Bonefish Grill Middletown

So I noticed the other day that the Bonefish Grill next to Whole Foods on 35 N at Chapel Hill is closed.

Any idea of what is going into that space?

Maybe something not franchised?

No idea to be honest, I’m sure only a chain can afford the rent there. I enjoyed that place the handful of times I ate there. Biggest gripe was the menu never changed at all, but stuff was good for a chain, the bar too.

They use to have an excellent happy hour with $5. martini’s!!! Good apps selection for happy hour as well, I have always found them to be on the “non-offensive” spectrum of chain restaurants.

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Here is some more info:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/amp/26934464/carrabbas-bonefish-grill-close-in-middletown

Apparently they closed in Feb.

My guess is Outback ran into some problems with servicing their debt load, they killed a bunch of Carrabba’s too. I think they own all their own stores and do not have franchisees.

The anti development theme in the article is just whacko. Maybe monster power lines frying the brains.

The one time I was there I had the fish tacos, which were not bad for a chain and definitely better than Surf.

I love fish tacos!

I always liked their bread and bang bang shrimp.

I’d go to bonefish any time over a mccloones, I’ll say that much. I guess people don’t put chains and fish together maybe? I honestly had better food and service there than at half the places in red bank I’ve been to.

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They should put a jose Tejas there…seriously. I don’t think it is big enough though. I’ve never been to that place without an hour wait or more. No I don’t crave their food but I get roped into going once in a while. Whatever they are doing, they are destroying it. You can’t even find a parking spot. I have never seen anything like it that I can think of.

Jr I’ll go halves with you lol.

I grew up in Edison the place has been like that since the late 80’s /early 90’s when they opened. I can’t say I’m a fan but like you said they do the numbers.

(circa 1985 I was a servers assistant at the Chi-Chi’s on Rt 1 a mile south of Jose Tejas)

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How was Edison growing up? Was it as ethnically diverse as it is now? I wish I could get there more often

Chi chi’s that’s a blast from the past. I can’t understand why Tejas does well except the bar and maybe the portions?

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I think Jr said it right. They turn tables. The food is passable and cheap. I’m not sure what profit margin they are pulling but they are literally always packed. My guess is they make most of their money on drinks.

Jr any clue if anything is going into the old a&p on rt 36 in navesink/Atlantic highlands? That spot is big and could support something like a Jose tejas.

Edison was great to grow up in although it was nothing…nothing like it is now. When I left in 94 Oak Tree Road is Iselin was established as an ethnic area, however it stopped at Wood Ave.

@Metsfan86 yeah Chi-chi’s was a fun place to work, especially when half our kitchen was arrested for selling pot. Lol

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Way back when I used to like Chi Chi’s, but every time I found a dish I liked, the next menu revision dropped it. Now, of course, the Mexican restaurant scene is vastly different and I’m not surprised it didn’t survive. (Note to people watching their carbs: Bahia de Acapulco in Freehold gives you the option of salad instead of rice on their platters, and the Pollo Azteca seems a reasonably healthy choice.)

Tejas had what I thought was good etouffe when we used to eat there, but that was thirty years ago.

They were closed at the same time a number of other underperforming stores were also shut down. The Outback in Princeton was one.