There are a few reasons why Concourse Club in Wood-Ridge, NJ, is a place to visit this summer. For one, you’ll feel like a VIP from the moment you check in for your reservation. The literal first steps include taking the Element by Westin’s elevator up to the rooftop — where you’ll walk into an upscale bar that looks like a fancier version of an airport members-only lounge. Yes, really. Concourse Club, located close to the Teterboro Airport at 379 NJ-17, has views of the NYC skyline from its outdoor patio where you can also watch the sunset, and we’re here to tell you all about it. Read on to learn more about the Concourse Club’s rooftop bar in Wood-Ridge, NJ.
About the Concourse Club
Concourse Club opened in August 2021 on the rooftop of Marriott’s Element by Westin New York’s Wood-Ridge hotel, which opened a few months prior, and was built by designer John M. Sofio of Built, Inc.
Brad Honigfeld, CEO of Briad Management Services, Inc., said at the time in a press release: “The Concourse Club will offer a drinking and dining experience unlike anything else in the area. Imagined as a VIP lounge set overlooking Teteboro’s private jet runways, the energy of the room is accelerated by the stylized 1950s architecture and design of the venue.” After our visit, we can confirm: mission accomplished.
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The 8,000-square-foot space has plenty of leather couches that give off a 50s vibe, retro décor, a few built-in fireplaces, brass lighting, and cozy small tables for a date and large seating spaces for a group of friends. There are multiple sections, including a separate space outdoors for any guests wanting to take in the views of the city or the private jets that take off and land at Teterboro Airport.
(Photo credit: Concourse Club’s Facebook)
A year after launching, Concourse Club was voted 2022’s No. 1 Best Rooftop Bar in New Jersey by NJ Digest, which stated it was “one of the best things to happen to Route 17 since The Sopranos.” That’s a big claim, but we’re listening.
The Montclair Girl spoke to manager Cara O’Rourke while experiencing the one-of-a-kind bar. She shared that noteworthy reality stars like Buddy Valastro and a few of the Housewives have all come to Concourse — and Melissa Gorga has actually been there a few times, we’re told. Not to mention, Elton John stayed at the hotel. Okay, now we’re definitely listening.
The Concourse Experience
What makes Concourse different is that it has a variety of people stepping through its doors. Cara shares that there is everyone from 21 years old — all guests must be 21 and older after 7PM — to people in their 60s and 70s. Guests come from all over Bergen and Hudson County and also from New York City.
“Everyone who comes here feels like a VIP,” Cara said. “It’s a fun and exciting vibe. We get pretty ‘popping’ on Fridays and Saturdays, but we have a DJ starting at 8 PM Thursdays through Sundays. Usually, everybody’s dancing and drinking, so it’s a good time.”
Going along with the social aspect of the restaurant, the plates are meant to be small and family-style shareables. “It’s not a traditional sit-down, entrée, appetizer, dessert kind of vibe. It’s meant to be like a family style. Everybody’s sharing and talking,” Cara shared with MG.
(Photo credit: Concourse Club’s Facebook)
On the menu is a charcuterie board, crispy smoked calamari, fish tacos, wild mushroom tostadas, and grilled chicken sliders, among other items (look out for the banana split dessert, “I Dare You” — it’s a must). The manager weighed in on Concourse’s popular plates, explaining, “I would say our most popular menu item would be the chicken arepas. They’re fantastic. Our beef sliders are really good. We have housemade pickles and housemade cola braised onions, which are delicious. Our Tomahawk steak is a best seller too.”
As far as drinks go, there is just about every kind of drink you can think of including a variety of beers, hard liquor, wines, and seltzers. The cocktail menu changes seasonally, about every four to five months. Right now there are spring cocktails and “nice springtime refreshing spritzers.” The Sedona Sunset is a popular one, Cara mentioned. It’s made of Fords Gin, lemon, triple sec, elderflower, and lavender. There is also one called Redeye — derived straight from the airport — which is made with reposado tequila, Averna, cold brew, and banana oleo.
A Social Vibe
Concourse Club is meant to be a social scene. There are all kinds of groups and parties — from a couple on a date to someone celebrating their birthday or bachelorette party, and friends just wanting a fun night out. Anyone can walk in at any given time during operating hours, however, on the weekends it is reservation-based because it gets really busy.
(Photo credit: Concourse Club’s Facebook)
The operating hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 5PM to 11PM, Friday and Saturday from 5PM to 1AM, and Sunday from 11AM for brunch until 6PM. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
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The manager shared with MG that the one aspect of the restaurant that particularly makes Concourse stand out from other restaurants is the friendliness of the staff.
(Photo credit: Concourse Club’s Facebook)
As Cara explained to MG, “The thing that I think makes it most special is our staff. We have a group of incredible people here and everybody’s goal is to make everybody feel welcome and we want everybody to feel as comfortable and as part of our family as we feel with each other. We try to make sure everyone’s having a good time…just having that good staff attitude and mentality is really what sells us — having just a welcoming group of people.”
For more information, visit concourseclubnj.com.
