We heard this place was cool & fun from a friend. My husband tried for days & finally got a reservation at 9:15 pm on a Thursday night. I wasn't thrilled about the time but went with it. The Night started out great when we checked into Stella, the hostess was so cute & nice and was very accommodating. We got our "code" and went next store to the restaurant, it was cool I guess as we punched in the"code" into a door like we were going in our garage. Is this the hype? We were told to ask for Joe & he will seat us. The door opened to a small, narrow bar-like area. For one second I was confused because the restaurant is a BYO. There were three very large, burly unwelcoming men staring at us like we were in the wrong place & my husband had to say um who's Joe.. no welcome come in nothing. Ok maybe this is part of the deal. We get seated at a super small table with two couples on either side of us, so close they could have been our dinner companions. No problem,both couples turn out to be awesome & quite honestly the best part of the night. The waitress comes over & tells us there are no menus and she will recite the menu to us. Just an FYI the menu is on a large mirrored board on a wall but very hard to read & no prices. She tell us the raw bar items first & then stops. We say we want to hear the whole menu & she says that's not the way they do it. They expect people to order a fish appetizer.my husband says tell us the menu but she is visibly annoyed but tells us the rest. We end up ordering the half fish tower which consisted of 6 oysters, 4 shrimp , a small crab cocktail & a very small half lobster. I saw her smirk after we ordered & I said I bet it's expensive hence the smirk, turns out it was more like a ripoff so beware! I will tell you it was delicious even for the price. So anyway the story gets better...We ate our seafood in a normal timely fashion it's 10:00pm When we were done the waitress comes to us & we say we are ready to order entrees. She says to us oh I think the kitchen is closed. We said what are you talking about we had a 9:15 reservation & kitchen is closed?? She said I have to check & stormed off like we were insane. She comes back with attitude & says it's fine you can order, Really!!! I wanted to leave, my husband being the nice guy he is ordered the raviolis & the lamb chops. Food comes it's ok maybe would have been better if we didn't have a bitter taste in our mouth from our rude, obnoxious waitress. We ate and had nice conversations with our neighbors. The waitress comes back & says did you eat enough can I get you more food? I say oh realty I thought the kitchen was closed. She gives me a dirty look & says no it's not. Ummmm ok! You are a nut job!!! Long story short the seafood platter was $75 it was good but not worth it. You couldn't pay me to go back to this frivolous, unworthy establishment. Granted it's packed & thats great but they need a serious lesson in customer service. read more

Fabulous birthday celebration for extended family on an early sunday eve with Zaid playing the maestro from the moment I reached out to the beignets and chocolate cake finale. TY Zaid! Fabulous food (carrots in the hall of fame, octopus stellar, love the toasts), as always. Great ambiance and hospitality. read more

If you are lucky to find this hidden gem in Ridgewood than definitely go! Start with the oysters. Some of the best around. The rest of the menu changes weekly so get ready for a treat. Food is served small plates style perfect for sharing and sampling and it's a BYOB. Only thing better than all that, the staff. They made us feel like old friends on our first visit! Fantastic! read more

I was so excited to try this place because of the "cool factor." While the whole experience was fun, (the secret code to get in the entrance in the alleyway) i was unimpressed with the food. The best thing we had was the bread and butter!! The pork schnitzel was awful- the "egg noodles" were like balls of styrofoam and everything else was "eh" i loved the vibe and the great music which is why I gave 3 stars, but i doubt I'd go back. read more

This place was terrible. Went there for Valentines Day, they had a pre fixed menu. It was $165 a person. For just the food. There was no price written anywhere. Are we supposed to just "know" that a dinner for two will be almost $450 after tip? And the food was average at best. Service was terrible. 2 drinks spilled on our table, the waitress gave us a snobby response when asking for her to re read the menu. Overall a miserable experience, I would never even consider going back. Stay away. read more

Best place ever! Literally so good. Amazing service, hospitality, food, and music! I had the best time ever! I went for my friends birthday, and I have literally never had a better experience at a restaurant, especially a local one! I would recommend this restaurant over and over again! read more

This place is one of my favorite to go too! From the oysters to the dessert. I have not had one bad meal there. The staff is always friendly and happy to see you. The atmosphere is amazing and sets the mood. Can't wait until next time read more

Great food, Great service. Great atmosphere. Zia's and staff made sure everyone was comfortable and happy.

We had a wonderful dinner with friends last night at this very "cool" space. Not only was the ambiance and service terrific but all of us really enjoyed the food...including tuna tartare ("amazing" according to my wife), assortment of oysters, meatballs, shrimp, octopus, carrots. Highly recommend! read more

One word for ya - ELEVATED! From the moment you go into Stella you have the anticipation of getting your secret code to get you in next door, it's like getting hooked up with some backstage passes but as a surprise experience! As you enter the door it's extremely inviting, everyone has a smile on their face, and you truly feel like your family had some secret place they never told you about but don't worry, you're now inner circle! I want to leave some of the mystery as that's definitely part of the experience but they absolutely nailed the vibe from the moment you walk in, the service is outstanding and friendly (you seriously feel like you're family), the size is perfect, and the food... the food you just have to try, it's phenomenal! I travel all over the country and far more often than not am disappointed at the quality of food from places that get rave reviews. This place is worth the wait, first class all the way, and the food guaranteed will not disappoint! Congratulations on this restaurant, it's a gem! read more

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Oysters and all small plates sampled were excellent (carrots, beets, scallops, shrimp toast, etc). Found the reservations process to be tedious and the entrance (speakeasy style) to be kind of unneeded. The only other concern would be the timing of when the plates come out - felt too rushed. Overall though, service and food were excellent! read more

It's a very cute and nitchie place and the speakeasy vibe is tons of fun. I loved the decor and the music (90s rap and R&B) and most importantly the oysters were fresh and the selection was fantastic!!!! I didn't really take to their appetizer or dessert options but the entrees were visually appealing and downright delicious!!! There was a few of us so we had the chance to try their lobster, filet mignon, scallop and pasta dishes. And ofcourse that whole mailing list and need reservations a month in advance thing is def annoying. So I'm only giving it four starts cuz I can't make meal commitments that far in advance. That being said, I really can't say enough good things about the oyster bar!!!! This place is definitely worth a trip! I'll definitely be popping back in for some Olympia oysters. read more

The anticipation leading up to our reservation was an exciting start to a date night out. Having been to Stella & S.Edigio plenty we knew we were in good hands. The hostess at Stella was extremely friendly & immediately walked us over to No.12 & handed us off to the hostess at No. 12 who sat us down & immediately opened our wine for us. The decor is Alice in wonderland with an amazing modern twist! I loved the bartender with the fisherman apron on serving drinks & oysters. We were in a tight spot for a 2 top table & we pretty much had no choice but to make conversation with the couple next to us (which I'm totally fine with , but not sure everyone would like that. ) We realized quickly by the volume & service the larger tables & booths were getting that this might be a long night. After about 10 min or so we met our waitress who was very apologetic & very quickly walked us through the menu on the mirror (which btw I had no way to read bc i was sitting underneath & against the wall it was on) We than get a delicious bread & water while we are deciding on our meal. Now 20 min, 30 min , we need more water have to flag someone down. 45 min later our waitress is back . We quickly place our order. We ordered the oysters grilled & raw,pasta special, short rib, & chicken dish. The food was amazing . I'd go back either to experience the oyster bar bc the oysters were so fresh & delicious & unique to Ridgewood or we would have to try again as a group. read more

We went the other nite what a wonderful experience. Food was spectacular so flavorful and fun, space funky and hip, service top notch , awesome addition to The award winning Chefs read more

My husband and I had a wonderful mid week dinner at No. 12. The oysters and scallops were amazing and the music and ambience were perfect! Great spot! read more

I don't even know where to begin with my review. This restaurant went above and beyond our expectations. Our host, Ziad and Chef, Louis were so attentive. The food was amazing. the flavors and attention to detail was outstanding. I feel like we came in customers and left friends! And did I mention BYOB. We look forward to coming back soon! read more

This place was great our first time. We loved it so much we came back a second time. The second time we came here we ordered a pasta and it was $85. Nobody informed us of the price upon ordering. I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I was planning on making two more reservations when I left and I didn't make any. I think $85 for a small plate is absurd. Our server should have said something as $85 for a tapa is actually ridiculous. read more

Zia's was amazing! He made us feel so at home as we arrived! Gabby was an amazing waiter and attended to all our needs. The music and food was A+ all around! read more

Great food. The manager Ziat really goes out of his way to ensure everything was perfect. The way he was so attentive I assumed he was the owner. Highly recommend! read more

We had a great dinner and experience there. Hostess at Stella was great and brought us glasses and opened our wine while we waited for the rest of our party - sitting on a bench outside while live music played in the background. Waitstaff and Joe were both great. They must have read some of the reviews on here and corrected some concerns other people posted. We did order seafood and waiter answered all our questions about menu (which we couldn't see but we took that as part of the experience here and really didn't mind). Joe was super friendly, turned off air conditioning which was blowing on us (also offered another table to us if we wanted). The food was outstanding, did a chef selection of oysters and they were delicious, fresh and very well shucked. Homemade horseradish and cocktail sauce were both very good and complaints on portion size of cocktail sauce are clearly from people that drown their seafood in it. Expensive but definitely worth going. One last nice touch was when we were making a future reservation with Joe and our Uber pulled up he offered to follow us out to take down our information so we didn't miss our car. I don't know if any other restaurants in town would do that. Overall a fun experience with good food. read more

We really enjoyed our night here! We've been trying to get a reservation for 5 months and finally got in. Really cool atmosphere/vibe, loved the music. We sat at the oyster bar which was entertaining to watch dishes being made through the night. Plates we got included grilled oysters, glazed carrots, butternut squash toast, a chicken dish and the halibut. I enjoyed all the dishes and in particular the bread they bring out in the beginning was amazing! The staff was very kind to us as well. If you're looking for a unique BYOB date night place def. recommend coming here! read more

Exceptional service, friendly staff and the FRESHEST seafood. The potato gnocchi was delicious! We can't for our next visit

Not worth the wait or the money. Pretentious and mediocre. If you like spending $16.00 for 1/2 piece of bread toasted with roasted butternut squash, Diver scallops that were under cooked and too much salt. Spicy rigatoni that had no flavor only spice. Carbonara that was bland. French fries with "New England clam chowder" with no clams. I was so looking forward to eating here. Will never go back and would not recommend to anyone who love good food. read more

Me and my friend where finally able to make a reservation for this place, I was greeted by a guy name Ziad. He was very friendly and welcoming, the place was nice and they had 90s 2000s music playing. The waiter, I believe his name was Gaby was very attentive and friendly. I had the bang bang shrimp and the fried calamari and both dishes were delicious. For the main course I had the grilled octopus and lamb chops and no surprise the food was delicious. I had a great time while Ziad gave us great company. Definitely a place you want to visit read more

Very cute idea, the oysters were amazing, including many different varieties. Service was excellent. Wish the music wasn't so loud. Had a wonderful time. read more

I wish there were more stars to give this outstanding restaurant. The talented chefs, the unique and delicious dishes, the attentive service, the vibe/ambiance, the list goes on. Love this place and can't wait to go again. read more

Very cool new place to try! Loved the code and alley door to get in. The restaurant had a great vibe to it, with awesome 90s music playing. It was a little overwhelming not having a menu in front of us, but the waiter did a good job of explaining what our options were and guiding us along. We opted not to go with the seafood tower and dove right into the small plates. But first the bread came out. Holy moly! Amazing. I would have been happy with just that. Then our first dishes came out - the grilled oysters and the crab toast. The grilled oysters were amazing, we ended up ordering another plate. The crab toast was good to, but compared to the oysters it was a disappointment. Next up were the hot honey carrots and the duck, duck goose. Both had good flavor and nice textures to them. Finally, we had the short ribs with polenta. Probably the best short ribs we've ever had. Overall a fantastic time. My only complaint was that they tended to speak more to my husband instead of me, and even put the bill in front of him, even after I put my credit card down to pay. Will still go back though - can't wait to see what dishes they have next time. read more

Amazing in every way! Walking down the alley to the Blue door and entering the secret code allows entrance into this cozy cafe that was created with the attention to detail that is reflected not only in the ambiance, but also on every plate that is created and presented with culinary perfection! The extensive selection of fresh oysters has not been found anywhere else in all my extensive travels. The variety of small plates allows your palate to enjoy favorites and explore despicable morsels for the first time. When asked how was dinner, all I suggest is "you have got to go, you got to go and taste for yourself! read more

I really can't understand giving this place anything less than 5 stars. NJ in general really lacks amazing restaurant options, we have an overload of fast food and mediocre spots, but truly amazing, we don't have those. But No.12 is just that. The vibe is very cool, it's not uptight or pretentious, but the servers are just as knowledgeable and professional, and the food quality, is as if it were. And they happily not only made an adjustment, but made something that wasn't even on the menu for dietary reasons. That's a true sign of a real chef. Everyone is super nice, you're not rushed, and it's just an overall an incredible dining experience. read more

We are regulars at Stella and S Egidio. Right after dinner tonight, we went to No 12. While waiting to decide on drinks etc, we were escorted out by a rude manager (wearing a fedora hat) who proceeded to open the door and force us to leave since we weren't ordering yet. As much as I enjoyed these establishments, we will never, ever visit either again. How can a business hire such unprofessional individual and allow for this type of behavior to take place? Very disappointed. Note: heavy snow outside, light crowd and no one waiting read more

We were excited to go here since all six of us are foodies, but unfortunately it appears this is one of those restaurants where the management has no idea what customer service is about. While there is a cute idea as to creating this secret restaurant where you have to be given the "access code" at the sister restaurant Stella, at the end of the day it is just a novelty if you don't have great food and great service. The restaurant is a "small plates" Tapas restaurant with the menu only visible on the wall from certain tables. We were seated at a table where I was the only one that could see the menu. The waitress came over and explained they had a raw bar to start as appetizers and that she would "explain the menu Tapas menu to us". After she recited what was at the raw bar she asked for our orders. One of the women at our table asked how can we decide to order the raw bar if we don't know what the rest of the menu is? Her response was "that's how it works". I guess that was the first warning. Once we got to the menu she also explained they "highly" recommended we order three plates "each" since the portions are very small. I glanced at the menu and noticed most plates were around $20... and thought "okay, this is going to be an expensive night." We all ordered three plates and then the "fun" began. Since we each ordered from the raw bar they delivered all of our raw bar orders together and there was only a tiny cup of cocktail sauce delivered. That was fine we just needed to ask for more, but then in this tiny restaurant, (which by the way gets extremely, extremely loud when it is full) we could not find our waitress nor any other server. I finally had to get up and search someone down to get some cocktail sauce. (May I please get some more porridge sir...) After our raw bar they delivered the first several plates. Right from the get go it seemed like something was wrong because the portions were rather large and I wondered why the heck the waitress "highly" recommended three plates each. (Is the manager trying to ramp up his profit margin?) Again this was fine, but my wife wanted some salt. Again, we could not flag anyone down, and once again I got up and found someone to bring over salt. (Is this a self service restaurant?) The food was actually very good, but we finished those initial plates, and then waited roughly 30 minutes and nothing else showed up. Once again, no one ever came back to check on the table and I had to get up and go find someone to ask where our food was. They checked and explained that Stella had a new menu that night, all food was delivered from the same kitchen and all dinners were backed up. (Mind you, we had a 5:45 reservation and were some of the first people in either of the restaurants.) We waited about 10 more minutes and our food finally came out and was thrown down on the table "haphazardly" with no idea who ordered what. At this point we had run out of wine and wanted to order a bottle, but alas, no one came by so we just ate our food. Finally the last plate came out which was the pork dish. My wife had ordered that so began eating it when our friend realized she had ordered it also. Finally the waitress did show up and we asked for the final pork dish. After she went to see where that was, our friend realized that she was just too full to eat it and so I went back up to cancel the dish. When I went up to the station where they all gathered the waitress was standing with the manager it appeared. I mentioned to them both that we wanted to cancel the pork, and that it seemed recommending three plates each was way to much, and also, we had wanted to order another bottle of wine but could not find her. (My idea was that this could be good feedback for the manager to help train her and the staff?) Her response was an incredulous "I was out your table all night!" I returned to the table dumbfounded that she would talk to a customer like that. A few minutes later the manager (Joe?) showed up and explained we had "definitely" gotten both pork dishes and he had "personally" delivered them to our table and "put them right down in the middle." What followed was a small argument with our friends and then I finally said, "you are doing this wrong, this is not the way to treat customers." His response was "I am doing this wrong?...Well I'll tell you what, I will bring over the check, you will pay it and then you are never allowed back in this restaurant ever again!" Holy cow?? The check came and we paid over $500 for dinner (both pork dishes charged). Mind you everyone at our table is old enough to be grandparents, we are all successful in the world and here in downtown Ridgewood, we somehow broke the norms of restaurant behavior so severely according to this manager, that we are now banned forever. So be it and good luck in the future. Restaurants with service like this do not survive very long. read more

Our dinner started out great even though the service was incredibly slow. After we had been sitting for quite some time with empty dishes (and water glasses) in front of us and waiting to order dessert (or be asked if we would like dessert) we were told that the next party who was assigned to our table had arrived and we had to go! When we spoke to the manager he was even more emphatic that we had to leave. Will definitely not be back - stay away if you like to finish your meal without being harassed to leave! read more

Made a reservation on Oct 15 for dinner on Nov 17 for 10 people. Received confirmation immediately. Emailed them Nov 14 to confirm to have them tell me they had a "computer issue" and don't have my reservation and will not be able to accommodate my group. I have friends coming into town and now have to find a place for 10 people on a Saturday night. Not a happy camper. Totally turned off and will not be trying this new place out. read more

Fresh food. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was their crab - slightly too fishy. Other than that, co complains.

Overpriced, overrated, arrogant maitre d, intoxicated waitress slurring her words (how unprofessional!), ok food & extremely noisy.. need I say more? This restaurant has no structure and definitely needs a TON of work. Won't be returning. read more

A very unique dining experience. We loved every minute of it. First you have to check in at "Stella's" a sister restaurant next door. After you check in you get a passcode card and they tell you to go down an alley and type in the code into the door pad. You walk into the raw bar which is about 10 feet long and they had oysters and crab legs on display. Wow! This is a tasting restaurant with no printed menus. All you need to know is on a board and our waiter Matthew was simply outstanding! The service was second to none. This waiter knew exactly how every meal was prepared as if he was the chef himself. We ordered shrimp cocktail (colossal) excellent, grouper ceviche (awesome) pork schnitzels (the best) a 32 ounce on the bone ribeye (OMG). Lamb chops and grilled oysters. For desert we had beignets that were just as good as cafe Dumont in New Orleans! Just totally outstanding. We will be back for sure! read more

Not a fan on all accounts. Dark, loud, expensive and not very friendly staff. Not our thing.

Food and service are great. The steak on toast is a must. You also can't leave there without having the pasta of the day. Everything was prepared perfectly and delivered to the table in the right order. The staff is extremely helpful with picking items on the menu. If you can get a reservation it's a great place to go. read more

Food was great but the restaurant was LOUD!! A little over rated but worth trying out. Parking in Ridgewood SUCKS, went on a Thursday and had to park 6 blocks away. But Ridgewood sucks, not the restaurant. read more

After finally getting a reservation, we were pleasantly surprised. The food was delicious and wait staff wonderful! Also, secret door, code didn't work to let us in. We look forward to returning and were told the menu changes regularly. The "secrecy" of this place at first was a turn off for me, but after experiencing the dining, it makes it worthwhile. read more