Yellow Plum

We sat at the bar for dinner and had a lovely time. It was a Friday night with a great vibe at the bar and live music. The dinning room wasn’t to packed which we couldn’t understand because the food is quite good. The décor is very clean, simple and contemporary. The atmosphere is very inviting.
I think this place would do better with a larger bar area. The prices are a bit high for this neighborhood but the food is worth it.
They should keep in mind it’s Bloomfield not Montclair. Then I think more people will Fill these seats and it’s well deserved.
Now the food: we started with the brussel sprout salad, Mac and cheese with the calamari, and tacos. All of it was spectacular. My friend was a huge fan of the tacos and I was a fan of the brussel sprout salad which was perfectly dressed. We had two steak entrees and they were cooked to perfection.
These two chefs know what they are doing so I’m not sure why they chose to showcase their talents in the hidden suburb of New Jersey.
The only thing that lacks is service from staff as we overheard conversations about how horrible tips were and the day sucked.
But you only come here for outstanding food and friendly bar service. A+ in my book and I’ll sure be keeping an eye out for the continued success where ever they land.
Oh and a bonus piece of info from the bartender they have a food truck in hoboken!

I did not care for the food here service was good tho. I bought a Groupon but at full price it would have been a real disappointment. Food looks good presentation is nice but the taste is Average. I would not return for dinner maybe for ½ prices Apps cause place is nice and service is good. I went here 10 months ago this site is reporting it closed now. not surprised it was over priced for avg food
Food– Average
service — very good
atmosphere — very good

Writing this review as my family and I dine. Really good setup. Outdoor seating and nice ambience. Super friendly greeting at the door and our server was pretty cool. First reaction to the menu was that it was set at a pretty high price point for the area but figured maybe the food was worth it. I don’t mind paying good money for some good food so I decided to keep an open mind until I tried the food.
Started off with «lobster» Mac and cheese. Cup was 11 and bowl was 17 bucks. Must be some good lobster right? Wrong. Dead wrong. They served a small plate of macaroni and imitation crab meat with a cheese sauce sprinkled with old bay. Wow! Lucky for them I was willing to let it slide since I was pretty hungry and was feeling pretty lenient at the time.
On to the entrees. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak since you can’t really mess that up and my wife ordered rigatoni and bolognese. You can’t mess a Philly cheesesteak up right? Wrong again. Holy saltiness batman. I felt my arteries closing up and I was instantly parched after tasting it. Horrible. On top of that, the sandwich came out with both sides cut so I wasn’t able to pick it up and had to eat it with a fork and knife. I really tried but I just couldn’t eat it. Just asked to take it off the check. Wow.
Luckily the server was cool and took it off the check and my beer was on the house.
Moral of this story. Nice ambience, nice service, PRICEY, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE food.
P. S. My credit card payment was written out. Avoid this place at all costs. There’s a good Greek spot down the street.

First time stopping in for a quick lunch with a girlfriend of mine. Had a glass of wine and ordered some appetizers. The mussels are definitely worth trying! I could eat the whole plate including sopping up the sauce with the bread! Next the fried brownies are TO DIE FOR! Definitely fills that sweet tooth craving!
Ok enough of the food! Now the place is modern in décor and was fairly empty when we were there. The bartender Alex was super helpful and polite. He gave us samples of his secret recipe martini — and omg it was delicious!
I will definitely check this place out for dinner!

I drove past the Yellow Plum several times but finally decided to try it. The food was decent bar food but priced a bit higher than expected.
Our server was very kind and attentive. I ordered the burger which was cooked to my liking and had some thousand island dressing too which is always a nice touch. They have a few different craft beer options. When I was there they had live music too.

Extremely disappointing
I was excited to try this place because Bar Cara (used to be here) was my favorite. It was a total let down. The mussels stunk, literally. We ordered burger Mac and cheese instead, it was decent. The lobster roll was disgusting, drenched in mayo. The burger was good– but wasn’t aware they were putting mayo on it. The cookie sandwiches saved the meal. Would not go back unfortunately.

A sharp – and I hope unrepresentative– drop since our previous visit. Their always brief entrée menu seems to have shrunk even further – and worse yet they were out of a surprising number of appetizers, entrees and sides on a very slow Thursday night.
The calamari was ok (too much breading and oil); the french fries much, much worse than before (bland, overfried and too oily). The salmon was good, although small, and the ribs good, but small for the price.
The server, Alex, was very nice.
Thursday night appears to feature $ 14 pastas, which is a nice idea, although there did not seem to be many options.

STAY FAR FAR AWAY!!!
Went to dinner here last night with a party of 9. The place was practically empty yet we had the slowest, most horrible service from a super grumpy waiter.
Our mussels appetizer smelled like fish and tasted so disgusting that I had to spit it out. The waiter also forgot about the drink I ordered and took another 10 minutes after I reminded him. When the bill came he charged for my drink twice and still had the mussels which he said he would remove.
Our shady waiter even asked us to pay in cash and said he would then take off the items that should not have been there. He even added in his gratuity at 20% on the total amount after tax… REALLY??? I asked for the manager and he quickly told me he was not there. No manager on a Friday night?
Oh did I mention how bad the rest of the food was? I had the fried chicken sliders to be safe and it was like someone ran out to Chik-​fil-​a and threw it on my plate. Another girl’s steak was like leather. Friend’s pasta tasted ok but was cold in some parts, guess they didn’t microwave it long enough.
No wonder this place was empty. THIS PLACE IS SO SKETCHY… and you want no part of it!

I’ve been hearing about the Yellow Plum for the last year or so and knew I’d have to try it. My husband and I had the time for a date night last night and decided it was time. I am so glad we went! I’m just sorry I waited so long!
We arrived early and the restaurants was mostly empty but others came in after us. We were seated, told about the specials, and were treated like royalty. They have an excellent variety of cocktails, beers and wines. My husband had a beer (sorry I don’t remember which one) and I ordered wine.
For our appetizers I ordered baby clams in white wine, and he ordered the arancini. Delicious! They brought us fresh, warm bread with white bean paste and olive oil for dipping. I must say that the service was impeccable. We wanted for nothing. Alex, our server, was truly great.
My husband ordered one of the specials for his entrée, the broccoli rabe and sausage ravioli. The flavors were well-​blended and delicate, not heavy-​handed at all. I had the NY Strip Steak. I ordered it rare and it was perfect, with a great mushroom sauce. Neither of us finished and brought boxes home.
For dessert we each had a cappuccino and we shared a pot de crème, an incredibly rich chocolate dessert. Even with two of us attacking it we couldn’t finish it because it was so densely chocolate. Beyond yum!
Go here for a special night and enjoy the lovely ambiance. Go to the bar side and have pub fare if you’re looking to hang out with friends and have a good time. You’ll love it.

Lobster quesadilla appetizer was tasty but could have been hotter. I got the prime rib special which was ENORMOUS and tasty and I had to take half of it home, even after sharing with my two dinnermates. They each ordered the shrimp and corn chowder to start, which they both enjoyed. One got the beet salad and the other got the portobello burger, and they both approved.
Probably my favorite part of my meal (besides the prime rib) was the espresso martini for dessert. Perfect mix of coffee flavor, not too sweet, and just desserty enough.
Service was great– our server Matthew was very personable. It was a small staff– looked like only he was serving on our lounge side of the place– but he still checked up on us after each course to make sure everything was good.
Would return.

My NY steak was cut up and in gravy wtf?!
Talk about portion control were these tapas for 2 or what?
The drinks were made for babies, I wish I had a flask on me.
As for the ambience, well we were the only ones there so u can call it fabulous.
The deco is right on point. That’s what one star is for.
The waiter was super nice, he even knew sign language and that is what the other star is for. He made us feel very comfortable.
What this place needs is to revisit their menu, and alcohol ratio on drinks. It’s noticeable that you’re holding out and it’s not cute!

My work wife, Christina R. must’ve rented the place out. Well, it was linnertime at 2pm on a Friday and our little gang of three had the place to ourselves and a super friendly server. Maybe that’s why we didn’t hold back too much. For drinky-​drinky I had the Yellow Plum– a yummy mix of vodka, lemon, plum juice, and lavender bitters, but it seemed to lack alcohol.
We then ordered three appetizers and entrees. For starters, the Arancini (fried rice balls) were nice and creamy with a crunchy shell while the huge Meatballs in a red sauce with ricotta and crostini reminded me of why I love New Jersey. Sop it up! The Mac and Cheese with short rib, made with my favorite pasta– orechiette because of «the bite», was definitely nosh-​worthy. For my entrée, the super meaty Lobster Roll Sliders with arugula on small potato rolls did not disappoint. A couple of dessert menu items seemed very tempting but we had other plans. There’s always next time!

Definitely try the Lobster Quesadilla and Spring Rolls for appetizers.
Dessert recommendation is the Pot De Crème. It’s like a dense chocolate mousse which is topped off with whip cream.
Customer service is excellent as soon as you walk in the door.
Just remember one thing when you order a drink. Request premium alcohol. Some reason the drinks are very weak.
There is street parking and a back parking lot.

Upscale bar food in a friendly relaxed setting.
I liked how they have a separate bar area from the dining room, but there is only a half wall separation allowing the energy of the bar area to spill over into the rest of the establishment.
Alex, our server, was fantastic. Attentive, knowledgeable, friendly and informative, he certainly added to our experience.
We started with Calamari and Chicken Wings. The Calamari was lightly battered and fried, accompanied by a tasty aioli, though it could have used a marinara as well.
The wings were cooked perfectly, with a crisp skin, not breaded with a spicy/​sweet/​tangy sauce that worked perfectly.
For mains, we decided to go with the slider trio – lobster roll, crab cake and fried chicken. The highlight was far and away the crab cake – it simply melted right into the bun and had the best flavor and texture of the 3. Not overly breaded with a nice amount of crab. The lobster roll proved to be a nice contrast, as it is served cold. Again, very tasty and flavorful. I was not as big a fan of the fried chicken slider. It was just over mayonnaised to the point that the flavor of the chicken kind of got lost in this one. I think a lighter dressing may have saved this, though if I were to choose just one, it’d be far and away that crab cake!
We did sides of onion rings and tater tots. Both were quite good. The onion rings were one of the finer renditions I’ve tried. Not overly greasy or doughy. Perfect for this style of cuisine. I liked the tater tots. I think they could have used a Sriracha dipping sauce or some fried garlic chips. They were good, but were just missing something I can’t quite put my finger on.
It’s been said before, but it bears repeating. The fried brownie with peanut butter ice cream is an absolute winner! The battered brownies, deep fried to make that chocolate warm and oozy, with the cold flavor of the peanut butter ice cream – wow! 2 great tastes that taste great together in a fun and inventive way. I could see stopping by a few times a year just for that if nothing else! Sensational!
I’m shocked that they are closed on Sundays. This would be the perfect place to watch football on Sunday or Monday night, while noshing on some of those spectacular wings and other tasty bar food. They’d be wise to switch their day off to Tuesday and angle a little bit towards that football crowd. I think they’re missing a golden opportunity given their style and menu.

First time at the Yellow Plum and definitely not my last! This beautiful upscale spot in Bloomfield has a full bar separated from the dining rooms which are decorated with modern art on the walls and a comfortable seating arrangement.
Chef /​owner Chris Lukic has created a wonderful place here.
It was a quiet Tuesday night before Christmas and my husband and I were here with an Amazon Local voucher. Our server, Jason was great, he knew the menu and gave us excellent service and recommendations throughout our dinner.
We started by sharing the amazing crab sliders, crispy and spiced just right. The deviled eggs with bacon jam were good as well as apps before our entrees. The Aristocrat gin cocktail with honey, lemon and thyme was refreshing. They have a nice wine and beer list with some interesting craft beer choices.
For our entrees my husband had the paella and I had grilled salmon. The paella had ample portions of mussels, shrimp, sausage and tender chicken. I loved the grilled salmon. I was expecting the parsnips listed with the salmon to be served as a side vegetable, but to my surprise there was a parsnip sauce under the salmon. The sweetness of the parsnip paired with balsamic vinegar in the dish was very creative, not to mention delicious. It also came with swiss chard which went well with the salmon. We also loved the bread with white bean dip and olive oil served alongside the meal.
You can also order from the inspired small plates menu which has some nice choices and changes seasonally. The attention given to the cuisine by Chef Lukic really shines here. We would love to come back here for one of their Happy Hours at the pretty bar or another outstanding meal.

Excellent dinner! We can’t wait to go back :)
We were overwhelmed with how many things sounded delicious on the small menu. Here’s what we sampled:
Scallop appetizer (cauliflower, remoulade, lots of capers) — lovely, and the cauliflower was a surprisingly great pairing. Too many capers, but I’d gladly get the dish again.
Shrimp and grits small plate — AWESOME. Apparently, we both love grits! Everything was just perfect in this tiny dish.
Crab cake slider small plate — okay. Tasted to me a bit like a tuna salad sandwich.
Carbonara — really good. Of course, it’s a gluttonous, heavy dish, but there were not excess globs of cream or oil on the bottom of the plate. Well prepared.
NY Strip steak — AWESOME. The steak itself was a little undercooked, but tender and deliciously crusted. The sides though were the star — truffled mashed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms in a gorgeous sauce.
We didn’t have room for dessert and annoying kids inappropriately arrived (after 9 pm) at the table next to us, so we were happy to skip out.
The restaurant is beautiful and well-​appointed with comfy chairs and perfectly spaced tables. Good service, which included salt and pepper served with tiny spoons instead of shakers — nice touch! Absolutely recommended.

Pretty good spot for dinner. We had:
1– Martini
1– Bottle Water
2– Glass Wine
2 — Small Plates
1 — Appetizer
1 — Entrée
1– side
Total: $ 102.00 plus tip.
So, a pretty reasonably priced meal, and I was pretty full when we left. I felt like we ordered perfectly.
Why 3 stars. The food was pretty good. The highlight for me was the shrimp and grits appetizer. Be careful when choosing a small plate versus an appetizer, the appetizer is actually bigger, and the prices on the menu don’t correspond with the title Appetizers/​Small Plates, they’re actually reversed. I would ask for clarification on price and which is the larger size. Nothing on the menu was screaming, pick me! pick me! I don’t know, it may have had something to do with the typeface. But as I mentioned, everything we chose was pretty good.
So, they lost a star for being pretty good food, but not amazing. Also, they’re losing a star for service. While our server was great, there was a man who kept walking back and forth looking pretty unhappy about things. I thought he must have been a disengaged manager or something. I was surprised to find he was the owner. We a had an 8 pm reservation and on a Saturday night, prime time, and he seemed like he was doing paperwork of something. I didn’t see him speak with even one guest, and he must have walked past our table like 10 times. I mean, the restaurant had customers, but they weren’t packed. A 10-​second stop at our table would have made a world of difference
I’ll go back at some point, maybe it was an off night.

Yellow Plum was a nice surprise! I get weary of restaurants in awkward strips malls, but since YP had a decent rating on Unilocal,my boyfriend and I thought, «Oh what the hell, why not give them a shot.»
Full bar, contemporary ambiance, modern artwork, family friendly but versatile enough for intimate dates or a hangout for happy hour; once you get passed the curb appeal, YP is a decently put together restaurant.
We had ordered the YELLOW PLUM and LADY LAY drink to start off with, followed by SOUTHERN TEA and a local beer on tap. The cocktails were really good! Great flavor and well balanced.
For the food we had ordered a few things listed under the appetizer section and a BURGER from the entrée section to share. The RABBIT RAVIOLI I thought was great, the dollop of ricotta was great, although I found it weird that it was it was served in deep bowl, scrunching the ravioli pieces. The MARKET GREENS were excellent and the SCALLOPS really impressed me in terms of flavor. The burger was a little on the gourmet side for me, but nonetheless tasty. We had ordered it Medium but it was more so Medium-​well which was a little disappointing on my end. I really really like the Ancho peppered fries. Thick cut, hot and potato-​y on the inside, crispy and seasoned on the outside. For dessert we had ordered the POT DE CREME with shortbread cookies. I had no complaints here.
My deductions:
1. Value — Everything was slightly more expensive that what I imagined them to be. The cocktails not so much, but main menu definitely. The scallop appetizers were $ 15. If they were $ 12 — 13 I would have been a little more content with them. They were slightly smaller than what I had expected for $ 15. Heck our burgers and fries were only $ 13!
2. Sporadic awkward service. — I can’t hold it against them entirely since our server was really professional and polite, but gentleman refilling our waters just humorly through me off at times because he would try refill out water without picking up our glasses.

Went back here on a Saturday night around 6:30 with a $ 70 Amazon Local voucher, which ended up knocking about 50% off the entire $ 140 bill. And we went at just the right time to try the new spring menu.
We had a reservation for 7:30, so we went to the bar for a cocktail before moving to a table where we were greeted by the lovely, confident, and knowledgable Cheyenne (like the capital of Wyoming). She may be the youngest employee at Yellow Plum, but she knows her stuff. She recited the specials without having to read from a sheet, she allowed us to taste the house wines before we committed to them, she made solid recommendations and she clearly knew the fine line between checking up on her customers without being overbearing. An overall outstanding server. (I waited tables for 10 years so I can appreciate good service).
The food was overall very good this time around as well, but they’re still just a few steps away from earning five stars from me. Here’s why …
As for the food, we started with the crab cake sliders with chili aioli and arugula, and the rabbit ravioli with braised greens and ricotta. The buns on the sliders were a little dry, but the crab cake was excellent. As for the ravioli, they minced the rabbit. A first for me, but it made sense and didn’t take away from the flavor.
For entrees, the lady went with the lamb with white bean cassoulet. She loved it and so did I. It had a nice sweetness to it. But there was no ‘wow factor’ in my ribeye. It was seasoned well and cooked pretty close to rare like I ordered it, but a simple red wine reduction could have elevated this dish to a new level and given me something to soak my dry potatoes in. In fairness, I knew what I ordered and understand not all chefs are receptive to tampering with a naturally delicious cut of meat.
For desserts, we went with the pot de crème and the hot fudge brownie sundae. The sundae is not what you have in mind. It was more like brownie filled profiteroles served with a peanut butter ice cream (containing nuts), and it made our night. Or-​frigging-​gasmic. A must try.
Prices. The first time we went here, it cost the two of us $ 167. If not for the Amazon voucher, last night would have cost $ 140 before the tip (not including our cocktails from the bar). I realize the liquor and three courses each jacked up our bills, but I’m just not sure these prices are sustainable in Bloomfield. Hopefully, I’m wrong because this place is a very nice addition to the town.
Side note: It turns out our waiter from our first dining experience here was in his early 20s, not 16. Sorry dude. My bad.

I was strolling around for a baby shower venue with my best friend. We drove through Bloomfield, and I always wanted check out Bar Cara, (which I never tried). I walked in and it’s Yellow Plum. The atmosphere was cute, chic, yet simple and elegant. The art work on the wall is colorful yet not overwhelming. It definitely brings out the place. It’s good for a romantic date, drinks with your honey, or girls night out for cocktails. The hostess was very welcoming and helpful.
We were introduced to the owner and he introduced the catering packages. He was very informative and particular about every aspect of the menu; down to how drinks were made, what ingredients were used in the cocktails and food menu, and how many ounces per drink. He had a confidence about his place that went beyond a sales pitch. He answered many of the questions we did not have to ask. He was very flexible regarding menu choices, and they even will allow a taste testing once venue and menu is selected.
I appreciate that the catering menu did not differ from their menu, but they will work with you. I hope we all agree on this place.
Afterwards, I decided to grab drinks and try an appetizer. Wow! The mac & cheese with to short ribs is heaven for a true foodie. If a place can spice up a dish like that, I’m sold. It had a comfort food/​eclectic/​fine dining flair. The other items on the menu were enticing. I appreciate the detail in each dish on the menu. Yes, the meals are on the high side, but a true foodie wouldn’t be able to resist testing out the creatively described choices. After tasting the appetizer, I am willing to test out the entrees for the cost. Trust me, who wouldn’t be curious about oxtail ravioli! Next on my list!!!
The bartenders made excellent suggestions regarding the appetizer and cocktails. The Red Angel is a delicious and refreshing drink. They were even able to make a virgin one for my expecting friend, and it was just as good. I love a creative and well thought out menu. I could not have been more pleased, and the friendliness, helpfulness, and welcoming nature from the entire staff was a bonus. They were beyond accommodating.
I sensed that they were still learning, and I appreciated the great display of team work helping one another to get questions answers for inquiring consumers. Nothing is worst than witnessing coworkers snapping on one another or growing annoyed with customers because one or none knows the answer. This didn’t happen here. I hope this place keeps up the great work, as they have found a new customer. I can’t wait to try the happy hour!