Red's Lobster Pot: Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

If you're visiting Point Pleasant, many people will tell you to go to Spike's for seafood.  Those people must like to wait in lines.  Or at the very least they must like you to wait in lines.

When I'm in Point, I go directly to Red's Lobster Pot, to sit on the dock in their outdoor seating area, watch the fishing boats go by, have a lobster roll and some clams, and wonder how hungry all of those people standing on the sidewalk on Broadway outside of Spike's must be.

Granted, Red's and Spike's are two different types of places.  Spike's is a fish market-cum-smallish fish restaurant.  Red's is a tiny fish restaurant that has a bunch of outdoor seating on the dock.  Two approaches, and both worthy of a visit.  I'd just recommend that you do what the locals do, which is to stay away from Spike's during the crazy summer months, and go to neither when they're really crowded, because you'll wait.

Red's is essentially two restaurants in one:  the inside restaurant has about 12 tables serves fish (obviously), pastas, lobster, chowders, etc, and daily specials that are a bit more ambitious.  The dockside menu consists of more casual fare, like peel-and-each shrimp, clams (roasted or half shell), oysters, steamers, mussels, lobster, and that delicious lobster roll.  It's counter service, so you order, grab seat at one of the many picnic tables, and wait for your name to be called.  You can even roll up a cooler full of beer and wine if you want, as it's BYOB.

We weren't sure if they buttered the roll for the lobster roll, but it's delicious.  Very lightly dressed.  Not a lot of extra junk on it.  Just lobster and a bit of mayo and some seasoning (although it could have used a bit more salt on our last visit).

I can't think of a better way to spend an hour on a sunny afternoon in Point Pleasant.  And neither can you.

Red's Lobster Pot : 57 Inlet Drive : Point Pleasant Beach, NJ : 732.295.6622

 

Comments

[Jake Buffalo]

I found Red's to be very good but it is hard to screw up lobster. (they do it consistantly right) also their specials are usually good.

WARNING - if you try to get a party of 5 or more upstairs YOU WILL NOT BE SERVED. The owner hostess is quite contentious about NOT serving more than 4 at a time - we went as a party of 7 and offered immediately to sit as 4 and 3 and we insisted (and meant it) that we would eat sepatately no matter what the time/wait difference as we had a house nearby.

The owner hostess scolded us and stared the stink eye at us for about 10 minutes before we threw in the towel and left.

I had really talked the place up to others and will never return.

[tommyeats]

from their website:
"While there are plenty of Tables outside for the raw bar, there are only 12 inside the restaurant. Therefore, red's has a unique house rule; The restaurant cannot accommodate PARTIES WITH MORE THAN FIVE PEOPLE INSIDE. Often, but not always, we can split your party into 2 tables. "

[Jake Buffalo (retort)]

For the record; The food served OUTSIDE at Reds and inside are 2 completely and totally different things. Outside is fast food - its hot, there are flies and sticky picnic tables tented and adjacent to a parking lot and a not too picturesque inlet of heavy traffic and strong peculiar odors.

Inside is airconditioned and the food is more restaurant quality.

Given our flexibility, there was absolutely no reason for the Hostess Owner's hostility and stubborness, even her parking lot attendant and another staffer were joking about it/her.

[kitty]

Thanks for reviewing us & listing us on your web site! (you've got a great site, by the way!).
2 comments: while we are BYOB , we discourage customers from "roll{ing} up a cooler full of beer and wine if you want, as it's BYOB."
We find that a few beers, and a bottle of wine per party usually suffices for a meal.
Please understand that NJ puts small restaurants like ours in an uncomfortable situation. Liquor licenses are prohibitvely expensive for small restaurants. We want our customers to be able to enjoy a beer with their meal, but not get totally wasted...as we do not sell alcohol.
I am sorry that Jake had a bad experience trying to get a table at Red's. Really we do the best we can. We have rules for reasons. Our experience has been that when we do split up parties, we find that they yell across the restuarant to each other and disturb other customers. Outside our front door, a sign reads "Due to our limited seating, we cannot seat parties of more than 5 people. No Exceptions." I certainly hope that he gives us a second chance. Yours, kitty philipp

[tommy:eats]

Thanks for the comments, Kitty.