Craft cocktails and imaginative brunch options help The Arlington bring a slice of Brooklyn to Long Beach Island. Wood fills room after room in this massive Ship Bottom, New Jersey bar and eatery, where fun plays on local seafood, like mojito clams and shrimp & grits, meet classics like crabcakes and housemade pastas come dinner hour. Located just south of the bridge on L.B.I.’s main dissector, the sister restaurant of Barneget’s Daymark seems intent on delivering a hip touch to the Jersey Shore.
The Arlington serves up colorful plays on classic cocktails with a desire to bring variety to drinkers’ palettes. The Sidechick brings syrupy brightness to the classic Sidecar via Maraschino, while the Scobeyville Mule lends a tropical feel to the classic mule by making rum the star. The cocktail menu looks south of the border when it comes to keeping up with trends, while staying true to the L.B.I.’s beachy-vibe with a Paloma made with housemade grapefruit soda and the Oaxacan Trappist sees tequila and mezcal mix with pineapple, lime and egg white to create a frothy delight.
The brunch menu comes with a few of its own fruit-forward cocktails that are perfect for getting the day started or excellent hangover cures. Pepino’s Daydream makes for a fun summer play on the traditional Aperol Spritz by infusing watermelon. For those not wanting to stray from the classics, the requisite Mimosas and Bloody Marys are also available. Brunch fare, meanwhile, provides options not available at most of L.B.I.’s diner-heavy scene. Huevos rancheros, soft scrambled eggs, and a breakfast burger are all on offer.
The Arlington is the answer for anyone looking for a bar and eatery with a hip edge while on the South Jersey Shore. The cocktails are forward-thinking, the beer list is well-chosen, and the food uses local options in exciting new ways.
