Two words of advice about The Avenue in Long Branch: happy hour. And honestly, it's the only advice I can give because I haven't been there for a meal. The menu looks very good but it's pricey. My partner and I have considered going there for a splurge meal...somehow it hasn't happened yet. What we go there for is a bargain you can't beat: $5 martinis on the ocean from 4-7 every day.
If I can figure out how to do it, I'll post a picture soon (I'm technically challenged), but the first thing to say is that The Avenue's location is fabulous: right on the ocean, and I mean RIGHT on, not across the street as is the case in many Shore towns. That's the advantage of the Pier Village restaurants--McLoone's and Sirena are also perched right over the beach. When we lived in Ocean Grove, my partner always wanted to find a place for a drink right on the beach, but in those towns around OG, there isn't much. Long Branch is a different story.
In the warm months, The Avenue has couches out on a small deck over the ocean, but when it's cold you still get a great view from the lounge. The restaurant is beautiful--I love the space and light. All of the "specialty cocktails" we've tried have been great. Here's the $5 menu:
Scottish Pear: Glenmorangie single-malt scotch, Bombay Sapphire, fresh Poire Williams
**Excellent
Le Pama: Hendricks gin, Papa pomogranate liquer, St. Germain
Expresso Martini: Patron XO Cafe, Kahlua coffee liquor, illy espresso
Adam's Apple: Pinnacle vodka, green apple puree, Berentzen premium apple liquer, fresh lime
*Very Good
La Cantalina: Sauza tequila, Canton ginger liquer, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, cilantro
**Excellent
Peach Passion: Zugo vodka, Champagne, white peach, passion fruit
The Village Sidecar: Hennessey Cognac, Grand Marnier, fresh raspberry
Le Flore: Champagne, Hennessey Cognac, Grand Marnier, fresh raspberry
Valentino: Champagne, Fragoli strawberry liquer, Pinnacle vodka, passion fruit
Cocktail of the Month--Snowfall: Stoli Vanil, vanilla liquor, vanilla bean, cream
Last weekend, my old buddy Mary trekked up here from Brick--she loves a good happy hour--for her first visit to Pier Village and The Avenue, and she was totally sold. You just can't beat it: looking out at the wintry Atlantic with a delicious martini in hand, and a plate of oysters on ice in front of you. They run raw bar specials during happy hour and these were 75 cents each, served with two dipping sauces. I'm not a big oyster girl but Mary raved about them and she's pretty particular about seafood. There's a big fireplace in the dining room, too, which I thought was off-limits to non-diners, but when you look closer, there are couches in front of it, and two smart people (not us) were ensconsed in front of it with their drinks.
I've read some really bad reviews of The Avenue on chowhound, especially people foaming at the mouth about bad service (lots of attitude), but that wasn't our experience. Who knows...maybe because it's winter, the bennies are (mostly) gone, and the wait staff is mellower.
I can't speak for lunch or dinner (yet) but happy hour at The Avenue is definitely worth your time.
Here's their web page with menu and pictures
http://www.leclubavenue.com
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If I could drink, I would definitely go there....although, maybe after you do a review on there food, I can go there anyway. I like the names of their drinks though. None of that corny nonsense some bars come up with to make drinks more appealing. They all sound quite sophisticated.
ReplyDeletesadly I am not of legal drinking age =( but i have been to the restaurant once or twice before. The atmosphere and scenery is fabulousssssssssss and so pretty at sunset. For those who can only go to restaurants for the food and not their happy hours, i can tell you the food is very good, you should most deff go there for your "splurge meal"
ReplyDeleteEmma, what drink name do you like the best?
ReplyDeleteEden,thanks for the tip! What have you had there, and what do you recommend, from the menu?
ReplyDeleteExpresso Martini. If I was allowed to have coffee (alas, I can only indulge once in awhile) then I would totally go for the expresso one. Oh and also if I could drink... : )
ReplyDeleteI think I had one of their salads, which were pretty good, and I tried some of my dad's fish which was actually really tasty...all in all I remember the food to be pretty good
ReplyDeleteThe article is very interesting...maybe in three years...if the place is still around Ill go and get a drink for myself...or maybe the state will lower the drinking age so that we can drink at 18...I mean if we are old enough to go to war...why cant we be old enough to drink our teen sorrows away?....lol...o man I hope no one outside our class sees this because they might think Im an alcoholic...im not by the way : )
ReplyDeleteI like this.. it's interesting to read your writing about a restaurant after doing it too..
ReplyDeleteI concur with Robin...Dr.K I have never read anything by you...it feels cool reading this
ReplyDelete