Deal Bar & Co

Drive down Ocean Avenue toward Asbury Park then cut over to Main Street in Loch Arbour and sitting right on the lake is Deal Bar & Co, a great little lodge to grab a beer and burger. We were meeting up with friends for a raucous night of Bingo as called by Jersey Shore celeb, DJ Lunique, aka LuAnn. 

The joint looks like an old boathouse, with exposed beams and warm wood accents. Available seating options include circular banquettes, live edge dining tables, and two bars, one regular and one huge circular bar. TVs stream an array of sports while Southern rock floods through the speakers.

I sang along to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Dixie Chicken” as we scanned a QR code to reveal a list of craft beers on tap, including a seasonal Sam Adams Oktoberfest and a Birdsmouth Vienna Lager, local out of Oceanport. It arrived crisp, clean, and coppery and although it wasn’t our favorite ever, it was a great first choice, to be later followed by their other seasonal option.

The wife and I perused the menu, and both chose the DL Burger, which we read as the Down-Low Burger, but in retrospect is more likely the Deal Lake Burger. It’s two smash burger patties with cheese on a brioche bun. Mine came with a pile of shoelace thin fries, long, hot, and salty—and irresistible to the friend on my right. They were some of the best fries I’ve ever had, but as there were so many, I was still happy to share. Js burger had sweet potato fries.

While the vibes were impeccable, the burger was honestly only mid. But it was tasty, non-drippy, and self-contained in a way that was excellent for eating dinner while simultaneously playing a game. The Earl on Sandwich would be proud. And I wasn’t mad about the stack of crinkle cut pickle chips on the side. 

We were there to meet friends who live on the other side of Deal Lake. According to them, they drive their pontoon boat over in summer and dock outside. They have also been known to kayak there. But you can drive; there’s a huge parking lot in the back. Deal Bar & Co is part of the same restaurant family as Baseline Social, Swimcrush, Palmetto Southern Kitchen, Low Dive, and the Black Swan. 

We conquered our burgers as the free Bingo began: two cards per person, with games including Bingo any way, followed by four corners, an X, top or bottom (not what you’re thinking), and even reverse bingo, where you call numbers until only one player is left standing. 

LuAnn had the whole bar rolling in laughter with her long holler for O69, as well as giving free raffle tickets away at B4, clinking your drinks up for B12, and of course her legendary “pair of nickels,” G55. I won’t soon forget her chanting B11, B, B11. Why? Who knows?

As Stevie Nicks sang about the white-winged dove, we settled in for a fun, diverting evening of seeing who won Bingo. But even when folks yelled “Bingo,” we knew enough to keep our board as it was, because inevitably, someone yells out a false “Bingo.” But LuAnn don’t play. Fakers need to circulate around the whole bar giving a high five to every single person—and this time, they had to do it wearing a turkey hat. Poor Peter. Ha ha, though.

We played a half dozen games, and while others nabbed pint glasses and assorted gear from Kane, a local brewer out of Ocean Township, we didn’t win. Or did we? Because when all was said and done, we escaped our house on a school night and got a lot of laughs without breaking the bank. Deal Bar & Co is a great spot to relax every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. for bingo and kindness. “They’re both free,” as LuAnn would say.

Deal Bar &Co.
601 Main St., Loch Arbour NJ 07711
848-217-7049
Deallakebarco.com
Monday-Thursday 11:30-12 a.m.
Friday 11:30-2 a.m.
Saturday-Sunday 11-2 a.m.

Save a Few Clams

Grab half-price drinks and Happy Hour prices of $8 on pub grub like chicken fingers, chips and dips, and disco fries from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. There are also weekly trivia contests on Mondays, Bingo on Wednesdays, and live music on the weekends, with no cover charge.