Big Beautiful Restaurant atmosphere was lovely they played music wonderfully throughout lunch. Cuban Petes is now one of my favorite restaurants. I want to come back at night and see how the atmosphere is with the lighting , music , and the people. Remember it's a BYOB. read more

Love the food first and foremost. The staff is very friendly. The owner always comes by to say hello and chat a bit. Yes the prices have increased some however the portions and quality have remained the same considering the stress that the pandemic wreaked on this and other food establishments in this area. We are very happy they survived this and it's not over yet. Do yourself a favor and eat here. You will not be disappointed! The atmosphere alone and the music will transport you to your happy place. read more

Cuban Pete's - Skirt steak coconut rice and sweet potato - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Cuban Pete's is my go to spot when I want good food & have extra money in my pocket! Wait time is long during dinner time on the weekends & there are no reservations. The waiting area is super small with the waiters running back & fourth with the food it can make it uncomfortable. There's street parking as well as a small parking lot in the back but be careful... don't park in the permit only spaces you will get ticketed. If you go to Cuban Pete's during the week or before dinner time on the weekends you're seated pretty quick. The waiters are always on the move making sure the tables are clean, customers are taken care off, etc. This place is BYOB; they only serve non-alcoholic sangrias & mojitos in which the waiter can mix in your choice of alcohol right at your table. There's also a LQ store next door. There is seating inside & outside as well as another indoor seating area that is located outside the main entrance of the restaurant. The restaurant is pretty loud so if you're looking for a personal setting it's going to be pretty hard to hear the other person. This time my boyfriend and I got cheese & spinach empanadas, Arroz con pollo, a garden paella & a pitcher of red sangria. The bill totaled to $51. The only thing I don't like is that the receipts are hand written so it's hard reading what the waiter wrote other than that, this place is a hit in my book! read more

Cuban Pete's - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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It's just okay. I have been to Cuba and this is not traditional Cuban food. The flavor ands textures here are not on the mark. For instance, the outer part of the stuffed sweet plantains were put into a blender and made into a paste, surrounding the meat mixture and fried like croquettes. It tasted like there was sugar in it. Yuck. Gross. No, just no. It just wasn't great. read more

Nothing better sometimes than some really delicious Latino food! This month we managed to have dinner twice at one of our most favorite Latino restaurants in Jersey. We really couldn't resist going back to "Cuban Pete's" because their food is highly addictive. We are Latino & love to indulge in Hispanic food whenever we can. This place looks like it was ripped right out of Cuba with its tropical vibes. There are several areas of seating, tropical decor, & great music. All the servers where fedora's paired with guayabera's, which are like quarter sleeve button-ups & are a staple on most Latino islands. The menu is overwhelmingly mouth watering with all of their delicious options. We usually order the same tapas because their that good, but we always switch up our entrees. One of the tapas that we love are their "Chicharon De Pollo," which are like chicken lollipops served in a cilantro mojo. They have a nice bite to them & are full of flavor. Then we always order their "Goat Cheese Fritters," which are little hazelnut stuffed goat cheese oval balls drizzled in a sweet honey vinaigrette. These are a highlight & must have at this place as they are packed with dynamite flavor. They have a light outside crunch & creamy inside. Then we ordered "Carlitto's Way Chicken" & it was delicious & devoured.  It's a grilled half boneless chicken drenched in a lime sangria mojo, served with coconut rice & mango coconut yams. The rice has a hint of sweetness & so does the chicken with a combination of light lime. Everything was truly tasty & felt like we were eating at someone's home. We have had many family dinners and birthdays celebrated here as you can never leave disappointed. This place is just simply a prominent restaurant in Montclair, New Jersey & can be very busy, so there could be a wait. However, we have learned that if you go during the lunch hours it is rarely busy. In conclusion, you should be planning a visit very soon. For more content, please follow us on Instagram @Littlelocaltaste. read more

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WORST COSTUME AND SERVICE EVER! After call them 4 TIMES, on the 5 they put on hold for 8 minutes! That's insane. When they pick the phone, the woman was so rude that makes me give up of going there for Valentine's Day. And if you ask her name, she won't answer cause she knows she's treating costumers like shit. She don't say her name but she was working on the Friday 14th shift at night. That's bad! Nice place, nice food, bad employees. read more

Cuban Pete's - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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The place looks good but the apps are horrible this croqueta de hamon was terrible no ham just doe don't ever order it . Hope the main course are better that's it for now .. read more

Cuban Pete's - Croqueta de hamon - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

So many thoughts. So many calories. So little money. Let's get the bad out of the way first. When you get there, there will be a wait. Expect to wait in the neighborhood of an hour on a weekend night. Second thing to know... this place is extremely loud inside. Loud to the point you won't be having a conversation without screaming. Now that we've set the expectations, let get to the pork and beans and rice you came for. First of all, don't be fooled by the extremely low price of the appetizers... the portions of their "bites" are full sized portions. The mains... same logic applies. You get literally pounds of food for dishes in the $15 range. If the place wasn't completely mobbed from the moment we put our name in til the moment we left, if wonder how they stay in business at the price to quality ratio of their food. And it's not just cheap and large portions, it's delicious. Let's get to the replay of our gluttonous over-ordering: Bocaditos de Sandwich Cubano - this is basically half a Cuban sandwich cut into quarters for $3.95. If you have a Cuban restaurant, you really need to nail this, and they did. The bread was perfectly pressed to toasty perfection and well balanced with all the usual fillings. Beef Empanada - for $3.95, I was expecting maybe one large or two small empanadas, but we got three of the big boys here. They are hefty in size and weight, and well filled with meat... not doughy at all. Empanada de Queso - equally awesome, equally hefty, and equally cheap at $3.95 as the beef ones. These are generously filled with a gooey manchego cheese, topped with a kind of chimichurri spinach sauce Shrimp Ceviche - giant, full to the brim martini glass of ceviche goodness. And oh yeah, it's insanely cheap at $4.95. Enpanzado - my god, this is just more food than we know what to do with. So, so much tender, flavorful pork. Lechon Asado - warning... If you are on any type of diet, this giant monster of fried porky deliciousness will blow you up. But if you love fried pork, you'll dig it. As simply as I can put it, we way over ordered and way under estimated the size of the dishes. I still cannot get over how cheap the food was, with the total bill coming out to like $50, and bringing several meals worth of leftovers read more

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Pretty solid spot to eat and thr atmosphere is amazing.. the food is good and very affordable

Come early because they have long waits especially during this COVID-19 shenanigans. Outside seating but tables are NOT 6ft apart. Food is delicious and big portions. Really good price. Even though it was really busy service was quick. read more

Cuban Pete's - Churrasco El Gaucho and regular Churrasco - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Do not complain to the owner about anything. Just sit back and relax and you'll enjoy a fun meal.

I do not recommend this place. The food is far from authentic. The ropa vieja had a canned tomato taste to it with a metallic tinge. The service is also lacking as they are inattentive however our waiter was pleasant to say the least. Maybe they are understaffed as most establishments are nowadays. read more

Despite being a frequent patron of Cuban Pete's I've not left a review before.I would normally consider them fluctuating around 4 star level performance. But the last few meals, particularly tonight's, have been outstanding. Food was been perfectly prepared, with tender and juicy steaks, perfectly seasoned rice and beans, perfectly ripened maduros, etc. We ordered delivery, so can't comment on the in restaurant vibe. But if this is what they're sending out the door, I can only imagine the food was even better fresh to the table. Well done! read more

Please stop skimping with the beans in the arroz con gandules, and the black beans in the arroz con morro. Also, when you package the black beans separately in a cup, please make sure it is not all sauce and no beans. read more

Once you get past the HUUUUUGE menu with enough options to feed a village, the food is amazing. I got the ropa vieja, which was very delicious and authentic. My friend got a shrimp dish she enjoyed. Portions are bigger than their menu, which I appreciate so I have lunch & dinner for the next day. Atmosphere is great, handsome men in fedoras wait on you and even play drums and maracas if it's your birthday. The dessert we got was alright, and if you're planning to come here to have a nice deep conversation, it's a little loud inside. read more

Cuban Pete's - Domino cake - coffee taste ?? - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I messed up when coming to eat here and got confused with Cuban Eddie's which is where I actually wanted to eat. It's very packed, and the atmosphere is party like. The staff sings to you if it's your bday, and everyone is really friendly and cheerful. The food falls short, esp since it comes out very quick! The empanadas are dry and don't come with any salsa or sauce. I had to ask for some, and my server came out with a garlic sauce (amazing!) and something else. I had the Cuban sandwich, which was very underwhelming and could only be saved by the garlic sauce. My friend had a mango chicken dish, but she said the chicken was dry and tasteless. We had a mango flan for dessert which was okay tasting, but not the best and definitely lacking mango flavor. I don't see the hype besides the fast table service and the reasonable pricing. If you do try it, park at the Crescent garage because it's the cheapest. read more

Cuban Pete's - Empanadas - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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When i say 5 starts i really wish i could give it more. For one its a BYOB so you can bring anything you want and they mix it with their sangria. The food was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The atmosphere was dope and i like their were seperate rooms with difference music and ambiance. Some rooms was more formal some more casual. I will definitely be going back. read more

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Cuban Pete's on this day I visited was outstanding ! Service Was a 8 / Food and drinks was a 10. I ordered the red snapper w plantains and yellow rice . My bf ordered the shredded chicken with white rice and plantains. Our meals were definitely flavorful. The sangria was delicious . We ordered the armandos passion virgin sangria and we mixed our own tequila in with it . (this restaurant is byob) The only downfall about this restaurant is their outside area have a lot of birds flying above your head and they are chilling on the wires and can " use the bathroom" at any time ! This happened to my bf . A bird " shitted" right on his head. He was so pissed and disgusted we had to take everything to go and leave. That was definitely a mood killer . Idk what Cuban Pete's could do about preventing birds from " shitting on u or on your food". This restaurant is located on a busy street so parking is very limited! read more

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Holy crap it was loud in there !!!! I now have to go buy a Miracle Ear just to hear normal conversations now. You think I'm kidding but I'm not... So how was the food?? Well, I was honestly disappointed with it. Here's why.... A bunch of friends and I dropped in here on a recommendation. We were seated pretty quickly, but we soon realized that we were going to have to yell to speak to each other because the music was so loud. Michael took our orders, and within 5 minutes Al 6 of us had food. Now normally that would be a good thing, but with the fact that we ordered chickens, ribs, and sandwiches. Here's how it went. I had the little Cuban sandwiches. Portion wise it was a good appetizer, but the meat was kinda dry as if it had been sitting around a while. Did I mention that I had blood dripping from my Ears at this point?? The person that ordered the Ricky Ricardo ribs, essentially received some pot roast. Not quite the ribs that we were expecting. Add to this the fact that it was kinda dry. I started t use Duolingo app to try and teach myself American Sign Language to be able to communicate in this hell of audio torture. The guys that had chicken said it was pretty good, but I was unable to hear them until now because my ear drums have been ruptured from the experience. Overall though, none of us will be going back to this place..... At least not with a $400 set of noise cancelling headphones.... Did I mention it was loud???? read more

I will start this off by saying I've never written a review on a business or product anywhere, ever. I believe reviews should be taken with a grain of salt as everyone has their own opinions, and sometimes people just look for any reason to complain. I used to LOVE Cuban Pete's. They have definitely fallen off, but more importantly, the "manager," whom I still am unsure actually exists, needs to get their s*** together. I placed an order, directly through CP, on 12/2/21. We picked up the food. The portions were WAY smaller than if you were to eat in the restaurant, the food was cold, and we were missing an item. We called about the missing item, did not complain about anything else. Then we called again. And again. And again. For over TWO months I have been calling and calling, unable to speak to this "manager" who was supposedly going to refund me for the item we never received. I don't make it a habit to pay for goods or services that I don't actually receive. Each and every time I called, I spoke to different, very polite young women, all of whom said they couldn't refund the item for me but that they would pass along my information to their manager - who they texted on the spot - so that they could refund me. These women I spoke with did all they could; none of this is their fault. I've worked in the business before becoming a teacher for a total of 5 years... both professions can be extremely stressful. At this point, although it was a single missing item, money is money and the principle alone is enough to piss me off. I can only imagine what kind of person this "manager" - who I was told only comes in on Fridays or Sundays - truly is. Because I HIGHLY doubt these employees spent the time talking to me each end every time I called, taking down my information, neglected to pass it along. My advice, you can find better quality for the same price or less with MUCH better, more professional, service. Sincerely, A sick, tired teacher. * Edit: I neglected to mention our previous dine-in experience where we were sat in the worst possible location which smelled like vomit. Yeah, that was appetizing. Didn't last 5 minutes. read more

I have been here 3 or 4 times in the past couple years and each time has been a different experience. This time, my family and I came in for dinner around 7pm. We knew it was going to be busy because it was a holiday, but I have never seen it THIS crazy. When you enter through the front of the restaurant, you walk through the outdoor seating area to get to the hostess desk. The outdoor seating is so cute with the string lights. There isn't much room to gather and wait, so people were waiting on the stairs and in the dining room, just doing their best not to be in the way. It is such a small lobby space and the servers were doing their best to not to bump into anyone with such a small path to walk through. We weren't sure who the hostess actually was so we notified the manager (who had been assisting with seating arrangements) that we had a large party. Within 15 minutes, we had already been seated. It was impressive that they were able to pull that together quickly! I ordered the Coconut Shrimp with White Rice and Sweet Plantains. The meal was originally supposed to come with Sweet Potatoes, but I didn't mind because the Sweet Plantains tasted good. The shrimp was slightly overcooked... the breadcrumbs on it were burnt, but still edible. I also ordered a side of Tostones. It was sliced too thick, soggy and very bland. I tried my cousin's dish and I liked it much better. She ordered the Churrasco. It's a skirt steak and the way it was marinated made me wish I ordered that instead. The music and vibe are great. I only gave 3 stars for this particular visit because of the food and because we had to ask for all the little things (water and then another time for cups for the water). I've had better experiences when I've come during a slow afternoon. I'm sure I'll be back and I'll be sure to order the Churrasco. FYI: They do not take reservations and it is BYOB. read more

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Pretty good Cuban food and lively, family oriented atmosphere. BYOB but they provide sangria and mojito bases. The food came SUPER quick, I hardly had time to enjoy my drink. Next time I would wait a little until I place my order. If you are celebrating anything, let they waiter know and they will do a little performance for you! read more

Cuban Pete's - Top: Fish in garlic sauce w white rice and maduros Side: black beans Bottom: Churrasco w white rice and yucca frita - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Overcooked shrimp, octopus, and chicken. The food was so dried out I needed more water than they would allow. It was clear the server knew the food was not good anymore. He kept asking what was wrong; not is it ok. Think of it as Cuban McDonalds. Like my sisters cooking it is never right and over cooked, but you are not likely to get food poisoning from undercooked food. read more

Cuban Pete's - Water - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

This place way fantastic. The food was DELICIOUS, the atmosphere was calming and exciting at the same time. The servers entertain you for someone's birthday or anniversary and the service if great. If you want something different to eat and tasty, this is your place read more

Cuban Pete's is so much fun! We sat in their back room open air seating in the back. The patrons were all lively, the music was fun, and the staff was so attentive and everything came out hot, fresh, and delicious! I believe this is a BYOB place so you can bring your own wine. They make their own non alcoholic juice pitchers that looked delicious. The tres leches was soooo yummy I would come back just for the dessert. A very fun place, especially in the summer! read more

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First time going to Cuban Pete's and great atmosphere and great customer service and I would go back again. The food was great and well seasoned and delicious. read more

Love Cuban Pete's it's a BYOB with a liquor store near by. Location is very cute. Every time I've gone the food is phenomenal! The owner is amazing as well, always makes sure that we are taken care of! Atmosphere is beautiful inside and out, great ambiance. This is one of my favorite places to eat and relax read more

Cuban Pete's - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

After many years of not dining here, I decided to give them a chance as my mother was in the mood for it. We dined today around 11:40a and was seated immediately. Our waiter was amazing and super attentive. We ordered our usual chicken lollipops and enjoyed every bite of it. For our entrees, my mom had their red snapper while I had their rib dish labeled as "Gus"something. The red snapper was a tad bit undercooked and pretty bland to say the least. Although, my dish was good I still found myself feeling sick right after. As soon as I got home, I felt very nauseous, my stomach was killing me; and experienced a case of food poisoning. Im not sure what it went wrong on the dish and I hope no one else became I'll from it too. I called the restaurant immediately after but it didn't seem like they cared one bit. read more

This place is a dump now. Came here with a group of 11 people for a friends going away party and had the most atrocious time ever. The workers are so unprofessional. For me to say this, that really says a lot. First and foremost, the guy that took our order did not pay any attention to our table. We sat without forks. We had to beg for them to bring water and ice out, and had to ask for any and everything we needed at all times. No one asked how our order was, no one cared at all. The temp INSIDE was over 80 degrees. The floor was sweating and so were we. Our orders came out wrong and one order didn't show up until 20 minutes after other people got their food. I spoke to the manager and he brushed me off and told me to speak to the waiter. The waiter brought the check out wrong 3 times! I will never in my life step foot in here again. read more

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Fun place and you can get a lot of food for a great price. Go with a party of at least four and get the pitcher of mojito! The key is to order the right food. Here is what we had - all tapas Chicken lollipops - amazing! Empanadas - ok Pernil con tostones- yes! Get this. Yummy and it's filling. Rib tips- good but not a lot of meat Cuban sandwich- good Shrimps with garlic sauce- wow so good Miami salad- get some greens to balance the meal Rice and beans - have to get this. read more

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Loved this place! We visited Cuban Pete's after we saw a comedy show at the Wellmont. The ambiance was spectacular and the food was delicious. I enjoyed the Cuban Sandwich and will definitely go back for another next time I am in Montclair. ALSO: This place is BYOB so come prepared with your own cervezas! read more

Cuban Pete's - Cuban Sandwich - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I already heard they were racist but I've been going here for years . I just ordered food to go & they gave us old rice . I can't believe they would do something like this . This is not the first time . They must be struggling financially because the portions are smaller & they're giving old read more

Cuban Pete's - Ropa vieja - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

This place has been hit or miss for the past few years. I recently went just before New Years and the food was delicious. I went with a few friends and we all ordered the Churrasco -- it was cooked perfectly and the sauce was tasty. The meal also comes with rice, beans, and plantains. We also ordered one of their sangria pitchers -- if you bring a bottle of wine, they will add it to the pitcher. The sangria was just OK -- they gave us a different option than the one we ordered and told us they only have one kind when we asked. Overall would come back and definitely recommend the churrasco. read more

I was disappointed with my experience at Cuban Pete's. Before dinner, I was actually very excited to try it out because of everything I've heard about the food. The decor is cute- there's a nice outdoor area with lights and fun music. It's a really nice atmosphere for a restaurant. The food, however, is just not good (and neither is the service, while I'm at it). I ordered the fish (per the recommendation or our server) and my friends ordered a steak dish, and nobody was satisfied at the end of our meal. The fish was rubbery and cold in some spots, like it had just been reheated. It was drenched in oil and SO much salt. The plantains that were served on the side are the only part of my meal that was enjoyable...maybe the rice and beans, too. We only saw our waiter ONCE (when he took our order). Nobody asked us how our meal was or checked up to clear plates, refill water, etc. Because we were a group of 5, there was an automatic 18% gratuity, otherwise I would not have tipped the server. I was so excited to try the food but it was a huge disappointment! I've had much better "Cuban" cuisine so I definitely won't be back here. I'm glad I didn't have to wait for a table, otherwise I would have been even more upset. read more

Cuban Pete's - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

This is a terrible restaurant, we ordered vegan food and they got our entire order wrong, when asked to correct it they said they could do absolutely nothing and refused to refund us at this restaurant. I've eaten here before it's out of date, It's a shame everybody forgot when the place was chained up during covid due to the lack of protocol. The place is dirty and dingy and they need to fix the rat problem that is clearly rampant, because they stack the trash bins directly in front of the place.I Would 100% never recommend anyone going here not for anything read more

The food was amazing! I haven't had paella in forever and this was amazing. I originally had it in Spain and this was top notch and a lot of food. The alcohol free sangria was amazing and you can bring in wine to pour into it. Can't wait to get back to New Jersey to try this agai read more

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This place has been very overhyped. I would say service is fast and they do bring food out quickly, but it's room temperature/warm, not hot. My food was not barely warm and not very good, I actually felt sick after. There is only five shrimp for Garlic shrimp appetizer and it also not hot/warm and very oily. It is BYOB, but they sell "mixers" for actually a lot, considering you are bringing the wine to mix in. Not worth the wait or hype. read more

I am quite aware of how popular this place is, but I'll pass. It was a busy Saturday evening and, possibly as a result of this, the quality of service was just poor. Some notes: No call ahead seating or reservations allowed. BYOB (which is fine). We, along with several other groups of people, didn't realize that you had to go through the restaurant to be greeted by a hostess and put your name down for a table. Therefore, a long line that we were included in began to build in the front of the restaurant. At one point, a man who I believe to be the manager looked at me but then turned back to the table he was schmoozing. We continued to wait until a few people started to cross through the restaurant. We eventually followed them and realized we were waiting in the wrong area. It would have been helpful if a second hostess was stationed in the front to let people know where to go. We are not all regulars. Once we found our way to the hostess, she was very pleasant. She is the reason for the extra star. As busy as it was, we were quickly seated at a small table in which the legs were uneven and wobbled. They tried to fix this by having a wad of napkins under one leg. Our appetizer plates were dirty, along with my silverware. When I asked for a new set, the server seemed more annoyed that he was being inconvenienced. The first appetizer I ordered was sold out, so I decided on the very personal-sized goat cheese fritters, which were actually very good. The first entrée that I ordered, Isla de Pollo, was also sold out. My second choice, another chicken dish, came out undercooked yet tasteless and dry in the parts of the chicken I did try. I basically nibbled at the plantains and rice until we both decided it was time to go. Maybe the experience is better midweek when it's less busy, but I also didn't enjoy the back of the server's body partially leaning over our table when he was taking care of the table next to us. It was really cramped and extremely loud. Many times we had to decide if we wanted to repeat ourselves in conversation or simply let it go. We felt rushed throughout our time there, so we decided to go elsewhere for dessert. At that point, we just wanted to leave. Not interested in a return visit. read more

Cuban Pete's - Undercooked. - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I've been coming for a number of years and tonight I came after at least 10 years and it hasn't changed and the food is still great. Next time I'm in NJ I'll be back! read more

Ordered the salmon and rice through Uber eats and when I bit into my salmon I bit down on a metal button and almost cracked my tooth!! I was also feeding my 2yr old some as well and luckily it wasn't the bite that she had me because it would've caused her to choke!! read more

Cuban Pete's - Metal substance found in food - Cuban Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey