A new restaurant called The Hudson Rose is set to take over the former Franklin Steakhouse space at 238 Franklin Avenue in Nutley, and The Montclair Girl has all the details on what’s to come. The inspiration behind the new eatery comes from restaurants in New York City like The Smith, so guests can expect an unbelievable burger and french fries. In addition to the dining experience, there will be a banquet space where guests can have private parties and events. Read on to learn more about The Hudson Rose coming to Nutley, New Jersey.
Taking Over Franklin Steakhouse
The owners of The Hudson Rose, Brian Neiman and his father-in-law Bruce Fischer of GAC Hospitality, took over the former Franklin Steakhouse property in February 2022. Jersey Digs announced the sale of the building for $1.6 million, which included a liquor license. The 4,000-square-foot-per-floor building includes three levels: a finished basement, the first-floor kitchen, bar and restaurant seating, and the third-floor banquet space with a dance floor and smaller bar.
Read More: These Restaurants + Bars in Montclair Will Wow Your Visitors
Since taking over 238 Franklin Avenue, GAC Hospitality Group has been hard at work renovating and fixing all the architectural plans. Brian told The Montclair Girl: “We’re moving a whole staircase. We were creating a whole new prep room in the basement. We had to add in a sprinkler system to the building. So just like every little thing, making sure that it is perfect.”
The purchase of The Hudson Rose came before GAC opened its first restaurant, Pop’s Corner in Point Pleasant, which they were able to open in July to cater to all the summer beachgoers.
^ Rendering of The Hudson Rose. Photo Credit: Courtesy of GAC Hospitality Group
“My father-in-law and I, we both always wanted to own a restaurant. It’s kind of always a dream of ours, so I ended up quitting my job,” Brian shared, referring to his former job at J.P. Morgan where he worked on the tech side.
“I always had a passion to do this. My father was a chef, so we just grew up cooking, grew up loving food and always talking about it and after college, living in the city. I always loved that world, and something I always said, if I ever got the opportunity I wanted to do that,” Brian said.
Brian added that his father-in-law, Bruce, worked in restaurants when he was younger, and he now works in the fashion business as well as helping Brian out. The Hoboken resident said that he doesn’t regret quitting his job to open a restaurant. “It’s very stressful and definitely a totally different type of stress than I’ve ever experienced, but it’s so worth it. I love it and it’s been really fun,” Brian said.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of GAC Hospitality Group
About the Menu
The inspiration behind the restaurant came from Brian and Bruce’s experiences in the industry. “[We thought about] What do we want when we go out to eat, what’s our favorite food to eat, the type of service we want, the décor,” Brian said. They’ve also pulled some inspiration from some of their favorite restaurants in New York City, such as The Ribbon in the Upper West Side and The Smith, which has multiple locations in the city.
Some of the menu items will include fresh fish, dry-aged steaks, salads, delicious burgers, chicken dishes such as chicken under a brick, and a bone marrow appetizer.
Although the chef of the restaurant is still to be determined, the owners shared that they’re going to have a staple item, like an unbelievable burger and french fries that is going to be something that people come back for.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of GAC Hospitality Group
Brian added, “Everyone makes lists of things, like, best burgers in this place. So that’s why we want to have a really killer burger and a lot of different fish dishes and chicken…I want everything to be very high-quality ingredients. You’ll be able to taste the difference in our food.”
Apart from the food, there will also be a stocked bar, a giant beautiful bar where everyone will be able to sit and enjoy their drinks. The cocktail menu will include some classics, a good martini, specialty cocktails as well as seasonal cocktails depending on the holiday.
Banquet Space
Working on the banquet space upstairs is a whole separate entity, but Brian and Bruce have a vision in mind (as seen in the renderings in this story) that will have anyone wanting to book their special occasion there.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of GAC Hospitality Group
“We’ll not only start to throw some parties for people, but we’ll try to host some, like some sort of themed dinner, live music, Mother’s Day/Father’s Day brunch, etc. There’s so much opportunity for different events for the town and fun, new things for people to do,” Brian said
When asked the type of events people can host, Brian shared it can be anything from weddings, rehearsal dinners, sweet sixteen, and Bar Mitzvahs to corporate events and PTO meetings. The space holds about 200 people, but construction is currently going on to make it even bigger. Those interested can soon fill out a request form found on the website.
New Year’s Goals
Brian and the team hope that The Hudson Rose will be open either by the end of the year or by early 2024. Upon completion, the restaurant will look completely different” compared to Franklin Steakhouse, especially given the modern look and beautiful artwork that will be added. However, they want to make sure to include some of the building’s original elements since the steakhouse has been a part of the community for years.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of GAC Hospitality Group
“It was a really special place for the town, so we really don’t want to just take that away from the town of Nutley. We want to give them something new to be proud of, something new that they will love,” Brian told The Montclair Girl.
The restauranteur described it as “creating a new place in the dead center of town of Nutley.” Although The Hudson Rose joins other longtime establishments in town, he said that the “décor, vibe, service and delicious food” will make the new upscale eatery stand out.
See More: A Trip to Dear Maud on 1st Street in Hoboken
Until The Hudson Rose opens, Brian recommends people check out Pop’s Corner in Point Pleasant, which is open every day from 6AM to 4PM and serves house-made to-go specialties and freshly brewed coffee.
