Went here with a big group based on the reviews on yelp. The food was great. I had the veal parmesean. Wonderful. Contrary to what is listed on the top of the yelp page, they do not take reservations. We had a party of 10 and were able to sit right down though. It is a quick walk from the train station and even faster from the light rail. There are a couple reviews talkign about the waitresses. We had a waiter who was very sharp and personable. The food was all served hot and tasted fresh. No complaints from anyone who went. You can get beer by the pitcher which is a good value, and the food is generally a good value. The portions are not gigantic, but what you do get is very tasty. I would recomend this place to friends and would be interested in going again. For some reason it reminds of a place in little falls called ernestos that I used to go to with my grandparents. It smells very authentic inside. I would give the bathrooms a 3 star rating. They arent the cleanest but they arent dirty either. Just old I guess. Overall, great resteraunt if you are looking for some good italian food at reasonable prices. read more

AMAZING Italian Food... I had the baked penne pasta with chicken, and it was so good, I kept eating, even when I was stuffed!!! The sauce (or gravy, whatever you want to call it) was the best I have ever had!!! I also split a bar pie with my BF, for an appetizer, and it was delish as well. The service was fantastic. The selection was great. It was a Friday night, and the place was packed, but we still had good food, and didnt have to wait super long. You can make it a casual place, or go there for a date, and get a little dressy. Overall, this place rocks, and everyone should experience it at least once in their life!! read more

We went to Leo's on a friend's recommendation. Immediately upon walking in, you could tell exactly what kind of a place it was. There were very clearly regulars at the bar, and the waitresses all had that "if you get to picky you're going to bother me" attitude. For what we were looking for, it was perfect. We had clams for an appetizer, and as the waitress told us, they were pretty bread-y. Good but not outstanding. In addition, we had a salad with olives & cheese that we shared that we really both liked. As entrees, I had chicken francese, which as someone else said was good, but pretty run of the mill. Nothing special. My husband had the special, which he felt was really good. The coffee and espresso were actually really good. We have eaten at what feels like countless Italian restaurants. This was by no means white tablecloth, but it was a good meal, at a very reasonable price. I doubt we'll ever be in Hoboken again anytime soon, but I would recommend Leo's as a good place to get a reliable meal. read more

Service was super-friendly. Ordered clams oreganata and penne alla vodka with shrimp to go. Took it all over to the hubster while he was on break at a gig he was doing while in town here. Even lukewarm, everything was delicious and the shrimp were plump, meaty, fresh deliciousness. I had to ask for plastic ware (was only given one set) and there were no extra napkins, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, or olive oil put in my bag. Not sure if that's an east coast thing, but the food was delish and needed no extras so its all good. Would've liked to dunk chunks of that crusty bread in some garlic and evoo though... read more

My boyfriend and I have ate here on a few occasions - some take out, some dine in. We have never been dissappointed! The food is delicious and comforting, as we both come from big Italian families. Also, you can not beat the prices here, especially for the quality (note: they only accept cash). We dined outside one day with our large dog and our waitress (an older woman) was warm, kind, and attentive - even to our dog! We left feeling very satisfied with our meal and the service and appreciation we received. We will be back! read more

I came here once for my roommate's father's birthday dinner. Everyone seemed really happy about the food and the ambiance, and I have to admit I had a fun time at the dinner, mostly because they were very accomodating to our large group (about 10 people). The only reason for the 3 stars is that I am not a huge "red sauce" italian food fan, but the food was decent for what it was. Pictures on the wall of Sinatra were very cool. All-in-all, a place to go if you like Italian food. Or Sinatra. Or wine. read more

I don't get the hype about this place at all. I've tried it twice and twice have left disappointed. Not a good spot, not a place for a date and not good in general. I feel as if they litterally stole my money. read more

Leo's Grandevous - Italian Near Me - Hoboken, New Jersey

The Best Italian Food around! We often take a 1 hour trip to Leo's...why? Because it is worth it!!!! Classic Italian food along with some inventive, new twists. Wonderful atmosphere and attentive, friendly service. Leo's granddaugther, Grace, is a professional and warm hostess and when we dine here we know that her grandfather is smiling up in heaven. A family-owned business like this is a rare gem. Right now, the restaurant is decorated beautifully for the holidays and they have live entertainment, too! read more

One of the best Italian restaurants in town. Great atmosphere, delicious food, good drinks. Service was friendly and on top of things. I can't stress enough how homemade the food tasted. The bar is big and it was great to sit there and eat when a game was on. Highly recommend! read more

This place was just MARVELOUS!! What a gem in this neighborhood. Everything they served us was just as you would imagine it should taste. The deserts we had ( I had the tiramisu) were marvelous. I am not listing everything we had because there were 5 people and we got 5 different things and EVERYTHING was superb and not one complaint. All finished plates and no to-go's! If I am in the area again, I will make sure to stop here. The service/servers were all so wonderful and attentive. Why the missing star? They don't take credit cards!! Its 2014!! People have been to the moon!! Suck it up and take credit cards! I guarantee your profits will go up because people will order more food! I know we were all wondering if we would have enough cash to cover everything. Get a credit card machine already and get the ATM out of there, it trashes up the place! read more

Food was great and the service was amazing. We've been coming here since the 80's and it keeps getting better every time we visit

Leo's is incredible. I felt right at home (and like I went back in time) as soon as I stepped in. Everyone is so friendly and there are many regulars. My two friends and I tried various drinks made by Nick (he's the best!). The bar pies are so cute and perfect to fill you up -- so many different kinds and a staple at Leo's. The pasta was delish and you should definitley ask for an order of mussels or mussels oreganata. The mussels are how Leo's all started! The cappuccino and nutella mousse were INCREDIBLE. Make sure you ask if they have any of the mousse available. You cannot leave without having it. I'm upset I didn't visit sooner and I can't wait to go back! Thank you, Nick and Grace! read more

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Leo's was very quaint and cozy! We had a great meal and the service was wonderful. Our server was very kind and helpful and everything came out in a timely manner. Not to mention the food was all DELICIOUS! read more

Every time I have been here I have had an amazing meal, one weekend I went twice! They start you with bread, dip it in the oil thats on the table, I could eat an entire roll! Then I normally get the mussels fra Diavolo, perfection!! I had lobster ravioli in Venetian sauce one time, it was one of the best things I ever tasted!! It was a special so the next time i went back they did not have it so i asked if i could get the sauce on something else, and they did!! Onto dessert, the cannoli's AMAZING! They even sell jars of their sauce, I would buy it just to dip bread in its so good!! Staff makes you feel like family! One of my favorite places in Hoboken! Just remember cash only! read more

Love this place! I've been eating here with my family for years. The food is delicious, the portions are large, and it's reasonably priced. The servers are extremely friendly and attentive. I would recommend the Mussels, the Meatball and Prosciutto Pizza Pies, the Linguini and Clam Sauce, and the Veal Parmigiana. All very great choices! read more

Best Italian restaurant in Hoboken. Authentic, cooked with love like your grandma food. I will say that the servers are a different story. They don't seem to care if you are there or not. I've come to think of it as part of the charm of the place! Know this going in and you'll have a great experience. It's cash only. In case you're out, they have an ATM in the restaurant! read more

I have fond memories of my first and subsequent visits to Leo's. The food was nothing short of a portal back to my childhood in Brooklyn eating good old fashioned Italian staples bathed in a great red gravy. More recently though my visit was a major disapointment. The bufala mozzarella and tomato lacked the basic oil and vinegar you would expect and was room temperature. That was followed up by mussels in red sauce. For reasons I can't understand they are cooked and served on a half shell. This of course leads to the dry rubbery items I found before me. Having ordered the veal parm I expected good things to come despite the two previous courses. Instead I received some water logged pasta and veal so thickly coated in egg that it tasted more like an omelette than anything else. Once upon a time Leo's was a great place for Italian comfort foods. Nowadays it seems they rely on the fact that Sinatra once ate there and have little concern for what they put on a patrons plate. read more

Very cozy family style restaurant. We had the shrimp fra diavolo and the shrimp with Brussels sprouts and pancetta. They were both very tasty meals with very generous portions. Shrimp was cooked wonderfully. read more

Leo's Grandevous - Shrimp Brussels sprouts and pancetta with penne - Italian Near Me - Hoboken, New Jersey

Unsure what is so special about this place other than the Sinatra mystique. Service was generally poor-long wait for waiter despite restaurant mostly empty, couple of bland pasta dishes. But at least it was cheap. read more

Better pasta sauce can be found in a jar from my local corner store. I think they actually just dump tinned tomato purée over their dishes.

Grimalde's and Delfino's has better food. Leos is good, but come on... Accept credit cards! Don't milk us by pointing to the inhouse ATM right next to the bar like some kind of coincidence. The bread boy also touched our bread with his bare hands... and all 6 of us knew he came from the dishwasher. We just saw him! Seriously... Frank Sinatra is a great guy and all, but just because he ate here, and the countless other spots in Hoboken for that matter, does not make you guys worthy of a 5star diamond award. That place is in Hell's Kitchen. read more

Food was good. Wait staff was better. Our server and the other servers seemed sincerely interested in making sure we were having a good time and enjoying our food. It made us feel welcome. Oddly, someone was playing a lot of Fleetwood Mac on the jukebox when we were there. I'm a Fleetwood Mac fan, but it just seemed out of place with all the Sinatra memorabilia on the wall. It feels like there should be nothing but Francis Albert playing in there... read more

The place is nice and the staff were attentive, but the food is lacking. I went with three people and nothing anyone had was great. read more

Always great, quality food. From The caesar salad to the bar pies and every pasta I have tried to date has been delicious. Even the bread they bring you is fresh out of the oven. Laid back atmosphere makes this the perfect go to. read more

Been to Leo's a handful of times and every time leaves me feeling the same. The food is decent but very overpriced for the portion/quality. The dishes should be about 30% cheaper for what is offered. They should get a 3 star rating for that part alone however the 1 Star is due to my most recent experience on a casual Sunday night. Placed order of a salad, veal dish and pasta. It took 30+ minutes for the salad and almost an hour for the entrees. Oh and the order was wrong. Waiter did not acknowledge long wait or poor service. Had to hound the bus boy for service. It's a bit disappointing as this place should be a good casual Italian restaurant but needless to say I feel it's gotten enough of an opportunity to impress and has consistently fallen flat. This last time is the nail in the coffin. read more

This was my second time at Leo's on a Tuesday night for dinner. The food is good but the service leaves something to be desired. She was not only slow, she forgot was requested and seemed like she forgot about us until she walked to the kitchen, where we could see in the window she was having a grand old time only to have her walk straight out without our items. I really hope management reads some of these reviews because this person should be retrained or put in a different position. Ive never been so disappointed but to top the evening off, she hands our 90 year old mother the bill. I mean really. We sat her at the head of the table because she has problems getting in and out, but my bf and her son were seated on either side which she could have easily handed the bill to either one. If someone wants to talk to me about this, ill gladly respond. read more

Just came home and Joined YELP just so we could write a review on this place. As a new resident to Hoboken, I have wanted to try this place out to see if it really is all that. I can honestly say it really wasn't all that - the food was very bland - under-seasoned and just not enjoyable to eat really. Even the Garlic bread was bland - how do you mess up garlic bread??? Anyway, its off the list for us. They only accept cash as well - but have an ATM if you need it. read more

Leo's is a big place, good for a group, and loud kids. The staff is friendly. Recently attended for a birthday and we were all pretty disappointed in our food. I will start off with the mussels. The menu states that they are known for them. It literally tasted like they dumped a bottle of Ragu over steamed mussels. I wouldn't even do that at home. A signature dish should be a show stopper. Next, I got the linguini with white clam sauce. Another mistake. First of all, they make it with canned, chopped clams. They added three clams in shells to the top (along with their broken shell bits in my pasta, seriously?!). The broth was terrible. It tasted very strongly of butter and that's not the way the sauce should taste (white wine and garlic). Stick with the bar pies. read more

Pretty awesome food. Most authentic I've ever had. I ordered the four cheese gnocchi with a side of broccoli and a bottle of Cabernet. Food was fantastic and the wait time was short. Tables were situated very close to other diners so the atmosphere was lacking and our waitress was a little odd and over the top. Other than that, one of the best Italian meals I've ever had. read more

Lady on the phone is rude. Did not bother eating there. Would rather go and spend my money elsewhere. Shameful.

What the actual hell! I waited 30 min for the delivery guy to bring my food- and it was cold and small! Last time EVER will I use their services! I need a refund read more

One of my good friends never stops talking about this place and how she grew up eating there. After years I finally had dinner there. I went on a Wednesday around 5:30pm and the place was empty. The service was friendly and very fast (we were the only ones in there) and the prices are decent. Photos and paintings of Sinatra everywhere. Awesome large curved white bar in front -- probably a good place just to booze. What we ordered: 1) Veal parmigiana: The marinara sauce is very bland. Bottled sauce from the supermarket is much better. The veal tasted freezer-burned. 2) Roasted peppers/smoked mozzarella/cheese/tomato appetizer: Very good and tasty, but could easily be put together at home with ease. 3) Mussels marinara: Same bland, tasteless marinara with a bad aftertaste which ruined the mussels. 4) Fries: Typical diner fries, but not as good. 5) Penne alla Vodka: Just ok. 6) Broccoli-rabe: A simple dish even made more mediocre. 7) The bread: So many other spots in the area with great Italian bread. Even diners like Coach House serve you better bread. Maybe the bar pies are incredible or I'm missing out on some other dishes. As much as I love old school Hoboken flavor and the support of non-pretentious Jersey establishments in the yupsterfied Hoboken/JC area, the food just wasn't good enough to earn a recommendation. Jersey is packed with incredible Italian spots - this isn't one of them. read more

Italian comfort food at it's best!!! Have been eating at Leo's for many years now and it has never disappointed! Food is always consistent and the staff makes you feel welcome. The shrimp Sinatra and shrimp parm are two of my favorites. If you like shrimp you cannot go wrong with either of these two dishes. Their chicken and pasta dishes are well served also. If you are looking for some Italian comfort food then look no further then Leo's you won't be disappointed! read more

11/27/2013 Visiting NY for Thanksgiving, we were invited to Leo's Grandevous in Hoboken which turned out to be the highlight of our trip. Nick, the grandson of Leo, the founding owner, welcomed us into the grand bar as we entered. Drinks were special; conversation friendly as Nick seemed to know everyone by their first name. Obviously, this cozy neighborhood gem is proud of its Hoboken roots and celebrates its native son, Frank Sinatra, with his likeness everywhere. But the food is the star here-with a classic Italian menu and with ambitious specials that would rival Mario Batali's best offerings across the Hudson. This place is a must for foodies seeking out that special diamond in the rough-great food, reasonably priced. That brings me to the service and "scary Kathy" excoriated in Jen L's Yelp review. Kathy waited on us and couldn't have been more fun. We referenced Jen L's review and "the reputation that preceded Kathy" and despite a visible hurt, Kathy took everything in stride as the 26 year veteran she is. Quite the contrary to Ms. L's comments, we say "Vieni Dentro" to anyone lucky enough to pass through this authentic classic! John and Pat T Dallas, TX read more

My office orders Leo's religiously, I've also been to Leo's a couple times before and always loved it. My spouse and I also always make sure to go on a week day to ensure the best service. Well... My family showed up as a surprise and I decided to take them out to Leo's. I knew they would love the juke box and all the Frank Sinatra memorabilia. We were seated immediately Friday night April 1. I was excited to see I had a waitress (Angela) that has served me before. When she showed up I hinted to my family what an amazing waitress she was in front of her, and that I know she'll treat us well. This was NOT the case this time around. BY FAR the worst experience ever. So bad I probably won't return. Two adults, two children. FOOD: Both children split a cup of minestrone soup ($_5?_) and a chicken cutlet parmigiana dinner ($18.50) Both Adults ordered for appetizers - Manhattan Clam Chowder ($_6?_) & Broccoli Rabe ($6) For dinner we ordered -Tomato & Mozzarella Salad ($8) & a Shrimp Fra Diavolo entrée($19.50) DRINKS: 3 Pepsi ($1.50ea), 3 Shirley Temples (maybe $2.50ea) lets say $10.50 all together for drinks First off we waited forever for drinks. Then we had to remind the waitress about our soups. As soon as the soups came, the minestrone (Vegetable soup) tasted like watery vegetables. No flavor what so ever. The clam chowder was not red. Also tasted just like the minestrone soup with rubbery pieces of clams at the bottom. Ok.. whatever. Glad we got cups and not bowls. Moving on. The entrees come (the table wasn't cleared for them so when the waitress came she awkwardly stood there as if we were supposed to hand her our dishes for her to put the entrees down) Totally uncoordinated. So entrees are down... They split the chicken parm for the children. Thumbs up. First adult has the Shrimp Fra Diavolo - He requested linguini - It came with Penne. Caprese Salad is down - tomatoes were old. Not enjoyable. Where's the broccoli rabe? - Waitress forgot it. She brings it over. Of course.. it's cold. She gives us an attitude asking do we want a new one or not? If we were to wait for a new one it would have taken forever. We decided to just eat the cold one. Ok so GET THIS. We can't wait to get out of this place, we ask for the bill. The bill comes and it's a WHOPPING $135.00 Wait a second here... We were a bit confused - the waitress came over and asked what was wrong. We pointed to the bill and she shrugged her shoulders and tried justifying the price. Well! you ordered this and this and this and..... Then she said wait. Something's wrong. She hands us the bill back for $75 -- ($60.00 LESS than what she originally charged.) We've never left so little of a tip in our lives. 7% Worst experience by far. read more

I've been raised by Italians my whole life; this is NOT Italian food. The prices are reasonable and the staff, attentive; however, the food itself was below average. My linguini with clam sauce was swimming in butter. My boyfriend also got a pasta dish where butter seemed to be the main (if not the only) ingredient. While there were actual clams in my sauce, there's no question that the rest of the clams were canned. Our hot antipasto consisted of all frozen, deep fried, finger foods. To top it off, the soda was disgustingly flat. Try washing off two day's worth of oil and grease with flat soda ... it's the worst. I'm usually very generous with my ratings, but when the best part of the meal is the bread that's served at the beginning, the place deserves only 2 stars ... at best! read more

My fave Italian spot in Hoboken. Old school, no frills, gritty, and good. Do not come here if you want something "inventive" or with "depth of flavor." You will be disappointed. Come for the Italian classics, huge portions, surly waitresses, and simple good sauce that reminds you of the one your grandma used to make, you know the one she simmered on the stove for hours every Sunday and stirred with the same wooden spoon she beat you with. That's Leo's. And like many other Italian-run "establishments" don't forget, it's cash-only. read more

Eh... been here a couple of times, and really, I'm not impressed with anything about this place. I could make dry spaghetti and tomato sauce out of a jar just as easily. The bread is not worth chewing. Tutta pasta is moderately better, but the problem is I have been spoiled with truly good Italian (Scarpetta and Crispo, to name a couple). I'm sure this place is totally acceptable to the culinary ignorant. Also, they are cash only. read more

Placed pick up order for chicken parm, was quoted 20 minutes, went to pick up, and waited another 20 minutes ((40 total)). Got home, food was cold and there was no cheese on chicken parm. Very confused how you can get something so easy, so very wrong... read more

Bland sauces on various pastas. The price was right but the taste was not out-of-sight. Not sure I'd come back. Doesn't Hoboken have anything better than this? read more