The Varsity on 8th Street

One of our favorite spots in the summer and all winter too is the Varsity on 8th Street. We love the menu and the young folks who work there really know how to work. I guess we are not alone because except in the dead of the winter, we always have to wait to get in!

Back in the late winter they started a renovation project on the whole building which closed the place down but there was a sign that said they%26#39;d be back in the spring. Well, we watched it all spring into Memorial Day weekend and it was still closed. The last time we were in OC was two weeks ago today and it was still closed and frankly looked no closer to being done than it did Memorial Day.

Anyone know if it%26#39;s still like that and what their story is?? It looked to be an incredible business and I can not imagine being out of business for this long was part of the plan.

The Varsity on 8th Street

Hi Frank,

We always go to the Varsity when we are in OC too. As of the last week of June, they were still not open. We thought the food, service and prices were great. I hope it will be open soon.

The Varsity on 8th Street

Thanks for the update...hoped they might be closer to returning but I guess not. We%26#39;ll be down on the 22nd for 3 weeks and see how it progresses. I hope they will be back....many folks must be missing meals there!

My friend was there yesterday - still closed.

OH no not the Varsity! That is our traditional breakfast spot. We are headed to OCNJ Saturday. Can anyone suggested a similar breakfast place besides the Chatterbox? Is the place really going to reopen?

Yes, we too are very upset! As we get to the end of our 3 weeks in OC construction continues on the Varsity and the entire building. Over the past couple of weeks work has progressed on the restaurant part and it looks like it is getting closer to completion...but it ain%26#39;t opening very soon.

I can not imagine this was planned and local friends we%26#39;ve talked too figure that something unplanned must have come up to delay the progress. The sign still says opening spring 2006, but I fear most if not all the season will be over before it opens.

Oh well, perhaps when our rentals end n September!

We drove by yesterday on the way out of town and the restaurant looks very close to being ready while the upper part of the building still needs work.

We hoped we might get to have lunch yesterday before we left town but it was not to be...hopefully when our rentals are over in mid September.

Well, we finally got to go back to the Varsity!

They opened one week after we%26#39;d left in August so we were happy to get to go for lunch on a recent weekend in OC. The place looks totally different and you%26#39;ll have to decide if you like this better or not, but the menu is exactly the same so if you liked the choices before, you%26#39;ll still like them! Oh, and the Baked Jersey Tomato soup is still as good as ever!!

Hours are still only till 2PM daily so this is a breakfast and or lunch place only.

Thanks for the update Frank. I have a question...wasn%26#39;t Varsity Inn open for dinner before?

Only in the summer months...the rest of the year they were a 7-2 establishment.

Only in the summer months...the rest of the year they were a 7-2 establishment.