Red Maple Restaurant

First time here and this place was really great. My new favorite I think. Pancakes were probably the best I’ve had. Everything else my wife and I had was great. The coffee is out of this world.

Happen to try this place with my baby daughter and loved the food and service so much! We had corned beef hash, macaroni salad, grilled cheese, and French toast and every single thing was delicious. Staff seriously could not be any nicer. Portions were perfect for us too. Highly recommend this place and would come back.

So, we moved to Closter 5 years ago and have JUST discovered RED MAPLE. These are the hole in the wall, greasy spoon, old time breakfast joints you search for when traveling to some unknown destination. But to find one in your very own back yard is just too good to be true.
Perfectly cooked eggs (any style), a generous portion of crispy bacon and hash browns (comes with a miniature cup of OJ — from concentrate — and a cup of coffee); plus a short stack of fantastically light pancakes and local friendliness, makes this is our new favorite breakfast spot.
Thank you Red Maple.

Have been frequenting this location with my girlfriend and our friend group since 2010. It’s 2015 and I can safely say out of any breakfast/​diner place in the NJ/​Northern Valley Area; this is the only place I make it a point to go visit. A small, cozy location with a great staff with great food will always make it a no-​brainer to come back.
Prices are more than reasonable and there are different lunch items and specials changed daily. Only downside is… they close at 1 PM, so it is definitely something you have to set your alarm for.
I’d recommend the marinated cheesesteak sandwich with fries for lunch and anything you see on the breakfast menu I will recommend. It is all very delicious.
Many thanks to Charlie and the gang for their continued hospitality and kindness. Many memories were made here, with many more to come.

I was having some work done to my car in Closter and after dropping off the car, me and my sister needed to have breakfast.
A quick search didn’t reveal too much but Red Maple looked like the place to try.
Walking in you’re quickly transported to something reminiscent of what you’d maybe expect to see in a 1950’s diner (minus the checkerboard floor and shiny chrome).
Red Maple is a intimate small town (where everybody knows your name) vibe breakfast place.
In fact, several customers came in and the staff clearly greeted them by name; clearly indicating many were regulars.
I ordered a full stack of pancakes topped with fresh blueberries and they were excellent. I love my pancakes, and these were expertly made with the perfect thickness and more importantly an awesome fluffy texture.
Blueberries were very fresh as they had a nice pop to them when I bit into them.
The fresh butter was great and the pancake syrup (only slight negative was that it was not maple syrup) was very welcomely served warmed.
My sister enjoyed the full stack of French toast that was equally excellent with a nice texture (not soggy but not too bite through). There was a pleasant hint of cinnamon as well in the batter which also added to the flavor.
Her dish also came with sausage which she indicated was very tasty.
We also ordered two sides in home fries and Taylor ham.
The home fries were cooked with a slight crispiness that was yummy.
Taylor ham was actually my first time eating this NJ staple and luckily my first Taylor ham left me very happy as it too was yummy.
Overall a very filling, honest to goodness, hearty old-​school breakfast done very well; and who doesn’t like that!

Snuck here without the lady knowing. Exactly what you want and expect with reasonable prices. Apparently an institution in closter, I’m a transplant so cannot personally attest but the character is up paralleled. Very few on these places left so I will be frequenting when I can get a delicious set of bacon and french toast with plenty of butter and syrup on the low. Speedy service jersey style. This place should be on one of those food shows.

Very friendly neighborhood restaurant. Very few of these kinds of places left, in this area of generic chains. The food is excellent, especially the hot dogs, just as good as Callahan’s, at half the price!

Besy old style, greasy spoon breakfast in Bergen County. Attentive service, eggs to order and cheap pricing. Coffee’s always fresh!

Having lived in Cloister and being an early riser I would frequent the Red Maple. Love the throwback feel, and they offer basic luncheonette fare and they do not disappoint. Straight up fare, served quickly and at prices that are more than reasonable.

A great community atmosphere! The place always buzzes on a Saturday morning for brunch. The owner knows his customers by name. We have come here for decades — it is a family tradition. Law and Order SVU filmed an episode here because of its traditional luncheonette environment. Red Maple has hearty American breakfast and lunch options that will remind you of home.

I post reviews when I travel, or when I try something new. I’m not sure why I don’t review close to home more often. The food at Red Maple is consistently good, very good, far better then most diners that are $ 2 – 3 more per plate. My favorite is the marinated cheese steak, usually the lunch special on Tuesday. The pan cakes are excellent. As is the corned beef hash. The service is always great. Most customers are regulars, which tells you a lot about the place and the kind staff. I wish they had longer hours, specifically after school hours, but that doesn’t seem like it would be possible (there’s 1 cook and 3 waitresses). Red Maple is a ‘greasy spoon’ type luncheonette. I don’t think there’s a salad on the menu. I’m a very adventurous eater, in general, but I like what I order here so much that I order the same things all the time. Oh, and the burgers are very good too.

Greasy spoon, good food but the seating could use a deep clean and an update. The benches have zero cushion left. Very nice staff!

A Closter resident my entire life, I have frequented Red Maple since I was a child. It is a Closter staple. Each year with out fail it continues to serve some of the best breakfast in North Jersey.
A cash only, no-​frills luncheonette Red Maple does not pretend to be anything that it is not. This is perhaps why it has lasted so long and is always so good. They serve great tasting food in a friendly environment «where everyone knows your name». A true Jersey Diner at its best!

Cash only. Old school diner that doesn’t pretend to be anything else. We ordered pancakes, waffles (homemade) and eggs, and guess what? We got exactly what we ordered and they tasted great. Good coffee too. Felt like I was transported back 20 years. Will be back.

Place is great for breakfast or lunch. Super friendly owner is constantly chatting up folks and cooking on the flat top. Food is great and is prepared spot on. From omelettes to french toast, Charlie knows his stuff.
On a side note, I am amazed at some of the reviews that attempt to criticize this place for what it clearly doesn’t attempt to be. It’s like going to Wendy’s and giving them a review as if one was expecting a gourmet experience. The Red Maple is exactly what it is advertised to be and isn’t apologizing about it.

We LOVE the Red Maple and the feel of a hometown friendly restaurant where everyone is welcome and catered to. All of Charlie’s food is AMAZING and he and his staff are very attentive and certainly add a special touch to our dining experience”

Just an OK breakfast place.
It reminded me of waffle house. (Do they have the awful waffle up here? Its a greasy spoon staple in the South.)
Kinda disappointed that the only vegetables available were tomatoes and onions.
My western omelet was just a flat scramble with a whisper of green peppers and onions.
If you’re just looking for eggs and toast and the other usual suspects (pancakes, bacon, sausage) then look no further.
If you like vegetables at breakfast, then skip it.

Red Maple ROCKS! This is the real deal. A main street, old school luncheonette with as good a breakfast as it is possible to have. I just moved to the area from Manhattan so having good food with good vibes is important to my mental health. I will not be wasting much energy figuring out where to have breakfast — Red Maple will be my staple.
In addition to a terrific omelet, fantastic homefries (a true judge of a breakfast joint), and reasonable prices, the owner Charlie and waitress Mercedes both had just the right combo of welcome and wiseass.
Definitely put this place on your short list.

My husband and I went in for the first time this past week. We heard about the restaurant from Unilocal and wanted to try it out since we were disappointed by the local diner. People at Red Maple were very friendly and although they did not know us they did seem to know everyone else in town! The pancakes and omelettes were great, but the sausage was amazing. I definitely recommend giving them a try if you’re in the area. They also do takeout. FYI, they only accept cash!

The Red Maple is an old fashioned luncheonette, set in the heart of Closter.
They have a long counter you can sit at, or small booths in the back.
Charlie is the owner and main chef, and makes the best homefries in the area. Eggs/​Pancakes/​Tuna Melts. whatever you want, they have it.
Such a nice treat seeing as NJ is so overrun with diners!
fun fact: The Red Maple was used in an episode of Law & Order: SVU.