Best Comfort Food Restaurants in Monmouth Beach

We always enjoy our meal at Gargiulos. They have great drinks, great bartenders and the nicest people who work there. We love to sit at the bar and meet new people while enjoying great food.

This was our second visit; first was in March 2026. Very coincidentally, we had the same waitstaff member, Alexandria. If our luck holds, we will see get to see her on future visits. She is outstanding: personable, attentive, professional. One could not ask for better service. She's a gem.

This restaurant is excellent. They have a nice variety of dishes and are very accommodating for special dietary restrictions. Many menu items are gluten free or can be made gluten free. The staff is courteous and efficient and the atmosphere is lovely.

I met my high school bestie for brunchl, and we had a marvelous experience! We will absolutely be back. Accessibility deserves a special shout-out. Handicapped parking, an elevator, and a spacious, accessible restroom are huge pluses and made our visit much easier and more comfortable. The service was outstanding. Our server struck that magical balance between being attentive and unobtrusive, friendly, warm, and professional without ever overstepping. That takes real skill, and she absolutely nailed it! We both enjoyed the frosé, which was delicious. The eggplant and zucchini fries were perfection, and the churros we shared for dessert were a definite highlight: hot, fresh, and filled with some kind of creamy deliciousness. A+++! The calamari was just okay, and the chicken kabob was a bit bland and didn’t quite live up to the rest of the meal. But the day boat scallops? Absolutely phenomenal! I could eat those every day for the rest of my life. They were the undisputed star of the meal. One caveat: It was pouring rain during our visit, so we didn’t get to enjoy the large, lovely porch and its two-sided fireplace overlooking the ocean. The setting looks spectacular, and I would love to dine out there on a beautiful day. However, someone stepped out from the bar area to smoke on the porch. I don’t know whether this was an exception due to the rain, but smoking near people dining al fresco would be a major dealbreaker for me. I hope this isn’t a regular occurrence, because that porch looks like a real gem! Overall, the wonderful service, delicious drinks, phenomenal scallops, and accessibility made for a terrific afternoon. My friend has a beach house just a few blocks away, giving us the perfect excuse to return. Next time, hopefully, we’ll get to enjoy that beautiful porch without the rain, or the smoke!

Great food, good vibes and great service. Shared appetizers and was a great choice. I recommend the chips and clams