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We had dinner for the first time at Crave a couple of nights ago. Decor is nice and I would go back for the food. However, the staff needs work! First,, we weren't sure if they were open since there were no cars in the parking lot. It was a Sunday and granted it was a bit early (5PM) we had reasons to believe they were not open for dinner till maybe a little later. When I went in to check, the hostess was kind enough to say that they were open and as I turned around to get the rest of my party, either the bartender or server shouted "what does it look like". I probably shouldn't have stayed but it's been on my list to try. We get seated. All is well until the server tries to sell us on the ribeye by saying "it's really lean". I know my steak and I prefer a ribeye over any other cuts of meat. But "Lean" is not something I want to hear when describing a ribeye. We order it anyways and luckily it comes out the way we ordered it- med-rare. Then when we asked for the beer list, the same server described the Blue Moon as an ale and not a wheat beer. The Chef is good. The service needs work. Would I return? Not for awhile.

I think that's all we're saying- the food is bland.

Not a fan of the South City Grills- is this one any better?

I'm not a fan. I understand what it's supposed to be- a place where you can go for hassle-free dining. No reservations needed, no jackets or make-up needed, etc. The menu lacks flavor or flexibility. I ordered an appetizer and an entree and I was not satisfied. We asked if the we can order something from next door (the real Blu) and he said no. Zod does not do that. They should play some music or something. We were listening to water running and dishes banging the short time we were there.

We came to Chicago to dine at Alinea for the 'Tour' menu. We left talking about Charlie Trotter's. It was my friends birthday and coming from a culinary city (NY) are mission was to hit as many restaurants as possible. After a meal at Alinea, our intentions were to dine like everyday locals- the best brunch place, best deep dish, etc. After eight restaurants in two days, our bags were packed and we were ready to hit the airport. But not till we strolled the streets of Lincoln Park (AKA the 'Soho' of Chicago). After sludging through the slushy streets with luggage in tow, we just happened to walk by CT. Mind you, CT was not even on our list of places to see. My friend was reading the menu and announced erroneously that they were closed. I proceeded to walk up the stairs to take a closer look only to notice that there was a gentleman at the bar (this was 3PM). I turned around to join my friend and before you know it, the door opened and the gentleman said "well, hello. Would you like to come in for a tour?" Without hesitation, "of course!" . We walked through the dining rooms to the kitchen to the cellars with our wet boots (Chicago received 8" of snow the night before). When we return to the back to the bar area, two settings were set at the bar. The maitre'd motioned to us to have a seat while he took our coats. As we removed our layers (Chicago gets really COLD!), he said that the Chef has prepared a small bite if we had time to stay. We were in our seats before he finished his sentence. We were treated to a three-course meal with wine pairings a la minute. Just like that. Before service, whilst the staff was setting up! We were speechless and felt like we were on candid camera.It didn't end there. As we left, furiously calling our friends to brag about our experience, the maitre'd catches up to us (four blocks away) to hand us a cookbook and a bottle of steak sauce! Who does that? Chef Charlie- when we come back to Chicago, were coming to see you!

Unfortunately not! You will have to venture to Fort Lee. It's actually pretty good. We tried one on rt.46 (sorry I don't remember the town or name) and it was ok. They close early.

I love tapas but have my doubts in NJ. Can they pull it off?

Just keep eating and tasting. And remember that servers don't make it up- The guests are and can be difficult with their unusual requests. The difference is the server who has to smile and kill them with kindness.

Benton Old Fashion is the way to go! I'm going to try and make this at home

Try Lu Nello's. It moved from Totowa to Cedar Grove. The singing waiters are amusing and the food is amazing. I was very impressed. My first time I played it safe by ordering a pasta dish. It was incredible. The sauce was not watered down and the pasta was actually silky and not sticky and chewy. My second time, I ordered mostly specials. I would suggest everyone to order from the specials. It changes daily and the flavors were so wonderful!

FYI.... Jin Fong has been closed down by the Dept. of Health. Good thing I stopped going there since I've discovered Ocean Jewels in Flushing, Queens. Totally worth the trip. Great service (suprisingly for a chinese establishment) and incredibly fresh food! Their roast pork buns goes quick (so grab them while you can) and their sticky rice is very good. My favorite dim sum place!

I had a wonderful time at David's place. They have a great team there. So much care was taken with everything! The bartender makes the best Whiskey Sours!!

Had dinner last night and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I was actually looking for a place that's not a diner. I've resorted to TGI Friday's and Cheesecake Factory because they open till 1AM. I'm well aware of diners being open 24hrs. But I can only eat so many burgers or ruebens. For a bigger challenge- weekdays.

Can anyone suggest a restaurant that is open past 10PM in the Northern NJ area? Doesn't have to have liquor license.

I went to Table 8 last night and was disappointed with the food. The server was gracious and attentive but didn't give directions for her busser. We received the bread but never got the butter. The table next to us got olive oil but they wanted butter. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to ask for butter. We ordered the Foie Gras Special served with "carmelized strawberries". The cook must have burnt one side of the foie gras so he flipped it and plated the side that wasn't burnt. We ate around the edges. The "carmelized strawberries" was more like a strawberry topping they would serve you at a crepe store. The Calamari was good and crisp- though I felt the portion size was intimidating. For entrees, the Pork loin was overcooked. Our server was suprisingly capable. She knew her menu and had said that it should be served medium-rare. She genuinely apologized and took the plate away. The pasta with duck confit---DO NOT ORDER! It didn't look good, smell good or taste good. It was bland. I'm not sure how they prepared the dish but if I had to guess- I think they just boiled it. DO they know what confit is? The Molten cake was alright but it literally came out in 90 seconds after we ordered it. That was strange I wouldn't go back. Although, Dmetrius (i think that's his name) was hospitable to the tables around us and he did apologize for the shortcomings.

I'm a little disappointed. I've been trying to call to make reservations and I kept getting a machine. I should have assumed that the place was closed- but it was a Friday. So I thought they were having phone problems. I decided to just drive there to only discover that they are closed for renovations. You would think that they would leave a message for their guests on the answering machine. I hear great things about the Chef and I'm sure I be back to try it but what an inconvenience.