This charming little café is truly a hidden gem, especially if you're looking for a unique dining experience. The outdoor garden patio is absolutely beautiful, filled with flowers, lush greenery, and tranquil water fountains that create an enchanting atmosphere. It's also BYOB, which is a nice touch. The menu changes seasonally and offers a prix fixe option: two savory courses plus dessert for $95, or three savory courses plus dessert for $125. The staff was exceptional, polite, attentive, and very accommodating throughout our meal. A few things to keep in mind if you choose to dine outdoors: since you're eating in a garden, you may encounter a few ants or mosquitoes. It wasn't overwhelming, but it's something to expect. Also, the portion sizes are on the smaller side. As for the food, I thought it was good, but I didn't love it, especially considering the price. We ordered the crab cake, burger, crème brûlée, and venison. The crab cake and crème brûlée were both beautifully presented and delicious. However, the burger was undercooked, and my date found the venison to be quite dry. Overall, this is a wonderful spot for the ambiance and experience. The setting is romantic, peaceful, and unlike many other restaurants. While I personally didn't find the food memorable enough to justify the cost, I'd still recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful evening in a truly magical garden setting. read more

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Update: Seems like the chef/manager is not the nicest person by the way he responds to all negative reviews. Byob. They have a cute patio with a nice atmosphere. The service was great. Food, I didn't love. It seemed like they reused the same sauce across many of the dishes and courses. It felt like two of the dishes had the same slaw. Some of the food were too salty - like the fried mashed potato. Nothing was mind blowingly delicious for the price. I took a chance on the venison but then it was too gamey for me. read more

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Arrived early at 5:00 and was treated to something you rarely find in a great restaurant -- peace and quiet. What a way to start the evening. The arch-roofed dining room is absolutely charming, with whimsical colorful chandeliers and a warmth that pulls you right in. There's also a gorgeous globe-lit back patio that looks like it's seen some unforgettable evenings. BYOB at a restaurant this good? Yes. Take advantage of it. The menu is fixed-price, four courses with three options each -- simple, elegant, and unpretentious. Cash discount in March is a nice bonus too. Now the food -- where do I start. The **Roasted Candied Beets Carpaccio** was visually stunning and tasted even better. Blood Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette, Burrata, Prosciutto -- every flavor had its own moment. The **Crab Cake** was loaded with fresh, quality crab -- the chive oil pairing was spot on. But the showstopper? **Venison Wellington.** Tender, perfectly seasoned, and not something you see on many menus. I would order it again without hesitation. Finished with a peanut butter, chocolate and banana dessert paired with an espresso -- an absolutely perfect ending. The staff was warm, attentive, and somehow never made you feel rushed or hovered over. That's a gift. Easily one of the best dining experiences I've had. Highly recommend -- just bring your favorite bottle and your appetite. read more

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The last dinner of 2025 at Matisse 167 stood out as truly memorable with exquisite cuisine, attentive service, and ambiance showcasing Matisse's artistic brilliance. We are definitely coming back. read more

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Usually I'm iffy about a pre-fixe meal but I cannot recommend Matisse 167 enough. The ambiance is unique and very intimate and the service is very attentive. It's BYOB and they accommodate any needs you have. My boyfriend and I had the four course meal: we both started with burrata and prosciutto salad, he had the crab cake, I picked the duck reuben (which was unreal), we both chose the filet mignon with creamed spinach and polenta (up-charge of $15 but well worth it), he finished with the pb chocolate banana bomb and I had the lavender blueberry crème brûlée. From start to finish, we enjoyed every single bite. Everything was phenomenal. read more

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Good food great service very small portions crazy over price more expensive than midtown manhattan

I was looking for a unique experience to celebrate our 11th anniversary when I found that Matisse has an igloo experience, a 4-course meal for $150 per person. Couple of days before the dinner, the restaurant reached out to confirm the reservation and notified me it was BYOB. Upon arrival, I was so impressed with the interior of the restaurant. I had such wonderful decors and dinnerware. We walked thru the restaurant to get to the garden where the Igloo was. Because it was winter, pretty much we had the whole garden to ourselves. Igloo was warm and cozy, they had multiple heaters running. Chairs had blankets on them. There was bluetooth speaker, so we connected to it to play our own playlist. The table was setup nicely. They helped us with opening the wine bottle and cool it in ice water. For the 4-course meal they had some incredible choices. We ordered french onion soup, octopus, crab cake and bone marrow for our first two courses. The dishes came out in quick time. We loved the taste of every dish. Bone marrow was thick and juicy. Octopus was perfectly grilled. For entree we had the seared duck and sea bass. Both plates had some delicious vegetables and purée in them. Duck was cooked nicely. Sea bass was moist. For dessert we had the crème brûlée and cheesecake. Both were excellent quality. Throughout the dinner we had amazing service from the staff. They kept checking on us every few minutes, refilling our wine glasses, taking empty plates and taking pictures. We had an absolute fantastic time here. I am surprised it took me this long to find this incredible restaurant. We will be visiting them again for sure. read more

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My husband surprised me with the reserved tent in Matisse 167. It was definitely a romantic spot to celebrate our anniversary. The food was wonderful. It was 4 course meal. Nicely portioned so I didn't feel stuffed. Soup felt short compared to other dishes. Crab cake and pan seared sea bass were wonderful, executed nicely and flavorful. The service was excellent. We had at least 3-4 staff coming in and out to bring food, top our wine , take photos for us. I really enjoyed the VIP treatment. The official reservation time was 2.5 hours. Which was definitely enough time to enjoy food and take bunch of pictures. read more

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My husband and I celebrated our anniversary at Matisse 167 and the experience was absolutely phenomenal! We ordered the chef's special, and every dish that came out was better than the last. The dessert was incredible! Flavor in each bite! The flavors were rich, creative, and beautifully plated--you could truly taste the chef's passion in every bite. The service was A1--attentive and thoughtful between each course. While there was a bit of a wait between dishes, once the food arrived, you really didn't mind. It was more than worth it. Bonus: it's BYOB, which made the evening even more personal and fun. We'll definitely be back. Highly recommend for a date night or any special celebration! We will definitely be back read more

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When I gave this place, once known as Cafe Matisse, but now Matisse 167, my 5-star review it was on the laurels resulting from Chef Peter Loria. Sadly, not only has the name been updated, but the new owner, Chef Greg Power, simply falls noticeably short of Loria's kitchen mastery. Many dishes resemble former ones, but they disappoint by comparison. I believe many will still find this restaurant different, interesting, and a fine dining experience. Having benefited from Chef Peter's imagination and culinary excellence, we are likely to not return to this restaurant when I not only feel the experience is now overpriced, but not even enjoyable dining. The restaurant retains its charming atmosphere, though it seems to be showing its age, the service staff remains attentive and well trained, though somehow less experienced and engaging than before, but when the essential is the food, there are now better choices, even in the Borough of Rutherford. We both had a first course of Octopus, which was strange. While as tender a tentacle as one could want, the addition of a spicy sausage, which felt more like a spicy hot dog, just did not work well together. The second course we differed, however neither of us was wowed, as previously. The crab cake used to be spectacular and a must have item. Now it was barely above ordinary. My wife had the scallop, which she rated as nothing special. Our third course was the same, which was seared tuna. Again, simply interestingly presented, but not so appealing gastronomically. Being so utterly disappointed when comparing our favorite NJ restaurant to what once was, we took our desserts to go. All in all, their tasting menu is no longer worth the money when one compares the current fare to that of the past. I'm sure some will still find Matisse 167 an enjoyable experience, but that will no longer include us. read more

Matisse 167 - Octopus and accompaniments - New American Near Me - Rutherford, New Jersey

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Took my wife there for our anniversary and they did not disappoint! Food was impeccably prepared, very tasteful and portions were more than enough. Staff was very attentive and wonderful ambience. Will definitely be returning! read more

Great service. Good food. Too expensive. Glad I tried it, but won't be back. I could never bring my friends who just want less complicated food read more

Came in for Valentine's Day and had a wonderful first experience at this restaurant. The staff were super helpful, the restaurant itself was cozy and warm, and the menu was divine. It was prefixed menu, but you were able to pick your selections. My husband had seared octopus as his first course and I had French onion soup. For our second course, I had Cajun seafood pasta (amazing) and he had bone marrow. Third course, my husband had duck with foie gras and I had sea bass (the lobster fried rice was phenomenal!). For dessert, we split the peanut butter and jelly brownie and creme brûlée. Everything was filling! It's BYOB so we brought it a bottle with us. The serve guided us on the menu selections and we even met the chef after! 10/10 we really enjoyed ourselves. read more

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A meal at Matisse 167 feels like stepping into a work of art. From the moment you walk in, the space is absolutely stunning, each room has its own vibe, from the romantic Jewel Box dining area to the Moroccan-inspired front room. The attention to detail in the decor is matched by the creativity on the plate. Chef Greg Power's dishes are thoughtful, seasonal, and full of unexpected flavor combinations that somehow just work. It's BYOB, which I loved we brought our favorite wine and enjoyed a perfectly paced prix-fixe menu. The whole experience felt special and intimate. Can't wait to go back. The service was also amazing! read more

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Fantastic food and excellent service. Loved the ambiance outside. I'll be back to try their new menu. read more

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Went for the first time, was nervous because of the reviews. Let me just say this Anyone who complained, has poor taste in food, and lacks class and knowledge of fine dining. I didnt feel rushed at all. It was nice ordering all the courses at once. Each dish was so lovingly presented. It was almost too beautiful to consume. The flavors were diverse, giving each course an entirely new story. I had ordered the octopus which worried me because i never do that. Was terrified seeing a whole tentacle. But the taste, the texture of it, i never want octopus any other way again. I shed tears. The chef behind this restaurant is a poet in his craft and fills each dish with unbridled passion. My only complaint is that i didnt order more food. Well done. read more

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I have to say we loved our meals and the service was excellent. And give them lots of credit for that. It was a four-course meal including dessert and we had three choices for each course. I would have preferred different or more choices but we enjoyed everything we ordered. In particular, the venison Wellington and crab cake was outstanding. We had an issue with the table because it was drafty where they sat . They have outdoor seating even in the winter in private igloos, and our indoor table was right by the door that the wait staff used to go in and out. they quickly responded to our request for a table change. I do think it is an extremely pricey dinner at 125 per person, but we enjoyed it immensely read more

Overpriced for the portion size. Small portions and served very quickly. Waiters had no facial expression or personality whatsoever. The cheesecake I have to admit was delicious. The decor and outdoor were very nice. But we will not be returning. read more

This is a great spot for a date or special occasion. Dinner is Pre-Fix and the menu changes seasonally. The dining areas are very inviting. The staff was very detail oriented and just enough but not on top of you. Basically the service is impeccable. As for the food everything is timed great and everything we ate was awesome. I thought I might leave hungry initially but that was not the case. Must go to spot for a romantic dinner read more

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Wow! This is probably one of the best seasonal pre-fixe menus I've ever eaten from locally! Currently, you can add foie gras and/or fresh shaved truffles to any dish! BYOB and they ensure you constantly are refilled. Bring as many bottles as you please. I literally giggled like a child taking my first bite of my scallop and braised short ribs with foie gras surf n turf. The burrata with artichoke and speck was outstanding! Hamachi crudo one of the freshest I've had in a while. Crab stuffed shrimp was loaded with lump meat without filler. Chef's special of wagyu beef over creamed spinach and polenta cake for additional charge of $35 was worth every penny! I melted with the pumpkin crème brûlée as I swear it tasted as if crushed cinnamon candies were torched on top! Service is impeccable and Chef Powers was an absolute pleasure! Keith, our main server, even had candles added to our desserts and wished us a Happy Anniversary! Rooms are uniquely gorgeous filled with renditions of Matisse's art and outdoor patio was adorned with Halloween decor from their Roaring 20's Halloween party the night prior! Simply phenomenal! 10 stars!! read more

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Would not recommend. I'm a big believer in YELP and typically/always a 4.3+ start with hundreds/thousands of reviews is spot on. Not this time. Got it totally wrong. Staff are teenagers. Not professional servers. Food was not for us. Felt generic -- like wedding style food, made in masses. Filet was cooked fine but luke warm. Felt like it had been sitting for a while (pre-cooked). We expected hidden gem. Again maybe just us but we won't be going again. read more

My wife and I loved the prefixed menu. Wish they update the menu say every two or three weeks we would come back more. read more

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This is my second time in this place. The first time I went was for an anniversary dinner during the winter pre-pandemic (sometime in 2019) and it was a lovely time! This time my husband and I went back for our 5th anniversary and again, we had a lovely & amazing time; we also noticed a few changes. Food: As usual, the food was amazing. However, they really changed the menu and I felt like most of the courses were similar to each other- delicious! Nonetheless unvarying. Service: Really 5 stars! Our waitress was really great. Knowledgeable of the menu, likable personality, offered to take pictures, and even helped me find some mosquito repellent right away because sitting outside in a sunny afternoon had its perks like quietness and cute views, but also downfalls like giant mosquitos :( Ambiance: Quiet and nice for couples having a date. The garden is beautiful- really cozy vibes. The restaurant added these new outdoor umbrellas that keep the sun away and I believe more variety of plants/trees. Def recommend this place for a special occasion or date night. read more

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I've enjoyed this place a dozen times during which they served some of the most spectacular food I've ever experienced. I've heard that Peter retired. My fear is that the my wonderful memories will be tarnished with a change in the guard. What can long time customers say to reassure me? I've got an important event coming soon. read more

I've been dining here for years. But this past weekend for the first time since new Chef Greg took full control of the kitchen. I can happily report that Matisse is still as mighty as it ever was. (NOTE: Matisse is located on a quieter section of Rutherford's busy Park Ave with street parking.) Fair priced prix-fixe menu that changes every season.... BYOB. Considered one of the most romantic places in Bergen County what with it's seasonal "backyard" grotto, the staff adds to the experience with it's professionalism and friendliness. I think the current staff is the best I've seen in years. Atmosphere is soothing and artistic without being overly done, just like the artist Matisse's artwork. Need I say this place is for the true food lover. One who expects a top level restaurant experience but without any stuffiness. Three courses are offered during the week, with four on weekends. Portions will leave you satisfied, however the top level ingredients and flavors will leave you euphoric & content. Dine here with a sense of adventure for your palate. Matisse has converted many a "meat & potato" diner into a true foodie. THE FOOD. Honestly you need to go to the website, read the descriptions, look at the pictures. It truly is like a storybook de cuisine . Then make a reservation, pick out some good wine and just GO! Of course I have to mention a few of our favorites as it can be hard to pick one of the many delicious choices. Everything we had was great. These really stood out. Of course all dishes are plated to look like a work of art. --WHITE SESAME SEED CUBED SUSHI TUNA: a scallion pancake, crushed oven dried pineapple, smoked soy vinaigrette, chili oil, wasabi just,topped with red onion & pickled ginger, dusted with wasabi peas. --PAN SEARED SCALLOP: Gnocchi, lemon butter, creme' of fresh spring peas, edamame, topped with a dollop of bacon and savory sage creme, lemon zest & baby greens (f you like foie gras, add it for the small $10 up-charge). --PAN ROASTED MUSCOVY DUCK BREAST & SOBA NOODLES: Cremed pearl onions, baby bok choy, topped with fried tempura cabbage, black cherry ginger marmalade, cherry balsamic jus, sage yogurt vinaigrette & baby greens ( FYI--Muscovey duck is lean, not greasy, and not gamey. it is the best duck IMO) As for dessert..... all three offered were home-runs. Somehow their version of a common vanilla Creme Brulee was not common at all but fantastique! As was the Orange Vanilla cheesecake that was as light as a feather. But I highly recommend for the chocolate lover is the PB&J Brownie: a decadent brownie topped with peanut butter mousse, strawberry marmalade, whip creme, and strawberry vanilla jus. All that with a great cup of coffee, cappuccino or tea. Absolutely one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. I always leave with a satisfied grin. Wishing the new chef and the staff many more great years. read more

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This place is amazing! The food was, as expected, delicious! The ambiance was and the decor was rich, deep colors - matron and gold and royal blue. And the music for the vibe perfectly. Loved every second of our dinner there! read more

We had our 25the anniversary at Matisse and it was spectacular. They took such good care of us and the food was spectacular. The f you have a chance, please do yourself a favor and visit. The menu is creative and superb, the decor is a sublime and a little quirky and the staff are angels. read more

My good friend took me for my birthday, my 2nd visit here. Olives are one of the few foods I gave up trying because I really am put off by any kind available pretty much anywhere HOWEVER, the tapenade on the artichoke app (which I asked them to leave off) worked incredibly well enough to convince me to eat it! My 2nd course, Smoked Deck Carpaccio was unreal My 3rd course, Sea bass with shrimp was another homerun Dessert was the Pineapple Vanilla cheesecake and it was the perfect ending to a phenomenal meal. read more

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My girlfriends treated me an excellent birthday dinner of French cuisine. The service was excellent, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere is absolutely amazing. I will definitely be back for more with my soulmate for a date night. Thanks to my beautiful girlfriends and Matisse 167 for the wonderful experience. read more

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We enjoyed a sensational dinner at Matisse 167. We have been coming here for almost 20 years, but this was our first time here since Chef Greg Powers purchased the restaurant from the amazing Chef Peter Loria. I think Peter would be proud. We enjoyed hamachi crudo with chili oil, teriyaki, and wasabi vinaigrette; melt in your mouth seared octopus with chorizo, in a lemon caper butter sauce; pan seared sirloin with crispy polenta and creamed spinach; Chilean sea bass with lobster fried rice, chili oil and teriyaki; Cajun seafood pasta with scallop and shrimp; jumbo lump crab cake with celery root slaw and lemon garlic aioli. Shout out to our amazing host, Adrian! read more

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I came here with some friends who had wanted to go here for a long time. They are well known and have been around for about 30 years. The chef Peter Loria who is one of the owners attended the French Culinary Institute and has worked in Le Bernadin which is a great restaurant in Manhattan. He changes things up on the menu and works with seasonal ingredients. When I originally called to make a reservation I spoke with Celeste who is one of the owners who was very accommodating. I gave them 4 stars and will explain why it was not as high as I wanted to give. Park Ave in Rutherford is not the most appealing area although the restaurant does stand out in the town and has a beautiful entrance. The restaurant has a charm in a rustic French farmhouse way. They have beautiful chandeliers of different types throughout the restaurant and the outside seating in the garden is beautiful. They have a few waterfalls and all the tables are covered with a large patio umbrella. This s a BYOB restaurant so we brought 2 bottles of wine so there was a savings to some degree with that. They have a few seating times and appear to only take reservations. I read some of the other surveys and some of the complaints about someone walking in at 8:30 pm and the staff appeared tired and not want to seat them explaining they have certain seating times. I could understand this is the restaurants policy and plan for a certain number of customers. If that is the way they want to run the restaurant and let customers know, I think it is fair and customers should not hold it against them. You can immediately see there is a good number of staff to customers. Everyone was polite, welcoming and made sure the lane was clear for customers to walk through. During the first course we had the honey roasted beet salad and 3 of us ordered the ahi tuna crostini. For the second course we had the crab cake and shrimp, and the Chilean Sea Bass Tacos, you get 2 of them and they were a good size. For the thirds course we had the Chicken Cordon Bleu, the Ahi Tuna loin with ribs and the Cod and Scallops which came with tofu and Ramen Noodles. All the dishes had great flavor. For desert we had the Chocolate Brownie, Key Lime Tart and the Fresh Strawberries with Carmelized Bananas. Overall it was a very nice experience although I believe it is important for every business to be made aware of little things that initially are considered a small issue before they turn into something major. What I was not happy with was the following. Our waiter Keith was very friendly and did an amazing job explaining the pre-fix menu which is a 4 course meal including the desert. Unfortunately he did not ask us how everything was going after the second course. This is something small and means a lot to most customers. We had a 7:30 pm reservation and were not rushed spending almost 2 1/2 hours. After desert someone else just dropped off the check on the table without asking if we would like more tea, coffee, etc. Keith did thank us in the end although I felt just dropping a check and not even saying "when your ready" is a little rude. The other negatives I would address would be that I have no problem in paying $115 for a pre-fix 4 course meal although most of portions were super small. The most notable was the desert which most people could finish in 2 or 3 bites. I am not a big eater although I did leave feeling a little hungry. I understand all the ingredients and flavors are great although even Daniel in Manhattan serves assorted breads throughout the meal. Daniel's experience takes customer service to a whole other level and it is worth paying their new higher price of $181 per person which can be attributed to COVID. Cafe Matisse did offer any breads at all. The other things that I think the restaurant should address is that they can seat 45 people inside and 25 outside, have a large staff an only have 1 pint size bathroom for all genders. There is a charm to the rustic look of the restaurant although I think inside they should make an investment and update the carpeting. Overall it was a nice experience and I would recommend them for a more informal pre-fix dining experience. Just know what to expect ahead of time. I hope the owners read my review and will consider and address some of the things I brought up. read more

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too much in each dish but don't get me wrong still delicious. it does feel a bit dated in terms of the decor/ambiance inside as well as the food itself. i don't mean that in a pejorative way, it's a bit charming, but i just felt like i was going back in time walking into the restaurant. i would say the dessert was kind of disappointing, but the main meal was good, and i was very very full (each dish had a good amount of food on each plate!). parking is only street parking, but we didn't have a problem finding a spot. there's also what looks like a beautiful garden in the back where you can also dine. i'm not an al fresco type of gal, so we chose inside. the back room is nicer than the front room. read more

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Go here for a fresh delicious 4 course meal with generous portions! Was a bit disappointed to learn that Chef Pete had sold in June to Chef Greg but after the first course of tuna on the potato pancake this first course was enhanced with pineapple and the little crunch I always felt like it was always missing! For the second course, I enjoyed the shrimp stuffed with crab which I thought was light and refreshing but my hub missed the complexity of the jumbo lump crab cake and thought the crab was too shredded. I think if the crab stuffed shrimp is added as a first course option and the crab cake is added back as the second course option you'll have some very happy diners! For my main, my Chilean sea bass was probably the best I ever had and was served piping hot, seared perfectly on top of a generous portion of risotto which was cooked perfectly. There was a bit too much cool pineapple sauce on one piece of the sea bass but it was easily pushed to the side. The portion was big so I gave half to my hub anyway. Hub had the sirloin steak add on which was an extra $15 but seemed like an exorbitant extra considering it only came with 4 slivers of steak. For dessert I had the crème brûlée and it wasn't as glazed as I would typically expect but was still rich and delicious and was complimented with a perfectly ripe strawberry...the bite of strawberry with Brulee was enough to hit the spot. My hub had the orange cheesecake but I wasn't a fan of the orange flavors. There were many extra servers and the most staff I'd ever seen in the restaurant. Plus a lovely welcoming smiling familiar face which is always nice to see. The host Maria was so kind to go around and check on each persons experience. The ambiance is the status quo I still never got to dine in their secret garden in the back but we got to sit right by the outdoor backdoor and feel the warm air often which we personally enjoyed. Overall still a great dining experience but the prices are very high and a couple of the dishes are missing some of the complexity like the crab cake which will be missed. Looking forward to seeing how Matisse continues to evolve! Congrats Chef Greg and best of luck carrying the torch! read more

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New Years menu : octopus - was hard chewy and cold , cold like left out in a counter after preparing for a while , tasted old and vegetables were burned , over done and warmed in a microwave 2. Bone marrow and tongue - bone marrow again cold , the fries were old and cold , hard as well , the tongue fillet had to be returned , burned and simply not eatable . Bronzino - better but again cold , plated in parts so the mashed puree was very cold and not comparable with the vegetables . Crème brûlée was old , cold with frozen blue berries that must have defrosted on the crème brûlée . The presentation under low lighting was acceptable and the service was rehearsed for the assembly line of the evening . Will not return and I do not recommend read more

Another wonderful Christmas Eve dinner provided by Chef Greg and his wonderful staff. The octopus is always my favorite but the bone marrow is a close second. My wife had the beet carpaccio and loved it. Chef added a steak special that she had, it was a wonderful surprise. Will be back for my birthday. read more

Matisse is a must and I'll happily come back to try another seasonal menu. I made a reservation for my husband's birthday and we were so giddy sitting outside in the deliciously shaded garden. The weather was perfect and a delightful gust of wind would blow by every once in a while passing through the plants all around us. With our sparkling wine in ice we were ready to try all the yummy courses. Our server made recommendations and noted we should get different things to share and try as much of the menu as we can so of course, we did! Every few bites we'd switch plates and it was so much fun trying the different flavor profiles. For dessert they put a candle in my husband's cheesecake and asked if he wanted a birthday song, haha! My husband politely said no thank you and shook the server's hand in gratitude and we munched on our desserts making sure to take nibbles of the powdered sugar dusted mint leaves. I'm confident everything we didn't try is just as delicious so I would recommend trying something that looks/sounds unfamiliar. Also, the hazelnut latte was incredible, it had white chocolate shavings and whipped cream without being overwhelmingly sweet and heavy--such a treat and great way to end the meal. DEFINITELY try it. This was a magical evening, thank you so much Matisse! We'll be seeing you again soon! read more

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Café Matisse in Rutherford, NJ is a lovely place for a special dinner with family. We sat in their pretty garden filled with flowers and stayed from sunset until the stars came out. The inside is just as charming, with fun and artistic decorations. We chose the four-course menu and got to try every dish since there were three of us. Everything was fresh, full of flavor, and beautifully presented. Some of our favorites were the Burrata & Tomato Confit, the Seared Scallop with Gnocchi, and the PB & J Brownie. Chef Greg's cooking made the whole evening truly special. read more

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We had reservations and were promptly seated. The servers and host were extremely friendly/helpful with explaining the menu. The restaurant was cozy and charming with lively chatter and background noise. Now for the testing menu, which is where I had to remove some stars. I found the tasting menu to be pretty subpar. It started off extremely phenomenal, with my starters the seared octopus and seared scallops. Both made perfectly with the right amount of char yet tenderness. My partner had the tuna and reuben, both phenomenal as well. The third course is where the food was extremely disappointing. I had the fish with risotto, while the fish was delicious, I could not eat the meal. Not only was the risotto under cooked with hard granules of starch but it was not the right temperature. The staff, as I mentioned was extremely accommodating and apologetic for the meal. Which they brought back to the kitchen and we swapped for the duck. Unfortunately, the duck wasn't great. The uneven sear on the duck left some pieces charred and others slightly undercook making it chewy. Not how I enjoy duck, perhaps steak. The dish lacked richness, depth, and flavor. The soba noodles existing but not a supportive concept and most disappointing, the bok choy was not the correctly blanched or seasoned. Lastly, the dessert. We shared the cheesecake and crème brûlée. Cheesecake tasted of an orange creamsicle, where the citrus unfortunately overwhelmed the cheesecake. The crème brûlée tasted of vanilla pudding with a barely caramelized sugar topping. Again, just not executed to what I believe a fine dining experience should be held to especially at a higher standard for the price and history. Again, great staff - mistakes happen but I would not recommend as a true fine dining experience which is very disappointing. read more

Another phenomenonal evening. Prix fix menu if $125 for four courses. Pick one of three choices per course. Best to share with someone . BYZoB. Intimate atmosphere. Attentive service. Enjoyed my choices of food. Chef is top notch. String recommendation for one of the best French restaurants in New Jersey. read more

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I would love to start with the food which was stellar but the service was exceptional! Our Server, Adrian gave us an experience. His charisma and attention to detail made us feel like so special. His enthusiasm is infectious. Although we were seated in the dining room, he suggested we have dessert in the patio to get the full experience. The patio is whimsical and carried an air of romance. Cafe Matisse has a seasonal, pre-fixed menu. There are a variety of delectable options in each course. Each dish is a work of art! We made an agreement with Adrian that we have to go back next season to experience the new menu. I look forward to going back. read more

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