A restaurant doubling as a daytime sandwich shop and swanky dinner spot is captivating foodies at the Jersey Shore.
By day, Buoy’s in Manasquan is an unassuming sandwich shop known for inventive burgers, chicken sandwiches and cheesesteaks. But at night, the shop turns into a posh dinner club serving up a curated five-course culinary experience in a chic beach bungalow.
Owners and chefs Brandon Heim and James Murphy met while working together at The Butcher’s Block in Long Branch, one of the state’s most popular steakhouses. Heim took over the Manasquan space which formerly housed a pork roll-focused sandwich shop in 2023 and brought Murphy aboard to make some of the Shore’s best sandwiches.
“We opened up as a breakfast and lunch spot and that first summer was really great,” Murphy told NJ Advance Media this week. “But by the end of the summer we were like, ‘why don’t we just do dinners out here?’”
Buoy’s by Night was born, a series of BYOB dinners served on the picnic tables outside the shop that started at the end of summer 2023. By spring 2024, Buoy’s by Night had moved indoors — the dining room expanding into the next door paddle boat rental company outfitted with a spiffy nautical theme.
As no-frills and informal as Buoy’s daytime offerings are, the nighttime scene has an upscale yet understated dinner party vibe. The $95 prix fixe menu changes weekly, and tables are served each course at the same time — all seatings are between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. and the meal starts when the last party is seated. The only choice diners have to make is their main course.
It doesn’t feel like like you’re at a restaurant as much as it feels like you’re being hosted by Heim and Murphy.
“The breakfast and lunch thing was not what we ever intended to do,” Heim said. “What we do for dinner now is what we wanted to initially do.”
But while the dining room has expanded, the kitchen hasn’t. They’re essentially doing fine dining out of a sandwich shop kitchen.
“We only have two fryers and a 48-inch flat top stove,” Heim said. “We don’t even have an oven.”
With around 40 seats available per night, Buoy’s by Night is routinely booked up weeks in advance. With some luck (and some Resy notifications) I was able to snag one of the Jersey Shore’s most elusive party invitations — sorry, dinner reservations.
The good
Admittedly, I had doubts a sandwich shop could successfully pull off fine dining. The chic vibe in the paddle board business-turned-dining room and masterfully executed menu calmed my concerns immediately.
I sat down and took in the alluring nautical scene highlighted by dim lighting, fishing rope light fixtures and maps of the Jersey Shore adoring the walls. Then I perused the five-course menu and prepared myself for what promised to be an exciting culinary experience.
The first course was steak tartare with whipped ricotta, pickle honey and crispy shallots served atop a thick slice of sourdough. This dish set the tone of the night, blowing my expectations out of the water completely.
The expertly seasoned mound of steak was vibrant and flavorful. The drizzle of pickle honey and spread of sweet, creamy ricotta elevated the dish and contrasted the richness of the meat. The bed of sourdough mellowed out the flavors and provided a slight crunch that stood up to the soft toppings.
The third course — a bucatini pasta dish with smoked pepper, corn and bay cream — was similar to cacio e pepe. But the hints of corn gave it a slightly sweet boost. The velvety sauce seeped into the hollow spaghetti-like pasta, making each bite pleasantly flavorful. The freshly cracked black pepper added a helpful a kick of spice to the flavor profile.
Guests get to choose between two different main courses during dinner. The entrees offered during my visit were arctic char and a pork chop.
The arctic char was plated with a bed of fresh dill, bits of green strawberry, warm tartar and a hint of lemon. The skin was perfectly crispy, not crunchy, and the fish maintained its tender flakiness. The dill, lemon and green strawberry added acidity and a tartness to the buttery flesh.
It’s an impressive dish, especially considering Heim and Murphy’s limited resources in this kitchen.
Both the arctic char and the pork chop were cooked solely on the flat top. I got to try a piece of the pork chop which was also impressive. Sweet drop peppers, banana peppers and green onions added a perfect amount of spice to the tender, juicy cut of pork.
The meal’s final course was dessert — a “kronut,” a fried croissant-donut hybrid doused in cinnamon sugar and topped with vanilla ice cream and a black currant jam with hints of raspberry and lemon zest.
That might sound like a busy plate, but it was the perfect mesh of a sweet and tangy. The flaky, buttery pastry and vanilla ice cream would made for a great dessert on their own. But the currant jam elevated it with a pleasant kick of tartness and subtle spiciness to blend in with the sweet.
The bad
There were plenty of highlights and very few disappointments at Buoy’s.
One of the appetizers, a crab and smoked whitefish fritter, was decent — but not on the level of the other dishes.
The fried appetizer, filled with crab and smoked whitefish, was served atop a giardiniera (an Italian relish of pickled veggies) aioli. But a kick of heat from more spices would take this dish to the next level.
The menu changes weekly at Buoy’s by Night, which is exciting yet frustrating. I feel for those who missed out on the steak tartare, the “kronut” and the bucatini. The ever-changing menu definitely adds to the lure of Buoy’s. But I must admit, I’m sad they don’t run any of their menu items back.
The vibe
Buoy’s dining space exudes a genuine Shore vibe with beachy decor that reminds diners the restaurant is located on Watson Creek and blocks from the Atlantic Ocean.
This place isn’t just filled with a bunch of Jersey Shore-inspired paintings, there are actual fishing ropes hanging from the ceiling that look like they could be used to help dock a nearby boat.
Buoy‘s does hold the dinners in its outdoor dining area as well when the weather permits. The outdoor setting features string lights and picnic tables to give off a very similar vibe to that inside. But the aesthetic the restaurant has built indoors is so alluring that I’d suggest eating inside if possible.
The bottom line
Doubling as a sandwich shop and high-end restaurant is no simple feat. Buoy’s authenticity sets itself apart from eateries across the Shore. Its unusual duality sets it apart from eateries across the state.
The meal is well worth the $95 price, and the wait for a reservation. The food is delicious and the space feels so homey it makes for a great dinner outing. This dinner party vibe is one you don’t encounter often while eating such great food.
Buoy’s is already known for its daytime offerings. The Buoy’s by Night dinner excellence is propelling its way to becoming one of the state’s elite dining experiences.
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Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.comon Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/.
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