Jenna Giustino 
We’ve all been there — scrolling through a dating app, feeling like it’s the only possible way to date in 2025. Although it’s not easy out there (IYKYK), we’re lucky enough to live at the Jersey Shore, a space known for its lively atmosphere and open-to-meet-new-people vibes. There are plenty of bars, restaurants, and local community organizations that host events that are ideal situations to meet someone new — and we decided it’s time to highlight them for our JSG audience. Read on for our guide to dating at the Jersey Shore (without the apps).
Attend One of The Asbury Hotel’s Events | 210 Fifth Avenue, Asbury Park
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The Asbury Hotel is located just steps away from the beach in Asbury. The Asbury Hotel has plenty of events that provide opportunities to meet other singles— including the Tea Dance at the Salvation Rooftop on Fridays and the Industry Monday Pool Party on Mondays in the summer. It also hosts fun activities like full moon parties, silent discos, and live music, all of which are good ways to meet someone new. To view the calendar of events, click here.
Attend a Reef and Barrel Trivia Night | 153 Sea Girt Avenue, Manasquan
Reef and Barrel is a casual beach-style bar and restaurant in Manasquan. On Wednesday nights at 7PM, Reef Trivia Night takes place. Locals love that the event is social, with teams winning prizes and food and drink specials all night — a vibe ideal for talking to another Jersey Shore single.
Read More: The Best Brunch Spots at the Jersey Shore
Go to The Parker House in the Summer | 290 1st Avenue + Beacon Boulevard, Sea Girt
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Parker House is located in Sea Girt. It’s famously known for its live music and nightlife happenings in the summer, which draw large crowds (and we all know the more people, the more singles). Although famous for its fun vibes, The Parker House is credited with being the location of where many Jersey Shore love stories began, so of course, we needed to include it on our list — click here to read more about it.
Go to Watermark for Happy Hour or Nightlife | 800 Ocean Avenue, Second Floor, Asbury Park
Watermark is a rooftop bar in Asbury Park. Besides being known for its panoramic ocean views (which set a good backdrop for dating), Watermark also sets the stage for talking with someone new with its lounge seating. Whether going for happy hour or listening to DJ sets at night, Watermark’s large couches are meant for sharing— a great way to start a conversation.
Join Fall Softball with ABL | Mallard Park in Manasquan, Library Field in Brielle, Memorial Field in Belmar
ABL (American Ballplayers League) is a recreational and competitive league for adults and young professionals — available in both Monmouth and Ocean County. It has a co-ed fall softball league taking place in the Manasquan, Point Pleasant, and Belmar area. ABL is a good chance to meet someone with similar interests — an opportunity to date while playing your favorite sports.
Look out for The Shaka Club Single Events | Monmouth + Ocean County
The Shaka Club hosts social events for young professionals to meet like-minded individuals living within the same city. While The Shaka Club is meant to form friendships, it also hosts singles-only happy hours. In the past, The Shaka Club has shown up in Asbury Park and Belmar — click here to stay updated on the social calendar.
Participate in Joe’s Love Shack | 415 18th Avenue, Lake Como
Joe’s Surf Shack is a neighborhood dive bar in Lake Como. JSG suggests looking out for Joe’s Love Shack — a dating game that the restaurant often hosts. Joe’s Love Shack has numerous opportunities to find a date, whether through participating in the game or spectating with the audience.
Go to a 3BR Distillery Event | 7 Main Street, Keyport
3BR is a distillery in Keyport. 3BR has a large calendar of events, including networking events every first Monday of the month, trivia every other Wednesday, and bingo on rotating Wednesday nights. All 3BR events are designed for socializing and are a great opportunity to potentially score a date— click here for more details on the events.
Read and Socialize and Silent Book Club of Monmouth County | Monmouth County
The Silent Book Club of Monmouth County is an organization that hosts monthly book club meetings in the Jersey Shore area. While the ‘silent’ part may feel as though it’s not fitting for a How-to-Date roundup, SMC (MoCo) actually schedules a half hour before and after the silent reading time for socializing. Readers are also able to put on a “green” or “red” wristband to indicate whether they are open to talking before reading, making it easy to start a conversation with a fellow book lover.
Sing Karaoke at Georgies Bar | 810 Fifth Avenue, Asbury Park
Georgies is a LGBTQ+ low-key pub in Asbury Park. It’s a fun spot to mingle with other singles, featuring live music, DJs, drag shows, and brunch. A popular event at Georgies is its karaoke nights, which take place on Wednesday nights at 9:30PM. This interactive activity is sure to break the ice for singles.
Speed Date at Johnny Mac’s | 208 Main Street, Asbury Park
Johnny Mac’s is a fun bar located in Asbury Park. It’s known for its free pizza with the purchase of a drink. Johnny Mac’s hosts speed dating at 9:00PM every second Wednesday of the month — a casual opportunity to meet someone new. FYI: JSG has heard that couples who match during speed dating compete in skee ball, and the winners get a prize.
Take Part in Football Sundays at Asbury Ale House | 531 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park
Asbury Ale House is a restaurant and bar in Asbury Park known for its over-the-top cocktails. Football Sundays and Asbury Ale House is a social event — featuring a DJ, football specials, and brunch. Plus, there are interactive games all day that give customers a chance to mingle while watching football.
Try The Matchmaking Company | Upstairs, 36 Leland Road, Colts Neck
The Matchmaking Company is located in Colts Neck. For those who want to ditch the apps and take a more traditional route, The Matchmaking Company specializes in helping local Colts Neck residents meet like-minded individuals. The Matchmaking Company has certified matchmakers and coaches who work with you one-on-one to find a compatible match.
MeetUp | Jersey Shore, New Jersey
MeetUp is an app used across the country that helps individuals to find local events and meet those who live close who have similar interests— (we’ve decided this app is acceptable since it isn’t a traditional dating apps). Membership is free, and there are plenty of events taking place locally in Monmouth and Ocean County — some that are even ‘singles’ based. JSG suggests joining and searching for an event by clicking here.
Work from Home at McGee Black Irish Coffee | 150 Main Street, Manasquan
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McGee Black Irish Coffee is a coffee shop in Manasquan. McGee’s went viral over the summer for its bucket coffees, and it’s likely to keep up with new trends based on the season, as it just came out with fall latte flights. McGee’s makes our list since its coffees are always a conversation starter, and there’s free WIFI, which means you can stay a while (and hopefully spark up a conversation with a potential date).
See More: The Best First Date Spots in Montclair + Essex County
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