Matthew's

My First trip to Jersey and my Fiancée and her family picked Matthew’s as our 1 Italian restaurant for the trip. They have been eating there for years and couldn’t wait to take me in for a family dining experience. Let me tell you, small town restaurant, BIG TIME FLAVOR. Everything we ordered from apps to dessert was amazing. Best Italian food I’ve had in years. Our service was above and beyond, Marisa was a terrific server and really very knowledgeable, friendly, and hospitable. I had the Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken Oregenata. The chicken was tender and juicy, the pasta was cooked perfect and the sauce with rich and creamy. Everything from the Rolls, to the Calamari, to Veal Parm(which fiancée ordered) and the Tartufo was Perfect. I will be back and will tell everyone I know that when they visit Clifton, Nj or anywhere nearby, they should RUN, don’t walk to Matthew’s for a 1 of a kind experience where Matthew himself shows up to your table and treats you like Family. Everything about our night was the Perfect Italian Experience, like I was back in Rome!!

My brother-in-law ordered food here, for his birthday, at the last minute, post snowstorm, and Mathew came through with an amazing spread! Literally everyone said the Penne Vodka was the best they ever had and I agree! If you're in the area, you have to try it!

I recently visited Matthews Restaurant for dinner with my wife, and we had a wonderful experience. It was our first time dining here, and everything was truly up to the mark. We ordered Eggplant Rollatini, Cavatelli & Broccoli, and Manicotti — each dish was flavorful, delicious, and served in generous portions. The service was excellent as well, making the evening even more enjoyable. Highly recommend!

This place never disappoints! High quality ingredients with great service and a warm ambiance. It’s so delicious that I always forget to take photos! The owner is always there and genuinely cares about his product and his customers. Highly recommend

This was our 1st time at Matthew's but it definitely won't be the last. The food was excellent, the service came with a smile and the ambiance was relaxing. The owner came by to say hello and ask if he can do anything else for us. He was very friendly and welcoming.

Absolutely incredible food. Went there for a friend's birthday and everything we got was delicious from the cocktails and bread to our individual dishes was fantastic. I would recommend going here for any occasion but if you can get a reservation cuz they are packed.

My family visited Matthew’s for the first time last evening, and we had a fantastic experience! The food was stellar, but the service was truly exceptional. Every staff member - from our initial greeting to the moment we left - was kind, friendly, personable, and incredibly attentive. Our server, Tiffany, was wonderful, and her care and professionalism truly elevated the entire experience. Our food arrived promptly throughout, everything was cooked and prepared perfectly, and our appetizers, main courses, and desserts were absolutely delicious. The chicken parm was outstanding, and my son adored the calamari! The atmosphere was lively and welcoming, and operationally there was a level of precision and efficiency that really stood out. We will absolutely be returning soon. Thank you to the entire team for an awesome meal!

Great spot ! Went here for the first time this past weekend and the owner , bartenders and wait staff were all super friendly and nice. Probably the best clams oreganta I’ve ever had! I ordered the chicken parm for entree and it was thinly sliced and very tasty! It’s a small place and you may have to wait , but it’s definitely worth it.. Will definitely be back soon!

I've been coming to Matthew's for over a decade now! The food and service are unmatched. Even after moving cross-country, it is still my absolute favorite restaurant and my trips home would not be complete w/o dining here at LEAST once before I leave again. Matthew's attention to detail, love for food & community, and his warm presence makes each meal that much better. He has upgraded the restaurant with more seating and gorgeous branded wine glasses. The ambiant lighting and coziness there gives you that small-town welcome energy. If you want a GREAT meal with family and friends, this is the place!!

2 STARS AT BEST Tiny hole in the wall living on the reputation of Bella Napoli which occupied this tiny building previously. Air conditioning here doesn't work much so stay away when it's hot outside. Food is one step above strip mall pizzeria food at 5 times the price. Service is slow and you're lucky to get a pleasant server. Everybody says their chicken parm is the best they ever had. Those people think McDonalds is gourmet food. Skip this place. Much better within 3 mile radius.

I was able to have their food at an event I attended. There also seemed to be a few of their staff members at the event. They were very nice and accommodating. The foods I had are below. They seemed to have a classic Italian menu. House Salad - This was standard, and all appeared fresh. There was also a nice balance of all the ingredients. Meatballs - This was probably the best item tried of the day. They were meaty and flavorful while there was plenty of appetizing tomato sauce too. Rigatoni & Vodka - This was okay. There were peas, pancetta, and onion in the dish. There was not much going on here. I thought the sauce was plain. Chicken Parmigiana - This was not bad. There was lots of mozzarella present. The chicken was tender and thin. Chicken Francese - This was plain as well, but I liked the small pieces of chicken incorporated. Vegetables - This was not bad, nicely cooked with an ideal variety. Will I go back? I did not actually attend, but I might.

I've had Matthew's on my radar for quite some time, but have not visited until recently, since they don't take reservations for parties under 6 people. It's a small place that used to be Bella Napoli, located right off Route 3 East. My family started with a stuffed artichoke and Caesar salad, which were both great. The artichoke was a bit messy but full of flavor. For my entree, I had the chicken parmagiana which I would say is their "claim to fame" and came highly recommended by other Yelpers. The chicken was super crispy and a generous portion. It also came with a side of pasta. I skipped dessert and drinks since I was so full from dinner. Matthew came over to the table to check in on our excellent dinner. The service was very friendly and helped with the menu. Highly recommend checking out this classic NJ red sauce joint!

Food, service and ambiance outstanding. They never disappoint. For starters we had the fried calamari-awesome. Dinner had the veal cutlet Parmesan...tender and delicious comes with a side of pasta which I had spaghetti with garlic and oil.

Absolutely love love Matthew's! From the food to the cocktails to the bread to the dessert. This chef doesn't miss a beat. It's not too loud so you can have a conversation, Matthew is a great guy, dwn to earth, friendly & welcoming. Always doing his best to accommodate in a timely manner which is greatly appreciated. Only complaint is the bartender is unfriendly, doesn't crack a smile & has no manners. Disheartening to say the least. However, that won't stop me from going to enjoy a great dinner! Always consistent also.

If I could rate higher than 5 stars, I would. So, little history - I knew when I used to come here when I lived in NJ that the owner Matthew and I knew someone that I think connected us in convo ages ago- Sean Hughes (may he rest in peace) . And when my cousin suggested Matthews for dinner - it was a no brainer. This is always a perfect meal- all around. The pictures don't do it justice enough - hopefully I can describe well for you. Marisa, our waitress, was super- very friendly, fun and attentive too all our needs and we could have enjoyed her company with us at the table too!! Haha Matthews is a small restaurant - but don't let that fool you- smaller means better attention to detail, care and perfection in the food. Appytime- Meatballs - moist and seasoned well with an equal amount of all ingredients. Nice sweating shaves of Parmesan on top! Calamari- hello perfection - we are talking perfectly crisp and soft calamari- no chewiness or rubbery texture - melt in your mouth. Enter the Entrees- I had veal parmigiana - only wish I could eat more at a sitting - but have leftovers. Thinly pounded veal, breaded and tender with mozz over angel hair. Melt in your mouth and savored every bite!! Chicken Marsala, chicken oreganata over fettuccine, fish, saltimbocca, I mean - everyone was completely satisfied and enjoyed every bite tonight. We were all very happy. Then. For me - tartufo - is my dessert choice whenever I see it. There was tirimasu and pistachio gelato over butter cake special. I mean come on Could u ask for a better meal all around? Matthew came and took a pic for us when we were leaving and he snuck in too- I love it. Hoping I can find something similar in California now- If you haven't been- go! And go often! I would. Thank you Matthew and Marisa! This lovely dinner catching up with family with a meal like this - amazing night!!

Great little place. Excellent food and staff. Best chicken parmigiana! Make a reservation.

Never a bad meal. This place has become a comfort meal for us. They treat you like family so I guess that's why. Great spot for a date. Low lights white table cloths very intimate. If you want to show off bring someone here.

I called Matthew's for a reservation for (4) people for tonight at 6:30PM The person who answered turned out to actually be Matthew He told me that reservations require (6) HOWEVER he asked us to come at 6:15 and he'd accommodate us. We went and had one of the BEST Italian meals in New Jersey We started with a cold antipasto which was substantial, varied, and very tasty I had short rib penne with ricotta, my wife had chicken francaise. BOTH outstanding The other couple had broiled stuffed flounder and mussels& shrimp fra diablo again outstanding We shared Italian cheesecake also great So to sum up accommodations great, food outstanding, service pretty good, Matthew is a great guy with a great establishment serving incredible food

Great place! Excellent customer service! Everything here is truly amazing. My mom and I always visit this place, and we are never disappointed. The staff is friendly, attentive, and makes you feel welcome every time. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the quality is consistently outstanding. We highly recommend it--it's one of our favorite spots! food is amazing too!

Don't understand the hype. Chicken parm totally ordinary for any restaurant (or pizzaria for that matter). And the sauce was virtually tasteless. Swear it brought me back to my childhood and jar Italian sauces. Maybe people have good feelings for this place based on nostalgia. It certainly doesn't isn't the food. Middle of the pack restaurant at best.

We had a delicious dinner, my partner and I. The clams oreganato delicious. The service is also very attentive and gracious. Ambiance elegant without been abstantacious!

Order takeout on Saturday got all the staples, chicken Parm, penne, vodka with breaded chicken, eggplant, soup and salad. It was absolutely delicious food was piping hot. Everything was super fresh and the customer service was absolutely amazing.

We came here based off a friend recommendation, and we were certainly not disappointed. We started with the fried mozz and the tortellini en brodo. Both were very good. My fiancée went and got the scallops with risotto and I ordered a chicken parm with vodka sauce and fresh rigatoni. They make their rigatoni in house which is a great touch. Both were very good. I was super happy with the chicken parm. Service was awesome, we had an amazing waitress that was friendly and attentive. We will 100 percent be back to experience more of their menu!

So YUM! Our first time there & so happy we went. Last minute decision worked out well! Waited about 3 seconds for a table on a busy Sunday night. Host & waitress were very pleasant & attentive. Hubby got his staple veal parm. Sooo picky!! This was thin & perfect. Fork cut! Cooked to perfection & the sauce was delish. Our daughter got cavatelli & broccoli & I got stuffed sole. Such a delish Sunday meal. Highly reccomend Matthews. We will be back again!! Ohhhh & the lemon cake dessert. Idk what it was, but I wanted to lick the plate!

We went after a long time! They are always filled on weekends so make reservations if possible. We got stuffed articles and house salad to start. My husband got ricotta ravioli n i ordered chicken parmigiana and both dishes were really good.. i loved chicken and it was so flavorful, the best i ever had, i got penne in garlic oil as it's side and it was really good.. they make awesome pastas.. my husband like ravioli except we couldn't taste thyme in it which was mentioned in description. We ended the meal with tiramisu. We liked the food but their service was really slow, one thing that can be improved..

***4 1/2 stars*** Matthew's has been on my list for literally years; it has consistently high ratings in an area of North Jersey teeming with Italians who presumably know what they're talking about when it comes to food. I don't really have an excuse for waiting this long for my debut other than that it's in one of my least favorite areas of the state - the always-congested stretch of Route 3 near Clifton Commons. This is actually located one exit away from the Commons, which helps, but be prepared for some traffic no matter what. The Millennial Chum and I stopped by for lunch yesterday a little after noon, having built up an appetite from the nearby Little Falls townwide yard sale (huge recommend - lot of high quality stuff including furniture, and the town site has a cool link where the participating yard sales show up as waypoints on Google Maps.). I was legitimately taken aback by how tiny this place is. It's not QUITE claustrophobic, but they have to get creative with their spacing for sure, including with the bathroom area, which is kind of randomly off to the side of the entryway. This is also one of the smallest bars I've ever seen (I think the only one I've encountered that's smaller is the Baldanza at the Schoolhouse in Wilton, CT, which seats one or two people); there were maybe four stools available over there. Interesting. In terms of seating/availability, this was the right time to go. There were only two other tables occupied and it was incredibly quiet (too quiet in my opinion) throughout our meal, save the obligatory low-volume Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra ditties in the background. I kept it enormously basic and went with the Penne w/ Tomato Sauce ($18). The Millennial Chum and I narrowed our eyes suspiciously at the VERY orange sauce, but it was the absolute star of the show, one of the best sauces I've encountered. It hugged the texture balance of being thick without crunchy, and tasted great - just the right amount of sweetness. The pasta was cooked perfectly, and the meatball I sampled from the Millennial's Chum was delicious as well. Super juicy and flavorful with the aforementioned sauce accompanying it. We also had a few fresh, warm rolls with butter; crispy on the outside, soft on the inside as it should be. The only downside there was we didn't get enough butter to deal with the third roll, but that's a very minor quibble (and I'm sure could have been easily rectified if we cared enough). The service was good but honestly not great. We didn't have egregious waits, but it WAS a bit on the slow side. Our waitress was pleasant/professional, but should have stopped by one or two additional times - other than grabbing the check, she never came by after the food was served to see how it was. And given that there were only two other occupied tables, there just wasn't an excuse for that. Very solid establishment overall though; I'm always into a place with white tablecloths that doesn't bat an eye when you show up in beach shorts. That's the dream. Come for the open-mindedness, stay for the tomato sauce.

If you're a fan for large portions and excellent customer service, you should definitely check them out. We were greeted and promptly seated and service was prompt throughout the entire meal. We didn't have to ask for anything they were able to read between the lines on what we needed. Bread was warm. The caprese salad was fresh was the perfect dressing to match. Had a nice tang while not being sour. The clams with the white sauce had a nice thickening sauce but in two of the clams, I got bit on some hard particles and left some dirt. Both pasta entree were large portion. The rigatoni was in various degrees of done-ness, some soft some el dente and the braciole was kind of chewy. Spicy sausage and meatballs was excellent. It took a little of time between apps and entree. We finally finished with the homemade Tiramasu and it did not disappoint. Yum! Overall, really impressed with the top notch service and would be interested in trying out some of their other pasta/meat dishes next time.

Matthew's catered my son's 1st birthday party, and it was INCREDIBLE!!! Everyone faved about how delicious the food was. We will absolutely use them for every party!!!

Food: standard fare though lacked pizzazz for the most part - the hot antipasto was ok, the zucchini fritti was more of a sautéed zucchini wedge with some kind of pureed eggplant caponata; the stuffed shrimp was cooked well but the seafood stuffing had mostly filler; my sole almandine was delicious and was plenteous; hubby had the stuffed shrimp which was ordered along with the app so he didn't realize the stuffing would be disappointing Service: nice, friendly Parking: plentiful

The service was good, though not quite as exceptional as the owner's. I mentioned to the owner that my Cavatelli with Broccoli was a bit too salty, and he immediately offered to have it remade. I declined, saying it was okay. However, as we were leaving, he handed me a freshly made Cavatelli with Broccoli--this time without the extra salt--and sincerely apologized. He even gave us his business card with his personal number, which was such a kind and thoughtful gesture. That's the kind of customer care that makes you want to come back. My husband had the Chicken Parm and absolutely loved it--he said it's easily in his top five. We'll definitely be returning with family next time!

Intimate Italian restaurant with great food. Longer lines, due to limited tables. Fresh crunchy crusted bread was delicious, as were the dishes that we got. Was in a rush, got the seafood pasta and filet dish. Will return, this place has promise.

Cozy and Delicious! This restaurant was such a gem--nice, cozy, and felt just like home. The service was absolutely amazing--friendly, attentive, and welcoming. The food was incredibly fresh and packed with flavor. Every bite was delicious! I'll definitely be back.

Wow, a true hidden gem in the heart of Clifton, I've been at hundreds of Italian spots in Jersey and this one is absolutely magic! The rigatoni is homemade in the house, and it definitely shows, I got mine with Cajun chicken and vodka sauce. Melt in your mouth. Delicious! My day got the shrimp Parm, with the homemade rigatoni as well, and he was in love! A full bar I will definitely be back! And a full bar !

The food smelled amazing, but I expected better taste, especially since the place was so crazy busy and many of the patrons seemed like longtime, repeat customers. Inside is pretty and staff were nice but it was so loud you couldn't hear your own thoughts. Forget about finding parking, especially on a busy night. Uber there and back if you can. Prices are decent. I'll try it again but have a feeling my rating won't change.

Amazing ambiance, fantastic service and the food was perfect! The skirt steak and deviled eggs were my favorites

I am in love with good Italian food, and this place has great ratings and reviews. Matthews is an ideal example of a charming, cozy Italian restaurant that serves delicious and fresh food. It's a local gem with great classic dishes and excellent service, and I highly recommend it. I'd recommend Clams Oreganata, Cesar Salad, and Tortellini Alla Panna with Scallops. FYI, they have the best BREAD All in all, it was an amazing experience! The finest dining, the atmosphere and the wait staff.

Matthew's is my husband's favorite restaurant and it's ironic because he typically doesn't enjoy Italian cuisine. The owner is always there when we attend and always makes a point to say hello and ask how service was. For dinner, the restaurant is dimly lit which adds to the romantic, serene ambiance. For small parties, they do not take reservations but we always choose to wait because our experience dining at Matthew's is always terrific!

Excellent meal. You can tell owner takes pride in his restaurant. Went with a large group and tried a lot of things. They were very accommodating. Highlights- stuffed artichoke - the stuffing was divine and perfectly garlicky Chicken Parm - subbed vodka sauce - delicious! The chicken was perfect, sauce delicious, pasta good! Panna cotta - soooo flavorful vanilla beans in it and great texture. The stuffed mushrooms were good too. We'll definitely be back!

Always a great time. Nicole and Stephanie always have a smile on their faces. It's warm and welcoming. I also love that Matthew is visible and personable. Now, for the cavatelli and lobster special, ahhh-mazing flavor. The pasta was perfect, vegetables cooked to perfection and the sauce felt like a warm hug after a long day at the office. Treat yourself and enjoy the menu and the ambiance. Up next, the chocolate lava cake ;0) and cappuccino.

This was the first time visiting this Restaurant. The food was great. Large portions..Staff was very friendly. I will definitely be back in the future.

The complimentary bread came hot, which I so appreciate. This was for a business dinner of 9, and while a little cramped, the food was excellent. We had a couple of appetizers to share, which were generally all good. The mushrooms in particular were stuffed with something that I think I really liked. Stuffed mushrooms Hot antipasto Calamari I got the seafood linguine, and this was excellent. Big portion size with tons of well-cooked but not overly cooked seafood. I couldn't finish it and wish I could have taken it to go. I had the tiramisu, and the flavors were delicious although not my favorite tiramisu. The texture of the ladyfingers were more like cake, which some might like.

First time dining here and I really enjoyed it! The staff were very welcoming and friendly. They start you off with complimentary warm bread and whipped butter. I loved that the bread was slightly crunchy on the borders and soft on the inside but I wish the butter was more flavorful! For my meal, I got a chicken fettuccine Alfredo and it was soo creamy. The chicken was slightly bland for my liking but I enjoyed the Alfredo sauce and pasta very much. The restaurant was very cozy with dim lighting and a homey feel. I would definitely recommend coming here for a meal. I look forward to returning to try different dishes.

I've eaten here twice.. nice small family italian restaurant with outstanding homemade meals.. had Veal Parmigiana, would have taken a photo if i hadn't inhaled it in 5 minutes !!! Service was good , not too nosy or intrusive with the right amount of information.. my wife had eggplant meatballs and artichoke bisque soup.. it was very good - for her ! Also had side of angel hair with red sauce that was just like mama made for me as a child . Highly recommend this place. No reservations unless party is over 6 people and parking is tight but well worth the trip for an authentic italian home cooked meal..

Love this place! I've been coming here for over 5 years. It's amazing how Mathew is there day in and day out. He personally stops at every table and introduces himself. Gets to know everyone. The service is really 10/10. Best Cesar salad. Amazing pasta and the chicken cutlet (Chefs kiss) . I cater most holidays and birthday parties from here also. Mathew will even walk your order out to you himself. The service here only makes the food 100 times better.

Was there about a week ago and the food is so good, cute little place inside, wish it was a little bit bigger, don't like how they don't take reservations over the phone, but that's OK, no matter what you order The food is outrageous! Will definitely be back.

After 3 years of not returning to Matthews, we went last week. What a mistake! The staff is all young girls 21 to 24 years old that would rather be chatting at the bar with bar patrons than attending to your table. The food is sub par at best. I remember the hot antipasto to be pretty good. Well it is not good at all now. I could smell and taste the odor of a refrigerator in the ingredients! This is one restaurant you should pass on in my opinion, we wasted 140.00 dollars in this diner! Many other options for Italian in the area, Matthews is a has been. Sorry to say this.

Well yesterday my aunt and uncle and cousins came for dinner. I thought of Mathew's well I called because my mother aunt and uncle are elderly. The girl on the phone told me to hold on and the owner got on the phone and told me that they would have a table ready in 5 min. so we got there and besides the food being A+ the service impecable. The ambiance great again I want to thank Mathew for a memorable meal and time.

Came with Mr. for my birthday dinner no reservations available but luckily we got seated upon arrival. The place was too tight as it was crowded but we enjoyed the hustle and the full occupancy made the place more warm and comfortable. We were starving so ordered mushrooms and clams to begin with. I don't know why the mushrooms looked burnt ( see picture) but they tasted soooooo good! Highly recommend those!! Clams were good too. Then we placed the order for the mains but it took a long wait for the order to arrive. Can't blame them as the place was too full!!! By the time the order came, we were starving so thankfully the food was good. Pasta with shrimps was light as Me. wanted and my spaghetti was spicy as per my taste! The portions were huge so we had to get those packed. We were eyeing our neighbors dessert , the cannoli looked yum but we had a huge quantity of coconut cake waiting at home so we had to skip ordering dessert ( I wish it was true that calories don't count on your birthday!) all in all a tasty end to my day

Tight place, so if you don't mind rubbing elbows, this place has great food, great service and clean classy ambience. Delicious no matter what you order from the menu, so go and squeeze yourself in you won't regret it.

It's a friendly and cozy place that serves delicious food. I will definitely eat there again.

Food was good. Veal parmigiana was on spot! It was the good veal. Not the stuff you get at sandwich shops. Sauce was good. Portions were excellent. The staff was attentive. The manager or owner stopped by quick to say Hi which I thought was nice. Small place. Not too loud or crowded. The right amount of tables. We would recommend and hopefully get to go again!

Matthews is a favorite of mine. The food is always terrific and the service is very very good. I would only recommend that they do some noise abatement because it is tough to have a conversation other than that though if you're looking for a great Italian meal, you should try it .

I cannot say a bad thing about this gem of a restaurant in Clifton, NJ. Food, ambience and attention to detail is impeccable. Love this place !

My party of 3 was fortunate enough to snag the last table on a Tuesday evening at 7:30. There's not that many tables and this place was surprisingly packed for a weeknight. After eating here I can see why! To start we ordered the clams orgenata and calamari. The calamari was a real standout - so perfectly cooked and crispy. Entrees were chicken parm (HUGE portion), veal picatta and the tortellini pasta special. Everything was delicious. The tortellini was in a creamy sauce with sun-dried tomatoes- definitely give it a try if you see it on their specials menu. If you have room for dessert, the ricotta cheesecake and banana foster were excellent choices. Attentive service, amazing food- definitely worth a visit and I know we will be back!

The good is delicious and the service is exceptional. It's a little tight but worth the experience.

Just left there. The food service was great I don't get out alot because of my cancer. I enjoyed it so much.

As always the food is amazing as is the service the place is pretty filled and it's a Friday lunch hour definitely give it a shout out when you're in town or make the trip it's well worth it you will totally love the food and the small quant atmosphere The website is very loyal and has been here for many many year We had a bottle of Pinot Grigio and I had a Mexican coffee with fresh berries for dessert delicious