SOMERS POINT – Gregory’s Bar and Restaurant puts the "family" in family business, as the establishment is now run by fourth-generation brothers Joe and Paul Gregory and their two wives, Amanda and Carrie.
In 1929, the building was operated as the Davis Hotel, a fully functioning hotel that doubled as a brothel and held a speakeasy in the cellar during The Prohibition.
The Davis Hotel functioned until 1946 when a summer resident by the name of Walter Gregory came down from Philadelphia and purchased the place for his two sons, Walter and Elmer.
The family renamed the spot Gregory’s Hotel and operated the place as a hotel, minus the brothel, but the brothers did keep the basement cellar bar. In 1950, the brothers then decided to move that bar upstairs to attract more business.
Once the bar was moved, Gregory's become a popular neighborhood tavern and in 1979, a new generation of Gregory men took over. Elmer’s son Gregory and Walter’s Son, Walt took over the business and made it into the Gregory’s we know now.
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The family likes to keep as much of the bar's old history intact as an acknowledgement of its history. The bar in the main dining room is the original bar that was used in the Davis Hotel cellar bar. The mirrors lining the walls are even the same ones that were once used to decorate the rooms when the hotel was in business. Old photos depicting what the building looked like during each transition of ownership line the walls.
With four different dining spots, Gregory’s can provide a vibe for any occasion. The main dining room offers a quieter, more formal dining presence, while the main bar can get a little noisy as patrons sit back and watch sporting events.
There are also two outdoor sections that customers can enjoy during early spring until late fall. The Porch and The Backyard have a separate outside menu. Each of the four dining options have their own full bar, allowing for customers to be served no matter where they decide to sit for the night.
One of the most popular nights at Gregory’s is Taco Tuesday, which was started by Gregory in 1979 after he and Walt took over.
“I was at a shopping center in Philly and I saw a line at the food court for food I had never even heard of. I realized this is what the people want and wanted to bring it to Gregory’s,” Greg said.
After coming back and telling his idea to add tacos to the menu, Greg says that no one else was on board.
“I still wanted to serve them so I said fine give me one of the slower nights where I can serve these,” Greg said, “I said, give me Tuesday.”
Gregory’s is home to the original saying of “Taco Tuesday” and patented this phrase in 1982. Now years later, Taco Tuesday has proven so popular that the bar also serves tacos on Thursdays.
Other than the tacos, Carrie Gregory says that the bar and restaurant are “known for our award winning burgers, soups and home of the affordable lobster.”
In the spirit of providing events and fun for the community, the main dining room, Backyard and Porch can all three be rented out for private parties with customized menus for all occasions.
While history runs deep in the building, so does family as Gregory’s continues to provide the community with a family and hometown feel. Stop in to get a history lesson, see the strong family ties and enjoy some food at Gregory’s soon.
