Luigi's Rancho
I searched for a topic on this place, as I thought I remembered a semi-recent one, but the only one I found is 3 years old, and no commenting is possible any more.
I know this place kinda' recently re-opened... has anyone gone? I'd love to hear some reviews... from pics and the video on their Facebook page, it does not look like an "upscale" place, but rather a rustic/local place.... which I much prefer. And I see they also have live music, which I did not know...
Any reviews/experiences?
JeffersonRepub I have not been there in well over 5 yrs. It was ok. Very rustic local joint. I had scallops and they were good. I like mine well done and asked them to cook a bit over and they did. Husband had veal and he said it was ok normal nothing outstanding. They did have live music there at the time and it was a very good band.
O have no knowledge of them reopening. I have not heard that at all.
TeenieBeen there a jillion times, always a great meal and the atmosphere is always pleasant.
Townie65 Great place to go I always order a nice big stake smothered in sautéed mushrooms delicious I go there about once a month
This is definitely NOT a place I would ever eat again. Once was enough. LOL It's a place for a very cheap average to under average meal. You're better off going to a diner if you are looking for that. It's not a bad place to go for a beer and hear music though. It tends to be an older and somewhat redneck crowd.
I hadn't heard of any re-opening either.
Calico696 I know what you are saying, Calico about Luigi's. We used to go there years ago at least every couple of weeks for dinner and it was great. I believe the restaurant was sold or under new management not that long ago and the last few meals we have had there were really not anywhere near as good as before...
joyful 
Philliesman Always had a good meal there at a reasonable price. Loved that it was a throwback to when 46 was the tourist route to the Poconos.
Did it close? That would be a shame.
Missrx I passed there on Sunday- it was packed- I go there for beer and appetizers only- not a bad place.
As Yogi Berra once said- "nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded"
The Rhyme Animal 
JD4020 Will definitely check it out....
I see April 22 is one of their "Jazz and wine" nights.... hmm.....
I'll also go on a weekend with the wife.
It never closed. I live near it. It changed owners ages ago. I have not had a bad meal there. I often get Martini Chicken...ask for it even if it's not on the menu! I have tried the mussels marinara.....veal marsala....it is not a fancy place by any means..reasonable prices....I can't say the food is phenomenal but it is good....never had the burgers
Virginia I love the ambiance of this place and have been going there for years. Went there last time after picking Christmas tree up in PA. Matter of fact, we stop there every year after we pick up the tree. Decent food at very reasonable prices. Not exactly gourmet, but good portions and never had a bad meal. Reasonable drink prices too. Family owned, met owner several times, great guy. Thing I love about that place is the spirit of the past talks to you, through all the old photos on the walls. You can almost see the ghosts of the past whirling around the dance floor while a band plays. It is well kept and clean, even the restrooms. The thing I love best about it is it appears like it has not changed for a hundred years. It is dated, but in a charming way for me.
Bruin Same experience Bruin. Love it's old school atmosphere. Never had a bad meal and its always kept clean.
Glad to hear its still there!
When I am in the mood for a good steak Luigi's is where I go. The food is always wonderful. Good sized portions for a reasonable price. It's a great place to go for live music too. I highly recommend trying Luigi's.
SL "The thing I love best about it is it appears like it has not changed for a hundred years. It is dated, but in a charming way for me."
SOLD!!
Does anyone know how often they have live music? Their FB page isn't updated very often...
Like Marley's- they have live music every week (I think), but you'd never know it by checking their FB page....
How hard is it to make a FB post once a week?
JR - Best to just give them a call regarding music. Give me a ring if you are going up. We'd be glad to meet up with you for music and drinks, but not dinner. ;-)
I agree with Calico. I went there twice and the food was not very good..I should have had enough sense to stay away just by the name of the place. Lol!
However, they have been here for years..so obviously they are doing something right, they've become a landmark like Johnny's.
I think it depends on what you have grown up with and and the quality of food you are accustomed to.
positive Been there since 1939, and still open... so they're doing something right.
All we had were the burgers, and they were great. Stella Artois on tap- yum. Love the vibe and atmosphere of the place, love that it seems to have not changed in a very long time (like the Log Cabin Inn), we pumped the jukebox full of good tunes and stayed a couple hours. We really like the place, will be going back, will always be sitting at the bar, and will be trying some of the other food.
One of the best burgers in the area, up there with Marley's and Log Cabin Inn.
Interesting:
when they do have live music, the stage is in the middle of the huge bar... I haven't seen anything like that since I was in Nashville. Cool set-up.
"I think it depends on what you have grown up with and and the quality of food you are accustomed to."
lol. I don't discriminate: good food is good food, whether it's Marley's, Fujiyama, Johnny's, Prickly Pear, or Luigi's. If the burgers/fries/onion rings are any indication, the "quality" of Luigi's food is fine. Whether you like it or not is a matter of opinion.
Frankly, I find it amusing how many people on this forum seem to think there are very few good places to eat around here... there is ALOT of great food in this area. But I guess some people just like to bitch (that's not directed at you, positive, your comment just made me think of all the food threads over the years, and how some people can't be happy no matter what.)
JR states, "when they do have live music, the stage is in the middle of the huge bar... I haven't seen anything like that since I was in Nashville. Cool set-up."
I didn't want to tell you because I think its cool also. Wanted to see if you were going to mention this. Glad you enjoyed it. I agree that we have some good restaurants in the area.
JR- I know your comment wasn't directed towards me, but I'd like to add that even though I didn't care for the food at Luigi's doesn't mean that I think all of the establishments in this area are not up to my standards. Lol!
Best Sicilian pie..Dicola's in Washington. Amazing Thai..Pandan Room. Fantastic Colombian food..Rica Pan. Great Italian entrees..Enzos in Washington. Best calzones...Enzos on 517. My favorite diner..The Washington Diner.
Oh my gosh Calico, you made me remember something laughable. Years ago (40) I ordered the chicken parm there. I was wearing a white cashmere sweater. Ordered the parm and the first bite landed on my sweater, I flinched and the whole meal landed on that sweater. I loved that sweater, so to this very day I have never eaten chicken parm. I think at the time it was the original owners. A very nice lady, I can remember she would go table to table, if something wasn't right she made it right. She was a very tough but fair women to work for. Not a big turn over in wait staff, those girls made a lot of money and did their job well, she saw to it. I wish my grandmother was alive the stories she could tell about the really old places around here.
auntiel "the stage is in the middle of the huge bar... I haven't seen anything like that since I was in Nashville."
I can think of a dozen places like that in the general area; the quality of the food varies and it's usually not a band on stage, but the setup is quite common (-;
I would think that it's got to be rough being a bartender with a band right behind you blaring in your ears all night.
ianimal "I can think of a dozen places like that in the general area; the quality of the food varies and it's usually not a band on stage, but the setup is quite common (-; "
Be careful... lest you incriminate yourself ;)
Went to Luigi's last night, food was really good, I guess I must order the stuff they make good- never had anything too bad there.
Being a fan of local history, I know there used to be a Greyhound Bus Station right across the street years ago on Rt.46 (then known as Rt.6), that was sort of a half way stop/pickup between NYC and Scranton.
You can still see some of the concrete work and floor of that old station there.
Another place I have come across pictures of is called the "Waterfront Inn"- which was apparently located on Rt.46 (Rt.6) for many years, somewhere out in this general area between White Twsp and Belvidere.
I would image it might have been right on either the Pequest River or the Delaware River. Looking at the picture, it doesn't look like it was the former King Cole Grove site on Rt.46.
Does anyone know where this place was on Rt.46? And, any history about it?
Looks to have been open from the 30's to at least the late 70's- looks like the kinda place I would have liked.
Take that enclosed porch and close it off, remove the awnings, update the facade, then could it be Lui's Pizza?? It's the right size, right on Route 46, and the far left looks like an addition just like Lui's Pizza has.
GC Lui's Pizza is in the building that use to be The Waterfront...right on 46 just east of The Rancho. I waitressed there for a brief time... late 80's I think.
Gardenfish Yes, Lui's Pizza is the old Waterfront restaurant.
Marie Wyss
Owned Restaurant In Belvidere
December 28, 1984|The Morning Call
Marie Wyss, 82, of Ketcham Road, Independence Township, N.J., died Wednesday in her home. She was the wife of Hans Wyss.
They owned the Waterfront Restaurant, Belvidere, N.J., until retiring 12 years ago.
Surviving with her husband are a son John of Hackettstown, N.J., and four granddaughters.
The Scala Memorial Home, Hackettstown, is in charge of arrangements.
Yep was thinking the same thing GC. Lui's Pizza I'd say.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lui's+Pizza+%26+Liquors/@40.840073,-75.04505,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1s93116506!2e1!3e10!6s%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fstatic.panoramio.com%2Fphotos%2Fsmall%2F93116506.jpg!7i3946!8i2960!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x1d27285e778abb19!6m1!1e1
Vic That's pretty good detective work GC.
I agree with you, the old Waterfront Inn is most likely the current day Lui's Pizza.
The windows and structure pictures of current day line up pretty well with that old Waterfront Inn photo. And I know from going to Lui's enough that the slight incline on the right side of the building to get up to the stairs matches up perfectly as well.
Being that the current day Lui's also has a small bar inside- that also makes sense liquor license wise, they probably acquired it from the Waterfront Inn.
Interesting then that Luigi's Rancho and the Waterfront Inn were in business at basically the same time (Luigi's Rancho sign says they have been in business since 1939) right across the street from each other.
I think that mystery is solved- the current Lui's pizza backs up right against the Pequest River, furthering the "Waterfront Inn" theory.
Wonder what the Waterfront Inn was like and how long it was around- we need some old timers to solve that one.
Cool post Rhyme! So much history. I found this on Ebay. It's an old postcard from 1950 of the Greyhound bus building. It was called the Greyhound Post House.
I remember when they opened Luis's, I was maybe middle school age, so I think maybe the mid-80's?
bac Last time I went there the Mets were playing in the World Series --
against the Yankees -- Piazza vs. Clemens --- who let the dogs out?
Remember that I enjoyed the seafood and pasta, but shortly thereafter I discovered Al's Pizza, they had an extensive Italian menu, liquor license and the service was faster.
The Ravens were playing the Steelers on TV, the waitress was rooting for the Steelers but the owner was rooting for the Ravens --- aaah, there was a good reason to become a loyal customer.
The waitress was a big Penn State fan, so I became friends with her, too. Good place to talk football, the owner had Miami Dolphins pictures all over the place.
Andy Loigu Lui's pizza is the same family that owned "Continental" pizza which was in the A&P mall.
hktownie 
Luigis Ranch-O is an old roadhouse that served tourists.The place was also a motel years ago. The restaurant has decent food and a rustic appearance. Here is an old picture.
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