Had a fabulous dinner here last night. Lovely little place. What other reviewers call "stark" and "understated," I simply call tasteful and refined. Our server, Rene, was hospitable, knowledgeable and respected our slower pace. I will be remembering the shrimp tempura and diver scallops appetizers for quite some time - certainly until we go back here again. This place is definitely a repeater. I am somewhat reluctant to award the fifth star until going back here for a second time, only due to the fact that Rene disappeared for a while when we were ready for the check, and I'd also like to try some other menu items. I usually lack the patience required for the Ridgewood restaurant scene, but I love the fact that this place is a bit off the beaten path. It's easier to park, and that's an added bonus.We had a very positive experience but like other Ridgewood places - and especially the smaller ones - this place is probably best midweek in terms of noise and service. Do not attempt without a reservation. read more

The food is simply delicious. Elegant and relaxing atmosphere. Excellent service. The thing I love is that the food and service is always consistent. This is my go to place. read more

Here the customer comes last. Rude staff and management with no sense of customer service. Waited over 40 minutes for entree which, when finally served, was not what was ordered. Item was then charged as a special, which cost more money than the item served which was a regular entree listed on the menu. No credit was given for price difference and I was only told the chef/manager said no refunds or adjustments will be made . Too expensive to treat customers so poorly. Extremely disappointing evening. Much better options are available elsewhere in Ridgewood. read more

The food was very good but the portion size was sub-par. The salads were tiny just enough for a few bites. The service on the other hand was terrible. We waited 45 minutes for desert. read more

The food was meticulously prepared to our satisfaction. The staff is pleasant and knows the menu inside out. Definitely one of Ridgewood's go to restaurants. read more

This restaurant is as good as there is in Bergen County! Great food amazingly plated, terrific service in a very pleasant environment. We were seated at table 12 last Thursday evening. I don't know the name of our server, but if he were in the military, they would have given him the Medal of Honor. He went above and beyond the call of duty. Unobtrusive and stealth like fulfilling our every request with a perfect understanding for every peculiarity coupled with an accommodating and amiable disposition. The atmosphere is that of a small storefront establishment. Charming and civilized if not modest. The food you ask? Spectacular, and the plating is a masterpiece of art that I regret to say I did not photograph. The combinations and taste sensations left you in awe during our culinary adventure. I'm not going into detail about every dish our table enjoyed. Suffice to say depending on your tastes and what you enjoy, you will not find the menu lacking. The price might be the biggest stunner. During the week they offer a prix fixe menu which includes 90% of their original offerings for a 4 course meal at $45 per. An amazing deal considering. Dining here is the full experience, Bon Appetite! read more

A new addition to the restaurant scene, this one's a sure winner. The food was as beautiful to look at as it was delicious. The service was attentive and we enjoyed a leisurely meal without being rushed. The menu is interesting and everything was cooked to perfection. read more

We've been here a dozen times, and we have never been disappointed. The only challenge is deciding whether to stray from great menu stalwarts like the seared tuna to try the rotating specials like the amazing Chilean Seabass on the list right now. Beware that the specials will typically set you back $35-40, but you get what you pay for - high quality ingredients, well prepared food and excellent service. The burrata appetizer is a must, as is the bison entree whenever they have it. Make sure to stop across the street for some wine on your way in. This is our default restaurant when we have visitors in town, especially friends from NYC who are scared to venture off the island. You won't be disappointed! read more

Service was a little slow, but we were in no rush. Food was excellent! Very creative fare with delicious combinations of flavors and textures. Menu is pretty appealing to a variety of tastes, so something for everyone. Perfect portions where you don't feel like you're overstuffed. read more

Decided to try this restaurant for lunch today. Had a Caesar salad with half tartine which was delicious. The staff was so professional and extremely pleasant. I will definitely go back again and try to other options but I am extremely excited to try the tasting menu offered during the week. read more

Took my stepfather here for lunch for his birthday. The food was fresh and delicious and well priced. The server overheard us talking about his birthday, so to my surprise when she brought out his dessert, it had a lit candle in it. That is great, thoughtful service. read more

I had a fantastic time here with my fiancé the other night. It's a BYO, so we were able save some money on alcohol. When we arrived, we were very impressed with the ambiance. Probably the nicest looking place in Ridgewood. They had outdoor seating with music and some beautiful landscaping, which made it feel a bit more private. We took a table outside and just had to wait a few minutes to be seated. Our waiter was very attentive and aimed to please. We had a great tasting tempura shrimp appetizer and a delicious lobster avocado salad. I had the pork loin with wild rice and a cranberry chutney which was cooked perfectly. Not dried out! My fiancé had the filet which was very tender. For desert we shared a chocolate cake which we didn't leave a trace of. Overall we really had a great time and will be visiting back shortly! read more

Excellent addition to fine dining in Ridgewood. Exceptionally attentive service with prefectly cooked food at a reasonable price. The two highlights for me were the scallop appertizer and the bread pudding. The place was fully booked Saturday night and let's hope it stays that way. read more

My husband and I went here last night for a much-needed date night (sans toddler). I read previous reviews saying the ambiance was lacking, but I disagree. It had a very clean, simple, upscale decor. We started off with both appetizers on the Specials menu (Burrata [mozzarella] served over a bed of arugula with prosciutto. The cheese was so fresh and creamy! And the crab cake, which was phenomenal [lots of lump crab meat, not overly breaded, lots of flavor] and served with slaw and avocado). They also brought us each a roll accompanied by shaved parmesan, olive oil (with chives mixed in), and olives, as well as two spoons with a tasting of a cranberry cinnamon goat cheese on toast. For entrees, I got the lamb chops, which were cooked to a perfect medium rare and served with garden risotto, red wine reduction, and asparagus. Hubby got scallops served with a gruyere fondue and asparagus. And we got a side of fingerling potatoes. We left stuffed and very happy!! Service was great, and it's BYO! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because on Saturdays they have only 2 seating times available: 6 pm or 8:30 pm. I would have preferred a 7 or 7:30 pm reservation! read more

Cafe 37 - New American Near Me - Ridgewood, New Jersey

One of the best restaurants in the area...food and service were really excellent. Standouts were tuna bruschetta and Asian ribs. Ribs were actually outstanding..,we ended up ordering a second order for the table when we tasted them. They alone are worth the trip! Took off one star for decor. Really wasn't on par with the food and service. read more

Went on opening night--by accident. Food was fabulous. Service was understandably choppy. I am sure they will put it all together.

We had my son's christening party at Cafe 37. The food was outstanding and the staff was excellent and very attentive. The chef/owner Cesar was a pleasure to work with and our food choices were unbelievable. The food was beyond our expectations. Overall it was a wonderful experience, read more

The food was excellent. I had the shrimp and avaocado salad. Everyone at our table really loved the food. We all had the creme brule for desert and it was unbelievable. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was because the dining room was a little cramped and the service was very good but not 5 stars. read more

This was my first visit to this small but pleasantly elegant BYOB. As a restaurant owner myself I am keenly aware of the many issues that go into providing a fine dining experience. Cafe 37 delivered on every aspect. The food was superb with most offerings providing an unexpected flavor profile. Cudos to their chef who has a rock solid handle on creativity and food handling. Pricing was perfectly fair for the product delivered. Service was professional. Our entire evening on a saturday night was 2 hours, but with great BYOB wine, awesome food and terrific company who wants to get out any faster? Highly recommended. 4 stars given only because of the small dining room and need for specific seating times on weekends. read more

Great little New American restaurant. Everything we pretty to look at and was delicious tasting as well. Service was smooth and professional and the room was streamlined and modern. Make reservations at this little neighborhood gem. read more

went to a wine tasting/pairing dinner therelast evening sponsored by the wine store across the street and a rep for a S.A. wine producer. Menu contained some plates off the reg. menu and all were well done. Have heard good things about the Restaurant and they are all true. Food was well prepared amd presented. Decor was fine and service excellent. Will definitely go back on our own. read more

I have been here many times for lunch and dinner. Everything is always consistently excellent. Easily one of the top restaurants in town

Service - 5 stars, Food - 5 stars. What a great place. Perfect for a date and/or special occassion. Their Prix menu was exceptional. PS. The creme brulee is to die for! read more

My husband and I ate dinner at Cafe 37 this past weekend and were not disappointed. The menu was inventive and refreshing and the food was delicious and beautifully prepared. I ordered a burrata appetizer special that was creamy and delicious, and my husband ordered a halibut ceviche that was memorably yummy! For entrees, he had the seafood risotto, which was artfully arranged on the plate, featuring a whole lobster tail, giant scallops, mussels, and clams. It was spot on. My ahi tuna was presented on a bed of quinoa with a coconut mango sauce and I loved it. Dessert was bananas foster for him and "golden puffs" (basically profiteroles without the chocolate sauce) for me. The service was excellent. Our waiter knew the menu and made perfect recommendations for us. Cafe 37 is a BYOB, and they never let our glasses be empty. The decor is a little sparse, but modern and the room is small, but there is outdoor seating. We will definitely return to this little gem in our hometown. read more

Here trying Cafe 37 for the second time. The food is amazing. The prix fix menu portions were generous, giving us plenty to eat. The waiter was great too, a must ... read more

Has to be my present go to place. Great food and wonderful service from Rene. It is a BYOB but there is a wonderful wine store in Ridgewood just the other side of the tracks. read more

Went for dinner on a Sunday. Good was EXCELLENT. Every single thing we ordered was fabulous. Had a steak tartar and crab appetizer (which I'm still thinking about 2 weeks later ) and a rare tuna app. Dinner was a seafood risotto special and filet medallions. Dessert was coconut ice cream and a caramel creme brûlée. Sooo amazing and can't wait to go back . Do yourself a favor and try this place read more

Love this place! must frequent it once a month to celebrate a birthday with friends. They are always very gracious and polite. The service is good and the food is delicious as well as like a piece of art. It is really such a consistent package that you can't go wrong! read more

let me start by saying the food is fantastic even compared with la tour and Village Green but the service at least our server was aweful. He is a part time waiter maybe thats the issue. It took an hour and a half to get our dinner. We had to ask the waiter for bread and then no butter oil or anything. All is did was talk which slowed things down further. The other waiter seemed better this guy wanted to tell you his life story and was also complaining to us about other guests that were complaining that the service was slow and it totally was. Its a real shame if this place can have food this good and cant figure out the service issues. Its to the point of tacky and totally takes away from the experience. I hope they can take some notes from La tour and Saddle River Inn and really move into a go to place in ridge-wood. I would not bring family here at this point. The hostess actually asked if they were "speedy enough" for us. I mean really and she may want to dress like she's at work. Im gonna give it a month or two and try again. A good waiter is one you don't even notice is there. I wish them luck and bravo to the cook! read more

While the restaurant is attractive, the food well-prepared, and the service pleasant, at these prices there is much room for improvement. On the plus side - the cafe 37 salad was lovely and tasty, as was the cucumber gazpacho. The lamb chops were well-prepared, despite a tasteless green potato concoction underneath the chops. Mussels and shrimp paella was very good, if a bit sparse at the price. Sadly, the negatives outweigh the positives. First, a list of specials was recited without prices (a pet peeve - adding a printed list of specials - with prices - is far classier) - when we asked our waiter for the prices, he was unsure, reciting each one as "about ..." - and almost without exception, assuming the waiter's estimates of the prices was correct, the specials were significantly higher (as much as 25% higher in some cases) than the items on the regular memo. I ordered the cheese plate for dessert - at $14, I would have expected more than a total of about one ounce of cheese (if that), and I certainly expected to be told what the cheeses were. Instead, I had to call the waiter over to ask - he had no idea what they were and called another waiter over, who also had no idea. I asked if anyone knew, and was told "the chef" - and received a stricken look when I repeated that I would like to know what the cheeses were. He returned with a piece of paper with a list of three cheese names which he had trouble pronouncing, and had no idea which name went with which cheese. I often order cheese instead of dessert and have never had an experience like this. The wait staff tries their best and are extremely pleasant, but they clearly have not been well-trained, and with the refusal of "the chef" to provide the requested information, it's clear that there is a management problem at this restaurant. It's unfortunate, because a good restaurant of this type would be welcome and would do well in Ridgewood. Unfortunately, Cafe 37 is more pretentiousness than substance. read more

I first want to say that I take my restaurant reviews seriously. I always give the benefit of the doubt and will not give an awful review simply on a bad waiter. With all that being said .... all I can say here is OMG this was awful. Food... Service ... Wait Staff... most everything was terrible. We arrived at Cafe 37 at 6:25 after picking up two bottles of wine... BYO... across the street.... That was pretty nice to have a liquor store right across the street. We were then greeted and seated quickly. Menus were handed out and wine was quickly poured. Bread was served along with a complement from the chef. From there it took a little while to take our order however we weren't much in a rush as everyone ... party of 4 ... was deep in conversation. After around 45 min our order was taken and drinks continued to flow. Appetizers came out a little delayed but nothing crazy as we are now an hour and a half into dinner service. From there everything went downhill fast. Dinner took an additional hour to be served. I did call the waiter over and he was apologetic and said they were a bit busy in the kitchen. FYI... not all tables were filled. Finally dinner arrived .... I had the veal chop which was way to salty to eat. Two of the other dinners were very good and our friends ahi tuna came out cold ... I know it's served rare however the sear should be a little warm. It was like the tuna was waiting for everything else to be done. We called the waiter over and he offered to take my veal off the bill. I wasn't looking for that however ok as it was not eatable. They did offer free dessert which we declined since we are now over 3 hours at dinner and wanted to go home. I asked for the check that took an additional 15-20 mins to get. I finally grabbed another waiter and said and I quote ... if I don't get the check right now I'm walking out of here. ... unquote. He got mad and told me not to touch him. Long story short... there are many places to eat in Ridgewood and one is better then the other. You would be NUTS to give this place a dime. read more

My wife & I had dinner at Cafe 37 last Saturday night & had an incredible dining experience! We highly recommend it & will definitely put this restaurant on our regular dining rotation! We arrived early at 5PM before it got too crowded, so we were able to relax & enjoy ourselves without the big crowds. The restaurant is very tastefully decorated. The silverware & curvy plates are beautiful. The chef & owner, Cesar Sotomayor, couldn't have been any nicer. He came out twice to check up on us and started us off with a wonderful amuse bouche of wild blueberry goat cheese. Later on he complemented us with a beautiful wild mushroom risotto that was perfectly cooked. We both started off with a beautifully presented and tasty Lobster & Lump crab stuffed Avocado Parfait. For dinner my wife had the delicious seared red snapper with cockle clams with Spanish Chorizo, Pea Shoots, & Exotic Mushrooms in a Lobster Romesco Broth. The fish was very fresh and the combination of all of the ingredients worked perfectly. I had the Filet Mignon prepared perfectly medium rare with melted onions, garlic mashed potatoes in a Red Wine Reduction with Truffle Essence. The filet just melted in my mouth. To top off our incredible meal we had the fallen chocolate cake with raspberries & caramel sauce. It was to die for! The service was very professional & attentive. This is an excellent addition to the Ridgewood dining scene! We wish Chef Sotomayor the best of luck! read more