Axe Throwing in Paramus, NJ: Bury the Hatchet and the Bergen County Scene (2026)

Paramus is the kind of suburb that does not announce itself. Drive Route 17 and you see strip malls and the four legendary shopping malls -- Garden State Plaza, Paramus Park, Bergen Town Center, the Outlets at Bergen. Most people drive through Paramus to shop, not to do anything else. What slips past those weekend visitors is that the same town also hosts one of the most-reviewed axe throwing venues in the entire country -- Bury the Hatchet on East Midland Avenue, with a 5.0-star Google rating across more than 21,000 reviews. That number is not a typo. It is one of the largest review counts of any axe venue in the United States.

If you live in Bergen County, work in Manhattan and commute over the GWB, or you are planning a North Jersey night out for a group, this guide breaks down what makes Paramus axe throwing work and how to plan around it.

Bury the Hatchet Paramus -- The Flagship That Made the Brand

Bury the Hatchet Paramus at 49 East Midland Avenue is not just a Paramus venue -- it is the original flagship for one of the largest axe throwing chains in the country. Bury the Hatchet operates locations across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Long Island, and beyond, but Paramus is where the brand built its reputation, and where the operation runs at the highest volume.

Twenty-one thousand reviews tells you a lot. That is not a number you accumulate quietly. Bury the Hatchet has been running corporate events, bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthday parties, walk-ins, and league nights out of this Paramus location consistently for years. The 5.0-star rating across that volume is the harder number -- it means the experience holds up at scale, not just on a slow Tuesday.

The venue itself: Bury the Hatchet Paramus runs a multi-lane indoor operation with full coaching, group event rooms, and a structured experience for first-timers. Sessions run roughly 90 minutes including the safety briefing, technique coaching, and structured tournament-style competition. The format is one of the more polished in the industry -- bracket play, scoring sheets, championship rounds. It is one of the reasons corporate teams pick this chain over more casual venues.

Booking: Reservations are strongly recommended on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Paramus location's volume means walk-ins are not always feasible during peak hours. Reserve through the Bury the Hatchet website -- the booking flow is one of the cleaner ones in the industry. Weekday afternoons and early evenings have wider availability for spontaneous trips.

Best for: Corporate teams (this is one of the most-booked corporate axe venues in the New York metro area), birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties drawing from across Bergen County and the city, league players, walk-ins willing to flex timing.

Why Paramus Is the Right North Jersey Choice

Bergen County has 70+ municipalities and over 900,000 residents -- the most populous county in New Jersey -- and Paramus sits roughly at its geographic heart. That centrality matters for axe throwing because it changes who can realistically get to the venue.

For commuters: Paramus is 25 minutes from Midtown Manhattan via the GWB on a good night. That is closer than most New York City venues for anyone living north of Central Park or on the Upper West Side. The drive back through the bridge at 10 PM on a Friday is also notably less brutal than the equivalent drive into the city.

For Bergen County itself: Hackensack, Englewood, Ridgewood, Fair Lawn, Hoboken, Edgewater -- all of these towns are 15-20 minutes from Paramus. For a group meeting up across the county, this is functionally the easiest place to converge.

For shoppers: This is the angle people forget. Paramus has four major malls within five minutes of Bury the Hatchet. A group can do a Garden State Plaza afternoon, dinner at one of the mall restaurants, then walk into a 7:30 PM axe throwing session without crossing the town. For bachelor and bachelorette weekends that combine shopping with activities, the geography is unusually friendly.

What Else to Do in Paramus

Paramus is not Manhattan, but it has its own ecosystem of restaurants and bars that work well around a Bury the Hatchet session:

• Fogo de Chao (Garden State Plaza) -- The Brazilian steakhouse chain anchors the mall and works for big groups before throwing. Reservations recommended on weekends.
• The Cheesecake Factory (Garden State Plaza) -- A reliable group-friendly option with broad menu appeal. Good for mixed dietary groups.
• Buffalo Wild Wings (Route 17) -- Walking distance options for casual pre-throwing food.
• Bonefish Grill -- Slightly more upscale seafood, works for date-night-into-axe-throwing pairings.
• Houlihan's (Paramus) -- A long-running staple for groups who want a casual sit-down with a bar.

For drinks specifically, the corridor around Garden State Plaza has a denser bar selection than people expect -- Yard House and others fill up on weekend nights. If your group wants the night to wind down with cocktails after throwing, the geography is supportive.

Paramus vs Other North Jersey Axe Venues

Bury the Hatchet operates other locations across the state -- including Edison, Cherry Hill, and Bayonne -- and there are independent axe venues scattered across North Jersey. So why Paramus specifically?

For a Bergen County group, Paramus wins on volume and proximity. For a South Jersey or shore group, Cherry Hill or Asbury Park venues make more sense. See our New Jersey state guide for the broader picture.

Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties in Paramus

This is where Bury the Hatchet Paramus really earns its reputation. The venue has run thousands of bachelor and bachelorette parties out of Bergen County. The Paramus location's appeal for these events:

• Manhattan-adjacent without Manhattan prices. Hosting a private axe throwing block in the city often runs 40-50% more than the equivalent block in Paramus. For a 15-person bachelorette group, the difference is real money.
• Hotel infrastructure. Paramus has limited hotels itself, but Hackensack, Lyndhurst, and the Meadowlands hotel cluster are 10-15 minutes away with rates significantly lower than Manhattan. Several Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott properties in the area handle wedding-weekend blocks.
• Easy regional pickup. Friends flying into LGA or JFK can be in Paramus in under an hour. Friends driving from Philadelphia, Hartford, or Boston find the location more convenient than Manhattan.

The booking pattern: reserve a private group block at least 4-6 weeks ahead for weekend slots, longer for peak wedding season (May through October). The venue's group event team handles food and beverage packages -- a typical 15-person package runs roughly $50-$80 per person all-in depending on bar service. See our bachelor and bachelorette guide for general group party planning tips that apply across cities.

Corporate Events From the City and Beyond

Bury the Hatchet Paramus is one of the busiest corporate axe throwing venues in the New York metropolitan area. The reason: it solves a specific problem for Manhattan-based companies. Hosting a team event for 40 people in Manhattan often means crammed mid-priced venues with subpar food and parking that requires reimbursing 20 separate Ubers. Paramus offers a single-destination venue with garage parking, a dedicated corporate event room, and pricing that is 25-35% under Manhattan-equivalent venues.

For Bergen County and North Jersey employers, the venue is even more practical -- a midday Friday session followed by a happy hour at a Garden State Plaza restaurant turns into a full team event without any of the urban logistical friction.

See our corporate team building guide for general planning principles that apply across cities, and contact the venue's events team directly for Paramus-specific corporate package options.

League Play and Repeat Throwing

For people who get hooked after their first session, Bury the Hatchet runs structured league play at the Paramus location -- typically multi-week formats with bracketed scoring, individual statistics, and championship rounds. The leagues attract a mix of weekend warriors and competitive throwers training for WATL events.

If you have been to one of the chain's other locations and want a higher level of regular competition, Paramus has the deepest pool of repeat throwers in the New Jersey market. League sign-ups happen seasonally -- check the venue's website for current cohort schedules.

A Sample Paramus Throwing Night

For a group of six on a Saturday:

1. 5:30 PM -- Dinner at Fogo de Chao Garden State Plaza (book ahead)
2. 7:15 PM -- Arrive at Bury the Hatchet, 49 East Midland Avenue
3. 7:30 PM -- 90-minute session, tournament format
4. 9:15 PM -- Walk back to Garden State Plaza for cocktails at Yard House or similar
5. 10:30 PM -- Drive back across the GWB or to your North Jersey hotel

Total cost per person, including dinner, drinks, and throwing: roughly $90-$130 depending on bar tab. For comparison, the equivalent Manhattan night runs $150-$190.

Practical Logistics

Parking: Free parking on-site at the venue. This is a meaningful advantage over Manhattan venues where parking often runs $40+ per car for the evening.

Closest airports: LGA is 35 minutes, EWR is 25 minutes, JFK is 50-60 minutes depending on traffic.

Closest train stations: NJ Transit's Pascack Valley Line stops in Hackensack and Westwood, both 10-15 minutes from the venue by car. Bus service connects Paramus to Port Authority for car-free city visitors.

Hotels: Bergen County has limited hotels in Paramus itself but the surrounding towns (Hackensack, Lyndhurst, Fort Lee, Edgewater) have a strong selection of Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Hampton properties.

Closed-toe shoes are mandatory. Standard requirement at all axe venues. See our what to wear guide for full details.

Nearby Cities

If Paramus is fully booked or you are in a different corner of the New York metro:

• New York City -- multiple Manhattan and Brooklyn venues, the broader city scene
• Brooklyn -- the borough-specific guide
• Long Island -- Westbury and Long Island venues for groups coming from out east
• New Jersey -- the full statewide guide with venues across all regions
• Philadelphia -- 90 minutes south for South Jersey groups
• Hartford -- 90 minutes northeast for Connecticut visitors

Browse all New Jersey axe throwing venues or check the full directory for more options.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many axe throwing venues are in Paramus?

The dedicated axe throwing venue is Bury the Hatchet Paramus at 49 East Midland Avenue. Other entertainment venues in Paramus (Sandbox VR, iFly Indoor Skydiving) offer related group activities but not axe throwing specifically.

Do I need to book in advance?

Strongly recommended for Friday and Saturday evenings, and required for groups of 8+. Weekday afternoons typically have walk-in availability.

What is the cost per person?

Standard sessions run roughly $35-$50 per person for a 90-minute walk-in slot. Group event packages with food and bar service typically run $50-$80 per person. Discount packages and weekday rates are sometimes available.

Is there a bar?

Yes. Bury the Hatchet Paramus serves beer and wine within the venue's safety policy. Drink limits during throwing sessions follow standard axe venue protocols.

How does Paramus compare to other Bury the Hatchet locations?

Paramus is the original flagship and the highest-volume Bury the Hatchet location, with the largest review count and the most established corporate and group event operation. Other locations (Edison NJ, Cherry Hill NJ, Bayonne NJ) offer the same core experience at smaller scale.

Is it kid-friendly?

Most axe venues set 12-13 as the minimum age with parental supervision. Bury the Hatchet Paramus follows similar policies but confirm specifics directly with the venue. See our age requirements guide for general context.

Can I get to Paramus without a car?

Yes, but it is not as easy as a city venue. NJ Transit bus service runs from Port Authority to Paramus, and rideshare from Manhattan typically runs $35-$55 each way during off-peak hours.

What is the closest mall to Bury the Hatchet?

Garden State Plaza is 0.6 miles -- a 2-minute drive or 12-minute walk. The other three Paramus malls (Paramus Park, Bergen Town Center, Outlets at Bergen) are all within 5-7 minutes by car.

The Bergen County Pick

Paramus does not market itself as an entertainment destination. The town's identity is shopping and suburban convenience, and the axe throwing venue is technically just one business on East Midland Avenue. But Bury the Hatchet's twenty-one-thousand-review track record speaks to something the marketing brochures do not: this is one of the busiest, best-rated, most-experienced axe throwing venues in the United States, hidden in the middle of one of the country's most overlooked towns.

For a Bergen County group, a North Jersey bachelor or bachelorette weekend, a Manhattan corporate team event looking for an out-of-Manhattan option, or even a single date-night couple making the trip from across the bridge, Paramus is one of the strongest single-venue axe throwing options in the entire New York metro area.

Browse all Paramus area venues and start planning your throw. If it is your first time, our beginner's guide covers the basics, and our techniques guide goes deeper for repeat throwers. The broader New Jersey scene extends well beyond Bergen County.