This New Jersey Restaurant Has No Prices On The Menu And Is Owned By A Rock Icon

Jon Bon Jovi is adamant that he does not run a soup kitchen. And for good reason — what the team does at JBJ Soul Kitchen is so much more than that. Now found in several locations across the Garden State, the flagship space in Red Bank, New Jersey, opened in 2011, and the Kitchen as a whole was recently named the No. 1 celebrity-owned restaurant in the U.S. (beating even Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Table).

Born and raised in New Jersey, Bon Jovi has made it his goal to not just bring the house down with mega rock hits such as "Livin' On A Prayer," but to also build houses up in his home state and feed those who are impacted by hunger. The JBJ Soul Kitchen was established by the JBJ Soul Foundation, which has been operating since 2006. 

According to the Foundation's website, JBJ has the mission to "break the cycle of hunger, poverty, and homelessness through developing partnerships, creating programs, and providing grant funding to support innovative community benefit organizations." A big piece of that mission? No prices on the menus of its restaurants.

On March 3, 2025, the JBJ Soul Kitchen announced a milestone: 200,000 meals had been served across its Red Bank and Toms River locations. In the celebratory press release, the organization restated its "all are welcome to dine with dignity" mantra and Bon Jovi went on the record to tout the restaurants' specific operation style.

"When we first opened, people did not understand our unique Pay It Forward model," Bon Jovi said in the release. "We are not a soup kitchen. We are not a pay-what-you-want restaurant. We are a unique Pay It Forward model where those who are unable to pay, volunteer their time. Those who can pay, pay for their meal and donate to pay it forward. Everyone has the same amazing meal. Everyone has the same fantastic experience. This model has now been proven time and time again for well over a decade."

It has certainly proven effective for the JBJ team, as the original location in 2011 opened with just over 30 seats. Since then, the Soul Kitchen has expanded to its Toms River location, which is part of a hub that includes a food pantry in partnership with the culinary training program Fulfill. JBJ also has two locations near college campuses in the state to support students with food insecurity.

While there are no prices on the menu, there are suggested donations. For instance, at JBJ's newest pop-up location in the Ocean County Library, meals have a suggested "price" of $12, and there's a selection of sandwiches, wraps, bowls, and salads (a downsize from the restaurant's typical three-course choices). Again, though, that suggestion is for those who can pay. For those who cannot, they volunteer instead, and enjoy the same meal. While this process is beloved by many, not everyone is on board. 

Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick, for example, recently shared concerns about how many people are drawn to the pop-up space. Despite that, donations and support for the JBJ Soul Kitchen (and Foundation) continue to grow as the organization ended 2024 with the announcement that it received a $25,000 grant from Kohl's Cares and its National Giveback Initiative. Just like there are many ways to support food banks, soup kitchens, and organizations that support food insecurity initiatives in general, there are a few opportunities to support JBJ aside from straight donations of time or money. 

Another avenue is purchasing JBJ-specific products such as its seasoning or coffee. While the coffee is a new offering, Bon Jovi is no stranger to backing carefully-crafted beverages (Anyone remember his rosé?), and just like everything else at JBJ, the coffee is made via ethically-sourced practices. Bon Jovi and his team have made it clear that the Soul Kitchen and Foundation are good medicine, and, if you are in need and in New Jersey, he'll be there for you.