You know what. I have never had a bad meal here…read more The food is always great. Fresh, yummy, delicious.

This is a lovely little find in a strip mall with plenty of parking. The food is good and well…read morepriced. Full bar and great takeout counter. Garlic knots are fabulous!!! My fiancé and I dined there recently early one evening. We had a male server who was a bit loud AND aggressive about placing our order. At the end of the meal (tip time) he came over and chatted us up. He asked me where I was from, as I have a slight southern accent. He then asked my partner the same thing. My partner referenced his religion rather than where he was from. The server then said 'oh, I'm cheap like you' then patted him on the back and chuckled. We both looked at each other and were like 'did he actually just say that'? We were stunned. I mean, seriously.... I guess we could have addressed it with management but we just wanted to leave. Everyone else has been lovely when we have eaten there. We won't be going back as often due to this person's behavior. So many other places in the area that we can go to without being insulted.

Rails never disappoints, it's a great place for date night or any special occasion…read more We started our night with white wine and a spicy margarita. For our appetizer we had the tuna tartare and spanish octopus. I will definitely order the tuna tartare again. For our main we had a tomahawk, smoked gouda and bacon mac and cheese and mushrooms with spinach. Our waiter was great, he constantly came by to check on us and had great recommendations for sides.

The problem with Rails Steakhouse is that the apps are the best part, so the overall trajectory of…read morethe experience just goes gradually downhill throughout. I came here last night with the Bitch Pack for a 7pm dinner. One of my top-tier chums had been here before a handful of times, but otherwise we were making our debuts. I've been aware of this place for literally years, having driven by it on 202 numerous times, but the closest I ever got to the door was about 16 years ago when I took some used wine crates from the end of Teresa Guidice's driveway nearby. Time flies! The building is seriously cool. I wandered in first and instead of being a grownup and just alerting my chums to my presence, assumed I was late and that they were downstairs in the speakeasy (one of apparently four bars in the restaurant? So yes, a rather large establishment). They weren't, but it was an opportunity to take a gander at that setup, which involves an incredibly unique entrance to gain access (no spoilers here). In this era where people just decide that their bars are speakeasies because one of their employees is dressed like a flapper, it's nice to see one that actually remembers they're supposed to be secrets and hard to get into. The staff I encountered during my needless search/exploration was very nice; I think one of them politely suggested I text my chums, which was of course excellent advice I didn't take. Anyway. As mentioned, the apps were awesome. We split the lobster arancini at my suggestion, and also got some tuna tartar. The arancini is fantastic; incredible taste/texture, and something I'd order again in a heartbeat. And honestly? To me the best tuna tartar keeps it simple - it's tuna, avocado and wontons/chips. That's it. Nice and smooth, just as nature intended. We were also pondering a special that I think involved gnocchi and strawberries, which might have been awesome too, but I was pleased with all of these decisions. The steak was okay, which is obviously not the greatest takeaway for a steakhouse. I liked the flavors a lot; I was a little concerned the pepper would be overwhelming but I was into it, and the steak was slightly undercooked, which is also a plus for me. Ideally I'd order rare everywhere I go but I only do it at places I trust (cough cough Cloverleaf in Caldwell cough cough), so I went with medium rare, which came out pretty close to rare. It might just be personal palate preference, but I thought the marbling was a little too thick on the ribeye, which meant "stringier" bites that took away from the positives of marbling, namely the aforementioned flavor. Morally I tend to hang out in the steak section of a steakhouse menu, but I might wander off the reservation if I'm back again. We got some sides as well to share, which were SUPER uneven. The mashed potatoes were decent and the gouda smoked mac & cheese a definite highlight - the smokiness really gave it some zest. I didn't taste them but the Brussels sprouts looked almost sickly (definitely not crispy) and my chum almost spit them out in her napkin. Avoid at all costs. And unfortunately we sputtered to the finish line. I sampled the pina colada creme brulee, which was technically tasty but very cold (literally the first time I've encountered it at that temp); same with the s'mores cheesecake. It was pretty obvious these weren't made to order and weren't even prepped/heated up for us, which was strange given that both of these desserts by definition require heat for caramelizing and toasting. Big miss there. The service was fine; maybe a little sluggish but we weren't really in a time crunch unless you count the fact that some of us were perilously close to bedtime. A request to move to a nearby table away from an air vent was promptly handled, so points for that. I'd have no objection to sneaking back into the speakeasy for a nip and some apps, but when you don't have much interest in the steak at a steakhouse, it's kind of a problem.

Beautifully rustic yet modern elegance at Nostrana. Staff incredibly friendly and helpful…read more Cocktails well made and unique, as were the appetizers which for us consisted of the Ricotta Fritters - surprisingly light and airy - and their twist on Bruschetta - with chopped Brussels sprouts and whipped ricotta. Different ! For dinner, my wife's Rigatoni Bolognese was perfectly al dente and the bolognese was hearty and delicious - excellent choice on a rainy slightly chilly Sunday evening. Friends had the Spicy Seafood Creste in- terrific ! and the hanger steak dish, which I also had. Steak prepared perfectly and the side of mixed vegetables sat on this bed of puree of olives and tomatoes and was delicious! Great desserts too ! Highly recommend Nostrana. (meaning "homegrown" in Italian).

From the moment we walked in, the service was outstanding. The staff was attentive, friendly, and…read moremade us feel welcome. The atmosphere was cozy, and the vibe was perfect for relaxing and enjoying a great meal. The cocktails were so good that we had to order a second round! For appetizers, we ordered the arancini and the burrata. Both were delicious, but the arancini completely stole the show. They were perfectly crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and every bite was absolutely incredible. For our entrées, we had the shrimp pistachio fettuccine and the steak with fried potatoes. The fettuccine was outstanding, the shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the pistachio sauce was rich, unique, and full of flavor. The steak was tender, cooked exactly as requested, and paired beautifully with the crispy, flavorful fried potatoes. The true star of the meal, however, was dessert. We ordered the ricotta cheesecake, and it was one of the best desserts I've ever had. Honestly, I could eat it for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy! It was creamy, light, and absolutely unforgettable. Yes, it's on the pricier side, but the quality of the food, the service, and the overall experience make it well worth it. I'd happily come back again.

Cute and cozy for Valentine's Day…read more They aren't normally open Sundays, but they were for valentines weekend. It was a perfect chance for us to try it. My husband, a history teacher, loved the old train station vibes and I enjoyed all the food. Our drinks and food were delicious. I wish they had told us the tuna dish was sold out before we looked through the menu and tried to order, but we adapted. Our server kind of forgot about us as the night went on, but luckily we are easy people and didn't mind too much. Not sure if I'll come back, but it was great for the occasion.

Great place! The desserts are phenomenal and the service is even better. Creme bruleeread more

It was our first time at this particular Calandra's. The decor was classy and the lighting was…read morepretty. The waiter was a little on the grumpy side and not pleasant. It definitely felt as if he didn't want to be bothered being there. The food was delicious. Each dish came out hot and the portion sizes were good. Each of our entrees were extremely flavorful and different. We would definitely try it again with hopes the service is a little friendlier next time.

Last year I missed out on the Cucina Calandra Grinch/Christmas experience and I vowed to not let…read morethat happen this year. As soon as I saw that reservations were live, I immediately made mine! I had a Thursday dinner reservation that I eventually needed to cancel and remake for a lunch reservation. Didn't love that I had to go for lunch but oh well. Our reservation was for Noon which meant that they were just opening up for the day and boy were they busy! There were a ton of people coming in for lunch. Getting situated and to our table took a few because of the overwhelming amount of reservations. I booked our table in the Lounge area rather than the dining room and glad I did as it seems to be more festive! Food-wise we ate the Pollo Parm Pizza and the Hot Calamari. Both were good but nothing spectacular. We ordered festive drinks which were $18 each -- a little high but I get it. We skipped on dessert and got dessert drinks instead - I had the Tiramisu Martini which was delightful!

Arca is one of those places in Lincoln Park that really stands out. Since this is a small…read moreneighborhood, you don't find too many places like this around here. You can easily notice this restaurant when you drive by. It was my birthday night, and we decided to try a place right near our home. First impression -- I might be wrong -- but the building kind of reminded me of a church, especially with the colorful glass windows you normally see in churches. The ambience was really good, especially with the beautiful high ceilings and the unique setting. The whole place has a classy and modern vibe, but at the same time, it still feels warm and comfortable. We settled down and ordered: Shrimp Arrabbiata -- Had a nice tangy taste and was really good. Chicken Arca -- Chicken breast with shrimp, dried tomatoes, and mashed potatoes. This was really yum! Lumache Vodka -- Chicken, spinach, and vodka sauce. The pasta was really good. We really enjoyed the food. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and nicely presented. The menu has a good mix of pasta, seafood, steaks, and other Italian dishes, so there are plenty of options. Service was friendly and attentive, which made the overall experience even better. Definitely a nice place for a date night, family dinner, or any special occasion. Having a place like this right here in Lincoln Park is definitely a nice addition to the neighborhood!

Arca vibes Modern, trendy, and so lively--it honestly felt like I was in NYC!…read more The Pear Martini is definitely one of my favorites. The service was professional and welcoming, everyone was dressed to impress, and the food was as delicious as it was beautiful. Such a fun night out!

Excellent strip mall Jersey Italian! Everything is super fresh and not too oily or saucy. Apps were…read moredelish - we had the scallops, mushroom and crab salad and loved them all. Perfect order for 6 people without it being too much. We were all able to finish our entrees but you could easily share too. You'll feel like home at this place - we met the owner / chef and even got to try his homemade limoncello. Servers here are great and courses are timed well. Would definitely recommend for any occasion !

I was invited to dinner here and wasn't expecting much from this small restaurant in a strip mall…read more Was I surprised! This is what I call exemplary Italian food: fresh, magnificent bread, superb appetizers, and incredible combinations of flavors, especially from the veal parm with steamed spinach and chicken parm with cauliflower pasta. Service was excellent and the ambience was reminiscent of small, family run restaurants in Italy.

Wow. Went to visit some friends in Caldwell NJ. They took us to this amazing cute true Italian…read morerestaurant. I will be back

My wife and I have been wanting to try this place since we heard about it. Cute interior, service…read morewas tip top. The chef came out and greeted each table. Always appreciate that. My wife had the zucchini flowers and I had the arugula with shaved pears for appetizers. The zucchini flowers were delicious. My salad was good but it needed much more dressing. 90% of the leaves were dry. For mains my wife had the bronzino and I had the squid ink pasta with seafood. It had squid,octopus, shrimp, & crab. *sigh* I don't think the water my pasta was cooked in had any salt. For me that makes the pasta inedible. I was VERY disappointed. I don't know how a Sicilian cook can make that mistake. Little or no salt on any of the seafood either. For dessert I had a cannoli and my wife had the ricotta cheesecake. Both were delicious. Especially the cannoi! We brought home an order of the gnocchi with mushrooms and asparagus. My daughter loved it! I tried some and agree. It was delicious! We'll definitely come back. Hopefully next time they'll remember to salt the pasta water.