Flip Flopz: 5 things you need to know

1 Flip Flopz opened in 2007 and immediately gave North Wildwood's entertainment district some added flair to its high-spirited nightlife scene. The first floor bar, second story poolside lounge called Tiki Topz and the connected 24-room resort called Champagne Island that would come shortly after make for a commanding presence on the corner of Spruce and Old New Jersey avenues that is a must-see party destination year-round.

2 When the Mahoney family decided to knock down and rebuild on a site that held several other bars in the past, they wanted to start something distinctive and fun. They came up with a concept based on the idea that the Wildwoods should have a location as attractive as the seaside resorts they love closer to the equator. "We tried to take all the things that we enjoyed at other venues and bring them here with that Caribbean flare," says Joe Mahoney Sr. The imported exotic plants, island-inspired menu and laid-back atmosphere are all indicative of the venue's intent to provide "Caribbean fun in the Angelsea Sun," as its motto goes.

3 The first level bar is everything from restaurant to sports bar to crazy dance club with live music, depending on the time and day. During the summer, any time is really a good time, with regular bands including cover acts such as Chatterband, Don't Call Me Francis, The Rockets, Split Decision, Drop Dead Sexy and Slamm Band. During the off-season, the bar brings in mainly live DJs such as DJ Johnny Vee on Fridays and Saturdays.

4 While there's a lot of fun to be had at the venue, don't overlook its menu. For breakfast, lunch or a pre-game meal, the bar offers dishes with standards above the typical bar fare. Start off with some coconut shrimp, have the crab cake sandwich it's best known for or try out any of the about 20 appetizers.

5 Flip Flopz only closes three days a year - Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas. That means it is not only open for any weekly adventure, but also all the other holidays and special weekends of the year. For Irish Weekend, it has live Irish music, DJs and add several bars to Tiki Topz. For Halloween, it will have a costume contest and the winners get a tropical vacation. And for all NFL Sundays it has half-priced appetizers and $2 domestic beers while showing the game on their 18 HD TVs.

The Scene

Heard on a Saturday night: Between band sets, DJs played all the latest pop and hip-hop hits. When the band returned, it rocked out with some modern alternative rock and threw in some tried-and-true crowd favorites, including "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi and "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard.

Scene at midnight: Groups of people aged 30 and older sat on bar stools around the bar, chatting with the bartender and laughing, while a younger crowd grabbed drinks and whisked them away onto the dance floor. People still streamed in on a warm night, scoping out the crowd as they weaved their way through to find friends. The band played against the back wall, and the crowd was shoulder-to-shoulder in front of them and at least 20 people deep, all grooving in their own way.

Coming Up

Friday: DJ, 9 p.m.

Saturday: DJ, 9 p.m.

Oct. 28: DJ, 9 p.m.

Oct. 29: Annual Halloween Party; DJ, 9 p.m.

Vitals

What: Flip Flopz Beach Bar & Grill

Where: Spruce and Old New Jersey avenues, North Wildwood

Season: Year-round

Days/Hours: Seven days: Summer, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Winter, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Size: Two stories, 13,000 square feet

Capacity: 1,000 people

Cover: $5 during summer on nights with entertainment

Dress code: Casual

Drinks: Starts at $3.50 for light beers, $4.25 for mixed drinks and $5 for shots

Weekly drink specials: $2 beer bottles and drafts on Sundays

Demographic: All ages

Online: www.flipflopzbarandgrill.com

History

Club owners: Joe Mahoney Sr. and Joe Mahoney Jr.

Debuted: September 2007

The look: Inside a towering white and yellow structure is a modern, clean, spacious interior on the first level, with four bars, rows of TVs and dimmed hanging lights. Upstairs is a pool, a tiki bar, rows of chairs and a view over the railing that reveals the ocean as well as the street scene below.

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