Il Giardinello

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#4 of 279 Restaurants in Toms RiverItalian, Vegetarian friendly, $$ - $$$

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Il Giardinello

Review

At a glance

Closed now

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Website

+1 732-286-9111Improve this listing

About

Features

CUISINES

Italian

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

BYOB

Highchairs Available

Parking Available

Seating

Table Service

Takeout

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

1232 Route 166, Toms River, NJ 08753-2743

Parking Available

Does this restaurant serve Sicilian food?

Yes

Unsure

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Closed now

• Opens at 5:00 PM

Sunday

5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Monday

Closed

Tuesday

11:30 am - 2:30 pm5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Wednesday

11:30 am - 2:30 pm5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Thursday

11:30 am - 2:30 pm5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Friday

11:30 am - 2:30 pm5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Saturday

5:00 pm - 8:30 pm

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4.4

407 reviews

Excellent

266

Very good

Average

Poor

Terrible

tartufobianc69

New Jersey39 contributions

not to be missed - quality at a great price

Apr 2024 • couples

when we first walked in and saw the cloth tablecloths, we knew that we were in for a good evening. it shows that the owner's care and is an important touch. this is a byob that operates on the thinnest margins. so we both appreciated you spending the extra bucks on the tablecloths. the food here hits above expectations. i started with some clams oreganata that were very fresh, and not overly salty. my wife had the fried calamari which was also very fresh and fried to perfection in clean oil. my chicken francese was served with artichokes per request and a nice tasty sauce. we also had a bruschetta of mozzarella and roasted red peppers that was presented beautifully. the service here was very good as well and the prices were more than fair. you guys really checked all of the boxes for us last night. thanks!

Written 28 April 2024

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Bill A

Spring Lake588 contributions

Huge Portions

May 2021 • none

We recently moved to Toms River and have started to try out some of the local restaurants. Il Giardinello was highly recommended by a friend and it did not disappoint. They serve traditional Italian-American cuisine in a comfortable, casual dining room. The food was excellent, the service was good and, most notably, the portions were hugh. For most people, I would think that the entrees are large enough for two to share. The prices may be a little high; but, not relative to the amount of food provided. Overall, good quality and a good value. I look forward to returning.

Written 7 May 2021

Sharon O

8 contributions

Birthday Dinner!

Nov 2019 • family

The quality of the food at this restaurant was excellent. The atmosphere is very quaint. It is in a house off the bay. The Risotto dish with grilled chicken was very good. Veal Marsala was excellent. The Zuppa di pesce was very good. It had a nice variety of shellfish, the sauce was so tasty. Normally we have appetizers, but opted for dessert instead. The Tiramisu was a good choice as well as the chocolate cheesecake. We enjoyed cappuccinos with our desserts. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for quality food in a quaint atmosphere.

Written 23 October 2020

Frank

Manahawkin3 contributions

Not Very Good

Oct 2023 • family

Not good. Mozzarella in carrozza appy was like a cold mozzarella sandwich, the cheese was not melted at all- ultimately they took it off the bill. Calamari was tough. Chicken cacciatore was odd, essentially flat tasteless cutlets in a brown gravy with peppers and mushrooms. The stuffed rigatoni special looked like a bowl of pasta soup, swimming in a vodka gravy. All pretty bad. I was surprised, I had a good lunch here a few months ago. Asked for a big glass of water since their water glasses with ice hold about 2 ounces of liquid. Rather than pleasing me the guy brought me 2- 2 ounce glasses, then never bothered to come back and refill them. All in all a pretty horrible experience. And they also rushed us, even though the place was relatively empty. I'm never sure why busboys in some restaurants are taught to clean peoples plates off so quickly. Anyway, live and learn.

Written 20 October 2023

Jim L

Toms River6 contributions

Very disappointed in COVID mitigation

Jul 2020 • family

I have enjoyed the offerings of Il Giardinello since moving to this area some years ago, and have posted several very glowing reviews of the restaurant on this site. Because I believe it is important to preserve our local restaurant, tavern and delicatessen scene even during the pandemic, my wife and I have continued to patronize Il Giardinello via curbside take out. It's a bit pricey, but, again, we think it's important to support our local merchants and restaurateurs during this awful time. But today, I saw something that gives me great hezitation about patronizing them again. I arrived about 10 minutes at curbside before they were ready to bring me my meal, and during that 10 minutes I saw a party of 4 people enter the restaurant without any masks or signs of face coverings, gloves or other mitigation methods. One of the persons in this party came back out of the restaurant to retrieve something from his car, and then re entered the restaurant, again without a mask or any mitigation of any sort. Moreover, I witnessed one of the wait staff interact with a couple that was having their meal at a table on the sidewalk, and this waiter was wearing his mask with his nose uncovered. When, after 10 minutes, someone I took to maybe be a manager or assistant finally brought me my meal, I paid and left a 15% tip (probably half of what I would otherwise have tipped), but also told him about what I had witnessed. He was apologetic, promised that the people involved would be talked to, and seemed abashed and serious about that. I drove home with a delicious meal in a nice aluminum pan, but it will be awhile before I order from there again. I hope they get their act together in terms of Coronavirus mitigation, but until they do, we will just get used to doing without the fine dishes of Il Giardinello in Toms River.

Written 31 July 2020

Marie M

Charlotte161 contributions

I’m a bit of a snob when it

Jan 2021 • none

I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to Italian food! I’m a transplanted New Yorker living in the South and came to Toms River to visit relatives - and had this incredible treat eating this food. EVERYTHING was outstanding! We had their special green bean salad, sautéed spinach with garlic, veal parmigiana, linguini with seafood and short ribs. I was in heaven after being away for so long! Each dish was prepped to perfection. Can’t comment on ambiance or service since this was takeout. Open up a good bottle of red and indulge with this menu!! Just Wow!!

Written 31 December 2020

Rich C

7 contributions

Not what you would expect

Nov 2020 • couples

Started off with the fried calamari and tortellini soup. Should have stopped there. Calamari was from a bag from restaurant supply. Soup was tasteless and I thought I was eating the water they cooked the tortellini in. The chicken marsala was orange and tomatoe based?? Never had tomatoe based marsala sauce before not bad just not marsala. Maybe they should talk to the chef(if there was one in the kitchen) and revisit what Italian cuisine should be.

Written 21 November 2020

foodieg982

Toms River465 contributions

A winner

May 2020 • couples

The crowded parking lot and sidewalk outside Il Giardinello pre-COVID was an indicator of this restaurant’s popularity. Gratefully, il Giardinello continues to do a robust takeout business during quarantine. Staples of American Italian cuisine were expertly prepared for my most recent order. Veal parmigiana and chicken parmigiana were pounded thin and cooked to tender perfection. I typically dislike when eggplants are not peeled before being breaded and fried; however, the slices were so thin, there was no chewiness in the eggplant parmigiana. Side salads instead of pasta were generously portioned. Support your locals!

Written 14 May 2020

Vendula H

Closter25 contributions

Delicious Italian Food

Jul 2020 • none

My husband and I came down to Toms River from Bergen county for a few days. I am so happy we chose Il Giardinello for our Tuesday dinner. The food was fresh, very tasty and came in large portions that made our next day lunch. Joe was very nice to deal with, friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!

Written 28 July 2020

Ken_NJ_11islands

Toms River232 contributions

Freshly Made Italian Cuisine - Fantastico!

Jun 2021 • none

We visited for an early dinner. The eggplant parmigiana, veal francaise, and chicken parmigiana were outstanding. The cold antipasto was OK, but not many things that we like. Their bread was warm and fresh. Coffee was good. We didn't have room for dessert. The service was excellent. They also cater!

Written 5 June 2021

Justin U

27 contributions

Some many good options

Aug 2020 • family

I have been here a handful of times over the last two years. I definitely recommend the chef's pasta, pink cream arrabiata, and veal franchese. The eggplant parmesan is a huge portion! Make sure you have reservations because this place is popular and always packed.

Written 1 August 2020

Hope Susan B

Jersey City400 contributions

You'll especially love the ambience, because it's quiet & serene !

Dec 2022 • none

I was invited here for dinner on a holiday week. The dining room was full, but we had a reservation. The room was lovely. The service was professional. The portions were generous. The food was delicious. I was specially impressed by how easy it was to converse ! It wasn't one of these restaurants where you have to shout at each other, due to background noise, etc. ! What a relief !

Written 10 January 2023

Francis M

Toms River252 contributions

Going downhill

May 2021 • family

Not nearly as good as in years past. Can’t put my finger on it but something has changed. Maybe a new chef, but they’ve lost their edge. A recent Friday night, only 50% capacity. When’s the last time you saw that. Apparently others agree. Too bad, I used to like this place but there is a lot of competition out there. Maybe they should go back to coupons?

Written 27 May 2021

Joseph B

1 contribution

Terrible restaurant

Mar 2024 • friends

Terribly don’t go there . Senior waiters are gone and young kids are waiting tables. New chef and the food we all got was terrible. Will never go there again!

Written 1 April 2024