Very good. Pasta was cooked great vodka sauce was very good chicken was nice and crisp with lots of flavor. Very small inside so I'd imagine on a weekend you would need to make a reservation. Staff is very nice and attentive. read more

I heard time and time again that Monica's had the best food! I was so excited to try it. I really did not think it was that great. I was with someone else and they thought it was worse than I thought. Maybe my expectations were too high? The service was good. It's a small place. The prices were fair. read more

We went for lunch on Wednesday, without reservations but were seated immediately. My wife had a steak sandwich which was ok. I had the salad with blackened salmon.. it was excellent. Service was very good My issue is parking. There is limited metered parking in front of the restaurant and you may have to park at a meter several blocks away, read more

We have had 2 dinners this past month - one a take out and one an eat in- both for four people. I can not praise highly enough for the flavor, preparation, and freshness of everyone's meals! Pastas, seafood, veal, and chicken dishes all got high ratings from everyone! Service at the restaurant was amazing and cocktails served were excellent as well! So nice to have a cozy, friendly , and delicious restaurant to go to in this neighborhood!!! read more

First time ordering. Had a to go chicken special and penne vodka . Also a side of broccoli raab . The main dishes were good ,unfortunately broccoli raab was very flat and consisted of stems and leaves. We order again for sure. read more

We had my daughter's baptism party there a while back and the food was amazing. I'm especially a fan of their salad and the salmon. Everything was fresh and delicious. read more

Monica's has it all! Food, service, ambiance is always consistent! The best part is that it's in walking distance for us. Why drive anywhere else when great food is in our own town! read more

food was ok, my pasta entree needed a lot of salt. waiter was never to be found, which is weird because this place is tiny. honestly dont know what all the hype is about. needless to say, wont repeat read more

First class experience from beginning to end. Great service and great food. We will definitely be back!

A few friends that live near here wanted to try this restaurant since the pass it frequently. Very quaint place near the old train station. Staff was very nice. There are about 8-10 tables. I would suggest reservations. We started with a bottle of wine which was priced very reasonably. Stuffed mushrooms were pretty good. ( I wasn't too fond of the sauce) but everyone else liked it. Mozzarella Fritta was excellent. Lentil soup was awesome as well as the tortellini soup. We then ordered the white Sangria!! Wow First time I ever saw it look like water. Loved that they filled your glass with ice and fruit and put the sangria mix in a decanter as to not get watery. It was delicious and refreshing. We had the Mara Mistro which was shrimp, scallops and lobster tail over capellini in a garlic herb sauce. Delicious and plenty of seafood. Chicken parmigiana was excellent very large portion. Veal parmigiana was also delicious, very tender and flavorful. Also very large portions. Capellini primavera was very flavorful. The pink sauce was delicious. Prices were very reasonable for the portions they give. Definitely a place I will go back to. read more

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The food!!!! Soaked in onions garlic and oil. I ordered pasta with shrimp disgusting soaked in heavy oil. Italian food doesn't mean excessive garlic and oil. Sick to my stomach not impressed at allllll read more

Not that great. I don't know what the hype is about. My fish was ok nothing to say I would go back. There is minimal parking . I wouldn't go back . read more

Went for lunch here when I visited the area to see family. The chicken sandwich was so yummy -- wish I was nearby so I could visit again. I know they also rent out space for events since I previously attended my grandpa's repast here so it's a family favorite. Will definitely visit again the next time I'm in town. read more

Each time I try a new place on a holiday I am disappointed. Not the case this time! The food was AMAZING and the service wonderful! Excellent from start to finish! The portions were huge and we have plenty for tomorrow. Authentic Italian food made with fresh ingredients! I loved the nice touch of the fresh Italian cheese plate with the garlic toast. They also gave an amazing salad with the entrees . My pasta was cooked perfectly ! I cannot wait to go back! read more

Monica's Cafe Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

My family of 13 had a graduation luncheon here yesterday. The food was superb especially the seafood with angel hair and the risotto. Prices were very reasonable and the ambience was just right. Desserts were scrumptious . Can't wait to eat the beef braciole we brought home!! read more

Here on a Wednesday night and since there was no room inside and upstairs was closed off they sat us outside. No problem. After being seated everything was an extreme long wait. From water to bar drinks to menus to bread to everything. We waited and waited. If you can't handle people sitting outside don't sit them. There. It was our table and one other one and we both had same issue. I don't mind waiting a bit but this was excessive. I had fettuccine with shrimp in a light sauce. To me there was no flavor at all. Very bland. Susie had cheese ravioli that were good. Sandra had penne francese that was basically the same sauce and flavor as mine-none. We sat at a table in the back of the tent and it was a bit windy so all night the tent kept smacking me in the back. Lol. Oh well. Overall not a pleasant experience. We have been here many times in the past and enjoyed it. Not sure if we will return. read more

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Delish! This is old school high end italian food. Stracciatella, broccoli rabbit, seafood pasta. Just amazing. The staff are top rated, super attentive. This would be a great place for a celebration or date. We came here after work and are blown away by the expertise, freshness, and kindness. 5 stars all the way and we are adding this spot to our favorites! read more

Monica's was great! I had a light lunch but loved the dressing, just like my mom used to make! The fried calamari was amazing read more

Monica's Cafe Restaurant - Great Italian salad with fried calamari! - Italian Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

This tiny little place is such a gem in Pompton Lakes! The servers are always wonderful and the owner Atilla is incredibly nice and accommodating. Over the years, my family has hosted every birthday, graduation party, and bridal shower here and they have never let us down. The food is always amazing and the service is great. While it is small and doesn't accommodate a huge group, it is perfect for what we need. My favorite menu items are the chicken parm and the penne vodka. The penne vodka in particular is amazing and I have never found any place that can do it better. Every portion is huge (lasts me 2-3 days of leftovers) and comes with tasty bread and a big salad. Will continue to go to Monica's forever and there's a reason why this little place has lasted so long in town! read more

Cute place. Had been meaning to go for quite a while and finally made it. Limited parking. Huge portions, excellent service and plenty of options for every palate. The calamari was crispy and fresh. The entree came with a salad. The shrimp and scallops in creamy pesto sauce with Arborio rice was a very rich dish- one that is fit for two. Extremely creamy. The bow tie pasta with pesto was lacking flavor- somewhat bland but with one can tell the ingredients used like olive oil and pesto were very fresh. Had no room for dessert. read more

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Service is always very good and friendly and the food is very good I have gone here for years and have never been disappointed.

Very very good food and great service. Tried the fish and it was perfect. Hubby had the steak - he enjoyed it. Family style salad hits the spot. Went with a large group and everyone enjoyed their food. We sat outside and the weather was nice. Prices are very reasonable. Owners are super sweet. Definitely would recommend. read more

We have been going to Monica's for years and it never disappoints. It is our go to for nice dinners out as well as for most family parties/ wedding showers/ etc. The food is consistently great and the service can't be beat. It's a small restaurant so reservations are needed, especially on the weekends. Our favorites are the penne vodka and chicken oregenata but the specialty pasta and daily specials are delicious as well, you can't go wrong here! read more

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Food was very good. Ambiance was nice. Service was ok. Our waiter was a bit rushy but got better over the dining experience

Just moved into the neighborhood three months ago, I live two minutes away.. I've read and heard wonderful things about Monica's, so I gave it a try. It was good, nothing over the top, but it was a solid restaurant. Very cozy and comfortable and the staff is fantastic! I would go back again due to it's proximity to my home and the price point. If you live in the neighborhood, you can't beat it. Thank you for a wonderful experience. read more

I always get the same dish and it's delicious and fresh. I don't know the name but it's giant shrimp, scallops on an asparagus risotto. Highly recommend it read more

Food authentic relishes and affordable! Nice place for a date night! Excellent service! read more

We really thought based on the positive reviews we saw, we were in for a real treat. We were sadly mistaken! We are well aware that we ordered from the lunch menu. Unfortunately, the chicken portion was incredibly small. Come on, on the side, 1/2 a potato croquet Smaller then a golf ball, 3 small string beans, and large baby carrot cut in 3! read more

Lip smacking food!! We decided to order a take out on our anniversary and were expecting the food to be good considering that the prices were on the higher end. Instead the food turned out to be amazing!! Stuffed mushrooms, Lobster ravioli and Osso Bucco right here and every dish had a distinct flavor about it. Also the portion sizes were large. Thank you Monica's for making our special occasion even more special !! read more

Monica's Cafe Restaurant - Lobster Ravioli, Stuffed Mushrooms and Osso Bucco with salad and house bread - Italian Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

The service here was excellent. The food was good but Nothing stood out. I had the salmon and it was overcooked and the broccoli rabe could have been cooked more. Red sangria was nice I would go back and try something else. read more

I made reservations at 6:30pm on a Saturday and was able to get a 7:30 table for four. Immediately as we arrived, the table was ready. Always a pleasure. We sat in the small first floor with a couple of tables and an open view of the kitchen. With a great wine selection. We ordered an excellent organic blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. My first time having the blend and it didn't disappoint. We started with a beratta mozzarella appetizer off the specials. It came on a bed of arugula with roasted peppers and roasted eggplant, drizzled in balsamic. Amazing, very light and satisfying, with all components mixed well. Their beratta mozzarella could be plated with anything and make a dish, it's that good. My wife ordered a salmon dish, that came on a pile of broccoli rabe, with some side veggies and potato crochet balls. She enjoyed the meal and said everything was cooked great. She would of preferred lighter butter used for the meal but she is usually thinking healthy. The meal also included freshly made potato crochets, which were also very good. I ordered the osso bucco and I was glad I did. I wanted something filling and hearty. I was starving and this meal just screamed at me from the menu. A very generous veal shank that had meat falling off the bone, smothered in a great sauce with fettuccine pasta, wow in my belly. The only thing missing was a bone marrow fork, to go savage on that bone. The only thing left on my plate lol. Going back to explore the menu some more but will leave the kids home. I jumped the gun and made reservations, then noticed it wasn't good for kids as per yelp. So I called back to advise them and the nice lady on the phone said, kids are good. It was good and they do have high chairs, but no kids menu, which isn't a problem if they still have a basic francese dish or something. We ordered the kids some hefty bowls of pasta fagoli, they loved. Only couple with kids and most seemed like local regular customers. Our waitress Angie was great and eased us through our meal. read more

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Food was outstanding and the service overall was very friendly and very efficient. Had the veal Milanese and it was so tender and well prepared read more

Monica's is a great restaurant! The food is delicious and the staff is amazing. I have been going there for years, I've had parties there and I'm never disappointed. Monica's Restaurant is a wonderful addition to Pompton Lakes! read more

This place has it all: great food, terrific attentive service and reasonable prices. They start you off with complementary garlic bread and cheese. The salad is included in the price of the entree. The portions are very generous and delicious. Special shout out to Carmen and Oscar! read more

Fantastic Italian food without the outrageous prices. Also accommodating and friendly service. My wife and I love to go their on the weekend/weekday. Their specials are always tasty and different. Would Highly recommend read more

A hidden gem! What a nice surprise this was. We have lived in the area for over 12 years and we just discovered our new favorite place. The presentation was awesome and the service (Elisa) was by far one of the best we ever encountered. She was so outgoing and passionate. Her recommendations were spot on 100%. The rib eye was sick! Tender and delicious. The seafood over linguine was outrageous! Excellent margaritas and the chocolate martini was one for the books. The cappuccino was one of the smoothest we've had in a very long time. This place is very quiet and very cozy. This is not to be missed. PLEASE, make it a point to come either on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and ask for Elisa. You will not be disappointed. February 11,17 Another awesome visit. Fantastic food and great service. Awesome! read more

I have lived in Pompton lakes for years now. I was wondering why I never heard anyone mention this place to me or recommend it. Well I know why now. This place is a diner, plain n simple. No linens on the table. With the prices they are charging, at least a tablecloth!! I wont go into detail, but the dishes we ordered were not good at all. Bland, tasteless and overpriced. We will not be going back there anytime soon! No atmosphere at all, a very plain dining room from the 70s. Pass on this one if you are looking for an Italian meal.And oh, by the way,this is the only restaurant I have ever been to that offers wines and liquor,has a full liquor license and no bar!!!!! Go figure. read more

Monica's was very accommodating to all of my requests! the food was amazing and the staff was very kind ! will be back!!

Very cozy place right off the main st in Pompton lakes. I was digging the look from the outside and the inside is cozy. Inside doesn't knock you off your feet but is intimate and kind of unique Pre salad free apps include some cheese, bread, olives which I thought was above and beyond and very nice. Than came a complimentary salad which was also very good. My wife and I both got pasta dishes which had unique flavors and were well done. We enjoyed! Only cons is it is not byo and I would suggest calling ahead for seating read more

Monica's Cafe Restaurant - Very good shrimp and good broccoli rabe in this dish - Italian Near Me - Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

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I was surprised to find this tiny Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of Pompton Lakes. My wife and in laws made reservations and we were pleasantly surprised. The place is very small but cozy. I saw 11 tables filled with patrons enjoying their meals. Bread is provided and wasn't bad. We ordered a salad and it was served family style. The dressing was just right. My wife ordered the penne in sauce with chicken and I ordered the Riso Con Pesce and wasn't disappointed. There was plenty of pesto sauce with 3 shrimp and 3 scallops. The rice was cooked perfectly and overall the meal was delicious. I would definitely go again. read more