this place was so good we got it for dinner 2 nights in a row! their lobster boil was chefs kiss. the garlic butter was so flavorful and not too salty. i also really enjoyed the king crab soup! cole slaw was fresh and made well. the crab spaghetti was also perfect! the noodles were al dente my son got the crab mac and cheese and said it was super yummy. he also really enjoyed their kielbasa their cornbread was also so fresh and made wonderfully. the king crab was cold though so i definitely wouldn't get it again. the only thing i have a comment on is their spicy carolina hot sauce. it wasn't very good and tasted like old bay mixed with hot sauce. i wish it was more flavorful! read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

This tiny little restaurant worth a try. We are visiting from California and were here this afternoon and were so pleased with the food. Amazing flavors. New England clam chowder 5, one of the best I've had in recent months. Corn bread 5 super moist and flavorful Mussles in Cajun sauce 5 Seafood boil jersey flavor 5 Chocolate cake , super moist and just the right amount of sweetness 5 If anything service could be a little better. We didn't get our gloves and the bucket for the shells. It' was just 3 ladies and they had a ton of orders keeping them busy, so I'll not hold it against them. Definitely visit this place and try their food. You won't regret. read more

In all the y of following Yelp reviews myself I'm not sure what went wrong here. I checked this place out due to it's excellent reviews but geez. They were way off. I'm thinking maybe this place is better in the summer than in the winter? The food was really disappointing. I got the Italian boil. The pasta was rewarmed and didn't taste fresh. The tomato sauce it came in was very basic and disappointing. The boil my wife got was equally disappointing... My kids disliked the Mac and cheese ( this is rare). The best part of the meal was definitely the corn bread. It was delicious. The atmosphere is tiny and cramped for a party of 5 and we were the only people there. This is more of a takeout place I guess. But, I've never been so let down by following ratings on Yelp. I feel kind giving them 2 stars.... Even the crab Rangoon appetizer wasn't good. Geez.... read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Crab Rangoon appetizer. - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

had the jersey and Maryland boils. 3 shrimp 3 scallops 5 of the tiniest clams I have eber seen. no corn. tray was mostly potatoes. very dissatisfied. Ricks Seafood in Wildeood blows this place away read more

If you're ever thinking not to go off the beaten path. Think again and go here!!! It's a quiet street with just the right amount of noise and lovely music. Street parking. The outside is perfect with 3 picnic style tables. If you're lucky enough to meet PJ he is great with showing you around the menu, helping with substitutions, and accommodating any diner in his restaurant. He's kind and funny and treats you like a guest in his home. Your silverware comes out in a bucket hence the name "buckets". We ordered 2 singles one Jersey style and one create your own New England style. We also went for the Alaskan king crab soup. With the boils you get corn bread. Really warm, fresh and delicious. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - NEW ENGLAND - SINGLE - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

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The store is very small so either hope you go at a time and can eat in or take out. If you eat in, the staff is super nice and will keep up with anything you need or want to order! Very friendly, you can just grab drinks or some things around if you need it and the staff will keep track for you. The lobster rolls were filled and tasted great! We also got some a la carte seafood, the 25 muscles, and it was amazing in the garlic butter lemon sauce! We even added more of that sauce to our lobster rolls. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Lobster roll animal style - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

A total let-down... I was so excited because of the high ratings, but the food overall was so dry and salty. However, staff were friendly and service was good. There's a few tables indoors and outdoors. Not ideal for large groups indoors; it's probably better outdoors for larger groups. My husband and I ordered the snow crabs ($19.99 per lb) with potatoes and corn (additional ~$5), lobster rolls ($24.99; animal & traditional styles), New England clam chowder ($4 for 8oz), mac & cheese ($3.99), and corn bread ($1.99). I was super excited to have snow crabs, but had difficulty enjoying them because they were so salty and not very meaty... The lobster rolls' lobster was super dry, and the roll tasted crumby and old. The New England clam chowder was my favorite of the night, but SOMETHING if not everything gave me a stomachache... Side note: FYI, the main difference b/t the traditional and animal style lobster rolls is that the traditional (salad) style is colder than the animal style lobster roll. read more

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Had the shrimp roll, Mac and cheese, and the cornbread at their tent at an event. It was DELICIOUS. I was too busy eating the food to get a picture, but it was absolutely the best cornbread I've ever had. It was moist and just delicious! The shrimp rolls were very good with a generous amount of shrimp! I'd definitely make a point to go back to their tent or stop in their storefront next time I'm in Ventnor! read more

Hands down the best lobster roll in the state. We had the BEST Experience here for dinner. The owner was SO nice and hospitable. The crab Rangoon and homemade Mac and cheese are phenomenal. And the lobster roll was EASILY the best I've ever had. Can't recommend this place enough. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

So good we ate there 2 nights in a row!!!!! The Jersey seafood boil was amazing!! Go and get it!

Uncooked and gross after I told them I was pregnant Mushy it just wasn't good Jacks seafood way better read more

This is a no frills seafood restaurant and that's exactly what it is. Food was ok but not great. Lobster was overcooked. Waitress was not interested in waiting on us. Warm soda, no lobster bib and it was quite messy ( table next to us got bib's from a different waitress!) read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Lobster Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

I had high hopes of this place based on the reviews but my dining experience turned out to be average at best. I dined in on a Saturday night so it was quite hectic although there weren't any issues with the service. The food was average - the lobster roll wasn't memorable, the bisque was average, and the crab roll was pretty light on crabs and flavor. Perhaps the expectations worked against the restaurant but I just felt the food and the experience did not match the price. I realize it's AC but this place seemed like a great local seafood shop on the outside and turned out to be very average. read more

I was super excited to try this place and I ordered a crab cake and I'm not entirely sure what happened to it :( This was not what I was expecting when I opened the box. No lemons, tartar sauce, or cocktail sauce... All just mushed and broken up. Disappointing read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Crab Cake - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

It was amazing, the people were so kind and we met pj himself .He shared all his recipes and had a smile on his face the whole.The place was a little crammed but it was cute. read more

We love this restaurant! The owner and staff are amazing. We always take out. We get the Jersey Boil for one. It's more than enough for two. We start with the shrimp bisque. read more

We just got into Ventnor for our summer vacay on a Friday night and made our way to PJ's. I would highly suggest making a reservation as this place is poppin'. We were a party of 8 with a dog and needed outdoor seating, luckily we came right after a party had left and were able to get a table. This place is the definition of a mom & pop, hole in the wall. It was super pet friendly! The owner PJ waited our table and even brought over an un-seasoned sausage for my pup. He treated our family with such kindness, not to mention the food was delicious. My favorite I think was the cornbread. It was moist and you could see the real bits of corn inside of it. Will definitely be returning the next time we take family vacation here. read more

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Absolutely delicious, we've been to PJ's 3 times now and have tried a different boil each time. The food is always delicious, plentiful portions, and great flavor options. The owners and staff are accommodating and friendly! Great little spot that we can't wait to come back to again and again! read more

We had an amazing meal at PJ Buckets in Ventnor City! The food was incredibly fresh and absolutely delicious. Our waitress Laura was fantastic--friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. We'll definitely be back! read more

So so disappointed. I asked a local and he said it'd have a great crab cake. Everything from start to finish was terrible. The lobster bisque was so weirdly thick, the coleslaw was fresh but way too much mayo, and my friend finished her tiny lobster roll before I got my crab cake which I had to return. It did not taste like crab. Just some bad bread g. Sent it back. Sad. read more

Great food, great service and great prices. Will definitely be back. Owner was super nice and personable. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - CRAB FEAST - SINGLE - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

Was recommended this location for seafood boil. We ordered the new england boil. It had a good amount of seafood and was freshly cooked. It was cooked with garlic, lemon, butter. It would've tasted better if they had alternative sauce options. We made pasta at home to eat with the boil. Not too sure if it would have filled us up with the seafood alone. There is dine in but space was fairly tight. It would only be good for smaller parties. I felt like the family size was good for 5 people but there are 6 lobster tails. It is intended for up to 6 people. I would order another boil the next time I go! read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - New England Boil - family size - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

Usually this place is good! Not an amazing experience but overall a good staple in the area. The last time we ordered takeout for a dinner party, the flavor was bland and there is no crab meat in the crabs (i am not exaggerating). Not to mention they didn't add in anyway to crack the crabs. It was mid to say the least. Really hoping it was just an off night for them. I would still recommend as again, we have had this for many years and it was good. read more

This was the worst seafood i have ever had at the shore. The crabs had no meat and were mushy. the shrimp was mushy. I ordered extra clams and had 6 clams total but lots of empty shells. The mussels were good. The French fries weren't cooked just raw. Chicken nuggets were ice cold. best thing was the Mac and cheese and cornbread. Will never order from them again. read more

The quality of the seafood is so low grade. The portion size is terrible. The veggies weren't cooked enough for my husband but they were fine for me because they still had a crunch to them. The service was ok. We ordered takeout in the store and the young lady was very nice but not knowledgeable about the menu. Overall I wouldn't recommend this place. Our seafood boil had baby clams, the King crab was 2 legs that were overcooked and lacked seasoning. The mussels were ok and 1 snow crab clusters were also overcooked and lacked seasoning. We had the veggie mix in our boil and it wasn't good and the portion was super small for a $50 boil. We were so disappointed and still super hungry. Oh and we also ordered a small Mac & cheese with shrimp and it was ok. My husband was so hungry he ate it all by himself. I was so disgusted and disappointed I throw my boil in the trash. PJ buckets belongs in the trash bucket. My husband paid extra for blue crab and what he received was 1 empty, overcooked blue crab. We paid $122.59 plus gave a $10 tip for take out and was robbed. Never again. Oh and it's super small inside for dine in so take out is highly recommended. But please don't waste your money you will be hungry and disappointed. read more

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Very happy we stopped in here! It's family owned and everyone is so friendly. The place is super small but they have outside seating and the service is fairly fast to get everyone in and out. The crab cake was hugeeee! A lot of meat as well. It was a but on the salty side but I would order again. The Maryland blue crabs were a good size for the first round then they went really small. The lobster bisque was GREAT! The seafood boil was nice... it's not the way ppl are accustomed to the new age boils but I appreciate that. I will return. read more

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Stopped there for lunch on Mother's Day. The food was delicious and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. The dining area is small, but neat and clean. Looking forward to my next visit! read more

Enjoyed a lobster roll and mac and cheese from the pop up tent at The Point concert series last night. The owner, PJ, was running the show. What a friendly guy! The lobster roll was awesome! Delicious, fresh lobster on a perfectly warmed roll. The mac was also delish - creamy gooey amazing comfort food. Great meal to soak up the end of summer to. Would love to try the shop in Ventnor one day. read more

Amazing I ordered the Crab Feast Boil it was delicious and my friend loved the lobster roll. The staff is very friendly and the owner PJ even stopped by our table to check on how we were doing. BYOB is a nice plus too if you want to have a couple of drinks and some seafood before hitting the beach read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Crab Feast Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

The person who took our order, Paul, was nice and informative to let us know how to order. However, my friend and I whom I was ordering with, like flavor and spicy ness, but he advised my one friend who created her own boil to get the Jersey flavor rather than the Louisiana flavor, which was a bad suggestion from Paul. My two girlfriends and I each got Single Orders of different boils. The picture attached is my New England Boil. The reason for rating this 2 stars is because when you think of a seafood boil, one typically imagines a reddish seasoning sauce to cover all items in your boil. The broth or sauce that was included in each different boil we ordered all tasted the same and had no flavor - the lemon garlic and butter sauce. Not sure why Paul May deterred my friend from getting something spicy and seasoned with the Louisiana flavor preference. We thought sprinkling the Old Bay seasoning would give it a bit if a kick, but in reality, only made the sauce a bit more salty. The sauce is what flavors everything, and because it was not very well seasoned, everything tasted a bit bland. The potatoes and corn tasted like they were just boiled in water and put into the container. Lastly, the amount we paid which about $40ish each, was not what we expected for the amount of food we actually got. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - New England Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

Was initially looking for a pet friendly spot and came across this restaurant on Yelp. We decided to check it out and saw that the place was small, but really nice if you're looking for good conversation with the staff. We were worried the "dog friendly" aspect was only for outdoor but luckily the owner was there and let our boy join in with us. They even offered him water and a hugeee rawhide for him to gnaw on. The music was especially good because we are a family that listens to Pearl Jam as well :) The food itself was amazing. We ordered the family size of the NJ Boil and we got 5-6 clusters of snow crab legs, mussels, clams, and shrimp. I wasn't really a fan of the sausage and potatoes, but my family said they loved it! We also got an 8oz clam chowder and it was great. My only regret was ordering an 8oz because everyone in my family wanted to taste. It was gone in 5 mins! After we were done, the staff offered to wrap our food for us. We are very glad to have caught this place in the winter and didn't have to deal with the busyness that this place probably has in the summer. Will definitely be calling for a reservation when we come back :) read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Jersey Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

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Visited PJ for a quick trip and the Food was great and the hospitality was just as good . Location is convenient.

This place is a well kept secret please everyone go get takeout now you will thank me. The lobster roll is absolutely fabulous. Try it in both ways. Everything there is so fresh and the people are beyond helpful and friendly. It has a real mom and pop. feel people who care to serve your fresh things. It's delicious. The lobster roll is like none other. The people are so helpful. The owner even walked out front and tried to take a selfie of us all together. He was charming. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - The sweetest owner, you could ever meet taking our picture trying to get himself in it - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

I have been craving for a place that serves wonderful seafood, this restaurant satisfies that desire. The service is good and the time you have to wait is not much depending on the amount of food you have ordered. I recommend calling ahead of time as I remember being a fast food worker and being thankful whenever I was given a heads up. 5 stars, my only 'warning' for those who plan on going to eat in, please know that there are only a few tables as the amount of space they have been given is limited. I believe most of this satisfaction comes from the employees being understanding, especially a Hispanic woman in there who I saw wearing sanitary protection, it relieved my anxiety of having random people touching my food. She was quick with my food (but still made sure it was properly cooked) and seemed to be enjoying what she does. For those who need a quick peek, here is the picture of my order, a Maryland Boil (I personally added the lobster tail) read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

Let me start with the really good - the staff was incredibly friendly! The food was pretty decent. However, what I wish I had known before going is that this place has three indoor tables. When we arrived, they said they were all reserved, but offered us to sit outside, which we did. It was incredibly hot and we were sunburnt from being at the beach all day, so it wasn't ideal. We had a toddler with us and they didn't have high chairs. Our plates and napkins blew with every small gust of wind. Overall, it was not an ideal experience for our group. But, the server was so sweet, she made it as good as it could possibly be. read more

Went to visit cape may for a day and couldn't find a good seafood place so we decided to go try out PJ's and I'm so glad we did! The staff is extremely friendly and always willing to answer questions . The place is very small so not the greatest for larger groups but I believe they have outdoor seating if the weather permits. You get a lot of food for the price and the butter sauce was amazing. Their "spice" is really just old bay seasoning so if you're expecting something spicy I would go elsewhere. Overall we loved it and left feeling full and satisfied!! read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - New Jersey Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

This place was SO good. We were in town for the day looking for a place to grab a bite before heading back to Philly and our meal was delicious. I got the Maryland boil which had generous portions of seafood and great flavors. We also appreciated that there were fish options on the menu for my fiancé who doesn't eat shellfish. The customer service was great and everyone who worked there was super nice. Would definitely return if we're in the area! read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Maryland Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

Great food and portions. Definitely planning to return next time my family and I are in town. read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - New England Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey

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PJ is the man! I've been to my fair share of boils, and boy, this is one of the most bodacious seafood bouquets I've ever banqueted upon

Gotta say that this was by far the best seafood that I have ever had. Small but mighty, this restaurant delivers high quality seafood with outstanding flavor! Definitely try one of their boils. We got the Louisiana style boil and it was out of this world! read more

PJ Buckets Seafood - Build Your Own Boil - Seafood Near Me - Ventnor, New Jersey