The Diving Horse

4.8

1466 Reviews

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Great for outdoor dining

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.

Not bookable

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

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Farm-to-table, Seafood
Hours of operation
Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(609) 368-5000
Website
http://www.thedivinghorseavalon.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Alex Schiff

Location
2109 Dune Drive, Avalon, NJ 08202
Neighborhood
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

Noise • Moderate

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
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Diving Horse is a culinary gem in Avalon, praised for its "exceptional service" and "outstanding food." Its creative menu boasts dishes like scallops and short ribs, consistently receiving high marks. While some mention noise, the vibrant atmosphere and attentive staff ensure a remarkable dining experience. A must-visit spot!

1,466 Reviews

D
Dolly
Philadelphia
64 reviews
vip
5.0
64 reviews
Dined on October 20, 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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t
tony
Atlantic City
67 reviews
vip
5.0
67 reviews
Dined on October 20, 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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C
Carol
Atlantic City
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 19, 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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A
A .
New Jersey
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 19, 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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K
Karen
Pittsburgh
33 reviews
vip
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on October 12, 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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L
Lisa
Philadelphia
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 5, 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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J
Judy
Atlantic City
157 reviews
5.0
157 reviews
Dined on October 5, 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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R
Ronald
Caribbean
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 4, 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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r
ronald
Phoenix
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on October 4, 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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B
Bill
New York City
4 reviews
vip
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 3, 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

2109 Dune Drive, Avalon, NJ 08202

Additional information

Cross street
21st & Dune Drive
Neighborhood
Avalon
Hours of operation
Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
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

Website
http://www.thedivinghorseavalon.com/
Phone number
(609) 368-5000

The Diving Horse

Not bookable

Order delivery or takeout

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Menu

What 1,466 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Diving Horse offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Diving Horse restaurant rated?

Is The Diving Horse currently accepting reservations?

Not bookable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information