I love italian food and I have eaten plenty of it but I must say that this cute little place in an little Jersey town had the best vodka sauce I've ever had, period. I had it with stuffed shells and also in a mushroom ravioli special. I'm actually embarrassed at how much I thought about the stuffed shells today. Additionally their chicken parmesan was amazing. I'm not even a huge chicken parmesan fan but was able to share a friend's and it was outstanding. The staff is incredibly friendly and the prices are great. It's byob so we were able to have some great wine from home and save money on that as well. I was really impressed! read more

Dante's Place is a Leonia landmark. I have been going long before the expansion several years ago. Although other local italian restaurants are excellent in their own right (i.e., Franco's, Vincent's, and Luka's), Dante's offers up the best traditional Italian food. I have never been disappointed with anything on the regular menu, but the specials at Dante's are what keeps me coming back! During one visit, I had ordered a special and was informed that they had just ran out of it. The owner suggested that I try one of the lobsters in a special sauce. Although I was disappointed that they did not have the special I ordered, what was to follow was one of the best dishes that I have ever had (at Dante's or anywhere else). The lobster was perfectly cooked and prepared, but the sauce that it was cooked in was amazing. Dante could quit the restaurant business and just bottle and sell that sauce! Overall, Dante's Place offeres a menu that is traditional but versatile. The atmosphere is both welcoming and cosy, perfect for large groups or dates. The service is excellent and very knowledgeable. I cannot think of anything that would make Dante's a more enjoyable experience, except, of course, of adding that lobster dish to the menu! read more

Very nice old time charm from Dante and his beautiful family! Excellent service from the minute you walk in. Love this restaurant, Everything is delicious!! read more

Nothing is worse than mediocre food and outrageous prices. Dante's has one of the most expensive pies in the area (at over $14) while serving other Italian American fare that is just average (calamari were undercooked, lasagna cold and bland, and bread stale and flavorless). Moreover, if you order just a pizza and choose to sit be prepared to pay a sitting fee (as it was explained to us the tables are really for folks who order more than just pizza). We won't be attending this mediocre pizza joint any time soon. Head to Vincent's in Cliffside Park for better food and much better prices. read more

Very warm atmosphere and customer service. I used to "pick up" during my lunch break here. Crazy about their cheese tortellini pasta with alfredo ! read more

When we arrived, based on how nice the place looked, I expected we were going to have a wonderful meal. Well, unfortunately it was just so-so. I had lasagna which is my standard barometer for this class of Italian restaurant. It was a nice sized portion and looked good on the plate, but alas it was cold inside. The small garlic rolls they served in the bread basket were nice, but the Italian bread was uninspiring, as was the salad. Of note, this place does not have bar, so it is a bring your own bottle place. The others in our party said that their dishes were "ok", but nobody was bowled over. read more

LOVE this place. Food is always fresh, and the staff is very helpful and friendly. My go to meal is the chicken parm. The bread is soft and delicious, and the portions are big. read more

Attended a birthday party here. Was very impressed that the place accommodated almost 80 people comfortably. The food, from beginning to end was fantastic. The bread was freshly baked, the table salads were seasoned perfectly, and then methodially, course after course, the courteous staff brought out delicious dish after dish. Because our party was a catered affair, we were able to taste the calamari, egg plant parm, chicken marsala, penne vodka, and mixed veggies. I would definitely recommend this place for a family dinner or to celebrate a family event. read more

This restaurant defines great traditional Italian food!! Dante and Elena (the owners) are extremely hospitable to all their guests and make you feel welcome. Anything from appetizers (bruschetta, calamari, fresh Mozzarella) to entrees (specifically recommend the seafood, fresh and out of this world!) are great. And if you don't want to dine in you can always get great take out! Their pizza pies are great for a cozy Sunday night on the couch. Overall this is an amazing Italian gem in Bergen county for all types of occasions. read more

Excellent Comfort food, ample portions, and they make you feel at home...what could be bad? There may be other places that have more gourmet food but that is not the point. The overall experience makes you want to come back and back....bring a bottle, it's BYO....had the Veal Milanese, now that was excellent....go, great casual place ,enjoy read more

We love Dante's ... always have since moving to Leonia 13 years ago. Dante and Elena are great people and the food is always consistent and delicious with plenty to choose from: seafood, pasta, veal and chicken dishes and other Italian staples... and one of the best pizzas in the area. I've heard people complain about the price (as some have done here), but there's no pleasing some people. No liquor licenses in Leonia. Do the math and bring your favorite wine or beer... you'll come out ahead! read more

Food 3.5 Service 3.5 Ambiance 3 O/all 3 Solid local joint if you dont feel like going far. Owner and staff super friendly and feels like a place "where everyone knows your name." Food is decent and prices are reasonable. You can tell the crowd is full of long-time residents of the area. read more

Love the food here! A bit pricey for no frills Italian buy I am willing to spend it. Love the penne vodka and fresh raviolis.

I highly recommend the Stuffed Mushroom appetizer, followed by the Seafood Combination platter. You will be provided with a good assortment of bread/rolls, and the brightest freshest salad you will have in a long long time! In the past I've ordered eggplant parmigiana which was sort of bland. This time around everything was extremely fresh and delicious! I love that you can bring your own wine too! read more

Great service! Good food! Wait staff was friendly and attentive. Ordered the lobster ravioli, which was delicious. BYOB. Would go back again. read more

I love this restaurant, my son really loves the pasta. They are so friendly and not over priced. it is BYOB... So, make sure you pick up your wine before you go. read more

A family-run Italian restaurant. The food is good and everyone from the waitstaff to the owner wants to make sure you enjoy your meal. A salad comes with most entrees. One of my favorites is the chicken scallopini . Just the right amount of lemon and capers. The owner's wife makes the tiramisu. It's one of the best I've tasted. read more

Friendly service, and good pizza! I am a HUGE fan of their veggie pizza. A somewhat healthier alternative, it is topped with a generous amount of various greens such as broccoli, cauliflower, etc. It tastes really clean and not too greasy. The cheese melts in your mouth, and the dough isn't too thick or too tough, just the way I like it. read more

My family has been frequenting this small local Italian place for the past 5 years. Quintessential small-town Jersey Italian place. While it's not a fine dining place, Dante's serves excellent pasta and pizza at a very reasonable price. Their veal dishes are always good, and it's my go-to pizza place whenever I'm in the area. read more

Dante's Place is an institution in the town of Leonia. Consistently excellent Italian food and great service. For many years it's been a favorite place for locals to bring family or meet friends for a fun and enjoyable evening. read more

Excellent food. The staff is extremely helpful and nice. Dante and his wife Elena are great hosts. Don't miss this little gem of an Italian eatery in Leonia. read more

The food is decent and the service is good but it can be a bit pricey and there are just better options in other towns in Bergen County. However, in general, the place is decent and the food is good. My favorite dish is probably the raviolis, however, the veal and chicken parm were pretty standard and at times soggy. In the end however, Dante's Place is good if you're just looking for a simple Italian restaurant. read more

Went for lunch with a group of 14 from work and it was excellent. Everyone enjoyed the meal (I had meat lasagna), and the service was equally good. Check it out. read more

this is a place to visit.... excellent service and the meal is unique. i've been there several times and i'm always willing to go back... one of my favorite dishes """stuffed chicken'''...they already know me because i asked for it most of the time.. you can go with a couple, family or friends...its just perfect read more

Amazing experience! Absolutely delicious food with great service. Will definitely return soon.

The food is amazing, great service, good location. I went to this restaurant on Christmas day and it was the best decision I made!

This BYOB is Clean, friendly, and the food is Consistently on point. The owner, Dante, treats you like family. I want to tell the guy my problems, but I don't. read more

I come to New Jersey/New York to visit my cousins once a year and this place is right down the street. I love this place! I usually come here almost everyday when I visit them. The prices are decent and the pizza is good. The cook looks like the hunchback of notre dam! read more

This is a great BYOB Italian restaurant with great food!! The prices are very reasonable and the owner is super nice. Service was very good.

This restaurant is great. The food is phenomenal and the staff is super friendly. I would recommend this restaurant to any of my friends. It's a BYOB so you can bring your own wine and liquor. read more

Love this place. So many good things to choose from. Love the atmosphere and the staff. Could never get tired of this place. We keep coming back for more. read more

I thought I'd give this place a try based on the reviews and it was one of the most horrific dining experience I've ever had in my life!! First we ordered the ceasar salad and the fried calamari around 6:10 pm tonight and the food came pretty quickly. The appetizers were ok nothing more than mediocre. We ordered Linguine with white clam sauce and the seafood combo entree at appx 6: 15 pm. Then we waited and waited and waited. Finally; at 7:00pm we were told the entrees were coming out in about two minutes. But instead of the linguini side dish I ordered, they told me to take the spaghetti because I would have to wait much longer for the linguini. So I said ok to the spaghetti side dish . The entrees came out at 7:20 pm. The linguine with clams was really salty and the clams extremely rubbery, as if the clams were heated to death!!! The seafood combo was disgusting and rancid. I bit into one scallop and almost vomited instantly. The Scallop reeked of the smell of ammonia and it was slimy. I spit out the scallop and called the waiter. I asked him to smell it. He looked annoyed and didn't say anything, and brought it back to the kitchen. My sister then approached the counter and asked the owner to come to our table. I asked him to smell the scallops and told him the dish was spoiled. He apologized for making us wait too long for our food, but told me the scallops tasted bad because they weren't cooked enough. A few minutes later the waiter came back with the same plate of food with the same foul smelling scallops; but only cooked a little bit more. At that point I asked for the check and the owner offered to make me something else. I refused because we couldn't bare waiting another hour and also were afraid they might poison us with additional spoiled food. The owner then told us not to pay; which was the right thing to do; since the whole experience resulted in a great deal of stress and disappointment. read more

Great neighborhood restaurant with awesome food and service. Not a lot of food selections but anything you get will not be disappointed. We had octopus for appetizer and for entrees veal ravioli and monk fish pasta. All were perfectly seasoned. We even had leftovers as they give you big portions. Definitely will return. read more

Undoubtedly a good Leonia staple where everyone knows everyone. However, I think this place is somewhat overrated and people are disillusioned by the familiar atmosphere and local appeal to not realize that the food is just OK. The service is pretty slow, but it's a great feeling to be able to recognize everyone and have a chat. A lot of times we have waited for a long time to order entrees or get some more bread, but I think that conversational approach to service is just the way this Italian place (and many others) work. Onto the food... The entrées are pretty pricey considering how mediocre they are. Yes, the portions are quiet large which is nice for leftovers but it's just nervy to charge upwards of 17 bucks for chicken lathered in the same ole' sauce. The same red sauce for everything! And it's nothing to write home about. Same with the lemon sauces--not much differentiation. Their specials are quite good (try the lamb chop special whenever possible!) but sometimes it's a hit or a miss. The bread is pretty good, I usually stick to the delectable garlic knots. They are so so so good. Probably the best part of the meal. I also like that the entrées come with a salad to start. Fairly classic generic house-italian style salad with onions, carrots, and tomatoes. The vinaigrette is quite sour, too much for some, but I like the bite. Great to dip the garlic knots in!! My other gripe with the food is the sides. You can get any time of side pasta with sauce OR some kind of vegetable (usually some yummy al dente green beans) at request. I like having veggies and pasta. Overall, good local atmosphere but don't expect to be wowed by the food. read more

I've been coming here for years and there's a reason why Dante's keeps expanding, the experience is truly amazing and authentic; it's everything you would expect from a local Italian restaurant in New Jersey. Dante and his lovely wife Alaina make you feel at home and the food is amazing! It's a great family establishment and a jem of Leonia.We usually get the penne vodka with chicken, or the veal picante, amazing choices. If your looking for great local Italian food with amazing service Dantes is THE place! Period. read more

This is the place that keeps you coming back for years. The owners Dante and Elena as well as the wait staff are Great! If you choose one of the items off the menu or one of Dante's Specials you cannot go wrong. I recommend the Grilled Calamari ! This place is great for lunch, dinner or that special party. ( they have the room to accommodate ) Let them cater your next event, I had them cater a party of 200, and all 200 people were beyond satisfied and most have become customers themselves. read more

So my family and I went to Dante's for Christmas eve dinner tonight. The food and decorations were lovely. However we were extremely put off because Dantes wife told us in a very rude manner that we had to leave by ten to seven because they had another seating. Towards the end of the night we noticed they did start to rush us, when we were just trying to enjoy dinner with our family. Even though the food was good I will most likely never go there again. read more

This restaurant is a total joke, the owner and his wife are complete assholes who treat there customers like shit and both of them don't have the slightest idea how to run a business. I have eaten in twice and have ordered out once, all three encounters have resulted with a problem. My wife and I order very simple meals and they mess them up every time, then when we send it back or complain about it they give you major attitude. I highly recommend that you skip dantes and try other places in the area. read more

Great eats here! Out of town from from VA and eating at a place like this makes me wish I lived up north again. Be sure you bring your favorite spirits, because I did. But I walked 1 block and found a bottle of Chianti to share with my wife. read more

This is the best byob place in bergen county, great food great people great service, the staff is top notch,,and the owners,also top notch,just great all around, you will not be disappointed, read more