I'm a local. Keep driving right past this tourist trap. This restaurant doesn't care about consistency, quality or portions. You will do better at a pizza place. read more

Food, service and ambience was spectacular. I wish it wasn't a foggy day so we could've enjoyed water views, but can't wait to visit again soon. read more

Not worth the hype whatsoever. Completely overpriced. It got worse with each course- served up a forty eight dollar,dried out, ny strip steak,flavorless and dry coconut shrimp,flavorless lobster bisque. They also charge you nine dollars to have bread at your table. In short, its a place that tries to make itself look upscale and may look pretty from the outside in reality ia place that radically over charges for very poor quality food. Did I mention the eighteen dollar cobb salad was so tiny and had lettuce that looked and tasted like it was a bag of dole lettuce from shoprite? read more

My observation was that they were running a tight ship and everything was Covid secure. I had a delicious shrimp and lobster bisque for starters. Very, very tasty. For my main course I had the coffee rubbed New York strip.It was prepared exactly to order and also tasted quite good. Service was very professional and the wine list and cocktail menu were also very extensive. read more

Chef Danny is a kitchen genius! Seafood Risotto delicious. Wonderful appetizers. Impeccable service. Special night with old friends. Beautiful location with gorgeous view. read more

Came in wanted outdoor seating and it wasn't available due to reservations I decide to sit by the bar. Gary our bartender provided us a exceptional service. He went above and beyond his job description to make us feel welcomed. However I decided to go to the rest room and ask a lady that was sitting outdoors if she had reservations and she stated NO. Meanwhile I decided to it by the bar and seen 8 empty tables that the hostess claims they had reservations but wasn't true. I left and these outdoor seating were empty for two hours. Shame on the hostesses. Felt discriminated and cheated. read more

My boyfriend took me here for our first date and I fell in love with both him and the restaurant. Amazing view, great service, and excellent menu. The Chocolate Lava Cake was probably the main reason why the date went so well in the first place. The restaurant has become our go-to place when celebrating our anniversary together. Such a beautiful establishment read more

We recently had my daughter's wedding shower at Rum Runners. I'd like to give a shout out to Samantha, Danny and the waitstaff. The food was fantastic and the staff was so helpful. I highly recommend this venue. Reasonably priced and beautiful setting. Thanks to everyone for making her day so special. read more

So sorry to do this, I never write bad reviews but tonight it was an exceptional bad experience. we made a reservation for 6 at 7:45 and it was 2 of our friends birthdays. We asked for 2 desserts and an outdoor table. We were told to get there early to ensure that our wishes were met. So we got there at 6, picked out the desserts and they told us to let them know when everyone was there to be seated. We were all on time yet, we were seated at about 8:30. And then the fun started. We immediately ordered drinks and apps and then dinner. the service was horrible, we got one drink about an hour later. Our food: part of it was served and the rest, no where to be found. we asked to speak with the manager and she agreed that they were overwhelmed and wanted to comp our drinks, we were ok with that. however an hour later we had no drinks and no food. We asked to speak to her again and she apologized for everyone: the kitchen, the service. So we told her, no worries, please just get us the drinks and our food. I actually said: I get it, but please stop talking and get us our drinks. ( you need to know that it was around 10 and we were there since 7:30 with one drink, no water and no food yet) Around 10:30 still no drinks and no real food and no water, she come back and says so sorry we have your drinks if you want but we know you had a bad experience so we will comp your dinner, and we ran out of desserts. I was so upset. We wanted to take our friends out for a nice meal and it turned into a horrific experience. The manager does not know how to manage , the staff is inexperienced and unresponsive, the food is terrible.. Why would anyone ever want to go there. I never will! Worst experience ever, Now I need to buy gift cards for my friends for their birthdays, obviously at different restaurants!!!! I am truly mortified for reserving this restaurant. read more

Yes to location Yes to great service Yes to delicious food Of course I have some No's Waiting time for drinks took long and for the food as well. As a customer I would recommend to provide complementary bread with butter and olive oil, so waiting time won't be too long for your guests read more

Stopped in while on a vacation trip, and they have an Unbelievable happy hour. High quality food, and try the Rum Runner drink, it's great! Beautiful views of the water and of Hartshorne woods to the north. Great staff as well. read more

I'm gonna give them a 5 because a lot of the food we've had lately has been lack-luster. Don't stress about Covid - their outdoor seating is amazing, huge and has a great cross breeze. Their food is fresh, well prepared and beautifully presented. Energetic vibe and nice music complete the atmosphere. Have the lobster roll! read more

The Rum Runner - Come for the view! - Seafood Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Owners of this zombie horror corp are completely checked out. The only explanation is that it is so highly leveraged/under capitalized that they have to cut costs on EVERYTHING. Awful food, consistent with the other restaurants owned by this group. Warm beer. Disgusting room temp bland potato salad. Week old bun on the (overcooked lobster) roll, with $2 of lobster on a $24 roll. This is their status quo--not due to COVID. I've been to this spot three times. I've been to the MCLoones in west orange, long branch, and this one--food has been uniformly cheap and cooked horribly each time. The wait staff knows better than to check on the quality of the food. Managers are nowhere to be seen. I was hopeful that they had focused on quality during COVID, but sadly, not the case. Half hearted effort at outdoor dining involves hastily hung string lights, mismatched umbrellas, and palm fronds in cheap Lowe's buckets. Tommy's, beach tavern are much better, and their patronage reflects that. One star is deserved only for the view--it is great. Hoping that this place fails soon because the building and location is great--someone interested in food and ambiance could make it a great spot. This is the last time I let someone talk me into this--it left me feeling sick and angry. I wouldn't go over to eat at a friend's house who served this crap. read more

Not a happy camper when you get seated outside next to cars and the parking lot ..... and paying a decent amount of money for it. Requested outdoor seating and was placed at the end outside Next to cars being parked where there was no one in vicinity. Service was slow and felt as if I was forgotten about in the corner. Disappointing for the amount of money that was spent at this place. Will not be back do better . read more

Our family had the best experience last night. We made a reservation ahead of time and were seated right away. Valet parking was a plus. We ate outside along the riverfront at sunset. It was a treat to watch the boats go by as the sun descended. We had a large party of 9 and all of us could not stop talking about how much we enjoyed our meal and service provided by our server Roxanne! She was an absolute pro, got everything right and out on time, kindly answered our questions, and went over the specials and popular dishes twice. Management should look at giving her a raise and/or employee of the month. I highly recommend ordering the chef's selection of bread and a cheese plate. Between the whipped butter, fig jam, and sun-dried tomato oil, our favorite was the fig jam paired with pumpernickel. The flatbread was soft and light, with a little bit of a crispy crust. I'd prefer it be cooked a little longer but still enjoyable. It also is probably better off as an appetizer than an entree, unless you want to eat light. The cheeseboard had a variety of unfamiliar yet tasty cheeses. We never found out which was what, but most of our party favored the two purple cheeses and the spicier one. I had the pan seared salmon. It was perfectly cooked and the flavor combinations of the sauce, fish, potatoes, and black bean pico de gallo was mouthwatering. I tried a bite of the sesame tuna tacos and thought they were fine. I was expecting a bit more flavor based off the ingredients, but my sister-in-law, who ordered them, was happy with the dish. The strawberry cheesecake had a great consistency and perfect portion size. We will definitely return. read more

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This place is huge, very nice on the inside as well. Food was great, service was excellent. Awesome views too and big parking lot

Ok finally got here. You must valet your car. That's cool it's a bitch to find parking. The building itself is awesome. Beautiful on the water. No bad tables. It's so open and Windows make every seat an outside seat. Drink where great. And Ashley our waitress was great and knowledgable We had the raw sampler it was delicious and only 30 dollars. 4 oysters 4 clams 4 shrimp Then I had the crab cake dinner. Wow what a great meal. I can't wait to go back. But it is priced high but well worth it. Be prepared to wait if you have no reservation for a long time. With reservation probably one drink at the bar and you get seated. Enjoy your summer!!!!!!!! read more

Stopped here on a Saturday afternoon when it was nice out. The view inside is amazing! We sat on the main level but at the bar. They had the windows/doors open and our bartender was so helpful and friendly. He made us speciality cocktails that we all enjoyed. We did not order food but the menu looked fantastic and looked good from what we saw from the people next to us. read more

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The restaurant is very nice, the waitress took a while to get to our table but she was kind, the food was delicious, the desserts too. Recommended read more

The Rum Runner - Mahi-mahi - Seafood Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

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What happened to great customer service and making customers feel great about your establishment? My wife ordered a watermelon drink which she said was not very good at all. But not being one to complain, she was drinking it anyway. When our waitress asked how everything was my wife said that her drink didn't have much watermelon taste. The waitress said "she was sorry and would she like something else." My wife said no that's okay. The waitress said "are you sure"? So my wife said okay, I'll have a Margarita. When we receive the check, the watermelon drink was still on the bill. We asked the waitress and she said that she'll speak with the manager. Then the manager comes over and says that there was mostly just melted ice left in the glass. We said that we weren't going to order another drink but the waitress insisted. We said to the manager that we just moved to Sea Bright and we won't come back here if that's how we're going to be treated. She said okay and left our table. We paid our bill and won't be back. read more

Food was a disappointment as was service. View is amazing. I hadn't been here in years, not like I remember.

My boyfriend and I had a really enjoyable dinner. The food was so tasty, the short rib was so juicy and all the flavors matched well together. The dark and stormy sauce on the pork chop was outstanding. Our server Matt was very friendly, funny and a pleasure to have as our server. Will definitely be coming back. Great food for the price. read more

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I had a reservation last night. My husband and I sat for literally 25 minutes before anyone even came over to acknowledge us. They were not short staffed. We had to ask One of the multiple hostesses to send a server over to us. When she finally came and asked us for our drink order we told her we'd like a bottle of wine. We then watched many other people be seated, asked for drink orders, and served. We happen to notice our bottle of wine sitting on the bar getting warm. At least another 15 minutes went by, so at this point we were tired of being ignored and walked out. So very disappointing. Their menu could use some work too. Don't like being ignored so we will not be returning anytime soon!!! read more

Beautiful restaurant .. we just left there and i wanted to post right away .. we got there and the bartender was a little off very slow and not to attentive i had thought.. my thoughts were confirmed because during the course of our meal , getting a cocktail or a drink took way too long , so long that we decided to cxl a round of cocktails.. the food was really good . The service was fair , our waitress was a very low talker and also MIA a-lot of the meal .. our main course came and our apps where still in front of us .. not sure where she was .. I think i would definitely go back .. i just wish service wld be better, especially the bar service read more

Hands down THE best Ahi Tuna Sándwich I have ever tasted. Highly recommend for that alone but enjoy the drinks and view as well! read more

The Rum Runner - Seafood Near Me - Sea Bright, New Jersey

Our Mother's Day dinner was a mixed bag. We were seated promptly but unfortunately the table was not wiped clean despite being set for dinner and the floor underneath the table was filthy and full of dropped food and trash. We had the wait staff Re wipe the table and sweep the floor before we ordered. The meals were good but not wonderful. The steak on the chopped salad was brought to the table barely rare and had to be returned to the kitchen to be prepared medium. My decaf coffee was brought to the table cool and had to be sent back for hot decaf. The manager stopped by the table to ask how everything was and I told him fair and he walked away. BTW the restaurant adds 2.5% to the check if you use a credit card. read more

Family went to The Rum Runner the other night for dinner. The food, drinks and service were excellent. I have to say their policy of charging extra for using a credit card was a bit too much! I would not complain or care if they had made their drinks a dollar more each, we had six drinks plus a bottle of wine, which would have easily covered the $10 credit card charge. I'm not being cheap; I just hate when a business nickel and dimes you for $10 dollars on a $500 dinner! read more

Had a mid afternoon lunch last sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were seated at a table overlooking the water and started with the calamari with banana peppers which was very tasty. Two of us had the lobster roll which was delicious and generous. The short rib sandwich was also delicious. We all took half of our lunch home. Our server, Anna, was exceptional. She was friendly, courteous and very professional. Chef Kyle came out to say hello and was interested in how we were enjoying our meal and was very accommodating. Will definitely return again. read more

Food was excellent and service great. Portions were filling. Ask for a table on the water

YAY! Rum Runner for the win! I attended Rum Runner for a Sunday morning birthday brunch with 6 guest and it was simply lovely. Complimentary Valet parking; pull right up and start enjoying NOW. $34.95 for a breakfast/lunch/brunch buffet with complimentary mimosas. For the venue, views and delicious food I really dig this place! We decided to be seated indoors while you could have been seated outdoors as well. There is an outdoor and indoor full service bar. The views are everywhere, so there is no "bad" seat in the house! I might have went up 3 or 4 times to try different things but something that particurly stood out to be was the Betty Salad. Spinach, with walnuts, mozz balls and a delicious balsamic dressing. There were waffles,home fries, fresh fruit, cheeses, omlette station, bacon sausage + more More lunch focused dishes were shrimp, oysters, stuffed flounder, chicken marsala, eggplant rollatini penne pasta, and a carving station. truly something to satisfy everyone. Service was excellent, so glad I chose this venue for my birthday brunch thank you everyone at Rum Runner! Thanks and best wishes, Tara read more

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My swordfish was so over cooked it crunched like a cracker. I know people don't go here for the great food but I would expect something slightly better for the price. read more

Ended up here after a day at the beach looking for some drinks and appetizers. The location is great and I loved the view. The food was ok, the service was mixed on the couple of times I went, but passable on the lower end. And it is a bit pricy. But it could still be a possible add to my favorites with a little work (more because of the view and location). He is what you need to do to improve your experience if you go. 1. Make a dinner reservation. We were there early evening for drinks (were there happy hour specials, I can't remember so probably no) and there were lots of empty tables downstairs (most tables are upstairs). But by 7pm they were full. They are not flexible with tables and we saw why. 2. Get dressed. The people lining up outside waiting for tables (they had reservations!) were not just off the sand. At a minimum shower and dress casual+. Young women were competitively dressed so be warned. We stood out in board shorts and flip flops. 3. Be patient. I think the kitchen and bar is upstairs so things can take awhile to get downstairs. Hopefully it's faster if you sit upstairs. But it was slow. So stare out over the water, it's worth it. Let's see how the next trip shapes up. read more

Great scenery and Great location. Good vibe and lots of room. Food was great and the customer service was as well.

Food was decent. Location / ambiance was beautiful. I definitely recommend making a reservation.

The food was ok. We ordered the seafood sampler which came out nicely plated. Came with shrimp, lobster meat, clams, and oysters. I ordered the linguine seafood dish with shrimp and clams and my friend ordered the green mussels and calamari fettuccine. The food was excellent, but, I expected more for the price. Two pasta dishes and an appetizer came to $136.00. Service was excellent and friendly. read more

Horrible experience! They knew it was our Anniversary and seated us on filthy pavement downstairs next to the parking lot. Are you kidding me? Food and cigarette butts under the table, valets parking cars right behind us, and ice cold food....never again!!!!! read more

Must sit outside!! And float away to this view. The food was delicious, great service, but you really come here for the ambiance and the view. I felt like I was miles away from real life. Overall, I'll be honest, it's very pricey. If not for the view, the food isn't worth that money. But! We all know that you can get food anywhere, but the location is why everyone comes here. Would definitely return. Anytime. Enjoy! And don't forget to get dessert. read more

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I live year round in the area and have frequented Tim McLoone owned restaurants in Long Branch and Asbury. So decided to try the Sea Bright location. Anyone who goes to these restaurants knows that the food is just OK but the atmosphere is decent and service is usually good. Now on to The Rum Runner...I can't comment on the food because we were so thoroughly fed up with the hostesses that we walked out. Here's the story: Had 7:15pm reservation and specifically asked for outdoor seating. Called 2 hours prior to reservation to confirm outside seating. Was told "No problem, see you soon". Upon arrival at 7:15pm there were no fewer than 5 hostesses at check-in, none of whom seemed old enough to drink nor know or care that my reservation was for outdoor seating. Was told, "Outdoor seating is full and you'll have to wait until someone leaves. In the meantime, if you'd like to wait at the bar..." After I stated that I requested outdoor seating for a reason (so I did not have to be inside which is more susceptible to this virus called Covid), I was told that the wait would be 45 minutes, perhaps longer. I've been to other Tim McLoone owned restaurants and have never received such poor service. I know restaurants are having a tough time hiring competent help and I can sympathize with that. But after calling at 5pm and being told one thing only to show up and be told another, that's just a recipe on how to lose customers forever - and that night you lost 4. read more

Made a reservation for Father's Day brunch. The location is beautiful and the valet was very helpful, but that was the highlight of the experience. We had an extremely pushy waitress who kept insisting we order from the special brunch menu (it was 3 items) and then continuing to push appetizers as soon as we sat down. She insinuated that only the special brunch menu was fresh food. Unfortunately, the quality of the food was extremely poor and not at all what you expect at a McLoone's location. The salmon I had looked like it was runner over by a truck and the corn and mushrooms were clearly frozen and therefor soggy. My husband's chicken and waffles was terrible with the chicken burnt and dry and the waffle underdone. It was absolutely crazy and I hope to guide you in staying away for any special occasions. read more

Decent food - the pork chops were very juicy and the flank steak was done really well (medium rare). We dined on the deck with a lovely view. Can get pretty chilly so bring a cardigan! Service was decent too. However we were one of the first ones there for the day, so the lack of patrons at that time meant we got all the attention we need. read more