50th Birthday Bergen County HELP!!!

[MKLDBoston]

Looking for a place that will satisfy some foodies, but also a larger group. Was look at Cafe Panache, Picnic, El Cid. Not anything over the top, but something that will satisfy the palate and wallet

[scholar399]

Picnic, Cafe Panache would be great. Also consider St Eves in Ho Hokus. If you are more concerned about hosting the room and not as much the food- give thought to doing Maggianos?

[njmarshall55]

Although I haven't been to the Hackensack Maggianos, I was VERY surprised to find it to be a chain. The Boston one was excellent...VERY good food, lots of it, and they were very accommodating since there were only two of us. I can only hope the Hackensack location is even half as good.

[huiray]

"I was VERY surprised to find it to be a chain."
-----------
Really? Interesting. Maggiano's started in Chicago (AFAIK) (the one on Clark) and went nationwide quite a while ago. Food is decent but not the best or is it authentic Italian, of course - but does deliver OK Italian-American most of the time. Still, the last time I had a meal in the Indy location of the chain it was wholly forgettable (even borderline objectionable) and was definitely NOT cheap for what I got. Their tables are also too high, or the chairs too low.

[njmarshall55]

First went to one in Boston. Felt like a true family run I/A place with very decent food. Then, riding through Hackensack, NJ saw the one in the strip mall off Rt. 4. Never occurred to me that it would be a chain. One of the better ones, tho, IMHO.

[RUK]

We celebrated my husbands 70th birthday yesterday at the Riverside Manor at the border of Fair Lawn and Paterson ( GPS - 1 Morlot Ave, Fair Lawn)
It is a beautiful place, service was excellent, decent food, we had a nice large room to ourselves. ( Important if young children are part of your large group) The price was right too. I would recommend them.

[tommy]

El Cid is expensive and completely unexceptional. I'd avoid it if you're looking for something good and not expensive.

[MKLDBoston]

Heard also Park Steakhouse might also be an option

[MRG58]

It would be helpful to indicate the size of your group.

I'm not certain El Cid will satisfy your foodies. The others are sound choices.You might also look into Cafe Matisse , a lovely BYOB with a beautiful seasonal garden (depending on group size) in Rutherford or Chakra on Route 4 in Paramus. As to satisfying your wallet, none of these options are inexpensive, but Picnic or Matisse being BYOB may be less costly.

Cafe Matisse
167 Park Avenue
Rutherford, New Jersey
[phone]
Larry
www.cafematisse.com

Chakra
144 Route 4
Paramus, New Jersey
[phone]
www.chakrarestaurant.com

[MKLDBoston]

Thanks for the suggestions. It's a party of about 20, not all are foodies and tend to eat HUGE amounts. They are of the quantity not quality mindset. I realize that none of these are inexpemsive, I just can't justify spending more than this league. The BYOB option may be the answer, thanks so much!!
I did read on El Cid, was there about 15 years ago. It sounds terrible!

[MRG58]

Bergen County restaurants will not generally provide high quality, large portioned, low priced options. For larger eaters, you might try these BYOB Italian restaurants:

I Gemelli
268 Huyler Street
South Hackensack, New Jersey
201-487-4220
igemelliristorante.com

Andrea's
26 E Prospect Street
Waldwick, New Jersey
[phone]
andreasrestaruantnj.com

Mezzaluna Bistro
97 West Allendale Avenue
Allendale, New Jersey
[phone]
mezzalunanj.com