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    The Ringmaster of The BERZERKUS Zakk Wylde!!
    Bill M.

    Convention Hall is a 3,600 seat arena in Asbury Park and in the Fall of 2010  I Ran Away to Join the BERZERKUS!! and never looked back. Zakk Wylde had returned home to Jersey and brought his band Black Label Society with him. Clutch was also on the lineup that night to provide support and they most certainly did that and then some. Also in appearance were 2 cents, and Children of Bodom but we arrived late just in time to see Clutch. You could tell they immediately meant business and their shearing one-of-a kind sound was totally on point. Every song was masterful in every possible way and their sound was excellent with one of the smallest sets of musical gear I think I've ever seen anybody Rock Out that hard with. Incredible. Just Incredible.    Behind Clutch's small but super powerful presentation sat 12 double stacks of Marshall Amplifiers and were a clear reminder of what the rest of this magical night would have in store for us. The Hall was already exploding with the unmistakably unique sound that Clutch brought with literally "50,000 Unstoppable Watts"!!     As soon as intermission ended we rushed down to the pit in front of the stage. We were all loaded with extreme anticipation and prolly some other stuff. Lol. The crowd was charged up man, you could feel it. Freakin Electrified. Then Black Label Society hit the stage with such punishing volume and force that it actually went right through us and left our bones rattling and our teeth chattering. Lol. The percussion was incredibly thunderous, the bass bins were pounding and concussive. With our heads banging up and down we moshed and stomped as if our lives depended on it. Wild and uncontrolled sheer energy pulsed through each and every one of us like a pack of rabid Mad Dogs. "Hold on Son cause this is gonna be one hell of a ride"  I barked.     Always thought Zakk to be one of the best living Metal Guitar Gods, I mean he was Ozzy's Guitarist for over thirty years so ah yeah. And that night he proved his legendary status again and again and again to everyone lucky enough to witness that show with every sustained screeching, shredding, powerful note. Welcome Home Brother. Convention Hall will never be the same. Thanks for the memories from this "Blessed Hellride". [ My ears are still ringing from that one, Lol ] Come And Get Your Mosh On!!

    Lydia B.

    This building has definitely evolved and changed over the years in terms of shops, but I love walking through it. There's really nothing like it on the Jersey Shore. If you're looking for a scenic, fun beach walk, start here!

    Chip R.

    Bottom line: Asbury Park's historic Convention Hall is a great landmark, adding more than just the current shops, bars, and restaurants on your boardwalk stroll. It's a weathered piece of AP's past that makes it that much more special. I am a fan! The Deets: I am going to start out 2021 with a review of one of the landmarks I've visited many times in my trips to Asbury Park, the Convention Hall. Straddling the boardwalk along the northern part of Asbury Park, it's a structure hard to miss if you are near the beach there. This building was constructed in the late 1920's in the Beaux-Arts style to attract the conventions of the time as a convention center as well as shows using the Paramount Theatre inside. Heat back then was provided by steam pipes coming from the still visible remains of the steam plant on the other side of the boardwalk near the remnants of the old casino. I love that Asbury Park has so much of its history still visible today and the Convention Hall is definitely part of that history. It's even near the site of the beaching of the SS Morro Castle ocean liner after its disaster off the Jersey Shore in 1934 (look that one up if you don't know that story). The Grand Arcade walkway today may not be filled with the same type of shops as it was a century ago but still a great destination to check out the current stores, shops, restaurants, and bars. I've loved the coffees I've enjoyed sitting there watching the surf in the morning, the beverages I've gotten on the side bars, the nice meals at the seafood restaurants, and of course the shopping in the stores set up along the way. Summer around that area of the boardwalk is not the same until hearing the "thumpa thumpa" of the music coming from the bar on the south end of the hall. That's just summer in AP. Sure, the bathrooms need a little work and the structure itself is showing signs of age, wear-n-tear, but I love this building and what it brings to Asbury Park. It would not be the same without it.

    Gerald S.

    At the turn of the 20th Century, ocean side convention centers were a very big thing. Atlantic City had one, and Asbury Park as its main Jersey Shore competition (along with Cape May) wanted one, too. After all, New York was already operating its third Madison Square Garden. They were economic engines that brought people into town and spread dollars in every direction. Still, Asbury Park got a very late start on its building due to city politics and property ownership. It wasn't until 1925 that a second design for a convention hall attached to the large Paramount Theater via a Grand Arcade which enclosed the boardwalk that ran between the two entities was opened. What remains today is not as grandiose as it was back in the day. Then, the Hall booked conventions all year long, and the Theater was a Vaudeville and off-Broadway destination. The Arcade was full of shops, vendors and pickpockets that families kept their kids away from. It even played its part in making history. In 1934 a cruise ship returning from Cuba caught fire off the coast and was attempted to be towed to a birth in Sea Girt to the north. The cable broke and the still burning SS Morro Castle almost crashed into Convention Hall, but was stopped by a sandbar in the nick of time. More recently, Bruce Springsteen used the Hall for rehearsals before going out on tour. Walking in through the southern doors on the Asbury Park Boardwalk, the deep shadows within make it easy to imagine what it was like. There isn't as much going on now as seventy years ago, but given that in the late 20th Century it was in near ruin due to neglect, it has come a long way. Gratitude to the city fathers, and some entrepreneurs for saving this historic building and bringing it back to life. Today, you can get a break from the sun, go to a concert, grab a cup of locally roasted coffee, and sit at bars overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and beaches that Jimmy Buffet would like to call his own. It's laid back timeless ethos is just a great place to hang out. A lot of Asbury Park is gone either from fire, flood, urban renewal, or just disinterest. All those parking lots off Ocean Avenue used to be arcades and honkytonks. Bright lights, loud music and games by day, prostitution and drunks in the street by night. We can debate whether the city and New Jersey are better for these changes. But, that they had the insight and resources to save Convention Hall and put it to good use again, is beyond dispute.

    Holiday bazaar
    Jonathan R.

    Great location for local events including concerts, conventions, community events, shopping etc. The convention center has a storied history and I don't know the half of it. There is a theater there and from what I understand many famous acts have performed there, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, The Who,Van Halen and most famously Led Zeppelin....as a matter of fact Led Zeppelin turned down Woodstock to play Asbury Park. The Asbury Park theater was NJ's version of Madison Square Garden. Today it has a restaurant and bar, serves as a concert venue for smaller acts. I attended the holiday bazaar this past Saturday night which included local vendors selling their wares and the annual Christmas tree lighting. A beach boys cover band played a set, Santa Claus made an appearance which kicked off the holiday season. There is a ton of metered parking available and on a nice night a walk down the adjacent boardwalk will bring you to a handful of shops, restaurants and bars. Full disclosure, the stores are closed during the Beach off season but during the summer you will find many boutiques, food vendors etc. If you have not checked out Asbury Park recently, this gritty beach town is quickly changing. Hotels are being constructed, homes renovated and restaurants opening. It may be worth a day trip during the summer at the very least if not a long weekend. Asbury Park is a quick ride to several beach towns along the Atlantic Ocean.

    Noticed they put a photo booth inside . $5 gives you two 3 photo strips with a greetings from Asbury logo. Cute :)
    Maria V.

    Located right on the Asbury Park boardwalk and Ocean. I like to stroll thru here. There are murals outside on one side. Inside - there are several small vendors and stores that sell cute things. The oyster bar is in there that is great for drinks and snacks . Anchors bend is also located in there as well but as much as it looks cute and busy- I am not fond of the drinks or food there.

    Suzy B.

    I attended the Holiday Baazar last weekend at Convention Hall. Whenever I'm in the building, I always think about how much history has been under this roof over the years. These days as Asbury Park really starts to come into its own, Convention Hall is always filled with such awesomeness. This time of year you'll find the Holiday Bazaar. Lots of local artisans and cool gifts for the holidays. Along the outskirts of the building are the the stores that are open year-round such as restaurants, coffee shop, Asbury Park souvenirs, clothing/jewelry shops, a candy shop and more! Now you'll find a whole bunch of local vendors with great gifts for the holidays. They even had musicians on stage playing holiday music which was a really nice touch. If you're looking for a fun thing to do in Asbury leading up to the Holidays, definitely check this out. There's a coat drop too if you want to make a donation. We brought a bunch of coats to help those in need this holiday. You can also get your picture taken with Santa... or just watch the parents try to get their kids to sit on Santa's lap without freaking out. I think that part was the most entertaining of all. :)

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    Enjoyed a bunch of great events there. Including beer fests, concerts and opening night parties for film fests.

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    It was cute, some of the stuff I'd actually consider buying. Great setting and there was music and a big ass Christmas tree.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Convention Hall

    Review Highlights - Convention Hall

    Convention Hall is part of the boardwalk, so it follows the same seasonal rules, leashed and friendly dogs are welcome from 9/15-5/15.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    The James Bradley - breakfast

    The James Bradley

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    Absolutely perfect from check in to check out. Hotel is conveniently located near the beach, but…read morealso near the main street and public transit. The hotel is beautiful and it felt like every single piece of furniture and decorations were chosen intentionally. Perhaps the best part of our stay was the phenomenal, friendly and attentive service from manager Emily. Truly a gem of a person, and made sure everything we needed was available. Would also like to highlight that Emily reached out even before our stay begun to ask if we needed anything upon arrival or had any questions. All requests were met and Emily was prompt to answer all questions. I would highly recommend The James Bradley to anyone thinking of visiting. If you're looking for a quick vacation out of this city, this is the place, so easy to get to, the town has wonderful restaurants/bars and the beach was beautiful (even if it was too cold to hang out). Can't wait to find a reason to return.

    The lobby and dining area, porch and sitting areas are beautiful. Our room was also quite lovely…read morebut could've used some more amenities like perhaps a place to sit and eat as we ordered food, utensils (we ended up getting some from the front desk) and a trash can? I'm all for minimalism but there needs to be functionality behind it. As for breakfast; more gluten free options please! And the soft boiled eggs we chose were either cooked too hard or way undercooked. The yogurt and fruit was delicious! Our server was great.

    Silverball Retro Arcade - Asbury Park - Retro Arcade Half Pie for $7 is a Great Deal when you're @ the beach for the day!

    Silverball Retro Arcade - Asbury Park

    (294 reviews)

    $$

    If you're too highbrow to visit an arcade then let's call it a museum. They do have historical…read morebackground on the games. I learned about Mappy, obscure for good reasons, which oddly features a microwave in its cat-vs.-mouse battle. Silverball is acclaimed for its unique pinball collection but I veer more to video games, especially Super Breakout. An offseason weekday in Asbury Park means hotels aren't $400 but the boardwalk is also a bit too quiet at that time, so I'm thankful that Silverball helps create a sense of place year-round. (For my financial news nerds, Silverball's current rating average is 4.6 and there should be an "adjusted EPS"-type number that excludes any negative reviews about the food. I have nothing bad, or good, to say about Silverball's cuisine having never tried it but I assure you there's fine fare within the designated Asbury Park/Ocean Grove/Neptune/Bradley Beach Designated Metropolitan Area.)

    What a great place to spend a day, with or without your kids, lol. It's an arcade that has numerous…read morepinball machines, skee ball, and other arcade type of games to play. The best thing is that whatever price that you pay, there is unlimited play time for that period of time that you purchased. NO digging for coins to feed into the machines, no time limit on the games, and there 's a whole assortment of different types of pinball machines and arcade games there to play. There's a concession area inside Silverball. Food served is typical for such a place as this, pizza, chicken nuggets, fries, food and drinks catering to children's tastes and priced reasonably. Definitely recommend visiting Silverball Arcade if you're in Asbury Park. You and your family will have a great time there:).

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    Honestly, I was blown away by this humble little restaurant. It truly is a warm and inviting…read moreatmosphere with standout dishes and excellent service. It was so good that I would have returned back the very next day. We walked in and we're seated immediately with our reservation, and the experience only went up from there. There are plenty of staff around to make sure that you have everything you need without seeming to be too much. It's a cozy space, nothing super fancy, but really that's all you need sometimes in a neighborhood Italian joint. Everyone at my table raved about their food from the pasta Arrabiata, to the veal special to what I had which was the crab pasta. There was so much crab and the sauce was so light. I can't get over it. I ate my leftovers that same night. Looking forward to visiting soon again

    Awful experience. We left after an hour and twenty minutes after not getting our food. I kept…read moreasking how much longer was it going to take and they never came back with an answer. Having kitchen experience myself as well as being human being I know things can happen. I just wanted to know. After the host came in from hanging out with his friends outside he bought us over a salad swimming in dressing as an apology . I told him we don't want that, all we want is an answer as to how much longer our food will be. Again, no answer. By the time we wanted to leave our waitress and servers were no where to be found so we were kind of stuck as I was not going to walk in back to look for someone. Now, nobody wants to walk out of a restaurant ( except the owner in this case) but over an hour with no explanation is a little much. We finally caught a server who got our waitress as we waited by the door. Her only excuse for us was " I don't know what to tell you"

    Convention Hall - movietheaters - Updated May 2026

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