Jersey Jeers

It is not very often that one finds a meal that you will rave about, but I didn't realize that it is even rarer that you come across a meal that you actually can't stand. Unfortunately this revelation occurred when I went to Barbera Fish Market in Atlantic City. Usually a dish is edible and one would expect that a place that has been open since 1919 can't be all that bad. Wrong.

Barbera is located right across from an Atlantic City landmark, White House Subs. Many a time I have seen the fish market while going to get a sub. I was curious enough to look up reviews on the web and found that they had some decent comments on the place. I decided to forgo White House for once and walked across the street.

The place looked quite interesting and is really more of a fish market that a restaurant. There are no tables inside and just a counter by the window for people to dine-in. There are some nice outdoor tables right next to the building. The place is a family owned business and is now being run by Dominic Alcaro. He was there to take my order of fish and chips and a crab cake sandwich.

While I was waiting for my order, his assistant came out from the back and asked me if I wanted it crispy. I was kind of taken aback by the question as I have never been asked that question about my fish. Thinking it meant a nice crispy coating to the fish, I said crispy would be fine. I got my order a few minutes late and took it back to my room to eat.

When I opened up the container, I found out that crispy meant burnt. The fish and chips consisted of seven small fish squares. Each piece was smaller than a chicken McNugget and had a very thin corn meal coating on them. The fish was dry as toast and had a very strong fishy taste. Even submerging them in tartar sauce could not help and I ended up throwing away most of the fish. The fries were quite mediocre but edible. The best part of the meal was the cole slaw which isn't really saying much.


Since I didn't eat much of the fish and chips I was still hungry enough to eat the crab cake. At least the crab cake wasn't that bad. It was 4 inches wide and had mostly filler with bits of crab. Nothing like the lump crab cakes you get in Baltimore but then again for only $3 I wasn't expecting much. If I had only eaten the sandwich I would have given the place 1 star, but the fish and chips was the worst fish and chips I have ever eaten and rates a zero.


This got me thinking about other "worst" meals and that is when it dawned on me that it is easier for me to remember the "best" meals than the worst. Most meals are at least OK and I would eat there again if I was at least in the area. But in this case, I would make a detour to avoid the place.

I really wanted to like the place as the history of the place is kind of interesting. They are the last fish store in the city and have been around for over 80 years. About 5 years ago, the city wanted to take over the small building to put up some more stores but they fought the city by getting over 2,500 signatures in support of the business and won. Why the city would choose that little area when there are dozens of vacant lots around town that they could have selected didn't make sense.

Maybe I shouldn't be too harsh as the people working there were quite friendly, the decor of the place is something out of the 50's with old pictures and newspaper clippings on the walls as well as fake seafood. There is even a personalized signed picture of Elton John on the wall. It does seem that there are people that do like the place and I also did say that I preferred crispy not knowing it meant well-done fish. Maybe my fish and chips was an aberration but it was definitely the worst I have ever eaten and it is so much easier to cross the street to get a great sandwich.