La Tapatia Restaurant. Main Street , Asbury Park. Paul Goldfinger photo. Click all photos once to enlarge.
It’s a bit dark, but I like the atmosphere. at Tapatia. Asbury Park has more Mexican restaurants per square block except for Mexico City. All photos by Paul Goldfinger . Click once to enlarge
Alejandra: Tapatia manager.
Karen. Tapatia bartender. Photos by Paul Goldfinger. Click once to enlarge.
By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger, Editors, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove. 11/4/25
We had fajitas last night Nov. 4, 2025 at Tapatia Mexican Restaurant. in Asbury Park on Main Street.
Eileen had the shrimp variety. Stephen had chicken and I had steak. The dinner included onions, peppers, rice, tortillas, terrific corn chips, 2 varieties of salsa dip, superb guacamole and sangria. It was all excellent except for the steak which was overcooked–I didn’t eat it. The shrimp were undercooked. The chicken was thinly cut and a bit well-done.
Tell the waitress how you like the protein for your order. The sangria was good, but I ordered two small drinks and got two giant goblets. Our waitress did speak English. I didn’t complain.
And the tip was included in the tab.
Very few customers were there on a Tuesday night at 6 pm. The service was mostly excellent–all female. Karen the bartender spoke no English, but that was no problem. I do love the atmosphere at Tapatia; that’s why I brought my Leica Mono camera.
Tapatia food photo by Eileen Goldfinger. Apple phone camera v.10. V 16 is better.
I seldom post critiques of my photographs, but I did enjoy this review by Stephen Goldfinger, Blogfinger staff:
“Great photos!–I particularly like the one of the bartender with the ponytail–with the arches of mirrored light behind her; she almost looks like a holy figure often seen in Catholic religious iconography/paintings, with the rings of light rising in a parabola over head; it’s almost like heavenly halos or some kind of otherworldly light encircling her–definitely a compelling photograph.”
Editor: Thank you Stephen. I am glad we sent you to the Tisch School of the Arts. (NYU). Dramatic Writing program where the tuition was also “otherworldly.” We had students from there participate in our Ocean Grove Blogfinger Film Festivals a few years ago.
MARIACHI JUAREZ: “Volver, Volver.” Allow for the pauses in the music….It’s part of the Mexican rhythms.