The Best Central NJ Bars and Pubs
Your Guide To The Best Central NJ Bars Features Sports Bars, Irish pubs, Country Bars, German Beer Gardens, and Singles Bars in New Jersey
Realizing of course that selecting "The Best" can be subjective, as patrons have they likes and dislikes about what they are attracted to. Having said that, we base our criteria on those establishments that attract patrons who come primarily for what the Bar offers. While the large majority of the bars are part of a larger restaurant with food served, though the availability of good food is certainly a plus, it's not at the top of the list of the criteria.
The selection for "The Best" is focused on the Bar's variety and quality of the alcoholic beverages, the bar related amenities such as ambiance, friendliness, service, music, being seated at or near the Bar, and in the case of sports bars, large screen TV's, and more.
These Bars aren't necessarily the biggest, most fashionable, or glitziest bars ---they are just the best!
COVID-19 executive orders in effect apply to large outdoor public gatherings such as concerts, festivals, and fireworks, and are limited to 500 persons.
indoor performance venues, including concert venues can reopen. Face masks and social distancing will be required and capacity will be capped at the lesser of either 25% of the venue's capacity, or 150 people.. Indoor nightclubs that have dance floors have to remain closed. Restaurants and bars may resume indoor dining at 25% capacity and with social distancing between tables
With near term cancellations occurring at a rapid rate, and despite trying to remove them as soon as we learn of the cancellations or restrictions, we recommend viewers contact the event sponsors before heading out to a listed event to confirm their status.
Top Central Jersey Bars and Pubs
527 Lake Avenue
Asbury Park
Website
The Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten is modeled after the biergartens that are popular throughout the Austria and Hungarian regions of Europe.
They ferature communal tables where friends and soon-to-be-new-friends mingle in a lively, friendly atmosphere energized by a regular schedule of live & local music. The establishment features a 9,000 square foot outdoor rooftop Biergarten and 6,000 square foot indoor halle. To enhance the festive atmosphere they serve over 100 varieties of popular and hard to find imported and domestic beers, 39 premium draft beers.
703 16th Ave.
Lake Como, NJ
Website
Bar Anticipation is one of New Jersey's top year round bar, dance, and entertainment destinations.The 25,000 sq ft facility offers many diverse dining experiences and environments, including the 30ft stone fireplace, the elegance of the new Mahogany Room. They have events every night of the week with great happy hours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Performers are national acts. In the warmer months, Bar Anticipation opens their outdoor Grotto Beach tropical oasis complete with beautiful flora, live palm trees, towering rocks, fire and water falls., two "living rooms", three private VIP cabanas, outdoor bars & dance floor, and flat screen televisions in every custom cabana. volley ball courts., and all the trimmings of a Las Vegas hot spot.
8 1/2 Coryell St
Lambertville, NJ
(609) 397-2244
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This cozy, maritime "boat house" themed bar is It's all joyfully eccentric. It's a great place to spend a couple hours with friends to meet up for drinks.The nautical decor overwhelms the ambiance in a delghtful way with paintings of boats, model boats, boat signs, and other memorabilia.The 2 story bar has a cast iron pot belly stove, with the 2nd floor seating on sofas, chairs & tables.
There's no food, no TVs, and you're not allowed to stand; patrons must be seated (if every seat is taken, you'll have to wait in line until someone leaves).
55 Paterson St.
New Brunswick, NJ
Website
Clydz is a very popular hang out for the 21+ Rutgers crowd and professional business people who enjoy a vibrant happy hour with large drink portions, especially the martini's.
The ambiance is energetic, with a speakeasy vibe, complete with fish tanks and fireplaces. They specialize in serving a variety of artisanal cocktails and a casual contemporary American menu. The main attraction is their talented bartenders who create inspirational specialty cocktails.
It's a popular singles bar during Monday - Friday Happy Hour from 4pm to 7pm with half-price drinks and $6 appetizer specials!
30 Monmouth St
Red Bank, NJ
Website
A popular downtown Red Bank Irish Pub with plenty of Guinness and Irish Beers on tap. It's especially popular on St. Patrick's Day and for watching Irish soccer, rugby, and the World Cup. In the warmer months you can eat out and have drinks on the attractive back patio.
The Dublin House has a true pub feel with a cozy, if not plain, dining room with a fireplace. The bar is nice and long, with a narrow counter bar with additional stools and the coolest accents of half-cut beer barrels.
They serve a good selection of domestic & imported beers.The offer good food with selections of traditional Irish fare, and live Music on Thursdays, with comedy Nights, and summer Sunday night live music in the Temple bar, and happy hour from 4 pm to 6 p.m, Monday - Friday.
913 Ocean Ave
Asbury Park, NJ
Website
The Stone Pony ia an Asbury Park landmark. It's a place where top performers have played including Jersey Shore's own Bruce Springsteen.and South Side Johnny.
A great place for year round band performances.. Take a tour inside and see memorabilia and well known singers' guitars on display on the walls.This iconic bar also has a special stage set up outdoors in in the summer for concerts that attract top performers
2031 Rt 71
Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Website
Located in the Spring Lake shore area known as the "Irish Riviera". With many of the patrons having been to Ireland, they know they have to be authentic to succeed. It's one of the best places on the shore to hear traditional Irish music every Tuesday & Sunday Nights. They feature drafts from local breweries like Kane and Flying Fish right alongside Irish favorites like Guinness and Harp and lesser-known Irish brews like Murphy's, Magners, and Kilkenny. It's set in a large quaint old house with ambiance that is consummate Irish pub with dark woods, cushioned bar stools, and a fireplace.
1324 Hamilton Ave.
Trenton, NJ
Website
Tir na nOg is a place in Irish folklore that translates to "the land of everlasting youth" The name truly fits the bar. This is the real deal --- a friendly, jovial place, reminiscent of old Ireland, with real road signs from Ireland, a tiny stage for musicians. and dart boards.
They have 11 beers on tap that include: Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks, Magner's, Yuengling, Coor's Light, Miller Lite & a rotation of 4 "craft" beers (with an IPA always being on tap). They also have a nice variety of Irish whiskies and other tasty libations. There is live music entertainment 4 days a week. They also have large display TVs, 4 dart boards, and sponsor 2 teams in the Greater Trenton Dart League
5th and Ocean
Asbury Park, NJ
732-502-8886
Website
A Blues, Rock, and Roots Music venue with a great history. Many of the performers who have appeared at the Stony Pony also have received their start here.
"Tillie's Landing" outside deck and bar is a huge draw during the summer months and combined with the indoor venue they have a capacity to hold 2,000 patrons. In addition for being known known for great live music, they also feature a Yappy Hour—where dogs run the show.
