Reviews of Verve Restaurant (Restaurant)

Shannon Janke

Food was amazing and they are extremely pet friendly

Andrew Singleton

This is my second time at Verve and I simply think it is a Hidden Gem in Somerville New Jersey. The food was excellent and I would highly recommend the pork bellies as they are expertly done. All of the foods are prepared to be visually pleasing as well as absolutely tasteful. The wait staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and the drinks are very reasonably priced. You can expect to spend, for a group of four, about $300 including the tip. But it is well worth the price and the visit as this restaurant is one that I would definitely visit again.

Amit S

We usually head to the city for respectable cocktails but have to say Verve exceeded our expectations. The place is pretty good for food es well but I think we are definitely coming back for the cocktails. Glad to see a good place close to where we live.

John Leidy

Benjamin the bartender and mixologist totally rocks. Knows his craft and is people smart. Brilliant!

Alien Mars

The place was cosy and the food was scrumptious. The menu is not too big but i believe that makes it easy to focus on the quality of the food that is served. The staff was quite friendly and proffesional.

Alex Stark

I go once and a while for drinks. The drinks a great quality for the price you pay. Haven't tried any food yet but hopefully will get the chance next time I stop by.

Mary Phillips Blackshear

My girlfriend was there as her first experience. She loved it. The waiter remembered me from my last visit. That was good for the Brand. She loved her vegetarian food. The people around us was friendly and socially acceptable to us. She told me she was mad about waiting so long to experience Verve. She was impressed they grew their own vegetables on the roof. I was proud to introduce her to this trendy spot. Even the bar was from the original building. And the ghost stories was fun. We're going back soon.

Vernon Doyle

This place has THE best atmosphere. If you are ever in the mood for a signature cocktail, Verve is the place to go. Those guys are true mixologist. My favorite thing is ordering a drink by describing the taste and spirit I like and getting a unique drink made for me!

Tyler Smith

Cocktails here will always impress, and so will the service team (have only ever been to the front bar). Consider dinner elsewhere and enjoy cocktails here before/after.

Scott Wilezol

Service was nice. Atmosphere was nice. Drinks were good I’m annoyed because i ordered the poke bowl and there was almost no tuna! This item was really a glorified seaweed salad (like the premade seaweed salad in Japanese restaurants)with a very little tuna... Poké is all about the fish!!! Huge miss. My reply to manager’s reply: ARE YOU SERIOUS??? HORRIBLE REPLY!!! You used the word “POKE”!! This means by definition a bowl of cubed fish with some flavoring agents!!! GOOGLE IT!!! What you served was an overpriced, cheaply made seaweed salad which you deceptively mislabeled with a trendy word so you could charge more! I’m sorry I was nice before. $16 for what amounts a $0.50 bowl of cucumber and Jicama ... the cheapest ingredients around. You didn’t even list seaweed on the menu and the dish was 20% seaweed!!! There was almost no tuna....just a tablespoon of tuna buried in cucumber. Get your act together. I’m not a complainer and very happy to pay for good food, but this crosses a line of decency....I posted a picture of your menu for your reference...Huge miss on the food and huge miss on the social media management!!!

J. Wood

Good food and drink selection.

David Murphy

Cool place, great drinks, very good food, excellent service, good vibe. A bit on the pricey side but worth it

Lynn K

Great good and very attentive staff!

DAX Concept

Nice atmosphere, good service, extended wine list. Inerseting cocktails to choose however execution was mediocre. Menu is not really french, tasty but mote like a pub food

John Currie

Great crab cakes

Marion Quien

Appetizers of octopus and crab cake were great. The ahi tuna was fabulous. The steak was disappointing. I got medium rare like I asked but it was tough, under seasoned and dry. For a $36 steak I expected more.

michael massoud

So much fun, bartender was great.

Harabin Family

My favorite restaurant! I’m not generally a cocktail drinker, but they mix great drinks here. The atmosphere and staff are fantastic. The menu is pretty classic, but they have special crab and lobster weekends in the summer and everything is prepared to fine dining standards. There’s a reason Verve has stood the test of time.

Faber Fedor

Very good service, good presentation, great bar staff. Best artisnal cocktails I've had.

Jim B

Quaint little bar atmosphere with good food. My wife and I had two appetizers each, all were good.

ReverieWriter

My favorite bar/restaurant in Somerville! Classy atmosphere, good food, wonderful service. The bartenders are very talented as well. Although it gets busy it never feels too chaotic. Definitely expensive but worth it for the experience.

Garrett Armbruster

Beautiful essence, sat upstairs, comfortable atmosphere. Very nice staff

Robert Quinn

I really like this place, especially the lounge upstairs, but downstairs bar always has a competent bartender as well. Food is good, I'm just not sure about the value sometimes. That being said, for the right occasion I would not think twice.

Nathan Steele

Great place. I love the falafel burger.

Mark Allan

Where else would have a Negroni Week celebration?

Schuyler Schrickel

Delicious cocktails, and a kind staff!

Aja Washington

Went with a friend for dinner and drinks. The mixologists here never disappoint! My friend wanted a whiskey drink and was presented with a delicious sweet concoction garnished with sage. I don't know what it was called but it was so good! All of the specials sounded amazing- my friend chose the pan-seared diver scallops with truffle risotto (cooked perfectly), and I had oysters. They were fresh and sweet. The house made cocktail sauce is the best I've ever had. For dinner my friend had the Verve Burger which she enjoyed very much and I had lobster bisque. I only wish the serving was a bit bigger- it was so good: chunks of lobster claw and garnished with creme fraiche. See pics (sorry the lighting was low). Great friendly atmosphere and servers. I always leave Verve happy.

Val B.

Good food. Nice atmosphere, elegant.

Daniel Potter

Great food and drinks, but the entrees were more expensive than I would have expected.

mo squeezin

this place is awful and the people who work here will harass you if you give them bad ratings. Good stuff!

Zachary Bagalio

Verve is an upscale resturant and bar with great wait staff and good food. It is on the upscale price side but you get what you pay for. The setting is romantic and dark lit and the upstairs section is so cozy and friendly. No wonder it got best bar in NJ!

Rich Frey

Great Dining Experience with Some Unique Flavorful Dishes My wife and I stopped by on impulse looking for a Saturday dinner and were not disappointed. I had pan seared scallops with a rice and tomato salsa which was top notch. By wife had the breaded pork whose presentation and taste reminded me of schnitzel, excellent. We both indulged in a specialty cocktail to compliment the fine meal and experience. We have added Verve as one of our go to places in Somerville for a delightful culinary adventure.

Kevin Molter

Great old school speakeasy-style vibe. Bartenders were super friendly and fun to talk with. Drinks were creative and interesting (and good!)

Joshua Velez

Very low key, good vibes, great music!

Allen Morrison

Fantastic food. Good service and a bar tender finely honed in the craft. What else can you ask for.

Jayne Woolf

A fabulous restaurant! Exceptional wine list / impeccable service and a warm and inviting atmosphere. I look forward to returning.

Megan Brocail

Great drinks menu and ambiance. Staff is always friendly and give great drink suggestions when you can't make up your mind. A fun place for a night out but on the pricier side.

Andrew Scimeme

Went upstairs for a couple of drinks. Bartender knew what he was doing and the atmosphere was speakeasy sort of vibe.

Coleen Basista

Food okay, server rude and dismissive, ruined the experience

Luke

Very unique atmosphere in Verve. Old timey 1920 speakeasy vibe. Delicious cocktails. The one bartender who hiked the PCT is a really cool dude. The owner is a nice guy too. I haven't tried the food yet, but plan on doing so and updating later on.

brett campbell

Bad vibes going. Upstairs bar in particular. Have heard rumors of girls having a cocktail or 2 and leaving way drunker then they should be or even blacked out. Happened to my sister in law a few nights ago. 3 drinks was in a black out 20 mins after she left. Had a full stomach of food. And generally isnt a light weight. She had quite the hang over the next day. Also not normal for her, especially after only 3 drinks. I stopped going in there years ago because of the vibe. Sorry Verve. Just had to put that out there. Either your bartenders are way over pouring for the cute girls or someone is adding a little something extra into the drinks.

Sabina Conley

Have patronized Verve many times in the past three years and must say it is one of my stand by places either to take in the cool, intimate bar and sample the creative drinks and excellent bartending service or enjoy the subdued, romantic dining area. The food and service has been uniformly very satisfying and consistent. All the dishes are prepared with skill and deliver in taste and while a meal for two with drinks and tip will set you back $100 you don't feel you overpaid due to the quality they provide.

Shannon Dowd

Wait staff was very friendly, great ambiance. Unfortunately our group had two inedible dishes that really tarnished the overall experience. The staff was quick to comp and replace the dishes, but overall the taste and quality of the dishes did not align with our expectations.

Hank Werner

The staff is awesome

Robert Florentino

Went for a corporate event, the staff was great and the good was excellent.

gina B

Service is five stars! Marcello and the others are on top of your needs. The food was well prepared and of good quality. I had the octopus appetizer and the short ribs entree...both cooked perfectly and delicious! This is our first time here...we will be back! Romantic atmosphere perfect for date night. The bar looked fun and they can accommodate larger parties. They have outside seating and is located on the main street, nice to take a walk after dinner. A little pricey but well worth it.

Hector Gonzalez

Great food, gay friendly, and knowledgeable staff.

Gregg Hollmann

Verve is a hidden gem and one of the only speak easy venues in the area with an Old World, nostalgic vibe. The bartenders look like mad scientists, and infuse many of the drinks with distinct bitters. I've had good experiences with the food also - try the skirt steak with the parmesan fries. This is my new favorite cocktail bar in Central New Jersey. Skip the chain restaurants and head straight to Verve!

Laura DePrado

The best dumplings ever! Thank you Remy and Rick for adding something so scrumptious!

EJ T.

Verve has to be one of the best restaurants in Somerville. Great vibe inside and out. The picture below is the Braised Beef Short Rib with an unbelievable Smoked Old Fashioned. You've got to come to this place! Prohibition style. Unreal. Lounge upstairs. Be sure to make reservations for the restaurant.

Nick T

Food: 3/5 - The food was good but I expected much more from an elegant establish such as themselves. Service: 3/5 - With the expectations of fine dining there were a few miscues from our waiter. The biggest one was that we needed to ask for bread. NOTE: The food and atmosphere are good but for the money, there are much better experiences out there.

Ryan Janelli

My girlfriend loves this place. We come here for drinks usually and are never disappointed. The bartender's are nice and very attentive. You can ask for a type of drink without knowing a specific drink name and they will hook you up. This past time we went I got an LIT and my girlfriend got the love potion #7. Both were delicious. The vial the love potion came was in the shape of a heart. Very fitting. My drink was very well made and packed a punch. A great night to celebrate our anniversary.

meg knott

Loved the BLFGT sandwich..from the bar menu (bacon arugula,and fried green tomatoes).

Brian Franchuk

Amazing cocktails and an old school atmosphere that just oozes class, definitely worth stopping in. Pro tip: for a quieter scene, would definitely recommend paying the upstairs bar (the 1933 Room) a visit.

Mary Fan

Good Food.

Shauna Evans

We were really excited to go to Verve tonight, not long after reading about its being voted best bar in NJ. We were slightly early to our reservation, and our table was already waiting for us. We walked through the bar area, which had a classy-not-upity vibe, and my husband and I agree we could definitely see coming back here for cocktail or two sometime. The dining room area in the back is a little fancier, but not intimidatingly so. It wasn’t crowded, so it didn’t take long to place our drink order. I’m currently pregnant, so I inquired about non-alcoholic cocktails. Though there are none on the menu, the bartender was willing to make one for me; I simply had to specify sweet or savory. I had a sweet cocktail, very grapefruity and tangy, absolutely refreshing. My husband was also happy with his Somerville Shandy. Complimentary salad was provided, which was a nice touch. When our entrees came out, though, there was a bit of a hiccup. My husband ordered the pork, and it was far from being fully cooked. It was taken back, and we were told it would be about 5 minutes. I was left with my crab cakes, which were delicious. But 5 minutes stretched into more like 15, and I ate hesitantly, not wanting to finish my food before my husband was served. After about 10 minutes, our waiter offered to take my food back to keep it warm; I wish that had been done sooner. We were told we would be comped a dessert for our troubles. When the pork came out a second time, it still wasn’t fully cooked. (It was a VERY thick piece of meat.) Not wanting to cause a fuss or wait any longer, my husband sliced it shank up and ate the parts that were cooked and brought the rest home. At least we’ll be able to finish cooking it here. That said, the quality of the food was fantastic. After we finished our entrees, the dessert menu was brought to us and we were told again to pick something on the house. I had read the Creme brûlée was fantastic, so we went with that. It was perfectly creamy, the sugar beautifully burned to a caramel crisp. But when the bill came - we had been charged for it. Talk about awkward. Neither of us felt right calling our waiter over to tell him that our free dessert wasn’t free. I was hoping that that would be changed before my card was run, but it wasn’t. So we paid for our free dessert. I hate leaving complaints, particularly because our experience wasn’t altogether negative. Again, the food itself was delicious. It’s costly, but the portion size isn’t skimpy, as can often happen when you’re paying a pretty penny for upscale food. The cocktail menu and wine selection are unbelievable. We’re forgiving; we understand that such a large piece of meat would take a long time to cook. We just didn’t feel it was 100% handled properly, even though the attempt was made. We will definitely go back, and we might even order the pork again. Just an interesting mix of experiences all around.

Ed Griswold

Great food. Outstanding service. Staff and owner are special folks. Love it!

Jason Holloway

Nice location to eat seems like a small hole in the wall place until you go downstairs to the beautiful area

Dorron Wilson-King

Love this place, very knowledgeable bartenders that will make you the best cocktail you ever had...

Abraham Cubero Jr

Great time at Vervecage tonight

Keith Brown

This establishment has been there for 20+ years yet the actual bar is dated from 1910. The food here was very well prepared. I ordered trout because it is the easiest dish to make and the hardest dish to make to do it well. It was a great dish. The mixologists were extraordinary. Their knowledge of all things libation wise was very impressive. I met only one equal bartender which was Chris at Catherine Lombardi in New Brunswick. Dirty martinis are easy to make. Try asking for a mai tai. The best bartenders know how to raise this cocktail to a high level. I think that Jordy from Verve and Chris formerly from Catherine Lombardi should have a throwdown.

Neil Fisher

Best cocktails in Somerville... easily

Avi Rakhit

Outstanding Drinks as usual! Great friendly service!

Freddy Chang

Great cocktails and great food. Came for dinner around 7 and the weather was so beautiful we sat outside. Has a great view of the courthouse and the street. Ordered the calamari and 12oz dry aged steak and it was a great choice! Service was very good as well. Nothing to complain about this very pleasant dinner.

Garret Van Doren

An Incredible Staff and Amazing food, a wonderful and enjoyable dining Experience

Linda DeWolfe

Great overall experience at Verve; experienced waiters with a sense of humor, creative cocktails, excellent food and atmosphere. Who knew Somerville was so cool?

Walid Nabhane

Very disappointing. Wine was horrible. For a $15 glass of wine which is nothing but a "piquette"... Food is OK but too heavy. So american and to claim it is a French restaurant. They might fool people who have no clue what French food but this is really insulting. They better claim an american restaurant and fix their wine quality and list if alcohol in general.

John

Outstanding food and service! A little overpriced for New Jersey (hence only 4 stars) but really enjoyed my overall entire experience. Definitely would go back!

Alex Hrotko

Rabbit cavatelli was to die for. Swanky upscale bar with fun craft cocktails. Great atmosphere all around!

Ganesh Mouli

Cocktails, red wine and the bourbons were good. The 3 fish dish - tartare, filet of Bronzino and the special monk fish - were just delicious! The veg gnocchi was superb. Will visit again

Mike K

Great food but even better cocktails. Bartenders are the best around.

lukaszpl luszczki

Good food. Great drink. Great staff

Rayna Fort

Friendly and warm atmosphere. Drinks are pricey

Marialis Rodriguez

Good ambience, great drinks!

Alex Marvin

High-end restaurant that still manages to be deeply charming and relaxing. Best waiters and bartenders you'll find in NJ! They hand prepare drink ingredients each day and masterfully craft custom cocktails to your tastes. Fine dining in the back, sidewalk patio in the front, and relaxing bar upstairs.

Ree R

Cool place with a great atmosphere. There is an upstairs bar. Super friendly bartenders and excellent food make this a no brainer to stop in.

Jeny L

Favorite Girl's night out destination!!!

Michael Clore

This is a great cocktail bar. It's awesomely split into 3 different floors so you can choose your vibe and chill accordingly. Great drinks on the menu made by some genuinely cool bartenders there. I'm just waiting for my next opportunity to visit.

Vincent J. Amato

Great atmosphere. Very good food and drink. The staff are superb.

Justin England

Place is great, amazing staff

Keith .A

Wow! An amazing dinner experience. Good and deserts were fantastic. If you are in the area go here.

Suzanne Carrie

Nice vibe. We only got drinks but they were good. The fresh herbs drink are interesting.

Candy Cure

A great place to have dinner after graduation.

Benny Kim

The food was amazing! They not only look good but taste delicious. You can feel your tongue dancing with joy for every bite you take. Then again that was only for the meat and the sauce portion, I felt that veges didn't go so well with the entree. Overall the price is a bit higher than a regular diner/franchise restaurants but the food quality definitely makes up for it. I am recommending this place for the foodies out there, do go there to try the medium duck!

sumesh madan

Good food and service.

Morgan Waller

This spot is excellent! Good pricing, considerable dishes and the employees are always nice.

Sean Decker

The changing menu keeps us coming back. Original twists on dishes executed well. The service is always amazing.

Alda Rebelo

Food is super delicious

Stephen Beekman

Great food, prepared with care and good seasoning. French restaurant atmosphere except for the high noise lever. Service leaves to be desired - more interested in fast service despite the many servers.

Claude Taylor

A remarkable staple of the neighborhood; possibly the best restaurant in Somerville NJ.

Tyler Strauss

Best cocktails in town

Ron Esposito

Awesome bar, service and cocktails

J M

Great cocktails and service.

Linda Buratti

Food and service is excellent. Be prepared though. It's a little pricey but worth it.

Ulka Bhavsar

Verve=Glamour. The décor is great, the food is excellent and the drinks are superb. Rick and his staff are always welcoming and courteous. One of my FAVORITE places to go in Somerville.

Bob Dague

Good bar. Nice cocktails

Bruce Cranendonk

I had heard and read so much about this place I had high hopes. The barman was a bit of a showman which is entertaining. But he used the wrong glasses to serve our cocktail and they were weak on top of a small pour.

Allie Boucher

Food is always outstanding, signature cocktails are incredibly good and the bartenders and servers are on top of it! Really cool historic building too, there's been a bar there since prohibition. You will never go wrong here. Upstairs bar is a little more relaxed.

Ray Perez

High class bar & restaurant. Good food, even better drinks. Love the upstairs room!

Troy Healey

Verve is the best bar in NJ. By far. They actually won that award, so its true! The drinks are amazing, newly created every time! The food is amazing, try the bacon jam!

Andrea Marsh

Drinks are incredibly expensive, had appetizers which were good but to worth the price - close to $200 for drinks and 2 apps - will not be back. Need to get a grip on reality. Maybe for a special occasion, but not a ' let's stop for a drink place' whatsoever.

Joseph Gordon

Bartenders are the best, you can trust them to find you a delicious cocktail

Amadeo Beraun

Not bad, but a little bumptious when asking people to leave 10 minutes before closing time.

Jared baker

Excellent cocktail lounge for exotic drinks. They have actual mixologists. As for food it was good but portions were pretty small for price.

Ian Dite

I went to Verve for some drinks, so I cannot speak to the quality or taste of the food. I will say that our bartender (Benjamin) was excellent and is a reason that I would go back here (at least for drinks) anytime. It is a little on the pricier side for their drinks, but well worth it.

Christian Piombo

The place to go if you want to try some unique, tasty cocktails.

Nathan Frueh

Quality cocktails, amazing crew, what more can I say. I can't believe I'm still in Jersey when I come here, it feels like New York.

Jason Ladao

I took my girlfriend here for Valentines Day. Trying to find a cheaper option than an NYC Omakase, I settled on this place. I have to admit, I was impressed. We entered the place as they were still readying our table, so we decided to hang out at the bar. The bar definitely had that Williamsburg mixologist vibe, with well dressed vested bartenders and a great custom cocktail menu. I got a drink similar to an old fashioned which was actually quite good. As 10 minutes passed, we were promptly seated at our table downstairs. The place had a cozy sort of romantic vibe, dimly lit with French style paintings adorning the red walls of the room. We opted for the Valentines Day 4 course dinner which was reasonably priced at $75 per person (appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert). The food was well prepared for our consumption. When I ordered my Filet Mignon medium rare, it indeed came out to me medium rare. We didn’t feel overwhelmed with the amount of food which was great. Our server was very friendly, polite and prompt. I was pleased to say the least Being someone who just moved to the area, I definitely recommend this place to anyone exploring Somerset county.

Frankia Bernstein

Food was amazing and the drinks are to die for. My new favorite place!

Dolores Curran

Swank ,very cool

Kristen Duska

Great drinks. Enjoy the upstairs a lot more than the downstairs. The food is definitely underrated here. Can’t go wrong with their burger and fries.

Kris

Amazing cocktails! Carl is the quintessential example of an intuitive bartender. He knew what I wanted before I did. I would highly recommend coming here. It’s my new favorite spot.

Justin Higgins

Went for New Year’s Eve, John was our waiter and he was amazing! Food was amazing! It was my second time going there for New Year’s Eve and the menu just gets better and better... can’t stress enough though how amazing our waiter John was for my wife and I. Last year was venison taretar and this year they had bison carpaccio for an app... amazing!! Can’t wait till next year!

Silver Laur

Always a pleasure to go to the bar or restaurant. They make great cocktails and have delicious snacks and plates along with a highly courteous staff.

Josie Hernandez

Have to try the Hanger Steak and Frites! The truffle fries are amazing!

Jerome Mitchell

Tapas are amazing for fresh ingredients and the cocktails are inventive amazing and delicious!!!! Wish there was a 10 star selection.

Andrianna Popowych

This is one of a few places in somerville where you can have a nice drink outside on a Friday night and enjoy the downtown vibe. The drinks are very unique as the bartenders think of each drink as more of a work of art rather than just an alcoholic drink so if you're coming here then you should be open minded about trying some new things. The food is great, definitely worth trying. The only thing I would say that could be changed for the better is how some customers drink to no end and it gets extremely rowdy at times. The owner is a very friendly person and treats his customers like they are friends and family. It's great!

M & M

The portions are small and ordinary.

catherine gonzalez

Excellent food and drinks.the staff is Attentive bartenders are great and friendly.

Vivian Vohdin

Great food and staff.

Steven Hendler

I had 100 dollars in gift cards which is the only reason we went. Was not impressed. Poor beer selection, old tough bread probably a day or two old. For two basic meals and one drink each ( me and my date) it was 126 dollars. Best cut of steak was a NY strip.. what? Waiters and manager pretend its a high end joint but that gets old quick since they wont break character.

Ignacio Ayala

This place is worth a try. They serve large portions for reasonable prices. Always well organized and with awesome ambience. Will come visit again.

E. G.

Appetizers and food were very good but I have to agree with the previous reviews that drinks are extremely pricey

Pamela Steele

It's always great to be back home in Somerville. VERVE definitely has a great atmosphere, but mixed drinks were the worst....yuck. but food is always on point. Would see return, just drink wine..

Christine Coleman

We are sorry that we didn't discover this beautiful bistro ages ago.

Brian Rambo

Our server wasn't quite as knowledgeable as he probably should have been, but he was personable and friendly. The atmosphere is on the darker side and can be romantic. The food was excellent. It was cooked and seasoned to perfection. It was a little pricey, but we will be back regardless.

Emilio H

Very clean and welcoming spot. They offer generous meals and for fair rates. I liked the food a lot and the staff were super amiable and explanatory. I recommend this place.

Steve & Judy Reichman

Great neighborhood restaurant. Wer kudy had the leftovers for dinner last night. It's the gift that keeps giving.