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The Diving Horse, Avalon, NJ

The Diving Horse

4.8
4.8
1466 Reviews
$31 to $50
Farm-to-table
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for groups
The Diving Horse is a seasonal seafood-focused BYOB located at 21st and Dune Drive in Avalon, NJ. We serve an inspired and fresh menu, with ingredients sourced from local farms and day boat fishermen. The name “Diving Horse" pays homage to the horses who used to dive off the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, NJ, in the early to mid-20th century. Our intimate 70-seat restaurant features a modern farmhouse atmosphere and bright, oversized windows with views of Avalon’s quaint main street. We have ample outdoor seating on a patio that holds three large picnic tables for communal seating beneath strands of vintage Edison bulb string lights. Dinner reservations are highly recommended. The Diving Horse has received many honors since opening, including being named Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best Shore Hot Spot”, as well as receiving the OpenTable “Diner’s Choice” award.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Farm-to-table, Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 17:00–22:00
  • Phone number
    (609) 368-5000
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Alex Schiff
  • Area
    Avalon
  • Cross Street
    21st & Dune Drive
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access

What 1,466 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Cape May

    Best Overall

  • Cape May

    Best Food

  • Cape May

    Best Service

  • Cape May

    Innovative

  • Cape May

    Good for groups

  • Cape May

    Hot spot

  • Cape May

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Cape May

    Romantic

  • Cape May

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Diving Horse in Avalon, NJ, is a beloved dining destination known for its "amazing food" and "friendly, attentive staff." Guests rave about the "outstanding" seafood dishes like scallops and short ribs. While noise levels can be high, the vibrant atmosphere and "innovative" menu keep patrons returning for more.

1,466 Reviews
  1. Dolly

    VIP

    Philadelphia

    64 reviews

    5.0

    64 reviews

    Dined on 20 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The octopus was absolutely exceptional as was the halibut! Everyone at the Diving Horse goes out of their way to make your time there completely enjoyable! Can’t wait till you reopen in the spring!

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  2. tony

    VIP

    Atlantic City

    67 reviews

    5.0

    67 reviews

    Dined on 20 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My favorite place to eat ! Always good ! Staff is always friendly! Can’t wait til next year! Every one have a great time off see you soon

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  3. Carol

    Atlantic City

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 19 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had our son’s engagement celebration dinner with a party of 10. Everything was perfect! The table was set with beautiful flowers and the food and service was excellent! We love The Diving Horse and highly recommend it for an intimate night or a celebration.

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  4. A .

    New Jersey

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 19 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Coordinating with my family for anything is like wrangling a herd of cats and Emily was more than accommodating when our party was delayed. Donny sent a treat to the table to celebrate a birthday but the best part was there was no singing! Outstanding food, service, and experience. Highly recommend

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  5. Karen

    VIP

    Pittsburgh

    33 reviews

    5.0

    33 reviews

    Dined on 12 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food always excellent. Service is attentive and friendly.

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  6. Lisa

    Philadelphia

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 5 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our meal was incredible! Everything was extremely flavorful and the service was friendly and perfectly timed. We can’t wait to go back and enjoy another special meal!

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  7. Judy

    Atlantic City

    157 reviews

    5.0

    157 reviews

    Dined on 5 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food and service, as always, were terrific. Fortunately we were outside and the weather allowed that. The volume inside is intolerable. 

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  8. Ronald

    VIP

    Caribbean

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 4 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The blue fin tuna special was excellent and a perfect cut!

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  9. ronald

    VIP

    Phoenix

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on 4 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service was outstanding, would highly recommend for any occasion. Selection is limited, but excellent.

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  10. Bill

    VIP

    New York City

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 3 October 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Diving horse is always great and we have come to expect a high quality experience. This time was very good. My wife had scallops and I believe that was the better choice. I had fresh catch halibut and while It was very fresh, it was a bit dry and limited on taste. The appetizer was oysters and they were great and we had dessert (chocolate Grenache special). Overall very good but not as good as some of the other times we’ve been there. We will go back and recommend it.

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from The Diving Horse using the Order Online button.

The Diving Horse is rated 4.8 stars by 1466 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Not bookable

This restaurant is temporarily offline. Please contact the restaurant directly or check back shortly for availability.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Diving Horse

2109 Dune Drive, Avalon, NJ 08202

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    21st & Dune Drive
  • Area
    Avalon
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 17:00–22:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Farm-to-table, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Alex Schiff
  • Additional
    BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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