Some of Davia's charm lies in its mystery. For example, my friends and I spent a good 10 minutes trying to figure out what SDT, an ingredient listed in a special entree, meant. Think about it for a moment - would you have any idea what SDT means? Our waitress enlightened us: sundried tomatoes. "Oh," I said. "I would have never guessed that in a million years." The second mystery we encountered was the drink menu. Based on my Yelp research, I knew the place had a full bar, but I didn't see a drink menu. Here's my conversation with the waitress about drinks: Me: Is there a drink menu? Waitress: No. Pause. Pause. Pause. Pause. Me: Um, okay. Do you serve alcohol? Waitress: Yes. We have a full bar. Me: Okay. Do you have white wine? Waitress: Yes. Me: Okay. What kind? Etc. It was like they didn't want me to drink. One major plus about this place is that the kitchen is willing to accommodate special diets and requests. However, I think the waitress' handwriting was so poor that more was left out of my dishes than I even wanted. For example, I ordered the insalata reale, which was supposed to have mixed baby greens, raisins, pine nuts, apples, gorgozola, and raspberry vinaigrette. I requested the gorgonzola be omitted, but the salad I received had greens, carrots, apples, and walnuts. That is NOT the same salad. For my entree, I ordered the special with SDT: cavatappi with cannellini beans, broccoli rabe, sundried tomatoes, and garlic and olive oil. The original dish had chicken and sausage, but they gladly left those out for me. They also left out the cannellini beans, which were supposed to be my protein. I probably should have said something, but I was with a few friends and didn't feel like causing a scene. I was just very disappointed because I love raisins, pine nuts, and cannellini beans. The waitress took forever to bring our check, and the check was miscalculated by $30. We told her she made a mistake because we didn't want her to get in trouble. To be fair, she seemed like she had a long day, and we didn't have to be anywhere so we just hung out and observed the very outdated decor. Though I didn't hate my experience at Davia, I wouldn't come back here again. read more

3.75 stars, rounding up because the service was really great and it was a real bargain for dinner. The boy and I decided to go for an early-bird special since the deal seemed wonderful and the Yelp reviews were exceptional. I was pleased with the result, although not as WOWed as I anticipated given the 5 star reviews. Predictably, we were the only thirty-somethings with the early-bird geriatric crowd (although there were a couple of kids with their grandparents). However, the ambiance was comfortable and friendly, and although plain, not at all stodgy. Bread was immediately brought to the table with (frozen) butter packets and glasses of ice water. The bread was really fresh and delicious, although it didn't have the hot-out-of-the-oven feel. The servers were all really terrific, attentive without hovering, professional and friendly without unnecessary conversation, and seemed to work as a team for a flawless presentation. Although the place was crowded, there was enough staff to handle the masses and they seemed quite adept in doing so. The dining room was also not loud, which was a nice surprise. The early bird special is ridiculous - appetizer, salad, entree and dessert for $14. I had the melon and proscuitto app, which was pretty good (although it smelled like a foot). The bf had mozzarella sticks, which were good and accompanied by a nice marinara, but they weren't gooey at all. The salad was "eh," just a throw away dish with mediocre dressing. My baked stuffed shells bolognese was good, and it was a nice size for an entree (i.e., i was full but didn't have leftovers). There wasn't much "bolognese" in the dish, but the stuffed shells were properly cooked, covered in cheese without being smothered, and were satisfying. He had an enormous veal dish (parm? I can't recall) that he enjoyed but said was overly breaded. His bread pudding for dessert was dense and just okay, and my chocolate ice cream was a nice touch. I'd go back happily, but at the same time, I won't be running back in a fervor. Cash only!!! However, that's completely doable for $40 for two people - including tip! read more

Huge fan. Just a few blocks from the busy center of Fair Lawn, this place is a hidden gem. They greet you with a smile and appreciate your business...it's obvious. All tables get Bruschetta on bread as a mini appetizer that is so scrumptious and fresh that you have to force yourself to not ask for more. My companions typically order fish at Davias but I go with the Beef Wellington. Medium. The pastry that the filet mignon is wrapped in is flaky and buttery. The Hollandaise sauce is decadent and the cut of filet to die for. Each entree gets a house salad with the dressing of your choice. I go with the house dress and crumbled blue cheese. I don't even think of dessert here. I want the memory of the entree to last forever. Parking is a pain but they have an early bird menu that is filled with options for everyone so if you get there before 6:00, you're good to go. read more

As per usual, I found myself at Davia's after a stressful week at work. The consistently amazing service and exceptional food has brought me out of my funk. I had the burrata salad as my appetizer and it was exceptional! As always, the serving sizes are ridiculous! I could barely eat my dinner. For dessert I had my usual creme brûlée and it was amazing as always. Shout out to Bill and the rest of the service staff. I love the food, but the service staff makes Davia's what it is. They are hats workers and extremely kind. I cannot wait until my next visit. read more

My husband took me here for lunch for my birthday.. We started off with the fried calamari.. it was light and crispy and the portion was huge... I asked them if they could make Chicken Milanese.. They said sure no problem.. My chicken came out perfectly cooked and the salad was so fresh...Again another huge portion.. I took half of it home.. My husband had a veal and shrimp dish and he said it was very good.. We ended the meal with coconut sorbet and it was creamy and had bits of coconut in it.. The staff was friendly and attentive.. read more

I visited this cute Italian restaurant last night with a few friends and it was simply amazing! First, we started with some appetizers and the artichoke dip was an amazing starter. The melted cheese was fresh and the bread that came along with it was perfect. We added a coconut shrimp order which was very large pieces. The shrimp was not burnt nor was it dry. Lastly, My entree was one of the best veal dishes I've ever had! My wife ordered a chicken parmigiana type dish with pieces of sausage and melted cheese and I definitely took the leftovers for dinner! (As you can see, I LOVE cheese! ) the experience was most likely enhanced because the waitress/server was very attentive and really nice....I recommend checking this place out when in the area! read more

Not bad for 15 bucks! Food:2 and a half stars: The 3 course meal started with Mozzarella sticks which were average at best and overcooked. Didn't taste fresh. Salad was ok but nothing to write home about. For My entree, I had the veal parmesan which was Gigundo/Enormous! It literally took the whole plate. Was pretty good but a little too overbreaded. Good marinara sauce which was light and not overly acidic. The Bread pudding for dessert was good but a little too thick. Not bad for $14.95 but not great Service: 4 and a half stars: Service was excellent! You can tell it is a professional kitchen used to dealing with large crowds and everyone was in the right place at the right time for refills and overall service. Waitress was friendly but not overbearing. Very organized! Atmosphere: 3 and a half stars: We were literally the only people there under 40 ( Excluding grandkids) I was surprised at how the place was jam packed and yet not noisy. Restuarant itself was classy and understated. Verdict! While I personalyl wouldn't go out of my way to come here again, It's not bad for what we paid. The service is quite good and you will feel like you were truly waited upon read more

Old school Italian restaurant, with a friendly staff and delicious food. They have one of the best early bird specials for only $15.

This Fair Lawn resident was not impressed. The food is just ok. But the experience is not good. Basically just eat your food, pay with cash and get out. I was there for the first time on Saturday with a party of 8. 4 people ordered the early bird special and 4 ordered off the regular menu. We also ordered wine. We arrived around 4:30 and there was another table of ladies already seated next to us and that entire table ordered the early bird dinner. After the dessert. 3 people in my party were using the restroom including my 90 year old father. We were talking at the table waiting for them to come back and a woman comes over to me and tells me there is a 2 hour limit on tables and the next reservation needed the table. Meanwhile the other table of ladies was still there and there were plenty of empty tables in the restaurant. I was thoroughly embarrassed in front of my family since this was my birthday dinner and I took my family here. I told her that we were waiting for someone in the restroom since I was not getting up without my father. Are you kidding me? You tell a paying customer to get up when there are empty tables and the restaurant is not crowded? Why didn't you tell the other large group that was still sitting at their large table to get up? Sorry but that is not the way to treat a customer. read more

Great Italian restaurant! My favorite entree here is the special veal Osso bucco with homemade gnocchi . All their veal entrees are delicious! Large portions! Save room for the Chocolate ravioli dessert! Chocolate ravioli dough with cannoli cream inside ! Chocolate sauce & whipped cream on top ! Delicious! read more

Davia's Is incredible. This is the kind of restaurant and service you'd expect from the Godfather IV. Old world Italian. Bill is the best waiter ever and this place really knows how to treat their guests. The food is always amazing. They have an excellent red sauce, so make sure you try a mix/match parmigiana. Also, they have great FISH!. Salmon, Grouper, Shrimp Cocktail all very fresh. The best part about this place is the price. $12-15 for lunch or the early bird special. (early bird must order before 6 and PAY CASH) Even without the early bird, prices are reasonable. Good for either a Formal night out or even as a casual dinner. read more

This was our first time there. We try to go to different restaurants that we have never been to. We met our friends and we all said how fantastic our dinners were. We missed the early bird specials so we ordered off the regular menu. I was excited because they have beef Wellington. It was awesome! The best beef Wellington around. You could cut the filet with a butter knife. Three of us had that. It comes with a salad and bread on the table. My other friend had the Bronzino special. She said it was delicious. The waiter was courteous and checked on us like he should. For dessert my husband had the cheesecake and said it was so creamy and one of the best he ever had. They didn't rush us either. We were able to sit and chit chat. We will definitely be back. Maybe we'll get there to try the early bird specials next time! You won't be disappointed. read more

Recently, when we turned away from a full restaurant elsewhere in town, we popped into Davia Restaurant for the first time. Staff was definitely friendly. High marks for that. Unlucky to be seated at one of two tables between which patrons must navigate to get to the restroom, by either moving the neighbor's chairs and/or putting hands on my shoulders. I wasn't in the mood for meat or fish, so I ordered simple ravioli with marinara. The kitchen later realized that were out of ravioli. So they offered me gnocchi as a substitute. Fine by me, but could I have the gnocchi with pesto instead of marinara? Sure! What came out was some creation of salmon (!?), walnuts, red peppers, gnocchi, pesto and who knows what else. When our waitress came to the table she realized it wasn't close to what I ordered and offered to return it to the kitchen. Like I said, very nice staff. But by then my wife was already half done with her owl meal so we didn't bother. Wife enjoyed her soup and salad. Heard other patrons compliment the soups. My minestrone appetizer was good. Would I go back? Maybe. read more

I'm so disappointed. I've probably been here about 15 or 20 times over the last few years for their early bird special. The food us normally goid, 7 out of 10, but went last night and will never set foot in there again. I took my family of 5 for dinner prior to my daughter's middle school graduation. Since we had to be at the graduation at 6, we thought going at 4:30 would work. I made a reservation about 10 days ahead and told them that we had to be out at 5:30 for the graduation and was told no problem. When we arrived I told them the same thing. Then I told the waitress the same upon her coming to the table. When we finally left at 5:45 we didn't have time for the desert or coffee. It took 15 minutes to get the check, and when I ask the owner for the check so that I could pay, she yelled at me and argued with me me. She appeared to be busy drinking and socializing with her friends at the bar. As for the food in general I would have given it a 4 based on tasting mine and my daughter's, however, one of my cousins ordered the salmon. He said thsst it tasted fishy and his wife agreed. No could smell it across the table as well. When we tried to send it back, the waitress came back and said that the chef tasted it and it was fine and we had to argue yo grrt something else. When the argument with the owner about being able go pay took place she said, "I'm loosing money on you because you sent the fish back, you don't need to come here ever." Additionally on a part if 5 they levy a mandatory 18% gratuity. The charge for this early bird is $15 cash per person. Every time in the past when I was there I always gave $20-$25 per person. Not this time. If igg wasn't mandatory I would have left $.05. On top of this, even after the mandatory 18%, I had to argue to get my change returned. Go and eat if you want, but know that there is no pride of ownership, service, or meal prep and know that they don't care about their customers. read more

The best restaurant around. Food is always fabulous and always consistent. Karen and Bill are the best servers and have always had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend this restaurant for a delicious meal and wonderful service. If you want to feel like family go to Davia. read more

The restaurant keeps no information on what actually goes into their food. The kitchen was unable to provide information on any allergens used in their food and 'the chef throws out the boxes of the prepackaged items....which include ingredients and allergens. If you have food allergies eat here at your own risk. The hostess was very apologetic but this is ridiculous. read more

This place is a disgrace. They were seriously understaffed and then the server made a bunch of excuses. The food was greasy and cold by the time it came out. read more

Although I have always enjoyed dining here, I was embarrassed and disappointed when I arrived with my mother, sister and brother-in-law for our 5:00 reservation. My out-of-town sister called to make the reservation on my recommendation that it was a great local restaurant. We don't necessarily like to eat 4 courses, so we were more interested in the regular menu rather than the early bird special. When we arrived, we were RUDELY greeted and told that they do not make reservations for 4 people for the early bird special. My sister's name and phone number was in the book, and my sister clearly stated that we wanted the menu not the early bird. We are not in the restaurant business, and we had no way of knowing that we shouldn't have tried to make a reservation for 4 people at 5:00pm. Apparently, whoever took the reservation thought that we had 5 people. That was never the case. In any event, it wasn't our fault, and the scene that the hostess made was totally uncalled for. That being said, the wait staff was wonderful and the food was delicious. Unfortunately, in the service industry, the first 30 seconds count. The greeting set a negative tone for our dinner. I simply won't pay money to be treated with disrespect. My sister and brother-in-law made it clear that the next time they are eating in this area, they will select another restaurant that really wants our business. read more

Davia was such a good find!! Saturday morning my bf and I drove to the city. We couldn't find any parking of course so we paid to park - UGH! We had brunch and then went to the Met. It was a really nice day, but we left with a bad hunger headache and needed food desperately. Since we already spent a bunch of money and had already eaten out once that day, we decided not to splurge on dinner, but we were starving! When we got to Davia around 5:15. It was packed! The lady at the front said she could set a table for us by the bar. We kinda liked it back there. It was like our own VIP section :) I heard one of the waiters calling her mom so I was happy to find out it is a family business (later I even saw her dad when they were talking about the horses racing in the derby - so nice!). The waitress said that if we placed our order by 5:30, then we could get the special - 4 courses for $14..... $14!!!! YOU CANNOT BEAT THAT DEAL! I had seen that there was a special from other reviews, but I just assumed it was for senior citizens only. It's not! Come one, come all!! Yesssssss! The food is pretty good too - you kind of assume for that price, it's not going to be! I was pleasantly surprised to find otherwise! We started with the Fried Calamari and the Mussels. The mussels were small and the calamari didn't have any of the tentacley ones that I like, but they were both good. They make their own balsamic vinaigrette, which was nice on the salad. For my dinner I got the cavatelli with chicken, broccoli, and sun dried tomatoes. It was tasty - not the best I've ever had, but a really nice portion (I took half home for lunch). Then for dessert, I got the baby cannoli with whipped cream, which I enjoyed very much and was a perfect end to the 3 other courses, not leaving me too full. My bf had their homemade cheese cake. yum yum. I can't remember how much the glasses of wine were, but I remember being surprised that they were practically as much as the special (I had assumed like $5-6 - oops). We will 100% be back again! read more

Boycott this restaurant if you know or care about someone with cancer... this place will degrade them. This was our second visit to Davia's. We had a good experience with the food and service on the first visit, so we decided to return with a guest visiting from out of town. Tonight, the dinner and atmosphere was COMPLETELY ruined when the owner insulted our guest. At the END of the dinner, she told him in an extremely condescending manner that he SHOULD HAVE removed his hat in the restaurant. The ONLY reason our guest kept his hat on was because he is a cancer patient, recently had surgery, and is receiving chemo. He simply wanted to spare other patrons from the visual of his partially bald head and surgical scar, and explained this to her. In any case, the owner seated us, so if she felt the hat was not up to her dress code, she should have made a request when we entered. A simple explanation would have been provided then. Our guest was so insulted by the incident that he called to speak with the owner after we returned home. The owner stated that she was prompted by another customer to make the comment, and then went on to repeat the other customer's comment "... that if the man has cancer, he should not have gone out ...." A simple apology would have gone a long way, but instead the owner continued to be completely unprofessional and insensitive to our guest. She mentioned that she had a very similar incident just a week ago with another cancer patient. Insulting and degrading one customer in order to appease another is unacceptable. Repeating this demonstrates a complete lack of humanity. So, if you are a cancer patient or care about someone who has cancer, you should avoid this establishment. read more

I highly recommend Davia. The owner Bill personally made sure we were well taken care of. My husband and I went there to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary with 20 of our closest family and friends. The food was delicious and the service was outstanding. I had been there a few times before bringing my family members and everyone loved the place. They cannot stop raving about the food and the service. A lot of times, when you have a party that size, the service is lacking, but not here....Bill could not do enough for us. My family is already planning our return gathering. read more

Love this place! Been coming there for years with my father and other family members! Everyone is so nice. Especially Michelle, Bill and Marco! Great food never had a bad meal! read more

Love this place! They have such quality Italian food and if you get there for the Early Bird special- it's a deal you can simply not get anywhere else. The staff is nice, the chicken parmigiana and calamari are done perfectly with sauce that tastes just like grandma's. If you are thinking about trying Davia's- it's a definite must! read more

OH Davia. We miss you so much. My husband and I found you about a week before we gave birth to our twins. A week later we came to you again and had our first "date night" off with out the newborns. However, we have moved to Phoenix AZ and we realized that we should have gone a lot more. We loved all the food that you offered and so far have not met another Italian restaurant that have satisfied our foodie needs. I hope that everything is well with you. I am not sure if you remembered us but we came a few times with the twins and you all were always so accommodating to our family. read more

Outstanding food, professional staff, and a very talented owner/chef, his wife is a lovely person, and makes you feel genuinely welcomed. When I travel to NJ, I always dine there - can't wait to return , worth every dollar spent. read more

A very popular place for seniors who are big fans of the "Early Bird Special", and not without good reason: it's a fair amount of food, the food is decent, and the price is good. But I will never be going back for 2 reasons: 1. Our party of three each ordered a soda. It is served in a wine glass filled half way with ice. I imagine the amount of soda in the glass to be ~4 ounces. It is $2.50. We were charged for a refill. That's 20 ounces (likely less) of a soft drink for $12.50. Outrageous. 2. The service, though polite, is mediocre/slow. We were greeted right away but after appetizers, the waiter just kind of forgot about us. We had to pull someone over to request our $2.50 refill, and while we got coffee right away, it was another ten minutes before we were asked for our dessert order. read more

Great place, great food, great staff!!!!! Davia is great family, special date night or occasion place to go for a good time with good food and service. The addition of the new items on the menu only make it a better place....love the sliced steak...compares with the top. The staff are always warm and welcoming. We have been coming to Davia for years and can honestly say we have never a bad or off meal. Everyone we bring for the first time always have come back again and again on their own. Don't miss out on this hidden gem! read more

Nearest Italian to my home. Always sort of been nothing to rant about but I've been hitting the excellent old-person-cheapskate-wanker-early-bird-special and loving it. I think it ends at 6 PM. Something happened a few weeks ago and the food quality has gotten much better or I'm losing it. Seriously something as simple as the red sauce has gotten so good I almost asked for a spoon. The app mussels are excellent, but then again I'm a sucker for fish in red sauce. The special gets you a humorously small salad, smaller than normal appetizer, main course and oddly enough a desert that might be really small or really big. Maybe it depends on if what your wearing makes you look fat or skinny. I'll make note of that and get back to you. At any rate you're full when they get done with you. And it's pretty good. Cash and $15, good deal. Now if the bar tab wasn't $40...... read more

This is your typical Jersey Italian joint - nothing special. I've been here a few times with my Dad for the Early Bird special menu. Every time I come here I think the food is way too salty. If they reduced the salt maybe I could give a better review. I gave two stars and not one because their dessert isn't half bad. read more

I appreciated the pleasant greeting as soon as I walked in. Once seated we ordered our drinks which were generous and well prepared. Our dinners were served hot which is a must for me. The food was delicious! My husband had the penne with vodka sauce WOW! I had the salmon which was extremely flavorful. The portions were a nice size - I wrapped up half to have for lunch the next day. We have brought our family there and everyone loved it! I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant if you want a good meal for a good price read more

This is my favorite restaurant EVER! There is nothing bad to say about it. The ambiance is wonderful. The restaurant is nicely decorated, and the table settings are beautiful. The bruschetta is better than anywhere I have ever been, and the bread is AMAZING. I wish I could order every appetizer there since they are all so good. Some of my favorites are the panko crusted fried zucchini and stuffed mushrooms. The fried calamari is better than anywhere else I've been. The menu offers such a great variety. Everything comes with either a soup or salad. The house dressing is so good, I could drink it! I have never had a penne with vodka sauce better than at Davia. All the pastas are amazing and have their own flair. Every chicken dish I've had has been so good. The portions are huge too. It's incredible the quality and the amount of food you get for such an inexpensive price. I tell everyone I know about the food at Davia! I literally dream of it. Drinks and desserts are fantastic as well. I would go to Davia every day if I could! read more

You just cant get any better then this. Great food, excellent prices and a wonderful staff. I question Anthony B's 3 star review. 3 stars because he would prefer paper napkins so he could blow his nose????? Go back to McDonald Anthony B. Blow your nose in the bathroom!!!! Plenty of tissues and paper in there. Why would you blow your nose at the table! read more

My parents and I came for dinner last night because we wanted to try the Restaurant week special... $25 per person, which included an appetizer, soup or salad, and an entree (all are of which your choice from the given options). We topped everything off with a craft of Merlot which was excellent. Like always this place never disappoints. We have been here many times and always come back and try something new, which is never a bad idea at Davia... Can't forget about the service which is great too! Our drinks were never less than half full thanks to them! read more

I have always been told to try this restaurant, but kept going to my normal standbys. Two picky eaters and finding a reasonable place, I called to find out if they had angel hair pasta and I scored! I wasn't there in time for the early bird special but I did sneak a peak at that menu. The regular menu had lots of choices, very reasonable prices and nice staff. We all enjoyed pasta dishes which were very large portions. My pasta with white clam sauce was delish! .... did I say that the earlybird menu looked great and very reasonable? Davia is now my new standby! read more

Staff was very attentive and kind. Food was large and hearty. I enjoyed the chicken and tried some pasta. Overall a nice place.

Great early -bird deal. Food is really good. Nice old-school neighborhood restaurant and bar. House made desserts. We will be back when we visit Fair Lawn again. read more

Fantastic service and food We had so many good things here. The fried oysters were amazing. I would definitely go here again. Enjoy! read more

I hear great things about this restaurant - good food. I like to purchase gift cards here and give them as Christmas presents. I know I won't go wrong. One family member says this restaurant is her favorite. A friend shared about Davia, "People love that place." Ken is a positive bartender who I've seen working there. The restaurant has a nice early-bird special. I really enjoyed the food when I went there. read more

First of all the place is called Davia's not Davia as was originally listed on Yelp. They offer a full range of upper scale Italian food in a pleasant laid back setting. One of the great hidden finds in Fair Lawn, NJ. In addition to Yelp, if you look at some of the other review sources you will see this is a favorite of both locals and out of towners. The Bar does well on the drinks and the food is to die for. I would highly suggest someone recommend they get a web site. They have an early bird special I think on Mondays that is a great steal if you want a little relief from the price. The service is always excellent and there is additional parking around the back. read more

I love coming to this place. The staff are friendly and attentive. The drinks are always delicious..my favorite is the lemon drop martini. I've yet to have a bad meal there. The entrees are well portioned and if you can find room for dessert the tiramisu is yummy. read more