It's a great spot if you're looking for a nice night out at an Italian restaurant for a good meal. Great food quality, presentation and execution. Prices are a bit premium so not an everyday place but nice for an occasional celebration. Zuppa di Pesce and Branzino Alla Griglia were delicious! read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Branzino alla Griglia - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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We were there for Mother's Day dinner at 5:30 and were enjoying our meal until we were approached by a very unpleasant man who failed to introduce himself. He immediately started barking at us about how we had made a reservation for four adults and one child, and that we would have to pay full price for the fourth adult which was $80 who did not show up. When we were seated, I had already apologized to the server that the fourth person could not make it, and the server -- who had otherwise been wonderful -- politely told us it was fine. I really thought this won't be a big deal like other establishments that are even more high end. I later learned that the individual's name was Tom. Describing his behavior as merely rude would be an understatement; his conduct was obnoxious, unprofessional, and unnecessarily aggressive. First, being charged the full $80 price for a guest who did not attend was extremely shocking and disappointing. More concerning, however, was the manner in which Tom approached and addressed us. In all my years of dining out, I have never experienced such poor service or such an inappropriate attitude from restaurant staff. Although I was eventually provided with containers to pack some food to take home, the entire experience left me feeling deeply insulted and completely ruined what was meant to be a special Mother's Day dinner. This Tom, who I was told aa a manger lacks a professionalism to be a qualified one. He needs a major attitude change. read more

Came here for ladies night happy hour. There was live music, which wasn't too loud and was pleasant. They had a good variety of nice soft music. Service was excellent from the beginning to the end. It was attentive, and there was a lot of patience as we tried to order. Food was decent. I personally loved the penne vodka, the most. The calamari was also great. Chicken wings were just OK. The piña colada margarita was delicious and refreshing. I would definitely come back. read more

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Absolutely loved this place. It's located partially in the lobby of the hotel but the set up is so nice. Great service the whole time we were there. The pina colada margarita was my fave drink. I tried 2 martinis which were tasty yet strong. The calamari was good but I wasn't a fan of the sauce. The pasta was so good. I also liked the sliders with the potato chip fries. The wings were crispy and tasty. I didn't try the salad but my friend said it was good. The pictures I'm including have double servings because we wanted everything to fit on the table with the exception of the salad and wings. Each sliders app came with two sliders. read more

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Been patron of Calandra's for years but always for business lunch. Last night was first time having dinner there with friends. Food and service is always top notch. If ordering on or off menu, everything coming out of their kitchen is very good. My homemade linguini with seafood in a garlic and oil sauce was very satisfying. Cesar salad was as good as I've had anywhere else. Staff aims to please, warm hospitality. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill has been on my radar for some time now and I finally visited for lunch on a weekday with my bestie. Within a hotel, you can park and enter on the side, there are signs outside to indicate where to go. Once inside, you walk straight to the end of the hall and through a large door where you'll be greeted by a gorgeous interior. I absolutely loved how the restaurant looked, even with it having two separate dining sections. We opted to dine in the area that was more closed off, and we were delightfully surprised to see some stunning Valentine's Day décor. Overall, the space has obviously been well thought out and designed with efficiency in mind. We ordered a few cocktails and loved each one, everything was refreshing. They have an impressive selection of gluten-free items on the menu, but we decided to split an order of mushrooms and a pizza pie. The mushrooms were insanely good, probably the best I've had while dining out, and the pizza tasted fantastic. I also have to give a shout out to the staff, everyone was super friendly and made our experience that much better. I can't wait to return, hopefully for a date night so I can check out some of the cool dining promos they have. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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Great happy hour menu. I usually sit at the bar abs get the Nonna's Meatballs. Two meatballs in sauce for $10. Today I tried the Rustic Sausage with Peppers and Onions in a tomato sauce. I think it's $12. It was excellent! Sometimes this place gets packed being a hotel and the service can be a bit slow. Today was not very busy and the service was prompt and the staff was very friendly. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Olive oil with fresh grated cheese served with amazing fresh bread (not shown). - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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Calandras has a great menu with delicious food! The entire restaurant is beautiful with great service and the food is so good. Have eaten here a few times now and it never disappoints! It was happy hour on the patio or bar. It was a great option allowing for the opportunity to try various items. Best choice for me as I wanted to try so much. I saw various other dishes from the wings, charcuterie board to the Caesar salad and the sliders. Everything looked so good The calandras salad is so yummy with a light vinegrette dressing. It is light but enhances the flavor of the salad elevating it. The chicken parm is a large portion with just the right amount of cheese and sauce. The pizza is amazing! You wouldn't expect a tasty pizza but it is so good. Definitely a great eat and the staff are so personable. read more

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We were looking for a new Italian restaurant to try. We went to Calandria's Mediterranean Grill, Fairfield on 07.03.26. My wife wanted to sit in the lobby rather than in the restaurant section. Both were interesting rooms. Our waitress was Maria, who was very pleasant and charming. My wife ordered a glass of White Zinfandel, which they had. Most restaurants don't carry it, so that was a pleasant surprise. We were brought a good size portion of bread. There was a bottle of oil and a dish of different types of olives, which were very good. We were each given a plate in which cheese was shred in long strands. When we added the oil, the cheese stuck together, which was a problem. There were salt and pepper shakers, but no Italian spices to mix in the oil and cheese. We split an appetizer, mussels in spicy red sauce. The mussels were a good size and there were no "duds" in the order. We were not given small seafood forks, so we used our dinner forks. The spices used were very sweet and there was minimal sauce in the order. The mussels were very salty. The order was moderate in size. The sweetness, however, would not have allowed us to enjoy a larger order. We both ordered from the "Specials" menu. My wife had duck and I had veal saltimbocca. Both orders came with very heavy gravies. We had anticipated a sauce, however, the gravy was extremely heavy and tasteless. She enjoyed her duck, however, again, it was very salty and had been overcooked. She did not finish her dinner, but brought it home, where a couple of days later, it was thrown in the trash. My veal was overcooked and extremely fatty. I left it. The prosciutto was hard and overcooked. I wished I had brought dental floss with me to remove the fat stuck in my teeth. There was an abundance of vegetables with each dinner, however, these were overcooked on each order. The dinner was disappointing, especially since the prices were high, which suggested high quality. It's unfortunate that the food was mediocre to poor. The ambiance was interesting, the food was poor, poorly spiced and very salty and the service was very good. We live in Morris County, which is full of expensive, mediocre restaurants. We usually have wonderful meals in Passaic ands Essex Counties and the prices there are more than reasonable. Unfortunately, this dining experience was neither. read more

Venue has a nice atmosphere but the is very mediocre. Went for a family gathering, would go there otherwise.

I travel to Fairfield, NJ semi-regularly and I always stop to eat at Calandra's. Their menu, service, food preparation and quality have all been consistently excellent. Late lunch today was no exception; $25 special (soup or salad, entrée and dessert). I had the beef barley and the chicken milanese salad (no room for dessert). read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Chicken Milanese Salad Lunch - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

I liked the bolognese but the cheesecake was disappointing. Service was good. It was beautifully decorated and clean inside. This venue is in a hotel and they host a ton of wedding guests. read more

This restaurant is attached to the lobby of the Hampton Inn & Suites in Fairfield, NJ. It's waaayyyyy better than your average hotel restaurant and bar. I stayed for 3 days and the restaurant was packed every night. I sat at the bar, but the restaurant has a nice dining room and outdoor patio. Service was great, food came out fast. The complimentary bread with olive oil and Parmesan is a nice touch. I got the Marrakech Salmon one night, and the Ravioli the next night. Salmon was perfectly cooked and broiled crispy. Nice spices, couscous was fine, the citrus sauce a tad too sweet but overall lovely meal. The ravioli was delicious but rather a basic dish for the cost. I'd suggest choosing dishes that you're unlikely to make at home. I ordered a tiramisu for the room and it was very satisfying. Great place if you love Italian food! Lots of weekly specials and happy hour deals. A grand piano in the lobby for live music, super classy joint. read more

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Very nice atmosphere. Very friendly servers. Food was very good. Only drawback. Prices are very high for what you get. Little pricey. This place is for special occasions only not for a casual lunch or dinning. read more

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I cannot say enough wonderful things about Calandra's Mediterranean Grill! We recently hosted my daughter's baby shower here, and everything was absolutely perfect. The quality of the food and the level of service were outstanding! I definitely recommend this venue to anyone looking to host a special event. Thank you to the incredible staff for making my daughter's celebration so memorable!" read more

Enjoyed lunch w/6 other people. We were sat in the lobby area of the restaurant by the bar. Loved the EVOO & parm cheese on the table to go w/the bread which by the way was delish! Service was spotty. Waiter took some of our drink orders & did not ask the rest which was strange. Martini's were $16. My house salad was $17 which to me was very pricey for what you got. Others at our table got various salads, rice balls, & a BLT. Dessert & coffee were good. Service improved as the day went on. I would go back again for sure but would try to go during the Happy Hour. Nice bar area. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - $17 House salad - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

The place was decorated beautifully! The wait staff and service A+! We started with fresh bread, olives and olive oil. Also had their beet salad which was amazing and their fried calamari (delicious) Had some wonderful sangria (red) and I had pasta bolognese and my family cavatelli with broccoli... the others had paninis. Will definitely be back. Oh... we each received a delicious loaf of Italian bread when we left. How nice is that! read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Decor - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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Fresh food. Lovely ambience. Friendly staff. Gluten free options. Fresh bread. Olive oil on the table. TVs at the bar. Outdoor seating. Peaceful patio. Overpriced menu. read more

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Late post!! I came here for Ladies Night back in September, with my best friend, for the event that was hosted by Danielle and Melissa from the RHONJ. This event was SO cool! I walked in first and let the hostess know I had a reservation for a table for 2, and told her that my friend was right behind me. She walked me over to a 4-top that was right next to the table where Melissa and Danielle were sitting. I could BARELY contain my excitement, because I thought we were going to be sat in the back somewhere! (I mean talk about luck!) when my best friend arrived, she called me, and I told her where to find me and to not freak out. We were both being fan girls all night and wound up being the LAST table that they came to, to say hello. Missy G complimented my shoes!! Okay enough about the event and now on to the food. We both shared the Octopus and the Pizza Calandra. Of the two, I preferred the pizza more. Although the flavor was there, the octopus was a lil too dense for my taste; it's tricky to get octopus just right. For my entree I elected to go for their grilled pork chop and I am so glad I did! The portion was HUGE and I was able to take most of it home for leftovers. The restaurant itself sits in the lobby of a hotel so it is not standalone which may through people off but the Calandra's brand (let's face it empire) is huge and they've got something really cool cooking to be able to host events such as celebrity meet & greets. read more

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I was here many years ago, when my late parents were living in nearby Caldwell. They were elderly at the time, but still were in relatively good shape mentally and physically, and still had their life-long talent for choosing quality restaurants to dine in (I knew they were in decline when they took me out for my birthday dinner to an Olive Garden; I knew then that they weren't doing well, and that the depressing dwindling down of their faculties had begun). I liked the Calandra's experience, but I haven't been back since, for whatever reason. Probably because I don't have much reason these days to be in Fairfield. Until last week, that is. My oldest friend was staying at a hotel in our old hometown of Wayne, prepatory to having a colonoscopy performed in West Paterson (they call it Woodland Park now, but it will always be West Paterson to me) the next day. I was to be his ride. He told me, "I'm going to be starving when this thing is over, so be prepared to eat." Everything went well, and when he asked me where I wanted to go for dinner, I replied, "You're the starving one. You pick." He picked Calandra's. We came early and were seated by the window, looking out onto Rt. 46. Despite that bleak vista of racing cars and barren trees, the restaurant itself was comfortable, and radiates class. Our server was attentive, gracious, friendly. We started off with a basket of bread that had been baked with cheese. We also were provided with a "dipping bowl" that contained oil and more cheese. My friend was the one starving, but I consumed most of the bread, which was...in my experience...unique, and delicious. I had a bowl of the pasta fagioli, which was steaming hot and also delicious, loaded with beans and pasta. My friend settled for a cup of lentil soup. I ordered the lasagna with sausage. Was it as good as the lasagna my late WASP mother used to make (or, to be more accurate, was it as good as my memory of the lasagna my late WASP mother used to make?)? Probably not, but it came pretty damn close. Hot, plentiful and delicious. My friend settled for the chicken parmigiana, and he substituted fresh vegetables for the linguini. (My friend says he was the starving one, but had I been the one coming out from the colonoscopy, I would have eaten the lasagna, the bread, the soup, the chicken parmigiana, the linguini, the vegetables, etc. etc.) For dessert, I ordered the Eclair. A word about Eclairs--- I tend to confuse them with Napoleons in the same way I confuse tortoni and spumoni. I actually prefer Napoleons to Eclairs, and soon realized that I hadn't ordered what I had thought I had ordered. It didn't matter. The Eclair was light, flaky, covered in rich chocolate, loaded with vanilla cream and fresh fruit. I've NEVER had an Eclair so delectable! In fact, I've never had a Napoleon as exquisite as that Eclair was! There was a dollop of what I think was cannoli cream off to the side of the plate, and I scarfed that down too. The server presented me with a knife "in case I wanted to share." I didn't. My oldest friend is like a brother to me (we've known each other since we were 7 or 8), but I wasn't sharing that Eclair with anyone! The finishing touch to a perfect meal was the free loaf of fresh Italian bread that was ours for the taking as we left. I can't recommend this place strongly enough. Delicious food, impeccable service, and a classy atmosphere all combine to create one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in North Jersey. read more

I can't stop raving about this spot. We sat on the patio and my goodness, it felt like we were on vacation and time didn't matter! The court yard is so gorgeous and summery. The drinks, the cannolis (one of my absolute favorites) and arancini balls were quite delicious! read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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We celebrated my daughter's Bridal shower yesterday at this amazing venue. I knew we were in great hands, their attention to detail was impeccable. We chose the buffet, such a wonderful selection of delicious food, with a presentation that made you want try everything!!! The main dining room is such a lovely, intimate, inviting room for celebrations. Thank you, Tom, Marcel and the wait staff for making this a day to remember Denise P. read more

My 50th wedding anniversary party was absolutely PERFECT! The management team (Marcel and Tom) and menu selections made it very easy to plan the event for 27 people in their beautiful 2nd floor party room. The room was beautiful with decorative lighting and hardwood flooring. The food selection was the hardest thing because there were so many delicious choices. The buffet food was exceptional. The portions were very generous and very delicious. My guests were all very happy. The waiters were fantastic. They were very attentive, professional and friendly. I would highly recommend Calandra's Mediterranean Grill for your next party. They did a wonderful job! read more

We actually just left from the Thanksgiving buffet. I cannot say enough great things about this place! I am usually not a fan of buffet but they did an amazing job. They had a little of everything and it was all high quality ! My boyfriend and I are vegetarian and they more options than most restaurants! We had a table of 7 and everyone enjoyed their food. I loved the beet salad, the broccoli rabe with beans, olives, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes... I can go on and on. I felt the price was very fair. $75 a person for great food and atmosphere! They also did not rush you out. We are already saying we will be here again next years read more

We came for lunch not really excepting what we were going to eat. We sat out on the patio area , the weather was perfect and there were 3 parties. The party outside was calm that you didn't realize they were there. Our waitress Miana was fantastic and made great suggestions when we were in between items. We mainly ate appetizers and the timing of the food was so nice that it wasn't overwhelming. She was the perfect amount of attentive and made great drinks ! Drinks : dirty martinis and salted caramel espresso martinis Food : Calamari fritti, Pulpo a la casa, Shrimp crustini, Meatballs and Violet crème brûlée read more

great ambiance, excellent food!! Smooth service all the time!! This restautant gives you a pleasant vibes. read more

The restaurant boasts a warm, family-friendly atmosphere, making it an excellent choice for dining with children. With a menu featuring fresh, homemade pasta and flavorful sauces. It's an enjoyable experience for all! read more

FYI: the name of the restaurant is misleading. They do not serve Mediterranean food. I thought that was what I was getting. The girls and I got together and went to this restaurant. When we arrived I noticed it was inside of a hotel. We walked in, to see tables set in what seems like a lobby area with a piano player. We went to the hostess and she sat us in the restaurant area by the kitchen. Jocelyn was our server and she was nice but she was very rushed for some reason. She seemed easily overwhelmed. We started with drinks and they had some wines half off and I shared it with one of the girls. The other girls got cocktails because the wine they wanted wasn't half off. For my entrée I got the salmon pasta special. When the food came out it looked great. I dug in and it was a little bland. I had to put a lot of salt and pepper so I could enjoy more. The girls said their meals were good but one said it was bland also. The bill was very reasonable. All in all I had an ok time. read more

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Still coming here for Mother's Day brunch! Things have changed a bit, but we are still happy. Appears they updated their lobby which they convert to add more dining and the buffet. It was a nice modern touch from previous years and felt more inviting as they are nestled inside a hotel. Noticed some significant differences this year as they did not serve any breakfast items whatsoever compared to the past. No shrimp again and antipasto platter was missing quite a bit of the normal array of various cold cuts and parmigiano reggiano chunks. Instead of a made to order pasta station they served penne vodka and tortellini pesto, but they were part of my fave choices. The lamb chops were incredible! In the past they were usually well done , but today they were spot on medium with some feta cheese sprinkled on top. Of course they always have their absolutely delicious variety of bread, pastries, cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, fruit salad, and ice cream. Liquor is additional, but we enjoyed our bloody Mary's with the request of Tito's and spicy. Only complaint was that we were seated at the only table that had different chairs than the rest with little padding, but they quickly rectified and allowed me to switch out. However, the table behind us complained they were uncomfortable at the end of the meal because we clearly had swapped chairs before they were seated. Service is always excellent here as staff is friendly and checking on you. Prices have increased to $70 a person, but mothers are priceless! Bring back some breakfast options please, otherwise don't call this a brunch at 11:30am! We still enjoy your food and service though! read more

If you're looking for great food and service in a beautiful setting, this is the place. My son and his wife took me here for dinner, and the food was delicious. I was very pleased the minute I entered the place as it was beautiful. The wait staff was always nearby making sure we had everything we needed. We all had something different to eat, and everything was cooked to perfection. Can't wait to come back!! read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Chilean Sea Bass - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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This is the restaurant that is part of the Italian market & bakery. It's a very large space with separate private rooms for parties. The menu has many salads to choose from, as well as 10+ fresh pastas, sandwiches and full entrees. My boyfriend and I shared 2 pasta dishes; the parpadelle with duck leg meat and the rigatoni in red sauce with small pieces of sausage. Both were delicious! We didnt have time for dessert, however I did take a quick look at the bakery. The bakery looks like heaven for those with a sweet tooth. In addition to traditional Italian desserts they had a lot of cupcakes. read more

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Love everything about Calandras! They have fun events that we attend all the time. In addition to amazing food and bakery. The basket of bread offerings as you leave makes it so welcoming. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Pinoli making! - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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Beautiful setting and all the items we ordered tasted really good. Service staff were a little rushed but friendly and professional. Taking 1 star mostly because the name says Calandra Mediterranean Grill but this is clearly Italian Cuisine, so if you are craving Mediterranean food, this is not the place. read more

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Celebrated my future daughter-in-law's Bridal Shower on Sunday. We chose the buffet brunch option. We had the whole restaurant. Everything was set up beautifully and Tom was great to work with. They have experience doing what they do and their staff was super supportive. Everyone had nothing but great things to say about the food and atmosphere! read more

Went for lunch and sat in the igloos. Cool experience sitting in the igloos, however it was hot in there. They have heaters that help keep them warm. We had to turn ours off it got too warm. The food was amazing though! read more

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We've had better experiences here in the past but recently felt it was just OK. The salmon was over cooked and the pesto linguini had very little flavor. The grouper was very tasty. Overall did not feel it was worth the price. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Tiramisu - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

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Eh. So expensive for no real reason. I mean it's very nice inside and the service was decent. The portion size was so small. I ordered a pasta with marinara and chicken. They forgot the chicken and pretended that they remembered by bringing out chicken on a plate about 5 minutes after being served my pasta. Not to mention the addition of the chicken was an additional 12 dollars added onto my 30 dollar pasta that they gave me a total of like 15 noodles. Not worth it. read more

Calandra's Mediterranean Grill - Mediterranean Near Me - Fairfield, New Jersey

My partner, our friends and I wanted to try somewhere different for dinner and decided on Calandra's Mediterranean Grill in Fairfield off of Route 46 East as first-timers today. Reservations were easily made via Open Table. Do not be put off by the fact that this establishment is located inside the Hampton Inn & Suites Hotel. It is not a hotel restaurant but rather privately owned by the Calandra family. The atmosphere is reminiscent of Tuscany in color, the tile floors, and an outdoor patio with fountains. Upon entering, one walks into the lobby area, which has high ceilings and a nice, massive fireplace. We were greeted by the hostess and opted for the restaurant. Our server was Lauro. The menu consists of Northern Italian cuisine options with a variety of fish, chicken, steaks, and pasta that is house-made. For appetizers, we decided on one of tonight's specials with Fried Zucchini Blossoms stuffed with seasoned Ricotta cheese and a side of marinara sauce and Caprese Salad (Fresh mozzarella cheese, steak tomatoes, prosciutto, and roasted peppers; finished with EVOO). For our main meal, we opted for several of tonight's specials, starting with Sautéed Chicken Breast Piccata Style" served in a lemon butter white wine sauce topped with fresh melted mozzarella cheese accompanied by Brussels sprouts and roasted potatoes; Pan-seared Chilean Sea Bass served with baby shrimp, cannelloni beans, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli rabe in roasted garlic and olive oil; Blackened Swordfish served with mushroom risotto; and Gnocchi al Funghi (potato dumplings in a creamy mushroom sauce). Our meal started with a basket of their handcrafted bread and a plate of oil mixed with grated Parmigiana. We had an excellent experience tonight, as the food was outstanding, well seasoned, and delicious. Their breads and desserts come fresh from their own bakery daily. The service was excellent--very attentive and helpful. The price was a bit pricey, but well worth every moment considering we're only 15 miles from Manhattan. We can't wait for the next occasion on which we can recommend it. read more

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We came here for a birthday dinner! Everything was exceptional, from the decor to the service, food, and cocktails. I loved the house-made ravioli. My husband enjoyed the pork scallopine, which was one of many specials offered. The table shared pitchers of sangria, which was perfect. Desserts are always delicious! There is no way to pass them up despite being full from dinner! The restaurant is conveniently located with a deli and bakery close by. read more

Went for NYE AND FOOD WAS HORRIBLE WILL NOT BE BACK!!! Food was cold unacceptable for the price we paid.... Will not recommend to anyone