50 Best American Restaurants near Lavallette

“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.“

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

“The fried calamari is the best!!!“

“Amazingly friendly customer service, great food and coffee with a good selection of gluten free options.“

“We (a party of 4) had dinner last Thursday (3-7-24). We decide to select our dinner choices from the fixed-price menu being offered that evening. EVERYTHING was wonderful. In reading the other reviews, they truly reflect our own dining experience. This is going to sound a little weird, but I have found this to be true. If the restaurant proprietor (as in this case) provides a restroom facility that goes beyond just clean and tidy, I believe the same attention to detail carries over to every aspect of the restaurant, from food preparation to presentation. Truth be told, I used the facility early in the evening. I can’t speak to what it may look like at the end of a busy summer Saturday service, but its condition would reflect more on the customer comportment. Final note, I’m about an hour away, but it is well worth the drive. GREAT RESTAURANT!“

“Delicious !!! Fresh seafood !!! Wonderful staff !!!“

“The food, Service, and atmosphere were all excellent. The fresh brewed tea is spot on. The Firecracker sauce is Devine and you can't go wrong with the wedge salad. Not a bad thing I can say from my experience.“

“A go to place for great food, perfect atmosphere and awesome staff….“

“The best service and food.“

“我是全民K歌浪漫小公主I am ROCK Angle baby my sister I am hong kong diabetes I am married I am no work I am live in hong kong“

“My family went to the Easter brunch this year! Everything was delicious! The food was constantly being replenished and the wait staff was amazing! Such a great way to be able to spend the day with family and not be stuck cooking all day! Thank you to all the staff working. Our family had a great time!“

“Just celebrated our Mom’s 81st birthday this past Sunday at Dina’s Bistro. What a wonderful experience. Would definitely recommend this warm and friendly restaurant. Food was out of this world - and portions were huge. Thanks Richie for all your help with making this day so special for our Mom.“

“Had lunch today at Houlihans. I haven't been here in a while, so I wanted to treat myself by eating at my favorite restaurant.
And my 3 favorite servers now work in the morning: Mackenzie, Brooke & Jenna.
I had the early bird dinner special: chicken parmesan with a salad and dessert for $17.99. it's a good deal because they chicken parmesan by itself is regularly $17.99.

My server Mackenzie was great: polite, attentive, and fast. As are all of the servers here.

It was sad seeing one of the hosts, Justin leaving. This is his last day. He's going back to college. He and hostess Paige are both great. No matter how busy they never lose their cool. That's important bec

The food always great.

Parking: Parking is free and always available, even on busy weekends.“

“We went here on Thanksgiving. They had their open menu as well as a Thanksgiving dinner, which was delicious. The servers worked as hard as they could. To make sure everybody got their food on time. Click on the refills of your drinks.And you were able to sit out side by the water. If you go, i'm sure you will enjoy it.“

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

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

“Our go to place! We have brought so many friends here when in town or local friends that didn’t know. Everyone loves it“

“Amazing food and great atmosphere“

“Came here for a quick, Sunday homestyle breakfast and was not disappointed at all. The atmosphere is unique, to say the least, but also gives a lot to start conversations amongst the table. Serving portions were superb and food was very tasty. I have seen other comments and reviews that were very negative and nasty, but everybody can have a bad day once in a while. They were complaining on the service and owner/waiter being rude and yelling. I've seen more positive ratings than negative ones. While not everybody has the same humor, people can definitely be some Debbie downers. All in all, we had a nice experience and enjoyed the food. Ihop who?? Lol will def be back!!!“

“The Rueben for sure.. fantastic. Best in the Tom’s River area. The chicken fingers and fries are amazing..the Zesty chicken wrap is definitely one of the best wraps I’ve ever had. The daily specials are awesome, filling, and great price. They are definitely not skimpy with their portions. Cheese steak special is great they def hook it up. And that’s all I’ve tried so far, def looking forward to trying everything on the menu. Absolutely 100% recommend this place for sure. And the owner and all the staff are very friendly they all do an amazing job. They even give my dog a treat when we come up to the pick up window! Cant wait to try the new soup and slider menu !!“

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

“Decent after beach meal at decent beach adjacent prices.

Parking: 15-20 spots right next to the place.

Kid-friendliness: Outside seating, plenty of room to run around.

Wheelchair accessibility: No stairs.“

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

“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“

“We had Kate & Ally’s cater a party at our local community center for 100 people. Everything from securing the date, choosing the menu, the food, and the service was top notch! I am so happy we were able to provide such high quality and creative food, but also, to have had the opportunity to just enjoy the party while the Kate and Ally staff handled it all from set up to clean up! Huge thank yous to Dianne, Lindsay, Janet, and Rich for all their hard work to help make my event special!“

“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“

“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.“

“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.“

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

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

“You can tell care is put into this food, not your average reheated frozen slop from most places around. Best mozzarella sticks in the area, a must on their menu. Chicken fingers were also superior to most.

My chicken sandwich was really good, nice sauce too. My husband liked his burger as well. Take out can end of lackluster by the time you get home to eat it, but that wasn’t the case with Big Dogs. Was happy to see them reopen so we could finally try them out.“

“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“

“Table of 4 with no duplicates on apps or entrees so that’s a lot of ingredients. Every one of those ingredients were prepared to perfection! A thick cut pork chop you could cut with a fork, mussels that I’ve never had that tender, the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had and the list goes on. Every person there raved about their meal. All the best, you’re definitely raising the bar in the area. Oh and our server was super friendly.“

“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.“

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

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

“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. 💗💗“

“Had an awesome brunch this morning. Food was delicious...Danielle was amazing.“

“Walked in and sat at the bar, our bartender was a wonderful woman named Leen. We’ve been to a few Applebee’s but I have to say Leen was easily one of the most exceptional bartenders we’ve ever had at an Applebee’s or any other bar for that matter. Friendly, attentive, funny and just overall a great person to talk to. Our food came much faster than I or my girlfriend had expected (and it was outstanding). Everything we could’ve asked for, if I could give more stars I would! 11/10“

“Love this place! Always come here with my family! The waiters/waitresses (especially Patrick) are always very kind! I always get the Royal Red Robin! It is amazing. But the only problem is that the yolk is always kinda runny. But other than that, everything else is perfect!“

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

“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 Grove was amazing. I mean the food was great. Our Host Kelly was amazing. when I tell you she went above and beyond from the beginning to the end. shawn n Megan was exceptional. I could not asking for a better team to work with. you guys were amazing. your boss should give you a raise. cause you went above n beyond“

“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've been going to Punt Pleasant for years and finally ate here for the first time. I've been missing out! I thought, from the menu posted that they were a little pricey, but that's because the portions are huge! The service was very nice, and you can't beat the ocean view.“

“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!“

“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.“

“My wife and I go on the River Lady for a dinner cruise every chance we get and definitely every September for our anniversary. A great experience with good food considering it’s brought onto the boat in hot boxes, the staff is very attentive and friendly. The views are awesome. Night dinner cruises have been great with a DJ and the Captains are great too. We highly recommend this activity. You will be pleased that you went. We hope you try it and have a wonderful time.“

“Very friendly staff and deliciously crafted food. This is no diner. You will get a great small town feel meal that is creative and delicious.“