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Metuchen Inn

3.6 (246 reviews)
Closed • 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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METUCHEN INN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Intimate
Romantic
Classy
Moderate noise

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Sea Bass
Alex N.

The stately old Metuchen Inn welcomed our eager party with amber incandescence on a dark and damp Friday evening, and we were efficiently shuttled to our table. A very good first sign: our server didn't bat an eyelash at my asking for our Tanqueray Martinis up with olives, mixed at a six-to-one ratio. The drinks were stellar; while Rhonda and I have taken to sipping a Manhattan preprandial, we still enjoy a Martini as a treat at a nice restaurant. Another encouraging sign: having a hard time picking out an appetizer. I was very close to ordering the Blue Point oysters on the half shell, wrestled with the mussels, but settled upon the clams with chorizo and black beans. I think there's something about a clam I'll always prefer to an oyster or a mussel, although in the former case, it's a culinary crime to say so. I love the assertive brine of a clam, on the half shell or steamed. These littlenecks were steamed to perfection, with a tasteful appointment of firm black beans and small chunks of dried chorizo. Gilding shellfish with a greasy, smoky sausage is always a pro move. Rhonda tried the lobster bisque, a dish she favors quite possibly due to serially excellent executions of the corn and crab chowder at the Knife and Fork. It was perfectly viscous, avoiding the gloopy texture you'll find at a lesser establishment, and redolent of shellfish roasted into the stock. Aaron tried the charred octopus, which I am always tempted by, but often avoid, having watched a lot of YouTube videos demonstrating how much smarter octopi are than, say, me. I tried a bite, and it was pleasingly soft, with a nice smoky chair. For entrees, I went with the sea bass after wrestling with the wild boar tenderloin. Wild boar and I have a history: on our trip in 2000 to Sienna, Italy, wild board ragù was on every menu, often served with pici pasta, a long tubular noodle expressly designed for soaking up condimento. I recently found boar on a local eatery's menu, but it had sold out before I could order the dish. I was similarly tempted by the pork osso bucco and the venison tenderloin; there is something about a chilly fall night that invites a curated meat dish, especially game. But I had sucked down my share of wine that afternoon, and future meals loomed in the horizon, so I went with the special. This was a spectacular dish: perfectly crisp skin, tender, flaky flesh, all piled atop cherry tomatoes and asparagus. Not a carb in sight. It's the kind of dish you can eat and lick clean and not feel bad about it. Rhonda went for the lamb chops, which looked fabulous. Aaron, my adventurous counterpart in all things culinary, waited to hear what I ordered before pulling the trigger on the boar. Plated tastefully around a mound of mashed sweet potatoes and a pile of asparagus, it was a sous vide masterpiece, cooked to a perfect medium rare. The service was attentive and brisk, with impeccable pacing. This all fell apart once dessert was ordered; it took a long time to come out, and we had to flag down a server to bring us our check. It had been a long day of driving, and we were keen to get back to the room for some rest. And maybe some more wine. I would go back in a heartbeat. It is, to my taste, the perfect spot to celebrate with the ones you cherish the most on a chilly night. Or any night, I imagine.

Crispy Calamari
Abby C.

After almost 20 years of living in Metuchen, I finally got to visit Metuchen Inn and wasn't disappointed! A few co-workers and I went for a holiday lunch and ordered a range of items. A complementary roll, hummus, EVOO, and radishes came out first which were tasty. We tried the calamari and meatballs which I thought were very good. The meatballs fell apart easily and had great flavor, as well as came with polenta which I've never tried but enjoyed. The calamari was good, but the combination of that and the orzo they had underneath made it particularly delicious. I ordered the wild mushroom fettuccine, and my co-workers ordered a variety of pasta dishes and salads which they all mostly enjoyed. The mushroom fettuccine was a 3.5/5, pretty good overall but not sure I'd order it again. I enjoyed my co-workers sausage and broccoli rabe pasta more. We also ordered creme brûlée and cheesecake, both of which are amazing. The prices and the service were great, and the restaurant was clean and felt very homey. I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for a cozy night out. I'll definitely be back!

Naty T.

I'm not sure why this restaurant has the low ratings it does because the food here is divine! It's a little house looking place with a full bar and prompt service. We were attended right away and the service was great throughout our dinner. The food came out quick and the presentation was great. Overall the best thing was the taste. SO GOOD. The meatball appetizer was my favorite. The best meatballs I've ever had. So soft and flavorful. Honestly wish there were more than two. I would def come back.

Braised Beef Short Ribs
Jimaye F.

The ambiance was a cute quaint place. Nice mix between classic, jazz, and ratatouille kind of music. The service was good everything you expect from an upscale restaurant. The food was good. It didn't amaze me and it's a bit pricey for what you get but it is a nice dinner spot where everything is pretty good. I would say everything is average to pretty good. Nothing spectacular though.

Maryland Crab Cake
Pri W.

Beautifully decorated restaurant with a cozy, intimate setting. No need to worry about street parking as they have their own parking lot. The restaurant was a lot more expansive than I thought and we were able to walk in on a Saturday night without a reservation (though I recommend making one to be safe). Service was friendly but it did take quite a while for our drinks to arrive, likely due to how busy they were. They start by providing fresh bread with a Mediterranean spread (hummus, olives and olive oil) which was nice. We got the crab cake as an appetizer and steak and branzino as our mains. The best part was actually the dessert- one of the best bread puddings we've ever had!

Dec 2023 outside
Kirsten K.

How does The Metuchen Inn not have a higher rating on Yelp?! First off, the renovated mid-1800s building is just beautiful with tasteful and soothing decor. I loved the huge fragrant bouquet of tropical flowers next to the reservations stand. I had made a reservation on the phone a few days ahead and got a text message to confirm. We were seated immediately upon arrival at the scheduled time. Our party of four enjoyed an excellent two hour complete dinner from appetizers and entrees to drinks and desserts. The standouts of everything we ordered were the two different fish entrees, Branzino and Halibut. The salad special was also particularly tasty and fresh. The only thing I would not recommend is the eggplant rollatini appetizer. I thought the tomato sauce was much too acidic and the cheese was not really flavorful. The person in our group who ate the Crabmeat Ravioli said it was bland and needed more salt and seasoning. Background music was familiar 60s and 70s hits by easy-listening groups like The Byrds; Peter, Paul and Mary; and CS&N. I have to acknowledge all the outstanding staff and especially our server Guillermo. He was exceptionally welcoming, helpful, and gracious. He and all the staff sang Happy Birthday to my Dad (82 years old!) and helped make my Dad's birthday dinner out a special experience. We had a great night. Thank you Metuchen Inn!

Vanilla Cheese Cake
Nicole F.

This cozy gem feels like stepping into a Hallmark movie inn--Charming and full of character. The food was excellent, and our server, Guillermo, provided exceptional service. The space is small, so it does get crowded, and parking can be a bit tricky, but the food makes up for it. A reservation is a must, as this spot is popular. Definitely recommend the Metuchen Inn for a romantic evening or special occasion--just be sure to plan ahead!

Lingerie and shrimp
Eli M.

I went to a birthday party and had stuff mushroom and linguine and shrimp. The stuff mushrooms weee delicious. The sauce was perfectly seasoned. The stuffed mushrooms were tender. The linguine and shrimp was very good! The sauce needs more garlic and it was not salty! The linguine was past aldente but it was still good! Overall I had a great time at this place and would definitely eat here again!

what should've been a nice birthday dinner for my sister turned out to be a pure disaster. While Yvonne, our waitress was very good , that is where the good ended. I ordered the steak special, asked for it to be cooked medium rare. The left side of it was well done, and the right side was almost purple. It was very tough . The entire plate was room temperature. They took it away claiming they would make another steak. They brought back the same steak cooked even more . so completely well done. I finally settled on a salad with chicken in it . It was nothing special . My sister ordered the halibut special, which also arrived cold . After they reheated it , She proceeded to eat her dinner until she found a black hair on the fish. The waitress assured us that we would get a complementary dessert. When it came time for dessert, they offered one for the two of us. We asked to speak to the manager on duty who came over and tried to apologize. He assured us he would only be charging us for the fish, and the bottle of which would be $60. I let him know that we no intention of paying for fish that had hair in it. He asked us if the hair was from a man or a woman.? does that really matter? It was a black hair and we both have blonde hair so it certainly wasn't ours. In the end, I told him we would pay for the salad that I ate plus the bottle of water and nothing more. He did give us two desserts to take home, but what should've been a nice birthday dinner turned out to be a disaster. I have not been to this restaurant in many years and I have no intention of ever going back .

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9 months ago

Never disappoints. Food was delicious. Our servers were attentive and sweet. Drinks were great.

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1 year ago

Food and service were good. The atmosphere was completely ruined by playing Fox News loudly during the dinner hour.

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Mangia Toscano - Arrabiata & cacio e Pepe  | #intenselypassionatephotography

Mangia Toscano

4.4(278 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$$

I cannot explain why it took 7 years after Florence, Italy natives Alberto Buglione and Ivan…read moreGuarducci took over this restaurant for me to visit. It is outstanding! Over the years I have heard nothing but good from friends -- "Excellent" "Exactly like they make it in Florence!" "Best Italian food I've ever tasted." I went with a party of four. For appetizers we split the Polpo E Patate (grilled octopus & potatoes) and Patate Fritte (French fries). The octopus was amazing, tender almost like perfect scallops with a tasty pesto. The French fries with herbs, garlic bread crumbs and pesto were crunchy, tasty, delicious. For mains my companions had Branzino with eggplant carponata, an amazing 4-cheese Gnocchi, and swordfish. I tasted all, and all were spot on; everyone loved their main course. I had Linguini Vongole (clams and linguini); the clams were perfect - tender and tasty; but the star of the show was the homemade linguine, seasoned perfectly and cooked to al dente perfection. We finished with cappuccino and Tiramasu. The service was excellent. Attentive and quick, and our waitress, Merin, was able to answer every question about the menu with authority, and even about the ingredients and preparation. The ambiance is understated, relaxed, and what you hope for when enjoying a special meal. I am quite stingy in passing out 5-Star ratings; I reserve them for the best of the best, for restaurants where I'm confident readers will also enjoy an outstanding meal. Mangia Toscano is clearly 5-Star; it is *the* must-do restaurant in Metuchen.

The food, service, and atmosphere were definitely a vibe! Everything about the experience was…read moreenjoyable from start to finish. I had the Salmon and the Gnocchi Al Pesto, and both dishes were delicious, savory, and full of flavor. The staff was attentive, the ambiance was great, and the overall experience made me want to come back again. Highly recommend!

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Mangia Toscano
Mangia Toscano - Panzanella & burrata | #intenselypassionatephotography

Panzanella & burrata | #intenselypassionatephotography

Mangia Toscano

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Civile Cucina Italiana - Salmone

Civile Cucina Italiana

4.3(242 reviews)
0.9 mi
•$$

Outstanding food and service! This place is very unassuming on the outside but cozy on the inside…read more We have been here several times before and always enjoy it. The special stuffed pork chop was delicious and enough to split between two people. Loved the calamari with balsamic glaze appetizer and the veal parmiggiana was a huge portion, very tender and yummy. Service was excellent. We had a group of six. The other plus is the restaurant is BYOB.

If your looking to eat dinner in a dump that smells like a$$, this is the place! Not sure why the…read morehost is so rude like this is the hottest ticket in town. The place looks like a dump and we questioned even getting out of the car. Not sure what was worse, the rudeness, the smell of mold or the dumpy atmosphere.... Read on and I'll share what we experienced. Mistake #1 deciding to go here Never heard of the place but saw on the gps there was an Italian spot while cutting through town. We went for it! Mistake #2 getting out of the car We pulled up to a gross old building, crumbling parking lot where people were creating their own parking/ blocking in each others cars. It was completely bizarre. After much debate about how to park and not have our car hit, we parked. We kept seeing people coming out of what looked like a rear kitchen/ service door. Odd. We walked through the horribly lit parking lot, in bad need of a repave and made our way to the front door. This door is street side and has an unlit sign over it. I pulled the handle only to have half of the metal handle pull off in my hand??? What in the world! Two elderly gentleman cutting through the lot on a walk let me know that the "kitchen entrance" was actually the main door. When they saw how perplexed I was, they laughed and said "There in lies the problem. This place is weird and doesn't have a proper entrance. Did you try the broken handle yet?" Followed by their laughter. Wonderful! They told us to not have big expectations as this is the local greasy spoon and to hold our nose when we entered. I'm not going to lie, we debated getting back in the car again as we walked past it.... Which brings me to mistake #3 Mistake #3 Not getting back in the car when we had the chance We entered into the building and were immediately hit in the face with a smell that I can only describe as that of and old wet basement paired with a moldy wood smell and a kitchen in need of an air out. It was not good. A guy came up to the host stand (a random podium in the dining room) and asked for our reservation- not if we had one- but the assumption that we must have one to dine at this fine establishment. I told him no we just came in and he immediately snickered at us and said, "come back in an hour" Ok Peter Luger. Best Decision We Made #1 immediately leaving It's really unfortunate for a place to have such crummy interactions on the heels of giving gusts every reason to run before even coming in. A simple- hey we are booked with reservations, let me peak to see what we can do- ok first spot will be in about an hour. Does that work for you? Or how about, have chairs???? There's literally nowhere to wait. You'd have to stand in the smell waiting and hoping to not get legionnaires disease. I would not recommend this dump.

Photos
Civile Cucina Italiana - Mural wall in the dining room

Mural wall in the dining room

Civile Cucina Italiana - Pork Chop Giambotta

Pork Chop Giambotta

Civile Cucina Italiana - Pancetta Fig Crostini

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Pancetta Fig Crostini

Torino Restaurants

Torino Restaurants

3.8(278 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$

Took my family from out of town for a special dinner, celebrating my grandmother's 90th and they…read moredid not disappoint! Our server was Vincent and he was wonderful. He really made us feel at home and helped make the evening seem special. If there was a criticism, the menu seems to be a bit smaller than when it was Torino II which made it a little challenging for some of our pickiest eaters to find what they were looking for, but Vincent helped them navigate. Several of us had the Caramelized Onion Cacio e Pepe and thought it was delicious. The past was cooked perfectly and the sauce was very flavorful. If you don't enjoy black pepper, this dish is not for you. Others had the Pistachio & Stracciatella and said it was fantastic. Kids were happy with the kids portion of pasta and chicken fingers. The atmosphere was very light and relaxed. Service was wonderful, we had a really good time and will be back.

I am sorry to write this update to my review, because Torino (now Terzo) has always been my "go to"…read morefor fine Italian food in Metuchen. But apparently Torino II has relaunched itself as "Terzo," which according to their website does "...classic Italian flavors and ingredients in a reimagined way, using farm fresh ingredients & homemade pasta." The menu now includes 7 appetizers, 2 salads, 7 pastas, 7 entrees and a few desserts. We were immediately told that two of the appetizers and two of the entrees were not available "today," so even less choices. Thing is, anything resembling the classic dishes in every Italian restaurant were absent from the menu. Ah, but then I spotted "Caesar Salad" -- but it was actually "Summer Kale Caesar Salad." Hey, there;s a time and a place for kale; that would be in a health food or vegan restaurant, not in my Caesar salad. But I figured, keep an open mind. We ordered two appetizers, Salmon & Shrimp Arancini and Wagyu Meatball Pomodoro -- both excellent. But the entrees, and this is the crux of the matter, varied from mediocre to poor. I ordered the Airline Chicken Parm, which was a giant portion of panko breaded chicken breast, with marinara and cheese, and a small pasta on the side. The homemade pasta was excellent, but the chicken -- tough as leather and tasteless. And sadly the other three in my party also felt the same about their entrees. Some were overcooked, others were tasteless. The bill, for a party of four (and we ordered no wine), excluding tip was $220. We did provide a 20% tip as the server was excellent, but the selection of menu items was poor, the food was mediocre at best, and cost was outrageous considering quality of the food. As I said, I hate to write this review, but Terzo leaves me with the challenge of now finding a new "go to" Italian restaurant in the area.

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Torino Restaurants
Torino Restaurants
Torino Restaurants

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LouCas - Shrimp Fra Diavolo

LouCas

3.8(492 reviews)
1.0 mi
•$$$

Just had a great lunch to celebrate a friends birthday. The menu has new and old Italian items …read more The specials are also fun with new interpretations of classics. I enjoyed the baby lamb chops over white bean salad w/lemon vinaigrette after sharing calamari with a spicy mango sauce . My friends enjoyed the grouper and the lobster salad ; all were good sized portions cooked perfectly. We shared profiteroles and carrot cake and everyone was pleased . Service for a large group was attentive and restaurant allowed you to bring your own bottle so the final bill was more manageable . Parking is available out front.

03/30/2026 Came to gather with my wife, my sisters and…read morebrother in law. We'd had a birthday gathering at their Fresco restaurant and went home very full and happy. We were brought downstairs to a large room full of tables and were the only ones in there. We wondered if we'd insulted someone, or if one of us might be 'offensive', (no one was) but as it turns out, it was a 'Godsend'. We're all in our 70's and hearing/speaking can be challenging in a crowded/noisy dining room. We remained the only ones there for almost the entire 2 hours we were there and really enjoyed ourselves without having to yell or ask "WHAT!?" We shared a couple of salads (Greek and Arugula) and calamari, all very good. My wife had the seafood capellini and one sister the seafood fra diavolo, which they both enjoyed. My other sister had a seafood salad and my BIL went for the double cut pork chops, which he too enjoyed. I opted for the Halibut / risotto. Halibut is not an easy fish to make 'moist or juicy'. I make it at home and it comes out 'pretty good' (at least my wife says so) but here, this portion was fantastic! So light an flaky and tasty. Definitely give it a try if you enjoy Halibut. We all shared a couple of desserts... a home made carrot cake and a chocolate cake from 'outside'. Both good, but the carrot cake was served warm, which was a first for all of us... and it was terrific! Without a doubt the best carrot cake we'd ever had, so save a little room for their carrot cake if/when go. Our servers, Alyssa and Dagmar provided excellent service as well as some humorous dialogue while we were there. Made our meal just that much better!. Yes... it's a BYOB!

Photos
LouCas - Foyer

Foyer

LouCas - Dessert sampler

Dessert sampler

LouCas - Entrance

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Entrance

The Greek on Main - Calamari

The Greek on Main

4.0(292 reviews)
0.3 mi
•$$$

We stopped by The Greek on Main for lunch and immediately found it to be a warm and inviting spot…read more *AMBIANCE* Located on main st in Metuchen, street parking can be a bit tricky. We walked in for lunch and were immediately seated. Though they also take reservations on Resy. We came dressed casually though the vibe seemed a bit dressier with the dimly lit interior. The restaurant has a clean, modern feel while still maintaining the charm of a neighborhood eatery. *FOOD* The menu offers a great variety of Greek-inspired dishes made with fresh ingredients and bold flavors. I ordered the lobster gyro, which was absolutely delicious. The lobster was flavorful and the combination of ingredients came together nicely in the pita. The dish also comes with a side of fries. *SERVICE* The service was friendly and attentive throughout our lunch. Our waitress was welcoming and checked in periodically to make sure everything was going well. Overall, great experience all around and it's the type of place you'd want as a regular neighborhood favorite. I'd definitely return and look forward to trying more of the menu!

Will never go to a place that is racist and does not treat every patron equally…read more Especially a hungry well dressed patron who had along day at work and travelled so very sad. You just lost a customer

Photos
The Greek on Main - Inside Dining view

Inside Dining view

The Greek on Main - Xifias grilled swordfish

Xifias grilled swordfish

The Greek on Main - Astakomakaronada (lobster meat, thick hollow spaghetti, ouzo infused tomato cream sauce & spinach)

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Astakomakaronada (lobster meat, thick hollow spaghetti, ouzo infused tomato cream sauce & spinach)

Metuchen Inn - newamerican - Updated October 2026

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