Help with Long Island Rehearsal Dinner

[BFchowhound]

Hi All,
I am working on a rehearsal dinner for June of this year and was hoping to get some comments/suggestions. We need a place that can host about 50 people and is either in or near Farmingdale. Our first choice was Verona, but unfortunately it was booked already.

Here are a few other suggestions we have received from our venue, and I was hoping some of you could give me some feedback on the places below:

Bella Napoli
Bellisimo
Four Food Studio
Blackstone Steakhouse

Also, if you have any better suggestions, I would love to hear them. Thanks in advance!

[mcf]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8817...

[BFchowhound]

I appreciate the link, but I was hoping more for some specific commentary on the places in my post that were recommended. I haven't been to any of them, so I have no clue how they stack up.

[mcf]

I guess the only thing I can suggest, in that case, is to check the web sites of the restaurants suggested and maybe sites specifically for restaurant reviews, plus calling the restaurants with very specific questions.

[BFchowhound]

Thanks. Yes, I will certainly do call and check reviews.

Was just hoping some chowhounders had been to some of these places and could comment.

[mcf]

It would help to know what you'd like commentary on, in addition to capacity to host that number of folks and the location.

If you mention your price range, what kind of food and ambience you most want, you might get more specific comments.

I've been to Four Food for lunch and to Verona (which would be my recco for this type of event if it were available) and my husband and others I know have been to Blackstone. All very different vibes, prices and food.

If money is no object and you want a splashy space with good food, Blackstone will meet your needs.

[BFchowhound]

I am basically just wondering about how good the food is at each place. Any comments on ambiance would be helpful too.

Need a resto near Farmingdale and we will have around 50 guests. The ones I listed in the original post were recommended to us by our wedding venue, so was mostly curious how the food is at each place.

[mcf]

Then definitely check the review sites... The food at Blackstone is generally reviewed as good to very good, but not up to the price point, which is very high.

Four Food Studio food is good, more modestly priced, but nothing exceptional, to my recollection.

[BFchowhound]

Thanks for your input, will look into the reviews more.

[jrazzle]

Check out Matteo's on Jericho Turnpike or Jewel...