AMAZING- ALWAYS AMAZING! That's all I have to say about this place. My husband and I have been coming for the past 4-5 years and they never disappoint. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - House Made Ravioli Shrimp Arrabbiata - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Reliably excellent fine dining experience for many years. Top 3 in town. And better prices. The food is not unusual, just unusually well prepared. Service is earnest if not yet at the level of the kitchen. The house is inviting, more an upscale bistro than a hushed dining room. Excellent wine glasses, even flutes. Music is often more subdued here earlier in the evening than the other spots at the top of the list which, frankly, elevates the place. Adults dine here often. Outdoor tables in the back for warmer months. BYO and even a coat check. read more

Came here with a group of friends for a friends birthday. Pro: BYOB Staff is very nice Allows for you to bring cake in for special occasions Con: Food was okay, nothing memorable. We ordered the Atlantic Salmon which was very fresh, the local mushroom risotto which my friends loved, fresh Tagliatelle pasta and the fresh Pappardelle. read more

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I am Mira Segal, My Husband David an I had dinner in this wonderful place just recently, June 17, and totally loved it. I am a pretty fancy cook myself and am very picky and demanding when it comes to quality of prepared food in the restaurant. The most important thing to me is that the chef treats the ingredients with respect, picks whatever is available locally in season and prepares honest food, just like he/she would do for oneself. LABORATORIO KITCHEN DIDNT DISSAPOINT!!! The appetizer grilled peaches with mozzarella, the special salad, house made ravioli, salmon for main course - all were immaculately prepared and beautifully presented. We enjoyed every morsel of our food. In addition, the bread and butter deserve the praise as well. And the dessert shines , my favorite was strawberry-rubarb pie. Do yourself a favor, go celebrate something with chef James. He is kind, professional and accommodating. We ran late due to parking difficulty, but nevertheless were sitted comfortably when we arrived. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to find parking!!! read more

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I was skeptical about the menu at Laboratorio. I'm not a huge fan of Italian food, specifically New Jersey Italian food, and this menu seemed heavy on that influence. But boy was I pleasantly surprised. They have turned an ugly parking lot into a nice little patio area. The service is quite good. And everything we had--Spaghetti Norma, fois gras, and one other dish I'm forgetting--was delicious. It's also BYO. Before we even got up to leave I was saying I was looking forward to coming back. read more

What a find! Being a jaded New Yorker somehow I always compare suburban restaurants with my city experiences On a recent Friday evening , early I checked with yelp to find the best restaurants in Montclair since I was there Bingo! A major hit This restaurant is as fine an establishment as any of my nyc favs. The most pleasant reception upon arriving, a superior waiter with gracious spirit and enthusiasm made for a perfect evening There is a wide variety of dishes here that you will want to try. I witnessed beautiful pasta dishes that were made after I had ordered We started with the most creamy Burrata and prosciutto appetizers and a delicious salad of the evening. We followed up with the steak which was of Devine quality. Thick cut Ny strip , perfectly seared outside and like butter inside was perfect The hand cut fries crispy and hot. Dessert of fresh berries and cream fresh were sweet and finished the meal perfectly The place is lively, ( in fact an old couple came and left feeling it was too loud ) I hate loud places but this was more or a lively feel than loud The prices are very fair and over all this is the place one wants to return to. ASAP read more

Our Friday evening dinner dates were becomming very enjoyable as we worked our way down our list of top picks. Finally, I landed a reservation at Laboratorio Kitchen in Montclair using Find a Table. I called early in the week, during the afternoon hours, and was able to secure the very last table that was available for Friday evening. A parking spot became available immediately across from the restaurant as we arrived! The entrance is unremarkable yet walking into the vestibule, you become a part of the jovial crowd of happy diners! Following our check-in, we were shown our table without any hesitation. Although not a very expansive space, Laboratorio's architect accomplished an amazing art deco/mediterranian space that is warm and inviting. Table settings were of quaity linens, china, crystal, and fine silverware. Warm, fresh round rolls with a dish of butter were quickly placed on our table. (Note that the butter was an approx 3" square wedge, quite a step up from the norm.) Menus were handed to us within minutes, questions answered from a very efficient wait staff member. A separate menu outlining Specials was reviewed as well as their standard menu. (Fresh, ice water was replenished without us asking.) This is a BYOB restaurant. Every single table bore a bottle or two of wine. The many conversations among other diners was ongoing yet subtle. Clearly, these guests were thoroughly enjoying their evening! My wife's app consisted of a generous wedge of Gargonzola cheese with several varieites of fruits and nuts with fresh baked thinly sliced breads on the side, very appealing and tasty! For me, the homemade ravioli in a crab meat sauce that I had never had before, simply mouthwatering and delicious! (Note that our apps arrived quite quickly despite the full house.) Mains: My wife chose the hand rolled cavatelli with ricotta. I opted for the homemade linguini over scallops, shrimp, and crab meat, with a delightful tomatoe sauce consisting of mini tomatoes that was extremely flavorful. It shoud be pointed out that our portions were more than ample. Grated cheese was then shaved onto our plates by a separate server. Also, I had never seen a dish prepared like mine before. I have sampled many seafood and pasta dishes over the years yet this was a culinary masterpiece! Again, our server was extremely efficient yet unobtrusive. Her assistance was seamless and polite, another indication of what Laboratorio Kitchen does very well. With regard to the number of Stars, I would have given Laboratorio 8 Stars if it were possible! A must try restaurant that should be added to the top of your list! We will be back! read more

One of the better restaurants we have been to in Montclair. Good service. Tasty food but overall it's a 3. Started with the meatball - very good with impressive presentation!!! Get this. Risotto- good Tuna special - good Crostini was tasty Overall a good restaurant. read more

whew, I made it out alive. I'm not gonna lie, I may or may not be a little too young to be dining here. The things I do for Yelp..... Despite feeling a littttle out of place, the food here is fantastic. We came a little late for our reservation, but our table was still... well, our table. So you'll start off with some bread; then you'll order the ravioli appetizer, then you'll order the risotto. There you have it, a plan for a perfect dinner. The house made ravioli here is the best ravioli I've ever had. The pesto went so well with the pecorino and ricotta, and the texture was like biting into a soft cloud of Italian heaven. Next, my risotto. Looking at the ingredients, I was afraid of too much sodium, but it turned out not too overwhelmingly salty, which provides for a nice and smooth ride down your mouth. Now we also got the scallop entree, but I'm afraid they were a little undercooked. Everybody makes mistakes though, and the rest of the dinner was so good I couldn't even complain. read more

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Bottom line: we come here often. We love it. Gluten line: they've always accommodated. Long line: to summarize multiple visits, we've enjoyed coming here every time. Food has always been on point, service efficient, and overall the ambiance fantastic. Highly recommended. read more

First time in the area. It's a really nice restaurant with really lots of choices on the menu. We decided to go with various appetizers to share to try different things. Probably the best one was the burrata with strawberries. We've also decided to try the Brussels sprouts with Cap'n Crunch (in the photo) as we were just curious to see what it'll taste like. The service was good except for the end when we were asked to leave as there was another reservation waiting, something we weren't told if there was going to be a time limit. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Brussels sprouts with Cap'n Crunch - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Went for dinner on a Wed night with 2 girlfriends at 6:30. Parked in the garage on Valley Rd ($7) Nice ambiance, great service, fancy table cloths and glassware. By 7:30 the place was full and a little noisy but bearable. You definitely need reservations. We split a special salad with pears which was so good. My dinner was the Seafood Linquine-big huge chunks of crab, really delicious. Such a big portion I took half home. We split a Tiramisu, outstanding. They did not rush us and the wait staff were excellent. read more

We love this place. Yup! They do a good job with the space they have, its intimate or casual based on the crowd; nonetheless, it is one of our fav places to eat in Montclair, NJ. Customer service is keen to them, and they display this by being patient and generous with us whenever we go there, especially when we go with our toddlers and are just a little bit noisy. The food on the other hand is excellent. Very well catered, and the presentation is quite exquisite. We've tried the fish, the spaghetti and so many dishes that we're unsure the names; but our taste buds memories last a lifetime. We recommend for special occasions, and intimate moments. Parking is not too bad, and there's a liquor store next door, its BYOB. Cheers! read more

I had a rehersal dinner here and I'm so glad we did! The food was outstanding. Good portions and everyone raved about it. The service was also friendly and super attentive. Really cute spot in downtown and definitely would recommend. read more

Once again excellent food/ service. As stated in a previous review. Great food consistently! Ate here for my anniversary. Why? Because I wanted to ensure a great time. I had the risotto. Very good. Had the duck bolognese last time also excellent. My wife had the salmon. She loved it. To wrap up. Great food & happy wife. Life is good. Cheers read more

So it's Friday night and after one of those weeks my wife and I are at an impasse about tonight's dinner. So me being of Italian American descent, I could only think of comfort food to gorge ourselves on while we chill on the couch. The MEATBALL and pappardelle is a must-try for first timers. I kid you not, the meatball is slightly bigger than a softball. It's made of beef and veal, and so good . The pasta cooked just right and the sauce is just straight deliciousness. The restaurant is also so accommodating; they texted us the specials menu for the night. Tried the Orecchiette with roasted butternut squash, spicy sausage, Parmesan cheese. Phenomenal combo. Everything work so well together. Wife gave it two thumbs up-I concur. Best part is we picked it up. Sorry pics are the aftermath but Kudos to the Chef for a great chill Friday night read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Sorry we couldn't wait -Fresh Pappardelle Veal and Beef Meatball - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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Fresh seasonal food done right. While the indoor is certainly nicely decorated, we opted to eat outside on a beautiful evening. The outdoor section is at the rear of the restaurant and has taken over a small portion of the parking lot. It is well lit, and quaint. All of the food was properly prepared and quite tasty. Outside of the main menu, they offer a wide variety of specials both for appetizers and mains. The service was courteous and fairly attentive. They offer gluten-free options. While they are not explicitly marked on the menu, the server did a good enough job of getting the info on our options. They are also fairly accommodating in making minor changes to some dishes to make them GF upon request. BYO with a nearby liquor store. There is a lot in back, though I'm not sure if it belongs to the restaurant. Reservations are highly recommended, as is the restaurant itself. read more

Excellent appetizers and entrees. There were 5 of us for an early dinner and the food was delicious. We all ordered a few appetizers to share and each of us had different entrees. Service was attentive and good. We were too full for desserts. BYOB! read more

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The service! The ratio of staff to guests is top notch. Glasses always full, empty plates never sat for more than a minute, and on top of that the food was beautiful, and delicious. Very impressive restaurant to visit. read more

The food was delicious and the plating was flawless. You have to bring your own alcohol though which was even better. Great value and amazing food. read more

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I want to say that the food here is outstanding. The service is very good as well. The Maître D Hostess Lauren is superb truly a rock star runs the place like a Swiss clock. Now the good stuff, the food is terrific. The chef owner James takes a lot of pride in what he serves and we are all better for it. The food Italian of course ranges from excellent appetizers to entrée. One of the biggest meatballs for appetizers is so big but seasoned throughout every bite. The spicy shrimp oh my excellent. the Steak my wife truly adores consistent every time. I'm going to say this the chef prepares fish better than any restaurant I have EVER gone to. I tasted trout that was exquisite. The pasta which of course I love. Just a note The sauce is a little too much maybe alert waiter for them to lessen the sauce. It is a place that my wife and I truly love and enjoy. Just go and don't tell anyone because I like eating there and don't want to get shut out. So keep it on the download :) Lastly like most Montclair restaurants it is B.Y.O.B. read more

Came here for an anniversary dinner. We made reservations ahead of time, but didn't seem to need it cause around 6pm there were not a lot of people. However, things did start to pick up around 7pm. We walked in and were greeted by a lovely host and immediately seated. The waiter was prompt and attentive. Upon being seated, he promptly opened our bottle of wine. Yes, this place is BYOB. After opening the wine, we had a couple minutes to peruse the menu. We ordered the eggplant appetizer and the stuffed cheese appetizer. Both were excellent and I highly recommend them! For the main course, I had the mushroom risotto with no meat and my significant other had the scallops. We both loved our dishes! They were divine. Lastly, for dessert, we ordered the tres leches. I was skeptical that it would not be good, but I was luckily I was pleasantly surprised! Overall, loved my experience here and I would definitely come back! read more

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Excellent meal. Scallops and Rainbow trout.App portions substantial (8 delicious shrimp for $14). con: The speed of food came out extremely fast. For a fine dining, that was a big turn off.We had sat, ordered, received a salad and eaten two entrees in under 45 mins. If that is the experience you want than it's perfect. For us, they should have timed it better. Also, the server seemed overly attentive. I definitely like waters being refilled or clearing plates but we knew what we wanted for entree but even waited ten minutes because he kept coming over and wanted our order. Keep in mind this was a Sunday, 6pm dinner reservation and there were 13 tables dining, which appeared about half the restaurant. Patio was closed that night because it was raining. read more

I enjoyed the place and the food! We went here for dinner before a show and the the one thing that stood out most was the service- it was great! It's one of those places that folds your napkin nicely for you when you go to the bathroom. They had gluten free options, which was nice. I had the muscles with a side of fries and the GF linguini with seafood. Both were delicious. The only comment I had that was a bit disappointing was that some options that could be made gluten free were gluten free because something was removed. For example, there was a Flat bread I could order without the bread... which would make it $14 mushrooms. I wish they had gluten free bread as substitute in appetizers instead of just removing the bread. With that aside, I would go back. Tip for alcohol- it's byob. If you forget to bring something, there is a liquor store around the corner. You can run out and buy something (or ask your server to do it). If you go yourself and tell the store cashier that you are about to dine in the restaurant, you will get 10% off. read more

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Always wonderful, fresh tasting good!! Very attentive and friendly service!! Pasta is homemade and the fish and scallops are always very tasty!! read more

First time coming back since their renovation and the place is beautiful! Even though it's a smaller restaurant, it still felt nice and spacious and comfortable. Their burrata crostini with strawberry special was my favorite dish, although I always love their risotto. I hope they keep it on the menu a while. Was sad to see the Dulce de Leche not on the dessert menu but the strawberry shortcake and flourless chocolate cake were still lovely. Treated friends and they enjoyed it! Perfect place for a nice dinner out! read more

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This was a toss between 3 and 4 stars, and I'm going with 3. It's Montclair, and I always expect so much more than what I get: Laboratorio dining area is nice, but very dated, and lacks personality - it doesn't know what it wants to be. Menu is concise and to the point: little of everything for all palettes, even gf pasta, if requested. A small menu automatically screams "fine dining", which - again - it wants to be, but there's room for improvement. Our starter of mussels was overdone and didn't taste fresh. Husband's steak was good - served with 2 carrots and mash - $30. My scallop dish was ok - nothing to complain about, and nothing to rave about. It was $29.... The place is BYOB. We didn't know, but there's a wine store next door - so, all good. I wish the staff smiled a tad - especially the host. It was a rather cold welcome when we got there and when we left. read more

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

After doing some research and checking the Yelp reviews for this restaurant, we were really expecting great things. Unfortunately, we came away from this spot very disappointed. To start, I will say that that if you're concerned about COVID protocols being followed, they are doing so. Our temperature was checked, there are dividers set up between some tables and mask instructions were given by the hostess. After looking at the menu and checking over the specials, we began with the Shrimp Arrabiatta which was not as good as expected. The shrimp was bland, almost as if the they were cooked and just added to the sauce instead of being cooked together to grab the flavor. For our main courses we chose two dishes off the specials menu. I went with the Honey Lavender Duck Breast served with baby turnips and demi glaze. Ordered it medium and was served more medium rare which made it chewy in parts. Also tasted a bit gamey which I didn't like. Now as for my wife's dish, the House Made Cacio e Pepe Stuffed Tortelloni with truffle butter, jumbo lump crab and fresh herbs. Although the dish was very good, it was not as described. First, we got in to a debate with the waiter about the the difference between tortelloni and tortellini. My wife was expecting the tortelloni, which is a larger tortellini. She got tortellini. The waiter argued that tortelloni and tortellini are the same thing, not true. Also, with the herb sauce this made it more of a pesto than a cacio e pepe, check my photo. There was also very little crab meat. We finished the night with a less than remarkable, Tres Leches Cake. Just a few more points about the overall experience. The service here was very robotic and not overly friendly. Never got a warm feeling about being here. Also have to mention that one of the bus boys kept walking by our table and touching our bread basket to see if there was still bread inside. I guess he couldn't wait to take it off our table. This was done repeatedly, which was not only very annoying but I'm guessing not very safe these days. He also reached over my plate while I was eating to refill my water glass, not good. Unfortunately, I'll have to wrap up by saying this was most likely, a one and done visit here. read more

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Of the many great restaurants in Montclair, this one stands out for the consistent excellence of the food.

This is our fifth time visiting Laboratorio kitchen. The first time was during a special celebration dinner that when we arrived rain was pouring the entire staff as well as the owner and chef turned our almost devastated evening into a brilliant celebration. We continue to return whether it's birthdays, friendships celebrations, or just friends dining because we have never been disappointed. Today when delicious food, dynamic service and the dining experience is few and far between; Laboratorio never disappoints. Cheers to the owner and the chef James!!! Thank you. read more

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Checked out Laboratorio Kitchen Saturday evening for a friends birthday. The atmosphere outside is very nice but this review is mostly based on service. Rushed service. I 100% understand the quick turn around needed for tables BUT please train your servers and bussers to ask customers if they're done with their food. This happened during our appetizers, entrees and happened before we could finish our coffee. Everything quickly removed and rushed. As far as the food goes the appetizers (mussels and burrata) were tasty. The meatball could have used more aromatics and garlic in my personal opinion. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Veal and Beef Meatball - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

Food was flavorful, and the service was great. The environment was peaceful. Great place for a date.

My wife and I really enjoyed our experience at Labaratorio Kitchen. Great service, unusual and fun menu. Love the neighborhood too

Ma, the meatballs.....Ma, the Meatballs!!!! As I yell this in a Will Ferrell voice, I am transported to my mom in law's kitchen eating the first bite of LK's meatball appetizer. This is one of the best meatballs I have ever had! It is huge and just plain awesome. I came upon this lovely establishment on yelp. Walking into this cozy spot you are transported into a dimly lit, dark blue romantic place. Lauren, the front staff legend and "hostess with the mostess" greets all the guests with care and with a smile. She is one of the main reasons we continue to visit. The restaurant has metered parking in the front and a parking lot in the back. You may have to look around a little for a spot. The Chef is a quiet presence but oversees everything and has been nothing but amazing each time we have visited. The staff are well informed and are always happy to help out. I have dined here quite a few times now and my fave dish is the Steak Frites and the Shrimp Arrabbiata. I find the pasta dishes sauce heavy so ask them to curtail that if you like things on the lighter side. Save room for the chocolate cake and little espresso. You won't go wrong. I have to say this is one of the best restaurants in New Jersey. Come visit and see for yourself. Tell them I sent you. read more

The Steak Au Poivre had potential to be good but it was too many capers which messed up the mashed potatoes and the steak which I asked for medium rare came out rare. Also the carrots could of been steamed more. The 14 oz steak was horrible it was burnt couldn't finish it the fries was good though the aioli and salad were horrible. Also the water was $10 which is nuts, but overall nice restaurant decent service and decent tres leches which I forgot to add. This place was definitely hype will not be coming back. It's sad because I was really looking forward to coming hear to. read more

Came here on a date- he chose this place after coming here before. There's parking in the back which made it easy since parking is always hard in this area. The place is a bit dark in terms of lighting and seating is very intimate but the food was absolutely delicious. We had the mussels and i had the seafood pasta - very filling and i had leftovers (definitely worth the price). Overall a very nice date spot , i dont know if ill come back again but if youre looking for a place for a date, definitely recommend this place read more

We are weekly regulars and have been dining here since it's inception. James and his staff go above and beyond in every aspect! You will NOT find another restaurant with this quality of food and value anywhere! Anyone we bring here soon becomes a regular. Highly recommend! Please disregard any less than stellar reviews, I promise you won't be disappointed! read more

We keep coming back to Laboratorio. For me, it's the giant beef & veal meatball, but everything on the menu is great. On the summer specials list, the bucatini with shrimp is excellent. But you really can't go wrong with anything here. Creative cooking, reasonable prices, gracious service. Parking remains a problem. There is a municipal lot across the street, but it's often full, so make a reservation and arrive early. BYOB. read more

Came 10 minutes early for a reservation. Refused to seat us while I could see 3 empty tables. Rude AF. Ruined the meal before it even started... people came after us and were seated before us... Overpriced snotty garbage. read more

Every dish I had here was at least 4/5 stars. 1. This place is BYOB. Forgot your bottle of wine?! Do not fret. Laboratorio Kitchen basically has ubereats for liquor. We had our wined delivered right to our table which was lovely. 2. Hands down, best raviolis I have ever tasted. Sauce, filling and noodle were so velvety smooth. I wish it never ended. 3. Shrimp app was very good. 4. Salmon and scallops were seared to perfection. 5. For dessert we had the lava cake and pear tart. Not really impressed by either. Both were very sweet, a little too sweet for my taste but very good. If you're looking to choose one or the other, definitely go for the pear tart. read more

Laboratorio Kitchen - Pear tart with gelato - New American Near Me - Montclair, New Jersey

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