Marcello’s Ristorante

Had the pleasure of dining here tonight with my boyfriend and my brother, by far this is the best restaurant I have ever been too !! We started out with some drinks and complimentary bread. The home made bread was absolutely outstanding.
Apps:
Crab cake– to die for!!!’ The remoulade was sweet and tangy and absolutely perfect.
Rice balls — normally they come with 4, they only had 2 left so they gave them to us on the house. Delicious, the red sauce was addictive.
Goat cheese salad w/​mustard dressing– love love love. Order this you will not be disappointed.
Entrees:
Short rib w/​gnocchi — so tender and succulent. My boyfriend loved it.
Eggplant rollatini– my brother also loved it. Generous portion and the sauce was delicious.
Stuffed porkchop — delicious! The pork chop was sliced and stuffed with meat and cheese and served with an almost risotto like side. I couldn’t finish it but I am looking forward to have this for lunch tomorrow!
*The service was spot on, waiters were friendly, funny and not over bearing. I love how when they wrap your food, they give you a card from a deck of cards. You hand in the card when you leave and they give you your left overs. First off, I liked how he gave me a queen card and told me «a queen fit for a queen «lol !! Secondly, it was so nice being able to enjoy dessert and not have your wrapped food on the table. Nice touch!
Dessert:
Blood orange sorbet– this was lovely. Sweet and tangy.
Tiramisu– PERFECT. Order this. You are welcome in advance.
Pizzelle with Sweet ricotta– my boyfriend could not stop talking about this dessert. Order this as well, the cookies at are addictive .
Dinner came to $ 170 before tip, which was crazy to me, what a deal! We ordered so much food and the quality felt like easily a $ 400 dinner. The food was outstanding, service was splendid and we met Marcello! He was a doll, you can tell he loves his restaurant and cares about every customer that walks in the door. He gave me a copy of his cookbook and signed it because it was my birthday! How sweet and thoughtful. He also gave us a tour of the restaurant, bar and private room where they do cooking lessons /​Chef tastings! He really went above and beyond, we felt like family. Thank you so much for a wonderful evening, you have made us loyal customers for life. We cannot wait to come back!

Food and service seem to be not as strong as they used to be. Our last 2 dinners here were not as good as usual, with my husband complaining that the food has become too salty. When I went for lunch with a friend a few weeks ago, the chatty waiter (you know who he is, salt and pepper hair, stands at your table talking for 10 minutes about personal stuff if you let him) decided to decorate for Christmas, right behind my chair, and knocked something off the wall onto my back. He apologized profusely and gave me a free cook book, but really? I’m thinking of looking for a new regular Italian place. The food here is still good, just not as stellar as it used to be, and certain servers linger too long at the table. Because we visit every few months, the menu has also become a bit routine for us.

Second time coming. Ordered the filet mignon and asked for medium rare. Came back with very little pink in center with ends completely well done. Waiter was very nice and apologetic but I didn’t want to get new steak because girlfriends food already came.
Waiter nice but too talkative for our taste. Kept making jokes and seemed he was over complementing my girlfriend.
There was also some type of crusted food or maybe it was cork at the bottom but inside the wine glass.
We live nearby but likely won’t come back.

Visited on December 2^nd 2015
I gave Marcello’s 5 stars because there’s really nothing bad to say about this place. My wife and I came here for lunch (with a GroupOn) and were greeted by Marcello himself who was a little frantic about all the «Groupon customers» that were trying to cash in at the end of the coupon’s period. But he was light… funny about it. I guess having a full restaurant is what every owner wants, so what can be bad, right?
We started with their Panko Encrusted Warm Goat Cheese Salad which was very good and split for us.
My wife had their fish special which was swordfish, something neither one of us orders very much if at all. It was served «Sicilian style’ and was excellent. I had their cappellini with seafood and it too was excellent.
The portions were generous (I took some of my cappellini home) and the service was very prompt and friendly, despite being so busy.
Oh! It also offers gluten free pastas… which is another plus for us.
Marcello’s also has a very vast wine list and also offers some cooking classes… This is a really interesting place.
Coupon or not, certainly worth a visit.

What a shame. After many times eating there I had a 800pm reservation and after waiting 15 minutes I was told that «I don’t know when your table will be ready». I overhead another gentleman state that he was waiting for 35 minutes with a reservation and still wasn’t seated. He was also told «they» don’t know when it would be ready. I saw that the charge machine was broken again and the girl was upset and asked for help. Completely out of control.
I left and never received a phone call.
Marcello, your employees are destroying your reputation and business.

Good food, but service is a little hard to chew on. We got there on time for our Friday evening reservation to find the front desk abandoned. A waiter walked behind the desk and looked at us without a word. 5 minutes later, the hostess came in from outside and made no mention of her absence, nor did she apologize for keeping us waiting. Wait staff was fine, price was ok. When we left the restaurant, the hostess didn’t bother to acknowledge or thank us. C’mon
management! Get someone in there with training on how to treat customers! We won’t be going back.

Delicious and creative menu. Had the pistachio-​crusted shrimp as the entre and our table shared the baked pear appetizer salad along with the special Sicilian street food appetizer. Paired with a nice merlot, everything was wonderful. Very friendly and chatty wait staff and hosts. Will return when in Suffern next.

Just left after hosting a meeting in the private room. Food was delicious, service was fantastic (Nino was attentive, friendly, took great care of everyone and genuinely wanted to make sure we had a great dining experience). I have done a few events here and always have a great experience. Would definitely recommend.

I make it a rule never to order pasta in restaurants (always seems like a waste to me) but here it’s so good I make the exception. You can’t beat homemade pasta and a decent sauce. My one recommendation would be update the interior since I think the Italian palace look dates it a bit.

Wonderful dinner and Marchello came out to say hello!
The shrimp was so good and the grouper was yummy .
Go for the experience and the food at Marcello’s of Suffern NY
We live in Manhattan and ago there quiet often.

Food and service was great. The portions are generous and served well. The dessert is great both in selection and quality. I would go back in a flash

We had one of the best lunch meals at this restaurant. The food was incredible and we had the opportunity to meet the chef. The crabcake melted in my mouth. The pasta was cooked just right and the sauce mmm…

Went here as a treat last week and absolutely loved it! After hearing it was the best Italian around I wanted to give it a try. We went on a Friday evening at 6pm, we had a reservation, and were promptly seated at an area of our choosing. There was live piano, there’s valet parking, and the waitstaff was friendly as could be. We started with the polenta appetizer and it was delicious. I then had the homemade potato gnocchi in a pesto tomato sauce, and my boyfriend tried the monk fish with black rice special. We both finished our plates and could not have been happier. We shared the flourless chocolate cake dessert, and each had a beer. We got all of this for 80 bucks! For the quality of food you’re getting this is absolutely worth it, and frankly there’s pricier places around that do not have the quality of Marcello’s!

Trust me when I say that the food at Marcello’s has to be the best Italian fare I’ve tasted, period. Right from the moment we walked in, we had the staff’s full attention. The servers were nice and friendly, and took the time to chat about anything ranging from the food at the restaurant to their parents, life experiences, kids, etc.
Now for the food. We ordered the octopus and cuttlefish appetizer, as well as the special appetizer of the day, which was pear and 24 month aged prosciutto, with shaved cheddar on top. The prosciutto was delectable, aged perfectly, and the pear complimented it really well. The octopus and cuttlefish appetizer was amazing too, with the olives and arugula complimenting the meatiness of the octopus really well. The chef/​owner (Marcello) actually dropped in and recommended that we eat the prosciutto before the octopus and cuttlefish appetizer.
For the main course, I ordered the special of the day, which was gnocchi made from Peruvian potatoes, covered with a pea purée‘ which was really fresh. I am not kidding when I say that it was by far the best gnocchi I’ve tasted. Each bite, each morsel just melted in my mouth and by the end of it, I couldn’t help but sing praises of the chef.
We were so amazed by the food that we decided to pull out all the stops when it came to dessert. Between the two of us, we ordered the tiramisu, the Reginetta, and the strawberries topped with zambione sauce. The tiramisu was on par with what i’ve had elsewhere, but the zambione sauce was by far the star of the show. The reginetta was really good too, with a chocolate shell and yummy ice cream on the inside.
Overall, a surreal, heavenly Italian dining experience, and I can’t wait to go back.

I knew restaurant week was coming up I March. So after going to a special event at The Lafayette Theatre in celebration of its 91^st year in operation. I decided to walk down to Marchellos for a early dinner.
I got there around 4:30 PM. There was half a dozen choices on the special price fixed menu for restaurant week. I started off with an appetizer prosciutto, with very thin slices of Parmesan cheese. It was very delicious. Next was the main dish a white light fish very similar to grouper. I forget the exact name. It came with walnuts & berries with a light delicious sauce. The fish had a robust full flavor. On the side were fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes. For dessert, you got a dish with four different things. One was delicious chocolate ice cream Rich and flavorful but not too dense. The other was some kind of sponge cake with chocolate. Fresh strawberries and raspberries in another section of the plate. The last section of the plate had a very delicious small slice cheesecake. The food was prepared expertly, with great care. One can tell that only the best quality ingredients were used to prepare the entire meal. The server was very friendly and attentive throughout my meal.
I went back on a Friday for a late lunch around 1:45 PM. The server, who had taken care of me last time I came in, Anthony greeted me warmly when I arrived. He told me about the days specials. I decided to start with the prosciutto appetizer. It consisted of prosciutto with thin slices of pear underneath. With a bit of shaved Parmesan cheese and just a touch of, balsamic vinaigrette. It WAS one of the best appetizers I ever had. The flavorful slightly salty, prosciutto mixed perfectly with the thin juicy pear slices & Parmesan cheese. All the ingredients worked very well together and made the whole dish very special.
My entrée: selection Veal cutlet Parm & eggplant O’ sole Mio. It was served with spaghetti. It looked delicious. I am a big fan of Veal Parm. Would it be as good as it looked? I took my first bite and nearly said WOW out loud. The veal was excellent. Very flavorful, melt in your mouth and cooked just right. One only needed a regular knife, as the veal was so tender.
The sauce was very flavorful and had some chunks of tomato mixed in. I also had a glass of Pinot Noir. It wasn’t tart, sweet or too sharp. It was very smooth and flavorful. The server was very friendly and personable he shared some interesting stories about growing up and having some excellent Italian food during the holidays with friends and family.
I have eaten at many restaurants over the years. Moderately to expensively priced. I can honestly say that Marcellos, is probably one of the best restaurants I have had the pleasure of dining at. The food is expertly prepared, with fine ingredients. You can really tell that the chef knows his stuff. As he puts a lot of care into each dish that goes out into the dining room.
My server Anthony was very personable and really added to the meal making the entire experience, a home run. The quality and quantity of the food along with the great service and very good value for what you are getting, In my opinion make Marchellos the BEST Italian restaurant in Rockland and the Northern NJ area

Amazing!!! The food was fantastic, the service perfect!
We found Marcello’s here on Unilocal and were NOT disappointed. Myself, husband, two children and a friend had an amazing meal in a comfortable atmosphere.
Amongst us we had the swordfish, chicken special, short rib dinner, a few appetizers and pasta for the kids.
Robin our waiter made the meal even more delightful.
Would totally recommend Marcello’s!!!

The service was bad and the owner was arrogant. We were served soft drinks in 6 ounce glasses and were charged $ 3 per glass, no refills. The food was mediocre at best. We got the feeling we weren’t welcome, and the manger confirmed that when we challenged the $ 40 charge for soda. He told us «that’s the policy, and if you don’t like it, don’t come back.» Really, that’s how you treat a party of nine.

I don’t usually write too many reviews but I had to describe my experience here. We arrived on a Saturday night with no reservations after reading several positive reviews here. They seemed a bit annoyed we did not have reservations but they immediately accommodated us. Once seated we realized the place wasn’t even ²⁄₃ full. It never really filled up either so we weren’t imposing on someone else’s reservation anyway. Almost all the staff seemed to be grumpy about one thing or another. Granted we weren’t dressed for the occasion as we were from out of town and didn’t know that it was a little more upscale place. Our waiter was polite but seemed insincere and uninterested in his pitch to us about specials, recommendations etc. We were located rather close to the waiter station near the kitchen and overheard other waiters all making fun of the patrons they were waiting on. It really put a damper on the entire experience. That said the place had some charm and the food would get 4.5 stars. I just couldn’t go beyond 2 due to the strange attitudes of the staff.
After I wrote this I went and checked on all the reviews that were 3 or less stars. With the exception of one or two idiots that are obviously professional complainers, all of the lower scores mentioned fantastic food and terrible non professional service from staff, which was really all I was pointing out above. Seems like Marcello should take a little more time vetting waiters and staff as that seems to be this places only downfall. If you look he does take the time to respond but continuously apologizing for staff issues shouldn’t keep happening. Also, his request that people should contact him directly about complaints instead of using Unilocal completely defeats the purpose of Unilocal.If you complain directly to him, how would anyone know if he corrected the problem? With that logic, people should just contact him directly with praise as well, so whats the point of Unilocal?I visited 4÷18÷15.

I went back a few weeks ago with my father, and although the food was still exceptional, I was extremely turned off by the service. Aside from the host, or maitre d, head waiter, or whoever having the worst, most condescending attitude, the fire alarm was triggered shortly after we were seated, resulting in a distracting visit from the fire department. The waiter often glanced away when reporting the specials, as if looking to see if something more important was happening besides tending to us. When asked about the accompaniments to a particular entrée he almost snapped his response in a very matter-​of-​factly way. I felt very uncomfortable, and disgusted by his behavior. As good as the food is that does not take away from the fact that it is situated in Suffern, not NYC. I’d like to think he can tone it down a notch, be a little more accommodating and less of a snob.
Regarding the fire alarm and parade of firemen we were offered not even an apology for the inconvenience by the staff. My father mistakenly requested the check while I was in the ladies room, without having ordered my cappuccino. I placed the order after the check was brought and you can be sure that charge was added on. I’d think that perhaps they could have let that one slide for having to suffer the squealing of the alarm for a solid 6+ minutes, or the intrusion of the fire department, but I guess that was not worthy of courtesy.
I’ve raved about Marcello’s in the past, but now my recommendation includes the lack of courtesy and horrible attitude of a particular staff member. I’d like to hope my next visit is different or it will certainly be my last.

Well I had been on the east coast for the last there weeks. My last night was December 13 before I had to wig back to cold MN.
I girlfriends daughter suggested that we go somewhere. Nice. We drove down RD 59 to Suffern. .
We stopped in front of Marcello, s. From the time we walked in tell the evening was complete., we had a ball.
The place smelled great. Personal were great.
I started out with a fabulous pare salad. So good I refused to share.
All the entry’s were outstanding. NY I highly recommend for u and the whole family, or with your partner.
Munga. Niki our waiter. And take that hosts to Italy with you. No Waite, She said NO!
Much success, bill