Regulars praise Al Dente Trattoria for good food, friendly service, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with well chosen classics. Diners rave about dishes like lobster pasta, osso buco, and a standout rack of lamb, with some calling the lamb the best in town. The BYOB option is a popular plus, contributing to affordable, enjoyable meals. Still, some visits reveal a more uneven side, including crowded nights, moments of overwhelmed staff, and occasional issues such as dry pizza or cold mussels. The overall vibe is lively and nostalgic, with a family feel that keeps guests coming back. Despite the occasional hiccups, many leave satisfied and planning a return.
Rien n'est d'italien dans ce restaurant, le pizza est sec c'est la même pâte que chez pizzapizza , la lasagne est correcte quand même. Mais j'insiste que ce n'est pas italien. Le personnel était sympa.
Valentines dinner was a Table Hôte disappointement….
Were looking forward to the published « on line « menu & went over but instead got 45$ per TH options. (No notice on line prior)
Barely any bread that was never replaced , Caesar salad with no dressing, sent it back & it came back (we rarely ever do this) with more salad & still very little dressing.
Pasta overcooked with seafood the same.
Ossobuco may have had a powder sauce mix… ??? not good.
A Peculiar taste … not sure about it
To be fair this summer on their terrace we had a very good seafood Rizzuto, Caesar Salad, pizza & carbonara pasta,
So will give it another go one day but at 167$ dollars for three ppl this was a Very very dissatisfying meal, & this stings now days.
The Young fellow working was a very nice kid & said new ownership is about 3 years old so our good summer visit hopefully was within this same timeframe as the current management from our recent Feb 2026 visit.
Will give them a second chance because it may have been a one off, but if ANYTHING comes sub par from bread to salad to 1st bite of main; we will have to step up & politely leave.
Money too tight now days so to go out & be dissatisfied like that.
Sorry Al Dente but you asked for an honest review.
Will give you another shot, we fair people
Feb 15, 2026
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J'ai juste testé la pizza blanche Florentina en livraison & elle était super sèche. Dommage, pas beaucoup de crème & fromage (qui devait être de la mozzarella) devenu un plastique sans goût. Quelques feuilles d'épinard sur le dessus pour faire joli. À 24$ c'est décevant. J'ai pris la photo avec un pouce en l'air avant d'avoir goûté.
Food was pretty mediocre. Pizza nothing special. Mussels were cold. Only pasta was decent. Atmosphere was bubbly on a thursday. Waitstaff overwhelmed. I guess people come for the byob.
I'm from New Brunswick Canada & I'm far from being vegetarian but we had vegetarian pizza & it was the best, anyone not satisfied with this place is in the wrong place, can't wait to go back
Dec 21, 2024
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Don't expect refined culinary expression of Italian cuisine. This is wholesome, simple, & traditional cooking. You know? Like your Mom & Aunt would serve. We had a couple of different pizzas, the salsiccia balsamico, a caesar's salad, & a few homestyle soups in minestrone & tortellini. Solid from start to finish. The restaurant has stood the test of time. It's not that spacious & tables are very small. I guess it's been there 40 years, give or take. Tarek was a great server. Bring your own wine.
Good food & service. The new extra charges for whole wheat pasta & whole wheat pizza crust mean we visit less often. The Parmesan they offer with pasta dishes no longer tastes like real Parmesan from Italy. It has little flavor bowl
Sep 12, 2024
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Excellent italian restaurant, we had pizza but the osso buco looked amazing as well (planning to try it next time). Dont forget to bring your own bottle of wine as this restaurant is strictly bring your own wine!
Ordered 3 pizzas on sunday when my brother was in town from vancouver. My mum, who has always ordered a mushroom pizza wanted the same thing with extra vegies but no cheese. She got a pizza with about 3 sliced mushrooms , 3 slices of tomato cut in half, 1 slice of red onion sprinkled over & a couple pieces of green pepper. Just to let you know, she ordered just a mushroom pizza a few weeks prior & it was covered with mushrooms. The second pizza that we ordered was a pizza with onion , garlic & green pepper with tomato. Actually for both of these pizzas we ordered extra vegies. My mum is vegetarian & my brother is vegan. My brother got a pizza with a few pieces of garlic, tons of green pepper & a few mushrooms. They both wanted pizzas loaded with vegies, but apparently they no longer had any other vegies than that. But if you look at their pizza menu, you can see that they have quite a few different vegies other than green pepper & onion. We were willing to pay the extra for a loaded vegie pizza. By the way , i ordered the number 18, clam pizza with garlic & white sauce. Got a garlic oil pizza with cheese & a couple of clams, was basically a garlic oil pizza. Called up the next day, all the owner could say is that i asked for mushrooms on a pizza & that is what i got, 3 slice mushrooms for a mushroom pizza. My sister & mother have both been living in this area, ndg, & have ordered from al dente for over the past 30 years. The owner told me when i called tonight that costs have gone up over the board. I have worked for the past 30 years in the food industry, kitchens, & now have slowed down to work on my own. I could not, not say anything about this place. We spent over 80 dollars, & were willing to pay that, but we basically got 3 pizzas, that if you were to put all 3 together would equal one 25 dollar pizza. P.s. When i was ordering on the phone, the person taking the order very rudely laughed at me because i was asking (& by the way willing to pay extra for) for a personalized pizza. I live in verdun, if i had a car & the free time before christmas i would go there tomorrow.
Dec 18, 2023
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