15 local bars to visit at the Jersey Shore for the summer of 2024

Summertime at the Jersey Shore, lets have some fun!

We just listed some of the best pizza shops at the Jersey Shore, now Peter Genovese over at NJ.com maps out some of the best bars at the Jersey Shore for the summer of 2024. He mapped out 35 great Jersey Shore bars with 15 of them that happen to be in Atlantic and Cape May county, that you need to check out this summer.

Lets take a look!

First up, coming up at No. 30 on the list is down in Wildwood, the Ship’N Shore.

Wildwood and North Wildwood are packed with bars, but the Ship’N Shore, which from the outside looks like just another house on the block, stands out for its cozy, pleasantly divey atmosphere. Good food here — hand cut fries, turkey clubs, cheesesteaks, plus homemade pot pies on Saturdays and Sundays.

Ship’N Shore is located at 434 W Montgomery Ave in Wildwood and is a true neighborhood bar, in a residential area.

Next up is a Margate staple, Roberts Place, which came in at No. 28 on the list.

“Laid back since way back” is the slogan at Robert’s Place, a cash-only locals hangout with atmosphere and great wings going for it. The menu goes beyond wings and burgers — grilled mahi, NY strip, blackened shrimp, and more

Roberts is about as local as it comes, and has a tremendous food menu and is known for their amazing wings, dinners and seafood. Located at 7807 Atlantic Ave in Margate City, you'll need cash if you wanna really enjoy your night.

Off the island over in Somers Point, coming in at No. 26 on the list is Charlie's Bar.

“At the Shore since ‘44′’ is the motto at Charlie’s, opened by Charlie and Helen Thomas in 1944. Before that, the building served as a post office, general store, ice cream parlor and market. The wings are a must. The menu also includes burgers, pasta, ribs, seafood, and more. It’s cash only.

Another locals favorite that made this list and is known for their wings. Charlies is also a cash only bar, that has a ton of TV's for all the Phillies games this summer. Charlies is well known for supporting local teams in the community, located at  800 Shore Rd in Somers Point its definitely a place to check out this summer. 

At No. 25 on the list, we head over to Atlantic City's Irish Pub at 164 St James Place right next to the boardwalk.

No other Shore bar is as steeped in history as the Irish Pub. A speakeasy during Prohibition, later a favorite haunt of Joe DiMaggio and other celebs, the Irish Pub is an A.C. icon. The red hotels used in Monopoly are based on the pub’s architecture. The rooms upstairs, which start at $50 a night, are one of Atlantic City’s great hidden bargains. “I would like to spend my last hours on earth at the Irish Pub,” Budd Schulberg, screenwriter of “On the Waterfront,” once said.

A late night favorite, open 24 hours, you can stop in and get a beer and a great meal at pretty much anytime of the day or night.

Back down in Cape May, we head to the Rutsy Nail, which came in at No. 21 on the list.

The Rusty Nail, which began as a famed surf bar dating to the ‘70s, is now a family-friendly oasis with sand, umbrella-topped tables and fire pits. Kids’ meals are served on a souvenir Beach Shack Frisbee you can toss around later. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available; dishes include lobster rolls, crab cakes sandwiches and fish tacos.

Located at 205 Beach Ave in Cape May, the Rusty Nail is a cool spot with an outdoor area that features fire pits as the summer night cool off.

At No. 19 on the list is The Ugly Mug, which is down at 426 Washington Street in Cape May.

Any bar that hosts the United States Frothing Championships deserves to be on this list. The annual event is held in September at the Ugly Mug. Whoever blows the most foam out of his/her glass becomes the United States National Froth Blowing Champion. There’s also an Ugly Mug Club; each member has his/her own mug; deceased members are honored by having their mugs hung facing the ocean. The menu includes burgers, seafood and pizza.

The environment is cool, usually has some live music, but its pretty crowded in their with plenty of people doing shopping, popping in for a beer and a quick bite then hitting the shops on Washington Street.

Next up we travel all the way down to the inlet in Atlantic City to Back Bay Ale House, which came in at No. 18 on the list.

The story of the Back Bay Ale House begins at the Hard Rock Cafe, where Kyle Williams and Peter McDonald worked. Williams opened the Back Bay Ale House in 2003, with McDonald as general manager. “It was scary,” McDonald recalls not-too-fondly of the building they inherited. “Everything had to be re-built.” The two-story restaurant/bar, with its views of Absecon Inlet, remains a relative secret outside AC. “There’s people in Brigantine who’ve lived all their lives there, come over here, didn’t know this was here,” McDonald says. There’s a cozy indoor bar, an upstairs dining room, a spacious outdoor patio, plus a tiki bar. Cocktails are served in Mason jars. Order a Georgia Peach, with Tito’s Vodka, peach schnapps, fresh muddled peaches and mint, Sprite and club soda.

This is a great place to start an early afternoon, hit the outdoor bar and grab a mason jar and their Jamaican Jerk wings.  Located at Gardner Basin at 800 N New Hampshire Avenue in Atlantic City, its the perfect place to stop to start your Atlantic City weekend.

Staying in Atlantic City, we head over to The VÜE at the Claridge, which was No. 13 on the list.

It’s all about the view at the Vue, Atlantic City’s only rooftop bar and restaurant. It’s on the 23rd floor of the Claridge, probably the most famous AC hotel in the 1940s and ‘50s. Guests over the years included Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Princess Grace of Monaco. Mickey Mantle even worked here at one time, as director of sports promotions. The Vue’s menu includes flatbread pizzas, burgers and fish tacos. Signature cocktails include Lucky Juice (lemon vodka, blue Curacao, Peachtree liqueur, pineapple juice), named after mobster Lucky Luciano. But you’ll want to drink in those views first.

Located at The Claridge Hotel, 123 S Indiana Ave in Atlantic City, there probably isn't a better outdoor view in the city.  I have been here a few times and always enjoy getting out on the rooftop and enjoying the view of the beach and boardwalk from 23 floors up.

Back over in Somers Point is a fairly new spot compared to many of the local favorites on this is, Crabby Jack's at 2 Broadway in Somers Point, which came in at No. 11 on the list.

The Crab Trap in Somers Point is an enormously popular Shore restaurant, where waits for a table are often common. Avoid the crowds and get a spectacular view in the process by heading to Crabby Jack’s, a tiki bar behind the Crab Trap. You can order from a scaled-down menu from the Crab Trap, and the waterfront setting is marvelous. That’s Ocean City in the shimmering distance.

Crabby Jack's is right on the water in Somers Point and has view over to Ocean City and is on the same property as The Crab Trap.

Back in Atlantic City is another local spot, The Ducktown Tavern, which came in at No. 10 on the list.

The Ducktown Tavern was one of the highlights on day two of our search for N.J.’s best burger. The Heart Attack burger, one of 11 burgers on the bar’s menu, is not for the faint of heart, stomach, or anything else. It is a teetering tower of cholesterol craziness — mozzarella sticks, corn nuggets, onion rings, fries, poppers, melted cheese, bacon, burger, and one “potato boat” artfully squeezed inside a toasted brioche-type bun. Tip: Go with the ACPD, a mere double cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato and fried onions. Much healthier.

Located at 2400 Atlantic Ave in Atlantic City, the Ducktown has a ton of TV's great menu and even has an outside seating area, called The Duck Hut at Ducktown, now for the summertime.

Inside the Top 10, we head off the island and out to Galloway's Mott's Creek, which came in at No. 9 on the list.

“Beware of the locals” reads a sign at Mott’s Creek Inn. No, not the human but the buggy variety: nasty greenheads, the bane of this part of the Shore. The rustic, rambling bar is a happy haven for locals, fishermen, bikers and folks just aiming to get away from it all. The view is of grass, water and sky, the kind of beautiful, spare emptiness typical of bayfront towns from New Gretna south. The menu includes gator bites, poke bowl salad, wings, burgers, and clams and oysters on the half shell. Minutes away is the Oyster Creek Inn in Leeds Point, another scenic waterfront retreat, also on this list.''

Located on the water at 200 N Motts Creek Road has live music and relaxing views, that you can pull your boat up to and have a bite to eat and a cold beer.

Back down in Cape May, coming in at No. 8 on the list, is the C-View at 1380 Washington Street.

There are “nicer” bars in Cape May, but my favorite is the C-View Inn, a true locals hangout. The building dates to the mid-1800s, and was once known as the Harbor House. Marilyn Pharo, the ten-year-old daughter of a previous owner, used to dance happily on the tables to the delight of customers. Current owner Greg Coffey bought the bar in 2007. There are about a dozen drafts, and frosted mugs, but the food’s the standout here. Get the juicy prime rib sandwich, or the garlic wings, with the special sauce, kept behind the bar.

Its a great local spot for wings and the game, is small, but friendly, so get there early if you want a seat at the bar for the game.

Coming in at No 6 on the list is Sirens Bar and Grill, which was one of my favorite spots, but is not a private bar, so I haven't been there in a few summers.

The well-under-the-radar Sirens is located at Kammermans Marina, on the other side of Gardners Basin from Back Bay Ale House. ”If you’re lost, you’ve found us!” the website helpfully says. Waterfront view, chill vibe, a seeming planet away from Atlantic City. The marina owners, Chris and Stacey Kammerman, live on the property. They never advertise, so you learn about Sirens by word-of-mouth. Sandwiches include marina meatball and provolone, beyond spicy sausage, and the signature adult grilled cheese.

If you are a member, the club is located on the water at 447 Carson Ave.  It had a great beer selection, awesome food, live music and even plenty of games to play.

I miss going here, it had great views and was a good time, but its definitely worth checking it out if you get the opportunity.

Starting at the Top 5, we head to back to Cape May County, to Twisties at 236 Bayview Drive in Strathmere.

Al Capone used to hang out here — what more do you need to know? Twisties was once known as the Strathmere Inn Cafe and may have operated as a speakeasy during Prohibition. A previous owner, Harold Charleston, was responsible for the weird and wonderful collection of coconut heads, carved by Seminole Indians, above the bar. The bar, named after former owners Jimmy and Rose Twist, is now owned by Gary and Denise Riordan. The Twists’ nephew was named — what else? — Oliver. The Hibiscus Lemonade is a summery sensation. The char-grilled pork chops, maple cinnamon French fries and twisted scallops are all highly recommended.

This has some classic local bar vibes, but also a shore feel, right on the water.  When you walk in, you can feel history and you'll be back for the cold beer and great food.

At No. 3 on the list, we head back to Galloway to The Boat Bar at Oyster Creek, which is located at 41 Oyster Creek Road in the Leeds Point section of Galloway.

Locals know the Oyster Creek Inn. The rest of the world? Not so much. Located minutes from Smithville, the inn offers a breathtaking panorama of marsh, water and sky. Have your first drink on the outside deck, then grab a seat at the boat bar. Yes, it’s a real boat. Good seafood here, too. Try the Mediterranean marinated grilled octopus as an app, then Chef Scott’s stuffed salmon for the main course. They even have snapper turtle soup, a Jersey rarity

My advice to you is to checkout a sunset and grab a nice cold beer at the boat bar and some seafood out on the deck and enjoy the relaxing vibes, and live music.

The highest ranked bar at the Jersey Shore from our area?  We head back to Cape May inside Congress Hall to The Brown Room.

The Brown Room, in Congress Hall, bills itself as Cape May’s “most refined lounge.’' Heck, it may be New Jersey’s most refined lounge. Lavish artwork, formidable fireplace, and magnificent bar add up to unparalleled seashore style. Try a Congress Hall Perfect Manhattan, or Blackberry Ramble, with Blue elderflower gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and blackberry syrup. The bar menu includes shucked oysters, bang bang shrimp, hummus and a burger.

Its a great spot for live music, specialty cocktails and meeting friends. Its got a little bit of everything, with outdoor seating, live music, but reservations required

What bar needs to be added to the list?