The food at Matthew's Italian Restaurant was absolutely delicious, and the service was just as impressive. We were arranging a repast and originally expected 16 to 18 people. Less than an hour before everyone arrived, our count jumped to 30. The Matthew couldn't have been more accommodating. When I apologized for the last-minute change and thanked him for making it work, he simply said, "The answer is never no." That kind of flexibility and customer service is rare. Everything came out on time, the food was excellent, and our family was able to spend time together without worrying about the logistics. If you're looking for great Italian food and genuinely caring service, I highly recommend Matthew's. read more

Try the chicken parm Try the espresso martinis Try the fried calamari Try the ceasar salad Try the berries and cream Try the dirty martinis Try the straccatella soup Try the stuffed artichoke Try the fresh pasta Try the seafood dishes Try the veal Try the Sunday Sauce!! Try everything!!!! read more

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Loved the food, we have the fried calamari , hot antipasto, Sunday sauce, and chicken giambotta, as well as Cesar salad and I forget how the fried Mozzarella is called. Love that the sauce was not acidic and had a perfect smooth balance between flavors . Everything was cooked to perfection. The bussers were very attentive and so was Matthew himself. Will certainly retinue read more

Matthew's Italian Restaurant - Cesar salad and fried mozzarella with ham inside - Italian Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Went here to celebrate for date night and really enjoyed it! Ambiance: Such a cute, cozy, intimate spot! The tables are somewhat close together though and another customer hit me with her puffer jacket hahah Service: Everyone was super friendly and nice! At times, service was a bit slow, but it was pretty packed even on a Tuesday night. Food: The food and price were both excellent. We got the calamari, pasta with vodka sauce, broiled seafood platter, a side of potatoes, and a side of sautéed mushrooms. Everything was so yummy and we had plenty of leftovers to take home. read more

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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!! read more

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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. read more

Matthew's Italian Restaurant - Variety of Food - Italian Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

Recently celebrated my friend's birthday at Matthew's. Matthew himself always offers us warm greeting the moment you walk in. The staff is on top of everything! Our food was a delight! From the mozzarella in carrozza to the eggplant and chicken dishes- it's all wonderful. It's always bustling on the weekends- a lively energy surrounds the space. We will be coming back to Matthew's for years to come! read more

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This place is such a north Jersey staple so I was excited to try. The place itself is so tiny, but we were immediately seated at 8pm on a Thursday night. The service was great and super fast. The food was very good. Not the best I've ever had, but still very good. The chicken parm was great, very thin and crispy but the side of pasta that comes with it was pretty bland. The cannoli was an excellent way to end the night. read more

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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!! read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

In my opinion not as good as it once was, but great service!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The ambience is a little bit on the loud side, and the tables get turned over very quickly. The Server was a little bit rude, but knowledgeable and efficient. The Parmesan, which is what the restaurant is known for was good, but not my favorite and not worth the other five star review in my mind, but good enough for a four star. The side pastas are very good. The Caesar salad though was excellent! read more

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! read more

Matthew's Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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Recently had a private party here after several times dining here for dinner. The service is some of the best you can find in the Northern NJ/NYC region. The food is amazing and Matt is a great owner and host. On weekends for dinner make sure you get there early as it fills up quickly which that alone should tell you why it's one of the best in the area. I have taken out of town guests here many times and every time they all say how amazing the place is. If you have the chance absolutely check out this gem. read more

I know your tried of me leaving reviews about Matthews but last night another great experience The Food what can I say you have to try it You will be back what you get today you will get next time it's that consistency that makes this place We have been there from day one They treat you like Family read more

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

Matthew's Italian Restaurant - Inside bar area - Italian Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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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 read more

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.. read more

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From start to finish everything and everyone was amazing! Food was cooked to perfection! I thought I was in my grandmother's kitchen. I asked if the martini came with stuffed olives because it wasn't on the menu! Server said no problem I'll stuff them for you and she did. It was about an hour and 15 min drive for us and I can't wait to go back! Very cozy at home feel. read more

Unpretentious, classy, inviting, and overall still unmatched. Strong drinks, quick and attentive service, Matt doing the menu flippy thing, what else do you need? Whether it's an afternoon grabbing an awesome sandwich with your buddies or an evening taking your person out, this is it. Best meatballs I've ever had, holy moly. read more

Outstanding experience from start to finish with delicious food, excellent presentation, and genuinely caring service that made the entire evening feel special and left us eager to return soon again. read more

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! read more

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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 ! read more

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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. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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! read more

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***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. read more

Matthew's Italian Restaurant - Penne w/ Tomato Sauce. - Italian Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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. read more

Matthew's Italian Restaurant - Seafood pasta - Italian Near Me - Clifton, New Jersey

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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. read more

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The food was delicious at this restaurant and the staff was friendly and accommodating. The restaurant definitely seems bigger on the inside than the outside appearance implies. On a second note, they had a patron that was experiencing some medical issues on our visit. The Management and team handled the situation discreetly and like pros, while getting the client the help that they needed. We don't live in the area anymore, but it is on my list of places to stop when we are back in town. read more

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. read more

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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 read more

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. read more

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! read more

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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!!! read more

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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! read more

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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! read more

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. read more