Anyone visiting the Jersey Shore this summer. What's hot, what's not? I waant to check out Matisse and the new Moonstruck in Asbury Park. Any other ideas

If you are in Asbury Park, consider aside from Moonstruck a fairly new place called "Harry's Roadhouse Grill". It's very trendy, looks like an old warehouse gets an over 20 crowd and there is live music while you eat. I forget what street it is on.

Living at the Jersey Shore, Asbury Park would be #10 on my list of priorities and falling fast as places to visit.

Anywhere at the shore is better than Asbury. The place is depressing, a rundown ghosttown. Stay home before going there.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Tough crowd!

In and of itself, Asbury is depressing. I was looking for some suggestions for new places to check out. I live in Monmouth County. Thanks doradora, I have heard other people mention Harry's. I'll check it out.

Budman, et al, you need to think outside the box my friends. What does everyone want at the Jersey shore - beach front property or an easy walk to the beach. What are they not making anymore of - beach front property, especially that close to NYC and North Jersey. Asbury Park will rebound as a simple function of supply and demand. It will become gentrified and I think you're already seeing some early indications.

Sure it may take a few years, and town officials without criminal intent, but those dilapated houses are going to look like a steal in about 10 years. Of course, I wouldn't go there now, but my money might.

Well said Ryan. 10 years ago, many people said Red Bank was a dump, now look at it. North Jersey Shore real estate can only get hotter.

Ryan, what do you like that's new at the Jersey Shore?

Now that I have two small children, new is anything geared towards the under 2 set! As we spend less time at the shore than we used to, we like the tried and true. The old standby's like Rod's in Sea Girt, the Crab's Claw in Lavalette, and the burger/sausage/pizza on the Boardwalk at Point Pleasant still suffice.

Shhhhhhhhsh Ryan!! Do not let the cat out of the bag! Just go next door and look what has become of Ocean Grove! I have been looking at Asbury myself (I am not Gay!), but that group is bringing these towns back!!
JOHN

Ryan: I haven't heard of Rod's in Sea Girt. Tell me more. I, too, have little ones, 3 kids 4 and under. We get out once a week for 'date night' and we occasionally take the kids out. I find most restaurants very unaccomodating to small kids. As exciting as it gets with the kids is The Raceway Diner near Monmouth Park Racetrack.

I've never eaten in Rod's, but I guess you can take the kids into their dining area. If you get out once a week for "date night," my recommendation would be to leave the kids at home when you go to Rod's.

This thread yanked me right back to my college days when I worked in a hotel for five summers in "Gods Square Mile of Health and Happiness," Ocean Grove. Those summers are memorable in many ways, not the least of which was dashing to get my car out of the city before midnight on Saturday night in time for the Sunday curfew. I also developed a love of opera there, as the Met used the auditorium on the boardwalk at Asbury Park. Oh, another memory is seeing Joan Baez in concert there. She introduced a then-unknown young, scruffy guy by the name of Bob Dylan. Guess I'm dating myself! Anyone else on Fodors who worked at the La Pierre? Enough reminiscing--back to work.

I am confident that Asbury Park is on the upswing. WHY? Yes, because the gay population has discovered it and is investing money hand over fist.

THe same is true of beautiful Ocean Grove right next to Asbury. Last year a dear gay friend of mine (real estate tycoon that he is) told me to invest in Ocean Grove. My husband and I bought a weekend beach bungelow for $130,000 and now, a little more than one year later the same style homes nearby are selling for $235,000 and up.

YOu have heard the real estate saying "LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION" ....well, my dear gay friend taught me an even better slogan: "FOLLOW the FAGS!" It worked for us.

Ryan,
With all due respect, when I worked at a hotel in Asbury Park about 15 years ago, they were talking about gentrification; nothing happened, and the hotel was sold to a cult; Prior to that, when we lived in Ocean County about 25 years ago, Asbury Park was "up and coming"; and they're still talking about it now.

Ain't never gonna happen.

Well, with all due respect, it sounds like the PP is not up on current events. Asbury Park has been entrenched in a lawsuit since the 80's over who has redevelopment rights of 40 blocks along the ocean. That lawsuit was resolved last year and construction is about to start on 3,000 new market-rate homes... all within walking distance of the ocean. With certain demographics already investing, hip new restaruants and train service to NYC, you do the math....

Screen name,
If the PP you are referring to is me, I hope you'll be very happy in your new home in Asbury Park in one of the 3,000 overpriced units being built in a place that should have been leveled long ago.(Aren't you planning to add to your real estate holdings by jumping on that bandwagon?) This might even TOP Ocean Grove. What became of the holy rollers who live there when people like you moved in?

By the way, train service into New York takes about 2 1/2 hours - why don't you do the math?

There are not many Atlantic Oceans in our future, we have to stick with the one we have!

So...any town in shouting distance on the Ocean will be "Primo"...no matter how long it takes!

If I just had the monies........
JOHN

There is only so much ocean front property left on the Jersey shore that is reasonably afforadable. The oceanfront in Asbury is beautiful, gentrification is inevitable. I wonder where the people forced out will go?

Have you been to the Long Branch waterfront recently. It is incredible. Most of the empty waterfront is being developed to the tune of million dollar townhouses. What a dramatic change for Long Branch.

By the way, I frequently drive through Deal and am always amazed. It looks like no one ever lives in those big ugly houses.

To Screen Name, you'll note I said "it may take a few years, and town officials without criminal intent." Until recently, the latter hadn't existed

Back when you worked there, the one's saying "redevelopment was going to happen" probably wanted out and believed in the greater fool theory of investing. Alternative development options, and reasonably priced summer homes, on the Shore both existed 15 years. (LBI, for example still had room for growth, as did the bay side of towns like Normandy Beach. My uncle's house in Bayville, south of Seaside, had no homes around it in 1985. Now the neighborhood is full.)

All this is of course academic. You might be right, I might be right. As neither us have a crystal ball, why don't we agree to raise this topic again in 2013. Say, noon on June 1?