My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I were in the mood for a bougie sit-down dinner this past Saturday night and decided to try out Ocean Prime; we've had a few underwhelming dining experiences in Cranford, so we were hoping to break the streak. I'd say we were successful in that regard, and this is probably one of the top two places I've been now in town, along with Garlic Rose. Even if you didn't have access to the menu, this just LOOKS like an upper-class steakhouse - lots of darker interior colors with deliberate use of lighting almost like the aisles in a movie theater. We did the responsible thing and made 6:30pm reservations, though the restaurant was relatively empty when we first got there (it filled up for sure during our dinner). We were immediately seated and attended to, which was a pleasant recurring theme for our experience. On the booze front, we each got an Old Fashioned, which was specifically cited on the cocktail menu, and a bottle of Daou Cab Sauvignon to share (I let my chum take the lead on that selection, which I think was influenced by the strong reviews on the Vivino app - a recommend if you're into that sort of thing). The Old-Fashioned was decent; I'm always pleased when the de facto bourbon is Angel's Envy. I'm not crazy about vermouth, which I always think gives off shoe leather vibes, but I did like the smoky profile on this one. Not bad at all, but I liked the bottle of wine better. We decided to split the Grilled Octopus app, which came with seasoned potatoes, olives and tomatoes. This was arguably the weakest part of the meal. The octopus was a little tough/rubbery and the accompanying potatoes to me were very much needed and better, frankly, than the designated star of the show here. I'm not an olive person but my chum's comment there was they were too overwhelming, taste-wise. Noted. We also got a side of parmesan truffle garlic steak fries, which I didn't have too many of because I was distracted by all of the other options on the table, but would totally get again. For entrees, it felt morally proper to hit up the cattle (when in Rome). I went with the Braised Short Ribs, which is one of my go-tos if it's on the menu. Pretty good - VERY tender and literally falling off the bone. I'd say about 20% of it was too fatty for me, and I pawned that section off on my chum, but the other 80% was primo. She got the Filet Mignon Oscar style (which my computer wanted to autocorrect to Oscars, thinking it was the umpteenth time I was typing something about the Academy Awards), and was very pleased by it. Not mindblowingly amazing but solidly above average across the board. I'm not sure why we ordered dessert at this point other than to ensure I had something else to munch on the following day, but we did that too. I got the Cheesecake w/ Marionberry Compote. This was just okay for me. Taste-wise, the cheesecake seemed a little off for my palate; maybe a little too tart? It didn't seem as milky as other cheesecakes, which doesn't necessarily mean it was bad, but wasn't my kind of cheesecake. The compote was also just okay, both in the moment and as a leftover the following day. Maybe I'm just used to getting this dessert with strawberries and compotes that are similar to that type of fruit, but I just didn't think the compote and cake meshed as well. Debatable though. There's room for improvement but this is a strong entry in the Cranford gastro scene, such as it is. read more

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Decided to give Ocean Prime another try since I have not been since they first opened and I was pleasantly surprised. Made a reservation for Friday night. clams casino were tasty a tad dry clams whole beneath breadcrumb. The strip steak stood out cooked to perfection and seasoned just right. I got chimichurri with the steak it was great fresh addition. My wife enjoyed the chicken milanese. The sides - broccoli raab and truffle fries. Fries were thick and tasteless. But overall enjoyed my meal and will visit again. Cool ambiance and extensive wine menu. Server was attentive. read more

Ocean Prime Tavern - Clams casino - Steakhouses Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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Ocean Prime is an upscale steakhouse in the heart of downtown Cranford. They have a full bar and extensive wine menu. Their food menu offers mostly seafood and steaks, with a few other options as well. I was not in the mood for either, so I had their chicken milenase. The chicken was thin but crispy and salad was fresh and flavorful! I wish my side of truffle fries were more flavorful. The truffle taste fell flat. We declined dessert but the waiter brought us what tasted like homemade limoncello for a night cap. Very nice touch! read more

Ocean Prime Tavern - Chicken Milanese, sides of truffle fries and broccoli rabe - Steakhouses Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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Friendly and attentive staff. Great ambiance. Food was amazing. The seared tuna starter was beyond perfection ! Curated cocktails simply delicious and the steaks are melt in your mouth. Went for a beautiful birthday dinner and this did not disappoint read more

Ocean Prime Tavern - Blood orange martini - Steakhouses Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

Went here for a birthday dinner and they did not disappoint. The place is relatively small inside but they have outdoor seating and the were very accommodating. We must have tried every appetizer on the menu and half the entrees. Service was attentive and the food was cooked well. I will say the only thing that disappointed me were the sides. We tried the Mac and cheese, the mashed potatoes and the potatoes au gratin as well as the broccoli rabe. We were not impressed by any of them and the potatoes au gratin looked congealed. The mains and appetizers were amazing tho! I would definitely go back there read more

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Such a cute little restaurant!! Went here for a vday celebration and had the best time. From the staff, to the drinks to the food - everything was top tier!! A couple of us had the prefixes menu and the redt of us ordered off the regular menu so we had a good mix of everything. I would def recommend the tuna tartare, steak and the truffle steak fries. But honestly everything that we ordered was delicious. Nobody had any complaints. This is definitely my top choice for a date night or just a girls night out!! read more

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Ocean Prime Tavern used to be a seafood restaurant getting a new remake over. The remodel looks great; it gave the old place a much-needed modern elegant look. There were less parking in the front but you can easily park in the parking lot in the back. Most of the patrons here are well dressed appropriately for the place. It gives a good ambiance of high class dining. The service overall was good, didn't have to look for service to get our dinnerware changed and water filled. As for the food, the selection was good. Both of us had steak, different cuts but were cooked properly and the meat quality was good for the price we paid for. The French onion soup was the most interesting one I've ever seen before. Overall good quality steak. The only issue I've had with the restaurant was the noise level was just a bit too high and difficult to carry on an intimate conversation unless there's less people. I think the echoes of other conversation really is a bit too much. Maybe the owners need to do something to address this issue. It's probably due to the space it is a bit tighter than other restaurants nearby. read more

Ocean Prime Tavern - French onion soup - Steakhouses Near Me - Cranford, New Jersey

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Went here with friends. Food - Steak and sides were great. Service - It was a bit slow. The bread we got for the table was stale and had mold on it. They brought us new bread but really just shrugged it off. They didnt do anything about. Ambiance - Not a big steak house. Small but ok. Nothing fancy. read more

This place is amazing. From the vibes to the food to the service. Food was so good we forgot to take pictures but couldn't miss on taking pics of the martinis...they had everyone in the restaurant jealous of us! Love a place you can go with a large table and not feel rushed or unwanted. 0 complaints and will take more pics n3ct time I go... read more

The service was great. The prices were very fair for a steakhouse. We started with a Cesar salad. I don't think the dressing was scratch made. The filet mignon was really good and tender. They had a special sole fish that was good. The bananas foster was pretty good but thought they would bring to table on fire. I think I need to come back and try a couple more items. read more

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Located in the space that formerly houses Romola's, this steak house hits all the right notes to be an outstanding alternative for great steaks right here in Cranford. The steaks were delicious as were the sides and the appetizers. Outstanding wine list and bar selection too. The price points for the dishes were significantly more affordable than NY steak houses and even better than some of the other steakhouses in the area. Our waiter was great and the owner dropped by a couple of times to make sure everything was going well. The Caesar Salad and the Wedge Salad were excellent. The octopus appetizer was out of this world. I wish I had taken a photo. As noted the various steaks out party had such as filet mignon, NY strip, Ribeye, and the Porterhouse for two were well cooked and seasoned. All the sides were fine. Only criticism is the plating of the steaks was pretty blasé. Very large plates even for the small filet with an onion ring and some scallions was not as impressive as the rest of the dinner but I definitely look forward to going back gain and again. read more

Highly recommend, my family and I came here for a special occasion and instead of going with our typical local steakhouse we decided to try Ocean Prime as we know it really opened up and had good reviews. It definitely delivered, service was awesome, food was amazing, and also the restaurant is absolutely breathtaking. The interior is truly magnificent. We ordered the porterhouse for 2 and the cowboy ribeye. Highly recommend the cowboy ribeye along with the bernaise sauce and horseradish cream. We also ordered the thick cut bacon, Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail, cream spinach, truffle Fries and Mac n cheese. Thought the thick cut bacon was too fatty, but everything else was very good. Def not the best fries but solid nonetheless. Would definitely recommend and will be going back read more

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This place is so pretty! The drinks were delicious and the service was very good, friendly! The food is almost there but not quite. Let's start with the shrimp scampi app - shrimp nice size cooked perfectly but the sauce really had no flavor and lacked salt, pepper and garlic. My filet with Oscar addition was good. My husband had gazpacho and said it was good not great. He had the rib eye and enjoyed it. While we both thought the steaks were good quality they lack that steakhouse char/ grilled crusty exterior. Skip dessert. Tiramisu ok and the banana foster terrible. Drinks were a highlight! read more

Nice upscale restaurant in downtown Cranford. Great ambiance and tasty drinks. Not a traditional steakhouse but the steaks are delicious.

Sunny hands-down, one of the best short ribs I ever ate thank you so much. We were there for Easter. The place was packed, but the dinner was excellent. We also visit your restaurant next-door La Colina and we love it as well. I was the one who fist pumped you on Easter Sunday? Thank you again excellent dinner. See you soon. read more

Food was delicious. Top notch service and terrific ambiance. Would highly recommend this place to those in the Cranford area.

I've been dying to try this place! The steaks were excellent! Perfectly prepared and seasoned. The sides like broccoli rabe & loaded baked potatoes were delicious! Must get a reservation because seating is limited but so worth it! read more

We had another amazing meal last night at Ocean Prime in Cranford. Not only is this space visually STUNNING, but the service is TOP NOTCH, with every member of the team, working in perfect synchrony to ensure a flawless dining experience. Every bite of our food was DELICIOUS from appetizers to dessert. Our tender, juicy steaks- the highlight of our meal, were cooked to perfection and seasoned with OP's proprietary blend of Albanian spices. Their cocktail game is STRONG- with each drink designed to delight. A must try is the pumpkin pie martini! Don't miss this fabulous place! read more

Great food and excellent staff. Priced good for the portions get the bone in filet you won't be disappointed.

This place is delicious!!!! I got the Tomahawk and I truly had never tasted any better Tomahawk. The staff were extremely kind and nice and made sure I got the best service possible. I would recommend anyone in the area to definitely stop by this exquisite and comfortable restaurant. ALSO!!! Make sure you GET the LAVA CAKE!!! If you don't, you'll regret it. read more

First time tonight. The place inside is beautiful. Great service. Ordered the French onion soup. Very unique. The soup had a very creamy texture which was not unpleasant but very different. It wasn't a broth rather a thick concoction. Just not desirable. The filet mignon was absolutely delicious. The potato augratin needed a bit more augratin but flavor good. drinks expensive. got a free after dinner drink. Good night but the soup needs to change. Don't know what it is but it's not French onion soup. French onion soup is what we look forward to when we can get it. read more

My husband and I went here last night for the first time. The atmosphere was nice and the staff were very friendly. The food was just ok. We got the French onion soup which we both agreed it had a watered down taste to it. We shared the octopus appetizer which was delicious and my husband also got the bacon app which he said was delicious. The only thing that bothered us was my husband left a slab of bacon to go with his dinner, we were asked 3 times by three different waiters/waitresses if they wanted us to take it away and wrap it up and each time we said no. Then the one waitress came back to us a fourth time and asked if we were sure we didn't want her to take it off the table. My husband was a little annoyed at this point because they kept asking us. Other than that the wait staff was great. For our entrees I got the filet mignon cooked medium and my husband got the cowboy ribeye cooked medium rare. Unfortunately both steaks were undercooked. My steak was a medium rare which although not my preference i can deal with and my husband's was straight rare which he could deal with but again not his preference. For our sides we got the asparagus and the potatoes au gratin, both were delicious. All in all we had an ok experience. We will definitely give it another shot. read more

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We went here for my birthday and wow! The food was delicious. My husband had filet mignon and I had the Chilean sea bass. Both were excellent. The service was great. We did not feel rushed. I'm hoping they will be opened Christmas Eve. My husband's birthday is Christmas Day and it's a long standing tradition. This could be our go to place read more

First time here; excellent food and service. Bacon app was delicious and steaks were as good as any steak I've had in NYC steakhouses. Reasonably priced as well read more

We love Ocean Prime Cranford. We have enjoyed many of the personable owner Sonny's upscale restaurants. As they say excellence starts at the top! Staff, food, bartenders (shout out Sean), and ambience are top shelf. The bar is a thing of beauty. read more