Avenue in Long Branch has become this summer’s most talked-about restaurant and beach club. And it comes as no surprise given its celebrity clientele, exclusive beach access, and Instagrammable food, drinks — and, of course, moments. During the day, guests can enjoy the luxe amenities of the members-only beach club and then, at night, guests can enjoy a cocktail on the rooftop lounge, or the hospitality of the elegant French restaurant, Avenue Le Club. Read on for more information about Avenue in Long Branch’s Pier Village.
^ Avenue, located in Long Branch’s Pier Village, features a rooftop pool + lounge. Photo credit: Courtesy of Kushner Companies
The Beach Club
Avenue’s exclusive beach club, dubbed Le Club Avenue, is where members can relax on the lounge chairs or inside the private cabanas in a closed-off section away from beachgoers. Although it’s been open since 2006, this year was the first year the elite club offered day passes. It opened for the season on May 26th and closed for the season on September 4th. The $2,700+ memberships for the season come with personalized food and beverage service, cabanas, day beds, a rooftop pool, and world-class amenities such as a members-only locker room.
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Thierry Carrier, Avenue’s General Manager and Director of Operations, spoke exclusively to AG about Long Branch’s hot spot. “It’s like being in Miami or Saint Tropez. It’s nice because on the Beach Club, we sell food and drinks… People love it. They come down and they tell me, ‘Oh, I feel like I’m on vacation,’ or ‘We feel like we are somewhere in the south of France,’” Thierry, who has been with Avenue since 2005, told The Asbury Girl.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Kushner Companies
Restaurant + Rooftop
Le Club Avenue’s French vibe mimics the environment of Avenue Le Club, the property’s indoor and outdoor French restaurant. Open for lunch and then closed from 3PM to 4PM, and then open again for dinner, the “brasserie in Paris”-type restaurant is where anyone can dine in the large room of pearl-colored marble tiles and a 25-foot bar. The executive chef, Eric Guerin, brings along years of experience working for places such as St. Regis in Aspen and Gramercy Tavern in New York City. He also worked abroad for Ivy and Crown Catering of Cambridge, England.
The amazing cuisine and talented chef, according to Thierry, is one of the reasons Le Club Avenue has become so popular over the years. “The classics people always fall for. The escargot is always a big hit. The onion soup gratinee is also a big hit. We have a steak tartare, which is just the way they make it in Franche with a quail egg on top,” Thierry noted.
Photo credit: @avenuelongbranch
The GM also said, as far as the entrees go, the Boeuf Bourguignon is an amazing dish as well as all of the fish meals like the roasted halibut and lobster roll are top sellers. Thierry added: “We get a whole halibut delivered here like three times a week and carved by our chef — it can’t get fresher than that.”
Of course, there are also mouth-watering desserts on the menu that guests can’t get enough of such as the dark chocolate pot de creme, baked Alaska, and creme brulee. In addition to the food items, the main bar and rooftop bar offer specialty cocktails — such as the pineapple jalapeno margarita, coconut martini, and Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned — single malt scotch, wine beer, whiskey, and more. Happy hour is from 3PM to 7PM every day and on Fridays from 3PM to 10PM at the bar and outside lounge only.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Kushner Companies
Upcoming Happenings
Apart from the already exclusive beach club and popular restaurant, Avenue is known for having fun pop-ups and hosting private events. Dolores Catania of the Real Housewives of New Jersey had her Bella Around Time magazine cover party in July. Avenue has also been frequented by Joe Gorga, Melissa Gorga’s husband, and TikTok star Gabriella Vigorito.
Avenue has events throughout the summer such as pool parties and “Barbie” parties in partnership with Whispering Angel. There will be a Patron party later this summer and then, down the road, there will be exclusive fall events like a Halloween party and sports events.
^ Avenue at 23 Ocean Ave North, Long Branch, NJ. Photo credit: Courtesy of Kushner Companies
Thierry told The Asbury Girl: “There’s a lot of things in the works. For the beach club and the beach bar, we are going to build a new beach bar exactly where the beach bar is with TVs, and people can come and hang out. We’re going to have it ready for next year.”
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For more information on Avenue and to sign up for the newsletter, visit the website leclubavenue.com.
