Ocean City, NJ

[dknyc1]

I am heading to Ocean City, NJ this weekend with my family:

myself, wife, 3 year old daughter & my parents.

I used to go there as a kid - its been 25+ years.

Any good family places to eat?

Weather doesnt sound too great for the weekend - anyone know of anything to do in that area if we get rained out for the beach / boardwalk?

Thanks

[Rosie]

Not familiar with the area. Zagat's lists a Barel's for casual dining. 206 E 11th St, Ocean City.

Other places are:

Blue Planet Diner, 841 AsburyAve

Cafe Beach Club 13th and the Boardwalk--casual

Cousin's 104 Asbury Ave--considered very good and only open in the season

Culinary Garden, 841 Central Ave--casual seafood

Dan't Seafoood Restaurant, Palen Ave--casual

4th St Cafe, 400 Atlantic Ave--dinner choices change weekly

Il Pescatore, 3325 Asbury Ave--casual elegance?

Island Grill, 100 Atlantic Ave--fine dining in a casual family oriented atmosphere

Periwinkles, 822 9th St--casual seashore themed steak and seafood house

Shafto's 1249 Asbury Ave--traditional family favorite

Spadafora's, 9th and Atlantic casual seafood and steak; children's menu available.

Make reservations. Be sure to let us know where you went and how it was. Have a fun vacation.

[KatieLoeb]

Just over the Causeway in Somers Point is the Bubba Mac Shack. Awesome BBQ, very kid friendly, great cocktails and live blues, often played by owner Bubba Mac himself, a doppelganger for Jerry Garcia if I've ever seen one. Had dinner there with 5 and 7 year old niece and nephew recently and they enjoyed it immensely. So did their parents and I. The Gator Bites were a big hit. More info is HERE

PS - Ocean City is a "dry" town, so if you'd like to have a non-non-alcoholic beverage, you'll have to leave the city limits.

[Rosie]

Can you BYO in Ocean City?

[KatieLoeb]

Can you BYO in Ocean City?

That's a good question, Rosie. I was only there overnight, and the actually law reads something like "carrying/having alcoholic beverages in Public areas". I had a lively discussion with my host, an attorney, as to whether you could be stopped carrying beer or wine purchased elsewhere into the house from your car. As to whether you can BYO, I'm thinking that might be construed as having alcohol in a public area. So I think not.

[Kim WB]

Ocean City is dry, no alcohol sold or served, including BYO's. Needless to say, the liquor stores over the bridge are quite busy!

[Wiener]

Ike's crab cakes on the boardwalk. Pretty good crab cakes for the boardwalk. Small and crowded. Great fruit iced teas and good chips. I have seen Ike's in Ridgewood at a stand in one of the fall street fairs.

The salt water taffy from Srivers on the boards is better than all others in the area and south. Schrivers (sp?) also has a store in Atlantic City.

Culinary Garden is decent but borderlines on the typical south Jersey -early bird specials-type of place. As I say , it borders on this kind of place but is quite nice.

Water is very very warm, beach has been great this summer. Enjoy

[john b]

Pizza at Mack & Manco's is a must. They have three boardwalk locations.

Voltaco's, on Asbury Ave around 14th, 15th or 16th (I can't remember which block it's on) has good hoagies and hot sandwiches (chicken parm, etc).

Katie mentioned Bubba Mac. Another good place in Somers Point is Charlie's, a bar/restaurant. Their boneless buffalo wings are excellent.

I can't think of any good rainy day activites, other than a trip to AC for some gambling.