I had a craving for pasta and said what's better than going to an Italian spot. My friend told me about this spot and it's absolutely gorgeous. The ambiance, the food gives a homey and cozy feel. This is a really cute place for a date night with a significant other, the video doesn't do justice of how cute DeStefano's is. I cant wait to go back and try other dishes on their menu. Their drinks were nice and strong but not overly powerful. read more

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As always amazing , fresh and so much food I highly recommend this restaurant atmosphere is very romantic read more

Destefano's Old Erie - Broiled seafood - Pubs Near Me - Middletown, New York

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If you're in search of old school family Italian cuisine like I was , then your quest is over . Having only been in the Middletown area for a couple of weeks , Destefano's restaurant's reputation preceded itself. It didn't take long before I found myself at their doorstep. The ambiance, the humble buzz of the locals at all hours had an appeal all its own. They seem to be the premier arena for catering events of all sizes. And the FOOD ! I can't say enough about their dedication to their focus from the heart that always makes the cuisine memorable. Don't deprive yourself of the carrot cake and the expresso before you leave. read more

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What a pleasant surprise!!! First time visiting and it will not be my last. The ambiance was quaint and our meals were delicious. The portions are huge and you can get several meals out of one. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. The bathrooms though need to be monitored more for cleanliness and they require updating read more

I had a reservation for 7:30 PM last night, and unfortunately my experience was extremely disappointing. I stood at the entrance for 35 minutes without anyone acknowledging me. I understand when a restaurant is busy, but not a single staff member said "hello," "i'll be right with you," or even checked in. Multiple employees walked past me, made eye contact, and still said nothing. It was uncomfortable and honestly shocking. What made it even worse is that no one even asked if we had a reservation. Again, I completely understand when a restaurant gets busy and reservations run behind, but at the very least, say something. Let customers know there will be a wait. Give an update. Literally anything. When someone finally approached me after being completely IGNORED, the first thing she asked was, "Are you being helped?" After standing there for that long, the question felt almost insulting. We just wanted to be seated and treated like customers who mattered. And it's unfortunate because the food itself was fine, but the lack of basic hospitality made the entire experience feel negative. Good service goes a long way, and this place unfortunately missed the mark completely. I'll be sharing my experience with friends and family so they know what to expect. read more

Food is delicious and portions are large, you will go home with leftovers! Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. The restaurant was beautifully decorated ! loved all the little white lights! I'd definitely would recommend this restaurant and I can't wait to go back! read more

Thank You Old Erie for a perfect night The room was beautiful the ambiance relaxing and allowed time for conversation. The menu offered many great selections and the food was enjoyed by our whole family. our waitress and the entire staff were all pleasant and there whenever we wanted something. This family owned restaurant is a find we are so lucky to have a local restaurant with great service, food in such a pleasant environment read more

If you want a great Italian meal, you have to stop here. In addition to coming for a casual lunch, we have held a family graduation and 3 holiday parties here. The food is fantastic (the penne ala vodka in particular) Great service and great food! A must stop! read more

I didn't know this wonderful restaurant existed so close by. I told my husband that night let's try something new&this is where we ended up. The bar was packed with what I assume are the locals. We were seated pretty quickly & the dining room is lovely. My husband & I shared the roasted pepper tower which of course was nothing short of delicious. For my entree I chose Veal Florentine with pasta, the veal took up the entire plate,so the pasta comes in a separate bowl. With spinach, garlic,oil,Swiss, I'm so glad this is what I got, hands down one of the best meals I've had in a long time. My husband got chicken parm, there had to be 4pc of cutlet on his plate. The portions are huge so come hungry! We definitely had to take home half our meals, which tasted just as good the next day. Can't wait to go go back for seafood read more

Old Erie has the best Grilled chicken Cesar's Salad anywhere. And it's the best price anywhere. They don't change their consistent. where as other places have changed price, size of plate & the grilled chicken isn't strips anymore just small pieces. Not Erie! The food is always good, service is excellent & ambiance is family oriented. i love this place read more

DeStefano's Old Erie is a gem in Middletown. The food is fresh and delicious (scratch kitchen), and the portions are huge. I never leave without a doggie bag. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and welcoming. It is one of the best restaurants in Orange County! read more

Among my favorite restaurants in Middletown. There is something for everyone on the menu.Food is fresh and delicious with generous portions, staff is friendly and efficient, and often a fun place to run into friends. It has become my "go to" restaurant. read more

Fresh food! Amazing portions! Multiple options! Fantastic staff! Vodka sauce is a love language so I HIGHLY recommend the chicken parm tower, drunken chicken parm piled on a bed of penne vodka with a sphere of burrata sprawled atop- get a cheesecake to go and you will not be disappointed! read more

Love the staff , alittle pricey but worth it as you get big servings. Food is always very good and atmosphere is nice.

We are actually sitting at the bar right now it's 630 on 5/28/25 and was planning on having a great meal with oysters and seafood . The bartender has no personality at all so we asked, are you having a bad day ? She then smirked and just repeated herself and asked what do we want to drink. She was so abrasive that we decided not to get food here and go to Goshen . It's sad bc we have eaten here before and had table service. The service was good and the waitress was friendly. We watched the bartender not care about anyone at the bar and act bothered anytime someone asked for a drink. We had our one and left !!! Such a shame bc we travel everywhere and almost always give excellent reviews, sad this place was such a disappointment and the food is good but we will not pay and tip an spend money with an attitude like that . We have watched and she is like that with everyone. We asked the couple next to us if they felt the same way and they did . read more

The location is the best thing this place has going. I don't know where to start the place is overpriced for food that does not taste freshly prepared. The space taste like rage from a can it literally had like a taste of a tin can and no flavor. The meatballs tasted frozen my kids wouldn't eat it. I had the sausage ravioli the sauce was just thrown on top with two sausage links just placed on top. The bread was pretty good but it was brought out cold. The best thing I had was the chicken pot pie which definitely taste like a different chef made it than everything else. I would go back just for the pot pie but otherwise don't waste your time or money. read more

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We went for my birthday tonight With no expectations it being our first time there Well all I can say is Wow !It was amazing food service ambiance was above and beyond Our waitress ( didn't get her name unfortunately) was great Without a doubt a favorite place to return too ! read more

My sister and I went tonight. We were a party of two celebrating her birthday. We knew what we wanted right away because we saw the menu online. We never even looked at the "Specials" menu the waitress left. When we ordered, my sister POINTED to the Grilled Prime Rib ($23.95) on the regular menu and asked for baked potato instead of fries and I ordered my eggplant rollatini. Her meal was delivered with fries but that was corrected upon request. Fast forward to the bill...something isn't adding up right. Come to find out, my sister was given the Prime Rib off the specials menu for $47.95!! Waitress admitted it was her mistake and that we didn't have to leave her a tip but I guess management would not allow her to correct the bill. This was a $25 error in their favor. Now... funny part of this story- maybe not so funny- is that this Same Exact Thing happened to our friends when they ate here a few weeks ago. We didn't find this out until we mentioned it but really? Is this common practice here ? And, yes, of course we left the waitress a decent tip. read more

This place has incredible food, everyone is really nice and the ambiance is awesome. I'm so glad I don't like by the Yelp scores sometimes. This is my second time here - both times were great. I will put this on the rotation. read more

I don't feel anyone could ever say anything bad about Desteffano's old Erie! family, friendly, atmosphere, if you don't feel it when you walk in, you'll feel it before you leave! these people are the best‼ the food is so gooooodddd! never disappoints! If you haven't been there, you need to try it! whether you just go to have a drink and a appetizer or you go in for lunch, dinner, or have a party you won't be disappointed‼ they make you feel like they've known you forever no matter who you deal with their everyone is amazing!The food, service. The place is always decorated to perfection, and you cannot ever beat the prices. read more

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Great local bar and atmosphere. Best place in town for oysters! $1 on Thursdays. Cocktails are cheap and huge! They definitely don't skimp on portions here. Samantha at the bar is the sweetest! read more

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Destefano's Old Erie is our favorite restaurant. The food is the freshest of any restaurant in Middletown. It is all made to order and the staff are so friendly. It feels like going home every time we walk in the door. We will keep coming back for years to come. read more

Loved it! The food was excellent and you'll definitely be feeling full after your meal. Portion sizes are huge and the bread and oil was a great addition. Greta restaurant for garlic fans! read more

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The food is great here, large portions and very tasty. My only complaint is the hostess. We had a reservation, the restaurant was less then 1/2 full, but we were made to stand there. no greeting, hostess standing at the counter wiping menus, then decided after 10 mins ok I'll seat you now, it was just weird and uncomfortable read more

Tuesday was hubby's 60th birthday and he requested Italian. A coworker recommended Old Erie. We checked out the menu prior to going and found enough choices that suited us both. We didn't have reservations but were still warmly welcomed. I wanted to try the bruschetta but hubby isn't a bread eater so I passed. However, a beautiful loaf of fresh bread with butter AND a bowl of seasoned oil was brought to the table so I was in heaven. Hubby wanted the veal cordon bleu but with marinara and our waiter, Scott R. was very accommodating. I ordered chicken Parmesan and the portions were HUGE! The food is delicious and you can tell time and care are put into each plate. Scott our waiter was as friendly as could be giving us multiple choices for sides and checking in with us twice. Needless to say, we both ate until we were stuffed and still had enough for a second meal. I like the atmosphere - such a beautiful old building. Free parking across the street is a plus. We will definitely be back as there are many items on their menu I'd really like to try, including the bruschetta. Thank you for making a weekday birthday dinner very special!! read more

Clean. Friendly and attentive servers. Very large servings. Doing as well during COVID as one could expect. We were a party of three. One was very happy with their meal. They ordered fried calamari over red sauce over penne. Although they felt that there was a bit too much sauce on the plate, they reported that the calamari was cooked perfectly. Nice and tender. Perhaps the best they ever had. High praise indeed! The second ordered fettuccine carbonara. They said it was fine, but a bit lackluster. The third (me) thought they irdered a pesto dish with some peas added. I got a huge pile of pasta, that had been topped with a layer of what appeared to be breads crumbs drenched in garlic butter. This was smothered by a layer of slightly undercooked petite peas (think straight from the grocers freezer). The whole pile was topped with roughly cut fresh basil. I felt like I was served ingredients, rather than a meal. Would it have been so hard the pulse everything but the pasta together with a few nuts and some parmesan cheese to make a sauce? read more

Destefano's Old Erie - the sign for the restaurant - Pubs Near Me - Middletown, New York

The ambiance was lovely, very pretty. Nice use of string lights. We were there for lunch. I ordered a medium burger and fries. Where they were not up to par was the service. We got our food and drinks. I asked for mustard. The waiter never returned to bring me the mustard or to ask about drink refills. Another staff member came over to see if we wanted our food packed up and I said no I would like some mustard. By the time I got it my burger was cold and it was also undercooked. If the server was on top of things this would have been a different review. read more

Always amazing food and beautiful atmosphere. The service was great as well. A great place to go with family or friends for a nice night out

Always amazing food and service. The place is a real treat and the the portions are huge. They get quite busy so make a reservation if you can read more

We ate here last week with my boyfriend's family for his mom's birthday. 5 of us in the party - had made a reservation just in case but there were plenty of tables open when we got there. Service was good. Drinks were good. The food was excellent. The portions for the entrees were huge. So much so that I had 2 additional meals left over. I'd gotten Gnocchi with vodka sauce and chicken cutlet. It was amazing. My only complaint is that we had to ask every time we'd accumulated dirty dishes and glasses. You shouldn't have to ask to have those cleared. At one point there were 8 empty glasses on the table. read more

We hosted my daughter-in-law and son's baby shower here yesterday. The food and staff were amazing. Maria was so easy to work with, and on top of everything. Maria and her staff made the day run seamlessly. The restaurant is so homey and our guests loveed it. I think they would have stayed longer than the 4 hours allotted, everyone had a great time. I really can't say enough about the Old Erie it was perfect. Thank you for making our day so wonderful!!! read more

Destefano's Old Erie - Baby Shower in the main room - Pubs Near Me - Middletown, New York

I still cannot get over that I had the worst meal of my life. Ordered the fettuccine carbonara with grilled chicken got 5 pounds of slop on a plate. Others had the Italian trio it's drowned in sauce and a slice of cheese is placed over it as if to hide what's under it. The clam oreganata was like an imitation broccoli bake The idea that this is Italian food is totally misconstrued. Even the olive oil dip for ice cold bread is overwhelmed with garlic. The service was good, friendly The place is lovely with fairy lights all over. Bathrooms were clean. Very loud in dining room. read more

The Erie, as us locals call it, is an institution here in Middletown. Located right on West Main, a short walk from the town square, police station etc, this is one of the most consistent restaurants in the area. There's a main dining room on the ground floor, and an upstairs often used for catered events. There's a long bar towards the back, and more private dining areas in the back for parties/catered events. They also have a quaint little patio out back for the warmer months. The menu here is extensive and while some of the prices are a bit hefty, the portions are huge and the food is terrific! I've never had a bad meal here. The staff are also great - always polite, prompt, and attentive. I recommend making reservations for weekends, in my experience they can get busy for dinner time. read more

I have been here a number of times and the food has always been good and the service was great. Our bartender was very friendly and the portions were way too big, not that I'm complaining about that . I had lasagna for 2 days. If you're in the neighborhood stop by, it is definitely worth the trip. read more

"Unfussy institution" my eye. I know Saturday night would normally warrant reservations but at 4 in the afternoon we figured we could stop in for a very early supper. After wait where you "wait to be seated" for a longer time than we should have while the hostess wandered around with another customer we asked for a table for three. We were told they wouldn't have a table for three until 7:30. Even though of the 15 or so tables in the dining room only 5 had diners. Never again. No explanation as to why. Were they having a party where everyone was sitting at a separate table? Did they have reservations for every table by 4:30. Plenty of fine new restaurants in Middletown and lots of tried and true restaurants in Chester, Goshen and Warwick. read more

Unassuming from the outside, a real cozy rustic grandma's log cabin kinda feel on the inside (is that even a thing?... idk). Definitely worth a try if not for the atmosphere which is romantic, candle lit tables, well places tables, vines and paintings everywhere. Food? The portions are Big. Massive. Monumental. Ok, but the price is a little more than you'd normally pay, but the taste and price make it: Worth It. Not too oily, but flavorful authentic italian cuisine. Soups/Salads with all entrees, baked pastas and zitis, shrimps and lobster, steaks, chicken pastas and parmigianas, drinks, cocktails, and desserts. They've got everything. If you haven't been here take a trip down and you'll have a lot of food to take home too for tomorrow. Great place for parents from out of town or to take a date or for a group of people. Make reservation because it seems busy most nights read more

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Visited Middletown for the first time this weekend and stopped here for dinner. I would 100% recommend this restaurant!! I ordered the baked penne with white mushroom sauce and it was delicious, so cheesy! The portion was huge so I had leftovers that lasted me all weekend. The inside is decorated very nicely and social distancing was enforced. Our waiter was also great, will stop here again if I'm ever in the area! read more

Destefano's Old Erie - Baked penne with mushroom sauce - Pubs Near Me - Middletown, New York

Last Thursday, my Son & I visited this restaurant for the first time. It is a cheerful, comfortable place, and the tables are well spaced. Our drinks consisted of beer & wine which were fine. We ordered the veal piccata. It wasn't the best veal piccata I've ever had, but it was good with nice sauce. The pieces of veal were very large. The mashed potatoes were very tasty. The vegetables were just steamed and added to the plate - ok but not too interesting. Before the main course, they brought a large salad which was supposed to be caesar. It was fresh & had parmesan cheese on it, but it wasn't exactly what I would consider a real caesar salad. The bread was very good. I could have made a meal out of that. The waitress was nice, but she seemed a bit inexperienced. Her timing was off; she did not serve on the proper side; and when she brought a new dish, she brought it to the table and couldn't figure out how to remove the old dish & at the same time place the new one down. My Son & I ended up helping her buss. Overall the portions were so large that I couldn't finish it all; so I took the remainder home but never got around to eating the rest of it. I would consider returning to this restaurant, but probably not any time soon. read more

I have been going here for the past few years and this is my favorite restaurant by far. The food is always amazing! I have never had a bad meal here, the portions are huge and it gives you enough food for the next day. This is definitely the gem in the rough If you want a treat go here and treat yourself. read more

Excellent food , drinks and service. 3 of us for dinner last night. All of us "food critics " lol. 3 excellent meals ! Chicken parm, chicken milianaise and veal scallopini . The 2 chicken dinners were huge portions and The veal melted in your mouth . Putting this place on my weekly night out list . We will be back with friends read more