Jersey Shore Bar Makes '21 Best Beach Bars In America' List

SEA BRIGHT, NJ — Good old Donovan's Reef. The Sea Bright tiki bar was named by Thrillist as one of the 21 best beach bars in America. Donovan's Reef, which sits right on the beach in tiny Sea Bright, first opened in the '70s and is a beloved Jersey Shore watering hole. Writes Thrillist:

"Far removed from the traditional grease and grime trappings of your standard "Shore Bar" (but not far enough away that it ceases to be fun, of course), Donovan's Reef is a sprawling mecca of summer bliss, conveniently located in the heart of one of the best small towns in America. Featuring seven individual bars — including multiple tiki outposts on its beachfront area — a constant array of live cover bands, and enough fried food fare to ruin any beach bod, Donovan's is the rare vacation town bar beloved by locals and tourists alike. After their original, legendary spot was completely leveled during 2013's Hurricane Sandy, Donovan's took almost four years to make their triumphant return. And return they did — bigger, and better than ever. Simply put: There's no better place to sip an Orange Crush on the Jersey Shore than Donovan's Reef. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the Boss, working on his tan." Read their entire list here.

But Donovan's was wiped out when Sandy hit. The owners of Donovan's actually thought about closing down entirely after Sandy. The damage from the high winds and flooding was just too much. But local celebs like Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi would pop into the tiki bar to unwind and the bar made the decision to fully reopen this summer, 2017.

Photos of Donovan's Reef by Nick George