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Arthur's Tavern and a New Jersey Restaurant Dynasty - Mr. Local History Project
History

Arthur’s Tavern and a New Jersey Restaurant Dynasty

Do you know how Arthur’s Tavern got its name? Meet Arthur….. Arthur McGreevy.

Meet Arthur McGreevy

Arthur was born on Dec. 6, 1927, in Orange, N.J., and lived most of his life in Morris Plains, N.J., before moving to Sparta, N.J., where he lived before his death on November 3, 2011. Arthur attended Seton Hall Prep School and studied poultry husbandry at Rutgers University. He also served four years in the United States Navy.

Arthur McGreevy in 1985 when he was appointed to the National Restaurant Association.
Arthur McGreevy is sitting at one of his restaurants on the wall at Arthur’s Tavern, McGreevy’s last family restaurant still operating.

Arthur McGreevy’s business philosophy was the same for each restaurant: dedication to detail and willingness to sacrifice his personal time and life.

1917- Heinrich Elzerman purchased the corner lot from local blacksmiths, the Tunises, and moved, later opening Elzermn’s Restaurant.
View of Speedwell Avenue from Littleton Road in Morris Plains

The McGreevy Family Business

Arthur owned Arthur’s Tavern in Morris Plains, Hoboken, and Arthur’s St. Moritz in Sparta. He also owned Llewellyn Farms in Morris Plains, The Black Bull Inn in Mountain Lakes, Arthur’s Tavern in North Brunswick, and Arthurs Emerson. Many didn’t know that he also owned In Chester’s Larison’s Turkey Farm.

McGreevy Family Restaurant Empire Map

Click on any of the icons on the interactive map to learn more about the McGreevy restaurant empire.

Llewellyn Farms, Morris Plains. The restaurant closed around 1996 or 1997.
Brook Tavern – Morris Plains purchased in 1957.
Larison’s Turkey Farm Inn – Chester, New Jersey McGreevy’s owned from 1974 – 2001
McGreevy’s Black Bull Inn Rt. 46. Mountain Lakes known for its family-style turkey dinners.
Arthur’s Tavern – 214 Kinderkamack Rd Emerson, NJ 07630 – Still searching for a photo.
Arthurs on Lake Mohawk in Sparta was sold in 2012. Still searching for a photo.

Arthur’s first job after WW2 was working in the kitchen at Llewellyn Farms in Morris Plains, where he worked as a window washer, dishwasher, and bartender. Llewellyn Farms was established as a dairy farm in the early 20th century. Over the years, it evolved into a popular restaurant and event venue.

After the Navy, I got a job as a “pearl diver” at Llewellyn Farms restaurant, which was a fancy name for the person who got to wash the dishes by hand.

McGreevy would purchase Llewellyn Farms Restaurant in 1950 which would make it his first of many.

Second Acquisition – The Brook Tavern in Morris Plains, New Jersey

In 1957, Arthur McGreevy purchased his second restaurant, the Brook Tavern in Morris Plains, adding to his family’s restaurant holdings and changing the name to Arthur’s Tavern. As McGreevy stewarded the company, the Arthur’s franchise would ultimately grow to five locations, but it is now the only restaurant in the family’s possession.

Cohen’s Restaurant was sold and became The Brook Tavern in the 1950s. In 1957, Arthur McGreevy purchased the Brook Tavern, famous for its pickled green tomatoes and peppers, still served at Arthur’s Tavern today—source: Morristown Historical Society.
1985 Brook Tavern gets a facelift and a dining room on the second floor was added. Source: Daily record
2022 – Arthurs Tavern – Morris Plains
Source: Newark Star-Ledger

The Newark Star-Ledger quoted Arthur in 1991: “Although McGreevy has been honored many times by every manor New Jersey restaurant organization, as well as for his charitable and religious endeavors, he still views as his greatest accomplishment the fact that he makes a pleasant and inexpensive night out available to young married people, older people on a fixed income, and “everyone in between.” We couldn’t agree more.

Hoboken House / Arthur’s Tavern

What was originally the Hoboken House at 237 Washington St, Hoboken, became another popular McGreevy Arthur’s steakhouse in the late 70s and early 80s. Claim to fame? The 24 or 48 oz. Delmonico steak!

Our research is still looking for details on just how long McGreevy owned the establishment, but we do know as Arthur’s Tavern was sold to David and Wanda Jacey in 2011 and ultimately closed in 2022.

Arthur’s Tavern – Hoboken, NJ

Researchers Much Needed Research

What would a story about restaurants be without some research? So we had to visit Arthur’s in Morris Plains. Then we needed more research, and more research, and more research… you get the idea. Here are some photos of some of our research:

The pickles ‘n peppers bowl has been a tradition before Arthur’s was Arthur;s!
Call it the “big beer” think it’s 32 oz.
The 32 oz. beer and wedge salad.
Signature Onion soup.
The famous 24 ounce (1 1/2 pound) Delmonico steak with potatoes and cherry pepper. 2024 -$38.99.
The 1/2 pound cheeseburger. 2024 – $10.95
The Reuben
Classic ending – the Irish coffee.
Mr Local History Research Team for this story.

Larison’s Turkey Farm Inn – That was Arthur’s Too

Our researchers created this story after learning that Arthur McGreevy and his family owned Larison’s Turkey Farm Inn nearby Chester, New Jesey. Then we put two and two together, and the light bulb went off about why Arthur’s was called Arthur’s in Morris Plains. That’s why we love telling stories about history: You never know when one story leads to another.

Black Bull Inn in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. This might have been McGreevy’s only lackluster restaurant. Newark Star-Ledger June 1996.

Have A Memory or Comment to Share? Post in the Comments Section at the bottom of the page.

More MLH New Jersey Foodie History

See ALL our Jersey Foodie History Stories – Click Here

McGreevy Family Restaurants List

  • Larison’s Turkey Farm was in Morris Plains, New Jersey
  • Arthur’s Tavern in Morris Plains, New Jersey
  • Arthur’s Tavern was in Hoboken, New Jersey
  • Arthur’s St. Moritz was in Sparta, New Jersey
  • Llewellyn Farms was in Morris Plains, New Jersey
  • The Black Bull Inn was in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey
  • Arthur’s Tavern was in North Brunswick, New Jersey
  • Arthur’s Tavern was in Emerson, New Jersey

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