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Seafood Gourmet
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Food Specialty Food Seafood Markets Seafood, Seafood Markets
103 W Pleasant AveMaywood, NJ 07607
(201) 843-8558
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 9 am - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 9 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
34 reviews for Seafood Gourmet
Review Highlights
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"...cramped, makes this BYOB fish market / restaurant a great..." In 4 reviews -
"...we both chose the Lobster Bisque, which didn't disappoint." In 3 reviews -
"BYOB and Closed on Mondays." In 6 reviews
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34 reviews in English
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Review from J C.
Franklin Lakes, NJ
4/1/2012
What can I say about what used to be my favorite little secret other than the secret is out. Uuggh, I love this place, I was looking for a really good seafood restaurant in the area and didn't want to pay Oceanos/Varka prices. So about five years ago i went web searching and found this little joint and boy was i impressed. Simple, tasty and always fresh seafood for a reasonable price. I finally found what i was looking for. I have been here many, many times and am just now getting around to writing about it. This time our group of four ordered buffalo popcorn, fried calamari and mussels in a red sauce. The calamari is always light and crispy, the mussels, well gobbled down by my father in law and the buffalo shrimp, tasty but not to hot. As usual everyone enjoyed the meal and commented on how fresh the fish was and always is. They ordered lemon sole, primavera with scallops and shrimp, halibut, grilled with spinach and I had the special, bouillabaisse. This was delightful, full of flavor and everything cooked perfectly, the cod, shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops and rough chopped veggies melted in your mouth. I highly recommend it if you see it on the special menu. It was a tough decision, since they also had a favorite of mine, soft shell crabs, which i have had in the past and were very very good. $135.00 for four entrees, 3 apps, soup or salad inc. and apples crisp, at a seafood place is not a crazy bill, i think most will agree. I highly recommend this local friendly, tiny seafood restaurant on the main drag of Maywood, NJ to anyone.
Go and enjoy.
P.S its also a seafood market, so you can also grab some fresh fish for dinner on the way home from work.
http://www.seafood-gou... -
Review from Matt S.
5/12/2012
Thank you Yelpers...Finally made it to Seafood Goumet and the place is great! We didn't have a reservation and the place was packed. I asked how long and the guy said 1.5 hours. But then he said wait and spoke with John who I assume is the owner. He looked around and checked his reservation list and said 15 minutes. We were so happy. Fifteen minutes later we were sitting at our table.
The place is nothing fancy, yet homey and the seafood is so fresh and tasty. We shared clams on the half shell and an assortment of oysters and they tasted like you were eating the ocean; cool, refreshing and ssoooo tasty. Our main meals consisted of one of the specials which was the Chilean Seabass in an awesome sauce over rice and I had the broiled scallops with a fresh assortment of fersh vegetables and fries. Both meals were outstanding and they came with your choice of soup or salad. Since this was our first time there, I asked which soup was the best and the waiter said the lobster bisque so we went with it and he was right. A very tasty bisque with chunks of lobster throughout the soup
The wait staff was great and I must thank John for finding a table for us. Seafood Gourmet is a great local seafood restaurant and we will definitely be returning. By the way, it's BYOB... -
Review from Agustin K.
Summit, NJ
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Make reservation. If not, make sure you go all the way in and put your name down right away. They are packed on Sat night.
We got the pasta dishes, one with the clam sauce and the other one with shrimp and scallop with artichoke wine garlic sauce. They definitely use fresh ingredients (since they are a seafood store upfront). But I have to say that they can use a little bit more salt maybe. -
Review from Roger B.
Garfield, NJ
5/4/2012 3 Check-ins Here
This place is truly a hidden gem.
It is actually a two in one. They were originally just a seafood market that happened to expand its space and also become a Resturant as well.
They do both amazingly well.
For a seafood market you will be hard pressed to find better quality fresher seafood in NNJ.
As far as the Resturant goes. The decor is no frills and it's an extremely tight space but the food is always on point. Forget trying to get a table on the weekend without a reservation. You will end up waiting all night for a table lol. So make sure to make one if you decide to go on the weekend.
Or you can always go for lunch which is lot less crazy and busy.
The signature dish here without a doubt is their fried calamari.
I hold no hesitation when I say it is some of the best in NJ and NY. I have been to many of the finest and most expensive places around and seafood gourmet blows them away with the calamari.
Always cooked to perfection. Crispy light batter. Succulent tender and sweet. It's like eating candy it's soooo good and their marinara is the perfect compliment to this seafood Fried perfection.
It's so good that in the almost 10 years I have been going their last week was the first time I decided to try another appetizer which was just as great. Their mussels in white wine sauce.
Superbly sweet fresh tender goodness. The sauce was great.
For the main dish I had their new England fish n chips which really impressed me.
They happen to be some of the best I had.
They use cod which was cooked to flaky perfection wrapped in a great crisp batter. The tartar sauce was freshly made and was the perfect compliment to dip the fish in.
If fried seafood really isn't ur thing don't frown cause they have you covered.
They prepare fish in a variety of ways including broiled.
All in all a great place to buy raw seafood to prepare home or eat their prepared however u would like.
Truly worth checking out if u r a fan of legal seafood down the street for a much much better price. -
Review from Perrin L.
Hackensack, NJ
5/21/2012
I love this place and have been several times and the consistancy is there. The New England Clam Chowder is the best I've ever had (and we've tried A LOT). The Lobster Bisque is just as good. Everything is so fresh and delicious. If you want to get a table without waiting forever, MAKE A RESERVATION early.
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Review from D T.
New Brunswick, NJ
5/16/2012
Excellent take out, fish market, and small restaurant. Freshest fish around. Bill and Diane are great. Highly recommend to anyone local
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Review from Michelle C.
Bergen County, NJ
2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thank you yelpers! We tried Seafood Gourmet on your recommendations, and, as usual, we were not disappointed. (Please note that the website's menu is just slightly different from the actual menu - I only noticed additional items on the actual menu though). 4.5 stars. These were fish dishes cooked the way fish SHOULD be cooked.
Our cajun tuna bites as an appetizer were completely awesome. They were chunks of sushi-grade tuna dusted in a slightly spicy powder and cooked to your specifications - but really, tuna that good should be served rare. Ours was perfect. It was served over a bed of baby spinach and drizzled with a buttermilk horseradish sauce. The lemon wedge added a nice, fresh contrast to the spicy flavors. Completely wonderful dish.
I had the "famous" fish and chips for an entree and wasn't disappointed. I ordered them battered (not sure why you would want them breaded), and the batter was light and crispy. The fish was flaky, fresh and flavorful. Perfect. The fish was so fresh that i was putting the absolutely incredible tartar sauce on the fish rather than dipping it. My thin-cut chips were also really great - and although they were served under the fish, not at all greasy. HUGE portion - this dish and an appetizer could be a complete dinner for 2.
The bf ordered the catch of the day off the special menu - it was a delicious grilled halibut with a honey jalapeno glaze. It was really good and meaty, although he did have to request more of the glaze to add some flavor. It was served with roasted yukon potatoes and veggies, which were undercooked.
Soups were good, although thin in consistency. I had the special, a broccoli cheddar. Not much cheddar (which I prefer), really well seasoned. I would have preferred a few chunks of broccoli, but I'm nitpicking. He had one of the clam chowders (I could flip a coin to say which one, hell if I know), which was also a bit thin but he really enjoyed it.
Service was terrific. My only gripe was that we were seated next to the kitchen and the servers' prep area, and they tended to argue amongst themselves quite a bit. Our waitress was really great though and the other staff was constantly filling our glasses, clearing things when we were done, etc. Clockwork despite the small walkway between the tables. As other reviewers mentioned, make sure you make a reservation.
This would be a really charming place to take visiting friends or family who doubt the fabulousness of NJ cuisine. I look forward to returning! BYOB
Update: I've been back to the fish market part, and it's a bit pricey but the fish is quite good!
Closed on Sundays :(Listed in: Surprising finds.
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Review from Mega M.
Jackson, NJ
2/13/2012
4 and a half Stars: Very good food, good service in as plain of an atmosphere as you can find (Not that there's anything wrong with that!)
Read on...
One of the highlights of my childhood was going to visit my grandmother in upstate New York . Even as I got older and the times changed, my grandmother and her house never changed
My grandmother was always fond of baking my family apple pies whenever we visited and even as technology changed, she would never use a mixer or any modern device. When I once asked her why she it did all by hand she said "There's no reason to change a good thing"
Sort of reminds me of this place.
The fish market itself as the owner indicated has been around for 60 years but the restaurant is new. I suspect though that if I came back to this place 20 years later, nothing would change. This place has a simple straightforward style that speaks to a consistency over time that never changes with time
Here's the breakdown
Food: 4 and a half stars. Our meal started out with Cajun Tuna Bites as a shared appetizer which was outstanding. The blackening spices paired well with the medium rare tuna. It was just the right amount of seasoning and the right amount of heat.
The tuna was served on top of spinach greens lightly dressed in a horseradish buttermilk dressing. The dressing was outstanding. The slight bitterness of the horseradish and the buttermilk contrasted nicely with the spiciness of the Tuna. If they sold that dressing commercially, I would buy a gallon of it. Fantastic appetizer which is a must have!
For our entrees, My girlfriend got the "World famous" fish and chips while I got the catch of the day special which was a honey jalapeno glazed halibut served with oven roasted potatoes and vegetables.
The halibut itself was very good. It was prepared perfectly. Had nice grill marks and was fall apart flaky. However I was disappointed with the honey jalapeno glaze. I was expecting the sauce to play pinball with my taste buds. Instead it got stuck on tilt! I was imagining the fiery jalapenos contrasting beautifully with the sweet honey to create an intense taste sensation. Instead I got a bland sauce which did not emphasize the sweet or the heat. (This is surprising when you think of the ingredients involved!)
Even when I asked for an extra ramekin of the glaze and put it on the fish, It still lacked some flavor. Also, the fish itself could have used a little more seasoning. It's a shame because as aforementioned, the fish itself was grilled to perfection and fall apart flaky.
The roasted potatoes that came with it were good. They had a creamier texture than I was expecting but I was pleased. Like the fish they were a little under seasoned but overall they were tasty
My entrée also came with soup. I chose the New England clam chowder. It was very tasty although I would call it a soup more than chowder. The soup lacked the thickness that one normally associated with chowder. However I was really impressed with the sheer volume of clams in the chowder. They put a lot in. The potatoes were cooked well plus while creamy it didn't taste like it was drowning in dairy. It tasted homemade. Quite good.
My girlfriend's "world famous" fish and chips were as good as advertised! First, it was a huge portion. They served 4 mega sized pieces of battered fish on top of a solid portion of fries. The fish was absolutely fantastic. It was coated perfectly with the right ratio of batter to fish.
The batter itself was very good. It had the crispiness and crunch you look for without any excess oil. It was steaming hot and yet the fish on the inside was super flaky. YOU MUST HAVE THIS FISH! As good as I have ever had anywhere!
The fries that came with were good but inauthentic. Real chips in the tradition of British Fish and chips are like steak fries with more girth. These were your typical American fries. Don't get me wrong they were fine but they weren't authentic.
Service: 4 and a half stars: Our waitress was very friendly, courteous and helpful. I was impressed with the little details such as asking the chef to cook some of the Cajun tuna bites medium so I would like them. She had a pleasant attitude and did a fine job.
The entire service staff was efficient in spite of a very cramped restaurant. Refills were promptly taken care of and no mistakes were made. No complaints!
Atmosphere: 4 stars: The set-up was rather unique. You walk directly passed the fish market and through a single narrow door into the restaurant. The restaurant itself is very small and cramped but its still a relaxed place. The design is very no-frills. The place is busy and can be a little loud ( I suspect this place is always busy)
Conclusion: This is a place that best emphasizes what a good seafood place is all about. While the décor is very no-frills, the food and service are very good bordering on excellent. This is an old-school seafood restaurant in the best sense!Listed in: Surprising places
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Review from Brian Z.
Bergen County, NJ
2/23/2012
I had my first experience here earlier this week. My GF and I went for lunch. Getting into the restaurant area can be a tad confusing. As soon as we walked in I bypassed the fish market and headed straight to the restaurant. I told the manager that we would like a table for two. He told me to wait a minute because they had to get a table prepared. The awkward part was that I didn't know where to wait. So I walked back into the market area. After standing uncomfortably for a minute or two I noticed a freshly cleaned table and walked back in assuming it was ours. Apparently, it was for someone else who was waiting, but we sat anyway because we didn't know any better. The other person was seated a second later. Not a big deal, but they really need to have a better system up front.
The place was pretty busy. It took a few minutes for a waiter to approach. I ordered a bowl of New England clam chowder to start. For my main I decided on the grilled swordfish with roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables.
The drinks and soup came out in a nice amount of time. After we finished they cleared the table and nothing else happened for what seemed like a really long time. The waiter came over and explained that there was a mistake with the ticket, but it was taken care of. He said that the food would be out in a minute. He apologized and offered us free macaroni or potato salad. It was a nice gesture, but we declined.
We patiently waited for seemingly an eternity. Waiters kept rushing in and out of the kitchen, but our meals never appeared. Finally, I called the manager over and asked him what was going on. He said that he would look into it, but had a bit of an attitude about it. He came back a minute later and told me that same thing the waiter said about the ticket mix up. I told him that we were told the same story 15 minutes ago. The manager said that the swordfish takes a while to cook.
After a few more minutes the meals arrived. The manager had a change of attitude too. He asked us if everything was good and made sure we received a basket of bread.
The food was very good. My clam chowder was tasty. The swordfish was not cooked perfectly, but was still good. I really enjoyed the potatoes. My GF had the shrimp and scallops in vodka sauce. She raved about it.
After we finished the waiter and manager offered us free dessert, coffee or cappuccino. We did not partake because we were full at that point. It demonstrated good customer service and I really appreciated the offer. Anybody can make a mistake. It is how it is dealt with that makes the difference. -
Review from KeithnKate B.
Paramus, NJ
4/10/2012
We are regulars here and 'take-away' food at least once a week. We even subscribe to the weekly specials via email. The best, freshest seafood hand picked by the owner Johnny. Started out as just a fish market, then he put in a dine in area. Staff is great, knowledgable and friendly. I recommend the specials, but we both agree on ordering a simply grilled piece of your favorite fish. It will be fresh and cooked perfectly.
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Review from Mick L.
Great Food & Service - Kind Of Odd Dining Area
Cant complain here the folks at Seafood Gourmet do a great job bringing excellent quality fish at prices that won't break the bank. Every thing I tried was cooked nicely, just thought the calamari was overdone (that is a matter of seconds in cooking fried calamari). I like that the lobster bisque is included with your meal and a Cesar side salad was only $2.99! The rice pilaf seems a bit dated, would like to see a more contemporary rice side. The vegetables where steamed just right no sauce or heavy seasonings to overwhelm the subtle flavors of seafood.
This is my first meal here, will be back in the near future.Listed in: The Best Fish
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Review from Rima D.
Paramus, NJ
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Little bland on the taste buds, fresh fish sure.... but tasty not so much!!
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Review from Linda P.
You could easily drive right past Seafood Gourmet and mistake it for a small fish market (and the front part is a small scale fish market. There are also numerous prepared foods available for take out)..........but tucked away in the back is a secret little restaurant. Everything we have ordered has been stellar.
Appetizers of scallops & bacon: sweet, meaty.
Grilled octopus: tender, perfectly grilled.
Entree: Angelhair with huge chunks of sweet lobster in a light pink sauce.
For a little insight regarding how this establishment operates...........my son loves swordfish and that is what he ordered on our most recent visit. A couple minutes after placing our order, the waitress returned to our table and told us that the owner said he wasn't really happy with the quality of the swordfish and to please choose something else off the menu. My son went with the linguini with clam sauce that was chock full of both whole and chopped clams.
This tiny little restaurant serves super fresh, high quality seafood. Their attention to quality and freshness speaks volumes about the kind of business they are running. -
Review from Christine G.
Englewood, NJ
11/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
*Take out review*
I needed a place for a healthy lunch post-Thanksgiving and scored with Seafood Gourmet who was also participating in Amex's small business Saturday.
I ordered a pint of lobster bisque, blackened swordfish with roasted potatoes and sole francaise over spinach. I found the lobster bisque salty but both entrees were well cooked and perfectly seasoned. The fish was so fresh and flaked with the tip of the fork. They also have daily specials with the catch of the day.
They have a few tables for dine in but since the place is small it looked a little cramped. It is right in between bergen town center and garden state plaza so skip the food court and have a healthy meal run by a friendly family.Listed in: My Local Take Out Places
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Review from John F.
Oakland, NJ
5/2/2012
Loved it. I can't wait to go back. Sorry but Red Lobster doesn't cut it for us. It's tough to find good seafood in Bergen county. There seafood was so fresh. The service was outstanding. It's not cheap but food this good shouldn't be. I should also note - make reservations early...tough to get a table on the weekend since the place is pretty tiny.
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Review from sam i.
Rutherford, NJ
2/29/2012
Delicious food...fresh, clean tastes.
However did you change your cocktail sauce? At one time it was the best I ever tasted, very spicy and sharp..now it's boring..please bring it back -
Review from Patrick D.
Glen Rock, NJ
9/18/2011
great seafood, some of the best in North Jersey. The restaurant is small. It's very casual and can get noisy but the food is worth it. They do take reservations which is must on the weekends. It is a byob.
We've eaten here several times and have never had a bad meal. There is always a selection of fresh fish which you can get broiled, grilled or fried.
The grilled swordfish was as good as any I have ever tasted. You get bread, soup or a salad, and choice of a side with your meal for a very reasonable price.
An added benefit Victor's Maywood Inn across the street has live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays if you want to stop in for a night cap. -
Review from Michelle H.
Fair Lawn, NJ
4/6/2012
If your looking for seafood...Can it be better than eating at a seafood market? The answer is no. The seafood is as fresh as can be!
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Review from Rey M.
Clifton, NJ
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was looking for a place like this for over 2 years!! For anyone who wants a legit simple seafood place, this is the place to go! If you think the only place in Bergen county to get good seafood is Legal Seafood, drive the extra two minutes to get over here. This place is to fish, is what Prime and Beyond is to beef. In the front it is a seafood store, displaying all the fresh catches and seafood specialties in a glass case. Step to the back and it's like you stepped into a waterfront lobster house in Maine. Simple and homey. Now lets talk food....
If you do not try the lobster bisque here you are living life wrong. Hands down best lobster bisque, if not soup I had ever had!!! I had the special, for 24 bucks I got a fresh piece of salmon seasoned perfectly, a cluster of snow crab legs, and blackened shrimp with a side of steamed veggies and roasted potatoes. Everything was on point. Wife got the halibut broiled, tasted like it was pulled right out of the ocean. Will definitely be back. Oh yeah did I mention it was a BYOB?!?!?!?
The only downside is it closes at 8. We showed up at 730 and we were not rushed at all, and felt quite comfortable.
Fresh seafood and shellfish, really cool staff. Get here for the soup, I'm telling you you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Amy M.
Clifton, NJ
1/10/2012
Simple and delicious. Worth the trip! Can you say lobster bisque!
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Review from Betty C.
Kearny, NJ
10/19/2011
I had lunch today at Seafood Gourmet.
I started with a bowl of Manhattan Clam Chowder. It was as good as my own (when I used to cook, that is). It was very flavorful and loaded with carrots, potatoes, celery, onions and - are you ready for this - clams! It was packed with both clam flavor and clam pieces.
I also had a lobster salad sandwich, with lettuce and tomatoe on a seeded semolina roll. It too was packed with pieces of lobster. It was absolutely amazing. I had a lobster salad sandwich at Panera this summer. It was not good and did not have a lot of chunks of lobster - and it was 17 bucks. The sandwich at Seafood Gourmet was only $12.99. I took half of it home and that will be my dinner tonight.
Seafood Gourmet is worth a trip for anywhere in New Jersey. But if you are going for dinner, you must make a reservation. I've been there for dinner and their dinner menu is excellent. -
Review from Adrian G.
Maywood, NJ
12/9/2011
I ate here twice for lunch and once for dinner. It doesn't get fresher than this. It's a seafood store combined with a tiny restaurant in the back. They are basically cooking the fresh seafood that you see in the store and it tastes home made. It's also BYOB, but on the negative side their business hours are pretty strict. Closing at 8 PM most of the days, at 9 PM Fri and Sat I think and they are closed on Sun. I wish they had extended hours.
For lunch the place is just packed at noon. A lot of take-out orders. You should probably be there before 12 or after 1 if you don't want to wait. -
Review from RH S.
Hackensack, NJ
2/20/2011
Seafood Gourmet in Maywood has always impressed me with their generous portions of high quality, fresh fish; everything from perfectly cooked calamari to halibut to lobster. The recently expanded dining area
although a little cramped, makes this BYOB fish market / restaurant a great place to savor your favorite dishes. Reservations are a must by calling at least a day in advance. Worth the trip from anywhere. -
Review from Andrew P.
Windham, ME
4/30/2011
Came down from Maine to visit family and had dinner here this evening. Have had lunch here previously, but this was the first time for dinner. Our experiences have always been quite fine, which is why we wanted to try the evening meal for a change. My wfe's Sole Francais was delicious, lemony and light without too much bite. My grilled shrimp was nicely charred, and firm yet tender on the inside. The rice, too, was a nice complement.
If there was one thing I wish were different about the place, it's the noise level. Not that it's a noisy crowd, but the room is so small, that when filled with diners all at normal conversational levels, it can be hard to hear your companions seated next to you let alone across the table.
Bring your own wine. -
Review from Jazz J.
Hackensack, NJ
1/3/2012
Enjoyed a lovely lunch at the restaurant. It's a small but beautiful dining area to the back of the fish market that's at the front of the store. It's very clean and it doesn't have a fishy smell or anything when you walk in.
The waiters are attentive enough. I like when waiters don't come around every few seconds. My waiter came at the perfect time to give menus, take my order, and bring the check. There was always someone walking around also cleaning and straightening things as well if I needed something urgently.
I ordered a cup of New England Clam Chowder and it was excellent. Creamy and full of wonderful clams. It was just delicious; nothing chewy; everything just melted in my mouth. I also got the lobster salad on a roll and my friend got the seafood pot pie. My sandwich came with homemade potato chips that were still warm when I ate them. I actually ate those first because they were so good. I also got a pickle that didn't taste like anything I've ever had before. It had a sour/salty taste that went perfect with the chips and sandwich. The lobster salad was perfect -- not a lot of mayo and just the right amount crunch from celery. I got mine with lettuce, but you can also have tomato added. I opened the roll up and it was packed with chunks of lobster from the claw. It was just excellent. I had a lobster roll at Chelsea's Market for $18 and it was all mayo and half the size of Seafood Gourmet's sandwich. This sandwich was huge and all about the lobster and only $13.
My friend's pot pie was all seafood and a beautiful puff pastry on top. Her scallops and lobster were cooked perfectly, as well as the shrimp, which were just slightly chewy, but definitely nothing that bad. I was amazed at how much she got for about $15.
We didn't have room for dessert unfortunately. I hope I can come back again. This trip was a treat, but when a date night comes up, this will be one of my first choices. -
Review from Bart J.
Lodi, NJ
9/8/2011
Best seafood in Bergen County.
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Review from Amy B.
New Milford, NJ
8/10/2010
A dear friend of mine sent me the link to their website and the pictures alone had me drooling so I knew I had to try this place out. Called on a Thursday around 10am and made an appt for 7pm that night for 2. My boyfriend and I arrived with vino in hand (it's BYOB) ready for a great meal and we weren't disappointed. We were disappointed, however, that we didn't actually get to sit down at our table until 7:35pm. It wouldn't have been so bad if they had comfy chairs or some other kind of entertainment while you're waiting, but this is a tiny dining room located at the back of a seafood storefront so you're trying to stay out of the way of patrons who are buying their seafood to go and their wait staff running back and forth to the kitchen.
Let's move forward to the meal. Don't waste your time on the bread basket. It isn't worth it. We ordered the fried calamari and the crabmeat stuffed mushroom caps to start. The fried calamari was very good. Definitely in my top 5, but not #1 on that list. The rings were not rubbery or chewy, but the coating was slightly less crispy than I would have liked. Marinara wasn't anything special and I chose not to use it. The crabmeat stuffed mushroom caps were tasty with plenty of fresh crabmeat, but they aren't my favorite. My boyfriend loved them.
For our entrees, my boyfriend ordered the Zuppe de Pesce as that it his scale by which he determines the quality of any seafood place we go to. I ordered off their special menu the Seafood Festival. We had a choice of soup or salad and we both chose the Lobster Bisque, which didn't disappoint. It was sublime. The taste was divine with little bits of lobster throughout. It was thick enough to coat a spoon, but not too thick (as can happen at some establishments) such that feel like you're eating pudding.
Our entrees came out and by that point we were stuffed, but we ventured on. Heaping plates of pasta covered in mouth-watering seafood. The Zuppe de Pesce was covered with mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp in a red sauce over linguini. My boyfriend loved every bite. The Seafood Festival is not to be missed. Shrimp, lobster & crabmeat in a sherry wine cream sauce over angel hair pasta....need I say more? I ate 5 bites and couldn't fit anything more in me so I took the rest home and it was a great leftover meal the next day.
Total for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, tax & tip was $87.
We definitely plan to go back and work our way down the menu! -
Review from Linda S.
Maywood, NJ
7/19/2011
Consistant, great seafood! Reasonably priced, BYOB....as fresh as it gets. Very small, make reservations. Occasionally they do run out of specials, so if there is something on the specials list for the week you MUST HAVE, go early in the week and have a better chance of getting it! This is a storefront restaurant, if you are looking for charm and romance, this might not be the place....looking for a great meal? Then you need no give it a try......
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Review from Nancy G.
El Dorado Hills, CA
12/6/2010
Impressive little place! Our party of 8 enjoyed dinner here on Friday night. I've eaten at some fine dining establishments over the years and I gotta say, the lobster bisque @ Seafood Gourmet may be the best I ever had!! Oh gosh, I wish I had some right now as I write this! The sweet chunks of lobster meat and wonderfully creamy pink broth was outstanding. In fact the whole meal was delish. They're putting out some high quality dishes in this wee little (maybe 10 tables) restaurant (and fish market).
Even our waitress was great, who served us well and had a nice personality to boot!!
This is one of those hidden gems that the locals keep to themselves!! -
Review from Joe M.
New York, NY
3/14/2011
Good food, very friendly staff. Small and crowded. Great sign that the locals enjoy this place.
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Review from Lauren L.
Saddle River, NJ
Updated - 6/4/2011
The white clam sauce is to die for. Whole clams in this amazing , flavorful, sauce. I sucked up every drop.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/27/2011
Really worth the trip from Northern N.J.
This is a fish store that you walk into and in the back they… Read more »
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Review from Adam M.
This place is 2 in one. A fish market and a restaurant. My family has been going to the fish market for as far back as I can remember. This fish is VERY VERY fresh and of a VERY high quality. Most of the fish is sushi grade. The market is a bit on the pricey side though. The restaurant, which was added on a few years ago has become a local favorite. If you do not make a reservation you will NOT get in. Period...and even if you have one expect to wait a little while. BYOB and Closed on Mondays. The food is very fresh and very tasty, the menu is small, but adequate. Try the fried calamari it is sooo good, better then any Italian place I've been to. The pasta dish with clams, shrimp and scallops is also very good and they have a new england clam chowder that is irresistible as is the herb cooked tuna or swordfish steaks. The restaurant is very affordable compared to other local places like legal seafood. The service is friendly, altho a little slow. The restaurant is kinda cute with the decorations, although a bit small and "cozy". There is some pretty good lunch specials like the shrimp parm sandwich, which is very tasty. This isn't a place Id suggest bringing the kids, cuz its pretty small and the crowd is mostly older town residents and is NOT the crowd that would appreciate a bunch of screaming hyper brats (and shame on you parents that allow your children to behave badly in restaurants...please learn how to spank your kids!). Id def suggest this place for a nice date (altho maybe not a first date) or a nice get together with the immediate family.
Listed in: My Neighborhood, Top Restaurants, Born to Shop
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Review from Ray R.
Teaneck, NJ
Updated - 5/9/2010
avoid the fish market. While the quality is good they have kids who have no idea how to cut fish and you will wait 10 minutes to give an order. Go somewhere else. If you ask for a pound of fish they will need to cut it 3 times. They have some people there who do not even know how to cut fish. You say a pound and they look at you to tell them where to cut it.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/13/2009
good reliable but not great seafood. The restaurant is good at simple dishes like grilled fish but… Read more »
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Review from Monica K.
Maywood, NJ
3/20/2010
If you are in the mood for some FRESH and delicious seafood, this place is a great, casual neighborhood option. A few things that prevented me from giving 5 stars . . . be ready for an unhurried experience. The service is friendly enough and I wouldn't go so far as to say it is slow b/c of poor organization, etc. I just think they believe that a meal shouldn't be a rush. Which in some ways is good, if you are prepared for it. This is somewhat "nit-picky" but my salad really could have been better - the dressing was nothing special at all but maybe that's my fault for getting bleu cheese when the house is balsamic vinaigrette. The only other drawback, and it is minor, is the ambiance. I feel like they could do so much more with it. But the good points make you forget about the things I just mentioned. The food is delicious and fresh and HOT (what a concept.) My husband had grilled tuna (sashimi grade) and I had the broiled trio of sole, scallops and shrimp. I almost didn't get it b/c scallops can so often be off the mark. Well, these scallops were amazing. The consistency was sublime and they were so sweet --- mmm, my mouth is watering as I write this. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and the sole was to die for - just delicate & buttery. But the highlight of the meal was definitely the calamari as an appetizer. I don't often eat fried foods and when I do, I save it for really spectacular things. Well, this calamari is absolutely the best I have ever had. My italian husband agreed too. So often this dish can be disappointing b/c of the overcooked texture - well this is not at all. wow - do not miss this. In fact, my 3 year old daughter ate 1/2 of the enormous plate of it. We didn't bring any wine tonight but it's a great BYOB. If you want a great dining experience brimming over with freshness and a huge bang for your buck, don't miss this restaurant - it is a favorite in our repertoire.
