To date, the three best meals I've ever eaten were at Gordon Ramsay's Steak in Las Vegas, Salt & Char in Saratoga, and the Saddle River Inn, in Saddle River, NJ. What made them the best were the quality of food, its preparation, and the service. I think I found number four. I'm not going to say 'order this' or 'order that.' We had five for dinner, all ordering different things and we were all blown away. The quality, the portion sizes, the pacing, the professionalism--all spot on. And all at what would likely be described as an otherwise non-descript corner restaurant in the next town over from me. One of Chef Adam Weiss' previous stops was as the original chef at Stone & Rail, in Glen Rock, NJ. It was and still is an upscale pub joint and the food was and is very good. Let's just say Adam was wasting his Culinary Institute talents there and he's allowing himself to shine here. Go. Eat. read more

This was my first visit to F1rst. It was a Saturday at 5:15pm. The staff was super pleasant and checked on me several times even after ordering one of the lowest priced items on the menu. I ordered the Parisienne Gnocchi which consists of roasted butternut squash, sage brown butter, blue cheese and toasted walnuts. Before that, I was treated with a roll and pesto/arugula dip. The appetizer was large enough to be a satisfying meal for one lone diner. It had such an amazing taste. They did have three specials which sounded delicious but also sounded way out of my price range. read more

Nice atmosphere. Good service. Great food. We shared the wild mushroom soup which had a very nice presentation when they served it. It was very good. My husband had the duck, which he commented was one of the best he ever had. I had the halibut which was excellent. Many layers of flavors for both dishes. We were told all the food is homemade including the desserts. We were hoping to have dessert but we were simply too full. Cleaned our plates! We will be back! read more

Restaurant was great! It seem like the word got out. The food was so good and the staff was very welcoming. I can't wait to go back again.

It's back to a 4 star rating for First. Came back twice with different friends and the food was wonderful. The service is always good. I love that the chefs mom is the hostess. So beautifully dressed and very attentive. We had the gnocchi -- and it was a touch mushy but oh that sauce. The cod was delicious and the pork chop brought ohs and ahs all around the table. I love how comfortable this restaurant is. Lovely without being pretentious. Look -- everyone has an off day and I did experience this once here. But honestly First is redeemed in my book. Go and enjoy. read more

Went back for a second time. Had the summer risotto. It was an explosion of flavor in my mouth. Everyone remembered us from their opening. More convinced that this could be the top restaurant in NJ. read more

The food is great, The decor very trendy, staff friendly all around a must go back to especially the desserts!!

Service was awful! over 2 hours to get dinner, which was quite tasteless! Chef took liberty when they ran out of artic char to replace with another fish (after 2 hours) - when telling them it was unacceptable, the owner used anti semitic comments referring to Auschwitz. Being a party of 6 there was a 20% service charge for such crappy service. Waitress was non existent during 99% of the meal. Chef / owner came out was horribly mean and unapologetic. I have never been treated like this by a restaurant! Stay away - food was tasteless, I had the shrimp, salad was like I made it at home and dressing was from a bottle! read more

I absolutely loved First. This is my new favorite restaurant. I already made a reservation to bring friend back next week. First of all the restaurant is absolutely beautiful and the staff couldn't be any nicer and attentive. The chef even came out of the kitchen to check on the diners while we were there. He was lovely, as was his mom who is the beautiful, sweet hostess that greeted us and showed us to our table. Then the food...OMG. Absolute perfection. I had several special requests due to food restrictions which they graciously accommodated. We started with the Tuna Tartare Appetizer which was unlike any tuna I had ever tasted. The tuna itself was tender and perfect but the flavor...omg...I can't wait to go back and have it again...DELICIOUS!!! My entree was a Salmon with deliciously flavored Rice and Beans. It really was Devine. So unique and so delicious. My friend had the cod that was melt in your mouth perfectly prepared and delicious with Cauliflower Purée and Broccolini. She couldn't stop raving about her good her food was and before we left made a reservation to bring her parents back over the weekend. One thing I will say is that you should definitely make a reservation if you are planning to go on a weekend because it was pretty crowded on a Thursday and weekends are probably going to be booking up quickly. We had 2 desserts and I don't even know where to start. But wowww...the Cheesecake is like nothing I've ever eaten it was incredible, like Cheesecake meets Crème Brûlée but with unique accompaniments that really take it to another level. This was Food Art...absolutely beyond incredible. And we also had the Mounds Icecream which the coconut lover in me went insane over. The homemade icecream with the crunch coconut brittle piece in it...scrumptious. First Restaurant is a Diamond amongst restaurants. It's not often that you find a new restaurant of this caliber. They really are the whole package and I'm expecting to see this becoming a NJ hotspot...it definitely seems to be headed there. read more

Amazing food and service. Friendly people and attention to detail is their mantra. Best of all you get to bring the wine YOU like.

By far one of the best restaurants in NJ. Chef Adam is a gifted genius. Friendly, welcoming hostess Heddy makes you feel they really genuinely appreciate your business. Go once and you'll never stop going back- you'll see. read more

Award-winning Chef Adam Weiss' new restaurant F1rst is absolutely wonderful! Everything we ordered was delicious from appetizers all the way through dessert! Our server was amazing and Adam himself came out to check in on us. It was our first trip to F1rst and we'll definitely be back! Our new favorite restaurant - highly recommend!!! read more

The food is wonderful! We really enjoyed the chicken, cod and pork chop. Everything was perfectly seasoned and presented. The "Mounds Bar" dessert was amazing....not too sweet...just right. We made some suggestions to the hostess about improving the lighting and the sound level, and she was very open and responsive. Adam, the chef and owner, also came out and sat with us for awhile to discuss how they are working to improve things. Obviously, they really care about making their restaurant perfect, and their customers happy. I wish them lots of luck....we will be back soon! read more

Outstanding. We started with calamari, Brussels sprout Caesar salad, stuffed zucchini blossoms - all delicious. I had the bolognese which had such a depth of flavor, the pasta had the perfect chew, ricotta was so creamy on top. All 4 of us enjoyed our meals enormously. And save room for dessert! The warm chocolate lava cake served with a shooter of hot fudge and homemade cappuccino Gelato was to die for. Best I've had and I've had it a lot! Eat here. You will not be disappointed. read more

Food and service were excellent. We went on a Saturday night and the only issue was it was very loud - hard to hear the people at your table speaking - and I am not old! read more

Great place! BYOB, Wonderful staff, outstanding menu choices, portions are just right, very nice decor/atmosphere. Can get a bit loud when all tables are full. But so worth it. read more

Our First, not Last time here. Absolutely extraordinary from service to food. The Chef has created a menu of personal best out of this world dishes. We had the Cod & Shrimp and Grits. A must try. The Gazpacho Soup was as good as I have ever had. We will return. read more

Great meal. Very welcoming, waiter was great and atmosphere was wonderful. Chef/owner came out to ask us how our meal was and was very kind. read more

This is my first time dining at First and loved everything about it. The food was fresh and delicious. All of the dishes were cooked to perfection. The staff were very friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere. I will definitely be returning. read more

I have now been to First, five times and each time the food was exceptional. The cod is probably my favorite entree but the John Dory and the skirt steak were also fantastic. For dessert, the mounds bar ice cream is unbelievable and next time I will have the chef's signature cheesecake speciality. You must experience First. read more

Chef Adam Weiss is a master! We had a fantastic dinner tonight at F1RST. Our server Vincent was knowledgeable, warm and an absolute joy! I started with the soup du jour, wild mushroom. It was delicious with croutons (I think made from rye bread) and chopped wild mushrooms with a white truffle drizzle. For my entree I tried the Parisienne gnocchi with blue cheese and walnuts. It was a flavor bomb with great textures. Loved it! For dessert I enjoyed Adam's version of a Mounds bar. It was pure perfection! Toasted coconut, homemade "magic shell" and coconut ice cream formed a trifecta of deliciousness. You will not find a more gracious and beautiful hostess than Adam's mother, Hedy. It was a 10/10 meal and we can't wait to come back to this BYO restaurant! read more

Service was outstanding and I really wanted to like it but the food was just ok. Crabcake had too much filler and not enough crab. The steak was a good quality cut of meat, but not a lot of flavor. It read more

Made an 8pm reservation for Valentine's Day. We went in and waited until 8:35 on a long line that didn't move an inch the entire time we were waiting. We didn't even see any of the workers, nor was anyone greeted or let in. They must've have accepted more reservations than they could handle. Of course we left before we were seated. Super disappointing for an important dinner. read more

The BEST food in the area, hands-down! The service was attentive -our server Vincent was wonderful! I left full and ready to come back to sample the rest of the menu. read more

Food was just outstanding, one of the best meals I've had in a while. Our waitress was Linda and she was just great. Ambiance was very nice and welcoming, nice decor. read more

This brand new hot spot has everything going for it...a great menu executed with top notch ingredients by a very skilled chef. Go before it's impossible to get a reservation! read more

Go to First for the delicious food. Go for the well planned and fresh food on the menu. Go for the incredibly knowledgeable and friendly staff. You can also go for the upscale, but not stiff ambiance. Just go. You won't be disappointed. read more

My first time 2 weeks ago. I am so glad I finally went and it won't be my last. I rarely come home from a Restaurant and raved about it to my Husband. And even thought about it the next day. Service, decor and food were all terrific. Hopefully going back this Friday. Thank you F1rst and Adam for doing a great job. read more

This place is decorated so lovely. The food was delicious. I had the crab cake to start. Then I had the short ribs that was seasoned perfectly. I'm very picky and I loved the food. I will definitely be back. read more

Our hostess was truly elegant and so welcoming! Vincent our waiter was quite attentive. The food is delicious and creative. The chef visited us which was such a nice touch. Don't miss this lovely restaurant! The food is delicious. A real find! read more

Had my Dad's 60th birthday. About 15 ppl. I must say the service and food was impeccable! Everyone enjoyed their meal thoroughly! We had beets, turkey meatballs, calamari, and fresh mozzarella for appetizers. Everything was delicious! I had the shrimp and grits for my entree. Very tasty- 4-5 shrimp, some sausage spinach and grits. Flavor was perfect. Sweet and savory. The steak and frites was a hit too! Steak was cooked perfectly! Highly recommend. I will definitely be back! read more

Awesome restaurant in Hawthorne. From the greeting by Hedy to the decor to the wonderful selection of food everything was top notch! Celebrated my husbands birthday here and chef Adam and staff treated us all with great service and delicious food. We had the pork chop meal (the chop was so tender it cut like butter), the herb crusted cod and a black fish special, all beautifully presented and delicious!! But don't fill up too much because the desserts are fabulous too!!! Tried three of them (warm chocolate cake, peach melba pound cake and the first mounds bar!!! oh my we went home happy!! Love that it's a BYOB! read more

The food was tasty. Our vegetarian in the group enjoyed the vegetarian dish the most out of all of us. The fish dinner was ok. Three of us left wishing that the portions were a bit larger. Interesting choice of ingredients, definitely more interesting than an average restaurant. Service was very good! read more

Awesome meal, service, ambiance. We had a delicious meal and was treated so well by our waiter and the entire staff! I have already made another reservation to take my team out for a post holiday meal - can't wait to treat them to it!!! read more

F1rst and last visit ever. I wouldn't come back here if it was the last restaurant on earth. If you ever do decide to give this place a try don't bother making a reservation because they will not acknowledge you anyways. We had an 8:15 reservation, we stood on a line in a hallway waiting to get up to the hostess stand for a full 45 minutes. No one greeted us or asked us our name during those 45 minutes. At approximately, 9:15 (an hour after our reservation) the hostess sat us at a table, while still never asking the name or time on our reservation. They were completely disorganized. As for the wait staff they had no idea which table got which food, they were asking people if they were ready for dessert before even receiving their entrees. So as I said before... First and last! read more

we have not eaten at your restaurant yet. we were given a gift card. As I do not eat seafood I am having a difficult time finding an entree that appeals to me. Do you have any future plans for variety in the menu? read more

We tried F1rst last night and enjoyed a beautiful meal! I was happy we could make a res for four, and the menu & specials were diverse and creative. The atmosphere is cozy, fresh and pretty. We loved the potato leek soup & mussels appetizers. Also, all loved our entrees- the shrimp, chicken, pasta & cod. Everything around us looked great, and our desserts were amazing! The service was incredibly friendly, a little slow, but you can't rush gourmet food, and we were grateful not to get rushed out of our 6:30 table. The busy chef even stopped out at the end to say hello. We will surely return! read more

Delicious had crab cake very good appetizer...he had gnocchi also good a bit salty...cod delicious coul be a wee bit bigger. Shrimp and grits delicious grits could be a bit firmer. All and all we really liked it and will come back. read more

The food is excellent. The wait staff is responsive. Love this restaurant. I will go back