i can see why there's always a wait, this food is AMAZING. the coffee is super creative and great…read moretoo. service here is a bit slow to get your order taken but once it's taken the food comes out fast! the cacio e pepe eggs were a dream come true, creamy, cheesy and plenty of flavor. the bread that came with it was also a sleeper hit. I tried their crab chips as well and those were amazing, they truly did not skimp on the crab here. I would've liked it try it when they still used fries but the chips were still good. i got one of their dirty sodas and will say it wasn't my favorite but i enjoyed the creativity and extra option past just alcohol and coffee. overall though the portions are massive and well worth the price, the food is creative, fresh, and outright delicious. if you're in the area this place is a MUST. No other brunch in the area can compare to what cardinal is doing. ambiance here is like any brunch place but a little more upscale, clean interior and a nice little counter service space as well. if you're gonna visit ashbury, be sure to hit cardinal.

Food was good; good portions…read more It took us a while to get in- at least a 30+ minute wait so we walked around for a bit. Service was excellent- they were very attentive and friendly. We had a booth and were able to comfortably have a conversation as noise level not too bad. Would come back to try different things.

Back again - this time with 4 additional Yelpers (we get together every month or so for dinner)…read more We started the meal, after opening our wines, with two orders of Polpetine di Pollo (chicken meatballs) and Fiori di Zuccca (Zucchini Flower). both were excellent ! Entrees consisted of Australian Striped Bass, Gnocchi Truffle, Pollo Impanato di Milanese, and 3 orders of the Chicken Cordon Bleu. we shared an order of Warmed Mascrapone Spinach. Everything was served in a timely fashion - piping hot. Desserts consisted of a delicious Fruit Tart, Pecan and Walnut Tart and their terrific Pistachio Creme Brulee. Espresso, Capuccino and Americano Coffees paired well with our choices. Our waiter, Cosmo, was terrific. He knows his menu and was able to guide us in making our choices. Remember, Dolce Fantasia is BYOB. The chef came to our table twice to gauge our reaction to our meals, always a nice touch. The space is decorated nicely and we will definitely return.

Asbury Park is one of my favorite food towns, and a huge reason is because it still has the ability…read moreto pleasantly surprise me. Case in point - this restaurant has apparently been in the downtown area for several years and I had no idea. I stopped by here for lunch on Memorial Day with the Millennial Chum, and in a totally risky move, didn't make a reservation anywhere and just decided to wing it. The Millennial Chum's only requirement was that it be a place neither one of us had been to before, so after a very quick search/walk, we noticed this place and also decided we had a hankering for Italian. Done. I don't know how to describe the interior, but "yellow" and "modern" comes to mind. This isn't a stodgy white tablecloth kind of place; it's vibrant and hip, I'm sure trying to capture that classic Asbury demo. Really unique. The weather was a little meh, which worked in our favor - although there was a decent amount of foot traffic in the downtown area 70% of which were pooches, only one other table was occupied in here. We were able to sit down and were served very promptly. We were both very intrigued by one of the apps on the verbal specials menu - mango burrata, which sounded like sort of a mess, but also worth a try. Definitely more of the latter. Never would have thought to combine these two ingredients together, but it was really excellent and an interesting palate pairing. The presentation was solid as well, and this...didn't last long, although given that we both ordered entrees perhaps we should have been more responsible in that regard. Something I'd recommend for the regular menu in the future for sure. A lot of the entrees looked interesting and pretty authentic; this isn't just spaghetti and chicken parm (I'm not actually sure either was even on the menu). The one that emotionally spoke to me the most was the Pappardelle (one of my fave pastas and always pleased to see it) Al Telefono Nostro. Really hit the spot, and as you can see a really hardcore portion. The tomato cream sauce was light and flavorful, and the only nitpick I had (just a personal palate preference) was the inclusion of the sliced tomatoes. I'm sure a ton of people love those, and it basically adds a level of authenticity to the dish that a barbarian like me just can't quite appreciate. I made sure the Millennial Chum had a few tomato pieces though. Really good dish and would order it again. Honestly not sure what possessed us to even look at the dessert menu much less actually order from it, but I thought Oreo Tiramisu sounded interesting, despite the Millennial Chum's yowling that she despised tiramisu. It turns out she doesn't, because once this dish arrived she happily helped herself and decided that her opinion on tiramisu was likely based on a traumatic/misleading childhood incident. Bare minimum, this place gets solid marks for rewriting history for her in the Italian dessert department. But it WAS delicious, which was a theme of our meal. The service was top-notch; our waitress was over regularly and had a strong command of the menu (which I think deserves bonus points, given that this was not Americanized and it helped to have a metaphorical lifeguard helping us navigate some of the trickier stuff; I studied abroad in Florence over 20 years ago, but you'd never know it). Very pleasant. BIg recommend; not a ton of establishments under the radar in Asbury, but this might be one of them.

Absolutely delicious breakfast and lunch. Great service and outdoor dinning during the summer. A…read morelocal favorite for sure!

ASBURY PARK: The Chat and Nibble is a long-standing breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot that allows…read moreleashed and friendly dogs at the tables out front and also on their back patio. Even being outside, there is a nice ambiance and cozy feel. The menu is classic comfort food and prepared deliciously and we love that there is a veggie sausage option for non-meat eaters. Our server was attentive and brought Brie a water bowl and gave her lots of attention. Located less than a mile from the beach area, this place is a not-quite-so-hidden-gem tucked away from the boardwalk buzz, perfect for a chill meal before or after your seaside stroll.

Seated right away and greeted quickly. Food came quick and…read morewas very tasty! Cute interior and friendly staff!

Okay experience. Upon arriving we were met with a friendly but a bit frantic hostess. The place was…read moreby no means busy and she was acting as though they were swamped. Once we sat down our server arrived who seemed less than pleased to be serving us, he was nice enough but barley spoke with us and seemed to not want to be there. For food I had the Mediterranean omelette which truthfully was not very good, it was borderline flavorless. Additionally our server barley checked in with us. Ambiance is fine, its your typical casual brunch spot - don't expect anyone dressed well or an elevated experience. I definitely don't think this was the best showcase of Toast as I have heard great things so they may have just been having an off day. I would definitely give it another shot.

Adorable hipster bar with the coolest looking people. The bartender was awesome and I saw they…read moreserve food! Came here on a Saturday night and there was a DJ. The music was good and the vibe was awesome. I had a good time here with my party of 4.

This place was GOOOOOD. Honestly blown away by this establishment…read more Was in town for work & everyone from the area to told me to come down to this area for dinner. Walked around & landed on this place. Such a swanky cool kind of new age hipster but also vintage vibe? Lol No idea! But I sure was digging it! The bartender was super sweet in helping me make a decision for dinner, because I wanted to try it ALL. I folded on the Lemony Shrimp & Bean stew (absolutely spectacular and this is coming from someone that doesn't like being or vegetable type soups) the leeks were so yummy but the shrimp was the star, just look at how huge they were. Sliced Flat Iron - SO JUICY. Such flavor! Literally haven't had any steak til this day that could replicate that flavor of the scallion chimichurri and celery root purée. It has been over a year now since I've been here, and I still CRAVE, I'm talking I have full on dreams about having this place again. Can confirm, I AM Homesick.

I fall more in love with this place each time I go!…read more Grabbed a Vegan Cesar and vegan hot honey pizza. Unreal! The Cesar salad was amazing - I'll be dreaming of it the next visit. The pizza, as always, a FAVORITE. Truly the best place ever!!!

Wanted to like this spot. Good vibe, cool decor…read more... Pizza was overworked, crumb non-existent. Zero flavor. Also undercooked and gummy. Toppings were ok, but didn't really matter on top of a soggy, bland mess...pizzas shouldn't flop over and drip. Service was friendly but slow.

A bunch of characters here - more behind the counter than at the tables! I haven't yet had many…read morepork roll egg & cheese sandwiches in NJ, but when someone told me that this was THE place to go for one, I went. And I agree - this is THE place to go for one. Hard roll is apparently baked in-house, as are most (all?) of the baked goods. Warning: still cash only, and no free refills on the drinks (except for coffee and maybe unsweet ice tea). Otherwise, with friendly service and the oldest of old school Asbury Park vibes, this place is perfection.

Ordered sandwiches for takeout, including the famous Pork Roll and mushroom egg sandwiches…read more Sandwiches were good portions and delicious. I would come back to try different sandwiches

Never disappoints - the Hey Zeus is by far my favorite breakfast sandwich - anywhere.read more

I've been to The Speakeatery a few times with friends and family while hanging out at the beach for…read morethe day. The burgers are great, and the last time I tried their cheesesteak which normally comes with cherry peppers and red onion. I asked for it plain, and it was super delicious. Portion sizes are solid, and prices are reasonable considering the area. We actually ended up here because Pasta Volo -- one of my favorite spots in Asbury Park -- was closed that day. The Speakeatery made for a great backup. You order at the counter, and the service is decent. The space is long and narrow with some stool seating up front and more table and chair seating towards the back. The grill and kitchen are situated in the middle of the restaurant. The place only has indoor seating, which fits the speakeasy vibe nicely. Overall, I'd recommend The Speakeatery for breakfast or lunch when you're visiting Asbury Park for the day.

My wife and I have been to Cross & Orange several times and it never disappoints. Whether guests…read morecome for a delicious dinner or happy hour, the food and service is always outstanding. If you are fans of happy hour, C&O is by far the best in the area. Selection of foods is diverse and drinks awesome. We usually wait until the off season when Asbury quiets down to visit C&O. Treat yourself!!!

My family and I ventured to Cross + Orange in celebration of my Cousin's retirement. I truly…read moreenjoyed the ambiance and effort that went into her celebration. We had a pre-fixe menu for the event consisting of salads + entrees. I enjoyed the appetizers and my salmon selection. What really "wowed" me were the desserts. All of them were delectable! Our serves were very accommodating. Quick tip: park in the garage nearby. Street parking can be tricky. Also, make sure to update your license plate to the car you're actually driving if using the park mobile app. Parking tickets start at $50. Don't make rookie mistakes like me. If I ever find myself in Asbury Park on a Friday night, I'd certainly stop in for dinner and beverages.

I checked into this hotel with my family and my 20-pound French Bulldog service dog for a…read morethree-night stay. We were initially placed in a beautiful beachfront room on the 8th floor with stunning ocean views. On the second day, I was approached rudely by hotel staff, who accused me of failing to disclose that I had my dog with me. They pressured me to leave my family behind and immediately move to a lower-floor room with no beachfront view, claiming it was the hotel's mistake because the fourth floor was supposedly the only floor where dogs are permitted. I insisted on getting my family, who were at the pool, before moving. While doing so, we spoke with three other guests traveling with pets who told us they were staying on the 5th, 6th, and 8th floors. This directly contradicted the explanation we were given, as we were the ones being removed from the 8th floor. The entire experience felt deceptive, unprofessional, and disrespectful. Instead of taking responsibility for their error, the hotel attempted to downgrade our accommodations based on an explanation that appeared to be untrue. I would have given zero stars if that were an option because of these shady and misleading practices.

Very interesting decor. Staff is friendly and helpful. Only complaint is the room smelled moldy…read more Very convenient to get to the beach/boardwalk. I'm just missing having a balcony.