Obal’s Inn

Clean, cosy neighborhood spot with great food and friendly service. Plus a Shuffleboard table in the back! If you want a beer and a burger and to watch the game without being surrounded by 50 crazy frat guys, or a fun spot to chill with friends and knock a few back on the weekend, this is the place. I always enjoy my time at Obals and have never had a complaint (which is a lot more than I can say about a couple other local bars). Definitely check this place out if you’re in the area.

Food was excellent and the bartender was extremely knowledgeable about the history of drinks… my friends and I will be back to try there famous baby back ribs!

Obal’s Inn — named after Lord Obal, the once great ruler of the pigmy cannibal army from Mesopotamia. This bar lives up to the Obal legacy. Ever have a hankering for fried cat? Look no further.
Their burgers are all made with grade-​A neighborhood pet making this one of the most neighborhood friendly establishments in town. Thirsty? Try a shot of, well it doesnt even matter, its all just different dyed rubbing alcohol with hints of cleaning chemicals.
Wanna watch the game? Well youre in luck because at Obals you can always watch your favorite team get annihilated. I also think theres some water polo sport thing in the back.
I havent really messed around with it because im not a loser and i just go home with the solid 4’s and 5’s that by now look like 10’s because ive been blinded by moonshine consumption.
Seriously, dont pass this place up, bring your kids.

Menu is perfect if you want CHEAP bar food. Every time I have gone I have been pleased and the food comes out hot. Best prices in town! Also… ribs are really good (served wednesday and thursday) but be prepared to wait a bit for your food/​drinks. Mixed crowd but that is what I like about it :)

Good place for an afternoon drink with a side of wings, bar tender lady is very nice !

I love this bar. For years I was afraid to come in here. Once I did I said «where have you been all my life?» Pretty good food for a bar and awesome drinks at great prices. Killer juke box and one of the best local bar tenders, DP. I bring lots of people here and everybody loves it.

I’m so glad I discovered Obals. It’s a low-​key neighborhood spot, pretty divey. But the food is good for REALLY decent prices — the drinks are super cheap too. It might not have the most extensive menu but it’s a solid spot if you want a chill place for some food/​drinks when your wallet is tight.

Went in on a Tuesday because they had good reviews on Unilocal.Often times I have been disappointed by Unilocal recommendations, this was definitely not one of them.
The wings were well prepared, and flavorful. The staff was pleasant and friendly. The ribs seem to come well recommended so I will have to go back and try them.

Arrived on a Friday afternoon to a long darkish bar filled with old men watching soap operas and then old westerns. To be specific it was General Hospital. History buffs will enjoy the all wooden phone booths just past the sign for «telephones, ladies, and mens restrooms.» The bartender was friendly and served us some cold brews with a smile. We stayed for 2 each then headed on our way.
Yes, there is a digital jukebox but we dare not interrupt GH or the westerns. Not a place we’d feel compelled to come back to but glad we stopped in and visited once.

Obal’s is my favorite dive in all the land. Chill environment, love snatching up a booth to laugh and talk with friends over cheap drinks. And NOT your standard «drunk old man dive bar» OR (my nightmare) «WOO COLLEGE NIGHT!» vibe on the weekends. It’s actually filled with some hip mid-​20 something’s just hanging out, with a select few older folk regulars minding their own sitting at the bar.
Not to mention, the ribs are pretty damn good!

I feel so strongly about Obal’s that I brought a gang of people there for my birthday this past Saturday. I don’t think the bartender was ready for us, but whatever!
Obal’s has everything you could ask for in a local/​dive bar. Jukebox? Check. Ms. Pac-​Man? Check. Shuffle Board? Check! They also have a pool table and an astro-​turf patio. Love me some Obal’s.
There’s just one long bar, with stools. Some booths in the front room, picnic tables in the back room. Great prices. Friendly bar keeps. Food awesome. I don’t eat ribs, but a lot of people I go with say they’re great.
You want Pabst on tap? Nooo problem. You want to hang your coat up, and charge your phone at a booth? Feel free!
I’m all about Obal’s — 0.3 mile walk from my place helps a lot too. I drove past for a year and a half without stepping foot inside, but it’s safe to say I now go once a week.

When you enter a local watering hole you would expect them to have Yuengling on tap and that they do. What I didn’t expect them to have was Yuengling Oktoberfest which is phenomenal! And I’m not even a huge Yuengling fan, but this definitely wins me over more than Sam Adam’s Oktoberfest.
The fact that this place has is on tap is such a WIN. The bartender says that they are one of the few places that you’ll find in NJ that will carry this on tap. I believe her for the most part.
Overall this is a no frills bar. The crowd is diverse (more dudes than chicks though), the atmosphere is casual and the prices are awesome.
There’s a pool table and a shuffleboard table in the back. YEP i said it! SHUFFLEBOARD! Never played this game before until coming here and the group I was with wanted to play and so I learned… AND I’M HOOKED!
When I’m old and addicted to playing shuffleboard, I will thank my friends and Obal’s for it!

It’s not the spot for me. My friend had a burger and I had the ribs. We didn’t like it. It was overlooked and dry. I had high expectation for it hearing a lot of locals talk about it but I was disappointed. It seems to be a local’s weeknight joint with a nice atmosphere. I can see why Bloomfield people would like it. It’s not a foodies destination.

Now I can get my Landmark fix right here in Bloomfield. Same no nonsense, no frills atmosphere but with a ton more space!
The burger was perfect! The fries were perfect! Their overall selection looked great.
The bartender was on a first name basis with many of the patrons, which is always nice to see.
I’ll be back for the burger alone.

We will be back! I was told about this place by a waitress in a diner in Union. Ribs were delicious! We brought friends visiting us from Wales and they were impressed with the food and the casual atmosphere.
You can eat the ribs with a fork.

I’ve been living in Bloomfield for a number of years and have always had a great time here. The atmosphere is one-​of-​a-​kind from the bartenders to the people.
Comfortable booth seats and great food!
The price is great too, and there is alwys someone to talk to.
If you want a real New Jersey bar experience look no further, this place is a standout in comparison to the generic ‘guido’ bars blasting top 40 music.
It get a bit rowdy on the weekends but hey, it’s New Jersey…
This place has history and should be respected for that reason alone.
Cheers!

Great local place. I just moved to the area and have been here 5 or 6 times already. Good bartenders and ownership, great cheap eats and service.

Inexpensive meal with a below average beer selection and attentive service.
The ribs are not real deal BBQ. They are obviously parboiled prior to whatever cooking technique they use to finish them. While they lack that true flavor they are well seasoned and fall off the bone tender.
The bar food is pretty good, especially their onion rings.
It’s a nice local establishment where many an off duty cop or fireman hang out, where you can get some inexpensive eats that are just about good enough.

Great corned beef and cabbage on saint paddy’s day!
Also good burgers the rest of the year :)
Try the Ribs on … Wednesday? i think.

Overall a decent local hangout with friendly service, a couple craft brews on tap and good ribs. You can’t have an Obal’s Inn review without mentioning rib night!
Upon entering, you’re immediately greeted by a Ms Pac Man machine and Mega Touch. Bar and 3 flat screens on one side — showing Jeopardy when possible. These guys sure love their Jeopardy. Booths on the opposite wall. The décor is your typical outdated local bar.
I haven’t been here since rib night was all you can eat. Back then they boiled the ribs. At least it tasted like it.
Things have certainly changed since. The baby back ribs were prepared nicely. Falling off the bone after the slightest pull. Ketchup based sauce had a sweet tang to it and was nicely charred at various points. Some smoke would have been perfect.
The shoe string fries were overcooked and the coleslaw was a bit too sweet.
The waitress was real nice. It was actually her first night. She did well. My friend George is actually in love with her already. That means more visits — most likely on rib night.