202 Italian Bistro in Lincoln Park - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Loved loved loved this place....food, service and ambiance a 20 over 10 rating!!!! Wished they opened for lunch as well

If I could give 10 stars I would. Loyal customer since 202 and now Arca. When they told me they were going to be taking over an old church and revamp it. The vision that they had in mind was out of this world. You walk in and your are taken away by the entrance doors and a cool piano. Then it opens up to the bar for those that just want a chill vibe. You walk into the dining room experience where the decor and ambiance just grabs you. They have a wine room for those intimate settings whether it’s a birthday, guys night, or whatever your celebrating. Outdoor seating with great lighting and beautiful furniture. Now I hosted my sister’s Bridal Shower upstairs and it was such a phenomenal afternoon. Two parties were going on that day and the way the acoustics hit- it didn’t affect one another’s parties it still gave that privacy that you want. The staff went above and beyond for us. So grateful. The drinks and food were so good. I definitely recommend the bistro calamari and the rigatoni pasta. If you are planning on having a party I totally recommend Arca. Thanks Arca.

We had steak tartare as an appetizer, and it was delicious! Entrees, Branzino with truffle mashroom risotto and lemon caper sauce and squid ink linguine with pistachio pesto sauce, baby shrimp and lobster, was so good. This place is a great place in Lincoln Park NJ. Highly recommended 👌

Hosted my sisters baby shower there on their beautiful outside area. Incredible service and food it was the perfect venue for a special day!

Problem1: we were 8 people at a business dinner. Needed 3 checks. Were told they cannot do that, all had to be on 1 check. Problem 2: One of our party was going to be 15 min. late. So we asked to order our appetizers. Nope, we had to wait for the entire party to be seated first??? Problem 3: Service extremely slow! Problem 4: In an old church where acoustics designed for church services. This made the restaurant extremely loud. Could not hear half the people at the same table. Problem 5: Food was mediocre and some barely lukewarm. All this and the cost is very pricey. Not worth the money. Definitely would not go there again.

Beautiful atmosphere, welcoming environment and the food was delicious. The service at the bar was slow. The one and only bartender was terrific, but it's a bear for one person to handle the bar population and the service bar in tandem. It was a Thursday evening, the main bar should have been better staffed. All in all, kudos and best of luck.

Great food. Good atmosphere and a beautiful wine room.

Food is ok drinks are pricey and ok food is average at best. A huge disappointment. Service is terrible. Management only came to see after we went food back. A huge disappointment. Manager asked to buy desert and we were still charged.

Amazing place the drink are so good food very tasty and service is outstanding

Been to this restaurant twice. Exceptional experience. The owner is very kind and accommodating. Looking forward to going back soon…

Excellent place! The decor is classy and comfortable with lots of different areas to sit. The outside dining area has its own bar. The vaulted ceiling makes for the ability to enjoy a conversation without yelling and being able to hear the other person. Service was 5 star. It did not matter who we asked for something, everyone pitched in and assisted. Service was attentive and the food came out super quick. Great back area that has glass doors for a private affair that could comfortably seat I would say 30. Great selection of cocktails, I had the lemoncello martini and it was refreshing and beautifully served.

The owner is awesome. Very welcoming and friendly.

Appetizers and entrees were delicious. Service well attentive with a swarm of guys waiting on you. Love the history ❤️ of this place. But the food, drinks, atmosphere and especially the service is top notch.

Rachel and Alex and Genc were amazing human beings! They went above and beyond for us! So thankful for you guys, the best ♥️♥️♥️

The tomatoes were not ripe.The pasta was undercooked and had to be sent back. Overall the food was average with high prices. Service was okay.

I have no words. Rachel and Alex were amazing! 10/10.

This building use to be my husbands family church and my son was baptized there. So we couldn’t wait to go there after turning it into a restaurant. I’m glad they kept some of the old charm. We had an excellent meal and staff very efficient and friendly. Table was a bit rocky. So there was some spillage. A little on the pricey side but seems to be the norm.

Went for a party, everything brought to the table was fantastic. Service was also remarkedly better then most places these days. Only thing I didnt like was the atmosphere and pricing. They are definitely trying to cater to higher end demographic but in a really weird area for that.

It's the guy who had roaches on the table at 202 bistro now he tried renovating a old church and making it a restaurant the food was Horrible!!! I would definitely not recommend this place!!

Amazing experience and food was even better 💪🏼

Attended Arca for a private event. It’s was absolutely beautiful. The owner and manager were very friendly and helpful. I am the owner of Flash Me Photobooth LLC. The staff was very helpful and accommodating for the setup.

New place that I am sure I will go back!

The place is very cool and modern which is the main reason for the three stars in addition to the service is OK. However the drinks were atrocious and the food was overly overly overly salty. I got the sizzling salty steak and it was way too buttery and salty, i hate leaving a meal feeling bloated and icky. The apps were ok but could have been better. The calamari was not to my liking but ppl i was with enjoyed it, the bursts was soft and delicious and the tuna was extremely fresh i just wish it came along with a plantain or something crispy to enjoy it with

We enjoyed you once as Bistro 202 and rediscovered you as Arca, a perfect place to meet between friends in Westchester and Western New Jersey. The food is good though my friend's stomach was upset by the bolognese. Appreciated your altering the menu so I could avoid the cream vodka sauce. Only one suggestion: please offer at least one non dairy dessert. We were coming off bad colds and would have loved a plate of pinole almond cookies and buscoti for our coffee

Very nice atmosphere. Food was tasty. Attentive service.

I am extremely disappointed. I had an 8:15 reservation Saturday night for 3 people. We were seated outside, and did not receive water or menus for almost 15 minutes. When we finally ordered cocktails, they came out at 8:45. 30 minutes after we sat. I understand that it gets busy, but we could have been greeted earlier and ordered them much sooner. It felt so unorganized. Because the drinks took so long, we received our entrees just 5 minutes later, which to me is strange. We barely had a sip of our cocktails and the food was out. The food and drinks were delicious. It is a shame that the service was so poor. For the prices, the service should not have been so slow and scattered. It all seemed very unorganized. I hope things will improve, I am extremely dissatisfied.

Salty. Greasy. Soggy. Pricey. Missing items from the order. Other patrons chicken wings served cold. Servers hanging outside smoking is unsightly. The beer was cold. We'll be back next year for a beer.

What a gem of of the highway.amazing service great food highly recommended

Came here for dinner on a friends recommendation. Overall delicious food, phenomenal atmosphere and good people. Outdoor patio is great for spring/summer

Decided to stop in and try out this spot as they just opened. Other than the hostess originally telling us there was no outdoor seating (and subsequently after asking the waiter we got moved outside), the service was good and the food was great. We'll have to come back again

Rude service by hostess. Rushes to get you off the phone and asks you to call back the next day because she is "very busy". If you are very busy, why answer the phone?????

They really did an outstanding job renovating the place. Everything was top notch. Will be back.

Very Bad service. No one pay attention to costumers just running around. No one came to our table to check on us.

Calamari and clams appetizers were insanely delicious, 10/10. Service was great. Ambiance was top tier for the area. Vongole Bianco, and seabass were extraordinary. One of the best experiences I've ever had out to eat in NJ.

First of all, I would like to say the service is impeccable. There is no waiting to remove dirty dishes from your table or get a refill of your drink. The food is amazing as well. Has a very cool atmosphere!

Beautiful restaurant with nice cozy vibes! The food was excellent. But I agree with some of negative reviews…. Servers are 50/50 looks like the nice guys are in a shadow of the majority not smiling and unfriendly guys who manage or own the place. I give 5 starts because the food and couple of people working there deserve that.

Ok so I’ve come two times since they have opened. They food is excellent. The service is awful. Not only do servers seem overwhelmed- they are not nice at all.

Restaurant is beautiful, food and drinks were good (portions a little small but delicious) the service is horrific. Servers are rude and they rush you out. They also forgot to put in 1 meal 1 appetizer and 1 drink. So a lot of missing items. Nice experience but probably won’t go back.

Had my 50th Birthday Party there. Owner and staff were great! Amazing place, a must visit!!!

Our family’s go to place to celebrate any occasion. Love the people, service, atmosphere. We have been going there for years and have yet to be disappointed. We are excited for their new location to open up on Main Street. Great place to spend with friends. Finally able to go to Arca on March 30th. Looking forward to bringing the whole family and experience the new place. Will post an update. Have been to the new location . The first thing you notice when walking up is the awesome new beer garden they have added. Once you enter the restaurant you see the modern backlit bar with stained glass backed shelves of liquor. For a minute, you forget you just came in from Main Street and think you entered a high end restaurant in New York City. The reception is friendly and prompt. Once seated, the staff was attentive and made us feel welcome. The food was amazing, as always. I recommend the NY strip steak (sizzling), although I can honestly say my family and I have never been disappointed with any meal we have ordered. If you are looking for a great atmosphere and an even better meal, this is the place to go. Look forward to going back again and again.

Excellent service and attention to the needs of the table. The food was delicious! I highly recommend Antipasto, Calamari, Penne Vodka, Spicy Sprimp, Spinach Salad and Filet Mignon.

If you're looking for an elevated dining experience, Arca is the place for you. Arca is a beautiful, stylish & elegant restaurant; well designed, gorgeous ambience, delicious food & cocktails, & excellent service. Our server was Tony, & he was fantastic! Courteous, attentive, & he also made great recommendations. (Everything on the menu looked great & I had a tough time choosing. Tony's recommendations were all excellent. The sea bass special was delicious. I also love the Bistro Calamari as an appetizer.) Arca is a wonderful surprise gem, tucked away in Lincoln Park, NJ. I had such a pleasant experience, & I look forward to returning very soon.

Was gonna go there today for dinner. But seems to be tooooo many negative reviews. Will pass. Albanians with bad attitudes. Kinda like a cheap pizzeria ud find.

Our waiter was the only Tony in the house. Service was excellent.Our wine glasses were never empty. He was very attentive. The food was delicious and perfectly prepared. Overall a great dining experience

Food was amazing, atmosphere was beautiful, and service was incredible! Our waiter Tony was so incredibly kind and fun spirited. We are looking forward to coming back!

beautiful resaturant and delicious food, staff is amazing!

Incredible food and atmosphere creatively set in a renovated church, wow.

Very nice place to eat. Vodka sauce was outstanding.

The “new” 202 Bistro is fun! Very cool vibe ….really well done decor. Service was excellent! Kudos to Tony (first day on the job we would not have known). He was excellent! But from the hostess to the servers to the busboys they were all On top of their game. My dinner was “ok” …but let’s see what happens next time. It’s packed. It’s loud. It’s crowded. But we are going back !!!

I come to Arca once a week, at least.. that should say it all. The food, the atmosphere, the service, the drinks, the decor, the experience is all second to none… they truly are excellent at what they do. And it’s very hard to find consistently good service, food and experience like you do at Arca So, What are you waiting for?!

Amazing atmosphere at this newly opened restaurant. Food was tasty and the seafood was fresh. They did a great job with the decoration, used to be a church and it was transformed into an amazing dining area. We will definitely come back. Hopefully they can add DJ during weekend.

There is a new hotspot in Lincoln park called Arca. The fare is Italian,the design is amazing, the greenery,the arched ceiling,the beams. My linguine a la vongole was delish, service was great, atmosphere is nice. Drinks are awesome. Definitely a great place for any celebration or date night. The bar scene is hopping. Give it a try ….

Always solid food experience here. The food is quality & the staff tries their best to appease the often very crowded restaurant. If a little wait for food/service, an often crowded & sometimes loud atmosphere will be an issue for you then this may not be your perfect fit. If these minor items are not an issue then this place will hit all the check marks for you. * Update- 202's is now Arca. Same good service & quality food in a new larger place, down the street. It should also be noted that the value has become less, as the prices have gone up significantly over the years.

It's the same menu as 202 bistro, which has been the same menu for 10 years. The only difference is they increased the prices. Also the bartenders are rude, especially the short guy, the entire bar is EMPTY.

Place is very pretty and VERY loud. The calamari was excellent! My seafood dish was very overcooked and not very flavorful. Portion size could be a bit more generous. One person in our party asked ‘did I order from the kids menu’. He was serious and he wasnt wrong. For the cost our meals should have been better. Service was impeccable!

Place is beautiful, food ok. The Albanians, to many.. wife and friend felt uncomfortable. Short perve bartender needs to go.. not going back.

Noise !! The acoustic of this place is horrible, After one hour and 20 minutes at the table of four, we were told that the limited time of one and half hour is over and we asked to leave the table, unbelievable and disappointed ! , we still with wine and coffee to drink after dinner, I would not recommend this place,

Everything about the place was great. The only thing that was better than the service and the food was the company.🫶🏼

I am from staten island, and rarely do i ever go out to Jersey, but for this place its a no brainer. Everytime i come here the food is freshly served that will water your mouth with the most respectful waiters. I recommend this place to anyone in the area or even out of state, its well worth the drive and i will also keep coming back! Thank you to everyone that works there !

Great atmosphere, service, food and cocktails!!!!

I was very excited to try the place. I think their cocktails are a little over priced for the community. But the restaurant itself is beautiful.

Calamari appetizer, and Shishido pepper appetizer, came out promptly and delicious. I had the truffle gnocchi, which was also delectable. I had the dark night cocktail portray also quite enjoyed. I will be back.

Nice restaurant, only our evening really noisy next to the bar. Tasty food but if you order steak make sure it is not overcooked.

The food is dynamite! The atmosphere is really great too. This was once a former church, and the old details - stained glass window, arched ceiling, are still there. I loved it!

This place is new. If you live in the area you should make your way to Arca for dinner. It was super busy however, they were able to handle the crowd. We were seated in just a few minutes, Our waiter came with the drinks right away. The selection of wine is impressive. The food was good service was good atmosphere was very good. Definitely worth the dining experience.

Great food, service, and menu . The waiters and waitress are very attentive always making sure your needs are being met.

Awesome place, different (good) experience with top quality food 👌

I went to Arca for the first time for a birthday dinner and had a great experience. All the food and drinks were great. The service was fantastic. Love the ambiance. I will definitely return and recommend it to others.

The food and service is absolutely amazing !

Honestly delicious food and service is amazing

Overall - the food is good. The bad... initially, when ordering drinks, it took 20mins for 2 of our party to receive their drinks (after asking twice). After ordering, it took 1.5 hours to be served our meals. One meal was incorrect and we all waited an additional 10 mins for that to arrive as per dishes got cold. I asked to speak to management in regard to the poor service but they refused to speak with me. How's that for ya? I will never return. Thanks for the bad memories! Lol

Amazing atmosphere, food, drinks and staff! Highly recommended!

Always consistent,amazing atmosphere,food and excellent service.The oysters and truffle gnocchi are most have!!!!!

One of the best restaurants in New Jersey!!! Amazing food, drinks and the service is incredible! Highly recommend for any occasion!

Such a great experience here. Expertly prepared food and well crafted drinks, along with the positive/classy vibe the staff and environment give off. Definitely coming back.

Staff was very friendly, Owner is an amazing and funny man, dinner and desert was exceptional, atmosphere was beautiful. Overall a 5 star experience

This place is absolutely gorgeous. Great transformation into a restaurant from a previous church. It’s so classy and sophisticated but also kept some original pieces that makes it even more unique. The wine room is my favorite. The food and drinks are excellent and always on point. Service is always immaculate. The owners are pleasant and making sure things run smoothly . I can easily say this is one of our favorite restaurants around, definitely a must see.

The service was amazing. All of the workers were so kind and the atmosphere of the entire place was wonderful. All the food was spectacular!

I had a private event there last week and I was not disappointed. I’ve also dined there 2 other times and both times it was great. The ambiance, decor and service is excellent. The food is delicious and I highly recommend the dining experience. The owners are top notch and were a tremendous help when I was planning the private event.

It’s difficult to choose what is best about Arca. The beautiful space, the delicious food and cocktails or the outstanding management and staff. I can’t say enough about the place. It’s a fresh, exciting dining event you have to experience for yourself.

Awesome place! The food was delicious and our waiter Christian was great!

The food was over priced for the portion that was given. The reason for the low review is for not honoring their word. Initially, we made a reservation for 7. We received a phone call back regarding our reservation due to overbooking. They apologize if we can switch our reservation to 515 with a comp of four drinks. Upon requesting our tab and claiming our four comp drinks. They broke their word on honoring the four drinks. Being a business owner myself, you never ever break your word to your customers. I was very upset, I bit my tongue and walked away. If you EVER get a call for comp drinks at this location for any reason. Do not believe them. It was a great way to sucker us for an evening there. Not a great business tactic. I will not be coming back to this location and they forever lost my business.

Food and wine excellent. Service also.

Arca Is absolutely Gorgeous the food is phenomenal !! The service and owners are amazing i highly recommend this place Best place in the area

A Culinary Delight! I recently dined at this wonderful new restaurant ARCA and it exceeded all my expectations. The ambiance is inviting, the service is impeccable, and the menu is a gastronomic journey. Each dish was a masterpiece, beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. The chef's creativity shines through in every bite. The staff is friendly and attentive, adding to the overall delightful experience. I highly recommend this gem to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. A five-star establishment without a doubt! Ps we love Genc! You definitely should go check it out!

Excellent food, service and atmosphere.

Hands down the best restaurant in North Jersey! Service, drinks and food are great! You will never be disappointed!

Decor is good, I believe this was a church converted into a restaurant. Food is average, drink was good. Onto the not good. We felt rushed, bunch of servers helicoptering us, way more compared to other tables, literally at least 3 servers in a row asking us if we were done. The difference between us and other customers, we have darker skins. Not recommending.

UPDATE!!! ARCA IS OPEN! The new restaurant is gorgeous, so much more space and high end. It is now the best of the best, bar none. The best restaurant in the area! Genc, Fatos and their staff are truly the best at everything. Excellent service Excellent food awesome specials that change often, Excellent drinks, etc.

Actually named 202 Italian Bistro. Very good food, drinks and atmosphere. Owned by two brothers with a very good wait staff. Never a rush... consistently good.

Enjoyed our meal here. Service was pretty good. One strange thing that’s counter to service industry norms, of the dozen+ employees we saw throughout the meal there was only 1 female. I hope it just happened to be a scheduling oddity and not intentional hiring practices or unhealthy working environment.

Our new date night location!! I can’t even describe how EXQUISITE the food is! The staff is super courteous. They always make sure we have a great time. 100/10 recommend! 😍 Make sure you order the Zuppa di Pesce, you won’t regret it!

Everything was perfect. Thank you, guys, for this beautiful and warm cozy place 💕

I was recommended to go here and try the food prepared by Albanians. The food was delicious and the drinks were good.

WOW! The food, all servers outstanding!! Very impressed with all. Best Italian food ever! A terrific restaurant.

The staff and food is second to none. Highly recommended!!!

Food was cold when it arrived at the table. The order was correct and it tasted good. Just not hot or even warm for that matter. Fillet special, halibut and rigatoni dishes were ordered. And a decent Pinot recommended by the server.

Off the charts! The food here was simply amazing. Not to mention…some of the best service I’ve ever seen. All the staff are friendly, working together to make sure you’re enjoying yourself. Just went with my wife for our anniversary for the first time. We live 15 min from here.:.definitely going to become regulars!

The best meal and service I've had in years.

Had the Branzino, excellent. Enjoyed very good appletini too.