Ocean Fresh Seafood Market and Dining — Restaurant in Toms River

The seafood market restaurant on Route 37 in Toms River has a pleasant atmosphere and seems to have a following—others rave about their fresh catches and friendly staff. The seafood dinners I tried (aside from the crab cakes) were tasty and well prepared. The interior is clean, bright, and comfortable—great place for a casual meal by the water.

That said I have to be honest about the service and crab cakes. I stood at the front door for 15 full minutes before anyone even acknowledged me. I finally had to approach a staff member to ask for a table. Then I waited another 10 minutes even though there was clearly an open table right next to me. At no point were all the tables used, and we were close to closing. By the time I left there was only one other table occupied.

Not just a matter of waiting for service, I don't mind that for a good restaurant. I do mind not being acknowledged. Smile or a nod would be sufficient if they're very busy. I got neither. It wasn't until I stood in front of somebody and practically stopped them in their tracks did I get attention. And then I went back into the waiting list.

I would imagine a manager with a new restaurant seeing a new face would be happy to greet them. We don't go to restaurants to buy food, we go to restaurants for the experience. And although some of the food was good, the overall experience was meh.

As to the food, the big problem was the crab cakes. I was really looking forward to them but they tasted more like pencil shavings and sawdust. I couldn’t find a single lump of real crab meat in the three small cakes that were plated. That was hugely disappointing. The other dishes I ordered were good, just not worth overlooking the crab cake letdown.

So overall I’d say three stars. Nice atmosphere, some solid dishes, but service could use work and the crab cakes need to...

Excellent seafood and definitely not a tourist trap! The first thing you notice is that this restaurant is clean and bright inside and out. When you walk in, the seafood counter is to your left, and the seating to the right. After taking my seat, I strolled over to the seafood counter to see what looked good. Well, it all did, but the swordfish really caught my eye. The sword wasn't on the menu, but the staff was happy to prepare it for me anyway - the chef recommended blackened, and so it was.

Having seen how fresh the fish was with my own eyes, I expected a good meal, but I was really surprised by the gourmet meal our server brought out. The fish was fresh as expected, and beautifully cooked. But it was the sides that pushed this over the top. I had the rice blend and mixed grilled vegetables which were perfectly prepared and absolutely delicious. All in all, this place way outperformed my expectations for such a cozy casual restaurant.

Finally, I'll add that the service was friendly and attentive, and that the environment was very comfortable. It's BYOB, so I used the money I saved to have a very good bowl of clam chowder. I visited on a rainy weeknight during the off season, so it was a pretty mellow time. I'm sure that it gets a bit more hectic during the high season.

I highly recommend Ocean Fresh Seafood, and do suggest that you stroll over to the seafood counter to see what looks...

I posted a not too good review , a while ago with suggestions for improvement , and the place is getting better, fresh seafood is a tough business, wholesale prices are thru the roof on fresh wild caught local seafood. Folks sticker shocked, that’s the new reality. Anyways restaurant is super clean , the showcase is packed with nice looking properly displayed freshly caught seafood, that can’t be found at local supermarkets and other eateries, nice selection to take home. Amazingly there is no fishy smell, their clam chowders are top notch, shrimp for cocktail is fresh , plump and sweet, not a trace of chemicals or iodine, properly made fish and chips crispy batter and chips with nicely balanced coleslaw, crispy calamari was on point, It hit the spot, they give you enough food for 2 meals, take home leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch . When I get that fresh seafood craving I go there for simply prepared fresh local seafood, I think the new ownership is paying attention to our reviews, and working out the kinks. Pisces seafood as it was called under old ownership had its ups and downs , the new owners are finding their niche getting to that balance where price justifies the product and quality , I am still amazed at their pristine showcase and fresh air in the dining...