Smoke Chophouse in Englewood is a very classy joint. The layout is something out of an old movie, and I felt like a star of Hollywood yesteryear the second I walked through the door. Wood walls with antique chairs, white linens and soft lighting offer a wonderfully simple and elegant atmosphere.

This is a restaurant and “cigar emporium,” which legally allows you to enjoy a fine cigar at the dinner table—before, after, or during your meal. And although the name of the place would make one think that you are surrounded by clouds of smoke, the ceiling fans and ventilation system keep the air pretty clear.

To me, the ambiance was superb, as I said, very classy and sophisticated, and based on that alone I’d recommend Smoke as a spot to conduct a business meeting or just kick back a Cognac with the fellas (probably not so much a place to bring a date, although more and more women are hanging with the boys now and even puffing on stogies themselves.)

Now, let’s get to the food. I’ve been to a lot of steakhouses and a lot in this particular area are exceptional. There’s Ruth’s Chris, Gallagher’s, Morton’s, Ben Benson’s, Peter Luger’s and River Palm—just to name a few. So, any place that claims that they have exceptional steaks had better meet up to the exceptional standards of the aforementioned...

I judge a restaurant on a number of things when it comes to the food, and it begins with the bread basket. Stale bread or frozen butter already puts a bad taste in my mouth. The bread was crispy and warm, and the butter spread like butter. For appetizers, I ordered a half dozen clams-on-the-halfshell and my guest, Mike ordered shrimp cocktail. We also shared a beef carpaccio. The little necks were outstanding, served on a plate of ice and super fresh. Not to nitpick though, I did order a half dozen but only got four. The shrimp cocktail made up for it though—as they were indeed colossal like the menu described—probably the biggest I’ve ever seen. The carpaccio was fantastic as well, served on a bed of arugula with shaved parmesan, capers, lemon and truffle oil.

After that, the waiter brought us over two complimentary snifters of coffee Patron, which was a nice gesture but after one sip I decided to stick with my Santa Margaherita Pinot Grigio. (I know it’s customary to usually drink red wine with steak but that was never a hard and fast rule to me, I just love my Pinot.) Our server then brought out a huge platter of all the different dry-aged cuts of beef and proceeded to articulately explain all the subtleties of each piece—making my mouth water with his description. He actually changed my mind from my initial menu choice of a filet mignon (the cut that I ultimately judge a steakhouse by and always compare back to my earlier listings) and convinced me to go for the special of the evening: a bone-in filet mignon. I got it topped with crumbled bleu cheese and French fries. Mike selected the 16 oz. filet encrusted with peppercorn and garlic mashed.

This is the part of the night that was a tad frustrating. While our side dishes were out of this world, my steak came out between medium well and well. Well, let’s just say that was a disappointment. I ordered it medium, which should have some pink in the center—and unfortunately it was completely brown inside. Mike’s was perfect. The error was redeemed by the server, who upon seeing me cut into the meat, immediately offered to bring out another one since it was clearly not made as I had requested. I’m rarely one of those people who sends food back, but in this case, it was a no-brainer. My second filet was incredibly juicy and just the way I wanted it. Perhaps not on the level of Ruth’s Chris, but nonetheless, a very satisfying meat treat for Johnny Meatballs.


There was no room for dessert on this evening, which was just beginning at Smoke. Following our meal, we headed over to Dragonfly Marina Bar & Grill in Carlstadt to continue what was actually my bachelor party festivities. Talk about one extreme to the next. From dinner in this swanky, upscale Englewood chophouse, the night continued with beers and mechanical bull-riding hosted by Time Square celebrity, “The Naked Cowboy” in the swampy heart of the Meadowlands. (I think the rest of this story will remain unwritten.)

Anyway, check out Smoke in Englewood if you are a cigar lover and a highly-dedicated carnivore like me. Despite the few oversights, it was a very nice experience.

Smoke Chophouse & Cigar Emporium
36 Engle Street, Englewood, NJ