First time ordering here and I am very impressed. MANY places say "homemade" but few actual are! This place is spot on homemade and delicious... I can't wait to try more things... just sad that I didn't find this place sooner!! read more

Celebrated my daughter's baby shower. This is the best kept secret. The staff was attentive, the food was great, and the prices weren't bad!

So I ordered the chicken fettuccine alfredo & it had to be the worst pasta I have ever tasted. It had absolutely NO flavor. The chicken looked like it hadn't been seasoned at all and the pasta tasted like nothing. Everything was just so bland, I couldn't continue to eat it. I wish the chicken would've at least had some type of seasoning and the pasta should've had a little salt, but it all tasted like cardboard. The plus was the bread it came with. It came warm and fresh & i ate all the bread instead of my meal. Also delivery was really fast, but other than that, the pasta was a thumbs down for me. Very disappointed because I just moved to Union & ive been looking for a good pasta in the area :( read more

Came here 2x...food is just average..better places to go in the area.. prices are reasonable..but nothing worth going out of your way for.. Sat night its so noisy where the karoake is u cant even talk..terrible..service is less than adequate and red cabernet was disgusting it gave me a massive headache after i drank it..Dont waste your time or money here..go to Cioffis up the road,, read more

Pleasantly surprised. I attend the comedy night there. The place seemed a little dated, the staff was kind of inexperienced, but the food was really good. Comedy show was good as well. Since then, I've ordered through seamless a number of times. It comes fast and the food is just as good. read more

Not just a restaurant to me but a place to feel at home! I have been coming here since my childhood years. I love the food and the people. They have been consistently friendly and welcoming to every customer they have. I always love my experience here. A highly recommended place for any food lover looking for a comfy place to eat. My personal favorite small business restaurant! My go to-blackened salmon with a side house salad! read more

i used to come here often many years ago, last visit in 2014 & all visits were always a 4-5 star experience. however, seeing the last two reviews something has changed dramatically & for the worst. considering Union was barely middle class 20 yrs ago & that parts of it border Irvington, Elizabeth, Newark & Roselle Park it's no wonder the level of clientele may be one of the reasons but regardless i'll think long & hard before giving this place another try read more

I've passed by Cafe Z for several years and finally decided to try it out when purchasing a living social deal. Three of us headed over on a weekday evening. The place was pretty empty and we were seated by the window. I really liked that seating area and found it very cozy. We started off with a few beers- only $2.50 for domestic pints and the beer was ice cold- yum! My sister ordered the pasta bolognese, which was delicious. I kept stealing some of hers, wishing I had ordered the same. In an attempt to be carb-conscious, I ordered the chicken brianna. It was okay, but probably not their best dish (I should've gotten pasta!). My boyfriend ordered the ribeye and seemed to like his. Our server was very friendly and now that I know what to order, I wouldn't mind going back for an ice cold beer and some pasta. read more

Food was OK.. But service was slow and the weekend piano gig, way too loud. I'm at this place to eat, not watch a piano act ...being forced to shout my orders across the table. It's a small room, very dark. Needs s design overhaul badly. read more

A very odd little place that we struggled to find due to it's location within a weird office park. Our server was sort of a doof. The restaurant was filled with Italian locals and we sort of got forgotten. The Vodka sauce was rich and yummy. If you can find it, give it a try. read more

Amazing food and staff. Patty is so welcoming and she really makes you feel a part of the cafe z family. Absolutely love coming here.

My husband and I as well as my in-laws LOVE THIS PLACE! It means a lot to us! We got married here and we just love the many beautiful memories we have here. There are so many great choices don't know where to start! Everyone at my very small but yet intimate wedding loved the delicious food! I love the owner, after our wedding we went back for our 1 year anniversary to look back and it was great and worth it! Great foods we have had: The cheese tortellini Garlic bread (make from scratch) The penne vodka Alfredo That's my top faves haven't had anything else lol because i am hooked on those top ones! But the best part is everything is made fresh!!! So whatever you want THEY WILL MAKE IT!!!! Worth it! read more

Always one of my favorites! Great food (the eggplant is my absolute favorite), excellent service, wonderful entertainment! Patti the owner is always there and very approachable and accommodating! read more

Great place! Great food! Awesome staff! Good for a full meal or just some drinks. Also great if you have a large group celebration.

Had not been here since maybe the 90's and went in October to see Four Flight Rock who were so great. The service was lacking as we often waited for drinks and we r s big drinking group so it only cost the money. The food was awesome despite service and we will be back for sure. read more

For the love of all that is holy..... DO NOT ORDER THE MARGHERITA PIZZA. All they did was put diced tomato and small pieces of mozzarella on it. That is not what a margherita pizza is. Please improve the recipe. read more

The food is delicious and so fresh! The calamari is to die for, so juicy yet crunchy and the sauce that came with is is fantastic! The owner is such a lovely lady. There's a little karaoke in the back which i enjoyed very much. The place has a really cool speakeasy vibe going for it. 2 bars in 2 different rooms one is more casual and the other one is more of the restaurant side of it. Highly recommend if you want good Italian food at a cool location! read more

I'd returned to Cafe Z after an almost 10 year hiatus (no real reason for the long gap, was just not going out to eat as often as I'd used to) and I was VERY impressed. My chicken parm was truly delicious, the bread was good as I'd remembered from back in the day and the service was also excellent. A very fine and positive dining experience. Highly recommended. read more

Well I had my husband 70th bday today at Cafe Z and they did not disappoint me at all. The whole experience from the time I gave my deposit to reserve banquet room until today (date of party). The waitress Michelle is extremely friendly every time I came there to make payments. And during the party she asked how is everything and I assured her all was good. They gave plenty of food and boy was it very good. My guest kept telling me how much they enjoyed the food. Everyone ate all they wanted. And even tho the party was over at 6:00 they did not rush us out. I did however tell my guest we should go because I knew they were having another affair about 7:30 but like I said they never said anything to us and we eventually left about 6:30. Cafe Z you ROCK! I thank you for making my husbands day so nice. Oh and I forgot they decorated the place so very nice. read more

Cafe Z - His birthday cake which is a fish because he is a big time fisherman - Italian Near Me - Union, New Jersey

I was underwhelmed. It was fathers day and the place was empty. The food was just OK and the service slow considering we and one other table in the entire place. One of my friends ordered salmon and said it wasn't fresh and had to send it back. I was there a few years ago and my experience was much better then. Not sure what the problem was. Hopefully they get it together. The waitress was very nice. read more

Love the food. My faves are--- stuffed meatball! Big serving. Big enough for 2!!.. love the bolognese and the chicken rapa!! And for dessert u gotta have the chocolate mousse!! read more

Incredible food. Nice folks. Feels like a comfortable neighborhood spot but with food quality of a more expensive restaurant.

We were there last night, (Saturday night) and I have to say It was great. We have had a few parties there and have always been very satisfied with the service and the food. Last night we were seated outside dining area and it was perfect. They had live music and a few people got up to sing. Some sang better than others but it was great. The waiter (Ronnie) was very friendly (always wearing his mask) and the food that he recommended was to die for. We will keep going back! read more

I've been coming to Cafe Z for many years. The food, service, and prices are all excellent!! During this time of crisis in our country, the virus, take-out or delivery are our only options. Cafe Z makes that easy! The owner and chef keep this place extremely clean! I do not hesitate to have my meals prepared here! Hopefully our country will get back to normal and I can go back to such a friendly place! Patty, the owner, always says, "Where friends become family and family become friends!" This is very true!! read more

Great food at reasonable price, friendly atmosphere and always a fun time! Homemade soup, pasta fasoule is delicious, my favorite is the chicken with broccoli rabe! read more

I've lived in Union, NJ for a year now and so many people told us to check out the great Cafe Z. So I finally did and could not have been more disappointed. (Dinner on a Saturday Night) First, the good. The Italian food was good. Pretty, pretty good. Big deal, there are a million Italian restaurants in Northern nj. The bad - the food was not good enough to overlook: - the fact that we parked and walked in the door to find ourselves in the middle of baby shower. No employee helped us or told us where to go. We eventually saw a sign asking people to use the OTHER front door they have. But the sign was facing inside the restaurant, so you'd have to walk into the party just to see the sign that tells you to go back outside. - we leave, walk around and go through the other entrance to find ourselves in a half full bar/restaurant area. We then stood there with absolutely no one talking to us or trying to help us for a long time. - finally, a waitress came over and said she was going to make up a table for us. I assumed that meant cleaning one of the many empty tables at booths. Instead, they proceeded to clumsily and awkwardly put a new table in the room right in front of an exit door that was wide open (it did not lead outside). I asked if people were going to be walking in and out of that door all night and the response I got was "I don't know". - of course, during the meal, people were walking in and out of the door, behind me and other one of our guests - carrying chairs and tables and several times coming close to hitting us in the head. I don't know, maybe my expectations were raised too high. I do not plan on returning. read more

Finding the parking lot is fun. It's behind the place so you need to pass it and make a right at the first light and another right. Service 4 stars Food 1 stars or less That why this place got 2 stars First sauce, if that's home made than its awful way too much msg. I know it's easy to cheat but it's pretty easy to make a decent marinara sauce. Tomato, sun dry tomato, spices, touch of dry cheese, pork bones, and time. 2nd meat dish is less than ok. seafood is poorly made Finally, i got aa headache, slight chest pain and dry month due to msg. My wife developed some food allergy after the meal. read more

Just was at Cafe Z for Breakfast with Mr and Mrs Claus. Food was delicious especially the pasta salad with their homemade balsamic vinaigrette! There was plenty of food to choose. But let's face it, we came for the greatest Mr and Mrs. Claus around! They are fun and truly enjoy meeting all the children. It's not just stop and take a picture. They also brought along their friends from Disney. Yes, you guessed it, Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Nothing is more touching than seeing the children's faces filled with excitement and joy. Cafe Z is a hidden gem. I can always get a delicious meal, great service and that feeling of home when I come to the Z read more

Food is ok. Location is a little bit odd. We usually do take out for the eggplant parm, but other then that it's or our go to.

Needed to throw a last minute bridal shower and didn't know where to begin. Chose Cafe Z because of its location (equal driving distance for north and south jersey guests) and boy am I glad I did! I wasn't sure if two weeks was enough time to put a shower together but Patty (the owner) could've done it in two days! She helped me put together a menu, ordered the cake, chose linens and decor to match the brides theme and set up the centerpieces and favors for me. All I needed to do that morning was show up. She is absolutely amazing! Most importantly it was without question the best Italian food I've ever had in NJ. The pasta was homemade and cooked to perfection. The eggplant was sliced and rolled perfectly, the chicken was moist and seasoned with just the right amount of lemon., The sangria was fresh and fruity and the appetizers and desserts (though not needed with the abundance of food) were Mouthwateringly delicious. We never felt rushed, were treated like family and it was the first shower I've been to that people not only didn't want to leave but many pulled up a seat at the bar and stayed long after the gifts were opened and packed away. The other bridesmaids were not only blown away by the food and service but floored when they saw the bill. They were expecting it to be twice the price and have already requested we do the rehearsal dinner there. A beautiful shower - a happy bride - amazing food - exceptional service and wonderful memories! Thank you Patty for an incredibly easy incredible day! read more

I love homemade pasta, and I love coming here for it with a nice antipasto misto and sangria some homemade rigatoni n vodka sauce that's my go to read more

There isn't a bad meal in the house. Patty the owner is always there, she knows her customers and there's a friendly atmosphere and great customer service. You must check it out read more

Went there on a Saturday night. When we walked down the steps that lead to a small waiting area, I couldn't help for noticing a fish tank with murky water and a large albino channel catfish struggling for his life at the bottom. That was my first hint to high tale it out of there but I stayed. Big mistake! Long story short, service was below average, the food sucked, in fact I sent my fish back, it was spoiled. Never going back there. read more

Food is always great and fresh ingredients, but beware Michelle the manager WILL try to pad your bill, happened to me on three different occasions. on one occasion she tried to overcharge me $30. Great food but CHECK YOUR BILL!!!!!! read more

I have lived in Union for over 20 years and probably have stopped in here at least one... Except I couldn't remember for the life of me how it went or when that even was. Cafe Z is easy to miss from the outside - small, unassuming side from the outside looking out onto Morris Avenue but parking for the restaurant is tucked away in a medical complex for its real main entrance. My Boyfriend and I were looking for quality Italian food, specifically well made pasta. We had been terribly disappointed by other Italian places in the area [Union, Westfield, Summit, Millburn, etc.] for the [lack of] quality of their food. Many places in the area claim to have authentic dishes but all they do is rotate a sauce with a different boxed [not house made] pasta and slap a $$$ price tag on it. Being that there isn't much talk in town, we didn't expect much but were hoping for something decent. The place on a Saturday was pretty empty. Front of the house there wasn't a soul. However, toward the back of the restaurant was another bar area which was buzzing - apparently they have karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 8PM. We were met with very friendly and helpful faces.The food greatly exceeded our expectations ! I skimmed through some of the reviews and don't understand why people are complaining about al dente pasta - that's how pasta should be enjoyed. Their Rigatoni is absolutely excellent. Sauce actually had flavor and tasted fresh. Hearty, delicious food with the right portion and price. Cafe Z is literally a Hidden Gem ! I will definitely be coming back. Place also looks excellent for date night or a family dinner. Almost didn't want to share this review because I'm sure once people get word, the place will definitely start getting packed. read more

Great food! Services was friendly and accommodating. Highly recommended.

Awesome drinks and desert pasta was good too will be back prices are very reasonable.

Old favorite. Recently had dinner here and the Chicken special was delicious! The brocoli rabe here is out of this world! Wll be coming back soon! read more

Love this place. I go all the time, especially when the horror nights are there. The wings are amazing, and the staff makes you feel like family. Tons of space and well priced. read more

Everyone enjoyed their dinner plenty of food and reasonable prices. The mahi mahi with shrimp and clams over homemade linguine was excellent. Don't forget to order the red sangria made by Anthony. It's the best!!! read more