The host was the best ever the bartender made the best dirty martini ever and the food was amazing

Outstanding!!! I've seen this place of my Facebook feed.. Several Videos of the food. So on this day I told my wife Let's try it out First No Reservations Second CASH ONLY... The place was packed for 7pm on a Saturday We had to wait for a lil while which was fine After we were seated our server Lauren with a great attitude We got Bread & Escarole salad to start Then ordered Shrimp Beeps Fried Shrimp in a mild spicy sauce which I cleaned up with the bread Chicken Murphy One of the crispiest & seasoned fowls we ever had in our lives!!! Spaghetti Giuliano With Shrimp Scungilli Clams in a red sauce Cavatelli with Pot Cheese Delicious flavor in a lil Marinara sauce Chicken Savoy Chicken in a vinegar sauce which I needed more bread to soak it up There are no Desserts You can bring your own & they have Big Espresso Pot for $25 Or lil one for $20 5/5 Fuhgeddabouits!! Thus is a must try The owner & all staff very friendly As I was leaving the owner was seated to eat I went over to tell how much we enjoyed the food They were eating the clams oreganato They asked if I ordered it I said no They made me eat one Which was delish!!! So I suggest to make the trek to Bloomfield NJ like I did from Staten Island read more

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Food. Never heard of a place without meatballs when ordering spaghetti. New one on me. So went with shrimp...but mistake. Obviously frozen as it had various flavors mixed into it...dry and stringy Service was poor. Sat at the bar for around q0 mins until the bartender was done talking with friends only to be told no food at the bar. Service slow..for me. Fast if you are a regular. Their mistake. No music. One lone TV. I'm sure there are better dishes but the service put me off. Not coming back. Life is too short and too many other places to try. Try to get the thin blonde as she hustles If you're a regular..good for you. If you're not..try the places. It's ok read more

Belmont Tavern - Always forget to take the photo prior to eating. Presentation was good, but the shrimp was not. - Italian Near Me - Belleville, New Jersey

Service, atmosphere, food was spectacular. Waitress was friendly, attentive. Old school Italian vibes. Shrimp beep and chicken savoy was great. Clam oreganata was good, eggplant parm was cheesy, pasta was fresh read more

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My first time...now this is what a Jersey, old school, Italian restaurant is all about. Small, a little warmer than it should be, staff yelling back n forth making sure the customers are "good"! The food was great. Clams Oreganato, shrimp beeps...we'll be back!! read more

Belmont Tavern - Clams - Italian Near Me - Belleville, New Jersey

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Packed with local customers. You can taste authentic food, pasta is very good and seasoning is very good. I saw some people ordered pork chop and it looks very huge and tasty, maybe next time will order that read more

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In the best possible way this throwback red sauce joint is a time capsule where track suits, faded wood paneling and a Brylcreeme pompadour feel right at home. This is quintessential Jersey Italiano that invites you to marinate in the ghosts of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Chesterfield past while you savor the scungilli and the abundant al dente pasta. Five stars for just existing. Pro tip -- glue on some extra chest hair before venturing out. read more

Excellent scratch-made Italian food! I had eggplant Parmesan and my friend had chicken savoy and hot peppers. We didn't take photos because we ate everything! Definitely try this gem in Belleville. Cash only so know that going in. read more

Belmont Tavern - Bar area - Italian Near Me - Belleville, New Jersey

I met my sister and 96 year old disabled mom for dinner here tonight. The "hostess" , Annette, is in my opinion probably one if the most miserable human beings we have ever encountered. My mom and sister arrived first and were sat at a table. There was an empty table for six behind them. I was running late from the Newark train station and even though there was an empty table for six next to my family Annette told them they needed to move because "the entire party" hadn't arrived. My family offered to order since I was on my way and had texted my order, but Annette said "that was not the rule" and my 96 YO disabled mom could sit in a bar chair and wait. My sister explained that my mom couldn't get up into the chair to which Annette responded "I don't care. Those are the rules". Everybody else we encountered were all very pleasant. One other employee came over to tell us not to take it personally, "because she's like that to everybody". On the way out one fellow (he might've been the manager) said that she "was in charge of the kitchen." If that is the case, they would be best to put her in the kitchen and lock the door and not let her intimidate and harass customers, especially 90 six-year-old disabled women. She was in my opinion, a miserable, angry hateful womaAs far as the food. It was solid. The Chicken Savoy and the salad were good. The eggplant parm was different. The Italian bread was surprisingly poor. With all of the great Italian bakeries in the area they could easily upgrade the bread. We are one and done. Life is too short to ever have to encounter the vortex of misery that inhabits the kitchen at the Belmont Tavern. Enjoy your visit but best to call ahead and pick a day when Annette is off. read more

Belmont Tavern - Here is Annette. The ray of sunshine herself. Be warned before engaging with her - Italian Near Me - Belleville, New Jersey

The Jonas Brothers recommended this restaurant & the food was absolutely delicious! Service was great! It was a full house when we came & it was worth the wait. Chatted w/ some locals & had a good laugh! Get the Chicken Savoy, Spaghetti Oil & Garlic w/the Hot Peppers & the Belmont's Famous Shrimp Beeps! 10/10 read more

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I returned here after a long time away. The same five dishes and an additional one were ordered as last time (see previous review for similar thoughts), but some were a little different than I remember. The hot peppers were definitely better this time as they were all cooked to a near char. The shrimp beeps were not as good as I remember. They lacked a little in flavor and not fried as much as I remembered. The chicken savoy was a little inconsistent as the bigger pieces were a little dry, but not a big deal. The rest was still good. The new dish that was ordered was the pork chop with vinegar peppers. This was great. The pork chop was crisp with plenty of flavor from the vinegar peppers. It might have been my favorite dish of the night. read more

William S. Have you read the entire review? Your response doesn't even scratch the surface. read more

When I say I want Italian food, this is what I mean. I want old-school-Jersey Italian food. There's like 10 things on this menu and that's it - and every item is perfect. Don't ask for substitutions, you get what you get and you're going to be happy. They don't have dessert - just espresso, but that's all you need. The espresso comes in this tin-like coffee maker and you can get about 4 servings out of it. It's great. The salad (comes with all dinners) is fantastic- vinegary and salted and served chilled. Beautiful. My ONLY small picky complaint is that the bread is served cold. I always like the bread warmed, even if you throw a sliced roll in the oven for a few minutes. Something about toasted bread. Anyway, this place is a 6/5 stars and is fantastic. Parking? Good luck. But it will be worth it when you do find a spot. Also get some wine - they give you the small wine glasses. I love a small wine glass. read more

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What a disappointment! First off, I noticed a strange smell when I entered. Wasn't coming from the kitchen, sort of a musty smell. Our appetizer of clams oreganato was the first clue. Tasted mostly like soggy bread and not flavorful at all. We enjoyed the escarole salad. I had the ziti with pot cheese which turned out to be way overdone and reduced to mushy and broken pieces of ziti in a bland sauce with just a HINT of pot cheese. And I do mean hint. I honestly thought they forgot the pot cheese. And I should mention my dish came out 10 min. before my husband's chicken savoy. When his dish finally arrived, he tasted it and said, " I won't be back!' And I couldn't agree more! read more

My husband has been going here for over 30 years. We've been going together for over 20 years. This has to be the best restaurant in NJ! The old school tablecloths, the jute box playing Frankie, the hundreds of famous people who have been there and have their photo hanging on the walls. The whole vibe is so welcoming (an Italian version of welcome) they don't ask for your name or have a book, they just know who's next. No reservations! Now here is everything you need to know for ordering: keep in mind we order a lot because we live so far away but trust me, if you have leftovers, it's even better the next day, which is shocking since it's already perfection! Start with the salad that's served with all entrees, so simple but delicious! Clams oreganata Shrimp beeps Hot peppers (we order well done) Ziti with pot cheese (one order) Mad chicken (2 orders, I'd order more if hubby didn't love the savoy so much) Chicken savoy (3-4 orders) The more you order, the more juice you'll get!!! Chicken Murphy (one order) These are our go to items but they have raviolis that are delicious and pork cutlets franchise, definitely worth adding if you have a large group. Honestly you can throw a dart at the menu and you'll be hooked on this restaurant! You won't be disappointed!! read more

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Belmont Tavern pops up all over social media as one of the top old school mob-style spots in Jersey, and my buddies and I make it a mission to check out every legendary place on those lists. This one did not disappoint at all. Walking in feels like stepping into a slice of Jersey history, the kind of place where stories were told long before Instagram existed. Every time we visit there are a few must haves. The Cavatelli with Pot Cheese is pure comfort food. The World Famous Shrimp Beeps is a masterpiece that lives up to its name. Stretch's iconic Chicken Savoy is on another level and absolutely worth the trip on its own. What really seals the deal is the staff. From the bar to the back room you are treated like family the moment you walk in. They know how to take care of people and it adds to the whole classic Jersey charm. Belmont Tavern is the real deal and an absolute must if you love those old school spots with big flavor and even bigger personality. read more

Omg the food is amazing. You can't call to set up reservations. Just need to be patient and wait. No so bad to wait cause it's all worth it. Loved Loves the food excellent. read more

***CASH ONLY ***Small restaurant and tables are close together. You could hear each other's conversation and can be very loud. Service was fast and food was your good traditional dishes. Not a big menu. read more

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Excellent Love their dishes all of them Great atmosphere. Love the shrimp bibs Chicken savoy is amazing read more

IF you know , You know People go for the chicken Savoy But do not miss the shrimp Scampi The pasta is cooked perfectly Made with a touch of Ricotta and "extra Gravy" The atmosphere has a warm neighborhood feel which th mismatched plates and photos on the walls It's an experience ! read more

Just had the worst, over-priced meal of the year here! Clams tasted like they came from the supermarket freezer. Pasta was overcooked and lacked the ingredients listed on the menu. Chicken Savoy was not to my liking read more

Here's the deal, if you don't like loud noise, stay home, if you don't like crowded places on a Monday night, stay home. Everything about this place is old school. Very simple, zero reservations, walk in, check in with some guy at the bar, have Al your people there and be seated. No frills, no bells and whistles, but...... great freaking food. Plan and simple. They gave us salad, which was very good, we had 2 different pasta, insane, some potatoes and onions,,delicious and pork franchise,,very thin. Phenomenal. Again, old school Hudson county, take it or leave it dining. Best part, tons of young kids also, means this place will around another 100 yrs. Will be back sooner than later. Btw, no desert. Lmao. read more

This small little place can pack them in and let me tell you now I know why. The best chicken I have ever eaten in my life and will never ever order chicken wings from anywhere else. Why get chicken wings when you have the Belmont chicken Murphy? Everything moves fast here but let me tell you well worth it and the service is exceptional. Can't wait to go back and get there early because you're going to be waiting. read more

fun place If you don't want to wait two hours don't go on a Saturday everyone is so friendly that you don't mind waiting . Food was good and love the vibe . read more

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WIlliam, Wow pretty amazing to see a response 7 years after our dismal meal at the Belmont Tavern. It doesn't matter where you shop for your products as obviously the truth as we stated was proof in our chicken savoy dinner. Having peoples butts up against your table while eating should never happen either in a high class restaurant or in a low class restaurant such as the Belmont Tavern. I can guarantee that the Belmont Tavern is also a FIRE HAZARD with the amount of people standing prior to obtaining their table.....a place sure to never visit again however thanks for reminding us of what a terrible place the Belmont Tavern really is. read more

My original review below was three stars. However, I took a star off, as not only did the owner tell me it was my fault I didn't like their food, he waited over a year and a half to respond. Which says a lot about how much they care about their reviews. I'm not Italian, nor am I a chef, but I'd happily bring my own sauce down there and let his customers take a "Pepsi Challenge", anytime. Either way, Belmont Tavern just proves my theory of Jersey restaurants: most are completely overhyped. read more

What has not been said about the Belmont. Food is always consistantly the best old school italian around. Clams and shrimp oreganato excellent. Chicken savoy to die for and a nice pot of espresso after. Yes it is only cash, dated but the vipe in the place is something you cannot recreate. read more

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If you want that typical, classic, old school jersey Italian thing... I mean this is probably one of the last of its kind. Service was kinda funny. I don't expect to really be treated well here. An older lady with a smokers voice will ask if you're ready, she'll call you hun but she's over it/you/life. You got all the ginzos in at the tables, on the walls are Italian memorabilia. If you wanted to know what it was like on the set of Goodfellas or A Bronx Tale, have a seat on the red pleather chairs and rest your forearms on the sticky white and red checkered tablecloth. Food came out relatively quickly. Short menu which is nice. Shrimp beeps lol little beep boop shrimp. I'd probably have a bunch more clams next time. Both raw and baked were great and the price is good. Chicken Murphy's good. Id say tho the spaghetti was a little overcooked for me. Sauce was fine tho. CASH ONLY, be prepared. Drinks from the bar are what you'd expect. No cocktail menu and wine is reduced to "red or white." Our Negronis might as well have been made in a shot glass lol but whatever. read more

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This place is one of those nostalgic places that you either get or you don't. Their best dishes are hands down the pork chop with hot peppers and their chicken savoy. All other dishes are ok and I would stay away from the pasta with clams (canned clams) and know that the mushrooms are also canned. You visit for the fun, throwback ambience and a couple of solid dishes. Their house salad is yummy and garlic olive oil with hot peppers pasta is a pretty good dish before enjoy their famous chicken and pork chops. Go with it - enjoy something different, bring singles for the juke box and go with the flow of the mom and pop service. The staff is friendly but focused. Hot tip - bring dessert from the nearby Calandra's bakery. read more

Drinks are expensive, the food does not taste good, and terrible customer service. The waitress judged us for not ordering chicken and basically told us what we were ordering didn't make any sense. She hovered over us like a fly. She cleared plates the instant someone finished their last bite and then insisted someone finish the food in the bowl so she could clear it. I can't emphasize enough how mediocre the food is. I would have rather had Chef Boyardee make me a meal than pay for this overly priced basic meal. The place is way too small to have all those tables. I had to constantly stand up and move so people could get to their table. I'm truly baffled as to why this place is so popular. read more

WIlliam, Wow pretty amazing to see a response 7 years after our dismal meal at the Belmont Tavern. It doesn't matter where you shop for your products as obviously the truth as we stated was proof in our chicken savoy dinner. Having peoples butts up against your table while eating should never happen either in a high class restaurant or in a low class restaurant such as the Belmont Tavern. I can guarantee that the Belmont Tavern is also a FIRE HAZARD with the amount of people standing prior to obtaining their table.....a place sure to never visit again however thanks for reminding us of what a terrible place the Belmont Tavern really is. read more

Very unusual place. Old school the ambiance is from a hundred years ago. The waiters can get a little surly but they are obviously overwhelmed That doesn't stop the food from being sumptuous and delicious. read more

Free salad and bread. Shrimp beeps appetizer honked loud but wasn't spicy as expected. Clams oreganto and cavatelli with a pot cheese was good. Chicken savoy, murphy and pork chops Francese were great also. Old school Italian red and white table cloths and pictures of past patrons. Great service. read more

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Stick to their staples (chicken savoy, shrimp beeps) and you'll have a great meal. Maybe a carafe of cold red wine. The experience of dining here is as idiosyncratic as the food, in a good way. Show up right before opening because the dining room gets full, immediately. You can park in the nearby bank's parking lot. read more

Very overrated, very rude and I'' very sure I will never return. Way too much attitude and the food is mediocre. I ordered the pork chop with hot vinegar peppers. Extremely overcooked and way too much vinegar. I was expecting a sauce with vinegar flavor not drowned in vinegar. The pork was dry and hard to cut. It tasted like a tire. The clams had sand in them and the scungilli was underwhelming. The place needs a major overhaul. I used to be a fan of the Belmont but my last experience here just turned me off. Will never return. read more

Belmont Tavern - pork chop with hot vinegar peppers - Italian Near Me - Belleville, New Jersey

Definitely a place to go as I have made dozens of visits for the shrimp beeps with pasta and the chicken savoy! Only painful issue is the street parking! read more

Chicken savoy,Shrimp beeps,rigatoni with ricotta. Spaghetti garlic and oil, escarole sad. Cant go wrong with anything on the menu. Everything is delicious! Have a drink at the bar while waiting to get in. So worth the wait!! read more

This place is a homerun. Love the food and the vibes. Was lucky enough to be there for Jimmy Belmont's birthday. I prefer the Chicken Murphy because of those potatoes and onions, but the vinegar forward Chicken Savoy is delicious as well. Definitely get a pasta. That bitter green salad is so simple but so tasty. Cash only, baby. read more

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Grabbed a quick bite to eat here. Food was good, prices were reasonable and the service was outstanding. We had a short wait for a table but we were able to enjoy a drink at the bar while we waited; pours were heavy and drink prices were also reasonable. Once seated we received prompt attentive service and were asked several times if we needed anything while there. All in all ambience was wonderful. Service was great. Food was good. I have no complaints. I would go back again. Place was a bit crowded for Thursday night but all in all great experience. read more

First and foremost beautiful atmosphere . Food is great . Staff is great .would definitely be comming back .