I visited this restaurant twice. The first experience was great but the second time left much to be desired. The first time, Alfred waited on us. I believe he was also bartending but always seemed to check on us an make sure we had what we needed. The second time there was a larger group but it became larger as time went on. I can't remember the name of the girl who waited on us, but I know if I saw her, I would probably ask for someone else. She was slow, forgetful and somewhat rude. When I ordered at the beginning, I asked for water which I did not get until about an hour later even though I reminded her. She seemed to get lost which was irritating for some of the party because it was happy hour and the orders had to be placed by a certain time. Instead of having a tray, she would carry in drinks as well as plates two at a time. And when someone asked where their order was, she replied she only had 2 hands. Aside from the poor customer service, the food was good. Some people didn't like their drinks saying that they were too strong and had to add to them to try to make them taste better. The food was very good. Especially the mac and cheese. Overall, of I didn't have such a good experience the first time, I wouldn't even consider going back but it still might be a while before I do. read more

I read another comment that called this a "hidden gem," that I agree with. Have the bbq roasted chicken with the sweet potato So good, it has me coming back, its moist, tasty, cooked just right. Oh and the zucchini bread holymoly wacamole yummers! So good, I ate like a thousand and no the staff did not curse me out! Generous! My drink woah!! It superceedes my expectation.. generous.. oh and the cherry topper, the band!! #GladIcame! I wld recommend. read more

Papillon 25 - ...when you feel that heat... and we're gonna ride the boogie.." - New American Near Me - South Orange, New Jersey

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Food was awesome and the environment was great too, my only feedback is the prices. For 2 people with food and drinks I believe I paid almost $100 a person. I didn't scrutinize the bill but normally dinner and 2 drinks is not that expensive. I would still return though. read more

Great place !!!!! Whether it's drinks after work- or a special event/ occasion Ambiance/ classy - however it also has a "nice vibe".,, read more

Happy hour is great! Always make reservations or else you will be turned away. Food is great especially the blackened salmon; it's one of my favorite meals. Also, I have celebrated special occasions at this spot. read more

This is a cozy spot with good food and drinks.We went on a Friday night and it was pretty busy. There was a birthday party going on in the back so we sat at the bar. I had the beef sliders and a glass of Riesling. The service was a little slow and our server wasn't the friendliest, but the sliders were delicious. The music was an R&B vibe and not do loud thst you needed to yell in order to have a conversation. There is ample on the street parking and I didn't see much foot traffic out front while we were there. I really enjoyed our time there. I'd like to go back to experience happy hour. read more

Nice and cool mature bar/restaurant that has some good drinks and jerk chicken wings. Seasoning on the jerk wings hit the spot. Service is pretty good as well. This is a must go to spot if you're in south orange, new jersey read more

Papillon 25 - Jerk chicken wings - New American Near Me - South Orange, New Jersey

Had a couple drinks and appetizers with my Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Jerk wings, fries, catfish nuggets and calamari were all delicious. In addition, drinks were really good. I loved the ambience and vibe of this place. Wait staff was cool as well. read more

Was not impressed. Service was good but the food and left a lot to be desired. I ordered the scallops and grits, to my surprise I received 4 bay scallops (not sea scallops) with maybe 2 tablespoons of grits and to top it off the scallops were raw! This used to be a placed that I raved about. Sorry no longer will I spend hard earned money on a meal from here. read more

I went to papillon on a Sunday evening & to my surprise .. it was not crowded. I've heard raving reviews about their food and drinks so I had to give it a try. The atmosphere was wavy, the bartenders were pleasant and the crowd was a mix of old, young and in between. I ordered the oxtails with a side of Mac & cheese and collard greens. We (my best friend & I) also ordered a pitcher of the berry sangria (Red) which was delicious. We were feeling pretty nice after the first glass lol. The food was seasoned perfection! However, the oxtails were kinda tuff. As y'all know, oxtails should be tender & falling off the bone. The greens were over cooked and they kinda tasted like spinach, of course I hate spinach but that's not their fault lol. The Mac & Cheese, however, was LIT. super cheesy & super delicious. I gave this restaurant 4 stars because the food was so good that even though it wasn't perfect, I enjoyed it. I will be going back to give them a second chance! read more

Papillon 25 - Oxtails, Greens and Mac & Cheese. - New American Near Me - South Orange, New Jersey

Amazing atmosphere with an eclectic crowd. Best martinis in north Jersey by far. Other drinks are also on point. The food is extremely delicious and served in a timely manor. Pricing is fair. Bartenders are cool and serve with a smile (That's major in my eyes). Can't remember the first time I came here but I do remember saying that I have to come back. It's almost ten years now. Only challenge is to get a good seat at the bar. That's actually one of he reasons I like this place. Keep the setting very intimate. Great place to bring a date. read more

So I have been to this establishment many times and I've always experienced great food and atmosphere; however this last visit I was thoroughly disappointed. I'm assuming there was a change in chef or perhaps even management because the menu and food seemed to shift. I dined here with my family and we all ordered different things. The jerk wings were magnificent. Spicy, but great. The calamari was fried well, but lacked basic flavor (i.e. salt, pepper, and lemon.) My hubby ordered the chicken marsala with mashed and asparagus and there was a lot to be desired. You could actually taste the wine. Meaning they used too much of it or did not let the wine cook down. Either way, I like to drink my wine, not eat it. I ordered the catfish with mac and collards. The Mac was good, but not authentic baked Mac n cheese and not the Mac n cheese they are used to making. The collards were inedible. Yes inedible! Collards can not be braised no matter how you dice it and unfortunately that's what they did. They braised it and as a result, it was chewy, lacked flavor, and had a burnt taste to it. My son ordered the penne alla vodka, in which was good. Overall I like Papillion so I'm willing to give it another shot but I'm really hoping they rediscover that old flair and continue to be a great staple in the community. read more

Under cooked scallops and the mac & cheese was trash. I'm giving 2 stars because the drinks were great

COZY atmosphere. .. If you're looking to sit at the bar you might have a tough time, as it fills quickly. They have a side room (lounge area) that I usually sit. Friendly vibe. Drinks are amazing. They have an extensive martini list. The catfish is very tasty. Didn't care for mac n cheese (neither did my friends ) but wings are very good. If you're looking for a night to just lounge with friends and have a drink or two this is the place read more

Papillon 25 - New American Near Me - South Orange, New Jersey

Great decor, nice atmosphere, delicious cuisine! The bartenders are engaging & the crowd, mature as well as respectful. I frequent often & when there's live music it's "da spot"! read more

My favorite local spot to get a good drink and hear some good music. I love it when they have a cover band, it allows you to reminisce on the good times. Even with the place being packed the staff does their best to be attentive to all patrons. I always get the sidecar to drink, it's nice and potent. About 2 of those and I'm feeling lovely. I always snack on the buffalo shrimp and calamari. read more

The food is 5 stars the place is clean and service great, I recommend it to all, live the grilled chicken and mixed vegetables. read more

Papillon 25 - New American Near Me - South Orange, New Jersey

This used to be my favorite spot to hang w/family 2-3 times a week, sadly the service isn't what it used to be. On several occasions I've had things on my bill that weren't mine and when I questioned it the bar staff got mad. I stopped going for a few months and returned yesterday to give them another shot. Unfortunately, the bartender still works there and called herself not speaking to me which is fine, but she also chose not to give myself or my cousin a refill so I chose to leave and will not return. The service industry is not the place to catch feelings. Her tip from me was "change your attitude". Marvin the Bar manager chose to stay neutral and not get involved instead of managing. read more

I ordered the shrimp and grits and it was excellent....service was good and the snowball martini was quite nice...I will definitely go back

The service was great but shrimp and coconut was horrible. The coconut tested like it came straight from the can. The shrimp and rice had no test to them. Monday was a nice night to go. read more

The seafood! iced teas/lemonade! even the bread is amazing! Excellent dinner. Looking forward to catching a happy hour.

Each time we've been, it's been nice. Always sat at or across from the bar. Menu items are good eclectic and good. Drinks are prepared well. Service is good. Bar area can be crowded. But that's to be expected for Happy Hour. Ambiance is nice. Vibe is relaxed professional class. Most Brothers not wearing hats indoors. Brothers for the most part stepping up their dress game. Bartenders are busy but work hard to take and deliver all drink orders. Waiters, waitresses will make it out to the sitting areas across from the bar to take your drink and food order. Drinks and food return in a timely manner. read more

Come here everytime I'm in town. Second time here this week! Amazing vibe, food, and service.

This is a nice chill spot. Good food and drinks. Bar personalities aren't always the best. They could work on their customer service skills. Parking is good. Location is great and they have been here for yrs. read more

IF I COULD GIVE THIS PLACE A ZERO, I WOULD. Let me breakdown my entire experience of Papillon 25 Saturday night for you as I eat out on a regular basis and never will return to this establishment. We walk in and it has a somewhat warm decor and atmosphere. We went to the bar and grabbed a drink which for its margaritas and specialty cocktails you are talking upwards of 10 dollars and an additional dollar for top shelf liquor. DO NOT NICKEL AND DIME THE CUSTOMER. I ordered a vodka club and althought it was strong, I'm not surprised because it was served in a cup barely larger than a shot glass. I asked for a vodka club mind you and got a vodka tonic, already displeased. We go to sit down at dinner and we ordered the cajun calamari but there must've been some miscommunication between our lovely waitress (in actually she was a sweetheart, probably why I even give this place a one star) and the astute kitchen staff (now do you sense the sarcasm?). It was not spicy, it was not even the slightest bit cajun flavored, rather it tasted as if a bottle of balsamic vinegar was drizzled over the calamari. Very pathetic and not pleased whatsoever but maybe my taste in calamari is biased as I have traveled to the Mediterranean area many times and had astounding calamari. Next my entree comes out, and boy does it really make me realize never to come back. I ordered the chicken florentina with whipped mashed potatoes. Yes whipped but unfortunately I received, instant out of the box mashed potatoes. How do I know you ask? Because my mother makes homemade mashed potatoes and we've owned restaurants and I can easily tell the differen between flat, untasty mashed potatoes and thick, heart, small potato chunked mashed potatoes. The chicken was dry as could be and stuffed with steamed spinach that tasted as if it was out of a microwaved bag. No flavor, just very hot and rolled into the chicken. My girl ordered the cajun style fish which was not bad but once again, had no spice and just tasted like fried fish. Might as well have gone to Long John Silver's and ordered fried fish. She ordered a side of roasted potatoes, which were burnt to a crisp and hard as a rock. Needless to say, the bill officially coming to 50 dollars a person was an absolute waste and I will never set foot in there again. Taking a slight drive farther out of town and go to Montclair and eat, much better prices and much better food. May I recommend Cuban Pete's? read more

Really good food and a chill bar scene! I have been coming to Papillion 25 with friends for years. I no longer live in the area, so I don't frequent it nearly as much as they do, but this is their go-to spot and I always have an enjoyable experience. Most evenings we pull up to the bar for their awesome martinis or a glass of bubbly. They have a very extensive Martini list (50+) to suit anyone's taste and the wine list is not bad either. As for the bubbly, the house champagne is $5 per glass but a bit too much on the sweet side for my liking - go for the $7 split of Prosecco instead if you prefer something more dry. Or again, you really can't go wrong with the martinis (try the Pomegranate or Mangopolitan) and the bartenders are all awesome. As for the food, the menu is a fusion of Southern and Caribbean specialties with a European influence. Take for instance the entree that I ordered last night: Seared Scallops in an herb sauce with haricots verts and cheddar cheese polenta. The Scallops didn't have much of a sear on them at all, but nonetheless it was tasty as is all their food. Most nights I stick to appetizers such as the Catfish Nuggets, the Jerk Chicken Wings, the Chicken & Vegetable dumplings (steamed, fried or both) and yum - you gotta love their macaroni & cheese! For dessert, the bread pudding is DE-LISH! Honestly everything is great! I have only been seated to dinner in their dining room twice now when with a group and the service is typically spot on. I love the Jazz Band that they feature on Thursdays (and some other evenings such as last night, a Saturday). The ambiance is beautiful and overall a nice place to take a date, chill with friends or bring family together for fellowship. read more

Let me start by saying why on earth would they keep answering the phone if they are not able to hear the person calling... First time okay... Second time - maybe... Third time, seriously... Not only do they answer and can't hear, they actually make calls to confirm reservations and can't hear... I can't say how the food is, because I didn't place an order. After sitting with a menu for twenty minutes without anyone coming over to offer water or even acknowledging that we were sitting in the restaurant was enough for me. I had a reservation which was confirmed by them. Again, called me knowing they couldn't hear because of the noise level in the restaurant. We were running a few minutes late so I called to let them know we were on our way. I spoke with Michael, who answered the phone and guess what, ...couldn't hear because of the noise level. He saw our reservation and said he would note that we were on our way. I arrived ten minutes later and gave our name... Weirdly enough, our reservation wasn't in their computer... I told the woman that had called to confirm our reservation 2 hours earlier that I spoke with Michael, confirming that the number on my cellphone was in fact the same noisy place where we were standing... She said it wasn't listed so the only table available was a table in the corner... Trying to get passed my annoyance with our trip to bizarro world, we agreed to sit at the no reservation table. She brought over menus and silverware and then they completely ignored us... 15 minutes in - I was completely certain that I would not be giving them one red cent. We left and went to Ruth Chris and had a fabulous meal as usual. read more

This place has changed! It was always a nice upscale place for mature adults. People used to go there on Thursday nights for a mature after work crowd and conversation. Then they started not enforcing the dress code and changed the bar staff and it went down hill from there. I returned last week on Sunday to meet a friend just because it was close to our homes but the female bartender with the dark glasses was a mess. Her customer service skills were horrible unless you were a man ordering a drink. Isn't my money green too? I like the place because it is local and the food is still decent but if they don't do something about the bar staff and real soon, they are going to lose their loyal customers. read more

Still in love with this place and my bartender tonight is a awesome guy very funny and nice to patrons. He created a new drink called 25 to life.... 25 different brown liqours Mixed together for a smooth creeper drink... its definitely a must try drink and a bartenders creations are definitely a must try usually a hit or miss but this one is amazing... today i tried jambalya and i loved it not too salty full of flavor but hands down the snapper fish is my fav. dish .. still enjoy the music and come here you wont regret. read more

Great martinis! Great food ! Grest service ! Great atmosphere ! Loved everything about my experience. Will be back!

I came here to have a nice romantic birthday dinner for my boyfriend. Food was just ok. But so not worth the prices. The martini list is great and so are the martinis. Still a bit pricey. The live music was great. But a bit too loud to enjoy conversation over dinner. I would only come back to sit at the bar and try bar food. And of course the Martinis. read more

Papillon is an experience from the moment you are greeted. The owner has created an ambience in Papillon that alone is worth the visit. The martini menu is extensive and WELL worth the money. People complain about wait for their food----the food is not quick or cheap- IF YOU ENJOY quick food that isn't fresh perhaps you should frequent the dollar menu at a chain restaurant. The wait staff are friendly, down to earth and accommodating at all times. read more

I really enjoy coming here. It's a mature crowd and the atmosphere is very chill. I usually don't eat past the appetizers menu but it is delicious always. Every drink I've had here is always on 10. Always good vibes and good people here just sometimes gets too crowded & can sometimes be a bit pricey. read more

Ok I finally had a chance to go after hearing about it for the longest, I love it!! In fact I've been twice in one week and contemplating going back today although I was just in there last night. Alex the bartender is fantastic ask him to make his off the menu special martini which is like a strong piña colada using Ciroc pineapple and Ciroc coconut, it's smack your momma good! I also enjoyed the pumpkin martini as well as the mango martini. The food is great too. My favorites are the buffalo wings, calamari, Cajun calamari, grilled chicken Caesar salad, the catfish is great and I absolutely love the Mac n cheese which has a hint of garlic in it as well as the collard greens which are a bit spicy!! You simply cannot go wrong good food and good drinks!! read more

Came here on a Wednesday evening and sat by the bar. Ordered the tropical paradise to drink- delicious and strong. Also had the calamari which was good- comes with a special sauce. Also stayed long enough to catch the band perform. Would definitely go back again read more

Love this place. The vibe is laid-back and friendly, the kitchen is open late, the food is delicious (I love the coconut shrimp), the cocktails are interesting and the glasses of wine are ENORMOUS. There's definitely a "when you're here, you're family" atmosphere at the bar, where the bartender and patrons are warm and welcoming. This is my go-to spot in South Orange. read more

No hostess to seat us upon arrival. We stood waiting for 10minutes before we were acknowledged. Service was very slow, and servers were inattentive. My grandmother loves this place, which is why we were there. What turned me off most was that we arrived around 6:30pm and were charged a 20% auto-gratuity for our dinner because of the live entertainment, which we did not get an opportunity to enjoy because we were leaving before they were going on at 8:30pm. I have no issues with paying extra for entertainment, but only if I get to enjoy it. Especially when the service wasnt great. I've called several times to address my concerns with management, but no one is ever available. read more

Bartender JWat this restaurant caused my experience to be very unpleasant. His customer service relations was rude and borderline threatening. His energy level was zero. After paying my bill and attempting to leave restaurant Bartender JT blocked my exit and demanded that if I couldn't leave a tip, I was no longer welcome to patronize establishment. This bartender turned my dinning experience into a negative confrontation. Please don't solicit this restaurant because staff their is unprofessional and straight rude. read more

I cannot give this place any stars! I will not return...EVER! Server was friendly but once our order was taken - we were forgotten. Very slow for food to come out. My lamb was grossly over cooked and entrees took a year and a day to come. I only gave one star because none was not an option. read more

I came here last night for the first time with my friend to celebrate her birthday. The location was easy to find but there is only on-street parking. We went around 9pm and we still had to park 2 blocks away. We saw on the website that there is live jazz every Thursday but when we got there, there was none. I did inquire about that and they told me, its during the summer time.We were asked to make reservations but I didn't understand the need because it wasn't crowded when we got there. The waiter, Aaron was wonderful. He was very helpful and informative. He was attentive and he checked in on us frequently.The decor of the establishment is very nice and the ambiance was nice. The drinks I had were on point. I had a Long Island and a Mango Margarita and they both were great! We ordered calamari and it was delicious and it came out in a timely manner. For our entrees we order the penne vodka pasta and the fried chicken. The pasta was delicious but the fried chicken entree lacked seasoning and it was bland. The portion of the chicken was good but the taste could have been better. I would definitely come back again. I enjoyed myself a lot. The drinks were on point and the service was great. This is a nice relaxing environment, great for a date or to hangout by the bar with friends. read more

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