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Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ

Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture

4.2
4.2
8576 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary French

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 18 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for scenic views
Rat’s Restaurant is the perfect dining destination. Named for the fabled entertaining character in Kenneth Graham’s children’s classic, The Wind in the Willows, Rat’s Restaurant is designed to give visitors the sense they have stepped into a village reminiscent of the impressionist painter Claude Monet’s beloved town of Giverny. Rustic fireplaces, country French cuisine, seasonal hand-crafted cocktails and an eclectic beer and wine list are just the beginning. Regarded as one of the most romantic and beautiful restaurants in our region, Rat’s was named Philadelphia Magazine’s “Most Romantic Restaurant. Rats Restaurant and catering is proudly managed by Constellation Culinary.
Private dining

Private dining

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary French
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Thu–Sun 11:00 am–2:45 pm Dinner Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (609) 584-7800
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Jules Odum
  • Catering
    Rat’s Restaurant and Ground For Sculpture offers a full complement of resources and services for a wide range of social, private, and corporate functions. So many events—from weddings and holiday parties to meetings & trade shows have been inspired by the unique interplay of nature and art. Only the unparalleled service and dedicated staff’s attention to detail rival the setting itself. Rat's provides award-winning menus for groups up to 200 with flexible space and tiered food and beverage packages that may be customized to your specific need and budget <br />
  • Private party facilities
    When looking to host a memorable affair, Rat’s Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture is the ultimate venue for a unique and elegant event. Whether planning a small wedding, intimate cocktail party, or corporate dinner, Rat’s private dining rooms, lounges, and outdoor spaces is just right!
  • Private party contact
    Noelle Gugliemelli: (609) 584-7800 ext. 271
  • Neighborhood
    Princeton
  • Cross street
    Sculpture Way
  • Parking details
    Abundant parking is available in our private parking lot.
  • Public transit
    Less than 3 miles from the Hamilton, NJ Amtrak/NJ Transit complex
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Easter Brunch Buffet

    Apr 20, 2025 only
    Spring is in bloom! Join us at Rat's Restaurant for Easter brunch. Bring the family and enjoy the wonderful spring weather with a wonderful brunch before walking the Grounds for Sculpture.
  • Mother's Day

    May 11, 2025 only
    Celebrate mothers with us at Rat's. We will having a wonderful buffet in our one of a kind kitchen. Bring your favorite mom, mom to be, or just your mom friend to celebrate them being a mom in your life.
  • Dinner before the Show

    $35.00 per person

    Mar 13, 2025 only
    Live comedy nights have returned to Rat's! Join us for dinner before the laughs at the show and get 10% off your meal. Shows starts at 8 pm, we recommend reservations to be between 5-6 pm before the show. *Price reflects on here is ONLY the price of ticket not the price of meal. Tax and gratuity not included.

What 8,576 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2
4.2 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 3.9Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Mercer

    Best Ambiance

  • Mercer

    Great for fine wines

  • Mercer

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Mercer

    Romantic

  • Mercer

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Rats Restaurant, nestled within the picturesque Grounds for Sculpture, boasts a "beautiful setting" and enchanting ambiance. Guests appreciate the "excellent service" and "delicious food," with standout dishes like French onion soup and scallops. While some note service inconsistencies and menu limitations, the overall experience remains "unique and memorable."

8,576 Reviews
  1. Amanda

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    Sadly, Rats has gone to the dogs! I used to come often pre-Covid and the food, service and ambience was always top notch which makes my experience today all the more regretful. First, they are sorely short on staff, both kitchen and table. I had to wait an unconscionably long time for the food and I noticed I was far from the only one in the restaurant who experienced and was unhappy with the incredibly slow service. When I went to the front desk to ask about this, instead of apologizing I was told it was very busy. Yet, there were many tables empty! When I'd ordered, I'd asked if we could buy admission tickets with the meal and was told yes. I was NOT told that they only could be bought with the "fixed price" menu. Had I known that, I would have ordered that menu and saved a bundle. Instead I ordered the items separately, not wanting the desert. The caesar salad was horrid. The lettuce had ends uncut which made me question how it could have been carefully washed and, on top of it appearing wilted -- though I found out later that may arisen from the grilling, the actual lettuce was the part one normally tosses. They agreed to refund it. I then waited and waited for the one waitress who was servicing the whole room to come to table with the check and finally gave up and went to the front desk to the surly man who had claimed before the place was busy. He was not any more courteous this time. All in all, not a pleasant experience and from the looks of other diners, I was not the only one displeased!

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  2. Fan

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The online restaurant menu differs from the dinner seating menu. We experienced professional and attentive service, but the food selection was limited. Additionally, one of our dishes, the only fish on the menu, was overcooked and lacked flavor.

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  3. Judith

    VIP

    New York City

    32 reviews

    5.0

    32 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food & service were excellent. Prices were a little high. We did enjoy our dinner there.

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  4. Sarah

    New York City

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 17, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was not worth the prices. My entree came out room temperature and cold for part of the dish. My partner’s filet was overcooked. Disappointed.

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  5. Carmen

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    3.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Dinner was fine but rushed. Very rushed. Ordered salad and app. Both arrived at the same time 5 minutes after ordering. Food was very good but before we finished are dinners arrived! The waiter took them back while we finished but unfortunately they were just ok. Felt and looked like they were keep warm. Nothing special. We were in and out within 1 hour. We requested table not in the bench type tables (we have dined here before). We made the request online (no response) and by calling. We got there and they sat us at a bench table! Likely the restaurant was not crowded and they moved us. Not a good experience.

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  6. Santhosh

    New York City

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Rats is a great restaurant set in a beautiful, scenic location. However, the food didn’t quite meet expectations. The raw oysters had a slightly fishy taste and didn’t seem fresh, while the Young Poulet was a bit overcooked. On the bright side, the Day Boat Cod and Tatar Mushroom were delicious. Unfortunately, the Rum Baba for dessert was also underwhelming.

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  7. Joseph

    Atlantic City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely beautiful restaurant! Loved the atmosphere, loved the food and the service was outstanding. A perfect place to dine.

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  8. paul

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our Waiter Mounty was excellent and it was an enjoyable experience with my wife for a Valentine’s lunch.

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  9. stephen

    VIP

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Me and my husband got married here two years ago and wanted to go back to visit! We were very disappointed with our service,music was low to the point you can hear others conversations, food needed to be sent back due to temperature and the server just did not embody the personality to be there. I work in the service industry and realize people are going to have good and bad days but it really was disappointing to go there knowing the potential it has and how wonderful our wedding was there. I would be inclined to say I will not be going back anytime soon and left sad knowing how wonderful it once was.

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  10. Doreen

    New Jersey

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    I've eaten there a few times with nothing but a lovely atmosphere. But last night the room we dined in was ridiculously loud. There was a table with about 5 very young children loudly misbehaving. I definitely don't blame that on Rats at all it's the parents fault. It overall made our celebration not as pleasant as we would have liked.

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FAQs

Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture is rated 4.2 stars by 8576 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 18 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Rats Restaurant - Grounds for Sculpture

16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Sculpture Way
  • Neighborhood
    Princeton
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Thu–Sun 11:00 am–2:45 pm Dinner Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary French
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Abundant parking is available in our private parking lot.
  • Public transit
    Less than 3 miles from the Hamilton, NJ Amtrak/NJ Transit complex
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jules Odum
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (609) 584-7800
  • Catering
    Rat’s Restaurant and Ground For Sculpture offers a full complement of resources and services for a wide range of social, private, and corporate functions. So many events—from weddings and holiday parties to meetings & trade shows have been inspired by the unique interplay of nature and art. Only the unparalleled service and dedicated staff’s attention to detail rival the setting itself. Rat's provides award-winning menus for groups up to 200 with flexible space and tiered food and beverage packages that may be customized to your specific need and budget <br />
  • Private party facilities
    When looking to host a memorable affair, Rat’s Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture is the ultimate venue for a unique and elegant event. Whether planning a small wedding, intimate cocktail party, or corporate dinner, Rat’s private dining rooms, lounges, and outdoor spaces is just right!
  • Private party contact
    Noelle Gugliemelli: (609) 584-7800 ext. 271
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