Dock and Dine 

Your Guide to Northern Jersey Shoreline Dining Spots 

By Karen Irvine 

There are many reasons to love the exciting dining scene at the Jersey Shore; but one is truly unique — dock and dine. Numerous waterfront restaurants allow, and encourage, boaters to cruise up to their dock, or a nearby one, tie up, and come in to enjoy a cocktail and meal at their restaurant.  

Dining Out Jersey Shore tapped two local businessmen — who literally grew up on the rivers and bays along the northern Jersey Shore — to help negotiate this delectable dining option.  

 The Boatmen

Doug Douty, owner of Lusty Lobster retail and wholesale seafood market in Highlands, and Lance “Chick” Cunningham, owner of Carriage House Marina in Sea Bright, are experienced boatmen and dock and dine experts. They are as familiar with the Navesink, Shrewsbury, and Sandy Hook Bay waters, as the back of their hands.  

Chick’s love for the rivers began as soon as he could walk, he says. “I always loved being near or on the water. My mother dropped me off at kindergarten at the church in Rumson near Crazees,” he recalls. “I’d wave goodbye to her, turn around, and run down to the river. One day, my mom asked my teacher how I was doing.” 

 “‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘I haven’t seen Chick.’ ‘What do you mean you haven’t seen him?’ my mother shouted in disbelief,” he recalls. “I’ve been running to the river every chance I get since.” 

According to Doug, “Dock and dine is a blast. The biggest advantage is you can take friends out for an enjoyable day on the water, make a reservation for dinner, tie up, and enjoy some adult beverages, great food, and catch the sunset. It’s wonderful. Being on the water is a perfect way to leave your worries at home and relax. It couldn’t be more perfect.” 

The Ins & Outs

When it comes to docking, practice makes perfect, claim Doug and Chick, who have owned a succession of boats growing up on the Jersey Shore, from their first trusty 13-foot Boston Whalers to their dream boats of today, powerful and comfortable open-water cruisers. The duo knows the ins and outs of the boating world, including which restaurants offer dock and dine, the best days and times to find an available place to tie up, and they know how to dock safely in some of the trickiest of spots.  

They generously shared their favorite spots, their accessibility, and some valuable tips with Dining Out Jersey Shore. Doug and Chick want everyone’s dock and dine forays to be successful, safe, and rewarding ones. So, whether you have a luxurious yacht or a recreational day boat, give “dock and dine” a try.  

 

Let’s shove off! 

When in doubt, call the restaurant before venturing out, as a waterfront location does not necessarily guarantee its accessibility by water. Several popular seasonal waterfront spots that you’d think scream dock and dine — like Boondocks in the Red Bank Marine Park; Rum Runner and Tommy’s Tavern in Sea Bright — regrettably do not have dock and dine options. Even the popular Barnacle Bill’s in Rumson, which has its own marina, does not allow dock and dine.  

Yet others that you may not expect to have a watery approach, indeed do — like the fine dining venues, Molly Pitcher Inn and Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank. In fact, they cater to dock and dine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Reservations are suggested, and you must call ahead to reserve a space for your vessel. Although the dress code is casual, you’ll be more comfortable if you dress it up a notch or two. Overnight transient slips are also available at both marinas. The marina monitors VHF channel 9. Dock attendants are available to assist prior to 6:00 p.m. 

“One of my favorite dock and dine restaurants is Salt Creek Grille,” says Doug, who captains an Eastern 31 Casco Bay with its handsome Downeast traditional look. “A lot of boaters assume you can’t tie up there, because there’s no marina. But it’s a nice t-dock with exclusive use for those dining at Salt Creek. It’s protected there, too. Novices should know there is no one managing the dock to help you tie up,” he cautions. “You have to be aware of the tides, too. If you have a shallow boat and its low tide you are climbing down one of the ladders on the dock. Similarly, if your boat has a deep draft, you should stay away during low tides.” 

Again, the rule of thumb for dock and dine is, when in doubt, call the restaurant or marina ahead to see if they offer transient docking services. Be prepared to give the dock master the length of your vessel, your ETA, and ask if there will be room for you to tie up. Reserving a table at the restaurant is also a good idea and guarantees you have a table after the hassle of docking up. Please be courteous, and do not dock in the middle, and pull up as far as possible to leave room for other boaters.  

Another rule of thumb: Weekends are very busy, and space to tie up is in high demand. So, if you are able to go out midweek for lunch or dinner, do so.  

Don’t Rock the Boat 

Although relatively new to boating, boat owner Krista Newbert of Oceanport, had some sound advice to add to Chick and Doug’s. Krista and her husband Scott purchased their 19-foot recreational outboard Sea Ray for their family during COVID-19.  

“It’s important to be flexible,” she says. “Enjoy the spontaneity, go with the flow, and have a plan B. Docks can be full. Sometimes you have to motor on to find another restaurant. Instead of trying to find a place for dinner, go out for lunch. Changeable weather can interrupt with your plans, too. Even when checking the weather before your excursion, storms can happen quickly. Once when we were enjoying lunch and saw a storm coming, we immediately packed everything up and headed home and finished our lunch underway.” 

For new vessel owners, our sources all recommended going to docks that have someone there to assist you in tying up. Bahrs Landing in Highlands and the Channel Club in Monmouth Beach both have dockmasters, as well as fuel and dining. Proving Ground in Highlands has a dockmaster, and on super busy days you can anchor across the channel, and the dockmaster will motor out to get you.  

For the protection of your boat, and your neighbors’, use plenty of boat fenders, protective cushioning that hangs from the side of a boat that keeps the sides of the hull from knocking into the edge of a dock or other boats. Ray Fernandez of Bridge Marina offers video instruction for docking your boats at his website and also on social media. Some topics highlighted:  “Dock and Dine Etiquette,” “Pulling Up to a Dock,” “How to Prevent Overshooting a Dock” and lots more. You can find his informative, brief videos on social media @bridgemedia.  

“Always go slow,” cautions Doug. “When approaching a dock, especially an unfamiliar one, have boat lines ready, your fenders out, and ask someone in your party to handle the boat hook and lines while the operator approaches.”  

“There are a lot of places you can go,” says Chick, who sails his seaworthy Stanley 36, a classic lobster yacht built in Maine, out of the bay into the open waters out to Staten Island. “There are several restaurants with dine and dock options and yacht clubs there. I’m a member at Monmouth Boat Club, Red Bank, and many other yacht clubs offer reciprocity benefits.”  

And… Did we say this before? It’s best to call ahead. 

If the restaurants are really busy, you can place an order to go, dock, and to a peaceful spot to watch the sunset and enjoy your meal. At Bahrs Marina you can fuel up, go to Bahrs Seafood Restaurant or Moby’s Lobster Deck for a bite, and the dock attendants will move your boat for you while you enjoy your meal! 

Although there are no traffic lights, there are rules and regulations — just like on land, and operators of vessels are expected to know them. Heads up that New Jersey State Marine Police frequently patrol the water ways. 

Finally, remember that each craft should have one life vest per person aboard. Any boat 12 feet and up with HP 10 or greater requires the driver to pass a boating safety certificate and have a boat license. For further details about requirements and the boating safety certificate, visit nj.gov/njsp/marine-services. 

Without further ado, here are our picks for dock and dine at the northern Jersey Shore this summer. We will provide more details for southern Jersey dock and dine with our expert boating sources in the next issue. Please contact the restaurants below for more information. 

 

Navesink River 

Red Bank 

Molly Pitcher 

Transient docking, call ahead. Dockmaster, Sean Byrne {732.747.2500 x535; VHF Channel 9} 

Rumson 

 

Salt Creek Grille 

This is an Exclusive T-dock for Salt Creek patrons only, with no attendants. Low tide can be a hazard for larger boats. {732.933.9272; saltcreekgrille.com} 

 

Sea Bright 

Beach Walk Hotel/TheBar 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner, floating dock, swift tide and wakes from passing boats. {732.842.8450; beachwalkseabright.com} 

 

Highlands  

Bahrs Landing Famous Seafood Restaurant & Marina 

Lunch and dinner, fuel, dockmaster, best to call ahead. {732.872.1245 X3; bahrslanding.com} 

 

Proving Ground 

Lunch and dinner, dock, dockmaster. If the dock is full, you can anchor on the other side of the channel and radio or call the dockmaster and he will pick you up. {732.872.2266; theprovingground.com} 

 

The Seafarer 

Two slips for boats under 22 feet, or tie up at Baker’s Marina on the Bay. {732.861.1741; seafarersnj.com}  

 

Bridge Marina 

Marina, Boat Rentals, Boat Classes, Boat Safety Certificate. {973.663.1976; bridgemarina.com} 

 

One Willow 

Lunch & dinner, Sandy Hook Bay Marina, up to 10 spaces available based on the marina’s transient reservations. {732.872.1511; onewillowhighlands.com} 

 

Shrewsbury River 

Sea Bright 

EvenTide Grille 

Lunch and dinner, uses Navesink Marina; call the restaurant. {732.530.1414; eventidegrille.com} 

 

Monmouth Beach 

Channel Club Marina, The Tiki Bar & Grill, Beach Tavern 

Lunch and dinner, use Channel Club Marina, dock with dockmaster and fuel, 6-8 slips. Call Beach Tavern ahead. {732.870.8999} For fuel, call Marina. {732.222.7717; VHF Channel 9} 

 

Brick 

River Rock {732.840.1110; riverrockbricknj.com} 

Beacon 70 {848.232.4235; beacon70.com} 

 

Brielle 

Pig and Parrot {732.528.7750; thepigandparrot.com} 

 

Point Pleasant 

Red’s Lobster Pot {732.295.6622; redslobsterpot.com} 

Shrimp Box {732.899.1637; theshrimpbox.com} 

 

Belmar 

Marina Grille {732.894.3211; marinagrillenj.com 

Klein’s {732.681.1177; kleinsfish.com}