A Michelin-pedigreed chef, a dry-aged porterhouse, a Surf & Turf roll, and a country club that actually wants you to show up. North Jersey’s most interesting new restaurant just landed in Ramsey.
Rara Avis. It’s the motto of the Ramsey Golf & Country Club, Latin for something rare and extraordinary, and it’s where the name Rare Bird comes from. It also doubles as a steak joke—which tells you something about the team’s sense of humor. They’re not taking themselves too seriously. The food, though, is another story.
Rare Bird is an Italian steakhouse with a sushi program inside a country club that’s open to the public. Write that pitch down and show it to someone. Watch their face. Then tell them the same team runs Allendale Social, Uno Mas, and Charlie’s Place in Waldwick, and that Michelin-experienced Executive Chef Joey Sergentakis is in the kitchen, and watch their face change again. Owner Daniel Grey and Sergentakis are swinging harder here than anything they’ve done before—and the menu backs it up.
Six days a week, closed Mondays. Lunch from 11:30 am to 3 pm, dinner from 5 pm until 10 pm. Outdoors if the weather cooperates, indoors if it doesn’t. Thursdays, there’s live music from 7 to 10 pm, which is the kind of detail that turns a dinner reservation into an actual night out.
Chef Sergentakis’ Menu
Start with the Caprese Arancini—tomato fondue, pesto, pecorino—which is the kind of opener that makes you slow down and recalibrate what you thought Rare Bird was going to be. The Mozzarella Fritta with Calabrian chili honey is close behind it. Braised Beef and Veal Meatballs over parmesan polenta with tomato conserva and whipped ricotta is the dish that earns its spot on every table without asking. Dixon Point Oysters from Canada, Maryland Crab Cake with chipotle aioli and jicama-citrus slaw, Tuna Tartare with lemon-basil marinated cucumbers and crème fraîche—the appetizer section alone makes a case for ordering in rounds and skipping the mains entirely. But don’t do that.
The pasta program is where the Italian half of this concept justifies itself. Spicy Vodka Rigatoni with guanciale and Calabrian chili vodka sauce is the comfort dish the menu needed. Lobster Fra Diavolo—butter-poached lobster, linguini, spicy tomato sauce—is the one you’re going to text someone about. Little Neck Clam Risotto with creamy corn puree, white wine, and clam broth is quieter than everything around it and somehow the most impressive thing on the page.
Then the steaks. Bergen County is no stranger to iconic chophouses. Brandt Beef Ribeye at 15oz, Allen Brothers Skirt Steak, an 8oz Filet Mignon, a 12oz Upper Iowa Farm Striploin, and a 32oz Dry Aged Porterhouse for two—the kind of list that takes the Italian steakhouse half of this concept that means business. That’s all you need to know.
The Sushi
Tuesday through Saturday, starting at 5 pm, the sushi menu comes online, and the restaurant becomes something else entirely. Signature rolls include the Surf & Turf—seared beef, shrimp tempura, crispy shallots, black garlic soy glaze—which reads like a dare and delivers. Hamachi Jalapeño with shiso and ponzu pearls. Miso Philly Roll with yuzu miso, tobiko, and crispy taro root. Spicy Tuna Crunch. Twin Fin. Nigiri and sashimi running tuna, yellowtail, salmon, eel, and octopus at $9 for two pieces. The sushi program doesn’t feel bolted on. It feels like it belongs, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.
Brunch and the Bar
Weekend brunch brings Lobster Benedict and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes alongside the lunch menu, with Bloody Marys, Mimosas, a Hugo Mimosa, and a Watermelon Basil Spritz rounding out the beverage side. It’s a brunch that earns the drive from wherever you’re coming from.
“Rare Bird is about more than just incredible food—it’s about creating an atmosphere where every guest feels like they belong,” explains Daniel Grey, Owner. “We’re building a place where people will come to celebrate, connect, and be inspired by the culinary experience.”
“My menu philosophy is rooted in respect for both tradition and innovation,” says Chef Joey Sergentakis. “From a perfectly grilled ribeye to delicate nigiri, every dish will be prepared with the same precision, artistry, and passion. Guests can expect the familiar comforts of an Italian steakhouse, elevated with fresh perspectives.”
“This is a project that reflects the very best of what hospitality can be,” says Michael Treible, General Manager. “We’re building a place where people will come to celebrate, connect, and be inspired by the culinary experience.”
Country club dining has a reputation for playing it safe. Rare Bird isn’t doing that, and we’re here for it. Rare Bird is open Tuesday through Sunday at the Ramsey Golf & Country Club. Visit rarebirdnj.com for reservations.
Tom is a lifelong New Jersey resident, Rutgers and FDU alumni and the publisher of The Digest.
