Whatever Happened to Zaberer’s in North Wildwood?

Whatever Happened to Zaberer’s in North Wildwood?

If you spent any time in the Wildwoods decades ago, there are certain names that immediately bring back memories.

Old rides. Motels that are no longer here. Restaurants your family went to every summer.

And then there was Zaberer’s.

For generations of Wildwood vacationers, Zaberer’s Restaurant was more than just a place to grab dinner. It was an experience, and at its height, it became one of the most recognizable restaurants at the Jersey Shore.

Even today, mention the name Zaberer’s to someone who vacationed here during its heyday and there is a good chance they have a story to tell.

So, whatever happened to Zaberer’s?

The Rise of a Wildwood Institution

The man behind the restaurant was Ed Zaberer, a larger-than-life Wildwood personality who became almost as famous as the restaurant itself.

Zaberer understood something about the Wildwoods that many of the area’s most successful business owners understood during the resort’s golden years: people weren’t coming here just to eat, sleep and sit on the beach.

They wanted an experience.

And Zaberer’s certainly gave them one.

Over the years, the restaurant grew into a massive operation capable of serving huge numbers of vacationers during the busy summer season.

At its peak, published accounts say Zaberer’s employed roughly 350 people and could accommodate around 1,000 diners throughout multiple dining rooms.

Think about that for a second.

A restaurant serving around 1,000 people at a time in North Wildwood.

That gives you an idea of just how big this place was.

But size wasn’t the only thing that made Zaberer’s famous.

You Didn’t Just Go There for the Food

Zaberer’s was known for its unusual and elaborate interior.

The restaurant featured different rooms, lounges, antiques and decorations that made walking through the building part of the experience.

There were multiple dining rooms and lounges, and even areas designed to entertain children.

This was the era when restaurants weren’t necessarily trying to look sleek or minimalist.

The goal was almost the exact opposite.

You wanted people to walk through the doors and say, “Wow.”

Zaberer’s did exactly that.

The restaurant became such a part of the Wildwood vacation experience that families returned year after year.

For many visitors, eating there became a tradition just like walking the Boardwalk, riding the rides or spending the day on the beach.

And Ed Zaberer knew how to promote it.

He became known around the Wildwoods as the “Toast of the Coast,” helping turn both himself and his restaurant into local celebrities.

The End of Zaberer’s

Unfortunately, like so many legendary Wildwood businesses, Zaberer’s would eventually disappear.

The Wildwoods began changing dramatically during the latter part of the 20th century.

The way families vacationed changed. Dining habits changed. Some of the enormous restaurants and entertainment venues that once thrived here struggled to survive.

Zaberer’s eventually closed, bringing an end to one of the Wildwoods’ most memorable dining institutions.

Then, in June 1992, the former restaurant was struck by a massive four-alarm fire.

The fire effectively brought the story of the famous Zaberer’s building to an end.

But more than three decades later, the name hasn’t disappeared.

Why People Still Remember Zaberer’s

That’s probably the most interesting part of this entire story.

Buildings disappear all the time in the Wildwoods.

Restaurants close. Motels get demolished. Attractions are replaced.

Yet every once in a while, there is a place that becomes so intertwined with people’s summer memories that it never really goes away.

Zaberer’s is one of those places.

It represents a very different era of the Wildwoods, when enormous restaurants, flashy signs, themed dining rooms and larger-than-life personalities were all part of a Shore vacation.

Today, we can look at old photographs and advertisements and get a small glimpse of what it was like.

But for the people who actually walked through those doors, Zaberer’s isn’t just Wildwood history.

It’s part of their family’s history.

And that’s why, more than 30 years after the building disappeared, we’re still talking about it.

Now we want to hear from you.

Did you ever eat at Zaberer’s? What do you remember about it, and what was your favorite thing to order?