Local NJ favorite closes leaving just one last restaurant in the state

🍔 It appears a popular restaurant chain has closed a NJ location

🍔 That would mean only one exists in the Garden State

🍔 It's not clear why

HOWELL — Say goodbye to another beloved restaurant in New Jersey.

It appears that Arooga’s Grille House and Sports Bar, which only opened four years ago on Route 9 in Howell, has closed, leaving only one New Jersey location open.

While there has been no official confirmation from the restaurant chain, which is known for its wings, thick burgers, shareable appetizers, scratch-made bolis, pasta, ribs, and a  wide selection of beers, the Asbury Park Press reported that a visit to the restaurant showed it was closed.

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Also, the restaurant location has been removed from Arooga’s official website, and its Facebook page is down.

No reason has been given so far for the closure.

Arooga’s opened in October 2020 at the former Ruby Tuesday location in Howell’s Lanes Mill Crossing shopping center.

The closure of the Route 9 location now leaves only one other Arooga’s in existence in New Jersey. That one is located on Route 18 in East Brunswick.

There are 16 Arooga’s Grille House and Sports Bar restaurants in seven states, including 11 in Pennsylvania, and one each in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Florida.

By the way, what is an “arooga?” It actually refers to the sound of an antique Model T Ford horn.

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