D'Jais Bar & Grill is a popular
dance club and restaurant in
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated on the Jersey Shore. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 5,794, . It has been called a landmark, "infamous", and one of the most famous bars along the
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May P ...
.
Location and Name
D'Jais Bar & Grill is located at 1801-1805 Ocean Avenue, a street which runs north and south along the Belmar coastline. It is on the west side of the street, and the front entrance faces the beach and boardwalk. According to Frank Sementa, who has been the owner since 1979, the name "D'Jais" comes from the childhood nickname of the first owner of the club, Dominick Joseph DiSalvo, who was called "DJ".
History
D'Jais was established in 1959. Locally, it has been called the most popular bar in town,
[Cariello; Cariello, p. 89.] and was busy from the start.
D'Jais is still a popular spot
and has been called a "Jersey shore institution for young people".
During the 1970s, D'Jais was also regular spot for
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
, who also took part in softball games and picnics hosted by the establishment,
as well as singer and guitarist
Bobby Bandiera
Robert "Bobby" Bandiera (born October 19, 1953) is an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter from New Jersey. Bandiera played rhythm guitar for Bon Jovi in live performances from 2005 until 2015 and for nearly two decades was lead g ...
.
During that era, it was considered "the most celebrated of the bars across from the boardwalk", and was popularized for offering five six-ounce pilsner glasses of beer for a dollar. Local bands also played at the venue during the 70s, including
Holme, whose members included Bobby Bandiera, Frank Sementa, and Kip Conner.
It was purchased by Sementa, Luddecke, and Conner in 1979. They converted it from a bar famous for its live bands and cheap beer to a trendy dance club with a DJ, theme nights, and a party atmosphere.
[Newspaper publication date 2002, stated "12 years ago": ''2002 - 12 = 1990'' per routine calculations.] In 2005, a study was conducted at the request of neighboring residents by the ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
board to analyze the bars operations and occupancy levels. The residents believed patrons of D'Jais had violated Quality of Life conditions. Residents were cited as spotting multiple fights, as well as other disruptive behavior.
Restaurant and dance club
The appearance of D'Jais has changed since the 1970s. The outdoor portion of the restaurant is covered by rooftop, and provides patrons with oceanview seating.[ The interior features four full-sized bars, as well as one that sits upon the outside deck.][ During the summer, most nights D'Jais features a DJ and dance music. There are frequently theme nights and contests.][ On Monday nights in the summer, Holme, a New Jersey band whose popularity dates back to the 1970s, entertains the crowd.]
Notoriety
D'Jais is considered a landmark dance club and restaurant, and has been called many things, including "infamous" and "guido-central".Kim Clijsters
Kim Antonie Lode Clijsters (; born 8 June 1983) is a Belgian former professional tennis player. Clijsters reached the world No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles, having held both rankings simultaneously in 2003. She won six major titles ...
and Brian Lynch.
New Jersey Sand Castle Contest
D'Jais is the lead sponsor of the annual New Jersey Sand Castle
Sand art is the practice of modelling sand into an artistic form, such as sand brushing, sand sculpting, sand painting, or creating sand bottles. A sandcastle is a type of sand sculpture resembling a miniature building, often a castle. The d ...
contest at the 18th Avenue beach. This contest typically attracts over 350 entries and about 10,000 participants each year.
References
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External links
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New Jersey Sandcastle Competition
{{DEFAULTSORT:D'jais
Nightclubs in New Jersey
Dance venues
Music venues in New Jersey
Belmar, New Jersey