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    Theresa's South

    3.8 (246 reviews)
    PriceyItalian
    Special Hours Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Theresa's South Takeout or Delivery

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    THERESA'S SOUTH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Theresa's South

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    PISTACHIO CRUSTED SALMON

    I genuinely loved this place so much! It's very nice both inside and outside. Our server's name was Benjamin, and he was super kind and funny! He knew a lot about the menu and was very patient with us. For appetizers, we got the eggplant pancake and the watermelon salad. I HIGHLY recommend the eggplant pancake, it was one of the best appetizers I've ever tried. For dinner I had pistachio crusted salmon with asparagus and smashed potatoes, and WOW, it was absolutely amazing. Absolutely incredible food. My family tried the creme brulee as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. Over all, 10/10 recommend going here!

    tuna tartar

    Lovely spot to eat dinner outside in Bay Head. The tuna tartar was a great app but the "jumbo" grilled shrimp were pitiful in size and only 3 shrimp for $21. The linguine fra diavolo was good but very spicy and the gemelli was delicious!

    Spicy chicken parm

    We are always satisfied when we eat at Theresa's and tonight was no exception. We made a reservation a few days ago and were warmly greeted and seated in the side part of the restaurant that we always sit in. The food and the service is always spot on. For an appetizer we had the crab cake that was probably the best we have ever had. The corn and the sauce just elevates it with barely any breadcrumbs and all meat. For dinner my husband has the chicken parm and I had the scallops. $55 for 6 scallop is a bit high. It said it came with broccoli rabe and corn risotto which I immediately wanted but I didn't realize the broccoli rabe would be mixed into the corn risotto. Wish it was separate, as I'm not a huge fan broccoli rabe and it kind of overpowered the taste of the corn risotto. (One star removed for the high price and rabe mixed in). For desert we had the special which was also delicious. Can't wait to go back for the summer menu.

    Emma M.

    My family and I were visiting BayHead with some family friends who have a house in the area. We had a reservation for Theresa's South and I was excited because I'm a huge fan of Italian food. Right off the bat, I took note of the fact that they couldn't seat us at a table big enough for our party so we couldn't sit together. I thought that we would be sitting at opposite ends of the restaurant but they sat us at tables directly next to each other. I know that they could have easily moved our tables together but they refused to, which was honestly kind of silly and didn't set the right tone for the dinner. We weren't happy and it felt a little snooty. For the appetizers, my table split the fried calamari and I ordered a crab cake. I love crab cakes and fried calamari. I was not disappointed. The calamari was delicious and it was the perfect texture so I could tell that it was neither over or undercooked. I would have preferred that peppers were added to the dish like it would be in a traditional dish but it was pretty good the way it was too. I also loved the crab cake and the orange sauce that it came with. I really liked both the texture and the flavor. For my entree, I ordered the rigatoni bolognese. Bolognese meat sauce is my absolute favorite Italian sauce. While I think there could have been more ground beef in the sauce I still think that it tasted delicious with the perfect amount of flavor.

    Nicolette G.

    A staple in bay head! Great food, great ambiance, friendly staff. MUST GET the eggplant appetizer - absolutely delicious!! Our favorite place to get dinner when we vacation down the shore.

    Bread w/ the BEST butter
    Deana B.

    Not your average NJ BYOB Italian joint. Theresa's is fantastic, every dish I have tried has been excellent. Ambiance and service are just as great as the food! You can't go wrong with anything you order here. But I will say, the bolognese is probably the best I ever had. It's almost like a vodka sauce, which I love. It's a fairly casual spot but you can certainly dress up. Would recommend for any occasion and would also recommend reservations.

    Fried Crispy Calamari
    Alexandra B.

    My party of 4 thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Theresa's. Benjamin was great at taking care of us along with the other servers. We started with the fried calamari and it was delicious. It came with a spicy red sauce and we requested a side of marinara for my MIL since she can't do spicy. We had the flank steak, tuna, gnocchi and shirt ribs. Everything tasted great. The warm chocolate chip cookie with Baileys gelato was an amazing way to end the meal. We sat outside and the flies were annoying so I'd recommend dining inside, or come expecting flies. I made a reservation a few days ahead and was a little shocked at their cancellation policy. It was $50 per person if you canceled - can't recall timing. But things come up and people have the cancel. I think this is a bit steep and with their popularity I don't see it being difficult to fill tables.

    Menu
    Maylee W.

    First visit to Theresa's South. It's BYOB and we ran over to Burke's to pick up some wine. Ambiance and service- it was Friday night and not very busy. We were seated immediately and the server was very attentive. Food - ordered the paparadelle with lobster- actually very average. Salmon crusted pistachio- good, but the balsamic wine reduction was too heavy for the dish and it was too salty. Mashed potatoes and asparagus were good- 4 stars. The garlic bread was not very garlicky and had green bell peppers on top- not my favorite.

    April L.

    This is our second time here and another fantastic dining experience. From start to finish the service was excellent. I love seafood and decided to try the Blackened Mahi. It was spectacular! Cooked perfectly and such wonderful flavor. My date had the Rigatoni Beef Stroganoff special. Not your typical dish at an Italian restaurant but it was delicious! The beef was so tender and had a wonderful cream sauce. Of course I tried a bite and it was great! So far, Theresa's South is two for two. We will certainly be back. Ciao for now!

    Tender and perfectly cooked Rib eye steak
    Camille G.

    First timer. Great place ! It was highly recommended. Seasonal and permanent residences have their usual favorite dish and sit by their familiar server. It was two of us and this town is so friendly we were engaged with our neighboring tables. It's definitely a fun night out. It's also a BYOB! I ordered the eggplant pancake. It has so much different flavor and texture. It made my palette happy. For dinner, I ordered the sweet potato Gnocchi with braised tender short ribs. This is a winner! Immediately decided it's my favorite. It was so rich and gnocchi was perfectly cooked. I would definitely come back.

    Tuna with soba noodles

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    11 months ago

    Outstanding on all counts. Food, ambience and service, all impeccable. Highly recommend this fine restaurant.

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    Have been to Theresa South 3 times now. Great food, atmosphere, and friendly service.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Theresa's South

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    Theresa's South - italian - Updated September 2026

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