Undici — Restaurant in Rumson

Food was great, but severely overpriced. I guess that's what comes with the area. The service was great. Compliments to our server, Pedro.

To start, there is parking out front across the street and also behind the restaurant. You meet the hostess thru the back door. Very cool atmosphere.

You arrive to your table and are soon given one half slice of bread per person, with a dish of high quality extra virgin olive oil. We ordered the La Forza cocktail and a beer. The cocktail was delicious, and the beer is a local favorite of mine. The drink selection was outstanding.

For appetizers, we started with the rice balls (Arincini) and the grilled octopus (Polpo). Three cheesey, crispy rice balls arrived in a bed of red sauce. Quite good, but nothing special. For the size, certainly not worth the price.

The octopus came one leg, cooked to perfection. It had a nice kick to it. It came with a few frisee lettuce leaves and a small scoop of "rustic avocado", which was a very salty guacamole. Some pistachios and one spicy pepper. Overpriced, again.

For dinner, we got the bolegnese and the pork chop, as well as a side of the hot peppers. Both dishes were delicious. But still, the amount of food for the price were both a little ridiculous.

We ended with a regular coffee and a double shot of.espresso--no dessert.

In our many years of dining together as a couple, this has been out most expensive meal out, and we didnt even get anything that extravagent (one pork chop and one pasta dish). Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but it wasn't in our top 10. Would not return. For the price, I'll try...

I had a very disappointing birthday dinner here, which was surprising given how many people I know have enjoyed this restaurant. We made a reservation for indoors and when we showed up, the waitress directed us to a table inside. She did not walk us to the table, just pointed and said "it's the table at the end on the left." When we went to sit, a nearby waiter told us the table was reserved. I guess because he didn't see the hostess, who really should have walked us to the table. Then the hostess came back and said that actually wasn't our table so we had to get up. She took us outside, even when we showed that our reservation said inside. We sat outside and luckily it was nice. The music was too loud, but they turned it down at our request. The waitstaff was very attentive, almost too much. It felt like 10 people were watching us at all times. This became an issue at the end of the meal when 3 of us had finished and 1 was still eating. They kept asking if she was done and if they could box our food. I understand turn over, but we were barely at an hour and a half. No one should be rushed to finish. Once we hit dessert, suddenly our water glasses went empty and were not refilled even though we still had regular drinks and dessert to eat. The food was okay. One person ordered pizza and it came out about 7 minutes before everyone else's food. The pasta was undercooked. We really did not enjoy it the way we should have for...

What a fantastic surprise! The food at Undici was next-level, but what really blew my mind? The martini. I’m a die-hard martini drinker, and I’ve had plenty—but this one? Easily one of the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly balanced, smooth, and that jalapeño-stuffed olive? Game changer. It packed just the right amount of kick to make the whole thing sing.

Then came the Caesar salad—with fried capers. Yes, fried capers! Crispy, salty little flavor bombs that totally elevated the dish. Honestly, they should sell them by the bowl as a snack. I’d order two.

The vibe? Super chill and inviting. Our waiter, Alejandro, was spot-on—attentive and friendly—and the whole experience felt really thoughtful and well-paced.

Quick heads-up for fellow locals: The hostess stand is tucked away at the rear entrance, which is... quirky. If you come through the front door, you’ll end up standing there awkwardly, wondering if you’re in the wrong place. During our Saturday lunch, the hostess wasn’t exactly bubbling with energy—but hey, we all have off days.

Bottom line: don’t let that small hiccup stop you. The food, the drinks, the vibe—totally worth it. Sit inside or out, order something adventurous, and let this spot surprise you. I don’t think you’ll regret it...