We dined at Gioia Mia for their Valentine's Day pre-fixe dinner and overall had a lovely experience with a few highs and a couple misses. The evening started strong with bread that tasted house-made! I even took the leftover back! It was warm, crispy on the outside, soft inside, and perfectly buttery. Such a simple thing, but it set the tone beautifully. For my courses, I had the tuna tartare to start, followed by the spicy rigatoni. The rigatoni wasn't actually spicy, but the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. The real surprise of the night was the eggplant parmigiana. It genuinely did not feel like I was eating eggplant. That dish was so well done that my husband who normally avoids eggplant completely devoured my plate. It was such a great substitute for chicken parm and easily one of the highlights of the night. Dessert, unfortunately, is where things fell short. We tried the red velvet pound cake and the mint chip gelato entremet. The chocolate crunch layer on the gelato was extremely hard and honestly it felt like it had come straight from the freezer and hadn't had time to thaw. The mint gelato itself tasted very much like fresh herb mint, which wasn't quite what I was expecting. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. To me, it just leaned more herbal than classic mint chip. Also that pound cake was a bit dry and again hard like it was from the refrigerator. There was live music for Valentine's Day, which was a nice touch in theory, but it felt more like a performance than background ambiance (unless that's what they are trying to go for). The singer was belting songs (for example, Lady Gaga's Shallow - which for the record I love that song!) however when sang tonight we had to raise our voices to talk. Softer, more subtle background music would have made for a more intimate dinner experience. Still an overall good meal, I'd come back for the entrees. read more

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The food was delicious and flavorful! Our server Daniel was very personable and told us the history of the restaurant and name. It is a quiet atmosphere and tables are nicely spaced apart. The restaurant is great for conversations. The decor is very relaxing and soothing. We had time to breathe between courses, which we love! The food wasn't rushing out of the kitchen. It was a lovely dining experience. BYO read more

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Enjoyed our evening out last Saturday. We were seated in the larger space to the right of the entry. It felt more convivial and brighter than the left side which seemed more subdued and more formal. We made reservations on Resy and worked out great for our party of 3 - my husband and I and our good friend whom we hadn't seen in too long and wanted a place where we could catch up and not have to yell above everyone else as some places have become in town. This was perfect ambience. The staff were kind but service was definitely slower than expected. Water was refilled, but we had to ask about a few things during our time there. The hamachi crudo was enjoyable and the brussel sprouts were crispy but felt they were a little too sweet and syrupy. Our friend enjoyed them and took the best for her lunch the next day. We had to ask for fresh ground pepper and grated cheese for our pastas! The bolognaise was all our favorite! I'm still dreaming of how good it was. The porchini lumache was very Al Dente and could have stood a minute or two More softness and the mushroom sauce was tasty but felt too heavy. We also split the short rib on mashed potatoes and also the pork chop with spaetzle. Both were done very well. We spent have any space left for dessert but I did order an espresso which was delicious! Definitely worth coming back again and to try other items on their extensive menu! read more

This restaurant has been in Montclair for a number of years. It was renamed, not that long ago, perhaps about a year, maybe a little longer, or a little less. This is just my memory of when. Used to be called Fascino. Whether this is a rebranded establishment of the same owner, who we think is the chef, or new ownership, etc. is the situation, we are not sure, but our guess it's the same owner/chef. The former restaurant was a place we'd have eaten in maybe 5-6 times a year. The menu used to be more to our liking, so now we dine here less often, but the food is about the same, which is good. The decor did not appear to change. It's more contemporary in style than not. The wait staff has always been pretty good and attentive. On a Saturday late August night it was maybe half full at 6PM. That does not seem a good sign for its future, especially as there was a an 8PM show on this night at the Wellmont. It's BYOB, as are many NJ restaurants, especially in Montclair. We pretty much stopped eating at another Italian restaurant that changed from being BYOB in this town (I think they allow BYOB for a corkage fee). The bread brought to the table came only with EVOO. It was different, as the bread seemed lightly fried on the outside. It was a nice touch. I just wish they'd offer both EVOO and butter. My wife ordered two appetizers and I order one and a main. One of the things we liked about the former (Fascino) menu was it seemed a bit more extensive. There also seemed more items on it that appealed to us. My wife's meal was a tomato and burrata salad and a crab cake over a cucumber salad. I had the clams made with beer and then the mushroom risotto. Everything was pleasing, but none were outstanding. We passed on dessert. I could say this is a 3, but it's better than that. On the other hand, a 4 might be generous, but that's what I'm going with. read more

Such a beautiful and elegant restaurant. And the food was amazing and the servers were very friendly. Can't wait to return to try more. A great date night place! read more

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Food was fantastic. I had mussles and crab risotto. I also shared an order of calamari with a friend. Its BYOB. There's a parking garage close by. read more

Wow amazing. Got reservations for the Valentine's Day 4 course menu where we were able to choose from 3 different selections for each course. ambiance was very romantic with roses coming down from the ceiling, mood lighting, and live music. We chose the insalata radicchio, dressed oysters, duck egg raviolo, spicy rigatoni, bronzino, Long Island duck breast, and tiramisu sundae. I really wanted to try the tuna crudo and red velvet swiss roll cake but we got a late reservation so they were out :/ But everything was delicious! My bf doesn't like oysters but even he liked these ones! They didn't have that pungent sea flavor, and the zingy toppings were great with it. The raviolo was a giant ravioli with an oozing duck egg, and a rich brown buttery sauce. Delicious but very decadent. The rigatoni wasn't very spicy but the pasta was perfectly al dente (I'm still thinking about it days later) and the sauce balanced. The bronzino had excellent flavor and the veggies were paired perfectly. My bf doesn't like shiitake mushrooms but he didn't even notice and really enjoyed them. The duck breast was a little chewy in the middle pieces but the rest were super tender and the sweet sauce complimented it well. The tiramisu sundae was not too sweet and light. I liked that the ladyfinger added some crunch, but also I think the sundae would've been good affogato style. Oh and the bread! Amazing. So fluffy and soft yet chewy. Crust is light and crispy on the outside and was elevated by the toastiness of the sesame seeds. read more

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This is one of my fav places to dine in. They change thier menu every season. Good ambiance . BYOB. The service has always been really good and the food has remained consistently great. I haven't been here for a few months so i'm looking forward to trying some new dishes. If you want really good pasta then this place should be on your radar. Make your reservation because i highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Celebrated my birthday at Gioia Mia and had one of the best meals we've had in the entire state of NJ! From starters to dessert, every dish was delicious. Especially outstanding was the raw oysters, which was dressed with yuzu granitas. Service was attentive and the environment was cozy and classy. This is definitely one of our favorite places in NJ! Oh did I mention their bread? Wait till you taste it! read more

Gioia Mia - porcini ravioli, pan seared sea scallops, wild boar garganelli - Italian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Was impressed by the classy, yet intimate space. Menu was slim and seasonal, guaranteeing freshness and care into each meal. Service was rather slow and inattentive, but there may have only been one server on the floor, so understandable. Even on the first bite, you can tell that the food is fresh and made to order. However, the price of some meals is far beyond the portions given. Duck tortellini are about $30 for 8 pieces of tortellini. Even if fine dining, I like having a full belly at the end of a meal. This dish did not do that. read more

Amazing dining experience! Every dish was thoughtful and full of flavor. Thought it was very cool that you could order wine from a neighboring store and have it delivered to your table, major plus that they had half bottles. read more

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From the warm, fresh bread to the final bite of dessert, every dish was a masterpiece. The chef's attention to flavor, presentation, and creativity shone through in every appetizer and entrée, making for an unforgettable dining experience. We will be back again soon to try other dishes! read more

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I can't even begin to explain how amazing the food was! I live in the city and was visiting a friend in West Orange and we decided to come try Gioia Mia, which came under new management and owner a year ago apparently. Let me tell you, the food was out of this world! I don't think I had a better dinner in my whole entire life. They are BYOB, which I didn't know, but they have a liquor store down the street that delivered my wine in less than 5 minutes of calling it in!!! The dinner starts with a homemade focaccia that was amazing. We also decided to step out of our shells and ordered the chicken liver mousse. When I tell you my friend would never even think about eating liver, she absolutely loved it!!! It was such a perfect pair with the strawberry rhubarb! The asparagus tabbouleh salad is also something I would have never thought would be in the same dish, and it was delicious! The scallop tiradito - oh my god. The flavors in that was perfection!!!! We then had agnolotti, malfadine, and cavatelli. The cavatelli and malfadine were on point!!! Agnolotti was also very good but out of the 3, it was my least favorite comparing how flavorful everything else was. And to end, we had a hanger steak and the pan seared scallops. The scallops were amazing!!!! And the steak was literally cooked soooooo well and how it was coated in au poivre couldn't be more perfect. What a culinary dining experience this was. Can't wait to come back again!!!! read more

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My wife and i went for the price fix New Years Eve disco night and it was a lot of fun. Most importantly the food was excellent. Oysters, rigatoni, halibut and short rib did not disappoint. The star of the show was pillow like pasta served as an appetizer. Little rectangles that i hope they add to the regular menu. Terrific meal! Dragonlady and Andrew P should get a life! read more

Gioia Mia is a cozy, elegant, and comfortable restaurant located on busy Bloomfield Ave. There are a limited number of tables, so I would definitely make a reservation. The service was fine. It's a byo and a cool bonus is that you can order wine from a local shop and they will deliver to your table. They bring out some excellent focaccia to nibble before your meal. I had the Chicken Liver Mousse with Apricot Gelee as my starter. This dish was fantastic. The mousse was silky smooth, and paired perfectly with the sourdough bread. Pickled carrots and radishes were also on the plate, and cut the richness of the liver. I would order this every time. My husband had a 1/2 order of the Cavatelli with Sausage and Peas. Fantastic dish. He ate every last bit. For my main, I had two 1/2 orders of pasta. I chose the TALEGGIO SCARPINOCC, and the BRAISED DUCK & TALEGGIO TRIANGOLI. The SCARPINOCC was the better of the two dishes. I would order this again, but probably not the triangoli. My husband had the Pork Chop which was juicy, flavorful, and delicious. We shared the Adult Sundae for dessert, and I was delighted that my husband got full after a few bites. This meant more for me! Exceptionally creamy coffee gelato, with brownie, bourbon cherries, and Swiss meringue, this was divine! Rounded it out with a great double espresso. We really enjoyed our meal here. I would definitely return. read more

Came back and was a bit disappointed. The focaccia was gummy. Tried duck ravioli and it was bland. The filling was good but the pasta was too al dente. It was almost hard around the edges of the ravioli. The sauce was a bit bland. I had the halibut which was so bland and the fish skin looked unappealing as it was not crispy and lacked color. My boyfriend had steak which he said was okay. Just not a good night for Gioia Mia. Kinda made me wonder why my first review was so good. read more

Food was good not outstanding and could have been served hotter but Servers were responsive and quick.management seemed absent and uninterested. Didn't come around to table to ask how everything was going. Walked into the reception area looking for a restroom where 3 employees sat looking at phones and paper work not one looked up to assist. Had to request assistance and of course they were quite helpful and polite but it just felt weird not being acknowledged as a customer. read more

Picked this place based on reviews.... The atmosphere was pleasant, lowkey + quiet. Service is where they lacked so much. Server was not great and thats usually what helps restaurants. No great first impression and it didn't get any better the time we were there. Solely on that, I wouldn't go back. Although would I recommend this place? Maybe not or at least it wouldn't be on the top of my list of places to go to. Food was good but nothing spectacular. read more

It started out pretty well. The restaurant was a little loud but not overwhelmingly so. The food was generally very good albeit a little overpriced for the portion size. We were very happy with the service until the dessert course. None of our desserts were great. We ordered 3 for our group of 4. One was the peanut butter semi-freddo which was more fully freddo (fully frozen), another was the lemon pistachio tart which my husband didn't enjoy. I ordered the crème brûlée which tasted pretty good but the custard was not set at all. It was very soupy. When our server Bella came and inquired about the desserts I was the only one who spoke up and showed her how runny and soupy my crème brûlée was. She didn't really respond to me which I found odd. She didn't offer to get me something different, didn't offer a manager to come by, didn't offer to comp it. I finished it but I thought it was a poor ending to what was otherwise a fairly decent meal and experience. Doesn't really make me want to patronize there again. Any restaurant can have issues (big and small) but it's how they deal with these issues that makes or breaks a restaurant for me. Gioia Mia dropped the ball in my opinion. read more

Nice atmosphere, good service and excellent food. And busy for a Sunday evening so the word is out.

Love this new addition to Montclair! Had the pleasure of dining there this evening and was very happy to find both vegetarian and non-veg options. The peach salad was delicious as well as the oysters, gnocchi and squid ink pasta. Love that the menu isn't too large but has more than enough options. Service was excellent. Try this one out for date night! read more

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Really enjoyed our meal tonight! Food was delicious, service was great- it was our first time and we plan to go back.

Another excellent meal. Every course was delightful, traditional dishes with a slight twist. Tonight we had the scallop crudo and steamed clam appetizers, the cavatelli with sundried tomato and almond pesto, ricotta stuffed pasta with corn and basil and grilled scallops. Dessert was a delicious pistachio bread pudding with homemade gelato, followed by an excellent cup of coffee. The service is professional and pleasant, the room is comfortable, with tables well spaced. We have been coming here since it opened, and for the previous incarnation. Every meal at Gioia Mia has been excellent. They also have an oyster special on Wednesday nights - the baked oysters are my favorite. read more

One of the best places I've eaten at. Inside was small, cozy, and not overdone for being a semi classy restaurant. When dining out, I find myself enjoying places like Fascino which have small menu selections since I know the chef can focus on just a few high quality dishes. We opted to order a bunch of plates for the table to share. The squid ink pasta w/ shrimp, focaccia bread, romaine lettuce, and oysters as starters. The past was handmade and went well with the shrimp. It didn't taste too fishy and had a little bit of heat in it. The focaccia bread was so flavorful I didn't find the need to dip in olive oil. The oysters came ice cold and had just the right amount of saltiness to them. The hangar steak was one of the best I've had anywhere. Every plate that my table ordered was absolutely delicious. read more

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Really wonderful Italian restaurant in the Montclair area. Service was on point, decor is modern but very warm lightning; gave a cozy family feeling. Food was excellent, we had gnocchi, squid ink pappardelle, crudo, charred octopus and dessert! Each dish was tremendous, looking forward to going back. Also, byob ftw! read more

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Spent date night here recently and already cannot wait to go back. Beautiful ambiance inside. Loved that the tables are nicely spaced and comfortable. We started with the polenta fries appetizer, and as someone who is not a Gorgonzola fan, I found the whole thing delicious! For entrees we both opted for pasta dishes and they did NOT disappoint. The gnocchi was so light and fluffy - without question the best we've ever had. The wild boar bucatini was also very delicious! Service was attentive without being rushed, which is always appreciated. Unfortunately, our date night was cut short due to an unhappy baby at home, so no dessert tonight (it sounded like there were amazing options though!). We will ABSOLUTELY be back! read more

Gioia Mia - Ricotta Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I found this restaurant through the North Jersey Eats Instagram account and dined here with some girlfriends a few weeks ago. What a pleasant find this was! I get the impression that this restaurant is fairly new/has changed hands recently. Decor was very modern and seating was spacious amongst several dining rooms. For those who drink, the restaurant is BYOB, but what absolutely blew my mind is that they have a separate menu where you can order wine by the bottle from a local liquor store and then it's delivered directly to your table!!!???!!! What a time to be alive. We enjoyed the roasted oysters with bread crumbs & Calabrian-miso butter which were delicious and delivered that umami element. Tuna tartar was fresh. Perhaps my favorite thing about this restaurant was that I could order a half dish of pasta - Not because I'm looking to enjoy smaller portion sizes but rather because it allowed me to try multiple pasta dishes, without having to decide on just one. I went with the taleggio scarpinocc and the campanelle funghi - both of which were delicious, but I especially enjoyed the taleggio scarpinocc. Food was served at the perfect temperature, hot - which seems like a small detail but really goes such a long way. Nothing is more disappointing than getting your dish at a restaurant and it's luke warm. We ordered a side of brussels to share which were also very tasty. Dessert, I went with the rice pudding, which to me is like a little bowl of comfort and was the perfect portion to leave you feeling satisfied but not overly full. I'd be open to going back and dining here again in the future - it was a great meal for our girls night out. read more

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We had a nice evening - first the positives. The chef has talent- each and every one of our dishes from the oysters ( raw and baked), octopus, mussels and the mains- Shrimp, Seafood fettuccine, Pork Chop, Green garlic Rigatoni were very good to excellent. Then the problem- we came expecting a fine dining experience and found a full dining room with only ONE waiter managing 10 tables. He was doing his best, was very nice and as efficient as he could be.., But obviously service was very slow, we had to pour our own wine from beginning to end and wait for 30 mins to get the basics- wine glasses, opening our wines, a bucket of ice etc. Management cannot expect one person to run the front of the restaurant- we literally saw no other staff the whole evening. So cannot expect a fine dining experience but if you come without that expectation and are prepared to wait, the food is uniformly good. Hospitality not so much. read more

This is one where I went back and forth on whether it would be three or four stars. I settled on three but you need to know it was based on my taste preferences which might be different than yours. The WILD MUSHROOM SOUP -- barlotto, crispy shiitake mushrooms, rosemary crema, to start was amazing. Sampling a few appetizers at the table, however, I saw a mixed bag. The CORNMEAL CRUSTED CALAMARI -- tomato-fennel compote was not of my liking. Perhaps too sweet? I am frankly not sure. The MASCARPONE POLENTA FRIES -- gorgonzola fonduta were actually very good. The RAVIOLI DEL GIORNO -- chef's daily fresh made ravioli with filling of his choice, and yes, I don't remember what was in there were a total bust. For dinner I had the RD BURGER -- Chef's blend beef patty, caramelized onions, smoked bacon, truffle cheese, brioche bun, house-made pickles, parmigiano fries. It was very good but the onions were little more stringy than they needed to be. I don't do dessert often but the table shared the RICOTTA ZEPPOLES -- nutella dipping sauce, blueberry compote, which were indeed amazing. I guess the real problem for me is that though what I ordered for myself I was happy with the shared items that were on the table were hit and misses and they were things, at least from the menu, that I would have ordered as part of a meal which could have made for an awful experience if I picked otherwise. read more

Gioia Mia - Italian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I was really impressed with Fascino. Came on a Saturday night and made a reservation through OpenTable. The vibe is classy and sophisticated. I loved the music they play, Frank Sinatra and other classics. We joked about wanting to get their play list. I really love that it's BYOB, we brought wine and champagne. Service was top notch. I loved the apps more than the entrees. We got a smaller portion of a pasta dish as an app. The cavatelli and meatballs with the ricotta is a must get! My entree was good but not amazing. I wish they had another steak option and not hangar steak. They asked us what we were celebrating because we brought champagne. They brought out a cake with a candle which was a nice touch! read more

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So my friend wanted to come here for his birthday so we gave it a try. I made reservations online and had to put my card on file to hold the reservation. When we arrived I had to circle the block a couple times to find parking but found something eventually. When we walked in I told the hostess my name and she sat us. We were served by a nice waiter and I totally forgot his name which was terrible. This spot is BYOB which we didn't know so I had to run out to buy a bottle to our liking. They also have a service where you can order from a particular location and they deliver. When I got back I was ready to order. For appetizers we got calamari and it was very tasty and well seasoned. For our entrées I got the squid ink pappardelle with shrimp and crab ragu and my friend ordered the hanger steak. The appetizer came out rather quick but our entrées took forever to come out. Luckily we had our wine to sip on to pass time. When the food finally arrived I will say it was worth the wait. I loved the pasta and tasted the steak and that was pretty good too. For dessert we had zeppoles with nutella and blueberry dipping sauce. We had a good time and more than likely we will be back. read more

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Inexperienced waiters, small portions, and you can hear a pin drop the place is so quiet. They have a great story behind the restaurant but the menu needs to be changed and a much better atmosphere for Saturday night dining. read more

this spot is an absolute gem! It is BYOB but they do have a alcohol list that you can order from at the table, and for a small fee someone can go to the liquor store next door and bring you a bottle of whatever you ordered. It is very convenient in a pinch if you forget to bring a bottle and don't want to leave your table. I came here with a friend one night for dinner and this place did not disappoint. You will start off with fresh (yet crispy!) bread for the table which will not miss the mark. For appetizers we ordered the burrata and the octopus, which were absolutely divine. Both had so much flavor and the texture of both plates were right on the money. For my main dish I ordered the chicken and let me just say every single bite will have your tastebuds tingling because the dish is just cooked so nicely. The chicken was perfectly cooked and was paired beautifully with the sides. My friend ordered the hanger steak, which she also said was divine. I highly recommend coming here for a date night!! The interior decor of the restaurant is very quaint and well designed. read more

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This is currently the best pasta in town. Everything was excellent and the highest quality. Service was fast, place was not busy. Little on the pricey side but you get what you pay for. Highly recommend. read more

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I made the reservation for 7 people a week in advance for my cousins birthday. I was worried about them giving me a problem about a big group but they were very nice and accommodating. We went on Wednesday at 630. It is very hard to find parking in Montclair especially at that time, so we were about 20-25 minutes late and again they were very nice about it. We got bottled still water for the table. This is what keeps me between 3 and 4 stars. The waiter only brought out one bottle and poured barely half glasses of water in our cups. Throughout the meal he didn't even ask if we wanted more water, we had to ask him. I would think that's an important part of dinner. Especially since only 4 people were drinking the wine at the table. I found that very strange. Food 1/2 DOZEN EAST COAST OYSTERS (usually priced at $25) they had a special where it was half off that day $12.50 - very fresh and enjoyable 5/5 THYME-ROSEMARY FOCACCIA BREAD $9 - 4/5 SQUID INK PAPPARDELLE $30 - I've never had squid ink before and I was pleasantly surprised. With the bread crumbs, shrimp , and crab I thought the flavor was great. I also thought it had a nice kick to it. 4/5 RD BURGER $24 - the burger was okay nothing special. It came with fries which were pretty good. 3/5 RICOTTA GNOCCHI $28 - the gnocchi was so soft but the flavor was lacking 3/5 MEDITERRANEAN BRONZINO $30 - I thought it was very well made and the risotto it came with was excellent as well 5/5 FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE $12 - I think I was expecting something more soft so I didn't enjoy it, the mango gelato I felt did not pair well together 3/5 LOCAL APPLE CROSTATA $12 - this was the star of the show. The apple was warm and the whiskey gelato paired so well. I would definitely get this again! 5/5 I thought the food here was pretty good, depending on what you get of course. I do wish the service would have been a little better. Also it is BYOB read more

Gioia Mia - SQUID INK PAPPARDELLE - Italian Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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This was a perfect spot for a romantic date night. The ambiance was perfect and the food was delicious. It is important to note that this place is BYOB but they also have an excellent service that you can order wine from and get it in a couple minutes if you forget. Would definitely reccomend! read more

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Beautiful and simple place to have a meal. The decor and flatware were very nice. Food was tasty and fresh. Servers were very attentive and friendly. read more

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Everything to cooked to the "T" Staff excellent no rush no mess! Perfection. Old fashion style with modern ambiance! Pay a visit to the Best food in MONTCLAIR NJ read more

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Excellent meal and low key, attentive service. From start to finish, beginning with the wonderful focaccia the meal was delicious. My friend and I shared 3 small plates, shishito peppers, pork belly and chicken liver mousse, and a main dish hangar steak. Everything was beautifully plated, including the steak with fingerlings which they split for us before serving. All of this was wrapped up in a low key, comfortable dining room suitable for date night. Definitely going back! read more

I will first start out by saying this restaurant is very fancy. If I didn't come straight from work I would've easily been underdressed and the host's eyes would've looked me up and down in a judgey manner. With that being said, I thought the service was quite lackluster and I had to ask a few times for our server to come back and take our order. The food was also nothing to really excite me. I got the chicken and we also ordered a pasta dish. Given that this was a while back and the restaurant has rebranded I'd be willing to give it another try, but my first impression wasn't the best. read more