The Atlantic House — Restaurant in Atlantic Highlands

This was a very pleasant end to the week. The Millennial Chum and I ended up here for a quasi-dinner last Friday night, at her recommendation. I've passed through Atlantic Highlands before (I think mostly en route to Sandy Hook), but this was my first time in the downtown area. We found street parking about a block or two away pretty quickly, and were immediately seated near the door upon entering despite not having a reservation (to be fair, it was more high-top, informal seating in the bar area, which tends to fill up after the interior dining area does, but still). Huge points in their favor - as we were being seated, the hostess gave us directions to the bathroom. That is literally the first time I've encountered that, and it's a great idea. I don't know why other places don't implement that immediately so you don't have customers awkwardly wandering around looking for it, momentarily distracting other staff for assistance.

I wasn't too hungry, having accidentally eaten some heavy Mexican food earlier in the day, so we opted for nothing but apps - cheese curds, thai chili chicken wings and brussels sprouts. I concentrated almost exclusively on the curds, though i sampled one or two wings and thought they were fine (I'm not a huge wing person so don't rely too heavily on me in that regard - love eating meat off ribs, hate eating meat off wings). The curds were very good. I don't know that I've sampled a ton of them and honestly most were probably consumed at a Chili's, but like almost any bar app, it usually comes down to how heavy they are on the frying. These were fried perfectly, not overdone, and weren't greasy as a result. The Millennial Chum was perfectly content on the other side of the table, munching happily on the brussels. I've learned through time and experience that she can be pretty high maintenance when it comes to that particular appetizer, so if she's signing off on them, that's a solid endorsement.

It seemed important to sample a naughty beverage to usher in the weekend, and I went with the strawberry mule. Delicious, and I ended up having a second one. Perfect mix of flavor with the zest of ginger beer. I really don't understand why mules aren't always flavored, but they can be dangerous. These were definitely on the boozier side, but thankfully I wasn't the one driving for a while. Also in a full circle moment? Despite basically toddling to the bathroom, I located it immediately with no assistance because we'd been given those directions. I really can't get over that and don't want to.

We both really liked our waiter, who was very nice and attentive. I don't recall any service issues or long wait times for anything (though I find time can be a relative concept once you've consumed at least one strong cocktail). He kind of reminded me of Jamie from the Progressive commercials. And despite it being Friday evening down the shore with a solid crowd in there, the acoustics were excellent in the sense that we never had an issue hearing each other, etc. Very solid experience, and at the very least I'm coming back for a strawberry...

Went on Friday evening with wife and adult son. Sat downstairs because reserved table wasn't ready upstairs which I imagine is nicer and more open. Started with caprese salad and tuna avocado tartar. Salad was fine. Tuna tartar also fine but bland, which is not a good description of tartar. Main courses were the cauliflower wedge (wife said was ok) birria tacos (son said pretty good) and lobster roll. Pretty large lobster roll with nice big chunks. Not seasoned properly or not at all leaving that bland as well. Cocktails were very good. Strawberry spicy margarita and a mezcal one. Noth above average. Here is what bugged me the most. Used plates and empty glasses were not removed on a timely manner. Pet peeve of mine. To the point where there were used plates and glasses there when new food and new drinks arrived and still there for duration of meal. That said the staff was very pleasant but needs some extra training. Wouldn't rush back as there are many better options, but since I like the location and setting i may try again for lunch or take in a football game...

Atlantic House – Atlantic Highlands, NJ – 5⭐️

We had an incredible meal at Atlantic House in Atlantic Highlands! Every single dish impressed us:

🥨 Pretzel – Perfectly soft with just the right amount of salt, paired with a delicious dipping sauce.

🥩 Steak Bites – Cooked to perfection; tender, flavorful, and a must-order appetizer.

🍤 Coconut Shrimp – Crispy and sweet with a great tropical flair—one of our favorites of the night.

For mains:

🥗 Chicken Chaser Salad – A refreshing and hearty salad packed with flavor and grilled chicken done right.

🥩 Skirt Steak – Juicy, tender, and seasoned beautifully.

🍝 Spicy Rigatoni – Creamy with the perfect level of heat. A standout pasta dish!

🧀 Mac and Cheese – Comfort food elevated—rich, creamy, and baked just right.

Every dish was amazing, both in taste and presentation. The vibe is great, service is friendly, and it’s a spot we’ll absolutely be coming back to. Highly recommend if you're...