I hate to give a bad review for a place that has so much potential, but it has to be done. The atmosphere and staff were great, no complaints there, but the food was soooo bland. Also my wife's martini had ice cubes in it (rookie mistake, ever hear of a strainer?) From the appetizer to my dinner the food had no flavor. The calamari bland and the gigantic veal parmigiana was so bland. If they can get a better chef then it would be worth trying again. Sorry but I wouldn't make the suggestion to go back, but would go if someone else suggested. But would definitely try something different to eat, my wife's fish was good. read more

We were a group of 12 on a busy Saturday night - Mother's day weekend. This was my first time here and was very impressed with size and decor of venue. You would not expect this in this plaza. We all had drinks and my French Martini was superb. My husband and I split a delicious salad. I had the Halibut and Risotto special which was a big portion and very flavorful. Everyone was happy with their choices however 2 pork chop orders did not come out till 10 of us were almost done eating. That was not good so they took one entree off the bill and gave everyone free drinks after dinner. They were sorry for the confusion. The venue is extremely noisy and made it hard for us to hear each other. Now the worst part came....the bill came and there was an extra 4% added on. We thought it was an extra surcharge due to the fact that we were a large group. So we added an additional 18% towards the tip. It turns out that the 4% was a surcharge for using a credit card. We didn't question the extra charge. We realized the next day what it was from reading the Manalapan Residents page on Facebook. Nowhere was there a sign or notation on the menu about this. Be aware for the future! Money charges should be communicated prior to reservation. This upcharge I believe is the cost of doing business. I know it's getting harder and harder for small businesses to succeed but it's not fair to the consumer either if it's not indicated ahead of time. In the end, the server will be losing out with less tip money. Footnote....It has come to my attention that after all the bad Publicity, The management decided to change their policy to remove the surcharge. I am so glad that they did because my overall experience was excellent and truly do want to come back. The power of Facebook is amazing! read more

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Sorry this review is a little late. We wound up here Saturday after my oldest friend tried to get a table at Aunt Butchies. We meet for dinner once a month and he picked Aunt Butchies. He was told it was reservations only. I had no idea they were that busy. So I said let's try Cafe Luna as I had never been there and it was close by. The place is very nice. The price point I felt was a little high for the portions. The service was excellent, every request I made was was fulfilled. A lot of times dining out simple requests are often ignored or forgotten so I appreciated that. We like to dine early so the restaurant wasn't crowded. I also give a plus for bread, and a nice kind of garlic marinara bread with traditional Italian bread. The specials sounded great but usually prices prohibit me from ordering one. Everyone seemed to really enjoy their entree, no one left food on there plate. My issue is my veal francaise could have been larger and more tender. My pal had chicken parmagiano, which he liked very much. His wife had filet of sole, she had no complaints. My wife had the ravioli, I tried it, very delicious. I read other reviews that said the food was bland, I felt the flavor was good for typical Italian fair. Many places will add pepper or other seasoning to boost the flavor instead of allowing the dish to stand on its own. The sides were good, I had spaghetti with marinara, served hot and delicious. We were happy to get a meal after not getting a table at Aunt Butchies, but this restaurant is a little pricey for us. I'll leave it for others to decide, but when we left the place had a nice crowd. One final note: we were supposed to eat at a place called Via Sposito, a new place near us but my wife was worried about the prices. Funny how things work out. read more

So let me start by saying that the food and service was very good, the reason for 3 stars is the policy of a 3.95 % surcharge for credit cards. If you put things in perspective, Visa, MC, Amex, have been charging fees since day 1 and the restaurants would incorporate these fees when they calculated their costs. Now they feel emboldened to pass this along to us, but yet they still kept the cost in their costs as well. So as someone who has worked in Sales Audit (Retail credit card receivables and chargebacks) I know that the typical up charge that restaurants are charging us are a little excessive by about 1/2 to 1 percent and they will keep doing this just like delivery fees. I get it costs have gone up but don't disguise a new profit source by making us think your costs for taking a form of payment are excessive. So what I suggest people start doing is disputing the charges saying that they don't disclose the fee. Typically you can carry that for 2 billing cycles, which will allow you to recoup the fee and send a message to all these restaurants that this practice is unacceptable. In addition, the restaurant will have to incur time and effort to fight it and many times they won't do it in a timely manner which will result in a successful dispute. Full disclosure my check was 600 for 5 people and this place has the nerve to hit me with an additional 24 dollars read more

Horrible. I was horrified. This place was recommended. Walked in after hours. It's an underground club. I thought it was open for food and drinks. I was disgusted!! Over capacity. Wall to wall people. No masks. No hand sanitizer. I could not believe that this was by law allowed! The staff walking around acting clueless? The Governor had set restrictions during COVID and this place is in violation of every code. I wouldn't drink at this place nor would I trust the food. Walked in and walked out. If you have the slightest fear of COVID I would suggest you run not walk away. After hours this place is a COVID trap! read more

Went here tonight, group of 5. Very attentive wait staff. I got a cream pasta dish with shrimp, Penne Alia Luna (yum!) and my husband got the Nere linguini. Mine was much better. I substituted my noodles with their homemade pappardelle. I think the others enjoyed their meal. The bread basket in the beginning holds an assortment of different breads. All in all, nice place. Prices are decent. read more

Decided to come to Cafe Luna tonight. It was great choice started of with the baked clams. We ordered for an entree Veal Voldastana which was amazing. Our server was Lena she greatedbus with a smile and great suggestions. They also had live entertainment this evening. Made my long hard week amazing. read more

Cafe Luna - Baked Clams - Italian Near Me - Old Bridge, New Jersey

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We heard such amazing things about this place that if the hype wasn't so big maybe it would have been better. The food was OK, the atmosphere was crazy for what it was, though. It felt like an NYC rooftop bar located in a random strip mall on the highway. The people there were very stereotypical Jersey but it was fun. Overall the cocktails were good, the steak was eh for a $43 entree. The people watching was the best part of it. Probably won't go back but it was different. read more

Great variety. I had the Chilean Sea Bass special which was too large a portion for me, but I know people love leftovers. Kids joined us and the half size pasta portions were perfect read more

Cafe Luna - Italian Near Me - Old Bridge, New Jersey

Great atmosphere and service! Food is OK, could be tastier. Drinks are made very well. Staff is excellent and over achievers! Would return. read more

Cafe Luna - Ordered the Steak, Medium, $38 - Excellent option for meat lovers - Italian Near Me - Old Bridge, New Jersey

Dined here Monday, Memorial Day. Picked a good time to go because it was not crowded at all. Had an incredible time. Between the appetizers, the drinks, the food, the desert and espresso with Anisette I was to sitting there for five hours with my date. The atmosphere and ambience were incredible. We were not rushed whatsoever. And our waiter Mark was incredibly accommodating and catered to our every need for the entire time. Even put up with my never ending barrage of bad jokes and never lost the smile on his face. As I always like to say the food was only surpassed by the service. Can't wait to go back. read more

I went with a friend on disco night... it was a mob scene straight out of Staten Island. I ordered a rum and Coke double and was charged $28.75 for a tall super thin glass.. talk about over priced is an understatement. I'd eaten there in the past and the food was also overpriced for what you get. If you like to throw your money away to show off definitely the place for you. I'd prefer a more quality experience myself & this wasn't it. Some Bar staff was young and showed zero personality you're just another face in the crowd read more

My favorite is the food! Great authentic Italian food. My only concern is that we did have to ask the waiter to come over a couple of times to get us a few things and there were A LOT of flies. I'm really hoping the flies got in by accident because it was a rainy summer night, but it's kind of hard to eat your food in peace when you have to keep swatting the flies away. At one point I looked up at the ceiling and counted 6 flies! And that was just from what I saw from my seat. I came in on a Sunday night to celebrate my birthday with my fiance. When a busser dropped off bread at our table, I was surprised they didn't offer oil/vinegar and instead just two packets of butter. No matter, we asked the waiter to bring some over and he did that immediately. We started off by sharing the Fettuccine Pichi Pachi. It was very flavorful. The noodles were very tender so I had to ask my waiter for a spoon. I ordered the Salmon while my fiance ordered the steak. The steak was cooked to perfection and the salmon tasted very fresh! They didn't refill my water cup as much as I wished. It's about 8:30 and I order dessert. They brought over a tiramisu and sang happy birthday to me. As I'm enjoying my dessert with a cappuccino they started to close up the restaurant. Which I completely understand them clearing off tables but I wish they would have at least waited until everybody in the restaurant (which had about 3 more tables) left before mopping the floor. It was kind of hard trying to enjoy my dessert when all I smelled was strong chemicals/bleach. It definitely made me feel rushed so I tried finding the waiter to pay but he disappeared. I walked out of there by 9:05 asking to take my dessert to go. The food was amazing and I did enjoy the lighting in the facility. I would just change a few things about the staff/fly situation. read more

Cafe Luna - Salmon - Italian Near Me - Old Bridge, New Jersey

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I was told that Cafe Luna was good ... but tonight I found out that it was great ! Good service and delicious food . The braised short rib was the biggest and most tender I've ever had . My wife had the halibut and thought it was great. I was too full for desert. read more

Great atmosphere and the service was amazing. Loved the buffalo calamari and shrimp cocktail. The squid ink pasta was so/so. It was serviceable but not that great. Def try the buffalo calamari! read more

Went there for the first time with my husband and the food was amazing. The waitress and bartenders were also on point. This will definitely be a regular spot for us. read more

My boyfriend and I casually popped in one night on our way back home, the outdoor seating was really nice even though the weather wasn't, we stayed completely dry when it began to rain, I had the calamari, & the chicken Marsala that was excellent, but before that, the bread & focaccia bread is totally necessary! My boyfriend loved they're oysters and braised short rib, we ate so incredibly well, it was a very lovely meal. Totally unexpected little gem! read more

Always a great meal. Great vibe, drinks and food. The service is always good and friendly. We've hosted several parties from 10-30 folks. Always the same result. Food and service, excellent. Actually went last night for a quick bite. Had 1/2 order penne vodka to start and then chicken Milanese over arugula with fresh mozz, red onion, tomato and olives with a little balsamic glaze over top. So freakin good! Started off with a kettle one dirty with bleu cheese stuffed olives. read more

honestly not it. the vibe felt like a strip joint. the hostess was dressed like she was working at one to. the music was super loud. the waiter was so nice, but his breath reeked. and the food took forever to come out. once it did i was unimpressed. i got the special - squid ink linguini with lobster, mussels, scallops, and clams. the seafood was rubbery and sandy. it was equally bland, and two spicy? we got calamari as a app. and it was super rubbery. my husband got penne vodka pizza - and he liked it! read more

Ordered on Xmas eve ... overprised, they forgot 3 things out of my order , but they made shore to charge me for them and I had to go get them! Ordered lamb chops for $35.00 and that is all that came 3 tiny lamb chop... no potato salad vegetable nothing.And when I asked about that he said that's cheap and if I ate it there I would have gotten sides. REDICULOUS! $300 dollars and still hungry! Bad customer service ... save your money! read more

We moved here from Staten Island a few months back and I will say we were not crazy about Cafe Luna in Grasmere, so we were a bit skeptical on trying the one in NJ. Well we were wrong it was one of the best restaurant experience post pandemic. Our server Victoria was amazing she was on top of everything and was extremely friendly. The meal was delicious, we had a few appetizers to start. The Zucchini Flowers and Pear salad were perfect. I had the squid linguine which was off the chart and my wife had a salmon special which she loved. All around very good and we received complimentary after dinner drinks it was called Rice Pudding. Wow. And the poi's on drinks were good no 2oz BS. Thank you read more

Not sure how good the food is at this restaurant but when it comes to service and accommodating guest with reservations, one star is being very generous. Came in with reservation for 7:30, was greeted by three hostesses and all three assured that we will be seated in a few minutes, 30 minutes later still standing at the door waiting to be seated while "regulars" are given a table within minutes of walking into the restaurant. Approach hostess again and again was told a few more minutes , 20 minutes later , walked out of Cafe Luna, never was seated at the table. There's are plenary of amazing restaurants with great ambiance, food and drinks and not to mention beyond exceptional service that gladly would appreciate your business! read more

Came in for lunch yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the decor. You would have no idea you just came off of route 9. I ordered the whole wheat linquine (really happy that they have half portion options!!) and it was delightful. My friend ordered the Bolognese and said it was good but rather standard. Afterwards we had the cannoli, and it was good but I wasn't too impressed. Maybe it's just me, but I like the filling to not be overly sweet. The shell of the cannoli was a bit tough but overall still good! Maybe next time I'd go for a cake option. I recommend Cafe Luna! The service was great- some of the most friendly staff I've encountered and very attentive. read more

Cafe Luna - Cannoli - Italian Near Me - Old Bridge, New Jersey

My husband and I went to dinner on a Saturday night. The restaurant was busy but we had reservations. We were seated promptly. Our server, Emily was pleasant and attentive. The food was excellent, and the choclate cake for dessert was out of this world. We will definitely be going back. read more

I went there with a few friends to celebrate my birthday dinner. Let me start by saying the ambiance was amazing - it's a very warm but modern feel. Even the dark blue color of the wine glass was beautiful among the white plates and very colorful dishes. The food overall was good. We started with the Margarita pizza as an appetizer and ended up ordering 2! I ordered a chicken parmesan dish, and the only reason I'm giving a 4 out of 5 on this review is because the sauce was a little bland. Other than that, the food and dessert were delicious and my friend's dishes were very tasty. For dessert I ordered the blueberry bread pudding which came with vanilla ice cream. I must say that it was one of the best desserts I've ever tried! Very good portion as well and can feed at least 3 people. Lastly, the service was very good. They took a little long to bring out the food but there were 6 of us. A couple of my friends ordered the lava cake which ended up being overcooked, but they apologized and gladly asked us if we wanted a different dessert or if we wanted it removed from the bill instead. They acted quickly, showed a lot of concern and overall were very polite. The manager came over to chat with us at the end and make sure we were satisfied. I would definitely go back again. read more

Our party enjoyed our meal at Cafe Luna very much. The calamari had a nice crunch and seasoning- baked clams were good but I detected sand. Mozzerella en carrozza could have been better if it was homemade- sell ate it though....There was an order of a dozen raw oysters which were enjoyed. My grilled salmon was excellent- I tasted the pork Osso Buco which was good. Steak was good- mashed potatoes were good....can't complain about anything I tasted.... Desserts were abundant. I tasted the Creme brûlée- a sorbet trio which was refreshing- the lava cake was huge and good. The cheesecake was a huge portion as well. Our excellent waitress Nivene was patient with our requests, attentive and cheerful. We had a great evening last night and will be back again! read more

Cafe Luna - Creme brûlée - Italian Near Me - Old Bridge, New Jersey

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Very nice a restaurant - if you love pasta. this is the place to go. I normally get linguine with clam sauce (white sauce) and it's very good ! they also have a nice selection of wine. the service is well, they are doing both indoor and outdoor dining. definitely recommend. read more

Delicious porterhouse for two, and with the large side dishes it was a good price! We will definitely order from here again.

Terrific! First the food, my friend and I each had delicious soups, mine was minestrone hers was escarole, large plentiful bowls! Pizza was delicious as well and large enough to share at least after the soup. Next. I met an elementary school friend I haven't seen in 20 years! She drove from Brooklyn. When we arrived before noon doors were locked, we we immediately invited in. We were there catching up for HOURS, the restaurant was busy but we were never rushed at all. We enjoyed delicious cappuccinos! I will be back soon with my family and will enthusiastically recommend!! read more

The food and service is great at Luna. Rita is amazing, very attentive and always kept my drink filled. Dominique is a great bartender I've met her at least 5 times and each time she was very friendly and always remembered me. read more

I went to this restaurant because it was recommended by two people I know. I made a reservation. We showed up and they placed us at a table that was so close to the kitchen, someone asked me to hand them a wisk!! The service was atrocious! It was insanely loud and obnoxious. The only reason I would step foot in this restaurant again would be to go to the bar. That bit was cool read more

This use to be one of my favorite restaurants a couple years ago. They use to have a great person named Eric who ran the place, and when he left the food just wasn't the same. I heard through word of mouth he took the head waiter and chef at the time and they all left for a restaurant in Staten Island. I just had dinner here after a long time and the food is still good just not up to par to what it once was. We had the fried mozzarella, Italian egg rolls, eggplant rollentini, and stuffed artichokes with Gorgonzola cheese as appetizers. All were good except the stuffed artichokes. The stuffed artichokes were heavily breaded and overcooked. I'd definitely skip that appetizer. The Italian eggs rolls we all enjoyed the most. For entrees we had the halibut, swordfish, salmon, and anneletti pasta . The swordfish dish was very good and it came with risotto. The salmon my niece though was good as well. The halibut dish was a little dry and needed more seasoning. The anneletti pasta came in a delicious sauce. For desserts were the lava cake, cheese cake, cannoli, and the banana bread pudding. They make an excellent lava cake and banana bread pudding here. They are the best out of all the desserts. Cannoli wasn't that great, and cheesecake was decent. This restaurant has a really nice atmosphere and our waiter was very nice. The food overall is good, but not outstanding like it once was. read more

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We went here on a weekday night to celebrate my birthday. I am not a big fan of restaurants that are located in a strip mall. But the food and ambiance more than made up for it. You won't even know you are in a strip mall restaurant once you are inside. The food was excellent! The kids thoroughly enjoyed their pizza. The specials were awesome as well, though a bit pricey. The items on the menu were reasonably priced. Service was good, though a bit slow. Food also came out a bit slow, but I think they expedited our order because there were children in our party. Overall, a good place and we will be back again. Mostly older, wealthier crowd (judging by the cars parked in front of the restaurant). read more

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. Good Food. A little over priced for what you get. Get there early as very busy at night. All in All.... Nice Meal

My second time here and I will not be returning. The food is expensive and only mediocre quality (I've never had crunchy risotto before!) The sound level is way too high to have any kind of conversation. Service is decent if somewhat amateurish. read more

Food is excellent the service is good ! Tell little pricey but the food was excellent!

Very nice interior and big bar area, delicious cocktails as well. The only issue was the pasta sauce. Typical for New Jersey to have consistent unflavored tomato soup sauce that is less than appetizing. I was hoping this place would be different, im sure other dishes are fine! But its all about the sauce! On a brighter note the service was excellent! Even though the sauce is atrocious I will be back for drinks and appetizers. Sorry but I have to be honest! read more

I don't do New Jersey often, but when I do, this is the place I go to! Love the food, great atmosphere, staff always smiling and very professional. Recommend to everybody! read more

we had been there several years ago and had a bad experience but went for lunch today because I had a gift certificate. We ordered 2 paninis that were not actually paninis but just a sandwich on a hard roll. bread basket came out after we got our lunch. waiter never came by once to check if we needed anything. food tasted fine but nothing to rave about. The wine was good tho. read more

Lived in Staten Island for the last 22 years never went to Cafe Luna until I recently moved to Jersey boy what I was missing. Short ribs and gnocchi talk about comfort food amazing taste great service staff very attentive owner makes it his priority to great all his customers. Cafe Luna will see you soon oh they even have Happy Hour read more