Should really be 4.5 stars, but of course Yelp doesn't allow for that. I don't normally review places I have only been to once, but this was SO good I have to make an exception. We were looking for someplace 'different' to go for a nice dinner out to celebrate our birthdays, and (thank you Yelp!) decided on Luce in Middletown. Atmosphere is very nice in the restaurant side, but we would have been unhappy if we were seated on the other side because there was a gentleman (term used loosely) screaming his head off at the final 4 basketball game on the TV in the bar. Luckily that ended before our appetizers came....Waitstaff is young, but very very polished and know how to give good service. Front of house manager/host clearly was running the show and stayed on top of service--nice to see. Now, on to the food. It was amazing. DH ordered clams on the half shell (1/2 doz) and the Luce combo (veal scallopine and shrimp combo with tomato and portabella mushrooms, capers and pasta shells). Clams were obviously fresh, sweet little cherrystones served with two sauces which were homemade and very good. Veal was tender, shrimp cooked perfectly. I believe he cleared his plate :). I ordered a beet salad, with goat cheese, pears and balsamic drizzle. It was not what I expected--I thought it would be greens with the above ingredients over..it was a little formed pile of beets with the other ingredients surrounding. OMG it was fantastic!! Dinner was chicken medallions with asparagus, sun-dried tomato, mushrooms, all served over risotto...mmmmm risotto.......drool drool drool.....So, we are fans of the food. What really sold us on going there was the wine list, which we looked up before we went. Stags Leap Artemus, Chateau Montelena Chard, Grigch Hills wines...you get the picture. An absolute paradise for oeniphiles. All priced fairly reasonably for a restaurant. We settled on the Chateau Montelena chard, and it was transcendent. It was a splurge at $70 but not bad when you consider it sells for about $50 retail. All in all, a fantastic experience and we will be back. Hopefully soon! read more

Food price / quality 9. Atmosphere is Italian / Neo-industrial / contemporary. Mediterranean themed, priced right, unique selections. Homemade potato chips wit blue cheese aioli, incredible. Salads too big to eat! read more

I find it hard to believe Luce has been here for all these years and last night was my first time there. I'll definitely be back! We started with the zucchini flowers appetizer special based on the waitress's recommendation, and glad we did. They were delicious. For our dinners, it was a veal night.... I had the veal chop off the regular menu. It came with beans and mash potatoes. Considering I was in the mood for steak, I thought I was taking a chance of being disappointed.... How wrong I was! The veal chop was outstanding, better than most steaks I've had. The beans an potatoes were very good too. My wife had the veal strip special... I didn't try it but it looked good. She agreed with me when I said it was better than steak. We ate in the bar area which was somewhat quiet but they had three ball games on so it was good for me. We will return in the near future! read more

As the two stars represent, meh, I've experienced better. Rather disappointing because the reviews were so good. We had high hopes. The good: Bar. My drink was great. Had a pomengranate martini. Nom. Service was very good. The bad: The halibut special. There is nothing worse than over cooked fish. Okay, maybe there are worse things, but this was my birthday dinner and I was really looking forward to a good meal. What perplexed me is that there was maybe five tables of patrons. It's not like they were slammed. It's the attention to details that make the difference. No excuse for overcooked fish. My friend had the scallops and the she said the sauce was so overwhelming she didn't want to eat the dish. The dessert was good though, so it wasn't a complete bust. It was a surprise so I'm not sure what the name of it was on the menu, some kind of warm chocolate cake with french vanilla ice cream. Overall, not worth investigating for round two because Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen and its easy to do it well. read more

Just wanted to let you know this place is so very consistent.....consistantly wonderful!!!! We have now been several more times, always getting the Onion soup which IMHO is one of the top 5 ever (with the exception of my feelings about the sliced Gruyere mentioned below, but HECK I am thrilled they even use the proper Gruyere cheese (and dont cheap out with the standby of swiss or **eeeek* Provolone or Mozzeralla like some lesser places do!). The service has been absolutely wonderful with one exception last Sat, we showed up early before our fave gal Lizzy came on (she starts at 4pm!) and had a girl who was a bit hmmmm, not sure how I want to categorize her, lets just say she was not as friendly, sweet or happy to be there as Lizzy is. But thankfully Lizzy took over when she arrived and fixed everything, and was such a pleasure. Im not sure of the other gals name, but whatever...we just make sure we go when Lizzy is working! BUT.....today we met ABBY, and she was a real treat too! We decided to go at the last minute, and we knew Lizzy was not working, but we knew we would be well taken care of....and we certainly were! I like to order things on the side or in different ways (think Meg Ryan in 'When Harry met Sally' LOL) but I am never made to feel like I am being a pest ....all requests are met immediately and with a smile! (and believe me we compensate them well for outstanding service) Anyway, I just had to let you all know, we have had nothing but fantastic food and wonderful service here. I can see us continuing to go or take out from here once a week or so for a while! We do not even live in this town! Its about 15 miles away...but so worth it! read more

The appetizers, stuffed figs with Gorgonzola over prosciutto with balsamic reduction (me) and bardo salad (Joe) were light and delicious. The main course was even better. I had the chicken medallions over risotto. It was superb. Joe had a surf and turf over polenta, a special for the day. The steak was cooked perfectly. He said whatever it costs it was worth it. The wait staff was excellent; attentive but not overbearing or pushy! We would definitely come again. read more

We were recently there for lunch and enjoyed my time there. The food tasted fabulous and tasted half as good as it looked. If you need a date night, this place is perfect! read more

Out of all the restaurants in Middletown, Luce is where I eat most often. I find them to be very consistent with food. Service is good and the prices are fair (although the specials can get very pricey, so just ask before you order). Luce serves very different food from what you would find at a typical restaurant, with a good variety of game meats and seafood. This type of variety is something I find pretty lacking with most restaurants in the area and it is the reason why I keep going back. Most of the food comes off as rich-tasting to me, so I prefer to go here regularly in the winter. I generally sit in the bar area or near the fireplace, and don't really bother with the dining area. read more

Slow service and nasty food. Stale potato chips, depressing little side salad, and the panini was greasy and bland. The server also seemed a little hostile towards our dietary restrictions. Yuck. read more

Excellent service and a great meal! I have been here a couple times and the first time we came always sticks out in my mind. We had made a reservation, but it was around the holidays so of course everyone wants to hang out and chat, so we had to wait a little while. They thought at the least we would still be waiting 20 minutes. We told them that was fine and headed to the bar to get drinks. I am not sure if he was the owner or the manager but he brought a giant plate of calamari over to "tide us over" while we waited. A gesture I consider above and beyond. Everyone is very nice and always checking in, refilling your glass, or making sure you are having a great time. A really great atmosphere and always a good experience the times I have been here. read more

Took our reservation and seated us by ourselves outside while we were early for our reservation not as asked. The staff was laughing as they seated us and was immature and unprofessional. I would not go back here until the staff is trained how to properly address a customer. Taking my business across the street. Called out the guest for walking away from their business. read more

Went there for the first time for the fireworks this july, found this place for dinner and was blown away. From the moment we walked in the gentleman who greeted and sat us was very nice and on point. Same as our waiter. We ordered the porterhouse for 2 and it was more than amazing. We live 45 mins away and will travel there once a month it is that good. The apps the meal and the drinks all 10/10 rating read more

Luce - New American Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

I enjoyed this place, although I think I might like it better in warmer weather when I can sit outside. I went for dinner and I thought the inside was way too dark. I get the idea of ambiance with the lighting but I found it to be just too much. We ordered the Maryland Crab Cakes and Calamari as an app. The crab cake was very good especially with the sauce. The calamari was pretty standard, good but nothing overly exciting about it. I prefer mine without the breading though so I won't be too critical. I ordered the Mesclun salad and Spinach Gnocchi. I really enjoyed the fennel in the salad. The sauce was delicious and the gnocchi, although chewy, had a good flavor with the spinach. I think Luce is a nice place and I'd like to come back in the future to try a fish entree but I'm not in a big rush. Italian restaurants are all over this state so while Luce is pretty good, I think there will be other places to visit before I come back here again. read more

Nice bar staff! Decent menu options. The salmon is really good, the salads are good, the chicken dish is awesome. Lots of martini options. Dress code is on the business casual side. Nearby parking lot so no need to find street parking. The manager is very friendly and has made conversations with us often. read more

I dined here with a friend on a Saturday night. We ordered the diver scallops appetizer, she had the beet salad special, and the chicken medallions.I had the steak tips entree. The appetizer was good, the scallops had a crispy coating and the polenta was flavorful. The raisin side was odd and I did not eat more than a bite. The steak tips were tough, and the sauce was thin. It tasted like something you would make in a slow cooker. The service at the restaurant was attentive and the diners around us seemed pleased. There was nothing about the experience that would make me go back again. read more

Fantastic service and food. The waiter remembers me and my favorite cocktail. Highly recommend

After reading the reviews on yelp.com my boyfriend and I decided to try it out. When we got there we asked to be seated somewhere quiet because it was so loud, they put us next to a party and in between two other tables with couples, next to the waiter workstation. Although the decor was nice we did not get to see much of it since we were jammed into a corner. Per recommendation of yelp reviewers, I ordered the onion soup. First of all it took at least half an hour for the soup to come out, although they did serve us bread, and then I was given a serving spoon to eat my soup with. After asking the waiter for a smaller spoon I ate very little of what was the greasiest soup I have ever had, at $6 for a small bowl, I was expecting much more, I could not even eat it there was so much oil in the soup. For dinner I ordered the spinach gnocchi, which tasted like playdough, and only the sauce served with it made the meal edible. My boyfriend got the steak tips, which were extremely chewy, although the mashed potatoes were decent. We were there for an hour beforeour meals came out, thank goodness I was in good company or else I would have been irritated. The waiter was friendly, but the price of this place warrants $$$, for the both of us to eat dinner, two entrees and a soup, it was over $50. Also the attire leans much more towards dressy than casual, I felt out of place in the khakis and nice tee I was wearing. Also we were not given a specials menu even though I requested one, maybe I could have been saved from the terribel gnocchi, which was given to me in the shape of squares and looked like tofu. Certainly not the best place I have ever eaten. read more

This past Sunday for Mother's Day our family group of 11 adults and a two year old had dinner here. We were in a very large, specious and well ventilated tent. Everyone enjoyed the food, and the service was great. Very pleased. read more

So, this is the second time i've visited this luce location. Once, a few weeks back with a girlfriend, tonight, solo. The set-up is not my favorite, but i just think it's a little outdated. Major plus? Parking lot. Not that middletown is sooo crazy busy, but a lot is always nice. The bar is long which is very accommodating and the bartender Vicky has been quick, pleasant, and sunny on both occasions; she's definitely an asset. The menu is a bit pricey, especially for this self-proclaimed happy hour queen, but the food really is delicious. Tonight i had an appetizer (special) of grilled calamari PERFECTLY cooked, a tough thing to do. It was dressed with garlicky olive oil and lemon juice, served on a mix of baby greens- just perfection. On the previous occasion, my girlfriend and i shared the crab cakes, beef carpaccio, and shrimp cocktail- all classic, all classically good. For me, nothing has been so exceptional that i'm dying to come back, though i do like the atmosphere: upscale, yet relaxed. The crowd is a bit older (50s & 60s), but i'm not really looking to hang with the young and hip, so it suits me fine. I get the feeling there are a lot of regulars, considering everyone but me was greeted by name... that's probably why i was remembered, because i'm NOT a regular. At any rate, i'd recommend coming here at least once, just to give it a try. It may be more up your alley than mine. *i chose $$$ because, if you have a couple drinks and an app, or 1 drink and an entree, you're pretty much looking at $30. You could do this place cheaper, but it really is a food AND drinks kind of a place, in my opinion. read more

My wife and I went here to celebrate out new beginnings in Middletown. From the beginning we were quite impressed. The restaurant and bar were very busy but te staff was very attentive to out needs as soon as we walked in. The maitre 'd was very courteous and charming and got us to a nice table right away. The beer, drink and wine list were very extensive. They had about a dozen draft options including micro brews! The food was delicious and expertly prepared. We shared the zucchini flowers stuff with crab meat special which were the perfect size to whet our appetites. The steak I has was cooked right and had a delicate smokiness that did not overpower the meat. For desert we share the bomba which was paired with a nice cherry sauce and whipped cream. The only downside to the meal was that the restaurant was very loud; to the point where you have to raise your voice to speak across the table. Other than that it was an enjoyable meal! read more

What more can I say that hasn't already been said? If you want a good food guarantee, go to Luce...nuff said. Here is a restaurant that actually warrants 5 stars. The specials menu is where it's at so pay attention! ;) read more

Food is very good. I had the red snapper served over risotto with bok choy from the specials menu. Boyfriend had the sea scallops off the regular menu. Both were very tasty. The fish was slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The scallops were plump and tender and made with some sort of reduction that made them almost sweet. Mmm. For dessert them molten lava cake was delightfully rich and the creme brulee was perfect. Service could be a little better. When calling for reservations the staff answered the phone "Hello?" and were very abrupt. Host was sort of dismissive. Waiter was okay. read more

When I first walked in they sat me and my friend at a small horrible table right on the stairway. Soon enough a manager set up a new table for us and moved us. This was the first thing I noticed that I liked about this place. The beef carpaccio is exceptional as well as the stuffed portabella mushroom. We both got the 18 oz. ribeye medium rare and the steak was just okay. The broccolini side is great, the asparagus is average and the fact that they have bottled still water as an option is certainly a plus. Overall, I would give the food a 3 star rating, however the food came in a very timely fashion, especially for a Saturday night. Because of the service and the actions of the manager, however, I would bump the total rating up to 4 stars and absolutely be willing to come back and try Luce again. read more

Repeat customers. My scallop dish off the menu was superb. My wifes salmon off the menu was good. Just a tad over cooked. They always have a great selection of excellent wines by the glass. We had the Bombe dessert. Yummy! We ate at a hightop in the bar. Excellent service! read more

Luce - Entrance - New American Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

We eat here twice a month . Never been disappointed . The Dover sole deboned table side is my fave. Had the filet Last week and it was perfect. Had a very nice Smokey char on it and was super tender. I really like the fresh mozzarella caprese appetizer but they need to use tomatoes that have fully ripened and developed flavor. The last few times they were hard and barely pink. But the mozzarella was delish! Will continue to have dinner twice a month here. read more

Went here for a date night and honestly wasn't overly impressed. I split the porterhouse steak with my girlfriend and honestly found it to be quite bland. I've had great steak at other places and this was a bit of a letdown. Sides were okay. Service was nice and the decor is okay but I don't think I'll return here read more

Outdoor seating is very attractive and service is great. The menu had nice variation. Appetizers and salad were very good. Our problem was with the main courses: salmon was overcooked and came with a huge swath of a pungent brown sauce that would have overwhelmed the fish. Arctic char, on the other hand, was cooked perfectly along with fingering potatoes. However, the dish was overwhelmed with sauce and some savories that dimmed the taste of the fish. Seems the chef is over focused on drenching good fish with all the wrong kinds of strong flavors! read more

Very expensive for mediocre food. Charged each of us $5.00 for water & never told us there was a charge. Had water at Amici's the week before, great food and there was no charge for water. Never go to Luce's again. read more

We ate here last night to celebrate our anniversary. We sat outside and it was charming. The food was good. Service was better. The ambiance was best. I had Chicken medallions over spinach. I would absolutely order that again. My husband ordered the salmon and if I liked salmon, I would say it looked pretty good. I do eat out often so I am a tough customer. It was on the higher end price-wise. Steaks were $40+ and $8.25 for a Titos and seltzer water. All in all, I'd go back. read more

Luce - our check - New American Near Me - Middletown, Connecticut

Fantastic restaurant. The food is always on point and the staff is excellent. We had our rehearsal dinner there and continue to go when we want a nice night out. They also do outside dining in nice weather which is awesome. Highly recommend. read more

This has become our Thanksgiving day tradition. Luce offers such a fine menu and professionally courteous staff, I would not spend the "food holiday" anywhere else! 5 stars read more

Stopped in Saturday evening on the way back for the Essex Train eagle watch. Luce has a great atmosphere and decor. We were very comfortable where we were seated. Cudos to our waiter, Alex. He knew the menu from top to bottom. He answered every question without having to check with someone. The food was prepared very well. Both chicken dishes were not overcooked. The marscapone cheesecake with raspberry sauce was delicious. It's not often you see a non cream cheese cake. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Not the best service in town,had dinner tonight seems our waitress couldn't get things right,asked for butter for the bread ended up getting ou r own,one meal came with the wrong veg that was ordered the other meal was missing items,so all I can say is they need to train there staff to pay more attention to detail and less about turnover,drinks were over priced,so would i go back probably not there's other restaurants on main with food as good but a lot better service. read more

Horrible! Rude owner! Been numerous times thought we were valuable customers. After complaining about wayyy over priced drinks, owner who was belligerent while dining with friends became so irrate he got in our 9 years face! It did not end well. We are not allowed back but would NEVER go back regardless! Dont waste your time read more

This is the first review I'm writing on Yelp and my hopes are to get the point across to the owners that something needs to be done if they would like to keep their doors open. There are an abundance of amazing restaurants in Middletown if you would like to have a nice night out with your significant other. My girlfriend and I had pretty much exhausted all options and were looking to have a top notch meal so we decided to eat at Luce. When we arrived, the wait staff was very pleasant and I have absolutely zero complaints in that department. We were sat immediately and we browsed the menu. Most items were an average of $30 which was to be expected. The last time I had eaten something off a menu for $30, the food looked like it was prepared for a king. We started with calamari and browsed the menu a bit more until we both decided. I chose tenderloin tips and my girlfriend chose the special for the night which was an asparagus stuffed ravioli. We were excited for out food and chowed down on the bread, which was my first negative thought. The bread tasted good but you could clearly tell it was a bit stale. The calamari came out and it was as basic as basic could be. Plain calamari that was fried. No seasoning, no fancy cuts, no added peppers or garnish. I was trying to make sure my girlfriend was happy so I just smiled and ate. Our meals arrived and before I even began eating, I asked my girlfriend "does this look like a $30 meal?", she had a low laugh and said no. I wish I had a picture of it but it basically looked like someone went to price chopper in the clearance section for meat and bought the most inexpensive steak the could find and they boiled it and cut it up. Tenderloin tips? I don't think so. Boiled clearance steak!? Bingo!! I tried the steak and once again there was no seasoning. As I suspected, it tasted boiled. I grill steak 3-4 times a week and I know a good steak when I see one. This clearly was not. I dug around the gravy drowned steak until I made it to the mashed potatoes that tasted like my 4 year old nephew made. No wait, I take that back, my nephew can make them better. It figures why they had so much store bought gravy drowning the unseasoned clearance meat...it was for that reason. On to the next meal, the asparagus stuffed ravioli. My girlfriend could hardly eat them. She asked me to try it to see if I even tasted asparagus. I tried it and I told her it tasted like a hot dog. She actually laughed out loud and for the first time that meal, I smiled. She opened two more of the ravioli sand searched for asparagus. Not a single strand of asparagus to be seen. The bill came and after tip it was $95. I wanted to puke as I felt I was completely scammed. I don't believe I will ever be returning to Luce and I hope that this review was helpful. read more

The service was excellent here, the atmosphere was wonderful. We had lunch here, the food was just good. Had calamari for an appetizer and it was very good, lightly breaded and fresh. Two salads and two sandwiches. The salads were good. Only two shrimp in one of them (although it did state that on menu, should be more), the other one had a nice size of protein The corn beef sandwich was good and a nice portion. However, the Cajun shrimp Cesar wrap while good was 85 percent lettuce! It had at best one shrimp in it cut up, a lot of croutons a nice sauce that was not Cajun at all, it really was Cesar. Reason for 4 stars. Ask how many of these proteins are in the dishes you get before ordering. Food and service are good would go again but Would order some things differently. read more

Was there today for lunch with my sisters. The food was great! The service was amazing! Love that place

This place is amazing!! I had heard good things... so I stopped in on a busy Friday night. Started with a cucumber martini, and Moira the bartender made sure that I liked my drink before she departed!! She is a total sweetheart!! I started with the Bluepoint oysters... they came with a port mignonette. It is the best mignonette I have ever had. The oysters were fresh and crisp, and highly enjoyable, not just due to the mignonette!! I next had a special appetizer of Gorgonzola stuffed figs with shaved prosciutto. The combination of the flavors was perfect! I later had the fresh Buffalo Motz with tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic reduction. This may have been the best cheese I have ever had. I am now awaiting my panna cota and my dessert eh w. I expect to be highly impressed!! And thanks, Moira!! read more

* In Middletown? You'll Do Far, Far Better At 20+ Alternatives * A friend wanted to try Luce because of their outdoor dining and pretty flowers along the tables. Entering and being seated here has a forced-formal feeling to it, rather than a comfortable one. But the waitress was nice enough. Attentiveness is not the problem. I had pasta and a salad. Not bad, but not worth the considerable price. If you come here, you'll be paying for atmosphere, and for Luce's version of "fancy dining" - not terrific food, not a comfortable experience. If their prices were 50% what they are, I'd consider returning if all the superior Middletown eateries were gone, and I was really hungry. Seriously, there are some truly outstanding eateries right here in Middletown. Why waste your time and money on a 2nd-rate place with 1st-rate prices (and that oh-so-fancy attitude)? * Phil read more

Went to Luce on a Thursday night for a family birthday. Overall a very pleasant experience. Everyone was happy with their meals and the cost was reasonable. I had the salmon off the menu and several in our party had the Chilean sea bass special. Calamari appetizer was excellent. Lightly breaded and not heavy with grease from frying. Two portions were demolished by a party of nine before our entrees came. If there were anything to improve upon, Id say the parking. read more