We had reservations for today for a nice Valentines Dinner. Unfortunately we were exposed to Covid so thought it best to cancel. We called the Bistro and they were so very accommodating! We decided to do a takeout of everything we had planned to order. They even let us order a few things that were not on the day's Valentines menu. We picked it up and everything was perfection. Everything was hot and just wonderful. Wrapped up with love. The pride in their cooking is evident with every mouthful. Fresh, delicious and wonderful. A few photos of some of our order, shrimp risotto, filet mignon cooked to perfection with a Cabernet reduction and portobellos, potato encrusted salmon with arugula pesto, double pork chop giambotta, arancini, roasted beet salad, Caesar salad, wedge salad, cheesecakes, semolina bread. We will be back! Thanks for making our day. read more

See all

Very nice restaurant. Food was delicious & service was exceptional. I highly recommended this place !

Feels like the dining room of an assisted living facility. While a big room, its not cozy as their un-updated website had suggested w/pics of their prior locs. Pedestrian food,nothing I can`t get at the local pizza place. Servers were nice, if not overtasked. Soooo many so -so and ok Italian rests in NJ, I don`t need to travel 40+ miles for `ok`. Too many other good choices nearby. read more

Good is excellent service too. Great pasta lasagna was favorite Will be back again priced right definetly worth a visit

There was not a lot of effort put into the dish I had. It was a special veal dish. I couldn't even eat the whole plate. I ate one piece and took the rest home. The veal was so thick and chewy ( you could tell it wasn't even pounded thin) you thought you were eating a pork chop. We've had take out from there before which was good that's why I went back. Usually an Italian restaurant gives you a salad first. I wouldn't recommend this place. There's so many other Italian restaurants around that I would recommend. read more

This little gem is located in a plaza but dont worrie this place is great we had three appetizers and the meal .the octopus appetizer was out of this world tender very flavor full .then had the tripe appetizer was all-round great nice sauce very light and flavorful. My wife had the sharchutery board just perfect.i had a chicken santorini was very good we had double expresso for dessert with a home made ricotta cheesecake I got to say one of the best I've had in a long time..5 stars plus one the service was just awesome great experience...we will make this a regular spot.. read more

Ordered a meal for my nephew and his family during bereavement. Portions (they said) were big and food was delicious.

The best dinner! Calamari, clams and tripe for appetizers. First time having tripe and it was delicious . I had the pork Milanese and it was amazing . Something about it made it the best I ever had . Possibly the oil they fried it in ?? Tasted very clean . Will be back read more

Service was great! Food was ok. A little expensive for the portions. The desserts were the best

My husband and I just left after eating. We went there seeing pix of theire menu and it said pizza so we went there. So it was my bad it must have been an old menu. We ordered 2 apps and 2 entree. Food was okay. Nothing to really post more about. Mushroom risotto was definitely not to my taste it was too blah I'm taking remaining food and hoping I can fix it when I get home. Beyond annoyed since they were setting up for some function so lady there was using some machine to pump her balloons up so it was so loud through out most of our time there. read more

Food was excellent service was superb but the prices were outrageous!!! If you go b4 430 they have a extensive menu at a set price. However if you go 5 or after only 5 or 6 selections at very very high cost. As a local I will not be returning for high cost reasons read more

Repeat customer and great service. My wife and I particularly like the chicken a la bistro and parm chicken.

Was on a mission and stumbled onto this gem. Don't go by the outside looks, the food is awesome. Pasta Milanese was new to me, but was amazing, very Itailian preparation! pasta was al dente. The lasagna was enough for two and OMG, this versions has 3 meats and it is served with a steak knife so you don't tear it up while getting through the layers. excellent and fresh! The Baslamic calamari was top notch as well, flash fried perfectly and tender. David was our professional server and the other staff was very pleasant. At the begining they served 3 kinds of bread, i am super picky an go for crunchy outside soft inside, not to be had here but no complaints otherwise. Parking: after 5pm free on the street read more

Not a fan at all . Served us bread that was cold like it was kept in the refrigerator. It also came with a few pieces of long gray or blonde hairs on top of it. Yuck ! The meal was small and very blah . Came with no soup or salad . We only were given water . Not sure if they have any other beverages but none were offered . Dessert was prob the best part . And the service we received from the waiter who seemed to be the only one at the time . He was very nice . Would not recommend this senior citizen hot spot . read more

Worth the ride! Excellent authentic Italian food and ambience. The service was A+++ read more

Brooklyn Bistro - Italian Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

See all

Food was fantastic! Everyone is very accommodating. Caesar salad and chicken parm were excellent. Generous portions at a very fair price. BYOB if you choose. Their homemade cheesecake and decaf cappuccino were the perfect ending. read more

We came here for the first time this past weekend and it was amazing! I didn't realize how much space was inside, as there were 2 separate birthday parties going on. I loved how it was a family business with everyone helping out. I felt so bad for staff because you could tell they were short-staffed and burnt out but it didn't affect my experience at all. I loved being able to hang out and enjoy my tables company while waiting between courses. We all enjoyed our meals, veal osso bucco, double pork chop special, shrimp risotto and gnocchi bolognese. The homemade gnocchi was beyond AMAZING. Highly recommend lemon ricotta cheesecake as well, flavorful, light and fluffy. Thank you to the staff for working so hard and will be coming back here! read more

Picked up food tonight for the first time because I was in the area... the linguini and Clams tasted good but the portion was extremely small for the price. I was still hungry after I finished my meal it's a good thing I ordered a slice of the cheesecake which was good! Unfortunately, the chicken Parmesan was awful, the most bland we ever had! There was hardly any sauce and the sauce there was on it had zero flavor,we had to add so much salt! Super disappointed with dinner since it was on the pricier side. read more

Surprisingly delicious pizza, i tried the regular one first and it was soooo good then we got there version of the Sicilian and that was phenomenal! read more

If you KNOW how superb, authentic Italian food should taste, you will ABSOLUTELY love the Brooklyn Bistro [BB]. As a Yelper, who is NYC born & raised (w/ "Off-The-Boat" grandparents), I GUARANTEE to you, my fellow Yelpers, that you will not be disappointed. The FOOD: We all started with the Tomato Basil Soup (sorry, for the lack of variety, but the server (Maria) made it sound sooo delicious, we all wanted to try it; and, we were NOT disappointed - a creamy, fresh-roasted-over-an-open-flame tomato base perfectly infused w/fresh basil, fresh mozz, cracked pepper & a hint of garlic (the only thing I would have swapped was a garlic crostini for the pedestrian croutons), but it was fantastic nonetheless! Ahhh, the Entrees... My choice: perfectly-cooked Salmon topped w/Crab-meat served with a luscious buerre blanc over carrot-zucchini ribbons...there was absolutely nothing left on the plate - very, very rare for me!! Our 16-yr old son, who is not impressed w/anything (other than hot-wings), didn't even reach for the iPhone while he totally devoured Chicken Sorrentino & a Homemade Potato Croquet. And, the super-PITA Italian hubster? Totally SILENT as he ravished the Veal ala Bistro simmered in a Madeira wine w/mushrooms. His comment?? The BEST VEAL EVER!! (OK, so those of you who have read my reviews know what a true PITA he is), so, yeah...the Ultimate compliment. The guys also had dessert...Banana Fosters Cheesecake for the hubster .... "OK, I know I shouldn't have, but it was sooo worth it!! And a Brownie Concoction(?) w/Ice Cream for the "nothing-impresses-me" son .... Still No Cell Phone!! SCORE!! Brooklyn Bistro, a BYOB with an unexpectedly charming interior, somehow reminiscent of the classic NY Brownstone; and graced with a courtyard-style outside entrance, flanked by wrought-iron tables, adorned with fresh blooms in shabby-chic vessels. And certainly not inconsequential, the BB Staff: Our server Maria, sister of the chef-owner, made us feel like family friends - warm & friendly (but not in the typical "server-fashion"...authentic; and the hostess (owner's wife) could give lessons of graciousness to quite a few of my reviewed eateries (so pissed that I can't remember her name!). Try this place... if ypu know good food... you'll be thanking me!! read more

From the moment we walked right through cappuccino and cheesecake dessert, everything about Brooklyn Bistro was wonderful. Service is great, food delicious. read more

So, we were in the area to get our new driver's license and that long line made us hungry. We walked around the corner and found this place. They offer both inside and outside dining. Vinnie met us at the door and seated us right away. They have an amazing Early Bird special with a full four courses! The price was right, too. You would be stupid not to try this place. Food is excellent, service is great and the ambiance is nice. They have the dining room spaced out for social distancing and everything is very clean. All of the staff is masked up and ready to go! I can hardly wait to eat here again. read more

We made reservations, from past experience , the gentleman with grey hair was a horrendous server, we requested a different server for our 6 couples. As soon as we were seated, he lunged at one of the wives " Your stuck with me, I'm the only waiter here! " He also added other malicious comments! We stood up and left,!passing him leaning on the hostess stand still mocking us with derogatory comments. NEVER will we return! read more

We have eaten there two times and ordered different things each time. The food is good. Like any place you go out to eat there are certain things that are better than others. The milk fed veal was delicious. The service was good and very friendly. It has a nice atmosphere because you don't feel like your on top of anyone while seated. I'd suggest this place to anyone. And it's right here in our neighborhood !!! BRING YOUR OWN !!! read more

We dined there the other evening. After driving in a torrential downpour we arrived a few minutes late but were greeted like we were family. The entire dining experience was excellent. My sole special entree was prepared to perfection. The portion size was just right. My wife had a pasta special which was equally delicious. All ingredients were fresh and presented with great care. The wonderful wait staff included the co-owner and her daughter. The overall ambiance was very nice. Overall a wonderful dining experience. For sure we will be back. An added benefit is that they add a BYOB. read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner here tonight. We sat outside on the neatly decorated patio area right on Washington Street. Maria, our waitress, was great and even gave an animal magazine to my 4 year old. Dinner was delicious but the dessert was even better. The New York cheesecake was amazing. read more

Brooklyn Bistro - Delicious Cappuccino! - Italian Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

Wasn't necessarily my style gravy because it was tomato soup consistency, but it had a nice flavor. Stuffed artichoke didn't have any breadcrumbs so it was more like a steamed artichoke, not a stuffed artichoke... Edible, just not a stuffed artichoke. Chicken parm should be on separate plate than pasta and served with angel hair, but the chicken itself was delicious. Calamari was good, but unfortunately 3/4 of my plate was tentacles which like 2 people in the world eats. We enjoyed eating outside, nice touch. Our waitress Maria was excellent. read more

See all

Very Good Restaurant with the owners being hands on with a lot of info on what is being served and displayed and what is their specialties. All the pasta is made in house, which was fantastic, as we had the linguini with white clam sauce. They gave a very nice portion with a lot of clams on top. BYOB which is great.. Only negative would be they are definitely short handed in help as we all know No one wants to work, so the dinner is a little slow but we actually enjoyed that as we got a chance to catch up with friends. I highly recommend this place.. read more

Great specials! The staff was very attentive and their bread basket is amazing, 3 different types of bread served with garlic and olive oil! Vodka sauce was great. You have to try their homemade desserts, the tiramisu was fantastic! read more

The penne vodka is amazing !!! I've tried their chicken parm a few times because the chicken itself is good but their marina sauce has absolutely no taste ! It is very bland and extremely watery !!! If they revamped their sauce I'd go back ! Some garlic and onion would be great with a thicker consistency ! read more

This place rocks with food and fun!! Bring your own is beyond yummie!! Get in here soon! Food is beyond!!! Staff is awesome love it!!!

This was our first time here and I have to say that the experience was really very good! Being Italian I am quite critical of Italian cooking but I have to say that the food was authentic and delicious. The service was friendly and courteous. I will definitely return to this restaurant and highly recommend it to anyone. read more

Everything was amazing. The food was outstanding and the service was excellent. I had the special stuffed veal chop which was incredible. The meal came with salad, which was fresh and flavorful. Can't wait to go back. read more

Found this place on a Groupon. Being Brooklyn born, had to check it out. Went on a Friday night around 8:30 and got a table right away. Building does need some updating with water damage stains seen in the roof. Also, was a little chilly inside. Rice Balls were stuffed and very good. salad dressing with you meal was nice. My orecchiette meal with chicken was very good. Sauce was very light which I was looking for and great flavor. Pasta is also made there. Wife had gnocchi with a pesto sauce and loved it. Best part was the cheesecake. Man this was great. Creamy, fresh. Mine was a Nutella cheesecake and I really loved it. I would come here just for dessert. Overall give this place a try. Skip your local pizza spot and have a nice night out with family. read more

A very pleasant place for Italian American dinner. The wait service is excellent. Our party of six had a variety of their specials and on the menu entrees. For starters we had the burrato and the arancini (2) different types. The cavatelli with broccoli rabe and sausage was perfect. The cod fish was cooked just right, served over a bed of lentils and topped with tomato chutney. The homemade fettuccini with a lobster sauce that was creamy and adorned with mussels was exceptional. The veal Marsala was traditional, nothing extraordinary but the veal was very tender. Our party of six all agreed it was a great place to have our family get together. Not a noisy place, which impressed me as many tables were filled. Decor is simple elegance. See photos. read more

See all

Can't wait to go back again and again to try ALL the appetizers. We were there on a Monday night and were very pleased. I had the tripe from the appetizer menu as my dinner with pappardelle. There must have been two pounds of tripe in the dish! A flavorful red sauce with lots of onions. The menu said there would be peas, the way my mother made it, no peas. There were three kinds of bread that came to the table. One was plain Italian, good, another was these hard tasty squares, the third was homemade with broccoli rape stuffing, very nice. They came out with seasoned oil for the bread. Another diner had the penne primavera with grilled chicken. She loved it. The third diner had the classic Caesar salad. We did not want dessert, but the waitress mentioned the chocolate cheesecake with raspberry drizzle and chocolate covered. We were delighted. the hot chocolate melted the cheesecake, so it was like a warm mousse. Very enjoyable. One diner was a little disappointed with the cannoli. The filling was not the best and the tube was not filled. Wait staff was attentive and helpful without hovering. A must to go back. I gave it five star which I NEVER do. read more

We had an enjoyable family dinner at this restaurant. Starting with the freshly baked bread, tomato soup, and the balsamic fried calamari, the sweet balsamic vinegar gives it a unique touch.Small salads were complimentary and served as an intermediate course. Our entrees were a delicious risotto del-mare, pasta and shrimp dish, chicken a la bistro and veal parm. All were inhaled in minutes. Yes, they were that good! IMPORTANT!!! Leave room for dessert! The cheesecakes are superb. We tried 3 different ones and we are still fighting about which one is the best. The ricotta lemon zest of course! the hubby and kids vote for the NY style. The only downside is that we came in on a very busy night and it took a bit longer for the food to come out. I saver the rare opportunity of dining out with my teens, but if you are not too fond of your company, bring wine. read more

The food won't disappoint. Very authentic family made. Decor I could use some upgrades but c'est la vie

I had an enjoyable experience at this restaurant tonight. My friend and I have passed this bistro many times in the downtown of Toms River and decided to give it a try. When we walked in, we didn't notice a hostess until I had to peak my head in the restaurant and then we were sat down by our waitress, Sandy, who was very friendly and helpful to answering our questions. The inside of the restaurant wasn't anything fancy, but it was a relaxing environment to be in. It wasn't loud of noise or light. Comfortable setting to spend quality time with others. This place is BYOB and I believe have wines to choose from that are readily available at the restaurant, but tonight we weren't planning to drink. We were served a side of bread and olive oil, then salad that came before our meal. I ordered a pasta dish with shrimp which was of reasonable proportion. If you're looking for big Italian dinner dishes, then this may not be your place. If you want to be able to finish the dish before you leave the restaurant, then you've found the right place. I was pleased with the proportion. Once we finished our dinner, we were offered dessert. Let me tell you, who can resist some homemade cheesecake? I ordered a slice with strawberry topping. Delicious! I could go back just for the dessert. Along with dessert we both enjoyed a cup of coffee. Before we left, I asked the server about any menus they have for me to take home. She mentioned that currently they didn't have the dinner menus, but catering menus since the main menus do change each season. Which I personally love that as there's more variety and surprise to see what's to come next season. I will be visiting this place some time again in the future. Next time I plan to take a seat outside and bringing a bottle of wine. Overall, pleased with the food, service, and environment. I will be going back again. read more

Two words... hidden gem. I was so taken back by the quality and flavors of the food here. I started off with the mussels marinara and the homemade meatballs. The mussels were great and they piled them on which is always good. The meatballs were definitely not my favorite but my buddy loved them. To each is own I guess... the star of this show was my entree .... the veal alla bistro. Milk fed veal topped with prosciutto and mozzarella smothered in mushroom and Marsala sauce served with veggies and a complimentary Arancini that was AWESOME. Veal is not an easy meat to store and cook so I am very picky about the flavor and texture especially when I'm paying over $20.00 for it and this place came threw with the W. Finished of with a perfectly brewed cappuccino FUGHATTBOUTIT ...(sorry i got carried away.) The other people I went with all got different dishes and everyone was more then satisfied. It was pretty packed so try and make a Reservation... I can't remember if we did or not. read more

See all