50 Best American Restaurants near Keyport

“From the moment Drew opened his doors in his original location we quickly became fans. This creative Chef who works magic with food has turned Drew’s Bayshore Bistro into one of the most popular restaurants to eat at. People come from all over to enjoy and will take any time slot available to do so. We have eaten here more times than I can count and have had many group dinners and celebrations. Drew’s new location is beyond beautiful and only a stone’s throw from his prior place. We just love the feel of the new home and the beautiful ambiance. it’s absolutely gorgeous from street view and fits perfectly into Keyport’s historic vibe. The food is also over the top insanely incredible. Oh yes I have favorites. The scallops are perfectly sautéed, tender juicy and was served with pesto risotto. A true explosion of flavor. Broiled oysters are one of the most incredible thing I’ve ever tasted and honestly could eat two portions for my main, but haven’t done that yet as there are so many things to try. Pork chops, steaks, soft shell crabs, voodoo shrimp, homemade ice cream and all his special makes it hard to choose what to order. Incredible list of specials are always offered. Menu changes for seasonal favorites. I feel like a kid in a candy store when I look at the menu. We are very thankful to Drew for sharing his vision and providing all of us with a delectable dinning experience each time we eat here. Five stars are not enough!“

“10 out of 10! Absolutely love this place! Everything is always fresh“

“The French Toast one of the best we’ve had. The senior menu perfect amount of food, and great price. The service was wonderful and friendly. And I’m told the sometimes have scrapple, hoping to catch that next visit.“

“Just a fun place, great prices on drinks and fun people lo hang out with. If you are local Do t kiss it, if you are in the area stop bye you will smile if you are the kind of person that makes their own fun“

“Pasta with Butter was amazing.“

“We just had a surprise dinner party for my son's 21st Birthday under the tent outside. I was so happy with how it all turned out. The manager & event planner were so helpful & accommodating. The service & food was great! Our guests had 4 choices of Entrees on the prefixed menu, which was more than many other places we looked into. We were very happy.“

“The pizza is some of the best around. They have very unique and very tasty choices which you can't get anywhere else.
I'm looking at a few reviews that are showing burnt crusts on the pizzas saying that they are overcooked, evidently those people are clueless on how pizza should be cooked.
Their Sicilian is probably the best around, airy and crispy, and their Italian sausage is fantastic. Try a variety of their shrimp pizzas with either jalapeño, Chipotle or avocado which are all available by the slice. They offer the largest variety of pies by the slice in the area so you can go in and select from a variety of choices without having to order the entire pie.
Do yourself a favor and give them a try.
My only objection is that it's not a place you can go for an evening out with the family but that could be fixed easily by partioning off the back half of the restaurant with either a divider or curtains where you can have a more intimate setting.
Otherwise, the pizzas awesome at a better price than most others pizzerias.“

“We celebrate a sweet 16 party, and it was one of the best party’s I eve seen, and the place make a big part of the success we received the best customer service experience, bartender and staff were outstanding and went above and beyond, extremely grateful, and appetizer and food is excellent, will recommend 100 %, good job“

“Great service , excellent“

“Soul Kitchen is amazing! Our students love working with the great staff and always feel welcome and learn great skills and life lessons. The student favorite part of the soul Kitchen experience is of course the delicious food made by Chef Emily and her staff. The Matawan Regional staff and students want to thank Bon Jovi and all his supporters for a great experience and relationship!“

“I just had the BEST beef gyro! Beef was so tender and tasty and the tzatziki sauce was delicious! I will be back again!“

“Just a damn good down home restaurant with good food good prices and good people .“

“We love coming to our local Applebees especially since we always get Sage our favorite waitress! She was absolutely fantastic and always gives us the best drink and food recommendations and always has such a kind demeanor and attitude and is always a pleasure.“

“Overall I had a good time with coworkers here for dinner. I was not impressed with the food. The meatball appetizer was very good actually, but the salmon with risotto entree was a definite No for me and another coworker who ordered the same dish.“

“NY Fries was incredibly delicious, loved the Poutine with Pulled Pork BBQ and Cheese Curds. Went to Canada a year ago Jul. where I ate some different types of Poutine. NY Fries does it great. I hope more locations pop up in NJ. I'll be coming back to try more things.“

“Great food and reasonable price!!!“

“We had our wedding reception here on July 19th, 2025, and we absolutely loved working with them! It was the perfect place for us and they seriously exceeded our expectations. We met with Mike, and he helped us create the perfect party. Setting times to meet with him felt seamless and we felt well prepared after every meeting. He was always very real when he met with us—no extra gimmicks or tricks which honestly sold us even more. On top of that, their general staff, food quality, and overall assistance, were exceptional. They gave so much during the food tasting, so definitely come hungry. The meals weren’t even a main priority for us, but I need one of our friends to have a wedding there so I could have their food again. During my touchups, we were given the cutest room upstairs, where they also gave us our own plate before being able to talk to our guests during cocktail hour. We were told by a relative that we’d be well taken care of here, and that perfectly explains our experience with them. Throughout the entire night, we were simply able to just enjoy, thanks to the staff. They were incredibly kind, patient, and proficient, especially the maitre d. They’d additionally accommodate well to all of our guests, and even vendors. Our friends and family still rave about this venue. Please highly consider Old Bermuda Inn for your next event. We already can’t wait to work with them again in the future, and we thank them for going above and beyond for us!

They took care of the sweetheart table (and its decorations), table numbers, table menus, and we ordered our cake through them. As you can see, we had the best time!“

“Visited this excellent restaurant for the first time today. Our experience was terrific. The food was delicious, great presentation and the service from our waiter David was outstanding.“

“Everything was fantastic as usual. Love going there and love the BYOB.“

“Such a cute place, such a throwback, with excellent friendly service and great food! My burger and chili dog completely hit the spot and washing it down with their trademark rootbeer was such a treat! Can’t wait to come back!“

“We’ve been to Violets on many occasions..it’s our go to place for great food and the staff are phenomenal! I highly recommend Violets and look forward to dining there again soon !“

“Another amazing dinner at Elli’s! The staff is so friendly, the food amazing and the atmosphere is so cozy. Will be back again!“

“Excellent service from the entire staff, especially the chefs. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and made the experience even more enjoyable. The food was so good, the drinks were excellent, and the prices were very reasonable. I highly recommend this place and would definitely come back!“

“I recently went to Hells Kitchen in Las Vegas and ordered the beef wellington. My first thought was I had a much better beef wellington at Canlon's. Well done Eddie. Thank you.“

“I have dined here multiple times. The food is always great as is the service. The restaurant has a cute vibe, however the last few times I have eaten here the restaurant has been extremely dirty. The silverware is not clean and the tables and floors are not clean. The tables nearby remain uncleared for the duration of our dining. I want to keep dining here, but it really needs to be better kept.“

“My family and I visited Djeet? in Shrewsbury today, and we had an absolutely wonderful experience! Our server, Dayanira C., was exceptional from the moment we sat down.

She was incredibly warm, friendly, and attentive, making us feel welcome throughout our entire meal. She took the time to explain the menu, offered thoughtful recommendations, and shared how fresh and carefully prepared the food is. Her enthusiasm for the restaurant was contagious, and thanks to her suggestions, we enjoyed an amazing meal.

It's becoming harder and harder to find service like this. Dayanira truly went above and beyond to make our dining experience memorable. She is a tremendous asset to the restaurant.

The food was delicious, fresh, and beautifully prepared, and the exceptional service made it even better. I highly recommend Djeet?, and if you have the opportunity, ask for Dayanira—you won't be disappointed!

We'll definitely be back!“

“Staff and management are great! highly recommend“

“Great food, drinks and great service. great atmosphere.“

“Had the Tricolore Salad with grilled shrimp today and it was DELICOUS!!!! Dad has the poke bowl and loved it. Service and atmosphere were great!“

“service cool 、wings good“

“Was in the mood for a cheeseburger and fries. Did not know what to expect, BUT I got the burger I ever had and the fries were to die for. Will go back and try the rest of the menu.“

“Best pizza I’ve ever eaten in my life!“

“Service & food was great.Definitely beautifully decorated!“

“My husband and I had breakfast here yesterday. It was our first time at Rise n Shine and we loved it!!! Great food and service. Our new favorite restaurant.“

“It was our first time dinning at Kona grill and we loved it. We were treated like valuable guests and our food was brought quick. Everything was delicious. I highly recommend the flight margarita, it was amazing and perfect amount of alcohol. We loved it.“

“If I tell you how wonderful the place, the people, the plates are will you promise not to go? It’s hard enough snagging a reservation without hoards of people trying to book a table after reading justifiably rave reviews. OK, here goes. Agnolotti pasta and sweet potato hush puppies as appetizers to start and oh, what a start it was. Monk fish and a bacon-jam encrusted pork chop, both cooked to perfection, as entrees. Lemon tart and a you-gotta-try-it-once-in-your-life “budino,” for dessert. (Do you know stressed spelled backwards is desserts?) What’s a budino you ask? Adult pudding, whipped by angels, so addictive it must have been created by Satan. Farm to Table, fresh, sustainable, local, tucked away on a side street in Red Bank… and you get to bring your own favorite wine. Don’t go. Don’t tell your friends. Let this gem be all mine.“

“Houlihan's is definitely one of my go to dinner or lunch places on a regular basis. I always ask for Colleen as her customer service skills are an A+++. She is pleasant, knowledgeable, and makes great recommendations. Besides the made to order food; the amazing french onion soup, yummy chicken wings, perfect salmon, prime rib sandwich, just like homemade pot roast, just to name a few good foods, Colleen is a main reason why I have been a regular for so many years. A shout out also to Al, one of the managers who is also a staple at the Holmdel Houlihan's. He is a true customer service person and he always greets you with a big smile. As a matter of fact I am going to Houlihan's tonight for dinner and have already requested my favorite waitress Colleen. Now what should I order tonight....mmmmm“

“We went for half apps on a Wednesday night and the vibes felt like a Saturday. Nisa was our server and was so sweet and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed and did so promptly. The manager, Mike, was very funny and personable. Thank you Nisa and Mike for making an ordinary Wednesday lit.“

“the food is great! I live this place. service is outstanding.“

“Awesome food! My Maui Sliders were the BEST! Tater Tots with Cheese were so good as well!“

“Great hotdogs in Keansburg at the boardwalk. Nothing fancy just cold beer great dogs and crinkle cut fries. A summertime favorite.“

“Got married in Vegas then threw a celebration with family & friends. Couldn’t have been more perfect 💕👍🏻“

“Great service every time I’ve been there“

“First time to the restaurant last night and we loved everything! Had pork dumplings, spaghetti with clams and the crab cakes. Great service too! We will be back 😀👍🏼“

“We had a wonderful dining experience! The food was delicious, and you could really tell that high-quality ingredients were used. The atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and made for a very enjoyable meal. The service was outstanding as well our server, Mpho, was friendly, attentive, and made us feel well taken care of throughout our visit. Mpho's excellent customer service truly made the experience even better. We will definitely be back and highly recommend this restaurant!“

“Cozy and fun great beers great jukebox music. And never overly crowded ever. Love the entire menu. Great homemade chips. Delicious burghers.“

“For a hotel, it certainly was refreshing. Traveling a lot you don't always get the best food selection.

With that said, the crispy Brussels sprouts, OH-EM-GEE. Hear me out. They were the best thing I think I've eaten...in well, ever. It wasn't just the whole Brussels sprout itself, it was mostly the outer skins that was coated in seasonings, oil, and crispy. They were SO GOOD!

I definitely recommend the French Onion soup as well, we had that twice. 😋“

“My granddaughter had her graduation dinner here. It was absolutely fabulous. Lovely atmosphere, fantastic service & the food was amazing. Can’t say enough how great this restaurant is. I would highly recommend this restaurant to family & friends.“

“This is the most lovely place!! Our sever Amanda made it especially lovely bc it was my birthday and made it so splendid with a bright little fireworks bottle display! Her warm delightful service brings us back repeatedly. Please ask for her. She will make your experience a very enjoyable one! The drinks are flavorful as is the food. The scenery and views are picturesque. 10:10 do recommend to a friend!“

“I love this place, the food is delicious and the service is top notch. The sea food stew is delectable!“