Shady Rest Restaurant

Our 1^st visit to this Shady Rest Restaurant will be our ONLY visit, 10−13−15 for dinner. We arrived @ 5PM.
I ordered salad and stuffed shells. Hubby ordered seafood in red sauce and a cup of Manhattan Clam Chowder. He was quite happy w/​HIS choices.
My salad had almost as much red-​black tinged, wilted lettuce. I don’t eat lettuce at home that has this appearance… I picked out the BAD stuff and placed all on a side plate. The garlic (? didn’t taste such) bread was soggy.
My stuffed shells were cooked in a ‘boat’ dish; the sauce was burnt all around the edges of the plate and tasted burnt as well.
Sorry to say but SAVE your $$!

We went to the Shady Rest a few days ago with my parents and thought it was very good — just not perfect. In general, we try to stick to Italian here and most of us were very pleased — the pizza, seafood combo over linguine, and mussels marinara were all delicious. The veal piccata was less successful — instead of the normal lemon/​wine/​caper sauce it was basically a hunk of meat swimming in butter. The fettuccine alfredo was also a disappointment — instead of a cheesy cream sauce it was more of a thick gummy mess. Lastly, I must say that their
Nachos Supreme is fabulous — way, way better than ‘normal’ bar nachos.
The atmosphere is fun, the service was good, the drinks were fine, and the beer selection was OK. In short, if you stick to ‘red sauce’ Italian or bar food (or no food) you’ll be happy.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Shady Rest is an old school, owner operated restaurant and bar with a warm atmosphere and great food. Shady Rest welcomes locals and out-​of-​towners with the same happy enthusiasm. The ribs, steaks and other entrees are delicious. Any special with the word «Alexis», indicates something to try. Alexis is an owner of Shady Rest, and runs the kitchen with a total hands on approach. Owner Bob Popovics (world famous fly fisherman) makes arguably the best bar pizza on the entire coast.
There are three distinct sections to Shady Rest:
1) The bar area, featuring a slew of tv’s and fishing memorabilia. Clientele can dine at the bar as they drink reasonably priced drinks.
2) The room adjacent to the bar is family style dining area.
3) The rose garden/​outdoor patio. This is a true NJ gem. An outdoor (awning covered) bar area spills into an outdoor patio raw bar and dining section that boasts the best rose garden in NJ. This setting is a perfect place for casual date night or dinner with the family. When the garden is in full bloom, it is one of the most dramatic dining settings you’ll ever eat at.

Great food and staff with local hospitality and charm. Large portions and reasonably priced.

We’ve been coming here for
more than 30 years and have never had a
bad meal or bad service. The Veal Marsala is the best I’ve had anywhere. The antipasto rivals any restaurant, anywhere. I highly recommend the Krabby Bread, if you can get it.

Fast service, excellent sandwiches! I had a turkey club andmy husband had the steak sandwich. Both delicious. Our uncle had the chilli and it was great too. We ate outside in the garden, surrounded by amazing roses.

Fantastic Family owned and operated. Everything is made for best taste and enjoyment. Cute outside bar. Don’t miss Oktoberfest all good

One of my all time favorites. Nice staff, great food in a cozy location. Bobs outside bar is just what the doctor ordered. Always nice friendly people hanging around. The best part is the owners are some of the nicest people to be found!!!

There is a reason why they have no business between 2 and 6. I used to love this place. Hospitality??? See for yourself. I tried to get fish after the 2 pm lunch special. Would’ve paid extra. Will get fish from the Lighthouse now.

Great burgers! Buffalo wings are awesome. Small place, crowded… But you don’t go here for the ambience, it’s the food that packs this place.
Stay away from the Italian specialties, not what this place is about. Sit outside… You will have no idea you are sitting on Rte 9. It’s like a secluded garden!

My partner took me here and I have to honestly say as a extreme foodie and home cook, this place has amazing food, great friendly staff and everything is always so fresh!
I have to say I HIGHLY recommend the Bobs Chicken (buffalo grilled chicken), and the Manhattan Clam Chowder are my two favorites here! Fresh sauce made everyday in house and always on point!
I will be back here again and again with my partner!

Service was extremely slow. We just ate a couple appetizers, but it was nearly an hour just to get our food. We were patient and willing to look past that, but then the food was lousy. Still, we enjoyed our company and made the best of the situation. That is, until the waitress shortchanged us $ 6. She gave us incorrect change and threw away the receipt, saying she was unable to reprint it. It took her 15 mns to go get a new receipt printed, and when she finally did, she «found» some of the missing money. The owner apologized and returned our money, but he didnt seem too worried that his server is trying to rip off customers. Stay away from this place!

I have been coming here all of my short 27 years with family and most recently the past 3 years with my fiancé! I can’t stress enough how wonderful the staff is! Always accommodating ! Diane Theresa Shannon and every one who work there! The food is comforting and tastes exactly how I would cook it if I wasn’t so tired from working throughout the week! Overall pleasant experience any and every time I go!!! Bob! The owner!!! Just adore him! He runs a tight knit family orientated Rest!!! During foot ball season get the wings and shrimp jammers! Other, chicken parm eggplant parm stuffed clam or any steak! Esp steak Diane! Try it! You won’t be disappointed!!! Promise!!!

Love the Shady Rest! Never had a bad meal. The staff is wonderful and the atmosphere is so cozy. From fish to pizza everything is delicious!

I have been going here since I was a kid. The outside is so nice in the warm weather. The inside is nice and cozy, definitely great during the winter! The pizza is good, the lasagna is amazing, and the stuff clams are the best. The waitresses and bartenders are very friendly! Love this place.

Wonderful go-​to place in the area. Diverse selection in the menu, from American to seafood and BBQ to Italian! Whatever you’re in the mood for, they have it!
I can always count on a consistent, delicious meal. It’s been a favorite of my family for years! The ribs are hands down the best I’ve ever had. Slow-​cooked to perfection and so tender they fall right off the bone. Drenched in a delicious sauce and so tasty!
The anti-​pasta appetizer is also amazing paired with the garlic bread. Another great appetizer is the Bob’s chicken, which is grilled buffalo chicken. A healthier way to enjoy my favorite dish! Chicken parm is also yummy. The only thing I don’t like is the pizza– the sauce is swirled on the pizza, leaving many spots without cheese. But I know many people who love it, so to each his own.
The wait staff is beyond friendly and treats you like family. The atmosphere is very home-​y and warm. Love the outside area– the rose garden is absolutely beautiful in the spring and summer!

Came here on a Saturday night, crowd was mixed with both old and young patrons. I had a BLT club which was good and cheap. Beers were inexpensive, selection was not great but in addition to domestic beers they had brooklyn lager, and some sort of shandy.
The restaurant owner was playing doo-​wop music and conversing with all the patrons. The rest of our table claimed the burger was good, and the eggplant parm is a standout. An extra star for goldfish crackers on the bar.
In the summer they seem to have a large patio with outdoor seating which looks fun!

What can I say, this place is a fixture in Bayville.
I’ve probably been here 100 times and I’m hardly every disappointed, but then again I’m never really wowed. Food is always good, beer is always cold. They recently opened a second bar on the patio which I haven’t tried yet and am eager for the summer so I can give it a go.
The menu at the Shady doesn’t really change much and specials sometimes run out early in the night to you have to be an early bird. Get’s very crowded on friday and saturday nights too. Also can be a little cramped but it’s cozy.
Definitely worth a shot especially if you’re not from Bayville and you want to see one of the hottest spots in town.

Everything we ordered was over-​cooked and the prices were very high for what you get. Not a place I would ever go back to.

Simply put, this is my favorite local restaurant. The food is always fresh and excellent, and because of that, they are sometimes sold out of what I want before I get there. That is the only disappointment I have ever experienced at Shady Rest.
My wife and I found this special place about nine years ago; it was New Years Eve, we were on our way down to Atlantic City, and didn’t feel like waiting that long to eat. Even though it sounded like a nursing home, we decided to give it a try, and it was one of the best food-​related decisions we’ve ever made.
People say the pizza is excellent; frankly, I have never wanted to waste a visit here on eating pizza. When it’s on the menu, and still available upon my arrival, I prefer to order Steak Alexis, which is a beautiful, thick filet, topped with fresh lump crab meat, which is served in a light sauce of what I think is oil and paprika (there may be something more to it). Ordered rare, this is one of the best dishes I have ever had the pleasure of eating. My wife favors the chicken marsala, which is excellent, served in a slightly thicker sauce than is sometimes associated with the dish. I have been trying to duplicate it in my own kitchen for years, and I’m close, but for some unknown reason, I can’t quite achieve perfection.
I haven’t been there yet this month, but typically, they have wonderful Oktoberfest-​themed specials on the weekend menu this time of year.
When the weather is pleasant, the outdoor patio/​rose garden is the best place to enjoy your meal. The inside of the restaurant is a bit small and tightly packed, and I prefer a little breathing space and a bit of quiet. If it’s not cold or raining, make sure to ask if you can be seated outside.
I couldn’t recommend a restaurant more wholeheartedly than Shady Rest.