By Danielle Davies
As we’ve reached the end of May and the unofficial start of summer here at the Jersey Shore, it’s hard not to notice some things — there’s more traffic, there are more open restaurants and bars, and there are lots and lots more boats. If you’re lucky enough to have one yourself — and let’s face it, simple access to a dinghy is all you need to uplevel your summer experience — there’s only one thing better: being able to dock and dine. Here, a few of our favorite dockside dining establishments.
The Back Bay Café at The Tuckahoe Inn Not everyone makes it over to the Upper Township side of the bay, but a stop at The Tuckahoe Inn’s Back Bay Cafe is well worth the boat ride. With a beautiful new outside bar and a stage that features loads of live music, the atmosphere is reason enough to warrant a visit. But it’s the Jalapeno Margarita, made with in-house steeped fresh jalapeno tequila, fresh lime, a splash of orange liqueur, citrus juice blend and a splash of fresh squeezed orange juice, that will keep you coming back for more. Located at 1 Harbor Rd., Marmora. TuckahoeInn.com
The Lazy Bass Located near the Grassy Sound Marina between Stone Harbor and North Wildwood, The Lazy Bass is the epitome of a summer spent kicking back. With loads of tables and umbrellas as well as a large bar smack in the middle of the action, The Lazy Bass is known for its rotating selection of both live music and food trucks, as well as yummy drinks like the Lazy Summer, made with Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey, Muddled Fresh Strawberries and lemonade, garnished with a mint leaf. Located at 5 Old N. Wildwood Blvd. East, North Wildwood. LazyBass.com
Buckets Margarita Bar & Cantina If you’re cruising along the bay in Avalon and Stone Harbor, there’s no better place to dock than at Buckets Margarita Bar & Cantina. Sure, you could swing next door to its sister property, the Water Star Grille, but then you’d miss the colorful chairs and fiesta-like ambiance of this taqueria style locale. You’d also miss the burritos, and just as important, the margaritas — specifically the cucumber mint margarita made with Corazon Blanco Tequila, Mr. Boston Triple Sec, simple syrup, lime juice, cucumber and mint. Located at 9631 Third Ave., Stone Harbor. BucketsStoneHarbor.com
Crabby Jack’s Bayside Bar at The Crab Trap The Crab Trap is an iconic Somers Point restaurant, perfect for dates or any time you want a vat of creamy and thick clam chowder. Come summer, however, the place to be is outside at Crabby Jack’s. While the menu is more limited out there, it’s a small price to pay for the bayside breezes, the always hopping crowd and the delightful drinks. Our faves? The specialty crushes. Crabby Jack’s has multiple flavors of crushes including Oranj, Lemon, Mango, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Fuzzy (peach), Pineapple and Island Crushes (made with Malibu Mango, Banana Liqueur, Triple Sec, fresh orange juice and triple sec. Located at 2 Broadway, Somers Point. CrabbyJacksNJ.com
The Deck at Golden Nugget When you want serious entertainment, cruise over to The Deck at Golden Nugget, where the casino is a backdrop to all the summer fun, including lots of live entertainment, weekly theme nights, plenty to munch on, and loads of cocktails to wash it all down. The Deck is the perfect place for soaking in the summer fun. We recommend doing so with an icy Tito’s Frozen Lemonade in hand. A refreshing cocktail made with lemonade and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, it’s the quintessential summer drink. Located at 600 Huron Ave., Atlantic City. GoldenNugget.com
Danielle’s been a writer and storyteller for the past fifteen years—her work has appeared everywhere from Philadelphia Style Magazine and The Press of Atlantic City to Cape May Magazine and The WC Press in West Chester. Nationally, her short stories have been published in Typehouse Magazine and Scary Mommy. She lives in South Jersey with her husband and two children.
