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The Brass Rail: A Victorian Hideaway (of Booze)

This week, I braved the ghosts to grab a few drinks at this old-fashioned standby.

After a week of pounding back cheap beer, I really needed an excuse to fancy up my life. So I donned a cute dress and bribed my way to a hot date night with my dude (what, that’s not how it’s done?).

I chose , because I had never really sat down there before, but it seemed like an unpretentious nice spot. Also, duh, I am really into ghosts (more on that later).

Anyway, my date and I sidled up to the bar in the late evening, as most of the dinner patrons were finishing up their meal. The bar was actually pretty busy, filled with mostly couples having an after dinner aperitif. Whatever that constitutes. For me, it constitutes a whiskey, so hey.

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If I can talk décor for a minute, The Brass Rail is a super lovely bar. Everything is rich mahogany and stained glass, the ceiling is tin and there is a curved staircase that leads to the fancy upper dining room. When you are inside, you will probably feel like a Victorian lady or gentleman, so keep a top hat nearby if you are planning a trip. I was probably overdressed in a petticoat and ringlets in my hair, but the staff let me hitch up my horse and stagecoach anyway. 

Wow, was that a record for derailing my own review? I hope so!

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Anyway, like I said, the bar was pretty busy, and there was only one bartender—who was super friendly—so the service was a tad slow. Not a super big deal, though, it’s not like anyone was being ignored. And because it was late, the music was a little loud, but that’s never really something that bothers me. I don’t go on dates to talk, I go on dates to get wasted and blurt out embarrassing things!

The prices weren’t too bad for a fancy place. My cocktail was about $7, their mojitos and margaritas are $9, sangria is $8 and most good beers (not talking Budweiser here) were about $6. The Brass Rail has an extensive wine list, which ranges from $6 for a sparkler to $12 for a fancy glass of red. They have a couple of bottles for about a hundred bucks if you’re looking to impress your boss or somebody’s parents. 

As far as specials go, Happy Hour is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and features half-price beer and wine, and on Sunday and Monday nights you can grab a half-off bottle of wine with dinner. 

The crowd was the usual working professional-type. Guys in button-down shirts and ties, gals in business casual dresses and sensible heels. It was nice to go out for an adult drink and not be accosted by a group of just-turned-21 girls in leopard-print mini-dresses. These people had jobs! And apartments with their own bedrooms!

Anyway, my date and I had more than a few drinks (of course), and at the end of the night I still wasn’t sick of The Brass Rail. That’s enough of a feat, as I am obviously the Bar Hopper, and can never seem to plant myself on one barstool for the night. So, I guess, bonus points for that.

Also, I promised I would get into ghosts, didn’t I? Well yeah, I’m sure everyone knows by now that . An investigator from the New Jersey Ghost Hunters Society even paid a visit to the bar and restaurant in 2004 to check out the paranormal situation. She didn’t really find anything, but hey, don’t burst my bubble here. I could have sworn I saw a woman in a white dress in the bathroom, but again, I was a little tipsy.

In the end, I’ll award The Brass Rail eight out of ten frosty mugs, as a nice place to grab a cocktail or a glass of wine after work, or on a date. If you’re looking for a wild and crazy party, you probably won’t find it here. And if you are looking for a cheap divey bar, well, yeah, no dice. But if you want to unwind with a drink and ditch any pretense at the door, then The Brass Rail might be the spot. Check it out, and watch out for the ghost bride, you hear?

The Brass Rail, 135 Washington Street; 201-659-7074. Check out thebrassrailnj.​com for more.

The Bar Hopper is a sometimes tongue-in-cheek look at Hoboken's abundant bar scene. The views expressed in these reviews are half-sloshed, and do not reflect the overall views of Patch.

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