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    The Diving Horse

    4.1 (176 reviews)
    Open • 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Order The Diving Horse Takeout or Delivery

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    THE DIVING HORSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Upscale
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    16 oz. Rib eye steak with string beans and Spatzel. Paired with a great wine.
    Nelson M.

    Not only is it that good but TDH is my favorite restaurant down the shore! Saturdays dinner was fantastic. The "service by Travis", "hospitality by Emily" final "plating by Donny" is the "hat trick" to go along with delicious food and great vibe . Well done, again and again!!!!

    Wagyu short rib
    Andrew L.

    Went to Diving Horse on a Monday night date night and it did not disappoint. I feel I have always strayed away because it is hard to get a reservation, but with just two people they had a walk in table ready for us! BYOB so don't forget your favorite wine! The food, service, and ambiance were all top notch. It's hard to find food in Avalon other than your typical Italian spot. Diving horse packs fresh and delicious taste into each one of their specially curated dishes. We started out with local Sea Isle oysters and a garden salad. The oysters, although skeptical, were absolutely amazing. The salad (not pictured) was perfectly prepared with fresh veggies and a delicious citrusy dressing. Following that, we ordered the chicken Milanese and a wagyu short rib. The chicken had a breading and crunch to it that I have never experienced in a fried chicken cutlet. It was mouth watering at every bite and was complimented with pickled veggies and a delicious sauce smothered on the plate. The wagyu short rib also did not disappoint. Perfectly cooked, you could taste the smoke from the grille in every bite. Truly one of the best meals I have had in Avalon in many years. Will definitely be back in the near future! Thanks to Patrick our server, we had an incredible experience.

    Scallops Corn off the cob Wagyu short rib with polenta
    Brendan K.

    Always a phenomenal meal and experience. This is the best restaurant on the 7 Mile Island. Food is always outstanding as is the service. Get the short rib anytime it is on the menu. Their scallops are plump, sweet and always perfectly cooked. Oysters and bluefin tuna are always on point, fresh and delicious. Their signature Kit Kat bar dessert is always a fan favorite. All in all, this place cooks.

    Kit kat bar
    Bill M.

    one of my favorite places in the world.. I've just realized that I've never reviewed the Diving Horse before - been coming here for about 10 years now, and we absolutely love it The food at the Diving Horse is divine. I recommend you explore, you will find things here that aren't typical - they are exciting and new and delicious. If something looks or sounds strange - i recommend you try it, it's probably amazing The Diving Horse is easily one of the best restaurants South of Atlantic City - full stop. I think I neglected to review this place in the past because i didn't want to draw attention to it.. we love this place and didn't want to see it becoming a tourist haven. We come here early in the season May-June and then later in September. We don't come near the shore in the summer - so i cannot comment on what your results would be "in season" When we come here the food is divine. Everything. I'm not afraid of eating or trying anything they put out - it's all spectacular, artisnal, thought out, respectfully created and executed perfectly. Portions are a little small, i recommend a starter, a main and ordering a complementary side. Oh - and desert, cant forget that, the kit kat bar will roll your eyes inside your head - the home made sorbets and ice creams are simply juicy and delicious with fresh fruit flavors The restaurant can be a little loud - and by that i mean it can be crazy loud sometimes. When its full here and every table is occupied - this place is as loud as it gets. That's a bit of a detraction.. unfortunately. When its not so packed it's less of a problem - but in all fairness its a bit loud. It doesn't necessarily bother me though, i love this place with its great food and service and location.. i come here when its crazy busy and i just let myself go to the noise and the commotion.. were down the shore, i remember growing up eating at the old school places and the wild,chaotic -frezzy was intoxicating - so let yourself go and embrace the crowd a bit. The service here is top notch. They do it right. Whoever owns this place understands service and its done properly. Its not 5 star.. no. But its easily 4 star. Its not a 5 star restaurant and i wouldn't want it to be, it's approachable and comfortable. The restaurant itself is simple and beautiful - very well appointed and decorated h but not to detract from the food or servive - just simple and elegant. Your server will give you fresh cutlery with every course, they will open and fill your wine (byo) thoughtfully answer your questions about the menu and give informed recommendations - all while being friendly, delightful and adorable. And fast - things move quickly here. You will not be sitting around for long waiting for anything. Maybe a bit too fast?.. hard to savor the wonderful everything when you are in and out of here so quickly I want to thank everyone here, in the last 10 years or so, ive enjoyed some of the most memorable meals and experiences of my life, with my mother and my family - the Diving Horse has been a place of exceptional beauty for us - so many of the wonderful places we grew up with here are gone.. but this place did manage to grow in their place - yes its sad some of our "old school" favorites are gone - but the Diving Horse has grown and blossomed into a magnificent addition to the Jersey Shore, a spectacular jem here in Avalon Just bravo! - and thank you...

    Me G.

    Shocked at how amazing this place is. But the I realized it's partners with Pub & Kitchen. Not really much fine dining DTS but this place is clearly the star. Entire meal was great and the service was excellent. Definitely making a reservation when we go back to Avalon.

    view from seat
    Nathan D.

    Presentation | Roasted Chicken | Service Presentation - The overall visual, vibe, and ambiance of Diving Horse is first class. The vibe is open and airy. They have a good amount of open space, white table cloths, with indoor and outdoor space. The ambience is upscale Montauk, so be sure to wear your best cocktail beach party outfit. White paints are highly encouraged. ;-) Roasted Chicken - I had the Roasted Chicken which is easily top 3 chicken dish I've ever had. It comes with fingerling potted and a creme kale. The chicken was marinated with some type of smokey marinate or was roasted with wood fire chips. The taste was exquisite and consistent with every bite. Will definitely get it again. Service - Our service was primo. The waitress was extremely knowledgable and helpful when we had questions. No water glass ever went below 1/4 full. The entire staff was very attentive and everyone treated us as if we were their customer. Whether it was the bussers, other waitresses, or the Maitresse whenever anyone looked around or had a puzzled look, someone came by to ask if we needed anything. Pro Tip: The establishment is BYOB. So be sure to bring your favorite bottle of Red or White. Pro Tip: There is not a great deal of parking around the restaurant. So be sure to take an Uber or be prepared to walk. Pro Tip: It has an upscale Montauk vibe. It is the ideal spot for a date night or whenever families/friends reunite and want to reminisce.

    Big eye tuna
    Chris C.

    We have been here a couple times over the years. It has both indoor and outdoor seating. The inside is very nice with a simple and farm chic design. We had reservations and were immediately seated at our table. Our server, Ryan, was very friendly and helpful in discussing the specials. The food was very well plated and cooked to perfection. I empathize poaches tuna salad along with the short rib main course. Our friend had the avocado Ceaser salad which looked amazing. She had the catch of the day which was fluke while the others had the big eye tuna. Everyone was very happy with their dishes. This is a great place for adults to enjoy fine dining. My only knock would be as others have shared, slightly larger portions.

    Crispy Rock Shrimp
    Tyler M.

    My fiancé and I came here for dinner last night and had a great time. We got the baked clams and the crispy rock shrimp for appetizers. They were both pretty good but if I'd come again I would probably try something different. In my opinion the entrees were way better than the appetizers. We got the house made bucatini and the waygu short rib, which was incredible and definitely the highlight of the dinner. It also always helps that the restaurant is a byob. The one callout I do have is that the service was minimal, the server only came around to take our order.

    Oysters
    Marissa M.

    Our overall experience was wonderful and we look forward to our next visit! Our waitress (Kate) was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. All staff was welcoming and helpful. Great atmosphere and incredible food. We had 4 adults and ordered oysters, chop salad, tuna tartare as apps- all delicious! We had the steak special, the catch of the day, the scallops and short rib- all outstanding! Our daughter's children's meal was even great. We were full so we didn't plan on having a dessert, but since the food was great we decided to split the Diving Horse Kit Kat and it was decadent. Overall it is on the pricier side, but you're getting what you pay for- food, atmosphere and service.

    Lovely side walkway to exit the tented dining area
    Janet H.

    Return to the diving horse for a second evening with a group of seven this time we sat on outside under the lovely string-light draped and tented outdoor dining space. I had the two varieties of oysters (Massachusetts and virginia, I believe). They were fresh and delicious. My dining partners had the wedge salad with avocado which and looked wonderful and the chilled cucumber gazpacho. Myentrée was the scallop chaat masala which was plated with a cold pickled baby zucchini "salad". my husband had the short ribs of beef which were very tender.

    Hudson Canyon Swordfish with Fried Brussel Sprouts side and the seafood pasta special.
    Sarah W.

    It's not every day you get to eat at a five star restaurant with the one you love. The only (THE ONLY) minor complaint we have is that the prices are extremely high here - maybe a little overpriced based on the portion sizes, but you're getting what you paid for! Chef is truly amazing and knows what he's doing. Also, for a restaurant during COVID, this place is being extremely safe and flexible with outdoor seating (as of today seating was not available indoors but you can wait inside, socially distanced, for your table to be ready). We even enjoyed our meal under an umbrella as it drizzled on us. That really only made the experience more impressive. I can only imagine how enjoyable the experience would have been if everything was normal! Let's talk about the food. This place is BYOB, which is definitely a plus given the menu prices. Though I'm sure if they do ever get their liquor license; they'll be able to whip up a smart, healthy cocktail. The food is farm to table, and you can taste how fresh the ingredients are as soon as you dig in. The bread and butter, served at the beginning of the meal, is light and satisfying. It's simple, but the butter tastes almost freshly churned. We got the wedge salad and ahi tuna for apps - both were delightful, though I think the wedge salad is really what hit the spot. It comes with crab meat and just the right amount of bacon. The kitchen even went so far as to split it for us and give us separate plates. We cleared all three instantly. And BTW, I never thought ahi tuna would taste so good over ratatouille but hell yes it does. For dinner, I got the swordfish and future husband chose the seafood pasta special in a "blush" sauce. Incredible - but the star of our meal was the balsamic and Parmesan brussel sprouts side. DO NOT GO HERE AND FORGET TO GET THIS!!!! Who knew brussel sprouts could be this good, seriously? Future husband told me to slow down on them the way I tell my cat to slow down on her Meow Mix. He suggested I "take them home." Psh, what a riot he is. We finished every last drop of this meal. We didn't get dessert, but should have. We did ask for espresso, but they only have coffee. I guess you could consider that another "slight" disappointment, but the fact of the matter is this isn't an old school Italian joint -- sorry Tony Soprano (aka future husband).

    Pasta
    William H.

    Another excellent meal! Julie, the server extraordinaire! Salad to entree done to perfection!

    Yellowfin tuna with Cajun rice, andouille and étouffée

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    2 years ago

    Great service and great food! Always a fabulous experience! Would definitely recommend and go back!

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    3 years ago

    Best food on the island and it's not even close. The nice thing is you can bring your own bottle!

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    3 years ago

    The diving horse never disappoints!! Food service. A bit noisy but I can live with it

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    Rock'n Chair Restaurant - Sea Scallops with rice pilaf and veggies (GF)

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    Loved the shore ambience. Service by Amy and the team was very good. She really helped make our…read moreevening go really well. Great personality, attentive, and helpful. Just a kitchen and bill surprise otherwise 5 star service. We started with excellent martinis and the shrimp cocktail. Five pretty good size pieces of shrimp, but they tasted like they had just been dethawed in terms of flavor and texture. I definitely would not order it again. For entrées, I had the crabcakes which were good, but lots of filler. Not near enough remoulade sauce for two crabcakes. My wife had the scallops. She asked if she could substitute the vegetables for spinach and the rice for sweet potatoes fries. Our server said that would be fine and did not say there would be an "up charge" for doing that, nor did I see that mentioned on the menu (I mean you did note an up charge for Caesar salad or lobster bisque substitution). We probably would've ordered it anyway, but we should've been told upfront if we made a side substitution, they were going to charge us more vs a surprise on the bill. The 5 scallops were small but tasty. Initially they brought the scallops with asparagus and French Fries by mistake. Our server noticed and had them go back immediately and fix the order. Still, I had to start alone. Had me scratching my head that they brought the wrong order and still up charged us by surprise for the side substitutions. I would have expected a discount for the kitchen mistake vs an increase in the bill. I asked our server about the up charge and she said that's the way it is. Disappointed to say the least.

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    Last year we ate here and they blew our minds. Everything was beautifully plated and the flavors…read moreand ingredients were second to none. The service was equally fantastic. This year we decided to return for our anniversary and I'm sad to say this was our last visit to Provence. What a disappointment! We started with a $9 bread basket and the inside of the bread was frozen! We told our server and they brought us a new one at the same time as our appetizers. They really should have taken off the bill. We didn't even eat it. The appetizers (mussels, lobster ravioli, and french onion soup with mushrooms) were very good. The entrees were awful. The trout was really salmon (I know the difference although it can be subtle). It was overcooked and served with overcooked cous cous and frozen, shriveled peas. The short rib was over salted and topped with banana pepper slices straight from the jar and some kind of salty chips over a parsnip, mashed potato yuckiness. Also, we noted on the reservation that this was a birthday and anniversary dinner and it wasn't even acknowledged by the staff. It's evident the "chef" was not the same as our last visit. The food and the service were below average at best. It's a shame.

    Lovely place for a celebratory Breakfast. Took my two nieces there to celebrate their birthdays…read more The space was lovely, featuring high ceilings, bright windows. The service was excellent, despite there being a wedding reception in the next room. The girls really enjoyed their breakfast.

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    Dining room

    The Diving Horse - seafood - Updated September 2026

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