they have a large menu featurng lots of Italian dishes along with fish, chicken and beef and of…read morecourse pasta's. we are pescatarians so we can't coment on meat or chicken dishes but guests we've brought have enjoyed the food and the upbeat athmosphere. we have been there about a dozen times and the dishes we have had for the most part have been good to very good and more often than not Very Good! the service is very good and the athmosphere...well, its crowed and a bit noisy but definity upbeat. in fact we are going there tonight and bringing a few guests. i have it on my list of regular places to eat each month { we go to lots of restaurants}.

I made a 7:00 PM reservation but waited 40 minutes for my mother's birthday even though we arrived…read moreabout five minutes early. We checked in with the host, who told us it would only be a few minutes. After waiting ten minutes, a group the same size as ours arrived and went directly to the owner. We then heard the owner tell them, "I wish you would have told me you were coming tonight," before they were seated while we continued waiting. He could have at least been discrete about giving away our reserved table to a friend. We then waited another 30 minutes. What was especially disappointing was the complete lack of communication or acknowledgment toward us during the delay. Neither the owner nor the staff offered an apology or any explanation for the wait. Even when we were eventually seated, there was no sense that anyone recognized the inconvenience. Delays can happen, but how they are handled makes a significant difference. Given that this was a reservation for my mother's birthday, I expected a more welcoming and attentive experience. Unfortunately, the way the situation was handled left us feeling overlooked and made what should have been a special dinner start on a very disappointing note.

We love this place. The food is fantastic and the service is excellent. Nice and small so you feel…read morespecial and can actually talk with your guests. Ashley and the rest of the staff are the BEST.

I honestly don't write reviews, good or bad, but I just am confused. Ordered for pick up Caesar…read moresalad and meatballs. Meatballs were fine. but the Caesar salad was so bad it was inedible. I honestly don't know how you screw up a Caesar salad, but it was swimming in dressing. I tried to eat it, and even threw some of my own lettuce in to soak up some of the dressing. I gave up and threw the rest in the garbage.

Just Wonderful!! Service was excellent. Food as always…read moresuperb!! Space is small and seating is limited so suggest planning ahead especially during the summer season

Came here last night. This is one incredible Italian bistro,…read moreAmazing food quality. The ambiance totally outstanding Great attention to detail. Amazing place for family gatherings.

I was there years ago and wasn't posting on Yelp but when I was there, the food was fantastic. The…read moreambience was fantastic and the service was fantastic. It used to be really good when they gave coupons away for two for one, but like I say I haven't been there in a while. Definitely gonna go back and try it out again and bring my friends with me.

I used to come here with my mom and dad, and I loved it so much. I haven't had a chance to come…read moreback until now and I remember now why I loved it so much! We had the most wonderful meal. I had the paccheri with peas prosciutto and mushrooms. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The flavor was fantastic. It was creamy and cheesy. And the serving size was incredibly generous. My salad was fresh and the Caesar dressing was nice. Service was on point. The restaurant is pretty and we sat next to the fountain with a view of the rest of the dining room. Honestly this restaurant is worth the drive. Next time we are down the shore, we are coming here.

Tried it for the first time. Everything was excellent. I will definitely recommend and return!!!read more

We called for reservations and Michelle answered the phone and couldn't have been any nicer!…read more We were seated promptly and were brought hot bread right away. Michelle ended up as our waitress and she was as kind and efficient in person as on the phone. She went over the specials before we went over the menu as to have a better idea. Food was very good and service was excellent! We will return and will ask for Michelle

The best food, service and variety, as well as creativity and management. All food is prepared with…read moreskill and expertise found only in top tier Michelin rated eateries. Pride and skill are evident on all levels in this establishment. I have never been disappointed in all my visits to Manera's in Brick. Once you experience it, you'll be back, and probably with friends and relatives.

I had been to the Manahawkin location in the past for a birthday celebration and we had a very nice…read moretime. So when we needed a dinner location in the Brick, I figured we would try this location. Upon my early arrival, I was seated in the west facing room with ample natural light. There was only one other table of "early birds" nearby and they were loud but entertaining. Our waitress greeted me and brought some water and an ice bucket. I perused the menu while waiting for my friends. To my delight, this place is MUCH larger than Manahawkin. There are at least three rooms. Regardless, by the time we left, it was very busy. reservations are highly recommended. When my friends arrived, our waitress reviewed the menu additions. We decided on the oysters, octopus, arugula salad and the cod special. Everything was excellent. Service and pace were perfect. Plates promptly cleared, bread replentished. We shared a tiramisu and I had a double expresso. We will definitely return. I will take some photos on my next visit.

I first tried a sandwich in February from Della Cuicina-WONDERFUL!Today, I had lunch in their new…read moresophisticated dining room--MORE THAN WONDERFUL than the first time. We tried the best lentil soup, arrancini stuffed with sausage, outrageous meatballs, Italian hot dog and tira mi su. KUDOS to every dish. The tomato sauce was absolutely delicious and everything we ate was darn good! Portions are quite adequate and prices quite reasonable. Best to check online menus for lunch and dinner as well as days open. The Italian hot dog was blistering crisp with sautéed peppers and onions and fried potatoes scooped onto their HOMEMADE FRESH BAKED ITALIAN BREAD. As of this review, their was nothing that was disappointing! What a lovely decor. 5 STARS

Finally tried their new dining room experience for dinner. Party of 8. Very nice, modern & clean…read moreinside (including bathroom). Only 2 ladies serving who were very good but seemed a little overwhelmed by the time the small dining area filled up (they could use an extra runner for busy nights to help). The risotto balls and caprese salad appetizers were out of this world. Filet mignon was cooked perfectly, the pasta dish with sausage & bell peppers was very good. My end of the table : 2 ordered linguini (1 subbed penne) w/clams & 1 ordered of chicken Sorrentino. The chicken dish was very tasty, clams were very good too-tender & no grit. However, the "sauces" that each dish came with were literally just bland broth, no flavor, like the just poured low sodium broth on top of pasta. Hopefully their chef beefs up the sauces a little bit, they shouldn't be watery & tasteless. Everything else was delicious so not much to complain about, but they definitely need to fix the sauce situation (although the tomato sauce with risotto balls was out of this world).

Everything was outstanding. The setting, the menu, the service, the atmosphere is the best!read more

Delightful dinner tonight. Service was fantastic. Chef stopped by with complimentary appetizers of…read moreeggplant meatballs & zucchini fritters. Entrees were delicious & portions ample. Choice of salad or soup included. BYOB!! A favorite in the area.

The hostess & waitress were very friendly & welcoming. The singer was fantastic but way too loud to…read moreenjoy a leisurely dinner with family. The bread basket was ok, but rather bland. We got the burrata caprese appetizer & it was good. One in our party got the chicken Saltimbocca, he said the vegetables were very good but the chicken was not, it had a funny seasoning that he's never had in Saltimbocca & the one piece was very rubbery. Another family member had the chicken parm & while the sauce was on the sweet side, they were happy with it & it was a huge portion. I had the penne vodka with chicken. The vodka sauce was not good & was a weird orange color. The chicken was crisp & tender. This will be a one & done for us.

Food is top notch!! Best vodka sauce around!! This time…read morewaitress wasn't pleasant but food was delicious thats all I cared about!

We had an anniversary reservation @chef Justin's sunset keys in Lavalette just to try some place…read moredifferent . Well, they couldn't seat us even though reservation 2 months in advance!?! (Don't waste ur time) Came back over the bridge to the mainland and luckily our absolutely favorite restaurant was able to seat us without a reservation. It was around 8pm. Always a great experience from food, to service, to calm ambiance . Everything we ordered was off the specials menu & as always nothing disappointed. Starters-AMAZING crab cakes as well as chicken liver mousse (definitely a 1st for us to try but was absolutely fantastic!) on grilled crostini with apricot habanero jam--yum! Entrees-Asian style filet mignon which hubby crushed & pan cooked halibut which was tender & delicious. Thanks for another great anniversary dinner Rue! BYOB is a nice bonus

Run don't walk to this culinary gem! The family that owns Rue 561 and the service was phenomenal…read more I came in from Vegas and wanted to celebrate my dad's 90th at a nicer restaurant in Tom's River which is hard to find but we did! I looked through a lot of reviews and read between the lines , any bad ones really seemed to be on the reviewer their self. And luckily I was right. We ordered a little of everything. They even customized the clams to my dad's liking and gave him extra for his birthday. Usually there is one dish that is meh. But there wasn't. Each dish was better than the last! Our favorite standouts was the Clams Oreganata, the Tomahawk, Brussel Spouts, Crab Cakes, Salmon, and the Spicy Rigatoni. But mushrooms, Bouilbasse and everything else was still friggin amazing. Highly recommend. As my dad said at 90. I've been in NJ since I was in my 40s. This is the best restaurant I've had in the state.