Not What I Expected.
The food was good, the atmosphere was not bad but the service was from hell. We had to ask for everything and they left us with an Italian menu and we had to ask for a translation. Finally we left only 10 percent tip becaose of the bad service and on our way out we got yelled at for leaving a poor amount of tip.    [19 Jan 2004 09:44:07]

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     ­Sylvain from the ITHQ, Institut de Tourisme et d'Hôtellerie du Québec   baden61 at hotmail dot com

Service was Delightful
I feel compelled to post a note about our experience at Da Emma as it was the exact opposite of Not What I Expected. Yes, the menu was in Italian. Our waiter translated it from top to bottom which was quite fun. The table next to us had loud children and the host asked if we wanted to move our table. And in general, everyone and especially our waiter, was delightful. Add this to the wonderful food, wine and atmosphere made for a memorable evening. Thank you Da Emma!    [06 Jul 2007 11:31:50]

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Recommended Dishes: Liver

     ­Sara   

Huge Disppointment
After hearing very mixed reviews, we decided to try for ourselves. What a huge disappointment. One positive note was the service; waiters were helpful and obliging. We sat on the "terrace"---a section of the parking lot effectively covered and pleasant. The roast pig was another huge disappointed--a large "blob" of meat sitting on a plate with absolutely no garnish. Presentation was non existent and the meat was tough and barely mediocre. The fettucine, too, was just average and the pasta side dishes less than average.

The biggest issue was the fact that the only way to get a glass of water was to pay $7.00 for a bottle of distilled water----very, very tacky!

This was the first and last time we visited Da Emma.    [18 Jul 2007 13:54:48]

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     ­Anonymous   

Stay away
We reserved a week prior to going to Da Emma's on Jul 21st 2007. We even went to check it out early in the evening in case it was a dud. Menu was in Italian but figured we would manage. When we arrived, we asked if we could be seated in the beautiful terrace. We were told that it was all reserved. Reserved? I asked. But nobody had mentionned the terrace when we reserved? You have to ask for it replied the hostess quite rudely. But how am I suppose to know this when I anm from out of town. That was an omen. We were seated at terrible table, right beside door for the terrace so continuous in/out. People who arrived later were seated at quad tables that were better!!! Then they were offered the "menu" before us. Not acceptable. You must understand that that menu needs to be translated by a rude, arrogant SOB of a waiter who seems frustrated by the fact that you don't speak Italian & that you don't have a photographic memory of the 30 items on the menu. Beware: these are grotesquely pricey. Hey, a slice of honeydew melon and prociutto as an appitizer is 20$!!!!!!!! My wife took the smoked salmon as an apetizer for 18$ (not worth it) and I took the only cheap thing on the menu at 5$. Then again it was a very small salad swimming in oil (not olive BTW) and vinegar. Everything here is oily. Main dishes I had read that the suckling pig was great and it was OK, nothing more (for 28$) and my wife made the mistake of ordering veal with peas.... she compared it to eating a Swanson's frozen diner but saltier. My pasta reminded me of pasta I got in a 3 star hotel in Cuba..... an Italian restaurant's pasta should be heaven.... it was hell. I get better pasta from boiling dollar store pasta and cracking open a jar of store-bought sauce. At that point, we figured desert and coffee would suck so we cut our losses.
We asked the waiter fot a cab, he told us we should just walk. If I wanted to walk I would not have asked him for a cab. Furthermore, the wine is grotesquely overpriced. I really resent a 15$ bottle being charged at 55$. Nothing about this place is good. It is a basement. The floor is concrete and painted black. It is damp. The chairs are all mismatched but then again maybe some idiots thinks this give it some charm. Being arrogant and over-priced doesn't make you good. The food sucked and the whole package is lousy. I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy. Stay away. BTW, I am an ex-pat Montrealer having been born there and lived 29 years. I have dined in some of the finest restaurants and some holes in wall. This place should be avoided at all cost. Anyone who likes either had an entirely diffferent staff (hostess, waiter and cook) or they were in the wrong place.    [24 Jul 2007 22:15:10]

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     ­Anonymous   

Excellent
We have some of the finest Italian restaurants in the NY/NJ area. Da Emma ranks right up with the best. Service and food were fantastic. Waiter was very patient with our constant requests for menu translation.    [09 Oct 2007 02:52:00]

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Recommended Dishes: Lasagna, Swordfish

     ­Anonymous, New Jersey   

Great Italian food. Loved that it is a family run restaurant and that Emma still works in the kitchen. She even gave us a tour of her kitchen, which was really clean. I would recommend it to anyone.    [22 Feb 2009 11:00:42]

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Recommended Dishes: Spaghett, Linguini with mushrooms

     ­Anonymous   

Besides the wonderful ambiance and great serve staff, the food was amazing. The Lamb shank was to die for and everytime I have been, I say I would try something new, however, the Lamb Shank pulls me back everytime. Usually our table taste tests each other's entree...excellent selection of wines - red especially. desserts are fanastic!    [26 Mar 2009 10:58:47]

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Recommended Dishes: Lamb Shank

     ­All the way From Barbados