50 Best American Restaurants near Bay Head

“Perfect way to spend my Birthday dinner Year after year! Always perfect service and food/drinks.“

“Delivered a boat by water there a fee days ago. The Harbor Master. (I forget his name) was very helpful, friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable. Even as a non member he treated me and my partner kindly as we delivered a boat for someone else.“

“Great Location! Very Quaint Adorable Hotel!“

“Dina’s cooking is Amazing! The food service and hospitality are all excerional!! Everyone makes you feel like family sitting at their dining room table at their house. Made my dad’s 85th birthday so special !🎂🍓🍰 Thank you Rich, David and staff“

“Amazing food, great service, it’s truly wonderful what this kitchen does for the community.“

“The best service and food.“

“Great dinner as response service class act! Loved appetizers and filet and shrimp special excellent“

“What is referred by my brother-in-law i was not disappointing“

“Excellent food! Friendly service 🥰👍“

“Staff was very friendly. Food was very good. Prices reasonable. First time there and we didn’t know it was cash only or Venmo, but that’s ok. Will definitely be back“

“Consistently Excellent as always ! Great food Great service. Menu has something for everyone ! Local items are featured.! Be back soon“

“7-19-2025.. The food was amazing! 7 members of my family today, 6 different dishes..everyone of them outstanding: Cobb Salad (2), Shrimp & Grits, Steak salad, Avocado Toast, Grilled Cheese, Flatbread..Creme Brulee, Blueberry Cheesecake. The service, the atmosphere..all perfect!. Thank you Chef Lou! I ❤️ my town and we are so lucky to call you and The Blend our own!“

“Was there after the lunch crowd today 2/1/22. The place was spotless, the restroom was also. Excellent choice of burgers and sandwiches. My wife and I both had burgers and we both agreed they were the best we have had in at least 20 yrs. Grade A meat and the french fries were freshly cut and fried. Can't wait to get back. If you are a movie buff like me you will love the decor. The service was great also.“

“Great little place. Food is excellent, waitresses are so nice. Very relaxing and enjoyable!“

“Food was very tasty and exactly what you want and expect from a NJ diner. They had quite a few daily off menu specials and I went for a classic diner food. Chipped beef on toast, grits and coffee. All tasted really good.

Parking: Plenty of parking on premises

Kid-friendliness: Yes. Easily and happily welcomed“

“Wow! We really love this place. Would come every week. The food and drinks are great.“

“Excellent place, owner is amazing and food awesome.“

“first time my wife and I were there for breakfast today the best bacon egg and cheese I ever had very clean courteous staff we will be back.“

“fune dining at its best! friendly staff. we just love it“

“The best! Great food and service. They are always taking extra steps to make sure we are satisfied“

“The breakfast is excellent at the Riverside Cafe . Their pancakes are among the best I have ever had with great texture and flavor, (no need for syrup). I also liked their egg sandwiches and homemade hash browns. Looking forward to trying more food from here. It is nice to have friendly service while enjoying the view of the boats as they move through the inlet.“

“Amazing food and the service is great too. The portions are big, I get 2 meals! Come in for the baked items, so yummy!“

“We took a long weekend to the Jersey Shore. We stopped in at Meg's Grill for breakfast. Clean, welcoming staff and a great breakfast! What else can you ask? Oh, and pet friendly.“

“MY HUSBAND AND I HAD THE EARLY BIRD OPTION - GREAT SALAD, THEIR WONDERFUL MEATLOAF AND FOR DESSERT WE HAD ICE CREAM . I HAD COFFEE INCLUDED BUT WE ALSO HAD THEIR CAB OPTION . OUR SERVER WAS BREE (EXCELLENT AND VERY CORDIAL -A GEM ) MEALS WERE SPACED AS WE ALWAYS LIKE - THE STAFF HERE IS WONDERFUL - LIKE A WELL OILED MACHINE - EVERYONE HELPS OUT EACH OTHER - SUCH TEAMWORK I HIS RESTAURANT .“

“New owner is awesome. Won my heart ❤️ today. Thanks for your help“

“Joanne is the literal best! We have come here every summer on vacation, and make sure we are in Joanne's section. She is always polite and has always made sure we had a great experience, as well as all of her other tables at the same time. The food is also great, and the dinner was cheap. The restaurant is very nice inside. Joanne is truly an angel!

Parking: Always busy, so street parking is hard to come by. You have to pay, but it's cheap.“

“First visit today. Great breakfast and lunch menu. I had an omelet with home fries. Good was excellent. will definitely return!“

“Great Lobster and soup was delicious. I highly recommend“

“Best Stewart's Root Beer anywhere“

“I just wanted to reach out & thank your staff on duty from Friday 8/18 Especially Rod/Ron the Manager (my apologies I don't remember his name exactly) for outstanding customer service! We were at the restaurant Friday evening. It was the last night of our family Seaside Vacation and our first time dining at The Sawmill. We were seated promptly(young hostess with curly hair and an air cast), drinks & food orders were taken very quickly(female server with dark curly hair and an accent). Our beverages came out in a flash, and our appetizers were moments behind. When my teenage son reached across for some tasty pretzel bites...he knocked his full orange soda into his lap (and shirt) , onto the floor, & even onto me! We sent him to the restroom to try and clean himself up while we motioned for help, we didn't want anyone to slip on the wet floor! Within seconds your staff responded in the best possible way. Your manager was mopping up the floor, our server was bringing a replacement soda, one of the ladies bussing tables hustled over with towels. By the time my son returned from the restroom my husband and I were discussing how to proceed (Run back to the house to change or by new clothes on the boardwalk) when Rod/Ron appeared on bended knee next to my son with Sawmill t-shirts in tow asking his size so he could change his shirt. My son initially refused because; it was "all his fault & he didn't deserve it" but; Rod/Ron persisted and convinced my son that these kinds of things happen to everyone. A point I was just making to my child, when my son heard this he accepted. The way your staff responded in the moment took what could have been an awful end to our vacation into a very bright spot because of how attentive and supportive your staff was. It means more than you will ever know. Please take a moment & thank your staffers on our behalf. Thank you, Monica, Andy, & AJ Mossey“

“I’m always a happy customer. They’re always hospitable and friendly, and food is delish!!“

“We went to masons, pretty much right before they closed on a Saturday (1am), and Jeremiah treated us (and everyone else) like we were royalty. He was kind, responsive, entertaining, and pretty much made my bad night considerably better. It was the first time we had been to the bar and will definitely not be the last, for us or our friends. We are officially sold <3“

“Delicious meal from start to finish! Don’t skip dessert ?“

“I love this place. Great food, people, clean, friendly. Good vibe. Good music.“

“Great atmosphere for sure. 3 different bars to choose from. Stopped by for a quick bite after a long day of travel because it was walking distance, but the food was just okay. The effort is definitely not there food wise, but it's my first trip to the Shore, so I can't really compare it to any other food spots. At $20 bucks a head for food, it's too expensive for what you get.“

“So cute inside and out! Our food was DELICIOUS and all of the staff was super friendly! Will go again for sure!“

“We just picked up our first order,very good!👍👍👍“

“The food is delicious 😋 The delicious food, the atmosphere and polite waitresses.“

“I would give them 3 out of 5 stars. since the day they opened, inconsistent with food and drinks. one day the sliders are medium, the next well done. one day your $16 martini is full, the next it's missing the top inch of the drink. one day the pizza is ok, the next time is soup. last time the service was just ok. tonight she was great.“

“I was attending a wedding in Lakewood, NJ. There are surprisingly very few hotels nearby there that aren't on the shore. I had in the past stayed at a Ramada in Toms River, but I learned that it had been sold and turned into an office building. For some reason, Lakewood has very few hotels. I had stayed at one of the only other nearby hotels, a Hilton, but it is overpriced. I saw the Days Hotel, and it got good reviews. The bride's grandmother told me a friend had stayed there and had given a good report, so I booked a reservation. The Days Hotel Toms River was a pleasant surprise. It was the cleanest hotel I've ever stayed in! No dirt, no signs of bugs. no stains in the bathtub! No cracked tiles or mismatched wallpaper. And I asked for maid service after the first night, and they gave it to me, complete with all fresh towels, bedding, and amenities, made the bed, vacuumed, and cleaned the coffee area, even not waiting until late in the afternoon, as some hotels do. And it looked like the hotel had just been redecorated. Not 1950s dreary with holes in the carpet and broken tiles in the bathroom. Very tasteful with light, simple colors: just the way I like it. The hotel was very quiet, no rowdy guests, and it was set back from the highway, so no road noise, as well. And a big parking lot in front (free) with no driving around and around for a space, even after I returned from the wedding late at night. And it is conveniently located to the main streets leading to Lakewood, which was important to me. Staff was nice, and there were two computers in the lobby with Internet + a printer for guests to use. It's a four-story hotel, and I had a room on the top floor, which I had requested. I had noticed before I left that the room rate (AAA - two double beds) since I made the reservation had gone down. I pointed that out when I checked in, and the agent behind the desk matched that rate. And there was always someone behind the desk, regardless of time of day. And they answered the phone!! There was a restaurant in the hotel that I didn't use, but they were very nice and gave me plastic silverware and disposable dishes so I could eat in my room the special-diet food I had brought. The room also had a large mini-fridge (that functioned well!) So overall I would say it was much better even than staying at the old Ramada. And better than the Hilton. at a much lower price. And 1, 000 times better than an old Best Western I stayed in once, which apparently is also kaput. Only complaint was that one of only two elevators was out of order, and it wasn't fixed the whole time I was there (3 days, 2 nights). But there usually wasn’t a wait for the other elevator.“

“The fried calamari is the best!!!“

“Most relaxing place to dine.pancakes fantastic. Great coffee. Great people come to eat & relax.“

“This is the quintessential turning point for me. Its both the first one Ive ever been too and probsbly my favourite one too.

Its got the best atmospherr comparative to the one in brick and the one in freehold(?).

Regardless this chain is a staple of the Jersey shore and rightfully so.“

“My husband and I LOVE River Rock's outdoor dining. We enjoy seeing the boats coming and going while we eat. The Manasquan River is a beautiful sight. Any food items that we have ordered are delicious. Lauren Guenther is one of our favorite servers. She's a sweetheart. She's very friendly, personable, and very focused on what she's doing. We know Lauren from when she served at Carrabba's. She was very special to us back then as she is now. Being local residents, we visit River Rock frequently during the summer and we will ALWAYS request either Lauren or Kelsey Conover because we simply adore them both. River Rock is our outdoor Happy Place during the summer. 💗💗“

“Atmosphere was beautiful , the food was amazing, and our waitress was so attentive and friendly.“

“The cheesesteaks were delicious, but I wished I noticed the disgusting fan that was above the ordering counter before I ate there. The fan is full of so much thick dust that I felt sick after eating there. Makes you wonder if the kitchen is really clean.“

“Absolute favorite spot for pizza, clams on the half shell on the Jersey shore. They make an amazing stile of pizza with pico de Gallo on top, the crust is always thin and crispy! Also the best garlic bread I’ve ever had. My mom and I always try and come visit often from point plesant because it’s that much better here! Also super kind owner, and staff!“

“Just have to say, got the Shroom Soup from I'm a I'm A Local Beach House Cafe yesterday and it was amazing. If you are local, support Local and get some soup for this cold week!! The breakfast in summer is amazing as well!!“

“Cool to place to hang out and get a few cocktails and food.“

“great food great service great ambiance ....I'll be back“