New Jerseys Not So Bad: Sirena Ristorante

As part of my grand plan to convince the world (and myself) that living in New Jersey isn’t so bad, I am exploring restaurants, coffee shops, and other places that make the Garden State great.

Located in Pier Village in Long Branch, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beach, Sirena Ristorante makes living in New Jersey not so bad.

Sirena was opened by Joseph Cetrulo in 2006. According to the restaurant’s website, the name Sirena (Italian for mermaid) was inspired by the location’s oceanside view and its fusion of signature Italian dishes from both land and sea.

Sirena’s menu includes classic recipes created by Joseph Cetrulo and inspired by his culinary journey throughout Italy, in addition to new curated dishes and specials from Sirena’s talented in-house chef. Sirena prides itself on offering only the highest quality fresh seafood, meats, and pasta, whether sourced locally, imported from Italy, or made in-house.

There is also a vast selection of fine wines, from reasonable to high-end, hard-to-find bottles from all over the world, handpicked and presented by the in-house sommelier.

While the restaurant offers a fine dining experience, my bestie Emma and I opted for the more informal experience. When we arrived in Long Branch on Friday afternoon, we had some time to kill so we obviously went to Sirena for happy hour. This happy hour was so good we came back the next day before the beach.

Happy hour is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. This is available at the bar only, which is great for people who want to go to the beach and not feel out of place, sitting down in a fine dining restaurant in a bathing suit and cover-up.

We ordered some of the $10 cocktails including an espresso martini, blood orange margarita, cosmopolitan, and a specialty drink called Peach Please which includes vodka, peach schnapps, and peach nectar. They also offer $5 High Noons, $10 white or red sangria and $10 wine.

Happy hour includes $12 appies and snackies including pizza, Caesar salad, and calamari fritti which is fried calamari, fennel, zucchini, and cherry peppers served with spicy marinara.

Whether you want to have a fine dining experience or happy hour deals, Sirena is the perfect place to get food and drinks on the beach.

Sirena Ristorante is located at 27 Ocean Ave N, Long Branch, New Jersey, 07740.