After a half-century spent serving delicious meals, Blue Swan Diner is still going strong


By:  | January 2, 2025 Dining

By Ryan Loughlin

Is there anything more quintessentially “Jersey” than a diner? Roadside diners have been a part of life in the Garden State for more than a century. Though most are the furthest thing from the homogenized chain restaurants that dot the highways, there are certain common threads that seem to run through all diners. The giant menus, the old-fashioned barstools, booths and milkshake machines and the seemingly magical ability to craft a grilled cheese sandwich that is at least 10 times better than the one you make at home.

Yes, diners are a treasure, and without question, one of the best in all of Monmouth County is Blue Swan Diner in Oakhurst.

Blue Swan just wrapped up its 50th anniversary in 2024, having opened its doors in 1974 at a time when fast food was growing, but the drive-thru wasn’t yet as ubiquitous a concept as it is today. Instead of rushing to shove down a Big Mac and fries in their car, folks actually went inside a restaurant and sat down to enjoy a casual meal as part of their day. Blue Swan made for a fine choice for hungry patrons back then, and despite the rapid changes in modern dining habits and shuttering of many competing diners, has managed to remain so to this day.

My wife and I stopped in at Blue Swan Diner recently to enjoy an early dinner after a long day of shopping, and the experience made us remember why the humble diner is an American concept that must never go the way of the dinosaurs.

We arrived around 6 p.m. on a Saturday and were immediately seated. A quick look around and the essence of what makes a diner like this so appealing became obvious – it’s all about familiarity. The Blue Swan’s atmosphere instantly reminded us of so many nights spent at spots just like this growing up in North Jersey – a room full of tables to the left, with a second room packed with cozy booths to the right and behind that a long counter lined with barstools that will surely end up packed on most mornings with folks knocking down mugs of coffee and plates of bacon and eggs -cooked just the way they like them.

The Menu

We spent a few minutes exploring the Blue Swan’s massive menu, which is key for any establishment like this. They have something for everyone – literally. In the mood for breakfast at 11 p.m.? They’ve got pancakes and waffles for days. Inexplicably craving a salmon quinoa bowl? No problem, it’s right here. Is the night not over until you find the perfect triple decker turkey club? They’ve got you covered – and then some.

The menu goes on for pages and pages, and includes sections for apps, wraps, soups, sides, breakfast platters, griddle classics, salads, paninis, Mediterranean specialties, sandwiches, burgers, steaks and seafood; not to mention entire subsections devoted to numerous variations of specific dishes like quesadillas and tacos.

The sheer number of options means you have to stay focused when considering your order, otherwise you could end up forgetting half the items that looked so good when you first saw them. So, be sure to take mental notes as you go.

Our Meal

We started things off with a plate of Buffalo Mac & Cheese, which came topped with melted cheddar and jack cheeses along with seasoned breadcrumbs, diced chicken tenders and buffalo sauce. The Buffalo sauce was drizzled on top, which I was initially unsure about, but when mixed in made for a tasty and still creamy cheese sauce – with a nice kick of spice. Pasta as an app is not super common, but it worked quite well and was a standout of the meal.

After that we decided to go as classic as we could, opting to split a grilled cheese sandwich and a plate of cheese fries. Though you can select any cheese you like, American is always my pick on a grilled cheese due to its superior melting capabilities. We opted for cheddar on the fries though for a change of pace. The sandwich lived up to every bit of nostalgic hype or brains could muster – it was both hearty and somehow light enough to not be overwhelmingly rich, and the bread (white in this case) was griddled to a perfect golden hue. The sides of cole slaw and dill pickle actually came out first, and both were good enough that we polished them off before the sandwich even arrived. The cheese fries also hit the spot, and while the decision to order a second cheese-based item alongside a grilled cheese may seem odd to some, we were both pleased with the choice in the end.

Dessert is an all but must-do at any diner, and the Blue Swan is no exception, but rather than opt for an ice cream sundae or a slice of cheesecake, we looked to the impressive selection of griddle items, many of which fall closer to the dessert category than anything that can reasonably be considered a breakfast item. Cannoli French Toast, a Belgian Waffle Sundae and many others tempted us, but our pick ended up being the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes -- a hefty stack of chocolate peanut butter cup flapjacks topped with melted peanut butter sauce and a chocolate drizzle. Despite splitting this order, we didn’t even come close to polishing off the entire stack, but we imagine someone out there with a massive appetite and an even sweeter tooth than either of us possessed would be able to do so.

A quick trip to the front counter to pay the check and we were out of there — and fully satisfied at everything from the food to the experience to the reasonable prices (something that has become more and more rare when dining out as of late). The Blue Swan Diner gives you a chance to go back to a simpler time just for a few minutes, and believe me when I say it’s worth the trip.

Blue Swan Diner is located at 2116 Rt 35 in Oakhurst. Go to BlueSwanDiner.com

 

 

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