The Park Steakhouse — Restaurant in Park Ridge

I had no idea I was going to end up here for what turned into impromptu dinner and drinks - otherwise, I absolutely would not have accidentally had three slices of pizza and a piece of cake for lunch. That's the only regret I ended up having related to this experience, as this place ended up being absolutely perfect in every regard. My chum and I stopped by this past Thursday evening, which was a damp one for sure. We'd ventured over to Park Ridge for a visit to a gourmet market and noticed that there was a decent looking establishment across the street. Choosing not to be intimidated by the valet parking, we walked over and immediately made ourselves comfortable next to the bar in a cozy corner high top with plush seats.

I'd taken a look at the cocktail menu beforehand, so I was fully prepared to go with the Tea-Quila Thyme, which featured chamomile-infused tequila, lemon juice and honey syrup. I'm not usually a big citrus fan, but this was perfectly made - definitely gave a rosy hue to the cheeks but was super tasty with the tequila not being overwhelming at all. This was mixology at its finest. I felt emboldened after that victory to order one more cocktail, the Fresh Cracked, which was bourbon-based with black pepper and my cocktail chum egg whites, but ultimately had a berry-centric flavor profile that hit the spot. The bartender 100% knew what she was doing.

My intention was just to have a few drinks, but the app menu was just too interesting to ignore. We ended up sharing three different apps - a peach/burrata/prosciutto combo, a lemon gnocchi/crab dish and a loaf of focaccia with black garlic butter. All of it was out of this world with just the perfect blending of different flavors. My only mild nitpick (and I certainly didn't take points off for it) was that I thought texture wise, the peach was too crunchy. That's it. I've got no other constructive feedback to provide. My favorite was definitely the gnocchi, but it easily could have been any item I ingested.

The star of the night could have been almost anything/anyone, but it's hard to argue it wasn't Ashleigh, our bartender/waitress. She was attentive throughout our meal even when the bar area got considerably busier, and very personable. Beyond that though, her intimate knowledge of the menus (she acknowledged she literally helped write them) was a huge asset for us and allowed for some educated choices that ended up paying off in a big way. Beyond that, the price point wasn't egregious, especially given that we were at a nice steakhouse in Bergen County with valet parking. With multiple cocktails and high-end apps, the bill was less than $100, which I'll take every time.

Huge surprise,...

If i could give zero stars I would. Stepped into the restaurant with my family hoping for good steak. Instead I was greeted with racist staff members who seated my family and myself in the basement when there were plenty of seats available on the main floor. The hostess also kept on ignoring me continuously while I was trying to give the name that we reserved under. I also think it’s important to note here that my family and I were the only poc there; everyone was white, including the customers and the staff and it was apparent that they wanted my asian family out. The manager first raised his voice at my father, then claimed that my father raised his voice at him and that it was unacceptable. The manager was passive aggressive the entire time speaking to my father; Overall would not recommend going here unless you want to be greeted by horrible...

We came here for dinner with a larger party and would say we were mostly underwhelmed with the food.

The positives: We felt that the Lobster tacos were absolutely outstanding The bacon was pretty darn good. The waitress and service staff were pretty good, although they did forget to ring in my wife's entree. The waitress was very attentive to the table.

Cons: The sirloin was not good. I would say a C- at best. Underseasoned, overcooked and the crust was difficult to chew. I did not find the beef flavor really there. Incredibly disappointing for a $52 steak. It'd have been disappointing for a $20 steak. The ravioli really had no flavor or seasoning to it at all. Not great.

I would consider giving this place another try, but could not recommend after this visit based on really...