Have been here for both breakfast and dinner. The dinner is surprisingly pretty good, especially given that the restaurant is situated within a hotel. Creative takes on classic Italian dishes, all prepared fresh. Service is super friendly and there's a roomy, relaxing ambiance. read more

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Our first visit to the restaurant was for breakfast. We were not asked if we wanted the buffet or the a la carte breakfast so we were seated and presented with a menu. We had to wait for waitstaff for instructions. It was particularly busy that morning so we sat there for a good 10 minutes before a waitress came over and told us we can just walk over to the buffet area. Had it been more clear upon entering, we wouldn't have had to sit there and waste time. Breakfast with the toddler is extra stressful already. There wasn't too much variety for the buffet. There were some meats, salmon, breads, oatmeal and fruits. The juice bar looked good, there was a good variety of juices. We also ordered a pizza from the kids menu for the toddler. The pizza was very good. Will order again! The koi pond by the waiting area is nice, sometimes you get to watch them feed the koi. The pond is the best part of the hotel! The kids and adults love the emotions it brings, making this truly a unique stay. read more

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Such a fun experience! The staff was incredibly welcoming, knowledgeable, and made the whole class feel easy and enjoyable. I learned a lot, had a great time, and left with delicious pasta (and new skills!). Definitely worth the money -- highly recommend! So cute as well! read more

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We had dinner here and the food was amazing. The staff and atmosphere were great. It's a very open indoor area

Coming into the Hyatt on a Saturday was a trip due to an extremely large Indian wedding reception that looked more like a sales convention in Vegas as it envelopd the entire property. If I remember correctly, the last time we were here there was another huge wedding bash. However, the wheels of commerce still spin as we were able to have a very relaxed dinner at their Laurea restaurant and navigate through the mob to our comedy club reservations at Catch a Rising Star in the hotel basement. The meal itself was exceptional featuring broiled cod and eggplant parmesan served against a wedding soundtrack that was not displeasing especially in the usually stoic confines of Princeton. I've said it many times... on a busy Saturday night, hotel restaurants can be your friend when all the bold face eateries in town are booked solid and have a noise level to match. Five deserving stars for Laurea. read more

I visited this restaurant for a date because of all the positive reviews. It's quite lovely as it sits in the very center of the Hyatt resort, is very spacious and has an open vibe with its high ceiling. Great if you like people watch and there. We had a very attentive server who also was the bartender. Let's start with the drinks - the cocktails were excellent. I got the Radio Flyer and my husband got the Amaro D'amici. Mine was really smooth! The cosmocello was good but not as good as the Radio Flyer. Our apps, fried calamari & garlic cristone were delish! Calamari wasn't so battered and still had a nice chew to it. Got them with the arugula salad, definitely worth trying. The only thing that didn't quite measure up were our entrées. Ordered a medium-cooked pork chops due to all the raving reviews and it was dry! Had trouble finishing it. My husband ordered a full lobster pasta special and it came out so small & he thought it was just ok. read more

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I was at Laurea Restaurant recently for Happy Hour. was pleasantly surprised by the food and service at this Hyatt Hotel restaurant and bar. The architectural design of the bar and open area is also inviting. Our server was amazing, considering she was doubling as the bartender. She was very friendly, personable and got everything correct even with a bar packed full of people. Our happy hour food was also wonderful. The Kobe meatball appetizer was a meal in themselves and my husband enjoyed them. I ordered the fried calamari and babu arugula salad. Both were great in taste and the arugula salad was even amazing in presentation. read more

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Fresh Fresh FRESH!! The ingredients were fresh, as were the menu choices. The in house made pasta was delightful, as was the marriage of flavors and textures in each bite of the fettuccini bolognese! The pizza had nice thin crust too. Our server was a delight and extremely helpful and knowledgeable of the menu; and made great suggestions. I'd definitely return and would suggest this restaurant to others. read more

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The food here is fresh and tasty! I was craving fresh Italian pasta and this place delivered. The quality of the food is super and the staff charming. I'm vegan so I ordered pasta with veggies of my choice. I ordered the raspberry mocktail and it had a crisp natural refreshing taste. I like that they use sustainable to go boxes as well. The ambience of the restaurant is romantic. Vast wine selection too. If you just want to grab a solo dinner or drink there's a nice bar too with televisions. Our waiter Christine was very nice and their service staff kept our table very clean. read more

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We decided to eat here out of sheer convenience, which was an easy decision to make, given how nice a space it is. It's anchored by a visually interesting bar in the middle of a large atrium. Water features and a koi pond add to the ambiance. The food was great. I had the crab ravioli, handmade and delicious. Also, I can't remember the last time a server asked if we'd like to get the kids' orders out first. Raymond is a consummate professional, and his warm and generous service was appreciated! read more

Went here for dinner recently. Excellent service, good drinks and quality food. Gluten free options are clearly marked. Since it's in the Hyatt, it's a very open atmosphere. Do NOT follow the signs outside to the restaurant as there is no parking on that side of the building. Just park and enter at the front of the hotel. If you can't do stairs, be sure to take the elevator near the entrance to the ground floor and you can access the restaurant from there. read more

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One of the best authentic Italian Restaurant in NJ! The food is delicious and the staff is very friendly. I tried the rigatoni, meatballs, diy pizza, mozzarella, salmon and so many other dishes and drinks! Each and every dish is crafted for perfection by the chef! The restaurant is gorgeous and you would be blown away with the huge bar and interiors. If you are planning a date night or a party or a dinner with friends, look no further! read more

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I can't imagine what folks like about this place. Ambiance is mid- middle of the hotel atrium lobby with folks looking out from their rooms at you. Uncomfortable. Service was horrible- took just under three hours. Over 90 min for appetizers and first round of drinks to come. Both servers and bartenders way understaffed for the large number of customers and the staff required to service the private parties going on and the comedy club that shares the same small bar. Second round of drinks came 45 min later. Really kinda ruined the night with lack of service and attention. Food- meh. The calamari and meatballs were decent. The pizza was awful (Nomad and AMA so much better). Mains were not good. Salmon and short ribs both came out way overcooked and dry yet already lost its heat so temp was low. Pasta dishes were a hair better. Steak seemed to be the most enjoyed by our party of 6- which of course means a forced 20% tip that was far from earned. $175 for a couple that each had two drinks, a meal and shared a few apps with others. Won't be back. #Major Disappointment read more

Decided to give this place a try . They are centrally located inside the middle of a hotel . Our server was great very attentive and great since of humor . Now whenever I'm trying something new I love to order a few different things . The Ambiance is casual but semi upscale feel . My husband ordered the pork chop ( one big chop ) so good with all the pairings . I went with octopus brasato( delicious, perfectly cooked and full of flavors) the Garlic Cristoni holy cow that was a delicious bite . I also had the pasta pomodoro ( very simple dish but flavors were on point) . We truly enjoyed our dinner and definitely would consider coming back although it's pretty far from us . read more

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Came to the Laurea with my wife, located within the Hyatt Regency in Princeton. The service from beginning to end was outstanding. The manager John greeted us and asked us a few questions and gave us some really useful information about the area. Our server Christina was also very attentive, friendly and courteous. We had calamari and the Kobe meatball for the appetizer. Scrumptious! Then my wife had the organic salmon and I had the Tuscan chicken. Both were savory and delicious. The restaurant, being in a hotel, had a center bar that had sports on but neither that or the music was overly distracting. The ambiance was warm and conducive for conversation. Finally we had the Ube Tiramisu which was simply delicious. Wow. All in all it was 5 stars from us. To top it off, the manager offered to take pictures of us at the fountain which contained koi fish. Very tranquil and romantic. Thank you John! read more

Laurea Restaurant - Tuscan Chicken - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Booked a dinner reservation at Laurea for my wife and I while staying overnight in Princeton at the Hyatt Regency. Our server was very friendly, personable, and attentive. The ambiance is open and modern. Huge restaurant space inside of the expansive atrium. Great vibe! Staff did a great job of spacing out the seating to keep the intimacy of the couples who were having dinner. Been a few places recently where we were seated on top of other customers in a mostly empty dining room. Not here and a big plus on that from me. I started with Kobe meatballs which were very good. Gravy was superb. Even better than the meatballs in my opinion. I had the rigatoni which was loaded with Italian sausage. Very spicy, which was Ok, and appreciated the warning from the waiter on the spice level. My wife ordered spinach ravioli which she said was delicious. Key lime pie dessert was wonderful. Drinks were also great for the wife. All in all, a great dinner experience. Recommend highly! read more

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Place was pretty. Unfortunately, I cannot rate their food since they paid no attention to my family. We were all dressed and had a reservation for 3pm for Mother's Day. The staff saw us waiting for 25 minutes and didn't bother to interact with us. There was no one at the front desk and the waiters/other workers just passed us as if we weren't there. The least they could've done was tell us they'll be with us shortly or if we had a reservation. Service is horrible and staff was rude for such a high rated restaurant. We left and will never come back. Waste of time and gas especially on a busy day. read more

Laurea Restaurant - check in desk - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

The presentation of the food was absolutely stunning! Every dish looked like a work of art -- carefully arranged, colorful, and visually appealing,. The attention to detail was impressive, from the garnishes to the plating style,. It made the whole dining experience feel extra special,. You could tell the chef not only cares about flavor but also how the food looks on the plate. It was almost too beautiful to eat... almost!. read more

Overall a good hotel restaurant with friendly service and good food. The restaurant is located within the atrium of the Hyatt Regency, and feels like you're in a hotel; not a luxurious atmosphere, but not a bad ambiance either. The ribeye was a nicely marbled steak, and I enjoyed the Swiss chard and fingerling potatoes that were served alongside the steak. The service was friendly and prompt. read more

Laurea Restaurant - Ribeye with fingerling potatoes and Swiss chard - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Much better service this time than last time because I asked specifically for one of the servers. Beautiful setting and very good food. The calamari is delicious. The short rib was amazing! The desserts are also wonderful. read more

The food quality is not good . Also unless you know before you , the restaurant is located in the atrium of the hotel so very little ambiance . The service was good read more

We had stayed overnight at Hyatt Regency in Princeton and stumbled across Laurea. It was tucked inside the hotel. Overall, the staff were friendly, and we had no complaints with the food. It is a cozy spot to grab a drink and some food to chit chat over. We did exactly that, and it is better than a lot of other hotel lounges/restaurants. The interior is really nice; I recommend giving them a shot. read more

Laurea Restaurant - Night cap - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Stayed at the Hyatt Regency and came here for breakfast. Orange juice was freshly squeezed. Bacon was nice and crispy. Potatoes were crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. The avocado and egg toast was okay, the bread was soggy and I wasn't a fan of the tomatoes. The waitress was nice at first and it seemed she ignored me while I was trying to get her attention to specify which milk i wanted in my cappuccino. She came back and asked what milk I wanted and at that very moment I was convinced she ignored me. Customer service is too important to mess up. I was not impressed. read more

As far as "restaurants in a hotel lobby" are concerned, this was good enough. It's unfortunate that Laurea is stuck in a road-side Hyatt hotel rather than I cute location on a main street somewhere. Given consistent feedback from "regulars" and the need to innovate/compete in a vibrant neighborhood (like downtown Princeton) this chef could probably make a great Italian restaurant...rather than an overpriced passable one in a hotel. Every positive compliment we could give this food should be followed by "for a hotel restaurant." The pizza was good...for a hotel restaurant. The crust was the thicknesses you'd expect from an authentic Italian chef, but a bit over cooked and chewy (probably because of the time in the oven). Although heavily dusted with garlic, the crust still needed something more... The gnocchi were not great...even for a hotel restaurant. The consistency was more like small mushy mashed potato balls than traditional gnocchi. The flour to potato ratio may not have been perfectly balanced that day. On the plus side, the staff and crew were great and very eager to please. Our server was friendly and accommodating. She provided good explanations about the menu and options. When I ordered a popular Italian spritz the staff was not familiar with, they quickly researched it, found the recipe, and mixed it. Overall, if you are staying in the hotel this will be a great place to eat...especially if you can't get into downtown Princeton for the truly world-class food available. We wanted to love it more than we did. For the same price (or less) there is better italian food in the area. read more

Awesome food and drinks. Every course was truly outstanding. My wife and I cannot wait to come back with the family.

my wife and I had such an amazing experience with the restaurant being in the center of the Hyatt resort! Simply amazing food simply amazing people great value for your dollar we would definitely return back! read more

We come here each year for holiday meals with families. The portions always are enormous and tasty. The buffet is meant to supplement the entree, so gauge how much you can eat, not how much is presented. read more

Prices indicate a premium restaurant, but the food taste does not reflect that. I did appreciate the plating and creative menu/ drinks they have. On a side note: Erin is an awesome server read more

The shrimp scampi was flavorful and I would eat again. Ron the bartender is very lively too read more

Laurea Restaurant - Shrimp scampi - Italian Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Laurea is a beautiful restaurant situated in the open-spaced atrium of Hyatt Regency Hotel. I had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast as part of my stay there. I ordered the lox and bagels and it was a lot of food for its price- the salmon tasted great and having a salad was really nice. The bagel were so-so, a bit soft and less dense- it felt like it came out of a grocery package. I was hoping a freshly made bagel. Nevertheless, I would be interested in trying lunch/dinner here sometime as the menu looks enticing. Lastly, a special call out...Erin was one of my servers and she was certainly a ray of sunshine- a great person to start off my day. She realized that I was traveling on business, so she helped me get my meal ready and had the check ready. read more

If your looking for a great place for happy hour this is a place to be. Great food our server Rose was excellent. She recommended very good appetizers like the meatballs and calamari . We also ordered pizza and tiramisu. They were all very good. This place is highly recommended. Next time we will try their breakfast menu. read more

Location: in the spacious atrium of the Hyatt Regency Princeton Service: friendly and professional. Everyone smiles. Shout out to our servers Rose and Nancy, and to manager Heyaz C. Who greeted us and seated us, and checked in with us during the meal. Facilities: well spaced tables under awnings in a large glass hotel atrium. Value: I rarely expect such well sourced and prepared food in a hotel restaurant. They have appetizers and small plates and a nice selection of entrées and wines. Appetizers are $12 to 18, entrées mostly $30 to 38, portions generous. Their pizza rustica was delicious, thin and crisp, and could feed two perhaps adding a charcuterie platter for another $12. With our order the chef provided an amuse Bouche and bread with a warm olive spread. Our lovely dinner was about $60 with another $50 for a bottle of Italian wine. One of the two best restaurants I've ever enjoyed located in a hotel. Pro tip: downtown Princeton is only 10 minutes and a $12 ride away, but why not save the time and money and eat here? We were glad we did. read more

Excellent food and excellent service. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area.

bad. i can't even explain. just big fat sad. burh it was disgusting in the reseut i cant even!!!!

Staying at a nearby hotel and this place came up. It's in another hotel (Hyatt) and weird vibe. No direction in hotel to restaurant so I wander the lobby and see a take out/counter with same name. Ubered over so thinking I am screwed, but noticed a bar downstairs. It's the restaurant. Sat at bar and the bartender was creepy. Ok. Like bizarre. Food was excellent and service was good if not a little uncomfortable. Would go back for food read more

We went for. Valentine's Day. Didn't read the info in the site that it was not only pre fixed, but also buffet. The service was excellent , and the food for a buffet was actually very good and diverse. Will go back to try the regular menu. read more

Love the open concept of this restaurant being in the hotel. I ordered the fettuccine and it was pretty good. Appreciated the fact that they offered half portions of their pasta as it was the perfect amount for me. I think the prices of the items are fair and I liked that they give you complementary foccacia bread. read more

Laurea is located within the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The dining area is expansive and well appointed. The cuisine is contemporary Italian and the menu is limited. My wife and I ordered the Rigatoni Ragu, excellent. Add in the extensive wine list and full bar and you have a great dining experience. read more

This new menu is great. It looks like they revamped the entire menu with a great happy hour. The food options and quality went up significantly. Before I was staying here and had dinner once and frankly didn't need to go again. But now I want to go back. Huge improvement! Great job. read more

We went to this place a couple of weeks when driving on Route 1. I'm not a usual hotel restaurant person, but I had heard about this place from a friend. WHAT A FIND! Truly fantastic food, beautifully presented and the flavors were spot on. We shared a couple of apps and a pizza and also split some entrees. The pizza was perfectly cooked, with a thin, slightly crispy crust that came out of their wood fired oven. If you just want a quick pizza, go for that and beer! Amazing! We also had the meatballs, an olive plate, the roasted chicken and a fish special of the day. I'm not one to order chicken in a restaurant usually, but our server convinced me, and I can't wait to have it again! The perfect mix of crispy and juicy with a lemon sauce that finished it so well. The potatoes were so good, I had to ask how they were prepared. (Fried, of course, but worth every bit of it!) My overall take on this place is this: So legit, and so unexpected. Amazing food in a very cool room. You wouldn't know you are in a Princeton hotel. Everything is so authentic, from the bread, to the olive plate, to the cheeses. And the food far surpasses every expectation ...run, don't walk! read more