The Proving Ground Review

Not a place to go for the food unless it's brunch. More of a place to go for drinks at the outdoor bar on the river.

Love the new design of the place! Very chic and appealing. We got the fried cauliflower app and got the hot sauce on the side (as suggrested by our server) so it came out hot and crispy. Very beautiful presentation served on a board with sliced celery and little piles of blue cheese. I highly reccomend trying it even if you're not a fan of cauliflower. My sister doesn't eat it and loved this app. I had the chicken sandwich which was amazingly dellicious!! French fries were extremely good...nice and hot and crispy and I don't normally eat many fries.

Jay was our server tonight and he was very attentive and personable. He made a couple of suggestions for apps, entree and dessert and we were not disappointed. There was a music duo who played guitar and same Cat Steven songs and Kenny Chesney too. The whole evening was enjoyable. We love the Proving Ground.

Thank you Kyle!!! We had an awesome time because of you!!!!

My friend and I Had the steamers and Buffalo cauliflower (cauliflower not pictured, ate to fast lol) for appetizers. Next was the Brew burger and the scallop entree. Everything came out great! The server Mike was friendly and attentive. Definitely coming back.

Menu is terrible, hostess hasn't a clue, wait times are annoying despite reservations and the menu sopmoric and food not so good

Great meal! We probably wouldn't bring the kids, but it sounded like there was a family dining. Our food was great, from appetizers to entrees. It was raining but I could see lower Manhattan and the Verrazzanno plus Sandy Hook. I much enjoyed my $6 house wine, probably almost as much as an $11 Josh, and there are lots of happy hour apps and drinks on special until (I believe) 630. Highly recommend!

Update: we brought the kids on a rainy day in February. The place was mostly empty but they enjoyed their meals and there were other kids there too.

My first experience at The Proving Ground. The food, drinks and atmosphere are nice.

Very nice waterfront view and food was delicious. Definitely going back.

Terrible experience. Bartender did not appear to be too thrilled working afternoon shift. Worst Mojito every...rum and sour mix...really! On top of that, had to listen to bartender and customer colorful conversations complaining of the industry and local establishments. No chance to ask me if I needed another drink as I did not finish the first one. Proving I will never be back.

Excellent food. Great appetizers, meal, I had the steak and mashed potatoes, yum. My 2 friends also loved their meal. Cappuccino and desert of cheese cake was awesome. Will return many times. Highly recommend.

Finally we found the best place to enjoy it,everything is so amazing

My first time here and it was amazing!
high five to the super friendly staff and the food was beyond great. love the fact that you can eat + you get a great view of NYC &
Sandy Hook. definitely not a bad sit in the house. make sure you check them out and ask for the lovely waitress Tara.
thank you everyone for a great dinner...

Totally a ripoff on drinks. $40 for a Johnny Walker Black. Never go there again. Rude service

The renovations are beautiful and still a breathtaking atmosphere. However, I ordered a glass of wine and it was served to me in a dirty cracked glass. Next our app came out, the clams were awesome but again dirty plate. Will not be returning. If I'm being served dirty glasses and plates it makes me wonder about the food Im being served.

Love the upstairs seating with the windows open to the bay!

We come here all the time for bands and trivia. If you like old fashions ask for the Paul Bunyan, it's not in the summer menu but they will still make it. Kelly is awesome!

Delicious seafood and great view of the bay. Dogs are also allowed by the outdoor seating.

An amazing view with okay food and awful service. They set up the table as soon as we arrived which was exactly at the time of our reservation. They were not busy in the slightest might I add. The appetizers were good but our entrees took an hour to be served. The chicken Parm was extremely dry and the steak which we wanted prepared medium well was raw. The table was never cleared in between courses and the plates just piled up. When it came time for dessert, which took a half hour to prepare, we never received silverware until it was requested. By the time the meal was over, I was sick of hearing the words I m so sorry for the ridiculous mistakes. The salads on the house were not enough to replace the $420 dollars spent on this meal. A new place like this should be on their a game if they wanna make it in the NJ restaurant business. Not a pleasant experience.

It was good but not great. I really wanted to live this place because the location is fantastic and who doesn't love brunch but it was a bit underwhelming. We made a reservation thinking Sunday brunch at 11 it would be packed. Wrong. It was dead. The food was good but not to die for. The Bloody Mary Bar was a few extra garnishes. I've put together a better bar for the family. They just need to do something to kick it up a notch. Will be back to try Happy Hour but in no rush to be back for brunch at all.

Excellent brunch! Food was wonderful and the service was outstanding!

Nice restaurant on the water. Busy on Sunday with football, private party and the Twin Light Ride. Inside was the fastest choice for seating. Great deals for beer and food on Sunday. Very clean and modern. Plenty of TVs inside upstairs. Food was good and warm. Pay attention to salads on kids plate. The kids salad on the side of fish and chips had jalapenos in it. Only knew about it because the young one hates greens on the plate and had it remove it. Just be careful. We were lucky on parking but they do have valet. Interesting bathroom "decor".

Great place on the water! Food, drinks and service were great! Looking forward to going back again!

The food is great, friendly staff, easy access with the boat. Great atmosphere especially during the live band!

Good food and pleasant service in a spectacular waterfront spot.

Ideal is the remodeling they did and the location. The service is good, bart tenders are friendly dont get me wrong, but the food is just not good. Everything came out cold and below average. Would go back to drink but not to eat.

Proving Ground never disappoints. From the beautiful view of the river and Sandy Hook, to the amazing lunch or dinner you order its always what's expected. The service is attentive and aims to please. Coming by boat, no problem, Scott will help you tie up.
Relax and enjoy.

Great food with great views! Indoor and outdoor seating available. Reservations suggested!

Gorgeous view and casual menu with some contemporary upscale choices. It was a breezy colder fall weekday lunch so the place was quiet and unrushed. The kitchen handled menu substitution with ease. Exactly what we were looking for.

If your looking for a nice night out with live music and good food and a fantastic view, The Proving Ground is it! They have indoor seating and outdoor seating, there is an outdoor bar, and heck theres boat parking if you travel by boat. Entrees are a little.lricey and menu is limited, but the food was delicious. You can bring the whole family, but it is a bar/restaurant and there will be that person who has had 1 to many wandering around and dancing. We went before 5pm I imagine things might be a little different at night, however it still has amazing views and the food was very good. I will say parking is very tight, you can park on the surrounding streets or they have valet parking. All in all I would go again if I was craving that bayfront view and something good to eat.

New and improved Proving Ground.I hope they can keep it up.Service was great staff very friendly and outgoing drinks were good band was awesome.Highly recommended can't wait to go back.

Beautiful atmosphere, delicious food, friendly staff!

Would go again!

We sat outside and a cover band was playing. Surprisingly, it was not too loud that we couldn't have a conversation.

Food was good as well as the service. We had a drink at the bar first and the bartenders were great too. The view is the best part though.

Great place right on the water! And the food was fantastic

Great place for hanging out on the waterfront at night.

Excellent food, excellent atmosphere, great entertainment & great service ... Definitely worth the trip

Great outdoor area and food and entertainment great.

Food was excellent.. We tried buffalo cauliflower, Mediterranean platter, 2 different types of oysters on starter menu, Lobster bisque (lots of lobster chunks), and some salads.. Bartenders made a real good old fashioned as well. Nice selection of bourbons and whiskeys. Everything was terrific. Views from second floor dining room in the evening are great. We'll be back for sure.

I heard about this place. Good food and nice place. Friendly staff. Going back again.

Ally was an amazing bar tender. She was personable and her knowledge of the menu was outstanding. The view is unmatched and food was very good. I highly recommend this spot.

My fiance are from out of town and here for work and we have had nothing but garbage food. Coming here was such a pleasant surprise. The food was outstanding. Drinks were good. Atmosphere was lovely. Service was good but our waitress could have stopped by our table a couple more times.
In the end, this is our new spot. We are very happy

We were there on Sept 12 in the evening with another couple in which the hostess seating very quickly to for a seating outside. However it was chilly & very windy. They went into action again and move us inside..what a great effort on there part..food was excellent just as well..would definitely recommend this place..

Very professional
Handling the covid situation
Courteous and professional staff
I highly recommend it

Excellent location, view, service and food! Came here for my sons confirmation brunch and it was fantastic!

Fantastic meal!! We've been meaning to give PG a try. The restaurant we planned on eating at was only open for take out, so we decided it was a signal. PG didn't disappoint. Excellent food, service and all social distancing and proper practices in place. Beautiful views comfortable! comfortable experience. Definitely recommend.

Great atmosphere.
Specialty cocktails Rock!
Sat at the bar on Father's Day and had the Mediterranean sampler and the Maji Tacos . Both were really Goooooood.
Will be back for sure.

Beautiful place to sit out on the water watching the boaters music food drinks it's the bomb

Service was good. Place is beautifully redone. Food was just ok and seemed pricey for what you get. Don't think I'd go there to eat again. Maybe just drinks.

Excellent spot for drinks and dinner.
Has dock and dine, beautiful patio and upstairs bar is immaculate serving a great assortment of wines, liquors and beers on tap.
My go to spot on the shore!

Happening vibe and atmosphere.
Some overpriced entrees but drinks were well made and abundant.
Chrissy now tends here upstairs and down....find her and enjoy the pleasant conversation and great drinks.

Overall nice experience. Tasty food. Would recommend for happy hour.

Enjoyable! Fun place. good food!..I can also stop by boat in summer

If I could I would give it 3.5 stars. Food and service was good.

Beautiful spot by the water which is so relaxing and fun. Great for a drink or for a meal!

The menu has all the classics, a variety of burgers and some healthy options too.

Tasty food, good choice of meals, pleasant ambience, friendly and accommodating staff. Like my dinning experience there.

Have been to the new proving grounds several times the summer. The renovations are top notch. Location is perfect. They almost always have live music. Food was good I wouldn't say great. They seem to be in a dispute with their next door neighbor which makes going there very difficult because you can't walk between bars if you dock your boat there. Arrived by boat at 10:45. Outdoor manager walked out to the dock with a bouncer and nicely but firmly told us we could have a beer but then had to leave because last call was over. They made it very clear we work welcome there. Not sure why a bar/restaurant would close at 10:30 on a Thursday night. This restaurant has basically changed most things that made Windansea a destination, some for better, most for worse. It used to be a relaxed summer destination that I frequented with my family and friends often. Lately I find myself going elsewhere.

We were seated right away, even though it was pretty crowded. Place has a great vibe. Our waitress, Kate, was excellent. The band was grest. Our food was very good. A manager stopped over to check on us. Overall a great experience and we'll definitely return amd recommend.

Great plalce to get a something to eat on Sandy Hook Bay. Maybe see a great tribute band like "Big Hix".

Servers were very polite. I orderd the ribs, they must have boiled them. They had no flavor other than the half bottle of BBQ sauce that was poured on them just before they were served. I will give them another chance, but won't order ribs again.

Excellent atmosphere and food was delicious. Blood Mary bar was great. We'll definitely be back the Sunday Brunch

Good food slightly high prices great location great views

Go for the view! Food and service were ok, but nothing special.

If you haven't been there, then you got to try it... you'll be "hooked"

Been here twice now and the food is great. Good beer selection and prices are average. Would definitely go back.

Don t get me wrong, the food was great. However, at the end of the night when recieving my bill to pay, I gave forth my card and when handing it back they dropped it through the slit of the dock and it fell right into the bay. Not a big deal I thought, a careless mistake of course but I was not mad at the server who did this. He brought over a manager named Jackie and she continued to tell me it wasn t the first time and laughed. I am not from the area and she has now caused me great inconvenience and was laughing about it. I asked if there is anything they could do to compensate me for this hassle they created and she presumed to laugh and in a sarcastic manner she was explaining how to get a new card. This is not great customer service skills and my best interest of making the experience better was not given. I will never go back here and advise others not to either. I get better service at the Inlet right next door

When we arrived, my family and I though we were going to eat lunch (at 1pm). But apparently, this restaurant has brunch until 2 pm. We were expecting a meal and got brunch instead. We thought about leaving but we wanted to give the restaurant a shot. A suggestion I might give to this restaurant is to allow the costumers chose between a brunch menu and a lunch menu. At the restaurant I ordered the Chicken and Waffles plate. The waffles had so much syrup, they were soaked. They put so much to mask the horrible taste of the waffle. The syrup wasn t really good either. They put powdered sugar in their chicken? The chicken was also soaked in the syrup. I personally did not like this restaurant.