delicious food love the ambiance would definitely come back
(5)
Annie C.
It is nice place for special celebration! Crab cake tastes so tender, fresh, delicious! Good service! Price is a little bit high!
(4)
I G.
my husband and i , we really like this place a lot , the food was great , service too , the place is.... a little pricey, but i fan anyway
(4)
Lisa K.
Lovely ambiance, good service, beautiful decor, I think they should update the booth seats by changing to a darker color. The drink selection is extensive. The menu was good, nice selection without being overwhelming. I enjoyed my Caesar salad and sea bass. The dessert we shared was a macaroon tree w cotton candy- it was really cool and delicious. Coffee and tea was very good. Prices are a bit high but you would expect it for this dining experience. I enjoyed it very much and will revisit for next special occasion.
(4)
Christine Joy G.
my amazing friends surprised me and had my bday dinner here.. esp since they knew it was on my to do list of restaurants! we went on a saturday at 530p so we beat the dinner crowd - which probably contributed to reason why the service was so attentive. the layout was nicely done and they really took advantage of the space.. bar in the front, a good amount of tables on the main dining floor, and canopy draped above the semi circle booths along the sides. the ambiance was cool, modern/trendy. we sat in the booth, and it was really nice and intimate to just enjoy dinner and catch up with friends. the service was really good and waitress was helpful with selecting things on the menu and always came back to check in with us. our meal - we started with the grilled octopus and dragon roll - both were really tasty! my friend ordered the special which was the duck and i had the chilean seabass and we shared both entrees. the duck was tough! it was as if i was eating steak.. i had to actually ask for a steak knife! it tasted good when i finally was able to cut a piece but i guess it's not what i was expecting? the chilean seabass was also good but in my mind, el cid still has the best chilean seabass ever. we finished off the meal with dessert - cotton candy and macarons and french pressed coffee - i like the innovative idea of combining the classic cotton candy and macarons. it was yum and just a perfect way to end a good meal! so overall, i had a great dining experience and i suggest everyone should at least give it a try esp if youre in the area and celebrating an event!
(4)
Judi P.
The food was wonderful. My 3 star rating is based solely on the flaws in service/hospitality. Our waiter's first mistake was that he did not inform us of the specials. He came to take our order, and we had to inquire whether there were any specials. (We knew there were because we heard them offered to the table next to us), His second mistake was not asking if we wanted coffee and tea; we ordered a dessert, so I would think that would be an obvious question. And lastly, the hostess did not say goodnight or thank us for coming as we exited, even though she was standing at her station and we walked right past her. Perhaps you think I'm nitpicking. I think that at a restaurant with these kind of prices, the service should live up to the quality of the food.
(3)
Danielle O.
The atmosphere is stunning for a little red boxy looking place on the side of Route 4. Food is meh.. Service is okay. I've had 2 dining experiences here, I've gotten to taste about 8 different items off the menu. Out of 8 items I'd say 2 were good enough for me to order ever again. There were 2 items that were downright repulsive. The chef here is clearly confused about flavor profiles and how to properly (or even abstractly) complement a dish in a way that would be pleasant to eat. Even though I am not a big fan of their food I must say the dessert with the cotton candy & macaroons is a must have if you are coming for someone's birthday or if you're in a large group- it's fun and over-the-top AND the macaroons are delicious.
(3)
Mike A.
Went here last night for dinner courtesy of Groupon. The restaurant is very nice and inviting. It's upscale and quiet so you can enjoy your food and talk at a normal volume. The service was a bit slow for a not so busy night. We sat without menus for ten minutes before our waitress came over to drop them off. It took a good twenty plus minus for the waitress to return and take our orders. The food came out timely and was delicious. The crab cake actually has crab, a lot. For dinner we had trout and lamb, both were very delicious and I would order everything again. I wish I could tell you what sauce was on the trout and what sides were with the lamb but by the time the waitress made it back to our table our plates were cleared by the servers and we forgot to ask. When the check came there was a service charge, not sure if this was because we used a groupon. I really dont like when restaurants try to force you to tip. To me its a very tacky move. Typically I tip 20%, or more if its really good. The service charge came to 17% so thats all they got. The food was fantastic and the restaurant was very nice but the waiter/waitress can visit their tables more often and the forced tip needs to be removed. Also, if using a GPS use 16 Arcadian Way as the street.
(3)
John D.
The place atmosphere was romantic and upscale group. The waiter juan was great would recommend. It was my girlfriend birthday and we went there i had the scallop it was great but only got 4 scallop and the plate was $40.00...It was great but very pricey the bill at the end was over $100.00 but was worth it. I would not go back anytime soon unless special ocassion.service was excellent my glass was never empty....
(4)
Michelle C.
I had a date here about a year ago, and was equally impressed and unimpressed about certain aspects of Chakra. The ambiance and service were impressive. The bar area was trendy and cool, and had individual waiters as well as a bar. The restaurant itself was really unique - both Gothic and romantic - but still comfy. The music was a bit loud though, making it not really conducive to conversation. I was less impressed by the food. The menu was full of interesting fusion choices, and we selected a couple of sushi rolls. Much to my dismay, all of the ingredients were not listed on the menu... kind of a significant problem to someone with food allergies. I was lucky that I thought to question the waiter when the food arrived and didn't look quite right. The one roll I could try was just okay - seemed as though the chef was really trying to be unique and different rather than focusing on finding the particular flavors that would work together. The upshot - go for some trendy mingling, but go elsewhere for dinner!
(3)
Chris J.
fantastic atmosphere. romantic and cozy. it's very good place to dine with your lover. but be aware you have to wait longer than you expect when you go there at busy time.
Decor: Somebody did a good job turning an old warehouse into a chic room, but the bar/lounge area is way too small. Expect both the bar and the few sofas in the area to be fully occupied... So you and your date will probably be shuffling around the crowd while you wait to be seated. The service: In a word, bad. I think they could get away with service like this in a crappy diner, but it isn't appropriate here. My girlfriend almost wanted to leave the last time we went to this place. The food: I have been guilty of kind of wanting to like this place; but after a good half-dozen visits, and two chefs, I give up. The food just isn't near good or plentiful enough to justify the prices. I'd need some special discount/promotion/bribe to get me back in Chakra!
(1)
Jamie S.
Our main courses were amazing. Sushi app was some of the best I ever had. W were lucky enough to get a romantic booth which made everything even better.I would come back here in a heart beat even though it was so pricy.
(4)
Edward T.
great atmosphere but..........the food is nothing more then average not good ....but not ......bad ....2star food at 5 star prices
(2)
Dimitri L.
I love the ambiance of this restaurant, the drinks are great and the service is very good, but the food was a miss on my last visit.
(3)
Suzanne G.
I read the reviews on Yelp before going here, but the menu enticed me to go despite the negative reviews of the service. The place was pretty on the inside but I think was too cavernous and loud to be considered truly romantic. My boyfriend and I were here for an anniversary, and we were happy and feeling good, but that good feeling was immediately squashed by our server. He greeted us hastily and when we tried to put in our appetizer order, he informed us that he would only take a complete order. Hmm, okay. We were hungry and having served food in the past, I didn't see why he couldn't put in appetizers first. Fine, whatever. We ordered the calamari and foie gras and I agree with Jeong K's review -- the foie gras was a bit tough around the edges, which made me think that it was not fresh, and the chocolate toast was soggy. The calamari was okay -- not overly chewy or greasy -- and the tangy white dressing it came with was delicious. Between the appetizer and entrees, the waiter came by to fill our glasses, but in his rushing, overfilled both glasses. Water spilled on the table and our cutlery and he didn't even bat an eye at it before he ran away, and we were left to clean it up ourselves with our dinner napkins. I thought that was extremely rude. For the entree, I got the TC Steak w/ truffled creamed spinach. The steak was perfectly cooked and the spinach was a perfect accompaniment. My boyfriend got some boring chicken dish, which I didn't try, but he said was just okay. We skipped dessert because we didn't feel like being treated as inconveniences instead of customers.
(2)
Thomas U.
I thought this restaurant serves indian cuisine but They re not. I went there with my wife, My wife ordered chilian sea bass and I had TC steak, TC steak is perfectly cooked, they said steak was aged for 40 days, $40 price tag is pretty high compare to other steak house I've been, They serve with roasted half loaf of garlic, that was interesting. you will find same quality steak at lower price. My wife had sea bass, comes with stick of jumpo shrimp wraped in thin layer of potato looked like corned dog. it was good and different. Only downside, they seat us in very small table, I was able to touch the guy who was next to my table in one arm length. I can even hear conversation on next table. Ambience was beautiful. but Food was ok, wan't best. For dessert we had Watermelon Mojito - two scoop of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with chopped watermelon and mint leave stuck on the top. flavor was interesting and My wife liked it. Overall its pricey.
(3)
Kelli D.
Omg, I love this place so much. If I could afford to eat here on a weekly basis I would. I've been here quite a few times and I am never disappointed. Everything from the ambiance, which is very romantic, to the service, to the food, is excellent. The last time I dined at Chakra's I ordered the trout with the smoked marcona almonds, in a brown butter sauce. It was literally to die for. It also came with a citrus fennel on top.........whoa........an explosion of flavors!! My husband ordered the skirt steak and that was delicious as well. Their cocktails are great. I ordered a cucumber martini. Service is good, waiters and bus boys are very attentive- although the bartender was a little slow when we needed drinks. The apps were delivered before our drinks were! Nonetheless, one of my favorite places in Bergen County.
(5)
Monica D.
This is based on my latest visit, last night. I haven't been here in years because it is pricey but I got a Groupon on for $50 and decided to go with my friend just for a couple of drinks and apps cause that's all you can get for $50. The server was very nice and helpful and gave us a bunch of suggestions and there were also reasonably priced daily specials but we told him we were going light and had the Groupon and he was totally great with it. I ordered the tuna tartare based on the pic that someone posted here because it looked like a good amount and yummy. What I got were literally about 10 small cubes (size of small sugar cubes) of tuna on top of foam! That was $14! On the other hand, my friend got the entree size Cobb salad that was $16 and it was more than enough for both of us and very delicious. We also had 3 glasses of wine. This came out to $61 w/o tip. Great ambiance and service but not worth the price if you do not have a discount.
(3)
Lor A.
Went to Chakra on Saturday night with some girlfriends to celebrate the upcoming holidays. We arrived earlier than our 9:00 PM reservations so that we could see and be seen by the bar/lounge. Sadly, the clientele was much older than we anticipated. We've all been there before and never did we experience such an older crowd. I thought I saw my friend's Nana there - no joke. To our surprise, we were given a canopy table even though we were under the impression that you needed a party of 6 or more for that. Nice! My friends all had the TC Steak, which they loved, and I had the Rigatoni Ragu with braised short ribs. It was fabuloso. It was cooked to perfection and I even had some left to take home with me. It was $22 which really wasn't too bad. We ordered the chocolate bread pudding for dessert and it was not what we expected...it was actually better. It was tiny, but the flavor was amazing. It was like a mini lava cake, minus the lava. It was just enough for us all to have a bite, albeit a small bite. The waitstaff was extremely attentive and friendly. We didn't feel rushed at all. A few friends ordered some specialty martinis and our waitress told them that if they didn't like it, they could send it back (no charge) and order something else. They wound up loving them. Not sure if they did away with the valet parking nonsense...there was no valet parking that night, and I was very pleased. I typically park on the street to avoid the valet anyway. All in all, a great experience!
(4)
Nancy G.
Restaurant is NOT closed. Was at the 10th anniversary party last night. Great eclectic place. Food and drinks suburb. Love it. Owners and staff friendly and wonderful. Will be there many more times
(5)
Victoria M.
Very romantic for a date, especially a very special one. Drinks are on the higher price range but they are very well made. The ambiance is just perfect. Food was good but I only order the Tofu appetizer. I recently visited Chakra again and was very disappointed by how aweful the drinks were, very different from how I remember them. There was four of us, and we each had a different drink, and none of us were able to finish the drinks because they weren't made well. I don't know if it was because it was very late in the evening, but I was left with a not so satisfied impression from the last time I was there.
(3)
Denise S.
I really hate giving bad reviews, and I feel like I'm already being generous with three stars. I want Chakra to be great, because the ambiance is so romantic and the food is delicious. I am rooting for Chakra. I give it many chances to be truly wonderful, but each time I am let down. The service here is not good. It's just not good enough to have wonderful food. I do not mind paying for good food, but good food is not enough. For the prices everything should be spot on. Service is never spot on. Others have commented on the service, so I know I'm not alone. Here are service faux pas at Chakra in just one night: * Servers reach across you when serving. OMG, my #1 pet peeve. Isn't that the first thing you teach a server? The guy reached over my friend to pour boiling tea into my cup. The pot was heavy and his hand was shaking so not only did it look like he was going to spill it on me, but his armpit was in my friends face. * Drinks delivered after appetizers, really? I had two cosmos, and I had really planned to drink more like 4 or 5 , but the servers were so slow I could only manage to get my hands on two. For Gods sake where the hell is the manager, shouldn't he be expediting when things get crazy?? BTW - The pomegranate cosmos are over the moon. * Service is SLOW all around, which meant I had to stare at my finished plate for far too long. If I want to stare at dirty plates, I will eat in my own kitchen. Again who is watching over everything here, do they have mangers? * Server knocked into another server spilling my drink on her serving tray. She still served me the drink, without wiping the liquid away from the base or stem of the glass. I had to ask for more napkins. I had already waited 15 MINUTES for the drink so I didn't ask for a replacement and I had to put up with a sticky glass. I really want them to figure out the service, because I really would give this place 4 or 5 stars, because the overpriced food is VERY GOOD.
(3)
Dmitriy S.
My 2nd time here. I thought the first time was a fluke but was reassured this past weekend. The appetizers were very good. The Fois Gras was great. Entrees were awful. The TC steak had no taste and was over cooked. The TC sauce was OK at best. Good steak should never be served with sauce. Wife's salmon was ok, nothing spectacular. The worst thing about Chakra? The service. We waited about 45 mins for the appetizers and another 30 for the entrees. There were two of us.
(2)
Sasha M.
I ate here years ago on a blind date. I have to say it has been years and I still remember how flavorful the apps were. And no I don't remember that poor smuck at all. It is a great ombiance. Very trendy. At the time did not care for eating and sitting on the ottomon type furntiure however we had ordered several apps and one was better than the other. Could not honestly tell you if it is pricey or how the actual dinners are. But if you want to hang out with friends and have some apps this is great place for that.
(4)
Khalil T.
Great atmosphere, great food and a great server. A bit on the pricey side but OK for some unique flavors.
(4)
Kyle R.
The food was delicious as were the drinks! Great ambiance! Enjoyed my dinner here. The shrimp linguini was great! I would definitely go again!
(5)
Jeong K.
Atmosphere and decor....is impressive and intimate Food was average but not bad. Had the following: Tuna tartare....try to avoid. Not your typical tartare but served in a coconut creamish sauce with sugar cube sized tuna. Dish was so so Foie gras... Do not get. Duck liver served on top of toast...toast was soggy and the edges of the liver was a bit tough. Makes you wonder if it was fresh or prepared improperly. Calamari salad.. Not bad with the Asian tangy dressing. Warning, entree salads are ginormous. Sea bass.. Highly recommended...prepared perfectly with great flavor and texture. Overall, food was ok but if you're an atmosphere junky, this place could be you. Foodies beware....
(3)
Leah T.
So disappointing. We arrived before our reservation and went to the bar to wait. The host said she would find us when our table was ready. It was very crowded. I will say the decor of the restaurant is very nice, not your typical Jersey restaurant. The bar is way too small for a restaurant this size. There were two bartenders, one showed a little more sense of urgency then the other. The first drink I ordered, I was told they didn't have all the liquor for so I ordered another. It was not good. It took a while to get someone's attention for another drink. I needed a lime and didn't get one. When my husband went to check on our table the host knew his name right away and said they were setting up the table at that moment. We were definitely impressed with the hosts. Our server came over and when we asked how he was doing, he said he was just very flustered and that he was better now. Not really the right way to start a new table. He was well informed when we asked questions. I did ask him for a lime and he never brought it. We ordered tuna tartare and the Parma ham roll as an appetizer. In my opinion when you call a dish "tartare" it should be chopped fine, not served as large chunks. The tuna was very fresh. The sauce it came with was stupid. It was coconut kaffir lime foam and was not inspired or balanced flavor wise. And then there was tapioca. Why? I have no clue. Just because it's trendy to put tapioca in a dish doesn't mean it belongs there. The Parma ham roll was the only good thing we ate. For entrees we ordered steak au poivre and veal schnitzel. The steak was absolutely the most awful thing I've ever eaten in a restaurant. I'm sure the actual meat was just fine, but the sauce. Oh that sauce. It was not au poivre sauce at all. And it tasted like lemon cleaning product. Seriously. I have no idea if it was supposed to taste like that or if something accidentally got into the sauce. It was inedible. The schnitzel was just ok, at least edible. It was very bland and under seasoned. I actually had to ask for salt. They took the steak off the check, but no manager came to see us. We did not stay for dessert.
(1)
Melanie Q.
Habanero margarita's are spicy and perfectly sweet. Tuna Tartar was succulent and flavorful! We had a salmon sushi roll to split as well. As we were just there for the cocktails-which the listing for variety is absolutely amazing and appetizers, I would definitely return for dinner. It was myself and a girlfriend and we sat at the bar and were pleasantly engaged in conversations with the bartenders who were very friendly and gracious. The atmosphere is upscale but the vibe is very relaxed and chill.
(4)
Amy C.
Chakra has not only one of the most beautiful, romantic, and comfortable settings possible, but has a talented chef, a gracious manager, and great staff of servers. We were a party of five, and being that it was our first visit, tried several appetizers to start. We were pleasantly surprised that we loved every one of them! Oysters were succulent and fresh as the sea. Fried calamari was crispy and tender and we had the waiter mix it in the mesclun salad creating a new venture. The crab cake was all crabmeat with just enough of other ingredients to bind it all, and grilled octopus was grilled to perfection--and I was sorry I had to share! The staff and manager, Evelyn, was attentive and accommodating. Thanks to her suggestion, I loved the non-alcoholic ginger mojito she recommended! Our entrees were just as scrumptous. The Crispy Trout was crispy on top, not overcooked, and full of flavor, served on a bed of fennel orange salad. The short ribs in a red wine reduction was the best I've ever tasted. The Chilean sea bass was delightfully delicious and fresh, and I loved the potato wrapped shrimp that accompanied it. Though we didn't have room for dessert, we were on a roll and just had to try a few. The chef makes his own hazelnut ice cream and it was devine! The special watermelon concoction was so enjoyable and unique and not on the regular menu. Last but not least, the ricotta beignets (similar to Italian zeppoles) were served with 3 sauces: raspberry, creme, and nutella. I was in foodie heaven! My rave review has prompted my sister-in-law to celebrate her 40th anniversary there!
(5)
Dennis H.
I had a groupon for Chakra and I decided to go there. We had a appetizer which was not bad we also had two drinks. For the appetizer I had the octopus and my friend had berchetta special. Overall The appetizers wereent bad. Then for the meal I had the steak and he had the tuna. It was very delicious. Here's where the three stars coming, I had two drinks it was $18 on top of that they charged us seven dollars per dish because it wasn't in the Groupon special. We ended up paying $85 extra plus the Groupon. The place is tooooo toooo toooo overpriced for what it has to offer!! Do they think they're New York City!??!?
(3)
Susan G.
Beautiful dining space and even thou a busy Saturday eve, with several large parties, the noise level allowed you to hear the conversation at your own table. The food was fantastic, with beautiful presentation and excellent service. The crab cakes were the best I have had: pure crab. All in our party will return soon.
(4)
R T.
First time we went here, it was great. Second visit is tonight. Made dinner reservation for Chakra one month ago via OpenTable. Get an email from OpenTable saying Chakra canceled the reservation with no explanation. I call and they say it's because I have a fake phone # with with OpenTable acct. I only have a fake cell #. Home # is real and so is the email so they could have used them if they weren't lazy. Food was excellent. Some of the best food I've ever had. Lots of NJ dishes such as blueberry cobbler made with NJ blueberries. Chicken was from local organic chicken farm and you can taste the difference. Amazing.
(4)
Valerie J.
I have been meaning to try this place for a while, and a wine tasting event, coupled by my friend saying he would accompany me, finally sealed the deal. First of all - the decor is just really cool here. Said to be a romantic restaurant - with the cozy nooks of booths, each swathed in silvery drawn curtains, and the low light, one can see why. This is however one of those spots where some of the food is going to amaze you while others will let you down. My friend had the special - a cream of celery soup that was absolutely great - not too overpowering on the cream side which allowed the celery to shine, but tempered it with a sweetness. Of course it was supposed to come with one scallop but instead came with one shrimp, so I had the waiters correct this - and the scallop was of course also scrumptious. As an appetizer I was very lucky to have ordered the tuna tartar - which turned out to be some of the best tuna tartar I have ever had. Sushi quality (of course) rich tuna is made even more heavenly with a creamy mayo weaved throughout. It comes atop crisp cucumbers and is topped with even more excellent avocado. Win! Another win were the little bites they served us - a beat with a dollop of cream cheese atop it. I am not a fan of cream cheese but somehow this one biter was perfect parts savory, earthy, and bursting with flavor that I probably moaned with delight. For his main, my friend got the Parma Ham Roll - It comes with spicy tuna, arugula, and is wrapped with Parma and topped with spicy miso "mustard" - and in all honesty, it was also very good. As my friend is just lately easing into sushi, this was a perfect roll for him and rather good as a whole. He also ordered a risotto that came topped with pungent blue cheese - he rather enjoyed this, but it certainly wasn't for me. I was very disappointed in my second course which was "Pumpkin & Ricotta Angelotti" described as: "Pulled Short Rib, WIlted Pea Shoots, Shallot Confit". Basically supposed to be a pumpkin and ricotta ravioli which came looking and tasting rather like a mess. I was sure to ask the waiter if it was sweet or savory (I am not a fan of sweet food as a rule) before ordering, and to my dismay it was in fact rather sweet, and salty, and came in a brownish greenish oily sauce that did nothing for it. Also, it was less like ravioli and more like strange squooshey crescents. Ah well. I would love to go back for more of their tartar, perhaps soup, and more sushi. I think this place is a definite good go-to spot and probably a good date spot. But I also think it would help to really know what is solid here before taking that special someone ;) Also, yes it is a bit pricey for being a restaurant in Paramus and not NYC, but perhaps it makes up for it in atmosphere, cute touches (the little bites) and uniqueness.
(3)
Seraphine P.
Really nice vibe and decor. Good food. Sometimes its very crowded so you need to wait for a table but it's nice to have a bar/lounge area towards the front so you're not just waiting to be seated.
(4)
Crissy H.
Even though the food here is extremely good (highly recommend the calamari for a starter and seared scallops for dinner) and the atmosphere has a cool/chic feel to it, I am not sure if I would ever come back. When my friend and I came here for our Birthday dinner a couple of weeks ago, we were treated like second class citizens. I guess we didn't dress the part (we were coming from work, so it wasn't like we were wearing sweatpants or something) to be treated like the rest of the guests. The staff was snobby and treated us like we were not good enough to eat there. So if I had to base this on the food it would be four stars, the atmosphere would be five, the service one. With that being said, I guess three stars is fair.
(3)
Ryan W.
Stopped in here the other night - let me say I would probably give it another shot - here are the goods and bads of my night.. Good: - Awesome interior, very chic decor, just a really cool set up, great date spot! - Calamari and creamed spinach were both very good! - We ordered a 32 oz porterhouse for 2.. it was on special and it was amazing... I have a hunch that Chakra might employ an ex Peter Luger's chef because this steak not only looked identical to a Luger Porterhouse but also tasted the same, had the same buttery treatment, etc. (If you have never had a Luger's Porterhouse... its kind of a big deal, so this is a big time compliment ... Amazing steak!) Bad: - It is super dark in here! You literally can barely see where you are going, you get a little candle at your table but other than that... Bring a flashlight! - The steak was big (it was meant for 2) but the calamari portion was really small! - Steak was $76! Overall I would say kinda overpriced in general.. - Service was really, really slow.. - Ordered a Dirty Martini up - received a Martini (not dirty) on the rocks.... Bartender insisted that is how I ordered it... (this is my go to drink and for no reason would I ever order a martini on the rocks!) Even if I did (which I didnt) the customer is always right, right??? Worst of all: - I had called ahead prior to visiting to make a reservation... They took my first and last name and my cell and said that I was all set for 9:00pm. When I got there they had no record of my reservation or my call or anything... I get it.. things happen and get lost or whatever but what upset me was how I was treated after.. It went a little something like this.. Me: Well I made a reservation, soo? Hostess: Yeahhh... we dont have it.. Me: So you lost it? I gave my full name, my cell, everything! Hostess: Right yeah, we don't have anything so as a walk in you can just wait until a table is available over at the bar! Me: Well ok but I'm not just a walk in I had reservations.. Hostess: As I said, walk ins can wait at the bar... So not only did they not apologize for losing my reservation but also implied I never made one or I was lying about it and basically didn't address the fact that they f'ed up at all and treated me kind of like a nuisance! Really annoying! Despite that, the food was great, the atmosphere is really incredible and I would still go back!
I visited the restaurant with my wife on January 4, 2014. The atmosphere was nice. The food was fine, not great but not bad. The service, however, was poor. The restaurant was busy so the service could be better on a slower day. The draught beer lines were broken so only bottled beer. Some places would have offered a free drink to make up for that, but not here. After we placed our drink orders, my beer came out but my wife's drink did not until I asked again for it. When my glass was empty it was cleared and I was never asked if I wanted another. After our entrees were finished we received the check without being asked if we wanted dessert. The bill was about $135 before tip. For that money you should get proper service. I would look elsewhere before dining here.
(2)
Maria M.
I've been several times and have never been disappointed. Love the embience, super sexy, miami/bali vibe. Great martini and menu here is never boring. Wonderful presentation in each entree. I'm a fan!
(5)
Annette P.
Horrible management. They don't know how to treat customers or their staff. You can easily overhear the waiters begging to go home. Its like they are forced to put on a smile. As for the food, its a fresh menu compared to whats local but its way over priced. The only plus to this establishment is the decor. Its very trendy and could easily impress a date. When you call to make reservations - you can't request one of the cabanas. Its first come first serve or they save it for regulars.
(1)
jeff k.
It started with a vile Bellini, likely made with either cheap champagne or good champagne that had gone bad, that had to be sent back because it was undrinkable. The cut bread in the bread dish tasted like it had been cut six hours before. The "award winning" horseradish crab cakes had a wonderful taste but were served barely lukewarm. And, the infused fries were limp and tasted like they had been soaked in oil, without the slightest hint of infusion. On the bright side, the room is very trendy yet at the same time warm. A very nice place to have dinner. And, the French press coffee was excellent.
(2)
Dani S.
Been here a few times. The service is always great and the food was great too. I think they changed their menu. Great "date place," The room is dark and hung with candles and drapes. This used to be the place to be on a Saturday night, but now it is more quiet and "date" like.
(3)
Wade S.
Horrible customer service. We got bad service and were so disillusioned with our visit that we left most of our food on our plates. When we expressed our feelings we were quickly presented with a bill for our visit (charging us for everything). The manager expressed that she thought being apologetic for our experience was sufficient. After some back and forth she tried to offer us a gift card to go back. No thank you! Never again.
(1)
Tom S.
I've been here twice and the food has been underwhelming. Make no mistake, the ambiance is pretty cool, but it's not enough to make up for the food. It's far too dark inside. Prepare to use the tabletop candles as a reading light while ordering and be careful not to trip over anything at the bar. The calamari appetizer is prepared extremely well, although it goes downhill from there. The sushi is basic and not special at all. I could not detect any flavor in the horseradish-crusted crab cakes, and luckily the sauce at least had a hint of horseradish. The service was very slow and our server seemed to be uptight. When someone delivered a drink to our table while our server was reading the specials, he stopped and chastised him and sent him away in front of our entire table. Seemed a little unnecessary.
(2)
Krystina G.
Amazing food! Not for the pain of pallet though. I have gone two times and the first time the service was spectacular, service like it is written in books!!! i was amazed. The second time the service was definitely better than most but a little lacking. The one thing i always enjoy is that they do not rush you here ... the cotton candy is so much fun and the macaroons are great too!!
(5)
Adam A.
Absolutely gorgeous and unique decor that sweeps you right into the atmoshpere. The food is out of this world. My girlfriend and I shared the Calamari appetizer which was delicious although a wee bit on the small side for sharing. I am used to heaping mountains of calamari when I order it at other places. I then had the yellowfin tuna with PEI mussels and chorizo. The tuna was barely cooked, just how I like it, with perfect texture both inside and out. My girlfriend had the crabcakes which looked great with massive lumps of crab meat and cool presentation. For desert, I had the coconut tapioca with passionfruit sorbet. The tapioca was great aside from a lack of strong coconut flavor. The passionfruit sorbet was THE BEST sorbet I have ever tried. Passionfruit flavor is difficult to replicate, but the sorbet was spot on (I assume they made it from real passionfruit, and lots of it with few additives). My girlfriend had some chocolate desert which was also unbelievable. To top it off, the drinks were strong and delicious (although $12 a pop). Chakra is definitely not not for the everynight dining trip due to how expensive it is, but for a special occasion, it cannot be beat.
(5)
Jessica J.
Ok real quick n simple, i had came at 7pm for dinner and was seated right away, from the hostess to the server, they were excellent. As for the food, that also was fresh from the oysters to the steak. everything was tasty one of our steak was little over cooked which made it tough however eatable. A restaurant in which i will definitly go back to.
(4)
Joe D.
Been here a few times. This last time was definitely the best. I like the re-arrangement of the decor. The chef has definitely been upgraded from my previous visit about a year before. The food quality, preparation, and quantity was excellent. I will def go back to try some other interesting items on the menu. I had the fish special of the night which was a branzino and enjoyed it fully. Negatives: parking and a little pricey
(4)
Barbara W.
While there are many fine restaurants in Bergen County, most lack ambience. At Chakra, from the moment you step inside you are quite literally transported into an environmental experience that is both unique and stress busting. You immediately relax and start to smile. The food is fabulous, presentation is excellent, everything comes out hot and the wine selection is to die for. Service was nothing short of outstanding. This is a very sophisticated, upscale restaurant that is obviously so very terrific that it issucceeding in a time when everyone is cutting back and going to moderate places if out at all. However, this restaurant has overcome the times because it is so uniquely excellent. It's not inexpensive but well worth it for a special night out or when you truly want a fabulous dining experience. Frankly, I'd rather go here than deal with the noise and buffeting around you get at The River Palm nearby or the attitude at Morton's where you're treated poorly if not a regular. This was my first time at Chakra. Chakra also has wine and food pairing events which are very good values with multi course dinners around $50-60. Get on their email list for this or better yet, go there for an elegantly fabulous experience. Dress is business casual.
(5)
Ellie J.
Beautiful and chic lounge/restaurant. It's good for special occasion. Food in regular menu wasn't that impressive but daily special menu was great. We ordered steak from daily special menu, cooked perfectly and melted in the mouth. Mussels were good also but overpriced generally.
(3)
Jenn B.
One of our favorite places to eat. It is a little pricey, but the atmosphere and Chilean sea bass alone was well worth the money. Whenever we have gone there our waiters have been fantastic. It is our "go to" place for date night!
(5)
Heather R.
After several years of effort, I believe that Chakra has earned a place as a truly exquisite night out. The atmosphere is romantic and artistically atmospheric. The meals were original and so delicious and the wine list superb.the service is excellent. I highly recommend Chakra for a date night, a special occasion and for a well needed excellent meal.
(5)
Heather G.
Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere. Phenomenal wait staff. The drink selection is fun and makes you want to try them all (not in one sitting though). The serving as just right. Nothing is too big that you feel you can't move after. I really enjoy this restaurant!
(4)
Michelle L.
I'm quite surprised as well by some of the reviews on here as well...I have always had a great experience at Chakra and LOVE the food. Recently moved to NJ from NYC and it is one of my favorite restaurants here. The drinks at Chakra are super yummy -- I LOVE cocktails and these are tops. Ordered the Habanero Margarita and a Green Apple Martini and I have to admit, it was worth it....I'd come back just for the drinks! We ordered the tuna tartar with tapioca and It does not disappoint. High quality tuna, perfect amount of spice -- simply worth it. Ordered the calamari -- how can you mess up fried calamari? I liked how they have peppers in it, gave it a nice kick. For our entree we had a lobster special and lamb -- both were outstanding. (have had the sea bass, steak and salmon before and I would stand by any of their dishes -- so flavorful and fresh). The dessert we had was so delicious I have had dreams about it -- Peanut Dacquoise is the way to go. Not too sweet, loved the sea salt they put on to finish it -- yummy! Given that Chakra is located in the land of Chain Restaurants, it is so nice to have a place like Chakra -- the service was amazing, our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu, offered suggestions and didn't annoy us....it was our anniversary and they also gave us free prosecco and made our celebration special. I'd recommend Chakra any day -- it is quality food, drink and well worth it.
The service provided was unbelievably horrible. I will never dine at Chakra ever again. After waiting over 15 minutes from being seated without a dinner menu I had to get up from the table and find the hostess to mention that the waiter had not come to our table at all after a long wait. Once the waitress started serving us she had offered bread for the table then forgot to even bring it. Instead of being offered refills for our drinks we had to scout the waitress and repeatedly had to ask for refills. No wonder the service was so bad, 18% gratuity is included no matter how many people are in your party; and there were only two of us dining. Although the service was horrible, I must admit the food was delicious. I ordered the dragon roll (so delicious) as appetizer and TC steak for entree (best steak I ever had). The jasmine green tea was also very tasty. Although I loved the food, I would never would recommend it or go back again in my life because the service was that horrendous.
(1)
Mike G.
Good but not worth the hassle. Made a reservation earlier in the week for Saturday at 8.15. We arrived a few minutes early, and checked in, but didn't get seated till 9.10, after asking a few times whether the table was ready. They were seriously overbooked and under staffed. The food was good, as it should for the prices they are asking. Atmosphere is nice, presentation nice, but again for the prices they are asking, they need to drastically improve the service. Our waiter was both pleasant and helpful, but over whelmed.
(2)
Steve F.
You're in for quite a surprise when you enter the restaurant considering its busy location route 4 East bound Paramus. Tranquility and class and the food and service rivaled the environment. You needn't fear walking away hungry either.
(4)
bruce s.
I'd go 3 1/2 for Chakra...ambiance is 5 stars and food is easily 3. Very cozy, romantic vibe (with very Paramus or suburban appearing clientele). My crab cake entree was as good as waiter said it would be...delicious. Our tomato salad with vinaigrette reduction was also very good and very unique. My only complaint was the pour for booze and wine....not very generous...as if they were pouring liquid gold! All told, nice place very worth trying if you're up for a hi-end meal.
(3)
Leslie L.
I think what youre paying for here is 'the experience' of being in a sheek place. The inside is beautiful. There are lounge seats that are so adorable. Food was good but not as perfect as it should be for these prices... I think if I were to come back it would be to sit in the lounge area or bar.
(4)
Dee C.
Gorgeous Moroccan style decor. Fab wine list! Food was outstanding (including the bacon/bourbon cocktail for starters) I'd go back in a heartbeat!
(4)
Marisol A.
Food, service, and ambiance very ellegant and dim lighting makes for a great dinner date, especially with the booths and white canopy.
(5)
Nicole P.
The restaurant is beautiful, however my experience there was rather dreadful. Our service was so painfully slow. To start, every table received bread, but ours, even the table next to mine that came after us. I ordered the "TC" steak, medium-rare, which was rather chewy, a big disappointment. The steak was not work the money at all. The creamed truffle spinach that comes with the steak was good, thankfully. We decided to order dessert, and while he was taking our dessert order, I asked for the check, since service was so slow, and we had already been there for two hours for a single course. We waited, and waited for the dessert, received our check, to see no dessert on it. We put our check book up to indicate we were ready for our card to be swiped but still waited. It wasn't until another waiter, different from ours passing by noticed the pissed look on our faces, that he finally took it. Our waiter returned with the check book to sign, and we asked, what happened to the dessert, he apologized and said it was so busy, and if we still wanted, it would be out in 5 minutes... So you mean to tell me you never put it in... It wound up being 2.5 hours for a single course meal, that was half decent. I would not recommend, there are plenty of places in the area that have better quality food, and service.
(2)
Glen F.
The scenario: table of six (three couples) for dinner on a Saturday night. The experience: amateur service, mediocre food, and a misleading menu. First, I had a shorter wait for puberty than for my entree to come out. Seriously, our dinner took so long to arrive, that they cleared the utensils and condiments, and had to bring a second set when the food actually arrived. Second, one of my friends asked to have his water refilled, so the waitress came over, filled his glass and raced off...leaving three of us staring at ourselves--and our empty water glasses. Third, it took 20 minutes to work through the process of getting the check. I refer to it as a process, because there were milestones and timelines involved--it wasn't just a simple request, quickly fulfilled. One of us ordered the "TC steak". Based on the quality of the meat, "TC" stands for "Tough Chew". I ordered the "Pork Tenderloin". What I was served was pinkish and tasted like ham...unlike any pork tenderloin I've ever had. Finally, while I appreciate the exotic decor, I found myself eating as a lefty because the seating was so cramped. The conclusion: not going there again.
(2)
Chris J.
This place is ideal for a date, has a kinda wow factor that you get in places in the city without breaking the bank. It has a beautiful decor and very cool feel to it. I was here Friday and really enjoyed it. The crab cake app was good but the hanger steak I had was great. Food seemed to come out in a reasonable time and a manager was nice enough to check in and chat with us a bit. Overall it was a very pleasant experience.
(5)
Stephanie L.
Perfect location for our 20th anniversary. Loved the decor, food was delicious and we were well taken care of. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Emily K.
This is the perfect place to sit and drink a PHENOMENAL cocktail (order the nutty pear) in a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere. I would not come back here for the food. Way too expensive for an average meal.
(3)
Colleen P.
great Food, Romantic atmosphere only complaint-service was slow and the wait had that phony tone... you know what I mean? Would return but hopefully a different waiter next time...
(4)
Conrad B.
My wife and I have been here 3 times, the last time July 5th. I wanted to give Chakra 5 stars because they gave my wife warmed milk for her coffee (which she loves and does at home) at the end of the meal. That is something I've NEVER seen in all my years of dining out. BUT... the cibatta (sp?) bread was a bit stale, although the 2 rolls that came along with the bread seemed to be fresh! (Go figure.) We both ordered the TC steaks (which are $6 extra if you have a groupon) which was very good, but was served more medium than the medium rare we had ordered. Because it was so good, we didn't say anything about that. The steak came with a roasted garlic and creamed spinach... perfect! We also had some quinoa which was served with ramps (a leek like vegetable that I had never heard of and can not seem to find anywhere). Excellent! SO yummy and I love making quinoa at home. The dessert was rhubarb chiboust (compressed rhubarb, strawberries) with pie crust ice cream. Again... excellent! The French Press coffee was very good if somewhat expensive, although you do get 2 full cups out of it. The decor is pretty interesting. The wife likes it alot, but I'm a "guy"... so it's just ok. Nice. Overall, Chakra's is very good... I look forward to coming back again.
(4)
M M.
Chakra. If You Are IN rush, Small Portion and pay a lot Chakra is your restaurant. Tonight it took us one hour to get there done eating and paying about the same including appetizers.
(1)
Andrew B.
A pleasant surprise, the decor is really exceptionally warm and beautiful, and everything we had was terrific. Dessert was especially good, as was the foie gras pizza. I'd driven by its odd pink exterior many times, and held the fact that it was on Housewives of Nu Joisey against it, but I was mistaken, as it was all around a great choice.
(4)
Stephy G.
Let me start off by saying, I'm giving it a 3 star rating because of the seating. The restaurant itself is decorated gorgeously however the seating could use a little work. My boyfriend and I were seated in between two other customers, because of how close we were to the other guests, a drunken girl did spill her drink on me. She apologized but whatever. We had the Cesar salad as an app, it came reeking of anchovies. And so we just pushed that aside, but let me tell you about our Entrees they were delicious we both had the steak with the au povire sauce, it was absolutely mouth watering.
(3)
J Z.
I recently had dinner with 6 girlfriends for a long-awaited mom's night out. We were all impressed by the decor and our table which was under a tent and our benches which felt like comfy couches. The drinks were good and the menu looked great. We decided to order a bunch of sushi, appetizers, and some entrees to share. The food was good but nothing stood out as memorable. The reason I am giving it one star was because of the TERRIBLE attitude of the waiter. He really ruined the night for us. He was rude constantly. We had to flag him down to order more drinks and more food. We were always friendly and polite to him. He never checked in with us. He kept trying to take the dishes off the table before we were finished. After we'd been there a while we could hear him complaining about our table in the kitchen saying we'd been there 2 hours. The restaurant was not busy so there was no one waiting for our table. He must have heard us talking about what we heard him saying in the kitchen because soon a new waiter came over and said he was going to take over. We asked if the other waiter was leaving for the night and he said no the place doesn't close for 2 more hours. The new waiter wasn't much better. We did have one waitress fill a cocktail order for us who was very pleasant. At one point I thought that maybe the waiter was annoyed that we all didn't order entrees and he was thinking his tip wouldn't be enough. Well when we received the bill we were shocked. It was nearly $700 for 7 people and the gratuity was automatically included at 18%. With his service we would have never given him 18%. With good service he would have received a higher tip from us. I would have much rather have spent that money at great place in Manhattan than a place with OK food and terrible service in NJ. The seven of us will never go back and we've told our friends about our bad experience.
(1)
B L.
Like the place a lot just very pricey. And there salads are small and barely any good flavor. But a nice place to hang out a bit
Awful service! I was there with friends in the lounge area after about 20 minutes we inquired where the person was for the lounge area, after 30 minutes my friend got up and placed our order and brought back our drinks. We only had our food brought to us. Probably should have given the tip to my friend instead.
(1)
michele c.
Went on a Thursday night and loved it! The last time I was there was at least three years ago, the place has always been beautiful and very city chic but never met the standards with good food. Things have changed and the food is very good, service is excellent and the vibe is still fabulous! I definitely recommend it for a night out with friends, or a romantic night out - either or. Can't miss. Oh, and the music is not blaring anymore - thanks Chakra!
(5)
Won C.
For years I had been meaning to come eat here. Well, what d'ya know? This past month I got to eat here 3 times! Each time being different from the last time. The first time we went was with a large group for my pregnant wife's birthday (I won't tell you how old she is). The second time, we went with another couple for a groupon deal. And the last time, I went with a buddy of mine for a bourbon tasting they had a couple weeks back. First tip - if you plan on going with a large group during a peak time, be sure you get the number of guests SET IN STONE. If you show up with even one person more or less, they WILL BUMP YOU! We had to wait an additional hour and a half for a table, despite having a reservation and FOUR pregnant ladies in our group. We only had one additional guest. Luckily their lounge area has alot of comfortable seating. I think they know that this is an ongoing problem for them. Second tip - Get the following items that will probably always be on their menu when you come here for the first time. Arancini Rice Balls for Appetizer. Black Linguini for Entree. Peanut Dacquoise or Strawberry Cardamom Sorbet for dessert. Get these dishes and you will want to come back. Get the TC Steak another time, it is good but not really for steak connoisseurs like me. Third tip - Their cocktails are REALLY good. If you are early for your reservation, stop by the bar and ask the bartender what's good. Lastly, I had the best thing ate this ENTIRE year at this restaurant when I came for the Hudson Bourbon whiskey tasting. It was the third course pork dish. It was a sous-vide pork tenderloin served over a small cake of creamy grits. On top was a thick cut piece of bacon and drizzled with a savory smoky maple-y molasses BBQ sauce with little piece of pickled celery. So many layers of flavors. I didn't see this on their normal menu, so I hope they bring it in. I will add a picture later. To the owner - PLEASE KEEP THIS DISH ON THE MENU!!!! If not for the reservation issues they seem to have on busy nights. I would give this place a FIVE just on the level of food quality alone. I often give fives if there is at least one dish here that I dream about. And Chakra has that for me.
(4)
K T.
Food was good but not particularly inventive or impressive for the cost. Our server for a private party was forgetful and seemed generally inconvenienced having to speak with us. Despite a pre-set menu with an agreed upon 22% gratuity included, no manager stopped by to check on us and the aforementioned server clearly knew he didn't have to work that hard. Surprising that they wouldn't want to leave a good impression with the only table of people under 50 in the entire place.
(3)
K. W.
My husband and I tried this place using a Groupon. Our server John was excellent and no issues with the Groupon. We shared the crab cake appetizer and it was delicious. We both ordered the hanger steak special and that too was delicious. For dessert my husband had some type of berry chocolate cake and it was yummy. I tried the homemade ice cream and sorbet all good. They also serve their coffee in a french press, love that. Nice atmosphere, great service and very good food.
(4)
Monika D.
Terrible service. Strong drinks. Amazing food. Great ambiance. Uncomfortable seating. More people were milling around looking like they're working than there were actual patrons in the restaurant. Almost like each person had 3 staff members to attend to you! That said, one of them completely ignored my friend when she tried to inquire where the rest of our group was located (since we arrived after they did). Rude. My whiskey and ginger came in a very tall glass with a very heavy pour of whiskey. No complaints. Hey, felt like I got two drinks for the price of one! And it probably cost as much as two drinks anyway! Haha I heard great reviews about the chef here, Thomas Ciszak, so definitely wanted to sample the menu. We were seated in the dining room but it all felt too stuffy for us so we asked if we could move to the lounge. In the lounge you could only order from a limited bar menu. We were starving and still had very strong drinks to finish so decided to get a few things off the bar menu while we contemplated where we would go eat a full meal afterwards. Settled on the hand-cut fries with three dipping sauces (ketchup, spicy mayo, aioli), calamari with crispy cherry peppers, and the mushroom quesadillas. Fairly straightforward nibbles yet there was something about all the dishes that elevated them and for that our taste buds were happy. Great layout inside, very open and dark. Perfect spot for a romantic anniversary dinner. Unfortunately, the lounge is very small and intimate and the five of us girls were pretty excited after the strong drinks and delicious snacks and I know the wait staff just wanted to pull a librarian on us and shush us. Oh well. Note about the little poofs/stools in the lounge: only sit if on them if you like sitting on soup cans. Yes, that uncomfortable. Put one soup can under your ass and that is exactly what sitting on those things felt like. Quite a few x-rated laughs were had over those stools.
(4)
Yohini S.
We went in for dinner with a big group and they did a good job with the service. I really liked the decor and friendliness of service staff. We shared a few appetizers including crab cake, lobster cake and Sushi. For entree, I had the simply grilled salmon and it was cooked well. I had no complaints and they serviced a fairly large group (20 people) very well. I got their cappuccino which was done well, so I was a happy camper! The price was more on the expensive end but the atmosphere is worth it. Decor is very romantic and it would be great place to bring a date for sure.
(4)
Yvelisse L.
We ( four of us) showed up without any reservations in place, but they were very accommodating. The staff was very friendly and informative. We ordered a huge sushi platter as an appetizer, which was delicious. The main course consisted of 3 cinnamon Chilean sea bass' and 1 crab cake. The Chilean sea bass was amazing. I must admit, I was not too sure of how it would taste with cinnamon, but I was very pleased. I had a piece if crab cake and that was delicious as well. We tried our best to fit dessert in. We ordered the Peanut Dacquoise. Amazing as well. We left stuffed and satisfied. I am definitely looking forward to going back.
(5)
Sara L.
You look at it from the outside it dosnt look like much. On the highway next to some businesses and Honda. Wait until you go inside because it is beautiful and very ambitious. The food is not ambitious at all . The TC stake is great and taste is wonderful. Ill definitely come back again maybe for some drinks first and then dinner.
(5)
Wendy P.
Very beautiful atmosphere. A few different kinds of food to choose from. Everything al carte. A lil pricey. Wait staff prompt and nice. Sangria not the best. Unsure if there was even wine in it. And very pricey. Go for a special occasion and watch what u order adds up fast. Wasn't overly impressed but ok if a little cheaper prices. Sorry I so wanted to love this place. :(
(3)
Brittany S.
My boyfriend and I came to chakra all of the way from Brick, Nj last night based upon amazing word of mouth. We were pleasantly greeted as we walked through the door and our server was Vinnie. He was absolutely wonderful and a pleasure to have. He made sure that we were taken care of the entire time, answered every question I had and gave me the best recommendations since I'm so indecisive when it comes to ordering food especially while pregnant. The food was the best quality I have ever had. We had such an amazing experience and we will definitely be back. Ask for Vinnie to receive incredible service. :) This restaurant deserves more the 5 stars. Thank you for a great time!
(5)
Russ S.
Food only review would be 5 stars. You pay top dollar for food here and expect exceptional service, but you don't get it. My party of 6 was left alone multiple times throughout the evening. Our server came up and apologized for not checking on us once during our main course because she was "too swamped". Our server disappeared again before we could order dessert and a second waitress had to come over to take our order. I was given a spoon for my appetizer that was dirty, it still had what I hope was chocolate on it from the last time it was used. Little things like that bring down the experience. The food saves this place, but you have to suffer through the service.
(3)
Dania D.
I have to say I'm surprised that Chakra only has a 3 star rating here on Yelp. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves during our first visit there for our anniversary dinner. Yes, the place is a bit dark but not nearly as dark as some reviewers have stated. We were able to get to our table withOUT bumping into furniture and were able to CLEARLY read our menus without the aid of the candles on the table or our phones. I have to say that the ambiance is awesome. The decor is beautiful. You completely forget that you are right along Route 4 in Paramus. It's very romantic yet trendy and fun. Definitely a very impressive first date spot (take note, single guys!). We were surprised to find this place practically full on a Wednesday evening. Good thing we had reservations. The service was great. The hostess immediately greeted us and escorted us to our table even though we were slightly early. Our waitress then greeted us and provided us with our menus. She then gave us time to go over both the drink and food menus. I was a bit disappointed with the bread that was served at the table. Although warm, it didn't taste very fresh. We ordered wine and the Charcuterie Platter which consisted of a nice variety of cured Italian meats. I really enjoyed the salami gentile, pancetta, and cornichons. I really didn't care for the duck prosciutto. Our entrees, however, more than made up for the stale bread and funky duck prosciutto. My chili-cinnamon Chilean sea bass was TDF (To Die For!!!). Not spicy at all but sooooo light, buttery, and full of flavor thanks to the cinnamony glaze. I would go back to Chakra just for that. My husband's surf-n-turf was also very tasty and cooked exactly as he requested. Dessert was a warm and creamy chocolate brioche pudding served with raspberries and vanilla ice cream. Very yummy. We were then offered champagne on the house to celebrate our anniversary. A very nice touch to an overall wonderful dinner. Pricey but definitely worth it.
(4)
Robert R.
Excellent food, ambiance and service. Their cocktail list includes some creative and delicious concoctions so if you're going for dinner, get there early and spend some time at the bar. Also leave room for dessert. The French macaroon tree is a nice way to end the meal.
(5)
Jeffrey B.
Undercooked and under priced. Ok service gratuity was ridiculous!!!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY. For that price your better off going go Ruth Chris.
(1)
Alf B.
This is a gem of a restaurant that I had dinner at recently and I'm glad that I went. The pleasant surroundings, light music, and a diverse, adventurous menu that encourages one to take a culinary exploration. The dimly lit restaurant is also a relaxing, not overly noisy place for a romantic dinner.
(3)
Foodie S.
A good place if you want to dress up and go to a fancy place for a couple of drinks. I wouldn't come here for the food; the food is over priced and pretty much the status quo.
(3)
Liza A.
Pretty snobby with terrible. service. If they know you have a Groupon forget it - they'll treat you like dirt. Pricey menu - some good some okay.
(1)
Niki C.
Had a fab time in the lounge Thursday evening with my girlfriends! It's been a while since I had dinner here but I have always had great food and service, plus the decor is unlike anything around so I adore this place. Food and drinks in the lounge were so great that we ordered 2-3 rounds of everything: - beef dumplings (loved!!) - horse radish encrusted crab cake ( it's obvious why this is an award winner: flavorful, not greasy, and loaded with huge chunks of fresh crab meat instead of loaded down with filler) -chicken nuggets (not what you think- the sauce is yummy!!) - French fries with a trio of sauces- love the garlic mayo - calamari ( again, a fresh marinara AND an aioli to die for!) Drinks were made well and reasonably priced, too! My fav cocktail was the "Gingeraid" with fresh bits of ginger! The waitress was friendly & attentive + the bartender was cool! Don't listen to the naysayers... Chakra is a solid 4 in my book and I only wish I lived closer.
(4)
Jon K.
On 11/6/2008 I gave Chakra a mere 1 star. Wow have things changed. The arrival in August 2010 of Chef Thomas Ciszak as Executive Chef/Partner has made a huge difference. I had read about some of the changes that were made and was looking for a reason to return to the scene of the crime. Wife made a last minute reservation via Opentable and we went to an early dinner on Saturday (two days before Valentines Day). We didn't realize there was a prix-fixe menu for Valentines Day and probably would not have gone had we known. For $82, plus an included 18% tip, there were 3 savory courses and 1 dessert. There were 6 to 8 choices under each of the savory course selections and 2 choices for dessert. First course: She had the Shrimp Roll: avocado, dill, caviar sour cream. She said that the caviar sour cream added a new and incredibly decadent twist to a usually healthful roll. I had Oysters on the half shell: green apple granite, micro cilantro. 4 of them. Excellent! Second course: She had the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras: licorice glaze, quince, apples, brioche. This was a very generous sized portion of foie gras which she seemed to enjoy very much. I went with the grilled Portugese Octopus with white bean puree, and arugula pesto. This was one of the best octopus renditions which I have eaten in a very long time. Our waiter informed me it is a regular menu item. Yay! Third course: She had the Sage-Crusted Atlantic Salmon with parsnip puree, and spaghetti squash "carbonara". The salmon had a nice crunch on the outside with the inside remaining moist and flavorful. I went with the TC Steak: 40 day-aged colorado sirloin steak, truffled creamed spinach, and TC steak sauce. A very nice steak, big splurge for me at the time, with an outstanding version of creamed spinach. I liked the TC steak sauce which tasted like a vinegary shrimp cocktail. It also came with a head of roasted garlic which I thought was kind of funny since it was a Valentines Day celebration. Dessert: She had the Chocolate Devil's Food Cake: chocolate mousse, and cognac anglaise. Not quite as decadent as it sounds. I had the White Chocolate-Strawberry Angel Food Cake with white chocolate sauce. Mutual agreement that it was the better of the two. Service was very good. The interior hasn't changed very much and is still one of the better looking restaurants in the area. They got rid of the valet parking. I look forward to returning on a "regular" night.
This place seriously thinks they are the best restaurant in North Jersey they have great ambiance and the food is ok a little over priced but ok. The problem is the management (manager) in particular. As long as he still works there I will not be a patron at this establishment.
(2)
Jenny K. L.
Absolutely love the romantic ambience particularly the side couch areas. A reservation ahead of time is a must. The pear martini is delish, their crusty olive bread as well. The foi gras on french toast was perfection and an absolute must!! I appreciated their professional service, especially when our steak was overcooked and they brought out an amuse bouche in the meantime. Meantime don't get the steak here, lacked flavor; go to a real steak place for that. The Chilean sea bass was flavorful.
(4)
Laurie R.
We went for drinks at the bar first it was very comfortable. There are nice big couches to really relax. The service was great at the bar. We then went to our reserved booth. The boothes have a shear drape or curtain. For more privacy. You dont feel like you're on top of the next table. A Very nice addition. 2 of us ate the veal schnitzel. We loved it. My husband had the skirt steak with chimichurri, lots of flavor. My girlfriend had the 10 oz filet mignon with fries. We all decided we will definitely go back.
(5)
Alessandra G.
I came here in June 2012 with my sister! We had a groupon, which specified certain appetizers, entrees and desserts that can be purchased! So I'll admit: It looked super nice! The waitresses wore somewhat revealing black shirts, and all waiters wore black as well! The impression it created was 'upscale'! It was dimly lit, and had a loung-y feel to it. Now to the actual dinner! I believe I mentioned to our waiter, Fausto, that we have a groupon at the beginning of the dinner! Big mistake!!! And because I considered it a 'big mistake' I'm giving this place one star! Fausto was somewhat of a snobby jerk! I didn't like him at all! My sister and I felt like he was treating us differently because we had a Groupon! He made our experience a lot worse because of his attitude! You know why I am harsh? Because I still remember his name 2 YEARS later, and I wouldn't return to that restaurant unless I absolutely have to! Food was pretty good! To be honest I can't tell you I remember much about what we ordered, but I remembered we enjoyed it! What stood out also was their French press coffee and some chocolatey dessert with seasalt! It was exquisite! So, food: let's say 4 stars (still super pricey) Attitude: 0/5... I don't care for this place! I feel like they didn't care about their customers (us), and that their main concern is to charge you enormous amounts of money just for allowing them (Chakra) to grace your life! No thanks!
(1)
Jax E.
I just don't see the hype that everyone gives this place. The food is mediocre and the prices are very high. I'm not saying this place is bad but for the price, I would rather go else where. The inside is very dark, and it's supposed to be a romantic place but I just didn't feel that welcomed at this place. Would not try again.
(2)
Ken S.
Went to celebrate my birthday 2 years ago and again this year (July 18). We like the decor and the ambiance of the entire dining room. That staff was and is VERY nice, attentive and friendly. The servers were knowledgable about the menu and great a giving recommendations. The staff didn't rush you when you were eating or force you to leave when you are done. The bartender was also In the know about beer and scotch. It was a pleasure to sit at the bar and have a before dinner drink. The cost is a bit high but for special occasions it is well worth it. Go have fun and ENJOY!!! :)
(4)
Julia C.
I've been to Chakra on various occasions and I have always enjoyed my evening. The wait staff has always been very helpful and friendly. They have a wide range of appetizers that will appeal to anyone in your party. We tried the Parma Ham sushi and it was a nice little twist. For drinks, I tried the One Hot Cucumber Martini but I found it a bit light and wanting of alcohol. I ordered the Crispy Trout which was very tender. I think I could do without the sauce/puree that was under the trout, but overall I enjoyed it. My favorite was the beignets....very delicious! That is a must try if you go.
(3)
Hugo S.
Went there for a "romantic night out " the place looks good, very NY looking , but very noisy was not even that full but it was very noisy... Nice employees good food for people that like small portions.. A little pricey but not crazy.. Good wine selection. Will come back for a 2chance but I was definitely not impress the first time.
(3)
Nin A.
The food was nothing spectacular but I definitely dig the ambiance at Chakra. It's classy and romantic. Perfect for a romantic date!
(3)
Derek B.
This was my second time having dinner at Chakra, and I loved it both times. This time we asked for a booth, which is very romantic, and they were able to accommodate us. The martinis are excellent. We had oysters to start. Then we had the hanger steak, which was great, and the pork tenderloin, which was moist and delicious. We finished with the macaron tree with cotton candy and two coffees, which came in individual mini french presses. It was a great night.
(5)
Badra J.
Beautiful restaurant gorgeous lighting. My sister and I frequented this place on a Thursday and we were seated promptly. I had the steak which was cooked perfectly and tuna tartare which melted in my mouth. Very attentive waiter which made our meal better . Would come back again
(4)
Melanie H.
Returned last night with my other half - really nice time. Again, such a fan of the loungey feel- thank God no DJ in sight. Waiter was gracious when we asked details about the Manhattans we ordered that were NOT on the menu - we figured a place as nice as this has a bartender that knows how to make a Manhattan and we were right. it wasnt freezing cold like last time!! i was totally comfortable in my teeny cocktail dress!! gorgeous, gorgeous place. thank you Chakra- you're back on our date night list!
(4)
Al R.
Food is excellent and full of flavor. The pork dish was excellent. The Macaroon tree dessert was fun and tasty. Will be back!
Three stars for the ambiance...I have been to 5 star restaurants in NYC...so I feel I have a leg to stand on when I write this review.... You are paying for The ambiance ...Second the food and lastly the service ... The service sucks.... When you buy a bottle of wine from a restaurant when does the waiter present the bottle only to take it away to open it.... Uhmmm... Am I missing something.... The cheapest bottle is 70.00 ... Babbo... has cheaper bottles .. .. This review is based on my 3rd visit.. Each and every time the service sucked .. Especially the manager Bill .. Get rid of him... He does nothing to make your experience more pleasent..he actually is defensive... He acts like your table is no big deal there is another one right behind you.. Which is true... I know writing this review will not make or break this restaurant.. I want to inform the public with prices like this .. They should be all over you with service.. I shouldn't have to ask the bus boy to clear the tables.. And ask for more water... And have the main course come out with the appetizers ..it should be a well polished restaurant and it just isn't....go to NYC .. You get the best of everything for the money you r dishing out
(3)
Natalya N.
The atmosphere is very nice, but that is about it! It is unfortunate because this place has good potential but the obnoxious service and the poor food quality destroys the restaurant. First, the menu is all over the place and does not have focus on any one cuisine this is why the quality of the food is so terrible. They have sushi, middle eastern, Italian and French dishes so there is no concentration on any one dish. Also the chef keeps on changing. Steak was overdone and sushi very mediocre. The service was ridiculous. We had one sarcastic and inexperienced waiter after the other. The waiters get a set tip of 18% which gives them no incentive to work harder. Anyway, too bad for Bergan county...
(2)
Maria S.
If you're on a diet this place is for you! Small portions leave you starving. The food tastes good but unfortunately the portions make you feel like the place is owned by Jenny Craig or something. It's also really expensive and overpriced for what they give you. Now it's not all bad though... This place seems to be more about presentation and ambiance and has a really cool atmosphere. I love the lighting of the place. Definitely a cool spot maybe to just get drinks or something. Their desserts are kinda cool. If you get the macaroons, they serve it in a cool tree stand thing with cotton candy at the top. That was actually pretty impressive. So if you got money to burn and a small appetite this is your place!
(3)
Chet P.
Out with friends having great time. Food and drinks are perfect. Service nice and nice to see owner walking around and seeing how you are doing.
(5)
Stephen D.
My fiancee and I came her for a simple dinner compliments (partially) of Groupon. The menu is unique, the variety is vast, I think anyone could order something that they are into here, which is good. I ordered a glass of house Shiraz, very tasty; & a Pink Watermelon Crush for the lady; any drink with fruit and basil is good to me. We started off with the house cured Charcuterie Platter, it featured, duck, mangalitsa pork, bresaola, and other items, it was all so rich and tasty and just enough to start out with. You could see the meats hanging in the wine fridge on the way to the washrooms. For our entrees the lady ordered Fettucini Carbonara, very rich, a little over the top on the nutmeg it seemed, but never the less pretty tasty; I ordered the Crab Cakes, the crab cakes were all meat, no fillers; i complain about the overload of tartar, the crab cakes were placed on a bed of tartar sauce which overpowered everything. The tart of the tartar sauce, mixed with mustard seed, and a tarty dressing on the garnish were a little over powering, I would have liked to see something that complimented the flavors (maybe something sweet (fruit salsa) or more neutral (potato, pasta)). The service was great, our server was honest and he told us what he thought was worth it and what was not. The bread is awesome! such a simple pleasure. The prices are a little steep, but you can tell there is thought put into the dishes, $38 for a 16oz aged steak or $22 for Fettucini is decent but $30 for crab cakes seems excessive. I think we would come back to sit at the bar and try small plates and drinks.
(4)
Kabong X.
The mighty have fallen. We have been to this place many times over the years and was our favorite restaurant. I'm not sure if it has changed owners plus this place has fell off a cliff. We never cared about the overpriced menu because we always felt it was worth it till now. The food is better than average but like another review said the portions have become very small. We used to leave feeling full and carrying a doggie bag. My wife is a light eater and ate everything on her plate. We felt we got our pocket picked. Also this place needs a little sprucing up. Bathrooms are a little run down. We got there a 6:30 pm on Saturday night and it was raining and they didn't have a valet. If your looking for a overpriced menu with painfully small portions this place is for you. Sorry Chakra it's been real. Adios!
(1)
Christos Y.
Great atmosphere but the portions are way too small for NJ. The tuna tartare appetizer literally had eight tiny squares in a giant plate. The sea bass they are famous for is probably 6 ounces and it tastes so good magically by the heavy use of butter. The waiter we had this past Saturday got our entree's wrong, never asked to refill the wine and never brought us cream for coffee. He was a young kid who laughed at it in a white table cloth expensive restaurant,doesn't make sense.
(3)
Pam G.
Party of 7 to celebrate a birthday last night I said it then and I say it now with 3 stars it's a shame the food is excellent the service however for a $$$ restaurant leaves a lot to be desired. We waited a good 15 minutes for our server to acknowledge us now everyone has a bad night but.... We finally flagged down a manager to tAke drink orders who commented well you have menus so your server must have been here and proceeded to take our drink order we had some of the Creations or mixed drinks and all were very good our server then took the appetizer order all was well and they came out right away however again in a $$$ restaurant shouldn't the servers know who gets what ?? Instead of interrupting the tables conversation to ask. We had orders of the crab cake really one of the best I have had and a good portion, the octopus salad also excellent the tuna tar tar very good we saw the French fries go by and ordered those as well can I just say OMG you can't miss with those!! We ordered our main courses which were also excellent the pork and sea bass as well as a main course salad and the chicken and also the $42 steak which was ordered black and blue or Pittsburg style well our server did not know what that meant and I feel if you are offering a $42 steak on the menu and you want it charred on the out side and rare inside the server should make sure they understand since ours was served mid well!! It was eaten but not as good as it could have been. Ok my next pet peeve water glasses shouldn't they be kept filled in a $$$ restaurant? Yeah I think so! Kept having to ask then ordered a club soda and when it came it was tonic ICK!! Sent it back and good thing at $6 a soda! Dinner went well we them ordered some coffees teas and dessert when the desserts came out and were gone b4 the coffees and teas is when we had just had it and hence this 3 star review so in conclusion excellent food but very green staff! Sorry but it's true I would not go back any time soon
(3)
Kerry M.
Food was very good, service pretty good, a couple of glitches, not worth mentioning, but at those prices, nothing should go unchecked.
(3)
Denise C.
Decided to stay local and ended up here. Not my first time here but it's the first time the hostess was RUDE as hell. I was pleased with my service and the recommendation that the pleasant waiter gave me was great. Had I not been with 5 others, I would have left and gone somewhere else. The Host is the 1st person you see and speak to when entering and should be pleasant, with a smile and happy to greet people as they walk in. Instead, she was rude, unapproachable vibe and rolled her eyes. She even got upset when I ask how long we had to wait for a table. She looked at me as if I had no right to ask that question and even tried to argue with me. I will definitely make an effort to inform management about this.
(1)
Michael L.
Love the look, love the service, very friendly and they treat you great. Prices were comparable to what you would expect to pay in a NYC restaurant with this ambience. My only problem was the drinks and wine were not top shelf. If your gonna charge that kind of money, you have to go all the way.
(4)
Frank C.
Consistently very good. Try the chicken confit, outstanding. The service was perfect. The only small issue was the slightly warm French press. It was replaced quickly with a hot carafe.
(5)
Lou S.
Great food , great ambience, I love this place. Coolest place around
(4)
Dennie C.
I had dinner here recently with my wife who got a groupon to Chakra. We enjoyed our dinner overall and the groupon was a good value for our meal but in all honesty we probably would not eat there otherwise as the value of the meal versus their prices don't add up. As for the restaurant it is gorgeous inside and is very rich and romantic and it is the kind of place you'd probably choose if you wanted to propose to someone. The service was pretty decent and the servers attentive but they weren't rushing us or hovering at any point. The food was good, not great, not bad, but just good and really didn't make an impression upon us. As I said before because it was a Groupon deal it was a good meal for what we paid but looking at their prices I would not have been happy paying regular prices for the meal we had. You might not feel the same but I'd rather eat a great meal in a hole in the wall than eat a so-so meal in a beautiful place.
(3)
A L.
We were excited to have our Girls (in all honesty it was a Mommy's) Night Out here and were impressed as soon as we entered. But it was all downhill from there. Our waiter, John, was extremely rude and curt from the beginning of the night. He kept trying to clear our table even though we still had food on our plates. The worst part - we even overheard him talk about our table to the other staff saying that we had been there for 2 hours already!! Our bill was $700!! for the 7 of us for only appetizers and drinks. We felt rushed the entire evening. Our rare girls night out was ruined. We will NOT be returning. This place is NOT worth the price.
(1)
Jen K.
The reviews for this place are terrible and I don't understand why. Showed up early for my reservation, was seated quickly. A girl came over and asked our preference in water, delivered the water and drinks in a reasonable amount of time. The server, who's name I don't remember (he had a pony tail) was awesome at explaining the menu and specials. He checked in regularly. He even did the two bite rule! I served in a restaurant before and to ensure the guest is enjoying their meal and it came out correctly, you check in after two bites. Everything came out just fine, but the portions I found were rather small for the amount of money they're charging. But hey that's ok. Everything was delicious, wait staff was friendly and the manager checked in a few times as well. It's not so bad of a place, go in and just relax and enjoy
(4)
scott h.
Love everything about Chakra! The ambiance is so unique. The staff is friendly... The menu is always creative and intriguing - try the foie gras pizza -omg loved it! The sushi, wow - sea bass roll-amazing! The bar carries one of the best collections of scotch and whiskey's ( and the bartenders know how to serve them!)
(5)
Dennis B.
This place does have ambiance.......a romantic feeling from when you walk it....I certainly didn't expect it to look like this. .....the service was good as well as the food.....the his was a very enjoyable evening....
(4)
Jared K.
This is the best meal I have had in a year. The only bad thing about this place is the name (doesn't give you a sense of what you are walking into and people think it's a nightclub). Romantic environment and the booths are so comfortable with all those cushions. Great wine list and creative meal choices. I couldn't believe they put the brown butter sage sweet potatoes ON TOP of my Lobster, but then after the first bite I understood. Amazing, Wonderful food.
(5)
Anita I.
date spot!
(5)
Mike M.
The atmosphere was great, but the service was a bit slow especially since there were very few people there. The cocktails are interesting but seemed very weak especially considering the NYC prices they charge for them. It was also very cold, there was cold air blowing inside on a cold Winter night. It would have been nice to be warm in a romantic setting like Chakra, but we decided to leave rather then wear our coats. On the positive side the waitress was very nice and the appetizer we ordered was delicious. We may try again in the Summer and stick to martinis.
(3)
Erick R.
Worst service ever. Told us a 45min wait for a table after waiting an hour and half we spoke to the host again and they told us it will be another 45 minutes to be seated. When we ordered drinks in the lounge it took another 30min for the drinks to come out, once they came out the drinks were all wrong. The food was nothing special at all. Definitely not worth the wait. Look else where to eat, there are much better options around the area
(1)
Madame W.
My husband & I arrived was greeted at the door and immediately seated. This is based on holiday with no reservations. The service was excellent Jessie was I waiter he recommended the crab cakes which was great. The filet mignon was superb. The atmosphere was grown and sexy. My husband I will be returning.
(5)
Justyna W.
Always have best time here Food is out of this world Drinks are amazing and staff is outstanding Always someone is looking to make your night one of its kind Regular in here for sure
(5)
sean M.
Love the setting and look forward to celebrating 10 years of extraordinary food and drinks. Easy parking and gracious hosts.
(5)
Eve L.
Eh...wanted to give this place a 2.5. Mainly b/c it makes zero sense. Why would a place named "Chakra" w/ Indian themed decor serve "New American" cuisine? I don't want to eat fried calamari in that sort of setting...maybe some calamari slathered in a curry paste w/ a side of biryani and saag paneer, but that is not what Chakra's serving up. I was invited to Chakra for a business dinner and was really looking forward to some Indian food or at least some sort of "eastern fusion" cuisine. Instead, I had so-so "American" food served by stressed out waitstaff. It was hard to pin our waiter down for drink refills, etc. and he and his colleagues seemed overworked. Overall, food was okay but forgettable. The one exception was the dessert which was really pretty bad. I ordered the "upside down Hawaiian" which promised to be awesome w/ it's description of "green tea cake, pineapple panna cotta, coconut meringue, and a cilantro drizzle". Not good at all. The panna cotta was really more of a flavorless jello and the green tea cake didn't taste like green tea and was generally too dense and a bit stale. The meringue was overly sugary w/ a goopy, syrupy texture (not light and fluffy as meringue should be). The cilantro was not integrated well and tasted really random and disjointed in the dish, as a result. The whole mess was served atop some sort of mango (?) sorbet/gelato hybrid that tasted way tart (like sucking on a lemon). If you're going to Chakra don't order that dessert! My companion had the chocolate bread pudding and said it tasted sickly sweet as well.
(3)
Christine P.
Ambiance is beautiful. Service was spotty with attention. The food was all very good but felt it was overpriced for the amount. I ordered a sushi roll ($16 I believe?) and it was a pretty small. Overall nice for ambiance but overpriced on the food.
(3)
Karen G.
Daniel was our server and was AMAZING! He is super knowledgeable about the the food and drinks. He is also friendly and cordial and would recommend him as a server to anyone who goes here! Evelyn, the Manager, is equally as amazing and friendly!
(5)
Jennifer M.
6 mo ago when ordering a lychee martini, it came with real lychee nuts and real lychee juice. NOW, I had 3 tiny lychee gelatin cubes (that's what the bartender called them) and you can taste the lychee liquor instead of the juice. The bartender said they only put a touch of real juice in, guess everyone is cutting back but they still charged $12.85 and NO chilled martini glasses! And I left hungry! The entree portion of the seabass was small and was so sweet it tasted like carmalized candy, not what I want my fish to taste like. It came w/3 tiny bok choy and 1 shrimp which was deep fried in a potato wrap which had absolutely no flavor (and they forget to tell you it's deepfried until you get your plate). I wound up eating a roll and a piece of bread with butter but still was hungry when I left. I wouldn't go back.
(1)
Mike J.
Went there for a post father's day dinner and it was a very nice place to eat at. the decor was simple and gave off a romantic setting. The candle lite in middle of table. Just enough lighting to read your menu. The food was prepared perfectly. For appetizer we enjoyed Fried Calamari crisp cherry peppers, sofrito, aioli. Very good. I had the perfectly prepared Veal Schnitzel - young arugula, beefsteak tomato, preserved lemon vinaigrette & a side of creamy spinach. It just so happened the chef that night was from Germany. And when I was stationed in Germany I used to have Schnitzel all the time. Have not had it since return to the states. But the taste brought back the taste I once had years ago in Germany. My Wife enjoyed the Crispy Trout fennel orange salad, coriander, smoked marcona almonds, brown butter. prepared very well. needed a touch a salt and pepper. but she enjoyed it as served. Desert we enjoyed Peanut Dacquoise caramelized Bananas, Jivara Milk Chocolate Chantilly, Hawaiian Sea Salt. To my surprise it was amazing. I wanted to go back for seconds. but opted to keep the calories down. Over all this place is very good. The staff was attentive and friendly. It would be nice to have a party there as well. Especially if you are looking to keep it simple at eating, talking and laughing. And the atmosphere and surroundings make for great photos as well.
(4)
Daniel J.
Decor: 4.5/5 Food: 2/5 Service: 3/5 Price: $$$ Wine Price&List: 2.5/5 Very romantic atmosphere with large scale restaurant in NJ. Definitely good for 20s and 30s who wants to bring their date for special occasion. However, they have below average food and average service. If you are willing to pay below $150 for two with high scale decor, this is the right place.
(2)
Vinny P.
Chakra, you could have done so much better. Food-wise, you are on point. Flavors and plate design were great. Even your decor is very inspired. You have a good lounge like feel and the exposed brick, water wall and sheer sheets covering the semi private booths are very cool. Unfortunately, your service was rather poor. We were a pre-schedule party of 14. I understand that this is no easy task for a restaurant but we did make reservations and have a set menu for our group. That should have given you enough time to prep the server and have them familiar with what we were ordering. I would like to say that the kitchen did an outstanding job and the failure came entirely from the waitstaff. When you incorrectly bring out entrees for 4 people of our party, don't supply bread for our table and are generally lax about refilling drinks, you aren't going to get my approval. Perhaps the service would be better with a smaller group. I'm not sure entirely but I don't see myself making a special trip up here. The bar area after dinner was quite nice and the servers there were pleasant. On a final note, after 10pm the music volume increases dramatically as a result of their DJ in the belfry. The music was pretty good but there is no place to dance so I'm confused to the point of the shaking bass.
(2)
Vanessa L.
Came for a birthday dinner. Off of the highway, the building looks like a strip club, but upon entering, it's amazing a place like this exists in suburban New Jersey. It was trendy and cool and definitely a great place to come. The food was pretty standard. The tuna tartare app and the crab cake entree were nothing to write home about, but were good. The kitchen apparently plated my crab cake wrong and forgot the tartar sauce, but an attentive waiter noticed and rectified the problem immediately. That brings me to my next point: the waitstaff. As mentioned in previous reviews, the hostesses at the front aren't great, but the waitstaff are friendly and attentive, and just all around awesome! Our particular waiter must have overheard that it was my father's birthday (because we sure didn't mention it when we reserved), and brought out ice cream with a candle for him for dessert. Talk about going over and above your job. It's the attention to details that really make all the difference.
(3)
Lucy S.
I purchased a Groupon, the restaurant was nearby and I had always wanted to go...thought this is a good way to see what it's all about - WHAT A RIP OFF! Stay away from Chakra!!!! I ended up paying MORE than I had paid for the Groupon. The only thing we had outside of the Groupon was a glass of wine, an appetizer and tea - $34.00. BUT they charged a service charge and a gratuity of 18%(which was not deserved). The service was NOT even mediocre - waiting for your entre over 40 minutes after your appetizer was ridiculous, and cold when it came out...I asked the waitress and she said our entrees would be out soon....they then tried providing us with an atonement...giving us COTTON CANDY on the house -"yeah right after they put it on the bill"! The bill came to us incorrect 2x, we asked the manager "Bill" for an explanation - (these complaints must come often) since he pulled up a chair and already had a calculator in his pocket!! Bill told us the 18% gratuity was on the Groupon - once I got home and read my copy - ITS NOT! SINCE THAT IS UP TO YOUR DESCRETION nor is the Service Charge - ...MAKING BILL A LIAR - (SEE BELOW ON THE REVIEWS...HE HAS DONE THIS BEFORE). The food is not worth the aggravation!! You can make yourself a better meal at home and treat yourself like a king, not feeling raped afterward! Chakra "Bill" - this is fraud!!!! I intend to make it know EVERYWHERE!!!!! I have reached out to Groupon letting them know of the fraud taking place! Contacted Better Business and will pursue all avenues -
(1)
Jos S.
Loved this place. The drinks were strong and tasty. The Chilean seabass roll was to die for. I didn't care for the over fried calamari. We all ordered the same entrees -seabass and TC steak. I didn't love the cinnamon on the bass but those who ordered it enjoyed it. Cream of Spinach was a little salty. My steak was very good. I couldn't finish it all. My sister asked for her steak med well it came medium but they took it back without any hassle. The staff is very friendly and helpful.I Loved that! The small coffee press is actually very big! It's enough for 2-3 cups of coffee. For dessert we got the cotton candy and macaroons tower. Most macaroons were yummy. Coffee ice cream is so so. I'll come again & try different entrees
(4)
A.J. S.
Don't go. Besides being overpriced, the help was horrendous. First, our server was cold and detached, the passive aggression was palpable. Hey, we all have bad days but take it outside or suck it up. You're in a product AND service industry. Next, the food was ok but extremely pricey. The drinks as well. We ordered a second round and the drinks were watery. Our waiter not only didn't care but was annoyed at our misfortune. Then we waited and waited and waited. When the check arrived, the gratuity was included. If we could have, we would have stiffed the waiter for the God-awful service. I would give minus stars if that were an option. AVOID.
(1)
Nathaly V.
Rob the bartender was amazing! I'll tell you why. He knew his shit! I was throwing recipes at him, he was throwing it right back. We spoke about different bourbons and he showed me a few from the shelves. I was so impressed. I wanted him to make me something special, something I never had. It was called the Rebel. Similar to an old fashion but the fruits were infused black cherries and a slice of orange, all smashed up with a few basil leaves! My jaw dropped when I had my first sip. The smooth oak taste with a light basil finish was something I'd never imagine. When he went on to prepare the espresso martini, requested by someone special with special instructions, he nailed it! Rob was so entertaining and friendly that I couldn't keep him too long to ourselves since he had to take care of other customers at the bar. Nevertheless, we did enjoy hearing his funny bartending stories. Oh do I miss bartending! Because we were so into the drinks and had a light lunch earlier in the day. I pushed to order food before getting too BLITZ! It was fried calamari and chicken nuggets to share. Recommend both. And , no they are not McDonald's chicken nuggets. Inside: tender - juicy and white. Outside- soft crisp crunch, smother with what I like to call BBQ sauce. Mmm-mmm! With the calamari, I thought it was fried perfectly. Freshness in every bite. Even the fried hot peppers were fresh. And the two sauces were SAVORY! Bottom line, Rob did a great job in providing us with festive experience. I will be back again.
(5)
Henry L.
Good service, although coupon absolutely shouldn't be asked at the beginning though.. No matter what it is still not ideal of a great opener to a meal or any experience in a restaurant, let alone a fine one.. great appetizers and desserts with the octopus and goat cheese cake, however, the entree chilean seabass was a bummer.. Didnt taste any chili cinnamon at all, the lemongrass nage was weak.. Butter sauce was flat.. Had to ask for a lemon to drastically improve taste.. Desperately needed kick.. Surprised chef wasnt aware of that.. Im from New York, and this is the first fine dining restaurant ive been to in new jersey and i must say the food quality makes me miss my hometown by a mile..
(2)
Shonnie H.
Decor: 5 star; food: 2 star; service: 3 star ________________ The building really doesn't look that attractive from the outside and you would've never thought there'd be a huge parking lot in the back (which was almost full when we came in at 8:45pm on Saturday night). As recommended, we sat at the bar to get a drink while waiting to be seated. Not sure what the point of that was, as the hostess came for us even before we had a chance to take a sip. Fine. We took it with us to our table. We got a corner table seat on the couch, which was awesome. The waiter was a bit standoffish and never smiled. He didn't come by often either, so I had to ask one of the other waiters to get me another drink. First thing the waiter tells us is that "there's no specials tonight." We ended up ordering the marinated grilled tofu and grilled Portuguese octopus as appetizers, and the salmon medallion and chili-cinnamon glazed Chilean sea bass for dinner. All of our dishes were meh. I was utterly disappointed with how the food did not match up to the price or the overall feel of the restaurant. The salmon was a bit dry, and the dressing/sauce was a bit too salty while being a bit nauseatingly creamy. The Chilean sea bass - and fyi, we asked if the cinnamon would be a bit overpowering (to which the waiter answered no), was just pathetic. It didn't taste fresh, and in fact, the cinnamon shouldn't even be considered in making that dish because yes, it was overpowering. The one and only somewhat good thing was the grilled Portugese octopus. But how hard is that to make? The grilled marinated tofu was likewise unimpressive. The table next to us ordered sushi rolls and they looked like they were cut with a very old knife, with seaweed pulling off the edges of each piece. Glad we voted against it. Now, for the decor - holy cow. I was NOT expecting the beautiful atmosphere. There's little stars on the ceiling and I loved the added touch of curtains throughout - made me feel like I was in a cabana on a starry summer night. With that said.. again, the food sucked. The drinks were fine - for the price, could be better. This place is a NJ restaurant with very very low subpar food with near-NYC prices. The restaurant itself gave off an NYC feel, but nothing more.
(3)
Jessica C.
Love this spot! If you want a great date spot with flavorful food, this is the place to be! Very romantic atmosphere and good service. I highly recommend the foie gras pizza! It was so tasty and flavorful. The texture was really nice too. They have a full bar, although I was disappointed they didn't have any mint for mojitos. The prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for. The ambiance. The food. The service.
(5)
Veronica A.
Last week was my 2nd visit to Chakra and I have to say I am left feeling "so-so" about it. This time around I had the scallop special that came w/ a smear of some sort of carb side. It was really a smear guys. The side was so insignificant that we ordered two extra sides to share for the table. A bunch of us girls got the same dish. (I know....) After adding the broccoli rabe and fries, i felt like I actually had been fed dinner. Estetically, the restaurant is beautiful and romantic. The temperature is FREEZING but after a couple of glasses of 16 dollar wine you forget a little that you should not have worn that cute dressy romper that exposes too much thigh. Overall, its just ok. Maybe a good date night place if you want to impress but after that save your money.
(3)
Anthony B.
Ambiance/Decor/Atmosphere: Breath takingly upscale, awe inspiring, trendy, intimate, romantic, cliche, sexy, comfortable, relaxing, electric, and I can try to use every adjective in the world but let me stop here. Noise/sound level: Depends on the day and time of your visit. I went pretty early and there were not a lot of patrons so the volume wasn't irritating or annoying to the point it would detract from your visit. Menu: For a high end establishment the menu is sized accordingly full of New American cuisine and some other fancy eclectic items that might be interesting to try. The chef includes all sorts of catch phrase descriptions for generating eye popping interest, and most of the fare looks to be big city inspired using locally inspired ingredients. Service: Like I said before I went early and it wasn't that busy. There were no weird looking men in suits standing around "drunkenly" questioning why we were looking at the decor, no nasty looks, just all around decent, friendly, warm service as expected. The ticket times were standard given the food was made from scratch. Food: I had monk fish with spaetzle and black truffles which I found to be outstanding. I hate mushrooms, but these creme de la creme of mushrooms really made the dish sing. The monk fish was cooked well, not chewy, but moist and although a spaetzle pairing might seem out of the ordinary it was great together. Bar: Full Price: You're not coming here expecting a cheap bill, this is a high end restaurant so expect to spend about $100 for two. But, the decor and quality of food make up for the price tag. This is a once a year kind of place so splurge away. Overall: I'd like to consider Chakra an anniversary or special occasion restaurant, so with that said I'll return in the future even given these strange negative reviews. Which, brings me to a point, knowing full well that Valentine's Day is one of the busiest dining out days with the most expensive restaurateur gimmicks; how can anyone expect superiority given the circumstances? Yes, there needs to be an exceeding level of satisfaction across the board, but there also needs to be a level of understanding. There doesn't need to be a level of acceptance, but a level of understanding. Someone standing appearing to be "drunk" that wants you to focus on each other may be a bit off putting, but not so much where any restaurant deserves negative reviews and I'll never returns. There's more to places like this than one seemingly "drunk" man, and if you miss these moments I feel sorry for you, and you should consider dining home more often.
(4)
Giselle G.
Beautiful restaurant! I don't know why this isn't a big happening spot. The interior is gorgeous and the cabana booths are to die for! It's pretty much a swanky NYC restaurant/lounge but instead of the city hustle and bustle it's next to a Honda dealership and a place that makes light up signs. I'd definitely return. Great place for a date when you want to stay local and the nightlife is pretty decent. Don't expect a fist pumping club though. It's a nice lounge to grab a drink with friends and feel swanky. Plus Dina Manzo and Danielle Staub filmed RHONJ here and had a fight. If it's bougey enough for those Bravo people, it's good enough for some North Jersey folk.
(4)
Chad C.
My wife and I decided to try Chakra since we live locally and enjoy some of the high end restaurants in the area. We honestly thought Chakra was Indian food and the outside looks very unappealing. So we gave it a try and we were glad we did. The place has a very night high end NY type of feel to it. The lounge is very comfortable looking and the bar is great. The bartenders really know there liquor. The wait staff was nothing to be impressed by (they add 18% to your bill for tip) so not much to talk about. The menu is remarkable and extremely interesting. I could find five or six appetizers and entrees that I would have selected. We tried the Crab Cakes and TC Steak for main entree. Five stars on both dishes and not a doubt about that. The creamed spinach and mash were excellent as well. I don't want to go into detail about each item ordered but nothing was disappointing. I really had an issue when we received the check. The food was definitely five star and make Chakra as good as it is but I felt the pricing was a bit of a let down. We frequent Capital Grill and The Manor in West Orange so we had equal restaurants to compare the food to. But the pricing just seems off. Our bill for two was almost $300. That included two glasses of scotch, two glasses of house wine and a dirty martini, two apps, two entrees, two sides and two desserts. I felt the $41 tip was unearned by the waiter as well. He was not what you would expect in a high end establishment he was a waiter. I would maybe try Chakra again but I can have a much better overall dining experience for a similar price at The Manor. 3 - Stars
(3)
Madelie L.
I'm a fan of plate presentation,and love food I consider myself a foodporn.I have a Passion for cooking. Last night my Fiancee and decided to pamper each other.we went to Chakras..as soon as we enter the decor was lovely the light deem.the food to die for. I had the salmon that was complimented with the buttersquah.My fiancee had the steak with the delicious salad and the crispy French fries.the drink I change its name to sneaky,because it taste so good and barley taste the alcohol I kept asking the waiter for more I had a huge Buzz.(BTW the waiter took great care of very attentive)...Being that it was our first time there.. I have to say I highly recommend this place .The food price is worth every penny.
The interior is great. Nice romantic spot to take a date. The food, albeit overpriced, was well made and delicious. I got grilled salmon, and it came with just a salad, for $26. My problem was with the wait time. We were seated at 8:30 on Saturday night according to our reservation, and though the waitress came right away for our drink orders ($13 per cocktail btw), it took an additional 20 minutes for us to place our food orders. The food took took another 20-25 minutes to get to us. It wasn't very busy inside either, with plenty of open tables around us, so I'm not sure if they were understaffed or what, but it didn't leave me a good impression. The staff in general though were very friendly and professional. Overall, I'd recommend coming here at least one time for a nice date that won't break the bank, but the wait time and the slightly overpriced menu leaves me at 3.5 stars (which I rounded down to 3 since I can't leave halves!).
(3)
Emily R.
Beautiful ambiance, good food, excellent cocktails.
(4)
Kim A.
From the Door to the Table and Out.... Very friendly staff, food was very good and the ambiance is beautiful. The white cabanas and dim lighting give a feel of being in a swanky Manhattan restaurant No pretentiousness. Just super nice service and a good meal. I agree the location does not to this place service. Flanked by unattractive retail stores could make someone easily pass it by. It's a place I prefer after work. Just because of the location. Probably not an area I would go out of my way for on the weekend. But that is not because of the restaurant. It definitely is worth going for a cocktail and dinner. Had the salmon medallions and sirloin. Both were excellent!
(4)
Beth M.
Hit or Miss. I have had some great meals and experiences here, but I have been here other times where I almost wanted to walk out! I definitely recommend the skirt steak and the surf & turf. I always splurge and just get a bottle of wine. It is a great setting for dates or a night out with the ladies.
(4)
Kathy S.
When my husband made the reservation for a Wed. night he was asked if it was a special occasion. He advised it was a birthday but no one followed up on that when we got there. We asked to be seated along the side in a booth but told those weren't available. We were there for at least 2 hours & no one was seated in one of those the whole time we were there. Food was very good but our waiter was switched half way through for reasons we weren't told.
Not much to say about this place. The interior and lighting is great, it felt very city-esque. It's a huge spot, but it was very empty on a Tuesday night and fairly empty on a Friday night. Maybe it's a slow summer. We ordered the "TC" steak and the chili-cinnamon glazed Chilean sea bass (which were the two most expensive entrees on the menu), a pink granny sushi roll, and two glasses of wine. The food was just okay, especially for the price, though the presentation was very nice (See photos). I just don't know how this place will survive in the long run, charging such marked-up NY prices in NJ. I would only come back for dinner a rainy night when I don't feel like going into the city. I did stop by once for their happy hour, which offers $1 oysters, $1 sliders, $5 wines and well drinks, $8 cocktails, and 1/2 off sushi. I would not recommend the $1 oysters (some were crunchy), but the lounge area is really nice to sit and sip on $5 wines and well drinks.
(3)
Laurie W.
Chakra has a romantic, cozy, elegant feel to it. It's dimly lit with lots of tables as well as more private tables with curtains around them. Chakra is great for a date night, group dining or getting a few drinks at the bar with friends. The last few times I dined here I ordered steak as my entree which was always delicious and cooked exactly how I ordered it. There are never any leftovers when I eat at Chakra. Once, I ordered the butternut squash soup and I'm mentioning it because it still sticks out in my mind due to how delicious it was. I believe it was a seasonal special. As far as drinks, the Pama Sutra and the Double Crossed are really good. This place is expensive but it's a unique and memorable dining experience. I will be back again.. and again.
(4)
Yajaira L.
This place is absolutely beautiful. When you first walk in it is as nice as Buddhakhan in NYC. The romantic lights and plush seating is enough reason to come back for an inmate evening. First the start the staff was very welcoming and pleasant. They do take your coat so you can rest assure that you will be ok wherever you decide to sit. Our waiter was Vinnie. He was very kind, knowledgeable about the menu and the wines. Just about everything he recommended we tried =) The appetizer was brochette, glazed with a delicious sauce and bread and arugula. Dinner consisted of the salmon cooked to the chef's perfection and Cathy got the apple cinnamon pork. YUM!!! For dessert we got the pumpkin tart I believe. It was oh so good. I loved everything about this place from the wine selections to the delicious complimentary dessert wine that was given to various tables. These guys do know their stuff Cons: Some of the wines on the list were way over priced. There was a couple of wine that ranged up to $17 dollars a glass when the bottle in reality is $20. (That was prob. one of the things that made me say hey... we are in NJ not NYC) FINALLY: Would I return again?!? YES, for a special occasion only.
If you are going to to make sure to take a sweatshirt as is very cold. I love this place this is one of my favorite spots. Their grill shrimp roll is amazing and oh my gosh their crab cake dish is to die for. The atmosphere is very elegant and sophisticated and very intimate.
(5)
Jessica W.
Came here twice, each time there was something missing. I absolutely love the atmosphere here. The outside is very blank and easy to pass. The inside is very easy on the eyes very trendy decor. The menu however was pricy and not amazing. I'm glad to have gone but after two times have no plans in returning.
(3)
Jessi T.
Recently ate here again because it had 1,000 points for a reservation on OpenTable. Game on. I warily went here to give it another try. I haven't eaten here in years and was hoping they would do me right this time, as I had a poor experience before. The verdict? They did it! They're good! Congrats, Chakra! You did it! Your food finally tastes good and your decor from years ago is still relevant! If you can, get the crab cakes. They are yummy! I love crab cakes and am generally pretty picky with them. These were light, crisp and delicious! I would go back here just to eat these. I'll see you soon, Chakra! I'm totally digging on you now.
(4)
Mercy A.
I agree with Vinny P's review though I feel more generous with my stars! Getting to the place is fairly easy, though that parking lot was completely full!! The place is beautiful and has a nice rustic feel with lots of candles. There are lots of tables and I can tell they are trying to squeeze in as many parties as possible. Our reservation was for 8:15 and we were not seated until 8:40. The server, while trying his best, was just too rehearsed for us. I asked if the bartender could make me a sazarac and the waiter told me that if they weren't so busy tonight, they would try but since they are so busy I was better off ordering something on their cocktail list. I ordered wine instead.... For appetizer, I had the caesar salad which was refreshingly lemony! I also had some bites of my friend's beet salad and it was also very good. For dinner, I ordered the chili-cinnamon chilean sea bass. It was good (the most expensive thing on the menu, I think) but I didn't think it was the best I've had. That honor actually goes to Buddakhan, believe it or not. Desserts were a disappointment, especially the pumpkin cake. They do have a nice tea selection, though. Lastly, I'd like to say that for such a nice place they really need to pay more attention to their bathrooms which I thought were disgusting. I even spotted mold on the sink (very visible) and it just wasn't a tidy or clean restroom. Too far for me to come back, but if it was closer I'd give it a second try!
(3)
Hope T.
What a dissapointment! Had such high hopes having heard much about it from friends and,frankly, seeing it featured RHONJ. It is a cavernous, dimly lit, but romantic nine the less resstaurant. It is easily missed on Rt 4 as it looks abbandoned from the outside. The servers were ill prepared to explain 'specisls", though it was clear the specials have gone unchanged for some time.Special requests were like pulling teeth. The food was average. Clearly you are paying for the atmosphere. As the evening progressed the lonely empty space filled up- bar area only, with a younger lounge crowd. Not a repeat place.
(2)
Susie H.
We did a small wedding dinner there in their private dining room. Our positive experience started from the very beginning. They were obviously very experienced and professional. Their menus and prices and services were all nicely laid out in the PDF found on their website. When we met them to sign the contract, they were very clear on what aspects were not negotiable but accommodated us for everything else. During the event, the food and wine were almost all perfect. (The steak wasn't the best, the seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned.) And the service and ambiance were very pleasant and professional. I couldn't have asked for a nicer venue for our needs.
(4)
Patrick D.
I would rate Chakra 5 stars for decor and service and 3 stars for food. The restaurant has to be one of the most stunning settings I'm Bergen County, definitely a special occasion place. The food is much better then the last time we ate here several years ago, but it doesn't match the decor or other restaurants in the area comparably priced. The Chilean sea bass is one of their signature dishes, and I can give that a strong recommendation. A tuna special the night we went was good but nothing special. Chakra is definitely a full priced restaurant with a stunning dining room and a great lounge. The food is good, but I doubt that is the reason most people go there.
(4)
Yvonne M.
I loved the atmosphere of this restaurant.. Very cozy, romantic feel.. Candle lit lounge area, nice bar.. We were told there was a 30 min wait, but they don't give you a remote to wait to be called, they just send you to the lounge area i had a drink called puma sutra.. It was delicious! (Made with lime juice, pomegranate juice,and stoli citrus) It took longer than 30... But once we were seated the servers were all over us... Literally.... We ordered appetizers only.. We weren't hungry for a full meal.. And our waiter treated us like we were taking up his table and his time and weren't good paying customers. Very annoying bus person came over picking up forks and plates before we were ready for her to take it. Literally it felt like they were standing over you waiting for you to put the fork down so they could take it. It was so rude.. The waiter "Vinny E" made us feel so unwelcome.. He was faking niceness and was pushy and short with us.. It seemed obvious he was upset that we ordered appetizers only. His attitude was awful.. It literally made us want to leave. The appetizer i ordered was a horseradish crusted crab cake.. It was cooked perfectly.. So delicious.. With some kind of pea shoots on the plate and a tangy sauce next to it.. Initially it was bland and tasted like weeds but the sauce brought it to life and make it okay for me. Im not sure I will go back to the restaurant area again.. Its unfortunate because its a beautiful restaurant.. The dj plays music in the lounge area.. Its a shame one guy put such a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)
Kevin J.
They nice restaurant they put a lot of money into their Decor. The food was delicious but very pricey. A great first date restaurant if you're looking to impress. Buyer beware they will ask you if you would like Fiji Spring water for your table. What they don't tell you is that it's not complementary. From what I can tell it is definitely a hit with the locals of Paramus and the surrounding areas. I had the steak which was delicious! It came with the roasted garlic and mashed potatoes which were both amazing!
(4)
K P.
Where do I start?.... The outside of the building may totally turn you off (I had been speeding right by it for years without an inkling of a desire to check out the place) - but I have to admit that you'll get a totally different vibe once you step into the place...Dim lighting, well dressed tables, and a chic/modern menu? - A great venue for those looking to have a romantic meal (I initially thought I could recommend this place as a first date venue). But then I came across many roadblocks: TWO THUMBS DOWN: - There are loud/skeevy older drunk men hanging around by the bar (extremely loud and grabbing at waitresses) - Yes, the couches on the side are nice but difficult to eat from while sitting elegantly as it sucks you in. - A bit too dark and loud for a nice meal. - Did I say that there are loud, skeevy, drunnken older men grabbing at and smooching at people? Would rather wait until I know I don't have to witness any ungentlemanly behavior while enjoying my dinner.
(1)
David M.
As a bargain-hunter, I am almost disappointed when an expensive restaurant is much better than my favorite moderate priced ones--but this sure was special! 6 of us went there on a Saturday night at 6 PM, with a Groupon for 4. Contrary to what others say they experienced, we did not feel any negative vibe when we mentioned the Groupon up front. The food was very novel and absolutely excellent--raves for the crab cake; lamb; spicy trout; mesclun salad, schnitzel and charcuterie. Corn soup was a little cold and bread was only ok. Hazelnut ice cream and coffee were excellent. Decor is very nice and the sofa seats comfortable. Service was very attentive, professional and cheerful, even though we stayed for 3 1/4 hours. Prices are high--I was startled how much it was after the Groupon--but we are not an easy to please crowd and everyone loved it.
(5)
Adam D.
Review is based on the bar only*. Yes the drinks expensive as hell....but wow! This place is very very nice. To me, this is a great place for a romantic night out. The interior lounge is super fancy looking and the craft beer choices definitely the fit the vibe. I've passed this place a billion times and I just never had any idea! Only come here if you're looking to wow someone or if you want to feel like a rich person, but I think it's worth it. Especially since I think this kind of place is hard to find in the area
LOVE this place! I would have to say that this is the most romantic restaurant in Bergen County. Over the years, I have dined here and the food has always been good but I think it has gotten even better. We started with some sushi rolls and the Chilean sea bass roll which was just amazing. We also had the giant shrimp which was fresh and flavorful and tasted very much like lobster. The salmon and the grilled trout ... both also very fresh and served with interesting sauces. The portions were surprisingly large...especially the salmon ...which really could have been two portions. If you're looking for a lingering, romantic dinner with great food and service...look no further!
(5)
Sandy R.
Love this place been going here for over 10 years, this is mi go to place for my birthday dinner.
(4)
Ron I.
Excellent food and atmosphere. Beautiful interior. The trout was amazing! Definitely one of my faves in Bergen county.
(5)
Yusef N.
Amazing food and service!!! They moved us upon request to the nice curtain booths mid meal! Love this place. The rainbow roll appetizer and crab cake entree and the goat cheese cheesecake are the winners.
(5)
Salina W.
I was planning to take my boyfriend for his birthday but got a little nervous when I read some previous reviews. I made a reservation on 6/17/15 for Saturday 6/20. The gentleman that answered the phone was very nice and I requested a booth that I had seen online. He explained they were for a party of five but he would see what he could do. 6/20 we arrive 20 mins early for our 8:15 res., and the staff was LOVELY! We went to the bar area to wait, it was cozy and romantic. We ordered non alcoholic beverages and the wait was very brief. The hostess came and got us and gave us a wonderful booth alternative with a corner banquette so we could still sit close. Our waiter was attentive and order arrived quickly. We had the ravioli appetizer (delicious) and the TC steak which was cooked to perfection. Overall it was a wonderful experience. Our waiter was attentive and the staff was pleasant. The only thing I would advise is that it is not a every weekend place. The meal for two without cocktails was over $130 without tip. Definitely a special occasion choice! -Salina Williams
(5)
Shiven B.
A bit on the pricey side, however, the decor is very nice, the drinks are good, the food was flavorful, and the service was fantastic. The place looked like a NYC restaurant/lounge, not what you'd expect from the outside. Try the Lamb and most importantly the Macaroon Tree. We ordered 2 drinks, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and a dessert which came out to about $170 with tip. I would definitely come back, maybe only on special occasions though to spare the wallet.
A little pricey, but the food is amazing and the atmosphere of the restaurant is really beautiful. Great for a nice private dinner for a date or with friends.
(5)
Layla S.
I was expecting more but this is still definitely a good place to grab dinner in paramus. I LOVE the atmosphere.. The lighting, seating, the music, all were seriously wonderful. It was hard to believe we were even in jersey lol. This is a really great place for dates as well as special occasions. I had the Chilean sea bass roll, which came with a light cucumber salad and an order of fries. The Roll was definitely different, the fish was warm and the cucumber salad complemented it nicely. The fries were a bit overdone but it did come with three dipping sauces, ketchup, spicy mayo, and one more so it wasn't that bad. It is a bit pricy.. So I would definitely go back since it's so close but only for a special occasion.
(4)
M C.
I'm giving this place 4 stars only because of the ambiance. The food was blah and gets 3 especially because the prices are a bit high to be subpar. I had the crab cakes and deff not anything special.
(4)
Robert D.
Finally i visited this much talk about place! It is all that its talked out about and more. Great food, Faboules atmospher. Will be back real soon!:)
(4)
OpineAway C.
So we did go there again..."blame" Groupon, the "deal" lured us in. Big mistake. We got there, and this time they sat us quickly, got us water and menus reasonably fast, and got us our drinks and even bread and butter pretty promptly, though the bread was a bit stale. We figured we have the Groupon but we can order some more and we'll pay the difference. For appetizers we had a salad and the fried calamari. They arrived pretty quick. The salad was a green salad with OK dressing, nothing impressive neither bad. The calamari was sub par, tasteless, and even the pickled peppers that were fried with it tasted like canned over-vinegar tasting. For the main dish we ordered the salmon and the trout. We waited at least 20 minutes after the appetizers dishes were taken away for the mains to arrive. Both were bland. The salmon had a nice crust to it, but was tasteless. The trout skin seem like it was once crispy, but then stood for 10 minutes and got soggy. The amount of "smoked almonds" was on the cheap side, and not smoky. On top of the trout they serve fennel shavings and an orange slice (one) which was fridge-cold and cool down the fish. We also had a side of spinach, which was not generous but OK tasting, nothing special and a bit bland as well. We had to ask for black pepper and that helped that taste a bit, but not much. We ordered one dessert and coffee which were both good, probably the best thing we had there. With the meal we had a total of 3 glassed of Sancerre. And then we asked for the check. We saw the prices on the menu, but still for a place on rt 4 in Paramus... $148 before tip. We gave the waiter the Groupon and his reaction? "This might be a problem, let me talk to my manager". We knew we have to add, the Groupon deal is two mains, dessert and two glasses of house wine. We had extra a side, appetizers and the difference between three glasses of Sencerre and two house wine glasses. Not a "problme"... He called the manager. It was the same "dude" from the first time we were there. Oy. He started by saying that we had to make a reservation but he'll wave that. And that we are suppose to get the house wine. So we said calculate the difference of whatever and we'll pay, clearly the right think to do. His attitude was pretty much the opposite of what I'd define as trying to make us feel going back there ever. But that's not the end of it. He came back with the adjusted check. $87 and change. Looked suspicious. So we checked. The "dude" added 18% gratuity. And didn't tell us. So we called him. He said that the fine print in the Groupon says it should be mandatory added by the restaurant. We asked for the Groupon back to read the find print. He claimed he didn't have it. So we told him to find it and bring it. He pulled out of his pocket half the page without the fine print. We said no good. So he said it will take time but he'll go and find it and print it for us. While he was away we found it on our phone. No such thing as the restaurant adding the tip. Unbelievable. When he came back with the printout, we told him no such thing, and to take it off, gratuity is to our discretion. So, to conclude a long story - the service is sub-par, the food is mediocre, way way over priced, bad management and waiter training, and they are dishonest and definitely do not understand the concept of their own marketing (i.e. the Groupon deal is supposed to lure people in and make them want to come back). We should have listen to ourselves after our first bad experience and not come back. Now we got burned twice. I really hoped to write a second review with a reasonable star rating, but if zero stars rating would have been possible I would have used it. Don't go near that place.
(1)
Kate D.
Great decor. Awesome food. I went here for a dinner meeting for work. The caesar salad was amazing. Great for a special occasion. Not sure how expensive the menu is because the dinner meeting was paid for by my company.
(4)
Leela K.
Too expensive and snotty atmosphere. I have come here for dinner and drinks on separate occasions and am not impressed. I will not be returning after three visits - the food is okay, no complaints except the price. The crowd is well, not my style. But if you are a real housewife of nj you will fit right in!
(3)
Richie R.
Nice spot. The curtains give it a more romantic feel. Food was great. A bit pricy. I would go back.
My wife and I just went to the prix fixe Valentine's Day dinner last night. I left very disappointed unfortunately. The decor was lovely. The food was very good. The lamb and sea bass were delicious. But the service was quite poor considering the calibre of the restaurant and the prices. We were drinking the water from our melted ice cubes since it took so long to get a drink replaced. Also, the dessert was a let down - a spattering of pre-frozen petite four. Our server never offered to get us coffee or an after dinner drink. And the gratuity of 18% was already included (due to it being prix fixe) though we were just a party of two. Generally, I was let down by the whole experience. I wouldn't recommend Chakra.
(1)
Dinesh J.
My first visit to Chakra was a good experience. The staff is very courteous and respectful, we were served by John, the wine suggestion was good and the appetizers we ordered were OK. Full points to the ambience and service.
(3)
Karen N.
Just had dinner there tonight. Wonderful! The food was first class! Had the Chilean Sea Bass and chocolate brioche bread pudding for dessert...amazing! Service was outstanding! A place to celebrate special occasions. Wonderful experience. Will go back again. Beautiful decor.
(4)
Stacey C.
The only reason I am not giving Chakra 4 stars is the price. Food was very nice, sushi rolls as appetizers, a big salad done French style, tossed at the table, and good sea bass entrees. Nice wines by the glass, (nice touch: bottle poured at the table, so you know what you are getting).............service A+ super nice and attentive. Decor was very trendy, NJ Housewives all over the place, Entrees are pretty steep for a NJ highway restaurant. I can spend the same thirty six dollars at Daniel in Manhattan or a Danny Meyer restaurant and have a much better dining experience with a sophisticated crowd and 5 star cuisine. The prices should be 10 dollars less, and then we would go back. It is a nice place to go with couples, because of the loud, club fun atmosphere. The manager Steve was top notch!
(3)
Jessica E.
The atmosphere was so relaxing. Our table was right in front of a wall with colored lights and water flowing down. The House creation martinis are so tasty, and so was everything else. The sushi appetizer was so delicous.They gave complimentary champangne since it was a special occasion. Would defiantly go again.
(5)
Jessica H.
Very beautiful place, chic, lounge/restaurant but kinda over priced for OK food. Its ambiance is what I think attracts most customers. It has a very dim lit club lounge kind of feel with soft dance music playing in the background. It has plush chairs and interesting decor all around the place. What I loved most about this place was the martini list lol their drinks are pretty good but the food is nothing to write home to mom about. Their prices are a tad high too considering your paying for just some good drinks and scenery. I would definitely check this place out for late night cocktails with friends but as for dinner, I would probably skip on the meal :)
(3)
Zack C.
Dined at Chakra for New Year's Eve to celebration. Only reason this review is receiving one star is due to manager Drazel. We arrived at Chakra little behind our reservation time for their Pre-Fix meal for new year's eve. Hostess was very accomedating when we called to inform them of our delay. Once we arrived 9:45pm (45 minutes late), we were promptly seated to our table. Our request to be seated in booth was kindly turned down due to reservation being full and we initially didn't request for booth which is totally understandable. Once seated, our server took longer then expected to take our drink and food order, but this is understandable with full restaurant with patrons. We ordered a bottle of wine and ordered our course. Great thing about this restaurant is the food. I've been known to be picky and harsh judge of food. But the food they plated was honestly beyond my initial expectation. I ordered tuna tartar, duck risotto, crab cake for my course. My date ordered ceasar salad, calamari, and Chilean Sea bass. Do try the crab cake!!! Great food, great company and new year midnight arrived. They offered glass of champagne, party favorites and hats + tiaras to ring in the new year. We didn't like the champagne and finished our only bottle of wine. So we ordered another drink from their cocktail menu. Which was too strong after the dessert, so we decided to order another glass of wine. After finishing the wine, we wanted to buy a round of drinks to another patron who was having friedly whistle competition with us. Here's where great night turned horrible. We asked another server to send our server over so we could order the drinks, but instead "Manager" Drazel comes over instead and asked us what we need. Our request for buying a round of drinks for the other patron and him if he could have one to celebrate the new year was promptly turned down because we were too intoxicated to be served, and he walked away without any further explanation. This was at 1:15am. Three glasses of wine in over 3 hours?? We requested to talk to "Manager" again so we could understand why we were bring cut off so abruptly. He comes over to inform us that if we have an issue, file a complain and offered his name and spelled it out for us. "Manager" resolution on customer complain is file a complain? I understand that if we were drinking excessively, they have the right to cut us off. But how this so called "Manager" handled situation was extremely unprofessional. He needs to learn how to handle customer complaints. If he needs a lesson, I'll teach him how, for my staff would never handle the situation in such unprofessional manner. I wasn't upset about being cut off, but how he cut us off and talked to us in such condisending manner, which I pointed it out to him, which was answered with another condisending apology. Imho, to be served exceptional food, and be ruined by one person's action is such a shame. Especially by manager who should be leading by example. Such a disservice to chef who works so hard to put out exceptional food.
(1)
Yolanda A.
This place is beautiful, and the food was excellent. Very pricey but you get what you pay for so it's definitely worth it. I had a groupon so that worked out for me lol.
(5)
Timothy H.
I went to this restaurant because my Girlfriend wanted to see where the Real Housewives always go, and I am so happy we went. The Service was great, our waiter was extremely helpful and bubbly. The food was amazing, very unique stuff that I had never had before (Preparation wise) I had Cinnamon Encrusted Chilean Sea Bass and sweet Corn Ice Cream. Good Wine List Intimate Setting
(4)
susan n.
I love the decor. Curtain-draped booths, Asian feeling, candles...very romantic. I would recommend it as a terrific date night place. However, it seemed like birthday central on the night I went. The food is good. No, not the best meal of my life, but still very good. I had the chilean sea bass, and it was excellent. I highly recommend it. We also shared the octopus, which was excellent, and the crab cake, also excellent. I tried my friends' plates - surf and turf (very average), pork chop (not high quality meat like we had at Hearth), schnitzel (average, but good), and steak (just ok), charcutterie (nothing great at all). The desserts were a waste of money- not good at all. The cocktails are ambitious, but fall short. I tried the cherry blossom, and it was entirely too sweet, and the pom (I make a better pom cocktail by far). They lose a whole star due to a service issue. We were waiting at our table for an HOUR before a bread basket was brought to the table. Two of our friends were 20 minutes late, but we explained to our waiter that we wanted to do appetizers without them, because we were all starving, and they told us to start without them. Even after they arrived, we were 45 minutes to an hour before even a bread basket was brought over. The waiter did apologize. I overheard the lady at the table next to us complaining to the manager about the same exact thing. I just think that if we are dropping $500 on a dinner out- an hour wait to get something, anything, to eat is completely INEXCUSABLE. I also agreed with another reviewer who pointed out that the service reminded him of a promoted Houlihans waiter. Once again, for the price point here, service should be better, more professional and polished. He meant well, and was nice enough, just fell short in several ways. They are on opentable.com , so making reservations is easy. They used to have only valet parking, but the night I went was not available (which I am glad about, we like parking our own car), and there were spots in their private lot. Overall, great decor, bad service, good to great food depending on what you order.
(3)
Julie S.
We went for Valentine's Day. The place is beautiful, they have lovely relief pieces through the place. The food was not so great though. It might have been just the pre-fixe menu for Valentine's but the appetizers were average (although the veal ravioli was pretty good), I had the veal chop as my main entree which was good, my boyfriend had the striped bass which was OK. We had a tasting menu for dessert which had chocolate cake with sorbet (average) and passion fruit tart (which tasted like burnt milk and was disgusting). Still, I would recommend checking it out on an ordinary day, hopefully they have stuff on their regular menu that is better. 02/19/2010: downgraded to 2 star because just found out that we were charged a "service fee" on Valentine's Day even though we were only two people! Not cool Chakra, not cool! You will definitely not receive any referrals from us.
(2)
Cat M.
Chakra was the last stop on my Real Housewives of NJ tour/experience/daytrip due to its brief yet pivotal role in the friend breakup of Dina and Danielle, which lead to Dina's sad exit from the show. Like everything else on the tour, and RHONJ itself, Chakra was an experiment in the dichotomy of presentation and reality. Who would have expected this Bedouin encampment on the side of the New Jersey turnpike in a bunker-like strip mall? We just had cocktails, no food. Both the drink list and drinks themselves were good. You really come here for the over-the-top decor and atmosphere.
(4)
A K.
The food was amazing. The appetizer and cocktails were well made. For entree we had the different fish and the dish had a delicate flavour. The food came out fast. Great good, definitely great for celebrating a special occasion. The decor is very lounge like. The service was good but not perfect (compared to the food). We hoped for a special request (birthday) we reserved about a week in advance, we would have got one of the side canopy.
(4)
Phil M.
Nice enivironment. Interesting & tasty food. Had enjoyable experience, but just not stand-out enough for us to return (as we're not so close to it). Service was OK. Attentative; not over the top.
(3)
Mama D.
I was here over 3 years ago and had a decent dinner at that time so I was expecting at the least my husband and I were in for a nice evening. Well...the service was poor(we had to ask for bread, ask for pepper to name a few), the drinks were a disgrace and the food far less than mediocre. Unfortunately here we go with a nice looking place forgetting it is a restaurant. I am assuming this is corporate owned and once again run by 18 year old valley girls. I have also attended Chakra for a medical meeting which at that time was a bit better than mediocre but wouldn't even recommend a business meeting here. Maybe Chakra is looking to be more of a bar and "hangout" type of place for the under 30 . This is a terrible restaurant on every level except the looks of the interior. A sad waste of $200.00.
(1)
Lauren H.
Dinner at Chakra was a remarkably stressful experience. We had a Groupon, which we told them about when we made the reservation. We arrived on time for our 8:00 reservation and the hostess said that our table was not ready and we should go to the bar and have a drink. We declined---and got to our table at 8:10, no menus till 8:25, appetizer at 8:45, entrees at 9:25. No dessert or coffee, but we didn't get out till 9:50. This was on a Tuesday night! Beautiful decor, really lovely. Menu is pricey ($25 to $40 for entrees other than pasta) and does not describe the food well. Our waiter was nice and happy to describe things. There is a lower-price weekday menu, but they did not offer it to us, because of the Groupon, I guess. The bread in the bread basket was underbaked focaccia and some stale little rolls. Our appetizer, fried calamari, was disappointing--greasy and the calamari was overcooked without the coating being crispy. We ate it all, though, and the bread, because we were starving! But we've had better (much better) fried calamari (and bread) at local pizza places. Entrees were good when they finally came. I had the Goffle Road Chicken, and my dinner date had the tuna. The people at the tables on either side of us had also been waiting and waiting for their dinners. There were plenty of waiters and managers running around, but it took forever to get food on the table. I don't know if they're understaffed in the kitchen or what, but the prices are high and the experience is poor. Why did this place do a Groupon? They don't seem to need the business, and they clearly don't care if you ever come back. The funny thing is, we're planning a party and we were considering having it here....now it's off the list!
(2)
Barry H.
Whoever gives this restaurant more than 2 stars hasn't been to a truly fine restaurant. The two stars would have to include one and a half for the ambiance. This restaurant brings new meaning to the term "Nouveau Cuisine". The Yellowfin tuna appetizer was a joke. $16 for 6 pieces of tuna that you needed a microscope to find. I had to ask for chop sticks, because the pieces were too small to eat with a fork. The Steak Au Poivre was a bad choice, but with the limited menu, I took a chance. Here again the steak was so small I'd be embarrassed to serve it if I was on the wait staff. I've been to many expensive and fine restaurants all over the world. Your expectations go up commencerent with the pricing. Empty tables at 8:00 on a Saturday night tells you all you need to know. I will disagree with a lot of reviews on the wait staff. If anything they were friendly, but overly obtrusive, breaking up intimate conversations every ten minutes to ask if everything was OK. Two or three times would have been fine. The mark ups on the wine list were 99% beyond most of the fine establishments I've eaten in. If you're looking for nice atmosphere with overpriced food and drink, this is the place for you.
(1)
Jeff K.
Chakra's atmosphere is simply amazing. Dimly lit, candles on the tables and a waterfall on one of the walls that changes colors. Very romantic. It also caters to groups as there were several large tables seated during the evening. Just before we were leaving, one person with one of the big groups was getting drunker and louder by the minute. I also overheard some waiters/mangers discussing how to approach the table to ask the lady to take it down a notch, but I didn't get to see the exciting conclusion. But anyway.....despite a bunch of the reviews on here, we thought the food was great (not the best ever, but certainly satisfying). Maybe we just made the right choices. We shared the Grilled Shrimp Roll and the Beef Dumplings - the Grilled Shrimp had a true grilled flavor to it. The beef dumplings were standard - but tasty. For entrees, my wife had the Seafood Pot (coconut curry, snapper, clams, noodles, lobster broth) and she loved it. I had the fish of the day which was a seafood trio of swordfish, prawn, and scallops over mixed greens in a artichoke cream sauce. The swordfish was cooked perfectly and the scallops were succulent. The prawn was just about the largest prawn I have ever seen and was sweet. I would recommend Chakra to anyone and contrary to others here, I did not find the prices to be too extravagant - on par with a moderately upscale restaurant.
(4)
Nino R.
I was once recruited by the first GM of this place to bartend, I turned it down because my gig at the time was outstanding. To this day, there are still people working in this place that I've worked with at other restaurants. So for me, this kind of feels like home. The decor is great, the ownership group definitely took their time with selecting a theme and executing. While I've never had an entree here, I've never had a bad app. I'm usually here for cocktails with friends before we head out to the city. There was a point in time where one of the nightly djs was a close friend of mine, so that meant great music and great company. I haven't been here in nearly a year and will definitely stop by when I'm there in December. I've never had a bad experience here, and I don't plan on having one in the future. Cheers to you...
(3)
Eve G.
Celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary today we decided to try Chakra of Paramus, NJ as we heard it is a romantic place. Romantic it really is. The decor is pretty and the atmosphere is intimate, the ambiamce is rustic illuminated w/candles. The prices are high so were our expectations. We returned from the restaurant 5 minutes ago and I must get the disapointing mediocre experience off of my chest. The food is lower than average.The steak frites @ $30 was ordered medium and the filet mignion was dry and overcooked. The fries were soggy and not crisp. I must say the fois gras was really tasty. The cobb salad was huge and is a good cobb salad. Our server tried his best when faced with the reality of the steak and took it back to the kitchen. The restaurant manager came over with 2 glasses of proseco courtesy of the restaurant as a gesture for our wedding anniversary he said. When we finally got the bill the unedible and uncosumed steak was on there. They had the nerve to charge us $30.00 for a dish that was not cooked according to our order. We decided not to make a stink out of it, to pay the bill and learn a lesson in bad management of a restaurant. The only way I found efficient to teach them a lesson is by writing this bad review so future patrons, beware!
(2)
Wonder Woman V.
Great decor, service is amazing. Food is very diverse A great night out
(3)
Alicia H.
The restaurant has a nice ambiance, very nice. The food was just okay. Had appetizers and cocktails so maybe dinner is better. Service is very much lacking. There was ONE girl cocktailing on a Saturday night (a busy Saturday night) and we saw her MAYBE twice in two hours. Not good. The restroom was disgusting and freezing. Paper all over the floors and in toilets......just not nice at all. Will I go back? No. Too many nice restaurants in the city that are less expensive.
(2)
Linda M.
I went here for my anniversary and my top disapointment was a "special request." I asked, in advance if they could spare us a nice canopy table for our anniversary but we were left sitting hip-to-hip with other couples. Unless you had a party of 4 or more, those tables are reserved. The food there was quite good - I ordered the parchment fish and they bought it out to me uncooked. The dim lights was very sneaky so check the center of your fish for doneness! My husbands braised short ribs was yummy. We had a tartar appetizer that was awesome! Dessert was great, nothing too crazy. They were kind enough to give us a free desert w/ a candle for our anniversary. Service was excellent as the wait staff and manager asked if everything was ok a number of times. The lounge/bar section is packed, but cozy. A good area to stop by at after your meal. A good place to try for a special occassion but not an everyday thing as it gets quiet expensive.
(3)
G P.
I went to Chakra twice: once with my dad and once with my gf. My dad said this place has the best steak he has ever eaten, and my gf was impressed with the food and the ambiance. Personally, I loved the food. The sushi and the Chilean sea bass with potato wrapped shrimp was amazing. The only slight I can make against this place is the price, but the food is definitely worth it.
(5)
danielle d.
i like this place because the decor and the ambiance is very gorgeous and romantic! the service was horrible.. my waiter idk his name, but he forgot to give us bread to start... always in a rush to take stuff away from the table... never asked how our food was.... didnt serve my wine first or let me try it hello duhh!!!! he was like a mess!!! the food wasn't so great to be honest.. i had the veal tenderloin schnitzel with creamy mushroom sauce gravy .. it tasted like butter like they must have went heavy on butter......the veal cutlets were very bland needed a lot of salt and pepper for taste.. and my date had the thanksgiving style french chicken breast .which he enjoyed.. and the appz were fried calamari with a great tasting aoili sauce dip and a weird tasting marinara sauce.. idk not a fan! ill pass....
(3)
Lily C.
Very pretty decor with its billowy canopies. We were in a booth, which was cozy but not uncomfortable for six people. I had a mostly positive food experience and I would go back again. I should have prefaced this review by saying that I didn't pay for this meal. That makes a big difference because I'm not sure how thrilled I would be about paying $16 for a sushi roll. From a pure food taste perspective, my Dragon roll and Rainbow roll were very tasty. My dinner mates had crab cakes, a fish dish and the watermelon and heirloom tomato. The crab cakes got high marks but thumbs down on the watermelon and tomato appetizer. The service was fine. The only negative was the Mesclun Salad...not very tasty at all. The chef needs to taste the dressing. Not tangy at all for a vinegarette. It's so easy to make a good vinegarette, I don't understand why restaurants get this wrong. Overall, I would go back for a romantic dinner. I'm not sure it was a great place for a corporate function though. :o)
One of our meals good,the other not so good. OK service but way overpriced. Overall, disappointed.
(2)
R K.
Great, attentive service and fabulous food! It's like you are transported to manhattan. Worth every penny.
(5)
Oliver K.
This restaurant received mediocre standings due to a few positive as well as a few negative experiences. I went there last night and was not blown away by the service to say the least. The decor/atmosphere is amazing. The scenery is wonderful and the interior is very modern, trendy, trendy, hipster, but very classy. They had comfortable bench/couch seating with pillows which was nice. The bar they had looked very appealing. The lighting was sub-par. Very dim and elegant, but the positioning made it so the shadow from my head was right in front of me on the table making it difficult to see what I was eating/working with. The salads were small, and not exceptional. My significant other had a field greens/mesclun mix which was very similar to those served in other restaurants except it had the occasional fennel seed thrown in giving it a licorice taste every so often. Interesting. My ceasar salad was bland. They gave me a lot of romaine veins, and the dressing wasn't too tasty. Enough said. This was not what I was expecting from a 'top notch', pricey, formal establishment. Now I have to add a little about our wait staff. The bussers and the people that came around and filled the waters were very nice and attentive, while our waiter was not. He gave off a pissy vibe which I didn't appreciate despite our overly polite etiquette. When the salads, appetizer, and main dish arrived they didn't know who the food was for and had to break into our conversation to ask, which is unprofessional coming from someone that has eaten at a lot of nice restaurants and has also worked in a few as well. I must compliment the wine list although we did not have any. This was extremely extensive. Quite impressive for those wine connoisseurs out there I must say. Our appetizer was the fried calamari, which was very good. I understand that it isn't rocket science to bread/flower some calamari and deep fry it, but it had a nice light batter and was accompanied by two tasty dipping sauces. One being the traditional marinara based sauce which was, not typical like from the jar. Or if it was it was modified greatly. I also have to mention that it was a bit spicy, but I enjoy that so I was pleased, my girlfriend; not so much lol. The second being a mayonnaise mixture with a few spices in it. I couldn't narrow down what those spices were, but my assumption was that there was a bit of cumin and some old bay in there. It was not a sauce remoulade or a tartar sauce either. The calamari were served with breaded and fried peppers which accompanied the seafood nicely, that is if you enjoy spicy foods. The calamari were served in a nice and small metal basket which looked nice, but was difficult to eat from so I had to dump them out on a plate. Calamari appetizer = small portion. Now's when the wait began. We did not see or hear from our waiter for about a half hour, and our food did not come out. We waited patiently until about 35 minutes passed and finally our food came out. Then all of a sudden out of left field comes our waiter asking how the food was. I didn't even get to try my dish by this point, so I couldn't answer his question sincerely. But when I did try the steak Au poivre (filet mignon with pepper corn sauce) I was very pleased. The meat was of excellent quality and was extremely tender even for filet, and it was cooked perfectly to my liking; medium rare. The pepper sauce was very nice. The traditional french style sauce, not deviating from the norm. The fries that accompanied them were also pretty good, but were served in the same basket as the calamari so there were similar issues in removing them. Not a big deal. My girlfriend had a sushi dish as a main course. It was spicy tuna with cucumber avocado wrapped in prosciutto. Not your traditional sushi, but it was interesting, different, and tasty. I liked this. This played into the fusion part of the cuisine. We did not have any dessert or coffee. In conclusion, was this meal worth the price? Probably not, but it was a good experience none the less. It would be a nice impressive place to take a girl out or even to bring some business associates.
(3)
Northern N.
The atmosphere is really incredible. Feels like you're in an upscale NYC restaurant, like Buddakhan. I'd recommend going just for that reason, but there's also great service, and huge wine selection (mostly pretty expensive options) and good food. The steak with peppercorn is good, but the best part was the salmon/avacado sushi appetizer. Really excellent, with a creamy southwest sauce for dipping. I'd skip on dessert, the $9 peanut/caramalized banana/chocolate dessert was decent, but really tiny.
(4)
Jean K.
So it was girl's night, so my sister, my mom and I went to this restaurant called Chakra. The Hostess greeted us warmly and soon we were led into the main dining floor. I loved the exposed ceiling and brickwall, oh yea candle lights too although i knew they were fake. Each booth was divided with shear curtain and i loved the furnitures that had. FOOD: nothing new nothing exciting. Again, so many Asian influenced fusion whatever make this mistake: If you don't specialize in Sushi then CUT THE CRAP! They had sashimi appetizer and some rolls. Luckily I didn't order them but the lady on the other table ordered it took one bite and didn't even touch it for the rest of the evening. No wonder... I just don't understand people ordering sushi at wrong places. The quality of fish was good but sushi and maki is waaaaaaaay more than just the fish. Know what to order. If you still haven't understood me, don't order sushi there. simple. Well, for appetizer we had Foie Gras and Hamachi Tatar... Hamachi was good but Foie Gras was.... it was too much for me. You may say differently but I thought it had too much... meaty....bloody taste. It was definitely expected for $18 appetizer. Then we had porkchop and halibut... nothing new. It was alright. Not the best. SERVICE: I have nothing to complain about the service expect at the end my waitor had a ciggarette break and when he came back to us, we were engulfed by the smell. BUT I'm not complaining. I totally understand why smokers have to smoke. Well... not really but I respect their decision whatever it may be. So overall I wouldn't go back because of the food, because honestly they weren't the best. In comparison to the taste the price was a little too much. But I can see people going back because of nice relaxing atmosphere. It was whatever. OK experience.
(3)
Eric G.
Skip this place. Although the atmosphere is nice on the inside. The service and quality of food was horrible. The place is almost empty and it took 15 minutes to even get our order in. I ordered the steak and had to wait for a knife. The bread guy doesn't do the butter so we got bread and needed to wait another 10 minutes until the butter showed up. The noodles were very undercooked. Enough wasted time talking about this place move on.
(1)
Adam T.
I went here on New Years. I waited till the last minute to book something and paid the price. Chakra is what I would call "Fake Fancy". The food was poor, the service was poor, and the drinks were poor. I really have nothing good to say about this place except for the decor which was OK. I ended up paying over $370 for an hour long dinner which to me is overpriced ( even on New Years ).
(1)
Isabelle L.
The decor and atmosphere is really nice and different. Most of the patrons though seem to frequent the lounge and the dining area was pretty empty and maybe this is the way to go for this place: appetizers and drinks in the lounge for a nice evening. Anyway we went there for dinner with a bigger group. Service was on the slow side, no doubt. The menu is actually pretty limited and mainly seafood and sushi oriented. We didn't try any of the sushi so I can't comment on that. As far as the food, a couple of folks at the table made the choice of ordering 2 appetizers instead of an entree and that was a great idea (salad and scallops). The scallops were outstanding. For the folks ordering entrees, we tried duck, red snapper and stripped bass. All entrees were good, well prepared, well presented and with interesting flavor combinations, most a hit but some a miss (the "amuse-gueule" given to us at the beginning of the meal was certainly a miss" swordfish and strawberry. The fatty swordfish with the sweet / sour strawberry just didn't complement each other). Overall, a nice experience, thanks to the decor. A bit too pricey for the food served and service needs improvement. Sticking with appetizers and drinks at the lounge is probably the way to go to enjoy the evening and the character of the place.
(3)
Emma G.
At last, a special place to take a special person, for a special occasion, without having to cross state lines. You will burnish your NJ credentials by finding the entrance to this place (Rte 4 headed East, just before the GS Plaza), but once you're in side you will feel--perhaps transported to a wonderful evening on vacation, where it's warm and the surroundings are beautiful, and your dinner companion glows healthily in the lighting that harmonizes with the low-key live music. The food is delicious in the contemporary, Asian-fusion way. Prices are on par with mid-priced restaurants in NYC, but you can get a prix-fixe special if you arrive early. My one quibble was with the wine that came with that special: not a great one, and the next time I'm there I will order off their longer list.
(4)
Carolyn A.
A prime example of why I wish yelp offered half stars cause I would give this two and a half. The vibe is great. We were at a table that was lovely. Glass top, flowers under it. However, the waiter was hard to find once our order was placed. I really, really liked my app of parma roll. It was salty, smooth, and just a burst of flavor. The TC steak was not good. Tough, and the steak sauce was nothing better than A-1. My companion had the schnizel, it was fine, a bit tough and greasy. Wine a bit overpriced. If they paid a bit more attention to details, especailly front of the house, I might give it another try, but for the money, I wish I walked away happy.
(3)
A A.
I have been here twice so far and love it! The ambiance and decor are very swanky yet comfortable, candles and drapery all around. The food is so beautifully presented and tasted pretty good! I would highly recommend, great for a date or night out with friends!
(5)
john p.
food = bad service = worse prices = ridiculous decor = nice i went with a party of 12 people for a birthday party. the hostess / waiters were all acting like we were bothering them by being there. the waiter never wrote down any of our orders (for 12 people, come on). of course, he forgot 1 appetizer and 2 entrees. How could he enter 10 entrees for 12 people and not think "hmm, am i missing something?" So 2 of our friends insisted we ate while they just sat there. we ordered 6 appetizers and 12 entrees, and every single person in my group felt the food all had no taste and was extremely bland. then we ordered dessert, and we felt like someone just dumped a 5 pound bag of sugar in them and called it a day. i would never go back to Chakra even if the meal were free. Now I understand why Chakra was empty Saturday night at 8pm and had a few people when we left at 10:30pm. With the MANY choices in that area, i'm shocked they are still in business.... you've been warned people....
(1)
Rosa T.
Went to chakra on a Saturday night with my husband and absolutely loved it! We ordered the fried calamari and Chilean sea bass sushi roll as appetizers and they were both delicious! As my main course, I had the seared ahi tuna with pei mussels and it was off the chain!! I had a drink called the fuzzy pear and oh boy does it make you feel all fuzzy and warm! It is yummy!!! Overall great experience. Ambiance is very romantic. Only thing they don't have much of a desert menu.
(4)
Carla B.
Great service, food is great! Romantic or perfect for a girlie night.
(5)
Anna P.
I'd say Chakra is a mixed bag. This seems to be the super hyped up place in Paramus and I was curious to see what it was all about. First of all, it's a non-descript building on the outside but it's wonderful on the inside. It's a large, lounge-y room, with rough "sandstone" walls and candlelight everwhere. It really gives the impression of being in some tropical place. On the perimeters of the room are tables against the walls, seperated with flowy, sheer white curtains. Throughout the room there are palm trees. The music is lounge - reminiscent of Buddah Bar. The ambience is definitely 5 stars! What makes Chakra tough to rate is that the food is really not up to par. I would say that it's mediocre at best, and incredibly over-priced. The cuisine is mostly americanized mediterranean with a lot of seafood (read: if you don't like seafood, you'll starve!). I had fried calamari and a salad. The salad was nothing specially, neither was the calamari, except for the amazing sauce (whose taste i couldn't quite place though). The deserts are decent, but again nothing amazing. Chakra also has a long and very creative martini list. My recommendation: go for the ambiance, not the food. Great option for drinks and appetizers, would not recommend for dinner.
(4)
Harry K.
It is difficult to find anything to reccomend about Chakra.However, if you like a really loud dining room with overpriced and very average cusine coupled with a somewhat indifferent waitstaff then this is the place for you. The decor is nice- but that's not enough to rescue this place.
(1)
Johny V.
for some strange reason every year i get a gift certificate to this place, and for the third year in a row i left disappointed, restaurant is beautiful, but the food is not, flavorless, salty , demi glace that tasted like it was from a can, they said they cant cook my duck rare, my suggestion is to hire someone who can, next year this is getting re-gifted.
(2)
Jake P.
I was hesitant to take my wife here because she is very picky about restaurants. In fact, I never sit down at first because I know she will insist on a different table. Chakra makes a great first impression cause she had no complaints about the restaurant or our table. Like Anna P., we had calamari and salad. Like Anna P., I found the calamari to be unexceptional but the dipping sauce was great. We disagree with Anna P. about the salad. We shared the endive salad and it was the best salad I have ever had. The dressing was light with a hint of spice. The sweet apple slivers combined with mildly bitter endives and glazed pecans were so delicious I briefly forgot that I am a carnivore who believes that salads are best served to animals to fatten them up before we barbecue 'em. I had the crispy salmon and my wife had scallops. The scallops were good --nothing to post a blog about but not at all mediocre as I had anticipated. The salmon was delicious. We had coffee brulee for dessert. Again, nothing spectacular but far better than I had expected from all the bad reviews I've read. Chakra is not cheap but two appetizers, two entrees, one desert, coffee and three specialty drinks totaled less than $130. Not bad considering that in most places in Bergen County, I would spend around a $100 for mediocre food and crappy decor. I'd definately go back. I can't wait to try their $29 prix fixe early dinner menu.
(4)
rachel a.
The decor is really beautiful and unique. It's a fun place to go for a "special occasion" with a group of people. The food was ok... nothing special. It was hard to pick something off the menu because the options were so limited. It is a little pricey too.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Mike G.
delicious food love the ambiance would definitely come back
(5)Annie C.
It is nice place for special celebration! Crab cake tastes so tender, fresh, delicious! Good service! Price is a little bit high!
(4)I G.
my husband and i , we really like this place a lot , the food was great , service too , the place is.... a little pricey, but i fan anyway
(4)Lisa K.
Lovely ambiance, good service, beautiful decor, I think they should update the booth seats by changing to a darker color. The drink selection is extensive. The menu was good, nice selection without being overwhelming. I enjoyed my Caesar salad and sea bass. The dessert we shared was a macaroon tree w cotton candy- it was really cool and delicious. Coffee and tea was very good. Prices are a bit high but you would expect it for this dining experience. I enjoyed it very much and will revisit for next special occasion.
(4)Christine Joy G.
my amazing friends surprised me and had my bday dinner here.. esp since they knew it was on my to do list of restaurants! we went on a saturday at 530p so we beat the dinner crowd - which probably contributed to reason why the service was so attentive. the layout was nicely done and they really took advantage of the space.. bar in the front, a good amount of tables on the main dining floor, and canopy draped above the semi circle booths along the sides. the ambiance was cool, modern/trendy. we sat in the booth, and it was really nice and intimate to just enjoy dinner and catch up with friends. the service was really good and waitress was helpful with selecting things on the menu and always came back to check in with us. our meal - we started with the grilled octopus and dragon roll - both were really tasty! my friend ordered the special which was the duck and i had the chilean seabass and we shared both entrees. the duck was tough! it was as if i was eating steak.. i had to actually ask for a steak knife! it tasted good when i finally was able to cut a piece but i guess it's not what i was expecting? the chilean seabass was also good but in my mind, el cid still has the best chilean seabass ever. we finished off the meal with dessert - cotton candy and macarons and french pressed coffee - i like the innovative idea of combining the classic cotton candy and macarons. it was yum and just a perfect way to end a good meal! so overall, i had a great dining experience and i suggest everyone should at least give it a try esp if youre in the area and celebrating an event!
(4)Judi P.
The food was wonderful. My 3 star rating is based solely on the flaws in service/hospitality. Our waiter's first mistake was that he did not inform us of the specials. He came to take our order, and we had to inquire whether there were any specials. (We knew there were because we heard them offered to the table next to us), His second mistake was not asking if we wanted coffee and tea; we ordered a dessert, so I would think that would be an obvious question. And lastly, the hostess did not say goodnight or thank us for coming as we exited, even though she was standing at her station and we walked right past her. Perhaps you think I'm nitpicking. I think that at a restaurant with these kind of prices, the service should live up to the quality of the food.
(3)Danielle O.
The atmosphere is stunning for a little red boxy looking place on the side of Route 4. Food is meh.. Service is okay. I've had 2 dining experiences here, I've gotten to taste about 8 different items off the menu. Out of 8 items I'd say 2 were good enough for me to order ever again. There were 2 items that were downright repulsive. The chef here is clearly confused about flavor profiles and how to properly (or even abstractly) complement a dish in a way that would be pleasant to eat. Even though I am not a big fan of their food I must say the dessert with the cotton candy & macaroons is a must have if you are coming for someone's birthday or if you're in a large group- it's fun and over-the-top AND the macaroons are delicious.
(3)Mike A.
Went here last night for dinner courtesy of Groupon. The restaurant is very nice and inviting. It's upscale and quiet so you can enjoy your food and talk at a normal volume. The service was a bit slow for a not so busy night. We sat without menus for ten minutes before our waitress came over to drop them off. It took a good twenty plus minus for the waitress to return and take our orders. The food came out timely and was delicious. The crab cake actually has crab, a lot. For dinner we had trout and lamb, both were very delicious and I would order everything again. I wish I could tell you what sauce was on the trout and what sides were with the lamb but by the time the waitress made it back to our table our plates were cleared by the servers and we forgot to ask. When the check came there was a service charge, not sure if this was because we used a groupon. I really dont like when restaurants try to force you to tip. To me its a very tacky move. Typically I tip 20%, or more if its really good. The service charge came to 17% so thats all they got. The food was fantastic and the restaurant was very nice but the waiter/waitress can visit their tables more often and the forced tip needs to be removed. Also, if using a GPS use 16 Arcadian Way as the street.
(3)John D.
The place atmosphere was romantic and upscale group. The waiter juan was great would recommend. It was my girlfriend birthday and we went there i had the scallop it was great but only got 4 scallop and the plate was $40.00...It was great but very pricey the bill at the end was over $100.00 but was worth it. I would not go back anytime soon unless special ocassion.service was excellent my glass was never empty....
(4)Michelle C.
I had a date here about a year ago, and was equally impressed and unimpressed about certain aspects of Chakra. The ambiance and service were impressive. The bar area was trendy and cool, and had individual waiters as well as a bar. The restaurant itself was really unique - both Gothic and romantic - but still comfy. The music was a bit loud though, making it not really conducive to conversation. I was less impressed by the food. The menu was full of interesting fusion choices, and we selected a couple of sushi rolls. Much to my dismay, all of the ingredients were not listed on the menu... kind of a significant problem to someone with food allergies. I was lucky that I thought to question the waiter when the food arrived and didn't look quite right. The one roll I could try was just okay - seemed as though the chef was really trying to be unique and different rather than focusing on finding the particular flavors that would work together. The upshot - go for some trendy mingling, but go elsewhere for dinner!
(3)Chris J.
fantastic atmosphere. romantic and cozy. it's very good place to dine with your lover. but be aware you have to wait longer than you expect when you go there at busy time.
(4)Janice G.
My husband and I met Evelyn, co-owner of Chakra, to plan our upcoming wedding celebration on November 30, 2013. We couldn't have made a more perfect choice. Not only is the restaurant visually appealing but I must say I truly believe Chakra has the best food in the tri-state area. We are both foodies and love outstanding food and are pleasantly surprised by every dish that comes out of the kitchen. Our guests from NYC as well as NJ couldn't have been impressed with the whole experience. The crab cakes are to die for and the sushi was outstanding. The TC steak was butter and the Chilean sea bass was incredible. People were amazed at how good every single thing was that was brought out to eat that evening. From the appetizers to the dessert each morsel was more delicious than the next. The co-owner chef is truly an artist and like no other we have met. Chakra's excellence is no small wonder once you meet the Chef and his wife, Evelyn, who runs the front end of the restaurant. They are the sweetest & most hardworking couple in the industry and their dedication to excellence pays off in their success. Tonight we went back to celebrate my 60th birthday. We were once again greeted warmly by Evelyn and the manager Bill. They couldn't have been more accommodating even though the restaurant was packed on a Saturday night. Evelyn treated us to the octopus appetizer that blew us away. Two of us decided to have some new selections and tried the trout entrée and black linguine pasta dish. OMG, I don't even know how to describe how good and mouth watering each of the selections were this evening. My daughter had the Chilean sea bass and her boyfriend had the aged steak and they were raving about how good it was, but we knew this since we had tried both entrees at our wedding. All I can say, is you can not go wrong with whatever you eat at Chakra. But as important as the food is, the special treatment by Evelyn and her staff make the experience like no other in the tri-state area. Thank you Evelyn and Thomas Ciszak!
(5)Glenn Q.
Decor: Somebody did a good job turning an old warehouse into a chic room, but the bar/lounge area is way too small. Expect both the bar and the few sofas in the area to be fully occupied... So you and your date will probably be shuffling around the crowd while you wait to be seated. The service: In a word, bad. I think they could get away with service like this in a crappy diner, but it isn't appropriate here. My girlfriend almost wanted to leave the last time we went to this place. The food: I have been guilty of kind of wanting to like this place; but after a good half-dozen visits, and two chefs, I give up. The food just isn't near good or plentiful enough to justify the prices. I'd need some special discount/promotion/bribe to get me back in Chakra!
(1)Jamie S.
Our main courses were amazing. Sushi app was some of the best I ever had. W were lucky enough to get a romantic booth which made everything even better.I would come back here in a heart beat even though it was so pricy.
(4)Edward T.
great atmosphere but..........the food is nothing more then average not good ....but not ......bad ....2star food at 5 star prices
(2)Dimitri L.
I love the ambiance of this restaurant, the drinks are great and the service is very good, but the food was a miss on my last visit.
(3)Suzanne G.
I read the reviews on Yelp before going here, but the menu enticed me to go despite the negative reviews of the service. The place was pretty on the inside but I think was too cavernous and loud to be considered truly romantic. My boyfriend and I were here for an anniversary, and we were happy and feeling good, but that good feeling was immediately squashed by our server. He greeted us hastily and when we tried to put in our appetizer order, he informed us that he would only take a complete order. Hmm, okay. We were hungry and having served food in the past, I didn't see why he couldn't put in appetizers first. Fine, whatever. We ordered the calamari and foie gras and I agree with Jeong K's review -- the foie gras was a bit tough around the edges, which made me think that it was not fresh, and the chocolate toast was soggy. The calamari was okay -- not overly chewy or greasy -- and the tangy white dressing it came with was delicious. Between the appetizer and entrees, the waiter came by to fill our glasses, but in his rushing, overfilled both glasses. Water spilled on the table and our cutlery and he didn't even bat an eye at it before he ran away, and we were left to clean it up ourselves with our dinner napkins. I thought that was extremely rude. For the entree, I got the TC Steak w/ truffled creamed spinach. The steak was perfectly cooked and the spinach was a perfect accompaniment. My boyfriend got some boring chicken dish, which I didn't try, but he said was just okay. We skipped dessert because we didn't feel like being treated as inconveniences instead of customers.
(2)Thomas U.
I thought this restaurant serves indian cuisine but They re not. I went there with my wife, My wife ordered chilian sea bass and I had TC steak, TC steak is perfectly cooked, they said steak was aged for 40 days, $40 price tag is pretty high compare to other steak house I've been, They serve with roasted half loaf of garlic, that was interesting. you will find same quality steak at lower price. My wife had sea bass, comes with stick of jumpo shrimp wraped in thin layer of potato looked like corned dog. it was good and different. Only downside, they seat us in very small table, I was able to touch the guy who was next to my table in one arm length. I can even hear conversation on next table. Ambience was beautiful. but Food was ok, wan't best. For dessert we had Watermelon Mojito - two scoop of vanilla ice cream, sprinkled with chopped watermelon and mint leave stuck on the top. flavor was interesting and My wife liked it. Overall its pricey.
(3)Kelli D.
Omg, I love this place so much. If I could afford to eat here on a weekly basis I would. I've been here quite a few times and I am never disappointed. Everything from the ambiance, which is very romantic, to the service, to the food, is excellent. The last time I dined at Chakra's I ordered the trout with the smoked marcona almonds, in a brown butter sauce. It was literally to die for. It also came with a citrus fennel on top.........whoa........an explosion of flavors!! My husband ordered the skirt steak and that was delicious as well. Their cocktails are great. I ordered a cucumber martini. Service is good, waiters and bus boys are very attentive- although the bartender was a little slow when we needed drinks. The apps were delivered before our drinks were! Nonetheless, one of my favorite places in Bergen County.
(5)Monica D.
This is based on my latest visit, last night. I haven't been here in years because it is pricey but I got a Groupon on for $50 and decided to go with my friend just for a couple of drinks and apps cause that's all you can get for $50. The server was very nice and helpful and gave us a bunch of suggestions and there were also reasonably priced daily specials but we told him we were going light and had the Groupon and he was totally great with it. I ordered the tuna tartare based on the pic that someone posted here because it looked like a good amount and yummy. What I got were literally about 10 small cubes (size of small sugar cubes) of tuna on top of foam! That was $14! On the other hand, my friend got the entree size Cobb salad that was $16 and it was more than enough for both of us and very delicious. We also had 3 glasses of wine. This came out to $61 w/o tip. Great ambiance and service but not worth the price if you do not have a discount.
(3)Lor A.
Went to Chakra on Saturday night with some girlfriends to celebrate the upcoming holidays. We arrived earlier than our 9:00 PM reservations so that we could see and be seen by the bar/lounge. Sadly, the clientele was much older than we anticipated. We've all been there before and never did we experience such an older crowd. I thought I saw my friend's Nana there - no joke. To our surprise, we were given a canopy table even though we were under the impression that you needed a party of 6 or more for that. Nice! My friends all had the TC Steak, which they loved, and I had the Rigatoni Ragu with braised short ribs. It was fabuloso. It was cooked to perfection and I even had some left to take home with me. It was $22 which really wasn't too bad. We ordered the chocolate bread pudding for dessert and it was not what we expected...it was actually better. It was tiny, but the flavor was amazing. It was like a mini lava cake, minus the lava. It was just enough for us all to have a bite, albeit a small bite. The waitstaff was extremely attentive and friendly. We didn't feel rushed at all. A few friends ordered some specialty martinis and our waitress told them that if they didn't like it, they could send it back (no charge) and order something else. They wound up loving them. Not sure if they did away with the valet parking nonsense...there was no valet parking that night, and I was very pleased. I typically park on the street to avoid the valet anyway. All in all, a great experience!
(4)Nancy G.
Restaurant is NOT closed. Was at the 10th anniversary party last night. Great eclectic place. Food and drinks suburb. Love it. Owners and staff friendly and wonderful. Will be there many more times
(5)Victoria M.
Very romantic for a date, especially a very special one. Drinks are on the higher price range but they are very well made. The ambiance is just perfect. Food was good but I only order the Tofu appetizer. I recently visited Chakra again and was very disappointed by how aweful the drinks were, very different from how I remember them. There was four of us, and we each had a different drink, and none of us were able to finish the drinks because they weren't made well. I don't know if it was because it was very late in the evening, but I was left with a not so satisfied impression from the last time I was there.
(3)Denise S.
I really hate giving bad reviews, and I feel like I'm already being generous with three stars. I want Chakra to be great, because the ambiance is so romantic and the food is delicious. I am rooting for Chakra. I give it many chances to be truly wonderful, but each time I am let down. The service here is not good. It's just not good enough to have wonderful food. I do not mind paying for good food, but good food is not enough. For the prices everything should be spot on. Service is never spot on. Others have commented on the service, so I know I'm not alone. Here are service faux pas at Chakra in just one night: * Servers reach across you when serving. OMG, my #1 pet peeve. Isn't that the first thing you teach a server? The guy reached over my friend to pour boiling tea into my cup. The pot was heavy and his hand was shaking so not only did it look like he was going to spill it on me, but his armpit was in my friends face. * Drinks delivered after appetizers, really? I had two cosmos, and I had really planned to drink more like 4 or 5 , but the servers were so slow I could only manage to get my hands on two. For Gods sake where the hell is the manager, shouldn't he be expediting when things get crazy?? BTW - The pomegranate cosmos are over the moon. * Service is SLOW all around, which meant I had to stare at my finished plate for far too long. If I want to stare at dirty plates, I will eat in my own kitchen. Again who is watching over everything here, do they have mangers? * Server knocked into another server spilling my drink on her serving tray. She still served me the drink, without wiping the liquid away from the base or stem of the glass. I had to ask for more napkins. I had already waited 15 MINUTES for the drink so I didn't ask for a replacement and I had to put up with a sticky glass. I really want them to figure out the service, because I really would give this place 4 or 5 stars, because the overpriced food is VERY GOOD.
(3)Dmitriy S.
My 2nd time here. I thought the first time was a fluke but was reassured this past weekend. The appetizers were very good. The Fois Gras was great. Entrees were awful. The TC steak had no taste and was over cooked. The TC sauce was OK at best. Good steak should never be served with sauce. Wife's salmon was ok, nothing spectacular. The worst thing about Chakra? The service. We waited about 45 mins for the appetizers and another 30 for the entrees. There were two of us.
(2)Sasha M.
I ate here years ago on a blind date. I have to say it has been years and I still remember how flavorful the apps were. And no I don't remember that poor smuck at all. It is a great ombiance. Very trendy. At the time did not care for eating and sitting on the ottomon type furntiure however we had ordered several apps and one was better than the other. Could not honestly tell you if it is pricey or how the actual dinners are. But if you want to hang out with friends and have some apps this is great place for that.
(4)Khalil T.
Great atmosphere, great food and a great server. A bit on the pricey side but OK for some unique flavors.
(4)Kyle R.
The food was delicious as were the drinks! Great ambiance! Enjoyed my dinner here. The shrimp linguini was great! I would definitely go again!
(5)Jeong K.
Atmosphere and decor....is impressive and intimate Food was average but not bad. Had the following: Tuna tartare....try to avoid. Not your typical tartare but served in a coconut creamish sauce with sugar cube sized tuna. Dish was so so Foie gras... Do not get. Duck liver served on top of toast...toast was soggy and the edges of the liver was a bit tough. Makes you wonder if it was fresh or prepared improperly. Calamari salad.. Not bad with the Asian tangy dressing. Warning, entree salads are ginormous. Sea bass.. Highly recommended...prepared perfectly with great flavor and texture. Overall, food was ok but if you're an atmosphere junky, this place could be you. Foodies beware....
(3)Leah T.
So disappointing. We arrived before our reservation and went to the bar to wait. The host said she would find us when our table was ready. It was very crowded. I will say the decor of the restaurant is very nice, not your typical Jersey restaurant. The bar is way too small for a restaurant this size. There were two bartenders, one showed a little more sense of urgency then the other. The first drink I ordered, I was told they didn't have all the liquor for so I ordered another. It was not good. It took a while to get someone's attention for another drink. I needed a lime and didn't get one. When my husband went to check on our table the host knew his name right away and said they were setting up the table at that moment. We were definitely impressed with the hosts. Our server came over and when we asked how he was doing, he said he was just very flustered and that he was better now. Not really the right way to start a new table. He was well informed when we asked questions. I did ask him for a lime and he never brought it. We ordered tuna tartare and the Parma ham roll as an appetizer. In my opinion when you call a dish "tartare" it should be chopped fine, not served as large chunks. The tuna was very fresh. The sauce it came with was stupid. It was coconut kaffir lime foam and was not inspired or balanced flavor wise. And then there was tapioca. Why? I have no clue. Just because it's trendy to put tapioca in a dish doesn't mean it belongs there. The Parma ham roll was the only good thing we ate. For entrees we ordered steak au poivre and veal schnitzel. The steak was absolutely the most awful thing I've ever eaten in a restaurant. I'm sure the actual meat was just fine, but the sauce. Oh that sauce. It was not au poivre sauce at all. And it tasted like lemon cleaning product. Seriously. I have no idea if it was supposed to taste like that or if something accidentally got into the sauce. It was inedible. The schnitzel was just ok, at least edible. It was very bland and under seasoned. I actually had to ask for salt. They took the steak off the check, but no manager came to see us. We did not stay for dessert.
(1)Melanie Q.
Habanero margarita's are spicy and perfectly sweet. Tuna Tartar was succulent and flavorful! We had a salmon sushi roll to split as well. As we were just there for the cocktails-which the listing for variety is absolutely amazing and appetizers, I would definitely return for dinner. It was myself and a girlfriend and we sat at the bar and were pleasantly engaged in conversations with the bartenders who were very friendly and gracious. The atmosphere is upscale but the vibe is very relaxed and chill.
(4)Amy C.
Chakra has not only one of the most beautiful, romantic, and comfortable settings possible, but has a talented chef, a gracious manager, and great staff of servers. We were a party of five, and being that it was our first visit, tried several appetizers to start. We were pleasantly surprised that we loved every one of them! Oysters were succulent and fresh as the sea. Fried calamari was crispy and tender and we had the waiter mix it in the mesclun salad creating a new venture. The crab cake was all crabmeat with just enough of other ingredients to bind it all, and grilled octopus was grilled to perfection--and I was sorry I had to share! The staff and manager, Evelyn, was attentive and accommodating. Thanks to her suggestion, I loved the non-alcoholic ginger mojito she recommended! Our entrees were just as scrumptous. The Crispy Trout was crispy on top, not overcooked, and full of flavor, served on a bed of fennel orange salad. The short ribs in a red wine reduction was the best I've ever tasted. The Chilean sea bass was delightfully delicious and fresh, and I loved the potato wrapped shrimp that accompanied it. Though we didn't have room for dessert, we were on a roll and just had to try a few. The chef makes his own hazelnut ice cream and it was devine! The special watermelon concoction was so enjoyable and unique and not on the regular menu. Last but not least, the ricotta beignets (similar to Italian zeppoles) were served with 3 sauces: raspberry, creme, and nutella. I was in foodie heaven! My rave review has prompted my sister-in-law to celebrate her 40th anniversary there!
(5)Dennis H.
I had a groupon for Chakra and I decided to go there. We had a appetizer which was not bad we also had two drinks. For the appetizer I had the octopus and my friend had berchetta special. Overall The appetizers wereent bad. Then for the meal I had the steak and he had the tuna. It was very delicious. Here's where the three stars coming, I had two drinks it was $18 on top of that they charged us seven dollars per dish because it wasn't in the Groupon special. We ended up paying $85 extra plus the Groupon. The place is tooooo toooo toooo overpriced for what it has to offer!! Do they think they're New York City!??!?
(3)Susan G.
Beautiful dining space and even thou a busy Saturday eve, with several large parties, the noise level allowed you to hear the conversation at your own table. The food was fantastic, with beautiful presentation and excellent service. The crab cakes were the best I have had: pure crab. All in our party will return soon.
(4)R T.
First time we went here, it was great. Second visit is tonight. Made dinner reservation for Chakra one month ago via OpenTable. Get an email from OpenTable saying Chakra canceled the reservation with no explanation. I call and they say it's because I have a fake phone # with with OpenTable acct. I only have a fake cell #. Home # is real and so is the email so they could have used them if they weren't lazy. Food was excellent. Some of the best food I've ever had. Lots of NJ dishes such as blueberry cobbler made with NJ blueberries. Chicken was from local organic chicken farm and you can taste the difference. Amazing.
(4)Valerie J.
I have been meaning to try this place for a while, and a wine tasting event, coupled by my friend saying he would accompany me, finally sealed the deal. First of all - the decor is just really cool here. Said to be a romantic restaurant - with the cozy nooks of booths, each swathed in silvery drawn curtains, and the low light, one can see why. This is however one of those spots where some of the food is going to amaze you while others will let you down. My friend had the special - a cream of celery soup that was absolutely great - not too overpowering on the cream side which allowed the celery to shine, but tempered it with a sweetness. Of course it was supposed to come with one scallop but instead came with one shrimp, so I had the waiters correct this - and the scallop was of course also scrumptious. As an appetizer I was very lucky to have ordered the tuna tartar - which turned out to be some of the best tuna tartar I have ever had. Sushi quality (of course) rich tuna is made even more heavenly with a creamy mayo weaved throughout. It comes atop crisp cucumbers and is topped with even more excellent avocado. Win! Another win were the little bites they served us - a beat with a dollop of cream cheese atop it. I am not a fan of cream cheese but somehow this one biter was perfect parts savory, earthy, and bursting with flavor that I probably moaned with delight. For his main, my friend got the Parma Ham Roll - It comes with spicy tuna, arugula, and is wrapped with Parma and topped with spicy miso "mustard" - and in all honesty, it was also very good. As my friend is just lately easing into sushi, this was a perfect roll for him and rather good as a whole. He also ordered a risotto that came topped with pungent blue cheese - he rather enjoyed this, but it certainly wasn't for me. I was very disappointed in my second course which was "Pumpkin & Ricotta Angelotti" described as: "Pulled Short Rib, WIlted Pea Shoots, Shallot Confit". Basically supposed to be a pumpkin and ricotta ravioli which came looking and tasting rather like a mess. I was sure to ask the waiter if it was sweet or savory (I am not a fan of sweet food as a rule) before ordering, and to my dismay it was in fact rather sweet, and salty, and came in a brownish greenish oily sauce that did nothing for it. Also, it was less like ravioli and more like strange squooshey crescents. Ah well. I would love to go back for more of their tartar, perhaps soup, and more sushi. I think this place is a definite good go-to spot and probably a good date spot. But I also think it would help to really know what is solid here before taking that special someone ;) Also, yes it is a bit pricey for being a restaurant in Paramus and not NYC, but perhaps it makes up for it in atmosphere, cute touches (the little bites) and uniqueness.
(3)Seraphine P.
Really nice vibe and decor. Good food. Sometimes its very crowded so you need to wait for a table but it's nice to have a bar/lounge area towards the front so you're not just waiting to be seated.
(4)Crissy H.
Even though the food here is extremely good (highly recommend the calamari for a starter and seared scallops for dinner) and the atmosphere has a cool/chic feel to it, I am not sure if I would ever come back. When my friend and I came here for our Birthday dinner a couple of weeks ago, we were treated like second class citizens. I guess we didn't dress the part (we were coming from work, so it wasn't like we were wearing sweatpants or something) to be treated like the rest of the guests. The staff was snobby and treated us like we were not good enough to eat there. So if I had to base this on the food it would be four stars, the atmosphere would be five, the service one. With that being said, I guess three stars is fair.
(3)Ryan W.
Stopped in here the other night - let me say I would probably give it another shot - here are the goods and bads of my night.. Good: - Awesome interior, very chic decor, just a really cool set up, great date spot! - Calamari and creamed spinach were both very good! - We ordered a 32 oz porterhouse for 2.. it was on special and it was amazing... I have a hunch that Chakra might employ an ex Peter Luger's chef because this steak not only looked identical to a Luger Porterhouse but also tasted the same, had the same buttery treatment, etc. (If you have never had a Luger's Porterhouse... its kind of a big deal, so this is a big time compliment ... Amazing steak!) Bad: - It is super dark in here! You literally can barely see where you are going, you get a little candle at your table but other than that... Bring a flashlight! - The steak was big (it was meant for 2) but the calamari portion was really small! - Steak was $76! Overall I would say kinda overpriced in general.. - Service was really, really slow.. - Ordered a Dirty Martini up - received a Martini (not dirty) on the rocks.... Bartender insisted that is how I ordered it... (this is my go to drink and for no reason would I ever order a martini on the rocks!) Even if I did (which I didnt) the customer is always right, right??? Worst of all: - I had called ahead prior to visiting to make a reservation... They took my first and last name and my cell and said that I was all set for 9:00pm. When I got there they had no record of my reservation or my call or anything... I get it.. things happen and get lost or whatever but what upset me was how I was treated after.. It went a little something like this.. Me: Well I made a reservation, soo? Hostess: Yeahhh... we dont have it.. Me: So you lost it? I gave my full name, my cell, everything! Hostess: Right yeah, we don't have anything so as a walk in you can just wait until a table is available over at the bar! Me: Well ok but I'm not just a walk in I had reservations.. Hostess: As I said, walk ins can wait at the bar... So not only did they not apologize for losing my reservation but also implied I never made one or I was lying about it and basically didn't address the fact that they f'ed up at all and treated me kind of like a nuisance! Really annoying! Despite that, the food was great, the atmosphere is really incredible and I would still go back!
(3)Agata G.
Wonderful restaurant! My first pick for a great night out! I have been there several times and the service/food never fails to impress. The crab cakes and filet mignon are amazing, my mouth waters just thinking about it. Lastly, the ambience and décor add to the overall experience, a very romantic and serene atmosphere. I always hope for a seat in one of the canopied coves with sofa seating and pillows galore! Definitely a restaurant you want to try out!
(5)A O.
I visited the restaurant with my wife on January 4, 2014. The atmosphere was nice. The food was fine, not great but not bad. The service, however, was poor. The restaurant was busy so the service could be better on a slower day. The draught beer lines were broken so only bottled beer. Some places would have offered a free drink to make up for that, but not here. After we placed our drink orders, my beer came out but my wife's drink did not until I asked again for it. When my glass was empty it was cleared and I was never asked if I wanted another. After our entrees were finished we received the check without being asked if we wanted dessert. The bill was about $135 before tip. For that money you should get proper service. I would look elsewhere before dining here.
(2)Maria M.
I've been several times and have never been disappointed. Love the embience, super sexy, miami/bali vibe. Great martini and menu here is never boring. Wonderful presentation in each entree. I'm a fan!
(5)Annette P.
Horrible management. They don't know how to treat customers or their staff. You can easily overhear the waiters begging to go home. Its like they are forced to put on a smile. As for the food, its a fresh menu compared to whats local but its way over priced. The only plus to this establishment is the decor. Its very trendy and could easily impress a date. When you call to make reservations - you can't request one of the cabanas. Its first come first serve or they save it for regulars.
(1)jeff k.
It started with a vile Bellini, likely made with either cheap champagne or good champagne that had gone bad, that had to be sent back because it was undrinkable. The cut bread in the bread dish tasted like it had been cut six hours before. The "award winning" horseradish crab cakes had a wonderful taste but were served barely lukewarm. And, the infused fries were limp and tasted like they had been soaked in oil, without the slightest hint of infusion. On the bright side, the room is very trendy yet at the same time warm. A very nice place to have dinner. And, the French press coffee was excellent.
(2)Dani S.
Been here a few times. The service is always great and the food was great too. I think they changed their menu. Great "date place," The room is dark and hung with candles and drapes. This used to be the place to be on a Saturday night, but now it is more quiet and "date" like.
(3)Wade S.
Horrible customer service. We got bad service and were so disillusioned with our visit that we left most of our food on our plates. When we expressed our feelings we were quickly presented with a bill for our visit (charging us for everything). The manager expressed that she thought being apologetic for our experience was sufficient. After some back and forth she tried to offer us a gift card to go back. No thank you! Never again.
(1)Tom S.
I've been here twice and the food has been underwhelming. Make no mistake, the ambiance is pretty cool, but it's not enough to make up for the food. It's far too dark inside. Prepare to use the tabletop candles as a reading light while ordering and be careful not to trip over anything at the bar. The calamari appetizer is prepared extremely well, although it goes downhill from there. The sushi is basic and not special at all. I could not detect any flavor in the horseradish-crusted crab cakes, and luckily the sauce at least had a hint of horseradish. The service was very slow and our server seemed to be uptight. When someone delivered a drink to our table while our server was reading the specials, he stopped and chastised him and sent him away in front of our entire table. Seemed a little unnecessary.
(2)Krystina G.
Amazing food! Not for the pain of pallet though. I have gone two times and the first time the service was spectacular, service like it is written in books!!! i was amazed. The second time the service was definitely better than most but a little lacking. The one thing i always enjoy is that they do not rush you here ... the cotton candy is so much fun and the macaroons are great too!!
(5)Adam A.
Absolutely gorgeous and unique decor that sweeps you right into the atmoshpere. The food is out of this world. My girlfriend and I shared the Calamari appetizer which was delicious although a wee bit on the small side for sharing. I am used to heaping mountains of calamari when I order it at other places. I then had the yellowfin tuna with PEI mussels and chorizo. The tuna was barely cooked, just how I like it, with perfect texture both inside and out. My girlfriend had the crabcakes which looked great with massive lumps of crab meat and cool presentation. For desert, I had the coconut tapioca with passionfruit sorbet. The tapioca was great aside from a lack of strong coconut flavor. The passionfruit sorbet was THE BEST sorbet I have ever tried. Passionfruit flavor is difficult to replicate, but the sorbet was spot on (I assume they made it from real passionfruit, and lots of it with few additives). My girlfriend had some chocolate desert which was also unbelievable. To top it off, the drinks were strong and delicious (although $12 a pop). Chakra is definitely not not for the everynight dining trip due to how expensive it is, but for a special occasion, it cannot be beat.
(5)Jessica J.
Ok real quick n simple, i had came at 7pm for dinner and was seated right away, from the hostess to the server, they were excellent. As for the food, that also was fresh from the oysters to the steak. everything was tasty one of our steak was little over cooked which made it tough however eatable. A restaurant in which i will definitly go back to.
(4)Joe D.
Been here a few times. This last time was definitely the best. I like the re-arrangement of the decor. The chef has definitely been upgraded from my previous visit about a year before. The food quality, preparation, and quantity was excellent. I will def go back to try some other interesting items on the menu. I had the fish special of the night which was a branzino and enjoyed it fully. Negatives: parking and a little pricey
(4)Barbara W.
While there are many fine restaurants in Bergen County, most lack ambience. At Chakra, from the moment you step inside you are quite literally transported into an environmental experience that is both unique and stress busting. You immediately relax and start to smile. The food is fabulous, presentation is excellent, everything comes out hot and the wine selection is to die for. Service was nothing short of outstanding. This is a very sophisticated, upscale restaurant that is obviously so very terrific that it issucceeding in a time when everyone is cutting back and going to moderate places if out at all. However, this restaurant has overcome the times because it is so uniquely excellent. It's not inexpensive but well worth it for a special night out or when you truly want a fabulous dining experience. Frankly, I'd rather go here than deal with the noise and buffeting around you get at The River Palm nearby or the attitude at Morton's where you're treated poorly if not a regular. This was my first time at Chakra. Chakra also has wine and food pairing events which are very good values with multi course dinners around $50-60. Get on their email list for this or better yet, go there for an elegantly fabulous experience. Dress is business casual.
(5)Ellie J.
Beautiful and chic lounge/restaurant. It's good for special occasion. Food in regular menu wasn't that impressive but daily special menu was great. We ordered steak from daily special menu, cooked perfectly and melted in the mouth. Mussels were good also but overpriced generally.
(3)Jenn B.
One of our favorite places to eat. It is a little pricey, but the atmosphere and Chilean sea bass alone was well worth the money. Whenever we have gone there our waiters have been fantastic. It is our "go to" place for date night!
(5)Heather R.
After several years of effort, I believe that Chakra has earned a place as a truly exquisite night out. The atmosphere is romantic and artistically atmospheric. The meals were original and so delicious and the wine list superb.the service is excellent. I highly recommend Chakra for a date night, a special occasion and for a well needed excellent meal.
(5)Heather G.
Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere. Phenomenal wait staff. The drink selection is fun and makes you want to try them all (not in one sitting though). The serving as just right. Nothing is too big that you feel you can't move after. I really enjoy this restaurant!
(4)Michelle L.
I'm quite surprised as well by some of the reviews on here as well...I have always had a great experience at Chakra and LOVE the food. Recently moved to NJ from NYC and it is one of my favorite restaurants here. The drinks at Chakra are super yummy -- I LOVE cocktails and these are tops. Ordered the Habanero Margarita and a Green Apple Martini and I have to admit, it was worth it....I'd come back just for the drinks! We ordered the tuna tartar with tapioca and It does not disappoint. High quality tuna, perfect amount of spice -- simply worth it. Ordered the calamari -- how can you mess up fried calamari? I liked how they have peppers in it, gave it a nice kick. For our entree we had a lobster special and lamb -- both were outstanding. (have had the sea bass, steak and salmon before and I would stand by any of their dishes -- so flavorful and fresh). The dessert we had was so delicious I have had dreams about it -- Peanut Dacquoise is the way to go. Not too sweet, loved the sea salt they put on to finish it -- yummy! Given that Chakra is located in the land of Chain Restaurants, it is so nice to have a place like Chakra -- the service was amazing, our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu, offered suggestions and didn't annoy us....it was our anniversary and they also gave us free prosecco and made our celebration special. I'd recommend Chakra any day -- it is quality food, drink and well worth it.
(5)Vanessa E.
I have drove past this place for years and never had any interest of trying it because 1. It's in a horrible location and 2. From outside it looks like nothing. However, when I saw them on groupon I thought I would give it a shot and I am glad I did! The décor is lovely and makes you feel as though you are inside a trendy NYC meatpacking restaurant (however RT 4 is right outside). We had two martinis one was life's a peach and let me tell you OMG it was amazing they have 360 vodka and that is one of my favorites! We also had a pear martini and it was the second best I ever had. House wines were also good and a generous size. The creamed spinach is a must have and for desert if you love peanut better you must order the peanut butter and banana desert. Our servers name was Fausto and he was so kind, very helpful and chatty. He made our experience so much better, so huge shout out to Fausto you were the best!
(4)Sheena J.
The service provided was unbelievably horrible. I will never dine at Chakra ever again. After waiting over 15 minutes from being seated without a dinner menu I had to get up from the table and find the hostess to mention that the waiter had not come to our table at all after a long wait. Once the waitress started serving us she had offered bread for the table then forgot to even bring it. Instead of being offered refills for our drinks we had to scout the waitress and repeatedly had to ask for refills. No wonder the service was so bad, 18% gratuity is included no matter how many people are in your party; and there were only two of us dining. Although the service was horrible, I must admit the food was delicious. I ordered the dragon roll (so delicious) as appetizer and TC steak for entree (best steak I ever had). The jasmine green tea was also very tasty. Although I loved the food, I would never would recommend it or go back again in my life because the service was that horrendous.
(1)Mike G.
Good but not worth the hassle. Made a reservation earlier in the week for Saturday at 8.15. We arrived a few minutes early, and checked in, but didn't get seated till 9.10, after asking a few times whether the table was ready. They were seriously overbooked and under staffed. The food was good, as it should for the prices they are asking. Atmosphere is nice, presentation nice, but again for the prices they are asking, they need to drastically improve the service. Our waiter was both pleasant and helpful, but over whelmed.
(2)Steve F.
You're in for quite a surprise when you enter the restaurant considering its busy location route 4 East bound Paramus. Tranquility and class and the food and service rivaled the environment. You needn't fear walking away hungry either.
(4)bruce s.
I'd go 3 1/2 for Chakra...ambiance is 5 stars and food is easily 3. Very cozy, romantic vibe (with very Paramus or suburban appearing clientele). My crab cake entree was as good as waiter said it would be...delicious. Our tomato salad with vinaigrette reduction was also very good and very unique. My only complaint was the pour for booze and wine....not very generous...as if they were pouring liquid gold! All told, nice place very worth trying if you're up for a hi-end meal.
(3)Leslie L.
I think what youre paying for here is 'the experience' of being in a sheek place. The inside is beautiful. There are lounge seats that are so adorable. Food was good but not as perfect as it should be for these prices... I think if I were to come back it would be to sit in the lounge area or bar.
(4)Dee C.
Gorgeous Moroccan style decor. Fab wine list! Food was outstanding (including the bacon/bourbon cocktail for starters) I'd go back in a heartbeat!
(4)Marisol A.
Food, service, and ambiance very ellegant and dim lighting makes for a great dinner date, especially with the booths and white canopy.
(5)Nicole P.
The restaurant is beautiful, however my experience there was rather dreadful. Our service was so painfully slow. To start, every table received bread, but ours, even the table next to mine that came after us. I ordered the "TC" steak, medium-rare, which was rather chewy, a big disappointment. The steak was not work the money at all. The creamed truffle spinach that comes with the steak was good, thankfully. We decided to order dessert, and while he was taking our dessert order, I asked for the check, since service was so slow, and we had already been there for two hours for a single course. We waited, and waited for the dessert, received our check, to see no dessert on it. We put our check book up to indicate we were ready for our card to be swiped but still waited. It wasn't until another waiter, different from ours passing by noticed the pissed look on our faces, that he finally took it. Our waiter returned with the check book to sign, and we asked, what happened to the dessert, he apologized and said it was so busy, and if we still wanted, it would be out in 5 minutes... So you mean to tell me you never put it in... It wound up being 2.5 hours for a single course meal, that was half decent. I would not recommend, there are plenty of places in the area that have better quality food, and service.
(2)Glen F.
The scenario: table of six (three couples) for dinner on a Saturday night. The experience: amateur service, mediocre food, and a misleading menu. First, I had a shorter wait for puberty than for my entree to come out. Seriously, our dinner took so long to arrive, that they cleared the utensils and condiments, and had to bring a second set when the food actually arrived. Second, one of my friends asked to have his water refilled, so the waitress came over, filled his glass and raced off...leaving three of us staring at ourselves--and our empty water glasses. Third, it took 20 minutes to work through the process of getting the check. I refer to it as a process, because there were milestones and timelines involved--it wasn't just a simple request, quickly fulfilled. One of us ordered the "TC steak". Based on the quality of the meat, "TC" stands for "Tough Chew". I ordered the "Pork Tenderloin". What I was served was pinkish and tasted like ham...unlike any pork tenderloin I've ever had. Finally, while I appreciate the exotic decor, I found myself eating as a lefty because the seating was so cramped. The conclusion: not going there again.
(2)Chris J.
This place is ideal for a date, has a kinda wow factor that you get in places in the city without breaking the bank. It has a beautiful decor and very cool feel to it. I was here Friday and really enjoyed it. The crab cake app was good but the hanger steak I had was great. Food seemed to come out in a reasonable time and a manager was nice enough to check in and chat with us a bit. Overall it was a very pleasant experience.
(5)Stephanie L.
Perfect location for our 20th anniversary. Loved the decor, food was delicious and we were well taken care of. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Emily K.
This is the perfect place to sit and drink a PHENOMENAL cocktail (order the nutty pear) in a beautiful and relaxing atmosphere. I would not come back here for the food. Way too expensive for an average meal.
(3)Colleen P.
great Food, Romantic atmosphere only complaint-service was slow and the wait had that phony tone... you know what I mean? Would return but hopefully a different waiter next time...
(4)Conrad B.
My wife and I have been here 3 times, the last time July 5th. I wanted to give Chakra 5 stars because they gave my wife warmed milk for her coffee (which she loves and does at home) at the end of the meal. That is something I've NEVER seen in all my years of dining out. BUT... the cibatta (sp?) bread was a bit stale, although the 2 rolls that came along with the bread seemed to be fresh! (Go figure.) We both ordered the TC steaks (which are $6 extra if you have a groupon) which was very good, but was served more medium than the medium rare we had ordered. Because it was so good, we didn't say anything about that. The steak came with a roasted garlic and creamed spinach... perfect! We also had some quinoa which was served with ramps (a leek like vegetable that I had never heard of and can not seem to find anywhere). Excellent! SO yummy and I love making quinoa at home. The dessert was rhubarb chiboust (compressed rhubarb, strawberries) with pie crust ice cream. Again... excellent! The French Press coffee was very good if somewhat expensive, although you do get 2 full cups out of it. The decor is pretty interesting. The wife likes it alot, but I'm a "guy"... so it's just ok. Nice. Overall, Chakra's is very good... I look forward to coming back again.
(4)M M.
Chakra. If You Are IN rush, Small Portion and pay a lot Chakra is your restaurant. Tonight it took us one hour to get there done eating and paying about the same including appetizers.
(1)Andrew B.
A pleasant surprise, the decor is really exceptionally warm and beautiful, and everything we had was terrific. Dessert was especially good, as was the foie gras pizza. I'd driven by its odd pink exterior many times, and held the fact that it was on Housewives of Nu Joisey against it, but I was mistaken, as it was all around a great choice.
(4)Stephy G.
Let me start off by saying, I'm giving it a 3 star rating because of the seating. The restaurant itself is decorated gorgeously however the seating could use a little work. My boyfriend and I were seated in between two other customers, because of how close we were to the other guests, a drunken girl did spill her drink on me. She apologized but whatever. We had the Cesar salad as an app, it came reeking of anchovies. And so we just pushed that aside, but let me tell you about our Entrees they were delicious we both had the steak with the au povire sauce, it was absolutely mouth watering.
(3)J Z.
I recently had dinner with 6 girlfriends for a long-awaited mom's night out. We were all impressed by the decor and our table which was under a tent and our benches which felt like comfy couches. The drinks were good and the menu looked great. We decided to order a bunch of sushi, appetizers, and some entrees to share. The food was good but nothing stood out as memorable. The reason I am giving it one star was because of the TERRIBLE attitude of the waiter. He really ruined the night for us. He was rude constantly. We had to flag him down to order more drinks and more food. We were always friendly and polite to him. He never checked in with us. He kept trying to take the dishes off the table before we were finished. After we'd been there a while we could hear him complaining about our table in the kitchen saying we'd been there 2 hours. The restaurant was not busy so there was no one waiting for our table. He must have heard us talking about what we heard him saying in the kitchen because soon a new waiter came over and said he was going to take over. We asked if the other waiter was leaving for the night and he said no the place doesn't close for 2 more hours. The new waiter wasn't much better. We did have one waitress fill a cocktail order for us who was very pleasant. At one point I thought that maybe the waiter was annoyed that we all didn't order entrees and he was thinking his tip wouldn't be enough. Well when we received the bill we were shocked. It was nearly $700 for 7 people and the gratuity was automatically included at 18%. With his service we would have never given him 18%. With good service he would have received a higher tip from us. I would have much rather have spent that money at great place in Manhattan than a place with OK food and terrible service in NJ. The seven of us will never go back and we've told our friends about our bad experience.
(1)B L.
Like the place a lot just very pricey. And there salads are small and barely any good flavor. But a nice place to hang out a bit
(4)Michael S.
Great food and service! The décor is trendy and sexy. There are pillowed booths and dim lighting with candles and a waterfall that changes colors making it very romantic. Our waitress was attentive and knowledgeable. Their wine menu is set up by flavor profile instead id region or grape type making it easy to pick a wine. The sushi was fresh, the steak juicy and buttery and the crabcakes were to die for! The beignets were the perfect finishing touch to a great meal
(5)jennifer c.
Awful service! I was there with friends in the lounge area after about 20 minutes we inquired where the person was for the lounge area, after 30 minutes my friend got up and placed our order and brought back our drinks. We only had our food brought to us. Probably should have given the tip to my friend instead.
(1)michele c.
Went on a Thursday night and loved it! The last time I was there was at least three years ago, the place has always been beautiful and very city chic but never met the standards with good food. Things have changed and the food is very good, service is excellent and the vibe is still fabulous! I definitely recommend it for a night out with friends, or a romantic night out - either or. Can't miss. Oh, and the music is not blaring anymore - thanks Chakra!
(5)Won C.
For years I had been meaning to come eat here. Well, what d'ya know? This past month I got to eat here 3 times! Each time being different from the last time. The first time we went was with a large group for my pregnant wife's birthday (I won't tell you how old she is). The second time, we went with another couple for a groupon deal. And the last time, I went with a buddy of mine for a bourbon tasting they had a couple weeks back. First tip - if you plan on going with a large group during a peak time, be sure you get the number of guests SET IN STONE. If you show up with even one person more or less, they WILL BUMP YOU! We had to wait an additional hour and a half for a table, despite having a reservation and FOUR pregnant ladies in our group. We only had one additional guest. Luckily their lounge area has alot of comfortable seating. I think they know that this is an ongoing problem for them. Second tip - Get the following items that will probably always be on their menu when you come here for the first time. Arancini Rice Balls for Appetizer. Black Linguini for Entree. Peanut Dacquoise or Strawberry Cardamom Sorbet for dessert. Get these dishes and you will want to come back. Get the TC Steak another time, it is good but not really for steak connoisseurs like me. Third tip - Their cocktails are REALLY good. If you are early for your reservation, stop by the bar and ask the bartender what's good. Lastly, I had the best thing ate this ENTIRE year at this restaurant when I came for the Hudson Bourbon whiskey tasting. It was the third course pork dish. It was a sous-vide pork tenderloin served over a small cake of creamy grits. On top was a thick cut piece of bacon and drizzled with a savory smoky maple-y molasses BBQ sauce with little piece of pickled celery. So many layers of flavors. I didn't see this on their normal menu, so I hope they bring it in. I will add a picture later. To the owner - PLEASE KEEP THIS DISH ON THE MENU!!!! If not for the reservation issues they seem to have on busy nights. I would give this place a FIVE just on the level of food quality alone. I often give fives if there is at least one dish here that I dream about. And Chakra has that for me.
(4)K T.
Food was good but not particularly inventive or impressive for the cost. Our server for a private party was forgetful and seemed generally inconvenienced having to speak with us. Despite a pre-set menu with an agreed upon 22% gratuity included, no manager stopped by to check on us and the aforementioned server clearly knew he didn't have to work that hard. Surprising that they wouldn't want to leave a good impression with the only table of people under 50 in the entire place.
(3)K. W.
My husband and I tried this place using a Groupon. Our server John was excellent and no issues with the Groupon. We shared the crab cake appetizer and it was delicious. We both ordered the hanger steak special and that too was delicious. For dessert my husband had some type of berry chocolate cake and it was yummy. I tried the homemade ice cream and sorbet all good. They also serve their coffee in a french press, love that. Nice atmosphere, great service and very good food.
(4)Monika D.
Terrible service. Strong drinks. Amazing food. Great ambiance. Uncomfortable seating. More people were milling around looking like they're working than there were actual patrons in the restaurant. Almost like each person had 3 staff members to attend to you! That said, one of them completely ignored my friend when she tried to inquire where the rest of our group was located (since we arrived after they did). Rude. My whiskey and ginger came in a very tall glass with a very heavy pour of whiskey. No complaints. Hey, felt like I got two drinks for the price of one! And it probably cost as much as two drinks anyway! Haha I heard great reviews about the chef here, Thomas Ciszak, so definitely wanted to sample the menu. We were seated in the dining room but it all felt too stuffy for us so we asked if we could move to the lounge. In the lounge you could only order from a limited bar menu. We were starving and still had very strong drinks to finish so decided to get a few things off the bar menu while we contemplated where we would go eat a full meal afterwards. Settled on the hand-cut fries with three dipping sauces (ketchup, spicy mayo, aioli), calamari with crispy cherry peppers, and the mushroom quesadillas. Fairly straightforward nibbles yet there was something about all the dishes that elevated them and for that our taste buds were happy. Great layout inside, very open and dark. Perfect spot for a romantic anniversary dinner. Unfortunately, the lounge is very small and intimate and the five of us girls were pretty excited after the strong drinks and delicious snacks and I know the wait staff just wanted to pull a librarian on us and shush us. Oh well. Note about the little poofs/stools in the lounge: only sit if on them if you like sitting on soup cans. Yes, that uncomfortable. Put one soup can under your ass and that is exactly what sitting on those things felt like. Quite a few x-rated laughs were had over those stools.
(4)Yohini S.
We went in for dinner with a big group and they did a good job with the service. I really liked the decor and friendliness of service staff. We shared a few appetizers including crab cake, lobster cake and Sushi. For entree, I had the simply grilled salmon and it was cooked well. I had no complaints and they serviced a fairly large group (20 people) very well. I got their cappuccino which was done well, so I was a happy camper! The price was more on the expensive end but the atmosphere is worth it. Decor is very romantic and it would be great place to bring a date for sure.
(4)Yvelisse L.
We ( four of us) showed up without any reservations in place, but they were very accommodating. The staff was very friendly and informative. We ordered a huge sushi platter as an appetizer, which was delicious. The main course consisted of 3 cinnamon Chilean sea bass' and 1 crab cake. The Chilean sea bass was amazing. I must admit, I was not too sure of how it would taste with cinnamon, but I was very pleased. I had a piece if crab cake and that was delicious as well. We tried our best to fit dessert in. We ordered the Peanut Dacquoise. Amazing as well. We left stuffed and satisfied. I am definitely looking forward to going back.
(5)Sara L.
You look at it from the outside it dosnt look like much. On the highway next to some businesses and Honda. Wait until you go inside because it is beautiful and very ambitious. The food is not ambitious at all . The TC stake is great and taste is wonderful. Ill definitely come back again maybe for some drinks first and then dinner.
(5)Wendy P.
Very beautiful atmosphere. A few different kinds of food to choose from. Everything al carte. A lil pricey. Wait staff prompt and nice. Sangria not the best. Unsure if there was even wine in it. And very pricey. Go for a special occasion and watch what u order adds up fast. Wasn't overly impressed but ok if a little cheaper prices. Sorry I so wanted to love this place. :(
(3)Brittany S.
My boyfriend and I came to chakra all of the way from Brick, Nj last night based upon amazing word of mouth. We were pleasantly greeted as we walked through the door and our server was Vinnie. He was absolutely wonderful and a pleasure to have. He made sure that we were taken care of the entire time, answered every question I had and gave me the best recommendations since I'm so indecisive when it comes to ordering food especially while pregnant. The food was the best quality I have ever had. We had such an amazing experience and we will definitely be back. Ask for Vinnie to receive incredible service. :) This restaurant deserves more the 5 stars. Thank you for a great time!
(5)Russ S.
Food only review would be 5 stars. You pay top dollar for food here and expect exceptional service, but you don't get it. My party of 6 was left alone multiple times throughout the evening. Our server came up and apologized for not checking on us once during our main course because she was "too swamped". Our server disappeared again before we could order dessert and a second waitress had to come over to take our order. I was given a spoon for my appetizer that was dirty, it still had what I hope was chocolate on it from the last time it was used. Little things like that bring down the experience. The food saves this place, but you have to suffer through the service.
(3)Dania D.
I have to say I'm surprised that Chakra only has a 3 star rating here on Yelp. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves during our first visit there for our anniversary dinner. Yes, the place is a bit dark but not nearly as dark as some reviewers have stated. We were able to get to our table withOUT bumping into furniture and were able to CLEARLY read our menus without the aid of the candles on the table or our phones. I have to say that the ambiance is awesome. The decor is beautiful. You completely forget that you are right along Route 4 in Paramus. It's very romantic yet trendy and fun. Definitely a very impressive first date spot (take note, single guys!). We were surprised to find this place practically full on a Wednesday evening. Good thing we had reservations. The service was great. The hostess immediately greeted us and escorted us to our table even though we were slightly early. Our waitress then greeted us and provided us with our menus. She then gave us time to go over both the drink and food menus. I was a bit disappointed with the bread that was served at the table. Although warm, it didn't taste very fresh. We ordered wine and the Charcuterie Platter which consisted of a nice variety of cured Italian meats. I really enjoyed the salami gentile, pancetta, and cornichons. I really didn't care for the duck prosciutto. Our entrees, however, more than made up for the stale bread and funky duck prosciutto. My chili-cinnamon Chilean sea bass was TDF (To Die For!!!). Not spicy at all but sooooo light, buttery, and full of flavor thanks to the cinnamony glaze. I would go back to Chakra just for that. My husband's surf-n-turf was also very tasty and cooked exactly as he requested. Dessert was a warm and creamy chocolate brioche pudding served with raspberries and vanilla ice cream. Very yummy. We were then offered champagne on the house to celebrate our anniversary. A very nice touch to an overall wonderful dinner. Pricey but definitely worth it.
(4)Robert R.
Excellent food, ambiance and service. Their cocktail list includes some creative and delicious concoctions so if you're going for dinner, get there early and spend some time at the bar. Also leave room for dessert. The French macaroon tree is a nice way to end the meal.
(5)Jeffrey B.
Undercooked and under priced. Ok service gratuity was ridiculous!!!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY. For that price your better off going go Ruth Chris.
(1)Alf B.
This is a gem of a restaurant that I had dinner at recently and I'm glad that I went. The pleasant surroundings, light music, and a diverse, adventurous menu that encourages one to take a culinary exploration. The dimly lit restaurant is also a relaxing, not overly noisy place for a romantic dinner.
(3)Foodie S.
A good place if you want to dress up and go to a fancy place for a couple of drinks. I wouldn't come here for the food; the food is over priced and pretty much the status quo.
(3)Liza A.
Pretty snobby with terrible. service. If they know you have a Groupon forget it - they'll treat you like dirt. Pricey menu - some good some okay.
(1)Niki C.
Had a fab time in the lounge Thursday evening with my girlfriends! It's been a while since I had dinner here but I have always had great food and service, plus the decor is unlike anything around so I adore this place. Food and drinks in the lounge were so great that we ordered 2-3 rounds of everything: - beef dumplings (loved!!) - horse radish encrusted crab cake ( it's obvious why this is an award winner: flavorful, not greasy, and loaded with huge chunks of fresh crab meat instead of loaded down with filler) -chicken nuggets (not what you think- the sauce is yummy!!) - French fries with a trio of sauces- love the garlic mayo - calamari ( again, a fresh marinara AND an aioli to die for!) Drinks were made well and reasonably priced, too! My fav cocktail was the "Gingeraid" with fresh bits of ginger! The waitress was friendly & attentive + the bartender was cool! Don't listen to the naysayers... Chakra is a solid 4 in my book and I only wish I lived closer.
(4)Jon K.
On 11/6/2008 I gave Chakra a mere 1 star. Wow have things changed. The arrival in August 2010 of Chef Thomas Ciszak as Executive Chef/Partner has made a huge difference. I had read about some of the changes that were made and was looking for a reason to return to the scene of the crime. Wife made a last minute reservation via Opentable and we went to an early dinner on Saturday (two days before Valentines Day). We didn't realize there was a prix-fixe menu for Valentines Day and probably would not have gone had we known. For $82, plus an included 18% tip, there were 3 savory courses and 1 dessert. There were 6 to 8 choices under each of the savory course selections and 2 choices for dessert. First course: She had the Shrimp Roll: avocado, dill, caviar sour cream. She said that the caviar sour cream added a new and incredibly decadent twist to a usually healthful roll. I had Oysters on the half shell: green apple granite, micro cilantro. 4 of them. Excellent! Second course: She had the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras: licorice glaze, quince, apples, brioche. This was a very generous sized portion of foie gras which she seemed to enjoy very much. I went with the grilled Portugese Octopus with white bean puree, and arugula pesto. This was one of the best octopus renditions which I have eaten in a very long time. Our waiter informed me it is a regular menu item. Yay! Third course: She had the Sage-Crusted Atlantic Salmon with parsnip puree, and spaghetti squash "carbonara". The salmon had a nice crunch on the outside with the inside remaining moist and flavorful. I went with the TC Steak: 40 day-aged colorado sirloin steak, truffled creamed spinach, and TC steak sauce. A very nice steak, big splurge for me at the time, with an outstanding version of creamed spinach. I liked the TC steak sauce which tasted like a vinegary shrimp cocktail. It also came with a head of roasted garlic which I thought was kind of funny since it was a Valentines Day celebration. Dessert: She had the Chocolate Devil's Food Cake: chocolate mousse, and cognac anglaise. Not quite as decadent as it sounds. I had the White Chocolate-Strawberry Angel Food Cake with white chocolate sauce. Mutual agreement that it was the better of the two. Service was very good. The interior hasn't changed very much and is still one of the better looking restaurants in the area. They got rid of the valet parking. I look forward to returning on a "regular" night.
(4)John B.
Just a perfect Thomas Cisak dinner. We've been following Cisak since his move from Tavern on The Green to Copland in Morristown in 2005. His plate presentation is always beautiful and the food is always to delicious. Three of us had the corn chowder soup appetizer. It was perfect. The broth was flavorful and the corn was a perfect texture. One of our party had the cooked octopus hat she raved about. For dinner three of us ordered the cinnamon glazed sea bass. It was incredible. I'd go back to Chaka simply to have another piece of this delicious fish. One of our party chose to order chicken. (I kid you not. he goes to a five star restaurant and orders chicken. Oh well). He clearly enjoyed it as there was not a crumb left on his plate. Don't forget to order the truffle oil and Parmesan coated French fries for the table to enjoy with your meal. They are amazing. Not surprisingly desserts were terrific as well. The 'chicken guy' went out on a limb ;-) and ordered blueberry cobbler. It was gone in no time. The ladies ordered the dessert special which was some kind of jumped up creme brûlée with ice cream. There was no conversation at the table while the two of them ate the dessert like it was the last one that they were ever going to have. I had a dessert of peanut butter creme with bananas and whipped cream. I ate mine in a civilized manner while enjoying those savoring their desserts around me. Be sure to get to Chakra. It won't be cheap but you'll love the meal for sure.
(5)Richard M.
This place seriously thinks they are the best restaurant in North Jersey they have great ambiance and the food is ok a little over priced but ok. The problem is the management (manager) in particular. As long as he still works there I will not be a patron at this establishment.
(2)Jenny K. L.
Absolutely love the romantic ambience particularly the side couch areas. A reservation ahead of time is a must. The pear martini is delish, their crusty olive bread as well. The foi gras on french toast was perfection and an absolute must!! I appreciated their professional service, especially when our steak was overcooked and they brought out an amuse bouche in the meantime. Meantime don't get the steak here, lacked flavor; go to a real steak place for that. The Chilean sea bass was flavorful.
(4)Laurie R.
We went for drinks at the bar first it was very comfortable. There are nice big couches to really relax. The service was great at the bar. We then went to our reserved booth. The boothes have a shear drape or curtain. For more privacy. You dont feel like you're on top of the next table. A Very nice addition. 2 of us ate the veal schnitzel. We loved it. My husband had the skirt steak with chimichurri, lots of flavor. My girlfriend had the 10 oz filet mignon with fries. We all decided we will definitely go back.
(5)Alessandra G.
I came here in June 2012 with my sister! We had a groupon, which specified certain appetizers, entrees and desserts that can be purchased! So I'll admit: It looked super nice! The waitresses wore somewhat revealing black shirts, and all waiters wore black as well! The impression it created was 'upscale'! It was dimly lit, and had a loung-y feel to it. Now to the actual dinner! I believe I mentioned to our waiter, Fausto, that we have a groupon at the beginning of the dinner! Big mistake!!! And because I considered it a 'big mistake' I'm giving this place one star! Fausto was somewhat of a snobby jerk! I didn't like him at all! My sister and I felt like he was treating us differently because we had a Groupon! He made our experience a lot worse because of his attitude! You know why I am harsh? Because I still remember his name 2 YEARS later, and I wouldn't return to that restaurant unless I absolutely have to! Food was pretty good! To be honest I can't tell you I remember much about what we ordered, but I remembered we enjoyed it! What stood out also was their French press coffee and some chocolatey dessert with seasalt! It was exquisite! So, food: let's say 4 stars (still super pricey) Attitude: 0/5... I don't care for this place! I feel like they didn't care about their customers (us), and that their main concern is to charge you enormous amounts of money just for allowing them (Chakra) to grace your life! No thanks!
(1)Jax E.
I just don't see the hype that everyone gives this place. The food is mediocre and the prices are very high. I'm not saying this place is bad but for the price, I would rather go else where. The inside is very dark, and it's supposed to be a romantic place but I just didn't feel that welcomed at this place. Would not try again.
(2)Ken S.
Went to celebrate my birthday 2 years ago and again this year (July 18). We like the decor and the ambiance of the entire dining room. That staff was and is VERY nice, attentive and friendly. The servers were knowledgable about the menu and great a giving recommendations. The staff didn't rush you when you were eating or force you to leave when you are done. The bartender was also In the know about beer and scotch. It was a pleasure to sit at the bar and have a before dinner drink. The cost is a bit high but for special occasions it is well worth it. Go have fun and ENJOY!!! :)
(4)Julia C.
I've been to Chakra on various occasions and I have always enjoyed my evening. The wait staff has always been very helpful and friendly. They have a wide range of appetizers that will appeal to anyone in your party. We tried the Parma Ham sushi and it was a nice little twist. For drinks, I tried the One Hot Cucumber Martini but I found it a bit light and wanting of alcohol. I ordered the Crispy Trout which was very tender. I think I could do without the sauce/puree that was under the trout, but overall I enjoyed it. My favorite was the beignets....very delicious! That is a must try if you go.
(3)Hugo S.
Went there for a "romantic night out " the place looks good, very NY looking , but very noisy was not even that full but it was very noisy... Nice employees good food for people that like small portions.. A little pricey but not crazy.. Good wine selection. Will come back for a 2chance but I was definitely not impress the first time.
(3)Nin A.
The food was nothing spectacular but I definitely dig the ambiance at Chakra. It's classy and romantic. Perfect for a romantic date!
(3)Derek B.
This was my second time having dinner at Chakra, and I loved it both times. This time we asked for a booth, which is very romantic, and they were able to accommodate us. The martinis are excellent. We had oysters to start. Then we had the hanger steak, which was great, and the pork tenderloin, which was moist and delicious. We finished with the macaron tree with cotton candy and two coffees, which came in individual mini french presses. It was a great night.
(5)Badra J.
Beautiful restaurant gorgeous lighting. My sister and I frequented this place on a Thursday and we were seated promptly. I had the steak which was cooked perfectly and tuna tartare which melted in my mouth. Very attentive waiter which made our meal better . Would come back again
(4)Melanie H.
Returned last night with my other half - really nice time. Again, such a fan of the loungey feel- thank God no DJ in sight. Waiter was gracious when we asked details about the Manhattans we ordered that were NOT on the menu - we figured a place as nice as this has a bartender that knows how to make a Manhattan and we were right. it wasnt freezing cold like last time!! i was totally comfortable in my teeny cocktail dress!! gorgeous, gorgeous place. thank you Chakra- you're back on our date night list!
(4)Al R.
Food is excellent and full of flavor. The pork dish was excellent. The Macaroon tree dessert was fun and tasty. Will be back!
(4)Jamar W.
Went for a looonngg overdue date night. Wanted to show out for my fiancé - who I reproposed to that night. She had a sea bass dinner which she devoured. And I had a steak which was overwhelmingly perfect. The service was on point. Wait was not long. Even enjoyed the company of nearby couples. By the end of the night, it was like a party of six. Will surely be returning. Prices were even less than I had expected to spend!
(5)Lisa C.
Three stars for the ambiance...I have been to 5 star restaurants in NYC...so I feel I have a leg to stand on when I write this review.... You are paying for The ambiance ...Second the food and lastly the service ... The service sucks.... When you buy a bottle of wine from a restaurant when does the waiter present the bottle only to take it away to open it.... Uhmmm... Am I missing something.... The cheapest bottle is 70.00 ... Babbo... has cheaper bottles .. .. This review is based on my 3rd visit.. Each and every time the service sucked .. Especially the manager Bill .. Get rid of him... He does nothing to make your experience more pleasent..he actually is defensive... He acts like your table is no big deal there is another one right behind you.. Which is true... I know writing this review will not make or break this restaurant.. I want to inform the public with prices like this .. They should be all over you with service.. I shouldn't have to ask the bus boy to clear the tables.. And ask for more water... And have the main course come out with the appetizers ..it should be a well polished restaurant and it just isn't....go to NYC .. You get the best of everything for the money you r dishing out
(3)Natalya N.
The atmosphere is very nice, but that is about it! It is unfortunate because this place has good potential but the obnoxious service and the poor food quality destroys the restaurant. First, the menu is all over the place and does not have focus on any one cuisine this is why the quality of the food is so terrible. They have sushi, middle eastern, Italian and French dishes so there is no concentration on any one dish. Also the chef keeps on changing. Steak was overdone and sushi very mediocre. The service was ridiculous. We had one sarcastic and inexperienced waiter after the other. The waiters get a set tip of 18% which gives them no incentive to work harder. Anyway, too bad for Bergan county...
(2)Maria S.
If you're on a diet this place is for you! Small portions leave you starving. The food tastes good but unfortunately the portions make you feel like the place is owned by Jenny Craig or something. It's also really expensive and overpriced for what they give you. Now it's not all bad though... This place seems to be more about presentation and ambiance and has a really cool atmosphere. I love the lighting of the place. Definitely a cool spot maybe to just get drinks or something. Their desserts are kinda cool. If you get the macaroons, they serve it in a cool tree stand thing with cotton candy at the top. That was actually pretty impressive. So if you got money to burn and a small appetite this is your place!
(3)Chet P.
Out with friends having great time. Food and drinks are perfect. Service nice and nice to see owner walking around and seeing how you are doing.
(5)Stephen D.
My fiancee and I came her for a simple dinner compliments (partially) of Groupon. The menu is unique, the variety is vast, I think anyone could order something that they are into here, which is good. I ordered a glass of house Shiraz, very tasty; & a Pink Watermelon Crush for the lady; any drink with fruit and basil is good to me. We started off with the house cured Charcuterie Platter, it featured, duck, mangalitsa pork, bresaola, and other items, it was all so rich and tasty and just enough to start out with. You could see the meats hanging in the wine fridge on the way to the washrooms. For our entrees the lady ordered Fettucini Carbonara, very rich, a little over the top on the nutmeg it seemed, but never the less pretty tasty; I ordered the Crab Cakes, the crab cakes were all meat, no fillers; i complain about the overload of tartar, the crab cakes were placed on a bed of tartar sauce which overpowered everything. The tart of the tartar sauce, mixed with mustard seed, and a tarty dressing on the garnish were a little over powering, I would have liked to see something that complimented the flavors (maybe something sweet (fruit salsa) or more neutral (potato, pasta)). The service was great, our server was honest and he told us what he thought was worth it and what was not. The bread is awesome! such a simple pleasure. The prices are a little steep, but you can tell there is thought put into the dishes, $38 for a 16oz aged steak or $22 for Fettucini is decent but $30 for crab cakes seems excessive. I think we would come back to sit at the bar and try small plates and drinks.
(4)Kabong X.
The mighty have fallen. We have been to this place many times over the years and was our favorite restaurant. I'm not sure if it has changed owners plus this place has fell off a cliff. We never cared about the overpriced menu because we always felt it was worth it till now. The food is better than average but like another review said the portions have become very small. We used to leave feeling full and carrying a doggie bag. My wife is a light eater and ate everything on her plate. We felt we got our pocket picked. Also this place needs a little sprucing up. Bathrooms are a little run down. We got there a 6:30 pm on Saturday night and it was raining and they didn't have a valet. If your looking for a overpriced menu with painfully small portions this place is for you. Sorry Chakra it's been real. Adios!
(1)Christos Y.
Great atmosphere but the portions are way too small for NJ. The tuna tartare appetizer literally had eight tiny squares in a giant plate. The sea bass they are famous for is probably 6 ounces and it tastes so good magically by the heavy use of butter. The waiter we had this past Saturday got our entree's wrong, never asked to refill the wine and never brought us cream for coffee. He was a young kid who laughed at it in a white table cloth expensive restaurant,doesn't make sense.
(3)Pam G.
Party of 7 to celebrate a birthday last night I said it then and I say it now with 3 stars it's a shame the food is excellent the service however for a $$$ restaurant leaves a lot to be desired. We waited a good 15 minutes for our server to acknowledge us now everyone has a bad night but.... We finally flagged down a manager to tAke drink orders who commented well you have menus so your server must have been here and proceeded to take our drink order we had some of the Creations or mixed drinks and all were very good our server then took the appetizer order all was well and they came out right away however again in a $$$ restaurant shouldn't the servers know who gets what ?? Instead of interrupting the tables conversation to ask. We had orders of the crab cake really one of the best I have had and a good portion, the octopus salad also excellent the tuna tar tar very good we saw the French fries go by and ordered those as well can I just say OMG you can't miss with those!! We ordered our main courses which were also excellent the pork and sea bass as well as a main course salad and the chicken and also the $42 steak which was ordered black and blue or Pittsburg style well our server did not know what that meant and I feel if you are offering a $42 steak on the menu and you want it charred on the out side and rare inside the server should make sure they understand since ours was served mid well!! It was eaten but not as good as it could have been. Ok my next pet peeve water glasses shouldn't they be kept filled in a $$$ restaurant? Yeah I think so! Kept having to ask then ordered a club soda and when it came it was tonic ICK!! Sent it back and good thing at $6 a soda! Dinner went well we them ordered some coffees teas and dessert when the desserts came out and were gone b4 the coffees and teas is when we had just had it and hence this 3 star review so in conclusion excellent food but very green staff! Sorry but it's true I would not go back any time soon
(3)Kerry M.
Food was very good, service pretty good, a couple of glitches, not worth mentioning, but at those prices, nothing should go unchecked.
(3)Denise C.
Decided to stay local and ended up here. Not my first time here but it's the first time the hostess was RUDE as hell. I was pleased with my service and the recommendation that the pleasant waiter gave me was great. Had I not been with 5 others, I would have left and gone somewhere else. The Host is the 1st person you see and speak to when entering and should be pleasant, with a smile and happy to greet people as they walk in. Instead, she was rude, unapproachable vibe and rolled her eyes. She even got upset when I ask how long we had to wait for a table. She looked at me as if I had no right to ask that question and even tried to argue with me. I will definitely make an effort to inform management about this.
(1)Michael L.
Love the look, love the service, very friendly and they treat you great. Prices were comparable to what you would expect to pay in a NYC restaurant with this ambience. My only problem was the drinks and wine were not top shelf. If your gonna charge that kind of money, you have to go all the way.
(4)Frank C.
Consistently very good. Try the chicken confit, outstanding. The service was perfect. The only small issue was the slightly warm French press. It was replaced quickly with a hot carafe.
(5)Lou S.
Great food , great ambience, I love this place. Coolest place around
(4)Dennie C.
I had dinner here recently with my wife who got a groupon to Chakra. We enjoyed our dinner overall and the groupon was a good value for our meal but in all honesty we probably would not eat there otherwise as the value of the meal versus their prices don't add up. As for the restaurant it is gorgeous inside and is very rich and romantic and it is the kind of place you'd probably choose if you wanted to propose to someone. The service was pretty decent and the servers attentive but they weren't rushing us or hovering at any point. The food was good, not great, not bad, but just good and really didn't make an impression upon us. As I said before because it was a Groupon deal it was a good meal for what we paid but looking at their prices I would not have been happy paying regular prices for the meal we had. You might not feel the same but I'd rather eat a great meal in a hole in the wall than eat a so-so meal in a beautiful place.
(3)A L.
We were excited to have our Girls (in all honesty it was a Mommy's) Night Out here and were impressed as soon as we entered. But it was all downhill from there. Our waiter, John, was extremely rude and curt from the beginning of the night. He kept trying to clear our table even though we still had food on our plates. The worst part - we even overheard him talk about our table to the other staff saying that we had been there for 2 hours already!! Our bill was $700!! for the 7 of us for only appetizers and drinks. We felt rushed the entire evening. Our rare girls night out was ruined. We will NOT be returning. This place is NOT worth the price.
(1)Jen K.
The reviews for this place are terrible and I don't understand why. Showed up early for my reservation, was seated quickly. A girl came over and asked our preference in water, delivered the water and drinks in a reasonable amount of time. The server, who's name I don't remember (he had a pony tail) was awesome at explaining the menu and specials. He checked in regularly. He even did the two bite rule! I served in a restaurant before and to ensure the guest is enjoying their meal and it came out correctly, you check in after two bites. Everything came out just fine, but the portions I found were rather small for the amount of money they're charging. But hey that's ok. Everything was delicious, wait staff was friendly and the manager checked in a few times as well. It's not so bad of a place, go in and just relax and enjoy
(4)scott h.
Love everything about Chakra! The ambiance is so unique. The staff is friendly... The menu is always creative and intriguing - try the foie gras pizza -omg loved it! The sushi, wow - sea bass roll-amazing! The bar carries one of the best collections of scotch and whiskey's ( and the bartenders know how to serve them!)
(5)Dennis B.
This place does have ambiance.......a romantic feeling from when you walk it....I certainly didn't expect it to look like this. .....the service was good as well as the food.....the his was a very enjoyable evening....
(4)Jared K.
This is the best meal I have had in a year. The only bad thing about this place is the name (doesn't give you a sense of what you are walking into and people think it's a nightclub). Romantic environment and the booths are so comfortable with all those cushions. Great wine list and creative meal choices. I couldn't believe they put the brown butter sage sweet potatoes ON TOP of my Lobster, but then after the first bite I understood. Amazing, Wonderful food.
(5)Anita I.
date spot!
(5)Mike M.
The atmosphere was great, but the service was a bit slow especially since there were very few people there. The cocktails are interesting but seemed very weak especially considering the NYC prices they charge for them. It was also very cold, there was cold air blowing inside on a cold Winter night. It would have been nice to be warm in a romantic setting like Chakra, but we decided to leave rather then wear our coats. On the positive side the waitress was very nice and the appetizer we ordered was delicious. We may try again in the Summer and stick to martinis.
(3)Erick R.
Worst service ever. Told us a 45min wait for a table after waiting an hour and half we spoke to the host again and they told us it will be another 45 minutes to be seated. When we ordered drinks in the lounge it took another 30min for the drinks to come out, once they came out the drinks were all wrong. The food was nothing special at all. Definitely not worth the wait. Look else where to eat, there are much better options around the area
(1)Madame W.
My husband & I arrived was greeted at the door and immediately seated. This is based on holiday with no reservations. The service was excellent Jessie was I waiter he recommended the crab cakes which was great. The filet mignon was superb. The atmosphere was grown and sexy. My husband I will be returning.
(5)Justyna W.
Always have best time here Food is out of this world Drinks are amazing and staff is outstanding Always someone is looking to make your night one of its kind Regular in here for sure
(5)sean M.
Love the setting and look forward to celebrating 10 years of extraordinary food and drinks. Easy parking and gracious hosts.
(5)Eve L.
Eh...wanted to give this place a 2.5. Mainly b/c it makes zero sense. Why would a place named "Chakra" w/ Indian themed decor serve "New American" cuisine? I don't want to eat fried calamari in that sort of setting...maybe some calamari slathered in a curry paste w/ a side of biryani and saag paneer, but that is not what Chakra's serving up. I was invited to Chakra for a business dinner and was really looking forward to some Indian food or at least some sort of "eastern fusion" cuisine. Instead, I had so-so "American" food served by stressed out waitstaff. It was hard to pin our waiter down for drink refills, etc. and he and his colleagues seemed overworked. Overall, food was okay but forgettable. The one exception was the dessert which was really pretty bad. I ordered the "upside down Hawaiian" which promised to be awesome w/ it's description of "green tea cake, pineapple panna cotta, coconut meringue, and a cilantro drizzle". Not good at all. The panna cotta was really more of a flavorless jello and the green tea cake didn't taste like green tea and was generally too dense and a bit stale. The meringue was overly sugary w/ a goopy, syrupy texture (not light and fluffy as meringue should be). The cilantro was not integrated well and tasted really random and disjointed in the dish, as a result. The whole mess was served atop some sort of mango (?) sorbet/gelato hybrid that tasted way tart (like sucking on a lemon). If you're going to Chakra don't order that dessert! My companion had the chocolate bread pudding and said it tasted sickly sweet as well.
(3)Christine P.
Ambiance is beautiful. Service was spotty with attention. The food was all very good but felt it was overpriced for the amount. I ordered a sushi roll ($16 I believe?) and it was a pretty small. Overall nice for ambiance but overpriced on the food.
(3)Karen G.
Daniel was our server and was AMAZING! He is super knowledgeable about the the food and drinks. He is also friendly and cordial and would recommend him as a server to anyone who goes here! Evelyn, the Manager, is equally as amazing and friendly!
(5)Jennifer M.
6 mo ago when ordering a lychee martini, it came with real lychee nuts and real lychee juice. NOW, I had 3 tiny lychee gelatin cubes (that's what the bartender called them) and you can taste the lychee liquor instead of the juice. The bartender said they only put a touch of real juice in, guess everyone is cutting back but they still charged $12.85 and NO chilled martini glasses! And I left hungry! The entree portion of the seabass was small and was so sweet it tasted like carmalized candy, not what I want my fish to taste like. It came w/3 tiny bok choy and 1 shrimp which was deep fried in a potato wrap which had absolutely no flavor (and they forget to tell you it's deepfried until you get your plate). I wound up eating a roll and a piece of bread with butter but still was hungry when I left. I wouldn't go back.
(1)Mike J.
Went there for a post father's day dinner and it was a very nice place to eat at. the decor was simple and gave off a romantic setting. The candle lite in middle of table. Just enough lighting to read your menu. The food was prepared perfectly. For appetizer we enjoyed Fried Calamari crisp cherry peppers, sofrito, aioli. Very good. I had the perfectly prepared Veal Schnitzel - young arugula, beefsteak tomato, preserved lemon vinaigrette & a side of creamy spinach. It just so happened the chef that night was from Germany. And when I was stationed in Germany I used to have Schnitzel all the time. Have not had it since return to the states. But the taste brought back the taste I once had years ago in Germany. My Wife enjoyed the Crispy Trout fennel orange salad, coriander, smoked marcona almonds, brown butter. prepared very well. needed a touch a salt and pepper. but she enjoyed it as served. Desert we enjoyed Peanut Dacquoise caramelized Bananas, Jivara Milk Chocolate Chantilly, Hawaiian Sea Salt. To my surprise it was amazing. I wanted to go back for seconds. but opted to keep the calories down. Over all this place is very good. The staff was attentive and friendly. It would be nice to have a party there as well. Especially if you are looking to keep it simple at eating, talking and laughing. And the atmosphere and surroundings make for great photos as well.
(4)Daniel J.
Decor: 4.5/5 Food: 2/5 Service: 3/5 Price: $$$ Wine Price&List: 2.5/5 Very romantic atmosphere with large scale restaurant in NJ. Definitely good for 20s and 30s who wants to bring their date for special occasion. However, they have below average food and average service. If you are willing to pay below $150 for two with high scale decor, this is the right place.
(2)Vinny P.
Chakra, you could have done so much better. Food-wise, you are on point. Flavors and plate design were great. Even your decor is very inspired. You have a good lounge like feel and the exposed brick, water wall and sheer sheets covering the semi private booths are very cool. Unfortunately, your service was rather poor. We were a pre-schedule party of 14. I understand that this is no easy task for a restaurant but we did make reservations and have a set menu for our group. That should have given you enough time to prep the server and have them familiar with what we were ordering. I would like to say that the kitchen did an outstanding job and the failure came entirely from the waitstaff. When you incorrectly bring out entrees for 4 people of our party, don't supply bread for our table and are generally lax about refilling drinks, you aren't going to get my approval. Perhaps the service would be better with a smaller group. I'm not sure entirely but I don't see myself making a special trip up here. The bar area after dinner was quite nice and the servers there were pleasant. On a final note, after 10pm the music volume increases dramatically as a result of their DJ in the belfry. The music was pretty good but there is no place to dance so I'm confused to the point of the shaking bass.
(2)Vanessa L.
Came for a birthday dinner. Off of the highway, the building looks like a strip club, but upon entering, it's amazing a place like this exists in suburban New Jersey. It was trendy and cool and definitely a great place to come. The food was pretty standard. The tuna tartare app and the crab cake entree were nothing to write home about, but were good. The kitchen apparently plated my crab cake wrong and forgot the tartar sauce, but an attentive waiter noticed and rectified the problem immediately. That brings me to my next point: the waitstaff. As mentioned in previous reviews, the hostesses at the front aren't great, but the waitstaff are friendly and attentive, and just all around awesome! Our particular waiter must have overheard that it was my father's birthday (because we sure didn't mention it when we reserved), and brought out ice cream with a candle for him for dessert. Talk about going over and above your job. It's the attention to details that really make all the difference.
(3)Lucy S.
I purchased a Groupon, the restaurant was nearby and I had always wanted to go...thought this is a good way to see what it's all about - WHAT A RIP OFF! Stay away from Chakra!!!! I ended up paying MORE than I had paid for the Groupon. The only thing we had outside of the Groupon was a glass of wine, an appetizer and tea - $34.00. BUT they charged a service charge and a gratuity of 18%(which was not deserved). The service was NOT even mediocre - waiting for your entre over 40 minutes after your appetizer was ridiculous, and cold when it came out...I asked the waitress and she said our entrees would be out soon....they then tried providing us with an atonement...giving us COTTON CANDY on the house -"yeah right after they put it on the bill"! The bill came to us incorrect 2x, we asked the manager "Bill" for an explanation - (these complaints must come often) since he pulled up a chair and already had a calculator in his pocket!! Bill told us the 18% gratuity was on the Groupon - once I got home and read my copy - ITS NOT! SINCE THAT IS UP TO YOUR DESCRETION nor is the Service Charge - ...MAKING BILL A LIAR - (SEE BELOW ON THE REVIEWS...HE HAS DONE THIS BEFORE). The food is not worth the aggravation!! You can make yourself a better meal at home and treat yourself like a king, not feeling raped afterward! Chakra "Bill" - this is fraud!!!! I intend to make it know EVERYWHERE!!!!! I have reached out to Groupon letting them know of the fraud taking place! Contacted Better Business and will pursue all avenues -
(1)Jos S.
Loved this place. The drinks were strong and tasty. The Chilean seabass roll was to die for. I didn't care for the over fried calamari. We all ordered the same entrees -seabass and TC steak. I didn't love the cinnamon on the bass but those who ordered it enjoyed it. Cream of Spinach was a little salty. My steak was very good. I couldn't finish it all. My sister asked for her steak med well it came medium but they took it back without any hassle. The staff is very friendly and helpful.I Loved that! The small coffee press is actually very big! It's enough for 2-3 cups of coffee. For dessert we got the cotton candy and macaroons tower. Most macaroons were yummy. Coffee ice cream is so so. I'll come again & try different entrees
(4)A.J. S.
Don't go. Besides being overpriced, the help was horrendous. First, our server was cold and detached, the passive aggression was palpable. Hey, we all have bad days but take it outside or suck it up. You're in a product AND service industry. Next, the food was ok but extremely pricey. The drinks as well. We ordered a second round and the drinks were watery. Our waiter not only didn't care but was annoyed at our misfortune. Then we waited and waited and waited. When the check arrived, the gratuity was included. If we could have, we would have stiffed the waiter for the God-awful service. I would give minus stars if that were an option. AVOID.
(1)Nathaly V.
Rob the bartender was amazing! I'll tell you why. He knew his shit! I was throwing recipes at him, he was throwing it right back. We spoke about different bourbons and he showed me a few from the shelves. I was so impressed. I wanted him to make me something special, something I never had. It was called the Rebel. Similar to an old fashion but the fruits were infused black cherries and a slice of orange, all smashed up with a few basil leaves! My jaw dropped when I had my first sip. The smooth oak taste with a light basil finish was something I'd never imagine. When he went on to prepare the espresso martini, requested by someone special with special instructions, he nailed it! Rob was so entertaining and friendly that I couldn't keep him too long to ourselves since he had to take care of other customers at the bar. Nevertheless, we did enjoy hearing his funny bartending stories. Oh do I miss bartending! Because we were so into the drinks and had a light lunch earlier in the day. I pushed to order food before getting too BLITZ! It was fried calamari and chicken nuggets to share. Recommend both. And , no they are not McDonald's chicken nuggets. Inside: tender - juicy and white. Outside- soft crisp crunch, smother with what I like to call BBQ sauce. Mmm-mmm! With the calamari, I thought it was fried perfectly. Freshness in every bite. Even the fried hot peppers were fresh. And the two sauces were SAVORY! Bottom line, Rob did a great job in providing us with festive experience. I will be back again.
(5)Henry L.
Good service, although coupon absolutely shouldn't be asked at the beginning though.. No matter what it is still not ideal of a great opener to a meal or any experience in a restaurant, let alone a fine one.. great appetizers and desserts with the octopus and goat cheese cake, however, the entree chilean seabass was a bummer.. Didnt taste any chili cinnamon at all, the lemongrass nage was weak.. Butter sauce was flat.. Had to ask for a lemon to drastically improve taste.. Desperately needed kick.. Surprised chef wasnt aware of that.. Im from New York, and this is the first fine dining restaurant ive been to in new jersey and i must say the food quality makes me miss my hometown by a mile..
(2)Shonnie H.
Decor: 5 star; food: 2 star; service: 3 star ________________ The building really doesn't look that attractive from the outside and you would've never thought there'd be a huge parking lot in the back (which was almost full when we came in at 8:45pm on Saturday night). As recommended, we sat at the bar to get a drink while waiting to be seated. Not sure what the point of that was, as the hostess came for us even before we had a chance to take a sip. Fine. We took it with us to our table. We got a corner table seat on the couch, which was awesome. The waiter was a bit standoffish and never smiled. He didn't come by often either, so I had to ask one of the other waiters to get me another drink. First thing the waiter tells us is that "there's no specials tonight." We ended up ordering the marinated grilled tofu and grilled Portuguese octopus as appetizers, and the salmon medallion and chili-cinnamon glazed Chilean sea bass for dinner. All of our dishes were meh. I was utterly disappointed with how the food did not match up to the price or the overall feel of the restaurant. The salmon was a bit dry, and the dressing/sauce was a bit too salty while being a bit nauseatingly creamy. The Chilean sea bass - and fyi, we asked if the cinnamon would be a bit overpowering (to which the waiter answered no), was just pathetic. It didn't taste fresh, and in fact, the cinnamon shouldn't even be considered in making that dish because yes, it was overpowering. The one and only somewhat good thing was the grilled Portugese octopus. But how hard is that to make? The grilled marinated tofu was likewise unimpressive. The table next to us ordered sushi rolls and they looked like they were cut with a very old knife, with seaweed pulling off the edges of each piece. Glad we voted against it. Now, for the decor - holy cow. I was NOT expecting the beautiful atmosphere. There's little stars on the ceiling and I loved the added touch of curtains throughout - made me feel like I was in a cabana on a starry summer night. With that said.. again, the food sucked. The drinks were fine - for the price, could be better. This place is a NJ restaurant with very very low subpar food with near-NYC prices. The restaurant itself gave off an NYC feel, but nothing more.
(3)Jessica C.
Love this spot! If you want a great date spot with flavorful food, this is the place to be! Very romantic atmosphere and good service. I highly recommend the foie gras pizza! It was so tasty and flavorful. The texture was really nice too. They have a full bar, although I was disappointed they didn't have any mint for mojitos. The prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for. The ambiance. The food. The service.
(5)Veronica A.
Last week was my 2nd visit to Chakra and I have to say I am left feeling "so-so" about it. This time around I had the scallop special that came w/ a smear of some sort of carb side. It was really a smear guys. The side was so insignificant that we ordered two extra sides to share for the table. A bunch of us girls got the same dish. (I know....) After adding the broccoli rabe and fries, i felt like I actually had been fed dinner. Estetically, the restaurant is beautiful and romantic. The temperature is FREEZING but after a couple of glasses of 16 dollar wine you forget a little that you should not have worn that cute dressy romper that exposes too much thigh. Overall, its just ok. Maybe a good date night place if you want to impress but after that save your money.
(3)Anthony B.
Ambiance/Decor/Atmosphere: Breath takingly upscale, awe inspiring, trendy, intimate, romantic, cliche, sexy, comfortable, relaxing, electric, and I can try to use every adjective in the world but let me stop here. Noise/sound level: Depends on the day and time of your visit. I went pretty early and there were not a lot of patrons so the volume wasn't irritating or annoying to the point it would detract from your visit. Menu: For a high end establishment the menu is sized accordingly full of New American cuisine and some other fancy eclectic items that might be interesting to try. The chef includes all sorts of catch phrase descriptions for generating eye popping interest, and most of the fare looks to be big city inspired using locally inspired ingredients. Service: Like I said before I went early and it wasn't that busy. There were no weird looking men in suits standing around "drunkenly" questioning why we were looking at the decor, no nasty looks, just all around decent, friendly, warm service as expected. The ticket times were standard given the food was made from scratch. Food: I had monk fish with spaetzle and black truffles which I found to be outstanding. I hate mushrooms, but these creme de la creme of mushrooms really made the dish sing. The monk fish was cooked well, not chewy, but moist and although a spaetzle pairing might seem out of the ordinary it was great together. Bar: Full Price: You're not coming here expecting a cheap bill, this is a high end restaurant so expect to spend about $100 for two. But, the decor and quality of food make up for the price tag. This is a once a year kind of place so splurge away. Overall: I'd like to consider Chakra an anniversary or special occasion restaurant, so with that said I'll return in the future even given these strange negative reviews. Which, brings me to a point, knowing full well that Valentine's Day is one of the busiest dining out days with the most expensive restaurateur gimmicks; how can anyone expect superiority given the circumstances? Yes, there needs to be an exceeding level of satisfaction across the board, but there also needs to be a level of understanding. There doesn't need to be a level of acceptance, but a level of understanding. Someone standing appearing to be "drunk" that wants you to focus on each other may be a bit off putting, but not so much where any restaurant deserves negative reviews and I'll never returns. There's more to places like this than one seemingly "drunk" man, and if you miss these moments I feel sorry for you, and you should consider dining home more often.
(4)Giselle G.
Beautiful restaurant! I don't know why this isn't a big happening spot. The interior is gorgeous and the cabana booths are to die for! It's pretty much a swanky NYC restaurant/lounge but instead of the city hustle and bustle it's next to a Honda dealership and a place that makes light up signs. I'd definitely return. Great place for a date when you want to stay local and the nightlife is pretty decent. Don't expect a fist pumping club though. It's a nice lounge to grab a drink with friends and feel swanky. Plus Dina Manzo and Danielle Staub filmed RHONJ here and had a fight. If it's bougey enough for those Bravo people, it's good enough for some North Jersey folk.
(4)Chad C.
My wife and I decided to try Chakra since we live locally and enjoy some of the high end restaurants in the area. We honestly thought Chakra was Indian food and the outside looks very unappealing. So we gave it a try and we were glad we did. The place has a very night high end NY type of feel to it. The lounge is very comfortable looking and the bar is great. The bartenders really know there liquor. The wait staff was nothing to be impressed by (they add 18% to your bill for tip) so not much to talk about. The menu is remarkable and extremely interesting. I could find five or six appetizers and entrees that I would have selected. We tried the Crab Cakes and TC Steak for main entree. Five stars on both dishes and not a doubt about that. The creamed spinach and mash were excellent as well. I don't want to go into detail about each item ordered but nothing was disappointing. I really had an issue when we received the check. The food was definitely five star and make Chakra as good as it is but I felt the pricing was a bit of a let down. We frequent Capital Grill and The Manor in West Orange so we had equal restaurants to compare the food to. But the pricing just seems off. Our bill for two was almost $300. That included two glasses of scotch, two glasses of house wine and a dirty martini, two apps, two entrees, two sides and two desserts. I felt the $41 tip was unearned by the waiter as well. He was not what you would expect in a high end establishment he was a waiter. I would maybe try Chakra again but I can have a much better overall dining experience for a similar price at The Manor. 3 - Stars
(3)Madelie L.
I'm a fan of plate presentation,and love food I consider myself a foodporn.I have a Passion for cooking. Last night my Fiancee and decided to pamper each other.we went to Chakras..as soon as we enter the decor was lovely the light deem.the food to die for. I had the salmon that was complimented with the buttersquah.My fiancee had the steak with the delicious salad and the crispy French fries.the drink I change its name to sneaky,because it taste so good and barley taste the alcohol I kept asking the waiter for more I had a huge Buzz.(BTW the waiter took great care of very attentive)...Being that it was our first time there.. I have to say I highly recommend this place .The food price is worth every penny.
(5)Adam A.
I am definitely a fan of Chakra. There is a shortage of nice, dimly lit lounges with well made drinks and worthy food in north New Jersey; It's just a tough combination to find around here without heading into Manhattan. Chakra delivers. Upon entering you have a dimly lit lounge on your right side and the remainder of the restaurant ahead of you. Mixed drinks are fairly expensive but very well-made. The food has always been very good regardless of what I have ordered. On occasion you can find some not-so-common special entrée selections available (I am always up new and exciting food)... On one of my recent visits I had wild boar as my main course and found it to be delicious. If you are calling for dinner reservations try and reserve a booth, they are both spacious and comfortable.
(4)Tommy K.
The interior is great. Nice romantic spot to take a date. The food, albeit overpriced, was well made and delicious. I got grilled salmon, and it came with just a salad, for $26. My problem was with the wait time. We were seated at 8:30 on Saturday night according to our reservation, and though the waitress came right away for our drink orders ($13 per cocktail btw), it took an additional 20 minutes for us to place our food orders. The food took took another 20-25 minutes to get to us. It wasn't very busy inside either, with plenty of open tables around us, so I'm not sure if they were understaffed or what, but it didn't leave me a good impression. The staff in general though were very friendly and professional. Overall, I'd recommend coming here at least one time for a nice date that won't break the bank, but the wait time and the slightly overpriced menu leaves me at 3.5 stars (which I rounded down to 3 since I can't leave halves!).
(3)Emily R.
Beautiful ambiance, good food, excellent cocktails.
(4)Kim A.
From the Door to the Table and Out.... Very friendly staff, food was very good and the ambiance is beautiful. The white cabanas and dim lighting give a feel of being in a swanky Manhattan restaurant No pretentiousness. Just super nice service and a good meal. I agree the location does not to this place service. Flanked by unattractive retail stores could make someone easily pass it by. It's a place I prefer after work. Just because of the location. Probably not an area I would go out of my way for on the weekend. But that is not because of the restaurant. It definitely is worth going for a cocktail and dinner. Had the salmon medallions and sirloin. Both were excellent!
(4)Beth M.
Hit or Miss. I have had some great meals and experiences here, but I have been here other times where I almost wanted to walk out! I definitely recommend the skirt steak and the surf & turf. I always splurge and just get a bottle of wine. It is a great setting for dates or a night out with the ladies.
(4)Kathy S.
When my husband made the reservation for a Wed. night he was asked if it was a special occasion. He advised it was a birthday but no one followed up on that when we got there. We asked to be seated along the side in a booth but told those weren't available. We were there for at least 2 hours & no one was seated in one of those the whole time we were there. Food was very good but our waiter was switched half way through for reasons we weren't told.
(3)Maxine M.
My first impression was, the place has a nice ambience, perfect for a date. We were seated at exactly 9pm (the time of our reservations). It took 7 minutes for someone to actually hand us some menus. (I was going to give them 3 more minutes before I walk out) Drinks were very weak, taste like juice. Food was very bland and very small portions. With 1 appetizers, 6 drinks, 2 entrées and 1 dessert the bill came out to $250 (including tip) Overall the place is just OK, i would not return because for that price I can find better.
(3)Jacquie B.
Not much to say about this place. The interior and lighting is great, it felt very city-esque. It's a huge spot, but it was very empty on a Tuesday night and fairly empty on a Friday night. Maybe it's a slow summer. We ordered the "TC" steak and the chili-cinnamon glazed Chilean sea bass (which were the two most expensive entrees on the menu), a pink granny sushi roll, and two glasses of wine. The food was just okay, especially for the price, though the presentation was very nice (See photos). I just don't know how this place will survive in the long run, charging such marked-up NY prices in NJ. I would only come back for dinner a rainy night when I don't feel like going into the city. I did stop by once for their happy hour, which offers $1 oysters, $1 sliders, $5 wines and well drinks, $8 cocktails, and 1/2 off sushi. I would not recommend the $1 oysters (some were crunchy), but the lounge area is really nice to sit and sip on $5 wines and well drinks.
(3)Laurie W.
Chakra has a romantic, cozy, elegant feel to it. It's dimly lit with lots of tables as well as more private tables with curtains around them. Chakra is great for a date night, group dining or getting a few drinks at the bar with friends. The last few times I dined here I ordered steak as my entree which was always delicious and cooked exactly how I ordered it. There are never any leftovers when I eat at Chakra. Once, I ordered the butternut squash soup and I'm mentioning it because it still sticks out in my mind due to how delicious it was. I believe it was a seasonal special. As far as drinks, the Pama Sutra and the Double Crossed are really good. This place is expensive but it's a unique and memorable dining experience. I will be back again.. and again.
(4)Yajaira L.
This place is absolutely beautiful. When you first walk in it is as nice as Buddhakhan in NYC. The romantic lights and plush seating is enough reason to come back for an inmate evening. First the start the staff was very welcoming and pleasant. They do take your coat so you can rest assure that you will be ok wherever you decide to sit. Our waiter was Vinnie. He was very kind, knowledgeable about the menu and the wines. Just about everything he recommended we tried =) The appetizer was brochette, glazed with a delicious sauce and bread and arugula. Dinner consisted of the salmon cooked to the chef's perfection and Cathy got the apple cinnamon pork. YUM!!! For dessert we got the pumpkin tart I believe. It was oh so good. I loved everything about this place from the wine selections to the delicious complimentary dessert wine that was given to various tables. These guys do know their stuff Cons: Some of the wines on the list were way over priced. There was a couple of wine that ranged up to $17 dollars a glass when the bottle in reality is $20. (That was prob. one of the things that made me say hey... we are in NJ not NYC) FINALLY: Would I return again?!? YES, for a special occasion only.
(4)Marina G.
My fiancé and i went here for our first valentines day together and after entering i had such i hopes for my experience which disappeared when i got seated. The menu was set and most of the options werent worth a second glance buy that is bit the least of it. The floor manager was walking around in what appeared to be a drunken state and as my fiancé and i were looking around and admiring the decor he comes to a halt and asks if we need anything from him (he probably thought we were looking at him which we werent and he was dressed in a suit so we had no idea he even worked in the place{mind u everyone was in a suit that night because of the special event}) and stares at us for a while then says to not look around and just at each other. The comment would have been taken lightly if it werent for his stance and his tone of voice and us not knowing who this man was to begin with. The waiter didnt have a full understanding of the menu and when asked if he can replace one item with another he just stood there and stared blankly at us stating that he didnt knw and wasnt sure ( u think he would know a set menu especially on an important day like Valentine). The desert came in one plate with a handful if tiny cakes and macaroons which was disappointing as we were paying for two people so u would expect each of us to get our own desert and separate plates. What i noticed around was a bunch of unsatisfied customers returning their food multiple times and unknowledgeable waiters. The gratuity was included in the check and the waiter was paid over 40$ which is to much since we saw him a total of 2 minutes when he placed our food and rushed off, All in all i wouldn't recommend this place and would never go back.
(1)Lily R.
If you are going to to make sure to take a sweatshirt as is very cold. I love this place this is one of my favorite spots. Their grill shrimp roll is amazing and oh my gosh their crab cake dish is to die for. The atmosphere is very elegant and sophisticated and very intimate.
(5)Jessica W.
Came here twice, each time there was something missing. I absolutely love the atmosphere here. The outside is very blank and easy to pass. The inside is very easy on the eyes very trendy decor. The menu however was pricy and not amazing. I'm glad to have gone but after two times have no plans in returning.
(3)Jessi T.
Recently ate here again because it had 1,000 points for a reservation on OpenTable. Game on. I warily went here to give it another try. I haven't eaten here in years and was hoping they would do me right this time, as I had a poor experience before. The verdict? They did it! They're good! Congrats, Chakra! You did it! Your food finally tastes good and your decor from years ago is still relevant! If you can, get the crab cakes. They are yummy! I love crab cakes and am generally pretty picky with them. These were light, crisp and delicious! I would go back here just to eat these. I'll see you soon, Chakra! I'm totally digging on you now.
(4)Mercy A.
I agree with Vinny P's review though I feel more generous with my stars! Getting to the place is fairly easy, though that parking lot was completely full!! The place is beautiful and has a nice rustic feel with lots of candles. There are lots of tables and I can tell they are trying to squeeze in as many parties as possible. Our reservation was for 8:15 and we were not seated until 8:40. The server, while trying his best, was just too rehearsed for us. I asked if the bartender could make me a sazarac and the waiter told me that if they weren't so busy tonight, they would try but since they are so busy I was better off ordering something on their cocktail list. I ordered wine instead.... For appetizer, I had the caesar salad which was refreshingly lemony! I also had some bites of my friend's beet salad and it was also very good. For dinner, I ordered the chili-cinnamon chilean sea bass. It was good (the most expensive thing on the menu, I think) but I didn't think it was the best I've had. That honor actually goes to Buddakhan, believe it or not. Desserts were a disappointment, especially the pumpkin cake. They do have a nice tea selection, though. Lastly, I'd like to say that for such a nice place they really need to pay more attention to their bathrooms which I thought were disgusting. I even spotted mold on the sink (very visible) and it just wasn't a tidy or clean restroom. Too far for me to come back, but if it was closer I'd give it a second try!
(3)Hope T.
What a dissapointment! Had such high hopes having heard much about it from friends and,frankly, seeing it featured RHONJ. It is a cavernous, dimly lit, but romantic nine the less resstaurant. It is easily missed on Rt 4 as it looks abbandoned from the outside. The servers were ill prepared to explain 'specisls", though it was clear the specials have gone unchanged for some time.Special requests were like pulling teeth. The food was average. Clearly you are paying for the atmosphere. As the evening progressed the lonely empty space filled up- bar area only, with a younger lounge crowd. Not a repeat place.
(2)Susie H.
We did a small wedding dinner there in their private dining room. Our positive experience started from the very beginning. They were obviously very experienced and professional. Their menus and prices and services were all nicely laid out in the PDF found on their website. When we met them to sign the contract, they were very clear on what aspects were not negotiable but accommodated us for everything else. During the event, the food and wine were almost all perfect. (The steak wasn't the best, the seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned.) And the service and ambiance were very pleasant and professional. I couldn't have asked for a nicer venue for our needs.
(4)Patrick D.
I would rate Chakra 5 stars for decor and service and 3 stars for food. The restaurant has to be one of the most stunning settings I'm Bergen County, definitely a special occasion place. The food is much better then the last time we ate here several years ago, but it doesn't match the decor or other restaurants in the area comparably priced. The Chilean sea bass is one of their signature dishes, and I can give that a strong recommendation. A tuna special the night we went was good but nothing special. Chakra is definitely a full priced restaurant with a stunning dining room and a great lounge. The food is good, but I doubt that is the reason most people go there.
(4)Yvonne M.
I loved the atmosphere of this restaurant.. Very cozy, romantic feel.. Candle lit lounge area, nice bar.. We were told there was a 30 min wait, but they don't give you a remote to wait to be called, they just send you to the lounge area i had a drink called puma sutra.. It was delicious! (Made with lime juice, pomegranate juice,and stoli citrus) It took longer than 30... But once we were seated the servers were all over us... Literally.... We ordered appetizers only.. We weren't hungry for a full meal.. And our waiter treated us like we were taking up his table and his time and weren't good paying customers. Very annoying bus person came over picking up forks and plates before we were ready for her to take it. Literally it felt like they were standing over you waiting for you to put the fork down so they could take it. It was so rude.. The waiter "Vinny E" made us feel so unwelcome.. He was faking niceness and was pushy and short with us.. It seemed obvious he was upset that we ordered appetizers only. His attitude was awful.. It literally made us want to leave. The appetizer i ordered was a horseradish crusted crab cake.. It was cooked perfectly.. So delicious.. With some kind of pea shoots on the plate and a tangy sauce next to it.. Initially it was bland and tasted like weeds but the sauce brought it to life and make it okay for me. Im not sure I will go back to the restaurant area again.. Its unfortunate because its a beautiful restaurant.. The dj plays music in the lounge area.. Its a shame one guy put such a bad taste in my mouth.
(3)Kevin J.
They nice restaurant they put a lot of money into their Decor. The food was delicious but very pricey. A great first date restaurant if you're looking to impress. Buyer beware they will ask you if you would like Fiji Spring water for your table. What they don't tell you is that it's not complementary. From what I can tell it is definitely a hit with the locals of Paramus and the surrounding areas. I had the steak which was delicious! It came with the roasted garlic and mashed potatoes which were both amazing!
(4)K P.
Where do I start?.... The outside of the building may totally turn you off (I had been speeding right by it for years without an inkling of a desire to check out the place) - but I have to admit that you'll get a totally different vibe once you step into the place...Dim lighting, well dressed tables, and a chic/modern menu? - A great venue for those looking to have a romantic meal (I initially thought I could recommend this place as a first date venue). But then I came across many roadblocks: TWO THUMBS DOWN: - There are loud/skeevy older drunk men hanging around by the bar (extremely loud and grabbing at waitresses) - Yes, the couches on the side are nice but difficult to eat from while sitting elegantly as it sucks you in. - A bit too dark and loud for a nice meal. - Did I say that there are loud, skeevy, drunnken older men grabbing at and smooching at people? Would rather wait until I know I don't have to witness any ungentlemanly behavior while enjoying my dinner.
(1)David M.
As a bargain-hunter, I am almost disappointed when an expensive restaurant is much better than my favorite moderate priced ones--but this sure was special! 6 of us went there on a Saturday night at 6 PM, with a Groupon for 4. Contrary to what others say they experienced, we did not feel any negative vibe when we mentioned the Groupon up front. The food was very novel and absolutely excellent--raves for the crab cake; lamb; spicy trout; mesclun salad, schnitzel and charcuterie. Corn soup was a little cold and bread was only ok. Hazelnut ice cream and coffee were excellent. Decor is very nice and the sofa seats comfortable. Service was very attentive, professional and cheerful, even though we stayed for 3 1/4 hours. Prices are high--I was startled how much it was after the Groupon--but we are not an easy to please crowd and everyone loved it.
(5)Adam D.
Review is based on the bar only*. Yes the drinks expensive as hell....but wow! This place is very very nice. To me, this is a great place for a romantic night out. The interior lounge is super fancy looking and the craft beer choices definitely the fit the vibe. I've passed this place a billion times and I just never had any idea! Only come here if you're looking to wow someone or if you want to feel like a rich person, but I think it's worth it. Especially since I think this kind of place is hard to find in the area
(5)Katie P.
Like many of the other recent reviewers, i also came here on Valentines day with my fiancé. I'm not usually a fan of going out for pre fixed menus but I was very impressed with the menu selection. The crab cake was one if the best I've ever had. Very moist with large chunks of crab. My fiancé tried it and was jealous he didn't order it too! I had the salmon for my main course and there was an assortment of mini desserts to finish. We both left very full and satisfied. I'm surprised that some of the reviews from that night mention the bad service. We must've gotten lucky because our server was extremely knowledgable on the preparation of all the dishes, and had suggestions for wine pairings. He even gave us the lowdown on what makes each wine taste different depending on where the grapes are grown. I'm not a wine snob personally but they were fun little tidbits. I really wish I remembered his name so I could give credit where it's due. As for the ambiance, it's a little confused. The brick walls and and industrial ceilings against the dim lighting are beautiful, very romantic. But then there are fake palm trees in the back and cabana beds which don't seem to go with the original design. I would definitely go back, but only for a special occasion, as it's pricey and not close to home for me.
(4)Cee H.
LOVE this place! I would have to say that this is the most romantic restaurant in Bergen County. Over the years, I have dined here and the food has always been good but I think it has gotten even better. We started with some sushi rolls and the Chilean sea bass roll which was just amazing. We also had the giant shrimp which was fresh and flavorful and tasted very much like lobster. The salmon and the grilled trout ... both also very fresh and served with interesting sauces. The portions were surprisingly large...especially the salmon ...which really could have been two portions. If you're looking for a lingering, romantic dinner with great food and service...look no further!
(5)Sandy R.
Love this place been going here for over 10 years, this is mi go to place for my birthday dinner.
(4)Ron I.
Excellent food and atmosphere. Beautiful interior. The trout was amazing! Definitely one of my faves in Bergen county.
(5)Yusef N.
Amazing food and service!!! They moved us upon request to the nice curtain booths mid meal! Love this place. The rainbow roll appetizer and crab cake entree and the goat cheese cheesecake are the winners.
(5)Salina W.
I was planning to take my boyfriend for his birthday but got a little nervous when I read some previous reviews. I made a reservation on 6/17/15 for Saturday 6/20. The gentleman that answered the phone was very nice and I requested a booth that I had seen online. He explained they were for a party of five but he would see what he could do. 6/20 we arrive 20 mins early for our 8:15 res., and the staff was LOVELY! We went to the bar area to wait, it was cozy and romantic. We ordered non alcoholic beverages and the wait was very brief. The hostess came and got us and gave us a wonderful booth alternative with a corner banquette so we could still sit close. Our waiter was attentive and order arrived quickly. We had the ravioli appetizer (delicious) and the TC steak which was cooked to perfection. Overall it was a wonderful experience. Our waiter was attentive and the staff was pleasant. The only thing I would advise is that it is not a every weekend place. The meal for two without cocktails was over $130 without tip. Definitely a special occasion choice! -Salina Williams
(5)Shiven B.
A bit on the pricey side, however, the decor is very nice, the drinks are good, the food was flavorful, and the service was fantastic. The place looked like a NYC restaurant/lounge, not what you'd expect from the outside. Try the Lamb and most importantly the Macaroon Tree. We ordered 2 drinks, 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, and a dessert which came out to about $170 with tip. I would definitely come back, maybe only on special occasions though to spare the wallet.
(4)Michelle E.
First things ,first; the scenery in this restaurant is beautiful. The lighting is dim, and each table has a soft spot light in the center. So it is a good location for a date night, but it's not as quiet- the noise level can rise a bit especially if you get a group of loud individuals---true story towards the end of my date a group of women came in the restaurant and they looked like a group of children that were released into a theme park , and their laughter omg don't even get me started on the pack of hyenas . But we had reservations already made for a Saturday night, it was the week before Valentine's Days. Our waiter was very nice and attentive, so that was appreciated. The FOOD!!! We ordered he horseradish crab cakes and they were so delicious. The flavor of the horseradish was not over powering at all and there was a nice blend of flavors with in the crab cake and the outside was had a soft crunch. The TC steak , done medium, was had a nice flavor to it. I really liked that the steak was tender to cut and chew , and the creamed spinach was a perfect side with it. My fiancé had the hanger steak , done medium as well, and it had a nice soft flavor to it. It was much easier to cut than the TC steak and the fries that come with Hanger steak have are encrusted lightly with Parmesan, which adds a nice touch to the normal fries. Overall the experience was nice and I would most likely come back in the future . I know that this restaurant is also known for their wine selection, the menu for it is a bit extensive. But as a person who does not consume alcohol, I would appreciate having a selection for non alcoholic drinks as well. I drank San Pellegrino Sparkling water the entire time.
(3)Lara H.
A little pricey, but the food is amazing and the atmosphere of the restaurant is really beautiful. Great for a nice private dinner for a date or with friends.
(5)Layla S.
I was expecting more but this is still definitely a good place to grab dinner in paramus. I LOVE the atmosphere.. The lighting, seating, the music, all were seriously wonderful. It was hard to believe we were even in jersey lol. This is a really great place for dates as well as special occasions. I had the Chilean sea bass roll, which came with a light cucumber salad and an order of fries. The Roll was definitely different, the fish was warm and the cucumber salad complemented it nicely. The fries were a bit overdone but it did come with three dipping sauces, ketchup, spicy mayo, and one more so it wasn't that bad. It is a bit pricy.. So I would definitely go back since it's so close but only for a special occasion.
(4)M C.
I'm giving this place 4 stars only because of the ambiance. The food was blah and gets 3 especially because the prices are a bit high to be subpar. I had the crab cakes and deff not anything special.
(4)Robert D.
Finally i visited this much talk about place! It is all that its talked out about and more. Great food, Faboules atmospher. Will be back real soon!:)
(4)OpineAway C.
So we did go there again..."blame" Groupon, the "deal" lured us in. Big mistake. We got there, and this time they sat us quickly, got us water and menus reasonably fast, and got us our drinks and even bread and butter pretty promptly, though the bread was a bit stale. We figured we have the Groupon but we can order some more and we'll pay the difference. For appetizers we had a salad and the fried calamari. They arrived pretty quick. The salad was a green salad with OK dressing, nothing impressive neither bad. The calamari was sub par, tasteless, and even the pickled peppers that were fried with it tasted like canned over-vinegar tasting. For the main dish we ordered the salmon and the trout. We waited at least 20 minutes after the appetizers dishes were taken away for the mains to arrive. Both were bland. The salmon had a nice crust to it, but was tasteless. The trout skin seem like it was once crispy, but then stood for 10 minutes and got soggy. The amount of "smoked almonds" was on the cheap side, and not smoky. On top of the trout they serve fennel shavings and an orange slice (one) which was fridge-cold and cool down the fish. We also had a side of spinach, which was not generous but OK tasting, nothing special and a bit bland as well. We had to ask for black pepper and that helped that taste a bit, but not much. We ordered one dessert and coffee which were both good, probably the best thing we had there. With the meal we had a total of 3 glassed of Sancerre. And then we asked for the check. We saw the prices on the menu, but still for a place on rt 4 in Paramus... $148 before tip. We gave the waiter the Groupon and his reaction? "This might be a problem, let me talk to my manager". We knew we have to add, the Groupon deal is two mains, dessert and two glasses of house wine. We had extra a side, appetizers and the difference between three glasses of Sencerre and two house wine glasses. Not a "problme"... He called the manager. It was the same "dude" from the first time we were there. Oy. He started by saying that we had to make a reservation but he'll wave that. And that we are suppose to get the house wine. So we said calculate the difference of whatever and we'll pay, clearly the right think to do. His attitude was pretty much the opposite of what I'd define as trying to make us feel going back there ever. But that's not the end of it. He came back with the adjusted check. $87 and change. Looked suspicious. So we checked. The "dude" added 18% gratuity. And didn't tell us. So we called him. He said that the fine print in the Groupon says it should be mandatory added by the restaurant. We asked for the Groupon back to read the find print. He claimed he didn't have it. So we told him to find it and bring it. He pulled out of his pocket half the page without the fine print. We said no good. So he said it will take time but he'll go and find it and print it for us. While he was away we found it on our phone. No such thing as the restaurant adding the tip. Unbelievable. When he came back with the printout, we told him no such thing, and to take it off, gratuity is to our discretion. So, to conclude a long story - the service is sub-par, the food is mediocre, way way over priced, bad management and waiter training, and they are dishonest and definitely do not understand the concept of their own marketing (i.e. the Groupon deal is supposed to lure people in and make them want to come back). We should have listen to ourselves after our first bad experience and not come back. Now we got burned twice. I really hoped to write a second review with a reasonable star rating, but if zero stars rating would have been possible I would have used it. Don't go near that place.
(1)Kate D.
Great decor. Awesome food. I went here for a dinner meeting for work. The caesar salad was amazing. Great for a special occasion. Not sure how expensive the menu is because the dinner meeting was paid for by my company.
(4)Leela K.
Too expensive and snotty atmosphere. I have come here for dinner and drinks on separate occasions and am not impressed. I will not be returning after three visits - the food is okay, no complaints except the price. The crowd is well, not my style. But if you are a real housewife of nj you will fit right in!
(3)Richie R.
Nice spot. The curtains give it a more romantic feel. Food was great. A bit pricy. I would go back.
(4)Gaby L.
Chakra is a great place to eat because of its great food and the amazing atmosphere. This restaurants food is a blend of sushi, pasta, steak, fish, and chicken. As an appetizer, I shared the sushi with tuna and prosciutto and it was fantastic. As an entrée, i shared the flank steak which was awesome and i also shared the linguini with clams and it was divine! As for my dessert my table shared the cotton candy macaroon tree which was unbelievable. Overall, Chakra is a great place to have a great dinner. -Gaby L.
(5)John N.
My wife and I just went to the prix fixe Valentine's Day dinner last night. I left very disappointed unfortunately. The decor was lovely. The food was very good. The lamb and sea bass were delicious. But the service was quite poor considering the calibre of the restaurant and the prices. We were drinking the water from our melted ice cubes since it took so long to get a drink replaced. Also, the dessert was a let down - a spattering of pre-frozen petite four. Our server never offered to get us coffee or an after dinner drink. And the gratuity of 18% was already included (due to it being prix fixe) though we were just a party of two. Generally, I was let down by the whole experience. I wouldn't recommend Chakra.
(1)Dinesh J.
My first visit to Chakra was a good experience. The staff is very courteous and respectful, we were served by John, the wine suggestion was good and the appetizers we ordered were OK. Full points to the ambience and service.
(3)Karen N.
Just had dinner there tonight. Wonderful! The food was first class! Had the Chilean Sea Bass and chocolate brioche bread pudding for dessert...amazing! Service was outstanding! A place to celebrate special occasions. Wonderful experience. Will go back again. Beautiful decor.
(4)Stacey C.
The only reason I am not giving Chakra 4 stars is the price. Food was very nice, sushi rolls as appetizers, a big salad done French style, tossed at the table, and good sea bass entrees. Nice wines by the glass, (nice touch: bottle poured at the table, so you know what you are getting).............service A+ super nice and attentive. Decor was very trendy, NJ Housewives all over the place, Entrees are pretty steep for a NJ highway restaurant. I can spend the same thirty six dollars at Daniel in Manhattan or a Danny Meyer restaurant and have a much better dining experience with a sophisticated crowd and 5 star cuisine. The prices should be 10 dollars less, and then we would go back. It is a nice place to go with couples, because of the loud, club fun atmosphere. The manager Steve was top notch!
(3)Jessica E.
The atmosphere was so relaxing. Our table was right in front of a wall with colored lights and water flowing down. The House creation martinis are so tasty, and so was everything else. The sushi appetizer was so delicous.They gave complimentary champangne since it was a special occasion. Would defiantly go again.
(5)Jessica H.
Very beautiful place, chic, lounge/restaurant but kinda over priced for OK food. Its ambiance is what I think attracts most customers. It has a very dim lit club lounge kind of feel with soft dance music playing in the background. It has plush chairs and interesting decor all around the place. What I loved most about this place was the martini list lol their drinks are pretty good but the food is nothing to write home to mom about. Their prices are a tad high too considering your paying for just some good drinks and scenery. I would definitely check this place out for late night cocktails with friends but as for dinner, I would probably skip on the meal :)
(3)Zack C.
Dined at Chakra for New Year's Eve to celebration. Only reason this review is receiving one star is due to manager Drazel. We arrived at Chakra little behind our reservation time for their Pre-Fix meal for new year's eve. Hostess was very accomedating when we called to inform them of our delay. Once we arrived 9:45pm (45 minutes late), we were promptly seated to our table. Our request to be seated in booth was kindly turned down due to reservation being full and we initially didn't request for booth which is totally understandable. Once seated, our server took longer then expected to take our drink and food order, but this is understandable with full restaurant with patrons. We ordered a bottle of wine and ordered our course. Great thing about this restaurant is the food. I've been known to be picky and harsh judge of food. But the food they plated was honestly beyond my initial expectation. I ordered tuna tartar, duck risotto, crab cake for my course. My date ordered ceasar salad, calamari, and Chilean Sea bass. Do try the crab cake!!! Great food, great company and new year midnight arrived. They offered glass of champagne, party favorites and hats + tiaras to ring in the new year. We didn't like the champagne and finished our only bottle of wine. So we ordered another drink from their cocktail menu. Which was too strong after the dessert, so we decided to order another glass of wine. After finishing the wine, we wanted to buy a round of drinks to another patron who was having friedly whistle competition with us. Here's where great night turned horrible. We asked another server to send our server over so we could order the drinks, but instead "Manager" Drazel comes over instead and asked us what we need. Our request for buying a round of drinks for the other patron and him if he could have one to celebrate the new year was promptly turned down because we were too intoxicated to be served, and he walked away without any further explanation. This was at 1:15am. Three glasses of wine in over 3 hours?? We requested to talk to "Manager" again so we could understand why we were bring cut off so abruptly. He comes over to inform us that if we have an issue, file a complain and offered his name and spelled it out for us. "Manager" resolution on customer complain is file a complain? I understand that if we were drinking excessively, they have the right to cut us off. But how this so called "Manager" handled situation was extremely unprofessional. He needs to learn how to handle customer complaints. If he needs a lesson, I'll teach him how, for my staff would never handle the situation in such unprofessional manner. I wasn't upset about being cut off, but how he cut us off and talked to us in such condisending manner, which I pointed it out to him, which was answered with another condisending apology. Imho, to be served exceptional food, and be ruined by one person's action is such a shame. Especially by manager who should be leading by example. Such a disservice to chef who works so hard to put out exceptional food.
(1)Yolanda A.
This place is beautiful, and the food was excellent. Very pricey but you get what you pay for so it's definitely worth it. I had a groupon so that worked out for me lol.
(5)Timothy H.
I went to this restaurant because my Girlfriend wanted to see where the Real Housewives always go, and I am so happy we went. The Service was great, our waiter was extremely helpful and bubbly. The food was amazing, very unique stuff that I had never had before (Preparation wise) I had Cinnamon Encrusted Chilean Sea Bass and sweet Corn Ice Cream. Good Wine List Intimate Setting
(4)susan n.
I love the decor. Curtain-draped booths, Asian feeling, candles...very romantic. I would recommend it as a terrific date night place. However, it seemed like birthday central on the night I went. The food is good. No, not the best meal of my life, but still very good. I had the chilean sea bass, and it was excellent. I highly recommend it. We also shared the octopus, which was excellent, and the crab cake, also excellent. I tried my friends' plates - surf and turf (very average), pork chop (not high quality meat like we had at Hearth), schnitzel (average, but good), and steak (just ok), charcutterie (nothing great at all). The desserts were a waste of money- not good at all. The cocktails are ambitious, but fall short. I tried the cherry blossom, and it was entirely too sweet, and the pom (I make a better pom cocktail by far). They lose a whole star due to a service issue. We were waiting at our table for an HOUR before a bread basket was brought to the table. Two of our friends were 20 minutes late, but we explained to our waiter that we wanted to do appetizers without them, because we were all starving, and they told us to start without them. Even after they arrived, we were 45 minutes to an hour before even a bread basket was brought over. The waiter did apologize. I overheard the lady at the table next to us complaining to the manager about the same exact thing. I just think that if we are dropping $500 on a dinner out- an hour wait to get something, anything, to eat is completely INEXCUSABLE. I also agreed with another reviewer who pointed out that the service reminded him of a promoted Houlihans waiter. Once again, for the price point here, service should be better, more professional and polished. He meant well, and was nice enough, just fell short in several ways. They are on opentable.com , so making reservations is easy. They used to have only valet parking, but the night I went was not available (which I am glad about, we like parking our own car), and there were spots in their private lot. Overall, great decor, bad service, good to great food depending on what you order.
(3)Julie S.
We went for Valentine's Day. The place is beautiful, they have lovely relief pieces through the place. The food was not so great though. It might have been just the pre-fixe menu for Valentine's but the appetizers were average (although the veal ravioli was pretty good), I had the veal chop as my main entree which was good, my boyfriend had the striped bass which was OK. We had a tasting menu for dessert which had chocolate cake with sorbet (average) and passion fruit tart (which tasted like burnt milk and was disgusting). Still, I would recommend checking it out on an ordinary day, hopefully they have stuff on their regular menu that is better. 02/19/2010: downgraded to 2 star because just found out that we were charged a "service fee" on Valentine's Day even though we were only two people! Not cool Chakra, not cool! You will definitely not receive any referrals from us.
(2)Cat M.
Chakra was the last stop on my Real Housewives of NJ tour/experience/daytrip due to its brief yet pivotal role in the friend breakup of Dina and Danielle, which lead to Dina's sad exit from the show. Like everything else on the tour, and RHONJ itself, Chakra was an experiment in the dichotomy of presentation and reality. Who would have expected this Bedouin encampment on the side of the New Jersey turnpike in a bunker-like strip mall? We just had cocktails, no food. Both the drink list and drinks themselves were good. You really come here for the over-the-top decor and atmosphere.
(4)A K.
The food was amazing. The appetizer and cocktails were well made. For entree we had the different fish and the dish had a delicate flavour. The food came out fast. Great good, definitely great for celebrating a special occasion. The decor is very lounge like. The service was good but not perfect (compared to the food). We hoped for a special request (birthday) we reserved about a week in advance, we would have got one of the side canopy.
(4)Phil M.
Nice enivironment. Interesting & tasty food. Had enjoyable experience, but just not stand-out enough for us to return (as we're not so close to it). Service was OK. Attentative; not over the top.
(3)Mama D.
I was here over 3 years ago and had a decent dinner at that time so I was expecting at the least my husband and I were in for a nice evening. Well...the service was poor(we had to ask for bread, ask for pepper to name a few), the drinks were a disgrace and the food far less than mediocre. Unfortunately here we go with a nice looking place forgetting it is a restaurant. I am assuming this is corporate owned and once again run by 18 year old valley girls. I have also attended Chakra for a medical meeting which at that time was a bit better than mediocre but wouldn't even recommend a business meeting here. Maybe Chakra is looking to be more of a bar and "hangout" type of place for the under 30 . This is a terrible restaurant on every level except the looks of the interior. A sad waste of $200.00.
(1)Lauren H.
Dinner at Chakra was a remarkably stressful experience. We had a Groupon, which we told them about when we made the reservation. We arrived on time for our 8:00 reservation and the hostess said that our table was not ready and we should go to the bar and have a drink. We declined---and got to our table at 8:10, no menus till 8:25, appetizer at 8:45, entrees at 9:25. No dessert or coffee, but we didn't get out till 9:50. This was on a Tuesday night! Beautiful decor, really lovely. Menu is pricey ($25 to $40 for entrees other than pasta) and does not describe the food well. Our waiter was nice and happy to describe things. There is a lower-price weekday menu, but they did not offer it to us, because of the Groupon, I guess. The bread in the bread basket was underbaked focaccia and some stale little rolls. Our appetizer, fried calamari, was disappointing--greasy and the calamari was overcooked without the coating being crispy. We ate it all, though, and the bread, because we were starving! But we've had better (much better) fried calamari (and bread) at local pizza places. Entrees were good when they finally came. I had the Goffle Road Chicken, and my dinner date had the tuna. The people at the tables on either side of us had also been waiting and waiting for their dinners. There were plenty of waiters and managers running around, but it took forever to get food on the table. I don't know if they're understaffed in the kitchen or what, but the prices are high and the experience is poor. Why did this place do a Groupon? They don't seem to need the business, and they clearly don't care if you ever come back. The funny thing is, we're planning a party and we were considering having it here....now it's off the list!
(2)Barry H.
Whoever gives this restaurant more than 2 stars hasn't been to a truly fine restaurant. The two stars would have to include one and a half for the ambiance. This restaurant brings new meaning to the term "Nouveau Cuisine". The Yellowfin tuna appetizer was a joke. $16 for 6 pieces of tuna that you needed a microscope to find. I had to ask for chop sticks, because the pieces were too small to eat with a fork. The Steak Au Poivre was a bad choice, but with the limited menu, I took a chance. Here again the steak was so small I'd be embarrassed to serve it if I was on the wait staff. I've been to many expensive and fine restaurants all over the world. Your expectations go up commencerent with the pricing. Empty tables at 8:00 on a Saturday night tells you all you need to know. I will disagree with a lot of reviews on the wait staff. If anything they were friendly, but overly obtrusive, breaking up intimate conversations every ten minutes to ask if everything was OK. Two or three times would have been fine. The mark ups on the wine list were 99% beyond most of the fine establishments I've eaten in. If you're looking for nice atmosphere with overpriced food and drink, this is the place for you.
(1)Jeff K.
Chakra's atmosphere is simply amazing. Dimly lit, candles on the tables and a waterfall on one of the walls that changes colors. Very romantic. It also caters to groups as there were several large tables seated during the evening. Just before we were leaving, one person with one of the big groups was getting drunker and louder by the minute. I also overheard some waiters/mangers discussing how to approach the table to ask the lady to take it down a notch, but I didn't get to see the exciting conclusion. But anyway.....despite a bunch of the reviews on here, we thought the food was great (not the best ever, but certainly satisfying). Maybe we just made the right choices. We shared the Grilled Shrimp Roll and the Beef Dumplings - the Grilled Shrimp had a true grilled flavor to it. The beef dumplings were standard - but tasty. For entrees, my wife had the Seafood Pot (coconut curry, snapper, clams, noodles, lobster broth) and she loved it. I had the fish of the day which was a seafood trio of swordfish, prawn, and scallops over mixed greens in a artichoke cream sauce. The swordfish was cooked perfectly and the scallops were succulent. The prawn was just about the largest prawn I have ever seen and was sweet. I would recommend Chakra to anyone and contrary to others here, I did not find the prices to be too extravagant - on par with a moderately upscale restaurant.
(4)Nino R.
I was once recruited by the first GM of this place to bartend, I turned it down because my gig at the time was outstanding. To this day, there are still people working in this place that I've worked with at other restaurants. So for me, this kind of feels like home. The decor is great, the ownership group definitely took their time with selecting a theme and executing. While I've never had an entree here, I've never had a bad app. I'm usually here for cocktails with friends before we head out to the city. There was a point in time where one of the nightly djs was a close friend of mine, so that meant great music and great company. I haven't been here in nearly a year and will definitely stop by when I'm there in December. I've never had a bad experience here, and I don't plan on having one in the future. Cheers to you...
(3)Eve G.
Celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary today we decided to try Chakra of Paramus, NJ as we heard it is a romantic place. Romantic it really is. The decor is pretty and the atmosphere is intimate, the ambiamce is rustic illuminated w/candles. The prices are high so were our expectations. We returned from the restaurant 5 minutes ago and I must get the disapointing mediocre experience off of my chest. The food is lower than average.The steak frites @ $30 was ordered medium and the filet mignion was dry and overcooked. The fries were soggy and not crisp. I must say the fois gras was really tasty. The cobb salad was huge and is a good cobb salad. Our server tried his best when faced with the reality of the steak and took it back to the kitchen. The restaurant manager came over with 2 glasses of proseco courtesy of the restaurant as a gesture for our wedding anniversary he said. When we finally got the bill the unedible and uncosumed steak was on there. They had the nerve to charge us $30.00 for a dish that was not cooked according to our order. We decided not to make a stink out of it, to pay the bill and learn a lesson in bad management of a restaurant. The only way I found efficient to teach them a lesson is by writing this bad review so future patrons, beware!
(2)Wonder Woman V.
Great decor, service is amazing. Food is very diverse A great night out
(3)Alicia H.
The restaurant has a nice ambiance, very nice. The food was just okay. Had appetizers and cocktails so maybe dinner is better. Service is very much lacking. There was ONE girl cocktailing on a Saturday night (a busy Saturday night) and we saw her MAYBE twice in two hours. Not good. The restroom was disgusting and freezing. Paper all over the floors and in toilets......just not nice at all. Will I go back? No. Too many nice restaurants in the city that are less expensive.
(2)Linda M.
I went here for my anniversary and my top disapointment was a "special request." I asked, in advance if they could spare us a nice canopy table for our anniversary but we were left sitting hip-to-hip with other couples. Unless you had a party of 4 or more, those tables are reserved. The food there was quite good - I ordered the parchment fish and they bought it out to me uncooked. The dim lights was very sneaky so check the center of your fish for doneness! My husbands braised short ribs was yummy. We had a tartar appetizer that was awesome! Dessert was great, nothing too crazy. They were kind enough to give us a free desert w/ a candle for our anniversary. Service was excellent as the wait staff and manager asked if everything was ok a number of times. The lounge/bar section is packed, but cozy. A good area to stop by at after your meal. A good place to try for a special occassion but not an everyday thing as it gets quiet expensive.
(3)G P.
I went to Chakra twice: once with my dad and once with my gf. My dad said this place has the best steak he has ever eaten, and my gf was impressed with the food and the ambiance. Personally, I loved the food. The sushi and the Chilean sea bass with potato wrapped shrimp was amazing. The only slight I can make against this place is the price, but the food is definitely worth it.
(5)danielle d.
i like this place because the decor and the ambiance is very gorgeous and romantic! the service was horrible.. my waiter idk his name, but he forgot to give us bread to start... always in a rush to take stuff away from the table... never asked how our food was.... didnt serve my wine first or let me try it hello duhh!!!! he was like a mess!!! the food wasn't so great to be honest.. i had the veal tenderloin schnitzel with creamy mushroom sauce gravy .. it tasted like butter like they must have went heavy on butter......the veal cutlets were very bland needed a lot of salt and pepper for taste.. and my date had the thanksgiving style french chicken breast .which he enjoyed.. and the appz were fried calamari with a great tasting aoili sauce dip and a weird tasting marinara sauce.. idk not a fan! ill pass....
(3)Lily C.
Very pretty decor with its billowy canopies. We were in a booth, which was cozy but not uncomfortable for six people. I had a mostly positive food experience and I would go back again. I should have prefaced this review by saying that I didn't pay for this meal. That makes a big difference because I'm not sure how thrilled I would be about paying $16 for a sushi roll. From a pure food taste perspective, my Dragon roll and Rainbow roll were very tasty. My dinner mates had crab cakes, a fish dish and the watermelon and heirloom tomato. The crab cakes got high marks but thumbs down on the watermelon and tomato appetizer. The service was fine. The only negative was the Mesclun Salad...not very tasty at all. The chef needs to taste the dressing. Not tangy at all for a vinegarette. It's so easy to make a good vinegarette, I don't understand why restaurants get this wrong. Overall, I would go back for a romantic dinner. I'm not sure it was a great place for a corporate function though. :o)
(4)Jared L.
Food wasn't bad but the entrées took about 45 minutes. They say the reason was the new exec. chef. Who knows? The drink menu was a little outdated, wanted to try a random pale ale but wasn't offered anymore. Ordered a standard Brooklyn Lager instead but was tapped out so the waiter, instead of asking for a third option, brought some pale ale that was similar to the first order so that I didn't have to wait another 5 minutes - I appreciated that b/c he gave me the option of returning it for something else if I didn't really enjoy it. Dinner: Grilled Octopus Salad - nicely grilled and very tasty but some pieces were going bad. Crab Cake - the horseradish crust was spectacular!!! It's a bit pricey for one crab cake but totally worth it. Lobster Fra D'avolo was a bit pricey but actually very good. It was spicy enough to flirt with the palate, didn't burn. Pasta was a little over cooked but hoping it'll be better once things work out with the new chef.
(3)David C.
One of our meals good,the other not so good. OK service but way overpriced. Overall, disappointed.
(2)R K.
Great, attentive service and fabulous food! It's like you are transported to manhattan. Worth every penny.
(5)Oliver K.
This restaurant received mediocre standings due to a few positive as well as a few negative experiences. I went there last night and was not blown away by the service to say the least. The decor/atmosphere is amazing. The scenery is wonderful and the interior is very modern, trendy, trendy, hipster, but very classy. They had comfortable bench/couch seating with pillows which was nice. The bar they had looked very appealing. The lighting was sub-par. Very dim and elegant, but the positioning made it so the shadow from my head was right in front of me on the table making it difficult to see what I was eating/working with. The salads were small, and not exceptional. My significant other had a field greens/mesclun mix which was very similar to those served in other restaurants except it had the occasional fennel seed thrown in giving it a licorice taste every so often. Interesting. My ceasar salad was bland. They gave me a lot of romaine veins, and the dressing wasn't too tasty. Enough said. This was not what I was expecting from a 'top notch', pricey, formal establishment. Now I have to add a little about our wait staff. The bussers and the people that came around and filled the waters were very nice and attentive, while our waiter was not. He gave off a pissy vibe which I didn't appreciate despite our overly polite etiquette. When the salads, appetizer, and main dish arrived they didn't know who the food was for and had to break into our conversation to ask, which is unprofessional coming from someone that has eaten at a lot of nice restaurants and has also worked in a few as well. I must compliment the wine list although we did not have any. This was extremely extensive. Quite impressive for those wine connoisseurs out there I must say. Our appetizer was the fried calamari, which was very good. I understand that it isn't rocket science to bread/flower some calamari and deep fry it, but it had a nice light batter and was accompanied by two tasty dipping sauces. One being the traditional marinara based sauce which was, not typical like from the jar. Or if it was it was modified greatly. I also have to mention that it was a bit spicy, but I enjoy that so I was pleased, my girlfriend; not so much lol. The second being a mayonnaise mixture with a few spices in it. I couldn't narrow down what those spices were, but my assumption was that there was a bit of cumin and some old bay in there. It was not a sauce remoulade or a tartar sauce either. The calamari were served with breaded and fried peppers which accompanied the seafood nicely, that is if you enjoy spicy foods. The calamari were served in a nice and small metal basket which looked nice, but was difficult to eat from so I had to dump them out on a plate. Calamari appetizer = small portion. Now's when the wait began. We did not see or hear from our waiter for about a half hour, and our food did not come out. We waited patiently until about 35 minutes passed and finally our food came out. Then all of a sudden out of left field comes our waiter asking how the food was. I didn't even get to try my dish by this point, so I couldn't answer his question sincerely. But when I did try the steak Au poivre (filet mignon with pepper corn sauce) I was very pleased. The meat was of excellent quality and was extremely tender even for filet, and it was cooked perfectly to my liking; medium rare. The pepper sauce was very nice. The traditional french style sauce, not deviating from the norm. The fries that accompanied them were also pretty good, but were served in the same basket as the calamari so there were similar issues in removing them. Not a big deal. My girlfriend had a sushi dish as a main course. It was spicy tuna with cucumber avocado wrapped in prosciutto. Not your traditional sushi, but it was interesting, different, and tasty. I liked this. This played into the fusion part of the cuisine. We did not have any dessert or coffee. In conclusion, was this meal worth the price? Probably not, but it was a good experience none the less. It would be a nice impressive place to take a girl out or even to bring some business associates.
(3)Northern N.
The atmosphere is really incredible. Feels like you're in an upscale NYC restaurant, like Buddakhan. I'd recommend going just for that reason, but there's also great service, and huge wine selection (mostly pretty expensive options) and good food. The steak with peppercorn is good, but the best part was the salmon/avacado sushi appetizer. Really excellent, with a creamy southwest sauce for dipping. I'd skip on dessert, the $9 peanut/caramalized banana/chocolate dessert was decent, but really tiny.
(4)Jean K.
So it was girl's night, so my sister, my mom and I went to this restaurant called Chakra. The Hostess greeted us warmly and soon we were led into the main dining floor. I loved the exposed ceiling and brickwall, oh yea candle lights too although i knew they were fake. Each booth was divided with shear curtain and i loved the furnitures that had. FOOD: nothing new nothing exciting. Again, so many Asian influenced fusion whatever make this mistake: If you don't specialize in Sushi then CUT THE CRAP! They had sashimi appetizer and some rolls. Luckily I didn't order them but the lady on the other table ordered it took one bite and didn't even touch it for the rest of the evening. No wonder... I just don't understand people ordering sushi at wrong places. The quality of fish was good but sushi and maki is waaaaaaaay more than just the fish. Know what to order. If you still haven't understood me, don't order sushi there. simple. Well, for appetizer we had Foie Gras and Hamachi Tatar... Hamachi was good but Foie Gras was.... it was too much for me. You may say differently but I thought it had too much... meaty....bloody taste. It was definitely expected for $18 appetizer. Then we had porkchop and halibut... nothing new. It was alright. Not the best. SERVICE: I have nothing to complain about the service expect at the end my waitor had a ciggarette break and when he came back to us, we were engulfed by the smell. BUT I'm not complaining. I totally understand why smokers have to smoke. Well... not really but I respect their decision whatever it may be. So overall I wouldn't go back because of the food, because honestly they weren't the best. In comparison to the taste the price was a little too much. But I can see people going back because of nice relaxing atmosphere. It was whatever. OK experience.
(3)Eric G.
Skip this place. Although the atmosphere is nice on the inside. The service and quality of food was horrible. The place is almost empty and it took 15 minutes to even get our order in. I ordered the steak and had to wait for a knife. The bread guy doesn't do the butter so we got bread and needed to wait another 10 minutes until the butter showed up. The noodles were very undercooked. Enough wasted time talking about this place move on.
(1)Adam T.
I went here on New Years. I waited till the last minute to book something and paid the price. Chakra is what I would call "Fake Fancy". The food was poor, the service was poor, and the drinks were poor. I really have nothing good to say about this place except for the decor which was OK. I ended up paying over $370 for an hour long dinner which to me is overpriced ( even on New Years ).
(1)Isabelle L.
The decor and atmosphere is really nice and different. Most of the patrons though seem to frequent the lounge and the dining area was pretty empty and maybe this is the way to go for this place: appetizers and drinks in the lounge for a nice evening. Anyway we went there for dinner with a bigger group. Service was on the slow side, no doubt. The menu is actually pretty limited and mainly seafood and sushi oriented. We didn't try any of the sushi so I can't comment on that. As far as the food, a couple of folks at the table made the choice of ordering 2 appetizers instead of an entree and that was a great idea (salad and scallops). The scallops were outstanding. For the folks ordering entrees, we tried duck, red snapper and stripped bass. All entrees were good, well prepared, well presented and with interesting flavor combinations, most a hit but some a miss (the "amuse-gueule" given to us at the beginning of the meal was certainly a miss" swordfish and strawberry. The fatty swordfish with the sweet / sour strawberry just didn't complement each other). Overall, a nice experience, thanks to the decor. A bit too pricey for the food served and service needs improvement. Sticking with appetizers and drinks at the lounge is probably the way to go to enjoy the evening and the character of the place.
(3)Emma G.
At last, a special place to take a special person, for a special occasion, without having to cross state lines. You will burnish your NJ credentials by finding the entrance to this place (Rte 4 headed East, just before the GS Plaza), but once you're in side you will feel--perhaps transported to a wonderful evening on vacation, where it's warm and the surroundings are beautiful, and your dinner companion glows healthily in the lighting that harmonizes with the low-key live music. The food is delicious in the contemporary, Asian-fusion way. Prices are on par with mid-priced restaurants in NYC, but you can get a prix-fixe special if you arrive early. My one quibble was with the wine that came with that special: not a great one, and the next time I'm there I will order off their longer list.
(4)Carolyn A.
A prime example of why I wish yelp offered half stars cause I would give this two and a half. The vibe is great. We were at a table that was lovely. Glass top, flowers under it. However, the waiter was hard to find once our order was placed. I really, really liked my app of parma roll. It was salty, smooth, and just a burst of flavor. The TC steak was not good. Tough, and the steak sauce was nothing better than A-1. My companion had the schnizel, it was fine, a bit tough and greasy. Wine a bit overpriced. If they paid a bit more attention to details, especailly front of the house, I might give it another try, but for the money, I wish I walked away happy.
(3)A A.
I have been here twice so far and love it! The ambiance and decor are very swanky yet comfortable, candles and drapery all around. The food is so beautifully presented and tasted pretty good! I would highly recommend, great for a date or night out with friends!
(5)john p.
food = bad service = worse prices = ridiculous decor = nice i went with a party of 12 people for a birthday party. the hostess / waiters were all acting like we were bothering them by being there. the waiter never wrote down any of our orders (for 12 people, come on). of course, he forgot 1 appetizer and 2 entrees. How could he enter 10 entrees for 12 people and not think "hmm, am i missing something?" So 2 of our friends insisted we ate while they just sat there. we ordered 6 appetizers and 12 entrees, and every single person in my group felt the food all had no taste and was extremely bland. then we ordered dessert, and we felt like someone just dumped a 5 pound bag of sugar in them and called it a day. i would never go back to Chakra even if the meal were free. Now I understand why Chakra was empty Saturday night at 8pm and had a few people when we left at 10:30pm. With the MANY choices in that area, i'm shocked they are still in business.... you've been warned people....
(1)Rosa T.
Went to chakra on a Saturday night with my husband and absolutely loved it! We ordered the fried calamari and Chilean sea bass sushi roll as appetizers and they were both delicious! As my main course, I had the seared ahi tuna with pei mussels and it was off the chain!! I had a drink called the fuzzy pear and oh boy does it make you feel all fuzzy and warm! It is yummy!!! Overall great experience. Ambiance is very romantic. Only thing they don't have much of a desert menu.
(4)Carla B.
Great service, food is great! Romantic or perfect for a girlie night.
(5)Anna P.
I'd say Chakra is a mixed bag. This seems to be the super hyped up place in Paramus and I was curious to see what it was all about. First of all, it's a non-descript building on the outside but it's wonderful on the inside. It's a large, lounge-y room, with rough "sandstone" walls and candlelight everwhere. It really gives the impression of being in some tropical place. On the perimeters of the room are tables against the walls, seperated with flowy, sheer white curtains. Throughout the room there are palm trees. The music is lounge - reminiscent of Buddah Bar. The ambience is definitely 5 stars! What makes Chakra tough to rate is that the food is really not up to par. I would say that it's mediocre at best, and incredibly over-priced. The cuisine is mostly americanized mediterranean with a lot of seafood (read: if you don't like seafood, you'll starve!). I had fried calamari and a salad. The salad was nothing specially, neither was the calamari, except for the amazing sauce (whose taste i couldn't quite place though). The deserts are decent, but again nothing amazing. Chakra also has a long and very creative martini list. My recommendation: go for the ambiance, not the food. Great option for drinks and appetizers, would not recommend for dinner.
(4)Harry K.
It is difficult to find anything to reccomend about Chakra.However, if you like a really loud dining room with overpriced and very average cusine coupled with a somewhat indifferent waitstaff then this is the place for you. The decor is nice- but that's not enough to rescue this place.
(1)Johny V.
for some strange reason every year i get a gift certificate to this place, and for the third year in a row i left disappointed, restaurant is beautiful, but the food is not, flavorless, salty , demi glace that tasted like it was from a can, they said they cant cook my duck rare, my suggestion is to hire someone who can, next year this is getting re-gifted.
(2)Jake P.
I was hesitant to take my wife here because she is very picky about restaurants. In fact, I never sit down at first because I know she will insist on a different table. Chakra makes a great first impression cause she had no complaints about the restaurant or our table. Like Anna P., we had calamari and salad. Like Anna P., I found the calamari to be unexceptional but the dipping sauce was great. We disagree with Anna P. about the salad. We shared the endive salad and it was the best salad I have ever had. The dressing was light with a hint of spice. The sweet apple slivers combined with mildly bitter endives and glazed pecans were so delicious I briefly forgot that I am a carnivore who believes that salads are best served to animals to fatten them up before we barbecue 'em. I had the crispy salmon and my wife had scallops. The scallops were good --nothing to post a blog about but not at all mediocre as I had anticipated. The salmon was delicious. We had coffee brulee for dessert. Again, nothing spectacular but far better than I had expected from all the bad reviews I've read. Chakra is not cheap but two appetizers, two entrees, one desert, coffee and three specialty drinks totaled less than $130. Not bad considering that in most places in Bergen County, I would spend around a $100 for mediocre food and crappy decor. I'd definately go back. I can't wait to try their $29 prix fixe early dinner menu.
(4)rachel a.
The decor is really beautiful and unique. It's a fun place to go for a "special occasion" with a group of people. The food was ok... nothing special. It was hard to pick something off the menu because the options were so limited. It is a little pricey too.
(3)