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Dining in the Pine Barrens of NJ Restaurants in Ocean
County (including Long Beach Island), Burlington County, Are you looking for a new eating experience? Maybe you don't quite know what you're in the mood for or perhaps you're visiting and want to try some local restaurants. Being on the Atlantic Ocean, fresh seafood is a specialty in the area; Ocean and Atlantic County both have some wonderful seafood restaurants! Take a look at PineyPower's comments on recent visits and make your choice - but it won't be easy! If you're a restaurant owner and wish to see your restaurant listed here, please e-mail me! We're looking for more restaurants to review in Burlington, Atlantic, Ocean, Cape May and Camden Counties, so drop us a line. Diners, if you visit any restaurants found here, be sure to tell the manager you saw it on PineyPower - thanks! Do you have
a favorite place to get HOT WINGS?
P.J. Whelihan's, Medford Lakes NJ
Allen's Clam Bar , Route 9, New Gretna Caffrey's Steakhouse , Route 9, Forked River Doyles Pour House, Route 9, Tuckerton - coming soon! The Gateway Restaurant , 227 W. 8th Street, Ship Bottom L.A.'s Restaurant & Bar, Route 72, Manahawkin Lighthouse Tavern , Route 9, Waretown Lucille's Country Cooking , Route 539, Warren Grove Mario's , Route 9, Forked River Monte's, Route 9, Barnegat Mud City Crab House , E. Bay Ave, Manahwkin Shark Fin Inn, Route 9, Forked River Ship Bottom Shellfish, Long Beach Blvd. Ship Bottom Restaurant owners, if you'd like to see your establishment here, send an email!
(The following commentaries are the opinion of the author; readers are encouraged to visit all locations and submit their own review)
LIGHTHOUSE TAVERN, Route 9, Waretown, NJ- A warm and inviting pub atmosphere with good service and excellent food. Casual attire is fine here. The menu is extensive, from snacks to full-course dinners to late nite offerings. The daily blackboard specials should be taken seriously; these special offerings by the chef are absolutely delicious and plated beautifully. A recent special of filet mignon was pinwheeled by sweet green asparagus tips and garnished with a velvety smooth creole hollandaise sauce. My personal favorite is on the regular menu, "The Inkeeper's Special", a 6 oz. filet mignon on toast points topped with a rich madiera and mushroom gravy. For lunch or an easy dinner, there is nothing like a Tavern Burger! Thick and juicy, they are offered in several ways; "El Paso" (muenster, jalepenos and chili) "Alpine" (Swiss cheese, mushrooms and onions), among several variations, and served on a hard roll with cole slaw and regular or cajun fries, or onion rings. An especially good seafood option is "Jaws", a cajun-grilled tuna sandwich served with mango salsa on a kaiser roll. Weekends at the Lighthouse
will often find a short wait for a table. But the bar area is a
congenial place, offering NTN (an interactive trivia game) and lots of
TV's tuned to sports. You'll have so much fun, you may decide to
eat your dinner there! Don't miss
the weekend Raw Bar, where clams, oysters, shrimp and Dungeness crab claws
are offiered at reasonable prices. Sundays and Monday nights during football
season provide lively fun and complimentary half-time buffets on Mondays.
LOOKING FOR A MENU? Call 609-693-3150 and tell owner Jimmy he needs
to get it published on on PineyPower!
THE GATEWAY, Eighth St., Ship Bottom...A Spring Sunday afternoon visit to the Gateway provided an amazingly delicious late lunch at affordable prices. The chowder here is literally award-winning, and for very good reason! The New England sampled on this day was out-of-this-world delicious. As an appetizer, though, don't buy a bowl or you won't have room your meal! The luncheon menu was a basic one, with a few "blackboard specials" for some pasta dishes, but when the mussels marinara arrived, it was clear that the food served is NOT basic. These mussels were fresh, plump, juicy and large; did not taste previously frozen, and obviously cooked-to-order. The marinara sauce had to be home-made - it was delicious! it was sweet, though, so about a 1/4 jar of hot pepper flakes made it just about right! Another diner had a crab cake sandwich. This was also delicious; not the breadcrumb-garnished with crab-cakes so many places serve. Service here was prompt and friendly as well.
CAFFREY'S STEAKHOUSE, Route 9, Forked River, NJ - Caffrey's has a warm, family atmosphere even though one of the dining rooms has a large and popular bar in its center. The food here is good, with hefty portions, especially in the pasta department. Nightly specials are available, but the standard menu offers a dozens of good possibilities, including their specialty, prime ribs. Caff's is also known for their pizza, and their "bar pie" is an excellent value. They don't skimp on toppings, either! An especially good variety is the Mexican pie - loaded with jalepenos, olives, and jack cheese. Baby back ribs are another excellent choice. They are "fall off the bone tender", and the barbeque sauce is great. Soups at Caffrey's are
excellent, and two specials are offered daily. The seafood bisque
is delicious, especially with a splash of sherry thrown in (you have to
ask for it) Don't ignore the steaks here, either; they are large
and tender, cooked exactly to order.
MARIO'S, Route 9, Forked River (Lacey Township). Mario's is a small Italian restaurant adjacent to a takeout pizza and submarine spot. The ambiance of the restaurant section, however, is very pleasant; Lighting is indirect and soft music plays in the background of this small but roomy dining area. Aside from the regular menu, specials are offered nightly, which are creative renditions of Italian fare, and usually include a seafood choice. (On this night it was fresh tuna.) However, our choice this evening was from the menu. Our meal started with a very fresh salad of spring greens. The house vinaigrette was excellent. Warm bread was served with the salad - a nice touch was the focaccia, topped with a touch of marinara. Our dinner choices were Eggplant Rollatini (eggplant stuffed with ricotta and covered with mozzarella and marinara sauce) and Seafood Fra Diavalo, which included shrimp, clams and mussels on a bed of pasta - the variety of which is up to the diner - with a choice of hot or sweet sauce. Both entrees were fresh and quite tasty. The marinara is light and refreshing, and not overburdened by unnecessary seasonings. A side of broccoli with oil and garlic was excellent. Both the broccoli and sliced garlic were cooked to crisp perfection. (a "special" appetizer offering this night was broccoli rabe, as well.) Prices are very reasonable; Mario's has no liquor license, but if you choose to bring your own wine, the wait staff will happily uncork your bottle and supply glasses. Return
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MUD CITY CRAB HOUSE, Manahawkin...This seafood restaurant and market is not to be missed! There are surprisingly few GOOD seafood restaurants in the area. This place is one of the most popular dining spots of the sumer and beyond! On a sunny June Sunday afternoon, we decided to visit the seafood spot named for the low-lying area of Stafford Township on the Barnegat Bay in which it's located. We walked into the immaculate seafood market section, and within moments were seated in a freshly painted, clean restaurant area in a comfortable booth. A waitress came by immediately with a smile and a big bucket of ice for our "BYOB", and a second smiling staffer handed us the menu. This was to be no easy choice...just the appetizers consisted of baked garlic clams, garlic mussels and oysters on the 1/2 shell, to name a few. Then the "soup" decision: Clam chowder? Crab Chowder? We settled on the garlic mussels - an excellent choice! About 30 PEI mussels steamed in white wine and garlic butter came in a shiny galvanized bucket and were served with ample melted butter and semolina Italian bread for dipping that delicious juice! Then, we decided to split the seafood bisque, which was great, and loaded with crab, shrimp and scallops. The main entree was the tough choice. The specials of the day included fresh fish such as swordfish, tuna, salmon and others, cooked in a variety of ways (blackened, grilled, etc), and served with a number of sauces, including a tropical salsa that sounded delicious! However, I decided on shrimp stuffed with crab imperial and my companion opted for the fried combo. Both meals couldn't have been better...I couldn't finish the third shrimp, and barely touched the homemade coleslaw and corn on the cob that I chose as my sides! The fried platter included a large flounder filet, a delicious crab cake (hardly any bread crumbs) shrimp and scallops, all cooked to perfection. All seafood served here is "fresh, never frozen", and of course they feature crabs in the rough, served either Maryland style or Garlic style. They also have Dungeness crabs and lobster at market price. I also happened to notice another diner's cioppino, and that looked absolutely scrumptious, too! There is a junior menu, and family takeout dinners are available, besides the fresh seafood market. Mud City Crab House is at the top of my list. It's a happy happy restaurant with top-quality food served by an excellent wait staff. Two words of warning: First, be prepared for a wait (consider tail-gaiting while you're waiting!). By the time we left at about 6:00 p.m., couples and families were waiting in the parking lot for a table - but it is well worth the wait! Second, GO THERE HUNGRY!! Return
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ALLEN'S CLAM BAR, Route 9, New Gretna. If you're looking for fantastic seafood with no frills and great prices, a visit to Allen's will fill the bill. This small restaurant has a one-of-a-kind nautical decor, beginning with the huge shark's head at the entrance. The interior is rustic but charming. The floors are concrete, the chairs are utilitarian and the plates are plastic, but once the food starts arriving, you'll barely notice! For starters, their Manhattan Clam Chowder is outstanding, but clams (half-shell, steamed or Casino) and shrimp cocktail are also offered. On this night, I chose the Broiled Combination for my entree. I received three large shrimp, five or six scallops and 2 filets of flounder; a side of home made potato salad and cole slaw and a roll. The scallops were the star of this meal, but all was delicious! Also on the menu (the placemat is the menu!) are such scrumptious seafood selections as Fried Combo Seafood (flounder, shrimp scallop, deviled clams and fried clams), fried oysters, fried softshell crab, crab cake, cold seafod platter, the wonderful French Fried Lobster Tail and more. Don't overlook the oyster stew! It is a meal in itself. It's a huge bowl of succulent oysters in a perfectly seasoned milk broth that you will long remember. Many customers come back again and again just for this specialty! Sandwiches are also available, ranging from an oyster sandwich to the soft crab sandwich. Platters are also available for 65 and over and 12 and under, in the $5.00 price range. Service was very prompt and friendly. We were greeted with a smile, and our server was attentive without rushing us. The only downfall I found is that Allen's doesn't take credit cards, but with prices so reasonable for the quality and quantity of food, it certainly doesn't hurt their business! Allen's is a favorite of the locals, but come summertime, there can be a a bit of a wait. If you go, get there early! (2001 review) Return to Diningtime | Return to Homepage
SHIP BOTTOM SHELLFISH, L.ong Beach Boulevard, Ship Bottom. If seafood is your passion, this is the place to visit! Located right on Long Beach Boulevard, it's a busy spot (with limited parking), but on this thundery Saturday night in summer, the 45-minute wait to dine was well worth it! We were all starving once we were seated, and ordered a 1/2 gallon of mussels in wine and garlic butter, soft shell clams, and the soup of the day, seafood bisque. I'm not sure which I liked best, although the bisque was probably the best I've ever tasted! loaded with crab, lobster, scallops and shrimp, it was simply sublime - in fact, when I let my two friends sample it, they had to order a cup of their own! I chose grilled Mahi-mahi with a creamy roasted chipotle sauce that was just out of this world! It came with a choice of two side dishes; I chose potato salad and cole slaw, and both were excellent. Another diner selected tuna, grilled rare, with a teriyake-ginger sauce, and a third selected a broiled platter, consisting of shrimp, scallops, crab imperial and "fish of the day". We were all thrilled with our respective selections! Just about
any type of seafood is available here - flounder, crab, scallops, crabs,
lobster, swordfish, salmon, king crab legs, oysters...the list goes
on and on. A seafood market offers a huge selection of fresh and prepared
seafood, and all food is available for take-out. Dress is casual, and
it's BYOB. And yes, there are chicken and burgers available for landlubbers!
Looking for a menu? Call (609)494-0088 and tell the owner to get it
published on PineyPower!
My most recent visit in late October was for a late lunch. I ordered a "Jack's Pumpkin Pie Spice Ale", which was delicious, and enjoyed it with the complimentary tray of Casino Cheese and assorted crackers. I then enjoyed a cup of thick snapper soup served with sherry, and "Chicken Salad & Fried Oysters", a traditional pairing originating in the Philly area. My salad and oysters were nicely plated - adorned with quartered hard-boiled eggs, grape tomatoes and cucumber slices. After enjoying a well-poured Bourbon and soda, my dining companion opted for a choice from the senior menu. She raved about the crisp salad and fresh blue cheese dressing, but the prime rib was a bit overdone. Her dessert choice was an ice cream log topped with whipped cream. I have dined from the regular dinner menu in the past, and was very satisfied with my prime rib, and the five other diners were equally happy. The holidays are extra special
at Sweetwater Casino. The restaurant is beautifully decorated throughout.
If you haven't caught the spirit of the season, you will catch it at
Sweetwater! And don't forget to pick up a tub of the delicious Casino
Cheese at the adjacent gift shop! Ed. note: On June 30, 2008, Sweetwater casino was destroyed by fire. This historic landmark deep in the Pine Barrens will be missed by many, many people. Over the many years, it has been part of so many lives, from the great staff members to the hundreds of weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and non-profit events. It's hard to believe that it's gone. See some photos of Sweetwater.
SHARK FIN INN, Route 9, Forked River NJ. Just open in December '06, this tropically-inspired restaurant gives diners a refreshing change from the norm, both in food choice and in decor. With jewel-bright colors of tropical blue, red, orange and green, tile floors and lots of glass with huge doors that promise to let the outside in when the weather permits, this place to give the ultimate island fantasy. We visited the Shark Fin for a late lunch. We were seated in a booth and attended to promptly by our attentive and pleasant server. The menu offers a variety of tropical dishes; some familiar such as the Cuban sandwich, and some not so familiar, such as the Jamaican salad. Our appetizer this day was "Coco-mac Shrimp", a fun twist on the norm with crushed macadamia nuts added to the coconut before frying golden crisp. The four large shrimp were served with a raspberry-mango dipping sauce, served separately in one bowl so the distinct flavors of each could be enjoyed. We decided to divide our lunch of the Jamaican Cobb and an open Ahi Tuna sandwich. The salad was a wonderful combo of sliced jerk chicken (which was very mild), avocado, pignola nuts, grape tomatoes, and gorganzola, on a bed of greens. (The menu also called for mango, which we didn't notice was missing until after we left, probably because the salad was so delicious.) Dressing the salad was a light key lime blend that complemented perfectly. The Open Ahi was served on rye toast and topped with roasted peppers and goat cheese, and was partnered with a ginger-garlic-sesame dipping sauce. The tuna was deliciously pink, although I prefer tuna barely warmed in the middle. Our server didn't ask, and I didn't think to specify. There were many more tempting
offerings, including their soups - the d'jour was conch chowder, a favorite
of mine, and lobster bisque is on the regular menu. The Shark Fin Inn
is definately on my "A" list! A return trip for dinner and
mojitos looms in the near future! Nightime entertainment is also definately
worth looking into as well - the lounge area contains a large bar, also
with a huge slider to the rear patio, promising a wonderful summertime
atmosphere! Want a menu? Let them know it should be on PineyPower!
(609) 971-5440
The menu for this restaurant (there are five other locations in NJ & PA) offered many of the standards: Buffalo wings and shrimp, rangin from "mild" to "suicide", and a variety of appetizers and salads, along with classic sandwiches and entrees. However, items like Hummus with pita bread and Asian style shrimp salad showed interesting creativity in the menu. I finally decided on the Flat Iron Steak, at $13.99. It came exactly as requested - medium rare - with smashed red bliss potatoes and a deliciously crisp medly of steamed veggies. The steak was served over an applewood smoked bacon red wine sauce and dusted with rosemary, and a knife was barely needed to cut this melt-in-your mouth beef! My dining companion chose the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese at $12.99. Normally a light eater, she scarfed up every last morsel of the baked orecchiette (little ears) pasta and lobster pieces blended with fontina and cheddar, and topped with toasted parmesan bread crumbs. It was a perfect meal for a winter day! Service at P.J.'s is quick, friendly and efficient. I only wish P.J.'s was closer, because it would become a regular for me! I can't wait to return to try their Roadhouse Rack of Ribs, or maybe the Ahi Tuna, or maybe the Crab Cakes....
L.A.'s,
Route 72, Manahawkin,is located
where the previous "Fabian's" was located. While the decor
has remained the same (with the exception of several large screen flat
TV's perfect for watching sports or playing NTN),a few things have seemed
to improve quite a bit. Immediately, I noticed that the staff seemed
genuinely happy to be there, which made us feel very welcome. Both the
bartenders and wait staff were attentive. We opted to order dinner at the bar while playing NTN, a popular trivia game available at many restaurants and bars across the U.S. and Canada. I decided on a special, broiled flounder stuffed with crabmeat. The salad arrived promptly, and was fresh and crisp. Happily, L.A.'s offers a honey-lime dressing, my favorite! The aromatic bread was served fresh and warm. When my meal arrived, I noted immediately that the flounder was NOT overcooked, and that the crabmeat was the MAJORITY of the stuffing! Rice pilaf was served molded into a pyramid, and the veggies of the day were thinly sliced summer squash, zuchinni and red peppers, sauteed in a garlic butter. The portion was huge, and I happily took home an entire stuffed filet, some rice and vegetables as well! My companion ordered a NY strip steak, which arrived looking "too good to eat" delicious. He chose garlic mashed potatoes, and they too looked awesome! Usually a light eater, he finished every bit of the steak. Usually a man of few words when it comes to food, he raved about the tenderness and flavor! I'll return for the food,
but more importantly, the new, friendly ambience of L.A.'s!
Pinelands Eateries: Good food at the Lower Bank Inn. Billy Boy's 4 Mile Tavern (Rt 72, Chatsworth) features a family horseshoe night. Hedger House Pub reopening ( has a magnificent bar) with music, and horseshoes. Two top chefs at Half Way House (Mayo's) in Chatsworth are drawing a lot of folks. Woodshed has best Chicken Cheesesteaks and soups! Green Bank speciality is Chili. Matt's (seasonal) on the Mullica in Green Bank has top hoagies and river deck . . . Joe Shay EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS or REVIEWS to PINEYPOWER!
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