I remember when going to Cafe panache was a special night. Unfortunately those days are gone. We planned on using the restaurant at noon for a repast after a family funeral. We knew the food was not a good as it once was but always enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant. We had called in advance and were assured the tables would be arranged to accomodate us. When we arrived the tables were haphazardly arranged with one table isolated in a corner by itself. When we asked for a different arrangement the waiter was brusk bordering on rude. He then proceeded to argue about whether coffee and tea were included in the meal despite having a text message from the manager that clearly stated they were. What kind of animal argues with someone who just lost their mother. When one of our group asked for a vegan meal they were told simply no. The meal we were told we were getting was not what we were offered despite discussing this with the manager. Finally the pies de résistance of the day came when this rude unattententive waiter added 23% tip to the bill. I cannot express how unhappy we were to have a sad family event become so much worse due to the rude and deceitful staff. I would be very careful about using this restaurant during the day. I have never been treated like this before . read more

Clearly the best restaurant in NJ. Period. My wife and I dine all over the world. We seek out the best reataurants wherever we travel. We often find ourselves saying when eating at other restaurants, "The food here is really great...but it's not Panache." Also, I have a pretty decent wine cellar so I love that I can bring my own wine. Here is a quick list of highlights and considerations: - The food is amazing, yet simple, healthy and true. - The menu is always changing. We eat here every Wednesday night for date night and never get board! - I think it is underpriced for what you are getting. A true value. - Service is swifted, but never rushed. I really like that. - Bring your own wine and save a lot of money and drink what you like. World class. Unpretentious. And in Ramsey NJ! What a gift. read more

Had dinner there last night. Filet Mignon Ravioli was truly unbelievable as an appetizer half portion. For a main course I had the Braised Filet Mignon and it was cooked to perfection. I also tasted the Crispy Yellow Fin Tuna and that was awesome. Service was perfect. All in all one of my new fav's read more

Best food we've had in Bergen County in a long time -definitely NYC quality food. Service somewhat spotty and it was clear that neither the staff nor the other patrons were happy we brought our nicely dressed teenage children - however they loved the food too! We'll all be going back soon. read more

This place is really nice as soon as you walk in. There are white seats all around with just a genuinely peaceful white ambiance all throughout and immediately as we came inside, an older gentleman seated us at our table. I really liked the waitress and thought she did the best job that she could, considering that she was the only server in the room we were seated in, serving 10 tables (at least). The restaurant got pretty busy from the moment we arrived, they should have had at least 2 waiters serving that size space. The menu is short, simple and to-the-point which we absolutely loved. However, the food was on the ehh side. With all the up-scale surroundings I somewhat expected the food to be a bit more on the higher end- taste wise. While yes, my fiancé is a chef and so therefore we are a bit more of harder critics, but the tastes were definitely off. The presentation of the dishes were beautiful, looked like a painting, just like I love to see, this made the dishes very enjoyable to eat. Tuna tartare was ok, I thought it needed something more, perhaps a bit of citrus like lemon or lime, however the toasts crisps that came with the dish were very greasy, did not like them nor did I eat them. The oysters were a little on the plain side, since they only give one topping with them which is a sherry wine onion vinaigrette, but I also asked for some horse radish because the topping they gave was too plain for my liking. The octopus appetizer was pretty small, and I didn't really like the eggplant salad that came with it, but my fiancé did- and we both agreed that the octopus itself was cooked perfectly, super soft and tasty. This place has so much potential, just needs a few adjustments in the flavors as well as the service and they can soon get to 5 stars. read more

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went on Tuesday 3/6/18 great service and food was amazing. Will definitely come back and recommend!

I've been to Cafe Panache many times and never been disappointed. Outstanding food and even better service. The filet mignon ravioli are as good as it gets!!! read more

I was hopeful for this place. We had the short rib and it was over cooked with burnt sauce. The filet raviolis were ok but I am pretty sure it was short rib inside the ravioli. We had a few appetizers that were ok. Overall food is mediocre, it's a visit one time place and never go back. There is way better food in Bergen County. read more

We have been here twice. Both times the food was amazing, the filet mignon ravioli is fantastic, the pasta is nice and thing with a brown butter sauce. Love the BYOB. The only negative thing I would say is the 1st time we were there the server was amazing, very friendly and helpful, she had a great personality and will request her section when we go back because the 2nd time he was not great, felt forgotten and and rushed. Also I do not mind pouring my own wine as I am perfectly capable but it is an attention thing at a restaurant that the server should do it, shows they are paying attention to their tables. I would still go back for the food read more

Cafe Panache: A wonderful place to have a enjoyable dinner with your family and friends. The fanciest, most prettiest dishes are served to you by the friendliest and most hospitable wait staff. Cafe panache is eye catching and very elegant. I come here anytime I'm in the mood for a wonderful worth-the-while dinner. read more

I was here last week with my wife and the waiter must have forgotten to use deodorant. He smelt really bad. The food was very mediocre for the price. I think I'll stick to Esty Street if I'm gonna pay that kind of money. read more

Had dinner here Thanksgiving week. It was NOT a crowded night, and the service was horrible. This is not the first time - as a party of two - the service was woefully inferior to the attention given to larger tables. Shrimp appetizer was salty almost to the point of being inedible. Chicken entree was very good, but just on par with other similarly priced restaurants in Bergen County. Wake up, Kevin. Your wait staff is killing you. You can't possibly table-schmooze enough to compensate for that kind of shoddy service. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't look good when the service is so slow, and the chef isn't in the kitchen. read more

Food and table service were excellent, but management behavior (aka chef-owner) was horrible. Not going back anytime soon.

6 of us went for dinner, my first time there, beautiful restaurant. Staff is a bit stuffy and stiff. Crowded by the front window, and the service table is noisy and space consuming, and sloppy at times. Food: scallop carpaccio was nice but overpowering by sea greens and sesame oil. Short ribs were fantastic but would have liked to see some sort of vegetable, as there were no sides available on the menu. Everyone else lie what they had also. Because it was so crowded, I could not get out to use the rest room because the opposite table was up against us. The waiter and bus person, were not very friendly and very pushy when taking the order. I was also amazed that we were given a 2 hour time limit and they held to it. I get the whole more tables more money, but I do not like being pushed out for any reason. I would go back only because the food was interesting and innovative. read more

My wife and I were invited to dine out at this establishment by close friends. I had reservations, ( literally and figuratively) and still do. Bottom line: this is a great chef in search of a great staff to make a great restaurant. Food: appetizers and entrees were great, desserts just ok. Service: lousy, innatentive, complacent, snotty Atmosphere: converted house, nothing special. noise level intermediate, not great ambience. We waited 20 minutes past our scheduled reservation to be seated. ugh. the entry foyer is small and crowded. Cafe Panache suffers from the pangs of success, it is too crowded and there is too much demand. The staff is swamped and service suffers. We waited an additional 30 minutes for our waitress to locate menus for us. There was an atmosphere of disorganisation that pervaded the evening..... We all shared and tasted: curried mussels( wicked aroma to awaken the most jaded palate); filet mignon ravioli ( stupendous demi glace sauce.......worth a trip from Idaho). Fall greens with squash and goat cheese ( remarkable subtlety and restraint). The Sirloin steak entree was done to order, presented beautifully and just awesome. It is listed as "...with Burgundy Bordelaise sauce". hello.; Bordelaise sauce is from Bordeaux, and features the wines of the region. Burgundy is a whole other region.......but it was great nonetheless. Lobster in vanilla carrot sauce: vanilla scented sauce with reduction of chardonnay over shellfish is an old saw in French cookery....... the chef here has brilliantly conceived and executed a version for autumn that is true to the original yet fresh and appealing to modern diners. And delicious. the Lobster was soft and juicy, not tough and overdone.The beef short ribs braised in beer were succulent, rich and mouth coating. Like a trip to Munich without the jetlag. So the food is great at Cafe Panache, just expect to wait...... and then wait to be waited on........... and then wait some more........ it is mostly worth the wait! read more

There isn't enough room here for all the good things I can say about Cafe Panache and Chef/owner Kevin Kohler! We discovered Panache almost by accident in 1994 when we moved "next door" to Mahwah, NJ. As "wine snobs" the fact it was BYOB was a huge plus. Being 24 yrs ago, I can't recall what we ordered but whatever it was, it was superb. Everything we have ever had at Panache has been superb! For the next 3 years, we dined there at least once/week. Over those years, Kevin and I became great friends; that relationship continues to this day despite our being transferred 7 hours away. As a result, our dinners there have been reduced to 4-5 times a year than a month. This Friday we'll be making the drive to dine magnificently and enjoy the company of one of the hardest working, most creative and consistently professional chefs in the business. Every year, Cafe Panaches is rated one of - if not THE - best dining experience in NJ, if not the NYC metro area. Chef Kohler, his cuisine, and staff are the reasons why. Order anything! Or just say to your waiter: Bring me anything! And enjoy! read more

Amazing place, amazing food and great service every time. The owner cares so much he actually went out and bought salmon for me one night because they didn't have any at the moment and I wanted some. read more

Had dinner with a few friends last week in this place. It is a BYOB, however for a place trying to sell itself as an upscale restaurant, the wine glasses provided should not be thick generics, same glass for all wines we were drinking (looks like 25C/glass bought at a garage sale). Seemed like they ran out of bread in the beginning of the second seating. After waiting for bread for 15-20 minutes, bread we received was a warmed up bread from a supermarket. We have ordered 5 apps and 4 mains. The food was well presented and tasty, but some specials were already gone for the second seating. The price was right nevertheless. read more

Wonderful atmosphere and food! This is one of the few upscale restaurants I have been to that is not pretentious and stuffy, instead it's a warm, relaxing, and friendly environment. The service was amazing, very attentive and friendly, without being overbearing. The food was excellent. My friend and I enjoyed every dish we had. The pumpkin ravioli was delicious and melts in your mouth. My wild boar ragu was excellent and my friend really enjoyed her duck. This is not a place I can afford to go to all the time, but it is my new go-to spot for a special occasion! read more

I went for a Valentine's Day early Dinner. It's upscale and a Jacket for a gentlemen is not out of place here. The service started out really good, but as the meal progressed and the dining room filled up, we were handed off to at least one other waiter, he just showed up. It's not a big deal, but it was abrupt. It also wasn't at the same level. We were seated at a table for 2. The table itself was too small for the plates the restaurant uses. The meal..... Whatever we ordered was really well cooked and very tasty. This is not a light menu even for French Style cooking. The flavors are rich and savory. I wanted to finish it off with a great desert and coffee. The waiter dropped the menus off and then came back 15 minutes later. Nothing really caught my eye, and by that time the waiting had become a put off. And the bill...... the appetizers are overpriced. There I said it. Without desert or tip the bill was $100. So with all of the above why did I give this 4 stars? I think for a special occasion it's a wonderful place to go. The atmosphere alone was almost worth the price. If it's just an ordinary night out and you don't like to throw money away, I think you would be disappointed. read more

I always wanted to try cafe panache. I don't live close . Honestly I had dinner and I don't know when I will be back. Ok I was expecting some fabulous food and service. Food ok service ok, had better gourmet experience without driving 1hour. read more

This restaurant is classic American, farm to table. We were there a few years ago and it only gets better.The food is outstanding as is the wait staff. Javier was our waiter and we really appreciated his knowledge, expertise and kindness. We shared two appetizers and Javier brought us out the famed filet mignon ravioli with truffle butter. It was truly an experience to taste this dish, my taste buds are dancing from it. I ordered the prawns with bow tie pasta and colored corn. My husband had the crispy confit duck breast with lavender honey ginger wild rice and dried fruit. Both were outstanding.The mushrooms on all the dishes were crispy and delicious. Very special. For desert we shared a warm chocolate cake and Javier brought us the white chocolate mousse as an extra added attraction. The evening was an outstanding tasting experience. A very special meal. This restaurant was packed. It never disappoints. read more

Cafe Panache is a quaint little place locate in Ramsey in the town center. I just had dinner here tonight with my girlfriend and her family for a birthday celebration and we were STUFFED STUPID. The decor and vibe is very nice and relaxing -- low lights, more upscale and formal (but you can still rock casual-formal attire). The staff was VERY prompt and timely. We had about 3 waiters for our one table, so everything was getting brought to and away from us in an effective manner. I had the Montauk Swordfish with a Tomao Vinaigrette Sauce which was absolutely delicious. The swordfish was cooked to perfection and came with a side of potatoes and artichoke hearts. The sauce was a great touch to the thick and meaty-like swordfish meal. I would recommend this place to ANYONE who is in the mood for some good French or good seafood. The prices were a bit high, but you get what you pay for (as always in life). ROCK EM PANACHE. $$ read more

The meal I had here was the best I've had in a long time. I had shrimp for appetizer and filet mignon and both were amazing. I also had the short rib ravioli which was beyond exceptional. read more

Until yesterday this was my 5 out of 5. For a late seating I felt that I was in Seaside Heights. The noise level was a 10. The dress factor was in the negative column. I specifically picked this restaurant because in 25 years I have never had a bad experience. Skip Saturday nights. My food and service were perfect read more

Simple review, this was our first time and won't be our last. Our waitress Sherry was awesome, the food was amazing. I had a pecan crusted chicken in curry sauce which was outstanding. read more

We ate there this evening and were really disappointed in the quality of the food. Three people had the shrimp and pasta dish. The shrimp was obviously frozen and tasted that way @32 a plate it was very disappointing. I had the Duck which was good not great @40. If you are going to charge these prices the shrimp shouldn't taste like the freezer! read more

Excellent American French. Food is consistantly great as is the service. Can be a little noisy on a saturday. Some of the best food in NJ one of 6 places I give 5 stars. Chef goes to local farm daily and the freshness of the food shines because of it. Filet mignon raviolis as stated in other reviews are as good as Batalis place in NYC -JoJo's beef cheek ravioli. read more

Love love love Cafe Panache! It is our go to spot when we want something delicious. Their tuna and avocado tartar is delicious, the arugula and mushroom salad is also amazing! The salmon of the night was out standing! Love Panache! read more

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The owner came up to us when we were finishing our dinner and we didn't even pay for the check and told us to please leave because other people need the table ..this is unfortunate because I will not be coming back here again even though the food was good ... Bad service. The lamb chops were burnt ... read more

If you are looking for the freshest vegetables and high-quality fish and meat Cafe Panache is a restaurant you need to try! Their sauces are absolutely spectacular. The Service is right on the money they give you special attention without crowding you or making you feel uncomfortable. I am fortunate enough to be able to visit Cafe Panache many times year and have never been disappointed. Whether it's my wife and I or a group of four, six or eight it always a special night! read more

Good meal..corn ravioli outstanding...kind of an oriental themed dish.and ingredients...menu has been the same for years so you have some great stand by...problem is if you want to go repeatedly...kind of hard read more

Everything is great. Have never been disappointed. Filet mignon ravioli is amazing! Literally amazing.

I just don't understand the appeal of this restaurant. The food quality is not great, the staff is not over accommodating, and it lacks any type of style. read more

Great for a romantic dinner for two. Excellent service, excellent menu. My fish was cooked perfectly. Everything we ordered was so flavorful and delicious but also a bit on the salty and rich side. I could have sworn I saw the waitress shove the bus boy just before he accidentally splashed the water on my boyfriends back. read more

After dining there last week, I want to add that IMHO you need to pay intense attention to the specials being served. Some of them are remarkable in their description, and I have noticed that most times they are enticing enough that I order them and have not been disappointed. That is not to say that the menu items are less interesting, but why do you think they call the announced offerings "specials"? read more

Have been to this establishment numerous times and have never been disapointed in all aspects of fine dining. Service is impeccable, professional and equal to any fine restaurant in NYC. The food simple put is (outstanding) in quality, selection, presentation, and of course taste. The ingredients used compliment each dish perfectly. The tables are beautifuly set with nice white linens, everthing inside sparkles from cleaniness as you look around this well decorated restaurant. No matter what my fiance or I have ordered in the past from soup to nuts, all that can be said is (mille grazie) for this wonderful chef owned well managed establishment. I have reccomended this dining experience to many friends and have always been appreciated for the tip. Wish we lived closer, we certainly would be regulars at Cafe Panache! read more

Hadn't been back for many years, but just as good as I remember. Relaxed elegant atmosphere, good service and wonderful food. It was a good choice for an anniversary dinner. Has to be the best food of any BYOB place I know. read more

This use to be a good place, but all is wrong now. Food , service and attention to the customers -all is pure and deserve D-. Erase it from your list. read more

Favorite restaurant in NJ. Fantastic food and service!!! Will not disappoint. Upscale, beautiful environment.