I've had nothing but wonderful experiences at Stage Left Steakhouse / Catherine Lombardi restaurant through the years. Founders/Managers Mark Pascal and Francis Schott are truly a dynamic duo who consistently deliver the best in fine dining and hospitality. Their craft cocktail program is particular amazing, offering historic classics like the Brooklyn cocktail, and innovative riffs like the Parasol. Stage Left's special events program provides access to winemakers, distillers, and craft cocktail legends like Dale DeGroff. The restaurant is also the perfect space to enjoy a casual gourmet burger, a super fresh Caprese salad, or a delicious steak. I also enjoy their annual holiday pop-up cocktail bar "Miracle on George Street"! In a world of big corporate steakhouses, Stage Left is nothing of the sort. It's customary for Mark or Francis to go table to table to say hello and check in on you. 5-stars, and I look forward to returning again and again! read more

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Another fantastic visit. The staff continues to crush it--they treat us like regulars even when we're pretending we're not. The salad came out crisp and refreshing, the kind that makes you feel like you're making responsible life choices before diving into a burger. Speaking of which, the burger was great, though a couple people thought the bun was auditioning for a bigger role than necessary. Dessert was a total win: warm cookies that disappeared instantly and a coconut lemon sorbet that brought the sunshine. My wife said it leaned too lemony; I said bring it on. A fun, delicious meal. read more

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Great food snd service, although a bit noisy in the back room. Our table shared a burrata appetizer with strawberry's. Absolutely excellent. Our table had some drinks. For main dishes, we had burgers, a beef sandwich, gnocchi with mushrooms and lasagna. All dishes were excellent. I really enjoy their lasagna. read more

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l've been here a few times and each visit everyone is always very accommodating and friendly. Each employee is always on top of their game, especially Lauren who seems to be everywhere at once. They are always aware when either water is getting low or you're missing a fork you didn't even realize was gone. The food is delicious and cooked to perfection and the nice dim lighting makes the restaurant so much more enjoyable. Overall 10/10 place that I highly recommend for any occasion! read more

Stage Left Steak - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Service was horrible. We asked for bread 4 times and it was never brought. We ordered drinks and appetizers which took an eternity to arrive. Nobody came to check up on us throughout the dinner. The steak came with rock that we had to cook on. Why we paying all this money and we have to cook the steak?!! We were unable to order more food because they said the kitchen was closed but really nobody checked in. Won't be coming back. read more

This Steak house is astonishing! The food is amazing specially the burger, chicken franchise, and truffle fries which are my favorite. The girl Lauren who helped me was so sweet and happy to help. She really made the experience so much better. 10/10 visit for me! read more

This is one of my favorite visits whenever I'm in the New Brunswick area. Great eats and even better service!

We came here to celebrate a birthday and it didn't disappoint. I chose a rare flat iron steak. It was juicy and tender and delicious. The fried calamari appetizer was crispy and tender and the sauce was delicious. Nice touch was they gave us a bit of hot and bit of sweet. The chocolate hazelnut bread pudding was delicious. It wasn't overly sweet but was custardy had a nice toasted edge. The cream on the bottom with berries was a nice addition. The crème brûlée was also delicious. It was a nice touch that they added happy birthday to the plate because we were celebrating. Nice place for a special dinner. read more

Stage Left Steak - Flat iron steak - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Just had a valentines dinner here and had a great experience. We had two severs, both names Josh. They were personable and really made the experience enjoyable. Have not had service this great in a long time. Looking forward to going back in the future. Food was all enjoyed, especially the steak. love salt block read more

Boy, this place was tough to find! It took me three tries before I found the correct place - our menus still said Catherine Lombardi at the top which is their sister restaurant so perhaps there is some crossover in terms of the menu? The food was decent. I liked the flavor of the orecchiette though it could have been a bit more chewy instead of hard. The chocolate cake with ice cream was delicious though! We had a big group and reserved a private room to dine in. read more

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Was traveling from NYC back to Cleveland Ohio Made a specific detour to enjoy dinner at one of America's great restaurants. Stage Left shares a kitchen with sister restaurants Catherine Lombardi. We enjoyed an exceptional meal paced over several hours. One of the many things that makes this place shine is the pacing of the meal. I never fell rushed, I can enjoy a well made cocktial while reviewing the menu and an appetizer and switch to a full bodied red wine with dinner. The servers are attentive with out hovering, suggestions are done with out feeling pressure. Reagan and Josh took very good care of the table. With check ins by Christian and Alex all of the questions and notes where quickly answered and the evening was truly lovely. It is nice to note that the owners Francis and Mark, make the rounds to say hello and chat at each table, clearly they take joy in welcoming guests into their restaurant. If you find your self any where near southern New Jersey I highly recommend a visit Clark read more

I went here for a friend's birthday and they were super accommodating. I ordered their wagyu ribeye and that was served on a salt block. Let me just say this ribeye was SO good, I really wish they gave more than 7oz for the $80 price tag. I also got the eggplant parm and it was good. For dessert, my friend brought an ice cream cake and they were awesome to cut it and serve it for us. Also, they share the space with their sister restaurant, Catherine Lombardi (Italian restaurant) so even if you are vegetarian or not feeling steak, there's other options for you! read more

Stage Left Steak - Australian Wagyu Ribeye - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is because I honestly do feel it is way too expensive for what you receive. The food is good, but I've had better in much more affordable venues. With that being said. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at SLS. We recently went to celebrate my father's birthday and we were beyond the last ones there. I cannot begin to say how accommodating the staff was in every way. We are a finicky bunch (well my family is) and they were great with some of our party being late, moving our reservation from inside to outside, turning the heat lamps up and down lol... Service was always attentive. Upon entrance into the venue, you just feel warm and cozy with the dim lighting.. old school bar.. this time of year, you get to try their seasonal cocktails. Autumn Leaves was perfect! The bartender was super friendly... sorry his name slips my mind. We ordered a sweet and spicy calamari which was tasty enough... my truffle pasta with proscuitto and asparagus was a bit too salty, but still good. I think everyone else enjoyed their meals, but we were just a bit underwhelmed. Christian was hilarious... I guess he does a bit of everything there. Very gracious part of the team. A class act spot that deserves to be checked out. read more

Stage Left Steak - Autumn - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

One of the worst experiences of my life! Items on the menu are way overpriced for the area (a college town). All items are ala carte and the Filet Mignon said 8 oz on the menu however it was no where near that when served. All food was extremely well prepared and very tasty. The appetizer of olives, roasted peppers, and 5 pieces of sweet sausage along with some chunky parmigiana cheese was way over priced at $30.00. Sides of asparagus and mashed potatoes were $17.00 each. Combine this with $55.00 for a very small piece of filet mignon and one side dish of potatoes- you're looking at $72.00 minimum without drinks. Add $30.00 for the least expensive appetizer you are looking at $102.00. Dessert is another story. We wound up waiting more than 20 minute for bread pudding. We decided the wait was too long so we sent it back when it finally came. The check arrived with the bread pudding and I kindly asked the water (who by the way, more than hovered over us during our entire meal). While scanning the new check without the bread pudding, they adding an extra glass of house wine for another $20.00. I asked for the check to be redone a second time and another 20 mins went by. In addition the establishment already charged my Credit card. They promised me a refund of $30 but I have yet to see it appear on my card as a refund. All in all I would not recommend this restaurant unless you want to be ripped off. Especially if you're going to a show at the New Brunswick theater and have limited time before. I will give the food preparation, and taste a 4 out of 5. Service a 2 out of 5 (very slow service and constantly asking if everything is ok is just not necessary ). Price is definitely a 1 ! Overall not a very nice experience! I will never visit the restaurant again and I don't think you should either. But ... go and Judge for yourself. Good Luck ! read more

We booked a reservation for Easter and were not disappointed! What a lovely place with great service, and great food. I highly recommend going here for a special occasion. The Easter menu was varied and delicious! I had the lobster bisque and lamb shank. Hubby had the deviled eggs and steak and eggs. Our son had the cocktail shrimp and a burger. The portions were huge! Dessert was served buffet style and the choices were plentiful! Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, scones, you name it! Our son has a milk allergy and they kindly offered us a mango sorbet. Kudos to our waiter, Anthony, and really to everyone who was so kind, professional and pleasant!! read more

This is a wonderful steakhouse. The atmosphere is great. Very pretty and intimate. Service was first class. The tastiest cuts at a steak house are the butcher's cuts and the flat iron here was no exception. It was cooked perfectly rare was tender and tasted like butter. And if you're a burger fan like I am, best thing to get at a steakhouse is a burger. A steakhouse knows how to make an awesome burger. The burger here was amazing. It was a delicious blend and it was cooked perfectly rare. The Amish bacon was thick cut and cooked perfectly. The cheddar was sharp and generous. Dessert too was a delight. The chocolate hazelnut bread pudding had a delicious but not overpowering blend of flavor. It was served with a zabaglione on the bottom that was so eggy and delicious and fresh berries. The crème brûlée was perfect. I am a huge fan of crème brûlée and this one was a winner. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Went for Valentines day dinner late last night. It was our first night out alone in a year. We ordered a bottle of Malbec, waygu steak with salt brick, lamb chops and truffle fries. There menu is limited since the last time I went a few years ago, most likely due to COVID. The waygu steak was delicious. It arrived on a hot Himalayan salt brick where you cook it to your desire. Truffle fries were delectable and came with a yummy mayo flavor sauce. read more

Stage Left Steak - Waygu steak - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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I like boring restaurants as the lack of unplanned "excitement" simply means that they executed really well, served exceptional flesh and left nothing to chance. Stage Left Steak is exceptionally boring. The service is stellar, the porterhouse was magnificent, the sides were central casting steakhouse and the bill will leave you bleeding from your eyes. In other words, everything was as it should be. Five carnivorous stars. read more

Best wine list in NJ. great craft cocktails. Always a tough choice to get the Burger or the wagyu. Never disappoints.

We had a wonderful business dinner at Stage Left last night. Everything from the appetizers to desserts were so beautifully and deliciously arranged. The staff was so attentive and the owner even came and spent a few minutes with us making sure we had a pleasant experience. The lamb osso bucco was probably the best lamb dish I have ever had. The meat fell right off the bone. Would highly recommend. read more

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As I've gotten older, I've become a notoriously nitpicky about little things at restaurants so I don't say this often: My dinner at Stage Left Steak was one of the BEST restaurant experiences I have had to date. Let's start off with the food, it's excellent, well done, and you can really sense that there is a sense of respect for the ingredients. The menu is seasonal and there is a lot of care into all the menu items. We tried the tuna tare tare, to start off which is wonderful. For our main meal, I opted for the the burger while my husband opted for the flat iron salt block. If you haven't experienced the salt block, you should give it a try at least once in your life. The meat is beautifully cooked and you have total control over how you want it. My burger was really good and the fries that came with it were massive and beautifully crispy. The sides at Stage Left are nothing to balk at. The asparagus was beautifully roasted and I will now be spending the year trying to recreate their cauliflower creamed spinach at home. For dessert, we opted for the creme brulee and it was wonderful (we were informed they use actual vanilla bean). What really set Stage Left Steak apart from most restaurants I've been to is how well it's run. I've actually never seen a restaurant be so organized, so on time, so attentive to service. The owners, Frances and Mark, were both on the floor. They were making sure the guests were paid attention to and well taken care of. They were directing the staff, they were serving guests, and it was actually really wonderful to see people put so much care into their business. It's not something you see often. I will be returning whenever I have a very special occasion, as it is a more high end restaurant. But it's a place worth splurging for! read more

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Great food, drinks and service! The steaks were amazing, but so were the appetizers and sides. More creative than your typical steakhouse. The desserts were amazing. We can't wait to come back. read more

Stage Left Steak - Amazing truffle pasta!!! - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

This was an exquisite place and was bigger than originally thought. There were multiple rooms available to dine and a bar area as well. The menu had lots of appealing options while the service was well appreciated. I went with the Stage Left Burger ($17). I also added Applewood smoked bacon ($3). It was an 11 oz. patty with the bacon, aged Vermont cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. It was very good. The meat to bread ratio was one of the best I have ever seen. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium like I requested. The bread soaked up all the juices and made it that much better. Will I go back? Easily. read more

Stage Left Steak - Stage Left Burger - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Tonight, my husband and I went to try the world-famous Stage Left Cheeseburger. My husband is a very picky eater, and they made adjustments to his meal without any hassle. We are both in agreement that the food quality, taste, and service provided by the staff is 10 out of 10. Each of us had a dessert that was made on-site as well. The Cheeze Cake with berry sauce was my choice, while he had the Apple Fritter. Wow, once again, a 10 out of 10. The entire experience was enjoyable for us. The management and staff were extremely friendly and attentive, and I want to emphasize that. We will most definitely be going back to this restaurant to enjoy future meals together. read more

Way overpriced I kinda feel I was mugged lol! Not fine dining in my opinion! All the food came out lukewarm and the stone that was supposed to be 500 degrees was warm to the touch at best! Smh read more

Three stars On special: apple cider salad Arugula was scanty, nothing special Bone in filet mignon. - i ordered medium but it was more of medium well. Im not sure if it's a filet M. It was charred , hard to eat an tasteless. I ordered a side of veg. And I ate most of it. read more

Stage Left Steak - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

This is by far the best dining experience I have ever had. The leadership is amazing, service out of this world and you are simply not going to get a better quality steak... anywhere. Oh and the wine list is... pretty good. Meaning it is phenomenal. Francis and Mark have a hidden gem only a short drive or train ride from the city. read more

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So delicious ! Probably the best and most tender steak I've ever eaten. It was cool to cook it on the salt block. Can't wait to go back. read more

Stage Left Steak - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

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Requires credit card informtion to make a reservatioin. No steak house if that good:(

One of my favorite Wagyu steak places in NJ because they sear it rare and give you a hot salt stone to prep it however you like. Come here on Wednesdays for their Wagyu Wednesday special where you get to have it three ways for 40 dollars a person - I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

They aren't lying when they said one of the BEST burgers in New Jersey! - I eat my burgers medium rare but more on the rare side, and they cooked it to perfection. They do not any special sauce or extra herbs because The quality of the meat is just that good that it does not need anything extra. - The steak fries and truffle fries were amazing but the star was the onion rings, they were so light and airy and bursted with flavor . Cocktails were Delicious and most importantly the service was a 5 star! - I highly recommend Stage Left Steak, especially for burger lovers like myself! I'll be back SLS! Thank you for a wonderful experience. read more

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I was pleased to find out that this place was participating in New Brunswick restaurant week! We chose this gem because it was where my husband and I had our first date 5 years ago! The restaurant has a nice outside dining area (but it was too hot for us to do so). The inside is partly what I remember ... cozy and dim depending your table it was intimate. At the time of our reservation, I think they may have had a party on the one side of the restaurant because it was blocked off. I knocked off one star because that party was extremely loud and unpleasant. At one point it sounded like they broke glass and went about it sounding like a college party. It was distracting and made it hard for me to hear my husband across our little table. As for the food... - We both had the calamari appetizer and the Caesar salad. - I had the salmon. - My husband has the famous Stage Left cheese burger with a side of the steak fries. - I had the coconut sabyon for dessert. - My husband has the banana bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and torched bananas with brown sugar. EVERYTHING was super yummy and portions were reasonable. We were especially fans of the calamari which was crunchy with a sour vinegar-taste. The Caesar salad was so good with the anchovies and tasted super authentic. My husband raved about his cheeseburger (claiming the cheese alone it was amazing). My dessert was good but my husband's dessert was more memorable and really indulgent. I wish I had ordered what he had. More than anything service was on point and very professional. I had initially ordered the burger but when I saw the Salmon go out for another table, I asked the server if they would be able to accommodate changing my mind. They were more than happy to do so. Our drinks were never empty. Our tables were cleaned throughout our dining experience. Overall, we had a really successful (overdue) date night and certainly had a food coma. This is definitely a pricey restaurant and probably wouldn't have been able to afford to go here if it wasn't for the restaurant week specials. Our food was worth the $$$. Thank you Stage Left! We will be back again. read more

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I have been going to stage left since I was about 14 years old for all of my families special occasions. The owner Marc is almost always there and always makes a table Visit and the Maître d' Christian is always a pleasure. I have down Christian for probably 10 years or so and watched him grow from server to bartender to manager of the restaurant and he provides excellent service and always makes sure everything is just right. My waiters all have always been very accommodating and attentive I apologize to the man who was my server tonight as his name slips my mind but i have had him before and he is excellent along with all of the staff I have encountered It was time I wrote a glowing review for this restaurant as it has always been a favorite and special place of mine with excellent food atmosphere but above all excellent service. read more

Stage Left Steak - Creme brûlée - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

So disappointed!!!! These two stars are for the great services. Very good services and very friendly staffs. Foods were very disappointed. I felt so bad that I chose this restaurant to celebrate my daughter's and my husband's birthday there. Our first choice was Ruth's Steak but since we went there every yr so I was thinking of something new and closer to home. Bad choice!!! Too overly priced BUT foods were not good not comparable to Ruth's Steak at all. They are trying to be fancy and higher class but they are trying too hard. We were seated near by the bar. So loud. I requested another table before we were seated but they said they are fully booked. The rolls were VERY hard. The lobster tempura is not worth at all. Only a handful and very salty. The Not Your Mom's Grilled Cheese was a the big rip off for $17.95. The "fried chicken " is not fried and very dried like baked not fried for $29.95. Will not go back ! read more

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We went here before a concert at the state theatre. We didn't have reservations but they were able to fit 2 of us on the patio which was fine because it was a beautiful evening. We both got the burger, my girlfriend got it without a bun and I got it with cheese and bacon. It was fantastic, delicious and cooked exactly to temperature (medium and medium rare). We got the steak fries to share and it came out with 5 huge fries on the plate that was more like a French fried potato stick - also cooked to perfection. This is not a cheap place by any means. They had steaks on the menu that were over $100. Service was outstanding with all the waiters and manager taking care of every table if they saw our drinks low, they refilled them without hesitation. We were able to get done in an hour to go enjoy the concert. Highly recommend!!! read more

This restaurant still offers an amazing dining experience in the "new normal". The husband and I usually come here for special occasions and/or the night out where we have babysitters and Valentine's Day weekend did not disappoint. We had the honor of the sommelier serving us on the night we went and he made an awesome bottle recommendation that fit our tastes perfectly. The service was top notch and the food delicious, as usual. I hope they can open up to more capacity soon. It's always appreciated when the owners come around to check in on you. This time around I got the lobster tail, rib eye, antipasti, and chocolate lava cake. I hope we get to visit to celebrate soon. read more

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Boy this is hard to do but i must say this steak house just didn't meet my expectations. I travel all over the US and i have some favorite steak houses in NY, Chicago and California. I love a great sizzling piece of meat :-). Sorry a small Wagu stake already sliced and then i am expecting to cook it on a salt block doesn't appeal to me. Now I understand they have been in business a long time...so they have customers that like this type of steak house. I am just saying if you like Smith and Wollinskis, Mortons, Uncle Henry's Ruth Chris the steak joint in Chicago ...you might not like this restaurant Owner came up and offered another steak...very thoughtful and the bartender was fabulous...just not my type of steakhouse read more

Great meal and service! I read a bunch of the reviews, and although their overall rating was good, it seemed like they were up and Damien. However, I found Stage Left Steak to be a memorable dining experience. I had the bone in filet which had a nice char and was cooked to order. My son had a strip steak which looked great and tasted just as good. My wife had the special, manicotti stuffed with crab and lobster, which was amazing! We ordered a bottle of a Sonoma cab (can't remember the name) but this too was very good. We also had Caesar salads, thick cut bacon, thick cut fries, and asparagus; all made the grade. All were very tasty. Finally, dessert was on point. Creme brûlée's and cappuccinos. I would definitely recommend this steak house! read more

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As always, date night at our favorite spot did not disappoint. Spectacular service, yummy new appetizers, mouth watering main courses and of course decadent desserts paired with a lovely South African handmade and bottled dessert wine. read more

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MUST ORDER JUST FOR THE EXPERIENCE: Stage Left Burger $15 and Wagyu Flat Iron with Salt Brick $49 An upscale and classy American restaurant. Nice atmosphere. Very relaxing environment. Somewhat romantic for dates. *hinthint* Complimentary bread - Nicely toasted on the outside and soft in the inside. Warm from the oven! (Tip: Don't overstuff yourself with bread!) Wagyu Beef - Clean cut. Rather, the best cut given. Melts in your mouth! Makes me want more beef!! The Salt Brick is used to cook the beef for extra taste and flavor. Unique eating experience! Stage Left Burger - JUICY BURGER!! The chef is very good with the temperature. I asked for Medium and it was perfectly timed. You can tell them what temperature and they will give you IT!! It is a huge burger so be prepare to be stuffed after adding the lettuce, tomato, red onions, cheese, and bacon hehe. I usually can't finish big burgers but I managed to do so because it was that delicious!! Food Network rates it the "Best Burger in NJ"!!! I totally agree. Oh yeah, I loved the homemade Chipole sauce that came with the burger. I finished it up in seconds and left the ketchup semi-untouched haha. (Note: $1.50 extra for bacon.) Waiters/Waitresses - Very efficient and professional staff. Very courteous. Knows exactly when to bring the dishes to our table and when to take them away. It is as if they were watching our every move but we couldn't see them watching us lol. On the expensive $$$ side, but good food usually has a price, right? PS: We had free Champaign because it was Stage Left's 21st birthday celebration on May 26th. Too bad we didn't get to try the cake!! Note: Make reservation!!! read more

Stage Left Steak - Stage Left Burger!! JUICY!!!!!!! - American Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey