Tom's Restaurant and Fish Market, Cliffwood

 

Tom's Restaurant and Fish Market was closed and under fundamental renovation when I took these pictures along Route 35 North in April 2011. That big Cliffwood fire was just across the street. You'll be happy to know that the reeds are all back. The only signs of that fire are a few charred saplings that stand above the crowd.

As for news of what is up with the property, I couldn't find anything. The web is full of mostly useless commercial re-listings for the restaurant, with only a few noting that it is closed. Aberdeen Township has no mention of Tom's anywhere on its website, so they've evidently not filed with one of the boards. I found another picture of the construction, much like mine, with a caption that also asked about the restaurant's status. That picture had a bunch of workers, at least. I found a remembrance or two of childhood stops at Tom's on the way to the shore.

If anyone knows what is happening with this property, kindly add a comment to this article.