Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture

4.2

8536 Reviews

$31 to $50

Contemporary French

Make a booking

2 people

2 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 34 times today

Charming
Great for scenic views
Great for outdoor dining

Rat’s Restaurant is the perfect dining destination. Named for the fabled entertaining character in Kenneth Graham’s children’s classic, The Wind in the Willows, Rat’s Restaurant is designed to give visitors the sense they have stepped into a village reminiscent of the impressionist painter Claude Monet’s beloved town of Giverny. Rustic fireplaces, country French cuisine, seasonal hand-crafted cocktails and an eclectic beer and wine list are just the beginning. Regarded as one of the most romantic and beautiful restaurants in our region, Rat’s was named Philadelphia Magazine’s “Most Romantic Restaurant. Rats Restaurant and catering is proudly managed by Constellation Culinary.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary French
Hours of Operation
Lunch Thu–Sun 11:00 am–2:45 pm Dinner Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
Phone number
(609) 584-7800
Website
http://www.ratsrestaurant.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Jules Odum
Catering
Rat’s Restaurant and Ground For Sculpture offers a full complement of resources and services for a wide range of social, private, and corporate functions. So many events—from weddings and holiday parties to meetings & trade shows have been inspired by the unique interplay of nature and art. Only the unparalleled service and dedicated staff’s attention to detail rival the setting itself. Rat's provides award-winning menus for groups up to 200 with flexible space and tiered food and beverage packages that may be customized to your specific need and budget <br />
Private party facilities
When looking to host a memorable affair, Rat’s Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture is the ultimate venue for a unique and elegant event. Whether planning a small wedding, intimate cocktail party, or corporate dinner, Rat’s private dining rooms, lounges, and outdoor spaces is just right!

Location
16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619
Area
Princeton
Cross Street
Sculpture Way
Parking details
Abundant parking is available in our private parking lot.
Public transit
Less than 3 miles from the Hamilton, NJ Amtrak/NJ Transit complex
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan

Popular dishes

ARTISANAL CHEESESUS$29.00
3 artisanal creamery cheeses, seasonal compote, roasted nuts, honeycomb, crostini (dairy, gluten, nuts)
TRIO OF SPREADSUS$31.00
garlic yogurt, red pepper hummus, eggplant caponata, with watermelon radish, cucumber, grilled naan (dairy, gluten)
SOUP DU JOURUS$12.00
FRENCH ONION SOUPUS$15.00
baguette, croiton, thyme, gruyère (dairy, gluten)
HOUSE SMOKED PORK BELLYUS$22.00
calvados, phyllo, granny smith apples black truffle, cider cream vinaigrette (dairy, gluten)
BAKED BRIEUS$24.00
sour cherry, poulet pan frita, sourdough (dairy, gluten)
STEAMED MUSSELSUS$17.00
garlic, leek, creme fraiche, saffron (shellfish, dairy)
OCTOPUS CARPACCIOUS$23.00
calabrian caper vinaigrette, blood orange, chives (nightshade, allium)
STEAK TARTARUS$25.00
purple mustard, sundried tomato, caper, shallot, hen egg, baguette (dairy, gluten)

Sides

CHARRED BROCCOLINIUS$13.00
duck fat bearnaise, duck crumb (dairy)
HAND CUT POTATO WEDGESUS$10.00
herb butter, sea salt, butter (dairy)
ROASTED CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMSUS$18.00
thyme, banyuls, brown butter (dairy)

Entrees & Sandwiches

RAT'S CHEESEBURGERUS$20.00
lettuce, tomato, onion, truffle aioli, brioche bun, pickle spear, potato wedges (dairy, gluten)
- smoked baconUS$2.00
TURKEY CROISSANTUS$19.00
smoked bacon, arugula, persian cucumber, dill aioli, green salad (dairy, gluten)
FRENCH DIPUS$22.00
prime rib, swiss cheese, horseradish aioli, french onion jus (dairy, gluten)
DAY BOAT CODUS$41.00
celery root pave, basil, lemongrass buttermilk (dairy)
CHARRED BROCCOLIUS$24.00
puffed grains, pastrami spice, mint tahina, shredded asparagus, fennel and celery (sesame, garlic, nightshade)

Salads

RAT'S ROTISSERIE CHICKENUS$20.00
warm pulled rotisserie chicken, baby kale, baby gem lettuce, roasted fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, dried cranberries, maytag blue cheese, pecans, roasted shallot dressing (dairy, nuts)
PLUM SALADUS$21.00
red dandelion, watercress, black plums, stracciatella, raspberry, pistachio, raspberry red wine vinaigrette (dairy, nuts)
GRILLED CAESARUS$21.00
anchovy crumb, pecorino, black pepper, yuzu caesar dressing (dairy, gluten, fish)
DUCK CONFIT SALADUS$26.00
frisee, haricot vert, humbolt fog, torn herbs, candied walnuts, crispy duck leg, whole grain mustard vinaigrette (dairy, nuts)
- grilled chickenUS$8.00
- shrimpUS$10.00
- steakUS$13.00

What 8,536 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.1Food
4.3Service
4.7Ambience
3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

New Jersey
Most Booked
Mercer
Best Ambience
Mercer
Great for brunch
Mercer
Great for outdoor dining
Mercer
Romantic
Mercer
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Nestled amidst the enchanting Grounds for Sculpture, Rats Restaurant offers a "magical" dining experience with its stunning ambiance reminiscent of a Monet painting. While the "beautiful" setting and "great cocktails" consistently impress, service and menu reliability can vary. It's a "unique" spot for special occasions, but reservations are essential.

8,536 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
The lovely atmosphere was marred by poor service and an unimpressive menu. The staff did try to accommodate the issues but considering the costs, it was not worth it.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The waiter, Brian, was knowledgeable and friendly. The food was delicious and as always the surroundings were beautiful. Rats is a favorite!
Is this helpful?
B
Brian
Philadelphia
2 reviews
vip
1.0
2 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Great service. Food was tasteless, poorly constructed, and.not in line with menu descriptions.
Is this helpful?
M
Mindy
New York City
63 reviews
vip
3.0
63 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
We waited a while for lunch table even though tables were free. The food was okay, the waiter was pleasant but busy Nothing special
Is this helpful?
MV
MichaelV
Philadelphia
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent as always! I have yet to have a negative experience at Rats (and I’ve been dining here for over 14 years now). Amazing & memorable each time.
Is this helpful?
M
Marie
Philadelphia
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A very brisk cold day but perfect for french onion soup which was delicious! Highly recommend! Great service too!
Is this helpful?
M
Margaret ann
Philadelphia
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
I was very disappointed with Rats , the food came out lukewarm and nothing special about it. We had an early lunch and it cost $62 per person! I would think for that price we should have been impressed.
Is this helpful?
D
Donna
New York City
15 reviews
2.0
15 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The burgers were thin patties that were totally overcooked…twice
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Ambiance is amazing especially by the bar and fireplace . The food was phenomenal even for a small lunch menu and fresh. Add some assortment of breads for each table and an olive oil dip instead of butter would be my only suggestion. Thanks for a wonderful time .
Is this helpful?
B
Beth
New Jersey
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had a great server. Very attentive but not clingy. The artisanal cheese plate and octopus carpaccio were worth it. The burgers were decent. Overall, would recommend.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture is rated 4.2 stars by 8536 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

2 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 34 times today

Google Map for Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture

16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619

Additional information

Cross Street
Sculpture Way
Area
Princeton
Hours of Operation
Lunch Thu–Sun 11:00 am–2:45 pm Dinner Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary French
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Abundant parking is available in our private parking lot.
Public transit
Less than 3 miles from the Hamilton, NJ Amtrak/NJ Transit complex
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Jules Odum
Additional
Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan

Website
http://www.ratsrestaurant.com/
Phone number
(609) 584-7800
Catering
Rat’s Restaurant and Ground For Sculpture offers a full complement of resources and services for a wide range of social, private, and corporate functions. So many events—from weddings and holiday parties to meetings & trade shows have been inspired by the unique interplay of nature and art. Only the unparalleled service and dedicated staff’s attention to detail rival the setting itself. Rat's provides award-winning menus for groups up to 200 with flexible space and tiered food and beverage packages that may be customized to your specific need and budget <br />
Private party facilities
When looking to host a memorable affair, Rat’s Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture is the ultimate venue for a unique and elegant event. Whether planning a small wedding, intimate cocktail party, or corporate dinner, Rat’s private dining rooms, lounges, and outdoor spaces is just right!

Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture

Make a booking

Additional information

French Onion Soup

Octopus Carpaccio

Crème Brulée

Appetizers

ARTISANAL CHEESESUS$29.00

TRIO OF SPREADSUS$31.00

SOUP DU JOURUS$12.00

FRENCH ONION SOUPUS$15.00

HOUSE SMOKED PORK BELLYUS$22.00

BAKED BRIEUS$24.00

STEAMED MUSSELSUS$17.00

OCTOPUS CARPACCIOUS$23.00

STEAK TARTARUS$25.00

Sides

CHARRED BROCCOLINIUS$13.00

HAND CUT POTATO WEDGESUS$10.00

ROASTED CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMSUS$18.00

Entrees & Sandwiches

RAT'S CHEESEBURGERUS$20.00

TURKEY CROISSANTUS$19.00

FRENCH DIPUS$22.00

DAY BOAT CODUS$41.00

CHARRED BROCCOLIUS$24.00

Salads

RAT'S ROTISSERIE CHICKENUS$20.00

PLUM SALADUS$21.00

GRILLED CAESARUS$21.00

DUCK CONFIT SALADUS$26.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

How is Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture restaurant rated?

Is Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information