Angelo's — Restaurant in Lyndhurst

This is a strange review to write - the first like it I’ve done.

We were staying in a Lyndhurst hotel and found this restaurant nearby with good reviews and decided to pop in on a Sunday night.

The restaurant is BEAUTIFUL. I fell in love as soon as I walked in. However, I didn’t find the place to be overly welcoming. The front house staff asked us if we had a reservation (didn’t even occur to me late on a Sunday) and kind of rudely waved around and told us it would be a “45 minute wait, maybe even a lot longer.” Mind you, no one else was waiting. But we went to the bar.

Cocktails were delicious, sat next to a rude guy giving me dirty looks, but whatever. About 20 minutes later, after a few expensive drinks, we were very warmly told there was a table for us.

The food was divine. I had the eggplant parm and husband had spaghetti and meatballs, with Chianti for both. We had wonderful conversation with the table next to us (tables are kind of close to one another) and the server was great. It was a great meal.

Later, without any prior discussion, my husband and I both shared that we got some pretty racist vibes in the place. My husband is white and I'm African-American and I don't think that's something we've both picked up on so clearly in the past and its definitely not anything I've ever written in a review before. But it was pretty clear...

Where do I begin, I never write reviews that could be perceived as Negative, but..

The Atmosphere itself is very Nice, but the owners or head staff seem to stare you down if your not a regular or part of the " neighborhood", this is the feeling we got The food portion (CCP) was literally, and I mean Literally HALF the size of Gelone, which is just up the road or Lassona, and the Chicken cutlet Parm was two 3 oz pieces about 1/8" thick and way overcooked, the cheese was actually a thin slice, slice I said, of Mozzarella which slid of when you tried to cut this hard overcooked piece of whatever, that tasted like nothing. So, of course I got the attention of the owner, I think, older women whom was very nice and respectful to us and everyone but didn't agree that the portions where small and said to order another dish.....we finished our CCP in two Minutes, literally...and Of course these people don't even give you Pasta with your meal of $20, that's $9 extra..so I learned, I will save my money and time and just keep going to Gelone, No More...

Angelo's is my favorite restaurant in Bergen County and should be in Webster's definition of red sauce Jersey Italian joints. The bar has an integrated continuous cushioned armrest, a skilled and friendly bartender, and the ambience of a Scorsese film. The menu has all the classics with some quirks; i.e. the "meat sauce" has the asterisked disclaimer that it is not a bolognese (it's light enough to top a side pasta) and meatballs can be served with french fries. I had the breaded veal cutlet with a delicious side of hot peppers and onions to top the cutlet with. Side of al dente spaghetti and artichoke appetizer. All fantastic!

Note that you must toss your own pasta and red pepper and parm are on the table for this purpose!

Desserts are from the adjacent Lyndhurst Pastry Shop and I especially the recommend the ricotta cheesecake, cannoli, and rum cake.

They have their own parking around the back....a plus in crowded southern Bergen County.

Anyone who likes Italian American classics executed perfectly must eat...