Overpriced quality is lacking not the same Old Meal save your money and your appetite

I had the Chilean Sea Bass in a pesto sauce with pearl onions, baby carrots and sugar snap peas oh my goodness succulent, with a burst of flavor, crusty exterior and really soft on the inside.. Roasted Artichoke was out of this world delicious.... My appetizer was the Lobster Bisque with Chunks of Lobster so flavorful you would think your at the Jersey Shore. This review would not be complete without the vast wine list and dessert cappuccino & Creme Brûlée Love it Love it Love it !!! Fantastic Restaurant with a relaxing ambiance and great for events read more

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"The Sophomore Slump" - Last night I had my second meal there and I was a bit disappointed. It was a birthday dinner boyz night and we decided on this place for a steak outing. From appetizers to entrees, there was close to an hour gap in between. The challenge I have with this is the fact that we ordered 2 giant steaks rare which you would think is a simple preparation which should not take more than 30 minutes. Was this intentionally done so we would order more drinks? Mac n Cheese was solid. Meal chips are great but, easy with the truffle oil - makes the lower half of the dish really greasy. Brussel sprouts almost tasted burnt to me but maybe they deep fried them instead of sauteed - still good. The steaks were fine but at close $100 per (each served 2), I may go in a different direction next time. On my first visit, I remember the server raving about the sauces and was not impressed then. It happened again. Horseradish sauce had no kick, the chimichurri was weak compared to any dive Latin place, and the blue cheese sauce was meh. We had 8pm reservations and ended up being one of the last tables to leave. With 5 of us at over $100 per head, you would think an offer of buying back a round, comping the 2 desserts, or some digestifs would surface but....dead wrong. Server was great - no reflection on her service. Don't get me wrong, it's a good meal (pun intended) with a nice ambience and I'm glad a place is sticking in this location for once. That said, it'll be a while before I think about this place again. read more

I took my entire family there for my father's birthday a few months ago. 3 out of 5 orders were done wrong. My steak was overcooked and by the time they brought me another, everyone else was done eating. For whatever reason- I decided to give this place another shot yesterday. When ordering my NY Strip steak- I repeatedly said "As rare as you're allowed to serve it!" I must have repeated it 3 or 4 times. When the waiter said "Ok I'll tell them rare", I pointed to the menu where it says "Blue Cold Center" and again said "I want it as rare as possible ". My steak came out well done. By far the worst was my daughter's skirt steak. I noticed my daughter kept taking bites and spitting it out on her plate. She told me it was disgusting. I thought she was exaggerating and just looking for an excuse to drench it in ketchup....so I took a bite. Before the the fork even got in my mouth, I noticed how bad it smelled. I also spit it out. The only way I can explain it- is to say I thought I was eating a piece of liver. When the bill arrived- I noticed they took off my steak, but left my daughter's on there. Instead- they removed both appetizers. This way they only deducted $25 worth of appetizers, instead of a $30 steak. By this point I was so irritated, I wasn't even going to argue over $5, I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I will never be going back. read more

Came here for lunch a few months ago, food was great- took a little while to be made but the steak sandwich and burger were very good and they come with either fries or a side salad. The s'mores brownie has to be the best dessert I've had in Bergen/Essex county! It's a warm brownie a la mode with graham cracker ice cream and melted marshmallow- worth stopping in for that dessert alone. The server was very energetic and informed about the restaurant, he told us all about happy hour, so we knew we had to return. Happy hour on a Wednesday was full; all the bar stools and the high tops were taken. They do $7 Deep Eddy martinis, yum! We had some oysters and shrimp- but the shrimp still had their legs on them which kind of creeped me out- taste was fine, maybe they added some Cajun spice to them. The MEAL chips were rich with blue cheese bacon and scallions! I wasn't a huge fan of the rice balls, as they were small and the red sauce lacked flavor. I'll be back for happy hour again but I would definitely like to have a nice steak dinner here in the near future! read more

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Have been dying to check this place out and finally made it here for brunch today. Could not have been more impressed by the food and the great cocktail menu. The short rib hash was possibly one of my favorite things I've had in a while. Highly recommend! Also it's a beautiful space, great decor. So happy with the experience... also yelp says their closed today.. they are not lol read more

The food is OK, but to refer to this spot, tucked away behind some run down corporate buildings, as a Steakhouse, is a real stretch. We found the Proprietor (Mark) to be extremely rude. Our entire experience was tarnished by his bad attitude and his comments towards us. However, if you're into over cooked sliders and poor customer service, give it a shot. read more

Classy? Bar was raucous with drunk patrons singing out loud and disrupting the whole classy and trendy vibe. Made it like a cheap bar. Lower the prices then if that's the vibe you want in your establishment. read more

Very limited menu. Not a lot of options. Overpriced considering the small sized portions. Would probably not be back here again. However, the staff are very considerate, accommodating and helpful. The place has a classy/romantic ambiance. I guess it's decent if you're on a date with someone who doesn't eat much. read more

Great place for intimate or just casual dining. Food is good. We came in at around 5pm and they have a $1 oysters special! Love em! We had the steak for two which comes with Tomahawk ribeye, mash potatoes (awesome!) and creamed spinach. read more

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Rude Manager Ordered a steak well-done. It came out rare. They offered to put it back on the flame. While it was cooking my friend's food and our sides grew ice cold. Steak came back out and it was still red and bloody.. I ate one bite of the steak & nothing else. Manager told me I "ate most of it" and that is why he didn't take it off the check. Never again. read more

Came for drinks and appetizers on a Sunday evening. Drinks were alright- black salt rim was mistakenly left off of the Paloma, Dirtie Birdie was good. Ordered a basket of fries and they were translucent- surprised they were allowed to leave the kitchen. The quality of their food used to be better. read more

The food was good but the service experience was terrible. The hostess could have told us that the kitchen closed at 10 (we arrived at 850) but even so, the waiter took forever to check on us and put in the food. He was visibly annoyed and we were rushed out. One of the waitresses hovered over me trying to take away food that my friend was still eating. She could have easily asked instead of standing over me ready to clean the table. The food looked and was delicious but the staff was unprofessional. read more

First I would like to say that I have been trying to check out this spot for some time.. finally made it! One star is based on the service I received. I would actually give nothing but yelp required a rating...Decided to go with my friends and her mother (who is 70 years old). I have been to many brunches especially bottomless and always had a great time. We ordered each our drinks and of course we took advantage of the bottomless mimosa/Bloody Mary that was on the menu. We also ordered our food. Food was decent.. at one point we decide to take a picture and my friend leaned on the table incorrectly and it tipped slight which led to our drinks and water tipping over. They cleaned and we apologized a few times and the manager ( I Think) asked us what spilled and we said our mimosas.. he replaced them and our dessert followed. As we were finishing the waitress brought over our check and we asked for our last round of mimosas and we were denied as per the manager. When the manager came over he did not in so many words said that we were intoxicated. First of all intoxicated?? How offensive.. yes we were drinking but it is bottomless. We never were disrespectful, nor disruptive to anyone that would call attention.Upon leaving I advise the manager that I was upset and felt very disappointed that he suggested we were passed our limit.. mind you we are with my best friends mother. We got into discussion and advise me basically to go to other establishments that allow you to drink passed the 0.7 limit that he is schooled on before opening an establishment..mind you I had 5 mimosas while a table next me which I spoke to before leaving had 6/7 mimosas. It is a bottomless brunch!! Or at least offer bottomless for 2 hours from the time seated..many places do this. Long story short the manager I spoke with was rude and threatened to call police when I was just voicing my opinion. He cursed at me and through the "f" bomb and I felt entitled to throw it right back and make it extremely clear I would never return. I would never recommend this location to anyone I know or anyone that wishes to go here!! read more

Was pleasantly surprised by their happy hour- burgers were delicious! I had the bite the bulleit drink- bourbon/peach/cava. It was really refreshing and a perfect drink for these in-between summer/fall days. We also had Mac n cheese (happy hour- always love when it has toasted breadcrumbs on top!), a salad (a little too salty), and the s'mores dessert, which was absolutely ridiculous and tasted exactly like a s'mores, only better somehow! read more

I've been to the old location, I'm excited to learn that they have a new place (thought they closed). I really love their BLT Wedge lettuce salad with blue cheese and bacon bits (amazing) and their Truffle MEAL chips are the best loaded potato chip appetizer I've had ever had.Yum! read more

If you're looking to try out this restaurant's brunch menu, I would highly recommend turning around and seeking something worth your time. The brunch was sub-par. I had ordered the Steak and Eggs special and received cold eggs over a bland steak. I asked the waiter for some chimichurri sauce to give it some flavor and by the time I got it, my food was cold. The table was wobbly and was supported by two pieces of cardboard. I accidentally caused my drink to spill over and when I asked for assistance, the waiter seemed annoyed. Overall, this restaurant left an extremely bad taste in my mouth and I really wish I read the reviews before as I embarrassed myself taking my date out to this restaurant. So be warned. read more

DRINKS - basically flavored water with ice !!!!! ZERO ALCOHOL!!!!!! Calamari saggy and sauce extremely sweet and already poured on top, I guess to cover up the tasteless and soggy calamari !!! Salmon was good !!! Tuna tartare had a strange flavor and extremely blah !!!! This place good 2 star restaurant !!!!! From all the reviews I had big expectations and it is very sad to say " ppl start cooking for God sake and your health sake " !!!!! I had to go out to eat coze I had a date unfortunately lol ... I should've just went a diner lol .... at least I know I can't expect to much !!!! Or just go to Manhattan !!! !! 2 stars given only for excellent attentive service !!!!!!!! read more

Amazing food, great bartenders. We just love this place. I'd recommend the steak frites and truffle chips.

This is one of my favorite places to eat. My husband and I don't eat out much being we are both Chef but this place is our exception. Not only is the food amazing but the restaurant staff treats you like family and are super friendly and giving. I can wait till our next date night to enjoy the food once again!!! read more

MEAL - New American Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

We sat at the bar to try their happy hour specials.... we were more than happy!! Massiel was the bartender and she took very good care of us. Always checking on us for drinks... even a reminder that happy hour was almost over! And the food?!?! So very good / delicious! We will be back, that is for sure! Next time to dine and try their steak!!! read more

I've been wanting to come here for months. Finally got the chance to come and and everything was great. This is not really a place for young kids. We brought our 3 year old and thought about leaving but the waitress was so nice and let us sit in a more secluded area so I did not have to worry about my son bothering anyone. Service was excellent, food was excellent. Seems like it would be a great place for a date night, next time we will get a babysitter and enjoy some wine with our dinner! read more

MEAL - Pork chop with cornbread sausage stuffing and cranberry demi. - New American Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Came here for a birthday brunch, food was ok for the price. The service was what I did not appreciate at all. The server [pink hair] cant remember her name was very bitchy and obnoxious even with recommendations. It was a party of 9 and it was such a big deal to pay with separated cards. read more

Last night was the first time I ate there. The food was really good and the service was excellent. But I cannot get over the poor choices of wine. If you are going to be selling $60 steaks, you should have better options for bottles of wine. They had bottles that you get in the store for $10-$15. That was disappointing. Other than that the food was great. I had the halibut. I probably won't go back unless they change their wine list. A good bottle of wine is very important to me with my meal. read more

Amazing quaint little restaurant off the beaten path. Service was top notch. They are best known for their meats, and rightfully so. I had the cowboy steak and Brussels sprouts. I tried the peppercorn sauce and the bleu butter, and it was such a great pairing with my steak. I was a little sad they didn't have any moscato, but the shirley temple I had more than made up. If I'm ever in Jersey again, I will def be back. read more

MEAL - New American Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Loved the food here! The oysters where delicious, bright, and enormous (even though I prefer a smaller oyster these were phenomenal). The French onion soup was savory and lightly sweet and just perfect! You must try the Mac & cheese and Brussel sprouts,they were both exceptional. The blackened shrimp fried rice!!! OH! MY! YUM! I'm a huge fan of savory and sweet mixes that offer heat and spiciness! This dish was it! And, the braised short rib fell apart at the touch of the fork! I can not say enough about the quality and taste of the food served here. BUT, I had to take off one star because the service didn't exactly match the food. Our server was pleasant, but inattentive and forgot a part of our order and got our drink order wrong... This place was totally memorable. I've been there a couple of times after my initial MEAL. I've had oysters and a number of appetizers at the bar and loved them, as well. read more

I always loved MEAL, but somehow, last night they seemed off their game. For an appetizers, we ordered oysters. They were nice and fresh, but one of the oysters was the size of a pea. I called it out and the waiter brought us a new oyster. Hmmm, They only brought 1 seafood fork. The kitchen shouldn't try to pass of a tiny, tiny oyster like that. Dinner: I ordered the short ribs. They were ok, the mashed potatoes tasted old and reheated. I've had the short ribs there before and they were always good. These, eh. They forgot my roasted Brussels sprouts, I had to ask for them. My friend had the shrimp risotto. He liked it. Again, was it the kitchen screwing up or our waiter? Dessert: My friend ordered cappuccino, I tasted it. It had a decidedly salty flavor. Ugh. We split the banana pudding in a jar. No spoons! We had to ask for almost everything. Maybe because it was so busy, it was a bad night in the kitchen and our waiter wasn't that swift. It was just ok. I'm trying not to be too hard nosed about this, but I notice a definite change from the last time I was here. Not sure if I would rush back. read more

I usually come here for happy hour and I've been twice for dinner and once for brunch. Their food is amazing! For happy hour they have a pretty good selection of food. I really haven't had anything on their menu that I didn't like. For happy hour they only allow u to sit at the bar area, so if there's no seats they don't allow u to order food only drinks. If you go their cowboy steak is delicious and their s'mores dessert to also very good. read more

Came here 2 times before leaving my yelp review I live in Nutley and I've heard mixed reviews but the first time I really liked my pear spiced martini and I really did like the pregnant bartender I defy thought that the atmosphere was very nice but I ordered some fois gras that is nothing like a fois gras in Paris or any bouchon or in French bistro As I put in my mouth I immediately spit it out into a napkin Although I do have an eclectic and versatile palette for fine foods I just felt like there was something very off with The fact that this restaurant was trying a little too high to be different Sometimes simplicity is best so long as it is made properly then you can entice people's appetite with a new twist The good things about it is good service definitely parking location I'm fine with The cons are you cannot even get anything on the happy hour menu and pay full price for it, not available I found it very rude -the owner with the tattoos thanked everyone as they left, but my friend and brought it to my attention as we walked out the door "did you notice" she said "The manager of that place is talking to everyone at the bar never said a word to us two attractive females they're buying drinks and food and then as we pay our bill and we over tip he sees us walking out and doesn't say thank you" I told her I don't think that we should come back to this place I think that it's a disappointment that everything on the menu just keeps changing when I ordered that Pear Spice martini I absolutely loved it in that is whycame back when I asked for it at the bar The bartender told me it's no longer available because it was a special I ordered a moscow mule and I only took two sips of it because I just had some plastic surgery done on me and it wasn't agreeing with me I just sent it back but of course when I got my bill it was never taken off and I am not the type of person to complain about taking it off my bill unless it tastes absolutely disgusting I don't believe that she made it wrong it just didn't agree with me and I couldn't get it down. But anyway the fact is I think this place is very well overrated and with the options in Montclair it is worth the drive with the options in Hoboken it is worth the Uber. I feel like I get better food quality at houlihans I can't believe I'm actually stating this opinion but I am entitled to an honest truthful opinion on this restaurant But reception absolutely lovely but me and my friend were very turned off by the manager who looked like he was a little dishevelled but more concerned with conversing to other people instead of asking us how he could help or see how we were doing. Had he done so his due diligence as a restaurant owner he would not have gotten this one star yelp review If you want my honest opinion this restaurant is just like the French laundry it's a one time deal you check it out and then you never go back again but the only differences you are not getting Thomas Keller quality food You're not getting the greatest dining experience of your life. But it's not something that I intended at 1st to be a regular at Last night was certainly our LAST read more

What a great find! The same old story, I passed by so many times and never stopped in until recently. And we are happy we did! On a Thursday night it was relatively empty but they set us up in a private area in the back which was great. We had a table of nearly 10 and out waiter did not skip a beat. He was on point with our drink orders, apps coming out in a timely manner, food being served at the same time and just being available when we needed him. They offer a decent wine list (by the glass or bottle) and had a few beers on tap. A couple of crafts but otherwise you run of the mill brews. We then proceeded to order a few apps for the table. Truffled Meal Chips - which is their staple, lacked in presentation and way too over salted. They were also skimpy on the toppings. Chopped salad - we were able to take one large one and split it amongst 3 people. The ingredients were fresh. Asparagus Tempura - It was good but a tad less oil would have been preferred. Main meal: Pork Chop cooked perfectly with cheesy grits, brussel sprouts, cherry pepper/candied ginger bacon jam. The entire dish was like a symphony of perfection as all the flavors mixed well. Very good choice! I did sample other dishes as I was perfectly pleased with mine. We finished off the meal with the adult banana split...and I can vouch and say it was one the most delicious desserts I had in a while. The caramelized pineapple's were so damn good! Oh and the candied hazelnuts were such a hit. Crunchy and delicious. Their whip cream tasted fresh and home made. Such an amazing way to finish the our fabulous meal. Prices - for being touted as a steakhouse, their prices were fair and their portions were generous. Overall a very good meal and experience. Let's hope they are around for a long time. ENJOY! read more

We (part of 5) went to MEAL for an anniversary dinner. Good drinks and wi be to start with. Had the sangria, and the Arnold Palmer, both were very good. Ordered 2 appetizers, chips with cheedde and bacon( very good, but very rich), it's a huge appetizer. We also got the chopped salad, also very good ( and high, 2 people could share-no problem. I had steak frittes, wish the fries were shoestring with the steak. They were just ordinary fries. The steak was very tender, a bit salty. The chimmicuri sauce was great. My son has the 24oz Tbone steak, wife had short ribs and mother in law had beef stroganoff, all said they were good. 3 stars due to bring a bit on $$ side. Don't think I would travel the 30 min to go again. read more

MEAL - New American Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

After tasting almost everything on the menu at Meal, I'm going out on a limb and saying this place is solid. It's a great fit for the neighborhood and when I come back to Nutley (which happens from time to time) I want to eat here. Our party of 10 people arrived around 730 and we were greeted by the very nice manager and seated promptly. We started with a round of apps for the table, namely the oysters rockefeller, mac and cheese, short rib tacos, and tuna tartare to name a few. Standouts for me were definitely the tuna tartare and the mac and cheese. The mac and cheese had peas in it which was something I hadn't seen before and was sauced just right. The tuna, which had beautiful presentation, was light, citrusy with the smallest hint of salt. It had a great balance. For mains, we ordered steaks for the table, ribeye, filet and sirloin. My main, which I shared with my girlfriend was the ahi tuna which while cooked quite nicely, just got overshadowed for me by the steaks. Not only were the portions of the steak generous, but they were cooked to a perfect medium rare with healthy char on the outside. Their flavor and texture were outrageously good. We asked for no butter on the steaks (the menu specifies all steaks are finished with butter) and I would do it again. With meat that tasty, it doesn't need anything else. For dessert, you guessed it, we ordered one of each and two of the special. The amount of sugar and fat on the table probably could have fed a small country. Standouts for me were the carrot cake and the cheese cake. We all got forkfuls of each of them but those were my highlights. I also think the green apple sorbet was a really nice finish to the meal. I was impressed with how subtly tart it was. I can't comment on how service would be on a packed night but last night it was excellent. The bill was incredibly reasonable for the quality and quantity of food that was presented and Meal is most certainly on my short list when I'm back home visiting my parents. read more

Great food but I really don't like the new location. Old location was much cozier and had a more homey feeling. Parking was better at old location, too. read more

We have been meaning to try meal for quite a while. I was surprised to hear they now have a liquor license. I will touch on that first. If you are going to have a liquor license you better put some effort into your wine list. It seemed like they were more concerned with finding CHEAP wines they could mark up rather than GOOD wines that are affordable. I ordered a glass of Sav Blanc that was undrinkable. My wife and I both tasted it and simply left it there. It was quite possibly the worst glass of wine I even had that wasn't turned. I then ordered a red Zin to go with my steak. Again, it was TERRIBLE. Both of these were cheaper than the Las Rocas which I adore, except a glass of Las Rocas was $13. To give you perspective a BOTTLE at retail is $10. It seems like they just picked cheap wine they could mark up without giving any though to taste. I pride myself on finding inexpensive, good wines and could have done a better job at putting their wine list together. Sad. Service: Host/Manager was very nice on he phone and very nice at the restaurant. he was attentive. Seemed like he wanted us to have a good experience. I was told my waitress was one of the best. She was nice. Friendly. I ordered the above glass of white before our apps came out since i was having fish as an app. My white wine was finally delivered after we finished our apps. She completely forgot about the wine. Our water glasses went empty for quite some time. We stepped outside to find our meals on our table upon our return. When patrons are away from the table you should leave the food in the kitchen and keep it warm. or cover it. Food: Totally middle of the road, but they tried. We had the Tuna app which they made with pineapple. I actually liked the pineapple in the tuna but there was just way too much of it. It should have been accented, instead the pineapple took over the flavor of the raw tuna. The little piece of crisp on the plate to scoop of the tuna was just not enough. The Truffle chips were good but way too salty, and I LOVE salt. They promote the fact that their steaks are "Angus". I expect this from Shop Rite. They had Prime steak prices but not prime steaks. My Rib Eye was flavorless. I never add salt to a steak and this needed it. The cut was okay. The sauce I got was a blu-butter. I ma sure you can figure out what that is. Mine was simply coagulated butter in a ramekin. No way to actually dip or pour the sauce over my steak sine it was so hard. My wife's skirt steak was fine. Nothing she was wowed over like at other restaurants. And her chimichuri sauce was kind of bland. The creamed spinach was not creamed. Just watery flavorless spinach. Cleanliness: I sat down, reached under my chair to pull it closer to the table and was met with a stickiness on my hand. Gross. I really wanted to like this place. I live in Nutley and was hoping to find a go-to restaurant without going to Montclair. Still haven't found one. Too many good options in Montclair that a simply way better than this and at or below their prices. read more

I went to Meal last night with a couple peeps of mine and i can say I was very impressed. Having been big fans of the restaraunt that was there before, I couldnt come to terms with trying this new place after the prior business closed out of nowhere. My wife and I were heartbroken and refused to give Meal a chance. That all changed last night when the legendary Pete Isip suggested we go there for a BFF meal - at Meal - get it. I couldnt really tell you if the setting or decor is romantic or not because i was with some dudes but i can say that it was very nice and dim lit. The bar looked invitiing (although only 3 beers on tap .. boo) but we sat at a table instead. We split 3 apps for the table: Truffled "Meal" Chips - Basically homeade potato chips with a truffle sauce with bacon. Very good. The portion size was huge and more than enough for 3 hungry grown men. Because of the size, i would have liked more truffles and sauce. I felt like it was just on the top of the pile and not throughout which would have made it an even better level of Awesome. The chips were perfectly cooked with a nice crunch. Mac & Cheese - Good gravy - delish! Thick spiral macaroni congealed with this perfect rich mix of gruyere and smoked mozzarella cheeses. Each bite was like heaven. I RECOMMEND Grilled Bacon - A big slab of bacon! Whats not to like. Basically a thick cut of pork belly seasoned with some salt. Its bacon people. BACON! I dont know why but i decided to order a salad as well for myself. No clue why. Perhaps because it sounded phenomenal. And it was! Chopped - A salad with a whole concoction that screams EAT ME! Hearts of palms, olives, corn, tomatoe, onion, avocado, and the wonderful feta in a red wine vinegarette. Definetely not healthy but dog gone delicious! Entrees All 3 of us got the steaks and we were very satisfied. Both of my friends felt John Waynish and got the "cowboy steak". It looked very good. Legendary Pete couldnt finish his and the carniverous Anthony left nothing left.. i am surprised he didnt eat the bone (but thats another joke all in its own) I ordered the Strip 14oz, medium rare, with a horseradish cream sauce. Each steak comes with 1 side for free - or is it? The steak was cooked PERFECT. I havent had a steak cooked medium rare in forever. A perfect red inside and a beautiful crunchy sear on top. It was a beatiful cut of meat with little fat on it. If i didnt eat the world before I would have devoured the entire thing. Instead i took some home for my wife. Yes.. best husband ever. They could have rolled us out so we opted not to get desert. As much as Anthony wanted to spoon feed me gelato, i refused. Perhaps another night. My only complaint is the beer tap list. Only 3 beers but surprisingly Dogfish 60 min IPA. A beer that cant end wars but its still pretty dam good. They had a decent wine list and a nice choice of bourbons, which you rarely see at a restaraunt. Thanks MEAL! read more

To be honest, it's been hard to find a restaurant where I feel like I want to be a repeat customer. I recently moved to the area and have been underwhelmed a majority of the time. MEAL is the first place I can say I will be returning to and can see myself enjoying a nice dinner at the bar (my favorite place to eat). Only complaint was the very large, obnoxiously loud dinner party next to us. I do wish that management had asked them to try and keep the noise levels respectable. That said, I will be back. read more

I'm coming out of my Yelp "retirement" for this one... My wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said "steak." My Yelp research turned up MEAL in Nutley. I've been there a few times for drinks and apps but never knew they were a legit steakhouse. Definitely legit. Let me get my wife's order out of the way first: 8oz hanger steak with chimichurri sauce. I got their signature steak, a 16oz cowboy steak, aka a bone-in ribeye, with the horseradish cream sauce. Dear God. They roast a whole head of garlic with each steak. Now listen and listen carefully: Crack open two or three of those garlic cloves, shmear it on that steak and dip it in the HC sauce. Orgasmic. We started off with the oysters rockefeller as an app (only $10, but you only get four), split the brussel sprouts (the only thing I would do differently -- basically charred sprout leaves) and finished off this colossal dinner with a colossal dessert: the banana split. This split was prolly a foot long. Unnecessarily gluttonous but I wouldn't change a thing. I think MEAL really has the right approach: They know they're located in Nutley so they don't try and overdue it with the ambiance or try to win you over with over-dramatic service (this review is getting pretty dramatic). Hey, ordering steak can be risky. You're shelling out a lot of dough for something that better be cooked right. Our entire dinner was done right start to finish. read more

After seeing all the raving reviews on Yelp, I was looking forward to eating here. Finally decided to spend our wedding anniversary and it was well worth it! We went on a Tuesday evening around 7pm with reservations. It was empty but it made the night more intimate. For appetizers, we ordered the truffle meal chips. It was good for two to share and crisped perfectly. We also ordered the spicy Thai mussels which were true to their name. The complimentary bread was used to soak Up the broth from the mussels. It was a large serving so we had enough to split and tot take home to eat later. For our main courses, I ordered the 10oz. Skirt steak. OMG it was the best steak I've ever had, hands down. Cut perfectly, cooked exactly how I wanted. My mouth is watering right now as I write this. My husband ordered the cowboy steak with the crispy russet potatoes as a side. He devoured most of it. It was huge, I can't remember what size though. Cooked to his liking Dessert was the tree of cheesecake bite lollipops. Honestly, it's waaaay overpriced and we only enjoyed two of them. read more

The staff was very attentive but couldn't do much about my salty and overlooked swordfish and given my husband's filet was also salty I wasn't going to chance ordering another entree from their kitchen. Chopped salad was ok. Don't think they use filtered water to rinse their veggies as I could taste the chlorine-esque taste in the salad. Won't be returning here. Nice staff though too bad it's a Salty Meal. read more

They have very excellent wait staff, not once that I been dissapointed even when it's full. They have excellent Cowboy steak. Highly recommend it. read more