Maybe as a ramen snob i had low expectations but I really liked this place. The ramen broth was…read morelegit authentic. And portions were very generous. The pork slices were big although I wouldn't say they are as good as those found in very traditional and higher end ramen places in NYC. But at this price point in the suburbs, the place is absolutely a 5-star. Look it's not Ippudo or Ichiran... it's part of a small group with various locations... but it's also not your typical suburbia mall Japanese spot either. The drinks are very well priced too. Service was very friendly, it's convenient with lots of parking, and they seem to be quite busy midweek for early dinner. I've yet to find a go-to ramen place in NJ... Ani Ramen is popular around here though I think this is better. It's good enough for this ramen snob to not make me want to drive into Manhattan to seek out ramen even if it's not exactly quite like the very best in the city.

Having been to Mugito Mensuke in Osaka many times while traveling for work, my standards for ramen…read moreare pretty high. So, realistically, I don't expect to find that same level of ramen here in the New York/New Jersey area. That being said, this place in West Orange definitely does the job. I tried the shrimp ramen, and I can honestly say it was very good. Is it the perfection you can experience in Osaka? No--and that would be an unfair comparison. But for what you can find around this area, this is easily one of the better bowls of ramen I've had. Good flavor, enjoyable broth, and a solid overall experience. If you're local and craving ramen, this place is definitely worth giving a try. Osaka set the bar very high for me, but this one gets my respect.

First time visiting and i can't stop thinking about it. Took a seat at the bar to watch the…read moreplayoffs. Decent wine and beer selection. The star here is the food. Butter chicken on naan the size of tacos were my favorite. Warm pretzels were well seasoned with a side of beer cheese. Attentive Staff large diningroom plenty of parking

A pretty new addition to Main Street in West Orange, Castle Rock Bar and Restaurant is a friendly,…read morepleasant place with a busy bar and an adjacent restaurant. Not sure why the restaurant isn't busier because the good was very good. We split a cauliflower fritters appetizer, which was tasty and hot. It was a cross between breaded fried cauliflower and the Indian Gobi style. I had the mushroom burger, an 8 oz hamburger with mushrooms and sauteed spinach along with melted cheese. The meat was fresh and good. A big step above most burgers plus generous portions of sauteed onions and mushrooms along with melted cheeses. When I get my hamburger craving, I know where I'm going. The Butter Chicken Tacos were an unusual option. Based on Indian Butter Chicken, the national dish of UK along with Chicken Marsala, it was served in a naan with a side of rice. Really very flavorful and creative. The chopped salmon burger with mayo also comes with cheese, which was unexpected, but worked well. Service was prompt and friendly. The waitress and another wait staff person even moved furniture around looking for my grandson's red crayon. (He was sitting on it). Worth a visit even if you don't go have a craft bar or cocktail.

So delicious! Mild/Yaji spice was amazing. Yaji fries -…read moreyummy! Cole slaw was shredded thin and tasty. Sweet potato corn bread - sweet and yum. Chicken had just the right amount of coating and spice and healthy portions of chicken. All the sauces we tried we a delish addition. Highly recommend!

GEM IN MAPLEWOOD! BEST CHICKEN & WAFFLES I EVER HAD! The waffle was cake like and to die for! I…read moreordered my chicken mild spicy, but it was spicier than I anticipated. It had an excellent flavor, and the breading tasted amazing! The breading was crispy and the chicken was thick and juicy! It was juicy all the way throughout the chicken tender! My husband ordered the fried chicken sando, and he loved it! The sandwich was huge as well! The fries he ordered with it was perfectly seasoned. We both left happy and with full bellies. Barn Bird chicken is a must visit and definitely worth the drive to go! It's a small place with a few tables to sit and eat. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND BARN BIRD KITCHEN IN MAPLEWOOD!

Ok. I have to say that I was in town with my wife and I work of the Fire Department and I said I…read morewas going to Mpw ave to eat and one of the FF's said you should go to Osteria LK and I was like ok. Well let me tell you thank God I did 1st let's start with the employees. All very nice. 2nd the Food came out. OMG I have to say it was absolutely amazing. The food was on point and then the owner came out to see how we were and how was the service. I have to say awesome job. keep up the good work and I will be back with my family .

Elegant and cozy Italian restaurant in the heart of Maplewood, boasting homemade pastas, pizzas and…read moretraditional Italian entrees. Service is warm and accommodating. Quality of food is top notch. Ordered a pasta dish with roasted eggplant, garlic and basil in a tomato based sauce. It was savory, and eggplant was very tender. I also tried some of the chicken parmigiana (crispy with perfectly cooked pounded chicken cutlet) and margherita pizza (thin crust and melt in your mouth cheese). Wonderful dining experience!

We wanted to go on a date night and after some research we decided to try this place . This is how…read moreit went : Upon entering I told the hostess I had reservations for 6 pm but since we were about an hour early we would have a drink at the bar first . She didn't look so happy about that . We sat at the bar where there were 3 bartenders , one of them was busy , another wasn't very friendly and completely ignored us after I explained it was our first time there and we needed some time . We ended up with Matt , and he was the ONLY one who made it worth while staying at that bar . We had questions in regards to the food ( he was very knowledgeable of the menu . And he also made the best lychee martinis I've had in a long time . The food was very good , well seasoned and served with great presentation. If you're looking for good food I would definitely recommend the place. If you're looking for good service I would not recommend . Un less they clone Matt . And I don't think what will happen . They honestly need to train the staff , because from the door and beyond they certainly don't know how to make you feel welcomed .

One of the best places for a Sunday brunch. Came here for a family gathering. And this was the…read moreprefect place locally. Big place, noise level is not quiet, but far from to loud. The decor is nice. The outside for patio goes out to a lake and a couple mile walking / bike path. The brunch was exceptionally good. Their's plenty of choices to pick from. The pasty table was not that good though. The fruit was fresh. If you do not want buffet brunch. You can order from the plentiful menu. The buffet comes with a free Mimosa or Bellini. But I had a cranberry and pineapple juice mixed. I would recommend this place. If you want to make a day out here. This place is next door to The Turtle Back Zoo. Another great place to visit.

Yummy breakfast with excellent flavors and great service. The atmosphere is calm and charming. Stop…read morein and enjoy!

One of my favorite brunch places. Nothing better than coming here on the weekend and getting an…read moreeggs Benedict and a stuffed French toast. They also have great specials on their menu that rotate in and are worth trying. There's always a bit of a wait on the weekends but for good reason.

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.

Absolutely amazing food. Definitely recommend it…read more Absolutely delicious, really well made and perfectly seasoned food. Great coffee. Amazing dessert. Also love the fact that they have outdoor seating with umbrellas. Helps those of us who are trying to dine out in a Covid safe manner. Staff is so nice and management is amazing. I overpaid by mistake because of a billing error and I didn't even know about it. The manager actually called me back and said - hey we over charged you. Please come and take some money back! Amazing! They have just made a lifelong fan!

Man we stopped at tacos Locos-Mexican and holly crap what a pleasant surprise! The food here is…read morefire! I knew after the first bite of my pastor taco it was gonna be a good lunch but never saw the birria coming! It was a masterclass in birria! Don't sleep on Tacos Locos! Fantastic cuisine and fast service. Next time I'm in south orange i know where to go .

They have good customers service. The server was nice, he was just busy before I can order. But…read morenice. Went in to order my food. Took 5-6 minutes until it was ready. So pretty quick. Just wish the AC was on during the June warm weather. The bathroom (Mens) was small, but clean. Will come back.

This place is so good. Everyone we eat in or do take out, the food is fresh, tasty, and piping hot…read more Everything we had tonight was excellent. Did not remember to take pictures of the fried calamari and garlic bread, as we ate them all in a short time. Service was not bad. The kitchen/cook deserves all the praise. Highly recommend!

That pasta here is made fresh and is very tasty. You add your own toppings for an additional…read morecharge, but there are deals in place (buy 2 get 2 free). The owner was friendly. My penne pasta with fresh mozz and veggies was delicious but the garlic bread was forgettable. I also tried to eat there a 2nd time but the owner told me he couldn't cook for the next hour due to the fire department's order or something like that? I had to walk out and eat at a competitor's restaurant which was a letdown.

Recently moved and decided to check this place out for lunch since it was close by! We've been…read morelooking for a decent sushi restaurant and this just hit the spot. Overall, restaurant had a cute environment with flower decor once you enter. You can also dine outside, which is nice when the weather is optimal :) We tried their japanese inspired spring roll (salmon teriyaki) and lunch sushi (my husband had the chirashi and i had the tuna set). Everything was delicious and our server was very generous (they offered 2 salmon nigiri on the house, which was very nice of them). I would definitely come back here again to try their other menu offerings!

Pleasantly surprised by this cozy little spot and the super-friendly staff! We sat at the small…read moresushi counter and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. We ordered a few rolls and, after complimenting the chef on how delicious they were, were treated to two complimentary pieces of seared sushi. Yum!!! The menu also offers a nice selection of Japanese and Korean dishes if you want to explore beyond sushi. We tried the bibimbap, which unfortunately wasn't our favorite. Although it was served in a hot stone bowl, the bulgogi was a bit lukewarm and the egg was overdone. I also would have preferred for the staff to mix it for us when it was served. The ambiance is lovely, especially compared with many of the nearby sushi spots, and the service was warm and welcoming. Overall, a really enjoyable experience. Well done!