Food is excellent, service is great and staff is friendly. Owner is always present and accommodating! Italian food is CHEFS KISS! Highly recommended read more

Pesto Italian Bistro (Located in Park Ridge Shopping Center) 168F Kinderkamack Rd. Park Ridge, NJ 07656 As soon as I entered this bistro, I was impressed with the nicely decorated interior that was adorned with lots of Italian themed wall art. The servers greeted me and made me feel right at home. Throughout the meal, they were very attentive and always refilled my water glass and cleared any excess plates. The CP entree also included complimentary rice balls and a house salad (not pictured), both of which tasted phenomenal. I couldn't say I was completely on par with the main course. The mozzarella cheese did not have a golden char. The cutlet was on the chewier side and something about the breading was off. However, the homemade sauce was the best part of the dish; it was thick and flavorful. Although I can't vouch for this CP, I was satisfied with their service and the other menu items I tried. For this reason, I'll definitely explore their other entrees except for the parm. #pestoitalianbistro #chickenparmreview #njchickenparmratings #parkridgenj read more

Pesto Italian Bistro - Pesto Italian Bistro - Italian Near Me - Park Ridge, New Jersey

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I went there for lunch a couple of weeks ago and was very impressed. Both the fried calamari and the chicken parm were fresh and tasty, and the service was high-end. And it was a great value. So when I went again a few days ago, I had expectation of another very satisfying lunch. I ordered the same thing, and while the appetizer was very nice, the chicken parm was a real disappointment. The presentation was not the same, the penne was overloaded with sauce, and the everything had a bit of a sour taste to it. I would guess there was a different person in the kitchen, but who knows? Anyway, inconsistency is a real dealbreaker for me, so I don't know if I'll give them another try. read more

I never write reviews but how did this restaurant get 4.5 stars? The food was very disappointing, almost inedible. Sorry Pesto, won't be going back. If you're in the area, go to Bellisimo instead. read more

Best place ever for nice dinner outside or inside! Great Italian dishes , steaks, seafood and more ! Mendim the owner is wonderful as are Rob, Neb and Jason the manager. You will love it! Great take out dinners too! read more

Pesto Italian Bistro - Great place best in Park Ridge! - Italian Near Me - Park Ridge, New Jersey

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This place is soooooo good!! Another BYOB that slays.. I also love two of the waiters there .. they are so nice .. they give complimentary apps! Rice balls and a cheese plate :) read more

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We enjoyed a large family anniversary dinner at Pestos. The food was delicious and the service was fantastic. Fresh bread and olives to start. The calamari was so tender like none ive had before. Arancini along with meatballs were a hit. Penne was al dente. Entrees were huge and enjoyed by all. My salmon was perfectly cooked. PS. Must get takeaway boxes for any leftovers, which ofcourse we enjoyed the next day ;) BYO is a definite plus with no corkage fee. This local neighborhood gem is not to be missed. read more

Pesto is ok, but overall average. I tried it recently after not eating here for a few years. I actually gave up trying to eat here because it was always so packed by 5:30 that you couldn't get a table. That's a great restaurant! Things have changed. I arrived around 6 on a Friday evening and it wasn't full. Arancini are no longer complimentary, which is ok. It's still BYOB and no credit card fee. I admire them for that. We were seated promptly and it was comfortable. The decor is fine and still has a cozy feel. I had to ask for lemons for my water twice because the first person must've forgotten. We tried 4 appetizers. It took about 30 minutes just for the cold salads I ordered to come out... And again, it wasn't that busy. Some tables were empty, the wait staff were standing around, so it's a kitchen thing. Seafood salad - was excellent! Nice assortment for the price, tenderly cooked seafood and a tasty dressing that brought it together. Great job! Interesting though that their menu doesn't mention calamari in the salad, yet that's the majority of what's in it. Caesar salad - good portion, but average and tastes tasted boring. The dressing had hints of anchovy, but really needed more seasoning and parma. After waiting as long as we did for the hot apps, they really disappointed. Zuppa di clams (garlic wine) - $16 for only 7 clams in a bowl of broth that tasted more like butter/water. The clams themselves were fresh. Only 7... Mushroom and truffle - with "shaved Parm, arugula, garlic and truffle oil". Sounded delicious on paper, but was a letdown. Hardly any taste of truffle and was just like simple sauteed mushrooms. I think the service was fine, but for the amount of time we waited and overall impression with sampling 4 apps, it was meh. The owner listened to some feedback post meal and certainly cared. I hope that this review will help convey some of the shortcomings as well. It is sad to see the decline of many restaurants, with most making changes that only disappoint customers further. Hopefully Pesto can turn it around and be as busy as they used to be. read more

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I've posted many reviews before and I'm not to repeat how good the food and service but I do want to share with you something: I am not related to anyone in the restaurant and yes we've been going there for almost 10 years. My wife ordered seafood with pasta which was way too much. Server takes it away and than the owner comes over and asked if the food met her approval and she said it was great, he said are you sure because it bothers me if it wasn't. After convincing him it's fine out comes this delicious piece of cake which we really did want but out of respect we ate it. I post this because I've eaten in NYC's top restaurants and never experienced this kind of concern. Besides this I highly recommend this restaurant. P.S it's was not because we eat there a lot because we've seen him do it to others. read more

We have been going to Pesto's for many, many years and have never been disappointed. They seem to get better each time we go. Everyone in our party of 4 were extremely impressed with their meal, the service and the very comfortable and pleasant dining room. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Went here with a friend on Friday night, we had reservation for 7pm but didn't get seated until closer to 7:30, luckily they opened a bottle of wine for us to have while we waited. The restaurant was busy and had a lot of bigger parties there, so it was pretty noisy. The bread and olives were delicious and we ordered the Calamari appetizer, and also receieved the Arancini and a small cheese plate on the house, which was very nice! I ordered the Rigatoni Bolognese and my friend got the Chicken Parmesan. My bolognese was a large portion and pretty good, the chicken parm was also good. The sauce for both was on the sweeter side. Overall, the food was good and I always appreciate a local BYO! read more

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Came here to celebrate a birthday and had a party of 8. The service was outstanding, very attentive. We started with a lot of appetizers which all were good. The fried calamari was very tender. Everyone enjoyed their entrées. Chicken Parm portion was large. I brought half of it home. Great place to come to celebrate a birthday or just for a night out we will be back again soon. read more

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Walked in with a party of 4 around 7PM on a Friday. The restaurant was pretty full but they had a table available and sat us right away. The restaurant is cozy and looked to have a nice outdoor seating area (not an option for anyone as it was winter). All staff was attentive and the main waiter was super friendly and made us feel welcomed. This is a BYOB place so make sure you come prepared if you plan on having any drinks. They immediately asked us if we brought anything so they could accommodate for what we would need for our drinks. The food was good and tasted like they use high quality ingredients. They gave us salad and little potato balls with cheese on the house; tasty and a nice touch! I ordered the rigatoni bolognese which was prepared well. Would return again to explore more of the menu! read more

Hosted my niece's bridal shower at Pesto's--everything was fantastic. The food was delicious, and the staff went above and beyond. An absolutely wonderful experience! I highly recommend hosting your event here. read more

Pesto Italian Bistro - Bridal Shower at Pestos Italian Bistro - Italian Near Me - Park Ridge, New Jersey

Staff was very nice and food was delicious!!!! They offer gluten free pasta with any dish.

Based on takeout order for tomato mozzarella and linguine white clam sauce. The nice touch was they provided an amuse bouche of two small meatballs which were pretty decent but that was the highlight. No utensils were included despite a written request. The mozzarella wasn't fresh given the water drained out of it and what was leftover had the consistency of a light cookie dough and lacking in flavor but the tomato was appropriately cut and in proportion to the cheese. They served it with roasted red peppers but the thin long strips were a bit annoying to deal with although giving some flavor enhancements. One of the reasons I order linguine with white clam sauce is that it is not easy to do well and indicates the overall quality of the food in the restaurant, in my opinion. It was very disappointing. First, the linguine was way over cooked and cold. They also put the sauce and the linguine together instead of in separate containers. But more to the point the sauce was bland, not necessarily in terms of salt but overall flavor. There was hardly any flavor of clams and the few clams provided hardly added any flavor and could have been fresher. Couldn't say about service or ambience since it was a delivery but judging by the experience I had with two indicative dishes in Italian cuisine, I cannot, in earnest, recommend this establishment. read more

Always great! The staff, the food, everything! My wife's favorite nearby Italian restaurant. read more

3 1/2 stars. Interior-wise, the tables are very close together and the chairs are hard metal and uncomfortable. Service was a little rushed in the beginning with the waiter telling us the specials before the wine was even opened but it got better as the night went on. Great menu and the food was pretty good but not spectacular. Cold seafood salad needed some brightening up like vinegar and seasoning. Ceasar salad was average. They give you a complimentary meat & cheese plate and good bread with olives - nice touch! House salad comes with the meal - dressing is very sweet. Shrimp franchese was very good, decent clilean seabass, and the strip steak specials were enjoyed. read more

Pesto Italian Bistro - Shrimp Franchese - good - Italian Near Me - Park Ridge, New Jersey

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I called, ordered three dinners not complicated and one appetizer for pickup - went to pickup and they said the order was never entered. Really weird - not great. read more

Pesto's is a great place to go for a night out with loved ones &/or friends. It's a cozy spot with excellent, friendly service and delicious food! BYOB is always a plus! read more

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Excellent food. Lots of options and specials. Service was terrific and attentive. Ambiance was nice a bit loud. Would definitely go back again. Highly recommend the veal chop parmigiana! read more

I had my daughter's bridal shower today, and everything was spectacular. Manny and his team of servers are outstanding with service. They were courteous and on top of everything. The food was fantastic appetizers charcuterie, Arancini, meatballs in a pomodoro sauce, brisket ravioli, veal, marsala, chicken, Parmesan & salmon. All of our guests were so complementary with your food and excellent service . Everyone loved it ! Thank you for a wonderful day! read more

Easy to review: Excellent food, great service and reasonable prices. BYOB is also a plus.

Been going on and off for almost two years. Have never been disappointed. Went with a group of friends recently. I think it was an off night for the staff. The entire staff was less than personable and gave the impression that they'd rather be elsewhere. We had a couple of questions and felt we were dismissed by the "manager"? or whoever was taking our orders that evening. A man with greying hair. He gave off that dismissive vibe given to annoying tourists in Europe. Again, I'm hoping they were just having a bad night. I'll go back hoping the vibe changes. read more

We had dinner last night to celebrate my sisters birthday. Everything with amazing! Food was delicious and the service outstanding!!! We will definitely be back read more

Pesto is the best place to host private parties! We had our bridal Shower and our baby shower there this year. The food, staff, ambiance and service was top notch! Manny treated us like family. We highly recommend. read more

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Very good, reliable for a Great meal good experience and great service Clean facilities read more

We just finished hosting a 40-person early dinner party at Pesto, and the experience was so good that I came home to write a review. Food was excellent (ask for the brisket ravioli), service was attentive without feeling overbearing, courses were brought out with good timing, and the space felt warm and cozy. Thank you to Manny (the owner), Rob, Frankie, and Tony (sorry if I misses anyone or misspelled a name) for a great experience! we'l We'll be back for sure! read more

I love this restaurant. It is a very comfortable byob. Nice ambience! Delicious food! Never have had a bad meal! Very well run!

I wanted to update the food is still not the same and they treat the place like a meat market to get you in and out and its very commercial the food quality. Also I noticed someone by the name of Maria was harassing me after my review not sure if others had the same experience. read more

I wasn't sure what to think as all the regular offerings were your standard Italian fare. The décor and the feel of the restaurant is right casual, and the core seems more industrial. I'm a stone top tables to the metal chairs. I wasn't sure what to think. The service was excellent, and the meal was delicious. I'm glad that we went with 2 appetizers and 2 desserts rather than a full course meal, which would have been too much. In my opinion it's a great place to come with a group of people and share some dishes across the table. Feels like eating and someone's kitchen. read more

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Just ate at Pesto. Great meal with friends. Fried artichoke appetizer was delicious. Brisket Ravioli appetizer was also delicious. Lobster & scallops with a light red sauce was fantastic. Asked them to replace the cream sauce. They were happy to comply. Still considering dessert!$ read more

My company came here for their annual holiday dinner this year. I would say everything was delicious. The place can accommodate probably around 50-60 diners... so it amazed me that they manage to fit our group of 25+. Lets start with their food....everything tasted great. My main problem with Italian style food is some dishes (especially red sauce ones) are way too acidity. But nothing caused heartburn for me. My favorite app is the fried calamari. I would have to come back and tried the remaining of their menu. This place is BYOB. read more

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We recently dined at Pesto- Friday night. As always, the food and the service was SUPERB!!! The whole staff was so attentive. Our appetizers and entrees was so fresh and delicious. We can't wait to go back.... read more

Above average food, tables too close and noise too loud. We often go down the block for better food and better ambience.

Great service and food at Pesto! Love this place! I recently had another business lunch here with a group of coworkers. The attentive staff and friendly service was exceptional. We were served promptly and efficiently in record time without feeling rushed! We all took advantage of their lunch special which include an appetizer with a main entree; quite a deal! I ordered mussels in red sauce and veal Caprese... Both dishes tasty and satisfying! I also tried their fried rice which was placed on the table on the house. Excellent meal! read more

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Love love love this place. If I could give it 6 stars I would. The menus are more limited than what you may be used to but that's okay. I don't need pages worth of options to complicate things. It is actually my favorite lunch place. Consistently good. Never anything off. I love that for just around $10 I get an app and a main. I love their Cesar salad, fried artichoke and eggplant to start with which I often follow with their linguine and clam sauce. I could practically lick the plate. That aside when you first sit down they bring you olives and bread. Perfecto! They also bring you complimentary rice balls covered in a vodka sauce and fresh Parmesan. Byo a nice bottle of wine and you are all set. The staff is so friendly and accommodating which makes it top notch. They are so wonderful and that we all know each other on first name basis and chat about our kids, significant others etc. You don't have to worry about parking as it is set off the maintenance street in a strip mall and there are ample spaces which is always nice. read more

Delicious food. Always a go to for a Friday or Saturday. Great environment. Long time customer and will continue going!

I work in the area, so have ordered take out from pesto a few times, but just recently had a chance to sit down for dinner. When you first walk in you are immediately greeted by smiling hosts and waiters and a clean, classy, atmosphere. Immediately after seating and consistently throughout the meal, many waiters stopped by to see how we were doing, refilling our drinks, and ensuring all our needs were met- service is definitely at 100%. For our appetizer we ordered the brisket ravioli in a honey sage sauce- DELICIOUS. The sauce on the ravioli had the perfect sweetness and the brisket was tender. For our entrees we ordered the rigatoni pesto and the chicken funghi. The rigatoni pesto was covered in a creamy pesto sauce and topped with seared tuna and crab lumps- now, that pairing may sound a little weird; but the flavors compliment each other so so well. The chicken funghi was covered in a wine sauce, topped with mushrooms, and served with whipped potatoes- also delicious! After paying the bill, we were surprised with a dessert on the house! They brought out a hot slice of their blueberry pie- which was to die for!! It's also worth mentioning that when ordering lunch to go, they sometimes surprise us with free rice balls! All in all, whether you are dining in or taking out- pesto bistro is the way to go! read more

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Good food local restaurant always fresh and byob too. Always has a crowd..Chicken Parm delicious! read more