John&#x27;s Cracker Barrel

Our first visit to this 'Icon' pizzeria and Bakery in Bradley Beach. The warm…read moreGoat salad and pizza was awesome. The ambiance is a real cool Pizzeria look and feel. The server was very warm and friendly offering some popular suggestions. The bakery next door will also knock your socks off. A grand slam all the way around. We highly recommend this pizzeria and bakery in the heart of Jersey Shore!

Food was amazing! Tasted fresh and flavorful! My favorite was the eggplant tower. The breaded…read moreeggplant was fried to perfection with great herbs like garlic and tomatoes. The margarita pizza felt light yet fulfilling. The service was great! The Ambiance was great as we sat outside.

Counter

Balsamic Pizza

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Margarita pizza

Pete & Elda's Bar / Carmen's Pizzeria

3.6(779 reviews)

0.8 mi

What a legendary spot! After researching this place and while in the area, we knew someone in our…read moreparty had to take on the whole pie/pizza eating challenge. We came, we saw, and my husband conquered :) A few things to note about Pete & Elda's..they don't take reservations. This is an incredibly popular spot, especially in the summer months, so if this is on your Jersey summer list..block out some time for this experience. They do offer to-go if time isn't of the essence, but I do feel like if you have the opportunity to have the full experience, take it. We've never done a food challenge before, but essentially the challenge is for (1) person, 30minute time frame, conquer a full pie, receive a t-shirt and of course, bragging rights. As we were seated, we noticed several other tables had at least one or more people taking the challenge, which was super fun to see and root on. Also in the parking lot there were people taking pictures with the iconic Pete & Elda's sign with their t-shirt and friends. The pizza is like a cracker-thin crust, super yummy and shareable for large groups. We had the cheese, and others at the table ordered sausage/onions, and pepperoni. We also ordered breaded mushrooms (an NJ shore classic) and zucchini sticks for the table, a Caesar salad, and macaroni and cheese for the kiddo. FYI, the macaroni and cheese was pretty fire! I've been eating a lot of kiddo meal leftovers on this trip, and this was a standout. I love the bar atmosphere of this place too, and learned you can actually also order "bar pies" at the (bar only). Great beer selection! There are other food classics on the menu as well if pizza isn't your thing like chicken parm, stuffed shells, veal, seafood, chowder soup(s), burgers, cheesesteaks, and more. All in all, my husband got the t-shirt, finished the challenge in 19 minutes, took the picture, and we all have fun memories of this day. This seems like a spot that holds a lot of memories for families coming to the Shore, and spending summers eating pie and enjoying tradition and celebration. Can't wait to do the same next summer :)

A shore legend when it comes to pizza spots. Old school charm and decore with paper thin pizza…read morecooked to the perfect level of crispy crust. We came in a busy Saturday night this time so did have to wait, but the hostess was spot on with the quoted wait time. This time my husband tackled (and suceeded) the pie challenge by eating a full XXL pizza himself on just 30-minutes! Wow! Meanwhile my dad and I split and XL Special Pie with peppers and mushrooms.

Interior

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Can't beat Carmen's Pizza!

Michaels Pizzeria

4.7(6 reviews)

1.1 mi

Just had dinner there tonight. It's still the quintessential neighborhood Italian Pizza restaurant…read more I had yet another sausage parmigiana sandwich just as good as everyone I've gotten there. Michael recognized me and we caught up with each other it was a really good time.

Great local pizza. Crisp all the thru Fresh sauce and tasty pepperoni Ice cream next door !read more

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Two topping extra large with pepperoni and pineapple

The Galley Pizza & Eatery

4.3(231 reviews)

2.7 mi

I usually don't do updates unless there is a problem but just felt this place deserves one…read more The food is Still Great; this is not just a Pizza Place - the have one of the Best Cheese Steaks on the planet, meat balls & Ricotta is off the hook (pardon that pun) and there is soooo much more to the Galley than just their Fantastic pies As for the service - Marley & Lucy stand out as Super polite, professional and friendly - they make it a pleasure waiting on the food. Chris - I said it before and I'll say it again - Well Done.....!!!

Food was good and cheesesteak was huge and tasty -5 stars for that…read more We did takeout before going to a concert. Food was ready fairly quickly. We would come back to try different things.

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Cheesesteak

La Lupa Di Roma

4.0(92 reviews)

0.4 mi

This place is delectable. Addictive garlic knots, Grandma's pizza, thick crust that melts in your…read moremouth. Not doughy at all, amazing. Their olive oil is is remarkable. Tonight we had veal marsala that melted in my mouth. Our go to place.

We order from here quite regularly. Today I ordered 3 small subs and a large salad. When serving…read morethe subs to my visitors, we found that at most there was one thin slice of meat and cheese on each sub. In fact, on one end of a sub there was only lettuce. We also ordered a white tuna sub and it certainly did not taste or look like white tuna more like chunk light. We ended up embarrassed to feed this to our guest and tossing most of the order. Definitely very disappointment to pay for food we had to throw away. Will rethink ordering from here again.

Capellini ala Roma and pink sauce

Plain Pizza

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Mussels

Vic's Italian Restaurant

3.8(517 reviews)

1.3 mi

- Large restaurant with two dining rooms and classic old-school tavern vibes, featuring mahogany…read morewalls, booths along the walls, plenty of tables, and bar seating - Service was warm, friendly, and very attentive throughout our meal - Food was very good: the thin-crust pizza held together well and had a tangy tomato sauce; the salad was fresh, with large, flavorful tomato chunks and just the right amount of dressing; calamari was nicely fried, though the portion could have been bigger - Private parking lot with plenty of spaces

THE FOOD ----------------…read more+ House Salad - Tomato chunks, red onion slices, olives, cheese and LOTS of vinaigrette. Solid typical house salad. + Fried Calamari - Was a smaller portion than we anticipated, but was well-fried and very good though. Just wish the plate was bigger. + Large Plain Pizza - Vic's classic 14" thin crust pie - Very thin and very good. Like the restaurant, it was a no frills cheese pizza that was light. For a large pizza, 14" is kind of small and we would have liked if it was more of a standard size large pie at 18". THE SERVICE ------------------- + Waitress was friendly and all of our food arrived very fast after ordering. THE SURROUNDINGS ------------------------------- + Old school interior. No fanciness here. Just a whole lot of wood walls and panels with a bar in the back. + Private parking lot in the back has a lot of spaces. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS -------------------------------------- = Arrived at around 1:30 on an August Saturday afternoon and it was busy inside, but not overwhelmingly so. We were seated right away and there were plenty of open tables and booths to spare. = They sell merch, specifically restaurant-branded T-shirts at $20 a pop (as of August 2026).

Merchandise

Just one of their meatballs. 2 come in an order.

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Brooklyn Square Pizza

3.9(37 reviews)

1.5 mi

Drove down from Nutley for my favorite post-run ritual: a solid 5-miler on the boards followed by…read morethe best pizza around. Even with an hour's drive, this spot is always worth the trip! I placed an order with Anthony for the Peter's Special Square Pizza. It's a perfectly thin square pie topped with a bright peeled tomato sauce and a fresh mozzarella blend, all finished with a sharp hit of Pecorino Romano. The sauce absolutely pops! Anthony provides awesome service, and this has officially become my go-to reward after a long run. Keep it up, Anthony--truly delicious

A bit out of the way but worth the drive. Dinner with my son's family. He did the ordering. Salads…read morewere fresh and well portioned. The pizza a pepperoni with hot honey glaze delicious. Service spot on. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked delicious.

Pepperoni Pie

2 plain, white/broccoli, margherita and mushroom.

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Bruno's Pizza & Subs

4.1(90 reviews)

0.4 mi

Food is prepare is good. The food is always fresh and the management takes out time with the…read morecustomers.

Great food no matter what you order. Super friendly atmosphere. Never had to wait long for orders.read more

Ravioli with vodka sauce & grilled chicken

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Tramonto's Pizza

4.5(61 reviews)

2.7 mi

Tramonto's Pizza was amazing for so many reasons. Not only was the pizza next level, the service…read morewas above and beyond. My story - My fiance' and I were in the area for a saltwater fishing trip. We settled into our hotel and needed dinner. We decided on Tramonto's . We had never had their food before but the website looked good and the menu as well.. So we ordered and we used a third party delivery service, not affiliated with these guys, as I found out later. I received a text from the third party delivery person, around the promised time of delivery. The text simply said, " I am here "., but they weren't. I checked the hotel lobby, they weren't there either. I texted the delivery person and said, " Where are you"?. No response.....several more texts....no response. I called the number, which came up as an Alabama number and no one answered. I realized I had been dubbed and my food and generous tip were gone. I was pissed. I called Tramonto's to ask about my order. A lovely woman named, LeeAnna (sp?) answered the phone. I explained my situation to her and she was apologetic as well as sympathetic. She explained to me that the delivery service is a third party and they have no oversite over the food after it leaves their restaurant. She immediately said that she wanted to make it right and 'get us fed"....lol. She called the third party to sort it out while I listened in and the third party had nothing to offer. LeeAnna then offered to remake our order of two pizzas with several toppings,at a discount and get us a total refund (food+fees+ a generous tip) from the awful delivery service. All of this and they were closing in 20 minutes. I arrived 2 minutes before closing and my food was ready and hot. The owner Teddy, LeeAnna's husband shook my hand and apologized several times. Even the staff offered me apologies. They even threw in a brownie and and order of pepperoni garlic knots. So I am not just saying this because they went above and beyond, but because it's true. The pizza was amazing. It was everything I look for in a pizza and believe me, I know my way around some pizzas. The dough was flavorful and cooked perfectly, not soft or too crunchy....perfect. The sauce was bright and the cheese was delicious and the toppings were generous and fresh. And if you do stop in...get....yourself...a....brownie! OMG was that brownie good. They took a very negative situation and made it positive. They made me feel better to know that there are still people in the world that are good and that care. Not only is the food amazing here, the people ten times as amazing . If you are in the Neptune area, you should patronize this business. You will not be disappointed in any way. And....you can call them directly for delivery. Do not use a third party!!!! Thank you, LeeAnna, Teddy, and staff. There aren't many like you. I will see you the next time I'm in town.

The pizza was OK. Twp problems: the delivery person rang the bell, put the pizza on the deck and…read moreleft. Really. The next problem is management or lack thereof: I wrote them about my delivery experience and was ignored. So, OK pizza; shoddy delivery; poor communication. You be the judge.

Inside artwork

Assorted sandwiches

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Chicken Vodka Burrata Detroit Style Pizza

Federico's Pizza & Restaurant

4.2(195 reviews)

1.4 mi

Literally the worst food I've had in a while. Ordered delivery - the sub was cold, the meat was…read morestale. Took 3 bites and threw the rest out it was so disgusting. And the cheesy garlic bread? I can easily make better at home.

A staple in town - very popular. Quite warm inside from the…read moreovens and body heat. Pizza is standard NY style and classic Italian entrees that are nice in portion size and flavored well. Great white pizza, garlicky flavor. The cheesesteak however (although stuffed) was a little flavorless and very messy--the oil seeping through the bread, bag, and onto my clothes. No bueno. I will say the half size was more than enough though for the average person. Have not found service to be overly friendly here. Would still return for some classic, old school fare.

*delicious* 1/2 portion Spaghetti Bolognese (big portion, we split)

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Caesar Salad

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19 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Jill C.

9 years ago

One of the Best Pizzas on the Jersey Shore can be found at John's Cracker Barrel in Shark River Hills. I am a lifelong Jersey Girl and "pizza snob" and was thoroughly impressed with their pizza. I am the niece of the famous football legend, Vince Lombardi and his parents, my grandparents were butchers in Brooklyn and later moved to New Jersey. They were always focused on good Italian food and especially good pizza. John's Cracker Barrel is featured as a Deli, Pizzeria and Grill nested along the Shark River with views of the river and the surrounding salt marsh. You can eat either inside or outside and enjoy this special community and its maritime surroundings complete with Snowy Egrets and the Great Blue Herons. I was visiting in late August to celebrate my birthday and I fell in love with the Cracker Barrel pizza especially prepared with onions and pepperoni. I really enjoy the new extra-large slices. I also loved and the submarine sandwiches that we took out in a boat from the marina down the street and ate it for lunch anchored on the Shark River. John's Cracker Barrel which has been in Shark River Hills since the 1920s and is a very special "Somewhere in Time" community treasure. I admit that I am one tough little Italian to please, but I give John's Cracker Barrel my highest recommendation! Try it out, you will love it! read more

Static G.

10 years ago

Ordered a pork roll egg and cheese on two occasions,sandwich was decent but only two razor thin slices of porkroll,bread was very good though.Price was too high as it isn't a filling breakfast.$5.00 really? The last time I was there I ordered a cheesesteak and French fries .with a Snapple to go. $12.00 plus $1dollar tip.Waited 20 minutes for meal even though there was only 2 customers there.Drove home 15 minute drive,Cheesesteak had one slice of provolone cheese on top,steak was oily greasy with barely any onions,French fries were soggy like nuked in microwave,burnt mouth even after 15 minute drive,kid gives you food to go with no bag and forgets to ask cook to put salt pepper and ketchup on food 10 seconds after putting in order,expects you to take generic brand ketchup packs. Must be new owners as the owners in the 90s had us as kids riding our bikes several miles to enjoy a good meal,now my only recommendation would be locals with no car,boat owners that come back to shore starving or dehydrated,or a place to take someone you don't like very much.Greedy owners,or sky high overhead might very well have compromised this business,but to offer Piss poor quality of food and service that rivals the shittiest of ghettos is inexcusable read more

Devin P.

257

7 years ago

RESTORING THE CRACKER BARREL TO ITS FORMER GLORY. I am a life long resident of Shark River Hills (34 years) and the Cracker Barrel is the corner stone of the community. It was where I had my first job and it's where I take my 2 year old daughter for a pizza. The Cracker Barrel was a spot, as kids, that we could ride our bikes to grab some snacks, hang out then continue cruising the neighborhood. With a number of different owners that feeling was beginning to diminish but I am happy to say that the new ownership gets it. Pierre & Carrie are a local Family that lives in SRH and have 2 daughters one of which is my daughter's age. They have returned the Cracker Barrel to its former glory and it is once again a spot that I enjoy walking or riding over to for a bite to eat. I am Excited for my daughter and her friends to be able to make their own SRH memories as they grow up! Oh and the food is bangin too! read more

August M.

13 years ago

I loved this place growing up when it was Thomas' Cracker Barrel," but since new owners took it over a few years ago, the place is horrible. The service is ridiculously slow, the prices have soared, and the owners themselves are nasty individuals. The kid that has been working behind the counter for years is great, but the rest of the place has turned into a "brooklyn-style" dive bodega. I will never stop in there again and neither will my family members or neighbors. We would rather go to Hometown Market, coincidentally, I am not a fan of either, but they are head over heals better. read more

Kira L.

7 years ago

2019 was a year of many changes for JCB! With the new owners, they quickly implemented quality changes that make all the difference. Personally I love the coffee they serve and how quick and easy I can grab breakfast. They now carry amazing bagels and donuts - SO GOOD. Basically anything I've had on their menu is done right! And if there was ever any concerns, the owner and staff would make it right. I'm so glad to have a local spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner, local music, meeting up with family and friends - and a view of the river!! Can't forget that! read more

Kirk P.

7 years ago

Great food, even better people!! Can't speak highly enough of this spot. The food is always spot on and the service is friendly and from the heart. The new owners are super welcoming and make everyone feel like a regular. My go to order for breakfast is their pork roll and cheese on a plain bagel. They get their bagels delivered in fresh daily from NY and you can taste the difference. JCB is a Shark River staple that will not disappoint! read more

Jessica M.

218

7 years ago

The perfect little eat in grill and coffee stop right in your home town. Amazing menu of breakfast , lunch and dinner foods to choose from. Great specials and the pizza is delicious. Their drink selection is eclectic and fresh, along with some local vendors of other Wellness and artisan products. You can get everything there ! Even lottery! Stop in if you haven't yet. The owners are super nice and their kids are so adorable! read more

Melissa B.

7 years ago

A true neighborhood restaurant, John's Cracker Barrel is a go to for our family. Lately, they've stepped up their game quite a bit. I don't know if it's just me, but the pizza tastes even better (the grandma our with sesame seeds is delicious). The Cesaer Salad is delicious and filling and you can never go wrong with one of their subs. Even if you don't live in Shark River it's worth the trip! read more

Joel B.

7 years ago

Under new ownership, this place is a great local deli/restaurant in SRH. The subs are great, very generous portions served on delicious fresh bread. Breakfast is very good also. Home-made Soups made fresh daily! Chicken perm and specialty pizzas were delicious! We are new to the Hills but we are now regulars at John's Cracker Barrel. read more

Kim F.

6 years ago

Great local restaurant that does a lot for the community. Their sandwiches and subs are enormous! I had chicken salad on rye with bacon and tomato, YUM! And it was so big I had it for lunch the following day. Hubby had the turkey and swiss half sub and once again, it was enough for 2 lunches! So lucky to have this gem near by :-) read more

Katie R.

7 years ago

If you haven't been to John's Cracker Barrel in over a year, go back and give it a try!! So many great changes have been made under the new ownership... they now serve Turnstile Coffee , new/ better bagels, great deli sandwiches, and the Grandma pie never ever disappoints! read more

Matt M.

7 years ago

New ownership! The bad reviews below may have been warranted at the time, but since Pierre took the reins things are running very smoothly. Perfect mom and pop type place for a quick bite or something to go and a great cup of coffee. Definitely try the breakfast pizza. read more

Mike Z.

110

7 years ago

Top notch service. Great food. Awesome small business in a much deserving community. We've taken food out, had it delivered to our house and had it delivered while our and about. Don't sleep on the salads - primo! Thanks JCB crew - you're the best. read more

Anastasia M.

15 years ago

SRH's best kept secret! They make a great pizza and you can order breakfast anytime! I love the western omelet with cheddar and wheat toast. Fantastic cannoli's - huge portions! Great for just picking up a bag of chips and cold cuts if need be. read more

Kelly D.

7 years ago

Awesome place to eat with the best owner! Pierre is the new owner and is making great changes. The breakfast pizza is absolutely the best! We arrived with 10 people and everyone loved what they ordered! Check out this great place! read more

Kevin H.

7 years ago

Best pizza in the area. If you want a New York/ New Jersey style pizza that we all grew up on, this is the place to get it. My personal favorite is the Grandma Pie with the sesame crust read more

Meredith P.

108

7 years ago

Shark River Hill's best kept secret! My whole family loves their pizza and the Caesar salad is my personal favorite. Amazing baked goods and bagels for breakfast as well ! read more

Stephanie L.

Elite 23

553

6 years ago

Highly highly highly recommend this place! Friendly owner, friendly staff, GREAT pizza. They truly care about their customers and their food seems to be made with love! read more

George H.

8 years ago

Nice place-got 2 good Pizza's on time!

John's Cracker Barrel - sandwiches - Updated August 2026

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