Salt Creek Grille

Brian W. Was a great server and the coffee encrusted steak was delicious. Also, the soufflé was amazing. Would highly recommend!

I ate here yesterday with my husband to enjoy the night out with no kids. I always loved the ambiance of salt creek grille. Our waiter was more than great however I am thoroughly disappointed by the food and manager.
Our first entrée was the calamari. My husband didn’t mind it, however, it was drenched in oil as if the cook didn’t have time to drain it properly. The good news is the manager said he would take it off the bill. That I did not expect, but it was the right thing to do considering I hardly ate any of it.
My husband and I ordered two dishes. A filet mignon, which should be juicy no matter how cooked and the salmon. When they both came out the salmon was burnt to a crisp, yet the sides were good. It tasted like you were eating burnt food. The filet mignon over mashed potatoes and a kale and butternut squash side was what I ordered. The sides were delicious, however the filet which was suppose to be medium well was so dry. Yes it was a little pink in the middle which looked medium well but when you tasted it, you needed so much sauce just to cover the dryness. To me it seemed as if they left it in the oven or over seared it or served old meat and let the juices dry out.
Terribly disappointing. The manager came over and said right away, I can get the salmon removed off the bill but I can’t get the filet removed because it was cooked right. Well first off, my husband and I hardly ate our meals; we sent most of it back because it tasted awful. We never wanted the meal removed, we wanted a nice night out with good food. The manager insinuated that we wanted a meal for free by just saying he would take care of the salmon and not the filet as soon as he got to the table. What we expected was, I apologize we will get new meals sent out to you. And that would have been great.
In the end, after a short altercation with the manager, who proceeded to tell me the meat was good, ended up paying for the bill. In part because we got fed up telling him the meat was dry and said to Him we are just about done here and we want to Leave.
If you want to spend good money on food a filet for $ 40 -!: salmon then go to a different place in the Princeton area. There are so many places that get the cooking right. This place has to get better cooks that pay attention to what they are providing to customers.
We did however tip our waiter more than 20 percent of the bill
Because he was
Great!!!

I attended a rehearsal dinner in the private dining room a few weeks ago and it was amazing! The food was great and the staff was friendly. Our servers Kellee, Callie and Greg always had a smile.
Thank you for making the event so special!

Love the smell of the mesquite as you walk up. Beautiful high vault ceilings, and the biggest light fixtures you’ve ever seen…
Best thing here? Their garlic fries… super skinny and crunchy.
The calamari was super hot and crunchy, served with a mustard ranch sauce, and carefully NOT overcooked. Superbly done.
I had the French dip. They must have used the whole baguette. A little too big. I’ll stick with their burger, which I’ve had on previous occasion, which is delicious. The butternut squash kale hash was very flavorful, my only gripe was that the squash was a little crunchy. Some people like that, but I like it caramelized and a little soft.
Hubby had the rib eye. He liked it, but asked for it Chicago style and got seared. It was still a well prepared piece of meat.
The chocolate soufflé… is really good, if you don’t think of it as a soufflé. They pour chocolate sauce in the middle and serve whipped cream on top. The soufflé part is spongy and kind of soufflé like, but I was looking for an oozy creamy middle.
I may sound a little too critical, it was all good food, and the ambience and the things they do well are actually very good. I was tempted to give them five stars just for their fries. :)

About 2 years ago I visited the Salt Creek Grille in Rumson, and then I decided to go to this location. I just want to say how gorgeous this place is! It reminds me of a little log cabin! When you walk in, an aroma of wood and fire fills your nose. It is spectacular! My first visit to the Princeton location I ordered the Soy Glazed Salmon and it came with bok choy and brown rice. It was to die for and I ate almost every bite. My boyfriend got the classic burger which was also very good. I can tell they really care about the ingredients that go into their food. A lot of their food items are GLUTEN FREE (which is a huge plus for many people)! The second time I went to the Princeton location, I would like to give a HUGE THANK YOU TO BRIAN W. our waiter. You were fantastic in accommodating my friday who has celiac’s! He helped her decide on menu items because she was afraid that she would have a reaction to the dairy in some of the dishes. He also picked out a nice little lemon sorbet for her birthday dessert. He went above and beyond for us, so thank you Brian!!! For my dish I ordered the halibut and it was such a big piece. I couldn’t finish it all so I wrapped it. I can easily say… I CAN’T WAIT TO COME BACK HERE!

Dinner with my family here on a Monday. I checked in on Unilocal and got a free flat bread appetizer. We picked the Creek flatbread and it was excellent. I highly recommend it.
Our waitress Jackie was super helpful and nice to us. Ask for her next time you’re here!
We all enjoyed our dinner. I chose to have a lighter dinner so I went with the Ahi Tuna salad. It hit the spot!

Wonderful décor and fantastic service, our server was particularly attentive and very friendly.
Unfortunately, that’s where the 5 star review ends. The food was disappointing. My daughter’s burger looked like burnt shoe leather (and didn’t taste much better). The entrees my wife and I had — halibut special and steak frites, were over done, dry, and had very uninspired presentation on the plate. For the price, very poor execution of the meal. We left feeling bad that we had spent our money at this restaurant. Needless to say, we won’t be back.

5 stars for the bartenders Patrick, Isabel, Jackie and Stephanie are the best! 2 stars for Food. It is boring, overpriced and I’ve asked them to Change menu or at least add some munchies or new items constantly. I come here frequently and cannot eat another boring or overpriced meal. Complaining to mark, the manager is useless. He yesses you to death snd you know he can’t do anything about it. Me and all my friends who are many are thinking of going some place else and its a shame. Love the atmosphere, bartenders. Hugh, from Princeton… Help. Do something about this awful menu.

Never again! One star because the salad was good. Service was slow and spotty — waitress disappeared for long stretches more than once. But, the main reason why I’ll never eat there again is because my steak (I ordered the steak frites dish) was not identifiable as beef! It looked like pieces were unnaturally molded together and tasted like pork, rather than beef — but not even good tasting pork! It also had a horrible version of bearnaise sauce on top of the warm, not hot, piece of whatever it was. Steak lovers — go to Ruth Chris a hop skip and jump away in the same shopping area.
It befuddles me that what they serve as espresso is so far removed from even passable espresso, since it’s not that hard to produce good to great espresso with a little attention to how to do it right, if using the right equipment and coffee beans. Big fail!
Lastly, I will never go back to any restaurant that cannot keep the men’s room clean from floor covered urine beneath the urinals — this was the case early last night and I cannot tolerate that kind of unconcern for this disgusting filth. What does it take for management to periodically police that room (which is expected to be full of germs) and clean and disinfect the damn floor throughout the dinner service!!! Don’t know? Either do I !!!

Private event dining review alert.
I attended a bridal shower at the Salt Creek Grille this past weekend. We had a large, private room set up in the back near the restrooms. As far as set ups for a bridal shower go, there was more than enough room for the gifts, tables and guests to mingle.
The food was served buffet style and the lines were pretty manageable. Buffet food can never be as good as prepped individual entrees, but I particularly enjoyed the salad with apple & feta, the small pieces of chicken parm, bacon, sausage and potatoes. It truly took on the meaning of «brunch» being able to enjoy options from both breakfast and lunch; I’m assuming this will vary based on the option the party organizer chooses. There was an omelet station that kept moving pretty quickly as well. The fixings were limited to basics– ham, pepper, onion, mushrooms, tomato, cheese– but it was nice to be able to get a fresh prepped omelet.
The service was great with clearing our plates and keeping the mimosa bar stocked with ready-​to-​grab glasses. My only real issue was that they didn’t come around to refill waters nor was there water readily available at the bar.
All and all, it was a nice place to attend a special event.

Decent food. Its a bit overpriced for what you get, but that’s the area. I had ribs which were fall off the bone, with decent flavor. I felt like their garlic fries were inconsistent. One bite would have no garlic and the next was way overpowering. Flat bread appetizer was the best part of the meal.

Utterly disappointing. Especially on such a special night. My childhood family friend was performing with jazz with some my mates, so I brought my mother and sister along. Such a bad decision. We ordered some food after enjoying the ambience and a beer or two. Then decided to order a bite to eat and that is when the experience took a turn for the miserable. My sister ordered a flatbread pizza my mother ordered the bacon wrapped shrimp and I ordered a chicken and bacon burger. They literally tabled our food within 5 minutes. Impossible! No heat to the food, dry chicken, and soggy bread.
Fortunately I am a reasonable man and may return because I do respect the décor and atmosphere. This just goes to show how lazy and complacent people become after they established a name for themselves.

I love this place. Request to sit with Heather, not because I know her personally, but because I’ve found her to be the best server over the years that I’ve been a patron! (she’s been there since opening!)
From happy hour, to a quick bite, to lunch, to dinner — anytime I’ve come in it has been a great experience.
Happy Hour is really awesome — my colleagues go to when we want some adult libations after a long day to relax and unwind. They have great selections of wine and beers and light nosh in the bar area for HH. From the stuffed shrimp, calamari, chips… all great.
A few of my colleagues and I about a 2 years ago would get the prime rib dip once a month. Gluttons, I know… haha. It’s a great sandwich, HUGE and enough to split. (not that we did!) Make sure you get it with the cheese and onions!
Fish and meats are always fresh, however they do have some problems with cooking steaks to the temperature you request. Lately I’ve been getting the steak frites med-​rare, and the past 3 times it has come out closer to medium-​well. Still tasty but they should really pay more attention to this.
Flat breads are great — enough for 6 to start with! It’s a HUGE flatbread with nice toppings. Make sure you check in to get yours complimentary!
Service has always been professional and friendly — we were particularly impressed our last round, very young lady, we weren’t sure at first but she was really awesome.
Few changes over the years, starter bread is no longer complimentary, you have to order it, cheese and onions an up-​charge now on the prime rib sandwich.
If you’re looking to host a private party, this is a GREAT spot, very affordable! But make sure you book WAY in advance, it fills up quickly on the weekends!
If SCG can figure out the issues with steak temperatures, and the small other things I noted, it would have been a 5 star review.

Great business lunch! Place was packed, but everything was quick and efficient, very friendly staff. Varied menu, I did the blackened red snapper special, it was really good!

Excellent food and service. The flatbread was very good. They also made an excellent pomegranate martini. Prices are reasonable. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that I felt they rushed the food out. We were done with our app and entrees in 45 min. Also, plate presentation could use a little help.

Have not been to SCG in a few years. I can tell you I will not wait this long again. From the BBQ flat bread to the service it was great. (Thanks Lori). Went with my wife and daughters. Advice– if your are going to use the Unilocal link for the free flatbread do NOT get soup or a salad. Although very good quality and flavor, it will impact your ability to eat your entrée. I did have the BBQ chicken flatbread which was tasty. Followed this by the chef’s special tomato bisque soup. I followed it by the Coffee Encrusted NY Strip. The steak was perfectly prepared medium rare and the flavor was great. What a great dish! Tremendous combination of flavors. One comment about the grilling. They use mesquite wood. So if you do not like that smokey flavor be aware. I enjoy it but others should know.
My wife had the sole special stuffed with spinach. Portion was huge and very tasty and light. My daughter had a burger which she really liked. Couple this with a very nice wine by the glass selection and good sangria, it made for a very nice alternative gastronomic experience outside of Nassau Street. A very good steak that is not at the Ruth Chris prices which is located across the parking lot.

This is a great place for happy hour around the Princeton area with generous portions and discounted drinks. My friends come here often, so they knew what to get right away.
Pita fries — with some sprinkled feta and a side of pesto hummus and yogurt dip, it’s a healthier alternative to fries. A tad crunchy, but just as yummy.
Calamari– a winner
Ahi Tuna stack with avocado– you will like this if you like sushi. Definitely can taste ginger in the soy sauce.
Creek flat bread — very filling and the balsamic glaze helps bring all the flavors together. comes in 4 pieces.
Service is friendly and the server came by often to see if we needed anything. Salt Creek Grille reminds me of an upscale lodge somewhere in the mountains.

Not one of my better experiences. Ordered the Caesar salad with chicken. They grilled the romaine lettuce which wasn’t good. It wilted the leaves and didn’t add any benefit to the lettuce. The dressing wasn’t good and the chicken was too cold.
I’m a Salt Creek customer and this was the worst food I ever had with the chain. The server was great and she hustled everything out to us in good time. She made recommendations that were well received in our group.

Whenever I eat in Princeton, I tend to gravitate towards the restaurants in downtown, but when I was introduced to Salt Creek Grill, i thought it was a nice change! First of all, it feels lovely to know that you’re guaranteed to find a parking space in the lot with no meters or tickets, and you’re like 20 steps away from the entrance! At first, I wasn’t too fond of the extremely dim lighting and loud noise of the dining room, but it kind of grew on me after a while (because for three months straight, this was my go-​to dinner spot with my boyfriend). Once you put your focus on the person you’re conversing with, you don’t notice any other people or sounds! All the noise in the background block out other people’s conversations, and the dim setting allows you to only focus on the person across from you. However, I still don’t like those booth tables, they are way too big/wide…it makes it difficult to hear each other in the beginning.
I never sit by the bar but it usually looks very lively especially during happy hour and dinner time. The menu is wonderful for meat and seafood lovers, but if you’re a vegetarian, I would not recommend this place. I’m not a huge fan of meat, and I ordered the only pasta on the menu the first time I came here. The pasta was very average. I tried other things like fish and chicken, and they’re much better. Also, they have great drinks! Love their cocktails!
Great ambiance but average food! I think service is quite decent too, but I tend to forget since I was always very focused in my conversations.
3.5 Stars

Awesome restaurant with a huge space. I loved the ambience of Salt Creek Grille-​it felt like a resort in the mountains. There’s even an adorable seating area outside by the entrance with a fireplace.
My friend and I went for dinner around 4:30, so we were seated right away. I did hear that the wait time can get longer around 7 when everyone comes for dinner. Service was great. Our waitress, Becky, was friendly, quick, and attentive. She knew the menu inside and out and helped us pick out our entrée and martini, since it’s half off martinis on Thursdays. I ordered the stuffed blues burger and a pomegranate martini.
While we were waiting for our food, Becky brought out the complimentary bread. I always love free bread, but this is the best of them all. It was a garlicky, warm, and cheesy delight and I knew right there that this restaurant was awesome.
Our food came super quick. The burger was AMAZING. Juicy and tender meat with delicious melted cheese on top with a bun that was lightly toasted. It came with Parmesan garlic fries that are to die for. I normally don’t order them, but the martini was also delicious.
I think this place deserves way more stars than what it has now. The only complain is that it is a little pricey. But, they give you 10% off two entrees for a Unilocal check in. Highly recommend!