Where the Townies and Students Converge
The Deer Park is pretty much the default bar and meeting place in Newark, Delaware. If you haven’t been in the Deer Park you haven’t been to Newark. It is a common hangout for students and different groups even have their meetings around tables at the DP. I remember fondly every Wednesday night of my student career hanging out with friends eating half-priced nachos. The DP has a vast number of beers in bottles and a fair amount on tap. At night (after 9 or so) you will be carded (and if you are a minor be prepared to be marked as such).

The restaurant is fair to middling but occasionally they surprise me with something wonderful. It is always worth looking at the specials menu. There was a time that their nacho grande plate could not be beat. They do have veggie burgers as well as a few other vegetarian options.

The bar is pretty standard. They have a good selection of imported beers and nightly drink specials. There is live music of a variety of genres (not every night). When there is a live band there is sometimes a small cover charge.

The ambience is somewhere between historically interesting (with picture of Newark from ages past) and simulating an oversized hole in the wall bar (or typical townie bar). At night do not be surprised if you feet stick to the floor a little. (What do you expect, it can get crowded and enough people walking around with beer and there is bound to be some spillage) A good description of the DP’s atmosphere might be comfortable.

The real reason why you go to the DP is to hang out with the residents of Newark (and nearby Elkton). The porch offers a good view of Main Street passerbyers (but beware of trains – they blow there whistle when passing)    [10 Apr 2000 16:16:48]

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Recommended Dishes: Nacho Grande

     ­Ox   

no more sticking to the floor!
The Deer Park has been recently renovated and brought back to life - life as it was in the 1800s, that is. It is finally a beautiful building, capitalizing on Newark's and its own history. But it's not too beautiful to command a high-priced menu or to exclude either students or townies. It's now a place any student would be proud to take her parents on visiting day.    [11 Oct 2002 10:11:35]

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Recommended Dishes: Turkey Dijon on a Pretzel Roll for lunch, Blackened Scallops for dinner

     ­Kristen, Fair Hill, MD   

Things Have Changed.
The Deer Park, is now the home of any premier Delaware coverband on Thursday nights -- with the bar busier than any spot on main street. Sure -- early in the day you have some townies but Tuesday nights with Jefe from Burnt Sienna unplugged and Thursday nights with Kristen and the Noise, Greengenes and Burnt Sienna, Deer Park is where the college students are.    [12 May 2007 10:42:31]

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Recommended Dishes: All You Can Eat Wings, 1/2 Priced burgers

     ­Anonymous