Il Leone

Review summary

1. B

   Bella Sharon

   VIP

   Coastal Georgia

   7 reviews

   5.0

   7 reviews

   Dined today

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Came here on a Friday night and it was packed. Very nice, upscale crowd- perfect for people watching. Ambiance was lit. We ordered a bit of everything on the menu, pizza with pepperoni and hot honey was to die for, ricotta appetizer - delish, and the skirt steak was so good… desserts were also really good- espresso with ice cream and tiramisu. Definitely recommended, we will be coming back, as we want to try the pastas. It’s also a BYOB :)
   

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2. L

   Laura

   VIP

   New York City

   18 reviews

   5.0

   18 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   This place is fantastic! Food was delicious with great presentation. Everything was perfectly on point. Our server Manuel was on top of everything and didn’t miss a beat. Cannot wait to go back!
   

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3. T

   Tammy

   VIP

   New York City

   31 reviews

   4.0

   31 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Food was outstanding, music very loud could barely hear each other. Talk at our table, service was slow, but friendly staff.
   

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4. C

   Cathy

   New Jersey

   4 reviews

   4.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Beautiful new BYOB restaurant. The new owners took a storefront shop and transformed it into an elegant and glamorous space. Pleasant and attentive staff and owner and our excellent waiter Henry. Favorites at our table were the arancini, margherita pizza, pollo martini and arugula salad . Those who had the linguini with white clam sauce thought it could have used more flavor. Delicious cheesecake for dessert and sweet attention to our dining companion who was celebrating a birthday. The only real negative was the noise level . Space itself seems conducive to noise even though it is beautiful. That is compounded by the loud music, which added to the noise and detracted from the ambiance. That being said, Il Leone is doing an incredible job, especially for a new restaurant, and with a few tweaks it can easily be 5 stars all around.
   

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5. J

   Jacquelyn

   VIP

   New York City

   12 reviews

   4.0

   12 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Refreshing new restaurant! Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff and owners. I had the salmon, and it was absolutely delish! Bread served was really yummy too. So glad to have such a nice restaurant in Matawan. Enjoyed the experience and will be back. Can't wait to sit outside when summer arrives.
   

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6. R

   Regina

   New York City

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   It's a beautiful restaurant and decorated very nicely! The service and food were excellent! Will definitely be going back!
   

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   Il LeoneResponded 6 days ago

   Hi Regina! Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that you found our restaurant beautiful and enjoyed the excellent food and service. Your support means a lot to us, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for another great experience! ;-)
   

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7. c

   cyndi

   VIP

   Orlando

   10 reviews

   3.0

   10 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   First time dining. Restaurant is vey loud. Also only tables for 3 are big round tables that could seat 6 so we felt very far apart and had to yell. Food was ok had pizza for appetizer Which was good. Dinners were skirt Steak which was good and spicy rigatoni also good. Linguini with clam recommended By waiter was not too good. Clams were chewy and overall bland dish. For dessert only three choices. Tiramisu , chocolate soufflé and something else. Then waiter offered cheese cake but after we ordered it told they didn’t have it. Charged anyway but upon noting taken off bill.
   

   Il LeoneResponded 6 days ago

   Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I truly appreciate your honest feedback, and I’m sorry to hear that your first visit didn’t meet your expectations. I understand that the noise level can be challenging, and we’re actively working on ways to enhance the atmosphere for our guests. I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed the pizza, skirt steak, and spicy rigatoni, but I apologize for the disappointment with the linguini and the dessert selection. It’s important to us that our guests have a great dining experience, and your insights will help us improve. I hope you’ll consider giving us another try in the future, Cyndi. Your feedback is invaluable, and we’d love the opportunity to serve you better next time!
   

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8. h

   headro

   VIP

   New York City

   8 reviews

   2.0

   8 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   Not impressed. Food was mediocre. Served bird sized bread pieces to start. Whipped ricotta with hot honey drenched crustini, not appetizing. Vodka pie, not spicy, too much sauce and cheese atop a thin crust. Entrees tasteless and did not taste like fresh pasta. Only earned a single star for a happy ending of moist tiramisu. Ambiance appealing, but attempting to be a more reputable restaurant than actually is. Why black out front windows and ignore light entering from side door? Dining experience disrupted by smoke alarm. Disagree with all reviews or my palate has just been pampered with finer foods. An additional star for attentive service, including topping off water glasses repeatedly, changing plate settings and silverware between courses. Unfortunately, we do not plan to dine again.
   

   Il LeoneResponded 6 days ago

   Hi Aaron, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us. I’m sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations. We value all feedback, and I appreciate your comments about the food and ambiance. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the service, and I’ll make sure to address your concerns with our team. We hope you'll consider giving us another chance in the future. :-)
   

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9. M

   Margaret

   New York City

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 15, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent food service and ambience. Highly recommend!
   

   Il LeoneResponded 6 days ago

   Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the food, service, and ambiance. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for another excellent experience!
   

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10. p

    patricia

    New York City

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Beyond amazing…one of the best meals I have had in a long time. Owners were lovely as well as the ambience !!!! Definitely a MUST TRY !!!!
    

    Il LeoneResponded 6 days ago

    Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re so glad to hear that you had one of the best meals in a long time and enjoyed the ambiance. As the owners, it truly warms our hearts to know that our guests appreciate what we’re creating. We can’t wait for you to visit us again!
    

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