Catezza Italian Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in Red Bank

Catezza is a beautiful restaurant in a super cool location, but it suffers from inconsistent food quality. As we all know, dining out has increased in cost for a multitude of reasons so when my husband and I go out, we want to ensure that we are receiving the best experience, which this wasn’t. First, we were introduced to our serving team. It appeared as if one was training with the other, but this was never stated to us, so we were a bit puzzled. After perusing the menu with our friends, the main (?) server approached us to order; he strongly recommended several dishes to us, but when asked why, he stated that these are what most of the diner’s order, which we found rather odd. Wouldn’t you talk up the most delicious of your entrees? (More on that later!) As the night progressed our service was attentive, however, the young trainee brazenly cracked the plates and silverware violently onto the table in between courses which was very off-putting, besides also being quite unprofessional. Our waiter, despite being attentive to our preferences and needs, also forgot several times to bring us drinks throughout the evening. On to the food. We started with the bread service and the meatballs. The bread was coated in olive oil and tasted homemade and the goat cheese ricotta that accompanied it was a tasty addition. The meatballs were hearty and cooked in a delicious sauce that we all enjoyed. For entrees, one couple ordered the pork chop and the short rib pasta, and we ordered the Rigatoni Amatriciana and the pork chop entrée, too. The waiter assured us that both chops would be cooked to a perfect medium temperature, which we were all okay with. When our entrees arrived, my husband started with the pasta, and I cut into the pork chop, which was not an easy feat. I sawed a bit, which told me right away that something was wrong. Pork should be tender and juicy. I took a bite, and it was chewy and didn’t have much flavor. I told my husband and friends. Upon trying theirs, they all agreed that the meat was overcooked, chewy, and lacked flavor, despite the waiter’s earlier assurance that the pork was often ordered and enjoyed by guests. When our waiter checked in, we let him know this right away; he apologized and went to get his manager for us, so we carried on eating our pasta dishes. The pasta dish was just okay; the pasta was not al dente, and the flavor was nothing special at all. When the manager arrived, she apologized, quickly stated she would have the chef fire up two new pork chops, then quickly disappeared to tell the chef. I was unhappy with how quick this interaction was; if we ALL dislike the chops, why would making two new ones fix the issue? We discussed calling him back to state we either wanted a different dish or just nothing else, but we were bot approached again. About 20 minutes later we received both new pork chops. Unfortunately, despite being brand new re-fired entrees, they were the same as the first round- tough to cut, chewy, and lacking juiciness and flavor. We all decided that this was most likely inferior meat, however, at 44 dollars per entrée, that is just unacceptable. They also comped us the final two alcoholic beverages for free, but by then, it was the end of the meal, the waiter had forgotten to get the drinks earlier on, and we were full and did not want to drink anymore. I ended up bringing the chop home for my hungry 18-year-old son to eat the next day. Overall, Catezza does need to work out these inconsistencies in order for me to merit...

1/5 Stars - Disappointing Service Overshadowed Everything I visited this restaurant yesterday evening with my parents and unfortunately had one of the worst dining experiences I’ve encountered at an establishment of this caliber. It also took over 45 minutes to receive our order.

Service Issues: From the moment we were seated, our waiter (who I believe was Joseph) made us feel unwelcome. We waited over 10 minutes before he even greeted our table. When my mother called him over to ask a question about the menu, he responded with “well I thought you had an order already, why’d you call me over?” – a response that set the tone for the entire evening.

Throughout our meal, he repeatedly used “it’s Saturday night” as an excuse for rushing us. When my father was mid-order, the waiter cut him off saying he’d “come back soon” and to “get your order ready.” He refused to let us place a second round of orders, insisting everything had to be done at once “because it’s Saturday night” – as if we’d never dined out on a weekend before. Even when serving parmesan cheese to my mother, he made faces and disparaging remarks. When I politely addressed the treatment near the end of our meal, he became even more disrespectful.

The Food: The little gem and fennel Brussels sprout salad was quite good (7-8/10), as was the beef and pistachio crostino, which had intriguing, complex flavors. The branzino had good flavor but was unfortunately undercooked in the center (7/10). The beet and pistachio Crostini was also enjoyable (7/10).

Overall: While the food showed promise, it was nearly impossible to enjoy given the hostile service. I’m rating this a 1/5 overall and cannot recommend dining here unless you can avoid being seated in Joseph’s section. It’s unfortunate that one person’s attitude can completely derail what should have been a pleasant...

Catezza — Red Bank, NJ (Visited for dinner, Nov 1 2025)

We landed at Catezza purely by chance — Birravino had a 2–3 hour wait, so we wandered in next door. Turned out to be a happy accident!

The vibe here is upscale retro — think a classy 1960s club with two bars, marble tables, cozy chairs, and a low-lit, warm energy that just feels right. You can tell they’ve put thought into the décor — it’s stylish without trying too hard.

Our server Keri was an absolute gem — friendly, sharp, and a fantastic mixologist. Her Old Fashioned was perfection: smoky, bourbon-forward, and not sugary (a rare thing these days). The Mojito was also on point — minty, crisp, and fresh instead of syrupy sweet. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on the drinks alone!

The menu is very limited — not much to choose from. We started with the bread basket (nothing complimentary here), served with lemon oil and whipped ricotta — interesting combo, though the bread didn’t taste freshly baked. The Caprese was unique — no tomatoes, just cucumber, pepper, and creamy burrata. Oddly enough, it worked!

For mains, we tried the spicy tomato sea bass — fish was cooked perfectly, tender and flavorful. But spicy? Nope! More like –1 on a 5-point scale 🌶️😄. Still, the tomato broth was tasty — make sure to ask for a spoon so you can enjoy the sauce properly. I’d rate cooking a 4/5, but plating only a 2/5 — presentation felt more “local pizzeria” than fine dining.

Dessert was a mixed bag. The olive oil cake with fig jam had a great concept but wasn’t fresh; the fig jam was delicious though. The tiramisu gelato was average — honestly, better gelato is just a short drive away in Freehold.

Overall, Catezza is a lovely spot for cocktails, conversation, and ambiance — not a culinary masterpiece, but worth visiting for the vibe and that unbeatable...