After more than a five-year effort, the Rudderow family of Gloucester County is ecstatic to celebrate the grand opening of their impressive Pine Hill Tavern 2,000sf expansion on Saturday, November 14th!
Called Jay’s Legacy Lounge, the addition is a large, open bar and dining space featuring a spacious center bar, a variety of high-top tables, and a signature design element of seven large glass garage doors that can be opened to bring in the fresh outdoor air on beautiful days.
The party Saturday features a DJ, Band (at 7pm), Give-aways, Dollar wings (in the bar) and more! Read on for details!
The expansion project also includes a significant new parking lot, taking over the previously undeveloped corner property extending down to Cloverdale Avenue and adding over four dozen parking spaces to the popular, locally owned tavern.
And if you’ve never been to the Pine Hill Tavern, you should know that this local neighborhood bar is famous far beyond its rural Camden County roots for serving some of the best buffalo chicken wings in South Jersey!
Anytime someone starts rattling off a list of the best places to get chicken wings in the area, the Pine Hill Tavern is almost always at or near the top.
But there’s much more to the Pine Hill Tavern menu, including delicious cheesesteaks, burgers, fries, and a wide variety of classic tavern favorites.
They’re also incredibly inventive with their daily specials, and there are customers who stop in regularly just to see what creative dishes have made it onto that day’s specials board!
I stopped in today to catch up with DeeDee Rudderow and check out the beautiful new space, and of course, I couldn’t leave without grabbing an order of their delicious wings with blue cheese, along with some cheese fries.
And while the new Jay’s Legacy Lounge has already been welcoming customers, Saturday’s grand opening is the big celebration, with live entertainment, food and drink specials, and giveaways throughout the day!
Jay’s Legacy Lounge: Celebrating 50 Years of Pine Hill Tavern
This is an especially exciting year for the Rudderow family, as the Pine Hill Tavern recently celebrated its 50th anniversary!
Originally owned by Jay Rudderow and a business partner, several years ago Jay’s children, DeeDee and Tim, became more involved financially in the family tavern, joining Jay and mom/wife Dale in buying out the other partner.
With 100% ownership in the family, that move opened the door for them to begin a multiyear modernization and expansion effort that has completely transformed the Pine Hill Tavern.
The first major phase was completed a couple of years ago and was significant in its own right, featuring a full remodel and modernization of the original tavern.
One of the biggest changes was replacing the small windows that had been positioned high along the walls of the previously darkened bar with much larger glass windows.
It completely changed the feel of the original space, bringing in natural light and creating a much more welcoming atmosphere.
Jay was incredibly proud to see that initial remodeling effort completed and was also involved in developing the plans for the larger expansion.
Unfortunately, Jay passed away before he could see the entire expansion project come to completion.
To honor their father and his decades of dedication to the Pine Hill Tavern, the family chose to name the beautiful new addition Jay’s Legacy Lounge.
It’s a fitting tribute to the man who helped build the Pine Hill Tavern into the South Jersey institution it is today.
Interestingly, the idea for the expanded bar space actually traces back to the pandemic.
During that time, the Pine Hill Tavern was able to temporarily operate an outdoor bar behind the restaurant building. It wasn’t anything particularly fancy, but customers loved having the additional space to spread out, enjoy a drink, and socialize.
That positive response helped inspire the family to consider something much bigger and more permanent.
And now, after years of planning, approvals, construction, and plenty of patience, that vision has become a reality.
A Beautiful New Bar With Seven Glass Garage Doors
The new Jay’s Legacy Lounge was smartly added to the rear of the existing Pine Hill Tavern building, creating a substantial additional space while maintaining the character of the original bar.
The centerpiece is a large bar positioned slightly off-center toward the rear of the addition, surrounded by high-top seating and tables.
At the front of the new lounge, facing Erial Road, are several large tables that can comfortably seat groups of eight.
But what really makes the new space stand out are the seven large, glass-paneled garage doors positioned along two exterior walls.
On beautiful days, those doors can be rolled up, allowing fresh air to flow through the lounge and giving the space a wonderful indoor-outdoor atmosphere.
It’s a smart design that makes Jay’s Legacy Lounge a comfortable destination throughout the year.
The large windows along the back of the property are fixed glass, a design consideration that helps the tavern remain a good neighbor to the surrounding community.
Another thoughtful feature is the wide connecting doorway between the original tavern and the new lounge.
For most regular business operations, the two areas will remain open to each other, allowing customers to move easily between the spaces.
But the family also has the ability to close off the new lounge when needed, creating additional flexibility for private parties, special events, or ticketed entertainment.
In fact, a comedy show is already taking place Thursday, showing how the expanded space creates new opportunities for entertainment.
The project also introduces a nicely upgraded rear entrance, positioned conveniently between the original tavern and the new lounge.
That entrance is aligned with the expanded parking area, making it much easier for customers to park and walk directly into the tavern.
And speaking of parking, the additional spaces are a huge improvement!
Previously, even with the smaller original tavern, parking could be a challenge during busy evenings and weekends.
Now the expanded lot extends down toward Cloverdale Avenue, providing approximately four dozen additional parking spaces, along with some street parking opportunities.
From a Dark Neighborhood Bar to a Comfortable Community Destination
I’ve been familiar with the Pine Hill Tavern for decades, going all the way back to the 1980s.
And I’ll tell you, back then it was a very different experience!
The original tavern was a much darker, rougher neighborhood bar, even in the middle of the day.
The Rudderow family has done an incredible job over the years transforming the business into a comfortable, welcoming restaurant and bar that appeals to a much broader audience.
Today, you can just as easily stop in with Mom or Grandmom for a delicious meal after a day of holiday shopping as you can visit later in the evening to enjoy some live entertainment with friends.
And the tavern has managed to make those improvements without losing the personality and neighborhood character that longtime customers appreciate.
I’m not necessarily a weekly regular at the Pine Hill Tavern, but I probably stop in several times a year, whether it’s to enjoy some delicious wings and an ice-cold beer with friends or to catch one of the many bands that perform there.
Years ago, I was much more involved in the South Jersey cover band scene, and my own band, Zipper, actually performed at the old Pine Hill Tavern before the remodeling!
So it’s particularly interesting for me to see just how far this longtime local business has come.
Live Music and Private Events at Jay’s Legacy Lounge
Live music remains a big part of the Pine Hill Tavern experience, and the new expansion has created some interesting opportunities for entertainment.
DeeDee explained that they’ve adjusted the placement of bands, positioning performers along what was previously the front wall of the original tavern.
It’s working out great because bands can now perform to customers in both the original bar and Jay’s Legacy Lounge at the same time.
During the warmer months, customers can also expect to see more acoustic performances, particularly in the new lounge area.
And with the ability to separate the two spaces when needed, Jay’s Legacy Lounge creates opportunities for private parties, special celebrations, and ticketed events.
Of course, the Pine Hill Tavern also offers catering options through its special party menu, so even if you’re hosting your celebration elsewhere, the tavern can help with the food!
Grand Opening Saturday, November 14th: $1 Wings, Music and More!
The big grand opening celebration for Jay’s Legacy Lounge takes place Saturday, November 14th, and the Pine Hill Tavern team has a fun day planned!
The festivities include:
- DJ entertainment starting at 1 p.m.
- Uncle John’s Band performing at 7 p.m.
- $1 bone-in chicken wings all day for dine-in customers
- Beer bucket specials throughout the day
- Ticket giveaways and prizes throughout the celebration
Considering how popular the Pine Hill Tavern’s chicken wings already are, I have a feeling those fryers are going to be running nonstop throughout Saturday and probably the rest of the weekend!
During my visit today, I kept lunch simple with an order of wings and cheese fries, although I was definitely tempted by some of the creative offerings on the specials menu.
But I’m thinking I’ll likely be back Saturday for the grand opening celebration, and maybe this time I’ll go with a delicious cheesesteak, burger, or something else from the menu!
Congratulations to DeeDee, Tim, Dale, and the entire Rudderow family on the beautiful new Jay’s Legacy Lounge and 50 years of the Pine Hill Tavern.
It’s a wonderful tribute to Jay Rudderow and an exciting new chapter for one of South Jersey’s favorite neighborhood taverns.
And if you haven’t visited the Pine Hill Tavern in a while, Saturday’s grand opening is a great reason to stop in, see the impressive expansion, and enjoy some of those famous buffalo chicken wings!
Links and Location
Pine Hill Tavern – Jay’s Legacy Lounge Now Open!
1323 Erial Road
Pine Hill NJ 08021
