Watermark is basically what happens when great cocktails, ocean views, and summer vibes all decide…read moreto show off at the same time. The Matcha Matcha Man was smooth, creamy, and dangerously easy to drink -- the matcha coconut cream with the ginger beer gave it such a unique refreshing kick. The Lady Marmalade tasted like sunshine in a glass with the perfect citrusy balance and just enough sweetness from the marmalade. The food menu is definitely more small plates/appetizer style, but honestly everything tasted super fresh and packed with flavor. The coconut shrimp were jumbo and crispy with the perfect sweetness, the mango habanero chicken bites super fresh, and the wagyu sliders disappeared embarrassingly fast. The real star though? The outdoor lounge setup overlooking the ocean. It's the kind of place where you go for "one drink" and suddenly it's three hours later and you're debating ordering another round just to stay for sunset. It's walk in only but wasn't too packed ...we went around 5pm but seems to have a packed late night vibe and crowd as well during summer !

The music and vibe was great on the Saturday night we visited. We met with friends and had a few…read moredrinks. We were able to secure a spot on the sofas which was nice. The venue overlooks the beach and ocean & it's a really nice view. The crowd is a mix of all ages which was surprising but so fun. The staff seemed nice. Overall a nice place to go for drinks and light food.

What a unique, secret little spot! The cocktail menu is so creative, but the drinks are so good!…read moreAwesome ambiance and atmosphere as well, fantastic place and would highly recommend!

This was a cute speakeasy with a really intimate, moody vibe. The space is very dark, which adds to…read morethe atmosphere and gives it that classic speakeasy feel. The service was prompt and attentive, though it did feel a bit rushed at times, as if they were trying to move things along quickly. The drinks were nicely made and enjoyable, clearly showing care in the cocktails themselves. However, the experience would be much more complete with a food menu. Even a small selection of bites would complement the drinks and encourage guests to stay longer. Overall, it's a solid spot with great potential, especially if they expand the offerings beyond cocktails.

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.

This is such a charming restaurant with quality homemade food. The chef makes everything from…read morescratch, so they require every group to place their orders for appetizers and entrees together. My group shared the mini lobster rolls, French dip sandwich, and cablarian chile shrimp. My one friend ordered the soup of the day, corn poblano. The appetizers were excellent! We would have liked some bread to share while waiting for our food. For the entrees, we ordered the hamburger and bucatini. Both were cooked to our liking. I loved my bucatini cooked with zucchini and garlic. The cherry on top were the zucchini flowers. This added a nice crunch. Our cocktails were refreshing. My summertime cocktail had cucumber and St. Germain. It was refreshing! Next door to Homesick is Lovesick, an adorable cocktail bar. When down the shore, this is definitely a must try!

Let me get right into this... best burger I have had in a long time!! So full of flavor and so…read morejuicy... perfectly cooked and topped with fried pickles!! I would go back just for the burger! Additionally, EVERYONE was so nice! I had great conversations with the team while enjoying some amazing pina coladas (super strong) and enjoying the beautiful ocean front view :) Definitely eat here next time you're at/ on the pier!!

My husband, friend and I came here before the fireworks on July 3rd. I did make reservations and it…read moreis definitely recommended as it was quite busy. We each ordered a drink. I ordered the 'Watermelon Crush', my friend ordered a Bucket of Pina Colada and my husband ordered a bourbon bucket drink. I do not remember the name though. The drinks were way too strong for my liking but my friend and my husband enjoyed theirs. We shared the 'Shrimp and Roasted Corn Queso' which was good. They definitely did not skimp on the cheese. Unfortunately, this appetizer also came out with the main meals. I really dislike when places do that. For our entrees, my husband ordered the 'Bang Bang Salmon' which he loved and thought it was delicious but not worth the $26 price tag. My friend ordered the 'Grilled Skirt Steak' which she seemed to enjoy although it was a small portion. I ordered the 'Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers' which I did like but the skewers were quite small and it was mostly white rice. Our bill came out to $164 which I really think is WAY too high for these meals or drinks. Our server was nice; but she was rarely there. The busser, however, she was on top of her game and super friendly! It might seem funny to mention the busser, but she was really great. I would not come back and honestly, I think there's other options that are better. If I did recommend it to someone, it would be for the drinks as they had buckets and seemed very popular and 2 out of 3 of my party enjoyed them.

New Year Eve is not always the best time to go out. Reservations are difficult but our group of 4…read morewas able to snag a table at Stella Marina on a cold and what would turn out to be, heavily rainy night. Let's get into it...the ambiance was inviting as we had a very nice table and the place was not crowded. Our waiter was experienced and competent. The service was good. The food was totally just "good", and it should have been better, nay great. A charcuterie board for four was sparse with 4 pieces of each of the four or five selections. For the price, it was not worth it. Glasses of Prosecco were generous but were service in regular wine glasses and not flutes. For $14 or so a glass, a place with an extensive wine menu should know how to serve bubbly. A pasta special was good and was a generous portion. A chicken selection was good quality but uninspired and bland. A veal saltimbocca dish at $42 was way overpriced given two small pieces of veal. The chicken and veal both accompanied by mashed potatoes that were less than mom would have made. An apple cake with ice cream shared had good ice cream that tasted like Breyer's. The cake seemed a bit tough and actually needed a knife to cut into it. Stella is a lovely restaurant and has good energy. The people are sincere, but if only they would up the menu and creativity and it really could be what it once was...a very desirable place to enjoy a great meal.

Lovely service sitting right on the boardwalk!! Sunday sauce was so very good. Had it split to…read moreshare and the portion was still huge. Flavors were very good. And the sausage was my favorite. Really enjoyed.

Happy Hour at this Asbury Park bar. Friendly bartenders and patrons…read more The venue is nice and noise level not too bad. We didn't try any food but would try if we came back.

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience at AP Rooftop was disappointing enough to…read moremotivate me. The rooftop itself is beautiful. The views are fantastic, the atmosphere is great, and we were genuinely excited to spend the evening there. I arrived with two friends and my service dog. Unfortunately, the service was extremely slow. We waited quite a while just to place our food order, and after ordering, we waited approximately an hour for our food to arrive. During that time, my dog had not even been offered water. If you don't want animals in your establishment we were more than happy to move on. We later learned there was a shift change taking place, which may explain some of the delays, but it certainly did not improve the experience. We also ordered an Aperol Spritz that was being advertised downstairs. It arrived noticeably flat, but we chose not to complain because we were trying to enjoy the evening. To provide some context, our table ordered ceviche, sliders, and two pizzas. This was not a particularly large or complicated order, yet we still waited approximately an hour for the food to arrive. When it finally did, some of it was served less than hot. Despite the delays and quality issues, we remained patient and polite, we wanted to enjoy the evening and the beautiful setting and we were hungry after a ling day at the beach. The most frustrating part happened after we had already been seated for over an hour and our food had finally arrived. A manager approached to confirm that my dog was a service animal because he had been instructed to do so. We answered his questions and explained that we would be leaving soon anyway. A few minutes later, General Manager Connor Anderson came to our table and insisted that my dog either be placed on the floor immediately or that we move outside. What made the situation so unreasonable was the timing. We had already been seated for over an hour, our drinks had been served, our order had been taken, and our food had finally arrived. I had literally just taken my first bite of pizza when this issue was suddenly raised. Had management addressed this concern when we were first seated, I would have respected their position and made a decision then. Instead, they waited until after we had spent over an hour at the restaurant and had finally begun eating before forcing the issue. My friends and I were actually considering moving outside, but the manner in which the conversation was handled felt unnecessarily confrontational and hostile. Rather than continue an uncomfortable interaction, we asked for our food to be packed to go and left. To their credit, the staff ultimately removed the flat Aperol Spritz from our bill and also removed a beer that we never had the opportunity to drink because the situation had already escalated and we were leaving. While I appreciate that gesture, it did not make up for the overall experience or the way the situation was handled. Several employees appeared visibly uncomfortable during the interaction and seemed frustrated by the way the situation was being handled. While the service staff had been polite throughout the evening, the management approach completely changed the tone of the experience. Instead of resolving the issue professionally, it felt as though customer experience, common sense, and the efforts of the staff were being disregarded. We left feeling that the situation had been unnecessarily escalated when a calm conversation could have easily resolved it. AP Rooftop has an incredible location and beautiful views, but hospitality is about more than scenery. What should have been an enjoyable evening ended with us feeling unwelcome and rushed out after already investing significant time and money into the experience. The view earns five stars. Unfortunately, the service, timing, and management of this situation did not.

REYLA was an incredible first dinner in Asbury Park and set the bar high. From the moment we walked…read morein, the staff was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely friendly. The service was excellent throughout the entire evening, and every cocktail we ordered was fantastic. We started with a few appetizers, which were the perfect way to kick off the meal before diving into our mains. For dinner, we ordered the Duck Rice, Schnitzel, octopus, and mushroom skewer. While everything was delicious, the Duck Rice and Schnitzel were the clear standouts. Both were packed with flavor, and the Schnitzel was an especially generous portion without feeling over the top. It was perfectly cooked and incredibly satisfying. To top off the night, we headed downstairs to their cocktail bar, Laylow, and had an amazing time. The atmosphere was fun, the cocktails were just as impressive as dinner, and it was the perfect way to end the evening. If you're in Asbury Park, I definitely recommend checking out Reyla and making a stop at Laylow afterward. Great food, outstanding service, amazing drinks, and an all-around memorable experience.

My husband and I were staying overnight in Neptune so we came to Reyla for dinner. It was a…read moreThursday night and not crowded but a decent amount of people. We opted to sit at the bar because the vibe looked good. I had a lemondrop martini from the half price menu and it was good but a little too sweet. Then I had the Blood Sugar Sex Magic from the regular menu and it was unique and fun. I then had an espresso martini with dessert. I was feeling good after that. We did three appetizers: hummus, falafel, and the halloumi. The hummus had a nice texture but it could have used a little more lemon and garlic. But it was served with a jumble of fresh herbs on top which was very nice. The falafel was amazing. The texture was perfect: very crispy on the outside and light and fluffy inside. Not like the dense falafel you get in some places. It was serviced on top of a delicious red pepper sauce. The server told me it was an old family recipe. The halloumi was fantastic. Very generous and covered in a very crispy coating. It sat in a pool of hot honey. They brought the appetizers out one at a time, which was the perfect way to pace it. We were pretty full by the end so we shared one entrée. We had the lamb kofta. It was cooked perfectly and sat atop a pomegranate labneh. It was also delicious. For dessert my husband had the chocolate cake which was only ok. I had the baklava malabi which was sooo delicious. Great meal and excellent service. Paul the bartender was friendly and made good drinks.

My friend and I were in town for an event and looking for a place to grab an early dinner…read morebeforehand when I came across Moonstruck. The restaurant was located in a multi-floor home on Wesley Lake, just around the corner from the hustle and bustle of Cookman Avenue. The first floor was more of a bar and lounge, and they had a live jazz band on the evening we visited. We checked in with the hostess and were escorted up to the second floor dining room, which was a charming spot that was breezy and comfortable, yet refined. The floor also had its own bar. Our server was on top of things, but was also clearly newer to the place. Regardless, once we got settled, she took our drink orders, which had taken us some time to decide on since the menu was creative and vast. I went with A Sidecar Named Desire, which included Courvoisier VSOP, Cointreau, Chinola passionfruit liqueur, and fresh lemon juice. I adore passion fruit and had always liked sidecars as well, so I figured it was worth a try, and I loved it! It had a good balance of tart sweetness and smokiness. My friend similarly enjoyed her spicy margarita, and we both imbibed while picking on some bread and herb butter. For our meal, we decided to start by sharing the Greek Salad, which was a massive bowl of romaine topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, red onions, and Kalamata olives. We left off the feta cheese, but enjoyed the seasoned dressing made of red wine vinegar, honey, salt, oregano, and olive oil. It was a fresh and flavorful mix of vegetables that was a pleasure to eat. The entree options were endless and offered something for everyone. I wound up going with the Chilean Sea Bass, which was served over sweet onions and potatoes in a tomato herb reduction. The fish was tender and perfectly cooked. It was a light and tasty dish that seemed perfect for the Spring season. After our meals we were a bit too full for dessert, but we decided to get a second round of drinks, mainly because I was dying to try their Pistachio Espresso-Tini. Wow, was that drink delicious! It blended Ketel One Vodka, Mozart White Chocolate Liqueur, natural pistachio flavor, and fresh espresso. The coffee notes were not super prevalent, but the creaminess, nuttiness was the real highlight. It was a decadent way to end a delicious meal. After we settled the bill and headed downstairs, I noticed several bowls of after-dinner mints, which were a nice touch. From the relaxed atmosphere to the interesting and expansive menu, Moonstruck was a terrific option for our Asbury dinner experience.

My husband and I recently had dinner at Moonstruck, and unfortunately, it was one of the most…read moredisappointing dining experiences we've ever had. Our server, Michael, provided by far the worst service we've ever received. He appeared to be under the influence of something, as he spent long periods simply standing around making odd faces while our table and several others waited and waited for him to acknowledge us. We were left wondering if anyone was going to take care of us. When my husband politely asked about our meal, Michael became rude instead of apologetic or helpful. The food itself had good flavor, but it arrived cold, like it was not served right away, which was disappointing. To end the meal, we ordered a cappuccino, but it was so poorly made that it tasted like nothing but warm milk. It was completely undrinkable. What makes this especially disappointing is that I've always loved Moonstruck. It's been one of my favorite restaurants because of its excellent food and outstanding service. If this is the level of service the new owners are willing to accept, I worry about the restaurant's future. I truly hope management addresses these issues because Moonstruck has always been top notch!

Ate upstairs at the Greenroom . Service was excellent. Lauren was wonderful! Drinks were tasty,…read morefood came out in just a few minutes after ordering. Lauren offered to put our leftovers in the refrigerator while we went downstairs for drinks and live music! Got a passport from Lauren for the FIFA games ! Great bar ! Will be back soon .

Food decent, service fine and an eclectic ambience. But you're paying a steep price for the…read moreexperience. Mainly due to the high prices for drinks. A few apps, a bottle of wine and a couple of beers coming in at $150 after tip. This makes for a questionable value for the R bar. But, give them a try, as your mileage may vary.

I love the Beach Bar!! The perfect spot and location - enjoy the beach for the day and then head…read moreover to enjoy a drink and hang with friends. The vibe is amazing and very chill. You're able to sit on the deck looking out to the beach as well. Service is fast and accommodating. Highly recommend!

Rent was DUE for whoever the DJ was at this bar on Saturday June 28th. Beautiful weather, a…read morestrawberry margarita, and banger after banger after banger coming from the DJ booth. Asbury Park is a queer enclave and Beach Bar is an enclave within the enclave. AKA I had the best time and the vibes were high. Prices here are also really high for bottled margarita mix and flavor mixes that one could grab at the liquor store for $6. Bar staff was really kind, but the prices and the bathroom situation are reason enough to dock a star. They will have two rotating frozen drinks and then a full bar of other fun options. Overall a really fun vibe and SO glad we had the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful day here with views of the beach.