I am sorry to write this update to my review, because Torino (now Terzo) has always been my "go to" for 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. read more

Cozy small restaurant in Metuchen. We were quickly greeted and seated. Service was great throughout our dinner. The table shared an appetizer: balsamic calamari. Crispy, flavorful and perfectly cooked calamari. Great app. For my main course, I had the chicken parmigiana which comes with choice of pasta. I opted for my favorite bucatini (not often found in menus). The dish was great: al dente pasta, flavorful sauce and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside chicken. We were too full for dessert! Great place I'd revisit if in the area. read more

Torino Restaurants - Chicken Parmigianino - Italian Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Don't let the location and building itself fool you, this is a classy Jersey Italian spot through and through. My aunt and uncle always rave about this place for family meals. Go for their Sunday morning pasta delays, a great reminder why living in New Jersey is top tier. We gotta try their larger area next door for our next family gathering read more

Brought our family here for Sunday lunch special $15++ per person. We ordered different type of Pasta from their menu. My rigatoni is bland. I asked for extra Parmesan cheese to taste. The place is clean and well decorated. Serving staff is friendly and helpful. read more

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We had a nice experience on a Sunday evening. Parking lot behind makes it easy and service was lovely. Around 7ish it started to get very packed, they can accommodate larger tables as well. I would recommend a resy. We tried a few salads and calamari. Very good. We then ordered mains- I had Chicken Francese and my husband the Ravioli with bolognese. He really liked it! We then shared the warm brownie and tiramisu. Overall a good experience! read more

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Took my family from out of town for a special dinner, celebrating my grandmother's 90th and they did 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. read more

We had ice cream first before heading over to Torino. Admittedly, we were a little full from our ice cream (the shop was closing early and dessert is important)! My friend and I shared the fried calamari - nice, light, and crispy, with a little bit of spice to the sauce. We also shared the meatballs with pasta and I chose bucatini bc where else can I get bucatini! Everything tasted fresh and delicious, great pasta! read more

Torino Restaurants - Bucatini and meatballs - Italian Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

I saw on Instagram that this place had weekend lunch specials so I suggested it for lunch with friends. Entrees were $15 with appetizers and desserts for an additional cost. When I walked in, it was just past opening time so it took a bit for someone to come out and seat me. The waiter was nice and frequently refilled water for the group. I got the skate fish piccata and it was pretty good. I'm not too sure how piccata should be, but it was pretty oily/buttery. I would've preferred a more emulsified sauce, or less butter. We also got a calamari to share and that was pretty good. Overall good for the price, and if you don't want a super heavy meal. The restaurant looked nice enough for a romantic evening or celebration. read more

Torino Restaurants - Skate fish piccata - Italian Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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Food and ambiance have seriously declined! Service wasn't bad! There used to be a warmth, but something has changed! read more

We recently stopped in at @torino_metuchen in Metuchen, NJ, for a special family get-together. We tried the Wagyu Steak Torino, Fried Calamari, Cheese Risotto Balls, Chicken Parm, and Shrimp Scampi. Everything was delicious. If you're in the Central Jersey area, I recommend checking them out. The restaurant has a cozy, fun atmosphere. They do offer some wines available,and are also byob, which makes it a great place to hold parties, work functions, holiday parties, etc. Everyone was welcoming and helpful. They don't show a children's menu but did offer chicken tenders and fries for the kids, which was a great option. I definitely look forward to going back to try the rest of the menu. read more

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This place is adorable. Old school romantic music, BYOB + wine list, delicious food, cozy atmosphere, personable and speedy service. Excellente read more

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The food is very tasty and the service is impeccable! The prices are a bit expensive, but they do give you generous portions. read more

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4.5 for food because it was truly excellent. 2 for service (not our waiter specifically ) but generally speaking a lot of folks hanging around not filling water and not offering bread until the menus are cleared? read more

We celebrated my twin girls first communion back in May. The service was amazing and the food was delicious. I can't wait to go back.

I love this place, but they just changed the menu and it is super limited now. No idea why they would eliminate all the pastas they had. Such a great selection. Now, it is too limited for my picky self. The service is still amazing, but they need to go back to their old menu. I think they gonna lose a lot of customers. read more

My fiancè took me out on a nice date here while out on a worktrip in around the Woodbridge Township area. Before we dive into the restaurant, I just want to give a shoutout to this cute little downtown area as well! It's got this cute old town feel and is very community oriented. I was about it! Getting back to the restaurant. This place (as mentioned above) is centrally located in the downtown Metuchen area. I had been craving some wine and was eager to grab a bottle of wine as soon a we sat down. They told us that they do not serve alcohol here, but they do have a BYOW policy. I was all for it (makes it cheaper down the road anyway). We ordered the linguine clam pasta, tortellini carbonara, and scallops. All of the dishes were amazing! Even the bread and the olive oil sauce they had was perfection. We didn't have anymore room for dessert, but the options looked delish! If I were to rate the items we ordered in any particular order, the number one choice would be the scallops, then the carbonara, and finally the linguine. read more

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Date of visit: SAT 8/10/24 - I've been to Torino 2 many times but it's been about a year since my last visit. This time it was for a birthday dinner with my husband and best friend from high school. Because everyone in town must be away on vacation, it was pretty easy to get a reservation for dinner. The restaurant wasn't very crowded, and decor is always tasteful and classy. Everything from the appetizer through the entrées was great. Menu cuisine offerings are elevated Italian. There is something for everyone. It is a BYOB, but they now offer a wine list as well. My disappointment came after the check arrived and our server came to process payment. Before she handed me the point of sale device to sign, I announced to her that we were giving her cash as a tip (it was visible in my hand). She made a comment that there is some kind of legislation coming where tips will no longer be taxed. Then she presented me the point of sale device to sign. I signed it, gave her the $30 cash tip, and within 15 seconds, I had an alert pop up on my cell phone alerting me to the credit card charge that was processed. Well, it was the check amount PLUS $30!! When she walked by again, I caught her attention and mentioned this. She looked surprised, and said that she wasn't aware that I added this tip onto my check via the device. I then asked her to return the $30 in cash back to me (which she did). She also offered to bring me the revised receipt but never came back with it. ** Be EXTREMELY careful of this device or you may be unwittingly double tipping!! And always make sure you have an audible alert set on your phone when you charge something. If I didn't get that alert, I would've been giving her a $60 tip and she said NOTHING about it to me. Wow! read more

Yummy food and cute ambiance. Came here for dinner while on a work trip with a coworker. I got the Shrimp Scampi & it was delicious, the shrimp were very big!! My coworker got the chicken parm and enjoyed it as well. read more

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Long time favorite of mine. Torino's knows Italian food and experience because they live it. I've loved everything I've tasted here from the mozzarella appetizer to the pasta dishes, chicken franchese, fresh vegetables, and more. I usually go with a pasta and veggie dish because they do it so well. They will accommodate substitutions. Don't forget the wine because they are BYOB. Leave room for dessert - you won't regret finishing your meal with Tartufo and a cappuccino. An excellent spot for a date night or formal family dinner. The service is tip-top, professional. The atmosphere is quiet and classy. Entrees are $18+. Reservations are recommended especially on weekends and holidays. read more

Torino Restaurants - Tartufo - Italian Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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We were traveling and I had researched this restaurant but my reservation via RESY put me in NYC at a restaurant oddly by the same name..... I called and explained and they said they could fit us in. So glad because we had a Fantastic dining experience at this great restaurant. Our waitress was so sweet, I wanted to live next door to her! We have eaten in Italy many times and I will say it was an equally wonderful meal! We were seated at a quiet table and I thought the ambiance was very Italian. The music was perfect: Quiet,relaxing old school and not wait-Staff preference rock and roll.... We shared everything because we noticed every table had leftover portions to go and we couldn't take anything home with us. We saw people with BYOB and worried that we hadn't brought anything with us but they had a wonderful wine list and we ordered a nice Pinot Grigio which was perfect and not very expensive. We started with the Rice balls which are called Arancini in Italy. They came in a really delicious Sauce and each one was topped with just a kiss of Pesto. The warm bread served with the meal was a sauce dipping delight and the mozzarella inside was so fresh it gave that undeniably string of cheese trailing with each bite. We shared the beet and goat cheese salad which had a good vinaigrette with a large beet cut into it. We chose from the daily specials menu and had homemade Fusilli Pasta in a Puttanesca sauce which was so Good and easily enough for two. I make Puttanesca and ..... it was better than mine!!! For dessert (and because we split everything, and had a little room left), we went for the homemade Tiramisu, a perfect ending with decaf Cappuccinos! Bellissimo! I only hope we can return to this delightful Italian find. How lucky to live close by.... Go! And ask for Francesca, she will take good care of you! read more

Back in June, my mother and I decided to try Torino out since we had not been there since ownership turned over and had a gift card. Finally getting around to a review now. As someone who has been dining at Torino for years prior to the new ownership, "disappointed" is an understatement. I wish I could give a local restaurant more than three stars at least, but I cannot in good faith recommend this place to anyone. Our experience: Upon arrival, we immediately felt like we had somehow annoyed the hostess with our presence. She swiftly brought us to our table outside with a scowl on her face and not a word. The patio was fairly filled, maybe 4 other tables. We sat there with no water, no menus, no greeting, for 15 minutes as we watch the waiter of the section tend to other patrons. The fact that he was busy/overwhelmed was not the issue, it was the fact that we sat there with *nothing* and were ignored by the multiple staff members who walked by our table the entire time until we finally had to flag someone down to ask for water and a menu. Out waiter was a young guy, probably college age. He was very nice, but as someone who has been a server myself, I don't believe he was in the right line of work. From start to finish, my mother and I were in awe at his lack of ability to multi-task as we watched him work the outside section. The service was so slow that we thought we were being punked or something. And it was not just him. When I needed a refill on my Coke and hadn't seen our server in 20 minutes, I asked another waitress who scowled at me (it then took another 10 minutes to receive the Coke). I was a waitress for many years, I get when it's busy! But this was absolutely unacceptable. This staff was not even doing the bare minimum and some even came off as rude and abrasive. Now...the food. Oy. I ordered the shrimp scampi and was shocked at the poor quality. It was served with fettucine breadcrumbs over top and a small pool of flavorless scampi sauce at the bottom that I had to dig for. The shrimp 1000% tasted and felt like it was freeze-dried or something. I didn't even eat it because the texture and tastelessness was so unsettling. My mother ordered the chicken parm and just like mine, hers was flavorless and dry. Nothing about either of our meals tasted fresh and there was little to no flavor on anything. We got the zucchini fries for an app and even those weren't great - the breading slid right off and there was no crisp to them at all. They just tasted like grease. In reading the other reviews, I actually can't believe that these dishes are getting good feedback. They were seriously so bad, otherwise I would never think to write this review. Finally, after about 2.5 hours of what we thought would be a fairly quick/nice bite to eat, we flagged the waiter down to pay with our gift card. He could not figure out how to use the gift card at all and we had to sit there and watch him struggle for basically 5 whole minutes with the payment machine until i finally suggested he go ask someone inside. After a while, he seemed to have figured it out, but then he couldn't figure out how to get the tip option section of the machine. To put him (and us) out of misery, my mom finally gave him $20 cash (over 20%) just so we could get out of there. I'm a lifelong Metuchen resident and was really hoping to enjoy this local staple, but this whole experience was a doozy. I'll probably never return and would not recommend to anyone to come here. read more

We love that it's BYOB & a liquor store is right around the corner! The shrimp scampi was just okay. The eggplant Milanese was different, haven't seen it on any menu before. It was very fried. The rice balls were tasty but we didn't enjoy the garlic parmigiana brussel sprouts. They weren't crispy & too much dressing. However, the burrata was fabulous! The desserts were delicious, especially the Nutella brownie & limencello bread pudding. The entire staff was very attentive too! xoxo read more

Great food and ambiance! BYOB! Fresh pasta. Had the chicken parm! Eggplant rollatini also so good! Highly recommend!

Tried to go for dinner on a Sunday night. They had updated hours and close at 9. They had a sign on the door that the kitchen closes 1 hour prior, so plan on going no later then 8. Just disappointed. We ended up at meximodo across the street They are open till 1130 read more

Let me start off by saying I have been here many many times and each time is better than the last. The food here is mostly the same as other Italian joints but everything is mostly homemade. Even more amazing is that they usually have weekly specials that are all super unique. Usually when coming here we have the same server Priscilla, she is one of the nicest most inviting waitresses ever. If I could rate this higher I would but a 5 out of 5 will be good for now. Come here and you will not be disappointed. read more

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Yikes! Just ordered take out food from here, almost $100 worth. Ordered beef ravioli with cream sauce..oh goodness. The Ravioli was saturated w.cream sauce it lost its ravioli shape (see picture). It looked like mush and it tasted awful. Sorry, last time taking out from this place. In addition we also ordered linguine w. White clam sauce (it was ok 4 out of 10). Chicken francese and chicken parm. Better 6 out of 10 & to top it off, no sides. Usually it would come with salad and bread, but nothing! Overall rating less than average. read more

Torino Restaurants - Beef ravioli w. Cream sauce. - Italian Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

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We use to go to this restaurant all the time. We have been back several times since ownership changed. It's not the same. Food is not as good, management is not as nice. I miss John and Adi who were always so sweet and accommodating. Servers are nice but it doesn't have that warm family feeling like before The portions are much smaller and not as good. Very limited menu and not as many specials. There are so many good restaurants in Metuchen that we have other options. Just added after reading the owners rebuttal I don't care for the new owner telling me that he doesn't think it's fair for me to post an honest review of the food and atmosphere. I have a right to my opinion. Yes I did like the former owners (who were also capable chefs) but I went for the entire package of food, ambiance and service. You have truly lost a patron. read more

Went to Torino2 for dinner and had the fried zucchini to start which was paired with an incredible dipping sauce. For entrees we had the rigatoni and the chicken parm and both were delicious. The wait staff was very attentive throughout and immediately brought out an ice bucket for our wine (it's byob but they also offer a wine list). I'd make a reservation if you're planning on going for dinner. We attempted to go once before on a Saturday night without a reservation and the wait was about an hour. Overall great food, great staff, and great prices. Highly recommend! read more

I was really hungry this afternoon, so as I walked around Metuchen, I stumbled upon Torino 2. The music, vibes, and service was great. Initially, I wanted to order the homemade gnocchi. But, as I wanted protein with my carbs and after much deliberation, I confidently ordered the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. To my utter disappointment, the chicken was not simply smoked but extremely burnt and overcooked. All I tasted in every bite was burnt overcooked chicken. Nothing is better than some charcoal in every bite. It did grow on me at one point but still I much rather eat tender juicy chicken smoked at the surface. The fettuccine alfredo noodles itself was a bit soggy but still tasted good. Service was wonderful! When they serve the pasta, the waiter ask if you want grated cheese, and he elegantly sprinkled cheese on top. Also, I was not aware but after reviewing the receipt, I was charged extra for paying with my card. It would be nice if they told customers that was the case like most places do. Overall, good service but I would not return. read more

Torino Restaurants - Italian Near Me - Metuchen, New Jersey

Not what it used to be. Chicken and veal entrees ordered for our table of 4 were dried out and tough. Tomato sauce was not good at all. Would not eat there again. read more

Found this place by chance. It seems all other restaurants in this area close on Monday except for this place. Very smart business move on their end. Not a bad little spot , good Italian food. Everything was great except for the lobster bisque, had no flavor and I hate when restaurants cut up shrimp to make it look like lobster. Just call it shrimp bisque. read more

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I ate here 2 weeks ago n ordered chicken Milanese for $27 n received ONE small pounded thin chicken breast. Very disappointed!! I've been here many times. No wonder the place was empty? read more

We came here a couple months ago and the food here was short of average. While our server was friendly and attentive, the food quality and taste left much to be desired. We ordered several pastas to share as a group so we can try different dishes. It was very plain- just pasta and a simple sauce. No attempt at presentation was made. Most of the food gave me chef boyardee feelings. Nothing was horrible tasting but the only dish that I can say was actually good was the burrata fritti. Even the dessert left much to be desired. We wanted the Tiramisu but they ran out. Our server suggested the truffle and said it was made in house which made us think the rest were not. Once I tasted the bread pudding I had a feeling either it was not made in house or it was not fresh. There are plenty of Italian places in the area where you can get a better experience for your money. Unless something really changes, I don't see myself ever coming back. read more

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Excellent food and excellent service. Totally love this place. Had my 65th birthday there and will probably have my 70th. They are so cooperative snd kind. Food is glorious! read more

I have eaten here and enjoyed it many times. Last Sunday they were out of their fish special so I ordered the eggplant Milanese. I thought I was getting a thick slice of eggplant with salad on top. I received a plate piled high with thin, pre-breaded eggplant topped with a salad loaded with bottled salad dressing. NOTHING was prepared in house. I couldn't eat my dinner and was embarrassed that I had brought friends from out of town. I would have given one star but the service was very good. Is Sunday Chef's Night Off? read more

I hadn't been back here in almost two years. It turns out the restaurant was sold and there is a new chef. If I had known that, I would not have wasted a trip, time, and money. The food was extremely disappointing. It was reminiscent of really bad hospital cafeteria food. We even decided to skip dessert. The only good thing is the outdoor space; the service was very good. We will not be returning. read more

Solid Italian restaurant. Portions are ample. Appetizers good. Anything with the Alfredo sauce is awesome. It's lighter then most.

Love this place! A close family friend is a regular here so I've been here a handful of times when I visit NJ. Two brothers own the establishment who are wonderful to talk too and make some pretty darn good food. They are detail oriented, to having some solid cheese for your salads to the end of the meal with anise liquor and biscottis ( which I can't eat). They do offer gluten free pasta, most of their sauces ARE NOT gluten free, they will make a cream sauce for you or offer a oil/garlic sauce. Service has always been stellar; the restaurant is clean with a delightful atmosphere. Flavor is always top notch, no salt/pepper needed. Food tastes fresh, I have ordered the fish before and it arrived perfect. Prices are reasonable for the quality, they offer an outdoor seating area in nicer weather. Try it out, we have never had a bad meal here, very reliable establishment. BYOB! read more

Came here for dinner recently and I loved the warm, low-lit, cozy ambience. Got an appetizer special that was popular, the Sicilian rice balls, and it was delicious. The complimentary bread and olive oil and fresh basil were also yummy. For my entree, I really enjoyed the Rigatoni Torino, a rigatoni dish with sweet sausage and peas in a light vodka sauce. It was creamy, flavorful, and comforting. The Arbor Risotto Seafood was good too. All the dishes were served in generous portions. The service was also attentive and friendly. read more

Looked at the menu online, called the restaurant and placed an order for pickup. When arriving to pay, we were surprised by how much the total was. When we asked, we were told that the online menu prices should have been recently updated, but they must have been incorrect because prices for each dish were higher than quoted online. For 3 entrees, we paid $18 more than expected (over 20% more than the online total). All of that would have been ok (frustrating but understandable), but when I looked at Seamless/Grubhub, I realized I was able to place an order for pickup using the same, lower prices featured on Torino 2's online menu. I know services like Seamless charge restaurants transaction fees, and actively choose not to use the service in order to better support local businesses. The fact that we were then charged almost 25% more, for doing business directly with the restaurant leaves me feeling taken advantage of. The food was good and all of the servers we interacted with were nice, but the experience has left a bad taste in my mouth. read more