Less a restaurant than an experience in immaculate luxury... where the quarter percenters must go to keep the remaining one percenters out of sight and mind. For years I have been boring friends, family and anyone who would listen about the wretched state of service in the US, unfortunately made even more dismal by the pandemic. Well, I'm happy to report that service isn't dead, it's just lounging in the witness protection program at a place called the Perch at Peacock. Service here is as gracious and precise as a metronome and is a welcome respite from the current shambolic state of things on planet earth. And before I forget, the food... almost matching the service which is saying something. I absolutely loved the Restaurant Week Hangar Steak and Tomato Bisque with a finger sandwich of grilled cheese and lobster. Tastes that I'm unlikely to replicate as I return to the assorted diners and dives that are not privy to the safe harbor of witness protection and the unwashed remnants of the one percent. Damn. I almost don't have to say it, an easy five stars. read more

I was so looking forward to dinner here at the venerable Peacock Inn. I had worked in the neighborhood a few years ago and it was always considered the fancy place for an elegant meal. Sadly, our weekday meal was a disappointment. My friend and I were only one of two parties dining in the restaurant. The menu overall feels old and dated. It features Just the classics, which is fine if executed well, but the execution was seriously lacking. The little gem salad featured pickled cucumbers in a very sharp vinegar sitting next to overdressed, lettuce and kale. It also had very large round carrots, which I think were completely unnecessary. The complimentary bread was brought to the table, warm and featured little mini salads on the side, which was a thoughtful touch. My entree of duck was a substitute for the more exciting braised short ribs mentioned initially. The breast was tough and chewy and the bread crumb on the leg was mushy and not crisp. Desert was our last hope but the flourless cake proved to be a hard, tough dome. Shout out for the kind and thoughtful wait staff! Overall, however, a let down. What a shame! There are too many excellent restaurants in the Princeton area and a clientele that definitely have a global palate so I worry this place might not last. read more

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Cute place to grab a drink and some light fare. The bartender was very nice and checked in with us periodically. Drinks were great, we also ordered the lamb chops and fries. The lamb chops were served with a carrot harissa which was delicious but seemed to get lost with the lamb overpowering the flavor combination. Everything is maintained very well and we will return for dinner at the restaurant. Valet parking only. read more

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Such a cute place :) Loved that they have complimentary valet parking . I had the Jasmine Tea-Soaked French Toast with Amaretto Sour drink pretty good. read more

The Perch At Peacock Inn - New American Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

TLDR great service and great American food with slight twists Our party had brunch at the Peacock Inn. The service was quick and the staff was incredibly attentive to our needs and warmly answered all our questions. They were invisible, but made themselves immediately available when needed. We tried the lobster eggs Benedict, earl grey soaked French toast, and the burger. Each had a slight addition that set it apart from the typical American restaurant. The burger was surprisingly the most distinct - the balsamic bacon jam and raclette made for a distinctly sweet, smoky, rich flavor. Everything was delicious, but just a bit over salted for my personal taste. The burger initially came overcooked, but the team quickly prepared a new burger and rushed it out. Overall it was a great experience and I will be coming by to dine again read more

I had one of my best meals ever there! Highly recommended. The service was second to none. Great atmosphere. read more

We came to the Peacock Inn for an anniversary dinner. The service was stellar -- true fine dining. The restaurant itself is classic and beautiful. The appetizers were delicious. I did not like the salad I ordered and unfortunately the Tomahawk steak we ordered medium was overcooked. It was still very tasty, but it was a bit disappointing given how great the rest of the evening was. Another note - the restaurant was assumed valet parking. My husband does not let valets drive his car, so the situation was a little awkward. read more

The Perch At Peacock Inn - New American Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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I was taken here for dinner, I am not familiar with the area. Been working in the area for about 6 months. The place is very nice. All the food we ordered were so good. I ordered the octopus starter, it is done perfectly. The food presentation is brilliant! For entree, I ordered the red snapper, love the way it was cooked. The bottle of red wine we had went perfectly with the food. Overall, I would love to come back again! The service from valet parking to the servers, 5 stars! read more

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Not sure about other meals, but I and my sister took my mom there for high tea on Mother's Day and the experience was utterly disappointing. The food was inconsistent, with a few decent items but most were subpar, at best. (I actually found 2 bones in my chicken salad croissant). Our tea trays came out 40 minutes after our tea, which was served lukewarm. The waiters were nice, but hardly checked on us, which meant we had to flag them down to get our tea heated, to point out that one tea tray was missing items, etc. I would skip this place if you want a nice pampering tea. read more

First class renovation on a grand old home. Nice casual bar with comprehensive wine list - as in dozens and dozens of both white and red Burgundies from all regions - same for Bordeaux, Napa all of Italy etc etc. Excellent restaurant, cozy rooms. You will not be disappointed. Nice break even from high class corporate hotels. read more

At tge white wine event. Love it. John pelehaty did an excellent job arranging it. Wine was delicious. And Megan the speaker was great The peacock inn is a beautiful building. read more

Great spot for burgers and sandwiches. Their fries are good. Got the Tikka masala burger and crispy chicken sandwich and both were good but Tikka was better. I would go with the expectation that it's like Indian Tikka masala but it was delicious nonetheless. Very unique flavor. read more

Food was prepared perfectly and presented with attractiveness and beauty. Service was impeccable and extremely friendly! Ambience was excellent and exceedingly romantic as was the birthday occasion we were celebrating. We have recommended it to family and our circle of friend's and from Somerset County Senior Wellness Center. We look forward to celebrating at this outstanding restaurant again soon. read more

Over the weekend me and my mom went to teatime here. It was a little to hot & humid to sit outside so opted to sit in the dinning room. The entire place is very quaint and lovely. The service was great. It was very enjoyable to sit there for 2 hours and not be rushed out. I have an almond allergy and unfortunately a lot of the pastries were made with almond flour. The kitchen staff went above and beyond to substitute many of the pastries to alternates I could eat. Although I can't exactly comment on the normal food selections most of mine were alternates; my tier was delicious. read more

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I never write reviews for anything, but I'm sincerely hoping this restaurant takes feedback. Fire your pastry service!! We came here for afternoon tea and reserved the Royal Tea Time ahead of time. All of the food leading up to the tower of sandwiches and pastries was fine, if a little under seasoned. The sandwiches lacked flavor, and the "truffled mushroom eclair" was a cold mushroom duxelle tart, but for the most part it was serviceable and conceptually good. Most notably, the quarter slices of scone we received (one savory, one sweet) were legitimately some of the best scones we have ever tasted, and the accompanying spreads (jam, mascarpone, lemon curd) were divine. I would eat a tray of those with the tea and champagne and be more than happy. But the DESSERTS. I cannot overstate how mindblowingly awful and inedible they were. Truly some of the worst things we have ever tasted, no hyperbole. The macarons had the exact consistency and cloying sweetness of jelly beans (I still cannot get the taste of the mint one out of mouth, and it dyed my mouth bright green). The melon bavarois was cold and slimy and reminiscent of astronaut ice cream. The profiterole was nauseatingly soggy like it sat in the refrigerator for a few days, and it had zero flavor similarity to bananas foster. Every. Single. Pastry. from the pain au chocolate to the pavlova to the croissant for the lobster roll was hard and stale and crunchy. It was all so bad it tipped over into being hilarious, and we were in tears laughing about the whole experience. We overheard from the waiter talking to the table next to us that the pastries aren't made in house and are ordered ahead of time, hence you have to have a reservation beforehand for the higher tier menus. Dessert is the very last thing you experience before paying the bill, and it's so unforgivably bad that I will never forget it (and never go back). All I can think is that the owners/chefs looked at how aesthetically pretty the desserts were and never bothered to taste them. From the bottom of my heart, please find a new pastry partner! read more

Went for the Valentine's day prix fixe dinner last night. Overall, I'd say the food was creative and offered a variety of unique flavors. The service was slow.. as we still had to wait 20 - 30 minutes to be sat for our reservation (thankfully, the place has a nice bar). Once we were sat at our seats though, the speed of service didn't exactly improve. Our waiter was nice, but very quiet .. it would have been nice for him to explain what we were being served / provided any recommendations. For the price of the meal I did find the portions sufficient. However, if you are going to advertise "surf & turf" dinner, inclusive of lobster tail and filet mignon, it would be nice to specify it's a lobster tail cut in half (see pictures below). I thought that was very bizarre - if my partner did not choose the surf & turf as well, whose other half did I eat? Also, it was very obvious that multiple people were complaining about their service/meals, and with the maitre d loudly agreeing that the state of the restaurant has since declined... bizarre. On a very positive note, the desert was AMAZING. read more

The Perch At Peacock Inn - Lobster tail served only in half portion. - New American Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Another great experience at The Perch. Went here for our 1 year anniversary and it didn't disappoint. Starting with the free valet with Will. Hostess was warm and inviting as always. Food was delicious and plentiful. Luis our waiter was very attentive. Ambiance was delightful. Can't wait to go back. read more

Wife and I decided to dine here on Valentine's Day against my better judgement, but it certainly did not disappoint. First time going out on Valentine's Day in about ten years, and we are very happy that we did. We arrived 15 minutes early, and were sat right on time for our reservation. The girls and maitre d' at the front desk were very energetic and made great first impressions for the restaurant. The food was fantastic and prices very reasonable, but the 6 course dinner being offered might have been a bit overkill, especially for such a busy night in a restaurant. But to the staff's credit, they executed timing, temp, presentation, and quality flawlessly. The highlight of the night was our waiter, Max, who offered some of the best service I have ever received in a restaurant. He was not intrusive, yet very attentive. His attention to detail with fine dining service was outstanding, and also gave us a few laughs. What impressed us most about him though, was his knowledge of liquor and wines. He recommended a cocktail for each of us to start with (he did mention that he often bartends as well) and helped us pick out a bottle of Spanish wine to enjoy with our meals. He seemed to always be right there to pour more wine when needed, or clear dishes and get our table clean for the next course right on time. Max and the Peacock Inn completely reversed my feelings about going out to a restaurant on a busy holiday and I can't wait to visit here again. A few notes because nothing is perfect... Parking in downtown Princeton is very tough, but they do have a valet service. I would recommend reservations here even on a normal day. Automatic gratuity was applied to the bill. I think every restaurant should do this, but some may disagree. I tipped extra on top. No need to have a mid course and intermezzo course. It just slows down the time it takes to get my entree. Maybe Princeton has more pretentious diners than myself, but I think appetizer, entree and dessert is more than adequate. read more

Friendly, welcoming service. Intimate, romantic, quiet ambiance. The food was delicious, fresh, and creative. Dessert was heavenly. read more

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Wow! What a beautiful brunch experience! My husband and I stopped into The Perch At Peacock Inn while walking early in the morning in Princeton. Everything from ambience to service to food was top notch. We were provided with fresh delicious breakfast pastries after placing our order. The pastry basket had a croissant and a blueberry muffin served with soft rich butter - the best croissant I've had, rivaling those in Paris. Wow! Buttery and flaky on the exterior while soft and chewy on the interior. It was decadent. The blueberry muffin also was the best I've had -ever! It had a really nice crusty texture on the top while fluffy and fresh on the bottom. The blueberries were fresh. I ordered the open faced Turkey and Brie on a croissant. It was delicious! The melted Brie and buttery croissant came across a little too rich when combined together but the dish also came with freshly made waffle chips which balanced it out. Hubby had the 2 egg breakfast which came with a choice of breakfast meat, toast and potatoes (which are actually potato cut fries. He said the ham was a little dry but overall, it was very good. He'd get a different meat next time. read more

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Elegant place for Sunday Brunch. We both had the Lobster Benedict where the lobster was beautifully poached and eggs were perfectly done. I had a Blueberry Mule as my drink. Excellent! read more

Our continental breakfast was a perfect start to the day. There was a fair selection of teas. My husband enjoyed the coffee. The overnight oatmeal with preserves was a pleasant surprise. read more

My review is for the afternoon tea, which was lovely, and would have been amazing if it was just me visiting. Had a reservation for a party of 4, including one child and one adult with dietary restriction/food allergies (dairy). Made the reservations several weeks in advance (with deposit), and was notified an hour before tea started that her dietary requests could not be accommodated, and it was too late to cancel as we were on the way already. She was offered the brunch menu as a substitution, which was fine but not what was expected. The tea itself was delicious, as was the champagne flight and assorted sandwiches and sweets. The children's tea was not as described. We reviewed the menus ahead of time to ensure there is something appropriate for a young palate. She was looking forward to the delicious kid friendly sweet selections on the children's menu - none of which were served, as she was provided a sampling from the regular tea menu. They will not go to waste, as we took them home to enjoy later, but definitely not the experience we had anticipated having this afternoon. Our server Siddharth was friendly, knowledgeable and provided excellent, attentive service. I just wish 50% of our party had not left disappointed as I certainly enjoyed my part of the afternoon. I would still visit again, the inn is beautiful - but perhaps for a different experience. read more

I had been given a gift certificate so I made reservations to have dinner at the Peacock Inn. This is the former home of a wonder illustrator named John held Jr. A wonderful treasure for one to see his artwork on display and there are three grand pieces. John Held Jr is famous for his drawings showing life the jazz age of the 1920s. (Think The Great Gatsby.) The flapper girls and the dapper fellas. He drew on the walls in his hidden speakeasy in his wine cellar! So when the restaurant owners did renovations and took off the wallpaper they found these pictures hidden away! They saved & framed them. Diners can enjoy this art hung in three of the rooms of the artist's former home! This is a unique experience!!! Walking trough the lush gardens and up the stairs and grand porch... I enter the lobby of the Inn. I was greeted by Julie to a wonderful table near the window of the garden. My waiter was Eric and he really took care of our every need and was very attentive and recommended some wonderful appetizers. I chose mushroom appetizer. So for my entree I chose salmon $ it was amazing. The salmon was laid over in these colorful vegetables. It was just so flavorful and so gorgeous! I love the beans and the sweet corn and such a savory sauce! The salmon was cooked to perfection. I even ate the skin! The chef here also oversees the menu at another wonderful restaurant called Yardley Inn. So even though their menu is small... Fear Not! The menu is filled with such carefully thought out/planned culinary experience. The portion size left me very satisfied. For dessert Eric recommended the cheesecake and that's what I got and it was gorgeous it was so delicate and it was a nice small piece that had just a little bit of berry sauce on the side and elegant sliver of white chocolate on top! It was simply divine. I really loved my dining experience here. I absolutely would love to spend the night here perhaps in the fall or the winter! Just to enjoy this house and a new season! read more

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Peacock Inn is the best choice in Princeton for higher end, New American dining. I've visited for dinner and brunch, and overall I've food that the food is great, and the service is very attentive, but the bread and desserts could be improved. Pricing for the food is quite reasonable for the quality; honestly I think it's a far better deal than Mistral, Agricola, and other similar restaurants in Princeton. One additional issue: on both visits I noted a special occasion when making the reservation, but no one in the restaurant acknowledged it when I visited :/ The menus change seasonally. From the current dinner menu I especially liked the halibut, which had great bright spring flavors, and the pork chop entrees--I believe this is permanent on the menu; it's a large portion (cut and deboned) served with Hakurei turnips and groats. From the brunch menu, the beignets were great and very light in texture (almost choux-like). The farmers omelette was not especially adventurous but was well-executed--I really liked the grilled watermelon radish inside--, and my friend really enjoyed the vegetarian mushroom "French dip." The amuse-bouches at dinner were creative and tasty, but the bread served was dry and disappointing. At brunch the complimentary bread was viennoiseries and muffins from Chez Alice, which tasted mass-produced. The desserts are also from Chez Alice and not the best, so while I've enjoyed my entrees and starters here, I hope Peacock Inn can bring their bread and pastry program up to the level of the rest of the dining experience. read more

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We enjoyed our first visit at the Perch to celebrate a special occasion and were very pleased! The ambience is so beautiful - traditional with touches of contemporary, and with a beautiful garden where you can be seated if you prefer. We chose to sit inside as it was getting a bit chilly outside, but the garden views are beautiful! Food was delicious from beginning to end. We enjoyed the bread and the special spreads they bring w the bread: artichoke, salmon, tomato/mushroom (with fancy names which I cannot remember at the moment) - each was delicious in its own right. For appetizers we enjoyed the vegetable terrine (which has a vegan pistachio "chèvre" - very nice flavors!) and beef tartare (topped with with quail egg), which was also delicious! For dinner, the strip steak had a nice balanced flavor, charbroiled just right, paired nicely w a red wine, and the sea bass was more complex than I've had in other places (an aioli and a lot of garnishes, seated on a bed of barley), but the flavors all worked very well together and it was delicious. For special celebrations, they give you complimentary champagne which is very nice. For dessert we had the pear mousse and fig/almond cake, both were wonderful. Servers are very nice, professional and will engage in a friendly chat with you if you initiate. Expect an easy slower pace, even on a slow evening, as they allow a leisurely dinner focused on celebration, food and conversation. It was a delightful, delicious and special dining experience. read more

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In town to visit a grand daughter and this was recommended by one of the locals. The Perch is a stellar dining experience! Bread comes with salmon pate, celery root and peppers, sales butter and a noodle vegetable! The foie gras and tomato soup are wonderful. And the service is great! The halibut was excellent! read more

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Hands down near the top of the list of great food in the Princeton area. Perch burgers as good as it gets. Steak fries. Croque monsieur topped with an egg, side of roasted potatoes, rich and nicely prepared. Even the avocado toast with side of pickled vegetables appetizer had such attention to detail in the flavoring. Friendly service. No cost valet parking. read more

Hm, so my friend and I came here for lunch recently, and our experience was only OK. Feels kind of weird, given all of the highly positive reviews, so I'm wondering if I should come back at some point. First, the ambience of the restaurant definitely felt like fine dining. We were seated immediately and were one of the only tables initially, but the restaurant filled out over our meal. Our server did a great job throughout - she was attentive without being overbearing. I ended up ordering the crispy chicken sandwich, while my friend got the perch burger. I asked our server if the restaurant had something like a chipotle mayo, and the chef, impressively, whipped one up for me from scratch. It was tasty too! Before our entrees came out, the server brought a few different types of bread with butter, and everything was very yummy. This all sounds good so far, right? Unfortunately, our entrees were super disappointing. My chicken sandwich was just not that good. It had a weird flavor and didn't have that delicious breading that you always want with a fried chicken sandwich. The fries were generally very undercooked - thankfully, the chipotle mayo helped out a lot, but the texture of the fries was extremely underwhelming. When you're paying $18 for lunch at a fine dining restaurant, you expect these kinds of mistakes to not be a thing. Otherwise, everything else was good, but when I think about going back to a place, the quality of the food reigns supreme, so I'll probably give this place a pass for the foreseeable future. read more

went to the for the white wine tasting event the other night everything was great. Service excellent John Pelehaty did a good job putting it together. Can't wait to do it again. read more

Took my friend here on a Saturday for a special occasion brunch. The building / inn is historic, and I had wanted to try it. The ambience was elegant, and the staff was friendly. I will say that the brunch menu was a bit limited, but the food was good and a reasonable price. The muffin they served with your meal was incredible. They have select "Wine Wednesdays" in which you can get a coursed meal with wine pairings for $40! I definitely will be checking that out in the future. Another note is that they have complimentary valet parking or street parking. read more

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A wonderful night out to celebrate something special The staff were friendly and welcoming. The food was exceptional We were there before the dining room was filled and it was such a comfortable and relaxed environment Highly recommend read more

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Another excellent meal at the Peacock Inn. We'd celebrated milestones here pre-Covid, but this was our first visits since it's rebranding as The Perch. We were immediately greeted with "happy anniversary" and the sentiment was repeated throughout the meal. We appreciated the attentive, professional service throughout the meal. Our server (Mike?) was outstanding. I neglected to take enough photos to really demonstrate how excellent the food was, but we enjoyed every dish. We started with a glass of champagne and the smoked old fashioned. Next, an unexpected but welcome (and tasty) amuse-bouche of mini salads (eggplant, farrow, chickpea) and small loaf of warm bread arrived. Next were the octopus two way (tenderly grilled with romesco and ragout with saffron) and surf and turf carpaccio (chili rubbed tenderloin and lobster ceviche, kohlrabi slaw, shallot lime vinaigrette). The kohlrabi was the perfect crunch/pickled accent to the savory beef and sweet lobster. We shared the Tomahawk Ribeye (bone in rib eye, cast iron mushrooms, braised collards with peaches, confit marble potatoes with black garlic). The ribeye was cooked perfectly - it was one of the best steaks we've has anywhere. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare and glistening with melting fat. Incredible! We has a bottle of wine from the extensive wine list, which I still think is one of the best in the area. We ended by splitting the chocolate coffee cake (coffee soaked almond sponge, dark chocolate ganache, coffee buttercream, coffee-chocolate crunch, dark chocolate sauce). The almond flavor was gentle and not overpowering and it was just enough to cap off a luxurious meal. We're looking forward to visiting again to check out the bar, which looked cozy and inviting. read more

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My wife and I went to dinner here for her birthday this week. We were early for our reservation as traffic through Princeton is impossible to gauge. The staff was welcoming and gracious and sat us in the bar until our table was ready. The restaurant is done in soothing colors and very comfortable. We ordered escargot for appetizer and it was excellent, served with puff pastry and a cream sauce. I had the lobster tortellini and my wife had the steak au poivre. Both were excellent although the steak was only lightly au poivre with hardly any black pepper on it. Presentation was very pretty and the wait staff, Michael and Max, were friendly and efficient. The parking valet provides a link to call for your car when you're done and it was waiting by the time we got to the front door. The restaurant has been in this location for many years and is a great place for a romantic dinner or to celebrate a special occasion. It's pricey but well worth the splurge. read more

Hands down the best brunch place in town! The service and the ambient were great. We ordered the burger, avocado toast, eggs, and salads. The food is very tasty and the plating is beautiful. read more

The Perch At Peacock Inn - New American Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Delightful high tea. Would have liked more tea sandwiches; but that is always the case at tea! The site let me bring in our own birthday cake for my granddaughter's 21st--more of a fruit tart she had eyed for almost a year beforehand: This was a huge dealbreaker in selecting a site-several tea houses refused. The service was attentive and impeccable. We were seated outdoors in a lovely setting; except that on other side of bushes was major thoroughfare through Princeton. I'd like to suggest they move the fountain and outdoor seating to the side of the building. Overall it was a successful 21st BD Tea and my granddtr and I are left with quite fond memories. read more

Had afternoon tea here with my cousin to celebrate our September and October birthdays. It was such a lovely day in Princeton. Not too hot but not too cold. Valet parking is complimentary here and they bring out your car when you're ready. Service is excellent and the tea service was divine. This is definitely a great place to celebrate every day or special occasions. The staff will take care of you very well. The Perch is located in historic former home that has a hotel in the upper floors, as well as a restaurant. I can't wait to bring my mom back here! read more

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Lovely spaces in the peacock inn. Enjoyed drinks at the bar, high tea in the main dining room and breakfast on the porch. Nicely done. Good service. Worth it! read more

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We were trying to make same-day dinner reservations in Princeton for a Saturday evening and ended up at Perch when a couple other places we tried were fully booked. We got there a bit early and had a drink at the bar before having dinner with an appetizer and wine in the dining room. The drinks, food, and wine were all EXCELLENT! The atmosphere in the dining room is a bit stuffy (more retired couples in jackets than millennials) and it was surprisingly dead for a Saturday evening, but I'm not sure why because the service was pleasant and the food was creative and delicious. The outside seating area is very cute too (and less formal than indoors) though it was a bit too chilly to use it when we there. They also have great-sounding monthly Wine Wednesdays with a $40 3-course paired dinner that we look forward to checking out. We'll be back! read more

It was my mom B-day. Princeton was a nice sweet spot to celebrate. But I knew nothing about restaurant scenery there. Here Chat-Gpt was of great help offering this spot for nice atmospheric dining for the occasion. It was perfect. The food was great, the service exceptional, the pre-theater menu was affordable. We had great time there. Just don't order blackberry tea :) read more