Buona Sera, Red Bank, NJ:
A Restaurant Review
50 Maple Ave
Red Bank, NJ
(732) 530-5858
Website
Buona Sera Restaurant: Highlights
Fare: Traditional Italian
Price: Expensive
Food Quality: Well-executed dishes with homemade pasta.
Service: Welcoming, knowledgeable, responsive, with some inconsistencies on busy evenings
Ambiance/Decor: Elegant, NYC-style "Old World" ambiance.
Overall Rating: 3 Stars
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 Star = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate - Very high, depending on seating.
Dress: Business casual
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy a well-executed traditional Italian food with "Old World" NYC, elegant, vibrant atmosphere.
Not Recommended For: Diners who enjoy a small, neighborhood, BYOB, with a low-key, quiet setting.
Recommended dishes: When available, The Veal Chop Paillard with long hot peppers and potatoes "Puglisi Style"; The Australian Free Range Lamb Chops Double cut Lamb Chops grilled and finished with a Port Wine Demi; and The USDA Prime Certified Angus Beef Ribeye
Liquor: Huge selection of wines by the glass and bottles. with a large range of prices, specialty cocktails, and beer. Bar scene is vibrant.
Buona Sera, located near the Count Basie Performing Arts Center, is a multi-level, traditional Italian restaurant with elegant "Old World" NYC-style ambiance, food quality, and service.
Buona Sera is a popular place for diners of all budgets and tastes, from high rollers willing to spend $2,000 for a bottle of wine, to a group of friends looking to share plates and split a bill without breaking the bank.
This Red Bank landmark restaurant is the creation of Chef/Owner Christopher Mariani who brings his unwavering passion and dedication to building one of the most successful restaurants on the Jersey Shore, and certainly to Red Bank, the cultural center of the Jersey Shore.
This multi-level level restaurant with an open high ceiling in the main dining room has a "New York City" feel to it --- It's fast-paced, busy, and tends to be noisy, especially around the bar area.
During warmer months there is outside sidewalk dining.
The dining experience begins with a presentation of bread and olives, setting the tone for Italian fine dining. There is an extensive hot and cold antipasto menu, with many traditional Italianآ favorites.
The well-executed entrees come with generous portions of well-prepared and attractively presented Italian dishes. The pasta is homemade with many gluten-free options. If there is a special request for an item not on the menu, ask and they will try to accommodate you.
A la carte dining is available in the main and mezzanine dining rooms. They also offer a well-executed, special prixe fixe family-style menu.
Dining for private parties is available in the Tuscan Room on the upper level for parties up to 150. and the wine cellar downstairs with storage of approximately 15,000 bottles of wine, for private, intimate gatherings.
Not to be unexpected in a restaurant of this size, service can be inconsistent, ranging from top draw, professional, responsive, and knowledgeable --- to slow and pretentious.
The dining rooms are usually packed and the volume of both people and noise can get to be very high, depending on seating.
When reserving dinner after 9 pm in the evenings with music and dancing, request that you not be seated next to the performer, unless you prefer an up close, loud experience.
Reservations are a must, especially if you plan to attend a performance at the Count Basie Performing Arts Center.
Valet parking at Buona Sera every Friday & Saturday night, at the private lot on the corner of Maple and Monmouth.
Buona Sera is open seven days a week, for lunch and dinner, until close, often past midnight.
(updated: March 2024)
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