Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival was one AWESOME event. I had to say that ASAP. It was well…read moreexecuted with something for everyone. Food, Beer, Wine, Bourbon, Whiskey, Tequila and other assorted adult beverages. I must also add, that Yelp provided 2 tickets through a promotion. Thank you Yelp Gods and Stephanie Y. I have been to a few events through your sponsorship and always appreciated your consideration. You rock Stephanie. Now, I was 2.5 hours late for the noon time kickoff. Traffic was horrible. As I arrived to Bally's, $30 parking fee. Great; I am late and have to spend an arm and a leg on parking. What a start to this event. As I walked in to the event space, I was given a wine glass and life was good again. I was ready to taste wine. I had some great Champagnes right of the bat. They where refreshing with that crisp clean taste. Just right to start a wine tasting event. We then hit some Italian wines and they had that full body taste that I enjoy. I collected all the collateral from the vendors, but somewhere in my travels my souvenir bag went MIA. I just don't remember the vineyards and wine makers. Bummer. Highlight: there was a Bourbon table with Basil Hayden, Maker's Mark 46, Knob Creek and a few others I was not familiar with. I was in heaven. I think I tried them all. Outstanding. After this, I was done. I wish I had the time to taste more wines, but staff was serving 2 to 3 oz pours. Now, I don't know if this is good, but I did enjoyed this...lol... Overall, this was a well planned event. Plenty of room to move around. Air conditioning was working properly. Staff was friendly. Crowd was respectful. No long waits. Basic sample item and then slide down after taste. Tons of adult beverages with quality product. Many boutique wines. Lots of liquor tables. All around well organized event.

I can't believe I've waited this long to review the AC Food and Wine Festival... it. was. awesome…read more thanks to yelp (thanks Steph- you rock!), I was able to get two free tix to the Saturday afternoon Grand Marketplace... and I took my momma. so thanks yelp, for enabling me to be a good daughter. and by "good daughter" I mean one who gets her momma hammered in public before sunset. yeah, the event was pretty boozy. I expected more food than wine vendors, and was pleasantly surprised at the number of liquor and beer tables there. wine, tequila, champagne, whiskey, beer... and repeat. admittedly, I got tipsy. so did mom. but not as tipsy as the one guy who puked all over the place. or that one girl who knocked over a huge display. I consider this a success. a bunch of local and not-so-local foods were dished up, ranging from ceviche to pulled pork to lobster bisque, foie gras, chocolate fondue, peanut butter, chicken sausage, pork belly, anddd more. I was happy to see a few olive oil vendors as well... whoops, dropped mad dollars on olive oils. there were chefs doing live demos and tastings, too. it was nice to be able to ask the pros some questions. and we got a photo op with chef Robert Irvine (I always imagined him to be taller). um, I will definitely be back next year. I'd recommend doing an afternoon session... that way there's time afterward to play in AC for a bit, make a mandatory stop at pic-a-lilli, and sober up before heading home. that last part- it's important. or bring a DD (pregnant friends work well for this. justsayin).

10/10!! Rick is such great vibes. He clearly has great relationships with all of the wineries. We…read morestarted our day at Jessie Creek, then went to Cape May, then Willow Creek. We were all wine newbies and were guided through the options unpretentiously; we all felt like we learned so much by the end of the day and had a blast. Also loved learning about New Jersey's growing wine market. Felt like a bargain for how much wine we got!

Rick is the man and his groups are always really fun. Great local business, highly recommend.read more

I visited Ocean Casino on Monday, June 27th expecting to spend the day at the casino, only to be…read moretold upon arrival that the casino floor was closed because of a burst pipe that caused flooding. What was most disappointing was that I was never notified beforehand. I received no phone call, text message, or email, even though the casino had my reservation and contact information. Had I been informed, I would have simply rescheduled my visit instead of making the trip. To make matters worse, there was no apology and no effort to make things right. The only thing I was offered was a small bottle of water. While I understand that emergencies happen, communication and customer service matter. A simple notification, sincere apology, or even a small complimentary offer would have gone a long way. Unfortunately, this experience left me feeling that my time and business were not valued. I hope Ocean Casino improves its communication with guests when unexpected situations like this occur.

This was my first time staying at the Oceans in Atlantic City and it did not disappoint. We spent…read moretwo nights here. There was plenty of stuff to do some of the highlights was the pool, the beach, the boardwalk and the casino. There is an insane amount of things to do and I think honestly every day you can experience something different. The carnival is cool and all the shops along the boardwalk. They have little trolleys to take you from each side of the boardwalks because you can definitely walk a lot throughout the day. It was a fun and exciting trip that I will almost remember. I recommend you being some water bottles in your luggage so you have them as the room is not stocked. All the gifts shops are a bit expensive. Also make sure you bring beach stuff if you do plan on going to the beach! Enjoy your trip.

I love the Borgata! It's my favorite hotel. I would come back to AC and just stay here inside the…read morehotel the whole time. I love the pools, the stores, the food, the people, the ambiance. Everything here is incredible. I love the rooms and the views. The last time I was here I stayed on the 37th floor and had ocean views. I would highly recommend this. I can't wait to come back!

We stayed for one night in a standard king room (1222) on Thursday (4/23/26). Unfortunately, this…read morewas the poorest experience we have ever had at this property. We have stayed often and we are used to clean well prepared rooms so this was a real disappointment. The room was not cleaned properly at all. There was debris on the floor and my husband found an opened half empty bottle of beer left in the refrigerator. The counters were not cleaned well and they appeared spotty and dull. It was clear the room had not been serviced with care. The sheets were changed and clean but the overall condition of the room did not reflect the quality we have consistently received in the past. I want to be fair because we usually enjoy our stays here but this was not acceptable and it raises concerns about the cleaning process. I hope this feedback is taken seriously so future guests can have the level of cleanliness and comfort we have always appreciated here.

Bally's Atlantic City -- Good Blackjack, Bad Parking, Elevator Tried to Kill Me…read moreVisited: Friday, July 31, 2026 -- roughly 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 3/5 Bally's Atlantic City still feels like a classic gambler's casino, and I mean that as a compliment. Not a nightclub disguised as a casino. Not a luxury lifestyle palace where blackjack has been reduced to four tables next to an aromatherapy lounge. Bally's feels like a place built for people who actually came to gamble, drink and periodically question their financial judgment. The blackjack was the highlight. I found $15 tables with standard 3:2 blackjack payouts, which instantly earned my respect. No surrender, but otherwise a perfectly playable game. Better yet, most of the players actually knew what they were doing. No donk-fest. No splitting tens because Grandma appeared in a dream. No hitting a 14 against a dealer 6 because "the vibes said so." The East Coast table energy was excellent--talking, laughing, ball-busting, collective groaning and the occasional spiritual crisis when the dealer somehow manufactures a 21 out of six cards. Two dealers stood out: Russell, originally from D.C., and Stephen, a local New Jersey guy. Both were entertaining, personable and ran a good table. Good pace, good banter, no nonsense. The craps table was also fun, except apparently the dice had joined organized crime. Nobody got much of a deep run going, including yours truly. I controlled the dice twice and produced two legendary performances: Roll. Seven-out. Twice. That is not craps. That is basically a direct deposit into Bally's operating account. Upstairs there's also a cool rotating bar overlooking the casino floor, and I had a very good gin and tonic there while reflecting on my relationship with probability and poor decision-making. Now for the deductions. First: $20 parking. Twenty bucks to park so I can go inside and voluntarily hand you MORE money? That sucks. Second, and much more importantly, the elevator on the way out nearly turned my foot into an orthopedic case study. I was wearing flip-flops and stepping into the elevator behind a family that had just arrived. My right foot moved forward and, at literally the last second, the elevator suddenly jerked upward what felt like about six inches. My toe slammed into the raised edge, I tripped, and momentum plus gravity sent me forward in a full-body swan dive directly onto the poor woman standing in front of me. There was no dignity left. None. One second I'm leaving Bally's. The next I'm basically performing an involuntary Olympic diving routine into an unsuspecting tourist. Thankfully it ended up being more comical than catastrophic, and nobody appeared seriously hurt. But that elevator movement was absolutely concerning. If a lift can shift noticeably while people are boarding, that is something management needs to inspect immediately. Because today it's my toe and an embarrassing midair embrace with a stranger. Tomorrow, if something mechanical goes seriously wrong, it could be a legitimate safety and liability issue. So Bally's gets 3 stars. The gambling itself? I liked it. Good blackjack rules, competent players, fun dealers, energetic atmosphere, decent craps action and a cool rotating bar. The $20 parking irritated me. The elevator attempting to convert me into human origami cost them another star. Come for the 3:2 blackjack. Stay for the East Coast gambling energy. And apparently watch your damn feet when entering the elevator.

First off let me say that I was a Big fan of the Bally's Hotel and Casino…read more that said I did come here for over a year I was gambling at the Mohegan Sun Casino which is a much shorter ride for me. I decided to come to AC today on a Monday because the traffic wasn't bad at all. I first went to the Hard Rock Casino,which was very lively and had lot's of table games open, had a great meal and went to Bally's for old time sake. Wow very dreary and sad not many tables open at all. Not that many people there either. Hard Rock was Glitz and Glamor and Bally's was just sad... I'm saddened to say that I most likely will not be back therein the future. Unlike the Hard Rock Casino there was no fun vibes at all... and I really tried to love the place again..But sadly I can't :(

I am a fan of festivals in general, and this one was pretty good. While I wouldn't make a special…read moretrip here from Philly in the future, I would be happy if I happen to be here this time next year. The festival was at Bader Field, and the whole admission/parking thing is...interesting. They don't charge you admission, but they do charge you to park - $10. It's not that much but it does make sense to carpool. You're parking on a grass meadow, so if your car is close to the ground like mine, it's not too comfortable. Bring your truck if you've got it, but any normal car would be fine. The other annoying this is that there's no markers for determining where you parked - so it may take a while to find your car. Hopefully you have one of those panic buttons to locate it. There's also no directions on exiting, so you may drive around for a while just trying to get out. There was some bike festival going on that I passed on my way in that looked interesting too. Now the festival itself is almost all seafood as you'd expect. It certainly didn't disappoint on that. There was everything from legit gourmet restaurants there with offerings to greasy spoons, to food-truck hipstery things. most of the stuff was pretty standard stuff. Some was overpriced (I'm looking at you - $10 for one fish taco guy), but most was pretty reasonable. I really enjoyed the Chart House offerings that were both delicious and reasonably priced. The Guy Fieri place was there - who must have forgotten it was a seafood festival because I could be wrong, but I don't think they offered any seafood. Pulled Pork and Mac n Cheese burger if I recall correctly. There was this other place, the Laughing Crab Catering company that also had decent food, but the owner was not a nice guy. Well i don't know if he was the owner - he certainly acted like it. Older guy, white hair, bad attitude. He seemed so positively upset that he was there. It was super bad energy for the otherwise fun atmosphere. I've never been to Havre de Grace, MD - where this place claims to be from - but I don't have the highest opinion of it so far - to put it mildly. This place had a lot of options, probably more than any other place I saw and was not impressed with their crab cakes, despite it being "real" and not merely "maryland style." It tasted like a deep fried crab flavored fishcake. It needed tartar sauce. There really wasn't anything too creative either, other than the SPUDWICH - which was a fantastic idea from the "one potato two" shop where they use large potato skins as bread and put all kinds of things inside them to make a sandwich. The owner's son was super nice and genuine and enjoyed talking with him about the SPUDWICH story. There was a live band too that was very good. Did not catch their name. There were also cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, and a beer garden. All in all, I had a good time and was very happy to have visited.

I was sold tickets on a Thursday for the event. After driving down I was turned away stating there…read morewas no event that day. I have tried to receive a refund for being sold an event that doesn't exist and have been ignored

Yes. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the town history. She was outgoing and…read moreapproachable when asked questions and did her best to keep pace with the restaurant admissions. Restaurateurs were gracious upon our arrival and food was very good.

Our family group had a wonderful afternoon, tasting and touring in Mt. Holly. Audrey shared lots of…read morearea history and the selection of eateries was diverse and enjoyable!

Today I attended the Downbeach Seafood Festival in Ventnor with my family and I am here to tell you…read moreit was one of the better ways to spend a few hours on Earth. According to its official description this annual festival gathers together seafood vendors, local restaurants, arts and crafts, live music, and cooking demonstrations right by the water. The website promises food, fun, and community, and for once the advertisement was not a lie. We parked in the free lot on Wellington Avenue and the organizers had arranged for jitneys to shuttle us back and forth with the precision of a German train schedule. This was a good omen. If human beings can cooperate to move strangers from one place to another with such efficiency then perhaps there is still hope for us. The first thing we saw was the South Pacific Island Dancers performing at 11:30. They were graceful, rhythmic, and most important, they engaged with the crowd so no one felt like a passive observer. At noon Yani the Band took the main stage and provided the sort of unoffensive musical background that makes you want to linger among food stalls a bit longer than perhaps is healthy. And what food. My son ate nachos from Tacocat and declared them righteous. I tried fried clams from Ike's Famous Crab Cakes. The serving was modest in size, which was a shame, but the clams were thick with meat and tasted like they still remembered the sea. The homemade roasted tomato tartar sauce and horseradish sauce were so good they could be bottled and sold as souvenirs. My wife ate a scallop roll from Scallop Shack Farms and looked happier than she has in a month. Eventually she simply ditched the Texas Toast so she could completely enjoy those perfect little discs unmolested by distracting gluten. My oldest son spoke glowingly for the ham and cheese croquettes from Del Toro Tapas. He would have handed out pamphlets if they had any. For drinks we experimented. Pirate Pete's sodas came in metal mugs that you could refill all day long. The concept is so simple it feels like a parable. We also bought a cucumber refresher and a lemonade from Squeezies. The lemonade was squeezed to order and tasted like summer itself had been liquefied. Between bites and sips we wandered among the vendors and stopped to talk with an artist from Surfboard Taxidermy. He makes sculptures from discarded surfboards. To look at his work is to realize that waste can become beauty if given the right pair of hands. It was a reminder that while some people turn trash into political careers, others turn it into art. Bless the latter. It cost us ten dollars apiece because we bought tickets in advance. Fifteen at the door would still be a bargain. The sun shone, the air was kind, the food was plentiful, and the company of strangers was pleasant. That is the best of civilization in miniature and I will not forget it.

We had an incredible day at the Downtown Seafood Festival. This event is so awesome. I was shocked…read moreand delighted it wasn't more crowded for such a budget friendly seafood festival. The fee to get in was $10 online, $15 at the door. We had planned to take the very clearly marked free parking shuttle but the day started off strong with us pulling up to a spot right by the entrance. There is a lot going on, and it was all good stuff. They do have a schedule on their website if you want to catch the fire dancing, hula dancers or live music shows, all were great. There are limited chairs but many people brought their own. I might do that next time. We did all the tasting options. The Oysters were $25 . You got two oysters from each of the 6 farmers. This was so much fun! All of the oysters were amazing and all had a delicious mignonette options. Our favorite was the Salty Soul. Not only were they delicious but we loved the family vibe and they were fun to talk to as they cheered me on to try my very first raw oyster! Beer tasting was $10 to get a small cup of 12 beers. Each brewery had two options Favorite beer was Farm Truck Baked Sale. It was a smoked helles lager. Strong runner up was MudHen. Chowder tasting was a $10 donation to the food pantry. We didn't even get through all the chowders. There were at least 20. It was a blind tasting so you didn't know who made what. Favorites were the creamy crab and the one with corn sprinkled on top. There were so many additional food and beverage options including a Coke tent that gave out free Coke products all day long! I was shocked that many vendors had food under $10. In addition to all of the fun activities we really met some awesome people. All of the vendors and the other guests mingled at shared tables and while online. Lines were minimal and food value and fun times were plentiful. This truly was a great day and I would highly recommend this event. I hope to return for years to come and bring friends to share in the fun!