Fine dining in an intimate, cozy and upscale setting. Worked beautifully even with our kids there to celebrate an anniversary. Service was impeccable and the food was spot on. The texture on the octopus (appetizer) reflected perfect execution (not chewy in a bad way). The star of the meal surprisingly was an orecchiette pasta dish - so flavorful! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and their overall dining experience. Definitely need to go back! read more

Restaurant Serenade - American Near Me - Chatham, New Jersey

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We came on a Wednesday night for our 15 year anniversary. We were greeted warmly when we entered and had our coats taken. We were quickly seated and our amazing waiter, Jose, came over to greet us. We ordered the Cosmo and the Latin Lover for drinks and they were perfect! We ended up ordering another round because they were so good! We had the scallops as an appetizer. Easily the best scallops both of us have ever had. They were cooked to perfection and really fresh. Next, we had the bacon salad which was also amazing. I must also mention Emily who worked with our waiter. She was very kind and pleasant. She went above and beyond and was ALWAYS attentive to our needs! She took pictures of us and even suggested a better back drop for us. She also gave us good food recommendations. My wife ordered the halibut and cleaned her plate. I ordered the lamb chops and brussel sprouts with risotto. These were probably the best brussels I've ever had! The chef even came out at one point and offered me more. I regret declining! I didn't want to seem greedy! LOL! The ambience was lovely. It is the PERFECT date night spot. We will certainly be returning. read more

The food is typically excellent and well prepared. One of the better restaurants for food in the state. Service is typically decent, but could use some work. Last time, our waiter forget to tell us the specials. We only learned about the specials after we ordered and overheard then from the table next to us. The real odd thing about the restaurant is how they clean their tables. They use a spray bottle and cloth like someone would clean their own kitchen table. The spray goes everywhere and into the air. The dining area is not large. One time, some of the spray hit my arm. Other times, we smelled the spray. Very off putting for a nice restaurant. read more

This is an elegant restaurant. Great ambiance and a place where you could be comfortable to take loved ones for a special treat Mary Anne Walk read more

Met a friend at Restaurant Serenade for lunch. There was a lot I really liked about it. It's pricey, but the food is really good and the portions, while not generous, are what I would consider to be perfect. They offered us bread--I chose a small roll with rosemary in it and it was absolutely delicious (yes, even the bread is good). We got the crab cake to start. I ordered the scallops and my dining partner ordered the hanger steak. I'm usually not a rice person but I could not get enough of the rice that comes on the plate with the scallops. It was perfection. My dining partner said that her steak was very good, although a little more well done than she had anticipated. The one critique I have is that the wait staff is ...a little over-zealous. I don't need you to ask me if I want more coffee four times (not exaggerating). If I want more coffee I will absolutely let you know. I think they are very accustomed to waiting on an older, possibly much more posh crowd, so I get it...but it annoyed me. read more

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Food, although not excellent, was good. Attitude was not. For a total tab of 600+ they need to give people time to eat their food, we are not paying to enter a speed eating contest. Items were whisked away minutes after they were set on the table. For a restaurant that claims to be modern French (or modern any cuisine for that matter) and not have nutritionally balanced protein choices for people who are vegetarian or vegan is inexcusable in this day and age. It is time Serenade got a nutritionist on board and offered their staff continuing ed courses. read more

Took a friend here for a birthday lunch yesterday. The menu was varied, but not pretentious. The service was impeccable and they chased us down afterward to return a pair of glasses we'd left at the table. Nice touch. I'm looking for reasons to travel back to NJ, just so I can experience Serenade again. Well done, all. read more

A restaurant with finesse, attention to detail, warm greetings, as well as service excellence. After the all positive things I had heard, I ventured over this evening. So thankful that I did. Yellowfin tuna appetizer with Asian marinade, sesame seeds, sliced zucchini, carrot, and sliced cucumber. A light and fresh start to the evening. So remarkably fresh, and flagorful! two crispy wontons were balanced on either side of this tower to serve as tiny culinary shovels , allowing you to scoop up all this awesomeness. Moved onto a lobster (out of shell) over asparagus risotto, with sweet onion and fiddlehead fern. Ridiculously good, with the risotto being perfectly cooked, seasoned, and was really the go to with each bite. Lobster was buttery and heavenly, and the sweet onion just took it all to a higher level. Portion size was perfect, and although pretty full from this, I just had to take advantage of the carrot cake desert. mind blown from that. End result- still thinking about this meal, the attentive staff, and, will be going back VERY soon. A great dining experience! read more

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A rather ho-hum Valentines Day lunch, For such a well regarded place to go for a "romantic" getaway in NJ (rated top 5 on some sites) I was rather underwhelmed with the overall result. Granted this was a lunch date, but service was slow (and not too busy at the time even) to even give us menus as well as the bread. On top of this the Cesar salad ordered had a overwhelming taste of anchovies. This most likely was a one time error, but not something minor - the odor was present even from the across the table. On decor, the remodeled house was well furnished, in a modern/minimalist fashion. With detail to lighting in particular it was inviting and quant. On further inspection though, things like the interior paint job were possibly done by the owners themselves given the shoddy job, something not associated with fine dining. On the up side, the wine selection was top notch and the man who serviced us had a vast knowledge of his selections. Entrees were also well received as both of us had fish dishes, a forte of Serenade it seems. For dessert we decided on the home made sorbet, a good choice. It's not to say I wouldn't recommend Serenade, but given the caliber of other "French" restaurants in the area I would think twice before dropping $60+ per person on this semi polished presentation. read more

Restaurant Serenade - In the mens bathroom, quite a fitting place for your own review - American Near Me - Chatham, New Jersey

1st and last time to this ridiculous place. Way, way, way over priced for what they offer. My bill was nearly $300. First I got potato leek soup which did not have any flavor then I got the filet which I had to send back because it wasn't the temperature I ordered. My friend ordered the lamb chops and only got two of them. Then they were trying to rush us out because it was packed so didn't not enjoy this one bit. There are many other restaurants that are affordable with MUCH better food. I still can't believe what I paid. read more

We have now been here twice. Both times on our anniversary. Both times we were blown away by the tremendous total dining experience. We are going to have to come back sooner than the next anniversary. This time, I had the Halibut from the specials... maybe the only time I remember eating Halibut and being wowed by it. Everything from the bread, to the corn coulis that the fish was on, and the peach cobbler dessert was exceptional. This is the place to go for a birthday or anniversary or just because you want to eat a great meal. Fully recommend. read more

My wife and I had the displeasure of eating, not dining at Restaurant Seranade. Very, very disappointed. Got the bums rush. Sent the lamb back, overcooked. The carpeting in our room was filthy.. we were in and out 50 minutes , 240.00 poorer.. waste of money.. wont be going back.. read more

I saw a movie once about grey elephants in Denmark; it was a rom-com about a dinner date where one person coerced the other person into trying calf's liver. I had a very similar experience--if not the same experience--at Serenade. In my version of the movie-turned-reality I was the person who tried the calf's liver, but unlike in the plot of the film, I didn't mind the iron-y taste of the liver (or the irony). Before going to Serenade I'd heard a lot about it. More than once people in my family rubbed in its greatness. Now it's my turn to complete my Yelp-given duty to write a review and rub it in to all of you. There aren't enough grey elephants in Denmark to do justice to the elegant milieu, sophisticated menu, and first-class service at Serenade. After entering Serenade's stately decorated and dimly lit atmosphere, the meritorious menu whisks you into a plot line of borderline fictitious deliciousness paired with exceptional service. In all my travels on the northeast coast, I've never had a bowl of lobster bisque/chowder as delightful as the lobster chowder at Serenade. The Little Gem BLT salad was the most direct and clearest distillation of a BLT in the form of the salad. For my pork entree, the pork was tender, the broccoli rabe was fresh, and the orzo pancake was insanely delicious. The only word I can attribute to the bite of calf's liver I tried is "interesting;" even as a wordsmith I cannot summon another adjective to describe it. To end this stunning narrative arc fit for a low-key rom-com spinoff of a Chef's Table episode, the apple cobbler made with locally grown apples from Melick's Farm floated in to end the experience on a sweet, vanilla-beaned note. I don't remember the ending of the aforementioned movie about grey Danish elephants, but I can only imagine it ended as storybook as my translated experience of it at Serenade. read more

This is a solid 4 star restaurant. Like Joe's by the slice pizza 4 stars, Big Wong's, Milos etc... That is to say the experience is going to be broadly appealing to most people. The BLT salads we tried were satisfying as we're the steak and lamb chops. I feel as if I can go several more times trying different apps and entrees yet leave as satisifes diners. Staff was very accommodating and aside from the cramped little bar area the restaurant was very comfy. I do feel they would make much more money blowing out the upstairs and turning it into a bigger bar area with areas to have snacks as well. This place could be a wonderful drink spot but perhaps that isn't what they were going for. Looking forward to a next visit. read more

Overall we found this restaurant to be overpriced for the quality of dishes. There's a lot of hype with serenade and it's even on the top 25 list however our experience was disappointing. We ordered the seafood ravioli appetizer special and the bacon dish. Do not get the seafood ravioli and if you do expect more of a brand seafood dumpling. The bacon dish was probably the best thing we got with strawberry topping. For dinner, we got the steak and tuna dishes. The steak while ordered rare came medium/well done and the tuna was cold on the inside and the coconut rice had no resemblance of any coconut flavor. If you're looking for a special occasion restaurant, look to go somewhere else. read more

We dined there on Friday night. One of the best meals I have ever had! The food was phenomenal, and cooked exactly as I requested, lovely presentation. The waitstaff was great, the manager was most accommodating. The al fresco dining experience was lovely. I had fried green tomatoes as an appetizer, perfectly cooked hanger steak, with fried polenta and vegetables, my husband had a delectable crab cake to start (looked like nearly 100 percent crab, no cake!), then perfectly prepared swordfish with lobster risotto and vegetables for dinner. The key lime pie was good, although it was more like lemon meringue rather than key pie. Shared it... I look forward to returning to this restaurant! Very, very highly recommend! read more

Serenade is a spot where you will impress the individual(s) you bring, put a dent in your wallet and have an enjoyable meal. Tucked away from Main St (but still visible) the restaurant isn't very big. It's very chic and retro inside. We decided to stop in for lunch since reservations for dinner is difficult. It wasn't very busy. We were seated in a very bright area of the restaurant. They have a bar area where the menu is a bit more affordable. It wasn't very hoity toity which was a relief. The hostess was very friendly. Our server even more so! From start to finish she was attentive yet not overbearing. The food was very good but nothing really blew me away...except their prices. Starters - 1 Pumpkin soup and 1 potato leek. I didn't sample the pumpkin but my potato leek wasn't as creamy as I wanted. It was good, don't get me wrong, but I was expecting a little more. Entrée - Duck special and their cheeseburger. I don't eat duck so I didn't try it although the Ms. gave me a thumbs up. My burger was good. Juicy yet small...seriously for $18 I expected more...more burger...more wowing flavor. Dessert - A couple next to us was celebrating a birthday and ordered an entire cake made on premises. Since we took pictures for them, they gave us a delicious slice. That to me was the best part of the meal! It was a chocolate mousse...so good! To put it simply, the service was excellent but the food needed to be a couple of notches better to be worth another visit. Checked off my restaurant bucket list. Enjoy! read more

Love the restaurant! Bartenders are rude! Very conflicted because the excellent bar menu requires enduring the horrific bartenders

This is a fine dining restaurant without any snootiness. The food and drinks are exquisitely prepared and presented. Servings are ample and done to perfection. It's pricey but worth it. read more

I still cannot believe the reviews on this place. I'm giving this place 1 star. If I could give it zero, or 1/2 star, I would. Up front, it's VERY EXPENSIVE. Which I'm fine with, HOWEVER!!!! (Read on) It began bad. While my husband was asking questions about the menu, the server just WALKED AWAY!!! We were so confused! At this point, we just smiled and laughed, and chalked it up to poor communication or a strange encounter. Unique. When I waived her down..... We ordered the Gnocchi and Scallops as an appetizer. They had NO FLAVOR. You could have blind folded me and had me taste each one and I wouldn't have known the difference. I wanted SALT but my server never reappeared for me to ask. Then, I got my entree. Ahhhhh, seared tuna. But, it again, was FLAVORLESS!!!! Again, I waited for my server to come along so I could add salt. Nope. Gone. So F-it. I ate it. The server NEVER reappeared again until the check. I found myself pouring my own wine, which is something that should NEVER happen when spending this much money at a restaurant. The food was average AT BEST. The service was below average. I would say I've received better service at the TGIFridays in West Orange if that tells you anything. To end, we waited FOREVER for our check. Our wine was finished. Water glasses empty. No one, NOT ONCE, ever asked "can I get you anything?" (YES!! SALT!!!) or asked "how was was everything???" I mean, when you spend more than $100 per person I expect service better than what you get at Joe's Crab Shack. The sommelier was the only good part. He was very pleasant and easy to talk to. Suggested a good wine, and was knowledgable. Overall, this place thinks it's fancy because it's in Chatham and requires its servers to wear black suit jackets. It needs a reality check. PS. This night was to celebrate our anniversary. We are now almost divorced. read more

I brought my wife here to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. Food was delicious and the staff was excellent! They even brought out our dessert that said happy anniversary on it! We will definitely be coming back! read more

**Update: Went in a few weeks ago with my wife for our anniversary and decided to sit in the bar area. Great experience from our friend Marin the bartender and the food! Scallops and chicken were great as was the dessert. We will be back for sure! Bump up to 4 stars. I do like this place but it can be inconsistent. I was surprised on my last visit that I ordered a medium filet mignon and after 3 times they could not get it right. I ended up getting the hanger steak which was very good but can't understand why they couldn't get the filet right. Service is on point and they comped for the meal but I was just surprised on that. I'll be back but will stick with the bar menu. read more

We had a lovely time here with many friends. Good food, drinks and wine menu. Filled with people and a good atmosphere. I will go back again! read more

love eating at this very nice old fashioned yet modern restuarant where the wait staff is beyond helpful as to the menu and the daily specials...a very very cozy place where you can enjoy a nice calm linch or dinner read more

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Food and service were extraordinary during a visit that started somewhat early on a Saturday evening. Atmosphere is modern inside and out. An ideal table provided side by side seating for two. Great crab cake appetizer was nicely accented with two shrimp. Short rib in tortellini appetizer was made so tender. Each piece of octopus was just right and consistent, a very unusual perfection. One main course of duck and the other of veal was cooked ideally and exactly as requested. Wonderful creme brulee and brownie at the end. Exceptional service throughout. read more

Excellent food and service. Nice wine list. Warm, simple ambiance. Short rib tortellini starter was outstanding.

I brought my mother for a birthday lunch today and we ordered the same salad but I asked for an add on of Chicken. When the salads arrived mine was a 1/4 of the size of her salad with the chicken on the side.....it was upsetting to say the least. I let our waiter know how I felt just as a "suggestion" and he gave us a free dessert, I didn't want dessert I wanted my salad that I paid for. I sit here starving right after having eaten....I'm upset, Lunch is overpriced already and to get short changed is just upsetting. Portions matter. read more

Restaurant Serenade puts on a bit of a masquerade. Yes, it is in charming, white-collar Chatham, a wealthy suburban town similar to those all over the US. But along with "upscale" ambiance, it also boasts inflated prices, in my opinion. Unlike other reviewers, I did not find Serenade on par with food at the best restaurants in NYC. In fact, I found the food to be decent if not cloyingly heavy and sweet (not enough nuance), the service stuffy, and the general ambiance a bit offputting - trying too hard to be fancy and Fraaaaaaaaaaanche and snooty. I tried really hard not to use the word 'highfalutin' here, but obviously have just failed miserably at that attempt. OK, onto the food: The bread basket may have been the best part of the night! Wonderful assortment of freshly baked artisanal breads and rolls. Oh me, oh my, the potato bread was so soft and so good it kind of made me cry inside a little bit. Just a wee bit. My beet salad came with exactly 1 beet section in it. I savored it - because there was only 1 - but wished it had a little more tang or zing to it. I don't think it had enough acidity. My salmon entree was unremarkable, but the roasted carrots on the side left me clamoring to make roasted root vegetables - LOTS of beets and carrots and parsnips and potatoes - for the rest of the week. 1, 2, 3, count 'em, 4 dollar signs on Yelp. The people do not lie - this restaurant was pricey. Like NYC pricey. Was it worth it? Nope. Was I glad this one was on the company dime? You betcha. read more

The New Year's Eve prix fixe was so good I had to throw a quick 5 star review on here. It was a special menu so may not be that relevant to the rest of the year but man was it good - basically flawlessly executed from beginning to end, bravo! It was expensive but truly delicious and the wine pairing was excellent as well. Keep up the good work! read more

Nothing French about this restaurant.Not in the menu, not in the sub par wine list. Service was very slow and food was mediocre at best. Expresso was worst ever. Expensive and not worth the visit read more

Giving Serenade 3.5 stars but rounding the stars to 3 due to not getting 1000 points from making reservation with open table to dine on Sunday evening and Foie Gras being small. Due to my indecisiveness on what to order, I went with the Market Menu (tasting menu - $80 without wine): *Pumpkin Soup - Not bad, didn't make much of an impression on me. *Crab Cake - It was full of meaty crab. It was nice and light. Enjoyed the dish but wasn't memorable. *Foie Gras - VERY disappointed with the portion of Foie Gras. It was 2 small bites. I never had Foie Gras that was that small. It left me wanting more and going home very disappointed. Did I mention that I am very disappointed by the portion of the dish? *Lamb - It came medium which I wasn't happy with. I would have sent the dish back due to the cost of the meal but I was too full to complain. *Apple Cobbler - It was OK. You know what was memorable? Potato bread that they give for free. It was tasty. My friend went with Seafood Menu (tasting menu - $80 without wine): *Lobster Bisque - It was to die for. It was rich and tasty. The lobster was cooked perfectly. It was a memorable bisque. *Tuna - It was nicely grilled, had good flavor. It was meaty. *Lobster - Lobster was delicious. It was cooked spot on. It was a good dish. *Sea Bass - The dish was ok. Not much flavor to Sea Bass. *Pavlova - Lemon sorbet was excellent. A lot of good flavor. Meringue was a great way to end the evening. Got a sugar rush out of it. In all, I wasn't impressed by Serenade. Ambiance was nice. Wait staff fine. The guy who took care of us was a stiff. DIdn't seem to have a sense of humor. I wouldn't go back there again. The place is a little too expensive for dishes they are putting out. The only thing that stood out were the Lobster Bisque and Lobster dish. read more

I recently took a friend of mine here for his birthday celebration. However, the experience we had at Restaurant Serenade left such a bad taste in our mouth that no matter how good the food is, WE WOULD NEVER COME BACK. While perusing the wine list for a bottle of wine around $50-60 to complement our meal, the sommelier (named Craig) actually belittled the wine choices we were considering and said he didn't understand why we would consider a pinot gris for seafood. He started interrupting us and speaking over our conversation about what wine we wanted. He then actually said, "Let me remind you that we are in Chatham where we don't give away our bottles of wine for free." Regardless of the location of the restaurant, a customer should never be insulted, interrupted, and belittled. We were shocked by his pretentious attitude, incredibly rude demeanor, and confrontational tone. He was abrasive and his lack of customer-friendly service is outright unacceptable. I do not recommend Restaurant Serenade unless you want to be insulted during your dining experience. read more

Some of the best food I've ever had, just a short drive from my parents' place in Morris Town. I could wax poetic on the food for days (I've basically never had a bad thing), however the service reminds you that you're in Chatham and not Manhattan. It can be awkward, clumsy, and slow from the host to the wait staff. That being said, if the service were even nearly as good as the food, this would be a hands down 5 star endorsement. I challenge you to find better food in the area, but warn that it is a little pricey. My most recent loves were the cream-less squash soup with apples and chestnuts and the venison entree with cabbage, brussel sprouts, and butternut squash. Seriously, they were phenomenal. I almost licked my plate with both courses. It's absolutely worth enduring the less-than-stellar service. read more

Have been twice in recent weeks. Enjoyed dinner in the bar with its balanced, lighter menu. Celebratory dinner with a larger group last week. Warm, welcoming ambiance and the best service within 20 miles hands down. My favorite entrees are the scallops, calves liver and skirt steak. Seasonal soups always fabulous. read more

We recently had a celebration dinner at Serenade on a Friday night. It was easy enough to get last-minute 7pm reservations that morning and while the dining room was fairly crowded, we were seated immediately. The service is incredible and they try to bend over backwards to make your dinner a truly exquisite dining experience. The wine list is very large and has it all, including a decently sized wine by the glass list. The table shared a great bottle of champagne as we were celebrating an engagement and everyone enjoyed their individual glasses of wine since some a red and some are white wine drinkers. The menu was interesting. There were 2 different tasting menus that also had wine pairing available but none of us tried them as we were not that interested in all the offerings. The appetizers and salad selections were a bit limited. I ordered the crab cake which was a decent size but I think for the price did not have enough crab meat in it. There were a few specials offered that night and they sounded very good but none of us tried them. I ordered the chicken dish which was really wonderful. The chicken was juicy and flavorful. Two of the filet dishes were ordered and unfortunately one was undercooked but the staff took it back very apologetically and had it brough back cooked correctly very quickly. Everyone enjoyed their dinners very much, so much that we could not order dessert. I wouldn't be going here on a weekly or even monthly basis as it is so expensive but I certainly can see my family coming here maybe once a year for a special occasion. read more

Serenade is a fantastic restaurant if you are looking for sophisticated cuisine and wine. The entire experience is top notch and I highly recommend the tasting menu, six courses paired with relevant wine choices. The tasting menu changes often and never let's me down. I find the price to be quite a value for what you get, especially when compared to NYC restaurants. This is defintely a special ocassion place but somehow I land up here more often than not. read more

Came for a pretty big dinner. Really found that the decor/ambiance was quite nice. Some folks had told me that this was their "favorite" restaurant in New Jersey, so I came with some pretty high expectations. Unfortunately, the food was on the "underwhelming" side of boring. I expected that they would take a typical "familiar" entree and do something special with it so that when you were trying to appreciate the intricacies of the flavors, you would have one of those "Remy" moments from Ratatouille! Ummm - not the case. I got the octopus appetizer, their sirloin steak, and the cobbler. I'll break down my impressions: 1. Octopus - I've had all sorts of octopus - from sashimi, to wasabi-sake-marinated, to bbq grilled, to what they served. I'll say that it had a nice "smokey" flavor, which interestingly enough, wasn't too overpowering to mask the lemon. The consistency was good - chewy, but appropriately so. Not the best I've ever had, but not bad either. 2. Steak - I asked for medium-rare, and they did a good job at preparing it as requested. However, the overall "flavor" of the steak didn't seem to be as apparent as other steaks I have had at nice steakhouses. Maybe it was partly the cut of the steak that I had, but it just didn't seem to be on par with my expectations. 3. Cobbler - Finally, something that was just excellent. Flaky, but yet slightly gooey, and hot, but paired with ice cream - this was just wonderful. I was just sad that out of everything, the cobbler and coffee in the end were my favorites for the meal. Maybe next time, I'll explore some other options in hope of finding something better to write about. read more

This may have been my second best non-steakhouse meal out of the year. (Del Posto being #1, what can I say, I love steak) I didn't know much about this place before going in and maybe that helps b/c apparently the ratings are super high. Nevertheless, it was absolutely delicious. The duck special I had might have been the best duck I've ever had. Wine list is very french which is not my strong spot so it was tough but they helped with that and ended up with an OK bottle. Service was above average but not mind-blowing. But it still deserves 5-stars for the food. Absolutely wonderful. read more

My family and I came here to celebrate father's day. We had a great dinner-- berkshire porkchop for the gals, veal porterhouse for the guys. They also had fried soft shelled crabs which were delicious as an appetizer. Also great local greens with the perfect tomato. For dessert, we had the chiffon cake, which was made in house but wasnt very light. I was really happy with my dessert wine flight with Graham's port, malvasia di lipari, and moscato. read more

Had a lovely time here, with excellent, 5 star service. I had the lamb two ways, and the scallops to start, on their weekend prix fixe menu. Everything was delicious. Nothing exciting or new, just classics done well. What really makes this place 5 stars though is the service. From the hostesses to the servers, everything was professional, friendly, and above and beyond what you would expect in Jersey. Two thumbs up! read more