I'm writing a well-deserved update of 5 stars to 5 stars after being super consistent for 2 years since my last review and becoming my favorite brunch spot. My bf CRAVES the huevos rancheros so we come here for that all the time. He was literally in Thailand for 5 weeks and was like "I want Sonoma when I get back!" Yup. I love the Chorizo Guacamole Eggs Benedict. You can't go wrong bc it's BYOB, and I've never had to wait too long for a table. Not sure what was up the other day, but it was super cold in there. Put your heat on! No one wants to eat in their coats. Not taking off a star bc maybe they were having issues? Most times, very comfortable. read more

This place was a disaster. My fiance and I went in for dinner last night. We sat outside and the table was tiny and lopsided. We ordered the bacon, crab guacamole dip. The bacon was rock solid and the crab was rotten - as in it was sitting out way too long. We had to send it back. We considered walking away at that moment but we stayed which in hindsight was not a good idea. The mussels were decent. That was the only thing that wasn't terrible. I ordered the gumbo for dinner which was really a tomato soup with carrots, okra and 2-3 vague pieces of seafood. The waiter forgot my spoon by the way. The waiter brought out the wrong type of swordfish for my fiance. Another 15 minutes later he bought out the right one along with my spoon. I noticed the people behind us kept asking for the same thing over and over. They must have ordered a lemonade 6 times and the waiter kept forgetting. Then at the end of the meal we split the check 50/50. He charged my card twice. My girl thanked me for paying for our crap experience at Sonoma Bistro. We'll never go back there ever again. read more

My husband and I went to Sonoma Bistro yesterday for a breakfast, just the two of us. Let me just say, this place is packed on the weekends for breakfast. I had the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and my husband had the Avocado Toast with an egg on top. The food is unique and delicious. It was packed at the time we went, but the service was decent. We were able to get refills of coffee and water, but since it was crowded it didn't allow for the staff to get personal with us, not that we ask for it, but sometimes it makes the experience a little more enjoyable. We love coming here for breakfast, we've actually never been for dinner, but we have heard great things all around. read more

We came here for brunch and we were very disappointed in the food quality. The pancake was the worst. It is similar to the frozen pancake at super market. The ham is also the worst like the ham in the supermarket. The most ridiculous thing is they charge you 4% for credit card payment. The 4% charge is the cost of doing business and bring customer with the expensive food and you charge it to your customers??? The food is as expensive as the one in New York City. $20 for 2 eggs, frozen ham, bacon and frozen pancake is ridiculous . Please save yourself and go somewhere else . Never go back!!!!!! read more

We've been here a bunch of times for brunch with big groups which Sonoma Bistro is perfect for. It's not a huge place but the service is efficient and the servers are extremely friendly and attentive. They have a ton of brunch options and always have some enticing specials of the day. The breakfast potatoes are exceptional, a few eggs Benedict options, some Mexican inspired dishes - ya know breakfast burritos and such all of which are delightful. I just recently had the Sesame Tuna burger which was outragious, but unfortunately the short rib breakfast burrito special of the day was a little underwhelming. We were there for hours, no one rushed us out and with a surprisingly small bill for such a large group. It's also BYOB and with some fresh squeezed orange juice you have your self a nice little mimosa. read more

Had dinner with my fiancé on Sunday, was surprised that it was not busy. There was another couple having dinner. Ambience- I like the setting and the painting on the wall was cute. Place looked cleaned and the restroom was quaint. Staff- We were immediately greeted and the staff was super friendly and attentive. The chef came out to ask us how our dinner was. Food- We shared the beet, arugula and goat cheese salad with bacon dressing. The fried goat cheese was delicious and the bacon dressing was unbelievable!! I recommend this salad. My fiancé had the swordfish with mashed cauliflower and asparagus. I had the pan seared Atlantic salmon (medium rare) with mashed sweet potatoes and julienned cut veggies. We were very happy with our entrees. They cooked my salmon perfectly and we didn't leave a crumb behind. To top it off, we shared the banana cream pie, YOU MUST TRY THIS!!! They make all of their desserts, that is a major plus ++++ it was so creamy and so good, we were fighting over it. Overall, we will definitely make this our regular spot. Next, we want to check out their Brunch. Will make sure I do a follow up review. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Banana cream pie.... To die for!! They make their own desserts from scratch. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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Stopped by for dinner tonight and as usual the food was superb. Every single thing we ordered was great. The one thing we noticed that changed from previous visits was the service was so much better! The waiter was friendly and very attentive, making this visit a very happy one. Even the chef came out and checked to see how everything was. Great turnaround on the service here! read more

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*STUFFED BANANA FRENCH TOAST* Delicious and perfect if you're craving anything sweet! My best friend ordered the banana cream pie & they loved it. Ambiance: Good and a few tvs to watch if you want to watch the news. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Stuffed Banana French Toast with bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

I have a soft spot for "in-betweeners" - restaurants that look and serve food better than an average, greasy diner, but not in the price range of classier, hipster restaurants. Sonoma fits comfortably in this category with its friendly service, large serving portions and really good food that offers something for everyone. I enjoyed a nice date night with my husband here, bringing over our favorite bottle of white. Started off with a plate of mussels which was bathed in a light sauce that is on the sweeter (rather than buttery) side. We polished off the entire dish and moved onto our entrees. I hesitated in ordering the tuna burger since I wasn't sure about the concept of having lightly seared tuna served in burger format, but it worked surprisingly well. The tuna was really good and the side salad was fresh - not a wilty or brown leaf in place. My husband opted for the appetizer sampler for 2 as his main dish, and he could not finish and had to take a to-go bag. The sampler comes served with an open flame so you can further heat up the skewers as you go. The beef and chicken skewers were ok - not very remarkable, but the shrimp skewers were pretty good. The calamari was served with a sweet sauce (reminded me of Thai chili) and is unlike the usual diner calamari fare. The star of the sampler were the empanadas which had a super crispy crust but stuffed to the brim with nicely marinated meat. I would not hesitate to get the empanadas on their own in the future. Service was very attentive. Overall, a great meal at an affordable price point. A good place to bring a significant other for a low-key but satisfying date. Restaurant is located at the corner of two streets and only street parking is available. read more

Sonoma Bistro is a lovely spot in Rutherford. I always get the same meal whenever I go for dinner -- bucatini pasta. It has mozzarella and tomato, with a perfect mix of basil and chili pepper. So good! I also love their empanadas. They often have interesting daily specials, and their brunch specials, in particular, can get pretty fun and fantastic. The place itself is comfortable, with no real theme or style to it. Each time I've gone, the servers have been super polite and on top of their game. They have a few two-person tables outside when the weather is nice, and they're cool with (well-behaved) dogs sitting outside, too. They were kind enough to even bring my dog some water last time I went. read more

Went here for Mother's Day and enjoyed nice brunch outside. Seems most dishes have extra spice to them which is not great for everything. But overall very good. read more

Ok have been here twice now. The food is good, really good. Its a little pricey but worth it. Get the warm goat cheese and beet salad - one of the best things I have ever eaten. I had a strip steak one time, a little chewy, but it was a $34 so not a top of the beef. They need to put a barrier at the front door to keep the cold out. They have grub hub drivers running in and out all night letting the cold air in. Common guys look at the other restaurants, keep your guests warm. read more

Been a long time since my last review. Checking in just praise this spot for doing an excellent job for Cinco de Mayo! With COVID happening, we wanted to avoid crowds at area Mexican spots. Knowing the chef is from Oaxaca, and knowing the quality of the food here, the special Cinco menu did not disappoint! Very good food, plentiful portions and delicious flavors. We had nachos, tostados and tacos. I wanted to make sure that I posted a review b/c there was one item we ordered with a special request. Thru an oversight, this was missed. Not a big deal, didn't spoil the dish, and it was very good. But out of a sense of hospitality, that one item was taken off the bill. We really appreciated it, it showed the true colors of the staff and this place. We recommend it. read more

Not bad. Not great either. Went for lunch today and hubby ordered a Sonoma burger that came with bacon and a side of fries. The fries were very greasy. The burger tasty. I ordered a beat spinach goat cheese salad. The goat cheese was delicious little fried balls of goodness and each bite coated your mouth. Coated. An order of chicken and an order of beef empanadas. The beef empanadas was very very good. My daughter had chicken and stated it was incredible. The avocado cream served with was very good. The hot sauce was made with I think ancho chilies and while hot still had taste and that's the way I like my hot sauce. The only problem I had was the service. It was a late lunch nobody but U.S. There at 3 pm and well you could come by and check the drinks. Check on us etc. Took forever to wrap the leftovers and get a check. read more

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I had brunch at Sonoma Bistro on Saturday morning with friends. I was torn between the Goldie Lox and the Huevos Rancheros. I went with the huevos rancheros at the waitress's recommendation. Simply put, it was one of the best I've ever had. They serve their huevos rancheros as a layered dish. They use chips rather than corn tortillas that creates a great texture contrast, crispy in some areas and soggy in others. A fresh salsa surrounds the dish allowing you to give it whatever heat you want. My kids devoured the ricotta pancakes. They were nice and fluffy on the inside and had a slight crisp to them on the outside served with some fresh black berries. I love brunch and Sonoma Bistro does a great job at it. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Huevos Rancheros - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

My favorite breakfast place. I've never walked out of here unhappy. It's got a very manhattan brunch feel without the manhattan price tag. Some of my favorite omelettes in the past have been juevos rancheros or the eggs with goat cheese. My fiancé is all about the mini burgers though. My favorite thing is to sit outside and in the summer and see the people of Rutherford do their shopping downtown. It's a cute place read more

The food here is amazing . I felt safe eating indoors at this restaurant . Mask are required when you enter or have to go to the bathroom . They have an great selection of food and delicious fresh juices . I highly recommend it . read more

Great outdoor seating and fun menu! Nice lighting and plenty of tables. Something for everyone. We got the chorizo kisses appetizer and it was delicious. The steak sandwich was also amazing. Service was just ok, we didn't have a consistent server but they were all very nice, helpful, and responsive. read more

I love coming here! It's BYOB and the food is great! My favorite appetizers are the clams in white wine sauce, the baked Brie along with the Sonoma sampling platter. Everything in the sampling platter is sooo good! Sometimes my boyfriend and I go there just to get the platter because it's very filling and you get a little taste of everything! For entrees I suggest the Cajun pasta, churrosco, or the steak sandwich. Also all of the salads are extremely tasty! My only complaint is that I used to order the sesame yellow fin tuna all the time but the last two times I ordered it the tuna was definitely different and not as fresh which was a little upsetting:/ Everything on the brunch menu is very good plus you can bring your own champagne and have endless mimosas! I love this place and highly suggest that everyone check it out! read more

Wonderful little spot for brunch. Me and my BFF were going to a different restaurant but they had a long wait. We walked back a block, and found this gem! We sat outside on a sunny summer afternoon. We had lattes and Benedicts... I had the chorizo guacamole Benedict and my friend had the special: steak and avocado Benedict. All was delicious and fresh. Service was great too. Server was funny and personable. Will definitely return with a bottle of prosecco for drinks. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Chorizo guacamole eggs Benedict. Yumn - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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Omg this was so good can't type rite now gotta eat!!!! Ok I'm done and I gotta say that was one of the best huevos rancheros ever nice little spicy kick the eggs the beans had some ham in there yummm yummm I'll be back read more

Sonoma Bistro - Yummmmmm - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Great brunch spot, excellent guacamole, vegetarian options have some variety though the veggie burger is my go to. Nice relaxed casual spot. Service is attentive but can be a bit slow when they're full. read more

The Sonoma Bistro is a wonderful restaurant. Nice people, great food. Hard to a table sometimes.

Amazing food!!!! Def won't regret it. First time eating here and it exceed my expectations!

This is a good place for a quick basic breakfast or lunch stop. I had a late lunch of breakfast food here yesterday,with my daughter accompanying. The service was friendly and efficient. We ordered the pancakes and berries and the Greek yogurt parfait with berries and granola. The three pancakes were a bit disappointing--thin and a smaller than typical size, with a little bit of a rubbery texture. There was a nice lemon sauce on the pancakes, and a couple slices of strawberries and a couple blackberries. It was adequate but not inspiring. The yogurt parfait was similar--much like you might put together at home, with plain yogurt and a drizzle of honey added to the top of the fruit and granola. It was refreshing in the way a sour Greek yogurt and fresh berries should be. Other dishes might be better, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to try it, if in town again. read more

Our "go to" spot for brunch and dinner. Friendly, accommodating, and interesting menu. I typically order off the specials but the burgers are one of the best around. If you've never been before, make a reservation for Brunch and bring the champagne! read more

Tried Sonoma Bistro for brunch on a Sunday and it did not disappoint. Called the day before to make a reservation. Checked in and was seated within 5 minutes. The place was full so service was a little slow but understandable. The dulce de leche latte was good, but the "my big breakfast" was delicious; nice size portion! Definitely would come back to try them out for lunch or dinner. read more

Brunch is good, skip dinner. A bit pricey therefore it should be better. Needs to get better like it was when it first opened.

Honestly this place has the most amazing food And wonderful service - great environment to eat and be with great people read more

Sonoma Bistro - Angel hair pasta with shrimp in a garlic tomato wine sauce - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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What a great find! We just walked up and down the street and decided to try this place. The waitress was lovely. The food devine - chicken spring rolls, spinach and pear salad and filet mignon special - all amazing. I can't wait to go back. BYOB. read more

I hosted my mom's dinner party here and it was a special night. Simple elegance in the dining room but perfect for sharing a family style meal. The restaurant is BYOB and there is a wine & beer shop right next door. I really enjoyed the crab gaucamole! The staff was accommodating and extremely patient. I can't wait to go back! read more

Nice surprise in Rutherford. Food is fairly priced and tasty. BYOB establishment with several outdoor tables. Street parking only. Came for here Saturday brunch with family and enjoyed the pancakes, steak eggs Benedict and avocado toast specials very much! Will hope to come back with friends for a nice dinner with wine. read more

We (a party of two and a baby) came here for a late lunch today. Place was mostly empty except a few customers (total server+ bar staff was more than no. Of tables occupied)... And yet this was one of the worst food & service I ever got. We are vegetarian, we ordered a veggie burger (veggie Patty was not completely cooked) and a Nutella French toast specials for today ( worst French toast ever) and a coffee (which never came). Special order had sausage in it, we requested them to replace it with cut fries which server agreed to but when plate came it had sausage ... We sent back and requested for a plate without meat and what we got was combination of worst French toast+ weird form of egg (between scrambled & fried) which was hard, cut fries were good and I could eat something. I wanted to also order a juice but then none of the 10+ serving staff was attentive or listening, we had to go to bar to get ketchup & sauces... Overall definitely never going to visit this place.. Suggestion: If restaurant is listening, please ask your staff to pay attention instead of just chatting behind/around bar. read more

Went out for a nice outdoor brunch and the place did not disappoint. The menu has a nice array of options for even the pickiest brunchers. Everything was flavorful and the big C shot/ juice was so refreshing. I will definitely be coming back! read more

Where to begin. I was interested in two dishes on the menu (big breakfast {which comes with pancakes} or the lemon ricotta pancakes). After waiting a long time for the waiter to take our order, I asked if i could substitute the regular pancakes in the big breakfast for lemon ricotta pancakes. I immediate suggested I was happy to pay extra for the substitution. After the waiter told me no, he said he would asked the kitchen to confirm. Upon returning, he said the answer was still no. I'm not a restaurant owner, but it puzzles me why they would refuse such a request especially when I was happy to pay for the substitution. Coffee tastes awful. You can get better coffee from a coffee cart in NYC. They also don't serve fresh half & half for the coffee and instead accompany the coffee with mini moo's. Again, you can get fresh dairy for a $1 coffee cart in NYC... On to the food - pretty good, would give it about 4 stars. When the waiter brought I said "thank you" and he turned away and didn't say a word. Service is awful. read more

For breakfast I had the berry pancake special which was amazing. The berries on the pancakes were fresh and sweet. The fresh squeezed orange juice was also amazing. The service was top notch read more

Sonoma Bistro - Pancake Special - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Amazing!!! Best huevos rancheros ever. The sauce was absolutely perfect. The whole dish was just great. Will be here again and again. Already recommended to friends. The service was pretty awesome tooo! read more

Sonoma Bistro - California Breakfast Sandwich (sub with chicken) Huevos Rancheros - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

Giving this place 2 stars for 2 reasons, first: they stuck us by the bathroom door....second: and i didnt realize till a day later when i looked at my receipt, but they added a 20% gratuity to our bill without telling me it was already added, and the credit card slip they gave me to sign had a line to add a tip, so if course i tipped. So now i feel suckered after tipping almost 50%!! At least the food was good. read more

I've been to Sonoma Bistro many times, and I have always enjoyed their food. I went tonight, and this night sealed the deal for a five star rating. I had a hankering for steak and spinach tonight, and they came through so perfectly. I ordered my New York Strip medium rare, and it was the most perfect medium rare ever - it was textbook! It had a nice charred exterior, and it was reddish pink inside. See the attached photo. Nothing pleases me more than when I am able to completely clean my plate - see other photo. My food was so damn good that I used the crusts from my daughter's grilled cheese sandwich to mop up the juices. There was not one scintilla of gristle to leave on the plate. The steak is served with a delicious chimichurri sauce that isn't needed, but it's as good as it gets. I like to use it to dip my bistro fries, and I dipped every other bite of steak in it until it was gone. This is the type of steak that doesn't even need a sauce. This is due to the fact that they only use the highest quality ingredients. Great steak does not happen by accident. It starts at the ranch, and it ends at the plate. Sonoma Bistro obviously gets their products from the best purveyors. The sauteed spinach is one if my favorite sides, and it was perfect tonight. I would have been happy with it by itself. My daughter ate all but the crusts of her "kids" grilled cheese, and she was happy with it. Kids are tough to please, but she loves eating there. They,re BYOB, so you can bring your favorite wine with you, and you don't have to worry about going broke on the drinks alone. To sum it up - this is my favorite restaurant. I am so lucky that it is walking distance from my home. Please support them, because gems like Sonoma Bistro are a necessary part of a good life. read more

Sonoma Bistro - Steal and sauteed spinach. Note the perfect medium rare preparation of the steak. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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The popular Sonoma Bistro I originally bookmarked this spot for brunch per reviews I read and pics I had seen. I was open like a teenager having their first crush LOL. After getting some intense competitive bowling with the fam on Father's Day we worked up an appetite and I saw them on my Yelp bookmarks only 2 miles away from Bowlero even though it was not brunch I said I wanted to try them out and the fam agreed. Google maps folks because if you are not familiar with this area you could pass it and may kill someone breaking your neck trying to look for it while driving. This is based on my dinner experience Customer Service: (3.5 out of 5 Stars) The staff was friendly and upbeat. Very helpful when we arrived and answering questions about the menu. Made a couple of errors on the final bill and disappeared for a minute at one time we thought dude got kidnapped LOL but overall okay. Food: (4 out of 5 Stars) The food was surprisingly Very Good. My Chicken Parm Linguine was VERY GOOD especially the chicken. Perfect tenderness and flavor. The Linguine itself was good could have been cooked a little longer in my opinion and the sauce was very good. The "Chicken Empanadas" stuffed with chicken chilate was also pretty decent had a surprising kick at the end of but it did not over power the taste of the chicken itself inside. The "Garlicious Penne" Spicy Italian sausage, escarole, plum tomatoes in a garlic white wine sauce tossed with penne with Parmesan topping was REALLY REALLY Good from the sample I had. That sauce was HEAVEN on a plate. The fam enjoyed the food overall and said they would come back and the plates were clean lol which is always a good sign. One major plus for me was all the dishes came out Piping HOT so no worries about food getting cold for those like me who hate cold Italian food which is not sexy. The Quantity VS Cost/Quality ratio was a plus because the food was good and prices were not bad overall. (Insert Thumbs Up Emoji Here) Decor/Ambiance: (3.5 out of 5 Stars) Nothing that will blow you away but it is simple and comfortable. Well spaced to have privacy with your eating party. Decent view of the street and other stores for my nosey people out there lol. Solid atmosphere and decor overall nothing special just right. Overall food was very good. Parking can be annoying depending on when you go. I will definitely be back to try the brunch which was the reason why I bookmarked this business in the first place lol. Just need to tighten up on the customer service a little bit but other than that I was pleasantly surprised by the dinner experience as a whole read more

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