Restaurants in Burlington County

1509 Route 542 Lower Bank, NJ 08215 609-965-6936 Directions and Map

LOWER BANK TAVERN "Have You Been to Lower Bank Lately?" Sit down and enjoy a drink and a meal in a place from the days before chain restaurants overpopulated our state. CLICK TO READ MORE 12 miles from Tuckerton; 12 miles from Egg Harbor City. 10 minutes from Batso.

For the best "award-winning" wings, great sandwiches, and a fun & friendly staff, be sure to visit PIC-A-LILLI INN! Same family owned and operated since the 1920's! 866 U.S. Route 206, Shamong, NJ 08088 609-847-1187 Menu

The Home of Great Food, Great Service and Great Smiles! Open 7 Days a week - 6:00AM -8:30PM 7 Willow Grove Rd. (on Route 206) Shamong, NJ 609-268-1182 Visit our website to see our huge menu! Try our delicious frozen custard - 26 flavors! We cater any event!

Restaurants in Atlantic County

Sweetwater Casino , Sweetwater, NJ*

Restaurants in Ocean County (alphabetically)

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THE GATEWAY, Eighth St., Ship Bottom...A Spring Sunday afternoon visit to the Gateway provided an amazingly delicious late lunch at affordable prices.  The chowder here is literally award-winning, and for very good reason!  The New England sampled on this day was out-of-this-world delicious.  As an appetizer, though, don't buy a bowl or you won't have room your meal!  The luncheon menu was a basic one, with a few "blackboard specials" for some pasta dishes, but when the mussels marinara arrived, it was clear that the food served is NOT basic.  These mussels were fresh, plump, juicy and large; did not taste previously frozen, and obviously cooked-to-order.  The marinara sauce had to be home-made - it was delicious!  it was sweet, though, so about a 1/4 jar of hot pepper flakes made it just about right!  Another diner had a crab cake sandwich.  This was also delicious; not the breadcrumb-garnished with crab-cakes so many places serve.  Service here was prompt and friendly as well.

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MARIO'S, Route 9, Forked River (Lacey Township).  Mario's is a small Italian restaurant adjacent to a takeout pizza and submarine spot.  The ambiance of the restaurant section, however, is very pleasant; Lighting is indirect and soft music plays in the background of this small but roomy dining area.  Aside from the regular menu, specials are offered nightly, which are creative renditions of Italian fare, and usually include a seafood choice.  (On this night it was fresh tuna.)  However, our choice this evening was from the menu.  Our meal started with a very fresh salad of spring greens.  The house vinaigrette was excellent.  Warm bread was served with the salad - a nice touch was the focaccia, topped with a touch of marinara.   Our dinner choices were Eggplant Rollatini (eggplant stuffed with ricotta and covered with mozzarella and marinara sauce) and Seafood Fra Diavalo, which included shrimp, clams and mussels on a bed of pasta - the variety of which is up to the diner - with a choice of hot or sweet sauce.  Both entrees were fresh and quite tasty.  The marinara is light and refreshing, and not overburdened by unnecessary seasonings.  A side of broccoli with oil and garlic was excellent.  Both the broccoli and sliced garlic were cooked to crisp perfection.  (a "special" appetizer offering this night was broccoli rabe, as well.)

 

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MUD CITY CRAB HOUSE, Manahawkin...This seafood restaurant and market is not to be missed!  There are surprisingly few GOOD seafood restaurants in the area.  This place is one of the most popular dining spots of the sumer and beyond!  On a sunny June Sunday afternoon, we decided to visit the seafood spot named for the low-lying area of Stafford Township on the Barnegat Bay in which it's located.  We walked into the immaculate seafood market section, and within moments were seated in a freshly painted, clean restaurant area in a comfortable booth.  A waitress came by immediately with a smile and a big bucket of ice for our "BYOB", and a second smiling staffer handed us the menu.  This was to be no easy choice...just the appetizers consisted of baked garlic clams, garlic mussels and oysters on the 1/2 shell, to name a few.  Then the "soup" decision:  Clam chowder?  Crab Chowder?  We settled on the garlic mussels - an excellent choice!  About 30 PEI mussels steamed in white wine and garlic butter came in a shiny galvanized bucket and were served with ample melted butter and semolina Italian bread for dipping that delicious juice!  Then, we decided to split the seafood bisque, which was great, and loaded with crab, shrimp and scallops. The main entree was the tough choice.  The specials of the day included fresh fish such as swordfish, tuna, salmon and others, cooked in a variety of ways (blackened, grilled, etc), and served with a number of sauces, including a tropical salsa that sounded delicious!  However, I decided on shrimp stuffed with crab imperial and my companion opted for the fried combo.  Both meals couldn't have been better...I couldn't finish the third shrimp, and barely touched the homemade coleslaw and corn on the cob that I chose as my sides!  The fried platter included a large flounder filet, a delicious crab cake (hardly any bread crumbs) shrimp and scallops, all cooked to perfection.  All seafood served here is "fresh, never frozen", and of course they feature crabs in the rough, served either Maryland style or Garlic style. They also have Dungeness crabs and lobster at market price.  I also happened to notice another diner's cioppino, and that looked absolutely scrumptious, too!  There is a junior menu, and family takeout dinners are available, besides the fresh seafood market. Mud City Crab House is a happy restaurant with top-quality food served by an excellent wait staff.  Two words of warning:  First, be prepared for a wait (consider tail-gaiting while you're waiting!).  By the time we left at about 6:00 p.m., couples and families were waiting in the parking lot for a table - but it is well worth the wait!  Second, GO THERE HUNGRY!!

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ALLEN'S CLAM BAR, Route 9, New Gretna. If you're looking for fantastic seafood with no frills and great prices, a visit to Allen's will fill the bill. This small restaurant has a one-of-a-kind nautical decor, beginning with the huge shark's head at the entrance. The interior is rustic but charming. The floors are concrete, the chairs are utilitarian and the plates are plastic, but once the food starts arriving, you'll barely notice! For starters, their Manhattan Clam Chowder is outstanding, but clams (half-shell, steamed or Casino) and shrimp cocktail are also offered. On this night, I chose the Broiled Combination for my entree. I received three large shrimp, five or six scallops and 2 filets of flounder; a side of home made potato salad and cole slaw and a roll. The scallops were the star of this meal, but all was delicious! Also on the menu (the placemat is the menu!) are such scrumptious seafood selections as Fried Combo Seafood (flounder, shrimp scallop, deviled clams and fried clams), fried oysters, fried softshell crab, crab cake, cold seafod platter, the wonderful French Fried Lobster Tail and more. Don't overlook the oyster stew! It is a meal in itself. It's a huge bowl of succulent oysters in a perfectly seasoned milk broth that you will long remember. Many customers come back again and again just for this specialty! Sandwiches are also available, ranging from an oyster sandwich to the soft crab sandwich. Platters are also available for 65 and over and 12 and under, in the $5.00 price range.

Service was very prompt and friendly. We were greeted with a smile, and our server was attentive without rushing us. The only downfall I found is that Allen's doesn't take credit cards, but with prices so reasonable for the quality and quantity of food, it certainly doesn't hurt their business! Allen's is a favorite of the locals, but come summertime, there can be a a bit of a wait. If you go, get there early! (2001 review)

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SHIP BOTTOM SHELLFISH, Long Beach Boulevard, Ship Bottom. If seafood is your passion, this is the place to visit! Located right on Long Beach Boulevard, it's a busy spot (with limited parking), but on this thundery Saturday night in summer, the 45-minute wait to dine was well worth it! We were all starving once we were seated, and ordered a 1/2 gallon of mussels in wine and garlic butter, soft shell clams, and the soup of the day, seafood bisque. I'm not sure which I liked best, although the bisque was probably the best I've ever tasted! loaded with crab, lobster, scallops and shrimp, it was simply sublime - in fact, when I let my two friends sample it, they had to order a cup of their own! I chose grilled Mahi-mahi with a creamy roasted chipotle sauce that was just out of this world! It came with a choice of two side dishes; I chose potato salad and cole slaw, and both were excellent. Another diner selected tuna, grilled rare, with a teriyake-ginger sauce, and a third selected a broiled platter, consisting of shrimp, scallops, crab imperial and "fish of the day". We were all thrilled with our respective selections! Just about any type of seafood is available here - flounder, crab, scallops, crabs, lobster, swordfish, salmon, king crab legs, oysters...the list goes on and on. A seafood market offers a huge selection of fresh and prepared seafood, and all food is available for take-out. Dress is casual, and it's BYOB. And yes, there are chicken and burgers available for landlubbers!
 

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SWEETWATER CASINO*, Sweetwater NJ. There's something special about Sweetwater Casino - maybe it's the rustic character of the place, maybe it's the gorgeous location on the Mullica River, or maybe it's just the casual ambience of it all. Table setups for lunch had crisp linen tablecloths, making our visit a bit more special. My visit was in late October was for a late lunch. I ordered a "Jack's Pumpkin Pie Spice Ale", which was delicious, and enjoyed it with the complimentary tray of Casino Cheese and assorted crackers. I then enjoyed a cup of thick snapper soup served with sherry, and "Chicken Salad & Fried Oysters", a traditional pairing originating in the Philly area. My salad and oysters were nicely plated - adorned with quartered hard-boiled eggs, grape tomatoes and cucumber slices. After enjoying a well-poured Bourbon and soda, my dining companion opted for a choice from the senior menu. She raved about the crisp salad and fresh blue cheese dressing! Her dessert choice was an ice cream log topped with whipped cream. The holidays are extra special at Sweetwater Casino. The restaurant is beautifully decorated throughout. If you haven't caught the spirit of the season, you will catch it at Sweetwater! And don't forget to pick up a tub of the delicious Casino Cheese at the adjacent gift shop! (October 2006 review)

*Ed. note: On June 30, 2008, Sweetwater casino was destroyed by fire. This historic landmark deep in the Pine Barrens will be missed by many, many people. Over the many years, it has been part of so many lives, from the great staff members to all those who attended the hundreds of weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and non-profit events. It's hard to believe that it's gone. See photos of Sweetwater Casino.

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P.J. WHELIHAN'S, Medford Lakes NJ.This restaurant was built on the site of "Settler's Inn", which was destroyed by fire in 1998. The Settler's Inn was a huge log cabin, said to be the largest such structure in existence, and the current P.J.'s has tried to maintain that look and ambience in the new building. They've done a great job. The restaurant is large and beamed, yet has a warm and welcome atmosphere - especially near the two-sided fieldstone fireplace burning warm and toasty on the day of my visit. Several TV's and a big EAGLES sign led me to believe this is a great spot to watch football, especially if you're an Eagle fan! The menu for this restaurant (there are five other locations in NJ & PA) offered many of the standards: Buffalo wings and shrimp, rangin from "mild" to "suicide", and a variety of appetizers and salads, along with classic sandwiches and entrees. However, items like Hummus with pita bread and Asian style shrimp salad showed interesting creativity in the menu. I finally decided on the Flat Iron Steak, at $13.99. It came exactly as requested - medium rare - with smashed red bliss potatoes and a deliciously crisp medly of steamed veggies. The steak was served over an applewood smoked bacon red wine sauce and dusted with rosemary, and a knife was barely needed to cut this melt-in-your mouth beef! My dining companion chose the Lobster Macaroni and Cheese at $12.99. Normally a light eater, she scarfed up every last morsel of the baked orecchiette (little ears) pasta and lobster pieces blended with fontina and cheddar, and topped with toasted parmesan bread crumbs. It was a perfect meal for a winter day! Service at P.J.'s is quick, friendly and efficient. I only wish P.J.'s was closer, because it would become a regular for me! I can't wait to return to try their Roadhouse Rack of Ribs, or maybe the Ahi Tuna, or maybe the Crab Cakes....

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Pic-a-Lilli Inn, Shamong (Indian Mills), NJ: There's a warm and friendly feeling as you walk through the door at Pic's. Returning from a visit to Batsto, a friend and I decided to stop in one cold Sunday afternoon. Thinking it would be a slow Sunday since it was the week before the Super Bowl, we were surprised to find the bar and many adjacent tables full. We sat at a table across from the bar, where we could still watch TV and play NTN Trivia (an interactive game found in many restaurants and pubs). We were greeted immediately by a very friendly server, and got our beers, menus and game boxes right away. Of course, we ultimately decided on wings, "spicy" style (there's mild, spicy, hot and smokers) and the "extra" bleu cheese and celery. The latter came first, and as celery goes, it was icy-cold and crisp; the bleu cheese was creamy and mild. Then came the wings! It must be noted that these wings are whole wings, not split in half the way most places serve them, so six wings would be twelve at most other places! Yes, it goes without saying that their famous wings are delicious! The "spicy" sauce was hot enough to be noticable (though I would have liked to try the "hot") and had a very, very pleasant and subtle sweet back flavor. The wings were freshly cooked; with steamy, moist and tender meat, and a crisp skin. Finger-licking is a must with these red gems! About halfway through, I realized that I was enjoying the flavor so much that I hadn't even bothered to use the bleu cheese! Overall, Pic's is a comfortable place with the best in comfort food. People of all ages and walks of life stop in here, from "down for the day" tourists to die-hard locals. It's not fancy, but who needs - or wants - fancy when you're enjoying the hospitality - and the best wings - of the Pinelands? My only disappointment was myself! Each time I stop in, I get the wings. One of these days, I am going to try one of the many other offerings on the menu, like the "Creamy Crab Soup", "Broiled Seafood Combination", or "Buffalo Chicken Salad!"

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Gemelli Bistro and Pizzeria, Barnegat. Ed. note: Serpico's closed in 2016 due to owner's health. It is currently operating as Gemelli Bistro and Pizzeria. I recently had a Margherita Pizza delivered; it was piping hot, and it was loaded with fresh mozzarella and basil. The tomato sauce was sweet, probably a San Marzano variety, and the crust was fresh and tender. Delivery was faster than the quoted time, and the delivery person was refreshingly polite and friendly! My next order will be of my favorite, Eggplant Rollatini, to see how that meal stacks up to others in the area.

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OYSTER CREEK INN, Leeds Point NJ: My first visit to Oyster Creek Inn was 2012, on a sunny but cold and windy afternoon after a morning at Forsythe Wildlife Refuge, which is just a few minutes away. We were hungry, so didn't want to wait for the free buffet being offered halfway through the Daytona 500 NASCAR race (more about that later). We started with six Clams Casino, offered at $1.00 each. Plump clams were topped with diced peppers, tomatoes, bacon and onion and topped with a touch of mozzarella, then gently broiled. They were delicious! Just their aroma made others at the "boat-bar" order them as well! The Seared Scallops ($11), topped with with gorganzola and carmalized onions, drizzled with a balsamic reduction and served on bruschetta couldn't have been cooked more perfectly. The scallops were big and sweet and the flavors were perfect together! The Crispy Bourbon Shrimp ($9) held its own - and then some! The thick bourbon sauce was lip-smacking good and the shrimp, although not breaded and fried, had a wonderful crispy snap to them! THEN there was the halftime buffet served at the bar! First came the broccoli-and-cheese and pepperoni-and-cheese breads, followed by crispy-hot battered onion rings, jalepeno poppers, and breaded chicken tenders (all white meat) with a mustard dipping sauce. All this was all compliments of Oyster Creek Inn! I wanted to save room for the appetizer "Parmesan Encrusted Crabcake" ($10) and was glad I did...this beautifully-plated bit of heaven was loaded with lump crab, and though I suppose there had to be "something" to hold it together, I didn't notice it as I savored the sweet crabmeat adorned with julienne strips of sweet red pepper and capers, all over a light butter sauce. Heavenly. Everyone at the bar was friendly and sociable. The very nice lady sitting next to me recommended the crabcake and I'm glad she did! She also said that this place is real busy during the summer months, and I can understand why; even on this cold February afternoon, the dining room was full! The scenery alone is worth the visit to this very unpretentious restaurant. It's located at the edge of the beautiful coastal wetlands on the Oyster Creek. It's not fancy, and that makes it all the more alluring. The food makes it one of, if not the best seafood restaurant at which I've eaten. Period. I also must add that Jason, the Manager and bartender this Sunday afternoon, couldn't have been nicer or more attentive. He did tell me that Oyster Creek Inn is family-owned and run, and the love and pride in this restaurant is quite apparent. If you enjoy seafood as much as I do, make it a point to visit Oyster Creek Inn soon - preferably before the summer throngs arrive. Off-season, they're open Thursday through Sunday.

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Shamong Diner, 7 Willow Grove Road (on Route 206), Shamong, NJ: I had driven past this small diner many, many times but always en route to somewhere else. One evening, a friend who lives in the area invited me to dine with her, so I got my chance! As soon as we walked in and sat down, a friendly server came over and greeted us with a broad smile. Ahh, life is wonderful out here! We got our big glass of ice water with lemon immediately, and we perused the extensive menu. When our waitress (also very friendly with a big smile - that's soo important!) arrived for our order, my friend decided on the "Pine Barrens Salad," a bed of mixed greens topped with a very generous portion of dried cranberries, dried cherries, and walnuts, accompanied by the house balsamic dressing. It was huge enough for a "take home" box, and my friend raved about the freshness and good taste. (I would have liked to see goat cheese or feta as an option, but that's just me!) My choice was a beef and lamb gyro with a side of cole slaw. It arrived fresh and hot, with loads of Tzatziki and Feta, lettuce, onion and tomatos. A few seconds later, owner Manny came out of the kitchen to see how we liked our meal - a very nice touch! He was as pleasant as could be and made me feel like I was a guest at his home. (2017: Manny now serves pizza, handmade and fresh from the oven!) Once dinner was done, my friend couldn't wait for the softserve custard! She and the waitress both convinced me to try a small dish, and I'm glad I did...from the twenty-six exciting flavors, such as German Chocolate, Black Raspberry and Amaretto, I chose "expresso." It was creamy and flavorful, and I somehow ate the entire bowlful! So, the next time you're on Route 206, about 6 miles south of Route 70 and 11 miles north of Route 30 in Hammonton, and you're hankerin' for good eats, whether it's breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert, stop at the Shamong Diner! Oh, and be sure to say hello to Manny from Cathy at PineyPower!

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