a meal at Pub 199 with the right appetizer makes a real difference, and the fried calamari is the clear frontrunner. The rings arrive crispy and well-cooked, holding up as one of the most consistently praised dishes on the entire menu.
The shrimp cocktail is another strong opener, arriving in a generous portion that sets the tone for the meal ahead. Adding horseradish to the cocktail sauce is a tip worth following, as it lifts the whole dish considerably.
The short rib sandwich has also built up a fan base among regulars who prefer something hearty and filling on the savory side. Garlic bread rounds out the appetizer options and delivers exactly what it promises: crispy bread loaded with butter that works well as a simple starter before the bigger plates arrive.
Skipping the mussels is advice that comes up often, as they tend to land in a simple sauce without much additional effort.
Prices That Make the Math Easy
Value is one of the defining characteristics of Pub 199, and the pricing structure is genuinely unusual for the quality and quantity of food being served. A steak and lobster combination for around forty dollars is the kind of number that sounds like a misprint until the plate actually arrives.
The restaurant operates on a cash-preferred model, offering a five percent discount for customers who pay with cash. Credit cards are now accepted, which is a relatively recent update that has made the experience more convenient for first-time guests who did not know to bring cash in advance.
An ATM is available inside the restaurant for anyone who arrives unprepared.
The overall pricing philosophy at Pub 199 leans toward feeding people well without making them feel the financial weight of the decision afterward. For groups, families, or anyone who wants a full surf-and-turf experience without a fine dining bill, the math at this pub works out in the customer’s favor almost every time.
The Space That Handles a Crowd
Pub 199 is built for groups. The space is large, with a substantial bar area at the entrance and two separate dining sections that can accommodate everything from a family of four to a party of twenty or more.
Calling ahead for groups of twenty or more is recommended, as the staff can prepare for a larger party and ensure the experience runs smoothly. The seating is casual and comfortable, without any of the formality that would make a large, noisy group feel out of place.
The outdoor patio is a popular option on warmer days, offering a different setting from the taxidermy-heavy interior while still delivering the same menu. Live music on weekends adds another layer of activity to the atmosphere, making Friday and Saturday nights particularly lively.
The combination of space, flexible seating, and weekend entertainment makes Pub 199 a natural choice for birthday dinners, family gatherings, or any occasion that calls for a relaxed group meal.
What the Steak Gets Right and Where It Could Improve
Honesty is part of what makes Pub 199 interesting to talk about. The steak is not a perfectly seasoned, restaurant-caliber cut that would earn praise at a high-end steakhouse, and the menu does not pretend otherwise.
What the steak delivers is size, a reasonable cook, and a price that makes the occasional inconsistency easier to overlook. Some guests have received steaks cooked beyond the requested temperature, and the seasoning is minimal enough that having A1 sauce at the table is genuinely helpful rather than optional.
The porterhouse, when it lands correctly at medium, is a satisfying plate that fills the table and justifies the trip on its own. Pairing it with one of the seafood options turns the whole meal into something more well-rounded.
The steak at Pub 199 is not trying to compete with a fine dining kitchen; it is trying to feed a table of hungry people well and at a fair price, and on most visits, it manages exactly that.
The Lobster Situation Explained
Lobster at Pub 199 comes in two forms, and the distinction matters. The whole fresh lobster is the one that earns consistent praise, arriving with good quality and the kind of freshness that justifies ordering it without hesitation.
The lobster tail, on the other hand, has received more mixed feedback. It is not cold-water lobster, and the difference in texture and quality compared to the whole fresh option is noticeable enough that regulars tend to steer newcomers toward the full lobster instead.
For a pub setting at these prices, the fresh lobster represents one of the better deals on the menu and possibly one of the better lobster values in the broader New Jersey area. Pairing it with a baked potato and the house sides turns it into a complete and filling meal.
The takeaway is straightforward: order the whole lobster, skip the tail, and the experience is likely to land well above expectations for the price paid.
Service, Staff, and the General Vibe
The service at Pub 199 tends to be one of the more reliable parts of the experience. The staff is generally described as friendly, attentive, and quick, which matters especially when the restaurant is operating at full capacity on a busy weekend night.
Servers are helpful about navigating the menu, and the kitchen moves at a reasonable pace even when the dining room is packed with a large group. The overall vibe of the place is relaxed and unpretentious, which fits naturally with the no-frills food philosophy.
There is a warmth to the place that comes partly from the staff and partly from the fact that many of the customers are regulars who have been coming for years. Families with kids, groups of friends, and couples all tend to feel equally at home in the space.
The pub does not try to be anything other than what it is, and that straightforwardness is a large part of its appeal across different types of diners.
The Final Verdict on Pub 199
Pub 199 at 199 Howard Blvd in Mt Arlington, New Jersey, occupies a specific and well-earned niche in the local dining landscape. It is not trying to be a destination restaurant, and it is not competing with the fine dining options in the region.
What it does consistently well is deliver large portions of steak and seafood at prices that make the whole table feel like they got a deal, inside a room that nobody forgets after their first visit. The taxidermy, the generous cuts, the fresh clams, and the surprisingly affordable lobster all add up to an experience that is genuinely hard to replicate anywhere nearby.
The pub has its quirks and the occasional off night, but the core promise, good food at a fair price in an unforgettable setting, holds up across most visits. For anyone in Morris County or passing through the Lake Hopatcong area, Pub 199 is the kind of place that earns a spot on the regular rotation without much argument.
