Ocean Bay Diner

Although I haven't been there in a few months, it just wouldn't be right if I didn't post about the OB Diner, which I've probably been to more than any other diner. About 2-3 years ago the OB ceased being open 24/7/365 (they stay open 24 hours on the weekends and during the summer). That was one of the reasons my friends and me went there was because it was a great place to hang out at any time of day (or night, in our case).

The food is good. There are many diners in the area with much better food but I've never had to send anything back as many times as I've been there. Besides my personal schedule changing and not being able to frequent it as much, one thing that has somewhat kept me away is that the prices have risen drastically within the last few years. Without tip, a basket of chicken fingers and fries along with a soft drink is going to run at least $10 now. I've read some reviews complaining of poor service, but I've found the wait staff to be very friendly. Every now and then we would get a server who didn't seem to be "with it", but those seem to be the types that don't stick with a job too long.

Breakfast is pretty good here. I like the cinnamon french toast which is great (they give you a gooey cinnamon syrup to drizzle on top of it). The burger selection is pretty extensive. The blackjack burger is a favorite (burger with cheddar cheese, fried onions, and blackened with cajun seasoning). The South Jersey burger and the BBQ burgers are good as well. The classic French Dip is another standby for me. The pizza is a relatively new addition within the past year or two and it tastes good, however the crust is soft and thin so it doesn't hold up too well and gets sloppy quick. The dinners include choice of soup or salad and come with bread (desert not included). I found that the pasta dinners such as the baked ziti are quite good and come with garlic bread. For desert, I would recommend the cheesecake (they sometimes have pumpkin cheesecake depending on the season).

The OB Diner is definitely worth a try. I think with the economy and its location at the shore the place had no choice but to jack its prices up, but the overall experience is still pretty good.

http://www.oceanbaydiner.com/home.html