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Bahrs Landing Restaurant & Marina
2 Bay
Avenue
Highlands, New Jersey
(732) 872-1245
http://www.bahrs.com
By Chef Murray G. Dychtwald
 Summertime is drawing near, as we anticipate our first trip to
the famous Jersey Shore for some fun in the sun and that great Jersey
fresh seafood. The Jersey Shore has been the place to go for over 100
years; however, there are very few restaurants that can also make that
claim. Bahrs Landing Restaurant and Marina is one of the few, and has been
a favorite dining stop on the Jersey shore since 1917.
The founder of the restaurant was John Bahr, the son of
a tall ship captain, and his wife Florence. From Newark, New Jersey, they
too loved to come to the Jersey Shore. In 1917 they came to the Highlands
and purchased a beached boathouse, and turned it into a sport fisherman’s
motel with a rowboat rental business. (The houseboat structure still
remains). On the day after the Bahrs signed the contract, a severe
Nor’easter hit the coast and wiped out all of their rowboats.
The Bahrs’ hoped to turn adversity into success, and
began serving meals to the fisherman staying aboard the boathouse motel.
John (Jack) and Flo did all of the cooking, serving breakfasts of fried
eels, fresh eggs, and buckwheat pancakes. Lunches and dinners featured
stew meat, fresh caught fish, and of course, Jack’s famous clam
chowder.
The business was taken over by their son John Jr. (Bud)
and his wife Peg who kept a watchful eye over the restaurant’s growth.
Customers arrived by boat, cars and at one time by train. Bud and Peg
retired in 1974 and the restaurant was taken over by their son-in-law, Ray
Cosgrove and his son Jay (the fourth generation and great-grandson of the
founders.) Together they have expanded the facility and now also include
Moby’s Outside Deck & Lobster Pound as well as the original marina.
The family and their dedicated, experienced staff have now served over 12
million customers. Bahrs Landing is considered one of New Jersey’s famous
landmarks as well as one of the country’s oldest family run
restaurants.
The restaurant is decorated in old seashore motif, with
a large full size boat captain and “Diver  Dan” in his diving suit. There is a view of the water
from almost every seat in the house and outside seating on the deck, as
well as a large catering room downstairs; here you can even get a boat
ride to go with your catered affair.
The Executive Chef at the helm of the kitchen is Chef
Richard J. Morgan, who is a graduate of the Academy of Culinary Arts. He
started his career as a chef at the Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank, then
at McLoone’s Rum Runner, and The Hook Line & Sinker. In 1996 he wanted
to go a little further south and went to work for the Pilot House in
Brick, New Jersey. But in 1998 the Executive Chef’s position opened up at
Bahrs Landing and Chef Morgan knew it was the place for him. With his
diverse background in seafood, Chef Morgan has continued the tradition of
great seafood at Bahrs Landing.
The restaurant uses the freshest fish and seafood
possible, to the tune of almost 1,500 pounds of lobster a week! For
appetizers they feature Jack’s Famous Clam Chowder, steamers, clams
casino, fried calamari, New Zealand mussels, fresh clams or oysters on the
half shell and jumbo shrimp cocktail. Entrées include sea scallops, filet
of flounder, crab cakes, grilled salmon, New England baked scrod, fried
oysters, soft shell crabs, Shrimp Scampi, and Seafood Marinara with
shrimp, clams, scallops, calamari and mussels. In their Broiled Seafood
Combo you’ll find scallops, lobster, flounder and shrimp. And of course,
you can feast on lobster: from one to seven pounds, served steamed,
broiled, fra Diavolo or stuffed with lump crabmeat. And I almost forgot
the Brazilian lobster tails and Alaskan King crab legs!
Landlubbers can sink their teeth into the 14oz. Omaha
Black Angus King steak, the oven roasted prime rib, or the Surf & Turf
featuring a 4oz. lobster tail and 10oz. Omaha steak. Bahrs also features a
variety of daily specials, like grilled Mako shark topped with a
horseradish herb crust; baked ziti with lump crab meat; blackened halibut
served with roasted bell pepper sauce; and my favorite: the Stuffed
Flounder Nantucket with shrimp, scallops and Ritz cracker crumbs (you can
also get your lobster stuffed Nantucket-style.)
The restaurant has a full bar with several beers on
tap, and specialty drinks such as a Frozen Melon Margarita with Midori;
the Frozen Lobster Claw with vodka, rum, pineapple and strawberry daiquiri
mix; the Bahr-A-Cuda made with light and dark rum, blue curacao, orange
juice, and pineapple on the rocks; and the L’Orangetini with Grey Goose
vodka L’Orange, triple sec and peach schnapps. They also have a large
selection wines by the glass and by the bottle.
Bahrs Landing is a worthwhile trip to the Jersey Shore
for the food, the atmosphere, the view, the service and the catered
affairs on the boat. Once you have been to Bahrs Landing you will realize
why it is so successful and the oldest family-owned restaurant in New
Jersey. Bahrs Landing is at the foot of the bridge in the Highlands that
takes you to Sandy Hook.
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