Unearth The Voyage
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey has no shortage of boardwalk spots, but one place keeps pulling people back summer after summer, and it is not hard to understand why. A sprawling beachfront venue with ocean views, live music, a full food menu, and a tropical setup that makes you forget you are still in the Garden State.
This is not a tiny beach shack with a blender and a thatched roof. This is a full-scale destination that can hold hundreds of people, hosts dance parties, serves everything from oysters to lobster rolls, and sits right on the boardwalk with the Atlantic Ocean as its backdrop.
Whether you are a local who has somehow never stopped in or a day-tripper looking for the perfect summer outing, this place has the kind of energy that turns a regular Tuesday into something worth talking about.
Where to Find This Legendary Spot
Martell’s Tiki Bar sits at 308 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742, right on the Jersey Shore boardwalk with the Atlantic Ocean stretching out just beyond its deck. The location alone is half the reason people keep coming back year after year.
The venue opens at 11:30 AM daily, making it a solid lunch spot as well as an afternoon hangout. It is not a hidden side street find or a tucked-away local secret.
It is right there on the boardwalk, easy to spot, hard to walk past without stopping.
Point Pleasant Beach is about an hour and a half south of New York City and roughly an hour from Philadelphia, which makes it an easy day trip from either direction. Parking near the boardwalk fills up fast in peak summer months, so arriving earlier in the day tends to work out better for most people.
A Place That Has Been Around Long Enough to Earn Its Reputation
Martell’s Tiki Bar has been a staple on the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk for decades. It is the kind of place that regulars return to every single summer, often weekly, because it has built a consistent identity that other boardwalk spots struggle to match.
The venue has grown over the years into one of the largest beachfront entertainment spaces on the Jersey Shore. What started as a bar with a beach view has expanded into a multi-level destination with indoor seating, outdoor decks, a pier area, a lower-level beach bar, and a live music stage.
That kind of growth does not happen by accident. It comes from a venue that keeps showing up, keeps booking acts, keeps updating its food menu, and keeps giving people a reason to make the drive.
Long-time regulars often describe it as a mainstay, a place that feels like part of their summer routine rather than just another stop.
The Setup Is Bigger Than You Expect
First-timers are usually caught off guard by just how much space this place covers. There is open indoor seating along the boardwalk, a small deck where you can watch people stroll by, an air-conditioned enclosed restaurant section for those who want a break from the heat, and pier seating that puts you out over the water with a direct line of sight to the ocean.
Head downstairs and there is a separate bar area closer to the beach, which operates as more of a nightclub-style setup during certain events. The whole complex can hold hundreds of people at once, which is why it works well for both casual lunches and large private events.
The sheer size of the venue means there is almost always a spot available, though the most popular seating areas, especially the pier and the lower beach bar, do tend to fill up fast on weekends and during special events throughout the summer.
Monday Madness on the Beach
One of the most talked-about things at Martell’s is what happens on Monday afternoons during the summer. The lower-level beach bar transforms into a full daytime dance party from noon to 5 PM, complete with live DJs spinning dance music, a lively crowd, and that open-air beach energy that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
Entry runs around $20 and comes with a wristband that lets you come and go freely. It is the kind of event that draws people who take what regulars jokingly call mental health PTO, skipping out on the workday to spend a summer Monday dancing by the ocean instead.
The event gets packed, and that is not an exaggeration. People plan their weeks around it.
For anyone who has ever wanted the atmosphere of a beach club without flying somewhere tropical, this Monday setup delivers that exact vibe right on the Jersey Shore without a passport required.
Live Music Is a Core Part of the Experience
The music program at Martell’s is not just background noise. Live bands perform regularly, covering everything from classic rock to 90s hits to high-energy cover sets that get the whole crowd moving.
The venue has a dedicated live band stage, and the acts booked there tend to be polished enough to hold a big crowd’s attention.
Cover bands are a big draw here. Some groups sound close enough to the original artists that people in the crowd forget they are not listening to a recording.
The energy that builds when a full crowd recognizes a song and starts singing along is a big part of what makes an afternoon at Martell’s feel like more than just lunch with a view.
Events are scheduled throughout the summer season, and checking the calendar before visiting is always a good idea. Certain acts and themed nights draw significantly larger crowds, which affects both the atmosphere and the wait times at the bar and food stations.
The Food Menu Covers More Ground Than You Might Think
A tiki bar with good food is not a guarantee, but Martell’s makes a genuine effort with its menu. The lobster roll is a consistent crowd-pleaser, and the lobster BLT has developed its own loyal following among regulars.
Burgers come loaded, the mushroom and cheddar version arriving with a solid stack of toppings and a generous portion of fries.
Seafood options show up throughout the menu in various forms. Oysters, coconut shrimp with raspberry dipping sauce, ceviche, crab cake sandwiches, fish tacos, and clam chowder all appear as options depending on the season.
The sushi and shrimp cocktail also get regular mentions as go-to orders.
Wraps, salads, chicken fingers, quesadillas, pizza, and grilled cheese round out the menu for those not in a seafood mood. The portions tend to be generous, and the pizza in particular runs notably large, with slices that extend well beyond the standard boardwalk size.
Tropical Drinks With a Beach Club Attitude
The drink menu at Martell’s leans hard into the tropical theme. Frozen options are a staple here, and the pina colada is one of the most ordered items on a hot summer afternoon.
The espresso-based frozen drink has also built up a following among regulars who want something with a little extra kick alongside their ocean view.
Creative names on the menu are part of the fun. The Caribbean Colada shows up regularly in conversations about must-order items, and the overall cocktail list is broad enough to give both adventurous drinkers and straightforward orders plenty of choices.
Non-alcoholic options are available as well, and the venue also sells soft drinks, though at least one regular has noted with some humor that an ice-cold Coca-Cola from a proper fountain would be a welcome addition. The drink setup matches the scale of the venue, with multiple bar stations to help manage the crowd during peak hours.
Ocean Views That Do the Heavy Lifting
The pier seating at Martell’s extends several hundred feet out from the boardwalk, putting guests in a position where the ocean fills the entire horizon. On a clear day, that view carries a lot of weight.
It is the kind of backdrop that makes even a simple lunch feel like more of an occasion.
From the upper deck areas, the boardwalk stretches out in both directions while the beach and ocean fill the opposite view. The combination of people-watching on the boardwalk and wave-watching on the ocean side gives the venue a layered visual experience that keeps things interesting even during quieter moments.
The lower beach bar area puts guests even closer to the sand, with the ocean right there and the sound of the waves mixing with whatever the DJ or live band is playing. That closeness to the water is one of the things that separates Martell’s from other boardwalk bars that technically face the ocean but feel removed from it.
Security and Entry: What to Know Before You Go
Martell’s takes its entry process seriously, and that is actually a point in its favor for many regulars. The venue uses a tight security setup with a clear bar entry system, which helps maintain order even when the crowd swells to several hundred people on a busy summer weekend.
Valid ID is required for entry, and that rule is enforced without exceptions. Forgetting an ID at home means not getting in, regardless of age or circumstance, so double-checking before leaving the car is a step worth taking.
The policy applies to everyone in the party.
There is an ATM located just before the entry line, which is useful since some events require a cash cover charge. During major events and holiday weekends, a short wait at the door is normal, though the line tends to move at a reasonable pace.
The wristband system used during ticketed events allows guests to leave and return without losing their spot.
Seating Options for Every Kind of Visit
One of the practical strengths of Martell’s is the variety of places to sit. The indoor air-conditioned section works well for groups who want a quieter meal without the full outdoor scene.
The boardwalk-facing deck seats are ideal for people-watching. The pier tables put you closest to the ocean breeze.
Down on the beach level, the seating has a more casual setup, better suited for the dance party events and the looser afternoon hangout crowd. High-top tables and bar seating are available throughout, though the lower beach area does have specific rules about where food ordered at the bar can be consumed, so it is worth asking staff about the current setup before settling in.
For large groups or private events, the venue has hosted company outings and parties with BBQ-style buffet setups. The sheer scale of the space means it can accommodate sizable gatherings without the crowd feeling compressed or uncomfortable during normal hours.
The Vibe Changes Depending on When You Show Up
Timing shapes the entire experience at Martell’s. An early weekday afternoon visit has a relaxed, unhurried feel.
The crowd is lighter, the bar is easier to order from, and the seating options are wide open. Off-season visits on a quiet Tuesday can feel almost contemplative, with the ocean view doing most of the entertaining.
Weekend afternoons during peak summer are a completely different situation. The crowd builds fast, the music gets louder, the energy picks up, and the whole place takes on a festival-like quality.
Holiday weekends, especially Memorial Day, push the crowd even further and can mean short waits to get inside.
Choosing the right time depends entirely on what kind of experience sounds appealing. For a relaxed meal with a great view, a weekday before 1 PM works well.
For the full tiki bar party experience with live music and a packed crowd, a summer Friday or Saturday afternoon is the time to show up.
A Spot That Works for Groups of All Sizes
Martell’s has become a go-to for group outings, and the venue is genuinely built to handle them. Corporate events, birthday parties, family beach days, and casual friend groups all find their footing here because the space is large enough to absorb big crowds without making any single group feel squeezed.
Families with kids are a common sight during lunch hours, especially on weekdays. The food menu is broad enough to cover picky eaters, and the open-air layout gives kids room to move around without the tight confines of a traditional restaurant setting.
Couples looking for a more relaxed afternoon tend to gravitate toward the pier seating, where the pace is slower and the view is the main event. Solo visitors who want to catch a live set and grab a meal at the bar also fit naturally into the venue’s rhythm.
The diversity of the crowd, spanning multiple age groups and visit styles, is part of what gives Martell’s its particular energy.
Why People Keep Coming Back Every Summer
There are plenty of boardwalk bars up and down the Jersey Shore, but very few of them have built the kind of loyal, return-every-summer following that Martell’s has managed. The combination of location, scale, entertainment, and food variety creates a package that is genuinely difficult to find in one place.
The tropical theme gives the venue a personality that sets it apart from generic beach bars. Palm trees, tiki-style decor, frozen drinks with creative names, and a stage that books real acts all contribute to an atmosphere that feels intentional rather than thrown together for the summer crowd.
For people who cannot get away for a proper tropical vacation, a full afternoon at Martell’s scratches that itch in a way that is surprisingly effective. The ocean is right there, the music is live, the food is solid, and the crowd brings its own energy.
Sometimes a mini vacation is less about the miles traveled and more about finding the right spot on the right afternoon.
