Nestled
amidst the hustle and bustle of Bloomfield Avenue lies the Cloverleaf Tavern,
a well-established staple in Caldwell, New Jersey. George Dorchak Jr. founded
the Cloverleaf Tavern in 1933. George was 23 years old when he borrowed money
from his uncle to purchase the first liquor license in Caldwell after
prohibition. The building at the time consisted of two stores: a vegetable
stand and a bakery. The bakery was The Cloverleaf Bakery. This is where George
got the idea for the name of his Tavern. In 1950, the bar that is currently
at the Tavern replaced the original bar. The bar was purchased used for $350.00
and is estimated to be over 100 years old. The establishment functioned strictly
as a man's bar up until the early 1970's. In 1972, the present owner, Richard
Dorchak, joined the business. Richard's vision of developing the Cloverleaf
Tavern into a family-oriented, neighborhood-kind-of restaurant became reality
in 1976 when he opened the first dining room. Richard wore many hats while
trying to overcome the "men's only" reputation the Cloverleaf Tavern was
known for. He served not only as the Cloverleaf's bartender, but also was
the cook and server for many years. In 1989 the restaurant was expanded to
accommodate the growth that had taken place throughout the 1980's. A sky-lit
atrium and an outdoor patio were added to accommodate an additional 75 guests.
Two more dining rooms would follow over the next 3 years. In 1993, George's grandson, Ryan Dorchak joined as the third generation to assist in running the operation. Today, The Cloverleaf
Tavern has the capacity to serve 200 guests and has a private party room
which seats up to 50 guests.
Our menu consists
of American cuisine suited for a family-casual dining atmosphere. We are
famous for our mouth-watering 24oz shell steak, fresh beer battered fish-n-chips,
and our juicy 7oz hamburgers. The Cloverleaf Tavern has something for everyone!
Seniors enjoy 10% discounts all-day, kids enjoy balloons and magic on Wednesdays
for 6pm-9pm, jazz lovers adore the Thursday night live duo, and the whole
restaurant loves to see the spotlight performers on Friday and Saturday nights.
We do serve a complete line of alcoholic beverages as well. Glancing through
the bar area, its easy to become lost among the 16 beers on tap and the selection
of over 100 bottled beers! The Cloverleaf Tavern has gained a reputation
for quality products, friendly environments to relax in and WOW! Customer
service - all of which was accomplished by hard work and dedication as a
team!
The restaurant earned a Reader's Choice
Award from New Jersey Monthly for the "Best Lunch in Northern New Jersey"
and earned an additional award of "The Best Inexpensive Restaurant in Northern
New Jersey". In addition, an award for "Culinary Excellence" was given to
the Tavern at Great Chef's Night, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fairfield,
New Jersey.
Cloverleaf Tavern proudly sponsors the
Caldwell Street Fair as a Platinum Sponsor Annually
