Laurel & Sage

My party of 6 thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered and the service was top notch. The mussels and the beet salad were both full of flavor and perfectly seasoned. The complimentary lobster tortellini was crispy and served with a spicy sauce. The house made popovers with delicious butter were a hit with our table. The fish we ordered were perfectly cooked and very flavorful. We had soft shell crab, Bronzino, salmon and shrimp chorizo risotto. For dessert we had espresso gelato, rustic apple tart and a chocolate tart. What a great meal and our server Lisa was excellent describing the menu in great detail.

I really wanted to love this place… especially because we were big fans of the chef’s restaurant in the city. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary here. I loved the popovers and our salad was amazing. and the décor of the restaurant was cozy, yet sophisticated. So we were off to a great start. I got the lobster and scallop dish and was underwhelmed with the lack of flavor. My husband got the branzino and thought it was okay. Perhaps we ordered the wrong dishes? Dessert was good as well but not amazing as I had hoped. Lastly, while service was good throughout the meal, our waitress gave us back the wrong change at the end ($ 10 short) and it took a lot of effort to explain the situation when it was pretty simple math. I’d be open give the restaurant another shot, but I’m in no rush since the menu is pricey.

The food was inventive and delicious, servers attentive and friendly. We attended a private event, rehearsal dinner and it was perfect! They closed to the public for the night and we had the lovely venue to ourselves. Truly is a delightful experience and we will be back for dinner soon!

Just wow.
We tried Laurel and Sage for the first time and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
The décor is open and clean with rustic wood tables and chairs. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and then helped by a waiter who knew the menu inside and out.
It’s pricey but well worth it. We shared two appetizers for the table of four. An heirloom tomato salad and the crispy-​warm prevail papillon wheel which was cheesy gooey goodness.
Rather than bringing out just the usual bread basket, they served fresh, warm popovers which we devoured. Plus they brought out little cups of delicious Lobster Bisque.
Everyone was thrilled with their main courses. Grilled Atlantic Salmon. Crispy Jumbo Soft Shell Crab. Cast-​Iron Seared Long Island Duck. And I had the Shrimp & Chorizo Risotto which was just unbelievable.
We were all satisfied and full. But we just had to share a dessert. Clementine Creamsicle Brûlée. The perfect finish.
Had the chef walked out, he or she would have gotten a standing ovation.
The service was super attentive and friendly. We will be back.

Had dinner here for the first time last night. The food was fantastic!!! Fresh popovers, lobster app (came with meal), entrees and desserts were great! The owner came over and chatted with us for awhile. So personable!!!
Highly recommend.

In a word: exceptional.
In a few more words: it’s like a cross between Rutherford’s Café Matisse and Jersey City’s (now defunct) Thirty Acres.
(Even more words? If you insist…)
Front of the house is clean, sparse, the staff (most sporting all sorts of cool ink, of course) are way cool and welcoming while mentioning all the hot topics like sustainability and locally sourced proteins.
The chef is on point and probably a touch mad — he’s concocting some seriously interesting and unique dishes that come out looking beautiful and are intensely flavorful and even after you left you find yourself discussing what you ate with your family hours later.
I won’t lie — when I sat down and glanced at the menu the first thing that popped was an entrée at $ 44. Yikes! I came from humble beginnings (meaning I was poor… the rainbow in my neighborhood was black and white. And yes — I totally stole that line from Rodney Dangerfield but I’m pretty sure he’d be cool with it) and just the day before my family of four hit Five Guys for under $ 40. Now that’s just 1 dish? And today I have not only the family but my mother-​in-​law and brother-​in-​law in tow?!
But sometimes you need to splurge and when it’s good — it’s worth it. (On the receipt they suggest a tip at 25%? Do I have to make another Rodney joke here about me being broke or what?)
Worth noting: it’s BYOB and right next door is a TV repair shop. Those still exist?! In this day and age?!
Recommended. (I’m talking about the restaurant… I can’t vouch for the TV repairman.)

This restaurant had large shoes to fill after the previous owner at this location opened her new restaurant in Verona. That being said we were extremely satisfied with the whole experience. The food was fantastic as well as the service. The owners wife was very friendly and welcoming. Try the kale salad! I know it’s just salad but it’s so much more. Trust me.

Everything was absolutely perfect. The service, the décor, the chef, the food, the dessert, the appetizers! The only qualm I have is that it’s cold inside. But otherwise it’s worth every penny.

Always love trying new restaurants and especially those with positive reviews. We had 6:30 reservations on a Saturday. The restaurant was almost full at that point and a bit loud. This was the same issue when it was CulinAriane. Service was friendly and professional. They serve fresh popovers instead of regular bread– good but slightly doughy. We were given an amuse bouche of lobster bisque which was authentic and truly delicious.
Appetizer
ATLANTIC SALMON TWO WAYS — cured tataki style & tartar, seaweed salad, plantain chips-​this was perfect. The tataki style was unbelievable.
CAST-​IRON SEARED DIVER SCALLOPS — kabocha squash gnocchi, chestnut crema– scallops were well seared and the vegetables were very good. I had this as my main dish and hubby had it as an appetizer.
Entrée
CRISPY JUMBO SOFT SHELL CRAB — corn tamale, pudding & salsa, shishito pepper– the crab was perfectly cooked — great dish. Too bad it is seasonal.
Dessert
BEIGNETS– 3 dipping sauces– they were amazing
The fact that the chef was born in California and worked in many farm to table restaurants is very much reflected in the delicious taste, creativity and freshness of his food. Laurel and Sage is worth a visit.

I’m reluctant to leave this review since getting a reservation is difficult enough as it is but they are deserving of this feedback. My husband and I have been living in Montclair for almost 25 years and have seen many restaurants come and go. In our humble opinion, Laurel and Sage is among the top 3 restaurants to ever establish themselves in this township. There may be other restaurants that draw a bigger crowd or have more of a scene, but if you are looking for a menu of substance, that is creative enough w/​o being too trendy, food that is authentic, smart and delicious, and an environment that breeds service and comfort than you must try Laurel and Sage. Shout out to our server, Debbie who was the icing on our cake.

Celebrated my Mom’s 90^th birthday here with a fabulous dinner. Everything was perfect and our group of 4 loved our food. We’ll be back. Nice noise level and even as it got more crowded we could still hear.

We were a party of four and had dinner recently on a Friday night. The service was good however we thought the food was very average and the portions were small. The prices were rather high and we would not go back. You just can’t eat the presentation. The owners wife came to our table before we paid the bill, she specifically wanted our feedback and when we were honest she really could not care. She should of at least offered us dessert on the house. With so many great restaurants in the area we would not suggest this one.

Such a great restaurant! The food was delicious and the service was great. For our appetizer we had the Salmon Two Ways… AMAZING! I had the Ginger Soy Chilean Sea Bass and my husband had the Crispy Stuffed Chicken Breast. Both dishes were absolutely delicious. For dessert I had the Pignoli Tart… AWESOME! It’s not too sweet it was PERFECT! We will definitely return!

What a great surprise this was. A quality restaurant with an interesting and creative menu; moderate noise levels and well-​spaced tables; flavorful and direct dishes that are clear about what they are and not the least bit precious.
Very important, they have an attentive, professional service staff that knows the food and is patient and helpful. Debbie was our waitress and was outstanding.
I had the wild mushroom risotto and blackened swordfish, as well as the espresso chunk gelato.
I am happy to forget the restaurant that previously occupied this space and return with enthusiasm to Laurel & Sage.

Considering the big shoes this husband/​wife owned and run neighborhood gem had to fill when Culinariane upped and move its operations to Verona, Laurel & Sage has done marvelously!
I had been wanting to go to this restaurant for many months and finally had the opportunity to enjoy a Saturday night dining experience with two other couples.
The space has been reconfigured but the digs are still intimate and the décor simple. They seated our party on time which is always a plus. They came around with a basket of fresh baked croissants, popovers and multigrain bread served with a lavender honey butter. Scrumptious! I opted to forego an appetizer but was able to taste the curry mussels and kale salad. The broth which bathed the mussels was spectacular but the Mollusks themselves were small and unimpressive. The salad was beautifully presented and the flavors were clean and bright. Several of us had the ginger lacquered Chilean sea bass served in a dashi with baby bok choy-​this was definitely the star of the night. The fish was flaky and moist, the Asian style broth balanced and not salty, and the bok choy was the perfect accompaniment. My husband had the duck with carrot fries and that was cooked medium rare and yummy, not fatty as some duck can be. The scallops were also a star entrée and the salmon seemed to be liked by those who ordered it.
We split five desserts because we could not make up our minds-​each bite was better than the next. The beignets and profiteroles were wonderful, as was the chocolate sea salt tart, Apple galette and espresso chunk gelato.
Service is attentive and the hostess who is the wife of the owner likes to introduce herself to all the patrons and ensures a great dining experience.
This place has won me over and I cannot wait to return. It is certain to give places like Fascino a run for its money.
Just an aside, like most Montclair places, it is BYO!

This is a great find. The food is excellent. I think it is much better than the predecessor restaurant that used to be here, Culinairre.
Be forewarned though, it is pricey but that is only because the food is exquisitely prepared. Definitely a special-​occasion place to go.
The décor is the only reason I gave it four stars… Not so sexy!!!
But good eating!!!

So I went with my Foodie sister last evening to this familiar location. As the former home of Culinariane, my vote for previous best in NJ, this had a lot to live up to… and it did! Well appointed, great service, and a delightful menu brought back warm memories of food heaven here in Montclair.
We tried the black Kale and Brussel sprout salad… beautiful and tasty. We also had the diver scallop appy… sensational. Main course? how do you not have the surf and turf. Small lobster beautifully presented. And a large warm strip steak. We barely had room for dessert but i tried the Beignets with some coffee.
High marks for service and a wonderfully friendly staff! Ill be back.

My wife and I went on our first culinary adventure as NJ residents this weekend and decided to give Laurel & Sage a try. Montclair definitely has no shortage of quality restaurants, so it was a tough decision, but I’m glad we decided to check this place out. The restaurant is located on a quiet, unassuming corner. The space is basically minimalist, with wood finish, clean lines and chandelier lighting. I don’t recall if they were playing music (I think not), but once the room filled up, I do remember that it was on the loud side. That’s not to say that it’s a boisterous scene; to the contrary, actually. It’s just that the sparsely adorned walls and wood finish everywhere create a boomy acoustic environment.
The menu is varied and inventive, and the chef/​co-​owner is not afraid to experiment and get a little adventurous. We started with an amuse consisting of a date-​stuffed roasted quail. Ambitious to be sure and though it was a bit dry, I have to applaud the effort and acknowledge that it set the stage nicely for what was to come. Round 2 consisted of a pop-​over basket, with three choices. We both opted for the poblano pepper and gruyère cheese variety and were not disappointed in the slightest.
Next, we shared an appetizer of seared scallops with squash gnocchi in a creamy chestnut sauce. This was a delicious dish, cooked perfectly and beautifully plated. A great starter. For our mains, we tried the sea bass and the duck. The former was served with a ginger & soy glaze, accompanied by mushrooms, baby bok choy and lobster dumplings (sort of like shumai) in an incredibly deep and savory mushroom broth that was screaming umami. It was excellent. The latter was served with a sizeable cube of seared foie gras, sautéed spinach, blackberry madeira reduction, and a side of root vegetable shoe-​string fries. The duck medallions were cooked perfectly, as was the foie gras. The greens added a nice textural contrast, and the gastrique was a nice take on a classic reduction. The fries seemed like an unnecessary accessory and I actually found that they detracted from the rest of the dish a bit. Still, we ate them without a complaint. We finished our meal with a chocolate tart that had nuts, caramel, sea salt and a scoop of mascarpone gelato. It was pretty sensational in its own right and I was frothing at the mouth when I read about the gelato. Sadly, the consistency was off and tasted more like ice milk. The flavors were there, so perhaps with the right tweaks they can achieve the smooth and creamy consistency that the dish is calling for. Overall, it was a great meal and I tip my hat to the chef and his team.
The service was also fantastic from start to finish, and a visit from the hostess/​co-​owner was a nice touch, too. She thanked us for coming in and solicited our feedback on the meal. We learned that the restaurant’s namesake is after their two daughters (the owners are a husband and wife team). Like many NJ restaurants, they are a BYO establishment, so don’t be afraid to show up with some goodies. We brought a nice bottle that needed some air time and they were happy to decant it for us, so don’t be shy. While not cheap, I think Laurel and Sage is doing some really interesting things and is worth a visit. Definitely recommended!

Wonderful experience! The staff was warm and pleasant, our waitress knew everything there was to know about the menu. The food was fabulous, we started with the short rib appetizer that was to die for. We followed that up with the chorizo & shrimp risotto and surf & turf that were both flawless. Everything was flavorful, fresh, beautifully presented and HOT. The hostess (who turned out to be one of the owners) even took the time to come over and ask us how we liked our meal and the experience.
Everything about Laurel and Sage screams quality, I would HIGHLY suggest.

This place has potential. They just need to work out some of the kinks that every new business goes through. Apps of scallops (half portion from dinner entrée), crab cake, and kale salad were delicious. Popovers were excellent, too bad we never got more as the server with the bread basket only came by once (and after about 45 minutes and I had to ask for bread).
Steak entrees were excellent. Sea bass entrée that was pitched by the waiter as «life changing» was a HUGE disappointment. A tiny dry and under seasoned piece of fish. I sent it back and ordered the duck, which was perfect, and my friend who also sent her sea bass back got the chicken, which she said was really good. We were hoping the chef owner would have come to find out if our entrees were better the second time around, but we got the feeling he was upset that two of us sitting at the table sent our sea bass entrees back. He even came out of the kitchen but gave the dish to the waiter instead of bringing it to the table. Oh well… Pride is one of the seven deadly sins.
Desserts were blah. We ordered profiteroles that tasted like the kind you get from Costco. I agree with the other review that suggests they hire a pastry chef.
Overall, I would like to give them another try. They need to improve on the service, maybe hire an extra waiter or bus boy to serve water, bread, and clear the table more efficiently. They should also invest on trying to improve the acoustics of the place as we found ourselves screaming over each other trying to have a conversation. Maybe place some sound absorbing panels on the walls. I wish them luck.