There’s nothing like a great summer hangout, where the beer flows freely, the music never stops, and the dress code is strictly flip-flops and shorts.

Unlike trendy nightclubs with their big cover charges and oversized attitudes, the classic Jersey shore bar emphasizes good times, good music, potent libations and a decidedly low-key atmosphere—the kind of nice-and-easy groove you’re looking for on a summer Saturday night.

When you’re done with the sun (but not the fun), we invite you to a leisurely pub crawl. It traces the Jersey coast from north to south, and includes pit stops at some of the best bars we know. Of all the gin joints in all the world, here are a dozen you’ll love.

Stone Pony
913 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park
732-502-0600 • www.stoneponyonline.com

Musical Mecca. Rock-and-rollers should visit three shrines during their lives: Liverpool’s Cavern Club (birthplace of Beatlemania); Sun Studios in Memphis (where Elvis got his start); and the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, called “one of the greatest rock clubs of all time” by Robert Santelli of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Did Springsteen put the Stone Pony on the map, or vice versa? It hardly matters. Both became iconic, and though the Pony these days is a little frayed around the edges—it never was much more than a concrete block with a stage—it’s still the place for great live music, from headliners to up-and-comers. This summer’s lineup includes the Pretenders, the Black Crowes, Peter Frampton, Leon Russell, Ween, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones—and the list goes on and on. True to its roots, the Stone Pony is always scouting new talent (with fingers crossed that one of these days, the next Boss will come sauntering in).

Thursday nights, the Stone Pony features Jersey Shore bands and a reggae house mix, with $2 Coors Light drafts and bar specials all night long. Rock on.

 

Joe Pop’s Shore Bar
2002 Long Beach Blvd., Ship Bottom
609-494-0558 • www.joepops.com

For All Ages. It’s the rare bar that manages to be cross-generational, welcoming baby boomers along with 30-somethings and kids and making them all feel welcome. In South Jersey, that place is Joe Pop’s in Ship Bottom—an ultra-casual bar with a great, party-on spirit that isn’t the least bit exclusionary or too-cool-for-you.

A consistently mixed crowd grooves to Top 40 music with bands like Speakeasy, Trippin Carla, Runaway and Undisputed. The Bobby Lynch Band plays every Sunday; Mondays are unplugged (acoustics only). The only caveat for boomers: you set might want to sidestep Tuesdays, which are College Nights.

The food here is fast and deep-fried, but arteries be damned. Don’t miss the sweet potato fries dusted with cinnamon sugar (better than funnel cake!), fried mac-and-cheese bites, scallop skewers and beer-battered onion rings. After that, sweat it off on the dance floor.

 

Martell’s Tiki Bar
308 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach
732-892-0131 • www.tikibar.com

Adventures in Paradise. For authentic island atmosphere complete with thatched huts, swoon-inducing tropical drinks and non-stop entertainment, there’s no place like Martell’s Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant Beach.

Martell’s has an indoor restaurant, the Sea Breeze; an outdoor raw bar (oyster shooters for the amorously inclined!); and even its own Beach Club (kids under 12 are free; daily and seasonal passes are available for adults). A cool stage on a pier over the surf always attracts a good crowd; featured entertainers include the great Shorty Long Band, the Sensational Soul Cruisers, the Big Ragu and the ever-popular Don’t Call Me Francis.

How about some grub? For lunch, try the lobster pot pie; Martell’s awesome mozzarella-n-tomato tower; or a classic burger. Specialty drinks include a Blue Moon Margarita made with Cuervo Gold, blue Curacao and lime; the Coastal Kiss, with DiSaronno, Southern Comfort and pineapple juice; and the Banana Monkey—it’s dessert in a glass with sweet cream, Kahlua and banana liqueur.

 

Chelsea Pub and Inn
8 South Morris Avenue, Atlantic City
609-345-4916

All-Nighter. It’s not your typical shore bar with a deck, a DJ and lots of fruity little drinks. But the Chelsea Pub has one thing going for it that most others don’t: it’s open 24/7. And it’s a fun local and tourist hangout for an always-turned-on city.

About a block from the Tropicana, the Chelsea features a big indoor bar and outdoor patio with four pool tables. Owner Jack Conway, who bought the 40-room hotel at the dawn of the casino era, carved the labyrinthine bar—actually three adjoining bars—from a ground-floor parking garage.

While it’s nothing fancy, that’s part of the Chelsea’s charm. The rooms upstairs are clean and neat, the burgers, salads and seafood are good and plentiful, the prices are blessedly low and the people are friendly. When you’re through high-toning it through the city’s swanky nightclubs, dial it back down a little at the Chelsea.

 

Ventura’s Greenhouse
106 S. Benson Avenue, Margate City
609-822-0140 • www.venturasgreenhouse.com

Coastal Cool. For great elephant gazing and plenty of opposite-sex-ogling, check out the view from Ventura’s Greenhouse Café in Margate.

The popular bar-restaurant (with real palm trees out front) not only has a terrific view of the dunes and the ocean; it’s also cheek-by-jowl with mighty Lucy the Elephant, the six-story pachyderm-shaped “architectural folly” built as a roadside attraction during the 1880s.

Ventura’s relaxing outdoor deck features a raw bar with clams on the half shell, peel-it-yourself shrimp, and weeknight drink specials (stop in on Tropical Tuesdays, when Cruzan daiquiris are just $5).

Downstairs, the nautically themed Greenhouse Grill is known for its super-fresh pizza (our favorite: white pie with spinach, garlic and tomatoes on a yummy, yeasty crust). There’s a hearty Italian menu with mussels marinara, veal rollatini and great meatballs. The atmosphere throughout is decidedly low-key: T-shirts and Bermudas are just fine.

 

Maynard’s Café
9306 Amherst Avenue, Margate City
609-822-8423 • www.maynards-cafe.com

On the Avenue. Hard to believe today, but Amherst Avenue in Margate was once called the Barbary Coast—a rough-and-tumble strip with bars that catered mostly to fishermen. Today, Amherst is an elegant drive lined by stately marinas and swanky bars. And then there’s Maynard’s. Named for professional boxer Billy Maynard, who opened the joint in 1914, and operated by honorary “Mayor of Margate” Al Troiano until his death in 2003, Maynard’s is still one of the area’s most popular summer hangouts.

With its unpretentious atmosphere and a cheap-and-cheerful menu of chicken fingers, potato nachos, toasted ravioli and the like, plus live music and DJs in Big Al’s outdoor Starlite Garden, Maynard’s is as good as it gets in the summertime.

Drinks include $1.50 Bud Light pints daily. On select Wednesdays, Maynard’s has late-night Skyy Vodka drinks for just $4 (try the Grape Bomb with Skyy Infusions Grape and Red Bull); on select Thursdays, its $3 Parrott Bay drinks (the Passionate Kiss is a winning combo of Captain Morgan Passionfruit Rum, pineapple, cranberry and soda).

 

Anchorage Inn
823 Bay Avenue, Somers Point
609-926-1776

Some Like It Somers. Ocean City’s blue laws mean one thing: big business for the bars and restaurants in Somers Point. Start where the locals hang, at two classic corner bars: Charlie’s and Gregory’s. Charlie’s has been part of the local landscape since 1944, and is run these days by the fourth generation of the Thomas family. The vibe here is gin-joint-and-jukebox, but in addition to shots, beers and burgers, Charlie’s also has a larger menu with steak, seafood and Italian specialties as well as breakfast.

Stouthearted drinkers may want to try one of the popular giant frozen coolers (the Bailey’s Blizzard includes ice cream, Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish Cream and vodka).

Gregory’s has been a favorite of locals and shoobies since 1946, and unabashedly promotes its cheap eats and drinks. There are 11 beers on tap, and full-course meals for $7.99 from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

In Somers Point’s Historic Bay District, the famed Anchorage Inn is a can’t-miss. The original 1874 tavern, frequented by back-bay rumrunners during Prohibition, was leveled by fire in 2006, but the restoration is so authentic, you’d never guess this isn’t the original Victorian-era inn. Along with a quaint view of boats moored in the Great Egg Harbor Bay, the Anchorage has some of the best seafood in town—the Dungeness crab dip is to die for—and it’s always packed. Play a game of pool while you’re there, and have a bite on the wraparound veranda.

 

Deauville Inn
201 Willard Road, Strathmere
609-263-2080 • www.deauvilleinn.com

WHOVILLE? When you’re staying in Strathmere—that bleakly beautiful sliver of island tucked between Ocean City and Sea Isle—you’ve got to stop at the Deauville Inn, a rambling waterfront bar where patrons pull up in boats and kayaks to watch Phillies games in the big indoor sports bar, grab a burger and beer, then watch the sun set on the outside patio.

Located at the foot of the creaky Corson’s Inlet Bridge, the Deauville has a colorful history—in the ’20s and ’30s, it was a speakeasy, gambling hall and way station for bootleggers. And as the former Whelan Hotel, it hosted many notables of the day including President Teddy Roosevelt, crooner Eddie Cantor, comedian Jimmy Durante and singer Sophie Tucker.

With its no-frills vibe, the Deauville—locals call it the “Do-ville”—is also the best place to watch the  Nightmare in Strathmere Boat Parade in August (with crazily decorated  rowboats, it’s Strath’s offbeat answer to the yachts and pleasure cruisers of Ocean City’s Night in Venice).

As the latest stop on the Delaware Bayshore Birding and Wildlife Trail, the Deauville (which also has its own small beach) is also a prime place to see wild birds by the score.

 

The Ocean Drive
40th Street & Landis Avenue, Sea Isle City
609-263-1000 • www.theod.com

Drive Dive. To regulars, it’s just “the OD”—the epitome of a youthful, casual shore bar, and apparently a hotbed of romance as well (two owners and six bartenders met their spouses here, at the Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City). Whether you’re looking for love or just a fun night on the town, the OD is the place to be.

What began in the late 19th century as a genteel hotel and dining establishment has evolved into a jam-packed jam bar with great live bands including all the Jersey Shore favorites (Love Seed Mama Jump, Mr. Greengenes, Secret Service, Burnt Sienna).

Liquid refreshments are always plentiful, and the food (courtesy of O’Donnell’s Pour House right next door) is great, with an Irish flair. The crab cakes are some of the best around, and when you’re talking Jersey, that’s quite a tribute.

 

Lighthouse Pointe
5101 Shawcrest Road , Wildwood
609-522-SHIP

City Lights. Located on the Intracoastal Waterway at the foot of the George Redding Bridge, Lighthouse Pointe offers one of the best views of Wildwood after dark, dominated by the colorful lights from Morey’s Piers’ merry-go-rounds and rollercoasters. Like so many waterfront establishments, the expansive restaurant and bar is accessible by both car and boat.

The restaurant menu includes terrific local seafood including sautéed Shrimp and Crab Rosa over cheese tortellini; Seafood Alfredo with shrimp, scallops and crabmeat over pasta; and even escargot. But don’t be intimidated by those fancy French snails. Outside, it’s a laid-back atmosphere with party lanterns, line dancing and music—live or with a DJ—every weekend.

Drink specials at the LP include a way-cool Mojito Martini with Cointreau, cranberry, lime and mint vodka; the frozen Nutty Italian with cream, Frangelico and amaretto; and the monstrously good Bloody Caesar—a bloody Mary with Clamato juice, vodka and spicy secret ingredients in a salt-rimmed glass.

 

Lucky Bones Backwater Grille
1200 Route 109, Cape May
609-884-2663 • www.luckybonesgrille.com

Good to the Bone. Hailed as one of South Jersey’s best casual bars, the Lucky Bones Backwater Grille in Cape May manages to be both refined and relaxed, with a great atmosphere overlooking busy Cape May Harbor and a superior menu, all from scratch (with zero trans fats, if you care).

The Lucky Bones takes its name from superstitious whalers of yore, who never set sail without a horseshoe crab claw for good luck. The menu takes its cue from Cape May’s maritime past, with fish and chips, mussels in Gorgonzola-tomato-basil sauce, Cape May Vineyard clams and the flatfish of the day. Appetizers are awesome (Cuban-spiced shrimp cocktail, mojo-marinated pork morsels), the handmade pizza has a crunchy super-thin crust and the fries and tortillas are hand-cut.

Specialty martinis include the Key Wester with Meyers and Mt. Gay rums, Triple Sec, lime and cranberry; the Key Lime with Stoli vanilla, white cocoa, pineapple and lime; and the Back Bay Sunset, with Stoli O, Midori, Malibu rum and cranberry. Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Cheers.

 

Sand in your toes

For party crashers who can’t get enough of the sand, Atlantic City offers what is quickly becoming a local tradition: beach bars. Here’s the rundown on these outdoor watering holes.

Hilton Beach Bar

Hours: Open Sundays through Thursdays from noon to 10 p.m. and noon to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Happenings: Daily happy hour from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. • Every Thursday: live 97.3-FM radio broadcast from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday nights starting at 8 p.m. is Service Industry Night with DJ Sinatra. • Fridays have Bob Pantano’s 10-piece band and live a DJ.

Bally’s Bikini Beach Bar

Hours: Open daily 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Happenings: Live music daily. • Monday: Latin night; Tuesday: karaoke; Wednesday: ’80s night; Thursday: tribute bands; Friday: Fashion Friday; Saturday: beach party; Sunday: Casino Industry Day.

Trump Plaza Beach Bar

Hours: Open 11:30 a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, and 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Happenings: Live music from 8 p.m. to midnight, DJ until 2 a.m. • Monday: locals night; Tuesday: Service Industry Night; Wednesday: Battle of the Bands; Thursday: karaoke, live band, drink specials; Saturday: $1off regular price, Bud specials; Sunday: Coors Lite day.

Trump Marina Deck

Hours: Open noon to 1 a.m. Mondays through Fridays; 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Happenings: Live bands every night in July and August. Happy hour 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Fridays with daily specials.

By Casino Connection Staff

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