Catt A.

My husband took me here to celebrate my birthday. The restaurant is tiny and as a result, tables are close together. The restaurant is dark and loud- I liked the music but they were playing a lot of hip hop which isn't typical of an Italian restaurant. We split the lupa pizza and it was delicious. We then moved onto entrees. I had scallops, my husband had gnocchi and we split Brussel sprouts. everything was good. My husbands gnocchi was a special ; it was good but was missing something in my opinion- and since it was $90, it was definitely a shame. My scallops were cooked well. For dessert we enjoyed espresso, which was good, and the brownie sundae. The brownie was not enjoyable, but the gelato was excellent. Our server, Anthony, was helpful in suggesting things to try. He was extremely patient and accommodating. We would definitely return for the pizza.

Suzette S.

After apple picking at Battleview Orchards, my future daughter in law made reservations for party of 4 at La Lupa. Nicely decorated as we walked in. Cozy dinning area with extremely dim lighting. Our Server Fiona was great. Introduced us to the philosophy of La Lupa. Fresh made pasta. Light pizzas. She encouraged family style and sharing. She proceeded to tell us about the specials. We placed our orders. Calamari was good. My future daughter in law and I decided to order pizza and tortellini to share. Pizza was light, flavorful. Hot pepper oil was served on side at my request. Tortalini was tasty, rich cheesy sauce. Small portions- I had about 5-6 tortalinis. My husband ordered the JERSEY CORN CARAMELLE- tasty, but small portion. My son's entree the fresh fish of the day- halibut was the only entree size meal. The pastas were appetizer size or small plate size. I would expect double the amount of pasta for the price. Little deceiving when it was suggested family style to share- expecting entree size, not appetizer size entrees. Fiona read off the desserts- Brownie, warm cookie and a variety of gelatos. It was a bit noisy with the music and conversations, I didn't hear one of the dessert items. Coziness and darkness- table next to us on the left, knocked over the water bottle, landed on my son's foot. Bottle did not break- thankfully. I stood up to use the restroom, almost bumped into a Server. Servers were bumping into the tables. My eyes had to adjust to the light when we left. Maybe lower the music, increase the lighting and remove a table or 2 to get less cozy seating. Food was tasty and Fiona was awesome!!

Jamie S.

I've never been here and have heard more and more recently about it, especially from social media. In the past when I've looked for a reservation, I couldn't ever find anything. We found one last minute a few days ago for a birthday celebration for tonight. The restaurant is BYOB. Upon walking in it's super dark and dimly lit. The music is also quite loud and the bass is well heard. It's a smaller spot and they definitely pack the tables in. There's also four seats overlooking where the pizza is made. I was surprised to see only one bathroom in the whole restaurant. The service was really good and the manager was very hands-on and helping out. We started with the Caesar which wasn't bad, the focaccia special, which was just ok, the rice balls, which I loved and the fried chicken, which was a little too peppery for me. Then we got the margarita pizza which I really liked, the spicy vodka, which was too spicy for me and the anolini de parma which I also liked. For dessert we got the deconstructed tiramisu, which also was just ok and the honey comb and Biscoff gelato was really good. I would've loved to try a steak but just couldn't pay $90-$200 for one at this time. The service was really good and I liked the ambience, but the food wasn't as superb as I thought it was going to be. I'll be willing to try again and try some other items considering the menu always changes.

Jodi T.

Food and service are always so good. Our waiters's name was Kyle and he was amazing. How he remembers all the specials blows me away. Also love that they don't rush you and let you really enjoy your food. Great atmosphere and food is always on par. Music is a little loud, but there's always a great vibe.

Kim M.

Always a great time when going to La Lupa . The food is delicious and super fresh! The staff is absolutely amazing! Also ambience is stellar just the best . Nothing beats an amazing restaurant . Cheers!

Kristen H.

A cozy, yet vibrant and upbeat Italian restaurant with phenomenal food. My boyfriend and I went back for our second time this past weekend on Sunday at 4:30pm. I thought it would be quieter but was still jam packed. The restaurant reminds me of a restaurant in the city - it's very skinny and long - which doesn't leave a lot of space between tables. I mean we sat at the same table twice, and on my side I'm closed in tightly at a wooden booth. In order to go to the bathroom my boyfriend has to pull the table out. There was a plant close to my head as well as the staff working directly and above behind me. This is all completely fine it just naturally gives a congested feeling. The interior is super dark which is cool with dim lighting and nice ambience around however it does make it slightly harder to see the food. The table next to us is only a few inches away and the tables along the booth side in general are packed tight. With all of the customers the inside gets SERIOUSLY LOUD. They interestingly play music that is like rap/hip-hop loudly which is cool - again reminding me of a place in the Lower East Side or something but it makes it hard to hear the person you're dining with/communicate. The staff here is EXTREMELY NICE. And so so super attentive. There will be not a minute your water glass isn't refilled. They are kind and elaborate with their menu and special dishes - explaining each detail. Our waiter let us know all the dishes are recipes created by the chef's mother. The manager checked on us often. It was the first time we tried the pizza. We had the margherita and it was thin and SO delicious. I let the waiter know I like spicy, so he gave me their insanely delicious side of red peppers and oil you can add to your meals (def ask for it!) The brussel sprouts are delicious and come with a huge portion. One of the waiters has asked me if I wanted to leave it on the table for dinner and I said yes. After I got back from the bathroom, I believe someone else asked my boyfriend so they wrapped it up. I didn't realize the wrapped food is put in a bag behind you on the top part of the wooden booth. So when I asked a waiter where they went he thought we never got them and brought more. (I asked quickly and probably should've waited to ask our own server) however the waiter and manager were so kind to let us have the second portion of Brussels for free. THANK YOU!!! The Sunchoke pasta special is AMAZING. I loved the sides of the halibut. I thought the fish itself was ok. Wish they had scallops - maybe need to come back when it gets warmer. I also def want to try the crudo app when retuning - looks amazing! For dessert we had a delectable warm brownie with cinnamon gelato assortment and they added a candle for my boyfriend's bday! They have a ton of gelato options which is cool. I saw someone else order the cauliflower app and that looked amazing as well. Overall it's a fun spot just not the best place if you're looking to quietly unwind. It's more of an upbeat date spot with cool atmosphere, music and delicious meals. They have one bathroom in the back that is multi-sex. I highly recommend making a reservation. It's also BYOB! Last thing but don't forget to miss the turn into the strip mall the restaurant resides in bc comes up quick.

Sara B.

My expectations for La Lupa were already high, and this dining experience exceeded my expectations in every single way. The menu was overwhelming because I literally wanted to try everything. There are lots of apps, pastas, pizzas, meats and fishes plus some daily specials. We started with the pulpo which was divine. A huge portion with so much fresh octopus, tomatoes and olives in the most flavorful oil. Next up was the bucatini amatriciana which was coated in the creamiest tomato sauce with lots of smoky pancetta. They have a few cuts of steak that you can order in a small or a large and these are grilled on a yakitori grill. We tried the skirt wagyu and it was literally one of the best steaks I've ever had. Crispy on the outside and buttery and cooked to medium perfection on the inside. A small was more than enough for two of us, especially with an app and a pasta. The brussel sprouts side was the perfect accompaniment and were crispy, sweet and covered in parm. A bowl of brussels was massive - enough for an entire table. No room for dessert but everything looked amazing. Service was also great! It's a bit of a slow dining experience but I liked how they bring things out course by course and give you time to savor every dish. Made me feel like I was eating in Italy. Prices are definitely high but everything is so quality and portions are quite large, so it's really worth every penny. The ambiance is super romantic, small and dimly lit. Perfect for a date night! A few other things to note - BYO, so don't forget a bottle. Reservations are a must, but they seemed to have them available for most nights after 8 if you don't mind a bit of a later dinner. We also sat at the chef's counter and really liked it. It was fun to see the food get cooked and felt more spacious than some of the tight two tops. I want to try literally everything else on the menu. Cannot wait to come back.

Anthony S.

Normally i don't do a one time visit and review. However, this is a place my wife found on TIKTOK. We were in the area meaning south jersey. We took a shot. Hit up a wine bottle on the way to restaurant as it is B.Y.O.B . We got there and the place is quaint. There was a wait not long but something they need to get a bit better at accommodating the customers with reservations. Again not terrible but a nit picking thing for me. Now The place although a small venue is done very nice. The set up kind of has a NYC vibe and the place was hopping. The acoustics are loud but we sat at the bar which was a perfect spot. The place is tight with tables ( NYC ). Now the food. We tried the Margherita pizza and i was craving pizza for weeks. It is a neopolitan style that my wife isn't totally onboard with. She loves the NYC style pizza however we have it a shot. Well a home run. The ingredients are fresh with nothing but the best were used. My wife loved the pizza. Also to accompany the pizza they give a small serving of Calabrian chili's. I truly loved the pizza. Next up I ordered the ANOLINI DI PARMA traditional meat filling, pork jus, parmigiano fonduta, aged balsamico di modena. Once again nothing but the best ingredients used. Was delicious we used that as a side dish to the 22 oz steak we ordered and split. The steak was cooked to perfection. Many places either have it over cooked or under cooked. Not this place. Everything we ordered was cooked perfectly and delicious. The service was very good. Chad was accommodating and always checking in. However, the owner took customer service to another level. Dan visited every person in his restaurant over and over. He ensured that everyone is good and explained each dish and their search for perfection. My words not his. All in all these guys from Manalapan crushed it. Very enjoyable evening food service and an owner who made it a great evening. Next visit if they crush it again, it will be a 5. We are looking forward to it. Lastly, all customers were definitely satisfied with everything at La Lupa.

Lori R.

The ambiance is the drawing factor here. My food I felt was mediocre. We tried 3 appetizers: - the artichokes were decent - the tuna special was average - the meat and cheese board was a large serving and was average as well For our main meals, we had the Wagyu skirt steak. It came out cold, so that was a bit of a bummer. The taste was good, however. We also had the saltimbocca chicken which was tasty. Overall, in my opinion, for the price, you can find much better in the area. I enjoyed the experience, however, between the ambiance and the service.

D B.

Seated in time. Booked on open table Very dark inside tight seating. Michael our waiter made up for that with excellent service has an anniversary and they acknowledged it twice. Nice touch Try the olive oil cake Delishhh