Gia Giudice, 25, defended her upscale Westwood, New Jersey, restaurant Il Vero on TikTok Sunday after customers slammed its no-kids policy in online reviews.
The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” personality posted a Get Ready With Me video to push back against negative feedback that had populated Google listings for the Italian-Mediterranean eatery, including one one-star review predicting the establishment “probably won’t survive long” due to the rule.
“The first thing that I want to address is that we are a restaurant that only accommodates adult dining,” she said in the video while applying makeup. “While I know that might be a bummer to some who want to bring their kids out to dinner, there are many restaurants in Westwood that are kid-friendly.”
Giudice emphasized that Westwood is a “family-oriented town, which is why we wanted to bring something a little different and bring a new atmosphere that adults were actually waiting for and the town of Westwood is loving.”
The restaurant, which opened just a week before her TikTok post, states on its website that it is “intended for adult guests.” Giudice described Il Vero as an “elevated” experience that “makes you want to get dressed up” and go out.
She also floated a possible future compromise, noting that they may eventually consider allowing children for lunch reservations only, though the restaurant was not yet accepting lunch bookings at the time of her video.
“Thank you for all the support,” Giudice captioned the TikTok, adding a pink heart emoji and promising that “this is only the beginning” for her restaurant.
The online backlash had been sharp. One reviewer complained, “Some friends wanted to go with their kids and they said they could not try it because restaurant was kid free. How ridiculous,” Another wrote, “No kids allowed. This surely won’t help this business. I give them 6 months.”
But supporters on Google and TikTok pushed back just as loudly. One reviewer gushed, “Best part… No screaming children running around messing up my fancy dinner,” Another wrote, “I love a restaurant that caters to adults and not children. Perfect date night!” A third labeled the eatery “grown and sexy.”
On TikTok, fans echoed the enthusiasm. “As a mom, I would LOVE a kids free restaurant for date night, girls night, etc.,” one commented. Another joked, “well my ‘kids’ are 26 and 28 and I’m still not bringing them!” A third remarked, “Your restaurant your rules. Stay blessed.”
Earlier this month, Giudice appeared on the outlet’s “Virtual Real-Tea” and told co-hosts Evan Real and Danny Murphy that she’s “so happy” about the launch. “We wanted to bring New York City vibes to New Jersey,” she explained of the luxurious, modern atmosphere.
The “Next Gen NYC” star also revealed she spends more time at the restaurant than fans might expect. “I don’t think people are expecting me to be there as often as I am,” she laughed. “It’s fun because you’re watching your vision come to life,” She added, “They love to take photos with me.”
Giudice is the eldest daughter of Teresa Giudice, the longtime “RHONJ” star who has built a reality television empire since the show’s 2009 debut. Teresa’s legal and financial troubles, including her 2015 prison sentence for fraud and her ex-husband Joe Giudice’s deportation to Italy following his own prison term, have played out across multiple seasons. Gia has increasingly stepped into the public eye as an adult, launching business ventures and appearing in the “RHONJ” spinoff “Next Gen NYC.”