Beloved LBI Eatery Closed by Devastating Fire

A longtime favorite restaurant in Surf City, Long Beach Island, suffered a fire that has closed the business for at least the 2026 summer season.

Wally's, at 712 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City, posted about the fire on Facebook, saying it started as the restaurant was closing down for the night, but they are not yet sure of the cause.

Wally's Restaurant Catches Fire After Closing on Saturday

The restaurant's Facebook post said the fire broke out as staff were closing up on Saturday night.

So last night didn't go as anyone planned. While closing up the building after a wonderful Saturday night shift, a fire broke out. We are so incredibly happy to be able to share that no one from

Wally's or any of our sweet neighbors were hurt. Our beloved building, our livelihood, the framework of our Wally's family, is a different story.

The social media post states that the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are immediately unclear, but the damage is significant enough that they will be closed for a while. Wally's says it has every intention of reopening, but it doesn't know when.

A GoFundMe set up to help workers left without a job says no one was hurt in the fire, including two young restaurant staffers who ran back into the restaurant to make sure their manager was okay.

Workers Lose Jobs Just as Busy Summer Season Begins

Wally's has started a giving campaign to help workers who are suddenly out of work during what is their busiest time of the year.

But right now, our hearts are with the people who make Wally’s what it is.

If you know Long Beach Island, then you know the rhythm of life here. Our staff works tirelessly all year, but summer is everything.

These next 12 to 14 weeks are when they earn the money that helps carry them through the quieter winter months, pay off debt, support their families, and get ahead before the off-season returns.

Wally's is a Popular Surf City Restaurant

According to its website, Wally's has been a part of the Surf City community for over 50 years. It was previously known as Wally Mitchells until being taken over by the Tomko family in 2014.

The year-round restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.