Top 10 Burger Joints in Ocean County, NJ

Top 10 burger joints in Ocean County, picked by a realtor who eats out too much. I'm Dennis Mark Interdonato, REALTOR® and Lifestyle Connector with Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living, and I cover a lot of ground between showings. This list is my opinion, and it comes with two rules: every spot is locally owned, and every spot was checked as open on October 6, 2026. No national chains.

Here's what each one is known for, from the barrier island down to Barnegat.

1. Burger 25, Toms River, Brick and Ship Bottom

Burger 25, 199 Route 37 East in Toms River, 2045 Route 88 in Brick, and 1915 Long Beach Boulevard in Ship Bottom. The name is the menu: 25 burgers, made with Black Canyon Angus beef, plus wings, hot dogs and hand-spun shakes. Right now the specials board includes The Tailgater burger and fall shakes like Pumpkin Pie. They also run a food truck for events and festivals.

2. Barrier Island Burgers, Normandy Beach

Barrier Island Burgers, 3564 Route 35, Normandy Beach. Smash burgers, and you get to watch: the cook hand-presses each patty onto the grill. Start with the classic cheeseburger, or go with the BIB burger, which brings a little more kick. Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and cereal-infused ice cream round it out. Open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3. Frankie's Bar & Grill, Point Pleasant Beach

Frankie's Bar & Grill, 414 Richmond Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach. Open since 1985. The burgers are hand-formed and char-grilled right behind the bar, then served on a toasted poppy seed roll with potato chips and a pickle spear. The wings come off that same grill, and the walls are full of vintage signs.

4. The Ark Pub & Eatery, Point Pleasant Beach

The Ark Pub & Eatery, 401 Route 35, Point Pleasant Beach. The burger to order here is the port wine cheeseburger: port wine cheese, sauteed onions and BBQ sauce. The room is dark wood with a working fireplace, and the wooden booths are carved with decades of initials. Open daily from 11:30 a.m.

5. Bam Bam Burger Co., Point Pleasant Beach

Bam Bam Burger Co., 522 Bay Avenue, downtown Point Pleasant Beach. Their motto is "The Quest for the Best," built on fresh ingredients. Pick from their house burgers or build your own. Online ordering, gift cards and a rewards program are all on their site.

6. Beacon 70, Brick

Beacon 70, 799 Route 70, Brick. Handcrafted burgers next to brick-oven pizza, a raw bar and steaks, overlooking the marina on the Metedeconk River. The building was put together with reclaimed wood from the old Beacon Manor Hotel in Point Pleasant, and boaters can dock and dine. Open 364 days a year.

7. Woodies Drive-In, Ship Bottom

Woodies Drive-In, 509 Long Beach Boulevard, Ship Bottom. A classic Long Beach Island drive-in with picnic-table seating outside, burgers, hot dogs and house-made crab cakes. Breakfast runs all day from 9 a.m., and there's a new "Creation of the Week" special. For fall it's open Friday through Monday, so check the days before you drive over the causeway.

8. Castaway's Pub, Lavallette

Castaway's Pub, 76 Grand Central Avenue, Lavallette. Opened in 2022, a few blocks from the beach. Burgers come as signature combos or build-your-own, on a pub menu with a seafood side to it. There's an oversized bar for the game and live music Thursday through Saturday.

9. Lefty's Tavern, Barnegat

Lefty's Tavern, 547 North Main Street, Barnegat. Owned by Lefty and Jennifer Saropoulos, lifelong Barnegat residents. It's known for burgers and fresh local seafood, with a dining room, a tavern and a banquet hall. Lefty's is a past winner of the Beach Haven Chowder Cook-off, so get a cup of chowder with that burger. Closed Mondays.

10. Mantoloking Road Alehouse, Brick

Mantoloking Road Alehouse, 247 Mantoloking Road, Brick. Family-owned since 2017. Pizza and burgers are the two things people come for, with an outdoor patio and cornhole. The kitchen is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

Find More Around Ocean County

A good burger is one reason people fall for a town. If one of these spots has you curious about the area around it, start here:

• Point Pleasant Beach, home to three spots on this list, plus the free Point Pleasant Beach guide.

• Brick and the free Brick Town Guide.

• Toms River and the free Toms River guide.

• Ship Bottom, Barnegat and every other town guide on the local guide page.

Recommendations and lists of the “best” or “top” places in this article are the personal opinion of Dennis Mark Interdonato alone. They are not the views of Keller Williams Realty Ocean Living or of any business named, and they are not a guarantee of any product or service. Every place was checked as open on October 6, 2026. Hours, menus and seasons change, so check with each place before you go.