{"id":17567,"date":"2025-06-05T04:29:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T08:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/?p=17567"},"modified":"2025-06-05T04:31:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T08:31:14","slug":"chef-mike-announces-final-season-for-famed-restaurant-in-south-seaside-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/2025\/06\/chef-mike-announces-final-season-for-famed-restaurant-in-south-seaside-park\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Chef Mike&#8217; Announces Final Season for Famed Restaurant in South Seaside Park"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FChefMikesAbg%2Fvideos%2F774255108259375%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"314\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a good run, an emotional Chef Mike Jurusz announced late Wednesday on social media, after learning that the building that has long housed his celebrated oceanfront restaurant, Chef Mike\u2019s ABG, is being sold and will not be standing next summer. It may also mean his departure from the barrier island as he looks to capture year-round clientele.<\/p>\n<p>Shorebeat first reported on the <a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/2025\/01\/beloved-south-seaside-park-restaurant-will-remain-open-as-developer-seeks-to-demolish-block\/\">potential sale of the restaurant property<\/a> in January, after a permit application was filed with the state Department of Environmental Protection by Arya Properties, which was seeking permission under the state\u2019s Coastal Areas Facilities Review Act to build 13 single-family homes on the block-long property that begins with Chef Mike\u2019s on the oceanfront. Arya is owned by Ocean County Commissioner Frank Sadeghi. Neighbors on 24th Avenue received notices about the application in the mail.<\/p>\n<p>Jurusz took to social media to announce that the property had, indeed, been sold to a developer and both the motel which spans the north side of the street, as well as his restaurant, would be replaced with 12 homes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is going to be our last summer here,\u201d the always-jovial chef said with a look of concern. \u201cActually, every day moving forward is one last day that will ever exist here.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17090\" style=\"width: 778px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/358056255_661121326040504_1721667169033851782_n.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-0\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"Chef Mike&#039;s ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike&#039;s ABG)\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17090\" class=\"size-large wp-image-17090\" src=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/358056255_661121326040504_1721667169033851782_n-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Chef Mike's ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike's ABG)\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/358056255_661121326040504_1721667169033851782_n-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/358056255_661121326040504_1721667169033851782_n-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/358056255_661121326040504_1721667169033851782_n-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/358056255_661121326040504_1721667169033851782_n.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17090\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike\u2019s ABG)<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_2493\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/mikes.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-1\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"Chef Mike&#039;s ABG (Photo: Chef Mike&#039;s ABG)\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2493\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2493\" src=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/mikes-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Chef Mike's ABG (Photo: Chef Mike's ABG)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/mikes-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/mikes-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/mikes-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/mikes.jpg 1060w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2493\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG (Photo: Chef Mike\u2019s ABG)<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_17088\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-2\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"Chef Mike&#039;s ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike&#039;s ABG)\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17088\" class=\"size-large wp-image-17088\" src=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n-1024x819.jpg\" alt=\"Chef Mike's ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike's ABG)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n-768x614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/461718903_933127415506559_5364250877700858708_n.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17088\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike\u2019s ABG)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Jurusz, at the time, said he was considering buying the property, which has been for sale for five years, himself. But the restaurant\u2019s liquor license is tied to the operation of the motel, and would be set aside if the motel were to be razed. Additionally, the private beach outside the restaurant would potentially be at risk of reverting back to public ownership, taking away one of the aspects that makes the fine dining restaurant so unique.<\/p>\n<p>In the video, Jurusz said he is looking at as many as 30 to 40 properties for a new location, and while nothing is settled, a move the mainland is possible since it would allow him to remain open full-time, year-round. The location would, however, require a liquor license and he would like to keep ABG\u2019s signature tiki bar with its creative drinks and fun events.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeasonal is a very tough business,\u201d he said, adding that one last summer on the ocean is in store. \u201cWe\u2019ll definitely be here the whole entire summer, until September, seven days a week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Most important, Jurusz said, were the memories that were made along the ocean at the south end of the island.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of memories were made here,\u201d he said. \u201cWeddings, engagements, thousands and thousands of birthdays, all of the fundraising we\u2019ve done here, all of the events, and all of the original OG staff from the 2000s who were here. It\u2019s very heartbreaking to know this is our last memory.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTake a ton of pictures,\u201d he continued. \u201cShare them, share your favorite stories, share your favorite food that we\u2019ve done. Your support would be awesome to finish this up strong. Let\u2019s go out in style, let\u2019s go out on top like we\u2019ve always been.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2395\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0597.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-3\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"Chef Mike&#039;s ABG paws4vets Fundraiser, June 12, 2016. (Photo: Daniel Nee)\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2395\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2395\" src=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0597-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"Chef Mike's ABG paws4vets Fundraiser, June 12, 2016. (Photo: Daniel Nee)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0597-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0597-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0597-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0597-310x205.jpg 310w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2395\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG paws4vets Fundraiser, June 12, 2016. (Photo: Daniel Nee)<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_2391\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0591.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-4\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"Chef Mike&#039;s ABG paws4vets Fundraiser, June 12, 2016. (Photo: Daniel Nee)\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2391\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2391\" src=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0591-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"Chef Mike's ABG paws4vets Fundraiser, June 12, 2016. (Photo: Daniel Nee)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0591-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0591-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0591-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/DSC_0591-310x205.jpg 310w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2391\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG paws4vets Fundraiser, June 12, 2016. (Photo: Daniel Nee)<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_17089\" style=\"width: 806px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n.jpg\" data-rel=\"lightbox-image-5\" data-rl_title=\"\" data-rl_caption=\"Chef Mike&#039;s ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike&#039;s ABG)\" title=\"\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17089\" class=\"size-large wp-image-17089\" src=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n-796x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Chef Mike's ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike's ABG)\" width=\"796\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n-768x988.jpg 768w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n-1194x1536.jpg 1194w, https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/328717056_702633071349371_573199723989493603_n.jpg 1244w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-17089\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG, South Seaside Park, N.J. (Photo: Chef Mike\u2019s ABG)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Jurusz, a Brick Township native, is one of the Shore area\u2019s most prolific restaurateurs, having operated ABG (Atlantic Bar and Grill) as an employee before leaving to open a new venture in Point Pleasant Beach. He returned as owner a few years later, with the slightly-updated name, \u201cChef Mike\u2019s ABG.\u201d The restaurant has attracted a variety of clientele, from local regulars to the occasional famous guest. Governors have been known to dine there often while vacationing at their summer retreat at nearby Island Beach State Park.<\/p>\n<p>The full video is embedded at the top of this story, and can be viewed on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ChefMikesAbg\/videos\/774255108259375\">Chef Mike\u2019s ABG Facebook page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fcbkbttn_buttons_block\" id=\"fcbkbttn_left\"><div class=\"fb-share-button fcbkbttn_large_button \" data-href=\"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/2025\/06\/chef-mike-announces-final-season-for-famed-restaurant-in-south-seaside-park\/\" data-type=\"button_count\" data-size=\"large\"><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s been a good run, an emotional Chef Mike Jurusz announced late Wednesday on social media, after learning that the building that has long housed his celebrated oceanfront restaurant, Chef Mike\u2019s ABG, is being sold and will not be standing next summer. It may also mean his departure from the barrier island as he looks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[14,5],"tags":[1089,506,1959,507,1955],"class_list":["post-17567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-life","category-seaside-heights","tag-berkeley-township","tag-chef-mikes-abg","tag-featured","tag-mike-jurusz","tag-south-seaside-park-nj-news","post_format-post-format-video"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/chef_mike.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgsn9q-4zl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17567"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17571,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17567\/revisions\/17571"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}