Whether your thing is cocktails or mocktails, dive bars or speakeasies, Jersey’s vibrant nightlife scene has something for everyone.
Here are New Jersey Monthly‘s picks for the best bars and nightlife spots, by category, in the Garden State.
Tequila selection
Meximodo, Metuchen
Photo: Courtesy of Meximodo
This vibrant Mexican restaurant and bar holds the Guinness World Record for the largest tequila and mezcal selection in the world. Meximodo, open since 2023, has more than 1,000 hand-selected bottles of agave spirits, ranging from well-known brands to family-owned, artisanal ones—all of which are available for patrons to indulge in. Pair your cocktail with a tasty taco or ceviche for a fun night out. —Jacqueline Mroz
5 Pearl Street, 732-395-7767
Buy our March 2025 issue here. Cover photo: Michael Paras
Date night
The Highlawn, West Orange
Set high on a cliff, with the twinkling lights of New York City in the distance, this palatial, Italianate manse from the early 1900s is a fine-dining institution with a lavish bar area. Palladian windows frame the stellar view, while smoky-gray hues and modern chandeliers give a swanky feel. Seats are at the bar and at high-tops. Weekend music draws a crowd. Specialty drinks, sushi and the full restaurant menu are available. In warmer months, the bar opens to a spacious patio where you can enjoy the urban panorama, nosh and sip. —Deborah P. Carter
1 Crest Drive, 973-731-3463
Other date-night spots we love: Grain & Cane in Berkeley Heights, Lambertville Wine Cellar in Lambertville, The Brown Room at Congress Hall in Cape May
Speakeasy
The Laundromat, Morristown
Be young if you’re going to the Laundromat—the music is loud, the mood frenetic—but not too young. This speakeasy, hidden in the basement of what appears at street level to be a wash, dry and fold joint (not actually in operation), is for patrons 23 and up. The vibe is late-night good times in a sophisticated setting, with fancy bites and craft cocktails slung by a lineup of attractive mixologists with serious flair, plus live music on Fridays and Saturdays, followed by a DJ spinning until 2 am. —Tammy LaGorce
4 Dehart Street, 973-745-3508
Other speakeasies we love: Lucy’s Parlor at the Roosevelt in East Rutherford, The Rabbit Hole in Bloomfield, Laylow in Asbury Park
Tiki bar
Cellar 335, Jersey City
Cellar 335 bar manager Dan Olivo whips up drinks that please the eye and palate, like the shareable Zombie Priest Punch. Photo: Courtesy of TRBO
A tiki bar in Jersey City? It is challenging to imagine the Polynesian-style masks producing a tropical vibe against this urban mecca’s hardscapes—and then you walk in. The lower level of White Eagle Hall, a popular music venue, will transfix you with its sexy, dimly lit space transformed into an islandesque oasis from restaurateur Jaime Knott. Creative, inspired cocktails lead the way (sure to be topped with an exotic flower or sprout of fragrant herbs), and there are delectable, shareable plates to be enjoyed in the eclectic space. —DPC
335 Newark Avenue, 201-222-1422
Other tiki bars we love: Martell’s Tiki Bar in Point Pleasant Beach
Irish pub with heart
Shillelagh Pub, West Orange
Although it offers one of the best-poured pints of Guinness in New Jersey, this pub, tucked away on a bucolic stretch of Prospect Avenue, is more than a place to enjoy what the Irish sometimes call the black nectar. It’s also the home of an Irish-heritage organization called the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, dedicated to serving the community through charitable, cultural, and community events. The St. Baldrick’s Day event, where willing participants agree to have their heads shaved, is its most successful (and perhaps most fun), so far raising $1.25 million to eradicate childhood cancers. —Andrew Ogilvie
648 Prospect Avenue, 973-325-9338
Karaoke
Lee’s Hawaiian Islander, Lyndhurst
The kitschy tiki decor in Lee’s Hawaiian is unchanged from its opening in 1972, and that’s part of its charm. The other part is Bill, the spry, white-haired DJ in the sequined jacket who plays requests on weekend nights from a thick binder of karaoke standards. There’s a full Chinese-food menu, and the classic tiki-bar drinks—mai tais, Long Island iced tea, zombies—will have even the shyest in your group grabbing the mike. The restaurant has been for sale for almost two years, so don’t postpone the fun. —Julia Martin
768 Stuyvesant Avenue, 201-939-3777
Dive bar
Great Notch Inn, Woodland Park
If you’ve driven on Route 46 West, where Little Falls crosses into Woodland Park, you have seen it. The Great Notch Inn is Jersey. Family-owned for three generations, it’s run by Rich Hempel, grandson of the family that purchased the property after Prohibition. A survivor, it is still standing after numerous highway expansions. It’s a little worn and tough looking at first glance, but friendly and vibrant once you get to know it. With a long colorful history, the bar continues to have a colorful crowd and music scene. —Hank Zona
400 US-46, 973-256-7742
Other dive bars we love: Riverside Inn (aka the Dive) in Cranford, Obal’s Inn in Bloomfield, Tierney’s Tavern in Montclair
Rooftop bar
Rooftop at Exchange Place, Jersey City
You can’t beat the view at Jersey City’s Rooftop at Exchange Place. Photo: Courtesy of Rooftop at Exchange Place
Set 14 stories up in a former bank building—atop the Hyatt House hotel, steps from Jersey City’s waterfront—this modern, indoor/outdoor dining lounge affords a postcard view of downtown Manhattan. Taking full advantage of this precious real estate, glass walls allow for unobstructed viewing, even in colder months. A firepit runs nearly the length of the outdoor lounge and is surrounded by a wooden frame for cozy seating, and in summer, the Hudson River below is dotted with sailboats. The signature cocktail list changes with the season, and a CBD infusion can be added to any concoction, including mocktails. A host of shareables like bang-bang cauliflower and truffle tots, plus handhelds, salads, and bowls and a handful of entrées, are available. —DPC
1 Exchange Place, 551-256-7850
Other rooftop bars we love: La Terrazza at Felina in Ridgewood, The Bradford Rooftop in Bridgewater, AP Rooftop in Asbury Park
Drinks for foodies
La Otra, Aberdeen
The menu at La Otra is “fun and approachable,” says beverage director Ricardo Rodriguez. Photo: Michael Paras
La Otra, the cocktail bar earning oodles of accolades since opening in 2023, sits adjacent to David Viana’s three-star Iberian restaurant, Lita. But La Otra has a menu and identity all its own. As beverage director Ricardo Rodriguez puts it, the drinks are “flavor driven, with a lot of culinary inspiration.” (He started his hospitality career in kitchens.) Take the popular Tzatziki cocktail, with vodka, aquavit, cucumber, dill and yogurt. Elevated bar food, plus inspired wine and beer options, round out the menu. Although Rodriguez and his crew take cocktail creation seriously, the vibe at La Otra is laid-back, with ’90s hip-hop tunes and a friendly staff. —Julie Gordon
1055 NJ-34, 732-696-8517
Beach bar
Donovan’s Reef, Sea Bright
Plant a chair in the sand just feet from the ocean as early as 9 am. Then, order a rum bucket and a pork-roll breakfast sandwich from the tiki hut and jam to a DJ and bands all through the day and evening. Rebuilt after Hurricane Sandy, this expansive bar with a private beach offers affordable drinks and open decks with ocean views, where revelers listen to live bands five nights a week. Open April 19 through October. —R.C. Staab
1171 Ocean Avenue, 732-530-1833
Other beach bars we love: Jenks Club in Point Pleasant Beach, The Lazy Bass in Wildwood, The Beach Shack in Cape May
Live music scene
Pet Shop, Jersey City
Patrons visit Pet Shop for a lot of reasons: dive-bar vibes with both cheap beer and decently priced cocktails; a better-than-it-needs-to-be vegetarian food menu; and, most importantly, a subterranean space for live music. On any given night, guests might encounter a metal band, a jazz act, even a comedian. When we think about cool local spots that rival what’s found in NYC, Pet Shop ranks at the top. —Georgia Kral
193 Newark Avenue, 201-984-2170
Other live music spots we love: Ringside Pub in Caldwell, The Stone Pony in Asbury Park
Jazz club
Shanghai Jazz, Madison
Behind an unassuming exterior in charming downtown Madison, musicians from all corners of the world come to sing, strum and scat the night away. (Shanghai was a favorite of the late, great Jersey jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli.) Amid the soul-warming sounds, enjoy the Asian/fusion dinner menu and drinks. Hidden beneath the nearly 30-year-old venue is the newer Encore Speakeasy, a cozy bar serving up libations and shareable plates. The password to get in is “encore”—but you didn’t hear it from us! —Jennifer Finn
24 Main Street, 973-822-2899
Other jazz clubs we love: Clement’s Place in Newark
LGBTQ
Georgies, Asbury Park
A dive bar for all, Georgies has been serving the LGBTQ community and friends since 1999. There are no pretensions here. Step inside the wood-paneled barroom and you’ll feel welcome right away. It’s impossible not to have a good time at Georgies. You’ll find a pool table, karaoke, drag brunch, dancing, bar food, and cheap, strong drinks served in plastic cups. —Diana Pittet
810 Fifth Avenue, 732-988-1220
Other LGBTQ bars we love: Six26 in Jersey City, Paradise in Asbury Park, Byrdcage in Atlantic City
Sports bar
Beacon 70, Brick
With 70 4K HD TVs, an 18-foot video screen and three bars, Beacon 70 is the place to go for big games. The steampunk-style space on the Metedeconk River offers expansive food and drink menus. Beacon 70 also lets patrons leave with something other than a full stomach on NFL Sundays, when it holds prize competitions during commercial breaks. —Gary Phillips
799 Route 70, 848-232-4235
Other sports bars we love: Mulligan’s Pub in Hoboken, Jimmy Geez in Haledon and Oak Ridge, Tailgaters in Egg Harbor City
Mocktails
Catbird, Asbury Park
Photo: Courtesy of Catbird
If mocktails are having their moment, there’s no better place to enjoy that moment than this recently opened BYO, located in a cozy, cabin-like space on Deal Lake. Their cleverly named Mocking Bar offers zero-proof, botanical beverages, which receive as much care as Aimée McElroy’s wood-fired cooking—complex in flavor and satisfying in delivery, without the buzz. Try the festive Fig Jam Bees Knees, with spiritless gin, fig jam, lemon, honey and a sprig of thyme. —DP
1215 Sunset Avenue, 732-776-9732
Other spots for mocktails we love: Porta in Jersey City and Montclair, The Ebbitt Room in Cape May
Place to spot a celeb
Bar Franco, Montclair
Italian restaurant Fresco da Franco has long been known for sightings of stars from Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey. (One is Melissa Gorga, whose boutique, Envy, used to be around the corner.) The same is now true for Bar Franco, the tiny adjacent bar that opened in 2023. Like the restaurant, the bar is owned by TV producer Franco Poporino Jr., whose wife, Sara Acuri, is an influencer known as the Sweet Paisana. The bar has an elegant, old-world vibe, with Italian bartenders in white jackets serving bespoke cocktails with theatrical flair, and desserts including La Bomba, a 24-karat-gold-sprinkled confection that comes with a diamond-encrusted fork and costs a cool $1,000. —J. Martin
5 Church Street, 973-337-5100
Hotel bar
Halifax, Hoboken
Along with being an excellent choice for dinner, Halifax, located inside the tony W Hotel, draws a fun crowd of overnight guests and other patrons. Specialty cocktails like the Kingfisher Manhattan, made with the restaurant’s proprietary blend of scotch, plus an extensive array of wines are on offer. Stay for dinner and the twinkling view of Manhattan’s cityscape. —DPC
225 River Street, 201-253-2500
Other hotel bars we love: Orchard Park by David Burke at the Chateau Grande Hotel in East Brunswick, Alto at the MC Hotel in Montclair, Taste 1864 at Renault Winery & Resort in Egg Harbor City
Vintage vibes
Cowan’s Public, Nutley
Photo: Courtesy of Skopos Hospitality
Some people come to Cowan’s Public for the craft cocktails, the creative take on traditional bar food, or the ever-shifting roster of draft beers. Devotees of vintage design, on the other hand, come for the bar itself, an Art Deco demilune of dark wood hugging an expansive backlit wall of glittering bottles and barware. This is the bar of our collective dreams, conjured out of a 1930s movie, the perfect spot to nurse a martini and wait for Humphrey Bogart to join the party. —Leslie Garisto Pfaff
229 Centre Street
Other vintage vibes we love: Barrow House in Clifton, Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern in Ho-Ho-Kus, The Bernie at the Bernards Inn in Bernardsville
Wild Shore Night
Parker House, Sea Girt
Don’t be fooled by the reserved vibe of the Parker House’s upstairs restaurant in this quiet neighborhood. A wild weekend night at the Shore begins downstairs in the tavern (aka God’s Basement) with eager partygoers lining up before it opens at 5 pm Fridays and 3 pm Saturdays. A crowd dances to bands as they sip on vodka-infused Spring Lakers from one of seven bars before the town’s midnight curfew. Open May 9 through Labor Day. —RS
290 1st Avenue, 732-449-0442
Other wild Shore nights we love: The Columns in Avon-by-the-Sea, Djais in Belmar, The Pool at Harrah’s in Atlantic City
Beer hall
Redd’s Biergarten, Newark
Once the home of beer moguls like Ballantine and Krueger, Newark went essentially dry of beer houses during Prohibition, but today, German beer is on tap here again. Building on the success of its longtime sister location in Carlstadt near MetLife Stadium, Redds Newark opened across from the Prudential Center, steps from Penn Station, in 2016. At 7,000 square feet, this space, set with picnic-style tables and several bars, provides plenty of seating and standing room to take in sports on multiple TVs. There are more than 20 beers on draft, including German and local brands, as well as lots of noshing options, from oversized Bavarian pretzels with mustard-cheddar dipping sauce to burgers and wursts—including a vegan variety. Stop in for the $5 happy hour, 6 days a week (excluding game/event days at Prudential Center). —DPC
220 Market Street, 973-877-6600
Other beer halls we love: Zeppelin Hall in Jersey City, Hudson Hall in Jersey City
Fun & games
Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park
Yes, there are drinks here, but entertainment is the name of the game at this bowling alley and live-music venue that features punk, indie and alternative-rock acts. Asbury Lanes also offers food in the most Jersey way possible: a diner located right in the venue. —Ben Wasserman
209 4th Avenue, 732-361-6659
Other spots for fun & games we love: The Clubhouse in Fairfield
Quirky night out
The Boat House, Lambertville
Photo: Courtesy of Refined Hospitality
The nautical decor at the Boat House isn’t subtle. Instead of an aging oar here and a fraying fishnet there, a rush of ephemera that wouldn’t be out of place at a maritime museum greets you. You won’t find a cozier, more out-of-the-way spot in New Jersey, or one that more effectively synthesizes the vibe of a gentleman’s club and a lovers’ hideaway. Classic cocktails, like the sidecar and dark and stormy, are right at home here. You will be, too. Just note that it closes at 10 pm. —TL
8 1/2 Coryell Street, 609-397-2244
Other quirky spots we love: Firehouse Bar & Grill in Egg Harbor City
Creative concept
The Whitechapel Projects, Long Branch
The Whitechapel Projects was built by a process called adaptive reuse, in which the building’s deconstructed material was repurposed to create a bohemian eatery, bar and event space to celebrate artistic expression. There is an indoor bar and another in the yard. Summer cocktails are made with ingredients like locally distilled bourbon, coconut tequila and fresh juices. —Jon Coen
15 2nd Avenue, 732-963-9218
Dance joint
Bird & Betty’s, Beach Haven
Local and national bands and DJs descend on this bayside treasure, where patrons can let loose on a two-level dance floor overlooking the stage. The sweaty, often squeezed-like-sardines scene is part of the charm. Kick off your night early at the restaurant—the cocktails are delightful, the pillowy pizzas lightly blistered to perfection. Snag a deck spot for a sunset view. —JF
529 Dock Road, 609-492-3000
Swanky lounge
Ora, Oradell
Ora’s cocktail menu includes the colorful Prima Vista (left) and Buona Sera (right). Photo: Arron Andrews
Tucked away upstairs in the new restaurant Ora is a sleek cocktail lounge. This stunning space is actually three interconnected rooms and has beautiful lighting, cozy seating and a sexy bar, and can even be booked for a private cocktail party with room for up to 50 people standing. There’s a working fireplace here, and the recessed bar is painted with gold leaf by a local artisan. You can order small bites or dishes from the full menu of Italian delights. —J. Mroz
304 Kinderkamack Road, 201-267-4304
Other swanky lounges we love: Angeloni’s Club Madrid in Atlantic City, Le Malt Lounge in Colonia
Small but mighty
Little Bar, Hoboken
From left: Little Bar executive chef Seadon Shouse, owner Michael Barry and general manager Weng Lee Photo: Courtesy of Little Bar/Joshua McHugh
One of New Jersey’s smallest craft-cocktail bars, Little Bar in downtown Hoboken is unique. Only 500 square feet, it’s perfect for an intimate dinner or a casual drink. With its gorgeous peacock-blue bar and black-and-white checked floor, it’s a sight to behold. Little Bar comes from the team behind Halifax restaurant at the W Hoboken down the street, and serves many of the same dishes, including delicious house-made smoked salmon, local cheeses and crafted libations. —J. Mroz
1401 Hudson Street, 201-300-1113
Other small bars we love: Westside Saloon in Wildwood
A side of history
Barnsboro Inn, Sewell
Stop by the Barnsboro Inn, not because you’re hankering for a fancy drink or live music, though both await; come instead because you want to feel your Jerseyest. The inn’s claim to fame derives from its history. Licensed as a tavern in 1776, it’s thought to be the oldest bar in Jersey. Instead of hitting you over the head with facts and decor from the Jersey of yore, though, it presents itself as a simple hang spot. Settle in with one of 16 beers on draft and, if the season is right, root for the Eagles alongside the locals. —TL
699 Main Street, 856-468-3557
Other historic spots we love: Black Horse Tavern & Pub in Mendham, Yankee Doodle Tap Room in Princeton
Dessert bar
Bar 32, Atlantic City
Decadent is the only way to describe the desserts here. It makes sense that the chocolate offerings like the Mole Mole S’mores (charred fluff, cinnamon grahams and proprietary house-made chocolate) are over the top, but all of the sweets are what dessert should be: sweet, creamy, crunchy, or all of the above. The cocktails are equally delectable. Think chocolate martini, or pair your favorite vino with a chocolate bar made on-site from Tanzanian cacao beans. Be sure to take a few bars home with you. —DPC
121 S. Tennessee Avenue, 609-248-6960
Other dessert bars we love: Lady Fingers in Bloomfield
Cigar bar
Jimenez Speakeasy, Newark
Newark surprises many people these days, and this speakeasy upstairs from a legendary cigar shop, family owned since 1903, typifies that. In a quaint building between the Prudential Center and McCarter Highway, this is the type of place you hoped it would be before you stepped inside: a tucked-away feel with an even more tucked-away courtyard out back. It’s classic but stylish, comfortable but intimate, friendly but private. There are fine cigars and cocktails, with service to match, and an ongoing sampling of Newark’s thriving live music scene. —HZ
31 Liberty Street, 973-242-7904
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