I called ahead of time to request a special table for a special event. When we arrived we were shown to a table right in front of an entrance to another room where all the servers walked back and forth. After expressing my disappointment and three other terrible table moves, we were given a better table. When I spoke to the maitre'd who is also the manager, he said "we do our best". Is this "...our best"? I wrote to him after and have had no reply. It ruined our very "special" evening. JoannH read more

Ambiance was a terrible due to the table we were given. It was right outside the bar entering into the dining area and the entire evening you are just looking at all the people traffic in front if you. Customers coming and going, hostess coming and going, waiters and staff coming and going. This table should not even exist at a restaurant like this. It should only be used for walk-ins that are willing to take it. We had a reservation and arrived a few minutes early. This table was unacceptable. Food and service were good, but I will not be back anytime soon. The last time I was there I was also given a table upstairs and there was a big group up there and then just me and my husband. No ambiance. I guess you need to be a vip to get a good table at this restaurant. How the hell do you get a table in the dining room? read more

Staff was very friendly and the place was very nice! I only had the cheese burger. The food and drinks are very expensive.

Excellent food and service. Highly recommend. We did the prefixed menu and enjoyed everything about it.

Massively underwhelming. However, the service was excellent, most professional. Thank you, Ali. Your service was the best part of the meal. The food was good. In the case of the swordfish, very good. However, nothing else merited a very good rating. Though indeed, all was good. Given the reviews, one expected better than "good." We were most disappointed. After reading the reviews and seeing NJ Magazine's top 25 placement, I expected an excellent dining experience. Not what we experienced. I truly think that, at some point in the past Serenade was probably an excellent dining experience. I suspect that they're now resting on their laurels, and have become somewhat complacent. The food in no way lives up to the hype. read more

I was here with family and had a great time. I was really impressed with the menu and the wine menu. I haven't seen so many wines in a long time! I like how they gave a preset amount per person $79.95 in November 2021. The menu was simple and easily understandable. The meal started out with bread. I was disappointed that they didn't have any gluten-free bread, which should be available in a high end restaurant like this. For my appetizer I had an octopus. It was very good except the sauce was a bit too lemony. For dinner I had the Filet Mignon Steak Frites with French Fries. It was great. For dessert, I had sorbet since I am dairy free too. I had a cappuccino and it was awesome. Overall the meal was a 5, but I am giving 4 stars since the lack of gluten-free bread and gluten-free and dairy free desserts read more

Went once before for work and food was decent. Tonight however disappointed doesn't even begin to describe the experience. My wife and I were trying to remain positive and we couldn't find one positive thing about our dining experience. Prices are high but I'm always willing to pay for high quality; what we got was anything but. Starting with the $6 "house made" bread - it was cold and stale and the table next to us also asked if they could at least warm it up. Our short rib tortellini appetizer was dry and disappointing. My drink - the bourbon "warm hug" had barely any bourbon in it. The table next to us was a party of 8 and on top of us. Hard to even hear across the table. For our entrees, my wife ordered the steak medium rare and it came out very well done. She had a few bites - it was like shoe leather. I had the spareribs and they were flavorless and very fatty. We both left hungry. Such a huge waste of $300. Would never return. There's so many better places around. Not sure what the attraction is to this place. read more

Have only ever been in the bar section, so this review is about my experiences there. Intimate little bar with window seating at tall tables and a fireplace at the end of the room that's located next to nothing - literally; it's basically situated where the hostess stands, so you can't really even see it, feel it, or appreciate it...but I suppose it still means they get to advertise that they have a fireplace to attract customers in the winter. Decent food at the bar and a unique cocktail menu. But man, the bartenders need a few lessons in friendliness. Very uncommunicative, at times seem to have an attitude like you're bothering them. Huh? Then again, I've encountered the owner, and he may be a good chef but he can also be kind of a jerk, so maybe that's what they're going for there. That said, it doesn't keep me from going back. Love the atmosphere in the bar area (just ignore the bartenders except for ordering drinks), and like I said, the drinks do not disappoint. Oh, one other weird thing that's kind of a turn off: apparently there can be a waitlist to sit at the bar. What? A couple of times we've just walked out and gone elsewhere because, well, WAIT LIST for the BAR? Give it a try. If you're lucky, you'll get a seat, the bartenders will be in a good mood, and you'll definitely have some memorable food and/or drinks (that will make a nice dent in your wallet). UPDATE 9/2020: Recently ate dinner here, first time having a full meal at Serenade. The parking lot setup is lame, but that's no one's fault...except that they've done nothing to create any atmosphere if you don't happen to get a table under one of the tents (we didn't). Food was average, definitely overpriced. Noticed on the menu that they charge for bread - what?! Absolutely no interest in returning. read more

Food was amazing and consistent over the three-four times I went. I usually do not enjoy dessert at most restaurants but the creme brûlée and chocolate tart were very flavorful and had great textures. The entree menu was on the smaller side but diverse, no complaints on anything I tried. Service was only slightly above average, but the ambience is nice and it feels spacious when you are seated. I would definitely recommend for a nice dinner out for a smaller party/group. read more

Amazing meal! Every appetizer and every entree that we order were spot on delicious. The service impeccable. read more

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Went to dine here tonight for my parent's anniversary and we ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! Will definitely recommend coming here and will be dining here again soon! Here's a brief overview: 1. Atmosphere: intimate, but not too cramped. Volume isn't bad at all. You do not have to yell over other people's voices just to hear yourself or anyone else you're conversing with. The interior design is homey, with a touch of modernism and pop of colors, along with some beautiful artwork. The staff was very attentive and patient and friendly. 2. Appetizers: got the grilled octopus. It was beautifully executed. Right blend of flavor. The octopus was not chewy like chewing a bubble gum or rubber-like, but rather soft and easy to chew. 3. Entrees: I had the lobster and I LOVED it!!! It really was tender and juicy! It did not need any butter or lemon, or requiring a knife to cut it. It really melted in your mouth and leave you wanting more. Seafood, especially Lobster, can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when it comes to American cuisine, so it being a French cuisine, meant smaller but just enough portions. Everyone enjoyed their meal and nothing was overlooked or over cooked. 4. Desserts: The apple cobbler and the creme brûlée are wonderful!!! The apple cobbler was the right amount of sweetness and crunch. The homemade ice cream was well-blended and the right amount of consistency and sweetness. The creme brûlée had the nice touch of biscotti which added a great balance of texture and boosted the presentation of the dish. Tips: - Definitely listen closely to the specials as the specials sounded delicious as well (just had halibut the other day at a different restaurant, so I decided not to have halibut again). - Parking: there is a parking lot on the side and along the rear of the restaurant. We went in the evening at around 7pm, so the offices around the restaurant that shared the parking lot were closed, therefore there was lots of vacant spaces. - At the end of your meal (including after dessert) you are given a complimentary treat that consists of a candied fruit, cookies, and a petite muffin (I happened to have eaten a carrot cake muffin). - I WOULD SUGGEST MAKING A RESERVATION, especially if going on a weekend, as it gets pretty busy. - NO DRESS CODE, but do dress appropriately and neatly. Servers are in a suit-like outfit and looked very presentable and professional. *****VISIT me & more of my food adventures not posted on yelp through my Instagram @DEVERA.CARMINA*** read more

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This place is amazing. The one thing that was weird is that they charge you for bread at a table. That's nuts read more

I loved it! Went for lunch, ordered the non-alcoholic C'est la Vie, which was spectacular. Was served totally amazing homemade bread for the bread course. Then had the apples & cauliflower soup - fantastic. Then had the hanger steak which was also very good. Since this was my first time I wanted to try dessert, so I got this stunning and delicious lemon tart special. Also tea to finish the meal. Completely satisfied and the price was great. My bill was around $44 for ALL of that. I thought it was a great deal because the quality was so high. I also enjoyed the pretty ambiance and fresh roses on every table. read more

Restaurant Serenade - American Near Me - Chatham, New Jersey

Bread - delicious and soft, but would have been better served warm Crab cake with shrimp and truffle - delicious Short rib tortellini - Oh. My. God. Sea bass with tomato lobster risotto - divine Hanger steak - perfect sear Apple cobbler - solid but not the best I've had Chocolate tart - rich, warm, and gooey Outstanding meal but smaller portions (French restaurant) read more

Food was good and atmosphere was nice and romantic. Saturday prefix for $69 god 3 course. Wife's a Scallops were fantastic. That being said, I do prefer Scalini Fedeli down the road better which is comparable in resultant terms. read more

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First time dining at Serenade. My husband, who is vegan, had the special watermelon gazpacho and vegetable panaché. They made sure both were vegan. I tried both and they were delicious. I had the octopus and the special bison. I'm obviously not vegan, both dishes were outstanding. It was our 8th wedding anniversary and they even made our dessert, actually my dessert, super cute. The staff were very accommodating and pleasant. We will definitely dine there again. read more

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Restaurant Serenade in Chatham is a splurge-worthy option that deserves the numerous critical accolades it has received over the years for its exceptional food, terrific service, and upscale ambiance. My dining companion and I visited Restaurant Serenade on a recent Friday night for dinner. We arrived a few minutes early and were seated at the warm and cozy bar for a few minutes while our table was being prepared. The bar offers a small, but thoughtfully selected, variety of draft and bottled beers that represent the spectrum of pilsners, ales, and stouts, as well as a carefully curated selection of innovative and flavorful cocktails served up by skilled bartenders. The 'Old Smokey', a variant of an Old Fashioned bourbon cocktail embellished with cinnamon smoke, was very tasty. A large party celebrating the holidays occupied much of the main dining room on the first floor, so we were seated in the semi-private dining room upstairs. The noise level in the small room was energetic, thanks to two large (and very loud!) parties seated at adjacent tables, but my dining companion and I were seated next to each other at a table and able to converse without straining our voices. Despite the large parties seated nearby, all of the staff provided terrific service -- promptly replenishing our water and bringing out our dishes without undue delay. While the restaurant bills itself as a French restaurant, the menu is not constructed strictly for Francophiles. (The dinner menu doesn't offer even a single dish made with escargot!) Instead, Restaurant Serenade offers something for everyone with European-inspired dishes, such as roasted lamb served with broccoli, smashed potato strudel, oven dried tomatoes, and topped with a chimichurri sauce, and Asian-inspired dishes, such as grilled tuna served with coconut sticky rice, avocado, shiitake mushrooms, and topped with a light ginger vinaigrette. I opted for the aforementioned lamb and my dining companion opted for the seared salmon, served with quinoa, oyster mushrooms, and a mustard sauce. Both of us agreed our entrées were cooked perfectly, very tasty and artfully presented. We'll be back! read more

Great place for drinks. And always great service. I used to love the food here but the last three times I have been here, the food was just not good. The last time I came I assumed the head chef wasn't in the kitchen because everything was just "meh" but he came out to say hello to someone so he was there. Not sure why the food is going downhill. read more

Good not great, not worth the price point. Been going for years and used to call it great. I'm sure COVID not making it easy. That said at 250 for two people I think it should be great. Couple of things I noticed: 1. They used to bring out a basket w dinner roll and offer you a roll. Now there is a $7 bread basket on menu - no roll... not that big a deal but if u are charging 45 fir lamb chops could throw in the roll. Funny part, didn't order the bread but got charged. 2. Used to bring a small tray of sweets at end of meal, thought it was a really classy thing to do, no more 3. Wait staff pleasant but never checked back to make sure meal was as it should be. Again, not a biggie but difference between good and great 4. Very limited and simple menu. Used to go for the tasting menu which was incredible. I'm guessing this is Covid related, but can be limited without being simple. The other thing I noticed is that no one seemed to be in charge. In the past I remember there being a mature d'. Overall, the meal was good, but the experience was ok. Probably done going there, because at $250 for two people I expect better. Also, noticed that management did not reply to some of negative reviews on here, that's a red flag for me. read more

Went here for a work dinner. Did and service was outstanding. Creative menu with great flavor combinations. Wine and beer list was very good. read more

Customer service is great and no complaints. The bread was average and good but would have been even better if it was served warm instead cold. The carb cake was great! And the autumn salad was refresh and great way to start the night. The risotto itself was good and cooked perfectly but it had way too many peas which some of it was not evenly cooked. Not sure if the that was done purposely for texture. Wife ordered medium well fillet mignon but unfortunately it was cooked more on the well side which made the meat a bit hard. They had some misses but perhaps it's because it was toward the end of the night. We will try again and update my review. read more

Perfect evening. I went with the tasting menu / wine pairing. Everything was delicious. My wife opted for the salmon entree only which was delicious and well portioned. The pace of servings was quite congenial with the two of us having different courses. Mike was attentive and gracious. The bread and butter was delectably with the perfect hint of salt, served by the sweetest lady. We were on the earlier side of a Friday night and atmosphere was calm with a nice noise level. Highly recommended. read more

We held a 30 person event at Serenade last night. The service was impeccable and he passed appetizers well, each one was better than the next. My favorite was the bacon appetizer but each person seem to have their own favorite. Cooking for that many people is very difficult to time and prepare. However, they nailed it. Each persons appetizer and entry came out at the same time and at the temperature they ordered. I had the sea bass and it was spectacular. I also tried the double cut pork chop and it was very moist and cooked perfect. Each person commented on how well the food was prepared. Chef James and his wife Nancy oversaw the whole evening to make sure the event was perfect. Five stars is not enough. read more

I was there Sunday evening. We ordered 4 different appetizers and nothing impressive while the crab cake get the lowest rating. It even not as good as the one I had from Costco. We ordered lamb, salmon and swordfish for the entrees; they are a little above average but not meet my expectation with the price they charged. Other complaint is that it did take a little bit too long after we placed the order until the appetizers showed up on our table - almost 30 minutes; but it could be we were there in the busiest time , around 6:30pm. read more

I came here last Saturday for dinner and just loved every dish! Everything here was amazing! They started us with 3 choices of bread all warm, fresh and delicious! For appetizers were the gnocchi and the scallops both outrageous! For entrees were the halibut and the sea bass both very fresh and delicious! Everything was a nice portion, but I do think entrees were on the small side, but still very good. Desserts were this chocolate torte and the carrot cake both very good! Waiters were very attentive and service was efficient. I highly recommend this place and I'll be back soon! read more

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Serenade has been one of our favorite NJ restaurants for years, and I'm happy to say that they haven't lost a step -- same excellent bar (try their Cosmo), same excellent kitchen. Tonight, the tuna tartare was superb, as were the rack of lamb and the pasta with black truffles. Good COVID precautions too. Try to get a table inside. read more

Butter is good but I don't like the bread too much. Calf's liver is as delicate as expected. The service is prompt. read more

Restaurant Serenade - American Near Me - Chatham, New Jersey

Overall this is a well established restaurant which I have been to several times before. I wish the food menu was half as extensive as the wine menu (23 pages). It does cover most preferences with at least one selection in each category, but is not too broad. There is a $75 per person tasting menu (4 courses) with soup, salad, choice of a fish or meat entree, and a choice of dessert. The wine list is quite extensive and quite expensive, and really changes the price range of dining here. Yes, there are a handful of wines under $100 a bottle, but on average, all the wine is marked up to at least three times its open market price. The shredded short ribs tortelloni are very good. The filet mignon was also good but cooked slightly more than the requested temperature. The flourless molten chocolate cake was the best dessert. The service is very efficient and polite. They seem to push the sparkling water if you are not drinking wine or cocktails. As nice an ambiance as this restaurant has, the wine prices make me seek other equally good restaurants with more extensive menu choices that are BYOs, or allow a more reasonable corking fee option for wines not on their list. It's unfortunate, but I am not excited about returning any time soon. read more

Very disappointed. Fish was not fresh, smelled and tasted bad. Short-rib tortellini were grisly. Over-priced and decline in quality from from a couple of years ago. read more

Our favorite spot for an anniversary/ fancy date night. It's fun to get dressed up and go out for a nice dinner and drinks. The bonus is the atmosphere. Dim lit and lovely. Sipping from their extensive list of wines is my favorite part. My husband loves their cheese selections and their fun cocktails. Who doesn't love a great local spot to feel like a million bucks! read more

This was my first (and last) visit to this restaurant. I arrived to meet a friend and we chose to sit in the bar area of the restaurant. It was quite busy but we managed to find a high top table against the window. We were greeted by a female server who asked if we would like bottled or tap water. She handed us the menus and then went to get the water. Once she returned, we ordered our drinks. After that, we did not see her for another 15 minutes. As I turned around and started looking for her, I noticed 3 employees who looked as if they were standing guard against a mirror near the bar. They looked at me looking around but made no movement until I called them over. One of them came over and I asked that she send our server which she did. We ordered our food (bar menu is different than the dining room) We chose an order of the sea bass ($26) a side of Brussel Sprouts ($8) and the Serenade Tapas which consisted of lobster bisque, risotto, avocado fries and sushi grade tuna. Sounds good, right? (eh hem) After about 10 more minutes, we were waiting for her to come back so we could order a second round of drinks. We never saw her. The same three people were standing guard under the mirror. One of them may have been the coat check person. As for the other two, not a clue. They just stood there. Again, I had to flag them over even though they saw the empty glasses pushed towards the edge of the table and this time a manager brought over our drinks. I thought maybe he was going to comp them. Not the case. Finally our food was delivered by someone else. I then realized that our server was also serving people in the dining room so that explains why she was never in the bar area. The food... everything served to us was at room temperature or just a tad higher. The Brussel Sprouts were the best tasting that came out. The sea bass was the very worst I ever had. It had no flavor, was dry and came out with a small cup of bland fish broth. There was no garnish on the plate at all. I could not even finish my piece. As for the Tapas.. the risotto was completely bland, the tuna was stringy and not edible. (I had to spit it in a napkin) The bisque was runny and again bland. I wanted to ask for hot sauce but the server was never seen again. She did not even offer black pepper when served. We were still HUNGRY! So, we looked around the bar area and noticed two stools opened up. There we went and ordered a cheeseburger with fries from the bartender. He was great and served us immediately. The burger was hot, flavorful, juicy and delicious. They also served me the very best pickle I ever had. Overall, they should turn this 'high class', 'fine dining' into a burger pub bar. I would not come back here for anything but. read more

Restaurant Serenade - Bland-wagon - American Near Me - Chatham, New Jersey

This place was wonderful. The food was fantastic. The service is excellent. Worth every penny. Full stop.

Have been here for lunch three times recently and highly recommend it if you want a civilized, pleasant lunch in a pretty space with excellent food and gracious service. Standouts are the avocado fries, which are impossibly crunchy AND creamy; the awesome burger and any of the salads with added shrimp, salmon or chicken. Also great is the grilled shrimp with lobster-tomato risotto. The biscuits and sourdough bread are first-rate, as well. Looking forward to trying dinner here soon! read more

We were a little early so sat at the bar and had a delicious Belvedere martini. Quick, attentive, professional, friendly service from everyone - maitre de, bartender, table servers. The table servers were very knowledgeable about the food and wine selections. Nice variety of daily specials, abundant wine list, menu good, food was good. Nice, special, romantic atmosphere. A place for a special occasion. A bit too expensive for me to eat there frequently. read more

Came here with my brother and sister in law visiting from out of town. We were a party of 5 total. I was very excited as I had not been here either. We ordered a bottle of wine to start... I was already close to finish my first glass before we finally got the menus and close to finished my second glass before we were even served the complementary bread. I had read rave reviews about the Rosemary bread being something not to miss.... But when the server came by I almost missed it - it was so small I could barely see it on my plate. I immediately had to call him over for the larger roll to eat too. For dinner I got the tomato bisque and the king salmon. Both of which were delicious, a tad on the creamy/buttery side but none the less delicious. My brother however found a piece of aluminum foil in his tomato bisque. The serve immediately apologized and provided him with a new one. When we received the bill..they gave us a 10 dollar credit put towards to dessert to make up for the aluminum foil found in the soup but please note the soup was 15 dollars....... The least they could have done was given us the soup and dessert for free or at least a glass or two of wine. Considering we got two bottles of wine (both very expensive) and we were a party of 5 .... 10 dollas off the bill was not really a good compensation for finding aluminum in the meal. we were very disappointed with this. I'm glad we tried it for the sake of it but will likely not return. The food is very expensive but on the other hand it's delicious in every way. However at the end of the day equally good food for less of a dollar can be found elsewhere with considerably better service if something does go wrong!!!! read more

Restaurant Serenade - Rosemary bread which people raved about (left) normal roll (right) - American Near Me - Chatham, New Jersey

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Take your money elsewhere-over rated and overpriced. There are many restaurants in the area with better quality. Food was just "OK"! Attitude was not. read more

We came around 5pm on a Friday a few weeks ago and sat at the bar. Drinks were excellent, as was the service. Our small bites/tapas orders were ok. We ordered the tuna bites which were very small and served as tostadas. My friend loved the lamb meatballs. The side of lobster risotto was mediocre, bland and not worth the calories. For what it's worth, those who ordered the burger seemed really happy. Overall, it was overpriced for a bar outing and not sure if we'll be back. I have eaten in the dining room and had an excellent experience. Table of 4 with everyone enjoying their meals. 4 stars for that. Only complaint that night was the price point. ..need phenomenal or awesome for it to be 5 stars. read more

Serenade has some of the best food in Chatham. They have done an amazing job with their delivery and curbside service during quarantine. Tonight we had a great steak, fish and amazing ribs. The side of sweet potatoes was delish and the blueberry pie was amazing. One piece of pie was missing from delivery and when they came back ( within minutes) they brought an extra slice! I really hope they continue delivery service even when they are allowed to open fully as it allows us to eat their more frequently. read more

2nd time coming here and it confirmed my 1st visit thoughts. This place is amazing- both service and food! This time I came on a Wednesday- which I like much better than the more crowded and popular Saturday night which you def need reservations for. Don't get me wrong- this place seemed to get good business on Wednesday night but just a lot less people. I tried the fish special- Hawaiian machong. Sooooo delicious! I had scallops for the appetizer- again- delicious! Texture and flavor were PERFECT. Treated my parents for their anniversary and they both LOVED the place! Staff is very professional and they KNOW their stuff! Very nice touch that the chef/owner James comes to the table to greet! Place is more on the pricey side but it is so worth it! Bon appetit! read more

Sadly, I must say that my experience for me and my 4 guests was just unacceptable. I've have many excellent meals at Serenade but I'm definitely done here. Service was subpar and food was very average. Luckily our 6th guest couldn't make it as they jammed us into a table for 4. Both Steak frite were overcooked (medium rare was medium well)). Chicken mike new was bland with a salad portion that was way too small. Appetizers were served with the entrees. We ordered 2 bottles of wine which were served after we were 2/3 finished with dinner. C team staff took I item away at a time. Had to request water several times. Never received any bread. Waitress dropped the check on the table and mutterer with no eye contact "thanks for coming in." Another casualty of Covid? They forgot how to run a high end business in a parking lot? I'll take my $200/person business elsewhere. Never again! read more