MY FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT EVER! They seriously have the best of everything. The food, the drinks, the service are all incredible. I love this place. Their homemade pasta is to die for. Nothing beats it. I highly recommend this place to eat and for any occasion. It can be for a girls night or a cute date night. It's simply the perfect place. :) read more

I really don't like to say bad things about others. They have good drinks but food was a little salty. To be honest very salty.

The Service is amazing and attentive. The Food is squisito and saporito! A wonderful goto place!

Appetizers of rice balls and grilled octopus were perfectly cooked!pasta entrees were well done and too much to eat! No room for desserts but the cappuccino was all we needed. We ate early and not noisy,staff pleasant. Would dine there again . read more

We had a delightful Mother's Day dinner there today. Menu was a little limited because of Mother's Day but they still had a good selection. One of the four at our table had an appetizer, he had the Meatballs (4 of them) and said they and the sauce were great, 2 of us had the pear salad & it was fresh and had good taste. Our entrees were outstanding... from the Rack of Lamb, The fabulous Pork Chop, very good Salmon to the Lasagna with short rib sauce. None of us had a complaint. Service was very good and a visit to our table by Joe, the owner was a nice gesture. The prices are high but the quality is good. read more

Mediocre food. Limited menu. Nice bar. No complaints but wouldn't go back. Nothing special about this place. There's Italian restaurants on every block in northern NJ and this one is average. read more

I don't know really what to say. But when my father said the salmon isn't fresh the waiter said "nothing here comes from the can or is frozen". He took the salmon away and he complained to the chef. Saw the chefs reaction acting annoyed through the counter and insisted it came yesterday and it's fresh. Ok, then all the waiters started chatting in the background about my fathers complaint. Coming from an island country we know what fresh is. We are not here to complain to get a free meal. We didn't even want to argue but I feel insulted. I hate that the waiter had to be argumentative and defensive. And the chef? Arrogant I must say. I always enjoyed this place and the food. Today wasn't good only for the "fresh" salmon and the attitude but otherwise everything else was good. Will I recommend this place to anyone and take my friends here? NO, I'd rather go to Montclair next time. My dad is vacationing here from the Philippines and I'm treating him out for an early Father's Day treat this is the background story. read more

Went for lunch and was disappointed, based on tbe reviews. And most importantly, the place did not seem clean

Absolutely one of the best restaurants in NJ! Great atmosphere, great owner, staff, service! Never disappointed! Had the shrimp risotto and grilled branzino and both were finger-licking good! Their calamari is to die for and the best caramel cheesecake you will ever try! read more

Just want to give this restaurant a review on the food and service now that we finally had dinner here. My husband I were treated to dinner by his daughter and husband for his birthday. We arrive about 6:30 and by the time we were done the place was in full swing. Our food and service was very good and I would definitely return again. read more

My friend and I went in to Bella Luce to inquiry about having a funeral luncheon there. The owner came out from the kitchen and was very helpful and accommodating to our requests. I have to say, everyone raved about all the food. We started with fried calamari and rice balls. Then we were served a nice garden salad. Third course was a dish of penne vodka. Then we were given a choice of chicken Marsala, veal franchise or salmon. Each entree was served with potatoes and fresh spinach. Everything was delicious and presented well. We then had coffee, tea and a long plate of cannoli's and biscotti. We want to thank the owner (chef) and staff for all their hard word as we will definitely be back. Delicious read more

Great food and even better service! Pork Chop was on point and our waitress, Francesca, was a doll. Will return again for both!

My husband and I met up with friends and family for dinner last night and everything was great as usual. The portions are always generous and everyone loved what they ordered..My linguine with clams was just the way I love it and pork chop juicy, tender and so tasty ..of course I always love it smothered in long hot peppers..the service is professional and friendly ..I had to take some food home because we couldn't sit down long enough dancing the the music of the talented Ray Cetrell..thank you for another wonderful night. read more

We ate at La Bella Luce this evening for the first time and we were pleasantly surprised. Our meals were served promptly and both were delicious. The menu has something for everyone. Best of all was owner Joe Capaccio who's warmth, enthusiasm and hospitality make this a destination restaurant. We will definitely return read more

This place is GREAT! The food here is authentic Italian and of high quality. Furthermore, the service is impeccable. We had a party for my sons baptism and Dino and everyone here were just terrific! My guest raved about this place, all were very impressed. Many people were from out of town but said they would return again just for dinner! read more

I don't know where to start. It's a little loud but why would you want to go somewhere that's dead quiet. This place is great! I went last night with friends - we sat at the bar for a couple drinks first. The bartender I think her name is Francesca was awesome. Great personality and she makes great drinks. The Bloody Mary is awesome. We sat for dinner, the waiter was extremely friendly and nice. We had grilled octopus, polenta with sausage and shrimp. All of it was delicious. Dinner I had the halibut which was outstanding. They give you a good amount of food for I think a good price. I will definitely be back. read more

Food was fresh and excellent. Service was awesome. First time there today. Live at the Shore. Worth the trip to go back!

Nice restaurant, good food, price and ambiance. Service was exceptional, very accommodating to my vegan date - not an easy task. Pasta was tasty, good salad, sauce nicely done. read more

One of the best Italian restaurants in a sea of Italian restaurants! The Nutley area is inundated with Italian restaurants and wannabe pizza places trying to be Italian restaurants. But this one stands out. Exceptional service, friendly staff and most of all, authentic, quality Italian Cuisine. We were a large party and everyone was very happy with all the appetizers and main dishes offered by the chef. Give this one a try, you won't be sorry. read more

This place is great!! I love the food and our waitress Melissa was super attentive, friendly, and seemed to know the menu very well! She made some excellent suggestions! We were very pleased and will definitely be repeat customers! read more

Had the pleasure of dining at Bella Luce. Everything Chef Erm Firmani prepared was absolutely phenomenal. Whenever you see scallops on the menu do not hesitate to get them, they were the best scallops I've ever had. Great service, great atmosphere, great food. I will definitely be coming back soon read more

Finally nutley has a really good fine dining destination. The service is phenomenal, ingredients super fresh and they are very very accomodating. I am a major pain in the butt when it comes to my food requests and they always nail them perfectly with a smile. They are also extremely accomodating to my 18 month old son who always has a pleasant experience there. Joe the owner goes above and beyond to make sure we are satisfied with everything from food to service. The waitstaff are all great. My family and i frequent often and will continue to do so read more

Bella Luce Restaurant and Bar - Italian Near Me - Nutley, New Jersey

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I came here with a group of nine people for one of my friends birthday dinner. Our reservation was for 7:30 PM on a Friday night, and it was already getting busy. The bar section was crowded, people mingling over drinks. The atmosphere of the restaurant is nice, dim lights, nice large tables, overall a really nice look. However, I was not pleased with the initial service. We all arrived on time and were seated right away, but were not waited on until almost an hour later. We had to get up and tell the host at the front door that we never got a waiter to even come over and introduce themselves or offer drinks or appetizers. Anyways, an hour later we get a waiter and we are all hungry and impatient, so we order immediately. The drinks were fairly priced and pretty good. I ordered the pesto pasta and I have to say I was really disappointed. It was really nothing special, and I was expecting a lot better for the price. The portions are very small and did not come with any side, just the plain pesto pasta was $18. I've had better pesto from Olive Garden for half the price. It was bland, had barely any flavor, and I was still hungry afterwards. After eating we waited for our waiter for another half hour before him coming to check on us again. We ordered dessert, I got the brownie which was $8. The dessert was the best thing about this place, however I could have gotten a good brownie with ice cream anywhere. After asking for the check we waited almost another half hour. The night seemed never-ending with all the waiting we had to do. Overall it was a good atmosphere, but the food was nothing great for such an expensive place and the service even worse. read more

I picked this restaurant for my husband's birthday dinner and the food and service was terrific. The owner Joe is a riot, feels like you have known him for years. The food is amazing, and I mean every single dish is delicious. We all ordered different meals and no one had a complaint. We had shrimp, meatballs, calamari, chicken, eggplant and cheesecake with salted caramel drizzle......I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. We will be back! read more

An incredible experience from start to finish. Took my family for Mothers Day dinner & everything was excellent. Our waiter & the entire staff were attentive...food was delicious, great Martini's & can't forget the espresso's & desserts. A must try !! read more

Sad to give this restaurant only 2 stars. I had such high expectations for this restaurant due to friends previous dining experiences. Love it: Short Ribs- I'll give them this much, the short ribs are wonderful. The other dishes were really good and came out evenly timed Leave it: th The service! Our waitress- Francesca was horrendous, get ready for this rant. After we were offered 3 measly pieces of bread, I asked for more bread and she said she had to check to see if they had enough to spare for the rest of the night. She didn't even come back with an answer! Really? you may not have enough bread?? 15+ mintues to get some glasses of wine? Food saved me from telling her about herself. The food is the only reason I would attempt a come back. As dessert was being brought out, I had to ask the waitress (from across the room) for some coffee. As I asked for my coffee, my other friend had to ask for one too. How about you walk back to the table and ask if anyone would care for some coffee? She was too busy making slick jokes to her male co-workers and seemed too immature to know and appreciate what good service is. I highly recommend the cheesecake. Just don't count on actually enjoying the dining experience. read more

Had an early dinner here to celebrate my birthday on New Years Eve. Could not have made a better choice! Exceptional meal. We are major foodies and like to try new restaurants. Bella Luce is without question one of the top 3 of all time. My husband had the pork chop which he said was absolutely incredible. Cooked to perfection! I had the pappardelle with short rib. The meat was so tender and sauce was rich and flavorful. Delicious! Octopus appetizer is a must! The owner Joe is extremely friendly and visited every table to make sure everyone was having a good experience. Despite the craziness of it being New Years Eve he took time to make everyone feel like old friends. Will definitely be returning!! read more

Food is good and the wine selection is good. But the owner has a terrible temper. I could not believe that a man would have a temper tantrum in front of everyone during Valentine dinner. He put his face up against a worker and scolded him and also a female staffer. That was not enough he then stomped his feet all the way to his office and slammed the door. Here I was with my husband mortified. We finished quickly took our leftovers and left. His behavior was appalling and disgusting. It was like watching a bully having a temper tantrum because things didn't go his way. SHAME ON YOU AND WE WILL NEVER GO BACK. TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT. TAKE THEM TO ANOTHER ROOM AND SPEAK TO THEM PRIVATELY. read more

Great place, great atmosphere - especially Thursday nights. All the bartenders and servers are excellent! I live in nutley and it's my go to when I want to have good food, good drinks and a good time read more

Worst service ever. End of story. Staff is disconnected and disorganized. We waited for service at the bar for an extended period of time when we finally did get service and menus we expressed an interest in ordering food. then we waited even longer I had to get up and out of my seat after 20 minutes and ask for The check because we would die of starvation. Then 10 minutes later a waitress showed up asking us what we wanted to order we asked for the check again. Five minutes later the hostess showed up and asked if we wanted to order food. I again insisted on the check. The staff was oblivious. 2 drinks total, almost an hour no food, we were out. On top of it my wife bellyached the whole time. read more

I recently booked a reservation here via OpenTable.com. I was glad to see that Bella Luce accepts online reservations because it was convenient to be able to see the availability and then reserve a table. It was my 30th birthday and I wanted it to be a special evening with family and friends. The table Bella Luce reserved for us was great and had enough space to accommodate a larger party. Our servers were all very attentive and friendly. I had looked at the menu beforehand to make sure there were things on there that everyone would like. The menu is extensive and they have a large variety of Italian specialties. I ordered the Chicken Oreganata, which was absolutely delicious. The portions here are HUGE! I had asked when I made the reservation if I could bring a cake and they agreed. They brought the cake out with lit candles on it, then served the cake to myself and my guests. They even boxed the rest of the cake up for us to take home. The atmosphere was pleasant, however the only complaint I have would be the noise level. It is noisy in here in general, as other reviewers have mentioned. Also, when we were eating, they were setting up in order to have live music and it was very loud since they were right behind our table. It wasn't unbearably loud, but we had trouble hearing each other talk. I would definitely return to Bella Luce for another special occasion, or just a casual dinner. The service is great and the food is delicious! read more

This place probably opened up a couple years ago in nutley and I've consistently drove past it probably hundreds of times not sure what it was all about. Finally went for the first time after reading great reviews and I was so pleasantly surprised! The food was delicious! Really great Italian food, and the menu is great for picky eaters as well. Has your standard classic Italian dishes people love, like chicken parmigiana but also has some unique items too. Interior is cute, there is a bar inside close to tables which made it a little loud for a Wednesday at 6pm. So keep in mind. There were a few strange things with service and attentiveness. Our meal probably shouldn't have taken almost 2 hours to finish, (it was just two of us and it wasn't a kitchen issue because food came out quickly!). Again, just an attentiveness issue with service, taking the order took longer than usual in my experience and getting the check as well took longer than expected. Didn't see a reason why it would have either. Although we still left the standard 20% but it was a little off putting by the end of the meal. But it gets 4 stars for the food and I would go again because of that and would be curious to see if it takes the same amount of time on our second try. Wish I had went sooner though for sure. read more

Definitely a fan! Best espresso martini I have ever had. Chef is very talented. His work shows in each dish created. Service is friendly and helpful. Keep at it! read more

Just want to say that I stumbled upon this place with my coworkers when we were in the office and were looking for a place to eat!! That was well over a year ago and every time we are in town we always have to have dinner at "our place"!! The food is always AMAZING...have never had anything bad there!! The bartenders and drinks are so delicious!! And the whole atmosphere is so much fun!!! We will continue to go back again and again!!! You have to go!!! read more

I recently had my daughters baptism reception here and the restaurant did not disappoint. The owner was amazing to work with during the entire planning process. He did anything we requested from bringing in a special seasonal beer to modifying the menu for my special requests. The food was absolutely outstanding, all my guests were raving about it and saying this was going to be their new Saturday night dinner spot! (You must try the meatball and the pork chop!) The staff was professional and very attentive to me and all my guests during the party. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this restaurant... go there, you will be happy you did!! read more

Been here two times in the last 4 weeks, both amazing. Great vibe in the main dining section. Spoken to friends who have been there a handful of times in the last 5 weeks, they loved it as well. I imagine if this keeps up it will be hard to get a table. Great spot. read more

I had a wonderful meal at Bella Luce on Sunday but unfortunately my dinner was spoiled by the poor service I received from our waitress. As soon as we walked in she rolled her eyes and appeared to be upset that we were coming in to eat! She barely took our order and then came back because she forgot what we wanted for appetizers. Then she got our drink order wrong and didn't even apologize! We love the food there and wont stop going, but will make sure Francesca is NOT our waitress. We would like to have someone who is appreciative of the business. read more

Excellent food....had crusted lamb + fried zucchini & grilled Portuguese octopus for appetizers. Followed by beet (red & white) salad with fennel and gorgonzola cheese along with a seafood stew with clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops and calamari in a red sauce with brioche. Drinks: luce lemonade & wife had coconut mojito... ALL were Fabulous!!!....dessert...Tiramisu to die for... read more

Just went out for my anniversary. Bella Luce has almost zero atmosphere. The room is too noisy and we almost left when it took too long for a host to seat us. But I'm glad we stayed. The food was well prepared, fresh and delicious. We were impressed with the quality of our dishes and there was no let down from appetizer to main course. We will definitely go back. read more

I was here with a friend, just exploring a new place for dinner. The food was great, the staff was great, and the owner checked introduced himself and chatted with us for a bit. You basically only hear/see this type of experience in movies. It was awesome. Try the Veal. I enjoyed. read more