The Peacock Inn

Not only did I have to deal with the breakup of my relationship on Valentine’s Day, but when I called to regrettably cancel my dinner reservation, I received no compassion. I explained I had to unfortunately cancel and I was abruptly told I would be charged the full $ 300 price for dinner. No question as to why the cancellation, no offer of credit towards another day, no offer to refund if an alternative booking came in. Then I was abruptly hung up upon. Happy Valentine’s Day. I won’t be back.

Having been regular clients at The Peacock, we are disappointed to know that Josean is no longer bartending here. In Princeton, finding personable friendly bartenders who can make a great drink seems to be nearly impossible. Josean developed a relationship with us over the years and was beyond attentive with any food or drinks that we had in the bar. His drinks were unique and he is a true mixologist, something that seems to be very difficult to find in the area. All of that combined is what kept us coming back. On our recent visit (sans Josean), it took extraordinarily long to get one cocktail made and it felt like just another mediocre Princeton place to go. Little conversation, no initiative to get to know us, and service that did not compare to the past.

I was here for a fixed priced dinner. The food was delicious, but it differed from the menu they posted online. Also, they had two levels of wine pairings. I chose the more expensive one, but I must say that while the wines were nice, they were not worth the extra $. Next time I will select my own wines to accompany the meal. With that said, the place is lovely, very close to the center of town; they even have rooms for rent. I will certainly eat here again.

My husband and I have been frequenting the Peacock for sometime now. We always sit at the bar and enjoy dinner and cocktails. The cocktails are always on point and until recently the food had been as well albeit expensive. Recently they changed chefs. Last weekend we went for dinner and were left quite disappointed. The gnocchi is their signature dish and I look forward to it every time we go however this time it was burned yet still served to me. And my fish entrée was severely undercooked. They need to be careful as people will only justify the high prices so long as the food is up to par.

Perfection from beginning till the end! I had course meal and every dish was amazing. Taste combination was excellent. Loved the interior too. Yes, it’s pricey dinner, but it was all worth it!

Ha a birthday dinner here today. I must say this was definitely in the top 3 dinning experiences so far. Had the five course wine pairing. Everything was delicious! The toffee date cake was just awesome! Check it out!

I recently had a small wedding (20 people) hosted at the Peacock Inn. The event coordinators (Michelle and Sivan) were great to work with and to plan my wedding day. The staff was absolutely wonderful, friendly and attentive. The food and drink selection was fantastic and well executed.
My guests were happy with the ceremony and reception, and I highly recommend the Peacock Inn as a venue for a small private party.

Best food we ever had, we came to Peacock Inn last year on Nov 24^th, we go engaged there in the hotel, we are coming back this year, to celebrate. Cant wait to taste that amazing food again.

I was not as impressed as I hoped to be based on these reviews.
I had the Portuguese octopus starter, which was good, but didn’t wow me. For my main I had the wagyu sirloin, which I was a bit disappointed by. I had it cooked medium rare, but perhaps that was the wrong choice because it was much too chewy. I gave up at the end and didn’t finish the dish because it was just too hard to chew the meat. It’s too bad because the flavor of the beef was great. For dessert we had the glazed chocolate mousse cake paired with coffee ice cream. I actually thought the coffee ice cream was underwhelming (a bit icy, not as creamy) but necessary to counteract the richness of the chocolate mousse.
I’ve also tried the famed gnocchi before and I agree that it’s amazing. Definitely the highlight of this restaurant.

Had a wonderful time enjoying cocktails on the front porch and then dinner in the bar area. They have great cocktails and food.

Enjoyed a fine Sunday brunch at The Peacock Inn.
The Drinks:
I enjoyed a Bloody Mary, while my dining companion stuck with Pelegrino. The Bloody Mary was super spicy, entirely homemade, and very tasty.
The Eats:
When we sat down, we were treated to a complementary selection of baked treats, featuring fig scones, something carrot-​y, and something chocolate-​y. I was too busy enjoying them to ask the server exactly what they were.
Then, we enjoyed the 2-​course brunch menu. I had gravlax followed by a gnocchi. My husband went with potato pancakes and a fancy version of steak and eggs. All were really, really, really tasty and beautifully plated.
The Service:
The servers were highly attentive without being annoying. Even the valet was great.
The Atmosphere:
We had a 12:45 reservation. On the particular day we went, we were one of three occupied tables in a restaurant that had about 15. If you are looking for a quiet meal, it was a great time to go. If you are looking for a more lively atmosphere, you may want to go earlier.
Overall:
This is a great place to bring someone for a special occasion. The food is great. The service is on point. The room is lovely. Will you get better «value» at a brunch buffet? Sure. But, for overall experience, this is a great place to go.
Really good! We would definitely go back.

Walking distance from the University, great location and nice ambiance, exquisite fine dinning and great services，highly recommended! Will come back for sure next time!

Well it’s official… This is the best brunch in Princeton. And quite possibly the best restaurant in Princeton as well.
Of all my years being in and around Princeton, I’ve never been to the Peacock Inn. So I made a reservation for the Sunday Brunch and was treated to an excellent experience.
In terms of the meal, they start by bringing out complimentary banana and blueberry muffins, both of which are excellent. I then started things off with an order of the potato pancakes which come with a side of apple sauce and sour cream. Absolutely delicious is the only way to describe it. The potato pancakes were fried to perfection and mixed surprisingly well with the apple sauce. This was the highlight of the meal.
For the main meal, I had the French toast with almonds, powdered sugar and almonds on top. Though not as good at the potato pancakes, the dish was excellent. The addition of the hot maple syrup on the side definitely takes the dish up a few notches.
I now understand why Peacock Inn had the reputation it does. Excellent food, professional service and a unique atmosphere. The restaurant looks like an old Victorian house, with each room being a different eating area. All in all, a great experience.

The Peacock Inn is a world class culinary destination and from the parking valets on up they have made it their mission to provide a wonderful dining experience.
We started with a selection of three cheeses the highlight of which was Point Reyes bleu however it was a tasty beginning. Next was the heirloom beet salad with shredded carrots and sunflower seeds which offered a nice textural contrast.
She chose the lavender honey glazed duck which was perfectly cooked and seasoned while I had the tandoori spiced cod which was also wonderfully prepared.
Somehow we made room for the warm toffee date cake with vanilla bean ice cream which was a perfect ending to a world class meal.

Disappointing would be my first thought. Not that it is bad but given all the hype, it just didn’t stand up.
First the service was average at best. Largely waited on by a bunch of 20 somethings who were doing their best but have better years in front of them as they learn their craft.
The food ranged from OK to really good but nothing was on my gosh this is amazing. The signature dishes were both really good.
The skin on my duck course was chewy not crispy at all… Yuk. The duck itself was quite good.
The salmon is really good, the famous ricotta gnocchi is really good.
Then tasting menu with wine pairing isn’t worthwhile. The wines were just ok, the presentation of the wine was lacking and there was no noticeable pop with the flavors. It was more, hey your having steak so here is a cab for you.
It is a good restaurant worth the visit but don’t expect amazing service or amazing food and skip the tasting menu and definitely the wine pairing unless you just really want to try a lot of things. Pick an entrée and a bottle of wine you will probably be happier.

Still a solid 5, count ‘em, 5 stars. If you get there while it’s on the menu, try the Lavender Honey Glazed Duck. It was like eating duck butter. Awesome ain’t even close to describing it. I’d have given up my duck leg crepinette for another piece of it. The puffed wheat berries were a great accompaniment (who thought that one up?!), and the confit carrots were killer good. My wife had the lobster, which was very good, but the duck… oh baby. The toffee cake dessert was a knockout too.
Is this the only place in Princeton that serves macaroons with coffee/​tea orders? It’s kind of a cheesy thing, but I like it, and it’s a little touch I like when I fine dine in NY that I just don’t see here.
The service is still some of the best in Princeton. It isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it.

This review is for the restaurant. The place was recommended by a friend of ours. They have never been to this place but heard that it was a great place for special occasions. After Unilocaling and find great reviews, my husband made a reservation to surprise me for our wedding anniversary back in October of last year.
We had high expectation from this place … only to find out that it was really disappointing! Like other places we go to, SERVICE determines EVERYTHING from ambiance to taste!
The evening of the reservation, we were a bit late arriving at the restaurant having to wait for our babysitter. At 15 minutes of our reservation time, my husband received a call from the restaurant telling us that she would put us at the bar for the evening because we had missed the clock and failed to be there on time at 6:15pm. My husband apologized for being late and replied by reminding her that this was an anniversary dinner, and sitting at the bar just would not work for us. She replied back that there’s another reservation at 8:30 pm for our table and she wouldn’t want to rush us out. The conversation continued on the phone up until we arrived at the restaurant. We came in and stopped at the reservation desk, we knew the same person was the one who called my husband, she was there at the front desk — but she did not greet us, did not look at us, did not say a word at all! She kept pretending to be busy looking at her seating chart, wouldn’t look at us at all! We thought «wow, how rude!» From then on, because of her rudeness over the phone and in person, it was just a sour experience after that! Anyway, there was a hostess there also who then greeted and escorted us to our table. While she marked our table on paper. Again… no greeting, not a smile, not even a contact! At that point the whole evening was shot!
I have thought earlier that maybe the place was busy that they had to plan to put us at the bar. But nope! It wasn’t that busy. There were quite a few empty tables! Anyway we got in and got to our table. Luckily, our waitress was nice. She made up for the sour taste dealing with the lady on the phone /​at front desk.
We had seared sea scallop and «maki» yellow fin tuna tartare for appetizers. For our main course, my husband had butter poached lobster and I had beef medallions. For dessert, we had a date cake with ice cream on the side. It was nicely decorated with a «happy anniversary» writing made of chocolate on the side of the plate. Food was good, but not great. And the portion? It’s ridiculously TINY!
So we had the dinner … and done with our food and drink. Guess what? There were still empty tables! I couldn’t stop wondering as to why the Lady on the phone /​at the front desk earlier had to be so rude and insisted to put us at the bar despite knowing the fact that it’s an anniversary dinner???
Overall the food and décor was good but not great that I would come back for a second time. Not with that kind of treatment by the receptionist, I would not even consider this place on my list anymore. With such high reputation and reviews, and the high prices on the menu, I expected more from their services. Especially from the front desk staff/​receptionists being that they are the first to greet the customers! I’m giving one star for the whole experience. If not because of the cute decorated dessert, if not because of the server and the valet guy, this would have been NO star! We told a few friends of ours who are looking for more experience on «foodies» in South Jersey and Philly not to bother coming to The Peacock Inn.
Again, I’m emphasizing … SERVICE determines EVERYTHING! Start treating all your customers with the right attitude!

A restaurant in a great bed and breakfast. The décor is chick and clean. They have different rooms that would cater from a romantic dinner for two, a family get together, to a party with your friends.
The service is superb. In an area where parking is not very easy the complementary valet comes very handy.
The food doesn’t disappoint either.
The ricotta gnocchi is a must. All the sides that come with the entrees were great. Small portions, but it will fill you up. The menu was not innovating, I would go back for the appetizers.
The lemon panna cotta was very good but the almond lemon poppy seed cake was tiny and all the flavors were too similar and had no contrast.

Specifically for new year’s eve dinner:
We have been here a number of times, and would give it a four star rating overall, but we were less thrilled about the five-​course NYE dinner last night. Our three least favorite aspects of the night were the winter sazerac and the overwhelmingly rich, fatty menu with little relief offered, and the tooth-​achingly sweet desserts.
The sazerac was nothing like a true sazerac. Rather than rinse the glass with absinthe and dump it out, there was just absinthe sitting at the bottom of the glass, which affected the flavor. The balance in general was off compared to the many sazeracs we’ve had in New Orleans.
The menu was over the top indulgent — the first course was the only one that really offered light-​ish options (two salads among the four choices, but then I went for the foie because I can’t help myself). In the middle of the meat course, I headed downstairs to the bathroom. When I came back up the staircase into the dining room, the smell changed considerably to something laced with rich foods and the air itself felt heavy with fat — it was almost a little nauseating after a meal of heavy indulgence, not that there’s a lot you can do about it. I went downstairs again later, partially just to catch some fresher air.
The two dessert choices were also just too much to top everything off, and not particularly balanced. I would’ve preferred a light option — sorbet and cookies or something — to the caramel and chocolate choices we were presented.
Toward the middle, it definitely felt a little busier than they could handle. Water glasses went unfilled, signals were getting crossed about when to bring new flatware, and service just felt a little off — it may have been that we were in a small room with a lot of cross traffic, though — others may not have noticed it.
That said, there were highlights — the portion sizes were generous for a tasting menu. The gnocchi were great, as always. The foie was another favorite — I thought the accompanying marmalade brioche, etc. were really well done. The wine was also paired well. So in all, I had a good experience, but I was hoping for a little more than good.

If you’re willing to spend money this place is delicious! I would recommend coming here for special occasions otherwise it will put a dent in your wallet. I came here for a company event.
For appetizers we got
Ricotta Gnocchi, Asparagus, Wild Mushrooms, Tomato Confit, Mushroom-​Parmesan Butter Sauce — MY FAVORITE!!! Literally just melts in your mouth, we got two of these because we couldn’t get enough.
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare «Maki», Seasoned Sushi Rice, Crispy Shallot, Yuzu-​Ginger Vinaigrette– Pretty good too, comes with 4 – 5 pieces if I recall correctly.
Seared Sea Scallop, Lightly Cured Pluot, Fennel, Onion & Upland Cress Salad, Plum-​Almond Vinaigrette, — This was ok too but nothing special. Came with 3 scallops.
For my entrée I got
Roasted Maine Lobster, Hand Cut Pappardelle, Asparagus, Chanterelle & Zucchini Sauté, Lobster Butter Sauce– Cooked deliciously– The portion was decent. I was expecting a super small amount but I was satisfied upon finishing this and I can usually eat a lot.
Note: They have specials too because the day we came they were offering Bison. My co worker got it and loved it!
For dessert we got a cheese platter. DELICIOUS! The cheese melts in your mouth.
Service is super friendly and quick. Complimentary parking!
If payday hits and I’m in Princeton, NJ again I’ll be back!

The bf took me here for my birthday as a surprise dinner so I had no expectations for The Peacock Inn. I was absolutely taken back with the place! I’ve been to Princeton a few times for shopping but never dined in. So this was my first dining experience in Princeton.
The Peacock Inn is a quaint place that valets your car. The interior of the house was very nice and spacious.
The bf and I opted for the tasting menu and he got the wine pairing. Since there were only two selections per course, we got to try everything on the tasting menu. We also ordered the gnocchi a la carte.
The amuse bouche was a creamy mushroom soup. It was delicious and a great start to the meal.
The first course was the tuna tartare and the foie gras tartine. Both had amazing flavor but I am surprised to say that the foie gras edged over the tuna. I’m not a big foie gras person but the marmalade really cut the richness well.
The second course was the seared scallops and the English pea pasta dish. This was my favorite course! Both were so delicious and each ingredient on the plate were so carefully thought out because the flavors worked together. These were the best scallops I’ve had so far! We got the grilled ricotta gnocchi that was good but had a hard time shining against the previous two dishes.
The third course had lobster and halibut. I liked both and they were cooked well.
The fourth course was a wagyu sirloin and a pork belly and suckling pig dish. I was too full by this point. I really enjoyed the grits cake in the pork dish. The sirloin was cooked to my liking but the flavors were okay.
The final course was dessert! There was a panna cotta and a toffee pudding cake. The toffee pudding cake, hands down, was the best dessert. The kind of dessert that you dream about getting again.
Such a magical night, I will definitely be coming back to Peacock Inn.

This review is based upon my recent experience dining & drinking at the bar @ the Peacock Inn…
Every so often you are simply blown away by a dining experience, however brief or unplanned it may be. Such was the case when my GF & I went for drinks at the Peacock Inn, and decided to try their infamous Gnocchi with asparagus & tomatoes.
First came the cocktails, which Manny, out bartender, expertly prepared. They make a whole range of Purity Vodka based drinks for happy hour at $ 9 per, which is a bargain (trust me on this). My fav was the lime juice, cucumber & cilantro martini. Utterly amazing & refreshing (plus it’s like two food groups!!).
When we asked about recommended apps, Manny replied instantly, «The Gnocchi.» We trusted him, and that trust was well placed. These little doughy gems are (by far) the best Gnocchi I have ever tasted. The combination of flavors here, incl the brown sauce that you WILL sop up with bread just incredible. Oh, and have I mentioned they are also gluten free? (unless of course you dip the bread in it, which I certainly would do if I could…).
I would go so far as to say that the best $ 40 you can spend on a meal in the state of NJ is a plate of the Peacock Inn gnocchi & one of their martinis. Gastronomic Shangri La.
I can’t wait to go back. Service was also top drawer in all respects.