13 of the best BYOB restaurants in New Jersey

🍺 BYOB restaurants are popular in New Jersey

🍷 Diners love them because they save money on the bill

🍺 Here are 13 of the best BYOB restaurants in the Garden State

BYOB restaurants (bring your own bottle) have become increasingly popular over the years.

Diners love them because by bringing their own alcoholic beverages, they can save money on their food bill, they can choose exactly what they want to drink, and by sharing with others, it becomes are more intimate, personal dining experience.

It’s also a win because BYOB restaurants don’t need to purchase liquor. This can save money on inventory and reduce the cost of a liquor license.

We asked our listeners to tell us some of their favorite BYOB restaurants in the state. As usual, they did not disappoint, but we narrowed the list to a few.

Here are 13 of the best BYOB restaurants in New Jersey. Maybe one of them is your favorite place too, or perhaps, one will strike your fancy as something to try on a weekend with friends and family.

Jozanna’s

409 Lincoln Blvd, Middlesex

An overwhelming number of listeners chose Jozanna’s as their go-to-BYOB joint. Many credit the superb staff, super-relaxed atmosphere, and great food. This casual Italian restaurant is a family-owned business. Owner, Frank Bozzomo started in the restaurant business in 1986. His wife Chris, and their six children all help out.

Frank is also known as the “Singing Chef.” His singing days go back to his time in dinner theater at Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in Hampton. Customers love to come to Jozanna’s just to be entertained by Frank.

Drew’s Bayshore Bistro

44 E Front St, Keyport

This intimate and friendly bistro is inspired by Gulf Coast and Low Country cuisines. “It’s Cajun cooking with a twist,” says one listener.

Some popular dishes include Mardi Gras Pasta (chicken, crawfish, andouille sausage, spinach, tomato, Cajun parmesan cream, and fresh cavatelli), City Jambalaya (chicken, andouille, tasso, trinity vegetables, and shrimp creole), and Voodoo Shrimp (spicy Worcestershire cream, and jalapeno cornbread).

Angelica’s

1070 Ocean Ave, Sea Bright

This cozy BYOB offers classic Southern Italian plates and seafood specialties. Diners rave about The Angry Lobster, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes. It’s a 1 ½ pound lobster, cracked in its shell, and pan-seared with extra virgin olive oil and red pepper flakes. It’s then baked in the oven.

The Doughfather

365 Spotswood Englishtown Rd, Monroe Township

The Doughfather offers more than just authentic Italian pizzas with a thin, crispy crust, and an array of toppings to choose from. It also offers salads, subs, pasta, chicken, veal, steak and seafood dishes.

Try the Chicken Doughfather (sauteed chicken breast topped with prosciutto, eggplant, and mozzarella in a vodka sauce).

A bowl of linguine with clams, fried ravioli, mussels marinara, or eggplant rollatini with your favorite bottle of wine makes for a special meal. Listeners rave about the food and the friendly staff here.

Ohana Grill

65 Grand Central Ave, Lavallette

“A Taste of Hawaii at the Jersey Shore,” according to the website. Listeners say this chef-owned BYOB in a coastal-chic bistro has delicious food. From apps to desserts, you won’t be disappointed.

Enjoy lobster mac n cheese, mini pork tacos, Mongolian beef bowls, Brazilian lobster tail, blackened shrimp tacos, and a stuffed organic chicken breast (bacon wrapped, filled with spinach, and Point Reyes blue cheese, natural pan sauce, vegetables, and garlic smashed potatoes).

Matt’s Red Rooster Grill

22 Bloomfield Ave, Flemington

Reservations are needed at Matt’s where contemporary American dishes are served in this BYOB Victorian house.

The owner, Matt, pays homage to a wood-fired grill that “brings out the best flavors” of his dry-aged steak, three-day baby back ribs, cedar plank roasted salmon, Griggstown marinated chicken, and his famous wood-fired Romaine Heart served with parmesan dressing.

In this restored Victorian home, if you’d like to be in on the action, be sure to request the chef’s table where you can watch Matt and his team from a perch overlooking the restaurant grill.

At this BYOB, there are no corkage fees. Just bring your favorite drink. The restaurant also offers wine decanters and fine wine glasses. Other stemware is also available.

Del Ponte’s Coal Fired Pizza

600 Main St, Bradley Beach

Customers love the think, crust pizza at Del Ponte’s. Many say the prices are reasonable and the staff is very attentive at this BYOB.

There are 24 specialty pizzas on the menu. Try one or all of them.

Some favorites include the Tuscan Pizza (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, fresh garlic, asiago cheese, breaded eggplant, and caramelized onions), The Vinny Pie (fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, ricotta sauce, basil pesto, and homemade Italian sausage), The Balsamic Pizza (this has no sauce but rather, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, sauteed spinach, and artichoke hearts drizzled with a balsamic glaze), or the Milan Pizza (this also has no sauce, but rather imported goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, caramelized red onions, topped with thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma).

Clemmy’s

290 US-9, Waretown

Another popular BYOB restaurant in New Jersey among our listeners is Clemmy’s. Many say it’s “an amazing must try.”

According to its website, Clemmy’s is a seasonal New American BYBO that features a rotating menu.

Owned and operated by Chef Allen Walski and his wife, Carolyn, Clemmy’s “strives to cook superior food, using the freshest ingredients he can source from farms and fisheries in the tri-state area. He firmly believes that the finest food is our harvest in our backyards.”

Start with roasted pork belly (apple butter, ginger pickled apple, and dill) or simply a plate of NJ tomatoes (served with burrata, sherry vinegar, sea salt, and basil). For an entrée, try the braised short ribs with polenta, tomato, relish, and kale, or the Viking Village Scallops with carrot puree, concord grape, and kale.

No meal is complete without dessert. At Clemmy’s try the Sticky Toffee Pudding with butterscotch, and coffee whipped cream or Grammy’s famous orange cake.

Queen Margherita Trattoria

246 Washington Ave, Nutley

Listeners call this quaint, cozy BYOB, family-owned restaurant a must-try. Many love the weekly specials. The staff is friendly. Plus, there is a bakery attached to the restaurant with amazing pastries. The owner also enjoys talking to patrons about food and cultural experiences.

Enjoy salads, pastas, pizzas, chicken, pork chops, veal, and seafood dishes.

Semolina Restaurant

13 White St, Red Bank

This BYOB in Red Bank is a farm-to-table restaurant made with local ingredients. Semolina is known for its fresh-made pasta dishes like Chitarra Carbonara (applewood bacon, duck egg yolk and cracked pepper), Gnocchi Sardi (Jersey English and snap peas, black pepper, garlic, shallots, pepato cheese, and water celery), and Angolotti (corn and ricotta filling, jersey corn crema, pistachios, and local green onion).

The Pennsylvania Raised Pork Chop is a signature dish made with bacon jam, spring carrot, ginger puree, pickled red cabbage, and saba.

Try the Jersey Peach Panzanella (local Jersey peaches, local heirloom tomatoes, and red wine vinegar-soaked sourdough croutons). The Jersey Heirloom Tomatoes appetizer consists of toasted bee pollen, petite basils, confetti flowers, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil.

LouCas

9 Lincoln Hwy, Edison

LouCas is a popular BYOB restaurant that is open Tuesday-Sunday. It’s known for its raw bar filled with clams, oysters, shrimp, and tuna, to name a few.

Looking for a seafood entrée here? Try the Swordfish Sicilian sauteed in a sauce of olive oil, garlic, capers, lemon, tomato, white wine, and parsley.

Pasta? The lobster ravioli is a fan fave (saffron pasta with lobster meat, tomato basil cream sauce, and shiitake mushrooms garnished with baby shrimp).

The Berkshire Double Cut Pork Chop is an 18 oz. rib pork chop grilled with sweet vinegar peppers, onions, crispy potatoes, and broccoli rabe.

Benvenuti

460 Ridgedale Ave, East Hanover

Eat your way through Italy at this BYOB. Listeners love the great service and the prices at Benvenuti. The menu is full of Italian favorites like Veal Toscano (sauteed with wild mushrooms, and topped with eggplant, provolone, and brandy sauce).

The Pappardelle Mare Monti is shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, artichoke hearts, prosciutto, onions, and red sauce. Take advantage of the build-your-own-pasta selection on the menu. Choose from rigatoni, penne, linguini, capellini, or fusilli and top it with marinara, Bolognese, alfredo, carbonara, or vodka.

The Chicken alla Casa consists of roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, julienne ham, mushrooms, shallots, and white wine sauce.

Antonio’s Trattoria Cucina Italiana

2420 NJ-35, Manasquan

This casual Italian dining BYOB is cozy, with good food and fair prices, says listeners.

“Over the past 10 years, Antonio’s has maintained the family tradition of hard work, patience, and good cooking. Antonio’s has remained true to the dedication of always providing the best cuisine around, creating new recipes, and taking pride in considering everyone that comes through the door as family. In the tradition of the DiMeo family, Antonio’s continues to serve the freshest, most wholesome food in generous portions,” according to the website.

So, bring a bottle of your favorite wine, grab some friends, and dive into Italian classics such as fig and goat cheese bruschetta (fig jam, goat cheese, prosciutto, and baby arugula, topped with a demi glaze reduction), the Pappardelle alla Mare e Monti (shrimp, broccoli, mussels, cherry tomatoes, and homemade pappardelle sauteed in fresh garlic), classic spaghetti and meatballs (homemade meatballs served with our special recipe tomato sauce), Vitello Saltimbocca alla Romana (tender veal cutlet stuffed with prosciutto, spinach, mushrooms, and melted Fontina cheese in a marsala wine sauce.)

BYOB restaurants up and down the state are just another perk that New Jersey offers to locals and visitors alike. So, it’s a good idea to check with a restaurant before showing up to see if you need to bring your own libations or not.

Cheers!

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