Went here with the fam on a Friday night. Â The place looks GREAT compared to my memories of it. Â We had to wait for a table, so we went over to the bar. Â I was a bit green from the night before, but the bartender had no issues serving me a lovely diet coke while I watched the Philadelphia Union game. Â We were seated in due time at a very nice table. Â As a vegetarian, the options here are rough. Â I got the Princeton Chopped salad with avocado for some extra yumminess that will last a bit longer than roughage alone. Â It was a great salad. Â The bread served leading up to dinner was tasty too.
The reason I can't give this place more than 3 stars goes strictly to service. Â Our waitress was quite frankly a total bitch. Â She treated us like we were a thorn in her side. Â My dad ordered the tuna tartare and the presentation was pretty lame. Â It was listed under 'snacks and sandiwches' so he thought it would be entree sized, but it was pretty small. Â The waitress made him feel dumb for not knowing that 'sandwiches an snacks' were tiny. Â I mean... you order a sandwich and thats a pretty decent meal, right? Â So.... what are we missing?
If this girl wasn't a part of our dining experience, we'd hike it up a few stars, but I'm hesitant to return as I'd hate to inconvenience her again.
The place to be for dancing out in Avalon. Â (don't be fooled by the fairly classy exterior, the place extends through the whole block). Â Drinks are pretty average price, but the DJs and live music are usually pretty good. Â Standard of dress seems to be to impress; club-wear.
The front area is classy and nice, good place for a drink or two while walking around Dune st. Â Beach clothes suffice.
August 2012 we sat at the bar, had another martini, some oysters, and the ceviche.
(Written August 2011)
We waited and got a real table. Titanium martini was good. Oysters selection was good and they were fresh with a nice sherry vinegar sauce or cocktail sauce. Shrimp cocktail shrimps were huge. Scallops were nicely seared. Good seafood. I remembered the crab cakes were canned crab, so avoiding saved the meal. The corn side was great (corn is in season now that it's August). Dessert was chocolate goodness.
I've never eaten here so I am only referring to the bar (which is all it is at night).
The best part of the Princeton is the bar itself. Everything is new and high quality. Glass, stainless steel, granite. It's very "swanky" inside. The bathrooms are on the nicer side too. Sea Isle bars are bad, but the Princeton completely embarrasses them.
But, the worst part is the crowd/vibe. Half the guys think they are on "Jersey Shore" and the other half are in a frat party mindset. All the girls seem to think they are better than everyone at the bar. Combine that with a $10 cover and $6 beers and you have a miserable night out.
Save your pennies and sanity and have your drinks at home.
Had lunch at Circle Tavern last weekend. Had their cream of mushroom soup--tasty but a little watery. The others I was dining with had a hamburger and the pulled pork sandwich. Said the hamburger was good--nice sized patty, cooked to order, served with cole slaw. The pulled pork was the special of the day, served on a sandwich roll with cole slaw and choice of soup.
Wasn't overpriced--a lot of food for what we paid. Place was pretty empty as Avalon is a beach town and we were there out of season. Wait staff were friendly and service was good and quick.
Not sure what its like in the summer but would eat there again.
Go for the flatbreads and pizzas (they were good), it seems to be what they make best.
My husband and I both got the taco salads as well, and they were just mediocre, nothing to rave about. Â Probably wouldn't go back unless it was the only place open in town, oh wait, it was. Happy December.
Every summer, Philadelphians and Main Line residents flock to a series of 4-5 beach towns between Atlantic City and Cape May for their weekend getaways 'down the shore' with their pals. About 22 guys/girls rent a house together for the summer months. Avalon is generally considered the best; most popular; and 'wildest' of these 'rental' towns. Its a frenzy of intense socialization, binge-drinking; and hookups (sand, sun, and sea are but secondary aspects).
Much of the strength of the Avalon rep falls on the shoulders of this very specific, and very unusual bar. 'The Princeton'. When you talk to guys-in-the-know (eligible single guys in their 20s/ 30s who find and screw hot girls on a steady, regular basis; socially adept guys, players) they will assure you positively that 'The P' is perhaps the best pick-up bar on the Eastern seaboard. And they're right. Not just 'location' factors big here (although it does help that every 'Philly hottie' staying in Avalon stops in, every evening).
There's just a unique configuration in the bar layout itself which makes spontaneous conversations between strangers bubble up; froth; and brim over. Everybody is either making a pass at someone or getting a pass made at them. Non-stop. Its because of the way people are jammed together in such close-quarters yet still are free to move around. The strange-shaped rooms keep everyone circulating! That's the genius of it.
Its got two restaurant sections; an outdoor deck; a beer store; a band venue area; and multiple bars scattered all throughout the interior. This is a vast, interlocking complex of social spaces where people mill around with their friends; getting hammered, and angling/maneuvering for numbers and hook-ups. Its a 'boiler-room' for developing/displaying social prowess; and reaping the obvious benefits when you do.
So, think back to what I said a paragraph ago: 'best pick-up bar'. That is both good and bad. A high ratio of available cellphone numbers is no mark of a quality crowd: here, you definitely have to rub elbows with abysmal meatheads and bozos. Fist-pumping, chest-bumping, doob-smoking, lummoxes. Good-humored, but utterly generic/bland consumer drones; cars-money-sports-chicks-weed-coke-beer preoccupy their every waking moment. What else? Thing is, they will do as good as any guy here. In fact, they'll do better. Â They're exactly the specimen of strutting, zero-personality jackass that the equally dumb chicks are here for. Its a race of the stupid. But the **extraordinary** amount of fresh, raw, young, hot, ass which fills up these giant rooms make this mixture inevitable.
Because (bluntly speaking), the girls are also here are.here.to.get.laid. No bones about it. Let's not mince words. And if a guy has the right neck size; that's exactly what will happen to him; with almost no effort on his part. The stupider you are at this bar, the higher your chance of balling.
'The P' is therefore the engine which drives Avalon. The principle is simple: unlike in the city, in Avalon girls can get soaring drunk because they're with their friends and they don't have to drive to get home. Get it? Every house is within walking distance of every other house. So its a firestorm of dorm-style bed-hopping..has to be experienced to be believed. May leave you feeling a little sick to your stomach, but really, what in life doesn't--when you take it too far? 'The Princeton' is definitely that bar; 'The Princeton' definitely goes that far. Good luck.
Do you love frat parties even though you graduated from college 10+ years ago?
...me neither. There is a $10 cover most nights to get in here and I can't say no in enough ways to really cover the vibe. It's alright if you're there with people you like, but then why not just have a dance party at the house? It's cheaper and there's not a line for the bathrooms.
I stopped in to the Circle Tavern in late September for lunch. Â I tried their burger and It was fantastic. Â Large, fresh patty with a good roll. Â I was pleasantly surprised at the quality and the price. Â Their beer selection was horrible but I expected that. Â
If you are in the Avalon during the off season Circle Tavern is great option for lunch.
Went here for dinner on a Sunday evening. After being sat we had to wait around 10 minutes before anyone came to our table to take our order. Our server, however, was very nice, and once she approached us was very attentive.
The food on the other hand was quite awful. We ordered the soup of the day, which was a broccoli potato soup, and after about four bites I had to stop eating it. It was so thick that it tasted like gruel, and the flavor was not pleasant. We actually both sent ours back because neither of us could eat it. To the servers credit she did remove it from our bill.
For our entree we both had the crab cake sandwich. Talk about a rip-off. This sandwich cost $16, and it was literally the size of a slider with NOTHING ON THE SIDE but a small pickle. No fries, chips, or anything. To add insult to injury, the crab cake wasn't even good. It was like they took the mixture for a crab cake but failed to cook it. There was no sear on it at all. It tasted more like crab cake salad than a crab cake.
I do recall the food being somewhat better a few years ago, which was the last time we ate here, but it was horrible on this occasion.
The only reason I don't give it 1 star is that I do think it's a cool bar to watch a game at, which is the only redemptive quality I could find.
My, how my life has changed. The Princeton used to be the scene of many drunken nights at the Jersey Shore and now, I found myself wondering if they had room for a stroller. Well, they did! My sister, myself, my son (in a stroller) and a friend with a baby also in a stroller walked to the Princeton for lunch while on vacation. They were very accomodating and had no issues with us having strollers. The food was above average for bar food. I had a nicoise salad, which was delicious and had great dressing!
Review Source:Had lunch at the Circle Tavern on a Saturday in July and were pleasantly surprised with the new and improved menu. Â We had the flatbread chicken and short ribs. Â The chicken was fantastic and the short rib very nice. Â The steak salad, cuban sandwich and fish sandwich were all great. Â Nobody in our party of 9 was unhappy with their choices. Â The beer flowed and was very cold. Â Our waitress named Sally was fabulous, mind reading our every need and appearing whenever we needed another round. Â All in all, we had a great time and were really well taken care of.
Review Source:Watch out for systematically weak drinks. Five of us ordered a variety of mixed drinks, all of which were just watery mixers. Just awful. Mentioned to server and our second round was ok but just barely. Given that all 7 drinks were different but consistently almost alcohol-free I have to wonder if it's part of the business model. Go but order beer. In a bottle.
Review Source:We sat outside with my family, at night, and the ambience was great. Â The waitress was very accommodating, when we asked her to take back the crab soup. Â Two bowls were ordered, and one of the bowls of soup tasted "off", in fact, different from the other bowl of the (same) soup. Â I had fish tacos - cold flour tortillas, and mealy cod fish with barely any sauce/flavor. Â They did come with guacamole, cheese, lettuce, but overall I couldn't finish all three, because I imagined what food poisoning might taste like. Â I wonder if they have a real chef, or a summer college student crafting the menu? Â The beer selection was weak - no IPA on tap, and limited decent varieties to choose from.
Review Source:Went to this place during the weekend with some Avalon veterans. In the beginning I didn't know what to expect since it was my first time but I am a complete fan now.
This place is huge and really broken up between the nice, restaurant section and the night club section. I spent some time in the restaurant area having a beer before they opened the night club and it looked very nice. Large bars, TV's with sports, nice lighting.
The night club area was pretty big also, with a bunch of bar areas so you can always get a drink if you need it. The whole floor area becomes a big dance spot so you are not corralled into one area. Place is a cash only bar and pretty expensive, but IMO, it is worth it. The people there were all nice and upscale. No Seaside Heights crap. The attempt at a live band was pretty cool also.
So in summary:
Bring cash and dress nice.
I can't give "The P" two stars, but I certainly don't feel obligated to give them more than three!
The food is solid and probably only slightly over priced. Â Get there before 10 PM and avoid the ridiculous cover ($10?). Â Be prepared to pay too much for basic drinks, but if the place isn't packed, the bartenders will be more than happy to chat with you and make sure you are having a good time. Â When it is packed, they do take care of who they know but don't over do it. Â
Otherwise, its Avalon - you're probably here in the summer like the rest of Philly, enjoy the over crowded bars and bands attempt at live music!
Surprised it's taken me so long to review. This is strictly a review of the BAR at night. Â Always a cover in the summer, and it gets packed. DJ is usually spinning in Circle Tavern, a band is usually working the crowd in the middle room, and another DJ in the Grill room. The P is what you make of it, but no matter what, expect to have your (overpriced) drink spilled a few times, and expect to see some shoobies and cougars working it in every direction.
My only complaint lately is the caliber of bands they slot for weekends. I'm all for trashy cover bands, but some of the acts they bring in here are straight up embarrassing.
Nightclub: If you want a fun night out the Princeton is the place to be. It 3 giant rooms with 3 different vibes. The Princeton side with the restaurant turns has a dance club feel after 10:30 with tenchoish music playing and a big sweaty dance floor. Next to ti is the Rock Room which was not renovated and has the same look it has of years. The rock room has bad cover bands but everyone in there is having a great time singing and drinking. Next to that is circle tavern which offers a DJ who plays mostly oldies or an acoustic band. The Princetons crowd ranges from 21-50 at night but on average people are between 28-34. The drinks are expensive but its the same everywhere on the island.
restaurant: The restaurant has made some strides with a new chief and the menu offers some different things even though i don't mind paying higher prices The restaurant isn't really worth it, i prefer the Sea Grill right next door.
I was reluctant to go to the Princeton, but I was surprised at how much I liked the food. They had menu items that were unexpected and quite good. I thought they had an especially good selection of salads. It wasn't a bunch of greens on a plate.
I don't think it's worth a mention of the price. Avalon has always been staggeringly expensive for dining. I usually do Sylvester's take out, but they were closed.
I was strong-armed into a visit to the Princeton this past weekend in Avalon. Â Had not been in years and, in the end, I was actually surprised at the upgrades they have made to the place. Â For having hundreds of young drinkers in the multi-large room facility it was fairly clean and presentable; compared with the old days anyway. Â They have multiple bands and DJ's going on so you should be able to find a room with a vibe you like. Â Cover was $10. Â Overall, it's just a bit too typical, crowded and passe for me. Â Just like most bars at the S. Jersey shore.
Review Source:I've been to the Princeton many a summer night over the years. First I must say that they made some very significant and impressive improvements to the establishment over the years.
The club has several rooms each with it's own theme. It seems easy to get lost as the layout is a little confusing, or that could very well be because nearly everytime I go there it is packed to around, and possibly above, capacity.
Overall the club has a fun and uptempo vibe. Clientelle consist mainly of well-to-do suburbanites hailing mostly from the philadelphia suburbs ranging from 20s to 40s, which is an advantage over other spots frequented by mostly the 20s crowd. Females are very attractive and there is a high percentage of blondes, which I have found rare in other spots particularly in central and northern nj.
The club attracts, however, mostly those coming in larger groups with the intention to drink, party, and enjoy the night within their group. Therefore, it is hard for a single guy to meet or hook up with another female.
Regardless, if you are upbeat and can just enjoy the vibe and have a good time, then you should be able to have a fun night at the princeton.
Caught up for drinks with friends at the Princeton and thought had a cool, relaxed vibe. I was preparing, based on the name, for something more pretentious -- which I am fine with. I was practicing swirling some brandy in a snifter while drawling, "I muuuuuch prefer early Ian McEwwwwan to late Ian McEwwwan..." (OK, I stole that whole bit from Gary Shteyngart) But, alas, my practice was unwarranted. The Princeton was your standard upscale shore bar, minus the pretense.
It's a great place to catch a Phillies game and have a few good beers. The food menu was a little rich for my blood (read: expensive), so I abstained from ordering, but there were many delicious options. I think if you came here for a splurge night (expecting to spend a couple of dollars), you'd have a good meal.
The highlight of the place is definitely the staff. The bartender was really engaging and interesting. And he never let our glasses get empty. Kudos to you, good sir.
So, if you're in the area, skip the patrician accent and literary pretense and check out the Princeton.
I have heard good things about this place from  friends who visit  every time they are down the shore.  We decided to meet up with them to catch a Phillies game, have some beer, and unwind.  The Princeton was their choice (they were staying in SI, I was in North Wildwood) because I am not too familiar with the area.....normally I vacation in OCNJ. Â
This place was great to watch the game. Â Large flat screens with an even larger projection screen gave everyone a bird's eye view. Â A nice touch was the acoustic duo playing off to the side of the bar area. The music mixed nicely with the soothing breeze that was flowing in from the large open windows in the front of the restaurant. Â
The beer was cold, the waitstaff was great, and the atmosphere was exactly what you would want while down the shore.  Unfortunately, for me there  was one glaring drawback: a menu that is drastically over priced for what it was.  We decided to order the guacamole  with warm tortilla chips.  When it was brought out the tortilla chips were the same type that they use at the concession stand at the movies    ( you know...the ones in the plastic tray accompanied by  that sad excuse for nacho "cheese"). Stale, salty, and cold...yuck.  The guacamole was a dollop of  uncut avocado's that were slightly mashed but mostly whole pieces...not the best for dipping. Â
On a positive note, the beer and wine selection was abundant, the decor and outdoor patio was "happening" and I give the parking situation two thumbs up!
Go for drinks during the Phillies, Â not for the over priced food.
We were disappointed with the Princeton  new menu.  We loved it last year but not this year. Portions are small - I think the gazpacho was served in a martini glass as was the smoked trout.  They removed the sliders which was a mistake.
Lunch or dinner there are better options like the whitebrier. Â Drinks with some of their pricey food would make for a good evening
I've been going to the Princeton for close to 10 years now. I heard they had a new chef and was really looking forward to trying the new food. The food was less-than-mediocre and very overpriced! My five friends who were also sitting at the table hated their food. All I ordered was soup, an appetizer and a drink. The total came to $50. I wouldn't have minded paying that if the food was out of this world. Unfortunately, it stunk! I recommend The Princeton for the club atmosphere only after 10pm.
Review Source:jersey shore establishments often leave me (and my wallet) feeling a little used and abused, and the princeton is no exception. the shrimp scampi i had saturday night was ok, but not $26 ok. my friends were pretty plucked that our server made no effort to remedy a very legitimate complaint about our bill. my mojitos tasted good, but that's because they were about 75% simple syrup.
in general, the food here is mediocre and overpriced. the princeton's main redeeming quality is that it sponsors a free shuttle bus to ensure that drunkies get home safely. they've got transportation down ... now they just need to focus on improving the food and the service.
During the cabin fever days of winter this year and in the past, my husband and I enjoy taking a leisurely drive down to the shore.  With each visit we always stop at the Princeton Grill for lunch.  Including this most recent visit on 2-20-10 we have eaten at the Princeton 4 times in the dead of the winter.  Each time is a delight - the waitresses are very attentive, the menu is perfect - reasonably priced for the high quality of food you receive,(this may sound weird - the flat ware is excellent stuff, heavy in the hand, like at home) and the beer on tap is great.  Last year when we had lunch on our winter jaunt, I had the Grouper Reuben sandwich and let me tell you if you ever have the opportunity to order this - DO IT!  This year I was looking forward to the same sandwich.  But, to my disappointment - they ran out of the fish.  No problem, we had  the burger made of wonderful high quality ground beef - they use onion rolls - FRESH - we also had the Old Bay seasoned fries - OMG!  fried to perfection.  Blue Moon beer on draft with a wedge of orange, ahhhhh - nothing could have brightened the winter blues any better than this lunch.  The sun was shinning and our tummies full - it was a beautiful thing.
Review Source:Generally, Avalon is more my style of Jersey shore town. Â A little more low key, a little more beer and a little less spiky hair, gold chains and the women who like that. Â I say generally because the Princeton is all of that and more.
I had been here once before this past summer, but it was an incredibly bad evening that involved me being asked to leave and ending up sleeping some place other than my friend's house. Â No further details will be provided. Â So, I walked into the Princeton with no idea of what I was going to experience. Â
First off, this place is ENORMOUS, and they use the space well, creating several different rooms with totally different atmospheres so that pretty much anyone in town can get what they want. Â There was a couple dudes with acoustic guitars that was mainly the older crowd, an area that was really just a bar for the drinkers, a large open space for a band and then the rest of the space for a club type area with DJs. Â The band was pretty awful, like I had to try and ignore what they actually sounded like to enjoy it. Â But it was fun.
My group was there until close, we had a good time. Â It's not really my thing, but with all the different rooms to check out pretty much anyone can have a good time here. Â Note: Â I think it was a $7 cover on a weekend night during the summer.
Wow, they just lost 2 stars from me this past weekend for their A-HOLE bouncers who must thrive on the power trip of being able to check IDs and tell people who can and cannot enter their over-crowded, wannabe-trendy bar. Â So as the light rain drops progressed to a downpour, Princeton let us stand out in the rain, took their slow azz time checking ID's, and yelled at anyone who tried to stand inside the door to stay dry. Â THANKS for catering to your patrons, and acting like arrogant aholes to the ones that are keeping you and your establishment open and employed.
Review Source:Depends on what you're looking for.
The food is actually pretty good...sitting outside and having a few drinks on a beautiful summer night...a great way to relax and hang with friends.
Inside...well, let's just say it is one huge party.
It is fun, but in doses...
Personally i'd rather be night surfing...
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