Saddle River Inn

Went to the inn for the first time this week. It was a celebratory occasion. From start to finish, this was one of the best dining experiences of my life. The food was great, the service and hospitality unparalleled. Can wait to go back.

The service was excellent and food was well prepared and delicious. BYOB made the evening affordable. Portion sizes are small and for that reason I am giving them 4 stars and not 5

This is a superior establishment in every way. Every item ordered by my party of seven from appetizers to desert and capriccio was exceptional.

Who is writing all these lengthy 5 star reviews and clap trap about this over rated and over priced noisey eatery. Portion size is small on everything from appetizers through entrée and to dessert. Either order a lot, or leave a little hungry. I would rather the Allendale Bar and Grill, it is just as noisey and better value. You make your own atmosphere…
Pay attention to the 1 & 2 star reviews, that will give you a true picture of what this ”wannabee” place is all about.
Fool me once, twice. fool me three times… I’m writting…

We dined here on a Wednesday night a few days ago for a birthday dinner and were absolutely astounded by the impeccable service, warm/​comforting atmosphere, and high quality food.
We were pleasantly greeted upon entering the restaurant and left our coats with the coat check. Since its BYO, we were also asked by the maitre d if we had a bottle of wine. We handed the wine over to the host and were shortly seated at our table, which overlooked a small pond.
For appetizers, we ordered the foie gras and hamachi tartare (a special). Both were uniquely prepared and presented well. For entrees, we ordered the maribar (filet mignon) as well as the braised lamb shank (special). Both meats melted in your mouth and were very substantial portions. Other reviews mentioned the portion size was small, but we felt that it was actually generous compared to other French restaurants. For dessert, the chef gave 2 ginger snaps to every table that night. We also ordered the apple crisp so that Patrick could blow out a candle.
All servers were extremely respectful and polite. We didn’t feel rushed at any point.
We cannot wait to come back!

Hands down the best restaurant in Bergen County, the state of New Jersey, and possibly the United States. I’m well traveled and eat at the best restaurants at every city I visit. Those meals are always compared to Saddle River Inn and I’m usually left disappointed. This place is so good i walk out every time saying «wow». I literally can’t believe how good a meal I have EVERY TIME. The service is impeccable, the décor is so classy, and the food is insane. I’ve had most of the menu over my many visits, and hats off the the chef Jaime he is a star. They had a special Grade A5 Japanese Wagyu ribeye, best steak I’ve ever had hands down… better than Prime 112, Cut Las Vegas, u name it this was better. The Venison is rediculous, the Filet Maribar (fork tender), Octopus appetizer is awsome, the best foie gras u have ever eaten, and the truffle risotto is worthy of a last meal. I recommend countless people to dine there, every time I get a call thanking me and how amazing it was. Also BYOB which is fantastic with no corking fee. The hard part is getting a reservation although it’s been better lately, but I can’t blame them for that the food is that good and the superb NY Times review didn’t help my luck getting in as often as I would like. Keep doing what u do, service, décor, food is nothing short of first class and I am salivating thinking about coming back on New Years…

This is one of the best restaurants in northern NJ. The food, the service, the atmosphere are all great — not only in comparison to nearby restaurants but also to top restaurants in cities such as NYC.
Tip: It’s BYOB.

I first went to the Saddle River Inn as a very little girl because my mom raised me right and there was no acceptance of poor behavior, so I could go to a restaurant of this quality as a child. We continued our love affair with the Inn for decades.
When it was sold, we were terrified for our favorite restaurant in the tri-​state area. We had one iffy experience immediately after the sale, but the time after that was better.
Cut to Wednesday, November 4^th: Mom and I were looking for somewhere to have a lovely meal, catch up and de-​stress in the middle of our busy weeks. How about our old favorite, the Inn? It was one of our best, if not the best, experiences so far!
The service was impeccable and I could not agree with Shivani Vora more about it being «doting without being stuffy.» (Source: «Review: Saddle River Inn in Saddle River» by Shivani Vora in the New York Times). The service was so attentive, yet the staff spoke to us like real people. When we asked them questions, they chatted most appropriately all while tending to our every need. If you want to feel like a princess (or a prince), go to the Saddle River Inn!
I need to mention a few particularly special individuals who made our most recent three trips (we’ve been back November 11^th and tonight) particularly special.
(1) Joey is a gem. He is so attentive that it is hard to fathom. It is as if he anticipates our every need. He also goes the extra mile. For example, my mom does not like ice in her soda, but she does like it cold, so he brought her a frosted glass multiple times. That is someone who cares about his job, the establishment he works in, and its guests. I would hire Joey anytime, anywhere. He is a very special person.
(2) Jason has been our server twice and he is excellent. He is appropriate for fine dining, but friendly. He is patient, listens and is attentive. The way he does his job conveys a very clear message that he cares about his guests having a memorable experience.
(3) Anthony has fit us in three times. My mom is a Registered Nurse and I am a Corporate Attorney, so it is often difficult to plan ahead and coordinate with our busy schedules. Anthony’s flexibility is most appreciated. On the 11^th and tonight, he remembered my name given the reservation is under my name and he remembered the drinks my mom and I order. He is a great face for the front of the house and as a first and last encounter.
Although I have specifically called out the individuals above, I must also add that the entire staff creates a welcoming and customer-​friendly atmosphere. I was a server during law school and I created the same experiences for my guests. It is nice to be treated the way I treated my guests years ago.
Service and food quality are most important to us, so on to the final shining star of the Saddle River Inn… The food we were so worried would go downhill after the sale? Absolutely delicious! Although only two of us, we experienced a lot of appetizers, one favorite entrée (Maribar) and we tried the special swordfish, and dessert! Everything was amazing and consistent through all three recent visits!
Chef Knott is also incredibly willing to accommodate special requests to the extent he can, which is much appreciated. And, Jason, Joey, and others are willing to ask him about special requests, which is also greatly appreciated. We tried so many menu items over these three recent visits (the Risotto special, Crab Cakes special, Szechuan Noodles, Baby Beets, Colossal Crabmeat Salad, Maribar, Swordfish special, Jumbo Shrimp added to dinner with Garlic Butter, Foraged Mushrooms, Fingerling Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Mustard Spaetzle, Warm Chocolate Cake, Carrot Cake, iced tea, soda, hot tea and coffee). All were delicious, but some favorites were the Crab Cakes (I so wish they could be on the regular menu), Maribar with those delicious au gratin potatoes, Jumbo Shrimp added to dinner with Garlic Butter, Fingerling Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts, Carrot Cake, and the iced tea flavoring (mango?) is delicious and this coming from someone who likes plain iced tea almost always).
We do still miss the cannelloni and scallops appetizers, but I can’t fault Chef Knott for putting his own stamp on the Inn and what a stamp it is! I’m glad he’s here in my home County and I hope he stays a long time!
See you soon, Saddle River Inn! I am glad you’re back and better than ever!

We came here as a large group for my mom’s birthday. The service was horrendous. Our waiter, Brian, was one of the most unprofessional waiters we have ever come across.
1.) He opened up our first bottle of red wine, poured it, and left the remainder on the table. He came back shortly after to open the second bottle of red and conveniently took the first opened bottle of wine (an expensive bottle) off the table with wine still in it. So awkward because we all knew there was at least another glass of wine left in the bottle.
2.) He then disappeared for 30 minutes while the food was being served. (He was covering our large table downstairs as well as tables upstairs.) We all had empty wine glasses when the entrée was served. We asked someone for our waiter and the response was, «he’s busy right now». When Brian did come down, we said we were waiting for another bottle of wine to be opened. His reply was that «at least our food was served».
3.) After we finished our meals, he brought us the dessert menus and came back 2 minutes later to take our order.
4.) When we were leaving, he did not return an unopened bottle of wine. We had to ask and he rudely slammed the bottle on the table.
What a shame! This is an establishment that we have frequented as a family for the past 20 years and always had such a wonderful experience, especially for special occasions.
On a positive note, the food was excellent. The service should match the food quality.

Heard it was great, but it exceeded my expectations!!! Cannot wait to go back-​Delicious!

I’ll do the gripes first so I don’t bore you with how amazing the food was (which it was) like the rest of the reviews. Admittedly, these comments are a little nitpicky…
1) Portion size is small on everything from appetizers through entrée and to dessert. Either order a lot, or leave a little hungry. [Note that this is from someone who always starts by splitting his entrée in half and taking half home because he has a small appetite]
2) Cappuccino was lukewarm
3) When they called to confirm my reservation, the woman specifically asked «is this a special occasion». I was not expecting that question and revealed that it was actually a birthday dinner for me. When we ordered dessert, I only ordered one for the two of us (and almost didn’t even do that, but I was still hungry) anticipating that there were going to bring out something on the house. Well, they did. A CANDLE on the one dessert we ordered. That was a little disappointing. I mean if you are going to ask, you got to do something (a cupcake, an extra dessert, something). It’s not like I walked in and said «hey, it’s my birthday». They started it.
Food was delicious. In fact, it was so good it was like a dessert.
Lot of comments on Unilocal about how good the service is. I don’t get that. Service can ruin a meal, but good service means you don’t even notice it. Which is how it was here. There are about 6 or 8 male model types buzzing around the place. All dressed identically and interchangeable. I’ve nothing bad to say about it.
Crowd was middle aged, «special occasion» group. I heard someone else having a birthday a few tables away and the table next to us had been married there 20 years ago and was back for their anniversary.
Atmosphere was nice, but it’s in a converted stable. I don’t know why people associate that with «romantic». «Romantic» to me is a cozy candlelit booth for 2 with quiet music in the background. I’m not knocking the atmosphere of the place, I just wouldn’t use the word romantic.

Wow what a beautiful dining experience. Our waiter Jason was very professional & did a wonderful job throughout the meal. The food was very good! The appetizers were both works of art by the chef & tasted as good as they looked. The sea bass and swordfish special were both fresh & tasty. I would absolutely eat here again. FYI– try to get a table upstairs overlooking the water!

The new décor is calmer and more appropriate to the venue. Views of the river outside add to the ambience. It is quiet inside and conversation at the table is easy. The wait staff is attentive and knowledgeable. They readilyaccomodated our requests without question. The food was imaginative and perfectly presented. The combination of classics with fresh ingredients and novel preparation made the experience special. We can’t wait to return.

Over rated not sure what people are thinking. Two shrimp were served as an appetizer cut in half with a bland jicama salad for$ 20; followed by a kale salad of all stems and then six burnt scallops, never flipped on the other side so there was no color. Gorden Ramsey would have been fuming and so were we. We had our wedding there 30 years ago and so we were hoping for a great meal. Oh well

Incredible food. Great service in a very nicely redone old stable.
The appetizers and main courses are among the top ten of my restaurant favorites.
Sorry to say that the deserts lack imagination and fall a few points short of the top quality entrées served.
So only 4 stars four a five star kitchen.

Back in the Saddle…
Décor/​Atmosphere ***** Housed in what looks like an 18^th century barn that sits along a stream it feels very secluded from the rest of the world.
Inside it is a very attractive and romantic setting. Dimly lit overall but with lighting above the tables so viewing the menu wasn’t a problem but overhead lighting is never very flattering.
Not very busy on a cold rainy Tuesday night. My reservation email said jackets required but they don’t enforce that. Most everyone was 50+ and well dressed except for the guy who was dressed in a college sweat suit dining with his decked out wife. But I heard him say something to another table that his dinner bill was $ 400 so I you get to wear whatever you want at that level.
Service ***** Our waiter Anthony was spot on and extremely professional. We told him we were not in a rush and he paced the meal perfectly yet he was always unobtrusively around keeping our glasses filled.
Food **** Closer to 3.5 Stars. We started with the Crabmeat Salad over shaved Napa Cabbage which was very fresh but I felt lacked a bit in flavors. At Anthony’s suggestion we ordered the Black Truffle Mushroom Risotto as a second appetizer which was delicious. Bronzino and a Sirloin rounded out our meal, both were very good but I was slightly annoyed with the meat temperature. I ordered it Medium hoping to get Med Rare and ended up with Rare.
For dessert we ordered the Warm Chocolate cake which is very small. It came with some sort of rock hard fruit gelato which did not pair well with the cake.
Value **** It is a BYOB so the bill always looks better than usual. $ 150 for two is certainly not impressive but we splurged a bit on the $ 35 Truffle Risotto appetizer, without that it would have seemed more reasonable.
Overall **** It is an expensive, special occasion kind of place that is worth the trip.

My favorite restaurant. Not sure where all the negative reviews about David come from, but he has always been welcoming and friendly.
I had the chance to eat here several times when it was owned by the previous owners. The old menu was outdated and never changed. They also would not accommodate any changes as the «chef» wouldn’t approve. (Such as wanting something cooked at a certain temperature)
Ridiculous for a $ 200+ dinner for two with no alcohol.
The new menu under the new ownership changes often, the food is always delicious and I could not be happier with the change in management /​menus.

This is a fine dining restaurant housed in a charming farmhouse. BYO makes it a reasonable option, even if you are not celebrating a special occasion. I was initially disappointed that they were fully booked on Valentine’s Day, but the day after was even better, as the room was full, but it was not frenetic the way most restaurants likely were on the previous night. Our extremely competent and friendly server, Brian, greeted us right away and asked if he could open our wine. I was happy to see that they use nice glasses. It’s obvious that Chef Jamie uses superior ingredients, as the food is of high quality and every single bite is absolutely delicious!
We started with the tuna carpaccio and the hamachi sashimi special, then we shared the black truffle risotto, for mains we enjoyed the New Zealand venison and my BF had a veal chop milanese. The portions are very generous. We were stuffed, but shared the butterscotch bread pudding for dessert, which was worth every bite. Thank you for a great experience. We were pleased with every aspect and can’t wait to come back!

Such an awesome dinner here the other night! Everyone loved every bite of their food and the service was great. I know there are some more recent reviews complaining about being greeted rudely at the door by the owner, but that was not our experience at all.
For appetizers we went with the crab salad, cannelloni Bolognese, tune tartare, and the shrimp tacos. The crab salad had huge chunks of crab meat in it and was plenty for the table to share. I am usually not a huge tuna tartare person but this one was amazing the perfect blend of spice and creaminess that was added in by the avocado pieces.
For my entrée I went with one of the specials of the evening which was a rib eye marinated overnight in Korean BBQ sauce. Now, ribeye is my favorite cut of meat but I don’t order it out much because I find it is hard to find one that is really good. Let me tell you, this one did not disappoint. I wish I had an additional stomach so I could have eaten more of it along with the mashed potatoes it came with. Everyone at the table was also equally pleased wit their meal from the lobster risotto, lamb chops, venison, to the halibut.
For dessert my father in law had the pastry chef custom make a birthday cake for my mother in law’s 60^th birthday! The cake was really tasty although I do wish I would have gotten a look at the dessert menu since the pictures on here look fabulous.
I like that this place is byob! I would go back in a heartbeat.

Really this is a 3.5 not a 4
We’ve been wanting to try this place for some time now.
Place is gorgeous –old renovated barn that overlooks a pond. Very cozy and romantic.
Menu is 100% delicious. I had a tough time trying to figure out what I wanted.
We started off with the Kobi beef tartar & tuna tar tar app. Both were seasoned perfectly. Beef tartar was the best I’ve ever had
Entrees we ordered the sea bass, swordfish, side of assorted mushrooms and side of rapini.
My fish was season well in some spots and way too salty in others. My mushrooms were a HUGE disappointment. They were so salty I could only have a few bites.
His swordfish was delicious but his rapini was tart and salty. Unable to eat it.
Dessert we had 1 peanut butter mousse and 1 mint/​basil semifreddo. Both excellent.
Service was amazing
Crowd is a bit weird. You have your very classy older guests and your typical bergen county desperate housewife types dressed as strippers
I’m going to chalk up the saltiness to an off night and try it once more.