Christie's Italian Seafood Grill, Howell, NJ:
A Restaurant Review
Howell Center
2420 Route 9 South
Howell, NJ
732-780-8310
Website
Christie's Restaurant Highlights
Fare: Traditional Southern Italian
Price: Moderate
Food Quality: Quality comparable to other area traditional Southern Italian restaurants
Service: Needs improvement. A greater presence of management visiting tables to welcome patrons and to solicit patron experience and feedback.
Decor: "Old World" traditional. Note: Huge politcal sign adorns a wall in the main dining room.
Overall Rating: 2 Stars
Noise Level: Moderate
Recommended For: Cost conscious diners who seek an inexpensive BYOB traditional southern Italian food restaurant. Also a good option for diners with a last minute change in plans looking for a Saturday evening restaurant with available tables
Not Recommended For: Diners who prefer eclectic Italian food with excellent service, and a welcoming, vibrant, trendy atmosphere.
Recommended dishes: When available,When available, One of the Daily Specials; And The Veal Francese, lightly dipped in Flour & Egg, sauteed in Lemon, Butter, & White Wine, accompanied with fresh vegetables in season
Liquor: BYOB
Christie's: Restaurant Review
Christie's Restaurant, once a highly regarded Western Monmouth County Italian restaurant, has fallen upon hard times and is struggling to compete with other similar family-owned and operated BYOB restaurants,
Located in the Howell Center, a strip mall off Route 9, Christie's is owned and operated by Francesco (Frank) Mattioli.
Frank Mattioli emigrated from Italy at a young age and has a record of successfully owning and managing small businesses. Formerly Co-owner and Executive Chef of Trattoria Fraro in Freehold, NJ before assuming control of Christie's Italian Seafood Grill.
Here you can enjoy preparations of traditional Southern Italian dishes --- at an affordable price.
The menu offers a large variety of selections complemented by several daily specials.
The kitchen is overseen by owner Frank Mattioli. Many of the daily specials feature Frank Mattioli's recipes handed down from his mother and family members in Sicily.
However, in the past several years, Mattioli has stepped down as hands-on manager of dining room service operations. With it, the loss of Mattioli’s charm, warmth, and persistent presence throughout the dining rooms in visiting tables, and in overseeing the wait staff has been felt.
Consequently, this updated review has been downgraded.
The interior is inviting and attractively done in the “Old World” style with soft earth-tone walls adorned with paintings, carpeted floors, and tables set with linen.
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However, in January 2024, and will continue to the end of the 2024 Presidential election, the warmth and atmosphere have been compromised by the addition of a huge political sign adorning a wall in the main dining room.
In these troubling and divided times, with political discourse from political candidates, cable news, and social media sharply dividing friends and family, a restaurant is regarded as a place where friends and family can escape the political hostility to relax and have an enjoyable dinner conversation with a glass of wine.
It's understandable why some patrons might find this to be a cause for concern.
Christie's restaurant is family-friendly with a children's menu for 12 and under..
Christie's Restaurant is open six days a week, for Tuesday - Friday for dinner, and Saturday and Sunday, for lunch.
There is ample on-site parking.
Though reservations are recommended, there are often tables available at the last minute, even on Saturday evenings.
(updated January 2024)
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The methodology used is research, analysis driven --- as opposed to that of a single restaurant critic or a social media platform, viewer comment posting board.
