We had a wonderful experience while in Red Bank for a birthday celebration…read more Fun vibe Great staff and service Great music Pretty place Wonderful food We would come again so upbeat and a great vibe I loved the avocado salad and the bolognese was perfect. ( two of my fav things and both were OUTSTANDING) All the apps, entrees, dessert was delicious we all can't wait to come back. Side note: if you don't love music we came for the first time and loved it but not sure if it's every night. But it wasn't to loud that we couldn't hear each other so we enjoyed the DJ) We will all be back soon. Fun vibe and upbeat place. Thx for a great night.

8 adults ate here to celebrate a special event....the restaurant is very loud, it was difficult to…read morespeak across the circular table. Cocktails were brought out but not as specifically ordered. When the appetizers and mains were delivered we got the "who ordered the .....?" At this price point the staff should know who ordered what and not be auctioning off dishes to whomever raises their hand. The food was good, nothing wrong with it but also nothing overly impressive. Overall I think I'd pass on a return visit and spend my money elsewhere.

Been here a few times but I must say this was the worst experience. It was extremely cold and they…read moredidn't even turn the fire place on . I think they were also having a party or a gathering of some sort and it was so loud we could barely carry a conversation. Not to mention the beers weren't that good either . I asked for an I hello ultra that tasted more like a corona :( not to mention we literally had to scream our order to the bartender because the people behind us were so loud and she was on the other side of the bar instead of walking up to us . The only good thing was the hostess , very helpful with our coats and even put sore tv in for us . But aside from that it wasn't the best experience. A bit disappointing

Came here for brunch when we happened to be in the area. It is an adorable restaurant right off the…read morebeach. You can't actually see the beach from the balcony due to the high sand dune, but it's still a nice view. We got the enchilada and short rib hash, both were very good and the perfect brunch food. The service is friendly and prompt.

I saw some mixed reviews for Teak before we went, and after reading through quite a few of them, my…read morebest guess was that most of the complaints were tied to a nightclub-type vibe on a possible rooftop bar rather than the restaurant itself. We showed up hoping to snag bar seats, but it was busy and honestly a little warm for my liking. I know, I know, after the winter we've had, I have absolutely no right to complain. Either way, we ended up in an outside room with all the windows open to the patio and it was genuinely perfect. Our server Julie was fantastic. Attentive in all the right ways, including the kind of attentive where she noticed us glancing around and came over to check on us. We weren't actually looking for anything; we were just scoping out the space. Still, I appreciated the hustle. My partner ordered a gin martini, extra dirty; I went with a prosecco. Both came out cold and fast. We ordered edamame, lotus buns, the pear and crispy goat cheese salad, and the aburi roll. The edamame were solid. Nice pop of lime, though I could have used a heavier hand with the salt. The lotus buns were a revelation. Two pillowy bao buns, each stuffed with a generous slab of slow roasted pork belly glazed in hoisin, with a pickled cucumber tucked in alongside it. I'd never had anything quite like them, and the balance was what got me: the brine and snap of the pickle cutting right through the sweetness of that glaze. Really well thought out. The aburi roll was tasty; nothing jumped out as the star moment, but everything played nicely together and it went down easy. And then there was the salad. Oh, the salad. I could eat that salad every single day of the week. Crispy fried goat cheese medallions on a salad is basically a guaranteed order for me, so that's what reeled me in initially. But once I actually started eating it, I forgot all about the goat cheese. Mixed greens, thin pear slices, halved grapes, spiced pecan halves, all dressed in a honey mustard vinaigrette that was genuinely outstanding. I've already started thinking about how to recreate it at home, which is the highest compliment I can give a salad. Teak delivered across the board. Don't let the rooftop reviews scare you off from the restaurant itself.

TEAK Restaurant & Bar presents its customers with a few surprises in Red Bank, NJ: fresh,…read morehigh-quality seafood and a high-energy bar area upstairs featuring dancing on Thursdays through Saturdays. THE FOOD * Chef's Sashimi Bowl: Bright and tasty with slices of tuna, yellowtail, and salmon. It came professionally plated with vegetable garnishes and a few dried sweet potato and garlic chips for texture. * Oysters & Caviar: The ice-cold oysters topped with black caviar were incredibly fresh. The yuzu/ponzu sauce and sliced green onions added great flavor. Served at the perfect temperature. * Kale Caesar Salad: The surprise here was the spicy breadcrumbs, which made the dish when their spice and crunch came in alongside the creamy dressing and kale. * Tip: I would order the dressing on the side next time, and avoid pairing this with the French Onion Soup Dumplings (too many creamy/heavy components for one meal). * French Onion Dumplings: An okay dish with nice gooey cheese, but a fairly flat overall flavor profile. * Roasted Salmon: Served with a tasty, crisp crust, but it was a bit dry on the inside. It came with nice stir-fried vegetables and slightly underdone coconut rice. THE WINE * A nice selection of wines by the glass. We tried a spread of Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, and Pinot Noir. THE SERVICE & ATMOSPHERE * Special thanks to Rigo (the sushi chef). He served up amazing sashimi and clearly draws on his 20+ years of experience at TEAK. He was incredibly personable, clearly enjoys his craft, and his presentation was excellent! * Thank you to Olivia, a new bartender upstairs, for her attentive and professional service! Wishing you the best in picking up those great line dance routines. IMPORTANT LOGISTICS Ordering: Note that you must order all your dishes at one time. OVERALL A memorable Asian fusion restaurant with an extensive upstairs dance floor and a bar on each level. Great for a casual date night or a lively evening out on the town.

Split pea soup was great Bread was also very good…read more House salad was good Caesar salad was good Boneless buffalo wings will be the best you've ever tasted Lobster tail + vegetables with the main course were superb The dry aged steak that I ordered was absolutely horrible. I am beginning to doubt whether it was really dry aged. I asked for medium well and the steak came out burned and raw on the inside. The meat was actually tough and full of gristle . I was thinking I would get a nice treat as I rarely order steak outside of my own cooking, but I'm going to stick to my own cooking in the future. I did not even bother taking this garbage home to make steak and eggs tomorrow. I am disgusted The service stunk also. Slow and inattentive and we wound up sitting 30 minutes at a clip for no reason

Food was excellent! Priced right ! Can make reservations with ease and has their own parking lot !!…read moreWill be back

By far the best Italian food I've ever had it's like having my mother cook all over again for me…read more Such an incredible family they make you feel very welcomed and so friendly. Great menu amazing food the best chicken Parm around. It's nice to enjoy a meal and be able to have a conversation in a nice quiet setting. Plus it's BYOB

Finally tried Lubrano's, had heard good things from friends. Decided to just go the take out route…read moreso no comments on dish presentation. We ordered the Pasta Al Forno as an appetizer & Chicken Scarpariello for the main dish. Was quoted 35-40 min when I called it in, arrived ~30 min, paid & food came out near the 40 min quote. The pasta - for us the cheese on top was perhaps over toasted as it was on the dry side. Flavor was fine otherwise. Not sure I'd order this for a main dish without added protein though. The Chicken Scarp - excellent. The chicken & potatoes were very tender. The mild sausage makes this dish come together, it adds a level of savoriness to complement the balsamic sweetness in the sauce. I also like the long angled slices of sausage nicely seared on each side, it was not expected vs other versions that I've had. Meal also came with bread to soak up that chicken sauce. Also noting the place seemed packed, only 2 spots on their lot were open plus it sounded busy inside. Will try it next time onsite with one of my many fine bottles of wine. :)

Nana's Kitchen is a beautiful restaurant! It's not your usual jeans and tee shirt place. The dining…read morearea is immaculate and beautifully decorated. There's some interesting art on the walls. The tables are set nicely. Keep in mind it's a BYOB place. The service is great. You are seated by the hostess and your waiter is classy and very cordial. The menu is limited but I bit upscale. Expect some interesting specials. We had the Fra Diavlo and the Vodka sauce. Both dishes were excellent. Tips here are make a reservation. Bring money! This place is a bit more expensive than it should be. That said it's a nice place.

Went for uncles celebration. An angry woman st the host stand who told us that her name was Joseph,…read morecame by to check on us and coughed all over our food for an extensive period. Quite unpleasant.

So my wife and I have eaten here for a number of different events so we decided it would be the…read moreperfect place to host our 1 year old daughter's birthday party. This place is fantastic. I wish I remembered our hostess name but she was the best. She ensured all the food came out in a timely matter, any request we had she was on top of it. Truly exceptional service. As far as the food and their party package it's an amazing value. People drank and definitely left full, which all you could ask for. Highly recommend!

Meeting a friend for lunch, we decided upon this posh restaurant in the Holmdel center, where the…read moreanchor stores are Best Buy, Ulta, and Turning Point. Upon entering, we were told it was recently renovated. Being that I didn't know what it looked like before the renovation, this place looks very upscale. We were given two sets of menus. One was their regular menu, which is good for both lunch and dinner. The other menu had the lunch sandwich menu. The waitress indicated that the sandwiches come in two different types of bread: focaccia and Italian. I was not very hungry, so I ordered the Parma with focaccia bread, as my friend ordered the Cheese steak on Italian bread. We were then given a bread basket with whipped butter. My friend stated the bread was fresh and good, but she was hoping for the olive oil. Shortly after placing our orders, our sandwiches arrived. I was a little surprised as my Parma appeared more like flatbread than the thicker, fluffier focaccia I had expected. I didn't want to make a fuss in front of my friend, so I simply ate it. The sandwich was tasty, but I wished it had been warmed, as that would have better married the flavors and elevated the overall experience. My friend's cheese steak was huge, as the skirt steak was plentiful, and the cheese leaked out a bit, making it look remarkable. I inquired how it tasted, and she stated it was good. She just wished it had a bit more onions to break up the taste of the meat. We each ordered a cappuccino, and that was truly the highlight of the meal. The 6-ounce cappuccino came with 4 small biscotti, which paired well with the beverage. Neither of us used any sugar, and the cappuccino was excellent. The ratio between the espresso, steamed milk, and milk foam was perfectly rich in both taste and texture. I can't stop raving about it. Service was very good, and the food was enjoyable. The ambiance was chic. My rating is 3 1/2 stars, though I have rounded it up to 4 stars.

Did the shared Porter with some sides for me and a buddy. Got some drinks along with it, cool…read moreatmosphere and vibe, everything came out perfect delicious- memorable evening. I recommend.

Char in Red Bank is one of the most underrated restaurants in Monmouth County, and that's coming…read morefrom someone who eats at top restaurants locally and around the world. Service always wins in the end, and Char delivers that every time. My office is on the same street, so my wife and I are regulars. We usually walk down around 4 p.m., grab two seats at the bar, and start with a perfectly made cocktail or a great glass of wine. The happy hour specials are always interesting, rotating, and thoughtfully put together, big thank you to head chef Phil, who is absolutely amazing and a true asset to this place. The bar feels relaxed but upscale, which is rare to get right. The dinner menu is both diverse and comfortably traditional, with nightly specials that make Char feel unique rather than just another steakhouse. Tonight we kept it simple and started with French onion soup from the happy hour menu, and it honestly blew me away. It was rich, deeply flavored, and absolutely delicious, easily one of the best French onion soups I've ever had, especially at the happy hour price of about half off (we paid $5.95). We added fresh bread service (no extra charge), and it was warm, fresh, and completely worth the "cheat" on the carbs. We then split a prime rib slider special that was incredibly flavorful for something so simple, it really over-delivered. For dessert to go, we ordered chocolate Nutella chip cookies and chocolate-covered strawberries, which was the perfect way to end the meal. With two drinks, our total bill was $109, which is outstanding value for the quality of the food, drinks, and overall experience in downtown Red Bank. In my opinion, Char is still underrated and remains one of the very best restaurants in the area. Even their Caesar salad stands out, the dressing is spot-on and memorable. James the manager is an excellent asset to Char.

I came here for takeout a few times recently. There are buffet style trays arranged and you choose…read morethe protein and rice that you want, so it's very quick. There are also some sides available. I always got oxtail. It's good, but a bit pricey for the amount of meat you get. Others have ordered the pepper steak before and the portions for that are great. The rice is definitely on the salty side, but is good overall. I do appreciate that the lady working there is always generous with pouring extra sauce on our rice as well. We also tried the tres leches during our last visit and would get it again. It had the perfect texture and sweetness.

Delicious! True Dominican flavor. Took my parents on a whim. Small place, with six small tables…read more Service was wonderful and the tres leches was super

Food: Tasty burrata with the tomato compote; delicious crispy halibut with whipped potatoes;…read moreflavorful braised short rib au vin; ample amount of broccolini; no extra fee for subbing sides Service: Very accommodating, friendly, attentive Ambiance: clean, good vibes; tiny hole in the wall bathrooms; spacious parking

We chose Nicholas Barrel & Roost based on the menu and an almost 4 star rating on Yelp with over…read more500 reviews. The halibut caught my eye immediately; I'm a sucker for a perfectly prepared piece of halibut or a great pork chop, and since my partner doesn't eat meat it made for an easy share. Earlier in the day, a couple of women at our hotel bar mentioned the chef had trained at Jean-Georges in Manhattan, which only added to our anticipation. It wasn't until we got back to the hotel after dinner and did a little reading that we learned just how decorated Harary really is; his Restaurant Nicholas held Zagat's top spot in New Jersey for 15 consecutive years and earned a 4-star New York Times review. That context made our middling meal sting just a little more. We started with the bread service and the beet salad. The bread itself was baked beautifully, but the butter and ricotta accompanying it were completely flavorless. My partner and I are not salt-at-the-table people; we trust that seasoning happened in the kitchen. This was the first time in recent memory that we actually reached for the salt shaker. Not a great sign. The beet salad should have been a showstopper. Beets, when done right, can carry an entire dish on their own. Instead, they were buried under an avalanche of arugula. Don't get me wrong, arugula is one of my favorite greens; that peppery bite and beautiful texture are hard to beat, but here it was doing all the heavy lifting while the beets sat underneath doing nothing. We'd eaten most of the salad before we even noticed the sunflower seeds and a smear of mascarpone hiding on the bottom of the bowl. That mascarpone, gently flaked on top with the seeds scattered over it to catch in the folds, could have made this dish genuinely memorable. The gorgeous candy-striped radishes were a lovely visual touch, but they were raw, undressed slices with no seasoning, no acid, no pickling. Beautiful to look at; an afterthought to eat. The whole salad felt that way, honestly. For our main, we shared the Panko Crusted Halibut with bok choy and smoked shallot velouté. The sauce was the star; the smoke level was dialed in perfectly, present in all the right ways without overpowering everything else. The wild mushrooms were lovely, but the dish needed something to break up the texture. The bok choy brought good flavor, but it mirrored the mushrooms so closely that each bite started to blur together. Something crispy, something sharp, would have elevated the whole thing considerably. The fish itself was cooked well; firm, flakey, and not dried out. The panko crust was gorgeous to look at but could have been crispier. Based on its beautiful golden color, it looked like it had more crunch than it actually delivered. The cocktails were a genuine highlight. An old fashioned made with 1792 and a Black Manhattan, both well-crafted and the clearest bright spots of the evening. The three people behind the bar were another highlight. Expedient, attentive, never rushing anyone, and willing to make easy conversation without being intrusive. That is exactly what you want from people working a good bar. The ambiance, though, was confusing. The space seemed to pull in two directions at once; it wanted to feel upscale but also like a sports bar, and it never fully committed to either. Three small TVs tucked into the corners would have been fine. The oversized screen mounted prominently on the wall was intrusive and clashed hard with any sense of elevated dining. The music was classic rock, which I enjoy, but it read as wrong for the room and was a tad too loud. The music for this type of setting should be something to just add some ambiance, not for people to shout-sing too like you've had too many beers at a dive karaoke bar, which I love by the way, this was just not that kind of place. Those same women from the hotel bar had also warned us it could get loud and obnoxious in there. We figured we'd take our chances. We probably should have listened. With the legacy behind this place, the potential is clearly there. The bar staff gets it. Now the kitchen and the room just need to catch up.