Proud to be another bar and grill

The newly renovated Jack Baker’s American Bar and Grill has a sports bar atmosphere with a bar at its core and a view of nine television screens from every seat in the house. JEFF GRANIT staff MONROE — A local seafood restaurant known for its early-bird specials and family dining atmosphere has been transformed into a bar and grill open until 1:30 a.m. every day of the week.

Jack Baker’s Lobster Shanty, located at the corner of Route 33 and Perrineville Road, shut its doors for renovations earlier this year. The restaurant, now reopened, still has the Jack Baker moniker and lobster bisque on the menu, but bears little resemblance to its predecessor.

Chefs International, a Point Pleasantbased company that operates five restaurants along the Jersey Shore, as well as Moore’s Tavern and Escondido’s in Freehold, continues to run the eatery, now named Baker’s American Bar and Grill. The owners advertise the establishment as “the new place to meet friends, take in a game and enjoy great casual dining.”

The restaurant that once catered to the many active adult communities in the area now prides itself on having nine flat-screen televisions beaming local and national sports to every table and barstool. The bar has become the core of the establishment, situated in the center of the dining room. Chefs International also placed the bar at the heart of the dining room in historic Moore’s Tavern when it completed renovations there in 2009.

Baker’s American Bar and Grill hosts happy hour with $2.25 domestic drafts and half-price appetizers from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The grill also offers half-off wines by the bottle all day Wednesday.

While patrons can still order Chefs International menu staples, such as coconut shrimp, rum-glazed salmon, onion-encrusted cod, apricot chicken and steak, the new menu at Baker’s boasts “big, freshly made burgers,” “signature brick oven pizzas” and “comfort foods.”

Appetizers include soups and salads, hummus and pita, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, beef chili, calamari, quesadillas and sliders. The grill also serves cooked-to-order wings with sauces, such as chipotle barbecue, devil, Florida asphalt and insanely hot.

The wood-fired pizzas measure 12 inches round. Dough is made on-site daily. While patrons can create their own pies, the menu also suggests prosciutto and goat cheese, shitake mushroom and clam pizzas. For lunch, there are also sandwiches and wraps. Dinner entrees include chicken potpie, shepherd’s pie and homemade meatloaf. The grill also serves 10-ounce sirloin steaks, rib-eye steaks, babyback ribs, rack of lamb and pork chops.

Despite the bar atmosphere, the restaurant continues to welcome families. The bar and grill are open all week 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Those who miss Jack Baker’s Lobster Shanty can still find the restaurants in Point Pleasant and Toms River.