Can anyone recommend good food on Long Beach Island, New Jersey? Our hotel (yes, its called "Daddy O's") is in Brant Beach. Dives or expensive, no matter. Thank you!
By bickyc
on Jun 15, 2007 02:19 PM
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My suggestion would be The Plantation in Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Blvd., about 15 minutes north of where you're staying. Here's a link: http://www.plantationrestaurant.com/
I believe there's also a restaurant at Daddy O's, although I don't know much about it.
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I LOVE Plantation!! The food is superb. That is probably the only restaurant I really know of in LBI. We wnet twice this year and each time was great!
Someone did recommend to me on this board, Bisque. It is a BYOB, the menu looks rather good, but I have never been.
Have fun!
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Did Plantation on Labor Day Sunday for early dinner at 6:15. Just drinks, salads, and entrees. Major impression from ambience and the entrees was "noise". We were about as far from the bar as we could get and still the din was distracting. Maybe we're just not used to a "bar scene", but it wasn't an enjoyable dining experience.
Drinks - Pomegranate Cosmo and a Caiparinea, the former fine, the latter way to hot with Cachesa and not enough lime (slices, not muddled) or sugar. The Caiparineas I had in Brazil were easy to drink. This wasn't.
Simple salads, particularly the wedge of iceberg with blue cheese - along with the sourdough and rosemary olive oil - were the highlights of the meal.
But the entrees - back to NOISE! Too much going on.
The wasabi encrusted sea bass had some sort of crust on it, but neither of us could identify wasabi. And the melange of stuff and sauce that is was sitting on totally overpowered what is usually our favorite fish. It's too delicate a fish for what Plantation did to it.
The block of tuna, ordered rare, came strangely rare on one half and almost medium well on the other, and again was almost wrecked by the accompanying bed of stuff and sauce, although the miso-based sauce was a somewhat better match to the sturdier tuna.
All in all, a disappointment.
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I've never been a fan of Plantation, and don't know why so many people are. Also not crazy about their sister restaurant, Daddy-O. Lots of attitude and noise and not much else. Although I have to say that their lobster bisque is excellent.
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make sure to have lunch or breakfast at Bill's diner in Barnegat Light!
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I like The Chicken and The Egg for breakfast/brunch. It is far from fancy, or haute cuisine, but it is good filling comfort food and a lot of it.
Also, it is conveniently located near the amusements.
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We really like The Chicken and The Egg. Just went there two weekends ago. The husband likes the omelet with roasted garlic, mushrooms and swiss. Pancakes are excellent as are the buttermilk biscuits which they grill for a few seconds before serving. I've never been for lunch, but there is a lot of stuff on the menu I'd love to try.
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p.s. the locals call it "The Cheg."
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or...."Chegg"
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The same people that own Daddy O own Plantation. Menu is different, and Daddy O likes to think they have a scene going on. There is a restaurant in the hotel and they are supposed to have an outside bar this summer. The Gables in Beach Haven is lovely, but expensive, reservations required. Probably the best restaurant on the island. I haven't tried Bisque, but have heard it is excellent. Blue in Surf City; very good, a bit pricy, small portions.
Harvey Cedars Shellfish for casual, great seafood (BYOB). More of a locals place is Kubels in Barnegat Light. Medium price, casual hang out.
Raimundos in Ship Bottom: very good Italian, reservations a must.
The Dutchman for great beer selection and view; food is terrible, with the exception of the onion soup and the cheesesteak! My sister loves Buckalews in Beach Haven for the great bar and sandwiches. Chicken or the Egg for breakfast. I know I'm missing a bunch more, but there is a few to start.
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Blue: So noisy you can't hear the waiter recite the specials. Best to go alone as far as the noise is concerned. As far as the food is concerned it's hit or miss, mostly miss. Disparate flavors thrown together randomly. Side dish of mashed potatoes with lobster ($10) more like a soup than anything else and even then not very good--like instant mashed potatoes made with doubled the water and lobster chunks that were rubbery. I got the feeling that the intention was to make the menu interesting and intimidating. But the food is definitely not worth the money.
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Howards in Beach Haven Terrace is always excellent for dinner. Nothing super fancy but always fresh seafood and homemade desserts. Killer crabcakes!
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BEST BEST BEST!!!! French Fried Lobster tails at Howards!!!! Don't miss it! But you have to go early!
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I concur with most responses and would add YellowFin & La Spaggia for dinner. Mud City which is a short distance from LBI is wonderful, casual place. Love the crabcakes. I prefer Uncle Will's for breakfast over Chicken & the Egg. I prefer Tuckers over Buckelews. There's a place in Beach Haven that makes donuts right before your eyes and let me tell you, they are the BEST I've ever eaten. Will get the name of the place and repost.
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actually, Iansaunt is right. La Spiggia is excellent, and Uncle Wils is better for breakfast than Chicken and the Egg. However, I have have numerous really mediocre meals at Tuckers with horrendous service. We stopped going a few years ago and rediscovered Buckalews. Truth is, everything has gotten so crowded there that we usually prefer cooking at home, unless it is during the week! I can't remember the name of the donut place above, but they are worth checking out. . If you do care to venture off the island, there is a great GREAT bakery in Manahawkin called Big Apple Bakery. The owners are from Brooklyn, and if you are lucky, you will get to see the owner with the worst hairpiece on the entire planet! It looks like roadkill, but I digress. It's all part of the charm of the place. Did I mention it is a great bakery?!! Black and White cookies worthy of Seinfeld, and love the pastries. If you're up early and want to take a ride, check it outl.
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We love LaSpiaggia as well. Raymundos in Ship Bottom was also very good Italian - similar in style and price point. If you want a casual Mexican place we like a new place - Tiki Taco in Surf City. I think it's better than LexMex in Ship Bottom.
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I'm partial to Bistro 14. Good food. Good views (of the bay). And since it is in Bay Village, there is something to do after dinner.
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Hi. Don't know if this is too late for you. I agree with pretty much everything here and would add that the happy hour deal at Daddy O's is worth checking out - $3 microbrews and well drinks and tasty plates of Kobe sliders and mini hot dogs starting around $5. Also, Plantation is a little more civilized and fine dining than Daddy O's, but the happy hour deal there is $2.50 mojitos - a steal.
Also, Black Whale is just off the Blvd in beach haven and is owned by the much loved mud-city crab people. They have a full bar and casual paper tablecloth style, but are still in a nicely outfitted space with usually a good variety of healthful (read: not just fried) fresh fish, as well as a tasty fish and chips.
Sadly, the only place that was removed from my list for at least the rest of the summer is former favorite Green Gables, AKA - the Gables, which was previously a favorite BYO. I spent $135 there, food only, with my wife and in place of the "heirloom tomatoe burrata salad" she got a hard, gray tomato that was a produce crate beefsteak for sure. I could have found a better tomato at the ACME. The pesto on the dish was so bland it tasted like a big $12 plate of water. We each ate one bite and the server never even asked why we left this mess untouched.
The Nieman ranch pork chop was a beautiful piece of double chop, but the chef cooked it into oblivion and it was a dry mess heaped with pineapple and no sauce. Maybe it's because we were never asked a temperature, but well-done destroyed this gorgeous chop. The local scallops were nicely done, crispy on the outside and a generous portion, but the tiger shrimp app looked like 3 medium-count shrimp for $14. Basically, you're lucky to get 50% of your food edible with the new chef, and I think the "local and sustainable" angle is mostly BS. The place is beautiful, but that's little concession
Lastly, Sweet Vidalia is another very good BYO on the Blvd in Beach haven. Slightly less expensive than Gables and I would now rate their food much better. It's not a huge room, so toough to walk in during prime time, but worth reserving.
cheers, Jeffery
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Thanks, all, for your responses! We did go to Yellowfin, which we found surprisingly good. Didn't know what to expect when we saw that the menu was fusion asian, and then noticed that the decor was as well, but it succeeded. We had lunch at Moustache Bill's Diner in Barnegat Light, which did not disappoint. Tho we set out for Harvey Cedar's Shellfish Company, we found we could get seated immediately, next door, at Plantation. I liked my crab cake dinner very much (it was nicely seasoned and good texture), but our friends did not like their crab cake sandwich (in which the crab cakes were more classic, fried), nor my husband his burger. We did like Daddy O's Hotel, and would happily stay at its equivalent in any city, but found that some or many of the staff seemingly had uneven levels of experience in the hospitality industry! However, the Hotel's "To Go" shop had really good food to take to the beach, or to the hotel's roof deck, and a good wine selection for all the BYOB restaurants. Thanks again!
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So I don't know if you've gotten here yet but we ate AT Daddy Os the other night and are going back for our last night here. It's outstanding... really.
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I think the original poster is back from vacation but I just got back from LBI and wanted to add some suggestions...in case anyone else is traveling there soon.
Breakfast:
Chicken -n- Egg (Beach Haven) very good, nice size portions, excellent coffee
Fat Cats (Harvey Cedars): take out market with seating, egg platters, great granola and fruit, coffee ok
Mustache Bills (Barnaget Light): gets crowded, go early.
Lunch:
Lex Mex (Surf City) good authentic Mexican, had the fish taco's. Low key laid back place
Okies Butcher Shop (Surf City): chicken salad is awesome, makes huge sandwiches for takeout, also has a great selection of meats and chicken for grilling.
Dinner:
Pinky Shrimp Company: As low key as it gets...has picnic tables outside. Outside seating gets crowded so I would suggest picking up. Have eaten there many times, all platters were good. Basic seafood (shellfish, fired clam strips, clam chowder, etc.) with excellent portion sizes
Shipbottom Shellfish: IMO, a bit pricey but good especially the Dungeness crabs in garlic. Very long wait at peak dinner hours,
Tsuki Sushi (next to Shipbottom Shellfish): excellent sushi but rolls are on the smaller side, Caneel Bay Caribbean Grill (http://www.caneelbaycaribbeangrill.com/) in Harvey Cedars: excellent, highly recommended.
Entrees range from fish to ribs and chicken. Laid back, play lots of island like music (Jimmy Buffett, Bob Marley). They deliver too!
Also, went to Sweet Vidalia few years back...don't know if it is still there but would recommend as a romantic "date" spot.
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Lots of great recommendations; I've been trying to hunt down web sites for the actual restaurants, some exist some don't. Anybody know if places like the Chicken & the Egg or Uncle Will's Pancake house are open off season? I look forward to grilling every meal on the deck it would be nice to learn that some of these classic favorites are still open in October.
Thanks!
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Chicken OR the egg is open all year and is absolutely unbelieveable. Do yourself a favor and get a goshdarnwich.
The best bagels on the island are at the bagel shack. good eats!
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Almost everything on LBI is open thru Chowderfest weekend (Sept. 29-30 this year). October gets a little dicey, but I know Uncle Wills is open year-round.
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Awesome thread. We are headed down for Labor Day and the week after. Have already put in my request on another thread, and then found this one.
Thanks, and keep the info coming We'll be near Beach Haven.
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As someone else recommended in an earlier post, Bisque in Haven Beach is fantastic. I just had dinner there Monday (Labor Day) and the food was delicious. I highly recommend it.
You can't go wrong with Sweet Vidalia. Small BYOB.
I haven't tried the Blue Water Cafe in Haven Beach by Sink'r Swim but I hear it is fantastic as well.
Little Dippers in Surf City has great ice cream. I think they are only open weekends from this point on.
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Went to Plantation House recently after checking this thread out. Atmosphere is great and more polished than most other LBI restaurants. Drinks (mojitos) and appetizers were great, as was dessert (pecan pie with ice cream and whipped cream). But, the fish entrees were disappointing and expensive. We've been to Raimondo's several times and found it ok, but expensive for what it is.
Pinky Shrimps (www.lobzilla.com) for a casual meal/takeout never disappoints, especially their fried Cape Codwich Sandwich.
Also finally tried another casual spot in Surf CIty which turned out to be a very pleasant surprise - Boulevard Clams (boulevardclams.com). I've found it pretty difficult to find fried full belly clams south of MA. Neil, the owner is a fantastic host, very nice guy, and prides himself on trying to have them as often as the weather permits. They were delicious - we'll be back! The restaurant is half a takeout/fish market, but it is comfortable and airconditoned.
Also, try Arctic Ice Cream - ocally made in big tubs available at Murphy's Market.
Does LBI have a real bagel shop? We tried Bagel Shack and were disappointed with the bready objects posing as 'real bagels'.
The 'donuts made before your eyes' place mentioned above in Beach Haven is called Marvels Bakery and yes - they are fresh and delicious! Sticky buns are good, but look better than they taste.
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Bageleddies on the boulevard oceanside in Ship Bottom is the real deal for bagels on LBI
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I second that. They are the best. Go early, though because they sell out fast.
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BagelEddies is great for sandwiches too! It's amazing how much better a turkey sandwich tastes from there than from some other places on the Island.They close at 2pm though which sometimes makes it hard to get there for a late lunch.
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I love mud city for lunch or dinner, but go early after 5pm you will wait over 2hrs for a table...Do not go to Jayson's pancake house in ship bottom it was extremly over priced and not that good.
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We love takeout from:
Beach Haven Fishery
2115 Long Beach Blvd
North Beach Haven
Lots of great fresh seafood! You can also eat there, although the ambiance is not all that it's cracked up to be. Mud City is good for seafood as well! -mJ
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Isnt the Owl Tree open anymore? That place used to rock.
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Pretty sure the Owl Tree is now Plantation.
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That's correct, the Owl Tree is now Plantation. Same people own Daddy'O's in Brant Beach. Just realized this thread is a year old.
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The Caribbean restaurant in Harvey Cedars is great. I think it's called Cinnamon Bay.
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Plantation
http://www.plantationrestaurant.com
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I believe you can go to http://ourlongbeachisland.com and find some restaurants on there. Another good place is Mud City if you are looking for fresh seafood. It is off of the island however. It is located right on the other side of the causeway bridge.
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Yellow Fin and La Spaggia are the two best on the island.
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I'm going out to LBI this weekend. Is there anything new and good, since most of these suggestions are from 3 years ago, the last time I was there actually! Nothing uber-fancy or expensive, but good and reasonable?
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chegg marches on. so many delicious sauces. I need to slather them on chicken.
chegg chegg chegg chegg.
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I 2nd the rec. for chegg
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Best food on the Island! The garlic muscles are plentiful and absolutely delicious!
The crabcakes are all lumpcrab and as a matter of fact all of their seafood is top of the
line. Their salad dressings are home made and spectacular. These guys know what they're doing. The food has been consistently excellent since they opened which is about 4 or 5 years ago.
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Black Whale Bar & Fish House
100 N Pennsylvania Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
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nice, gonna check them out in a week or two!
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Chefkaska,
Where has the best food on the island?
I cannot find which post you are replying to, sorry!
ty.....
Michelle
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Shipbottom Shellfish is by far the best casual seafood on the island. Always a crazy wait, so put your name in and go get a drink or send somebody early to get a table. Same owners have Black Whale, which has a liquor license, and a great menu. Raimondos in Shipbottom is very good, byob, and more upscale. The Gables in Beach Haven is by far the best on the island, one of the only 5 star restaurants in the area. Vidalia, Engleside and Yellow Tail also very good.
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Vidalia Restaurant
21 Phillips Ave, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
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Couple quick questions since I haven't been to Beach Haven yet this summer...is Sweet Vidalia's still there? I thought someone told me it wasn't going to open again..
second, am curious about The Gables. We have gone on and off over the last 20 years and while I know it's been different owners/chefs/etc., we declared after our last visit (probably in '08 as we didnt make to LBI much in '09) that it was too unreliable to make the journey there. What we DID have that was fantastic the visit before our last one was a special that was called something like "Foie Gras Brulee" and it was an appetizer...had a top crust like a creme brulee but the inside was a foie gras mousse. The combination was out of this world...one of my top 10 dishes ever....but when we went back a month later, they didn't know what we were talking about and the overall meal was average. We figured the chefs had changed again and we weren't impressed with our last overall meal. Have you been there this year and if so, any dishes that you think outstanding?
And finally to add to this thread, hands down Yellowfin is our favorite. Always wonderful, except that the desserts are so-so. We eat there several times a month, skipping dessert. It's all really good but their tuna dishes are amazing. They use that 'melt in your mouth' quality of tuna that others say they have but rarely is it as good as Yellowfin. My one comment about YF is that they aren't great about estimating time for a reservation...Often we wait half hour or more even with a restaurant...
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Sweet Vidalia
120 N Bay Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
Yellowfin
104 24th St, Surf City, NJ 08008
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Surf city for 38 summers. We stopped going out a few years ago, because we found it difficult to get anything decent, in a casual setting. I want my shorts and flip flops, good service, and something local prepared with care! Most restaurants come from the "New Hope, PA" school of thought. My terminology for a place that keeps adding more foolish ingredients, until is sounds worthy of it's $30 price. Yeah, bluefish w/ bleu cheese, broccoli rabe, lobster mushrooms, and black sesame seeds. Oh, it also comes w/ some type of "embellished" mashed potatoes aging in the steam table. Get some Sword and scallops at Mud City, and you will do much better. I really miss 8th. & Central (Barnegat Light) from 15 years ago.
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I don't know if it's a barometer for other meals, but I've checked out the Gables for afternoon tea twice over the past few years because my mom likes to do it, and it's the only place on the island that offers it. They charged us $20 per person & both occasions were just so-so compared to other afternoon teas we've done. The environment is lovely, but I just don't think the food is worth what they charge. That could be said of most island establishments, however; it's got to be the captive audience factor. On a recent trip I enjoyed a meal at Howard's Restaurant in B.H. Gardens, another lovely spot if you can get a window seat (it's waterfront at a marina). It's not quite a shorts & Tshirt place -- they have a sign saying "no tank tops" -- but it's simple, tasty seafood that's well prepared. They haven't changed much in their 60 yrs of business. For no-frills flip-flops type of eating, I've found the Harvey Cedars Shellfish Co. (which has a small location in Beach Haven) and the Beach Haven Fishery both good. And yes, Sweet Vidalia is still open.
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Harvey Cedars Shellfish Co
7904 Long Beach Blvd, Harvey Cedars, NJ 08008
Sweet Vidalia
120 N Bay Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
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For what it's worth, White's Market in Barnegat Light has PRIME steaks! Went in on Saturday, first time in about 30 years. Signage outside says 'Prime Meats'. Incredible porterhouses, like from a magazine, for $15.95. Strips and fillets for $19.95. Puts Okie's to shame. Going to get some this weekend. I'll let you know.
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Is Yellow Fin still open? not in the new Zagat's
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Yellowfin is definitely still open.
TY for the info on Whites chefdaddyo...I will check them out for sure!
xoxo,
Michelle
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Yellowfin
104 24th St, Surf City, NJ 08008
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Wow! How can YFin not be in Zagat's???
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Skip "Raimondos"...Seriously overrated and OVERPRICED!! We can't understand what the attraction is to Raimondos...for five star prices, we expected five star food, but instead, got two star quality and portions. Entrees are the most expensive on the island and desserts start at $10/up and not worthy. The restaurant is loud, cramped, service was just ok, and most importantly, the food was truly disappointing. We are fairly generous in compliments when coming to restaurant reviews, but Raimondos simply is not deserving of a good review. Prices per person run an average of $50/60 person, and they were not even worth half that price. This was not fine dining in the least, sad to say.
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we live on lbi for half of the year and yellowfin is our favorite place. last year blue closed, and plate opened. very good food, nice people, still finding it's way a little. those are the two best places on the north end of the island. i agree with mustache bill in barnegat light for breakfast, reliable. mud city is always a very long, painful wait. we prefer the crab shack a little farther from the island on route 9. good casual food. gables can be great and can be so-so, but that's my feeling. we always have gone to sweet vidalia, but haven't been this year so i do not know if it re-opened. lbi is a great place to summer with good eats all around.
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La Spiaggia is the best on the north end of the island....IMO.
These past few summers, they have really upped their game. I am continually impressed with the quality of food and service. Also, the atmosphere is pleasant and welcoming.
Which brings me to Yellowfin....
Yellowfin has good food, but the service is very iffy. If you are not part of the "in crowd" they treat you like crap! I dont know exactly what the "in crowd" is for them...I guess Im just not a trendy enough hipster, but my husband and I like to eat and spend tons when we go out. Cant get more "in" then that! I never felt welcomed there and the atmosphere SUX unless you like being crammed in this small locale like a tin of sardines.
I do enjoy Plate. The food is consistently good and the service is nice. The restaurant is roomy and pleasant. I would go to Plate over Yellowfin any day of the week.
xoxo,
Michelle
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La Spiaggia Restaurant
357 W 8th St, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008
Yellowfin
104 24th St, Surf City, NJ 08008
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Any good recs for breakfast, lunch, dinner with kids - casual. Will be there next week
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Sorry to get off track, but I did get to White's market last weekend fot the prime porterhouse steaks. I called to reserve two slabs, and spoke to the owner (since '53), Mike. Went in the late afternoon, and Mike handed me the beef, along with a FREE lb of bulk bkfst sausage. Steaks were $16.95 lb, or $75 fot the two steaks. Fired up the Weber, lump charcoal and a few hunks of hickory. Truly fantastic. Well trimmed, great eye of tenderloin, and very well trimmed. Just perfect! Squeezed 7 small patties from the sausage, and grilled them also. Really good; lightly seasoned, and not salty at all. Fed two teen boys, 3 adults, and two grandparents. Delish!!!
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My favorite lunch place is Barry's Do-Me-A-Flavor, great sandwiches, salads, and they have like 20 flavors of ice cream for after lunch. My favorite dinner place on lbi is the beach house restaurant, amazing crabcakes and chowder, and many more great seafood and pasta combo's. I don't ever go out for breakfast, but i always hear about Chicken Or the Egg being good.
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I have to reply to the comment about service at Yellowfin. We eat there maybe 5-8 times in a summer since it is about 4 blocks from our house and so while we are somewhat considered regulars, we are definitely NOT the 'in crowd'. Service AND food have always been wonderful...My only gripe was one time when we made a reservation and had to wait half an hour. But that was several years ago. Always, once inside, the service has been delightful. The place IS small...but once you've been there, you know that. AND there still is enough space between tables that we have our own conversations and don't hear that of the other tables.
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Yellowfin
104 24th St, Surf City, NJ 08008
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Just returned from LBI and need to point out three glaring omissions: 1) Black Eyed Susans in Harvey Cedars for amazingly fresh and creative organic fare; 2) Living on the Veg in what I think is Beach Haven Terrace for counter service only vegan food which is delicious and fun; and 3) Little Sumo's in Surf City for take out only sushi. The best sushi on the island hands down.
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Little Sumo's
1513 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City, NJ 08008
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Black Eyed Susan's hours are 7-3pm. I do not see how they can close miday, and afford to stay in business. Went last weekend for an iced coffee, and they were locking up. I really miss Jo's.
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Yellowfinh, Made a reservation for 6. Several weeks prior to treservation I changed it to 4. When I arrived the matre'd Owners wife? Would only seat us if we paid for the two cancellations dinner as well. We waited over 1 and 1/2 hours to be seated and left. Never went back. Ambiance too many tables in a small space. Noise level loud. Apparently caters to a coterie of favorite customers and gives the brush off to others.. Maybe the food is great but they will never get a nickel of my money.
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This has happened to me in the past, Which is why we will never go back to Yellow Fin.
If you are Not in the IN Crowd.. Fuhgettabout it!
It is a shame.
Why not try to be accommodating the the customer???
I cannot understand the logic( if there is any?)
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Sorry to hear about your experiences. We are definitely not 'in crowd' people and do go to YFin several times a summer. I'm surprised about your reservation confusion. We have always gotten a confirmation phone call a day or so before, confirming both time and number in party. Unfortunately i guess you didn't get a call? I do agree about the lengthy wait. We waited one night and after that vowed never to go after 6:30pm.
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Just wondering if anyone has been to Plate this summer and can comment on the food. In the past there have been varying opinions on this Board about Plate. The menu looks interesting with local fresh food.
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Plantation is good off-season. Do not know what the problem is during the summer months, maybe busy in the kitchen, but the summer food is pretty lame. Much better restautants are Stephano's in Beach Haven and Raimondo's in Ship Bottom. Stephano's also owns Blue Water Cafe in Beach Haven which has very good food in a more casual atmosphere.
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Blue Water Cafe
11205 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach Township, NJ 08008
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The Plantation is great for lunch, not so great for dinner.
xoxo,
Michelle
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Sorry Mish, I just saw your comment on White's Market. Bro-in-law was on that prime porterhouse mission last weekend and White's was done for the season. Mike, the owner, heads to Florida the day after Labor Day! BTW, went to the Dutchman (by boat) a few weekends ago. Sat outside on a sunny 90 degree Saturday. We were there for the view and a snack. The food was insulting! Grilled chicken sandwich was a processed breast, pre-cooked / frozen, with the painted grill marks. Wings were good, but way too much money for way too small a portion. Cold fried chicken sounded good on a hot day, but it arrived right out of the fryer. Again, a frozen pre-breaded item. Zero effort from this kitchen!
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The Dutchman has been horrible for years. The only thing good about it is the view. The food is slop and the servers are surly. They've stayed in business only for the view and the cool old bar and beer selection. What a shame...
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What a shame is right, ms. Have not been in the D/R in many years, but guess the carpet is worn, a little dusty (I can smell the mildew!), and some of the burned out light bulbs have not been replaced. I'm just puzzled that ownership does not see the potential. It's one of a few in the are that's actually on the water. The island has activity almost year round. I concur, what a shame...
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I guess my point is that if your kitchen can't execute a basic item like a grilled chicken breast, it might be time for a career change.
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Just returned from a long weekend in LBI and wanted to comment on a couple of restaurants listed.
I was so looking forward to the Black Whale in Beach Haven. Unfortunately we didn't find the food quality to be up to par with other reviewers on this board. Maybe just an off night? The special appetizer of baked clams with parmesan were excellent. The family style salad and homemade dressings were good as well, but it ended there. My entree (a special of tuna with a wasabi creme) was okay, not a standout - and not a great value for the price. ($28 I think?). My husband ordered another special, a halibut with a an carrott ginger compound butter (similarly priced) - again, okay and certainly not a standout - the fish was a little overcooked and tough. They offer several sides and he ordered the red beans and rice. They were completely inedible. It was so overcooked and bland - it just turned to mush in your mouth and had no flavor. We were there for an early reservation and it really appeared to be leftover from a previous service. So bummed.
Highlights of GOOD meals included Uncle Will's (an old favorite for us). The banana chocolate chip pancakes were perfect.
We loved, loved, loved the Chegg (Chicken or the Egg) for breakfast and continue to love Daddy O for dinner. We had great meals there when we last visited in March and once again, Daddy O did not disappoint. The barstaff remembered us and were very warm, welcoming and friendly.
If you want a simple (nothing fancy) lunch outside by the beach you could do worse than the Sandbar at the Engleside Inn (where we stayed). I wasn't expecting much considering their kitchen is the size of an outhouse but the food was quite decent and the setting very 'beachy'.
I look forward to reading about others more recent experiences in LBI. What a great place. :-)
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If you are into organic, Living on the Veg (main drag and Maryland Ave.) and Black Eyed Susan's (Harvey Cedars) are the best restaurants on the island. Fresh, delicious, and creative.
In my humble opinion, Daddy-O's is beautiful, but the food is ordinary. Plantation isn't what it used to be. Ditto Raimondos. Lex-Mex is anything but authentic. Plate (Surf City) was great last season.
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Thanks for the info rfplevy! Unfortunately we're usually limited to restaurants with a liquor license since my husband enjoys a manhattan, martini or gimlet with dinner. If I can ever talk him into joining me in a bottle of wine, I'll be sure to give those two a try
I hear what you're saying about Daddy-O's, but I guess it continues to stand out for us compared to the other places we've tried - and, as you said, it is gorgeous inside.
We also tried Plantation - didn't comment because there wasn't too much to say. As others have commented, the food quality was good but for the price, we were looking for more 'wow' factor.
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Maybe I'll give Daddy-O's another try this season. I really did like the ambiance.
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Food at Plantation is better than Daddy O, but Daddy O has a better vibe. La Spiaggia is good and so is Raimondo's but both are a bit pricey. Boulevard Clams is atrocious. Those people don't know a thing about food. Everything is prepared ahead of time and reheated- in most cases from frozen. The place is also filthy. If you want fresh seafood to cook yourself, go to Blue Claw in Surf City. Everything is very fresh.
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La Spiaggia Restaurant
357 W 8th St, Ship Bottom, NJ 08008
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Any recommendations for restaurants on the north end of the island? I am going back to LBI after a 17 year hiatus and I am wondering if anything stands out. We used to go to Kubels, Kelly's, Seaport, and Harvey Cedars Shellfish.
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Just got back from our annual vacation in Barnegat Light. We usually stay on the north end and have eaten at many of the restaurants there over the past few years. Here are my comments:
Kubel's - we always go the first night, because my husband likes it. I think it's adequate.
Mustache Bill's - never disappoints for breakfast, especially the omelettes, especially the Bleu Ribbon omelette with blue cheese, bacon and spinach. I think it is superior to Kelly's.
Off the Hook - white-tablecloth quality food for takeout (although they now have a few umbrella tables outside. Love the fishcakes and fish tacos. If they have the blue fish n' chips on Monday night it's a must.
Black-Eyed Susan's-Now largely a dinner place. Excellent food, mostly fish and shellfish, but a limited menu. Amazing bread pudding for dessert.
Lobster Claw-I know I will get slammed for this, but I prefer it to Harvey Cedars. Had a perfectly steamed lobster (OK, the water was a little oversalted, but it was cooked to just the right consistency). Service was good (we went early and had a res), salad was field greens NOT iceberg with a lovely dressing, fresh crusty bread. Last year my friend had dungeness crab, which she said was fresh.
L'Assiette (used to be Plate) - Same chef and menu as Plate, they just changed the name. Beautifully prepared and delicious food with lots of local ingredients. Corn chowder with peeky toe crab is wonderful. We had bleu cheese fondue for an app the night we were there and it was delicious.
Cafe Aletta - Italian place by the owner and chef of Yellowfin. Excellent and authentic Italian food. I had a pork chop with hot peppers.
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Cafe Aletta
414 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City, NJ 08008
Off the Hook
1 State Route 36, Highlands, NJ 07732
Yellowfin
104 24th St, Surf City, NJ 08008
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Completely agree with you about Lobster Claw. And the amazing thing is, their lobster specials are ridiculously reasonable for a large family. The decor is tired and the ambiance is nil, but for fresh, simple lobster, you can't beat it.
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Lobster Claw
3 N Long Beach Blvd, Surf City, NJ 08008
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I go to LBI every summer for a couple of weeks. The Black Whale is my favorite. It's a joint venture between the owner's of Mud City, Bob's Shipbottom Fish and a private investor, previously in the high end restaurant business. These guys know how to run a restaurant. In fact. try all 3. The Black Whale does take reservations, which I highly suggest on weekends and holidays. Great bar scene, spectacular food and excellent service Be sure to try
steamed mussels in a white wine, garlic and buttery broth. and. Get extra bread for dipping. It's on the menu as an appetizer but the large serving along with their salad and home made dressings are more than enough for dinner. The seafood is fresh and creatively prepared. Know you'll love it.
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Black Whale Bar & Fish House
100 N Pennsylvania Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008
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Don't think the Black Whale takes reservations for less than 6....
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Raimondo's and Yellow Fin are at the very top of my list. Cafe Auletto or Cafe Atello, not sure of the spelling, in Surf City, Yellow Fin's sister, also has good food in a more casual atmosphere. The Black Whale on the south end is another good restaurant. Blue Water in the Beach Haven area is a great place to sit outside if you don't mind the boulevard traffic. Stephano's is also another one of our regulare restaurants. If you want to get down more down to basics and do some drinking, try Kubels in Harvey Cedars. Mud City, just off the island on Bay Ave. offers good family dining with traditional shore food (fried, broiled, or baked); however, be prepared to wait, wait, wait for a table. Avoid the Sandpiper, the folks are nice but ............. I am not a very good cook and my family prefers my cooking over the restaurant.
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Blue Water Cafe
11205 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach Township, NJ 08008
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Prime steaks at White's Market in Barnegat Light this past weekend. Superb Porterhouse at $16.95 lb. Earlier, I'd phoned Mike, the owner and ordered two 1 1/2' slabs. Also picked up a small boneless ribeye (also prime) for $19.95 lb. We also received a gift of a pound of bulk bkfst sausage. Grilled 'em using lump charcoal. Steaks were awesome. This is a real old fashioned market. cash only, and closed after Labor Day.
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