So amazing lovely atmosphere thank you for the beautiful meal and I support your family

It looked like it was going to be somewhat of a harrowing experience when my brother and I entered Gianna Bella. I mean, we were the only ones there. The staff was sitting down talking amongst themselves and all of a sudden they all jumped up and went to their stations, including the entertainer/guitar player. We kind of felt that we were intruding, but that thought was completely dissolved when the owners and staff came over and really made us feel at home welcoming us with greetings while subtle background music was emanating from the entertainer. Then all of a sudden, Groups of people started filing in. It was like a drill. Then it appeared to us that this small Italian bistro might be a rare gem. It was!!! Jessica, our server, was bouncing all over working seven or eight tables. My brother ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and told me that it was fantastic, consisting of homemade sauce, al dente pasta with two huge meatballs. I, on the other hand, had chicken francese over linguine in a nicely smooth lemon sauce. Wow. Though the portions were not huge, prices were extremely low. This place is a BYOB restaurant. Very nice decor, friendly owners & staff. This place is a "keeper". read more

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This was a fall back after we found the wait to be an hour at our original restaurant. Located in a strip mall that I have driven past hundreds of times, the restaurant is nicely decorated and was not too crowded. Our server was attentive and fully explained the different dishes and pasta choices. Live entertainment provided by a guitar player, which was nice. We started with appetizers - calamari (crispy, as requested and with tentacles) and tomato with sliced mozzarella. Both were very good and came out quickly. Entrees consisted of Veal Parm, Chicken Parm, Chicken and Veal Rolata and a trio of Chicken, Veal and Shrimp. The meals were hot, with a large portion and a side of pasta. All quite nice - not spectacular but very good and freshly prepared. the salad that came with our dinners was nice and shared by the whole table. One other great benefit is the fact that they are a BYOB establishment. Definitely a family affair and the owner came out during our meal to ask about our food. Would go again. read more

Giana Bellas - a dining room decorated for christmas - Italian Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

For some reason I've ignored Giana Bella for 2 years although it was around the corner. It is truly a mom and pop Italian restaurant; and that's good. My brother and I walked in at 6 pm on a Saturday night and were the only people in the place. I have to say it was a bit awkward to be the first customers of the evening. Why? I'm not sure but both of us felt it. This soon changed. There was a musician that played guitar and he started as soon as we got there. Our table was next to him and I thought he might blow us out with loud music but, au contraire, it was the perfect volume and his song selection was pretty cool, including Pink Floyd. The owners greeted us and we chatted a bit, and then got a warm vibe that continued through the dinner. Not being real hungry we opted for no appy. I decided to get the Polpette (spaghetti and meatballs). How common, yet how good; comfort food for me. They came out steaming hot. The sauce (gravy for those so inclined) was homemade, fresh, and delicious; spags were al dente. The meatballs were equally fresh and delightful. We had an unexpected good time here this evening and I went up to thank the owner at the end of the evening. He was very gracious and told me I had to say buona sera to his wife. He made me stick my head into the kitchen and bid adieu to his wife which I did. All in all a very nice experience. We'll be back. read more

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This is one of our favorite restaurants. My wife and I have been coming to this gem for years, I noticed other reviews are from when the restaurant opened, I can't disagree with them but like anything else, things get better with time. We are now regulars at least once a week and not once have we left disappointed read more

Giana Bellas - Italian Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

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What a great little local spot in Howell! After driving past it so many times we decided to give it a try. It's your typical Italian Mom & Pop place with Mom waitressing & Pop overseeing business. The restaurant is BYOB which we LOVE! Inside is small but we got seated right away. There are some wonderful choices on the menu but I decided on the Chicken Roma, a pasta dish (I LOVE PASTA) with chicken, roasted red peppers, broccoli, & tomatoes in a garlic wine sauce. I looked fabulous, there was plenty of it, & it was hot. All pluses in my book! Dinner was excellent. Only one thing I would change is the music (Frank, of course) was a bit too loud. I'm sure they would have lowered it if someone asked but I didn't so too bad for me. This is really a 4.5 star place but alas, no option for that. We chatted with Mom & Pop and even had the pleasure of meeting 'Giana'. Great family! I'm definitely going back. read more

Daddy daughter night a success at Giana Bellas! My 8 yr old twin girls loves their pasta e fagioli and the Trio I had was fantastic. Homemade taste and a wonderful menu. Look forward to trying it all. read more

Absolutely the best authentic Italian cuisine in the surrounding area. Everything we ordered was fresh. By far the best mussels I have ever had.The owner Nick Romeo and his lovely wife made us feel welcomed and treated us so kindly. This family owned gem is a must for all looking for a great place to relax and enjoy cuisine cooked from the heart. Prices are really good and I enjoyed the karaoke so much that I actually had the courage to do it myself. Can't wait to go back. This review is made by the daughter of an international executive chef so I have a refined palette and know good food. Try this place. I promise you will not be disappointed. read more

Giana Bellas - Here you can see the owner Nick Romeo sitting with us and enjoying good conversation. Love this place. - Italian Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

Was disappointed with this place. Knowing the previous owners of the restaurants that were at this location prior I was hoping this would be a good replacement. Unfortunately I thought the food was sub-par, sauces were watery/runny and just barely OK. We got a cannoli which was priced wrong on the menu and they were reluctant to fix it, not sure why? Fix your menu. To boot, the cannoli was only half full! The whole middle of the pastry had no cream. Don't think we will be back with other better Italian restaurants in the area. Music was nice. read more

I do not know if this is authentic Italian food or not, but I do know if I bring my Italian grandma she may have a fit about of the food here.......why do I said this, because I was having dinner here with an Italian grandmother. I was here eating with a group of friends who were from New York City trying to escape the craziness of tourists by becoming tourists in New Jersey. We stop here for lunch since our original place was an hour long, wish we had waited for that hour though. Our server was very kind and attentive to our needs for that night. We ordered the calamari and the mussel with marina sauce. I was a very happy with the calamari for it had a nice flaky crust, but the mussel I felt were not fresh at all and friends just told me to finish it, bc they weren't feeling it either. As for our entree, we order the chicken marsala, the eggplant parmigiana, and risotto pescatore. Overall, there were nice portions, but quality is just as important to quantity. The chicken I found it to be very saltly, the eggplant was overcooked, and the risotto........I am sorry it wasn't risotto. The risotto was suppose to have a creamy consistency and flavor of the dish was suppose to be accented by the seafood, but seafood was bland making the dish not so fine. The problem with this establishment was not the service, but the quality of ingredients and how it was prepared. read more

I went to Gianna Bella's and it was terrific. The food was great, and the owner and staff were very nice to me! A good choice! The atmosphere is cosy and comfortable. It's worth a look for a reasonably priced dinner. Thank you. read more

Last month I went to Gianna Bellas with my family. Horrible experience!!!!!! The lady looked pissed. She looked like she didnt like her job. When she was going to sit us down she said something under her breath I did not feel welcome. We sit down takes her 10 minutes to even ask us what drinks we want and there were only two families in there!!! The food was really small. I got chicken soup and finished it in 5 minutes very small dinner. The service was so slow and there was only 1 waitress!!!! She was very rude when we were ready to pay it took her 30 minutes to even come back to are table. SHE WAS RUDE!! LAST TIME IM COMING HERE!! PLEASE FOR YOUR OWN SAKE DONT COME HERE! read more

I went here a long time ago with my father and his girlfriend at the time and we all collectively agreed that it was not a fine trip at all. We got excited due to the fact that the opening apps of bruschetta and bread were pretty good but when the food came out it subverted our expectations. Sauce was sour and most likely raw since it had that taste to it. I was not satisfied with my dish same going with my father and his girlfriend at the time. read more

Our food was very good and the service was friendly. We enjoyed the live, classical guitar player. The menu offers a good variety of traditional Italian dishes. We started with the cold antipasta plate as our shared appetizer. It had a plentiful selections of meats, cheeses, and roasted peppers. My wife enjoyed a shrimp dish in garlic with spinach. I had the shrimp puttanesca. It had more then enough large shrimp. The best feature of the dish is the tomato sauce. It is fresh, with large chunks of tomato. We will be going back to Giana Bellas. read more

Staff/Personality: 5/5 Food: 4/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Service: 2/5 This is a terrific little place for a date night, but expect to commit a little time if you intend to dine here. It is much like visiting family and they'll treat you like such. read more

If you have ever had an Italian mother or dreamed of having one, simply walk in the front door! This is old style Italian and when you walk through the door, you are transported back in time. The decor is kitschy, but everything you would expect and provides plenty of talking points. The food, well it is made with love in every bite. Sure the bread is an warmed roll, cut into slices, but the olive oil and herb blend is a complimentary touch. The salad is served family style, lots of onions and black olives. We had the Veal Bella and Veal Parmigiana. It was very tender and prepared perfectly. I felt the prices were very reasonable and after eating here once, you are a member of the family, always welcome. read more

A hidden gem in Howell. Everything is cooked to order. Never disappointed with meals. Staff friendly and you are never rushed. BYO. I give it a five star for quality of food. read more

Giana Bellas - Italian Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

We love small family owned restaurants. Giana Bella fits the bill. Friendly owners and quality home cooked food. The food is fresh, served hot and very tasty. It was our first time but it won't be our last! read more

My mother & I went on a Saturday night at 5:30 and was pleasantly surprised to find that they have a musician play guitar & sing on Fri & Sat nights. He wasn't loud (which was great) and interacted with the customers. It was our first time here as this establishment. The salad that comes with the dinner comes family style and contains olives, onions, roasted red peppers, lettuce, and tomatoes, very nice. Our chicken dinners with a side of pasta was very tasty. We would go back again and hope this business stays (as the other restaurants have failed in this spot). read more

Everything here is made to order, from scratch...there's no Bain Marie's of different sauces made however many days ago on their line. Because of this, when you sit, expect to be there for at least 2 hours. This isn't a frozen food, reheat type of place that will get you in and out within 45 minutes. It is an old world style, relax with your loved ones, have a course, relax, talk, drink, have another course, and so on type of place. It's worth it. read more

This place has ehh service there was 3 pieces of hair... one in each plate and the main chef went in the bathroom without washing his hands. There was a fly in the glass of soda and when I went to the bathroom the main chef wiped his shoe with one of the napkins and put it back in the bucket. Also he chef walked back in the kitchen after not washing his hands read more

Very disappointed..it started out ok..the waiter was nice and the bread was good but the entrees were small. Also I ordered the risotto and it was Uncle Bens white rice with tomatoes..definitely not risotto and it was seafood but the clams and mussels were salty and sandy.. the calamari was rubber as was the shrimp and the scallops were gray..needless to say i didnt eat them..never again read more

My husband and I went for dinner on the recommendation of our daughter and her boyfriend and we were very pleased. Our waiter Douglas was terrific. He was personable and a pleasure to deal with. We started with Fried Calamari which was very good. Followed by a Family Style salad - also good. I had Shrimp Francese over Angel Hair and my husband had Chicken Marsala over Penne - both entrees were delicious and portions were a nice size. I'm a hard critic when it comes to Italian food because I'm a really good cook and make everything from scratch - old school. Neither one of us had any complaints about the food. In addition, because it was our first time and we didn't realize it was a BYOB - the owner - Nick gave us 2 complimentary glasses of wine which was very nice of him to do. He also sat with us for awhile and made us feel like we were in his home. He was extremely warm and friendly as was his wife, Cathy. Too full to consider dessert but I definitely will next time. If you are looking for an Olive Garden - DON'T go to Giana Bella's. If you are looking for authentic Italian specialties served in a quaint and inviting atmosphere with very nice people - then THIS is the place to be and the prices are very reasonable as well. It is my new favorite place in Howell!! MANGIA!! Marie & Paul B. read more

Wether it's date night, family dinner, or evening drinks, this is the place to check all the boxes. The food is authentic. Their service feels like home. The ambient is soothing. This is my place to go out to have fun and get a good meal. They also have live music on the weekends and many other special events. I Uber there on weekends because the BYOB aspect of this place puts a nice touch on things! read more

Went fairly early on a Saturday evening, and had reservations; although they weren't necessary so early, later on the place was quite full and would have been needed. The service is very pleasant and helpful, and the menu is varied and interesting. There were several specials, and we felt we would be remiss if we didn't try at least one, and it (a chicken dish) was unique and quite good. We also had a pasta with broccoli rabe, and it was perfectly prepared. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and welcoming, and we look forward to our next visit, and to trying other dishes. read more

This is our favorite local restaurant. The food is awesome. Everything tastes like something that my Italian grandmother made. The owners are super friendly and there hasn't been one time we were there that they didn't come out and ask how everything is. It is truly a Mom & Pop business, that we are happy to support. You can tell that they work very hard and are passionate about their food. Aside from the food being delicious the prices are very reasonable and even better, it is byob. The atmosphere isn't fancy or anything super special but its casual, cozy and welcoming. My husband and I are kind of addicted, we are here all the time. We've also got my parents hooked too lol. read more

We started going there about 3 years ago by chance. The food is old style Italian home cooking. Everything is freshly made. Food's delicious, service is always good, prices are very reasonable and now we're like family we go there at least once a week. So glad we found this little gem! Oh and btw it's BYOB. AL read more

Well I went ahead and took my two daughters with my wife and I for a family dinner. My oldest Daughter who is 18 years old ordered the Eggplant Parm and we all ordered other meals. We all enjoyed our meals except my daughter. The eggplant tasted BAD. So she sent it back. The waiter had no problem at all bringing her something different. Well while we were waiting an older woman came out to our table. Asking WHO SENT BACK THEIR FOOD. she was VERY NASTY about it. So we explained that the eggplant didn't taste right. She said YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. I ate the eggplant off your plate and it is fine. First off that alone is gross to tell a customer and secondly to come out and belittle a customer because they feel their food didn't taste right is UNPROFESSIONAL. So this will definitely be our LAST TIME THERE. We were wondering why we were the ONLY customers in the whole place on Saturday for dinner and now we know why. So BEWARE if your food doesn't come out to your liking and you send it back that you will be put in your place by the woman there. read more

I had dinner there the other night after hearing about the good food and atmosphere. First, the restaurant is in a non-discript strip mall where there was formally a Turkish restaurant. The decor is nice and I appreciate that they didn't have Frank Sinatra music playing (even though I love Frank Sinatra music). Second, the service was excellent with a server named Douglas. He couldn't have been better. Third, the food. Overall it was pretty good. I had Veal Saltimbocca which is a favorite of mine. The only issues that I had with the veal dish is that the spinach was not fresh. It tasted canned. I had another issue with the side of angel hair pasta. There was water in the bottom of the dish. It was not drained well. If I had the Saltimbocca over the pasta, the water would have diluted the delicious sauce. I tasted a bit of my wife's Chicken Franchisee and it was excellent. By the way, the freebe starter of toasted flat bread was so so, but the bread served with the meal was top notch. I will try this place again, but I won't order the Saltimbocca because of the issue with the spinach. read more

I stopped by this little Italian restraurant the other night. This seems to be a family run establishment that takes great pride in what they do. The service was very good by both the waitress and hostess. I was served a very nice bread plate. I ordered the Italiano antipasto. And it was great. Nice quality meats and cheese and plenty of it. I upgraded to a Caesar salad that tasted very nice my only comment is I don't like the leaves so chopped- by that is just my preference So everything is going great and I'm thinking I may have found a new great little place to stop by once a week for dinner, but then the chicken parm came. Now I love chicken parm and get it everywhere. I did think they were a bit heavy on the sauce but that again is a personal preference and they would gladly adjust it- the staff was great. My problem is the chicken itself It was so thin even with it coated that is was almost impossible to taste the chicken. Maybe 1/8 to 1/4 inch with the breading Really unable to taste anything but the sauce. Now there were a few other tables there that seemed to really enjoy their dinners but I was let down. The owners seem so nice but the entrée really let me down. read more

Place was very quaint. Had the chicken parmigiana which was very good. Priced about the same as other Italian restaurants in the area. Staff very friendly. Would go back again. read more

Went here for the first time. Enjoyed my meal thoroughly. I had a veal dish stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella. Others at the table had broccoli raab, and chicken parm. Overall food was above average they had a guitar soloist playing very nice melo songs in the backround, and still had some Christmas decorations up , which was nice. Its a byob place that helps with the cost which was reasonable. Waitstaff was friendly and attentive. Will definitely be back. read more

We had dinner (2 couples) on a Saturday night at Giana Bella's. We had made reservations and when we arrived at 7pm the dining room was quite full. We were seated right in front of the musician who was singing and playing a guitar. The loudspeaker was right behind us so that we could barely hold a conversation without shouting to one another. Service was VERY slow! It took quite some time for the waitress to come to take out order, at least 20 minutes after we were seated. We ordered some appetizers for the table, and our entrees. The waitress brought out one large salad instead of 4 individual ones, ok no problem, we can deal with that. Then she said our dinners would be out shortly. Wait, what happened to the appetizers? Ok, so those came out...one order of calamari- good, and another which was a special - 2 Portobello mushrooms with roasted red peppers and mozzarella in a balsamic sauce which the mushrooms were swimming in - not the greatest appetizer by far. Our dinners came out approximately 1 1/2 hrs. after we had been seated, once again very SLOW service! My dinner was fine, eggplant rotini, my husband had the veal saltimbocca which he said was ok but not great. Eventually the waitress returned, but by now it was after 9pm and did not seem to be interested in offering us coffee or dessert. We had to ask! We ordered cappuccino which took another 15 min. to deliver. When it arrived it was topped with artificial whipped cream (Yuck!). All in all the food was ok but the service was far from good. There was a young male waiter who tried in vain to help clear our table and make some jokes when he realized our waitress did not seem to be doing her job. The musician finally took a break so that we could have a little bit of conversation. read more

The food is absolutely amazing! This is a great find. Everything I have had there has been unbelievable and the prices are really good. The portions are perfectly sized . They are not oversized portions of mediocre food. Definitely a great place to go if you truly enjoy quality, well made cuisine not giant portions of mass made average food. read more