Amano, Ridgewood, NJ

by Sherilyn
(Ridgewood, NJ, Bergen County)

Chakra Restaurant, Paramus, NJ

by Sheila
(Midland Park)

Chakra Restaurant in Paramus is an unbeatable romantic dining experience. We went there for our 5th anniversary and found it to be everything we expected and more. The décor inside is soft with candles everywhere and fabric panels hanging from ceiling to floor, a softly lit stone water wall, Asian throw rugs, and silk-tented bungalows.

The menu is New American with a European influence. They have many varieties of seafood dishes though we had the Sashimi and the short ribs and they were sumptuous.

This is a special occasion restaurant so be prepared to shell out big bucks. We will definitely go back next year for our 6th anniversary.

Chand Palace - Parsippany

We were 3 people and went for buffet. We served the food ourselves from buffet. Unlike most Indians, we always leave very good tip. The waiter brought the bill with 15% gratuity added in the bill. We found this very cheap and bad way of doing business. Normally, most decent restaurants add the gratuity only if there is more than 6 people on a table!!!

Food was fair but not great, all starchy. No exotic Indian vegetables in the buffet. I expected lots of Indian vegetables in the buffet, especially in a vegetarian restaurant. It had only potatoes and cauliflower mixed... hardly Indian except the yellow Indian coloring in it!!

Overall we were disappointed.

Chart House Restaurant in Weehawken

by Charles Bass
(NYC)

The view was great, and the ambiance was great . . . however, only in New Jersey would they serve a great seafood dish (salmon) wrapped in pork (prosciutto)!

My mistake for not realizing this until it was served.

Cubanu's Restaurant, Rahway

by Sue Silvestri
(Edison, NJ)

Superb service and authentic Cuban cuisine.
The intimate restaurant had a pleasant, romantic
atmosphere and it was a great place for our anniversary dinner.

Flatbread Grill - Montclair

by lisa giassa
(bogota, new jersey, usa)

Ok so people come to you seeking information on the fun New Jersey has to offer. So, I wanted to reach out and share some info so you are updated on this little gem in Upper Montclair.

The Flatbread Grille (www.flatbreadgrill.com) was started by three sisters, ages 27, 26 and 32 each with strong opinions going into business together. Add in that they are first generation American born to Turkish immigrants with an incredibly strong work ethic so strong in fact, that they had their daughters ?helping out? at the family restaurant when they were as young as 7, 8 and 13. Despite the fact that the girls studied different things in college, they bonded together and in 2008 decided to shake things up in the "fresh-casual" restaurant scene. They opened Flatbread Grill in Upper Montclair, the only fresh casual Turkish-Mediterranean brand in which original flatbreads are baked and served on premises every day. Their goal is to become the Chipotle of Turkish/Med. Not sure if you had the pleasure of dining at Flatbread Grill in Upper Montclair. But, if you haven?t yet, you must. These girls are the real deal as is their food and their vision.

Key facts:
The Flatbread Grill is fresh, made-to-order Turkish Mediterranean. It offers food lovers a healthy, affordable, top quality option without the fuss of sit down, table service.

It opened March 13, 2008 and since then developed a word-of-mouth cult following of teens, tweens and their parents in Upper Montclair and surrounding towns.

? The sisters have assumed a big sister type of role in the area encouraging local kids to bring their report cards offering free fries for good grades.

The original recipe Flatbread is hand-made on premises and a baker comes in every morning and spends 4 hours baking 8 different kinds of fresh Flatbread for the day. The flatbread descriptions can be found here: http://www.flatbreadgrill.com/our_bread.php

Flatbread Grill uses "just-in-time" delivery methods (meaning, they receive food/shipments and/or shop for these items on a daily basis) as a means of inventory management because they have limited storage space. This also ensures that produce and meats are absolutely fresh.

Many people believe that you cannot find authentic Turkish food outside of a full service, sit-down Turkish restaurant, but according to the sisters, the recipes are very, very authentic and the atmosphere is as fresh as the food that is served. The décor is chic like something you would see in Hoboken, which makes sense because that is where the girls currently reside

The sisters are on track to open a Hoboken location in 2011.

Current Location: 204 Bellevue Ave. / Upper Montclair, NJ 07043 / (t) 973-509-2700


Enjoy!!

Fresco Restaurant , Milltown, NJ

by Sandy DeMarco
(Freehold,NJ)

We recently held our daughter's engagement party at Fresco,in Milltown, N.J., and everything was magnificent. The room was beautiful, the food was excellent, and the service superb. I want to pay tribute to the manager, Sergio, for helping us select a varied menu of food, and for making sure all our wishes were carried out. The wine kept flowing and the food kept coming. He made sure every guest was served royally. The waiters could not have been more attentive, and all of our guests were in awe of the whole experience. I can't wait to return to Fresco to once again, dine royally. Thank you management and staff for making our party so successful!

Gencarelli's Cucina - Montclair

by Louis
(Fairlawn, NJ)

A Great Find.!
I live in Bergen County and really don't know many of the restaurants in Montclair, based on a recommendation from a friend of mine I went to Gencarelli's Cucina in Montclair and it seems to be a very popular place for Italian.

We had tickets to the Lenny Kravitz show at the Wellmont. Nice thing they are right accross the street. The place was jammed, but, the smell was unbelievable. I walked in the door and was greeted by the Owner who was very pleasant and friendly. I made a point of telling the waitress that we had tickets for the show and we needed to be out in an hour. She said no problem.
I can't tell you how great the food and service was. Both of our dishes were so fresh and scrumptious. My wife had the veal saltimboca and I had the special which was a chicken dish with roasted peppers and asparagus. I also tried the meatballs which were outrageous.

We didn't have room for dessert, but, we will definitely back here with our friends again very soon. I had to write about this place because I did not see this restaurant listed here and wanted to share our positive experience. Atmosphere was cozy and warm. BTW. Everyone was really nice!!!

Hennessy Tavern, Northvale, NJ

Hennessy's has a new chef. Some favorites are his boneless braised short ribs, ahi tuna specials, and spicy garlic shrimp (outstanding). They just started Sunday brunch; the french toast is awesome (banana cinnamon coated). Also, for a casual lunch they have the best burgers anywhere!! Try the Father Hennessy burger Melted bleu, roasted red onion, and sauteed mushrooms. Give this place a try.

Hibiscus Caribbean and American Restaurant in Morristown NJ

by Katherine G
(Virginia)

This restaurant is in an unexpected place, a Best Western hotel in Morristown, one does not expect to find an authentic Jamaican/Caribbean restaurant in a hotel, but this was quite a find,it does not sport your usual Caribbean decorations,it was on the basement level which added to it's cozy quaint atmosphere,especially with the live jazz that they offer on a Friday night. The staff was so friendly,you didn't feel like you were just another customer in and rushed out just in time to turn tables,the food was absolutely authentic as well as the American was truly traditional as they say.I had the Jamaican Oxtails which did fall off the bones as they described,it was delicious,my husband had a Surf and Turf which was a mix of a well prepared NY sirloin steak made to the required cooking temperature ,medium well,with perfectly grilled jerk shrimp skewers along with the best tasting mashed potatoes and al dente vegetables.

The whole experience was just unexpected, one would never expect to have come upon on, on a cold winters night in a best western hotel.It was just what the doctor ordered for two tired travelers.I would definatly make it one of my planned stops on my next road trip.

Komegashi Restaurant - Jersey City

by Jackie
(Jersey City, NJ)

Komegashi
99 Pavonia Ave.
(Washington Blvd.)
Jersey City, NJ
http://www.komegashi.com/

Great fresh sushi, great service and moderately priced! You don't have to cross the river for decent sushi. I would give it a 3.5.

Maestro 206 Restaurant in Hillsborough, NJ

by marianne
(hillsborough, NJ)

Our family of 8 dined at Maestro 206 in late January 2011. I personally had been here in November 2010 and had a bad experience with the waiter and the food but decided to give it another try as a family member had a "Restaurant.com" gift certificate to help defray some of the expense. The waiter who served me the first time and was the worst waiter I have ever experienced was the waiter who served us this past time. He was absolutely awful again. The food was just ok.....not the worst I have ever had but certainly not anywhere near the best. Having bad service two times in a row seemed to negate any good things about the restaurant and it's food. And, with the Restaurant.com certificate, this incompetent waiter automatically received a 20 percent tip ($56)....I wouldn't have given him even 5 percent --- he was that bad ( please note, my family and I are usually good tippers). I emailed the management the next day to let them know of our experience and never heard back. I then called them a few days later and spoke to Roman, one of the managers who assured me that this specific waiter was an exception to their service. He indicated he would send me a voucher for us to try their restaurant again. It's been 3 weeks and I am still waiting. I would not recommend this restaurant at all. There are so many other good restaurants in Hillsborough, Somerville, Raritan area. Don't give these folks any of your hard worked money as they don't deserve it....especially the manager who assured me he wanted my business again to prove that it was just one (no two) bad experiences nor the waiter who received an automatic 20 percent tip for giving us nothing but bad service and aggravation.

MaMa Mexico Restaurant in Englewood Cliffs
Not Recommended

by Candace

Ma Ma Mexico in Englewood Cliffs was one of the worst restaurants I have ever been to.

It claims "5 Star Ratings", but it was mediocre at best in customer service and food.

We arrived at 8:45 PM and were not seated until 11:15 PM after numerous inquiries, by out party, the bar tender, and even a waiter! They just did not care, even though there were seats available. But then, we are not of Mexican or Spanish decent. After everyone who was of Spanish decent was seated and served, we finally got a table in the corner but still did not even get nacho chips for another 45 minutes after that! The manager simply did not care even after a waitress inquired why there was such a hold up in getting us seated!

The food was MEDIOCRE at best and I had one of the most expensive entrees.

We will never go back there, nor recommend it to anyone. They also force you to valet park your car which is why a couple people in our party did not want to just walk out of the place. Plus, it would be hard to get dinner at such a late hour just walking in at that hour. Although it looks lovely on first impression, it certainly does not warrant a decent rating let alone a 5 Star.

Worst restaurant I have ever walked into in NJ!!!

Origin Restaurant, Morristown

by susie
(montville)

I had been to Origin for lunch and thought the food was great and it was priced just right for the lunch crowd. As a result of my positive lunch experience I suggested we meet friends there on a Saturday night. We had 8:00PM reservations and were promptly seated in the dark basement. It was so loud that at times we had to lean across the small table to hear what our friends were saying. All four of us commented on the noise volume as we found ourselves shouting to be heard. Our waiter wanted to take our order just minutes after being seated, since we hadn't opened our menus yet we declined and then didn't see him for over 20 minutes when we had to signal him to the table.

They had an appetizer special that could be ordered for a minimum of 2 people at $17.00/person. We ordered that for two of us which turned out to be a HUGE disappointment! Basically we paid $17.00 for 5 bite size appetizers each. There was a shrimp, a flaky pastry turnover stuffed with something we couldn't identify, a spring roll, a veggie roll in rice paper and then some miniature sushi-type rolls. It was a BIG rip-off in my opinion. My husband had the Pad Thai which had an abundance of shrimp and an authentic flavor. I had the snapper which was fresh and moist, but the serving size of the fish was miniscule. They tried to make up for the lack of fish by piling the plate with plenty of vegetables. Our friends ordered the crunchy salmon which looked beautiful and was thoroughly enjoyed and the baked chicken which is really hard to screw up. Don't bother with the desserts. We ordered the apple crepe which was a disaster. A cold crepe folded in four with three...that is 3 pieces of apple on top accompanied by a small scoop of ice cream and a trace of carmel drizzled on top. I consider myself a "Dessert Queen" , I took one bite and told my husband I wouldn't waste the calories on something so lame. Overall, I'd say for good, not to-die-for food, Origins is very expensive for what you get. For $85.00 per couple with no drinks and few extras it's a place I'd save for lunch time visits.

Porto Leggero, Jersey City

by Kika
(Kearny, NJ)

I just read the comments on this site about the Restaurant Porto Leggero. I was there this past week-end and really enjoyed the food and ambiance. It is beeeeeeeautiful!!!

But there is one little problem with the tiramisu. The cream in an authentic tiramisu is made with Mascarpone cheese and NEVER whipped cream, but you never knew it, did you? Apparently they did not know that either! It was a nice tiramisu made cheaper with what tasted like whipping cream and not mascarpone cheese. I can make it perfectly "soperbo" and have done it countless times. Maybe I could go there and prepare it for them. Now, the food was outstanding and it is just too bad that they forgot to bring me the creme brulee I asked for dessert, but they did not charge us either. I will ask for it again next time.

Portusa BBQ House - Scotch Plains

Best Portuguese Restaurant in Union County. Tasty Chicken and Ribs. Wonderful fish and seafood dishes.

Pronto Cena Ristorante Jersey City, NJ

by Sharon
(Jersey City)

Pronto Cena is the best Italian restaurant in Jersey City. My husband and I have been going there for several years now and it’s our favorite place for a special occasion like our anniversary or birthday. The food is outstanding and the setting is romantic.

The décor is gorgeous and upscale casual with rustic tiled floors and sand-textured walls.

The fried calamari served with a spicy tomato sauce is my favorite dish. We have had the Monkfish, the polenta ai formaggi, and the grilled rack of lamb, and found them to be just fantastic.

Don’t pass up the deserts, the espresso crème brulee and the chilled semifreddo cioccolato with cream, and melted Belgian chocolate, are not to be beat!

The service is very good and the prices are reasonable. This is a New York style restaurant with lower prices.

We plan to return again and again….

Rose Mediterranean American Fusion, Caldwell, NJ

by Joanne Zascone
(Caldwell, NJ)

Saturday, Oct 8, 2011 was one of our most enjoyable experiences at Rose Mediterranean as we dined out back under a gorgeous pergola on an unseasonably warm fall evening.

Chef Joseph Albergo's culinary talents were on display in his unique fusion style menu & weekly specialties with his Lobster Risotto. This was one of his special offerings & should find a permanent place on his menu. The combination of the rich creamy risotto with his unique addition of sweet corn & more lobster than one can eat in one sitting was an explosion of taste. The Stuffed Trout Almondine prepared in a lemon butter sauce was light & flavorful & his Pear Salad is always a favorite.

Kathryn Sheehan, Rose Mediterranean's pastry chef gave the traditional Tartufo, an Italian ice cream bon bon, her own special touch in the log design, smooth full flavored ice cream choice coated in a rich dark chocolate shell, adding an extra treat, rolled in crushed amaretto cookies, superb delight. Service also outstanding as always.

We have to thank our server Alex Chelius for his timing & attentiveness.

Every dining experience at Rose Mediterranean has been wonderful but our recent visit surpassed our expectations. Bravo. Joanne

Satay Malaysian Restaurant, Hoboken, NJ

The Satay Malaysian on Washington Street is a great restaurant -- The prices are very reasonable, and the food is delicious and attractively prepared. There are some dishes that are burning mouth spicy… Best to check before ordering. I have been there a number of times and really enjoy the Chicken Pineapple on coconut rice (served in a pineapple shell), the sizzling beef with coconut rice, and the Shrimp Mango with coconut Rice. Don’t miss out on the desserts; try the peanut pancake, moochi or the pan fried ice cream.

The restaurant is close to Manhattan (approximately 2 blocks from the PATH station).

Sergios bistro, in west paterson

Just great, I'm very delightful with my experience at this place, thats the reason I want it to success , the decor it's so well done for a special occasion, giving a new name to fine dining " sergios", the prices are reasonable for the quality of food and service, the place it's new but if people start to visit it's going to become the favorite for educated costumers that are tired of paying high prices for nothing. This kind is what we need in nj, very similar to cafe matisse and marcelos in ridgewood in very convinience location.

SMILES II IN LEDGEWOOD, NJ THE BEST FILET MIGNON DINNER I'VE EVER HAD FOR ONLY $9.99

by CHANCE ANDERSON
(LEDGEWOOD, NJ)

I went out the other night with some of my girl friends, and we had the best time. We treated ourselves to an awesome $9.99 filet mignon steak dinner. It was one of the best steaks i've ever had in my life. The entertainers, and music was great! I recommend this place to everyone over the age of 21. -- 5 stars without a doubt.I've heard so much about this place, and never got a chance to go check it out until now.

I have to say that all of the hype is real. This place rocks! The girls are gorgeous, friendly, and have true dancing talent. I also have to say that the food is awesome and affordable. I had a filet mignon dinner for only $9.99 !!! I thought i was in vegas at that price. If your in the ledgewood area, don't hesitate to stop in this place! SMILES II a perfect 10 in my book.

Spasso Italian Bistro - Cresskill NJ

by Anthony
(cresskill)

Tried a new restaurant in town called Spasso. I was watching the store for the past few months while under construction wondering if it would ever open. Finally I saw people dining and we decided to try it. The restaurant is very trendy with a very comfortable look. It has a nice brick oven with very comfortable black and white striped benches. We were greeted by a hostess and seated by a large window. Our waiter opened our wine (BYOB) and brought out bread and a plate of olives and pieces of cheese. My wife order a shrimp cocktail and I the fried calamari. Both were excellent with the shrimp being very large and my calamari fried perfectly. We both had a romaine salad with cranberries and walnuts that was very good. For entrees we had a giant lobster tail and the Chilean sea bass. Again both were excellent. I was surprised that this local restaurant could produce such great food. The only knock was the tea was not very hot. We plan to return to this restaurant and hopefully make it our new local place.

Venetian Grill - Somerville

by Jack Haiken
(Bedminster, NJ)

The Venetian Grill
128 West Main St.
Somerville, NJ
Has an excellent chef and excellent food, and service.

The Wood Pit - Montclair

by Barry Washington
(Newark, NJ)

Your missing the real Best Barbecue in NJ, I have been to most joints in NJ and none can beat (The Wood Pit) in Montclair, NJ. Don't believe ? try it and you will agree, it's a best.

The Best Barbecue
The Wood Pit in Montclair

by Barry
(Newark)

If you want some real Southern Style BBQ, check out The Wood Pit in Montclair, NJ This is truly the best Southern Barbecue you will find anywhere. The dry rubbed ribs and beef brisket are hickory smoked, and the bbq beans are out of this world. So visit The Wood Pit and tell them Barry sent you. www.thewoodpit.com