Server was friendly. Escarole soup in a watery broth. I remember it being good years ago. Chicken Marsala very disappointing. Chicken and mushrooms in a bowl of unreduced Marsala, tasting of raw wine and no seasoning. Penne very overcooked. Is nobody supervising what goes out of this kitchen? Italian food is simple, but this tasted like nobody cares. read more

hostess (in training) A+ waitress (inattentive, slow to bring waters and bread) C clamp chowder soup of the day C chicken parm B seafood special of the day B cannoli B read more

I love this place! I live close and go there often. I order the same thing every time because I actually crave it! They make the absolute best stuffed eggplant Parmesan. It comes with angel hair pasta and warm bread. Bartenders are great! Sit at the bar if there is room! read more

My husband and I are 'regulars' at the restaurant for weekly meals- always good food, with a "Cheers"-like vibe :) Recently Anthony and Lisa helped us with a small surprise party for a friend's retirement. We used the porch and had a buffet for about 25 people. From start to finish - everything went perfectly!! Can't say enough about the AJ's crew! Personable, friendly service, great food and wait staff responsive to every need! Shout out to Amanda for always taking such good care of us! Highly recommend this local treasure for any/ all events! read more

Another great dinner tonight!!! Their Veal is super tender and their red sauce is outstanding!! Always great service!! We will be back again very soon! read more

A J Tomaiolos Restaurant - Veal Parm & Angel hair pasta with meat sauce & meatballs - Italian Near Me - Northborough, Massachusetts

I love this place. My gf found this restaurant online so we checked it out last night. The vibe is really nice and relaxing. Anthony was our bartender and a nice guy. His family owns the place. The Valpolicella red wine is to die for. I actually ordered 2 bottles to go it was so good. I wish I had taken pictures of the food but I forgot. The Bruschetta was very tasty and a large appetizer. The Shrimp Scampi was delicious and a large portion. The house salad with the homemade Cucumber Dill dressing was also delicious. If you're looking for a hearty meal, this is your spot. I couldn't dine here regularly as I'd gain 100 lbs. in no time, but I could see coming here weekly for sure. read more

Absolutely excellent! We always have a wonderful time at A J's , and the food is fantastic! The staff always makes you feel welcome, and they are very personable. Great food and excellent choices. We look forward to going back! Tom Stone read more

Food was very good had the hunters veal . Wife had chicken parmigiana and the bread was so good I can't stop thinking about it

Had a really good dinner tonight with the family. We started with the calamari which was pretty good. We also had the chicken parmigiana, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken piccata which were all very good. They had a good drink menu as well. Service was also very attentive and quick. read more

When we lived in Shrewsbury we ate here at least once (maybe twice) a week. We felt like family, but then it was time for us to move home to Belmont Shore, CA. I've said ever since that there is no good Italian food in Southern California. Our son was the victim of a violent crime in Worcester a number of years ago. We decided to have dinner here while he was still in the hospital. We were treated royally by the family. Thank you to them for making a horrible situation a little more tolerable. read more

Great food and great service tonight! Had a wonderful time, busy but the staff had no problem keeping up. Will be coming back

Mixed review. Good food but terrible service. My wife and I went for a Valentines dinner. Reservation for 6:30 and seated at 6:40. Not bad so far. Waitress comes by, and takes our drink order. Drinks come out five minutes later. So far so good. Then we give our meal orders, and she asks if we want bread. We said yes, but ten minutes go by and no bread. My wife had to catch her on the way by and ask for our bread. Meals finally come out 35 minutes later. Food was good but you tend to lose interest when service is that slow. If the kitchen is that backed up, a quick update from the waitress would be appreciated. Including dessert, we invested over an hour and fourty five minutes. read more

Awesome food, great service, the owner's and waitstaff were extremely pleasant and professional. I would highly recommend this place.

Excellent, homey, comforting meals that are elegant enough for date night, a birthday, or a special occasion but served in a laidback atmosphere with great service. I got the lasagna and it was absolutely scrumptious. Great meat sauce with beef and some sausage pieces. The bruchetta is so good and a nice change because it is served warm. I'm used to having cold tomatoes on a previously toasted slice of bread. The portions are ample. Amazing desserts. We had the tiramisu and the lemon marscapone cake. The decor was super nostalgic for me. This place was a great find and we hope to return soon. read more

Recently had dinner with several (6) family members. Each ordered completely different menu items. Each & every one just didnt impress. I realize we were a party of 6, but the service was just okay- nothing special. As to be fair, I'm unable to list each offering we ordered. Perhaps it was just an off night However, we are in no rush to return read more

This restaurant is down the street from us. It's not a very large restaurant, but it has a nice atmosphere and is very clean looking. The hostess was friendly and sat us right away. Our waitress Sarah came over and got our drinks right away. She was very friendly and attentive. We orders the shrimp cocktail and the calamari appetizers. The size of the shrimp were generous and tasted fresh. The cocktail sauce has a nice, tangy taste. The calamari came hot and on a large plate. The marinara sauce was tasty. My husband wished there was another sauce option. We ordered clam chowder with our meals. The cups were on the small side, but the chowder was thick and flavorful. My chicken parmigiana was nice and crunchy, and had a generous amount of cheese on top. The angel hair spaghetti had a good amount of sauce without it drowning. The portion was generous and and I had to take home a good amount. My husband had the eggplant parmigiana and said it was good. He also took a portion of his home. Overall this is a good restaurant for good home cooked Italian food. It's not overly fancy, but very homey. I would recommend. read more

See all

Arrived just before closing time. Expected to be rushed a little bit, and that would have been okay. Nothing of the kind. As it was pretty late the restaurant was about empty. But the waitress let us know that she had to set up for the next day and we could take our time. Everyone enjoyed their meal, and the portions were ridiculous, but way too good to pack up and reheat! I had a veal chop that was likely the best I've ever had. Can't comment on the deserts as we were much too full to even think about it. Wish we lived closer. read more

This is the low end of Red Sauce places in my part of Central MA. Nothing is authentic Italian, not even authentic for American Italian. The restaurant itself is clean and the dinning area is nice. The bar is probably one of the better local bars to be a regular. Very well laid out and also clean. The free starter was cheese whiz and packaged bread sticks, that does not sing Italiano per me'. How bout some crusty bread and olive oil? I had a Chicken Caccitore that I paid extra to have hot peppers added to the dish, I prefer spicy. I've had this dish many times on two continents and this one was not that dish at all. First and foremost take the time to roast the peppers and pull this skin off! They were peeling and unappitizing on the plate. Other familiar dishes like chicken parm and spaghetti with meatballs were more recognizable but just as off target. I am actually recommending The Chateau in Westborough over this place, and I do not hold that establishment in high esteem but it is far more authentic than AJ's. It is light years ahead in quality. * Nice bar * not that cheap considering the quality * kids get free deserts * the service was good one full star for the staff read more

A J Tomaiolos Restaurant - the front of the building - Italian Near Me - Northborough, Massachusetts

This was the worst dining experience of my entire life. Not only did it take 2.5 hours to get our food and the order was wrong I have never had such horrible and disrespectful service in my life. The owner and her sister were behind unprofessional and rude. This place of business should not be open and do not bring your business there as I assure you will be disappointed. read more

Small place with a comfortable atmosphere. Went on a Sunday around 11am and the breakfast and service with superb. We sat in the dining area, but there is also a rather large bar that got busy when we were leaving. There happened to be no wait, which was great for brunch on a Sunday read more

Took a little drive to try a new place for breakfast. Unfortunately, we made a bad choice. We were seated rather quickly in the bar area. The restaurant was not busy. 4-5 waitstaff walking around aimlessly. Finally after 10 minutes of waiting I asked if we had a waitress because we hadn't even been addressed yet. Finally...the coffee and juice came. We gave our food order and 50+ minutes later our omelets showed up. On top of that they were luke warm. Will not return. They need to retrain the staff for Sunday breakfast. read more

In the plaza with the big chicken, this place is easy to miss if you dont' know it's there. Inside is a mid-scale italian place with a huge mural on one side, and a separate classy wood-clad bar room on the other side. Plenty of top-shelf brands at the bar, and they generally have a couple of tasty microbrews on tap, and some BBC bombers. I had the BBC Steel Rail Ale. This place gets busy on weekends, so reservations would be a good idea. Your server will bring you a complimentary starter... it's pretzel sticks covered in sesame seeds and served with some sort of tangy spread that I suspect is mostly butter. I give it a 'meh. Skip them, you will not leave this place hungry! Moving along, the Calamari appetizer is a HUGE portion for a decent price, and some of the best squid I've had. Some day I will return just to eat a big plate of calamari! I know I've had other appetizers, but they escape me right now. Entrees: The AJ's special is a sampler platter that goes something like: Big meatball, Chicken Parm, Lasagne... I had it and it was delicious. My girlfriend enjoyed some sort of veal dish (not parm)... the veal parm was a bit tough. The stuffed eggplant is INCREDIBLE. I tried a tuna steak, and explained that I didn't want it just seared (rare)... well it came out dry and a little tough although the presentation with blue cheese and fried leeks was pretty cool. My mistake ordering it "well done" I guess. The portions are massive, and I've never been able to finish a plate. Prices are decent... $10 (stuffed eggplant) to $15 (AJ's special) up to $20+ for a steak. read more

The only reason this place is still in business has to be because no one in the area knows what REAL Italian food is. OR they just aren't expecting to get it when they come here. A lot of places say they are Italian but they're not BUT at least the food is still very good. Not here. I simply couldn't believe how bad my food tasted it was totally lacking any flavor at all. Honestly....how do you accomplish that? I had what I think was Italian wedding soup.....it was terrible. Then came the veal marsala never have I had such lousy veal marsala. I mean if there is wine butter and mushrooms in a dish it should have some kind of taste but this did not ....how did that happen? My friends dinner wasn't any better. She ordered chicken parm and at first we weren't sure it really WAS chicken. Just don't eat here .......yuck read more

5 star reviews don't come easy for me. To be fair, we showed up at 2pm on a Sunday following a snow storm. So we were literally the only people dinning. Service (by Brittnie) was prompt and attentive without being annoyingly over bearing. But even better still - the food was spectacular. The kids bolognese rivaled even my own homemade; and the veal Cacciatore, a typically underwhelming dish was possibly the best I've ever had (it paired particularly well with a glass of meiomi Pinot Noir). My wife had chicken parm with angel hair which was astoundingly, perfectly al-dente. This was not our original destination, which ended up being closed and we arrived here after 2 hrs driving to two different restaurants first - all closed. It would be worth another 2 hr drive anytime! read more

I went here last night with a group of 8 people, taking advantage of restaurant week! Decor/Setting- okay! It didn't look terribly big from where we were sitting (we had made reservations), so call ahead! Service- very good! We were there after the dinner crowd, so there were some idle staff members but they jumped on clearing the table whenever needed! And our waitress was very good! Drinks- were fine! The beers were priced well, the wine was ok for the price. Two people in my group got cocktails, and they were expensive but were enjoyed! Food- pretty good! Definitely skip the pretzel sticks, the bread is nothing to write home about, and the salads were just okay. However, our dinners were very good! We had a mix of Seafood Fra Diavolo, Steak alla Madeira, Haddock Annabella, Veal Siciliano and just straight up spaghetti. I had the Haddock Annabella, which was amazing! The crab stuffing was very good! No one had any complaints about their food, and most people were able to box up their leftovers at the end! (We also had cheesecake and ice cream for dessert, which were fine) Overall, it was a decent dinner! I'm not really sure if I'd go back, but if I were in the area, maybe! read more

My husband and I eat here pretty much on a weekly basis. The food is consistently good, the servers are personable and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. An excellent dinner value can be had on Monday & Tuesday nights, when they offer a prix fixe dinner for 2 at $26 with a choice of entrees! The restaurant also has a private function room and convenient off-street parking. Catering is also done, and dishes I have served have received many compliments from my guests. read more

A little disappointed with the last experience we had. We had a dietary restriction and it seemed to burden them, which we also got charged extra for. Kinda ridiculous that we got told not to ask for that after they brought it out to us & then they ended up charging us extra for. read more

This is our go-to neighborhood restaurant and bar. The food selection is very good and well prepared. The service is great and the prices are reasonable. read more

I have eaten here at least 10 times...and I have never been disappointed. The food is always fresh and tasty. I have enjoyed the lasagna, chicken parm, seafood specials - anything with the crab meat stuffing - baked stuffed shrimp w/ crab meat stuffing special was great. The kids menu features the usual...ziti with meat sauce etc. but i recommend the kids ravioli. They are huge and very tasty...they give you at least 8 of them. Kids get a free dessert, choice of hoodsie cup or ice cream sandwich. Prices are very reasonable..Dinner for 4 w/ out drinks $65...It's a very tasty dinner. read more

Went here on Friday night and it wasn't too busy. The bar area was busier than the restaurant side so we were seated quickly. This is a good restaurant for families with very kind staff and an atmosphere that isn't too loud. I hope it stays that way! Loud restaurants can keep me away from going. The restaurant has you start with some kind of whipped cheese and individually wrapped crackers. It felt like I was in 3rd grade eating a snack. This was by far the lowest point of my experience here. After that we ordered the bruschetta which came out quickly and hot. The flavors of bread, tomatoes, and garlic mixed very well. Next we ordered the baked haddock and Lasagna. While we waited we were brought French bread and some oil for dipping and then a small cup of soup that had some greens and sausage in it. I really enjoyed the the soup but the bread was nothing to write home about. Our entrees came out warm and delicious. The wine-butter sauce was a great match for the haddock and the lasagna had slightly spicey sausage that added a great, but small, kick to it. Overall the meal was tasty and a good value. Only downsides were the cheese and crackers and that we weren't able to order our entrees until after our appetizer came out, which isn't the most effective use of time, in my opinion. read more

I have been here twice for a drink and snack over the last two years. Food is good, staff is nice, drinks are generous. BUT both times i have been here i have heard open and blatantly racist comments from guys at the bar. So there's that... read more

The 2nd time we have been here in the last several weeks and it has been excellent both times. I had the veal parm which was outstanding. I really love their red sauce. Top notch service and a nice, laid back atmosphere. read more

We enjoyed a really delicious breakfast here recently. Highly recommend their seasonal pumpkin pancakes. We visited on Columbus Day weekend and must have hit the sweet spot because it wasn't very busy. Our waitress was very pleasant and did a good job checking in with us during our breakfast. Coffee was really good, too. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

This place was great. After going to the zoo For a few hours me and my boyfriend came here. The service was fast and friendly. Our server Andrea was super funny and kept us well informed on the status of our food. I had the chicken Russo. It was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend had a chicken parm sub. It came with awesome French fries. The sub was great too. We also tried the Italian nachos. They were tasty and also interesting. They were little pepperoni pizza chips. They were genius. The place was surprisingly not too fancy like it looked from the window and it also wasn't expensive. I would definitely come here again and anyone that has ever eaten here probably would too read more

The only complaint I have about this place is that it is way too small. My two friends and I got a table right away, but the place soon filled up and there was a wait. The escarole soup was so-so, but for the most part the food was fantastic. I recommend the stuffed eggplant. After dinner, we went in to the bar for an after dinner drink. The place was packed and had a great vibe, except my friends and I were definitely on the younger end of the spectrum. Overall it was a fun night with great food and drink. read more

consistently Great food outstanding service at a moderate price . Always a great choice

Went with a group and first off - service incredible ! Our server was quick and personable . She suggested the lasagna - which was good - but not really memorable . Others in my party had the chicken piccata ( which I was told was dry and flavorless) , shrimp scampi ( excellent) and chicken parm ( same as lasagna ) . Overall it was ok and I could see how this could be a local favorite , nice bar but no peroni ( really ?) , but as a visitor it's not really a destination joint . Seems like a safe bet for those road warriors like myself . read more

Pretty good food. The veal medallions were on the salty side. Escarole soup was very good. Chicken pasta dish tasty but the chicken a bit chewy. Looooong wait for main dish to arrive. Loud. Service friendly, but they prepared chicken with the wrong pasta. Yet, I love me my carbs regardless of the shape. read more

I have to say I having eaten at AJ. I have eaten there in the past and thoroughly enjoyed their food however I've never had a pizza and I was shockingly surprised how awesome their pizza is and I have to say to you that I will always purchase one of the pizzas when we when you have a craving for pizza now let me just tell you something we got the pizza with mushrooms, spinach and egg plant on it and it was incredible. Also we had meat lover. Just as good!! read more

Love this place! Great food! Wife and I always sit at the bar because it's so much fun! Go see Lisa on Wednesdays, she's the bomb!!!! Makes it worth the trip!!!!! read more