Attilio's Restaurant & Pizza — Restaurant in Long Branch

I hardly ever write a review but my experience here still has me trembling. My husband, myself and 4 other people came to this restaurant at the beginning of the summer season. We have been coming here at least once a week during the summer season for the past 5-6 years. It was our first time back since last year and we were excited to be back. We order appetizers to share and an entree each. I ordered the linguine and clams and asked for al dente as I usually do. My mom got a shrimp dish and we were sharing. The food came and the shrimp was good like always. However my pasta was raw. So raw that the linguine didn't even bend. The color of the pasta was still that raw tone. It was still straight in the plate no curve to it. I wish I took a picture of it. I hardly ever send anything back. But it was in edible. My mom agreed I mean there was nothing to disagree about you could just see it without even tasting it. (I did taste it though just to make sure. even took a few more bites in different places thinking I could find a spot that was better). We sent it back and something happened that has never happened to us before in all the years we have evening go to restaurants. The cook, also the owner, came out from the kitchen and started screaming at us that was al dente. Now I know Al Dante means under cooked pasta but that was in edible. And to get screamed at in front of the whole restaurant I have never in my life. Actually screaming that my husband had to start yelling back and he doesn't yell. I got so nervous because I never hear my husband yell (he's very calm) that I started shaking. The waitress then came right out with my same linguine and clams again and said if you don't eat this you have to leave!!!!! My mouth was to the floor. My husband said absolutely not And said give me the bill. No one else finish their meal we paid for the bill and left. In my opinion we should've just walked out because no one even ate but we are not those type people. The way we were treated was beyond terrible. There were other people in the restaurant talking about what happened I wish they would've walked out too. Shame on the owner for treating customers that way. We will...

I used to like to come to this place about six times a year, for the eggplant parm sandwich. I showed up one night and it seemed like the price went up, or they were no longer doing half subs, or something else, I don't remember exactly, and the young man told me how much I owed for the order, that I had called in, and I asked him very respectfully if they had any senior citizen discount. He said no.

The guy next to the first guy, behind the counter, asked him what I had said, and that he had answered 'no' to. He answered him from no more than five feet away from me "This 'effin' (he used the real word) guy wanted to know if we have a senior citizen discount."

I don't know if it was an anti-Semitic reaction, or just pure arrogance and disrespect by a kid who looked 22 at the most for a man three times his age, or maybe he thought five feet away in a normal tone of voice was far enough that I wouldn't hear him, or maybe he figured since I'm old I can't hear anyway, or maybe he didn't even consider if I heard it or not.

I consulted with a few Italian friends of mine, and they gave me some step by step instructions about how to make my own eggplant parm. I like mine much better, I like using my own better quality ingredients, I drive all the way to Colts Neck, NJ for my eggplants, and I prefer to be the only one touching and preparing my food when it is made that obvious to me that the people in that (Attilio's) establishment are less than caring and kind. (If they can't treat customers like human beings, what's the likelihood they are washing their hands after using the men's room?)

I also checked with several people who have opinions that I respect, and they assured me that the behaviour I experienced and was subjected to was highly inappropriate, and then I made the decision never to do business with this...

Update Jan 2018: I still agree that the food is good but based on my most recent visit, I am not sure I will be back. First, they are charging an extra $2 if you order pizza in the "dining room". That's just BS! If someone wants to come into your restaurant and pay you money for your food, let them sit where they want. Second, there were only two other tables of people in the restaurant while we were there. We were a party of 11. Aside from our 5 dinner orders, we ordered a pizza for the kids and one person ordered a personal pizza. The pizzas finally came out after the dinners were nearly completely eaten. On top of that, the personal pizza was the wrong order. There was no offer to fix the order, just an apology from the waitress. Third, if you screw up an order, do something with the bill to make up for the mistake. Not only did they not adjust the bill, they added an extra charge for the actual personal pizza that they delivered to the table. So, we got charged full price for the incorrect pizza that we received in addition to the actual pizza that was ordered and never received. In the end, they only removed the pizza that was ordered and never received. This is poor management - period! I might return after the restaurant changes hands... Hopefully the chef is still there. Original review from 2011: Service is always good. Pizza is good. Salad is very good and the penne vodka...