I came here hungry. I left humbled…read more This sandwich has strips of flank steak stir fried with peppers and red onion like the cook had something to prove. Not aggressively. Confidently. The kind of confidence that doesn't announce itself, it just delivers. Then there's the crema de cilantro and aji, which basically tag team your taste buds and ask, "You good?" Yes. I'm great. Mind your business. This is not a, "Instagram made me do it" sandwich. This is a composed, disciplined, shut up and eat sandwich. Every ingredient is there on purpose. No freeloaders. The owner is a Peruvian chef who lived in Canada and now cooks in New Jersey, which explains why this sandwich has flavor, restraint, and zero patience for mediocrity. This isn't fusion, it's life experience on bread. Fair warning: eating this will ruin weaker sandwiches for you. You'll start asking questions. You'll judge more. You'll be disappointed elsewhere. Peruvian soul inside, llamas, Incas, Cusco, with Maplewood graffiti keeping it honest.

Fast and friendly service. Clean tables and seats. And fantastic sandwiches. They're big and can…read moreget messy but it's worth the waste of napkins. Perfectly cooked, juicy steak on my lomo saltado sandwich. And my GF really enjoyed her pulled pork sandwich. We went for lunch but could only eat half of them, ended up saving the remaining halves for dinner. We will definitely be back for more!

The sun is bright today, the eggs are sunny side up and all is good in the world (mostly), so it's…read morea great start to a nice Saturday with a hearty breakfast! I'm traveling through NJ alone today, so I pull off I-78 in Maplewood and find the Park Wood Diner. This is an old school corner diner with a rear wraparound parking lot that's locally popular. I grab a seat at the counter and start checking out the menu. The breakfast menu card is tabloid sized and filled with choices on both sides and is available all day. I'm afraid to see what the lunch and dinner menu looks like. One of my breakfast favorites is corned beef hash and I get it with 2 eggs sunny side up with home fries and white toast. I love laying the oozy yolk onto a slice of toast and if there's any bread left, use it to sop up any runny yolk left on the plate. Of course, the yolk runs onto the hash and home fries, too. After this leisurely filling breakfast, can I even think about lunch or maybe dinner? I'll have to make a point to come back to see what's in store on the lunch menu. Maybe a pastrami or corned beef on rye or a comforting meatloaf? See you next time!

Great local diner - exactly what you would expect - great food - large portions and wait staff that…read moregive you a very homey vibe Haven't had a bad meal ! Their portions are so large I rarely finish

Walking in this place, I didn't know what to get however two employees Danny and Emmanuel not only…read morewent out their way to make sure I had a good experience, but they recommended the most delicious contraption I have ever tasted. Their Customer Service truly exceeded my expectations a place like this I'm used to getting smiles. How can I help you and nothing more. You can tell they truly take pride in what they do and enjoy seeing the satisfaction and excitement on customers faces.

I wish I could rate this location a zero (0). I visited the Cava in Union, NJ today and I had an…read moreunacceptable experience. Worst service I have ever received in my life. One of my biggest pet peeves is people talking over my food, and that is exactly what happened. While my bowl was being assembled, I added a few items that came with an upcharge. The employee making my bowl informed me of the extra cost, which I understood completely--I've been to Cava many times and know how it works. However, as she repeatedly explained the upcharge, she was talking directly over my food and visibly spitting while speaking, which made me extremely uncomfortable. When I tried to reassure her that I understood and that it wasn't necessary to keep repeating it, her coworker jumped in saying it was "company policy" to ask. I told them that was fine and that I would pay whatever the cost was, but asked that they stop repeating it. Instead of de-escalating, both employees began laughing and smirking, which felt very unprofessional. I calmly explained that I don't like people talking over my food. Their response was sarcastic and dismissive, which eventually led to me raising my voice out of frustration. When it came time to add dressing, the employee intentionally drowned my bowl in dressing to the point where it was completely soggy and inedible--it honestly felt like retaliation. I asked if they would eat something prepared that way, and only then did the manager step in. Thankfully, the manager handled the situation professionally and remade my bowl, which I truly appreciated. I own a franchise myself, and proper food service practices and basic respect for customers are non-negotiable. Talking over food, laughing at customers, and acting spitefully has no place in a restaurant. The manager handled the situation appropriately, but the behavior of the front-line staff was unacceptable and needs to be addressed.

Delicious food, bright and relaxed atmosphere, and great service all around. Artie's is a fantastic…read morefamily-friendly restaurant that not only specializes in wood-fired pizzas but also baked goods like breads and pastries. I always love trying something off their seasonal pizza menu; during my most recent visit, I loved their maple bacon pizza, which had the perfect balance of sweet and savory. They don't accept reservations, so expect it to be pretty busy, especially during the weekends. Note that they also only have a limited cold food menu during the off hour between lunch and dinner.

Still easily my favorite pizza in NJ, no contest. Since moving to the new location, Artie's is…read morebetter than ever!! The restaurant itself is spacious and has an inviting atmosphere. Love going in the warmer weather when they open up the doors and have the bar serving on the patio. And let's face it, if you know anything about Arite's you know that there will always be a wait on the weekends. Having the bar and the patio makes waiting a breeze! The food is seriously better than ever. I actually think the pizza is even better at this new spot than the previous location. The sleeper favorite for me is the maple bacon pizza. Takes the white pie to another level and has become a go to for me. Always, I repeat always, order the meatballs and save the sauce for your pizza crust. The farmers salad is always a must for me as well. No one does a salad like Artie's. Give this place a shot because trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Such a gem! So glad it is so close to me. The saganaki balls were to DIE for. The feta Greek fries…read morewere amazing. I paired them with chipotle mayo instead of the honey mustard, and well as the saganaki balls. The mixed grilled is always a winner. Service was great, very attentive. Very cute interior. Will be back for sure.

I'm seeing many 3-4 star reviews from fellow Yelpers and I keep thinking that perhaps my experience…read morewas a singular one. The two stars I'm giving here is for the restaurant itself. This restaurant looks great. There is a nice counter area to order, a really nice seating area inside and even outdoor seating. Some of the decor makes you feel like you're in a household's kitchen. By the cashier there is a table you can wait at complete with local newspapers. It's very charming. This was my first visit and I ordered my food to go. I had two key dishes. The first was hummus with falafel, which is very standard for me whenever I go to any Mediterranean place. When I opened the take out box at home I was really surprised. Most places give you a good amount of hummus, but here it was basically a thin layer. Kind of like a layer of mayo on a sandwich (maybe a tad thicker). Then on top of the hummus was a huge layer of pickled vegetables and tiny pickles. This was a surprise. I've had hummus orders from a lot of restaurants before and I've *never* seen this on an order before. Then the falafel balls were on top and well...they were really dry and didn't have much flavor. Now, sometimes you can cover that up by just coating the falafel in hummus, but there wasn't enough hummus to do that. The dish was just disappointing all around. The other dish I tried were the Lemon Potatoes. They were good! The lemon flavor was strong and they were cooked well. Not the best example in the area, but they would do in a pinch. At some point I'll give this place another try. Maybe this was a fluke (at least I hope so).

I ordered a small portion of chicken bites, and it turned out to be a great surprise. The outside…read morewas coated with a layer of chili powder that smelled incredibly fragrant. Once you bite into it, the chicken isn't mushy at all -- you can actually see the fibers, and it's very juicy and tender. The seasoning is well done and not overly salty. I went with their house sauce, which has a slightly pickled chili vibe -- mildly sour, a bit spicy, and with a unique aroma that's hard to describe but really enjoyable. The fried chicken burger was also impressive -- definitely shows some skill in execution. One unexpected highlight was the cornbread. I usually don't enjoy cinnamon-flavored desserts, but this one grew on me quickly. The texture was excellent, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise. Service was great -- the staff were friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience feel relaxed and comfortable. Overall, a small spot but a really enjoyable visit. Would come back.

Always a happy day when Barn bird kitchen is apart of the equation. The space is quaint and well…read moredesigned. I recently dined in and outside of it being a bit cold for my liking, I enjoyed the experience. The staff is prepared for rushes and worked well through our Wednesday night visit. Which lended to an understanding of how much local MAPSO leans on this place. It was packed on a Wednesday night. All of that to say - my wife considers this one of the best chicken sandwiches she's ever had in her lifetime. I second, the salmon sando is my order and it's always fresh and perfectly cooked. Everything is is absolutely delicious. Never leave without a kale salad and a adobo.

Loved it here! If I lived closer this would be my go to brunch spot…read more I had the freshly squeezed OJ, a latte and the mushroom omelette. Everything was incredible and fresh. The place was packed. We sat at the bar. And our food was out in under 7 minutes. I loved it here. The ambiance, decor, and service. Everything was great! We'll definitely be back.

Willow & Whisk is a brunch place where you can have either breakfast or lunch. It has an open, warm…read moredesign and is fully handicapped accessible. It also can get somewhat noisy. I was with a party of six and at 11AM, we were all in a breakfast mood. We tried and all liked the Brioche French Toast, the Mushroom Thyme omelet and the Shakshuka. The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with lemon curd and blueberries just didn't hang together. (Only four dishes for six people because two of us ordered the omelet and two the French toast). Overall the food was very good and the portions generous. Beverages were fine. The service was a bit spotty, possibly because we had two waiters who seemed to be tripping over each other. It shouldn't take three requests to get a glass of water. But overall, a place I'd try again.

Home is where the heart is and the heart of SOMA is at The Order. I don't have a photo of my food…read morethough I've been here over 20 times. This is because the food is made to order and out of this world. I typically don't play around upon delivery. The service is the best hospitality I've experienced since I was a server giving A+ hospitality. They're warm, aware and focused on their customers. The ambiance is adorable, feminine and rich. Hands down my favorite place in SOMA/Essex County

The food was very fresh and well put together. We got 2 sandwiches try…read more Franklin and Nessa. Also the "Chat fries". Everything was very tasty and seasoned well. The sauce on the Franklin sandwich is slightly spicy but tasted well with the chicken. The service is good and order came out moderate time because everything fresh and made to order. Person at counter was very accommodating. We had asked her how long because we didn't have a lot of time and they was a little busy and we were going to go somewhere else and try it another time but She told us she would get it out soon . She put the order right and it did come out soon. It is very nice and interesting in there. When you walk in, they have a beverage area that has an extensive menu.. every type of coffee you can think of ,tea and other drinks . Then beyond there they sell clothing and a few specialty items . Small area , resembles small boutique ,that had some very nice things.

Not a bad place to snag a quick and somewhat healthy lunch. It's not very big on the inside,…read morethere is minimal room to wait and a handful of tables/places to eat. The staff was super friendly and the menu looks awesome. I ended snagging some sort of fiesta southwest salad, i cannot recall the name. It took a good 10 minutes or so for the salad to come out. The ingredients seemed to be pretty solid quality but the salad wasn't very large for the $14 or so cost. There are plenty of options for everyone to find something but overall it was just an average experience.

Tri color lettuce came from a bag and was wilted and stuck to the bottom of the bowl. How is…read morelettuce old from a place like SALAD HOUSE? It was discusting to say the least. Stay away if the lettuce is no good nothing elseis.

I really enjoyed Springbone Kitchen! I created my own bowl and it was delicious. I got the kale mix…read morebase, sweet potato, chicken thigh, pickled carrots, GF croutons, and cashew caesar on the side which I didn't even need because the flavors were so good! The service was fast and attentive and the ambiance seemed to be one where you could come to read a book or have a quick lunch. I will certainly be back.

Delicious food and healthy eats! A great spot to go for quality ingredients and a go to spot for…read morelunch alone or with a friend.