My sister and her fiancé's wedding rehearsal dinner was here and the waitstaff did a wonderful job. Wine was plentiful and we were able to order cocktails from the bar as desired. All the appetizers were delicious and came out in a timely manner despite the size of one party. Really enjoyed my lobster ravioli though reviews were mixed from my other family members. Didn't love the tiramisu at the end as it was pretty icy, like they didn't give it enough time to defrost from the freezer but the flavor wasn't bad. read more

We visited a few days ago, and while the pizza dough was tasty, it wasn't crispy or thin enough. The main issue was the waiter's rude attitude when we paid. I asked about the fruits in the complimentary drinks, and he responded with a long list of alcoholic options. Because of this behavior, I doubt I'll return. read more

There are paper signs on the front doors stating that they are temporarily closed, whatever that means. Their website should have reflected that fact. read more

Been coming here for years but they were closed for awhile, so tried it the other night (Friday) and ordered an appetizer that was outstanding and delicious, a huge mushroom cut in half with stuffing of sausage, eggplant and not sure what else but I took half home and I will surely order this again since it was so good..Management and Staff were courteous and very savvy about the entire menu......you have to come and enjoy the ambiance and good food in a beautiful dining area. read more

This was the perfect place to hold my mom's funeral luncheon. The restaurant is located right around the corner from Resurrection Cemetery. We had 30 guests. The food and service was exceptional! Highly recommend! read more

A dear friend wanted us to go out to dinner so she recommended this restaurant. She and her family come here often. I didn't realize how often until she was talking to all of the staff and using their names! She made a reservation although it wasn't crowded on the Wednesday night we went in. I started with a salad and had a chicken dish for dinner that was very good. She enjoyed soup to start and chicken Marsala which she loved. Our waiter was wonderful and the hostess was friendly. They had a man playing the piano which is such a nice touch and you don't see that much anymore. read more

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Lovely restaurant Good service Delicious food Music in the background In Philly for a few days and had never been here before so we tried it We ordered: Calamari Clams casino Bronzino Veal Cheesecake Tiramisu Prices so very reasonable read more

La Cena Ristorante - Bronzino , potato's, broccoli rabe - Pizza Near Me - Bensalem, Pennsylvania

TAKEOUT REVIEW Can't speak to the cuisine served in the spacious but dark dining rooms, but the takeout seems like a separate operation going out the back door of Cena Ristorante in Bensalem, PA. When I entered the front door, a server informed me that I should walk through the restaurant to the rear entrance to the patio, turn right, and go into the other door which was propped open. Once there I saw a counter with kitchen equipment behind it, and a couple dudes aproned up for food service. My personal sized pizza and cheese steak hoagie were already boxed and ready to head out the door. Maybe using this Slice app would be acceptable. At least the food was ready as advertised. Upon opening at the kitchen table, I beheld a 12" pie with heavy cheese, and lighter puddles of red sauce, mozza droppings and a scattering of green basil leaf. Looked sort of like a child's drawing of a clown face. The cheese steak hoagie was more handsome, with goodly amount of thin grilled beef mixed with cheese (provolone?), topped with lettuce, tomato and red onion. Liked it. Taste was uneven. The pizza had too much cheese and not enough of anything else. Even still warm it was out of balance, with the crust its strongest attribute. The sandwich was good and hung together well in the torpedo. Won't be rushing back for takeout, but the broader menu for in house dining might be worth a try aside from the tomato pie. read more

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For La Cena Pizza Take Out When Tony and Gina took over La Cena Pizza Take Out, it was a good day for the people of Bensalem. They moved from their stand in the Bensalem Farm Market on Hulmeville Rd. We have enjoyed several meals from them and each one was plentiful and delicious. Their steak sandwiches were packed with lean meat and tasted great. In an area where almost every strip center has a pizza place, this one is definitely worth a try. read more

Prices are WAY TOO STEEP for the portions you get!!! Over Priced--small portions!!!!!!!!!! Everything is ala carte! read more

I'm sad! We wanted to spend our money at a local Mom and Pop Italian restaurant, so we ordered from LaCena for take out. It was not good! 1. 24 dollars for veal parm should have been a give away however I ordered it. Anyone over the age of 20 recognizes the obvious shape of the dreaded veal pattie. Yep this Italian restaurant served me veal patties! 2. My husbands dinner, chicken la casa with asparagus jumbo lump crab meat in a brandy cream sauce. Sounds great right? WOMP WOMP WOMP! The crab had a strong fish taste the sauce was non existent, literally dry pasta no sauce. 3. Serving size. Come on pasta is cheap. We were not full. Overall not a good experience. We can forgive most but a VEAL PATTIE?! That is unforgivable! 70 dollars wasted! read more

TERRIBLE SERVICE I AM OUTRAGED. The food was good until a hair came out in the food and they insinuated that I put it there when it was not the case. read more

Food doesn't taste very fresh nor delicious. Just ok. Drinks aren't great. Disappointed

One word, Cathy (or Kathy). She is amazing and the best asset they have. Planning a wedding is stressful and vendors are very hit or miss. She answered the phone every time I called, accommodating for anything I needed, and was true to her word. Just the experience with her was so good that I wasn't too concerned about the food. But the food was also good, wait staff very friendly. Hands down my best pick with all my wedding related decisions. We had a large gathering for a wedding rehearsal dinner. Anyone looking for a large reservation space, go here. read more

Tucked into a strip mall, this Italian restaurant was a pleasant surprise. Old school italian food. Bottle of chianti. Excellent. Started w clams casino. Excellent. Moved into veal parmigiana. Pounded thin. Excellent. Nice desert. Cant recall the name. Excellent. On top of all this Stephanie the bartender and waitress that night was a breath of fresh air. Service with a smile! Oh, had live piano music. Could not have had a better experience. read more

We had a 5pm reservation; we were the only table in restaurant. We were visiting from out of town and had a show in Philadelphia at 7:30. Our food took 50 min to come out. Felt a little rushed after that to be on time. We ordered specials, my wife got filet Mignon stuffed with spinach and prosciutto. The sauce on the filet was mushroom sauce, and had whole peppercorns in it. They were a tad overpowering and there was an abundance of them. I got the crab bisque, very tasty, not much crab meat though (but we are from Ocean City, Maryland). I also got a caprese salad made with smoked mozzarella, very interesting flavor. Our server was excellent! The decor was lovely. Very clean. We both got cocktails, they were very pretty and tasty. read more

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My parents favorite restaurant is becoming one of mine as well. Delicious, nicely portioned entrees - I recommend the seafood pasta over angel hair and the white lemon butter sauce. If you like fish, their branzino is my fathers favorite- he always gets it! The atmosphere is decadent but not over the top with nice touches of Jack Vettriano paintings and live music to add to their smooth ambiance. The wait staff is also very professional- especially Mike, who is one of the most accommodating and chilliest waiters I know - whose willing to humor my occasionally overbearing mother read more

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Nice, classy place. Solid service, very good meal. Pricey for the portion of food given.

I'll start by saying this is more like a $$ place than $$$, around the same price as Carlucci's nearby. I was hesitant to come because the reviews to this place are so all over the place, and well the $$$ didn't help. The hubster and I finally made it during a weeknight to get a bite before doing some xmas shopping and I was surprised how packed it was at the bar! I don't know if they have a slamming happy hour or something, but people were really pouring in around 6 pm. As for the place itself, it has no windows, which I absolutely hate. Even though it is located in a strip plaza, next to a laundromat, I want windows. Inside it is a nice old looking Italian restaurant, a bit romantic, a bit outdated, and mostly full of a much older crowd (55+). Thankfully I didn't come to hook up, I just came to eat. I ordered a penne vodka with grilled chicken (the chicken was extra, $5ish), bringing the plate to about $17ish. I say all this because normally in Italian places I don't mind paying more bc I know I'm going to get leftovers for lunch. Well, this place serves pretty adequate portions and thus no leftovers really. I was really disappointed with the lack of sauce on my plate, and well, the lack of flavor. The chicken was amazing, really amazing, thus making the pasta situation even more devastating. My husband ordered the chicken alfredo (which was oddly not on the menu - there was no mention of alfredo sauce or any cream sauce at all on any of the plates) and was equally not satisfied. The man had to put about 3 tablespoons of pepper and salt to get the pasta to taste decent. He had the fried chicken cutlet and it tasted like it was one those frozen patties. Our waiter forgot about us after our entrees arrived, I assume because they were understaffed for the bar area, but I was still really annoyed how long it took him to bring us our bill (over 20 minutes). This is not a place I would return to. read more

I've never walked out of a restaurant until La Cena. Usually if the vibe is a little weird I just deal with it and don't come back. But La Cena was so bizarre I had to exit just to make sure I didn't fall into some portal into another dimension. First of all, we were the youngest people here by about forty years. Not necessarily a problem, but the music choices of the inexplicable and incredibly loud keyboard playing duo definitely reflected the median age. I, for one, do not feel like eating Italian food with an obnoxiously loud keyboard rendition of Folsom Prison Blues blares a few feet from my table. While I was trying to convince myself that I could put up with this insanity for an hour or so, I was informed by the waitress that the kitchen ran out of the only thing on their menu that appealed to me. Still I persevered. What did it for me, gentle reader, was when the line dancing started. The keyboard player started belting out the notes to something that really got the elderly crowd excitable. Maybe the Charleston or something, I don't remember. But before I knew it a couple septuagenarians started gyrating inches away from where I'm meant to be eating. Even if it wasn't a pandemic this would be unsettling. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back and I was out. We threw a $20 on the table for our drinks and made our escape. I wish I could say it was unscathed but I fear the memories from this fateful night will haunt me the rest of my days. read more

Well, this was one of the most dreadful experiences I had at a restaurant and I couldn't even stick around long enough to try the food. We where seated beside the bar, little did we know it was on the dance floor. The music was to loud to hear each speak. People were dance right next to our table. None of the guests where practicing social distancing and the employees seemed to just allow it. It may just be me, but I do not want to be eating while some one is dancing right next to my table. You felt like you had no space. The service was subpar. I'm assuming the waitress had to many tables since we only saw her once in half an hour. We decided to walk out, since they did not seemed to concerned about serving. I would never recommend this spot. read more

La Cena is a two headed monster. The first head is the restaurant itself. Although its rather pricey for Bensalem, the executive chef is a La Famiglia veteran and, subsequently, the food is competently prepared, fairly tasty, and quasi-upscale Italian. Pastas, proteins, and veggies are cooked properly. Sauces are vibrant and exhibit a proper harmony of ingredients, and the cream-based ones aren't leaden. Breads are fresh and tasty and the maitre d Massimo, although a bit of a character, is very friendly and accommodating. The other head of La Cena is ugly and gorgon-like: the take out section. I'll preface by saying the food is good and cheap. Surprisingly delicious red-sauce Ameri-Italian (chicken parm, clams with linguini, penne vodka), mediocre but dirt-cheap pizza, and adequate sandwiches characterize this menu. However, the service is abysmal. Every single person behind the counter gives me a dirty look as soon as I cross the door step. People can be snappy and impatient. I don't understand how the two levels of service between restaurant and takeout can be so incongruous. Anyways, the restaurant is 4 stars all around, and the take out gets 2 for good food but terrible service. Averages to a three, maybe a four if you enjoy being glared at as you pick up your pizza. UPDATE: Since I wrote this review the pizza has taken a step up in quality and the service in the take-out section has become more bearable. This brings it from 3 to 4 stars. read more

While most of the staff were wearing masks properly, the hostess was wearing an excellent chin mask and regularly pulled it down even further to yell over the music. Music was very pleasant, but as the crowd grew it was obvious that social distancing was not a priority. We were crowded by non-mask wearing patrons in a high risk age. When my partner moved away from a guy in his late 60s and commented on the lack of distance, we were scoffed at. It's clear that a particular group of regulars with a particular mind set frequent this place. Unfortunately, my dinner choice was also not as good as I'd hoped and didn't come close to making up for the crowd experience. If you're a COVID nonbeliever, an anti-masker in your 60s or older, this place is for you. Please don't get sick or say you weren't warned. read more

I have to say that, walking into La Cena, was prepared to not like the restaurant. It's got that gaudy Italian feel with overly formal south phila atmosphere . To top it off it was a gentleman singing a-cappella to music system - lol. A little loud but not bad actually . I have to say what turned it around was the friendly accommodating attitude displayed all around. We wanted to enjoy a family style meal - and the menu doesn't really accommodate it. However the waitress and chef happily obliged ( I love it when places understand yes rather than no) and we proceeded to have a wonderful meal, well proportioned , well executed--- and equally divided all four entrees onto four plates. Lots if great choices on reasonably priced wine by the bottle . Color me a surprised and delighted customer. Sometimes you can't judge a book by its cover! read more

Great service friendly employees and the food was excellant had 26 people and and everyone loved the place. WE WILLBE BACK!!

My first visit to Bensalem, Philadelphia. Flew into Philly from Chicago to a surprise 60th birthday party for a dear friend at La Cena. The food here is phenomenal. I ordered the salmon and I really enjoyed it. My husband ordered veal parmesan and it was delicious. I had a few bites of his entree to try. My friend who turned 60 dines here every other weekend. And they love the food and most importantly they love the service. It was only my first time and the service was amazing. Aside from the serving of the food and how they make you feel important, they go out of their way to accommodate anything you need. I really enjoyed my time at La Cena celebrating the birthday party. I can't wait to visit this restaurant again. read more

My girlfriend and I are in agreement that this may be the best meals we have ever had. I had the Linguini Pescatore and it was perfect. The red sauce was fresh, the clams and muscles were succulent, and the pasta was al dente to perfection. My girlfriend had the Penne alla Vodka and again the sauce was perfect and the chicken was bursting with flavor. Great place for a romantic date or a good meal! read more

I will speak of my experience with the take out side. When I walked in everyone working the kitchen except one cook was wearing a mask. Food portions are small and way too expensive, so if you like expensive bland straight from the can Italian food then this is your place. Sorry not sorry read more

We are new to this area, so I used yelp to try to find a good option for a moderately priced Valentine's meal. The menus for La Cena looked good. Unfortunately, this weekend they're offering a scaled down "Valentine's Menu" which was less appealing. Prices seemed higher than what I'd seen online but that happens. Food was- fine. My "gnocchi marsala " had zero Marsala flavoring and needed more mushrooms and asparagus. Portion sizes were small. For a $25+ pasta dish, it was really lacking. My husband tried the lobster bisque- a small dish that was an unappealing brown color, and a seafood pasta- again, ok flavor, very small portion. For dessert, my husband liked his key lime cheesecake, but the advertised "new and improved" lava cake still needed improvement. It was undercooked, cool and gelatinous in the middle. Ambiance.. I'm not sure what they're going for. Entering the restaurant feels like stepping into 1992 which is fine. The bar was more well attended than the restaurant, which led to a loud/rowdy atmosphere. It wasn't what I was expecting for a 5 pm dinner. Service was friendly but no one refilled my water glass. They gave all the ladies roses at the end of the meal which would have been a nice touch if we had a great meal.. this felt more like "we overcharged you, but here's a flower." So yeah- nothing was bad. Nothing was great. I felt kind of robbed of my romantic dinner. I'd call it 2.5 stars, but yelp wont let me do halves and I'll give them the benefit that -maybe- the full menu is better. read more

Fresh ingredients translate to spectacular food! Their cheese pizza is best in the area, HANDS DOWN! It was cooked to perfection. Their cannolis are amazing.. the shell did not get soggy but lasted to the next day and tasted just as great with the sweet and tasty cannoli cream. Their Alfredo sauce is excellent too! I've only done takeout, but their quality is consistent and great. Definitely hope to dine-in soon after the pandemic passes. read more

Food was great! I had the fettuccine with scallops and shrimp and the Italian wedding soup. Every bite was delicious! Staff went above and beyond to accommodate us as I had an infant with me. Highly recommend. They even give military discount! read more

Very nice place for Italian food. Simple menu, very good service and great food. Such a nice combination that makes for a lovely dinner. They also have live music to accompany dinner! read more

La Cena Ristorante - Mmmmm says it all. - Pizza Near Me - Bensalem, Pennsylvania

My family said they hadn't eaten here in quite a while, I offered to treat them to dinner. They made reservations for 4:30pm, they mentioned the restaurant was planning an event that evening. We arrived a few minutes early, were seated promptly. Was quite impressed by the menu, ordered a bottle of wine for myself, figured I'd take the extra home. The waiter poured a dram into the bottle the proper way, it smelled incredible. I had him pour the first glass, he explained the specials. I ordered the lemon garlic mussels, some firm white fish smothered in crab meat. The mussels were incredible, delicate and properly seasoned (about 20 total). My uncle ordered the fried blue point oysters topped with lemon sauce, I had a few they were quite good. The main courses arrived soon after, my aunt had the chicken wrapped around fried asparagus(?), said it was amazing. My uncle had the fried veal, it was fresh, tender and juicy. My fish was quite nice on top of the other seafood. We had four deserts, my aunt had the tiramisu (her typical favorite), my uncle had the chocolate mousse and I had the mousse and the cannoli, they both looked amazing. I had some of all three. The tiramisu was the best I've ever had (and I detest tiramisu, so that is really saying something), and the cannoli was better than any I've had anywhere. The mousse was as good. I ended up drinking all but a glass of the wine. It was a very fine meal. Next time I will have to try the lamb. I couldn't and can't think of a finer meal I've had anywhere. Since I was paying, believe me when I say the waiter was tipped extremely generously. --- As an aside, this is a full restaurant with a full bar and a pizzeria on the side, and there is a variety of reviews because of this. read more

Been buying food here for some time. It's one of the better pizza places in town. We've been ordering more pasta dishes lately. The food is good, but the to go packaging is second rate. What's more annoying is that they know it. Because they wrap the aluminum container in plastic to prevent spillage. Of course getting into them isn't easy. The lids are so full of sauce that I have to repack them. The Chinese restaurants do a better job here. Also your shrimp dishes, especially those in pasta should have the tails already removed....and there were too few in my opinion. read more

Food was good and it was very well priced compared to the chain restaurants.

My pickup order was done a half hr after the time it was suppose to be. Was suppose to get fries with my panini and burger Didn't. So I went back in. They said oh you dont get fries anymore with the burger, the menu online is old and I'll have to make fries for the panini. I asked for the manager who refused to come out to talk to me. Told the cashier to show me the menu. I said are really arguing with me about fries after waiting so long??!! I spent way to much for crappy food! Everything was disgusting and cold!!!! read more

Good Italian food In Bensalem. The place is a gem that's a bit hidden. The food is good at decent prices.

I ordered a Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak and fries online. It was done much quicker than they estimated and was delivered fast! The roll tasted a littttttle stale but was overall good. The fries were VERY salty but also pretty good! I think 3.5 stars would be more accurate. read more

The food is just ok and the service is not much better. Definitely not worth the exorbitant price. read more

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Official Mother-in-law vote here. 3 stars with reservations. Feedback was pricey for a fixed price after funeral with 40 guests. Good presentation but slow. Crowded for lunch. Overwhelmed and unprepared. Guests left b4 they got simple ice cream for desert. read more