Al Di La

Dont flatter yourself by picking on the drink orices which was the least of my complaint (which im not alone) cold food, missing courses. Yes i am aware of NY restaurants, but your place is no NY eaterie. Tou are an Italian restaurant off route 17 across a strip joint. You overlooked everything to hone on the drinks. I remain as with other reports disatisfied and surely will not bring any patrons there. Not that you care as customer care is not tour forte

I cannot say enough great things about Al Di La. The food is great. The atmosphere is beautiful and the food is great!

The food was pretty good. Overall, the service may have been slow but the atmosphere is nice. We ordered a lot of food, the portion sizes are a big plus. Definitely a lot sitting involved, so be ready for an long evening.

Pasta A+, Calamari A, Rice Balls A+, espresso A, ambience A, service A, Jersey Italian-​ness A+, love it :) whenever I do a Teterboro overnight and grab a meal with friends we try to patronize Al di La, it has never disappointed.

I have been to Al Di La in the past for a Christening and the food was very good and staff was very friendly. I just had my baby shower there in December, and again, I was not disappointed. The food was phenomenal. A lot of my quests had nothing but positive comments about the service and food. Thank you!

We moved to the area about a year ago and have been wanting to try Al Di La. We decided to try it out last night for dinner.
We arrived around 7 and were seated immediately, there were 3 – 4 other tables seated and one person at the bar. I was a bit confused by the décor, it was darker than anticipated with painting on the ceiling, concrete decorative banisters, definitely eclectic. The bar is pretty large.
Firstly, there is no cocktail menu. One of the things we look forward to is perusing the cocktail list and trying a new drink. Oh well. Our server told us about the one cocktail on special and the $ 20 bottle of wine special though. I started with the special Apple cranberry martini and husband had a Tom Collins. The martini was eh– lot of fireball in there. Husband says his drink was a drink. We then that the $ 20 bottle of Chianti; wine was tasty and good value for money.
To start we had rice balls and burrata. Both were delicious. They also bring out garlic bread, which is nice but I would have preferred plain bread for the burrata. Note that I did not ask for plain bread, so maybe they would have brought it out if I asked.
For dinner we had the salmon with fettuccini with vodka sauce and the short ribs. The short ribs were tasty but not amazing. Husband enjoyed the pasta, he actually said the peas in the dish were fantastic.
We were both stuffed so we skipped dessert.
Service was great.
Side notes: I love the music selection, old school love songs from the 70s and 80s. I got a glimpse of the large party room and it looks beautiful. The dining filled up as the night went on.
In summary, I thought it was good, not great. Maybe would return bc it’s local. However I would like to see how they do parties, so if anyone is having a party, feel free to invite me.

Let me preface by saying this was the absolute worst dining experience of my entire life, and even though our waitress was fired mid-​meal we were no compensated whatsoever for an awful birthday celebration. Now, to start at the beginning — we had a family gathering last night to celebrate my father’s 78^th birthday and my Aunt’s 70^th. Our waitress was off from the start only taking half the table’s orders and waiting 20 minutes for drinks. We had to ask for the most simple of things like water and bread. This was straight out of kitchen nightmares and when I would watch that show, I thought producers were orchestrating scenarios, until i experienced it last night for myself. We had to wait 45 minutes for appetizers, and my Aunt, even longer. We had to ask the waitress to take our entrée orders and again half the table was neglected. My father’s appetizer never even made it to the table. When my appetizer of eggplant rollatini finally made an appearance it was microwaved and rubbery. After complaining to the owner and manager this waitress who was apparently drunk was fired on the spot. Clearly not the first time this had happened. She came back to the table to call us all peons and stormed out. The owner did the right thing, and if this woman is struggling with a drinking problem, one would hope this kind of rock bottom can assist with getting her the help she needs. Truth is she isn’t my concern, but my family whose birthday was entirely ruined is, and after the owner watched this entire fiasco, he did nothing to compensate. The entire meal should have been comped and we got nothing. He kept asking for our phone number to call us this week and have us come back for a meal, BUT WE WERE THERE AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIME TO PROVE YOURSELF. He offered 10% off the bill, which was not reflected on the bill. We also had to wait another 20 minutes to take food off the bill that never arrived. This was a completely unacceptable experience, and I wholeheartedly blame the owner who hired someone clearly not equipped to wait on people, and who really could not care less that two people’s birthdays were ruined. PLEASE don’t go here. if I could give it zero stars I would.

We had our daughter’s christening party in the banquet room and it was a beautiful space. We had a family style meal and the food was good and I was happy with the service. I did have several guests who felt they were short staffed, and that food was being taken off of the table before they were finished eating. However, there were two other parties at the same time, so I understand they were busy. Donna planned the menu and was very helpful. Everyone liked the food, but there were some complaints that it was not replenished as we were told it would be. We switched from a sit down menu to family style and were charged the same price even though the family style was supposed to be less money.

We were looking for a place to have our Baby Shower in September and came across Al Di La. We met Donna there and she was the warmest, sweetest person you can meet and made us feel like old friends right off the bat. We saw the room that was used for parties and it was immaculate. We decided to have dinner there the following day and the food was outstanding so it was a no brainer to book it. The event went off without a hitch and everyone raved about the food. Donna watched out for us the entire day and made sure we were happy and tended to all our needs before, during and after the party. We will definitely keep Al Di La on our list of favorite restaurants. A+++ all the way

Sal S. Food was excellent. The owner and the manager were very friendly. The service was great. Would go again.

Was here 2 weeks ago for a baby shower. The food was all impeccable. The room was large and for the amount of people there was no crowded feel. The calamari was amazing, rigatoni vodka was delicious (some Of the pasta needed a little bit longer to cook but wasn’t at all mushy which ruins any pasta dish). Pasta with broccoli and olive oil and garlic was wonderful, just like moms! The chicken sorentino was the best chicken dish I had in a long time. The sauce was a cross between scampi and Francese and was divine; the chicken was cooked perfect and the melted cheese was outstanding.
Servers had their moments where they could have been a little friendlier but overall was a tremendous place and I will definitely be back to try the restaurant which offers a wonderful décor!

Came here tonight for dinner and sat outside with my boyfriend. The place has a lovely old feel to it. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. Our drinks were yummy and the rice balls were delicious. My bf especially liked the sauce that came with it. To be honest though, the place fell a little short on the entrees. I ordered the Crab Stuffed Scallops, and while the presentation was great, the scallops themselves were more rubbery then I cared for. I didn’t finish my dish, nor bothered to wrap it up to go. The best thing about the Lasagna (bf’s dish) was def the sauce. But the lasagna had collapsed on itself from kitchen to table (waitress’s apologies) and the meatballs HAVE TO have been store bought frozen. We had a lovely time, but for the prices, I was disappointed.

I came here last week for a retirement party.
The food and service was ok. The eggplant rollantini was the best part of the meal. The calamari was a bit greasy. The encrusted salmon was ehhh. It seemed like it came from a box of pre-​frozen salmon. Not very fresh. The pasta that we had was really good. Cant really go wrong with penne vodka. The wine that was being served was also good.
A few of us headed to the bar after the party and had some drinks. The décor and atmosphere is pretty decent.

I’ve been to Al Di La a handful of times since moving up to North Jersey. I’d say this restaurant plays with my emotions because every time I go I have different feelings about the place.
The food is definitely good. I like their rice balls, the coconut encrusted salmon is a favorite of mine, their vodka sauce is delicious, and I always have a soft spot for cannoli. The portions are a good size and you will leave full and happy.
The décor is over the top, but fun! I like the vibe it gives to the place. When I go the restaurant it’s usually pretty empty. It’s such a big place that when you are the only table there it can feel a bit awkward. It’s really the service that brings this place down. At times my server has been attentive and helpful (maybe TOO attentive at times). At other times I couldn’t believe how thick my server was — messing up how many orders of rice balls we wanted, and letting me know that my gift certificate was $ 75.00 and our bill was only $ 56.00. Yeah. And? If you have a gift certificate or a coupon be prepared for a long evening as it can boggle some of the servers minds.
In the end, the food is good. But this place has turned in to a take out venue for me.

I went to Al Di La with my boyfriend for dinner on a Friday. The décor is 5 stars, wonderfully decorated! the food is also a solid 4 stars. I’m not sure if it was an off night but it seemed a bit empty as far as the crowd is concerned. It was the night of a big hockey game so I can understand why. However, i still expected to see more dinning during a prime time on Friday with a DJ. It seems like they are paying too much overhead/​space for such a great place. It makes the experience a little more «on stage» when you are 1 of a few tables in the place dinning. However, the service was attentive, a little too much for my liking as I like to enjoy the evening in a bit more privacy, not a big fan of the constant waitress conversations. They asked us a few times telling us to «bring our friends» and thorough discussions about how we are doing instead of the polite check in. Not much read on the consumer preference if you ask me (normally a good server can tell if people want to be in a conversation or the pop by, «you ok? good»). Do get me wrong, over service is lovely but at the same time i want to enjoy my dinner date… However, I cant complain, it certainly was a delightful experience and especially if you are trying to have a large party, its a great option. I joined the email list which is a major no-​no usually but I plan on coming back. Hopefully on a busier night, but hey! gotta love good food! :)

Food felt authentic and freshly made. Our server was great she had lots of suggestions and was very knowledgeable. If they have the flan as a dessert special, get it!
They had a DJ who played music we enjoyed. The ambiance was a bit off– it felt like more of a restaurant for regulars. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was but maybe it was just an off night as it was a bit empty.
Overall, worth a shot if you like Italian food!

I booked my husband’s surprise 30^th birthday party here, the owner Dominick was easy to work with and accommodating. They have quite a few options for a large party and the menu was well balanced.
We had two options for hot appetizers, stuffed mushrooms and calamari, both were delicious and there was plenty to go around. Next was a salad course, it was simple, but very good.
We had two options for the Pasta course… Rigatoni Vodka Sauce and Cavatelli & Broccoli. The pasta was cooked perfectly and was great quality.
Our main course was Eggplant Rollatini, Chicken Francese, and Sausage & Peppers Giambotta… all were delicious. The chicken was exceptionally good! The Sausage & Peppers were a big hit as well.
The service was amazing, they were very attentive, but also allowed plenty of space for the party to talk and have a good time.
I would highly recommend Al Di La for an event from 25 to 75 people, the pricing is reasonable and you get plenty of amazing food. I was not disappointed in the slightest. We will be back here for dinner soon, and will consider using the space again for another event.
Thanks Dominick and the Al Di La Staff!

Ambiance/​Décor/​Atmosphere: On the verge of a trendy NYC Italian vista with marble accents and some other traditional art and café vibes scattered about. No idea what the other guy thought he saw when he walked in. I guess some people like to be absurdly negative.
Noise/​sound level: I was here when it was Tredici and both times it was relatively empty; which usually doesn’t bode well. So there will be minimal conversation and noise to distract your experience.
Menu: Between small and medium with meat, fish, and pasta dishes to be had. Most of the items are typical Italian fare while others are different and interesting.
Service: We had an older waiter and while he was genuinely nice, friendly, informative, and helpful he was a bit of a clown and seemed to crave attention.
Food: I had the short ribs with polenta and my wife had pork ossobucco with the risotto. We both felt that these meals were tasty and nicely portioned, and were better than many other dinners we’ve eaten outside of the house. I also had Sicilian stuffed artichokes when this was Tredici and they were super delicious too.
Bar: Full bar, but not a great selection of beer to be had.
Price: Unlike other patrons’ experiences we felt the quality of food and service justified the price tag. But, I will agree this place can be pretty expensive.
Overall: Not a bad place to eat at, but not a very memorable either. I might return if I’m in the mood for short ribs or artichokes, but besides the spectacular décor numerous visits here might not be required. (despite my 4 stars)

As I walk in, the décor reminds me of a mold-​infested Disney theme-​park restaurant; I can’t really tell what they’re going for, but hey I’m hungry and need a drink. So, I have a seat at the bar with some family and my girlfriend. We order some appetizers and drinks. My girlfriends martini has an oily film on top, the olives are shedding skin (I didn’t even know that was possible), and the longer she takes to drink it, the more cloudy it becomes. (What the f*ck!)
The food comes — the salad tastes like salad. The tuna tartar tastes like sushi with no flavor and the avocado is brown and rock-​solid. Now, one of us ordered a drink about 10 minutes ago, but the two bartenders are arguing with EACH OTHER and overwhelmed by the 10 customers ordering drinks. So we move onto eating our eggplant rollantini. Which is ice cold and resembles the flavor of two soft-​baked cubes of salt — delicious –_​_​-​. 15 minutes go by, still no drink. So we order a round of bailys on the rocks, because these fine people clearly forgot about the espresso martini we ordered and it’s kind of hard to f*ck up ice and bailys in a glass. CHECK PLEASE! Not coming back, but you can use your own judgement.

Stopped in because I bought a voucher from
. I honestly had no expectations. The place was pretty empty but I prefer that at times. I just wanted the ribs I read were so good by fellow Unilocalers. So I walk in… super impressive place. #1 the décor is simply beautiful in a way that’s not too overwhelming, with a hint of nicely overly done. I’m the dramatic type so I was all in! The detail put into the design of the restaurant is impeccable. I actually sat and watched the show they were on. They had a makeover, and it was on one of those housing channels (obviously I don’t know about these type of shows) It was very touching. The atmosphere was definitely Italian with a modern eclectic feel. I didn’t feel like I was interfering with a private meeting of The Godfather lol.
$ 5 martnis. During happy hour! Yummy! Donna was my bartender and her martinis are sexy! Yes!!! One of the best mango martinis I have had! The key is rum; goes down smoother. She was very nice and personable. l felt like I known her for a while lol. Everyone made me feel like a regular. I felt at home, and well taken care of.
I had the short ribs and risotto. It was spot on! Well cooked, seasoned, and a nice display. The risotto melted in my mouth! I didn’t drool though!!! I had the dessert with berries and icecream and a delicious cappuccino to end my night. Everything was wonderful.
I would definitely come back! Would love to have a small dinner party there! When I have something to celebrate this is my first choice!