Playground Pier Reviews Summary

Shopping Experience

Pros:

• "They have a cool water fountain display in the back you can watch that goes to music."
• "Very pleasant shopping and dining experience - one of the few locations one can shelter from rain with a wonderful view, as well as seating!"
• "The shops we were able to go into had fun items and souvenirs."
• "It's a nice spot in the AC that sits almost directly on the water."
• "A shopping mall with a bunch of different stores like clothing stores, candy store, sneaker store, and some REALLY good restaurants upstairs on the third floor."
• "The mall itself is well laid out and all the stores were friendly and offered good service."
• "Great place to take a break from the sun and get awesome views of the shore."

Cons:

• "It feels like a ghost town to be honest."
• "I don't know why this is still listed as 'shopping'. There are only a couple of stores left here."
• "Dollar store items where we paid 10$ more for said items."
• "Most stores are closed permanently."
• "Practically all the stores aren't in business."
• "Everything was too expensive and 75% of the stores were either closed or empty."
• "Used to be a bustling place but 90% of stores are vacant."

Accessibility & Layout

Pros:

• "The top floor has some restaurants that looked like they have some upscale options as well as plenty of peaceful seating overlooking the ocean."
• "Best part of the pier is the top floor. 4 restaurant and classic beach chairs for you to sit in to look out over the ocean, beach and boardwalk."
• "The view from the long, beach-facing window at the upper level is just breathtaking and really made our visit worth it."
• "But the view of the beach at the end is awesome and a good place to sit in air-conditioned comfort on the Upper Floor."
• "Beautiful elevated views of the Atlantic City and beach in an enclosed glass 'pier' that is safe, air conditioned, protected from the elements."
• "Nice view of AC on the 3rd floor."
• "They put chairs at the windows all along the mall so people can take in the view."

Cons:

• "The single elevator was hidden toward the back with no signage, making it difficult for those who cannot use the escalator."
• "This mall was clean, but not designed to allow much natural light in, making it very dark."
• "The deck out the back was locked, and they took away the sand that used to be by the beach chairs that looked out the Southern windows."
• "It's just Bars and restaurants. There's no place for the kids to eat."
• "Everything kid oriented in this 'mall' is gone."
• "The same security guard started telling the couple in abrasive tone that they couldn’t take pictures of the building inside."
• "And security will constantly give you menacing stairs letting you know that they don't want you in there."

Dining Experience

Pros:

• "Great restaurants also. Phillips and Suchi place has great service and food."
• "Our favorite go-to place is for sushi and a view."
• "They also have great places to eat at including Phillips (seafood), The continental (American), Buddakan (Asian), Souzai sushi & sake (Asian) and Piazza Di Giorgio cafe (international)."
• "Every single restaurant is outstanding."
• "Check out Budakan and Continental."
• "Nice restaurants."
• "For the most part this was a ghost town but up on the third floor is a little gem of a grouping of eateries where the happy hour drinks are delicious and the food specials even better."

Cons:

• "Food sat out in buffet trays for hours, being called fresh food and customer service was ill-mannered."
• "All the restaurants were closed inside as well."
• "Not at all worth the visit unless you have reservations at one of the 3 or 4 overpriced eateries on the third floor."
• "Restaurants are closed also."
• "The restaurants upstairs are still open the sushi bar upstairs is still open through the comedy club that's open only certain nights."
• "We had dinner at the Continental my grand son was celebrating his 15th birthday and only wanted waffles."
• "Check out the restaurants one the third floor. Great views and excellent food."

Overall Atmosphere

Pros:

• "It’s such a beautiful mall. The third floor has great views."
• "Pretty cool place w Candy EVERYWHERE!"
• "The views from the chairs sitting on the sides were spectacular!!"
• "Awesome views."
• "Great view of beach and ocean everywhere."
• "You can rest in chairs and view boardwalk and the ocean."
• "I loved the gorgeous views of the beach from the top floor sitting on the beach chairs and the end of the enclosed pier."

Cons:

• "This place used to be lively and full of people at all times of the day. Now it's almost a ghost town most of the time."
• "Overall, another great location with absolutely great potential that has been left abandoned and empty."
• "The atmosphere of the Pier is becoming more and more desolate."
• "Now it's more like a ghost town."
• "The overall atmosphere of the mall also felt a bit like a ghosttown."
• "It's a shame that there are only 2 stores open in this entire mall."
• "Looked abandoned and empty when I visited a few nights ago."

Management & Future Potential

Pros:

• "Has the potential to be a great mall."
• "I hope they can get it together and make better use of the space one day."
• "I don't know what they are going to do with this building, but what a wonderful place to reimagine."
• "I hope more places open up here and it becomes busy again because it's honestly a really nice building and has a nice ambience."
• "Has the ingredients to be the hippest spot on the boardwalk if they can pull everything together."
• "If only Atlantic City would invest some money into this building they would easily bring it back to life!!!"
• "Whatever is done here must be safe, clean and inclusive."

Cons:

• "The people in charge of this place should be ashamed of themselves."
• "A shell of itself from not even all that long ago."
• "It makes me wonder how high they raised the rents to chase away all the businesses!"
• "This place needs some TLC or just knock it down."
• "Property management should be fired."
• "It just seems like a case of mistaken identity and that probably won't change any time soon without some better management of offerings, some building improvements, and a new marketing scheme."
• "I think this area of NJ won't ever come back as it seems the money has dried up, I give it a few years until it's abandoned and an eyesore."