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

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

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

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

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I had a groupon and tried this place. Really delicious food, especially the seafood! Great for a date night.

Saturday night, I believe that they overbooked. Counted three wait staff and about 5 support staff on floor. Dismal service, support staff are adequate for water and dish removal. Wait staff take forever to appear and reappear, in the interim patrons are largely forgotten. From past experience their cheesecakes are excellent but don't count on getting them served...over 20 minutes no cheesecake ? No wait staff follow up? No bill??? No way!!! Either hire required staff or limit reservations. Very sad. read more

Was here and did take out food was great! Came for Easter dinner with 10people the service was terrible and worse yet not one person enjoyed there meat from lamb being served raw to prime rib that was so dry you could not chew it. So holiday dinner very disappointing read more

Food was delicious and wait staff was really friendly. Salad was delicious that came with the meal. I had the linguine and clams, and my husband had the fettuccine alfredo which was delicious! We will back in the summer to try the outside seating ! We used a Groupon so we saved $30. read more

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

We dined with friends for dinner making for a table of 4. This to date was my wife and I only visit. We were promptly seated, the service was above average and friendly. The food was good although 3 of us had dishes which included pasta (which is home made) and everyone's was a little light on the pasta portion. There could certainly have been more. They allowed us to take our time and even closed the place the down. The only real thing that didn't sit right with me is that they do not accept Groupon on Friday and Saturdays but it's not mentioned in the fine print. We were warned when I called and it was pointed out on the menu but why not have full disclosure on Groupon? I find this deceitful which otherwise was a good experience. read more

Had a wonderful meal at Brooklyn Bistro tonight. The stuffed artichoke with carmelized onions and garlic aïoli was excellent! The gnocchi with chicken and pesto cream sauce was superb. The osso buco was delicious. They have an amazing selection of desserts and cheesecakes. We had cannoli cheesecake. The pace of service was perfect, neither rushed nor ever left waiting and the restaurant was packed. We will be back. Thank you read more

Was there on a busy night, the food wasn't horrible but the service was awful. Way overpriced for 4 people with no liquor it was a $190. I wouldn't care about the price if the food wasn't mediocre read more

I trusted Yelp on this hookup & it didn't disappoint. Great warm welcome by beautiful hostess. The restaurant had a quaint, comfortable feel. The menu had a lot of options, I settled on the gnocchi, with a twist..no potato stuffing, Instead ricotta , Bomb. It was served in a Bolognese, with a veal reduction sauce. Desert was over top....only reason not a 5 star, we had to ask for service on a number of occasions ...they were busy, but we paid good money. I will be back and recommend this restaurant . read more

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Italian food, served and prepared with pride. Simple as that. This hidden gem is one of the most distinctive in Toms River: eating here feels like eating in the home of an Italian family that knows how to cook, rather than a stuffy restaurant or an uninspired pizzeria that seems to be commonplace for Ocean County. Boy, do they know how to cook. From the homemade gnocchi to the sauces made very well, there is a common thread of care applied to the dishes here. Although not on the menu, even the pizza is excellent when they do serve it. Save room for dessert as well as they make their own cheesecakes, and the cannoli here is one of the best I've had anywhere. They change up the variety of desserts often as well with inventive specials such as a pear pastry served with ice cream that was memorable. When you eat here you're eating at a real family-owned joint. Move over (the horrendous) Olive Garden, when you're at Brooklyn Bistro you're family. They really seem to be building a following so they might not be as much of a hidden gem for long! read more

Came here cause we got a groupon. The food was ok, good but nothing to rave about. Hated the service, and I am a very patient person. There was no hostess in the front, waited for 10 minutes while poking our head into the dining area before the waiter finally acknowledged us. It seemed like they only had 1 waiter for the whole restaurant. No apology for the wait or the super slow service. read more

Brooklyn Bistro - White Sangria! - Italian Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

I heard good things so I thought I would give this place a go. Really wish I hadn't. The service was okay, but that was about it. First off, we received a small basket of bread, two small pieces mozzarella and broccoli rabe bread, along with one piece of Italian bread sliced into four very thin slices. We finished the bread very quickly and we were never offered more. Tried the soup. Corn Chowder with crabmeat. It was watery, extremely bland, and there was not a hint of crabmeat. We received two small dinner salads. The dressing was supposed to be vinaigrette. However, it tasted as if the chef poured straight vinegar onto some lettuce. Worst salad dressing I ever tasted. Move on to the entrees, Capellini Scampi and Sunday Gravy. Upon first looking at the Sunday Gravy, I was shocked at the small portion. One small meatball, one small sausage, and one small veal braciola, served over a VERY small portion of spaghetti. First off ,the braciola was overcooked. The meat was dry, as was the hardboiled egg inside, which was rubbery and dry. The sausage had a decent flavor. However, the meatball was bland and without taste, just like the sauce. I tried adding salt to jazz it up a bit but it barely helped. Although the shrimp in the Capellini Scampi had a decent flavor, which was the only saving grace for this dish, they were still on the overcooked side and dry. The rest of the dish was a train wreck. The pasta was mushy and was nothing more than a mushy lemon flavored paste at the bottom of the bowl. There was waaaay too much garlic. It was gross. Of course we had room for dessert since the portions were a joke for the prices charged. So we opted for a crème brûlée, which was tasty but very small. It was served in a dish that was about a half of inch in depth. Took a piece of NY Cheesecake to go, and it was decent. I cannot understand for the life of me how anyone could consider this a good Italian restaurant. I literally have been to pizzerias that do a way better job than this place. This restaurant is a one and done. I will never waste my money eating at this establishment ever again. Bottom line. IT SUCKED!!!!!! read more

Made a 730 reservation and when we got there greeter said our reservation was for 6PM which it was not, they made a mistake but seated us quickly anyway. Ordered clams oreganato & 2 clams did not have any clams in them and were made casino style, veal chop milanese special was greasy, rubbery, fatty and chewy, chicken a la bistro tasted microwaved, rubbery & plain, roasted potatoes were mushy and not crispy also tasted reheated. Server was very nice but there were not enough servers in the restaurant. They ran out of veal osso bucco which is on menu, which is always disappointing, not sure it would have been tasty either though. The one star is for the server who was very kind and after telling him our experience he deducted the $45 veal chop off of our check & gave us $25 gift card. Although it was the right thing to do and nice of him, I dont think we will be back. read more

So interesting experience as the employees were friendly and attentive and food had good flavors overall but two appetizers and both entrees came out luke warm which I don't think I've ever experienced. I've had maybe one not be hot but four dishes all warm and one actually cold was surprising. I had a special which was said to be with mashed potatoes but my potatoes were a mix of cubed potatoes and mashed, though very tasty and I didn't mind them but I would say they are more on a smashed side. Cheesecake was delicious, smooth and delightful. I may go back to try one of the homemade pastas they offer and then go from there. read more

The service and ambiance was good, but the food was mediocre & the pricing/value was poor. The portions are small for Italian food. Two of our four dishes were cold upon arrival. The Meatballs were gross, undercooked and cold. The shrimp risotto was good. The eggplant parm was fair. The shrimp Cappelli was okay, nothing special. The salads were drenched in dressing and given you must order Entrees that average ~$25 to use a $60 voucher, it was more expensive than we expected and way more than it was worth. We usually tip at least 20% for good service, but it irked me they auto charged us 20% based on the tax, too, as I've always heard you don't tip on the tax & she did the math wrong, so tipped herself $18 on an $84 bill. We will not be back. read more

Good food. Biggest complaint they had one waiter for the whole restaurant. VERY slow service. Hire more staff.

Went for Saturday dinner without reservations. Seated immediately. Appetizers served promptly. They were extremely busy. One dining room was full for a private function. Waited an hour for food and then asked to have it packed to go. Delivered to our table in minutes. In addition, the owner apologized and gave us cannolies and a gift certificate for $25.00. Very generous! We would have waited but were both very tired after a long day. Thank you Brooklyn Bistro for making it right. We'll be back! I understand most restaurants are having difficulty hiring staff. Those that were there were very attentive. read more

Service was excellent. Shame they have to work in a place that serves subpar food. Nothing was tasty at all. Guess someone would go there just for the senior citizen specials. read more

Went last night with my wife. We shared Nonna's meatball appetizer along with the Gnocci and Linguini/Clam Sauce as entrees. The service, meal, and ambiance were as good as it gets. Can't wait to go back. read more

Place is great!! Love all the home made style dishes. Portions are perfect although you will always wish you had just one more bite left. Good atmosphere and great food!! Just remember it's byob. You can't go wrong with this place. read more

Stood in the vestibule for 10 minutes and not a single employee greeted us. Popped our heads around the corner to see what the deal was and found 10 open tables, 3 filled tables, and 1 waitress at the table chatting with customers- in her defense she was doing her job. Anyway, we got sick of waiting and headed over to good old Capone's and enjoyed a nice dinner with great service! read more

This restaurant is charging New York City prices for food that is average at best. We ordered a risotto that was drowned in oil. The halibut was cooked well, but topped with a puttanesca sauce that was oily as well and seemed out of a can. The "light tiramisu" was anything but light. The only good thing to say is that the staff was very friendly and speedy, and dining outside was delightful. read more

Very nice atmosphere, the staff was polite and helpful, the food was very good and quick it wasn't that busy (me and my boyfriend visited on a Sunday night at 7pm) our meals came out very quickly. I had the jumbo shrimp scampi in garlic sauce and for dessert tiramisu. Would recommend this place. My boyfriend had the cheesecake he loved it! read more

Brooklyn Bistro - Tiramisu and coffee - Italian Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

The food was good, charcuterie board was inventive, salads were simple but in a good way as it broke up the heaviness of the first course. The menu was somewhat hard to read, but nothing that should deter you. Above all the service was attentive, knowledgeable, and personable. Our candle went out on our table twice, both times it was recognized by our waitstaff. Waters were refilled as needed, and the table was decrumbed after the first course which was a pleasant surprise. I'd be back again based on the service alone. This restaurant stays in its lane as a traditional Italian eatery, in the best way. read more

Our waitress, Maria, was very nice. Had a Groupon and when she took off the $30 credit SHE automatically added 20% as a tip. Now I would have given 20% because she was delightful however, I don't think for a group of 3 people she should just assume a 20% tip. Plus DON'T order anything off the menu. Daugther got gnocchi (about 1.5 cups) with peas (no meat), no sauce and they charged us $18!!!!! Husband got Zuppa di Pesce ($35) and it had 2 pieces of uneditable fish. Pieces of fillet do not belong in this dish. I had eggplant parm over pasta and it was very good. read more

I love this place, the food is great so is the friendly service. Sandy might be the best server I've ever had. The way she describes the specials makes you want to order them all. My wife and I have been there 10 times and never had a bad meal. We have brought several friends any they all loved the place. I highly recommend this restaurant. If you have a party of 6 to 8 make a reservation for the front table l, it's great for a special occasion. read more

The food is absolutely fabulous the service is superb you won't find a better restaurant in toms River save room for dessert they're amazing and homemade this place is always a hit with everyone I bring there !!!! I've been coming from since they opened and I'll keep coming because the food is phenomenal read more

Love the atmosphere, love the food, love the service. Menu changes often , which for me keeps it interesting and I always find something that is delicious. Always a great time read more

Absolutly one of the best italian restaurants I have ever been at. Incredible customer service and will now be a go to place for us. I would give more than 5 stars if possible!! read more

The food here is very good, but on weekends I suggest you make a reservation, because it can get pretty busy. It's BYOB, so you can bring your own liquor, but they also make amazing sangria there, which is $20 for a pitcher. I'm very picky when it comes to Italian food AND cheesecake. I highly recommend trying the cheesecake, it's homemade by the owner and AMAZING! read more

The food is great! The atmosphere...could use a bit of help. It was stone quiet and you could hear a pin drop in the room. ATMOSPHERE is very important particularly with a great meal at the price point. The service was good in spite of the unexpectedly busy night in the off-season. read more

Ok, so food is excellent and staff is courteous and attentive BUT, I bought a groupon for $30 for two people. Now this is probably my fault but I did ask if there was a special menu for a groupon and was told no. So we ordered food and bill came to over $70. My groupon gave me $30 off so I paid like $40 plus tip. Anytime I've purchased a groupon that is all I paid. I also paid for the Groupon so i actually didn't even get $30 Off. The staff should make it clear how a groupon works. I wasn't prepared to spend the $40 and a tip. Granted food was worth every penny but I felt misled. read more

Grrrrrreat food!!!! Tops the list for Italian food. Everything freshly prepared, excellent service. Can't wait until we are able to go again. read more

Outstanding service and good portions.. I will definitely come back to this place. Not pricey and food is always affordable and fresh.

Not much to write about: Had a groupon that turned out to be a toss up when comparing prices vs menu so we opted for the promoted special. Report Card: Ambiance: Antiseptic Staff: Disorganized, amateur Waiter: Full time school teacher Food: Good, no raves Service: Challenged Price: Not warranted Repeat: No I let my groupon expire rather than use it and that sums it up. Don't understand those 4/5 star reviews but this is the jersey shore..... read more

Over the weekend, I came here for a a family party for my grandmother's 95th birthday. It was maybe around 20 something adults and 5 kids so it was kind of packed. We had some extra seating available which was good because I didn't have to sit in one place. Although it was pretty cramped. I wish they had given us the more wide open space in the other section of the restaurant. But then again kids are unpredictable so I could see why it would be in their best interest to sit us in a more private space in order for other patrons to have a more peaceful dining experience. Though it didn't seem like too many others came in until after we left. But anyways, we got a group deal that cost $25 dollars a person which included a salad, fresh bread, a pasta dish, and a main entree. We brought our own birthday cake for dessert and they accompanied us with a free cannoli. The salad was good! I loved the dressing! Also I must say the freshly grated cheese was delicious! I would have eaten that raw if given the chance but I didn't want to hog the cheese for everyone else! Freshly grated pepper was good as well! Next was the pasta. You know I topped that sucker with the freshly grated cheese and pepper! Nicely cooked; it was starchy with plenty of sauce! It was a penne with I believe was a vodka sauce. My mom is normally not a fan of that but she liked this one so that should tell you it's good! The main entree you got to choose between chicken, salmon, and veal. Kids got chicken fingers with fries (looked like a good amount for the kids). I opted for the chicken. I wish I remembered the description as the waitress went into great length about it. It was BYOB so I had already had a nice amount of wine and wasn't exactly taking notes. So I apologize that this review doesn't describe in great detail what was served. I can tell you though it was good! The chicken cutlet was thick and had a great flavor! It came with finely shredded vegetables (carrots and another vegetable I don't remember) and a breaded potato dish that was cooked just right. Cannoli was superb too! So everyone was very satisfied food wise. It was affordable and filling with fresh ingredients in every dish. I must also add the staff was very accommodating, courteous, polite, and attentive. I know especially with kids things can get pretty crazy but the staff did an excellent job of taking care of everyone including my grandmother which is what mattered most! I would love to come back here when I'm in the area visiting family again and try what else is on the menu! It's fresh, home cooked Italian style goodness! I just didn't like being so cramped. You won't have that problem if you come without a big group. 4.5 Stars! read more