Last month, I came here for the first time with a party of nine and left thoroughly impressed. I'm writing now because of what happened after. There was an open item from that first visit; a receipt I needed for my business, and a week of calls that went unanswered. Then I walked in and met Iyanni and Aidan. Neither of them created the problem, and neither of them treated it as someone else's. They stayed with it until the document was in my hand and would not let me leave without it. That is not training. That is culture. You can teach a script; you cannot teach a young person to take personal ownership of a stranger's inconvenience. Today I came back to surprise my mother, who turns 79 tomorrow. Edison saw me on the way in, and remembered my name, and instead of deflecting, he said plainly that the miss was his. I have spent more than three decades in human resources, and I will tell you what most people never see from the dining room: an organization that admits error at the top is an organization where the staff are safe enough to do the right thing without permission. Iyanni and Aidan make sense once you meet Edison. Then the meal. Last month it was Dave who catered to each and everyone of my guests and in a way that made them feel special and made me sit up and take notice - because I believed then I found someplace special. Today Jorge served us with the kind of attentiveness that reads as genuine interest rather than performance, he took careful note of my allergies, and when I mentioned the last really well prepared Chilean Sea Bass I'd had was in Aruba, he let the conversation breathe. My Sea Bass arrived with a Coconut Foam and Forbidden Rice that would hold its own against anything I ate on that island. My mother had the Skirt Steak and Mashed Potatoes - enough to have a small bite later in the evening. Chef Peter Botros cooks with precision and generosity that taken together is rarer than it sounds. The room itself is warm, considerate, unhurried, the aesthetic design does what good design should, which is disappear and leave you free to enjoy your company. Money is tight for a lot of us right now, and every dollar spent out is a decision. What I can tell you is that Violette's is where I will be spending mine. The food earns it. The people earn it twice. Iyanni, Aidan, Dave, Jorge, Chef Botros, and ESPECIALLY Edison -- thank you for who you are, what you offer and how you show up in our world...and THANK YOU for making my Mother's Birthday Eve special. read more

See all

Came here on a random whim after seeing them pop up on IG. Turns out I had looked them up three weeks prior & forgot. A large two sided venue with garage parking around the corner. It's free, just follow the signs. There's also a private event area right next door (attached). Classy & elegant venue where I'd dress business casual at the very least. Friendly staff who are almost comedically attentive, lol. The whole experience makes you feel upscale. Dim lighting and a service speed as expected, in a good way. We kept it simple as we weren't actually that hungry, but wanted to try it. We had the Bang Bang Roll & Truffle Tso Chicken. There's no complimentary item, such as bread, & the tap water is basically room temperature. Overall a nice experience. A nice place to come, but we wouldn't "rush" back. Grades: Bang Bang Roll: C Truffle Tso Chicken: A read more

See all

This was one of the worst dining experiences we have ever had. We chose this restaurant for a special occasion, and it was a huge disappointment. Everything was extremely overpriced for the portion sizes, including the drinks, and we had to send back both entrées. I ordered a $50 pork chop that was almost entirely fat. My wife ordered the risotto, which was more like soup, with tiny shrimp and a burnt lobster. The only response we received was, "We'll speak to the chef." That is not an acceptable explanation for food that should never have left the kitchen in the first place. As a chef myself, I was honestly embarrassed for them. I have no idea how this restaurant received such high ratings. Very disappointing. We will not be returning. read more

Violette's Restaurant - Sad for the money - Italian Near Me - Woodbridge Township, New Jersey

I visited this restaurant last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. This restaurant is very nice and beautifully decorated inside. The staff were very nice and helpful. Our waiter Dave was very attentive and he explained great options on the menu and his recommendations. I ordered a Lychee Grand for my drink and it was very good. For my appetizer I ordered the Truffle Chicken Croquettes and it was okay. The chicken lacked seasoning. I ordered the Lobster Ajillo for my entree. It was delicious and well prepared. I had a great experience at this establishment. I'll visit again when I'm in the area to try other options on the menu especially the drinks. read more

See all

Great choice for a fancy date night. Very trendy and fun atmosphere, and the service was top notch. For dinner, I enjoyed the pear salad with chicken. The salad and dressing were so good! Hubs had truffle tso's chicken and also really liked it. The "build your own" Old Fashioned and martini bar was a nice menu addition. The real star of the show was the pistachio panna cotta dessert. It was amazing! I definitely want to come back and sit at the bar to check out happy hour. read more

See all

I'm so glad my best friend chose Violette's to begin her birthday celebration. I was able to secure a 9pm reservation on a Friday evening just days before. Our table was not ready upon arrival, however, we were welcomed at the bar. The entrance/hostess area is not conducive to waiting parties, which incentivizes promptness. We were seated in the main dining area, which lends itself to a speakeasy, if you will. Without shame, I ate everything that came across my face lol. Our waiter was excellent! I had a perfectly balanced meal at his suggestion. I had the pleasure of having a Dragonfruit Sour, Spicy Rigatoni, and the Taro Canoli. The Dragonfruit Sour was absolutely delicious. More sweet than sour. I elected to add shrimp to the Spicy Rigatoni which was the perfect blend of warmth and creaminess. The Taro Canoli was heavenly. The Taro was sweet and creamy with a hint of coconut. The only thing I noticed was a difference in opinion in consistency. At one point in the evening everyone in our party ordered the Dragonfruit Sour. The two of us that initially ordered our drinks loved the sweet smoothness. The other 3 that ordered later remarked the drink was on the stronger side. Same with the Spicy Rigatoni, which one of my girlfriends ordered about 10 minutes after us. She remarked her meal had no spice. TLDR: Violette's is great. I can't wait to return. The free valet is a very nice touch. read more

A lot of potential for this new restaurant in Woodbridge. The drinks were phenomenal, however the noodles with our lobster were drowned in salt. Presentation for the dishes were very elegant but taste can be worked on, especially with its price points. Service was attentive but our server made a few blunders. We will not fault him since restaurant has only been open for 2 weeks. We love the music and the decor. The purple accents and mirrors adds that touch of elegance and modernity. read more

See all

This place is really inviting. Great drink presentation. Menu options were good had 2 apptz sushi and lobster tail . Decided to stay for dinner since the Dj had great music option. The short ribs agnollotti was tasty and tender. Hubby had truffle Tso's chicken. The bartender was good (Jonnie) The barback Aiden had welcomed us and very informative with the place and what Violettes offers. Exceptional service. Thanks Johnny and Aiden for a nice evening experience read more

See all

Came for Mother's Day and I must say I had a good time. I think the restaurant decor/aesthetic is very classy & nice. I do plan to come back to try their everyday menu. Drinks were good I would say they cater more on the sweeter side of drinks. My server Joe was very friendly and kind as well as quite humorous. Only issue I would say is I wished they gave more potato purée for the entrees we ordered and we weren't allowed to order an additional side to go home. read more

See all

OMG! What a great overall experience my friend and I had. My girlfriend took me here for my birthday and we had a great time. The service was excellent and the food and drinks as well. I started with a fancy cookie butter latte which was so yummy I could have had another one for dessert. My friend had an old fashioned. We shared an order of bang bang cauliflower which was a pretty decent serving and had just enough kick. The presentation alone was pretty cool as well. For my meal I ordered Sally's French toast and a side of brown sugar bacon. The French toast was so yummy encrusted with sugar that it didn't need any syrup. I put a little on because I didn't know but I definitely could have eaten it without any. The brown sugars bacon was sooo tasty too. I had to leave some to take home for my pup as well as a piece of the toast. My friend orders the steak and eggs and she enjoyed hers as well. My friend made me order dessert for my birthday so I asked our server for a suggestion. She said that she really likes the Taro cannoli. A guy came with it on a platter with ice and 2 sparklers lit singing Happy Birthday to me. There also was a saxophonist playing while we were there and he came over to our table and played it as well. It was so cool. This is definitely a place to come for a special occasion or a date night. I will definitely be back! read more

See all

The ambiance is beautiful, very nicely decorated, and the overall vibe feels elegant and welcoming. The space is also very spacious, making it perfect for larger groups or gatherings. The food was good and the service was excellent from start to finish. Our server was very attentive & friendly - shoutout to Genesis! Definitely a spot worth visiting if you're looking for good food, a beautiful atmosphere, and amazing service. Will be back to try full menu as the menu was fixed due to Mother's Day. read more

See all

The food was absolutely amazing the service from everyone was outstanding. Dave and Matthew made sure that we were well taken care of and extremely attentive. I will be back The ambiance was superb. Grown and sexy read more

See all

I came here this past Saturday to celebrate my friend's birthday. We came during brunch but our server provided us with both the brunch and dinner menu which was appreciated. When we came, there was someone playing the flute while music was playing. It was nice but a little overstimulating. He eventually left after 30 minutes so I'm not sure how long the music entertainment is typically for. Overall ambience was very intimate and classy. It has an upscale vibe but still feels comfortable. Our server was very sweet and very helpful with her suggestions. The cocktails were really good. They have bread service which is homemade foccacia bread for $9. It was so delicious and paired really well with the 3 spreads that were given. Every meal I had was delicious and my friend agreed. The food quality is done really well. I loved how they presented my friend's dessert for her birthday. It was unlike any birthday presentation I've seen before. It doesn't seem like a well known restaurant yet because even on a Saturday it wasn't that many people. The service and food is excellent. I can tell they are going to become very popular. Keep in mind that the location is on a busy street. I almost missed it while following the GPS. You will have to find street parking. read more

See all

Violette's is great to celebrate a special occasion or to just grab dinner if you're in the area. I came here this weekend for the first time with a friend and I was pleasantly surprised. The decor is various aesthetic (very social media vibes ) and the staff was very professional. I have a feeling this new restaurant is going to become a super popular restaurant in the area because the food is delicious. The drinks are strong and again very Aesthetic. Cool side notes the bathroom even has a heated sink. There's like a cute neon sign in the bathroom, They have a private room and our waitress also told us that they do bottomless mimosas ( not bottomless brunch) I believe $30 a person on Saturdays and Sundays so I'll definitely be back to try out other items on the menu because we loved our food and of course the birthday dessert was so festive and so cute so all in all great experience and you are able to park on a nearby residential street or just find parking a few blocks away at the municipal open lot parking lot so you have options for parking but of course if you come in a very busy time you might need to circle the block a little bit but overall beautiful restaurant and I would come back. read more

See all

This establishment is a must. I have been seeing it all over social media and I definitely had to try and yes I will be going back again this week. I attended on a Sunday the jazz brunch and I definitely enjoyed my experience. There were a couple of minor issues however the manager Edison handled them very quickly and I appreciated that. Sam was playing jazz and he was awesome. He was very engaging and everyone was vibing. Drinks that we had, pink pearl spritz very good however I think it should be called something else because there was nothing pink about the drink. Raspberry Limoncello was ok very very sweet if that's your vibe, tequila mocking bird was delicious and I loved the presentation. Food, lobster Benedict loved the dish, fries, steak and eggs, &short stack of cookie butter pancakes. Those pancakes were delicious. We left no crumbs. Vibes, pictures and a great way to end my birthday celebration. Only thing is I did mention my bday and I felt like that should have been recognized with something and not just for myself for anyone who was celebrating I don't know if they acknowledge things like that but it's a nice touch for anyone patronizing the establishment and celebrating but not a deal breaker we are already heading back this week for dinner. read more

Adding pics to my review. Thanks again for a memorable experience! Wish y'all were in Houston read more

Violette's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Woodbridge Township, New Jersey

See all

We can't wait to go back for dinner. Service was warm & attentive. The dining room felt cozy and club-like. The Father's Day brunch was so good. We had the signature French toast and the Chicken & Waffles. The French Press Coffee for two was delicious. We also got the croissants. They were petite but tasted freshly baked. They arrived with fresh butter and Huckleberry jam. Appetizers, entrees and beverages arrived in a timely manner with appropriate accompaniments. The restaurant manager was visible and and made sure service was flawless. Our server was friendly and attentive from start to finish. read more

See all

I loved the truffle chicken croquettes. Steak was cooked a little over done. Service was good, however we had so many people come over and talk to us to see how we were doing our food got cold. Every 3 bites someone was over asking if we were ok. Fire alarm went off during the meal because of a smoked old fashioned. Very loud and they wouldn't turn it off till fire department came. Ambiance was great read more

See all

Good quality food, friendly service, and fair value made this restaurant enjoyable. Minor improvements could enhance consistency, but overall everything felt welcoming and worthwhile for another visit soon again definitely. read more

Everything about this restaurant was absolutely amazing! The food was incredible, the service was outstanding (thank you Donavan) and the atmosphere was perfect. From the moment we arrived, even the valet service was exceptional after the meal. Every detail contributed to a wonderful experience. I can't wait to come back! read more

Did not hear about this place until yesterday. Gorgeous establishment. Service began from the moment that door opened.. the way this establishment treats their customers should be studied at other places. The hostess, I forget her name, but she was working. 7/21 at 5:00. She was simply amazing in every way she could describe details of the restaurant thoroughly. . She pretty much helped us find the perfect lighting for photos. She was so very welcoming.. You are greeted with water with a tray of fruit and herbs to garnish your water any way you like . The menu was just the right size just enough options but not too many options . We had a hard time choosing, but our servers Donovan and Miguel went over all of our questions gave input and described everything as if they were eating it in that moment. We took a very long time and they did not rush us. The food quality was worth the cost. This is not a cheap place, but it's also not overpriced. I will never mind paying a little more for a well executed experience.. the flavors in all of the dishes that we got were exactly how the servers said they would be. The table was kept immaculate throughout the evening without interruption in our meal or conversation. The presentation of everything was above and beyond. Dessert was beautiful and again it was a recommendation from Donovan and it was perfect. The manager, I believe his name was Anthony was very present in the restaurant and welcoming. I don't have the pictures of the food, but I can tell you what we ordered. Fried shrimp appetizer Shrimp Galanetti (sp) pasta dish dish Lobster and shrimp risotto Taro cannoli for dessert read more

Octopus appetizer. Tasted good but for $26 it was minuscule. One small tentacle. Two would have been worth the price. Lobster and shrimp risotto was very good but again one more scoop of risotto would have been better. Flank steak with mashed potato's was tasty. Pistachio panna cotta was excellent. Service was exquisite. But as soon as appetizer was finished entree was on table. Felt like we were at Longhorns. At a nicer restaurant would like a little time between appetizer and serving of entree to enjoy the night out. Don' t want to feel like we're being rushed. Sat in loft area. Had very nice ambiance It's a nice addition to the town. read more

Amazing service, food was delicious and most of all the place was beautiful! I enjoyed the short rib ribs with mashed potatoes that were delicious. My husband had the Bronzino that looked amazing and was delicious. The service was great. The presentation was wonderful. A lot of wonderful options to choose from. I can't wait to go back not to mention. The atmosphere was just beautiful very low vibe warm comfortable music was good a definite to go to. read more

Violette's Restaurant - Amazing amount of smoked whiskey options - Italian Near Me - Woodbridge Township, New Jersey

See all

This place is absolutely beautiful. The service is exceptional and the food is creative fun and first class.

Went there July 3.. big disappointment... not a lot of choices on the menu.. very overpriced for the amount of food you get ... ten dollars for a bottle of sparkling water is ridiculous.. waiters and other staff tried too hard to look high class and snooty .. not friendly at all .. word of advice.. you will never last in Woodbridge.. not the kind of town for this wannabe NYC spot read more

I am baffled by this restaurant. The atmosphere and prices scream "high-end NYC restaurant" but the location, the portions, and the quality are anything but that. Everything is trying wayyyy too hard. The decor is obnoxious and nothing about the food is fresh or light. Everything is overly decadent and smothered in sauce or over-seasoned. The bread service (which is usually complimentary at every other establishment) is $9 here- for 4 pieces of bread (focaccia?) and some very silly dipping sauces. I just found everything to be trying too hard and missing the mark each time. This is not a restaurant I will be returning to. read more

Service and ambiance was excellent. The food could have more flavor. I will give it one more.

Food and atmosphere was amazing. The service was very nice and our server was friendly and knowledgeable.

Brunch was very high end. The drinks were perfect. They also had a saxophone player who was so talented. Beautiful place in Woodbridge NJ. Don't miss out and go check it out. read more

great service/presentation/food! Lots of choices and sauces and sides. We were there twice. James at the bar was helpful and walked us through the menu. Valerie was busy on a Saturday, while still friendly and ingageing. My husband and I have been in the restaurant/bar business for over 4 decades. It does not come naturally. I'm sorry to say the other young man at the bar who's name I can't pronounce/spell. Juelle?, was also fun while busy and impressive. Well,well done! We can't wait to have brunch! read more