Ruoccos Restaurant - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

Hosted my brother’s 30th birthday here & Isabella was so helpful! She was very attentive and recommended the best things on the menu. The food is amazing! Hands down the best Italian food in Manalapan!

just a great family restaurant run by a family!

This restaurant is one of very few places that deliver impeccable service,prices,and size portions. I would highly suggest this restaurant to anyone who knows Italian cuisine.

First time here - beautiful decor , staff friendly and knowledgeable of menu When the bread is great - almost always then the meal is . We went on pasta night Wednesday & Thursday unknowingly- so carbonara pasta was $15 which we split and a chicken Marsala - had the rice balls as appetizer -everything delicious - definitely recommend. Will be returning 👍😄

The food was excellent, and the service was 5' star The atmosphere was 5 star too.

Was there for a party. Food was very good, service was excellent for the large group that I was there with

Ruoccos already has my favorite baked clams. But the special baked clams stuffed with crab meat were amazing !! The right amount of white fluffy crabmeat atop those perfect baked clams. Yes we did get a second order.

We come from Staten Island to come here often. It is truly a family owned and run business. Great food and wonderful atmosphere! We never leave disappointed! The entire family and wait staff are very friendly and easily engaged in conversation!

We made our very first visit last night. We met lovely Isabella our server with Sophia in training & Kayla. We also met Isabellas sis who's name we forgot but also so sweet. The staff is in constant motion. A definite team effort for all to help the guests. Service was on point. We were visited by the owner Steve who left us feeling like his new friends. The atmosphere of this restaurant is soft & lovely & not over the top. Bathrooms are maintained beautifully. We will definitely visit again. Continued blessings and success !! Keep up the good work and excellent work ethic!!

We had a party here for 40 people. The food was amazing! The service exceeded our expectations! The party room was beautiful! The owners were the nicest people! Every guest raved about the food, it was delicious & plenty of it! We loved Ruoccos and can’t wait to go back!

Had the best time and had such an amazing dinner! Will be back for sure:)

Went to a party there this past weekend. Food was amazing! Service was great! Can not wait to go back again soon!

Ruocco’s Restaurant is amazing. The staff, the food, the atmosphere of the restaurant is what my sister and I needed to plan to help put our stresses at ease for our mother’s suprise party. They were helpful in every way possible, and I would recommend everyone to come here for a nice dinner or for a private party event. The owners and staff are extremely welcoming and make the experience even better.

Went here for a nice Mothers Day meal and we were completely disappointed. The place is basically a pizza joint turned into a fake fancy Italian restaurant. The food was not only overpriced but literally had no flavor. The service was good but at the end of the day the quality of food has to match the price and this place definitely didn’t meet that quota.

First time here and would love to go back soon. Excellent food, super quick service and our waitress Gianna was fantastic and has a great personality.

This is a great place for dinner! The restaurant is so pretty, so clean and the food is delicious! The meatball appetizer is a must try. The pork chop with rice pilaf and the rigatoni bolognese are perfectly portioned, shareable and full of flavor! Never once reached for the salt and pepper. I love the family feel you get the second you walk through the doors. There are photos of the owners and their kids are on the wall and they are all on the floor, serving customers with a smile. You can definitely tell it’s a place filled with love, a passion for food and most importantly, family. Would definitely recommend to anyone!

Food was great and loved the singer.

We had reservations at Ruoccos for a large party. The hostess greeted and seated us quickly. Our waitress was pleasant and made recommendations from the menu. The food was excellent and overall the staff was very pleasant.

Excellent family owned Italian BYOB with Friday night entertainment

Great food great atmosphere and service on point

Had my 35th Birthday Dinner here. What a meal! Start to finish, Steve and his amazing staff treated us like family. Everything was incredible from the family style apps to the entrees. It was a great evening. Definitely recommend!

This restaurant was amazing! From the food, the service, the portions, everything was absolutely perfect.

Food is excellent and the servers are very polite and professional. We have gone 2x in the past 6 weeks and enjoyed our food both times. We will continue to go to Ruocco’s, the restaurant is great!

I’m sorry I waited so long to try this restaurant. The bread the salad the entree the deserts Clean and classy great service. Authentic Italian cooking at its best.

Had my daughters first birthday party here after looking at multiple other restaurants. This restaurant had the nicest party room and the food was delicious. The day of the party, I was able to come early to decorate and set up. The owner and his family were very kind and helped set up the room and accommodated our requests. They continually checked in throughout the event to make sure we were happy and if we needed anything. The waitresses made sure we had enough food and the kids were all given kids meals which they loved. My guests raved about the chicken francese and baked clams. It was a great day and I felt very at peace knowing how helpful staff was and didn't have to worry about the party going smoothly. Definitely recommend Ruoccos!

The food was great. The service and staff fantastic. Will definitely be coming back. Thank you Emily for the service very pleasant.

Run away . This place only wants your money my dinner was terrible the veal and the cheese tasted old .The spinach with soggy and Gross and my waitress never even came by and asked us how it was. Then the bus boy practically took the food out of my daughter’s mouth. We will never be coming back here rest, assure, I actually feel gross after eating here.

From time to time I read various restaurant reviews and can’t believe some of the insanity I read. I eat here often and have to believe some of the negativity is a complete lie. Trust me folks, everything here is top of the line. From the food to the hard working staff, there’s no better place in NJ! Ignore the people that should just stay home, and ignore me if you choose so, and just try for yourself.

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. This restaurant was a complete money grab. Not only did our waitress have a bad attitude and a face on the whole night she made every single person order a dish and didn’t allow sharing. The waitress completely disregarded anything of the food we wanted to order and instead gave us dishes she recommended (which were all expensive). Not only were the portions small, they were horrible. It’s close to impossible to mess up Italian food and they did. The waitress then proceeded to bring out desert for every single person when only 2 people ordered and charged over $150 for dessert that no one ate and we weren’t allowed to take it home either. She somehow ran the bill up to over $700 and added a 20% tip, when the service was horrible. Don’t waste your time and money. This is definitely the worst restaurant in the area. The food, the service, and the atmosphere. My friends, family, and I will definitely never go back there ever!

I ordered take out at 5:10 and received my cold food at 6:55. I called the number they gave me three times no answer. I even emailed them no response. They moved the delivery three times. The last text I got had the driver number so I called it. I gave him my address and he told me my order was canceled 😡 but I will still deliver your food. I was so confused and upset. Ruocco’s was nice enough to charge me $7.49 for delivery plus tip. You have been in business for a few years now get your act together.And don’t blame it on door dash.

As always, the Ruocco family provides such a wonderful experience. We had my fiancés birthday dinner there and not only did our friends fall in love with the food and the restaurant right away, my fiance described it as the perfect birthday dinner. Bella and the entire staff is always so great to us every time we come in. The prices are super fair and affordable and The live music is great too. I can’t say enough great things about this place.

Very warm and cozy atmosphere. Food was delicious! We had the eggplant stack, calamari, and meatballs to start and they were all awesome. It was BYOB which went very well with the Pink Panther entrees we ordered. Overall experience was excellent and food was phenomenal.

Very let down. food had no taste

Owner cancelled our reservation because we didn’t, want to sit on top of bathroom very very poor business atmosphere. Would not recommend this place until the decide to be nice to customers owners response is a total fabrication no basis for truth. Any business should not have temper trandment .but should learn how to apologize for bad decision

I got take out just to test out their meatballs. Best I’ve had in a restaurant. Great texture. Plenty of sauce and dollops of ricotta. Delicious. Crispy bread, hard outside. Yummy.

Ending this year with a bang! We checked out Ruocco's Restaurant in Manalapan, NJ @ruoccosrestaurant and if you like Italian food, this place is a must try! For appetizers we got the Meatball Special, which is served with fresh Ricotta and Parmesan, Fried Calamari, and Spiedini Alla Romana. This was my first time trying Spiedini, and it was by far one of the best things I've ever tasted, I could have licked the plate. The Lobster Ravioli was so delicious, as was the Lobster Beurre Blanc and Jumbo Shrimp it was served with. The kids got the Penne Vodka, which was fantastic. I forgot to mention the bread which comes out crispy, warm, and fantastic. It was so good, and I believe it was noticed because we were quickly asked if we'd like another basket, excellent for dipping in all of these amazing sauces! We ended the night with a tartufo that was out of this world! Ruocco's is a family owned and operated business, and you can tell how much pride they put into their restaurant, this shines through with the level of quality and flavors of their food. Their food is a combination of old world comfort with a contemporary twist. The restaurant is beautiful, both inside and out, and you can tell that everyone there wants you to have a great dining experience. We can't wait to go back and experience the rest of the menu! I definitely recommend making reservations in advance. With the food being this delicious, they obviously book up quickly!

The restaurant is good, but nothing spectacular. Food quality is uneven. Some dishes are fantastic (lamb chops, calamari), some are just OK, deserts are too sweet (cannoli was terribly sweet). In general Italian dishes in the US are nothing close to what you get in Italy. I specifically want to point out to the managers: please instruct waiters to change cutlery after the appetizer. It's disgusting when the waiter takes dirty fork and knife and puts it on the table linen. Nowhere in Europe I have seen this practice. Only in the US. What does it take to change cutlery? Literally nothing.

Loved it here!! Food and service were both fantastic.

I thought the specials were very expensive. Most people are uncomfortable asking the price of the specials. But everyone loved them. So food was very good but drafty ware we were sitting.

Beautiful space, great service, delicious food

Delicious home-made authentic Italian dishes, from the bread to dessert all very good. Great place to enjoy great meal. Family-owned and service was great. BYOB. Can't aay enough good things. Forgot to take pictures of our dishes - will do next time, definitely going back and catering for Xmas.

Absolutely love taking my family to Ruocco's and I have for years. Often buy gift certificates for others to enjoy. Food and atmosphere are always great and the staff has always been personal and friendly. Don't listen to the naysayers out there that just like to complain. If you want to enjoy a nice night out with a great meal, Ruocco's is definitely a place to go to.

DISAPPOINTED. Felt like we were strangers dropping in a family's house. In other words, the servers seemed generally annoyed to be working this Sunday afternoon and the chef didn't appear have professional training. The Christmas music was blasted while we ate, and even though we asked politely to have it lowered it just got louder as the night went on...everyone/servers were shouting to hear the others at their tables. Disappointing menu choices and poorly seasoned/cooked food. We had four entrees and two appetizers, the CALAMARI was very good but all other dishes were below average in terms of quality/freshness/preparation when compared to local restaurants. We frequently eat Italian and consistently explore great restaurants all over NJ. We also realize that just one experience doesn't tell the whole story for every restaurant. Unfortunately this particular restaurant misses the mark on so many levels we can't recommend it, nor will we try it again.

Tonight was our first time dining here. Food was absolutely delicious! Gnocchi with braised short rib, pasta carbonara with chicken, stuffed flounder, Italian eggrolls! Service was excellent! The two young sisters who work there are so friendly and helpful and professional! Atmosphere is so nice! So many Cmas decorations! Highly recommend Ruoccos!

Food was true Italian, service was very attentive and it was a great night out at a beautiful place with music.

Calling this place, a hidden gem is not doing it justice, this is truly a diamond in the rough! I’m starting to find that all the best restaurants in New Jersey are in strip malls, because I was absolutely blown away by all the food here! Our server, Bella started us out with some bread with the most amazing olive oil for dipping, and a few other toppings if we wanted. Delicious. I then tried the artichoke oreganata, special, wow. Also tried the Philly cheesesteak eggrolls, they came with a cheese wiz sauce, definitely very tasty. I cannot resist a spicy rigatoni vodka, and this one was stuffed, very different than anything I’ve ever had, and incredibly delicious! My friend, and I were fighting over the last bites. For the main course, I tried the honey glaze salmon with roasted potatoes and spinach, I got it well done so the honey made the salmon very crisp. Oh my God, quite possibly the most amazing thing I’ve ever eaten, didn’t even need sauce! And then my best friend had the oso bucco Which was so enormous it came with a bone that was about the size of my head! Soft, tender fall off the bone, meat, and a bit of mashed potatoes underneath, I was absolutely jealous. We were offered dessert, but possibly eat another bite especially after trying Bella‘s favorite, blueberry sangria, I will absolutely be back to try the rest of the menu!

Went to dinner for my mother’s birthday and everyone’s food was outstanding. Service was great too.

The food, service and ambiance at Ruocco’s are unsurpassed. The servers are attentive, food is delicious!

I had a my 30th birthday dinner here a few weeks ago and I can honestly say I loved that we chose Ruoccos! the food is so delicious and the owners treat you like family. The staff works really hard in ensuring the customers are satisfied. Thank you to Ruccos for helping my mom with our party and being so accommodating!

This place is a must visit, easily the most unique and delicious Italian food we’ve ever tried. The appetizers were fantastic, we had plenty of bread with dipping items, the gnocchi with braised short ribs was out of this world good. We somehow managed to cap our meal off with tiramisu. The service was phenomenal and the experience was just amazing! You must visit this place, we will definitely return again!!

Owners are great, service is phenomenal, and the atmosphere feels like home. Thank you.

10 out of 10. I had my son’s first birthday party here and besides the amazing food, the staff was awesome. The owner and his staff are the most professional and warm people that made this a very easy and beautiful affair!

Amazing service and staff, food was good, place is pretty and very clean. Went to a party and would absolutely host here !

amazing service and atmosphere. the food is alway delicious. great staff!!

I can’t say enough good things about this restaurant! Excellent food, service and staff! Thank you for making my daughters birthday celebration so memorable!

Always a great dinner and a great time. Wonderful family and great service.

The food here is amazing! Some of the best food I’ve ever had. The pink panther is by far the best penne vodka I’ve ever had, they even provided me the recipe which I know won’t come out as good as Ruoccos! Highly recommend for amazing Italian food!

All of the staff was great, so many stopped by the table to make sure everything was good. We had the artichoke franchise out of this world, even better reheated the next day. Meatballs appetizer was great and the sauce. Lobster ravioli was awesome. My husband got the pink vodka with veal he said it was the best meal he ever ate. The tiramisu was incredible!!

First time here. Entrees and desserts were delicious. Had recommendations offered by server and she was spot on. Service was outstanding. Very clean. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Will definitely return.

Recently visited this restaurant while my wife and I were attending our nieces engagement party. The atmosphere was really nice and comforting. The service was top notch. Being someone who lives on a gluten free diet I was pleasantly surprised when I was being accomendated when I honestly was prepared to knowing that I would only be eating the ceaser salad. They provided gluten free pasta and the chicken Parmesan they provided grilled chicken. I was beyond surprised. I didn't want to ask my niece about any gluten free options as this was her day and decided to just go with it. Great job guys are in my book you went above and beyond.

My daughters & I ate here tonight! The food was simply delicious! I had lobster ravioli with extra large shrimp in a perfect creamy sauce.. My one daughter had eggplant rolatini & the other had chicken marsala! All cooked to perfection! We will be back real soon! 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Thank you to the owner who was so accommodating for my sons birthday party. We ordered from the catering menu and last minute needed to change the time of our sons birthday to an earlier time. He went out of his way to make this happen for us. Excellent service. Caring owner. Food was beyond delicious! Thank you -Alisa

Excellent food and service was the best. Wish they were opened for lunch

Excellent restaurant! I’ve had the pleasure of dining here for several family get togethers. The food and service have always been first class, highly recommended! You won’t be disappointed!

Went for the 1st time tonight,and we couldn't of chose a better restaurant in our neighborhood ! Very relaxing atmosphere,great service And of course great food!

Best meal the greatest Tiramisu!!!! Excellent service.

We had our Daughter’s Baby Shower there Sunday July 16th. Bella the owner’s. Daughter Bella handled our party. Bella was the ultimate professional and her wait staff were amazing and on point from start to finish. The Food was so Delicious and fresh. The wine and Sangria was also amazing. Whatever we needed was there for us. My guests are still calling me on what a beautiful party it was. Thank you so much again Ruocco’s and also Bella and her staff you are Top notch.