A landmark restaurant on the waters of the Jersey shore, let’s visit the historic Bahr’s Landing in Highlands.
My kids and I were down the shore last week for a few days, and we spent one of those days poking around Sandy Hook. On the way back, we were looking for a place to eat lunch on the water and we stumbled upon Bahr’s Landing in Highlands. I had read about it recently, but, surprisingly, despite the fact that it’s been around for ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE YEARS, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it until just a few weeks ago.
We popped in on a weekday for a late lunch, and there was no wait for a non-water-view table, but of course we wanted that precious water view! After just about fifteen minutes, we were seated and greeted by our waitress.
Being we were down the shore, I was focused on eating seafood. Since my kids don’t like any kind of fish whatsoever, I take advantage when we’re out and how could I not when we’re eating right on the water? I really debated about what to get because so many things were calling my name, like the whole belly clam sandwiches and the lobster roll, but I ended up going with the Oyster Po’ Boy Sandwich. Instead of a side of fries, I opted for vegetables, which were roasted sliced carrots that day (and a tad heavy on the butter). My daughter went with chicken fingers (natch!), and my son chose a Caesar Salad with Chicken. The food came relatively quickly and although our waitress was more than a little forgetful, the service was reasonable.
Those oysters were soooo good. Plump and juicy and everything you’d want them to be. My son’s salad was generously portioned, and my daughter loved her chicken fingers. We also ordered a mozzarella sticks appetizer because we were STARVING, and they were delish. I’m not one to usually eat mozzarella sticks, but these tasted like they were made in-house – none of that frozen garbage here.
The kids ordered mocktails (hello Spring Break!), and we squirreled away a few of their signature cocktail stirrers for our growing collection.
If you are into history, Bahr’s Landing definitely has a lot of it. You can read about the restaurant’s origination and growth over the years on their blog here, and there are even some pictures of the restaurant after Hurricane Sandy (having gone through that hurricane and not having any power for eight days, I’m always intrigued by photos, but also have a hard time looking at them).
If you are in the area and looking for a seafood fix, this restaurant is a sure thing. If you go during peak season (at the very least, Memorial Day through Labor Day), be prepared for a bit of a wait during normal lunch and dinner hours. They *do* take reservations for parties of 8 or more, offer take-out and bookings for private parties (oh! and don’t forget their Tiki Bar!).
Enjoy!
Bahrs Landing
2 Bay Avenue
Highlands, NJ 07732
Telephone: 732-872-1245
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