I'd say this is more like a 3.5 star place. I really cannot understand how people rave so much about this place. Was the food good? Yes but unremarkable. Service was excellent. Ambiance was ok. It reminded me of a restaurant you'd find in a hotel. The fact they don't make their own bread is disappointing. Was the bread from Balthazar's good? Yes but again at this price point I'd expect more. Wine list was ridiculously over priced. Also, for such a young restaurant location, it already needs help as shown by the picture of the ripped up booth where we sat. Also, the different light bulbs as shown in the picture really annoy me. Maybe the owners aren't around much anymore? Who knows?!? For me, a fine dining experience is all about the little details, and Lorena definitely missed the mark. Dinner for three people with tip was almost $420. Pretty pricey for the overall experience. read more

Lorena's - Ripped up booth, seat. - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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Solid spot presenting some nicely finished plates. Starting off with one of the cocktails on their list is the way to go. The escargots are a tasty appetizer and the steak frites are well executed. Great service tops off the experience. read more

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Great food. Relaxing atmosphere that is great for date night or dinner with friends. Delicious pasta. They also had gluten free bread. read more

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The "new" Lorena's is really a gem and while 3 stars may seem a bit stingy, the dining experience leaves some room for improvement. The larger space comes with a completely new vibe, modern decor with a comfortable elegance and a full bar. With a liquor license in the new space, the restaurant has become quite a hot spot. We arrived for an 8pm reservation I made online. I thought I had selected the main dining room, but apparently I selected the bistro, which serves the identical dinner menu in the front of the restaurant. It was so busy this Saturday night and despite a genuine effort to accommodate our request, they were unable to seat us in the quieter dining room area. Not to worry....the bar bistro area is still lovely and is quite the vibrant social scene. Our server was a wonderful young lady whose charming personality and honest menu feedback was appreciated. She offered us bread which comes from the famous Balthazar bakery. Fresh, warm and yummy. The cocktail and beer list is extensive. And the cocktails ordered by the group were attractive. I tasted two French red wines by the glass and settled on the Cote de Rhône which was tasty. They serve a very generous pour I might add. The appetizer really shine here. We shared the salmon tartare which these days sounds generic...it absolutely was not. Beautiful presentation and incredibly delicious. The Thai salad was bright and flavorful. We also enjoyed the yummiest burrata served with figs as an appetizer special. All three were on point. I ordered the halibut which was good, not great. Texturally the fish was fine, but the base of grains was mushy. The small crispy potatoes were a nice textural addition, but the dish lacked color and could have used some sort of greens or a creative medley of greens or grains. The chicken our friend ordered looked stunning. Who orders chicken? Our friend! And it was terrific. My husband had the duck served as a sliced breast which he said was cooked to perfection. My friend had the steak frites which was a ribeye cut. The quality of the meat just didn't "cut"it. It was fatty and just not enough actual meat. Perhaps the filet mignon would have been a better choice. For dessert, the group opted for the warm chocolate cake which can be ordinary. This one was executed nicely and they served it with chocolate ice cream in lieu of vanilla at hubby's request. He enjoyed. The blueberry cheesecake was a small round cake with a blueberry compote. It was well received. I skipped even a taste of either. They just didn't excite me. All in all, we had a lovely dining experience. The service was very good, A. The vibe is nice A. The appetizers were A plus. Entrees were a solid B+. On another night when I am feeling more indulgent, I plan to return to try their more traditional French items including escargot and foie gras. I enjoy those delicacies and have had them at the old Lorena's, but this night, I admit, I was watching my calories and minding my nutritional intake-just a bit! It is so nice to see Lorena's thriving and with a refreshed take on French cuisine in an updated setting. read more

It is edible but the portion size is way too overpriced. This is more expensive than an NYC restaurant. It's set up so that you'll dish out $20+ on their appetizers to fill you up. Roast chicken special: that was bad. Meat was dry. Again they use this onion butter sauce on everything. Arctic char: $40 for a fishy piece of salmon. It's fishy. I couldn't eat it until I drowned my piece in their onion butter sauce. I've had that fish before in other restaurants and it wasn't fishy. Trout: the best dish. But it's so small. It's a half size portion. The last time I was here, they forgot to remove the fat from the inside. You know that inner layer. Their pastas was forgettable. Side of fingerling potatoes: the oil tasted cheap/rancid. It ain't olive oil for sure. It's tapas style for sure. That's the best way to put it. Extremely expensive subpar tapas near Millburn. No wonder. read more

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What a lovely place! The food was phenomenal! I visited with my family and we had the salmon tartare, watermelon & tomato salad, corn & lobster chowder, and the marinated olives as appetizers. All of them were so tasty! For entrees we had the trout, vegetarian plate, and a special. Best trout we've ever had! For dessert we shared a cheese plate and the creme brûlée. Delectable! I would also recommend the Rosemary Mule, a great herbaceous spin on the classic Moscow mule. Additionally, our server Mario and assistant Sandra were attentive, kind, and very friendly! We enjoyed interacting with them and getting their opinions on what to order. The ambiance was lovely and the small flower arrangement on the tables were a sweet touch. Looking forward to coming back soon! read more

Lorena's - Fine dining area, end of the night - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

To be honest I've never been a fan of French inspired cuisine. But Lorena's has changed that. No disappointments. Service was on point, staff were friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. Food was amazing. Very well prepared. Perfect temperature. Incredible combination of flavors. read more

Excellent professional service. Terrific food. Solid, attractive atmosphere if not "charming." Good drinks. Strong recommendation.

Lorena's used to be a small, cozy restaurant. It is moved to a more spacious and Modern location. Ratings: Salmon tartare Five stars Butternut squash bisque five stars Seafood crepe with a lump of Dungeness crab five stars Escargot one star, very very mediocre Bone marrow three stars Foie gras three stars Seafood linguine five stars Very good service read more

Lorena's - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

- disappointed, disappointed, very disappointed - will not be back anytime soon.....Back to Lorena's after about a few years, new location, nice ambience, friendly service, but seriously, the food? Utterly mundane - risotto was tasty, but nothing to write home about, my wife chose the oysters, fine - but main course of roast chicken, actually a somewhat dry, baked chicken breast sitting on top of a medley that looked like it came out of a bag of frozen Birdseye vegetables, and a mundane bland sauce, utterly flavorless. I've eaten tastier chicken off of food trucks, BIG disappointment. My wife's duck was slightly undercooked and also, BLAND - huge disappointment, especially in a place where you're paying $30 - $40 for a main course - desert, creme brule and a lemon tart were fine..won't be heading back for another few years at least. read more

Very high end French restaurant. Good food. Every elegant. Friendly staff. Great location. Easy parking. Make sure you make reservations!

We had a Sunday evening reservation to celebrate my partner's birthday and we were seated promptly. The restaurant had a dark moody feel which made it great for a romantic dinner. We started with the burrata salad and bone marrow. The burrata was fresh and tasty and the bone marrow was so decadent. We had the salmon and pork chop for our entree. I don't remember which cocktails we had but they were nothing special. Although the food was good, the service was superrrr slow. We were patient because it appeared they were understaffed, but it was an extremely long wait. I think we were there for a total of about 2.5 hours which is a very lengthy time (in my opinion) for a party of two. It was to the point where we didn't even want to wait for dessert because we were so tired. They did ask at the end of the dinner if we were celebrating anything and since we were, they were kind enough to bring us a dessert. Overall I enjoyed my meal and would be back, hopefully service is quicker next time. read more

Lorena's - Burrata salad and bone marrow - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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Lorena's has a wonderful jazz brunch on Saturday and Sunday. My sister and I recently walked in without a reservation on a Saturday. We were lucky to get a booth by the window. We were greeted by a few different servers with the biggest smiles and ordered our drinks. We had the most delicious cosmos we ever had! We then ordered the butternut squash hummus. eggs Benedict and butternut squash ravioli. The hummus was so creamy and tasty that we gobbled that up with the grilled sourdough bread. There was something uniquely different about the eggs Benedict. The eggs were perfectly cooked and the chorizo added to the deliciousness of the hollandaise sauce that was just so tasty. By that point we were full and took the ravioli home. But. of course we had a little dessert, cappuccino and an apple tart with vanilla ice cream that truly hit the spot. For dinner, I ate the ravioli and it was so light and absolutely delicious. My mouth is watering now just thinking about it! I am thrilled that I am having my daughter in law's brunch baby shower at Lorena's. I just know it's going to be perfect! read more

Absolutely outstanding! I had the duck last night and 24 hours later I am still thinking about it! Can't wait to go back.

We sat at the bar for what we expected to be a lovely pre-dinner experience. We reviewed the bourbon options and pricing, ordered our drinks and anticipate the cost quoted. When we got the bill we were shocked to see additional charges for ice. We were charge $2.00 additional for an ice cube in our drink. A new one for me and a real turn off. read more

Came on a Saturday night with the missus. Manhattan cocktail was pretty darn good, not speakeasy level but good enough to order a second with the main course. The lady's cosmo was well received. Tuna tartare was just ok, made better by the salty crisps. Spinach salad was overdressed and mostly ignored. Things picked up with the main courses. French onion soup was rich and delicious on a cold night. My pork chop special was top notch: perfectly cooked, great sauce and accompanying broccolini. Would return just for that. Prompt service, pleasant ambiance, a fine local choice. read more

My family and I went to this restaurant to celebrate my Mom's 88th birthday. It was absolutely the worst experience I have ever had. The service was terrible. We waited about 30 mins for bread we had ordered. The appetizers were terrible. The oysters were small with a bitter taste. My parents, world travelers who lived in France, were appalled by the presentation of the good gras; a thick slab on a wooden board accompanied by what appeared to be a thick slice of brioche toast and a dollop of fig jam carelessly dumped in the middle of the slab of pate and toast. Having lived in France myself and fluent in the language, I couldn't believe my eyes. Not only were the main courses way less than optimal, the price point was not at all justified. The ribeye steak my father ordered, which was ordered medium rare, was practically raw and he couldn't eat it and chose not to send it back. My mom's risotto gave her a stomach ache. My sister's halibut was dry and my chicken was just ok. My friend's filet was medium well even though he asked for medium rare. He asked to have it redone and it took 30 mins for the new steak to be prepared. By then, we were ready to leave and my parents weren't feeling good. The chef/owner came out to our table and refused to take accountability for the reason the steak had been returned. When challenged, he got extremely defensive and proceed to kick us out of the restaurant. It was embarrassing and upsetting for all of us given that my parents have been patrons of Lorena's for many years. Needless to say, we will never return. Do yourselves a favor, please. When deciding where to dine in Maplewood or any of the towns nearby, do not choose this restaurant. There are so many lovely choices down the street that are less expensive, have great customer service, and reasonable pricing. If you are seeking fine dining, you are better off driving into NYC. This place should be shut down. read more

Food was delicious and service and ambiance were great. Highly recommend for a special night out.

It saddens me to write this review but we had a less than pleasant experience this past weekend. First off it was our anniversary and we came for our first experience to celebrate. The hostess which was a young girl girl didn't greet us but just asked if we had a reservation, she went to check on our table but a manager or other hostess showed up and immediately brought us to our table seeing us wait uncomfortably. Then the waiter, Mario, who was in charge of our section was apparently assigned to a lot of tables/parties so they had a wonderful young lady helping who took our drink orders and frankly took care of us most of the night. Our actual waiter made us feel very unwelcome. He came up and briefly said good evening and took our food order and then the rest of the night we never saw him again. He didn't check how we were enjoying ourselves, ask about our celebration or congratulate us, nothing (we also included our anniversary in the notes of the reservation). But we noticed he was very personal and attentive to other tables. I don't know what about us made him want nothing to do with us but it ruined our celebration. The girl helping did all of this and more which is why I'm giving at least 2 stars. The food was good (desserts a little small) and for the price point we wanted to enjoy ourselves more. The waiter also did not ask my steak size and assumed and charged me for the larger steak size when I would've have preferred a much smaller cut as I'm a smaller person with a smaller appetite. I don't know if we will come back, I felt lesser than in the space which was upsetting but to the girl helping out and the runners FABULOUS JOB and made the night at least bearable. I hope they got some of the tip we left, if not I'd be disgusted. read more

Lorena's - Tyme for a Pear Celebrating our anniversary - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

We do not go out for lunch very often especially coming out of the caution created by Covid. So, we decided to go out for lunch at Lorena's without making a reservation. We could not secure a table so we elected to sit at high tables with the hope that we could secure a regular table. We were seated and about 15 minutes later someone took our drink order. Ten minutes later a Bloody Mary and a Ginger Ale arrived. About 15 minutes later, a server asked us if someone (anyone!) had taken our order? We said no and placed an order. A few minutes later, the maitre d' let us know that a table had become available and we moved. About ten minutes later, our food arrived. Mussels for me. My husband ordered Salmon what we got was Salmon tartare that he had not ordered: he had ordered a Salmon entree. A dirty Martini was ordered and sent back because it was not briny enough. A Ceasar's salad was incorrect and had to be sent back. A salad was sent back because I requested no chickpeas. None of the staff apologized for the missteps or thought to comp us. The food was okay. I had mussels and the salmon entree was good. The fries that came with the mussels were great: hot and salted. For lunch for $143.00, the service should be accurate and responsive and the food must be exceptional. There were too many misses to recommend Lorena's. read more

Good Food, Great Atmospeh, Near the Maplewood Train Stations, BETTER drinks. Super Chill Vibes, Classy Dinners, Modest Lunches. read more

The drinks are phenomenal but the food not up to par. I ordered the bone marrow and too sweet for my taste. I also had the foie gras and disappointing- burnt bread served beneath it sucking all the flavor from the meal. I have to say the molten cake was delicious with the raspberry sauce. read more

Such a gem of a place!!! We were very excited after hearing they were moving into a new location. Now they offer a casual bistro side or a formal dining room experience. We sat in the formal dining room and had the best time. This is the perfect setting to wear that dress you bought during quarantine and haven't had the chance!!! The food was exceptional and beautifully plated. From the salmon tartare to their savory short ribs, I do love the attention to detail they always have. I'm oh so happy to say it is the same Lorena's as always, just a wonderful new location that they have made their own! We will definitely be back! read more

Lorena's - Braised short ribs - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine's Day and tried the prix fixe menu with wine pairing. Every course that came out was better than the next including butternut squash soup, olive medley, oysters, lobster risotto, venison, and panna cotta. Our waiter was good. The live band played great love songs and took requests. Will definitely be coming back here for special occasions! read more

Lorena's - Venison - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

(Specific to the main dining room.) A little nouveau French. The food had too much going on. While the visual presentation of all the dishes was appealing, The MUSHROOM CREPE had a great sauce but over use of savory herbs took away from it. The add-on LUMP CRAB of $10 to it, a waste, was barely noticeable; all broken up and hard to detect either visually or in flavor. The DUCK BREAST ordered medium rare, came rare. The SQUASH SOUP was way too sweet; over powering any flavor. The TROUT ALMONDINE again, was over powered by the vegetables and sauce; drowning out any of the delicate flavor of the fish; not to mention the not noticeable of any almonds. The PASTA dishes once again had heavier over layers of savory herb flavors. The somewhat elegant atmosphere is diminished with the exposed kitchen. Still, it's OK as a special occasion only restaurant. read more

Perfection. It was amazing. The salmon tartare was a gift from the heavens that found its way to my plate. Husbands French onion soup was a perfect balance of sherry/wine (I am guessing) and onions. Oh boy then there was the entrees. My halibut was perfect! A larger portion than I expected, the eggplant with it was such a great balance. My husbands seafood pasta was ridiculous. There was a hefty amount of seafood. Mario (the beverage director?) was amazing, super attentive without being annoying. They comped our dessert for our anniversary. I am literally making a reservation when I get home. I want to try everything there.... Worth every penny. read more

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Sunday brunch with live jazz was lovely--and they accommodated four adults and a toddler without a reservation. We had the mini croissants, crab crepe (delicious but a bit small for the price), French toast (delicious but pricey for sweetened bread), grain bowl (unique/good), celery root (unique but monotonous) and eggs Benedict (definitely the most hearty of the dishes we ordered. From prior visits, I know the sandwiches (chicken and short rib) at lunch are like slider size, so be forewarned. Haven't been to dinner here in a bit... read more

I went out with a group of friends for an impromptu bite to eat. First I need to say that I haven't ordered pasta at a restaurant in over 15 years when I was in Italy. Since my friends ordered the linguine with crab, I decided I'd give it a try. I was not sorry. It was delicious. And despite being on the expensive side, I'm on my way back now. read more

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Our favorite place to go for a nice meal! It is always worth it and we always have leftovers for the next day. read more

Lorena's - Love this place! Our favorite place to go for a nice meal. It is worth it! - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Service was excellent, perhaps a bit too quick on removing finished baskets/dishes. Food was very good. I ordered a petite frites rare. There was a problem. They don't do rare. Of course, I ordered medium-rare, but it came out medium to medium-well. Questions: Why? What French-type restaurant wouldn't prepare a rare steak? I come from a beef-centric area in the midwest. My first thought was, perhaps a bad cut of meat? No, it was a beautiful ribeye, though thinly cut. No sear on it - which is why they are unable to make a rare steak. The sauce was very nice, but it needed to be rare. I'm thinking that, perhaps, it is an all-electric kitchen, which would mean that the kitchen can't get a high temperature sear such as you get from a gas broiler. The French love their rare steaks! We used to get a cast-iron pan smoking, and then cook it in that! A nice sear to seal in the juices. Quick. Blood-rare. Add some brandy to the pan, pepper, and heavy cream. Easy peasy. Rare steak with sauce. Why can't they just cook it the French way? All in all, it was a beautiful restaurant, great ambiance, wonderful service, generally good food, but not French. If you offer a steak on a menu, but can't cook it properly, well... I probably won't be back. read more

8/28/2021 My husband took me here for my birthday. We had a reservation for 8. The host led us to the back of the restaurant as we passed several open seats--he finally stopped at this table towards the very back next to what looked like the kitchen door. I don't know what made him do it--maybe it was the look on my face but he offered us the table next to it near the kitchen window. We got seated and the assistant waitress, Sandra welcomed us and let us know that our waiter's name was Mario and that she'd be assisting him. A while after, Mario comes out to tell us what I'm guessing was the special and walks off. If memory serves correctly, we didn't really get to order until 8:30. I start a timer to see how much longer it'll be and sure enough Mario comes to ask us what we want. All the while he's being very attentive to the other tables. For appetizers we had the risotto (a little watery but still decent) and the bone marrow (we recommend). Our main course was the linguine and the filet mignon. The shrimp in the linguine was slightly overcooked but the pasta was cooked well. The taste and presentation of the filet was decent. Another thing to note was the vanilla espresso martini was one of the best drinks I've had so kudos to that Throughout our service, Sandra was the one who repeatedly checked in on us. She was professional and polite and knowledgeable when it came to the menu. I actually had a spill on the table and she quickly ran to help clean it up and provided me with another dinner napkin. She also wished me a HBD, had the kitchen send me a birthday gelato as well as a piece of cheesecake to go. I really can't say enough about her. The manager (didn't get his name) came over to ask our opinion of the food and service. We voiced our opinion and in turn, he comped the drinks we ordered and discounted the risotto and linguine. He was very understanding, polite and didn't even hesitate to try to remedy some of our issues. Oh and of course we bragged on Sandra. We actually left her a note and tried to find a way to tip her and her only. TLDR: it's an okay place. Would we visit again? Probably not. read more

Update review!! Lorena's is in a new location, but don't fear..it's just down the street a few doors down and its still amazing. The classic menu items are still in the menu with some great new additions and best of all, liquor license! The bartender is spectacular, a true master of his craft and I am quite the craft cocktail fanatic. I had the mushroom crepe and it was as always, to die for. For my entrée i had the mushroom and vegetables which was so flavorful and fresh. My fiancé had the salmon tartar...mouth watering and the scallops, fresh and clean as well as the special wartermelon and strawberry salad, refreshing! As always Lorena's does not disappoint and now they have a much larger space with casual bar seating and also the dining room for more intimate occasions. Our server Mario is always a pleasure making the experience here top notch. One of my top 5 favorites in the state! Come and see for yourself! read more

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Fabulous food and environment. Nice bar. Service is also always great. Would love to see some more gluten free options on the brunch menu, but that's just me. read more

A perfect evening from start to finish. My husband and I usually come here for date nights but decided to take our 16 year old here for his birthday. He is still raving about it and asking when he's coming back. The gm, Mario, greeted us so warmly. He went out of his way to make the night special for the 3 of us and to acknowledge our son's birthday. The food was spectacular- never had a bad meal here! I enjoyed the linguini with shrimp and crab meat, my husband is addicted to the burger and my son had the steak. The desserts were outrageous-one better than the next. And Amanda was so friendly and helpful and has us excited to return next weekend for the brunch. read more

Friends gave us a $180 gift certificate for our wedding, when we dined there and tried to use it, they told us it was worth less than one third of that. We complained and the owner said she would get back to us in 2 days, we heard nothing. Dishonest Beware read more

Food was ok but definitely very expensive, even compared to NYC top tier restaurants. Would've have given another star if it wasn't for the ridiculous "corkage fee", $25 for 1st bottle and another $35 for 2nd bottle. This was our first and last time coming here. Disappointing. read more

This is our send visit to Lorena's and we had Andrew as our server once again. I thought we had written a review but I was wrong so here it goes. Being a hospitality professional for over 18 years I can say this place is my new favorite Resturant! I love the service, the food and the atmosphere. Everyone that works there is super attentive & welcoming. The first time we came here was for our anniversary and everything was beyond perfect. Last week Friday, we were back and everything was a slice of heaven!! We were so happy to see Andrew again. Everything from the Beginning to the end was superb! I just want to say that it's never easy to serve and to be in the food industry. I can say that Lorena's has 2 new faithful customers that will continue to come In and we will let our friends know about this gem of a place. Thank you for the magnificent duck and scallops that you guys do not change off the menu :) We'll see you all soon :) Yaya & Cathy read more

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Fantastic food, service and ambiance! Every bite and dip is to be revered and savored before swallowing. Our server was enthusiastic, attentive and friendly. Definitely two thumbs up read more

Lorena's - Gin cocktail and the LBD Old Fashioned. Took my time drinking as to savor every sip - French Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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Food was delicious (only reason for the 4 star) but service needs to step Up big time! We waited over 2hrs for our food and the server didn't bother apologizing for the delays. I asked for a replacement napkin and never received one. The manager noticed we were annoyed and ended up offering the kids free ice cream but at that time it was too late! read more

Amazing service and food. Great wine list - I tried the scallops, the halibut and the lamb chops - all excellent