Anchor Inn — Restaurant in Ocean Gate

Went for the first time. Server girl wasn’t the nicest from the start. Seemed annoyed but she was very nice to the table next to us showing pictures of her puppy (which I would have been happy to see & hear about too 😉). Got shrimp cocktail for app. Was good. The bread was real good. Hubby got the Delmonico. He said it was flavorless. Fell short from the hype we heard & read. The side of mashed potatoes were cold and no taste. I ordered the spinach manicotti- from under the pasta section of the everyday menu. When it arrived it was 2 PCs of manicotti covered in burnt cheese & lots of oil on the bottom but no sauce at all. Hubby asked where’s the sauce?? I took a small bite but could not eat it. Had to ask someone for our server as she didn’t bring our food & was not around. When she finally did come by i said I’m sorry I can’t eat this, I thought like (baked ziti, lasagna, etc) it was made with sauce. She said oh well do you want a side of marinara?? I said no thank you. And because in all honesty with all the cheese and all the oil a side of marinara wouldn’t have saved it. So I ordered penne w/vodka, figured it would be quick and easy since my husband was already eating. It came out pretty quick. It was ziti not pene. I’m sorry but if a meal is advertised with a certain pasta please let the customer know that’s that’s not what you have today & there is a substitution. Some of the ziti was hard as if reheated. The sauce was watery and no flavor. I asked someone (again our server disappeared and was not around) for cheese. I took a few bites & wanted to like it but it was a definite no. Server never came by to see if all was ok. Hubby was done, my dish was barely touched and server came by with a container and I said no thank you. She didn’t ask if there was a problem or anything. We were nice to her from the start, not sure what the problem was Didn’t offer coffee or desert but I don’t think we would have stayed. So we tried it. Won’t go back. My 2 stars are for the bread & shrimp cocktail. Not the food we ordered and DEFINITELY NOT the server. And I certainly do respect servers as they do work hard but I’m sorry if she can be nice to another table and spend time there even when she wasn’t bringing the food or anything and we’re right there and she doesn’t even look over to see if we need drinks or check on our food and treated us the way she did , I have an issue with that. The photo of the manicotti is burnt...

Last night's meal and experience at the Anchor Inn was, literally, punishing.

For starters, the policy is.....no separate checks on a Friday night. I objected and everyone at the table got uncomfortable so I acquiesced.

Next, I ordered spinach manicotti. It arrived in barely an apperizer portion but was an entree price. Then the flavor was....literally....awful. The pasta wrapped around the spinach was a blend of gummy and pasty in texture with no redeeming flavor. The spinach mix was at best not as good as an off brand frozen spinach equivilent in the supermarket...or....an oddly peculiar flavor that didn't have anything at all to do with spinch manicotti's traditionally wonderful experience. I was uncomfortable sending it back because: the folks at tbe table had just settled down from my split bill chat with the waitress; the folks we were with love the place; I'm lookn' around and the place is packed with gleeful Anchor Inn enthusiasts so I had the small thought that maybe it's me and the food really is good; and finally there is always the hazard of antagonized cooks and/or staff ....shall we ssy.....modifying your food before your plate gets to you.

Splitting the bill is always a bumpy road for non drinkers and non appetizer folks like us so I paid 50.00 for unequivically one of the worst meals in my life instead of a less painful smaller price.

Lastly, the gastro aftermath or churning of that genuinely terrible dish in my stomach truly made made me almost queasy.......and I can eat ANYTHING with never an issue. It was so bad I had to stop at the nearby Quick Check and get a latte to have a pleasing flavor to erase/mask the nagging bad flavor memory and to kind of coat my stomach.

In all fairness, everyone else enjoyed their dinners and my other half, a genuine salmon connoisseur, gave her salmon dish high marks.

My experience is summed up by a Jackie Mason observation, "Nice people, but food is not...

February 4th, 2024 "First Visit"

Stopped here for Lunch with Kit Dwight, this past Sunday...

Last night I had watched a 6 year's old YouTube video that had been posted by Johnny Cthepizzaguy during one of his earlier Pizza reviews.

Grateful for his recommendation and very pleased with the food we had chosen.

Kit Dwight had chose the Crab Cakes with Baked Potato and a side Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing.

I chose the Bar Pie with Sausage, Peppers and Onion's with a side of Onion Rings...

They were out of the Onion Rings, so I replaced them with the side Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing and a order of Garlic Bread with Cheese...

The 🍕 Pizza was delicious, fresh toppings, sauce was out of this world and the crust was crispy and charred to my liking...

Next trip will be for the Delmonico Steak 🥩!!!

Today, July 21st, 2024 is that next visit...

Kit Dwight and I decided we would have a early dinner and took a ride back to Ocean Gate, NJ and visit the Anchor ⚓ Inn.

We made our first visit in February of this year and felt the need to return.

Kit had the Crab Cakes again, but decided to have a Baked Potato and the side salad.

I had the Pizza that first visit and this time I decided to try the Delmonico Steak with a Baked Potato and the side salad.

We also had Cheesey Garlic Bread for an appetizer as we did back in February...

This restaurant is a true gem, food was perfectly prepared, delicious and worth the trip.

The decor is similar to the Brother's Restaurant in Red Bank, NJ and also has a similar vibe to the long gone Clam Hut in Highlands, NJ.

The warm, nostalgic atmosphere from growing up in Monmouth County has continued in...