Ariane Kitchen & Bar

Ariane is amazing and each restaurant she opens is wonderful. Bar is huge so a great place to have a drink and/​or dinner. Food is delicious. Love the tuna app.

Outstanding steak and pork chop entrees.
Attentive staff.
Great décor.
Weak point for me was appetizer. Octopus dish was note good.

Been meaning to get here for such a long time. Finally went as a group of 8. Definitely a great vibe at the bar and it’s nice when you can get a true cocktail that’s not the same olé same olé. I had the «new whiskey cocktail» which the bartender recommended as a good alternative to an old fashioned. He was spot on. A few of us had it and it was great.
For dinner, everyone had a great meal. The tuna flower and curry cauliflower were winners as apps/​sides. The standout for dinner was by far the pork chops. Half the table got it and the other half was in envy! Cooked perfectly. Sometimes restaurants overcook pork, not here. Also love that they have a number of gluten free options throughout the menu — and they are put together well.
Finished with the ice cream cookies for dessert. Awesome.
Wrapped up with a night cap at the bar. Extremely friendly service (especially the bartender mixing up cocktails), great food in a very fun and hip setting. Will be back many times over.

My wife and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary at AKB. The service was wonderful and the food was the best we’ve ever had. The oysters were out of this world. I highly recommend AKB.

Stopped in on a Thursday night around 630, plenty of tables but filled out fast.
Awesome bar area, very chic, but not intimidating.
Place had customers of all ages.
Great cocktails, Try the New and Improved Whiskey Cocktail.
Food was very good.
Small right menu… approx 7 apps and 8 entrees.
The Snacks menu (not given out in the dining room, only the bar, but you can order from it anywhere.)
Good thing I checked the menu online or else I would have missed this from the Snacks menu: Prosciutto & Gruyère cheese beignets.
These tiny bits of fried dough had immense flavor!
The cornmeal crusted oysters with horseradish cream sauce was fantastic! The grilled octopus with poratoes &capers was good, very authentic to Spain.
The namesake AKB burger was good, but with all the great burger places opening up lately (Black Rebel, Shake Shack), skip it.
The famous FLAYed filet mignon however was one of the best filets I’ve EVER had, hands down.
And well it should be… as she used it to beat the infamous Bobby Flat in a Throwdown.

First time dining here. Ariane is a modern eclectic restaurant with a small menu with some really unique items. The small menu consists of about 7 – 8 starters and they’re followed by another 7 – 8 entrée choices. Additionally they have some really cool sides to choose from, such as the jalapeño tater tots or brussel sprouts sautéed with panchetta. The plate presentations that accompanied each dish were done well and you can tell they have some experienced chefs in the kitchen. No complaints in the food or service departments. A bit pricey, but you pay for what you get. 4.5 stars.

Went here last night for dinner for a friend’s birthday. First impression was that the décor was very nice, modern, sleek and roomy.
We sat in the back of the restaurant with our group at a big table (the chairs were very clunky and difficult to pull out or get out from which was kind of annoying when there is such a large group at the table)
Now onto the food, first they bring out croissants for the table which is a nice touch and they were good. Didn’t order an appetizer myself but had some of the cheese platter that someone ordered and that was good.
My friends recommended the filet which is what the chef is known for apparently. I went there wanting to order fish which is what I did but I regret it. I wouldn’t have regretted it if the snapper that I got was the only entrée I tried but I tried the tea brined chicken which was weird sounding but tasted so good and I tried the filet which was Out of this world. In comparison my breaded snapper (which I don’t like when fish is breaded, totally takes away the taste, I don’t remember it mentioning it was breaded on the menu) was kind of a let down honestly. The menu also said black bean mango salsa and it literally was just black beans underneath… Not my favorite. I would call this a 3 star entrée. What made me give the extra boost in star rating was the chocolate peanut butter ice cream sandwich dessert, very good, and the fact that the filet was amazing.
Also, be prepared to spend some cash coming here and not taking anything home as extra to go. Entrees are just big enough to easily finish. All in all I would come again but not regularly.

I must be in the minority here but I had a wine tasting dinner recently and I cannot praise one good thing about this place. I was a customer of Ariane’s former establishment and enjoyed most of my experiences there, but I’m going to have to bow out of recommending this place.
With the exception of a few runners, the waitstaff was mostly unfriendly and aloof. Not once did they ask how things were of if we needed anything.
First course of rock shrimp was good, great combination of ingredients albeit a little heavy on the creamy sauce. Second course of overcooked pasta was so-​so and the fact that they served it in another cream sauce felt redundant. Not to mention, the server placed each bowl on the table with his thumb on the inside of the bowl. The entrée of loin of pork was cold and overcooked and was hiding a messy mélange of potatoes and apples beneath the slab of meat. I missed the vegetables. The sad looking Bananas Foster dessert was served in a small ramekin and looked like a sample I would get at Costco. It was luke warm and liquidly. I’ll pass, thank you…
The wine pairings were decent yet at one point they served two different red wines in two glasses at the same time. I didn’t get that. It seemed I was not pairing those wines with any food but with each other — and the comparison between the two made my guests and I vote on which one we liked better. Guess what? We all chose the same one. Why? it might have paired nicely with food but they just competed with each other.
The acoustics in the room was very loud and the staff kept playing with the air conditioner all night so it bounced uncomfortably between cold and warm.
The whole evening turned out to be a poorly executed catering event. Sorry Ariane, I’ll stick to my city favs.

I liked the place alot. Highly recommend. Octopus was perfectly executed and snapped in your mouth. Burrata was a complete success of rich flavors. Pork chop was hi quality and hand selected, soft and elegant. Yup. Place hits the spot and is quality. Yup.

This is my first Unilocal review, starting out with a perfect rating.
My girlfriend and I went here last night for our belated Valentines Day dinner. We have tried to get a reservation since they opened but have been unable to get one that fits our needs. I was pleasantly surprised when I called yesterday and was able to get an 8:30 reservation. Being from an Italian family, I very rarely dare to stray from the type of food I am most comfortable with and didn’t know what to expect after checking out the menu online. I could not believe how happy I was after my first bite.
Walking in we both commented on the modern look AKB had. The bar was striking and the décor was simple but elegant. We were seated in the side dining room and were the only ones there. Our waitress was friendly and answered any of the questions we had and believe me, my girlfriend asks a lot of questions.
We both started with the baby romaine salads, the dressing was delicious and the bits of apple smoked bacon were like little bites of heaven. I ended up borrowing a few from my GF’s plate.
My girlfriend had the «Flay» mignon. They were willing to prepare it exactly the way she wanted and substituted sides without a problem or additional costs. Her steak came out a little pink for her liking and it was immediately taken back and cooked to perfection. I ordered the juniper brined pork chop and could not believe how amazing it was. Pork chops are usually my go to meat when I go out as I absolutely love the PIG. This chop was as juicy as I’ve ever had, the brine gave it flavor like none I’ve ever tasted. The bacon onion jam that was served on top didn’t stand a chance as I inhaled it in one bite and ended up asking for more. As much as I loved the chop, the thing that I have not stopped raving about were the Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, they were out of this world and I had to order an extra serving. I recommend to anyone dining at AKB to try the Brussels even if you have never enjoyed them in the past, I guarantee you will become a fan.
Our overall experience was A+ from staff to food to ambiance. I would highly recommend and am proud that they picked my town to open in.

My husband and I had our Valentine’s day dinner one day early (on the Saturday). The exterior of the building is very plain and you would probably pass it up without knowing how pretty it is inside. But you must go inside! I loved how it was set up and decorated. The bar was bright and had high tables with bench seating and we commented this would be a great place to meet some friends for happy hour. The restaurant area had high chairs that looked comfortable as well as bench seating on one side with tables that can be for 2 or 4 with ease.
The staff was very attentive and came to us right away for our drink order. We ordered the cornmeal encrusted oyster app which was delicious — the horseradish cream was delicious!
Our meals were wonderful and cooked to perfection. I had the Juniper cured porterhouse pork chop and my husband had the Seared «Flay» mignon. I usually do not have pork chops out because I know how easy it is to overcook. But they did a great job. Staff checked on us often for refills on drinks and if we needed anything. Chef Ariane came out at one point to talk to a table and was asking everyone how they were.
We are excited to go back and try more off the menu. A very happy experience!

Food was great but the good service waned as the night progressed. Seemed good service went out the door when the fancy dressed customers walked in. I guess our casual look warranted our being ignored. I loathe snobbery. Never going back

An incredible meal as usual at Ariane’s! I was so happy to see the fillet mignon on the menu that she cooked and beat Bobby Flay with! It was fantastic! The grilled octopus was phenomenal as always as were the cornmeal crusted oysters. Tonight they had suckling pig that was so tender and juicy! As always I wish I could eat here once a week. Unfortunately if I did, I’d weigh 300 lbs. :)

Had the pappardelle special with oxtail last Wednesday night. The dish was prepared with the love and attention that I have come to expect each time I visit. Vince the bartender prepares a Blantons cocktail that should be listed on any beverage menu in New Jersey or Manhattan. Service is always efficient, friendly and professional. The owners make you feel like a member of the family. No let downs here. Consistently excellent everytime.

After a glowing review from a colleague, I made a reservation for a Thursday night for my mom’s birthday. We started with the bacon-​wrapped-​stuffed-​dates, which were out of this world! For my entrée, I chose the pasta of the evening-​which was oxtail in a light sauce with sautéed veggies. Also out of this world. I was nervous to try oxtail (having never tried it before) and I’m so glad I did! It was melt in your mouth delicious.
Our waiter, Matthew, was also wonderful. He was friendly and attentive. My boyfriend was having trouble choosing a beer, so Matthew asked what he usually likes, made a recommendation, and nailed it.
We had a wonderful experience here!

Stopped in later evening for snacks and drinks. Love it! Great vibe, atmosphere, and décor. Really friendly staff. We ordered lots of (too much?) food, but it was so delicious, we left nothing. Great app specials– artichoke hearts stuffed with goat cheese, beet salad with cara cara oranges and pumpkin seeds, and a really outstanding creamy scallion dip with house made chips. The absolute standout was the burrata crostini with winter squash. Beyond delicious!
Will definitely be back next time in the area. Highly recommend!

Sunday night. 8 pm
Dessert and cocktails. Perfect.
Great bar area. Football night but they are playing a Cary Grant movie instead.
Mothers Milk on tap. Bartenders who love there craft.

We ended up coming back in for dinner and I was not that impressed.
We again sat at the bar and enjoyed the a few cocktails and beer with friends. We split some olives and marinated cauliflower which I found to be somewhat salty and uncomplimentary with the drinks.
For dinner I went with the duck breast-​confit combination which came with winter squash, purple potatoes and pears. I found the duck to be somewhat under cooked on the skin as it was not crispy since all the fat had not been rendered out. The interior however was cooked medium as it should be. It was also under-​salted which somewhat limited the flavor. The sides were good but I felt could have benefitted from additional seasoning as well.
The wife went with the chicken pot pie which I also sampled. The crust was very good as it was flakey, crisp and light. But we both also found the filling the to be lacking in salt and somewhat bland.
Instead of dessert the wife and friends went with a chocolate martini which I took a sip of and found to be quite good.
While I like the bar area, décor and vibe I was not nearly as impressed with the dinner. This is a generous three stars.

We ended up coming back in for dinner and I was not that impressed.
We again sat at the bar and enjoyed a few cocktails and beer with friends. We split some olives and marinated cauliflower which I found to be somewhat salty and uncomplimentary with the drinks.
For dinner I went with the duck breast-​confit combination which came with winter squash, purple potatoes and pears. I found the duck to be somewhat under cooked on the skin as it was not crispy since all the fat had not been rendered out. The interior however was cooked medium as it should be. It was also under-​salted which somewhat limited the flavor. The sides were good but I felt could have benefitted from additional seasoning as well.
The wife went with the chicken pot pie which I also sampled. The crust was very good as it was flakey, crisp and light. But we both also found the filling the to be lacking in salt and somewhat bland.
Instead of dessert the wife and friends went with a chocolate martini which I took a sip of and found to be quite good.
While I like the bar area, décor and vibe I was not nearly as impressed with the dinner. This is a generous three stars.

This place is perfect!!! From the friendly hostess to the knowledgeable down to earth servers and off course the amazing food! I have dined here numerous times and everyone of them was absolutely enjoyable, luckily now I live only a few blocks away!
OMG everyone must try the burger!!! 5 STARS HANDS DOWN

The food was not bad at all, it was very nice but if you want critique, there was room to improve. I got the apple orchard blossom cocktail and duck confit salad. Chocolate cookies with peanut butter ice cream for dessert.
The cocktail contained in house made apple butter, very nice touch but I couldn’t taste the cinnamon. The drink itself was weak in flavor.
The salad lacked sweetness and acidity in the vinaigrette to cut the saltiness of the duck. Even though there was mango in the salad, it didn’t stand up to the dish, it was soggy. Crispy duck skin would have been a nice addition to the plate. Dessert was excellent! Chocolate brittle cookies with peanut butter ice cream and salted caramel sauce.
Overall, the food was very clean and I appreciated the various gluten free options. I would go back, for sure. The pork chop looked incredible and I hear the cornmeal crusted clams are terrific.

The best of the best period in essex.
And get the fries, best i have ever had ever!!!
Tastytime x 100

I had CulinAriane bookmarked for the longest time, but never made it there before they closed. When I learned Ariane re-​located and upgraded to a full kitchen and bar, I was all in. I had heard it wasn’t easy to get a table, so I called ahead and made reservations for a Saturday night over Labor Day weekend.
My initial impression was positive. Classy feel and contemporary vibes. Just a little too well-​lit for my taste. I was hoping the lights would dim as the night progressed, but no dice.
Onto the dining experience …
Cocktails:
— The Atwell (Tito’s Vodka, blood orange & lemon juice, Schofferhofer grapefruit Heffewizen beer) — $ 12. This wasn’t my favorite, which surprised me considering that, while I’m not a fan of grapefruit, I sure do love Schofferhofer grapefruit.
— AKB Margarita (Pineapple jalapeño infused Milagro blanco Tequila, Agave, fresh lime juice, citrus-​jalapeño salt) — $ 12. Delicious. Absolutely delicious. At first, I figured this pineapple jalapeño infused Milagro was something Milagro itself prepared and bottled. I was ready to go to the liquor store right after dinner if that was the case, but our server told us it was something AKB prepares in-​house. Brilliant, but in full disclosure, I didn’t taste the pineapple at all in the tequila, nor did I taste the tequila in the pineapple garnish. My guess is jalapeño over-​powered the pineapple and the pineapple garnish didn’t come from the jug in which the tequila was infused.
Appetizers:
— Cornmeal crusted oysters, fresh horseradish cream ($ 14) — A brilliant take on oysters. I’ve had them raw. I’ve had them fried. I’ve had them baked. I don’t think I’ve ever had them removed from their shell, breaded, then cooked (either baked or deep fried), then put back into their shell atop a dipping sauce. Well played.
— Roasted red beets, baby golden beets, pistachios, herb salad, white balsamic vinaigrette ($ 12) — Three different colored beets — or at least three very noticeably different tints — made this dish look like a piece of art. The balsamic vinaigrette had more of a raspberry vinaigrette taste, but that was fine by me.
— Complimentary croissants with butter ($ 0) — Yummy.
Mains:
— AKB Burger (American Kobe Beef, fried green tomato, pickled shallots, cheddar, harissa aioli house-​made fries) — $ 16. I asked for it medium-​rare and it came out medium-​rare. The burger definitely left me with an aftertaste, but in a good way. I’m almost certain it was the combination of pickled shallots and harissa aioli. The hand-​cut fries were right on the money.
— Seared wild halibut (manila clams, smashed potatoes, leeks, lemon coriander beurre blanc) — $ 26. I had this dish on my radar before even showing up for dinner. The fish was nice and light and perfectly seasoned and all the flavors blended together. The presentation, however, threw me off a bit. I guess I was expecting this to be served in a broth of sorts given the inclusion of the clams. Instead, the clams (only 4) were just put on the outer edge of the plate all by their lonesome while there was very little beurre blanc.
Sides:
Smoked Gruyère Mac & cheese ($ 6) — This was overkill on my part. Completely unnecessary, but I wanted to try it. By «mac,» Ariane means mac. This is mac & cheese with actual macaroni, which I’m not opposed to, but adding something like pulled pork could elevate this side to a whole new level. In fairness, it seems a lot of other restaurants are doing this sort of thing, so I can appreciate sticking to a traditional presentation.
Dessert:
Rhubarb gelato ($ 8) — As equally unnecessary as the mac and cheese, but how often do I get rhubarb? It was certainly tasty, and the portion size was appropriate, but they just sort of threw two scoops into a dessert bowl and called it a day. Any garnish at all — even a mint leaf — would have made this a tad more appetizing.
Overall, the service was spot on and the food was excellent. I was just a little surprised by the simplicity of some aspects of the cuisine that could have easily been elevated. This, however, won’t stop me from coming back.

The food was excellent, but this is a reluctant 4 stars.
Had dinner there on a Monday in the bar area. The décor was interesting.
Salad
Heirloom tomato salad with Feta, watermelon, and heirloom tomato salt. What is heirloom tomato salt you ask? I had the same question. Apparently it’s dried, ground heirloom tomato, mixed with salt. Very impressive. Anyway, the salad was very good, but the «heirloom tomato salt» left a bad taste in my mouth, figuratively speaking that is. It seemed a little dishonest to me. Seems like the equivalent of adding tomato paste to your sunday gravy.
Halibut
Excellent. If you eat fish you’ll love it.
Other
The service was a little slow. Drinks, apps, and entrée were ordered all together, to come out in the normal progression. My salad came out immediately. Then my drink about 5 minutes later. Then our warm croissants about 5 minutes after that.
On the subject of drinks, all restaurants (including Ariane) need to stop serving rocks drinks with a giant ice ball or, in this case, one enormous ice cube. These enormous cubes actually have less surface are than individual cubes, melt differently into the drink, and soften the spirits differently than regular cubes. Essentially, you are changing the drink because you’ve changed the way it changes as I drink it. Stop. Please. A Solitary enormous ice cube is cliched now anyway.
Portions were light, but the quality was top notch.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS MEAL FROM THE START TO FINISH !
First of all the décor was beautiful and modern !
The service was attentive, friendly and efficient !
All the food was amazing ! Very tasty.
The corn meal crusted oysters OMG !
Thanks for the personal attention of the owners.

Very good food.
Attentive and friendly, but slow service.
I was pleased with my meal, but would have liked to have wrapped it up about half an hour sooner. We’d gone on a Monday night, seated by 8, done by about 9:20 – Aps, mains, coffee.
Had a drink at the bar before dinner. Friendly and courteous bartender. Pretty good Old Fashioned.
The layout is modern and inviting. As has been mentioned, diners eating at the bar makes this less of a true bar/​happy hour scene. It’s almost like a counter at a restaurant where they happen to do the drinks as well. The bar is off to the side of the main dining room. There is a separate smaller dining area that’s a bit more intimate and quieter.
The menu is a touch limited, but still diverse enough to the point where most people can find an item or two to their liking. I was disappointed that there were no specials offered, even more disappointed that Ariane no longer offers her sensational scallops. However, my tuna was fresh and delicious, and the wasabi cream was just the right compliment of spice. The monk fish was fall apart tender. The burger was cooked perfectly to order, and the accompanying fries were spectacular! I also enjoyed the brussels sprouts with just a touch of pancetta.
The price point is a touch high, but not obnoxiously so, and the portion sizes were spot on.
While I’d have liked the service to have gone a little quicker, I don’t have much to complain about, though parking can be a touch challenging.
I would definitely return.

We ate here last November. The space is cool. Pretty big, well appointed. They have a full bar, which sorta stinks because that ups your bill a ton and we’re so used to the BYO world of Montclair that we’re pretty spoiled by it.
The drinks were yummy but I feel overpriced. The service at the bar was also a challenge. I actually don’t even think it’s accurate to call it a bar. It’s more like a service bar that’s positioned behind a long counter. Every single seat at the bar was taken by diners. This made it difficult to get in and order drinks while we waited for our table, and even more difficult to get the attention of the bartenders (or, more accurately, waiters who make drinks…). And there was barely anywhere to stand once we had our drinks where we were not in the way. Not the best beginning experience for us.
Our table was in the side room to the right, which was fine. Better than the large, very loud main room. The service was good and the food was very tasty, as one should expect from Ariane. She and Michael came around and said hi, which we always enjoyed at Culinariane. They’re both so friendly.
We had the pleasure of sitting at the chef’s table before they closed Culinariane and during that meal Ariane explained that they were looking to open a restaurant at which people could be regulars. I’m sure they’ve succeeded here, but don’t think we will be joining that club. The good food doesn’t overcome, for us, the mosh pit feel and the overpriced drinks. Especially with so many great BYOs in Montclair.

3.5
I still am a fan of Ariane, most especially their cornmeal crusted oyster appetizer, but there’s something about AKB that has lost a piece of Culinariane’s cuisine excellence as it moved over to Verona, I am a little sad to report.
My bf and I came here on a Saturday night for dinner. We had called the afternoon before hoping to make reservations, as always, they were fully booked for evening. Communal seating and bar seating were still available for walk-​in so we took our chances.
We came in roughly around 6:30 and put our names down with the host. She said that communal seating would take an hour so, but we had a feeling she estimated conservatively. So our course, to kill the time we went over to the bar.
The overall space was nice including the bar, the formal dining areas were similar in size to their old space, but of course the bar and communal (high-​top) tables has dominated the overall restaurant. Overall the place was very spacious, and a great hangout if you were waiting for a table. I had ordered a MULE from their cocktail list and my bf, a Lagunitas (beer) then an ANGELS RED SHOES cocktail. The drinks were delicious, but also came with a New York pricetag.
We were seated in no time, and greeted by our server even faster. He mentioned some specials, but for that night was looking for more classics than seasonal dishes. I had ordered of course, the OYSTERS, and the CHICKEN POT PIE as my main. My other half had ordered the OCTOPUS app and the BURGER.
Things were brought out in no time. The wait time was not long at all. To start, a mini CROISSANT bread basket. They were wonderful and buttery and flaky, don’t get me wrong, but I felt in appropriate for a dinner meal.
My oysters were wonderful. They were no different than how I had them at Culinariane and probably my favorite appetizer in all of Essex County. My pot pie was served modern, but unfortunately lacked the heartiness I was looking for. I had a bite of my bf’s Octopus salad which was great in flavor and combination, but I felt like his burger meal felt a little short. The fries were okay. The burger was great in flavor, but something we both agreed would get trying after consuming the whole thing, which is how it panned out. Maybe it was the harissa… As if the individual apps and entrees were not enough, it was our first time at Ariane so we also had ordred Jalapeño cheese tater tots. They were great in flavor, but not what I had expected. A little too contemporary for my liking, but still great in flavor. I guess I was just expecting a little more potato shred texture than purée potato.
In short Culinariane fans: what they gain in a bar, they lose in food quality.