New Jersey is pretty much one of a kind when it comes to liquor license laws.
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Yet BYO restaurants, in my opinion, are an incredibly important complement to any business district. For that reason, I think it’s important to highlight some restaurants — especially in the past 18 months — that don’t have the margins that come with serving liquor. That’s not to say that liquor license reform isn’t warranted in New Jersey. In any case onto the October reader poll, sponsored by RahwayisHappening.com (Special Improvement District): What’s your favorite BYO place in Rahway?
Loading ...It’s hard to believe it’s already been five years since the last Favorite BYO poll. The last time readers weighed in on the topic, Beana’s Para Siempre on St. Georges Avenue took the top spot with 33% of the vote. The second-place finisher was Just Plain Dave’s, at 25%, which has since teamed up to run the kitchen at Flynn’s Pub House on Main Street. Of course, a few of the places in the last poll aren’t around anymore, having turned over.
I took into account restaurants that have table service but don’t have a full bar or liquor license. We’ll save the Favorite Takeout reader poll for another time. If I’ve missed anyone, feel free to comment below or vote Other and let us know. The poll will remain open for about two weeks, with results posted by the end of the month.
New Jersey is funny with its archaic liquor license laws. They are among the most restrictive in the country, according to Downtown NJ. “The cost of a license in many of our municipalities can easily soar into the six or seven figures – if they are even available. Liquor license restrictions impede the economic development of many of our communities, especially our downtowns.”
Legislation introduced in the past has proposed creating a new type of license that would allow restaurants to serve beer, wine and cider at a reduced cost from a full license.
“The finite number of licenses means that when a license becomes available, the cost to obtain that license is often prohibitive. Licenses are purported to average $350,000 statewide, but have gone as high as $1 million at auction. These astronomical costs are a clear indication that demand outstrips supply.”
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