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    Il Nido

    4.4 (268 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndDesserts, Italian

    Il Nido Photos

    IL NIDO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Il Nido

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    Cavatelli lobster and mussels
    Yaz S.

    I'm so sad to have to downgrade my rating. Il Nido was actually my favorite restaurant in central jersey between the incredible food, atmosphere, and welcoming service. The restaurant has been empty for months now because the food has taken a turn for the worst and the service is god awful. The last straw since the management change around 1 year ago was when we dined in a few months back and the waitress took my plate away as I was mid-bite... We haven't been back because the food isn't nearly as good as it once was and that experience was truly bizarre. Unfortunately, Il Nido will probably be closed before the year is over if they keep this up.

    Autumn Crostino
    Alivia D.

    My first visit to Il Nido was highly anticipated and just short of perfect. The menu definitely appeals to food lovers and I was excited to share multiple dishes with my family. We all agreed that the appetizers were the stars of the show, my favorite being the autumn crostino, it was absolutely delectable. Appetizers: - Autumn Crostino *** - Jersey Scallops *** - Charred Clams I had drooled over photos online of the charred clam appetizer but I ultimately found it to fall short of my expectations. The focaccia it was serviced on was buttery but suprsingly not crunchy, which I think would have improved the texture of the dish. However, all three appetizers were thoroughly enjoyed. Entrees: - Raviolini (crab, squash) *** - Tagliolini (wild boar, espresso, chocolate) - Halibut Entrees were taking a while to come out but that wasn't a problem for us. However, when the entrees were served, all three were room temperature. We did not want to send all of our entrees back or complain. Unfortunately, our table sat directly beneath the air conditioning and we had told the server it was cold at our table but the comment went ignored. As a result, the entrees were cold within minutes. This was truly disappointing, and service definitely slowed down after this and I wish we had said something sooner. Despite this, the ravioli was excellent with really great flavor. The sauce of the tagliolini was unique and delicious, however I felt it would have paired better with a larger pasta. Dessert: - Olive Oil Cake - Almond Biscotti Gelato We could have done without the desserts and didn't particularly enjoy either one. The gelato tasted more like ice cream and lacked the creaminess that makes gelato so special. Overall, I found that Il Nido had the potential for 5 stars but a few things had stopped us from enjoying the restaurant fully. I will 100% be back as the seasonal menu changes and look forward to dining again!

    Scott M.

    I enjoyed the meal very much. The service was impeccable. The food was first class. Homemade pasta. Fantastic sauces. It is expensive to be sure but the quality is superb. The sauces were delicious.

    Spicy rigatoni
    Tracy F.

    The vibe was really nice--we sat in a cozy room with a fireplace, which was a great touch. Service was excellent, very attentive. The bread they brought out was really good, but they didn't ask if we wanted more, which was a little disappointing. I got the orange mule--it tasted good but wasn't very strong. We shared the shrimp arancini to start. It was okay, nothing special. My husband didn't like it--he thought it was too mushy. For mains, I had the truffle pasta special and my husband got the spicy rigatoni. My pasta was a bit too salty and didn't have enough mushrooms. Both dishes were really small, which was surprising. With so many great Italian spots around, I don't think we'd go back--mainly because the portions just didn't feel worth it.

    Panna Cotta
    Hector S.

    This Italian establishment is located in a unremarkable strip mall but you enter into somewhat of a cozy oasis. The meatballs were my favorite dish of the night followed by the panna cotta. The spicy rigatoni was good but wasn't on the same level as the meatballs. The ricotta and focaccia ratio was off to me as I felt like there wasn't enough focaccia to ricotta. Nonetheless, all the food I had was delicious and I will come here again. This is a great spot for dinner.

    Seasonal margarita
    Lisa A.

    This rustic yet stylish Tuscan styled restaurant is a perfect pick for a special dinner. Starters and entrees were outstanding and well presented. Delicious! Unlike other fine and successful restaurants that focus too much on table turnover, Il Nido's service was professional, well spaced, and un-rushed. A hidden gem!!!

    Krystal L.

    I'm in disbelief as to how I have never eaten at Il Nido during my 25 years of living in Marlboro. Guess I need to go out and touch grass more often because this restaurant will be my go-to date night spot from now on. You wouldn't expect much from a crusty strip mall restaurant, but the interior is beautiful. It forreal felt like a bougie log cabin. I didn't feel like I was in Marlboro anymore. The food was sooo NOM. The caesar salad here is easily my favorite I've ever had. It had a stronger anchovy taste, which I LOVED. Pastas were very good. Smaller portions, but the quality was there, and we were stuffed by the end of our meal. Expect NYC prices, but honestly, I would take this over Carbone any day. The service was great. Though it did get a little slow as the dining room filled. It was a full house at 6pm on a Saturday evening (to be expected). Will for SURE be coming back to try the other pastas!

    Burrata
    Kristen H.

    We had the server James twice now - however all the servers and workers are very professional, attentive and nice. We want to thank James for accommodating our special requests the last two times he was our server. The food is super delicious! I found our meal over the winter to be slightly better than our last visit, but our reservation was much later in the evening I'm not sure if that had something to do with it. We tried the scallop app, Caesar salad, filet and took home the cheesecake. My god the cheesecake was decadent! Loved the filet except missed the Brussel sprouts which had come with it over the winter. The inside ambiance is super cozy, with lots of wood, mood lighting, and they play relaxing music that makes you feel at-home. They didn't rush us at all during our last visit even though we were one of the last tables. Be sure to make a reservation in advance as they get super busy especially over the weekend. Excited to go back and thank you so much!!!

    Menu.
    Alexandra R.

    Ambiance and service gets it 5 stars. Shoutout to carmen our amazing waitress. We started off with drinks and bread was brought to the table with olive oil. Simple but delicious. We then followed it with a wagyu meatball. The sauce was good, though a bit bland. I had the special of the evening which was a homemade sheet of ravioli made with shrimp. I thought it was delicious. I wished the pasta would've been a bit softer. I dropped my fork trying to cut into the edges. My wife had the short rib pasta and loved it. We then had dessert. This was where it got underwhelming. Both the olive oil cake and the brownie were dense and dry like they were store bought and refrigerate. Overall would go here again.

    Autumn Crostino
    Priscilla M.

    Everything was exquisite. You can taste the fresh ingredients. The service was fantastic and attentive and I love our seating right in front of the fireplace. I'm excited to go back. Definitely a must try.

    Spicy Rigatoni
    Alexander B.

    Absolutely delicious food, good portion sizes, and the most friendly service. Highly recommend the ricotta, spicy rigatoni, and ribeye that comes with great salt and vinegar potatoes.

    Special Pasta Dish
    Jodi T.

    This is my 2nd time going to Il Nido. I hadn't been there in about 2 years. It was for my boyfriend's birthday so I felt that would be a really nice place to take him. I requested to sit either in front of the fireplace or the chef's table and they were able to accommodate me with either one. We first opted for the chef's table, but I felt the fireplace was a nicer vibe since it was for his birthday. We started off with the Il Nido Caesar salad and the Pulpo Alla Griglia(octopus) Both were exceptional. I myself, make homemade Caesar salad, so I am always very critical. It was so good. The octopus was also extremely tender... both were great appetizers to share. Even the bread was fantastic. I had the halibut which was absolutely delicious... If I see halibut on a menu, I always order halibut because it is my favorite fish. It was prepared in a delicious sauce, and it even came with a couple of muscles. My boyfriend had a pasta special which he thoroughly enjoyed. Since it was his birthday, I had requested on my notes that whatever we order for dessert to please put a candle in it. He opted to not have dessert as he knew what I was going to do, and our waiter was so nice that he still brought out a vanilla gelato with a candle on it and Happy Birthday was written on the plate...it was on the house. That was an extremely nice gesture. We also had two glasses of wine(Paso Robles & Ladouceur), & we also each had the called Spring Fever. Spring fever was absolutely delicious, and I highly recommend it. It was a fantastic dining experience, and so happy we went there for his birthday. The only downfall was that I did feel bad for the waiter as he was handling every table in the room. Not his fault, and they need to get at least one or maybe two more waiters to help him. He did his best to accommodate, but we didn't get our wine until halfway through our main course. Again, not his fault, but Management should definitely help him out and hire more people. I will definitely be back. It is a wonderful restaurant.

    Creme Brûlée cheesecake
    Kayla L.

    This place is a hidden gem. I typically don't get chicken at a restaurant but when I tell you this is the best chicken I've ever had, it's the best chicken I've ever had. The sauce has the most delicious balsamic glaze. The squid ink cavatelli had a small kick to it and the perfect bite (Al dente indeed). We also got vodka sauce with shrimp. Service is phenomenal. I left my credit card in the table and someone from the staff came running out to find me to return my credit card to me. 10/10 will be back.

    Meat and cheese plate

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    Ask the Community - Il Nido

    Is Il Nido closed, Google says it is temporarily closed and the website is not working?

    They were open when we last went in may

    Are any of the menu items available as a gluten free option?

    Yes You can order a large variety of gluten free pasta dishes and there are several gluten free dishes from the menu.

    Is the bar large enough to have a drink with friends before dinner?

    There is no actual bar yet. They just got their liquor license to serve in the restaurant. Bar is pending.

    Is there full bar service?

    It’s no longer byob as of approximately 11/1/2021

    View All 5 Questions

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    This place is fairly new. We went there on a recommendation from a friend and we were looking to…read moretry something new. The owner greeted us and was extremely friendly and accommodating as we did not have reservations and all the tables were full. The food was excellent. We ordered Chicken Parm, pasta bolognese, and chicken Frances's over linguini. All 3 dishes were delicious and the portions were plentiful. The service was superb. The atmosphere was really nice despite the restaurant being on the smaller side, they managed to utilize the space in a very good way. I would recommend this place to anyone seeking really good traditional Italian and looking for something new.

    We there for the first time and were pleasantly surprised. It's located in a strip mall in…read moreMarlboro, but once you walk in, you would not know the location. It is decorated like a NYC restaurant, very contemporary and bright. The owners Colleen and Joe Pisacreta were both very welcoming. The service was very professional and Ray did an excellent job explaining the specials to us. The busboy came around a few times to make sure we had everything we needed and Ray was on top of the clean silverware. We all started off with the house salad that comes with the main meal and warm bread. The salad was very fresh and cold. I ordered Shrimp Fra Diavolo over Linguine. My husband and another guest had Linguini with White Clam Sauce and other guests had Chicken and Veal Parmigiana. At the end of the meal, some of us had coffee, cappuccino and 2 desserts of Tartufo. The homemade cream served with the Tartufo was creamy and delicious. Being that we all came upon a recommendation of one of our friends, they came and gave us biscotti with their homemade cannoli filling. At the end of the meal, the owner/chef, Joe came to our table to say hello and chatted with us a bit. He wanted to make sure that we were happy with our meals and service.

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    La Cucina Nouveau - TOP DISH GNOCCHI IN VODKA SAUCE TOPPED WITH BURRATA AMAZING!

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    4.1(250 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    For my wife's birthday I surprised my wife and took her to one of her favorite restaurants in the…read morearea, La Cucina Nouveau, where they serve her favorite gnocchi. I called late morning(Saturday) and was able to get a reservation at 5pm. Upon entering we were greeted by two large birthday parties in progress; for a 100 year old woman and for a 75 year old woman. However, we were seated immediately and brought fresh crusty bread and spicy olives, and our wine was opened. Our waiter, Joe, told us the evening specials and gave us a chance to look at the menu. To my disappointment, no gnocchi amongst the regular and specials. We decided upon entrees and when Joe returned I mentioned my and my wife's disappointment at the absence of gnocchi. Joe excused himself and went into the kitchen returning shortly. He said the chef would make us an order of gnocchi even though it was not on the menu. He said the chef would prepare it any way we wanted; this in a jam packed Saturday night restaurant. Now that's service! We told him to surprise us with chef's choice and we would share the order as an appetizer. When he returned it was with a large platter of gnocchi with small potato cubes, and sweet acorn squash in a savory, slightly tomatoey, cream sauce. Each item perfectly cooked with al dente precision. Our grilled shrimp and frenched pork chop entrees also perfectly cooked. Joe also brought out complimentary Ice cream and candle to accompany our cappuccino and espresso. We both found it to be a great dinner! Thank you Joe and thank you chef!

    We hadn't been back to LCN in a bit and figured it would be a good spot to meet for a cousin's…read moredinner. We had a 6:30 Saturday reservation and it served no purpose. We waited 45 minutes in a crowded vestibule along with others who also had to wait up to an hour. This did not go over well for our party of six. On to the food and service. Appetizers Burrata & prosciutto Beet salad Octopus Seared artichokes Crab cake- lots of filler, not the best Entrees NY strip steak Snapper over risotto Berkshire pork chop Rigatoni Bolognese Branzino Dessert Flourless chocolate cake w gelato- very good Blueberry tart Apple tart Blueberry lemon pound cake Only the chocolate cake was a stand out. The others fell short. The food and service are very good. In defense of the server, she did send fried zucchini on the house for our wait and it was appreciated. However, based on other reviews and our experience, I will return-but it won't be on a weekend night and be subjected to that kind of wait again. Cramming a restaurant and not honouring reservations eventually gets old.

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    3.7(52 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    Great date night!…read more My first time and my wife's second. She said we needed to go because the food was good, so we used our date night for me to try it and I'm glad we did. From the moment we walked in it was nothing but smiles from the staff. We arrived around 5:00, it got really crowded around 6:00, so ho before if you're going on a Saturday. Our waiter John was super and his support staff was amazing. Loved that they cleaned our tale after our appetizer and gave us new silverware. It's the small things that ca separate a restaurant from a 4 to a 5. The tuna crispy was really good. I had the chicken parm because that's my test of a restaurant and it was good, not great, but good. My wife had the salmon and it was excellent. We left room for the chocolate cake and it was worth leaving room for. This is a BYOB so that's a big attraction and a money saver. They do offer wines for sale, but I recommend bringing your own. It got a little noisy as it filled up with people, but it was the kind of noisy when people are having a good time so it was fine. On our way out we were asked by multiple staff if we enjoyed ourselves and I'll repeat our comment, it was great! Definitely go, make a reservation and get there early to avoid the crowds. We will be back!!

    So my family took me to Sette for Mother's Day Dinner. We had 7:15 Reservations and were seated…read moreright near the door (there were 5 of us) at 7:30. I should've asked to be moved, but it would've been a long wait, so we stayed there. Not great. People standing in the small vestibule laughing and talking right near my son's arm. Not pleasant. We were greeted pretty quickly and she took our wine order. We asked for tap water as well. One of our sons ordered a mocktail. She came back with a different wine in the same price point and said what we ordered sold out. Ok. No big deal. My son's Mocktail was no where to be seen. Neither was the water. Someone brought over olive oil and salt and pepper. But we then sat there for 20 minutes with no bread and no water. The bread finally came and so did the water, but at this point I was a bit annoyed. Still no mocktail. She took our app orders. She bought two of the three. The third took another ten minutes. But the apps were really very good. She then took all of our orders. We asked about the mocktail. (They have really delicious ones) She said "oh my I forgot!" Left. Came back and said the ingredients were out and could he choose a different one. He did. When it finally showed up he tasted it. Awful! It tasted like pickles! They did take it off the bill, but our son ended up with water. Then our meals came. Both sons ordered Pastaa Carbonara. BOTH orders were runny and ice cold (Carbonara is creamy). We sent both dishes back. We asked for another bottle of the wine. That came right away. She picked up the empty bottle, but she saw someone flag her down and she left it on the table. The table was kinda crowded so this was not good either. Meanwhile the rest of us had our meals. They did make it completely fresh, and it was good when they finally got it. Took awhile for them to clear the table and then they took the empty wine bottle, but I had to ask them to. So we ordered coffee and desserts. I asked for cream and splenda. My coffee and dessert came, as did the others. No cream. No sugar or splenda. Waited. Kept waiting. Couldn't get anyone's attention. No one brought it. My husband got up and went to the back to ask for it. She apologized and brought it five minutes later. So I'm giving it 2 stars because the food was good (when it was fresh and hot), but the service not so much. I know it was Mother's Day, but shouldn't there have been more wait staff scheduled because of that? By the time we got dessert the restaurant was mostly empty. We should not have had to get up to ask for cream etc. We had been there in the past with friends, not on a holiday, and it was much better. But I was not really happy at all with the restaurant choice after this experience. I think they definitely over booked and without the staff to meet that need it fell very very short.

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    4.1(259 reviews)
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    Cozy, Warm and welcoming with outstanding, friendly service…read more Owners or other family are present and are authentically grateful for their customers business. They make you feel like visiting family for dinner. Freshly baked bread with olive oil for dipping starts your table. Appetizers are very good and very FRESH we enjoyed our house made Zucchini sticks and the Special Appetizer of Tripe Marinara. Dinner was a Double Cut Pork Chop Scarpiello and was cooked to perfection. Moist, flavorful roasted pork. Worth every penny! Cacio e Pepe was a perfect al dente proving even the simplest ingredients done right can elevate it. The biggest thing we noticed was how FRESH the ingredients were. The quality of the ingredients are also seen in their dishes. Ending with a Toffee Pudding (Housemade) rounded it out. Highly, Highly recommended this GEM of a restaurant!

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    Traveled to Jersey for a baby shower and then again a get together with my sister…read more The food here is exceptionally delicious and I've been to MANY Italian restaurants including but not limited to Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island Florida, Rhode Island, Connecticut. Feast Italian kitchen is on the top of my list. (LOVE LOVE their baked clams ). If you want a good Italian meal ( their pastas are fabulous) this is the place to go.

    Feast is the worst restaurant in the neighborhood. If you're looking for great service and strong…read moremanagement, do NOT go. Our experience started off fine--the server was friendly and knowledgeable. However, things quickly went downhill. We ended up waiting an extra 10 minutes for a plain pizza after everyone else at the table had already been served. To make matters worse, a 20% tip was automatically added to our bill despite the delay. We didn't blame the server, but when we raised concerns about the wait and the gratuity, she responded that it wasn't her fault and walked away. A manager finally came over just as we were about to leave, but that only made things worse. He insisted the situation wasn't his fault either, blaming the system and the kitchen--anyone but himself or his team. It felt like accountability was completely absent. If you want a pleasant dining experience without frustration from poor service and management, I recommend avoiding Feast.

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    La lupa - TOP DISH RIGATONI CARBONARA AMAZING!

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    4.1(128 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$$

    What do you get when you put a Dunkin, a nail salon, an engineering consultant, and a NYC-vibe…read morerestaurant into a suburban strip mall? I can't speak for the first three. But the last one? One hell of a restaurant. By all accounts, a seasonally driven, high-end Italian spot taking 11pm reservations on a Saturday shouldn't exist, let alone thrive, off Route 33. But La Lupa defies the odds and delivers a full-on sucker punch to your taste buds. After finally landing a birthday reservation, my wife and I grabbed a great bottle (thank G-d for BYOB) and made the trip to a place everyone we know has been hyping. Even though our table wasn't ready, La Lupa made an immediate impression: warm welcome, offered to pour our wine while we waited, easy conversation, genuine interest. It set the tone for what might be the best hospitality I've ever experienced. Once seated at the chef's counter, our server walked us through the menu and delivered the specials with as much detail and passion as a thespian recites Hamlet's "To Be or Not To Be". Here's how the meal shook out: Market Crudo (Salmon) - Not traditionally Italian, but the fatty salmon with yuzu and soy was bright, balanced, and a perfect opener. Roman Gnocchi -Heavenly. Full Stop. If Helen's face could launch 1000 ships, this single dish would send the rest of the Greek army to battle. A gnocchi made without potatoes and the perfect elevation of what originally was a peasant dish into something sublime and worthy of a James Beard award. The umami from the mushrooms and brown butter combined with the soft pillowy texture of the semolina dumpling is exquisite and I already know will be one of the best bites I will have all year and its' only April. Tonelli - Leek-forward to a fault. After the gnocchi, this fell flat. The concept is there, but the pasta skewed undercooked and the dish needed something to tie it together. Skirt Steak - A Snake River Farm piece of meat grilled over a binchotan grill...don't mind if I do. Cooked to a perfect medium rare, the chef was able to respect the protein and highlight the beautiful marbling that makes this cut so yumcious. Brussels Sprouts - Not officially a thing (yet), but these should be called Italian Kung Pao sprouts. Hazelnuts for crunch, agrodolce for sweet tang, perfectly cooked. It works. Cacio e Pepe Potatoes - Crisp at dinner but needed more sauce. Reheated, they softened but the flavor came through more. Jury's still out. Was every dish flawless? No. It ranged from good to exceptional. But the service? Bar none, one of the best I've ever had. They've nailed a rare balance: food that could hold its own in a stuffy, pretentious dining room, paired with service that feels like your favorite neighborhood bar. I dropped a napkin--before I could react, it was replaced. Wine was decanted and poured without asking. The staff matched my energy, diving as deep into food talk as I wanted, clearly as excited as we were. If the T-Birds from Grease went into hospitality, this is what it would look like. You can't fake that kind of passion. Most places you try once and return for the service. At La Lupa, you come back for both. We already booked our return visit for our anniversary.

    Not my " vibe." It's tight inside. It's loud. Not comfortable…read more The food, ehh. Lot and lots of heavy cheese on everything. And the steak salty, fatty, gamey. They are not accommodating to the customer. The prices are ridiculous. Over rated to say the least.

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    La lupa
    La lupa - Honeynut DELICIOUS!

    Honeynut DELICIOUS!

    La lupa - Wine we brought

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    Wine we brought

    Clarizios Italian Ristorante

    Clarizios Italian Ristorante

    4.6(421 reviews)
    8.1 mi
    $$

    Went to Clarizio's Italian Ristorante and I'm still thinking about this meal closing my eyes…read moretonight. I ordered the pork chop and I swear it melted in my mouth faster than my paycheck disappears on Amazon. Perfectly cooked, juicy, and seasoned so well I almost stood up and applauded in the middle of the restaurant. Then came dessert... the cannoli cake. Whoever invented that deserves their own national holiday. Out of this world doesn't even describe it. I took one bite and immediately started questioning every other dessert I've ever eaten in my life. The staff was awesome, the atmosphere was great, and honestly I'd probably fight a small bear for another slice of that cake.

    This past Saturday night was my husband and my first time dining at this restaurant even though we…read moredo live locally. Many of our friends have recommended Clarizio's to us but every time we gave thought about coming it has been particularly difficult to get a reservation on a Saturday night. I was working late on Saturday, so I was unaware that my husband was able to make a reservation for 8:30PM. Reservations are not made through Open Table. Instead, Clarizio's website send you to another site called Resy to make a reservation. What was shocking and disappointing is that Clarizio's hold your credit card number to secure the reservation and if you don't show a $25 fee is charged. My husband was so worried that they were going to count us as a no show because we were running a little late. He even tried to call to inform them that we were running late, but no one answered the phone. Luckily, Clarizio's called us because we were about 10 min late to inquire our whereabouts and we had just turned into the restaurant parking lot. Upon arrival, the hostess took us to a table set for 2 in a crowded dining room with all other tables holding large parties. Although it was crowded it did not take away anything from our wonderful dining experience! Our waiter John P was extremely nice and helpful especially after he learned that it was our first time dining here. Unfortunately, I was unaware that it was BYOB because I was working and was unable to check the website. Our waiter John eased our minds by saying that it was okay and that we would have to rely on their food to make a good impression. That certainly was no disappointment! Our food was so terrific, that we cannot wait to return and taste so many other delicious sounding items on their menu. John also told us that unless we have huge appetites, their entree portions were large enough to share. We were glad to take John's suggestion and shared the Zuppa di Pesce which was plentiful of shellfish in a tomato broth over angel hair pasta. We have had this dish in many other Italian restaurants and this was one of the best! This entree also came with one salad and I asked for an extra salad for me since we were sharing the entree. Not to go unnoticed was the crunchy outside and soft inside delicious bread. For dessert, we shared the Tiramisu suggested by John as it was his personal favorite. It was so light and flavorful that we too could make it our personal favorite! All in all this was a fabulous dining experience and I highly recommend this restaurant! Next time though, I will remember to bring a bottle of wine.

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    Clarizios Italian Ristorante
    Clarizios Italian Ristorante
    Clarizios Italian Ristorante

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    Il Nido - desserts - Updated May 2026

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