Inside: Ocean Avenue Grill

It’s rare for anyone or anything to go out on top and even rarer to make a successful comeback. But don’t tell that to the new owners of Ocean Avenue Grill, formerly known as The Cove, in Sea Bright.

After having closed its doors for more than two years, it reopened under its new name and management on July 4 and quickly began to rebuild its reputation as one of the Jersey Shore’s top year-round destination hot spots.

"We remember how popular The Cove was for both its good food and good music," co-owner George Youlios says about the vision he and partner Gary Mihn had for reopening the vacant riverside bar and restaurant. "We saw it as a great opportunity because of its prime location and solid reputation, and we’ve worked hard to make it what it used to be and more."

Décor: Youlios and Mihn made several improvements and upgrades, the most dramatic being the removal of the back bar. The goal was to create two distinct and separate areas: one for the dining crowd and one for the bar scene. With the secondary bar's removal, there is room for more tables, giving the back dining area an undisturbed eating experience and a more restaurant feel.

In the front, the main bar has been refurbished and now features several new big screen TVs, and the old stage area has been replaced with a semi-private room complete with tables and its own big-screen TVs.

Jersey Shore locals know how beautiful the weather is along the water during September and early October. Ocean Avenue Grill’s deck and open-air dinning area provide patrons the perfect place to experience this last fleeting feeling of summer before crisper invades.

"The first place that always fills up is the outside deck," Youlios says. "We also have doors between the deck and dining area that open up all the way because we know how much people eating dinner or sitting at the bar enjoy just watching the boats go by."

Drinks: Ocean Avenue Grill offers top-shelf liquors and features drink specials that include half-priced domestic drafts, house wine and house bar drinks during happy hour, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m. during the week, with special "Thirty Thursdays" expended to 8 p.m.

Crowd: When asked about what he thinks the crowd will be like now that the summer is just about over, Youlios says, "We had a very successful summer season, and we hope that by offering good food and service, we can bring back the customers who remember The Cove from years ago and attract new ones.

"This place used to be a real winter hot spot, and we hope to rekindle that vibe."

Entertainment: Currently, Ocean Avenue Grill showcases acoustic acts on its deck, and Youlios says the goal for the fall and winter is to re-create the vibrant live music scene The Cove was known for. 

“We want to take the time to do it right,” Youlios says. “We are going to ease into it by bringing in the right bands and deciding on the best place for them to play and for people to dance.”

NFL football and other fall sports are a big focus at Ocean Avenue Grill. Youlios says he and Mihn wanted to do something different for fans of out-of-market teams, so they designated two big-screen TVs in the area separate from the bar to features nonlocal games.

“We turned the stage area into a semi-private room that can host private parties of up to 35 people, but we also want it to be a place where fans of different teams can come and watch their favorite games together,” says Youlios.

For Sunday and Monday night football, Ocean Avenue Grill provide free halftime buffets, featuring such favorites as homemade baked ziti and sausage and peppers, as well as the opportunity to participate in the free football pool for the chance to win restaurant gift certificates and other prizes.

Food: There are two separate menus for the restaurant and the bar that have very different philosophies, but as Youlios says, “Either way you choose, our main focus is on providing good food and friendly service.”

The dining menu features a staple of traditional seafood selections including stuffed lobster and blackened swordfish, plus daily specials that include shrimp, flounder and more prepared in a variety of ways.

For its special bar menu and free buffets, Youlios says the intent was to just offer the basics “but do them well.”

"We wanted to have great classic appetizers like Buffalo wings and fried calamari, as well as specialty sandwiches and our big 10-ounce burger,” he says. “As we continue to grow, we will start to add different items and begin to offer a more eclectic menu."

The bottom line:  The cold air is coming and there will be plenty of time in the months to come to sit in a regular bar or restaurant and look at the painted walls and pretty pictures. Do yourself a favor and take the time for a trip to the Ocean Avenue Grill and take advantage of this amazing time of year.

Photo by Anthony DiPasquale

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