Beginnings starts off with a great beginning... a great restaurant concept and look to the restaurant. Unfortunately, that is where beginnings ends... Drinks at the bar, although pricey were good. Where Beginnings begins to unravel as a restaurant is having two distinct menus - a price fix menu following a literary theme and a regular menu. The kitchen could not keep up with having two types of menus. About a third of the restaurant followed the Joy Luck Club literary menu and waited, waited, and waited for each course, while the regular menu customers came, ate, and went. This lead to food being served that was often cold. When the chef came around with a dim sum cart (these were from frozen dumplings, not dim sum) they were cold. Hot sauce was poured with soy sauce often running together or being spilled as it was poured. Drink pairings were part of each of the 5 courses. When the food came, the drinks often did not come or came way after the food plates were cleared. Very pricey for a tasting menu and no option for a price adjustment if you were not drinking. Initially, the only alternative was seltzer even when we asked for a non-alcoholic drink alternative. It took to the third course for the bar staff to be able to prepare a very mediocre non-alcoholic drink. The remaining courses were also poorly executed. The taste was poor and often the dishes were hard to eat. The sesame oil in the sesame noodles was burnt, the crabs were slathered with sauce and impossible to get the crab meat out of the shells, the soup was overly salty, the stuffed leaves were impossible to open, and the stuffing inside was inedible except for the peas which I could pick out. The surf and turf meat was fatty and tasted like boiled, unflavored meat. Aside from the food being one of this restaurants downfalls, the lack of staffing to adequately serve and bus the tables was evident at every turn. There were only two bus boys and the waitresses had too many stations, covering both inside and outside of the restaurant. The glasses piled up on our table and the tables around us, the bathroom piled up with baskets needing to be emptied and toilet paper missing, napkins missing, lack of clean plates between courses and more. We had to ask if they had chopsticks and were not part of the table set-up to stay with the theme. The wait staff was asked to find the manager/owner several times. He went to other tables and when pushed to get him again, he finally came over. Unfortunately, he was defensive and rude, adding to the distasteful evening. It was clear that the owner has little experience in running a restaurant or expediting food from a kitchen. It was such a bad experience that our group left before the dessert course. As a member of a book group I was hoping that this would be a good find to travel from the North Shore for. I would not travel from the local beach club or across the County for this restaurant. read more

what a great new addition to the area! love everything about this place. the space is amazing, literary themed down to the last detail. cool lighting, beautiful bar, and they have two large communal tables for big parties or communal dining. the vibe was very much NOT long island - felt like i was in brooklyn or the LES. as for the food - the bonchon wings, the boom boom shrimp, and the beef marrow & oxtail marmalade all wowed as starters. we tried the beet salad as well as the wedge, both great. for entrees, had the gnocchi (unreal), the grilled cheese club, and the turkey burger, nothing disappointed. our sides were equally good - the mac & cheese (best ever), pommel frites, and brussel sprouts (still thinking about them.) have heard the burgers are the best around so i will have to visit again soon! read more

Updating my review. I just had the pleasure of attending The Joy Luck Club Taste of Literature event. All I can say is wow! 5 courses of heaven. Especially the dim sum. This place continues to impress. Had the opportunity to speak to the owner and the chef for the first time as well, and it's so refreshing to see people so excited and passionate about what they are doing. Can't wait to come back for next month's. Love this place! Get the rock shrimp, the ramen or the steak and you won't be disappointed. And the dessert is incredible!! Sebastian's donuts are warm and served with three dipping sauces. Really interesting wine list as well, and the decor is awesome. Our waitress was very attentive and it was a lovely time. read more

Fabulous,Classy, and Elegant are three words that come to mind when thinking abut this establishment. Ben and Dave; both of whom have been in the business for over 40 years combined, have done an amazing job. Their staff is kind, courteous, and knowledgable. Ben is one of the most gracious hosts I've come across in al my years as a patron and employee of the bar/restaurant business. Beginnings is a breath of fresh air for our little island and I look forward to my weekly trips down there to eat, drink, and be merry. You never know what exotic/delicious dish Dave will send out and you can always expect a smile and a handshake from Ben making sure your experience is second to none. Can't wait for dinner!! Again!! read more

This is my new most favorite place - for the awesome food, delightful atmosphere and warm-hearted staff. I'm a vegetarian and appreciate the many options, loving the beet salad and veggie press sandwich. My carnivore husband described the "boom boom rock shrimp" appetizer as blissful, the "finger lickin' ribs" as the best he ever had, and the filet mignon as melt-in-the-mouth. Even sides such as the "burnt cauliflower" and toasted barley (which comes with the steak) were amazingly special. The engaging bartenders expertly but respectfully assisted our drink choices. We eat at Beginnings whenever we visit relatives in the area, and we will be seeing them a lot more often so we can dine here again and again. read more

This has long been our group's favorite dining spot. The staff always greets us with a warm welcome, which adds to the overall inviting atmosphere. However, I've noticed some recent changes that have left me a bit disappointed. The presentation of the dishes has undergone a makeover, but unfortunately, it seems like the chef's flavor profile has suffered in the process. The dishes, once vibrant and delicious, now lack the depth of flavor that we used to enjoy. Additionally, the service has become quite a challenge; it often feels like we're waiting an eternity for a server to come by and address our needs. This slow pace has taken away from what was once a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. read more

Highest marks for Beginnings! Seven of us got together for Saturday lunch and we all loved it. The new restaurant boasts the slogan "Drink like Hemingway. Party like Gatsby. Eat like you just finished your first novel." Its literary theme and décor are great fun without being pretentious. With family in Suffolk County and Westchester County, we often look for a gathering place in the Long Beach/Atlantic Beach area. This restaurant beats all the competition. Special recommendations: the Salmon Burger followed by Sebastian's Dipsum Donuts (don't let the name fool you; they're exquisite confections of warm ricotta pillows with Nutella dip, salted caramel and melba). read more

This restaurant is awesome. The service was on point and the cocktails are delicious. I had one that was like a margarita but with mezcal and loved it. For food- my favorites are the yard bird, which our server said was a special that so many people requested that they put on regular menu. The jam Has a little kick to it so just look out for that if you aren't into spicy. And my husband got the beyond burger, which I am so glad they serve as it's hard to get out and it was incredible. The sauces they put on it are amazing. Another note- the ambiance is adorable, and I'm now thinking of having my anniversary party there. read more

My boyfriend and I visited Beginnings for the first time to celebrate an early valentines day, and this place was the perfect intimate and romantic spot. The food and drinks were delicious, and the ambiance and overall decorations made this experience much more inviting. Katie offered exceptional service and provided spot-on recommendations from appetizers to drinks to desserts. Jessica was also super personable and, although there was a short wait, was incredibly accommodating and upbeat. Overall we had a great time and left full and happy. We would definitely recommend and will be coming back in the future. read more

Was here last Saturday, snd sat outside on the deck with a beach-like setting. We had a very nice and hard working waitress but the rest of the service crew were a young bunch of School-like amateurs that weren't very good at what they should be doing , like bringing silverware, menus, delivery orders to the wrong tables, etc. . And after they finally got things right, and the food came after a long wait, it wasn't very good, sorry to say. We've been here many times before, but this time, everything seemed to go wrong. Sorry to say it, but we will be giving it a break for a while. read more

My friends and I are huge fans of the place. The drinks are always very on point, especially on the Taste of Literature nights. Ben and Steve are the best at what they do and the chefs have a great handle on the menu. PS: The Taste of Literature nights are the best thing going right now. Although the latest Asian themed one could have used a little different approach with the food portion, they all keep getting better, and the drinks are literally always on point. We're also very excited about the upcoming American Psycho night, keep up the good work! read more

I recently had company from out of town. We went to Atlantic Beach for the day. At evening we went to Beginnings for dinner. We had a terrible experience. After placing our order and waiting 30 minutes we asked our waiter when will our food would be served. After another half an hour we questioned again. The manager/ owner ran out of the kitchen infuriated with us rather than apologizing. He literally flipped out on us. We left without eating dinner. That is not how I treat my company nor how he should treat his customers. Fran read more

Food: Excellent Service: Lisa was absolutely fabulous! She checked on us periodically, served us efficiently, made sure we were satisfied, and she was delightful -- great personality! Ambiance: A bit noisy, but overall, very nice. Lisa was the highlight of our evening. She was so wonderful, personable, friendly, and efficient at what she does. She totally got our food order 100% correct, our drink order was perfect, and our dessert was fabulous! A lovely, very friendly server like Lisa is hard to find. She was FABULOUS! read more

Hosted my baby shower here and i can't say enough great things about the food & staff. I still get compliments over a year later about what a beautiful warm and inviting space this is. If you're looking to get away from the cookie cutter catering hall for your private event, this is the place to go. Ricky is knowledgeable, accommodating and incredible to work with. He was there every step of the way to make sure our day was perfect. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a night out or to host an event. 10/10. read more

I stopped in with my friends over the weekend, we had heard they had live music. We sat at the bar and had drinks an appetizers. Out of the cocktails I tried, which was more than a few, my favorite was the smokey Paloma one, I forget the name. We shared a bunch of apps too - the deviled eggs were good, edamame was pretty standard, loved the burrata salad, and the oysters were super fresh. It was my first time there so I can't say anything about table service but the bartenders were on point. Will be back for dinner. read more

Third trip to Beginnings, which is far away as you can travel south from our North Shore home as you can go without being eaten by a shark. What brought us back? On top of the place's literary-themed décor, menu, and presentation, there are book-based special feasts the third Wednesday of each month. This month's was The Joy Luck Club, which occasioned a five course procession of Chinese delicacies. We'll be back if our work schedules permit. "Bloomsday on March 15" seems irresistible. read more

I just have to give a shout out to Beginnings & Ben Freiser for the amazing service, food and making us feel extremely welcome and comfortable with our 2 boys (ages 2 & 4). The hostess went out of her way to accommodate, engage and entertain the boys. The waiter was extremely attentive and patient with all of us, and Ben, the owner, kept checking in to make sure everything was good. Thanks for an awesome Friday night out! I always appreciate amazing service read more

Wonderful cocktail selection. The Boo Radley was perfectly balanced and the gin and tonic with homemade tonic was delightfully complex. Sampled off the bar bites menu, wings and mac and cheese were great standouts. Wish the menu were a little more mainstream, foie gras is everywhere. But overall great food, great drinks. As a booklover, the decor was spot on. The staff was superb and on theme. Will be back regularly. read more

Been here several times in the past and have always enjoyed both the food and the service, I think that the chef here is very talented and creative, and the service is extremely well experienced and very friendly. The atmosphere is trendy and enjoyable. The management seems to get it right. My only complaint would be that some of the dishes are overpriced and the bill can be pretty high at the end of the night. read more