After trying several times, I was able to get a lunch reservation off of the Notify list. This was my first time. I was impressed with the decor of the dining area. It had the feel of a Tuscan restaurant. The host, Oscar, is charming and attentive. After we were seated, our server, Enver, advised us to order all the food at once and he would figure out what to bring out as appetizers, and then after some time to digest, the main courses. This is what we ordered. Appetizers: Deep fried stuffed olives - very tasty Roasted peppers with ricotta - get this - amazing Meatballs with ricotta - delicious Main course: Tagliolini Al Forno - Very good but if we had to pick one thing to exclude out of all the things we ate, this would be it. Spicy Rigatoni - Not on the menu but knew about it through other reviews. It lives up to the hype. In addition to crushed red pepper there are minced hot peppers in the sauce. You can't come here and not get this. We shared everything and I recommend family style so you can taste as many things as possible. Another off menu item that people rave about is the eggplant parm but Enver said they only serve it for dinner. I will be back. PS - After our meal, we started chatting with Oscar and he pointed out that behind Anjelica's is a Squash and Swim Club. It has two indoor squash courts and indoor swimming pool that looks like something from the 19th century. Really cool and worth a look if you are there in the afternoon. read more

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I have to Rave about my dinner and service at Angelia's tonight. From appetizers to deserts we're exceptional. The service from their staff was amazing. Can't wait to get back again. read more

In town visiting relatives for the holidays. Brother in law had been hyping Anjelica's up for 2 months. It lived up to it. We were a party of 8. The only reservation we could get was for a Sunday at 4pm. The inside is small and they pack as many tables and chairs in as they can. If you're claustrophobic, you're not going to like it. As for the food: Stuff olives: A+ Meatballs; A Garlic bread: A+ Branzino: A+ Pasta with vodka sauce: A Sole: A Ragu: A- Stuffed lamb chops: A+ Tiramisu: A+ Waiter was friendly and accommodating. Overall great experience. Bring your own booze if you want to drink. read more

I've been waiting to try Anjelica's for a while and was so excited to give this spot a try! It is a charming BYOB spot and is a lot more packed than I thought! Dimly lit atmosphere with prompt and friendly service. This is a place to go where you should eat family style and try a bit of everything! We started off with the house chopped salad (a must get, it was excellent) and eggplant parm app, then got the famous spicy vodka sauce pasta and cacio e Pepe, chicken parm and then skirt steak. We ended with the cheesecake and tiramisu which was delicious! I think the eggplant parm app was my favorite, but you really can't go wrong with anything here. If I had to skip one dish, it would be the cacio e Pepe read more

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Where shall I start. Everything there was amazing. Food was outstanding ! We started out with 2 orders of the meatballs and ended up ordering another. They were delicious. We also had an order of the long hots. They were good. I had the pasta with ragu. Delicious. I do have to say the portions were just right. My husband had the lobster ravioli, which was also delicious. Pistachio ice cream for dessert. Service was on point. After every dish someone quickly came and took our plates. The ambiance was fine dining at its best. We would definitely go back and have the meatballs again!!! read more

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Food here is incredible. I see why it's so hard to get a reservation. Service is friendly, attentive, and fast. We sat outside in the fall and they set us up with blankets and heaters. It made for a cozy experience. We devoured our dishes. He particularly liked the meatballs and I liked the Sole and and the Anolini. We both thoroughly enjoyed the ricotta cheesecake. There were more items on the menu I'd like to come back for. Reservations definitely needed. The place was packed even on a Monday night. Food tips: it's all good! read more

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We decided to try Angelica's again in Sea Bright. It was wonderful! Such a fun vibe too- we enjoyed the ambience and had a nice time. The staff was top-notch notch taking amazing care of us throughout our meal. Also, they were great with food allergies- thx you!! ( shout out to Tyler!) Plus constantly checking on us- filling up our glasses, etc. ( great service all around) We had an array of things to try- apps, entrees, and desserts. We ordered a ton of stuff to try. Eggplant parm app Meatballs app Seafood app Two pastas ( spicy vodka and a bolognese) Chx milananse and chx parm with a side of pasta. Plus two desserts Everything was AMAZING and delicious. We all loved our meal and plan on coming back sometime soon. Reservations & BYOB. On a side note, the serving dishes were so pretty and beautiful! Enjoy! read more

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Delicious food. Attentive but not overbearing service. Party of 7. We were seated promptly at our reservation time. Appetizers were Meat and cheeses platter, octopus and beet, strawberry and cheese salad. All fresh and savory. Entrees were excellent. Double cut pork chop is actually triple cut. Very tender and tasty. Owners / managers are very present and on top of everything, not that they had to be since the staff is on the ball. Strongly recommend. read more

Anjelica's Restaurant - Double cut pork chop. - Italian Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Luck was with us on a beautiful Saturday in early October- scored a reservation at Anjelicas. We sat outside and enjoyed a leisurely and delicious meal. Service was good overall. Appetizers Eggplant parm Octopus over cannellini beans Second course Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe Entree Sole Meunière Dessert Ricotta/mascarpone cheesecake Another amazing dinner. Food is always fresh and on point. read more

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Very fine restaurant in all regards. Food was excellent, service was excellent & ambience was excellent! Couldn't ask for more! A must experience... read more

Reservation required one month ahead. I followed the process for a reservation for my birthday dinner. They finally call me back after trying to reach them for a week (left two voicemails and an email) and tell me they have nothing at the time I originally requested. The guy who finally called me back was so rude! Acted like I was some no body. So disrespectful! I will never give them any business. Terrible people!! read more

Excellent food. Excellent service. It is easy to see why it is hard to get in. We started with fried olives, long hots and meatballs. All good but meatballs were a bit dense. For dinner we shared the stuffed chicken. It was juicy, tender and full of flavor. We also had spaghetti with garlic and oil, it was ok. Not enough flavor. We will definitely go again. read more

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Well we finally got a reservation at Anjelica's and it was worth the wait! Absolutely loved the old school Italian ambiance in here. It's also BYOB and there's a liquor store right next store! We started with the meatballs and baked oysters - baked oysters were absolutely delicious! I had to get the spicy rigatoni and my boyfriend had the baked chicken - both amazing! We ended the night with the pistachio cake dessert. 10/10 experience! read more

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Very good food in an inviting atmosphere. In my opinion, the people who call it the best restaurant in NJ or who fight for reservations (very hard to come by) might be overselling it. But it's a good choice, and I would encourage people to try it if they can get a reservation read more

Anjelica's Restaurant - Chicken Parmesan and Spicy Orecchiette - Italian Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Undoubtedly the best meal I've had all year. Not only is the food truly incredible, but the service and ambiance of the beautiful outdoor patio made for a magical experience. The hype surrounding Anjelica's is a true sentiment to its excellence. Everything we ordered was a home run. The stand out dishes for me were the classics - the meatballs and the raviolis. Both tasted so incredibly fresh, and satisfying yet light. Just absolutely perfect. Honestly, no other meatball or ravioli I've ever had has even come close. Another must order is the spicy blush pasta. So flavorful, so creamy, so delicious. To finish the meal off? One of the best tiramisu you'll ever have, paired with a cappuccino. With so many winning dishes on the menu, you really can't go wrong with whatever you choose to order. The wait is well worth it if you can snag dinner reservations. The Jersey shore is lucky to have this gem of an Italian restaurant. read more

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4.5 stars. Great place for a great impression, the ambiance and the mood. The music could be a bit lower to make conversation more enjoyable. The food is exquisitely prepared and the service is impressive. Reservations are required and sometimes hard to make. Be flexible with them. Average cost pp is $75. Enjoy yourselves and dine here. Probably better to go in Spring/Autumn. It's hectic in the summer. As per the food? Superbly done. Explain what I had? , not important. If you're a foodie, just order!!! read more

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Drove just under an hour to get here and it was well worth the drive! A lot of Italian restaurants have spicy rigatoni. But Angelica's spicy rig separates itself. Perfectly spicy, not too much, not too little. The chicken cutlet was also incredibly flavorful. As for the beans, I never thought I would enjoy beans of all foods at a restaurant, but it was amazing! All in all this was one of the best meals I have had in a while. The ambiance was also very nice. Dimly lit. Great spot for a date night or a catchup with friends. read more

Anjelica's Restaurant - Spicy Rigatoni with Chicken Cutlet - Italian Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

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Best Italian food in NJ! The pasta is homemade and cooked to al dente perfection! Wonderful blend of flavors and authentic pasta dishes. They had a chicken special of the day which was tender, juicy and bursting with flavor (some kind of butterflied chicken with spinach rolled in). Even the Caesar salad was somehow elevated! We ordered a classic tiramisu and some kind of chocolate cake with olive oil ice cream for dessert, and both were delicious and light! It's over an hour from me but definitely will be returning! Edit: I forgot to mention, the service was top notch! read more

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Not worth the ridiculous antics required to get a reservation. Good food, but......we're in the NY tri-state area - authentic and delicious Italian restaurants with incredible ambiance aren't hard to come by. Won't be back. read more

All of the amazing things you've heard about Anjelica's is true and I confidently say this is the best Italian food in NJ. We dined here for the first time last night and are already planning our next visit. We sat outside under the heat lamps and it made for a cozy and charming ambience. The service was also wonderful, they couldn't have been more kind and attentive and the pace of the courses was perfect. Now on to the true star of the show, the food. You can't go wrong with anything on this menu, our group decided to dine family style so we could sample as much as possible and nothing disappointed. The straciatella soup on special was incredible, the texture of the spinach eggs and noodles combined with the flavor of the sharp parmigiano was perfect and the serving was huge. The meatballs are also a must, the best I've ever had from the texture to the flavor and even the marinara sauce. A MUST order was the Tagliolini, the bechamel sauce was so rich and creamy and like all of the dishes, the pasta was perfectly cooked. But what really showed the range of this menu was the Caesar salad, they took something so simple and typically average and elevated it. For entrees we shared the Pollo Milanese, Orechiette, Ravioli and the Artichoke Hearts. These were all incredible, the chicken cutlets were thin, juicy and so flavorful, all of the pasta was perfectly al dente, the ricotta filling on the raviolis was so creamy yet light at the same time, and the spicy blush sauce on the orechiette had the same qualities. We ended the meal with the tiramisu and it was the best I've ever had, the perfect balance of espresso, the lady fingers were soft but not soggy, and the cream was light and delicious. Set your alarms and make your reservations because this experience is not one to miss. read more

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My first time coming and SO worth the hype. Amazing service, happy caring staff. All pastas were cooked perfectly. Beautiful menu and amazing tiramisu for dessert to celebrate my friend's birthday. Can't wait to come back read more

Anjelica's Restaurant - Spicy rigatoni, chips and butternut squash ravioli - Italian Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

This restaurant makes me happy. My friend raved about this place and I can see why. I drove an hour to get here. The head chef, Angelica, can be seen in the kitchen cooking. She runs that kitchen like a machine. I've never had a spicy vodka sauce like this one. The ricotta stuffed in the fresh ravioli tasted so fresh. Lastly, I HATE mushrooms, but I LOVED this ravioli. When I think I mushrooms, I typically think of dirt, but for these I thought of fresh herbs when I took a bite. read more

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You know when a place is hyped up so much and then you go to the place and it doesn't live up to the hype?? Yeah you're not going to find that here at this restaurant! Anjelicas lived up to the hype and then some. The food was absolutely amazing. Hands down the best spicy rigatoni and the best chicken cutlet Parm I have ever had. The ambience was adorable. We sat in the little alleyway off to the side, and it was absolutely beautiful. It was expected to be slightly chilly this day they provided blankets on the back of our chairs as well as heating lamps. The service was so on point...there are constant waiters walking around, replenishing your drinks, pouring your wine, taking away dirty plates and getting you whatever it is that you need. I cannot wait to go back to this establishment. I absolutely loved it! read more

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Nice place 4 stars all around Definitely not 5 stars. Sorry. Eggplant parm appetizer underwhelming. Great service BYOB they brought us ice, lemons and limes, a great glasses for our vodka!!! Nice touch read more

One of the best italian restaurants in NJ! Been coming here for years and the food is always solid and you have to get the napoleon for dessert. Will definitely be back soon! read more

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I don't know what the hype is for Anjelica's? Came last night had 8 pm reservations waited outside in cold 30 minutes. You can't wait inside because there's no room to stand except outside ridiculous! You can only get a reservation if you tip $50 and that still doesn't work! Years ago you could call and get a reservation Now it's only online, what happened to personal service, hospitality? I ordered special stuffed veal chop $75 was looking forward to eating it and it looked like a ribeye steak terrible quality, tough couldn't eat it. $76 for pork chops ? Pasta Garlic and oil $34 way over price I could make garlic and oil pasta at home! Ravioli and Chicken Milanese where am I in a pizzeria? This place is stuffy, Way over Rated and overpriced,you have to. BE a regular to even be treated nice Oscar won't even look at you! There's so many Italian restaurants with accommodations to wait if your table isn't available at the bar or a waiting area, and better or just as good food to be treated like this. I was so disappointed and been coming here for 10 years! Won't be back! Oh yeah and such bull shit you have to put in your apps and entrees at the same time wake up Covid is over! All restaurants now ,I order apps ,then a 2nd course Pasta ,then Main course, etc ! read more

First off the restaurant was beautiful and the service was amazing. The food was absolutely delicious. My only issue was the portion sizes were small for the price of the meals. read more

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First time and did not disappoint! Hard to get a reservation but worth it! It's also Byob! Place is great and service was excellent, would definitely go back. Food was delicious. Situated on across from the beach on a great strip. We sat outside. read more

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WOW! My wife and I have been in the restaurant business for 50+ years. We don't write reviews but our visit last night was so impressive I feel compelled to share the experience the 4 of us had last night. From the moment we walked through the door for a 4PM seating the visit was AMAZING from the host to the manager Oscar and the owner Angelica. There attention to the details was a PLEASURE and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment with fabulous Food, Service & Ambiance - BRAVO read more

Food was very good. Service was great. Wish there were more choices for entrees. Went at 4 in the afternoon. Difficult getting reservations at normal dinner hours read more

The king of NJ. No Resteraunt in NJ can touch this place. A close second is Belmont Tavern. Feels like your in your neopolitan grandmothers house when you step foot into the place and the food follows suite. Every dish is exactly as expected And they will make any traditional classic off menu item as requested Prestine service, beautifully decorated. A NJ classic read more

Food and service always consistently excellent, also BYO! The menu is pretty standard but the do have specials!

Everything we had was delicious. The olive oil cake was one of the best I've ever had. We ate outside in the alley and it was really romantic and cozy. The server was great. BYOB. read more

If I could afford to come here every weekend, I would, probably the best Italian food in Monmouth County. The penne vodka is just spicy enough if you like spicy, the veal chop is to die for and of course, olive oil cake for dessert. read more

Anjelica's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

I came here on a Saturday for lunch with a reservation and it was very busy. There is a big parking lot right across from the restaurant. I got the spicy vodka orecchiette and it tastes just like Carbone's. It was $28 for this dish. Definitely recommend. read more

Anjelica's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Reservations needed, this byob speakeasy restaurant impressed me. Wait staff was attentive and our waiter had a great personality. Operations run very smoothly and the large window that shows the kitchen gives you a sneak peek of the action. Started off the night with ordering the lamb chops chef's special appetizer with Barbabietole, their beet salad. The presentation of the meals allows you to admire the plate but it doesn't compare to the flavors that you will experience eating at Anjelica. My main entree were the lemon pasta (agnolotti al limon) and the veal scallopini (saltimboca alla romana) and cannot rave about how delicious the meal was. A restaurant that their main entree is as delicious as their appetizers. Nothing was left on the plates. Finished the evening with their pistachio cake. I am absolutely returning to Anjelica's. read more

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We dined here the other night after waiting quite awhile to get a reservation but it was well worth the wait! Everything and I mean everything was delicious and top notch. Their Chicken Parm was one of the best we ever had, appetizers were on point and the service was spectacular. We. loved the spicy rigatoni one of the best ever, cant wait to go back even if it takes another few months! read more

Since my last review I've returned three times. I really consider this the best Italian restaurant in New Jersey. I was able to enjoy veal parm, the spicy vodka, lamb, meatballs, octopus and several other dishes. Everything stood out. I find the meatballs here to be perfection. Nobody comes close. The service is phenomenal every time! We have had date nights and family meals and the food here makes each time special. I can't say how wonderful it is to have such beautiful food so close by. 100/10 always recommended. read more

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Wow! Starting with the welcome, to the ambiance of the outdoor seating area, the attentiveness of our server and finally the food it was truly a 5 star experience. The food was fresh, loaded with flavor and delicious. Will certainly be returning in the future. Celebrated 35th wedding anniversary. read more

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I've been to Anjelica's twice in the last week. And both times were absolutely worth it! It's not overhyped at all. The servers and hosts are all very friendly and welcoming and attentive. The first time there, we had the octopus special and baked oysters for apps, the rigatoni with lobster (lots of lobster too), and the lamb special. The second time, I dined solo and got the mussels special and the Jersey corn pasta special. Not one dish was bad, and in fact really impressed me and my taste buds. My favorite so far has been the octopus over sun choke special and the lobster rigatoni. I could eat those two dishes every week! The ambiance is warm, inviting, and transports you to an authentic classy spot in Italy. The outdoor dining area in the side alley is very charming and great on a cool summer evening. It's the perfect spot after a nice beach day across the street! Hope to be back as much as I can this summer when down the shore! read more

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