Went there for lunch on a Sunday. The overly cheery young hostess seemed very unorganized, especially when we said we didn't have reservations. We didn't think she was dressed appropriate either. She looked like a teenager going to the school fair in her pink sneakers. She didn't seem to know if there was a table available which was odd since the place was not busy at all. And who makes reservations for lunch?? She left and came back 3 times before seating us all the way in the back room by the bathrooms. I hate being seated back there as you have to squeeze your way past the four tables that are in that little walk way towards the back room (why are there even tables there??).
Anyway, me and my two friends sat down and it was a good 20 minutes before anyone came over to ask if we wanted drinks. In fact, it wasn't even our waiter that asked us. It was a waitress who happened to notice we had been sitting there a long time. So 30 minutes in we actually get our drinks. And it was at least another 15 minutes before our actual waiter came over. So it took a ridiculously long time to just put our order in. Our waiter was very unenthusiastic and quiet. I ordered a wrap and my other two friends ordered burgers. Who knew it would take 35 minutes to make a sandwich and 2 burgers. After we were served, our waiter never returned until it was time for the bill. Never asked if we wanted more water, never asked if we needed anything else (I would have loved my side of mayo I asked for and never got). He completely disappeared until our plates were clean.
The food was great, I admit. But the service sucked real bad. There's nothing worse than eating a wrap and not being able to wash down that chewed up tortilla with a beverage because you just can't seem to find the waiter to refill your empty glass. Truly disappointing service.
Wow, I'm not 100% sure how to even write this review. I've been to some fairly awful places in my dining life, but this might have been one of the worst experiences I've ever had at a restaurant.
First, upon walking in, you are greeted with an extremely unpleasant odor, like sewage or mold or something equally offensive. I only wish that was the worst part of the night. The service was deplorable, the waitress was very unfriendly, appeared like she had no interest in being there. I think its the only time I've been to a restaurant or bar or anywhere where the server didn't crack even half of a smile the entire time. She also complained loudly about the restaurant to the other staff, as if we were not even there.
The food took way too long, way way too long, which I don't blame on the waitress, but rather the ineptitude of the kitchen/management staff. When the food came, it wasn't very good, certainly not worth the too long wait.
I generally am not a complainer (which may seem hard to believe) but this place was just awful. If there was a manager on duty we never knew it, supposedly management is supposed to walk around talk to tables make sure all is well, no management presence at all, but maybe that was due to it being a Wednesday as opposed to a Friday or Saturday night, not sure.
Can't imagine coming back here, such a bad experience. The initial smell was troubling, guess wasn't surprised the rest of the experience was also terrible.
I run a dining group in Bergen County and have rarely encountered such a professional, courteous and pleasant staff that attended to our every need. The Sunday brunch for 20 of us was terrific, from omelettes made to order, to french toast, to chicken and beef dishes and a dessert table offering cookies, cakes, puddings and a chocolate fountain. The food was great, plenty of it (all you can eat) and the staff was just superb. I liked this place a lot and we will be back.
Review Source:When I was really young I'd get dragged here by my parents after my Mom's softball games and it was kind of a strange place to bring kids, but now that I've grown up and am in college it's a nice place to go out to dinner with some friends and catch up.
I do think that some of the prices compared to the portions you are getting is a bit off, but it's never been a huge issue with me.
I also wish there was a bit more options for a vegetarian, however, even if it was just a simple veggie burger, and no, not the generic black bean burger. Not just the usual salad or a simple appetizer that doesn't have meat in it.
All together though it's a decent place to go to, looks great on the inside, generally nice wait staff.
I've been to place twice. I've never eaten here. The 1st time I went with a bunch of my co-workers had an excellent time. The most recent time I went was awful. About 15 of my co workers and I had gone. The had just walked in and ordered a beer. I walked away to use the rest room. Once I came back the security/bouncer came up to me and escorted me out for no reason. A few friends who were sitting at the bar waited almost a half hour for the bartender to even notice them. Keep in mind the bar was pretty empty. A usual customer came in and was given service right away. The bartender pretended as if my co-workers weren't even sitting there. Personally I think a majority of the workers at this place were biased. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
Review Source:So thoroughly annoyed and disappointed. Just brought Mom here for a Mother's Day brunch. First off, the waitress seemed really annoyed to be there. While she was polite enough, she never smiled and never said much more than "You guys ok?" We came for the buffet, which was hit and miss. The omelette was very good, made to order at an omelette bar. The fruit was good and the strawberries were huge. The French toast was good, and there was a yummy chocolate fountain. There was a large selection, however, everything else was cold. The containers the food was kept in were not doing a good job of keeping the food warm. I could deal with all of this. However, at the end of the meal, I asked if I could take home a croissant that we had not eaten. We were told "The food is not to go". While I completely understand this policy, it was a buffet after all, I felt this was a little unnecessary, as all I wanted to take was 1 croissant. I felt bad making it go to waste, but was too full to eat it in the restaurant. Kind of ridiculously strict in my opinion. And the worst thing was, when we got our bill, the waitress told us, "Just to let you know, a gratuity is automatically added to the bill." I opened it up, and it was a 20% gratuity! While I was completely intending on giving her a tip, 20% is a little extreme! It was a buffet! All she did was pour us some coffee and take away our dirty plates, all with a scowl on her face! This brunch was definitely not worth the $70 I paid. Not coming back here again.
Review Source:The decor in this place is very nice. Pretty murals and accents all around. The place is fun for larger groups, but a little bit loud for two. Also, it definitely isn't below the radar, being a well-known local hangout, so if you live in the area, expect to see a familiar face.
My caesar salad was very nice. It was dressed quite generously, but not too much so.
The wings we great. Not the absolute best I've had taste or value wise, (I've gotten better deals on better wings before) but I did enjoy them. The skin was crispy and sauce had enough spice for my liking. The blue cheese dressing was very creamy as well.
Also, my friend got a cheeseburger and the waffle fries and I tried some of each. The waffle fries are some of the best I've had. Very thick and crispy. Also the burger  was very, very large. Even with my help, my friend didn't finish.
Finally came dessert: chocolate lava cake. Â After it was talked up by the waitress extensively, we gave in and ordered it. The cake was pretty moist, but inside was not as gooy as some other chocolate lava cakes I've tried. The scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side was tasty. Dessert was good, no complaints.
Service was, overall, pretty good and food came out in a pretty timely manner; however, our waitress had trouble hearing what we were saying, but you can't blame her because the place was a bit noisy.
Overall I would say the food is tasty, service is timely and friendly, but if you are local and are looking for a low key place, this is not it. Locals will definitely see a familiar face. I would have to say that I did enjoy my experience at The Cornerstone and would recommend it.
Also, I believe at some point later they have a DJ come and there is dancing, so for those that enjoy that kind of thing, I'd recommend coming at night.
I've ate at this place twice now and everything was great. The burger was good, but the bun over did it. I felt like I was working out my mouth trying to get it around it and couldn't enjoy the greasy sensation of the burger itself. The other time I came I ordered Shepard's Pie; probably one of the beat Shepard's Pies I've had. Prices are normal and the atmosphere is great.
Review Source:Good food, nice atmosphere, friendly service. What more can you ask for? :) I'd definitely come back. I went on a Saturday at around 11:30am and it was pretty dead, which was kind of nice. My girlfriends and I had the whole place to ourselves and we didn't feel rushed. Plus, they're on OpenTable so I get points for making a reservation there!
Review Source:I remember when this place used to be called Bourbon Street..which was quite a while ago. Â I've been here once or twice since it's been the Cornerstone and I don't really think the change in name (or even ownership?) has made a big difference on the type of establishment this is. Â Cornerstone is a bar that caters to patrons in their early 20s that want to get sloppy and dance to top 40 music in dingy lighting. Â If that's what you're into it then you will love it.
Review Source:**Brunch Review Only***
3.5 stars, rounded up for the insane selection.
The stand out parts of my experience at Cornerstone were the atmosphere, which was just so cool with wrought iron railings, spiral staircases, hard wood floors, fireplaces, etc., and was casual enough to be ideal for any kind of brunch, and the belinnis and mimosas, which were wonderful (and unlimited, as were soda, tea, coffee, included in the price!).
The brunch selection was vast - bagels, eggs, omelet station, pastries, roast beef, chicken, potatoes, cakes, chocolate fountain, fruit, french toast, pudding, salad... Most of it was pretty good.
Although the omelet guy was downright surly, he made a damn good omelet, which was huge for a buffet. We missed the pancake station - still not sure where that was. PREPARE TO GORGE YOURSELF!
Quality was pretty good overall, although nothing was fabulous. The belgian waffles were rather flavorful, and warm fruit was available on the side. Although the scrambled eggs may have been fake, they were surprisingly good.
Disappointments:
Eggs Benedict - the muffin was hard, the egg was undercooked, and the hollandaise was ridiculously sweet.
Stuffed shells - the pasta was dry.
Sausage - flavorless.
Cake - dry.
Our server, busboys and hostess were all really good. No complaints on service. Lines moved quickly even though they were really long at times.
An engagement party and several smaller parties were going on at the same time - I can see why, this would be a great place to have such an affair. The place is loud but it seemed appropriate for that type of environment.
Make a reservation!!
I arrived with my girlfriend and was promptly greeted at the door. We were seated on the second level, even though it was near the bathroom, there was plenty of privacy.
We both ordered Salads, but each a different one. Our meals were served quickly and were very enjoyable. I am not sure the last time I had a grilled chicken breast that was so juicy and full of flavor. My Girlfriend said the same thing about her chicken. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and staff as well and will be eating here again.
Ok, so Cornerstone isn't bad depending on what you're looking for.  If  you're looking to stay away from a "townie" joint on a Friday or Saturday night, someplace where you'll be able to actually have a conversation without shouting, or enjoy an evening out without seeing 20 faces you know (for those who live locally), then this isn't the place for you.  If you enjoy decent DJ music, with the compromise of putting up with the usual a***hole jockstraps, an assortment of floozies ranging in age from 21 shots to cougar town, the usual singles looking to mingle, and at least one or two solo creepsters that forgot that the local dive bar for the average drunkard is just down the block, then hit C-stone on a Friday or Saturday night. Â
Service is usually pretty decent. Â Atmosphere is a bit dark but not unpleasant. Â The bartenders are pretty friendly and quick, drinks are overall pretty good. Â Food varies, some things are better than others. Â I highly recommend their Nachos Grande...so good! Â I do NOT recommend their Fried Calamari...it's bland and particularly greasy and flaky. Â Their bacon cheddar burger is quite tasty as well. Â
Tuesday nights are trivia nights, and they're actually a fairly good time.
I'd say, if you're looking for a drink or two with a few friends during the week, lunch or dinner, this isn't too bad of a place hit up. Â But Friday and Saturday nights are usually jam packed with all your usual stereotypes and unless you're looking to get loaded and prowl a useless crowd, then stay clear of this place on the weekends.
The place is huge! Nice cabin style wood restaurant with a fireplace. We were there yesterday (Friday for happy hour). They offered half price appetizers, $2 off mix drinks, $2 draft specials.
We started with fried calamari which was good but after a while you can realize they are super greasy. I heard the broadway burger was a famous burger! So I read on the menu! Hahaha I ordered mine medium and when I got it! I didn't see anything famous about it! It was a plain burger with lettuce onions and tomatoes. I thought if you call it "the famous broadway burger" something about it would be special to make famous! My friend had the sliders. They were so over cooked they were not sliding any where!!!
If it wasn't for the warm comfortable setting and the good service, this place wouldn't have lasted as long as it did!
They do have an interesting Sunday brunch that I would love to try. Adults $20 kids under 10 are $11. Why would I wanna go back? Unlimited mimosa's!!!! Other than that I give this place a 2 stars! Even below caveman standards!!! The total bill was $45.
Courteous owner (John) and events coordinator (Christine). Very organized coordinator; she responded quickly to my phone calls and emails. Had my husband's 40th birthday dinner here. They had to set up for four events that night, and my husband's party was one of them. We were in the "cathedral" room with the pretty murals.
We had the prix-fixed menu, which worked out for us. The food was suprisingly good (choice of three entrees made to order), and the waitstaff knew what they were doing. Very happy customer!
Oh the Cornerstone or as I fondly remember you as the fantastic Bourbon Street. (If you're as old as I am, you'll even remember JP Anthony's!!!)
Most of what I want to write about this place would have me thrown off of here so here goes nothing.
Based on several experiences around here I have a tendency to side with frat house meets night club. Bartender's don't seem to care even when the place is empty. They don't even know how to pour a pint of Guinness....treason if you ask me.
Never ordered food from there so wouldn't know. I'm actually getting kind if annoyed writing this right now...lol
There's definitely better if you ask me.
This review is strictly a Saturday night - bar review.
I came here last summer and had an awesome time so I decided to bring a couple of my friends out to this spot for a girl's night out on a saturday night. The only plus - no cover and $5 vodka tonics which tasted OK.
Shame on you for having such a HORRIBLE DJ. He was just singing to himself in his own little world and didn't notice that not one person was dancing on the dancefloor the entire night... Instead of blending and going into the next song the music cut off several times. Â You would think that by the end of the night people would be up and dancing but I think everyone would have had a better time if there was no music at all. He was just that bad! Girls, if you want to go out and dance please do not waste your time here.
I don't think I'll be making my way back here..... maybe just to try the Sunday brunch.
I"ve been here on multiple occasions, both during the day for their buffet, and at night for the bar scene.
To my knowledge, they have a buffet every Sunday. It's a large selection of breakfast foods. They all taste great, and are refilled often to accommodate the number of people there. Great omelets. Great bacon. Great pancakes. I could go on. Satisfying all around.
The bar at night is essentially split up into two separate scenes. During the weekends, they have a DJ come in and the downstairs area becomes a dance floor. Old and young can be found down there. On the main level, (during the weekdays when you can hear each other talk) the atmosphere is welcoming. The drinks could be poured a little better, and the prices could definitely come down a dollar or two, but over all, it's a decent little place to try out.
Bergen county is full of such  . Good times .entertaining exciting things to do....so this place just adds 1 more awesomely fun places to hang with a buddy. Good entertainment value... People watching... Getting bombed and dancing with other cool charachters lookin for someone to scoop up for some horror show one night stand to make you feel even cooler and badder than the baddest jerseylicious fool with proper game..get fancied up in your gear... get bombed... Get down...get some tail and visit this joint.
Review Source:Just back from Easter brunch that we have had there the previous 3 years. This year it sucked. They stuffed a party of 17 into a very cramped space and the AC wasn't working. When I spoke to one of the managers he was very kind and sympathized with me and introduced me to the owner that asked me "what can I do?" When asked him for more room and cool air he told me that he can't knock down the wall and will think about what he can do. Needless to say he never came back to me with a solution or a discount on the bill. We will be having our family events somewhere else from now on.
Review Source:I've been coming to Cornerstone for a few years now, but I didn't know that if you come on your birthday (your actual birthday) and show your ID they give you a complementary bottle of champagne!
I only found this out the other day for a friends birthday. Â Yes, it's not the most ideal place to celebrate your birthday, but maybe make a stop for the free bubbly!
I move Cornerstone up to 3.5 stars!
I read all the reviews on this site before going, so did not order anything fancy. I went with a big group on a Tuesday for lunch. The place was nice, warm and the service was good since it wasn't busy. The food was good but not great. I order a blackened chicken wrap with sweet potatoes fries. It seemed to be average. Will try it again.
Review Source:There's a simplicity & charm about the decor and ambiance here, it almost fools you into thinking it's a unique spot. And perhaps it is for the Pascack Valley area, but the typical menu isn't as ambitious as the environment.
I think the table service is EXCELLENT here, with very polite and courteous servers working all days of the week.
The dishes, while nothing out of the ordinary, are served with satisfactory flavor and reasonable portions. I'd suggest something basic, like a burger, salad, or wrap. Oh, and the MOZZ STICKS are delish!
Last, but certainly not least, I strongly believe this place could top off a nice dinner out for customers with a complementary bread basket for each table.
This bar blows. Â Smelly, an unlikable atmosphere and with bad music -- it's not really worth going to on the weekend at all. Â This has to be one of my least favorite bars that I've been to. Â The food I've had has been OK but I was pretty drunk at the time of eating it so I can't imagine what it tastes like sober.
If you make it here on an off peak night, it will probably be better as you can hear people talk and it doesn't smell so bad. Â Skip this if possible.
EDIT: I had gotten brunch here since I wrote this review and I enjoyed that
I must preface this review with the fact that I have never eaten at this restaurant. This is a review about the bar and nightlife at Cornerstone. Every Tuesday used to be Trivia night until the trivia group pulled out from the bar. Cornerstone has replaced it with a second rate trivia game and a third rate speaker system. The fact that trivia is getting people to a bar on a Tuesday means people are their to play and not be hassled by a subpar product. I must admit the $3 draft special was quite nice touch.
I have found my experiences at Cornerstone on other evenings to also be nothing special. The bar is quite large with many different rooms, but it doesn't seem to know what to do with them when the night time starts. The place is over crowded while rooms remain empty. This place is nothing special and there is nothing else in the area, so I would pass on unless you need something local to go to.
This place is just plain terrible. They make a big show about asking for IDs but the fact is, its packed with underage kids. The last time I was there they had to nerve to charge a $5 cover. What a joke. Only go here as a last resort.
Coat check is just a closet that everyone throws their coat in to. No one watching anyones things.
Edit: To update.
The Cornerstone as a place to hang out late nights is not for me. That still stands. However....
They do have a nice happy hour, and if you get out the door before 10pm and the DJ's, it is actually quite nice. The food is good, the beer selection is impressive and the Bartenders are really nice.
They also have a very good brunch setup on Sundays, complete with all you can drink Mimosas. Probably the best value in the area. Â If this review was based on brunch alone it would be a 4 star review easily.
Bottom line: food is okay and service is mediocre. Â Prices are a little high and the bar gets too crowded for my taste. Â
The first time I went, I ordered fish which was incredibly salty, to the point where it was inedible. I let 2 friends take a bite, just to make sure it wasn't just me and when I tried to send it back, they wouldn't take it because they said I shouldn't have eaten so much of it if I didn't like it and the kitchen was closed anyway. Â A friend ordered dessert that night, which was nothing special either.
More recently when I went back, I found 2 different draft beers to be very flat and watered down. The waitress was slow and inattentive, even though she only had one or two other tables. The place was pretty empty on a week night. Â I'm told the burgers are good. The "seasoned" fries are kind of a joke because the only seasoning they put on is a tiny sprinkle of salt and pepper. The buffalo calamari was good as well.
The food was decent this time, as were the prices, but only because we used a coupon from <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurants.com&s=8b83bf0ff8b716aae84527dc95577a310f201b166dcca25c8ca3824b15703869" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurants.com</a>.
I'd go back again, just because I have another coupon and a close friend lives nearby, but once that coupon is gone, I think that's it for the Cornerstone.
This place is really really good. My friend kept on talking about visiting here for lunch or happy hour, but we never were able to try it out until today. We started off with some buffalo chicken fingers. Very yummy. Then I had a blue cheese hamburger with sweet potato fries. The burger was a little over done, but still good. The fries were amazing! The service was good, but a little slow (but then again he had four tables seated at one time). I defiantly want to come back here!
Review Source:I like The Cornerstone...the one bartender I have had there is nice and funny, if not a little inattentive. Â The food is pretty standard...the buffalo chicken salad (get the dressing on the side, trust me) as well as the zucchini sticks and the spinach dip are good choices. Â The day my sister and I went for just dinner (as opposed to sitting at the bar or going for drinks) the service was excellent.
The only downfall is that I'm paranoid I'm going to see someone I hated in the 8th grade or something...but I guess that's not really the restaurant's fault.
UPDATE: trivia night SUCKED (I could not hear anything the facilitator was saying and the bar was so crowded I had to wait 15 minutes just to get a beer) BUT the brunch was great so I will allow that to cancel out what a terrible time I had at trivia and leave the rating at four stars.
Two stars is really just the honest truth from my point of view, that being the view of someone over 25. Â Once this was a great place to grab beers and see people, but really, once you hit 30, this is going to seem like a high school hangout. Â Post-college meat market for those still living at home before they move to the city.
It's sad that there aren't a lot of well-patronized bars in the area with a range of patron ages, but I'd rather go someplace besides here just the same.