Gallery: Shore nostalgia then- Gallery: Shore nostalgia now
- A.C. still naughty
- Missing something? Try these fine substitutes
- Beach bars let you imbibe waterside
- Eateries that won't break the bank
- At casinos, 'down-sized' doesn't mean small-time
- Music headliners will play Ocean City
- 'Devilfish' talks his way out of a big payout
So you're heading to A.C. to hit it big? Maybe you will, maybe you won't. But either way, ya gotta eat.
While Atlantic City has more than its share of swank dining establishments, the town also delivers plenty of eateries that won't break your budget.
Check out these lucky seven restaurants, each guaranteed to feed you good food and leave you change leftover for the slots. These spots aren't in casinos, but they're within walking distance of the action.
Who knows, a change of scenery just might turn your luck.
Angelo's Fairmount Tavern
Located in A.C.'s Ducktown neighborhood since 1935, this family-owned, ramshackle trattoria is the real deal - it's what those big-portion commercial joints are trying to be but can't quite manage.
The difference between the chains and Angelo's is that the pictures on the walls are real family, and the recipes are handed down from three generations of Mancuso cooks.
The décor is nothing fancy, but the staff and regulars are friendly and the welcome mat is genuine. Ample portions let you fill up on fabulous pasta and have a glass of house red for less than $15.
For lunch, you'll find the (free) parking lot full of contractors' trucks, proof enough that the $7 lunch specials rock.
Best bets: Ravioli with sausage, $11.25; pasta aglio e'Olio, $9.75; and lasagna with meatballs, $12.95.
Mississippi and Fairmount avenues
609-344-2439, angelosfairmounttavern.com
Back Bay Ale House
Watch the sun set and the fishing boats come in on the deck of this convivial little watering hole and restaurant near Harrah's and Trump Marina.
The food is a step above the usual pub grub, offering options like the oversized seafood Cobb salad, ($11.99), an excellent blackened mahi mahi sandwich garnished with homemade lime mayo ($9.99), and even a snappy grilled link of Polish kielbasa, smothered with sautéed onions and served on a crusty roll ($7.99).
Best bets: The 8-ounce petite Delmonico steak with Caesar salad, for $14.99.
800 N. New Hampshire Ave.
609-449-0006, www.backbayalehouse.com
Flames on the Boardwalk
A hefty Angus burger with an ocean view - for less than 10 bucks. There are lots of reasons to visit Flames, which is not far from the Tropicana on the Boardwalk. Menu items (besides the $9.99 burger) include a tasty cheesesteak wrap, an oversized Greek salad and a feta and artichoke "pizza" on a pita.
There's never a wait - the place seats 400 - and the huge deck gives you a ringside seat for Boardwalk people-watching (and that ocean view).
Best bets: The vegetarian Mediterranean sampler offers healthy portions of garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, grilled eggplant, pita and a tangy tzatziki sauce, all for $12.
2641 Boardwalk, 609-344-7774
Irish Pub
Rub elbows with cops and local politicos at the AC sister of Philly's Walnut Street locations. Open 24/7 since 1972, the Irish Pub is a slice of the Old Sod, with prices way cheaper than you'd ever pay in Dublin, Ireland.
