In my quest to dine at more NJ restaurants, rather than constantly going to NYC or elsewhere, we wanted to try a different type of venue. One that not only offers amazing food, but somewhere that could put us back in tune with our roots. A place where Jazz and Luther Vandross are played often…. THIS was that place. It was comfortable. And even though we knew no one but ourselves, the soul of the place felt familiar – I loved it here.
The Venue
Hospitality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Everyone was kind and attentive from the moment we walked through the door. Even the owner himself (I think he was the owner. Judging by the picture on their website) came to greet us and ask how our night was going.
It did, however, take a while for us to get the attention of the Bartenders, and about an hour for our food to arrive. But in their defense, it was quite a busy night.
Environment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We loved everything about the vibe here! The crowd here was mostly 45 and up, a bit different from our usual outings. But I think that’s what we liked about it the most. The calm, yet lively people enjoying themselves, listening to old school music and just having an overall good time. The nights alternate between a DJ and live Bands offering a variety of genres, including reggae, jazz and R&B. You’re destined to have a really good time. We even got front row seats watching my girls stroll for Founders Day!! 💖💚💖💚💖💚
Family Friendly: ⭐️
Not family friendly. This venue is geared towards to older/ more mature crowd.
Food
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
I struggled not to give the food a full 5 star rating! But one menu item just didn’t do it for me, and since the majority of my readers come here for my honest opinions, I’m going to give you just that…
We ordered the Southern Fried Catfish and Roasted Nigerian Spiced Half chicken for our main entrees. And Apple Crumble and Bread Pudding desert. Everything was AMAZING, but i’d have to give a thumbs down to the Nigerian Chicken entree. Although the sides were good, the chicken itself was a bit too dry for my liking (and to be dark meat at that). I also didn’t see any difference between a regular piece of chicken and it’s perspective ‘Nigerian Spiced’ title. But hey, this is merely my opinion, go and try it out for yourself!
Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Average, but appetizing. Entrees are served on typical white dishes, but plated well enough for you to want to take a picture of it 😋. I would have loved to see my come out on a plate disguised as a vinyl record or a music note, something of that nature.
We ordered our desserts to go so they weren’t that appealing in their plastic containers. But the choices that we saw going to nearby tables looked so good! The Apple Crumble comes with ice cream, which you don’t see here.
Price: $$$
I always like to remind myself that ‘expensive’ is subjective. So when I refer to something as being costly, I’m holding it against what the average person might expect to pay for comparable dishes. But all entrees are just around $30. And appetizers are between $10 and $20. *20% gratuity is also automatically added to your bill*
The Takeaway
If you’re into good food and live music – get here! It’s a guaranteed good time, especially for adults of a certain age. Music is great, food is great, the crowd is great 🤷🏽♀️. I already have plans on revisiting. Will you go?
TTYL,
Lexi 💋
