Chelsea A.
Yelp
Harvey Cedars Shellfish is THE place to go to for your seafood dinners on Long Beach Island. They offer indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a fish market for your convenience if you want to be the chef of your seafood. The outdoor seating is perfect for a relaxing, easy breezy dinner vibe, and it's BYOB. They even chill your drinks for you in a barrel of ice which is super kind!
They start out with complimentary bread, which I unfortunately cannot eat.
Since we were all craving oysters, we ordered a half-dozen oysters which were sourced from the Delaware Bay that day. They were salty and a little briny with a sweet aftertaste, served with lemon and cocktail sauce - yum! They also were HUGE and meaty for oysters which was a pleasant surprise.
The main entrees were pretty good as the seafood was impeccably fresh and cooked to perfection. I got the tuna fresco (fresh barnegat light yellowfin topped with sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, roasted garlic & fresh basil). I'm not sure if the briny, sour flavors matched up to what I was expecting based on the description. I also wasn't a fan of my rice being undercooked. The fresh Jersey corn as a side was a highlight! My friend got the chicken parm which was super filling. It's nice to know that they can cater to non-seafood eaters with chicken platters! My other friend got the special of the day which was a seared local monkfish (served over a rustic medley of crushed tomato, baby potatoes, escarole, and cannellini beans served with grilled pesto toast). Even though her potatoes were undercooked, the fish was super tasty and I loved the sauce that surrounded it.
The service was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was light, airy, and laid back. They even have a fun ring string game outside if you're waiting a while. That kept us entertained for a while after dinner, and we had an audience rooting for us!
Harvey Cedars Shellfish offers a great seafood dining experience on LBI. It's worth a visit if you're in the area, especially for a special occasion. Note that the prices are on the higher end, but that is to be expected since you're eating fresh seafood on the island.