Overpriced and underwhelming is the only way I can describe this place. Drinks were excellent and so was the salad. But dinner missed the mark. The fish had bones in them, which is forgivable but not at this price. The sides for the fish were piped mashed potatoes and some vegetables. This could have been elevated to a whole different level with roasted potatoes with lemon and rosemary or something like that. The veal osso buco needed about 6 more hours to be soft and falling apart. Flavor was just okay. The ambiance was fine. There is live music on one side of the restaurant on Friday nights, it's that your jam. Service overall was okay. The waiter was friendly enough but we waited for menus for awhile. read more

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I come here every few months for dinner. Unfortunately I think this visit will be the last time. The ambiance is cold- not just physically with the gray, black & white interior but the temperature in the restaurant is always cold. I thought it was a COVID thing but now I'm finding that it's a regular thing here. I literally wear my jacket while I eat. The food is good, not great, but what I love being gluten & dairy free, they have a seafood dish & instead of pasta, they use zucchini strands. It's a great option for me but it is too garlicky. Too many Italian restaurants season with to much garlic. It ruins the dish. It's a shame, otherwise it's be much more enjoyable. Good wine selection. read more

Not understanding some of the poor and mediocre reviews. This was my first visit, so I didn't know what to expect; it was my friend's choice for her birthday dinner and I was happily surprised that everything we had was fantastic. We were seated immediately upon arrival, greeted warmly by hostess and server, and given not only a bread basket with whipped butter, but also complimentary bruschetta. For drinks, my friend opted for a glass of Chardonnay. I had a Makers Mark Manhattan up. We were very happy with both. We shared two appetizers, a colossal shrimp cocktail and a crab cocktail. Both were lovely. We shared a pasta special, linguine with clams, shrimp, crab, arugula, and fresh tomato. It was perfectly cooked and split into two separate plates in the kitchen. We then shared an entrée of Branzino, which was more than plentiful for the both of us to share, was served with roasted potatoes and zucchini, and was also separately plated before service. For dessert, I had crème brûlée. If I had to give any critique of the entire meal, it was that I prefer my crème brûlée a little tighter, but the flavor was there and the crunch was there so I was not unhappy. My friend opted for gelato and our server was kind enough to add a candle to it. At the end of the night, after two more glasses of wine for my friend and another cocktail for me, our bill came to $250. Was it expensive? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes. I will be returning and I'm very happy to have found a lovely local restaurant for birthdays and special occasions. read more

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Had an amazing night out here- delicious food, nicest and most caring staff you could find, and beautiful atmosphere

Having dinner here tonight with a few friends was better than I ever expected. The food was outrageous. The service was great and the atmosphere is just beautiful .... If you're looking for a really nice restaurant with beautiful atmosphere and great food, you will love it there!!!! read more

Let's say that it will be a one and done kind of place for me Not a memorable dining experience Food lackluster 4 small scallops on a huge bed of risotto not worth it Service very slow Pricey for Oakland we are NOT in NYC I might venture out for a drink and 2 Apps at a minimum They advertise as an authentic northern Italian restaurant. I think it's a very American Italian place nothing authentic read more

Drinks and bartender were amazing but definitely pricey! Ordered the seafood tower, they were out of oysters and agreed to add more lobster. For $85 we received 4 clams, 2 tiny lobster tails, 2 shrimp and 2 pieces of crab. What a horrible tower! Was supposed to be 3 levels and was 2 and only served with cocktail sauce. We ordered the hot antipasta and again it was good but for over $30 we got next to nothing in it. Paid over $200 for the meal and walked out hungry. Stinks because I wanted to like this place but we won't be returning or recommending to anyone. read more

A perfect example of delicious and beautifully presented food and attentive service without being intrusive.

Ate here a few weeks ago. Service was absolutely terrible. We were at the restaurant way too long. Each part of the dining out experience took an extra 10 mins just to get the waitresses attention. Food was mediocre, all items were too salty. Won't be going back. read more

We made a reservation for 6pm. Parking was easy. We were Welcomed in by friendly staff and seated promptly in the cutest outside set up. Very nice and relaxing atmosphere:-) Our Waiter was very attentive and polite. He was able to answer all menu questions that we had as well, which is always a plus for me! We were immediately served water, bruschetta, fresh butter and fresh bread (a nice touch!) We started out with the special* (home grown) zucchini flowers stuffed with Mozzarella- SO yummy!! Nice light and crunchy, came out hot and fresh. For entrees I had a special which was linguine with shrimp( it originally has other seafoods in addition, but I requested just shrimp) in a light tomato sauce. I also requested some spice - it was outstanding, even down to the detailed shrimps:-) my husband had the ossobuco over risotto. He said it was fantastic, he also loved The bone marrow. For dessert we got the ricotta cheesecake and the bread pudding, which were both equally delicious! Over all our experience here was top notch and we absolutely will be making this a frequent dinner spot! read more

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Service was helpful and attentive. Calamari was hot , fresh tasting. Fettuccine Alfredo was really creamy. Chicken parmigiana was moist and sauce was just like mamma used to make. Rigatoni Bolognese was cooked Al dente and sauce was awesome read more

I went to Cenzino Ristorante in the beginning of April to celebrate my birthday with a small group. We ordered a number of appetizers to share and they were delicious. The only negative to the appetizer course of the meal was the small portion of my date's salad. Otherwise yummy apps. The entree course was equally good however we felt some of the items were missing complexity and could've been brought up a notch to really round out the flavors. All in all a good meal. read more

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Jason Nazzaro aka. Frank Sinatra performed his best yet in a 5 Star Setting. The good and service was absolutely incredible and Regina (owner) made us feel like we were The most important customers in her restaurant. Bottom line the food and service outstanding !!! read more

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Outstanding food and service tastefully Decorated love, the zucchini flowers they go out of my way just for those but everything is wonderful read more

I was so excited to dine here but left disappointed. The reviews and word of mouth were positive. We were seated promptly but were placed at a table that wobbled terribly. They had to fix it twice. The service was very slow. Our server was friendly and knew the menu well. Our appetizers were very good. Meatballs and Caesar salad. The salad was very small. Ordered the rack of lamb but the size was far too small for $48! The vegetables were very undercooked and the mashed potatoes semi-warm. The other entree was the farfalle in vodka sauce. Very bland and not enough sauce. Desserts was average. Vanilla gelato and Berry panna cotta. I ordered one cocktail which was exceptionally weak. For the money I spent it was not worth it. read more

This restaurant is horrible. Luckily, my husband and I just got over our food poisoning of 3 days from the chicken dish we ate. It was horrendous to say the least. We didn't like the portion sizes (they are TINY), especially for how expensive this restaurant is. I would HIGHLY advise against going to this restaurant... spend your money elsewhere. read more

Absolutely fantastic! Excellent service, kind knowledgable staff. The appetizers and entrees were perfect. The deserts made table side were amazing. How did I miss this place? read more

Cenzino Ristorante - Ossobuco! - Italian Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

Had a delish lunch at Cenzino's today. Rigatoni pasta bolognese with beef , pork , and veal. My friend had a delish seared tuna dish . The service was great as was the music provided Anthony Serrao ! read more

Always good, excellent service Reliable, fun and wonderful The attention to detail is very much appreciated read more

We went to friends in Franklin lakes and went tot his restaurant the food was pretty good, but the Pizza was not the best that is why 4 stars Sea food was good read more

I came here with a friend for dinner, after seeing this restaurant featured on the season premiere of The Real Housewives of NJ (I mean come on!!) I'm always looking for opportunities to gather different restaurant recommendations! - This place only offers valet service. When you first walk through the doors you will see the bar, which was a great looking bar. The restaurant inside is decorated like any other typical upscale restaurant. The chairs at our table were extremely comfortable, I'll give them that! - My friend and I started off our meal splitting the appetizer dish which was a mix of prosciutto, capicolla, hot soppressata, salami and shaved parmesan cheese. The meats were delicious, and I liked the pairing with the shaved cheese, it was very easy to eat. For entrees, I ordered off the special menu and got the double cut pork chop. The portion was huge! I was able to take half of it home for lunch the next day. My friend ordered the salmon and was also pleased. - This is a good place to go if you're looking for a night out for some upscale dining. read more

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First off, the atmosphere is really nice and it's polished. Comfortable chairs in the dining area, perfect lighting, not cold. It just feels classy. The food is very good. It's not bad, it isn't A list, but it's good. The veal chop is well portioned and was cooked perfectly, if a little pricy. The sauce with it was good but it was a little under seasoned. It needed some herbs and more salt. They have a lot of desserts and gelato, a nice wine list and the seafood dishes were fresh. Lastly, the service. The service is exceptional. Our server was very friendly, thoughtful, social and attentive. Glasses never empty, orders taken promptly and with a smile. The other service staff were also very friendly. Even the guy who did the food service and bussing, every time he showed up he asked if there was anything we needed. The manager and the owner, I think, walked over and checked on us briefly. You really feel like a welcomed guest at this place. It's obvious that they're proud of their business and take it seriously. Just be prepared to get slammed when the check comes. We ate the most expensive entrees on the menu and had 2 glasses of wine each, plus coffee and dessert. All told, it was $225. I know inflation and Brandon have left their mark, along with Covid recovery, but damn, son. I'd go back without hesitation. read more

The food, service and ambience were all excellent and I especially liked the live piano player! All the people in our party loved their food. I would definitely go again!! read more

I finally had the chance to eat at Cenzino after hearing how great the Food was, the cozy atmosphere, and great service. I was not disappointed at all! The food was excellent, the staff was Friendly and the service was phenomenal. I'm originally from NJ but I now live in SC and I can't wait to come back to NJ and definitely Cenzino's. outstanding!! Antonette Galluzzo read more

Sitting here right now i was hoping the food would live up to the reviews. Sadly i am so disappointed the food is below par. I could have cooked better. I feel like a starter crew made this. I dont know what went wrong. The pictures speaker for themselves. I honestly dont know what happened because this is not the quality i expected. The only thing is their own seltzer. I do not recommend here. The prices aren't accurate because i was charged two dollars more for cake then posted. I was charged for table water as well. Ive been around reviewing restaurants for awhile i know a good one when i see one. A little rude however the server checked to see if the money was in the while it was on the table. Next time take the money holder with you then do it. read more

Absolutely fabulous dinner! Atmosphere awesome! Service impeccable! Highly recommend this gem in Oakland! read more

Food and service excellent can't wait to go back ! We celebrated a friends birthday and it was awesome!

While the staff was Very nice, the food did not amaze me. The service was excellent. The cocktails at the bar were excellent as were the wine selected for dinner. The artichoke hearts lacked CHEESE. We will be back again because of the hospitality. Thank you. read more

Cenzino Ristorante - What a beautiful bar! - Italian Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

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The branzino was good and burrata very good. A special appetizer salad with artichoke and avocado had a beautiful presentation but the taste was just Ok. The special entree grouper with spinach and sweet potato again had a beautiful presentation but the grouper was just good (just a little on the dry side) along with a somewhat watery sweet potato purée. The ambiance of the restaurant is excellent. But on a Saturday evening, the place was packed and the wait staff was definitely stressed and fell short of what I would expect for a pricey restaurant. The NY cheesecake was a great finish! read more

I have to echo PP (my friend) as Cenzino's owner was so sweet and accommodating by filling up a bottle of milk for a screaming, hungry baby even though we were not patrons. There are not many people left in this world who would be so kind. Thank you Cenzino, the wonderful staff and the owner: My friend and I will be back to try the food as it smelled fantastic walking in there and the inside of the restaurant was beautiful! read more

Cenzino Ristorante - My friend took the photo of me running into restaurant to ask for milk and they did without hesitation. - Italian Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey

Took my fiancé to Cenzino for Valentine's Day. $280 for 2 drinks each, one lump crab meat cocktail, no salads, surf and turf, and lobster ravioli. Steak was smaller than a hockey puck and lobster tail was maybe 4 ounces. I could have had a much better meal at Del Friscos or Il Capriccio in Whippany for the same price. Definitely not worth it for the money. Much better restaurants for less $$$. read more

I was reluctant to write this review as I do like the atmosphere and the owners seem really nice. I decided to give them a chance to make changes. I went on valentines night. They had a fixed menu and the choices were limited my husband got the filet mignon for $60 and I got the surf and turf for $65. There was no soup or salad included. The portions were small my lobster tail tiny. Between the 2 of us 1 appetizer and 3 drinks. No dessert and with tip it was $220. My husband finished his meal in about 3 min. Honestly for the price we could have gone to sparks steak house and got a huge steak. I don't mind paying but give me enough food. Hoping they make changes bigger portions soup or salad included with their meals etc. The place is nice and wait staff friendly read more

This is our second time here and it is excellent. Sorry I didn't take photos of the food it was perfect! Tortellini was AMAZING! So soft, tender and full of veal. The sauce was light and flavorful. Valet parking and plenty of space when they don't have valet. BF had pasta that was al Dante and the Bolognese sauce was fresh and delicious. We treated ourselves to dessert - homemade here and perfect . Great wine, our waiter peter was attentive and not overbearing. Can't wait to come back!! read more

Cenzino Ristorante - Cappuccino and my empty creme brûlée - Italian Near Me - Oakland, New Jersey