The Atlantic City Boardwalk of the 1970s hummed with summer excitement: the Steel Pier roller coaster, saltwater taffy, the Miss America Pageant. A young Stephen Starr, who would later become a well-known restaurant mogul, was working his first job on the Boardwalk, taking it all in. Starr grew up in Philly but spent a lot of time at the Jersey Shore—specifically, Atlantic City.
“When I was 15 years old, my friend got us a job working at a variety store on the Boardwalk. I held that job for three summers and learned everything I know about human nature working there,” he remembers fondly.
His Philadelphia-based STARR Restaurants organization has just opened two new eateries on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk, both at Ocean Casino Resort.
Chez Frites Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort
“It feels like a full circle moment for me to work on restaurant projects in Atlantic City, a place where I formed some of my finest childhood memories,” says Starr, who is in his 60s, says.
Chez Frites is a French-inspired steak frites concept that seats 150, with a bar. It offers a prix-fixe menu featuring steak, salmon or lobster accompanied by fresh salad and, in a nod to the casino crowd, unlimited fries.
French-influenced offerings at Chez Frites Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort
“With Chez Frites, I wanted to create a concept that was simple—you don’t have to think too much, Starr says.” We have a great arsenal of recipes from our other French bistro concepts, like Pastis, Parc and Le Diplomate, so we decided to bring some of these classic dishes to Atlantic City.”
Sunny’s, meanwhile, focuses on comfort food—pigs in a blanket, Nutella French toast, lobster rolls and classic meatloaf—and the breakfast/lunch crowd, with an epic ocean view from the 11th floor.
Sunny’s Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort
This is not the first foray into Atlantic City for Starr, well known for his 19 Philly eateries as well as venues in New York City, Washington, D.C., Nashville and Florida. In the mid-2000s, he unveiled the Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar, as well as the pan-Asian Buddakan, in what was then the Pier Shops at Caesars.
The Continental was an extension of the original Continental, the first restaurant he opened in 1995, credited with sparking a positive change in Philadelphia’s Old City. His restaurants provided a breath of fresh air to Atlantic City diners, as the city was better known at the time for high-volume buffets than for creative fare. Both the Continental and Buddakan AC closed in 2020.
“Closing The Continental during the pandemic was hard,” Starr says. “It was a blow to me because Atlantic City is part of my childhood history and very nostalgic. That’s a big part of the reason that we jumped at the opportunity to team up with Ocean Casino Resort to open these restaurants. A piece of my heart will always be in New Jersey.”
Photo: Courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort
Ocean Casino, a beachfront resort with 1,860 rooms and suites, has been working to offer guests more than just gambling. The addition of Starr’s Chez Frites and Sunny’s is the most recent example, alongside various other dining experiences, more outdoor spaces, Exhale Spa and Bathhouse, music venues, TopGolf and various dining experiences.
The STARR Restaurant Group has also faced some controversy involving three of Starr’s six restaurants in Washington, D.C.—Le Diplomate, Osteria Mozza and The Occidental. Local 25, a D.C.-based hospitality union, has been organizing restaurant workers, claiming that Starr’s restaurants, among others, have not recognized the union. In response, several Democratic representatives have boycotted the restaurants. Starr’s organization countered that such boycotts are likely to harm the very workers they aim to protect.
