Went there last night for dinner. Had a drink at the bar first. Three bartenders. All 3 were friendly and attentive. Juan was just great. Comfortable bar area. Then sat for dinner. Must be 15 waiters and service people. Finest service of any place I have ever eaten in, and I have been in many hundred different establishments around the country. Our waiter David was exceptional. The manager, Celerina, (hope I am spelling that right) came by 4 times to be sure everything was OK. She is absolutely wonderful. Food was excellent. As classy and friendly a place that I have ever dined. read more

Beautiful service and atmosphere - perfect for a rainy dinner date. Our server Brandon/Brendan went above and beyond - highlighting alternatives based on a dietary restriction. read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Booth Table - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Wow, wow, wow! An amazing upscale dining experience that was perfect in every way. Fromt he atmosphere to the attention to detail and attentitiveness of the staff to the food, this was by far one of the best dining experiences we've had. Well worth the price. Word of caution though: the portions are very generous, so plan accordingly. read more

Elegant steakhouse vibes! A high end experience is evident the moment you walk through the door. It is a lovely atmosphere for a special occasion. Menu is ala carte. Portions are not huge. Popovers are served warm with a side of butter. I found mine totally worth the carb splurge! Oysters were fresh and lovely. I had a delicious ice cold, dirty martini and a NY strip steak. I didn't get dessert but the butter cake seemed popular. read more

Roots Ocean Prime - NY strip & truffle Mac n Cheese - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Food was tender and flavorful. Welcoming staff from host to waitress. Our waitressz Kareza (sp?) was so friendly, welcoming, and efficient. This was my first dinner out after recovering from a broken ankle and missing Valentine's and a birthday. Great way to celebrate the milestones. read more

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This is our second time in two years to have dinner here. This place is amazing, food is delicious, the beef are juicy, soft, and delicious. However, compared to our first time we had dinner, the 20oz steak seemed small and very highly priced. The service was perfect and there is a romantic, elegant atmosphere. Luke the bartender awesome read more

We recently went here for an anniversary dinner. The food was outstanding and the ambience spectacular. My partner had the steak which was perfect. I had the beef Wellington, which to be honest was a little underwhelming and soggy however, the waitress did warn me about that and unfortunately, I heed her advice. Nevertheless, it was an outstanding dinner and they comped us an incredible dessert. I highly recommend this restaurant, even though it's a little bit on the pricey side. read more

We sat at the bar to have some cocktails and apps, and the bartender was awesome. The cocktails are good and I highly suggest the blueberry lemonade as either a mocktail or cocktail. The seafood and oysters are fresh and the homemade bread is really good. read more

Poor bar seating. You sink into the seats to the point where the bar is too high to eat/drink comfortably. Food was meh at best.

I had an extremely good experience dining here. I enjoyed the meal that was served. I ordered a steak cooked medium which came out cooked just right. My standards which were set for this establishment before I came were succeeded higher than I imagined. The seating and decoration were amazing and calm. As was stated before, the service here was amazing. My waiter was extremely polite and made sure our meal was fine after we were served. The steak I ordered was quite tender and melted in your mouth. It was a great meal overall and I would eat here again. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes gourmet and expensive food. This restaurant really has everything. read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Fantastic food at Roots, with impeccable service by Anthony! We had such a lovely meal in beautiful Princeton porterhouse was cooked to perfection and the sides were to die for! We had the Mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts, and fries. Cocktails were gorgeous too we had a wonderful time and would be back! read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Excellent steak and raw bar. Dining and reservation experience was great and service was also up to par. read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

April 2022. Party of 2. In the area for a wedding event and had a free day. Found this place in the heart of Princeton with great reviews...thought we would give it a whirl! Upon stepping into this restaurant, I was struck by its cozy and welcoming feel. We opted to sit at the bar as it was not only beautiful but oh so inviting... I knew we were in for a treat as soon as the bartender Juan handed us menus with a smile. He was warm, friendly, and greeted us like an old friend. Upon ordering a Spicy Pomegranate Margarita with a knowing nod of approval from Juan, I knew I was in the right spot. The drinks did not disappoint and led to a wonderfully educational session of liquors that made a margarita spicy and a step above. Items Ordered & Reviewed: French Onion Soup was just what I needed on this windy and rainy afternoon. Just as it should, it arrived piping hot, gooey cheese goodness melted on top and an intense onion broth that nearly brought me to my knees. Yes, it was that good. Lobster Bisque was superb. A bowl with a large mound of lobster meat in the middle was placed down first, followed by Juan pouring a hot and sultry lobster infused creamy lusciousness over top. No more words needed. Lobster Cocktail was good but nothing to write home about. Glad we tried it but don't need to order it again. Not sure what I was expecting, but what I received was what was outlined on the menu. Cold, perfectly cooked (don't take this for granted, as many seafood places cannot cook lobster correctly) and fully dismantled lobster. Lobster Roll - I wasn't expecting much and was surprised when he ordered it. Took a bite and then had another. It was more than I had anticipated. Besides the roll being a bit too small for my liking, it was a good dish for the price. Pan Seared Sea Scallops - smaller then anticipated. (Do you see a trend of my expectations being higher than the average joe?!) I ate everything on my plate in just a few minutes, half because I was starving, and half because I knew I needed something in my stomach before I could order another spicy kick-ass margarita. I wasn't mad at it, but I would not seek it out, like I would that amazing soup at the beginning of the meal. Carrot Cake - If I am nothing else, I am a dessert snob at heart. It was a beautiful presentation of 9+ layer slice of carrot cake with cream cheese icing. What was the problem you might ask? I didn't get enough actual cake. The layers were thin, as they need to be to build such a towering work of dessert art. Seemed to me that they were putting presentation over substance. Again, it was good, but I wanted more cake. The Warm Butter Cake was on a totally different level from the carrot cake. As the menu stated, it was served warm - like there was steam billowing out of it when your fork cut into it for a bite. It was light, fluffy, and buttery to just the right degree. It was insane yet lovely. It was exceptional. After all of that, I was a glutton for punishment and ask Juan to fire off an order of onion rings and another margarita to cap the meal off with. He did so with a bit of surprise but enthusiasm. Get the onion rings. Seriously. They were oh so tasty. Remember, this place isn't your everyway lunch place. Total bill with tax BEFORE TIP was $212 to give you a point of reference. read more

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Everything was great...except the steaks. Different cuts and different temps at our table and all were underwhelming. Don't think the quality is there and prep was blah. Service: fantastic. Ambience: great crowd, not too noisy but really enjoyable. read more

The food was excellent. Sat at the bar with great service from the bartender. He recommended the shrimp and cherry peppers addition to the halibut. Great location and easy going ambiance for Wednesday night. read more

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Came here right before Valentine's Day with my husband. We showed up about 15 minutes early due to finding a great spot out front. Despite there being multiple open 2 top tables they made us wait till reservation time to be seated. I've had way better steak for the price. read more

We dined here with friends on Sunday May 5th. The restaurant sits on the edge of the Princeton Univ campus. Parking was plentiful. The restaurant is what my friend Tim aptly described as "classic". Its everything that you love about a steakhouse...Large bar with the black and white tiled floor, multiple dining rooms, plenty of booths, dark wood trim and accents everywhere, a mural, leather, dimly lit etc etc. For apps I got the Caesar salad and my wife got the crispy shrimp scampi. The salad was fresh and the dressing mixed in was not overbearing/too much dressing. I did try one of my wife's shrimp and it was tasty. The app came with three large shrimp on crostinis, and scampi dipping sauce. As for my drink, I ordered a "Spring Fashioned" which is their play on an Old Fashioned. It was strong, slightly sweet, and delicious. For entrees I got the 8oz filet mignon (medium rare), she ordered the ricotta gnocchi and we shared a side of brussels sprouts. My friend got the NY strip, his wife got the beef wellington, and they shared a creamed spinach side...Everyone was very-very happy with their selections. My steak was seasoned well, and although I did get the horseradish cream sauce for it, I could have eaten it without sauce. The sprouts were cooked perfectly. The honey on them really elevated the taste. Our waitress from beginning to end was very attentive and kind. There are a total of four Roots locations...This one was about 45 mins from my house because we were meeting friends, but it was worth the drive. Def recommend coming here for a great steak dinner and experience! read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Amazing! All that needs to be said. Atmosphere, servers, food, drinks...perfect. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Ate there last night. Seated in the back room which was initially nice and quiet. Then they seated a party of ten obnoxious rowdy slobs who proceeded to talk loudly using foul language all night. Wait staff did nothing and the manager, while nice also did nothing to quiet them down. Food was mediocre, fish was very dry. At least they comped us dessert but overall a lousy experience. Ill take some of the blame for not just moving to another part of the restaurant but they could have handled these slobs better. There were children at other tables and their parents were also obviously uncomfortable. Very surprising for a nice formal restaurant in Princeton. read more

Roots Ocean Prime came recommended by a friend of mine. The prices here are very reasonable compared to other steakhouses. They start you off with a popover here which was good, but they load salt on top of the butter which killed it. For appetizer I had the crab cake which was THE WORST CRAB CAKE I EVER HAD! It was so bad I barely ate it! It tasted like the crabmeat came right out of the freezer! For entree we had the filet mignon and the strip steak. We also ordered a side of Mac and cheese. Both of the steaks were good, but not amazing. They needed more seasoning, but overall good. The Mac and cheese wasn't that great, but decent. The cheese tasted low quality, and it could of been more cheesier. For dessert I had the carrot cake. It was a huge slice! It was good, but not amazing. When I go to a steakhouse I want to be wowed, and here everything overall was mediocre. If you looking for a great steakhouse in the area go to Ruth Chris. read more

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I don't even know where to begin, as a frequent customer of Roots OP and native of Princeton, I am extremely disappointed and embarrassed at the level of service and quality of food I had experienced with my family 2 weeks ago. Our waitress forgot our porterhouse for two when it finally came out my dad was already done his dinner and my sister was done. The steaks had no flavor - and I mean no flavor! The porterhouse for 2 was very fatty and my dad's filet mignon was nothing special and chewy. The Manager made a point to come over to our table a few times and apologized for the wait and comped our porterhouse but I am mortified how awful the steaks were. We have been coming to Roots since it opened and never once did we experience the low quality steaks and service. I know those steaks were not prime quality and for these prices I am appalled. I am not sure if we will ever be back. read more

Not a fan of the way this particular restaurant conducts their business. I would advise you to spend your money elsewhere. Rude staff and limited menu. read more

We had a very special occasion celebrated here late last night, and our waiter was incredible, despite having such a large group at the end of the night. All of the food we ordered was amazing and everyone loved everything from the appetizers to the dessert. read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Roots - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Excellent service and food was delicious. We enjoyed the whole experience. Would definitely go back!

Strikingly well managed restaurant from the Harvest Group. I'm a longtime habitué of Trap Rock and used to go 5 West. I went to Agricola before they acquired it. Here's what I mean . They appear to have adequate staff.So you get your order in and it comes out within a reasonable time even if they are busy, which they were on a Saturday night. What a relief! Saturday night is usually a disastrous time for dining. I hate going out Saturday night!Here it appears to be ok. You can tell there is is management personnel on the floor who speak to you and check in on you. Good! Ok -food! I had a half dozen oysters and my wife had crab bisque.We both had cocktails. I had a martini. I haven't had a martini in roughly 20 years. It seemed the place for it.She had filet mignon. I had strip steak. We also had potatoes au gratin. Everything was very good and cooked as ordered.I ordered rare and she medium rare. There is tendency in restaurants when you have two orders, they cook it whatever is the most well done. So if you order rare and your companion orders medium , if you're lucky you get medium well. I hate that! This place gets and pays attention to what you ordered. Had a good dessert- berry butter cake-and a double expresso. Complaints- nothing serious! The music isn't too obtrusive but even so I'd like it lower. I like My Girl but it should be a whisper. It's a bit too dark. Had to get Siri to turn my light on to read the menu.The wine list is too expensive. Don't be angry! I say that about virtually all wine lists .Wine lists are used as a profit center because wine is sold as a luxury item unlike the way it is in , say , Portugal.So you price a bottle 2 to 3 times above retail and don't sell medium priced wines.But what choice do you have? With liability insurance eating your entrails, increased minimum wages and inflation, you don't want to sell a good $15 bottles for $30. The restaurant is located on the Princeton Campus and there is free parking on weekends at a nearby garage near the train station. read more

Let's call it 3.5 to 4. Initial visit was a cold rainy night so the walk from the nearby parking garage made for a bad start, but the excellent food and service made everything right and led to an enjoyable evening. Our next visit was for a special occasion lunch. While the food was once again highly enjoyable, the value was not there as compared to the dinner menu. Also, the level of service was a bit sporadic/lacking. read more

Fantastic craft cocktails, even down to changing out your glass for a new, CHILLED, one if you are nursing yours, HA. Really good food, great atmosphere, and superb service. Fun location in the middle of campus, only adding to it's charm. I highly recommend getting there early, spend a little time at the bar before dinner for a craft, even their own Bourbon for a well made Manhattan. Sitting for dinner, from the puffed rolls, through some fresh raw tower items, into a great dinner down whichever path you choose, meat or seafood, you will not be dissappointed. read more

Wow! Went there for Lunch today. It's right within the Princeton University complex. I expected a nice pricey meal. Instead, I experienced an amazingly good reasonably priced (by today's standards) meal. They had a couple of special options for lunch. We started with a fantastic fried calamari appetizer. So fresh and so well prepared. Now French onion soup, lobster roll and salad aren't the most unique dishes in the world but each one had fantastic ingredients and all were cooked to perfection. Then I tried my wife's filet (mignon) slider and wow! Perfectly cooked and amazingly tender. I won't even get into the roll/pastry they served before the meal because I don't know what it's called. I would describe it as a hollow brioche type roll that was light and tasty and delightful. You must try this place. read more

Everything was amazing! Chris from front desk was great and very attentive, so was the server and Busser, first time here and will definitely be here at least once a month read more

Roots Ocean Prime - Scallops with butternut squash risotto - Steakhouses Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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I don't think I can put into words how much I enjoyed my dinner at Roots Ocean Prime but I am going to try! We came for our anniversary dinner, and are big fans of Roots Morristown to begin with so we had to put this place to the test! We started with the lobster cocktail and half dozen oysters on a half shell, both delicious and so fresh. We both had Filet Mignon Steaks and they were cooked perfectly and with the perfect amount of char and salt. I mean WOW so good. As sides we had the broccoli and Mac and cheese, I recommend both.. the Mac and cheese was decedent. Finally we had the Butter Cake as dessert and it was so rich and the perfect meal cap. I love martinis, so the special being the "Dirtiest Martini" was right up my alley, and was amazing. Overall we really had such a great meal, Marvin our server was attentive and wonderful! As for COVID precautions, everyone had masks on, and there was plenty of space, I felt very safe and comfortable. read more

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Except ambiance ....great service! Looking forward to return Rachel was exceptional! Made a birthday celebration extra special! read more

My fiancé made a reservation here for my birthday but when we arrived we were told it wasn't in their system and they gave us the option of sitting at the bar or sitting outside which was disappointing since we both had been really looking forward to trying Roots. They were going to turn us away and accused us of going to the wrong restaurant when we probably were looking for Roots asian fusion until he showed them his phone and showed that he called their number so I really didn't appreciate being treated that way. Luckily it wasn't too chilly out and since it was extremely loud inside, sitting outside was acceptable. The service wasn't the best but that might have been since we weren't actually inside the restaurant.. they bought us butter but no bread until the waiter noticed ~15 minutes later when appetizers came out that we hadn't touched the butter or used the bread plates. Drink refills took 10+ minutes. The food itself was your typical higher-end steakhouse fare. The steak was cooked perfectly but generally everything was under-seasoned and thankfully saved by their sauces. The birthday dessert was a really nice touch though and we enjoyed that. The lobster macaroni and cheese sauce was pretty grainy which was strange given how pricey the menu is, but I like that they used shells instead of elbows because it wasn't as dry as steakhouse mac and cheese tends to be. Generally it was decent but I'm guessing people go here more for the atmosphere than specifically for the food itself. I just wish we had gotten to experience the actually dining room and not been plopped outside like we didn't belong there. We likely won't be back because of how we were treated but overall the meal was decent for what it was. read more

Food is decent but service SUCKS! Steak was over cooked too , would definitely not be back read more

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Horrible food. Not worth a penny. Ordered fish with ceased salad. Fish had no seasoning, no sauce, no flavor. Simply fried served over Cesar salad with dressing and cheese hard to find. The chicken burgers were too greasy and had a feeling of yuck after having. Discomfort in the stomach and a horrible after taste. The steak burger with a huge onion ring in it made no sense. A little bit of credit I could give to lobster Mac and cheese that I paid $30 for. Very disappointed. There are so many good places to eat with that much price. What a mistake and what a waste of $150. read more

Luis, our waiter, was personable, friendly, entertaining and patient. The food was fabulous, the atmosphere serene. Every detail attended to. A wonderful experience for a birthday party. We had the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Burrata, Broccoli, Shrimp and Scallops on slab bacon, Filet Mignon and the most AMAZING Butter cake and Carrot Cake for dessert. And, the drink recommendation by Luis was spot-on, A spicy Margarita perfectly balanced. ! Great for a special occasion Thank you, Luis. read more

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Best steak I've had in a while. New York strip! Generous portions and sides. Attentive service and atmosphere. Very convenient on campus location. Nice salads and tasty soups. read more

Roots is a nice spot to dine in Princeton NJ. Decent food and drinks however if you have the bartender named Sue S. You're not in a hospitable environment. She's short and not pleasant read more

The food was delicious!! You can't go wrong with any of it! We had an early reservation and that was nice because we had the place to ourselves for a little while and it was warm and inviting. The New York Strip was so incredibly tender and flavorful. For a side dish, the potato au gratin, which was spot on. The brussels sprouts were also yummy and I took half of it home and they tasted better than next day. We were celebrating a 20th wedding anniversary and they gave us a beautiful complementary ice cream sundae, which was humongous! All in all great experience! read more

We just had a fabulous experience at Roots Ocean Prime. Had the Prime Cowboy Ribeye with Oscar topping, Lump Crab Cake and Truffle Pomme Frites. Everything was exceptional. Our server was great and attentive. We were pleasantly full and just getting ready to leave when we were surprised with a beautiful birthday dessert. Our first time at Roots and we will definitely be back. read more

Great food, but a bit pricy. Fun cocktails. I had the lunch trio with Lobster Bisque, a steak filet slider, and half a lobster roll. All three items were quite tasty. The other members of my lunch group had salads, and all were satisfied. The meal is accompanied by complimentary popovers (aka yorkshire pudding) and these are worth the calories. The place has a bit of an old world feel with a traditional dark wood decor. read more