In news that’s totally irrelevant to me, Moonstruck an Asbury Park mainstay for over 30 years has been sold.Previous owners were really good guys but I never entered the current location for some reason. The old location was fun though.
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I went once, not long after we moved to AP in 2012, so it would likely have been in 2013ish. We never returned.
Hopefully the new folks improve on the food
After thinking why I never went when they moved from Ocean Grove to AP it was because they never took reservations and the lines were too long for a table.Never understood the attraction of Moonstruck.
Funny, when I mentioned to friends who live in OG that it’s closing, they said “Guess we need to get over there soon, as we have a gift certificate that we received from a neighbor a while back.” When I said they’d best make a reservation, they said that’s why they haven’t gone yet - because the restaurant doesn’t take them. Pros/cons, I suppose.
I went once before I moved here because a friend wanted to go on a Sunday afternoon for the piano singalong. Never felt a need to go even after moving here. I know people love it, but I laugh every time an article or news report refers to it as a ‘new American/Mediterranean restaurant.’
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Yeah I guess it holds a certain amount of nostalgia for people.
When we moved here I had heard a lot about Ole Bistro, we went once, wasn’t impressed and it closed shortly after that.
I guess at the time Moonstruck was one of the only places around for a nicer meal.
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They were among the first to open downtown that wasn’t divey
Bruce’s cache was starting to bring people in and it was off to the races for developers
Bistro Ole WAS terrific - around 2005. Then there was a big drama and it changed hands and went downhill.
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Yeah that’s what we heard, sad I missed them when they were on their game
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Couldn’t agree more. Ole was fantastic for many years before the drama (to put it mildly) got in the way.
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Two words: Firecracker. Shrimp. 
