The food here is excellent! I had penne vodka and it was delicious. The waitress we had was very kind and helpful. Her name is Vicki. I think she did an outstanding job as a waitress. This restaurant gives off a homey vibe, and old fashioned vibe. read more

See all

I have driven by this place a bunch of times. Finally made it. Interesting place. Different rooms. Makes you feel like you are home. Our waitress was very nice. Bartender came over when we asked about cocktails. Started with the bang bang shrimp. Delicious. I got the fettuccine bolognese. Perfect. This would be 5 stars but the room i sat in was brick and it was kinda loud. Otherwise this was a really good dining experience Forgot to mention the chocolate martini. Dangerously good read more

La Taverna - Fettuccine Bolognese. Yummmmmm - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

I've gone here a number of times over the years and have never been disappointed whether seated tableside or at the bar. The drinks and the food are both very good. The restaurant was originally established in the 18th Century and has rustic charm read more

Such a good spot! It's such a warm and beautiful place, much bigger than you think! The bruschetta was not my favorite but a huge fan of everything else - the penne vodka and vegetable ravioli with pesto cream was great! The winner tho was the spicy vegetable pizza - super unique and delicious read more

La Taverna - Penne Vodka - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

This review is about one Dish. not the whole experience. this is more like an FYI if you are planning on dinning there. we went there Sunday night 7/6/25 I'll cut right to the Chase. they had a Special. Shrimp and Crabmeat over Capellini with cherry tomatoes and sauce. $38.00 High Right. Okay I was looking forward to this dish, as I love Crabmeat. I changed the Pasta to linguini, Dish comes out. I'm looking around at it. forking through it. It had Three (3) Yes, 3 Shrimp. I could not find any Crab what so ever! so I told the Server (Angel) who said he'll get me some extra Crab. comes back and says. no can do. Cook told him the Crabmeat is in the Sauce. WHAT?? so he says I'll get you some Extra shrimp. he comes back with ONE (1) Yes one Shrimp. I couldn't believe it. $38.00 for what was basically a $20.00 Dish. So I'm just letting you know. if they have it as a Special when you go there. I would Think twice before ordering it. I was really going to have the Pizza. I should Have. read more

Quality balsamic vinegar in the herb chicken sandwich ($15). Delicious sautéed onions and peppers help provide the moisture to this sandwich. This is served on a nice crusty Italian bread and covered in a fresh melted mozzarella. So thankful for the team who accommodated my request for onions on the plain pizza. My mom was very happy with this bubbly, thin-crust personal pie ($16). My favorite bite though was The Dark Side of the Moon Chocolate ($10). I don't even really like cake, but having half of this extra dark and rich sweet was so satisfying. I absolutely adore the chocolate crescent moon decoration. read more

See all

Have eaten there with a friend several times. The atmosphere is always friendly and cozy, Staff attentive. Service is great. Have never had a bad meal there. Drinks are good, not overwhelming. Great for lunch or dinner with a friend, or with a group. I give it an A+ in my dining book. Enjoy! read more

Excellent food. Nice ambience. Welcoming staff. Enjoyed it so much went back the next day. I had la taverna steak 1 day And seafood cakes the next. Both times quite satisfied. read more

I was really unimpressed by the service. The bread was cold. The waitress made absolutely 0 effort to check with our table at all. The portions are small, the bread is very low tier. Everything was so overpriced too! read more

Amazing people, delicious food! The wait staff was so attentive and helpful in planning and made the day perfect! read more

La Taverna - Patio seating - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

We saw this place while driving by and stopped in. Love the atmosphere outside the restaurant. Open restaurant and they have a lot of space outside . Drink was good. Love the blue moon here on a hot day :) cocktails were good too. Loved the service . Quick service . Food was ok. Quantity was a little less.. chicken wings was good .. veggies and aspharagus were good too, except for the quantity . Overall we liked it . Thumbs up . read more

See all

Joined a large group dinner gathering in their upstairs room. It's a great space for a gathering however there is no sound dampening so it's very difficult to hear each other with 30 people talking to each other! The food was delicious and the service was very attentive which we appreciated! I enjoyed the calamari and caprese appetizers, the salmon was cooked very nicely except that it was served on a bed of very plain Angel hair pasta - seemed odd and a lost opportunity for some additional flavor! I would have appreciated some vegetable with that as well. This is a good spot to try if you're in the mood for Italian, in this area! read more

Traveled through we had dinner at this cute eatery. Service was friendly and helpful. This tavern has outdoor dining as well as indoor. The wine, the food and the atmosphere was that of an old establishment that locals get to enjoy. I would definitely return if I was a local just for their salad alone. Quick, easy and left satisfied. read more

La Taverna - Arugula Salad with Salmon - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

See all

Pleasant lunch today! Nice Cesar salad with shrimp. Nice size shrimp, salad dressed perfectly!

Dinner on a Friday and we're off to La Taverna.... Apparently a neighborhood favorite with lots of regular diners judging for the friendly banter coming from several tables of the "Over 55 Active adult "set. Seated in a cozy,dark paneled dining room decorated to mimic some early 1900 drawing room we perused the menu and decided on staying with the favorites... The excellent French onion soup all around.. good but could have benefitted from a shot of sherry to add some kick to an otherwise savory broth. Fried calamari was lightly breaded and fried but the marinara was just too salty and sour. Baked eggplant Rollatini,Shrimp and crabmeat ravioli,Fettuccini Bolognese and the special scallops and shrimp in a vodka sauce hits the table and I won't bore you with the details because everything was...OK...just OK. Here's the thing... OK is just not good enough at $40.00/person plus tip with no alcohol for what basically amounts to generic Italian food....sorry, I want more. I hear the burgers are good... but the same can be said of 5 guys at half the cost.Look go if you must but no one is busting the door down to dine in a glorified pizza parlor. read more

After pumpkin picking at Von Thun farms, my friends and I got dinner at La Taverna. We ordered the garlic bread to share and the white bean ravioli, chicken francese, lobster ravioli, and chicken sandwich. The garlic bread was AMAZING and probably the best garlic bread I've ever had despite it being a bit oily. We also got complimentary bread with a pesto olive oil, which was greatly appreciated. My lobster ravioli was less expensive than lobster ravioli at other restaurants and was pretty tasty. However, I feel that the pasta aspect of the ravioli was slightly more chewy/tough than i would have preferred. read more

La Taverna - Lobster Ravioli, White Bean & Basil, Chicken Francese, Herb Crusted Chicken Sandwich - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

Exterior of building is blah but interior is nice. Had ravioli with shrimp and lobster, which was good. Service ok. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Parking lot needs a paving. read more

La Taverna - Bar - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

See all

We came here around 5 on a Saturday night and were seated right away. Our waitress was nice and brought us our drinks right away. We ordered the bang bang shrimp, which had potential, but there was barely any sauce on the shrimp. Some shrimp had no sauce at all. What sauce we tasted was delicious but it was definitely lacking. I would've asked for a side to dip but nobody came around to check during that time. I ordered gnocchi vodka and added chicken and my husband ordered penne vodka with chicken. Unfortunately it was bland and blah and nothing to make me come back. Tasted like dollar tree dense gnocchi with jarred sauce and very dry chicken on top. Covered the entire dish in grated parm and it didn't really help. I'm sure they have other dishes that shine, but these were not it. There's also a weird "ding dong" that chimes over the music every so often, not sure if it signals that someone is entering or what, but it's annoying and distracting. Also bring cash... we didn't realize there was an additional charge for using a card. read more

I can't wait to see the inside! My only experience at La Taverna so far had been with the outdoor dining situation because of the pandemic. Not only that, I came during torrential downpour. Luckily they had a tent, and the staff were still so lovely and accommodating. It's a nice looking establishment and I'm looking forward to another visit in the future. I enjoyed the chicken parmigiana with a glass of house sauvignon blanc. All the menu items sounded so delicious, especially the half chicken or lamb shank. Next time I'mm come hungrier and get the Burrata as an appetizer! read more

See all

Nice little restaurant, have a very family owned kind of vibe. The servers were very nice and polite. It looked like it's famous among the older friends and families but our young group had fun too! The food was delicious, we had asian calamari, roasted peppers for appetizer. The apps tasted great. We had spicy veggie pizza for the table to share, they call it spicy for a reason, it is pretty spicy but it's pretty good also! My entree was lobster ravioli, and it was very good! I was so full with the apps but I took the leftover home and enjoyed as a lunch for next day and it was still pretty good. Oh! also they have on the house bread, crusty outside warm and soft inside, served with basil-olive oil, i want to learn how to make that bread. Just the best bread ever! The selection of dessert is also great! I forgot to take pictures but yummy cannoli and chocolate mousse cake, Only thing I wouldn't recommend is their espresso martini! Otherwise go for it and enjoy the delicious food! read more

See all

Wanted to try Taverna for a few years but decided to wait until things calmed down for the summer. My first impression is a good one. Beautiful interior which is welcoming and warm. The service was impressive and did not miss a beat as the server was well spoken and professional. A completely stress free dining experience. We order salad and calamari appetizers that were well portioned with excellent presentation. Our main courses, a brick oven pizza and shrimp with orzo, both delivered with proper timing. I recommend Taverna for a wonderful dining experience in downtown Newark. read more

See all

No stars. Was treated rudely at the door when I walked in and asked for a table for 3. The man at the host stand looked at me, shook his head and just said "No." Not, "I'm sorry but we are full." or even "It'll be about an hour wait"... so we won't be going back. And PS the parking lot is ridiculous. If you're doing so well that you just dismiss customers at the door, then get your parking lot done. read more

Fresh food full of flavor. I deducted one star because the ambience is a bit lacking. This place used to have such a cozy romantic dimly lit interior. Now the dining area is just one big room with tables in a brightly lit blue space. The chorizo flambé is an awesome appetizer and is cooked tableside. A must for starters! Try any of their seafood dishes- all are flavorfully prepared. Don't forget the drinks! The bartender made a special original concoction for me when I described what I liked and it was amazing! Friendly and delish! Like I said, I just wish it was a bit more cozy. For a quick bite, have a seat at the bar where the atmosphere is warm and welcoming read more

Surprisingly delicious! I remember thinking there weren't too many options to eat when I was traveling for work, but this place really surprised me. Delicious entrees to the point I was scraping my plate for more. Delicious and great job. read more

La Taverna - Food is great for lunch - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

Mediocre at best! Small portions, not well prepared or presented. Staff was very nice; however, spend your money elsewhere. We won't be back. read more

The food is delicious especially the fish specials. The staff is super friendly. The restaurant is beautiful inside and they also have outside seating. read more

Hidden gem! From cocktails to entrees to dessert, the food and service was on point. Very pleased with our dining experience this evening. We will be back soon! read more

Really nice meal here with friends stopping through town. Great atmosphere, we didn't have a reservation so sat at the bar initially, the staff was very friendly. When we got our table the waitress was attentive and gave good suggestions. The short rib ragu was tasty. read more

La Taverna is an Italian restaurant in the body of a colonial era tavern in Dayton, NJ. It has been very well preserved and today is a comfortable retreat with long cozy bar, enclosed front porch dining area and back of house eating rooms. There is plenty of parking, although the surrounding lot is in serious need of repaving. We chose a deuce high top in the barroom and received excellent service from the bartendress. It was mid-afternoon, so we opted to share their Original Burger (medium w cheddar), sweet potato fries, and the homemade Ravioli with Vodka Sauce, as recommended by our server. Everything arrived prepared for sharing. The burger transected on two plates, and a large bowl of square ravioli pillows accompanied by two clean side plates to handle the distribution. The burger was as requested and had very good taste and texture with enough juice to require extra napkins. The fries were perfectly done straight arrows, crisp bite and fresh taste with a touch of ketchup. The ravioli was fun to eat, freshly made with thin membrane dough and a soft cheesy filling. The sauce was creamy pink tomato coverage which we finished with a few twists of a black pepper mill. Liked it all alot. We are out this way once or twice annually to visit family gravesites, and La Taverna was the right place to stop afterwards to refresh and reflect. We are very likely to do it again. read more

See all

Went here with another couple Food was good. Nice atmosphere. Everything was very good. Will be going back.

Always delicious, fast, and patient with rustic charm and service. A dining experience and I never feel rushed.

Wow food is out of this world. Sat outside under the tent. Service was impeccable and everything was fresh, clean and timely. We dined with another couple and shared most dishes. Definitely nice size portions. We had as follows: Burrata, Calamari, French Onion Soup, Original Burger with was subbed with grilled vegetables, Short Ribs, side of broccoli rabe we shared, linguini & clams. The grilled vegetables were delicious, consisting of grilled onion, red pepper, asparagus and eggplant. Top notch. We had dirty martinis & espresso martinis that were made perfectly. *side note, the linguini and clams were a bit too salty for our friend who ordered it. But some people like really salty.. if you're sensitive to too much salt I suggest another dish or requesting no/less salt when ordering. We are already planning our next trip back. read more

La Taverna - Cheeseburger, short ribs (2), Broccoli Rabe - Italian Near Me - Dayton, New Jersey

Decent food, please don't ever get the espresso martini (more milky than I anticipated); very bad service (I think there was a 30 min wait between being served water and someone coming out to get an order; and by the time they came we'd forgotten what we wanted to get!) However, dessert was fabulous- would recommend the Peanut Butter Explosion (but! remember to order it while ordering apps so you get it in time!) read more

Steak was Perfect Martini was Perfect Service was Excellent What more needs be said. read more

Great intimate dining. Great date night location. Wonderful food. Fun drinks. Visited recently on a Saturday where is was 90's retro night. Fabulous 90's Free Style DJ. read more

A friend and I decided to try this place the other day. I'm glad we did. The service was very polite, prompt and helpful. We started with the bruschetta which was yummmm. For the entree she had the portabello mushroom ravioli which was good and I had the sesame crusted salmon salad. It was quite nice but definitely needed more dressing. For dessert she had the profiteroles, again very good and I had the creme brûlée. It was one of the best I've had. In fact the desserts were so good, we go gobbled them up and I forgot to take pics We will definitely be going again read more

See all

Food was average. Limited menu. Below average service. Nice atmosphere. Will never go back and will share our experience. We are not drinkers, but we did order soups & salads before our upper priced entrees & coffee after. Asked for dessert menus, which were never brought. Instead, we were told the owner asked us to leave, so someone else could have our table. Very rude! read more

Every time I pass by this restaurant I tell my fiance that I want to go there. Well, the other night we finally went! First off it is a beautiful building with a really interesting classy eclectic style that made me feel like I was one of the dinner guests in Knives Out. I would love to go back again and sit in all the other rooms and the bar, just for the ambiance. I will say that we did not look at the menu beforehand (except for one picture of goat cheese raviolis on yelp) and we were not expecting the menu to be italian (which in retrospect I guess the name should have been a clue), but were pleasantly surprised! Some say you can judge an italian place based on its bread, and La Taverna really blew us away with their warm fluffy bread and amazing pesto dip. It was such an unexpected pleasant touch to the dinner. The menu itself is a bit small, I get the feeling that this place relies more on its specials than its base menu? There were not too many things on the base menu that grabbed my eye as being unique that you couldn't get elsewhere, but the food itself was prepared in a way that felt very unique if that makes sense. Unfortunately they were out of the white bean and basil ravioli, and all the interesting ones I saw in the yelp pictures were not available! Well, you always need a reason to go back... read more

We had an awesome experience this week at La Taverna. We reserved a table for 12 at noon to wish our supervisor good luck in her new job. Tim took our orders over the phone ahead of time. We were seated in a cozy but spacious spot and the food was delivered by our friendly waiter five minutes after we sat down. All of the orders were correct and every dish was delicious. One person forgot to add chicken to her salad and the waitor cheerfully took care of it. We were really able to enjoy our lunch, relax, reminisce and laugh together. It meant a lot to all of us that because if the professional service and tasty array of lunch entrees, we had such a lovely farewell. We'll be back. Next time AFTER work, so we can have a drink or two! read more

Our wait staff were very nice but the food I thought was just ok for the prices. The coffee was not hot, and he bought out only one little creamer for all of us. Also I think they could have put two bread baskets because we were a party of eight people. They also charge for using your credit card. The building is unique. But other than that, I don't think I will be going back any time soon. read more