Howell Planners Approve Permanent Outdoor Area At The Cabin

HOWELL, NJ - Howell planners have unanimously approved improvement plans for a popular restaurant and bar on the Howell-Freehold border.

During a June 3 meeting of the Howell Planning Board, Route 33’s The Cabin was granted preliminary and final major site plan approval for plans to construct a permanent outdoor dining area with seating throughout, two covered bars (including a “grab and go” bar), a covered bandstand, walk-in cooler, bathrooms, ambient lighting and new landscaping.

“People like to be outside. This way, people in Howell and 15, 20 minutes away from this location, or half an hour away, can come here rather than driving the 40 minutes to go inland to find outdoor dining," said Jack Jackson, an attorney representing the restaurant's parent company Chefs International Inc.

“It already has an outdoor area that has been used in various ways over the years ... [The Cabin] wants to capture the summer more. The experience with COVID is that patrons have been very much enjoying the outside dining experience.”

The Cabin currently touts 218 seats in total, with the outdoor expansion proposing an additional 189 seats, amounting to a whopping 407 seats between the indoor operation and the approved outdoor area, according to the testimony. Additional space on the lawn will be allocated to horseshoes and bag toss games.

Chefs International Inc. President Bob Cooper says that the new permanent dining area will make the restaurant a year-round staple for Howell locals and beyond, with new landscape at the site aimed to provide a lush new feel to the bustling Route 33.

“What’s usual for us, with The Cabin, is that we do most of our business in the winter,” Cooper said. “[We] were constantly trying to attract people in the summertime. In the wintertime, it does real well. To add a real serious outdoor amenity as opposed to just throwing picnic tables out there, I think it’s going to do a lot to keep the residents of Howell close to home.”

The expanded area is slated to be a full-service dining experience, featuring most of The Cabin’s extensive menu. Cooper also notes that, in order to avoid wait staff running back and forth from the outdoor seating area to the restaurant building, a kitchen and covered barbecue area is planned for the permanent dining area to be “self-sufficient.”

Click here to view computer rendered images of what The Cabin may look like.