The food was really fantastic. 5 stars on the food. The service was a tad inattentive and that's why only 4 stars. The waiter spent a lot of time chatting up the regulars and doing seemingly non-waiter stuff. Nice and friendly but I would have liked to have less time between checking with us as there were big gaps between drink and app orders, entry order, plate clearing etc. Not horrible, but everyone at our table noticed it. That said, back to the food. Little pricey but they have a famous chef, and it was worth it. For apps we shared an octopus and chorizo plate that looks like something out of Dr Seuss book with 3 octopus tentacles on skewers sticking straight up out of a serving block. The best tasting octopus I've ever had and the chorizo was a nice spiced accompaniment. We also share surf and turf dumplings that were just delicious. For an entree I had the Hudson Valley Duck Breast with pickled stone fruit and celery root slaw. It was just fantastic, cooked medium, tastiest and most tender duck I've ever had. My wife had the pork chop- it was a significant slab of meat. I'm usually not a fan of restaurant pork chops because here easy to do well at home and it's such a staple- but this was different. The tenderness and the taste were off the charts. The taste permeated the entire 1 1/2 inch thick chop. I think the waiter said they cook it in a bag with the marinades in hot water. Whatever they do, it works. Best chop ever. We split a toasted coconut layer cake with mango sorbet for dessert. Angry that I agreed to split it with the table. I'd definitely come back for more (and sit at the cool bar they have). read more

Drifthouse - New American Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Very good meal for restaurant week. The egg yolk raviolo was exceptional. The pasta was excellent. The double chocolate mousse topped off a near perfect meal. Service was excellent . read more

Drifthouse - Remains of my mousse. - New American Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Came here for a fancy night out during a bachelorette weekend. We had two tables near each other, due to dining restrictions during COVID. We had hoped to be a little closer together, but nothing anyone could do about that. The service was excellent, our waitress was extremely attentive and the host who helped organize our party was wonderful. My table shared a few appetizers - tuna tacos, lobster dumplings and the burrata, which were all delicious. I personally had the crab cake appetizer and a side of brussels sprouts for my main dish (nothing on the entree list screamed my name). The crab cakes were great, a lot of meat and wrapped in pretzel sticks which I thought was a unique take. The brussels sprouts were out of this world good, highly recommend. Everyone had a great time and we enjoyed our meal. The only downside is that this place is $$$$ and to me seemed a little overpriced for what was actually served. read more

Amazing evening for dinner with family at Drifthouse.. The food, the ambiance and service are truly a 10!!! The manager is so wonderful, very attentive and friendly !! I would recommend this Resterant to everyone, and I do! The happy hour is fun , bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable ! Never disappointed with food , service, cocktails and friendliness. .. Check it out!! René O'Connor read more

Very dissatisfied. I have been to many @David Burke restaurants and this was a disgrace, he should not have his name on here it's an embarrassment. #1the food WASENT good #2 the cosmo was good but they upcharged us for the cosmos saying it was in a cosmo glass WHATTTTT! Isn't a cosmo usually in a cosmo Glass ! The manager was very unprofessional on every level arguing with us , terrible attitude , he had sweat balls on his upper lip it was just awful it was so stinkin hot it was not normal , people were leaving sweating , we will never go back .... He was scared we were doing a tik tok on this restaurant and Also the air was broken it was dead air and we had to order many glasses of ice to cool off and many bottles of water which we delt with but to upcharge for a cosmo in a cosmo glass is just crazy . We were 3 girls id was 150 pp and I'm not going home home full !!!!!David Burke I'm disappointed!!!!! read more

Star Dish: house-made rigatoni We were a large party so I had the opportunity to taste several appetizers, entrees, and desserts. For us, my entree stood out as the favorite. The sauce complemented the homemade pasta, stealing the show without the sausage overpowering the dish or weighing it down. It is well worth the carbs! Room for improvement: the desserts! read more

Drifthouse - House-made rigatoni - New American Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

I hadn't gone here since the pandemic but recently started going for the happy hour at the bar on Fridays. The bar fills up by 4:30 because it's so popular. Great choices at a very reasonable price. Great wine selection and the bar tenders are first class. read more

My friends and I gathered at the Driftwood in Seabright for a little girls get- together last night and I wanted to write a review due to my mixed feelings. We were there in time for their happy hour which has a very nice appetizer menu with a variety of choices for $7.00 and a drink menu also consisting of a nice variety of drinks for $7.00. We all ended up snacking and eating throughout the evening. We had an order of the Grilled Flatbread with wild Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola, Thyme and Truffle Oil and I have to say it was delicious. The crust was cooked perfectly and the cheese to topping ratio was also perfect. My other friend decided to try the Short Rib Cavatelli with wild mushrooms, truffle pecorino and roasted garlic I hadn't tried it but it looked delicious. My friend loves food and she also said it was very tasty. Here was the part of the night that was not so pleasing to me. It was after happy hour and I went to the bar for a glass of house pinot grigio. I had 3 fives in my hand, the bartender put the glass of wine down in front of me and asked if I wanted change I looked at her and said "I don't know, how much is the drink" at which she replied "I don't know, it is either $11.00 or $13.00 dollars." Hmmm, I said I will take the change. She came back and said they had no singles and could not give change until the manager went to get some, she also said she did not know how much the wine was until she rang it into the register, so I said I will wait for the change. I waited and she never came back. I thought that was a bit odd but I was with friends and figured no biggie. At the end of the evening the friend that got the pasta dish for dinner got her bill and to her surprise it was $98.00. She asked us how that could be when she had the pasta, we put the flatbread on the bill and she drank a ginger ale. $39 for the pasta, $18 for the flatbread and what maybe $3.00 for the soda. We read it again and realized there was no itemized bill given to her just the receipt with the total and a place for her to sign and a copy of the same for her to keep. We have no idea what she was charged for. The bartender could have put anything on the bill and we never would have known other than that we all had a lovely evening and I would definitely go back and try some of the other items on their menu. Next time I will ask for an itemized bill. read more

Happy hour is great! Very unique beachy decor. Food is good. Service a little relaxed but still enjoyable. A great time to let loose and eat some good food. read more

Disappointing. The food ( grilled salmon over zoodles. Branzino, pork chop, supper de pesce) and service were good enough but the overall restaurant experience was not what I've come to expect from David Burke. Totally bland and nondescript decor with absolutely no ambiance. I wouldn't recommend it return. read more

Feels like you are eating at a concert not at a restaurant music is way too loud to have any type of conversation The food and the service leaves much to be desired Steer clear of this place not worth the visit very disappointing Servers at clumsy and very slow and the service is very slow and not adequate appetizers were OK at best and main dishes lacked any real flavor or excitement substituted peas for fava beans and lobster was quite small highly disappointed in this restaurant do better David Burke this restaurant needs a lot of help read more

I came here on a Friday night during the summer with my two best friends and all of our moms. Drifthouse was recommended by friends in the area so we decided to try it out. I think the restaurant sign could be a bit more prominent off of Ocean Avenue, as we almost drove right by it. Once we parked and entered the restaurant we were seated right away in a wonderful round corner table by the window, as requested with our reservation. I will say that the service was really fabulous here I just didn't really have a memorable culinary experience. We ordered the clothesline bacon and the lobster dumplings to share, I really loved the bacon and the dumplings were a bit plain. I realize they probably didn't want to take away from the fresh lobster flavor or overwhelm it by adding too many ingredients, but it needed a bit more and they could give two more dumplings in the order. The bacon though, was perfect, so nice and smokey. I ordered the salmon for my entree which was certainly fresh and I was happy with it, but again, a bit simple and needed something else to accompany it. Ultimately, because I am in the area often, I would imagine I will be back at Drifthouse, but it would not be my first choice. I understand the brunch is quite delicious so I think I will likely give that a try! read more

Nice ambience overlooking the beach and ocean. However, you need to get there earlier or know somebody to get one of those good tables overlooking the water. Menu was interesting and a definite step up from the days of AMA. Food was also very good, especially the maple bacon clothesline. Our server, Jeffrey was a delight and made up for the table situation. read more

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I'm so glad we have this restaurant another try. We had the most AMAZING dinner last night. Our party of 4 were greeted promptly by our waitress (who was fantastic all night long) who took our drink ordered and recommended the spicy margarita specialty cocktail of the night. It was fantastic! For appetizers we had a dozen oysters and the clothesline bacon. The oysters were plump and creamy, while the think bacon tasted like pork belly. For dinner we had the Black Sea bass special, scallops and octopus, NY strip, and the shirt rubs. All outstanding and cooked to perfection. Our waitress kept our experience going with continued wine service and the lollipop tree dessert. It was truly and exceptional evening. To top of the evening, David Burke and the GM stopped by to check on us and say hello. read more

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OUTSTANDING! From the moment we arrived, the ambiance was perfect. Our server, Chris, was helpful, knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. He offered the best suggestions! After a visit from the chef, Christian, we knew the experience would be amazing. Hats off to the staff, management and kitchen at Drifthouse. read more

Two of us arrived at DRIFTHOUSE on a busy Saturday night only to find that the reservation I had made was for the wrong night. The host after realizing my mistake asked me to wait a few minutes to see if he could accommodate us. Within less than 1O minutes, we were seated. The rest of the night we experienced great service from the staff and nice atmosphere including a beautiful view of the ocean. I recommend DRIFTHOUSE by David Burke for enjoyable night out. read more

The waitress was terrible and unnatentive. The food coming out was poorly timed. Bread wasn't put on the table until after the appetizers came. Drinks didn't come in a timely manner whatsoever. The sides for the main courses came 10 minutes after the main courses were on the table. Any small request was met with attitude that she didn't even care to try to hide. She couldn't possibly want to be there less. Maybe my family and I "lucked out" with the miserable waitress. Every other staff member seemed happy or at least faked it well enough. Definitely made this birthday experience memorable. Will go to a different place next time. read more

On the whole quite good...the views are exceptional...the food was very good (I do not expect 5 star NYC cuisine at this kind of venue) the drinks and wine were as well. The wait staff was attentive and engaged. No complaints. read more

Went to DRIFTHOUSE two weeks ago on a September Friday night, after friends said they had a really good meal there. We got a reservation for 7:45pm and arrived at the bar for a pre-dinner drink. The bar was fairly busy and we were served quickly. The sun was just setting and we could still see the ocean, so arriving earlier would have been ideal, but some of us had to work. We were seated at a large round table, which for me, was too big for 4 and felt a bit impersonal, but still ok. They begin meals by serving a popover, which to me was gooey inside and not so well done. We started with a tasty beet salad which we split, which was flavorful. I ordered the halibut, slightly too well done, so make sure you tell them not to overcook it. The rest of the dish was flavorful and I was hungry, so I ate it all. My boyfriend ordered the rigatoni, which he said was good, but had too little sausage in it. I didn't feel it was worth the money, but would go back for drinks and an appetizer at the bar for the ocean view. Our friends love it. Sorry, 3 stars. read more

This is probably the greatest restaurant in the area. Had brunch with my family on Sunday and all I can say is - amazing! You have to visit this place if you're in the neighborhood. We had a special deal of the day, which includes a cocktail ( I had Paloma, perfectly made ) appetizer and main course for only $29.99! Whatever you order from the menu, you won't regret it. Pastrami salmon, mussels, omelet.. so delicious! Our server was great, so attentive and knowledgeable. The manager Alex was checking on us frequently, so positive and professional! Can't wait to try other dishes when I come to Jersey shore again! read more

My expectations were met and beyond!! It was a girls get together and what is better then a brunch. We first were met with a friendly smile by the hostess. Our waitress was attentive but also knew we needed our time to savor our food and of course have time to chat. The food was flavorful, fresh and beautiful plating. It was a nice selection of choices. The brunch was a great value at $29 with wonderful choices. read more

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Food was very good, staff is very friendly and attentive. There was a live band the day we went and they were very good. Went back another time for burger night... yum! read more

Went here for my birthday dinner was VERY disappointed!! For the prices they are charging the food does not come close in quality. Shrimp scampi was 3 small overcooked shrimp with no sauce. I got the pan seared grouper which did not taste fresh at all. Ordered a margarita that was pure tequila. All this to tune tune of $400! David Burke's restaurants are off my list! read more

I'm really surprised on all the mixed reviews on this restaurant. We thought DRIFTHOUSE by David Burke was a solid 4 stars, and we are definitely happy we chose to dine here tonight. I had the pumpkin soup with spicy rock shrimp to start which was very good. For entrees we had the filet mignon and the dry aged 18 ounce bone in sirloin, and they were very good. I thought the filet mignon was the better of the two, but I would of preferred a 10 ounce cut than only an 8 ounce one. For sides we had the couch potatoes and the hipster fries. The couch potatoes we wouldn't order again. There really wasn't anything special about them. They were just basic boiled potatoes that lacked seasoning. The hipster fries were delicious! Desserts here stole the show! Kudos to the pastry chef! We had "The Cake By The Ocean" and the Triple Chocolate Torte. "The Cake By The Ocean" was unreal! It was a chocolate chip cookie molten cake, and I'll definitely order it every time I dine here! It says it's a cake for 2, but quite honestly I didn't feel it was large enough for 2 people, and I ate it all myself. Trust me order one for yourself because you aren't going to want to share it! The Triple Chocolate Torte was good, but not nearly as good as the other. Overall we thought the food was very good, and the service and desserts were excellent. I recommend dining at DRIFTHOUSE by David Burke! read more

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We made a reservation for tonight because it was Lobster night. Upon being seated we found out that there were only three lobster specials on the menu. The lobster roll and lobster and mussel bisque were missing. Given two of the three of us were planning on ordering the lobster roll we were very disappointed. We decided to order 6 of the NJ oysters and we each ordered the 1.25 lb lobster. The oysters were tiny and the lobsters had an odd taste - not bad but not fresh. The best part of our meal was our waiter Emmett - charming and service oriented. We had a flatbread as an app and a chocolate cake for dessert that were great. Despite the good points we won't be back. We felt like the lobster night was a bait and switch and that David Burke is resting on laurels he earned many years ago. There are much better places in the area. read more

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner. They were running a special that included 3 courses as well as a choice of wine or champagne for $85 a person. I loved everything about the restaurant. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere and ambiance. I'm not sure if this is only due to the pandemic but I loved how spacious it was inside and we weren't sitting near to other people. The service was great and everyone working there was friendly. The menu had plenty of options if you weren't interested in the special. The food was a little pricey but definitely worth it if you want a nice dinner. The first thing they brought out was an interesting complimentary appetizer served inside of an egg shell. I don't remember what it was called but I believe it was some kind of mushroom purée. I really enjoyed the tuna crudo and loved how the capers complimented the fresh tuna. I got the surf and turf which came with steak and shrimp. The portion looked smaller than I expected but I was honestly full after eating half of the meal and had to bring the rest home. It came with broccoli rabe which was good and not at all bitter but could have used slightly less salt. The dessert was absolutely perfect I wish I had ordered some to take home! All of the food was fresh and tasty. I would definitely return to this restaurant. read more

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Server had no experience and lacked personal hygiene -- kale and beat salad 95 % Kale 5 % beats ( and no blue cheese) - waiter argued didnt come with blue cheese - had to tell him to look at menul.. seafood risotto first ingredient mention was shrimp... upon receiving dinner - no shrimp ... when told waiter - chef advise he forgot to put shrimp on - than gave a side dish of shrimp scampi - smothered in garlic .. veal chop for 55 - to take a line from Rodney Dangerfield could see jockey marks on the chop.. took three try's to get a bottle of wine that they had ,, waiter noted they need to update the menu and hadn't .. they get people in there with David Burke's name - run when you hear that! Would have better enjoyed a dinner at shake shack ... read more

Always a great time at drifthouse! Every single dish I've ordered there has been incredible. The best way to end the night is with one of their perfect espresso martinis! read more

Just went to Drifthouse for dinner. It was amazing!! Had the homemade truffle pasta. Service was great! My server Mike was professional. Alexander the manager sent over the most delicious dessert. Everything from the hostess to valet was a breeze! The outdoor patio view was top notch! Definitely going back! read more

Food was good, service way too slow. I came for a group event, planned weeks in advance. People arrived on time at noon. Tables were ready. We ordered from a preselected menu - burger, steak or grilled salmon. Then we waited. At 1:20 they brought out a salad bowl for our table of 10. We had to ask for 2 refills just so everyone cold get enough salad. At 2 PM our entrees came out. The salmon was expertly grilled. The 2 pieces of asparagus underneath were nicely done but it seemed stingy to get just 2 spears. A buffet dessert table came out just before 3 PM. Loved the variety and the flavor. read more

I would not return. Reservation was not honored, service was terrible and it was so loud we could not even talk to each other. The artichoke salad tasted like wood and straw. The only saving grace was the salmon and pork chop were outstanding. read more

This place is in deep trouble. Don't see this lasting too long after the summer rush when even the worst of restaurants can pay their bills. If he really cares about his reputation or what's left of it, David Burke needs to get his hands dirty ASAP. Although most of the food was good not great, the service was below average and not a manager in sight. We went on mom's day with reasonable expectation of a nice experience. From the moment we arrived we could tell this was going to be less. Having been at the previous restaurant AMA, we saw very little change in decor and atmosphere. The tables and decor were sort of old and dated. Basically they painted the place and made few changes. Checking in, Not one of The 3 high school hostesses smiled and not one said "happy Mother's Day". Ru kidding me!? hostess Carolyn? walked us to the table and maintained her frown. Miserable would be a good description of her attitude. The wAiter was equally inexperienced and not much happier than the hostesses, do we sense a trend here? The menu was not very big nor creative although the hanging bacon was interesting and pretty good, but $19 for 3 thick bacon slices on a clothes line? I don't think so. Moms salmon was undercooked and returned, my pasta diavola and daughters rigatoni were good. Our Caesar was uninteresting and bland as well as our asparagus salad. Best deal was the $8 fries with bacon bits. Service was slow and inattentive as shown from the attached photo, with food left on the table cloth after clearing our plates. $200+ later and no "how was your meal" or "good byes" from the worst hostess team at the shore. We will not be back. Having owned and operated many a restaurant in my time I know a poorly run shop when I see one. Seems like "weekend at Bernie's" in a restaurant, as David Burke seems present in name only. But at least we saw Bernie here and there in the movie. read more

Drifthouse - What they left after clearing our main course - New American Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

I was looking forward to this place, but, the only reason I'm giving it two stars instead of one is because the service was good but that's where it ends. The ambiance was nice but it is extremely loud, all the rooms echo. We had a very hard time hearing the staff and each other. But the bigger disappointment, and the main reason you go out to eat, was the food. Don't be fooled by the menu, everything sounds amazing but nothing tastes like you would expect. Everything we ordered was just bland. We ultimately said the food tasted like wedding food. Not fresh, and seemed like it was made in bulk and over cooked. Ultimately don't waste your money on this place. You can get a much better meal for half of the price. read more

We had the best time at Drifthouse! Everything we had was delicious! All the appetizers and especially the soft shell crab and seafood fra diavolo was great! Drinks were fabulous too, there was a delicious elderflower martini that was a special. The dinners were delicious and presented so beautifully, a work of art We so look forward to coming back! read more

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Very disappointed there was no air conditioner as it was broken. The place looks like a beach bar serving ok food at very high prices. The martini was $17 and they tried to up charge us $9 dollars a drink because it was served in a martini glass which did not make sense. The manager was not very professional. If you love David Burke restaurants as we do you might be disappointed with this one read more

The food was "OK" but certainly not worth the cost. We were scheduled to eat at Red Horse but this spot was really underwhelming.

The appetizers were very good. Our waitress wasn't. I ordered a cocktail and it wasn't what I expected after a sip. I kindly asked if I can get a glass of wine instead. Her answer wasn't what I expected either...she looked at me like 'how dare I ask that' and said this isn't Baskin Robbins. Omg I should have got up and left. That set the mood in the negative for rest of dinner. If I'm going to spend an absorbent amount on dinner, I'll go to Keans in NYC. Crazy priced. It DOESNT have to crush your wallet to be delicious. Won't go back. Disappointed and still bothered by her ridiculous comment. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr :-( read more

Came here for dinner with my family. We were seated behind a party of 20 people so we couldn't even hear each other talk. On top of that service was absolutely awful. My branzino was barely cooked. Don't recommend. read more

Beautiful view, amazing AMAZING staff, brunch was so so delish. So happy I was finally able to get here. I highly recommend and I will most definitely be back read more

Drifthouse - New American Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

This week was my first return to the "Jersey Shore" for vacation since last summer. Being from New York City, I haven't had the opportunity to dine out since pre-corona. Last night I was extra excited to eat at DRIFTHOUSE because it was my girlfriend's birthday and our first "out to eat" experience since February. I had previously dined at David Burke Tavern in Manhattan and had an overall excellent experience which led me to try the shore destination. At DBT The food was delicious and creative and the staff were all so attentive from a knowledgeable server down to the hostess who sat us. The ambiance on the outdoor patio at DRIFTHOUSE was relaxing and beachy. There are ocean views on one side overlooking a beautiful pool club and bay views on the other side of the outdoor patio. When we walked onto the patio our table wasn't ready which is not a major deal. We then walked back indoors and had to wait with masks on standing there awkwardly. Upon seating we were greeted with a host or bus boy (not sure of his role) but he was apologetic and assisted in getting our drinks and water. Our cocktails were delicious and refreshing (gin, honey, lemon and cucumber) and aesthetically pleasing. Thanks to that young man for getting those to us right away. Our server was fine, polite, but once order was taken he was essentially not around. No recommendations from his end whatsoever. He didn't seem to know menu well. Again, fine, everyone is getting back into the swing of work but I thought after four months servers would have more attentiveness- especially with less than 20 people dining. We started with a pretzel encrusted crab cake which was a 10. It was flavorful and creative and it made us hopeful for the meal about to come. We decided to share the octopus/ scallops Vera Cruz and the lobster cavatelli with a tomato blush cream sauce. The scallops were perfectly cooked and delicious in the Vera Cruz dish (which is apparently super popular based on yelp research) but the octopus was painful to chew through. As I was eating it I was very mindful of the suction cups which, when octopus is grilled or cooked correctly they aren't rock solid to chew. The broccoli in that dish was bland and I overall thought I could have made it better at home (no culinary experience.) upon arrival to the table the dish just looked like it was sitting "in the window". The lobster pasta also had that "sitting in the window" look. The cream sauce appeared slightly hardened on top. We are millennials and love photographing our delicious food stops but it looked horrible in pictures. Safe to say it didn't make it to our social media pages. For a $40 pasta dish the lobster did not taste fresh and there was a scant amount. The taste of the dish was pleasant, lacked spice or a kick but we still ate it. When both dishes were 3/4 done the server showed up. We aren't the type to return half eaten dishes so of course we just said "it's good". Although the experience wasn't ideal we both agreed we would come back because everything had such potential. Sea bright is really beautiful ... Our server suddenly became enthusiastic about the dessert menu but by that time we were ready to wrap it up. Sometimes dining out can be tiring although we missed it. Atleast at home I have ample water, napkins and can refill my cocktails/wine on my own accord. Maybe after phase 2 ends and we're well into phase 3 we will give DRIFTHOUSE another go. read more