All 10 American Dream Mall restaurants, ranked worst to best

Brisket, ribs and chicken from House of ‘Que at American Dream.

In case you haven’t driven through Bergen County in, let’s see, the last two decades or so, New Jersey is now home to one of America’s second-largest mall in American Dream. The massive complex next to MetLife Stadium occupies about 3 million square feet and five floors just off Route 3 in East Rutherford.

The Jersey disco fries from Around the Clock Diner

As American Dream houses a Nickelodeon theme park, a year-round water park, indoor skiing and snowboarding, an aquarium, mini golf and more than 450 stores, a visit to the mega-mall can be completely overwhelming. Between all the fun attractions and the shopping, you’re bound to get hungry and probably have no idea where to eat. Within the levels, you’ll find multiple restaurants which offers everything from classic American fare to upscale Italian, plus Chinese, Peruvian and more.

The mozzarella caprese from Mozzarella Bar

Here are the 10 full-service (with wait staff) restaurants in American Dream, ranked worst to best.

10. Carpaccio

There is so much good Italian food in New Jersey. There are so many great malls in New Jersey. Please, for the love of Tony Soprano, don’t go looking for good Italian food in a New Jersey mall. You will not find it here. Carpaccio actually builds some pretty impressive ambiance for a restaurant in a mall, dimly lit with a bar that glows orange and will light up your Aperol Spritz and make it delightfully Instagrammable. The pleasing scent of wood-fired pizza hits your nose as soon as you walk in. But that smell is better than anything tastes here. Both the meatballs ($22) and chicken marsala ($35) are bland, the goat cheese ravioli ($31) stodgy in texture and meager in portion size. The desserts were actually excellent — especially the chocolate soufflé ($13) — but there’s simply too much good Italian food in this state to subject yourself to something this soulless and expensive. (JS)

9. Vinoteca

Here’s how Vinoteca works: You’re given a smart card which you can use to sample the bar’s wine selections (one ounce, three ounces or five ounces) or four beers on tap. Along with its selection of alcoholic beverages, it has a menu with light Italian bites like paninis, flatbreads, salads and charcuterie boards. I tried the pesto mozzarella flatbread ($6.95), and split the meat and cheese board ($15) with a friend, which paired fine with the red and white wines. It’s a fun spot to stop by if you want a break from shopping and are looking for a quick bite to eat and a glass (or two) of wine — but compared to the other sit-down restaurants, the food is average and not quite as filling. The charcuterie board was something I could have put together myself for free, while some of the other items tasted like something from Panera Bread. (SB)

8. MrBeast Burger

When MrBeast Burger opened its first-ever brick-and-mortar location here, literally thousands of customers mobbed the mall for a chance to try it. Fans of burgers? Maybe. But mostly, fans of the YouTube star behind the burgers. I still don’t understand why Jimmy Donaldson, he of nearly 240 million YouTube subscribers, is in the fast-food game. But here we are. Can burgers that draw thousands of fans live up to hype? Not really. The MrBeast burgers came out cold and salty. All I know is there’s a Wendy’s at American Dream that makes a better burger for cheaper. Save yourself the line and some money and head there. (JS)

Tacos from Yard House in American Dream.

7. Yard House

Yard House is a casual dining chain based out of Orlando. If you come to a casual dining chain based out of Orlando expecting an elite dining experience, you have no one to blame but yourself. But if you want to watch some sports and dozens of TV screens, try a couple of their more than 100 beers on tap and munch some bar bites? Well, you could do a lot worse. Nothing on the menu will blow you away, and it’s possible that the chain is simply trying to do too much with its offerings. Poke, avocado toast, tacos, garlic noodles, burgers, wings and cheese curds? That’s a pretty big yard. The chicken nachos ($15.99) were underwhelming, the tacos ($6.29) far too salty but the the turkey club sandwich ($16.49) surprisingly good. The restaurant has windows that overlook Big Snow, American Dream’s indoor skiing and snowboarding slope, which is very cool. Keep it simple here and you’ll enjoy yourself. But you can definitely do better. (JS)

MrBeast Burger Restaurant at American Dream in East Rutherford, N.J., Monday, September 5, 2022

6. Mozzarella Bar

The pesto mozzarella flatbread (left) and cheese and meat board (right) from Vinoteca

Look for the glimmering gold decor on the mall’s third level and you’ll find Mozzarella Bar. As one might expect, the menu has a section exclusively for its Mozzarella-based dishes and I tried the mozzarella caprese, which had heirloom tomatoes and pesto olives, and tasted fresh — something you’d hope for at a restaurant with mozzarella in the name. Burrata (a mozzarella shell wrapped around a mixture of cheese curd and cream topped with basil, evoo and tomatoes), prosciutto mozzarella, and fried mozzarella were some of the other mozzarella dishes to choose from. I was also a fan of the espresso martini, which was a nice pick-me-up. But for the entrees, I went with a classic Italian dish — spaghetti pomodoro ($17.50) — which was bland and underwhelming. (SB)

5. Around the Clock Diner

As New Jersey is diner capital of the world, standards for any such locale — even in a mall — are exceedingly high. Around the Clock Diner has everything from breakfast eats like pancakes and waffles to omelets. I tried the Jersey disco fries (this version features cherry peppers) and a half-and-half burger (50% prime beef, 50% bacon), which were serviceable. While this spot doesn’t compare with some of New Jersey’s most elite diners, which offer more flavor and authenticity, it’s a suitable option if you find yourself craving diner food like a Taylor ham while at American Dream. (SB)

4. House of ‘Que

Nothing says barbecue country like the swamps of the Meadowlands, right? House of ‘Que, which also has a Hoboken location, promises “authentic Austin barbecue.” While I wouldn’t go that far, it certainly scratches the itch if you’re craving smoked meats slathered in sauce. Brisket, sausage, chicken, pork shoulder and pork ribs are all at your carnivorous disposal. Those were all fine, but it was the sides that impressed most. The smoked wings in spicy barbecue sauce ($18.55) were crispy, succulent and flavorful — the sauce so good I found myself dunking their delightfully starchy fries ($9.10). The fried pickles ($12.50) were also superb, with tasty ranch dressing for dipping. And if you’ve never had a Frito pie ($7.45) before, essentially chili and cheese served in a bag of Fritos, make sure you try one here. The atmosphere here is no frills and fun — even up here in New Jersey we know you shouldn’t make a barbecue joint fancy. There are plenty of televisions here as well, a solid place to watch football if you can’t score a ticket next door at MetLife. (JS)

Chicken marsala from Carpaccio at American Dream.

3. Szechuan Opera

Founded by Chinese-American brothers in New York in 2019, Szechuan food (a cuisine originating in Sichuan and known for its use of garlic and various hot peppers) was brought to New Jersey with tasty results. From the dim sum menu, I tried the soup dumplings, and black truffle with mixed mushroom dumplings — the latter of which I enjoyed for the bright, bold combination of truffle and mushroom. From the traditional Szechuan menu, some of my favorites were the noodle with soy bean paste appetizer, and the dry pot style chicken and tofu dishes, which are served in a sizzling mini wok with a combination of mushrooms, broccoli, and red chili pepper cooked in spicy hot pot sauce. While there’s better Szechuan restaurants in the Garden State, this is a more-than-fine option for a mall. (SB)

2. Marcus Live! Bar & Grille

The newest restaurant at American Dream is nearly the best. Plenty of celebrities slap their names on restaurants that don’t come close to living up to their lofty standards. Not the case here with Marcus Samuelsson’s latest outpost, which is so good you will forget that you are eating at a mall. The brightly painted dining room with record covers adorning the wall make for a festive vibe, and the southern food will make you feel closer to the Superdome in New Orleans than MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Briny oysters on the half-shell ($21 for a half-dozen). Chicken and waffles with chili butter and a maple glaze ($29). Zesty shrimp and grits with chorizo gumbo ($29). But the best thing we sampled here, perhaps the single best thing I ate during this entire mall tour? The brown sugar wings ($15), which were sweet, succulent and had me gnawing on the bones. I didn’t think fine dining belonged in a mall. But Marcus Live! has me questioning that. (JS)

1. Jarana

The interior of Schezuan Opera, one of 10 full-service restaurants at American Dream.

Who could’ve guessed that the best restaurant in a New Jersey mall is a Peruvian gem with authentic flavor to spare? I previously ranked Jarana No. 3 on my list of greatest Peruvian restaurants in the state. With its expansive menu curated by chef Jesus Delgado and featuring classic Peruvian fare like ceviche (a seafood dish where sliced fish or shellfish is marinated in citrus juices), lomo saltado (a stir fry dish served with beef combined with vegetables, french fries or potatoes, typically served with rice), anticuchos (grilled skewers) or fusion dishes like tuna wantacos. For those overwhelmed by the menu’s many offerings, the “Experience Jarana” option ($49 per person) features a pre-planned, family-style course meal which includes some of its most popular items. Order a cocktail from the equally large drink menu (I enjoyed the Chilcano — a classic Peruvian cocktail with pisco). The restaurants offers a delicious take on Peruvian cuisine and the bright, colorful interior adds to the best vibe in this monstrous mall, shirking whatever uber-capitalist chaos exists just beyond its doors. (SB)

The dim sum from Szechuan Opera

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Jeremy Schneider may be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter at @J_Schneider and on Instagram at @JeremyIsHungryAgain.

Tacos from Yard House (top left), grilled skewers from Jarana (top right), a caprese salad from Mozzarella Bar (bottom left) and a burger from MrBeast Burger, all at American Dream in East Rutherford.

Saleah Blancaflor may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @saleyley and Instagram.

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