This was a nice little restaurant that I found when attending a conference in Plainsboro. I loved the atmosphere and the waitstaff was wonderful. I had a delicious cocktail called the Bloody French was delightful. For dinner the four of us shared their BLT on a skewer starter and a shrimp dish. I don't recommend sharing the starters unless you get one for each person.... The portions are geared more for the individual. For the entree I got the Buccatini with jumbo lump crab and fried lemon.... Delicious!! The pasta is homemade and had wonderful taste and texture. I was very pleased with this choice. For sides we shared the roasted cauliflower with golden raisins- again very tasty, and the Mac and cheese. Overall, I enjoyed our dinner and I would definitely go back given the opportunity. read more

ONE 53 - The bar area when you walk in. - New American Near Me - Rocky Hill, New Jersey

This place is a local gem. We have lived in the area for more than twenty years and never had dinner​ there. The food (pumpkin swordfish​; salmon​ and pumpkin cheesecake​). Food was delicious​, served promptly and professionally. Our waiter​ Nic was exceptionally good. I strongly recommend​ this place! read more

My wife and I decided to try ONE 53 for our 1 year anniversary dinner. Truth be told this place is completely overrated. This server was nice and Professional but would keep saying 'sorry' to every question. The mixed drinks were made to our liking. If this restaurant was a bar we would give a 5 star rating. The food is overpriced and poorly made. Both the Salmon and Ribeye steak had zero flavor. (No spices are used) When we asked for our food to be prepared to our liking we were told the chef would not prepare the food any other way than what was served. I would never recommend anyone to eat at this restaurant. It's clear by the locals which sat at the bar that this is not an upscale restaurant that even requires the need for a reservation. Save yourself time by going next door to Historic Rocky Hill Inn & Tavern which is a real 5 star restaurant which justifies reservations. Like Share read more

I've been anticipating trying this place after hearing buzz about it from neighbors and friends. Well, happily I wasn't disappointed. Rocky Hill has a couple of interesting restaurants but this one is outstanding! Very Tribeca vibe. Ostentatious menu but I'm not hating. They had Foie Gras and Chef Juan knows how to prepare it. I swooned with joy at the perfectly unctuous texture and flavor. Everything was perfect! We had the Cassoulet and the Squid Ink Ravioli. The chef also had really tasty Amuse Bouche offerings. In our case it was Grilled Octopus. Omg! Generous portions which is a pleasant surprise. Pricing was on the high end especially for NJ. This isn't NYC, you know. Too expensive to be a regular place but enjoyable nonetheless. They even have Complimentary Valet parking. The full bar is excellent. We ordered our fav. St. Germaine Martini. There are interesting artisanal mixed drinks for the more adventurous among us. I would love to hang out at the bar. A very eclectic mix of patrons that I'm sure I would enjoy chatting with. Definitely will be back! read more

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Visited this restaurant on a Saturday evening. Small, quaint place on a main street in a small town. There were 8 of us. After a short wait, we were seated at an ample corner table in the downstairs wine cellar. The ambiance and mood were enhanced by being partially surrounded by bottles of fine wine. Our server was affable, polite and appropriately knowledgeable about the menu items and specials. Water glasses were filled and beverages ordered. I had a glass of Chardonnay which was smooth, not too dry and soothing to the palate. Another person ordered a glass of stout and our Gen Zers had cream sodas with cherry and vanilla infused bourbon plus ginger ale. One soda was stronger than the other but every drop was imbibed. For starters, we had mussels in tomato white wine broth, an artisanal cheese plate, butternut squash ravioli in sage cream sauce with candied pecans, grilled Spanish octopus with peperonata roasted potatoes in red pepper pure'e, Gorgonzola tortellini with sausage and peas in Parmesan cream sauce, house salad with arugula and other greens, spicy shrimp in white wine garlic sauce. I had mushroom soup with hot chili oil. Everything was terrific. I had to control myself from ordering another soup so I would have room for my main course. The remaining sauce from the mussels was so good that there was a competition to see who could sop up most of the sauce with the bread provided. Main courses included blackened Mahi-Mahi, filet mignon, cooked perfectly to taste and very flavorful along with sides of shoestring French fries{ with truffle mayo} and broccoli rabe with Parmesan and chili flakes. The fries were the tastiest I've ever had with no oil or sogginess. {some consider me a French fry addict}. Desserts included warm and gooey chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream and grilled pound cake ice cream sandwich. Our server and his helpers were spot on, filling water glasses without being requested and exchanging silverware when required.I polled our diners later and there were only positive comments. We had an extraordinary gastronomic experience with delicious food and excellent service. Can't wait to return and try the One 53 burger, of course with French fries. read more

Hands-down the best BURGER, I've ever had in my life! The rossini burger was out of this world - I am not one to usually order burgers, nor do I ever finish them and this burger was so good that I devoured it! This was my first time dining there and I will definitely be going back. The atmosphere is upscale casual with an intimate vibe to it - definitely, recommend for smaller groups and date nights. Upon arrival, there is a complimentary valet which is a nice touch. The bar was crowded when we arrived, so it was a tad noisy, but our table was available we didn't mind the fun vibe. Food and service were excellent and they have an extensive wine and drink menu. If you haven't been, I definitely recommend giving it a try. read more

Honestly, excellent experience. This is now one of my top places in the area, along with Agricola. What makes this place stand out is that although its at a similar higher price point with the other comparable restaurants, they give you very nice portions which is a welcome site. You could even split some entree's and get 2 sides and it would be plenty. Flank Steak medium rare was very good Salmon was a little "fishy" but still a nice piece and good Broccoli rabe side is a nice portion and I thought was really good The date and cheese appetizer was pretty good as well, a little small The almond joy sorbet was very refreshing and sweet at the same time, again a nice portion The Kobe beef burger looks unbelievable. I didn't get it, but I could taste it with my eyes. read more

Food and decor were very good. Service was good. Apps we had were cheese board and octopus. Both very good. Both very small. Had the ribeye special which was cooked perfect and came with fries. Shrimp and grits were outstanding as well. Had the grilled pound cake ice cream sandwich which was also incredible. Size of the portions were the only reason this is 4 stars and not five read more

Our Valentine's Day dinner was a mixed experience. For starters, we opted out of buying a bottle of wine because a) wines START at $35 a bottle and b) the mark-up is too high - wine I buy for $18 a bottle on any day of the year is marked up to $55 on their card. Next, my house salad, while made with a nice mix of fresh greens, tomato, onion and other appropriate fixin's, was all but ruined by the nasty vinegary-sour dressing that was applied. My wife ordered an over-priced tortellini dish that had sausage and something else on it (pardon me for not remembering, but the dish was not that memorable.) $26, and blah. The one saving grace of this meal was the Muscovy duck I ordered. VERY flavorful, interesting, perfectly prepared dish. One of the best meals I've had in months, in a restaurant OR at home (and my wife cooks better than most restaurant chefs.) Wonderful, and worth every penny paid and then some. On balance, I don't think the price paid is worth what I get, probably because my dear wife spoils me at home. It's hard to give her a night off from cooking AND replace what she makes, affordably :) read more

For this to be an upscale location I was not blown away. I was at this location for my company's holiday dinner and overall had a nice experience. It has a nice ambience to it and our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive. I love steaks and I ordered the ribeye and I was very disappointed. It was a very large cut of meat which is excellent however it was not seasoned well and had very little flavor. It was literally just a cooked piece of meat. For dessert I ordered the grilled pound cake with ice cream which wasn't the best but it was tasty. I am not in a rush to return to this location. read more

Excellent service and food in rustic trendy friendly environment. Will be back for sure

Nothing bad to say as the food was good. But not worth what I paid. One of those places where you feel like you're mostly paying for the construction/interior design costs required to capture the ambiance this type of establishment but not necessarily the food cost or culinary technique. read more

This is one of our favorite dinner/date venues. While we have been seated in the restaurant before, my wife and I prefer to be seated at the bar. The bartender/mixologist is extremely amiable and knowledgeable of all items and drinks. The $35.00 Rossini burger is my go to...98% of the time! Rossini Kobe Beef, Seared Foie Gras, Black Truffle Cheese, Truffle Mayo, Mushrooms in Madeira on Brioche Bun read more

Very good service and the food is very good in comparison to other restaurants in our area. Kids friendly and all together a very good value for your money read more

Pricey but always great menus, food, and service. Reservations are recommended, especially for the weekend.

This place is expensive. It is definitely a little overpriced, but I really did enjoy it. The menu is very unique with a lot of interesting things. They also have a large selection of monthly specials which all sounded great. Their wine list is huge (especially by bottle) with some harder to find wines on it, but they are not cheap wines so be prepared for that when you're going in. The blackened flat iron steak was one of the best steaks I have had in a very long time. It was cooked perfectly and was seasoned very boldly which is what I like. The Rossini burger was also one of the best burgers I have ever had. I have never had a burger with foie gras, but I am definitely a fan of it. Overall, a great experience. It's not a place I will go to regularly, but I will be going back. read more

After two trips to One 53, I'm officially hooked. This is quickly becoming my favorite restaurant in New Jersey. I'm torn between a 4 and 5-star review because this place is, without a doubt, one of the best -- if not THE best -- restaurants in the area. The service is second to none, and the food and drinks are absolutely outstanding. An experience like this does not come cheap, however. A full dinner with starters, entrees, drinks, and dessert will run about $250 per couple, including gratuity. Expectations run high at these prices. The bar at One 53 is tiny, but intimate, and is still my preferred choice for dining. Craig the bartender serves as the Mayor of One 53 and is beloved among his customers, and for good reason -- he's a super nice guy and makes awesome drinks. Being the stickler I am for a perfect Manhattan though, I'll need to request mine stirred next time as I don't like ice getting into my drink. The cocktail menu has a great selection of classic and house specialties, one as good as the next. If you've never had a Hemingway Daiquiri, order one here. You'll be in for a real treat. One of the things I love the most about One 53 is the incredible selection of food on their menu. I generally believe that the more expansive a menu is, the more mediocre the food tends to be. Not here. At One 53 you can dine on everything from sweetbreads, foie gras, and escargot, to burgers, fried chicken, and mac & cheese. Graze the entire farm by choosing from the most wonderfully prepared dishes of grilled lamb, pork, duck, or beef. Or try any of the selections of fresh fish they offer, like skate, salmon, or whatever the fish of the day may be. And that's on top of a great variety of starters, salads, and pastas that are also available. At One 53, there's something for everybody. Among my favorites is their grilled Caesar salad. I never met a grilled salad I liked until I had one here. This salad is excellent. It's delicately grilled to slightly wilt the Romaine and give it that grilled flavor, but doesn't overdo it. The dressing is delicious, as is the shaved parm. I couldn't come here and not order one of these. When you first sit down, put in an order or two of the BLT skewers for a fun little take on the classic. They go great with your first round of cocktails and will only make you yearn for what's to come. Also popular at our table were the feta-stuffed peppers, and the grilled eggplant stuffed with ricotta and spinach. My buddies, always the adventurous ones, ordered the sweetbreads. I had never tried sweetbreads until last night, and let me tell you, they are pretty incredible. I'm told they can sometimes taste "glandy," which couldn't be a more revolting adjective to describe food, but that's essentially what they are. Relative to other sweetbreads preparations, my friends said these were the best they ever had. As for the entrees, on my first visit I ordered the house-made cavatelli with sausage and sage brown butter. It was off-the-charts good. Tip: Get a side of greens sauteed in garlic and EVOO and mix some of it into the dish. They go great together. On last night's visit, Michael, our waiter, recommended the pork chop. He explained that he is an excellent chef himself who has cooked for the One 53 chef before. He said the pork chop here is so good he has given up trying to cook pork at home. (Pretty good pitch, if you ask me.) He recommended having it blackened and served with chimichurri. Wow. This was, without a doubt, the best pork chop I have ever eaten. I would be hard pressed to come to One 53 and not order this again. Other table favorites included the Colorado lamb chops. I'm not even a big lamb fan and these were crazy good. My wife ordered the salmon and also said hers was delicious. The quality of the ingredients here, and the excellent preparations back in the kitchen, really stand out. And that is why we were mildly disappointed with a few of the other dishes that came out. The Rossini Burger, clearly one of One 53's signature draws, was an incredible symphony of delicious flavors. But at $35, when you order it medium rare, it better be medium rare. My friend's burger came out overcooked. He probably should have sent it back, but we tend not to do those things unless it is really warranted. My other friend ordered the fried chicken and mac & cheese. The locally sourced Griggstown chicken was without a doubt great quality meat, but he found the dish to be under-seasoned and somewhat bland. This was corrected with a few quick turns of the salt and pepper mills. The same was said about the Chicken Milanese. The mac & cheese, however, was awesome. Be sure to save room for dessert because One 53 doesn't disappoint in this area. Our favorite by far is the chocolate bread pudding with caramel bourbon sauce. I love One 53 and can't wait to come back. The dukedom will soon be mine, and I'm sure they'll quickly earn that fifth star as we venture further into the menu. read more

I doubt all the servers at ONE 53 are rude but how we were treated by our server was appalling. My boyfriend and I came to celebrate and we generally look the other way, but our server was condescending and my sauteed soft shelled crab...lets just say every bite of it tasted like someone heaped a spoonful of salt in my mouth. I never got her name but she was a brunette with her hair pulled back in a pony tail. She never came to check up on us and when we asked for a second basket of bread, she never even bothered. We had to wave down someone else to get our bread 15 minutes later, appetizer-less and sitting at an empty table. Either this server is typically rude, otherwise we're thinking it might be because we didn't order wine (I can't drink and my boyfriend has to drive). But really? An attitude because we didn't put $20 more dollars on the tab? Like I said, our server never came to check to see how we were doing, never gave us a dessert menu, and after waiting for 15 minutes after our meal was finished and had been taken away, I had to walk over to the service station to get the check because...well, she was very good at ignoring us. I really recommend couples to go elsewhere to save yourself from an evening ruined. I hope ONE 53's manager reviews this forum, I'd be happy to be contacted to identify this individual. read more

Tucked away on Washington Street in Rocky Hill, this hidden gem never fails to delight. If you can, come with a large group of friends and snag the wine cellar. It's private, quiet, and absolutely the best spot to enjoy your meal. Nothing like savoring a nice bottle of vino and a sumptuous meal in a secluded lair while surrounded by your buds and One 53's extensive wine collection! The menu is French-inspired and American comfort food. While their appetizers are great, the real standouts are their entrees and desserts. The lamb chops, pork, and mac and cheese are all delicious. Their signature burgers silenced our table. Nom nom nom! Everyone was too busy chomping away with delight to utter intelligible sounds. The menu didn't appear terribly vegan-friendly, but they were very accommodating. Aside from the lentils and greens listed on the menu, they were open to modifying other dishes to make them vegan. Make sure to save room for dessert. The chocolate bread pudding is to die for. I unashamedly order a second piece to go. It's that good! read more

I liked one53 a lot but I wouldn't say I was blown away. For a more upscale dining experience, it was enjoyable on the whole. My crab cakes were very good with next to know BS filling which made me happy. The long hot pepper and mushroom app that we got was also tasty and the long hots brought the heat. Not quite on the level of some Italian spots but that's comparing apples and oranges. Cocktail, beer, wine selection was creative however definitely not on the less expensive side. Service was very good and quite friendly. If you're looking for a more pricey night out in a more upscale environment, check this place out. Generally speaking, I tend to frequent more laid back spots, but this was a nice change of pace. read more

This place never disappoints! I swear, any and everything you order will be a hit. The shrimp small plate and cheese plate are both great starters. The jalapeno margarita is perfection, too! On the menu, all pasta dishes are good, though the serving sizes are modest so you won't be bringing any home. The rabbit, fried chicken, and strip steak are also all good entree options. I usually love sitting down in the wine cellar, but last time I did it was just too cold and I was literally shivering. Our waiter explained that since it was so cold out, the cellar was particularly cold as they have to regulate the heat to keep the wine at acceptable temps. I guess a cup of hot coffee and one of their desserts could fix even that problem! P.S. Their specials sound great but are quite pricey as is their wine. I am not cheap, but over $20 for 10oz of some of the wine choices seems like a lot to me. read more

A Princeton gem. The food was wonderful and the service was too. The room was noisy but not too crazy. Foie gras app $19 rabbit $32 strip steak $38. Drinks were a little pricey but not scary. Overall a great meal. So here it comes... Al says you gotta eat here! read more

Thanks Yelp--you've deleted yet another of my reviews. I can tell you, and you will send me a lame reply that says "woops, we don't see anything in our system, so it never happened". I should find it comical that the reviews I use to keep track of what I've ordered and spent and loved should be here when I look for them, but no. It's gone. Again. I will be nice and keep the expletives to my self. I honestly don't know what is up with Yelp. I've been to One53 over a dozen times--love their sweetbreads, ok on the truffle fries, great burger but I'm rather over fantastic burgers at this point--my husband's burgers are so good that I usually only order them if there's absolutely nothing else on the menu I would like to eat with a knife and fork. Always a phenomenal meal. People keep raving about their grilled caesar salad, but I've never been girly enough to order salads--I eat real food, and lots of it. If you can, sit downstairs in the cellar--it is not as loud as upstairs. We've eaten with our kids there a number of times, but it's generally booked for private parties. My in-laws love it here too. So now I'm stuck with a lame review. One that doesn't say anything except "I really love this place". That's pathetic. Shame on you Yelp for either being malicious or buggy. I know we generally spend about $150 for dinner for 2 here and the cocktails are fantastic. I have no idea what we've ordered. I know that we don't think much of the specialty ketchup. We are headed back for our 7th anniversary next week. I expect it to be fantastic as usual. Note: they aren't really prepared for kids. The bucket seat will not be stable on the banquettes and make sure at least one male in the group has a belt to secure the squirmy ones to the chairs. Service can be a little slow, but it's incredibly friendly and the food will make you so orgiasmically happy that you forget about the slowish service. read more

I truly appreciate then menu range because I can always find something. The burgers are pretty juicy and flavorful and the salmon toro tartare is very fresh. The butternut squash ravioli is deliciously creamy and a great comfort dish. Service is usually very friendly and fast, although that can vary. Overall, a good place for a diverse group because it has something for everyone. read more

It's with a heavy heart I write this review but I didn't think One 53 should be overlooked just because it brings me bittersweet memories of the past. I came here with my ex-boyfriend FV. FV lives in Princeton and this is one of his stomping grounds. FV and I had talked together about my moving to New Jersey and put an end to the long distance stuff. I was up for it, he was up for it until that fated night in Los Angeles when he broke up with me at Ca'Brea, out of the blue, crushing my hopes and dreams of making One 53 my favorite haunt and local. The main reason I am all about this place is that it makes the BEST Margarita in the world. And, I should know as I live in Dallas, have lived in Houston, visit Austin and California all the time. Nobody had touched the quality of theirs! This is a huge compliment from me as margaritas are only one of two cocktails I will drink and One 53 makes the best ones EVER. I actually haven't had much of their food. FV and I sat at the bar and had some small plates, They were fine. The food looks very good there on the whole. I hope to come back someday. read more

I've lived/worked/gone to school in and around Princeton since 1993 and am here on yelp to help dispell the myth that there's nowhere to eat or drink in this part of the world. Quite the contrary. Obviously one person's opinion is no more worthwhile than anyone else's, but I feel that I'm pretty objective and appropriately critical. Dinner at one53 starts with bread and a white bean and garlic puree in lieu of butter. It's a nice touch and will absolutely fill you up. Tread lightly. The wine list for a neighborhood bistro is larger and pricier than expected. There are always about a dozen wines by the glass and piccolo carafe (about 1.75 glasses worth). Cocktails are substantial and appropriately expensive. A gin on the rocks is the equivalent of a bit more than a double at most bars. Beer snobs take note: you can get Chimay in the bottle here. Had a salad of pancetta, bleu cheese and pears the last time I was there which was great. In fact me and my wife had made meals of their apps and sides on more than one occasion. Their pastas (handmade at Lucy's) are excellent and their burger is substantial and honestly a bit too much. I mean that in a good way. I had the lamb shank special there last week and it was appropriately falling off the bone tender. My wife had the scallops (didn't notice what else as I was attempting to get through the shank). She liked them. The most common criticism of the food is that it's bland/underseasoned. I can see that, though I don't necessarily agree. In my experience the food has been cooked to order. Better not quite salty enough than too salty. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't made it too dessert the last couple times we've eaten there, though you do get ginger chocolate cookies with your bill that are quite good. Service has wavered between average and very very good. I agree with the folks who've said you don't quite feel like you get what you pay for here. For example: shared app, 2 entrees, no dessert, 1 cocktail, 1 glass of wine ended up just north of $120 with tip. For us that's less a neighborhood quick dinner and more of a special occasion spot. read more

A little out of the way from downtown Princeton, but definitely worth the trip. Set in a fairly residential area, this bistro-style restaurant and wine bar is as cool as anything near Nassau. Huge selection of wine, but I was quite happy with their selection of bottled beers (including Guinness). We had a 6:30 reservation and were promptly seated... the hostess even took our coats. For an appetizer, we had one of the specials - wild mushroom and caramelized onion tart. I ordered the strip steak for my entree and it was tender and juicy - slightly more cooked than I like, though (medium-rare). My wife had the scallops & risotto which she also enjoyed. For dessert, we had the chocolate bread pudding... super chocolaty and rich, but balanced well with a scoop of ice cream. Their parking lot gets packed, but there's plenty of street parking and an additional lot a block away. The crowd gave off a yuppie vibe, but not so overly pretentious - mostly middle aged folks. The place gets very packed (and cramped) so it's definitely advisable to make a reservation - you can even do so on opentable.com. We'll be dining here often. So close to 5 stars, but not quite (more like 4.5). read more

First visit to One 53 and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Glad I made made reservations for Valentine's day dinner as clearly it was a popular choice. Appetizer(Salmon Tartare) and main courses(Yellowfin Tuna, Seared Rabbit Loin) were excellent. Did feel that the cheese plate for dessert was way over-priced for what it contained. Only other detractor was that our server was not particularly friendly. Look forward to another visit. read more

Meh. Dined here a while ago (over a year now), so maybe things have improved, but found it not to live up to its own inflated opinion of itself. Self-important in the way that Jersey restaurants stereotypically can be: conflating classy with pretentious. P.S., foie gras is so 1985. Nevertheless, I tried the Rossini burger. Would not repeat. read more

Went with a large group and sat in the wine cellar. I started with the grilled Caesar salad, it was grilled to perfection with just the right amount of dressing. Dinner was the Rossini burger, Kobe beef, foie gras and truffle cheese, mayo and mushrooms... In a word yummy. Capped off with the chocolate bread pudding, decadence at its best. Nick was our server and was attentive, gave recommendations and easily split the check. A great find in a remote location. read more

This place is fancy and expensive. That's not really a bad thing, you should just really know that going in. I don't mind spending money in great food... but the food here was "pretty good" at best. I had the steak and my mom had the chicken Marsala, which were pretty good. But for a $34 steak I expected it to be GREAT. For appetizers we ordered the deviled egg for $9 and I kid you not it was ONE EGG split in half. ONE EGG. We also had the houlumi cheese with figs and there were two small pieces of cheese with probably 3 figs. Very, very disappointing and quite funny that any restaurant would EVER serve you ONE EGG. Our bill was about $100 and though we were full, we weren't satisfied and left feeling foolish. I won't go back. I gave it two stars because it wasn't bad food and it was great service. read more

Great place for dinner. Can be crowded but we have never waited too long and they have a little bar to grab a cocktail. They have blue cheese olives and make a great martini. I usually get the salad and the butternut squash ravioli or the gnocchi. The mac and cheese is super yummy if you feel like some major calories. Fun menu to pick from. Enjoy! read more

Everyone at 153 is very friendly and conscious of providing a first class dining experience. We started with a cheese plate consisting of 3 selections all of which were wonderful and beautifully presented. Instead of ordering entrees we decided to split French lentils, Brussels sprouts & bacon and broccoli raab & sausage. All the dishes were seasoned perfectly and portion sizes are quite generous. It's a little cramped and can be loud but that won't stop us from returning. read more

I'm at 4 stars, and only because I'm there for lunch more than dinner and I think I prefer the dinner menu. I know that's not their problem, but 5 stars is a big deal. We might get there. It really is one of my favorite restaurants. Okay. One complaint. At every other bar in town, there's an occasional drink on the house. Not here. If that's the biggest gripe, that's not so bad since they deliver on everything else, but it's still one of those quirky things that us regulars tend to notice over time. Anyway...moving on. I love the atmosphere, especially at the bar. The food is always excellent. I have never had a bad meal here, and most of my friends feel the same way. I could elaborate about the Rossini burger, their truffle mayo, saffron mussels, and lots of other savory treats, but that's all been covered in the other reviews. Bottom line, if you're looking for a solid place to explore in the area, there's not much else like it. Enjoy! read more

Definitely not the kind of food you expect when you go into Rocky Hill - and I mean that in a good way. The place is always packed on weekend nights but they also have a cool overflow room in the basement wine cellar. The cellar is also good for groups. They always start you off with some fresh bread and some really addicting white bean spread. Sometimes I go there just because of that. When you go you have to get their famous grilled Caesar salad. That's right, it's grilled, and it's amazing. It's got plenty of shredded cheese on top and crunchy croutons go well with the crunchy romaine lettuce. Last time I went, I got the spring vegetable risotto. Normally, you pretty much know what to expect with risotto but this was on a whole other level. It came smeared with this out-of-this-world pesto and was full of snap peas, lima beans, and little cipollini onions. We finished with an olive oil cake that came with lemon mascarpone ice cream. It was the perfect summery end to a great dinner. That, with some espresso, is the perfect end to the night. One 53 does a great job of making good, down-to-earth, food and is a really bustling bar as well. Next time you're in Rocky Hill (Why you would be in Rocky Hill, though, I have no idea) go check it out! read more

I'd been dying to try this restaurant for a while because I had read great reviews and it always seemed back. In a short time it has become a very popular restaurant. I was disappointed when I finally did go for dinner. Maybe my expectations were too high. The food seemed to be well executed but under-seasoned. The rest of my dinner party was pretty indifferent about the food. Service is pretty good and it's a really nice spot. I have a more complete review on my blog. read more

Really enjoyed our meal here, and our server was super friendly and helpful! From the outside we thought this place might be a little uptight, but when we went in we realized it was a lot more relaxed than expected. Nice, simple, clean decor and good lighting.... just a nice place for a relaxed but classy lunch or dinner. We tried a couple appetizers and split an entree so we could sample more things, and enjoyed everything we got (cleaned our plates). Appetizers: - Mussels: came in a red, cheesy broth. The mussels very tasty and the sauce was pretty good, though I do prefer white wine sauce or a red spicy sauce with mussels. - Gravalox: sweet potato fritters topped with salmon, mayo (or something?) and caviar... I really enjoyed these, I loved the saltiness from the caviar and I liked how the fritters were nice and crispy. I also really enjoyed the small greens on top (maybe wood sorrel?) Entree: - Rossini Burger.... we had to get it because we've heard so much... this is definitely a must try, but I would personally say definitely something to split with someone unless you are OK with going into a food coma for the next day. The burger was made with kobe beef, and came with fois gras, mushrooms (prince oysters?), truffle cheese (though couldn't taste the truffle with all the other flavors in the way), and truffle mayo (DELICIOUS!!!). The burger was very juicy and flavorful, and I loved the truffle mayo for dipping the fries. I personally don't like my fries so thin cut, and would've preferred some chunkier steak cut fries but the mayo was so good i couldn't resist. It's a $35 burger, and very heavy, so not something you'd want to have too often but definitely something you should try out. Overall we enjoyed our time here and will definitely return, would like to try desserts some time! Especially since the gingersnap cookies we were given with the check were OUT OF THIS WORLD. read more

Four stars for now, waiting to go to five or three The service was excellent and the atmosphere was awesome. Parking is a little difficult but who cares if the food is good. The food was good. Not great. I was a little disappointed because having just moved into the area I'm looking for that restaurant that has good atmosphere, great flavor innovation and excellent execution. I think this restaurant nailed it on two fronts: atmosphere and flavor innovation. However execution wasn't great. The plates were well presented and they came on time and executed to temperature but all four of the dishes my wife and I had were over-seasoned. I really was hoping for a restaurant in the area that didn't rely on over-seasoning to drive interest in the food. I think this can happen in a busy kitchen that has a packed restaurant with alot of groups. Good expediting in the kitchen should catch this though. We went on a weeknight so it's possible a different kitchen crew was in place, however the restaurant was packed and I had the sense that happens often. We'll definitely try again to see whether a different night/crew yields a different result with the flavors showing through. The place is expensive, commanding a premium. I don't mind that for good food but I do resent being gouged for wine by the glass. Our dishes Amuse Bouche - roasted fig and blue cheese - very good appetizer - we shared the truffle fries with mayo - good entree - duck risotto with chantrelles - average - too many aromatics, the leeks or onions over powered the risotto and the chantrelles. entree - seared rabbit - again too many aromatics in the bacon potato hash read more

My new favorite "go-to". Sophisticated, upscale, yet laid back enough to go any night of the week. Beautiful bar, lovely space. Food was excellent--I had the special the first night I was there (soft shell crab), and I can say it was exceptional! House cocktails were different and wonderful and service was friendly but not hovering. Liked it so much I was back the following week (though disappointed that the crab was not on the menu that night). A bit pricy, but worth it. Will definitely be back again. And again, and again... read more

I'm surprised by all the raving reviews... Ambience is a nice, trendy atmosphere, but I've been here twice and I left thinking "Nothing Special" each time. I went into it with an open mind & ordered differently the 2nd time too?! If it's busy, the parking situation sucks too... read more