Even though we live near by, we had forgotten about Blu Grotto- until I remembered how good it is. I took my hubby for his birthday dinner and had a nice evening. Food was on point and the ambiance is elegant without being pretentious. Our server was gracious but did lack in some details. Appetizers Caesar salad Hamachi crudo Gnocchi Entrees Eggplant Parm Salmon Dessert Italian cheesecake Pistachio cake Overall, a good spot to enjoy good food and nice vibe. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

they're so nice and so convenient. They are very quick and help you with everything that you want and need.

My wife and I visited Blu Grotto over the summer as one of our favorite local bands was playing. Beautiful setup outside with tables, table service and full service bar. My wife and I snacked on Wings and Pizza. The food is great. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and we have been meaning to go back for a proper sit down dinner. The dinner menu looks phenomenal. During the summer they bring bands in, on the night we went there was no cover charge. They offer dinner specials and a happy hour. Check them out. read more

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We had Kevin as our server this evening. His service was superb. He was attentive without being obtrusive. Very kind, very considerate! We enjoyed our food and our evening read more

The beer garden, on a popular concert night, was understaffed. I spent good money on a delicious meal inside - that was excellent. But the customer experience of 50 guests unserved at the beer garden was awful. People want to relax and enjoy music with a drink, and Blu Grotto failed. Won't return for a concert ever again. read more

Very nice place, but have been there three times this summer (including a holiday weekend) and was told every time that there is no sushi or pizza available because they don't have help! Very disappointing. So stop advertising food and just make it a bar! read more

I tried their happy hour menu at the bar. The food was spectacular! Nice selection of house wine and the Lamb Chops were the show stopper. They're the best value on the menu. They were served with a pineapple salsa and a wine demi glaze. Cooked medium and seasoned perfectly. They melted in your mouth. I also loved the complimentary focaccia bread and dipping sauce. I can't wait to visit again and try their other menu items but it will be hard to resist those lamb chops. lol The service was good and you gotta love those blue Lamborghini bar stools. lol read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - bar - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

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They just reopened after being closed for months, they had so much time to get everything ready and in order, the place was still dirty, dust everywhere even on the vents, bread still cold and hard like always, I mean even Cheesecake Factory has warm bread why can't they have it, I mean get the bread from nino's bakery it's right there, than the food cold like it's been microwaved, not enough staff, no communication between the staff, the whole place is a disaster, I don't know what they were doing the whole time they were closed, it's insane, waste of time and money read more

I cannot believe this place only gets 3.5 stars. The food, ambience and service are all excellent. I came here with my husband in the beginning of December for my birthday. We started off with the short-rib meatballs - delicious. I had the butternut squash gnocchi and I cannot say enough about how well the flavors blended in this dish. My husband had the veal porterhouse with the tuscan herb fries and despite my being completely fully, I could not stop eating the fries and my husband could not say enough about the veal. The ambience is absolutely gorgeous. We were in the main dining room and the glass windows that overlook the racetrack were breathtaking. Sadly, it was raining pretty hard that night so I am determined to be seated someday there under a clear night sky. And service? Exactly how it should be. I don't need anyone going out of their way. I just want someone to be timely, kind, and attentive. That's it! Check on the water. Offer another drink. Give me warm food. But they went a little extra by giving us dessert with a candle! So kind. And it was delicious! Highly recommend Blu Grotto. I can't wait to take advantage of their other specials. 4/$44. Pasta-Palooza. If these three seemingly simple dishes were this good, I can't wait to dive into the others. read more

The Blu Grotto is so much fun. Great live entertainment, fresh sushi, pizza and drinks by friendly bartenders. The perfect Summer go-to spot at the Shore. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - The Blu Grotto roll - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

Really enjoyed this place all around. Food, service, and the experience was top notch! read more

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We were here for the band Super TransAM. They were fantastic. Great to listen to and enjoy. Our waitress was attentive and responsive. Unfortunately, our drinks were watered-down, halfway through the drink, it tasted like water. The sushi nachos and pizza were good. The burger was overcooked and took forever to get to our table. Everyone else was done eating by the time the burger came. I recommend that if you come to the bar area to eat, you order pizza or eat before coming. It's unfortunate that you have a hungry, captive audience, and the food is mediocre. Food executed well, and homemade to order would do well. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Super TransAM - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

Yesterday on October 02,2021 my fiancé surprised me by taking me to this lovely restaurant with some of our closest friends. we were greated with excellent service & Casey, the assistant General Manager took very good care of our group and its needs. He went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied with the food as well as the service! This will definitely be a date night spot for my fiancé & I for sure! Cannot wait to go back! 10/10 would highly recommend! read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - My fiancé and I with some close friends after enjoying a wonderful meal at Blu Grotto - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

Is there outdoor food still horrible? Want to visit for entertainment, but the past visits food was just terrible. Very sad, as it's a nice outdoor venue read more

Seems like a cool space for live music. Though the band seemed very distant from the crowd. Didn't realize it was basically at the racetrack. Big outdoor bar area. Didn't try the food but it's worth a visit again. read more

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First time here, I mean I got the restaurant week and the appetizer was decent and the main course was good although while I was waiting for my vanilla "gelato" which was clearly ice cream and had a lot of chemicals in it they did not clean up my spaghetti pile and it was their for like 10 minutes! Ridiculous! Besides that it was a 4/5. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - My spaghetti pile they did not clean up! Ridiculous! It was pretty good tho ngl. - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

My partner and I came here for restaurant week and let me say, the food was amazing. Everything starting from the appetizers, to the main entrees, to desert; it was all great. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

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My mom was hesitant to try this restaurant as the reviews are inconsistent; however, after having a pleasant previous experience myself, I was able to convince her. First of all, it is clear that there is a staffing shortage (as there is everywhere you go lately)-- but not a problem! The staff was all kind, professional, and took great care of us throughout the night. Well paced service allows time for good conversation between courses (something I personally appreciate when dining out). Nevertheless, we ordered the general tso's calamari as an appetizer--delicious and crispy. We even had some leftover so we brought it home. As for entrees, I ordered the eggplant Parmesan with pasta. The sauce is awesome! My mom ordered the shrimp scampi over risotto per the waiter's recommendation. It was so delicious, she finished the whole thing! Portion sizes are average, so I would not plan to order an entree to split unless you aren't very hungry. For dessert, we ordered the special date cake which came with ice cream and we also ordered a hot tea. The dessert was the perfect sweet treat after a good meal. Nothing to write home about, but very satisfying. The tea was delicious as well (lots of tea options). Some key things to make note of is a nice cocktail and wine selection with several mocktail options as well. Also, it is worth mentioning that certain dishes were priced slightly above what they should be in my opinion, but I would say this is an averagely priced menu considering. In short, by coming here you will get a yummy meal, friendly service and leave satisfied. Is it the best restaurant in the area? No. Is it an overall pleasurable experience? Yes. I also would like to mention that I had dinner at Anjelica's the week prior, and this was significantly better in all areas. Overall, I would definitely recommend if you are looking to try somewhere new!!! *bonus* they had a live band that night which was very pleasant. A little loud, but the band was awesome so we didn't mind. Also, there is a mini-golf course located right outside, so you definitely could make a night of it. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Shrimp scampi over risotto & eggplant Parmesan with pasta. - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

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Was my favorite restaurant. We miss the way the bar ran in the past. It seems like the Mixology has taken a step back. Food and service still excellent! read more

I've been going to Blu Grotto for a few years and it's been great the whole time. Never disappoints. Since it opened they added the Beer Garden down stairs and last year they hosted some shows from Count Basie Theater which was closed due to the pandemic. Some reviews said that the place is confusing. Here is the deal: The upscale restaurant upstairs is separate from the casual Beer Garden downstairs. The menus are separate so no pizza upstairs and no espresso downstairs, etc. When they hosted Count Basie Theater they basically rented the restaurant to the Count. The Count ran the show so the menu and everything else was different. If you want to go there for a nice dinner you have to reserve that separate from the show. The food that the Count provides with the shows is basically a snack. Before Corona Blu offered Cacio e pepe prepared table side. It made a nice show and tasted wonderful. When I visited recently they still had it but weren't allowed to do it table side :-( They have a beer called Kentucky Bourbon Barrel which I love :-) If you like simple deserts and espresso, have an affogato. read more

Uninspired and overpriced. I have to admit that I did not have high hopes for a food focused dining experience at the race track and Blu Grotto fully delivered on expectations. The space is slightly tacky, yet comfortable. At the start of the meal the server delivered decent bruschetta and an olive and olive oil combination with warm sesame seed bread that made me feel like I was in for a great meal. It turned out to be the best part of dinner. We chose the Crudo and General Tao's Calamari to start. The crudo of fluke was over-seasoned and was delivered with a large scoop of lemon sorbet on top, completely overpowering the fish and my palate. The calamari was tough but the sauce was decent enough to cover that up, and it was actually an enjoyable dish. On to entrees, Lobster Orecchiette ( contained about 6 oz of overcooked lobster meat) , Filet with Gorgonzola Mashed ( overcooked, sliced in half apparently so the cook can see if they prepared the meat correctly? ) and Salmon, which was really the only edible entree. We finished the meal with a espresso martini and the chocolate espresso cake which was quite good. Overall if you don't understand fine dining and you just won some $$ at the track or the Sports-book I'm sure you may be impressed with this place. If you care at all about the quality of you meal there are 50 better options within 10 minutes for half the price. As we were one of two tables in the restaurant at 7:30 I guess everyone else already knows. This place needs a new Chef or a complete concept overhaul. We will definitely not be back again. read more

Came here for Father's Day after watching some of the races at the track. We sat outside for the Beer Garden. Very nice and I like how they have big screens so you can watch the rest of the races! I ordered the Tuna Tartare with the Ponzu sauce on the side. Unfortunately, it did not and was on it. No biggie. There were 4 of us dining and were given 2 sets of silverware and napkins. I asked one of the food runners when he gave us someone else in my party's pizza if we could have silverware. He said sure, but never came back! Tried flagging down our server but no where to be found. After about 10 minutes I went to the bar to ask for the silverware. Overall, the food was good and we enjoyed our meals. Just wish service would have been better! read more

This place is a hidden gem (for people who live in Red Bank and have never heard of it). We came at 5:30 on Sunday evening and sat down for happy hour and it's a really nice laid back vibe with live music which was great. I ordered a Blue Moon and they were out because they said it had been crazy earlier in the day so I went with a Jameson and club. Someone else got a Tito's martini which she said was really good and another Jameson for the 3rd in our group. $6 for a Jameson is a pretty good price. We ordered 6 oysters @ $1/piece and those were really good and pretty big. We also got the Burrata Mozzarella and it came in tomato sauce despite being told it didn't but the waitress was great and brought out a fresh one for the tomato allergy in our group. We will definitely be back, Taylor was a great server! read more

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I can only comment on the beer garden. The bands are excellent with no cover. The music starts at around six and ends at 10 PM so it's great for after the races at Monmouth Park. The food is generally pretty good and they have very good pizza. The only issue is that it's not staffed Enough for extremely busy afternoons , when there is a great band playing. It's pretty impossible to get a drink without standing in line for 15 to 20 minutes. once they fix that it's a no-brainer. A fun night outside on a beautiful summer afternoon. read more

I have been back several times in the past couple years and have to say the food and service is always great! And I'm lucky that I live so close! read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

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We were 2 couples enjoying a quiet Friday evening dinner in this very lovely venue located in Monmouth Park. The decor is blue and it's beautiful. They have a bar and great wine list. Our waiter was professional and very helpful without being intrusive. There is outdoor seating as well on decking surrounding the inside room. They also have live music but not this evening. Our drinks were delicious and the bread was warmed and yummy with the 2 spreads along with it. I my husband and I had the duck breast special which was amazing. We shared a pear salad which was more than enough and delicious. Our friends had the sword fish and the Bronzino filet. We were all satisfied. The coffee was too strong for us but the ice cream sandwich hit the spot and satisfied our sweet tooth. We would definitely come back. Parking is adequate and handicapped ramp is available for those who need it. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Swordfish - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

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We've been here before a few years back and it was much better. The service and the food were not as good as before. It does have really nice ambiance. We did have a drink at the bar and the bartender was professional and personable. Our waiter started out professional and then after we were served our dinners, his mood changed. He was short and abrupt with my husband. So, if the food is just so so and the wait staff is not great, why go back. We would go back to the bar, but that's about it. read more

Food and service very good. Able to see/hear live music. Easy to get to. Beautiful interior and bar too

covid review: came here for the whitney cummings outdoor comedy show. Its all the way in the back of the parking lot. parking was free. you will be greeted by the security and taken to your table. the service was very good! also the food was good too and kinda surprised me. Why only 3 stars? the lack of good beer and the menu is small. Small portions and cost alot. the prices are steep. i paid $9 for a cider beer and $7 for truffle fries. the fries were pretty good. my friends pasta and vodka sauce smelled AMAZING, but the price was steep and the size was embarassingly small. read more

Came for bill burr, had a great time. Set up is confusing, different menu between upstairs and downstairs. Food was ok. The winner of the night was the peppers stuffed with king crab and goat cheese. I could eat a million of those things. Main entrees came while bill was finishing up. Kind of disappointed that i had to wolf down my food while bill is telling jokes. I recommend when you come here for a show, just get some apps and drinks. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Bill Burr - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

The restaurant had an excellent ambiance. The menu was limited but had a variety It was very quiet but we went early. read more

I have been here several times and the food, ambiance and service are always outstanding. From beginning to end. My favorite is the fusilli and I get it every time and try a different appetizer always delish. They have a great wine list and specialty drinks. If you want to impress someone take them here. Even sitting at the bar for happy hour and dinner is just as special. Just get there early and make reservations for the dining room. The booths are great..se you soon... read more

One of those rare places where everything that we had was delicious. We started with the meatballs. My wife had the gnocchi and I the veal porterhouse. The sauces on both were excellent. Also the service was outstanding which is a rarity in this post covid environment. We will be back to try more dishes on the menu. read more

Unique spot that has a little bit of everything. Beautiful indoor restaurant that is more on the high end side. Food and drinks are all good and presented well. Outside has a great vibe with live music a big bar and games like cornhole. Food outside is good too bar pies and appetizers. What I love most about this place is the happy hour. The offer $1 oysters at the bar inside as well as outside. That makes this restaurant stand out because many other places in the area only offer happy hours inside. All and all a great place to check out whether you want to relax outside or have a more dine in experience. read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Truffle sausage pasta - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

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We just sat down for dinner. It's Sunday at 6:15 p.m. The menu looks great but the band is so very loud. I'd give it a better rating otherwise read more

Amazing service and spectacular food ! Deff recommend it ! Nice to see the horses as well read more

Blu Grotto Restaurant - Octopus - Italian Near Me - Oceanport, New Jersey

You must check this place out. Excellent food and service, and all in a gorgeous setting. Excellent arugula and Caesar salads, wonderful meatballs for appetizers and some of the best salmon and fennel. Go to the traces in the afternoon, Blu Grotto at night. read more

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Great atmosphere and lovely waitress. Food was terribly disappointing on what was to be a special night for my husband's birthday. Appetizers were cold, with nearly inedible, oversauced and dried out calamari, as well as limp and soggy fried mozzarella-filled squash blossoms. Two of three fish entrees were badly overcooked. Thankfully, chocolate cake and hazelnut ice cream dessert was yummy. Extremely expensive evening for this quality of food. read more

I gave this restaurant a one star because we got a really good parking spot. We walked in to the 80% empty restaurant . Our reservation was for 4 to sit outside. When we went outside the lantern flies were swarming all over including on our head and bodies. We asked to sit inside and was told no. The young hostess said that they had no tables available because people were coming in an hour. We told her we would would be done before the hour but she refused to make it work. Obviously we walked out. As did another table that was outside. So I can't give a review on the food , the ambiance wasn't there, the service wasn't there from the minute we walked in the door. Bye bye Blu Grotto read more

There should be 2 separate links to review the beer garden and the restaurant, as they are TOTALLY different experiences and do not share a food or drink menu. Here are my thoughts on each as I frequent both: Restaurant and indoor bar - amazing Italian fare with some of my favorite calamari in NJ. Pasta is great - if you like the pasta at Undici in Rumson, this is comparable. Great views from inside and on the elevated deck, but what I love most is dining/drinking at the bar. Good craft beers on tap, and excellent cocktail menu with talented bartenders. Side note, please try a drink at the bar, if not for the great mixology happening there, at least to try the overly-luxurious blue leather Lamborghini bar stools. Although super heavy to move around, they are really quite amazing once you plant your bottom on them. I think each seat costs upwards of $5K if you check online, but my a$$ felt like a million bucks. Review of the beer garden - Super casual. Limited food and drink menu. I love bringing the young kiddos here to run around in the summertime while I can kick back and enjoy great live music and cold cheap beer. The food, however, leaves a lot to be desired. The pizza and burgers are just OK, and are clearly not prepared in the same area and by the same people as the delicious restaurant indoors. Service is hit or miss, I've had servers who hustle, and some who are slow. You have to be vocal or patient, as in the peak of summer, the crowds get big and the service gets backed up. read more