THE GOAT by David Burke

Planning a wedding shower from 3000 miles away isn’t easy, but Kasey at The GOAT by David Burke made it simple—-no, she made it joyful!
When I spoke to her a few days before the event, she was calm, organized, and very knowledgeable.
She helped me make the right decisions about the room set up, the menu, and even recommended a local florist for the centerpieces. Kasey treated my daughter’s shower like it was special to her, even naming one of the salads for my daughter on the printed menu for the event. During the party, Kasey took care of everything, freeing me up to greet guests, take pictures, and just have fun! I wouldn’t hesitate to plan another event with Kasey and neither should you! (Side shout out to Anthony the mixologist at The GOAT, he made use amazing original cocktails!)

I was really looking forward to this place, but I found the food disappointing. This is what I think of gimmicky rather fine dining. The bacon was thick and lightly torched and couldn't be modified to be thoroughly cooked so it was chewy. The chorizo mushroom soup was bland with no hint of chorizo. The short rib was fine, but the polenta tasted like styrofoam. My child thought the chocolate mousse cake was gross and inedible. We went for Mother's Day. None of us felt like it was a worthwhile experience. I won't be back, and I don't recommend it. There are so many great restaurants in the area, this doesn't make the cut.

We came in on a Wednesday night to celebrate my birthday! The food was delicious. The eggplant stacker, focaccia bread and pastas were fantastic. Our dessert was out of this world, we shared the banana cream Sfogliatella which is made in house! Amanda made the night very nice for us, thank you!

My wife and I tried this spot for Valentine's Day. They had a Prefix Menu for $68++ per person, minus the drinks. Sounded like a good deal, right? Especially, since this restaurant is part of the David Burke group. It should be good.

We started with our appetizers. My wife originally wanted the Lobster Bisque Soup. But they ran out of that. They only had Mushroom Bisque or some other cream soup as a replacement. So, I had the Mushroom Bisque Souphile, while she had the Beet and Buratta Salad. They were very good. When it came to the main courses, I had the Pork Osso Buccon with Risotto (in Tagalog, Pinasosyal na Patatim ). My wife ordered the Lobster Ravioli. While my portions were generous, hers were disappointing. Five small pieces. Hardly satisfying, especially for someone who skipped lunch and was looking forward to a hearty meal for dinner. You would think that because you were paying the same price, both meals would have good portions. It wasn't the case here. Luckily, my meal was large enough for me to share. Also, the browning of my dish was not even. On One side, the skin was dark brown, while the other was pale. But, our mood was already in the downhill.

Desserts took longer to come out than our meal, which was very strange. The place wasn't fully packed. When they did arrive, they were a letdown. My Coconut Cream Pie was fine. Nothing too special. However, the sugars of my wife's creme brulee was burnt to the point where it made the whole dessert bitter. We brought it up to their attention. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. They said they would replace it in two minutes. So, we waited. Unfortunately, the replacement was a failure, too. The top sugar was on point, but the actual custard was very runny. My wife just finished it as we wanted to leave right away. The manager apologized and gave us a free slice of key lime pie as a good gesture.

If it weren't for the staff, this place would have gotten a two-star for its inconsistency. Would probably not go back.

I am having the best time at this little place in Union Beach. Lou, the bartender, is so sweet and makes the best drinks ever, I would just come back for him. But, the food is...Holy Cow (maybe Holy Goat,) incredible. The pictures speak for themselves. Love!