Route 79 is a state highway located in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It runs 12.13 mi (19.52 km) from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 in Freehold Township north to an intersection with Route 34 and County Route 516 Spur in Matawan. The route is a mostly two-lane undivided road that passes through both suburban residential areas and rural areas. The route intersects Route 33 in Freehold Township, Route 33 Business and County Route 537 in Freehold Borough, Route 18 and County Route 520 in Marlboro Township, and County Route 516 in Matawan.

In 1927, the current alignment of Route 79 was designated as a part of Route 4, which was to run from Cape May to the George Washington Bridge, with U.S. Route 9 additionally being designated along the route by the 1940s. After U.S. Route 9 and Route 4 were moved to a new routing between Freehold and Cheesequake, the former route became Route 4A, a spur of Route 4. In 1953, Route 4A became Route 79 between Freehold and Matawan and an extension of Route 34 between Matawan and Cheesequake.

Route 79 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 9 in Freehold Township, heading north on South Street, a two-lane divided highway that soon becomes an undivided road. It interchanges with Route 33 and continues through a mix of residential and commercial areas The route enters Freehold Borough, where it crosses Route 33 Business and continues past residences. Route 79 heads into commercial areas of downtown Freehold, where it intersects County Route 537 (Main Street). Here, the route heads northeast on Main Street to run concurrent with County Route 537 for a short distance. It eventually splits from County Route 537 by forking to the left to head northeast on Broadway. The route heads through residential neighborhoods, intersecting County Route 46 (Dutch Lane Road). Route 79 crosses back into Freehold Township, where it continues through suburban residential areas, with intermittent farms and woods. It heads into Marlboro Township, where the name becomes Marlboro Road. The route passes some businesses before it widens into a four-lane divided highway and comes to an interchange with Route 18.

Past this interchange, Route 79 heads through a mix of residences and businesses, narrowing back into a two-lane undivided road. The name of the road changes to North Main Street at the School Road intersection as it heads into residential neighborhoods. The road passes through agricultural areas before heading back into residential and commercial areas, where it intersects County Route 520 (Newman Springs Road). Past this intersection, Route 79 continues north into farmland with some residences and businesses; the amount of neighborhoods eventually increase along the road again. The road heads through more open land before it heads through wooded areas containing homes and businesses. The route intersects County Route 3 (Tennent Road) in Morganville, forming a short concurrency with that route that lasts until County Route 3 heads northeast on Lloyd Road. Route 79 continues north through wooded neighborhoods and enters Matawan, where it becomes Main Street. It passes through residential areas before the road crosses County Route 516 (New Brunswick Avenue/Broad Street) in a commercial area. Route 79 continues a short distance north past this intersection to its northern terminus at Route 34 (Middlesex Street). At this intersection, County Route 516 Spur continues northeast on Main Street.

Before 1927, what is today Route 79 was an unnumbered road. In the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering, the route was legislated as part of Route 4, which was to run from Cape May to the George Washington Bridge. By the 1940s, U.S. Route 9 was realigned to follow this portion of road along with Route 4. Eventually, U.S. Route 9 and Route 4 were moved to a new alignment between Freehold and Cheesequake, and the former alignment between these two points became Route 4A, a spur of Route 4. In the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering, Route 4A became Route 79 between Freehold and Matawan and an extension of Route 34 between Matawan and Cheesequake. On December 15, 2006, the intersection between U.S. Route 9 and Route 79 was rebuilt to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion.

The entire route is in Monmouth County.