Special pork chop tonight is a "Wow". Bourbon peach sauce with risotto…read more Also worth trying is their New Jersey State of Mind cocktail, seems like a Last Word riff with gin, Aperol, Maraschino, and lemon juice.

I came back here and had the same appetizer as my two prior visits, the Hotsy totsy shrimp. It was…read morenot as good as my prior visits here. It felt like the shrimp needed a little more crunch. The sauce was tasty like in the past. For my entrée, I had the classic cheesesteak, which was offered on Thursday night. It was shaved ribeye steak with White American cheese, caramelized onions, and cherry pepper relish on a pizza roll. It also came with a side of fries. There were a ton of fries, and they were cooked nicely with a good amount of parmesan. The cheesesteak as a whole was solid. The roll was the key as it was soft and went well with the toppings. I just wanted more filling present. Everything was tasty but needed a bit more. I also tried cacio e pepe, and it was good, more peppery than I would have thought, but still solid. I also tried their pork chop special. They were nicely grilled with just enough flavoring. The pistachio tartufo was once again ordered, but this time there was Nutella present. I did not mind this as it actually paired nicely with the tartufo as a whole.

Celebrated my husband's birthday with dinner here. The spot is moody and dark. Service was fine, no…read morecomplaints. What we ordered: - POLETTE (pine nuts raisins beef meatballs, tomato sauce, melted cacio cavallo - CALAMARI (fried squid, spicy tomato sauce) - SALTIMBOCCA (veal tenderloin scaloppini, prosciutto, bufala mozzarella, spinach, crispy sage, brandy sauce, fingerling potatoes) - CINQUANTA (fifty layered lasagne, spinach pasta, veal tenderloin stew, cheese, mushrooms, marsala sauce) - NON-ALCOHOLIC SPRITZ - NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK BELLINI The food was good. It was a good experience overall.

Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall is one of those places you almost don't want to tell people…read moreabout--because then you'll have a harder time getting a table. Luca's Ristorante is a hidden gem that proves you should never judge a restaurant by its parking lot. Not long after we were seated, we were greeted by Luca -- a Luca and not the Luca. Still he was warm, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about his restaurant, taking the time to walk us through the menu and checking in throughout the meal without ever hovering. Luca's has a partial liquor license, offering a modest wine selection but is otherwise being BYOB. As we were told with a smile, they're much more interested in what's ON your plate than what's IN your glass. We started with two excellent appetizers. The arancini, already a family favorite, were crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and disappeared from the table faster than anyone was willing to admit. The Polpette, Luca's signature meatballs with pine nuts and raisins, certainly earned the praise they've received from NJ.com as some of the best in the state. Even if raisins in meatballs sound unusual, trust the process. The restaurant proudly calls itself "A Taste of Ischia," the beautiful volcanic island in the Bay of Naples, and the seafood absolutely lives up to that promise. My squid ink pasta with octopus (the Polypus) was outstanding, with perfectly tender octopus and beautifully balanced flavors. The scallops were buttery, sweet, and cooked to perfection, while the Ischia -- loaded with mussels, clams, and calamari -- was every seafood lover's dream. The rest of the menu proved just as impressive. The Pappardelle, featuring burrata and a rich Bolognese sauce, was a huge hit, while the Romolo, a comforting combination of chicken, pasta, bacon, and sauce, was another winner that had no leftovers to speak of. If you somehow still have room after dinner, Luca's offers a nice assortment of gelato. But do yourself one favor: don't leave without ordering a cappuccino. Rich, foamy, and expertly made, it's the perfect finale to a memorable meal. If you find yourself in Somerset, just a few turns off Routes 287 or 1, make the stop. You'll be greeted by a wonderful staff, treated to outstanding food, and very likely leave wondering how a restaurant this good has been hiding in a strip mall all along.

This restaurant genuinely made me emotional. From the moment we walked in, the owners made us feel…read moreso welcomed and cared for. It was one of the warmest and most genuine dining experiences I've ever had anywhere in the world. They were incredibly thoughtful about my food restrictions and went above and beyond to make sure I felt comfortable and included. At one point, the owner even had her husband come over and play a song for us on the piano. He was incredibly talented and had the most beautiful voice. And the food was just as wonderful. Everything tasted fresh, and the portion sizes were perfect. You could truly feel the care that went into every detail, from the hospitality to the food. I absolutely loved this place and will never forget the experience.

The Italian food here feels cozy and homemade. The owner also came out to play the piano for my…read moredad's bday and sing classic Italian songs. Service: the owner and his wife serve the restaurant. They're both so friendly and welcoming. At times the service can be a bit slow since it's mostly the two of them are serving the dining area Risotto with sausage- this was on the specials menu! Huge portion and the risotto was creamy, buttery with fragrant truffle Caserecce alla norma- aldente pasta, fresh eggplant flavor Bruschetta- simple with fresh basil, tomatoes and crusty bread

Fabulous food, staff and service! We held a party here…read morerecently for 50 people and it was great! Everyone raved about the antipasto and different dishes. Beautiful ambiance and very attentive staff. Highly recommend!

Planning a surprise 95th birthday party for my mom sight unseen felt like a leap of faith, but…read morethanks to a friend's recommendation, it turned out to be absolute magic. Eddie and Bruno provided exceptional, attentive service from start to finish. The food was incredible and the ambiance was warm and inviting. It was everything we hoped for and more--we will absolutely be back again!

Went here for. Birthday dinner . I went here few years back and we loved the atmosphere before …read more This time , atmosphere wise it was average . As much as they have good interiors , they packed all crowd in the same large room even though there was so much space in the other area and hence the ambience was very average . Too noisy too. Service was top notch .. lots of parking available . Location wise it was super good . I just love the food here . Eggplant parm was top notch . Quantity was so much .2 persons can easily eat one plate of eggplant parm. Loved the cheese garlic bread . It was different . Their marinara sauce is the best ! Salad was also tooooooooooooo good ! Loved the flavor and aroma ! Cheese ziti was mid . It was ok .. they brought a small bday cookie with a candle and it was super awesome to see the service . Price wise not too expensive for the place . Great experience overall. 4 stars

We came to Maggiano's Little Italy in Bridgewater to celebrate a birthday with a group of about…read more15-20 people. We called ahead, and the restaurant gave us a quote and helped us set up a prix fixe family-style menu with several options for each course, which made everything easy for a large group. The service was excellent, especially considering the size of our party. The food came out smoothly, and the staff was attentive throughout the meal. On to the food - The bread was incredible warm, soft, and so good that I ended up taking some home. Food highlights: - The calamari was crispy, tender, and one of the best appetizers we had. - The salmon was another winner. - The chicken parmesan was soft, steak, and other entrees were all solid and everyone at the table seemed happy with their meals. The biggest surprise was dessert. I expected the tiramisu to be my favorite, and it was very good, but the standout was the warm apple crostata (apple dessert) served with vanilla ice cream. I totally ate more of that than i should. It was absolutely delicious and ended up being my favorite dessert of the night. Overall, Maggiano's did a fantastic job accommodating a large birthday celebration. I'd definitely return for another special occasion.

Sunday evening Labor Day weekend…read more No wait for a table at 5:30 pm Ordered Salmon and grilled sausage with Fettuccine Alfredo Friendly service Music playing in the background $69 Will return

The first thing that struck me, upon entering, was this pervasive deodorizer smell. I'm not sure…read moreif it came from the restrooms or what, but since it is such a small restaurant, it was quite overbearing. Not what I want to smell when I'm eating. Cute restaurant. Service was good, albeit it was not very crowded for a Saturday evening at 5:30 PM. We thought the food was good, but very pricey. I ordered the scallops over creamy-pesto risotto. It came with the smallest scallops (3 to be exact) I've ever seen. If you stacked them on top of each other, they would barely make 1 nice-sized scallop. $31 for this was excessive, as 80% of the dish was rice. Spouse had the penne in vodka sauce. Tasty, but, once again, $26... a bit high for pasta. Add in 1 soup and 2 desserta and dinner for 2 (no alcohol) totaled $113. Will not return.

Top notch service and delicious food. Business group had dinner and it was a perfect night.read more

We had a great experience here. The food was good and very fairly priced for Italian cuisine. It's…read morenot a huge restaurant, but it has a cozy atmosphere with a nice ambiance. Our waitress was friendly, attentive, and gave us great recommendations that didn't disappoint. It's also BYOB, which we absolutely love - it makes for an even better dining experience. Plus, there's a private lot, easy to park and will be back.

This restaurant has a ton of seating and was easily able to seat our large group. There isn't music…read moreso it was easy to hear and talk to everyone. It's great for small or large groups! The service is quick too, I felt like our food came out quickly for the size of our group. One thing to note is that this restaurant is BYOB. The food - it was okay. The eggplant rolatini was fine, although I think the eggplant was sliced a little thick for the dish. The lobster ravioli sauce was good, but the ravioli itself was extremely thick (the pasta part). It felt like more ravioli than lobster. I was really excited about the tri color pizza, it sounds so yummy with all the sauces! I was disappointed to see that the stripes however are all of the 3 sauces you get. So I felt it really lacked in sauce. What I think should have been done, is thick stripes of the sauce, cheese on top, and then the stripes for the plating. My sister got the pesto pizza and the also complained that there was a lack of sauce. Overall, I think this restaurant is okay. I'm not really sure I would be back as there are other pizza places in the area where I've had better pizza.

We went down to Raritan to try De Luca's Pizza, but they were sold out, so we ended up at IL Forno…read morea Legna instead. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't great. The host was a bit rude, the pizza wasn't good, and the restaurant didn't seem to have proper ventilation -- we actually smelled like smoke after leaving. Wouldn't go back.

We celebrated my birthday at Giovanni's Italian Restaurant, and even though we didn't have a…read morereservation, the staff was incredibly accommodating and quickly found us a table. The restaurant was very packed, but the atmosphere was wonderful. Everyone was dressed beautifully, enjoying their meals, and having great conversations. You could really feel the excitement and happiness throughout the restaurant. Once we were seated, our server introduced himself, took our drink orders, and brought bread and butter to the table. The only thing I would suggest is improving the bread. The selection we received was quite hard, and I think warming it up or simply serving fresh-sliced bread would have made a big difference. One of my favorite moments was when the hostess who seated us came over with a beautiful wooden basket filled with toys for the children to choose from. I thought this was such a thoughtful and unique touch! It really showed how much they care about making families feel welcome. Our server returned with our drinks and took our dinner order. We decided to try the Epic Meat Board and the Seafood Pescatorie. The wait for our food was a little long, but honestly, it was worth the wait! Everything came out fresh, delicious, and seasoned to perfection. You could tell that a lot of care went into preparing each board. The portions were packed with flavor, and the quality of the meat and seafood was excellent.I especially enjoyed the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, but the Seafood Pescatorie was definitely my favorite! Overall, Giovanni's Italian Restaurant knows how to make you feel special when celebrating an important occasion. It's also a great place for large gatherings and family celebrations.Giovanni's is definitely worth experiencing. Trust me everyone can enjoy themselves while enjoying the quality and flavor of the food!

Food was not as good as on the tik-tok $120 person. This is a high end pizzeria that serves steak…read moreand seafood. Basura! Will not be back. Bad lobster tails spoiled as hell. Just you average place where food is served. What was the trouble?

After walking around a street fair on a beautiful summer Sunday, we came in for lunch. There were…read moremany tables set up on the sidewalk, but when we requested a table for three outside, the host and service staff weren't sure it was possible. This was...confusing to say the least as other parties were already seated outside but there were many high top tables remaining. Service continued to be mostly a miss. Not knowledgeable about the menu and brief to the point of feeling dismissive (it didn't feel intentionally rude, but it didn't feel particularly helpful either). The food sucked. I had a gnocchi special which had a flavorful sauce but the gnocchi themselves were not the right texture, and the sauce itself had these big tomato wedges that were barely cooked down (think of like an orange wedge you might get post-meal, they were that big). These tomato wedges also found their way into the pappardelle bolognese. They weren't very good their either, but the real problem with the bolognese was that it just wasn't good at all. It tasted like someone had stirred some ground beef around in a post with tomato puree for 20 minutes. Absolutely not the rich and complex sauce that it should be. At this price point ($40 a plate!) the food or the service needs to be better. I will never return for a sit down dinner, but I still might try a lunch special.

Great service and great food. Thursday is date night a bargain for a ton of food . Flavors are…read morespot on for a great Italian feast. Ambiance good . They also have fantastic gelato