Seasons 52

This review is for their happy hour. They have a great selection of small plates — tapas style for $ 5. We typically order the entire happy hour menu and we all share. The food comes out hot and really done well. The happy hour wine selection could be better but for a girls night, it’s good enough. I just wished they would have their happy hour go til 7pm as a bunch of my friends work in the city and it takes them awhile to travel there. Overall, we’ve always had a good time and will continue to go there. In fact, we have a girls night planned tomorrow! :)

I won’t waste time writing a review because Mike-​O from Pennington pretty much nailed it. Everything was lame except the pickles which were surprisingly awesome. Lobster lettuce wraps, shrimp scampi, and house salad were all very MEH, maybe even less than MEH. But, bartenders were super friendly and actually had some talent, making me a spicy drink that was really good. That’s why the get a 3 instead of 2 stars. Sit at the bar, go because you want to chill… they’re going for a clubby feel. Set your food expectations on stun. Order a drink. Chat with the friendly bartenders.

Usually LOVE Seasons 52. Get the Trout with carrots and potatoes every time. Usually perfect. Got it to go… when I began eating it. thicker part of fish was not done… well, neither was the thinner end. turned it over. the skin had NEVER seen the grill. Called the Manager, who was very apologetic and said he would send out a refund (I had paid cash) and a gift card… that never happened. so very disappointed. Will try again, but not soooo happy.

My husband and I went to market fair to get some froyo from yogorino and decided to get a cocktail too. There was an hour and fifteen minute wait for a table for two which is normal for a Saturday with no reservation. We ended up snagging two seats at the bar. Our seats kind of sucked because we were literally at our own little bar between the bar entrance and the service bar so it took a sec for the bartenders to realize we were there but once they did the service was excellent. Our bartenders name was Stacy I believe and she made an amazing cucumber basil bash cocktail with the perfect amount of everything. My husband and I ordered the artichoke and goat cheese flat bread and we split the sea scallop entrée. The flatbread was light and delicious and the kitchen split out scallops on two plates which was very nice and they were cooked to perfection with broccoli rabe and butternut squash risotto. All in all it was a five star experience.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
You have better options for lunch and dinner based on food quality and these prices.
A business colleague and I went to Seasons 52 for lunch (on his recommendation). We walk in and get a luke warm (at best) greeting from a «I’m too sexy for myself» hostess. After a short 5 minute wait, we’re seated. The waitress comes over, greets us with the obligatory/​awkward «Hello party of Mike.» and proceeds to go over the specials. After the specials, we’re offered the «bread service». Bread service? Am I the only one who finds a «bread service» uniquely hilarious and pretentious at the same time (bread is not complimentary here)?
Service was OK, but I was disappointed in the food quality and value. Here’s what a $ 55 lunch (for two) looks like at this restaurant: lobster flat bread, 3 (small) fish tacos, 1 crab cake sandwich (decent, but small), 2 sodas.
I understand this is a chain restaurant, so my expectations were in full check. I don’t have a problem with paying for top quality food. However, serving AVERAGE food and charging these prices is a recipe for failure (pun intended). I won’t be convinced that simply by charging more money, I can be lulled into thinking the food/​dining experience is superior.

Seasons 52 is one of my favorite places to go – and I love that they opened one in Princeton! The bar looks beautiful, the service is always amazing, and the overall ambiance is very nice. It’s casual, but has a very upscale feel to it. I’m all for organic and local ingredients, since that’s all I eat — and I also love how many vegetarian/​vegan/​and GF options they have. I especially love when restaurants have a designated vegetarian menu. I usually get the vegetarian tacos with a side of asparagus when in season. Delicious! You can’t go wrong with the flatbreads either, or anything really. Last time I went I had a pear and spinach salad which was also great. If you can eat relatively a lot and want a great vegetarian dish you can get the Vegetarian Sampler. If something in the sampler doesn’t look appealing to you, they’re really nice about substitutes (ex: I don’t care too much for tofu so I ask for another taco instead).
They have a great wine and drink selection as well.
My last experience there was my only negative one. I came with a friend around lunch time the Monday before Christmas and we were seated at the bar. This would have been fine, but the service was incredibly slow and the bartender clearly did not know what he was doing. He took about 20 mins to bring us our drinks, shattered my friend’s beer glass when he remembered, among other things. I also asked him for extra dressing for my salad and if I had it I may have eaten much more of it but I waited so long for the dressing that I gave up on the meal. Very disappointed especially since I was raving to my friend about the place. This bartender took the «class» out of Seasons 52 and made me see the sloppy side. Still had fun nonetheless but I think everyone sitting at the bar, who he seemed overwhelmed to attend to, were annoyed.

I love this place and the concept! Fresh food that taste awesome. They update their menu weekly and every time we have been there has a hit. They are definitely known for their flatbreads and soups. Watch out for the desert tactics… they roll up to your table with a beautiful assortment of cake/​cups, a twist on traditional dessert in a small tempting form. They get you every time. Fun!

comfortable (plush cushions for your bony butts) chain dining with helpful, fun, professional staff serving all your «innovative» favorites from 10 – 15 years ago. MEH!
they dropped the all-​healthy menu items a while back to «cater to a broader clientele». meaning the «i’m retired now, and i just don’t care so bring me fatty goodness», complete with wide aisles and doorways for your breeches-​for-​two 65 BMI score.
+++ great server staff. Fun, professional, don’t take themselves seriously, but still know the etiquette. Now if only they could fix the menu…
# both champagne offerings were less than stellar. Chartogne-​Taillet drinkable, but meh; Gimonnet 2009 was flat, uninteresting. at $ 75 and $ 90 for the bottle, respectively, I expected more, much more.
# ahi tuna tartare reads like the yardhouse recipe book from 10 years ago. really?!!
# grilled scallops arrived lukewarm, dead. sent back. remake was great and hot. nice.
# mushroom bisque had no bisque. just sliced mushrooms in a greasy creamy mess. should have been a purée with cream added and drops of truffle oil to finish. (again, from 10 years ago)
## duck lollipops. didn’t think i’d ever say this about duck, but it was my ever-​favorite «pump-me-full-of-antibiotics-so-i-don’t-die-while-i’m-standing-in-my-own-shit-waiting-for-the-steroids-to-grow-me-bigger-than-i-was-ever-supposed-to-be» feed-​lot meat. think: fatty, squishy, blech. sauce didn’t help it either.
### «fresh fruit» blueberries dessert arrived unwashed and still with stems attached. EW! And in a shot glass! Sheesh! Serve me my dessert in a goddam bowl! What am i supposed to do, shoot this thing? No, I won’t.
(it’s just as bad as serving an ahi tuna tartare — or any food for that matter — in a martini glass. martini glasses are for MARTINIS!!)
another spot catering to the active-​adult crowd, one of which was taken out on a gurney today! what’s worse is that no one fliched. it seemed a regular thing.
«Last meal at Seasons 52!» Well, maybe if they put sautee of fois gras on the menu, I’d consider it!
once again, I’m out of place and I don’t belong here. NEXT!

My and boyfriend’s experience was SO bad that we spent the entire night dying of laughter… At the end of the day, we actually ended up having fun from all the laughing we did regardless of how awful our dining experience was.
The «highlight» of the hilariousness was our waitress. I swear she was legit a programmed robot. The first words out of her mouth to my boyfriend and I was, «Hello, party of Jade». AND It only got worse from there. Every single thing she said seemed like it was being read directly off a teleprompter with zero emotion. We even compared her to sounding identical to a GPS. It couldn’t have possibly been more uncomfortable, but soooo funny.
As for the food… You could basically say I would have died if I had to pay full price for my meal. Thank god we had a gift card! The food is SO overpriced for its quality. I read a previous review that compared it to a nicer Olive Garden – spot on! However, Olive Garden is practically half the price so I’d prefer going there. I can’t even fathom how this chain is still alive. Lots of reviews mention business lunches. I’m thinking it’s running on money from business men/​women that have no palettes.
I ordered the Filet Mignon with asparagus and mashed potatoes. The Filet Mignon was good, but my sides were flavorless. My vegetarian boyfriend struggled to find something to eat, and ended up getting a soup, salad, and the crab cake appetizer. The salad actually ended up being the only thing he liked.
After dinner, the robotic waitress came by and once again acted like she was reading a script, «your night wouldn’t be complete without one of our Seasons 52 signature dessert shooters…». We were kicking each other under the table trying not to laugh. We passed because we couldn’t possibly spend another minute in that place.
I do have to say the environment is nice! So
maybe ordering a salad and some drinks wouldn’t be too bad? But I honesty think no one should waste their money eating at Seasons 52 if they have other options.

We ate here on Thanksgiving evening and it couldn’t have been better. First of all, the staff is constantly cleaning the place, making it the cleanest restaurant chain I have ever been to. Everything is shiny and polished both here and in Cherry Hill. We sat in a booth next to the kitchen and I thought there would be a noise problem. The glass divider was so clean I didn’t even see it.
They offered their full menu plus a fixed price Thanksgiving platter. We shared a tasty flatbread. My pork tenderloin was delicious and the others in my party were very pleased with their meals as well. We like the small dessert portions too. Overall, we always had a great experience at Seasons 52. They really have their act together.

Walking into a restaurant on Thanksgiving my expectations are not sky high. Being a proud American of course turkey will be ordered. And you don’t have to be a top chef to cook that and the sides properly. I slightly expect that servers may not be at their most cheery on this family holiday.
But Seasons 52 exceeded all of my lowered expectations. Nice décor as others have pointed out, and decent although slightly expensive beverage choices. Our excellent server Kris was so eager to let us try any wines we wanted to, and after about 4 tastes I decided on a very nice Pinot Noir to go with the bird. Her suggestion of a quality chard would have worked too, but I wanted red.
To sample the regular menu we tried a flatbread. It was lobster and done quite nicely, I was expecting slightly thicker, but as advertised, it was very thin. We were informed that on non holidays these are available with wine flights at a reduced price.
Next out was their bread, kind of like Parker house rolls with more flavor, and served with a not too salty pumpkin butter. Very good. Then an amuse bouche, we were not sure if this was done for the holiday or is a regular thing. It was not mind blowing, just diced pears and apples with a cheddar slice and topped with a pecan. But cool when you are not expecting it.
Finally our turkey platters. A mix of white and dark meat, very good mashed potatoes, perfectly cooked haricot verts, respectable stuffing and REAL cranberry sauce. The meat was flavorful and not overcooked, and the gravy was savory but not over salted. This was probably the best turkey dinner I’ve ever had out. A perfect ending was the mini shot glass desserts, pumpkin pie of course.
The whole experience left us feeling like this will be a place to try again. Short of that I think it would be at the top of my list for next year’s holiday dinner. 4 tryptophan Unilocal

I was not quite sure what to expect with this venue. It seemed very elegant but I always fear franchising establishments and the quality and variance of their products.
This really did exceed and deliver to all my expectations and more. The Flatbread appetizers were so fresh and delicious tasting. And a great portion for two. The filet mignon, perfect size, cooked just right with a accent of potatoes and asparagus.
To top it off, the dessert shot glass cakes are a perfect size of sweetness to end your perfect dinner off.
The price may be a bit steep, but considering the seasonal ingredients, the atmosphere and the quality of food, it really is something that is worth it. On top of that the service was magnificent. I would highly recommend and I will be coming back

My friend and I were super impressed. Firstly, they were not pretentious or rude by the fact that we had toddlers– well-​behaved kids IS a thing and moms who like to dine and try out new places as foodies is also a thing. :-) Thanks to Seasons staff for being pleasant and accommodating.
Ambience– great! You can see the action in the kitchen or stay away and just dine with a rustic chic cabin feel. Very nice.
Food– everything was wonderful that we put into our mouth– fresh and perfectly seasoned lobster pasta dish, flatbread options and desserts.
I will absolutely be back!

I remember when Marketfair felt like a smaller, safer version of Quakerbridge, so my parents had no qualms about my sister and I going there with friends to shop, eat, and see movies. Nowadays, Quakerbridge has come a long way, and Marketfair has some unique offerings in addition to some mall standards, ie The Gap.
Seasons 52 is one of the latest dining options, and my parents took me and Mike there a few weeks ago as we were all in Princeton for the weekend and they wanted to take us someplace new for our anniversary. The atmosphere reminded me of Hillstone which I also like a lot. Much like The Royce in Pasadena where Mike and I (also) celebrated our anniversary, if you do not like the flavor of cedar plank-​grilled foods, you are in the wrong place. Fortunately, we all do, and we had a great meal. The service was excellent and the hostess moved us from our original table which was next to a man who had a honking laugh and must have had a comedian at his table, because the honking would not stop! In retrospect, it was fairly amusing though.
I recommend the tomato soup and the turkey kebab for dinner, and any of the dessert mousse/​puddings which come in small square glass containers. The presentation and flavors were clearly well thought-​out. I am sure I will return to this location and would certainly check out other Seasons 52’s.

Went for happy hour on a Tuesday with my mom for my birthday.
I got the hawaiian pineapple Cosmo, and my mom got the cucumber basil smash. Both refreshing and delicious! I’m inclined to knock one star down for drinks still being a little pricey during happy hour at $ 8 a cocktail, but I won’t.
We also got the duck lollipops which seemed to have a miso/​gochujang sauce on top. Delicious and priced great at $ 5.
After my mom told the bartender it was my birthday (oy vey), he served us 2 glasses of champagne on the house.
The service is beyond amazing, drinks&food are great. Definitely coming back!

We started off the night with some items from the happy hour: shrimp scampi, duck wing lollipops, and caramelized scallops. The duck wings were my favorite. It had a tangy Korean based sauce with a bit of heat. I also had the Hawaiian pineapple Cosmo, but it was just okay. For the main course I had the chef recommended Chilean sea bass, which was really good! It had a sweet and tangy glaze with the purple sticky rice that I liked. My brother has the oak grilled filet mignon which was tender and yummy as well. My mom had the lobster pappardelle which I didn’t care for.
The best parts of the meal were the desserts, which other people have mentioned, and their impeccable service. Our waitress Leslie was beyond great, and she tended to all our needs without being overbearing. Definitely highly recommended!

Another great meal at yet another Seasons 52. We stopped in for an early dinner. The service was great and the food was terrific. All of the meals were well prepared, fresh and tasty. We started with he Steak & Blue flatbread, and it was really good. I highly recommend starting with one of the flatbreads. I have had several and they are all good. For dinner I had the Grilled Sea Scallops and I absolutely loved them. Cooked perfectly and served hot.
Deserts are very small but yummy.

Okay, I had to give this place some stars even though it goes against all I believe in…
I try as best I can to avoid chain, sub-​urban things of ANY kind. However, we ended up here one Friday night for group drinks. Not my choice. When my husband and I walked in they asked if we had a reservation. Paaleesse! Do you know where you are… Uggghh. I’m sorry we can’t seat you until… get this…9 o’clock! Really? I guess this is where all the «hipsters» come on a night on the «town».
We asked to speak to the manager. To their credit they were very obliging and seated us a a large booth in the bar. Points…
I ordered their «New» Old Fashioned which was really good. The service was very good as well.
I won’t be coming back to eat (I know I’m totally a city snob) but I WOULD come back to sit at the bar a have another Old Fashioned. Not on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday…

This is my favorite healthy dining spot! I wish more people would catch icon! Nothing in the menu is over 475 calories. I had scallops. I was clear if my dislike for lemon and had not one in sight. Non alcohol beverages were consistently refilled. My friend had some kind of bar made raspberry lemonade that she said was delicious. The artichoke flatbread didn’t have much taste. I would order a different one next time.
It was also my birthday. Was greeting with a happy birthday at the hostess stand. Happy birthday from the waitress and a birthday card. Happy birthday from the manager. A special birthday set up of the desserts were brought to the table without a song, which I prefer. A picture was taken and printed in a Seasons paper frame. A free birthday dessert was given. Made me feel special and healthy!

solid 3-​stars (borderline 3.5, to be honest) for this newly-​added upscale chain resto in the Princeton Marketfair mall. Warmly decorated inside, the ambiance is pretty cozy with a classy touch… very similar to Salt Creek Grille a little further up rt. 1 north.
silly move on our part, but a last-​minute date night decision landed us at the doorstep of seasons 52 at 8pm on a friday night without a reservation.
whoops.
there was a 1-​hr wait, but we were game. we killed time wandering marketfair (playing with gadgets a brookstone and buying gifts at anthroplogie, obvs) until the text from seasons alerted us that the table was ready. i love the new texting trend (way better than short-​range buzzers!)
anywayyyy, the service was good. not great, not bad, just a solid ‘good’.
the drinks were a bit pricey. the moscow mule (they call it a ‘prairie mule’) was good.
the tempranillo was yummy, and i was able to sample it before ordering the full glass.
the food was also good. just good. the menu changes seasonally, which if fun and will most likely bring me back again. i chose a short rib flatbread and a side of brussels sprouts) with bacon and parm) as my meal, and boyfriend had the pork tenderloin (with sweet potato mash and green beans). it was all good. some components were overseasoned, while others seriously lacked seasoning.
dessert presentation was fun as well… our waiter arrived with a rack of desserts in shot glasses. they were the perfect size for a last bite to close out the meal, and at $ 2.95 a piece– totally reasonable. the s’mores dessert was wayyyyy too sweet and chocolate-​y for my taste, but the raspberry cannoli was great. next time, i think we’ll just get one to share (sorry, boyfriend).
honestly, i think i expected a little more from seasons 52. it was alright, but not outstanding. the overall experience was very, very similar to that at Salt Creek Grille… but Salt Creek is better. and they have live jazz music sometimes.
i’ll still be back. i like good stuff.