The Brass Rail (Hoboken, New Jersey)

The Brass Rail is a two-story restaurant located in historic downtown Hoboken, at 135 Washington Street. Originally built and opened around the turn of the 20th century, it has for many years been known for its raspberry beer,{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Christina |title=Hoboken Journal; Night Life With 'Music Coming Out of Every Doorway'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/02/nyregion/hoboken-journal-night-life-with-music-coming-out-of-every-doorway.html?scp=4&sq=&pagewanted=2|accessdate=August 27, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 2, 1991 |url-access=subscription}} as well as its French cuisine. Residents of Hoboken recommend the Brass Rail to visitors,{{cite news|last=Strom |first=Stephanie |title=Lifestyle: Sunday Outing; Where Stoops Offer a Great Skyline|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/22/style/lifestyle-sunday-outing-where-stoops-offer-a-great-skyline.html?scp=5&sq=%22brass+rail%22+hoboken&st=nyt|accessdate=August 27, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times |date=April 22, 1990 |url-access=subscription}} although the restaurant does retain a local crowd. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Brass Rail was frequented by many poets, during an emerging literary revival period in Hoboken. They met there, drank and discussed their art.Sullivan, p. 223. The restaurant in the 1980s was owned by Michael Peters,{{cite news|last=Schumer|first=Fran |title=Restaurants; Bistro Days and Nights|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/05/nyregion/restaurants-bistro-days-and-nights.html?scp=1&sq=%22brass+rail%22+hoboken&st=nyt |accessdate=August 27, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 5, 1998 |url-access=subscription}} and the building suffered a devastating fire.{{cite news|last=Kleiman |first=Dena |title=A Dream Falls Flat: Fleeing Hoboken for the Suburbs|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/07/nyregion/a-dream-falls-flat-fleeing-hoboken-for-the-suburbs.html?scp=2&sq=&pagewanted=2|accessdate=August 27, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 7, 1988 |url-access=subscription}} It was reportedly caused by a careless smoker; the damage forced the building to close down, and Michael Peters sold the restaurant and opened up another restaurant in Kinsale, Ireland.

By 1989, the Brass Rail was rebuilt with etched-glass doors, red velvet banquettes and painted cherubs along the ceiling.{{cite news|title=Dining Out Guide: New Jersey|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/02/arts/dining-out-guide-new-jersey.html?scp=6&sq=%22brass+rail%22+hoboken&st=nyt |accessdate=August 27, 2010|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 2, 1989 |url-access=subscription}} The first floor holds the pub, while formal dining in a French salon style is on the second floor. Hanging on one of the walls of the Brass Rail is a large oil mural depicting the history of Hoboken.Heide, at al., p. 41. It has been restored to its original 1900s' style,{{cite web|title= The Brass Rail|url=http://www.thebrassrailnj.com/about.asp|work=Welcome to The Brass Rail Restaurant|accessdate=August 27, 2010}} and a wooden spiral staircase wraps around the wall facing Washington Street, which along the ground floor has been revamped into a part of a lounge.

A New York Times review called the Brass Rail "very good." Zagat has rated it as excellent.{{cite book |title=Zagat New Jersey Restaurants|year=2001|publisher=Zagat Survey|isbn=1-57006-289-7|page=224}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{cite book|last=Bell|first=Madison Smartt|title=Waiting for the end of the world|year=1985|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=0-89919-377-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/waitingforendoft00bell/page/322 322]|url=https://archive.org/details/waitingforendoft00bell/page/322}}
• {{cite book|last=Heide|first=Robert|title=O'New Jersey: Daytripping, Backroads, Eateries, Funky Adventures|year=2006|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=0-312-34156-3|pages=[https://archive.org/details/onewjerseydaytri0000heid/page/259 259]|author2=Gilman, John|url=https://archive.org/details/onewjerseydaytri0000heid/page/259}}
• {{cite book|last=Sullivan|first=Al|title=Everyday people: profiles from the Garden State|url=https://archive.org/details/everydaypeoplepr00sull|url-access=limited|year=2001|publisher=Rutgers University Press|isbn=0-8135-2950-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/everydaypeoplepr00sull/page/243 243]}}

• {{Official website|http://www.thebrassrailnj.com/}}

{{Restaurants in New Jersey}}

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Category:Restaurants in Hoboken, New Jersey

Category:Buildings and structures in Hoboken, New Jersey

Category:Companies based in Hudson County, New Jersey