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    Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant

    3.6 (817 reviews)
    PriceySeafood
    Closed 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant Photos

    ROONEY'S OCEANFRONT RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant

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    Paul D.

    This place is amazing! My wife booked it for our 24th wedding anniversary and what a Gem! The ambiance gets a 10 out of 10- The location gets a 10 out of 10- The service gets a 10 out of 10- The food gets a 10 out of 10- My bride got the artichoke heart app and was full, she had to take most of her meal w her! I got myself the fresh spicy Rigatoni & it was delicious. The triple chocolate cake & the affogato deserts were great... Denise and Jayden were so pleasurable to deal with as our servers. The guys singing outside live was a topping on the cake. Nothing disappointed. Thank you

    Beach view
    Freddy Z.

    Great location and service, wish there was better vegan options. Drinks are great as is the view.

    Lobster tail , Brussels sprouts side
    Genesis S.

    Ambiance , food and service were all a 10/10!! Everyone there was so incredibly nice and willing to answer all of our questions / requests for recos. The food was the highlight with the overall vibe being a close second.

    Oysters
    Thea Z.

    Had a delightful experience for a late lunch with some friends. Overall, the food was really solid, excellent service, and tastefully decorated for the holiday season. Enjoyed myself so much that I'll actually take the plunge and come back over the summer when it's busier. A few stand out items on the menu were the tuna Niçoise salad, honestly one of the best I've had, and the sushi rolls. The coconut shrimp were good, but they were very hard to eat off of the stick, and the oysters were good. They were served with droppers of some type of sauce , but I had no idea what it was. The wine menu was pretty decent, lots of choices for single glasses. And a variety of mixed drinks as well well. Everyone enjoyed what we had ordered. I would've liked to see a few other lighter bodied reds on the menu to pair better with some of the seafood. Our server was delightful and checked back in when we needed. The water service was pretty good, although I wish it was a little bit more in tune with the cadence of our table. The views really are exceptional. You were right on the water and even in the winter you feel like you are right at the beach. Overall, a very nice experience

    spicy rigatoni with grilled shrimp
    Kimberly T.

    Reserved for Easter Buffet specifically but it was never mentioned that the buffet was only up to a certain time around 1:30 or 2pmish. We reserved for 3:45pm and so we only knew about this when we were seated as we wondered why there were menus handed out. As there were no other restaurants close by and it was getting late, instead of leaving to find another place we just decided to do the ala carte. Luckily our server Alma was very kind and Faris (i hope I spelled his name correctly), gave us complimentary desserts. The food was also quite good nonetheless. Both staff did really well by us despite the reservation confusion although we were really looking forward to the buffet so at the end of it all, no day was spoiled thankfully.

    Blackened Mahi
    Nicole G.

    Sat outside listening to music and enjoying a delicious dinner. Blackened Mahi, lemon butter and garlic mash was our favorite. Shareable portions Tartare was delicious but needed more bread Lobster roll was huge and tasty Spicy Asian shrimp lack seasoning Blake, our server, was very attentive and gave great recommendations. Recommend making a reservation

    Sushi bowl
    Molly F.

    This place is always a hit. Started off with the coconut shrimp (9 in an order), then got the sushi bowl for lunch. The service was fantastic and the Hugo spritz was refreshing!

    Heidi D.

    An amazing date day with my hubby! Sat in the enclosed sunroom facing the ocean, absolutely beautiful. I had fish tacos, it was blackened and delicious, my husband has the lobster Mac and cheese. We love this place, we have been several times before but it's been awhile since our last time here, forgot how great this place is and will definitely be back sooner than later!

    Spicy margarita $18 in a pint glass. Strong and worth it
    Liana G.

    Can't wait to return to Rooney's. Outdoor seating is cozy, right on the beach, plenty of seating. Everyone super friendly and accommodating. Also our waitress Taylor was so kind and had great recommendations. We came from the beach and didn't stop at our car, so the hostess held our beach chairs and umbrella behind their stand while we ate - super accommodating. Music was mellow hits and just a great vibe to eat to. Food was 10/10. Middle neck clams were fresh, inexpensive, served with fresh horseradish and cocktail sauce (I recommend asking for Tabasco). The crab cake was one of the best I've ever had - no fillers just straight crab and a nice corn flake breading, potatoes and asparagus on the side were sooo fresh and delicious. We also had the ocean roll which was incredibly fresh, lots of tuna and salmon, and very filling. Definitely want to come back and try their tacos or their famous fish boards.

    Menu
    Patti R.

    I've been wanting to come to Rooney's for quite a while already. Finally, on Saturday, September 27, I enjoyed a very delicious lunch of the Chef's Colossal seafood tower and their fish tacos and a perfectly crisp Yealand Sauvignon Blanc. The lobster and shrimp were very big portions. Worth the price, in my opinion. To top it off, the day was beautiful and the servers were quick and very friendly. We sat outside and enjoyed the ocean view. The outside dining was very classy looking, down to the very pretty blue water glasses. I'm looking to try other menu items and do plan to return. Oh and the affogato was good too.

    Perfect ocean front dining in NJ. We have a lovely view of the ocean and the food was delicious. I had the Scallop & Shrimp Orzo. It was beyond amazing!!

    Bob A.

    Rooney's is the kind of spot that makes you feel like summer showed up just for you. The view alone earns it points, but the food actually keeps up. The fried calamari was light and crispy, the mussels were plump and swimming in a garlicky broth that begged for bread, and every plate came out looking like it was ready for a magazine cover. The mains didn't disappoint either. The salmon was perfectly seared with a buttery crust and the sides tasted like someone in the kitchen actually cared. The poke bowl and grain salad were fresh and full of flavor, not just filler greens pretending to be healthy. The drinks were another win. The jalapeño margarita had the right balance of heat and kick, and the espresso martini looked almost too pretty to drink. Service was friendly and the pacing was spot on. If I'm being picky, the latte looked better than it tasted, but when the food, cocktails, and ocean view all hit at once, it's hard to stay critical. Solid seafood, great vibes, and that rare place where you can eat well and still feel like you're on vacation.

    Char-Grilled Oysters
    Abigail C.

    I had a delicious time at Rooney's for the end of summer! We started with the char-grilled oysters and the dancing Asian shrimp. Both were super delicious. The shrimp were crispy, and I loved the variety of sauces served with it. I tried the Caesar salad, which was pretty big and decent; not the best I've had but still yummy. I really loved the Lobster Mac-A-Rooney. This dish was so creamy and had pretty large chunks of lobster throughout. I also tried the skirt steak -- not the best I've had, but the bold flavor of the chimichurri sauce really elevated the meat. The Parmesan truffle potatoes they serve with this are so unique and yummy! They're crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The lava cake was also a yummy way to close out the evening -- it wasn't too sweet and tasted delicious with the ice cream! We were a bit unlucky the day we visited, since it rained HEAVILY while we were seated outside. While there's cover, some rain still came through into the area. They did a good job helping us move the table and getting into a more comfortable area. The oceanfront view is beautiful, but more-so on days with better weather (haha). I definitely would come back next summer!

    Angry Lobster

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    16 days ago

    Food was ok not a lot of choices service was great drinks were also good view was good prices do not coincide with the quality of food

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    5 days ago

    Food. View was tremendous, as was the service. Three of us had lunch there and no particularly liked their order.

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    Page 1 of 21

    Ask the Community - Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant

    Is the outdoor dining area covered in any way in case of some rain?

    Yes it has a canopy & umbrellas

    Are shorts okay for dinner?

    Yes, be comfortable.

    Is there a parking lot for the restaurant?

    Yea huge parking lot right next to restaurant

    Are shorts & a polo shirt ok to wear for lunch?

    Absolutely! It's a dress up or dress down atmosphere. Enjoy!

    Can I bring my small dog and sit outside for lunch?

    I brought my small service dog and got denied and asked for papers for the dog , clearly I left and posted my dogs certificate in a review.

    About the Santa event?about toys for tots?

    Hi. Under rooneysocean.com then happenings you’ll find the details of these events.… 

    View All 8 Questions

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    Porterhouse Steak - not the one for 2!
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    Porterhouse for two

    Rooney's Oceanfront Restaurant - seafood - Updated August 2026

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