Where to start! :-( Please note: I am an experienced chef and hospitality professional and we were given a gift card to Serenade (we never went back after a similar experience years ago) which is why we went back again. The place is busy and buzzy with a good vibe. The menu looks appealing which turns out to be just a tease..... We arrived and sat at the bar. Service was prompt but stiff and unfriendly. We were waited on by a server/manager who resembled an undertaker - no personality and just looked miserable throughout the whole evening whiteout smiling once. We first ordered oysters (Bluepoint) that were okay, but certainly not that fresh. They were served with cocktail sauce (thats all) and a dried up "crown" of lemon (fresh from the 80's) on a plate of ice machine ice cubes (just crush the damn ice!) that were covered with limp lettuce leaves (WHY?). Only one small fork was presented even though we stated we were sharing. Next I ordered a Chicory, gorgonzola and pecan salad - This resembled a roughly chopped salad which was over dressed with tasteless dressing and no salt (no salt becomes a theme throughout the evening). My wife had a salad "special" of coppa, manchego cheese with tomatoes - This was a plate of limp "salad mix" leaves that some were rotting with two slices of coppa on top with a couple of pieces of tasteless shaved manchego and 5 whole cherry tomatoes around the outside (again very 80's). This was all dressed in way too much tasteless dressing. Both salads had the same generic green pesto'y oil around the plate. Both $14 each. We are seriously talking dreadful here! We then asked for some bread (wasn't offered any at the start) and painfully watched the undertaker struggle with trying to silver serve the rolls with two spoons. The butter was sweet and the bread... You guessed it, NO salt what so ever. For main I ordered fillet steak au poirve (medium rear) and my wife ordered lamb two ways. Our mains came out with are appetizer plates still sitting there. The undertaker hurried out to clear them. Then the mains came back again but we had no cutlery, so back they went. The cutlery came out but no steak knives. So finally the main plates were served. Well... My cold (rare) fillet (no "poirve" evident) came on a tiny diamond shaped side plate with a thimble of liquid (presumably a creamy pepper sauce that just had zero taste other than warm cream and butter. I asked for a side of celeriac salad which was watery and again tastless. I also asked for a round plate that I could actually eat my steak from and two steak knives, these took at least 5 mins to come. When it's this bad there is not point sending back. They just don't get it! My wife's lamb was okay (the protein) but the garnish was awful. Flaccid, bland baby eggplants and the most dense, rubbery gnocchi I've ever tasted! Dessert menus were given too us and we looked at this point just for fun. The menu for deserts didn't have any prices against them. When we asked another server we were told that on saturday we don't have prices on the desserts, but he could go and get a menu with prices!? WTF! Through out the whole meal no one asked us if everything was okay. Just robotic, unfreindly and amateur service. No goodbye at the end as the staff were watch the playoff's on TV. Serenade is a restaurant that takes advantage of its customers. It's customer base is an affluent area of diners who must be ignorant to what good food and service is. I'm sorry, but the chef/owners of the establishment are just in the nicest possible way, cheating their customers. This place would not survive in any large city in the US. Luckily for Serenade there is very little competition around. We left and went for coffee and a donut up the road at Dunkin Donuts. The best part of the evening! This is a dated, overrated restaurant that can get away with charging silly prices for less than mediocre food and amateur service because of it's location. I'm sorry, but at $225 for a meal in a bar the details do matter! Suggested improvements - Start by taking down the big painting of the chef/owner in the bar until you start getting the basics right, and take some pride in what you are doing before taking people's money. "James as a chef who "embodies the timeless principles of gastronomic greatness" Hmmm, not quite. Less potence and more substance please. Serving rotten lettuce is not gastronomic greatness, it's complacent laziness. read more

I was disappointed as the soup had no taste and my meat was very tough but my companions were happy.

What an excellent stop! Noisy but comfortable at the same time, Serenade has become a bit more "casual" since my last stop though still very accomodating. Seabass over risotto was delicious. read more

Food is very good albeit too much oil/butter. Decor ok, rather boring and suburban stuffy; I prefer a more urban decor. Pricey. Probably not going back, rather try new and different than be a regular here. read more

My favorite restaurant in northern New Jersey. Consistently the best. I have been here at least 10 times over the last few years. The setting is very good. The staff are pleasant but I have to admit are not the friendliest. Often officious and stiff but adequate. The bar area is small but nice and they often have appetizers there served by people walking around with trays. The menu hasn't changed for a long time but is varied and each dish is well prepared and very tasty. The wine list is very adequate and the sommeliere is very knowledgeable. I have never left this retaurant without commenting on how much I enjoyed the wonderful quality of the food. Go there and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. This restaurant compares very favorably with some of the New York restaurants such as Gotham Bar and Grill, Craft, etc. I did not give it 5 stars because I measure all restaurants against Per Se in NYC. Per Se is 5 stars. read more

I took my wife here for her 30th Birthday and we were both very disappointed. We came on a Tuesday evening and the restaurant was empty, so it was surprising how poor the service was. Our waiter appeared to be indifferent the entire night and made no effort beyond taking our orders. The food was hit or miss, the short rib tortellini appetizer was excellent, but unfortunately my wife's salmon entree was overcooked and dry. I had called ahead of time and made a note on our reservation that it was my wife's birthday and requested a candle on the dessert she ordered. Unfortunately this did not happen and when I asked the waiter to take a look at our reservation notes, he told us their system was down. Fine. He inquired as to why and I explained to him my request, but seeing that we had already completed our meal, the check is all we needed now. As we waited for the check, our plates and silverware were removed, shortly followed by a small scoop of sorbet with a candle. While this was a nice gesture, we had no silverware to eat it with and at this point just wanted to pay and leave. My wife was starting to feel uncomfortable and just wanted to go home to try and salvage the night. However, the waiter then brought out glasses of champagne, making the situation worse for us. We had already requested our bill, were clearly done with the meal and did not want to sip on champagne while the unwanted sorbet melted on the table. When we finally got our check and paid, we gave our ticket to coat check who returned shortly after telling us they couldn't find our coats. This was confusing to us all since we could clearly see the coat rack which had only 2 coats on it, neither of them ours. The guy checked again in a different area and found them, but this just exemplified the carelessness and luckless experience we had this evening. read more

I love to eat. I am really not picky about what I eat. But, seldom do I leave a restaurant and feel like my meal was truly memorable; except Serenade. I took my husband here for dinner one night because I had an awful day and he did something really sweet to cheer me. (When husbands go out of their way you really have to encourage that behavior or you won't see it again!) The food was memorable. read more

Exquisite restaurant offering a truly unique dining experience. For the discerning foodies searching for the best restaurant in NJ, look no further. read more

C'mon Ginny M. You know you're lying; because this place is unmistakably phenomenal. The food is well worth the price and the service is incredible. Quite frankly, this place is so good that it's almost a bargain (emphasis on almost). I love this restaurant and have spent many special occasions inside of it's ambient self. Good Lord, I love Serenade! Especially delicious is the foie gras. read more

2 Stars is defined on yelp as "Meh. I've experienced better" and thats definately the way I would describe Serenade. Lets just say I was attempting to take out a special someone to a special place for a special evening. After assuming this would be "the spot" to be for a fine dining, I called and made reservations and expressed my reasoning stated aboveto the gentleman who answered the phone. He reassured me that I would floored so I decided to venture out one cold weekday night for a quiet dinner for 2. What bothered me more than anything, which I rarely base reviews on, was the service. When I walked in I stood waiting for someone to take our coats while 2 bartenders and a few staff were seen talking in the near corner of the restaraunt - I dont even expect immediate service ANYWHERE, because after working in the restaraunt industry I understand what its like to be busy, slow, etc - but this was just being ignored, once again most likely because of our age (mid-20's, not that damn young anymore)... After being seated we ordered appretizers, some drinks, 2 entrees, and a desert. All of the food was great, but nothing mesmerizing or anything grandslam. Throughout the night we had some very serious converstations together (my guest and I) and we were totally confused as to what was going on with the service. 3-4 different gentlemen came up to our table to take orders, drinks, deliver items, etc. The one waiter who I assume was our main waiter, was borderline obnoxious when describing the specials which really pissed me off. Some of the other guys were quite nice, however when it was time to get the "$$$$" - as described by yelp - after a mere hour of "fine" dining experience - I honestly had no idea who I was tipping. Regardless, after leaving a generous 20% (generous because I hope the 3-4 people who came up to our table some how split it), nearly $200 later (for 2) we walked out having a forgetful experience instead of a special night together. All I really wish was to sit down in my vehicle and hear the words "Thank you, that was amazing" yet we sort of drove home in silence because I refused to complain. Understand my fustration? Fine dining to me is an experience that should never be rushed, I find myself very thankful to be sitting at a table spending hundreds of dollers when there are many out there who are much less fortunate than I - But realizing from in the door to out the door within 1 hour was due to the mediocracy of service was simply assanine in my eyes. read more

Serenade is exceptional in every sense of the word. From the moment you arrive you know it's a special place. The bar is cozy and elegant. Perfect to meet before dinner, just a drink, or even enjoy a casual meal at the bar. The dining rooms are modern& elegant. You can enjoy conversation without shouting (seems to be a rare thing these days). The service is professional and attentive. The food is outstanding. Creative and superb in every way. The menu is all tastings and pre-fixe, but they were very willing to switch out things and make it work exactly the way we wanted ( I wanted an appetizer and a salad instead of an appetizer and a desert) . All in all a flawless dining experience, Highly recommended for a special evening. read more

In short Serenade is pretentious, and the staff is condescending. Be sure to ask what the cost of wine by the glass is as it can be shockingly high. read more

I give the co owner wife (Nancy) a 0, and the wait staff a 5..Food a 5 so overall a 3.. My husband and I stopped in without a reservation on a Friday night , it was not very busy. My husband just got off a plane from Aspen and had his ski jacket on. We have been there for dinner and drinks at bar many times over a long period. I overheard N ancy tell the hostess to give us a certain table and by her look knew it was a lousy one. Even though we have been there many times we received no greeting nor a smile...Sure enough it was by hall, bar and you couldn't face each other. We asked for another and were told the rest were reserved. So we decided to leave. Nancy just looked at us blankly .. The place was half empty. A waiter overheard and suggested we sit upstairs in the loft if we didn't mind being up there alone for awhile. . We decided to g up even though we were so annoyed with Nancy's unfriendly and inhospitable attitude. The waiter was great. He was friendly and attentive. From past experiences the wait staff have always been great. James does a great job with food and we have never had any complaints . However my friends and I have always thought Nancy has a snooty attitude and appears not to want to be there. read more

Been to Serenade many times and it's good to excellent on most occasions. Last week was different - food was bland, the foie gras greasy; the whole experience was underwhelming. Disappointing. read more

My wife and I had a dinner tonight at Serenade. We were expecting a really special and delicious dinner. The food was not worth the price. We ordered sea bass and the bison. The sea bass was watery and the bison was not good tasting at all. read more

Sorry but this place is way overrated. Had the pumpkin soup which was OK-way too many chives and the flavor just missed, the wild salmon was fishy tasting although the accompaniments it was served with were good. My companion's soup was not good nor was his elk osso bucco. We passed on dessert because who needed the calories when everything else was so mediocre? The service was attentive, if perhaps obtrusive, but not particularly warm. The atmosphere was underwhelming and sterile-perhaps, a re-do is in order. Of everything. This place used to be way better. The only think I can rave about is the yummy potato roll. read more

By far my favorite restaurant. Have been eating there since it opened. Food is NY/Paris quality but much closer to home-lucky me. Highly recommend-Thai lobster chowder-Steak/Salmon Tuna & don't skip Chocolate Tart (have yet to find a better chocolate desert world wide). Doesn't need to be a special occasion but it will be. read more

First time tried, it was very special. in Madison NJ, surprisingly cozy, comforting place. upscale, yet comfortable and reasonably priced. Steak Filet was descent with asian fusion touch; soy sauce season on the top, sweet potato frites, mash potato, bakchoy was a surprise. it was OK, meat was cooked right and melted in mouth. score? B for 36$ steak. Sea bass was a better choie, yet for a branded Frecnh restaurant, the dishes we ordered were mostly very fusion with asian taste. Seabass was grilled mediumin, crispy out, topped with sweetpotato frites, and mystic, seasning, and Thai seasoned rice was good in the bottom. Lobster salad was OK (18$), small portion, grilled Octopus was yummy, grilled with flame, lemon season, potato, olive oil, olives. perfect. wine list was thick, yet mostly pretty pricey. cheapest full bottle RED was 45$. overall, it's a good place for a special occasion. except there was a couple with quite a age difference, man seemed at 60, and girl at max 30. weird.. anyway, it's in short, comforting, elegant, luxury, oldie, family restaurant type place you can go once or twice. read more

My family had Mother's Day dinner tonight at Serenade. The food was delicious but the atmosphere and service was terrible! Make sure you request to sit in one of the dining rooms where the windows are because where we sat it was like Grand Central Station. Every server needed to pass our table to either go upstairs to the party room or use the waiter station. At $85 a head it was irritating to constantly get bumped. The service, including the maitre d, was impersonal and not very attentive. They did not even acknowledge that it was Mother's Day. When we left the staff was eating at the bar and could not even say goodbye. I would suggest not to go to this restaurant on a holiday. It felt like a very expensive factory! read more

Very good restaurant. Had scallops, a salad, lamb chops and shared chocolate desert with wife. Top notch service. Yes, expensive and portions are not huge, but if you are looking for a cheaper meal and big portions, that's a different restaurant. Wife had salmon which was excellent. Good bartenders as we'll. read more

Solid food, solid service and a terrific ambiance combined with a Decent wine list. This is a good place for a business meal or for a lunchtime event with close friends. Food is consistently good and I haven't had a bad meal here. read more

Great for a special occasion. My favorite is the scallops. It is pricy but well worth it for the quality, atmosphere and unique flavors.

Have never had a less than excellent meal here. Love the bar for a more casual setting (the burger is ridiculous). Service is great too. Best restaurant in Essex County ... hands down. read more

Romantic restaurant with a classy but minimalist feel. It's not cheap, but well worth the quality. Service is always attentive and I've never had a bad meal in five visits. read more

Good, solid restaurant in what I would describe as "French-Continental" cuisine. I was never embarrassed to host dinner there. Meal choices are 3-4 star, service is 3 star, overall experience is 4 star, wine list is 2-3 star. In my book, this is one of the best choices in North Jersey for fine dining. The bar scene tends to be pretty lively with local Chatham, Summit and Madison residents, mostly affluent local couples. The place is not cheap, if you are a frugal type, this restaurant is not for you. read more

What can I say? Uh excellent. A great special ocassion place. A little pricey and portions can be small, but the cooking and quality is unmatched. I highly recommend it. One of my favorite. read more

I have been here for several special occasion meals, and everything was great. Best restaurant in Chatham. I have enjoyed both the tasting and a la carte menus. Good bar and wine list. I have always been seated on time for my reservations. As having recently moved from NYC, this is a great upscale option in the area. read more

Food was first rate, the restaurant is beautiful. Service was efficient, if not a bit too quick for our liking.

I want to like this place so much but it falls short in so many ways. This last visit was the last straw. Stopped by for cocktails in the bar, the service was deplorable. There is a big difference between upscale and complete ignorance .I know everyone has a bad day but our waitress should of asked for the day off if it was that bad. I am not looking for personality or entertainment, just the basic level of service would of been appreciated. If that is the level of service you are providing I will take my $, friends and referrals somewhere else. Serenade...sayonara. read more

Absolute worst place. Only bar in America that has a wait list. We stood in bar and each ordered 2 drinks while waiting for seat to come free ( just like I've done in every bar I've ever been too including fancy TriBeCa, DC, Brooklyn, etc) and when a seat comes free we are told that the bar seats are reserved and we didn't put our name on the list! First, WTF - a wait list for the bar?? But also, it's a small bar and we were standing there for over an hour and the hostess walked past us numerous times and never asked if we wanted a seat or if we wanted to eat, but instead when we finally went to sit, told us others were waiting. What a load of sh^t!! Never will we go back. Too snooty and preppy for us anyway. Our recommendation- avoid it like the plague!! Unbelievable ridiculous! read more

Good food. A little pricey for everyday.

We had a perfect evening here last night. The entire staff was very attentive. My husband had the octopus appetizer and he said it was one of the best appetizers he had ever had. For dinner the hanger steak special was delicious as was my husbands lamb. Although we were stuffed we couldn't resist the desserts. My creme brûlée was wonderful with a lovely cherry biscotti too. He ordered the stone fruit pie dessert and they made it special by writing Happy Anniversary. A very nice touch. read more

This restaurant is so consistently strong and special. The best thing is that they care that you have come by and they can deliver the experience that you anticipate you'll have there...so right off the bat you can put your shoulders down and surrender...they got you covered. The food is wonderful, fresh, interesting, and not pretentious. White truffle risotto was exquisite. The staff is attentive and warm. We celebrated a special occasion and they couldn't have been nicer and totally made our night. Go and then go again! read more

Great meal. Beware the disoriented coat check girl....check your coat at your own risk.

Had my daughter's bridal shower here. Amazing day. The food was over the top delicious. The service was beyond impeccable. The attentiveness from the staff was more than I could have imagined. I highly recommend this restaurant for lunch, dinner or private parties. We will be back! read more

My company often hosts seminars at local restaurants. I have never come across a less flexible, pay-even-though-we-won't-give-you-what-you've-paid-for restaurant in my life. I was told that food and alcohol could be used toward the minimum I had to put down (over $1100) but was assessed an additional $176 for missing people, even though our total bill exceeded $1500. Clearly they care more about nickle-and-diming than repeat business. I have never been treated more unprofessionally and would not return to this restaurant, ever. The staff are afraid of the owners, and the owners are very inflexible. Something I may expect in the City, but definitely not the flavor of Chatham. What a shame! read more

Arrived at 720 and proceeded to the bar after telling the host we'd have a drink before our 730 reservation. 732 hits, we're not half way done out drink and they come over to ask if we're ready to sit. Granted a busy night, but still, a tad rushed you think? Food was good, not great by any means and for the prices it should be great. I've had much better fine dining experiences with less noses in the air for a more reasonable price. But this place screams the needed to be seen so people know/think I have money type place. The venison was good, but not enough to return. I'll take the burger and pint at the pub over this any day. read more

After being out of the area for the last 15 years, we returned to Serenade, an old favorite, and it did not disappoint. Service was impeccable and friendly. We went on a Saturday, so we went with their 3 course price fixed menu they offer. We had the grilled octopus and the gnocchi for our appetizers - delicious. My wife had the filet and I had the evening special, the Bison ribeye. They were both cooked perfectly, and seasoned very well. All the sides were great, and all the portions were very generous. Sometimes it seems high end places can't get simple things like mashed/whipped potatoes or pomme frites right, but they were tremendous as well. The chocolate tart desert and their stone fruit pie capped off a great meal. There's a reason this place is celebrating it 20th anniversary. They do things the right way. read more

$$$ Located in a converted house in a residential part of town, this bustling restaurant is known for its wine list and the creative cooking of the chef. Specializes in contemporary French cuisine. http://www.restaurantserenade.com/ read more

Food was good, service was good, drink selection acceptable,but for what it was, the price wasnt right, a little too pricey for the portion sizes. Also the atmosphere wasnt as upscale as advertised. the staff was somewhat loud with eachother. Not if ill be going back so soon read more