The shift had gone perfectly. Tables were cleared, the kitchen was clean, and the last guests had gone home happy. Then, as staff at Wally’s Restaurant in Surf City were finishing their closing routine Saturday night — fire broke out.
No one was hurt. But the restaurant that has fed Long Beach Island locals and summer visitors for more than 50 years is gone — at least for now.
Two Workers Ran Back In
In the chaos after the fire was discovered, two young employees sprinted back inside the building to make sure their manager had gotten out safely. Everyone made it out. The building did not fare as well.
The restaurant confirmed on Facebook that the damage is significant — significant enough that Wally’s will be closed for the entire 2026 summer season. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Worst Possible Timing for Staff
For the workers who depend on Wally’s, the timing couldn’t be more devastating. Summer is everything on Long Beach Island — the 12 to 14 weeks between Memorial Day and Labor Day are when restaurant staff earn the bulk of their annual income.
It’s money that carries them through the slow winter months, helps pay off debt, and supports their families. In a single night, all of that vanished.
A GoFundMe has been launched to help the suddenly unemployed workers get through the season they’ve now lost.
An LBI Institution for Over 50 Years
Wally’s has been part of the Surf City community since the 1970s, originally known as Wally Mitchells before the Tomko family took over in 2014. Located at 712 Long Beach Blvd, it’s a year-round spot — rare on the island — serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to locals who count on it well past Labor Day.
“Our beloved building, our livelihood, the framework of our Wally’s family,” the restaurant wrote on Facebook, “is a different story.”
What’s Next
Wally’s says it fully intends to reopen — but cannot say when. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire. In the meantime, the community has begun rallying behind the staff who lost their summer in a single night.
If you want to support Wally’s workers, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up for those left without income this summer season.
