Treated us like family! We stepped in to this place with one of my friends who is a local hero in the town. The owners son hosted us at the bar and took great care of us treating us like family and engaging us in conversation all night even staying open a little later as we finished up our evening. We enjoyed some drinks which he excelled with and then tried the chefs special which was a chicken Parmesan sandwich. The sandwich was great and exactly what we needed in that moment. We will definitely be back to check out their brick oven pizzas. Highly recommend for a night out with girls/guys or even a nice date as intimate setting as well. read more

It was ok. The places looked rustic which was not a bad touch. The pizza was fine, we ordered pepperoni and another with mushrooms. The pizza was a bin over priced. There was not much flavor to the dough or real flavor on the pizza besides the toppings. I would not order any specialty drinks. We ordered a Moscow mule and it did not taste well made. That is one of my favorite drink choices and I was surprised it didn't have ginger beer as that is one of the main ingredients. I ordered another drink and again it didn't taste well. I would probably not visit again. Over priced for the food / drinks given. read more

Great experience at Ava's!!! Went in on a Friday night for girls night, made a reservation and was seated promptly. Drinks were great and we ordered the Brussels and the whipped ricotta which were fantastic. Ordered several bar pies and the cavatelli which was next level. 10/10 can't wait to go back! read more

My new favorite nook! This place is tucked away and has a great atmosphere for dates, family dinners, or girl chats. At the top of my list is their pizza. Can't skip it! We had the one with hot honey. The pasta was delicious too. Tasty and rich! We wanted to try the budino but they were out. I want to come back and try other pastas and the budino. read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Radiatori pasta - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

This place needs a lesson and Customer service! our waiter and either the owner or the chef were beyond TERRIBLE. They provide no accommodations for food allergies or celiac.. My friend has celiac they would only serve the burger on the bun. They refused to serve it without the bun?? And they would not provide carrots or another vegetable to use w/ the feta dip, because "it only comes with bread. "And they would only give us fries if we ordered the burger, even though they wouldn't serve the burger without the bun. The whole situation was totally ridiculous. And it was a weekday. Either the chef is inept or the total jerk, maybe both . Overall, very disappointed in their lack of regard for a very basic request. It really made the dining experience uncomfortable and disappointing for the group. The whole situation was completely bizarre, and the waiter wouldn't provide the owners na read more

Pizza is good. Don't ask for any food accommodations or extras as they won't entertain it. Not even a side of extra sauce. Flat out no. Not family friendly at all contrary to previous reviews. Won't likely ever go back for the rudeness alone. read more

One of my fav places to go. I always sit at the bar and have a great time. The staff always make sure you're being taken care of. The Bartenders make really great cocktails. I love how they have a huge beer list. I only wish they had a larger wine list but that's okay. This is a neighborhood bar/restaurant. The food is always great here. Bring some friends, order some apps, get a few entrees and a bunch of drinks and you'll leave here wanting to come back again. read more

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My second time coming here and it's an inviting very cozy family oriented place. They're always busy so parking lot is always full, however street parking is available. They are not big on making substitutions to anything on menu. Friendly service, good food, very yummy pizza! Good happy hour specials as well. I definitely recommend for lunch or dinner with friends, family and kids! read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Garganelli - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

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This restaurant is very difficult to dine at if you have any allergies at all. Be aware that they take their no substitution policy very serious to the point of being ridiculous. Can not even order a burger without the bun or cheese.... This needs to be clearly stated on the menu so those of us who have celiac or allergies know not to go there. The waiter was down right rude about it, like sorry, but not sorry. Where the vibe and bar win the lack of allergy food options and service fails miserable... read more

Fantastic Pizzas! You can just tell the ingredients were of high quality and it came out so well done. We tried ordering the King Murphy and Scapes. If you're looking for something a little sweet then go with the king Murphy out of these two because it has the hot honey. Scapes is more salty. It'll have that garlicky flavor with herbal overtones. You can't go wrong with both, it's all about preference. Will definitely be back! read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Scapes - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

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We like this place. Food - The main attraction here are the pizza and sides. No need for mains. Creative and fun. Cacio e pepe fried things I could do without. Otherwise the Pizza is solid. Full Bar Service - Pretty good. Nothing special but nothing to complain about. Ambiance - Loud but a fun environment. Very casual. read more

If you like amazing cocktails & a creative, ever evolving food menu then Ava's Kitchen & Bar is your place! I thought I died and went to tequila heaven upon first walking in! So many quality options to choose from and even more impressive is what options they didn't have, none of that casamigos, Don Julio nonsense! A real drinkers bar with lots of craft beers on tap & tvs to watch the games. I'll surely be back here again soon! The staff are super welcoming and attentive, the bar staff extremely knowledgeable and talented. read more

I haven't been in a while being that I moved, but their pickle back shots and their octopus fennel salad were to die for and they have pretty great pizza as well. Definitely worth a trip. read more

Stopped by at this little hidden gem and can I say it was Devine! Sat at the bar and the bartenders were so friendly and inviting helped me make great food choices. Had such a great experience and would recommend to anyone! read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Vegetarian pasta! - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

This is a vibey spot with a comfortable atmosphere. The drink menu is huge, especially if you love draft beer. I tried the Hudson Cider, which was sweet and refreshing. We had the spiedini alla romana to start -- cheesy bread with great flavor, though a bit soft and soggy for texture-sensitive folks. For my main, I had the hot chicken sandwich. The flavor was good with a nice heat, but the chicken was too thick and a bit messy for my liking. The fries were tasty but could use more seasoning. I would definitely come back just for the vibes and drinks alone. read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - spiedini alla romana - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

5 stars for comfort food and 5 separate stars for their cocktails! I've been here for a quick drink or two at the bar - when Oliver is behind the counter and our go to has always been the Goomba. Light citrusy and crisp! We have been here for lunch today and our friends who are regulars here have raved about their wood-fired thin crust pizza (1986) and just their food in general. We had the saucy sauce which is a pasta dish with fork tender pork and tart marinara sauce. French toast was amazing- yes, it's only French toast but it's great French toast. Burger was a hit. Pepperoni pizza and bacon pizza were hits as well. Their pizza crust shines through - perfectly charred and crisp! We also had their calamari appetizer which came with slivers of zucchini-- amazing. Would order this again- crisp and perfectly seasoned and cooked! Service is friendly fast and efficient. Ambience is rustic, casual and comfortable. Parking lot on the side of the resto and street parking. A great establishment in central Jersey! read more

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Hidden Gem Alert! This place is an absolute overlooked treasure. The food? Incredible. We started with the grilled oysters--honestly, they somehow tasted like beef. No idea how they pulled that off, but I could have easily taken down 100 of them. The artichoke salad was to die for, and the crab cake? Spot on. Then came the tortellini, which had just the right brush of heat--perfect balance of flavor and spice. Now, let's be real: this place isn't cheap, but it's worth every penny. I can't tell you how many expensive checks I've picked up at places that weren't even close to being worth it. This one? Worth it. Cocktails are on point, and the bar food is easily the best in the area. In my opinion, this spot could go toe-to-toe with most NYC gastropubs and come out on top. If you're looking for next-level flavors and an experience that justifies the price tag--this is the place. read more

I love the rustic modern ambiance of Ava's. Their drinks are so tasty and complex, and their menu is always changing. Their food menu changes seasonally too. The pizzas were good but a little too much of the burnt taste from the brick oven for my liking. Wings had a great flavor but were a little overcooked as well. Service was great in the bar area when we went last week! read more

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This place is great! Went here on a Friday night with some friends and was pleasantly surprised with how quick the service was and how delicious the food was. Highly recommend getting the pizza. The king Murphy and the Apple were top favorites of the table. Also love the fried artichokes and the salad. Have to end the meal with the bread pudding of course! 10/10 - definitely want to come back on a Sunday as it looks like they have a ton of food and drink specials. read more

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One of the best of Union County. Hard to say best pizza because they are so much more, but the pizza really second to none. The John Salame and Bacon are amazing as are several others. The bartenders/mixologists are masters in their class. While the beer selection is massive you are doing yourself a disservice if you do not try one of their amazing cocktails. read more

This place was recommended to me by a few different people, and we finally made the trek there :) everything was delicious, particularly the John Salame pizza. The reasons for four stars instead of five: - I'm sorry, the cast iron focaccia was good, but it wasn't worth $17. I think it's worth $12, max - I found the pizza crust to be a little on the burnt and crispy side. The best brick oven pizza crust (in my humble opinion) is the kind that appears burnt but isn't actually, and the crust still remains totally fluffy, it doesn't get crispy in some areas. This is subjective, but give me the flufffffffff All around, really good and will definitely return. read more

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Had a great time here with Friends. It's on a side street, so there is street parking, & a lot in the back (that I didn't know about, lol). The interior is dim, like most bars of this type. Definitely gives Irish Pub vibes with its decor. The service was fast, & well organized. Now for the food. It was all very good. No complaints about anything. The drinks were good, & the balance on the mixed drinks was overall decent. It makes for a good local "go-to" spot with friends. It definitely more for that kind of vibe, than a date night. read more

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Such a great neighborhood gem. It looks like an average sport's bar when you first walk in, but it's actually a culinary delight with spectacular cocktails and delectable dishes. The two side rooms offer more peace and quiet, while the front room is where the action is. Service is always prompt and friendly. I have not had a bad dish here yet, even the grilled bread is delicious. Can't wait for my next visit. read more

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For a Friday evening it was packed when I first arrived but I was able to sit at the bar with no issues. The staff was super attentive from the minute I sat down, until the minute I left. When I initially ordered my drink, the bartender asked if I was open to something else, to which I said sure and let him know I was looking for something on the sweeter side. Let me tell you, he did not miss a beat! This was probably one of the best drinks I've had in a while and it hit every single note of perfection. I'm definitely coming back! read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

Came here for an early dinner on a Saturday. At first glance I loved the rustic interior of the restaurant, it sort of made me feel like I was in an old timey saloon. We were seated right away with our reservation. We ordered a pepperoni pizza and the wood fired chicken parm. They use farmer ground flour and you can definitely tell the in quality and flavor of the dough. The pizza was fantastic, served piping hot with an excellent proportion of cheese, sauce and pepperoni. The chicken parm was fantastic, and one of the best I've had (it's one of my favorite meals!). The menu is so great I hope to come back for more one day! read more

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Food and atmosphere are both consistently amazing!! Service is great. Menu is spectacular.

I was hesitant to post anything mediocre review because I've been a regular customer for years but I have to say this new chef just isn't the right fit for me...the pizza is still great (as that hasn't been impacted by the new chef) but the rest of the menu just isn't great, especially for the prices. My biggest complaint is the refusal to accommodate customers - I don't eat pork so asked for their burger without a pork jam and was refused (said it was the chefs call)...I was willing to pay the same price but asking that they just don't add the sauce on top and that apparently is too extreme of a request...this chef is acting WAY too pretentious for a local restaurant in Kenilworth New Jersey...cmon...other than that, Erin who works there is a rockstar and the pizza is good but they need to humble this chef because a lot of people I know have stopped going there because of him and I will be doing the same. read more

Wonderful experience..the appetizers were delicious..we had calamari fried artichokes

This was a large spot with a bar upon entering with a few tables and more quiet areas further back into the establishment. The décor was neat with unique photos and a wooden interior. The menu had lots of intriguing options along with a bunch of wood burning pizza choices. Besides the pizza, the options were mostly shareable plates along with a few sandwiches. The service was good while the food came out in a timely manner. Four sharables were ordered and one pizza. The four sharables were garlic shrimp ($18), shishito peppers ($14), wings ($16), and the squash rice balls ($15). The garlic shrimp came with chorizo and white beans. This was okay. The chorizo and beans were the highlight here. The shrimp was a little tough while the sauce was too garlicky. There needed to be more herbs or butter added. The peppers were with a squid ink aioli, lemon zest, and sea salt. These were tasty. The peppers were charred to perfection while the aioli provided an unexpected enhancement. The key was the lemon zest as it really brought out the taste of the peppers. The wings came with a guajillo vinaigrette and pickled peppers with a lime. There were six wings and they looked great, but they were very disappointing. The chicken was of good quality, but the vinaigrette was just plain as anything. The squash rice balls came with a pumpkin puree and taleggio. There were four decent sized rice balls to an order. These were great. The filing was cheesy, and the pumpkin puree just made them that much better. They were also fried ideally. The pizza that was ordered was the King Murphy ($24). It came with soppressata, smoked mozzarella, ricotta, and hot honey. These toppings all worked well with one another. The hot honey enhanced everything. My only issue was the burnt crust. I am usually a fan of a slightly burnt crust, but this was a little too much for me. It was just on a few slices, not all, but still not ideal. Will I go back? I would. read more

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The place is nicely decorated but its a bit too dark inside. It's a very chill atmosphere. I will warn you that the drinks are strong which for me is a good thing. Now the food is ok. It's nothing special but good bar food. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The chicken parm is ok and does not come with any side. Just chicken. The rice balls were good and the sauce it came with them was good as well. The servers are very friendly and do check on you every so often. Overall, this is a good place to come and have a drink with friends but not date night. read more

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I'm obsessed with their Funghi pizza. Wilson's also the best bartender. Love this place!! It's my favorite!

First off I have to say the food at Avas never disappoints! It is tasty and savory and just so delicious! We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty dead. We have been here on a Friday night where there was an hour long wait. The ambiance is super low key, chill and just a nice rustic vibe! The service was good. Filled our drinks right away & cleared our plates quickly!! The only reason I did not give 5 stars to Avas is because of the beer. My fiancé wanted a pint beer (they have a HUGE beer selection) and it came in a 12 oz glass which was rather small (see pics). Other than that it was and always is a good experience! read more

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Nice atmosphere, large space , large selection of beer, innovative cocktails and great Piizza. I have been there couple of times and really liked the food and drinks. Recently, we went on a Thursday night for some dinner. We ordered shshito peppers and focaccia bread for appetizer, Spicy Pasta and baked Rigatoni for dinner. Shishito Peppers were properly charred and bread was so fluffy and airy, really liked it. Spicy Pasta was really tasty as well but baked rigatoni was ok. Overall, a great experience, will definitely go again for pizza and drinks. read more

This place is so good ! Found it thru a friend who had recommended this place. They have a great menu and plenty on their drink menu ! The pizza is definitely their go to but the other food options seemed great. Would definitely return ! read more

The food is absolutely amazing. The pizza is outstanding. 10/10 Dessert was mind blowingly delicious, fyi - no coffee served here. The ambience is rustic and beautiful There's just so much to take in when you're sitting and looking around the restaurant. read more

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Breaking News: Birthday Bash at Ava's Kitchen & Bar Takes a Bizarre Turn! In a development that has left diners both baffled and amused, a celebration for Anna's birthday at Ava's Kitchen in Kenilworth was abruptly disrupted by a glitch in the restaurant's Toast system. Reports confirm that the digital device--acting on its own mysterious logic--claimed the bill was underpaid, with not a scrap of proof to be found. Eyewitnesses describe the incident as nothing short of a modern-day farce, as the malfunction held the entire party "hostage" on what was supposed to be a night of jubilation. Some sources suggest that the situation might have been saved if the establishment had offered a hearty cup of coffee or, dare we say, an espresso machine to warm the mood. Stay tuned as we follow this culinary caper and await statements from the management regarding this curious case of erroneous billing on what should have been a delightful birthday celebration. Super disappointing that the staff and manager didn't take ownership of their P.O.S P.O.S. (Toast). Making this your customers problem is embarrassing. Own your choices and vendors. read more

Amazing place Neighborhood favorite. Everything on the menu is a hit . Must try ! That king Murphy pizza ! Check it Out Service is great . Ambiance is amazing read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Hot chicken sandwich - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

Simple, clean, woody/divey kind of atmosphere. Great service- kind and attentive without being annoying. Awesome, crispy and tender whiskey glazed wings and the John Salame pizza pie was delicious. Creative cocktails, but unfortunately, no coffee =( read more

Came here with a group of coworkers on a beautiful sunny Wednesday afternoon. We stayed outside to enjoy the weather. Our umbrella didn't work, so we had no shading but we were okay with that. The service was courteous, suggestive and friendly. This was some of the best pizza I've ever had. The spicy chorizo one was my absolute favorite. The mussels, both in red oand white sauce was very flavorful and tasty. I mUST mentioned the charred bread....DELICIOUS!! our waiter was very knowledgeable about the drinks and beers. His suggestions were on point! I'm definitely going to be a repeated customer. read more

Ava’s Kitchen & Bar - Pizza Near Me - Kenilworth, New Jersey

5 stars for everything. Seriously, everything was incredible! The food, the drinks the atmosphere, our waiter. It was my first time here and I plan to make it a more regular visit. There were 6 of us (5 adults and 1 lil kid) and we got a very comfortable spot at a booth. For appetizers we tried the marinated beets, wood roasted brussels sprouts, and bangs island mussels. The mussels stood out and the sauce they were in was so incredible that we wouldn't let the waiter take it until it was actually all gone so we could dip our pizza crust into it. The brussels were super flavorful and not burnt too much and the beets had a really great pistachio/hummus sauce on them. And onto the pizzas! I got the funghi because I never don't want mushrooms. It was so great. Sometimes a white pie just doesn't do it for me, but this was fantastic. I filled up quick so I had a few slices for lunch the next day. I tried the corn pie but it was actually pretty spicy (at least for me) so beware if you aren't a fan of a kick. Everyone else loved it though! Anddd lastly drinks! They had a very cool "Bartender's choice" drink menu that I was excited to try. Basically, you choose your spirit and then decided between on the rocks or up, shaken or stirred, and if you'd like your drink to be refreshing, spicy, or bubbly and they make you a customized drink! I went with gin, shaken, up and refreshing and got a pretty wonderful lemon drink. It was something you would expect from a swanky city spot but, luckily, we enjoyed it here in Jersey. Loved everything about this spot and can't wait to return. Thanks for a wonderful night! read more

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