Metropolitan Cafe

My husband and I held an intimate dinner upstairs in the beautiful loft to celebrate our marriage. From initial contact, to the day-of-logistics, Rob and his entire team at the Metropolitan Cafe were an absolute pleasure to work with. Rob was accommodating of all requests and took the time to alleviate any concerns that arose prior to the day. The space was arranged perfectly and the food (as always) was divine; plated beautifully and tasted delicious! Also, the vision I provided to Rob for our wedding cake was upheld and delivered on better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you SO much to everyone at the Metropolitan Cafe for making our big day so special.

We had such a great family dinner here! My wife ordered the steak tacos and they were incredibly tender and full of flavor. I went with the sliders, and they were absolutely delicious. My mother-in-law enjoyed a beet and goat cheese salad that she said was perfect, and my son loved his chicken fingers and French fries. The bread alone was a standout—warm, tasty, and paired with a flavorful butter that we couldn’t get enough of. For dessert, we shared the eggnog espresso crème brûlée, which was very tasty. The biscotti on the side added the perfect Christmas vibe. The restaurant was beautifully decorated for the holidays, making it such a festive and cozy spot to enjoy a night out with family. Wonderful food, warm atmosphere, and an all-around great time. Highly recommend! 🍰🤍

The food was truly exceptional. Sushi arrived first, setting the tone for a fantastic meal. Then our entrees, I chose the incredible beet salad with goat cheese. The sliders were impressive. Steak tacos were a revelation. For dessert, it was the sublime eggnog espresso brûlée, which we all shared, savoring every bite. Sweet and utterly delightful!

This is a lovely cafe/restaurant on the main with a public parking lot behind it. Food was OK and we had soup, meal and dessert. The atmosphere and staff are phenomenal and aim to please. We did lunch and it was not crowded.

We live about 10 minutes away and Metropolitan is one of our absolute favorite local spots. The food is delicious, especially the sushi, but we've never had a bad meal here and we always try something new! The drinks are always well made and taste great. The service is always quick and friendly and the restaurant itself is charming and clean. I literally can't think of a single thing to criticize!

Metropolitan Café – A Perfect Birthday Experience I recently celebrated my birthday at Metropolitan Café in Freehold, and it was truly perfect from start to finish. The atmosphere was vibrant yet cozy, and the service was absolutely top-notch — friendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcome. Now for the food — everything we ordered was amazing. The sea bass was beautifully cooked and flavorful, the grilled chicken was juicy and well-seasoned, and the sliders were a fun, satisfying bite. The shrimp tacos had the perfect balance of spice and freshness, and the short rib lollipop was fall-off-the-bone tender and rich. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. To top it all off, the martini I had was fabulous — well-balanced and just what I needed to toast the occasion. Metropolitan Café delivered not just a meal but a memorable experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday dinner and can’t wait to return.

We had our company party upstairs for 20 people. We planned the event with Rob who couldn’t have been more accommodating and professional, he truly took the time to make sure that we were happy in the planning process. My husband had a vision of what he wanted. We had a buffet and appetizers The food was amazing. (There were many options to choose from) The service was exceptional. We were so happy and so were our guests. Thank you Rob, Josh our server and all who helped make our holiday party special!

We had a great dining experience overall. My husband’s filet mignon was cooked just as he requested, and I really enjoyed the halibut special—it was flavorful and well-prepared. Both were great presentations too! Our waitress was attentive, and the ambiance was warm and inviting. The only drawback was the back door near our table, which people kept using to exit. Since it was freezing outside, it was quite drafty! Aside from that, everything else was excellent!

I cannot believe that I have never been to the Metropolitan and enjoyed our lunch very much. Three of us went and ordered Lobster Grilled Cheese & Soup, Crispy Chicken Sandwich and a Chicken Cutlet Sandwich. We shared an order of Edamame - very good. Our server was Kerry, and he was informative and attentive. We will have to come back again. This lunch took place during the Christmas season and the restaurant was tastefully decorated.

My friend and I got together for dinner. When we arrived we parked in the lot. We walked into a really cute restaurant. We were sat and were served by Josh and he was great. We had some cocktails that included the vodka martini which were good. We also had some fries. It was a good experience all in all.

Sitting here now and just got the App...tuna nachos. Look good (full review pending). But I need 85 characters...

This a fantastic place. Been going here for 25 years. Food is very good. Restaurant has a nice vibe and a good spot for a date. Bar is well equipped with a decent selection of wine. Specialty drinks are also available. Emerich and John are excellent bar tenders and can make anything you want. Rob Kash the owner is a restaurant genius. Try the Twice Cooked Cuban Steak. My favorite and on the menu since the place opened. Little on the pricey side, especially for alcohol. Meals are priced mid range, probably $30 + for entree's. You can save a few bucks if you go during Happy Hour and sit at the bar. Very popular spot and gets packed on weekends especially. Make a reservation if you plan to sit a table. Parking can be challenging as with every restaurant in downtown Freehold. Enjoy!

This place is very aesthetically pleasing but food wise can be very hit or miss. I've had meals here which I absolutely loved and meals that were not great at all. Also the menu changes so when I come back to have something I loved it's often gone. I wish they would keep some staples that they've mastered. I am a big fan of the maple butter that comes complimentary with the bread. I've enjoyed the sushi here but find it to be too pricy. I used to love the crabcake appetizer but it's now a different iteration once again. I enjoyed the shrimp tacos on my last visit which had mango and spicy mayo. I also ordered the grilled pork chop which I found very dry. The gravy it came with was sort of bland and in my opinion didn't taste good with the grilled peaches. I liked the concept of this dish but the execution was poor. The lobster grilled cheese came with a tiny cup of tomato soup and was absolutely delicious! The price to portion ratio was pretty reasonable as well which I didn't expect given some of the other pricing. I also enjoyed the sushi nachos, and I do think they do sushi well here- I just prefer to go to my typical sushi which is significantly cheaper.

Whether you are a longtime fan like me or trying Metropolitan for the café, you're in for something special. This restaurant located in downtown FREEHOLD is my go to spot for incredible food. The filet mignon eggrolls are a must try and I order them every single time I come here. The tune of volcano was the perfect fusion of sushi and crab salad. I truly enjoyed that tender Asian skirt steak the sushi is impressively fresh and our dessert was nothing short of spectacular. The donuts were heavenly, but the creamy Nutella crème brûlée stole the show. Metropolitan Café never disappoints. It's a place. I will always return to and highly recommend. Don't forget to check out my Instagram. @foodaholicnj

After visiting Metropolitan Cafe for the first time yesterday, I'm already dreaming about my next visit to this restaurant. First off, the bread and butter you start off with is great. The raisin rolls with the maple butter is so unique and a pleasant start to the meal. For appetizers, we had the crab cake and the tuna tartare pizza. The crab cake was fresh and pleasantly crispy with a delicious sauce on the plate. The tuna tartare pizza also had a great balance of sauces with the tuna and cucumber on an extra-crispy scallion pancake. For my entree, I got the crab cake sliders. Like the crab cake, the crab itself was delicious. The buns were nice and soft, while the slaw added a nice crunch. The French fries were also decent. I tried a piece of the chicken quesadilla off the specials menu which was pleasant, but nothing special. Additionally, I had the angry dragon roll. This roll had an amazing combination of textures, and the roll melted in my mouth. Outside of the food, the service here was excellent. The servers were regularly refilling our beverages, and the food came out quickly. Additionally, this place has a moody and intimate vibe that makes for the perfect dinner setting. All I can say is I cannot wait to be back here!

We came here for a date night and had a really fun experience. If you're looking for a more intimate setting, be sure to chose the side dining room or upstairs as the main bar area can get a little loud. We sat in the side dining area and started with a couple of adult beverages. I liked how they bring you a flask of bourbon for the old fashioned and pour it into the glass once it's on your table. It took us a bit to order but once we did, we got our food quickly. All of the apps sounded great and we had a hard time deciding on what to get but eventually chose the blistered shishito peppers w/chorizo. Really enjoyed the peppers, sausage and garlic sauce that the dish was served in. For dinner, we each chose two sushi rolls - one off of the specialty list and one from the traditional list. The sushi was fresh, nicely presented, and super tasty. Overall, had a good experience and would definitely come back whether it's for a drink and apps or a full blown meal.

The bar had great service, however the music was a little bit too loud. The bartender came by several times to make sure we were alright. The apps hit the spot with enough spice on them. The ravioli dish at lunch only had 4 maybe we can add another 2, so that we can be full. Great job by all.

I came here on a Saturday night with a few friends. We had some drinks at the bar which were really good and then we sat at a table after. We got the lettuce wraps which were super good. and the Asian skirt steak and it was phenomenal. I really liked the setting and decorations in there. I would definitely go back this is my new favorite spot!

Highly recommend this restaurant. The food and service quality was truly exceptional, I can't wait to come back. The dumplings, sushi, bbq short rib and the Tequila old fashioned was particularly my favorite, great ambiance and customer service.

We had a 5pm reservation but got there early so wanted a drink at the bar. Sat down and we're greeted but then ignored for almost 10 min. Left and canceled dinner. Saw the bartender wrapping silverware but made no attempt to help us. We will not be back!

I've been here several times now. I recommend making a reservation. Their cocktails are awesome. The vibe of the place is definitely nice too, even sexy. The food is also consistently good. Just went this past weekend and got the Burrata which was simple yet delicious to start. Then had the Asian skirt steak which was so good. The steak was so tasty and cooked perfectly. The lo mein was fine kind of bland could have used more flavor. We got the skillet for dessert which was good just on the smaller side. We intended to share and should have gotten a second one since it wasn't really enough. Overall definitely recommend.

We decided on a date lunch. When we arrived and were seated we immediately felt so right here. Very romantic and comfortable setting.We Started with the Burrata and Grilled Peaches which was so tasty. We had the Filet Mignon sandwich and also the Barbecue Short Rib Tacos. Both were wonderful and so well presented with a cone of the best fries in a long time. Our server was attentive and well schooled with the menu. We're wanting more and will be back!

Came here with my two of my colleagues got some holiday dinner and man I'm glad we came here! I love this spot, great food, great drinks and great service. This is nicely located in heart of downtown freehold by the American hotel with a nutcracker greeting you as you enter their premise. The interior is nicely decorated and the staff is so nice. We've ordered some eel rolls, some crab cakes sliders, pasta and desserts. I think the food was delicious and the dessert was soooo good! Their wild berry sangria btw, you have to try it! I mean I'm a huge fan of wild berry but this sangria really hit the spot!

They catered a party at our house this past Sunday. It was fantastic. When I picked the food up they were very helpful. They are top shelf. Eating in the restaurant is also great.

Here you may dine outside or in. Inside there's plenty of tables and, when we were there, a bar full of people. They do take reservations. We didn't make one, but there was available seating so we had a place. The inside has subdued lighting, making it seem intimate. The service is friendly and attentive. We were not so inclined, but the full bar, wine/beer list and specialty drinks can satisfy anyone's palate. Our party of two ordered the crab cake sliders and the chicken and shrimp. The crab cakes were enjoyable, with their side of fries and the chicken and shrimp were very tasty.

So we came at 9:30pm after my daughters graduation ceremony in May on a Thursday and the my wouldn't seat us since the kitchen closes at 10! . Really? When I worked at restaurants in Hoboken and Jersey city we sat people until closing and stayed until the last table left. Bad business not to. Times have changed I guess. I wonder what the owner thinks about a table of 6 going to another restaurant around the corner instead of his/her/their establishment?!?!?

I am sorry for the long post but I am extremely upset. We Came to celebrate a friends retirement. We were very disappointed. The service was terrible. It was a Friday night and would normally be very busy but it wasn't. We had a 7:45 reservation and our table wasn't ready. Once seated, We waited 15 minutes before our server showed up, and only because we went to the hostess to ask if we even had a server since we hadn't seen one for the 3 other tables in the area. I wish I had her name but when she finally shoes up she didn't introduce herself or for that matter didn't say anything but can I get you a cocktail? do you want an appetizer? Do you want to order now? Hmmm...We waited another 10-15 minutes for drinks but nope. Out comes the appetizer . No drinks. So much for a toast to retirement! We asked the food runner if he could check on our drinks. " Oh! I can't. They should be out soon." Drinks arrive. Brought by someone else. Got the order correct but delivered the wrong drinks to two of us. Did I mention there were only 3 of us? Dinner followed shortly after. The food was good as were the portions, however my dinner was delivered while I was in the restroom, so it sat uncovered for a few minutes ( there is only one all gender restroom on the first floor). Now that the table was cleared, by again someone else (did I mention we never saw the server again after we placed the order?) Its a good thing we didn't need anything. A server stop by (literally) if we wanted another cocktail. No thank you. About 15 minutes later, sitting at a cleared table here comes the server. I have your dessert menu. No thanks, check please. You guessed it another 10 minutes. Now we are at our wits end. We put in our credit card and wait again, and wait some more. At this point we are anxious to get out and go somewhere else for an after dinner drink. We actually go to the host to pay our check because once again no server and she can't help us so she goes to get the server. We actually stood up at the table and waited her to run the card and return so we could get out of there. At this point, the restaurant was basically empty. No apologies or excuse from anyone. I will not be returning.

I went out to the Metropolitan Cafe with my parents for dinner and we enjoyed ourselves! I really like like the atmosphere that the Metropolitan Café has to offer. It has a nice ambience on the inside as well as the covered patio. We sat outside at first but it started raining so we had to move inside. We ordered the calamari / shrimp appetizer as well as the pork fried dumplings. I really enjoyed both appetizers! The calamari / shrimp was definitely my favorite. I also ordered the wonton soup. I loved the wontons as well as the shrimp in the soup; I just wish it had more scallions and a bit more flavor! My parents and I both ordered salads. I ordered a Caesar salad with steak. My mom ordered the pear and walnut salad with steak and my dad ordered the grilled steak salad! We all enjoyed the salads. I did again feel that the Cesar salad was missing that special something though! Overall, I will definitely try out the Metropolitan Café again! I'm very interested to try their other appetizers as well as some of their meat entrées!

Made a reservation, checked in and was forgot about; while standing in front of the hostess stand. Meanwhile, 3 other tables of 4 were seated. Wouldn't bother to go back or recommend. Went to court jester for a lovely meal with great service.

It was super delicious and great service and ambiance !!!! If in area must try, crab cake amazing ...

First time at Metro didn't disappoint! Amazing sushi, drinks and atmosphere! A Must try!

The food was incredible! The ambience is great and the service was amazing. The bartender with the curly mustache made us amazing starburst martinis they were so yummy and the s'mores skillet is the best dessert I've ever had.

We went there for my poppy's birthday and it was an amazing experience! He loved all his food and we were in a nice private room so we could all hear each other! The service was amazing and everyone was always checking on us! Highly recommend trying if you haven't already:)

Is it a coincidence that there is another Barbara H that dined the same night on Dec. 21st as I did? And had the exact opposite experience that we had? Hmmmm "Here is the experience" we had: We had a lovely evening from the time we entered to the very end. Our hostess was very attentive and sweet and acknowledged us the moment we walked in the door. The table was beautifully set and the restaurant was lovely and clean. We started off with a glass of wine for myself and my husband ordered a local beer that was very good! The bread and butter with a hint of maple was scrumptious. We split the Yin Yang Dumplings appetizer which was delicious. I ordered the Asian Skirt Steak and my husband ordered the General's Chicken Bowl. Our meals were absolutely delicious! Our waiter was very attentive and very personable. We will definitely be back!

Best spot in downtown Freehold Borough for dining especially with a date! Terrific food, atmosphere and service! The entire place is really classy and sleek. If you recommend this place your group will thank you, terrific service, really nice interior, very well decorated whether on the downstairs floor or the upstairs floor. We started the night with a cold seafood salad and filet mignon spring rolls. I have to say the cold seafood salad was absolutely delicious, five stars! I loved it! I'll get it every time I go! The filet mignon spring rolls were very good, but if you like seafood I recommend the cold seafood salad as a starter. My main course was a maple glazed halibut, delicious! Very well-prepared I enjoyed it greatly. Nice blend of maple flavor with the halibut. My dates dish was the shrimp and grits. Now this dish was delicious here! You really can't go wrong and the sauce was tasty. I want to point out that this place has a spectacular sushi bar! I did not get any sushi this time but I've gotten it many times in the past. Very very fresh and tasty here. But also pricier than usual, but worth every penny. Highly recommended if you're looking for a classy spot to eat in downtown freehold borough and want to impress!

I was honestly underwhelmed by this restaurant. I've only heard good things from friends and colleagues but it definitely wasn't up to par with what I imagined. That being said, the atmosphere is lovely. It feels super cozy and romantic, definitely a date night spot. But the food was just okay. As an appetizer we got the roasted vegetable empanada. For my personal preference the skin on the outside was too thick. Inside was an orange vegetable paste mixed with black beans. I thought it would be whole vegetables on the inside not a paste. My friend got the Mediterranean beef wrap which she enjoyed but she thought it would be a hot wrap rather than a cold one since there is prime rib inside. I got the short rib tacos. If you didn't tell me this was short rib I would have never known. The taco is stuffed with much more slaw than the actual meat. I'll probably return to give this place another try.

Embarrassed by how awful the drinks were. We got the blood Orange margarita, spicy margarita, a mule, Espresso martini and gin and tonic. The only ones that were drinkable was the gin and tonic (how do you screw that up?) and espresso martini. The margaritas were so disgusting, i sent mine back and my friend didn't have more than 3 sips. I've been here before and had not had this experience so I was very disappointed. Their food is sub-par.

Nice ambiance and good service. Known for its sushi. Was not disappointed. Good location in Main Street in Freehold. Parking in front and rest.

What a terrific meal we had in this ana big restaurant. We started with the special appetizer of shrimp and calamari with sweet and sour sauce. It's was delicious. I had a martini, Revolver, it's like an old fashioned but in a martini glass. Loved it! We ordered 3 of the special sushi rolls, they were so fresh. We also ordered pumpkin ravioli and the Korean bbq chicken tacos. Everything highly recommended. The service was terrific. They have a covered patio with nice heating, perfect to enjoy during a cold day.

Big let down. This restaurant was listed in industry magazine, so I thought it would be decent but it wasn't. The bar scene looked OK.

Decent food w/ cocktails, service has been great each time I've been there, date/celebration worthy ambiance!

The food does not have any taste. The restaurant has no identity. Quality of sushi, steak, etc is not good. The one upside is the grilled shrimp, otherwise this would be a 1 star.

Great staff ; wonderful mixture of food and the drinks are on point . There has not been anything I haven't liked ... I shall return .

Food was great, dessert was better! Apps, dinner and dessert all memorable. Can't wait to go back. Service was good and the place had a cool vibe.

Still great years later! Haven't been here in so long.... food was fantastic, service great and surprise... half price bottles of wine on Mondays! Score!!! Highly recommend if anyone is looking for a great meal in downtown Freehold... I had the scallops with mushroom risotto, delicious. Scallops were perfectly cooked and the risotto was chock full of all kinds of mushrooms... my party all enjoyed their meals as well, I was too busy eating to take pics of what they got! Bottom line, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

I came in for brunch on a Sunday with three friends. We had an rsvp and were seated even though we came in a bit early. We were happy to see that there were specials for brunch, so we treated ourselves to a carafe of mimosas. The drinks were okay, but didn't seem to Serve a full glass for each of us. We each ordered our meals and were happy with them, but the meals in all were average. The steak in two of our steak and eggs meal were cooked just as we ordered and that was nice. All in all the meals were bad at all, just nothing worth writing home about. Same goes for the service; nothing bad, but nothing worth noting as special. Would I return? Only if someone else wanted to go.

Atmosphere & decor are very nice. Service was excellent. Food was not very good. Bread was not fresh. Grilled Ahi Tuna was very dry (really disappointing). My wife said that her scallops risotto was so so. I won't be back.

Meet an amazing girl from Bumble here. Everything about this restaurant was amazing from the wait staff to the food and the drinks. Right in downtown Freehold off the main road. Will be back, hopefully with my bumble date

This place is ridiculously OVERPRICED with very poor service. And, they have the audacity to ask for 25% tip on top of their HUGE Bill?? Yehh right!! Sorry, there are plenty of other places in NJ with better prices and service quality.

This is my 2nd time at this establishment.. with pretty much the same group of friends. It seems to be the only spot where you can dance to a DJ in the area without a cover.. When we came last time, we were in the VIP section.. had small plates on steady rotation (apps were really tasty), our drink orders were always being taken, and the music was really good! This was a few years ago. Fast forward to this past weekend.. I was excited to make a night of it since my last experience was pretty decent. It definitely fell short in all areas... We were actually sitting down to a dinner --about 4 couples in total. Marc was our server and while he was really cool with a great sense of humor.. I don't think he had any control over the taste of the food. What happened?? Pretty much everything was just ehhh.. we ordered a round of apps for the table.. lettuce wraps, potstickers, and filet mignon egg rolls.. I wasn't wowed by any of it. I still had high hopes for my main course.. tuna tartare nachos and short rib tacos with a side of fries.. the fries were the tastiest things I had all night. I didn't even finish my nachos.. the rib was DRY DRY DRY and tasteless with the cole slaw on top being cabbage--which added to the dryness. After dinner, we headed over to the dance floor... and the DJ was not good at all.. all over the place in genre..had an attitude when I asked for a special request (that he never played!) I tell you, the only good thing about my night is that the Sicilian Kiss martini was delicious.. I'm not sure we'll return.

We were in town for an event and the menu/pictures of this place looked great so we decided to pop in for a drink and lunch. There was something going on upstairs and very loud children screaming and having a meltdown. We were tempted to sit outside to avoid the noise but chose to sit at the bar instead. The drinks were very sweet (an old fashioned and a peach martini) and the service was pretty slow compared to what we are used to. We placed an order for an app and asked for water. The filet mignon spring roll was huge but sadly it was flavorless. There was no salt, no anything. The sauce drizzled on it was the only thing that saved it from being completely bland. Our waters had not arrived and our drinks were gone by this point. We decided not to order food here and just walk down the sidewalk to another place to see if we could do better. We usually sit at the bar for attentive service and that did not happen here! If food and drinks were better we could have overlooked the lack of care but it was all blah so we left. The look/decor was nice but that's about all I can say I liked here.

I've been here a few times for the past month for drinks and some small plates. My friends and I generally have a good time coming here. We enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, ambience and nice service. Although the restaurant patrons tend to be an older crowd, it's still a great place for drinks and happy hour. I was wavering between 3 and 4 stars because my gripe is that the food, while delicious, comes in tiny portions. Also the menu prices are pretty steep across the board. The cocktails and mixed drinks are pretty good here. Surprisingly, so is the sushi! I don't think I see any Asian behind the sushi bar, but it doesn't matter if it tastes really good. Each roll will be over $10 for the most part and small. The Ahi tuna nachos are a must get. For other food items, we've tried the BBQ brisket tacos, crispy calamari shrimp, and Grilled chicken Caprese salad and they were also good, just pricey. You get the theme here - nice ambience, good service, good drinks, good sushi, decent food, pricier than average, but good times. 3.5 stars

John the bartender is awesome , he makes the best drinks! Good vibes and service. Always a good place to grab a drink.

Great food drinks and service. Bartenders are super nice and accommodating. Overall great vibes and place!!

Came for the great location for outdoor music at the gazebo but food was mediocre and service was too. Wait person should have explained that our appy and entree basically had the same sauce, boring! And there was too much of it. Also salad had too much dressing. My husband had a steak sandwich ordered rare-med rare and it was way overdone. There just wasn't much we liked. The bread came with butter laced w maple syrup, not appealing. We won't be going there again. There are much better alternatives.

Nice place in Freehold for lunch.They have a great outdoor seating area in the front. We ordered the Spinach Artichoke Appetizer served with naan bread it was okay, I order the shaved steak sandwich which was great, my wife ordered the Chicken Milanese salad which was good just strange the chicken was on the bottom with the salad on top and my daughter requested a few changes to the Chicken Tacos and the kitchen was very accommodating and they came out just as requested. The prices are a little on the high side but worth it. I highly recommend this place and I will be back

Kerry was phenomenal, she was attentive and amazing!!! The food was awesome and delicious!!