11/8/25 Been here a few times... always good food and service. The Mrs. and I started with the mussels (white wine and butter sauce which was very good) and the arugula salad with apples and goat cheese... SO good! My wife ordered the roasted Branzino (butterflied, deboned & served with salmoriglio sauce, sautéed spinach, green beans, and tomatoes which she loved. I opted for the Tagliatelle duck, duck Bolognese, tomatoes in a light cream and pomodoro sauce. Great dish I would order again anytime. Service is always great here... A bit loud, but I guess some people would call that "ambiance." Still a great BYOB we always enjoy. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Mussels, white/butter sauce - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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What a cute charming BYOB 11 minutes from Montclair' University. We tried the appetizer special which was a fig crostini topped with Gorgonzola and walnut. This is very good and on the sweet side. Next came the Caesar Salad. What was different about it is there was a hint of basil and instead of croutons they did a dusting of fresh bread crumbs which was unique. Our meals were the rigatoni and a meatball. And WOW what a beautiful sized meatball. It was a bit too salty but my daughter liked it and that's all we care about. I had the linguini and clams which was good. The clams needed some better cleaning since I had a few with some sand in them. Stand out dish was the Fettuccine with shrimp. Had a nice pesto sauce mixed in with the Alfredo sauce and it really made the dish pop. Shrimp were good and cooked to perfection. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - The last fig crostini with Gorgonzola and walnuts. - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

We were seated immediately with our reservation. Very nice staff and service. We started with delicious garlic spicy shrimp, very tasty. We loved the chicken Milanese, Very nice portion and tender. BYOB read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Two plates of breaded fried fish served with side salads of greens and shaved cheese, on a white table at a restaurant. - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Difficult to find street parking. The food was subpar/average. We ordered the salmon and the cacio e pepe pasta. Both were just ok. I was told the pasta tasted more like pasta water. We also had the cheesecake for dessert which was good. The service is top notch which added a star. Food 3/5 Service 5/5 read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Best part was the meatball appetizer. Main meal was just ok. Maître d' was rude and wanted us to leave. He said he needed our table and there was nobody waiting. There were other issues but I will leave it at that. Will not return. read more

We had a party of 7, so we ordered apps for the table, baskets of bread and all got different entrees. Every single thing we had was fantastic! Portions are large and consistently delicious. We are already planning future occasion dinners there. I had been ordering wagyu at the last few places I've been and have been really disappointed. Not here! Good old NY Strip was cooked to perfection- probably one of the best steaks I've had in a long time. Don't miss this place! read more

Great BYOB that is related to Osteria LK in Maplewood. Right on Bloomfield Avenue this little restaurant has it all. Great service, wonderful food and a great ambiance. We started with Caesar Salad and the burrata special which was great with the fresh and hot bread served at the opening. We enjoyed our wine while we sampled the appetizers and enjoyed the quiet setting. Dinner was the LK Chicken Parm with pasta vodka, and we added the mushrooms and broccoli rabe for sides. All were perfectly presented and seasoned and made for a great meal. We finished with the fresh tiramisu and we left very very happy. We left wondering why we haven't been here more often especially since we found out that it's related to Osteria LK which was equally impressive! read more

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Such an awesome Italian restaurant in Montclair. Friendly service and the food is really yummy, tastes like a legit home cooked style meals. The menu offers a massive variety of Italian cooking - lots of options for everyone. We were also served with fresh bread rolls which I used to soak up the sauces. Really good. The meatball was pretty massive which I thoroughly enjoyed. Bonus: BYOB!!! read more

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Loved the burrata with prosciutto, hot honey, and crostini. The pasta was mixed for me. We had a seafood linguini where the seafood was delicious, but overall the pasta was lacking flavor. The duck tagliatelle was more flavorful, but still nothing to write home about. Service had room for improvement. They seem understaffed, and had some strange policies. There's a $3.50 plate splitting fee, and when you order wine, it comes directly from a liquor store which delivers it to your table and expects immediate payment and tip. Would have appreciated a heads up about that. I was surprised when a random man showed up to our table in a winter jacket with what at first seemed like a random bottle, until I realized what was going on. Our waiter opened the bottle, but did not pour or offer to pour for us. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I would give this place 4.5 stars but I'm rounding it up because the food was so excellent. What the place was lacking in ambiance it made up through the food. Every plate we ordered at the table was delicious. I had the linguini crab which was great, the sauce had a lot of flavor. Another great plate was the mushroom and crab risotto which was flavorful and rich. There was only one bathroom stall. Conveniently, you could order an alcoholic drink which someone would bring over to your table from the liquor store next door. Overall this was a good experience. read more

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I don't recommend eating pasta here. The standard is to eat it a bit mushy. When I asked the waiter, he said that people like it that way. I thought the standard would be al dente. Probably would stick with proteins here. read more

Yet another great restaurant in Montclair. Laboratorio Kitchen has a more upscale feel than many other restaurants in Montclair. The dining room is elegant , yet approachable. The service was absolutely top notch. The food is elevated Italian. The menu is interesting, and included a long list of summer specials. I ordered Mussels Meunière which is a favorite of mine, and this version was exceptional. The mussels were so tender, and the broth is delicious. My husband had Yellowfin Tuna Crudo, which he loved. For entrees, I had a summer special of Linguini with Jumbo Lump Crab, Corn, and Golden Tomatoes. This dish is a star! Huge chunks of crab, sweet summer corn and tomatoes, this dish is memorable. My husband had the Prime NY Strip Au Poive with Mashed Potatoes and Carrots. He ate every last bit. For dessert, we shared the Ice Cream Sundae which was good, but could have used some more pizzazz. Finished with some delicious espresso. Laboratorio Kitchen is BYOB, which keeps the cost down, but I felt that the dishes were reasonably priced. This place is a real gem, and we will definitely return. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Linguini with Jumbo Lump Crab - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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I have not been this excited to write a review-- LIKE EXCITED in a while. First! reservation was for 7:45p for a party of 3- Hubby, My Cousin and myself. We were actually seated earlier at about 7:20p. Although it is BYOB, they have an amazing wine list to look over in case (like us) we forgot to BYOB- they have an agreement with the liquor store on the corner. You can look over the menu of wine etc..., place the order with your server and the liquor store sends a runner from the store over & pay with credit card. I absolutely love this. Anyway- we opted to have appetizers (to not share) Cousin and I each had the mussels PEI Mussels-meuniere style, fresh herbs, butter, white wine, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest - when I tell you we must have had over 30 mussels in each order.. there was probably more- in fact, normally I am put off when I order mussels and some don't open and they still serve them too you and don't offset it (if you get what I am saying), here we each had 1 that didn't open and we didn't even care! the mussels were delicious and the BROTH, we were both dunking the bread into the broth, in fact my Cousin and I both felt a little sad when they took our plates away- this mussel appetizer IS JUST that good!! Hubby had the Fig and Gorgonzola Crostini -local honey, walnut, balsamic syrup, rosemary. He devoured it, it was perfect blend of savory and sweet. For our entrees, I had grilled peaches with ricotta, balsamic glaze ( think), and prosciutto, it was on the summer special menu - it was perfect since I will admit- I was full after all the mussels. My Cousin had the linguine with seafood sauce (also on the summer menu), again another fantastic dish. Hubby had the trout- it there is trout on the menu, he is ordering it. I have to say I had a bite, it was tender, flakey and so flavorful, you can't go wrong with ordering this menu item. We had to wait a bit before ordering dessert, I ordered the Tres Leches cake, but, I do not think it was, it is the only thing I did not finish, it was very dry-but I did not come here for the dessert and totally had bites from my husbands cake. Hubby had the Chocolate cake - it was more like a flourless cake and so creamy and decadent, my cousin ordered affogato al caffè, it is NOT on the menu, but it should be. Dinner for the three of us was fantastic and worth every penny, hubby and I both agreed- we would be returning again for dinner. I have added photos, with titles, because, titles help when you are trying place a name to the dish of what someone ordered. ANYWAY- make a reservation, the food is delicious the service is fantastic, my compliments to the staff for a wonderful evening. read more

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My good friend wanted to go to a really nice restaurant and had been to Laboratorio Kitchen several times and had loved it. What a disappointment! Food was mediocre, service haphazard. It was so noisy we had to yell at each other across the small table. It was crowded on a Saturday night so I guess people were okay with that, but the overall meal was so unpleasant that we could only laugh about it -- and promise ourselves never to go back again. read more

I had the Orecchiette Pasta with homemade sausage and butternut squash and Shrimp Arrabbiata. My partner had the homemade linguini. My food was so delicious! The homemade sausage I would eat by itself. I loved the sauce for the Arrabbiata - it had a bit of kick to it- it was very tasty! And the tableside BREAD WOW! We asked for more for our sauce it was so delicious and came out pipping hot! Staff were attentive and the place is a nice sit down tablecloth restaurant - you can definitely come here for a romantic dinner. My partner wasn't too crazy about his meal which was the homemade linguini, but really liked mine. My mom also wasn't too crazy about her homemade cavatelli but you can't deny it has a beautiful shape! It's a great place but I think it depends on what you get so I definitely recommend getting dishes that are a bit more unique and complex for higher chances of success! read more

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The linguini pasta was firm and covered in a sweet tomato sauce. It blended well with the soft crab and unusually fresh scallops that came with this dish. Pieces of grape tomato added a burst of flair and tartness to the dish and stood out from the sauce. My wife had the day scallops and they were grilled on a bed of puree that tasted like a mix of potatoes and cauliflower with a thinner texture than traditional mashed potatoes. This was done to perfection. Around it was a green juice, possibly from kale and maybe a little chive oil that blended well. The fresh scallops were cooked a bit more than my preference, but that was by design. The American styled cheesecake was on a fancy plate from France. The cheese filling was medium sweetness and thickness in texture. A side of whip cream was given, but it was too sweet. The graham cracker crust stood out for extra flavor, but overall the desert was average. read more

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Yummy, elegant surprises await. We had a reservation and were seated quickly! We ordered the bruschetta with ricotta, fresh strawberries and tomatoes and both dinner specials: Thin, breaded chicken cutlets on a bed of greens with a cream sauce and homemade rigatoni in a spicy tomato-vodka sauce with lovely burrata melting and oozing in the middle. A side of fageoli and pesto was the perfect combination for both mains. Already stuffed because I had to finish my rigs, I nonetheless ordered the blueberry cheesecake, light with a nicely spiced crust and a layer of house made blueberry sauce, nothing canned. The BYO policy is a relief, as you get exactly the right wine for your taste without the up charge, meaning your food bill is reasonable!! They brought an ice bucket and (re)filled our glasses -- class! This place is doing remarkable things, plus a friendly and attentive staff, and Killing it! Bravo.o read more

There was a disagreement amongst staff and I could see them having it. We were seated in the worst seats. Food was uneven.

Unbelievable! We loved this place so much! Food, service, ambiance, pure perfection! I think it is the best restaurant in New Jersey! I can't wait to go back! It's a byob so don't forget your wine or drinks. 2nd visit: Went again as we loved it the first time. We had a 5:30 reservation and we got there at 5:15. We felt very rushed and were done eating by 6:15. We basically ate appetizers, meals, and dessert all in an hour. We felt like they were in a hurry to get us out. Food is great, but need to slow down meal & not make guests feel like they are in a marathon eating contest. We will try again. read more

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UPDATE: Following my posting this - 5 minutes ago, Chef reached out to make it right and learn more. THIS is how you hear feedback, and make improvements. Kudos to Chef for being proactive and non-defensive. I think we'll give another try soon. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Changed since our last times going. We've been there several times, but the last time we went the service and quality of food seems to be slipping. Examples: We arrived on time. When we walked in, we were not greeted. The host glanced at us, and said nothing. He was doing something on the computer, but at least acknowledge us. A few minutes later he asked who we were and then told us we needed to wait for our table. 10-15 minutes later in a very uncomfortably tight space, we waited. We were seated at a 2-top. There's very little room between the tables, so it felt like we were together with the tables on either side. Felt a little like they're cramming it in. It was quite loud, and our waiter had a very thick accent, making it even more difficult to communicate. We had to ask several times for things to be repeated, and as a result our appetizer was wrong when it arrived. When we pointed that out, the waiter argued back, but again, we couldn't really communicate well. I had the steak, after seeing my very-close neighbor having it too. Unfortunately, mine came out way overcooked, I ordered Medium Rare, it was well. My wife's dish came and it was good, and I encouraged her to eat while I waited for mine. The second steak came out at the right temperature, which is good. What wasn't good is there was no apology or any communication other than he picked up the wrong one initially, and dropped the new one and left. The food has been amazing every time we go, there was a temperature issue this time. But I guess the atmosphere and guest services seems to be slipping. My suggestions: Fewer tables Don't book so tight - we waited, and we felt rushed Train/Improve staff for a better dining experience read more

Noise level now under control. Still a great kitchen and experience. So now the place is perfect!

The service was excellent The food portions and quality was outstanding ! The atmosphere was artistly quaint and cozy. My Fiancee loved this Father's Day dining experience. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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We had a delicious dinner Laboratorio Kitchen last night. Be forewarned, it's BYOB. Thank goodness someone who knows the area mentioned that to me. Fortunately there is a fantastic liquor store a few steps down the block if you'd like a cocktail or wine with your meal. IMO, when a restaurant doesn't serve alcohol, it changes the flow of the evening. It's just too rushed. Our first course came out so quickly. Thank goodness it was delicious. I had the special beet salad, which I would love to have a again. The arugula salad was of good size and yummy as well. The salmon special of the evening was fantastic. Definitely a fan favorite and very generous piece of salmon. I cannot forget the house-cut fries, which perfectly seasoned and cooked. They are worth a table share ! The ambiance was hopping, but decor is a bit . The booth seats were literally slippery and not clear if they were made of fabric or plastic. Since the food was so delicious though, I would recommend Laboratorio Kitchen, but be aware of its short comings. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Special Beet Salad - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

I went out of my way to ask nicely that they not overcook the shrimp in the seafood linguine. No surprise that was totally ignored and they were like rubber. No apologies when pointed out that half my meal was inedible. No offer of dessert or to take it off the bill. They really couldn't care less. read more

Very nice place and NYC atmosphere. Nice diversified menu. Service was good and the food was good. Vodka sauce needed a bit more cream. The branzino was small but good. Shrimp appetizer was very tasty. They got parking in the back with an appt. read more

My father loved to eat out. He went to more restaurants than almost anyone, besides me of course. He also had a few pet peeves. Specifically, he HATED special occasion menus. If we were going out for Mother's Day, Christmas Eve or any other holiday, if the regular menu wasn't available he took a pass. That practice trickled down to me and all these years later, I do the same. Fast forward, searching for a place to eat for New Years 2024 and stumbled upon this gem that, unlike every other place in creation, offered their regular menu. And I'm here to tell you, the menu is great. It's the rare place where I could close my eyes, point to anything and enjoy my choice. It's also really reasonable especially given the quality of the food. Went with 14 people and left with 14 rave reviews. I will absolutely, positively see them soon. 1/2 point deduction for typical shitty Montclair parking. Ugh. read more

Food: good complimentary rolls - crusty on the outer layer then soft and hot on the inside; burrata was a tasty combo of capers, olives and cherry tomatoes; mussels fra diavolo was delectable with a memorable sauce; pan roasted salmon was tasty with the caper butter and a herb cream sauce; hubby had the scallops and he said it was good but just wished for a lil zhush up in seasoning to make the flavors pop a bit more Service: attentive, friendly Ambiance: cute interior Tips: street parking only on Montclair's main street; limited municipal lot across the street; there is a parking garage that we found after the fact, so we had to park blocks away read more

The food was excellent. Service was outstanding. Our server Genaro Garcia was the best.

Hadn't been to LK in years. It is still elegant yet with a low key vibe. We met on a Sunday for an early dinner. Service was attentive and pleasant. Food was excellent, no complaints from our group of 4. Appetizers Shrimp Arrabiata Gorgonzola with fig crostini Burrata Entrees Scallops over cauliflower puree Grilled salmon Pasta with crab Desserts Tiramisu Flourless chocolate cake Overall a very nice dining experience. read more

Ordered: Fig & Gorgonzola Crostini (~$13): local honey, balsamic, walnuts, and caramelized mission figs House-made Ravioli (~$15): ricotta cheese, jumbo lump crab, basil-spinach pesto, parmesan Fresh Papparadelle Pasta (~$26): with giant veal and beef meatball, tomato cream sauce, and basil Fresh Linguini Pasta (~$29): shrimp, scallops, jumbo lump crab, plum tomato sauce, and basil Honey Lavender Creme Brûlée (~$13) Wolffer Estate, Summer in Bottle Rosé (~$28): BYOB; delivered to restaurant from The Wine Guys Aya's take: Laboratorio Kitchen has a lot of Italian influence and the ambiance inside is very simple yet classy; I particularly enjoyed all the diverse art on the walls. We had a reservation and were a bit late; they were nice enough to call us to ensure we were still coming. We were seated right away and noticed that there wasn't a drinks menu. Our waiter told us they were BYOB and gave us a menu booklet to The Wine Guys who can deliver a bottle right to the table. That's just what we did! We got the Wolffer Estate, Summer in Bottle Rosé and were given an ice bucket and wine glasses. For the appetizers, the House-made Ravioli is a must! The basil-spinach pesto was fresh, nutty, and light and paired well with the jumbo lump crab. The Fig & Gorgonzola Crostini is a skip for me; there was nothing special about it and not what I had envisioned as you pretty much have to assemble the crostini yourself as you prefer. Both pasta dishes were great portions and great flavor. I enjoyed the Fresh Papparadelle Pasta more because of the giant veal and beef meatball. The Fresh Linguini Pasta would have been so much better in a garlicky or cream sauce to pair well with the seafood (just my preference). The Honey Lavender Creme Brûlée was meticulously creamy and notes of the honey and lavender came through in every bite. There were even little bits of lavender on top showing the thought and detail put into this. Laboratorio Kitchen's menu rotates often so you may have a different menu but the experience will likely be similar with fast service, quality food, and good ambiance. read more

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We have been here both before and after the pandemic. Before it was ok to good. Now it's good to better than good. The menu has changed since for the better as well as the food preparation. It has been a staple since, more than an occasional visit. We've enjoyed most of the menu items. The only one that's been found unsavory, to our taste, is the risotto withe the chorizo, which needed a lighter touch. Instead, the chorizo overpowers the rest of the ingredients, at least to our taste. It's BYOB, which as NJ residents is always a bonus in our view, the seating and ambiance are above average. The decor includes works of art, which we believe are by local artists, so there's a bit of a gallery feel. As to a dish not to miss, the Shrimp Arrabbiata appetizer is generous and delicious. It's been so consistently good it's hard not to include it as part of our order every time. read more

Great experience! It does get busy but the staff still was very attentive. The ambiance is dimmer with enough white noise to hear your conversations. The food.... Amazing. I stumbled on this place just looking for food and I've been back 3x. This is a great restaurant. read more

(I'm not sure if this ever posted, So I'm trying again- this is from an experience in 2019) Such a great experience here at Laboratorio! I went in with reservations (highly recommend doing this!) for dinner around 7 on a Friday. When my friend and I first arrived there weren't many guests but that quickly changed when table after table became seated. Or server and service was fantastic in a way that you would hope it would be when dining at a nice restaurant. As an appetizer we ordered the burrata with olives, tomatoes and balsamic glaze. PHENOMENAL! It was a great start to dinner and was very enjoyable. They also had warm bread for the table which was nice. For our meals, my friend ordered the risotto with chorizo and crab- very tasty! But I ordered the bucatini special with shrimp, tomatoes, spinach in a truffle butter sauce... BEST decision of the night! The whole dish was memorable and delicious. No dessert for us, (we were too full) but we both decided we greatly enjoyed our experience and would return in the future! :) read more

Great food. Great service. BYO. We go there at least 1x a month. Definitely a must-go in montclair.

Had been wanting to try this place for ages and finally remembered to make a reservation over the weekend for dinner. It's a little cramped inside but candlelit and romantic, though a tad loud. Parking was difficult so try to come a bit early. They are byob and I kind of wish we had brought a bottle. They do have a wine menu that you can order from with free delivery from wine guys, but we just didn't feel like it in the end. We got the pesto and crab ravioli appetizer which was pretty good but I kind of regret getting it because the portion sizes for our entrees were substantial and this was a filling appetizer. The steak was delicious and smothered in sauce, perfectly medium rare, and definitely too salty but no big complaints there. I ordered the dover sole which was very well prepared though also a little over salted. The sauce and the vegetables went perfectly with the tender white fish which did not have a fishy taste at all. I would have appreciated a dessert menu instead of our server rattling off the list of options to us. We opted for the chocolate tart, which is a solid hunk of dark chocolate in the tart. I enjoyed it but would have preferred a more creamy/mousse consistency (there was whipped cream on top though). We had a lovely meal here and would return. Definitely want to try the seafood linguini and maybe the scallops next time. The burrata also looked amazing. It's kind of a breath of fresh air to have a place like this with great food and service that doesn't require booking reservations weeks in advance and has reasonable prices. read more

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The food is excellent. Everything was great until our water told us we needed to get up because people were waiting for our table. The management could care less. Will not be back. read more

My son selected this place for his birthday and we got in although it was Saturday! The ambiance, artwork and cleanliness was wonderful. The food was very flavorful, great portions and the pumpkin cheesecake was divine! The service was mixed.. yes they were attentive, but a bit rushed, too rushed for my liking. They were supportive, but head waiter was too quick and at times difficult to understand. His quickness not his accent was the problem. read more

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Alright experience.. we came here because we saw they were participating in the March plant based challenge and we like a fancier styled restaurant. My bf called ahead of time and they told him they will make him a custom menu once we got there. When we sat down we told them this and the chef came out and told us he would make the items on the menu into a four course tasting. The chef was incredibly nice and nothing against him! The food wasnt hitting the right spot for us- we got a carrot tartare with crackers, this felt like baby food to me next course was the hearts of palm cerviche salad- i actually really liked this one then the rigatoni with mushroom bolognese- this was so undercooked and chewy i didnt eat much of it and the flavors weren't strong enough lastly the dessert was fruits with glaze and balsamic and mint which i also really liked. I felt like the two things i really liked could have been easily made at home and when i dine out at a restaurant i want unique offerings- especially as a vegan. Giving three stars because everyone was very kind, but i probably wouldnt return :( read more

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I had the Seafood Linguine and it was very good. The restaurant was full and it was very loud. The service was very slow-placing the order, waiting for the food and waiting for the check all took a long time. read more

I had dinner here last night with 3 friends and it was a great experience! The salmon I ordered was perfect!! And it was over mashed potatoes and string beans with a delicious sauce. A large portion I thought I might not be able to finish but did and loved it! The rolls were warm and crisp and the service was great! My friends ordered the scallops. Great presentation and also really good. Highly recommend. read more