OCEAN PRIME TAVERN — Restaurant in Cranford

The good, the bad and the ugly: The restaurant is impeccably decorated and clean, clean, clean! My first test/impression of the food in a restaurant is the bread. They served rolls that were just acceptable - not great.

I ordered the Grilled Octopus dish as my appetizer. The octopus was very good but it was served on a plate with thinly sliced potatoes (menu says roasted baby potatoes - they were not) that were very greasy - they soaked up the grease from the dish (awful). My partner ordered the Charred Applewood Bacon - it was very salty and served in a lot of grease (and not the bacon grease).

We both had steaks. The meat itself was very good, however, they were served sizzling on the plate and although it looks appetizing when it first comes out, before long the dishes cool down and once again - tons more grease! (and not the grease from the steaks). Whatever they are using, it seems like some combination of butter and oil, it's too greasy and masks the taste of the food. In addition, one of my bites of the steak had a chunk of salt in it.

We had two of the sauces for the steaks - Au Poivre and the Barolo - both were very good.

We had the Creamed Spinach and it could have been great if it didn't have so much salt.

We were quite disappointed. We are foodies and really looking forward to a great steakhouse in town.

Angelos restaurant serves a similar Applewood Bacon dish and it's truly awesome. Four of us shared it and we loved it.

I am writing this with the hope that Ocean Prime makes some changes with the salt and grease. Let the steaks have their own flavor taste (added grease not necessary), and slow down on the salt - diners can add more salt if they want.

Peter Luger's serves very hot, sizzling dishes but they are placed in the middle of the table after the waiter puts the meat on your plate. I accidentally touched my dish when reaching for my wine and nearly burned my finger. The plate is THAT hot.

This restaurant has great potential - get...

Ocean Prime Tavern in Cranford is an absolute standout. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by a hostess who made us feel like old friends. The ambiance is the perfect mix of upscale and cozy—ideal for a special night out or a relaxed dinner. We had a 5:30 reservation for four, were seated right away, and greeted by a friendly server who offered us a choice of water (we chose bottled—served perfectly chilled).

Our drinks were a hit: I had a refreshing Mixed Berry Mint Cocktail, my fiancée had a tropical Malibu Bay Breeze, and my dad enjoyed a smooth, rich Red Blend. For appetizers, we had an incredible dozen oysters—ice cold, fresh, and briny with a tangy mignonette and Tabasco—and perfectly crispy fried calamari with a sweet chili sauce that hit all the right notes.

For entrees, I had a 16 oz NY Strip, juicy and seared to a perfect medium rare. My fiancée’s 16 oz Ribeye was rich and beautifully marbled, while my mom’s Chicken Milanese was golden, crispy, and topped with a light arugula salad. My dad also had the NY Strip and called it one of the best steaks he’s had in years.

We shared three knockout sides: a loaded baked potato with all the fixings, garlicky parmesan-roasted asparagus, and the indulgent, creamy lobster mac and cheese—absolutely packed with tender chunks of lobster.

Desserts were outstanding: I had a luscious Frangelico tiramisu, my fiancée loved the sea salt caramel cheesecake, and my dad’s bananas foster was warm and dreamy. We finished with rich coffees and were treated to complimentary limoncello—bright, smooth, and the perfect ending.

Ocean Prime Tavern delivers five-star service, unforgettable food, and an atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. Already planning...

I came here for my boyfriend’s birthday, the restaurant is very very beautiful well decorated, we started with the blue point oysters they were very fresh and the presentation was excellent with the dry ice, for our main course we had a 6 week dry aged tomahawk alone with a side of lobster mac and cheese and roasted Brussels sprouts, the tomahawk was served on a sizzling ceramic plate it was so tender and that cheesy nutty flavor unbelievably, the lobster mc and cheese it was crunchy since they added some seasoned bread crumbs and si cheesy also the brussels sprouts were prepared to the perfection with the bacon on the crisp side. For dessert we shared a chocolate molten cake which was melted in the center with a side of french vanilla ice cream one of the best I ever had. Our server was israel he was very very polite with a lot of knowledge about the steaks and the wines. Overall a great experience, we definitely will...