With great anticipation we had Saturday night reservations at this new PPB restaurant, Gourmand…read more And let me start by saying our initial 7:30pm was pushed back to 7:45 by them a few weeks earlier with a note that they recognized they needed more time to properly accommodate their customers. We accepted that. Our pleasant hostess seated us after a brief miscue about our table being ready which led her to show us a storage room for some unknown reason. Our horseshoe booth was very large and could accommodate 6 people and as we were only 4, the space actually was too large for easy conversation in a 2 opposite 2 format . The reason is that Gourmand is very noisy and the noise level when filled only causes you to speak louder which contributes to the noise level. Perhaps during the week it isn't as loud. The dining room is dark and sophisticated. Its strives to be elegant and you certainly forget you're in a Shore town. The wait staff we experienced unfortunately didn't match the sophistication Gourmand desires. We started with a female waiter who when presented with our two bottles of wine, immediately began opening them. As one was a prosecco we wanted that opened first. A simple question as to which she should open would have been in order. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to open the Prosecco and elicited the help of another wait member to do so. It was a bit comical to watch. After she poured the wine and left, the other waiter, Frank, came over to take our order. Why the switch over to him, I have no idea., Frank started with a long introduction of the house's wine selection. I found that odd as he was the one who opened the Prosecco and within an inch of him was an unopened bottle of red. I stopped him mid explanation and said, perhaps he didn't notice the two bottles we brought. He brushed that off with a "Well, in case you wanted a third bottle". Huh? Frank mentioned the special of the night and there was only one. A three pound Tomahawk steak from Pat LaFrieda's. It was described without its price which likely was intentional. He noted too at 8:00 they were out of one of their 8 entrees. A last word on the wine issue. When Frank opened the red bottle later he politely asked if it should be decanted. I actually had to ask him twice to make sure I heard correctly. We laughed and said no but the underlying attempt at being sophisticated, really came across as pretentious. The food! What about the food? We had a nice antipasto and for four, it wasn't enough. We should've ordered another appetizer. It was very pretty, tasty and had a variety of cheeses and assorted items. I'd recommend it. For dinner we had the Cuban pork chops which was a nice size with a spicy rub but was not the medium expected but just slightly off where another minute was needed. Still good and recommended. The chicken was nondescript. The branzino was deboned and served with the skin on which was slightly bitter and needed to be peeled off. It was topped with an artichoke relish which while good masked the flavor of the fish. Perhaps serving it on the side next time. Desserts were good. The gelato was delicious and the cupcake with gold leaf good and paired with ice cream. There was no offer of coffee, tea or espresso. It wasn't on the dessert menu. Still, as we were leaving I saw someone carrying an espresso cup to a patron. So, our conclusion: Gourmand is in its first month. They are trying to find their identity. For us, they failed in the warmth area instead trying for a forced sophistication that their staff's skills aren't up to. For the price point they have per plate, they need to work just as hard on staff training as they did design. The potential is there.

Last night, we had the honor of dining at Gourmand's soft opening, and if I had to sum it up in one…read moreword: fantastic. We started with focaccia and whipped herb butter, which immediately set the tone for the evening. Who knew bread could make that kind of impression? It was the perfect opening act for what turned out to be an incredible dining experience. For appetizers, we shared the Wagyu lasagna, chorizo and scallops with mole sauce, bluefin tuna over crispy rice, and a charcuterie board. I had never tried mole sauce before, and it absolutely blew me away. Honestly, it's hard to pick a favorite because every dish was exceptional. Then came dinner: a Cuban pork chop, boneless Branzino, filet, and ribeye. The beef was topped with a cooked onion preparation unlike anything I've had before -- absolutely amazing. Every single dish that hit the table earned an A+. Even though we were completely full, we powered through dessert because we couldn't pass them up. Two of us had gelato, another had a pistachio chocolate dessert with cookie crumble underneath, and there was also a whipped cream-based dessert that I honestly can't describe properly. The taste and texture were unlike anything I've experienced before -- phenomenal across the board. The restaurant itself is stunning. From the tile detail work and wall trim to the cabinetry, custom booths, and upholstery, every inch felt thoughtfully designed and top-notch. The open kitchen added so much to the atmosphere; watching the chefs work their magic was part of the experience. The vibe was authentic, upbeat, and polished. Gourmand did not disappoint. It was an elevated dining experience unlike what I'm used to, and I enjoyed every minute of it. This may very well be the best fine dining restaurant in 08742. I'll absolutely be back.

My wife and I heard good things about coastal canteen from family, so while we were down the shore…read morefor the week we decided to make a date night out of it. When I made my reservation I requested a table on the rooftop, which they were able to accommodate. From our walk through the indoor area, it seemed very noisy so I was glad to be away from that. I started the night with their "i love mai tai" drink. And let me tell you, it was strong. Maybe a bit too strong, but not the worst problem to have. For an appetizer we split the lobster and shrimp thermidor fries. I quite liked the fries, and they were my wife's favorite part of the meal. I will say, they certainly did not skimp on the meat. As for our entrees, we both went for the NY strip. I'm not usually one to order steak at restaurants, mostly because it typically means paying $60+ but their price seemed more reasonable. It was delicious, tender, and cooked perfectly. My sole complaint would be that they may have gone a bit overboard on the salt. Some bites were fine, others were much too salty. Without me even bringing it up, my wife said the same thing. Ultimately, though, I didn't feel that it was a dealbreaker. I would still strongly recommend it as a main course. All in all, solid restaurant that I would suggest giving a shot if you're in town.

Recently opened, this upscale bar and restaurant is bound to be a hit for the Manasquan crowd…read more Very nice well appointed bar that has front windows that open onto Main Street for fresh air and a decent view. Overall ambiance - Excellant. The bar staff are all friendly and very professional. Although we did not eat here yet, will return to sample their food. Overall service - Excellent. The only negative is a very long staircase to get up to the second floor. Why no elevator? Big mistake on their part..

Really great food. I like this place a lot. The service is great and so is the food. Prices are…read moreon the higher side but I'd rather pay high for good food than pay high and still get bad food.

The queen of Jersey Shore yacht clubs. Relaxed yet elegant, formal yet friendly, BHYC offers the…read morebest tennis/pickle courts, cuisine, and dockage around. Spectacular views of Barnegat Bay from the upper deck makes it a special place to enjoy cocktails especially at sunset. Remember it's private so you need an invitation from a member. If you receive one, don't pass it up!

Three friends and a lovely day at the beach. We went for dinner before heading back up north and…read moredecided to try someplace we've never been. Plenty of spots in the parking lot and easy to pay for 2 hours on the app - signs don't say what time the "meters" go off, but with 2 restaurants sharing the lot, we figured you probably have to pay until at least 8 pm, and we were early (5:30 ish). Got seated quickly, in a booth near a wide opening out to the beautiful patio on the water. Rather warm in the restaurant and there were overhead fans that weren't rotating, but it wasn't uncomfortable. We'd have had to wait a bit for an outdoor table, and anyway it was a hot humid day and night so indoors suited us just fine. One friend had the lobster bisque, served with a good chunk of a bread that looked tasty (she's not a bread lover but she enjoyed it so it must have been delicious) and she really liked the soup. Then she added another appetizer, spicy garlic shrimp. Generous portion of 6 shrimp. My other friend had the crabcake & shrimp plate, which came with a side salad that our waitress was savvy enough to bring first when our other friend was enjoying her soup. Some crumbled feta on the side salads, a nice touch. When she ordered, my friend asked if the crabcake had a lot of breading and our server assured her that it doesn't; that turned out to be accurate! I also got that side salad with the Ahi tuna bowl I ordered. This was a bowl of dry, bland white rice (might have been jasmine rice but not strong flavor). On one side atop the rice was a good portion of seaweed salad, which I love. Piled sort-of artistically on the other side of the rice mound were several small slices (6? 7?) of perfectly "black and blue" tuna crusted with both black and white sesame seeds. The fish and salad were delicious but not terribly filling. I ate most of the rice. I noticed that there was a marinade at the bottom and began to mix the rice with the marinade that was tasty. They do add 2.5% for credit cards, but that's fair enough these days. Entrées are on the pricey side, I thought ($39. for the crab/shrimp dish, 32 for my tuna, 12 for the lobster bisque), but there aren't any bargains dining out these days. We had no complaints, other than my somewhat dry rice. I'd like to give it 3 1/2 stars but will err on the generous side. We'll probably return next year on our beach day!

Well, I returned with my friend after we had a less than stellar visit previously…read more I think maybe don't have too many high expectations for the food and just come for beers and the view. We ordered the Margherita pizza. It was just okay, not bad but also just not delicious. Sauce was a little bland, like it was missing garlic or seasoning. The mussels were good however we had asked if they could be prepared without the chilies. We were told yes by our server (who was a dear really, she was great I don't really blame her for anything) that they could leave out the chilies. Well we ordered them and there was definitely chilies! My friend could not eat them at all. I like spicy and even my eyes were watering. I just question getting bread rolls served with the mussels when the usual service is sliced toasted bread. So, as I said, I think just temper your expectations. This place does have the beautiful view going for it.

Food was great! Atmosphere was uplifting. Had a birthday dinner here and the staff was incredible,…read morewe had a blast.

The Tradewinds checks all of the boxes - great food, service, drinks and ambiance. Had a lovely…read moreexperience here for my mom's birthday dinner. We started with a drink at the bar during the new happy hour. It includes some food, plus drink specials. We moved over to the dining room for dinner and enjoyed the live music. It's not too loud so you can still hear each other. For dinner we had the meatballs, bacon, spicy rigatoni, halibut, short ribs, and the pork chop. Everything was delish. I noted it was my mom's birthday and they brought out complimentary cake and a sparkler which was really nice. Overall I'd recommend for both dinner or drinks and apps at the bar.

Fabulous Food Service…read moreAmbiance ! Joe our bartender is a PRO! The best of Belmar! Two customers!!

Pretty nice place, nice beach front views, very nice ambiance, great options in wine and cocktails…read more Service was quick and friendly and prices were as expected to the area. Definitely a place to come back

First time at Town Grill and it was good, the food was good and the service was great, we weren't a…read morefans of the home fries not because it was bad, we just prefer thin slice potato home fries also the French toast was pretty bland and to thick, other than that everything else was good, our server Megan was very attentive and super nice, though the food was good we will be back mainly because of the service.

The food was fresh and delicious! Prices were quite reasonable and the employees were friendly…read moreand welcoming! Very casual and warm ambiance and a wide assortment of menu items for every palette. I definitely highly recommend this restaurant!

Hello Darlings!…read more Let's cut to the chase, shall we? In a nutshell...it is fantastic! Although Hubs and I have only dined here twice as of this screed (both times for breakfast), my oh my were we impressed! Both of us have only had the omelette and my word, it's sublime...Chef Justin sure can make a great dish! It's Your Host's intention to try something else on the next visit lest he gets himself into an omelette rut. FARE: it's pretty much American with a French flair. Food is high-quality and the presentation is beautiful. As indicated, we've done just two meals here and I've gotten positive feedback on the other dishes. SERVICE: Attentive without being annoying. A nice touch was their chef coming by and introducing himself. ATMOSPHERE: Bright and cheery (just like Your Host). It's a tasteful, comfortable spot and yes, outside seating is available on nice days. OVERALL: Would I recommend? O mai oui!! This is a great restaurant with great grub. One caveat is that it might be considered pricey but in this case it's worth it. Definitely check it out...and get back to me... Ciao darlings, Your Host

Little Gem met big expectations as a welcome addition to Avon. Stopped in during a rainy local…read moresummer morning so wait time and parking was not an issue. Welcomed by friendly staff and a crisp, clean interior that was warm and inviting. Hot coffee is excellent and came out piping hot. The omelette was very good and came with a side of thicc toast. The pancakes were also very good with a thicker cake-like texture. All around very happy with our visit and we will be back.