Has your quality of life been affected because of back pain? You're not alone - Harvard Health tells us that almost 85% of people in the US have back pain so severe that they see a doctor at least once in their lifetime. Unfortunately, these problems often start small but end up becoming severe issues like sciatica. For active people and athletes, dealing with back pain isn't just compromising; it's life-changing.
And while many people will tell you that having a "back problem" is something you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life, that's far from the case. The good news is that seeing a chiropractor in Colts Neck can provide you with the relief needed to live a healthy, active life without giving up the things you love most, like sports and spending time with your family.
Of the millions of Americans who suffer from back pain daily, many have found long-lasting relief through the same chiropractic care offered at NJ Sports Spine & Wellness. But what exactly is chiropractic care, and how does it help?
Chiropractic care is a drug-free, non-invasive approach to overall wellness and healing that focuses on correcting issues with your musculoskeletal system. When performed by a licensed chiropractor, it can alleviate and even eliminate common problems such as:
To treat your conditions and help reduce your pain, chiropractors use time-tested, hands-on techniques to adjust your spine, neck, back, and other joints throughout your body to restore proper function, mobility, and alignment. Once your body is in proper alignment, it functions optimally, leading to improved overall wellness and health.
Unlike some sports rehab clinics in The Garden State, chiropractors from NJ Sports Spine & Wellness work with you one-on-one to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific goals and needs relating to your pain and ability to live a normal life. Because our team takes a holistic approach to healthcare, we cover all aspects of your health and wellness when developing your chiropractic treatment plan. That way, we increase your chances of living a fulfilling life free of pain and worry about throwing your back out.
Seeing a chiropractor can quite literally change your life for the better. According to the American Chiropractic Association, in general, chiropractic therapy is a more effective solution for back pain than other treatments like addictive pain pills, surgeries, and yoga. When combined with services like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and acupuncture, chiropractic care may be the key you need to open the door to a pain-free life.
Contact UsSome of the many benefits of seeing a reliable, licensed chiropractor include the following:
Perhaps the most obvious reason to make an appointment with a chiropractor is for back pain relief. Some people only need to see a chiropractor when they have occasional back pain, such as when they wake up in the morning. Others, such as those who have been in serious car accidents, need regular chiropractic adjustments and therapies, which are often supplemented with techniques like physical therapy and acupuncture.
There are many causes of back pain that range from advanced conditions like having sciatica and herniated discs to everyday issues like poor posture and sleeping in a harmful position. Your chiropractor's job is to pinpoint the cause(s) of your back pain and build a customized plan to address your musculoskeletal conditions. Once that happens, pain relief follows shortly after.
At New Jersey Sports Spine & Wellness, we craft personalized chiropractic plans for every patient we treat, with the goal of avoiding harmful surgeries and addictive medicines.
If you've never experienced a headache in your life, you're exceedingly rare. Just about every American will suffer from a headache at some point or another. For some, headaches only happen occasionally and are not much more than an annoyance. For others, headaches evolve into crippling migraines that can affect quality of life, ability to work, and much more.
If you find yourself digging into a bottle of Aspirin or something stronger when you have a headache, it might be time to visit an NJSSW chiropractor.
Do you wake up in the morning feeling like you didn't sleep a wink the previous night? Do you have to take sleep aides like Ambien in order to drift off to dreamland? If you have chronic back pain, getting a full night's rest is easier said than done. From misaligned spines to improper sleeping posture, your chiropractor in Colts Neck can use manipulation therapy and other techniques to boost blood flow and align your vertebrae, so your body can heal itself and help you rest better.
One of the best things about seeing your chiropractor is that when your session is over, you often feel great. The pain relief feels phenomenal. When you're not in pain, you have a more positive outlook on life, and often enjoy better sleep, blood pressure, and even sexual relations. It makes sense, then, that chiropractic care has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety, which promotes relaxation and improved mental health.
At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, we work with a long list of athletes who suffer from sports injuries and other problems that can manifest from being active. For professional athletes, having a trustworthy chiropractor to care for them is needed for their careers. But you don't have to be a pro athlete to benefit from chiropractic care. Ordinary people that enjoy active lifestyles can reap tremendous rewards through chiropractic care, such as improved range of motion and relief from compressed discs.
Whether you enjoy impromptu games of tag football or simply want to play with your kids, seeing a chiropractor can help you be healthy and active without fighting back, neck, and joint pain. That's especially true when chiropractic therapy is used in conjunction with acupuncture, physical therapy, or occupational therapy.ies and addictive medicines.
Your NJ Sports Spine & Wellness chiropractor in Colts Neck may use a range of techniques to restore function and alignment in your body. Some of the most common techniques our chiropractors use include:
Life has a habit of being unexpected. Sure, some surprises only hurt your bank account, like last-minute renovations in your home. But severe incidents, like car accidents, can inflict physical injuries that cause you long-term pain. These problems, like neck and back injuries, affect many Americans daily. Even worse, many hardworking people turn to risky surgeries and addictive pain medications, only to find themselves deep in a hole that seems impossible to get out of.
If you suffer from serious range-of-motion issues or you're in chronic pain, it's important to know that you have treatment choices. You don't have to put your health at risk to relieve your pain. One of the most successful non-invasive treatments offered for pain is physical therapy. The main goal of physical therapy is to restore movement and function to patients affected by illness, injury, or disability.
Physical therapists work with patients of all ages and abilities, from children to elderly adults, to help them overcome physical limitations and improve their quality of life. At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, our physical therapists help treat a wide range of conditions, from neck pain and spinal cord injuries to back pain and arthritis.
Once our PTs have made headway, they will often use our chiropractic therapy to provide the patient with more relief. Having the option of both chiropractic and physical therapy is often very effective, because your chiropractor in Colts Neck can address nerve irritation and joint dysfunction while your physical therapist helps retrain your musculoskeletal system, allowing your body to heal faster.
Some of the biggest benefits of using physical therapy along with chiropractic care include:
Occupational therapy, or OT, is to help patients of all ages and abilities engage in activities of daily living, or ADL. Often, that means helping patients reclaim the ability to continue working, going to school, accomplishing day-to-day tasks, or other activities common to daily living.
Occupational therapy can benefit individuals going through many conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, and chronic pain. The end goal of occupational therapy is to help patients achieve the maximum level of independence and participation in their daily lives. If pain, discomfort, weakness, fatigue, or fear prevent you from participating in activities you love, an OT from NJ Sports Spine & Wellness could become the MVP of your wellness journey.
To give our patients the most complete pain relief and recovery options, our doctors and practitioners will often lean on the expertise of both a physical therapist and a chiropractor in Colts Neck. By working together, your PT, OT, and chiropractor can provide you with a comprehensive approach to total-body functionality, from your spine and joints to your mind and range of motion.
Some of the most common benefits of using OT with chiropractic care include:
Acupuncture boosts your body's functions and helps improve its ability to heal through anatomic site stimulation - usually called acupuncture points or acupoints. To stimulate these points, acupuncturists at NJ Sports Spine & Wellness insert fine, sterile needles into your skin. Most patients don't feel any pain as needles are applied. Typically, needles are left in the skin up to 30 minutes. After your session, it's normal to feel incredibly relaxed.
While some practitioners still adhere to traditional philosophies, modern acupuncturists take an integrative approach to the therapy. Today, professional acupuncturists use these techniques to stimulate your body's natural healing and pain-fighting processes. When coupled with personalized care from a chiropractor in Colts Neck as well as physical or occupational therapy, you can find real relief from the physical and emotional roadblocks holding you back. Some of the most reported benefits of acupuncture treatment include:
During an acupuncture session, you may feel a slight sensation of warmth or tingling at the needle's site of insertion. Generally speaking, acupuncture is painless and perfectly safe for you to consider. In fact, many practitioners and doctors recommend combining acupuncture with other treatment options like chiropractic adjustments.
Though acupuncture and chiropractic therapies come from different origins, both include non-invasive, holistic, and gentle approaches that don't require drugs to work. They also both facilitate total-body healing by addressing the underlying causes of your symptoms - not just the symptoms themselves.
Because acupuncture is known to release endorphins and improve blood flow, having a session prior to a chiropractic adjustment can be very beneficial. That's because, after acupuncture, your muscles are less stiff, more relaxed, and easier to adjust effectively. Over time, as you combine acupuncture and chiropractic therapy, you'll benefit from less inflammation and less pain as you heal from injuries or musculoskeletal conditions. That same truth applies to patients who undergo serious chiropractic adjustments.
At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, our staff consists of licensed and highly-trained professionals, including specialists focusing on:
Every member of our team believes that the path to wellness and a pain-free life begins with customized treatment plans that cater to your needs and body. Unlike some chiropractors in Colts Neck, we do not treat on-the-surface symptoms with one-size-fits-all therapies. We do not rely on powerful pain medications to mask your pain or invasive surgeries that require weeks of recovery. Instead, we address the root causes of your pain so that we can help you live the happy, healthy life you're craving.
To achieve that goal, we'll conduct an in-depth evaluation to learn about your medical history. We'll also perform diagnostic tests and speak with you one-on-one to get a better sense of your needs. From there, we'll recommend the therapies that can give you a new lease on life and be there for every milestone you hit.
If you're fed up of living with the limits of pain and lack of mobility, we're here to help you break free. Contact our office today to get started.
DEPTFORD -- With 2:37 left in the boys basketball Group 3 state semifinal between Ocean City and Colts Neck on Tuesday, it appeared that a valiant comeback would come up short.The Cougars' star senior Lukas Sloane had single-handedly cut Ocean City's five point lead to just one point, and he added to that heroic effort with yet another score to give his team a 44-43 lead. But just a few moments later, Sloane fouled out with a team-high 17 points.What seemed like an unfortunate ending was just the start of another...
DEPTFORD -- With 2:37 left in the boys basketball Group 3 state semifinal between Ocean City and Colts Neck on Tuesday, it appeared that a valiant comeback would come up short.
The Cougars' star senior Lukas Sloane had single-handedly cut Ocean City's five point lead to just one point, and he added to that heroic effort with yet another score to give his team a 44-43 lead. But just a few moments later, Sloane fouled out with a team-high 17 points.
What seemed like an unfortunate ending was just the start of another chapter in the most miraculous story of the Shore basketball season. After Ocean City swiftly regained the lead, Colts Neck shut out the Red Raiders in the final two minutes. It set the stage for senior Dillon Younger as he drove into the paint with a clunky and gritty move that was finished off with a 10-foot jumper through contact to give the Cougars a 46-45 lead.
"Our best scorer is out," Younger said. "I needed to just step up. And obviously our whole team got us there. Rebounding, defense, making them turn over the ball. So I just knew it was my time to get that basket."
Appropriately, the Cardiac Cats capped off the comeback victory with two defensive stands. Colts Neck beat Ocean City 47-45 and secured its place in the state championship at Rutgers on Saturday. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. And it was the perfect finish for a team that has been defined by a willingness to win by any means necessary.
"We all knew we had it in us," said Younger. "We love each other. We're good friends off the court."
The love extended to the devoted student section, The Den, that provided home court advantage throughout the team's run to a sectional championship and traveled to give the Cougars a home court advantage even while being 70 miles from home. The Den stormed the court in the aftermath of the momentous victory.
"The Den didn't travel an hour and 30 minutes to watch us lose," Sloane said. "I had to get the fans what they wanted."
The constant for the Cougars was their defense, and senior Dan Buoncore set the standard with multiple steals including a steal-and-score in the closing minutes of the fourth.
"I love my teammates. Us seniors, we've been playing together for four years, we've been staying ready for this moment," said Buoncore. "And most importantly we play defense."
The Cougars overcame a 10-point deficit late in the third quarter to topple an impressive Ocean City that came into the game with a 22-6 record. The Red Raiders were beset by a devastating injury just 18 seconds into the game when the team's lone senior and leading scorer, Ben McGonigle, exited the game with an apparent ankle injury. But that loss seemed to galvanized the talented group as they seized control in the second quarter and extended their lead in the third. Luke Tjoumakaris had a game-high 21 points for Ocean.
But Colts Neck would not be denied. And no matter how much the Cougars had struggled in various aspects, they found ways to turn those shortcomings into strengths. They were an abysmal 10 of 20 at the free throw line and struggled on the glass, but the turning point of the game came when Sloane crafted a three-point play. He made his first free throw and grabbed his own offensive rebound on the second and put it back in for a score to cut Ocean City's lead to 41-40 midway through the fourth quarter.
"This is my senior season, I've gotta give it all that I got," Sloane said. "I don't think we crashed the boards one time, so I was thinking, let's give them something they ain't seen. He came out with the ball on his hip and I just took it and scored."
Colts Neck coach Steve Jannarone admitted he wasn't thrilled with the principle behind the play, but praised the execution from the star senior.
"That same play, he did it against Ewing and I was ready to strangle him," the coach said. "So the fact he ignored me and got it was to his credit because he knows what can and can't do."
That level of confidence is a theme for Colts Neck, as they've made fools out of naysayers and established themselves as the Shore Conference's unsung elite team. This run is particularly impressive given the recurring state-wide narrative that this winter was a "down year" for boys basketball at the Shore.
"I think the Shore speaks for itself," Jannarone said. "Anybody that thinks we have to prove anything hasn't been watching."
They'll face reigning state champion Ramapo in the Group 3 final, giving the Cougars one more chance to stun the entire state with another upset. But it's difficult to imagine how any moment could top the theatrics of Tuesday night's semifinal.
"It's just surreal," said Younger. "All my friends here - it's just an amazing experience. Can't ask for better."
Click here for important updates to our privacy policy.BASKETBALLAsbury Park PressPISCATAWAY -- The forces of destiny that permeated the Colts Neck boys basketball team were as omnipresent as the external doubt. But on the grand stage at Jersey Mike's Arena for the Group 3 state championship Saturday night, the Cougars left no room for doubt.Facing reigning st...
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BASKETBALL
Asbury Park Press
PISCATAWAY -- The forces of destiny that permeated the Colts Neck boys basketball team were as omnipresent as the external doubt. But on the grand stage at Jersey Mike's Arena for the Group 3 state championship Saturday night, the Cougars left no room for doubt.
Facing reigning state champion Ramapo, the Cougars faced the same chorus of sports soothsayers that had said the team would lose to Ewing and Ocean City. The silence of the doubters was as deafening as the booming student section as Colts Neck outmaneuvered the bigger and talented Raiders to win 54-46 for the first state championship in program history.
With leading scorer fouling out, Colts Neck boys basketball comes back, reaches state final
Coach Steve Jannarone couldn't ignore the fate that always seemed to surround his team, dating back to innocuous trip to see his son. They went out to dinner at an upscale restaurant that required a suit jacket, and Jannarone bought an elegant green piece for the occasion
"I bought this jacket and I kid to my wife, if we get something green, it'll be something I can wear in the state finals," Jannarone said. "I had been rocking a 20-year-old polo for the whole tournament, so it was a big decision to try it out. And it worked. So there's definitely something going on."
Whether it was the fashion gods or the basketball gods, there was always something good going on about this year's most unlikely state champ. The Cougars scrapped their way through the first two quarters while Lukas Sloane kept the team afloat with 13 of the team's 15 points at halftime.
After trailing Ramapo 20-15 at halftime, the Cougars could do no wrong as they surged in the next 16 minutes. They made eight of their nine field goal attempts in the third quarter and shrunk the Ramapo lead to 38-37 heading into the fourth. Fresh of his late-game heroics against Ocean City, junior Dillon Younger had nine points in the third quarter. The results laid bare that Colts Neck was built for these moments.
"In the Shore, we play a lot of teams that are bigger and more physical," said Sloane. "We just have that hustle that I don't think any team in the state has. That's why we came out on top."
The defensive hand placement was immaculate as they ruined the Raiders' rhythm with blocks and steals. The ball movement was a work of art as scoring opportunities flowed to seniors Dan Buoncore, Jack Freid and Bryce Belcher, who made back-to-back shots to give Colts Neck the defining 43-41 lead midway through the fourth as they rode that momentum to the finish line.
"We just believe in ourselves," Younger said. "We believe in each other especially. Lukas believed in us to hit all these shots, he was carrying us in the beginning. Our chemistry is the best."
Colts Neck embodied team basketball in a way that it galvanized the community beyond just the student-athletes on the team. The Cougars' student section, The Den, dwarfed its counterpart from Ramapo. The vocal coalition of community members and alumni roared at each turning point, just as they had all through the team's incredible playoff run.
"It's really great for the whole community to come out," Belcher said. "The Den has been supporting us all year and it has been truly amazing for us to just perform in front of them. It's the greatest feeling in the world."
The Cougars were a team that faced an unfathomable climb to the top. They embraced each fateful twist and turn of their journey.
Before the state championship, Jannarone didn't shy away from reminding his team of the stakes of the moment and what it would mean if his players could deliver the first boys basketball state championship in school history.
"We talked about how they matched a legacy by winning a sectional. By winning the next one (in the state semifinal against Ocean City), they'd surpassed it," Jannarone said. "The talk today was: win this and you can never be surpassed."
The start of the game could not have been uglier for fans hoping to see high-flying offensive basketball. After three scoreless minutes, Ramapo got the first points of the game on free throw and added the game's first field goal with 4:20 left in the first quarter. It was a slog, and it was exactly what Colts Neck needed.
Ramapo never seemed to fully recover from that opening offensive funk while Sloane kept Colts Neck afloat by scoring all of his team's six first quarter points. The Raiders held a 10-6 lead, but that seemed to foreshadow the Cougars mucky path to victory.
All the while Sloane buoyed his team and reached double figures before another Colts Neck player could put the ball through the net. Ramapo inched forward to an 18-12 lead before the Raiders found themselves stuck in the mud again, going scoreless for four minutes before scoring the final bucket of the second to hold a 20-15 lead at halftime.
The foundation of bricks in the first half only augmented Colts Neck's gritty style of play in the third. The Cougars surged immediately to keep pace with Ramapo's best offensive stretch of the game, steadily shrinking the lead largely thanks to their hot hand from beyond the arc.
Colts Neck was only 5-for-15 from three-point range in the game, but all five makes came in the third quarter. None of them were bigger than Younger's two makes, the first of which tied the game at 33-33 and the second of which was a four-point play that gave Colts Neck a 37-35 lead, their first of the game, with 57.5 seconds left in the third.
Ramapo answered to hold a 38-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Raiders were running out of answers.
They relinquished the lead for good after Belcher's back-to-back scores that put Colts Neck up 43-41 with 3:52 left in the game. The Cougars played an astute game of keep away to bleed off more than a minute of game time. Clutch scores by Bouncore and Freid in quick success gave the team a two-possession lead and put Ramapo into intentional foul territory.
The final minutes were as much of a slog as the first minutes, all signifying that Colts Neck had executed their strategy to perfection.
Sloane finished with game-high 20 points in addition to 12 rebounds. Freid was the other Cougar in double figures with 11. Younger was the do-it-all point guard as he finished a well-rounded performance with nine points, eight assists and six rebounds. Belcher and Bouncore each finished with seven points.
Just 27 years after its inception, Colts Neck became the first high school in the Freehold Regional School District to win a boys basketball state championship. It's one more stunning factual element to an unlikely story.
The Cougars didn't have a shred of momentum heading into the playoffs. They lost by 30 points to Manasquan in their exit from the Shore Conference Tournament, and ended the regular season with a loss to Sayreville that brought their record to 14-9.
Of course, fate intervened for a team that can sparsely be explained in any other way. Lukas Sloane himself emerged as a star and doubled his scoring output as a senior. But the clutch performances of Buoncore, Younger and Belcher were what got the team to Rutgers to play for a state title.
In a Shore Conference basketball season that been repeatedly denigrated as a down year for the league, Colts Neck was battle-hardened enough to seize a state crown. If this is a down year, then things are certainly looking up for basketball at the Shore.
Boys Basketball New Jersey's Fastest Growing University NJSIAA Group Tournament, Final Round, Group 3 Colts Neck 20-9 • 6-4 Shore - A North5...
Boys Basketball
New Jersey's Fastest Growing University
NJSIAA Group Tournament, Final Round, Group 3
20-9 • 6-4 Shore - A North
54
FINAL
46
19-11 • 4-3 Big North - Freedom
at Rutgers
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03/15/2025 Colts Neck at Ramapo - Group 3 final Boys Basketball
Points
Lukas Sloane #12
Colts Neck
20
#23 Ryan Goldman
Ramapo
12
Rebounds
Lukas Sloane #12
Colts Neck
12
#11 Charlie Wingfield
Ramapo
8
Steals
Dillon Younger #10
Colts Neck
3
#10 Finn Marrah
Ramapo
2
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colts Neck (20-9) | 6 | 9 | 22 | 17 | 54 |
Ramapo (19-11) | 10 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 46 |
Mike Kinney | Mar 15, 2025
Kevin Minnick | Mar 15, 2025
Matt Bove | Mar 15, 2025
Colts Neck
2PT | 3PT | FTM | FTA | PTS | REB | AST | BLK | STL | GP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dillon Younger | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Jack Freid | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Dan Buoncore | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Bryce Belcher | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Lukas Sloane | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Nate Sloane | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Nolan Duddy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Andrew Tomkovich | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Miles Schneider | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
James Novak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Totals: | 16 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 54 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
Ramapo
2PT | 3PT | FTM | FTA | PTS | REB | AST | BLK | STL | GP | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A.J. Greig | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Finn Marrah | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Peter Keith | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Charlie Wingfield | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Ryan Goldman | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Jack Sposa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Michael Moody | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Connor Young | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Luke Carbone | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Totals: | 16 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 46 | 23 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
CN | R | |
---|---|---|
Defensive | ||
Rebounds | 25 | 23 |
Assists | 16 | 10 |
Blocks | 5 | 2 |
Steals | 4 | 2 |
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olts Neck residents familiar with the Colts Neck Inn Steak & Chop House will notice a difference the next time they dine at the restaurant. For one thing, the restaurant is now rebranded as the Colts Neck Inn Steak House. But perhaps more noticeable is the complete overhaul of both the interior and exterio...
olts Neck residents familiar with the Colts Neck Inn Steak & Chop House will notice a difference the next time they dine at the restaurant. For one thing, the restaurant is now rebranded as the Colts Neck Inn Steak House. But perhaps more noticeable is the complete overhaul of both the interior and exterior.
The renovation was long overdue says George Mavrookas, whose father, Louis, owns the spot. He says it’s been more than 20 years since the last renovation. The project took four months to complete, but the Colts Neck Inn Steak House is now ready to serve. Gone is the outdated dark mahogany woods and burgundy and green color palettes. In its place is a mixture of grays, blacks and golds. “It’s a sexier, more modern look,” George says. The whole interior, including the dining room, bar, and banquet rooms have all been completely renovated. This even extends to plates, flatware, and booths.
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The menu still boasts traditional steaks, filets, and ribeyes (which are hand cut and never frozen). However, these classic dishes are plated with new sauces and sides. For example, the ribeye steak was previously served with a baked potato and vegetable of the day. But now, they serve it with fingerling potatoes, grilled asparagus, chimichurri, and steak sauce. “We wanted to make sure that each plate feels unique,” George explains.
New to the Colts Neck Inn Steak House are contemporary dishes such as sushi and a raw bar. They also serve chicken parmigiana, chicken dishes, salmon, and halibut. Meanwhile, the kids’ menu offers options like pasta and chicken tenders with French fries.
As for the new liquor menu, they offer specialty martinis like Peach Passion. This combinesGrey Goose Peach + Rosemary Vodka with Peach & Passion Fruit and bubbles. The Spiced Pear is also popular, with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, pear nectar, fresh lemon, and cinnamon. Signature cocktails include the Apple Bourbon Smash and Spicy Pineapple Margarita. Of course, they also have draft beers, champagne, sparkling wine, and white, red, or rose wines.
The Mavrookas family has owned the Colts Neck Inn Steak House since the 1970s. (It’s been in the family for three generations at this point.) They also own the Colts Neck Inn Hotel next door. Established in 1717, the Colts Neck Inn is the oldest inn in New Jersey and the sixth oldest in America.
Visit the Colts Neck Inn Steak House at 191 County Road 537 W in Colts Neck. To learn more:
| Visit Their Website | Follow on Instagram | Follow on Facebook | Call 732-462-0383 |
See the Latest Restaurants Open in New Jersey.
Does this Restaurant accept Reservations?
Yes, they accept reservations.
Are there Gluten-free options?
Yes, they have gluten-free options.
Are there Vegetarian options?
Colts Neck Inn Steak House offers vegetarian dishes, yes.
Does this Restaurant offer Takeout?
They offer takeout, yes.
Does this Restaurant offer Delivery?
No, they do not offer delivery.
Do they have a Liquor license?
Yes, they serve a variety of cocktails.
Is there a Kids’ menu?
They have a kids’ menu, yes.
All Photos: © Colts Neck Inn Steak House
Seven-minute read0:001:11COLTS NECK - Growing up in Freehold and Brielle, Lisa Laird (Dunn) was born into a family whose Monmouth County-based, pre-Revolutionary War roots as producers of apple jack brandy and other spirits earned them the unique position of America’s oldest distiller.Today, as president of the 10th-generation Laird & Company in the ...
COLTS NECK - Growing up in Freehold and Brielle, Lisa Laird (Dunn) was born into a family whose Monmouth County-based, pre-Revolutionary War roots as producers of apple jack brandy and other spirits earned them the unique position of America’s oldest distiller.
Today, as president of the 10th-generation Laird & Company in the Scobeyville section of Colts Neck, Laird couldn’t be prouder to carry on a family legacy that’s synonymous with outstanding apple spirits and three centuries of distilling tradition.
“Our family’s ancestors immigrated from Scotland to Monmouth County in 1698,” said Laird, a Wall resident. “Because apples were prevalent in New Jersey by the late 1600s and cider production was flourishing, my ancestors began distilling apples.
"Although we were distilling for close to 100 years prior, we designated 1780 as the official start of our company in Monmouth County based on my fourth great-grandfather Robert Laird’s account book showing records of sale,” Laird said.
“In our original distillery, which was located right near the Colts Neck Inn at the corner of Routes 537 and 34, our product was hand-crushed and the stills were heated by wood fires,” Laird said. “The facility burned down in 1851, however, at which point then-owner Samuel Laird’s son Robert rebuilt it a mile and a half down the Old Burlington stagecoach trail, where we’re still headquartered.”
Today, as they did centuries ago, “we make apple jack, an apple brandy made from apples which are crushed, fermented and then distilled,” Laird said. “Historically, it was called ‘Jersey Lightning,’ and New Jersey and Monmouth County in particular were well-known for the production of apple jack.”
While apple jack has since become a much smaller category and is significantly more expensive to produce than other spirits like bourbon and vodka, “our company’s heart and soul is apple jack and we offer eight expressions, including our historic unaged apple brandy called ‘Jersey Lightning,’” Laird said. “In order to survive, however, we’ve diversified by producing other spirit brands such as vodka, gin and bourbon, importing wines and spirits, and providing contract packaging services for other companies.”
Among other changes over time, “we no longer distill in New Jersey; it takes 7,000 pounds of apples to make one barrel of apple jack and apples aren’t as plentiful in New Jersey as they once were,” she said. Instead, “we distill and barrel our products at our distillery in Virginia, then ship them to our 155,000-square-foot bottling plant and barrel warehouse here in Scobeyville to age them for up to 12 years.”
According to Laird, pricing for the company’s apple jack varies by product.
“Mixed with a neutral grain to lighten up the flavor profile for the consumer’s changing palate, our Laird’s Blended Apple Jack (vodka with an apple brandy base) is our most widely distributed product and retails for $22, while our five-year-aged version commemorating our 10th generation, Laird’s Tenth Generation Apple Brandy, retails for $42,” she said.
“Our Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy Bottled in Bond ($30) is gaining popularity in the bartending community, as is our Laird’s Straight Apple Jack 86 ($27). Laird’s 7½-Year-Old Apple Brandy, created in 1964 to commemorate New Jersey’s 300th anniversary, retails for $40, and since 1999, we’ve also offered our cru Apple Brandy, which is aged for 12 years and presented in beautiful hand-bottled and hand-labeled packaging for $99.”
As single cask whiskies became popular, she added, the company also introduced its Laird’s Single Cask Apple Brandy, which retails anywhere from $60 to $90 depending upon its age.
As the market’s largest producer of apple brandy, “our sales are predominantly here in the U.S.,” Laird said, “but we’re also available in 16 other markets worldwide.”
Though she grew up an only child, “my father never made me feel that it was expected of me to join the family business,” said Laird, who originally wanted to be a veterinarian based on her love of animals.
But after graduating from Washington College in Maryland and working her way through most of the company’s functions, including production, quality control, accounting, sales and management, she officially took over as president — the first woman to do so in Laird & Company’s history — in 2024.
“My father Larrie was running the company until last year, when he felt it was time to step back,” she explained. “He remains active overseeing our production and teaching that process to my son Gerard, 29, who represents our 10th generation. My daughter Laird Emilie recently joined the company as well and is based in North Carolina, where she helps oversee sales in our southern market.”
Among industry trends, Laird & Company has grappled with the consumer’s changing preferences.
“It’s been a difficult year for the industry as a whole over the past 12 to 18 months, as the younger generation isn’t drinking as much alcohol as past generations, partly influenced by the recent legalization of marijuana in many states,” Laird said.
“On a positive note, however, the bartending community has been rediscovering and embracing our product," she said. "Laird’s Apple Jack has been around since the invention of cocktails and many bartenders are recreating classic cocktails using fresh and original ingredients, which has put Laird’s Apple Jack and Apple Brandy back into the forefront at metro-area bars and restaurants here and around the world.
"Trends are cyclical and many consumers preferred white spirits to brown ones during the 1980s and 1990s,” she said. “Bartenders and consumers appreciate our history and authenticity, and the recent rediscovery of our product has been an uplifting time for our company and brand.”
As for challenges, rising costs are an ever-present concern.
“New Jersey is an expensive state to operate a business in and prices of raw materials and transportation continue to increase, especially since the pandemic,” Laird said. “As a result, we’re always focused on reducing costs.”
“Beyond apple brandy, where we’re a dominant player, we also compete in other categories that are very competitive,” she added. “We’re a small family business going up against large conglomerates with big pocketbooks and marketing budgets. Many smaller, family-owned businesses like ours are being bought up, but we’ve made concerted efforts to keep our business in the family because there’s simply too much pride, heritage and legacy.”
Looking ahead, “we’re always considering new product ideas,” Laird said. “One of our more recent introductions is a new barrel-finished whiskey series — Irish, corn, and bourbon — that we finish aging in our apple brandy barrels and sell for about $40 a bottle.”
“In mid-2024, we introduced ready-to-drink canned cocktails which sell for $14.99 for a four-pack,” she continued. “Included in the series are Laird’s American Mule (comprised of Laird’s Apple Brandy, ginger, and lime), Lisa’s Lemonade (comprised of apple jack and lemonade), and our Five O’Clock brand (comprised of orange crush and pink lemonade). We also offer our ready-to-serve Laird’s Old Fashioned Cocktail made with apple jack and retailing at $13.99 for 375 milliliters.”
“This year, we’re considering introducing other low alcohol-by-volume products like apple cordials and liqueurs,” she said. “We’re always developing and tasting new formulas.”
In her role leading one of the nation’s oldest companies and its nearly 50 employees, “I hope to be able to pass a financially stable business down to my children and for Laird & Company to continue to be a thread and part of New Jersey, our community and its history,” said Laird, who recently enjoyed serving as a guest judge on the Discovery Channel show “Moonshiners.”
“Most New Jerseyans don’t know who we are or that America’s oldest spirit is headquartered right in their backyard," Laird said. "We’re hoping to break ground this spring on a new cultural center/event space/museum on our premises to help showcase our company and our New Jersey history related to this industry.”
Among her favorite parts of the business, “I love the opportunity to carry on my ancestors’ legacy,” Laird said. “I’m sure our forefathers would never have believed that we’d still be in operation this many generations later and I take so much reward and pride in continuing this heritage.”
At the same time, Laird enjoys the new life being infused into her company’s classic product.
“It’s been so exciting and humbling to travel the world and have bartenders prepare me a Laird’s Apple Jack cocktail,” she said. “Whether I’m in Hong Kong, England, Denmark, Australia or here in the U.S., I love to see the creativity and appreciation for the brand using different flavors and ingredients. Bartenders are happy to meet me and they always thank us for continuing to distill and offer this historic product.”
Location: 1 Laird Road, Colts Neck
Phone: 732-542-0312
Owners: The Laird family
Founded: 1780
Website: lairdandcompany.com