I make better steaks at home with grocery store steaks. For the price I paid it almost $100 a person. This is so underwhelming and so overpriced. I'm literally upset. I paid almost $430 for five guests and the best things were the sides. Here's a picture read more

Brandl - This is offensive. Wawa makes a better steak. Do not come here save your money. - New American Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

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Enjoying JERSEY SHORE RESTAURANT WEEK MENU APRIL 10-19TH! Hubby picked Brandl for dinner with our daughter! When we arrived, there was no one to greet us. We waited a bit before being seated! There was indoor and outdoor seating. Party of 3 and the restaurant week menu had 3 choices for each course! Our daughter had the best idea and we ordered all three for each course and had a fabulous taking menu! Food was really tasty! We didn't realize it was BYOB - wine store around the block. Service was a bit slow. We had to flag down the staff, But staff friendly and smiling. Maybe just an off day with staffing! Food was definitely worth returning! Plenty of parking. Loved the murals! read more

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This is one of our favorite restaurants. It is not a place you can go every week because it is pricey, however, the food has always been delicious. During this trip, we ordered the steak for 2 as an entree; shishito peppers, mushrooms, onion rings as sides; pot stickers as an app; and a red velvet soufflé as a dessert. The steak was perfectly cooked, smoky and the seasoning was delicious. The two sauces on the side complimented the steak very well. The sides were also delicious. I did not expect the sides to be as tasty as they were!! The potstickers had an AMAZING filling but the consistency of the shell was a little chewy, but we are being very critical because of the price. Finally, the dessert came with a marscapone-like cream that we put on the soufflé and it melted into the dessert. We would definitely reccomend the soufflé but make sure you ask for it at the beginning of your meal because it takes 45 minutes to cook! We thought the service was good. We did have to wait 20 minites for our reservation, however, the host let us know there would be a wait and while we were waiting a waiter came out and opened our wine bottle and gave us glasses. We also love the ambiance of the restaurant. It is well decorated, clean, and well worth the trip. read more

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Everything we ordered was spot on, the steaks were very good and cooked perfectly. Our server was attentive and friendly. And as a plus my wife lost her wallet there, and we received a call the next day from the restaurant, and Mr. Brandl himself was nice enough to meet me in another town at my work to bring it to me. That sold me on this place truly. We will be back when we are in town, we would make the trip even though it's an hour plus! read more

This shore restaurant staple continues to please. A byob featuring contemporary American cuisine should not be overlooked in the face of newer and pricier alternatives. With an excellent staff, a beautiful decor and with Chef Chris continuing to turn out innovative and tasty food at a reasonable price, Brandl's should be at the top of your to go list. read more

We continue enjoying dining at Brandl. Restaurant Week gave us good reason to go again though the choices for RW are limited. We ordered both from the specials and from the a la carte menus. Lobster bisque and Oyster Rockefeller a perfect start. Both the Thai Shrimp, on the RW menu and the Everything Bagel crusted Salmon were delicious. Midweek on a cold night the service was very attentive. It is a little pricey but BYOB sure helps. read more

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My friend and I attended Brandl as a part of Jersey Shore Restaurant Week. We both ordered the short rib pot stickers as an appetizer; they were supposed to have a maple glaze but they were drowned in soy sauce. We ordered the scallops as our entree, it looked like they took an average size scallop and sliced them so the 5 or 6 pieces on the plate were about a 1/2" thick, in addition to which they were burned. The crowning insult however was when the fellow who was running the show, not knowing we could hear him, told the bus boy to go pour more water for the 2 old ladies. As we were the only ladies sitting at a table, the others were all couples, he could have just referred to the 2 ladies sitting by the window. Needless to say, if the point of restaurant week is to introduce the restaurant to new customers, there are two who will definitely not be returning. read more

Stay away!!! Terrible service, food and extremely overpriced ! The only good thing is the parking lot.

we have been regulars here for well over a decade. Paul knows us. We come all year long and have been when they have only a few tables. we know the waitstaff. We made plans to go for Christmas eve. we made reservations. we showed at 6:30 and Paul told us there would be a 15-18 min wait. We sat in the cold atrium for an hour and 15. When we asked, he said we were next. When he seated a different table, we said we were leaving. He yelled 'just go". That is a sad end of decade plus of loyalty. read more

Have been coming to this restaurant since I was a child, the host is so rude it sadly ruins the experience. Will no longer be coming here and recommend against this place unless you want to deal with rude staff (host) who will not treat you with an ounce of respect. read more

The good: Our waiter was very nice. The soufflé and espresso were good. The bad: The restaurant was extremely warm inside. There were lots of empty tables for 8pm on a Saturday night. The ugly: The wedge salad was *very* small and nothing special. My husband and I both ordered the filet and asked for our steaks to be medium. His came out rare in the middle, while mine came out well done. For how expensive this restaurant is, I expected much better food. read more

First time dining at Brandyl. We had the salmon and the NY strip. Salmon was extremely salty and overcooked. Steak was decent but certainly not worth the money. On a positive note, the service was good and byob is a plus. read more

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Shocked to see the three star reviews for this place. Stopped in last night and can happily say, this is my new go to local spot. I'm actually surprised I haven't been here yet. To start, I love that this place is BYOB. There is a liquor store in walking distance from it as well. Staff was super friendly and thorough in explaining the menu and providing recommendations. Kept checking in and making sure everything was okay. We decided to grab the prefixed menus. My boyfriend and I shared the appetizers. We got potstickers and Cesar salad. Both were amazing. The salad had a good garlic kick to it and the pot stickers were filled with flavor. We then shared the two entrees. We got the lazy lobster and the Thai shrimp. Holy cow. They were delicious!! I think the Thai shrimp will be a definite reorder for me. It was so dang good! The pineapple pared so well with the shrimp and purple rice. Lobster was very good too. Lastly, dessert. I'm a big sweets girl. We got the apple tart and the chocolate brownie. The apple tart was very good. Came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The chocolate brownie also had a vanilla scoop. I was so excited for the brownie, as they are my favorite - sadly it was a little too rich and sweet for me. But aside from that, everything else was perfect. The menu is designed very cute. The cups on the table are very unique and the interior and outdoor seating is very tastefully designed. Loved it and will be back! read more

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Great food, especially loved the Brussels sprouts. The skirt steak was done to perfection and the tuna was so tender, it melted in your mouth. The Chef was very accommodating to our special requests, and service was terrific. Can't wait to go back! read more

Food and ambience were top notch. The only unpleasant part was our server Vincent. Seemed to rush us in the beginning, never came by to ask how everything was and we had to find another server to get our check 45 minutes after we finished eating. read more

We had a 7:45 reservation for New Year's Eve. When we arrived there was a line with about 30-40 people waiting. There was no one at the host desk for at least 20 minutes and when they did arrive there was no acknowledgement that they clearly overbooked the restaurant. Some people on line said they booked day of, unheard of for New Years Eve. The line did not move and it became apparent that they were not honoring the reservations and that we could be waiting at least an hour for our table, but based on the responses of people leaving, it probably would have been longer. We gave up and were lucky enough to find another restaurant. But, wow. . brandl's clearly doesn't care about your holiday plans. I will never go back. read more

hi. I always leave my name making reviews. my name is Al frungillo last night I tried to get a rerz on open table I could not. I called and Chris got the 5 of in on a very busy night. all 5 of our 7 appies were 5 star. We all ordered the specials because they are alway so creative and deserving of the word specials. Our entrees were all five star. They had a special soufflé. White chocolate.with raspberries so we ordered that also with the choclate one! Can you give 10 stars ? Well it was. The vibe in the restaurant and the decor is always amazing and the music Chris always has supplements his establishment. It is I'm my opinion the best overall at the jersey shore. Thank y and see you soon read more

First time dining here and admittedly, was enticed by the gift cards at Costco and the rave reviews. Can't go wrong when you take a $20 discount on a $100 gift card. I thought this would be a win-win. To start off, our waiter was so inept that he needed the owner (presumably the seating host) and another waitress to assist him in a restaurant that was half-empty on a Friday night. Twice we had our orders taken. Twice we had our dessert orders taken. And no, this is not because they were attentive: it's because the waiter couldn't get his job done right. When the owner/seating host took my order, I asked for a soup, a salad, and half a pasta, and I commented that half a pasta is plenty for me. His answer: "Well, it's America, you can do what you want here." Not jokingly, but derogatorily. Note: I am not white... I guess wherever *I* am from, we don't do what *we* want in restaurants? In short, a completely uncalled for comment which made me extremely uneasy to be there, and it set the tone for the night. Then, when the waiter came to take our order (again), not an ounce of friendliness, remorse or even a hint of an apology when he said "Well, we're out of the french onion" soup. Why didn't owner/seating host say this to begin with? Someone please teach both some customer service skills. Food itself was more than decent. Instead of a soup, salad and pasta, I settled for a larger portion of the puttanesca. The caesar salad was delicious, albeit ridiculously overpriced. (Whatever, I'll pay it because it was good.) But the puttanesca was nowhere close to what real puttanesca should taste like. Pretty much tasted like a few olives, olive juice and diced tomatoes from a can. Never having that again. Didn't even bite into one anchovy. My hubby got the shrimp cocktail (he loved it), wedge salad (very good but not enough bacon), filet mignon with scallops and onion rings. The filet was well seasoned, tender but COLD. I'm guessing they forgot to prepare the scallops after they made the filet, so yeah the scallops were nice and hot but the steak was cold. Onion rings were homemade and by itself, without having to add the dip, was very good. Dessert was the banana pastry. Two words: Don't bother. Try something else. Oh, and this was a Friday night, so there was entertainment. Singer was good, and thankfully not too loud. One of the busboys handed out business cards for the "band". Let's say it wasn't memorable, but I wouldn't be opposed to hearing them again. All in all, the food (flavor) was 4/5 (just not the puttanesca and the banana pastry). The ambience (with the band) was decedent. But the service was almost atrocious. And the nasty comment from the owner (or seating host, whatever), unpardonable. As much as I would like to just do take out to avoid getting annoyed with the pathetic excuse for service, I can't support business where the owner (or seating host, whatever) makes inappropriate comments in THAT tone. read more

I ate here during Jersey Shore Restaurant Week. My wife and I both had the french onion soup. It was pretty good, just kinda short on the soup itself. Bowl comes 1/2 filled - a little weird. My wife had the shrimp with rice and I had the garlic steak. Both were good. She had the brownie with ice cream and I had the Pot de Creme. Once both were good. It wasn't a fancy meal, but the food was solid. I would definitely give it another shot. read more

Usually when we go to beaches, my fiance and I choose restaurants close to or ON the beach/boardwalk. In Belmar, we have been going to the same seafood place for years, even though their food really isn't all that good. Brandl is proof that some of the best restaurants are NOT at the beach! We were in the mood for a good dinner and decided to try a different spot today.While our normal place has a great ocean view, the food is mediocre. We searched on Yelp, read the reviews and decided to give Brandl a try. We specifically went for the scallops. We had a hard time finding the place because for some reason, our GPS just couldn't locate it. I called the restaurant to get specific directions and they were able to guide us right to it. We usually sit outside when we at out in the summer and today was no exception. It was a hot day, but Brandl had fans on their patio, so it was very comfortable. Thankfully, our waiter kept the water refills coming. We started off with the Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranate Molasses. They were cooked to perfection! A lot of places overcook Brussel sprouts or douse them in balsamic vinegar. These were just right. They weren't overly crispy OR soggy. The texture was just they way I like it. My fiance' ordered the M.D. Sea Scallops and I ordered the Everything Crusted Salmon. Both were DELICIOUS!! My salmon came with fingerling potatoes. For dessert, we ordered the White Chocolate and Raspberry souffle. You have to pre-order this because it takes 45 minutes to make. It was possibly one of the best desserts I've had in a restaurant. We had it with vanilla icecream. It was a nice size, and plenty for two people to share. The only bad part was that as soon as our food came out, so did the flies...and they BITE! That's pretty much par for the course when you eat outside, though. Overall, we loved Brandl. I know we will absolutely be back this summer. Thank you to our waiter and the cook for making our dinner so exceptional. read more

Disappointed. We made a reservation for Saturday evening during restaurant week. I knew it would be a little crazy so I didn't mind waiting a bit but it was almost 25 minutes past our reservation time before we were seated. There were 4 groups ahead of us and they were still taking reservations for that time slot...? It looked like there were only 2 waiters for the entire restaurant and a few food runners/bus people. They definitely needed more people on staff for a night like that. Our apps came and we had no major complaints - escargot and wedge salad. Plates sat for a while. Entrees came out and our old plates were still there. They mixed up our steaks and we didn't realize until the end that we had each other's (I prefer rare while my wife has medium rare). Oh well. Plates then sat for another 15 or so minutes. Dessert came, which was probably the best part of the meal - chocolate donuts and apple strudel. Would go back just for those again. Overall the food wasn't bad, and the waiter was very nice but it was the lack of service that killed me. It was just too busy for them to keep up. If I had been paying full menu prices for my meal, I'd be pissed off. read more

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I had a wonderful dinner here! The food is just delicious and I enjoyed my lamb dish immensely. Everything we ordered was delicious and the service was phenomenal. Great way to celebrate my in laws anniversary. read more

Not impressed. Apps were good but 2 filets were overcooked, poorly cut, and the demi-glace sauce was horrible. Very salty and completely covered all the side dish and steak, way too much. Service felt rushed, yet we only saw the waiter when ordering dinner and coffee. Not worth the $200. Also they have Google reviews turned off for some reason. Weird. read more

Brandl - a cup of coffee on a saucer with a spoon - New American Near Me - Belmar, New Jersey

I'm stunned reading some of the (3 or fewer stars) reviews- I don't know where those people ate, but this place is UNQUESTIONABLY one of the best restaurants here on the shore, not just in Belmar. I've eaten in many, many restaurants in my 60+ years, and these people know what they're doing. Steak to die for, terrific side dishes, and an efficient, courteous staff. Not much to look at from the outside, but the inside is pleasant enough... and I'm only there for the food anyway. I'm just sorry I didn't try this place sooner. read more

The manager didn't care at all that our bench seat cushion at the table we were seated at was completely deflated. It was ridiculous. My mother and I looked the size of kids and it was extremely uncomfortable. I explained to the manager Paul that I have a bad back and asked if we could move to one of the MANY empty table with chairs. He said "those were all specifically reserved". My husband and stepdad switched with my mom and I and joked all night about how they looked like kids in those seats. We had reservations for 5:00 on Mother's Day. The place wasn't crowded at all. Those empty tables never got used while we were there. Food was ok but small portions for the prices. The bus boy was actually very sympathetic and nice. We won't be going back there. read more

11/30/23 placed an online to-go order for dinner. The tall older man who was the host/manager was EXTREMELY rude and refused me utensils - "we're not that kind of establishment". I dined at Milos in NYC the night before and they gave me utensils to go...not to mention all the other 5-star restaurants I frequent in major cities across the country. This guy has no customer service skills and seems out of touch with reality ! Someone give him a hug and let him know it's okay to be nice to paying customers. No complaints with the food. read more

We went to Brandl for Mother's Day and they offered a pretty good fixed menu. We had the crab cakes, lobster dish and the Thai shrimp dish. All were well prepared. Brandl is a BYOB and did not charge a corkage fee, which was great. I definitely recommend it! read more

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I really wanted to love Brandl. Cool space, short but interesting menu, kitchy 1800-degree oven. Sadly, reality fell short of the expectations -- well, everything but the check. I think the height of the meal was the raw seafood starters we ordered. Good oysters and a fair amount of crab meat. The fried calamari was tender and tasty. But the forgotten escargot with broken snail tongs should have told me things were going to take a turn. The shrimp cocktail consisted of 4 shrimp size 24-30. Not exactly a mouthful, especially for the price. Thai shrimp with sticky rice couldn't make up its mind what flavors were going on - sweet, spicy, fruity. Garlic steak ordered medium but served well suggested that the 1800 degree oven can easily get away from them, as did the rack of lamb, charred on the outside but red on the inside. The unshelled lobster was fine if small but the rice it was served over should have been called cheesy pilaf. I always have such hopes for risotto but it takes so much effort it should never be served as an accompaniment. The most notable gaffe: long grain carolina rice instead of the lovely starchy short grain Arborio that lends its subtle creaminess to the dish (instead of cheating with actual dairy). The chocolate souffle was fine if bland, but who serves creme brulee in a tiny metal tin? Servers were hard to get ahold of and rushed, and the busboys were overly aggressive -- clearing things before we were done with them. So the bill for 4 diners, 3 courses was about $400. I would have been happy to pay that if the meal was excellent. It wasn't; i wasn't either. Save your money and go find either a cheaper seafood house (copious on the Jersey shore) or a better steakhouse. Brandl accomplished neither well. read more

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Had a 7:30 reservation Christmas Eve. Although our table was ready they made us wait on the outside patio. Seated at 8:05. We certainly could have sat with our wine at the table! There were no apologies made. The booth is way too soft and low. Could easily be resolved with offering some cushions. Food was good but overpriced. Servers were good. read more

The best of the Jersey shore. My wife and I enjoy dining here on special occasions and when we want an exceptional meal. The menu has the perfect selection of seafood and steaks. The tuna and other seafood dishes are my favorites. Start with a choice of salads and tasty appetizers like tuna tartar or smoked wings. Perfect for al fresco dining. Look for the early bird menus on their web site and social media. read more

One star for the good food and one star for our excellent waiter. We have eaten at Brandl about 6 times, and tonight was the last time I will dine here. The abuse that the staff takes from the owner, in full view of customers, is something I cannot tolerate. Tonight, he was so abusive to our waiter (who is always attentive, polite, friendly) that it was all I could do to not call him out on it. His fowl mouth (the F word in every sentence) and abusive behavior toward staff, totally oblivious to customers who are listening to this, is just unacceptable. Really ruined an otherwise good dinner. read more

I was extremely disappointed We were a party of 4. As soon as we walked in it stunk, like a sour smell. It wasn't crowded but we waited to get service. The manager didn't care about our table. The waiter was extremely rude, short & mean. I've honestly never had someone waiting on me that was outright mean. He got our order wrong. The food was basic. The staff was horrendous. Never again read more

Overall, our experience at Brandl was VERY disappointing. And as longtime local residents, we really wanted to like this place. But it was all around awful. Our waiter has clearly been in this business for far too long -- he was rude, disinterested and rushed. He offered to pour my wife's glass of wine, and when he did, spilled it over the table. (No apology.) When my wife noticed lipstick on her dirty wineglass, she told the waiter. His reply? "I'll get you a clean glass" and went off to do so. Then, he POURED HER WINE FROM THE DIRTY GLASS into a clean one. (No apology for the dirty glass or even an acknowledgment of it. WTF??) Even though the place was one third full on the evening we were there, our waiter seemed to be in a huge rush to get our order in, stopping by numerous times to see if we were ready....and after we placed the order, lo and behold, he was nowhere to be seen. We had the potsticks for an app. (The Empanada Guy, working out of his truck, does a better job.) For our entrees, my wife had the chicken and I had the braised short ribs. Both were nothing special -- breaded chicken lightly fried (which we could do at home ... and better), and the braised ribs, while tasty, were served at a tepid temperature...which seemed to be a consistent theme throughout Brandl and their staff that night. No smiles, no greetings, no genuine engagement and no interest, really, in anything but going through the motions. Cool interior at Brandl, but when your people lack interest, well, you get what we experienced: an overall shitty experience. Yes, I know COVID and the lack of staffing have presented real challenges for restaurants. But given all the 1 to 3 star ratings on Yelp for Brandl, their problems clearly transcend the current problems in the industry. There are very consistent themes in these reviews -- rudeness, etc. Yet, it doesn't seem that Mr. Brandl or his management team are listening or care all that much. .... We can't all be wrong, can we? ... Or if we are, I guess this approach to service is a recipe for long term success in the restaurant business. Who knew? read more

Thank you Brandl for doing an amazing job for our wedding ceremony and lunch reception. Service was great and the food was delicious! It was a perfect afternoon! read more

We absolutely loved our experience at Brandl. The food was amazing! Our favorite dish was the pan seared scallops. The staff was super friendly and attentive. The ambiance is very chill and relaxing! & it's BYOB. What more can you ask for, for a date night out in town! read more

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I wanted everything to be great as this was our first time back since before Covid. Our table arrived at 7:20 for our 7:30 reservation inside and we're told it would be a 45 minute wait. Ugh... we took an outside table which was nice outdoor furniture but had to sit at a high top bar table. Not the experience I was looking for. We each split a wedge. Good not great. Presentation was nice but the blue cheese dressing. Let's just say I've had better. 4 meals: NY strip, shrimp, veal chop and beef Wellington. All four meals were excellent. Yet the three meat dishes were all over cooked. By a lot..... 2 sides $14 dollars each. I mean cmon man a spoon of mashed potatoes for $14? It's literally more expensive than a NYC steak house. Service was rushed. No pacing. BYOB so that's good. Total bill with gratuity was $325 for 4 people. In and out in 1 hour 10 minutes. I really wanted it to be great. It was not. We won't be back. Average experience and price gouging will keep us away. read more

All I can say is it was unbearable in side "HOT". Service was slow and it was not packed. The waiter came back after dinner dropped off the desert menu at which time he was reminded that only one of the group had already ordered dessert. We waited for 25 minutes with no dessert so we just payed and left. Don't seat inside they have NO air conditioning which make it unbearable. read more

Save your money, super expensive, small plates & heavy attitude. Owner happened to be there when we arrived and looked frazzled. He squeezed through the door at the same time my wife & I were entering and stepped directly on my foot then didn't even bother to say sorry. High expectations from this place with very low delivery, plates were small, cluttered with a lot of side action fillers to make that plate appear bigger than it was. Food overall was fair at best. Atmosphere was acceptable but they rush you through your dinner as fast as humanly possible. My wife & I chose this place after not going out to dinner just the 2 of us in several weeks. The best part was the bill. They charged us 12 dollars for 2 seltzers with a few refills ! Who does that with seltzer water from a soda machine. Very Tacky. Needless to say we will not be back.....EVER read more

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Our annual "Three Amigos Cousins Weekend".......Unflippin believable meal at Brandl's in Belmar NJ. Smoked Salmon Tartar, Braised Shortrib Potstickers, Lazy Lobster with Vanilla Bean Risotto, Grilled Lamb Chops, White Chocolate Raspberry Souffle., and of course..........a great Cappucino Great Restaurant and Fabulous Service!!!! Northern Virginia Girls read more

Last night, I died and went to heaven!! Brandl's was delicious. I had the filet mignon in their special charcoal oven. The seasonings formed a thick delicious crust that I've never had before in any restaurant. I also had the sweet potato fries with Saffron seasoning. The fries were freshly made, sweet and so amazing! I feel like I'm doing an infomercial raving about this place. It's so rare to find a place with a good vibe and fresh food. Just so you know, you have to try the desserts. I had the vanilla soufflé and it rocked my world. I am going back for a burger on Tuesday night.. I rarely comment about how the restaurant is decorated, but this place was so unique. The staff were great. It was like they were happy to be there and enjoying what they do. when I asked about the staff they indicated most of staff been there for a very, very long time that means a lot. read more