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Park & Orchard: American;  East Rutherford; 240 Hackensack @ Union; 22/16/$40; 201-939-9292; Upscale diner setting – nothing fancy – but great service; The menu is 50 pages long- not quite – but they serve everything; Huge portions; Massive wine list; Asian Stir fries; Healthy options; Cheapo appetizers; Great bargain.

Baumgart’s Café: American/ Pan Asian; Englewood; 45 E Palisade @ Dean; 19/14/$27; 201-569-6267; Menu includes food from multiple cuisines; Very good ice cream parlor; Mostly Chinese, Japanese selections; 75+ items on menu; Perfect for families/ kids / quick eats; Inexpensive. Honestly though, not great. On here as it is in my hometown!

Cheesecake Factory: American; Hackensack; 197 Riverside Sq; 20/19/$34; 201-488-0330; One of the longest menus you’ll ever see; Huge portions; Always decent and sometimes excellent; Great for large groups; Extremely popular- come early; Every possible cuisine available. One of the better American chain restaurants.

Stony Hill Inn: American; Hackensack; 231 Polifly Rd @ Mary St; 23/26/$59; 201-342-4085; Dining on a large estate- gorgeous setting; Filled with history; Menu inspired by Italian and French cuisine; High end shi-shi menu items but also many classic favorites like Linguine Carbonara and Shrimp Scampi and Calamari Fra Diavolo over linguine. Multiroom, elegant colonial charm; Wedding central here.

340 Grill: American/ Seafood; Hoboken; 340 Sinatra Dr. @ 3^rd-4^th St; 21/21/$48;  201-217-3406; More of a scene then a formal restaurant; Excellent date spot for drinks and Martinis; Sexy lounge; Also features a solid New-American menu of mainly grilled selections; Incredible views of NYC if dining outdoors; Validated parking for $50 or more; Great trendy bar; Weekend brunch.

Amanda’s: American; Hoboken; 908 Washington @ 9-10^th St; 25/24/$50; 201-798-0101; Romantic, elegant & charming; Perfect for a celebration, anniversary or date; Great attention to detail; Sunday Brunch is outstanding; Gorgeous interior and service is solid. Not a huge menu selection, however. Early bird specials. Charming with top service.

Court Street: American; Hoboken; 61 6^th St @ Hudson-Washington; 22/18/$36; 201-795-4515; Incredible Italian/ American menu; Fantastic, inexpensive brunch- pitchers of Bloody’s only $11; Wednesday is Lobster night – 2 for $29; Monday is Prime Rib night; Well priced, giant steaks; Tasty pasta selections; Wine tastings; Something for everyone. Spacious décor.

Fire & Oak: American; Little Falls; 1 Newark Pompton Turnpike; 23/20/$43; 973-785-4225; Extremely cool, NYC lounge-like scene; Swanky bar area; Great menu with a combination of New American dishes and comfort food; Solid steaks; Mac N Cheese; Fancy cocktails and even flat screens for the game; Combination of elegance and upscale tavern.

CulinAriane: American; Montclair; 33 Walnut @ Pine St; 26/19/$55; 973-744-0533; Owned by a husband/ wife team who graduated culinary school together 18 years ago; BYO; Always amazing and reliable; Wife was a “Top Chef” contender; Fairly small place room wise; Seasonal outdoor dining- including soft shell crab in Spring/ Summer; Reserve in advance. Short menu.

Indigo Smoke: BBQ/ Southern; Montclair; 387 Bloomfield Av @ Willow St; 21/16/$28; 973-744-3440; Nothing fancy; Laid back atmosphere; Food is dirt cheap for the genre; Kansas City BBQ; Can BYO; Mac n Cheese outstanding- get a double order; Huge biscuits.

Bobby’s Burger Palace: American; Paramus; 610 Bergen Town Ctr; 20/15/$19; 201-368-7001; Owned by famed chef Bobby Flay; Casual burgers and shakes – but WHAT a burger! Ten different varieties. Also serves Grilled cheese. Extremely casual, putting Fuddruckers to shame!

Chakra: American; Paramus; 144 Rt 4 E @ Arcadian; 20/26/$53; 201-556-1530; Stunning décor and interior made for impressing a date; Asian fusion/ American cuisine; Romantic with a large selection of fancy cocktails; Palm trees add to the serene feel; There is a lounge as well;

Fireplace: American; Paramus; 718 Rte 17; Ridgewood Av; 20/17/$26; 201-444-2362; Like walking back into the 1960s; Old school diner feel; Milkshakes, burgers, fries, and steaks; Old fashioned with great service and down home food that is just tasty; Perfect for lunch while shopping in the Route 4/17 area.

Grand Lux: American; Paramus; 1 Garden St Plaza Mall; 20/22/$31; 201-909-0399; Might be 200 items on the menu; Similar to Cheesecake factory in style/ theme but slightly fancier; Huge variety of food and drinks; Fun time for a relaxed family dinner or lunch. Great Martinis and cocktails.

Napa Valley: American; Paramus; 1146 Garden State Plaza @ Rt 4/17; 21/21/$47; 201-845-5555; As name implies, they celebrate wine; Wine country inspired menu;  From burgers, to chicken and fish dishes to salads- something for everyone and mostly healthy; Extensive wine list; Great brunch; Kind of an eclectic feel.

Café Matisse: Eclectic; Rutherford; 167 Park Av @ Highland; 28/25/$66; 201-935-2995; Hidden gem; Extremely romantic; 3, 4, or 5 course meals, prix fixe- $60, $75 or $95 a person; Outdoor dining available; Top notch décor and service; Worth the splurge and it is BYO so you save on wine. Truly a great dining experience, Romantic. Menu selections are truly mouthwatering… mac n cheese with King Crab!

Village Gourmet: Eclectic; Rutherford; 73-75 Park Av @ Ridge; 21/16/$30; 201-438-9404; Unique setting- liquor store in the middle of this BYO establishment; Many dishes are blackened/ Cajun style; Steaks and swordfish stand out; Something for everyone- burgers to dumplings to pasta. Very inexpensive.

Saddle River Inn: New American; Saddle River; 2 Barnstable Ct @ Saddle River Rd; 28/26/$58; 201-825-4016; High end elegance; Many French inspired dishes as well; Fancily prepared and presented masterpieces; Swiss born chef Hans Egg is the star; More affordable than you think as it is BYO; Perfect service; Spectacular setting; Only

Backwoods: BBQ; Washington Township; 270 Pascack Rd; 23/17/$34; 201-666-4227; Some of the menu highlights are St. Louis Ribs; Pulled Pork; Brisket and BBQ Chicken; I prefer the Classic Backwoods BBQ Sampler; Basically, one of the few, authentic BBQ houses in Bergen county; Get your fingers dirty!  Mac n Cheese as well; Cheap beer. Inexpensive mixed drinks.