The restaurant owner tells the truth about Rob Reiner’s quiet dinner before tragedy struck

Less than two days before the violence destroyed their lives, Rob Reiner and his wife Micheal shared a modest dinner close to home.

The evening passed quietly among friends, staff and familiar dishes.

Now, as investigators piece together what happened next, the owner of the restaurant that served them is revealing what he witnessed before the unforgettable night that changed everything for them forever.

Rob Reiner’s last night felt comfortable

On Friday, December 12, Rob and Michele walked into their familiar Brentwood restaurant with longtime friend Maria Shriver. Nothing in the visit hinted at the brutality that was soon to follow.

According to the restaurant’s owner, the couple behaved exactly as they always did during their regular visits, relaxed and friendly with the staff who knew them well.

In an interview with Daily Mailowner Tancredi DeLuca described a pair who seemed hardened and warm despite their public profiles.

“They were very good people, always very approachable and very kind to the whole staff,” he said.

DeLuca added: “We’re all in total shock. We’re all saddened by what happened. They’re very good people, very down to earth, and they’ve always treated everyone here very well.”

The Reiners ordered comfortably, selecting familiar favorites alongside the restaurant’s winter special. There was conversation, laughter and the quiet rhythm of a normal night.

A regular meal and familiar comfort

To the staff, the Reiners weren’t novelty guests, but part of the fabric of the restaurant. They often returned to the same dishes, especially their favorite artichoke salad, and were known for their warm interaction with the servers. This consistency made the tragedy harder to process.

The trio enjoyed the Sogliola Alla Mugnaia, an imported Dover sole served with lemon-caper sauce, broccolini and roasted potatoes, along with pasta. It was a seasonal indulgence shared unceremoniously. Employees recalled nothing unusual about the couple’s behavior, no visible tension, no sense of urgency.

What made the evening especially haunting was the proximity to the events taking place just across the street. The restaurant is next to a Sinclair gas station, which would later become part of the timeline of the investigation.

Surveillance footage would eventually capture Nick Reiner nearby Saturday night, just hours before his parents were found dead.

Rob Reiner and the nearby shadow

While the dinner itself was calm, the staff at the neighboring gas station noticed subtle but disturbing changes in Nick’s behavior in the days leading up to the murders. Employees described him as “exhausted” and “abnormal,” a stark contrast to the friendly, talkative presence they remembered from the previous months. The difference was disturbing precisely because it was unexpected.

Nick had previously lingered to chat during visits, creating an easy familiarity. In the days before the murders, that warmth seemed to disappear. However, workers stressed that he did not appear impaired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Just hours after dinner, Rob and Michele attended a holiday party hosted by Conan O’Brien, bringing Nick with them. Guests later reported that the couple expressed fear, saying they were “terrified” of what he might do if left alone.

The party ended abruptly after an argument between father and son escalated.

Public hope and private fears

Just a few months ago, Rob had spoken publicly about his confidence in his son’s recovery. During a September interview on NPR’s “Fresh Air,” he offered reassurances, saying, “It’s been great,” and adding that Nick “hasn’t done drugs in over six years.” He optimistically concluded, “He’s in a very good place.”

Those words now ring painfully against what followed. Investigators believe the murders took place in the early hours of Sunday. Rob and Michele were discovered later that afternoon in their Brentwood mansion, their bodies already in rigor mortis.

Nick, who lived in the guesthouse on the property and had a long history of addiction, was arrested within hours. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and is being held without bail on a suicide watch.

Investigation closes on Rob Reiner’s family after tragedy

Authorities quickly zeroed in on Nick after the bodies were discovered by Rob and Michele’s daughter, Romy Reiner. She told police her brother was “dangerous” and “should be a suspect.”

Law enforcement sources later revealed that the couple may have been sleeping in bed when they were attacked.

As the case unfolds, the quiet dinner at Amici’s takes on devastating significance. What was once a routine evening is now a final snapshot of calm before unimaginable violence.