When you live at the Jersey Shore, you could travel to Philly or NYC for date night but why not stay local? Monmouth and Ocean County both have unique date night spots that rival any night in the city. We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite spots for date night and we’ll be posting them weekly in our Jersey Shore Date Night Series. Our first blog is all about ‘Parents Night Out’ so call the sitter and browse our list of the best date nights at the shore:
When you’re feeling seafood, there’s nothing better than a colossal Seafood Tower for two at Beach Tavern. If you can see past the seafood tower, you’ll find some gorgeous views of the marina. Finish your night off with one of their many awesome dessert choices. Beach Tavern, 33 West Street Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750. (732) 870-8999. http://beachtavern.net/
McDonagh’s and Old Glory Kitchen + Spirits– Keyport
Next date night, enjoy a night out on the town exploring Keyport. Start off with Happy Hour at McDonaghs with $6 “Happytizers” and drink specials. The Corned Beef Eggrolls are a must try. Make your way over to Old Glory Kitchen + Spirits after happy hour for dinner and drinks. Split any bottle of wine for just under $35 and sip it under the stars at one of their fire pits. End the night with a leisurely stroll by the water and if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of the NYC skyline. McDonagh’s, 2 W Front St, Keyport, NJ 07735. (732) 264-0999. https://www.mcdonaghs.com/ AND Old Glory Kitchen + Spirits, 84 Broad Street,
Keyport, NJ 07735. (732) 497-5555. https://www.oldglorynj.com/
Mister C’s Beach Bistro- Allenhurst
Date night doesn’t have to be limited to the weekend. Make your midweek better with Social Hour at Mister C’s. Every Wednesday, Cocktail Corner begins at 5pm. Sample free cocktails with your date while enjoying ocean views at the bar. Split a shareable charcuterie board and sip on $5 glasses of house wine. It’s the perfect midweek pick-me-up. Mister C’s Beach Bistro, Ocean Pl & Allen Ave, Allenhurst, NJ 07711. (732) 531-3665. https://www.mistercsbeachbistro.com/
Rooney’s Oceanfront– Long Branch
Rooney’s is the perfect Friday night date spot. After a long week at work, meet in Long Branch at Rooney’s for Happy Hour. They have drink and appetizer specials until 6pm. Move from the bar into the dining room for a romantic dinner. Enjoy ½ priced bottles of wine with dinner on Fridays and complementary ocean views. Rooney’s is one of our favorite unique spots on the shore and you can’t go wrong ordering any of their seafood dishes. Their crab cakes are out of this world. If you haven’t been to Rooney’s, the off season is your chance to enjoy it! Rooney’s Oceanfront, 100 Ocean Avenue North, Long Branch NJ 07740. 732-870-1200. http://www.rooneysocean.com/
If you’re looking for a dimly lit romantic evening, spend the night at Porcini. The newly renovated space is perfect for a quiet BYOB date night. Split a towering plate of their incredible fried calamari to share. All of their seafood is so fresh, you can’t go wrong ordering any of their seafood dishes. Don’t forget to save room for dessert to share! Porcini, 168 Bay Avenue Highlands, NJ 07732. 732-291-3080. https://www.restaurantporcini.com/
The Atlantic House– Atlantic Highlands
If you and your date are cocktail connoisseurs, The Atlantic House is the spot to hit. They have so many creative cocktails to sip while sitting at their rooftop bar. The cocktails aren’t the only thing you have to try. Their menu is small but loaded with deliciousness with a little something for everyone. Order a few shareables or opt to try their entrees. Everything is fresh and really reasonably priced. It’s the shore’s hottest new date night spot. The Atlantic House, 67 First Ave Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. (848) 300-2408. https://www.theatlantichousenj.com
Temple Gourmet and Pinot’s Palette– Red Bank
Grab a bottle of wine or two for a BYOB date night in Red Bank! First, head to dinner at Temple Gourmet for Chinese food like you’ve never had before. Order 3-4 appetizers to share like the Pork Dumplings, Pepper Calamari, and Lettuce Wraps. You’ll be able to get a little taste of everything. Once you’re done with dinner, Pinot’s Palette is just steps away. Get there a few minutes early to set up your station and pour yourself some wine. You’ll impress your date with your painting skills- even if you think you can’t paint. The class goes step by step and you’ll end up impressing yourself and your date! Temple Gourmet, 91 Broad St, Red Bank, NJ 07701. (732) 212-8858. https://templegourmet.com/ AND Pinot’s Palette, 12 Broad St 1st Floor, Red Bank, NJ 07701. (732) 219-9222. https://www.pinotspalette.com/redbank
Spend a romantic evening at Bareli’s By The Sea on their veranda deck overlooking the ocean. Indulge in everyone’s favorite aphrodisiac- oysters. Fall is the best time of the year for oysters and raw seafood at the shore. We recommend calling ahead for the seafood tower. Your date will be thoroughly impressed. Make it a night by booking your stay at the historic Grand Victorian Hotel and wake up to the sound of the ocean in the morning. Bareli’s By The Sea, 1505 Ocean Avenue, Spring Lake (732) 769-5500 http://www.barelisbythesea.com
Sometimes a fancy dinner at some stuffy restaurant is just not the type of night you’re trying to have. Sometimes you just have to throw on your lobster bib and dig in! Meet for drinks after work on a Friday night and stay for Lobster Night at Bum Rogers. You might even catch some live music. A no frills date with all the fun. Bum Rogers Crabhouse, 2207 Central Avenue Seaside Park, NJ 08752. (732) 830-2770. http://bumrogerstavern.com/
Santeria and Lucky Leo’s Seaside Heights
Channel those high school memories of being at the boardwalk with your crush into your next date night. Start off with dinner at Seaside’s newest taco spot- Santeria. You can’t miss out on their Sweet Corn Bites. After, snap a few pics with the Biggie Smalls mural for your feed and then take a walk on the boardwalk to work off some of those tacos. Pop into Lucky Leo’s for some serious arcade gaming. They almost always have a special going on, so make sure you check it out before hit the claw machines. Santeria, 303 Ocean Terrace Seaside Heights, NJ 08751. (732) 200-5530. https://www.santerianj.com/ , Lucky Leo’s, 315 Boardwalk Seaside Heights, NJ 08751. (732) 793-1323. https://luckyleos.com/
The Sitting Duck and Stumpy’s Hatchet House– Eatontown/ Long Branch
Start your date night off at one of our favorite casual bar and restaurant, The Sitting Duck in Long Branch. The portions are huge and the service is always on point. There’s nightly specials every evening and the French Onion soup is to die for. Fill up on food there and then head over to for some axe throwing at Stumpy’s Hatchet House. There’s plenty of fun filled competition to be had here and BYOB is encouraged. You’ll be surprised how much fun you’ll have getting out some energy by throwing axes! The Sitting Duck, 104 Myrtle Ave Long Branch, NJ 07740. (732) 229-5566. http://sittingduckrestaurant.com/ AND Stumpy’s Hatchet House, 22 Meridian Road, Unit 5 Eatontown, NJ 07724. (732) 654-0215. https://stumpyshh.com/eatontownnj/
Stay tuned for more from our date night series coming soon!
We've put together a list of 17 different light shows to drive thru, watch and…
The clock is ticking and if you're like us, you've still got plenty of gifts…
With attractions like light shows, brunches with Santa, local markets, and gingerbread cookie decorating, there…
The holiday season has finally arrived at the Jersey Shore and now is the perfect…
Take a break from all your holiday shopping and check out a tree lighting ceremony…
We've put together a list of 16 holiday markets, bazaars and towns that are offering…