Channel Marker Cafe — Restaurant in Toms River

I’ll lead with, don’t bring your family here. They don’t care about you or especially your kids.

We are local to TR and have been wanting to come to Channel Marker for years, no exaggeration. We decided to come by boat before heading out for the day. I called at 10am to inquire about a wait and available slips, but we arrived during changeover from breakfast to lunch due to quite a few unforeseen circumstances making us late. I was visibly upset and inquired about their flexibility since we had our two small children with us that were starving. They were unable to accommodate us, so I told them we were going to sit on on the dock and feed our children the yogurt and fruit I had packed before we would leave. I asked to speak with a manager to politely inquire about potentially ordering take-out or purchasing something already made that we could just give to our children, not us. I was told this is not an option, the kitchen is closed until 12:30pm. Then I feel like I’m begging, and ask if I can just purchase some bread since we came by boat and I only had the yogurt and fruit for my kids. Still, the answer is a firm no! I’m sorry, but I 100% was in disbelief and definitely said a choice word (which I immediately apologized for). If anyone has ever had small children, you could empathize even a little. I’ve served in many restaurants, and that was a decision call. Shortly after I overheard this manager state she worked at an elementary school?! Wow! And you wouldn’t even sell us a piece of bread to hold our children over? Trust me, if we had arrived by car we would’ve just left at the first moment. It was a little more involved with the boat and the fact that we had planned to be out for the day. But we will be sure to spread the word about your lack of compassion. Ironically, I tried to keep my cool because of my compassion for the staff and the potential nonsense they may deal with on a...

Here’s the scoop, i loved a lot of things about this place, but shook my head at a lot of things also. The good: the food was fantastic, it honestly saved the review from being much worse. We had delicious apps and entrees and all of our plates left completely empty as all of the food was extremely fresh tasting from the veggies to the main courses being very flavorful and well made. The outdoor seating was not ample but was beautiful at sunset, highly recommend because the interior is not large and can be crowded and loud. The service was slow. Waited a considerable amount of time for our entrees to come out and by that time it was post 930pm when we sat down for an 8 on res. Also no one was left inside when we left as we were one of the last people to get our food. This place has such great views of the bay and sunset and terrific food, but lacked in simple areas of management as they did not have “enough clean glasses” when we arrived for our res. Our waitress brought us dirty glassware. One clearly had lip stick smudges from the prior Parton which tells me they rush thru proper cleaning. That should never happen and is super easy to fix. You could tell that they were either under staffed or someone had called out possibly due to our waitress calling out the dish washer as he ran by running food to tables. Maybe hire some proper staff so your restaurant can provide clean dishes and glassware. That’s all on management. If you can get by waiting for your food, cause I sensed the kitchen must be very small due to how long we waited for our dinner while there were not many guests when we left, it is worth it if you are willing to wait. Enjoy the byob and the great food and view, but expect a wait and possibly some dirty silverware and glassware you may need to send back to...

Savannah and Jordan were absolutely fantastic from start to finish. The moment I sat down, she greeted me with a warm, genuine smile and made me feel completely comfortable. She was so attentive without being overbearing, constantly checking in just when I needed something. Whether it was refilling my water or offering a quick recommendation when I couldn’t decide what to order, she was on top of it all. She was so knowledgeable about the menu, describing each dish with such enthusiasm that it made everything sound even more delicious. on. Throughout the meal, she kept the conversation light and fun, making me feel like I wasn’t just another customer, but someone she genuinely wanted to make feel welcome and valued. Savannah and Jordan’s positive energy was contagious, and she made sure everything ran smoothly, checking in at just the right times without interrupting the flow of my meal. She was always around when I needed her but never hovering. She even suggested a dessert I’d never considered, and I’m so glad I took her advice it was the perfect end to the meal. Her attention to detail and natural warmth really made the experience stand out. It was clear she wasn’t just doing a job, but taking real pride in making each guest feel special. By the time I was done, I didn’t just feel full; I felt appreciated, and that’s something that’s hard to come by. Savannah and Jordan truly went out of her way to make sure my experience was as enjoyable as possible, and I can’t wait to come back because of the amazing service...