My friend lives in the area and had been raving about La Mondina. Our friend group went to dinner…read morehere and had an amazing experience. The restaurant is gorgeous as you can see by the video of that fountain, you feel like you're transported to Italy. But the restaurant isn't just pretty, the food is absolute phenomenal too. Every dish I tried was excellent from the focaccia (one of the best breads I've ever had in my life, to the meatballs and right down got my entree everything was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. The truffle gnocchi was one of the best Italian dishes I've ever had in my life and the chicken cutlet I ordered on top was also one of the best chicken cutlets I've ever had in my life (don't tell my mom or my wife). Our waitress was super attentive and kind as well so the service doesn't miss either. This might be my new favorite restaurant by the shore, definitely come check it out.

It's too dark - so much so I couldn't see my food. And the club music is obnoxious. For a "fine…read moredining" establishment that's difficult to get in to, I don't think Anyone paying over $200 a meal for 2 Wants to listen to loud club style music Also. The steak this time was charred on the bottom and the potatoes were underdone. Prob won't be going back any time soon unfortunately. The menu needs a revamp IMO.

Is this the best Italian restaurant I have ever been to?…read more Actually, yes, it is. And I have been to a lot of Italian restaurants. The wait for a table was 45 minutes, but it was worth every minute. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere was wonderful. We ended up being seated in a back patio room and though it was very hot outside (one of those 100 degree days last summer), it was actually very nice in there. The show started with someone asking for our drink order, then coming back with said drinks. After that she brought out some starts on the house, courtesy of chef and owner Joe. We were off to a great start! Soon after she returned to get our dinner order. After that, Chef Joe himself showed up to our table to thank us for visiting his restaurant and ask how we liked things so far. We let him know those starters were perfect...eggplant balls and a corn/tomato salad. Eventually our dinner came. Both dishes were waaaaaaaay more food than either of us expected. I had ordered chicken with mozzarella squares on top and drizzled in balsamic, which was a special created by Chef Joe's wife, according to the menu. My partner got eggplant parm...and wow, what a pile of food it was. Two huge eggplant pieces piled high with delicious sauce and served with some delectable pasta. Chef Joe came back to the dining room awhile later to ask people how their entrees were, and we let him know this was a great experience. I want to go back to Point Pleasant just to get here again. This time I will make a reservation.

What an experience! Spano's is exactly what you'd want an Italian restaurant to be. The food is…read moreamazing. The customer service is exceptional. The ambiance is perfection. The night started with Joe Spano, the owner, stopping at our table to bring several little dishes before we even had a chance to look at the menu. The meatballs (made with actually no meat but rather eggplant) were pure sorcery...like so good there aren't words. He noticed our wine bottle (it's BYOB so come prepared!), and by pure coincidence, it was his favorite bottle. Joe asked to show another costumer because they had been discussing wines earlier, and he wanted to make sure they got to see the label. If that wasn't personal enough, the walls are adorned with black and white framed photographs of family from back in the day to the present. The environment is clean, well-maintained, and cozy. Every bite we had was exceptional and the portions were huge! We left contently full but with plenty of leftovers. I'm quite sure every meal will exceed the expectations of even the pickiest of eaters. Our server, Brian (or Bryan) was new but attentive and informative. He spent time talking with his tables and being personable while also making sure everyone was taking care of. Overall, I highly recommend experiencing a meal at Spano's at least once....but after your first bite, you'll likely be making your next reservation before you leave (like we saw many people do)!

I had a business dinner with my staff. The service was fantastic and the food was fabulousread more

As last night was our first time here, we decided to arrive an hour earlier than our reservation to…read morecheck out the bar. Upon arrival, there was only one parking space left in the very small lot. Good thing we arrived shortly after they opened as the small bar was full within minutes after we arrived. We were easily the youngest patrons at the bar by at least a decade. Regardless, the octogenarians were all having a good time. It is a very lively room. The friendly bartender promptly greeted us and made perfect cocktails in short order. However, the Prosecco could have been colder. While waiting for our friends to join us, we perused the lengthy menu and wine list as well as noticed the awesome seafood being served at the bar. The bar remained packed as diners started filling the dining room. Immediately we noticed the noise volume increase. it is a small place with low ceilings and the lively bar scene and jovial dining customers make it very loud. When our friends arrived we were promptly seated near a corner by the fireplace where the noise was somewhat subdued. although noisy, we were all able to hear each other throughout the evening in spite of the ever increasing volume. Had we been seated in the middle of the dining room, I don't think we would have been able to hear each other. Our server Alex told us of the menu additions and promptly took our drinks orders. Pace was perfect and his service was very attentive. Relaxed and friendly. We enjoyed our conversations over drinks and eventually we placed our food orders and ordered another bottle of wine to be served with dinner. The first bottle was warm even after being in an ice bucket. Alex iced the second one down so it arrived proper temperature with our entrees. After taking our dinner orders fresh bread and olive oil (EVOO) were brought to the table. the appetizers came a few minutes later. Calamari was perfectly fried. Not over cooked. Nice marinara and good assortment of rings and tentacles (my fav). Ahi tuna perfectly seared and rare. Mushrooms tasty but a little too much zip for me. The girls had generous portions of perfectly cooked scallops and the men had decent portions of broiled swordfish. A little too salty for me. We spilt the outstanding pistacchio tartuffo and a very mediocre "home made" tiramisu. Espresso was perfecto. We paid with cash and Alex subsequently noticed the credit card fee was erroneously added to the bill. Which he prompted returned. We had a very enjoyable evening. Perfect pace. Decent food. Excellent service. The noise level in the dining room would probably keep us from returning. Maybe just sit and eat at the bar with the old farts next time. ;) Ciao.

I have visited Lubrano's several times for dinner and it does not disappoint. It's a located in a…read morestrip mall in Mannasquan. When you walk in, you are standing in front of a pizza counter but there is a nice dining room attached for lunch/dinner. I have yet to try the pizza since I usually just come for dinner. At the table, they start with hot bread and olive oil to dip. The bread is super delicious and dangerously addictive. For appetizers, I have tried the Stuffed Zucchini Flowers and Calamari. Both are great options. For an entree, I usually order the Chicken Parm or Seafood Pescatore Linguine. Most recently, I tried the Spicy Garlicky Salmon, which came highly recommended by other Yelpers. It was the perfect amount of garlic flavor and came with a side of creamy mashed potatoes. Everything I have tried at Lubrano's has been amazing and the portions are huge. I usually bring home leftovers and can make another meal out of it! It's BYOB which is a great plus. You have to make a reservation even during the week. This place fills up very fast. Lubrano's is a must visit at the Jersey Shore!

So....we waited 30 minutes....not terrible because 1. We…read morespent the time shopping for wine to BYOB 2. The young man who took our names to alert us was apparently the owner's son and was super nice. When we were seated all was well until it wasn't. *Positives, The bread was delish, the sauce for the calamari was outstanding, the server was nice (kind of felt he was putting on an accent to play the role though - I know sounds weird, but true) and the bus boys attentive! -Negatives: the food was just ok. I'm sorry, but I really wanted to like it! The pasta was over cooked and my husband's dish needed more seasoning. Still worth taking home because homemade food is still honorable leftovers, but I would give the whole experience a 3.5 out of 5. I respect this establishment because it's a family owned business but I guess my expectations were just a little too high. The best of luck to you all.

Fantastic service, great ambiance and most importantly delicious food! We got the mixto appetizer…read moreand the stuffed mushrooms, I got the special stuffed pork chop which I think was the best of my life. Everyone I was with loved their food and the service, again, was outstanding. Thanks for a special night in a regular night!

Good food, great service,but a bit overpriced. Could also use a few more Italian staples.read more

Last night there were three of us that went in for a meal and were seated on a Monday night within…read moreseconds. We started our meal with Fried Calamari that was a potion that the three of us could not finish. The calamari was fried just enough and on the side was enough tomato sauce for all that we were given. This was middle of the road with no spice intended. For my meal I had seafood risotto that was fantastic. It came w small pieces of lobster, clams, shrimp and I believe scallops. This came in a nice amount of risotto and a sauce that was the best. There was plenty of fish to pair with risotto. Nobody could claim they skimped on the fish as there was plenty. A second meal was off the daily specials. This was cubed eggplant and pasta. The pasta was rigatoni in a very nice tomato sauce. And again this was another great tasing meal. The final meal was eggplant parm that came with spaghetti. The eggplant and cheese balance was really good and my wife loved the dish. Overall everyone loved their meals and all of us took home enough for another lunch or dinner. This is not our first time here and plan on returning again. They offer a dinner section, seating at the bar and some high top tables to fit your liking. Waitress service was top shelf and revisited the table on a frequent basis. If you want great meals at a fair price this is a place for you to at least try. Our bill plus soda and ice tea was barely $100. My only callout is the noise in the room is a bit loud. There is little draping to deaden the sound and if you are looking for a quiet meal this might not be your place. Especially Friday through Sunday.

The bar staff were extremely friendly and very attentive. We ordered serval appetizers and…read morecocktails. The Cosmos were Fantastic! We enjoyed the artichokes and calamari the most. The soup y shrimp and meatballs were good, it we enjoyed the other apps more! The French Dip sandwich might be the BEST French Dip I've ever had. I highly recommend it!

Awesome old school Italian family restaurant. Recently had a party of 10 to celebrate a birthday…read more Server was excellent and checked on us frequently. We ordered apps for the table and everyone enjoyed! Entrees included a fresh house salad. My chicken parm was excellent, side pasta cooked to perfection. Also got to sample the Chicken franchise and shrimp scampi which were very good. Portions were large with many taking home lunch for the next day. Definitely recommend for a family celebration or just a casual night out.

Food, service and ambiance all wonderful. I will be back to enjoy more meals in the future.read more

Joel. Thank you for a great response. I do apologize that this review may reflect on your…read morerestaurant even though you may not have been a part of that regime. We will try your place again solely based on a humble response and the ability to view criticism in a healthy manner, hats off to you. I am a nobody in a world of nobodies, but if the desire and approach are there, the food was already good, we will come back. With high expectations. Good luck with it all. It's been a minute since we've been there, hopefully we will see you again this summer.

The owner was lovely…read more The ambiance is amazing. You can't beat the gorgeous view. However we are staying in a suite and decided to order it to go so we could dine privately on our ocean side balcony. The salmon dish was perfect if you want something light but flavorful. The salmon was melt in your mouth fresh. The appetizer was delicious. The clams and linguine was my favorite. The sauce was incredible and the noodles reminded of the ones my nana would make. If you are staying at the hotel you need to make sure to stop in! The food was the highlight of our afternoon. Update: the deserts were mind blowing! Not one of us can decide which desert was the best. They were all phenomenal! My kid and husband never like cheesecake and they devoured it. Best cannolis and tiramisu I have ever had! The desert is ten stars! Everyone SAVE ROOM FOR DESERT!! We will be talking about the deserts for years to come. Breakfast: Another amazing meal. The owner has perfected this entire menu. The eggs Benedict hollandaise sauce is light and creamy. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The crepes were so good my kid inhaled them before I could try a second bite.

One of our favorites. Delicious. Excellent service. Wonderful to work with when I had a small…read moredinner party celebration, and just ad good for weekend or weeknight dinners. Will always go back!

Ordered a large plain for take out last night for dinner. Service staff was really friendly and the…read moreambiance was really nice. Crust was tasty and cooked really nice, good char. So why 3 stars? It was so salty I couldn't finish the second slice. Others in my party agreed, I ended up throwing it out. I think it was the cheese, although there was lots of it. maybe a cheap brand?