D'Jais Bar & Grill is a popular
dance club and restaurant in
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a Borough (New Jersey), borough located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 5,907, an increase of 113 ...
. It has been called a landmark, "infamous", and one of the most famous bars along the
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...
.
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 Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...
, who also took part in softball games and picnics hosted by the establishment,
as well as singer and guitarist
Bobby Bandiera
Robert 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 over two decades was lead guitarist for S ...
.
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.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
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. She was ranked as the world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) for 20 weeks, and as the world No. 1 in women's double ...
and Brian Lynch.
New Jersey Sand Castle Contest
D'Jais is the lead sponsor of the annual New Jersey Sand Castle
Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural cl ...
contest at the 18th Avenue beach. This contest typically attracts over 350 entries and about 10,000 participants each year.
See also
* New Jersey music venues by capacity
References
Sources
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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