The Jersey Shore is home to several authentic, Southern-style barbecue spots that definitely bring the heat. May is National Barbecue Month, so dig in and celebrate at one of these favorite Jersey Shore spots. And check out a few beyond-the-shore options at the end of the list too!
At the Shore
Jersey Shore BBQ, Point Pleasant Beach
It started out as a catering company but Jersey Shore BBQ quickly expanded into the restaurant business. Its fall-off-the-bone, Texas-style barbecue is seasoned, then slow-smoked for hours in a pit lit with local hardwoods. Owner Douglas Walsh spent years in Texas mastering his talent and thankfully brought it to our plates at the Jersey Shore. Indulge in their signature baby back or St. Louis pork ribs, plus a variety of other barbecue options like brisket, pulled pork, and chicken—try their slow-smoked meats on one of their tasty sandwiches, too. The restaurant also has a location in East Brunswick.
Jersey Shore BBQ
710 Arnold Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Local Smoke, Red Bank and Sea Girt
The Local Smoke BBQ team has competed at barbecue events around the country and brought their knowledge to Local Smoke’s multiple restaurant locations. “We like to say that we bring the best of the rest of the country to New Jersey,” says owner Steve Raab. “A Texas-style brisket, a North Carolina-style pulled pork, and Midwestern-style rib—a St. Louis cut with a Kansas City rub.”
The restaurant slow-smokes its BBQ using sugar maple and cherry woods. Sample their best BBQ options with the Pig Out Platter, where you can try their brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and more. Local Smoke also offers unique barbecue options like slow-smoked hot dogs and “family to-go” barbecue packages for those who prefer to eat at home.
Local Smoke
244 West Front Street
Red Bank, NJ
2100 New Jersey Highway 35
Sea Girt, NJ
Back Bay BBQ, Somers Point
This seasonal spot is a favorite among both tourists and locals. This no-frills joint serves everything using plastic plates and cutlery and offers only the BBQ classics: ribs, pork, brisket, and chicken. Shrimp and scallop skewers are available too, plus a surprising pastrami option, but that’s it for main dishes.
Southern sides like baked beans, corn bread, and mac and cheese are also on the menu, but you won’t wish for anything more than the basics here. Everything is slow cooked, and the ribs practically fall off the bone before you can take a bite.
Back Bay BBQ (Opens for the season in May)
135 Somers Point-Longport Boulevard
Somers Point, NJ
Shore Points Coastal BBQ, Point Pleasant Beach
This spot prides itself on putting a shore spin on a classic barbecue joint. As if deciding what type of meat to order isn’t hard enough, Shore Points also mesmerizes with its eight sauce options. Enjoy barbecued meats, such as St. Louis ribs and pulled brisket, or choose something a little more outside the box, like their chicken-and-waffles sandwich with a side of citrus asiago fries. This place is open for breakfast too. So stop in and chow down on their delicious biscuits and gravy when you’re in the area.
Shore Points Coastal BBQ
816 Arnold Avenue
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
The Hickory Hog, Point Pleasant
You’ll get several types of ribs at the Hickory Hog, but they warn about the addictiveness of their Memphis Cajun dry rub rack. “We slow smoke all the ribs and meats with hickory, mesquite and apple wood in our state-of-the art smoker for hours,” says owner Maureen Cassidy, whose husband, Mike, has been cooking barbecue for more than 30 years. If you’re unsure of what to order, Cassidy says some other customer favorites are their baby back ribs, mesquite-smoked St. Louis ribs, and Carolina pulled pork. Top off your meal with a side of creamy mac and cheese or a baked potato, and you’ll definitely want to make another trip back.
The Hickory Hog
2310 Bridge Avenue
Point Pleasant, NJ
The Surfing Pig, North Wildwood
Check out this nautical-themed BBQ joint with water views! From pulled-pork sandwiches, BBQ platters, St. Louis-style ribs, and more, the Surfing Pig in North Wildwood is the perfect post-beach day stop. Sip on a margarita or frozen daiquiri and dig in! And be sure to check out their breakfast menu for some pre-beach day fuel with choices like steak and eggs, shrimp benedict, and classics like pancakes, waffles, and eggs your way!
The Surfing Pig
231 W 10th Avenue
North Wildwood, NJ
Monty’s BBQ, Atlantic Highlands
Come and get some authentic wood-smoked BBQ down the Jersey Shore, at Monty’s BBQ. Choose from their BBQ platters with your choice of meat, cornbread, coleslaw, and a pickle, a la carte meals, sandwiches, and of course delicious sides like mac and cheese and potato salad! Keep Monty’s in mind for your next catered event and order some of their pulled pork, beed ribs rack, brisket, and more, and make your next backyard BBQ truly memorable.
Monty’s BBQ
71 First Avenue
Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Smokey’s BBQ, Surf City
Want your summer barbecuing dreams to come true? Smokey’s BBQ takes pride in their product and offer an incredible variety of BBQ meals to fulfill the Jersey Shore summer experience! Whether you dine in, take to-go, or cater your next BBQ, their menu is choc-full of all of your BBQ favorites. Dig into their baby back ribs, pulled pork, chicken, or beef brisket sandwiches, combo platters, and more.
Smokey’s BBQ
1700 Long Beach Blvd
Surf City, NJ
Wild Honey Smokehouse & Tavern, Atlantic City
“We set out to create a respite where friends can gather to enjoy the finer things in life: BBQ, bourbon, beer, and music,” says Wild Honey Smokehouse & Tavern. Their website urges patrons to belly up to the bar for happy hour, grab a table for lunch or dinner, or drop by for a night out with friends because “the beer’s always cold and the bourbon’s smooth!”
For breakfast, lunch, dinner, or drinks, Wild Honey Smokehouse & Tavern has it all! Dig into menu choices like their mac-and-cheese burger, shrimp and grits, Charlotte, NC-style pulled pork, their signature 12-hour smoked angus brisket, and much more!
Wild Honey Smokehouse & Tavern
2831 Boardwalk
Atlantic City, NJ
Mutiny BBQ Company, Asbury Park
Dine indoors or outdoors in Asbury Park’s uptown neighborhood at Mutiny BBQ Company! Mutiny creates authentic small-batch BBQ in the Southern tradition. Their food incorporates flavors and methods of Texas, the Carolinas, Memphis, Kansas City, and Louisiana to “create a craft BBQ experience unlike any other.” Choose from the pulled pork, smoked fried wings, Texas-style sausage, and more. Top it off with a house-made pickles. Now that’s a perfect meal!
Mutiny BBQ Company
808 Fifth Ave.
Asbury Park, NJ
Smokie’s Craft BBQ, Bayville
When it comes to New Jersey BBQ, Smokies Craft BBQ means business. “At Smokies, you can expect mouth-watering barbecue meats – you’ll taste for yourself the tenderness and full-fledged flavor associated with fan favorites like the Pulled Pork Sandwich and fall-off-the-bone ribs”, says Smokies. Located on Atlantic City Boulevard in Bayville, check out their completely house-made BBQ menu with choices like Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Sliced Brisket Sandwich, Mac Stack & Cheese Burger, Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich and much more!
Smokies Craft BBQ
333 Atlantic City Boulevard
Bayville, NJ
Beyond the Shore
These local favorites aren’t at the beach, but they’re worth a stop.
More Than Q, Lambertville
Pitmaster Matt Martin opened up Lambertville’s More Than Q in 2014. This BBQ joint serves Texas-style ‘cue in the form of ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and more. Plus, they’ve got all the fixins, including sides like burnt-ends baked beans, macaroni and cheese, and southern-style collard greens. The restaurant lives up to its name by offering flavorful, unconventional options, such as smoked chicken thighs with honey lime chili sauce or fried pickles served with homemade Cajun remoulade.
More Than Q
13 Klines Court
Lambertville, NJ
Henri’s Barbeque, Folsom
This spot got its start in 2009 and has been serving up slow-smoked BBQ ever since. Enjoy Texas-style ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, or choose two meats with their combo platter option. Henri Hott’s also serves several chicken options (including Jerk and fried). Wings, sandwiches, and homemade sides complete the menu. Catering is also available.
Henri’s Hotts Barbeque
1003 Black Horse Pike
Folsom, NJ
—by Julia Mullaney
