Our waitress Jesse was amazing! Very polite and informative, she even wrapped our food for us. Bread and the fancy butters and marmalade it came with were very good, worth the cost! Truffle fries, mussels, and gorgonzola smashed potatoes were so flavorful. Hearing the waves while eating outside on the boardwalk was calming. Just FYI you cannot reserve outdoor seating in advance! only can reserve for indoor. read more

Spent a day on the boardwalk and stopped in here because the menu looked like one of the better-balanced options around - a nice mix of salads, tacos, oysters, seafood, and lighter fare. There are a few seating options: outdoor seating right on the boardwalk (about a 30-minute wait when we arrived), indoor dining with no wait, or bar seating which is first-come, first-served. We initially put our name in for the boardwalk wait but ended up being seated almost immediately after checking out the bar area. The hostesses were incredibly friendly and welcoming, both at the front and in the back. Service throughout the meal was definitely on the slower side, although our waiter was pleasant and polite. One small thing that bothered me: when I ordered bottled water, the glasses appeared to be taken from a neighboring table that had been sitting there. They may have been perfectly clean and unused, but psychologically I'd rather receive fresh glasses. Not a huge issue, just something I noticed. Now for the food. The crab cake was excellent - easily the highlight of my meal. My friend ordered oysters, and I tried one as well. They were fresh and delicious. For my entree, I asked for a salad recommendation and was steered toward the peach salad. Unfortunately, this was a miss. The peaches were hard and unripe, and the dressing was so vinegar-heavy that I found it nearly impossible to eat. My friend was hungry and less picky than I am, so he ended up finishing it. I politely mentioned the issue to our waiter, making it clear I wasn't looking for anything removed from the bill since the salad had still been eaten. After that interaction, though, it felt like he disappeared for much of the evening, and we had to flag him down to get a dessert menu. Ironically, I decided not to follow his recommendation this time and ordered the chocolate cake instead. Great decision. It was absolutely delicious and ended up being another highlight of the meal. Have you ever had one of those experiences where every recommendation is somehow the wrong one for you? It happens. This is a beachfront restaurant, and maybe the salad was just an off day. The only reason I'm mentioning it is to save someone else from ordering that particular salad if the kitchen is preparing it the same way. Overall: friendly staff, great location, excellent crab cake, fresh oysters, delicious chocolate cake, decent drinks, but slow service and a disappointing peach salad. I'd definitely return - I'd just skip the salad next time. read more

Iron Whale - Delish Crab Cake - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

A staple when I'm at the beach. I love the early Happy Hour. Staff is always nice BUT always busy & rushing. The ambiance is chill. Low lights and quiet enough for conversations. The food is yummy. We love everything on the Happy Hour menu! read more

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One of my favorite restaurants to visit now. Food was good, came out fast, friendly staff, prices were fair, menu variety was plentiful, located on the boardwalk, atmosphere was elegant, and loads of tables read more

Iron Whale - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

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GET THE CEVICHE! Happy hour is awesome, right by the beach, opened all year long. Service is great and such a beach atmosphere! Love and highly recommend! read more

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Parking here was awful my filet was cooked unevenly and the manger stated to just cut the middle. It didn't have any flavor. Beautiful view apps were good. Our waiter was wonderful read more

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We dinner at this place the server was very friendly. with no reservations we lucky have a outside table, the food was good . read more

Iron Whale - Swordfish - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

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Nice bar area. I really went for drinks and a quick bite. Bartender was attentive and we did t wait long for drinks, but it wasn't crowded. This was a Saturday evening at 9p. Ordered "Daily Bread" and the dumplings which were really good. I'd like to return to try the food as the menu looked good and the online photos showed pictures of food that look really good. read more

Great service at the bar. Drinks were perfect and food was fresh. I had the tuna tacos the slaw was a little dry but great to enjoy after a beach day. read more

Iron Whale - Olive Tapenade - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Awesome (happy hour). Awesome (appys). Awesome (food). Awesome (service). Awesome (bartending). read more

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My husband and I came here on a whim at 5 PM on a Wednesday because we were craving seafood. Unfortunately. We missed the happy hour that runs from 1-4 pm. They do offer both outdoor and in door seating and you can see the beach so clearly! We decided to get a bunch of small plates to share. The Asbury, Calamari, Moules Frites, soft shell crab, and a special they had for a caprese salad. The Asbury, all the seafood was fresh and tasted like the sea in a good way. I just wish they put it on a smaller platter as there aren't many items on it. The Calamari was fried to perfection and you could tell it was never frozen. We loved the caprese salad as the mozzarella was super creamy. The soft shell crab also fried to perfection and loved that it was paired with grilled vegetables. On the other hand we were not a fan of the charbroiled oysters. It was overbearing with the cheese and we could barely taste the oysters. Additionally the mussel fish I wish they separated the sauce/juices in a separate bowl. As we kept eating the dish the fries kept falling deeper into the sauce and getting soggy. Overall, this was a great date night spot. A little pricey but worth it for the freshness of the seafood plus the view of the beach. read more

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This wasn't great. Steak was not good. Texas Road house has better steaks and it's not even close. The service was alright. I liked the music there though. They played this song "After Dark" and I added that to my playlist. Nothing great about this place. read more

Iron Whale - Steak & Eggs - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Great service! So much great conversation about Asbury past and present! So many friendly patrons and we had a great time. Drinks were cold & delish which was perfect when coming in from the sun. Definitely a must visit! read more

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Three stars for the three main things I loved about Iron Whale: 1) Our amazing server Jen who was prompt, caring, kind, and overall wonderful. 2) The unbeatable boardwalk location with views of the ocean and great people watching. 3) The truffle parm fries which were legitimately incredible. I don't think that's a secret, as these fries headed over to literally every single table I saw. Otherwise, Iron Whale is mostly a miss of unflavored fish, a middling menu, and "crowd pleasing" vibes that result in a less than remarkable dining experience. Not to be brutal, but I have had better tortillas from the grocery store and the pan fried tilapia I make from Trader Joe's packs more of a punch than the cod on my taco dish. My date got the shrimp tacos and had the same feedback. Overall, a great place for snackies and a beverage. Honestly - you're not coming to Asbury Park for a foodie experience anyways, and if you have unadventurous eaters in your party, this will get the job done for convenience. Jen took this from a two star to a three star and is truly an exceptional server! Would come back for post-beach snacks. read more

Iron Whale - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

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Their overall numbers say it all. Although they use to make a very decent red sangria, it's long gone. The new version is dumbed down and just ho hum. Their chilled shrimp at $4 per use to be great as well, no more as they are smaller and water logged. Just like the last time I ordered them a couple of months ago. Bar staff and service was just fine but can't makeup for the food and drink here. Bottom line: just okay. read more

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We visited Iron Whale for an early dinner on a Saturday. This is a nice, oceanfront restaurant with 2 outdoor spaces. One with an ocean view on the boardwalk and the other on Ocean Ave. This is where we sat and still a great vibe. We were seated immediately, so I didn't get a good look at the inside of the restaurant. Seemed like a nice place for a date night. Cocktails were impressive. Quite creative, tasty and surprisingly strong. Food highlights for me were the Jerk Mahi tacos and the Caesar salad. The salad had shaved Brussels Sprouts in it and the dressing was awesome. The service was...eh. When we had our servers attention, they were really nice. The problem was trying to find them at times and when we would ask for certain things, it took longer than it should. The food arrived quick after ordering, but took a while for us to actually order. Overall it was a good time and a great night to dine outside. As a seafood lover, I loved the menu and I would go back to give the service another try. read more

Iron Whale - Olive Tapenade, Brussels Sprouts & Kale Caesar Salad - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

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Food and drinks were great! Service was a little slow but they were super busy. Overall highly recommend! read more

Iron Whale - Strawberry fields cocktail was delicious - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Woah! My mother in law decided to stop in while enjoying a day on the boardwalk and I'm so glad we did! There was a good amount of outdoor seating without allowing it to feel overcrowded like some other restaurants seem to be. There was plenty of room on the patio with a beautiful view! We enjoyed a couple of glasses of their exclusive wine which was such a fun touch! I enjoyed the Brussels Sprouts and Kale Caesar Salad with blackened salmon - I was beyond impressed! Our waitress, Kiera, was so sweet and really made sure that we enjoyed our lunch. read more

Iron Whale - Brussels Sprouts & Kale Caesar Salad with Blackened Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

My husband and I have tried the Iron Whale a few times for takeout and the food is solid! The menu is packed with seafood, salads, and sandwiches. My go-to is the brussel sprouts and kale caesar salad, it's a nice portion size for an entree salad and very tasty. My husband loves the coffee rubbed bbq pork chop, especially the bacon jam that it's served with. Every time we order from here our order is delivered correctly and on-time. I can't speak to the in-house service, but we plan to dine in soon! read more

We were so disappointed with the Iron Whale this week. We've been here often...sit at bar...have a drink and snack. But, we had friends over and took them for Lunch/Dinner in dining room. The food was awful. I had the short rib grill cheese...and there was no cheese on it. We told them no salad...and they served the sandwiches w/salad, so I had to ask them to take it back. Also, for the price of a sandwich, you this fries would be included...but no...I feel like this place has gone done hill in the past year...food quality is poor. Not sure I will go back there except for a drink at the bar read more

Nice place for a lunch meet up with friends. Creative spins on sandwich classics. Fresh drinks. Great beach view. Friendly staff. Very noisy though. read more

I was so excited to bring my friend who was visiting from out of town and had never been to the Jersey Shore... unfortunately, the food fell below the standard of what we were looking for. Pros: awesome location on the AP boardwalk with great views of the ocean and people watching when you choose outdoor seating. Make note that you cannot book a reservation for outside, but the waitlist on a busy Friday night definitely went faster than expected. Everyone is very friendly and service was quick. Really cute interior with an attractive bar area that makes you want to pull up for a cocktail or two (espresso martini was nice). On the street parking wasn't hard to find... Cons: Really just the taste of the food. We ordered oysters and their Moules Frites to start. The oysters were nice and fresh. And the MF were actually the star of the show.. Very interesting concept of having beautifully crispy fries drizzed with a really nice garlic aioli served over a bowl of steamed mussels in an absolutely delcious sambuca broth. OMG. I could have eaten the entire thing by myself.. actually, that may bring me back here. Not even kidding. The only thing was that it should have been served with bread to dip in all of the abundance of leftover broth... when I asked for bread, they were nice enough to give us crostini for free so we didn't have to pay for the bread app.. The rest of the meal really fell downhill. Crab cake was small and just uneventful and the seafood risotto was not cooked properly and was really tasteless. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, just maybe some of the menu can be improved upon. read more

Iron Whale is a beautiful spot on the boardwalk with good views for people watching from the outdoor seating area. Our waiter was great the entire night checking in constantly on our party of 8. The food however, mediocre. The hummus was not soft and creamy, but rather like a thick dip. The pita bread that came with it was burnt, as well as my burger entree (charred). The other guests enjoyed their food, but was expecting more for the price. read more

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Food & service were phenomenal. menu is pricey but worth it. the indoor dining doesn't have ocean views read more

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For a restaurant on a beach boardwalk Iron Whale is excellent. Clean, inviting ambiance, with tables nicely distanced so you don't feel like other guests are on top of you. Helpful attentive staff, a fun and varied menu with something for everyone and an accommodating kitchen for those with food preferences. Cocktails were also excellent. Would attend again. Note: not the place to bring beach chairs and hampers post day at the beach, it's a nice restaurant. read more

Iron Whale is a good spot right on the boardwalk. They have a decent food and beverage menu. I enjoyed the drink I had that came tasted like a piña colada but also had a small hint of coffee. I don't drink coffee but I read the menu fast and missed the coffee part. However, it didn't ruin my experience with the drink. The appetizers are okay. I tried the bread with their jam and butters along with the calamari. Decent appetizers but nothing out of this world. The halibut special was good. I wish that it had more flavor with each individual component but each component combined made for a tasty price. All in all, decent spot for food but a little pricey. read more

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As a known New Jersey hater it hurts me to say that this was a fantastic meal with a fantastic wait staff. The weather took a turn and they accommodated us inside with no issues despite how packed it was. We got the daily bread and demolished each of the butters. The calamari was gone the Roy boy, ahi tuna, and short rib tacos never saw the light and the poke bowl was a hit. Espresso martinis were a dark horse we love would come again if I ever step back in Jersey read more

Iron Whale - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

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Great seaside atmosphere, inventive drinks, and attentive, kind service. We waited about 30 minutes for an outdoor table on the boardwalk, and it was worth it--a cool ocean breeze, the sound of waves rolling in, and a canopy of soft lights combined with music from a nearby dance club made for a vibrant atmosphere. Hilariously, the "No dogs on the boardwalk" signs were considered a suggestion since we counted at least four pups dining at nearby tables as several strolled past. Asbury Park is arty, unpretentious, music-savvy, and very chill. The food and drinks were good--bartenders and chefs clearly like to play with unexpected flavor combos, and most of them really worked; the only quibble I had with the food was the halibut (special), which was a tad dry. But shout-out to our server Bree (hope I've got that right)--she fielded all our questions about the cocktails and entrees, and when she didn't know, she checked and got right back to us. She also gave us a heads-up that the bar was slammed so our drinks ran a little late, but the transparent communication made it a non-issue. We'd happily come back. read more

Iron Whale - Halibut Special - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

Amazing food, the service is always quick and friendly. And the dining room balances the beach and being somewhat fancy. Sorta of an in between that not a lot of places can get. read more

Stop by for a late lunch for two and only ordered some starters and not a main course. Tried daily bread, calamari, and their mussels. My only beef with the service was that they delivered everything at once. Food got cold and the table was so cluttered we were reaching all over the place to grab food and put spent mussel shells in a bowl. I wish the server would have metered the dishes. The calamari was standard, nothing special except it was quite oily. The daily bread was awesome and we loved the bacon butter, fig jam and ricotta cheese spreads. The mussels were also a star, but I could have done without all the mayonnaise coating most of the fries. Good size and portion of mussels in a really flavorful broth. In all, a decent experience. read more

Iron Whale - Menu May 2025 - Seafood Near Me - Asbury Park, New Jersey

We went for lunch- the seafood tower at $110 was a little sparse- I think it could have been much better. The sandwiches were good and the salad was good too- The service was good which is why I gave them 3 stars. read more

We had the best dinner at Iron Whale yesterday! We sat at the bar and the bartenders were so knowledgeable, attentive and accommodating, and the food and drinks were amazing. If you go, definitely try the oysters, tuna poke bowl and short rib tacos. Cannot wait to go back. read more

Necessity brought me to this seaside fly trap once again, sadly to find that very little has changed -- swift service hamstrung by a kitchen who thinks lukewarm fries and a soggy lobster "BLT" are mating calls to the trapped tourists who crowd the bar. Enjoy the beach view because you've earned it and are certainly paying for it. read more

Quick stop for dinner and it was great our server Caitlin was super friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. She made us feel right at home from the get go. The manager Scott was great as well. He stopped at our table multiple times to check in and make sure we were annoying ourselves. You can tell he loves what he does. read more

Right on the board over looking the Atlantic Ocean in Asbury Park, New Jersey, we had a lovely lunch at The Iron Whale! The menu is wide and varied with many fresh seafood options, but I went with the short rib grilled cheese on sour dough bread! Yum! My one friend went with a Brussels sprout and kale salad with salmon and my other friend went with the Thai grilled chicken sandwich. Bloody Mary's were a must. What a great lunch over looking the ocean! read more

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I'm in asbury in the summer almost every other weekend. Whenever any of the lovely restaurants are booked up, iron whale always has availability and if they don't it's worth the wait. The food is always phenomenal. The seafood pasta and the tuna tartar is a must. Service is spot on, very professional & quick. Better than A&P rooftop. The food is better than the views from upstairs don't let that steer you. Can't wait to come back! read more

We've been to Iron Whale multiple times and have really enjoyed the experience--especially the creative cocktails, variety of adult dishes, and the thoughtful kids menu. I've even left positive reviews in the past. This note is just to offer a few suggestions to help improve what's already a great spot. First, a request on behalf of the younger diners: please bring back the hot dog from the kids menu! It used to be a standout and we miss it. Second, some feedback on the tofu used in salads and the street corn tacos. The tofu currently retains too much moisture--it would benefit from being pressed longer to achieve the firmer, crispier texture that works best in these dishes. The presentation could also be improved. Rather than serving large slabs, consider cubing and crisping the tofu for salads, and using a tofu crumble for tacos. These simple changes would really enhance the texture, appearance, and flavor. I genuinely appreciate that Iron Whale offers a vegetarian menu with real vegan-friendly options, including the ability to add tofu to salads--which many restaurants still don't do. That said, since you've taken the great step of including these options, I'd love to see them executed with the same care and detail as the rest of the menu. Thanks for all that you do--we look forward to coming back! read more

Great menu. Excellent atmosphere. Service was very good and the food was delicious. A great place along the boardwalk.

What a great dinner. Party of three sat outside. Everything from clams, salad, and three entrees were delish. Service A+. I think it was Nick. read more

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Date night at Iron Whale was cuteeee. Martini with blue cheese olives & the crab cake app were 10/10. Could've ended the meal there with 5 stars. The entrees were good not great, especially the rigatoni. Flavor was nice but super overcooked pasta. All in all, a good date night spot. read more

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