Bonney Read
Safety precautions
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
Pleasant outdoor dining experience in Asbury Park. The street in front of the restaurant is closed, so there were no cars driving by to add noise and fumes, which was great. My wife and I went there for our anniversary dinner and we were not disappointed. Food was excellent. We started with the jumbo shrimp cocktail, which was great. Large, plump, tender shrimp that was not overcooked or tough. For my main course I had the linguini with clams which I highly recommend. Whole clams in the shell and delicious pancetta were great touches. My only complaint is that it didn't come with any bread to soak up the amazing broth. I asked for some and our waiter said she would bring me an order of the bread they provide with the mussels. I suggest they make that a regular addition, but in case they don't, you should definitely ask for it. My wife was bummed because they ran out of the NY Strip, but her caesar salad with grilled shrimp was very tasty. Good beer and cocktail selections and great service rounded out the enjoyable experience nicely. All in all, if you're looking for a great casual dining experience in Asbury Park, you can't go wrong with Bonney Read!
We had a great time on a moderate weathered November evening outside at Bonney Read. The closed to traffic street was bustling which made for a cosmopolitan, festive atmosphere...there were no heaters so luckily it stayed warm enough. It's great how the street is roped off so the foot traffic steered clear. The highlight of the evening was the cocktails! One especially, made with Beet Juice, Tequila, Ancho Reyes and sugar...just outstanding! There was a good variety of great food selections on the menu, nothing too adventerous, which made choosing dishes to order a pleasant challenge and all were served good and hot, with excellent preparation ...yummy. Our server Connie was delightful and beamed from behind her mask. All safety protocols were follwed. Word of warning: we thought $15 for a half dozen market priced middlenecks to be a little steep. Shoud've asked...nevertheless, our second time there, will return.
We had a great Time at Bonney Read. I had the Lobster Bisque and Fish Tacos (Made With Haddock) the slaw was delish. They have a Season Rumpkin Cocktail - Rum and Pumpkin Liqueur- it was so good. My friend grew up in New England and he said the Clam Chowder was a 9 out of 10!
The quality of the food didn't match the price. The server was sweet, but didn't seem like she'd tried a lot of the food/wasn't great at making recommendations. The guy working the raw bar had no mask on, and no mask anywhere in visible sight. It was the first restaurant we've been at in a really long time, and it was a 5/10 experience.
Good location, good service, decent food at a reasonable price.
This was an outdoor COVID experience so may not be relevant long term. We were very disappointed as we were told this was among the best in AP. The food was good but not great and on the high side price wise. The service was substandard. When you have to go to the hostess to ask for ketchup things are bad. Will not be back. Go to Pascal and Sabine instead.
The food is always spectacular and the drinks are excellent. Love the atmosphere and the place itself is a nice place to hang out at in general. Only qualm is that it’s extremely expensive for what you are getting. I paid for dinner for 10 people in downtown toms river and it was $139 for the group. There were 4 of us at Bonney Reed for lunch and it was over $250 with much less ordered. I understand we are paying for the location and great food but it’s just a shock sometimes. Not gonna stop me from coming back though! Love this place.
Very nice to be able to reserve outdoor seating after months of ordering in for date night.
Food was excellent. No problems with service or food. Everything was how it should be. Great drinks also.
Waitress was lovely and food was delicious!
It was great! My family and I had a great time and we loved the food!
Really enjoyed the Bonney Read. Service was terrific and completely safe. We ate outside and enjoyed the ambiance on the street.
Food was really good. Spicy clam stew was great. Had well-concocted drinks, too.
Highly recommend!
Excellent Service. Good Food. Only negative was that the table did not have an umbrella to shield the sun which was very strong that day.
Great place for a delicious lunch al fresco on a gorgeous early fall day. Bonus that they are very kid friendly. Highly recommend!
One of the best around!! Food always on point, staff is stellar.
Great food and service ! Will return in the future.
Excellent experience at Bonney Read. My wife and I shared the scallops small plate, Spanish octopus, and snow crabs. Add a few drinks and we had a great experience.
Came here to celebrate my anniversary. Tables were literally in the street (street was closes to traffic ) with lots of pedestrians walking by, fun for people watching but definitely not intimate any ambiance. Overall it was over priced and food wa only so-so. I would not recommend the lobster roll, it's very small for $30 and they put too much dill and spices on it, also tasted like lobster was frozen previously, not sweet like fresh. Also dont recommend the clams casino, they were drenched in spices and a tomato-y sauce and topped with bacon, they didn't taste bad but fresh seafood doesn't need tons of spices to taste good, just butter, garlic, salt and breadcrumbs. I felt they tried to do too much to it. Lobster bisque was tasty and my husband loved the raw oysters. Service was also great.
Had a wonderful meal outside on a beautiful evening with my family,the clam and chorizo fritters were amazing,we will be back here soon !
Our waitress, Isabella, was wonderful! She patiently explained what the various dishes were like, made a few recommendations, and she was "spot on" with her recommendations. A friend, my wife, and I loved our dinner and really enjoyed your restaurant. We'll be back....
Great spot for outdoor dining! I had the tuna "catch of the day" and it was cooked perfectly. Indoor dining was also spaced appropriately for Covid19 precautions.
Great food, drinks and service! We will definitely be back!
Food was great as usual. We chose to eat inside and felt comfortable with the huge open doors, the spacing and the high ceiling. Covid measures include individual condiment packages, digital menu and bringing a wireless credit card reader to your table. We'll be back!
Really enjoyed the Outdoor dining, great service, food and drinks!
The food was not good. Our orders were seafood pasta and crab cake. The pasta was very bland (virtually no seasoning or salt); crab cake crust was ok but the inside was soggy, no real lump crab meat that I find for its price. Mixed drink was terrible.
Other than that, the service and the beer was good.
Late evening seating, and it was a bit sparse outside. Social distancing and attention to the mask/sanitizer use was good. It was a bit dark outside and we had a single candle that kept blowing out. Staff were great and let us keep a lighter to keep lighting the candle, which was okay but not optimal. Food was very good; oysters were perfectly shucked and very tasty. Horseradish on request, and a nice mignonette. We shared a few other items and were happy with everything. Nice Albarino to pair with the food. Keep doing what you're doing, BR.
As long as the menu is concern, it is solid and vibrant enough to find a thing or two that one would like to eat. Nothing over the top. The Spanish octopus and Fish and Chips are simply on the money and will please majority of patrons. Paring food with , again reasonably "spirited", wine and/or beer list will not be a challenge. Service was quick and friendly. This is definitely a place to keep in mind and pay multiple visits.
Thank You
It was a wonderful place to spend our 5 year anniversary!
First time here and loved the food, service and overall experience. We will be back!
We visited Bonney Read on the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend which means extra crowds. Just the day before, the COVID dining rules changed, tossing restaurants a new curve to deal with! We weren’t quite sure what to expect dining out but Bonney Read excelled! Our hostess was friendly and gave us a wonderful high top on the sidewalk which was awesome for enjoying the band that came through later! Our waitress was so personable, efficient and helpful! She recommended a wonderful white wine for us. Our food came out in a timely manner. She helped make our night super enjoyable. We shared clams casino, the chorizo and clam fritters (extra delish) and the snow crab Kettle. Crab was so sweet I didn’t even notice there was drawn butter on the table. Just an awesome night at the Bonney Read! Highly recommend!
Great service!! We were very picky and made many requests and they accommodated them all!
Best seafood in Asbury
Unique food in a great atmosphere! Would highly recommend!
Favorite Seafood place in Asbury Park. Great environment. Amazing Lobsters and Oysters!!
We had the raw oysters,which were perfect, and lobster rolls with a new bun that was even tastier than before. One person had the fish and chips which was delicious. Beer and wine selection was excellent. The tables outside were well-spaced and comfortable. The service could not have been better. Very safe. Strongly recommended.
Good food well done for outdoor seating. Sit on the side if there is live music playing. Nice job by Tom to be there when needed. One negative. If a diner is going to smoke next to table ask them to move away from the ropes.
Great food. However too many flies in the outdoor seating area. This is a dog friendly restaurant which can be both good and bad.
Our waiter with the amazing hair was fantastic! He was so fun and attentive!
Great dinner and got the check just before the storm hit! My husband and I dined here for dinner on a recent trip to the area. We were looking for seafood and this fit the bill perfectly. We sat outdoors, well because you know, #COVID and really enjoyed the whole expereince. Our server was really knowledgeable and helped us to make some F&B selections. Highlights: 1) crab claws w/ Yuzu mustard, 2) clam & chorizo fritters, 3) mussels fra diavlo. Somehow we closed out our check and left just before the downpour ensued. Would highly recommend giving it a try and the menu items above if they're already standing out in your mind.
The raw clams and oysters are fresh and delicious. The mussels in white wine and garlic is outstanding as well as the crispy bread served with it. Have eaten there 5 times and always a good meal.
FAQs
Bonney Read offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (732) 455-3352.
Bonney Read is rated 4.7 stars by 774 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.