We like this place! It was hoping on Friday night! We got the last table. Still, the service was great. Not a fancy place. But the food is good and reasonably priced. We had chowder, a fav. It wasn't real thick but very tasty. I had oysters on the half shell. Nice size and icy cold. Delish! Followed by the Voo Doo Shrimp and Scallops. It's an appetizer but I eat it as an entree. It is DELICIOUS!! He had Mahi Mahi Tacos which are filled with large pieces of fish. You can have them grilled or blackened. He too one home. Live music in the back room. Love the atmosphere. There is an upstairs if you want quiet. read more

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The lobster rolls here are pretty good! I usually come for them, but when I visited this year, I noticed the lobster portions had decreased significantly while the prices had gone up a bit, which was disappointing. However, the rest of the food is decent and pretty average. My favorite thing about this place is the view, and I love that they have cornhole and little activities outside. read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Laissez les bon temps rouler! If you're looking for a delightful escape to the flavors of the Crescent City right here in Highlands, NJ, then look no further than Off the Hook Restaurant & Bar. This hidden gem is a true testament to the vibrant spirit of the Jersey Shore and the rich culinary traditions of New Orleans. Today, in honor of Mardi Gras, we dove into their New Orleans-themed specials, and let me tell you, each bite was a celebration of flavor! First up was the Muffaletta - a glorious creation bursting with thinly sliced soppressata, mortadella, and capicola, all cozied up with provolone cheese and a homemade olive salad on a sesame seed ciabatta roll. Each mouthful was a carnival of taste, making me feel like I was right in the heart of the French Quarter. Next, we indulged in the Catfish Court-Bouillon - a classic dish that transported me straight to the bayou. The catfish, tender and poached in a broth rich with Cajun and Creole flavors, was a dish that sang with the essence of New Orleans. It was comfort food at its finest, perfect for a cozy afternoon. Despite it being the offseason, the restaurant was buzzing with energy on this Friday lunch. The ambiance was lively, and the breathtaking views of the shore added to the experience. Of course, we couldn't pass up pairing our meal with a refreshing Arnold Palmer - a classic twist that rounded out our feast beautifully. For over twenty-five years, Off the Hook has been dedicated to providing exceptional service and mouthwatering dishes, making every visit memorable. Whether you're a local or just passing through, this spot is a must-visit. So grab your beads and put on your best dancing shoes--let the good times roll at Off the Hook! 1 NJ-36, Highlands, NJ 07732 (732) 872-2006 [offthehookhighlands.com](https://offthehookhighlands.com) #OffTheHook #HighlandsNJ #NewOrleansFlavors #MardiGras #FoodieAdventure #CatfishCourtBouillon #Muffaletta #JerseyShoreEats #TravelingFoodie212 #FoodLovers #CulinaryJourney #TasteOfNewOrleans #Yum read more

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This place is one of my favs in the whole area! The food is fantastic, the weekly specials are always delicious and something new, and the staff is the best. Also, it's a super chill atmosphere and they have lots of great live music. Love OTH! read more

Delicious Lobster Roll at the bar overlooking the sea on a beautiful day! What's better? Friendly bartender Nadia to close the deal. Enjoyable experience, will definitely go back. read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Great fresh sea air view. - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Never heard of this place but then again this is very far out of the way for me. This place is packed, right in front of the water and 30 seconds from Sandy hook. The overall ambiance was great. Somehow we were seated right away inside while outside there was a significant wait. Ordered the flounder sandwich and some wings. The wings were nicely cooked, perhaps could have used a bit more crispiness and the sauce was vinegar heavy which seems to be the way my SO likes it. The flounder sandwich was not bad but I felt it was a bit bland. But I am not fish expert. A bit more of fries would have been nice too but again over all it was a nice dinner with a beer! read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Buffalo wings - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Great. Spot for lunch before heading into Sandy Hook. Wish they had more vegetarian options. Husband enjoyed fish sandwich and I had salad (Baja?) was hoping for more beans & corn & greens. Half the plate was plain rice-next to quinoa (2 grains?) Bloody Mary good but totally "undressed" (we like the celery, olives, etc) read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Baja salad. - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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This place seems to get packed quickly, with most people wanting to sit outside. We didn't want to wait so we were seated right away inside. Service was prompt and friendly. We ordered a beer, Buffalo wings and the flounder sandwich. The Buffalo wings were saucy and crispy and just like how I remember them in buffalo--very vinegary. The flounder sandwich was slightly bland, but helped by a splash of the lemon wedge. A little light on the side of fries. All in all, a pretty good place. read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Wings with Buffalo sauce - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Loved this place! Generous drinks ! Amazing hot buttered lobster rolls for under $30. They serve you two! Attentive waitstaff... will definitely be back read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Hot buttered lobster rolls and fries - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Really not sure why this place isn't rated better. We ended up here because it rained when we were going to an outdoors place but it was great. Grouper blackened was great (waitesses' recommendation), good Lobster roll (bit pricy but they always are), solid short rib, fries and onion rings were really good. Lobster bisque looked great with lots of lobster. Even my kids Mac and cheese was good. Definitely recommend. read more

Tasty clam chowder had NO clams! We are told they forgot to add them. Biscuits and gravy had no gravy; it was sent back. Service was great! Cool ambiance. read more

Scallops special was wonderful great service from our waiter,Evan. Couldn't be happier read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Pan seared scallops - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

I've been going to Off the Hook for years. I'm a lifetime local. This summer I've seen the quality of food drop. Last night I ordered the Cilantro Shrimp Scampi. The shrimp were under cooked and the pasta was flavorless. Not one cilantro leaf in the dish. Our first waitress handed our table to a different waitress with tables on the other side of the restaurant so you can imagine how good the service was. 100.00 wasted. Do better please read more

Such a great place! Awesome lobster bisque with chunks of lobster! Awesome lobster rolls! It's our new favorite restaurant/bar

Wings are always on point. All of the food is good, can't go wrong. Great water views as well!

My husband and I have been there several times and it never disappoints. The staff is great and the food is delish. Love sitting on the patio. There is usually a band playing for dinner and the vibe is casual and laid back. Give it a try. read more

I have passed this place so many times on my way to Sandy Hook and finally got the chance to try it. I was really in the mood for a fish entree and the grouper sandwich did not disappoint. My Mom, son and I went for a later lunch and sat outside on the patio overlooking Sandy Hook. Since it is right on the highway you would think noise from cars would be too much but it was not. They had music playing outside and the seating was comfortable. I didn't even feel like we were sitting so close to the highway. The view of the ocean on a beautiful day just makes the experience even better. I had the grouper sandwich on a roll. There was choice of having it blackened or just plain fried. The fish was cooked perfectly. It was a large piece of fish and the roll did not overtake the fish. My sons slider kids meal was also well cooked and the two small slider patties came on a small hoagie roll cut in half that was very soft for him to eat it. After spending some time enjoying the sights of Sandy Hook this restaurant is the perfect stop to get a bite to eat on your drive out. I will definitely be back. read more

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Fresh food, fairly priced, ice cold beer, water view-what else can you expect from a Jersey shore joint? Beefy burgers.

Came here on Sunday evening after a lovely beach day with a friend. The location is nice for NJ and the hostesses and server were very nice and welcoming but as we were eating one of the staff members was brooming the floor near our table and abruptly interrupted us to ask my guest if he could move his feet so he could sweep something (fairly small object) under our table. The staff member was young so maybe he didn't know better but to be interrupted during our date for that was extremely distasteful and rude. read more

Wonderful atmosphere, service and food! The lobster rolls were as great as promised, and the red sangria was very refreshing! Perfect place to recoup and grab a bite after a day at the beach! read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Red sangria. Yum - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

Good food and service.Chill atmosphere and great clientele which really feels right at home.I guess thats why it was so packed on a October week-end enjoying the scenic Jersey waves across the way.We'll be back for sure. read more

Revisited this place with my husband. So glad we did! We ordered a pitcher of white sangria, and it was sooo good. We had the appetizer voodoo shrimp & scallops with Garlic Bread to start, (sorry I didn't take a photo) which was delicious but we needed more garlic bread, lol so we got a 2nd order. The waitress was super nice and attentive but not intrusive. Our dinner was amazing. The fish tacos AND the grouper were on point! The roasted potatoes, were the only thing I'd say to skip. They didn't have any type of sear or crunch, but you know what, we were diving in on the tacos, the sandwich, truly barely made to through the friend. The place is a casual vibe, it's great there's no stuffy people, no pretentiousness, just sit back and enjoy the deck. read more

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Great food and atmosphere lots of locals go there and that's because the food is good and prices are reasonable. The grilled chicken sandwich is one of the best I ever had . The burgers are great a the service is great. A must stop on your way home from Sandy Hook or Sea Bright beaches. Nice views an outside dining on weather permitting days. Wort the stop!! read more

Had a great stop in Off the Hook last week! The bar menu and happy hour was just what we needed! The draft Cape May was so good! Didn't know it was a double IPA till I left! Big juicy wings and mozzarella sticks for the win! If you're looking for an unpretentious spot in Highlands, take a stroll over to Off the Hook. read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Wings and a draft beer! - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

This is one of our favorite spots. The views are nice, the food is good. Every time we come we make sure to sit outside, even though there are cars driving by you can watch the water in both Sea Bright and Sandy Hook. We started with the crab dip which was creamy and the bread served with it was a nice crunch. My wife had the fried flounder sandwich with roasted potatoes as a side. She gets it every time we come and it never disappoints. I had the Ahi Tuna BLT wrap. It was very tasty. The tuna was cooked well, I did need extra wasabi mayo. Our waitress was very nice and attentive, keeping our drinks filled. We will definitely be back. read more

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We try to come here at least once a year. Always amazing food. And no matter when we come the staff is always fantastic. Seafood 10/10. My son loves the chicken fingers 10/10!! read more

Friendly staff, live music and great views. I haven't gotten past the lobster roll ! It's amazing, mouth watering. Get it every time I come. Delicious! read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Buttered lobster roll with onions rings. delicious!! - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Great location overlooking the ocean and inland waterway. Seafood is good, NE chowder is excellent, great all around meals. Helpful staff.

We love this restaurant consistently delicious, fresh, great servers, always leave happy. Try the Seafood Trio, amazing.

Would give them no stars food was gross and soooooo salty omg my fish might as well been cooked in salt water. Will not be back.

We saw this place many times driving to Sandy Hook but never stopped in to eat. The restaurant/bar is very casual, nothing fancy visually but offers delicious food and warm hospitality. We went on a Monday night around 8:30p. There were patrons around the bar which had multiple TVs. We choose to sit inside between the outdoor seating and the bar area which the hostess called the "alley". There's a glass divider from the bar area and the windows so you get the nice breeze from the outside. Our water told us up front that he was new but did a great job taking our orders and coming back to check on us. Now the food. For apps, we ordered the blackened tuna bites cooked medium rare, and the fire cracker shrimp. Both were delicious. The tuna bites were cooked perfectly. File our mains, my son had the warm buttered lobster roll which twin lobsters rolls filled with tender meat. Hubby had the flounder sandwich that had a huge piece of flounder cut in 2 and piled high on a soft warm fresh roll. The flounder was lightly breaded and fried nicely. I had the blackened grouper which was piled on the same type of whole as the founder sandwich. All sandwiches came with freshly cooked, piping hot fries. My husband is big on food temperature and portion size. He had not one complaint. We all enjoyed our food tremendously and would come back in a heartbeat. read more

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We have been wanting to try this place, so we stopped in. It was a very hot day but we sat under the shaded area outside and it was a perfect spot, beautiful breeze. We ordered firecracker shrimp and mozzarella sticks for apps and they were very good. For our meals, we ordered Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos these had alittle kick, Seafood Tacos, Tuna Tataki and Short Rib Sandwich, all the meals except for the Tuna Tataki came with fries. All in all everyone liked their food. We also had some beers, which I thought were very reasonably priced. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating. I will definitely go back. It was a great stop if your in the area. Also it's very casual, so if your coming off the beach as long as you have the proper coverup, it's a great stop! read more

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Great location on 36 right outside of Sandy Hook just over the bridge from Seabright is where off the hook is situated. I have passed by this restaurant 100 times and never ventured inside but I always remarked how there is always a crowd. After an afternoon of day drinking off the hook was a great choice. The food is fantastic, seafood as fresh as can be. For appetizers we had Broccoli rabe and sausage which was excellent however I felt the portion was small for the price. The scallops over sautéed spinach was very good, again small portion. Lastly we had the Cajun tuna bites which lacked flavor and was overdone....a side sauce would have helped enhance the flavor. The crab cake sandwich was excellent as was the French fries that accompanied the sandwich. The crab cake was very moist and delicious. The short rib sandwich on garlic bread was outstanding, the sandwich was served with au jus which is likely the best I have ever had. The kitchen was out of wraps so my guest had the blackened grouper on a sandwich, the fish was fresh and seasoned nicely. Service was a bit off, orders were entered incorrectly and the bill was not correct but it is really difficult maintaining staff right now so I get it. All in all I would not hesitate to go back again. The restaurant is clean as are the restrooms. There are 2 bars, one inside and one outside. No commentary on the cocktails as we did not partake. Happy hour is offered but shame on me I did not get a picture of the menu and offerings. If in the area, I recommend checking out off the hook. read more

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We have come here the last few years after biking at Sandy Hook. A friendly attentive staff and very Good food. A nice outdoor porch to sit on overlooking the causeway into the National Recreation area. I had a very good cup of NE clam chowder. It was not too think. The soup had a very good flavor and a lot of clams. My wife had a burger that was the special of the day with the onion rings. I had the lobster roll which was market price of $26. I was pleasantly shocked by how much lobster was in the 2 buns. As I started with,we always enjoy going back after we bike in the hook. read more

How did I miss slipping in a review here? Probably because I was having too much fun and enjoying myself here. Stellar place to stop by and enjoy a sunset, sunrise, a rainy day, a foggy day, a beach day-- catching the drift? They have the best sandwiches, chili, salad, grilled plates- coffee, drinks-- just stay awhile you will get hungry again. They have indoor, outdoor, and even can host a private party upstairs if you know the manager. When I worked at NY Fast Ferry we went here for our Christmas Party for Italian themed dinner. Would love to revisit that day. Ultimate test, my husband and I brought our picky nephew who ate his entire meal here. See you there! read more

Been going all summer...great after the beach dinner. Food is delicious. The sangria is spot on. All the seafood is delicious. read more

Off the hook is the best, great food and great service! One of my favorite places in the area. read more

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we got seated fairly quickly which was nice, but dont expect them to have social distancing when it comes to seating, or for the staff to wear their masks (half of them had their masks only on their nose). Anyways, once we got seated the server was quick to bring the waters, take our orders and bring out the oysters, but it took them forever to bring our meals. The table next to us got seated after us and their food came out before us. The oysters were not cleaned properly so i could taste the sand in them and the food itself was very bland. To top it off, their card machine "wasnt working" so they took my card info down which I honestly thought was a bit sketch.. Overall, very displeased with the quality of the food and the slow service, definitely check out the other places near here instead read more

Off The Hook Restaurant and Bar - Lobster sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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Food really isn't good, it's fine. I would compare the food to diner food. Nothing special not horrible just fine. You're not gonna crave anything from here that you have to come back for. Service is always good. read more

Lobster rolls were awesome. Biggest lobster rolls I've ever had. Must have been three claws per roll. The picture is exactly what they look like. read more