Hey have you noticed that McLoonies is now opening up new locations next to all the OTB sites?
Do you think the outfit is involved? Maybe washing the mobs lettuce explains how these places stay in business. After all, one black hole attracts another, it’s simple gravity.
McLoonies new location:
It’s out of this world !
Would like fries with your trifecta sir…
Look at that almost a year to the day later and it’s Closed Again!!! You are like the Angel of Death Johnny!!
wow- that place is def high up on the list- my first experience was the “steak exchange”. I just think that’s a huge space and a lousy spot for eats…
Might have ot add Black Swine and Bubbakoos in SB to list soon. Was in SB last night and literally every joint in town was lit save those two. I know BS is closed Mon and Tue, but maybe in the summer that’s not a good sign when people are falling from the rafters its sooo packed everywhere else. Bubbakkos I just don’t get- the owners talk up opening 500 locations, yet I haven’t seen one of them actually packed yet to warrant this talk- maybe they realize and just want to cash out on the franchisee fee before people catch on.
Was Bubbakkos the Sea Bright Fish Company spot?
Wow, they can’t get it right at that spot. I may now change my handle to “angel of death” lol
They need to open up a Jose tejas. I’ve never seen a place railed like that joint and it is all the time! You can’t even get a freaking park spot there. I’ve been there maybe 4 times and it is a solid hour plus wait no matter when you go from my experience. What you do is double park, walk inside and put your name in, then drive around for 15 minutes waiting for a spot.
Parkeast has stadium parking in the back, tons of seats, and they are near the parkway. That place would dominate. Instead they keep putting in weird joints with sushi mixed in and other nonsense. In fact, I may be half asleep, but I can’t even remember the name of the previous joint there. That’s how unforgettable it is. Sigh
I think it is the same spot, or right next door.
Has anyone here been to black swine?
As for bubbakoos, I think sea bright is a decent location for them. They could do OK there. The town is filled with teenage girls in the summer so there aren’t too many cheap options there. A single yumi roll might be stretching the budget for the younger crowd. In the winter it will be a ghost town for them though.
Jr, mjs now has a Bayville location! I was going to try it but decided on martells the other night. Soon the NJ coast will be dominated by mcloones, Tommy’s and mjs 
Speaking of that, where the hell has the Viking been? @NotViking
I’ve been to Black Swine many times. Food is always outstanding and innovative. I know they were closed recently for a few days due to a death in the family. Wife is chef and husband is host/server. They hire one or two servers but husband does all the heavy lifting.
From quick look I just did it seems like good gets high marks but people have issue with service.
Yes I saw MJ’s Bayville location, what is the draw?? WHAT???
I haven’t been yet but I pulled into the parking lot Friday to see what was up. It was packed. I ended up at martells as I mentioned I believe. The old cove was decent for a bar. Remember, this is bayville lol. You get a few girls in there and the stock of the restaurant skyrockets. So a half decent food joint on the water will do well. In fact, I’d say a 3 or 4 out of ten will dominate down there. I was just hoping to see something other than an mjs 
I vaguely remember eating there with my family when I was little. Pass by it several times a week. They are in such an odd spot. So close to everything, yet so far away.
There was a rumor last year that it had finally sold and was going to be an Italian restaurant but nothing ever came of it.
That’s my neck of the woods. Airport Plaza has been a restaurant graveyard except for Perkin’s. There was a Malaysian restaurant Kuala Lampur that was there when my family moved to Hazlet in 1995. They may have been the longest running. After that, they became two different Chinese places and then a weird Chinese “grab and go”. Recently, it was Red Oak’s mini-diner but that too is now out of business.
The place across from Costco is now Koi which has been there for several years and appears to be quite successful.
I will submit the tiny strip mall behind where Hiawatha used to be in Hazlet, near Red Oak (now Lidl). It is now occupied by Fuku Sushi (don’t say that wrong). They have been there several years and appear to be the most successful of any restaurant in that location. When we moved here it was Gregory’s Seafood, one that I cannot remember, the Mad Greek, Gardenia Grill, two more pizzerias, and now sushi.
I was referring to the small strip of stores next to Costco/TMobile. The place across the street from Costco at the traffic light I have never been to.
Also, the hotel, Holiday Inn, has had a decent turnover of restaurants. And, I noticed another place is opening inside the motel in the direction of Dearborn Farms.
Hwy 36 doesnt get enough love but Hwy 35 has turnover like mad.
The restaurant in the motel by Dearborn has been opened over a year, which I reviewed last summer. You may get a kick out of ZHANG’S GRILLE. 
No kidding. Last time I drove that spot it looked under construction. Appreciate the link.
What about the Pizza Place across from Airport Plaza next to Fantasy’s. Is it currently open? That place has been at least a dozen different pizza places in the past 10 years. NOTHING can make it more than a year there, no clue why, it’s a great location but nobody has long term success there.
@Rooster “Hwy 36 doesnt get enough love but Hwy 35 has turnover like mad”
I think one of the last things President Carter did before leaving office was sign into law that Rt. 36 in Monmouth County NJ would stop progressing from his last day in office. Seriously Rt. 36 is like a time warp back to 1980, I swear if you could take a video tape of the highway then vs. now 90% of it would be the same. Nothing seems to change there, well except for stores/business’s just closing.
Added…oh man, saved me a trip.
“They” tell me no one goes to the parking lot of a strip club unless they can handle the scrutiny.
Used to be a few good places to stop along 36 for a fresh made pie, seafood or farm produce but all that moved indoors.
I can offer some insight. Yes, you are correct that it has been a dozen places. HOWEVER, there was one called Barry’s Pizza that was there about 10 years ago. My dad worked at Nissan after he retired and they used to order from there. The guy, Barry, had a BOOMING business. He made at least two or three trips to Nissan daily alone. Every time we went in, there were takeout and delivery orders everywhere. Then Barry got a little greedy. He bought what is now Assaginni de Roma in Hazlet by the Tim Horton’s because he wanted a “real” restaurant and liquor license. Well, the new venture failed and then his pizzeria followed suit. He reopened one more time, it failed, and since then it has been the parade you mentioned. Currently (or last I bothered to check) it was Princess Maria’s and not exactly booming.
“I” can tell you they have parking around back in case you want to stop in for a “slice”. (of pizza people we are talking pizza!!!)
@gcaggiano Hasn’t the deli in Airport Plaza been there a long time? I used have an office on 36 in the late 90’s and the deli in Airport Plaza was pretty good, had a salad bar in the middle of it.
