Il Leone

Based upon a friend’s recommendation we headed over for lunch on a Sunday. It’s in a strip-mall but once you enter the restaurant you immediately forget the outside environment. The decor is very attractive and impressive as you see a large seating area with an attractive bar seating area by the kitchen. Speaking of bar it’s BYOB with a liquor store conveniently across from the restaurant in the same mall. Staff is friendly and attentive with a very welcoming atmosphere that provides the perfect setting to enjoy your meal. As for the food the bread on the table is among the best we’ve enjoyed. If it’s indicative of their pizza we cannot wait to try one. For today Cheryll enjoyed the risotto with mushrooms and I tried the eggplant parmigiana. Both were impressive with the eggplant being the best I’ve ever had after decades of trying it at countless Italian restaurants. Even the side of pasta was cooked to perfection with a delicious sauce that was not too sweet or lacked seasoning…the entire meal won us over. The final touch was yet another perfect dish the Affogato which convinced us that the recommendation was well deserved and we’ll be returning to try the pizza and other entrees. The staff made such a positive impression alone that combined with the level of food and service we can readily recommend you try this spot as soon as possible.

My wife has been waiting to come to II Leon since the day they opened, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The décor and ambiance were really nice—warm, modern, and welcoming. The food was spectacular. I had the spicy rigatoni and it was incredibly flavorful. Even the bread they bring to the table was amazing; I literally had to tell myself to stop eating it. The staff was friendly and attentive, constantly checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. The owners, a husband and wife team, were there and they were so down to earth and genuine. You can really feel the passion they put into this place. We’ll definitely be back

We went to this restaurant with high expectations based on excellent reviews. Unfortunately these expectations were only partly met. Service is fantastic - attentive, polite, friendly, accommodative. They even changed wine glasses for us for bigger ones as we were doing wine tasting and proper stemware was very important. Interior is nicely and tastefully decorated. Food however was not up to the highest standards. Risotto I ordered was overcooked and dry. Chicken breast was tough, dry and chewy. On the other hand wagyu beef meatballs and panna cotta were very good. Another downside is it's extremely loud inside. I don't understand why people have to scream but we could barely hear each other. We might give another try to this place and order different dishes. If experience is better I will adjust my review.

Although I've only been here once ( I plan to go again as soon as possible), I am confident awarding Five Stars. With extensive fine & casual dining experience & as a professional in the hospitality industry I can confidently say they have their act together. Flawless service regardless of any request, a most pleasant staff, awesome vibe, high quality food fairly priced... I can see why they have a great reputation and was recommended to us. Really enjoyed chatting with some regulars, as the layout was uniquely comfortable One hour trip to get here, and I'll gladly do it again soon. Thank you for an awesome dinner & so much more.

Both times I’ve been were amazing! The food is hands down the best I’ve had. But beyond the food, their service blew me away. I accidentally left my meal behind last night, and when I called and left a message, they got back to me the next day. They had my food ready, warm bread included, and were so kind about it. The owner and staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. I can’t wait to come back

We had a server "Ray", he was excellent and we all had fun. All 4 dinner items were excellent and his recommendation of the stattetelli was excellent too. No question we will be back!

My wife and I recently visited Il Leone, and the entire experience was exceptional from start to finish. The décor is elegant and inviting, and the service stood out immediately. Our waiter, Rey, was attentive, thoughtful, and never rushed us — the kind of hospitality that makes a night out feel special. The food was the true highlight. We ordered the Arugula Pizza and the Margherita, and both were outstanding. The Margherita in particular brought me right back to the pizzerias of Naples — simple, balanced, and beautifully done. Our entrées, the Pollo Martini and the Spaghetti Wagyu Bolognese, were equally impressive and clearly prepared with care. Il Leone is a rare gem — a place where atmosphere, service, and food all come together beautifully. My wife and I highly recommend it and look forward to returning soon.

Absolutely blown away by this place! From the moment we walked in, the vibe was warm and welcoming. You can feel the passion behind every detail from the beautiful decor to the incredible food. Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and made with love. The staff treated us like family, and the service was top-notch. My new go-to spot highly recommend to anyone looking for an amazing dining experience. Proud of what you’ve built!

My daughter and I went last Friday night The entire dining experience was excellent. The food was delicious We had baked clams, pasta carbonara, pizza, zucchini appetizer All were delicious. The staff, the owner all were so friendly. A happy vibe with awesome food Can't wait to go back Greg T (Sea Bright)

This place is beautiful. Excellent service and very classy. It's also BYOB. The food can be a hit or miss. Some of it is delicious, others fall flat. I had the: Whipped Ricotta: loved the ricotta, didn't love the bread that came with it. Caesar salad: very good Gnocchi: delicious, very soft

BYOB, very cute small restaurant. In a shopping complex with a liquor store. It is very loud inside, the aesthetic is very romantic. We were celebrating a birthday for a friend. They brought complimentary shots and an appetizer out for us. All the food was very good. Will definitely be back. Our wait staff was amazing and wrapped up our food at the end of the night as well, very attentive.

This place can easily be missed as it is located in an uninspiring strip mall. The inside is small with darker colors and dimmed lighting which I guess tries to make it a more intimate setting. Regardless, the food and service were great. I really have no complaints except that the bread with the whipped ricotta was a little too garlicky for my taste. The carbonara was excellent and came out with wonderful aromas. The panna cotta is a must for me if the restaurant has it and I enjoyed the panna cotta at this establishment. If you are in the area, check this place out!

Food is just ok and overpriced. Service is good, but rushed out at the end of the meal. Owner and staff started clearing out the table while we were still sitting. Found this to be rather rude. Very loud. It's a struggle to have a conversation with the person sitting with you.

Super cute spot, friendly staff and large portions of food! They were kind enough to take us for a 9:15pm reservation and were very attentive. However they were really on us to box everything asap. The risotto is good just needs more garlic, Brussel sprouts are good and the Branzino was fresh however it was just served with a lot of butter, undercooked potatoes as sautéed spinach. The spinach was delicious! The food is good and well priced however was not completely blown away. The staff from the hostess, our waiter, food runners etc were all very friendly and attentive. The inside is nicely designed with pretty chandeliers and there was lots of social chatter about the room. The specific table we sat at had lounge chairs which was cool but it was hard to eat because you had to lean super forward and the table was pretty tall. Next time I'd like to come earlier and sit somewhere different, think my experience would be different. Also I think I would stick to a pasta with shrimp and get a side of cauliflower for my meal.

Bunch tried this new BYOB restaurant last night, what a great experience. The food was amazing. The Atmosphere, Service and the owners were all wonderful. Definitely we will be returning. A+

The ambiance in this restaurant is so chick! Love it! It's a BYOB, with the choice of juice or soda. The food is clean and flavorful! So delicious! I look forward into coming back. This restaurant doesn't disappoint.

We had a nice time celebrating my husband's birthday tonight and were excited to check out the new local hotspot. The restaurant was beautiful and very cool vibe. Our service was however very rushed, and the first thing I asked was, what is this photo on your website, do you have this meal? See photo.. he said oh yes we have that meal it's the lamb chop special! I said wonderful, since it doesn't look like it comes with sides I'll also order the Brussels sprouts. I was disappointed when a completely different dish came out, see photo. Wasn't made aware it would be different and wasn't even told what it was I am guessing horseradish and maybe pistachio since it was green? I was even more disappointed and surprised when I saw the bill and was charged $68 for my 4 lamb chops. Other meals included the spicy rigatoni which I had seen reviews for and was excited but it was not spicy and I didn't see or taste any peppers. Brussels were tasty and panna cotta was prepared nicely. I would go back, but I wouldn't order a special again. Why was this your first photo on your site if it's not even a meal you offer?

Excellent food and service. I will be back soon- Owner was attentive and a BYOB was the bonus round!!

Great service. Food was fresh and excellent. Nice portions. Was not rushed. BYOB. Will be back.

Restaurant just opened in the marketplace off of route 34 close to our house! We had few hours to kill while our kids were at an mma Christmas party so decided to check it out ! The ambience, food, service was great!!! And bonus, it's a byob with buy rite a few doors down! We got the Caesar salad, rigatoni veal ragu and the pollo martini! We started with toasted garlic bread too! Everything was delicious and our server was great as well! Would definitely recommend this place and wishing them the best of luck! Can't wait to return!

Great service, ambiance and food. The owner and his wife are both lovely and although the restaurant is booming they both take the time to walk around and ensure that their customers are taken care of and happy.

I wanted to love this place... it has gorgeous decor, and the menu looked promising. We ordered off of the specials menu. Maybe that was a mistake. I usually assume the specials are the best of your menu and meant to wow. They were VERY underwhelming. The pasta special was supposed to be in a white wine sauce. There was nothing saucey about it. It was literally a broth. Water that was slightly flavored. Then we had the fish special. Again, supposed to be in a lemon white wine sauce. It was the same watery broth as the pasta. The fish was also watery and bland. We actually had to request salt from the kitchen to flavor the food. The broccoli rabe was also unimpressive. For a restaurant that touts itself as being Italian, I was extremely disappointed. I felt they should have at least offered to remake it. I didn't finish my food and left there hungry. They tried to make it up to us with a free dessert and limoncello but by then we were already over it. Then they brought us the check and charged us double! Thank god I double checked the price and had them rerun the ticket. Needless to say, we won't be back. It's worth mentioning that the wait staff was very attentive.

When you walk inside you immediately forget that this used to be a Dress Barn in a strip mall. Beautifully decorated, everything looks high end. The place may seem expensive to some but you have to remember that this is elevated cuisine. My wife had veal osso bucco and I had shrimp francese. I'm pretty sure I spelled both of those wrong but trust me when I tell you that everything was delicious. When we arrived for our 6:00 reservation, there were only two other couples there. By the time we left at 7;30 they were packed. The staff was very attentive and friendly. I give Il Leone my highest recommendation. Enjoy!

Amazing ! Awesome ambiance, delicious food, exceptional service. The owner is top notch! Had dinner with friends we were a party of 8 and everyone loved their food. I had the Bronzino special, the arancini appetizer and calamari were all amazing. BYOB and don't miss out on this gem

It was the last minute surprise birthday party for my husband! Ari made everything possible to make this party of 12 people happened! Very cute, beautiful atmosphere, nice family oriented place! Great team work! Great Service! Great Food! My family enjoyed it very much and my husband was shocked and really surprised with his party! He was happy! Thank you Il Leone Family! Mariya L.

Just tried. EXCELLENT! Food was delicious. Try the calamari, carbonara, spicy rigatoni, pollo martini, chicken milanese , veal ragu! Service perfect. BYOB Loved and will most definitely go back.

The best thing was the bottle we brought from home.. Nice waiter though...Pulpo appetizer was inedible but they took it back and off our check. Baked clams were good and the risotto dishes were just ok.Focaccia bread they put out was good dough but definitely under seasoned.. Small place and tables very close..

Not sure what's so great about this place. Food is bland, overcooked, salty. Didn't even bother to look at the dessert menu. Will not be coming back!

Went here for the first time last night and more than pleasantly surprised. The ambiance was perfection. The service was of the highest I've ever received dining out. The owner interacted with us on more than one friendly and hospitable occasion and our server was knowledgeable attentive and matched our sense of humor. On top of all that, the food was phenomenal. The baked clams, the arugula salad, spicy rigatoni, pollo martini... were beyond excellent. Their desserts are made fresh daily and we split the tiramisu which was the best I've had in a long time. We were treated like family here. As a current restaurant manager I was unbelievably impressed on all fronts and would recommend this place to anyone and everyone. By far the best dining experience I've ever had. Great staff, great food, beautiful restaurant. Can't wait to go back!

service, food, ambiance, all make for a great experience. it's cozy but not small, food is not over complicated and great tasting. an excellent addition to the neighborhood