Paul and Nancy had dinner Sunday at the landmark Jimmy’s Italian Restaurant in Asbury Park.
“He said tell the chef that everything was excellent,” said waitress Bernadette Kozlowski.

He ate a vegetarian meal at Jimmy’s. McCartney and Shevell were part of a party of six that included members of Shevell’s family. Shevell is a graduate of J.P. Stevens High School in Edison.

“Everybody was fine, nobody was running up to him,” said Maureen Beaver, manager of Jimmy’s. “A few tables saw him and recognized and went over and said hello. The cutest thing was when he was leaving, a couple at the bar, they went ‘Ohh ohh ohh!’ and Paul McCartney went, ‘Ohh ohh ohh!’ He was very down to earth. A very nice person.”

The Shevells have Asbury Park roots: the former Harry and Mina Walters of Asbury Park are Nancy Shevell’s grandparents, and are also broadcaster Barbara Walters’ aunt and uncle. Harry Walters, a native of England, started a dry goods store on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, which grew into the Walters Department Store. He also owned stores in Long Branch and Freehold. A daughter, Arlene Walters, married Shevell, formerly of Edison. Nancy Shevell is their daughter. Nancy Shevell’s family operates the Elizabeth-based New England Motor Freight company, whose trucks one often sees on Jersey highways, and she was a board member of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Jimmy’s is the place where the stars dine in Asbury Park. Joe Pesci, Vincent Pastore, Ray Liotta, Danny DeVito and Bruce Springsteen have all been to Jimmy’s. The McCartney appearance is a special one, Beaver said. Yet, the former Beatle was given his space. “We don’t have young kids in here – it’s not like Justin Bieber and they all go crazy,” Beaver said. “It’s older people and they’re not going do that to him.”

Paul’s One on One Tour comes to the area starting with Sept. 11 and 12 shows at the Prudential Center in Newark.

“I said it’s an honor to meet you,” Kozlowski said. “He said, ‘It’s an honor to meet you.’”