OT: Your Favorite Neighborhood Bar in NJ
- Thread starter Proud NJ Sports Fan
- Start date
Agreed. This is one of our go tos when we want to grab a casual bite and watch some games.
Red Bank - the Globe Hotel. I saw this mentioned earlier and agree the dive atmosphere is appealing.
Sea Bright - Mad Hatter. Also dive like and best avoided late but can watch games and enjoy the atmosphere
Rumson - Barnacle Bill's. Great view but it gets points off though since they got rid of the peanuts years ago. I'd rather go around the corner to the speakeasy inspired......(not sharing this hidden gem). Also, shout out to the retired Hook Line & Sinker which would make my list if still around.
Highlands - a lot of the highlands flavor that made the bar scene so great is missing now. Off the Hook is still a good spot with a great view. The old Wind and Sea would have gotten my vote here and the new Proving Ground that took over still is on the water looking out at Sandy Hook. They have sports on but is a bit fancier and more expensive. Worth checking out for sure but not the perfect vibe for a game.
Sea Bright - Mad Hatter. Also dive like and best avoided late but can watch games and enjoy the atmosphere
Rumson - Barnacle Bill's. Great view but it gets points off though since they got rid of the peanuts years ago. I'd rather go around the corner to the speakeasy inspired......(not sharing this hidden gem). Also, shout out to the retired Hook Line & Sinker which would make my list if still around.
Highlands - a lot of the highlands flavor that made the bar scene so great is missing now. Off the Hook is still a good spot with a great view. The old Wind and Sea would have gotten my vote here and the new Proving Ground that took over still is on the water looking out at Sandy Hook. They have sports on but is a bit fancier and more expensive. Worth checking out for sure but not the perfect vibe for a game.
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall in AC. Strong tap list and excellent wings.
I'm not a fan of seafood, so I'd probably not go to eat myself.
I will say, I had two or three glasses of iced tea, this was early evening, and was so wired I couldn't get to sleep until 6am the next day. And I habitually drink a lot of caffeine. Only got about 3 hours sleep so I felt pretty awful the next day. But I'll go back at some point for drinks.
Good pick, used to go a bunch for lunch when the office was in that area. Probably has the best beer selection of any bar that has been mentioned in this thread.
Ate there after covid, it was awful. Didn’t go back for about 18 months. Went last week for lunch, it was phenomenal. So mad I waited to go back, should have known every place has a bad day. Was there 3 nights a week for years in my 20’s. Sucks it’s closing.
Strawberry's Pub has great pizza.
Usually hit Barnacle Bills 2 or 3 times a year, if we take the motorcycles out for a shore run. Your hidden gem is a cool spot as well (will not reveal the location).
Probably should should have had them on the list.......One I definitely should add is
Dunellen Hotel (Rathskellar) - Dunellen
Unfortunately they had a fire early in the morning about 3 days ago. Nobody was hurt and they will be reopening soon.
nice call. the tiny place across lot from Irish Pub shut down about a year ago, people loved their wings but i wasn't huge fan.
As I sit here I keep thinking of places that I have hit on car and motorcycle runs, this one just popped into my head. Usually have bands outdoor seating and bike friendly on the weekends, certainly nothing to write home about but definitely qualifies as a family owned dive bar.
Hillbilly Hall - Hopewell
Hillbilly Hall - Hopewell
i didn't hear about that. that basement gives Great White concert vibes not the place to be for a fire. love their Canuck sandwich.
They are not closing, they are selling the land and the building to WaWa I believe. Wawa was going to buy the station on the corner but the soil is contaminated. They still want to be in that area so they offered Tigers Tale a boat load of $$$. Tigers Tale is keeping the license etc and will be moving to reopen a new Tigers Tale supposedly in Village Walk or Montgomery Promenade.
The fire was not where you are thinking, that bar area was ok. There is another small basement under another portion of the building that you enter through Bilco doors from the outside.
Two that I spent a good amount of time in during the late 80s/early 90s:
- Kerwin's in Middlesex
- Old York Inn where Raritan/Bridgewater/Branchburg all converge
Kerwins still kicking. Though somebody told me they lost some clientele to Ellerys (Kyle Flood old hangout)
In my youth, I found that the 3 elements to a good time were booze, tunes, and chicks. Any place that combines those things successfully works. Now I'm old, married, and gross so anywhere will do.
I met my wife at the Hudson House in LBI. Still a great institution.
I met my wife at the Hudson House in LBI. Still a great institution.
I should have spent more time at Hudson and less at the Shell and Catch/Touche's.
Tap n Growler in Sayreville. Best wings (55+ flavors) in the state and damn good burgers.
Kerwin's is open still the son TJ is running it for the most part. Old York in is gone.....I used to throw darts out of both places. I will add another from the are that I do not believe has been mentioned...
Zupko's - Dunellen
great pizza and wings
Ellery's in Middlesex was always a great spot
Rosina's in Bound Book was solid
Central Pizza in Somerville
Uncle Vinny's in Raritan
Crayn's in Branchburg (Now Willy McBrides)
Green Knoll in Bridgewater
Also a spot in Warren while going down the mountain towards N. Plainfield, name escapes me but it was good
Rosina's in Bound Book was solid
Central Pizza in Somerville
Uncle Vinny's in Raritan
Crayn's in Branchburg (Now Willy McBrides)
Green Knoll in Bridgewater
Also a spot in Warren while going down the mountain towards N. Plainfield, name escapes me but it was good
Pat - in the 1991-1993 timeframe, we did Friday at the Hud, Saturday afternoon at Touche, Saturday night at the Ketch, Sunday afternoon at the Ketch, and Sunday evening at Nardis. The best of times. When Touche's shut down, Saturday afternoons moved to the Sea Shell.
Yeah me too. It was my go-to despite the occasional cockroach running across the bar. The lady that bought it really cleaned it up