Stern & Bow Restaurant — Restaurant in Closter

I had lunch there recently with a friend on a freezing cold day. Turns out it was even colder in there but we stayed since they said they would put the heat up. Everybody had their coats on. We ordered some oysters to which they did not have the ones I wanted so he offered me something else but then he came back and said they have a few left of the Blue Points and brought me those. Then we had the Caesar crab salad which was very good. Then we had the pasta with the variety of meat on top which was too Al Dente but seemed to be very tasty. For some reason, even though it felt like the Arctic, there were at least two giant flies buzzing around landing right on our meat. We both kept swatting them away, you think the management would have come over and done something, but he was probably paying his gas bill! The reason that I am writing this although some things were good, is that we both had food poisoning the next day and it lasted for several days, it was horrific! I wouldn't bother to call the restaurant because I never plan on going there again unless I want to lose another 5 lbs. While suffering the weekend. The decor was shabby, cheap elementary school chairs. I felt like they either just opened or are getting ready to just close. There was some clanking noise coming out of the bar which was beyond annoying, maybe it was somebody's teeth chattering. Stay away from here, the Hill restaurant down the road is...

If you’re looking for delicious food, a welcoming atmosphere, and top notch service, Stern and Bow is your spot!

My husband and I had a reservation with our 3 pups on the patio. The space is large and the atmosphere was very welcoming. The staff immediately served both us and our pups water and brought over Milkbones and marrowbones for them.

Rather than cocktails, we ordered a bottle of rosé which was perfect for the whole meal. For appetizers, we ordered the clams oreganata, bang band shrimp, and PEI mussels. Everything was incredibly flavorful but my favorite was the PEI mussels hands down! The broth was so delicious, I was ready to order more toasted bread just to sop it up! We split the frutti di mare for dinner and the seafood was so fresh with perfectly al dente fettuccine. We were too full this time to get dessert but we will definitely make sure to save room next time.

As for our pups, their 3 course menu started with marrow bones for each of them. They each had one of the main entrees (grilled sirloin with pumpkin puree and carrots, turkey meatballs with zoodles and gravy, and seared salmon with pureed broccoli and squash). To finish, they had the pup-kin pie.

To top off the evening, we loved the fact that the owner, Russ, made a point to visit every table and pet the pups. This was by far one of the BEST dog-friendly dining experiences we’ve had! We will...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Truly Memorable Experience at Stern and Bow!

My husband and I came with our kids after winning a tasting dinner for two at a Hillside event — and WOW, what a night! We were absolutely stuffed, and every single dish was incredible.

We started with bang bang shrimp, croquettes, and an arugula mango salad. I was obsessed with the salad — so fresh and flavorful, I couldn’t stop eating it. The croquettes were delicious, and of course, you can never go wrong with bang bang shrimp.

Then came the Branzino — perfectly cooked, crispy on one side and beautifully flaky on the other. I thought that was the grand finale, but then out came a thin-sliced hanger steak that was out of this world. Even though I was full, I couldn’t resist. It was melt-in-your-mouth, drool-worthy perfection.

And dessert? Churros and crème brûlée — both absolutely amazing.

Our kids were just as happy. They had pizza and chicken strips with fries, and told me, “I don’t like it… I LOVE it!” Huge win. The restaurant even had paper and a giant bucket of crayons to keep them entertained — super kid-friendly!

The staff was warm and incredibly accommodating. Special shoutout to John, the manager, who was a true gentleman and made sure everyone was happy.

We felt so welcomed, well-fed, and taken care of. Thank you, Stern and Bow, for an unforgettable evening. We’ll...