Hemingway's in Seaside Heights features a nightclub ambience mixed with a great dining experience, said manager Karl Palzer, 26, of Toms River.
"This bar used to be called Temptations a few years ago," Palzer said, "and it took us two years to remodel it."
The new hot spot, according to Palzer, is family-owned and has five full-service bars, a restaurant, four pool tables, a sushi bar, patio dining, dart boards, DJs every night and V.I.P sections.
"It's a club atmosphere, but it's also a sports bar where people can go sit on one of our comfortable couches and watch sports or news from one of our 20 TVs or from our huge TV in the VIP section" he said.
The restaurant offers a full menu that includes seafood, sushi, burgers, salads, desserts, pizza and more.
"Our food is not expensive," Palzer said. "People are going to pay for a great meal, and it's worth it."
Paul Schmidt, 36, of Pine Beach, one of the bartenders at Hemingway's, describes the atmosphere as very fun and upbeat.
"I love working here, and the environment is just great. People are always having fun and it's just a happy place," he said. The most popular drinks at Hemingway's, he added, include mojitos and cosmopolitan martinis.
Hemingway's has an outside smoking bar with a big TV and pictures of bands hanging on the walls. At night, the DJ plays dance music, and once they move the pool tables, the bar becomes a dance floor, Palzer said.
"People should come because we're the nicest and newest place in the area," he said. "We have a very local atmosphere, but we also attract many visitors from other towns."
Bartender Taimarie Riuz pours a drink at Hemingway's in Seaside Heights. Photo by Doug Hood
