Dina's Bistro — Restaurant in Toms River

Our first time at Dina’s Bistro and already can’t wait to return and eat thru the menu. It appears to truly be a family run business. The host instantly made us feel welcome as if we had been there before.

We started with the small charcuterie board (which is not small) and it was loaded with quality ingredients. Also we had Dina’s Trio with homemade meatballs & ricotta, long hots, and tomato with fresh mozzarella. Watching this all hit the table brought instant smiles. The meatballs are rustic and fantastic.

For dinner we had The Land & Sea (Fresh Lump Crab Cake, Filet Mignon, & Shrimp). The steak was cooked exactly to order and high quality. The crab cake was crispy on the outside, tender inside and delicious. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and seasoned.

The Stuffed Shrimp dinner (Jumbo Shrimp Stuffed with Lump Crabmeat in a garlic butter sauce over Lobster Risotto) was also fresh and cooked perfectly. The Lobster Risotto was loaded with nice size pieces of fresh lobster. It wasn’t diced and an afterthought.

After being stuffed with all of the above we still had to try some family recipe homemade desserts. The pistachio cake and banana cake were both outstanding. Fresh, light, and loaded with flavor.

We could see and hear other tables around us that seemed as happy and pleased as we were. Some commenting on the perfection of the crispness of the chicken parm and the deep rich flavor of their homemade bolognese sauce. Both on our list to try along with more of their seafood dishes.

Again, it was just wonderful from start to finish. Intimate but energetic at the same time. Reminded us of a few top Italian restaurants that you’d find in NYC. Our service was paced just right. In a family run operation like this even if we had to wait while seated on a crazy busy night, I promise you, it’s worth it. You can feel that they won’t rush you out the door to turn a table. Everything is made to order. What a great find. Pricing is right where it should be. High quality and generous portions.

PS. The head chef Dina can be seen bringing out items to the table to greet guests. She personally brought out our charcuterie board as she assembles them herself to order. She was just who you’d hope was running the kitchen and preparing homemade meals. It was delight to speak with her and her husband who was running the front of house. They truly take pride in what they do...

Overall, my dining experience at Dina's family owned restaurant was exceptional. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with a warm and friendly welcome from the owners and staff. I have been several times and I am never disappointed! Dina will come out from the kitchen to greet you as well, to make sure your dinner was made to your liking, if not she will insist to make it right.

The menu at Dina's restaurant offered a wide variety of options to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. I was impressed by the range of choices available, from traditional dishes to more unique and innovative offerings such as berkshire pork chops, this is my go too. It was evident that the ingredients used were of high quality, as each dish was expertly prepared and presented.

For appetizers, I ordered the bang bang shrimp and mussels and was delighted by its freshness and how flavorful each dish was. The portion size was generous, making it a perfect start to the meal.

You have to get the wedge salad with the roasted cherry tomatoes.

Moving on to the main course, I opted for the Berkshire Scarpariello. It was cooked to perfection, tender and juicy It was served with great mashed potatoes , which complemented the chip beautifully. What is great is that Dina will cook what ever you want if she has the ingredients. The bread is fresh baked hot and is so GOOD, especially the olive bread.

To end the meal, I indulged in the chocolate brownie sundae for dessert. The brownie was rich and moist, It was accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which provided a perfect balance of flavors. The dessert was a sweet and decadent finale to an already fantastic dining experience. Dina makes all of her desserts home made.

Throughout the evening, the service at Dina's restaurant was impeccable. The owner Jesse was attentive, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of the meal was enjoyable. They were quick to refill drinks, answer any questions, and provide recommendations.

In terms of value for money, Dina's restaurant exceeded my expectations. Considering the quality of the food, portion sizes, and overall experience, I found the prices to be reasonable and worth every penny.

In conclusion, I highly recommend Dina's restaurant for homemade...

Had a reservation for 3 ppl at 7. We were sat next to a round table by the window where there were 5 ppl seated. Waited a while to be greeted and get water, but there seemed to only be 1 server and busy. The big blonde woman and big young man were talking badly about the staff the entire time. We got Dinas salad and it was a Greek salad but had no olives so was a basic salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, had to ask for the olives on the side. Clams casino were more like oreganata...no peppers or onions and sparse bacon. They were also a bit large, bigger than a large middle neck. Ordered what was supposed to be a 12 oz tail, it was waterlogged and flavorless and definitely NOT 12 oz. It came with a mushy medly of frozen veggies and mashed potatoes scooped with an ice cream scoop. We also ordered what should've been a medium cooked juicy Berkshire pork chop scarpiello! Was BUTTERFLIED and wwwwd. Got the pork osso bucco which was fine. When we wanted to send back the 2 terrible entrees the woman at the next table became belligerent and claimed that you always butterfly Berkshire chops..lol. just, NO. She began arguing and yelling at myself, boyfriend and his mother!!! Turns out it was THE DINA!! I refused to pay for the food we didn't touch and she flipped out. I ended up calling police and her 6'5" son was trying to intimidate me and my bf's mother while my bf was inside. I turned my phone on record and he proceeded to grab my hands and twist my phone from my hands!! In order to squash the bill they begged for me to erase the video!!! Needless to say nobody I know nor myself will ever patronize this sub par restaurant. We didn't pay ANY of the bill and I'm trying to restore my video of the assault!! Owner accused us of being drunk..police wouldn't allow a drunk person to drive out of there! Very nasty unprofessional people. Very subpar food. I was able to restore my video and just exported this frame showing the large man lunge to grab my phone!! I was on the phone with the police outside and he proceeded to follow me.. then when I hung up and started recording him you can hear him threaten to punch me, then he lunged and stole my phone!! What's more is the harassment that has ensued by the owners even though I possess a video of...