If your looking for a TOP NOTCH Italian restaurant Lu Nello is it! It has a beautiful Italian decor inside, an extensive menu from house made pastas, seafood, to top of the line meats. There was really something on the menu for every budget. They have your basic Italian dishes also an extensive list of specials of the day. They also give you a list of specials of the day all written down which is nice because I'd never remember them all. I ordered a half order of the strozzapreti pasta as an appetizer topped with lump crab meat. The half order was a huge portion that I asked my waiter if this was the dinner size or appetizer portion! It was absolutely delicious, and despite the large size it was so good I managed to eat it all! For dinner I asked my waiter if the chef can make me veal chop parmesan. They have veal Parmesan on the menu, but I just love veal chop parmesan! I'm not kidding when I tell you this was the best veal chop parmesan I ever ate, and believe me I ate a lot of them! It was pounded very thin and lightly breaded topped in a fantastic red sauce and fresh mozzarella. The veal melted like butter it my mouth! They had lots of house made desserts to choose from, and I chose one of the dessert specials of the day which was a house made cinnamon crunch donut topped with vanilla gelato. It was AMAZING, and a perfect ending to my fabulous meal here! Lu Nello is definitely one of the best Italian restaurants in NJ, and it's definitely worth a trip to dine here! read more

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Classic upscale NJ Italian Restaurant, been here many times over the years and never had a bad meal or service. Does get crowded on weekends so make a reservation. The owner and chef Lou are is almost always present and asking how the food is. read more

I had high hopes for LuNello. Over the years, I have heard how this place compares to Il Capriccio of Whippany. Unfortunately, it wasn't even close. The ambiance is similar to a decent wedding venue, with the ostentatious, oversized, and horribly overlit bar seemingly being the only aspect of the environment the owners chose to focus on. We were seated at our table and rushed through dinner like we were at a NASCAR pit stop. Upon ordering, our waiter, obviously equally overworked and grumpy, visibly rolled his eyes when I did not order an alcoholic beverage. Minutes later, he returned with the drinks and asked us for our orders; this process is usually an easy and relatively enjoyable part of the meal, but not so this evening. Our waiter's inability to hear me was likely due to the cramped, windowless space or the noisy makeshift bar across from our table, where waiters tended to congregate and laugh and yell at one another in Spanish. I can't imagine why they needed to add a service bar for the restaurant. The Titanic main bar across the hall was probably 15 feet away, perhaps a place for bucket storage? (there were white Home Depot-like buckets on the floor in plain sight of the diners). Food was decent, however, which is a shame, to be honest, because everything else was such a disaster; our water glasses were left empty, my girlfriend was never asked if she wanted another glass of wine, the empty also sat on the table for the entire duration of the meal, including when someone who looked like a manager came through the rooms but managed only to look as lost as the waiters. Overall, it could have and SHOULD have been better. read more

Good food & service. Went there specifically for foie gras. The place is very elegant! read more

Pretty much the closest place to a Michelin starred restaurant you will get. Hard to make a reservation so you need to book ahead. Close Sunday. Excellent quality drinks. Italian cuisine and attentive staff. Met the chef and owner. Had an excellent experience. Highly recommend if you want a "cruiseship" vibe on land. read more

Outstanding!!! Really nothing more to say. Drinks are excellent always and the food...well it will leave you speechless! The wait staff is great. Might be the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy...seriously good! read more

No reason anyone famous should come here. Staff was disgusting and rude, there was 4 rats i saw while dining. The food was very raw and undercooked. Very very crowded and we made a reservation and still had to wait which was ridiculous. Also they charged us $430 in caviar which is crazy because we didn't order any caviar , and refused to take it off the bill. read more

A New Jersey Italian Institution. The Pork Chop Oregenato is unbelievable. No one can match it! Service is spot on. Wine list is extensive. If you are in the area, Lunello is a no brainer. read more

Had a great dinner last night the food and The service was excellent as always There halibut special was one of the best read more

Solid Italian food in a somewhat dated old world setting. This stalwart continues to deliver delicious food. They have so many specials expertly described by well trained staff--no need to look at the standard menu. Their hot and cold appetizers are wonderful. The pacific bass over broccoli rabe with hot peppers was very tasty. The food was a little on the excessively salty side but no more than most Italian restaurants. We shared tartufo, apple crisp and bread pudding for dessert. Cappuccinos were very yummy-needed a little cinnamon on top. Apple crisp was the most disappointing-tasty but kind of generic. The other two were quite good. The atmosphere here isn't particularly exciting-don't expect trendy. But the service can't be beat so if you're looking for good food, ample portions, a relaxing dining experience and wonderful service you can't miss by going to LuNello. read more

We've been frequenting Lunello's for many years. The food and service have always been impeccable. During the pandemic and major renovations, the food and service remained just the same. The staff is friendly and accommodating. Chef owner Lou Seger oversees every aspect of his restaurant to maintain its standard of excellence. read more

This is a really good Italian restaurant with excellent food. The restaurant is super busy, and I wouldn't recommend popping in without a reservation. In fact, I'd recommend slipping in for lunch, where you can get the same delicious food for a better price and without the massive crowds. Lu Nello restaurant is located in the former Villa D'Este in Cedar Grove. The decor is classy and old fashioned; frankly I was expecting that there would be more of a renovation when Lu Nello left Totowa and moved into this building. Nevertheless,the decor is not the star here, the food is. For a recent meal, I had stuffed baby artichokes (delicious), arugula/blue cheese salad (delicious), Veal Lu Nello (delicious), are you seeing where I'm going with this? And definitely have wine; the California Cabernet or Merlot are quite good choices. Although the desserts are homemade, I couldn't consume any more food. The waiter kindly brought a complimentary mini-cone of peanut butter ice cream to satisfy my sweet tooth. This is in addition to the pre-meal complimentary chunks of Parmigiana Reggiano, consomme, and' fried to a thin cracker crisp' Asiago cheese. And I don't want to forget to mention the waitstaff is top notch. Lu Nello also offers valet parking, another old school touch in an old school place. I definitely recommend trying Lu Nello. read more

Couldn't stand this place. Vapiano/Olive Garden is better. Let's see: -Extremely slow (but friendly) service -Had to request our first drink refill multiple times -Several waiters passed by seeing our drinks and bread baskets empty and didn't do anything about it -TINY appetizer portions - for 8 guys, 6 appetizers wasn't enough -Some decent entrees, some pretty bad. I like my veal and steak medium rare, but usually order medium at non-steakhouses so I don't complicate things. This thing was raw - like if I had ordered rare, it would have still had to be sent back. Mushy and bright red. -Can't customize anything - I requested spinach instead of wild rice and they had to charge me for a side dish. Annoying. -Valet-only parking Not worth the money.. jersey is full of fancy Italian spots that are actually good and there are countless casual Italian places with big portions and flavorful food. read more

The decor is terrific, the bar is amazing, but the menu is limited and pricey. The quality is good but we re on a side street in Cedar Grove-Little Falls, not downtown Madison. read more

Wow! What a meal! My bf and I came here as a last minute decision. We waited about 40 minutes for a table (we got there at 6pm) We were seated and handed menus. Just when we thought we knew what we wanted, we were told all the specials (there were about 50 of them) We ended up with 2 appetizers, Monk fish oreganata, a salmon dish, and a side of macaroni with a mushroom sauce. I NEVER eat pasta. I was in love with this dish. Even the veggies were good. We ended everything with some delish deserts! We will be back! read more

I really wasn't impressed, other than I had gone with friends and enjoyed my evening with them. The food was overpriced and honestly the short rib dinner everyone boasts about on here. Was good but nothing off the charts? 10 gnocchi and 6 green beans. Not a dinner portion for me. Not even photo worthy. Will ad though the staff was nice and the place was cozy read more

We came here last night for some drinks and ended up ordering a couple of appetisers of the bar menu I wasn't too crazy about the actual menu I guess I was looking for lobster tails or something like that but I didn't see any my friend had ordered a scallop appetiser and some salad and I had just ordered the mussels fra diavolo I thought it was cute that the dainty bartender was wearing such a cute little dress she was very nice to us. It was skinny scrawny looking thing behind the bar, with glasses she wasn't the most pleasant person I ran into last night she was a bit condescending when she spoke to us. She kept saying "obviously" when I spoke or said something she said it three times. That was the only thing that I didn't like about this place and I wanted to get out of that bar But there was a half an hour wait for a table it was jampacked on Saturday The manager of the restaurant is very very friendly and nice and there is complimentary valet I was shocked that was complimentary. Because I really hate having to pay for parking but I don't mind tipping five bucks. I would return and have a full dinner there not a big deal, but I didn't see anything on the menu that I would do backflips for. I didn't think it was expensive we ordered one vodka martini and I had a glass of Prosecco and the bill was about 70 Definitely make a reservation if you can otherwise they will make you wait in the bar area read more

Lu Nello - Italian Near Me - Cedar Grove, New Jersey

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Reservation for 4 at 8:00 on a Friday night. Restaurant was full, dining rooms and bar. Potential for a problem right away but They were able to seat us within minutes and hostess service was excellent. I will say service was excellent throughout the entire 90 minutes of our meal. No need to look at the menu, this place is all about the spoken menu. So many choices in cold and hot apps, salads, pasta, mains, fish and meat. We had the squash blossoms and Rock shrimp to start. Both were excellent. The beans and rabe in the shrimp dish were good enough on their own, didn't even need the shrimps. Dinners ordered: short rib (ultimate comfort dish), snapper oreganatto and stuffed veal chop. All three were amazing. The veal and particularly the sauce on that veal was some of the best I've had. Kind of sweet and not real heavy. Our little guy wanted plain pasta and meatball. It was no problem for them to make exactly what he asked for in a half size portion. Very well done! Dessert was delicious and coffee service was well done. All in all a perfect meal and a very nice evening...except the table of drunken dopes next to us. People, if you going to tell drunken stories and slap the tables, go sit in the bar..... Dining room is comfortable, maybe dated but classic. Valet was efficient and friendly. Price is a little high for the area but it's perfect for occasions, I will certainly put this in our rotation. read more

Last time we were there it was tired. Waiter was unfriendly and pretentious. Food was not like it was in years past.

We went to Lu Nello on a Thursday night. While it wasn't too busy when we got there at 6:30 it quickly got packed. We got the tuna and burrata salad to start with and then the cacio e Pepe raviolini and pappardelle porcini for our main. All the food was just okay. The tuna was average at best and the burrata salad was nothing special and average tasting. The main courses again were not bad but hard to justify an average tasting dish for over $30. None of the flavors wow'ed or left us wanting more. Food taste was a bit underwhelming. The dessert was probably the best. The bread pudding was warm and sweet and we enjoyed that. Service was also okay. It took the servers a long time to get to us to get drink orders, etc. we had ordered a bottle of wine that was in a chiller. We sat with empty wine glasses for a while before someone came to refill. There were a few chillers next to us and I wasn't sure which was our bottle. So to avoid touching everyone else's bottles I didn't just refill our own. Overall, it was a very average experience and I think our money is better spent somewhere else. It was not a cheap dinner and for this price we've had better food in the area. Also, yes it is valet parking, but they don't charge you, just tip. read more

I have been here twice and both times were excellent. I don't really order fish but the halibut was cooked perfectly. I love the rock shrimp and scallops were on point as well, will definitely try to return soon. read more

I had dinner here tonite, as I have countless times. The restaurant has updated the decor and added a stunning and spacious bar area. It is just beautiful. The drinks are always excellent. The food is always outstanding. I must give special mention to Stephanie who always takes such great care of us. She is truly a magnificent lady. I love it here and it still remains my absolute favorite restaurant. read more

Great place! Food amazing service impeccable ambiance just right! Even the valet personnel are great!

Food is decent, high end dining with not so high end service, they used to dress in semi formal wear. Now they're dressed like they work at Outback. If they offer you water, it's in a carafe and it's chilled tap. They charge you $10 for it. And get mad if you question the charge. Lost me and several of my friends patronage. read more

Food was meh, very small portions for what you are paying. Service was great. Not worth the price.

The best meal of 2018!!!! And I am first generation Italian who visited family in Italy this summer! We will definitely be back soon Oscar! read more

Food and service were excellent. Reservations are recommended as it's usually all booked on the weekends

The Fried Calamari APPETIZER is still $31. Do I need to continue this review? Find me any restaurant in Essex or Bergen county where the fried calamari is even more than $21! LOL read more

Being a Jersey Girl, Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen. Like 7-Elevens, there's one on every street corner. So it takes an exceptional dining establish to really WOW me, and Lu Nello did just that. There is an intimate, warm welcome that embraces you as you enter the dining room. The service is attentive without being intrusive. They make you feel a part of the family. And then there is the cuisine ... authentic, traditional Northern Italian fare, simple and delicious with the freshest ingredients, and their own specialties: fois gras that melts on your tongue, chilled oysters that taste fresh from the sea, a variety of veal entrees that include truffles, shiitake mushrooms and arugula, and my favorite, the sweetbreads with shallots sauteed in brown butter. I look forward to my next exceptional dining experience at Lu Nello when I am in NJ. read more

I have been to Lu Nello's twice now and absolutely love it. It is on a quiet corner in Cedar Grove with beautiful Italian decor. On our last visit, we were seated quickly and immediately greeted by our waiter. My favorite part is when the waiters ramble off their memorization of literally over a dozen specials and their details of exactly what is in them! Seriously so impressive. For our starters we ordered a plate of burrata which we subbed for the mozzarella and added roasted peppers to the dish and we also ordered one of the special appetizers. Both were delicious. For drinks I got a sangria, which was way too sweet for my liking so I wasn't able to really enjoy it the way I usually love sangria. Dinner was the absolute highlight of our visit. We both ordered the stuffed veal and man it was out of this world. Didn't even need a knife to cut it, cooked to perfection. The taste was outstanding, I'm drooling just thinking about it. Paired perfectly with the stuffed cheese and prosciutto. By far one of my favorite dishes ever. For desert we got the tiramisu and a chocolate cake. The cake was wayyy too intense for me so I only took a couple bites. It really was chocolate overload. The tiramisu was easily one of the best that I have had, absolutely delicious. Will say however waiting for the check took forever. Our waiter literally disappeared but good conversations at our table made up for it so I didn't let it reflect my review. Overall, if you are looking for a fancy night out, check out Lu Nello's. You won't regret it. read more

This is a well established restaurant that's a favorite of mine. The food is always amazing. The service is always friendly. And for me it's a perfect location. Fine dining at its all time best!! read more

Wonderful all around. And the food is outstanding. I have nothing but great things to say about this place.

I have never been so offended at a restaurant in my life. My baby started crying and the waiter told me he was too busy and I had to wait for the receipt. I would never come back here. Don't come here if you have children read more

I kept hearing from a friend about the halibut at Lu Nello, how it was the best in the world and... it is! Amazingly flavorful, fresh, and served with small ceci beans. A close second was a sole oreganata, also fresh and served with broccoli rabe. Our group had a special of house made raviolini served with pistachio and slightly lemony - we wanted more of those! Special of short ribs with mashed potatoes was also a hit. Wine guy was non-intrusive but informative, gave us a taste of our selection to ensure we liked it (we're now looking to buy a case!). Best of all was the pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable waiter (Tony) who guided us through a memorable meal. Can't wait to return here! read more

Based on the negative reviews I was expecting to be disappointed. The service was phenomenal, entrée was fabulous (lasagne) and really nice atmosphere. I'd stay away from the appetizers (we shared 4) as they're very expensive and nothing great. overall a great dining experience read more

My families favorite restaurant. I've had every party here imaginable: my confirmation, sweet 16, graduation, Christmas Eve, you name it. Every time the food is mind blowing and the service impeccable. The owner and head chef is a food genius. Best fine dining in NJ. read more

Amazing food, atmosphere, and service. Never disappoints! The menu is always updating, so you will never be bored of their options

Went to LuNello to celebrate an anniversary and I'm so glad I did. Service was "on point" as was the food. The selection of specials, afforded me the opportunity, to have Sweetbreads as an appetizer and a Pork Shank that was so tender, it came off the bone, but had texture. The skin was wonderfully crispy. My wife had the Scungili as an appetizer, with Lamb Chops for a main, both were excellent. Originally I had planned to have Tripe with Polenta but since that was not available I chose the special. However I will be back for the T&P very soon. read more

I went to Lu Nello for the first time last night. The stuffed baby artichokes were absolutely delicious and it was hands down the best veal parm I have ever had (and I've had A LOT)! Service was great and the bar area where we had a pre-dinner drink was beautiful. I can't wait to go back and try more menu items! read more

Bad attitude and bad service. The staff is generally nice, the management is not. Especially their store manager the old lady, she's very RBF, and not polite. read more