Bar Seating Is Back At Jersey Shore – With Restrictions

NEW JERSEY - Following over a year of empty barstools and table-only service, individuals over 21 in New Jersey can enjoy seating at the bar once again.

The prohibition on indoor bar-side seating will be lifted May 7, Gov. Phil Murphy said in an announcement that called for many indoor and outdoor gathering limits to be lifted by mid-May. Social distancing will still be expected in bars, either with the CDC's six foot requirement or physical partitions.

“These are big, big steps," Murphy said Monday. "We've heard from countless restaurants … [the prohibition of bar-side seating] was one of their biggest restrictions on being able to get people in under their capacity restriction… so we believe that combination of bar seating and saying you've got no capacity inside as long as you're 6 feet apart is meaningful.”

It is unknown how long the six-foot distancing rule will continue to be enforced, as Murphy has mentioned that the CDC is currently reviewing its guidance on social distancing. The governor said Monday that, should the CDC revise its guidance, New Jersey would follow suit.

Related: 'It's Not Enough:' NJ Bar, Restaurant Owners React To Curfew Lift

In related news, dance floors will also be permitted to open at private catered events starting May 7, with masking and social distancing requirements in place. This would allow for weddings, proms and other private events to allow dancing, however dance floors will remain closed at bars and other related businesses, such as nightclubs.

The announcement comes as part of a coordinated effort between New York, New Jersey and Connecticut governors to remove capacity limits at restaurants, stores, offices and other areas of life by May 19 in the tri-state area.

"We feel confident in moving up this timetable by three days given the accelerated progress we are seeing in our vaccination program and hospital metrics and lower daily case counts," Murphy said Monday.

As part of an effort to increase vaccinations in New Jersey (and get to the state’s target adult vaccination goal of 70 percent of the adult population by June), several new initiatives are on the way to get the vaccine into more arms.

And with the easing of restrictions, bars can now help.

Dubbed “Operation Jersey Summer,” the effort involves initiatives such as walk-in appointments at vaccine megasites, automated outgoing calls to residents and the “Grateful for the Shot” program, in which residents can receive free transportation to a vaccination appointment following a service at a house of worship.

Also included in “Operation Jersey Summer” is the “Shot and A Beer” program in partnership with local breweries, in which New Jerseyans can show their CDC-issued vaccine card and get a free beer.

Here’s where you can get a beer after your shot:

• Battle River Brewing, Toms River
• Bradley Beer Project, Bradley Beach
• Bolero Snort Brewing Company, Carlstadt
• Brix City Brewing Company, Little Ferry
• Carton Brewing Company, Atlantic Highlands
• Flounder Brewing Company, Hillsborough
• Flying Fish Brewing Company, Somerdale
• Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant, South Orange
• Hackensack Brewing Company
• Kane Brewing Company, Ocean Township
• Little Dog Brewing Company, Neptune
• Magnify Brewing Company, Fairfield
• River Horse Brewing Company, Ewing