Timeline For Renovating Chatham's River Grille Still Uncertain

CHATHAM, NJ — The River Grille restaurant has yet to make public their construction plans for their remodel and renovation plan, which was approved by the Chatham Borough Zoning Board of Adjustment last August.

The board unanimously approved the construction of a new bar and restaurant next to the existing River Grille at 34 River Road. The current structure will be demolished and replaced with a parking lot.

Following the approval, the restaurant updated its social media accounts, announcing the plan with a simple comment saying that more information was on the way. Since then, no additional information has been made publicly available.

An employee at the River Grille told Patch over the phone that the plan is still in the works and that it will hopefully break ground sometime this summer, but that it was not completely confirmed.

The new restaurant, designed by J.A. Mihalik Architect LLC, will have three stories of bars, dining space, and private party rooms with seating for up to 190 diners, significantly increasing the capacity of the current structure, which can currently only accommodate about 80 customers.

The plan includes outdoor dining on the main level on River Road and doors leading to terraces on the second and third levels, according to the project presentation.

Some residents were concerned about a potential noise increase, but Justin Mihalik, the project's architect, assured residents that live music would be located indoors and projected toward River Road.

The restaurant would also have to comply with the borough's noise ordinance, meaning that all music projected outdoors would end at 10 p.m.

"The application was thorough and well-presented, and the proposed new restaurant will be a wonderful addition to the borough and will be supportive of and complementary to the substantial new residential development currently underway in the River Road gateway area," zoning board member Peter Hoffman said.

The River Grille describes itself as a "family-friendly hangout with a horseshoe bar offering draft brews and elevated American pub food." Some locals are concerned that the updated design will detract from the classic dive bar vibe.

"It's not Flint's Tavern anymore, but that fact is, that area isn't what it used to be. You still have the echoes. When I drive down the street, I have the echoes of those old factories still being there. It still hasn't really sunken in, but that's what's happening, and that's what needs to happen. From an overall point of view, it's the right design for the right property," the zoning board's chairman, Michael Cifelli, said.