hands down the best food in Montclair. i have been here several times and each time its always…read moregreat. i have been trying to work through the menu, but its hard not to order the lasagna, its just that good. it is always busy but never cramped or crowded. being byob is great and there is a liquor store not far away. highly recommended

My friend Eddie and his husband Nico invited me to have dinner with them and I'm so glad they did!…read moreThey spoke to me about this place a few days ago and told me how amazing it was! They were not lying! We had the Antipasto Misti! And the appetizer size Orechiette to start. As my main dish I had the Skirt steak medium rare! It was amazing! So flavorful! I enjoyed every bite. The mashed potatoes with the infused caramelized onions was wow, amazing. You know how you always save a little bit of your favorite part of the dish for your last bite, well that's what I did with the mashed potatoes. Overall everything was amazing! Our server Jackie was so nice, super friendly. The owner Caroline was so nice! She was there to greet us and she was there checking in on us at our table and was the last person we saw! The environment was nice and warm, friendly, and cozy. I will definitely come back! I have already recommended it to two friends!

Visited again - 04/18/2026 with wife and SIL. This was the…read morefirst time for my SIL who loved everything she had. (The Frito Misto, Polenta Limone and the Funghi (roasted mushrooms). We've been trying to get her to come here with us and she's glad she finally did. My wife and I shared the Arugula salad, the Frito Misto... but I went with my 'normal'... Amatriciana (bucatini, guanciale & chili). Love this dish. My wife opted for the Risotto Cioppino, which she also loved. As you can see and as I've said before, we love Boschetto... and it's a BYOB!

This was a really nice Italian restaurant. It feels like an elevated pizzeria. You order and pay at…read morethe counter and then the food comes to you. The pizza was delicious! The shrimp and calamari appetizer was delicious. Free parking in the lot.

THEE Best around! Their pastas are made fresh and in house. Whatever it is that you order is…read moresucculent and Devine - a religious experience! Staff is amazingly attentive, professional and super friendly. I like that the Chef makes an occasional appearance making it a personable experience. Prices are up there but money well spent.

Laboratorio Kitchen was a BYOB Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown Montclair. It was a…read morestunning space with sleek, modern furniture and walls adorned with vibrant, colorful artwork. The service was impeccable from the moment we arrived until the second that we left. From a food perspective, our meal initiated with a basket of some of the best rolls I had ever had. They were large, fluffy, and doughy with a hint of crispiness from a light toasting. We then shared the Veal and Beef Meatball, which was gigantic but still managed to have the ideal texture. It was also beautifully seasoned and served in what the chef called his "grandma's plum tomato sauce", which was divine! The sauce was thick and hearty, so when that was paired with pecorino cheese and basil oil, it really made for a fabulous dish. I even cut off a small piece to put inside my roll with a spoonful of sauce - chef's kiss! After that, we enjoyed some of the house-made pasta dishes, tasting each in a family-style format. The Squid Ink Bucatini was tossed with scallops, shrimp, and jumbo lump crab in a seafood tomato sauce. I did not love the briny finish to the sauce or that some of the scallops were chewy. The Tagliatelle with Duck Bolognese, tomatoes, and carrots was good, but I prefer my pomodoro sauce without the addition of a "light cream". Lastly, the special Spaghetti came with lobster, crab, and peas in vodka sauce. That one was definitely my favorite. While I do not love peas, the sauce was rich and flavorful. Across these last two dishes, I thought the pasta was a tad overcooked and could have been more al dente; the bucatini consistency was more inline with my preferences. Overall, I thought the food at Laboratorio Kitchen was above average, but that the service and atmosphere helped elevate the place. I would definitely consider going back to try some of their other dishes.

Grabbed some food to go recently - a chicken vodka parm pizza and also some bolognese & cheese…read moretopped fries. Both were excellent and made fresh to order! It was quite busy on a Saturday evening, with almost all tables full and plenty of people picking up orders as well. Would recommend!

We came here for a dinner date with some friends and their dog. They were able to accommodate us…read moreoutside to be able to have the dog with us, which was very nice as we always look for outdoor spaces to be able to bring our furry friends. The service was nice, especially because even though we were the only table sitting outside, they were consistently coming out to make sure we were doing OK and had everything we needed. We ordered some garlic knots, which were good, it just seemed a little bit pricey to charge for the marinara sauce separately, which was not really outstanding nor something special, so I would recommend you skip it. We also ordered the chicken vodka Parm pie which was very good. The chicken was very crispy and the pizza was still delicious the next day when we had the leftovers. One of her friends is allergic to gluten, so it was very nice that they were able to accommodate for her. I do wanna point out that we have been to many places that offer gluten-free options and this is the first one I've been to that does charge you extra to make a gluten-free. In terms of price, it is very similar to the other places in Montclair but they do provide very good service and the ambience both outside and inside is very nice.

Went here for a birthday dinner and the ambiance was very nice and festive…read more For appetizers, we got the goat cheese with nuts and prosciutto, the burrata, and the calamari. The calamari was by far the best. It was crispy and thick and seasoned well and the sauces were delicious. There were some fried onions in it that were flavorful too. The goat cheese was okay, it felt like the flavors did not all go together. The burrata was very fresh and the starter bread is great too. For dinner we got the pork shank which I think was a special, the mushroom ravioli, the eggplant pasta with red sauce and the branzino special with veggies and a sauce. The mushroom ravioli tasted a little like mush to me and I was not a fan of the mushroom flavor. The eggplant pasta was delicious and it came with burrata that melted nicely into the pasta. The pork shank was tender and delicious. The branzino was the star for sure, it was flavorful and delicate and paired well with the sauce and the veggies. For dessert we got the pistachio tartufo and the tiramisu. I didn't think the tiramisu was very special but it wasn't bad. The tartufo was okay. It tasted like a pistachio chocolate ball inside of pistachio ice cream. It was also incredibly small for the price. Our waiter was fantastic!!! Great person who made our experience extremely special. I don't know if I would come back, maybe for the calamari and a drink. Some of the food is amazing and some is not that great.

The atmosphere was very nice. There was a violinist playing during dinner which made the ambiance…read moreeven better. I didn't have time to pick up a bottle of wine but the restaurant had a local store that delivered directly to our table, which was super convenient! My friend and I ordered appetizers and a main course. The food was plated nicely but was really underwhelming. I ordered the tuna tartar. The tuna was fresh but lacked flavor. It really just needed some salt or something. I also had the 14oz steak which was pretty good because it had some salt on it however the steak came out precut and did not look like a $58 steak. My friend hated both of her dishes. She had the burrata and the lasagna. She said they both lacked flavor. We paid over $200 for our meal and I was actually disappointed that I paid so much money for such mediocre food. I gave 3 stars for the atmosphere and service. Our server Julian was very nice and attentive.

I have seen this place all over tiktok and the food and the ambiance always looked great. I gave it…read morea shot this past Friday night. First off, this place needs an outdoor sign. We walked past it 3 times and when we finally left they decided to shine a light with the logo on the floor. When walking in it's more of a lounge than a true restaurant so prepare for that. You will sit right next to people which isn't my preference but it was fine. We started off with the cucumber salad which was excellent. Just wish there was more cucumber than other veggies they put in it. We then got the Cacio e Pepe Gyoza which was the star of the show. It's was unbelievably good. We followed that up with the calamari which was also extremely good and finished our apps with the Chicken Bao buns that were delicious. My friend got the carbonara dinner and honestly I don't get all the hype. Honestly I thought it did not taste good at all. I had one bite and that was enough. I wasn't sure what it exactly was that made it unappetizing but it just wasn't great for the amount of hype social media gives it. The presentation was beautiful for pictures but the taste wasn't there at all. I had the Spicy Miso Ramen which was very tasty. Only problem was it was about 110 degrees in the restaurant which made hot ramen a lot less enjoyable. The beef that they also put in it didn't taste like much just a piece a beef so that was a little underwhelming. Service was very nice, it just seemed they struggled tending to each table consistently, not sure if they were short staffed or just extremely busy because it was a Friday night. Nonetheless everyone was super friendly and tending to our needs eventually. Overall, I'd say the appetizers were the star of the show. I thought all were delicious. Entrees were a little underwhelming though my ramen was delicious, it was just extremely hot in the restaurant for some reason. Staff were good and price was what I expected. Great place to try but probably won't go back. I shouldn't leave a place sweating after a date night. I think social media hypes the place up too much but it is good just not great. People who come here are worried more about posting on social media than getting great food that the price reflects.

Quality food! It is on the pricey side but the food did not disappoint!…read more Service could have been a bit better, however, I would still recommend! The food is absolutely worth it. Presentation was amazing! It was a whole vibe!

Bucco is a true gem, and everyone I bring here falls in love with it and can't wait to come back…read more It's a small Italian restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and incredibly friendly, welcoming staff. The food is amazing, and they always offer several daily specials which makes choosing a dish delightfully difficult. Their tiramisu is outstanding, and according to my friend, it's one of the best she's ever had. This has become the best girls night place and a plus is they are also BYOB.

Date dinner was delicious! Calamari appetizer Fried chicken…read morebreast topped with salad and the best mashed potatoes ever Homemade pasta with shrimp in a garlic sauce. Staff is amazing

The food at Matthew's Italian Restaurant was absolutely delicious, and the service was just as…read moreimpressive. We were arranging a repast and originally expected 16 to 18 people. Less than an hour before everyone arrived, our count jumped to 30. The Matthew couldn't have been more accommodating. When I apologized for the last-minute change and thanked him for making it work, he simply said, "The answer is never no." That kind of flexibility and customer service is rare. Everything came out on time, the food was excellent, and our family was able to spend time together without worrying about the logistics. If you're looking for great Italian food and genuinely caring service, I highly recommend Matthew's.

Try the chicken parm Try the espresso martinis…read moreTry the fried calamari Try the ceasar salad Try the berries and cream Try the dirty martinis Try the straccatella soup Try the stuffed artichoke Try the fresh pasta Try the seafood dishes Try the veal Try the Sunday Sauce!! Try everything!!!!