We hosted our daughter's communion party at Gargiulo's of Tinton Falls and it exceeded every expectation. Theresa was our point person, and she was extraordinary. Seamless, attentive, patient, and someone with true hospitality in her bones. Every detail was thoughtful, from the gorgeous floral centerpieces (still looking beautiful in my kitchen) to the signage, the name tags and napkins finished with a sprig of rosemary, and the perfect pink ribbon. Rachel and the waitstaff matched her standard. Warm, kind, and always one step ahead of what guests needed. The food brought a wave of nostalgia for our family and absolutely lived up to every memory. Every course was raved about-the lamb chops were perfect-and the kitchen handled a range of dietary needs without missing a beat. The cocktails were mixed to perfection and our guests including the children had the most lovely day! Lots of love and laughter. Thank you Gargiulos for helping make a beautiful memory. read more

Really enjoyed my dining experience at Gargiulo's! Parking is limited but you should be able to get a spot. They have this great offering where you can guess a number (if your party is under 6 people) and if you guess right, your dinner is free! We got a bottle of wine to split and I got the cacio e pepe which was delicious! You also have to get the brussel sprouts side, perfectly seasoned. Highly recommend coming here read more

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Service was great. Food not so much. Very pricey for small portions. Tiny artichoke and the Caco Pepe was soupy, nothing like any of the pictures or any place I have ever eaten. They used chicken broth and not a lot of cheese. Minimal sauce on the Eggplant Rolatini. I won't be back and wish I took pictures to prove this. read more

Very good food. Veal was perfect. Filet was great. Clams were amazing. We found this place online. Valet parking is always nice.

After a stressful day, I tried Gagiulo's for the first time just to explore. Went on my own, but felt comfortable and welcome. Both outside and inside were so soothing and beautiful and just comforting. I had their veal rustica, which took me back to the old-fashioned veal and eggplant Parm that I always loved. It was absolutely delicious and the sauce for the accompanying pasta was far above the norm. I'll definitely be back. read more

Excellent food and service highly recommend go there on regular basis every great every Monday

Ambiance here is very nice, the restaurant is an old small house but updated on the inside and looks to be well taken care of. I'm glad I went during the holidays as the decor was very homey and festive. My pasta (mushroom mancetti) was a bit too rich/oily but others I went with said they liked their dishes. Service was very attentive and prompt. There's a fun game where you might get your bill on the house if you draw a number 1-90 that you pick. I would go here for a nice date or family dinner, but it is a bit pricey and the food was okay to me. read more

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This was my first time at Gargiulos and I enjoyed! They do valet parking. We were sat downstairs which was very pretty and intimate setting. I got an espresso martini mocktail which was good not great. For our appetizers we did the Spring Burrata and Calamari. Both were amazing we could've picked the plate clean. For my entree I got a steak that was a special. It was very good as well! Our server was very kind and I like the fun idea to pick a number and if you get it right the bill is comped! We did not guess the correct number but it was still very fun. read more

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Have been to this restaurant 6 times in the past, but unfortunatly it is going downhill. I ordered their rack of lamb special, and it was over cooked; when I told the manager/chef of the problem, he offered to cut "my meat for me". While they did replace it with another when I declined his offer, the second one was cooked correctly, but received it after the rest of my party was done with their meal. My friend ordered the pork chop, but that was also overcooked. It's a shame the service is very good, but the person in charge needs not to insult his customers and simply correct the problem without comment. read more

Great service, warm welcome, excellent food. Nice to have valet service.. good cocktails

Gargiulo's is a tiny gem of a restaurant! I pass by it all the time and have always been curious. Finally, last night we tried it with another couple and were so pleased! There is a full bar (which in NJ is always a question). We started with some amazing salads. My husband had a duck special with fennel. I enjoyed the chicken Scarpariello very much. We split the carrot cake for dessert and that was also really great! Our server was friendly and attentive. We will be back! read more

Extremely disappointed. Read many positive reviews and decided to give it a try. Well, I should have read the negative reviews also because they were correct. The food was terrible and the service was poor. I ordered the Shrimp Scampi for $36.50, my wife had the Veal Marsala for $39.50 and our friend had the Lasagna. At these prices we all expected excellent meals. The meals were all very bland and tasted as if they came from a microwave oven from a convenience store. The sauce was terrible and tasteless. None of us finished our meals and did not want a doggy bag to bring any home. I grew up at the Jersey Shore in a large Italian household and have eaten at many great restaurants in years past. This restaurant is not one of them. Regarding the waiter, he was nice, but he was never around to refill our water glasses or bring more bread. He also got one of our orders wrong. For the amount of money, we spent ($133) we expected at least a good meal. Save your money, read the bad reviews on this place and go elsewhere. read more

We had dinner there this week with a small group of people. Two people ordered pasta bolognese. There was very little sauce on the pasta, and you would never know it was a Bolognese sauce. It was a very dry pasta dish, No exaggeration. Very disappointed! Also, they didn't serve even a salad with any of the entrees. read more

Really nice interior and amazing service. The entrees were good but not mind blowing. The dessert was exceptional and everyone we encountered was so kind read more

This place is super cute. Had the filet mignon and it was delicious. It came with mashed potatoes which were delicious as well. All the waiters and waitresses were amazing. Hostess makes this a great experience from the moment you walk in, she was wonderful. Amazing vibes overall. Would love to go back and try another dish. read more

One of those restaurants I've passed by dozens of times until my wife and I finally decided to pay them a visit. We made a reservation for a Saturday night and good thing we did because the place was packed! We waited a few minutes before being seated upstairs. Everyone from the hostess, to our server, to the manager was friendly and accommodating. We first enjoyed our drinks along with warm bread and butter. I had the Veal Capricossa and my wife had Cacio e Pepe with bucatini. The food was delicious and was more than enough as we took what we couldn't finish home. Italian restaurants are everywhere around here. The ones that stand out are the ones where you're treated like family and that's exactly what you'll get at Gargiulo's. read more

we dined there last evening and was a poor experience. we ate upstairs which was the loudest room I ever ate in my life. they should invest in noise reducers for walls and ceiling . We could not have a conversation which is reason we came to dinner. The waiter was difficult to understand. He fouled up a dinner order and never delivered a wine order and realized after the fact he charged us. The overall food was fair. There are far better Italian restaurant choices in area. We will Not return. read more

I rarely leave reviews, but our experience at Gargiulo's Tinton Falls was disappointing from start to finish. This was meant to be a birthday dinner for me. From the moment we sat down, our waiter spoke to us with condescension--as if we didn't belong there. It set the tone for a meal that only got worse. We were told we couldn't order appetizers first because "Saturdays are busy and the kitchen appreciates getting the whole order at once." That's not hospitality--it's control. My husband ordered the ravioli for dinner and was stunned to receive just four small pieces on the plate. $24.50 for four ravioli? That's not a portion--it's an insult. I had the shrimp scampi, which was equally underwhelming, bland and poorly executed at $36.50. We were seated in a cramped upstairs room that felt more like a storage closet than a dining space. Even the bread was forgettable--something you'd expect with a takeout antipasto, not at a restaurant charging $50-100 per person. I had hoped for a warm, authentic Italian experience. Instead, it felt like we were being tolerated, not welcomed. Definitely not returning. read more

I came here for my nephews birthday dinner. Its a small but cozy restaurant serving pretty good Italian food. We had a big party so I had tried a bit of everything. All the food was good except the bolognese pasta which was bland. read more

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I have not written a yelp review in years, but I felt this experience deserved a shoutout at the very least. We went this past weekend with two other couples for a special Christmas dinner and we were blown away. First of all, the aesthetic is what initially made us ladies want to go there and it definitely did not disappoint. This place is just so cozy and adorable and the Christmas decorations were tasteful and beautiful. Secondly, our waiter Chris made the entire experience incredible from the moment we sat down. He was so warm, friendly, knowledgeable and outgoing that we felt like we had been friends for years. He made everyone feel comfortable about their choices and was just a salt of the earth kind of human. The owner, Victor, also came by a few times to make sure everything was OK and he was also exceptionally funny & sweet. You can tell a lot of deliberate thought has gone into this business from the complimentary valet parking to the biscotti that comes with the cappuccino to the OUT OF THIS WORLD homemade focaccia (which by the way, they let me take some home which was so sweet) Every single person on staff was kind and professional. You can tell they have a ton of pride in their business -- as they should. Not to mention - our food was delicious: the baked clams are so good we had to order another round - the shrimp scampi was divine and the pork chop was perfectly cooked and juicy. The drinks and wine were great too! I cannot say enough great things about this place - even though it is about a 30 min drive from us - we have all decided we will definitely be back again and the group chat has not shut up about how wonderful our experience was- 10/10 good vibes - exactly the kind of night we all needed during the stressful holiday season. read more

Beautiful quaint place with top tier service. Ambiance is wonderful, food is great, we had the fall soup, calamari, Gargiulo's salad, and rigatoni bolognese. Dessert was tiramisu and cheesecake. They were delicious. Wait staff and valet were amazing. The whole experience was delightful. Recommendations: rigatoni bolognese, calamari, tiramisu, gargiulo salad. read more

Myself and a friend had dinner at Gargiulo's Friday night the restaurant had great ambiance our server Michael was fantastic, however, we were both disappointed with our entrees. We did express our dissatisfaction to Michael who apologized several times and asked the owner victor to come to our table and offered us another meal whatever we wanted . We declined the offer as we did have apps already We were both so totally impressed with how accommodating victor and michael are both class acts victor would not allow us to pay for anything not apps or drinks we had and brought over a cheese platter for us to enjoy before we left. Needless to say we did tip Michael. We will both be going back for dinner as we have never have been treated with such thoughtfulness and also to thank victor read more

Great place! Nice bar for pre-meal cocktail with a great bourbon selection. Friendly staff and attentive service. All of the food was prepared impeccably. They are flexible and accommodated our special requests. We are looking forward to returning soon! At the end of the meal they give you a chance to guess a number between 1-99 and if it is pulled from the basket your meal is free...fun little ending to a great evening. read more

Gargiulo'S Tinton Falls - a view of a bar - Italian Near Me - Tinton Falls, New Jersey

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This place has gone down hill. We ate there a year or two ago and it was very good. Went there with another couple on Saturday night. My Chicken Cacciatore was awful. Boiled chicken in a watery marinara sauce with a couple of onions and mushrooms. Zero flavor. My wifes Chicken Scarpariello was just as bad. We brought it up to the manager and she was very rude. Won't be going there again. The lobby had a bad odor too. read more

Deliziosa! The food and service were on point. I ordered the rack of lamb with Brussel sprouts. We ordered the rice balls for the table-- not really my thing, but everyone else seem to enjoy them. The ambiance was nice and quaint. At the end of the meal, you play a little number guessing game to see if your meal is free. read more

Gargiulo'S Tinton Falls - Rack of lamb and Brussel sprouts - Italian Near Me - Tinton Falls, New Jersey

I came here on a Friday night with my fiancé. We made prior reservations and were seated immediately upon our arrival. The restaurant is super cute and definitely quaint. They have both indoor seating as well as outdoor seating with fire pits. They also have valet parking, which always adds for convenience. There was a full house and our waiter was definitely working hard, but it really sucked waiting so long to order and receive our food. It was a full hour and 15 minutes before we got our mains, which would have been fine, if it weren't for the other 4 tables that came after us getting served first. I honestly think they forgot to place our orders. We found this place because we saw they had a pre fixe menu, but upon arrival we were told it was only on specific nights. Anyways, as far as the food, the appetizers were great. We got both the clams and the lump crab meat; both tasted fresh and flavorful. I got the Mahi Mahi, which had good flavor, but was really over cooked and needed a bit of salt. My fiancé got the lasagna and he did not like it at all. I tried some and it was definitely watered and under flavored. The drinks, on the other hand, we're phenomenal. Not sure if this was an off night for them, but I was definitely hoping for a better meal. read more

Gargiulo'S Tinton Falls - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Tinton Falls, New Jersey

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Beautiful little restaurant very cozy with a very welcoming staff and owners. The wine list is small but perfect everything on the list was noteworthy. We enjoyed our dinners And apps over all very good but think it can be better, I will be back read more

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Have to say, have you ever driven by the same restaurant for years but never tried the place out? Well this is a place I drive by everyday day going to work and driving home. We finally decide to try it and it was always booked. So we finally got in and I have to say from the time you pull up the valet guys are very curtious and they even open the passenger door....wow...haven't seen that in a while. Now you walk in and the host desk is infront, the greeting...wow....so nice. She walks you to your table we had the 2nd floor seating, as you are you are passing the bar and the owner says and waves at you ....Weclome... makes you feel like home and very comfortable. So now we sit down on the 2nd floor dining very cozy and warm. . There was 6 of us and we all said to one another this is a very warm feeling restaurant and the surrounding of people dining you see they are happy and the dishes looked great. I didn't have my phone that night to take pictures of the dishes but I will definitely say everything we had was great and I'm sure the rest of the menu is too. What makes this place so good to me is the very 1st impression from the valet , host, and the waiters........we will be back....and of course the food was GREAT!!! Thank you to the Russo's Family!!! read more

I had been to the one in Brooklyn and so I had to try this one. The ambiance is nice in here and I liked the toned down decor. They have valet parking so that makes parking easy. The issue I had was everything we ate was bland. The polenta fries were not good and the gnocchi were worse. Gnocchi are typically pillowy and soft but these had a weird grainy texture. The bolognese sauce that came with it was bland. For entrees, the sole francaise wasn't much of a francaise. Needed lemon and salt. The swordfish special was cooked nicely but bland. That was the theme of the night. Everything was cooked nicely but everything tasted the same. Bland with no flavor. I feel bad but it was a bizarre food experience. I did like the place and the service but the food was underwhelming. read more

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After seeing this building closed for years & was surprised when I passed it a few weeks ago & saw it reopened as Gargiulo's. We decided to try it last night with some friends. The decor is very rustic with a very warm feel to it. Upon entering you first walk through a small bar area, then down a walkway to the dining area. This is most definitely an upscale restaurant. The wait staff was excellent & our server, Kisha, was excellent. We were offered fresh bread & marinated olives to try while we perused the menu. At first I thought, wow this place is pricey! Even the appetizers were expensive (ex: $23 for Calamari). Glasses of wine run $9 & up. Dinners are up there. More on that later. We shared an appetizer of antipasto & our friends got the roasted artichoke. Both were delicious & enough to share between 4 of us. I decided on the mushroom risotto for dinner & my husband, the lamb chops. My risotto included porcini, portabello & button mushrooms in it & was a huge portion. Hubs lamb chops were fabulous & cooked to perfection. For the table we were brought a roasted potato & vegetable dish to share that was delicious as well (on the house). We were full (after not even finishing our dinners) but of course had to order dessert when offered; who doesn't love dessert? I ordered the tiramisu which we shared. It was incredibly fresh tasting. After dinner Kisha offered complimentary glasses of Lemoncello, which I haven't had since my trip to Italy many years ago. Not only did it taste great but it brought back a flood of memories. Afterwards Kisha asked if we would be interested in playing a game called La Tombola. She shakes the vase & your table picks a number from 1-90. If your number is the one that spills out...winner, winner free dinner! The four of us were stunned that our number actually came up (thanks to James F for picking the lucky number)! All of our meals were comped & we only had to pay for our drinks & of course a hefty tip for Kisha & the staff. I wish I would have thought to take a picture of that lucky tile (from someone who NEVER WINS ANYTHING). As I stated earlier, when we arrived I thought the prices were high. After the fabulous service, impeccable food & great portions, it would have been worth every penny (even if we hadn't won the comps). I will be back & will bring many. read more

I'd give this place 5 stars even if our dinner wasn't comped. More about that later. I'm not a fan of valet parking but because of their locale, and lack of parking spots, I see no other way around it. Four of us decided to check out Gargiulo's after hearing good things. It seems the ambiance is reminiscent of Tuscany and looks great but a low ceiling and a boisterous crowd nearby made it hard to hear at our table; but we're here for the food. My wife and I split a cold antipasto with fresh mozzarella, basil, roasted red pepper, and prosciutto; fresh and delicious. We also tried some stuffed baked artichoke which was as good as mom's. For an entrée I opted for the rack of lamb which was absolutely superb; medium rare and practically melted in my mouth. The tiramisu was pretty good. Complementary limoncello was a nice touch. Attention to detail, wonderful food, and stellar service equal 5 stars. For parties of six or less you are asked if you want to play La Tombola after your meal is over. Gargiulo's version of this bingo type game is you pick a number between one and 90. If your number comes up, dinner is gratis, less alcohol and tip. We won and our $258 bill was decimated. Wow! We will be back! read more

Great outside sitting. Very cute with lights and tables far apart. Service was good. Rack of lamb was amazing. The swordfish was flavorful but the pasta sauce was way too salty. The cheese board at $23 dollars is not worth it at all. At best it should be $13. The drinks are excellent. Great balance on the specialty drinks. Will dine there again, but will not order the cheese board again. read more

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We had a wonderful dinner here last night, such a local hidden gem. The food was fantastic, and our server Pete guided our meal with fantastic recommendations and patient service. It's often difficult to find a restaurant with great food, beautiful ambiance, fantastic drinks and outstanding service- but our party felt Gargiulo's had all those things. We will definitely be back! read more

Always a great meal. I've gone to this location 3x and each time has been a great experience. Food is always very fresh and atmosphere is elegant. Pricing is a little high, think NYC type prices however always a great meal. Be prepared to valet your vehicle, they don't have a lot to park. read more

Simply terrible. Old reheated Italian food. Brussels sprouts were garbage. Really??? On a Saturday night it was incomprehensible to be served such low quality, poorly prepared food. Do yourself a favor and get a lean cuisine and a nice bottle of red and enjoy your own dining room! read more

Service was good but sparse. Server was overwhelmed due to call outs. Rice balls appetizer was disappointingly bland and boring. Rack of lamb had no flavor except for the balsamic glaze. Seasoning was badly needed. Side of the mashed potatoes was basically a dollop portion and bland too. Wife's halibut in a lobster cream base was good. Tasty and soft. Stingy on the snap peas on the plate, presumably to get you to order an expensive side. The silly number guessing game to supposedly win a free meal, is clearly 'fixed'. The same number came out for us and the table next to us. Ridiculous. Ambiance: B Service: B Food: C Cost for two before tip:$144 Overall: Needs Improvement read more

It's been awhile since I have reviewed a restaurant due to the virus. Last night we met friends at Gargiulo's for dinner before a concert at Ft Monmouth. It was our first time eating here. The food was delicious. Faith was our waitress and she was great. She was very patient as we talked and caught up while drinking our bottle of wine. She had to come back three times to take our order. For appetizers the table shared the fried mozzarella. It looked like little grilled cheese sandwiches and everyone enjoyed them. For entrees we had the pork shank, grilled swordfish, and two salads. I had the swordfish and it was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. My friend had the pork shank and it to was delicious. The ladies had salad and I didn't taste those. My only complaint which is a small one is the parking is terrible. But the food is delicious and definitely worth a trip back. read more

Home cooking excellent service Last time I went to Gargiulo's Was Coney Island .Tinton Falls Was good read more

Been here a few times. The inside and outside decor is very warm and inviting. I ordered the rack of lamb and the spaghetti bolognese. The rack of lamb was delicious. However, the garlic mashed potatoes was over salted and the spaghetti Bolognese had no flavor. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed to pay $27 for a dish that has no taste at all. I will have to think twice about returning. I wish I would've read the reviews before ordering the spaghetti entrée. read more

There is no reason not to go here. Valet makes perfect sense. Plenty to choose from on the menu. Cozy ambiance. Food was good. Service was friendly and fine. We had a nice meal and experience. Will definitely go back. read more