Atlantic City Bar & Grill, Atlantic City - 3 STARS out of 4

Located in the heart of the city, Atlantic City Bar & Grill sets the standard for what this type of establishment should be in all regards: upbeat atmosphere, great food, reasonable prices, and fast and friendly service. TVs are everywhere, and a classic-rock soundtrack adds to the rhythm that permeates all over.

It's a favorite spot among locals, tourists and celebrities, as evidenced by the pictures that plaster the walls. From Jerry Lewis to Paris Hilton, there is a plethora of memorabilia to commemorate their visits to Atlantic City throughout the decades.

In staying true to its roots, our meal started with Italian bread from Formica Bakery, which has been providing fresh bread to area establishments for more than sixty years. We expected nothing else, and we quickly devoured it.

We invited another couple to dine with us, and while we waited for our appetizers our server delivered house salads that came with two of our entrees. Romaine and iceberg lettuces tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, cucumbers, tomatoes, black olives, sweet pickled peppers and croutons made a basic-but-bountiful and surprisingly good salad.

Great clams casino

The clams casino ($9) had eight pieces brimming with chopped clams, minced onions and red and green peppers topped with good-sized slices of bacon. Each bite was hot, juicy and absolutely yummy.

The fried shrimp in a basket ($9) was probably not meant to be eaten as a starter, but we had to try it nonetheless. It came with a half-pound of perfectly cooked, large shrimp coated with crispy breading and served over a mound of French fries sprinkled with the restaurant's own blend of seafood seasoning. The greaseless shrimp tasted just as good with a squeeze of fresh lemon as they tasted dipped into cocktail sauce. A must try!

The raw oysters on the half-shell ($6) lacked the sweetness of others we've had. Even though we were a bit disappointed, we can't blame the chef for their bland flavor. Perhaps the next batch will be better.

Our dinners received high marks all around. The "award-winning ribs" ($10) were, indeed, worthy of the title. A half-rack of baby ribs bathed in sweet, smoky barbecue sauce had tender meat that fell off the bone. We liked the sauce a lot, but thought there was slightly too much of it. Seasoned fries also came with this meal.

A 1 1/2-pound Maine lobster ($20) arrived steamed and served with a delicious seasoned baked potato that was especially nice with a dollop of sour cream. There is nothing fancy about steamed lobster, and that's what we liked about it -- a classic preparation served with drawn butter and lemon.

Zuppa di pesce ($24), a traditional Italian seafood stew, had a mountain of shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and crabmeat presented in red sauce (our choice over white sauce) and was served over al dente linguini. It's difficult to cook different types of crustaceans together without overcooking something, as was the case in this otherwise-impressive dish. Unfortunately, the shrimp and scallops were compromised in the effort, our only quibble.

The steak and cake ($26) proved to be the winner. A New York Strip steak, cooked medium-rare, had textbook flavor and consistency -- everything you'd want a steak to be. One large cornmeal-crusted crab cake was packed with lump crabmeat and very little filler. Although it needed more seasoning, this crab cake qualifies as one of the most substantial around. Excellent fresh asparagus accompanied the platter.

We shared a couple of a la carte vegetables and both were cooked just right and tasted fantastic: broccoli with garlic and oil and sauteed domestic mushrooms.

There wasn't much of a dessert selection, so we had the only two offered: a cannoli ($3.50) and chocolate ice cream topped with cookie crumbles and chocolate sauce ($5). Together they satisfied our after-dinner sweet craving.

The eat-in only menu says "absolutely no take-outs." According to our server, it is so busy in the summer that there is no time for coffee service at night. If you are in the mood to have a leisurely dessert with coffee, you'll have to stop somewhere else on the way home. Your table is needed for the next party, which will typically wait an hour to be seated.

The pace of service remained speedy and efficient, yet we never felt rushed. Our server was especially friendly and proficient in a very casual environment. I suspect that all of the staff is skillfully trained and that the turnover is minimal, which makes it all the more reason to return.

Hands down, Atlantic City Bar and Grill is simply the best of its kind. (Taylor Yarborough is the pseudonym of a southern New Jersey food writer. Write to Yarborough c/o Food Editor James Clark at jclark@pressofac.com. Restaurant-ratings guide: 4 stars, extraordinary; 3 stars, excellent; 2 stars, good; 1 star, fair; 0 stars, poor.)

Atlantic City Bar & Grill Pacific & South Carolina avenues Atlantic City
Phone: 609-348-8080
Web site: www.acbarandgrill.com
Hours: Serving food from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. daily. Dinner service ends at 11 p.m. Bar open all night.
Liquor license: Yes
Credit cards: All major
Disabled access: Yes
Price range: Appetizers $4 to $12, entrees $10 to $27.
Our bill for two: $84.50