Cover Charges Vary Widely at Jersey Shore Bars and Clubs

Often, you pay to get in.

That's the situation at Jersey Shore's bars and clubs, where a cover charge is an upfront cost even before you spend more of your money inside on drinks and bar food. 

Rather than spending too much to fistpump or have your elbows stick to every bar top on the boardwalk, here is a list of the cover charges for some of the most popular nightlife destinations in Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant. 

A lot depends on the night and venue. Some places proudly have no cover charge no matter what day of the year it is, while you can expect to fork over $20 to get in to other places on a busy night.

Jenks: Open year round, Jenks Club offers more than just a popular lunch spot for MTV's Snooki and Deena. The Point Pleasant Boardwalk's beachfront club offers live entertainment almost every night of the week for a 21 and over crowd with beer specials accompanying each live band. Jenks is also a full service dining facility that begins serving at 11 a.m. Cover charges depend on live entertainment. 

• Thursdays: $8 cover, 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
• Fridays: $10 cover, 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
• Saturdays: $10 cover, 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
• Sundays: Cover varies, 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Martell's Tiki Bar: With a full inside and outside bar scene that stretches far beyond the boardwalk on Point Pleasant Beach, Tiki Bar is a haven for cover bands and lovers of the iced tea-lemonade-vodka 'Tiki Teas.'

• Mondays: Martell's Beach Mondays, live entertainment, 21 and over, 12 p.m. - 2 a.m., $10 cover
• Thursdays: Live entertainment, 21 and over, 2 p.m. - 2 a.m., $10 cover
• Fridays: Tiki Tea Fridays, 21 and over, 12 p.m. - 2 a.m., $10 cover
• Saturdays and Sundays: Live entertainment, 21 and over, $10 cover.

The Bamboo Bar: Two stories of bright lights, palm trees, and $2 coronas, Bamboo Bar boasts the "Best Friday Night in Seaside" with drink specials and a full night of entertainment.

• Fridays: 9 p.m. - 4 a.m., $10 cover, 21 and over
• Saturdays: 9 p.m. - 4 a.m., $10 cover, 21 and over

Club Karma: Home to the fist pumping champs of MTV's Jersey Shore show, Club Karma is an outdoor and indoor club with some of the most expensive cover charges in Seaside Heights. With over five bars inside and out, Club Karma is one of the most popular nightlife destinations, whether or not the MTV cast is there.

• Wednesdays: Teen Night, ages 13 - 18, 8 p.m. - 2 a.m., $15 cover
• Thursdays: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., over 21, $10 cover
• Fridays and Saturdays: 10 p.m. - 2 a.m., over 21, $10-25 cover

Aztec Bar: Home of Seaside Heights' most popular Monday night destination, Aztec Bar is part of the Aztec Ocean Resort complex with a full inside and outside bar, and a number of palm trees and tropical lights. The bar hosts live entertainment throughout the week and drink specials for bar patrons.

• Mondays: Industry Night, 21 and over, $5 cover
• Tuesdays through Sunday: Live entertainment, 21 and over, cover depends on band performing. 

Spicy's Cantina: With two floors of menus to choose from, Spicy's is home to Seaside's most creative frozen and on-the-rocks Margaritas. A full bar and food court offering cheesesteaks, paninis, and pizzas are available on the first floor and a full Mexican style restaurant is located on the second floor overlooking the Seaside Heights boardwalk.

• No cover charges
• Live entertainment Mondays through Fridays

Joey Harrison's Surf Club: Ortley Beach's famous beachside bar and entertainment complex, Surf Club has a full weekly schedule of live bands and DJs for teens and the 21 and over crowd. The Surf Club also has drink specials that vary for every afternoon and evening at the resort.

• Mondays through Wednesdays: live entertainment, 21 and over, cover varies.
• Thursdays: Teen Night, ages 13-18, $17-20 cover.
• Fridays: live entertainment, 21 and over, $5-10 cover.
• Saturdays: live entertainment and special events, 21 and over, $15-20 cover.
• Sundays: live entertainment by Pacha DJ's, 21 and over, all day events, cover varies.

Beachcomber Bar: Although famously associated with the punch heard 'round the world for MTV 'Jersey Shore' cast member Snooki, Beachcomber Bar has a week's worth of live cover bands, cheap drink specials, and a full food court. Just steps from the beach, Beachcombers is one of the best local spots along the Seaside Heights boardwalk.

• No cover all summer long.
• Live entertainment every day and night.
• Thursday home to Shorty Long Band

The Beach Bar: Across the boardwalk from Beachcombers, The Beach Bar has one of the best balconies over the Seaside Heights beaches and a week long schedule of live entertainment and a full menu of frozen drinks.

• Wednesdays through Saturdays: live DJ entertainment, 21 and over to drink, full menu available.
• No cover all summer long.
• Sunday through Tuesdays: drink specials all day and night.

Hemingway's Cafe: A few blocks from the boardwalk, Hemingway's Cafe is an all day restaurant with a distinctive menu, full bar, and a number of pool tables. The Cafe turns from laid-back to live entertainment at 11 p.m. on the weekends.

• Wednesdays: 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.
• Thursdays: 4 p.m. - 3 a.m., live DJ entertainment, 21 and over, no cover.
• Fridays and Saturdays: 4 p.m. - 4 a.m., live DJ entertainment, $5 cover for guys on Friday, $10 cover for girls and guys on Saturday.
• Sundays: 4 p.m. - 3 a.m., no cover, happy hour specials. 

Captain Hooks: With no cover charges and a full game menu, Hooks is one of the few bars that patrons can shoot hoops while enjoying drink specials and cover bands. Known as Seaside Heights' "adult playground", Hooks is open every night and late on weekends.

• Mondays through Wednesdays: 21 and over, 1 p.m. - 2 a.m.
• Thursdays: 21 and over, 1 p.m. - 3 a.m
• Fridays: 21 and over, 1 p.m. - 4 a.m.
• Saturdays: 21 and over, 12 p.m. - 4 a.m.
• Sundays: 21 and over, 12 p.m. - 3 a.m.

Jack-n-Bills: Self proclaimed as Seaside Height's "#1 Dive Bar", Jack-n-Bills is located south on the boardwalk near Funtown Pier. The bar is open Thursdays through Sundays only for 21 and over crowds.

• Thursdays: 12 p.m. - 2 a.m., 21 and over, $5 cover.
• Fridays and Saturdays: 12 p.m. - 3 a.m., 21 and over, cover varies from $5 - $10.
• Sundays: 12 p.m. - 2 a.m.  21 and over, cover varies from $5 - $10.

EJ's Tavern: Best known for its $2 drafts and prime location on the Seaside Heights boardwalk, EJ's Tavern is a year round live entertainment destination with no cover charges on any night.

• Mondays through Sundays: 12 p.m. - 2 a.m., 21 and over, no covers.

Riggers and Razzles: $1 drafts and no cover charges are what keeps Riggers and Razzles, affectionately known as Riggers, a popular destination just blocks from Seaside Heights boardwalk. With full bar games and drink specials, Riggers is a local bar and everyday destination. 

• Mondays through Sundays: 12 p.m. - 2 a.m., 21 and over, no covers.