24 Hours to Hell and Back - Botto's Italian Line Update

On tonight's episode of 24 Hours to Hell and Back, Gordon Ramsay is in Swedesboro, New Jersey to try to save Botto's Italian Line.  Botto's Italian Line is a family-owned Italian restaurant that has an outdated interior which Gordon Ramsay says reminds him of a funeral parlor.  Gordon is also disgusted by the kitchen and finds disgusting nacho cheese and guacamole that does not belong in an Italian restaurant.


Let's take a look at some information, reviews, and updates for Botto's Italian Line since 24 Hours to Hell and Back and Gordon Ramsay made all of the changes to the restaurant (note - all reviews are post-makeover).




Positive Reviews:

• "Okay so any reviews prior to this past week should be ignored. No not because my palate is amazing but because the restaurant recently had a makeover as part of a hellish tv show. The menu is paired down to one page and the service is attentive. The food was mouth watering and done correctly. I had the bruschetta as an appetizer and it was one of the best I have"
• "My coworkers and I have recently made a habit of coming here for lunch. Their sauteed calamari in spicy marinara is seriously one of the best things I've ever had. It's sooo good! I also loved my Chicken Cutlet Diavolo sandwich with fries."
• "This is a wonderful Italian place to eat. They have a wonderful menu of Italian cuisine. The prices are good and reasonable for the area. They have remodeled the place and redid the menu with the help of Gordon Ramsay. I was shocked but pleasantly pleased with the food. It was elegant yet functional and beautiful. It's a great place and a must go, if in Swedesboro, NJ. Loved it."

Negative Reviews:

• "Do not like the Ramsay-fied menu or remodel. Went during the holidays and had a reservation for 8. Sat us on a high table in the dining room. Chairs were wobbly and older relatives had a hard time sitting on them. The aisle between us and the next table was so narrow that the waiter had to keep stepping aside. They altered the calamari recipe...did not taste the vinegar/zing."
• "Since the menu changed, the portions sizes are smaller and there is less to choose from. Food was okay"
• "We go often enough since it's local. The new menu they have put together in the last month or so is significantly smaller, and portions are smaller. Some of the items are cheaper though so maybe that is why. Service was good last Sat night but we aren't rushing back anytime soon. We aren't fans of the new menu."
• "Ehhhh. No big deal. 3 stars. Everything was average. Service was decent but they up-charged us on everything. House wine. Charged $10. House Margaritas....bill said margarita with $2.50 upcharge for Cuervo gold. Why the upcharge? We didn’t ask for it and Cuervo is typically house. Food was ok."
• "Been going to bottos for over 20 years and I have to say quality has steadily declined. Most recently went on dec 23rd only because we had gift certificate. It took 50 minutes for food to come out. Waitress did not check back and one order came out wrong. Overall just not a good experience. Sorry to say we wont be back."

*Reviews from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Google


Other News and Links:

• The 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover happened in October 2019.
• Here is the Botto's Italian Line website and Facebook page.
• Botto's Italian Line is having a watch party for the 24 Hours to Hell and Back episode at the restaurant. 
• Botto's does banquets, weddings and catering and also has a market, an online store, and a sausage company. (Link)
• In a Courier Post article, the owners said they decided to do the show not because they were struggling, but because they wanted their dining room brought up-to-date.  The show apparently did $3,500 worth of renovations and Botto's bought the new carpeting. Robert also talks about the experience of the show and the aftermath.  The guacamole was for the bar area and not the Italian restaurant.
• There was a Botto's press release on 1/27/2020 about "surviving" 24 Hours to Hell and Back.  Robert Botto Jr. said, "Having Gordon Ramsay here helping my family's legacy continue on has meant so much. It was tough, but we came out refreshed and with a new outlook for the restaurant. I'm grateful for this amazing opportunity we had."
• Here are the Botto's Italian Line reviews from Yelp, Tripadvisor, Opentable and Google.
• The reviews were pretty good before the makeover.

Conclusion:

The reviews for Botto's Italian Line since the 24 Hours to Hell and Back makeover with Gordon Ramsay have been more negative than positive.  The main complaint is about the menu being much smaller.  The Botto's said that they did the show not because they were struggling, but because they were hoping to makeover their dining room.  The reviews prior to 24 Hours to Hell and Back were all very positive which supports they were not a struggling restaurant.  The Botto's are also involved in multiple other food/catering businesses in addition to Botto's Italian Line restaurant.


*To see how the restaurants from 24 Hours to Hell and Back are doing, visit the 24 Hours To Hell and Back Updates Page. Also, if you are interested in the restaurants from Kitchen Nightmares, visit the Kitchen Nightmares Updates Page.