MCLOONE’S RESTAURANT: ASBURY PARK N.J. GREAT OCEANFRONT DINING!!!

For those of you who have not been to Asbury Park in recent days, months, or years, a revival transformation has been occurring before your very eyes. With it has evolved a new era of trendy restaurants and bars. One I found particularly interesting was McLoone’s Asbury Grille. Located on the North end of the boardwalk, this indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar has the perfect setting for a great meal and a fabulous view of the ocean.

It was late morning when my wife and I were walking and looking at all the new boardwalk venues when we decided to get an early lunch. We had scoped the restaurants along the boardwalk in Asbury Park when we came across McLoone’s Asbury Grille. We immediately were impressed with the menu offerings and decided to give it a try.

It was a cool spring day, but the sun was shining so we could not resist sitting at one of the many outside tables where we could take in the ocean view and the people passing by. The toughest decision was deciding what to order from a lunch menu with many appealing items. Some of the many choices included Caribbean Calamari, Mango & Gorgonzola Salad, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Grilled Vegetable Lasagna, and the list went on and on. Most restaurants gives you a few mouth watering choices and it is easy to narrow down your choices but this menu made it very difficult to decide.

My wife and I decided on the McLoone’s Thai BBQ Wings and a bowl of the Loaded Baked Potato Soup as appetizers. We love to share so we get to try a more variety of foods. For my meal, I chose the Grilled Vegetable Panini, which had grilled zucchini, squash, and eggplant topped with roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella. My wife was tempted by the Mango and Gorgonzola Salad, which came with toasted almonds and dried cranberries served with thyme vinaigrette. All of our choices were fantastic.

The Thai wings came with a Thai BBQ sauce and bleu cheese that combined together were a taste to savor for long time. The Potato soup was interestingly served in a pitcher, and you poured it into your bowl. There was plenty for both of us to share and again the rich flavors made us want to come back for more.

My Grilled vegetable Panini was served hot and the melted mozzarella cheese, along with the grilled vegetables meet all expectations. This was served with a pickle and homemade potato chips which were an added treat. The Mango and Gorgonzola salad had plenty of all the ingredients and the taste was superb.

We could not have asked for a better lunch anywhere. That along with the sun, beach, and pleasant atmosphere, McLoone’s Asbury Grille gets a five star rating for its unique menu items, fair prices, and fabulous atmosphere.