La Lupa in Manalapan may be small and intimate--think three couples cozily tucked by the window--but its culinary offerings are nothing short of extraordinary. If you're a steak enthusiast, this place should be at the top of your list. We had the Kansas City Strip, and it was absolutely outstanding. Perfectly cooked, with rich, deep flavors that highlight the exceptional quality of the meat, it's the kind of steak that rivals some of the finest steakhouses around. Honestly, I'm surprised La Lupa doesn't have a Michelin star--the food here is that good. What makes La Lupa even more appealing is the BYOB policy, which adds to its charm and makes for a winning combination of top-tier cuisine and affordability. Between La Lupa and Char-Kol, it's tough to choose who does steak better, but either way, you can't lose. For a small spot, La Lupa delivers big on quality, making it a must-visit for anyone who appreciates great food in an intimate setting.

Normally i don't do a one time visit and review. However, this is a place my wife found on TIKTOK. We were in the area meaning south jersey. We took a shot. Hit up a wine bottle on the way to restaurant as it is B.Y.O.B . We got there and the place is quaint. There was a wait not long but something they need to get a bit better at accommodating the customers with reservations. Again not terrible but a nit picking thing for me. Now The place although a small venue is done very nice. The set up kind of has a NYC vibe and the place was hopping. The acoustics are loud but we sat at the bar which was a perfect spot. The place is tight with tables ( NYC ). Now the food. We tried the Margherita pizza and i was craving pizza for weeks. It is a neopolitan style that my wife isn't totally onboard with. She loves the NYC style pizza however we have it a shot. Well a home run. The ingredients are fresh with nothing but the best were used. My wife loved the pizza. Also to accompany the pizza they give a small serving of Calabrian chili's. I truly loved the pizza. Next up I ordered the ANOLINI DI PARMA traditional meat filling, pork jus, parmigiano fonduta, aged balsamico di modena. Once again nothing but the best ingredients used. Was delicious we used that as a side dish to the 22 oz steak we ordered and split. The steak was cooked to perfection. Many places either have it over cooked or under cooked. Not this place. Everything we ordered was cooked perfectly and delicious. The service was very good. Chad was accommodating and always checking in. However, the owner took customer service to another level. Dan visited every person in his restaurant over and over. He ensured that everyone is good and explained each dish and their search for perfection. My words not his. All in all these guys from Manalapan crushed it. Very enjoyable evening food service and an owner who made it a great evening. Next visit if they crush it again, it will be a 5. We are looking forward to it. Lastly, all customers were definitely satisfied with everything at La Lupa.

My boyfriend and I went on Tuesday night to celebrate our anniversary. We sat at the chefs table and had a great experience. Our waiter Justin was so friendly and helpful with making choices. The food was delicious and we loved the rice ball! We've gone once before, but definitely coming more often!

LaLupa never disappoints! The ambiance is beautiful. The vibe is trendy & modern. The service is impeccable (we had Justin-he was awesome)-and the food....i can't say enough about the food!! It was delicious!! It's always delicious!!! Highly recommend La Lupa!!!

Seated in time. Booked on open table Very dark inside tight seating. Michael our waiter made up for that with excellent service has an anniversary and they acknowledged it twice. Nice touch Try the olive oil cake Delishhh

Appetizer we had focaccia bread which was amazing! So fresh and delicious! Heirloom tomato with the fresh burrata was amazing! Suppli, which is a rice ball with mozzarella in the middle and a beautiful fried crust around it was delicious! For dinner we had k.C. Strip steak that was seasoned perfect and cooked perfect as well with a side of CACIO E PEPE POTATOES that were amazing!!! For dessert we had the olive oil cake that was delicious! The waiter was very informative, attentive, helpful, friendly and professional! Excellent service The place was beautiful decorated and set up. The only thing was that it was loud in there but didn't care because the food was incredible! I will be going back again and highly recommend it! Make reservations way ahead of time because they don't expect walk ins!

My expectations for La Lupa were already high, and this dining experience exceeded my expectations in every single way. The menu was overwhelming because I literally wanted to try everything. There are lots of apps, pastas, pizzas, meats and fishes plus some daily specials. We started with the pulpo which was divine. A huge portion with so much fresh octopus, tomatoes and olives in the most flavorful oil. Next up was the bucatini amatriciana which was coated in the creamiest tomato sauce with lots of smoky pancetta. They have a few cuts of steak that you can order in a small or a large and these are grilled on a yakitori grill. We tried the skirt wagyu and it was literally one of the best steaks I've ever had. Crispy on the outside and buttery and cooked to medium perfection on the inside. A small was more than enough for two of us, especially with an app and a pasta. The brussel sprouts side was the perfect accompaniment and were crispy, sweet and covered in parm. A bowl of brussels was massive - enough for an entire table. No room for dessert but everything looked amazing. Service was also great! It's a bit of a slow dining experience but I liked how they bring things out course by course and give you time to savor every dish. Made me feel like I was eating in Italy. Prices are definitely high but everything is so quality and portions are quite large, so it's really worth every penny. The ambiance is super romantic, small and dimly lit. Perfect for a date night! A few other things to note - BYO, so don't forget a bottle. Reservations are a must, but they seemed to have them available for most nights after 8 if you don't mind a bit of a later dinner. We also sat at the chef's counter and really liked it. It was fun to see the food get cooked and felt more spacious than some of the tight two tops. I want to try literally everything else on the menu. Cannot wait to come back.

I have been wanting to go here for quite awhile. I have heard a lot of great things so my expectations of la lupa was high. It was a bit hard to get reservations on the weekend. We ended up getting an early one for tonight at 5:30 at the chefs table. La lupa is in a quiet strip mall in New Jersey with ample parking in front. We parked and walked in. The restaurant is small and intimate. It is beautiful, with deep undertones with natural wood and dried flowers. It's not your typical Italian music playing, it's more modern day vibes. We were seated in the back towards the large pizza oven / chef. It's really nice you have ample space and you are a little bit secluded. Our waiter was amazing, on top of everything we needed. La lupa is BYOB. We were told the menu changes often and they get protein/ veggies as locally as possible and they make their own pasta. So it's always nice you are getting food that's in season and close by. We decided to go with two pastas a sweet potato tortelloni and a rigatoni carbonara. As we were waiting our pizza chef friend gave us an amuse bouche of two different types of prosciutto and parmigiana Reaggiano. The prosciutto and cheese were so good and not like we have ever tasted before. Not super salty at all. A perfect starter to our meal! Soon after The tortelloni came out and this was such the stand out of the night. It had a citrus sauce with walnut, sage and Parmigiano. The flavors were outstanding. This dish would have been good for one serving but we split it but I really wanted it all for my self lol. The carbonara was delicious and decadent with lots of cheese and guanciale. This was a classic take on an amazing dish. We ordered a special, a thick perfectly cooked piece of halibut with potatoes, leeks and more guanciale in a buer blanc sauce. I honestly could not get enough of this dish. It was a beautifully portioned. We also got a side of broccoli rabe to share. this was oreganata style with a spice of Calabrian chiles. Just delicious. A perfect dinner! We couldn't help ourselves and had to get dessert. We order the chocolate chip cookie and brownie both with ice cream and whip cream. It was way too much for just two people. Although good it was slightly too sweet for my taste buds. Personally I like things lightly sweetened but that's my personal preference. There was nothing wrong with these desserts. I prob would just get one next time. The cappuccino was a great. It was a balanced coffee, not to strong. Overall, La Lupa stood up to my expectations. The food the staff and ambience was amazing. Can't wait to come back. Thanks again for a great night!

La Lupa had me La losing my mind. Trekked down here in the snow storm and was well worth the trip! Can't say it enough, please do not judge spots by the cover. I have had some of my favorite meals at spots tucked into to strip malls and this was yet another to add to the top of my favorites list. Sat right at the pizza counter, got dinner and a show. This place is all about meticulous and very intentional sourcing which is the foundation of the rotating menu highlight local flavors and also pulling from all over the globe. Steak, pasta, pizzas - all delicious with a new age- Roman influence. Staff is knowledgeable, top notch service with a very intimate, cozy space - limited seating but worth the fight trying for a resy. BYO is always a nice bonus too!