Rustica Lounge Bar & Restaurant

I came in October 2023. My experience here was extremely delightful. From the time I walked in the restaurant until my stomach was full when leaving - everything was nice.

Service was very attentive. The drinks were absolutely amazing. The appetizers and main entrees were also good. I just needed touch more salt. Some parts of our choices were bland but I will not short them a star because the overall experience was really good.

The decorum and ambiance was so cozy and relaxing. It elevated my visit here that much more.

I will be going back.

Our waiter was great. They made my wife feel really special for her bday. Drink were on point. And the atmosphere and decor is second to none. Highly recommend.

Excellent food and the jazz trio on Friday and Saturday night and Sunday brunch are superb. These are world-class, professional jazz musicians who have played with some of the most famous and greatest jazz musicians of all time like Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Chet Baker and more. A real treat and no cover charge. Definitely worth checking out!

Everything was very pleasant, from the host to the wait staff. The food was delicious. My husband said that the steak was the tastiest he had ever eaten. I had wanted the scallops without the risotto, but with the potatoes gratin instead, and was informed that they do not change the dishes. They come as stated on the menu, no exceptions. I had to opt for the Cacio e Pepe instead, which was delicious. I was disappointed with the crab cakes as they were soggy and falling apart. The live band was a great addition to our dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant.

I've driven past this place hundreds of times, finally decided to stop in, and I'm glad that I did. Everything was cooked to perfection, the octapus, scallops, ribeye, and branzino. They used quality ingredients, with well thought out flavors. The portions were bigger than expected. The service was good, and I loved the ambience. I will definitely be going back soon.

A surprising find. Overall very tasty with a few minor complaints (corn under the crab cake is effectively frozen corn, but the crab cake itself was delicious). Scallops had a bit of that metallic preservative flavor but the cook was good and sauce and risotto with it were lovely. Duck was fantastic, but they don't bring a steak knife with it and it's hard to cut with the butter knife. Zeppolis were good but not mind blowing.

Staff was super attentive and the ambiance is really top notch. Our party also enjoyed many of the creative cocktails

Came here with a group of co-workers. I'm glad they suggested this place. I always wanted to visit after seeing the Groupon for their brunches. We came here for dinner right when they opened. We ordered some calamari, beef carpacio and arugula salad to start. Our main dishes took a while to come out but it was worth the wait because our pasta was delicious. The only con was that the lobster was a little overcooked and rubbery but the clams and mussels were excellent and so was the pasta. I would visit again.

LOVE. LOOOOOVE "Rustica"!!! Been going there a lot since the moment we've discovered it last year. It's a short Uber ride from our house. The place is incredible from the inspiring decor, the (AMAZING) food, and Amazing portions. to wonderful service - the waiters and the owner/manager make you feel super welcome. I can go on and on. Love how it has several sections: the front has an upscale vibe, then the Bar has it's own seating area, and then the endless covered patio-like space - perfect for parties. We've only done dinners there, but i'm contemlating throwing a party there. Did i mention I am crazy about "Rustica?"

Very atmospheric place. It looks very nice inside and the food is very delicious. I recommend their octopus.

Celebrated a friend's birthday and we all loved the food it was delicious! I highly recommend this place. The ambiance and decor is too cute and excellent for photos

Wonderful! Excellent! Superb service! Dinner was phenomenal! Members of our party ordered Cesar Salad, Arugala Pear Salad, Portobello Salad, Calamari Fritti, Grilled Lemon Chicken, Surf and Turf with rosemary mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, Mediterranean Lamp Chops, Latte, Capuchino, Almond Layered Cake, Tiramisu, New York Style Cheesecake and Chocolate Caramel Crunch cake. EVERYTHING was exquisitely delicious! Our bill reflected the genuine quality of the food and service we enjoyed. The ambiance was perfect! WELL COME AGAIN. Thanks to groupon for suggesting this place!

I went to Rustica for an event and I must say it was such an amazing experience the food and the service were fantastic. I must say my two favorites were the main course the blue fin Tuna and the Double Cut Pork Chop! However all the other dishes were also amazing can't go wrong with any of them!

It's a very nice spot and if you're reserved for a special someone ask for the table by the piano. The cocktails are on point. I had the lychee martini and cucumber mint martini and they were delicious. The appetizers were pretty damn tasty as well. Filet mignon cooked as ordered and you can't go wrong with it.

Had a great birthday brunch at Rustica! Although it was rainy, the decor and ambience was still beautiful. The unlimited mimosas and sangrias were great and the food was tasty! We weren't the biggest fans of the crab cake but definitely recommend the shrimp appetizer and pastas. This place is great for birthdays and date nights!

We came here for one of our friend’s birthdays and had the best experience. The food was so good & the service was even more phenomenal. Our waiter was so attentive and made our whole experience even better. This was my second time here and I can say I will be back again and again!!

Amazing restaurant, great atmosphere and setting. Wonderful service. Truly delicious food prepared with skill attention and superb presentation. Mark up on the wine was a little high but a very good selection to suit different budgets. Would highly recommend and would visit again.

A hidden gem... I've never noticed this resturant before until my out of town family suggested to me. Great food and staff. Will come back again. The atmosphere is a must see. Love the vibes

Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday and the food and atmosphere was on point! I had the penne, but each of my friend's got a different dish and I tried all of them! It was truly a wonderful tasting experience.

I'm not a huge fan of octopus, but the octopus appetizer changed the way I perceive octopus now.

Unfortunately, the filet mignon wasn't cooked at medium rare as requested so the waiter brought us another order. If you do plan to order the filet mignon, do take caution. The second was absolutely delicious so moral of the story is that some risks are worth taking.

Pros:
- interior design and atmosphere was stunning
- food was nothing short of absolutely delicious
- waiters were very professional
- lovely spot for a date

Cons:
- wait time (probably took longer because I was with a group of 10)

For food recommendations, follow me on Instagram @dailymealhabits

came here after dinner with my aunt who flew into town… We we’re around the area & I had previously been here before during their soft opening, I don’t think the indoor sections / restaurant open… To my surprise; the back outdoor section was available and the inside was finished.. immediately upon entry , my guests were taken back by how beautiful and elegant the location had finally finished to be… we came for drinks so we were sat in a beautiful middle section between the bar and outdoor section ( best of both worlds ) . Just with the scenery and aesthetic my company was taken back , then to add to the spectacular location & establishment…. Our server Alex , just raised the bar and set the tone. She was super sweet and attentive.. she was very pleasant and caring, recommendation were superb! Alex was our host, and truly delivered a fine dining experienced. She elevated the experience with her generous and hospitable aura. She was very pleasant and will definitely ask for her next time! Loved the way she serviced her tables not only mine.. vvery attentive and on top of it all! Very well spent evening with family out of town , for a beautiful rich experience from atmosphere to cuisine to staff. Thank you for having us!

This restaurant is one of my favorite spot in NJ. The decor is very elegant. Every corner is done beautifully. Their craft cocktails are AMAZING! I can tell drinks never disappoint at Rustica. The food menu is very rich with a lots of options and whatever we ordered always was very tasty. I think this place is gem in Cliffside park and worth to give it a try.