ATLANTIC CITY: WHAT’S NEW
NEW NIGHTLIFE RESTAURANTS AND AND MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR RENOVATIONS AT ATLANTIC CITY’S TOP CASINO HOTELS ARE KEEPING GUESTS ENTERTAINED BEYOND THE GAMING TABLES. BY JESSICA TZIKAS
Back in action: New restaurants and nightlife—and multimilliondollar renovations—at Atlantic City’s top casino hotels are keeping guests busy away from the gaming tables.
TOP TABLES
Inspired by his childhood, Iron Chef Michael Symon opened Angeline, an Italian-american restaurant inside the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa (1 Borgata Way; theborgata.com), just before Memorial Day. Creating the feeling of a Sunday dinner with the family, the menu is full of comfort foods like Mom’s Meatballs and linguine and clams with pancetta, plus healthier options, such as swordfish prepared on a wood-fired grill—all served in a homey atmosphere, lovingly described by Symon (and designed by his wife) as “a space that gives off the same warm, cozy feeling [as my family table].” Ask for extra napkins.
Jose Garces is back in AC for a second run with a trio of new concepts at Tropicana (2801 Pacific Ave.; tropicana.net). Okatshe offers sushi, small plates, yakitori, and ramen, along with 50 types of sake. At Olón, Garces gets back to his Ecuadorian roots with a 43-seat ceviche bar, five kinds of empanadas, and woodfired Wagyu skirt steak. The 60-seat Bar Olón is located between the two dining rooms and offers a beer-centric bar menu and laid-back beach vibe.
A shore staple for more than two decades, the Italian restaurant Girasole (3108 Pacific Ave., 609-345-5554; girasoleac.com) marks its 25th anniversary in
Atlantic City with celebratory events and special dishes all summer long. Owned by local notable Gino Iovino, Girasole is a go-to spot for happy hour, offering seasonal small plates like calamari, arancini, pizza, and crostini—all just one block off the beach.
Across the way at Harrah’s Resort (777 Harrah’s Blvd.; caesars.com/ harrahs-ac), Coastal Craft Kitchen is dishing out share-worthy comfort food with a seafood twist. Think buttermilk-brined fried chicken with sambal slaw and what the restaurant is billing as the city’s best burger. A weekend raw bar is packed with oysters, local clams, mussels, snow crab, king crab, and cold-water lobster, and Coastal’s new “Beats, Brews, and Brunch” special, every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 pm, features local DJS and cocktail specials.
LAUGH IN
Atlantic City is again home to nightclub-style stand-up comedy with the debut of the Atlantic City Comedy Club at Playground Pier (1 Atlantic Ocean; atlantic citycomedyclub.com). Comedian and producer Matt Bridgestone opened the club in collaboration with his entertainment group and the New York Comedy Club to bring shoregoers a place to catch headliners and new acts amidst a cool club vibe. In addition to comedy, the club offers a full bar and food, plus a DJ and afterparty for select shows.
SUITE LIFE
This summer, Harrah’s Resort is all about the new and improved. The hotel just completed a $30 million room renovation in its Bayview Tower, following the opening of the stateof-the-art Waterfront Conference Center, located adjacent to the tower. Plus, a new fitness center and a complete renovation of The Pool at Harrah’s, which will now have plush new daybeds and an updated sound system for your favorite summer performances.
NIGHT MOVES
Although not new to the scene, Golden Nugget’s The Deck and H2O Pool (600 Huron Ave. and Brigantine Boulevard; golden nugget.com/atlanticcity) have been revamped for the summer. The outdoor casino, The Deck, has live music and theme nights and is open every day of the week throughout the season. Or cool off in a private cabana at the H2O Pool, now offering mini spa treatments during the week. Elsewhere, Premier at Borgata and Ivan Kane’s Kiss Kiss Nightclub at Tropicana are both celebrating their one-year anniversaries all summer long.