Uncomfortable experience. Bad service. Average food. No substitutions. COUNT YOUR CHANGE BEFORE LEAVING!!
- Rule of thumb: If you ever go into a restaurant and don't get approached by any staff member for three minutes, walk out. It's a sign that they don't have their act together. Should have listened to my own advice.
- They must have 50 people working here at any given time. No one bothered to seat us (based on other reviewers this seems like a common problem).
- Ordered a sandwich, they give you choice of chips, fries, or sweet potato fries. Asked for a salad instead. They said they couldn't do that. Waitress asked the Chef if it was possible. Chef said no. Asked if they could please make the substitution. Chef said no. Asked if they could adjust the bill accordingly. She said no.
You're 50 feet from the beach - why would you want fried foods, and anxiety? Should have walked out.
- They only accept Cash. I was given $40 less change than I should have been given. Thankfully, she fixed it. Good luck if it happens to you. You'll have no way of proving anything.
- Got a stomach ache afterwards.
- Owner creeps outside.
- Overpriced. Meal probably costs $2 to prepare.
- Stay away. Go to another restaurant. The owners probably have their hands in other Asbury Park restaurants, but here's to hoping that other staff's have their act together, and other chef's understand the concept of customer service.
We've eaten here plenty - two of us, six of us, etc. We were looking forwarding to bringing the entire family here - all 23 of us. Â We called weeks before and were told they would have no issue handling a group this size but we would have a shortened menu in order to expediate things in the kitchen. OK, no problem. Â Well, this is the last time they will see us here. Two hours into the reservation and we still didn't have any food - and by food, I mean appetizers that were pre-ordered for us before we even arrived. They only assigned one waiter to our table (poor guy). The kitchen was pathetic getting the food out, and the entrees arrived cold and flavorless (that includes the all three choices). To top this review off, the bathrooms were filthy. I was always told a dirty bathroom means a dirty kitchen. Never again.
Review Source:I went to the old Langosta Lounge and it was really good so I decided to try their new menu. The menu was smaller (not as much apps as I remembered) than before and seemed to have some unique dinner options.  My bf ordered the curry and I ordered the Pho with tofu.  While the food was delicious, the Pho portion was very small. The bowl wasn't even filled half way with broth.  It was basically $17 for noodles, broth and some tofu.  It was very expensive so either the portions should be bigger or a soup or salad should come with the meal (or lower prices!) While the food was good, I think the old menu was better  with more reasonable options and prices and more suited to a boardwalk setting.
Review Source:Had dinner with my wife and another couple this week, we couldn't have been more pleased. Â We were sat relatively quickly for how busy it was, had a table with a view of the ocean. Â Our server was pleasant and attentive. We all shared apps, the Thai street food cakes were amazing and the ceviche were our tables favorites. As far as entrees we all agreed that the sliced steak and grilled pork paillard were very good. Â
Definitely will be back again.
We've been here before, I was never impressed and actually we were intending on eating at The Beach Bar but five items does not a menu make so we gave the Langosta Lounge a post Sandy shot. I thought it looked like it used to but my wife, who pay attention to ambiance said she thought it looked thrown together.
We sat at the bar, great ocean view. I ordered a Margarita...what the hell was that? The bartenders said that they make their own mix...why, have your customers done something wrong?
Their dinners are expensive and they have the strangest menu, it's Caribbean, Thai, Cuban and a couple of other regions too...call it, confusing.
So we go with the Johnny Cakes that are made of jerk chicken which tasted strangely like crab meat and the Pu Pu platter, which was fair. The ribs and the wings weren't bad (two of each) but everything else tasted like it was frozen and purchased at the nearest supermarket.
The view can't be beat, but there are a half dozen restaurants along the boardwalk with the same exact view. The food McDonalds can beat.
I read some recent reviews and I totally agree that the manager, a guy who's name I don't know, is a negative in the Langosta experience. We've been there, been seated and asked if we could sit at a different table only to be told no, they are reserved. Two hours later no one is seated there and they've turned away many customers. The guy acts like he's doing you a favor by serving you frozen Pu Pu.
What happened that had such a great menu!!! Now.... Someone ruined it....they had a good thing going before Sandy why would they mess with that I use to be a regular. I don't see myself going back soon. I'm sure they'll get the Benny crowd but they're going to lose the locals. Someone replaced the nice fish dishes, scallops  and  calamari with Falalel and Pho WHAT ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! You did notice the restaurant is on the beach?? Do u think more people want fish and calamari or falafel and Pho.
I want to cry. The Jetsey Shore lost a Gem
Went there today for lunch after playing at the Silverball museum. Lunch Menu was very limited and while the service was pleasant, the kitchen was very slow. Â There was a party in the back room but other than that, there were very few tables occupied. Â We waited over 1/2 hour for our food. Â The hummus platter was very good, but other than that, the other foods (various sandwiches) were lackluster. Â And the Mac and cheese from the kids menu was definitely from a box Mac and cheese. Â I am not looking for truffle Mac and Cheese for my 6 year old, but more effort would have been appreciated. Â We won't be back. Â We drove down to spend some money at the shore and will find another place to spend it.
Review Source:Wanna wait 40 minutes for 2 sushi rolls and a salad that comes out without the protein on it? Definitely come here for lunch.
Especially when you're one of 5 tables inside. And that's after the server doesn't even come over to take drink orders for 10 minutes. Then wait at least another 10-15 for them to come back to take your food order. Then begin a 30-40 minute wait for your food to arrive.
Decent food but overpriced. And yeah about the service... Bullshit.
We are locals of the Jersey Shore and have visited this place many times. I've probably also written a review before saying how much I like it.....
Well, it appears that things have gone downhill here. I wish I could use the excuse that it was Memorial Day weekend and they were busy. It was Memorial Day weekend.... But they were NOT busy.
We decided to stop in there at 5:30 PM for a quick bite to eat before a concert at the Stone Pony. There was no available outside seating (45 min wait) and inside they said the same. We decided we would go inside and sit at the bar or a bartop table with self seating. We were able to get a table at the bar within 10 minutes. It's important for me to note that the entire inside of the restaurant was completely empty. 2, 2-person tables were taken by the front window. They said that they will not allow seating bc of later reservations. We were there until 6:45 ( which I will discuss later) and 1/2 of those tables were still empty. They are clearly loosing a profit by doing this!
Next, it took us 15! Minutes to get a server to take our order. We asked the bartender if she could take our order. She declined and did not even offer to help us find a server. Again, it was nowhere near crowded at the bar.
Next, we ordered the beach ball sushi roll (because I've always ordered their sushi) and a pupu platter. The PuPu platter was horrible. It was basically some heated frozen appetizer (ribs that tasted like they were right out of a freezer with some sauce on them). The 2 shrimp were completely embarrassing. They were the size of a nickel- no joke! Â If I were this restaurant I would be completely embarrassed serving this giant round tray for 2 that has these tiny little shrimp. This is "supposed" to be one of the better reataurants- and it used to be.
Sushi roll was just okay. It needed something but I'm not sure what. Maybe a spicy sauce drizzled?
The bar had 1 beer on draft and I think it was like bud light or something not entertaining...
Once we got our food my husband ordered a Pepsi which never came. We than had to request the check after waiting an additional 20 minutes. We had to request it from another server.
I couldn't have been more diaapponted.
So my husband and I were hanging out at the Silverball Arcade this past Saturday and we decided to stop for lunch at Langosta Lounge. Â It looks like a fun place so we gave it a try. Â The hostess sat us at a table for two (very uncomfortable chairs btw) and then a friend was going to join us so I asked the hostess if we could sit a different table. Â She sat us at a table for four right next to our original table. Â This was at about 4:15 pm.
We happen to start talking to the owner of the restaurant and my husband asked what was best from the menu. Â He said the short ribs and lobster bisque. Â Our waitress came to take our order and hubby proceeds to order lobster bisque and short ribs to which she replied, "Dinner is not until 5 pm so it's not available yet". Â Ok, no problem, we ordered an appetizer and decided we would eat slow so we could order dinner at 5 pm. Â By that time our friend arrived and it was almost 5 pm. Â Then, another host comes over to our table and said he needs to move us because our table was reserved for a party of 4 at 5 pm for a birthday and they requested an ocean view. Â So we accommodated the request even though it was annoying to move and were seated at a much smaller table which was right up against the people next to us. Â The host proceeded to explain why he had to do this and how difficult his job is, blah, blah, blah.
So we got over that because we were looking forward to the recommended dinner dishes. Â My husband and friend ordered the lobster bisque and they immediately said it was too salty so didn't finish it. Â My husband ordered the short ribs, our friend and I ordered the Ono Chicken Salad. Â The short ribs was one large hunk of meat on top of mashed potatoes, it tasted like dry, stringy pot roast and was only half eaten. Â Our salad had no flavor and had cold, dry chicken on top. Â The waitress came over and said, "don't you love the short ribs?" Â Uhh - No!!. Â She then said "If you had told me sooner I could have done something about it". Â What does that mean? Â If you don't tell them soon enough that you don't like the food nothing is done for you even if it is not even half eaten? Â
It was bad enough that they didn't even give us free drinks, dessert, something for moving us but then we were served over-priced less than mediocre food. Â I don't know if we caught them on a bad weekend but that is no way to start the summer season! Â It looks like Langosta Lounge is more of a summer bar hangout because I can't imagine why anyone would come here for dinner.
This was the first weekend they were open, and they were busy! I get that. The service was great (very slow but the waitress was crazed and she explained it to us from the start). The food was great. Everything was fine, but the place was extremely overpriced. We as outside, and paid over $100 for 2 people and drinks. We each got 2 drinks, nothing crazy. We had a nice dinner, good food, but not worth the price. And the menu was very limited. As I said, service was great, food was good, but price was cray. So cray.
Review Source:Came here on a cold rainy Saturday night to do our part to help with the local economy. Â
When greeted, we were asked if we had reservations(We did not) and was told that  it was fine.  When seating us, the hostess said in a rather snotty tone that we we very lucky to get a seat and that we better make reservations next time.  I should note that the place was empty at the time.
The waitress was prompt to stop by and get our drinks but seemed very new to the menu and also not very friendly if not downright annoyed we were there. Â We were served our drinks promptly and they were fantastic. Â I had the THE MARKET MOJITO. Â
We ordered the GOMA MAGURO(Seared Tuna)  and my fiance ordered the SUGAR AND SPICE SHORT RIBS and asked for an appetizer of Edamame .  The food arrived quickly but we never received the appetizer.  My seared  tuna was still frozen on the inside(I did ask for rare) but tasty.  The ribs were very good.
Overall the experience was just meh. Extremely pricey for the quality of food. I would not go back unless it was just for drinks at the bar.
I love this place for drinks and apps. We haven't tried dinner there yet but we had considered this place for a large dinner party and spoke with their event coordinator. She was very professional, friendly and willing to be accommodating to our needs.
Anyway, for a place to grab a few drinks and some bites to eat, I was very happy with it. The service was great, the food was really good and I love the atmosphere. I hope it's just about the same when it reopens!
Came here a couple of times; once or twice for dinner, another time for nachos and beers and a few more to drink and watch the salsa dancing - although we were too timid and inexperienced to participate; the menu and people are diverse, embodying the Asbury culture of which I thoroughly enjoy. On one occasion, we shared the Pu Pu platter which is an assortment of coconut shrimp, ribs, spring rolls, bbq wings and steak served w/ a chili lime sauce. It came out on a fiery platter; the presentation and ability to easily share with your date was awesome, however the taste was disappointing; Regardless, we've always had a good time at Langosta
Review Source:Came in during the early afternoon this week for a quick drink around 12 PM and was greeted by the friendly barkeeper Cortney. She quickly made some recommendations - and we proceeded to order and were quickly served with a smile.
The beers were cold; strawberry mojito was made to perfection and her recommendation of the nacho order - was spot on. The nachos for $12 with layers of chips, cheese, beans, olives, jalapeños, salsa and guacaverde were cooked quite well. The sauce on top of the cheese was amazing - and the salsa was definitely homemade.
While I do not make it to Asbury Park very often - I will be back for drinks and appetizers especially if Cortney is working. Langosta Lounge and its staff simply fires on all cylinders.
I was recommended this restaurant and a year and a half later I took someone there to share in the experience of Langosta Lounge.
From the outside it looks like a tiny hole in the wall place, with outdoor seating. Â However, inside it's not at all crowded. Â There's some kind of beach nautical theme there, but it's not tacky. Â The lighting is low but I can still read the menu and there's no candle for me to light my menu or myself on fire accidently. Â Tuesday was "TAPAS TUESDAY." Â I was unable to grasp the concept, perhaps I was suffering from a concussion? Â The waitress explained it to me but I might as well been balancing equations or looking at Pre-Calculus. Â At a point she had a slide ruler out and was asking for my social security number and birthday but I declined. (Note: didn't really happen, but the tapas thing did confuse me, so I ignored it entirely in my dinner decision.)
While picking drinks I decided on something I've never tried: an Allagash White Ale. Â Of all the beers I could've chosen that night, I picked the one that was currently depleted. Â I can win there but never have the luck to run the table at Atlantic City. Â I made a counter offer of a "Presidente" to drink instead. Â The waitress found this acceptable and granted my wish.
I ended up having some KAILUA BRAISED PORK. Â The website menu says "Slow roasted pulled kailua braised pork set on a bed of black fried rice and peanut stir fry with papaya BBQ and mu shu wrappers. $24"
I attest that this is an accurate portrayal of the meal.  It was flavorful without being too rich or too exotic for my taste buds.  Also, I ate the majority of my meal without feeling too stuffed and sluggish afterwards; furthermore there was minimal wastage as my plate was about  cleared.
Water and bread were also free, unless they snuck it onto the bill when I wasn't looking.
There is a sort of nice view if you look out the back of the restaurant also, so the owners or building architects were able to harness the power of the view of the ocean.
A possible con: during the busy season (summer, not late September) this place probably gets crowded pretty fast and stays that way. Â However, I've only been there once and I'm basing this on a theory: Â Ocean + Bar + People = Summer Hot Spot.
I would definitely dine there again, and try something else on the menu.
Great, funky, eclectic and artsy atmosphere. This place has a great lunch menu. The Mediterranean platter is a must -- it had delicious homemade hummus, black bean hummus were the stars of the plate, but it also had warm pitas, roasted red peppers and olives. The best lunch order at our table was the Banh Mi sandwich. I also loved my wrap which had chicken, portobellos, mozzerella, spinach, sundried tomatoes. Â Drinks are a little pricey but I think that's to be expected at any oceanfront spot. Beautiful view of the ocean in Asbury Park.
Review Source:I came across this place several times on my trips to Asbury Park for a concert or two. Â Langosta-clawless lobsters pretty much. Â This is probably my favorite spot down here, although there are a few really nice spots on the boardwalk since they spruced up down here.
Langosta Lounge consists of a funky, eclectic ambiance. Â The menu includes dishes from all over the globe and specifies which dish is from which country. Â The drinks were stiff and I love the jalapeno margarita. Â Some items are a tad over priced but they have specials every so often.
It gets crowded on weekends but then again most places do. Â Go check it out!
Great decor and cool atmospshere, but the food is only average at best. The last time we were there we ordered a few apps. the lobsters rolls were the highlight of the meal. Drinks were good, the jalepeno margarita was too spicy, but what do u expect it has jalepenos in it!
Definitely try the homemade Piri Piri sauce. You can buy it in the shop next store. It goes on everything, and I mean EVERYTHING!!
Eating lunch on the boardwalk, sitting in the sun, smelling the ocean salt water, enjoying a drink. If that's not your idea of a great summer Saturday, then you have problems.
But, sitting outside was probably the best part. The turkey burger was pretty good, the service was decent, the beer selection was subpar and the prices were a little high. All in all, a great location for an okay restaurant.
Someone needs to tell the cooks here that "curry" is also a verb! I ordered the chicken curry and what I received was a bed of rice upon which freshly grilled chicken and vegetables were thrown and then a curry sauce was pored over it as almost an afterthought.
Some of the chicken and vegetables didn't even have any curry sauce on them. In addition there were fresh snow peas (in the pod) of some sort that the kitchen hadn't even bothered to "snap" or remove the bits of stem that connected the pod to the plant. These were inedible and I had to constantly pull the peas out of each bit and put them in a garbage pile on another plate.
The chicken and vegetables (except the peas) were good as far as grilled vegetables go, but this was no curry! Curry needs to simmer in the pot with the meat to instill the flavors of the spices into the meat and soften it. What I got was something that would have found a better home between two slices of bread.
Overall, I have to give this visit a "D-"
Stopped by yesterday afternoon for a drink and a snack. Â Filthy! Â
The bar area was disgusting. Â Dirty tables, dirty bar, napkins and silverware on the floor and a plastic soda bottle laying beneath one of the bar stools. Â
While the bartenders were polite and attentive, it was evident that no one there cared about the cleanliness of the place. Â The bathroom was dirty as well...the floors were in desperate need of mopping, and all of the garbage cans needed emptying yesterday. Â
Ick. Â If it's like that where the customers are, what's it like in the kitchen?
So disappointing - I've had brunch, dinner and drinks here before. Â While the management was rude and arrogant (never the waitstaff, though!!!), particularly during dinner service, my boyfriend and I put up with it because the food was consistently delicious. Â Our tolerance is now a thing of the past. Â What a shame - we've eaten in a couple of the owner's other places (Trinity & The Pope and the Labrador Lounge) and loved the food. Â There are plenty of other options in town and the area. Â Time to start looking at those.
The one star goes to the devoted and attentive waitstaff of this mismanaged, dirty place.
Langosta Lounge may be the most overpriced, overrated place in Asbury. There have been multiple times when I've waited over an hour for my food and when it came, it was cold. The entrees are nothing to write home about. Chicken breasts, fish fillets and the like, usually served in a faux-Mexican style, with one or two token "exotic" ingredients to make you feel like you're getting something special for the high prices.
The sushi is thrown-together basic maki and fussy gimmick rolls that inexplicably cost about twice what they should. Mine fell apart when I tried to eat it.
What can you expect from a place that proudly proclaims that they serve tourist-- sorry, I mean "vacation inspired" food. It's utterly infuriating that this sometimes seems to be one of the only Asbury restaurants that has a good reputation outside of town.
On the bright side, they sometimes get really good bands and it's in a beautiful location on the boardwalk. If you catch them on a nice day when the outdoor seating is open and it's not too crowded, the experience can be fairly pleasant.
My expectations are rarely high for places with an amazing location. However, multiple friends and coworkers would always mention Langosta, so I thought maybe it was different. Wrong. And now I'm seriously reconsidering my friendship with these people.
Jokes aside... Langosta is a perfect place for a drink or two or five (in our groups case) but your experience needs to stop before you get drunk cravings and get sucked into the the high-priced mediocre food.
We decided to order calamari and the pupu platter. The best thing about calamari were the dipping sauces since the pieces were oversalted and small. Â The pupu platter was fun because it had a tiki torch set on fire in the middle, but the 3 kabobs, wontons, and shrimp were not worth the $40 price tag. And to be honest, there is no appetizer in my opinion worth $40. Skip it.
As we drank we made worse decisions, you know, to continue to order food. So, sushi it was for my group of friends and I. I ordered under the influence of vodka sodas and completely looked over the fact that each roll was $15. My bad. However, for $15-a-roll sushi it should taste and look like Morimoto rolled them. Not close. Tasteless, dry, and lacking sauces or the pizazz a $15 dollar sushi roll should have.
Finally, we came to our senses and decided to move our efforts elsewhere, especially after seeing our ridiculous bill.
Bottom line: Grab s couple of pre-dinner drinks here and head elsewhere. The views are great but the food is overpriced and mediocre. The setting is loud and busy with people cutting through from the beach.
It's been about 10 years since I last visited Asbury Park. Â Let's just say the last time I visited, we chose not to get out of our car. Â The transformation in such a short time is truly amazing!!
Anyhoo, after reading some Yelp reviews, I had Langosta stuck in my head as the place I wanted to visit...solely for the lobster rolls. Â When we arrived at the hostess station on the boardwalk, we overheard her tell another party there was an hour and a half wait for a table inside**. Â We decided to make a beeline for the bar and immediately found an open two-top!
We ordered our lobster rolls, a beer for the boy, and a mojito for moi. Â The lobster rolls were delicious and loaded with lobster meat, though a bit different than what I'm used to. Â Rather than the standard hot dog roll, there were three dinner rolls with the lobster set on top. Â Nevertheless, they were delicious and well-priced. Â I would go back just for them. Â The mojito was refreshing on this uber hot day and provided a great kick.
**We found this to be very suspicious since at least 1/3 of the tables inside were empty. Â I don't know if they are trying to create a buzz, or if they were lacking in staff. Â But the later did not seem to be the case....
We had heard that Langosta Lounge was "hit or miss"; but it was a "hit" with us. Â It was busy when we arrived without a reservation but our moderate wait was well spent at the bar listening to live music, enjoying cocktails, and watching the colorful clientele. Â
From an attentive server, I ordered Sugar and Spice Short Ribs. Â They were tender and succulent. Â The spices worked together well and it was a creative dish. Â Annie had a skirt steak dish and loved it. Â Another person at the table had barbecue ribs and found them to be quite tasty. Â
The best part of the dinner might have been the lobster roll's that we ordered for an appetizer. Â Fresh and tasty on a squishy white roll. Â Hmmmm!
The menu is most interesting. Exotic dishes from Central America to Morocco. Â If we were local, we would enjoy working our way through it. Â The place is full of life- especially for a week night.
Great fun!
Fabulous location! We got a table outside great for people watching!
Large bar area inside. Â Wide variety of drink and food specials. Â We just had a couple of beers and a salads for lunch. Â Salads are fresh, well prepared and delicious! Â Service was a little slow but we weren't in a hurry so that was fine. Â Monday nights is sustainable food night, Tuesday nights is tapas night and Wednesday night is Latin fusion - Â I'd go back and try one of those.
Gets packed on weekends, especially in the summer. Â Make a reservation.
I like to think my five star reviews are really reserved for that fully awesome dining experience and I must say having just moved to the area I didn't know I'd find a five star worthy place so quickly, but I'm really glad I did!
The fam and I debated over what to have for dinner on a grey Sunday evening and decided despite the cold we'd head to the water and eat at Langosta. My initial opinion of the place was second guessed, then third guessed and maybe even fourth guessed.
First, you look at the outside and you're thinking sandals and shorts but the inside dining room is really nice. It's a well lit, warm and open space; very inviting. Second, I started to read the menu, I had to scratch my head, was this menu a joke? Was the head chef suffering from multiple nationality disorder? How was I supposed to know what to order when there was Japanese, Vietnamese, American, Cuban and Indian on the same menu? Then I was concerned with the quality factor, could the chef really do all of these different flavors well or was he going to fall into the trap of mediocrity for trying to be too creative?
We started to order drinks & apps, and boy did we order apps...
Pupu Platter - Coconut Shrimp, Steak on a stick, Baby back ribs, Won Tons and Bar beque wings.
Picadillo Plantain - a large plantain split open and filled with ground beef and topped with a bit of sour cream. This dish was so insanely delicious we ordered FIVE of them!!
Cuban Grilled Corn - Another table fav, I've never had corn done like this and boy was it good!
Mediterranean Platter - A plate chuck full of pieces of pita, two kinds of hummus, feta cheese and some red peppers. Very nice salad that we turned into an appetizer.
Gumbo - Rice and blue crab, nice and spicy and great for the cold day we were having.
Despite having gorged on appetizers we still managed to order some entrees...
Skirt Steak Jalisco - Well marinated and cooked to perfection!
Bangalore Pork Tenderloin - Tandoori spiced, really tender and super tasty.
Labradoor Baby Back Ribs with Sweet Potato Fries - The glaze was mild and flavorful and I had lots of help with the sweet potato fries. It felt like comfort food.
My concerns were all put to rest because we all may have ordered our entrees from different regions, but all the food managed to come out hot and stay true to the flavors of their origin.
We tasted each others food, cleaned our plates, looked at each other and said, dessert? Insanity prevailed and the desserts came out.
Flourless Chocolate Cake - Decadent and insanely delicious, I had to force myself not to eat the whole thing!
Cuban Rice Pudding - Made with coconut milk it tasted great, light and delicious.
Caramel Sushi - This was like candy, cut up into little bits, great for sharing.
Passion Fruit Sorbet - a refreshing mix of fruit flavors, perfect palette cleanser after an insane meal like the one we had!
Through the whirlwind of ordering and eating our service was seamless and on point. Our waitress was great with suggestions, checked on us frequently without rushing us through the meal and all the other staff were buzzing around filling water glasses, clearing empty plates and generally making sure everything was going well. Everyone we came in contact with was really friendly and happy to help, that really helped put this place over the top for us.
My family and I were riding a food high at the end of this meal and we can't wait to check out the various specials through out the week and I'm really looking forward to sunny days eating right on the boardwalk.
Langosta has managed to put many of my fusion fears to rest, quite a feat indeed since I've always been skeptical and disappointed by those who try to do too much.
Monday was crazy. I had car trouble on my way to court in Woodbury and then had to drive clear across the state to Manalapan to pick up my computer from the Geek Squad guys. So when Toot called and said c'mon over and we'll tune up at his place and then go out I was more than ready.
Caught a buzz at Toot's and then headed here. Asbury Park is trying, for the thousandth time it seems, to resurrect itself from the riots and fires of the late 60's. But the boardwalk area is still pretty desolate for the most part.
Langosta is right on the boardwalk so that's cool. Toot and I walked in and found a spot near the end of the completely empty bar as close to the door and boardwalk as you can get. When i say empty I mean nobody else but us including no barkeep. A man who looked Asian, maybe Philippine, finally walked by and Toot being pretty buzzed already said "Hey senor, can we get some drinks?" I tried to tell him the guy wasn't Spanish but he wasn't catching on. The guy looked confused so I said "Are you open?" and he said "take it easy cowboys, the bartender will be right out". In our defense the place looked closed.
We didn't eat so I can't tell you about the chow, but they had Kona Longboards on tap and I've been getting into those lately so that was a big plus. The decor is a typical Asbury Park mishmash, with Buddhas here and there and other totally unrelated stuff. The word that came to my mind was "tacky" yet other reviews here praised the decor. Eye of the beholder I guess.
It was a beautiful day so I took my beer and was standing in an area on the boardwalk right by the door enjoying the sun, the surf, and my buzz in general. A couple walked by both dressed like, no lie, Little Bo Peep. One was definitely a guy the other I couldn't say. but they were walking around like it was the most natural thing in the world and in the world of Asbury Park they may be right.
Langosta Lounge is located in Asbury Park, NJ right on the famous Asbury Park Boardwalk with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean.  There are two entrances, one off the boardwalk and one from the street.  The interior is quite large, has a semi-separated bar area, and seasonal outdoor seating on the boardwalk.  The décor is "beachy" which is appropriate seeing as it is only about 50 feet from the ocean.  The space is wide open with high ceilings and a poured cement floor which exacerbates the noise making conversation difficult.
My friend and I went to dinner on a Tuesday which is the restaurant's "Tapas Night". Â You can choose 4 small dishes and a flight of 4 white or red wines for $18.00 per person or $12.00 per person without the wine. The Tapas Menu and wines change weekly. Â Although Langosta has an interesting eclectic menu we both choose to order from the tapas offerings.
Between the two of us we ordered: Asian vegetable gyozas, tuna & shrimp ceviche, Labrador Asian barbecue baby back ribs, and penne in vodka sauce.  The  Asian vegetable gyozas were good but nothing spectacular. The Labrador Asian barbecue baby back ribs were interesting and quite good.  The penne in vodka sauce was as good as any in "Little Italy".  The tuna & shrimp ceviche was disappointingly poor.  It tasted very gamy  and one bite was more than enough.
My friend has been to Langosta Lounge many times and was surprised at the mediocre fare that we had that evening. Â She had always had a good meal there before. Â She swears by their Sunday brunch saying it is the best she has ever had. Â
I have been told that there can be up to a two hour wait on the weekend to get served so reservations are a must.
Seeing as I find my friend's palate and mine quite similar I would have to recommend this restaurant based solely on her good word. Â Dining alfresco is a favorite of mine and the people watching on the boardwalk is terrific so contingent on that and my friend's word I am going to give Langosta Lounge another try.
So having said I would give it another try, I recently returned and on second blush it was much better.  I had  the Skirt Steak Jalisco; a marinated and roasted skirt steak topped with spring onions and served with a Manchego potato cake with grilled asparagus and a side of spiced fruit salsa.  It was quite good and cooked exactly the way I had requested it.  I especially liked the spiced fruit salsa. Â
Just to verify my findings and to assure myself I returned for a third time last evening.  I had the:Sugar and Spice Short ribs which was a sweet glazed boneless short rib, topped with a scallion and ginger, soy glaze and served over Diablo mashed potatoes and sautéed brocolini and my friend had some Sushi. Her dinner was the Soleado Veggie Roll which was a cucumber, avocado, and red radish wrapped in sweet potato.
My short rib was fall apart tender and very good. Â The potatoes were a delightful change from the ordinary and were spicy without being overpowering. Â My friend also throughly enjoyed her Sushi.
Given the two extra tries, I am going to up their rating and recommend you try Langosta lounge. Â
As an addendum, although I do not review bars or night clubs, Langosta Lounge was recently voted best bar in New Jersey.
Gave Langosta another try this week.
Wish I didn't.
Apparently inquiring about a soup means you want to order it, here. I didn't want the curry soup since I was ordering curry for my entree, yet for some reason it was still brought out to me. I'm sorry, but I don't like feeling uncomfortable sending an item back to the kitchen. It's not my fault you find a pad and pen uncool and don't write down your orders.
We had a good lamb chop appetizer, but my curry entree was sub par. It was extremely evident that the chicken and vegetables were not cooked in the curry, but instead just added to the pre-made sauce. Not cool. Not only that, but half of my vegetables were way undercooked. Have you ever eaten raw/semi raw eggplant? It's fucking disgusting. I had to spit it out and I still had the bitter seeds in my mouth for the rest of the meal. Oh no, no, no, no, no! Not acceptable!
Anyone who thinks the food here is "amazing" has obviously never eaten at a restaurant that actually serves quality food/ thinks that the more complicated the description of a dish is, the more "gourmet" and therefore "delicious" it is. The food is fusion, in the worst way possible. Really, not good at all. Trust me. I go to culinary school.
Greetings from Asbury Park! (sorry, had to...)
I'm a Jersey shore girl, although I now live in Boston. Â When I was a kid, Asbury Park was past its prime, but the Carousel was still operating, Tilly's had some rides, games and a creepy fun house, there was a Mr. Peanut, places for candy apples and a Howard Johnsons with famous fried clams (strips, no bellies) and ice cream.
When I was in high school, there wasn't much left operating in Asbury Park, other than the Stone Pony. Â
Now Asbury Park is on the upswing, and Langosta Lounge is one of the reasons. Â Visit it. Â Now. Â Before the summer crowds. Â Here's why:
Langosta bills itself as a place for vacation cuisine. Â Nope, I've never heard of that either, but boy, I liked it. Â Start with some cocktails. Â
The five of us (Mom, Dad, 2 brothers) each had a different cocktail. Â I insisted we pass them around -- and I loved all 5. Â Here's the list: coconut lime shake, moscow mule, papaya mango mai tai, pomegranat margarita and same sex marriage. Â Yum, yum, I could have stayed there all night drinking cocktails.
But, woman can not survive on booze alone, so food was required. Â We went with the retro pu pu platter and fried calamari two ways. Â The pu pu platter offered Asian ribs, sweet chicken wings, vegetable gyozas, coconut shrimp and beef and pineapple skewers. Â In theory, all was great, but I didn't move fast enough for the vegetable gyozas or the beef skewers. Â I did hear they were great though! Â The platter came with three good, but mysterious dipping sauces. Â One was sweet, one herb-y and one something else.
Calamari two ways was actually calamari fried one way, with two sauces. Â Excellent calamari -- lightly fried, light coating. Â The kind of fried calamari that doesn't give you the fried/logy/gummy tummy feeling. Â One sauce was hot, hot, hot. Â I'd guess it was siracha mixed with something. Â The other was a sweet duck sauce type. Â Both good. Â Both good together, too.
On to the entrees. Â I would have bribed the cook to get a personal tasting menu, but alas, I had to choose. Â I opted for the seafood caldo verde. Â Wow -- great portion, great price and hey, it tasted great too! Â Shrimp, clams, scallops and chunks of tuna with some veggies and rice in a light sauce. Â The portion required a doggie bag and made a great dinner the next night.
Despite risking forks jabbed into my hands, I also tried the other dishes at the table. Â Barbequed ribs -- sweet, could have used a kick, but melt off the bone. Â They were served with sweet potato fries with a curry dipping sauce. Â I don't like sweet potatos (fried or not). Â I don't like curry. Â OMG, these sweet potato fries dipped in curry mayonaise was amazing. Â
Tuna. Â Dad had a very large tuna steak for a very reasonable price. Â The tuna was so tender it could have been cut with a fork. Â I'm guessing the rest of the dish was good. Â I don't know, because I was only offered one small piece of tuna.
The other two at our table ordered a skirt steak. Â Again, who needs a knife when the meat/fish can be cut with a fork? Â Very flavorful -- a wonderful dish. Â It came with grilled asparagus and a manchego potato pancake. Â The potato pancake was a little overcooked, but very tasty.
We also tried an intriguing side -- applewood smoked bacon mofungo. Â I had heard of mofungo, thought it African, but wasn't sure. Â It turns out it is the national dish of Puerto Rico and is smashed plantains mixed with stuff. Â Plantains, like sweet potatoes, fall into the category of things I wish I liked more. Â But the mofungo was very yummy. Â Sweet (plantains) and savory (bacon) with some warm spices (my guess cumin or nutmeg) and a spicy kick at the end. Â
On to dessert. Â Our dessert story also covers the service. Â Our waitress was fabulous. Â During our table's dessert debate, she overheard us mention my birthday. Â We opted to split the quattro leches cake. Â Our wonderful waitress brought it over to the table with a birthday candle (without prompting from our table). Â What a sweet surprise.
Unfortunately, a surprise it was, as I was coming out of the ladies room and saw her walking to table with a lit candle on a dessert. Â And heard Happy Birthday being sung. Â OOOOPS. Â That required a quick run to the table on my part and a "do-over of happy birthday." Â
Perhaps our time at Langosta was best summed up by my brother, who said (before we even left the restaurant): I know where I want to go for my birthday!
Again. Â Go to Langosta Lounge. Â Now. Â Before the summer crowds. Â And while parking along the boardwalk is still free (through May).
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