Last Updated on August 20, 2020 by Christopher G Mendla

The Hudson house is a no-frills local bar located on 13th street between Long Beach Boulevard and North Beach Avenue in the middle of a residential neighborhood.  There is very limited parking available. Many visitors walk or bicycle.

2020 Update

The Covid-19 restrictions have taken a toll on the Hudson House as they have with most businesses in New Jersey.

The Hud set up an outdoor bar area. You need to wear a mask to enter. Capacity is about one fifth of normal. You need to sit at a table or in a chair. The bathrooms are open and you need to wear a mask.. Hell, if I survived using those bathrooms all these years, I’m probably immune to everything.

You can order from a small bar. They have their full range of shots and mixed drinks. The number of beers on tap seems to be less than normal which makes sense.

We stopped by on a Saturday night for a quick beer. There was a storm brewing but we beat the rain and lightning

Think of the irony of getting struck by lightning because some dumbass governor’s arbitrary rules made you drink outside instead of in the safety of a building.

The Hudson House

The interior is ‘rustic’ with a small take out section as you enter. The crowd is a mix of young and old. Amusements include shuffleboard, pool table,  darts, basketball and a punching bag. The bar is cash only and there is a jukebox for musical entertainment.

If you want food, well, eat before you go.. You can get small bags of snacks. I told my girlfriend that I wonder if the snacks available are the same as when I would go there in the 1970’s.   Not the same type of snacks, but the SAME snacks. 

You can also purchase one of their famous “It’s 11:00, Do you know where you are?” Shirts. Those shirts date back to around the 1970’s. It was a play on a popular public service announcement “It’s 11:00, Do you know where your children are?“

The PSA “It’s 11:00. Do you know where your children are” was often parodied. .. no kidding. You can even get the t-shirt

One amazing feature of the Hudson House is a real phone booth complete with a 70’s era phone. You just don’t see many of those any more.

Update Nov 2019 – MSN Lifestyle published a “Best dive bar in every state” guide. The Hud was named as “The best dive bar in New Jersey”  Also, there is an article in Bay Magazine called “The Legend of the Hudson House” with an interesting history including it’s time as a bordello and speakeasy as well as a murder in the 1930’s.

Hudson House Location

The Hudson House Bar is located at 19 East 13th Street in North Beach Haven. It is in the middle of a residential street. Parking is limited, especially with the parking lot being used as an outside bar in 2020.

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