Dining on this crowded outdoor patio can be immensely entertaining, especially on weekends when the passing crowd parade turns into a virtual freak show.

The inside is a little dingy, which is why the long wait for a table on the patio is doable. Why sit inside, anyway? No TV show can compare to the scene outside on the boardwalk. Breakfast, lunch and dinner fare runs the gamut: omelettes, an array of cleverly-titled burgers and sandwiches, pizza, pasta. You name it, they probably have it. Sidewalk Cafe is also a great spot for a plate of nachos and a cold beer. —Lesley Balla