Anthony Licciardello | July 2, 2026
Ocean Grove, NJ
Life in the Grove · Ocean Grove, NJ
Yes, Ocean Grove is one of New Jersey's dry towns — a legacy of its Methodist founding. You won't find a bar, a liquor store, or a restaurant with a wine list anywhere in the square mile. But here's the part that surprises people, and the part that matters most if you love a glass of wine with dinner: unlike some dry shore towns, Ocean Grove lets you bring your own. Understanding exactly how that works — and one delightfully quirky local rule — makes the dry-town life a lot more charming than restrictive.
See the calm the dry town creates — Watch on YouTube →
This is part of our Ocean Grove lifestyle series. For the whole town, start at the complete Ocean Grove guide.
No Sales
No bars, liquor stores, or wine lists in town.
BYOB Welcome
Bring your own to restaurants — unlike some dry towns.
Beer & Wine Only
No hard liquor under New Jersey's BYOB rules.
Stock Up Nearby
Buy in neighboring towns and bring it back.
A dry town in New Jersey is one that issues no liquor licenses — so no establishment in Ocean Grove can sell alcohol. That's the whole of it: no bars, no package stores, no cocktails at dinner. What a dry town cannot do, under state law, is forbid you from possessing or drinking alcohol you brought yourself. So you're free to enjoy wine at home, in your rental, or — in one of the Grove's most charming quirks — on your own front porch. For anything to stock the fridge, residents simply pick it up in a neighboring town like Neptune or Asbury Park and bring it home.
Did You Know
One of New Jersey's quirkiest local rules lives here: in Ocean Grove you may enjoy a drink on your porch — as long as you drink it out of a cup, not the bottle.
Here's the good news for diners: Ocean Grove permits bring-your-own at its restaurants — a real point of difference from stricter dry towns like Ocean City, where even that isn't allowed. A few state rules apply everywhere in New Jersey. BYOB covers beer and wine only, never hard liquor or mixed drinks; you must be 21; and restaurants can't charge a corkage fee or advertise that they allow it. So call ahead if you're unsure, pick up a bottle before you arrive, and enjoy a lovely dinner — you just bring the wine.
Insider Tip
Grab your wine or beer on the way into town — a quick stop in Neptune or Asbury Park — and you're set for a BYOB dinner. Bring chilled whites; there's no bar to chill them for you.
BYOB is beer and wine only — not spirits — and public drinking on the beach, boardwalk, and streets isn't permitted. Individual restaurant policies can vary, so it's always worth a quick call ahead. Rules can change, so confirm current specifics locally.
For many Grove residents and buyers, the dry-town rules aren't a limitation — they're a big part of the draw. No bar scene means quiet evenings, family-friendly streets, and a boardwalk you'd happily walk at any hour. It's a deliberate trade: less nightlife for more calm. If your idea of a perfect shore evening is a BYOB dinner followed by a stroll to the beach rather than a night out, the Grove was practically designed for you — and if you want the opposite, lively Asbury Park is a short walk across the lake, which we compare in the Ocean Grove versus Asbury Park guide.
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From the Broker
Buyers worry ‘dry town’ means no fun. Then they have a BYOB dinner and a quiet walk to the beach, and they get it — the calm is the whole point.
Is the Grove's pace right for you?
The dry-town calm is a defining part of Ocean Grove's appeal — and worth experiencing before you buy. The Prodigy Team helps buyers, many from New York and Staten Island, decide whether the Grove fits and find the right home in it. We work both sides of the water.
Anthony Licciardello, Broker, The Prodigy Team · 718-873-7345
See What Your Ocean Grove Home Is Worth →
Yes. Ocean Grove issues no liquor licenses, so there are no bars, liquor stores, or restaurants that sell alcohol anywhere in town. The tradition dates to its founding as a Methodist community.
Yes — Ocean Grove allows BYOB, which sets it apart from stricter dry towns like Ocean City. Under New Jersey rules it covers beer and wine only (no hard liquor), you must be 21, and restaurants can't charge a corkage fee or advertise it. Policies can vary by restaurant, so call ahead.
In a neighboring town. Residents and visitors typically pick up beer and wine in nearby Neptune or Asbury Park and bring it back to enjoy at home, in a rental, or at a BYOB dinner.
Private consumption is fine — at home, in a rental, or on your porch (famously, from a cup) — but public drinking on the beach, boardwalk, and streets isn't permitted. When in doubt, keep it private.
Prodigy Real Estate is an innovative real estate company offering high-end video production, home valuation services, purchasing, and home sales. Serving New York and New Jersey.
