Toast

This is my first time going to the Red Bank restaurant. I have been to the one in Asbury and have never cared for their menu. I was also skeptical because I was a frequent visitor to the Broadway Diner that was there for many years. I went on a Wednesday for lunch and was seated right away. At first I thought our waiter wasn’t personable but he warned up. I asked for a cappuccino but was not given a spoon. I ordered the two eggs over medium, white toast and a side of bacon. It also brought potatoes. The eggs were cooked perfectly. Most people still manage to make the eggs runny or too cooked. This one was perfect. The potatoes were perfect for me but someone else would say they were overlooked. Overall, I liked the place very much and will make it my new breakfast place.

Love this place and the one in Asbury Park great food and service –try the gourmet grilled cheese and French onion soup and dont forget the Velvet Pancakes!

Alright, so the atmosphere is amazing. Really a beautiful preserved diner and has that old time vintage feel. But, the rest has something to be desired. The food is alright, I’ve been there multiple times and ordered a few items and am never wowed by the taste, the quality or the prices. And its just a strange vibe in there also. Because of being a waitress, I could see that the servers and the managers had a bit of a tough/​strained relationship, just a little weird. The servers are always great though and very friendly, very warm, just under weird management. The food is alright as well, the pancakes are good, but nothing to rave about. Worth seeing the diner and meeting the staff and having a place for brunch in town, but other than that, its alright!

So far so good… At first we as locals were bummed for the old diner to be closed for such a long time. As well as the staff we were used to obviously lost their jobs. Was a heartbreak for our lovely time capsule diner. But the new owner did a great job restoring the old place with the new vibe! They have another location at Asbury but I think the Red Bank location with the historic story behind it makes it special. Food is great. Service is great. Overall a happy ending to an almost sad story! I just wish their hours were a little longer but in a small town like this it is understandable for such an overhead.

I’m a red bank local, and I usually like to support local restaurants. Toast, however, is an exception. At first, the food was good, although overpriced and inexplicably small portions for breakfast. The quality in food has declined over the past few months. Also, the coffee isn’t good. That’s just inexcusable. What prompted me to finally write a negative review were the multiple signs indicating that they would no longer pay credit card fees. I am sure the owner believed she was being witty in the wording of signs, but they’re simply rude. Much smaller restaurants accept credit card fees as the price of doing business. The fact that you can’t be bothered says a lot about the respect you have for your customers. I normally would have accepted inconsistent quality from a newer restaurant as growing pains. This shows the increasing lack of quality is more proof that the bottom line is more important that actually providing a good product or experience. Penny smart, pound foolish.

We visited on only their second (very busy) weekend open. Two stars for coffee and service only.
My scrambled eggs were unbelievably dry, as were the home fries, which is a shame because they were nicely seasoned. Coffee was really excellent and totally worth the $ 2.50 price.
Décor is nice, though I was hoping I would see some pink remnants of the RBD’s former glory. And… BF and I got sick. Literally. Not sure from what, we had different dishes but something in both was off. Prices were much too high, I wish RBD was still around!

KEEP AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!!! I warned you. my girlfriend found a cockroach on her avocado toast. the insect had very large antannae. It was in plain sight. Luckily i saw it after my girlfriend had only one bite of her meal
It totally destroyed our appetites and after she received a replacement dish, eating there seemed more like a task. When the check came, i was expecting, at the very least, for my girlfriends meal to be comped. They didnt take a single dollar off the bill. ARE YOU KIDDING!!! Bugs in our food but you want us to pay for everything? unbelievable. I had to wave down a manager to get her meal taken off.(the server should have 100% taken care of this.) If you DO decide to dine here for some reason, make sure you dont get the bald guy around age 30 or so (forget his name) He is the one that thought charging us full would be fine. I ASSURE YOU we will not return there, and the many people we inform about our experience wont be seen there either.

We have come to Toast a few times since they opened and like the food, so we’re shocked today when we saw a sign posted that they are now passing along a 2.5% fee if you use your credit card. There are currently 9 staff members standing around before the morning rush, so maybe they could save some $ by staffing more appropriately and avoid the obnoxious fee that virtually every restaurant considers a cost of doing business. We will not be returning.

Bad service– undercooked food, over hyped. Only gave it a star because of the venue it’s in, which was way better years ago as the original Broadway diner.
Walked in with two others on a Sunday morning, packed. Which is great for them! Ten min wait, totally cool. Sat down and it took the waiter ten min to even acknowledge us (he did however keep going back and forth to the table behind us). Finally he came over and said «I’ll go put this order in and be back for you» — didn’t even bring us water, ask if we wanted coffee, nothing. So here we are– sitting there with no waters, no coffee cups, no table settings waiting another close to ten for him to come back– to tell us again, he would be right back! Took our drink orders though, they didn’t come out for 10min (10min seemed to be the standard wait time for everything at toast apparently) so I had to ask another random person for coffee– he specifically asked if our server was our server btw, so, maybe his slacker nature is well known in the place? So finally our coffees come, after our waiter was «reminded» to bring ours… Like 3min, if that, before our food comes out. My gf asked specifically for her bacon extra crispy, it wasn’t crisped. At all (which I brought to his attention) and I had a (thin) spinach omelette, with cold toast which makes me think it was sitting for awhile before it was brought out. My omelette came with UNCOOKED spinach inside. So basically… A salad inside some eggs. It was laughable. I didn’t at this point bring anything else to this dudes attention cus he clearly was spaced out– the people behind us complained about him as well– the pancakes are very good there, unfortunately, they weren’t warm either because the butter wouldn’t melt when it was spread on. So basically we waited a total of like 30min for room temp, uncooked food with a waiter who acted like we were interrupting HIS day. Get another gig, guy.
Plenty of other local joints by the way to get a good breakfast for the money you pay at Toast.

I went here today with my son and had a terrible experience. The girl seating people didn’t keep track of who came in and as a consequence many people that came after us (and were the equal number in party) were seated while we waited 10 – 15 minutes. I flagged this to her attention but a few minutes later, she sat two more people that came after us. Decided to leave and get some garbage at 711.
I realize that young people want a starter job, but you need to have good service and attention to detail or you deserve to be fired. This is clearly the case when we consider this diner is a major know establishment in Red Bank. I respect the diner, but it’s time to hold your staff to a high measure.

Meh. I ordered a Western omelette with bacon and cheese and I got barely cooked onions and peppers (no bacon or cheese) wrapped in a pocket of scrambled eggs. Like it wasn’t all mixed together in the eggs like an omelette is supposed to be. I sent it back and ordered something else. They were nice about it and got me something else pretty quickly. But I still miss the Broadway Diner.

Very impressed! Food was amazing and the renovations were needed. Very different kind of menu serving only breakfast and lunch. The choices were very Gormet and interesting. Must try. Wish it was open
All night

This place was disappointing. We were excited to try toast and it wasn’t what we expected at all. We waited for about 20 minutes which wasn’t bad, but when we were sat it took the waiter about 15 minutes to come up to our table. He didn’t seem interested at all. We ordered red velvet pancakes and eggs Benedict. The portions are small for the price. The pancakes were mediocre. When my boyfriend asked for syrup the waiter said «what? Followed by oh I thought you asked for a cigarette» not very hospitable. Probably wouldn’t return, there are better options in red bank.

Was hopeful that Toast would bring a good ‘Diner Experience’ to Red Bank. They didn’t. This is my 4^th and final attempt. I ordered a Cobb Salad and I’m amazed at how ‘taste’-less it was. The chicken provided was of a lesser quality (low grade/​rubbery/​cheap) and they will need to upgrade their sourcing and quality if they expect repeat business. Lastly, I ordered Fries on the side and they were of the ‘Frozen/​Packaged’ type. Disappointing.

Upon entering this old familiar friend, I was a bit taken back by the new décor at first but immediately got what they were going for. Clean, fresh, modern, with a touch of the old school, a nice nod to the Broadway Diner.
We waited about 15 minutes for a table and were sent a text message when it was ready. Convenience at its finest. The server was prompt and friendly and our meals all came out in a timely fashion.
I had the mini Ruebens and they were spectacular. The three little guys were sided with sweet potato fries which needed a bit more seasoning, but overall they hit the spot. The finale was a single red velvet pancake with cream cheese icing. It was light, moist, and flawless. Really the only way to end a proper breakfast. Though the food was delicious and portions were fair, the prices are on the high side for breakfast and you may find some better values in Red Bank for your AM cuisine.
Even though they are new, Toast has already cemented itself as a staple in town. Give it a try and get your stomach ready for euphoria.

This location needs a little more time to get it together.
Took four people for breakfast and brunch. Portions here on some dishes are minimal. Chicken avocado sandwich tasted like it sat in chicken broth and it was bite size pieces of chicken on the sandwich suited for a toddler. Eggs were pigeon size! Someone else’s description is dead on. If your looking for a traditional salmon platter do not order it here. They barely give you the salmon. I’m talking two pieces the size of a silver dollar. Pancakes were good. Some of the staff needs more training. Can’t say it was this way because they were not very busy. A diner should have stayed in this location for three meals a day.

There’s a lot to like. Amazing job on completely gutting and redoing the old Broadway Diner. Working on a few details on the outside, but my hat is off the the owner for keeping the character of the Red Bank icon and improving its facilities: thank you. Expanded counter. Much better bathrooms. Looks great. Keeping the big panoramic windows. Tasteful choices and keeping the tile fish wall design, that I am guessing is original 1948. One quibble; place can be loud acoustically. Bottom line; fun to be here.
The food: favorites are the onion soup ($ 5), chili ($ 5), Traditional Cabb salad ($ 10), Greek Salad ($ 10), buttermilk pancakes ($ 8, $ 6 for a short stack), the BLT ($ 9). The salmon eggs Benedict ($ 12). The fresh made corned beef is excellent (sometime not served hot enough) Good coffee ($ 2.50), which oddly seems to have improved since their opening. Note; their bread supplier is excellent. Yes, the toast is great at Toast. Love the sweet potato fries and carrot cake pancakes.
Disappointments are: Mediterranean Wrap ($ 10) not enough hummus, dry as a bone; to my surprise, the «homemade» veggie burger ($ 11) is a bore, bland, bready texture. Yes there is such a thing as excellent veggie burgers. (Yikes the frozen Costco veggie burgers I heat-​up at home are better). Mexican salad is just ok ($ 12).
In general the food is better than it was as the Broadway Diner; but not as good as a lot of the Toast fans have preached. Ingredients tend to be fresh. Menu is more focused, less selection than typical diners, which helps improve quality in my opinion. Service is usually good to excellent. Management is normally very attentive and helpful; checks tables. The laptop and paperwork on counter and does not add. I could see upgrading my overall rating to five stars at some point.
What I miss about the Broadway diner? Lower prices; but they were the best bargain in Monmouth County in my view. The excellent veteran service team. The management at Toast seems to prefer a younger, hipster staff. I miss having a 24 hour diner, I see a lot people still walking up to the doors at night looking for the diner. But only having 2 single-​seat restrooms I do not miss.
I much prefer this site to the Asbury Park Toast location; where I have had some terrible service experiences (I avoid posting poor reviews). The food is the same. (As usual I am writing this review after at least three visits; 5 in this case).
Congratulations to the Toast team for such a successful opening. The Resturant business is hard and unforgiving. I will be a regular.

The atmosphere is great and the server was very friendly and helpful. The food was nothing special. I had the corned beef hash benedict. The corned beef hash was the best part. The English Muffin that was on the bottom was hard like a hockey puck. The hollandaise sauce was tasty but cold and congealed. The poached eggs were overcooked and firm, not runny at all. The latte was very good. The potatoes were tasty. All in all I would give this place another shot, but wold order something else.

It was worth the year and then some wait. Had eggs, potatoes, multigrain toast, pancake and coffee. Everything was delicious. Every employee I encountered was very friendly and helpful. The remodel is beautiful. My new favorite spot for breakfast/​brunch/​lunch for sure. Welcome to the neighborhood!

One way to appreciate Toast is to consider what it once was: The iconic Broadway Diner. Now, I say «iconic» because it was a Red Bank staple that many were loyal to. I’ve personally made many a late-​night transfer from the Dublin House or Jamian’s to the Broadway Diner for a greasy bacon and cheddar omelet.
That’s not to say it was the kind of place you’d take your out-​of-​town friends to. It was a dump. That said, it was a lovable dump. The only way you could possibly avert the impending doom you had brought on yourself over the previous 4 — 8 hours of imbibing was via Windmill, Jr’s, Mac Attack, or the most popular goto, the Diner.
Of course, there was also a loyal morning crowd of which I was never a member. When the sun was shining and the interior was well-​lit, I usually found myself wondering why in the world anyone could ever patronize what appeared to be a permanently parked trailer home serving second-​tier food, in a sober state of mind.
But I digress. A little over a year ago, the Diner fell dark and the citizens of Red Bank were incensed. Not due to mere the closing of the diner, which did cause some unrest — but due to the way in which the staff was let go (
). Many vowed they’d never eat at the new establishment. Many called the new owner unkind things which she didn’t deserve. I was the lone, and by my own account, reasonable voice, to say aloud, «That place sucked anyway,» but not in those words. I was excited for Toast Red Bank.
15 months after the Diner debacle, Toast has opened.
I should note that although I ate there for the first time today — it was a soft opening. That means a limited menu, new staff, etc. A day to iron out the wrinkles before an official opening.
And for a soft opening, it did just fine. I tried the Guerilla Scramble (6 eggs, cherry tomatoes, avocado, grilled chicken, wheat toast) and the California Scramble (3 eggs, cherry tomatoes, avocado, salsa). Both were very good, as was the coffee.
The quality of the food is far and away superior to what the old Diner ever served, or was capable of serving. It’s the kind of food you’d take a selfie with. aesthetically pleasing, healthy, yada, yada. As for its hangover ameliorating properties, I’m not entirely sure — I’d defer to the Inbetween Café or Hansel and Griddle on that.
But for good coffee, good (and healthy-​looking) food, and that informal diner feel, Toast is a welcome addition to the RB.
I do wonder what the limited hours (7:30 — 3pm) will do in terms of revenue, but we’ll see. I’ll be back when they’ve kicked into high gear with Red Bank Lunch Meet (
).
Edit ¹¹⁄₇
Came back for lunch — service was pretty slow. Buffalo wrap was basically blue cheese and chicken, no buffalo sauce. The huevos rancheros weren’t much to talk about (in fact, I won’t order them again). This experience was probably a ³⁄₅. Downgrading to a ⁴⁄₅ for now.