Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick, NJ:
A Restaurant Review

Stage Left Restaurant, New Brunswick, NJ. A dining review

Stage Left Steak
5 Livingston Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ

Stage Left Steak: Restaurant Highlights

Fare:  New American

Price: Very Expensive

Food Quality: Serves excellent, well executed dry-aged USDA Prime Angus beef, and Japanese Wagyu steaks. Uses fresh "farm to table" local ingredients and sustainable produce.

Service: Professional, well trained, though a bit pretentious.

Decor: Romantic, softly lit atmosphere

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Note: Four star Rating System from
1/2 Star  = poor to Four stars = Best in Class

Noise Level: Moderate

Dress: Upscale Casual

Recommended For: Diners who enjoy high end steaks with "fresh farm to table ingredients" and fine dining amenities

Not Recommended For: Budget conscious diners who enjoy casual family dining and comfort food.

Recommended dishes: When available, The 45 Day Dry Aged Prime Tomahawk Chop; The Wagyu Strip Steak; and for lighter fare The Stage Left Burger with grass-fed and dry-aged beef from the wood burning grill.

Liquor:  Full service bar service with an exceptional wine list --- Bar scene is vibrant

Stage Left Steak, located in the heart of the New Brunswick theatre district, is one of New Brunswick's top restaurants.

The restaurant is owned and managed by Mark Pascal, and Francis Schott.

The kitchen is run by Chef Ricky Stevens. Chef Stevens received his formal education at ICE (Institute of Culinary Education) in NYC. He later honed his culinary skills at The Metuchen Inn, and the Mulberry Street Grill in Woodbridge, NJ before joining Stage Left Steak in 2008. Chef Stevens presides over well-prepared food using fresh "farm to table" local ingredients and sustainable produce.

Their specialties are the dry-aged USDA Prime Angus beef, domestic and Japanese Wagyu, lamb, and Berkshire pork, prepared and cooked to a smokiness and an atavistic char flavor.

Stage Left Steak also makes one of the best burgers in Central New Jersey. Their 11-ounce Angus beef " Stage Left Burger" is cooked with apple wood over a wood-burning grill. It's juicy with a slight hint of a "smokiness".


The restaurant has a romantic atmosphere. The dining rooms are attractive and softly lit. Though, tables are closely spaced, not ideal for intimate conversation.

They offer a full bar and an extensive international wine list, and a wine cellar that is ideal for private parties.

Outdoor side walk dining is available.

The service is professional, well-trained, though a bit pretentious.

Their private dining rooms can accommodate groups of 10 to 75.
The Wine Cellar, cozy and private can accommodate up to 20. The Cloud Room, which is decorated with cloud murals can accommodate up to 28.
The Wine Library, with rustic old-world charm in a beautiful library-style setting, can accommodate up to 38.
The Gallery Room adorned with works of art and reclaimed barn wood walls, can accommodate up to 45.
Combining The Gallery Room & Cloud Room will accommodate up to 75.

The Stage Left dining room serves an additional Italian menu provided by their upstairs sister restaurant, Catherine Lombard. (both menus are available).

Stage Left is open Six days/week for dinner. Closed on Sundays.

Street parking is limited. Parking is available next door at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Parking Deck. (Enter on Bayard St)

(Updated September 2024)

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