Cocktail Bars near Short Hills

“As a known and admired brand, Eataly is first judged against itself and then other restaurants. At Eataly in Short Hills, the restaurant compares well, even if the size of the adjacent shopping area is a bit “short” relative to other locations, owing to its relatively smaller size.

The restaurant thankfully has plenty of space and space is what you need keep in your belly for a delectable Italian meal.

I’ve been to Italy many times and so that is my context, along from years of living in New York. That creates a high bar but I’m careful to give restaurants a fair shake.

To wit, I believe that Eataly provides the flavors and feels you want of an Italian restaurant. That is except for the bread, which you have to pay for – – probably the worst part of the experience for me.

I start with the Caesar salad, which is great except that it doesn’t taste like a Caesar salad. I can’t identify the ingredients all that much, but the leaves are soft and there is a dressing that is akin to a ceaser but not quite, and it has a crunch to it because of what seems to be breadcrumbs or something – – you think I’d know!

The pasta is fresh and seems to be al dente every time we visit. We enjoy the truffle pasta, but the truffle looks like tiny dots compared to the completely intact shavings thar ww get in Italy for half the price. Nevertheless, it’s delicious save for the excessive amount of butter. Just not necessary! Yet I’d get it again.

The sage Ravioli is as you would expect it to be and a delight. Also a tad too much butter, but still great.

You’ll want to try the Cannolo — It’s not a cannoli unless there’s more than one as Italian speakers would know. It is hearty and unusually flavored.

The staff is pleasant and attentive.

All in all in comparison to others in the chain, it may not be at the top, but still a delightful experience of Italian fare where you could then walk outside and pick up plenty of things straight from Italy Or is it Eataly?!“

“Visited with friends for Dinner and Drinks, and we all had a great time. Cocktail options were limited but they were strong. Most of the Food item was good, but the Chicken was a little bit dry.

Service was a bit relaxed despite the place being not that crowded but the Staff were friendly and polite. Overall, pretty good option for Dinner and Drinks.“

“Excellent food and outstanding staff. Our server was Jen and she couldn’t have been nicer. My nephew, Max Clayton, is performing in White Christmas at the Papermill. We were a group of 10 from NH looking for a place for dinner before the show. Max raved about the food at the Millburn Standard and recommended we go there. The staff was friendly, very accommodating to our large party (we did call for reservations, but they don’t take them) and the food was excellent (get the nachos!) They were just as nice when we came back after the play just to sit and have drinks. I feel like they went out of their way to accommodate us and we are all most appreciative. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“First time visiting for me and my wife, as we walked in we didn’t know where to sit so we went upstairs. However, the server led us to a dimly lit corner despite plenty of tables available so we chose to sit downstairs instead, even though seating there was a bit tight and not very comfortable.

Our server downstairs was attentive and friendly, which we appreciated. That said, the overall atmosphere felt more geared toward guests with reservations for special party celebrations rather than people just for dining in, so we got the impression that we should wrap up and leave once we finished our meal.

The food was decent, and found parking on the street but there’s valet service.“

“We have been coming here for years! Love the service, the food and the ambiance ♥️“

“We are BEYOND ECSTATIC with our wedding cake and all other pastries and desserts provided by Calandra’s Bakery! No other bakery bakes your cake at 3:00AM the day of your wedding and it shows! Super fresh moist and SUPER DELICIOUS! Every guests commented about the spectacular presentation…simple yet elegant carrying our live orchid theme with LIFELIKE piped orchid petals cascading down each layer! What a joy to have such an unforgettable and memorable experience of knowing our family and friends will remember our wedding cake as much as we will! We had the choice of several bakeries but must end by telling this story…we had checked out a couple of bakeries but after a final wedding gown fitting we decided to visit Calandras. Unannounced we asked to see the person who could help us with our wedding cake. Calandra’s is an incredible “complex” and was extremely busy place but we were directed to Aisha Maliki. Aisha dropped everything presented us with an exquisite tray of every wedding cake option in bite size proportions all fresh and delicious. She gave us coffee and tea and gave us time to talk amongst ourselves in a relaxed atmosphere until our decision was unanimous! She then proceeded to take us through the endless design options available and helped us tweak every little detail until alas our vision for the PERFECT wedding cake had come to life! Mind you we did this unannounced but Aisha couldn’t have been more cordial personable professional and most of all friendly! We left SO elated to leave having one of the most important wedding checkboxes checked and feeling we just had welcomed a new family member into the fold! Based on our incredible experience with Aisha and Calandra’s your choice for YOUR wedding cake and pastries should be Calandra’s! You will definitely not be sorry!“

“Great place had fun with friends. Good friendy staff an food looks really good. Even though I didn't actually order any myself this first visit. Also 2 for 1 shots all night definitely helped even more. They also have touch tunes jukebox. Recommend to all visit this establishment.“

“if you like good food this is the place to go. We had a little bit of everything. Highly recommend the cheese and meat board and the gnocchi is amazing. The winner of the night was the tuna and don't skip dessert. We will come back.“

“Great cocktails and knowledgeable staff“

“You’d never think this little spot in a strip mall area is anything, but it’s some of the best sushi I’ve ever had! Also the kimchi they give right when you sit down is amazing. I am a huge sushi fanatic and this is definitely Top 3 I’ve ever had. Service is wonderful.“

“It was my 1st time trying this spot out! I celebrated my birthday and anniversary! My server name was “MO” I believe it was short for Monique! She was pleasant, tentative, respectful, friendly, polite and patient! My wife and I definitely appreciated the service she provided us! My only issue was the fact that open table has an option for you to put what your occasion is and the restaurant didn't honor it. However after speaking to the manager he did accommodate us in someway for the inconvenience. ! I would definitely come back here as it was a great experience overall!!! Great ambience! And the food was truly amazing! 🔥🔥🔥10/10 for us!“

“Welcoming, friendly staff, great food, great drinks and great vibes! I love this place. Loved the salmon bites, catfish sliders and their greens. 🍔 🥬 🍷 🍹“

“I highly recommend Evolution in Woodland Park. We came here today after my Nana’s funeral for a repass, and could not have been better. The atmosphere was warm and comforting and the staff were amazing. The food was excellent and the service was outstanding.“

“Can I just say WOW!!!! Been waiting to come here for quite some time, and it far surpassed every expectation I had!! Staff was lovely! Creative, DELICIOUS appetizers... We tried several, and seriously each one was SOOO GOOD!!! I'm a huge fan of Detroit style pizza, and it was cooked to perfection! Dessert was absolutely phenomenal as well! One of the best meals I've had in some time, from start to finish! They even had live music upstairs, which was such a nice surprise! Can't wait for our next trip back!!! Thank you for a wonderful evening!“

“Food is very good and staff very attentive though menu limited. It's too loud! Music is fine but not when you can't carry on a conversation or hear the servers. I don't understand why anyone thinks that's a good thing.“

“Totally enjoyed our first visit to this new gem. The decor is creative, the cocktails are delicious and the food is excellent. The staff is attentive and very friendly! Wishing them all the best and hoping this place is around for a long time!!“

“Outstanding craft cocktails and delicious food! I only wish I had found them on my first night in Rahway rather than my last. I would have been here every night…“

“High Life Skii Club held a 60th anniversary party on Nov 1 with 99 members attending. With an assorted buffet menu and a live band, our members had a memorable evening in the private room of Tavern 73. The cash bar was very busy, and people raved about the food as they left this 4-hour event. Special thanks to Kaya and Gail for the excellent job they did to help to organize and execute this event. They were Best! Thank you, Tavern 73. High Life will not forget you!“

“Creative, fresh and delicious.“

“This is the first 5 Star restaurant we have found in NJ since moving in 1991 from Manhatten. Four of us went this past sunday evening. Everything was 5 star,including food; Niavh's (Irish name pronounced as Nieve) service; and the personable manager, Dave. Gorgeous wood and glass. Great Ambience. Easy to park. Could not be happier!“

“Being allergic to gluten makes dining out extremely challenging. I can finally eat a friend chicken sandwich again and it’s an amazing feeling! Not only that, but the gluten free bun and breeding are amazing! Thanks so much for giving a darn about a forgotten part of the population.“

“Unbeatable Service – Quinn Keeps Us Coming Back! This bar lounge has become our favorite spot, and it’s all because of the incredible service! Every week, we’re welcomed like family, and Quinn always makes sure we have an unforgettable experience. Quinn is an absolute pro behind the bar—crafting amazing cocktails with precision and personality, always knowing exactly what we’ll love. The drinks are always perfect, the atmosphere is unbeatable, and the service is what keeps us coming back week after week. Huge shoutout to Quinn for making this place feel like home. If you haven’t been yet, you’re missing out! Highly recommend!“

“Great first time Dining at Captial Craft, experience was amazing, even thanked the chef for the wonderful food.“

“My Third time there in a few weeks. Great Atmosphere and ambiance. Bartender, Jacob.....superb. Greeted us coming in seated us, served us superb drinks. On Point. My New place to go ! Thank you“

“Delicious with excellent service.“

“Outstanding, just outstanding. I must preface this review by saying we have had many wedding and baby showers and even dined in the private room with our immediate family when our daughter earned her Master's Degree. We have never been disappointed with the planning host, food or servers. I digress to our dinner at the Mediterranean Grill. We were greeted by our just fantastic waiter. Dam, I forgot his name. His demeanor was that of a very knowledgeable and professional gentleman. Attentive throughout our meal, and our chicken and shrimp dish. Perfectly prepared, hot and delicious. For an appetizer we had calamari friti, hot and crunchy, yum. Dessert was a cannoli and zabaglione over berries. so delicious and fresh. Great, great evening........“

“The reviews did not disappoint. This place was delicious! Great service! The best Caesar salad I could’ve ever dreamed of! The shrimp and chicken scampi was a great decent sized portion! And I took home the NY cheesecake and 10/10! Apparently the do karaoke on Fridays as well!“

“5 stars! Great drinks and they offer a happy hour !! Food was very good , with big selection and very reasonably priced.“

“great place great football menu other food is good as well“

“Had an all around great experience every time we've been there for brunch Sundays“

“I like this spot , I come by first time in 2014 a d I still coming when I get New Jersey, I really like the food“

“Friendly servers specially Angel,warm greeting up to the manager( Joe). The food taste great and serve fast.Good job👍🏻“

“Just had the best experience with ladyfingers! I had a birthday party for my daughter and they provided a two tier cake and a coffee bar. Lauren was very responsive from start to finish. I was able to pick the flavors and filings for each tier off their long list of options. I didn’t have much time to look for a cake design so just sent over a photo of a cake that I quickly googled. They were able to create it, and even better, they added a customized cake topper with my daughter’s name. They also delivered it to the venue which was very important to me since I didn’t want to deal with picking up a big cake from a bakery and making sure it didn’t get ruined during an already busy day. At the party they provided us with a “coffee bar” serving up a variety of flavored hot and iced coffee & chai. The guests loved this! Many drove from far so a coffee option was exactly what the needed upon arrival. The onsite team was great, arrived early to setup, and went above and beyond by lending me a cake stand and having ice delivered for us when we were unable to get any because it happened to be sold out everywhere near by. Overall great experience and would highly recommend them!“

“Went there 2 weeks ago with a couple of friends. Food was delicious. The staff were very nice. They had a verity of mixed drinks and beer. I highly recommend trying this place out.“

“Amazing drinks amazing bartenders!!!“

“Great place! Really liked the deli and pizza selection. The bar was great with large space.“

“Sunday funday football brunch is the place to be. Fabulous food. Great selection of draft beer! The staff is very friendly. Highly recommend the Deviled eggs and Pimento bread dip.“

“I have been going to Marlos for years, and I love how they have remodeled the place. And the food is the best.“

“Great hotel. Great service and atmosphere“

“It is a very nice restaurant, clean, not so big, with plenty of parking. The music is varied, on Thursday they had Karaoke in English and Spanish. They have Hooka service, the staff in general is very friendly. The prices at Happy Hour are high.“

“Haven’t been here in over 5years, was in the area so I brought a friend. Nothing has changed (hasn’t been updated) however the food still didn’t miss a beat, still so tasty and delicious. They offer some great happy hours throughout the week , the one we stubbled upon was 50% off the whole food menu all day !!! Great. 😊 the service at first was good but they seemed to be changing shifts and the next bartender was not as helpful. Overall dolce, is still standing strong, I want to come try the rest of the menu.“

“Food was great drinks were great. The service was lackluster unfortunately I don't know if the person was new but we ordered a bottle of wine they brought it to our table open which is not customary. And poured the wine directly into a carafe without us checking the bottle. Service at the end we were handed a bill We were not asked if we wanted dessert or anything of that nature.“

“Great food 😋 👌 awesome environment!!!“