Luxury Homes To Replace Popular Jersey Shore Restaurant & Bar

BERKELEY, NJ — Sixteen luxury houses are set to replace Chef Mike's ABG and neighboring Island Beach Motor Lodge, two long-time mainstays of the South Seaside Park section of Berkeley.

Mike Jurusz, owner of Chef Mike's ABG, announced the closure at the beginning of this past June, as Patch previously reported.

In a recent video update, Jurusz said that the lease for the popular restaurant would last through Dec. 31, but the new owners will take over Oct. 1. That means the eatery will lose its liquor license and become a BYOB, he explained.

The motel will close Oct. 1 and then is set for demolition, Jurusz said.

The tiki bar is closed; it will be put up for sale, Jurusz said, with all of its parts available. That includes seats, tables, umbrellas and even machinery.

Jurusz had said previously that he was looking for a new location for his restaurant. But he shared no further updates regarding that in his latest video.

The new owners, local developers Arya Properties, have plans to demolish the buildings and replace them with their newest development, Island Beach Estates. There will be 16 four- or five-bedroom homes one block from Island Beach State Park.

"Island Beach Estates overlook the pristine dunes and immaculate shores of South Seaside Park," the Arya Properties website reads. "Enjoy the sunrise from your private rooftop deck and soak up the sun on the beach, just steps outside your door. Each of the sixteen expertly designed homes feature a rooftop deck offering full or partial beach views."

Two of the homes will be oceanfront with direct beach access. Four will be on 23rd Avenue and 10 on 24th Avenue. You can see the plan here.

Arya Properties, based in Island Heights, has developments in Jackson, Bayville, Lacey and Wall.