Bradfords Barr Introduce
For New Jersey residents in search of truly satisfying American comfort food, soul food, and expertly prepared steak and seafood, Bradfords Barr in Maplewood is a premier destination. Located in the heart of Essex County, this restaurant has carved out a unique niche by offering hearty, flavorful meals crafted from scratch. Patrons consistently praise the freshness of the ingredients and the generous portion sizes, emphasizing that the value is well worth the price. The menu is a celebration of classic American and Southern-inspired cuisine, featuring everything from luxurious seafood platters to comforting, home-style sides.
Bradfords Barr prides itself on serving up local specialties, with its dedication to soul food shining through in signature dishes. These include the highly recommended Braised Beef Ribs, the popular Salmon Dinner, and the famously named "Zebra's Style Turkey Wings." The cooking style is often described as that of a true chef, suggesting a commitment to quality and a meticulous preparation process that justifies the slight wait times often experienced during peak hours. The establishment has quickly become a 'go-to' for those craving authentic soul food and seafood, offering a taste of home-cooked perfection right in the Maplewood area.
The atmosphere at Bradfords Barr is designed to enhance the dining experience. It strikes a balance between being casual, cozy, and trendy, making it an appealing spot for a wide variety of customers, including college students, large groups, and even tourists exploring the area. Whether you're coming in for a quick lunch, a satisfying dinner, or a leisurely weekend brunch, the environment is welcoming. While the immense popularity can sometimes lead to a wait time, the restaurant accepts reservations, allowing New Jersey diners to plan their visit and secure a table in advance to minimize delays.
The commitment to great food and a friendly atmosphere, paired with fast service for dine-in guests, has solidified Bradfords Barr's reputation. It’s a place where the focus is firmly on the meal—a perfect option for solo diners and groups alike—and the delicious desserts, such as the secret family recipe for Aunt Joe's Peach Cobbler, provide the perfect sweet conclusion to any meal.
Location and Accessibility
Bradfords Barr is conveniently situated at 1553 Springfield Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040, USA. This location places it on a major thoroughfare, easily reachable for residents across the greater Maplewood and surrounding New Jersey communities.
The restaurant has demonstrated a strong commitment to making its premises accessible to all guests. The comprehensive accessibility features ensure a seamless and comfortable dining experience for patrons with mobility needs:
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot (ensuring ease from car to door)
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating (providing comfortable dining spaces)
For those driving to the location, the restaurant offers the convenience of free street parking, a valuable amenity in many busy New Jersey town centers.
Services Offered
Bradfords Barr provides a robust suite of services designed for maximum customer convenience in the New Jersey dining landscape:
- Full-Service Dining: Offering complete table service for all meal periods, including Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner.
- Takeout and Delivery: Easy options for enjoying the menu at home, with both direct takeout and established delivery services available.
- Reservations Accepted: Guests can call ahead to secure a table, which is highly recommended given the restaurant is noted for usually having a wait.
- Catering: Providing services for larger events and gatherings, perfect for office parties or family celebrations in the local NJ area.
- Comprehensive Payment Options: Accepts Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and NFC mobile payments for a smooth and modern transaction experience.
- Dessert Service: A dedicated focus on quality desserts to complete the meal, including their highly praised cobblers.
Features / Highlights
The American restaurant's identity is shaped by its unique offerings and operational strengths:
- Serves Local Specialty (Soul Food): A clear focus on soul food, providing comforting and deeply flavorful dishes, including signature items like Braised Beef Ribs and Shrimp & Grits.
- Great Dessert: The dessert menu is a highlight, featuring secret family recipes such as Aunt Joe's Peach Cobbler and the Strawberry Delight.
- Fast Service (Dine-in): While there may be a wait for a table due to popularity, the internal service once seated is noted for being efficient and quick.
- Popular for All Meals: Equally popular for Lunch, Dinner, and Brunch, showcasing its versatility across the day.
- Comfort Food and Small Plates: The menu effectively blends hearty comfort food entrees with flexible small plates, suitable for various appetites.
- Trendy and Cozy Atmosphere: The ambiance appeals to a wide demographic, including college students and groups, offering a comfortable yet fashionable setting.
- Ultimate Bar Bowl: A standout menu item for the adventurous eater, featuring Lobster, Steak, Shrimp, and more in one impressive dish.
Contact Information
For reservations, takeout, or general inquiries, New Jersey residents can reach Bradfords Barr using the following contact details:
Address: 1553 Springfield Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040, USA
Phone: (973) 327-2661
What is Worth Choosing at Bradfords Barr
For New Jersey diners, Bradfords Barr is worth choosing for several compelling reasons, primarily its unique and well-executed culinary fusion of American comfort food and soul food. Customers consistently highlight the exceptional quality of the seafood and soul food options. The 'Surf N' Turf' dinner, combining Ribeye Steak, Lobster Tail, and Shrimp, is a testament to the kitchen's ability to handle high-end ingredients, consistently leaving customers "never disappointed." The Braised Beef Ribs and the famous 'Zebra's Style Turkey Wings'—which come with a choice of two sides—represent the deeply comforting, flavorful soul food the restaurant is known for, often praised for being 'fresh & from scratch.' While one review noted an occasional issue with side dish substitutions and a wait time for online orders, the overwhelming positive feedback on the food's seasoning, portion size, and overall taste strongly suggests that the quality of the meal is consistently high.
Furthermore, Bradfords Barr is a fantastic choice due to its commitment to the overall experience. The restaurant is popular for solo dining, a welcome feature for those seeking a quiet, quality meal in a cozy and casual setting. The acceptance of reservations is a critical feature, especially for groups or for securing a table during the busy weekend Brunch hours (featuring favorites like Shrimp & Grits and Chicken And Waffles). The restaurant is committed to making dining easy and accessible, evident through its full accessibility features, including a wheelchair accessible parking lot and restroom. This blend of excellent, soulful food, generous portions, a comfortable atmosphere, and thoughtful services positions Bradfords Barr not just as an American restaurant, but as a valued community staple in the Maplewood, NJ dining scene.
Bradfords Barr Vibe
Desserts
- Strawberry Delight $6.50
Homemade gram cracker crust glazed with toasted pecans stuffed with a lite filling topped with strawberries
- Aunt Joes's Peach Cobbler $6.50
Secret Family Recipe.
Starters
- Bradford's Barr Style Salad $9.00
Arugula and spinach with tomatoes and cucumbers with special house dressing.
Bradford's Barr Salads
- Steak & Shrimp Salad $35.00
8-10 ounces Prime ribeye steak cooked to temperature ,paired with 5 extra jumbo sautéed shrimp over a bed of fresh green’s served with our homemade house dressing
- Rib Salad $20.00
- Rico Salad $24.00
Chicken and shrimp.
- Salmon Salad $20.00
Pan Seared 6-8 ounces Salmon seasoned with our amazing house herbs served over a bed of greens & paired with our house dressing
- Steak Salad $30.00
8-10 ounces Prime ribeye steak cooked to temperature over a bed of fresh green’s served with our homemade house dressing
- Grilled Chicken Salad $15.00
Arugula and spinach greens tossed in parmesan cheese house seasoning and topped with grilled chicken breast.
- Sautéed Shrimp Salad $18.50
- House Salad $9.00
Arugula and spinach greens with tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese served with house Italian dressing.
Bradford's Bowls
- Chicken And Shrimp Bowl $22.50
Served over rice with onions and peppers.
- Ultimate Bar Bowl $45.00
Lobster, steak, shrimp, fries or rice, onions and peppers with house sauce.
- Shrimp Bowl $20.00
Served over rice with onions and peppers.
- Steak Bowl $30.00
Ribeye steak, onions, peppers, fries or rice topped with house salad.
Appetizers
- Bradford's Barr Wings $15.50
Batter less fried wings with sauce of choice.
- Jwell Fries $18.00
French fries with a house sauce topped with shrimp.
- Jumbo Shrimp $14.00
Lightly battered and fried.
- Stuffed Shrimp $30.00
Extra jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab meat.
- House Sauce $3.00
Our famous butter garlic cream sauce
Entrées
- Ribeye Steak $30.00
Served with rice and 2 sides of choice.
- Zebra's Style Turkey Wings $26.50
2 turkey wings served with 2 sides of choice.
- Salmon Dinner $32.00
Served with shrimp, broccoli and rice.
- Fried Chicken With Fries $16.50
6 winglets and fries.
- Fish Dinner $22.50
3 pieces of whiting fried with sides of choice.
- Yams $6.00
- Braised Beef Ribs $35.00
2 ribs served with 2 sides and tooties bread.
- Surf N' Turf $45.00
Ribeye steak, lobster tail, shrimp, rice and veggie.
- Fettuccine With Steak $32.00
Pasta tossed in homemade Alfredo sauce.
- Fettuccine With Chicken $20.00
Creamy homemade alfredo sauce over hand toss pasta topped with crusted pan seared chicken breast
- Chicken Breast Dinner $27.00
Served with sides.
- Chicken Winglets Dinner $21.00
Golden fried chicken winglets served with 2 sides of choice
Bradford's Barr Brunch
- Shrimp & Grits $22.00
Sautéed topped with house sauce, over homemade creamy grits
- Fish & Grits $15.00
3 pieces of whiting paired with creamy buttery homemade grits
- Chicken And Waffles $18.00
Buttermilk waffles and golden fried chicken.
Bradfords Barr Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great dessert
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
Offerings
- Comfort food
- Small plates
Dining options
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Catering
- Dessert
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- College students
- Groups
- Tourists
Planning
- Accepts reservations
- Usually a wait
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Parking
- Free street parking
Bradfords Barr Photos










Bradfords Barr Location
Bradfords Barr
1553 Springfield Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040, USA
Bradfords Barr Reviews
soul foodlobstercornbreadcabbageyamspeach cobblerbeef ribsturkeywingscrab cakes
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1The food at this restaurant is always the best in my opinion I don’t know where the negative reviews are from. Of course preparation takes a while, she is a chef! It takes time to perfect these kinds of meals. Everything is fresh & from scratch made from the chef. The prices are reasonable & the portion is worth it! My husband just ordered us food from this place I got the surf & turf order & it never disappoints!!! 🤤 He got the beef ribs order. My son got fried chicken wings with French fries. We try to order here literally everytime we crave soul food/seafood this is our go to! 10/10. Thank you for always being the best! 🙏🏻💗
August 13 · Jennifer RoldanWe were really craving soul food and chose this spot based on the great reviews. We ordered online, and the confirmation said the food would be ready in 30 minutes. We arrived at 6 PM, but were told it wasn’t ready yet and the wait time was pushed another 20 minutes. Finally, at 6:40 PM, we received our order.Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. The turkey leg was dry, and instead of the greens we ordered, both meals came with cabbage.Overall, it was a disappointing experience—both in service and food quality.
July 20 · Kristina DortenzioWell, any review that says the food is amazing has to be related to the owner. There is food that is bad, but this food is a hot mess. The yams are little squares that are hard, garbage can it went. String beans covered in gobs of what appeared to be seasoning thrown on top, discusting...cabbage, really, hard strips of half cooked cabbage. The whiting was a joke, I never seen whiting that small, it equals one. The wings were terrible, they appeared to be cooked in a air fryer, soft and mushy. Sorry but Cornbread in the place from now on...tried to help small business but this food is not even appealing to look at...dont believe me, try it with money you dont need. Staff was very nice. Sorry I dont usually write reviews, but it was that bad.
September 22 · Denise DelgadoQuaint and cozy, family oriented and the food is to die for and it’s byob and the owner is a sweetheart with blessed hands and always makes us feel at home! Stop by and try my favs the Jewel fries with the buffalo shrimp you won’t be disappointed.
November 14 · Edward ThomasShe was sweet and very welcoming. The food was HITTING!! I got the lobster and shrimp fettuccine, my friend got the fried chicken and Mac. We both loved our food!!!Accommodated to me coming in late and still gave us great service.
March 15 · Latisha Lubega
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