50 Best American Restaurants near Union Beach

“Everyone was accommodating, a friend sent back drunken clams cause it had meat in it as well. She asked for buttered garlic steamers instead recieved them in dipping oil. I don't know where the mix of communication is at between servers to kitchen. I've been here 3x's and sorry to say I won't be going back. They do have cold beers and it's a nice place, maybe the kitchen doesn't understand English very well? I don't have the answer but spending $ here isn't doable“

“I’ve been about 5 times so far and LOVE Emelio’s! The food is fresh and delicious and the portions generous. Even their simple side salad is something special - delicious, light dressing. And the service is great, which is hard to come by these days. It’s clearly a family-run place where Everyone cares about the quality. Also impeccably clean!“

“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 .“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!“

“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.“

“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 !“

“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.“

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

“service cool 、wings good“

“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.“

“This is one of my favorite spots for lunch or dinner. We love the fresh, local, seasonal ingredients and how the menu gets refreshed. However, there are always reliable classics like the chicken salad, crudite and hummus board, and truffle fries that I love!“

“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.“

“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!“

“Staff and management are great! highly recommend“

“THE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH (FOOD OVERALL) IS AMAZING!!! WOW, THE BEST I'VE HAD IN CENTRAL JERSEY. EVERYTHING IS COOKED TO PERFECTION. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME HAVING THEIR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AND THIS PLACE HAS WON ME OVER. IM VERY PICKY WHEN IT COMES TO A GOOD BREAKFAST, THIS PLACE HAS FULFILLED MY NEEDS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND AND WILL REVISIT TIME-TO-TIME. SO GLAD I FINALLY FOUND A PLACE I LIKE. 🙌“

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

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

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

“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!“

“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.“

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

“The new chef is magical creating absolutely delicious food and the service is outstanding! A wonderful restaurant, far superior then the old chef and waitstaff.“

“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.“

“Dinner was amazing! Wednesday night kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree. The new California chicken salad was delicious. Allison and Claudia were so wonderful. They checked in with us multiple times and made sure everything was perfect.“

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

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

“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“

“Tried it today first time since I moved to Carteret. Food was great and the owner was so nice. He prepared the food while telling the story and history of this town and his hot dog stand. Honestly this was the best food experience I had in Carteret, would definitely visit again whenever I get a chance. Tommy you rock 🙌“

“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 💕👍🏻“

“Most amazing views you could ask for on the water. \nWatch the boats come in and the ferry go out. \n\nThe sangria comes by the picture and is exceptionally good. \nThe service was very good and bar scene was vibrant. \nThe food is very good too. \nYou go here for the view and get good eats to top it off!“

“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 😀👍🏼“

“Awesome Smash Burgers! Was super surprised on how good they were. Will definitely be going back for more.“

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

“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!“

“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.“

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

“The food is fresh and authentic, it taste like what we find on the ��.“

“Decent sandwiches. There are signs saying that the final prices will be 20% higher than what's listed on the menu so it's not the cheapest option. They told me that they didn't accept Restaurant.com coupons anymore but still honored them anyways.“

“my husband and I have been coming to mjs for years whether it's for a lunch date or dinner with our kids MJS never disappoints. the food is always on point, no matter what we get it is always delicious. a few top favorites chicken Italiano sandwich, their homemade thousand island dressing for salads is out of this world, french dip is the best i've ever had. ahi tuna app to dye for! if ur lucky enough to get Emma as your server or Bartender you will not be disappointed she is always so personable attentive knows the menu really well and makes a mean expresso martini! she treats our kids like gold and keeps them entertained. Mjs is a well oiled machine run by the best manager I've ever seen. Dyan's attention to detail and making the place feel so welcoming and having everything that comes out of the kitchen on point she makes sure the servers and bartenders are very well trained. if she's there working she is always there greeting the guests and helping the staff make sure every guest has an amazing experience.She will also help you throw a sweet party and works with you to keep the price within your budget while giving you the best bang for your buck. she does an amazing job transforming the dining area into a great party space. I've had my son's christening, baby shower, birthday parties here in the dining room each time Dyan has gone above and beyond making sure everything was perfect. whether you are considering having a party or going to dinner or lunch do not pass MJS in Middletown up you will not regret it. & if you want a fun night out- Monday night bingo is always a hit or looking for something to do during NFL Sunday game day head to mjs it is an amazing atmosphere and great specials!“

“food was delicious, serving e was superb“

“Great House Margaritas !!“