DATE NIGHT: Montclair, NJ — Restaurants, Live Music & a Movie Night for Parents

 

Some nights out need to feel like a real occasion — not just dinner squeezed between bedtime and laundry. Montclair, New Jersey, is one of the best places in North Jersey for exactly that kind of night. It's a compact, walkable downtown packed with great restaurants, a historic concert hall, and pretty streets made for lingering. If you can line up a sitter, here's how to make the most of a rare parents' night out.

📍 Place

Montclair's downtown centers on Bloomfield Avenue and Church Street, a lively stretch of restaurants, cafes, and shops about 30–40 minutes from Bergen County. The star of the evening is The Wellmont Theater, 5 Seymour Street, Montclair, NJ 07042 — a historic 1922 theater turned live-music venue that hosts concerts, comedy shows, and special events year-round. Pair a show with dinner beforehand, and you have a full night out without driving all over town.

For dinner, you have genuinely different options within a few blocks of each other. Faubourg, 544 Bloomfield Avenue, is a modern French brasserie in a historic building — elegant but relaxed, with a garden patio and a wine bar. Ani Ramen House, 511 Bloomfield Avenue, is the livelier pick: steaming bowls of ramen and pork buns in a buzzing, modern dining room. For something more casual, Raymond's, 28 Church Street, is a Montclair institution — an upscale American diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner since 1989. And if the night runs long, Egan & Sons, Walnut Street, is a warm Irish gastropub with house-brewed ales, fish and chips, and a big patio.

🚗 Drive Time

About 30–40 minutes from Tenafly or Fort Lee, depending on traffic — take the Garden State Parkway south or Route 3 west, then follow signs for downtown Montclair. Everything in this plan is within a few blocks, so park once and walk: use one of the downtown parking decks (such as the Crescent Deck near Church Street) rather than circling Bloomfield Avenue for a street spot.

💕 Why Couples Love It

• A real night out, not a rushed dinner. Dinner plus a live show gives the evening a shape — you actually feel like you went somewhere.
• The Wellmont is a gem. The historic theater feels special the moment you walk in, and the lineup is strong: tribute bands, rock acts, and comedy, with most shows starting at 8 p.m.
• Three dinner moods in one downtown. French brasserie, fun ramen spot, or classic diner — pick the vibe that matches your mood, not the other way around.
• Everything is walkable. Dinner, drinks, dessert, and the theater are all within a few blocks, so the night flows without a single "where do we go now?" pause.
• Easy to dress up — or not. Montclair is polished but never stuffy. Faubourg works for an anniversary; Ani Ramen works for a spontaneous Friday.
• A built-in reason to come back. New shows, seasonal menus, and rotating exhibits mean the same plan feels different every time.

🍷 What to Try

• At Faubourg, the coq au vin and steak frites are the classics, and the branzino and tuna tartare are strong choices if you want something lighter. Save room for dessert and a glass of wine on the patio when the weather is kind.
• At Ani Ramen House, start with the pork bao buns (regulars swear by them), then split a spicy miso ramen and a classic shoyu ramen so you can taste both broths.
• At Raymond's, the famous French toast and Belgian hot chocolate make a sweet, low-key end to the evening — or a reason to come back for brunch together.
• At Egan & Sons, order the fish and chips with a proper pint of Guinness, or share the truffle mac and cheese as a late-night snack.
• For dessert on a Friday or Saturday evening, swing by Montclair Bread Company, 16 Label Street, for one of their famous brioche donuts — the tres leches donut won a Food Network competition, and the apple cider donut is a perfect fall pick. (Weekday evenings it closes earlier, so save this stop for the weekend.)

🧭 Make a Day of It

• Arrive early for golden hour. Before dinner, take a slow stroll through Van Vleck House & Gardens, 21 Van Vleck Street — six acres of free, beautifully kept gardens open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. In November, the late-afternoon light through the trees is lovely.
• Add a little culture. On a Friday or Saturday, the Montclair Art Museum, 3 South Mountain Avenue, is open until 6 p.m. (11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sundays). Its collection of American and Native American art makes a relaxed pre-dinner visit; admission is $17 for adults.
• Check the Wellmont calendar first. The theater's schedule changes constantly — November 2026 includes Best of the Eagles (Nov 12), The Maine (Nov 13), and Dark Star Orchestra (Nov 19–20), with They Might Be Giants closing out the year on Dec 30. Book tickets in advance, and aim to arrive when doors open (usually an hour before showtime).
• Make it a full evening. Dinner at 6, show at 8, and a slow walk down Church Street afterward for a nightcap — that's the whole plan, and it's enough.

A note for parents: book the sitter early, especially for Friday and Saturday shows, and make dinner reservations where you can — Faubourg and the popular spots fill up on weekends. Montclair is close enough that you're never far from home, but far enough that the night genuinely feels like a break. That's the whole point.