We've lived in the area for many years and hadn't tried Caffe Navona until last night. We will definitely be returning, the food and wine were amazing! We thought without a reservation at 7p on a Friday we would probably have to wait awhile, when we arrived the parking lots (front and rear) were nearly full so we expected a wait. We were pleasantly surprised how many tables were still open both inside and on the patio. We only waited about 5 minutes to be seated. The filet mignon was perfectly cooked and seasoned and the sides were just as good! Pricing was very reasonable for the quantity and quality of food. We will definitely be returning. read more

Caffe Navona - Italian Near Me - Rockaway, New Jersey

My lobster roll was good, no butter though, but at least not overflowing with mayonnaise, just fresh lobster and plenty of it. The fries were sliced fingerling potatoes. My dining partner was happy with her calamari, that came in a plentiful portion. Service was fast on the beginning but we had to find the waiter to get our check. Asked in the beginning to split the bill, but waiter forgot ( I think out original waiter off shift) and we had to request it again. The slower service towards the end of the meal may be attributed to it being the middle of the afternoon, between shifts, and a slower period. My dining partner loves this place and had great things to say about the owner, and the support he provided front line workers during the pandemic. Ambiance is casual, with an extensive bar and seating. More parking in the back down the hill, in back of the restaurant. read more

I found the environment to be cozy and welcoming, the service to be commendable, and the draft beer to be tasty and refreshing. The food, however, was disappointing. The Brussels Sprout appetizer was adequate, though I have had much better; the bread was average; and the Zuppetta was "okay." But I had expected more than average and okay. Because of generous serving sizes, excellent service and a welcoming environment, I give an overall rating of 4 stars. read more

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Another Review from a poor man. This was a place I wanted to try for a long while. Finally went for my birthday. The food was good and the service was excellent. My only two gripes are that it is a bit pricier than I would have liked to have spent and the chicken parm was average, to me, for the money spent. Everyone else's dish was fantastic! read more

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Good food and fun bar. Nice place for friends to meet and hang out..I would recommend read more

I had my daughter's bridal shower lunch at Caffe Navona and not only was all the food delicious, but the staff, especially Jay, were very attentive and helpful! Allison was accommodating and patient with preparing for the event with me too. I am so thankful to Caffe Navona and would definitely recommend this restaurant!!! read more

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Appetizer was tasteless, entree very good, food took very long to cook, wait staff was not very attentive. Would not go back.

Can't say enough good things about this place. In an endless sea of dining mediocrity, this place shines like an oasis in a culinary desert. My husband and I have eaten here quite a lot now, and we are never disappointed. Everything is lovely, delicious, and high quality. There is such a staggering shortage of truly great places to eat around here, so we are truly grateful for this one. Will be back again and again. read more

Can't say enough about Caffe Navona after our recent shower at the restaurant. Food was delicious with compliments from everyone who attended. The service was so attentive and professional. Jay was unbelievable with the attention he paid to our guests and their needs. The owner, Marco, could not have have done any more to make the celebration just perfect. Highly recommend Caffe Navonna. read more

Had a wonderful dining experience and can't wait for my rehearsal dinner here! Stopped in the other day with my mom to try the food out. Was very pleased with the service and the food. The owner was a delight to speak to and his staff was very kind and attentive. They were able to make accommodation for me (dairy free) and provided recommendations. The table came with bread and a spread. It was fantastic! We ordered pappardelle bolognese - wow so good! The pasta tasted so fresh! You can tell it was house made. We also ordered a sandwich to split. We packed half of it up, as we were so full. The portions are huge. Very happy with this place and very excited for my rehearsal dinner in November, but I'll be back sooner for sure. My mother in law wants to try it with how highly we spoke about it! read more

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Great service and attention on customers I ask for a special dish off the menu and they made it right away great place to feel comfortable and have a lovely dinner with the family read more

Caffe Navona - Parpadelle carbonara - Italian Near Me - Rockaway, New Jersey

I felt the service and straightforward food I got at my first visit did not really hold up on a subsequent visit. My guest and I went in on a Thursday evening, and I gloriously basked in the live music and lively atmosphere. Although we were seated right away, we felt basically ignored after our drink orders arrived. It took our waiter multiple passes around the dining room to finally stop and take our order. A couple seated after us got their food before we did, and a different waiter stopped at our table with another table's entrees, which was frustrating since the food already was taking too long. As for the food itself, at least the portions remain generous. But the orecchiette was really just okay - not only undersalted, but plain. The lasagna I can recommend, on the other hand - the blend of cheeses comes across deliciously - and the bolognese sauce was meaty, although it was also starting to separate. Prices were in $20-30 range for each entree, which feels high vs. the sophistication of the food, but okay when considering that you'll have leftovers. read more

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Just had a fabulous lunch at Caffe Navona. Had a crispy Panko Salmon with a sweet Wassabi Dressing. I usually dine alone and the staff Could not be more caring. Alyson makes delicious Espresso Martini The Patio is the nicest around. Highly recommend read more

This place is absolutely awesome. We met some friends there. It was my first time it's their regular spot and I can see why it's very Italian very welcoming. I wouldn't say it's casual but you don't have to get super dressed up either. The food is absolutely outstanding and the service terrific. The owner came and did multiple table touches with us. I would imagine he would anyway, but our friends know him personally. I will come back here many times and try multiple dishes. The fillet was epic. read more

Great food, great atmosphere, and great entertainment. Easy to find right on route 46 and plenty of parking. The menu always has interesting choices, and specials. Thanks read more

Great place to visit. Great food , great service, great bartender, outstanding food. I've been there many times and will continue to do so. Love it!!!! read more

This was our first time here and had an excellent dining experience! We went on a Wed night it was not too crowded. We were seated quickly. We all enjoyed our meals. It was delicious! The tiramisu was the best I ever had! The ambience was very nice. There was someone playing guitar so we got to hear some music. I definitely recommend going here. read more

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What a nice surprise! Easy 5 star experience. Amazing service, vibe, food, music. Traveling for work can sometimes be difficult with finding a great place but, yelp never lets me down. I have literally no complaints and that is, rare. 5:30pm, seated immediately, drink orders taken immediately. A team of servers were all working together and you could tell they were well staffed. We were checked on constantly. Filling waters, drinks, very friendly, knowledgeable about the menu. They also had live music and it was very nice, not very loud, made for a great ambiance. The table was already set with bread and marinated tomatoes when we arrived. This was such a unique treat. It's become rare that restaurants even offer bread or a complimentary snack of sorts, and theirs is very good! The bread was soft and satisfying, leaving the star of the show to the delicious and perfectly marinated tomatoes. Olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper and herbs. Simple. Light. Refreshing. I was stuck between the Veal francese or the Marsala. One of the kind servers suggested the Francese and I'm glad he did! It was a wonderful dish. The sauce was perfectly seasoned and flavorful of wine and lemon, pasta was al dente, and the veal was so tender and perfectly prepared. The server gave us a heavy spoon full of some nice parm and a crack of fresh pepper. My colleague went for the pork tenderloin special over risotto. He said it was very good, and it looked great. The pork was fork tender. Would recommend, would return. The service really made the visit! We were in and out in about an hour, left perfectly full with leftover, price was reasonable for the quality served and it was all very good! read more

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I had party here. It was nice to have the outside. They handed out appetizers so quickly and it really didn't seem like much. I was told the next day people did not like the food. I was embarrassed. We were supposed to have pizza which I think they only brought out 2 and I guess they were cold by the time people started eating. There was a chicken which people were not sure if it was a fried wing? The pasta was fine nothing fantastic but I am just realizing they never brought out the bread. I was annoyed because there were a ton of dirty plates and glasses all over which I had to ask the waitress to come out and pick up. It looked ridiculous no body was cleaning up.I was told the person that was singing was going to come out and sing happy birthday but that never happened. There was nothing absolutely horrible that happened but honestly nothing special at all. It just seemed like they got the food that they needed to get out and they were done. I would definitely recommend not having a party here, I would go somewhere else. read more

Oh boy, so I'm from out of town...we'll call it Texas. Anyway I was snookered the first night here, went to a nice Italian restaurant that was BYOB...well I didn't have a B so couldn't really do the BYO....to wrap up the B. So I had pasta, desert, and ice water. Well....not to be tricked again, went to the Shop Rite, and got myself 4 bottles for car inventory! The nice ladies commented on my purchases, and upon explaining my planned next stop to the next BYOB I'd found...they said OH-NO honey you need to go yo Caffe Navona, they'll get you a bottle of wine and they're the best Italian around. So.....here I go, walked in to the nicest bar and bartender (Florida) first thing made sure I could get a bottle of wine and then the rest was awesome. Some sort of Caprese with a little different cheese and maybe better than the usual....spaghetti Bolognese (OMG) and a Limoncello desert. All around just GREAT!!! read more

Visited on a work trip, and had the bolognese. The homemade pasta and sauce made this dish incredible. Definitely made with love. The piano added a nice touch of elegance to the ambience. My only regret is not staying in town longer enabling be to enjoy the leftovers from the large delicious pasta. Will definitely be back if get a chance. read more

It's alright. Standard ambience and standard/good menu to choose from. Food is tasty and our waitress was a real sweetheart, so were the wait staff. Not a young/hip place. But they did have a jazz pianist play when we were there and it's not too far away, so I'd consider going again. Very generous portions. Like huge read more

Caffe Navona - Outside - Italian Near Me - Rockaway, New Jersey

I've never had a bad meal here. The Osso Bucco is beyond delicious. Warm friendly environment. Marco is the best host !

This review is long overdue. We found this place during Covid and have been frequenting this establishment ever since. The food is outstanding, but what really sets this place apart is the service. A lot of places claim "when you're here, you're family." But at Caffe Navona, this is real (all the way up to the owner, Marko). read more

This is by far the best Italian restaurant I have ever been too. We go alot and have never had a bad meal or experience, The staff is wonderful warm and friendly, We always sit in a booth in the bar and we love the look and feel of the place. Marco the owner is great and very friendly and goes out of his way to make things comfortable. this is a [lace everyone should try! read more

Went for a birthday was impressed with the ambience of the place nice homey atmosphere, great bar area and bartender. Wait staff seemed nice, had a nice choice of entrees to choose from appetizer of penne in vodka sauce was good as was the salad. The star of the day the entree was a big disappointment, I ordered the filet of sole and was very disappointed took one bite and that was all I ate of it. My opinion was that it wasn't fresh fish but a piece of frozen or old fish. I say that because it had a strong fishy taste and was not a delicate piece of sole. I know sole is a very mild tasting fish, a nice place like that should have fresh fish. Instant potatoes another no no. Say I'm picky but I no my food.b read more

Always amazing. Food and service are both consistently amazing. Highly recommend coming here.

OUTSTANDING ALL AROUND!!! From the minute you walk till the minute you leave, you are waited on. Best service I've ever had. Restaurant is very pretty inside. The bar is off to the right and the dining rooms to the left. There are some tables near the bar also. The appetizers were.... Spiedini, Calamari' and beef Carpaccio. All 3 were equally delicious. Dinners consisted of, Crab Cakes ( fantastic.. packed with crab meat ), pork chop Giambotta ( perfectly cooked... tender and flavorful). Chicken Milanese ( tender and delicious), orecchiette with sausage was excellent and the chicken spada verde was great. Not one complaint from anyone!! Empty plates were had!!! Desserts... Creme Brulé, Mouse Tyrolese and Lemoncello cake. Again, all equally delicious. Drinks and sangria was awesome!! * stupid weird side note: The prettiest bathrooms I have ever seen in a restaurant. Excellent.... Excellent... Highly recommend!! read more

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i was disappointed in the food. the salad was wilted the bread wasn't warm. we were in a back room with 4 tables near the side of the bar. the service wasn't great. it was a monday afternoon and the place was packed...we had reservations. read more

Food is 10/10. Service is amazing even though they do seem understaffed. Our server was very attentive even while running to all her other tables. the complimentary bruschetta they give you to start your meal is BOMB. outdoor eating area is so peaceful and the live acoustic music really took our Monday dinner out to the next level. Absolutely fantastic every time we come back. read more

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Visited here for the first time during a week night dinner with coworkers. Luckily we made reservations ahead of time as this place is very busy and very packed. So packed that the three various levels of parking were full. This part is discouraging. Service inside was welcoming and friendly while super patient but clearly the staff as well tenured and knows what they're doing. The menu is quite extensive and has a lot of classic traditional dishes as well as their take on some traditional dishes with their modern approach. Portions are very generous considering the pricing and are very shareable. Although things can be shared family style it is not a mandate. I am very happy that during this meal we had appetizers entrées desserts and sampled quite a few of the wines and cocktails. This place is very lively very loud and very happening which brings a lot of great energy. I will definitely come back. read more

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Ambiance was classy the server recommendation was spot on . The food was tasty and fresh. Great service Russel sprouts was great read more

Nice atmosphere. Good food as well. They have a nice rustic bar inside as well as a large dinning area. They give complimentary bread accompanied with bruschetta to start which is an excellent touch. For an app we did the eggplant fritters. It comes with spinach and peppers. AWESOME!!! Absolutely get this. For the entree, I got a Caesar salad with chicken, was okay. The chicken was quite bland. The dressing was good and gave a generous amount of Parmesan cheese. My guest got a lobster roll. He said it was great. No desert but the deserts sounded good. read more

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A group of us just dined here for the first time. We sat outside. where there was a piano player playing nice soothing music that was not too loud. Perfect ambiance. The owner came around multiple times to check on us, which made us feel important. Would definitely return. read more

I have a special love for Caffe Navona, the summer time outdoor seating is cute and reminds me of Italy, the live music is a nice touch and the food is always delicious. I highly recommend making a reservation here because it's always packed and the last time we came unannounced we were seated at the bar and it was a really bad experience. We know the restaurant was too busy to take us and they offered the bar as a last option so we took it but the bartender's foul mouth and all the chaos around us make our experience overwhelming and we regretted it especially since we were celebrating something special. That said, every other time I've been here has always been a 5/5 experience and I'd gladly come back. read more

My wife and I decided to celebrate our anniversary last night at Caffe Navona. It was the first time we've been there in quite a few years. Really not much has changed. It's still a nice, cozy restaurant with a piano player providing a romantic touch. Great ambiance! Equally important is the delicious food. From the bruschetta that's served when you sit, through the desserts, there are lots of great choices. We started off with the Eggplant Fritters appetizer. These balls of eggplant were delicious with a honey lemon sauce. For entrees, I chose Marco's Mother's Sunday Sauce and my wife had Chicken Milanese. My meal was delicious...meatball, sausage, and braciole over linguine with a fantastic sauce. For dessert, we went with the signature white chocolate mousse topped with raspberry chambord sauce. It was just how we remembered it from the last time we were here! The only issue at all was that my wife asked for onions to be left off her entree, yet there they were. Not too big a deal and she still enjoyed her meal. If you're in the Rockaway area and looking for a tasty Italian dinner, I definitely recommend Caffe Navona. Buon Appetito! read more

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Caffe Navonna is a very nice Italian restaurant in Rockaway, NJ. It was very busy on a Saturday night for six of us in early March, 2025. Live music, food, service and ambiance were very good (but a little noisy with people enjoying the experience) as others have reported. Unfortunately, our reservation for 7 pm was not on the list. Fortunately, the host/manager was able to fit us in at 7:45. It was less than ideal, but the food was well worth the wait. Starting with grilled (not fried) calamari (excellent) and fried zucchini flowers to various pasta, bolognese, and veal parmigiana entrees were very good. And a single slice of Italian cheesecake (enough for 6) was a nice finish to the evening. read more

Everything is just delicious! Service on spot! Very attentive and pleasing. The ambiance is warm and homey. Highly recommend Caffe Navona!

We've been going to Caffe NaVona since the summer of 2020. Most times we go when there is not only Caffe NaVona's fabulous food, but also music by friends, esp Grover and Cardon. We have tried many dishes from salads, sandwiches, pizza, to regular dinner menu mainstays and specials. Everything has always been outstanding, so when my husband asked me where I wanted to go for our 20th anniversary, this was the answer. That night we had blood orange manhattans to start, then the special arancini, he had the crab cakes, I had the seared tuna and we shared the key lime pie. Grover was playing, another friend showed up in time for coffee and dessert, and it couldn't have been a better celebration. read more

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Caffe Navona is a top Italian dining experience where you are treated as family. The ambiance, service, and of course, the food are exceptionable. It has the class of a fine Italian restaurant but is not pretentious or snobby. Moreover, it is friendly and warm. Marco and his team make this gem a memorable experience from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave. There are several good Italian restaurants in the area but this is the best! As for the food, my wife and I have never been disappointed. If I had to narrow it down, you cannot go wrong with the standards. With that said, the "Sunday Sauce" is amazing and so is the NY Strip Steak with Gorgonzola. There is a also a great wine list and the crafted cocktails from the bar are outstanding. Caffe Navona has it all! read more