Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Essex

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Essex? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Bivio Pizza Napoletana

4.9

4.9 (218)

$31 to $50

Pizzeria

Montclair

About the restaurant

At Bivio our passion is authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Napoli... our love of the city, its cuisine, and in particular, its pizza is where our story began. We heard time and time again “It’s all about the dough.” True to Neapolitan tradition, and the passion of the pizzaioli, we construct our pizza using “00” flour from Naples, San Marzano DOP tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, fior di latte or bufala mozzarella, and sea salt. Our dough is gently mixed using a 28 year old “lieveto madre” (natural yeast culture) then with intense heat is baked in our wood burning il forno. At Bivio all of our dishes are made with the freshest and highest quality ingredients.

Top review

andrewVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Absolutely amazing!!!!! Pizza and salads are incredibly

Samba - Montclair

4.8

4.8 (966)

$30 and under

Brazilian

Montclair

About the restaurant

Homestyle Brazilian fare served in a stylish, rustic space with antique pots & vintage tableware.

Samba is now the only restaurant certified as a gluten-free restaurant in New Jersey from the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). @glutendotorg . We are not conforming to a trend. Due to personal experience, gluten
sensitivity is a very serious matter. For the safety of others who are gluten-free, no outside food or cakes will be allowed in the restaurant.

Top review

Melissa

Dined 6 days ago

Excellent Food and Excellent Service! Very good Brazilian food and beautifully decorated restaurant. . Highly Recommend!

Sapori Ristorante - Montclair

4.8

4.8 (709)

$31 to $50

Italian

Montclair

About the restaurant

Welcome to Sapori Ristorante, where we’ve been delighting taste buds for 20 years! Recently restored, our charming eatery now features a vibrant, inviting atmosphere that perfectly complements our exciting new menu. With our personal experience from around the world, we are bringing you the best taste of authentic Italian flavors, crafted from the finest ingredients and traditional recipes.

Whether you’re enjoying a classic pasta dish or one of our innovative new creations, every bite promises to transport you straight to Italy. Join us for a memorable dining experience that celebrates two decades of culinary excellence!

Top review

Elena

Dined 1 day ago

We had a great dining experience. The burrata and filet mignon were both delicious. The place has a warm and cozy atmosphere, perfect for a nice evening out.

The Highlawn

4.6

4.6 (1543)

$31 to $50

American

West Orange

About the restaurant

Nestled atop the picturesque Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, NJ, The Highlawn is regarded throughout the region for fine dining and its dedication to making each celebration memorable and unique. It has been the trusted venue of many private groups, Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, local community associations, and many more, and is a recipient of OpenTable's Diners' Choice Awards for the Top 100 Scenic View Restaurants.

The landmark has been revitalized to provide patrons with a premier fine dining experience and world-class site for weddings and special events. With world class Culinary Director and Executive Chef William Prunty now at the helm, diners can expect an out-of-this-world meal.

Top review

Jonathan

Dined 3 days ago

Spent the dinner for my husband's birthday and the view is unmatched. Service was great and food was good.

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Popular dish

Center Cut Filet Mignon 10 oz

Popular dish

Center Cut Filet Mignon

Zeugma

4.9

4.9 (1568)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Montclair

About the restaurant

**Only Fridays and Saturdays ( Only Adults ) We do not accommodate kids after 5pm

**We don't guarantee the location of the table, but we try our best to accommodate. We gladly hold the table for 15 minutes grace period.

** Outdoor sitting first come first serve.

Zeugma Grill offers a distinct menu for its customers that is sure to please the palate. The Mediterranean fusion and modern menu includes mezzes, special entrees, salads, desserts and much more. Try our fresh made and our creations BEET FALAFEL, MANTI(Handmade Mushroom dumpling). Domenico winery also sells their California wines out our restaurant so no need to stop on your way for a bottle.
We look forward to serving you. Mediterranean inspired cuisine mixed with all Mediterranean Cities Flavorful herbs and spices combine textures to appease broad-based palates.Our r attentive staff ensures that your entire dining experience at ZEUGMA is stellar from beginning to end.

Top review

AlisonVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Delicious food and great service! Beautiful ambiance!

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4.8

4.8 (1283)

$31 to $50

Greek

Livingston

About the restaurant

As you enter this newly remodeled restaurant, your eyes will immediately be brought to our open fish display with fresh whole fish from the Mediterranean and sustainably farmed as well. In addition our selection of quality meats and poultry will entice the palette of all culinary preferences. Our newly-remodeled covered patio can accommodate up to 40 people. We have an outdoor bar. You will delight in the simplicity, our respect for the food and allowing the quality of the ingredients to speak for themselves. Our mission is simply to bring friends and family together to enjoy old world flavors presented with a passion for excellence in dining and hospitality.

Top review

EvanVIP

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Great food! Good service, great to have a local restaurant of this high quality. Not cheap, but if you want good, you have to willing to pay for it. Very nice evening!

Cucina Calandra

4.6

4.6 (819)

$31 to $50

Italian

Fairfield, New Jersey

About the restaurant

Modeled after a Courtyard Villa in Southern Italy, Cucina Calandra is a family-friendly restaurant featuring a menu emphasizing southern Italian cooking. Cucina Calandra emphasizes pastas, thin crust pizza and dry-aged steaks prepared over an open wood mesquite grill, custom-made especially for Cucina Calandra. Our Pizza Man is here to entertain the children and adults too with his skills at making a pizza or flatbread while you watch.

The Calandra Family has enjoyed providing generations of families and friends, including yours, with our famous baked products.

The Calandras look forward to providing outstanding service to you and your families at Cucina Calandra.

Top review

ChristineVIP

Dined on Jun 13, 2025

Ravioli w breaded chicken was absolutely amazing. Great food and service at a decent price

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Popular dish

Rigatoni alla Vodka

Giorgio's Ristorante - South Orange

4.9

4.9 (525)

$31 to $50

Italian

South Orange

About the restaurant

Giorgio's of South Orange has always been one of the landmarks in the area. Specializing in fine Italian cuisine and catering, we have a wide range of signature soups, salads and of course, our special, main-course, all-time favorite items.

Top review

LarryVIP

Dined on Jul 1, 2025

Delicious meal! I had the Chicken Portofino. So good! Loved hearing the live jazz featuring Kate Baker too!

Seoul Bistro

4.9

4.9 (15)

$30 and under

Korean

Montclair

About the restaurant

Seoul Bistro
Authentic Korean flavors to Korean street food, modern vibes. Experience the taste of Seoul: where tradition meets innovation with rice, banchan (side dishes), and more! Located on Bloomfield Ave in Montclair NJ

Top review

Dined on Jun 18, 2025

My family enjoyed a graduation celebration lunch at Seoul Bistro yesterday. Overall, we enjoyed the experience. The restaurant is nicely decorated with a comfortable ambience. Most importantly, it was clean. The waitress was friendly and communicative, and the dishes were excellent. Since we are not Koreans, we cannot vouch for its authenticity. But they were delicious. We will surely visit again in the future.

Tops Diner

4.8

4.8 (2058)

$30 and under

American

Newark

About the restaurant

Ever since Tops Diner was established in 1942, our focus has always been to serve what our customers want, exactly when and how they want it. As the American dining culture shifts, we recognize we must strive to recreate the 1920’s renaissance that birthed the diner as we know it today, all the while preserving the historical and cultural identity that made Tops Diner the model all others hope to emulate.

By constantly evolving, we ensure our ability to provide a diverse menu of high quality options with the speed of service we’ve all become accustomed to, providing the uniquely satisfying experience synonymous with the Tops Diner name. Our hope is that we can grow as our clients do, and continue to serve both our Newark family, and our community at large.

Top review

Mildred

Dined 6 days ago

Sky was very sweet and so pleasant and our food was super yummy it’s my new favorite spot

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