Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and have to say they handled the rush really well! They give good bread for the table and oil and IMPORTANT: place is BYOB and they do no charge for bottle opening like some places!!!! I was attended to real quick and they made sure we had enough personal space not cramming people together. I started with zucchini flowers which i thought were amazing, something I had never tried and felt like I coulda ate 20 of them. For main course I went with the Lasagna Bolognese- and it was as good as any lasagna ive hade. Good portion size and just enough cheese. Only negative i would with agree with some other reviews is it was a bit bright. It was my first time here so I never saw pre renovations. read more

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Dear Queen Margherita, I am writing to share my feedback regarding my recent dining experience at your establishment. While I initially enjoyed the atmosphere and the selection of music, the remainder of the evening was disappointing. I found the service to be unprofessional, as the wait staff remained gathered in a corner speaking amongst themselves rather than attending to the patrons. Additionally, the cleanliness of the restroom facilities was not up to standard. The quality of the food was also inconsistent. Specifically, the veal was quite tough and served in a very thin sauce, and the Italian cheesecake was overly dry and crumbled easily. Given these issues, I am extremely disappointed in the experience and do not intend to return. I hope you find this feedback constructive for improving your service and food quality. Brenda T read more

Excellent food, great service, wonderful staff!!! We had the Barata appetizer special, which was absolutely delicious. We tried the short rib dinner as well as the softshell crabs. Both of them were phenomenal. Service is exceptional. The owner, Pasquale comes to your table to make sure everything is OK and chat. Made you feel like part of the family. read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Short Rib - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

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With more Italian restaurants in New Jersey than any other type of cuisine, it's hard to narrow down our favorite ones, ranging from white tablecloth fine dining to casual family-style restaurants. Every town probably has at least one solid Italian spot, and there are over 500 towns in the Garden State. Situated in the heart of Nutley on Washington Avenue, hidden beneath a dark red sign, we decided on Queen Margherita Trattoria, named after the 19th-century Italian royal, for dinner as first-timers. A reservation was easily made by calling this popular local restaurant. Upon arrival at this cozy, welcoming, and lively vibe, my partner, our friends, and I were greeted by the staff and got a table in the main dining room, which was a bit tight. For appetizers, we decided on Grilled Octopus and Meat Rice Balls. As the main meal, we opted for Pollo alla Parmigiana, Pollo Regina, and Sea Bass Marechiara. A complimentary basket of bread baked in the wood-burning oven with a dipping sauce of olive oil and finely diced vegetables began our meal. The dishes are all homemade with time and care, which comes through in each and every dish. They were deliciously tasty with the right amount of seasonings. The owners clearly love their heritage and honor that legacy with everything they do. The staff was very accommodating, polite, and well-paced; our server was James. The portions were huge and the price reasonable. It's not just any Italian restaurant when one has the owner, Pasquale, singing to the patrons and feels right at home, which we can recommend. read more

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Been here a few times now and it's an awesome BYO italian place that has a really unique menu and friendly staff. The highlights for me are the grilled octopus appetizer, the margherita pizza, fried calamari and the pork chops Ciambotta. Easily would recommend for a nice little italian spot but definitely make reservations becuase it can get crowded fast read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Broiled Pork Chop - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

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I took my granddaughter here for her 11th birthday celebration. They were so nice to us. I was wanting the zucchini flowers and my granddaughter wanted crème brûlée. It was all fantastic! The staff was very attentive and sweet. I will be visiting again! read more

Food! We felt rushed at the end of the meal! They were cleaning off the table before we were finished! Will never return!

Disappointed - We called ahead and were able to reserve a table for 5:30 on a Friday night. We were seated right away and before we knew it the place became very busy. The servers were friendly and attentive but we felt rushed through our dinner. They start by serving a bread basket but we observed another table ask for focaccia instead, I'll remember if we go again, but most likely not returning. Next came out our salad , then quickly after that our fish dish and pizza came. We barely had time to Finish our glass of wine over dinner . We sat at 5:30 and we received our check and walked out at 6:05. That's wayyyy too fast to digest and enjoy our our food and dinner out. Food- the seabass special was delicious. The pizza had a nice sweet taste to it. The crust was light but soggy and barely had any of the toppings on it that we ordered. Ambiance - cozy old work Italian vibe with bakery attached. Unfortunately We left unimpressed read more

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I can't believe I have never here before. First of all, the service is amazing. The waiter split our meal and bough out extra bread without even asking. The ambiance is fun and the owner even sings. But the food stole the show. The pizza was fabulous. The wood-grilled pork chop was one of the best pork chops I ever had. It's a BYOB, so grab your favorite bottle of wine and a friend, enjoy a great meal. read more

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Excellent food and excellent service. My wife's favorite dish is shrimp Parmesan we go there often because of food is excellent read more

International Police Association-Newark Region 48 (I.P.A) March 2025 monthly meeting at Queen Margherita Trattoria in Nutley, NJ. I can't describe this restaurant any better than their own website description, "Quaint & cozy BYOB eatery dishing up traditional red-sauce Italian meals in a relaxed atmosphere". From the appetizers to a finale of cappuccino and dessert, everything was outstanding. Each dish was clearly carefully prepared and presented, and each serving tasted as good as it looked. Appetizers included family style servings of fried calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and pizza. Not only was everything delicious, each serving was very generously sized. Following was (again family style) your choice of pasta (penne ragu and penne vodka). Individual choices of entrees included either chicken franchise, veal parmigiana, or snapper livornese. The meal ended with an array of assorted Italian pastry and espresso/cappuccino. Wow, what a great meal. Not to forget the friendly, welcoming, and attentive service throughout the evening. They definitely made us feel at home. As an added bonus the restaurant is also attached to a very impressive and mouth watering bakery section with tons of breads, cakes, Italian pasty, and more delectable Italian treats. I couldn't resist and went home with a couple of pizza breads and some pastry. I was impressed with Queen Margherita, and I would highly recommend you stopping in. 03/05/2025 read more

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I went here last night for the first time. I been wanting to go cause I heard good things. I must say the restaurant is just ok. Not raving about it.. I had the hot appetizer which was good but everything was in the same space underneath which killed it. I shared the shrimp scampi and I thought it was going to be a garlic wine sauce as usual. The shrimp where huge but the sauce felt like it tasted the same as the appetizer sauce which was a light red color. Fail on ordering that. It came with a side of ziti and red sauce which tasted more like pizzeria sauce. Not a bad place but not a great place I would have avout. read more

Wonderful, family-owned restaurant. They sat us fairly late on a weekday night and were very friendly and eager to talk about their establishment, how long they've around, sister restaurants they own, etc. Nice people. The Pasta Fagioli soup was the best I ever had - so much flavor! For entrees, we had the gnocchi, personal pizza with arugula, prosciutto and I asked for some hot sopressata- no problem! For dessert, they own Aroma di Napoli bakery next store and the selections were endless! I had the limoncello cake is it was awesome! Great BYOB experience overall ! We'll be back! read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - 12" personal "Arugula" pizza - very good. - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

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The whole place has this real homey vibe. The friendly greeting from the owner and staff starts the the experience off. The food delicious and unique. The service friendly and professional. A complete joy to eat their. read more

Always great food, always great service! Not sure what they were thinking with the renovations?? Seems to be suited for a small luncheonette or pizzeria. Bright colors take away all the ambiance of a fine restaurant and turned it way too bright. Hope they fix it. They will definately lose lots of customers, especially new ones that won't return read more

Service was wonderful and the food was excellent! They gave a lunch and dinner portion depending what time you go which is fantastic. Will definitely be going back soon! read more

"The True Taste of Naples Tradition" - BEST authentic pastries, Cakes for all occasions, cheesecake (NY Style or Ricotta), Cannoli's & more. My 83 Year old mom from NYC gave you an A++ for your Cannoli's. I just so happen to work at Belleville HS. How luck is my mom. read more

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One of the best Italian restaurants I have ever been too. Fresh seafood!!!!! Amazing service. Live music!!!!. This place has my heart. read more

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Me and my fiancé went there tonight to celebrate our 12 year anniversary, the atmosphere is absolutely beautiful. The service is great and the food was absolutely amazing, I had the stuffed flounder with crab meat and my fiancé had the appetizer octopus, all I can say is wow! Very tasty and very fresh, will definitely be back read more

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Have been here many times, and there is nothing but praises! Delicious, authentic Italian food made with love. The owner is so kind, and ensures all guests are satisfied via table to table visits. My parents even got some free desserts from their joint bakery when making conversation with the owner. Highly recommend making a reservation as it does get busy, especially with the limited dining space. read more

Really friendly place. Owner always on premises, quality service and alway consistently good. Plenty of quality choices at reasonable prices. BYO and casual. read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Large cannoli fully stuffed, perfect ending to an enjoyable evening. - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

We made reservations here for my daughters baptism and they reserved us a side room. It was perfect for the 16 of us. We just ordered off of their menu. The staff was wonderful. Everything came out in a timely manner. I ordered the calamari which I thoroughly enjoyed and the pollo regina which was also good. The table ordered a variety of items and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. They have a bakery attached to the restaurant so we ordered a cake there and they just added it onto the bill which was convenient. Street parking. They do charge 3% when you don't pay cash, which I believe to be a downfall especially if you have a large bill. BYOB which is also another feature. Overall, we had a great experience. read more

Most authentic Italian food in northern nj. Can't beat it. I have been here over 2 dozen times and have never been disappointed. Be sure to make a reservation, even during the week. read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

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Food was decent but it used to be outstanding. Bread was cold and not warmed. Owner offered free cappuccinos and then charged us at the end. This is not the first time we went there and they said that just to charge us. Not a good look. Don't say it if you don't mean it. read more

Very good lunch combo fresh food great service Definitely give it a try and come for lunch. Do you won't be disappointed very good fresh food excellent fresh bread on the table and there's a bakery right next door. read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Chicken park and eggplant - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

This place was delicious! I went there for lunch with my coworkers. You are given complementary bread with a garlic tomato tapenade which is REALLY GOOD. First I had ordered a lentil soup but it had pork in it so I had to switch it out for the minestrone. Which was interesting because there was no beans or pasta noodles which is what I believe minestrone consist of but overall it was okay. It was just potato carrots celery onion. Every lunch plate comes with soup or salad or entrée and a side of noodles with tomato sauce. So for example if you get a salad you still get a side of noodles along with your soup or salad also which is great for about 14-15 bucks! I wanted to do a chicken ciambotta (originally listed as pork on the menu but they swapped it out for me since I don't eat pork) which was chicken in brown gravy with sweet peppers and hot peppers mushrooms and onions which was delicious! And my side of spaghetti and marinara sauce. Some of us had gotten dessert I had to cannoli which was a little bit different for me because it has orange flavoring in the cannoli cream, i've never had that but it wasn't that bad. read more

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Stopped here for lunch being that we love brick oven pizza. We got a Margarita pizza it was really good but when I asked them for garlic powder they didn't have any. Very strange!? Also felt that it was a bit overpriced. read more

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One of my good friends wanted to have lunch so she suggested this place, wasn't far so I decide to give it a try. We could smell the food from outside, it was such a great deal you got an entree salad and bread can't beat that, I will be back for dinner chicken Parmesan was amazing read more

Decent food but super pricy...soggy pizza not crispy at all... nice decor, friendly staff but overpriced and probably wont be back.

Authentic place! It's a byob so bring whatever. They give you bread with a spicy garlic dip. I had the burrata to start. The cheese was small and the salad had barely any dressing. Moving to the dinner. This was the shining moment. The chicken was a little thick.. but the franchise sauce was great. The flounder with crab was also amazing. Then the Nutella pizza was warm and out of the brick oven. It was very old school but cute spot read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

Disappointed by the service given...ordered two pies for pickup, was told over the phone would be ready in 20 minutes. Arrived at the restaurant 30 minutes later. Upon pickup, server tells me they don't have one of the pies I requested over the phone. They apparently ran out. He proceeds to tell me the total is $42 for two pies...I hand him $60...server tells me they don't have change. Saturday night...it's busy...but got to do better. Pies were not ready, can tell they were being rushed. Disappointed by quality of pizza...el Pres would've given this pie a dismal 3.2.... read more

I recently hosted a dinner for several friends and family members (13) at Queen Margherita in Nutley... It was wonderful, they let me pre-order family style appetizers so no one would be starving as we settled in and reviewed menu items (many of the folks were returning patrons). The wait staff was amazing with that many people and dishes getting passed around it was great to have the plates cleared / consolidated so we always had room at the table. They opened and poured the wine we brought and kept the glasses full as needed / wanted. Now, let's talk about the real winner... The food... AMAZING. although most of us ate so well with the appetizers, we wound up bring it home (that works for me :-) ) ...but not before we had a chance to finish the evening with desserts, coffee, and cappuccinos...If you like Nutella (and seriously, who doesn't??) TRY the Nutella Pizza, I know, it sounds weird, but it was GREAT... OMG that was amazing the next day too. Thank you all at QM for making this event for me go smoothly, and stress free... I can't wait to get back - LOVE IT THERE read more

Small little Italian restaurant serving delicious food! I always say I need to come back here! On the other side of the restaurant is a bakery so you know the deserts are on point! Staff is very friendly and prompt. Make sure to call for reservations or you will be waiting! read more

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10/10 in everything!!! I definitely will be back. The frittura di pesce was outstanding read more

I did not attend this establishment, but I was able to have one of their entrees. It was the scaloppine Alla Romana. It was veal with prosciutto, mozzarella and spinach. It also came with penne pasta that was cooked appropriately. I really enjoyed the layers of the components of the veal. There was enough of all the toppings present as well. The veal was a little tough, but nothing that caused major issues. The sauce that was present was appetizing too, a marinara sauce it appeared. It was light in flavor but went well with the pasta and veal. Will I go back? I did not attend, but I would definitely visit. read more

I've been coming to Queen Marg for ten years now and the food is always superb. Joe is fantastic and as soon as you walk in the door makes you feel like you are family. The food is outstanding as you can tell from every table being full on weekends. You have to try the margarita pizza if you go, it's as authentic if not better than some I've tried in Italy. They have great rotating specials as well. Pro tip, they are BYOB so grab a bottle of your favorite vino because the nearest liquor store is kinda far. For dessert try their Italian rainbow cookies! They are to die for and perfect end to an amazing meal! read more

Wish I could give 4.5 stars. Dined outside and had a wonderful experience. 5/5 on service. Staff were very attentive and joyful. Never had to wait long for a water refill and was checked on appropriately throughout the meal. During COVID19: tables were spaced accordingly and staff wearing masks correctly. 5/5 on complimentary bread and dipping sauce. 5/5 on octopus! This was one of the most generous size and tender octopus pieces I've had! Grilled to perfection. Love!!! 4.5/5 on the hot antipasto for two. Eggplant rollatini did not have enough eggplant (too much bread coating). Nothing special about the potato croquette or rice ball. The clams, mushrooms, shrimp, and mussels were great. 5/5 on the steak ciambotta. Amazing! Savory, large portion, tender, juicy, and cooked to perfection. Would definitely order again and recommend! 4.5/5 on the chicken francese. Excellent presentation and fresh ingredients! Chicken was thin and may have been a bit overcooked because it was a little dry, but otherwise really delicious! Sauce was plentiful on point. 3/5 on penne alla vodka (not pictured). Ordered this to go and forgot to take a photo, but wish I did. The sauce was very light in color. Not what I am used to and too much heavy cream. Lacked flavor and definitely needed more tomatoes and red pepper flakes. read more

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I hate giving mediocre reviews but I am disappointed in my experience here. My parents flew into NJ for their anniversary. First time they have been back to NJ in 20 years. So we wanted to take them out for a nice NJ family dinner. So many places we could of chosen from for a good Italian dinner. We choose Queen Margarita because it is usually a nice experience. I am so upset on how it went and what I have now learned about this restaurant that I may never go back if they don't change their ways. Now I will start off we were a table of 13 so I have taken that into consideration. First off they put us in a separate room then the main restaurant. It wouldn't of been that bad if we didn't feel we were forgotten about. The main restaurant had a violin player, nice music playing. Our room, dark and dead air. No atmosphere what so ever. The waitress seemed pissed that she had to keep coming to tend to us. We never even got bread. We had to ask 3 times before they finally brought some. We asked if we could get some kind of music in room. One song played and then nothing. Now this next thing may be the deal breaker. Again it was my parents anniversary. Mom wanted flounder Franchise. They have flounder stuffed with crabmeat on the menu and they have chicken franchise. The waitress said they can NOT do because the flounder is pre-prepared and stuffed at the beginning of each week. ILL ! Not fresh flounder. That means they stuff it and and It sits in the fridge all week. Gross. This is rated as a 4-5 star restaurant. I don't think so. Everything, Especially Fish !!! Should be prepared fresh. So my mom settled and ordered the chicken franchise. I got the breaded Cod special, but we will get back to that. Let's start with the good. Dad got the veal Marsala. He said it was good. Good as most pizzerias in our area. The spicy shrimp over pasta was good too. Mom's chicken franchise was horrible. The chicken so dry it was hard to cut. We asked her to send back but she was so disappointed at that point she just said no. Thank God I guess, because we didn't see a waitress again for at least 30 minutes. My Cod special. 3 pieces of dried out cod in almost no sauce with a side of Penni pasta. I was shocked that this was served or even made a special. Nastiness at its best,but I bit my tongue because the experience for my parents was already so bad. I sat there and ate my dried out fish. My father asking for a taste that I tried to say no too because I did not want him to experience it, but not to be rude I shared. He tasted and looked at me. Who picked this place again he said. Now I was embarrassed and disappointed, but I felt more disappointed in their experience. I thought maybe the desert could save part of the night. When I called to make the reservations I told her it was my parents anniversary, so I thought they may bring out a piece of cake for them or a cannoli or something. Also I just wanted a nice double espresso at that point. When waiting on the waitress to come to our side room with the desert menu, she finally came. She came with the check that included gratuity of course and a thank you very much see you later. Dessert was NOT even offered !!! Again. I know we had 13 people. I know it was a Tuesday night. But if you did not have the staff to handle a group that large you could of said no to the reservation instead of making it one of the worst restaurant experiences ever. $600 bill that I was treating the family for I could not even do. My Sisters had to help pay because I wasn't going to pay this 2 - 3 star restaurant at best at all. So many good Italian restaurants to chose from in our area and I choose Queen Margarita. A Total Tuesday disappointment. Sorry mom and dad. read more

Came here on a Thursday afternoon around 1pm and it was packed - a good sign. Didn't have to wait long for a table. Once seated, you're given complimentary flatbread with a nice oil while you wait for your food. Honestly, the highlight of the meal. Their lunch menu is inexpensive and had a wide variety of items to choose from. I ordered their melanzane parmagiana and the pollo al vino blanco. Everything tasted amazing, including the side of pasta and soup of the day that came with the order. Definitely will return for dinner to see the rest of their menu and to check out their bakery items! Recommend to make a reservation beforehand and bring a bottle cause it's BYOB! read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

I went back this time for their pizza. I must say I was disappointed. The staff wasn't as productive as my previous visit. We were seated in a very traffic area. The bread quality was even questionable. It certainly wasn't fresh. Thank God we had two bottles of our favorite wine to make it go down easier. The waiter seemed like he had better things to do with himself, certainly not serving his customers. He rudely answered my son when he asked about the specials. I just shot him a look from across the table, I think he caught my drift. Finally our pies came out, they looked nice , too bad the taste didn't meet the expectation. My slice was tasteless and soggy in the middle. I took another slice only to find this slice was no better but a bit more oily. Even the cheese wasn't as cooked , the crust wasn't crispy and savory. Another waiter came over to ask if everything was to our liking, I honestly told him no . My plate had two slices uneaten and he simply removed my plate from the table. Seriously your going to ask and just clear the table?? Wow . I just sat there as my family discussed what fast food place they wanted to hit up before getting home. We got our things in order and left the pies there. I was so so disappointed. Needless to say this place is off my list of good eats. Btw I know inflation has hit everything but their prices have definitely increased. More money less service. If I'm going to splurge , this isn't the place! read more

Queen Margherita Trattoria - Our pies - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey