***4 1/2 stars*** Similar to my 300th Yelp review, my 400th was also a banger but thankfully did not include any encounters with bears - and if it had, it likely would have been from afar behind a window. The Walpack Inn has been on my list for ages; it's one of those places that always ends up in an nj.com article like "Top 25 Cozy in the Middle of Nowhere Restaurants," articles I might add that nj.com now has behind a subscriber paywall because the end is nigh for local journalism. Anyway. I came here appropriately with my top-tier chum who also happens to be a lifelong resident of the Kingdom of Sussex, which means she's not only very aware of Walpack's existence but has been here quite a few times over the years. I consider my chum to live pretty much in the middle of nowhere, so it was pretty wild that to get here we STILL had to drive over half an hour. It's actually very close to Buttermilk Falls, one of my favorite hikes in the state that requires driving on an unpaved road for a few miles to get to. So even getting to the entrance of this establishment is an adventure in and of itself. But the adventure doesn't stop at the door. This place is a VIBE. It's gigantic inside, and feels like a ye olde hunting lodge. I was led to believe by my chum that taxidermy was abundant but I didn't see any, unfortunately - maybe it was in another huge room I didn't access? But no matter, my eyes were treated to lots of fun items on the wall, and an alligator bench (picture attached) that I emotionally imprinted on. We walked through two large rooms (the last was practically barn size) before getting to a table with a pile of menus, which is apparently their equivalent of a hostess stand or lectern. We were warmly greeted and seated in a third room with giant windows that felt a little atrium-ish, where you could easily see wildlife outside if applicable. We weren't seated right next to the windows but were close enough that when a few deer wandered over we did easily see that (and just as an aside, very clear from the excited reactions who was and wasn't from the Kingdom of Sussex.) It seemed very clear to me that animals needed to be consumed on this adventure, so I opted for the short ribs/mashed potatoes special (about $46). Delicious and a huge portion - half of it came home with me despite the fact that I'd been decently hungry upon entry. Very tender and flavorful, and the mashed potatoes were a perfect complement. We also split the goat cheese/cracker app, which was fine but not mind-blowing - we both agreed the crackers went really well with the cheese, but I think from an optics perspective it would have been better with bread. It's tough to justify a $15ish app that features crackers you could easily pick up at the store. Those same crackers also came with my chum's crabcake, so it WAS convenient to grab a few of the leftover ones from that to include with the goat cheese doggie bag, at least. We each visited the cocktail menu, which had the added benefit of putting a rosy hue on our cheeks on a very nippy night. (It was actually pretty drafty in sections of the restaurants, and I never took my puffer vest off despite the fact that there was a heater right above us. Dress appropriately.) I went with the Charles in Charge, featuring bourbon, and I think Cointreau and a few fruity ingredients. It was good but a little too sweet for my palate. I've mentioned it before, but bourbon is one of the naturally sweeter spirits that doesn't get a lot of press about that so it doesn't need a ton of extra sugary shizzle to get the job done. I'd remove at least one of those ingredients. Despite having way too much food and abundant leftovers, we of course requested a dessert menu and opted for the black raspberry ice cream pie, sans whipped cream. Black raspberry is one of my favorite ice creams and this was a gigantic portion. I wasn't crazy about the inclusion of chocolate chips in it (wasn't terrible but I don't think it needs it from either a texture or taste perspective) and we both thought the decision to make this a pie was a little odd, though not a negative per se. The pie crust is incredibly thin, to the point where 90% of your bites aren't going to include it and when it does, it's basically a small flaky layer that doesn't really add anything to it. And as my chum noted, if it's served in a bowl and not a plate, THAT makes it ice cream, not a pie. The service was fantastic. We had a great, salt-of-the-earth waitress who stopped by regularly and had a vibrant personality that truly matched the establishment. She knew the menu well and legitimately added to the experience, which is hard to do when it's not something off-the-charts negative. Walpack got huge points for that in my book. Some of the menu items didn't hit it out of the park, but nothing fell flat and the atmosphere and service made up for a lot. Huge recommend.

Out in the woods with a beautiful clearing animals come to feed while we watch. Don't miss the waterfalls near the restaurant. We drove slowly to the falls. The brown bread was delicious and ruined my appetite, well worth the yummy bread.

Sunday field-trip to Walpack Inn. Very nice cozy dining room with a huge fireplace blazing and gorgeous Christmas tree. Our server Theresa was so sweet and efficient. We both had the delicious Prime Rib, comes with veg or choice of potato and salad bar. Beef was perfectly cooked and very tasty. We had a 3pm reservation so we were able to enjoy the fantastic drive there. So much farmland and gorgeous vintage villages, barns and silos.

Upscale steak and seafood restaurant. Wonderful cozy, romantic atmosphere. Service is good. Love watching the deer as they come to feed. So many of them.

Visited Walpack Inn tonight with a group of ten, most first timers, so as a frequent customer over the past ?decades, I was curious to see their reactions. Yes, it takes effort to travel the back roads thru the small towns of Layton, Sandston, etc. Before reaching Walpak. Beautiful and rustic describes it best. Nice bar area. Fireplace was nice and warm and the large seating area (great for viewing the deer running just outside the windows) The staff was great and all our dishes were met with a positive response. Whether you had a filet mignon, baked scallops or in my case, 1/2 rack of BBQ ribs, all dishes satisfied. Of course, starting with warm brown bread and hitting the salad bar is always a good way to start the night. Thanks to Brianna, our friendly server, the night was a success and the new customers will be back.

Went for their brunch earlier in the year and that set the bar very high for this hidden gem. The dinner may have topped the brunch, amazing food, service, atmosphere. You walk in the restaurant and you can smell the delicious food, then you can see the fire place with a fantastic fire. The drinks were very good. The food was great and the portions were very nice. The salad bar was so fun you don't see them very often. The only knock I would say is that the American lobster was a little dry. I still ate the entire thing though after dipping in butter. All the other dishes were 5 star. Try to save room for dessert because that's awesome also.

Everything was fabulous . The food is top rate and a really excellent experience . It is beautiful

Took the scenic drive out to come for a date night. My boyfriend has been a customer for years and decided he wanted me to experience this place for myself. I was not disappointed. We were seated on time and our waitress was extremely helpful in making recommendations. Everything we ordered came out when we would have wanted it and we just had a fabulous time overall.

Really beautiful spot for a special occasion. The exterior and interior are gorgeous and we were very lucky to be able to sit by the window. Service was also great. Aside from the brown bread which was repeatedly refilled, my table got the burrata to share which was everyone's favorite part of the meal. Great flavor especially on the tomatoes. I got the huevos rancheros which were really good. The portion size was insanely huge and I could barely finish half. Everyone else in my party also enjoyed their food. I took a bite of someone's French dip sandwich and I thought it was phenomenal.