Fancy place across from boardwalk. Food was good but over priced . IMO there is a no pasta dish worth $40+. I h ad gnocchi bolognaise . If you like atmosphere go for it .. read more

We went back to Spring Lake for the day and enjoyed the beach! We decided to go back to Amelia's based on how delicious our last meal was! I got the meatballs again and they were as good as before. I ordered a new entree - Lobster Ravioli! It was heavenly - perfectly cooked pasta with a good amount of lobster! The sauce was so rich and creamy - my partner and I loved it! She got the Lobster Capellini again - it, like the meatballs, was as good as we remembered! Of course the view from the enclosed veranda was as gorgeous as ever! Amelia's will be our 'go to' restaurant whenever we visit Spring Lake. read more

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Anything good about Amelia's was drowned out by a "Wall of Sound" aural experience that would have done Led Zeppelin proud. This was by far the loudest "fine dining" venue I've ever visited. I don't usually whip out sound meter apps in the middle of dinner, but the noise level here was so extraordinary that I was moved to check it out: Average sound level at our corner table in the main dining room was 83 db, with peaks to 89. That's a shout-to-be-heard sound level, equivalent to using a blow dryer or standing at the bar in a very loud nightclub. The table and conversation noise was exacerbated by a wall-mounted speaker that pumped out bassy, thumpy, club-style dance music that was completely inappropriate to the venue. Other than the noise: The table was set with dirty water glasses that had to be sent back. The service was polite but hectic. The server said, "I don't mean to rush you, but I want to get your order in before the large party next to you arrives." I guess it was considerate of him to anticipate a slowdown and want to get our orders in, but in a well-managed dining room this shouldn't have been an issue. He ran off with our dinner order before the one member of our party who wanted a cocktail had had a chance to order it -- she had to "collar" him later to put in the drink order. The food quality was mixed. One of our party thought the lobster bisque was very good, and all thought the fried calamari appetizer passable in terms of tenderness and flavor. I had the filet mignon. It was a good piece of steak, but cooked closer to medium-well than to the medium-rare I'd ordered. It was also a bit difficult to manage with the blunt table knife supplied - a steak knife would have helped. The accompanying spinach was lukewarm; I got the sense that the plate had "rested" a few minutes too long before being brought out to the table. Desserts were reasonably good, but not great. Total time spent was just about two hours, and the place showed definite signs that the staff were eager to close down and go home when we left at about 10:30. Mercifully, someone turned off the music. read more

Stunning beachfront atmosphere, white glove service (shout out Ariana), and delicious food. This is a lovely spot for a nice occasion. Starters: Love the complimentary house marinated olives to start--unique types and bread with olive oil. The tortellini soup on special was large and rich in flavor and creaminess. Very tasty. Fried burrata was excellently paired with prosciutto, peppers, among other accoutrements. Entrees: Horseradish salmon was the most tender, fall apart in my mouth I've ever had. My mom LOVED her chicken piccata. The mashed potatoes and veggies on the side were also so buttery and yummy. Dessert: The strawberry cake (forget the Italian name) for dessert was super light yet decadent. Chocolate cake just the same, not too heavy. It's a pricy place, but they offer 50% off entrees on Thurs (cash only) and prefixe menu before theater shows in town (before 6pm). BYOB off season / alcohol in summer. Plenty of free parking surrounding but summer may be a challenge. read more

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Great ambience, but incredibly amateurish service. I do sympathize as it's quite hard to get good wait staff and also run a profitable restaurant. But still ... Ok the food. Hit and miss. Half of us loved our choices while my other two friends said it was meh. It's been 2 months so forgive me for not including the details of the dishes as I have time now and am on a review rampage. Good Luck, it's worth a shot and we were only there once. read more

Beautiful location across from the beach. Our waitress Stephanie was super sweet and efficient. Our meals were very good, I had the lobster pasta and it was delicious. My husband had another fish dish and really enjoyed it. The only thing they could do is have a few fly traps to capture the flies near the window. I killed 5 while there, they kept flying to the window where I was seated. It's summer down the shore so we totally get it, but that was the only thing that was a little annoying. We still really enjoyed this restaurant. read more

Ambiance and service were excellent. Food not so much. Shrimp cocktail very good. Burrata starter came with anchovies (!!) and inedible thick cut slimey prosciutto, on top of a mess of stewed tomatoes and I think peppers. Only ate the burrata. Entree was breaded chicken cutlet with same awful prosciutto and swimming in cream sauce. Why bread the chicken only to turn it to mush with cream. The chicken was rubbery and tasteless. Waitress was very professional and gave us a $50 gift card when we were leaving to try to make up for our experience but after spending $300 on one of the worst meals we've had in years we'll never go back. So disappointing. read more

Loud, crowded, and way overpriced. I made reservations for a special occasion with some out of town friends. We were seating on the front porch area, which was crowded and too loud to hear each other's conversation. Our dinners were average and the bill was astronomical. It was also clear who was friends with the owner; they were treated very well while others were ignored. I will not go back. read more

Over priced chicken dish was so sweet. Tasted like it was made with soy sauce. Ate it because I was hungry and didn't want to waste the $46 I paid for entree. Was much better a couple of years ago. Music was ok but not for a very expensive restaurant. Will not be back read more

Everything went great at our family get together. The food is always amazing and our waitress seemed to blend with our group perfectly. I forget her name but blonde hair and a great tan and said she worked there last year also. I love the bright light coming through the windows and views depending on where you are sitting. Very quiet at first until it started filling up and then it gets a little noisy but we just blended in with the comfortable people surrounding us. The Angry lobster over squid ink linguini my husband couldn't stop raving about and he never raves about any restaurant dishes! All in all, everything was perfect like it was last year! Can't wait to make this a place we come to more often!! read more

Excellent location at the Jersey Shore. The service provided by Kelsie (sp?) was attentive from the second we arrived, and Juan at the bar was excellent as well. All dishes were delicious and the portions were large. Great place! read more

2/5 stars. 2 stars for the location. everything is just okay/sub par. If youre a home cook and asked google for recipes. this is what you'd end up with. $50+ for chicken (not even bell & Evan's chicken) is pretty crazy. read more

Have gone to Amelia's several times - usually delicious. We found our dinners though each time to be inconsistent from one visit to the next. We plan on going again on Wednesday - trusting it will be a good dining experience! Four stars for the times that have been wonderful - one star for the time they forgot we were seated at a table. Worth a visit over and over. read more

Food was excellent. Service very lack luster, had to request all four appetizers served at once, served to two, other two received nothing. Had to find waitress, couldn't, asked another waitress who assisted. Noise level atrocious! Can't talk or hear anyone at your own small table. read more

Great atmosphere overlooking the ocean. I order a veal piccata and was not impressed at all. Very expensive and had really no taste to it. I was really disappointed. I compared this dish to a veal piccata at Antonios Trattoria for $29 and this dish was ten times better at Antonios not even close. read more

Our food experience was good - it took a long time to get the food. However, they may wanna consider selling water bottles that are dishwasher safe. So maybe skip the gift shop especially if you are purchasing for children. read more

Amelia’s By the Sea - Water bottles - before and after going into the dishwasher! - Italian Near Me - Spring Lake, New Jersey

We got the meatballs and baked clams as an appetizer. I thought the meatballs were pretty good; i did not try the clams, but those in our party who did raved about them and said they were fantastic. For an entree, I got the Halibut with Lemon & Artichoke Risotto. The fish itself was ok, and a little overcooked/dry. The risotto was delicious, however; there is a basil oil on the plate that works really well with the flavors, though masks the artichoke. The others at our table got the Gnocchi Bolognese, Chicken Piccata, and Veal Parmigiana. They all liked their dishes, and the person who got the Piccata was particularly vocal about how good it was (the best she'd had). It was very busy, so it was fairly loud inside. Service was a fairly slow, and after a while we did feel a bit neglected; we had to physically stand up and track down a waiter just to get the check. Overall, I'd come again, though probably on a weekday instead of a Saturday night. read more

Amelia’s By the Sea - Halibut w/ Meyer Lemon & Artichoke Risotto - Italian Near Me - Spring Lake, New Jersey

CHECK YOUR BILL TWICE!! The staff messed up the check 2x, first charging us $280 for what ultimately was a $180 check. The explanation that another server had taken over the register and started keying in additional items was a poor excuse for sloppy controls. Might have been forgotten, except the first "correction" still included extra charges. The food is good, if a bit expensive. On a hot day, make sure you sit inside where it's air conditioned. read more

Love Amelia's. Been here a few times and it's consistently good. The service is great and on Friday nights they have live music with Zack Alexander (who is incredible). The food is fresh and tasty. I don't even know what to recommend, because I've tried many items and I have liked the all. They also have a very good sushi menu. I don't think you can go wrong with anything here. Real neighborhood gem. read more

In NJ to visit family and celebrate our 26th anniversary thru a recommendation we chose Amelia's. This beautiful location across from the beach in Spring Lake gives you multiple view points of the beach within a lovely restaurant with styling in keeping with the NJ shore We arrived early for our reservation (highly suggested) and were sat with no hesitation and mulled over their wine selection. The restaurant serves all diners a medly of black/green/red olives and crusty bread -both traditional high quality and a foreshadow of the quality of your entrees For appetizer we shared the baked clams - delicious. 6 little necks full of flavor, tender with a drenched baguette slice in the center - OH MY Entrees, my wife had the Zuppe de Pesce Calamari, clams, muscles, shrimp , halibut all properly cooked and show cases the fish as they should - a strong recommendation. I had the shrimp oreganata . Fantastic, shrimp were cooked to perfection over the best whipped potatoes ive ever had and the escarole- YUM! Dessert- a pistachio canolli Thank you Amelia's for a wonderful anniversary dinner and our server Tara for her attention to our table and special moment read more

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Tonight was my birthday and I couldn't have asked for a better dinner and service. We ordered 4 different meals and all were amazing. We started off with an apple/arugula/goat cheese salad which was yummy. Then we had our entrees which were very generous portions. Lastly, I had a delicious piece of tiramisu with a huge sparkler. Service was the best and the waitress plus bus girls were so attentive. We never had an empty water cup or unwanted plate on the table. This is a beautiful location across the street from the beach. read more

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It was my sister in law's birthday and we went here. The food was really well seasoned and prepared, attention to details. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable as we had quite a few questions. The decor was neat and clean and not over bearing. I had the pork chop Parmagianno and it was outstanding almost better than veal ! My wife had lobster ravioli and my brother in law had the scallops which were massively sized. My wife had soft shell crabs .. Apps were calamari fritti which is calamari in polenta coverings, also baked clams which were very tasty. They brought wine and champagne and for a 25$ corking fee we had our own drinks. read more

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I had another expectation of the food on site a more varied menu for brunch, but the sandwiches we ordered were good flavour texture quality the same. But I had higher expectations. I love the very clean place everything was in place, the service was not bad but neither the best should improve in that aspect they were very friendly but they were never attentive to our table and did not pick me up from the table to ask for the bill I think I would have been sitting there until the service of the week. I think they could improve read more

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Excellent service, good great. This restaurant seems to get better every year. Super location on the waterfront in spring lake. read more

We loved this place so much and can't wait to come back! We wandered in off an impromptu beach day. We weren't sure what to expect and arrived at an off time about 3p. They seated us on this lovely enclosed porch with open patio doors and an ocean breeze. Absolutely beautiful experience. The bread and olives were delicious. Our tuna tartare, lobster ravioli, oysters and burrata salad were all beyond expectations. The owner or manager was friendly and funny and our server was adorable and fast. Great cocktails. Peaceful and relaxing environment. It is expensive but well worth it. read more

The food was delicious! We had the baked clams and baked oysters sambuca to start. They were both amazing. We then had the shrimp oreganata with spinach and mashed potatoes. All three were delicious!!! Definitely recommend this place for a good dinner. Ambiance was very nice as well. read more

Food and service were great. We had the lobster ravioli, chicken and cannoli for dessert. Very disappointed at the hostess for seating us at the back of the restaurant, the restaurant had just started serving dinner we wanted to seat near the water view and we were told all the table had reservations. We were ready to leave after an hr and a half and as you can see no one had started to come in that section yet. We have been here before and like it a lot ambience is great later in the evening but we wanted a quiet dinner by the ocean. read more

Amelia’s By the Sea - Great service and food. But disappointed on the seating when no one here till we we leaving. - Italian Near Me - Spring Lake, New Jersey

Service was great, ambiance fantastic, management incredible. Just don't order the eggplant parm. You can't reheat breaded eggplant covered in breadcrumbs and egg. Egg doesn't reheat. Everything else was fantastic. Surprised that the chef keeps this on the menu. read more

I think Bareli's is my new favorite dinner spot in the area! My husband and I came here over the weekend for our anniversary and were blown away by how good the food was. Everything we ordered was impeccably delicious. - I'd suggest making a reservation in advance. We noticed a few walk-ups, and it seemed like they were turned away, as every table was full. - I'm glad we requested the covered porch seating area. The inside section was very loud because there was live music. We wanted a more relaxing, intimate ambiance, but if you want a more lively dining experience, I'd suggest booking indoors. - Service was quick and attentive. We didn't feel like we had to wait long for any of our courses; everything was well-paced. - Now, onto the food! We started with the daily oyster selection, which was from Cape May. They were flavorful without being too fishy and came with four topping options (notably horseradish, my favorite). - Lobster bisque came with a small lobster tail instead of the lobster mixed into the soup. I probably would've preferred it mixed in, but the lobster was so fresh and the bisque rich and flavorful. - Tuna tartare was delicious! We order tuna tartare anytime we see it on a menu, so we have high standards. This dish came with plenty of tuna, and we liked that the soy sauce was on the side, so it didn't overpower the dish. - I ordered the Sea Bass special as my main course. The sauce was light, and the pistachio added a nice crunch. It was served with perfectly whipped mashed potatoes and broccolini. - My husband ordered the Pork Chop Parm, and we were amazed at how large the portion was! I don't usually love pork, but the meat was tender and lightly crisped. It came with a generous portion of pasta too. - We finished off our meal with tiramisu. It's a small piece, but we were so full that it was just the right amount to share. Most of what we ordered came from the specials menu, so I'm interested to see their specials when we dine here next! read more

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Great location by the beach. Ambiance was nice. Watch for shady waiter there though. Tried to slip his tables check to mine and he wasn't even serving us. Only time he even interacted with us was when we were waiting for the check. Somehow he suddenly volunteered to do our servers work for her as "a favor". Next thing I knew I'd been rung up for $555 as opposed to the $182 check we'd sent my card for. He'd been really chummy with the large group next to our table. I got the impression he was trying to impress them by "hooking them up by charging their tab to my card", so maybe he could give them the charge from mine. Total bullshit. read more

Best food in New Jersey ! Hands down Great service,friendly staff and a beautiful restaurant

I had a lovely dinner at this great little find down at the Jersey Shore ahead of celebrating my high school reunion. Everything was delightful and exceptionally delicious! read more

Amelia’s By the Sea - Crabmeat and avocado salad!! - Italian Near Me - Spring Lake, New Jersey

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Great place, really busy so book in advance. The server Don was courteous, friendly and knowledgeable. He split the Entrees in the kitchen bc we were sharing. He brought extra red olives. I Always appreciate great service. Food is top great. Baked clams were excellent, fresh. Shrimp oreganata cane over mashed potatoes. Drinks are strong. Deserts are a must. read more

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Unfortunately not to our tastes and we ordered all wrong. We were trying to save money as it is pretty pricey here, so we ordered two dishes that were the least expensive things on the menu. They were entirely too rich for us (the pasta with peas and mushrooms and the chicken in a Parmesan cream sauce). We also ordered the Caesar salad to split-we were not given or offered a share plate nor were we offered cracked pepper. We waited a very long time for our meal and they were not that busy. Dining on the enclosed porch with a view of the ocean was lovely though. read more

My Bareli's visit this weekend was my 3rd Jersey shore restaurant week dining experience. Barelis is a quaint restaurant located inside the Grand Victorian Hotel located in Spring Lake. The restaurant has indoor dining which is executed flawlessly with plastic dividers between tables. There are tables seated by sliding glass windows that on a nice day must be prime seating. Service was solid as was our 3 course meal. The highlight for me was their Chicken with Prosciutto, Mozzarella under a delicious Sherry Cream Sauce. Their Tiramisu was top notch, definitely homemade. The bar has a wonderful Bourbon, Whiskey and Scotch collection. read more

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We went for restaurant week. It was our first visit. Dishes featured were only half the size of normal entrees. This should have been made clear on promo, as other restaurants provided normal dishes as discounted for promo. Which I believe restaurants week is intended as advertising to new customers. The service was very slow. Not sure if that is normal, but it was not completely packed, maybe 80%. It took 25 minutes to serve out apps. Fried eggplant and tuna tartar. These really did not require much cooking. Entrees took even longer. Over 45 minutes after we finished apps. By that time most of the customers have already left. Disappointing. Hopefully that was just a one off experience. read more

Really lovely spot for a special night out. The food is pricey but extremely high quality & delicious -- we were all very happy with what we ordered. Service was attentive and friendly. The only thing is that our table was quite small and a little crowded for 4 people with drinks and plates. However, we were all enjoying ourselves so much we hardly noticed. Highly recommend all the pasta dishes and the calamari. We will be back! read more

Amelia’s By the Sea - Spicy Clams Over Linguine Dinner Fried Calamari Dinner - Italian Near Me - Spring Lake, New Jersey

Relaxed Sunday evening dinner with friends, but the experience quickly became a lesson in poor hospitality. Service was slow and inexcusably negligent. Simple items such as water, bread, cutlery and beverages required repeated reminders. Entrées were delayed for well over ninety minutes. Eventually only three of the four entrées were served, at which point we were informed, without prior notice that the fourth had sold out. Meal was reduced to an absurd scenario, three diners served while the fourth was left with no option but to start over. We declined, returned the dishes and addressed the matter with the manager. While food charges were removed, the fact that we were still billed for a few drinks and a cheap bottle of wine only underscored the lack of accountability. Total disregard for basic standards of service and communication makes it astonishing to us that this restaurant has received five-star reviews. What we experienced was substandard food (although we didn't get to taste much of it), disorganized service and management that gave no impression of valuing its patrons. For us, it was an evening wasted and a venue undeserving of its reputation. "Fine dining? Not by a long shot. Save your time and money for somewhere that delivers. read more

Eight of us dined at this quaint but upscale restaurant, we sat in the side porch with a very pretty setting on a Sunday afternoon. All of the staff we encountered were so pleasant, and the food portions were appropriate. I won't rehash each dish as all prior reviews already done that, the food was great! They have a big band singer for the weekend entertainment I appreciate how the menus posted online matched the actual menu prices during our visit. One thing to note is they automatically add a 2% credit card surcharge to the bill. read more

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We went to Amelia's for Restaurant Week, Price Fix menu, first time going, and loved it! Party of 7, but will chat about what my wife and I had. I had the Polpo Arrosto which was quite good. My wife had the She Crab soup, loved it, I had a taste as well, delicious. Others had the Crispy Polenta Eggplant, tasty and quite a large portion. For Entrees, I had the Chicken Valdostano and really enjoyed it. My wife had the Seafood Saffron which was thick and creamy (she had it without mussels, oh well!) Others had the Filet Mignon which was done quite well, prepared exactly as they ordered. For dessert it was unanimous, Pistacchio Ricotta Cheesecake all around, delicous, along with espresso and capuccino. And incredible meal especially priced at $42.24 and at this writing it was BYOB. Service was great as well, shout out to Lauren for great service. A must try for sure! read more

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