Fun atmosphere, service was great and the food was exceptional! Good size portions... try the Chicken Parmigiana, you won't be sorry.

Everything about this restaurant is on point! The food/ Service/ friendly & most attentive staff. Be sure to make ressys and experience a fantastic meal at the Jersey Shore. We are excited for the Summer 2026 season & plan on dining at BB frequently. I highly recommend this cozy spot & always tell my friends & family about where to go ( as I'm a "foodie") & many rely on my recommendations.... This is a Fav!!! Hats off to Nicole for a job well done in that busy kitchen & Pete for his hospitality & fitting us in.... Be sure to get ready for a superb dining experience !!! They aim to please & hit the mark every time. Breakin Bread gets my vote Ann M read more

Coming from a New Jersey Italian family, Italian restaurants are usually a let down but this place far exceeded my expectations. It felt like having Sunday dinner at my aunts house from start to finish, even having the special touch of ice box cake which was my late grandfather's favorite dessert and something I've never seen on a menu before. The House Salad is a must order as it is perfectly dressed with a great mix of antipast toppings. The shrimp francese were the best I've ever had, the batter was perfectly light and the sauce was lemon heavy and delicious. Our server Daniella was fabulous, so kind and attentive and made excellent recommendations. Looking forward to our next trip back! read more

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Sadly couldn't get in the door. My husband heard wonderful things from his friend so made a reservation during the week for Saturday night. When we arrived we were told there was no reservation and they were fully booked all night. It was when the woman at the door shamed us by saying "if we really made a reservation we would have gotten a text" that upset us. We were already being turned away. mistake are made, shaming is not nice nor necessary. We were looking forward to a nice dinner. read more

AMAZING!! Everything about it... AMAZING! This is a family run restaurant and they definitely make you feel like you're part of it. Food was better than restaurants i've tried in Italy! Anything lower than 5 stars is criminal. read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

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What type of resturant only accepts reservations from people that have eaten there before. ? No parking available! Dining room extremely tiny. Another Seaside Heights tourist area. read more

Food is way overpriced now. The most obvious menu example of this are the $30 chicken parm and the $35 linguine with clam sauce. I don't as a rule ever get the specials, and this place is a case study on why. They are usually a rip off and never very good. We asked the waitress to tell us what the specials were. She mentions a few things, including a mussels oreganate appetizer and a trio of fillet mignon for a main dish, which the waitress had no idea how much cost. She said I think it's $52. We figured for $52. It must be decent piece of fillet. I didn't want that, but my friend took a shot. I like mussels so ordered the mussels app. It sounded interesting. The trio of fillet was not three small pieces of filet mignon but three very small pieces pounded thin and then covered completely with three different sauces and vegetables. The whole thing was just weird and really disappointing. The appetizer was 6 Large mussels with a breadcrumb mixture. olive oil garlic, and some herbs. That's it. Came out luke warm. Someone else at the table got the artichoke app that was absolutely awful. Cold and mushy I know some restaurants have an off night and it's a tough business, but the filet mignon was $63 and here's what really topped it off, the mussel appetizer was $29. That's pure highway robbery. I've been there a few times and the food's been going downhill and getting way more expensive. Also be careful. Their menu prices don't seem to match up with what's on your check. I'm done with the place. read more

Our waiter was very attentive. Explained the specials very thoroughly. Even suggested things. We chose the surf and turf special which was $103 but enough for two. The strip steak was large, tender, and perfectly seasoned and cooked. The lobster tail was not large but was cooked perfectly. It also came with three huge broiled shrimp, homemade potatoe chips and broccoli rabe. Overall the portion was large, the quality of the product great, and the taste and cooking was spot on! read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Surf and Turf - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

Breakin Bread was AMAZING! From the FANTASTIC food and the SUPERB service, this place is next level. They feed you the best food around town and make you feel like family too! You can just tell by the atmosphere that this is the place to be. If you're in seaside heights, this place is a must! Shoutout to PJ and the fam for giving us an amazing experience! read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

What a nice surprise, a small, local family restaurant. The food was excellent!! The red sauce (gravy) was flavorful AF. The only thing that didn't make sense to me was that the name of the restaurant. You would think with the word "bread" in the restaurant name that the bread would be excellent too. Well it wasn't, just ordinary type bread. Disappointing. read more

Our daughter gave us a gift certificate for our anniversary. To be honest I expected an overpriced mediocre restaurant. Although the BB deli is right down the road from us and their food has always been great but I was expecting something less, unsure why. To make matters worse my wife and I had a little tiff and weren't speaking. We considered canceling but wound up going. We were seated quickly once we entered. The place is small and cleanly, tastefully decorated. When we sat the table was super wobbly. I made mention to the waitress was had someone come and fix it instantly. The tables are kind of close together and since us and three two table next to us we're all seat r at about the same time she asked if it was ok that she read the specials to us together. And she did. They had a nice selection of different pastas, fish, meat etc. we were brought a complimentary basket of bread along with a few slices of dried sausage, some nice hard parmigiano, a few olives and some oil for dipping. This really got the appetite going. We ordered the brie special app which came with some toasted crostini. Some blackberries and raspberries and was wrapped in a pastry. It was very good. We also had the meatball app which was also very good. For entrees My wife ordered penne vodka with peas. I ordered shrimp far diavolo with linguine. Portions were good sized and the food was all well done. We left full and had doggie bags. All in all the food and service was 5 stars. Prices are a bit high but warranted. read more

Love this spot! The food was delicious and service was excellent. We met the owner and chef who are dedicated to this restaurant. You can taste the love in the food. Thanks for a great experience! read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

The best chicken cutlets and eggplant Italian sandwiches in Toms River! They also have a counter of grilled chicken cutlets, chicken pot pies, broccoli Rabe and many daily specials. Meals to go and amazing desserts. read more

Excellent meal, Excellent service. We all enjoyed everything from the appetizers through dessert.

WOW! This is one of the best Italian spots in the Seaside area. Every single thing we had was incredible. This is the halibut special with risotto. Super nice staff, great outdoor area and amazing food - what else do you need??? Plus BYOB is read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Halibut special - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

Came back again and this restaurant is one of the best ones around always a good stop when your down the shore make reservations because they are always booked. The waiters are very nice and accommodating the food is the best by far. You won't be disappointed! read more

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This place is a must try. My girlfriend and I ate here on Friday and we will definitely be back. The food was simply amazing. We had the breaded artichoke marsala, chicken milanese and the pork chop with vinegar peppers. This was THE BEST pork chop I have EVER had. Oh and the ice box cake and pistachio cake for dessert was the perfect way to finish our meals. Pete and Nicole were so gracious. Great people whom I wish nothing but the best. I can't forget the beautiful decor. Very festive. Thank you for a wonderful evening. You treated us like family. Jeff and Donna. read more

Amazing, amazing spot! Definitely need reservations and it's byob. The owner seated us and introduced himself to us right away. He was super friendly. Our waitress was with us right away as well to read off the specials. For apps, we got their meatballs and a special, truffle burrata. The truffle burrata was to die for - the sauce was amazing. We couldn't stop dipping our bread into it. For entrees we got penne vodka and shrimp parm, both phenomenal. It was my first time ever getting shrimp parm and I loved it! The ambience is super cute and updated. We weren't too close to the tables next to us. It's a small place, but they do well with the space provided. Will definitely be back! read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Dining area - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

Everything was perfect! My boyfriend and I sat outdoors, and the ambiance was perfect. Our server Robin was friendly and attentive. I ordered the oh my god pasta special and added shrimp. Maybe on the pricier side but so so delicious. The chicken parm is a classic, & was also very yummy. Ricotta cheesecake was light and perfect with some coffee. Glad we stumbled upon this place! read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Lemon ricotta cheese cake - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

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We came here on a friends recommendation. We arrived early around 4:15pm we didn't have reservations and was offered seating in the patio which was nice but in the sun. There were plenty of other seats and when we finished our meal those seats were still empty. Sydney our server was great. Very attentive. Food was delicious. read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Filet of sole Oreganata style with risotto and Asparagus- Special - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

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Family restaurant very good, went several times last summer, I would recommend this restaurant to my friends and family

Good ambiance, staff was personable and food quality was really amazing! Really worth the money

Food was ok. Stuffed artichoke was a little dry. Stuffed zucchini flower was overpriced for two small flowers. Overpriced entrees. Shrimp parm was left under the broiler too long. Had burnt ends. Service was terrible. Waitress was preoccupied talking to her friends and putting on lip gloss. The bus boy had a dirty shirt and looked like he didn't bathe. They delivered our food to the wrong table. The music was loud and inappropriate for dinner service. They sat us in the front by the window which was infested with flies. Overall experience was terrible which made the food unknowable. They need to train their staff. Since it's a family biz at least train their kids. They also charge a credit card fee without telling you. So if you pay cash like I did tell them in advance. The fee amount is not explicitly shown on the bill which makes it deceptive. Would not recommend this place.​​​ read more

This cozy BYOB bistro on the Seaside Heights boulevard offers creative well seasoned and beautifully plated food that makes a reservation a necessity. On the downside however, due to its small size the tables are packed together making movement around the restaurant difficult and the room very loud. Despite this, all the diners seem to be enjoying their meals and I suspect it will be impossible to get a table once the summer season begins. read more

Wow! What a hidden gem! Food is impeccable from start to finish! Staff makes you feel like family and while the restaurant is small, it exudes ambiance. Good luck getting a reservation as I'm sure this place will be sold out most of the season- you simply cannot find a better meal anywhere in this area. Absolutely delicious! read more

Breakin Bread on the Boulevard - Homemade cheesecake and pistachio cake - Italian Near Me - Seaside Heights, New Jersey

Let's not fool ourselves. This is an ok and expensive Italian restaurant in an area filled with Italian restaurants and a clientele who can cook better Italian food at home. The young and inexperienced wait staff had their thumbs in the dishes, and were dripping sauce on the customers. Expensive: a broiled lobster tail with olive oil, white wine and bread crumb- $53.00, no sides. The gnocchi is delicious and costs $33.00 for 12 "pillows" Two meatballs for $18.00 Don't push your grandmother over the edge. read more

This is a family owned establishment apparently with frequent locals. It's not big, and happens to have incredibly tight seating. The menu is limited, although there are many specials offered, at very special prices. The staff were just ok, they took your order and delivered, nothing too special. I must comment on one thing I found somewhat offensive. Waitresses wore workout skirts that were actually too small and failed to cover them when bending over to wipe tables. I have no objection to the clothing at all in a gym, or other place to workout. Here while dining, as a female, I'm not interested in seeing a young ladies behind, and more shocking was her complete ignorance that her butt was oozing out. We had eggplant rollitini and shrimp parmigiana. 80% of my plate was the linguine, leaving 20% for my 4 shrimp. These were 33.00 and the shell was still on the tail !! Such a simple, yet important step to do. Who wants to spit out the tail peel ? Anyway, we won't be back. The only plus was our cannolis were filled fresh on order and was excellent. read more

Have been wanting to go here for months and finally made reservations. Very charming atmosphere. They had so many great menu items and specials. Was hard to choose. Everything tasted so fresh and amazing. read more

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Excellent! One of my top 5! The service was awesome & family friendly! Short ribs are the best I've ever had! The only reason why not 5 stars was the noise & cold air when front door opened. read more

Last Christmas we had our dinner catered. I assured my family the sandwiches are so delicious, what could go wrong? Everyone hated it. It was alot of money and it was quite obvious they could not handle the quantity of catering they took on. I dont recommend the catering but i do recommend the sandwiches. read more

Very small dining area that probably borders on overcrowding. Servers carry hot plates of food over your head and there's a constant stream of traffic in the very narrow aisles. Owners are very friendly, greet everyone warmly and seem to know most of their clientele, which can be both bad and good. We got the impression that "friends" got special treatment. Onto the service and food. Bread was nothing to write home about, disappointing for a place with Bread in the name. Looked like sandwich bread and wasn't heated. Plate of cheese, cured meat and olives was a nice touch. Service was a little confused. The owner came over, introduced himself and recited the days specials. It looked like there were 2 people taking orders and after waiting 10 minutes for one to take our order, the other one showed up and asked if we wanted to hear the specials. We ordered everything off the specials menu -fried burrito, mussels in white wine and garlic, short ribs, and filet mignon Milanese. Appetizers arrived quickly (less than 10 minutes after we ordered them) and we're tasty. Then they committed the cardinal sin of dining out - entrees came exactly 8 minutes later - well before we were done with appetizers. They left our entrees on a nearby table and placed them on our table one at a time as we finished the appetizers. We felt very rushed. The Milanese was very good, although the portion was small for $45. The short ribs and mashed potatoes were downright cold. It was obvious that they were made ahead of time and sat waiting for people to order them. They tasted fine, but cold entrees are just unacceptable, especially at this price point ($45). Dessert choices were limited and we decided to pass. In and out in less than an hour, and unlike their motto, our bellies weren't full. Stars off for cold food, entrees coming early and feeling so rushed. Based on what we'd heard about the place, we expected better. read more

Excellent experience for my first time here! Food was awesome! I had the pillow gnocchi and it was the lightest and delicious meal! The owner came over to read the specials and told us his wife makes all the desserts. Def worth the trip! read more

Food is fantastic!!! Creative small menu with many specials. Service is super friendly and professional. It's small but comfortable. Not our first time and will definitely go back. read more

Very very small - if you like eating with your neighbor and making new friends this is the place to go! Haha! Food wise? We ordered a stuffed artichoke which was not done (very hard to pull the leaves off but very tasty) and long hots and potatoes. It came with 3 long hots (?) not worth the price. I ordered the Berkshire pork chop which was delicious and my husband ordered the bolognese sauce with pasta which was just ok at best. I'm not happy because it took us a long time to get reservations here. Our waitress was awesome but all and all we would not be back. read more

Ordered special halibut oreganata was charged for the halibut then extra for oreganata when I emailed my complaint they responded by wishing me well. Will never go back read more

Outstanding restaurant menu to die for, quality simply the best service on point Owners truly love their customers Specials off the chart tell them Ralph from Ortley sent you. Five Stars read more

The stuff figs wrap in prosciutto was fabulous for starters, and the eggplant rolletini was also delicious. I had the zupa de pesce for an entree it was delicious. Sydney was our server. She was very pleasant and informative with all the specials. She even said marinara like Italians do (madinod). It is a very small restaurant I suggest you make reservations. read more

We have been fans of Breaking Bread's deli offerings but tried out their restaurant on a Saturday night. First, they started us with a little plate of olives, cheese, and soppressata. Unexpected but delicious. There was also seasoned olive oil and a loaf of their familiar, delicious bread. We had the burrata caprese for a shared appetizer which consisted of well-seasoned, fresh tomatoes, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, and a baseball-sized burrata. For entrees we had the scallops and polenta special and the ricotta gnocchi in a parmegiano reggiano beschamel. For dessert we got the pistachio cake and the salted caramel icebox cake. The food. I hate them. The food was so good that I am angry. Well seasoned, nicely balanced, decadent but still light, textures of heavenly clouds. The chef outdid herself with the sauce on the gnocchi, which was pure bliss. The desserts were a true delight. Our server was also the pastry chef, and she was rightfully proud of her creations. The only negative was that we couldn't try more of them! Our server was friendly and funny, and it seemed that every server there was similarly spunky and hospitable. We were able to make a reservation - something we intend to do often. The ambiance is charming and lively. It is BYOB so if you don't like the wine it's your own fault. This place reminded us of North Jersey Italian restaurants (if you know, you know). An absolute gem right on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights. read more

Delighted with the dinner-especially the jumbo Artichoke served hot and moist, the entree ordered with extra sauce came out as ordered, just left thinking the service could be juiced up a bit . read more

Food was very good. Authentic Italian like my grandma would have made. Loved the stuffed artichoke.