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The Hungry Quail Restaurant And Sports Bar
Howell's Newest Neighborhood Tradition
By Stephanie Bruther
 | | The Hungry Quail is located in the Quail Creek Shopping Center on the corner of Ramtown Greenville and Newtons Corner roads in Ramtown. The walls of The Hungry Quail were designed to resemble the sides of a barn. |
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When they coined the phrase "Don't judge a book by its cover," they could have been talking about The Hungry Quail Restaurant and Sports Bar. From the outside, The Hungry Quail is a large but unassuming storefront in a typical suburban strip mall. Step inside, however, and you will finda restaurant, bar and full-service liquor store which is an extraordinary union of Howell's past and present.
Owner Dennis Dixon and interior designer Frank Doyle got their inspiration for the design of The Hungry Quail from Howell's history as a farming community. They covered the walls with stone and weathered-looking gray paneling to resemble the sides of a barn. They commissioned artist Susan Daly, who has created custom murals for many South Jersey restaurants and Atlantic City casinos, to paint the paneling with replicas of famous barn signs such as Mail Pouch Tobacco and Jack Daniels Whiskey. The rustic ambiance doesn't end there. The table booths resemble horse stalls, complete with wooden trusses, plank floors and custommade lights crafted from galvanized metal barn buckets. There is corrugated metal roofingover the bar area, the sinks behind the bar are actually steel tubs, the shelves in the liquor store area are made from rough-hewn cedar planks, the floors in the restrooms look like weather-beaten brick … the longer you look around, the more details you notice.
Yet, behind its turn-of-the-century atmosphere, The Hungry Quail enjoys plenty of modern conveniences. The kitchen is brand-new and stateof the-art. A Bose digital jukebox hangs on the wall. Four large, flatscreen TVs are installed over the bar. The liquor store carries a large selection of hard-to-findorganic and craft beers. In keeping with the rural décor, there are none of the neon signs you typically see hanging in a bar. Instead, each of The Hungry Quail's front windows are decorated seasonally in department-store-style by professional window dressers.
 | | The Hungry Quail's full-service liquor store offers a huge selection of wine, beer and liquor, including a nice selection of hard-to-findorganic and craft beers, such as Magic Hat and Otter Creek. |
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Dixon's vision was to create a community gathering place. "In places like Alaska or other wilderness outposts," he explains, "there is always that restaurant/general store right in the center of town where people gather. Men sit at the counter reading the newspaper and catch up with their neighbors while the children play nearby. That sense of having a meeting place for family and friends is what I had in mind for The Hungry Quail. We are a family restaurant first. The bar is secondary."
Although only open since January 2008, The Hungry Quail is quickly making a place in the lives of many in Howell. It has already begun to accumulate a diverse group of "regulars," including the staffs from several local businesses, a 55 and over softball league and many neighborhood families. The Hungry Quail is the sponsor of a Howell South Little League team and the main sponsor of the Howell PD softball team. Members of these organizations and others often come into The Hungry Quail to celebrate after a victory.
 | | The table booths at the Hungry Quail resemble horse stalls, complete with wooden trusses, plank floors and custom-made lights crafted from galvanized metal barn buckets. |
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Holidays are quickly becoming a local tradition at The Hungry Quail, too. On St. Patrick's Day, a local bagpiper played for a nearcapacity crowd of all ages. During the festivities, Howell South won their championship game and came to join the celebration. It seems as though Dixon's dream of creating a neighborhood gathering place is coming true.
Manager T.J. Heline has been a part of The Hungry Quail throughout its construction. After working for a large chain restaurant for six years, Heline was looking to get away from the corporate restaurant environment. Having grown up in the Ramtown area, the concept of being part of an independent, neighborhood establishment in his hometown was very appealing to him. "There are a lot of memories for me in this neighborhood," he explains. "I used to come to this shopping center for a slice of pizza after my baseball games and I used to buy Nintendo games in the store that used to be where our liquor store is now. Now I see kids come in here … it's awesome to have the chance to be a part of the life of this area again."
Dixon describes the menu at The Hungry Quail as "pub grub." Their entrees feature such down-home comfort foods as meatloaf, chicken parmesan and spaghetti and meatballs. "We wanted to offer a simple, quality menu," says Heline. "It's all things that mom would make." There is a nice selection of appetizers, a sizeable burger and sandwich menu, a children's menu and a health-conscious menu for those interested in lower-fat fare. Prices are quite reasonable. Appetizers start at $5.95 for their popular "Quail Pail" (fries piled with cheese, bacon and sour cream). The "Hungry's Hoedown Combo," which includes enough ribs, sliders, wings, fries, onion rings and coleslaw for two (hungry) people costs $19.99. Burgers, sandwiches and salads cost between $6.99 and $8.99, and entrees range from $10.99 to $17.99. The full menu is available for lunch, dinner and take-out, and a lunch-only menu is coming soon.
Heline reports that, after a few of the initial bumps typical to any new restaurant, feedback from customers has been extremely positive, especially about the quality of their food and the speed of service. "Our French onion soup and our burgers are in particular are getting great reviews," he says.
The Hungry Quail is located in the Quail Creek Shopping Center at the corner of Ramtown-Greenville Road and Newton's Corner Road. It is in the Ramtown area of Howell. They are open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information or directions to The Hungry Quail, please call 732-202-8927. Reservations are only accepted for large parties.
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