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Best Spots for a Bite and a Drink in Downtown Jersey City
Jersey City has been growing in leaps and bounds, and what once was a sleepy and underused downtown area is now become a hub of dining and some nightlife. There are a lot of interesting spots for a bite and drink within blocks of the Grove Street PATH station.
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17 Places
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Augie’s 5-star review: I've dined at Carrino Provisions' Osteria four times now, and it honestly has been remarkable each time. Service has been consistently friendly and helpful. We've had everything from the cheese plate to pastas and been happy with everything. (The short rib pasta dish is a standout.) And their tiramisu may be the best I've ever had. We keep coming back because Carrino's keeps delighting us. -
Augie’s 5-star review: Terrific place--one of our favorites in Jersey City. Warm decor, great service, awesome and interesting beer selection and good food. The brunch is very good on weekends, and my wife and I enjoyed the appetizers along with beer from their interesting menu. I've been to places with more beers, but I was really impressed with the variety and uniqueness of Skinner's Loft's brews. This is the sort of place where you could come and enjoy small plates at the bar or make a dinner of it. The patio on the roof is quite nice, provided you don't mind hiking up a couple flights. -
Augie’s 5-star review: A week ago I visited a brand new Spanish tapas restaurant in Jersey City and walked away disappointed at every single aspect of the experience. Tonight, I visit Broa, which specializes in Portuguese tapas, and everything was incredible. Four of us dined for under $100 (with our own BYOB bottle of wine) and dollar for dollar, this was one of the best meals I can remember. Broa is small and the ambiance is very cozy. It can be tough to get into--this evening, people were turned away or waited quite some time without a reservation. (Make reservations by calling the restaurant: 201-463-1467.) Our group of four ordered four appetizers and one more substantial meal, and we couldn't finish it all, even though every single item was delicious. The shrimp fitters were rich; the chorizo-stuffed bread was delicious; the tuna chickpea salad was outstanding; and the tuna steak was incredible. Everything was so delicious, we didn't have a favorite item or a least favorite. Be warned it's all a little salty, but our party had no complaints about the taste, freshness or presentation of our very tasty tapas. The service is very personal but a bit leisurely. Don't plan on making a quick visit to Broa. If I had one gripe, it would be that after an appropriately relaxed pace throughout our dinner, it took quite some time to get our check. That is a minor inconvenience given the quality of the food and experience at Broa. We will definitely be back. I'd rank this as easily one of the best restaurants in Jersey City. -
Augie’s 5-star review: Impressive spot for good food and drinks in Jersey City. Third and Vine doesn't have a sign but is easy to find, and when you do, you will enjoy some fine cocktails, cheese and small plates. We sat at the bar and received great service. The martinis and Old Fashioneds were very well made. We started the dinner with pate (quite good) and deviled eggs (outstanding--literally the best I've ever tasted). We ordered cheese and asked for recommendations, and we were impressed with the selection. For dessert, the bacon maple cheesecake was perfect. It's not a cheap place, but it is interesting and delicious. -
Augie’s 5-star review: Delicious ice cream and Italian Ices. Really superior service, too--the young people who work here seem two cuts above the typical service one expects. Only drawback is that there are very few places to sit. It's almost more of a takeout spot than an ice cream parlour. -
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Augie’s 5-star review: Made a second visit here. After my first visit, I gave it a four-star review, but that would just be stingy for the quality of meal that we had. Service was terrific; the wedge and Tomato Mozzarella Stack were terrific; my wife's and my cut of meat were very good and both the truffle butter and au poivre preparations were great. The service in the bar was terrific as well, and the bartender suggested a Rye Whiskey that was new to me. I simply could not find fault with our experience. Still a bit on the pricey side, but you pay for great service and food. -
Augie’s 4-star review: Razza is the sort of place that reminds you of how Jersey City is continuing to become an interesting and diverse spot. The decor is funky, with rough, unpainted walls. Service was fine. The menu is small but delicious. About the only negative we saw was that when we ordered chickpeas, it didn't come with bread or crackers. I'm not sure I've ever eaten chickpeas with a spoon before (although they were good.) While we didn't order the $4 bread and butter appetizer, we will the next time we go--it looked terrifically delicious on the table next to us. The pizzas are tasty and unique. We had the Margherita and Bianco. Small, but the two were more than enough for the three of us. Razza is a nice place for good pizza in the Grove Street area.
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Augie’s 4-star review: I was going to wait a few months while the new South House worked out the kinks, but we had the chance to visit Jersey City's newest restaurant this weekend and were very pleased. The place is currently serving a reduced menu, which still offers plenty of delicious options. It is still a couple of weeks away from a full menu and opening the upstairs and downstairs spaces, but what is currently open and what they currently offer is far more than enough to recommend South House. The space is beautifully designed. South House has a little courtyard area at the entrance for outdoor dining, and the front window can be rolled up to open the entire space to fresh air. (The evening we visited was quite hot and humid, so we were glad the window was closed and the restaurant air conditioned.) The loft-like decor is spacious and comfortable, with mismatched old-school furniture giving it a homey look. My wife and I ordered a salad with grilled peaches and blue cheese, and it was very large. (I hope the permanent menu offers half-sizes of the salads since the deep bowl was more than plentiful.) The salad was fresh, and the housemade ranch dressing was delicious (and extra credit for mixing the right amount of dressing uniformly throughout the salad.) We split the pulled port sandwich, and both my wife and I were very happy with the taste. Their BBQ has a subtle sweet-but-not-too-sweet taste that we enjoyed. The slaw on the top also was delicious. Our drinks were both very good. My wife enjoyed the Forever 27, a pleasingly sweet drink served in a Moscow Mule copper mug. I enjoyed their Smokey Old Fashioned (although it wasn't as smokey as I expected.) Service was very good. Our server, Ali, was friendly and efficient, the drinks and food arrived in a timely manner, and he checked on us to see if we needed anything else. The only things that were even mildly disappointing were that the potato salad was a little bland and the noise level can be a bit loud. Between the rocking soundtrack, the crowds, the brick walls and the wood ceiling, it doesn't take much for South House's sound level to go from lively to uncomfortable. If you're like me and prefer the noise level more moderate so that your party can chat across the table, then ask to be seated in the back rather than in the louder bar area. We'll definitely be back to test more of the menu. Even in its initial week or two, the South House offers a very good dining experience. -
Augie’s 4-star review: Another welcome addition to Jersey City, Dullboy occupies the old Park & Sixth space (which has moved to larger space at 279 Grove Street, six blocks away.) This spot is a hip place for good cocktails and conversation (although the background music could be just a tad lower to facilitate the latter). Dullboy is a nice mix of old school, style and comfort, with some intimate seating for groups of twos and threes and decorations that include a wall of dead-tree books and artfully lit typewriters. The bartenders know their stuff, and our group complimented the Manhattans, Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs we ordered. The place feels upscale, and the prices are equally upscale--our tab for eight cocktails exceeded $90. The place had only been open a week when we visited, but it felt quite polished. The only indication of its newness was that the bartenders were still not fully informed about all of the liquors (which, I might add, seemed to be a unique and interesting selection) and as the place got crowded, the barstaff struggled just a tad to keep up. These were very minor hiccups for a place open seven days, and I was impressed with the professionalism and skill of the guys behind the bar. I look forward to returning to Dullboy to try more concoctions and dig into their bites. If you want a classier, hipper cocktail experience in Jersey City, add Dullboy to your list. -
Augie’s 4-star review: I returned to Roman Nose for the first time since they remodeled. The fresh ambiance is great--the place feels less like a quick-service restaurant that was under decorated and more like a real restaurant with an attractive bar. On the other hand, I was not as crazy about the food this time around. My wife loved her Chicken Involtini, but I thought the Fettuccine Cacio e Pepi was rather bland. It was very cheesy, but it lacked the sharp peppery bite that the best Cacio e Pepi has. Also, service seemed a little confused, particularly for a rainy evening with two-thirds of the tables open. We placed a wine order, and it took 10 minutes to arrive, even though no one was sitting at the bar and the place was mostly empty. Love the new decor and the food is still quite good, but I was not quite as blown away by the food or service as I was on my earlier visits. -
Augie’s 4-star review: Now that Porta has been around and worked out some the kinks, I think it has become a decent place for a casual dinner in downtown Jersey City. Service has improved, and we've always found the pizzas quite tasty. On a nice night be sure to check out the deck upstairs. It's a nice spot for a drink. Plus, they serve delicious and hearty sandwiches up there. And they have a side--tomatoes with sea salt--that was really quite simple and incredible. Service on the roof is very spotty. Also, you might want to avoid wearing white. It seems the wood burning pizza ovens downstairs like to vent a bit of black ash every now and then. It's nothing serious, but it can leave you with a couple of dark streaks on your cloths and skin if you're not careful.
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Augie’s 4-star review: I've had the basic "Bankrupt" burger twice and thought it was a darn fine burger. It's perhaps a little greasy for my preference, but still quite tasty and was well-prepared both times. The fries are very good, also. The ambiance is a cross between a bar and a casual restaurant, and the windows on Newark provide for some good people watching. Service can be a little spotty, but I think this is a decent place to get an above average burger. -
Augie’s 4-star review: Updating my prior review: Our first time at Box was a mixed bag, with good food but strange service. We have been back twice since, and everything has been better. Friends of ours said their noodle dishes were the best they've ever had, and we all loved the friend sweet potato appetizer. Service has been warm and timely, unlike our first visit. This has become a regular spot for us. -
Augie’s 4-star review: Very happy to see the Taqueria Downtown open again following Hurricane Sandy. This is a nice spot for very good Mexican food in a casual setting. The ingredients are all fresh, and we've enjoyed quite a lot on the menu. It is popular and gets a bit too crowded for my tastes during prime dining time. One Friday night they were squeezing them in so tightly that my wife and I could not get out of our table without asking other patrons to get up and move their chairs. A little more breathing room would be nice, but it's hard to complain about that with a line out the door. I also felt the music was unnecessarily loud. My wife and I had to scream to chat across our small table. If the atmosphere was a little more comfortable, I'd be tempted to give this five stars, but the Taqueria Downtown is still worth a visit if you're hungry for good Mexican bites on Grove Street in Jersey City. -
Augie’s 5-star review: I am very excited to post this review. Park and Sixth was an absolute favorite of mine, but then it moved to a new location and expanded the menu, and I was bitterly disappointed in my three or four visits--neither the service nor food was as good as it was. But tonight, I gave Park and Sixth another chance, and the old magic was back. The waitstaff was friendly (thanks, Vanessa!) and the food was delicious. At its old location, everything on the menu was great, but it seemed Park and Sixth lost its way in its newer location near City Hall. Tonight, it seemed they returned to old form. The pot stickers were delicious. My wife's mac & cheese was among the best she's had. My meatloaf and mashed potatoes were rich and tasty. And the desert, a gingerbread cake, was awesome. I felt like an old friend returned. After spending a year walking past Park & Sixth to avoid the heartbreak of remembering its glory years, I am now eager to return to try more of the menu. Welcome back, old friend! -
Augie’s 3-star review: It's nice to find a bar like this in the midst of Jersey City's somewhat struggling historic downtown. On the plus side, the beer selection is terrific and the old-time video games along the walls are fun and nostalgic. On the downside, service is terrible--indifferent, grumpy and distracted. And I wish it wasn't so damn loud. That may just be the old guy talking, but then again, I'm told Barcade used to have a line out the door and we found the place half empty when we were there recently, so perhaps they do have some room for improvement. I'll be back for the beers.
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