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13 Best Bars In Ocean County For Cocktails, Cold Beer, & Good Times

By Robyn Lane

13 Best Bars In Ocean County For Cocktails, Cold Beer & Good Times.

We all have our favorite restaurants and watering holes to grab a cocktail. Every now and again you want to change it up.
You want to break out of your routine and find a cool place you have not either heard of or explored yet.

Friends and coworkers are always a good source of information when it comes to looking for new places.

You know me, If I’m not asking listeners or coworkers, I’m asking people on social media sites and message boards for their opinions on where to go for certain foods, beverages, and desserts.

Even though you trust someone else’s opinion, sometimes their suggestion winds up being not so great.

For instance, Bruce and I had dinner at a place that a friend swore was one of the best places near her town to grab a meal.

After a year of hearing her tell us a thousand times to try this place, we finally made our way there.

Let me tell you, it was one of the worst meals we have ever had. The food was over-cooked, and tasteless, but I will say, the service was very good, and the restaurant was lovely.

We never told our friend that we dined at her suggested place because we don’t want to hurt her feelings.

We’re usually easy to please, and even food that is just “so-so”, it will never set us off or launch us into “Karen” mode. We just won’t go back.

I try to never write a negative review because I specifically write these listicles to highlight small businesses. I like to give them a boost, I’m interested in spreading positive vibes and offering great suggestions for places to eat, drink, and have fun.

If I hear a place sucks more than enough times, I will never write about them. I’ll just go on my merry way and pass along suggestions that get a lot of positive feedback.

I’m going to give you a list based mostly on other people’s suggestions and include a few of my own.

I’m going to hit up the places I think I’d enjoy in the next few months.

Let’s take a journey through Ocean County to find some of the coolest places that offer great cocktails.

  • Amendment 21 - 521 Arnold Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742

    I had the pleasure of meeting up with friends here back in December to celebrate our friend Steve’s birthday. I loved the little tequila bar at the top of the stairs. The bartender was friendly and knew his boutique tequila brands by heart.

    Downstairs is the restaurant with a very cool laid back vibe. There were 10 of us and we had a blast at this place. The food and service were great ! The wings are wickedly good, and my burger was cooked exactly the way I asked.
    Zero complaints from the 9 other dinner guests. I highly recommend this place for it’s unique spin on comfort foods and the insane line of craft beers. It’s no wonder they won the WRAT 2023 Shore Award For The Best Beer List on the shore.

  • 10 South Martini Lounge & Wine Bar -Located in: Sea Shell Resort and Beach Club -10 S Atlantic Ave, Beach Haven, NJ 08008

    Inside the Sea Shell Resort on the beach in Beach Haven is this lovely martini lounge and wine bar with a fabulous specialty drink menu, cold brew cocktails, a variety of beers, and a menu of after dinner drink selections. The resort is open to the public.

    For those who are guests at the resort:. Relax on our private, palm-tree lined sand beach on one of our lounge chairs or around our two large rectangle fire pits. Listen to live entertainment while our staff caters to your food & beverage needs.

  • Red Fox Beach Bar & Grill - Shore Rd, Seaside Park, NJ 08752

    The Red Fox Bar & Grill is one of the Jersey Shore’s favorite Hot Spots. Steps away from the beautiful white sand beaches of Island Beach State Park. Grab one of their fabulous tropical cocktails to go with their scratch made dishes. Rum Buckets, Mules, specialty cocktails and a relaxing time are here at Red Fox.

    Red Fox Beach Bar & Grill

  • B2 Bistro + Bar - : 1250 Hooper Ave, Toms River, NJ 08753

    I love the bartenders at this place. Last time I was here, the lady behind the bar (I think her name was Jess or Jenn) was attentive and made killer drinks for us . My Bourbon with  peach nectar cocktail was absolute perfection. The apps are very good, especially the wings. We shared a couple of orders.

  • Chef Mike's ABG - 10 24th Central Ave, Seaside Park, NJ 08752

    Cocktails with ocean views on a Friday after work, that’s my kind of scenario. Add a bunch of seafood from the raw bar, and maybe one of Chef Mike’s brilliant dishes, and you have the start to a perfect weekend.

     

  • The Edge -109 N County Line Rd, Jackson Township, NJ 08527

    I’ve been here several times. The bar is chic and the cocktail menu is fabulous. Busy bartenders skilled at making great drinks, and the food is very good. They have a nice mocktail menu for your designated driver or the non drinker in your party. The Margaritas and the selection of tequilas are on point.

  • Toms River Brewing - 1540 NJ-37, Toms River, NJ 08755

    Kevin’s review says it perfectly:

    “Very cool brewery in a great location near the shore. Ample indoor and outdoor seating, and a very relaxed atmosphere. The barkeeps were incredibly pleasant ladies who were well informed about the beers and very chatty which is awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the Forbidden Fruit and Hibernian Dry Irish Stout and I rated them 4/5 on Untapped. The guys I was there with said the IPAs were really good too. Well worth a few hours to enjoy some good beers and a great small business.”

    The guys at my radio station hang at this place and they love it. They have live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Hit the website here for more info.

  • River Rock Restaurant & Marina Bar - 1600 NJ-70, Brick Township, NJ 08724

    Drive into the parking lot or dock your boat and grab a cocktail or beer from the bar and grab a seat outside or inside if you prefer. The food is good, the drinks are great, and the entertainment is always fun. I enjoy the burgers and the roasted clams here. If you follow sports, this is actually a sports bar with lots of TV’s playing your favorite sporting events.

     

  • Half Moon Point Tavern & Grill - 2154 Bridge Ave, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742

    Have a drink with friends at a choice of 2 bars with a beautiful open space. They have a large selection of global and domestic wine and beer. 12 beers on tap including 6 rotating craft beers. The cocktails are divine, ask about the blueberry vodka cocktail called the “Honey Bee.”  It’s my first choice.

    Enjoy Happy Hour weekdays until 6, weekends until 5.

    Enjoy a steak, a burger, or fresh seafood from the raw bar.

     

     

     

     

  • Shogun Legacy - 1536 N Bay Ave, Toms River, NJ 08753 Located at the Bea Lea Golf Course

    Sit inside at their large modern bar or enjoy your cocktails and food on the outdoor patio deck. I love it here. The food and cocktails are stellar.

    They have an extensive cocktail menu too.

     

     

  • Windward Tavern - 292 Princeton Ave, Brick Township, NJ 08724

    Tucked away in a nice neighborhood, this place is a great stop after work to grab a bite and a cocktail with friends. My friends, Rosie & Joe are frequent guests here and they rave about the food.

    I’ve been here several times myself, and I agree with Rosie and Joe. Good people, good food, and really good drinks. They also have outdoor seating if you want to catch some rays and live entertainment.

     

     

  • Klee's Bar & Grill - 101 Boulevard, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751

    One of my favorite places to grab a drink and a bar pie. Get the Great White with extra garlic along with your cocktail or beverage of choice. It’s always a party at Klee’s. Never a bad time, and the service is pretty solid too.

  • Drifters of Seaside - 701 Boulevard, Seaside Heights, NJ 08751

    This seasonal joint has a cool beachy vibe, if that’s your thing, then this is your spot. Raw bar, signature cocktails, and a great menu that features Avocado Fries, Crunchy Korean Fried Chicken Wings, Tuna Poke and other unique offerings.

    Drifters also serves a weekend brunch with dishes like: Dulce De Leche Coconut Pancakes, Breakfast Tacos, and Chili Avocado Toast.

    Indoor & Outdoor Seating Available.

    Check out the events calendar for live music events.

     

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