Park & Orchard

Just checked their website and it says that they’re closed for major renovations and will reopen in November. I sure as hell hope so. I’ve been frequenting them with different degrees of regularity since the 80s. Back then, they were jammed. Maybe jammed’s an understatement. I would leave work, stop in, give my name, go home, shower, get dressed, return there and still have to wait for a table. Their t-​shirts even said and I quote, «don’t go, it’s too crowded.»
I love their food but in interest of full disclosure, I’ve ordered blackened jumbo shrimp on 90% of my visits. It’s just that good. Squash and wheat berries on the side, salad with tofu dressing and tried to resist eating all of their delicious bread with the Honey Bear on the table.
Throughout the years, the place has changed a bit. For a while they weren’t serving meat and opened Ethel’s next door, named after the owner’s mother specializing in home cooked style meals. Moreover, it was an alternative place when the wait at P&O was 2 ½ + hours. Over time, they expanded their menu but I never really expanded my selections. The first time I had Hacker Pshorr Weiss Beer was there and to this day it remains my favorite.
Craig was the host since I can remember. Always friendly and ALWAYS tan :) He was almost like a friend back when I was eating there several times a week. Rumor had it that he performed Heimlich on 3 different patrons and saved their lives. Great guy and a great restaurant.
I really hope the website is true and that they’re really renovating. If not and they’re gone forever, with them goes a hell of a lot of great memories and what I consider to be the most iconic restaurant in Bergen County. When and if they reopen, I’ll be there and really hope that once again Ken and Buddy knock one out of the park. I wish them all the best.

This was our fave when we lived in New Jersey. Called today and got the message — they’re closed. Sad, they were terrific. The phone message says closed for extensive reno and will reopen in October 2015 under new management.
RIP, P & O.

This is one of the best restaurants in NJ. We drive over a hour and a half to come here for dinner. They don’t disappoint when it comes to service or the food. Big portions and great tastes. It’s very sad to hear that they are finally closing and the new owners have some big shoes to fill.

It’s a shame that Park and Orchard will soon be closing. Ive been here a few times and never had a bad experience. The food has always been tasty! On this trip, we went with another couple, who also happen to be big fans of P&O and sad that they are closing! We had the Kimchi Dumplings, awesome, with a a kick and the pastrami smoked salmon, also super awesome. For dinner, well, the men ordered the Crawfish Enchiladas, awesome! A little on the spicy side, and be prepared for left overs, because their portions are insanely large!!! I had the stuffed eggplant and my other friend had the pierogies. Both were delicious, and also super large portions, so needless to say we all went home with a goody bag! Have no fear, everything was just as delicious the next day! The menu is really extensive, about 5 pages worth of delicious eats!
The staff is great, so friendly!
Hope the new owners keep the menu, and the staff!!!

Reviews glorify this place way too much. I saw the reviews thinking that this would be a great place for my birthday, so I go, for my birthday… And it was a huge disappointment, I felt embarrassed inviting all the people that I did, thinking that it was going to be completely different. Food wasn’t to great and it feels like you’re in one huge gymnasium with a bar and tables. The plus sides, however, were that the portions were huge and the food came out very quickly. Wait staff was alright, somewhere between rude and being nice because they had to.

Tried Park and Orchard again after about 5 years. There are so many options in NJ that it took me that long to get there again!
Went for dinner at 8pm on Saturday night. The parking lot was fairly full but we found a spot close to the front.
We were seating right away. This is where my only complaint comes in. The lights are very bright in the dining room. So much that originally I thought there was some event or something that required them to be turned up that high.
After I got over the diner lighting, the rest of the evening was wonderful. We asked for a wine list and was brought the MOTHER of all wine lists.
I selected a 2007 Bordeaux for $ 37. It was smooth. We then ordered dinner. Each entrée comes with a soup or salad with homemade dressing. One of the best things about this place is the number of options they have for dinner. I ordered the Eggplant parmigiana, which came with a side of pasta. I chose the salad with the house «basil» dressing. My boyfriend had the pasta with fresh tuna and sun dried tomatoes with a salad starter and the «tofu» dressing.
We finished with a coffee and a cappuccino. It was a great date night. Now that I have reconfirmed how great this place is, I know we will be back. (In less than 5 years!)

We’ve always had good meals here. There are some rough spots, but I find them more endearing than annoying. The menu could use paring down — it’s a little over-​reaching — but I’ve always had good luck with the «specials» (a rotating selection of the same familiar entrees). The wine list has never failed me, the beers and scotches are well-​chosen also. It’s a bonus that they’re very accommodating of special diets like gluten-​free (a dedicated menu) and vegan, and the service is always friendly and fairly professional. Opt for the salad with the house basil dressing — it’s a little over-​dressed but we always end up devouring it… It’s gotta be laced with something addictive. The warm bread and honey on the table — I can’t eat it anymore, but I remember it fondly.
It’d be nice if they opted for a simpler menu, developed a kick-​ass cocktail list, freshened the décor, and maybe offer a bread alternative for their many gluten-​free diners (chips, popcorn, anything, just don’t torture me with an empty plate and the scent of that wonderful bread!), but overall Park & Orchard is a favorite. Especially good for dinners with the extended family.

Food was excellent. Service was just as good — thanks to our server Debbie. The entire staff was attentive and timely. I ordered a spicy shrimp and chicken anduille sausage stir fry over rice and asked for it spicy — it did not disappoint. I will definitely be paying another visit.

Not a very good place. Went here twice once with co-​workers and once with family. When I went with Co-​Workers the food was OK but not near the price tag and out of 7 people only 1 liked their food, 3 thought it was OK, and 3 thought it wasn’t very good.
The second time we went it was a party of 5. Not one person liked their food 3 thought it was OK and 2 didn’t like it. The apps were OK, out of 3 apps we did like one of them (Which one it was eludes me) but the other two were nothing special.
The service was OK, the atmosphere was good, but the food just isn’t very good esp for the relatively steep price. One good thing I could say is that the drinks were good both times I went. But just poor to mid level food quality for a high price.
There are much better local options esp in this price range.

It seems that the P&O (as it is known to regulars) has an identity crisis. Cruising on decades old popularity and dated accolades, the idiosyncratic menu reflects the confusion of its owners, brothers Ken and Buddy, about the direction of this new American eatery. What once was a health food store/​restaurant with a carefully crafted menu focused on vegetarian and gluten free fare has since evolved into a fad conscious nightmare. This evolution is understandable since the Meadowlands traffic in the past decade or so has quadrupled, and so has the business opportunity to service a large number of itinerant diners seeking a quick respite before embarking on their amusement of choice. It stands to reason that the P&O would have to adapt its business model to suit the changing demographics of their clientele, but becoming a Baumgart’s clone makes little sense. I always saw seafood as the P&O’s mainstay, and it is still a reliable choice despite shrinking portions and rising prices. Blackened or grilled swordfish, tuna or salmon are excellent, served with a buerre blanc, brown rice with whole wheat berries and a purée of butternut squash. Look for Kislicks (shrimp) or J. K’s (tuna) pasta on the menu. These old reliables are still quite good. The rest of the menu is gimmicky and boring — not quite Italian — and definitely far short of anything genuinely Asian. And while P&O still offers vegetarian and gluten free options, these are asterisks to a menu that has lost its way, and a house that is showing its age.

Only gave this place the 2 stars for the service and the wide range of choices (especially people with dietary needs)
My chicken parm was BORING! Nothing like an italian place, the chicken was hard and not fried (the best part!!!) Just tasted like a was eating grilled chicken with cheese on top.
Doubtful to be coming back…

Park & Orchard’s is a hometown classic to me. I’ve come here for many years with family, friends and boyfriends. It has such a nice home feeling and also a bit romantic.
The food options are endless and delicious.
Gluten free, vegan, vegetarian, meat lovers, italian food, chinese style food, anything you can think of and made to perfection. Personally, my favorite is some good old chicken parmasean or the Fire chicken stir fry. Amazing.
Don’t forget to make a reservation just in case as this place can get a bit crowded.
Even if you don’t want to sit down and eat a big meal, you can stop by for a drink to pregame with some friends, as the bar is nicely separated from the dine-​in area.
Park and Orchard is a must try, not matter what!

Not sure what all the great reviews are about went there this past weekend and all I can say is disappointed ! Food was way over peppered even my salad dressing had a ton of pepper in it thank god I didn’t ask for pepper to be added. I ordered the acorn squash dish. It had no flavor at all nothing melded I added a bit of butter which helped. My friends food was over peppered as well not with a good type of pepper but with plain ground black pepper this is not exotic this is crap .my friend had the pot roast which came with sweat pototes and mashed while potoes being told that the sweet were the veg on the plate ??? Humus app was good service was there but can’t say they cared a bit. Best server was a teen water/​bus boy at least he tried.
This may have been a great place in the past but that was then now it’s just a place that gives very large portions of blahfood.

Park & Orchard used to be a great restaurant. The chef used local and organic indigents. Gone are are the organics. Gone Eggplant Rutherford, a wonderful mushroom, eggplant, cheese dish. Gone the food charm, the focus. My Mel gave me an asthma attack which screams Cisco food delivery. Gone are my return visits.

You can’t hate Ants in a Tree. Case closed. My buddy had the Cajun meatloaf and scoffed down the entire wedge.
The beer list continues to amaze so if your in that area off of Rt 17 stop in.

Key takeaways: Huge portions, weird atmosphere, pretty good quality, very overpriced.
I live within walking distance of P&O, so I went to dinner with my boyfriend last night. The food itself was not bad at all, but I doubt I will be back. The value for my money is just not there.
Dinner started off with complimentary bread, which was really, really tasty. Don’t stop making that bread. My boyfriend ordered the chicken parm, and I ordered the crawfish pasta, which each came with a very generic, but tasty, starter salad.
When the food came, the portions were huge, as others have described. My dish was very good. My boyfriend was a little disappointed with the taste of his. The dish itself was over $ 20, which, for a chicken parmesan, is extremely overpriced. It should have been the best chicken ever at that price. My meal consisted of crawfish on some creamy pasta with a few other veggies. Definitely quality food, but still not worth the $ 25 that was charged. The presentation of each of the meals was like something I would whip up for dinner on my own — nothing elegant. Just a huge amount of food piled onto our plates.
The atmosphere is just like everyone said — industrial and with overhead lighting that was neither romantic nor soothing. The owner has commented in other people’s reviews that he has been told it adds character, but if you are getting so many reviews that tell you otherwise, why aren’t you listening to them? I recommend an anonymous survey asking regular people to actually weigh in on the atmosphere. If you are actually interested in learning about what your customers want, this will be a learning experience for you.
I see the owner is replying to every review. No need to apologize to me – I am all set as I have read your responses to everyone else’s reviews! My purpose in writing this review is not to get an apology from you, but instead to let people know about my experience. My only advice to you is to actually take people’s comments about the atmosphere into account rather than giving it lip service.

I’ve been going to Park and Orchard since the 1980s and I still love it. The atmosphere is fine, very open with high ceilings, black and white accents and floors, great big deco-​style light fixtures, and white tablecloths and napkins.
Great organic/​healthy food. They don’t skimp on the portions. I end up taking home enough food for another meal. Not romantic can get a little too noisy when crowded. Very open feel. Great wine choices, the list is a book weighting about 5 pounds.
They usual list the proteins entrees and then the different types of cuisines — American, Italian, Cajun, Mexican, Chinese, and even Korean as way you can have it prepared.
It is a good stop and I will be returning soon.

2.5 stars. Decent lunch sums it up. I had heard very good things about this restaurant from people who had been here years ago, which I think is Park & Orchard’s problem: it is just outdated. From the diner-​esque neon sign, dim interior and water stained drop-​tile ceiling, to the confusing menu and lackluster food… Park & Orchard needs a kick into 2014.
The menu is all over the place. Asian, American, Italian, Southern, Polish… I understand eclecticism, but this isn’t a diner and it needs to stop trying to be one. The fare is pretty standard, nothing for adventurous palettes. If you’re going to go for classic flavors over contemporary, you have to do them well, which I felt wasn’t the case for our food. The menu tries to be modern in that it boasts gluten free, sugar free, vegetarian… but doesn’t execute these with any gusto. (my idea of modern gluten free doesn’t mean comes with rice instead of pasta, and crustless chocolate tarts, and vegetarian doesn’t mean boring tofu stir fry and cheese smothered veggies…)
The smoked trout appetizer was an unappealing slab of fish served on a lettuce leaf, with what was supposed to be horseradish cram, but tasted like plain mayo. My entrée was avocado stuffed with shrimp salad and a side salad with sundried tomato dressing. The avocado was ripe and fresh, but the shrimp salad was overly mayonnaise-​y and completely absent of both salt and pepper, which I generously applied myself. The sundried tomato dressing was flavorful and clearly made in-​house, though it couldn’t save the romaine salad which I can only describe as sad. For dessert I had the (wheat-​free) chocolate raspberry tart. Basically a crustless slice of ganache with an almost nonexistent layer of raspberry jam. It was not too sweet, which I liked, but was a little dry and covered in unappealing refrigerator condensation.
Overall, the lunch was decent if you’re looking for a casual bite on your lunch break. Not a destination place and not for anyone looking for quality over quantity. I will not be coming back.

This place prides itself on serving fresh, whole food and on offering many vegetarian and healthy (ish) options. The menu, however, needs some focus. There are so many different types of cuisines — American, Italian, Cajun, Mexican, Chinese, and even Korean. It’s a bit of an odd mix. Also the portions are enormous. So much for portion control.
I wanted to do vegetarian and went with a classic dish, «Bud’s Mother in law’s Eggplant Parmesan.» I must say, this dish was delicious. The title of the dish is appropriate as it tasted like someone’s mom cooked it. It’s done as a casserole in which two large pieces of eggplant parm sit and marinate in a lovely marinara sauce. The layers of breaded eggplant, mozzarella, and tomatoes with the sauce was really good.
My husband ordered the Crawfish Enchiladas. Having recently visited New Orleans, he was enticed by the Crawfish. The dish was also prepared casserole style with two large enchiladas sitting on top of mashed pinto beans. I ate a few bites and thought it was decent. Obviously the crawfish will not be as fresh as it is in New Orleans. I feel the enchiladas would have probably been better with chicken or pork.
As far as the ambiance, it is a step up from a diner. You can tell the place has been around for years and probably could use some updating. There were a lot of large parties and families dining here on a Sunday night. It’s a bit pricey here, considering the area. Entres range betw $ 17 – 25.
If I was to come back I would definitely order the eggplant parm again or perhaps another vegetarian cassarole or Italian dish. In my opinion this is what they should specialize in.

3−½ stars, really.
This restaurant is in East Rutherford, NJ. My friend and I were seated immediately, and everyone was very nice. Their wine list is beyond extensive, and very reasonably priced. The ambiance is good, even when it was full it wasn’t too loud to carry on a conversation.
There was a fine selection of food as well, and it was fine also. Not the best I’ve had, but still just fine. No real complaints. Everything was fresh and served hot. I ordered the sliced duck breast, but it came served in a strange tan gravy rather than just the nice, succulent slices of medium-​rare duck I was expecting. This is just my personal opinion, NOT a condemnation. It still tasted good.
As we dined, the restaurant became extremely busy, our poor waitress had many tables to take care of. It took quite a while for us to receive our final bill because she was so busy she didn’t have time to come by our table once we were finished with our meal. I had to pretty much flag her down. When she saw me though, she came immediately and brought our check.
All-​in-​all, I liked this restaurant very much and I wouldn’t hesitate to come back again.