Tommy’s Tavern + Tap is coming to Mt Laurel’s wildly successful Centerton Square shopping center.
They will be taking over the recently closed TGI Friday’s building which sits in a prime location at the shopping center’s main entrance.
The Centerton Square complex is located on Rt 38 at the Rt 295 exit. Prime tenants in the center are Wegmans and Costco, with Top Golf located next to it.
Tommy’s Tavern is a New Jersey based family owned chain of restaurants, with 8 locations currently open (7 in New Jersey and 1 in Staten Island).
The closest location to us is Princeton NJ which opened in December 2020.
A New Jersey Monthly review last year of the Bridgewater NJ location described it as a “Sports bar and restaurant with modern, upscale vibe”
They go on to call out highlights of the menu which features BOTH brick oven pizza and also sushi!
Speaking of pizza, last year “Mr Presidente” Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports gave the pizza at the Tommy’s Tavern Sea Bright location a solid 7.2 (you have to experience his scoring methodology to realize this is more than decent rating for him). YouTube Link
While there is consistent menu, quality and experience across the Tommy’s locations, the restaurant environments seem to vary from location to location.
Remodeling First With Patio Upgrades
Their Clifton location just opened in December 2020 and was also originally a TGI Friday’s.
While Clifton is also a free-standing building, the exterior of the Mt Laurel location is different then other TGI Fridays I am familiar with, not that I am an expert in their architecture! The Mt Laurel building just seems to have a higher-end look to it.
There are several YouTube experience reviews of the Clifton location. This one is soon after construction was completed, to get a sense of how that TGI Friday’s was converted into a Tommy’s Tavern + Tap. (YouTube)
The Mt laurel location will still have significant remodeling taking place to bring the Tommy’s Tavern style into the building.
I have seen the plans for the upcoming work but honestly I hadn’t visited the TGI Friday’s when it was open to be able to discern if there are significant interior layout changes planned.
One change that is clear though, is for Mt Laurel they will be enclosing the patio on the parking lot side, offering tables with 40 seats.
There is currently a concrete open-air patio, but the plan is to enclose it to protect from the elements and offer overhead fans and heating systems. The roof will be of solid metal/wood construction, not a cloth material design.
It also appears that an open kitchen focused on the pizza ovens is a key aspect of Tommy’s Tavern, so we may see that in the Mt Laurel location. Actually the plans I’ve seen seem to indicate the open kitchen design will be in Mt Laurel.
The Tommy Behind Tommy’s Tavern + Tap
Tommy’s Tavern + Tap was founded in 2015 by New Jersey lawyer and CPA Tommy Bonfiglio.
He and the family opened one location in beach town of Sea Bright. The upscale sports bar experience was a hit with customers.
By early 2020 he had three locations, and very quickly during the pandemic they added 5 more locations plus additional Taco + Tequila themed restaurants.
While Tommy is the original creator for the restaurants, it is a full family operation with his wife and daughters heavily involved.
Sadly in July of this year Tommy Bonfiglio passed away at 62.
Obviously devastating to the family… they are continuing to operate the restaurants as a family enterprise, and continue expansion.
I look forward to sharing more on the upcoming Mt Laurel location, which I have to believe won’t open until 2023?
Links and Location
Tommy’s Tavern + Tap Mt Laurel (Coming in early 2023?)
40 Centerton Rd
Mt Laurel Township, NJ
08054
Facebook (each location has its own page)