Honestly, I was blown away by this humble little restaurant. It truly is a warm and inviting atmosphere with standout dishes and excellent service. It was so good that I would have returned back the very next day. We walked in and we're seated immediately with our reservation, and the experience only went up from there. There are plenty of staff around to make sure that you have everything you need without seeming to be too much. It's a cozy space, nothing super fancy, but really that's all you need sometimes in a neighborhood Italian joint. Everyone at my table raved about their food from the pasta Arrabiata, to the veal special to what I had which was the crab pasta. There was so much crab and the sauce was so light. I can't get over it. I ate my leftovers that same night. Looking forward to visiting soon again read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - Crab pasta - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

Awful experience. We left after an hour and twenty minutes after not getting our food. I kept asking how much longer was it going to take and they never came back with an answer. Having kitchen experience myself as well as being human being I know things can happen. I just wanted to know. After the host came in from hanging out with his friends outside he bought us over a salad swimming in dressing as an apology . I told him we don't want that, all we want is an answer as to how much longer our food will be. Again, no answer. By the time we wanted to leave our waitress and servers were no where to be found so we were kind of stuck as I was not going to walk in back to look for someone. Now, nobody wants to walk out of a restaurant ( except the owner in this case) but over an hour with no explanation is a little much. We finally caught a server who got our waitress as we waited by the door. Her only excuse for us was " I don't know what to tell you" read more

Six different dishes and two appetisers were all perfect. That's no accident. Everyone was so pleased. Short ribs, red snapper, lamb shanks, cod, muscles and clams, stuffed pork chops. Each was a signature dish. The seating was comfortable, the atmosphere was relaxed. Our server did everything correctly. Attentive, but not overbearing. We never had to flag down help for water, bread, or any additional items. ( maybe our waitress was Rachel. I wish I remembered) I've been disappointed with so many of my usual restaurants over the past 2 years. My faith is restored by last night's dinner. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience. read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - So happy we just had a wonderful meal together. - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

We dined at Marandola's for Valentine's Day and it was wonderful. pre-fix menu was delicious, well prepared , and nice size portions. The restaurant was on the smallcozy side. The wait staff was professional ad attentive and the price was just right. it was our 4th time there and we will return read more

Great Italian restaurant! The food was delicious and fresh, the service was quick, and it's BYOW. The atmosphere was cozy and quiet. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - Linguini Pasta with clam sauce - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

We had my daughter's baby shower here in August and everything was spot on! From the planning to the party it was seamless. The staff was great as was the food! read more

Very small restaurant and crowded but food is very good. Local gem. Easy to get a reservation.

Large portions, excellent food, outstanding service. The pork chop was enormous as advertised. I who usually finishes everything took a large helping of it home. I'm not sure if I had the pork chop giambotta or a special pork chop. The cooking on it was great. I just didn't think the red sauce they used belonged on the dish. read more

Overpriced. Mediocre food Some " Italian" dish descriptions were misnomered on the menu. read more

Absolutely delicious. FYI it is bring your own wine but they do have some other drink options. I started with the meatballs and they were very good. I got the bolognese for my main and it was absolutely perfect. 10/10 would recommend. Service was a little slow but it is a Friday night so that was expected. read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - Rigatoni Bolognese Pastas - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

I had heard this restaurant was voted one of the top Italian restaurants in NJ, so naturally I had to give it a try. Simple yet elegant decor, the space was a bit small with the tables a little too close together, but otherwise very nice. We had an early 5:00 reservation so we were one of the first to arrive and were seated promptly at a nice table for two. Our waitress was very nice, explained the specials, had our wine opened and everything seemed good on the service end. However, once we got our appetizer and meals, she was basically no where to be found. Now I know things got a little busy but for a waitress to not even come by during the meals to see if everything was ok or something was needed, that's definitely unacceptable. As for the food, I have to say overall it was excellent. We started with the Tuscan Shrimp & Beans, flavored with onions, prosciutto and rosemary. This app was delicious, beans were tender and the shrimp and sauce was so flavorful. I'd eat this all day. For our main courses, my wife went with your traditional Linguine & Clams. Although she liked it, especially the homemade pasta, she said it didn't measure up to some of others she's tried and a couple of the clams had some sand. Still very good though. As for my main course, I love a good pork chop and I went with the Pork Chop Giambotta with hot cherry peppers, mushrooms, onions and potatoes. Well, this might have been one of the best pork chops I've ever eaten, cooked perfectly and so tender and juicy and just a wonderful flavor. I loved it. To wrap up, for dessert my wife and I went with a couple of Affogatos served with a double shot of espresso. They were great, however what was not so great was the price tag of 14.00 each. A little much for just basically ice cream and espresso in my opinion. Overall we did like this place and would definitely come again. Couldn't give it 5 stars on this visit though because of the things I pointed out but we'll see if that changes next time we come. read more

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This was the first time my boyfriend and I dined here. Upon walking in we were greeted warmly by the hostess. We had a 8pm reservation and were seated promptly. It's a beautiful decor inside and they also have outdoor seating in the backyard patio. It's a byob which is always good and they have a liquor store right next door if you forget. (We did, don't be us). lol They start you out with complimentary bruschetta which is delicious! We ordered the house salad to share as an appetizer. Quite frankly, it was very sparse. I expected a more hearty salad for price. My boyfriend ordered their signature chicken parm and I had the red snapper filet. Both dishes came with potatoes and the snapper was served over a bed of mushrooms with a cream sauce. The chicken parmigiana was very good as you'd expect at an Italian restaurant. To be honest, the red snapper was a little underwhelming. It was kind of chewy and bland. I've had this dish several times at other places and this one fell short. The restaurant was very busy and perhaps understaffed. We asked for extra bread twice. We finished our entrees and we never received the bread. My boyfriend was disappointed because he loves dunking the bread in the extra marinara sauce. lol. For dessert we had the chocolate tart with vanilla gelato. It was delicious! It was so distracting that I forgot to take a picture. lol. All in all it was a good experience and I would dine here again. However, I would only order Italian entrees. In my humble opinion, seafood dishes are not their forte. read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - entrance - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

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The food was very good and priced quite reasonably. Our server, I don't remember her name was very good she knew all the specials by heart and was able to modify one of the dishes for my wife. The restaurant is a bit cramped, I've seen worse, but seems family friendly, not really too loud...comfortable. It's a BYOB so go and enjoy. Make a reservation as even during the winter months it can be a bit difficult to get into. read more

Another terrific meal 'down the shore'! We met my lifelong friend and his wife (they joined me here on a previous occasion), and the meal was equally as good as their first visit. The house giveaway, tomato bruschetta, had really good tomatoes-and it's early in the season. My date and I shared an interesting order of mozzarella and ricotta fritters, that came with a cup of marinara. What made the dish was the gremolata topping, which brightened and sharpened the dish. Perfectly fried! For mains, I had veal saltimbocca and she had the halibut special. Both were terrific! As usual, the staff was superb. The captain is very attentive, replacing a wine glass that had a lipstick spot-he saw that before we did. Our 16 year old waiter recited the specials without looking at notes, and instantly answered any menu questions. Finally, chef owner Mark made two visits to our table to check in-how he had time to do that with a full house and patio, on a Jersey Shore Saturday, I'll never know. Bravo Marandola's! read more

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Best Italian food you will get in southern jersey Manager Ruben is amazing great customer service read more

Holding off the fifth star until we can go back and try the pasta! Nice dining area but we opted to eat in the back courtyard. Wanted to take advantage of outside before the cold comes! Given its a courtyard, it can be a little loud and not everyone might appreciate it. The House salad is good. It needed something, I'm not sure what but the lettuces were fresh, loved the green bean crunch in the salad and who doesnt love goat cheese. There are pistachios too. They tend to lose crunch in salads - happens to me when I make it at home... but I still use them. The homemade meatballs were excellent. All beef - house made ricotta. I would absolutely order them again if on the special list! For entrees I went with the chicken special with 3 bell & evans thighs (yes I had lunch today), potatoes, peppers, sausage. I've had versions of this dish throughout the years but this one really stands out. My husband got the pork chop - I dont know where they get their meats from, it was fantastic - and cooked perfectly! Like I said - will check in again once we go back for the pasta! Stay tuned! read more

If you have any food allergies this is not your restaurant choice. They are not accommodating at all and the manager was quite cut on several occasions. read more

every time the door is opened a blast of arctic air cursed through the restaurant more or less ruining the evening for all of the diners. It is a non starter and something that is easily fixed. it is also something the owner is keenly aware of but does nothing about. BOTTOM LINE: IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME, I AM NOT COMING BACK, EVER! If you have the nerve to charge $40 for a $4 pork chop, at least have the decency to put tablecloths on the table. if you can't afford cloth, than high end paper tablecloths please. read more

Good food, but a very noisy place. Service food was really really good unfortunately because you could just about talk to you next-door friend. Will attend on off nights. read more

Great BYOB. Very quaint and friendly. Homemade pasta, everyone enjoyed their meal We had a party of 6. Didn't feel rushed. read more

Always delicious! Their food and service is great. Marandola's never disappoints. Love having dinner there!

Pro: 1. Delicious food. Last evening we had mushroom appetizer $12, snapper rosemarina $28, and bronzino (fish special) $30. Everything wonderful, compliments to the chef. 2. BYOB, so you are saving a lot compared to a restaurant selling alcohol. If you forget to bring a bottle, a liquor store is literally two doors away. 3. Attentive and friendly service. Con: 1. We made a reservation for 530pm, showed up at 520pm and were first diners of the evening. The hostess sat us at a tiny table by the front door. When I questioned this, she said we could eat out back, which was not a realistic option as it was cool. She could have given us a table for four (although we were two) more actually IN the restaurant. The place did not get crowded (perhaps 12 diners by 615pm) yet she tried to seat another couple at a tiny table literally a foot away from our table (they asked to sit elsewhere). 2. Cold bread and butter, instead of warm bread and dipping oil. 3. While the restaurant was not crowded, the noise level with 12 diners and 8 servers was unpleasant. Must be intolerable when full. First time. Probably will return because my three "pro" points outweigh my three "con" points. read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - Mushroom app - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

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Wow - another great Italian restaurant opens at the Jersey Shore. Jan and I went last night after hearing good things for the past few weeks and we are so glad we did. Very nice dining experience in a newly renovated space right on Main street in Bradley Beach. The ambience is classy contemporary with a comfortable feeling and service that was both efficient and professional. The food items we selected all delicious such as our starter of a seafood salad app.which was scrumptious, then onto our entres of spaghetti pescatore imbrodo and also a pork chop giambotta both fabulous. We are on a roll with two outstanding local Italian restaurants under our belt within a week. Could it be that the Jersey Shore is coming into its own? read more

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Stopped by on a Saturday Night, the food was better then expected. If in the area it is worth a try. read more

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Diner's beware....there is a 3.5% service charge added to the bill for credit cards. When we questioned this charge, they said it was Noted on the bill. In my opinion, it should be disclosed on the menu. The food was good but the everything came out warm and The staff seems to disappear. Unfortunately, we will not return. read more

Last night we celebrated my nieces 40th Birthday. The food and service were fantastic. We all loved our meals and every effort was made to make the night special! Thanks! read more

Marandola's Bradley Beach - Italian Near Me - Bradley Beach, New Jersey

Place is very Loud and food is only fair. Expensive. Service was good. There are better options.

Another great dining experience! The food is perfectly prepared and delicious. This place is a must try! We split the fritters, Caesar, stuffed mushrooms and 'special' meatballs. Dinner was the Bolognese and Carbonara. Finished with tiramisu. Timing was great, and they were BUSY! Rachel and all staff are so welcoming, table visit from Mark the owner/chef too. Anyone that leaves a negative review about this restaurant or staff is miserable or nuts! We love it here and are not from the area, so we can't visit often as we'd like but we definitely will return soon. Thank you for another great night and for your hospitality read more

First visit for table of four-Red Snapper, Pork chop special x2and Rigatoni special absolutely fabulous. Yes the meatballs are out of this world! Two gentle suggestions if I may, serve the Zabaglione/berries in a parfait glass not a dinner plate. Table was extremely wobbly, our waitress handed us two shims to crawl under table to fix! Would have been more appropriate for the two young male busboys to do. read more

Bradley is quietly the culinary capital of the shore and this place just may be the crown jewel. The ambiance is great, the fact that it's a byob makes it even better! Going to Marandola's is always a treat my family and I look forward too. Can't say enough good things about this place I enjoy eating off of their menu unless there's a special that grabs my attention and I'm never let down. Would recommend 10/10 read more

Disappointing In food and most especially wait staff. Not worth the ride if you live next door. Truth sorry. read more

The food was absolutely delicious! The meatballs are good and orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage was amazing. The salmon was delicious too read more

We had a wonderful meal at Marandola's! Our first time there! Loved the crab over pasta special that I had, very delicious and unique. Couldn't wait til next day lunch to eat my leftovers!! read more

Came to Marandola's for dinner with another couple the other night. The review from my first visit in July was good; this experience earned the a 5 star review! We again had Sheryl as our waitress who is always excellent. This trip the table full of obnoxious loud children were not present (pays to go on a school night), so it was quiet & we could talk (& hear). We were immediately brought water, & warm bread with olive oil! Yay! That was a negative in my last review. The bread was delicious. We shared an appy of stuffed mushroom caps with bacon & a side of greens, as well as Burrata, which I had never heard of. The Burrata was Mozzarella cheese with a fig jam. Both were fabulous & the caps were a good size. For dinner I opted for the scallop special over spinach infused with fennel. Our food came out HOT, & Sheryl, as well as the owner came by to make sure everything was up to par. Oh, it was! We also had a visit from the chef making sure we were happy with our food. For dessert we shared a delicious tartufo. The four of us couldn't have been any happier! This place is absolutely fantastic & I will return again & again, bringing more friends each time. The couple we were with tonight were blown away by the food. I hope Marandola's monitors yelp & if they do, I hope they read this. I want to say THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. You will be a hard act to follow! read more

Impressive! The welcome, the menu, the food, the staff and the service! We had the burrata arugula salad, snapper and duck. More often than not, one dish outshines the other, not here! We consider ourselves Foodies and Marandola's does it right. Such a great dining experience! read more

Perhaps my expectations were too high. A friend of the owner recommended this place before Covid. We went with another couple and 3 of the 4 meals resulted in negative comments. The 2 veal saltimbocca dinners were minuscule and running into a piece of bone in the sausage and broccoli rabe was a deal breaker. We won't be back any time soon. read more

Excellent service and vibes! BYOB with great friends made for a wonderful experience! Chef stopped by our table to chat to complete the terrific night! read more

We came here on Saturday night and it was a great experience! The restaurant is decorated beautifully and classy for Christmas. There was a very warm and inviting vibe. We all enjoyed our food - from the bread to the appetizers and our entrees. Very high quality Italian food! read more

First off I'd like to thank Brian S for turning me onto this fine byob restaurant. See his review. Normally I'd have given this a 5 star and feel I probably will upgrade my rating the next visit because this quality and attention to detail is worth a return visit. Word has gotten out that the food here is awesome and they've been open only a little more than a month. I had to make reservations on a Thursday for as early as 6pm. Yes it's the summer and being a shore town it's ripe for vacationers. I'll no doubt return well after Labor Day. Cheryl our waitress is a veteran. She recently worked at Yvonne's and knows what she's doing. I had my -mind made up on the seafood salad appy when Cheryl told us about a special, the crab spaghettini; at least that's what I thought she said. It was so loud I got tired asking her what it was after 3 times. Anyway we split this appy; al dente pasta stir fried in olive oil with plenty of crab, tomato, and peperoncini. This was excellent. Soooooo good. For an entrée I got the spaghetti pescatore. Not only was the visual presentation spectacular, (see my pic) the taste was unreal. What was nice about it is the fact that the spaghetti was al dente, sauce supreme, and the seafood was super fresh. How often have you gotten mussels that were soggy and just tasted off? Not here! My only issue was the bread. Let me just say it was very fresh. I'm sure some would say I'm nitpicking and I probably am but a restaurant of this caliber needs crusty artisan bread to compliment the fine food they serve; just my opinion. Cheryl took us out back to show us they had al fresco dining in the rear. It was ungodly hot that day so no one was interested but it looked nice. Ok so why not 5 stars? Absolutely no reflection on the restaurant but there was a table of 14 behind us, no doubt vacationers, making a hell of a racket. Normally I'd get it but these idiots were letting their 5 kids run around this restaurant unsupervised. I noticed the manager had to step in once to tell one kid not to hold the front door open. It was 90° out. So my advice would be come here by all means but do it when the kids are in bed. read more

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We have eaten here at Marandola's for many years. We have supported Marc and his staff thru covid with take out 2-3 times a month. We even ordered our New Year's Eve dinner from them. We have not been eating inside , we are fully vaccinated. However loving Marandola's we said let's go 2 pp 8 pm. We get to the restaurant 7:50 the manager Ruben shows us a table. Between a table of 6 and a party of 10. Just loud like a playoff game ! We ask please there seems to be a 4!top and 6 on the other side plus other empty table. Ruben tells they are taken. So we sit , again we love the food! As soon as we sit he split a the 4 to2 two tops WTF!!!! Did I mention we live in town, too I approach him and tell him how disrespectful that was abs what a poor manager and business person he is ! He did not say a word. They did have the outside open with heaters. I promptly found a table and sat My point her is that Ruben is no asset bro Marc Marandola and his business read more