An experience that everyone must have. The chef is awesome. He came out to talk to my family…read moreseveral times and even joined in the birthday song. The waiter and waitress went far beyond expectations. I would tell anyone driving thru the area or trying to decide what to eat. To choose Dolce Fantasia. This heavenly food of awesomeness is my number one pick. The food was excellent from appetizers to dessert. The chicken meat balls awesome the three cheese pasta awesome. The presentation dynamic. The whole experience is a 15 put of 10. The waitress named Bailey is by far great. But wait each waiter added a special touch to the experience as well. Giving a straw to my son to keep him distracted while we ate dessert. The other waitress and waiters smiling as they did roll call for the dinner portion of the night. Awesome would sum up everything. Chef my family and I thank you for opening your doors and table. Keep that helmet shining. MrC

Nice ambiance. Extensive menu and fantastic service. The squid ink pasta was served with fresh…read moremussels. It was pretty good. The crab ravioli special was great. Desert menu was awesome. Try the hazelnut gelato, hazelnut crème brûlée and Nutella cheesecake in a cup. Even the decaf coffee was good. We really enjoyed meeting the chef, he came out in person to each table.

Was lucky enough to get a table outside for lunch on a rare sunny & warm day of the season…read more Cardinal has always been on my radar after hearing only great things and I can finally now vouch for them as well. We were seated right away on a Thursday afternoon on their front sidewalk patio. I ended up ordering the Green Machine bowl (normally vegan and gluten free) but added grilled chicken to it. It was delicious! A combo of roasted broccoli, warm lentils, parsley pesto, avocado, and marinated kale. Everything was cooked perfectly, and while this is basically something I make on rotation at home, I loved the pesto sauce and will definitely be trying to replicate that on my own. Perfect lunch that left my full and not even a little sluggish. They do have a few drinks on the menu like kombucha, cold brew, and sodas, but if you are looking for anything more than that in the coffee arena, you'll need to pop by a neighboring cafe afterwards. Service was friendly but not too fast. It was a busy day and we were in no rush, so we didn't mind. All in all, a great place for a delicious brunch.

Asbury Park has a moderate case of "Beacon Syndrome" in which restaurant abundance hasn't kept up…read morewith tourism levels. (It's more dire over in Ocean Grove, at least Asbury has the option of longer walks for non-touristy spots). The acclaimed cacio e pepe scrambled eggs is a solid pick, but based on a few bites I think the spring benny may have a higher BPM. Credit is due for beverage innovation; I enjoyed the black and hibiscus tea with pineapple nectar.

ASBURY PARK: The latest addition to Asbury Park's vibrant scene, The Berkeley Backyard is a stylish…read morenew restaurant located inside the historic Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel--and the best part? Leashed and friendly dogs are welcome both indoors and out! Open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, the space is beautifully designed to bring the outdoors in, with green floral backdrops, hanging string lights, and framed flower displays that create a fresh, modern ambiance. The outdoor patio offers views of Ocean Avenue, Convention Hall, and the iconic Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel--which is also dog friendly! Be sure to check their social media for the latest hours and upcoming events.

Excellent service, very good drinks. I tried the Coco Lychee Martini . This place is also…read moreconnected to a pool area where day passes are available for purchase. Serene ambiance

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!!!

The winter (April) winds on the boardwalk can hurt your ears, but an Asbury Park off-season…read moreweeknight offers an easier chance to get into the classier joints. The fanciful menu certainly would have provided fodder for my internal monologue, but I was lucky enough to visit Talula's with someone who thoughtfully analyzed the offerings and was unfraid to accept the riskiest dare: the vegan crab cakes. No, you won't be thinking crustaceans, but it was closer to the Yacht Rock Revue's remake of "Baker Street" than the vile Joss Stone cover of "Fell In Love With A Girl." With an unexpectedly strong performances by hearts of palm, it was a reasonable emulation of the paradigm even if it could have been a tiny bit crustier and more Old Bayish. The Yelp consensus gets it wrong with the ricotta toast, which was fine but not essential. I assume the brunchier brand extensions are more notable than the flagship. Don't miss the fermented chili carbonara. I'm not even going to paraphrase the wild list of ingredients: "hand-cut ramen, house fermented fresno chili paste, garlic, ginger, tamari, benton's bacon, sous vide egg, parm, chive." Less shocking but still enjoyable is the Beekeeper's Lament pizza. After the above feast, this dessert agnostic tried to nope out, but the teacup brulee had an impeccable citrus vibe. With other desserts promising fennel ice cream and cardamom cherries, a glance at the menu feels like a Marvel closing credits bit that compels one to anticipate the future.

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.

Had brunch here this past weekend with a group of girls. Our server was so sweet and attentive and…read moregot everything right. Inside is clean and cute and nicely decorated. The food was excellent. I highly recommend the burger, and the drinks were perfectly created. Not too strong, but not too weak. Would definitely come back.

We've gone here a couple of times and the food is always good. I'm glad that they have options for…read moredifferent dietary requirements. We normally get takeout and sit in the park, but service is good when we have gone in, slightly less good when you're sitting outside. It's kind of fun to sit outside in the spring and summer to people watch.

I came for brunch on a Wednesday and was surprised to see Toast wasn't empty for such an awkward…read moretime of day. I've been to a different Toast location and they're always good. I had the southwest breakfast bowl with a side of maple bacon and it was delicious. My husband had the pancake flight and the crab hash. We loved the pancakes, especially the lemon poppy one, but he didn't like the hash and said it was too "fishy." I tried it and it was fine, but I think it's canned crab and not fresh so that's probably why. Service was friendly and prices are great.

Breakfast special of eggs, meat and bread meant egg whites, cinammon raisin french toast and…read morechorizo. Superb food, quick service, very reasonable prices, and a "locals/IYKYK" feel that made a gret place to wrap up first weekend of 2026. We will definitely be back.

Small and unassuming place. Passed by many times and haven't stopped until today. We considered…read morePascal & Sabine but it was very expensive and decided to try here. Loved the signs on the walls, very retro and cute. Our server, Joseph, was fantastic and very kind. He made some recommendations and spent time explaining some menu items. The food came out fairly quick and it was delicious. We had the Asbury Croissant and the Texas Grilled Cheese. Both were phenomenal. Great choice and a fraction of the cost of other places. Don't need the fancy places to justify the price.

Saw a 1 star review saying "one and done" , "dessert was good", "all atmosphere", "just okay"…read more As much as I disagree with that assessment and personally feel that Pascal and Sabine is way better than "just okay"... that review should not equal 1 star. You're only review, you've only been once and decide to go onto a public forum and give 1 star. Anyway off my soapbox. Pascal and Sabine not only has some of the best cocktails and bartenders in Asbury but possibly NJ. I have been countless times with my wife, my kids, large groups you name it. My favorite way to experience Pascal is to sit at the bar get a couple cocktails (The Jackal is a staple), the Madame Smith Burger (my wife gets the Mr Smith) the fries are amazing, and maybe the escargot and just enjoy. It's up there with some of the most perfect nights out in Asbury you can have. Hope this 5 star review balance out a ridiculous 1 star review. - YH

This place is a standout…read more I came with my mom during happy hour and everything from beginning to end was excellent. Lovely hostess, great round bar seating with huge windows for people watching, and a genuinely charming and attentive bartender (Mike). We started with oysters from Newfoundland and cheese off the happy hour menu -- both great. My mom loved her lavender French 75 (a drink special), and my white wine was perfect (the name escapes me at the moment). The garlic soup deserves awards. I first had it two summers ago and still think about it -- I made my mom try it and she immediately understood my rave reviews. For entrées, her burger was cooked perfectly medium-rare, and my fish & chips absolutely hit the spot. Both came with generous portions of house-made fries and an unexpectedly addictive house honey-mustard. We had enough fries for leftovers, and I even asked for extra mustard to take home. Food, service, atmosphere, lighting, noise level -- all dialed in. A 10/10 experience!

Loved our first visit to Black Swan! The staff were so attentive and food was wonderful. The chef…read moreeven made an accommodation to make a vegan pasta as there were not many vegan friendly options on the menu. I really appreciated the offer and it was delicious. The ambiance was great as well (lots of space, cool decor and music was perfect). Can't wait to go back!

Quick and friendly service. A bit expensive but good food…read more Tater tots & scotch eggs: probably the biggest tater tots I've ever had. Crispy and hot. Scotch eggs were good. Pasta: can't remember the name of the pasta I got but it's the one that was recommended by the waiter. It comes with burrata which made the dish so so good. I would get this again.

Delicious food! Warm and friendly staff. Our waitress was very on her game and took such great care…read moreof us! We would very much like to return! Love the Speakeasy in the basement!!

Valentine day surprise here. I didnt know in advance so couldnt scope out reviews and menu in…read moreadvance. Location: parked at paid parking nearby which was cheap $1 or $2 per hour. Didnt partake in $25 valet parking but was sorely tempted. The indoors are beautiful, white walls and pretty decorations, large bar. Service: Terrific. 5 stars. Julia was awesome, helpful and honest. I did tell her I cant eat spicy stuff although I enjoy lightly spicy stuff. Drinks: I tried the Lebanese red wine. Very nice medium body. My husband tried the old fashioned which he said were good. Starters: we had the salatim which is 6 different dips and two piping hot large pita breads. I liked 4 out of 6 dips while hubby liked 5 out of 6. We both loved the hummus, salad, lima bean, and eggplant ones. This kind of eating is always fun. The discovery! STAR: The star is the halloumi. Fried cheese with lightly sweet crispy crust honeyed and topped with a light refreshing salad and pomenegrate seeds. Our server charmingly apologized she forgot to warn me about the codfish chili being potentially hot but I ended up trying and enjoying it, although I felt the fish was slightly overcooked. Not rubbery but a little too crusty and not flaky enough. I did not complain though because her dessert recommendation for malabi, a custard with oat crisps, was lovely. Nice to share with hubby and cap off the night. Temperature control: we sat somewhat near the front so were hit with cold air anytime someone entered. My husband is recovering from back surgery so walking was difficult for him. I appreciate he planned such a nice outing for us despite his walking challenges. All in all, we would return and explore cocktails and other menu items.