Groff’s Restaurant on the Wildwood Boardwalk Closes

Groff’s Restaurant on the Wildwood Boardwalk Closes

Groff’s Restaurant has closed and sold the property to Nino’s Family Restaurant.  Nino’s used to have a restaurant in North Wildwood, NJ that was open all season long, but it was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.  Groff’s Restaurant opened its doors in 1925 and has been family owned.  Groff’s was known for their delicious pies and great early bird specials.

Mr. Earl M. Groff came to Wildwood in 1918 where he started as a millwright and then started working for the Ludens Candy Company.  He later rented a store on the boardwalk and ran various games and in 1925 he installed a grill and started selling hot dogs.

Some of the latest reviews on Yelp for Groff’s sound familliar to the ones I remember from my parents growing up.

Jeffrey D from South Haven, MI writes, “A Wildwood institution – around since like 1925.  My folks ate here some 30 years ago.   We went on a Tuesday evening in June.  They are only open from 4 to 8 p.m.   We had 3 generations at the table and all loved it.

I enjoyed the fried scallops, while my wife and mom had the broiled scallops.  My son had the fried crab cakes.   (I also enjoyed one of those).  Your meal comes with THREE sides.   Between us we had mac and cheese, fries, applesauce, baked potato, sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, salad and a cucumber/onion dish.   All were very good and nice proportions.   Nice size dinner rolls.

Since we were on vacation and my teenage son saw the size of the pies, we indulged.     The coconut creme was awesome.  Lemon Meringue alrnight.  The Black Bottom was heavenly.

Price is what you would expect at the shore (about 30 per person).   The atmosphere is very dinerish and old fashioned and that is cool.   Staff was delightful.”

Wildwood will never be the same without Groff’s Restaurant.  Nino’s Family Restaurant opens this season.

Since so many of our families have been touched by Groff’s please take a moment and leave the family a message in the comments section below.

 

69 Comments

  1. Brian Duffy

    I worked at Groff’s in the summers of 1971 and ’72, first as a dishwasher and then doing stock and inventory in the mornings. Two great summers working for really nice people. ( I worked directly for Earl – Jr. I assume – when handling inventory). Plus, the food was good and the pies were absolutely great. Working the mornings I can attest that they were delicious and fresh baked the day they were served – so good.

  2. Andrea

    Started to eat at Groff’s in the 1960’s….thought it would be in Wildwood forever..

  3. walr

    I hope the new place has the pies.

  4. mark d.

    Groff’s will be sadly missed. It goes the way of other great Wildwood landmarks. As with many return Wildwood visitors, my family really enjoyed the tradition of going to Groff’s at least once or twice during our stay. I am happy that I was able to introduce all three of my children to Groff’s before it closed. One has to wonder if the “revamping” of Wildwood with more expensive condos has played a negative role on nice restaurants like Groff’s. Paying upwards of $2,500.00 a week for a place to stay can put a real crimp on a middle class family’s ability to eat out as much.

  5. Gallagher/Radtke families

    Our families (five generations) have been coming to Groff’s for more than 70 years. It was a family tradition which apparently now is ending. I would like to know that these new owners might keep some of the incredibly good recipes on the new menu as the most recent ‘new’ owners tried to do. As the word has spread through our extended family, we are feeling like we have lost a family member. Our thanks and best wishes are extended to the Groff family especially to Earl Groff whose kindly face has welcomed us all of these years even after the previous sale. Sooooo very sorry to see the passing of yet another Wildwood landmark but, for us, the most cherished one.

  6. Jasin Garner

    I am crushed by this news. I am from Reading Pa. where the original owners are from and ever since I was a child up until I am not an adult we have eaten at Groff’s. We loved it there. Great home cooking. Very sad that they have sold the business and closed. WW will never be the same with out Groff’s. We always looked forward to eating there every year.

  7. Suzanne Firmstone

    I am sooo very sad to hear this. I started going to Groff’s when I was 6, 40+ years ago. In all the places to eat in Wildwood, this was my mother’s favorite! Thank you for the great food and great memories you made, I will never forget standing in line on the little ramp and black bottom pie. I will never forget Groff’s….

  8. dina

    So sad to see Groff’s close. I remember going there for dinner at least once every annual trip to Wildwood from when I was a little girl. It will be sorely missed, best fried chicken I ever had and the pies were to die for. When we had eaten there in the last few years we always felt as if grandma and grandpa were still with us. I’m heartbroken that I won’t be able to eat there this year, a family tradition is gone….

  9. Dale Tiffany

    Great memories eating here with my family while on vacation. The seafood was so good, and peach glazed pie! Boy I’ll miss this place. Lots of special memories with my Mom & Dad, sister & brother. I can remember waiting in line on the inclined sidewalk for the doors to open up for supper. Then walking in to a nice and cool dining room. It will always be one of my favorite restaurants. Thanks for all the years.

  10. pete

    My wife introduced me to groffs during the summer of 1960. Her family had been eating there for many years.I became a big fan as well. The food was great and the pies to die for.My favorite black bottom of course. We feel very lucky to have eaten there last august(2014). They will be missed by many. The Wildwoods won’t be the same.Still remember walking from pine ave. and standing in the long lines. The very best to the Groff Family.

  11. Cheryl G.

    I am so very sad to see this fine restaurant has closed. Wildwood will never be the same. Every year growing up my family and I spent 1-2 weeks in Wildwood. Groffs was a favorite we went to every year.

  12. Lisa

    i am very sad to hear this news. We go every year for a fabulous dinner that the whole family enjoys! My 11 year old and myself love the scallops!!! My 86 year old mom also is deeply saddened as this is a tradition for us. Wildwood won’t be the same.

  13. Robert

    Yes, the condos and high motel rates have probably hurt restaurants, Duffy’s on the Lake was just razed. Condo people probably buy food from the store and cook in their condo. It’s sad seeing all the landmarks go away. I wonder why all the land from former businesses was rezoned residential to build condos? Take public businesses away, and build private housing.

  14. Robert

    There’s a nice restaurant in the Montego Bay hotel, Adam’s Restaurant. It’s right on the boardwalk 2 blks north of Sportland Pier.

  15. Rappaport

    My grandfather was a lifeguard in Wildwood in the 1940’s, and he used to eat at Groff’s. In the 80’s and 90’s, my immediate family would meet my grandparents for a week at the beach, and it would always entail a delicious and plentiful dinner at Groff’s. Complete with a humongous piece of pie. Yum….. We have since continued the tradition with friends and family, and no trip to Wildwood is complete without dinner at Groff’s. We would always be waiting outside for table and would say, “yes, our entire party is here….they’re just….in the bathroom” so we would get seated. Groff’s was truly a Wildwood landmark and will be missed by generations!

  16. Jack Curran

    Thanks to the Groff family for 64 years of memories. Eating at Groffs was a family tradition over four generations: vegetable soup, beef croquets, peach and strawberry glaze pies. Standing on the ramp in the hot sun waiting for a table for 7, having the last meal on Labor Day when they closed for the season. Fond memories thanks to Mr Groff.

  17. Joy Rosenfeld Golden

    This is where my parents had lunch right before they left for Metropolitan Hospital in Phl to get their little Bundle of JOY!!!
    Phil Gould used to love to tell that story of how happy and excited my parents were. He was having lunch with his parents that day in Groff’s and remembers:
    My mother proudly announced, “I just had a baby! Don’t I look great? ” And then they went to Philadelphia and brought me home to N Wildwood!
    For those of you that don’t know….I was adopted the moment I was born. On July 3 my parents got the call to come and get me! They had lunch at Groff’s and then went to Philadelphia to bring me home! This ius posted by long time resident of N Wildwood:
    Joy Rosenfeld (now Golden) Lived in N Wildwood from birth to about 2003 when I sold my family home on 23rd St. My Dad was Sylvan Rosenfeld who owned the Hurricane East Club in the 60’s….My Mother Selma Probinsky. Long family history in the Wildwoods.

  18. Kevin Hayes

    I was employed by Mr. Groff for several Summers in the late 70’s/early 80’s. He and his sister, Dottie Ann, were the best! It was truly a pleasure working for such nice people. There have been numerous changes in Wildwood over the years but for me… not seeing The Groffs sign on the ramp at Magnolia and the boardwalk this Summer is going to be the worst. Mr. Groff, how many dishes do you think Louis Huy broke in the Summer of ’78?

    • Eileen Doyle

      Hey Kevin! This is Eileen Doyle…I think fondly of the many summers (13 in all) I spent working there. I will so miss the pies!!! 🙁

      • Kevin Hayes

        Hello Eileen and Chris,
        Thanks for sending a reply, it’s good to hear from both of you.
        I miss the pies as-well….. the apple crumb was the best!

      • Carolyn Melillo

        I see you guys worked at Groff’s. Our family is so sad it closed. My question is does anyone know where I could get the recipe for the Black Bottom pie? I know that is probably impossible but though I would ask.

    • Chris Hemmel

      Hey Kevin, I remember those crazy days back in Wildwood. I was there from 1978 through 1982. I was stunned to learn that the place is closed. We were there in Wildwood over July 4th weekend, and were actually planning on having dinner there. Imagine our shock when we saw it was all boarded up!

      Chris Hemmel

  19. S Koban

    Wildwood will never be quite the same without Groff’s. My parents started bringing us there since the 1960s, and every year through the 1970s we also waited on the ramp as kids, so excited to go in and have a great dinner and good times! One or two nights every August this was our meal before exploring all the attractions on the boardwalk. As we became adults, we brought our children in the 1990s and 2000s. June 2014 was our last dinner there…You guys will truly be missed…such fond memories.

  20. richard reaney

    I have gone to groff’s every summer since 1948 and loved every minute of it. This is a very sad day for wildwood.. Shame on Ninos for doing this. I WILL NEVER GO THERE IN PROTEST.