Service was amazing all the staff was friendly and welcoming. The music in here was r&b and it was…read morean entire vibe! Great ambiance big space relaxing great art work around . My cinnamon roll latte was delicious and omg I want to go back already!

We attended an album release party of a singer-songwriter friend of ours and they totally turned…read morethe coffeeshop into a vibey MTV Unplugged-type set. Their staff was super helpful as must of us needed a bit to balance between order warm beverages and giving our friend ample time to perform. Only major drawback was parking, which might be a downtown South Orange problem.

Lovely spot!! The set up is a little more casual than a typical restaurant--you sit down wherever…read moreyou want, order at the front, and a server bring/ your order to you. It was very clean and fresh inside and everyone was friendly. I tried shakshuka for the first time, and I loved it! It wasn't too heavy, and the sauce was super flavorful sauce. I enjoyed seeing all of the mediterranean-inspired options they had on the menu. I also ordered a plain iced latte which was great! The espresso was very smooth. We went around 9 am on a Monday, so it wasn't super busy, but I've seen this place packed! The lunch menu also seemed super interesting so, so I would love to come back to try more!

I love love love this spot. Nice ambiance, the pink & green is welcoming and eye-catching. The…read morestaff is top tier and I love that everyone is wearing Jackie & Sons garb. My most consistent go-to is the Matcha Latte with Rosewater Simple Syrup. Sometimes you can actually taste the rose and it complements the matcha nicely. One thing I will say for the women, if you are into cycle syncing, there are so many options here for us. Fave foods to order are the cauliflower pita & lentil soup. The salad is quite filling and fresh. Actually all of their food is fresh. I like the falafel bowl although it can be a little dry. I typically drizzle olive oil on it. The tahini is good, but it's only enough for the falafels. The falafels are good as well; authentically flavorful. Def try the meze options. I've never ordered something and didn't get it a second or third time. I eat predominantly vegan and this spot gives me options galore like I'm back in NYC. Amazing for dine-in and the best at bagging your takeout/delivery. Stapling the liquids inside a smaller bag to stay in place in the larger bag? The most thoughtful packing I've come across honestly. Would love to see them add a vegan pastry or few. I appreciate that they do digital rewards now as well

Once again, I was so impressed with the food and the service. Anas was our waiter and he was…read moreawesome as ever. Raul spent time with us at our table making us feel warm and welcome. I love dining here. Simply one of the best experiences in SOMA. -Fr. Jim Worth Pastor of St. Joseph in Maplewood

I was in the mood for Italian recently because I haven't had it in a while, so I ordered from…read moreMozzarella for my Italian fix. Got the chicken Francese with Angel hair pasta. I enjoyed it, however, the chicken wasn't very saucy..but it was still delicious and fresh nonetheless. If I order from here again, I'll probably request that they make the chicken a little bit more saucy or put it in a separate container. I believe the sauce from the chicken was absorbed by the pasta since the pasta sat right underneath the chicken. I definitely wouldn't mind trying more dishes from here..

Cute little eatery if you wanted to just enjoy a Sunday Breakfast/ brunch. Very friendly staff !read more

Cute cafe in active area of South Orange. Came around lunchtime on a Thursday afternoon and was…read morequickly acknowledged upon entry but the gentleman barista. Everything was fine but I had a weird encounter I want to share in case others have also encountered this. Upon entry, I told the lady at the receptionist desk that I was dining solo indoors. She told me they were short on staff and had to order and pay with her before seating. First time dining here and didn't know how busy it was since the dining area was on the other side of the wall. Fine... no problem. Upon sitting, I noticed there were only two other tables and most of the tables were empty. There appeared to be two male servers tending to the dining area.. Food and coffee came out in good time and the server who delivered it was friendly. After I sat and paid, I saw three other tables who came and were sat - all receiving normal table service. (I.e waiter taking orders, pay at the end.) I don't want to assume anything but would suggest the restaurant look at their practices and either exercise them across all patrons to avoid causing anyone to feel singled out... Food and coffee were good.

Dang. If you have to…read morebe trapped in suburban NJ, you could do a lot, LOT worse than Walia. I'm still a little floored at how NOT compromised the flavors here were--how I ate some of the most complex, deeply seasoned Ethiopian dishes I've ever had here. But you know what IS just like NYC able Walia? The prices. I nearly had sticker shock from the $33+/entree pricing that dominated the menu. Ahhhh, the pain in my wallet felt just like home. Anywho, at least the food was delicious and plentiful. The standout for me was Kitfo--always my favorite Ethiopian dish--which was beautifully seasoned, incredibly tasty and blissfully abundant. We also ordered the Lega Tibs, which was nicely tender and completely devoid of gamey lamb flavor. To balance out the all the carne, we practically ordered a garden of fiber. All our vegetarian dishes were well cooked, especially the Fasolia (mildly simmered string beans and carrots), Tkile Gomen (the classic mix of cabbage, carrots and potatoes), and both Watts (lentil stews, baby!). We also splurged on the Kayser Watt, a unique combination of beets and potatoes that I don't see often at Ethiopian joints--however, while it was expertly made, I didn't think it was worth the extra spend. The same goes for the Ethiopian Chai; not particularly interesting or complex, and I certainly wouldn't pay extra to order it a second time unless I just really needed a warm mug to hold. Service was warm and friendly, and the decor is cute without being kitschy. Bottom line: Enjoy a more unique cuisine in a rather mundane part of the state, but don't be surprised if you stretch your credit card limit just as badly as you would in the Big Apple.

I cannot believe how many years it has been since I have updated my review for Walia. Since my…read moreoriginal review five years ago, I have gone back to Walia repeatedly and over the years it has become my absolute favorite Ethiopian restaurant within a respectable driving distance of where I live (which I define as about 30 minutes). I am happy to say that almost everything I said in my last review still rings true. The decor has changed a bit, with new paintings hanging and the seats getting rearranged now and then as reservations demand, but for the most part the restaurant still looks and feels the same as before. It is a comforting, welcoming yet elegant restaurant in its own way. It isn't super fancy, which is great because it makes it appropriate for everything from a casual date night to a birthday party. The service at Walia continues to be fantastic. Their staff is always friendly, accommodating and willing to answer questions. They are also very nice about getting you extra Injira bread (as I do every time I'm there). The food at Walia is amazing. Everything is flavorful and the spices are wonderful (I generally keep the heat at medium level). The Alicha Watt (pumpkin) remains one of my favorite dishes and I often take an order of it to go whenever I eat here. Walia is a wonderful business and I highly encourage everyone to support it!

I ordered a Classic Pizza, Fries, and a lemonade. They were very tasty. The pizza was great and the…read morecrust and thickness level was perfect. The service was great and my table was checked on. Our waitress was kind and was polite. The inside of the restaurant was pretty and had a lot of paintings all over the walls and plenty of decorations. Overall this place was great and I would recommend!

The veggie combo pizza was fresh and tasty. The cheese pizza is always on point. This is definitely…read morea family business and I appreciated the friendliness as I waited. I'll be back soon

I highly recommend Bistro d'Azur! We just hosted my mother's 80th birthday there (20 people) and…read morehad a wonderful experience. Isabelle made the planning easy. She and the staff were accommodating, attentive and welcoming. The food was well balanced and flavorful. Everyone - adults and children- enjoyed their meals! Thank you to Bistro d'Azur for making this milestone celebration an evening that we will always remember.

The service here was exceptional -- attentive in a way that felt genuinely Michelin-level, from the…read moremoment we sat down to the last course. It made the whole night. The ambiance fit the name perfectly -- subtle hints of blue throughout that tied right back to "d'Azur." We started with a glass of bubbly and focaccia served with three spreads -- the olive tapenade stood out over the butter. For the first course, I had the duck confit salad -- the duck portion itself ran a little light, but the flavor balance was excellent: sweetness from the strawberries, bitterness from the arugula, saltiness from the goat cheese, and umami depth from the duck confit. It's BYOB, we brought both red and white wine to pair across the meal. The table shared the Branzino with French chard, which was outstanding, and the steak frites, which was exceptional and perfect medium rare. I had the duck breast with mushroom, paired with a Pinot Noir -- a great match, and that same Pinot Noir worked beautifully with the steak too. To finish, we shared three desserts: crème brûlée, chocolate truffles with strawberry and pistachio, and a cognac cake topped with a chocolate whipped mousse, walnuts, and strawberry. Tough call on a favorite, but the cognac cake stole the show. Throughout dessert, the staff kept checking in without ever feeling intrusive -- a small thing, but it stood out. A great night out with drink, food, and cousins from start to finish. The service alone is worth going back for. Highly recommend.