Let me tell you something Antonine McGuire's Oyster and Ale House is one of the best kept secrets in Rockland, NY. This place is just about perfect!
I discovered AM via Hudson Valley Magazine, one of my "go to" sources for restaurant reviews. They loved AM and I do too!
O.K. The neighborhood is a bit sketchy. (Ya ever been to Peter Luger - the real one... under the bridge?) But it's not dangerous. I mean it's the center of town, the main drag, and the cops are constantly cruising/hanging 'round so when all is said and done it's more a question of "atmosphere" than anything else. You can park your car on the street up or down the block and it'll be safe enough, or, if you're the nervous type, they have valet parking.
Frankly, the location is the only thing I can think of as a possible negative, and again, when all is said and done the location is part of the charm. (Hey... it's a beautiful old building, inside and out; they did one heck of a job with the restoration!)
Now the food... OH... MY... GOD...!
I suppose you could classify A & M as a gastropub. It has a great bar... real old-fashioned class... fireplace... great selection of beers on tap (Mother's Milk!), bottled beer, wine, and booze. (Signature cocktails too, including specials!)
The dining room is separate from the bar area (which offers a few tables, including "formal" tables "in" the street viewing window. (That's where my wife and I sat the first time we visited; it was great... romantic yet fun!)
Anyway, the dining room is upscale gastropub; think 19th century "clubby"... brick walls... copper plate ceilings... warm and inviting.
The room is intimate yet not crowded; tables are properly spaced. We're talking a room just as appropriate for a romantic evening as it is for a business dinner or a night out with friends. (Just make sure to have a reservation on weekends!)
Back to the food: "Continental Irish." One of their signature dishes is Corned Beef Gratin -- layers of corned beef, sliced potatoes and béchamel sauce topped with gruyere.
Their appetizers are awesome! Desserts are excellent!
Bottom line... check out their menu... savor the descriptions... and take my word that everything tastes just as delicious as it sounds.
Portions? Not huge. Not "overdone." But not "French" either. What A & M does is this: they offer you an outstanding meal - quality as well as varied choices - at a MORE than fair price.
Again... check out the menu. The bang for the buck is simply outstanding! (The corned beef gratin for example... $15.)
Service? Friendly and competent. Again - as with the food - you're getting beyond what you'd reasonably expect for the price. Everyone working at A & M from the hostess to the servers to the bartender comes across as seriously interested in impressing you with the dining experience at A & M.
One thing I particularly love: The chef will send "samples" of stuff she's cooking out to the floor. I love when they bring out a taste of one of the soups served in an espresso glass!
Last but not least, at least one of the owners is always there. The owner I know is Pete. Besides being a co-owner of AM's, he's also FDNY.
Let me tell you something folks... I'm not a native New Yorker, I'm actually Welsh, but I'll never forget 9/11 for more reasons that I care to share right now. However, any time I can support one of New York's Bravest while having the time of my life at a great restaurant where the tab ain't gonna break the bank... count me in!
Folks... you're gonna LOVE this place!
