Seaside Heights & Seaside Park

LAST CALL: Bamboo Bar, of ‘Jersey Shore’ Fame, Under Demolition in Seaside Heights

by
Daniel Nee
October 30, 2021

A bar that made Seaside Heights famous long before Snooki was old enough to drink, Bamboo Bar is no more. Mostly, at least.

The once-booming nightclub owned by local businessman John Saddy went bankrupt and was sold at auction last year alongside its sister-club, Karma, which was even more prominently displayed in the hit MTV series “Jersey Shore.”

The Bamboo Bar in Seaside Heights, N.J., under demolition, Oct. 29, 2021. (Photo: Daniel Nee/Shorebeat)

Last summer, at auction, the winning $1.2 million bid for the property was submitted by Robert Veloso, who has developed several properties in Long Branch and Asbury Park. Veloso’s bid was below the initial minimum bid set at $1.5 million. This week, Daunno Realty, the company marketing the property for development, touted a proposal to build a mixed-use development with retail on the first floor, then five additional floors which would include 48 condominiums. The condominium portion would be luxurious in style, a statement from the company said, with a pool, gym and private glassed-in areas with scenic views.

The Bamboo Bar in Seaside Heights, N.J., under demolition, Oct. 29, 2021. (Photo: Daniel Nee/Shorebeat)

Saddy Family LLC filed for bankruptcy after numerous troubles with the nightclubs, including the non-renewal of Karma’s liquor license and a ban on “18 to party, 21 to drink” specials where Seaside Heights said underage drinking and drug use had occurred.

The Bamboo Bar in Seaside Heights, N.J., under demolition, Oct. 29, 2021. (Photo: Daniel Nee/Shorebeat)

The Karma property’s future has yet to be determined. Saddy owned Bamboo, Karma and Merge – all nightclubs along the Boulevard. Karma was infamously featured heavily on MTV’s “Jersey Shore” while the show aired, but began to see its popularity dwindle after Superstorm Sandy and a concerted effort by Seaside Heights officials to change the image of the community from what was portrayed on MTV to a more family-friendly, modern and higher-end town. The Merge site is now owned by local businessman Robert Bennett and has been declared an area in need of redevelopment, a legal designation that will allow borough officials to have a say in its future.