Hot Stuff — Hearthly Burger and team, July 2024. Sea Bright’s stylish new gourmet burger joint  is up and running. The eatery operates on the first floor of “The Break,” Ocean Avenue’s new luxury condo — MORE INFO.

Now Open! — Brothers Daley on Ocean Avenue, 2024. This classy, new Irish pub is housed in a landmark borough spot where good food and drink have been served for over a century — MORE INFO.

“Bar Keeper!” — Brothers Daley main bar, Spring 2024.  “Sea Bright offers an unprecedented opportunity for intensified development if the money, brains and willingness can only be found.” —The History of Sea Bright, June 1917.

Fine Dining — Harry’s Lobster House at Ocean Avenue and New Street, 1981. Harry Osmun opened the first restaurant and bar at the location in 1921. A former Newark cop, he died in September 1933. George Krauss, a borough mayor, acquired the business in 1943 and ran an eatery “famous for superior cuisine that satisfies expensive tastes inexpensively.” New Yorkers Louis and Anna Jacoubs took control in 1953 (he died in 1956). The spot remained a Sea Bright dining essential before and after a brutal April 1963 fire. Anna retired in 1987 and her son J. Louis ran things until 2008; she died in 2005. For about 5 years the spot was Rory’s pub until 2023.

Harry’s Lobster House. For Summer 1981, according to the Red Bank Daily Register, a 1.5 pound Maine lobster cost $18.50.

Harry’s Lobster House menu, 1940s.

Harry’s Lobster House menu, 1941.

Harry’s Lobster House postcard, 1935.

Harry’s Lobster House owner Anna Jacoubs, 1969.

New Harry’s Lobster House under construction, March 1964. The eatery had been hit by a major fire in April 1963.

Swedish Hop on East Ocean Avenue, 1938. The popular tavern had several owners including Helmer Hansen and Stanley “Big Stosh” Pokrywka, a native of Poland.

Outside — Swedish Hop, 1940s. Solomon Neimark owned the building.

Inside — Swedish Hop bar, 1943. The spot had been Mellaci’s Tavern.

Swedish Hop newspaper ad, Red Daily Bank Register, May 1948. “Our Specialty: Hot Dogs Cooked in Beer.” The business opened in May 1937 and closed in 1963.

The Ocean Avenue restaurant was originally opened by Nick Egidio in August 1968. By January 1987, Tim McLoone and partners had acquired the business for $1 million. Badly damaged during Superstorm Sandy in 2012, Tim reopened a brand new $7 million “Rum-Runner” in May 2016. MORE INFO.

Rum Runner Restaurant on Ocean Avenue, 1970s. Tim McLoone acquired the business in January 1987.

The new Rum Runner Grand Opening, Red Bank Register, August 1968.  Nick Egidio opened the Shrewsbury River-front restaurant; seating was for 125. The building was decimated during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Rum Runner, 2000s.

Tim McLoone overseeing construction of his new “Rum Runner” Restaurant, 2016.

Tim McLoone and his wife watch their Rum Runner restaurant torn down, 2014.

McLoone’s Rum Runner tear down, 2014.

McLoone’s Rum Runner comes down, 2014.

New Rum Runner under construction, 2015

Tim McLoone’s Rum Runner restaurant seen from the Shrewsbury River, July 2022.

Ichabod’s Bar painting, 1990s. Among its many identities through the years are: Ryan’s Hotel / Ocean View Hotel / Landmark Hotel / Blue Water Inn / Milli’s Bar / Ichabod’s / Woody’s Ocean Grille.

Hot Stuff — Woody’s Ocean Grille, Summer 2011 — MORE INFO.

Big Change — From Ichabod’s to Woody’s, July 2011.

Ichabod’s  Bar & Grill on Ocean Avenue and East Church Street, 1990s. “A little bit of California on Ocean Avenue,” was the pitch to patrons when Stephen Grulich opened the two-level restaurant in February 1979. A Pennsylvania native, Grulich also owned the Tradewinds Nightclub in Sea Bright and the Empire Bar in Asbury Park. A former president of the Monmouth County SPCA, he died in September 2015.

Ichabod’s Bar, 2000s.

Blue Water Inn, 1970s. Michael Bivona opened the nightclub/restaurant in May 1975, hoping to attract “a yachting and cruising crowd” and offered plenty of jazz music.

Still Something — Blue Water Inn on Ocean Avenue, Red Bank Register, November 1977. This building, which dates to 1929, has gone through many incantations. A sailor and stockbroker, owner Bivona had owned the Blue Water Marina in town in the 1960s.

Borough firefighters fight a major fire at the Landmark Hotel (today it’s Woody’s Ocean Grille), August 1952.

Fire at the Ocean View Hotel, August 1952. Mildred Hruska was the owner “Milli’s Bar” which she ran from 1966 to 1974. The “Milli Bomb” was a favorite drink.

Sea Bright hotel on fire — then owned by Hattie and Morris Kaplan — included a bar and 22 guest rooms.

This summer afternoon fire of ’52 drew thousands of beach spectators and backed up traffic along Ocean Avenue for miles. Note the P House in the distance.

Fire at the Landmark Hotel seen from on Ocean Avenue, August 1952. It was Ryan’s Hotel up to 1943. Owner James Ryan was very involved in town matters. He was also a successful coal dealer, served 16 years as borough tax assessor, and was a Sea Bright National Bank director. Born in Ireland, the father of five children died in Sept. 1950.

Keenan’s Bar on Ocean Avenue, 1950s (Michael Keenan Photo). John J. Keenan started the “Shrimp House Tavern.” A member of US Marine Corp during WW II, he died in April 1979.

Hotel Pannaci on Ocean Avenue, 1920.

Ocean Spray House ad, 1946.

The Raven on Ocean Avenue, 2000s. Alan Larson opened the pub in December 1963. It had been “Club Pink.”

Fine Dining — “Drifthouse by David Burke” at the Driftwood Cabana Club on Ocean Avenue, 2022 — MORE INFO. The public oceanfront restaurant was opened in April 2018 by the celebrity chef. The original beach club was built by Michael J. Stavola in 1958.

Jim Sullivan’s Sea Bright Inn, 1950s ad. Famed writer-author Jim Bishop was a regular here in the 1950s and 1960s and wrote about the owner in his nationally-syndicated newspaper column (calling Sullivan the “Saloon Sage of Sea Bright”). The place also had talking mynah birds (Willy & Silky). Walter O’Brien acquired the Ocean Avenue business in May 1965.

Sullivan’s Cocktail Bar on Ocean Avenue, 1960s (Brian Ekdahl Photo).

First Sea Bright Inn on Ocean Avenue near the bridge, 1900. Built in about 1890, it was a 35-room boarding house when it burned to the ground in August 1918; the owner was Edward Pannaci.

Sea Bright Inn on Ocean Avenue, 1930s. Today, it’s Tommy’s Tap + Tavern.

Sea Bright Inn on Ocean Avenue, 1900.

Ocean Avenue looking north, 1970s.

Ocean Avenue commerce, 2014 (Steve Gardella Photo).

Old Mad Hatter Pub & Pizzeria on East Ocean Avenue, 2000s.

Old Mad Hatter Pub & Pizzeria on East Ocean Avenue, 2011.

Oceanfront Bar on Ocean Avenue, 1960s. Edward and Bernadine Furman acquired the business in November 1955. Previous owners were: John G. Tobias and Caroline Szadowski. Later on Mike Love was an owner.

Sea Bright Inn on Ocean Avenue, 1909.

Sea Bright Yacht Club on Ocean Avenue, 1940s. It burned in August 1954.

Good Cooking — Celebrity chef Guy Fieri outside the Sea Bright Municipal Complex on Ocean Avenue, April 2022. Guy was in the area filming an episode of his hit Food Network cable TV show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” — MORE INFO.

Hurricane Donna damage to Sinclair snack-bar at Chris’s Landing, Long Branch Daily Record, Sept. 1960

Chris’ Landing on Ocean Avenue, 1963. Henry and Kay Christiansen started their marine business along the Shrewsbury River in 1941. The property included 112 boat slips, 100 rowboats, bait & tackle supplies, snack bar for boaters and two family homes. By 1983, the property was being converted into 23 luxury townhouse condos (units started at $239,500).

Sea Bright Dunkin’ Donuts on Ocean Avenue, 2020. The store closed in December 2020 after 17 years to make way for the new Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge.

Yolk’s On You Kitchen on Ocean Avenue, 2020. Serving outstanding breakfast and lunch steps from the beach. MORE INFO.

Old pound boat serves as business sign for Covesail Marina & Saloon on Ocean Avenue, 1970s.

Fire at The Cove restaurant-marina on Ocean Avenue, 1988 (Jack Flaherty Photo).

The bar count in Sea Bright = 18. Long Branch Daily Record, June 1955.

Shore Food — Steve’s Breakfast & Lunch, early 2000s. Opened in 1976 by Steve Garelli, the popular Ocean Avenue restaurant was decimated by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. It has been renovated and reopened as Alice’s Kitchen in 2013, run by an amiable Irish-born, Sea Bright-resident Alice Gaffney — MORE INFO.

Olivo’s Restaurant on Ocean Avenue, 1982. Owners Joseph and Anthony Corbisiero.

Colonial Deli, 1976. The business was run by Elsie Keenan.

The Mad Hatter restaurant has sat uncompleted for several years, 2021. Badly damaged after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, owners Scott and Amy Kelly still hope to open the once popular eatery.

Steve Garelli at his Ocean Avenue breakfast and lunch shop, 2001. He opened the eatery in 1976 and retired after Superstorm Sandy wrecked the place in 2012.

Oceanfront Bar sign, 1980s. Ed Furman and Mike Love were longtime owners.

Fire damages the Charles Manor and Sea Bright Inn (parts of the old Pannaci Hotel) on Ocean Avenue, 1953.

Charles Manor fire, October 1953. Dorothy and Joe Charles ran the 43-room hotel.

Fire at The Cove restaurant-marina on Ocean Avenue, 1988 (Jack Flaherty Photo).

“Mrs. Sea Bright” — Frances Rooney selling hot dogs at Surf & Ocean Avenues, 2017. Her friendly pushcart operations began at that spot in 1977. She called it a career after Covid in 2020.

Fine Dining — Anjelica’s Restaurant outside dinning, 2010s. Chef Ray Lena opened the Ocean Avenue restaurant in 1996. The fine dining spot — folks come from all over NJ — is named for his daughter. Ray Lena died in 2024.

Regan’s Dock restaurant ad, 1947. George Regan ran the Ocean Avenue business for 20 years before retiring in 1987. He died in 1993.

Mad Hatter Pub & Pizzeria on Ocean Avenue, early 2010s.

EvenTide Grille on Ocean Avenue, 2019.

Tommy’s Tavern + Tap on Ocean Avenue, 2018. Named for owner Thomas J. Bonfiglio (who died in July 2022), the tavern opened in Summer 2015. During the borough’s heyday as a resort community in the early 1900s, the location was part of the elegant Pannaci Hotel (then a hotel and restaurant, it was called “Delmonico of Sea Bright”). The structure has survived a couple of big fires and at one time or another it was a US Post Office, the Oceanfront Bar, Chubby’s Pub, the Sea Bright Inn, and several apartments.

Grace Longo, Chef BaHa Toker and Leonard Longo at Longo’s Restaurant, 1973. The family opened the Italian restaurant on Ocean Avenue opened in 1945. In 1976, the business became Olivo’s run by the Corbisiero brothers.

Oceanfront Bar on Ocean Avenue, 1970s. Edward and Bernardine Furman acquired the business in November 1955 and Mike Love bought it in 1977. In June 1982, Walter Mihm acquired the liquor license and move it south to the Waterfront Bar.