Yesterday (3/23/26) my wife and another 9 friends chose to eat at Toscano's Pizzeria in Beaumont (762 Beaumont Ave.,). This was my wife's first time although we've passed the place several times and I thought it was not much to look at from the outside. Well neither was the inside, what us former NJ'ans would classify as a 'dive'. Here are her observations. She had called on 3/21 to make reservations since there were a large party and was told they do not take reservations after 4pm, confused she thought she would have to call before 4pm, but no, they do not accept reservations if you're dining there after 4pm, asked if there'd be enough seating for all of them told probably but no guarantees. Customer service faux pas #1. We walk in and the staff didn't know where to seat them so she suggested they put us on the right side across from the TV screen and add another table. Done! Waitress comes to take the order. Will not do separate checks - 4 orders to a check at a minimum. Now how many of you go out with friends and pay for your own meals separately using credit cards, good thing most of us had cash on hand! Customer service faux pas #2. She hands out menus, one short so two of had to share, OK, I'll let that pass. Asks what we'd like to drink and then proceeds to hand out the drinks to the people at the top of the table who had to pass the drinks to the others at the back of the table (kind of reminded being at a baseball game). Same thing happened when the meals came. One meal was passed by the waitress over the back of our friend who had anything spilled would have had to leave the table and go home covered in sauce and oily residue.
Now to comment on the quality of the food. My wife's boneless wings were not real chicken; it looked and tasted like micro-processed chicken pieces blended with some type of coagulant to keep them together. The pizza, which so many rave about (being lived in both NY & NJ so we know what a good slice of pizza actually looks and tastes like) was 1 inch thick of soft uncooked dough and non-appetizing. The meals came in bunches, with the last meal of a lasagna brought out when most of the group were half-way through eating. To the drinks, besides the fact that the glasses were plastic (how well does plastic actually get cleaned), they only came around once to ask if anyone needed their drink refreshed - customer service faux pas #3. And then for the icing on the cake, which by the way they never once asked if we'd like dessert; they start handing out take-out containers while we're still eating (hint, hint??) then follow up with the bill, on each bill is a service charge of $11, and a tip suggestion on the bottom, why is a service charge being added for 4 diners x 3 - final customer service faux pas #4. Of the 10 that dined there, 6 will definitely NOT go back. read more