SideBar Gastropub | Our Story
SideBar at the National Hotel
On Main Street in Hackensack, a building that's been standing since 1895 has a new reason to draw a crowd. SideBar took a beloved local landmark and turned it into the kind of place Bergen County didn't know it was missing.
The building behind the bar
This corner of Main Street housed General Poor's Tavern for nearly three decades. When SideBar moved in, the exposed brick, tin ceilings, and neighborhood soul all stayed.
Chef Danny Connell's kitchen
Chef Danny Connell's philosophy is simple: take dishes people love and make them genuinely great. The poutine has a following, the short rib and brisket burger gets talked about all the way home.
A cocktail program worth the trip
Daily Voice Readers' Choice 2025 — Best Cocktails in Bergen County. Signature cocktails, local craft drafts, and a rotating wine list that earns its place on the bar.
The neighborhood's living room
Live music several nights a week, three blocks from HACPAC. SideBar is where Hackensack's nights begin — and where they tend to end up too.