Larimar

Exceptional dining experience last night to celebrate a friend’s birthday. The owners spared no expense in remodeling this luxurious space that has the feel of a high end NYC restaurant. The four of us shared two pasta dishes as our first course, suggested by our server. They were perfect. The Pork chop entrée was the best I’ve ever had.
The owners and staff are completely on top of their game. Their pride of this hidden gem is clear. Spring Lake needs more dining choices like this. The place was packed and the demand for top quality restaurants in this area is obvious. Hopefully, they can secure a liquor license.
Exceeded all expectations!

Unbelievable! One word for this new dining experience in beautiful Spring Lake. It is exactly what this area is in need of. Very welcoming atmosphere, from the small bar are by the entrance to the comfortable seating in the dining room. The service was impeccable, lots of staff on hand to help. The food was awesome! Every course. Very nice menu too, much to choose from. The owners made you feel like you have been a frequent patron when in fact it was only our first visit. Many many more to come.

Was hesitant due to lack of Unilocal reviews, as well as, lack of pictures. Then realized they have only been open 4 months, since Labor Day 2015, after the season. The atmosphere nice modern clean new and relaxed. This place is for true foodies who can appreciate the true breakdown and layering of flavors. Our waiter David was excellent he dissected the menu, you could tell his enthusiasm and respect for the ingredients and preparation. Focaccia served has perfect amount of olive oil moisture and flavor within… you can skip the butter, it is delicious alone. We both started with the sunchoke, (not in the artichoke family, closer to a root potato) mushroom & walnut cream souplike deliciously earthy not for a basic palette. Constructed and layered tableside. The cream was airy and not heavy dense allowing you to taste the flavors. Walnuts may have been lightly toasted because they had so much flavor. For main course I had the NY Strip prime gnocchi. They transpose the cut of meat to have a beautiful outside char and the inside to be tender like filet mignon without the rubber or looseness of prime rib. The gnocchi were light they were airy (the way they are meant to be) and the way my grandmother from Sassello would make them but with a new twist they were lightly baked or grilled. Served over light crisp kale and I believe a collaboration of melted cheeses. (this is not a regular on the menu was a New Year’s Eve special) I just happened to ask if they had Gnocchi. I took a picture after I was done eating it. It was so delicious. Once I started it was gone. My husband had a beautiful sea bass perfectly charred crisp skin over perfectly sauté al dente small black Beluga lentils. For dessert I had the walnut tart with a date paste and a crème fraîche lemon zest cold cream. With a nice thick semolina base. I spread the date paste over the top layer of the tart. Everything was delicious walnuts were a nice change from a typical pecan dish. My husband had a cinnamon mocha custard with a nice delicious hard crème brûlée freestanding shell. Creamy fresh and delicious. 5 stars on every level.

Larimar aspires to be a high-​end Manhattan restaurant at the Jersey Shore – a thoughtfully designed dining room, outstanding service, and a high-​priced gourmet menu. However its aspirations in the food department fell flat. The fluke crudo was fresh, but its sauce was tasteless. The sunchoke soup was under-​seasoned. Under-​seasoning was also a problem with the pork shank special. And finally, the NY strip was actually two small medallions – maybe 4 oz in all – for a whopping $ 42. It was tender, perfectly done, but not very interesting. The chef needs to up his game or lower his prices. .. or both. For this kind of money, the food should knock my socks off. At Larimar, my socks remained on all night.

The team at Larimar work together to make sure your dining experience is one you will never forget. From the moment you are greeted as you walk in the door, it is an amazing dining experience. Located in a beautiful section of Spring Lake, this quaint little downtown area is the perfect setting for Larimar. The beautiful décor, fresh menu and attentive staff make this restaurant a true gem in NJ. I highly recommend Larimar for anyone looking for somewhere to spend a special evening or have a fine dining experience, without the hassle of having to travel all the way to NYC. I will definitely be back!

My wife and I were looking forward to our dinner at this new gourmet dining establishment in Spring Lake. The décor of Larimar is very refined. The bar area is inviting and warm with brick on the wall and a nearby gas fireplace. Dining room is well laid out with beautiful furnishings.
The service is very good. The servers are friendly and attentive. The owner is engaged in the dining operation which shows in the execution.
Now to the food… we went with all three courses. The seasonal salad was very good. The octopus was very tasty but the texture was a little tough. We had a Gerisole pasta which was delicious. For entrees, I had the chicken and wife had the scallops. Both were cooked to perfection.
Our entire experience was delightful. Our only two criticisms would be the portion sizes are very small, especially at the price points. Adding one more scallop to the dish, another slice of chicken and some additional vegetables, and additional potatoes to fill out the plate moves this to a five star.

unbelievable what more is there to say. service, food beyond expectstions! rate it a 12 out of 10.

We’re going back for a 4^th time. The food is excellent. The staff is very attentive and the décor is beautiful.

Not only outstanding food, but the staff and beautiful décor are beyond any restaurant in this entire area. It is like dining in France and a five star restaurant in NYC. What a wonderful surprise. Other restaurants have opened in this area suggesting they are top rate. All have been disappointing. Larimar is a winner!

My only regret is that it’s difficult to get another reservation. Larimar is classy and sophisticated. Kudos to the owners… It’s beautiful. It is unlike the typical jersey shore establishment. It could easily be be in NYC.
The menu is limited but the offerings certainly cover a broad enough spectrum. Everything was fabulous. It’s a BYO… Bring a special wine to compliment the delicious food.

Lovely dining room a la 1930’s. Food is lovely. The pasta Bolonese is a yummy dish. Cucumber gazpacho needs a little more spicing up.
Service is attentive. We shall return.

Finally! An excellent fine dining option in Spring Lake. Wonderful food and warm, friendly service. We ordered the pork belly and peach appetizer, the chicken and panzanella entrée and squash and ricotta fresh ravioli. All were delicious. The best restaurant in the area. FYI No shorts in the dining room.

In a word: wonderful as this new gem located on 3^rd. Ave. delivers on all counts with an ambiance that will knock your socks off, expert and attentive service and food that is delicious. We shared a simple green salad as well as a squid ink w/​shrimp pasta appetizer then a Bell & Evans chicken dish and a NY strip steak, followed by sharing a flourless chocolate cake — everything scrumptious.
Portions are not large and prices are up there but considering the overall experience worth the price of entry. Destined to become one of the top restaurants in central Jersey for sure — we will return again.

We’ve been waiting for this restaurant to open and it was definitely worth the wait! Great food, great service and comfortable ambiance. They plan to change the menu seasonally so it probably doesn’t help to give a detailed description of what we had. Suffice it to say it was really good. Home made pasta is the specialty of the house and they have several varieties. Be sure to try one. Prices were in line with what you would expect at a fine — dining restaurant… not cheap but not outrageous.